Gospel Holiness, Part 1 · Sermon 1
A ſaving ſight of God.
Iſaiah 6. 5. For mine eyes have ſeene the King, the Lord of Hoſts.
IN this verſe we have a deſcription of true Goſpell humiliation, (the moſt that Iſaiah wrote was Goſpell, he was an Evangelicall Prophet) and in that deſcription there are theſe things.
Firſt the occaſion of this great humiliation God humbleth his Miniſters ere he ſend them.of the Prophet; and that was that God was now ſetting him forth in the Goſpell, to preach the will of God to the People.
God when he ſends Miniſters to his worke, he doth firſt humble them.
They can never doe any thing to purpoſe for God till they be undone, Woe is me I am undone (ſaith the Prophet) in this verſe, and then in the verſes following God ſends him to preach; So that the maine cauſe why you have not Miniſters, according to God, that he doth not bleſſe their worke, according to your heart and deſire, it is not for want of parts or underſtanding, or for want of Parts or degrees, or the like: but the generall, the maine cauſe is, becauſe they are not humbled, God hath not undone them.
Secondly, there is the humiliation it ſelf, which conſiſts,
Firſt, of an Act of the Underſtanding, whereby the Prophet ſaw ſome thing more then he knew before, and cries out I am undone; he thought he was in a good condition before; but now he doth not meerly ſay I am undone, but woe is me, woe is me I am undone.
Thirdly, there is the Cauſes of it and the cauſes are twofold.
One is materiall (as you call it) that is ſin, woe is me I am undone, Why? Becauſe I am a man, ſaith the Septuagint. Indeed, a man as a man will be undone if Sin, a cauſe of humiliation.he ſee the glory of God, if he were not a Sinner: But ſaith he, becauſe I am a man of uncleane lips, and becauſe I dwell among a People of uncleane lips. Becauſe I ſee I have many ſinns, and becauſe I ſee them; now the leaſt ſin is exceeding ſinfull, even to dwell among wicked people, a man cannot chooſe but be tainted with them: Therefore woe is me I am undone.
The other cauſe is in theſe words, I have ſeene the King the Lord of Hoſts. For a man may have ſinenough and yet never be humbled or undone; as you know, wicked men now have, and men, and Devils, The ſight of God a humbling ſight.for ever will have hereafter in Hell, and yet they will never be humbled, they will never be undone in this ſence: but there was this thing to make it up, mine eyes have ſeene the King, the Lord of Hoſts, as wee ſee in the verſe before in the Viſion, how he had ſeene the Lord. So now we come to theſe words.
For mine eyes have ſeene the King, the Lord of Hoſts.
From which words you are to obſerve two things. The firſt is this, that
It is the peculiar priviledge of the Saints and ever was, and ever will be, to ſee God, to ſee the King, the Lord of Hoſts.
Secondly, that
A true ſaving ſight of the Lord of Hoſts, of God in Chriſt Jeſus, is that principally, that undoes men, or truly and ſavingly humbles men.
I ſhall ſpeak more particulerly of the latter, but we cannot well underſtand the latter, without we have a little underſtanding in the former. For if you would know how the ſight of God humbleth men, you muſt underſtand a little what this ſight, what this ſeeing of God is.
I ſhall ſpeake briefly of the former Leſſon which is this, thatDoct. 1. The peculiar priviledge of the Saints, to ſee God.
It is a peculiar priviledge of a Saint, and ever was, and ever will he, to ſee God, to ſee the King of Glory the Lord of Hoſts.
Wee doe not now ſpeak of the ſight of God, that we call the beatificall Viſion, that ſight of God we ſhall have in Heaven: for every one of you know that wicked men ſhall never ſee God that way, But I ſay there is a ſight of God in this world, that every A ſight of God in this world.Saint in all Ages hath had, and no other Sonne or Daughter of man from the beginning to the end ever had, or ſhal have but thoſe that are reall Sts. Concerning this ſight, or ſeeing of God, we meane to ſpeak, if God will, And that you may underſtand it, you muſt Men are ſaid to ſee God. … 1, Corporeally.know that there are divers ſorts of ſights of God: Men are ſaid many wayes to ſee God. As
Firſt, there is a corporeall ſight, a bodilie ſight of God, a ſeeing of God with bodilie eyes: and ſo the Scripture doth often ſpeak negatively, that No man hath ſeene God at any time that way; no man hath ſeene his ſhape; that is no man in this world with bodilie eyes did ever ſee God, as though he were a body, or a corporeall ſubſtance. Indeed men have ſeen Jeſus Chriſt who was God; and Chriſt Jeſus ſaith, Joh. 6, 36. Yee have ſeene me and heard me, and yet you believe not in me. So that the Phariſees, the proud Phariſees that never were humbled ſaw Jeſus Chriſt, that was God. But yet that is not the ſight here ſpoken of, that peculiar ſight which none but Saints have: For the former no man ever had; and the latter, wicked men have as well as good; that is, wicked men ſaw Chriſt bodily as well as good men.
Secondly, there is an other ſight of God; that is, we 2. In works of creation or providence.may be ſaid to ſee God in his works of creation, or providence; or rather to ſpeak more properly, we ſee the things of God; as the Apoſtle ſaith, Rom. 1. they ſaw the inviſible things of God, in the things that were made; that is, a naturall man may ſee a great power in that finger which made the Moone, and great Wiſdome in him that contrived the Sun, Moone, Stars, and all creatures from the beginning. Now I ſay this may be ſaid to be a ſeeing, or a knowing of God: for in Rom. 1. as it is ſaid in one place, they ſaw the inviſible things of God; ſo afterwards it is ſaid, they knew God, who, becauſe they knew God, and glorified him not as God, God gave them up &c. There was ſome thing, ſome faſhion that they did ſee God in the creation, in the creatures, but this ſight of God is not that I meane to ſpeak of, that glorious and bleſſed ſight of which Chriſt ſpeakes Math. 5. Bleſſed are the pure in heart: for they ſhall ſee God.
Thirdly, (beſides the corporeall ſeeing, and the naturall 3. By common illumination.ſeeing) there is a ſight of God by the illumination of Gods ſpirit. I ſay, Gods ſpirit may raiſe a man up to ſee things, which no man naturally ever did, or could; yet it is not this ſight. Now indeed, that more properly (as I ſaid of the former) is to ſee the things of God: Only the former is a ſeeing of the things of God in the creature; and this is a ſeeing the things of God in the Goſpel. So in Heb. 6. 6. where mention is made of Hypocrites, that fall away and are damned; it is ſaid, they taſted of the heavenly gift, and were enlightened: for there is the very word. Compare that with 2 Pet. 2. 20. In the one, we read they were enlightned, and after fell off. In the other, wee read that by the knowledge of Chriſt, they were cleanſed, and after fell, with the Dog to his Vomit. I ſay, there is a Goſpell ſight of God, that hath ſome reſemblance of this peculier priviledge, but is not it. Men may have a ſight to know abundance of things, of the Kingdome of God; and ſo in a ſort be ſaid to know, and to ſee God, yet this is not the peculiar ſight I am to ſpeak of.
Fourthly, there is a ſight of God, which is not peculiar 4. At the day of Judgement.to the Saints; and that is at the day of Judgment; there, wicked people ſhall ſee God. Only, they ſhall ſee him clothed with wrath, they ſhall ſee the Lord coming out to judgement againſt them; they ſhall ſee that Man, that they thought to be but a man, and no more, whom they crucified; they ſhall then ſee him, God, comming to judge the world; they ſhal ſee him whom they have pierced: And this is not that ſight, that is the priviledge of Saints. It is not a corporeall ſight, as the Jews had; nor it is not a common ſight as the Heathens have by the creation, or as Hypocrites have in the Goſpell by illumination; or as Reprobates ſhall have one day to their condemnation. It is none of theſe ſights. But
Fiftly, and laſtly, there is a ſeeing of God in the A peculiar Goſpell ſight only to Saints.Goſpell, by the Spirit of God, which is peculiar only to the People of God. There was no Saint that ever was in the world, but had this ſight, more or leſſe. There were few Saints in the old Teſtament, but ſomwhere or other it is mentioned, and ſaid of them, that they ſaw God; either directly, or by conſequence. As In the old Teſtament.for inſtance in the old Teſtament, in the beginning of it (though in a different manner) you read of divers men that are ſaid to be walkers with God, As Noah Noah. Henoch. Abraham.walked with God, and Henoch walked with God, and Abraham walked with God. Now it is impoſſible, in a ſpirituall, right ſence, that you can conceive of men to walk with God, hand in hand, but it muſt neceſſarily imply, that they did ſee God, how ſhall two walk together unleſſe they be agreed? much leſſe, unleſſe they ſee one another; for a man will not walk with one which he ſees not. Therefore it is ſaid of Abraham, Joh. 8. 58. Abraham ſaw my day, and rejoyced.. He did not only ſee the time, (for that is not all) but he ſaw the glory of God in Jeſus Chriſt, though he were not yet manifeſted. MoſesSo Moſes alſo had this ſight, as we read, Heb. 11. 27. It is ſaid, by faith he forſook Aegypt, not fearing the wrath of the King: for he endured, as ſeeing him who is inviſible. Moſes ſaw him, who is inviſible: God is ſaid to be inviſible, two wayes; he is inviſible in reſpect of any corporeall ſhape: And God is ſaid to be inviſible, in reſpect of all mankind, beſides the Saints: he ſaw him who is inviſible, he ſaw him whom never man ſaw, or ſhall ſee, but only thoſe that are in Chriſt, as Moſes was. Of Solomon it is ſaid, Solomon.God appeared twice to him; God appeared often to Saul: therefore Saul thought it ſtrange, when the Lord appeared not unto him; But God did not appeare to Saul in all his dayes, with ſuch an apparition, Iſaiah.and in that faſhion as he did to Solomon. So Iſaiah in the Text, he had a peculiar ſight that made him cry out, Woe is me, I am undone: for mine eyes have ſeene the King, the Lord of Hoſts. It was common in the old Teſtament; and in the new Teſtament, it is every where ſpoken of; you ſhall read of it more fully in the New Teſtament, than in the Old. In Iſaiah 52. 8. it was propheſied concerning the new Teſtament; In the new Teſtament.Thy watchmen ſhall lift up their voyce; for they ſhall ſee eye to eye, when the Lord ſhall bring againe Zion. as the Apoſtle ſaith 2 Cor. 3. We all behold with open face. There was a kind of vaile, over the beſt of them in the old; though it were a peculiar thing to the Sts. Paul.then to ſee God, yet now in the new Teſtament (though the ſight be the ſame,) yet it is a great deale clearer, and brighter, and nearer, and more glorious. As to give you a few inſtances; as that of Paul 2 Cor. 12. He was wrapped up into the third heaven, into Paradice, where he heard wonders that were not to be uttered. What were thoſe glorious things that he ſaw, that he could not utter? Without controverſie, the ſame that Stephen ſaw, Act. 7. The Heavens were opened, Stephen.and he ſaw Chriſt at the right hand of God, the glory of God in Jeſus Christ. And leaſt you ſhould think it was a thing peculiar to Paul, or Stephen, it is a thing commonly ſpoken of in the new teſtament, of all the Saints; and when Chriſt on the Mount ſaith, And al the Saints,bleſſed are the pure in heart, for they ſhall ſee God Mat. 5. without holines none ſhall ſee God. Heb. 12. As if he ſhould ſay, any man that is holy ſhall ſee God. In 1. Joh. 3. A man that lives in ſin, hath not ſeene God. And he that loves not his Brother, hath not ſeene God. It is a common thing, it is, it hath been, and it ſhall be, the Saints, and all the Saints have a peculiar ſight of God that the world knowes not of.
To open it a little further, (that hearing that there is ſuch a glorious thing, you may look after it, and ſet your minds to conſider it,) I ſhall indeavour it as far as I may, according to Scripture, becauſe there is nothing but the light of the word, and Spirit that can diſcover this.
You will ſay, what is this ſight? Or how is it? Or how ſhall we underſtand it?This ſight of God which only Saints have, is
I will lay before you theſe 4 or 5 propoſitions in generall, that you may have a little light of it out of the ſcriptures.
The firſt is this; that the ſight of God, which the S… 1 Imperfect.have in this world, it is but imperfect, it is but in part it is not ful, & compleat, until they be in heaven. Not that I meane that they ſee ſome part of God in this world, and they ſhall ſee him all in the other world. No, a Saint ſeeth God wholly here; he ſees all that is in God; he ſees his love, he ſees his power, he ſees his ſtrength, he ſees his righteouſneſse, he ſees his mercy; he ſees his all Attributes far otherwiſe then a carnall man can; and that with redundancie, with ſome thing more then a meere, or bare knowing of his Attributes, though he ſee and know every one of thoſe, and every particle of thoſe, otherwiſe then the world ſees them; (ſo my meaning is,) yet he ſees in part, that is, he knows not any of theſe things perfectly. Therefore ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 13. 9. Wee know in part, but hereafter we ſhall know as we are known. Which words, (as I conceive) point not out principally Spirituall things, that we know the will of God in part here, but we ſhall know his will perfectly in Heaven, (though that be true;) for (it may be) it is not neceſſarie, that we ſhould know the will of God ſo here: For then (it may be) we ſhould have more glorious Principles. But the meaning is, here we know little of God; we know him in part; but he knows us wholly: But when we ſhall come to Heaven, we ſhall know God, as he kows us, therefore that brake the Apoſtles heart, and made him ſigh Phil. 3. that he would have given all the world if he had had it, that he might apprehend him, that comprehended him. As if he had ſaid, God ſees me clearly, and groundedly, all the thoughts of my heart, but I cannot apprehend God, as he doth me. Therefore, becauſe this ſeeing of God is but in part in this World, becauſe we ſee but little, it is oft in Scripture called, a not ſeeing. As in 1 Joh. 3. 1. Now we are the Sons of God, but it doth not yet appeare what we ſhall be: but when he ſhall appeare we ſhall ſee him as he is. As if he had ſaid, that ſight that we have of him now, it is ſcarce worth the calling a ſight, So in 1 Pet. 1. VVhom having not ſeene, yet ye love. And in Rom. 8. If we did ſee, why doe we yet hope for it? for hope is of that which is not ſeene. There is no Saint that can love God, but he muſt ſee God: But the meaning of thoſe phraſes is, not that Saints ſee not God, but they ſee ſo little, in compariſon of what they ſhall ſee afterwards, that it may well be called not ſeeing; they love God, though they have not gotten that perfect ſight of God, that one day they ſhall have. Indeed they ſhall have a perfect ſight, not only in reſpect of the degrees of ſeeing, but they ſhall have this addition alſo to it, that then they ſhall ſee God in Chriſt with their bodily eyes; as Job ſaith, I know that my redeemer liveth, and that I ſhal ſee God in my fleſh, And what Job. 19. 1 Cor. 15.that ſhall be, (when Chriſt ſhall deliver up the Kingdome to his Father) I know not. That is one propoſition to help us to underſtand this glorious priviledge, our ſeeing of God in this world is but in part.
Secondly, that ſeeing him in part, whatſoever it is, 2 unſpeakable.it is an unſpeakable ſight; a ſight that no man is able to utter. As Paul ſaith, he was taken up into the third Heaven, and heard words that could not be ſpoken; ſo doubtleſſe the Saints ſee things that cannot be revealed; Therefore ſaith Paul, eye hath not ſeene, nor eare heard, nor hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive, thoſe things that God hath laid up for them that love him. Now if they were ſpeakable, demonſtrable things, a man might give ſome notions in writing; he might ſee, or ſpeak, or heare, or give ſome knowledge, he might conſider of it: but the tongue, eare, and eye, and heart of man, is not able to comprehend the glorious priviledge, of the ſeeing the glory of God in Jeſus Chriſt, it is unſpeakable; Therefore as the Apoſtle ſpeaks of the love of God, it paſſeth knowledge, not only of a carnall, worldly man, but of that man that hath it, it paſſeth his knowledge to comprehend it before God gives it, but if God doe but eclipſe it a little, he cannot comprehend what it was when he had it, though it were but yeſterday; and when he hath it, and hath moſt of it, he is not able to utter and expreſſe it. That is a ſecond propoſition concerning this glorious priviledge, it is imperfect, and it is unutterable.
A third thing is this, that this glorious priviledge 3. Only in Chriſt.that the Saints have of ſeeing God, whatſoever that is, let it be more or leſſe, it is only in the face of Jeſus Chriſt. For take any other ſight of God; take the corporeall ſight, the ſeeing of the man Chriſt, that the VVicked may doe as well as the Saints. Or take the ſight of God in the creatures, in his providence, or the like; carnal men ſo ſee the things of God as the Saints doe, though not altogether ſo well; yet that is no peculiar thing. But this ſight of God that I ſpeake of, it is only in the face of Jeſus Chriſt, as it is in 2 Cor. 4. 4. 6. In whom the God of this world, hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, leaſt the light of the glorious Goſpell of Chriſt, who is the image of God, ſhould ſhine unto them. For God who commanded light to ſhine out of Chriſt the face of God.darkneſſe, hath ſhined in our hearts, to give us the light of the knowledge of God in the face of Jeſus Chriſt. Jeſus Chriſt is the face of God: and as we ſee nothing of a mans body, but by his Face, ſo we ſee nothing of God but in Jeſus Chriſt: Therefore when Philip ſaid to Chriſt, ſhew us the Father & it is ſufficient; ſaith Chriſt he that hath ſeen me, hath ſeene the Father: that is, all in this glorious priviledge of ſeeing God, muſt be through the man Jeſus Chriſt. Therefore that is the reaſon that the Saints heretofore, alwayes when they were at a loſſe, and could not ſee God, they ſtill called for his face, O ſhew me thy face, that is, Lord ſhew thy ſelf to me in thy face, which is Jeſus Chriſt. Therefore if any man will ſee God, he need not goe up to Heaven, or deſcend downe into the Deep, but he muſt look for it in the face of Jeſus Chriſt,
Fourthly, all this ſight of God whatſoever it is, it is 4. It is by the word.by the word and by the ſpirit: For as one godly man ſaith, the face of Chriſt Jeſus is as the looking-glaſſe wherein we ſee God; and the word of God is the looking glaſſe wherein we ſee Chriſt. Therefore in 2 Cor. 4. God hath ſent us, to make known the glory of God in the face of Jeſus Chriſt. And then ſaith he, we have this treaſure in earthen veſſels that the excellency of power might be of God, and not of us. He had ſaid before that by the preaching of the Goſpel, he had made known the glory of God, in the face of Chriſt. Now in this poore deſpicable thing; a man that hath a world of infirmities and many weakneſſes in him; yet in theſe poore earthen ſhels, (as the word is in the originall) God hath put this treaſure. As we find in naturall things, Pearles are in the ſhels of little fiſhes, and the ſhell is worth nothing: So, though we be little worth, God hath made the preaching of the Goſpell by us, the way to beſtow theſe glorious priviledges. He will make known himſelf in Chriſt, the ſame that ſhall be for ever hereafter, which only the Saints enjoy; and this is by the word,
And it is by the Spirit, as it is in 2 Cor. 3. VVhere And by the Spirit.the ſpirit is, there is liberty; where it is not, there is a vaile over the heart, and minde that none can take aaway, but the ſpirit of God. Where the ſpirit is, there is liliberty. What is that? When a man hath the Spirit he is freed from that Vaile; his eyes are opened; as he ſaith after, we that are Sts. we have no vaile, but we behold with pen face, the glory of God. Through the Goſpel, we ſee Chriſt; and through Chriſt; the Father; the glory of the Lord: but how? By the ſpirit of the Lord; that is, the Spirit of the Lord uncovers the face, and annoints the eyes. Therefore the Spirit is called Oyntment; becauſe he annoints the eyes; and he is called Eye-ſalve, Revel. 3. he helps us to ſee. So thus you have a little, for it is an unſpeakable thing, and therefore we can only ſpeak a little, aloofe, afarr off, that you may know that there is ſuch a thing; but it is God himſelfe that muſt beſtow it on you and me.
I will add one more particular, becauſe I find it in the Scripture, concerning this ſeeing of God. I finde it is ſpoken of 3 wayes, or (as it were) in 3 pathes.
Firſt the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt when The Father ſhews us Chriſt.we were dead in ſins, and when we ſaw nothing at all, the Father ſhews us Chriſt. Before we have any thing to doe with Chriſt actively, the Father hath many things to doe on us paſsively, as Chriſt ſaith Joh. 17. Father, all that were thine, thou gaveſt them to me. Before Chriſt comes the Father is making the match, and commending his Sonne to us, when we are meerly paſsive in it. For that is a generall rule, a man never acts, but by Jeſus Chriſt; therefore let men talke what they will, God may doe what he will paſſively on me, but I am, not to acts at all till Jeſus Chriſt come, but I ſay, paſsively, the Father was woing us to his Son, and no man (ſaith Chriſt) comes to me except the Father draw him; and thoſe that have learned, and are taught of the Father come to me. Joh. 6. 45. That (I ſay) is one ſight that a poore ſinner hath, a ſight of the Excellency of Jeſus Chriſt. Now it may be if thou look back, and conſider how God did deale with thee at the firſt, thou canſt remember when many times Jeſus Chriſt was preſented to thee in his excellencie, ſometimes more, ſometimes leſſe, and thou ſaweſt him an excellent perſon, and wouldeſt have given a world for him; and didſt account it a heaven, and happineſſe to enjoy him. Now whence was this, but that the Father was willing to make the match between his Son, and thee, and ſhewed this excellency of him?
Secondly, I finde, on the other ſide, in Scripture, Chriſt ſhews us the Fatherthat the Son Chriſt gives us to ſee the Father: for the Father is not ſeene all this while; thou ſeeſt not who ſhews thee that Excellency: thou ſeeſt Chriſt before, and wouldeſt give a world for him; but thou knoweſt not who opened the Window; it is the Father; and then Chriſt only ſhews the Father; that is, after thou art married to Chriſt, and Chriſt will ſhew thee thy Friends. When Chriſt hath married the Soule, he will ſhew it what riches is in him; what grace, righteouſnes, and goodneſſe: and ſaith Chriſt, I have a Father, and I am willing that you ſhould be acquainted with him, and know him: ſo Chriſt leads us to the Father; that is that Chriſt ſpeaks Joh. 14. Ye know me, and ye know the Father. And ſaith he, haſt thou ſeene me, and not known the Father? he that hath ſeene me hath ſeene the Father: for wee ſee the Father through Chriſt, that is all the knowledge we have of the Father. for the Father is another perſon, juſt like Chriſt; he is inviſible, no eye ever ſaw him but through Chriſt; that is, I ſee, what pitty, and love, and grace, and goodneſſe is in Chriſt, and ſuch is in the Father. There are no two things in all the creation of God, that are ſo like one another, as the Father is to Jeſus Chriſt: ſo that as though I know one Egg, I may know another; & yet two Eggs are not comparable, or to be mentioned for likeneſſe, as the Father is to Chriſt. So that if a man have perfect underſtanding of Chriſt, he will have alſo of the Father.
Thirdly, both theſe, though the one be paſsive, and Both done by the Spirit.the other active; that now I muſt looke with mine owne eyes that Chriſt hath put in my head to ſee the Father: though the Father ſhewed Chriſt to me when I was blind, and dead; I ſay both are done by the Spirit of God, who is called ſometimes the ſpirit of God, and ſometimes the ſpirit of Chriſt; and Chriſt ſaith, the ſpirit ſhall take of my things, and ſhew them to you. So the Spirit from the one, and the other makes manifeſtations. So you have ſeene a little towards the opening of this glorious priviledge that the Saints have, of ſeeing God in this world.The manner how the Saints ſee God.
There are 4 or 5. things more which the Scripture ſpeaks of our ſeeing of God, and which the Saints finde by experience. I ſhall but briefly touch them.
I have told you that a Saint ſees God but in part, 1 They ſee but a part.and yet a Saint ſees but a part of God (as it were) at any time. He ſees not God fully in any thing, and yet he ſees but a part (as it were) of God almoſt at any time; that is, the Lord doth not diſcover al his glory to any Saint at once: but ſomtimes the Lord reveales to his child, and lets him ſee his glorious power, in ſuch a way as no carnall man ever ſhall. Another while he, lets him ſee the glory of his Juſtice, and that, it may be raviſheth him for a time. Another while God ſheds his love into his heart, and ſets that before him, God might ſhew himſelfe at once, he might ſhew himſelfe fully if he pleaſed: but this is his manner, and dealing as we ſee in the Scriptures, and as the Saints finde generally in Experience. That is one thing.
Then ſecondly, in this ſight of God, though the 2. What they ſee is amiable.Lord ſhew but part of himſelfe at once, ſometimes it may be a greater part then at an other time; yet that part, be it what it will, and be it little or much, yet it is all amiable in the eye of a Saint, and operative in his ſoule; my meaning is this, you are not to conceive as though it were the glorious priviledge of a Saint, to ſee one ſide of God as it were, and not another: but that that is moſt terrible in God to wicked men, that is alſo I ſay amiable, and lovely in the eye of a Saint. As the power of God, the greatneſſe of God, the Juſtice of God. Even theſe things that the wicked abhorre and hate, the Lord uſeth to reveale them to his Saints, in Excellent Glory. That is an other thing.3. God ſheweth himſelf variouſly.
Then thirdly, God doth ſhew himſelfe to his children by various manifeſtations. My meaning is this, God doth not alway ſhew himſelfe in the ſame manner, and faſhion to his child; God (as it were) comes in a new dreſſe, every day to the Soule of his Child, all the dayes of his life in this world, and for ought he knowes, for ever in the world to come. As it is unſpeakable to ſay how God appeares to the ſoule of a Saint: ſo the manifeſtations are innumerable, the ſtrange ways that God comes to the ſoule: he ſhews himſelf to day this way, to morrow after another, and the third day after another. The Lord manifeſts himſelf variouſly. That is another thing
Then fourthly it is by various means alſo that God 4 By various meanes.comes in by. You muſt underſtand he comes alwayes through Jeſus Chriſt: but then for other lower meanes, he chooſeth what meanes he pleaſeth; he comes in, ſomtimes by afflictions, and corrections; ſomtimes by common providence, ſometimes in the word preached, ſometimes in meditation, ſometimes in prayer; ſome times one way, ſometimes another. The Lord can take any way, any creature, any providence, any thing to convey himſelfe by, to the Soule of his Child, in a ſaving way.5 It is not conſtant.
Then laſtly, this ſight of God which is the priviledge of the Saints, it is not conſtant, (for ought I know) to any Saint, no, not under the New Teſtament, much leſſe, under the Old: but the Saints have their deſertions in the new Teſtament, God hides his face, though not as oft as he did in the old. Now let me deſire you to lay up theſe things: becauſe they will be neceſſary when we come to ſpeak of the other doctrine. So much concerning the manner, how God reveales himſelf to his children.
I ſhall now come to the Uſes of this, and then way will be made for the other point, to ſhew how this ſight of God doth truly, & kindly, and ſavingly humble us.
For the Uſe of this. Firſt this ſhews the happy eſtate Uſe. 1. The happy eſtate of a Saint in this world.of a Saint in this world, that he hath (as it were) a heaven upon earth, becauſe he ſees God. If thou wouldeſt conſider ſeriouſly, that there is ſuch a glorious priviledge as this; thou wouldeſt ſay, bleſſed is the man that hath it, and curſed and unhappy is the man that hath it not; it is our Saviours word in the beginning of his Sermon Math. 5. Bleſſed are the pure in heart; for they ſhall ſee God. Now purity of heart is not the bleſſing properly, but the ſeeing of God. He that is pure in heart is a bleſſed man ſaith Chriſt, for he ſhall ſee God. So that if thou wilt believe Chriſt Jeſus, If thou be a Saint, and ſee God, and canſt ſay, the Lord hath revealed his glory to my ſoule in Jeſus Chriſt; then oppoſe that to any miſerie that can be in this world. Put any miſerie that makes a man unhappy in this world, in the one ſcale, and that priviledge of ſeeing God in Chriſt in the other ſcale; and ſurely thou wilt ſee that thou art a bleſſed, and happy man. As, ſuppoſe thou art a poore man, a plundred man, a perſecuted man, or a ſick man or woman; be it what it will, if thou canſt ſee God in the face of Jeſus Chriſt, if thou wilt believe Chriſt who is the truth thou art a bleſſed man, a bleſſed woman. Suppoſe a man were ſick, and ſhould never ſee health; ſuppoſe he were weake, and ſhould never ſee ſtrength, ſuppoſe he were poore, and ſhould never ſee wealth; ſuppoſe he were baniſhed, and ſhould never ſee his Countrey, or his Friends. Nay, ſuppoſe a man were ſtarke blind, and ſhould never ſee the naturall Sun; yet if he have a pure heart, he ſhall ſee God, and if thou wilt believe Chriſt Jeſus, thou art a bleſſed man or woman. All the bleſſedneſſe in this world put together; all that mankind ever enjoyed from the creation, is not worthy to be compared, with one glance of that ſight that a Saint hath thouſands of in his life, of the glory of God in Jeſus Chriſt.
We are wont to ſay that there is this difference The beatifical viſion in this life.and only this difference, betweene heaven, and earth, that glory differs from grace, but only in degrees; that glory, and grace are the ſame, and that glory is the perfection of grace. That is very true, I deny it not: for we ſhall be clothed upon with glorie. But ſome conceive that the beatificall viſion, that bleſſed ſight is not in this world, we ſhall not have it till we come to Heaven, It is true, we ſhall not fully, and perfectly: but it is not true any otherwiſe, then as the part differs from the whole: For here, even in this world, a Saint in ſome meaſure hath it, he ſees God as truly, and rightly as ever he ſhall hereafter in Heaven; therefore you may ſee what it is to be a Saint. If God ſhould take a poor Drunkard, or Swearer, and but ſhew his Soule, (as it were) through his fingers, or through a gold ring, one glance of this ſight, he would never be a Drunkard or Swearer, he would never be a Railer, and live as a Sott againe, all the dayes of his life, No, it is a glorious condition that a Saint is in.
Therefore meet God, and labour to know his glory in Chriſt. And for ſhame be not diſcouraged for every trifle in the world. When you heare that wicked men proſper, that they have wealth, and they ſee their children before their eyes, and their Bull gendereth, and their Cow calveth, as it is in Job, envy not their quality, one glance of this bleſſed ſight is worth more then all that ever they had, or ſhall have; therefore pitty them. Nay, if thou wert in priſon to night, and ſhouldeſt dye to morrow the moſt cruell death that ever was, yet if the face of God ſhine on thee, thou art a bleſſed man, it is a glorious condition; thou mayeſt ſay with David, My lot is fallen in a good ground, I have a goodly heritage. The Lord hath denyed me worldly things, wit, and wealth, and honour, and credit, but God hath been pleaſed to beſtow this, the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Chriſt. Therefore never look dejected or ſad more; envie others no more; but pitty them, and weep for them, thou haſt infinitly a greater treaſure, as the Apoſtle ſaith, we have this treaſure in earthen Veſſels. What is that treaſure? Nothing in the world, but the manifeſtation of God in Chriſt; therefore bring thy ſoule to the reſolution of that Diſciple, Lord ſhew us the Father, and we are ſatisfied: So ſay to God, Lord ſhew me thy glory in Jeſus Chriſt, and I have enough, though I have not wealth, nor glory, nor money, nor any thing, let the world have all, I have a good bargaine I will bleſſe, and praiſe thee world without end.
And if this be the priviledge, and bleſſednes of a St. The miſerie of wicked men.to ſee God. Then ſee alſo what a miſerable condition thou art in, that art a poore carnall man, that though it may be thou ſeeſt thy wealth increaſe, and thy Children playing in the ſtreets, yet thou never ſaweſt God, thou never hadſt one glimpſe of this glorious priviledge that I now ſpeak of. Therefore as it is the chiefe thing in Heaven to ſee God; ſo doubtleſſe it muſt be the chief thing in Hell to be throwne away from Gods preſence, not to ſee God. Therefore in 2 Theſſ. 1. it is ſaid that wicked people ſhall be puniſhed from his preſence; that is the maine thing in Hell to be thrown from the preſence of God, never to ſee his face more, ſo a carnall man hath a Hell upon Earth; thou that art not a new creature thou art in Hel as it were already: becauſe the main thing to be had in this world, and in the world to come, thou doſt wholly want. That is the firſt thing.
Secondly, if this be ſo, that there is ſuch a glorious Uſe 2. The fight of God ſhould humble Saints.prerogative of the Saints to ſee God; then this above al things in the world ſhould moſt humble thy ſoule for thy ſins (as hereafter I ſhall ſhew more fully) this ſhould move thee to mourne for thy ſins. Why ſo? You all know it is not properly, at leaſt, not meerly the knowing of ſin, and of the wrath, and curſe that will melt the heart: that, of it ſelf hardens the heart; but you know by your owne experience, that when you come to the veine, where thoſe ſweet teares of repentance lye, it is the ſeeing of the kindneſſe of God, of the goodneſſe of God, of the mercy of God; and then to think that I ſhould be ſuch a wretch, as to abuſe his goodnes; to grieve, and provoke him that is my Father, and to crucifie him again, and again, that is my Saviour. Mercies, even common mercies Common mercies abuſed humble a Saint.melt the heart; when a man conſiders, I was the other day ſick, and God reſtored me; and that I ſhould be ſuch a wretch ſince! this grates upon the heart; as in 2 Sam. 12. 7, 8. Where God by the Prophet tels David of his ſin; and as a motive to humble him, ſaith he, I made thee King of Iſrael, and Judah; and if that were too little, I gave thee wealth, I gave thee thy Maſters houſe, and thy Maſters wives into thy boſome. I tooke thee when thou wert a little lad following the ſheep, and I made thee King of Iſrael, and if this had been too little, I would have given thee more; but that thou ſhouldeſt play the villaine, that thou ſhouldeſt goe and take an honeſt mans wife, he that had but one ſheep, and play the Beaſt, and doe folly in Iſrael; this was that that wounded the heart of Dauid, and thereupon he went and penned 7. penitentiall Pſalmes, and goes, and cries, have mercy upon me O God according to the multitude of thy mercies. Theſe mercies that are ordinary, when we walke unworthily they grate the heart.
But if a man can come, and ſay, God hath beſtowed Spirituall mercies abuſed cauſe greateſt humbling.that on me, that he hath not upon any reprobate; the knowing, or the enjoyment of the knowledge of his glory in the face of Jeſus Chriſt, O, as it is a mercy unutterable, and invaluable, that the ſoule is not able to expreſſe it when it hath it: (Indeed the ſoule can ſay, it never found the creature, but it left the Soule unſatisfied, or worſe then it was: but ſaith the ſoule, if Gods face ſhine but a quarter of an houre, if it be but in a buſh, or in a Garret, I am ſatisfied, I deſire no more, if this might but continue. As a man prizeth this more then any thing in this world;) ſo if a man doe but conſider, that I ſhould be ſo baſe, as to anger that God that beſtowed this, as I doe when I ſin; and have knowledge enough to know it to be ſin; when I look through the doore, and know it is a Thiefe, and might keep him out, yet that I ſhould be ſo proud, and ſo vaine, and ſo idle; that I ſhould let goe ſo many glorious opportunities in ſuch, and ſuch places, and times, O, this is that that troubles a Saint. Therefore we ſee in 1 King 11. When the Lord would humble Solomon the Son of David for his ſins, and bring him to repentance. It is ſaid there, he went not fully after the Lord, as David his Father did (the more too blame he) he built high places for Chemoſh, and Molech; Solomon built Altars and offered ſacrifice to Idols; and likewiſe he did it for all his ſtrange wives; And the Lord was angrie with Solomon, becauſe his heart was turned from the Lord God of Iſrael, which had appeared to him twice. which had appeared twice to him; there is the motive to aggravate it. The Lord was angry, not ſo much becauſe he had ſo many ſins, and had built ſo many Altars, but this was the aggravation, becauſe the Lord had appeared twice to Solomon, ſo as he had never done to any other from the beginning of the world; the Lord appeared ſavingly, and ſpiritually to him, and yet he ſinned againſt him.
Now if God appeared to Solomon but twice, and his ſin is aggravated by that; how great is my ſin in the Goſpel, where things are more clearly preſented, then ever they were in thoſe times, and God hath appeared two hundred times, two thouſand times to my ſoule: I have ſeene him one while in the Sacrament, I have ſeen him among the Saints, I have ſeene him in ſuch a country, in ſuch a condition, in ſuch a place, in ſuch a medow, in ſuch a wood, when I read his word, and called upon his name, and yet that I ſhould be ſuch a Villaine, that I ſhould be thus proud, and thus froward, and love the world ſo much, and ſo eaſily provoke God, and lie ſo ſottiſhly in it when I have done; it is one of the greateſt motives in the World, to move a ſpirituall heart to be abaſed, and humbled for ſins paſt.
And likewiſe to preſerve it from ſin for the time Sight of God a preſervation from ſinne.to come, I have ſet God (ſaith David) at my right hand that I might not ſin againſt him; that is, I will keep God in my eye.
The Eye of God is a meanes to keep a man from ſin: for who will ſin in the eye of God? therefore ſaith God to Abraham, walk before me, and be perfect. The Servant may doe ill behind his Maſters back, but walk before me, and then thou wilt be upright, therefore when men ſin they are ſaid to leave God: but ſaith David I have ſet God at my right hand, that I might not ſinne against him, I will alway ſee God, as I ſee a man that walks at my right hand.
Thirdly, if there be ſuch a ſight of God to be Uſe; 3. Highly to priſe the preaching of the Goſpell.enjoyed in this world, and that by his word and Spirit; me thinks this might teach you highly to prize, and eſteeme the preaching of the Goſpell, the word of Chriſt. Truly, (beloved) if you doe not look on the Goſpell with a ſpirituall conſideration; to a carnall eye it is the pooreſt, and drieſt, and moſt beggarly thing in the world; for, there are none that have more weakneſſes, then the diſpenſers of it. It is a thing that ſhould fill men with admiration to conſider what it is to have poore creatures to doe the work of God that have a world of weakneſſes more then other men, who are more exact in their wayes as Lawyers, and Tradeſmen, &c. To a carnall eye the preaching of the Goſpell is a dead, drouſie thing; a man ſhall heare many things that he heard before, and be taught till he ſleep, and be tyred out, unleſſe he look on it with a ſpiritual eye. As the Eaſt-India Merchant when he ſees ſuch a ſhell he conſiders what is in it; there is a glorious Pearle in it, and for that he goes many a Mile. So doe you conſider that the preaching of the Goſpell by poore and weake meanes, it is that ſhell, that Cabinet, wherein theſe glorious treaſures are found; therefore eſteeme it, and priſe it highly, look on it with reverence, look for the Pearle in it; priſe it, and praiſe God for it.
It may be ſome of you, that are ſleepy Why men ſee not the excellency in the Goſpel.creatures, may ſay, I cannot tell that there is any ſuch thing in it; & others are ſo ſottiſh to this day, that they no more know nor underſtand, what we have bin doing in the preaching of the word theſe 12. moneths, then a Poſt.
It is not becauſe the treaſure is not here, but you ſhal ſee the reaſon, 2 Cor. 4. 4. the reaſon why you ſee it not; is becauſe, The God of this world hath blinded your eyes, that the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, ſhould not ſhine upon your Soules. God ſhines upon one mans Soule, and not upon another, another ſees nothing but a poor Preacher, full of weakneſſes, & ſo he gos away, & remembers little or nothing, or it may be ſleeps all the while. Beloved for the Lord Jeſus ſake trifle not: It makes me tremble to conſider ſeriouſly how thoſe decrees, that are infinite, and innumerable that were before the beginning of the world, are to be opened, when we preach the word; yonder man, and yonder woman, we know not whether of them belong to God, or the Devill; but when we preach the decree is opened; there is a poor man, or a poore woman that belongs to life, it makes him a new creature; another is as very a Sot at the yeares end, as at the beginning; who would not tremble, when God threatens to ſeale up your condition by it! O! it is a glorious thing, the Goſpell. Look to it you ſottiſh people, that are like the Foole in the Proverbs, that tell him a tale, and when you have done he will aske, what is the matter; or as, a man aſleep, that knows nothing what he hath been doing. For the Lords ſake conſider what we are doing, and what the Goſpell is; and what it is to have one day of the Son of man; it is a very ſtrange word in Luk. 17. 32. conſider of it thou poore ſottiſh creature: When Chriſt was demanded of the Phariſees when the Kingdome of God ſhould come, he anſwered them, The Kingdom of God commeth not with obſervation. Neither ſhall they ſay, lo here, or lo there, for behold the Kingdome of God is within you, or among you; And he ſaid unto his Diſciples, the dayes will come when ye ſhall deſire to ſee one of the dayes of the Sonne of man, and ye ſhall not ſee it. And yet he ſaith after, they ſhall ſee the day of the Son of man. We are to conſider, the ſonne of Man, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt hath two ſorts of dayes: He hath one 2 Sorts of dayes of the Sons of man.day that every wicked man ſhall ſee, when they ſhal be eating and drinking as in the dayes of Noah; When the Son of man ſhall come to judge according to my Goſpel, as Paul preacheth; & according to the Goſpel The day of judgement.that you have here preached; That is, one day of the Son of man. And thou that wilt not receive Chriſt, thou ſhalt have thy belly full of that day, it will be a terribble day, a day of blacknes and darknes when the earth ſhall reele as a drunkard, and the heavens ſhall be gathered together as a ſcrowle, and the world ſhall be on fire, and thou ſhalt be at thy wits end, it will be a terrible day: the Lord deliver thee from that day.
But the Son of Man hath another day, that is, The day of grace.the day of grace, the day wherein the Son of man in the preaching of the Goſpell would beſtow grace upon thy Soule. Why doth he call that the day of the Son of man more then the other? He delights more in it; he delights not in the death of a ſinner. This is that ſweet day that Jeſus Chriſt delights in, to offer himſelf to thee, and to lay before thee, life and ſalvation by his death. Theſe things were not written for them only, but for us alſo. Remember, the day will come when thou ſhalt deſire to ſee one day of the ſon of Man, but ſhalt not ſee it. Thou wilt ſay, O that I had one ſuch day, as we have now in this place; when the Preacher told me of ſeeing God, and Chriſt; O that I had but one day, but one motion in my heart, by the Spirit that I had then, and yet I ſotted it out and did forget it; O that God would ſmile as he did then, but it ſhall not be. Therefore the Lord help you that you doe not trifle out your ſalvation, as abundance in this Nation, and in this Citty doe, between ſottiſhnes and formalitie. Abundance of People heare the word, but here is abundance of formalitie; few men conſider with whom they have to do, when they heare the word of God, and what the buſines is, but in a trifling manner paſſe it by: Therefore conſider what treaſure there is in the Goſpell; there are unſearchable treaſures in the Goſpell; but of all, this is the Jewell of all, the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jeſus Chriſt. I ſhall leave other things for the next opportunity.