Gospel Holiness, Part 1 · Sermon 3
SERMON 3.
Iſaiah 6. 5. For mine eyes have ſeene the King, the Lord of Hoſts.
YOu remember the Leſſon (I doubt not) that we are upon; that,
The Saints have a peculiar priviledge above all others, that they can even in this world ſee God: They can ſee God, in Jeſus Chriſt.
I did open this, and proved it, and ſhewed you the laſt time, how by the Word of God, you might know whether ye have ever ſeene God in this manner; whether God have ever beſtowed this glorious priviledge upon any of you: Three waye, I tooke to ſhew it to you.
The firſt, was by your apprehenſions of God.
The ſecond, was by the impreſsions that thoſe apprehenſions of God have upon you.
The third thing (which I am now to come to) is by the Expreſsions of them, or by their Effects. If you would know whether you have ſeene God aright 3 By the expreſſions of them, which are:or no: I ſay you may know it by the expreſſions of it: How doth it ſet it ſelfe forth in thee? It works ſomething upon thee; and that vents, and ſhewes it ſelfe ſome way in thy heart, and life: Therefore I finde in Scripture, eſpecially in the Epiſtles of John, where much is ſaid of ſeeing God; he brings the Saints uſually to know the ſight of God by outward expreſſions: Becauſe, though it be cleare (as I ſaid) yet it is ſo ſmall, that a St. cannot alway ſee it, unleſſe he conſider the workings of it alſo upon his heart, and life, as well as his ſingle apprehenſion: Therefore ſaith he in one place, by this, you ſhall know that you have ſeene God, if ye confeſſe Chriſt: And in another place, If yee love the Brethren, &c.
Now there are theſe foure or five cleare things in Scripture, that demonſtrate a man to be one that hath ſeene God. The firſt is this:
If thou haſt ſeene God, certainly the Lord hath purified thy heart; the Lord hath given thee a pure 1 Purity of heart.heart: For, ſaith Chriſt, in his firſt Sermon, Bleſſed are the pure in heart: For they ſhall ſee God. And in Heb. 12. Without holineſſe, it is impoſsible to ſee God; Matthew 5.that is a cleare generall rule: And therefore I ſay, thou mayeſt then read, if thou, or I, be a Man, or a Woman, to whom God hath not given a pure heart; if God have not purified thy heart, certainly, as yet thou haſt not ſeene God: For, if any man ſaith he, hath ſeene God, or that he walke in the light, and yet live in ſin, he is a Lyar, and there is no truth in him at all; you are to give no credit to him at all; al his apprehenſions, are but fancies.
Now, the queſtion will be; what is the purifying of the heart? Or how may I know that?
BELOVED, according to the language of the What meant by a pure heart.Scripture,: I find that by a pure heart, is meant two things.
Firſt, by a pure heart is not ordinarily meant as 1 The conſcience purified from guilt of ſinne.you take it, for the killing of ſinne in the ſoule; I ſay not ordinarily: But the chiefe meaning of the purifying of the heart is to have the conſcience (for the heart is taken for the conſcience, to have the conſcience) purified, and waſhed from the guilt of ſinne: Therefore in Act. 15. ſay the Apoſtles, and Elders, Why ſhould we doe thus, and thus with them, Seeing their hearts, are purified by faith, as well as ours? That is, ſeeing they believe in Jeſus Chriſt, and thereby have peace of conſcience ſetled in their hearts.
To cleare, and open this a little to you: There Conſcience purified, What?are three expreſſions that the holy Ghoſt uſeth in Heb. 10. that open this, Heb. 10. 2. A pure heart in this ſence is a man that hath no conſcience of ſinne; that is the Scripture language; one that hath no conſcience of ſinne: Not as it is commonly in your ſence, one that makes no conſcience of ſinning, one that continues in ſinne: But one that hath no conſcience of ſinne: That is, one whoſe conſcience is not ſtained with the guilt of ſinne, but by the bloud of Chriſt, there is a perfect peace ſetled within him; Peace and joy in believing: For, that it is to have conſcience of ſinne, when alway upon the leaſt infirmitie, there is guilt heaped upon the conſcience of a man: Now this is an impure heart, an impure conſcience. And to the pure every thing is pure, but to the impure, every thing is defiled: That is, when a man hath an impure conſcience, that is not waſhed effectually by the bloud of Chriſt, through the power of the holy Ghoſt; then his meat, and his drinke, and his bed, and his recreations, every thing defiles him; every lawfull thing defiles him, as well as unlawfull. Now then thou mayſt reaſon thus; if I have ſeene God, I have a pure heart? What is that? I have no more conſcience of ſinne: That is, I finde an exceeding great power of the Spirit, that makes my conſcience cleane, that notwithſtanding my frailties, there is no guilt lying, or ſoaking in my Conſcence. That is one thing.
The ſecond expreſſion, there you ſhall ſee, afterwards verſe 10. that they are ſaid to be ſanctified; ſanctification in this place, is not meant, as you uſually take ſanctification; that is, for mortification, and vivification (as we ſay) the killing of ſin, and the quickning of grace, though that may be called ſanctification too: But ſanctification in this place is in the ſame ſenſe, as I ſaid before, when the conſcience is waſhed and cleanſed from the guilt of ſin, as it is interpreted in the third expreſſion in verſe 2…. Let us draw neare with a true heart, in the full aſſurance of faith, having our hearts ſprinkled; that is, our conſciences ſprinkled; having our hearts ſprinkled from an evill conſcience, and our bodies waſhed with pure water: An evill Conſcience, is an unbelieving Conſcience; for, evill in the New Teſtament is ordinarily taken for unbeliefe. Take heed (ſaith the Apoſtle) leaſt there be in any of you, an evill heart of unbeliefe, to draw back from the living God: That evill conſcience Judas had, and Saul had; For, ſin did lye on their conſciences, and was not waſhed: Now ſaith he, Let us draw neare with full aſſurance: Full aſſurance is oppoſed to an evill Conſcience, and that cannot be, if you take ſanctification in that ſenſe, that you uſe to take it. Now that is one thing; wherever God manifeſts himſelfe, and reveals his glory in his Son to the Soule, he gives that man a pure heart, a good conſcience; he waſheth that mans conſcience, by the bloud of his Son; that is, his Spirit applies the vertue of the bloud of his Sonne to our Soules, and Conſciences, to make them pure and peaceable.
2ly, a pure heart (for there are but two ways in 2 Aheart cleanſed from the power of ſin.generall, that it is taken in Scripture, a pure heart) is a heart cleanſed alſo from the power of ſinne; that is a pure heart: And indeed, both are comprehended here in one word; becauſe whereſoever the one is, the other is alſo: For, it is impoſſible for a man to have his Conſcience made truly peaceable by the bloud of Chriſt, but it will be made pure, and holy alſo: Therefore in that place, in Heb. 12. VVithout holineſſe, it is impoſsible to ſee God. I ſuppoſe it is meant of Perſonall holineſſe, of Reformation, and amendment of life, and not of the imputed holineſſe of Chriſt, and the waſhing of the conſcience, as I ſaid before.
But you will ſay, if it be ſo, then no man can ſee Object. God, till he go to Heaven; for, no man is free from ſinne in this World. There are many Anſwers that godly men give to this Objection, that I cannot ſtand on.
It is ture, there is ſinne, and corruption left in the Anſw. Saints, yet they are ſaid to be a pure People, People Saints pure notwithſtanding the remainder of corruptions 1 They grow purer every day. Simile.of a pure language; to have pure hearts; Why? Becauſe they are growing every day purer, and purer; that is the reaſon they are purified. As a godly man compares them to a Well; when you throw dirt or any thing into a ſtanding poole, it makes it fouler, and fouler; but throw it into a Well, and it workes it out, it bubbles, and is never quiet till all be out: So the Saints have pure hearts, becauſe, however foule things are working and ſtirring in them, yet they are ſtill ſtirring againſt them, and get ground of them; though they be not pure, that is, quite free from ſinne, yet they are purer every day then other.
Then ſome ſay, and they ſay truly, that a man 2 The ſtreame of the heart is pure.hath a pure heart, though there be corruption there, when the ſtreame of the heart, the very ſtreame of the heart is pure, and holy: Some conceive, and thoſe godly men (as I told you before) that there is a coare in the heart of a godly man, that is pure, and holy without ſinne: Which godly men take to be, that that is meant by Spirit, ſo frequently in Scripture; ſaith the Apoſtle, I ſerve God in my Spirit, Rom. 1. And, I pray God to preſerve your ſoule, and body, and ſpirit. 1 Theſſ. 5. And that Spirit they take to be the quinteſſence of the ſoule; ſomthing more inward then the Soule: There is ſomthing in a pure heart that oppoſeth ſinne, and oppoſeth temptation; there is ſome non ultra in the heart of a godly man: Sinne gets the advantage over his eyes, and over his hand, and over his tongue; but there is a baracado in his heart that it can goe no farther.
As you ſee betweene two Women, chiding, and ſtriving who ſhall have the laſt word, and one replyes, and the other replyes, and at laſt one hath the laſt word: So there is ſomthing in the heart of a godly man, that will have the laſt word, As in a naturall man, ſinne hath the laſt word; ſaith an Hypocrite, I have a mind to over reach my Neighbour in ſuch a bargaine; thou wert not beſt to doe it, ſaith enlightned conſcience, thou heareſt the Preacher, and heareſt the Scripture ſay the contrary: But I am reſolved to doe it, ſaith the Hypocrite; then I will trouble thee, ſaith the conſcience. Now, there is no ſinne that a Saint doth fall into, but there is a coare in him that goes beyond: As you ſee in an Onion, you may pull off one ſcale, and then another, and another; and at laſt you may come to the coare, and can goe no farther: Such a thing there is in a Saint, this is that that is called the ſpirit; the ſtreame, and quinteſſence of the Soule is holy: and though there be corruption there, yet there is ſomething that is pure, and holy, and that coare, will eat out the reſt in time: As to give you but one inſtance more, (looke upon your hearts as I ſpeak and ſee how they agree with it) take any corruption that a Saint falls into throughout the yeare; there are many chidings, and brawlings, betweene grace and corruption; I will have my will ſayth corruption, I will be vaine, and fine, and finer, then my Neighbours; ſaith grace, I will not have it ſo; But I will, ſaith corruption, I will have my will; but if you doe, ſaith grace, you ſhall mourne bitterly when you have done; grace is at the heeles of it, and grace overtakes it ſome way or other: And in caſe he fall into the ſin, grace calls over him, and cries out of the heart, and when he hath done the ſinne, grace mournes; it followes it, oppſing, till it be done, and when it is done, grace weeps over it.
It is not ſo with a wicked man, that hath an enlightned Difference between Saints and Hypocrites.conſcience; he may have a word or two, and if that be not heard, then farewel; and then the Devill works effectually; that is the difference between ſin working in a Saint, and in a wicked man: The Devill works effectually in a wicked man; that is, he finiſheth his work; the Devill finiſheth his worke in a Sinner, but he doth not in a Saint: The Devill never works in a Saint, but grace overthrows it one way or other, either before it be done, or it overthrowes it when it is done: The Devill ſifted poore Peter, and foiled him at the firſt, but afterwards he wept it out; there is much in this: This is enough to diſcover an impure heart; if you be a Drunkard, or a VVhoremonger, or a Backſlider, or a worldly Profeſſor, thou art a man that hath never ſeene God, for thou haſt an impure heart.
There is one thing briefly, that I deſire you to thinke on.2 It changeth them to the ſame image.
Againe, whoſoever hath ſeene God, a ſecond expreſſion of it is this; he is tranſlated into the ſame image with God, to that which he ſeeth; As you have it, 2 Cor. 3. ult. Saith the Apoſtle, All we with open face (that is) al the Saints, we behold as in a glaſſe the glory of the Lord, and are changed into the ſame image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. We behold the glory of the Lord, and are changed into the ſame image, from glory to glory; I was going to tell you the laſt time, how the ſight of God hath a twofold impreſsion upon us. I forgot the laſt, and it will not be unſeaſonable to mind you of it now.
The firſt was, I told you, it works in us a diſpoſition ſnitable to what we ſee in God, if God be great, it makes me little; if he be juſt, it makes me feare; if he be faithfull, it makes me truſt; if he be good, it makes me love him; and the like.
Now the Second is this;
Whatſoever a Saint ſees in God, it works ſome reſemblance in him of what he ſees, not a proportionableneſſe; for greatneſſe in God, and feare in me, that ſuits; God is great and I feare him. But here I ſay, it works a reſemblance in a kinde: As when I ſee the greatneſſe of God, it works and raiſeth my Spirit to a holy greatneſſe; if I ſee holineſſe in God, it makes me holy; there is nothing in God that is ſeene, but it works a Reſemblance, except it be humility, of which I ſhall ſhew the reaſon after. All the Attributes in God, become graces in you; goodneſſe in God, makes you good; but your goodneſſe, is a grace; and his, is an Attribute: But only I ſay humilitie, the glory of God makes me humble; the glory of God makes me not proud, and high, but low, and humble: But every other thing in God makes me frame my heart, and life, juſt like God.Creatures, reſemblances of ſpirituall things.
And there is no wonder in this, we ſee in the Creatures (for the Creatures are a reſemblance of ſpirituall things:) The Creatures are ſo caſt by God, as that they might be fit reſemblances, and expreſsions of ſpiritual things in his word. Jacobs ſheep only by the working of fancie, by looking upon the rods it made them conceive: If fancy work ſo, as that looking upon any thing, it could make ſuch an impreſsion; much more faith looking upon ſuch a glorious object as God, that hath ſuch fulneſſe in him, ſhall make the ſoule like that it ſees. Therefore in Joh. 1. 14. Saith the Apoſtle, We have ſeene his glory, as the glory of the only begotten ſonne of God, full of grace, and truth, and of his fulneſſe, we all receive grace for grace. VVe ſaw his glory, and of that fullneſſe of glory, we receive grace for grace, as the VVax receives letter for letter from the Seale; or as the child receives lymb for lymb from the Parent; ſo we receive grace for grace from Chriſt: There is never a grace that we ſee in Chriſt, but the ſeeing it with a ſpirituall eye, works and creates ſuch a grace in our Soules.
Therefore I pray conſider of this, whether you Triall of a right ſight of God.have had ſuch a ſight of God, that when you ſee this, it hath framed your ſoules according to God, that you are like him: If you ſay, you ſee God, and it is only a drie ſpeculation, that leaves you proud, and carnall, and malicious, and high minded, and froward, and the like, without working on you, what you ſee in God, you may juſtly ſuſpect it not to be right.
A third expreſſion, I find in 1 Joh. 4. 12. Whoſoever 3 A right ſight of God works love to our Brethren.hath ſeene God, loves his Brother. No man hath ſeene God at any time, if we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. I told you before, that to ſee God, and to dwell in God, are taken for one another: As he ſaith after, verſe 15. VVhoſoever ſhall confeſſe, that Jeſus is the Sonne of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God: and verſe 16. He that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him: No man hath ſeen God at any time, but he that loveth his brother, God dwelleth in him. What is that? That is; he hath ſeen God: For, as I ſaid they are all one, dwelling in God, and ſeeing of God.
Therefore looke to that, whether God have wrought in you, a heart Spiritually and purely to How Saints ſhould be loved.love the Saints, as Saints; not to love them, that they may love me; or to love them, becauſe they have a great deale of credit, that they may report well of me, or to love them carnally; but whether I frame my heart to love the Saints, as Saints, as elect perſons, choſen of God, and Members of Chriſt, and as he beares the image of Chriſt on his ſoule: if I love not my Brother, ſurely I have never ſeene God; therefore it is ſaid, 1 Joh. 2. 11. He that hateh his Brother is in darkneſſe, he walketh in darkneſſe, and knoweth not whether he goeth. What darkneſſe? Compare it with the firſt chap. verſe 6, 7. that darkneſſe is oppoſite to Fellowſhip in light with God, and Chriſt: If a man love not his Brother, let him be a wiſe man, let him be a Scholler, let him repeat Sermons, &c. he is in darkneſſe, and goes he knowes not whether; for a man goes he knows not whether, that hath not ſeene God, he goes in darkneſſe, and muſt wander for ever more: Looke a little on your hearts, and aske the queſtion concerning your converſation, whether you love the people of God or no, That is the third thing.
Then fourthly (which depends upon this) whoſoever 4 Fellowſhip with the Saints.hath ſeene God rightly; as he loves the Saints, ſo he hath Goſpell fellowſhip with the Saints; I ſay, he hath Fellowſhip with the Saints, 1 Joh. 1. 7. For there is a diſcourſe concerning this ſeeing of God, Truly ſaith John verſe 3. Our fellowſhip is with the Father, and with his Son Jeſus Chriſt, and theſe things we write unto you, that your joy may be full. But if we ſay we have Fellowſhip with him, and walk in darkneſſe, we lye, and doe not the truth: If we ſay we have fellowſhip with him, and walke in ſinne; But if wee walke in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowſhip one with another, and the bloud of Jeſus Chriſt his Whence the Fellowſhip of Saints is.Son, cleanſeth us from all ſinne. Underſtand me, I meane not here by fellowſhip, and I ſuppoſe it is not meant here, fellowſhip of neighbourhood, or fellowſhip of the family, or fellowſhip of the ſame City; no, nor being of the ſame outward viſible Church, I thinke that is not meant, though that be not contrary. But, VVe have fellowſhip one with another. What is that? That is when I have ſeene God, and have had fellowſhip with God, and his ſonne Jeſus Chriſt, I have a ſpirituall fellowſhip with all that have ſeene God with me; that is, the ground of the fellowſhip and communion I have with others, is in that they have ſeene God as well as I; and the impreſsion of God is cleare on their ſpirits, and manifeſted in their lives.
Therefore for People to have fellowſhip with Fellowſhip on wrong grounds.others in this, or that reſpect, becauſe they jump with them in this, or that opinion, or in this or that way; this is not the Fellowſhip ſpoken of by John and by Paul, Philip. 1. 4, 5. But this Fellowſhip is a higher thing; the ſpiritual communion, we have one with another, upon ſpirituall grounds, becauſe of the Spirit of God dwelling in us. Therefore examine your ſelves by this; Have you any fellowſhip with the Saints? Is not the Fellowſhip of divers of you (why ſhould I aske the queſtion, I know it is ſo) with Drunkards, and Malignants, thoſe that raile againſt godlineſſe, thoſe that blaſpheme God, and his People, this is the Fellowſhip of many. And it may be others of you have fellowſhip with Profeſſors, but it is carnall; that is, it is grounded on carnall reſpects, it is not, becauſe they have ſeene God, and you have ſeene him alſo, and therefore you have Fellowſhip together. That is another thing.
A fifth thing I find, that I will but touch; That whoſoever hath ſeene God, they are very deſirous 5 Deſire to bring others to the light.to bring all others into the ſame light that they have ſeene: O! how oft doth Paul upon every occaſion, concerning his viſion, how oft doth he repeat it at large in the acts of the Apoſtles, how he had ſeene God! And ſo here John, when he had ſeene the glory of God, he writes to them, he delivers the meſſage to them, and he would bring them alſo to the light, to walke in the light as he did. Beloved, a man that hath ſeene God once truly, he looks upon all the world, as People walking in Hell, in a hell of darkneſſe; the courſe of mankind in this world, is but as a Hell to him: Therefore to ſee People walke in ſuch groſſe darkneſſe, and God having broken in a little Window into his ſoule, he cannot chooſe but bring others to the light.
Therefore I never believed, nor doe believe, Chriſtians ſhould be ready to teach others.when People among us (it may be they are godly, I leave them to the Lord) that profeſſe they ſee a great deale of light, and they ſee God more then others; and yet for the expreſsion of it, we ſee they withdraw and goe aſide, and they thinke it not fit to teach carnall men; it may be they will teach one another, three or foure, or five; Not as though I blamed teaching, let us teach one another any how, ſo we may edifie one another in the Lord publickly, or privately; but when there is a ſpirit in People, that they will not communicate the light as much as they can, that other poor ſinners may ſee it, I ſuſpect that light, that it is not from God; for whoſoever ſees the Light rightly, he will doe his utmoſt Endeavour to bring others into the Light.6 It enableth to ſuffering, as in
But laſtly, I find, that whoſoever hath ſeene God truly, that ſight of God will make him able to goe through any hardſhip, any ſuffering, any affliction whatſoever, in the ſervice of God. As in Heb. 11. 27. Moſes forſooke Aegypt, and regarded not the wrath Moſesof the King: but endured, ſaith the text. Why did he? Did he not know what the wrath of the King was? No doubt, but he ſaw what a Tyrant he was, and he ſaw much cruelty, living in the Houſe, but he endured, as ſeeing him who is inviſible; he ſaw God, and ſo he was able to goe through all. And ſo Stephen, that bleſſed man, that was full of the Stephen.holy Ghoſt Acts 7: When he had preached unto them, ſaith the text, they were cut to their hearts and gnaſhed on him with their teeth, and he being full of the holy Ghoſt, looked ſtedfaſtly to Heaven, and ſaw the glory of God, and Jeſus Chriſt, ſtanding on the right hand of God. When they gnaſhed their teeth, he looked up to heaven, & ſaw God, and Chriſt at his right hand. It may be there was ſomthing that was extraordinary, but it is a worke that is ordinary. Behold (ſaith he) I ſee the Heavens opened, and the Sonne of man ſtanding on the right hand of God. Then they cryed out, and ſtopped their eares, and ſtoned him; and he called on God, and ſaid, Lord Jeſus receive my ſpirit, and kneeled downe, and cried, Lord lay not this ſinne to their charge. See how Stephen was calling on God, and praying for his enemies, and giving up his Spirit to God, when they were gnaſhing with their teeth, and ſtoning him as if they had been mad, yet he goes through it quietly.
Whatſoever pretences men have, this is the Why ſome Profeſſors avoid ſuffeing.reaſon why many Profeſſors are ſo wiſe, that they will never ſuffer perſecution, let the world turne which way it will, they will not want diſtinctions to waue perſecution; the truth is they wave it, becauſe they have not ſeene God, if they had, they would carry themſelves innocently, and prudently, and then let what would come.
Thus briefly, I have ſhewed you, how you may know whether you have ſeene God aright, or no.
Now laſtly, in a few words, becauſe you have partly heard it before, therefore I will be the briefer.
The Queſtion will be, in caſe that any by Queſt. what hath been ſpoken, doe ſee that he hath not ſeene God aright; How ſhall I come to attaine it?
Beloved, when I ſpeak to you of meanes, how Anſw. The order how Saints come to ſee God.to come to any thing, you muſt underſtand one thing? we preſcribe not meanes, as Phiſitians do to a ſick man, as Rew, or Camomite, or Orgaine, and the like, that are in his power, he can goe to a Neighbours, or to an Apothicaries ſhopp, and buy them: So when I ſpeak of meanes, it is not in your power to have them, as a Ladder to get up, and ſee God by; but when I ſay the meanes, I lay downe the ſeries, and order whereby God is manifeſted to the Soule, though all bee his free grace.
Now that order, or Series you have in Scripture. If thou want this ſight of God, thou muſt firſt be 1 To be convinced that all meanes in the world will not make known God. Simile.convinced, that all the meanes in the World will not make known God to thee, unleſſe he manifeſt himſelfe. That is one thing: As the Sun when it is under a cloud, all the Candles, and Torches in the world cannot diſcover it, till it come out it ſelfe, and then you may ſee it, if it hide it ſelfe you cannot. So ſaith Chriſt, Joh. …4. I, and my Father will manifeſt our ſelves to him. As if he had ſaid, it is our prerogative, we do it when, and where we pleaſe, all the world cannot help to it, when we doe it not; therefore ſay, Lord, it is thy priviledge, I have not eyes to ſee thee; it is not all that I can doe, and that all the World can doe, I cannot reach thee, Lord manifeſt thy ſelfe to me. That is the firſt thing.
A ſecond thing that I finde in this ſeries, or order 2 A man muſt be borne againe.that God takes to manifeſt himſelfe is, that he uſually begets men againe, or cauſeth them to be borne againe, before they can ſee him: Theſe Phraſes are oft joyned in Scripture, of being borne again, and ſeeing of God, Joh. 3. Verily, verily, except a man be borne from above, he cannot ſee the Kingdome of God: And in the Kingdome of God, God, and Chriſt is the chiefe thing; without this thou can'ſt not ſee it. So in Joh. 6. 45. It is written, they ſhall all be taught of God, every man therefore that hath heard, and learned of the Father commeth to me. Not that any man hath ſeene the Father (except, or) ſave he that is of God, he hath ſeene the Father. To be of God, and to be borne of God are promiſcuous in the Epiſtle of John, ſomtimes a man is ſaid to be of God, and ſomtimes to be borne of God. No man hath ſeen God, but he that is of God, or that is born of God; compare that with 1 John 3. VVhoſoever committeth ſin, he hath not ſeen God, nor known him, little children, let no man deceive you, whoſoever is borne of God, committeth not ſin: Therefore whoſoever ſeeth God muſt needs be born of God.
What is that to be borne of God?
Briefly (for I cannot now open it at large) to To be borne of God, what.be borne of God is, when there are other pronciples put in you by the Spirit of God that are not in fleſh and bloud. When there is a new creature put in you. That is, when there is a heavenly wiſedome, and knowledge, heavenly faculties, heavenly principles; when there is a new creature in the ſoule of a man, by which he ſees, and knowes, and apprehends, and loves, and doth things utterly beyond fleſh and bloud. Therefore to be borne of God, and to be borne of fleſh and bloud are contrary one to another.
Therefore if thou wilt ſee God, thou muſt not thinke to doe it, as to finde out a controverſie in Divinity; or to to know a myſtery in a Trade; it is not thy ſtudie, and ſtraining of thy witt, thou mayeſt doe that if thou wilt: But deſire of God, to frame the new creature in thee; thou muſt not only have other things preſented before theſe eyes, but thou muſt have another paire of eyes to ſee things, another underſtanding, other principles, a new creature framed in thy heart; that is the force of the argument of Chriſt to Nicodemus Joh. 3. Except a man be borne againe, he cannot ſee the Kingdome of God. As if he had ſaid, I know thou art a great ſtudent, and thou takeſt paines to goe to Heaven; but I will deale plainly with thee, thou muſt be borne of God, thou muſt be a new creature, or elſe thou mayſt ſtudy all thy life, thou mayſt ſtudy thy heart out, and it will not doe; therefore beg of God to make thee a new creature: He is the Sun of righteouſneſſe, that can ſhine where he pleaſeth; the bleſſed Spirit is that wind that bloweth where it liſteth: He muſt make thee a new creature, or elſe thou haſt no faculty to behold him. For, if God ſhould ſhine upon the old creature, thou haſt no more eyes to ſee him, then a blind man to behold the light.
Thirdly, in this order of ſeeing God, (which is 3 God muſt deliver us from Satans Kingdome.all of his free grace to doe this, I only ſhew you the author of it, it is none of it in thy power) get the Lord to deliver thee from the Kingdome of Satan, or elſe thou canſt never ſee him. The Kingdome of the Devill, is a Kingdome of darkneſſe; ſo darke, that as long as a man lives in that Kingdome, Satans Kingdome darkneſſe.he is never like to ſee any thing of God. Therefore if thou wilt ſee God, or ſpirituall things, labour to come into that Kingdom where light ſhines. There are ſome Nations in the North, that they have halfe the yeare night, it is almoſt a Kingdome of darkneſſe, a man though he have eyes, cannot ſee there: So the Devils Kingdome, is a Kingdome of darkneſſe, and marke it, as farre as there is darkneſſe in any ſoule, ſo farre the Devils Kingdome is there. For, the Devill hath no bodily, outward Kingdome, of Lands, and eſtates, and revenues; but darkneſſe is his Kingdome, and ſo much darkneſſe, ſo much inheritance the Devill hath: That is the reaſon, that where there is none of the Goſpell, the Devill hath a great Kingdome; he hath a great Kingdome in VVales, and in the north of England, and in Ireland, becauſe there is a great deale of darkneſſe there: therefore doe thou deſire the Lord to tranſlate thee out of the Kingdome of darkneſſe, to the Kingdome of his deare Sonne. See this in 2. Cor. 4. ſaith the Apoſtle, If our Goſpell be hid, it is hid to them that are loſt: He ſpeaks of unfruitfull hearing of the word, there is no fault in the Goſpell; but it is a ſigne that they are a People that muſt periſh, that the Goſpell can doe them no good, 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 upon them.
How came it to paſſe that the Goſpell that Paul preached, did the Soules of the People no more good? Paul ſaith, the fault was not in the Goſpell, the Goſpell was pleaſing to God however: but the God of this world; that is, the Devill, the Devill of Why the Devil is called the God of this world.Hell as you call him: God calls him, the God of this world; not becauſe he is abſolute, and may doe what he will: but he is under Gods power, and God gives him ſuch a ſtroake, and power, as if he were a God in the world; he hath ſo many Subjects, and ſuch pollicie, and ſpirits; The God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not: that is, they were blind before, but he hath made them more blind.
O conſider this! thou wert blind, before thou didſt heare the Goſpell: but when a man heares the Goſpell, that Prince of darkneſſe; that is, the Devill, the God of the world, he blinds thy minde more, and more; he draws a new vaile over thy eyes, Why ſo? That the light of the glorious Goſpell of Chriſt, who is the image of God ſhould not ſhine on them. He drawes the Curtaine, that the Sun may not come on them; that the light of the knowledge of God in Chriſt may not come on them: Therefore conſider what a Monarch the Devill is, and how great the Kingdom of the Devill is in thee. And if ever thou come to the light, deſire God to tranſlate thee into the Kingdome of his deare ſonne, that Kingdome is all light. As far as there is a cleare light in my Soule, ſo far Chriſt hath his Kingdome in me.
Then, if thou wilt ſee God, thou muſt labour 4 Purity of heart.to be pure in heart, as I told you: for, without holineſſe no man ſhall ſee God, Let a prophane man uſe all the meanes in the world, as long as he is ſo, he ſhall never ſee God.
Laſtly, thou muſt looke for the ſhining of this glorious Sun, through the Word, and by the ſpirit. It muſt come through the VVord; and expect the Spirit to bring it, or elſe it will never ſhine upon thy Soule. This, in few words, is the ſeries, or order, in which God manifeſts himſelfe to his people.
I will now conclude only with this word, It may be thou wilt ſay, I hope I have ſeene God, and I remember the Lord did manifeſt himſelf to me; but truly it is but a little.
I will ſpeake but a word to you that have ſeene Uſe Thoſe that have ſeen God ſhould walke holily.God. I beſeech you walk like People that are before God; Gods eye is upon you, and you have ſeene him; walke uprightly, walk not like the people of the world; for ye are lyars if you doe: if you ſay that you have ſeene God, and walke in darkneſſe, and walke in ſinne, you are lyars, and there is no truth in you. O! walke holily; and labour more, and more to ſee God, as Paul did; he forgate that which was behind, and would ſee more of God; more of his glory: that is the meaning of that word in Joh. 14. ſaith Chriſt to his Diſciples: for, he ſpake not to wicked People at that time. He that hath my Commandements, and keepeth them, loveth me, and he ſhall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and manifeſt my ſelfe to him. Without doubt, God had manifeſted himſelfe to theſe before, they were Saints before: but he meanes, I will manifeſt my ſelfe more, and more; but they muſt love him, and keepe his commandements. The meaning is not that you ſhall finde the Commandements of God, and the things of God, are as a bottome of Thred, that is all ſhufled together, that you can finde no end of it, you thinke to have an end, and yet you cannot, and you thinke to finde a place where to get all grace; whereas notwithſtanding, if you had all the gifts in this world, you cannot keepe the Commandements: but the meaning is, you ſhall finde in the things of God, that God hath made one thing the condition of another, if you love God, you will keepe his Commandements, and if you keepe his Commandements you love God. I ſay, God hath made one thing the condition of another, to whet us on, if you keep my Commandements, you love me, and if you love me, I will manifeſt my ſelfe to you.
So I know by experience, though all be by free grace, yet the People of God, by making one thing the condition of another, it hath made their Journey, that they have not been weary. Though Heaven be the reward of all, yet God hath made little baits for us. The great reward is, He that holds out to the end ſhall be ſaved: but that is a great way off, and we are weake, and cannot ſee a farre off; therefore God hath made little baits, and little rewards; He that loves me, I will manifeſt my ſelfe to him. A weake Saint may doe that: ſo that is the meaning, though God doth all by his free grace, yet God doth uſe meanes to get us on. Therefore that God may manifeſt himſelfe more, and more to thee; labour to keepe his commandements; labour to be more holy this weeke, then the laſt: Add to faith, virtue; to virtue, patience; to patience, temperance, &c. God teacheth us, as we teach our Children, one letter after another, add ſuch a grace, and ſuch a grace, If theſe things be in you, and abound, ye ſhall not be barren, and unfruitfull: but ſhall be able to ſee a farre off. What a farre off? Things that are farre off, are hardly ſeene; and of all things, the glory of God in Chriſt, is the hardeſt.
Now if you add one grace to another, by the aſſiſtance of God, and endeavouring to keepe his Commandements, and to walke in your callings, as you are Huſband, or VVife, or Maſter, or Servant, or Tradeſman, &c. if you endeavour to do that which is pleaſing in Gods eye, God will reveale himſelfe more and more clearly and fully to your ſoules.