The Intercourses of Divine Love Betwixt Christ and His Church, Sermon 25
Sermon XXV.
Cant. 1. 4.
The King hath brought me into his Chambers.
IF any asketh who is this King whom the text ſpeaks of; as the queſtion ſoundeth like that, Pſal. 24. v. 8. Who is the King of glory? So the anſwer muſt be much the ſame; The Lord, ſtrong and mighty, the Lord mighty in Battel, the Lord of Hoſts, he is the King of Glory. He is the King of Nations, for all the Nations of the Earth are the work of his hands, and he hath a Native Lordſhip and dominion over them. He is the King upon the holy hill of Sion, the King of Saints, they have choſen him, he ruleth in them, and reigneth over them, they have choſen him, he hath ſubdued their hearts unto him, and hath choſen them for his peculiar people; this is the King of whom the Church, and the believing Soul here ſpeaketh, and ſaith; The King hath brought me into his Chambers. It is the ſame Perſon of whom ſhe ſpake, v. 2. Let him kiſs me with the kiſſes of his mouth. To whom ſhe ſaid, v. 3. Draw me, and we will run after thee. There ſhe ſpake to him, as her beloved, here ſhe ſpeaketh of him as a King; there ſhe prayed for ſomething that ſhe wanted, here ſhe praiſeth, and giveth thanks for ſomething ſhe had received. I have already taken notice of the alteration of her ſtile, of her ſo ſudden giving thanks upon the quick return God had made to her prayers. I come now to conſider the mercy or good thing ſhe had received, which ſhe expreſſeth in the ſame metaphorical dialect, which ſhe uſeth throughout this Song. The King hath brought me into his Chambers; when I at firſt opened the whole verſe, I endeavoured to find out what this mercy was, in the receit of which the Spouſe triumpheth in this text. I then conſidered Chambers, as places more lofty then others, and and of more privacy and ſecrecy, and from thence concluded; that the Spouſe by this phraſe ſignifieth ſome ſpecial favours which ſhe had received from God, ſome ſpecial, and more near and intimate degrees of fellowſhip, and communion with God, into which her beloved had taken her. The Propoſition I offered from the words for my further explication was this:
Prop.That the Lord Jeſus Chriſt hath Chambers, in which he ſometimes entertaineth the Souls of his people. He hath a favour for them all, Rooms in his Houſe for all the ſizes of his people, but he hath Chambers for ſome, or into which he ſometimes takes up the Souls of his Saints; the ſubject of my diſcourſe will be ſuch ſpecial favours, as God ſheweth to ſome Souls, or to the Souls of his people at ſome times. This is evident in holy writ. Abraham was called the Friend of God. Moſes is called his Servant, emphatically. Moſes my Servant is dead. David, the man according to Gods own heart. Solomon was named by God Jedidiah, a man beloved of God. There are four degrees in the love of God, as it reſpecteth the Children of men.
1. He hath a Philanthropy, or general love, which he ſheweth towards all; He leaveth not the Heathen without witneſs. In him all men live, move, and have their being, from him they have fruitful times and ſeaſons, which fill their bellies with food, their hearts with gladneſs, their bellies are filled with his hid treaſure. The patience of God leadeth them to repentance. The inviſible things of God, even his eternal power and God-head are made known to them, by his works of Creation, by the things which he hath made.
2. He hath a more ſpecial love for his Church. This is ſeen in his more ſpecial providence, exerciſed towards his whole Church, which are more watched over, and preſerved by a common providence, then any other body of people are. They have alſo the Oracles of God, the Ordinances of God, and means of grace, and this latter is certainly an effect of the death of Chriſt.
3. He hath yet a more ſpecial love for all thoſe within his Church, who are effectually called, whoſe hearts God hath ſeized, and ſubdued to himſelf, they are made partakes of more ſpecial grace, being called, juſtified, and ſanctified, and ſuch who ſhall hereafter be moſt certainly glorified.
4. But there is yet another ſpecialty of Divine love, even amongſt thoſe who are made partakers of ſpecial ſaving graces, ſome are more ſpecially favoured in this life, and ſhall be more eminently then others glorified, in that life which is to come. Theſe more ſpecial favours to the Saints, that are all made partakers of the ſame ſaving grace, are the ſubject of my preſent enquiry.
1. Some here underſtand the manſions of glory, but they are forced to make an Enallage of tenſes to juſtify their interpretation, & to ſay, the King hath, is put for the King ſhall bring me, &c. Aquinas, Piſcator, and ſome others thus interpret the Spouſe. The queſtion about degrees of glory, is not well agreed amongſt Divines, there are great Divines on either ſide as to that opinion; nor is it a ſmall difficulty to open in what the glory of one Child of God, when he comes in Heaven, ſhall excell anothers▪ When it is certain, that they ſhall all ſee God, inherit his Kingdom, be ſatisfied with his likeneſs, and there ſhall be no want to any Soul there, eſpecially we being taught by our Saviour, that every labourer in the Vineyard ſhall have his penny. But yet it is very probably judged by Divines, That in that firmament, as well as in that which is lower, the ſtars ſhall differ one from another in glory, and that when Chriſt told his Diſciples, they ſhould ſit upon twelve Thrones, judging the twelve Tribes of Iſrael, he by it expreſſed ſome greater degrees of glory, then ſhall be the portion of his more common Diſciples beſides, that the Scriptures ſpeaking of God's rewarding all men according to their works, compared with the diſproportion which we ſee in the works of Believers, make it yet more probable: So that I muſt confeſs my ſelf very inclinable in this point, to be of the mind of thoſe Divines who think that in the Manſions of Glory, there ſhall be Chambers, though I am not able to diſtinguiſh them from the lower Rooms in thoſe bleſſed Manſions. But yet I am not inclinable (ſuppoſing this) to interpret the Spouſe as ſpeaking of them here, but rather judge her by this phraſe deſigning to expreſs her felicity, not diſcerned by the Eye of Faith, which is the Evidence of things not ſeen, but by the Eye of Senſe, ſome ſpecial favour now received from God; and I am therefore concerned further to enquire, what theſe favours may be.
2. God hath Chambers of ſpecial Providence. Some indeed underſtand that Text, Iſa. 26. 20. Come my people enter into the Chambers, and hide thy ſelf; concerning the Grave, becauſe the righteous are taken away (as the Prophet ſaith) from the Evil to come: But others (and I think better) interpret it as an invitation of God to his people in calamitous times to betake themſelves into the Chambers of his ſpecial providenee, the Pſalmiſt ſaith, Pſal. 91. 1. He that dwelleth in the ſecret place of the moſt High, ſhall abide under the ſhadow of his Wings. In this Chamber there are Cloſets, there is a ſpecial providence that attendeth, and watcheth over the whole Church, as the whole Nation of the Jews were under more ſpecial providences, than the Heathens, but yet there is a more ſpecial providence attends the people of God who are ſo indeed. Which is abundantly proved throughout the 91 Pſalm, ſo Pſal. 34. 18. The Eye of the Lord is upon thoſe that fear him, and upon thoſe that hope in his mercy: To deliver their Souls from death, and to keep them alive in Famine. But in regard the Spouſe here ſpeaketh not of herſelf, as under any circumſtances of outward miſery or affliction; I do not think this is her meaning in this Text, theſe are not the Chambers, concerning which the Spouſe boaſteth, that the King had brought her into them, ſhe is ſpeaking here doubtleſs of more ſpiritual inward diſpenſations.
3. God hath his Chamber of Audience, where he receiveth, heareth, and giveth anſwer to the prayers of his people. This is a near degree of the Souls communion with God, and what God hath promiſed them, Pſal. 34. 15. The Eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his Ears are open unto their cry. And again, v. 17. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth them, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. This is a favour which the Lord affordeth every believer, the promiſes of hearing prayers belong to them all; but yet in this Chamber there are Cloſets alſo, God ſometimes granteth a more ſpeedy anſwer to his pecples prayers, ſometimes he delayeth, and ſeemeth to be angry with, and to ſhut out his peoples ſupplications from him; but you know it was my whole buſineſs in my laſt diſcourſe to prove, and to give you ſome account of this, which may very well ſuperſede any larger diſcourſe upon it, under this Propoſition. Abraham, Moſes, and Daniel, and Job, were all entertained in theſe Chambers, ſo are many of the Servants of God at this day, men mighty with God in prayer, ſuch Favourites in the Court of Heaven, that they have no more to do then to form their Petitions, and to put them into the hands of Chriſt, and to get upon their Watch-Tower with Habakkuk, and ſee what the Lord will anſwer. God ſeemeth to have ſaid unto them, as Ahaſuerus ſaid to Eſther; What is thy Petition (O my Child) and what is thy requeſt? it ſhall be performed, even to the half of my Kingdom Solomon was entertained by God in this Chamber, when the Lord appeared unto him in Gibeon, and asked him, what ſhall I give thee? and when after his prayer upon the dedication of his Temple, the Lord again appeared to him, and ſaid? I have heard thy prayer, and have choſen this place for my ſelf: a Soul may be ſaid to be brought into this Chamber, either when it findeth that God hath anſwered its prayers at any time; Or, 2. When, it before it prays, ordinarily findeth a perſuaſion within itſelf, that it ſhall be anſwered, and ſo goeth with boldneſs, and confidence to the throne of grace, and poureth out its ſelf unto God without doubting.
4. God hath Chambers, which I may call the Chambers of his ſpecial preſence. This being the thing which I conceive chiefly intended in this metaphorical expreſſion, I ſhall ſpend a little time in the explication of it. The Scripture ſpeaking much of Gods preſence with, and abſence from his people, his being with them, or forſaking them, and departure from them; that you may in ſome meaſure underſtand thoſe phraſes, Conſider,
1. There is a preſence of the Divine Eſſence, in all places, in reſpect of which it is ſaid, The Lord filleth Heaven and Earth. In reſpect of this he is never far from any of us, he is neither ſhut up in, nor ſhut out of any place, nor is he more preſent in one place, then he is in another, according to that barbarous verſe. Enter, praeſenter, Deus eſt & ubique potenter. God is every where in reſpect of his being, eſſential preſence, and power.
2. There is a preſence of the Divine goodneſs; it's communicative goodneſs, for there is an eſſential goodneſs which can never be ſeparated from it, wherever the divine being is, there is infinite goodneſs; but there is in God not only a goodneſs of perfection, which is eſſential to God, and inſeparable from him, but a goodneſs of bounty and beneficence, which is nothing elſe but the goodneſs of God affecting the creature, and flowing out upon the creature; now this dependeth upon the will of God. He ſheweth mercy where he will ſhew mercy. Thus God is ſaid to be preſent, where he ſheweth mercy and kindneſs, and to be abſent where he with-holdeth his acts of kindneſs. Thus the Saints in Heaven are ſaid to be ever with the Lord in Heaven, becauſe they ſhall be ever under the fulleſt manifeſtations of his glory and goodneſs, and the damned are ſaid to depart from God, becauſe they are never like more to ſee him, or feel him in any manifeſtations of his mercy and goodneſs, the ſhewing of mercy and goodneſs is ſo natural to God, ſo much his proper work and delight, that he is ſaid to be wholly abſent from them, to whom he will never more ſhew kindneſs and mercy. So as to this life, God is ſaid to be preſent with a people, when he ſheweth them goodneſs, and mercy, to be departed, and to be abſent from them▪ when he with-holdeth from them ſuch diſpenſations, as they have formerly enjoyed, and are ſuited and proper to their wants, or deſires. Now theſe mercies, or good things being ſuch as are ſuited to the neceſſities of our bodies here in this life, or of our Souls, the firſt of which we uſually call the good things of common providence. The latter, the good things of ſpecial grace. God is ſaid to be preſent with, or abſent from his people, with reſpect to the one, or to the other; with reſpect to the good things of common providence, God is preſent with a people, when he goeth forth with their Armies, gives them peace, and plenty, ſucceſs in buſineſs, proſperity in their tradings and commerce; and on the other ſide, he is ſaid to be abſent from them, and to be departed from them, when he goeth not forth with their Armies, but makes them to fall before their enemies, when he ſends amongſt them famine, and peſtilence, &c. Thus as to particular perſons, as God is ſaid to be preſent with perſons, when he upholdeth their Souls in life, their bodies in health, when he bleſſeth them in their buſineſſes, and relations, and maketh the works of their hands to proſper; ſo he is ſaid to have forſaken them, and to be departed from them, when he leaves them to ſickneſſes, blaſts them in their Eſtates, &c. thus Gods preſence, and being with his people, his abſence, forſaking of, and departing from a people, or perſon, are often taken in holy writ. Thus God may be preſent with the very worſt of men, thus he may be abſent, and depart from the very beſt of his people.
But then there is a preſence of God with men and women, with reſpect to the good things of ſpecial grace. Now theſe things again are ſuch as are either abſolutely neceſſary to ſalvation; Or, 2. Such influences, as though they be not abſolutely neceſſary to the ſalvation of the Soul, yet do highly accommodate the Soul in its way to Heaven. Of the firſt ſort are the graces of juſtification, and of Regeneration, & Sanctification; without theſe the Soul can never enter into the Kingdom, as to theſe therefore God is always preſent with, never abſent from the Souls of any whom he hath choſen, and called out of darkneſs into light; in that ſenſe the promiſe doth, and ever ſhall hold true; He will never leave his people, nor forſakethem. But now there are other influences of grace, exceeding pleaſant, & of high advantage, & accomodation to the Soul in its way to Heaven, ſuch are further degrees of ſtrength, and ability, further freedom, l…fe, and activity, and chearfulne…s in the ſervice of God, p…ace of conſcience, and joy in the Holy Ghoſt, theſe are not abſolutely neceſſary unto eternal life, and ſalvation, nor to the upholding of ſpiritual life in the Soul, the want of them is only afflictive to the Soul, and incumbers it in its ſpiritual life, without a total deſtruction of it; as to theſe, God giveth more or leſs to the Souls of his people, and to the ſame Souls, more or leſs at one time then at another, and ſo is ſaid to be preſent, or abſent from them, according to the greater or leſſer degrees of theſe influences which he vouchſafeth unto them, and thoſe Souls may be ſaid to be brought into the Lords Chambers, to whom he vouchſafeth greater degrees of theſe gracious influences, and thoſe Souls may be ſaid to be under deſertions, forſaken of God, to whom the Lord denieth ſuch degrees of theſe influences, as either themſelves have before enjoyed, or others do enjoy. As to theſe God is very various in his diſpenſations, they being ſuch diſpenſations, as God upon the covenant of grace is left at liberty to diſpenſe out to the Souls of his people, or to with-hold from them according to his own good pleaſure, and wiſdom, and which accordingly he doth diſpenſe out in purſute of the deſign of his own glory, and as according to his infinite knowledge and wiſdom, he ſeeth will be moſt for the good of his people; when God diſpenſeth out more of theſe, he is ſaid to be more preſent with the Souls of his people, when he more with-holdeth them, he is ſaid to be abſent, not that at any time he is wholly abſent from the Souls of his people, as to his gracious preſence (for without that they were able to do nothing) the ſeed of God abiding in the Soul, muſt be upheld in its life, and cheriſhed by the influence of the Sun of righteouſneſs upon the Soul; but as God, though he be alwaies preſent in the world, by his eſſential preſence, yet doth not alwaies ſhew forth his power in upholding, and preſerving this or that part of it, no not the ſame parts of it, which is the reaſon of that ſickneſs and mortality, with which ſome parts of it are affected more than others, and the ſame parts of it are affected at ſome times more than others. So as to ſpiritual influences, though he alwaies vouchſafeth ſuch a preſence of his gracious influences, as ſhall keep up ſpiritual life in the Soul, yet for further gradual influences (the want of which is yet conſiſtent with ſpiritual life in the Soul) the Lord granteth, or with holdeth them, according to his own will, guided by his infinite wiſdom, with reſpect to the great ends of his own glory, and his peoples good. And the Lords withdrawings of this nature, are the cauſe of all the Souls ſickneſs, and ſpiritual diſtempers, upon this are the grievous complaints of the people of God, of the ſtrength of their corruptions, the violence of temptations, their deadneſs, and inactivity to, & in the operations of the ſpiritual llfe, their heavineſs, ſadneſs, and want of comfort. When the Lord granteth out to any of the Souls of his people more of theſe influences, then he may be ſaid to bring them into his Chambers; when they find more internal ſtrength to the performance of their duties, that their meditation of God is more ſweet to them, they can believe with leſs doubting, pray with more faith, more fervour, leſs diſtraction; when they find more ſtrength againſt motions to ſin, more ability and courage to ſuffer for the name of God, when they find their Souls more ready to, more free, and chearful in their duty, when they find more ſerenity, peace, and comfort within, than they have formerly experienced, then may the Lord be ſaid to have brought them into his Chambers, the Chambers of his preſence, when theſe abate, and the Soul lives, and no more but lives, complaining that it is without ſtrength, ready to be overthrown by every motion of luſt, by every forreign temptation, that the thoughts of God are troubleſome to it, it may be terrible that it moves heavily, it doth ſomething of its duty, but it is rather its task, and burthen, than its pleaſure and delight, its heart is ſad, and heavy, and dejected, in ſuch caſes as theſe. Now God is preſent with the Soul that is his, for he dwelleth in it, but he entertaineth it as it were in his low Rooms. Cubiculum (ſaith Bernard upon the Text) eſt locus ubi vere quieſcens & quietus Deus cernitur. The Chamber is a place where the Soul ſeeth God, quiet, and at reſt. Sometimes the Soul apprehendeth God as it were returned to his place (to ſpeak in the Prophets Dialect) as it were riſen up from the Soul, and returned to Heaven, only to be found there, by faſting, and weeping, and earneſt ſeeking after him; it apprehends God as angry, and not at reſt in it; ſometimes it diſcerns him at reſt in it, the Soul can ſay, Lo this is my God, I have waited for him, I have waited for him, I will rejoice, and be glad in his Salvation, then the Soul returneth unto its reſt, Pſal. 116. 7. Return unto thy reſt O my Soul (ſaith David) for the Lord hath dealt graciouſly with thee. When God is at reſt in the Soul, then is the Soul at reſt within itſelf, then hath the King brought the Soul into his Chambers. David when he was under apprehenſions that the Lord ſuſtained him, reſolves to lay himſelf down in peace, and ſleep, Pſal. 4. 7. God had dealt graciouſly with him. Theſe now are the Kings Chambers, and what I conceive to be here chiefly intended.
5. Gregory hath another notion of theſe Chambers. What (ſaith he) ſhould we underſtand by theſe Chambers but the myſteries of holy contemplations? The Aſtronomer indeed, that ſpends his time in the contemplation of the Stars, chuſeth the roof of the Houſe, or ſome lofty room, for his contemplation, and we all chuſe the higheſt places of the Houſe, for our proſpects of things afar off, and all contemplative Perſons chuſe Chambers, as places of privacy for their contemplations▪ When the Lord raiſeth the Soul to further degrees of ſpiritual-mindedneſs, and gives the Soul a power further to contemplate him in his Divine Nature and goodneſs, then he may be ſaid to have brought the Soul into his Chambers. There is a time when the Soul remembreth God, and is troubled (thus it was with the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 77. 3.) Another time when the meditation of God is ſweet to the Soul (ſo it was with David, Pſal. 104. 34.) when the Soul is able to meditate of God without diſtractions, or diſturbance, and can fit alone, and fancy that it ſeeth even the Heavens open, and beholdeth the glory of God, and its Redeemers arms open to receive it; and there is another time, when it is not able to lift up an Eye to God, nor to behold him with any pleaſing aſpect. When the Soul is in the former ſtate, then the King may be ſaid to have brought the Soul into his Chambers, but this the obſerving perſon will ſee ſell under the aforementioned conſideration.
Laſtly, There are yet ſome other Chambers, into which God ſometimes brings the Souls of his people, in the deſcription of which I will not enlarge, becauſe they are more peculiar Cloſets into which God hath taken, and may (for ought I know) yet take the Souls of ſome particular Servants of his, into which believers in general cannot expect to be brought, they being ſuch as God in all times hath been pleaſed, but to take ſome few of his people into, and generally ſuch, as he hath deſigned to make ſome more publick uſe of in the world; I may call them Chambers of particular inſtruction. Before God had fully revealed his will in the holy Scriptures, written for our inſtruction, and conſolation. God was pleaſed at ſundry times, and in divers manners (as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, Heb. 1. 1.) to ſpeak unto the Fathers by the Prophets. Perſons whom God admitted to a more ſpecial degree of fellowſhip, and communion with him, and ſometimes more plainly, ſometimes more typically, and darkly to inſtruct them concerning his mind and will, both concerning what they were to do, and to avoid, and concerning what God intended to do in the world, or ſome particular place in it; into theſe Chambers he took Abraham, when he did not hide from him what he intended to do to Sodom, and Moſes, when he took him up into the Mount, and there gave him his law, inſtructing him in his, mind and will, that he might inſtruct the people under his charge, in theſe Chambers the Lord entertained Samuel, Elijah, Eliſha; Gad, and Nathan, and all the Seers, and Prophets of whom you read in the Old Teſtament, and after them the bleſſed Apoſtles, and ſome primitive Chriſtians. But the bringing of any Souls now into theſe Chambers, is no matter of our faith, and expectation; though we muſt not limit the holy one of Iſrael, nor hath (that we know) he any where as to this limited himſelf; indeed as to one part of the revelation he hath: None can expect, nor have any new revelation of duty, for the holy Scriptures are a perfect rule, and able to make the man of God wiſe to Salvation. But we may have a fuller revelation of what is revealed, and thus doubtleſs, there is a further diſcovery of duty in this, than in former ages, no new light of truth, but a new light in our Souls to diſcern the revelations of the word. And doubtleſs there may be to ſome particular Souls, ſome more revelations of what God intends to do in the world, and as to his or their particular circumſtances than others have, they are things we cannot expect, hope or believe for, but what ſome may receive, and for the tryal of the truth of them, the iſſue muſt be expected, and from that the truth of their revelations, and prophecies, muſt be judged. And it ſeemeth by the anſwer of the Prophet Jeremy to Hananiah, that under the old diſpenſation, this was a piece of the Judgment, Jer. 28. 8, 9. The Prophets (ſaith he) which have been before me, and thee of old, propheſied both againſt many Countries, and againſt great Kingdoms, of War, and of peſtilence, the Prophet which propheſieth of peace, when the word of the Prophet ſhall come to paſs, then ſhall the Prophet be known, that the Lord hath truly ſent him. Yet they muſt doubtleſs at that time have had ſome other way to diſcern a true Prophet from a falſe Prophet, how elſe could they have been charged with ſin, in not hearkning to their voice, unleſs it were in ſuch things which they required them to do, or to avoid, in force of the law of God given them by Moſes, for though ſome of them wrought miracles, as Moſes, Elijah, Eliſha, yet we read no ſuch thing of Iſaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, &c. But whatever that way was, it is hidden from us, & though I dare not but ſay that God may yet to ſome particular Servants of his, not only more fully and clearly reveal what he hath in his word revealed, ſo as they may more clearly underſtand the Scriptures, and be more able to teach others, but alſo reveal his mind and will as to future contingencies, with reference to Nations, or Perſons; yet I know no reaſon any hath to expect, or pray for any ſuch Revelation; nor any others to believe it; but yet when the thing thoſe Prophets prophecy, comes to paſs, then ſhall we know that the Lord hath ſent them. But though theſe be ſpecial degrees of communion, ſpecial favours, which the Lord may vouchſafe to ſome Souls, yet theſe are not certainly thoſe Chambers, of which the Spouſe here ſpeaketh. I have before told you what I judge thoſe to be.
Will any one that heareth me, now ſay unto me, Why will the Lord thus pleaſe to do? 1. Why will he bring any Souls into his Chambers; allow them a nearer fellowſhip, and communion with him, then he will allow unto othe…s, and if he will thus treat any, why not all? I ſhall add a few words to ſatisfy ſuch Souls as are ſo curious, and inquiſitive; and then come to the practical application of this diſcourſe.
1. He will do it to ſome to manifeſt that he hath a delight in the Sons of men; the wiſe man thus ſpeaketh of Chriſt from all Eternity, as Rejoycing in the habitable part of the Earth, and having his delights with the Sons of men. Who can give a reaſon of love, and its motions in the creature? the affections of ſome perſons to others (as we daily ſee) are inaccountable things; we find our own Souls, cleaving to ſome Neighbours, ſome Friends, and that we take a greater delight, and complacency in ſeeing them, hearing them diſcourſe, being with them, and having them with us, then in others. Others can give no account of it, nor ſee any reaſon for it, and it may be we our ſelves can give our ſelves no great account of it, but ſo we do, though we know not why; and ſhall any one think to call God to account, to know why he ſheweth more favour to one Soul, then to another? how cometh God to be more a debtor to his Creature, then man is to his Neighbour? what Man or Woman lives without their more intimate, and ſpecial friends? What Prince (tho never ſo ingenuous, and good natured, and kind to all his Subjects) is without his more particular, and ſpecial favourites? Chriſt as God bleſſed for ever; before ever that he had aſſumed our nature, he had a delight in the Sons of men, but upon his taking unto him our nature, we cannot but apprehend him more ſpecially inclined, he therefore took our fleſh, that he might be touched with the ſeeling of our infirmities, Heb. 2. 17. And in all things (ſaith the Apoſtle) it behoved him to be made like unto us, that he might be a merciful, and ſaithful High Prieſt. Chriſt thus being not only ingaged by the infinite goodneſs of the Divine Nature, to a communication of his goodneſs; but alſo by his choice, and aſſumption of the humane nature, engaged to a delight in the Sons of Men, though conſidering his Majeſty and greatneſs, it behoved him not to make every Soul a Favourite, taking it up into the neareſt degrees of communion, and fellowſhip with himſelf; yet it behoved him to make choice of ſome Souls, to whom he will more fully, and freely make known himſelf in the riches of his grace.
2. Secondly, He is concerned to it … point of faithfulneſs, becauſe of his promiſes. God hath given us many great, and precious promiſes; ſome concerning this life, ſome reſpecting that which is to come, we have promiſes of ſpecial providence, ſpecial protection from dangers, ſupport under them, deliverance from them, promiſes of ſpecial grace, manifeſtative love, Joh. 14. 21. I will love them, and manifeſt my ſelf unto them, &c. promiſes of comfort, ſtrength, &c. Now theſe promiſes are not made good to every Soul, at all times, but it is neceſſary (to uphold the Lords faithfulneſs) that they ſhould be made good to ſome Souls, and at ſome times; by this we know, that none of his words ſhall fail, that his promiſes are in, and through Chriſt all of them, yea, and Amen.
3. By this the Lord alſo incourageth others to their duty. It is ſad, that we ſhould not be willing to ſerve God for nothing, at leaſt without ſenſible reward; but ſo croſt is our duty to the grain of our fleſh, ſo many are our temptations, and diſcouragements, that even the moſt ſpiritual Souls muſt have their incouragements to duty from ſenſible rewards, whiles we think that every labourer in Gods Vineyard ſhall have his penny, we are apt to think, it is of no avail for us to labour more then others. God is therefore pleaſed (though one mans penny in glory may be brighter then anothers) to incourage us alſo with ſenſible rewards in this life; one Chriſtian ſhall have more freedom, and liberty in his Spirit, then another, more quiet and peace in his Spirit then another he ſhall find more ſtrength unto his duty then another.
If any further ask why the Lord doth not pleaſe to deal thus with all, who yet truly love, and fear him; we cannot enter into Gods ſecrets, or pretend to give an account of Gods motions. I ſhall only ſhew you that it is reaſonable, that God ſhould not ſo deal with all, but with ſome only, and that he ſhould not at all times deal alike with the ſame Souls.
1. In regard of our own incertainty, and mutability, and diſproportion to others; though we be made partakers of the ſame ſpecial ſaving grace that they are, there is nothing more evident upon obſervation, then that ſome walk more cloſe with God, are more in prayer, more in reading, and hearing the Word of God, more in ſpiritual contemplation, and meditation, more reſerved from the world, more watchful upon their own hearts and waies: nay, that the ſame Chriſtian hath not alwaies the ſame heart for God, nor doth walk with God the ſame pace, nor by the ſame ſteps. Now though the Lord doth not diſtribute rewards ſtrictly, according to our merits, yet he diſtributeth puniſhments, according to our demerits, and the withdrawing of theſe gradual influences, being ſpecies of puniſhments, it is very reaſonable that as our hearts, and ways are uneven before God, ſo his ways in theſe diſpenſations ſhould alſo be uneven towards us, that in the darkneſs of our Spirits, we might ſometimes read the darkneſs of our looſe, and ſinful converſation. God thus puniſheth our pride, our hypocrify, our neglect of duty, our wilful yielding to temptations, to which we might have made a better oppoſition. And upon the withdrawing of theſe influences, we have all juſt reaſon to ſearch, and try our own hearts, and to reflect upon our own ways, to ſearch out (if we can) the cauſe, why when others are in the Mount with God, we are ſtill kept in the valley, while they are in the Chambers, we are kept in the lower Rooms, this is certain, that though poſſibly the puniſhment of ſin be not alwaies the next cauſe, moving God to ſuch diſpenſations, yet we have alwaies reaſon to ſuſpect it, having our Souls never ſo free from ſin, but we may find enough to juſtify God in them.
2. It may be reaſonable that God ſhould thus deal with us, that we might know (as I told you in handling the other Doctrine) that his grace is free, and he a free agent in the diſpenſation of it. Not only firſt grace, but further grace alſo in God is free; indeed elſe it could not be grace, we ſhould never underſtand the freeneſs of grace, if it were equally diſpenſed. We in our little manifeſtations of our love to our fellow creatures, challenge to our ſelves a liberty, and think our ſelves free to ſhew it where we will. God certainly muſt in juſtice be allowed the ſame, which we ſhould not be brought to ſee and acknowledge, if we ſaw God treating all his Servants, and at all times to the ſame rate, and in the ſame degree.
3. It may be the mind of God to make a trial of his peoples grace, to draw forth ſome habits into acts, which would not be ſo exerciſed, if ſome of his people were not under different diſpenſations, and the ſame Souls ſometimes variouſly exerciſed. The Soul that is with the Lord in his Chambers, is more a receiver from God, then a giver to him. It gives him the exerciſe of its ſaith, in its reflex act, which indeed is not very properly an act of faith. It offereth up unto God, the ſacrifice of joy, of praiſe, and thanksgiving, it followeth here in the next words; we will be glad, and rejoice in thee. It may exerciſe its love of complacency, and delight in God. But all this while, where is the exerciſe of the Souls panting, and breathing after God, of its faith of adherence unto, and dependence upon God? of its hope in God, and patient expectation of, and waiting for God? where is the exerciſe of its patience, and ſubmiſſion to God under ſeverer providences? It is reaſonable that God ſhould ſee all thoſe bleſſed habits which he hath infuſed into the Soul; drawn forth into act.
4. The good Judas asked Chriſt, John 14. 22. Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifeſt thy ſelf to us, and not to the world. Chriſt told him, becauſe they loved him more, and kept his Commandments better. There is the ſame reaſon to be aſſigned, why Chriſt will manifeſt himſelf to ſome of his Saints, more then to others, becauſe at ſome times the love of his people more manifeſteth itſelf to him by a ſtricter keeping of his Commandments, and the love of ſome good men is greater for God. Now to encourage men (as I before ſaid) to perfect holineſs in his fear, though he will give them all glory, yet ſome ſhall in this life have Gods goodneſs made to paſs before them, more then others, that others may ſee what it is to be much with God.
5. Laſtly, God often doth it for the good of others. And indeed this generally is the reaſon of that more ſpecial communion with God, which ſome have, more then others, as to the Revelation of his mind and will unto them; thus God would not hide from Abraham, the thing which he had to do againſt Sodom, becauſe Abraham had a Family to inſtruct; God taketh Moſes up into the Mount, and revealeth his mind, and will unto him, that he might teach the People over whom God had ſet him his Statutes, and Judgments; the ſame reaſon is to be given of Gods ſpecial communications to the Prophets under the Old, and the Apoſtles under the New Teſtament, and doubtleſs the ſame reaſon is to be aſſigned for Gods more full revelation of his mind and will already revealed in the Scripture, to his faithful Servants in the Miniſtry, who generally know more of the ſenſe of Scriptures, and the mind, and will of God revealed in them then other Chriſtians do, becauſe God deſigneth that the Prieſts lips ſhould preſerve knowledge, and the people ſhould enquire at them; and there is the ſame reaſon to be given for ſome more then ordinary influences of grace upon ſome Chriſtians Souls. See 2 Cor. 1. 4. Bleſſed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comforts, who comforteth us in all tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them, which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our ſelves are comforted of God. God hath made us one for another, and in the diſpenſings out of his own gifts, and graces, he hath reſpect unto the ſerviceableneſs both of Miniſters, and others, one to another.
But this is ſufficient for the Doctrinal part of this diſcourſe.