Rules How to Use the World, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
The things of the World are no Evidence of Gods Love.
THere is a two-fold Love in God; one relates to himself, and is Infinite and Absolute; the other, to his Creatures, and is either General or Special.
The General, is to all his Creatures; to Man, as the Head of them, and to all other Inferior to him; in him there is Gods Image, in them there are his Foot-steps, and the meanest of them unfold something of him.
The Special, is to his Chosen, Dantur bonis ne putentur mala, malis, ne putentur bona; bonis, & malis, ne putentur summa bona. Aug. Psal. 16. 3. Joh. 17. 6.Redeemed People; the Excellent in whom is all his Delight, the same for kind, with that to Christ, in whom they are belov'd. This is the Love of a Father, the other of a Creator. In that, he gives himself; in this, the things of the World: Sometimes to the Good, that they may not be thought to be Evil things; and sometimes to the Bad, that they may not be thought the only good things; but to neither as Special, but as Common Blessings.
A singular Effect can never come from a common Cause.
The bare performance of Common Duties, is no sign of special Grace; (for, it may be more from Nature than Grace, more from Fear than Love, viz. fear of Punishment, than love to the Command; from Natural Conscience, more than Renew'd; and more to Pacifie than Purifie it:) nor the possession of Common Blessings any mark of special Favour; for they are but the common Windfalls of Providence, meer Donations, not of distinguishing Love, but of common Bounty. The Childrens Leavings, often thrown to Dogs; things indifferently dispenced to Good and Bad, and may be given or withheld in Love; deny'd or given in Anger. Fruits of Gods Goodness, but no signs of ours; Arguments to promote our Love to him, but none to prove his to us; for the Son of the Concubine may have them as well as Gen. 25. 6.the Son of the true Wife.
There is one Event to the Wicked Eccl. 9. 2.and to the Righteous, the same outward Misery and Blessing may befall them both.
Haman thought Esthers inviting him to a Banquet, and admitting none but himself to come in with Esther 5. 4, 8, 12.the King to it, was a mark of special Favour; the Elder Brother made an estimate of his Fathers Love to the younger, by a Fatted Calf, Musick and Dancing, and most, because they have the better of others as to this World, think that they are really better (as the Jews because Allied by Birth to Abraham, and partakers of special Providences, thought themselves the only People belov'd of God) but they are all mistaken that think so, for though they are sent to make us better, they do not show that we are so: If they make us so, they come in Love; but are given in Anger, if they do not, not tokens of Love, but marks of Displeasure, Prefaces to our Destruction, and a means to make way for it, for,
When the wicked spring, and the Psal. 9. 27.workers of Iniquity flourish, it is (like the springing of grass) that they may be cut down, and destroy'd for ever.
King Philip's shadow was no greater (as he was told by the Son of Aegiselaus) when he gloried in his Victories, then it was before he obtain'd them, nor are any really better that have these things, than those that have not, no more than they that stand upon Stilts are really Taller, than those that are upon the Ground; lifted up they may be, but they are not Col. 3. 11. Tantus quisque est, quantus apud deum.really higher; in the Worlds esteem they may be, but not in Gods; and a higher place they may have in the Civil Body, but not in the Mystical; for they make no difference in the Kingdom of Christ, though they do in the Kingdoms of Men: It is the New Birth of the Spirit that more enobles, Acts 17. 11. The Bereans were more noble foreign, better born.than a High Birth of the Flesh (the Righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour); and Grace (the Riches that Wisdom gives) and nothing but that, the Manna that falls about the Israelites Tents, that (like the party-coloured Coat of Joseph) is a pledge of special Love, the Favour that he bears to his People for,
Every thing but that may be given in Wrath.
Since then Common Mercies are no Evidences of Special Love, how little should we rejoyce in them, unless we have the Giver with the Gift, the Kiss with the Cyrus at a feast (made for his principal officers) gave to Artabazus a Golden Cup, but to Chrysantes a Kiss, which was envied by Artabazus, as a Testimony of the greater Favour.Cup, the Countenance with the Coin, the Stamp with the Bullion, viz. them in a way of Special Covenant, as well as Common Providence, and as so many Lines drawn from Christ the Center of Goodness.
Jacob and his Sons joy'd but little in the full Sacks and Money, because they knew not that Joseph was their Friend; they were more Afraid than Glad.