Master well because his service is perfect freedom they take him as it is Luke 1. 75. To serve him for ever Whereas contrary other men are of another living servants of Satan the Prince of this world Or at the best their service is but slavery which is a service of compulsion They are no more his servants than all other things stones and trees and the like Or as the Assyrian Isai 10. 7. They acknowledg him not The Assyrian there was Gods servant for saith the Text I will send him against an hypocritical Nation c. Howbeit he thinks not so but to cut off Nations God there sent him of his errand to destroy though he thought himself his own Master and that he wrought for himself So men though they seem to be servants to God in doing his work yet they in deed work for themselves as their own Masters But Gods people are near as the Servant to the Master And not only so 4. But fourthly This Nearnesse of friends ladder of nearnesse of faith hath another higher step The nearnesse of friend to friend They are Gods friends as a-A-Abraham 2. Jam. 23. so Gods acquaintance his companions and familiars Acquaint thy self with Job 22. 21. him c. Nay they are all the acquaintance all the familiars he hath in the world Therefore men without faith are called strangers that is such as know Eph. 4. 18. him not such as are not acquainted with him They may indeed know his kindnesse be acquainted with his mercy as peace and health and riches but him they know not so as to be intire and intimate with him so as to call him friend and to be called so by him when Gods people are his friends 5. Faith hath another step or farther degree of nearnesse which is the nearnesse of kindred they are his children Unbelievers may be retainers to him such as hold their Lands and Priviledges by him such as now and then attend on him once or twice a year at Christmass and Easter or such like Festivities but at the best they are but hired servants Luke 15. 17. that is such as serve for hire for life and safety But they are nothing of a kindred to him none of the children Whereas Gods people are near unto him and so near as of kindred and so near of kindred as children As many as received Joh. 1. 12. him to them he gave power to be the Sonnes of God even those that believe in his name So in Esay 63. 16. Doubtlesse thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us c. Faith there steps forth and breaking through the clouds of Gods displeasure challenges kindred of him calls him Father and 't is out of question Doubtlesse thou art our Father Other men cannot say so if they do 't is a telling God a lye to his face They are at the best but Bastards and no true Sonnes Only such as in outward profession call God Father but they are illegitimate born of the Joh. 1. 13. will of the flesh and the will of man and not of the will of God Such whose new-birth is from the will of the flesh or the will of man Their shew of godlinesse and seeming holinesse is at the best but of the will of the flesh of themselves and for themselves for their own good and safety being stird up and acted and ended by the flesh and in the flesh or of the will of man that is 't is a profession and seeming holinesse because men would have them to be holy for the will of such a friend Father or the like to satisfie men As if the Evangelist should have said All that go under the name of Sonnes and call God Father they are of three sorts two are Bastards and no Sonnes such as are born of the will of the flesh such as professe for the satisfying of the flesh the self-deceiving and closest Hypocrite which is no son though he think so because he looks onely to himself The other is he that is born of the will of man that lives only to the will of man the grosse and notorious Hypocrite But the third is the true Sonne indeed which is born of the will of God of his own will and that obeys him for his will But enough of this which I note more by the way than otherwise this then is the fift ascent or gradation in the Ladder of Faiths nearnesse That Gods people are his children 6. The sixt degree of higher nearnesse is the nearnesse of Spouse to the Husband so in Cant. we have it My Spouse All besides them are such as goe a whoring from him and are married to others to pleasure and credit and the things of this world and therefore they having tyed themselves formerly to God and broke the marriage knot are called James 4. 4. Adulterers James 4. and Adulteresses because they defile the marriage Bed by the love of the Creature But Gods people are married to him Hos 2. 19. by faith 7. Gods people are near him as the branch to the tree and 't is also another nearnesse of faith Rom. 6. 20. Thou standest by faith that is that thou standest in the tree Jesus Christ t is thy faith that makes thee a branch that 's the sap and juyce which runs from the tree to make thee live near him as a branch otherwise thou wert but a wilde Olive or a dead branch of the tree 'T is your faith lets you into the tree and makes you a Scyon 8. Lastly The highest step of this Ladder of faiths nearnesse is of the Members to the head so Eph. 4. 15. Christ is called the head That as all the members are united and joyned to the head in sense and motion from it so Christ is the head we the members nearly united to him in all power of knowing and doing This is the nearnesse of faith which as a Ladder consists of these eight steps of nearnesse and every one of them still higher and so nearer God The nearnesse of Subject is greater than that of League Servant than Subject Friend than Servant Childe than Friend Wife than Childe Branch out of the same Tree and in the same Tree than the Wife And lastly The Member is more essential and so nearer than the Branch So much for the first part of this nearnesse The nearnesse of Faith 2. But secondly As Part of nearnesse in the work of faith which is holinesse Gods people are near him by having faith in their hearts by these many proximities so they are near him in the work of faith which is The nearnesse of Holinesse which is the bringing of the whole man to God So that if Gods people touch him not onely in Relations as I formerly shewed but in the whole man and that which proceeds from it if they touch him on all parts then are they a people near him Other men as they come not
they 1 Thes 2. 13. receive it as the Word of God not of men as if he should say there are two sorts of hearers of the Word some hear it only as the Word of man man teaching man instructing man exhorting or reproving c. but you receive it as the Word of God Faith makes them to hear God in his Word other men neither see nor hear any thing of God in it But as it was with Saul and his company Act. 9. 7. travelling to Damascus so are godly men and other men As Saul and his company were going to Damascus 't is said a voice was heard from Heaven Saul Saul why persecutest thou me and the men with him they heard the voice but they saw no man only Paul saw Jesus Christ the others did not So wicked men hear the sound of the Word but they see no man they see not Jesus Christ and God in his Word for 't is only the eye of faith that sees God in the Prospective of his Word and Ordinances And therefore though men have these Prospectives of his Ordinances yet they see not God in them because they want the eye of faith to unite them and God together So again Gods people are near unto him in the Sacrament which so oft as it is worthily received is a new Bond out of the great Court of Heaven to tye them and God together more nearly and 't is faith that writes this Bond and seals it in the blood of Jesus Christ Whereas other men are no nearer God in the Sacrament than they are at their own table nay 't is a Sacrament of seperation that even unglues them from their common nearnesse in common mercy for as it is an ascent which by worthy receiving makes men a step nearer to God so by unworthy partaking they go lower to evil and farther from him Thirdly They are near to God in prayer for so prayer in Scripture is commonly called a drawing nigh to God and therefore they are said to be Priests to God that as Kings and great Rev. 2. 6. ones have their Chaplains for them so the people of God are his Chaplains yea Chaplains in Ordinary such as wait continually on God and that not only for themselves but for others also That look as Kings have their Masters of Requests whereby the Petitions of suiters are preferred unto them so Gods people are his great Masters of Requests whereby Petitions of each other yea and wicked men also are preferred to him So Abraham was Gen. 20. 7 17. the great Master of Requests for King Abimelech Let Abraham pray for thee and thou shalt live c. So Job was the Master Job 42. 7 8. of Requests for his three friends So Moses for the Israelites And this is faith still that makes this nearnesse Faith is that which perfumes their prayers with the blood of Christ and so they ascend up to God and are accepted by him That as great persons choose still perfumed things as apparell and Gloves c. let the other alone because the perfume makes them acceptable so faith makes their prayers acceptable to God which else they would not be Lastly And so we The last nearnesse to God which is in his speciall Attributes have done with these severall branches of nearnesse Gods people are near him in his speciall Attributes They are near his presence and in his favour Others are like Absalom which might not see the Kings face Or at the best God frowns upon them They are near his eye Near his ear Psal 34. 15 And so near his hand that when danger is at hand he is at hand and puts forth his hand to help and faith takes him by the hand and gets out So I might shew how they are near the Trinity Near the Trinity The Father Son and holy Spirit which are with all in them most properly theirs If then by faith in it self they are near unto God in that eight-fold nearnesse Of Covenant Subject Servant Friend Child Spouse Branch Member And again in the work of faith which is holinesse Of Heart as Like God his Temple House Life in Thoughts Affections Speeches Actions Service Word Sacraments Prayer c. If near him in his speciall Attributes And to all the Trinity Then they are a people very near him But to all this it may Object be objected How then may some say doth it come to passe that God is said to Stand afar off Psal 10. 1. To hide himself as David and many of Gods people complain It thus falls out sometimes Answ with these near ones but this is when they themselves go away from God by sinne where God is not And therefore God may there be said to be a far off Because sinne is a place where God is not or ever was near to them in it as continuing in it but only he is near them as coming out of sinne so farre as they are sinnefull so farre is God remote from them he comes no farther into the heart than faith purifies it into no rooms of the soul but those that by faith are swept from sinne 2. Again though God seems to stand a farre off and to hide himself that we think him not near yet as Jacob said He Gen. 28. 27. was nigh and he not aware of it so God is near his people when they think not of it even as the father is taken by the child for gone when he is but behind the hangings 3. Thirdly God is many times near and actually helps when we think he is not and doth not because we look for him in a way of our own prescribing wherein he will not come There is a double way wherein God comes to Double way of help his people First An ordinary way or the Kings high-way the great roade of Providence and Mercy wherein he ordinarily is nigh them as helping them in ordinary means There is secondly a secret privy way or path wherein he comes sometimes and is at us before we are aware of it and so we think him not come because not in the common roade wherein we expected him Thus many times God is near in giving some other mercy than we ask as more fit for us Thus sometimes he gives not it may be wealth but friends or we it may be look to have a lust healed by fasting and prayer when they nor any so common means do it not but he heals it by confession of it to a godly friend Jam. 5. 16. 4. Though God stand a far off yet he then is near though not sensibly yet really and truly the essence of the nearnesse remains still though the sense and influence be somewhat cut off even as it is with the body of the Sun when 't is covered with a Cloud the body of the Sun is then as near as when the Cloud was not before it though the heat and light the influence were
Thirdly There is an Ethical nearnesse the nearnesse of friend to friend which is yet nearer Fourthly There is a Logical nearnesse 1. The nearnesse of house and inhabitant 2. The nearnesse of Relation or Kindred of Sonne and Father Wife and Husband 3. And of similitude or likenesse as of the picture to the person Fifthly We have a Physical or Natural nearnesse which is the highest degree of all others As 1. Of the branches to the tree And 2. Members to the head Having drawn forth these particulars out of their several places we now will shew how Gods people are said to be near him 1. Yet this is first to be premised that there is a common nearnesse to A common nearnesse of creatures and men God which is the nearnesse of the whole creature namely to him as he is omnipresent whereby all the frame of the world wes near him and in some sort touches him he being in and through and above and about all things 2. Again there is a nearness to him in his Providence which is that secret touch of his hand whereby he sustains and preserves all things In these two senses not only his people but all other men and all things else stones and trees and the like are said to be near him And in the latter sense we have it spoken of men out of the Church Act. 17. 27 28. where Paul tells the Athenians God was not far off them because in him they live more c. that is he is their preserver yea in this sense the very Devils are near him 3. There is another A nearness of men in the Church farther degree of nearness which belongs to men and that to those which are within the Park of the Church a common nearness to Believers and Unbelievers The nearness of a common Nearness of common Covenant Covenant and the signs of that Covenant that nearness to him in his Ordinances whereby God is more near to them than other men out of the Church But this I take not to be the nearness here chiefly intended though this be a prerogarive of the Church worthy much thanks and praise The nearness here chiefly The nearness here meant meant is a nearness belonging to Saints as the words foregoing seem to import and so some of our best Expositors give it to be a peculiar proximity which belongs to the people of God and no other which strangers meddle not with nor know But to shew wherein this nearness consists which is in two things 1. They are near him in faith 2. In the work of faith First They are near him in faith The name and nature of faith shews as much For faith is the relying upon God as mine in Christ First It is a relying And to this purpose is it set out by trusting and staying and rolling the soul on God Hence a 1 Pet. 2. 7. godly man is said to be built on Christ and rooted in him which phrases intimate thus much unto us that the Believer is as near unto God having faith in him as a man is to the thing on which he leans as the stone to the ground on which it is roll'd as the building to the foundation and the tree to the soil in which it stands and grows Again It is the relying on God as mine that is the Believer is as near God by faith as the possessor and the thing possessed as the Land and the Lord the house and the owner Faith is of an appropriating nature bringing God and whatsoever is in him unto the Believer As mine in Christ for 't is by him all our nearnesse is So that this nearnesse is in faith Faith is as the Jacobs Ladder whereby his people ascend up and come near unto him And it hath in it these eight rounds or degrees of nearnesse 1. A nearnesse of Covenant 2. Of People to their Prince 3. Of Servant to his Master 4. Friend to Friend 5. Of Child to Father 6. Of Spouse to Husband 7. Of Branch to the Tree 8. Of the Member to the Head 1. The nearnesse of faith is a nearnesse of Covenant or League Before men believe they are afar off as enemies and haters of God Rom. 1. 30 Col. 1. 21. so enemies in their minds by wicked works To give a touch They were enemies and enemies in their minds that is to say enemies in their minds by wicked works All enmity is compleat in Enmity is in two things these two in the mind and in the work they were both enemies in mind and work for the word may be so rendered And again enemies in mind by wicked works wicked works being the cause of this enmity of the mind And therefore Joh. 3. 20. men are said to hate the light because their works are evil this by the way so that men in sins are far off as enemies not in League or Covenant God in Jesus Christ offers conditions of peace men when once they have faith they then enter League and therefore Isa 56. 4 6. 't is a Isa 56. 4 6 laying hold on the Covenant that is that which strikes the stroke and reconciles God and man offended Faith layes down the weapons sins that fought against God and layes hold on mercy the Covenant and League God offers to men if they will be friends The whole Scripture shews this evidently being indeed nothing else but the Writings of the Covenant of faith between God and man The old and new Testament are but the pair of Indentures or Covenants the old being the first Bill or Covenant which being once expired is renewed in the new Testament as a sign of this nearnesse 2. The second step in this Ladder of faiths nearnesse is the nearnesse of people and Prince Near nesse of people to King Isa 33. 22. The Lord is our King and he will save us so we are his people and throughout the Prophets my people Some choose pleasure others profit others credit but the Lord is their King Others they acknowledg him not nor do any homage to him and therefore they are called Rebels Psal 68. 18. because Psal 68. 18. they have no faith but faith in Gods people comes and takes the Oath of Allegiance and swears them Gods people to say as David did I have sworn and I will perform to keep thy righteous statutes 3. Gods people are near unto him as a Servant Nearnesse of Servant to a Master This is a step yet higher and nearer that they are such whose office it is continually to wait and attend upon God Faith puts upon them Gods Livery that they are men of his own Cloth And this service is not an Apprentiship to serve their Master for a time and then to go out Journeymen for themselves but like the Servant in Exod. 21. 5. that liking his Master well was to have his eare boared through with an Aule and serve him for ever so because they like their
and seem as if they loved him But it is because he hath much to give and they expect much They love him as he is mercifull and bountifull as he is full and open-handed As he opens out of his Treasury of goodnesse deals out peace and safety gives forth wealth and friends compasses them about with kindnesse fils up their Cup till it run over But they go no farther in kindnesse than he doth in bounty They both measure and limit their love by his goodnesse and therefore if he turn the stream of mercy a little from them their goodnesse and love dries up also It may be they can be content to Pray and hear the Word and perform the other offices of love if they may get by it Assemble Hos 7. 14. themselves for Corn and Wine as the Prophet speaks But this is to do duty to mercy to pray to peace and safety to love not him but his And so the most do with God as men do with those that are greater than themselves A great man because he is rich and powerfull and can do much for them to him they pretend a great deale of friendship and shew of love but if he once dry up in bounty or stop in kindnesse they are gone for new friends to reap new kindnesse whereas if they loved the man for himself their love would last so long as the person not the purse or power only remaind And who would take such ones to be friends that loved but so only And so do you think to go for friends when you come for nothing else Will God take you to be friends to him when your love is only spun forth by mercy when it is only linked to peace and riches or the like when your friendship is only planted and rooted and grows in the soyle of his bounty by the dew of his favour and is not built upon him You would not take such a man to be your friend that is a friend to your Chest or Table only Yet God hath a great many such Chest such Table friends that are as great friends there as any but if once the Purse is shut the Cloth drawn their friendship is taken away also Whether then can you love God stript of all considerations of kindnesse so that you will not break with him though he draw in his kindnesse but keep him still though he had nothing to give no Heaven hereafter to make you happy nor peace and wealth and the like to stay you here 't is then a sign you are his friend But if you love him as he appears in mercy only as he is covered over with kindnesse it is a sign you are no friend of his he that is a friend loves not so much his as him Secondly Another 2. Sign of friends sign of friendship is mutual trust to each other Whether then will you trust him and may he again trust you First Whether will you trust him that is will you take him on his bare word without any more that is to trust a man when thou relyest on him for his bare promise And so that is to trust God for a mercy not when you have hold on him and the mercy too one hand on him another on the thing But when you lay hold on him with both hands that his promise is all the hold you have Many will trust him when they have security trust him for a mercy deliverance health or life when they have a pledg when they are in the way of deliverance or life trust to the staffe when they have hold of one end of it whereas he that is a friend will take his word as soon as his bond Trust him against trust against hope As Abraham because he was a friend of God believed him against hope for a son even then when in nature and reason he could see no issue To trust him with a pledg is no more than an enemy will do any man will trust so only a friend will trust for the bare relation of friendship Again Whether may God trust thee he that is a friend God dares betrust with any thing betrust him with riches betrust him with health or friends betrust him with greater things even with Jesus Christ which is all his stock of mercy and betrust with grace also because he will give all or the Revenues of them to God again Other men though he gives them health or wealth or the like yet he trusts them not with them as looking for them again And therefore what he bestowes on them it is given as an exercise of his bounty and not any exercise of their trust and fidelity which is therefore some smaller matter that he gives as these outward things which he looks not for again Even as we deal with men that have oft deceived us or are poor and needy if they come to borrow we lend them not any thing we look to have again because we dare not trust them but it may be we give them something out of our bounty for their need So much for this third Sign The next is Whether art thou Sign 4 espoused to Christ or not If thou art espoused to him then First Thou likest him and lovest him better than any other As a loving Wife if you ask her how she likes her Husband she will answer I care not what others do how they like him for my part I like him better than any other So the Spouse of Christ in the Canticles Cant. 5. 9. when she is askt how she likes Christ what her beloved is better than other beloveds saith she He is the chiefest of ten Vers 10. thousand that is Let others say what they will like or dislike she likes him better than any in the world besides For He is white and ruddy Vers 10. that is he is perfectly beautifull for colour And so she describes him throughout summing up all in the 16. Verse that He is altogether lovely Vers 16. that is there is nothing to be seen in him that is any deformity to hinder liking or love but he is most comely Other men as the Prophet Esay sayes though in another case See no form or comelinesse in him but he is unto them as a Blackmoore that hath nothing sightly All his grace and holinesse is unto them but as so much blacknesse though it be his perfect beauty And therefore let him come never so often a wooing to them in his Word and Ordinances he cannot get a promise for they like him not Whether then doest thou like Jesus Christ and like him above all others if thou art espoused to him thou doest so There are many that seem to like him and make love to him in praying c. can be content to do something to have him if they might have him with some ease but they like him not better than any other than a lust of pleasure or gain or credit We see this in