Three treatises, being the substance of sundry discourses

CHAP. XV.

Interest in God more knowable then any other, and yet unknown to most: The Reasons of both.

BEfore I propound the Directions, how they who are sincere and ingenious to∣ward God, and indeed have him for their God, may know that they have a sure Inte∣rest and Propriety in him, I will premise two things of moment.

First, That our Interest in God is more knowable then any other Interest in the world: There is no Interest that a man hath, which is so discernable: Whatsoever it is that belongs to an Interest in any thing, or any friend, and doth discover it; is much more here. Examine it in a few parti∣culars.

1. Where there is an Interest with men, there is a mutual closing of their spirits, by which they know one another, and come to rest secure in each others good intentions and hearty wishes. Here also is this mutual closing, and in a far more high and excellent degree, then is or can be with any creature: For that affection and love which God dis∣covers to his people, and which he doth act

upon them, is a Love that is transcendent; that is, not only beyond all other love, but beyond all understanding: That entire clo∣sing that is between a Beleever and God in Jesus Christ, is above all that which can be found in any other; his whole Soul runs this way. In Psal. 119.10. I have sought thee (saith David) with my whole heart. That is the proportion which God hath cut out for himself. Deut. 6.5. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, with all thy Soul, and with all thy might. Christ challenges the same proportion, and indeed it should not be less; less would not fulfil his end, which is the solid peace and satisfaction of his peo∣ple, in the enjoyment of him; and also the subjecting and subduing of their spirits to his government: No proportion of love loss then the greatest, could work these things.

But besides this, there is such a through change by reason of this Interest, as no Inte∣rest in the world doth work, though the closest and the nearest: For the habit and disposition of the spirit of a man is altered in closing with God, and he becomes a new creature, he is not what he was. It is true, that in all friendship that is with men, there is a kind of change on both sides, because there must be a due and necessary applica∣tion of themselves to each others spirits;

but that change is unspeakably inferior to this, in those who have been wrought upon to beleeve, and have obtained this mercy to close with God: for they are changed to the proportion of as great a distance, as death is distant from life, and darkness from light; for they are brought off from the love of all that, on which their hearts were set, even to a hatred of it; and are sub∣jected, subordinate, and conformed to the Will of God.

There is another thing in this Interest, which belongs to the nature of it, and so discovers it, and that is, a mutual conversing with each other with contentment. Jonathan and David had much pleasure in their mu∣tual conversings with each other, and in drawing forth their spirits one to another. This is much more strong in Beleevers, then can be in any relation between husband and wife, or between the father and child. This must needs be so:

For, first, The love wherewith they love God is the highest love: Therefore many will not go for Christians, that pretend to be such, because their hearts are not brought up to this. The highest Love acts highest, it takes the highest delight and contentment in its Object. In Cant. 2.3. As the Apple trees among the trees of the Forrest, so is my Beloved

among the sons: I sat down under his shadow with great delight, &c. In Psal. 73. saith Da∣vid, It is good for me to draw near to God: That look as others find contentment in the things they love, and draw near to them; so the Saints find much more contentment with God, and therefore draw near to him.

Again, Friends cannot always enjoy these Converses: Oftentimes they are parted, and so cannot have this felicity of expressing mutual love; but God is ever with them. In Psal. 73. Thou art my strong habitation, to whom I may have a continual resort: I may always come to thee.

3. There is a third thing in Interest, and that is mutual Communication. Love is a spring, which flows forth; it doth enjoy what it hath rather for its friend, then for it self: Gods Love hath this excellency more abundantly and transcendently. Take the dearest friends that live at the highest rate of love, they cannot maintain a constant Com∣munication; partly because there is not al∣ways an equal necessity and capacity, partly because there is not always the same power to give forth. But our necessities are always very great and vast, and Gods power is al∣ways the same; so that here is always a per∣fect Communication of Love that ceaseth

not, but flows forth as beams of light from the Sun.

Now as effects discover their causes, so then especially when they are most full and perfect. As you may better know any tree by its fruit, then when it is in the bud and blossoms; and you may better know it when the fruit is in its fulness and in more abundance, then when there are but a few; if there be but one or two upon a tree they may be hid, but when there are many, the testimony is the more abundant: Abundant are the testimonies of the fruits of Gods Love in what he hath done for his. So that upon this account, no Interest is more know∣able then that of a Beleever in his God.

Secondly, A second thing to be pro∣pounded, is this; That though no Interest be more knowable, yet ordinarily no Interest is less known then this. This we need not prove; I think it's a Question out of que∣stion with us all. The unevenness of the ho∣liness of Beleevers in their walkings, the in∣constancy of their rejoycing, are two strong demonstrations of this, that they do know but little of their Interest in God. It springs from such unhappy Causes as these, That abiding Unbelief, that bitter root that hath taken such strong hold of the nature of man, that till the whole house be pull'd down, it

will not be wholly eradicated and destroy∣ed: This is that weight the Apostle speaks of (in Heb. 12.) that hangs on us so fast, as is manifest by the Apostle's scope, who per∣swading unto faith, and the workings of faith; this is that (saith he) that so suppress∣eth and bears us down from those heights of heavenly joy, from that sweet contentment and rest of spirit whereto we are called.

Beleeving is the first stone that is layd in a Christian. He that comes to God, must beleeve that he is, and that he is a Rewarder of those that seek him, Hebr. 12. And as there is a spirit in all Beleevers that tends to the set∣ling of them upon a sure foundation, that they may stedfastly beleeve: so there is a spirit that works to unbelief, perplexity and dissettlement. While unbelief works in us, it must needs be, that there will be a great want of that through knowledg of Inte∣rest.

Another Cause of this great misery of man, is, That Gods communications of him∣self to us, and entertainments of us, are not always in intelligible forms, so that we can∣not presently take them up, and understand the meaning and good-will of God in them. The fault is in our minds. The print is good, but cannot be read, because the eye is dull and dark. Sometimes God comes to us wrapt up

in Clouds, and indeed he varies his dispen∣sations, that he may attain his End: His End is this, that he may work his people to a strength of Faith and Love mixt with Fear; that's the proper constitution of a Christian, and the truest temper of one that is marked out to eternal life. Therefore God sometimes displays his greatness in the sight of his people, far above all the mani∣festations of the sweetness of his mercy; that the spirit of a poor man is overborn, shakes and trembles at the presence of God: So it was with Moses, Heb. 12.21. The sight was so terrible (though God meant no ill to Moses) that Moses shakes and quakes for fear, he was sore afraid. Sometimes God comes with the manifestations of his fatherly displeasure and dislike, and then how can it be but the Soul must dwell in bitterness? mourning, heaviness and trembling must needs possess us.

A third Cause why so little is known of this Interest, that God is our God, though he be so, is our unhappy diversions. We are oftentimes turned off from that one thing necessary, and our spirits run otherways, out of light into darkness. Alas, Solomon mind∣ed not this matter, or to little purpose, when he poured out his Soul after vanities; and for this God pleaded with him, 1 King. 11.9.

that he had departed from him; The Lord was wrath with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice.