Secondly, A fellowship with God in his blessedness, viz., in the beati- fical vision and brightness of glory. To be made 'partakers of the divine nature,' say others, is to be made partakers of those holy graces, those divine qualities, which sometimes are called, * the image of God, the likeness of God, the life of God,' &c., Eph. iv. 24, CoL iii. 10, whereby we resemble God, not only as a picture doth a man in outward linea- ments, but as a child doth his father in countenance and conditions. Now, take the words which way you will, how highly doth it concern those servants, that are made partakers of the divine nature, to do singular things for God, to do such things for God, that other servants, that are not partakers of the divine nature, have no mind, no heart, no spirit to do ! yea, that they refuse and scorn to do !
[3.] Thirdly, Gracious servants are worthily descended ; they have the most illustrious extraction and honourable original, 1 John v. 19 ; John iii. 8 ; James ii. 5.
[4] FouHhly, Gracious servants are worthily attended, they are nobly guarded ; Ps. xxxiv. 15 ; Heb. i. 14 ; Deut. xxxiii. 26, 27 ; Zech. ii. 5.
[5.] Fifthly, Gracious servants are worthily dignified; they are dignified with the highest and most honourable titles, 1 Peter i. 2, 9 ; Rev. i. 5, 6 ; v. 10.
[6.] Sixthly, Take many things in one : gracious servants have •more eaxellent graces, experiences, comforts, communions, 'promises, assurances, discoveries, hopes, helps, principles, diet, raiment, portion, than all other sei^ants in the vjorld have; and therefore God may well expect better and greater things from them than from all other servants in the world. God may very well expect that they should do singular things for his glory, who hath done such singular things for their good. Certainly God expects that gracious servants should be a-blessing of him, when other servants are a-blaspheming of him ; that they should be a-magnifying of him, when other servants are a-debas- ing of him ; that they should be a-redeeming of precious time, when other servants are a-trifling, fooling, playing or sinning away of precious time ; that they should be a-weeping in a corner, when other servants are a-sporting and making themselves merry among their jovial com- panions ; that they should be a-mourning in secret, when other servants
^ * None but Familists will say that we are made partakers of the substance of the God- head, for that is incommunicable to any creature. The essence of God cannot be im- parted to any created beings.
214 THE PRIVY KEY OF HEAVEN. [MaT. VI. 6.
are a-sinning in secret ; and that they should be at their private de- votion, when other servants are sleeping and snorting, &c.
Solomon, that was the wisest prince that ever sat upon a throne, and who was guided by an infallible Spirit, hath delivered it for a stand- ing maxim above two thousand years ago, 'that the righteous is more excellent than his neighbour,' Prov. xii. 26. When Solomon dropped this aphorism from his royal pen, there was not a man in the world that was legally righteous ; Adam and all his posterity being fallen from all their honour, glory, dignity, and excellency, into a most woful gulf of sin and misery ; and therefore Solomon must be understood of him that is evan- gelically righteous, Ps. xiv. 1-3 ; Rom. iii. 9-12 ; Lam. v. 16. He that is evangelically righteous, be he master or servant, rich or poor, bond or free, high or low, is more excellent than his neighbour. And oh that all masters wouW seriously consider of this, that they may carry it no more so proudly, so loftily, so scornfully, so forwardly, so strangely, so sourly, so bitterly, so rigorously, towards their pious servants, as not to afford them a little time to pour out their souls before the Lord in a corner !
I have read of Ingo, an ancient king of the Braves^ and Veneds,^ who, making a stately feast, appointed all his pagan nobles to sit in the hall below ; and at the same time commanded certain poor Christians to be brought up into his presence-chamber, to sit with him at his table, that they might eat of his kingly cheer ; at which many wondering, he told them, that he accounted Christians, though never so poor, a greater orna- ment at his table, and more worthy of his company, than the greatest nobles that were not converted to the Christian faith ; for saith he, when these pagan nobles shall be thrust down to hell, these poor Christians shall be my consorts and fellow-princes in heaven.'' Certainly, this noble prince will one day rise in judgment against all sour, churlish Labans, who carry it so harshly and so severely towards their gracious servants, as that they will not allowthem a little time to wait upon God in a hole, Eph. vi. 9. \^ hy should not gracious musters give their gracious servants a little time for closet prayer now, considering that they are sharers with them in all the fundamental good that comes by Christ in this world ; and considering that they shall be partakers with them iji all the glory of another world ? The poorest servant in a family hath a soul more pre- cious than heaven and earth ; and the greatest work that lies upon his hand in this world, is to look to the eternal safety and security of that : for if that be .safe, all is safe; if that be well, all is well ; but if that be lost, all is lost * Every gracious servant, though he be never so poor and mean, yet hath he the image of God, the image of the King of kings stamped upon him ; and woe to him that shall wrong, or despise, or trample upon that image! Certainly, God himself is wronged by the injury that is done to his image. The contempt and despite that is done to the image or coin of a king, is done to the king himself; and accordingly he will revenge it.
* Qu. Inliabltants of the territories on the Dravus? [Strabo, vii.] — G. ' Toe Veuedae. [Tacitus, Germ 4G. I'liny, iv. 18, and 27.]— G.
« .^iijeiis >yivins Ainialiuin. cf-p xx Eiuop Aven. lib. A.
* Every man liath two tilings to look unto more than all the world beside, a body and & Boul : fi>r the one, every cue iu either a fool or a physician ; for the other, either a dcTil or a divine, suith one.
Mat. VI. 6.] the privy key of heaven. 215