[2.] The life that floweth from this union is a hidden thing : Col. iii. 3, ' For our life is hid with Christ in God.' It is hidden, because maintained by an invisible power ; the spiritual life is hidden under
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the veil of the natural life : Gal. ii. 20, ' The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.' It is obscured by infirmities. The best show forth too much of Adam, and too little of Jesus. It is hidden under afflic- tions : Heb. xi. 37, 38, ' They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword : they wandered about in sheep- skins, and goat-skins ; being destitute, afflicted, tormented ; of whom the world was not worthy,' &c. ; and the world's reproaches : 2 Cor. vi. 8, ' By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report ; as deceivers, and yet true.'
2. The means whereby the world is convinced.
[1.] The promises of the word show God's great love to the saints, and hereby he hath engaged himself to do great things for them : 2 Peter i. 4, ' Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature.' He hath engaged to pardon their sins, accept their persons, sanctify their natures, keep them blameless to his heavenly kingdom, and finally, to translate them to glory : Deut. xxxiii. 29, ' Happy art thou, 0 Israel : who is like unto thee, 0 people saved by the Lord, and who is the shield of thy excellency ! thy enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places;' Ps. cxliv. 15, ' Happy is that people that is in such a case ; yea, happy is that people whose God is the Lord.'
[2.] By the visible fruits of the mystical union. The gift of the Spirit cannot be hidden, they have a power and presence with them which others have not : 1 Peter iv. 14, ' The Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you.' They live contrary to the course of this world, so as to become the world's wonder : 1 Peter iv. 4, ' Wherein they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of riot.' And reproof : Heb. xi. 7, ' By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear prepared an ark for the saving of his house, by the which he condemned the world.'
[3.] By the wonderful blessings of God's providence ; they are hidden in the secret of his presence, strangely preserved : Ps. iv, 3, ' But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself ; ' not only as instruments of his glory, but as objects of his special favour and grace.
[4.] This is more fully seen for the utter confusion of the wicked at the last day : 2 Thes. i. 10, ' When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe.' Now it is for their conviction or conversion, then for their confusion ; these are those whose lives we judged madness, and ways folly !
3. Why Christ was so earnest that the world should know this. [1.] To restrain their malice : 1 Cor. ii. 5, ' Had they known it,
they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.' If God loveth believers, it should stop the violence and malice of the world against them; they are the beloved ones of God whom they malign, and against whom their heart riseth.
[2.] It stirreth them up to come out of their wicked condition, that is, out of a state of nature : Ps. vii. 11, ' God is angry with the wicked every day.'
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[3.] To put in for a share in this blessed estate, that they may be some of those whom he loveth as he loved Christ.
Use 1. Caution to the carnal world. Do not hate those whom God thus loveth. To you they are accursed, but Grod counteth them precious : Isa. xliii. 4, ' Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee.' To you they are the scurf and ofifscouring: 1 Cor. iv. 13, 'We are made as the filth of the world, and the offscouring of all things to this day.' But to God they are jewels : Mai. iii. 17, ' They shall be mine, saith the Lord, in the day when I make up my jewels.'
Use 2. Advice to the children of God, to promote the conviction and conversion of the carnal : 1 Peter ii. 12, ' Having your conver- sation honest amongst the Gentiles ; that whereas they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.' Herein you imitate your master, and your own safety lieth in it.
SERMON XLI.
Father, I will tliat tJiey also ivhom thou hast given me he loitli me where I am ; that they may hehold my glory, which thou hast given me : for thou lovedst me hefore the foundation of the luorld. —John XVII. 24.