Sometimes God himself hides It im self out of wisdom and mercy to us, when he sees that we carry not ourselves so reverently as we should. And this reason may be sufficient of God's dispensation. God will have it so, partly for the further hardening of wicked persons, and for trial. For if all were laid open in this excellent estate of a Christian, who should try their patience ? Who would not be a Christian for the comfort, and for the sense and feeling ? Oh, but this is not so. A Christian hath a life, but it is a hidden life. Therefore God will try whether men will live by faith or sense, whether they will have their ways now or no, or whether they will depend npon that glorious life that God will reveal in time to come, and to exercise and strengthen faith. God will have it so that this life shall be now hid, that we may live by the promises, though we have no feeling at all ; that we may persuade ourselves in the gi'eatest desertions and extremities, yet I have a hidden life in Christ. Though I have little influence and manifestation of it in me, yet I have a glorious life in my head ; and I live now by faith till I come to live by sight. This is one reason.
We should not therefore take offence. We must not judge of Christians by outward show and appearance, as Christ saith, ' We should not judge of ourselves by outward appearance,' John vii. 24, nor of the church. The whore of Babylon hath more painting and setting out, in all glorious shows — it being an outside religion — than the true spouse of Christ, whose glory and beauty is within. Doth it follow therefore that she is the true church ? Oh no ; for the beauty of the wife of Christ it is a hidden beauty, ' She is glorious within,' Ps. xlv. 13. A stranger doth not meddle with the joy of the church. Christians have a name indeed, and ' a stone that none know but them that have it,' Rev. ii. 17. It is ' hidden manna.' We must not judge of the church, or of Christians, by outward appearance ; we shall be deceived in that. Our life is hid with Christ, the spring of all spiritual life. The life of a Christian is a secret life. It is a peculiar life. It is a safe life. It is secret because it is hid. As I said, God's children are secret ones. They are not known to the world, nor to them- selves ofttimes.
But ordinarily faith in them breaks through the cloud, and unmasks God himself; and sees God's fatherly face, though he hide himself. They have a promise to lay hold upon ; and they acknowledge him to be their Father, and wrestle with him. It is a secret life, but it is not so secret, but that faith sees into it. It pierceth the veil and sees a glorious life there. Faith will see God's glorious countenance. Faith makes it a glorious life though it be secret. Therefore let us not judge ourselves nor others by appearance.
And it is also a sure life. ' It is hid with Christ in God.' Mark on what grounds it is sure.
First, it is hid in heaven. No enemy can come there. The devil comes not there since he first lost it and was cast out. It is safe in regard of the place. It is hid in heaven.
And it is safe, because it is hid in Christ, who purchased it with his blood ; who hath trampled upon all opposite powers, over death, and hell itself. It is hid in heaven and in him who hath overcome all opposite power. Therefore it is a safe life.
208 THE HIDDEN LIFE.
And it is liid with Christ in God. Christ is in the bosom of God, Christ mediator. ' It is hid with Christ in God.' He is the storehouse of this hfe. It is hid with him. If any can rob God, then they may rob our life from us ; for it is hid with Christ in God. It is a suro hfe therefore.
Ohj. Oh, but we may lose it, though it be sure in respect of God.
Alls. Nay, saith St Peter, ' We are begotten again to an inheritance, immortal, and reserved for us in heaven, and we are kept by the power of God to salvation,' 1 Peter i. 4. It is kept for us, and we are kept to it. God hath prepared it for us, and prepared us for it. So it is a most sure life, espe- cially because Christ lives for ever, with whom it is. ' It is hid with Christ in God.'
It is likewise a peculiar life ; only to God's people. For they only have union and communion with Christ ; and therefore ho saith here, ' your life is hid with Christ in God.'
It is likewise a glorious life ; for it is hid with Christ, who is the glory of God ; and he saith in the next verse, ' When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, we shall appear with him in glory.' It is a glorious life. But of that I shall speak in the next verse.