And where this sweet covenant is, that God is our God, as there is a separation from ourselves and our corruptions, so there is a separation from all that joineth with our corruption ; a separation in aflection from delighting in all that is not God, from all such occasions and company as strengtheneth our corruption. A Christian knows what he hath of God's in him, and what he hath of Satan, and that he must weaken. Therefore he severeth himself from that which strengtheneth the one and weakeneth the other. This trial is expressed in 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18, ' Come out from amongst them, separate yourselves, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people.' He speaks for direction, especially in our society and acquaintance, for that is the thing he aimeth at. How shall we know that God will be our God ? We must separate ourselves, and touch no unclean thing, nothing that will help rebellion. Therefore those that have an indif- ferent disposition to all companies, and can solace themselves in any society, though never so corrupt, that bear themselves plausible to all, and would be thought well of all, and so will venture upon all occasions, it is an ill sign that they arc carnal people. When in the nearest league in friendship or amity, or in intimate familiarity, they will join with any, — all are alike, — it is a sign they have not God ifor their God. For then they would have common enemies and common friends with God ; common enemies with God. Whom God hated they would hate. As God in covenant blesseth them that bless us, and curseth them that curse us, so they that are in covenant and friendship with God will hate with a perfect hatred whatsoever it is that hateth God ; they will have nothing to do in intimate familiarity further than their callings press upon them ; they will give them their due in humanity and courtesy, but no more. Their love and delight will be in God and those that are his, that represent him, that have his Spirit and image. How oft is this ' I am the Lord your God ' repeated by Moses as a ground of separation from idolatry ? It is expressed almost everywhere ; and indeed, if the Lord be our God, there is ground enough of separation from all that is not God. It cannot be otherwise.
Another sign and evidence that God is our God is victory over our base corruptions in some measure. This you have in Rev. xxi. 7 : ' He that overeometh shall inherit all things ; I will be his God, and he shall be my * That is, ' naughty ' = wicked. — G.
THE FAITHFUL COVENANTER. 15
son.' How shall I know that God is my God, and that I am his son ? If by the power of his Spirit I am able to overcome and conquer in some com- fortable measure base tentations and my base corruptions and lusts ; when I lie not as a beast or as a carnal man under sin, but God hath given me in some measure spiritual strength over sin.
Undoubtedly these and such like works of the Spirit, together with the testimony of the Spirit, will be wheresoever God is our God.
In a word, to name no more trials but this, whosoever God is a God to, there ivill be a trcmsfonni)i/j unto God, a traiisfonnhir/ unto Christ, in whom God is our God. For we must know that we are renewed according to the image of the ' second Adam.' Our comfort is by God revealed in Christ. If God be our God in Christ, we will be like to God ; and that will be known that we are like to God, if we be like to God in the flesh, God incarnate. For we are predestinated to be like God incarnate. God, first he is Christ's God before he is ours ; and as Christ carried himself to God, so if we be God's, we must carry ourselves like Christ, be transformed unto him. How did Christ carry himself to God ? God was his God. ' Mij God, 7mj God,' saith Christ upon the cross. Now the gospel sheweth that he obeyed his Father in all things, in doing and sufiering : ' Not my will, but thy will be done,' Luke xxii. 42. You know how full of mercy and compassion he was ; how he prayed all night sometimes. Though he knew God would bestow things on him without prayer, yet he would pray in order to God's appointment. You know how full of goodness he was, going about continually doing good. Acts x. 38 ; and that in obedience and conscience to God's command. In a word, look how Christ made God his God, and carried himself to God. So must we ; for we are predestinated to be transformed to the image of the ' second Adam,' Christ. Especially observe one thing — I touched it before — whom we run to and trust to in extremity, is our god. Christ in extremity, when he felt the anger and endured the wrath of God, being a surety for our sins, yet ' My God, my God ' still. So if we make God our God, chiefly in the greatest extremity, in the time of desertion, as Christ did, it is a good sign. I do but touch these things. The point, you see, is large. I only give you matter of meditation. You may enlarge them yourselves in your own thoughts. These I think sufficient trials, whereby you may know whether God be your God.