The second Sermon. SER. 2.

WEE come now to the second thing, viz. Wherein doth happinesse lye, and consist. And our answer is twofold,

• 1. Negatively.
• 2. Affirmatively.

Doct. 2 Wee are to speake first of the negative, and that is, That not the quintesence of any nor the confluence of all created things, can make a man happly: Nothing without God can bring a man true, much lesse, Perfect happinesse. I say no created thing can make us happy; that is the thing we are now upon, Explicati­on.

And for the further explication of this [Page 40] Point; there are some things to be conside­red.

• Proposition
  1. Concerning the subject of the propo­sition.
• 2. Concerning the predicate:

Subject.The subject of this propositin, or this truth that I have now propounded, is contained in these two branches.

• 1. No created thing.
• 2. No created thing without God.

I expresse in it two other things, to make the point more full. Not any of those, nor all con­joyned. Not the quintessence of any nor the confluence of all, can make a man happy.

I shall but briefely touch this.

No created good. Not the quintessence of best.1. There is no created thing of that excel­lency (though we sucke out the very quintes­sence of it) that can afford true happi­nesse.

There may bee two things that may bee thought upon, which (if any could) might doe it.

Accom­plishment.1. There is no accomplishment, not endow­ments.

2. No addittaments to those accomplish­ments.

There be two sorts of those accomplish­ments, that may be thought fit, or worthy to be named.

1. There bee some intrinsecall within a man.

[Page 41]2. There be some extrinsecall without a man.

1. Intrinsecall, or within a man, there are excellencies, and endowments of the mind, Intrinsecall of the mind. more excellent then those of the body. But none of those can give a mans heart, or soule, true hap­pinesse. None (I say) even of those excellen­cies of the mind: Intellectu­all. whether they be intellectu­all vertues, as wisdome, understanding, and knowledge; although they be in the greatest height, or highest Meridian, that possibly they can be exalted to, none of them can make a man truely happy.

No nor any morall vertues, Morall. as well as the in­tellectuall, they come farre shorter then the, other, (I meddle not here with supernaturall vertues, infused by the spirit of God, for they come in for their share in happinesse, and make much towards it, as will appeare here­after, but) now I meddle with morall vertues, or excellencies which may adorne a civil man, one that stands within the bounds of nature: Although a man have never so much of these, though he hath the utmost excellency of thē ; nay and though he have them all, yet they all come farre short of true happinesse, and so of making him truely happy.

2. And much lesse any excellencies, Extrinse­call of the body. or endow­ments of the body, can make a man happy, as health, strength, or beauty, or any other thing, which commend, and adorne the body, what­soever the good of it be, or the price of it. It [Page 42] comes exceeding short of bringing the soule to happinesse; they are as farre inferiour to the true happinesse, as the body is to the soule, and therefore, to passe from them, I say.

No extrinsecall, or outward accomplish­ments; whatsoever they call them: whether the goods of fortune, Goods of Fortune. or otherwise; of what ranke, and condition soever they be, the fur­ther still off from happinesse, and the more re­mote: for the neerer any thing comes to the soule, to the perfection of it, the neerer it is to happines: but the further off it is (as the estate, & goods, or the clothes, and other ornaments) the farther off still from happinesse. No endow­ments, No addi­taments. or accomplishments will doe it, whe­ther they be intrinsecall, or extrinsecall.

2. Nay though we take in to Additaments, or Adjuments, which may be conceived, for the farther perfecting, and polishing of those. Which as they have a relation to the former, may be considered, as they were Either

• 1. Intrinsecally,
• 2. Or extrinsecally.

Intrinsecall1. There be two intrinsecally, which may be as additaments, or adjuments for the perfect­ing of a man, and conducing towards happines.

1. There is one more properly belonging to the mind, and the mind takes some content in it, Honour. and especially in a generous person. viz. Honour. And yet all the honour in the world cannot doe it: though a man were never so [Page 43] honourable, or high, or had in reputation (al­though it be of high price in noble mindes, and gives a great satisfaction to them) yet there is no happinesse at all in it: It comes farre too short to make a man happy.

2. But then there is an other, which be­longs more properly to the body, but yet may be extended in some sense unto the minde likewise, and that is pleasure: Pleasure. Some have placed happinesse in that, as some Philo­sophers, and the Stoicks, and some of them dogmatically too; which yet is inferiour to honour, and therefore comes farre shorter of making a man happy. Extrinse­call.

2. There be two others extrinsecally, which may be supposed to make some additament, and may have some name in this busines, & be­long partly to the one, and partly to the other.

viz.

• Riches,
• and Friends.

1. Not riches, nor estate, Riches. they cannot doe it: let the heape be never so great. Let there be never so great a spring of riches, it is not that can doe it.

2. I will but adde the second thing, Friends. and that is this; No content, or compleate satisfa­ction in friends; no relation that a man hath, in which, his naturall content doth much con­sist in; as parents, or children, and others that are neare, and deare unto him; nor any other of those friends, that may be more be­neficiall, [Page 44] and have a greater influence in their good, as the favour of great ones, and the like, no friend or relation to a man, though that be a great sweetnes, as the Wiseman expresseth. Or as the Father expresseth it very well. Though a man drinke nothing but Ambrosia, or Nectar, all his life, and have no friend to partake of it, there would not be any sweet­nesse unto him in it.

So I say, though it much sweeten the life, yet it cannot reach so farre (although hee were never so blest in that kinde) as to make him happy.

It is not any of these things will doe it; nei­ther the intrinsecall goods of the minde, nor the extrinsecall of the body; it is not Pleasure to satisfie the body, nor honour to satisfie the minde; nor any other thing to satisfie both; neither estate, nor friends, none of these can give a man true happinesse.

2. But then there is an other branch, to make the point more full, viz. not all of these.

Not the quintessence of any of those fully, nor the confluence of many, Not the confluence of any. or all of them toge­ther can doe it.

1. It is not any of them alone can doe it; for a man is a compound creature both of body and soule, and therefore those things which make it up must be for both: for suppose a man had a Beaver hat, and a gold hat-band, a satten dublet, and the like: yet if in the meane [Page 45] time hee goe bare-legg'd, this is farre from compleatenesse, because there is one thing wanting: so it will be in the matter of happi­nesse: It is not conceiveable that one alone should doe it; to have the minde full, or the body full, to injoy but one peece, that can­not make a man happy. And therefore

2. I adde this in the second place, not the confluence of all together, though all were concentred together in one, and conspired to­gether to make a man happy, yet they would come short. Though a man had wisedome, and vertue, and goods of body, as strength, and beauty, though he had all outward orna­ments, though hee injoyed honour and plea­sure at the full, and riches, and friends, nay, though he had all these meeting in one to­gether, and concentred in one man, they come farre short of making a man happy, and he may be a miserable man (though hee have all these) in this Theologicall sense. Thus we see no created thing can doe it.

2. These things without God can­not doe it. These things considered without God cannot doe it. For there is a great deale of difference betweene those as they stand in relation to God, and in conjunction with him, and as they are without him, and stand upon their owne bottome, and in their owne strength, and excellencie. With God they may make ac­cession.

1. With God it is true, these things may make some accession to happinesse, they may a­dorne [Page 46] and beautifie happinesse, and have some part and place in happinesse in an inferiour kinde; they are in themselves, and in their kinde good, and they are the gifts of God, and those that hee bestoweth on man for this purpose, to inch out, and helpe out their hap­pinesse in some kinde, or other; as Augustin distinguisheth very well: there be Bona Thro­ni, & bona Scabelli; goods of the Throne of happinesse, which is God and Christ: and goods of the Footstoole, as those inferiour things: It is true, the throne of a godly mans happinesse is in heaven; but yet the Foote­stoole may be upon earth. For a man being a compound creature, is not a meere simple se­parated spirit: but hee hath a body likewise, and therefore those outward and lower things may some way be conducible towards his outward happinesse, and be in an inferiour de­gree of this happinesse: especially when they doe not derogate or diminish from the other: when they make no wall of separation be­tweene God, and the soule; but are in a con­junction with God, and proceede out of Gods favour and love towards us; and that for our good; and so farre they may make an acces­sion to happinesse: as it is with ciphers, put a thousand of them and they make no number, but put the least figure before them, and they make up a great number. So all those world­ly things, are but ciphers without God; but [Page 47] if they stand in conjunction with God, they may make some accession to happinesse, and be subservient to it.

2. Without God they cannot doe it, Without God they cannot doe it. they can neither give the reall, nor the royall happinesse. It is impossible without God they should doe it.

Though there may be an imagination of happinesse in those men, May breed imaginati­on of hap­pinesse. who are the owners of them: they may fill themselves with dreames and fancies, as though they were in a happy estate, and condition, Cannot give pos­session of it. The royall or reall happinesse. because of the possession of them. But if we consider, either the royall happinesse, or the reall happinesse, that which is truely worthy to be accounted so, that they cannot be. And that leades mee to the second branch, viz. the predicate, or the thing affirmed, which is,

2. That all created things without God, The pre­dicate. The secrea­ted things cannot give possession of happi­nesse ei­ther. none of them all alone, or all of them together, can bring a man perfect or true happinesse.

Now there may be a double degree of hap­pinesse propounded;

• 1. A Supernaturall happinesse.
• 2. A Naturall happinesse.

1. The naturall happinesse is, Natuall or when a man is all well in the naturall man, which a man may be capable of as he is a man.

2. The Supernaturall happinesse is, Supernatu­rall. that which cannot be attained without some super­naturall qualifications, and the whole es­sence [Page 48] of it must be supernaturall.

Now all these earthly created things cannot put us in possession of either of these, neither put a man in a possession of a naturall, much lesse of a supernaturall happinesse.

Perfect.Or rather to expresse it otherwise, there is

• 1. A Perfect happinesse, or a royall happi­nesse.
• True.
  2. A True happinesse, or a reall happi­nesse, though it be not absolute, and perfect.

A godly man, that injoyes communion with God, even in this life, in the midst of all other wants, and miseries; hee hath a su­pernaturall, or superexcellent good, which makes him really happy, though hee doe want many things to the perfecting, and compleatenesse of happinesse. There may be teares in the eyes, and sorrow in the heart here: which perfect happinesse wipes off, which is hereafter: then all these teares shall be wiped away, and this sorrow shall be tur­ned into joy, and all defects supplied.

Now I affirme, that all these created good things, one of them, or all of them, are so farre from bringing a man to compleate happi­nesse, where there is no want, that is; Omni­bus numeris absoluta. They are so farre, I say, from that, that they are not worth the name of true happinesse, or so much as to give rest and satisfaction to the soule, neither in full [Page 49] measure, nor so farre as to denominate happi­nesse. Thus of the explication.

2. Proofe. I come to the Probation and demonstra­tion of this Point. It may be proved Both for the

• [...] of it.
• and [...] of it.

Both that it is so, and then the ground, and reason, whence it comes to be so.

1. For the [...] of it, that it is so, [...]. that it is an undoubted, and infallible truth of God, that reason must of necessitie yeeld and subscribe unto it. It will appeare by that which is the demonstration of all, viz.

Both

• 1. By Scripture.
• 2. By experience.

1. By Scripture; Scripture. I shall forbeare many places at present, because I shall have occasi­on to doe it hereafter, when I come to handle the other Point. For all these places, that prove our happinesse to be in God alone, and that there is no other way unto it, they all prove this Point. I shall select some few for present.

To mention that first, wherein this argument is treated in. It is the same with this wherein happinesse is seated. Mat. 5. at the beginning; our Saviour there in this Sermon upon the Mount, purposely treats of happinesse, and blessednesse: Hee sets the crowne of blessed­nesse or happinesse on the head of many things. As, Blessed are those that are poore in [Page 50] Spirit; Blessed are those that mourne; Blessed are the meeke, &c. But among all those hee mentions there, he mentions none of those created good things wherein a man might suppose they should be: There is not, Blessed is the rich man, or Blessed is the honourable man; or the wiseman, or he that injoyes the goods of beauty, or riches, or strength of body, and the like. None of those things mentioned. But all these things that are mentioned there are spi­rituall, and heavenly graces, that put a man into fellowship, and communion with God.

The second Scripture is that in Psal. 34.12. where the Psalmist is in a way of directiō. Come to me my children, & I wil instruct you in the way to happinesse; who is he that desires to see good; to live long, and see good dayes; to see happinesse, and to come to happines. Where he mentions none of those things, as I named before: but the same that our Saviour seemes to expresse, and hee excludes other things. Hee directs to spirituall wayes, and spirituall meanes for the accomplishment of happinesse; but for earth­ly things, hee doth not so much as once name them. And then againe, Psal. 73. about the beginning, there is a full proofe of it, in the whole beginning; there the Prophet reckons up the propriety, and the happinesse of wicked men: and expresseth it so much the fuller, because the glister of these worldly things had dazled the eyes of the Psalmist, and they [Page 51] had almost made his feete to stippe; Ver. 2. He was so taken with the flare of earthly things, and the prosperous state of men in worldly things, that hee began to blesse in his heart, and thinke well of those that injoyed them, and to re­pine at his owne estate: and thus hee was car­ried away till God brought him into the San­ctuary. Verse 18. There hee found that all those that had them were not happy; but those that had them were set in slippery places. There was no soliditie of happinesse, that could be gathered out of those things; when God brought him into the sanctuary, then hee learned there, that there was no true happi­nesse in all these earthly things.

And so Psal. 144. the last verse, The Psalmist there in the beginning of the Verse, seemed to looke this way, as though there were happi­nesse in these created things: Happy are the people that are in such a case: the people that flourish in prosperity, as in the foregoing Verses: and so farre indeede, as they are con­joyned with God, there is something of hap­pinesse in them: But lest any should mistake the Prophet; he corrects himselfe againe, and saith (as if hee did unsay what he he had said) Happy are the people who have God for their Lord: They are happy men whose God is the Lord, that is the right of it; it is not these things wherein true happinesse lies, though they may be subservient to it, and something [Page 52] conducible to happinesse, yet our happinesse doth lie in our conjunction with God.

And therefore the Prophet, Ier. 9.23. gi­veth a caution. Let not the Wiseman glory in his wisedome, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the rich man glory in his riches; none of these things can make a man happy; these are not the things that a man can delight in, or boast of; there must be other things that must make up this happinesse, or else we shall come short of it.

And so in, 1 Tim. 6.17. See what the Apostle saith, concerning one thing, which hath the greatest shew and splendor, viz. Riches. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded, and that they trust not in their uncertaine riches. That they doe not build a conceited happinesse in, or upon them; and thinke they are in a good estate by reason of them; the Apostle doth it with authoritie, and efficacie, and hee would have it laid home to them, because men are exceeding apt to cozen themselves, in such things.

And to give something as the Reason of it: Looke Hoseah 1.21.22. Alas, all these things and the goodnesse of them (so farre as they may conduce in an inferiour ranke for our good) depend upon God, as God by the Prophet there saith. In that day, saith the Lord, I will heare the heavens, and they shall [Page 53] heare the earth, and the earth shall heare the corne and wine, and the oyle, &c. The first linke of the chaine is tyed to the Throne of God, I will heare, saith the Lord, the earth, and the earth shall heare the corne, &c. All the influ­ence there he tyes to God, all comes from him, and depends upon him. Experience

2. By Experience; All the experience in the world makes this certainely true, and e­vident, especially to those that have found the experiment, and to others likewise, if they will trust to experience, and not (like fooles) buy their owne wisedome, by their owne ex­perience.

1. Take an extraordinary experiment; Extraordi­nary of Sa­lomon. the experiment of one may serve for all: viz. that of Salomon, who gives up his verdict, Vanity of vanityes, all is vanitie. &c. Eccles. 1.2. I would desire every one to consider this well, there is no exception to be put in against the verdict; but it will speake home to the point, and absolutely convince any one, that is a ra­tionall man,

A mans testimony may be elevated, or aba­sed upon divers grounds; but there is none can come here to make a slight, or diminish the authority of Salomon. He wanted not meanes to try; for he had all these things, and could runne through them all, and taste, and picke out as it were all the excellencies of them: He was the richest King that ever was, he had the [Page 55] greatest plenty of gold, and all other things, that God had bestowed upon him: there wan­ted no meanes whatsoever, to make an expe­riment of any worldly thing, but he had it; be­ing a King, and a rich King. Neither wanted there any Wisedome, for if he had all other things, and wanted skill, it had beene nothing, he might have gone the wrong way to worke. But hee wanted not skill to make an experi­ment, although it had beene to draw fire out of flint; as Alchymists can draw oyle out of iron, whereas ordinary people can draw little moisture out of it, being they want skill to fetch out the quintessence of it. But it cannot be said so of Salomon, he had meanes and wit to fetch out all the vertue in them; and to sucke the quintessence out, to sift the things to the branne, as they say. But then againe, if a man had both meanes and wit to doe it, yet if he had not a minde to it, he could not doe it; But it cannot be said so of him, for he had a minde to try; Salomon set his heart to it, to try the nature of all the world, and worldly things; to try what was in pleasure, and ho­nour, and musicke, and singing, and all things that may give content to the heart of man. He had a minde to imploy his meanes, and wise­dome this way, to try the experiment of all these worldly things, and yet after all this, he returnes this verdict (as I said before) vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

[Page 54]2. The ordinary experience of every one may confirme this same; Ordinary experience of everyone Not onely in particular good things, wherein men promise to them­selves happinesse: A man thinkes he should be happy, if he could but obtaine such an e­state, or marry thus, and thus, &c. And ordi­narily, this is our folly, that whatsoever a man is eagerly set upon that doth please him, while he is a suitor for it, he pleaseth himselfe with conceites and fancies, that if he were but ma­ster of such a thing, oh he should be a happy man. But who is he that hath not tryed the folly, and the emptinesse of this conceite; how short it comes to satisfie the soule, and give it that fullnesse of content, which a man ex­pected from it: Although a man were ex­treame fond, and sicke of desire for those things; He findes no defect in the thing, for it may be it is really such as it did appeare, but yet meerely the defect in the creature is, that it satisfies not; God would not have it so, neither were it good for us to be so; namely, that wee should finde a fulnesse in the crea­ture.

And not onely for the particulars doe we find it; but also in the conjunction of all toge­ther. It was the saying of a great Emperor, that in his time had passed all the rankes, and states of every condition: He had beene meane and base, and yet grew to the greatest condition, to have the greatest Empire in the world, [Page 56] himselfe made this the wonderment of all, Omnia fui & nihil expedit: He had made try­all of all conditions, but yet could not find a­ny happinesse, or any rest and satisfaction in any condition at all that he had: So doth (or at least may) every man finde this vanity in all things; what ever seeme glorious in our eyes before we have them, yet when we have them, they send us away empty. There is no man, that hath had to deale in the world, but may come in, and give testimony to this truth.

Reason. 3 The [...] of all may appeare in a generall reason drawne from all these things, there is in all those created things, (besides the in­trinsecall nature of them, which I shall touch in the demonstration of the [...]) an indiffe­rency, that they are indifferent both to good and to bad: Now if a man be not good himselfe, it is impossible that any of these things should make him happy, a wicked man if he remaine such, he cannot but be in a miserable condi­tion, a miserable man for all these things: Now these are indifferent, and as incident to the wicked as to the godly, God makes not these things any badge of his people, or any characters of difference, or pledges of his love and favour; But deales them promiscuously to all, yea many times and most frequently, his people have the least share in them, his ser­vants are low and base for these outward things, for those created excellencies, it may [Page 57] be they are not many wise, nor many noble, nor many rich, that may be rather a vexation; but God bestowes graces on them. For all these outward things are very various: for the goods of the body, and much more for the estate, is common to all, nay sometimes God bestowes them, and usually, upon those that are natu­rally crabbed and untoward.

2. To come briefely now to the Reason of the point; and I will but touch a few things, and so demonstrate the [...], [...], the reason whence it arises, that no earthly thing, nor all earth­ly things, can make a man truely, much lesse perfectly happy: It will appeare to rise, From

• 1. The nature of happinesse.
• 2. The nature of earthly things.
• 3. The nature of man.

1. Nature of happinesse wherein it must be. I must premise here (though I included it in the other) in the first place, something of the nature of happinesse.

Now happinesse, in the nature of it, implies these two things;

• Perfection
• and Satisfaction.

And there cannot be happinesse where these doe not meete. Perfection.

1. Happinesse is that which gives the utmost perfection, and compleatnesse to our nature. Satisfaction

2. And secondly, it must be happinesse in that estate and condition, which gives true and [Page 58] full satisfaction to the soule, that it can rest up­on it, and have quiet, and full content in it.

Now neither of these two; neither the per­fecting of our nature, nor the satisfying, and contenting of our soule, can be had in this fru­ition of any created good thing whatsoever: As I have often expressed it: ‘Aurum luto in­aurare’, to guild gold with dirt, it is ridiculous, to beautifie the more excellent thing with the inferiour, or the more unworthy thing; to thinke to make a man happy with that which is lower then a mans selfe, it addes rather dis­grace: It is impossible that satisfaction should be had in these things, as it is for a stone to mount up, or rest in the aire, without holding up with a mans hand, or some other thing; The ayre, it is a thinne liquid body, and that a heavy body; and therefore it will give way unto it, to fall downe; it cuts through the ayre, and can find no rest till it come to some sollid body, for (if it might be) it would ne­ver leave moving, till it come to the center: So it is impossible that the sublime nature of man, which is substantiall and solid, a man that hath sollid affections, and solid understan­ding; I say it is impossible that he should find any solid rest but in the center, in God; who is the alone center of rest; all these earthly things are but like the ayre to the stone, they can give the soule no stay, but those solid af­fections [Page 59] will make way through them, as be­ing airy substances.

2. But it will appeare more cleare, The nature of created things. if wee consider the nature of these earthly things, and especially if we compare together the gene­rall nature of these earthly created good things, and the nature of man: and wee shall find that there is no

1. Proportion in the one, There is no proportion, because to adde satisfacti­on, or perfection to the other: and among ma­ny things I shall contract all into a few consi­derations.

2. Defective and short. That good that is in the creature is such an inferiour good, that it falls short in three circumstances, and is therefore impossible to give satisfaction or compleatnesse to the na­ture of man, which must have none of those defects.

I. All the good that is in any created good thing, it is at the best defectively good. As the Prophet Isaiah expresseth it. The bed is too narrow, and the covering is too short, to keepe warme, and wrap them in, all these worldly things are too short and too narrow; besides that I shall adde hereafter.

First, they are too short, and of a defective nature, of no solid subsistence and continu­ance. It is certaine all these worldly things, will and must have either finem suam, or finem tuam.

1. Finem suam, either they dye, or may [Page 60] take them wings and flye away. And sure they being so fading as the flower, They are fading themselves. the sweetest flower which a man is delighted with, withers away, while a man holds it in his hand, in the middest of a mans delight, he seeth it wither a­way, & lose the beauty of it, & the sweetnes of it; it is of no continuance; and so al these world­ly things are fading & fleeting, and mutable, & such a defective nature as this is, cannot possi­bly make happy or give satisfactiō to the soule in that respect. A man may be to day high in honour, and to morrow high on the gallowes, as it was Hamans case; and it falls out many times so with wicked men; they are like the grasse which stands on the house top, it stands high indeed, but it hath no rooting, and so vanisheth quickely away. And as they say of the mettall, which they make glasse of, it is neerest melting when it shines most brightest. So wicked men are neerest destruction, when they are at the greatest luster, and ruffling themselves in their pride, and jollity; and therefore the caution is given Psalme 37. To Gods children and servants, that they should not fret themselves, though these prospered in their wayes.

We must leave them.2. But although these things had not Finem suam, yet they have Finem tuam: though they should not faile, nor flie away, as hee said (namely the Romane when hee tooke his Kingdome) tie the goods of Fortune, and [Page 61] clip the wings of victory: So though that thou hadst the wings of Fortune tied to thee with adamantaine ties, suppose that they be not moved, yet thou mayst and must be moved from them, and have Finam tuam, thou must die and carry no substance with thee; when thou art gone they will leave thee; all these worldly things will accompany a man to the grave, but no farther, and there­fore in regard of their defective nature, they cannot make happy; neither the goods of one, or all the creatures together.

2. They are all of a diminutive good, Dimuni­tive nar­row. and they are too narrow a supply to furnish the large heart of man; as I have sometime said, they observe in nature, that a mans heart is made in a mans body like to a triangle, three cornered, and they doe observe that it is im­possible to cover a triangle with a circle, with any round thing justly, but still there will be some corner empty: and so, although a man could compasse all the whole world, yet his heart could never be filled, till it have the possession of God. And therefore some have observed it, and would make out the initiall letters of the word Cor, this. viz. Camera om­nipotentis regis, i. e. the Presence Chamber of the King of heaven, and as it fits none but him, so none will, or can fill it, but him.

An other thing they have observed, that this triangle stands with the sharpe end down­wards [Page 62] and the broad upwards; as intimating that a godly man should but touch on the earth, Vno puncto, as little as may be; but hee should have his broad sides towards heaven, and stand extended and inlarged towards, hea­ven and heavenly things, as being his proper field land marke.

No perfe­ction. No satisfa­ction. They adde vexation.And in this respect they are of such an infe­riour ranke, as that they not only misse to give perfection to the nature, and no satisfaction, or reall content to the soule of man,

But also they adde vexation, as Salomon speaketh of one that stood (as it were) on the toppe of all these excellent things, of wise­dome, and knowledge, &c. He that increa­seth knowledge, increaseth sorrow; that is much more true of any other thing. As hee said sometime being a great Emperour; you looke on this goodly robe, or this goodly crowne, it is purple the robe, and gold the crowne; but if you knew what it were lined with, or what cares are under it, you would not stoope to ga­ther it up in the dirt to have it. These earthly things, they are not such excellent things, as the world esteemes them to be, though they make a glorious shew, and draw great admira­tion towards them, yet when a man comes to the inside of them, they doe make the head full of cares, and vexation of spirit, they are so farre from giving satisfaction, or per­fection.

[Page 63]3. All the good that is in all, or in any cre­ated good it is an others, it is but a derivative good, and a dependant good, Derivative. Shallow. and so not solid and deepe enough to give the soule satisfacti­on, to yeeld satisfaction, or perfection to the heart of a man, Without God not. the things in themselves in their nature depend on God, they cannot be had or attained unto without Gods leave, hee must bestow them upon us, or else wee shall never come to have them. It is not rising up earely, and going to bed late, and eating the bread of carefulnesse, that can make a man at­taine unto riches, but it is God that bestowes riches. Promotion comes not from the East, or from the West, but it is God that pulls downe one, and sets up another. Held. All is derived and bor­rowed from God, and when wee have them, it must be God that must be soder, to knit and hold them together, with an other bles­sing and mercy of God; for God doth not set­tle them upon us, and perpetuate our tenor, we are but tennants ad placitum at the will of God, he may turne us out at pleasure: These earthly things are but like Snow balles which melt with the Sunne.

But the maine thing here, Happy. is to shew their diminution or no sufficiency to conduce to make up happinesse which is plaine.

Because that all the good and vertue of them contribute nothing at all towards our happinesse; but onely what depends simply [Page 64] upon God. It is bread that nourisheth us, but take it alone, and not in the word of God, it will doe no good, for it is Gods blessing that makes any thing nourishing, and comforta­ble to us, though we have the things, and they remaine with us, yet they cannot be usefull to us, neither bread to nourish us, nor cloathes to warme us, or wisedome to guide our wayes. God can take away all these, and nothing is any thing without the Lord, nothing hath a­ny vertue to preserve us without him, but God may beate our own weapons on our own heads, and afflict us, and make those good things executioners of his just judgements a­gainst us. So that without God there is no sweetnesse in these things, but our conjuncti­on with God that gives all the sweetnesse and excellencie, in which they may any way con­duce to our happinesse.

3. Consider the nature of man, we see the thing that is in the creature is a diminutive, and a dependant good, which may faile, and there is no good at all in them without the blessing of God. But now the nature of a man is such as it must be free from all these defects, it desireth something else, that it must be free from these defects.

Long; im­mortall1. The nature of man requires good that may be long, immortall. The minde is the man, and the soule is the man, Hospes corporis, the body but the instrument of the soule, and the soule [Page 65] is the principall, it is of an immortall nature, and cannot be happy, but by an immortall good; something that cannot decay; and therefore all things that fade or decay can no way doe it, they are too short to cover him, to reach to make him happy; except they could be extended to immortality which they cannot be.

2. It must be large universall good; Large, uni­versall. that good that makes a man happy, which na­ture requires, must be a large good; it must be an universall good, according to the univer­salitie of his desire. For there is an universall appetite, and desire in man to every thing that is good; and if a man had many things, and not all, there would be an emptinesse, and want of satisfaction, unlesse hee could have all the good hee is capable of; but now all the creatures cannot reach this universalitie. Man is capable of more than all the created things are, of a greater good than is in any creature; and so long as hee misseth the principall, he is farre from happinesse. It is a remarkeable saying of the Father concerning King Ahab, when he was walking in the time of the three yeeres famine. I have gold, and silver, and wives, and children, and all these like things; but what doe these things good, seeing the heaven is as brasse, and the earth as iron? I have no supply from thence: so if a man have never such an abundance of all created things, [Page 66] and doth see heaven shut with doores of brasse, and barres of iron against him; that hee hath no part, or portion there, what would all these created things doe him good? Hee is made by nature capable of that high and no­ble happinesse, and therefore whatever comes short of that, it cannot give him satisfaction, or perfection; but he may say in the midst of all other riches, and plenty, I am miserable.

Deepe, spi­rituall.3. It must be a deepe, and spirituall good; That good that must make a man happy, make his nature happy, as it must be immor­tall and universall; so it must be a spirituall, a transcendent, and superexcellent good; and therefore all the good of these created things is too short, they are to shallow, o not deepe enough, nothing but God is better than man, and it must be something better than man, that must make him happy, and therefore it is no­thing but God that can adde the least perfe­ction, or give full satisfaction to the nature of man: as the Hebrew Grammarians use to ob­serve, concerning the letters in the name Ie­hovah: all the letters of Iehovah, are Litera quiescentes, quiescent letters, letters of rest. And there can be no true rest to the soule, till it be in God; it will be in trouble and anxietie; it will be perplexed in the midst of all world­ly things till it rest in God, who is the center of the soule, the center of true rest; as the Father said. Cor nostrum factum estate, & in­quietum [Page 67] est, donec requieseat in te: Our heart is made, oh Lord by thee, and it will never be at rest, till it returne to thee.

As it is in the circle, the circle is the per­fectest figure of all other figures in the world, and this the Mathematicians give to be the reason of it, because it begins and ends, and the points doe meete together, the last point meetes in the first, from whence it came, and so we shall never be at rest, or come to perfe­ction, or satisfaction; till we returne to our Originall, till our soules come to God, untill God doe make the circle, and wee returne to God, we can never rest in our perfection.

SER. 3.The third Sermon.

THE Point you remem­ber was, That no worldly thing can make us happy; Wee opened the Point, both concerning the Sub­ject, what those things are that will not make a man happy. In a word, wee shewed, that it was no created good whatsoever, not the best, or quintessence of all, nor the most, and the confluence of all together. Neither the intrinsecall goods of the minde, nor the ex­trinsecall of the body, or estate, no nor all those that are more excellent, not any plea­sure [Page 69] to satisfie the body, nor any honour to sa­tisfie the minde, nor any other thing to satis­fie both, whether friends or estate, &c. none of those can bring a man true happinesse.

No nor the confluence of many, or all of them together, although all were concentred together in one, yet they would prove short of making a man happy.

But we added this caution. None of these, nor all of them without God can doe it.

And for the predicate, wee did shew, whe­ther we considered, a naturall or a spirituall happinesse; or a true and perfect happinesse, they come short of making truely happy. And for the proofe, it was done by Scripture, and experience: Salomons, and every ones ex­perience shew the Hoti of the Point that it is so. And the Dihoti wee shewed thus: viz. That, that which makes happy must give per­fection, and satisfaction, which all worldly things cannot doe. And wee made it appeare by considering the nature of earthly things, and the nature of man.

First, we shewed, if wee doe consider the nature of worldly things, there will be found wanting all the dimensions of happinesse;

And secondly, mans nature is too capacious to be satisfied with worldly things, which are narrow and defective.

Wee come now to the application of the Point, which I desired, and thought to have [Page 70] finished the last time; and therefore I did cast it into a compendious mould, so as it might have gone along with the other; time pre­vented me; and now I shall resolve not to in­large it, but to deliver it in the same compasse, and with the same brevitie, I then intended; partly because I finde some weakenesse which makes me not altogether fit to inlarge much; and partly, because what ever may seeme to be defective, or short in this place; there will be sufficient opportunity in the next Point to bring it in, wherein wee shall treate of the possitive part of happi­nesse, wherein it lies indeede, if it doe not lie in these worldly things to make us hap­pie.

2. Applica­tion.2.There be but three things in generall which I intend to inferre by way of Vse, and Appli­cation, out of the consideration of this divine Truth. The first shall be for Instruction.

The second for Reproofe. The third for Exhortation; which are indeede the most generall heads, which may helpe to regulate and guide our practise, to which all Applica­tion tends.

1. Instru­ction.1. For Instruction, briefely to touch upon that; for that is not the thing that I intend.

1. It may convince the errour of worldly Philosophers: Wee may here receive a good principle, by which we may convince all the erronious conceits, which men are ready to [Page 71] fasten upon; and which doe fasten upon men, many times ere they are aware, wee may see here the broad and wide errour of all Philo­sophicall fancies concerning happinesse. Convince the errour of worldly Philoso­phers. Au­gustine reckons up no lesse than 288. severall opinions of severall learned Philosophers, that placed happinesse, one in one thing, and another in another thing; every one being different, and opposing one another, every one contradicting what others had said, and being confident of his owne. But as the A­postle speaks of the Romanos in the like cause, Rom, 1.22. [...]. i. e. The conceit of their owne wisedome, and their ambi­tion made them fooles, i. e. even befooled them, and they grew infatuate. And indeed, this is a point, that it is not to be expected, that the conceit of naturall reason, or the naturall light of a man, should ever be able to guide a man steadily to. No marvell that they did speake like blinde men, like drunken men, and runne in a labyrinth, in a misse maze, and were not able to get out of it, having not the lanthorne of the light of divine revelation to lead them out. It is not worth the while to speake par­ticularly of them, I shall content my selfe one­ly with a briefe touch of them.

We see all the opinions of Philosophers,& all their knowledge cleane out of the way, yea, and the wisedome of all naturall men, is too shallow by farre, and all naturall abilities, [Page 72] to come to shew steadily wherein true happi­nesse lies. If nature could have done it, then the learnedst wits, and wisedome might hap­pily have found it out. But they could not, they groped in the darke, as the Sodomites when they were strucken with blindnesse gro­ped to find Lots doore; so they groped to see if by any meanes they might finde out happi­nesse, but they had not light enough to doe it.

In the second place, to mention that which is not so farre out of the way; wee will not meddle here now with Philosophers.

Godly pro­fessors.2. It may convince the errour of godly Pro­fessors, and of those that pretend to Christia­nitie▪ and have more than naturall men, being alienated from them in their principles, yet even among them will appeare a great deale of the reliques of that wound by that blow, which our nature received by our fall. In this I shall bring the application nearer to our selves. Wee may see here our blindnesse in this, by the experience of all Christians, and in some degree of the best sort too.

Who is there that doth not place too much in these worldly things? that hath not too high an esteeme, and makes too precious account of them: and doth not retaine many times in his minde, and nourish too, some secret thoughts at least, that there is some extraor­dinary vertue in those things to make a man [Page 73] happy. There be many caracters, that doe evidently discover the reliques of this disease, that it is not fully cured, even where grace be­gun his worke. But I shall better touch on this afterward, and shall therefore passe it now.

2. Correct our judgements concerning the happi­nesse of Others. It may rectifie our judgements concerning the happinesse, first, of others; secondly, of our selves.

1. Of others; We may learne to judge what is true happinesse, and who are the happy men. And if we will doe this aright, wee must not doe it Populari trutina, not weigh it in the bal­lance of the world, but come to the ballance of the Sanctuary, and weigh things there, by which it will appeare evidently, as out of this truth that wee have named, and treated on, who are happy, and who not. We should not thinke those the happy men, that have either the excellency, or the confluence of these worldly things: As when I see a man, suppose one that hath a very great estate, and hath plenty of all in this world: Suppose he hath with that many perfections of body, as beau­tie, and strength: Suppose hee with all this hath many excellencies of minde, that hee is pregnant in understanding, and admirable in many such abilities. We are ready as Samuel was in the cause of David; wee are ready to mistake the true happy man, and to set the crowne of happinesse upon the wrong head, as he was ready to powre out the Oyle [Page 74] upon Eliah the eldest sonne, and a goodly man, and least of all though upon poore little David, that was an out cast and abroad in the field as a Shepheard; and this man Eliah was a Gentleman, a Gallant home with his Father, and hee keeping his Fathers sheepe; but God placed the crowne upon him, though, as I said Samuel was ready to mistake. And we are ready to doe so in this cause that wee now speake of. But now this point will, and should helpe to rectifie and guide our hands aright in placing of the crowne of happinesse: and it teacheth us not to measure by worldly things, not to count those the happy men that are the darlings of Fortune, that are lulled asleepe in the lap of the world, and are dandled there, and have all plenty, and abundance of world­ly things.

Our owne happinesse.2. This may rectifie our judgements concerning our owne happinesse; in this the deceit is more dangerous. As this will helpe us to judge of others, so of our selves: wee should not therefore (if wee will be true to this Point, and doe remember it well) be in danger to blesse our selves, and sooth up our selves, as though wee were in estate of happinesse, when things goe smooth­ly with us. I besech you to remember this present point, and keepe the truth of it in your minds, that it may be a charme against all en­chantmens in this kinde, that doe fascinate our [Page 75] minds, and bewitch us with the things of this world: Doe not thinke the rich man, or the honourable man, or the wise man, that because he hath these indowments, therefore he is happy; not you your selves if you have them. Deceive not your selves, your happi­nesse hath not in these things; although you are rich, and witty and beautifull, &c. these are indeede great things, but these make not the man▪ doe not thinke so, as to befoole yourselves, and not looke out after the maine. It is an observation, a man were better be de­ceived in the darke, than have a false glimme­ring light, because the confidence of the one will make him carelesse and so fall; whereas otherwise hee would weigh more how hee goeth, and ponder every steppe carefully, and so avoid the danger. A man were better be in a bad and blind estate and condition, than in such a condition, as hath a kind of glimme­ring of happinesse, which keepes him off from the true happinesse, and makes him runne many times upon the rocke of true misery, out of a false conceit, that he is already in the state of happinesse. But of these things I have spoken enough for the present.

2. Vse. Reprehen­sion of. As we have something here for the rectifying of our judgements in the point of happinesse; so in the second place, this affords matter pregnant enough of Reproofe & Repre­hension; to reprove the practise of many men [Page 76] in the world. I will first name the practises, and then a little unmaske the pretences, by which men thinke they have a nooke to runne out at, and thinke that this truth, doth not touch them with any just reproofe.

The pra­ctise of worldly men1. The practises of worldly men. It is cleare enough that all worldly men that are made up of dirt, and who carry about them the curse of the Serpent. Vpon thy belly shall thou go, & dust shalt thou eate. They are like the wo­man in the Gospel that had a spirit of infirmity for so many yeares that grew crooked downward, towards the earth. These are worldly men, men that doe minde the things of the world onely, which makes them grow crooked, downeward; who make it their great worke, and onely study, because they place the onely happinesse in it; and so spend and ravell out all their time, and spinne out all their bowells for the purchasing, and the getting of worldly things. They are cleane out of the way, and mistake foully as the Father speakes; Vitam beatam quarunt in regione mortis. It is a foule mistake to looke to finde heaven in hell; happinesse in misery; such are they that minde nothing but worldly things. And they are clearely to be reproved.

Of Godly men.2. The practises of the godly men here repro­ved. There are many that doe not onely pre­tend to godlinesse, but doe participate (it may be in some degree) of godlinesse, that are [Page 77] blame worthy too. If our happinesse lie not in worldly things, as it doth not, why then doe godly men soule their hands, and dispa­rage their names, in being so greedy in their pursuit of these worldly things; in being too having, and taking too much delight and con­tentment in them, and being infinitely grieved at the losse of them; and so for all other the symptomes which argue an adherency of the soule to them. It argues a roote of bitternesse, in them, in some degree, and that they place more happinesse in these worldly things, then God would have them, or then hee ever did: for, every man doth proportion his care in seeking after any thing, according, to his esti­mation of the conjunction of that thing which hee seekes after, with his happinesse; happi­nesse being the end of all a mans aimes. Hee would not minde over much, or be greedy over-much of any thing, but that there is a secret estimation in a mans breast, that it is ve­ry neere alyed, and of very neere kinne to his happinesse. Now it is cleare and evident amongst us, that there is this fault even in godly men, that they doe too much licke up the dust, and doe too much groape after worldly things, and set too great a price upon them, and therefore the reproofe reacheth to them also. I may well make use of that which Chrysostome said sometime, that if he were the fittest in the world, to preach a Sermon to the [Page 78] whole world gathered together in one con­gregation, and had some high mountaine for his pulpit, from whence he might have a pro­spect of all the world in his view, and were furnished with a voyce of brasse, a voyce as loud as the trumpet of the Arch-angell, that all the world might heare him, he would chuse to Preach upon no other Text, then that ve­ry one, even in this Psalme, O mortall men how long will ye love vanity; and follow after leasing; those deceitful things of the world which pro­mise happinesse, when they cannot make it good. It is that which would make a Sermon of a generall reproofe to all the world, and come home to every one.

Pretences there.2. But now to come to the second thing I propounded, which I will but briefely touch on. Besides those Practises, Men have pre­tences to excuse themselves upon some faire colours, and such possibly may be in them yet for all these pretences we may otherwise dis­cerne well enough, that they place their hap­pinesse too much of it, at least in these worldly things, yet that they may not deceive them­selves we will examine them.

The best plea of all is, that they doe but make conscience of their duty, we are to seeke these worldly things in some measure, because God appointed every one to doe it, and the hand of the diligent shall make rich. God hath made us our owne executioners, our owne in­struments, [Page 79] to be fabirs fortunae in some sense; to be servers of our selves, and to helpe our selves with the necessaries of this life. And the consideration of a mans charge and family, and estate, and such like, will afford a man plau­sible glosses, and probable arguments to de­fend themselves, even those that are most deep­ly tainted with this poyson, and guilty of this fault, yet thinke to wind out of all reproofe, and escape the blow thereof with such faire pretences.

But briefely in a word for answer (for I in­tend not to sift things to the branne, and to prosecute them so close) in a word therefore for answer, I shall give but a touch.

There be two things that I desire every one to consider, against all their pretences, beside one thing which I desire may be considered in generall.

I desire no man would deale with me, or with any other that should cal on them, to take heed of immoderate love of worldly things, or an immoderate prosecution of them, I say not deale with us, as many wil deale with man: for though men have no such art as to enter in­to the hearts of men, men have not a window to looke into the brest, and see the secrets of his heart, and thoughts. I am contented to conceive so charitably of you, and charitably to interpret and excuse, except I see the fai­ling be over grosse, if it be not extravagant, [Page 80] and exorbitant, I will candidly make the best construction: But remember that besides man, whom thou maist put off with words (because hee hath no such art to see thy inwards) yet thou hast a God to deale withall, and thou hast a great Tribunall, at which thou must give up a reckoning; thou hast a conscience with­in thee to deale withall, which will once be awakned. And though I be not able to con­vince thee, that thou dost too much poize to­wards, and post after worldly things, that thou goest beyond the golden line of medio­critie; yet if thy owne conscience doe accuse thee, consulting with the Word of God, and those many passages in it which point out this sinne; that if there be any truth and proprie­tie in the Word, all those passages flie in thy face, and proclaime thee guilty, that thou art guilty of this sinne; I say, thinke not because now thou canst put mee off with such flimme-flamme excuses, thou canst put off God too; then daube not with God, and thine owne conscience, with whom it is to no purpose to dissemble; this being premised in generall, I shall adde but these two things in particu­lar.

There should be a vast dif­ference.1. First of all, consider that there is a very vast, and wide, and broad difference, betweene those affections which wee should have to God, and those which we are allowed to use for the world, and worldly things: There is a vast, and [Page 81] broad difference betweene the excellencie of the one, and the vanity of the other; and therefore there should be as vast, and broad a difference in our prosecutions, and affections towards the one, and towards the other; and if there be not a very broad difference, that thou dost infinitly more pursue after God, & af­ter heavēly things (which are infinitly of more worth than all worldly things) than thou dost after any worldly thing. If there be so nice a difference that thou canst hardly distinguish and discerne, which is predominate in thee, or which thou dost most looke after; in which thou placest the greatest part of thy felicitie, thou art guilty; for it cannot be right, unlesse there be a broad difference; because it is but reasonable▪ If God be so infinitely transcen­dent above all these worldly things; and goe so farre beyond all those earthly things, as that they are all but as the dust of the ballance in weight against God: Then if thou dost seeke these things, and minde these things, and dost doe it any way as much as thou dost God, it is certaine thou dost it inordinately and exorbi­tantly. And therefore to end this, I would desire every one, but to try their consciences and their hearts, and see whether they can dis­cerne such an infinit distance in themselves, be­tween the price they set upon God, & heavenly things, & the prosecution after them, and that price they set upon, & the prosecution they do [Page 82] make after worldly things; if they doe not finde the difference wide, but that their hearts doe bend and warpe too much towards worldly things, it is certaine hee is guilty of this fault which I now taxe, and the words doe meet with him in a just reproofe, and hee hath neede to be humbled for it.

2. As there should be so wide a diffe­rence, so broad a difference betweene those two, that it should be written in legible ca­racters; it may be in a palliating way onemay say. ‘I will dare any man in the world to say, if bee can, I am as much for the world as for God; I know there is a broad and a wide dif­ference to be put betweene them, and a man shall wrong mee to thinke I bring the world in com­petition with God:’ when as alas, all these pre­tences will be but as Fig-leaves to cover him. As suppose now in an other case, I should palli­ate an inordinate love to the maid, more than to the wife, and yet the wife deserve more of love; this is a great suspition, for there is a great deale of difference, that is betweene the one, and the other, if I should not make a broad difference betweene the one and the other, I might be suspected; and I will assure you, how ever a man may be free from the sinne, yet hee cannot be free from the suspition of an adulterous minde to­wards these worldly things, if there be not a vast distinction, and a broad difference in our [Page 83] carriage towards the world, and towards God. Now I say, as there should be this wide difference observed in our prosecution of the world, and of God: so there might be, There may be a cleare evidence. and are meanes to fetch men out of their holes and fences that they have, and cleare evi­dence to convince, that there is a great deale of exorbitancy, and disorder in this kinde, in the carriages of the greatest part of men in the world, and even of Christians too, that pro­fesse themselves to be such, and indeede such as are really such, but are not aware of this re­mainder of corruption that still adheares unto them; especially sith it comes disguised, and covered with some faire excuse, or vizard. I say there be many evidences, If we con­sider. that might clearely evince it to a man, that wil deale truly with his conscience, and not captiously, as one man will deale with another. He give but a briefe touch.

1. Examine thy expence of time; Expence of time. what time dost thou bestow upon God, and what time dost thou bestow upon the world. Certaine­ly a man that loves his wife will not bestow more time in conversing with an other wo­man, it will be very dangerous and prejudici­all to his credit and reputation if he doe: and hee can hardry wash his hands from shroud suspition. And in this case it is so likewise, if a man spend all his time, or the most of it, in the prosecution of the world, and worldly things, and grudges at a little time for God; [Page 84] sixe dayes are not enough for the prosecu­tion of the world, and one day too much for looking after God, and after heavenly things; is not this a signe of the hearts going out inor­dinately after the world? But I know there may be many difficulties in this, and some that may be justly objected against this character, and therefore having given this in generall, I passe it.

Paines.But secondly, an other thing there is, that may come a little closer, viz. the paines wee take, especially with the intention of the minde laid together: admit it be necessary, and Gods owne appointment, and the thing requires it, that no time must be spent otherwise: for the great Publican of the world (Sleepe) takes up much tribute of a mans time, and takes out a great portion: And the necessary reparation of this rotten cottage of ours; meate and drinke take a great deale of our time. And the labour of a mans particular vocation; all these must needs take up a great deale more of a mans time for the world, then a man doth immediatly for the service of God, and with­out blame: well, suppose that.

Thoughts and cares.But now examine in the next place the pro­portion of thy paines, especiall with the con­currence of thy affections, and thy heart, which hath the most full gale of thy paines, and which art more eager upon. I say, if thou dost neither give God the principall of thy [Page 85] time, nor bestow the greatest part of thy time upon him, yet dost thou give him the princi­pall of thy heart and affections; that though thou art necessitated to converse more about the world, then for God; why, yet if thou dost it more eagerly, and with a greater ea­gernesse of affections towards God; and thy heart doth infinitely more prize, and love, and esteeme of God, and goeth with more alacrity and cheerefulnesse, and more heate, and delectation of spirit, when thou art about God and about heavenly things, than it doth about worldly things, this may be some thing indeed; but if there goeth together with the flower of thy time, the eagernesse of thy heart and affections towards earthly things, that thy heart is corrupted with them, and thy judgement, and thy estimations drawne after them, and thou art builded more on them, and pleased more with them; and in a word all thy affections runne more to them; than to heavenly things: I cannot see then how there can be any colour of excuse. Now therefore examine thy selfe in this, and doe thou deale truely with thy selfe, and by that wee may discerne a greater streame running for the world, than for God, and so a great disorder in the affections.

And lastly, it is an evident character, Neglect of. that there is an inordinate love going a whoring af­ter the world, and of placing our felicity in [Page 86] them, more than we should doe, and more than we doe in God; when wee can facilitate and further our prosecution of these worldly things with a neglect of our duty to God: Duty to God. when I can neglect my duty to my God, when I can neglect my duty to my owne soule; To our owne soule. when I thus runne after the world, that I care not if I doe trample upon God in the way, and trample upon Christ in the way, upon my owne soule, upon heaven, and all in the way, so that I can make so much the more speede towards these worldly things. This is an evident signe that my heart is addicted to them, and that my heart is over-growne with a desire of them. Marke this, and if thou findest, I say, that thou canst dispense with thy duty towards God, or any service of his for the prosecution of thy worldly estate; if thou findest that thou canst dispense with thy duty towards thy neighbour, because thou wilt not diminish thy estate, or that thou canst dispense with thy duty towards thy owne soule, neglect the spirituall edification of it, because it doth take thee from the prosecuting of the world; This is an evident signe that thy heart runnes out wonderfully inordinatly af­ter them.

Exhorta­tion.3. Vse. In the last place, let me adde briefe­ly the summe of the Exhortation: which (if time had not prevented) I would have pro­pounded more particularly. The exhortation [Page 87] shall be to presse this duty upon us, that wee knowing our felicitie doth not consist in these worldly things, would regulate and square our selves by this rule.

I will briefely touch these two things. I will brief­ly touch.

1. The duties that may be inferred upon the consideration of this Point.

2. The motives that may be used for the inforcing of those duties upon us, to set us upon the performance of them.

1. Duty. Now there be divers duties that might be inferred very naturally upon the considera­tion of this truth, and are worthy to be lear­ned. As

1. Abate for the world; Abate for the world. If this be so that our happinesse doth not consist in these worldly things. Let us learne then to abate our selves something in our eagernes towards the world, that we would not be so eager for it.

Tanquam hac sit nostri medicina doloris: fol­low not the world as though that would cure our maladie, and heale our misery, and bring a happinesse to our soules: and therefore they that have such erronious thoughts, and finde themselves convinced; let them shew it by abating of their eagernesse towards these worldly things.

1. Abate our actions, Action. the eagernesse of them; learne hence not to be so busie, not so early and so late, and so thoughtfull, and so carefully for, and about these worldly things, [Page 88] not to be so anxious in our spirits for them. I say, learne hence to abate our actions: not to incumber our selves too much with worldly things, doe but as our duty and conscience re­quire, so farre as we are bound by the rule of dutie, to provide for our selves and family, do it in duty and inconscience to God, but doe not over-doe it, doe not too much, trouble not your selves about too many things as Martha did.

Affections.2. Abate at least, if not our actions, if wee cannot forbeare any one of our actions, but our charge and calling require it; yet I say, a­bate in our affections, coole our affections to­wards these things, that though I doe use them for necessities sake, yet my heart longs to be freed from this necessitie: O when shall my minde be perfectly freed from these things! and O when shall that happy time be, that God will free me from the burden of these worldly things, that I may not soile my soule still with these worldly things: that I may not converse in this present world alway; but that I may live continually in the injoyment of that bles­sed presence of God, and behold his face con­tinually, and exercise my selfe in nothing but serving and praising of him, and ha­ving nothing else to doe! Abate at least your affections, doe not so much esteeme these worldly things, and this world, though you cannot leave it, yet despise all these [Page 89] worldly things, and contemne them, and trample them, and have them under our feete, as God hath given them to us, so esteeme them, but as in the Psalme 8. Hee hath put all things under our feete: In respect of worldly things, it is true of the godly man; in this sense it is true, I say, in regard of Christians, they have them all under their feete; but worldly men have them as a crowne on their head, and they esteeme it so; but indeede it is a burden, that presseth them downe, that they cannot arise in any noble thoughts; and there­fore to prevent this, abate your affections to­wards these worldly things.

3. Learne to abate your estimation, Exhortati­on. or else these cannot doe it. For so long as we nourish such an erronious thought, that this is the only happinesse, Ministers may talke what they will; they disparage riches and honour, &c. that have it not themselves; they dispa­rage pleasure, that have not beene acquainted with it; but yet when all is done, happinesse lieth in these things. For so long as there is such a roote of bitternesse within us, such a corrupt opinion, it will not onely overflow like the gall, to imbitter, and poyson our affections, but also our actions; and so all things will be disordered. As in a Watch, if the spring wheele be out of frame, all runnes wrong, so if this be poysoned, all will be in danger: The very spring of every [Page 90] thing in a man is a mans judgement, and if that be tainted and corrupted, that will soone cor­rupt, and poyson our affections, and our acti­ons: for there is a naturall connexion be­tweene them, and the intellectuall part is the guiding part of all the rest; and therefore if you would keepe all the rest aright, that your actions may be moderate, and your affe­ctions may be moderate, you must labour to get, and keepe moderate opinions, moderate your apprehensions of them; thinke not too highly of them: but rather thinke on these things, that may most of all disparage them, and blocke them, and take off the beauty of them, and that glory that is on them, that may dazle our eyes. Learne to abate the world in our prosecution of it, in our actions, in our af­fections, and in our estimations; this is the first thing that we may learne from this.

2. If this be so, then as wee must learne to abate what possibly wee may, abate our actions, Translate to better things. affections, and estimations of this world: so in the second place, let us take a hint from hence, to translate all these, above these earthly things, and set them upon those things in which indeede our feli­city lieth. If felicitie be not in this world, and if happinesse be not in these worldly things, it is no inconsequent counsell.

But we have shewne, it doth not lie in these worldly things; it lies therfore in some other, [Page 91] and we have mistaken the box all this while, and taken quid pro quo, as the saying is. Then let us translate our affections, which we have spilt upon these earthly things, and place them upon better things, in which our felicity lyeth: translate them upon God, upon Heaven, God. Heaven. Holinesse. upon Holinesse: these are undoubted felicity, and the way unto it. The other things of this world are nothing neere the thing, happinesse it selfe, no nor the way unto it: but those are undoubtedly such, and therefore they are worthy to possesse, and inherit all those ex­cellencies, of our judgement, and affection, and actions▪ And the streame of them should run; currantly after heavenly things. But I shall touch on these things more, when I come to the next point.

3. Moderate. Labour to moderate our joy and our sor­row; and moderate our hearts, and compose them aright in many cases, which doe de­pend upon this truth, and principle; and for want of which many do oppresse themselves, and afflict themselves very unworthily, and undecently.

1. Learne then here first to moderate our griefe and sorrow, in a double case. Griefe of. First of want: Secondly, of losse.

1. Suppose we want these worldly things, Want. let us not be over sorrowfull, and hang downe the head, because we are at a low ebb in these worldly things. Remember this to moderate [Page 92] it, my felicity is not in this thing, nor any part of it, no nor any way unto it. And therefore I can spare them, and be without them, if God doe thinke it fit: I can live well without them I can well afford to want them, since I lose ne­ver a whit of my felicity by them: It is nei­ther annihilated, nor eclipsed by the want of them; let us not therefore be overmuch cast downe if we want them.

Losse.2. Let us not be too much cast downe for the losse of them: which is indeed the worse; O that I had them once, that is a sad word, to thinke I had them once, but now have lost them: It is more grievous to be stript of what a man had, then simply to be naked, to be stript of all the injoyment a man had, and tooke some pride in, and wherein he thought himselfe happy, and afterward to be brought to a low ebbe from that, as the Prodigall was, to be brought to the huskes of the Swine; so farre degraded from that injoyment, and con­tentment a man had before, this cuts more deepe, and pierceth the soule more grievous­ly, but yet this consideration may helpe to mitigate and moderate it, and compose our hearts in this case: It is true I have lost, but I have not lost so much of my blood, or my speciall happinesse: no nor any thing that is essentiall, or rituall to it. And may not a man comfort himselfe in such a case as this? Sup­pose a man had beene in travell upon the way, [Page 93] and had met with theeves, and he had some loose money in his pockets, but had in a pri­vate place (which the theeves were not aware of) some precious jewell, and the theeves should come and take away onely the loose money, and not finde his jewell, would that man rejoyce or be sad thinke you, when he is gone from the theeves: would he be sad and hang downe the head, because he had lost it may be two or three shillings, or rather be thankefull and glad; that he had saved his jewell. And so it is in this case, that man hath no reason to be sad, though he lost any world­ly thing, if he lose not part of his happinesse. It is not my jewell that I have lost, it is onely something that did fit loose about me, a little worldly thing it may be, which was not con­naturall with me, but more easie to be sepa­rated from me, and so without a diminution of happinesse. This might helpe to compose, and to bring the heart in a right frame, when I con­sider I have lost somthing, but it is but a poore thing, that is not any part of my happinesse.

2. This may teach us to moderate our en­vy, Envy. we are ready to repine at those that have more then we; and when we finde any want in our owne estates, we can cavill with God for others; because they are higher, or better then we, therefore God deales unkindly with us, and we begin to repine at this, and many times the heart is ready to miscarry in such an [Page 94] estate, with such childish thoughts. But now this point will rectifie a man, and tell him, he hath no reason to envy him for having that which is so poore, that it makes not a happy man. Alas poore miserable man, that hath never so much! I thinke with sad thoughts of him, when I consider this man is counted a happy man by the world, but yet he is farre from it, being hee is farre from God, I should doe well rather to pray for him, and commiserate him, then envy such a man, and I should rather study how to direct him to follow that which is right happinesse, and that be might not any longer deceive himselfe, and please himselfe with glasse, bet­ter then pearles.

Delight of fruition.3. This should teach us to moderate our delight in the fruition of these worldly things. Doth it become Christians to bathe them­selves in pleasures, and delight and solace themselves in these worldly things: as Ne­buchadnezzar did in his pallace, in his Babel, is not this Babel that I have built? No certaine, the delight of a Christian should not runne out in excesse in the use of these worldly things; because he hath plenty of them: But he should labour to moderate and keepe himselfe with­in his bounds, because though these be good, yet they be so inferiour, that his happinesse doth not consist in them, and he should de­light in those things that do conduce towards [Page 95] his happinesse, rejoyce not in these things; but rejoyce, as our Saviour saith, in this, that your names are written in the Booke of life. That is, that a Christian should delight in, and rejoyce himselfe in, and blesse God for, and not runne into the same excesse of riot, in the use of these worldly things, as worldly men doe, that thinke these things a great part of their happinesse, and thinke to peece out their happinesse by getting of these things. Farre be it from the thoughts of a Christian to be so earthly minded, that hath more noble things to delight, and solace himselfe in.

4. Desire of possession. This should teach us to moderate our desires after these worldly things, and the possession of them, not to hanker too much after them: much lesse let our soules pine away for griefe, because we cannot have them, but be of his mind.

Nec, Palma negata macrum, donata reducit opimum.

Wee must resolve not to be puffed up as a bubble, with a childs blast in a Wallnut-shell, when he hath in it a little sope; we should not be puffed up, when wee have great things in this world, nor cast downe when they are low, nor greedy in our prosecution of them; but be contented to use faire plea, and a con­sciencious course for the getting of them, and if I cannot have them so, I will rest contented with Gods will: these things we should learne [Page 96] in generall from this Point. And there be but two particulars that wee should all learne from hence.

1. To be so farre from cleaving to the pos­session of these things, Communi­cate. and having a longing desire after them. That we should be willing upon this principle, to communicate those things that God hath bestowed upon us, unto others: and not as the Serpent, keepe the gol­den apples, and neither to eate any our selves, nor suffer others to eate them: It is an allusion of a Fable; but yet may have a truth in it, as it hath reference to the Cherubin that keepes the garden of Paradise; so wee should not hover over our estates, and cannot indure any other to come neare them, as the Hen over her chickens, that is ready to flie in the face of those that come neere them: but let us be communicative, our happines doth not consist in the having of them, so much as in the using of them well, dispensing and giving them to others, that is the way by which all these worldly things may be conducible to our hap­pinesse: It is not the meere possession of them, but the right using of them, that makes them instruments of our happinesse: As the Apostle, exhort rich men not to trust in uncertaine riches, but to be fruitfull in good workes; because, as I said, our happi­nesse doth not depend upon the having of them, but upon the right using of them; God [Page 97] hath made us but dispensers, and if wee dis­charge our fidelitie in them, wee shall advance our happinesse, but otherwise wee shall advance our wickednesse.

2. As wee may be content to communicate, Abdicate. so also to abdicate them: Let us be content to be so farre from cleaving to those worldly things, that we doe not onely Collocare, as the Father speakes, but projicere, seeing our happinesse doth not lie in them; let us, I say, be contented not onely to communicate them where necessitie requireth, but even projicere in some cases to cast out all, as they did, viz. the Disciples in an other case, They came, and did lay downe all their estates at the Apostles feete. As suppose now in times of persecution, rather to part with all than God, my happinesse lieth not in them, and I will rather than I will part with God, and with a good conscience, say farewell to all the world, and to all worldly things; my happi­nesse lieth not in them, but my happinesse li­eth in God and in a good conscience; I will rather therefore justly part with all, yea, and throw away all, rather than part with that which is dearer and better, and more condu­cible towards my happinesse.

2. For the motives, in a word briefely, they are taken

1. Motives. Consider. Vanity of the crea­ture. From the consideration of the vanity of the creature, in all these worldly things; there [Page 98] is not enough to give any delight, or satisfacti­on to a man: they are of no worth, if we doe but well weigh the emptinesse of them.

Condition of man.2. If we consider the condition of man; Man is made of a double matter,

Mortall.There is first the baser peece of man, he is mortall in regard of his body, his breath being in his nostrils, he is but a blast, and he is gone; and should wee seeke too much after those things, that will doe us good but onely for this life, this short life. The shortnesse of this life should make us not to esteeme so much of these worldly things. We are but travellers here; and as I have said sometime, a staffe in a travellers hand may be serviceable to him, and a good companion to helpe him on his way: but a bundle of staves may be a burthen unto him, and a hinderance in his journey: and so a competencie may be a good helpe to us in our way, but too great an estate proves a clogge and a hinderance, in the expedition of our way.

Immortall.Againe, as man in regard of his body, is a baser peece, and very fraile, and not worth the while to be looked so much after, so he is a noble peece in regard of the soule which is immortall; and it is no way sutable to a mans excellencie of nature for him to set his marke lower than immortality.

Excellen­cie of duty.And lastly, Consider the excellency of the duty: it will free us from many temptations, [Page 99] and fit us for all duties and services towards God: who knowes not that the too much thought, and care for the things of this world, choakes all the good feede of Gods Word in the best of us; as it is in the Parable; and breedes a thousand miseries, and distractions, which (if a man would learne to moderate his prosecution, and desire of the world, and worldly things) hee might be free from, and his soule exquisite in the service of God.

SER. 4.The fourth Sermon.

WEE are upon the Point of Happinesse, and to shew wherein it consists; wee have already dispatched one branch of that, viz. the ne­gative, which was, That our happinesse consisted not in the things of the world: It is not the quintessence of any, nor the confluence of all worldly things can make a man happy. There now remaines the second Branch concerning happinesse, wherein it lieth, viz. the affirmative part, here expressed in this propheticall petition which the Psalmist [Page 101] makes to God. Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.

I shall propound the Point thus (and this will be the third Point in order) God and his favour, 3. Doct. the light of his countenance shining on us, is that excellent good, which can alone, with­out the helpe of any creature, without any created thing, make a man truely, and perfectly happy.

That is the summe of the Point: I shall not spend much time in the explication of it, one­ly briefely to point out some things.

There be two things, which I shall but touch upon for the Explication of the Proposition.

1. I will say something concerning the Subject of this Proposition.

2. Something concerning the Predicate.

For the Subject of this Proposition in effect it containeth these two things. Subject.

First, the Object of happinesse, or the thing that makes happy materially.

And secondly, formally: I shall speake of it so, I say both

• Materially.
• and Formally.

As the Schooles doe distinguish, though with some difference. Materiall.

1. For the materiall happinesse of a man, wherein it lieth; I expresse it (as the other) generally, and so

1. God will make a man happy. God, ac­cording to his, And I shall desire you to understand it (for I shall adde no [Page 102] more concerning that in this place, but God considered both essentially, Essence. Person. and in the excellen­cie, of his nature; and personally in the distincti­on of his persons, God in Christ, and God in the Spirit; none is to be excluded, but there is a concurrent influence of the whole Trinity, and of every person in it, that contributes to­wards our happinesse.

His favour.2. And I expresse an other part of the Ob­ject, when I say the favour of God, here noted by a phrase that is tropicall enough, and yet I shall spend time in vaine to open the trope, for I suppose it is commonly understood. Lifting up the light of his countenance upon us, is as much, as casting a favourable aspect towards and upon us; and being (in a word), gracious and favourable unto us. For as when a man is well pleased with any, you know it is one testimony of his love, to cast a sweet and love­ly countenance upon him. Super omnia vultus Accessêre boni, as he accepted it: the Host was wonderfull carefull and solicitous to give the guests content, but that which he noted as the principall, was Super omnia vultus Acces­sêre boni: her affable carriage and good coun­tenance. It is not onely the blessings of God which makes us happy, although God should heape many blessings upon us, but it is espe­cially a good looke from God, that proceedes from a gracious & a loving disposition of God towards us; that puts a price & a beauty upon [Page 103] the blessings themselves. It is an elegant story or observation which Xenophon tells of Ar­tabazus a great courtier in the Court of Cyrus: King Cyrus gave him a cup of gold, and there was an other courtier in presence, that was more intimate, and more neere in fa­vour than hee, viz. Chrysantas; to whom, though the King gave nothing at that time, yet hee kissed him, in token of speciall love; which when he had done, Artabazus com­plained, and wittily said, the cup you gave me was not so good gold as the kisse you gave Chrysantas. It is so in this case; it is not any gift of God, especially those outward things, that is so great a signe of Gods favour, as the light of his countenance: A good looke is a speciall testimony of his reall affection, which those things are not. For no man knowes either love or hatred by these things.

And though there might be many other ex­pressions used, yet I conceive this as reall and proper a note, to shew wherein our happinesse in God consists, as any: viz. his favour, and good will, and good pleasure towards us, be­cause that comprehends all the rest, and if we have that, that is it that interests us in all the rest of the excellencies, and the blessings of God, hereby they come to be all ours, and wee are interested in them all, so farre as they may make for our good. Thus of the materiall part.

2. But then there is an other thing that I in­timated [Page 104] in the propounding of the Point; and that belongs more properly to the formall part of happinesse: Formall. which I comprehend in two things.

There is nothing of it selfe what ever that of it selfe can make a man happy, no not God himselfe, nor his favour, except it be ours, and we be interested in it; which I expresse by these two things,

• Possession.
• and Fruition.

Possession.1. We must be possessed of God, and posses­sed of his favour, than is, be in such a state and condition, that these things doe belong to us, and are ours, and wee are in conjunction with them: Now in a word not to dilate in either of these, because the next Point will give mee a more proper hint of that: wee come to the possession of God and his favour, to have in­terest in that, so as wee may challenge him as ours, and looke upon him as ours, by these two things laid together.

Vocation.1. When God doth make us his owne by effectuall calling, and creates or renewes, or repaires his owne Image in us, and sets his owne stampe and superscription, or impressi­on upon us.

Covenant.2. When hee doth enter into covenant with us, and takes us into confederation with him­selfe (which is a thing resulting from the for­mer and depending upon it) that wee are in [Page 105] covenant with God, in league with him; which conjunction is expressed by divers things in the Scripture, as a marrying of us to himselfe, and other things that import a neere union and league: but I shall content my selfe in the ge­nerality, and onely desire to point at things.

So that now, when a man comes to be ef­fectually called, that God translates him from the state of sinne to the state of grace, from being the sonnes and daughters of the old Adam, he ingrafts them into the new Adam, bearing his Image, as the state and condition is thus altered, so upon this, God lookes on them as friends, Abraham my friend, as con­federates, as in league with him; that there is a combination betweene God, and a Chri­stian: why they that are in this condition, they are in the possession of God, and of his favour.

2. But then to adde but one word more con­cerning the second branch. viz. Fruition. The fruition of Gods favour: that is, that which is requisite likewise, towards that compleatnesse of hap­pinesse, that is, to be suckt out of God: wee must injoy him as well as possesse him, and in that fruition lieth the very upshut and crowne of happinesse.

Now this fruition, not to inlarge on it, for there is a more proper place for it (though it cannot altogether be omitted here, with­out some wrong to the Point) It consists for my present purpose in these two things.

[Page 106] viz.

• In a direct act,
• and in reflexive act.

I shall adde no more.

Direct. Through. Donatives.1. A direct act, is that intercourse of favour on Gods part, a donative (if I may so speake) on Gods part; and duties on mans part, when there is a communion maintained betweene God and us, and there is a sweete intercourse and fellowship betweene God and a mans soule. As for example. God gives us the fa­vour (to mention no more) of his Ordinances; that we in joy his Ordinances, and hee walkes before us in them; and we have his Religion established among us: wee have his Word, the Scepter of his Kingdome set up among us; and wee have the rest of his Ordinances; God doth not debarre us of those, but shewes us his favour, and the light of his countenance, in lifting up of these, in holding out this gol­den Scepter to us, and keeping the doores of grace open to us, and so maintaining a recipro­call commerce of heaven and earth on his owne part. And on our parts wee doe like­wise maintaine it, when wee answer God in Duty, Duties. in serving God according to his Ordi­nances, and in meeting of him in them: the soule and the spirit of a man giving God the meeting there (as I may say) and so maintai­ning that communion, and fellowship with him in a humble, and reverent hearing of the Word of God, and in a hungering and [Page 107] thirsting after it, with fervent, and frequent prayers, still maintaining the trade and commerce betweene earth and heaven, by those duties that must returne from us, and on our parts: and so all other exercises of any spiritu­all grace, whereby wee expresse our duty to­wards God, belong as parts, and branches, to the maintenance of this commerce, and com­munion with God, and so, that we injoy himac­cording to the state and condition of this life.

2. Reflective. But then there is a second thing where­in the fruition of God lies, and that is a re­flexive act, which (though it be not so abso­lutely necessary to the state of happinesse, for a man may be in the state of happinesse, and in a good case and condition, and yet not be a­ble to exercise it, and put it out in a reflexive act) but for the sweetnesse, and the taste of happinesse, and for the compleate fruition, and injoying of it, it cannot be without this reflexive act: that is (that I may in a word tell my meaning by it) when a man doth reflect upon what God hath done for him, and what God hath done by, and in him, and inabled him to doe towards God; and by it he is able to understand, and see, and take notice that God hath dealt mercifully with him, that hee is Gods, and God is his: and that hee can see his owne happinesse, and see his owne condi­tion, and so to delight himselfe, and to joy in God, and in his goodnesse. In one word, to in­joy, [Page 108] imports no more than to joy in a thing, and to injoy God is one principall thing that makes up the sweetnesse (at least) of happi­nesse; when wee joy in God upon the sense and apprehension of a mans owne blessed estate and condition. For as I have said sometimes, Non est beatus, esse qui se non putat, hee is at least compleatly, and in a sense no happy man, that doth not thinke himselfe to be so, and doth not see himselfe to be a happy man, and doth not take notice of his owne happinesse. I say though it be not of absolute necessitie to the essence of happinesse, yet to the rituall perfecting, and tasting of the sweetnesse of happinesse it is necessary. There be many Christians I know that are not able thus to reflect, and see their owne face, and condition, though they have a right, and title to happinesse, and are in a reall communion with God, and doe main­taine directly their duty with God in since­rity; yet there may be some clouds that keepe off this reflexion, and something that takes them off (at least) from that sweetnesse, that they might take in this. I shall adde no more concerning this first part that I propounded, viz. to open the subject of this proposition, which containes the object, both materially, and formally of happinesse.

2. I shall but speake a word neither, briefe­ly, Predicate. concerning the predicate, the thing that is [Page 169] affirmed concerning God and his favour, in this proposition: which in a word briefely, containes two things, that were intimated in the proposition, as affirmed concerning God and his favour in relation to our happi­nesse.

1. In generall, this is tha [...] excellent good, Generall. which answers to this question, in the Text, Excellent good. Who will shew us any good? The great good that conduces towards the happinesse of a man, it is God and his favour, that excellent and transcendent good.

2. And a little more particularly, Speciall. According to. this is that beatificall good, that will make a man happy.

in regard

• of all the degrees of happinesse.
• and in regard of the manner.

First, sufficiently for the degrees; Degrees. hee doth bring a man to the true happinesse, and to the perfect happinesse, to the reall happinesse, Beatificall. God in life. and to the royall happinesse; onely this is the dif­ference, all communion with God, that is in truth, doth interest a man in the state of happi­nesse; but there is a difference in that com­munion, and so proportionably, there will be a difference in the degrees of happi­nesse.

1. Present, truly, reall. There is a communion that we have with God, and a conjunction with him, even in this life, I meane all that are his by faith. Future, per­fectly, roy­all.

2. There is a communion, and a conjunction [Page 110] which we expect in another life, which is by sight.

1. We are now (though joyned to the Lord yet) in some respect absent from the Lord, in the land of our pilgrimage here; wherein we have some beames, some glimpses, some tastes of the sweetenesse of the light of Gods countenance, though not in full measure: But yet so, that even those tastes are such as doe possesse a man of a true and reall happinesse, not an imaginary happinesse, which worldly men have, viz. their owne dreames, and fancyes in the possession of some worldly things, but indeed that which is truely, and essencially such, and that which doth deserve the name of happinesse, and hath the very na­ture and being of it; that a man is in a good estate, for the maine substance, though short in the degrees: God is so great a good, that even the injoying of him in such a manner as is possible for us here in this life, in this vaile of teares, in this absence from God; that in­joying of him here by faith, and those tastes that wee have of him, is enough to elevate, and raise our condition to a state of true hap­pinesse.

2. But then as a lower communion with God, such as we have by faith here, doth bring a man to true and reall happinesse: so when we shall be exalted to a higher degree, and a more neere, and excellent communion with [Page 111] God in heaven by sight, wee shall attaine the royall and perfect happinesse, when we shall see him face to face: Not in that rigid sense, or notion, that the Schoole men have so much written of, as though all a mans happinesse lay meerely in beholding of the very essence of God, which is neither possible for us here, nor in another life (I say) to behold Gods essence: and they themselves (as who­soever is acquainted with them, must ingenu­ously confesse, if he will speake the truth) doe exceedingly fumble in the businesse, when they come to it, and they are troubled very much how to accommodate one difficulty: viz. How a man can possibly comprehend the very essence and quiddity of God, and yet not comprehend him, and in my opinion, it is an inexplicable difficulty: And it is impossi­ble for any nature created, not onely for us men, but for the very Cherubins in the state of glory to comprehend the very essence of God, so as it is distinguished from his attri­butes, for the truth is, there is no proportion at all betweene a thing that is finite, and a thing that is infinite, and therefore it is im­possible that our finitenesse should not onely be able to comprehend, but apprehend the intrinsecall essence of God. Neither is this altogether the onely thing, although it be a speciall thing that makes up our happinesse: Our happinesse doth not consist in being all [Page 112] eye, and beholding all beauty, but in the par­ticipation of God in all his excellencies, and in the fruition of all those which shall descend from him upon the glorified creature, that is glorified in that state, and condition in every kind, wherof this is but one, though it be a ve­ry maine one. But it is no wonder for men to advance their owne art, and for those to speake so highly of contemplation, who have placed al in contemplation. But this only by the way.

(There is one thing more which I shall adde but in a word) God, I say, and his fa­vour, is a mans happinesse in every degree of happinesse, according to our degree of con­junction, the lower conjunction, by faith in this life, being a true and reall happinesse: and the higher conjunction with God by sight, be­ing a perfect, and royall happinesse, the top of all that which our nature is capable of.

Manner. Singular.2. So in the second place, in regard of the manner, God and his favour bring happinesse in the most excellent manner, as well as in the latitude of all degrees. I expresse thus much concerning the manner.

First of all negatively, God without the crea­ture: Without the helpe of the c rea­tures. God without all, or any of the crea­tures, he needes not the helpe of any; No more then the Sunne needs the helpe of a star, to make the light of the day; The Sunne alone can doe it; nay, it is impossible the ordinary course of nature, that the starres should shine [Page 113] while the Sunne doth: they are all silent when he is in presence, and they all disap­peare, when his glorious beames are spread upon this Horizon. There is none of the crea­tures can be a contributer to God; nor hee needes not the helpe of candles to increase his sunne shine, in the conveighance and influence of happinesse upon us. And if you please you may consider a double state, and posture of the creature, in which it may be in respect of us.

The creature may be either

• Absent from us;
• Or an Adversary to us.

1. The creature may be absent from us. Absent. We may want those things that are within the compasse of the creature. They are subser­vient, though not sufficient to happinesse, they helpe something towards the compleat­ing of happinesse; yet I say when all the crea­tures are wanting. Behold I create light: God created it out of nothing; he needed not the helpe of those creatures to produce happi­nesse, and when they are all wanting, God can doe it without them: God can do it when there is the conjunction of no creature with him: Though they be absent.

2. Nay suppose that they are not onely ab­sent, Adversant. there is not onely a bare privation of them: But suppose a violent opposition (as it were) of all the creatures; the opposition of men, and devils, to shew their hatred in the [Page 114] withdrawing of all things, that might con­duce towards our happinesse; though all the creatures set themselves against us, and con­spire against us: Yet the opposition of al could not make any interposition betweene us and our happines, where God is pleased to come, and bestow himselfe upon us. That is the ne­gative part, God without the creature; in what posture soever we consider them, whe­ther absent from us, or opposite to us: can make us happy, he needs not the aide, and helpe of any in the businesse.

Himselfe a­lone.2. Affirmatively, God himselfe alone can doe it, himselfe; and himselfe alone. He is All sufficient, and can conferre this happi­nesse, meerely by communicating him­selfe.

I will adde but one word more, and so come to the proofe of the point. He can doe it (and it is concerning the manner too) as in the best manner, Sufficiently so in the best manner absolutely. There is not onely a sufficiency, but an effici­ency; He can doe it not onely sufficiently, but effectually. There is not onely a possibility and a sufficiency in God, that it may be done: But there is an efficacy, Efficiently. and such as is insepa­rable: and where God is so possessed, and in­joyed, there is an actuall conveighance of re­all happinesse. Thus of the Proposition.

2. Now briefly for the proofe of the point. It is not a thing absolutely needfull to multi­ply [Page 115] many places of Scripture in this case, in an especiall respect; Because it is the whole scope, and summe of all the Scripture, to pre­sent God unto us in this excellency of being, and in this relation to our happinesse; that it is him alone that can doe it. But yet to make it up, it will not be amisse to point at some few places among the rest, which may give a suffi­cient taste, and confirmation unto any of this truth; that he shall no way doubt of it.

1. For the [...], it is proved.

1. By Scripture, and so.

1. By Testimony.

If you will but remember that charge, and direction that God giveth by Moses to the Priests, how they should blesse the people of God. Numb. 6.25. and so following. Hee prescribes a forme of blessing the people, and directs them in the very words, how they should doe it. The Lord blesse thee and keepe thee, the Lord cause his face to shine on thee, the Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon thee, &c. Here is the very same thing, and the very same phrase; and this text is a strong proofe of this truth. For this were not a suffi­cient intimation of blessing conveighed unto the people, if there were not contained (all the blessings necessary to happinesse) and ex­pressed in the blessing. And here is nothing expressed, but God and his favour, the shi­ning of his countenance, and that is that one, [Page 116] in which is comprehended all blessings, and all happinesse.

And the very same thing may be observed out of that forme of salutation, that the Apo­stles used frequently, Paul especially in all his Epistles: Grace and peace be multiplyed unto you. To omit all other variety of expositi­ons, by the grace of God, is intimated Gods love and favour, for the word [...] signifies principally, that; I know it hath some other signification; but the most originall and pri­mitive signification of grace is the favour, and good pleasure of God, which hee casts to­wards a man: That is, that which is set in the front, as the very spring, and fountaine of all blessings, out of which it issueth, and in which it is contained. Peace, was formerly the salu­tation of the Hebrewes: and they intended to comprehend under it all blessings, because peace is the mother of many: and the anci­ents were wont to paint Peace in the forme of a woman, with a horne of plenty in her hands, all blessings: And indeed peace is a wonder­full great blessing; and they were wont to comprehend by it, as a principall thing, all blessings, and all good: when they wished peace unto them. And indeed take peace in the latitude, and it fully comprehends all, peace with God, and peace with a mans owne con­science, besides all other things, that are in­timated by it. Now the Apostle addes in the [Page 117] New Testament grace, to peace. Grace and Peace, &c. As implying that that is the very spring and head of all peace, and of all bles­sings: There be abundance of expressions in the Psalmes, which doe pregnantly set out this truth unto us. That in Psal. 27.4. One thing have I desired of the Lord which I will require, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life, to behold his beauty; and to in­quire in his Temple: Some interpreters vary concerning what the Psalmist aimes at; I un­derstand thus much in a generality, which is cleare, that he meanes a communion and fel­lowship with God: which is that one thing, which if a Christian had, he needes desire no more: That we should all desire and desire againe, and be in love with, and that is enough even to satisfie us, the fruition of God; and the beholding of him in his Ordinances, in his Temple, to have correspondency and fellow­ship, and communion with him there. O God vouchsafe us that! Now this is so infinitely sweete, that it was the Psalmists onely desire, and the summe of all his desires here, and therefore much more in the Tabernacle of Heaven, which doth make up the consumma­tion and compleatenesse of all our happinesse. And so in the Psal. 36.7. O how excellent is thy loving kindnesse, O Lord! Therefore the chil­dren of men put their trust under the shaddow of thy wings: they shall be abundantly satisfyed, [Page 118] &c. All is placed in God, as if we could but get our share of God, get him, and then all happinesse is gotten. But more plainely in words to our purpose in the Psal. 65.4. Bles­sed is the man whom thou chusest and causest to approach to thee, &c. would you know who is the blessed man, and what is that thing that makes a man blessed? It is he that God chu­seth that is happy; it is Gods love and favour that makes happy, and our conjunction too, and communion with him. And that place that I mentioned before in the former point, in Psalme 144.15. Blessed are the people that are in such a case: But then hee corrects him­selfe, it is not the sheepe and the Oxen, nor the sonnes and daughters, nor all things going merrily with them in this state and condition of life: He corrects himselfe there. But this is the happinesse, Happy is that people whose God is the Lord: They that are in communi­on and covenant with him, there is the maine thing in which our happinesse, and blessed­nesse lies.

2. This proved by example.

Example.I will adde but one place or two more, by way of example out of Scripture: and that is all that I will insist upon, as being not altoge­ther so necessary; but onely to come a little more close unto you, and to make it plaine, that God alone can make a man happy. To omit all others, there be two excellent exam­ples [Page 119] in Scripture that present this truth unto us.

That same in 1 Sam. 30.6, 7. of David being wonderfully distressed, the people (saith the story) whispered of stoning him: He had lost before, his wife, and children, and his estate, and all his people were at this losse, and there­fore they that were among his troopes began to mutiny, yea even those that were his fol­lowers thought to stone him: but yet (the Text saith) David comforted himselfe in the Lord his God. It was that which stayed him, and supported him, and furnished him with comfort in that great distresse, he being able to see his conjunction with God. For there is a double degree of comfort. There is the con­summation of comfort in heaven, when there is the consummation of happinesse. And there is a lower degree of it here, which sometime is called a consolation; such as may be e­nough to comfort us here, and to make us hold up our heads here, and that when all the creatures faile, and are all withered and blasted, even here God affords this to David, in his greatest distresse and extremity.

And that which I have sometime treated on, that excellent place in Habbac. 3.17. The figge tree shall not blossome; neither shall fruite be in the Vines, the labour of the Olive shall faile, &c. But yet though all these things faile and decay, I will rejoyce in the Lord, I will ex­ceedingly joy in the God of my salvation: which [Page 120] implies thus much; that God is so excellent a good, that they that keepe their hold in him, and keepe close to him, it shall be a spring of comfort, a fountaine of happinesse unto him in the middest of all adversity; when all things desert, and forsake a man, and will afford a man no happinesse at all, this shall. Now briefely in a word, further for the [...] of the point, for I will not dilate in any, but shall desire to passe over all things in as compendi­ous a way as I may, because I would finish the point.

Experience of the faithfull.2. Besides the testimonies in Scripture, it may be made more legible, and visible, by considering the experience of the faithfull, and of the Saints of God in all ages. For as for those that are strangers to God, that never tasted how good and gracious God is: and have not their eyes opened to see the beauty and the excellency that is in God, they may heare all this discourse it may be as a tale, and strange thing, that a man that hath nothing but God alone, yet should be said to be a happy man, it seemes very uncouth to them, and they heare it, and smacke a little at it perchance; but they understand it not, nor finde any rel­lish in it; but the soule that is Gods, all that are godly, that have had this conjunction with God, and this communion with him, may come in to testifie and verifie this point.

[Page 121]Some more singularly, as the Martyrs, Singular. which have willingly suffered the losse of all things, and yet suffered nothing in their suffe­ring; but so farre have beene elevated and raised with the apprehension of this conjun­ction with God, and fruition of him, that e­ven the most bitter things, that could be laid on them, could make no print in them: They laid downe their bodies with as much willing­nesse, and chearefullnesse, when they were to dye for the name of Christ, as we lay off our cloathes when wee goe to bed, as a Father speakes. Particular. And in many particulars which I could bring (if I had time and did intend it) I could excellently make plaine this truth. That of Theodoret (to name no more) that found so much sweetenesse in this, even when he was on the racke, in the midst of his tor­ture, that he did not finde any anguish in his torments, but a great deale of pleasure: and when they tooke him downe from the racke, complained that they did him wrong in taking him downe, and in ceasing to torment him: For, said he, all the while that I was on the racke, and you venting your mallice against me, me thought there was a young man in white, an Angell stood by me, which wiped off the sweate, and I found a great deale of sweetnesse in it, which now I have lost.

In this experience we may see it cleare, and evident, that God needes not the helpe of [Page 122] any other thing, here was nothing in the world, to give any sense or taste of happi­nesse, unto poore Theodoret; but it was [...] it was meerely a conveighance of Gods owne spirit and himselfe, unto his spirit and soule; that supported him infinitely, and made his paines sweeter then his case, and more desi­rable to him. And I know there is no Chri­stian, that hath had communion with God, but in some degree, or other, hath the same experience; especially when God doth make his comforts most sweete, and the sense of their happinesse at the highest; It may be when their outward condition is at the low­est. A cleare experiment to proove, that what God doth by the creature, he can doe without. The comforts that lye scattered in them, are all concentred in him, and he can conveigh them in the middest of the want of all.

2. Now in a word for the [...], the ground and reason of it. I shall give but a briefe touch, because of the consanguinity of this argument with the former, and there hath beene something said in that, which will ease me in this.

There be three things (as I propounded in the former point) which I must meerely men­tion here.

Whether wee consider the nature of happi­nesse. or, [Page 123] Whether we consider the nature of man: or, Whether wee consider the nature of God: (for I shall onely adde that as proper here in this place) you shall finde it most true, that God alone without all, or any of the crea­tures, is our happinesse, and can make us hap­py.

1. For the nature of happinesse, Nature of happinesse. that requires two things,

• Perfection, and
• Satisfaction.

It must be perfect good, and a satisfactory good; and this you shall see most fully in God: Requiring Perfection, Satisfaction who is such a good, as the soule may rest up­on, and rely upon.

2. If wee consider the nature of man; Nature of man. that requires such a good that should have all the dimensions of good; as length, and breadth, and height, and depth: It must have longi­tude, and latitude, and altitude, and profun­dity, or else it will not be commensurable to the condition of the nature of man. Man is (at least his soule) appointed to be an immor­tall creature, and therefore a happinesse, that is lesse then immortality, cannot be a happi­nesse for a man: Now there will be no defect in the length God is infinite and immortall (I shall touch it a little more particular anon) but I say God is immortall, and without doubt can conveigh that happinesse which a mans nature requires.

[Page 124]And there will be no defect in the other neither, in the latitude: whatsoever latitude, or largenesse, the large heart of man doth re­quire, God and his favour will come no way short to fi [...]l up that latitude; Neither will there be any defect in the height, or pro­fundity. A high, a noble, and sublime good, it must be, that must make a man happy: that is of some noble nature, a solid and substan­tiall good, and all this concurres in God, and therefore

Nature of God.3. To come to the thi [...]d, if wee consider the nature of God, we shall finde that all these doe concurre in God, and that there is no de­ficiency at all; but that God alone without the helpe of any creature, may make up our reall and our royall happinesse. I propound this

• 1. A little more generally.
• 2. A little more particularly.

Generall.1. More generally. Divines use to observe, and it is traditionally taken out of the Schooles; that there are three wayes of knowing God, All-suffici­ent. which I will mention here by the way, be­cause I shall have occasion to use them here­after.

• 1. Via causalitatis, of causality.
• 2. Via eminentiae, of eminency.
• 3. Via Negationis, of negation.

They make them three, but I shall invert the order, and make them but one: because there is but one way, whereby God doth [Page 125] come to be knowne unto us, who are his crea­tures, and that is Via causalitatis; if God had done nothing, or made nothing, though he had beene then in his owne excellency of na­ture, and injoyed an infinite glory, and hap­pinesse in himselfe, yet he could not have ma­nifested it to others, when there were no crea­tures made, and so all the manifestation of God had laine hidden; not hid in darkenesse, but hid in light, in abundance of light. It is not for want of ability that hee cannot make knowne himselfe, but it is for glo­ry. As the Sunne cannot bee beheld, not because it is too obscure, but because it is too light, Excellens sensibile destruit sensum. The object is too strong; it is so glorious an object that our eyes are too weake to looke fully upon it. Now the two other wayes come in, and subordinately helpe out that; because God hath manifested him­selfe to our capacity, by his workes of crea­tion, and providence, which is the onely way that God manifests himselfe in nature, in e­very workemanship, in every worke of his: As the saying is, the meanest creature hath a­liquid Dei, and the best creature hath aliquid nihili. Every creature is a compound of per­fection, and imperfection; and therefore can­not possibly exactly manifest God. But there must be the two other wayes to supply it, and make up that manifestation, by which the [Page 126] soule may be reduced to the understanding of God, by his workes.

The two other come in, I say as wayes to supply it.

First of all, all the excellencies that be in the creatures, are supposed to be in God that did make them. It is impossible, as the saying is, that ullus daret quod in se non habet. It is impossible that a man should give that to ano­ther, which is not in himselfe, it is impossi­ble that there should be any good, or excel­lency in the creature, but that it must be in the Creator, and that in a transcendent manner: which is the second way Via eminentiae.

But because every creature hath aliquid ni­hili in him, that is his imperfection, by which he comes short of God, and will not be full: we must make it up with the other supply, and that is the third thing, Via negationis: by re­moving all the imperfections, and setting them all aside, as the concomitants of the creature, for God cannot see the creature, but with some deficiency which he is free from. And therefore this followes as another way, I say Via negationis, God hath not these and these imperfections. But now to apply all this and bring it home to my present purpose; As God may bee knowne these wayes in gene­rall.

2. So in speciall, he may be knowne to be, and is our happinesse, and can bee our happi­nesse [Page 127] all these wayes even alone.

1. He can be our happinesse, and is our hap­pinesse, Via causalitatis, God is omnipotent, and so if there be any thing that is necessary, or conducible for our comfort, or happinesse, it is all in his power to give, and so can be our happinesse. If creatures be necessary (and so farre as they be necessary) if we have God wee are in the most certaine way of having these and all other things. For all lye in God as a Fountaine and spring of all. Suppose there be a necessity, that a man cannot be per­fectly, meerely happy, in the fruition of God, formally; because man is a compound creature, a body as well as a soule: yet God alone may be sufficient, because all is in him casually, he can produce and command all other good, and all other creatures, as being Lord over all, if we want fire, or cloathes to warme us, and keepe us from the cold; though for the present wee have not those, yet God can bring fire and cloathes, and command all the creatures to waite upon us, and serve our ne­cessities. So that if a man have nothing, yet in having God hee hath all; besides hee hath the Lord of all; which can with a word, or a nodde, an intimation command not onely the creatures that are, but create creatures anew, if hee would; If the whole world now extant were not able to doe Chri­stians good; God were able to create another [Page 128] world for their good: and furnish it with all creatures sufficiently to doe them good. As suppose a Christian were sicke of some new disease, that all the world had not a medicine for it; yet God can command one, or make a new medicine; because all things are at his disposing, So that if we have God, we have all in the case, and so an all sufficient good in God alone, and an all-sufficiency of hap­pinesse.

2. God is all via eminentiae, being able to supply the want of any creature; as hee can bring all the creatures to us, and give them us, which are necessary for our good, and com­fort: so he is able by way of eminency to sup­ply the defect of them, though he bring them not, he can doe it by himselfe; and which is most of all, he can give us that, without which nothing can be good for us; that is, set our spirits, and hearts in a right frame; which if they were not, they would spoile all we have, and they would make them rather an aggra­vation of our misery, then any addition to our happinesse. God onely is able to make a man so that he may be a fit subject of happinesse, and capable of it; being inlightened in his un­derstanding, and rectifyed in his will and af­fections, whereby hee is able to esteeme of things, and love things as hee ought, and to use them accordingly. So that whatsoever good may result from the creature for our [Page 129] good, if we have God, we have it. For we have the Spring, and Fountaine, and Mint, in which he can cast all other good for us. For this is a certaine rule in Divinity, that God cannot doe any thing by the creature, but he can doe the same without the creature. Nay more then so, the creature (although present) cannot doe any thing without the assistance of God; but he himselfe can doe it though no creature be present. Yea God is so eminent a good, that he containes the transcendent ex­cellency of every creature: For let any crea­ture be wanting, as fire to warme us, or wa­ter to wash us, yet God can supply that defect; he can doe it by himselfe, because all the ex­cellency of every creature is transcendently in God. He hath power to suspend the action of the creature, and take off the blessing: and on the other side, God can supply the want of the creature, by a hidden way of his owne bles­sing. He can make a little to goe a great way, yea without all, as well as with all, hee can make a man happy. He is an equivalent good to make satisfaction for al, and so in this respect he can be our happines, and bring us to happines.

3. Via negationis. God alone can bee our happinesse, because there is no defect in him. He is a rocke in time of need; he can doe what­soever any creature, or all can doe for us; nay more, for if wee had all the creatures, they would be all defective, but there is no defect [Page 130] in God; As suppose if in sicknesse there were such a medecine, which if I could get, it, may be it would doe some good: Now God, hee can doe that alone himselfe, which any, or all creatures could doe, nay and above, and be­yond all that every one of the creatures can doe. Because every creature is defective, and too short, but God, he hath all excellencies without any mixture of imperfection. In a word, God is All-sufficient, as in the tenor of the covenant with Abraham, Walke before me and be upright, I am God All-sufficient. He is All-sufficient, that you cannot name what you would have, but he is that, As the Rab­bins had a conceite of Manna, that it had that taste in every mans mouth, that every man desired: I am sure it is so of God: Or as some men that have a mind at some dishes of meate, they can finde all the dainties in the world in that dish which likes them; as suppose Phea­sant, and Partridg, & Capon they find al in that dish; It is most certainly and really true of God, not in conceit onely; Hee that knowes what God is, if he have God, he can finde all good in him, all the excellencies of all the creatures are compendiously, and summarily compre­hended in God. Now hee that is All-suffici­ent, there can bee nothing wanting in him to make perfectly happy, even by himselfe a­lone.

2. But now to speake a little more particu­larly. [Page 131] There are but three things that I shall desire you to consider, and no doubt but out of every one of them will result a strong and cleare proofe of this truth.

First, consider the particular perfections which are in God.

Secondly, consider the proportion they have with our nature to supply our wants.

Thirdly, consider the neerenesse of that con­junction and communion, which we may have with God, that so we may be interested in his perfections.

For the first of these, the particular perfecti­ons of God: In a word to name no more but the maine.

1. The power of God, and his omnipotency.

2. The wisedome of God, and his omniscien­cy.

3. The goodnesse and grace of God, which is infinitely transcendent, and hath the crowne of all the attributes of glory. For when the Lord told Moses he would shew him all his goodnesse, hee set himselfe out in the attri­bute of grace and mercy. But yet a little more particularly.

1. There is power in God, by which he is able to supply all things whatsoever, accor­ding to his will. There is nothing but his om­nipotency can reach; And for a man to have him to be his friend, that is Lord of all, in whose hands is the disposing of all, he cannot [Page 132] but thinke himselfe happy, having the posses­sion of such a friend.

Wisedome.2. All wisedome is his. If he knew not our wants, but were ignorant of them, though he had all power, it were nothing, and hee had need to be put in minde to shew it. But now he knowes our state, and condition; and he doth know all the wayes, by which it is possi­ble to supply our necessities.

Good will.3. But yet neither of these were any thing, though he had power and wisedome, yet if he did want goodnesse, this would little relieve a man, and stand him in stead. Therefore we added in the third place, the excellency of goodnesse. He is the fountaine of all good­nesse, all proceeds from himselfe; he is the Originall of it, and he lookes not for any rise from us.

Now to have God in whom there is such a concurrence of all these; that hath all power to helpe me in all cases; that there is nothing can come without the sphere of his activity, beyond his power. That hath all wisedome, to take notice of all my wants, and knowes all the wayes to supply them. And beyond all these, having intelligible goodnesse, such bo­wels of compassion, that it is not possible, but he should use his power, and set out his wise­dome, rather then those that he hath taken in­to covenant shall not be supplyed. Who would not easily apprehend out of this▪ that the pos­session [Page 133] and fruition of God, such a friend as he is, needs no more, all being in his power. Sup­pose that a man had among men such a friend, suppose a King, who were wise, and did know in what state and condition hee were: And had such power, and dominion, that he could command any thing, that were necessary for the supply of his honour, or advancement; And withall, had such an ingagement upon him in affection, and good will, might not this assure a man, that this were better then many pennies in a mans purse, then the possession of many other things, nay although he wan­ted all other things, yet the favour of such a man would fetch in all other things. Such a friend is God.

2. This would not be our good, Proportion except there were some proportion in our nature to­wards it. It is not in God, in all those excellen­cies to make us happy, unlesse we be capable of happinesse: But now therefore consider that man being created according to Gods I­mage, he is capable of it, and it is sutable and competible with him, as Gods servants good. His soule may looke upon this society, and fellowship that he hath with God, hee is ap­prehensive what a rich treasure it is. How much it is more worth then tenne thousand Mines of Gold, to be able to say, God is mine: he is apprehensive of it, and hee seeth no de­fect, but this may be compleate happinesse to [Page 134] him and therefore he delights in it, and com­forts himselfe with it. As he did sometime, hee was a great Courtier in King Cyrus his Court, and one in favour with him, he was to bestow his Daughter in marriage, to a very great man, and of himselfe hee had no great meanes, and therefore one said to him O Sir, Where will you have meanes to bestow a dow­rie upon your Daughter, proportionable to her degree? where is your riches? Hee an­swered, what need I care, [...], Cy­rus is my friend. But may not wee say much more [...], where the Lord is our friend, that hath those excellent and glorious attributes, that cannot come short in any wants, or to make us happy, especially wee being capable of it, and made proportiona­ble.

3. Consider the degrees of communion and conjunction betweene God and those that are his, He is so intimate, that hee can conveigh himselfe; he can drop his owne influence in­to the soule of a man, and sweeten a mans very spirits within him, and heighten and elevate them. Whereas all other creatures stand without a man, and cannot reach so farre, but in him we live and moove and have our being. To omit all other expressions, of the neere­nesse of God and the soule. It is the most inti­mate conjunction that can be. And therefore the fittest to conveigh an infinite and com­pleat [Page 135] happinesse. And as it is the most intimate conjunction; so it is the most indissoluble con­junction. The bond can never be untyed again, if the match be once made betweene God, and t he soule of a man, that must continue, which is the excellency of happinesse. For this is one maine part of happinesse that it shall never be lost. And therefore where there is such riches in God, and such All sufficiency, as appeares in the particular attributes before mentioned: and such as wee are capable of, as are within the sphere of our natures capacity; and so may be our good. For nothing will make us hap­py, but what is bonum congruum. And where wee may come to have sufficient conjunction with it, an intimate, and strong conjunction, and indissoluble and inseparable. And all this being in God; there can be no hinderance but that God alone may, nay God alone is the spring of all our happinesse; and so the point is cleare. That God alone can make a man truely and perfectly happy; give us the reall and the royall happinesse.

The fifth Sermon.

WE are still upon the point of hap­pinesse: The last time, wee came to the affirmative part, viz. That God alone can make us happie. I opened then the point, and demonstrated the truth of it; wee now come to the Application of it.

The maine thing that I aime at, according to my ordinary course, is the matter of Exhortation. But before I come to it, I shall premise a word, or two.

• [Page 2]
  SER. V.
  First, for Instruction.
• Application.
  Second, for Reproofe, and so
• Third, for Exhortation.

Instruction of the ignorant.1. First of all for Instruction. Wee may first learne what happinesse is, and who is the happy man. A thing I confesse, which I mentioned by way of instruction out of the former point, as sometimes it fals out, that I have occasion to de­duce the same things, out of different principals. But yet let no man thinke it is superfluous; for, for the most part, those consequencies which flow out of many things, and are so often spoken of, are (for the most part, I say) of frequent use: and therefore if they be iterated it cannot be unneces­sary: as we see it, there be some things that are more necessarie than others, and we are not wea­rie of using them often, nay alwayes: and some things though necessary, yet if we use them al­way, we should grow wearie of them; as now if we use Beefe, and Mutton, or any one such thing, (though these are the best wee can hold longest with) yet if we use them alwayes, the stomack would be cloied, and we should grow wearie of them. But yet Bread we are not wearie of, though we use it alwaies: nor drinke we are not wearie of using alwayes: what ever other cates or dain­ties we have, yet these are common concommi­tants of all our eatings and feasts. And so there be some things in Religion, that men would bee cloied with all, with hearing them often over, and they count it tedious to have them often in­culcated upon. But yet there be some things, that [Page 3] are so necessarie, and we have such an immedi­ate necessity of them, that the state of our soules requires that they should often be inculcated on. As the saying is (which I often use) Nanquam ni­mis dicitur, quod nunquām satis discitur: We can ne­ver heare that too often, that we can never learne too well. And this is that we learne hence, both,

• Who are the happie men:
• And wherein happinesse consists.

Because there is so much blindnesse and dark­nesse in the minds of men this way, and men are so befooled in their thoughts; that though they be told of it a thousand times, yet they will relapse into the same errour.

Now to give a briefe touch; Godly. we see here that a godly man, and even in the worst condition, Felicitie. when he is at the lowest; how ever men do scorne, Dignitie. and despise men in that condition; yet if we looke on them (as we ought to do) with judicious eyes, we must needs acknowledge them the happie men. Admit they have not wealth: admit they have not honour: admit they have not pleasure, in this world, but it is all contrary with them; yet if they have God, who is the all in all in point of happi­nesse, as this truth manifessteth, who can deny that they are happie men? We see the Stars; although we see them sometimes in a puddle, in the bottome of a Well, nay in a stinking Ditch: yet the Starres (although they reflect there) have their situation in the Heaven: So it may be with a godly man; we may see him in a miserable condition, in a low condition for these worldly things; but yet for all [Page 4] that, hee is fixed in the region of happinesse: so long as they retaine the possession of God, and the fruition of him; that God ownes them; and that they have commerce with him, and communion with him; It cannot be, but that he that thus par­takes of God, must partake also of happinesse. And on their side, it will not be amisse (though it be done enough already, yet it can be never too e­nough) to beat downe the vanitie of worldly men, that want godlines, Wicked. Miserie. Indignity. and so have no interest in God, but live in their naturall condition, in prophannesse, or some higher degree of sinne; and are stran­gers, and aliens from God; Suppose now such a one, who hath all those outward things, in such a manner; that men at the first view doe admire, and envie, and repine at the happinesse of such a man, yet if a man doe consider well, and view the state of that man, he cannot conclude him to be a happie man. Alas this man is without God; he hath not the favour of God, but God is his ene­mie; and how can he be happie then? As the Fa­ther speakes of Ahab, he describes him sitting in his Ivorie palace, in the time of the three yeares famine in Samaria; when that there was a want and scarcitie of all things, by reason that it had not rained in three, yeares, (saith he) he had gold and silver, and jewels, in every place, but yet saith he, what good doth all this to me; so long as the heaven is as brasse, above; and the earth as iron, beneath? And what good can all these worldly things doe to a man, so long as the heaven is as brasse; so long as heaven is shut against him; if [Page 5] Gods favour be not on him; but his frowne? this must needs dash, and marre all the mirth, and hap­pinesse that he hath, in the middest of all earthly things.

2 Secondly, Reprehension of the madnes of wicked men who, we may take up an other conside­ration from this; and speake of it by way of Re­proofe and Lamentation, and bewaile here the vani­tie and miserie of a great many (not wicked men only, but even) godly men: that seeing there is so much in God, yet they make out so little after God.

1 If wee looke upon worldly men, Seek not God. Esteeme him not as the only happinesse. we shall ea­sily see this; how farre they are from seeking God as the only happinesse, from esteeming God, and lo­ving God as the only happines, insomuch, that they cannot be perswaded to think that there is or can be any great happines in him: you shall hardly beat them out of it, but that it were better to have so much gaine; such a revenew by the yeare, then to have God for their friend: they will hardly be beaten out of these principals: and therefore it is no marvaile, no wonder if they turne an ace with God, and be bold with sinne to like violation of their peace with God, to purchase that thing which they count more precious then God, and to turne their backs on God to get that which they count their happinesse: as suppose they think that gold, or any such thing, be the only way to make them happie, then farewell God: & hoc primum re­petunt opus, hoc postremum omittunt: they are all for this: and therefore I say it is no wonder that these worldly men who never tasted the sweetnesse of [Page 6] God, doe thus: 2. But this is the griefe of heart, and the greatnesse of the sinne, Of godly men that, Know it. that those that are Gods servants, that know the excellencie that is in God, and doe pretend to it, and professe that they believe that God is their only happinesse, Professe to be­lieve it, and that it consists in their communion and fellowship with him: yet when all comes to all they are so farre carried away with the course of the world, Yet neglect it. that neglecting God, they seeke after gew-gawes, and toies, and place so much happinesse in them; and make so little after God, though they professe otherwise, and though they know otherwise. It is not my jewell in my bosome, or my curling, or crisping my haire, that makes me a happie wo­man: nor is it any of these gew-gawes, or toies, (happily will they say) that makes me happie: But yet alasse, when all comes to all, they goe as gau­die and as fantasticke as any others, and make so much of it, and are as readie and as foolish to run to the same excesse of riot, as though God were not their ornament and their happinesse: If they did believe this, and remember this, that their happinesse and excellencie lay all in God, though they might make use of other things in a sober and a modest and exemplary way, such as were fit to give an example to the world, of extraordinarie pietie and sobrietie: in this course, and with this caution, I say, though they might make use of any sober and modest way, yet they would not goe so vainly, and fondly, and gaudily, and place so much happinesse in these things; did they believe this, that their happinesse lay in God: and surely, it ar­gueth [Page 7] that they have not that high esteeme of God, and that they repose so much confidence in him as in their only happinesse, they would not els be so fond of so foolish things, for it is a thing in­compatible with a minde that is fully possessed with the excellency of God, which if we had, it would make us looke a squint on all other things, even the best things, and much more on things of an inferiour nature: yet I say, this follie of many professors that they place so much in these poore things, and it is a thing to be bewailed.

3 But to come to that which I aime at most, Exhortation to the weake. and which is indeed the principall, viz. the matter of exhortation: That we would every one of us, seeing the maine of our happinesse lieth in God, and so much of it, that he alone can make us happie, if we can but get him, and enjoy him, and walke in a sweet and holy communion with him, that will make us happie, though we have nothing else in the world, though we be cut off from all o­ther things, then I shall intreat to make way by certaine steps and degrees to what I aime at: and,

1 That all Christians would understand this truth; Vnderstand it. I know there are many other things in Re­ligion necessary to be knowne, but I only mention these steps which otherwise I am not to dwell on, but to arise higher, and ascend by these. Many men I know count many things in Religion, and many things that are delivered, and so this, to be but Paradoxes, and the conceits of mens braine, the fancies of some contemplative persons, that live retired and doe not know what belongs to the [Page 8] world: and truly for my own part, I will never de­cline the imputation of being subject to such weaknesse (if men will so terme it) as there is no man but hath his failings and his errours: But yet if this be truth of God, and in his Word, then I suppose we are out of any danger of being questi­oned for fantasticke, or foolish, or paradoxall con­ceits, delivering that which wee have received from God: and I would desire every one but to consider and take notice of this truth, not as the fancies of a man, but as a truth that is divine, and as the Word of God: that God alone can make a man happie, though a man have nothing else: under­stand this and take notice of, and thinke on this truth.

Believe it.2 Believe it, bring your hearts to assent and adhere unto it: Doe not stand out in distinctions, or in staggerings with this truth, or speaking a­gainst it, or finding some evasions or declinations to avoid it, but receive this truth and embrace it by a firme and stedfast faith: It is not to be expe­cted, though this good Word of God bee for my good, might serve for a good end, viz. to presse the endevouring many things in my practise; yet (I say) it is not expected that it should do this, ex­cept it be imbraced by faith; believe this there­fore, that is the second step. I would desire eve­ry one to bring their hearts to this truth, and be­lieve this, and receive it as a realitie.

Ponder it.3 Ponder on it, and consider it, and medi­tate upon it; to chew it up and downe in their mouths, and in their minds. Many truths there [Page 9] be, that have a swimming motion in our heads, but there is no decoction of this truth, and we are not the better for them, because we doe not rumi­nate on them, and chew them, that we doe not turne them into nutriment: As you know it is with meat which a man would put into his bellie, if it be not prepared some way, as boyled, or roa­sted, or some such fitting, it will not turne to nutri­ment, but rather turne to diseases in the stomack: And so it is oftentimes; that many truths that a man understands to be truths, for want of ruminating and chewing, they doe not turne to spiritual nutri­ment, to breed any good spirits, any good blood: I would desire every man therfore ever and anon to ponder on this truth, and meditate on it. Is this a certain truth that there is such a compendious way to happinesse, that although I goe not from the East to the West Indies, and fetch all the commo­dities to bring in gain daily, bring in such an estate to me, yet if I sit still and only take care to walke with God, and make God mine, if I can but get him, and come to possesse my soule of him, and have a fruition of him, this will make me happie alone: I would desire men to consider this and to ponder, and meditate upon this.

5 And then in the last place, Walke in the strength of it. I will but only mention all these steps, let us carrie our selves in the vertue and strength of this truth, in the way that this truth thus known, and believed, and thought on, will bring us unto, and force us to goe; let us doe these things, that may expresse our apprehensions of this truth, and our beliefe of it, and our think­ing [Page 10] on it; this is the maine thing I aime at, Let us live as those doe, and as those cannot chuse but do, that doe know and believe and thinke on this truth.

Now there be but three things, wherein wee shall expresse the realitie, that we doe know, and that we doe believe, and that we doe ponder and thinke on this truth, and not cast it farre from our eyes, I say wee shall expresse it, in these three things according to the severall rankes and degrees of men.

They that yet are not in pos­session of God should,1 First of all, are there any men that are not yet in the possession of God, that are yet without God in the world, such as have no interest in him, no relation unto him; no assurance of his favour, if this be a truth, that in his favour is life, and that all our happinesse is bound up in him: then those that know and believe and thinke on this truth should seeke after God, and endeavour to make God theirs, to come in and lay hold on God: to come into covenant with God, to come out of their sinfull course and to repent of their evill wayes, and to make their peace with God, and set themselves to walke with him: Seek after him So that this is the first sort of men we have to deale withall, if there be any here, that are not yet Gods, nor he theirs, that are not in covenant with him, nor have an in­terest in him, nor have any assurance of his favour, nor any ground of any such assurance, let this be an incitement to induce them, to make it the first thing that they doe, to lay hold on God, believe in him, submit your selves to his service, repent of all [Page 11] your evill wayes, and come into the service of God: only let me adde something by way of cau­tion, though we all professe the name of God, yet I perswade my selfe there is none here that is so charitable to thinke that all that are within the pale of the Church, have reall interest in, and reall pos­session of God, Many are called, but few chosen; and I thinke no man will hold this in generall unchari­table (though when a man shall fall to deale with particulars perhaps there hee may transgresse the bounds of charity, but) I say in the generall there is no man will question it: And therefore being to speake in such a place of this argument, where we suppose there are a great many that have reall interest in God, yet we cannot expect that all have so: the thing therefore will not be in vaine, to give some cautions.

1 Take heed that they do not presume that they are Gods, and hate the profession of him, Presume not. and have an interest in him, without sufficient ground and war­rant, there be many things that lift men vainly up in their presumptions this way: Briefly to mention some few.

1 Many men are presumptuous of God and of his favour, Vpon goods of fortune. upon the most unworthie ground that can be, I mean, not worthie to be named among Chri­stians as a ground of Gods favour, I meane riches and outward estate, they presume on this as a signe of Gods favour, supposing if God did not love them, how should he prosper them so, whereas they see that many men that pretend more to Re­ligion than they doe, and are more busie in religi­ous [Page 12] wayes and courses then they are, yet notwith­standing they have a great deale more, and are a great deale richer, and more prosperous then they are; and therefore they are readie to blesse themselvs: but this is so fond and foolish a ground to presume upon, as it is unworthie to be mentio­ned among men, much lesse among Christians: I beseech you, let no man be so foolish, nor so ig­norant in the wayes of God, as to think that a great estate is an argument of Gods reall favour: God many times debarres his servants and chil­dren of those outward things, and many times, loades his enemies with them: As you know it is in another case, those Sheepe and Oxen that are to be fatted for the slaughter, shall be sure to bee put in the best pasture, whereas those that are to live, be laid up perhaps in a poore, or no pasture: And so it is in this case, those that God preserves for heaven, reserves to eternall glory, may be and often are in a meane condition on earth; whereas those that he fattens for eternall fire, for the day of destruction, the day of slaugh­ter, are it may bee fatter fed here. I hope there is no man therefore in this assembly that will be so foolish as to be carried away with these, to thinke that because he is in greater estate, and hath more riches, hee is therefore in Gods favour.

Vpon the bounds of the Church.And again, many men are readie to presume be­cause they are in the bounds of the Church, as they replyed to our Saviour, have not we heard thee prea­ching in our streets, yet saith our Saviour, I know you [Page 13] not: It is no argument that a man is in Gods fa­vour, because God hath made a man so happie as that hee hath beene borne in the bosome of the Church of God, and hath beene acquainted with the means of grace and hath been a partaker of the ordi [...]nces, as I have said divers times on other oc­casions, there may bee found some filth under the stones of the Temple, under the Church building: so there may be as filthie and as odious persons to God, live under the ordinances, and in the Church, as any other: And therefore let no man presume on this, build on this, that he is in Gods favour, be­cause God have given him this happinesse, made him so happie as to bee borne within the Church of God.

3 Let no man presume on common gifts: Vpon com­mon gifts. there be some gifts even in the Church of God, and such as belong to the Spirit, such as are communicable not only to the good and elect of God, but to the wicked and reprobates, such as neither have nor shall have any part in God: they may have, many gifts, but they are but common gifts, which doe not commend them to bee the sonnes and daugh­ters of God: wicked men may have a great deale of knowledge and outward godlinesse, and know a great deal of the mystery of faith and other things, and therefore let no man build on this sandie foun­dation, to conceit that he is in the favour of God, and a possession of him, and so in a state of happi­nesse and way unto it.

2 But to come to that which I aime at, Make sure that God i [...] y [...]s make it sure unto our selves that God is ours, let men goe [Page 14] throughly to worke, and consider and deliberate of it, as it becomes so solid and so serious a busi­nesse, Make sure God is yours. to make sure of their salvation, to work out their salvation with feare and trembling; and in one word, for I shall only put you in minde of what I delivered in the explication, which will be the crisis of a mans estate and condition, No man is in the fruition of God, but he that is truly regenera­ted, and effectually called; and hee that is received into a covenant, and league, and confideracie with God: Now therefore here will bee all the triall: Let a man examine whether he be thus truly rege­nerated, and effectually called: and in one word, the summe of all will be this, if hee doe embrace Christ, (and God in Christ) as Christ is offered him in the Gospell, and resignes himselfe to the regi­ment and government of Christ, and doth so e­steeme and prise him, that he counts all things as dung and drosse in comparison of him, and can leave father and mother, and forsake all, to follow him; and can take up his crosse, undergoe any crosse and affliction that shall bee laid on him, ra­ther then he will forsake Christ, or part with him; they that have thus brought him in their hearts, to contract it in one word, to resigne themselves to the government of the Law of God, and set them­selves in every thing to walke with him, and to ap­prove themselves to him, that have some eviden­ces that God hath brought them into covenant, and that he hath effectually called them, and that all the promises and priviledges doe belong to him, but without this he must not rest secure, till [Page 15] he hath deserved some signes of this, for certain­ly (I know there be degrees of this, but) except he bee assured of this in some measure, let no man presume that hee hath an interest in God, and therefore that hee is not in the state of happinesse, but he is yet in the state of sinne and of misery, and that hee must repent and alter his course, that so hee may make an approach to happinesse.

2 But then in the second place, is God our happinesse, and the possession of him alone perfect happinesse; then, as they that as yet have not God, make that the first thing they do to get him, and neglect all other things, for otherwise they are out of the state of, and way to happinesse: So in the second place, let those that have God and doe enjoy him, learne how charie they should be to maintaine their communion with God, Retaine him. they should be as charie and warie as in a thing that concernes their happinesse so neere: No man would neglect his happinesse, nor willingly forgoe his happines more or lesse: God is all in all to the happinesse of a man: And therefore if God hath given you any taste of this, if he hath brought you home un­to himselfe, any Christian that is made sure of this, let him make precious account of it, and let him be very charie and warie how hee forgets his happinesse; consider your close keeping to God, is your close keeping to your owne happi­nes: your life, and your good, and your happi­nesse belongs to that: learne therefore to depend on God, and to looke charily to that.

Now there bee two things necessary toward [Page 16] this, and I take both out of the Scripture.

Seeke his fa­vour.1 If we would enjoy God, then as in the Psalm, Thou saidest Lord seeke my face, thy face Lord will I seeke: if we would enjoy the light of Gods coun­tenance, then it should be our care, our first and chiefe care to doe our dutie, to seeke the face of God, O Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us, seeke the face of God; make it our care to keepe close to, and walk with our God; and not straggle and wander away from him in the wayes of sinne: That which the Prophet gives us coun­sell to doe in Isaiah 1.17. Cease to do evill, learne to doe well, may serve as a generall rule.

Eschew evill.1 If we would enjoy God, then let us be care­full to avoide and take heed of evills; for every sinne doth make a separation from God; sinne is the wall of separation, and a cloud that hides Gods face from us.

Doe good.2 Seeke his face, and walke more diligently and constantly in the practice and exercise of all holy duties, especially the spirituall dutie of continuall prayer, that is one thing by which you maintaine commu­nion with God: and so all other spirituall duties that are spirituall, they are the things that doe ap­proximate us to God, and therefore let us practise them, and bee serious and spirituall in the perfor­mance of them, that is one thing, wee must seeke his face by abstaining from every evill, and do­ing every good, especially by doing those things by which our communion with God is in an espe­ciall manner maintained.

Acknowledge his favour.2 And then when all is done, there is another [Page 17] thing. Lord hide not thy face from us, we must acknowledge it is all of the speciall grace of God, Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us: if we should set our selves to seeke God, and God should hide himselfe from us, if we seeke his face, I say, yet if God should hide his face from us, there might be a great deale of sorrow and anguish of spirit, it is Gods gracious freenesse to lift up the light of his countenance: and therefore let us walke humbly with God, that wee may not provoke him to hide his face in indignati­on, let us prise him so (I say) and walke so with him as he may not forsake us: For if we live not loosely and doe not evill, yet if wee are but for­mall, and cold in the performance of duty, and goe not submissively about the worke, and shew not the vivacitie of love and affections towards him, this may cause him to hide his face from us, and punish us sharply, though his good will be to­wards us. And therefore we should doe all these things that I spake of before, and doe them with­all humilitie, and all vivacitie, and still know it is Gods speciall grace to lift up the light of his coun­tenance upon us, even when wee have sought it; and therefore that I adde here, Thou saidest, seeke my face, thy face Lord will I seeke, Lord hide not thy face from mee: Men should still bee begging of God that hee would not hide himselfe from us, nor withdraw himselfe, but cause himselfe to shine upon us, and the only way after all is this, that wee shew our selves humble and vigorous in the performance of our dutie, for the more vigo­rously [Page 18] we call on God, and the more humbly we walke with God in a sweet manner, the more wee shall perceive God to be delighted with us, and re­veale himselfe unto us.

Is God our happinesse, and our all in all unto it, then as those in the first place that want God should make out after him and seeke to enjoy him; and as those in the second place, that doe enjoy him; should make it their greatest care to keepe close to God, and to hold him and to maintaine communion with him: that they cause him not to withdraw his face from them, and depart from them, and so withdraw all comfort, (for when the King is gone, all the hanging is taken downe, so all joy and comfort and happinesse is gone and taken away when God is gone; whereas in the middest of miseries if God be with us we are hap­pie [...], where God is, there is Heaven; where the King is, there the Court is; if a man be in a prison, yet if God be with him, he is in state of happinesse.

Esteeme God, so must,3 In the last place, let every man esteem and prise God as the only thing of his happinesse, and let us shew that we doe esteeme him so: if we doe pro­fesse that our happinesse dependeth upon God, then let us shew that we doe thus thinke, and thus believe, and thus esteeme of God. I might draw this into divers particulars: As for ex­ample.

Rich men.1 Rich men, let them take heed when they have riches, let not their hearts runne too much upon them, nor after them, but in the middest of them [Page 19] they can scorne them, and spit on them, and think it is not in them to make them happie, but God that gave them, and with adherence cleave to God, and say, I had rather have my part in God, a thousand times, than all this wealth: and it would be a greater evill to me to want him, then to want all these: for though I had all these and wanted him, I should be in a miserable condition.

2 If a man be in a meaner condition, Poore men. in the losse of friends and estate, let us learne to set a prise upon God as our only happinesse, by delighting our selves in him, when all is gone, and when wee are stript naked of all other things: Doe wee prise God to be our happinesse, and doe wee believe hee is able to make us happie alone, then let us shew it when there is nothing else but God. It is a dishonour to God to relie otherwise: You know what Elkanah said to Hannah, when she was cast down and over­whelmed with a conceit of her barrennesse, Am not I better to thee than many children? Should wee not count God so great a happinesse, that wee should be able to raise our spirits, and possesse our souls with patience though all other things frown on us, and though all things else forsake us: that were an honour to God indeed, and an honour to Religion.

3 All Christians should thus prise God above all: All Christians. if Christians will bee like other men, mourne as other men, be cast downe as other men, it is dis­honourable to their profession, and exceeding de­rogatorie from that faith which they have profes­sed, namely that God alone is able to make a man [Page 20] happie, for how can it be said wee speake truth in saying God is our happinesse, when as we let o­thers see how unable wee are to delight our selves in him as in our happinesse?

Motives.2 Consider the motives to this dutie: There be two things in this Psalme, which may serve as effectuall arguments to stirre us up to this, Possession of God brings, truly to set our whole care, to seeke to possesse our selves of God, as of our only happinesse. By this meanes we shall attaine the,

• 1. Greatest Ioy.
• 2. Greatest Peace.

The greatest joy.First, the greatest joy, Thou hast put more joy into my heart, then when their corne and wine increased: this will bring a man more joy then all worldly things can, when wee can thus bee possessed of God, and esteeme of him, and that in many re­spects.

More noble joy.1 It is a more noble joy, a more high and tran­scendent joy, that raiseth the soule to God, which no worldly thing can doe.

More cordiall joy.2 As it the more noble and the highest joy, and more transcendent and excellent, for God is infi­nitely above all those things, as being causally all, and eminently all, and therefore the joy from him as it is a more noble joy, so it is besides that a more intimate joy, a more cordiall joy: all these outward things can but come to the outside, they cannot pierce into the heart to affect that, but now the light of Gods countenance can; God being a spirit, hee can penetrate the spirit of a man, and raise the spirit and soule of a man, and set it above himselfe.

[Page 21]3 It is a more permanent joy, whereas all other joy is transient, More perma­nent joy. all the joy that we have in other things, is as the things themselves are, but transi­ent; they may all, nay will all passe away, and all bee turned into unhappinesse. A man may have these outward things they may make an ornament of joy, but they will not hold long; All these things being momentary and transient, a man may have them to day, but they will betake themselvs to their wings to morrow, they cannot last long, at most, not longer than this life: but the joy that is setled upon the favour of God, is eternall joy, and brings to eternall joy.

2 As it will bring the greatest joy, The sweetest peace. the most ex­cellent, intimate and permanent joy; so it brings the only peace, I say the possession of God brings the only peace; I will lay me downe and rest in peace. A man may bee secure and at rest, if hee hath God in possession, if he hath God for his friend, although all the world be his enemies, this may secure him and quiet him, God is his, and what can all the world do to him, whereas if God be his enemie, how can all the world keepe him from the wrath of God; cannot God finde him out, I say, although he hath all the world to guard him, yet if God be his ene­mie he cannot rest in security, I say, though he be compassed with all the world, and have it as a guard about him; nothing can give rest to the soul but God; and if a man have Gods favour, and him for his friend, hee may rest in sweet securitie, not­withstanding all foes whatsoever: In one word to end all, I know it would bee counted an infinite [Page 22] thing, (and I suppose there have beene many tricks and a great deale of knavery to finde out the Phi­losophers stone) I suppose, I say, no man would desire any other riches but that, if it were a reall thing, and certainly knowne, that a man knew the experience of it, and the vertue that it would turne all things into gold: and not as that will do, for all that ever men have done in it, they must use so much gold, and spend so much gold, and then they can turne as much into gold by it, as they have spent in making of it, and so they have their labour for their paines: but suppose they could without the expence of any gold, turne all other baser me­tals into gold by it, I suppose, none of you would desire a better trade and jewell than this stone: But this is a better thing we speake of, and a better skill to turne all things into gold indeed: If a man have Gods favour, all things shall turn unto his good, and that is better than gold, for gold may not be good. As they say of King Midas (not true, but fabulous) the King had obtained that of the gods, that what­soever he touched should be turned into gold, but it became an unhappie favour, for when he came to touch his meat, his meat also turned into gold, and so by this meanes hee was starved, but now to have all things not turned into gold, but into good, that is a thing that is the happinesse of Gods ser­vants: All Gods servants have this great priviledge, All things shall worke together for the good of those that love God: to those whom God loves and favours, God will doe them that good, and give them that happinesse, that whatever it be, good estate, or bad [Page 23] estate, high estate, or low estate, spirituall, or temporall, what ever fals, all shall worke together for their good, and this is better than gold: get Gods favour and that is this happinesse: so that in a word, you may sit down, and need not goe from the one Indies to the other to get happinesse, here is a more compendious way, get gods favour there­fore, and that is the compendious way to all happinesse.

SER. VI.The sixth Sermon.

WE are still on the point of happi­nesse, where the first point handled was, That true hap­pinesse is a thing desirable by all: the second was, That all worldly things, though sele­cted into one, without God cannot bring a man to true happinesse: The third was, that God alone can bring a man to true hap­pines here, and perfect happinesse hereafter.

The fourth point remaines, which with these words, and the coherence of the Psalme, ariseth well enough, and that I lay downe thus: ‘ [Page 25] Doctrine. Sound knowledge and beliefe, joyned with soveraigne feare and love, and both these joyned with syncere repentance and obedience, according to the line and light of the true Religion, is the only way to bring a man to true happinesse.’

Now for the opening of the point, Explication. there be two parts which we must a little explicate.

• 1. The Subject of this proposition.
• 2. The Predicate of this proposition.

For the Subject of the Proposition I shall consi­der therein, The subject.

First, all the Particulars in the severall branches of those things that are necessarie to make up the way to true happinesse.

Secondly, I shall recollect the generall of all these particulars, and the summe of them.

To begin with the particulars first; Particular. there bee three things which I doe affirme in it to concurre to make up the entire and full way to the true and perfect happinesse, and in every one of them I shall distinctly mention both the acts that are required, and the qualitie of those acts.

The first branch belongs to the matter of un­derstanding, where there is a double act, viz. Sound know­ledge and be­liefe.

• 1. Knowledge.
• 2. Beliefe.

And the qualification of those is,

• 1. A sound knowledge.
• 2. A sound beliefe.

The second branch containes likewise (as all [Page 26] the rest) A double act of the affections.

• Soveraign feare and love.
  1. Of Feare.
• 2. Of Love.

And the qualification of these is, they must bee soveraigne.

The third branch belonging to the whole, and as the issue of both these, containes a double act,

• Syncere repen­tance and obe­dience.
  1. Of Repentance.
• 2. Of Obedience.

And the qualification of both these is expressed in this word, they must be syncere.

Now briefly to give light to each of those, so far as shall be necessary.

Act with the object.To begin with the first thing necessary for mat­ter of understanding, the first act belongs,

• To Knowledge.
• The second to Beliefe.

Knowledge in General.To begin with knowledge 1. In the generall, that there is nothing so sutable to the nature of man, who is of an intellectuall nature, nor nothing more neere of kin to happinesse, then to bee advanced to knowledge: Ignorance and blindnesse is the bru­tizing, and knowledge is the highest perfection of the intellectual nature, and there is no knowledge whatsoever (if reall knowledge in any kinde, and not falsly so called) but is very conducible to our good, and happinesse, though very remote and far of, and therefore to take it in particular.

In Particular.2 That knowledge in particular which is nee­rest in relation with, and of most proper concern­ment, on which our happinesse depends most, in one word is,

[Page 27]1 The Knowledge of God.

2 Of Divine things that appertain unto him; that are in relation and reference to him: other know­ledge may be a very good light and ornament to our life, and may strengthen and further us in ma­ny things, and may be subservient and usefull even to the knowledge of God; But all other know­ledge is nothing towards our happines in compari­son of the knowledge of God, and of divine things.

1. To mention briefly without any inlargment some few things necessary to be known concern­ing God, which have neere relation to, and neere connection with our happines. Of God in his,

1. There must be knowledge of God in his excel­lent nature, shining partly in, Excellent na­ture.

• 1. His glorious Attributes.
• 2. His glorious Workes.

1. Shining in his Attributes. We must know something in some degree concerning the Attributes, wherein he transcends all other things whatsoever: some thing of neces­sitie must be knowne this way, because all the rea­son of any act of Religion that is to be performed unto God, which is peculiarly due to God, is founded upon his supereminent excellencie, which is not communicable to any creature whatever, being not so qualified: as (not to meddle with par­ticulars) the infinitenesse of God, the power, know­ledge, and goodnesse of God: there must be some knowledge of these in some degree and measure, or else I shall not respect God as God, nor worship God, or make any dependance on him as God, for my dependance on him by faith must have relati­on [Page 28] to the excellencie of God, to have a bottome, foundation and ground-worke on that.

In his works2 God is to be knowne in his workes, the workes of creation and providence are the maine, and so in those excellencies of relation that depend on these, for by vertue of this, that he is creator and governour of the world, hee must needs bee the Lord of all, and all creatures are and must bee ser­vicable to him: for dominion and soveraigntie o­ver another, God could not have, except he had made it; and there was nothing till hee made ma­nifest his excellencie in some works, nothing but himselfe, now no man hath dominion in regard of himselfe, to speake properly, as a Lordship, for that is a relative attribute reflecting on the workes of God; when God had made the world and the creatures in it, there was a resultan­cie and relation arised out of that, betweene him, and his workes, they are his workmanship and all his creatures, and servicable at his disposing, and he as their Lord disposeth and ordereth all, and so much of necessitie must be knowne in generall, to lay a tolerable foundation for any religious carri­age, and deportment of a man towards God.

In his revealed will.2. There is an other maine thing to be knowne concerning God, and that is, he must be knowne not only according to the excellencie of his nature, but in his revealed will: A man must know some thing concerning the revealed will of God, what is, and what is not pleasing and acceptable unto him in a­ny religion; for no religion can have any acce­ptance, or be of any worth, except it be regulated [Page 29] by the will of God: to doe those things that wee doe out of our owne heads and fancies, which wee thinke should please God, or else God should have nothing, is that which God abhorreth, and for which he will requite you with a quis, requisivit, who hath required these things? we must know ther­fore the revealed will of God (to mention no o­ther thing) in the main substantiall thing, viz. that God is pleased to enter into covenant with man; and ex­cept we know the substance, and the maine of the covenant betweene God and man, in which God is pleased to reveale himselfe concerning the way to our happinesse: which containes,

1 Partly, Which con­tains, What he com­mands. In the law, Holinesse, Righteousnesse. what hee commands and requires at our hands, whether,

• In a legall way.
• Or in an evangelicall way.

1 In the legall covenant, perfect obedience is requi­red, and so perfect holinesse, and perfect righte­ousnesse. In the Gospell.

2 In the evangelicall covenant, obedience is not so required, though there be still a naturall obli­gation on man to God, hee oweth him all obedi­ence, and that cannot be dissolved, the obligation cannot be cancelled, there can come no superveni­ent thing in the world to take it off, much more is it farre from grace to annihilate the obligation of obedience, it only heales the inabilitie of man, and sets him in power; but yet obedience now though it be required, it is in another way, not in the vi­gour of perfection, of obedience, but so as that all per­fection of obedience is made up by the addition of [Page 30] two other things which the legall covenant was ignorant of, and that is,

1 Faith in Christ, that what I come short of in my owne performance, and so could not satisfie the Law or God, and the Justice of God, I there­fore goe out of my selfe to finde it in another, and lay my confidence on another, who hath paid the price for my happinesse, and made up what was wanting in me: obedience is now supplied by faith which is evangelicall, and which the law knew not of before.

2 Obedience is now made up by repentance, that though a man doth not keepe a constant tenour of exact and rigourous obedience, yet there comes in a supplie of that in another evangelicall way, ma­king it whole by repentance, by sorrowing and mourning for those failings, and walking humbly before God, the same obedience is required as much as before, but the rigour is not exacted: but God is pleased to accept of repentance such as may proceed from faith, so that now our obe­dience is supplied by repentance, for out failings in the exactnesse of it: Now I speak of these things only as things to bee knowne and believed, the the summe as least of Gods covenant, by which he is pleased to dispense happinesse to us, in what way, and what he requires at our hands towards the attaining of it, before he will bestow it upon us: there must bee some good degree of know­ledge of these things, but yet this is not all the ground-worke laid towards happinesse. Commends by,

2 Therefore we must know not only what God [Page 31] commands in the substance of the covenant, but how God commends this covenant unto us, and how he ratifieth it,

1 By menaces, Menaces. in which we know the sanctions and threatnings of wrath, upon our breach and neglect of what God requires of us in the co­venant.

2 By promises on Gods part, Promises. in which we may see what we may expert from God and looke for at his hands if we doe performe what he requires: now the covenant containes both the promises of this life, and the promises of a better life: These things all belong to the substance of the covenant betweene God and man, and containe the way by which he conveighs happinesse unto us, and there­fore must be knowne; but I speak only of know­ledge in the act.

2 Now lest there should bee any thing want­ing in the branch of knowledge, Divine things. I adde this to make a supply of it: only to mention it therefore and so to passe; There must be the knowledge of Divine things.

The knowledge of God in his nature and in his will, and of divine things that pertaine to these, that have a necessary connexion with these.

2 Faith in God: Faith assent. there must bee a liking in the understanding: a man hath an apprehension of these things, but a bare apprehension of these things is not sufficient, but it must bee an appre­hension and knowledge joyned with faith; believ­ing and assenting to those things wee doe appre­hend: a man may know something (suppose con­cerning [Page 32] heaven) that another man may tell him, but hee may believe it no more than a fable; or hee may be able to discourse and describe it as well as another, but if so be a man yeelds an assent or beliefe unto it, so as he conceives a realitie in the thing, and a substance, so as it is not fabular and imaginary, but reall, this is faith: when the mind of man closeth, and assenteth, and consenteth unto it: I meane no more here by faith then an assent, though I know it comprehends more then this, which is the reason of the mistake of many Di­vines, and of the diversitie of opinions that is a­mong them, and so of their contradictions one of another; I say, the not cleare observing of the use of the word: but every one understands the word in his owne sense, and so takes up opinions according to his owne mind, and so makes con­tradictions, which oftentimes, are about matter of words: now I say, faith comprehends not on­ly the act of the understanding, but the act of the will too, so as the will doth imbrace and adhere and cleave to those truths, which the understand­ing conceives: and not only imbracing meerely by the assent to the truth of it, but by closing with the good of it, tasting and relishing it: as faith in Christ is not only the assenting of a mans mind that Christ is the Saviour, but a resultancie of the will on Christ as a Saviour, embracing of him, and lo­ving, esteeming, and honouring him as a Saviour: the Scripture comprehends both these together, and there is a rule for it, which the Rabbins give for the opening of the Scripture, viz. verba sen­sus [Page 33] etiam denotant affectus: words in the Scripture which seeme too imply matter of understanding only, import also matter of affection: as in that place, Iohn 17.3. This is eternall life to know thee, &c. It is not bare knowledge the Scripture means there, but knowledge joyned with affections: And so in the Psalme 1.6. The Lord knoweth the way of the godly, &c. It is not a bare knowledge only, for then there were no more said of them, then of the wicked; but it is meant of a knowledge peculiar to the godly, and therefore it is not a bare know­ledge: for the way of the wicked shall perish, imply­ing hee knowes the one with approbation of, and delighting in his wayes: and that is the meaning.

So that now to draw up this, there be two things to make up this faith, this believing, this assent, for I go no farther here.

1 There is a closing with a Divine truth, To Gods truth with a truth of God, for faith cannot be extended beyond this branch, in this Theologicall sense wee now speake of, it is true, there is a humane faith, which embraceth and looketh on a humane truth, but this Divine faith which is necessarie to salvation, and the way to happinesse respecteth only divine truths of God.

2 It implies not only the materiall object, On Gods word. which faith lookes on, but also the formall respect, which induceth a man, and that is the testimonie of God, so that there is an assenting to a truth of God, for a divine testimonies, for Gods words sake: And now joyne both these together, and they will both [Page 34] concurre together in the way to happinesse: All the knowledge wee have here in this life is but a knowledge of faith, such a knowledge as is foun­ded altogether on the testimonie of those divine truths, which God hath revealed unto us, and not founded on any evidence or demonstration of Scripture, for all the stresse of it lyeth on the stresse of divine revelation.

Manner. Sound for.2 Besides this act, there is I told you the manner or the qualification of this Act, and that is,

• 1. A Sound knowledge.
• 2. A Sound faith.

For this is a step likewise towards happinesse, a sound knowledge, and a sound faith, take both to­gether, and to circumscribe the soliditie and sound­nesse of knowledge and faith, I shall comprehend it in these two things:

• 1 Due matter, and extension.
• 2 Due manner, and intension.

Matter, exten­sion, sufficient, of necessaries.1. It must have due matter and extension to these things: it must extend and reach to all those things that are necessarie to bee knowne and be­lieved: and then it is sound knowledge and sound faith, when it reacheth to all those things that are necessarie, for whatsoever things are not necessary, bur accessarie, a man may bee ignorant of them, yea and a man may erre in them, and yet bee not out of the way to salvation, nor in any danger sim­ply, as concerning some things that are not clear­ly revealed, and of some things too that are clearly revealed, as it matters not whether or no we know the forme of Noahs Arke, or of Salomons Temple, [Page 35] &c. But for those things that are necessarie to salvation, solid knowledg and beliefe must reach to all those.

Now there is a double necessity, as the Schools doe distinguish.

• 1. Necessitas praecepti.
• 2. Necessitas medii.

I do not intend so much concerning the former, as concerning the later, yet something I will speak briefly of either.

First, for necessitas praecepti, Necessarie as a precept. things necessary in regard that God hath commanded them: and a thing may be necessarie to be knowne in a more rigid sense, which is such an one as a man cannot possi­bly attaine to the end without it.

2 Necessitate medii, necessarie as a meanes, Necessary as a meanes. the want of which, and the deprivation of which, will exclude a man from salvation. Now there are ma­ny things, necessitate praecepti, which a man is bound to know; it admits of a great latitude: every man is bound to imploy his wits and parts to get as much as may be, to be rich in knowledge, especi­ally some men according to the proportion of the place they are in; Respectively. as the Priests lips shall preserve knowledge, and therefore the command lyeth on them to read, and to studie to attaine to this (as Paul exhorts Timothie:) and to get a further mea­sure of knowledge then is necessarie for others; because they are to be as nurses to feed themselves and others: so that there be many things necessary necessitate praecepti, to bee knowne: but yet a man may be ignorant of many things not necessary to [Page 36] salvation: and that I mainly intend, knowledge in things that are absolutely necessary to salvation: Absolutely. Now it is a very hard thing, and Divines have been at a long stand about it, and much puzled in it, how to circumscribe or innumerate, how to de­termine, what things, and how many are necessa­ry to be knowne to salvation, which it a man know not, he is out of the way to salvation, and not in a possibilitie of salvation, I say, it is a very hard thing to doe this in particular, to goe and point out every one that is necessary to salvation absolutely: but I conceive this to bee neither a materiall nor satisfactorie way, there be some things which God hath required of absolute necessity to be known, as that without faith it is impossible to please God, or to come to attaine salvation, and I would re­duce all to that, namely, to all those truths of God, which if a man know not, hee is not able to produce and act a saving faith: so that he may rightly and cor­dially lay hold on the Lord Iesus christ: all arti­cles of knowledge without which this cannot bee done absolutely, these and these alone, (no other things) are absolutely necessary to bee knowne under pain of damnation, and losse of salvation: nothing I say but those truths, which alone if I do know, I may be enabled and put in a competent state to produce a reall act of faith in Christ: if I do know that I am salvabilis, if I have so much know­ledge as to light me to Christ, as the starre did the Wisemen, so much knowledge as this, that will sufficiently and safely lead me to Christ, so that I may be really united to, and incorporated in Christ, [Page 37] so much knowledge is absolutely necessarie, and who ever hath, or hath not, is, or is not, in a way to, and a state of salvation: there is no knowledge but this absolutely necessary, necessitate medii, to grow and increase in: many things, as in regard of our place and the like is necessarie to bee known, necessitate praecepti, but not absolutely necessarie as chose principalls are that doe belong to the cove­nant of God in Christ, and doe leade and inable a man to the exercising of a lively act of faith in Christ: Then knowledge is sound, and so faith when it reacheth in regard of the matter and ex­tension to all those things that are necessarie, and wants nothing that is necessarie, but reacheth and comprehends all that is necessary to salvation.

Secondly, Manner, inten­sion. knowledge may be conceived to be solid in regard of the intension and manner of knowledge: now I will expresse that briefly in two things, It must be

• 1. Substantiall, penetrative.
• 2. Operative, effectuall.

First, it is a substantiall knowledge, Substantiall penetrative. that is a solid knowledge: a man may have a superficiall know­ledge of some divine truths, which is so farre from sinking into the heart, that it doth not soake into the braine, but only swimes on it: a man may have a little darke, and obscure glimmering of things, but they cannot sinke in deeply, nor are solid, whereby hee may apprehend and compre­hend the depth of them: Now such a knowledge as that is a man may have, and it may bee no way beneficiall to him, doe him no good, nor be any way usefull to him towards the way to happinesse [Page 38] and salvation: such a fleetie swimming knowledge a man may have, but 'tis not solid, unlesse it bee substantiall.

Effectuall ope­rative.Secondly, as it is substantiall, so it is effectuall: and if this be defective I cannot conceive it to bee solid: for as for my owne part, I could never com­prehend that which Divines have gone about, to be able to put a characteristicall difference in the nature Of knowledge, that a man may bee able to say such a knowledge is, and such a knowledge is not a saving knowledge, but only as I use to ex­presse it in this similitude (which seemes very fit) in the sunne: the Sunn is the most glorious bodie which is in the heavens, but the Moone hath the next degree to the Sunn in appearance, yet accor­ding to the rules of art, many starres exceed the sunne in magnitude, but the Moone hath only the advantage of neerenesse to the earth, which doth make it appeare so great: but yet though the Sun be the more glorious light, and the Moone some­what a faint, and weake light, which a man may behold, whereas hee cannot the Sunne: yet this light of the Moone hath this peculiar propertie, which he doth more than the Sunne (I speake by way of supposition) the reciprocall ebbing and flowing of the Sea depends on the change of the Moone, and the Moone which is the weaker light, hath a peculiar propertie in regard of its in­fluence on those bodies that are humid, so as that all watry bodies here below depend more on the light of the Moone, then on the light of the Sunne: Now to apply the comparison, for I [Page 39] stand not much to confirme or deny much the philosophicall distinctions; There may be as ex­cellent light which may not be saving, for I cannot difference it in light: a wicked man may be a great Rabbine, and understand Divine things with a glo­rious eye like the Sunne; and there is no characte­risticall difference in it, but it is the influence of it on those lower bodies, as the Moone hath the greater influence, though it be the weaker light: So knowledge let it be what it will, if it be good and saving, it hath an influence on the soule. There may bee a great deale of knowledge which is not vitall and practicall; which carrieth not the heart and affections along with it, and they that have it, have not saving knowledge, but they that have the least degree of knowledge, so it bee such as hath an influence to draw the heart and af­fections along with it, to love God, and obey God, though it bee I say in a lesser degree, and a weaker light, yet it is indeed, solid and saving knowledge: such a knowledge as that, which I can say it is a substantiall and a penetrative know­ledge, that it doth not swim in the braine, but that it doth comprehend those things, not only slabber them over, but it is officiall and operative, and that indeed is the most characteristicall and intrinsecall difference, and it is that which is indeed saving knowledge, whether it bee in a greater or lesser measure, so it be operative and effectuall on the af­fections and actions of men: this is the first thing in the explication, and belongs to the first branch viz. of understanding, which comprehends know­ledge and beliefe.

[Page 40]Now the second followes, as there must bee so­lid knowledge and beliefe, Soveraigne feare and love. so there must bee sove­raigne feare and love of God, which depends on the former, for then I know knowledge hath done his worke savingly, when it hath raised up, and wrought on the heart and affections: and among other affections, to speake only of those two, which are indeed the masters of all our affections, and which in regard of the relation betweene us and God, are most predominant, and which are most frequently used and named in Scripture (though I doe not exclude any other) for if the heart bee won, it is impossible but all the rest of the affections must wait and give attendance on that.

The Act.1 Consider the Act, there must be feare of God, and love of God: our knowledge must work so farre as to bring us to a holy feare, Feare. Love. and a holy love of God, not in that sense in which it is sometimes ta­ken, not properly a flying away from some evill which is eminent, and which we are in danger of: But it is an intentionall feare, that holy awe and reverent respect we beare towards God, in regard of the inward excellencie, and greatnesse, and ma­jestie of God, that a man stands in awe of, and feares the name of the great God of heaven and earth: And in regard of the excellent sweetnesse and goodnesse of God; there is not only magni­tude, but also pulchritude in God: hee is not only majesticall to cause all to feare him, but he is also as full of love and grace to draw all in love unto him, and both these must be placed upon God.

Manner.2 The manner, it must be a soveraigne feare and [Page 41] love: as there must be feare of, and love to God, in regard of our distance from God, and his love to us, so this must be soveraigne; and there be two things that I comprehend under it in regard of the manner.

• 1. A Son-like feare, and love.
• 2. A Soveraigne feare and love.

Not slavish, wire-drawn, Son-like feare and love. and compelled affecti­ons: when our affections are extorted and drawn by force, without any naturall sympathie; but it should be a kindly, and a sonne-like affection to­wards God: our affections must bee melting and dropping towards God, and then it is the best, as that honey is the best and sweetest that drops out of the combe: And that which is the maine, as in all other things, and which I desire every one to consider (for as I often say, Nunquam nimis dici­tur quod nunquam satis discitur, a man cannot speak that too often which we can never learne too well) that is (as in all other things) God re­quires the Soveraigntie of the heart towards him, Soveraigne feare and love so that wee should have the soveraigne feare and love to him: to feare him as some pettie thing, that is not sufficient, but wee must feare him above all things: nor to love him as some pettie good, but (although it be a hard point and difficult to rea­son) as our Saviour Christ speaketh, Except a man hate father and mother, &c. that is all relations, even the neerest relation and bond: if our love to God be not such as swallowes up all these when they come in competition, when they stand in con­junction, it is not only desirable, but when they [Page 42] come in competition it injoyned, a man must love God, as that hee must love nothing else in compa­rison, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart: that is the qualification of our affections, they must be set on God, and they must bee Sove­raigne: and this is the second thing which puts a man in the way to salvation and happi­nesse.

Syncere repen­tance and obe­dience.3 The third thing follows in order, sound know­ledge and beliefe, joyned with soveraigne feare and love, and both these crowned with syncere re­pentance and obedience, make up the perfect way to all happinesse.

It is not possible where knowledge is saving and right, but that it should worke on the affecti­ons, and where knowledge and affection is regu­lated, they will expresse themselves in action: now this is the summe of all action, repentance and obe­dience: I mention them first, and then the quali­fication of them, they must be syncere.

Act. Repentance.First, for the act of repentance, it was not neces­sary, nor is not in every state, as in the state of in­nocencie, it was not required, for there was no need of it: but only in the state of the fall, and therefore I passe by that, and only instance in the other, for so farre as repentance is a sorrow and mourning, it comprehends under it the right set­ting, and rectifying of the affections: if love bee set right, and feare be set right, then all the affections will bee set right on God both of sorrow and joy: and the maine thing in repentance (if it be right) is good reformation and obedi­ence, [Page 43] and therefore to speake onely of obedience.

Now obedience is twofold.

• 1. Morall and Legall obedience,
  Obedience. Morall, Legall.
  to the Law of God.
• 2. Evangelicall, to the Gospell of Christ.

We must obey both these, Evangelicall. wee must obey all the Commandements concerning the Law, and concern­ing the Gospell: and that I generally propound, we must obey God in the morality of them, which must continue to the worlds end: But that which I speake of, shall be rather concerning the quali­fication of both these, and that is syncerity.

2 The manner or qualification of repentance and obedience, I expresse in one word, Manner. Syncere. when I say they must be syncere: now three be two things that I expresse concerning that.

• 1. Intrinsecall characters.
• 2. Extrinsecall cognizances.

By these two, syncerity will discover it selfe, and a man may know whether his obedience bee syn­cere or no.

The Intrinsecall Characters which make up syn­ceritie as the maine, are threefold. Characters.

• 1. The Rise and Fountain whence they flow.
• 2. The Rule whereby they are guided.
• 3. The Race and end whereunto they are directed.

1. Rise. When all the actions of our obedience rise [Page 44] from a right fountaine and a right principle, viz. a perfect heart, endowed and enlightned with knowledge, and inflamed with heavenly and di­vine affections, so as a man produceth obedience in strength: when a man doth obey because hee hath a sonne-like spirit in him: when knowing what the will of God is, being enlightned in his knowledge, and believing it to bee the Word of God, his heart is brought to feare and love God: and therefore he desireth to shew both these in the fruits of obedience to the will of God, and doth all his actions out of this principle, not out of any false respect (as the Wind-Mill) stand and goe by the breath of men: not out of singular re­spect for mans sake, or the lawes sake, or their Princes sake: like as it is said of some, the ver­tue of some lieth in the spectators eye: they doe it to approve themselves to them that looke on: wee must not doe what wee doe for by-respects, but then wee doe that wee doe, syncerely; when all that we doe ariseth out of this fountaine of holy feare and love unto God: this is one of the intrin­secall characters, characterizing the syncerity for obedience.

Rule.2 And as a man may know it by the princi­ple and rise: so secondly, wee may know the syn­ceritie of our obedience by the rule according to which we goe: when as a man makes the Word of God the rule and square of his actions, and hee hath a conscientious eye cast on the word of God that hee draweth his line by it; as a man would draw a line by a rule, and doth every thing [Page 45] exactly with reference to the will and word of God, then it is syncere obedience: then I say when it is perpendicul [...] and exactly to the Law of God and the Word of God, and in reference to, and relation with that.

3 And thirdly it will bee syncere in regard of the Race and end, Race. when our obedience is elevated to the right end, the glory of God: when a man doth all out of holy affections towards God, and therefore for his guide takes the rule of Gods Word to guide his obedience by, and to square all his actions in all his life by: and then lookes up and is elevated to the right end, the glory of God: That his light might so shine before men, that his Father may bee glorified which is in Heaven: when hee doth all not for some worldly respect, or for himselfe, but is raised through all those transparent things, and lookes through them all to God: And as the stone through the liquid aire, so hee lookes above all these things and poi­zeth to, and lookes to, as his end, the glory of God; that hee may approove himselfe to God, that God may bee glorified in all his actions by his obedience: obedience is right, intrinse­call, in these three respects: and these are the intrinsecall characters of the synceritie of obe­dience.

2. There are extrinsicall cognizances, Cognizances. by which a man may bee knowne to the world to bee syn­cere, for by this only, his owne spirit and that Spirit which searcheth the spirit, can judge of his synceritie: and so whether he doth the things [Page 46] which he doth aright or no: but now men can­not imagine of others by these markes; for they cannot enter into a mans secrets, but yet there bee some outward badges, by which men may judge of our synceritie, and by which it may bee apparent to all that we are syncere, and they are these two.

• 1. A Current universalitie.
• 2. A Constant perpetuitie of obedience.

Vniversally current, ade­quate to the,1. A universall current of obedience, reach­ing to whole latitude and compasse according to which wee should goe, guiding the whole worke of obedience which God hath laid downe in his word for us to doe in these three respects espe­cially.

• 1 In respect of the Act, eschewing all evill, doing all good.
• 2. In respect of the Rule, the Decalogue, first and second Table.
• 3. In respect of the state, generall and par­ticular calling.

Act, eschew­ing all evill, doing all goodFirst, obedience if syncere, it is universall in respect of affirmative and negative obedience, in avoiding all evill and doing all good; when a man is conscientious not only to avoid one evill, but all evill; and so farre as there is any diffe­rence, his watchfulnesse against his owne iniquitie his owne evill, his owne darling sinne: hee is as nice to avoid, as watchfull to prevent, as harsh and bitter against that as any: And when hee [Page 47] reacheth out, not only to all negative Divinitive, but to all affirmative, and to doe all good, to doe what ever God commands, to doe every dutie in particular, and to extend and reach himselfe to all duties in generall, that is one thing in the u­niversalitie.

2. Obedience if syncere, Rule, Deca­logue: first, se­cond table. it is universall to the whole Law; when a man lookes on the duties of holinesse, and righteousnesse, and is conscienti­ous in walking with God, and in his addresse to­wards God in his ordinances, wherein God is pleased to give him the meeting; and to disco­ver himselfe to him; and doth performe those duties of holinesse that God requires of him: Neither doth hee doe this onely towards God, but towards the whole world too; as hee thus walkes in the wayes of holinesse towards God, in the first Table; so hee walkes in the wayes of righteousnesse towards men, with a care and conscience of all righteousnesse, in the second Ta­ble: not only doing no injurie, but on the contra­ry, excelling in charity.

3. The last thing in this universalitie, State in gene­rall, particular calling. is in re­gard of a mans state, calling, in which hee is; when a man walkes in an universall obedience, not only in his generall calling as a Christian (which may bee sufficiently circumscribed by what hath beene spoken) but is conscientious in his particu­lar condition and calling in which God hath set him: as a Minister, a conscientious Minister, as a good Christian; and so a wife, a conscientious wife; and so a childe, a conscientious childe, and [Page 48] a servant, a conscientious servant, and a master, a conscientious master, as well as a good Christian and so all other relations that God sets a man in, when a man is conscientious not only in some ge­nerall way, in a certaine stage like a post-horse; but when God puts him on particular relations and duties, he is conscious in generall and in particular duties too in all the particular relations God hath put him in: this is one of the first caracteristicall cognizances viz. universalitie.

Perpetuitie Constant.The second characteristicall cognizance follow­eth, and that is constant perpetuitie: when a man keeps a constant tenour that is not for a fit or a spurt, not like some men, who will be for a fit, or in a humour, in a mind to goe to heare a Sermon, but they are not constant, and so for prayer and fasting, and the like; but hee is constant in good wayes and will ever live and die in them: not like a man that takes up resolutions and hath many good intents, but is like a deceitfull bow, or the mor­ning dew, and so starts aside, and all vanisheth away, having no root in the soule at all, or having not root enough, as Christ speakes in the Parable, they have not any vertuall station or bottome, and so are like grasse on the house top, and therefore bring no crop, come to no perfection: there may be some affections darted into the heart of a man, which are not incorporated in him, and some love, and some affections dart out again like lightning which guids not in, but rather leads a man out of the way: whereas a constant light guides a man: even so it is in this case, when a man hath some knowledge, [Page 49] and some affections, and some resolutions, which if they bee not incorporated and rooted in a man are nothing, but if they have a spring and a foun­taine, there as it were, whereby a man walkes steadfast and continuall in a way of obedience in his ordinary course, then it is syncere; I know there may be failings, and many of the best Chri­stians may be sometimes out of the way, as you know there is no traveller, but may step out of the way, but it is as you know the phrase, animo revertendi, and so the holy traveller to heaven may be out of the way sometime, but what is his constant course, and constant endeavour, and his ordinary walk, mark that and that will be one of the extrinsecal cognizances, by which a man may judge of anothers synceritie, If I see a man walk in all the ways of God, that he knows, and loves, and feares and obeyes God constantly in his or­dinary course, and that it is his bent and trade and project and designe to doe so in his whole life, this is an outward evidence and a very good one of his synceritie, and the syncerity of his obedi­ence, which is the qualification of the third step in the way to happinesse, and thus you have the explication of the point in the particulars.

The seventh Sermon. SER. VII.

WE are on the point of happines, the last time wee came to the way to attaine it, and the point you may remember was this, viz. Sound know­ledge and beliefe, joyned with soveraigne feare and love, and both these crowned with syncere repentance and obedi­ence, guided by the line and light of the true religion, is the only way to true happinesse.

Wee have passed over the explication of the point in the particulars of,

• [Page 51]1. Knowledge and beliefe, with their qualifi­cation: soliditie.
• 2. Of feare and love, with their qualificati­on: soveraigntie.
• 3. Repentance and obedience, with their qua­lification: synceritie.

Which was the first thing I propounded in the explication of the point.

2 We shall now come to adde a word or two of the second, and that is to take up all these, In generall. and to say something of them in the generall, having opened them already in the particulars.

And there bee but two things, that I shall but touch in a word.

1 All these are required take them together, All these are required. not one of them alone is sufficient, but all of them joyned together, to make up the perfect way to true happinesse: they are all of them in their places of absolute necessitie, and without a­ny one of them a man cannot attaine to that hap­pinesse that we aime at.

1 All these are required absolutely: Absolutely. Take them divisively, every one of them by themselves, and a man shall see a great, nay an absolute necessitie in every one of them: Know­ledge and Faith are necessarie as the very founda­tion and ground-worke of the whole building: Repentance and obedience, they are necessarie too, as the very issue and product of all, as the evi­dent demonstration of the other: Love and feare those holy affections of the soule, they are neces­sary too, as the very vitall things, wherein I [Page 52] conceive grace doth principally consist; it is that which demonstrates that our knowledge is saving knowledge, when it hath won the heart, and wrought on the heart and affections, and it is that which giveth the beautie to all our acti­ons; it is the life, and vigour, and grace, and glosse of all that is in them. The actions donne of themselves, though they issue from a right root of knowledge and faith, yet they have no worth, nor are not in the way to happinesse, they are but splended acts, but splendida peccata, ex­cept they arise from this: so that wee see every one of them is necessarie, all in generall, and every one in particular have a plaine evident ne­cessitie.

Compara­tively.2 But yet if wee should speake comparitive­ly; which of all these were the most necessarie, and wherein lyeth the principalitie of these, I conceive in this former respect, every one of them may claime a principalitie, and may goe for a principall: But yet simply and absolutely, the most characteristical of all these is the qualifi­cation of the heart and soul, the changing and turning of the affections: when the byas of them is set to God-ward, and heaven-ward, there lyeth the principall: No knowledge for ought I can un­derstand (as I intimated the last time) cannot in the nature of knowledge be termed to bee a cha­racteristicall thing, to bee a notionall thing for a difference: a man may have a great deale of light, and understanding, and yet bee out of the way to heaven, and true happinesse. No [Page 53] nor actions which are surer signes than know­ledge, these cannot bee characters of being in the right way to true happinesse; for a godly man may bee (as I often have expressed it) like a tree which may have life in it, when it hath neither fruit nor leaves on it; as in the winter time: so that I may not define a tree, a living tree by the fruit and leaves, as though the maine character and crisis of life were tyed on that, for that is a thing which in some season may bee wanting, and yet the tree may be and is different from a dead stake in the ground: a dead stake wants the spirit of life at the root, and therefore come in the winter season and you see nothing, and come in the heat of summer againe, and you find nothing, dead still, and withered, and springs not out; but a living tree, he, though some time hee bee hindred for want of the exter­nall favour of the heavens, that it doth not pro­duce his leaves and fruit, as in the winter time, yet when the heavens looke faire and smile on him, and the Sunne returnes in the spring, then it shews the head and life: And so it may be with a godly man, actions are not so infallible characters a man may be a living man and yet in a sown, no action left in him: a man may be a living Chri­stian, and yet be in some deficiencie of spirit, and in some sown, his spirits bound up, and is not in case for action, alwayes in any kinde: and be­sides there is more required, then action, to the constitution of grace to set a man in a true con­dition.

[Page 54]So that I conceive of all these the maine thing and the principall, is the right setting of the heart and affections on God, that is the princi­pall, though every one of them in their severall kindes are necessarie, knowledge as leaves, and actions as fruits in their season; these are so ne­cessarie too, that I would rather decline compa­risons, but yet when I come to make the most exact search and tryall, especially of living; the best way is to feele the pulse of the affecti­ons, and they are the most certaine signe of life. And this is the first thing I desire to adde to all the particulars, in a generall considera­tion; there must bee all had; both Know­ledge, Affections, and Obedience, all are re­quired.

Must be regu­lated by the light and line of true religion2 But there is an other thing, and that is, All these must be regulated according to the light and line of the true religion: It must bee such a know­ledge, such sound knowledge; such affections, such soveraigne affections; such repentance and obedience as are prescribed, and as wee are ina­bled to performe and exhibit unto God, by Gods light and line, by the line and regiment of the true Religion: I propound this clause in the point, because it comprehends all these particulars, as you shall see.

Now there be two things that I expresse con­cerning it.

None but that can teach these1 There is none but the true religion can teach us such a knowledge, as will bee a saving knowledge, or such affections, as will bee the reall holy affe­ctions, [Page 55] or such obedience, as will bee available to happinesse; they are not to bee learned any where else, they grow no where but in the gar­den of Religion: such a knowledge as is not il­luminated with the higher light of the true reli­gion cannot teach us these things, nothing but the true religion can doe it; the highest princi­ples of nature or philosophy cannot conveigh the knowledge of God, and so consequently, not those holy affections, nor that obedience, which are the way to true happinesse, none but Reli­gion, the true Religion, can teach us these things.

2 The summe of all religion, These are all that that teach­eth. all that religion teacheth, consists briefly and compendiously in these things: And therefore (this point because I doe not meane in the prosecution of the argu­ment to handle any notionall things yet) this point would helpe mee here in the definition and for the distribution of Divinitie, and those noti­onall things that belong to the doctrine, and way of conveyance and delivering of those do­ctrines that belong to religion: in summe, Divi­nitie may bee defined to bee that Doctrine that teacheth the way to true happinesse, that is, the summe, and the maine parts of which it consists, are partly Theoreticall, and partly practicall, it containes things to be knowne and believed, and things to bee done and practised: the whole summe of Religion is reduced to this. Now though I expressed the point in things to bee knowne, and affections to be had, and then things [Page 56] to be done: yet these three may be circumscri­bed in the other two: the affections may bee in­cluded in the matter of knowledge according to the use of Scripture, for that knowledge the Scri­pture accounts as no knowledge, that doth not carry along with it sutable affections, and there­fore the rule is, Verba sensus denotant affectus: or else affections may bee comprehended under the practicall part, things to bee done, for there is not only the thing to be done, but the manner of the doing of that thing, as out of holy affections: for that is one of the principall praises of Religi­on, it lyeth in the right regulating of the affecti­ons, and the setting of them aright: So that I say this distribution into these, that Religion com­prehends and teacheth no more but these three, nothing but the right knowledge of God.

And the right affections we ought to have to­wards God.

And the right actions and obedience that wee ought to exhibit unto God; All is comprehen­ded under these three, and it comes to the same effect if it be laid down in these two.

• 1 Things to be knowne and believed.
• 2 And things to be done and practised.

And the ancient contraction of Religion was nothing else, but, Rectus de Deo sensus & rectus cultus: the right apprehension of God, and the right way of worshipping and serving of God, this they made the very summ, and pith, and sub­stance of Religion.

Now this is all I desire to adde in the generall [Page 57] to the particulars, and having thus explicated the subject of the proposition both generally and particularly, I come to the predicate of it.

2 Now concerning the predicate of the propo­sition I have expressed, Predicate. These are the way to happi­nesse.

• First in generall, and
• Second in particular.

The true Religion in generall, or, which is the particular of the true Religion, the right know­ledge of, and affections and obedience unto God, I affirm to be is the only way to true happinesse, that is the predicate: But here wee must en­quire,

1 What kinde of way it is which is the sufficient way, both effectually and singularly; What way. Sufficient. Effectually. Only. it is the on­ly way and the effectuall way, for the attaining of happinesse.

2 It is the necessarie way, it is such a way, Necessarie. as happinesse may be had only by it, and cannot be attained without it.

2. What happinesse? To what hap­pinesse. I shall expresse it in a word I comprehend it in the point.

1 The true happinesse: not a vaine and imagi­nary happinesse, not a painted happinesse, True. or the dreame of happinesse, but the thing it selfe, this will bring a man to the reall, solid, and true hap­pinesse.

2 All happinesse, it leads not to a peece, All. but to all happinesse, and all the degrees of it; both the inchoate in this life, which consists in those tasts of heaven which the soule hath, Inchoate and that more obscure communion and fellowship that [Page 58] we have with God; in the light of his counte­nance and the assurance of his favour, in the seal­ing of the pardon of our sinnes unto us, and that we are reserved in a state of grace with him.

Consummate.And also the perfect and consummate happinesse, which is to be expected in heaven, which beside and above that, which we have here, hath a more full and entire union with God, a more close fellowship with him, with an apprehension of all other good that may make up, and compleat the nature of man, and satisfie every desire of the soule, and every desire of the bodie too; there is no such happinesse here, but it is mixed with some defect, though yet it be the true hap­pinesse in the maine, in that it is the possession of God, which is the principle, and which is true happinesse, though it bee not in that excellent manner as it is in heaven, where a man shall injoy God in every kinde, taking away all wants, and adding every perfection that is compleat and perfect happinesse: And now the walking according to this rule or line of sound know­ledge, and soveraigne affections, and syncere o­bedience unto God, it will bring a man to that inchoate happinesse, so much as wee are capa­ble of here; and to the consummate happinesse hereafter, and thus you have the explication of the point.

Proofe.2 The Probation: I shall be very briefe in the proofe and demonstration of the point, because I take it a very cleare truth, without any superflu­ous elaborating of the demonstration of it.

[Page 59]First of all therefore for the [...] that it is so, it is so cleare. [...].

1 The Scripture, Scripture. as that at the first wee may see this, as the way that God hath chalked out for the obtaining of happinesse, I will propound it in a double consideration.

1 Take all of them distinctly as I have menti­oned them, Distinctly. take the particulars simply by them­selves, and there are some places of Scripture that intitle happinesse to each of these, the know­ledge of God, the loving and fearing of God, and the obedience and observance of God is happinesse: onely let mee premise one caution by the way: when the Scripture doth ascribe happinesse to every one of those, and so makes any one of these the way to happinesse, they must not bee taken in opposition one to the other, but in conjunction, and subordinate one to and with another, as for example, Iohn 17.3. This is life eternall to know thee the only true God, and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent: this is the way to life eternall, and so farre the way that it is life e­ternall, giveth a man in part a possession of life eternall, which intimateth that when a man is once in the way, when a man hath once a begin­ing, there will bee a perpetuitie in this cause, or else the thing cannot bee said to bee life eternall, so that knowledge is said to bee the way and pos­session in part of life eternall: But there you must not take it to bee a bare knowledge, but such a knowledge as wee spake of, that is in conjuncti­on with holy affections, and both of these toge­ther [Page 60] doe produce fruitfulnesse, holy actions and obedience.

And then againe for the other two, feare and love, happinesse is ascribed to either of them: tho to adde this caution by the way: the old Testament speakes more often in the language, of feare, and the new Testament in the language of love, as in the Prov, 1.7. The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisdome, wisdome as you shall see in every place, is set out as the ladder to happi­nesse; the feare of the Lord, is the first step in that ladder: [...] or (for the word * will beare both) the highest top, as well as the first step, the prin­cipall thing, so the margent reades it, and the word will beare it, there it is ascribed to the feare of God, and so in infinite places of Scripture.

And it is ascribed to love too, in that place of the Romans 8.28. All things worke together for the best to those that love God: they are in a condition of happinesse, in a way to, and in a possession of happinesse that love God: but now you must not take either of these in opposition to know­ledge, or without knowledge, for without know­ledge of God, these affections cannot bee wrought, nor have any acceptance, nor coun­tenance: but you must take them in conjun­ction.

And so most frequently the Scripture ascribes happinesse unto obedience alone, as to name but one place, that in Psalm 15. where the inquirie is made, Who shall come into Gods Tabernacle, who shall be the happie man here and hereafter? the [Page 61] answer is, from obedience: he that walks accor­ding to the rule and line of obedience, he that abstaines from evill and doth good, he that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousnesse ▪ In the summe of the Psalme happinesse is ascribed to obedi­ence, but still obedience flowing from holy affe­ctions, and guided and directed, and first set a­worke by the knowledge of God.

2 But now take them conjunctly; Conjunctly. sometime two of them are joyned together, and sometime all three: I will give you an instance of some few places of either. Somtime knowledge and obedience are joyned; knowing and doing; know­ing God, and doing his will are joyned together, to make up happinesse, as in Ioh. 13.17. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them: there is happinesse, or, at least, the way of happinesse; There is first supposed, if you do know him: the knowledge of divine things is the very first step to and in the way to happinesse: but that is not all, if you know these things, and do them: this is that which makes up the perfection of happi­nesse; the tree of knowledge and the tree of life make up the perfect garden of paradise: but both must concurre.

And as knowledge and obedience are joyned together, so sometime knowledge and feare: as to instance in the Proverbes 9.10. The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisdome (as the first Chap­ter had it) and he that knowes him, or the know­ledge of him is understanding: i.e. perfecting un­derstanding, sound understanding, which will be [Page 62] as the very spring which leads a man to happi­nesse, and put a man in the certaine way to it: there is feare and knowledge joyned together.

And sometime feare and obedience are joyned together; and that frequent, as Deut. 5.29. O that there were such a heart in my people, that they might feare me and keepe my commandements al­way: that it might go well with them, &c. There the way of happinesse that God intimates in that place, is made up of these two, fearing and obey­ing, fearing God, and keeping his commande­ments; a heart to feare him, and a heart to keep his commandements; affections set aright, and actions flowing from them; and so in Ecclesiastes 12.13. Let us heare the end of all, having discour­sed before diversly pro and con; negatively and affirmatively; this is the summe of all, even the whole desire of man, to feare God, and keepe his commandements: the fearing of God, and keep­ing of his commandements, i. e. feare and obe­dience, happinesse is placed in these. And so in the Psalme 24.23. where the like inquirie to that in 15. Psalme being made, the answer to this que­stion, who is, or shall be the happy man? is made up out of these two, he that feares God, and serves him.

And to name but one place where all are joy­ned together, you have it in the 1 Chron. 28.9. And thou Salomon my sonne, know thou the God of thy fathers, and serve him with a perfect heart, and willing mind: he prescribes that of the certaine trace and path to happinesse, which compre­hends [Page 63] all these staires to make up a ladder to reach heaven, to reach happinesse: Know thou the God of thy fathers; there is knowledge: and serve him; there is obedience: with a perfect heart, and willing minde; there are those holy and soveraigne affections. So you have all the particulars I named before.

I shall not need to adde any more for the [...]: and but little for the [...].

2 For the ground and reason therefore, [...]. two things will make it apparent; that those things are a sufficient, and a necessary, and an effectuall way to attaine happinesse.

1 Supposing one thing, Happinesse in Gods favour. that the happinesse of a man consists in the favour of God; that it is that which will make a man happy; that the light of his countenance shining upon a man, is the onely thing which will make a man happy: supposing this, I say in the first place, which we have already proved. Then,

2 It is a cleare case in reason, Gods savour by these. that these three are the onely meanes, yea a perfectly sufficient meanes to make the soder and the union between man and God, to bring a man to the possession and fruition of God, (for this comprehends the whole man) so that the whole man is possessed of God, and inflamed by God, when his under­standings know him, and see the excellence that is in him; and when the affections of his heart cleave to him; and close with the most sove­raigne affections of feare and love, and then when all his whole man is at the command of [Page 64] this knowledge, and those holy affections; to be members of righteousnesse, walking in a course of obedience to him; so as that we exhibit the whole man unto God; then we come to have a possession of God: and this makes up to us a perfect union to, and fruition of him in such a manner as the creature is capable of, and so con­sequently this brings a man to true happinesse.

I will not inlarge any more in this, because I suppose the thing is cleare: to come therefore to the application.

Application.And here be some things which I shall but give the meere hint and mention of, leaving them to your farther meditations, and so to passe to some other things, at which I aime more.

Vse. 1 Confutation.This being therefore a truth, and rightly un­derstood; in the first place it may serve for a full confutation, of all those erroneous conceits and fancies that men may take up concerning any way to happinesse besides this: The world usu­ally counts religion one of the most unprofita­blest things in the world, as appeares by their speeches, which are such as this; What is it good for? I tell thee what it is good for, it is better then all those things you hunt after: for they will never put you in a way of happinesse: but walking in the way of religion puts you in the way of happinesse alone; it is onely the knowing, and fearing, and loving, and serving of God (which is the summe of the true religion) that is the plaine path-way of happinesse: this therefore confutes all those ignorant conceits [Page 65] that the blinde nature of man, the blinde under­standing of man is ready to fall on, and to be se­duced and drawne away by, as it were with ignis fatuus, which, as some fable, drawes out of their way in the night. This I say, confutes all those false and erroneous conceits of the way to hap­pinesse.

2 This may serve for conviction, Conviction. to convince a great many; and I pray God there be none here among us whom it may concerne; as I sup­pose, none will thinke it uncharitable in me to thinke that there may be some: for when the sonnes of God appeared before God, Satan step­ped in amongst them; and there may be some that are not the sonnes of God: But if there be any such here, let them know here is a cleare con­viction, that there be many, even within the com­passe of religion, that do pretend towards it, that are not in the way to happinesse: they have no­thing of it here, they have no beginnings of it here, nor are they ever like to have the full perfe­ction of it hereafter, however they please them­selves in their owne conceits and imaginations: for a man may easily evince it, and convince them of it, if they want any of these things which we have mentioned; and much more, if they want all of them: they are diverse: to instance but in one of the branches, viz. in the branch of knowledge, which is the very first introducer in the way of happinesse: He that hath not a sound knowledge of the nature of God, and of the will of God, at the least the substance of the covenant; [Page 66] and that in some degree of profunditie, solid, and substantiall, the meere ignorant man that knowes not these things, as hereby con­vinced that hee is out of the way to happinesse: and which is worse, I am afraid, even in these times of knowledge, (though it bee a shame it should bee so, and a griefe to thinke on it, that it is so) I am afraid, I say, that there be many men, not only of the poorer sort of people, that by reason of the meanes of their condition, have no generous thoughts in themselves, nor looke after matter of knowledge, who cannot so well ap­peare in the use of the meanes, I meane, come to Church, in that they have not time to spare to come, nor understandings to reach what they heare when they come. But besides these, I am afraid even many men and woemen, in gau­die coats, and gay cloaths, yea, and I am afraid too many, that are of good intellectuals, and un­derstanding for other things, as for the world, and their Trade, for plentie, and honour, and riches, and as we use to say of a Top, the keene point of it is towards the earth, but it is flat and dull enough towards Heaven, and heavenly things: I am afraid, I say, that they have not at least a sound and solid knowledge; but content themselves either with none at all, or at best, very little; though they know other things, yet they care not for religion; or if they doe, they content themselves with a superficiall swiming knowledge, or some generall knowledge of God. But certainly beloved, know, that they [Page 67] that have not knowledge, and a competent de­gree of knowledge in some measure and degree of the maine things of Religion; these men must needs bee cleane out of the way to happinesse, that is a cleare truth. But I suppose many men will escape this conviction, and when they come at this doore, they are, it may be admitted, they passe now, and it is true, it may bee they have knowledge in these times of knowledge, yet know, that many men that have it, shall at last be kept out: for suppose it, come but to examine their affections, how their hearts doe stand to­wards God, especially in the degrees of it: where is the soveraigntie of the affections, of feare and love, to love God, and to feare God above all, certaine this is a cleare case, where this is wan­ting (as in many it is I feare) knowledge will not give entrance into heaven, they will not bee ad­mitted at this doore: so that it is a cleare case, they that doe want holy affections, and that in some degree and measure of soveraigntie, they that want these are cleane out of the way to hap­pinesse, though they have a great deale of knowledge.

And lastly, which is indeed the maine triall is by the pulse. The Physitian useth to trie the condition of the Patient by feeling the pulse; and though there bee one through the whole bo­die, yet notwithstanding hee takes the pulse at the hand: So indeed, the greatest tryall, the most visible tryall is by our hands; by our actions and conversations: they that walk not in a course [Page 68] of obedience unto God, of syncere obedience, universall obedience, perpetuall obedience, o­bedience arising and flowing from a high princi­ple of love and affections towards God, accor­ding to the rule of his Word, and aiming at his glorie: they that do not this in some measure, they are here convinced that they are not in a way of happinesse, for the way of happinesse is made up of these three, knowledge, affections, and obe­dience, as ye have heard at large: I will adde no more of this use, but come to the next, and only in a word.

3. Vse. Examination.This serves for a sad and serious examination, by which we may trie our owne estate and con­dition, whether we be yet in the way of happi­nesse or no. And I beseech you, doe not you de­ceive your selves, in a point of such consequence, look you have a good Card or Compasse to saile by, against you come to the tryall of the busi­nesse: As I have said sometimes of Scholers that make verses, though they will not trie them themselves, nor scann them, their master will: you were as good scanne your lives, as God, for God will scan you, before he admit you into hea­ven, and happinesse: you were as good therefore to trie your selves, for I say, God will say, friend, how camest thou in here, what right or title hast thou to this place of heaven without thy wed­ding garment? except you bring these things that God requires, there will be no admittance: and though you outbrave and outface the Ministers, yet when the Lord of the feast comes, hee will [Page 69] trie. I beseech you therefore be so wise as to trie your selves: Trie your selves by your knowledge; trie your selves by your affections; trie your selvs by your actions; if you find it is not so with you, as I have said, doe not I beseech you, loose the realitie of heaven, for a fancie; do not let goe the realitie, while you hugg the shaddow; as the Dogge in the Fable, who did let goe the bone in his mouth to catch at the shaddow hee saw in the water; take heed I say, you doe not loose the realitie while you catch at your fancies, and relie on them: but this is not that which I intend.

Are these things I have spoken of the way to happinesse? 4. Vse. Reprehension. Then it is a just reproofe that meets with every one, more or lesse; why doe not we prosecute this way more earnestly then? and why are wee sluggish in this way? is it not the way of happinesse? why doe we not labour and endeavour after knowledge? why doe not wee labour to raise and elevate our affections to a high pitch towards God? Why doe not wee strive to abound in the worke of the Lord? and make our calling and election sure, by adding one grace to another, one action of obedience to an­other; to scale heaven, climing up from one round of the Ladder to another, and so be going upward still? O that wee should bee so sluggish and slow in these things, that make so for our happinesse, that are indeed (as wee have proo­ved) the way of happinesse! when on the con­trary side, wee are laborious enough, and too [Page 70] much after these things, that are not for our hap­pinesse, tend not to it: ‘—Tanquam hac sit nostri medicina doloris.’ Wee hunt after worldly things as though they would make us happie: but alas wee are to con­sider, that there is no happinesse in them; this is the way of happinesse, why doe not wee then make haste to enter this way; and speedily pro­secute this way? it is the great folly of those that are negligent.

The eighth Sermon. SER. VIII.

WE are still on the point of hap­pines, and wee are upon the last thing in that point: viz. the way unto it: The point (that you may remember it) was this,

Doctrine. Thus sound knowledge and faith, joyned with soveraigne feare and love, and both these crowned with syncere repentance and obedi­ence, guided by the line and light of the true religion, is the only way to true happinesse.

Wee have passed through the explication of [Page 72] the point, and the last time we came so farre as the application, Exhortation. and in that to the matter of ex­hortation which by reason of the time wee could not then prosecute: wee come now unto it.

There is a double branch of the exhortation, according to which I desire to goe.

Particular.First, in relation to every one of these particulars in the point; to perswade men to labour to get e­very one of them:

viz.

• 1. Sound knowledge.
• 2. Soveraigne affections.
• 3. Syncere obedience.

Secondly, I shall say something in the generall, with relation to all of them; and to the true Religion, which is the mother and the mistresse that must teach us all these, for they are not to be had any other where; nor no other Schoole can teach us these (at least) as they will be available.

To begin then with the particulars, and first of the first.

Get know­ledge.1 Concerning knowledge and faith.

There bee two things in which I shall prose­cute that exhortation, in which I shall stirre and raise men up to endeavour after knowledge, and that sound knowledge.

What for the,1 Give me leave, to circumscribe what manner of knowledge I would have you set up for your marke and aime; which you know I did touch in the explication; and will therefore but briefly touch here in the prosecution of it.

2 I shall suggest some meanes; in the use of [Page 73] which, wee may come to attaine this know­ledge.

2 I will propound some considerations that may whet us on unto it: But all very briefe.

1 For the first therefore, what kind of know­ledge should a man aime at the getting of? now I shall circumscribe that in these three par­ticulars.

1 Your knowledge in regard of the object, Object. Divine. must be divine; a divine knowledge: knowledge of God; knowledge of Christ; knowledge of the my­steries of grace, and of the covenant betweene God and man; those essentiall things that God hath signified unto us in his covenant, for our gui­dance to happinesse; the knowledge of these things especially: I know there is no knowledge in the world but is precious, even the knowledg of the meanest things, the knowledge even of the basest things may be of very good use: But what is all the knowledge in the world to the know­ledge of God, that made the world; and of Christ, that redeemed the world? That is the knowledge which doth immediately conduce toward our at­taining of happinesse and salvation. Men may swell themselves in vaine conceits of other kinde of literature, and looke big and scornfull up­on this divine knowledge; but yet one drachm of this, one graine of this, is worth more then all the knowledge in the world: and therefore re­member this, that we may not mistake our scope and aime. I doe not interdict any other know­ledge subordinate in its place and ranck; but I set [Page 74] this in the highest place and highest rancke, the divine knowledge of God, and those things that concerne our happinesse in God. And this is the scope of the exhortation in regard of this, that we would be contented to take a little paines from other things to get this divine knowledge; at least not to squander away all our precious time, and parts, busily in the pursuit of other things that will doe us no good; but take it from them, and bestow our selves, our times and our wits, for the pursuing of divine knowledge, which is the most precious of all.

Act.2 In regard of the act: all that I will put you in mind of in regard of that is; that it is not a bare knowledge that I am now recommending unto you, Apprehension. which consists in the apprehension of divine things: but a knowledge joyned with faith; mixed and tempered with faith: that the understand­ing may not only have some apprehension of those things in the tenour of them, Assent. but in their conne­xion; so that the heart may close with them in giving full assent to the truth of them; apprehend the realitie of them, to bee such indeed as have a ground and subsistence: for it is one thing to ap­prehend the promise of eternall life, and to know what the happinesse is to be in conjunction with God, to have a glorified bodie, and a glorified soule, farre beyond that excellencie that is here: but it is an other thing to apprehend that these things are really promised, shall be really perfor­med by God, and so to set a mans soule to the truth of God by faith; that these are not only [Page 75] meere words; but such as indeed shall be exhi­bited to all Gods servants: many apprehend these things, and understand what is meant by them; but yet they have a root of atheisme in their hearts, so that they thinke they are but devised things to keepe men in awe, and that there is no realitie in them, to have no subsistence: it is there­fore a knowledge of apprehension joyned with a full assent of faith resting on the truth of the things promised, but in this place I shall use the word no further.

3 In regard of the maine of all, Degree. viz. in regard of the degree or manner: I desire every one to bee industrious after knowledge, divine knowledge especially: and carefull to joyne assent of faith to their knowledge, to mix and temper them toge­ther; and lastly to aime at a soundnesse of know­ledge, and a soundnesse of believing; that they be solid and not superficiall; that they have not meerely flashings, or glimmerings of light, like lightning, which doth not guid a man in the way, but rather leadeth a man out of the way: Many men may have a flash of knowledge and assent, but this is not bottommed, nor grounded, it is not solid.

Here you must remember these three things, wherein I shall comprehend all that I aime at in this substantiall and solid knowledge, which I ex­hort every one to endeavour after.

• 1 That it be so extensively.
• 2 That it be so intensively.
• 3 That it be proportionably.

[Page 76]1 To have it extensively substantiall and solid: not some catchings and snatchings at some things in religion; Extensively. here to get a scrap, and there to get a scrap, and in the other place another scrap; still scraping at a little, like a garment made up of patches: but we must labour to know the whole will of God, and all things ne­cessary, at least that are absolutely necessary to salvation, to be ignorant in none of them; in re­gard of the neare connexion, and that necessary influence that they must have in the forming and fashioning of a right and faithfull receiving of God in Christ; which will not be without such a solid knowledge as is apprehensive of all that is necessary.

Intensively.2 It must be intensively solid, and substantiall: not onely to know and give assent to all those things that are necessary, not meerly catching at one act or some peeces of it: but to joyne to this a penetration of knowledge; not onely to have it swimming in the braine, but that it penetrate and sink into the understanding, and make a deep impression there: A man may have sometimes a swimming notion in the braine, floating aloft on the top, which never penetrates nor enters in a man, which I desire we would most aime at, not to content our selves with a meere swimming notion, to licke on the outside, as it were, as it is in the fable of the Fox; when the Crane invited the Fox to the feast, he provided gruell for him in a narrow mouthed vessell, so that he himselfe could put in his long bill, and suck it out, but the [Page 77] Fox could not put in his head, but was faine to licke the outside, &c. I would not have men to content themselves with the outside, to have a little superficiall notion, but the solidity of know­ledge consists in this, that a man have a reall no­tion, and apprehension which doth enter into his minde, and penetrate it throughly, makes a deep impression that it be received there, and such an impression as may put a tincture on the heart, and affections too; for indeed that is never a perfect dye of knowledge, doth not redound and over­flow to the affections, and draw them, leave a tincture on them; and therein indeed is the Cri­sis of knowledge, when it is saving and solid, namely then when it is penetrating, when it so farre fils the understanding, and enters so deeply into it; that there is a resultance to overflow from it on the affections to inflame and draw them, that will give the through dye which is in graine, which will never out, but truly save.

3 Let every one endeavour after a proportio­ble knowledge: Proportiona­bly. proportionable to his parts and meanes; proportionable to the place in which God hath set him; and proportionable to the opor­tunities that God hath given him: where God bestowes much, he requires much; a lesser mea­sure of knowledge may be saving, where God affords a lesser measure of light: In times of superstition and darknesse without all doubt ma­ny did get to heaven with a very weake light, yet it was such that made an impression on their hearts; but farre short of that glitteringnesse of [Page 78] light that is in our times: therefore we should (for this is one branch of the exhortation) la­bour every one to make his knowledge go hand in hand, in an equipage with the meanes that he enjoyes, with the opportunities he hath afforded him by God; and with the parts he hath to make him capable; they that have more means, let not them content themselves to have so much as some have had that lived in times of darknesse; they that have parts, and better understanding, let them not content themselves to have so much as a poore ignoramus hath; it is not sufficient for them; (though the thing it selfe be sufficient to salvation, and so is not necessary absolutely, yet) God requires more of them, because he hath gi­ven more to them; God exacts more at their hands, because they have received more at his hands; God requires that they should keepe proportion.

How shall wee attaine to it.2 This being premised, now let me add con­cerning the other thing, viz. How shall we attaine to this knowledge: suppose we be willing and de­sirous of it (as nothing indeed is more desireable then knowledge, to be a knowing creature, a ra­tionall creature, an understanding creature; it is pabulum anima, the food of the soule, a soule, that is a reasonable soule, is as much nourished and refreshed with reasonable things, with knowledge and other intellectuals, as the body, that is a body, is nourished with corporeall susti­nance) but suppose now we desire this, how shall we attaine it?

[Page 79]This is a large compasse to go through the full of it, I shall therefore point out briefly some few wayes.

Two things in generall I shall onely speake, Preparatives. which are as two preparatives for all things: and then I shall add two or three of the maine helps that are perfective in this kind, if we would attain to knowledge, sound knowledge, and above all and especially in divine things, that which we confine our speech unto.

There are two preparatives that are exceeding advantagious this way, to fit the soule to stand in a good posture, to make it capacious of this divine knowledge.

1 A humble spirit: Humility. humility is a very fit qua­lity to make the soule of a man capable of get­ting knowledge: for as it was the saying of the Moralist, which is of more large extent, but yet holds a truth here; there is nothing hinders growth in knowledge more then a humour and swelling of pride: when a man is proud in his owne opinion, in conceit and apprehension of his owne wisdome; he is uncapable of learning any thing; he lets slip the meanes and opportunities which otherwise he might have, onely upon a vaine conceit that he is wise enough already: And therefore as they use to observe the ground on which the Peacocke useth to sit, is ordinarily no­ted to be even by that occasion made exceeding barren: I am sure it is so here (the Peacocke be­ing an Embleme of pride) And there is a dou­ble reason for it, why he is made uncapable of [Page 80] knowledge. There is a morall reason of it.

1 He doth by his priding of himselfe, alienate God from him, nay and provoke God, so that God hath no delight to communicate himselfe to him, for God despiseth the proud, and giveth grace and knowledge to the humble, and the secrets of the Lord are with those that feare him: he will communicate himselfe to the humble spirit; and he will withdraw himselfe from the proud spirit; he sils the humble spirit with knowledge, but those that are wise in their owne conceits, he sends them away empty.

2 There is a naturall cause of it: it hinders a man from using any means, or from profiting by any meanes; it hinders a man from receiving any thing that is dropt into him: a proud man is a na­turall barre or hinderance to his owne know­ledge, or from receiving any knowledge: and therefore, as I have sometime noted in another case, which is appliable here; you know, in a dish, there is an inside of it which is hollow, and an outside which is convex; now if you would powre any thing in it, you must not powre it on the outside which is convex, for that convex su­perficies, by reason of its convexity, can hold nothing, but all runs over: But if you powre any thing in the inside, it will hold just according to its proportion, as you can powre in; the hum­ble spirit is like the concave and hollow of the dish, that is empty by reason of his humility, and so is capacious of any thing which God in the use of the meanes shall be pleased to powre in it, [Page 81] it hath emptinesse, and can hold it: but now the proud spirit is like the convex superficies, and e­very thing is but spilt that is powred on it; for there is no hollownesse, no concave, no capaci­ousnesse to hold it. And as it is in the familiar si­militude of the mountaines and the valleyes; the raine fals on the mountaines, and makes it nothing fruitfull, because all the raine by reason of the proclivity, and the height of the moun­taine, slips and slides down from the mountaine, and the mountaine shelves it off (as it were) from its selfe: and not onely casts off the raine, but it selfe also (at least the best of it selfe) with the raine; and so much more fattens the lower grounds, so that the valleyes have not onely the fruitfulnesse that comes by the raine, but also that which comes by the soile which fals on them from the hils by the raine: And truly it is the valley, the lowly spirit that is made capable of any thing; but the lofty spirit drives all from it selfe, and so makes it selfe uncapable to receive any thing, and unfit to attaine any thing: And therefore if we would get knowledge, attaine to this first step in the ladder that reacheth to happi­nesse, we must take heed of pride: the proud lofty spirit is not in the way to attaine know­ledge, nor in any way to profit by the meanes which might be good for that purpose; but the humble spirit that findes an emptinesse in it selfe, an hungering and thirsting after knowledge, such a spirit is fittest to gaine by all advantages and all opportunities, and so consequently to attaine to [Page 82] knowledge: So that this is the first qualification to attaine knowledge, humility.

Ingenuity of spirit.2 Another preparative is ingenuity of spirit; that is an excellent preparing qualification to at­taine knowledge, and profiting by the meanes of knowledge: A man that is of an ingenuous spi­rit will interpret what I meane by that; though at the first those that are not learned understand it not; yet that all may, I comprehend in it these two things.

1 A man must be free from partiality and prejudice.

2 And a man must be full of an estimacie, and good opinion, and good affection toward know­ledge.

And such ingenuity of spirit prepares a man exceedingly for thriving by the meanes of knowledge, and so for attaining the thing it selfe.

Freedome from partiality and prejudice.1 For the former freedome from prejudice and partiality; that is necessary, for if a man be par­tially-minded, it will hinder him in profiting by the meanes of knowledge: as for example; such partiality whereby one esteemes of men, and so that he disesteeme all others; perhaps this man may get a little by that man whom he doth esteeme, but loose a great deale for it by reason of his partiality: and why? because he cannot alway heare one, he therefore never comes to heare any other: and if he doth, his partiality choakes the benefit: And so for prejudice, to come with a prejudicate opinion to the hearing [Page 83] of any man, or the reading of any thing, to have the mind possessed and anticipated with preju­dice, it will hinder a man from attaining to that knowledge which otherwise he might gaine by that man, or that thing: As if a man now have a fault in his eyes, it will hinder him from seeing any thing which is before his eyes; or suppose they be muffled, or hudwinked (although he hath a power of seeing, yet being hudwinkt) he cannot see: A man blindfolds himselfe with pre­judice from seeing that which he might see: And therefore if we would get knowledge, and thrive by those meanes that tend that way; a man should lay this preparation of an ingenuous spi­rit, being free from prejudice: gold is gold where ever you finde it; and truth is truth from whomsoever I take it; If a blinde man give me gold, it is gold; and where ever I finde it, (al­though in the dunghill) yet the pearle hath his price still: and so by whatsoever meanes the thing is conveighed to me (if I be not partially minded) the thing doth not loose the worth, or the use: It is daintinesse of spirit, that a man will not receive knowledge except he may chuse the party by whom, or the meanes by which he may receive it: A man must therefore be free from partiality in this case; a hungry stomacke will never refuse meat because it is in an earthen dish; a cloyed stomacke indeed is squemish; but yet I say, if a man be put on it, and hungry, he will not refuse a good messe, because it is not in a golden dish, or a silver dish, &c. That is the first [Page 84] thing therefore in this preparative, ingenuitie of spirit, by being free from partialitie, and prejudice.

Full of,There is yet (as I said) an other thing in this ingenuitie of spirit, as the minde should bee free from these things, so it should be full of another thing, Estimation. Affection. viz. estemacie, and good affection of know­ledge: a man must come to the use of the meanes by which we may get knowledge with a good o­pinion and estimation of the excellencie of know­ledge: it was the Orators expression, if a man bee [...] he shall in time bee [...], if a man have a good opinion and estimation of know­ledge, and so that his affections are strongly bent towards it, it is strange what a man may doe, his good affection towards it, and good estimation of it, will worke out those difficul­ties, and overcome those dangers, that may hinder his attaining to it. They tell of that great Orator of Athens, the Prince of facul­faculties, Socrates, that hee had as many difficul­ties and impediments to hinder him from attain­ing to eloquence as ever any had; hee could not so much as speake plaine the first letter of his art, hee could not pronounce it, having a defect in his tongue; yet hee had so high an o­pinion of eloquence, that in the strength there­of he went through all those difficulties, that he became the greatest in that facultie: And this is that which Salomon intends, in Proverbs [...].1. where hee describes wisdome to keepe an open house, that so men may come to esteeme wis­dome, [Page 85] and to have an high account of it, to love and affect it; and prescribes that as a soveraigne way for the attaining and getting of it: these are the preparatives.

2 Now for the perfections, Perfection. that will come in upon these, as the maine and principall things, (for those be not expressed here, but as the first tincture to give the farther dye, but to prepare the thing for it, to prepare the minde for know­ledge) but the maine and principall things for the gaining of knowledge are three; which I will mention, and but mention them.

If a man have therefore,

• 1. Conscience.
• 2. Diligence.
• 3. Prudence

These are the three maine things, that may, Be conscien­tious. and doe advance knowledge, by any, yea by all the meanes of knowledge.

A man that is conscientious, hee waits on the meanes of knowledge, that hee may come to know, not because he would know for curiositie, but that hee may know in conscience, that hee may bee able to direct his owne wayes, and in­crease his owne parts, that so, hee may bee a meanes to edifie others, and advance Gods glo­rie: he that conscientiously desires his knowledge for the true scope and end of knowledge; which is to doe himselfe and others good, hee is the best qualified man for the attaining of know­ledge; and hee may most confidently expect Gods blessing on it; for God will bestow, and [Page 86] multiply his talents on those, who will consci­entiously imploy them; as you have it in the Parable.

Be diligent.2 And againe (for I must but touch things now) diligence is another maine thing: there is no thing in the world that will bee attained to without labour, Dii labore omnia vendunt, wee must purchase all by labour, for, [...], & [...], [...] where there is an excellency, there is a great difficultie; pearles are not so easily pur­chased; there must bee a great deale of digging and delving to finde gold and silver, and a great deale of refining of it after it is found: and so it is for knowledge; if a man will bee willing to save his labour, he must not looke to have the thing he longs for, and which we speake of: hee must not thinke to lye gaping with his mouth open, snorting and sleeping, and thinke that knowledg will drop into his mouth, in such a negligent and lazie posture, it is an unreasonable thing to thinke it: wee must doe our endeavour, use our diligence if we will have it: To give but a touch of this in some things.

Allow time for it.1 Be diligent thus farre, to allow time for it: there is a time for every thing, and every thing must have a time; if we will allow no time for searching after knowledge of divine things (for of that we speake) never afford our selves time, never but grudge at every scrap of time, and thinke all is lost that is spent that way, as he said, [...], wherefore is this lost, when she powred out her ointment on our Saviours feet: [Page 87] if we thus thinke, it is no wonder if wee doe not attaine to knowledge: we can bestowe any time on the world, and on worldly things, and not grudge at it, but grumble at every houre and minute, and thinke all is lost, at least too long, that wee bestow for getting knowledge; but these cannot stand together, for there must bee time allowed to every thing; and if wee will not bee content to allow time, wee must not, nay, cannot hope to attaine any thing.

2 Imploy your parts: Imploy your parts. wee must imploy and use those parts that we have, and set them a worke if wee would attaine this knowledge: if men will use their best gifts, and stretch them at the highest straine for other things, and never bend his gifts and use his wits in searching into divine things, searching in the Word of God, and waiting on the ordinances of God, it is no won­der if we misse of this divine knowledge: I say, if a man doe not imploy his parts, and put out his strength of wit and memorie setting them a worke for the gaining of, and attaining to know­ledge, it can never be that ever he should have it. We must therefore imploy our parts, that is ano­ther thing.

3 We must bee diligent not only in allowing time, and in using our parts this way: Improve the meanes. but also in labouring to thrive by all the meanes and oppor­tunities that wee have: The foole hath a precious price in his hand, but knowes not how to use it: if wee let slip so many golden opportunities that we have, letting them to runne like water be­sides [Page 88] the Mill, driving no trade of knowledge with them, making no use of them, for that purpose, we may soone loose all the benefit of those meanes wee have: it is admirable to thinke, how under the dropping of the pipe a man should be drie, how that under the conti­nuall meanes of grace, a man may continue in deepe ignorance: it is admirable I say to thinke that it should bee so, but yet if a man doe not allow time, nor imploy his parts, nor make use of the meanes both publike and private, that God hath bestowed on us, it will bee so: I say, if a man make no use of these meanes that hee hath publikely, which are now so rich, and so plentifull, that Mannah fals daily about our Tents as it were, that if a man would but vouchsafe to step out of his doore, and carrie his Omer in his hand, Publike. hee may fill it every day: but if men will not vouchsafe the gather­ing of it, never attend on the posts of the doores of wisdome, never make use of the meanes of grace that God offereth, but will bee as chil­dish, and as foolish, as those that goe to the Market, they goe there for some businesse, but when they come there (like fooles) they goe see this gay thing, and the other gaudie thing, and so forget utterly their arrand, and goe home againe without it: if men and woemen, I say, will doe so, (as I feare too many doe) come to Gods House to see and to bee seene, to see this gew-gaw, and the other gay thing, this womans dresse, and the other womans [Page 89] fashion; to prattle with this partie, and gape and looke on the other, and so let all fall besides them, without minding what they heare, either to know or remember it: they may have ex­cellent meanes, but yet they will never make any advantage of them. A man therefore that would thrive and increase in knowledge, must make precious account and use of the meanes; hee must resolve thus much at least to lay up some thing out of every opportunitie that hee hath; to keepe a stocke of knowledge, and adde little to little; hee must labour to learne something this day; and something the next day, and so to treasure up something out of all opportunities at least.

And not onely this for the publike; Private: but a man must labour to doe something in private; hee must bee content likewise to use some di­ligence in private. I doe not speake now of a Scholasticall, much lesse of a Monasticall seque­string of a mans selfe, leaving all other im­ployments, and so make the plow stand still in all other trades, to drive on this: I know there is a difference of persons, and imploy­ments, and conditions in the Church of God, and in the Common-wealth, and there is a use, and we have need of all these: but yet there is one generall trade that every one should drive, viz. the trade for heaven, and so for matter of divine knowledge, to get skill and to furnish himselfe with it; it is a thing (I say) that ge­nerally belongs to all, bee they of what trade, [Page 90] or profession they will: they must if ever they will looke to come to happinesse, if they bee of God, and would enjoy God, and bee in­deed Christians, they must looke after these things that tend and conduce this way, that is a generall thing that belongs to all. And therfore I conceive this is one of the maine impediments, why men who live under the meanes both pub­like and private, and yet alasse, die of poore e­states, and leave but little that appeareth of any stocke, or advantage that they have made under these meanes of knowledge; I say one of the maine reasons is, not onely because they doe neglect to attend the publike, or if they at­tend it, it is for some other end and purpose, not with a minde to grow and increase in the knowledge and grace of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, to increase and adde to their stocke of knowledge, but as the saying is, In parabola Ovis Capras quarunt: i. e. come for some other end: but it is not onely the neglect of the publike, I say, for suppose a man doe attend on it, and bend his eares to goe along diligently to heare and understand the thing that a man heares, and so to advantage himselfe in knowledge, labouring also to revit and fasten in his memorie those things hee heares and under­stands, that they slip not out, locking up all those doores that might let it out, as his eyes from gazing up and downe, and his eares from listning to other matters, and so stopping as it were, all the chincks, that his memorie may [Page 91] hold and keepe it fast: yet I say for all this, (I would have you marke it) if men will doe no­thing at all in private, being gone out of the House of God in publike, never meditate on that which hee hath heard; never chew the cud as it were; never rowle that sweet bit hee had in his mouth, never chafe it by private meditati­on, so as to make a full impression on his un­derstanding, and so more strongly locking it up in his memorie: if a man, I say, will take no paines in private, it is impossible that hee who comes out of businesse up to the eares (as wee say) thicke and threefold, and as soone as ever hee goeth out, plungeth himselfe up head and eares in the same businesse againe, and will give no rest for to ruminate on, and digest what he hath heard, it is I say, impossible hee should adde any thing to his knowledge: a man must therefore bee so diligent for to attaine know­ledge, as to adde some private meanes to the publike, and not bee like a childe alwayes, to eate no more then is put into his mouth with a spoone, from the mouths and hands of them whose lips should preserve knowledge; but himselfe must feed at home, and spend some time, imploy his parts in some sort, accor­ding to his condition and vocation, (so much as hee can well bestow) to increase his knowledge: for otherwise if men doe not adde some pri­vate diligence, it is impossible that a meere houre spent here should doe him much good, (if any at all) especially when hee comes full [Page 92] into the Church, and slips out presently falling on his old thoughts, and so goe on in them, never remembring, nor understanding any thing: so that all that was spoken to him in the Church is like prints made in water, as you know, a man may draw a thousand prints in the water, but as soon as over the finger is off, all is out: So wee may draw prints on men here in publike, but as soone as ever they are gone (unlesse they adde private meditation) there is no more footsteps, or signes of it, then is of prints on the water; and so in this respect, there is no impression made at all, and therefore no advantage of knowledge.

There is another thing also besides this: as they that would have knowledge, must have conscience to desire it for the true end, which is to doe themselves good, and steere their owne course aright; as also to advance Gods glorie, labouring by their knowledge to doe good to others, and so are in a good capacitie of knowledge: And adde to this, they must have diligence; which is another good capa­citie for the attaining of knowledge, for the hand of the diligent maketh rich, and even in this kind of riches too.

3 So in the next place, there is another thing which is of extraordinary importance, and a ve­ry large Spheare and compasse, yea, so large that I doe not dare to enter into it, and that is prudence: Prudence▪ It may seeme a strange thing (but yet you know it is ordinary in all other things) [Page 93] some men will goe as farre with a little, as some others with ten times as much; and all is by reason of prudent managing: a man may per­haps bestow more time, and use more diligence for getting knowledge then another, and yet never attaine as much as hee, in respect of his naturall parts: but suppose an equalitie, not onely in the qualification of parts, but also in the parts of nature (for some men by reason of their naturall abilities may attaine more know­ledge in an houre, than others in a weeke, by reason of their dulnesse of minde, and weak­nesse of memorie) but set them I say at equall; and you shall see that a man that hath prudence, prudently to order that little time which hee spends to attaine to knowledge, with a wise car­riage and good discretion, to make choise of those wayes and that meanes, by which he may most thrive and advantage himselfe in know­ledge, this prudent ordering of his time and paines, may bee, and is as much, and of as great importance as a great deale of businesse; a man may be as busie as others, and yet gaine nothing, by reason that hee wants prudence: Re­member this therefore, if wee would attaine to knowledge, wee must labour for prudence, pru­dently to make choise of what wee heare, and what wee read, to make choise of those that will most increase and direct our knowledge: and not to squander away and spend our time in searching after those things, which when wee have sound, wee shall make no great advantage [Page 94] by them, though we have even suck'd and sque­zed out all the good which was in them: I say, therefore we should make choise of those things that doe conduce most, and are more neere of kind, and most close to our end and scope, and will most really advance us, to the advantaging in, and gaining of, and attaining to divine knowledge; which is the thing I intend and which you must aime at, as being the first step to your happinesse.

There bee so many particulars that would come in here, that I shall not enter into any of them.

And therefore in a word, those qualifications before being supposed, viz. that a man bee thus prepared with humilitie and ingenuitie of spirit: and will put himselfe on it, with a conscience to aime at Gods glory and his own spirituall good, the true end of knowledge: and not to abuse his knowledge, to get skill, like a mad man, to cut his owne throate, or like a curious man to hurle and tumble every thing he comes by, to quarrell and jangle in disputes and reasonings, maintaining contradictions; but to doe himselfe and other good, if a man be thus conscientious in regard of his end in seeking after knowledge, and to this add diligence and prudence in using of the means to attaine knowledge: these are the maine things to fit us and enable us for the having and gaining of knowledge; and that shall suffice for that se­cond thing that I now aime at in the generall.

3 Let me adde but a word concerning the [Page 95] third thing in this first particular; and that is, Wherfore con­sider to propound some few considerations (and meerely to mention them) which may a little whet us on to the prosecution of this course, for the gaining of, and attaining to this divine knowledge, in the way of happinesse.

I shall onely propound two things in generall, which I draw

• 1 From the consideration of the thing it selfe.
• 2 From the consideration of the times.

The thing it selfe, knowledge; The thing it selfe, which is though there were no other argument, yet there is much in this, to set us on the prosecution of it: for it is,

1 A speciall ornament, and a very rich jewell; A speciall or­nament. farre better then Rubies: Some that have a jew­ell and are in rich robes, think they have enough, and are ready to despise those that are in their rags, and have not a jewell (as they have) in their bosome, but this is a childish thing: However knowledge is such a jewell, and knowledge of those things, of divine things, as (however it be esteemed of by carnall men) it is a reall advance­ment of our natures, it is to excell in that which is most excellent, it is to make us excell in that, by which a man excels all other creatures; for what is the difference betweene man and other creatures, but onely that (although there be ma­ny other creatures stronger and swiftner then man, yet) man is a knowing creature, an intelle­ctuall creature; and this is an excellency, even a speciall one, that in an especiall manner advanc­eth man above all other creatures; nay this di­vine [Page 96] knowledge advanceth men above men, one man above another: a little of God, a little glimpse of him, nay every (though the least) touch and relish of the knowledge of God is more precious then all the secret and hidden arts in the world: it excels all the wisdome in the world, and is of more neare concernment: it is a speciall ornament.

Initiall linea­ment.2 And it is an effectuall lineament of all grace and goodnesse, the very doore by which all enters into us; the very ground-worke that must bee laid before wee bee capable of any goodnesse, there can be no grace or goodnesse wrought in us, no nor acceptance of us by God, without this: no service we do can please him, except it be a reasonable service, tendered out of knowledge, and according to knowledge; know­ledge is an introduction into the state of grace and all goodnesse: the very first conveyance of all the good and excellency we can have. In the creation of the world the very first thing that was created was light, God said, let there bee light: and in our regeneration, which is as a new creation, the first thing is illumination; for Christ is set up to be a light to the Gentiles: The Philo­sophers observe that lumen is vehiculum influen­tiae; the influence of the light begets things, as it begets the flower in the face of the field; and the pearle in the bosome of the earth, it is all by the influence of the heaven, and all those influ­ences are conveighed by light: and so all those precious ornaments of grace which adorne a [Page 97] man: the foundation of all renovation comes from illumination, from knowledge.

3 It is the perpetuall regiment of our life; Perpetuall Re­giment. that also depends on our knowledge; and the more u nderstanding, and the more knowledge wee have; the more we are advanced in that kinde, and the more we are furnished with it, the fitter we are to carrie our selves in every station; it is a very necessary thing for the regiment of our life.

2 It is an effectuall instrument to beget all other things in us: we are reasonable men, Effectuall In­strument. and the best faculty we have, is understanding and know­ledge; for, as the saying is, mens cujusque is his quisque: and the knowledge of divine things is the most effectuall way to worke in us the love of divine things, and obedience to divine things, &c. Knowledge is the mother by which all these are begotten and borne; they all are deri­ved from knowledge; God makes use of know­ledge to worke all these in us.

2 If we do consider in the second place the times, if there were no other argument, Times, there is abundance enough from the times; these are times of wisdome, and times of knowledge; Of the Gospell and it will be a shame, nay a very fearefull thing to be so farre from all excellencies in religion, that a man is not come in the way, hath not yet the be­ginning of Religion, hath not attained to a good measure of knowledge: It is a monstrous thing to see such starvelings and such dwarfes in Gods family, that God himselfe doth feed with his [Page 98] owne hand, that his plants should not grow, it is strange: God himselfe continually, day after day, weeke after weeke, Sabbath after Sabbath, time after time, doth vouchsafe us the light and meanes of knowledge, and hold it out conti­nually to us, it is a wofull and dolefull thing, that wee should not in all this time attaine to know­ledge.

1 We were borne, and live now under the times of the Gospell, which is infinitely advanced for matter of light and knowledge beyond the times of the Law: All was in darke sentences then, in riddles as it were, all was veiled then, Moses was veiled then; and there was but a little to be knowne clearely then in matters of religi­on; then was that saying true, & latet, & lucet, there was a little light, but it was hidden, and it had many coverings that kept men from the cleare sight of the mystery of grace: But now God hath clearely revealed his face in the Gos­pell, and these are the times, these (I say) are times of the Gospell.

2 Nay more particularly, these are times of the Reformation, Of Reforma­tion. of the reforming and renewing of knowledge, which doth infinitely surpasse those times that were under the Gospell too, but in superstition; when the smoake of the bot­tomlesse pit, instead of light to guide mens eyes, offended mens eyes, put out their eyes, as it were; we have the happinesse to live in Goshen, where it is light, whereas it was all darknesse o­ver the land in the times of that Egyptian dark­nesse: [Page 99] And therefore let every man think what an account and reckoning he will have for living in those times, wherein he hath so much meanes, and so many opportunities, and to be found to be so bad an husband, as to have laid up no stocke of knowledge; that comes not onely short in o­ther excellencies, but in this which is an infinite shame, and will be an infinite bitternesse in the end: and which would, at least should make a mans heart to ake, nay bleed, to thinke that any in these times should sit in darknesse, and be with­out knowledge: which notwithstanding I feare not only many poore soules that are as yet with­out, want, but even many that are full of know­ledge otherwise, not giving their mindes to this kinde of knowledge, having an undervaluing esteeme of it, and no affections to it: And I doubt that many that are otherwise in gay garbs, and great places, and it may be of excellent parts, and excellent indowments, yet are to seeke and come short of this knowledge; and it is a very sad thing to thinke of it: And therefore let us consider what hath beene said, and set our selves to advance and increase our knowledge, accor­ding to the meanes and opportunities which we have.

The Ninth Sermon. SER. IX.

WE are still on the poynt of happi­nesse; and wee are on the last part of that poynt, and are come to the last thing in it: the poynt (that you may not forget it) was this; That sound knowledge and be­leefe, joyned with soveraigne feare and love; and both these crowned with sincere repentance and obedience, according to the line and light of the true religion is the only way to true happinesse: having dispatcht the explication, and the confirmation, wee came to the Application, and in it to the poynt of Exhor­tation: [Page 106] wherein wee propounded two things

1 In particular.

1 To exhort every one to labour after every one of these in particular, to get,

• 1 Sound knowledge:
• 2 Soveraigne affections:
• 3 Sincere obedience.

2 In generall, to speake something in the ge­nerall of seeking them all, and of the true Re­ligion.

VVe began with the first of these the last time; And I endeavoured then to perswade every one to labour for knowledge.

Get feare and love.2 And therefore in the second place, I shall exhort every one to labour to get those soveraigne affections, of feare and love of God: which is the second step towards our happinesse, to bring us to the possession of it.

Sound knowledge must have soveraigne feare and love joyned with it, or else it will be of little worth, nay it will not be available: I shall pro­ceed in this as in the former (although more briefly, because I desire and resolve to end.)

To proceed therefore in the same steps.

1 I shall circumscribe what affections, what feare and love we must get.

2 And then I shall direct those that are willing, how they may bring and implant such affections in their hearts.

3 And lastly shew, why we must doe so; laying downe some motives which may induce us to a serious care of this.

[Page 107]To begin with the first of these, viz. What af­fections of feare and love we must labour for. What for the

Briefely they must bee such affections as in regard

Object. 1 Of the Object, must be placed on God; above all get such affections, that is that, at which I ayme now, to put every Christian on, Placed on God. to indea­vour to plant in the garden of their heart, such affections as have God for their object, viz. the feare and love of God.

2 For the act (to expresse that) they will not doe well except they be tempered and mixed to­gether: the most beautifull colour, Act. Tempered to­gether. the good­nesse and sweetnesse of the soule, ariseth from a mixture of feare and love: as if a man would tem­per the purest white and fairest red, it makes the perfect ruddy colour; such as that is for which the Spouse giveth her beloved the commenda­tion, he was candidus & rubicundus: The mixture of that makes the beauty of the face in the body: and the mixture of these make the beauty of the affections in the soule: feare mixed with love, for it must not go alone: Feare though it be apt to make us carefull and cautious; carefull how to please God, and cautious, fearefull to offend him; yet if it be alone, it will be ready to precipitate us into despaire, or forlorne hope. It must be tem­pered therefore with love, that we looke not only upon the greatnesse; but on the goodnesse and sweetnesse of God: that as we are affected with the prospect of the one, viz. his greatnesse; with an affection of holy feare and awe and reverence [Page 108] of him: so that, that may not drive us too fa [...]re to subject us and overthrow us by despai [...]e, we must keepe it up with a mixture of love, looking upon his sweetnesse and goodnesse. And so love likewise, that must be tempered and mingled with feare: love alone perhaps may grow wanton, if wee think on nothing but love, fix our eyes on no­thing but goodnesse and sweetnesse in God, wee shall be ready to build our sinnes on his backe, in a presumption of his goodnesse: and as the lay­ing is; there be as many, if not more ships and vessels that miscarry on the soft sands as on the hard rockes; and there be as many that doe mis­cary on the soft sands of presūption, as on the hard rocks of desperation; building on the goodnesse of God inordinately, and upon his mercy, ever saying, misericordia ejus super omnia opera, miseri­cordia, &c. and so presume to doe any thing: presuming that God will in mercy save them; I say, love alone would be too wanton; except it be poized and ballanced with a holy feare and awe and reverence of God: As a ship that is well furnished with tackle and sailes, that may give the motion and advance the swiftnes of it; but if the ship hath not ballast in it, nor weight to make it goe steddy, it is up and downe tossed alway, and the more sailes, the more danger, and hazzard: so it is in this case: That our ship may goe safe and steddy, we must not only have the sailes of love to make it goe swift; but the ballast of feare to make it goe steddy; we must not only have love, but feare, least otherwise we walke but wantonly▪ [Page 109] skipping and danc [...]ng by fits and by spurts, in good wayes, and not keepe any constant tenour in a holy pace.

3 And lastly, for the manner, that is another thing, which I must confesse I have ever in all things commended and praised as one of the most vitall and maine things of religion, and I never yet met with any just reason to contradict my ap­prehension of it, or to thinke otherwise but well of my opinion; I say, it is the manner; we must looke to the manner and degree Degree. , of these affections: and in one word they must be soveraigne: a sove­raigne feare of God and a soveraigne Soveraigne.love of God, above all things: assuredly when all is done, I conceive the word is cleare for it, that a man doth but vainely pretend to godlinesse, and pretend to God, who though he hath some kind of feare of him, and some kind of love of him; yet comes short of this degree of soveraignty. God is the soveraigne Lord of all, and therefore will have the soveraignty of our affections; he will not in­dure any parting, he must have all, the highest and the most soveraigne feare and love, he will not suf­fer any to part with him, but we must feare him above all, and we must love him above all: The Scripture runnes full for it, and I conceive this is the maine cognisance whether the will be regene­rated or no; this will characterize whether grace hath attained the preheminency in the soule, whe­ther it bee set up in the throne, surely if it be, it would quickly turne all out of doores that is not competent with God that is not fit: and ther­fore [Page 110] remember this, as the mayne, that we should aym at to bring our affections to; not to rest or sa­tisfie our selves with any degree, or with any kind of feare, or love, or any measure of them; but wind them up to that degree of soveraignty; love God above all, and feare him above all: Let no­thing be so terrible nor so formidable as to make us to forsake God, nor nothing so lovely or so de­sirous, that it should tempt or allure us to part with God; if any thing doe make a man doe so, that is his God; and that is that which hee preferres above all, that is to him really and formally a very God, and God is no God to him: if he can set his foot (to speake it with reverence) upon God, to clime up to some other thing, and make religi­on his stirrup for that purpose, it cannot be right. And therefore rest not in any thing till you come to that degree of soveraignty, to love God and feare God above all.

How.2 How shall we bring our hearts to this; how shall we implant, and ingraft these affections of sove­raigne feare and love in our soules? There is some art in getting these in this kind.

Briefely to shew it in a few words; there bee some things I shall say in generall, and then adde some things in particular, and but in a word.

In Generall by taking heed.1 In generall we must take heed of some things; and take care of some things; or,

There is a Negative act, and a positive act of care that must be used, for the implanting, and in­grafting of these affections in the soule.

Heede to chase avvay other.1 We must take heed to chase away, at least to [Page 111] moderate and bring under, and subjugate all other affe­ctions; to keepe them under, to keepe them low, Feare and love. that the water doe not goe beside the Mill; that we doe not spend those precious affections, and poure them out like sweet water on some filthy and stinking ditch; bestow not your feare upon any thing that is not to be feared; nor bestow your love on any unworthy thing, that hath neither beauty nor goodnesse, nor worth, nor any thing to deserve love: Wee must call in all our stock, and drive an other trade; and suppresse and keep all these under as much as may bee; that all may run in this channell; If the streame be divided, it is weakned, and it will not be navigable when it is cut into many rivers; and so if wee divide the streame of our affections; if we suffer one current of feare to run this way, and another the other way; and a current of love to breake out this way, and the other way, and make many little channels that will not be usefull; neither shall we bee able to maintaine the maine Current. We must there­fore take off our affections from other things; weane our affections from the world; from the pleasures, from the honours, from the riches of it; for every one of these like unfruitfull boughes, under boughes, flourish at the root of the tree and grow up to the prejudice of the maine tree; for as much as they draw the sap and nourishment away from that, and starve the tree it selfe; like Ivie about the Oake, the Ivie groweth about it, but the Oake fares the worse: as one said of the Child at nurse; the Nurse fares the worse for the [Page 112] childs sake, the Nurse pineth and wasteth when she nourisheth, and cherisheth her child; the child drawes her so much downe, that it leaves her but leane: and so in this case, if wee let our affection loose, let them out upon any thing besides God, in an inordinate way, it doth exceedingly abate and weaken our affections towards God: They who would preserve the fire which is on the hearth, can hardly do it, if the Sunne beames doe shine upon the hearth; for they will extinguish and put it out: so it is in this case, our hearts will grow exceeding cold towards God, and all the fire of holy affections will moulder away, if these worldly things seeme glorious in our eyes, and seeme beautifull, they will steale away our love, and steale away our affections, and draw away our hearts from God: That is the thing that should be taken heede of; it is a thing that Christians should alway be carefull of; that the feare of other things, doe not eate out the feare of God; nor the love of other things, do not make a damp, and quench the love of God, and choake the growth of it: we must take heed of that.

Care to chase in these.2 But then as we should take heed to chase away other things that would bee prejudiciall to these holy affections; So we should take care to chafe in these holy affections; to keepe them alwayes warme, to nourish, and to cherish them: If you would keep in your fire, you must supply it with fire; what ever few ill will serve to keepe in this fire of heavenly love, and heavenly feare, in the full heat, and full brightnesse, you must be chary [Page 113] how you withdraw that fire, and carefull rather to feede that fire: And so much the more tender care should bee had of this; because you must know that it is with those holy affections as it is with noble and generous plants, which are in our country, but exotique; and brought hither from another soil, out of other countryes: the country is not so kindly for them, being but a step-mother to them, and a little unkindnesse of the ayre will soone nippe the blossomes, if wee have not so much the more care of them; in watering of them, and cherishing of them: Now all grace, and all holy affections are but exotique plants, they came from heaven, and they descended from thence, and they are farre more by a great deale rigorous, and odoriferous in heaven, because they are there in their proper native soile, in the bles­sed Saints, and the blessed Angells, they are neere God; neare to the fountaine of life and heate, and there is more vigour and sweetnesse in them: But alas we are farre a fonte caloris, and this world is but an unkinde mother to these plants, a step mo­ther to them, though a mother to other affections; and therefore they will easily dye, if there be not an especiall care taken of them, to rub, and chafe these, to keepe perpetuall life in them, by so much the more diligence, and by the use of all meanes, that may preserve and perpetuate it. So much in generall.

2 Now more particularly, Particularly. I shall present a few rules of direction, especially to the last of these generalls, how we may keepe holy affections in [Page 114] warmth; but very briefely.

Constant Ap­plication.1 Constant application of those things, that are of force for the chasing in, which cause a beget­ting and preserving of these holy affections. As for example, wee heare many things out of the Word of God, we reade many things out of the Word of God, and other good writings, which doe conduce exceedingly to inflame and warme the heart and affections, with a holy love, and to make the heart soft with a holy awe and feare of God: Now wee should never read or heare those things, but wee should lay hold on them, and la­bour to chafe them on our hearts, and demon­strate the use of them: if wee have but the bare na­ked, cold theorem and speculation, wee doe but strangle the birth child in the wombe: if wee read them, and heare them, and neuer chafe them in, by application, to warme the affections; so that all those things that wee heare or reade, wee must chafe them on our affections, by applying them to our affections, and by holding of them to the affections, and keeping the warmth with it.

Vigilent Cau­tion.2 Let there be vigilant caution, over out hearts, to observe both our full and our wane: when our hearts are full and high in holy affection, observe cautiously what useth to raise them so, what ex­perience, what arguments prevaile most to advance and mount the soule like Eliah his fiery Charriot, sparkling with holy affection, and mounting us to heaven (as sometime a man is as it were in heaven, when he is elevated in these divine affections) ob­serve very narrowly, and marke very carefully [Page 115] what are our vehicula our fiery Chariots that carry us up to heaven; and make use of them, ap­ply them, ponder on them: And againe observe our wane and declining; for a Christian hath not onely his spring tide when affections over-flow, and carry him sweetly; But he hath also his low tide, the motions of the spirit of God are not or­dinary, rara hora, brevis mora, as Bernard said, rare and dainty are the tasts of Gods spirit; and many times a Christian is at low water, at ebb in his af­fections: observe now and marke and see how comes this declining: what aileth my poore soule to wither, and my affections to droope, and hang downe the head? observe whether it bee not my neglect of the Ordinances? my neglect of duty? and whether it bee not some sinne that lyeth upon mee, that God doth estrange himselfe, and hide himselfe thus, that the pipes that should bring in water are cut off by the Key (I meane the convey­ances of Grace) observe I say what causeth this wane, what it is that hinders, and watch against that: pry often into thy heart, meditate on thy wayes; and keepe a vigilant eye, bee very suspici­ous, watch continually to make full discovery un­to thy soule, what doth advance, or what doth hinder you in the way of these holy affections; and take heede of the one, and take care of the o­ther: that is the second thing.

2 Vse frequent excitation and stirring up of your affection; If a man bee in a swoone; Frequent exci­tation. rubb and chafe him till you fetch life againe: and so it had neede bee with us, wee had neede often to rubbe [Page 116] our affections; for as I have often expressed it, our hearts are ponderous, multum trahit de terra, de carne multum: it weighes downwards; as the weight of a Clocke moves downeward continu­ally, and if it be once to the ground, the Clocke is silent; they must pull it up againe, every twelve houres, or such a certaine compasse, they must ever and anon be winded up: And so in this case, besides mans ordinary course what hee doth in a diurnall way; he must have his annuall courses, and his monethly courses, and his weekely courses of winding up his holy affections: if the fire be out, kindle it againe from heaven, go to God, and reinforce your selves to prayer and other holy duties; There must bee a frequent excitation and stirring up of our selves: when once we doe feele our selves beginne to dye, goe and make your complaints to heaven, my heart ô God hath forsaken mee, is gon a­way from me, I cannot have the command of it, Lord restore it againe: go thus to God to fetch it backe: this holy fire if it bee out, it is like the fire on the Altar, it was unlawfull to have it kindled but only by the meanes of heaven, it must be the fire of hea­ven, not any other fire: So we must be often re­newing of our holy affections; we must use often excitation to keepe our affections in reparation.

Pregnant me­ditation ofLastly, use pregnant meditation on those things that may conduce and are effectuall for the pro­ducing and preserving of these holy affections: that wee must take up, inure our selves, to a con­stant and lively meditation of those things, the consideration of which may winde the soule up a­gaine [Page 117] if it be down; may fetch life in it againe. As for example, ever and anon meditate on

1 The vanity of the world: If the heart be out; Vanity of the world. it is because it is drawne away with some worldly thing which hath stollen it away; and therefore it languisheth towards God, and heavenly things; if any worldly thing comes within our eyes sight, (such is our nature that) it hales and steales away our heart, makes us in love with it, makes us e­steeme highly of it; makes a man grow sicke for it: and then farwel all holy affections; they are turned out of doore; and this new guest must take up all the roome: it is a thousand to one, but we find it so on such an occasion. And therefore to pre­vent this, the heart should ever and anon medi­tate on the vanity of the world, vanity of vani­ties, all is vanity: and what a mad thing is it for me to misplace my affections upon such poore things as these are: bee full therefore with all those thoughts and meditations that present the vanity of the world, that it may take off that apparent and painted beauty that bewitcheth you, and stealeth away your hearts, so that you cannot be­stow them on God: often meditate of the vanity of the world, that is the first.

2 And secondly, Excellency of God. often meditate upon the ex­cellency of God: If a man would see the vanity of the world, and then turne his eyes and behold the bright beauty of God, and all those transcen­dent excellencies of goodnesse that is in God, which are such that a mans soule is (at least may bee) overwhelmed in the consideration of them: [Page 118] I say if a man did but fix his eyes upon it, would not he think himself a starke mad man, to be ever so foolish, as to dote upon these worldly things; on those inferiour things: when there is such a conjugall, and soule ravishing beauty in God, to delight it selfe in meditation upon the excellencie of God, inflaming the soule with that, that will set an edge, when our affections are dull; and shar­pen them againe: Whet your soules therefore, and your affections upon that meditation.

Nobility of man.3 Meditate often, ever and anon, upon the frail­ty, and yet illustrious nobility of mans nature: Consider and ponder, thou hast a poore mortall body, a rotten carkasse that must drop ere long in­to the grave, and stinke there (be it what it will) and be devoured by wormes: But yet thou hast as a Guest in that same homely cottage, a divine Guest, an immortall soule: Now then reflect on that thing firmely with this consideration, shall I neglect my precious soule, and bestow my short time that I have to live, that I have to worke out Eternity (for upon this little point of time hangs the Crowne of Eternity, all depends on it) shall I now I say, that have such a noble soule befoole my selfe so; as to neglect and refuse the offer of Gods excellency; and not to bee inamoured with his beauty, and in the meane time goe a do­ting on the vanities of the world, is this a thing su­table to me? this would wonderfully raise a man, if men did but remember that [...], did but un­derstand both his frailty, and his nobility, it would make him infinitely to scorn any other thing, and [Page 119] raise him onely in his affections towards God.

3 Let me ad but a word now concerning the third thing, and that very briefely. Wherfore these Wherefore must we get these, or what may be the motives to move us to labour for the gaining of these hea­venly affections of feare and love placed on God in a soveraigne manner?

I will propound some, but according to the proportion of the poynt that I have now in hand, and confine my selfe to that narrow compasse: and so

There bee five maine considerations that may induce every one to make it a principall part of his care, to get about him those holy affections, and get them in a high and soveraigne manner.

1 Because they are the best fruit of all our know­ledge: Best fruit of knowledge. Alas our knowledge is meerely and altoge­ther but barren that doth not beget affections: To have a golden head, and feet of clay was that por­tentuous Image shewed to Nebuchadnezar; to have a golden head, and earthen affections; knowledge of divine things, and yet love of hu­mane; love of the world; the whole fruit of knowledge, and the whole scope of it is lost: God doth conveigh knowledge to us with this purpose, to beget holy affections: it doth therefore fru­strate God in the maine scope of all our know­ledge: let that be the first consideration, it is the best fruit of our knowledge; the best product of knowledge is when the light of the understand­ing warmes our affections, and raiseth them to God in some manner.

[Page 120]2 It is the next root of all obedience: If knowledge be precious unto us, then should heavenly affecti­ons; Next roote of obedience. for the pearle and price of our knowledge is when it elevates and workes in us holy affections: And if obedience be desirable, if obedience bee worth the while; then holy affections which are the very next roote of our obedience, must be de­sirous and worth the while; for from it, it issues and flowes, and receives it life and strength: It is just with the soule as it is with the body; the nerves and muscles are the instruments of motion: that I pull in or put out my hand or foot, or open or close my eyes, it is by a secret and inward power of the muscles, nerves and sinewes; by which I rule these, and order these parts as occa­sion is: and so it is in the soule, all outward mo­tions in obedience, it will bee but a meere pop­pet-play, except it be from an inward motion, a popet is a dead thing except some man move it, the wind may move it, it is but meerely carried in mens hands, and not by any naturall motion or life: But then only is our obedience right and lively, when it hath an inward motion, a motion of love, or feare, when it riseth from a root of ho­ly affections: when a man loves God, and feares God, then is he fit to serve and obey God: timor addidit alas, and so amor: feare giveth wings, and love is the most compelling thing, for the love of Christ constraineth us to make us industrious to serve God; the act of love or feare is great: affe­ctions are the best root, to thrust plenty of sappe forth, to make all our actions greene, and fresh, and flourishing.

[Page 121]3 As affections are the best fruit of know­ledge, if we value knowledge; and as they are the next root of obedience, if wee prize obedience; Only grace of either, without which Knowledge is not saving. so they are the onely grace of both: neither of them hath any grace on it, or any glosse, or beauty in it, without heavenly affections; Knowledge, (let it be never so great, never so profound, never so universall, never so cleare, yea in divine things, yet) it is not saving, till it bee mingled with holy affections, till it have begotten and brought forth them: All our knowledge without affections, is not saving; but a man may goe like a Bull with Coronet and garland when he goes to the slaugh­ter; a man may go to hell and perish everlasting­ly with all these ornaments of knowledge in his head: knowledge is not saving, except wee have this ornament in our hearts of spirituall and holy affections: And therefore as the Father sayd in a patheticall bemoaning of those that were learned men; men of great parts, but cold affections: Surgunt indocti, & coelum rapiunt; & nos cum do­ctrinis nostris sine corde, ecce ubi volutamur in carne & sanguine: that is, the unlearned arise and snatch heaven, and shall we perish with all our learning? they out-goe the learned in this, they that have heavenly affections. Though they have such a great excellency of knowledge, as it was some­time sayd of one that came to contend at the olympike games, in the game of running: hee was a tall man, and had a mighty long arme and hand, certaine said one jestingly if the garland were to be worne with reaching, hee that could [Page 122] reach himselfe farthest; this man would carry it: but it was not he that could reach farthest, but hee that could runne fastest, that bare away the gar­land. And it is not those that have the deep reach in religion, but those that have the best speed in religion, the sweetest affection in religion: It is heavenly affection that puts the grace on our knowledge, yea and puts a life into it, which o­therwise would bee but a dead knowledge.

Obedience not pleasing.And againe obedience without holy affections will not bee pleasing: except it proceed out of a root of holy affections, and what we doe, (let us doe it never so busily) if wee doe it not out of the feare of God, and conscience to him; if we do it not out of love, and sweet and heavenly affections towards him, it hath no acceptance with God, nor is it available: The heathens had many acts of o­bedience, as justice, and temperance, and chastity, and such like vertues, which were but wild plants, not gardens planted, nor having their due culture; they were never cultured by God in his garden, because they grew not upon the right root; they were done in selfe-love, for their owne glory, as the Stoikes were called, they were animalia gloriae, men that aimed at selfe-love and their owne vaine glory in doing of them, and therefore they had no acceptance with God. But it is these holy affecti­ons, that God looks at in all our actions, and which alone puts the price upon all our obedience: He that giveth but a little in a way of charity, so it be out of affection, is accepted: It is not the greatnes of the guift; but the riches of the mind that com­mands; [Page 123] not the great guift, but the rich mind hath acceptance with God: The Widdowes mite, was beyond the rich mans magnificence, because it came out of a richer mind: And so it is in all other actions, it is the root, from what heart they spring, from what affections they spring, that commands the actions: without which the actions loose all their beauty. And this shall suf­fice to infer the second part of the exhortation, to labour to get soveraigne affections.

SER. X.The Tenth Sermon.

WE are yet upon the poynt of hap­pinesse. but upon the last obser­vation in it; and at this time we shall finish it: The point (that you may not forget it) for it is the maine, was this; That sound knowledge and beliefe, joyned with soveraigne feare, and love; and both these crowned with sincere repen­tance and obedience, ordered by the light and line of the true religion, is the onely way to true happinesse: we have dispatched both the explication, confirma­tion, and the best part of the application; for we are [Page 125] on the last branch of it: viz. the matter of ex­hortation: which was, and is, to exhort every man to the prosecution, of every of those parti­culars in the poynt, which are the severall steps in the way to happinesse: we handled it succinctly in these branches.

First, to exhort every-one to labour for sound knowledge and beliefe.

Secondly, to put every one, upon the prosecuti­on of these soveraigne affections, of feare and love.

The last branch, which I intend now to dis­patch, is, that those that have both these, and have made a good ground-worke and foundation of knowledge and beliefe, and are not altogether de­fective in sweet and holy affections towards God; would be carefull to crowne both these with sin­cere repentance, and obedience.

That is the thing I shall now treat of: Get repen­tance, Obedi­ence. in the pro­secution of which I shall take the same order that I did in the former: which [...] to propound it in these three particulars.

1 First (I shall take up what I intimated in the explication: because it will bee needfull here for the pressing of the point) what kind of obedience and repentance we should aime at, and having briefly circum [...]cribed that,

2 I shall shew what course we should steere in, and what way wee should take, for acquiring and im­proving of our repentance and obedience, that we may attaine unto it, and really exhibite it.

2 And lastly, bring some few considerations, wherefore, that should put us on, and provoke us to this duty and care.

[Page 126]First, what kind of obedience and repentance we should aime at: What for the

In regard of

• 1 The Act:
• 2 The Manner of obedience and repentance.

I shall comprehend them both, though I shall prosecute rather the point of obedience, as being the maine in this place: But the maine of both is the manner, Manner. that we may understand what manner of obedience wee should aime at; It must bee sincere.

I shall expresse all very briefely in these two words: which though they may seeme too repug­nant the one to the other, yet you shall find other­wise: Sincere. Sincere obedience I circumscribe in that which is

• 1 Formall,
• 2 Cordiall obedience.

Formall obe­dience.1 Formall obedience: I meane not that which barely hath a shew▪ and shadow of obedience; but that which is obedience in propriety, and formality of obedience; that hath the very formality, and proper nature of obedience: For it is not meerely the opus operatum, the work done that makes a thing obedience; A man may come, and worke in my field, and do that same worke which I doe hire another to doe; he may come I say, and doe the worke, but hee doth it not upon my command, neither is it therefore obedience unto me; neither is it done in reference unto me, but he doth it for some other end of his owne, and it is his owne businesse, and in this case a man is not bound to [Page 127] give him wages, for hee never covenanted with him for it: And so it is in this case; there may be many duties done in the species and kindes of them, or acts of obedience; but if it be not done with respect to God, and conscience of his Com­mandement; it is not formally obedience: For you may remember that I noted in the applica­tion three Intrinsecall Charracters, Intrinsecally, in the true which did de­scribe the quality, and the property of obedi­ence:

1 The first was; that wee must take heede, that our obedience arise from the right rise and root; Rise. that it have the right root from whence it springs and flowes; for that is all in all to make it proper obedience: as now when it springs from those things that I mentioned in the other branch of the poynt; that is, from a grounded knowledge of the will of God, and faith; From know­ledge, faith. that it is Gods will I should carry my selfe so: and when it springs from a a holy feare and love of God, Feare, love. that I live conscien­tiously and respectively, to approve my selfe to him in the discharge of my duty: this is the first thing necessary in the formality of obedience: it is not otherwise formally of the nature of obedi­ence, nor cannot expect that acceptation and re­ward from God, which he will bestow on obe­dience.

2 And besides the right root, there must be right rule, Rule. by which our obedience must be squar­ed: It is an ordinary observation, that a man can­not draw (even in naturall things) a long streight line perfectly streight, except he draw it by some [Page 128] rule: it is not the steddiest hand that can doe it ex­actly, but there will be some nookes, and there­fore men use to take a rule to draw a line by: I am sure it must bee so in spirituall obedience: a man must have an eye to the Word of God, to make that his Card and Compasse to saile by, to make that his rule and warrant of his actions; or else though he hit (as it were) hab nab at some circum­stances, yet it is not formall obedience, because it is not regulated according to Gods Rule: Now though a man may hand over head (as they say) make some hasty and tumultuous doings, patch up a great deale of mud together to make a wall, not caring for a square to make it perpendicular, yet if a man would build a Temple, or stately Palace, he must doe it perpendicular, it must be straightly built according to an exact line and measure, or else one part will overtop an other, and all tum­ble downe: It is so in this case, every thing that is not squared, and regulated, and ruled by the rule of Gods Word; what ever materiality it may have, it hath little or no formality of obedience: Gods Word must be the patterne; and those exam­ples that are propounded to us, and so farre as they are propounded to us for examples: In a word, all must be regulated by the Word of God; that must be the rule of our actions, if we wil performe right obedience.

3 Lastly, Obedience that is formally right, must have the right race, Race. scope, end: as I doe it out of conscience to God, and regulate it, not accor­ding to my owne foolish fancy, but his VVord; [Page 129] so I must levell all to his glory: not that I exclude my owne salvation and good, for they are subor­dinate, and may worke well together; but the more that is swallowed up, emptying ones selfe, and wholly nullifying a mans selfe, not looking to himselfe, but devoting himselfe to Gods glory, the more noble, and more excellent the work is.

And this is that I meane by formall obedience: I shall expresse but a word concerning the other branch: It must be cordiall, or hearty, Cordiall. and sin­cere obedience, as I expressed it in the generall.

Now (as I noted formerly, and therefore shall but mention it now) there bee two extrinsecall cognizances, Cognizances. by which a man may guesse of a mans sincerity, and cordialnesse, which we must aim at: they are,

• 1. Vniversality.
• 2. Perpetuity of obedience.

I. VVe must labour and take care to exhibit not a lame, but a compleat obedience, universally: Vniversall. Now there may be mentioned a three-fold Vni­versality necessary in this case.

I. Vniversall, Extending to the whole law. extending to the compasse of the whole law: A man must not be narrow handed; hee must not be Funambulus virtutum, as Tertulli­an speakes, going in a narrow tract of obedience: not thinking because he hath one vertue, he hath done a great exploit, and attained the favour of God by it (and it may be thinke that may be an excuse to bear him out in a great many other fail­ings) but he must have respect to all Gods commandements: his walke and compasse of duty [Page 130] must be as large as the compasse of both the tables, in duty towards God, and man.

2 Vniversall in an other respect too: viz. to the whole compasse of the law a little more inti­mate: In negative and affirmative Precepts. I meane both in negative and affirmative obedience; abstaining from every evill the law for­bids; keeping a mans selfe pure and undefiled from the guilt of any of those things that crosse that holy law; and endeavouring earnestly in every good: not satisfying a mans selfe that he is nega­tively good; that is, hee is not thus or thus, or as such are; but a man must be affirmatively perfect too; hee must extend to all that God requires: we must not onely commit, or practise that which God commands us to doe; but omit also that which he hath forbidden us to commit: and per­forme our obedience in both kindes.

3 To the whole man.3 Lastly, the Law of God reacheth to the whole man, and therefore I extend it so farre: If wee would have our obedience beare the Character of sincerity, In thought. then it must reach the thoughts, and bents of the inward man; and the very inward bent of the heart and affections; it knits all together: It reacheth the words, Word. and layeth a law on the tongue and speeches, neither of these must violate Gods Law: and as by a steddy rule it reacheth to actions too, wherein the principality is, and the greatest manifesttaion: and he that would ex­hibite his obedience so as may be accepted, and accounted of as sincere, must approve himselfe in this universality; approve himselfe in his thoughts words and deeds: Deed. yea I say, in his very deeds and [Page 131] actions, and thoughts: not onely taking care of the outside to make that cleane; but to purge him­selfe inwardly; and rather to bee rich in good workes; to have the greatest part of his ware in the inner part of his shop, and not all in the fore side, on the board or stal; not in a bravado, in some outward expression of words; but in ou [...] very thoughts we must be conformable to the Law of God, and in the very beatings of our heart and affections: that is the third thing, and sincerity demonstr [...]tes it selfe in the universality of it, whereas hypocrisie comes exceeding short.

2 It must approve it selfe too in perpetuity: 2 Perpetuall. Sin­cerity shewes it selfe by a constant course of obe­dience towards God and man: Not to hamper a little at some peeces of obedience; to have some times, some good intentions; some good thoughts; some good speeches; to goe to the Church now and then; and as soone as ever a man is out againe, to turne to his vomit of swearing, and drunkenesse, and filthinesse, and all kind of excesse. Tis not sincerity to be seemingly conscientious and de­vout, to lift up the eyes in the Church; but to cheate and cozen in the shop: tis not to make a labyrinth, to be out and in, backward, and for­ward; but there must be a perpetuall, and a con­stant course: For if grace be truly rooted in the heart, it will bee a perpetuall spring: not like a poole, or some current, which after some raine it may be runnes very fast; not upon some fits to runne a great deale; but if it bee from a sincere roote and principle, it will shew the sincerity [Page 132] of it in its perpetuity: And though it bee not able to keepe that pace that it desires, yet it will not start out of the way, but be constant in it: Tardus viator, &c. the slow and soft paced traveller, is better then a nimble hunter; though the one runs far in a day, and nimble; yet the other comes to his journeyes end: and this is one of the maine Characters, of sincerity, that there is a perpe­tuity: And therefore the Scripture and Divines have made this distinction of grace: There is grace that is true; and grace that is temporary: A temporary grace for the outward act, a wick­ed man may have, an hypocrite may reach it; but time will discover it, Truth is the daughter of time: It will bee manifest in time: A man must keepe a constant course and tenour of obedience in his life, and that is a Character of sincerity; These I say are but extrinsecall ones; yet wee cannot have a fairer and more legible one then these, universality, and perpetuity; these onely crowne a good man, and doe demonstrate his since­rity.

How, in,2 But how may one that is willing and sensible of the truth and equity of this course, attaine unto it? There bee many difficulties, and many repug­nancies of the flesh to keepe a man off from such a course of obedience towards God: how may a man therefore (notwithstanding these rubbes) at­taine unto it, and raise his mind, and fasten it this way?

For that, I will say but these two things, viz.

• [Page 133]Some things in generall, and
• Some things in particular:

In generall: generall. there be three steppes (as it were) and degrees, which are very considerable, to bring a man to that pitch; and to fasten him in a steady course of obedience: as

1 A deepe and serious consideration of our wayes: Deep and seri­ous considera­tion. examining and considering our wayes, and pon­dering our steps; and studying to beat downe that which is contrary to the right way; to see the deformity of the one way, and the bents of the other way, let there bee this serious consi­deration:

2 From this wee should proceede to strong resolution; Strong resoluti­on. to bind our hearts to the good behavi­our: to ingage our selves by vowes and cove­nants to GOD, to walke in that way, which upon sadde, and serious, and sober considera­tion I have discovered to bee the good way: In­deavour I say, to come to resolution of spirit; to say, I will keepe the Commandements of my GOD: and therefore I will beate off all other things, that would keepe me off, or interrupt me in that way: There must bee strong resolutions: which had neede ever and anon to bee repaired, because they are apt to grow sicke and faint and weake: It may be for a while a man may hold out well; but if our resolutions bee not renewed, they will grow slacke: therefore ever and anon we had need renew our resolutions, vowes, and covenants.

And (as I have formerly expressed) there may [Page 134] bee considered a threefold time, in an orderly course (besides an extraordinary) wherein it is meete for a man to take up his spirits, and set them in a right temper of resolution, viz. First, wee should doe it every day: Every day even a heathen man could say, call thy selfe to an account, and consider thy wayes: see how thou dost walke or decline, or thrive and prosper in obedience, and repaire thy strength, renew thy covenant every day: And againe doe it more solidly every weeke, every Lords day, when we have further helpes to strengthen us; when wee have the preaching of the Word, to quicken us, and to worke upon our spirits and put us on more: Take an occasion to doe it yet more seriously every moneth, when wee come to the Lords Table, and partake of those seales, the substance of which is the re­newing of our covenant with God.

Doe it yet more often, bestow yet more time in meditating upon our wayes; Reinforcing. and reinforcing our selves upon new resolutions; humbling our selves for what wee have failed: and even as a horse will do, after every stumbling make so much more speed, so after al our stumblings and failings, let us recover and inforce our selves so much the more. To omit all extraordinary cases, and ex­traordinary persons, and extraordinary times, and motions of Gods spirit, and all other extra­ordinary occasions, wee must take this course of serious examination, and strong resolution.

Speedy execu­tion.3 And then there remains nothing, but speedy execution, to let upon this, which is the third thing [Page 135] in the generality, and which I will expresse a little more particularly:

And there bee but two things that I will men­tion as most considerably helpfull to set a man upon and strengthen him in a way of obedi­ence. In speciall.

First of all, Repaire and increase in Knowledge. the repairing and increasing of those former things in the poynt, as namely, your know­ledge, labour for a new improvement every day; increase your knowledge: Let the word of God dwell plenteously among you: strive more to know what the good and acceptable will of God is: build your selves up more in your knowledge, and this is one step toward our obedience.

Increase your faith and beliefe; Faith. cleaving and assenting to the word of God; beliefe, that is a good helpe: It is unbeliefe that is a great rubbe hindring us from setting upon the wayes of obedi­ence: for because wee doe not beleeve, therefore we doe not doe. But the more firmely we beleeve the more strongly wee shall runne the wayes of Gods Commandements.

Againe, increase your holy affections of feare and love. Increase a holy feare of God: Feare. often set his Majesty before your eyes: often thinke upon the holinesse, the excellencie, and the purity of his nature: thinke on his Majesty in all respects, think upon his All seeing eye, and upon his All-know­ing knowledge: that he takes an account of all a mans wayes, and all his actions: and this will worke a holy feare of his Majesty, and that holy feare will put it upon holy obedience: Increase [Page 136] also your love and sweet affections towards God: labour to see, Love. not only excellencie to astonish, but beauty in God to move us to love, and sweetnes to inflame our love: labour to see all the good­nesse and sweetnesse that is in him: and this will wonderfully raise our thoughts to love him; and that love infinitely set us on in a way of obedi­ence to him. This I say will be a great helpe: for the truth is, nothing in this kind commeth off hansomly from us, if it comes not from love; it is against the hair, if it come not from a principle of love: whereas on the otherside (as the saying was) Marti arma non sunt onera: The commande­ments of God will not be burthensome to us, if we love God: so that now the increasing, and the renew­ing of every one of these former things, wil be a meanes to set us upon obedience: for every one of them servs proportionably, for the watering of the very root of obedience, to make it thrive and prosper: though I doe not now (for it is not ne­cessary, if I would make a young tree grow that I have planted, that I should goe to the top, or boughes of the tree, and cast water there, it is but frivolous; for it sufficeth to cast the water at the root; for it is the root that nourisheth all the bran­ches; and all the sap, it is first at the roote, and so conveighed to the boughes and branches:) So it is in this case: I doe not speake of watering the top of obedience, to make it flourish outwardly: but water the root, with this knowledge, and these affections (which are the root of all the actions of obedience) and then there will naturally issue [Page 137] forth the fruit of obedience: For if these be kept well and strong: if these be renewed and furthe­red; the other will be a naturall issue out of it.

2. But yet to speake a little more particularly: Exercise these. The maine thing that will helpe us in obedience, is the very act and exercise of obedience: Every act is strengthned, and every habit is strengthned, by the exercise of many acts of that habit; and it groweth to be strengthned by frequent use: obe­dience is a thing that cannot bee otherwise strengthned, but only by meere practice: So that this is the Maine, viz. the setting upon the worke, not only meditating, and pondering upon it; and thinking what I ought to doe to obey God, but when I doe know what his will is, I must set upon the doing of it, I must not dispute about the thing, but fall upon the doing of the thing, which I know I ought to doe.

And now in this there be two things.

1 Some things must bee taken heed of that will hinder us in the practise of obedience. Take heed

2 And some things, that we must take care of, that will exceedingly further us in a course of obedi­ence.

I will but touch upon some few things in either.

Reasoning. Take heed of such carnall things, Of Carnal as will choak us in the very thoughts, when we are to goe about a course of obedience: I say will choake the very thoughts: as 1. Carnall Reason: It is a wonderful thing to see (and yet no wonder when we consi­der our naturall condition) how many things [Page 138] will boyle (as it were) out of the heart; how ma­ny foolish excuses, and how many vain pretences, to keepe a man off from duty, when a man hath some thoughts to goe about it: as when a man hath some thoughts to goe, and heare the Word of God, then ariseth such an hindring thought, as thus. I can sit at home, and reade the while, and save my labour of going: I know what the Mini­ster wil say, viz. that it is but faith and obedience we must labour for: And so many other things there may be, and indeed so many, as that they will take us off from the thing we should, and in­deed otherwise would doe: It is strange to thinke of the infinit reaching, and racking a mans wit to make excuses, some thought of other is in the way, either it is not now time, or some thing else there is alway; some disputes that reason wil sug­gest, by which wee contradict our intents, and choake our purposes of doing this or that duty Take heed therefore of canall reason, it is a dan­gerous thing to word it with God: but when a man once seeth his way before him; then it is hast to fall upon it; let there bee no cunctating, no delaying in the work for some foolish respect: Remember this; there is nothing in the world, but may be spoken against; if a man would give way to every reasoning: Is there any truth in the world, but may be reasoned against? is there any truth so cleare, but wit will find something to say against it? But it is no matter what men, or thy owne carnall reason say, so Gods word saith o­therwise: And therefore away with all such [Page 139] foolish carnall reasonings as these: I would doe such a duty; but there is a secret suggestion of my heart now, that I thinke it not best to do it, or I will doe it some other time: but away with these; when wee know what we should doe, fall on it and doe it: Away with carnall feare, Feare: away with feare, take heed of it: Rusticus expectat &c. A countrey man expects at the water side to goe over, he seeth the waterrunning, and is resolved to stay till it was all gone, but hee considered not that it came from a Fountaine: And so as there wil be disputes alwais, so there is a spring of difficulties that will arise, as indeed there can beno good action, but there is, or may be some danger, or difficulty in the performing of it; and something that may be a restraint against the performance of it; Car­nall feare will hinder; I shall have some shame, a nick name (it may be) set upon me; I say carnall feare of shame may hinder, that is an other: but we must rectifie this feare, with the feare of God, nay mortifie it: A man must not respect such foolish things, nor feare some Bug-beares, but fear God: And let that feare extinguish all carnall feare: that (may otherwise discourage and dishearten us in the thoughts of any duty.

3. There is likewise carnall sloth, Sloath. and sluggish­nesse of our nature, whereby wee learne to delay and put off; and the Devill is ready to envegle us with it, and put it into our heads; that this may be done soone enough before I die; what, shall I be godly, and holy; and be a Saint before I come to heaven: yes I tell you, you must; you must [Page 140] be Saints here; or else you shall never bee Saints there: Doe not delay, nor dally, nor suffer your corrupt nature therefore to keepe you off, by any reason that can be objected againt this: Do not fall off from the duty out of a meere sluggishnes, to be loath to put your hands to your mouth, as they say: loth to put out your hands to reach the Crowne. Take heed of these carnall things.

2. Take heed of worldly distractions: Worldly di­stractions. It is a wonder to think, into what a labyrioth, the world leeds a man, if hee will dance after the pipe of it: sometime with this thing, and sometime with the other thing; so that there is no time for any duty to God; doe it I must, and not slothfully; I see that this is a duty, and there is no excuse to bee made: but the subtilty of the world insinuates it selfe into us; drawing us from one taske to an other taske, from one occasion to an other ocea­sion, from one visite to an other visite; and com­plement after complement; that a man eats out all his precious time, & cats out al good thoughts, while a man danceth in that maze, and followeth the world in a wild Goose chafe: And certainly if a man will stay while all worldly busines bee done, a man shall never have any time for God: But remember one thing is necessary: take your selvs off from worldly distractions, do not plunge your selves over head and eares in the world: Be not so deep in the world as too too many are; that have nothing left, nor spirit, nor time for God, nor for their own souls: But remember [...], let not the world have al, bestow some [Page 141] time upon God, some time upon your ownsoules.

2. I will add but a word for the affirmative part, take care of and that is concerning what you must take care of.

In a word, 1 Hint of take the hint of al outward opportunities & occasions, when God offers an oportunity of doing him service, & of doing any act of obediēce, do it.

2. And take the hint of inward motions: when the Spirit of God, and the dictate of our conscience, doth say, this is the way, walke in it; and thou oughtest to doe this; doe it.

1. Take the hint of opportunity, 1 Opportunity: as suppose thou hast an opportunity of prayer; take heed of all those creepings, and windings; those serpen­tine tricks of the flesh and the world that would stay thee; and when thou hast an opportunity to prayer offered, lay hold upon it, and make use of it: take I say the occasion; when God hath now led thee to privacy, thou art then where thou maist freely have communion with God: Take also that opportunity, that thou hast offered, to doe good to thy neighbour, while wee have op­portunity let us doe good to all: It is not good to let slip any opportunity; that is a certaine truth: Doe not neglect therefore, nor slightly, (but upon just ground) let fall any opportunity: when God gives a man an occasion, and an opportunity, it is Gods call; and therefore let no opportunity slip: It may be now, thou hast a good knowledge of the waies of God, thou hast a good affection to it, and thou dost not act yet according to it: but when there comes any opportunity for us, let us take that oc­casion: let that wind blow us over to God by duty, [Page 142] let that opportunity make all move to God.

2 Take the hint of the motion of Gods Spirit; I doe not speake of any extraordinary motion, Inward moti­ons. or revelation: It is not needfull for me to stay for them; neither are they such common things, as some fanaticall, and fantastick spirits have, and do imagine (whether out of strength of fancy; or wickednesse of policy, I know not) yet notwith­standing the spirit of God hath divers wayes of revelation, as in his word, or upon some occasion of some acts of the spirit: the spirit of grace that God hath planted in a mansheart, that stirs him up to good: And this spirit of God doth often times whisper to us, saying, this is a duty thou must doe; and thy conscience doth witnesse with the spirit that it is so; and thy owne affecti­ons (if thou hast any heaven ward, duty-ward) do stirre thee also; now these come on thee, doe not neglect the offer of the spirit; doe not, quench the spirit of God: Thou hast it may bee, a motion to goe and pray to God, and this comes from a regular ground; and it is also seasonable: doe not lightly then extingtish and quench the spirit through neglect, drive not away the spirit, God is willing to strive with thee, and thou shalt not drive away the spirit if thou art but [...]acha­ble, if thou hast but an eare to hear; oh [...]f God wil sweetly converse with us, and put an h [...]nt to quic­ken good motions in us: if hee will (I say). O let us cherish them, by putting ourselves pondu­ty! O when God offers the hint by his spirit, take it; take that hint, I say, A man may doe [Page 143] more in an houre of prayer, when hee hath the motions, and the power of the spirit, when the fore-runner of it, is some sweet motion cast into the heart of a man; some sweet touch of medi­tation puts him upon duty, O then I say, a man would make use of the sailes of that hint by that wind, hee might dispatch a great voyage of pray­er, and returne richly laden. Doe not loose ther­fore these opportunities: and so for any other p ar of duty, or obedience, doe notextinguifli or slightly turne back those motions of the spirit of God; those voyces of thy conscience within thee, calling upon thee for the performance of duty, doe not neglect it, but let that time bee thy time; for now it is a time of winning grace; and God that hath stirred thee up, will certainly strengthen thee: when I am private, and am at leasure, then is a peculiar and proper time, and when Gods spirit moves me, and telleth me this is the time, make use of this efficacious motion.

3. 3 Motives: There remaines now the third thing in this branch, viz. to propound some considerations to presse on this duty.

To dispatch that, I shall propound but some two, or three.

1. Consider that obedience is the scope, Obedience the scope of both. and the end, and the perfection of both the former; the very top, and crowne of knowledge and affections; the very height that they reach unto: knowledge is give that we may bee the fitter to obey: and affections are given but to stirre us up to obedi­tence; and therefore we shall loose the fruit, and [Page 144] scope, and the end of all the other preparatives, if we do not adde this: All acts of our understan­dings and affections will be imperfect, if we doe not adde obedience: for that is the scope and end why God gives the other: why the Spirit of God worketh the other in a mans heart; it is all but to prepare a man for this: Now if a man be furnished with armes to fight, he must fight when he is called to use them: And so in this case, when God giveth a man affections, and endowments, if a man use them not, what is hee the better?

2. Scale of truth This is the very seale of the truth of both the former: A man can have no assurance that hee hath knowledge that is saving; or that his affecti­ons are such as are right; except both these shew themselves by inclining us to obedience; for there is a natural l dependency betweene this and the former; betweene the actions of obedience, and the root that I spake of: It is impossible but they must breake forth, and shew themselves in actions (at least) in seasonable time: It is true the tree doth not alway shew the life of it, by the leaves and fruit; (they are something separated from life) but yet that tree that doth not shew, (though it lye dead all the winter) that it lives in the spring; I say if it doe not spring up in the Sun-shine in summer; if it doe not then flourish, it is dead: So in this case, certainely though acti­ons doe not alwayes accompany us; a mans affe­ctions may bee strong in him; but yet there is more required to action, then affection: the in­trinsecal character of grace lieth principally in the [Page 145] affections: and therfore when a man comes to an inward breach, that is the worst: the externals may faile, and the Apostle complained of that, Mise­rable man that I am: his will was good, his affe­ctions were good, but hee had not power to act; But yet when there is a season of actions, and all things concurre; when God affords other con­veniences in abundance to produceactions, if a man doth not bring forth action then, certainely I will conclude that knowledge is dead know­ledge, and those affections are dead, that life is gone out of him, or else it would shew it selfe in this warme summer, and wee should see both leaves and fruit: for it cannot lye hidden, (if a man have affection to God) but it will break forth upon occasion: Obedience therefore is the seale of truth; & we can never evidence the truth of our knowledge, and our affections, except upon occa­sion wee shew it by the fruitfulnesse of our acti­ons.

3. Root of al ends. And againe this obedience is the Seale and immediate root of all these ends, which wee shall propound to our selves: It is the imme­diate root of our Consolation: 1 Owne consola­tion: A man may gather comfort from his obedience to God, in the per­formance of duty: I doe not say it is the proper root, but it is the most immediate root; for you know apples doe not grow out of the root of the tree; but they grow out of the top of the bran­ches, and yet they grow by vertue of the root: but the branch is the most proper place on which they are to grow: So it is in this case; comfort [Page 146] is immediately gathered as it were from the fore­cite in the actions, in the utmost branches of the actuall obedience: Immediately wee have but little comfort from our affections, because wee have bu [...] little assurance of the sincerity of our affections; but our comfort is gathered, and mul­tiplied in our abounding in the worke of the Lord: The more obedience, the more comfort: I cannot expresse it better then thus: A mans body is warme when his clothes are on him, to keep him warme: the clothes give mee not that warmth that I have; but my body, and yet the clothes keepe me in warmth; for without them I should suffer some cold in my externall parts. And so it is in this case: Though our comfort doe not ori­ginally arise from our obedience, yet our obedi­ence keepes our comfort warme: The more wee compasse our selves about with obedience, the more we heape up things, and doe them accor­ding to the rule of Gods word, and our consci­ence; the more we abound in these things, the more wee keepe our comfort warme: out of what feare or love we doe them to God, there is the vitall excellency of them: but this is mightily cherished by these breakings out in actions of obedience; it is the seale of our own consolation.

Neigbours edi­fication.2. The edification of our neighbour, which should be an other end wee should aime at: wee should depend more upon our obedience, then upon any thing else for that end: Indeed knowledge may be a meanes to edifie, and so may our affections too, but all this cannot doe any good without [Page 147] action: Let your workes be seene before men, that they may glorifie your heavenly Father: we provoke o­thers by our holy patterne; Some thing may lye in us, which they cannot take notice of; our knowledge and affections may lye hid: they will not have the treasure of grace, except it be ma­nifested to them, by workes of obedience, as of instruction to them, or reproofe with tendernesse of heart; our edification, and building up of our neighbour, flowes from such actions. As the Candell doth shine through every pane of the Lanthorne to give light: so our knowledge and affection shines through every act of obedience to edifie our neighbour.

And this is the way to glorifie God, Gods glorifica­tion. and adorne Religion; to beautifie that, and cast an honour upon it: If wee know, and can talke of Religion, and will be contentious for it; in truth it is some-thing; But alas it is nothing: So farre as our way tends to the glory of God, it is in actions of obedience: our knowledge, or our affections immediately doe not glorifie God: It is alone our actions of obedience, that put an honour, and glory, and beauty upon God, and upon the religion of God: whereas Religion fares ill, if men be all in tongue, and nothing in deed, or actions: If we put all in our pretence of affections of holinesse; and walke not in the acti­ons of holinesse; this will be a disgrace, and scan­dall to Religion: The performance of holy acti­ons, makes men see the beauty and excellency of Religion, and doth strongly advance the king­dome [Page 148] of God, and the glory of God: I had thought to have added something in a generall way: In generall Seeke al these that wee should take heed that we do aime at all these; viz. knowledge, and affections, and obedience, I say to exhort you to aime at all these: because none of these alone are sufficient to note our sincerity; nor to support us in misery; nor advance us to felicity, and happinesse: But every one of them must goe together; And therefore take heed of all; for all these doe but make up the way to the true happinesse, the thing that is so desireable as in the first point, that is so miserable if it be only in the world, as in the second point, that is reall and royall, if we possesse our selves of God, as in the third point; and the thing that is at­taineable to by these things, as in this last point: and therefore we must set upon this way, which will bring to that happinesse we desire.

If we doe but well weigh (to passe by the ne­cessity of the thing; Necessity of the thing. we cannot be without hap­pinesse, it is a thing no man can want: and to passe by the opportunities of grace that GOD hath given us, Opportunity of grace: to bring our selves in a way for the attaining of happinesse; to passe by all these I say) the mortality of man, Mortality of man. and the mutability of the times: and there is nothing in the world that can secure us, Mutability of times. or ensure us of any good: Let us ther­fore labour after this, to ensure this happinesse to our soules; Excel [...]e [...]cy of grace. that what ever come we may be sure of this, and if we be we shall doe well: I cannot ensure you of anything that you have; you are now rich, I cannot ensure you shall be long so: I [Page 149] cannot ensure you of your health: you are now healthful and strong, but I cannot ensure it: I can not ensure your lives, you are living now, but how long ye shall you nor I know not: I can only ensure you of this, God and your happinesse; if you have God you shall have happinesse; yea I can ensure you of your God, and happinesse in this way: and then whether I am rich, or poore; whether I am sicke or well; whether I live or dye; If I can be insured of this, that I shall be a happy man, I have all, if I can make that sure: and this is the way to it, by walking this way, you and I may attaine it: Labour therefore to get sound know­ledge; and joyne to that soveraigne affe­ctions; and to crowne both with sincere obedience: and this way will assure us of it; viz. that what ever come wee shall be happy. ⁂