against all enchantmens in this kinde that doe fascinate our 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 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 men 1. 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 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 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 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
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 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 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 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 obedieÌ„ce 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 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 â—achable if thou hast but an eare to hear oh â—f God wil sweetly converse with us and put an hâ—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
good that a man possesseth Now there be some particulars in that The deâ—rees of which are that doe concurre to maâ—e it up There be these degrees of fruition 1. Delectation Delight in it by which eternall life and eternall happinesse is oftentimes expressed Delectation as Enter thou into thy masters joy c. There are rivers of pleasure at thy right hand for ever more There is sweetnesse in it that pleasure and delight which the soule findes and that is one part of fruition Contentation 2. Contentation a quietnesse of the soule which doth chiefely depend and principally upon the sufficiency of the good that a man is not to seeke but is at the center is at rest that he can say Soule take thine ease my heart and spirit are calmed and quieted all troublesome thoughts and feares and doubts are off and I am fully contented There is not onely delight but such a fulnesse of delight as giveth content 3. To make up a full fruition there is another thing required Security and that is security For if a man had full delight and full content in a thing yet if a man have no security but that that state may be altered may be changed to day a happy man and to morrow all at peeces he cannot be happy There must be something to secure the soule and to warrant it and so there must be an apprehension of the perpetuitie of that estate that it is firme and a man neede not feare the losse of it Where these things meet there cannot be thought any thing more in substance to make up the formall fruition of happinesse and where all these doe meete there is a reall happinesse Thus of the Definition of happinesse 2. It will not be amisse to premise something concerning the distribution or division of happinesse The distribution of happinesse 1. There is a division partly in regard of the subject of happinesse 2. And partly in regard of the kindes and degrees of happinesse 1. In regard of the subject In regard of thâ— subject A reasonable nature And so there is A happines of God the subject is a reasonable nature Now as there be divers sorts of reasonable natures so there are divers sorts of happinesse 1. There is a happinesse of God An increate happinesse an infinite and transcendent happinesse God blessed for ever more The Scripture attributes that to him which is nothing else but the fruition of himselfe his delighting in himselfe himselfe is his owne happinesse That we have not to deale with all it is out of the reach of our understanding and the compasse of our Point 2. There are reasonable natures which are creatures that are capable of hâ—ppinesse and wherein this happinesse is to be found There is a happinesse of the Angels Men. 1. There is a happinesse of the Angels Of the Angels those blessed Angels that stand in the grace and favour of God They have a greater happinesse than man can have here a more excellent happinesse farre beyond what we are capable of here though we shall come to injoy it hereafter Of men 2. There is the happinesse of a man which is the principall thing wee have to doe with here Towards the capabilitie of a mans happines there doth concurre And towards the capability of a mans happinesse to expresse it in the generall there be divers things concurring There be some things 1. Internall 2. And some things externall towards a mans happinesse Something Internall A right constitution both of soule and body 1. There be something internall and fundamentall towards happinesse And they are a right constitution both of soule and body which must concurre at least to make up compleate happinesse and so farre as they are defective there will be some defects in our happinesse 1. Plenitude of understanding 2. Rectitude of will 1. The soule must be in a right frame both for fulnesse and clearenesse of understanding and for firmenesse and strength of a right willing of that which wee ought to will according to truth of Reason and Religion and the rule of Faith For if a man had all the other happinesse in the world and yet wanted this To him that is polluted all things are polluted if a mans spirit be out of frame if he understands not the excellencie of things or the worth of them or affects them not according to that that will poyson and intercept all happinesse though hee had all the good in the world 2. There must be a concomitancy of soule and body A concomitancie both of soule and body Because the soule is but a tenant here in the body in which it dwells and there must be a great deale of harmony and coresponcie betweene these two Iagenium malè habitat if the soule be as an ill tenant and dwells in a sickly and crazie body that will be some interruption and some impediment to compleate happinesse for the internall and fundamentall ground of happinesse that which hath beene anciently expressed Mens sana in corpore sano a right minde in a compleate body is fundamentally towards compleate happinesse 2. There is something externally Some thing externall and that is Partly instrumentall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Partly complementall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Instrumentall to happinesse is a sufficiencie Instrumentall A sufficiencie of outward things and a convenient proportion of all outward things some proportion of outward things I say for a man is made of body as well as of spirit and therefore needeth outward things without which there cannot be a compleate happinesse 2. Which is the maine of all Complementall his externall relation that he hath to God and the operation according to this and this I call complementall The right use of soule that is intellectuall is regular in the affections the acting according to that rectitude makes up complementall happinesse For there are three words in the Greeke for happinesse The first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which implies a necessarie supply of outward things a well being in regard of the outward estate The second word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which implies to be in the favour of God and to have a good aspect from God The third word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which implies a well doing or a right acting according to the excellencie of nature both towards God and other things therein is the consummating or the compleating of humane happinesse But now this being premised in generall let me adde the other distinction As there is a difference or distinction of happinesse in regard of the subject things capable of happinesse God and the reasonable creature Angels and men There is a difference of happinesse in regard of their kinds 2. Distinction There is a difference of happinesse in regard of the kindes and degrees of happinesse I will give that but in a word There is 1. A false happinesse
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 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 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 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 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 upon God It is bread that nourisheth us but take it alone and not in the word of God it will
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 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 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 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 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 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
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 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 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 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 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 fiâ—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 thiâ—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 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
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 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 good First 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 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 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 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 PSALME IV.VI. There be many