The Way to True Happiness, Sermon 16
The sixteenth SERMON.
MATTH. 5.8.
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Doct. 1 ALl vpright men are blessed men.
Doct. 2 Mans blessednesse consists in the sight of God.
To these 2. points may be reduced whatsoeuer is contained in this eight verse.
For the first, we hauehave shewed it, and made som inferences and vses already.
That which yet remaines to be spoken, here, is a vse of consolation▪ and then we shall hauehave done with the point.
Vse. Is it so, that all they are in happy estate, that are pure in hart? let it serue for comfort then to al those that this hauehave testimony in their own soules, that they are vpright: be it they hauehave faults, yet they hate them; faylings, yet they earnestly endeauour all holy obedience, the blessing is here set vponupon all such by our Sauior, as can approue to God and their owne soules, that they are vpright. Here such a one will be ready to obiect against himselfe (for as the hypocrite deludes himselfe by false signes of truth, so the good heart is oftentimes troubled with false signes of hypocrisie, and thus he obiects.)
Sure I am not right, Obiect. I hauehave but deceiued my selfe hitherto, for men censure and condemne me for an hypocrite.
What men are they that censure you so? Answ. one rotten-harted person (likly) or another. And if so, then know that such men cannot censure any better, cannot make any better iudgemēt of thee; so being vnderunder the power of hypocrisie themselues, they think all the world besides to bee made of hypocrisie. Therefore neuer care what others thinke or say of thee in this kinde vnlesse they bee iudicious Christians, and such also as hauehave a full and through knowledge of thee, rather see what the word of God, and thine owne conscience saith to thee.
I, Obiect. but the deuill layes it hard to my charge that I am an hypocrite, and what though men know not what I am, yet he doth, & therfore I feare I am so? Nay probably thou art not so, Answ. because he accuseth thee, for he is a liar from the beginning. And he doth not vse to molest his owne, whom he possesseth in peace with doubts of this nature. Marke what his title is in the Reuelation, an accuser of the brethren, such as are not of the brother-hood, of the Saints of God, those he troubles not in this manner, they are the brethren whom he accuseth, as he did Iob, whom he slandered to God, and yet Iob was an vpright man, God himselfe giuing witnesse thereunto, Iob 1.24.
Yea but not men and the deuill onelyonly but mine own conscience also chargeth me with hypocrisie. Obiect.
To this we answer, Answ. that there is no man liuing so vpright, but his owne heart may truely charge him with hypocrisie, but that is not the point. The question is whether hypocrisie doth raigne and rule in you, and whether you be so far vnderunder the power and dominion of it, as that it doth denominate you. Besides you must know that Conscience is but a subordinate Iudge, and must proceed by the rule of the Word, if it will deale aright. It is as a clock, that must be set by the Sun of Gods word. If it bring not the Euidence of holy Scripture for what it saith, it is but a temptation, and no testimony that it bringeth against vsus: so likewise, if that place of Scripture whereupon it groundeth, bee such as may vponupon like reason bee brought against any other of Gods sincere seruants euen the best, it is no better neither then a temptation, and not to be credited, see what Dauid saith to this, Psal. 73. His heart would needes perswade him, that inasmuch as the wicked flourished, and were in great prosperity, when himselfe in the meane while was plagued all the day long, and chastned eueryevery morning, and therefore, surely he had cleansed his heart in vaine, and washed his hands to no purpose. But hee quickly corrects this errour in himselfe, and saith, that if vponupon these grounds hee should thus conclude, he should not onelyonly wrong himselfe, but also offend against all the generation of Gods Children, sith it may befall the dearest and best of them all to bee diuersly afflicted, when the vngodly meane while prosper in the world, and increase in riches.
Obiect. I, but not only my own conscience, but God also chargeth me with hypocrisie, and God is greater then our heart, as saith Saint Iohn.
Doth God charge thee for an hypocrite? Answ. where is it that he doth this?
Why (you'll say) 1. in mine owne heart. Obiect. 2. in his Word: First, hee filles my heart with many terrours, feares, and horrours of Conscience.
For your satisfaction herein, you must know 1. that eueryevery scruple of mind comes not from God, Answ. some come from Satan, and some from our selues through misprision. Againe, you must be aduertised, that it may befall the most sincere Christian, that you speak of, witnesse Iob, against whom the Lord himself seemed to fight, with breach vponupon breach; so that he chose to dye rather then to endure it: witnesse Paul who had terrours within, and troubles without, witnes Dauid in many passages of the Psalmes. So long therefore, as these feares and doubtings do make vsus better, and driue vsus to God, it is well, and we need not be deiected thereat, seeing they are wholsom, howsoeuer they may be troublesom.
Yea, but not onelyonly in mine own soule, but also in his holy Word God saith, I am an hypocrite. Obiect.
Nay, then we hauehave no more to say to thee: Answ. for if that be true, we hauehave done: if God say so in his word, we must consent, and say so too; but where is it that God in his word chargeth thee for an hypocrite? Why (you'll say) the vpright man is still going on constantly in his course, Obiect. and aduancing forward with a stedfastfoot toward the high prize that is set before him, but I, alas, am very vnconstant and dissettled, assoone off and assoone on, eueryevery foote out of all good order and off th'hooks. Answ. There is a double constancy, the one while we are here in the way (as they tearme it) and the other when we shall be in our country, when we shall be no more trauellers, but Citizens, when we shal be Comprehensores, as they say in schooles, wee are not, while we are here, to expect any such constancy, or settlednesse in a good estate of soule, as shall be fixed and vnalterable, That's reserued to the making vp of our happinesse hereafter. Here so long as we abide, we shall be still subiect to manifold declensions, manifold desertions, manifold stops and stayes in our course toward heauen, but so long as wee hauehave our faces set thither-ward, though the wind may violently carry vsus sometimes beside the way, it should not dismay vsus. If it bee with vsus as with a running riuer (as was before said) which howsoeuer it bee diuerted and turned out of its course and channell, yet neuer leaues working and winding till it fall into the same course againe: so if when we are put beside our way, wee make toward it againe, and like the needle in a Card, though we be iogg'd aside for a seasō, yet we hauehave no rest or content in our soules, til we be where we should. If it be thus with thee, as hath been said, feare not, thou needst not be discouraged, thy ease is good.
Obiect. Yea, but the Scripture telles vsus that the vpright person is still thriuing and growing, and continually addes to his strength, as Iob speaketh chap. 17.
Solu.There is a double growth, 1. in quantity. 2. in quality, the 1 when a man doth more duty then before, the 2. when though he performes not more then he did, yet he doth it better, in a more spirituall manner, with strayning out more corruption, &c. Now if we grow any way, it may be sufficient vntounto our comfort.
The vpright person is euer growing in the root (he becomes more settled and stablish'd in good courses) if not in the fruit; he still growes one way or other, and beares fruit answerable to his place, to his age. There be many valiant and worthy captaines, that cannot beare armes indeed in their old age, and doe their Countrey seruice that way, as they could hauehave done in youth, who yet hauehave as much valour, and are eueryevery whit as able to direct and guide an Army, as when they were at thirty, or forty: So, many ancient Christians cannot haply shew forth so much grace as they could hauehave done in times past, nor make so good expressions of themselues, who still are on the growing hand; and howsoeuer they grow not, haply, in eueryevery actiue grace, yet they grow in the habites of those, and in the passiue part of Christianity.
Yea, Obiect. but the vpright man is still purging himselfe, and getting ground of hypocrisie, but alas! I grow worse and worse this way, I discouer daily more and more hypocrisie in my selfe, it followes and haunts me wheresoeuer I goe, and whatsoeuer I doe, it troubles me in my study, in my closet, in my most secret works and duties, whether to God or man.
Why, let not this discourage thee, Answ. that thy corruption is more and more discouered: For, this is a signe of growth in grace, if this sight of thine hypocrisie be ioyned with an vtter hatred and detestation thereof. The clearer any mans sight is, the more euill he discerneth by himselfe. The hypocrite is so blinded with pride, and selfe-louelove, that he can see nothing but truth in himselfe: but it is purity of heart that helps ones sight, and the more any man discouers his owne hyporcisie, the more vpright he is; for it is not by corruption, that corruption is discouered, but by the light of true grace.
Obiect. Yea, but the Scripture tells vsus, that there is ioy in the tabernacles of the vpright, and the righteous sing, and are glad; now, I am for most part heauy and vncomfortable, sad and pensiue?
Answ. The meaning of those places, is, that there is alway matter of ioy and comfort, where there is vprightnesse, if such would not suffer themselues through weaknesse and want of wisedome to be robbed and bereft of the consolations which yet must be so taken, as that wee vnderstand, that there is not any so vpright, but that his Sunneshine of comfort may other whiles be misted, and ouer-cast, and then hee droopes and goes mourning and disconsolate, although there be in all this no cause why he should be so cast downe: For so long as we can finde by our selues that we louelove truth, and hate hypocritsie, and disclaime it, we should not suffer our selues to be beaten and baffled out of the comfortable assurance of our vprightnesse, but resolue with Iob, I wil neuer part with mine integrity, lose mine euidence, yeeld my selfe otherwise then vpright, and so consequently blessed, for my Sauiour hath said it: Blessed are those that are pure in heart: i. e. vpright in heart, for they shall see God.
For they shall see God.
ANd so wee come in order to the second Doctrine: Doctr. That mans blessednesse consists in the sight of God. The point is cleare: God seene, is the heighth of mans happinesse: the Text shewes it, the Scripture proues it, Psal. 16. vlt. In thy presence, Lord, is the fulnesse of ioy, and at thy right hand are pleasures for euermore. Here it appeares, that in the persence and sight of God, there is pleasure and ioy (and what else is ioy, but happinesse enioyed?) and of this ioy there is fulnesse, and freenesse, for there are riuers thereof running at Gods right hand, and eternity, it is for euermore. And for this cause it is, that the Scripture bids vsus so often to seeke Gods face, as the chiefe good, yea, Saints and Angells hauehave this for the heighth of their happinesse: the Angells, Math 18.that they stand before the face of our heauenly father, as our Sauior speaketh in the Gospell, and the glorified Saints that they are euer with God, 1 Cor. 5.8. 1 Thes. 4.17. And surely if they be so blessed, as Dauid esteemes them, that dwell but in his courts on earth, Psalm. 84. How much more they that enioy his presence aboue in all fulnesse. Blessed, saith our Sauiour, are your eyes, for they see, and you eares, for they heare: Verily, I say vntounto you that many Kings and Prophets hauehave desired to see the things which you see, and hauehave not seene them, &c. If to see God here, where we behold but in a glasse, and as it were, in a shaddow, obscurely, be a blessed thing, what shall it be, thinke you, when we shall looke vponupon him with open face, when we shall see as we are seene, face to face, this must needs render vsus most blessed. You heare what the Queene of Sheba could say, concerning Salomons seruants, that were euer in his presence, and attended vponupon his person, Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy seruants which stand continuall before thee, and heare thy wisedome. If this were true of them, then certainely, such as stand in Gods presence, and behold his face, must needes be most happy.
Here our intent is, first, to say somewhat for exposition of the words: secondly, to giuegive you the grounds and reasons of the point: thirdly, to make application.
For the first, two things we must tell you, first, there is a double sight of God: first, naturall, as that which we atttaine by sense or discourse of reason: secondly, supernaturall, which also is double: First, lesser, which is attained vntounto by the light of grace: Secondly, greater, by the light of glory.
Secondly, you must be told, that there is a double consideration of God: God may be considered by vsus, either first abstractiuely, and simply, as he is in himselfe and in his owne essence, and so he is inuisible to any creature; or secondly,Vide Aquin. 1. 2 q. 5. Art 5, &c. Relatiuely, as he hath pleased to manifest himselfe vntounto vsus, eyther by taking our flesh vntounto him in his incarnation, or by cōmunication of his grace vntounto vsus. These things being thus premised, our first conclusion is, that there is no sight of Gods essence to be had and attained by the meere light of Nature, forasmuch as there is no proportion betweene the eye and the obiect, as there must be, you know, in all sight. The second, that God is to be seene only in the rebound, by way of reflexion, and this eyther 1. by the light of Nature, and so God is to be seene in his workes: for there is a foreign, something that may be knowne of God, some impressions and foot-steps,Rom. 1. as it were, of the wisdome, power, goodnesse, and other properties of God are to be found in his works of Creation and Prouidence, and some knowledge of him is to be had this way, but not so much as is sufficient to saluation, but onelyonly to leaue men without excuse: 2. Supernaturally may God be seene, here more darkly by the light of grace, there more fully by the light of glory; but neuer perfectly, for we cannot behold him any otherwise then according to our capacity, now, we are finite, and he infinite, and therefore, as it is impossible to bring the body of the Sun within the compasse of a chamber or any other roome, so it is to comprehend the great God, as he is in himselfe, within the compasse of our narrow and straight hearts: And yet doth hee graciously communicate himselfe to the pure and vpright, in such a way as shall make for their eternall comfort and saluation.
Now for the Reasons of the point, they may be taken: First, from the nature of seeing God. Secondly, from the parts: Thirdly, from the effects. For the first of these, it will easily appeare, that it Reas. 1 is a most blessed thing to see God, if we consider, that whereas three things must concurre to the making vp of sight: 1. an obiect: 2. a medium, a middle: as the water or ayre enlightned: 3. the faculty of seeing; in a word, there must be a double light, the one without a man, and the other within: here the 1. of these: 3. the obiect of this sight is most glorious, euen God himselfe. Now, the more glorious the obiect of sight is, the more the sight is reioyced and gladded, so long as it is not ouerwhelmed; as it is in created light, the more light the eye hath, if it be sound and right, the better pleased it is: but God, wee know, is beauty it selfe, light it selfe, and therefore must be a most amiable, and delightfull obiect to the eye of mans soule. Hence is that of Dauid, Psal. 27. One thing, saith he, hauehave I desired of the Lord, that I will seeke after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord, all the daies of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord. This was the thing that he both had desired, and would yet still goe on to desire, as that wherein consisteth the chiefe point of his happinesse: for there is that beauty, excellency, and glory in God, that would euen rauish any heart that knew it; and could men but see it (as he said of his vertue) it would transport them with greatest louelove and admiration.
Secondly, as the obiect of this sight is most glorious, so the meanes are heauenly. These are: 1. Christ, who is that foreign, as the Apostle stiles him, the very beame, splendour, reflection of his Fathers glory, and the expresse image of his person, Hebr. 1.3. So that he that hath seene the Sonne, hath in that one sight seene also the Father. He is the best glasse wherein we may come by the sight of God, we see him best in his Sonne: 2. his Word and Ordinances, which in the Reuelation are fitly set forth by the name of a sea of glasse, first for largenesse, secondly, for steddinesse, thirdly for clearenesse, as giuing vsus a cleare sight of God, in which respect, also, they are in the same booke compared to christall. Now it wil easily be granted a blessing to enioy Christ, and to see Gods face in his Ordinances, which are the meanes, therefore it must be the heighth of mans happinesse to see God.
Thirdly, the light in vsus, whereby we see God, is supernaturall and heauenly. Indeede, by the light of nature, wee may come to see God in a sense, as Creator and vpholder of all things: but as our God fauouring vsus, or blessing vsus, wee cannot possibly behold him by Natures light, when it is most of all eleuated and enlarged, though you intend the spirits of Nature as much as may be, you cannot by the helpe thereof see God to your comfort. It must be by a supernaturall light, that this must be attained vntounto: as the Sunne is not seene but by the Sunne; the light, but by the light; so neither is God to be seene, but by the light of his owne grace, which must needs make a man most happy. And thus stands our first Reason, drawne from the nature of sight.
Reas. 2 Adde to this in the second place, a reason from the parts: For, what is it to see God, but, 1. to know him? And therefore knowledge is so often set forth by the sense of sight, which is the learned sense, and the most certaine of all the rest: 2. to see God, is more then to know him, it is to enioy him, that is, to be so neerely vnited vntounto him, as to louelove him, rest in him, and euen to passe into him (as Austin speakes) so as that it is not we that liue, but God that liueth in vsus, &c.
Reas. 3 For the effects of this sight of God, thus: 1. It takes vsus off from sinne, and from the creature, it lets vsus see the vglinesse of sinne, and how extremely contrary it is vntounto God: and so makes vsus to loath and leaue it. This effect is wrought in Ephraim, Hosea. 14.8. We hauehave seene God, say they, what hauehave we then to doe any more with Idolls? So some read the w…rds.Yea, it will cause vsus to account eueryevery creature base and contemptible, in comparison of him, as it did Michaiah, who, when he had seene the Lord sitting vponupon his throne with all the heauenly hosts about him,1 Reg 22. the greater Maiesty so darkens the lesser, that hee thinkes it nothing to face two Kings in all their pompe and Maiesty, with all their traine and attendance. 2. It workes strange rauishments, it transports and carries a man euen out of himselfe, as you may see an example in Moses, who when hee had once seene God not with the seeing of the eye, (for so no man can see him and liue) but with the hearing of the eare; (for so God is seene by the eare better than the eye) as hee pleased to proclaime himselfe, Exod. 34. The Lord, the Lord God, mercifull and gracious, long-suffering and abundant in goodnesse and in truth, keeping mercy for thousands, &c: when hee had thus seene the Lord, oh, saith he, if now I hauehave found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, goe along with vsus, and why should we goe without thee? so greatly was Moses rauisht and affected with that blissefull vision. 3. This sight of God changeth and transformes a man into God. That sight which wee hauehave of him in the glasse of his Word, assimilates vsus vntounto God, and conformes vsus vntounto him, as the Apostle speaketh, wee all with open face beholding, as in a glasse, the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from glory to glory, euen as by the spirit of the Lord, 2 Cor. 3. how much more shall it bee so with vsus hereafter, when we shall be swallow'd vp, as it were, of immortality, and shall be euen acted and enliued by God himselfe. Now let schooles goe and languish in vaine and spiritlesse disputes about the beatificall vision of God, as whether it consists in louelove, ioy, knowledge, &c: the experienced Christian is able to tell you, that 'tis wisdome, ioy, louelove, and all that good is.
But hitherto be spoken for the explication and confirmation of the point, wherein (it is true) wee hauehave beene somewhat darke, but could not helpe it; we hasten to the vses now.
Vse 1 And first, Is it the height of mans happinesse to see God, how great then must needs be the misery of all those that liue in darkenesse, and are shut out from his blessed sight and presence? All drakenesse makes one miserable: Throw a man into a dungeon, you doe, as it were, bury him aliue: digge out his eyes (as some Popes and Emperours hauehave beene anciently serued) and you leaue him vndone: take away the Sunne from a man, and you take away his wife, you take away his children, you take away his land, and all hee hath, in respect of any cōfort hee can take in them. But there is a spiritual darkenes and blindnes that's worse then all the rest, and that is when a man hath a veyle, as it were, of ignorance, wickednesse and vnbeliefe spred ouer the eye of his soule, a thicke curtaine drawn betwixt him and the face of God, so that he cannot see his father, he cannot behold Christ, who is the Light, that illightneth eueryevery one that commeth into the world, who is that Sun of righteousnesse, that hath health vnderunder his wings. Take away this light from a man, depriue him of the benefit of this blessed Sunne, and what is hee better then a very Polyphemus, a monster of mankind, being full of ignorance, errour and superstition, full of groundlesse hopes, causelesse feares, hee goes hee knowes not whither, hee does hee knowes not what, hee gropes, as in the darke; and (which is his greatest misery) hee cannot see his misery. But yet this darkenesse, so long as men liue here, is curable, and it may be done away and expell'd, as it certainely shall be, if euer the day doe dawne, and the day-starre arise in their hearts: But now further, there is beyond all this, an hellish outer darkenesse, to which all such are reserued, as louelove darkenesse better than light: they shall one day hauehave their fill of that darkenesse, which they so much affected: there they shall meete with flames of darkenes to torment them, chaines of darkenesse to entharl them, spirits of darkenesse to tyrannize ouer them, a night of darkenesse, after which no day, no light euer followes: if three dayes darkenesse were so terrible to the Egyptians, what shall the case of those be, who shall neuer, neuer see light or life?
I, but who be these, you'll say vntounto me, Quest. whose condition is such, and so miserable, as you speake of?
I answer (my brethren) first, Answ. all those that liue not in the knowledge of God in Christ: for hee that hath the Sonne, hath light; and hee hath not the Sonne, that hath no light; (i. e.) that hath no sound and sauing knowledge of God, as he stands reuealed in his word.
And againe: This is life eternall, saith our Sauiour, Iohn 17. to know thee, and whom thou hast sent into the world, Iesus Christ: so that they that are without the knowledge of God in Christ, hauehave no interest in life eternall; but are, as it were, shut vp in darkenesse, and in the shaddow of death.
Secondly, all such as hauing attained to some light of knowledge, doe not walke in the light, but please themselues rather in the deeds of darknesse. Marke what the Apostle saith, Heb. 12.14. Follow peace with all men and holinesse, without which no man shall see God. So that eueryevery vnholy person is by this text excluded from the vision of God. God shall see him (as Austin hath it) but hee shall not see God, see him indeed hee shall in a sense, not as a pardoning and pittying Father, but as an angry and seuere Iudge.
Thirdly, all impure persons are shut out from the sight of God; for if it be so, as our Sauiour here affirmeth, that the pure in heart are therefore blessed, because they shall see God; it will easily be concluded on the contrary part, that all impure ones hauehave no share in that happines, whether they be 1. negatiuely impure onelyonly, that is, such as see not into the hypocrisie and rottennesse of their own harts, so as to bewayle and oppose it: or 2. whether they be positiuely impure, namely such as ouer and aboue the former, hauehave a disposition against holinesse, purenesse and vprightnesse, so as that they doe deride it in others, oppose it, persecute it. These are they that shall neuer see the face of God to their comfort, though to their terrour and confusion they shall one day see him. Let all such take notice here of their own wretchednesse, and acknowledge their condition to bee, as indeed it is, truely miserable and accursed. Cursed they are in life, for that being excluded from the sight of God, they can finde no sweetnesse in the Word, no marrow in the Sacraments, no comfort in prayer, &c. Cursed they are in death, because they dye without hope of being present with the Lord, when they shall bee absent from the body, and therefore they dare not dye, they cannot liue, &c: Most cursed are they after death, when there must be made an euerlasting separation of both soule and body from the presence of God into the burning lake. If Absolon could say, that it were farre better for him to loose his life, then to bee debarred the kings presence: Oh who can conceiue the extreme misery of such as shall neuer see the pleased face of God in heauen! How much better were it for them to be euen dead, as beasts dy, and neuer to rise again, or that the mountaine should fal vponupon them, & the hills couer them from the presence of the Lamb, that sits vponupon the throne, &c: you know the misery of Haman, when once he fell so farre into the kings displeasure, that his face was couered. Hesther 7. For then there was no more hopes left for him, sith hee should neuer see the kings face any more, nor the king euer looke sweetly vponupon him againe. This was euen the very height and vpshot of his misery: And so it shall be likewise of all ignorant, vnholy and impure persons, that they shall neuer, neuer see the sweet and glorious face of God in the kingdome of heauen.
For a second vse therefore of the point, let it serue for a two-fold exhortation, and 1. to all wicked and vnrepentant persons, to cast away their sins, that so they may grow into acquaintance with God: sith they are the pure in heart onelyonly that must be admitted into his sight and presence. Oh consider that your very l fe stands in his fauour, in his smiles, as on the contrary, there is death in his displeasure, neither can it be safe to liue vnderunder his frownes. Therefore, labour all you can to get your hearts purified by faith. The heart is the kings bed-chamber, as it were, and must be trimmed vp for his more honourable entertainment. The heart is the chiefe doer in man, and hath an influence into all his actions: it is the source and spring from whence floweth all we do. If the fountaine be empoysoned, if the heart be not clean, nothing that comes from it can be acceptable. If the water be foule in the well, it must needs be foule in the bucket. Now therfore, let S. Iam. his counsel be taken by you, Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purge your hearts, yee double-minded, and thus if yee draw neare to God, God will draw neare to you; being purified in heart, you shall see the face of God to your comfort, and not to your vtter confusion.
Our second exhortation shall bee addressed to such as know, what a sweet & comfortable thing it is to see Gods face, and to enioy his fauour, and let these bee exhorted in the words of Saint Iude, to keepe themselues in the louelove of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ vntounto eternall life, verse 21. doe what you can to keepe his fauour, for in his fauour is life. The experienced Christian stands not in need of many motiues to incite and stirre him vp hereunto: for he knowes with Dauid, the sweetnesse of his louelove, and what a blessed thing it is to enioy his fauour, the onelyonly want whereof hee findes more bitter then death. Indeed, he that was borne in hell (as the prouerb runnes) knowes no other heauen; hee that neuer tasted how sweet the Lord is, sets little by his louelove, makes no reckoning or account of his countenance, but hee that hath euer been acquainted with God, and seene the light of his pleased face, had rather dye a thousand deaths then forfeit his fauour, or incurre his displeasure. A little child that alway beene vsed to the house and cradle, may easiely be kept within doores, but after it hath once beene vsed to the light, or taken a custome of going abroad into the open ayre, it growes tedious vntounto it to bee confined to the cradle or house. So till a Christian hauehave had experience of Gods louing countenance, he cannot so much esteeme it, but when he knowes it once, and hath had the sweet feeling of it in his soule, he cannot, he cannot liue without it. You see what the Church saith, Psal. 80. God had made them to see and suffer much sore affliction, yet all this seemed a small matter vntounto them, if God would but smile vponupon them, and continue his countenance toward them. Turne vsus againe, O Lord God of hosts, cause thy face to shine, and we shall be safe. If God would but doe this one thing for them, they cared not how much sorrow they otherwise sustained, as one the other side, if hee should deny them his fauour, they should not take cōfort or enioy any thing that they had. Now the way to keepe your selues in the louelove and fauour of God is 1. to walk with him in humilty: for though he dwell in the high and holy place, yet is he also with him, that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to reuiue the spirit of the humble, and to reuiue the heart of the contrite ones, Esay 57.15. And therfore doth he eft soones hide his face from his people, that he may humble them, and so prepare them for his returne, would you then see God, and enioy the light of his countenance, walke humbly before him, and worke out your saluation with reuerend feare, 2. Put your faith into act, 'tis not the hauing, but vsing of faith, that brings vsus into communion with God: would you therefore hauehave and keepe a comfortable sight of God, set your faith on worke, for faith is the euidence of things not seen, and by faith it was that Moses saw him that was inuisible. 3. walke in vprightnesse, so shall we behold Gods face, as Dauid did Psal. 17.15. As for me, saith he, I shall behold thy face in righteousnesse, I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likenesse. Those then that would see Gods face to their comfort, must purge themselues from their owne sinnes, and from their other mens sinnes too (as Saint Paul exhorts Timothy to take heed how he partake of the sinnes of others, if he would be pure) and set themselues to walke before God, in the constant exercise of all the duties of righteousnesse and obedience: so shall they keepe the sweet sense of Gods louelove and fauour in their soules, and this is to liue, this is to liue in deed.
Vse 2 Comfort to al vpright persons, they shal see God. Indeed, as the case stands, and as the times now are, we had need to make Apology for purenesse of heart, which is generally by the most so much opposed, and spoken against, that wee may iustly take vp that speech of the Poet, and say: Simplicitas, cuius non audeo dicere nomen.
For it is now come to that passe, that if any one giuegive vp his name to Christ, or but looke toward religion, hee is presently branded with the infamous name of Puritan. But the truth is, it is no disgrace to be so stiled, but rather as now, it is an honour.Downam on Cen. 22. Once (as a learned Bishop could say) only such passed for puritans, as opposed the Church-gouernment, and cryed out for Discipline, but now to be truly religious, is to become a Puritane presently, yea, to be a meere, morall, honest man, is incurre that censure. Yea, if a man bee but Orthodoxall, Euangelicall, Papists will not doubt to load him with names more than a few,So Bellar. in recognit. & spalarensis. and to let passe our Heresies, Turcisms, Atheisms, as they please to talke, with them a Caluinist and a Catharist are termes conuertible.Vid. …pfford, Posseuine, &c But what agreement hauehave we with Catharists, as they are described vntounto vsus by the Ancients?Vid. Cypr. Papin. in Epistola. doe not the Papists themselues (that lay the fault to vsus) comply and iumpe with them in many of their opinions. As 1. they would giuegive the Sacrament to such as would become their followers, and cause them to sweare neuer to forsake them. And doe not Papists deale euen so with theirs?
2. They disallowed and condemned second marriages (as Austin reports it of them.) And doe not the Papists so with some?
3. They defended this, that a man might here attaine to perfection, and freedome from all sin? And do not Papists hold the same thing, at least more than wee? wee? what hauehave we to do with Catharists or Nouatians? doe wee barre the doore against the lapsed, as they did foreign, saith Epiphanius. Doe wee rebaptize the lapsed? separate from the Churches, hold our selues onelyonly pure, as once they? no, let any man iudge betweene vsus, who be the true Puritanes, whether we or they come nearest to Catharists. And yet a vaine affectation of purity, a meere name of Religion, is that I loath in any one. And the truth is, some there are that by their talking onelyonly of holinesse, and empty profession without the power and practice of godlinesse, hauehave brought an ill name vponupon those that are pure in heart, and rendred religion infamous. But let not this discourage or be an hindrance to such as are true of heart in their course of holinesse: but let them bee exhorted, 1. to begin at the root, at the heart, to wash the too inside aswell as the outside, to bee the same on both sides, and eueryevery where suitable. 2. to proceed by the rule of the Word, going no slower and no faster, then as the word prescribes and directs them. 3. to end all in humility and mercy, for so the vpright person euer ends, he is not censorious, bitter, opposing. Thus bee, and then (these directions obserued) runne as fast as thou canst, in the race that is set before thee: for thou hast a marke, an example, euen Christ, whom, though thou runnest neuer so fast, thou canst not possibly ouertake or attaine. But so much be spoken by way of Apology, we now returne from whence we digressed, to the vse of comfort we propounded before to al vpright persons, that they shal see God. Here in this life they see him in his ordināces they see their teachers, they can see God in eueryevery word of his mouth, whether it be of reproofe, exhortation, comfort, &c: thus they see God in his word, they see him also in his works, in his works of mercy, in his works of Iustice, of prouidence, &c: they see him also in his attributes, they see him to be wisedome to them in their follies, power in their weakenesses, life in death, comfort in distresses, &c.
But greater comfort abides the vpright man hereafter, in that other life, where he shall see God after another manner then here hee can see him. Here his sight and knowledge of God is imperfect, as of a little child; wee see but as in a glasse, in a riddle darkly, being eueryevery way feeble and imperfect: but then he shall see, as he is seene; see him as he is, and be as full of hapinesse as possibly hee can hold. If Paul preferred Christ crucified before all the world, and cared to know nothing else but him, how happy must they needes bee, that shall see and enioy him (as now he is) glorified, and comming with the glory of his father vponupon him; to be made glorious in all his Saints. If in this life it be such a glory to be the sonnes of God, howsoeuer the world knowes vsus not, nor once takes notice of it, what shall we be when we shall be like vntounto him at his appearance, when we shal see him as hee is, 1. Iohn 3.2. Oh what a glorious thing is a Christian! Euen here hee hath those ioyes that eye hath not seen, nor eare heard, neither hath it euer entred into the heart of a naturall man to conceiue, 1 Cor. 2. but what shall he hauehave then, when God shall bee all in all, when he shall hauehave no need of the Sunne nor of the moone: for the Glory of God shall be his light, he shall be immediately filled with his light, and be crowned with such comforts as cannot be conceiued, much lesse expressed, nay they that now enioy them, cannot vtter them. Comfort thy selfe therefore in this, if thou be pure in heart, though thy out-side be not so braue as som others, thou shalt see God, and so see him as that thou shalt neuer but see him, and yet neuer bee sated or satisfied with seeing of him.
FINIS.