The Way to True Happiness, Sermon 20
The twentieth SERMON.
MATTH. 5.9.
Blessed are the peace-makers: for they shall be called the children of God.
IT is a blessed thing to bee a peace-keeper: More blessed to bee a peace-maker: But most of all blessed to bee rightly called the childe of God. Doct.
This is the point we are now upon (you know.) Wee have made proofe of it already, and are now upon the maine Use; namely, that every man should secure this to himselfe, that hee hath a true title to this sonship, that hee is justly called the sonne of God.
The thing (wee told you) is both possible, and profitable, and comfortable, and honourable; therefore what remaines but that wee set upon the worke?
Wee told you of some false signes of the childship, and of others that were true: those must bee declined, these obtained.
For the true signes, wee must see what acts of speciall love God hath shewed to us, and likewise what speciall fruits of love we expresse to him; as that wee resemble him, first in our affections, secondly in our actions.
Thus for our part. Now for God, he doth two things to all his children, first he gives them a new name in their Adoption, (whereof wee gave you two markes from the Apostle) secondly hee gives them a new nature in their Regeneration; which hath in it two things, first Mortification, (whereof we gave you foure notes the last time from Rom. 8.13.) secondly Vivification, a new life,Vivification. (that's the terme of every generation:) a living creature begets a living creature, if the generation bee perfect. Now Gods workes are all perfect, therefore every child of God partakes of the life of God, of the divine nature.
Quest. How shall I know whether I have this life in me or no?
Ans. The evidences of life, in any thing, are sense, and motion, and the operations of life: for where ever it is, it workes from its selfe, for its selfe, and in its owne spheare.
Here then for the discerning of spirituall life in thee; see first what sense,Signes of life. what spirituall feeling thou hast: for the more life there is in any, the more feeling there is in him; as on the contrary, when a man begins to dye once, he loseth by degrees the use of his senses: his sight failes, his hearing failes, &c. hee hath no feeling of his limbes, and out-most parts, &c. so much life, so much sense. So also it is here, when first a man begins to bee alive to God, hee sees a beauty in grace, a deformity in sinne; hee is more apprehensive of Gods excellencies, more sensible of corruption: that sinne which heretofore hee made no scruple of, now it afflicts him, grieves him, makes him cry out, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver mee from the body of this death? So for others, he cannot beare with them in their sinnes, and for the miseries of Gods afflicted people, he is (or would bee) as sensible of them as if the case were his owne; he can suffer with them, bleed with them, layes to heart their estate, lives and dyes with the Church of God, is not onelyonly sensible of his owne afflictions, but of others his fellow-members.
Now then will ye know whether ye are alive or not? try what spirituall sense you have, whether sinne bee a burden to you, and that a mountaine which before was a matter of nothing, whether ye travell with the labouring Church, &c.
2 A second signe of life is motion, for life will be stirring, and the more life the more motion: That's the reason that young things doe so leape and skip, and are so active, because they are so full of life and spirit. So is it here. A man that is spiritually alive he is ever in motion, ever stirring and working upon himselfe when he is alone, upon others when he is in company, drawing them still to a good opinion of the ordinances, and of grace, &c. See now what paines you take in Gods businesses, for where there is life, there is some degree of activity and motion.
3 Thirdly, life as it workes, so it workes from it selfe. Things that are without life, worke from some externall cause which turnes them about: but such as have life worke by an inward principle, which moves them and acts them. So he that is indued with this life of God, hath something within him that complyes with the ordinances, and with grace: He prayes for prayers sake, heares for the words sake, &c. he doth every duty upon an inward motive, from an inward principle, and so doth it willingly, so farre as he is spirituall. A man (you know) doth nothing in the world more willingly than live: so a Christian is never at better content than when he is doing that which may please God, and further his owne reckoning: it is his meate and drinke, hee takes himselfe never to be more alive than when hee is so bestowed and taken up.
4 Fourthly, spirituall life as it workes from it selfe, so likewise for it selfe, and what a man doth, it is for his life; skin for skin and all that a man hath will hee give for his life: hee labours for his life, endures hardship for life. Eliah (the text saith) travelled as for his life: So if a man live the life of God, he makes it his life to get grace, he makes most prayers for grace, takes most care for power over his corruptions, &c.
5 Lastly, life shewes it selfe by producing actions of life in its kinde: for a bird hath one kinde of life, a beast another, and a man another: So he that is alive to God hath a more noble kind of life than another man hath, he produceth acts according to his species, lives in his owne element, doth the duties of his owne place. If he be a Magistrate, he doth the worke of a Magistrate; if he be a Minister, of a Minister; if he be a husband, he lookes to his duty as a husband; if a wife, to that of a wife; if a servant, he is faithfull in that, &c. still he studies his owne booke, dischargeth his owne duty: There is no further truth, nor life of God in a man, than there is conscience of doing the duty of his owne particular place and relation. Now then looke what life there is in you by your spirituall sense & feeling, by your labouring in Gods worke, and that willingly, out of love to goodnesse, and as for your life, and especially that which concernes you in your place and calling: and accordingly conclude.
Thirdly, in Regeneration there is yet a further thing to bee looked unto, and that is your dyet. Every thing is fed by that whereby it had beginning: that which breeds us, feedes us. So it is here, the word is the new-mans food to nourish him, as well as seed to beget him. Hence that of S.1. Pet. 2.2. opened. Peter, 1. Pet. 2.2. As new-borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word, that ye may grow thereby. Would you then be assured you are borne of God? prove it by your food. Every creature is knowne by his dyet, a swine hath one manner of nourishment, a sheepe another, a man another: So likewise a Christian is carried to the sincere word; This he desires not faintly, weakely, but lustily, earnestly, even as a babe doth the brest, which if it be denyed or withheld from him, hee cannot be stilled or quieted with any gawdes you can offer, or any promises you can make him. And as it is the word he so earnestly desires, so it is the sincere milke of the word, the word in the sincerity and plainenesse of it.
There may be something in the good word of God, that may take a naturall or carnall man: But that which the regenerate man lookes at in the word of God, is onelyonly that that can feed, and nourish his soule: like as it is with the new-borne babe, all his promotion lyes in the brest, and to be satisfied with the mothers milke, which he never cares to have sugred, or sweetned with any other mixtures. So the man that is borne again, lookes to the holines of the word, the justnesse of the word, the purity & plainenesse of the word, and all this, that he may grow thereby: this is the end he aimes at in hearing, &c. Another man desires the word that by the knowledge of it he may be able to discourse plausibly, hold argument with others, & the like; but the regenerate man desires it (as the childe the brest) that he may live, that he may grow, that he may be a man, that he may thrive, & grow up in all goodnesse, till hee be a perfect man in Christ. He comes to Church, not to feede his eye, not to please his eare with trickes & conceits, and straines of wit; but to live: it is for bread that he comes, not for sawce, for trash, &c. Looke now by this marke, and try whether you are borne of God or not, by your dyet: can you desire and rellish the good word of God? will it downe in the purity, in the plainenesse of it? and doe you therefore desire it, that you may grow thereby in all saving graces? it is a good signe that you are borne a new.
Lastly, there is conveyed to every such one a new power, whereby, as Sant Iohn saith, 1. Ioh. 5. Hee that is borne of God overcommeth the world, and that evill one shall not prevaile against him: Hee is enabled to out-wrestle his corruptions, to withstand temptations, and to doe more this way than ever hee could doe before, or than another man can. See now by this what state you are in; have you received a new power from God, whereby you are made able to overcome that evill one, and the world, or whatsoever corruption? that is, doe yee resist and hold out? for hee overcomes that maintaines the quarrell, and holds out the fight, not yeelding to the enemy, though haply hee receive some wounds in the skirmish. As when a theefe assaults a true man upon the way, and wounds him, yet if the true man hold out & stand close to it till such time as the theefe give over the fight, and goe his wayes, hee is said to overcome him, because hee is disappointed of his aymes, misseth of his errand, is prevented of the booty for the which hee came: so though the regenerate man by an assault of Satan made upon him, may be wounded, foyled, supplanted, yet forasmuch as hee so stands it out and resists, that Satan departs without his purpose, and cannot have of him what he would have, he is truly said to bee conquer'd and overcome. These now are the Notes of a man borne of God: Let every man reflect upon himselfe, and say, Whose childe am I now? (for every man is either the childe of God or of the Devill, to one of these sides all men must necessarily fall.) If I be of God, where is my adoption, my liberty, my spirit of prayer? what course doe I hold in calling upon God? where is my new nature? what measure of mortification? what strength against corruption? what life of God? what doe I doe? how doe I feed? how doe I prevaile? &c. These things you must enquire into, and so passe sentence upon your selves, as you see reason. But here an end of this Use; those others that remaine we will dispatch in few.
Is it so blessed a thing to bee rightly called the Vse. 2 childe of God? how should this then stirre us up and perswade us to labour the blessednesse of our friends and neighbours, by doing our utmost to make them children of God? It is not indeed in our power to give them a new nature, and to make them Gods children; but doe what lyeth in you, be not wanting in the use of any good meanes that may helpe hereunto.
For Motives, consider, first, what hurt you have done unto others in the dayes of your unregeneracie, by your evill counsell and example; how many you have spoyled and undone, and perhaps have beene a meanes to send some to hell. These things thinke on, and bee moved to trade now as much for God, as ever you did then for the Devill. Secondly, consider what a blessed thing it is to convert a soule. Brethren (saith Saint Iames, cap. 5.) if any of you doe erre from the truth, and one convert him, let him know, that hee that converteth the sinner from the errour of his way, shall save a soule from death, and cover a multitude of sinnes: Save, and that a soule, the best thing; from death, the worst thing; this is more than to win a world. Thirdly, consider how busie others are to draw soules to destruction, what paines they take to pervert mens soules; Let us bee as diligent to save them, as they are to destroy them: but especially for them of your owne charge, you are to labour their good, because there is a more neere tye of relation. You bound you children prentices to God in Baptisme, therefore you should doe your best to fit them for his service, and so you owe this care to God; You owe it also to them, for you have done your utmost to undoe them for ever, by conveying unto them a maimed, blinde, corrupted nature: you owe it, lastly, to your selves; for you shall have so much the more true respect, service and comfort of them here, and adde weight to your crown of glory in heaven. Therefore set upon this businesse, and be working upon your children; bring them with you to the Ordinances, and as they in the Gospel did, when the bodies of their children or friends were amisse, they brought them to Christ, that he might heale them; so let us deale for their soules, bring them to the meanes, or the meanes to them. Labour also in private, to doe what good you can for them, by whetting the word upon them, by giving them instruction, correction, and employment, looking what company they keepe, what courses they fall upon, giving them good example in your owne particular: for the fathers or masters example hath a strong influence upon the childe or servant: so labouring by all good meanes to make them children of God; for then we may be sure they will be out of harmes-way, as we use to speake of them; nay blessed is every one that is rightly called the childe of God.
Now there is yet another Use, and so an end; Vse. 3 and that is for comfort to all that have just title to this spirituall sonship, and can justifie their title: Christ here saith they are blessed, therefore doe not yee curse your selves by misdeeming your owne estates, or suffering your selves to be baffled out of your comforts.
For which end and purpose, it is needfull that yee be armed, and understand when 'tis a temptation, when not; and that first in generall, secondly in particular.
In generall, thus:
First, when any trouble or temptation lights upon thee, looke where it falls, see whether it be not such as may befall the best of Gods people, even the whole generation of the righteous. If it bee such as doth smite David, Paul, or other of Gods best children, it is no good argument, I am not God's because thus visited: Psal. 73 15.
Secondly, you shall know a temptation thus; It ever tends to secrecie, to unnaturalnesse, to unthankfuln…sse, and to beat us off from God and his Ordinances. Thus in generall may you know a temptation.
In particular there are 4. things that doe much dismay Gods dearest children, and bereave them of comfort. 1. Afflictions. 2. Desertion. 3.Of Saints Afflictions. Temptations. 4. Their owne naturall corruption. For the first of these: The childe of God oftentimes lets fall his comfort upon this occasion: If God were his Father, and did love him, hee should never be so much afflicted and distressed with crosses and miseries; for God hath said, that he will withhold no good thing from the upright person, and that hee will deliver his from the scourge of the tongue, and the violent hand, and, whatsoever the good man doth, it shall prosper: But now it is farre otherwise with me, for I abound with wants, am under many afflictions, and to say sooth, nothing prospers with mee; therefore I am at a great stand in this maine businesse, Answ. &c. This is an old objection, made by Gideon, (If the Lord be with us, why is it thus?) and long since answered. This will smite all the generation of the just, as David tels us, Psal. 73. You see then a ready way how to put off this suggestion. If I should thus conclude, that I am therefore no childe, because chastised and scourged, this were to call Davids, Iacobs, Pauls honesty into question: and so for all the rest of the Saints of God. Againe, looke not hereby upon the affliction, but see how it comes; if the Lord come along with it to sanctifie it to your amendment, if he teach as well as chastise, if hee instruct you as well as correct you, then 'tis a proofe of your happinesse; for, Blessed is the man (saith David) whom thou chastisest, and then teachest him in thy law. Psal. 94. Againe, you talke of prosperity, I pray you what is prosperity? Saint Iohn tels you in his Epistle to Gaius; I wish thou maist prosper, saith he, as thy soule prospereth; then a man prospereth indeed, when his soule prospereth. You thinke there is no farther prosperity, than when a man abounds in outward comforts and contentments; but if by the want of them, your soules health be promoted, that is true prosperity; if we thrive in grace, it matters not much whether we thrive in the world or not, 'tis a good bargaine howsoever, let a man suffer never so much hardship here; a man cannot pay too deare for grace and patience, and other spirituall gifts, though they cost one a piece of his body, a piece of his estate, yea all that a man hath, or is, yet still 'tis a good penni-worth. Therefore so long as thou gainest faith, patience, experience by thine afflictions, and so thrivest in the inward man, however it fare with the outward, though thou goe never so much downe the winde, &c. presse not thine afflictions as an argument against thy selfe, for they are seales of Gods love, and pledges of our sonship.
Object. I, but there is a farther matter in it than all this: my miseries are spirituall, I am under a cloud of desertion:Of their desertions. God hath promised to lift up the light of his countenance upon his children, but now alas hee frownes upon me, hee shuts out my prayer, and though I seeke him never so earnestly, he will not be found.
Sol. This is a sad case indeed, it cannot bee denied, when there shall fall out such a strangenesse betweene father and childe, yet this discards not a man from being a childe neverthelesse. Others of Gods dearest children have groaned under the like affliction, as appeares by their often complaints, as David in the 18. Psalme, in the 22. Psal. the 77. and 88. Psalmes, besides many other passages of that Booke, that make to this purpose. So the whole Church cries out in Esay, cap. 63. Why art thou a stranger in the land, and as a man that cannot helpe? why hast thou hardned our hearts from thy feare? &c. Yea our blessed head Christ Iesus complaines of this, that himselfe was forsaken for a time of his Father, in respect of sence, and some degrees, therefore this will be no temptation in the issue. But for the purpose: There is a double desertion; the one in wrath, a totall forsaking of a man, and leaving him to the hardnesse of his heart: Another in merciemercy, when God forsakes a man onelyonly in a kinde, for a time, in some degree, and for a further good unto him; this desertion befell our Saviour Christ, and may likewise befall the best of Gods children, thereby to indebt them and to indeare them the more one to another for mutuall helpe and comfort in time of such distresses, as also to quicken them and rouze them up from their dulnesse and security, to make them prize the sence of Gods love the more, and to prepare and make way for their comfortable enjoyment of it againe, yea to strengthen and increase their joyes unto them upon the returne; that like as it fared with the wise-men of the East, that came to seeke our Saviour, the starre that guided them was sometimes taken out of their sight, that when it should appeare againe, their joy might be renued and increased: so it is with Gods deare children, he sometimes hides himselfe, and refuseth to come at them, that he may afterwards fill them with fresh joyes, and vnspeakeable ravishments. You see how it was with the Church in the Canticles, Christ absents himselfe on purpose, and seemes to have cast off all care of her, shee might sinke or swimme for him, for ought shee felt; and all this was done to quicken her, to draw her from her selfe, and to make her runne with more speed through all the ordinances. In this case therefore you must bee advised, to wait upon God, till he returne and have mercy, though for the present you be without all sence and feeling of his favour; it will not be long ere hee will visit you againe, and smile upon you as before: In the meane while, consult your former experiences, remember the dayes of old, your songs in the night, &c. and be content to doe as Paul did when hee was smitten blinde by the way to Damascus, even to put your selves into other mens hands, to submit to their guidance, to live by their comforts, to see with their eyes, to trust to their testimony of you; for, for the time, you can be no fit judges of your owne estate.
Object. Yea but (will some say) I have more to trouble mee than all this,Of their Temptations. my miseries are sinfull miseries, I am pester'd with hideous hellish temptations, with thoughts not farre from blasphemie, unnaturall, unholy thoughts, such as a man would tremble to remember.
Answ. So have others of Gods children heretofore beene thus troubled, as David (for instance) when he said in a passion, Psal. 73.13. & 31.22. & 116.11. I have washed my hands in vaine, and served God to no purpose. And againe, All men are lyars, even Samuell and the rest of the Prophets. I beleeve none of them all. But the question here, is not what's the assault, but what entertainement you give to any such motion. An honest traveller may be seene to bee set upon by a thiefe, and yet bee never the lesse honest man for that. It may befall the most chaste woman in the world to be assaulted, yet is shee made never a whit the worse for that wicked perswasion, if shee assent not thereunto. In the Law of Moses, if a virgin were ravish't in the field, if when shee were assailed, she cryed out for helpe, and there none to rescue her, it was not reckoned unto her as a sinne of her owne. So if the devill commit a rape upon thy soule, thou cryest out, and yet art not rescued as thou wouldest bee; in this case, sinne disclaimed and resisted shall not bee laid to thy charge. It is indeed thy crosse, but the devils sinne. You see how impudent he was in his dealing with our Saviour: hee can hardly offer worse unto any of us; For he tempted him to that abominable sinne of Idolatry, even to convey that divine worship to an impure Spirit, that is due alone to the most high God.
Here then the question is not, how you are tempted, but how these temptations are accepted. If wee can carry them to God, taking his part against our selves, all is well. The matter is whether you be an agent or a patient in these businesses; if an agent, it is your sinne: but if a patient onelyonly, let the devill beare his owne burden, and be you comforted.
If Davids wives at Ziklag had runne away with some naughty-packe, there had beene good reason that he should have disliked & cashiered them; but being they were forced against their willes, he thought never a whit the worse of them for the same. There were many of the Iewes that ranne downe to Egypt of their owne accord, against Gods expresse command, this was wickednesse: But Ieremy was carried thither by meere violence, whether he would or no: Did God thinke ever a whit the worse of him for that? no more will hee doe of thee in this case.
Ob. I, but there is something worse than all this,Of a Saints corruptions. mine owne corruptions and lusts, mine owne evill heart and nature, which is such as I am perswaded no man hath so bad.
Answ. This is the language of Gods best children, they perswade themselves out of their owne feeling, that there is none so bad as themselves. Thus Paul in his owne judgement was of all sinners the greatest, and of all the Saints the least,1. Tim. 1.15. Ephes. 3.8. not worthy to be called an Apostle, &c. Againe, this objection growes out of ignorance of that vast gulfe of naturall corruption, that is in the heart of the best men also; for we are all cut out of the same peece, as one may say, and there went but a paire of sheeres betweene thy nature and Davids, or any other Saint of God.
Ob. Yea, but God hath promised that hee will subdue corruption unto his people, He shall subdue all our iniquities, &c. Micah 7. But my corruption is very violent within mee, therefore what can I make of my selfe?
Answ. Our sanctification here is but in fieri, it is but in doing yet. Rev. 6.2. Christ rides about conquering, and will yet goe on to conquer sinne in us; he will not doe it at once, he is in subduing our corrupt lusts unto us, as hee did the Canaanites to his people Israel, by little and little. If sinne be but a dying in us, that is, if wee can but hate and detest it (for the life of sinne is the love of it, and then it dyes in the will when wee begin once to hate it:) this is a pledge unto us of more grace, and further sanctification.
Ob. Yea, but God hath promised that his children shall grow, this I doe not, but rather stand at a stay.
Answ. Gods people doe grow indeed, but yet their growth admits of some desertion, of some interruption, and yet it is truely termed a growth: as a childe may be said to grow till he come to his foreign his full stature, though by a fit of sicknesse he may be held backe.
A tree when young, is rightly said to grow, though in the hard of winter it seemes dead and dryed up: So here.
Againe, the growth of a Christian is insensible, as that of the corne in the parable uttered by our Saviour; and as that of a tree, which that it is growne we see well, but how and when it grew wee see not: and such is our growth in grace.
Wee neede not doubt but that we are growing, if we can but find these signes in our selves.
First, more and more sense and sight of our corruptions; as pride, selfe-love, hypocrisie, and the like: for the more life is in any, the more sense, the more he feeles his corruption, as it is corruption, the more grace is in him.
Secondly, againe if our appetite growes, we are more earnestly desirous of grace and holinesse than ever; with a judicious, and rationall appetite. Rationall desires after peace, argue growth in that grace we desire.
Thirdly, constancy in the use of the meanes of grace, is a signe of growth.
But fourthly especially, if we grow down-ward, if wee grow in the roote, if we become more humble and low in our owne eyes, more mercifull toward others, &c. The better any one is, the humbler he is alwayes, and the more any one growes in grace, the more hee growes out of himselfe. These things therefore must not trouble you: if you can finde these notes in your selves, ye are certainely children of God; and in that name blessed men and women: Hold this as the maine conclusion still, and never curse whom God hath blessed, but blesse with God, and oppose this title to all temptations within, and to all indignities without, that are any way cast upon us by men. Say, Men call me this or that by way of contempt or disgrace of my person; But what of that? God calles mee his childe, and that's honour enough; yea, with that Christian Emperour Theodosius, wee should esteeme it a greater dignity to bee the childe of God, and a member of his Church, than to be the head of an Empire: yea, God hath herein done farre more for us, than if hee had made us Kings of men, or Emperours of Kings themselves.
Vse. Now to shut up all: Is every peace-keeper and peace-maker a childe of God, and so truely blessed? Let me then revive my former exhortation unto you, that you would keepe the peace as ever you hope to be happy.
Wee might command you in the Kings name to keepe the Kings peace. If a poore Constable comming unto you in the name of a mortall Prince, and charging you thus, you dare not but obey him, and all is hush't presently: how should you much more hearken to him that chargeth you with this duty from the King of heaven?
And as you must study peace your selves, so you must be peace-makers too. I know it is a tedious and a thanklesse office, for men come off slowly in businesses of this nature, they sticke long, and will not stirre with a little: Oh what a thing it is to pull downe a proud person, to humble a silly creature! It happens often to one that deales with men in these matters, as with him that strives to part a fray; he shall carry away blowes from both parties.So Thucydid. lib. 1. histor. saith. A man that will undertake to mediate betweene neighbour and neighbour, shall be sure to be censured, and of two friends lose one at least, and perhaps both: But let not that dishearten us from the worke, sith it is the Lords; and however men deale with us for it, he will esteeme such his children, and hath pronounced them blessed. Therefore be not discouraged, &c.
A man will venture somewhat when hee seeth a towne on fire, yea, if it be but some one house in a towne, somewhat a man will doe to the quenching of it. And will you not then doe as much for the bodies and soules of men, when this unnaturall fire of contention is kindled amongst them? A man that comes to set a bone that is out, makes no matter of it; though his patient complaines of him, cryes out against him, reviles him haply, and gives him very hard language, he goes on with his worke neverthelesse: so must you be content to take a little paines, and to receive but hard measure at their hands whom you seeke to set in joynt againe; for so shall you interest your selves into the blessing here pronounced by our Saviour upon all peace-makers, that they shall be called the sonnes of God.
FINIS.