The Art of Happiness, Part 3 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII. Other helps of retayning and increasing happinesse. The first is, quicke obedience.
AN especiall furtherance and nourisher of the Spirit, is a readie and prompt obedience to the motions of the same Spirit. The businesse of our life is indeede no other, but an attendance on the Spirit, in whom lyes our dutie and happinesse, and al other businesses that are not subordinate to this businesse, are inordinate. Wherfore to the holy lusts of this liuing and mouing Spirit, must our continuall care bee attentiue, that when it moueth vsus, we may be moued by it, and that the commands thereof bee answered by a speedie obedience. For the Spirit is the issue of the God of power, and is it selfe a power proceeding from that great power: now power reioyceth in action, yea these second powers grow more powerfull by action. In naturall things wee see that motion makes a thing more apt to moue, and by how much more the strength of Man is exercised, the more able and mightie it groweth. No otherwise doth the Spirit in vsus. It grows mightie by a free and prosperous exercise of his might: It growes more vigorous and actiue by doing, and by mouing it is more readie to moue. If it be well followed in a combate with a Beare, …en a terrible and vgly temptation, it will after leade vsus on to the conquest of a Lyon, euen of some raigning wickednesse, and at last will bring vsus to triumph ouer a Gyant, euen the prince of wickednesse. And as it will leade vsus to the increase of the ruine of vice, so it will also leade vsus to the increase of vertue, & finally, to increase the reward of vertue in eternall felicitie. For as it is the naturall and kindly desire of the Spirit to beare fruit, so is it likewise his desire to beare more fruit, and by obtayning this desire, it goes on to a farther desire, and so to a farther obtayning, if our following bee proportionable to his leading. When the Spirit moueth vsus to a good worke, by fulfilling it, wee hauehave a double profit. One is, the reward of that worke in glorie; the other is, the increase of the Spirit by working; who being increased, will increase more workes vntounto more glorie. On the other side, by neglecting & disobaying the Spirit when it moueth, wee hauehave a double losse; the first, a losse of the good worke, and the reward pertayning to it; a second is an impouerishing, discouragement, and weakning of the Spirit, against another like occasion: for it must needes moue weaker the next time to that work, to which before it hath moued in vaine. Now farre be it from vsus to stop and shorten our owne perfection; euen the perfection of holinesse and happinesse; which two are inseparable, & one the measure of the other. Let it be farre from vsus to abate our felicitie, by lesning our obedience; yea farre be it from vsus, to grieue & stop that Spirit, which demandeth of vsus, but an excellent and necessarie dutie, which is holinesse, and that with a condition annexed of the most excellent thing which is happinesse. Surely, wee discomfort our Comforter, we goe into a spirituall consumption, we dead our life, wee grudge our selues the increase of felicitie, when wee resist or neglect the sacred instincts & blessed influences of this soueraigne Spirit. Whereas on the other side, by a readie obedience we inflame the Spirit, wee adde fuell to this heauenly fire, wee giuegive that thing food & nourishment, which giueth food & nourishment to our life Eternall. For the motion of the Spirit tends to this, that we would doe good to our selues, by doing good to it, and that by sowing vntounto it in a speedie and large obedience, wee may reape a more full and large haruest of glorie. Wherefore let vsus be carefull to accept eueryevery proffer of the Spirit, as that wherein is an vnited gift of grace and glorie. If the Spirit would exercise it selfe in the practice of some vertue, let our members, as readie seruants, runne to the execution thereof. If the Spirit stirre vsus vp to a strong resolution, to make a straighter couenant with our God, & to draw neerer vntounto him by an increased seruice, let vsus make roome in our heart for the settlement of this pillar, and let vsus giuegive way vntill this naile bee driuen vp to the head. If the Spirit lust for a vacation from the world, and complaine that it is oppressed with an heap of earthly imployments, let vsus ease it of waight, & take from it that which surchargeth; yea let vsus giuegive it full and steady times of respiration and breathing, that it may conuerse with his Fountayne, and sucke new streames of refreshing from that abundant and euerslowing Spring. If the Spirit desire to warre with the flesh, and particularly with some especiall infirmitie, let vsus come willingly to the fight, and helpe the Lord in his battailes; euen this Spirit of God against the enemies of God and our felicitie; and if wee serue him in the fight, we shall triumph with him for the victorie. Finally, if the Spirit long to cherish it self with the food of the Word, or the precious and last Banquet of our dying Redeemer, let vsus bee carefull to feed the hunger thereof with the food of God in due season. So shall wee increase the life of our life; and by the growth of the Spirit, wee shall grow more gracious here in the sight of our Creator, and wee shall grow more glorious hereafter by the increased sight of the same Creator.