The Righteous Mans Plea to True Happiness, Sermon 1 · Sermon 4
SER. 4.The fourth Sermon.
PSALME IV. VI.
There be many that ſay, who will ſhew us any good? Lord, lift up the light of thy countenance upon us.
WEE are upon the Point of Happineſſe, and to ſhew wherein it conſiſts; wee have already diſpatched one branch of that, viz. the negative, which was, That our happineſſe conſisted not in the things of the world: It is not the quinteſſence of any, nor the confluence of all worldly things can make a man happy. There now remaines the ſecond Branch concerning happineſſe, wherein it lieth, viz. the affirmative part, here expreſſed in this propheticall petition which the Pſalmiſt makes to God. Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
I ſhall propound the Point thus (and this will be the third Point in order) God and his favour, 3. Doct.the light of his countenance ſhining on us, is that excellent good, which can alone, without the helpe of any creature, without any created thing, make a man truely, and perfectly happy.
That is the ſumme of the Point: I ſhall not ſpend much time in the explication of it, onelyonly briefely to point out ſome things.
There be two things, which I ſhall but touch upon for the Explication of the Propoſition.
1. I will ſay ſomething concerning the Subject of this Propoſition.
2. Something concerning the Predicate.
For the Subject of this Propoſition in effect it containeth theſe two things.Subject.
Firſt, the Object of happineſſe, or the thing that makes happy materially.
And ſecondly, formally: I ſhall ſpeake of it ſo, I ſay both
Materially.
and Formally.
As the Schooles doe diſtinguiſh, though with ſome difference.Materiall.
1. For the materiall happineſſe of a man, wherein it lieth; I expreſſe it (as the other) generally, and ſo
1. God will make a man happy. God, according to his,And I ſhall deſire you to underſtand it (for I ſhall adde no more concerning that in this place, but God conſidered both eſſentially, Eſſence. Perſon.and in the excellencie, of his nature; and perſonally in the diſtinction of his perſons, God in Chriſt, and God in the Spirit; none is to be excluded, but there is a concurrent influence of the whole Trinity, and of every perſon in it, that contributes towards our happineſſe.
His favour.2. And I expreſſe an other part of the Object, when I ſay the favour of God, here noted by a phraſe that is tropicall enough, and yet I ſhall ſpend time in vaine to open the trope, for I ſuppoſe it is commonly underſtood. Lifting up the light of his countenance upon us, is as much, as caſting a favourable aſpect towards and upon us; and being (in a word), gracious and favourable unto us. For as when a man is well pleaſed with any, you know it is one teſtimony of his love, to caſt a ſweet and lovely countenance upon him. Super omnia vultus Acceſſêre boni, as he accepted it: the Hoſt was wonderfull carefull and ſolicitous to give the gueſts content, but that which he noted as the principall, was Super omnia vultus Acceſſêre boni: her affable carriage and good countenance. It is not onelyonly the bleſſings of God which makes us happy, although God ſhould heape many bleſſings upon us, but it is eſpecially a good looke from God, that proceedes from a gracious & a loving diſpoſition of God towards us; that puts a price & a beauty upon the bleſſings themſelves. It is an elegant ſtory or obſervation which Xenophon tells of Artabazus a great courtier in the Court of Cyrus: King Cyrus gave him a cup of gold, and there was an other courtier in preſence, that was more intimate, and more neere in favour than hee, viz. Chryſantas; to whom, though the King gave nothing at that time, yet hee kiſſed him, in token of ſpeciall love; which when he had done, Artabazus complained, and wittily ſaid, the cup you gave me was not ſo good gold as the kiſſe you gave Chryſantas. It is ſo in this caſe; it is not any gift of God, eſpecially thoſe outward things, that is ſo great a ſigne of Gods favour, as the light of his countenance: A good looke is a ſpeciall teſtimony of his reall affection, which thoſe things are not. For no man knowes either love or hatred by theſe things.
And though there might be many other expreſſions uſed, yet I conceive this as reall and proper a note, to ſhew wherein our happineſſe in God conſiſts, as any: viz. his favour, and good will, and good pleaſure towards us, becauſe that comprehends all the reſt, and if we have that, that is it that intereſts us in all the reſt of the excellencies, and the bleſſings of God, hereby they come to be all ours, and wee are intereſted in them all, ſo farre as they may make for our good. Thus of the materiall part.
2. But then there is an other thing that I intimated in the propounding of the Point; and that belongs more properly to the formall part of happineſſe:Formall. which I comprehend in two things.
There is nothing of it ſelfe what ever that of it ſelfe can make a man happy, no not God himſelfe, nor his favour, except it be ours, and we be intereſted in it; which I expreſſe by theſe two things,
Poſſeſsion.
and Fruition.
Poſſeſſion.1. We muſt be poſſeſſed of God, and poſſeſſed of his favour, than is, be in ſuch a ſtate and condition, that theſe things doe belong to us, and are ours, and wee are in conjunction with them: Now in a word not to dilate in either of theſe, becauſe the next Point will give mee a more proper hint of that: wee come to the poſſeſſion of God and his favour, to have intereſt in that, ſo as wee may challenge him as ours, and looke upon him as ours, by theſe two things laid together.
Vocation.1. When God doth make us his owne by effectuall calling, and creates or renewes, or repaires his owne Image in us, and ſets his owne ſtampe and ſuperſcription, or impreſſion upon us.
Covenant.2. When hee doth enter into covenant with us, and takes us into confederation with himſelfe (which is a thing reſulting from the former and depending upon it) that wee are in covenant with God, in league with him; which conjunction is expreſſed by divers things in the Scripture, as a marrying of us to himſelfe, and other things that import a neere union and league: but I ſhall content my ſelfe in the generality, and onelyonly deſire to point at things.
So that now, when a man comes to be effectually called, that God tranſlates him from the ſtate of ſinne to the ſtate of grace, from being the ſonnes and daughters of the old Adam, he ingrafts them into the new Adam, bearing his Image, as the ſtate and condition is thus altered, ſo upon this, God lookes on them as friends, Abraham my friend, as confederates, as in league with him; that there is a combination betweene God, and a Chriſtian: why they that are in this condition, they are in the poſſeſſion of God, and of his favour.
2. But then to adde but one word more concerning the ſecond branch. viz. Fruition.The fruition of Gods favour: that is, that which is requiſite likewiſe, towards that compleatneſſe of happineſſe, that is, to be ſuckt out of God: wee muſt injoy him as well as poſſeſſe him, and in that fruition lieth the very upſhut and crowne of happineſſe.
Now this fruition, not to inlarge on it, for there is a more proper place for it (though it cannot altogether be omitted here, without ſome wrong to the Point) It conſiſts for my preſent purpoſe in theſe two things.
viz.
In a direct act,
and in reflexive act.
I ſhall adde no more.
Direct. Through. Donatives.1. A direct act, is that intercourſe of favour on Gods part, a donative (if I may ſo ſpeake) on Gods part; and duties on mans part, when there is a communion maintained betweene God and us, and there is a ſweete intercourſe and fellowſhip betweene God and a mans ſoule. As for example. God gives us the favour (to mention no more) of his Ordinances; that we in joy his Ordinances, and hee walkes before us in them; and we have his Religion eſtabliſhed among us: wee have his Word, the Scepter of his Kingdome ſet up among us; and wee have the reſt of his Ordinances; God doth not debarre us of thoſe, but ſhewes us his favour, and the light of his countenance, in lifting up of theſe, in holding out this golden Scepter to us, and keeping the doores of grace open to us, and ſo maintaining a reciprocall commerce of heaven and earth on his owne part. And on our parts wee doe likewiſe maintaine it, when wee anſwer God in Duty, Duties.in ſerving God according to his Ordinances, and in meeting of him in them: the ſoule and the ſpirit of a man giving God the meeting there (as I may ſay) and ſo maintaining that communion, and fellowſhip with him in a humble, and reverent hearing of the Word of God, and in a hungering and thirſting after it, with fervent, and frequent prayers, ſtill maintaining the trade and commerce betweene earth and heaven, by thoſe duties that muſt returne from us, and on our parts: and ſo all other exerciſes of any ſpirituall grace, whereby wee expreſſe our duty towards God, belong as parts, and branches, to the maintenance of this commerce, and communion with God, and ſo, that we injoy himaccording to the ſtate and condition of this life.
2.Reflective. But then there is a ſecond thing wherein the fruition of God lies, and that is a reflexive act, which (though it be not ſo abſolutely neceſſary to the ſtate of happineſſe, for a man may be in the ſtate of happineſſe, and in a good caſe and condition, and yet not be able to exerciſe it, and put it out in a reflexive act) but for the ſweetneſſe, and the taſte of happineſſe, and for the compleate fruition, and injoying of it, it cannot be without this reflexive act: that is (that I may in a word tell my meaning by it) when a man doth reflect upon what God hath done for him, and what God hath done by, and in him, and inabled him to doe towards God; and by it he is able to underſtand, and ſee, and take notice that God hath dealt mercifully with him, that hee is Gods, and God is his: and that hee can ſee his owne happineſſe, and ſee his owne condition, and ſo to delight himſelfe, and to joy in God, and in his goodneſſe. In one word, to injoy, imports no more than to joy in a thing, and to injoy God is one principall thing that makes up the ſweetneſſe (at leaſt) of happineſſe; when wee joy in God upon the ſenſe and apprehenſion of a mans owne bleſſed eſtate and condition. For as I have ſaid ſometimes, Non eſt beatus, eſſe qui ſe non putat, hee is at leaſt compleatly, and in a ſenſe no happy man, that doth not thinke himſelfe to be ſo, and doth not ſee himſelfe to be a happy man, and doth not take notice of his owne happineſſe. I ſay though it be not of abſolute neceſſitie to the eſſence of happineſſe, yet to the rituall perfecting, and taſting of the ſweetneſſe of happineſſe it is neceſſary. There be many Chriſtians I know that are not able thus to reflect, and ſee their owne face, and condition, though they have a right, and title to happineſſe, and are in a reall communion with God, and doe maintaine directly their duty with God in ſincerity; yet there may be ſome clouds that keepe off this reflexion, and ſomething that takes them off (at leaſt) from that ſweetneſſe, that they might take in this. I ſhall adde no more concerning this firſt part that I propounded, viz. to open the ſubject of this propoſition, which containes the object, both materially, and formally of happineſſe.
2. I ſhall but ſpeake a word neither, briefely,Predicate. concerning the predicate, the thing that is affirmed concerning God and his favour, in this propoſition: which in a word briefely, containes two things, that were intimated in the propoſition, as affirmed concerning God and his favour in relation to our happineſſe.
1. In generall, this is tha… excellent good, Generall.which anſwers to this queſtion, in the Text,Excellent good. Who will ſhew us any good? The great good that conduces towards the happineſſe of a man, it is God and his favour, that excellent and tranſcendent good.
2. And a little more particularly,Speciall. According to. this is that beatificall good, that will make a man happy.
in regard
of all the degrees of happineſſe.
and in regard of the manner.
Firſt, sufficiently for the degrees;Degrees. hee doth bring a man to the true happineſſe, and to the perfect happineſſe, to the reall happineſſe,Beatificall. God in life. and to the royall happineſſe; onelyonly this is the difference, all communion with God, that is in truth, doth intereſt a man in the ſtate of happineſſe; but there is a difference in that communion, and ſo proportionably, there will be a difference in the degrees of happineſſe.
1.Preſent, truly, reall. There is a communion that we have with God, and a conjunction with him, even in this life, I meane all that are his by faith.Future, perfectly, royall.
2. There is a communion, and a conjunction which we expect in another life, which is by ſight.
1. We are now (though joyned to the Lord yet) in ſome reſpect abſent from the Lord, in the land of our pilgrimage here; wherein we have ſome beames, ſome glimpſes, ſome taſtes of the ſweeteneſſe of the light of Gods countenance, though not in full meaſure: But yet ſo, that even thoſe taſtes are ſuch as doe poſſeſſe a man of a true and reall happineſſe, not an imaginary happineſſe, which worldly men have, viz. their owne dreames, and fancyes in the poſſeſſion of ſome worldly things, but indeed that which is truely, and eſſencially ſuch, and that which doth deſerve the name of happineſſe, and hath the very nature and being of it; that a man is in a good eſtate, for the maine ſubſtance, though ſhort in the degrees: God is ſo great a good, that even the injoying of him in ſuch a manner as is poſſible for us here in this life, in this vaile of teares, in this abſence from God; that injoying of him here by faith, and thoſe taſtes that wee have of him, is enough to elevate, and raiſe our condition to a ſtate of true happineſſe.
2. But then as a lower communion with God, ſuch as we have by faith here, doth bring a man to true and reall happineſſe: ſo when we ſhall be exalted to a higher degree, and a more neere, and excellent communion with God in heaven by ſight, wee ſhall attaine the royall and perfect happineſſe, when we ſhall ſee him face to face: Not in that rigid ſenſe, or notion, that the Schoole men have ſo much written of, as though all a mans happineſſe lay meerely in beholding of the very eſſence of God, which is neither poſſible for us here, nor in another life (I ſay) to behold Gods eſſence: and they themſelves (as whoſoever is acquainted with them, muſt ingenuouſly confeſſe, if he will ſpeake the truth) doe exceedingly fumble in the buſineſſe, when they come to it, and they are troubled very much how to accommodate one difficulty: viz. How a man can poſſibly comprehend the very eſſence and quiddity of God, and yet not comprehend him, and in my opinion, it is an inexplicable difficulty: And it is impoſſible for any nature created, not onelyonly for us men, but for the very Cherubins in the ſtate of glory to comprehend the very eſſence of God, ſo as it is diſtinguiſhed from his attributes, for the truth is, there is no proportion at all betweene a thing that is finite, and a thing that is infinite, and therefore it is impoſſible that our finiteneſſe ſhould not onelyonly be able to comprehend, but apprehend the intrinſecall eſſence of God. Neither is this altogether the onelyonly thing, although it be a ſpeciall thing that makes up our happineſſe: Our happineſſe doth not conſiſt in being all eye, and beholding all beauty, but in the participation of God in all his excellencies, and in the fruition of all thoſe which ſhall deſcend from him upon the glorified creature, that is glorified in that ſtate, and condition in every kind, wherof this is but one, though it be a very maine one. But it is no wonder for men to advance their owne art, and for thoſe to ſpeake ſo highly of contemplation, who have placed al in contemplation. But this only by the way.
(There is one thing more which I ſhall adde but in a word) God, I ſay, and his favour, is a mans happineſſe in every degree of happineſſe, according to our degree of conjunction, the lower conjunction, by faith in this life, being a true and reall happineſſe: and the higher conjunction with God by ſight, being a perfect, and royall happineſſe, the top of all that which our nature is capable of.
Manner. Singular.2. So in the ſecond place, in regard of the manner, God and his favour bring happineſſe in the moſt excellent manner, as well as in the latitude of all degrees. I expreſſe thus much concerning the manner.
Firſt of all negatively, God without the creature: Without the helpe of the c reatures.God without all, or any of the creatures, he needes not the helpe of any; No more then the Sunne needs the helpe of a ſtar, to make the light of the day; The Sunne alone can doe it; nay, it is impoſſible the ordinary courſe of nature, that the ſtarres ſhould ſhine while the Sunne doth: they are all ſilent when he is in preſence, and they all diſappeare, when his glorious beames are ſpread upon this Horizon. There is none of the creatures can be a contributer to God; nor hee needes not the helpe of candles to increaſe his ſunne ſhine, in the conveighance and influence of happineſſe upon us. And if you pleaſe you may conſider a double ſtate, and poſture of the creature, in which it may be in reſpect of us.
The creature may be either
Abſent from us;
Or an Adverſary to us.
1. The creature may be abſent from us.Abſent. We may want thoſe things that are within the compaſſe of the creature. They are ſubſervient, though not ſufficient to happineſſe, they helpe ſomething towards the compleating of happineſſe; yet I ſay when all the creatures are wanting. Behold I create light: God created it out of nothing; he needed not the helpe of thoſe creatures to produce happineſſe, and when they are all wanting, God can doe it without them: God can do it when there is the conjunction of no creature with him: Though they be abſent.
2. Nay ſuppoſe that they are not onelyonly abſent, Adverſant.there is not onelyonly a bare privation of them: But ſuppoſe a violent oppoſition (as it were) of all the creatures; the oppoſition of men, and devils, to ſhew their hatred in the withdrawing of all things, that might conduce towards our happineſſe; though all the creatures ſet themſelves againſt us, and conſpire againſt us: Yet the oppoſition of al could not make any interpoſition betweene us and our happines, where God is pleaſed to come, and beſtow himſelfe upon us. That is the negative part, God without the creature; in what poſture ſoever we conſider them, whether abſent from us, or oppoſite to us: can make us happy, he needs not the aide, and helpe of any in the buſineſſe.
Himſelfe alone.2. Affirmatively, God himſelfe alone can doe it, himſelfe; and himſelfe alone. He is All ſufficient, and can conferre this happineſſe, meerely by communicating himſelfe.
I will adde but one word more, and ſo come to the proofe of the point. He can doe it (and it is concerning the manner too) as in the beſt manner, Sufficientlyſo in the beſt manner abſolutely. There is not onelyonly a ſufficiency, but an efficiency; He can doe it not onelyonly ſufficiently, but effectually. There is not onelyonly a poſſibility and a ſufficiency in God, that it may be done: But there is an efficacy, Efficiently.and ſuch as is inſeparable: and where God is ſo poſſeſſed, and injoyed, there is an actuall conveighance of reall happineſſe. Thus of the Propoſition.
2. Now briefly for the proofe of the point. It is not a thing abſolutely needfull to multiply many places of Scripture in this caſe, in an eſpeciall reſpect; Becauſe it is the whole ſcope, and ſumme of all the Scripture, to preſent God unto us in this excellency of being, and in this relation to our happineſſe; that it is him alone that can doe it. But yet to make it up, it will not be amiſſe to point at ſome few places among the reſt, which may give a ſufficient taſte, and confirmation unto any of this truth; that he ſhall no way doubt of it.
1. For the foreign, it is proved.
1. By Scripture, and ſo.
1. By Teſtimony.
If you will but remember that charge, and direction that God giveth by Moſes to the Prieſts, how they ſhould bleſſe the people of God. Numb. 6.25. and ſo following. Hee preſcribes a forme of bleſſing the people, and directs them in the very words, how they ſhould doe it. The Lord bleſſe thee and keepe thee, the Lord cauſe his face to ſhine on thee, the Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon thee, &c. Here is the very ſame thing, and the very ſame phraſe; and this text is a ſtrong proofe of this truth. For this were not a ſufficient intimation of bleſſing conveighed unto the people, if there were not contained (all the bleſſings neceſſary to happineſſe) and expreſſed in the bleſſing. And here is nothing expreſſed, but God and his favour, the ſhining of his countenance, and that is that one, in which is comprehended all bleſſings, and all happineſſe.
And the very ſame thing may be obſerved out of that forme of ſalutation, that the Apoſtles uſed frequently, Paul eſpecially in all his Epiſtles: Grace and peace be multiplyed unto you. To omit all other variety of expoſitions, by the grace of God, is intimated Gods love and favour, for the word foreign ſignifies principally, that; I know it hath ſome other ſignification; but the moſt originall and primitive ſignification of grace is the favour, and good pleaſure of God, which hee caſts towards a man: That is, that which is ſet in the front, as the very ſpring, and fountaine of all bleſſings, out of which it iſſueth, and in which it is contained. Peace, was formerly the ſalutation of the Hebrewes: and they intended to comprehend under it all bleſſings, becauſe peace is the mother of many: and the ancients were wont to paint Peace in the forme of a woman, with a horne of plenty in her hands, all bleſſings: And indeed peace is a wonderfull great bleſſing; and they were wont to comprehend by it, as a principall thing, all bleſſings, and all good: when they wiſhed peace unto them. And indeed take peace in the latitude, and it fully comprehends all, peace with God, and peace with a mans owne conſcience, beſides all other things, that are intimated by it. Now the Apoſtle addes in the New Teſtament grace, to peace. Grace and Peace, &c. As implying that that is the very ſpring and head of all peace, and of all bleſſings: There be abundance of expreſſions in the Pſalmes, which doe pregnantly ſet out this truth unto us. That in Pſal. 27.4. One thing have I deſired of the Lord which I will require, that I may dwell in the houſe of the Lord all the dayes of my life, to behold his beauty; and to inquire in his Temple: Some interpreters vary concerning what the Pſalmist aimes at; I underſtand thus much in a generality, which is cleare, that he meanes a communion and fellowſhip with God: which is that one thing, which if a Chriſtian had, he needes deſire no more: That we ſhould all deſire and deſire againe, and be in love with, and that is enough even to ſatisfie us, the fruition of God; and the beholding of him in his Ordinances, in his Temple, to have correſpondency and fellowſhip, and communion with him there. O God vouchſafe us that! Now this is ſo infinitely ſweete, that it was the Pſalmiſts onelyonly deſire, and the ſumme of all his deſires here, and therefore much more in the Tabernacle of Heaven, which doth make up the conſummation and compleateneſſe of all our happineſſe. And ſo in the Pſal. 36.7. O how excellent is thy loving kindneſſe, O Lord! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the ſhaddow of thy wings: they ſhall be abundantly ſatisfyed, &c. All is placed in God, as if we could but get our ſhare of God, get him, and then all happineſſe is gotten. But more plainely in words to our purpoſe in the Pſal. 65.4. Bleſſed is the man whom thou chuſeſt and cauſeſt to approach to thee, &c. would you know who is the bleſſed man, and what is that thing that makes a man bleſſed? It is he that God chuſeth that is happy; it is Gods love and favour that makes happy, and our conjunction too, and communion with him. And that place that I mentioned before in the former point, in Pſalme 144.15. Bleſſed are the people that are in ſuch a caſe: But then hee corrects himſelfe, it is not the ſheepe and the Oxen, nor the ſonnes and daughters, nor all things going merrily with them in this ſtate and condition of life: He corrects himſelfe there. But this is the happineſſe, Happy is that people whoſe God is the Lord: They that are in communion and covenant with him, there is the maine thing in which our happineſſe, and bleſſedneſſe lies.
2. This proved by example.
Example.I will adde but one place or two more, by way of example out of Scripture: and that is all that I will inſiſt upon, as being not altogether ſo neceſſary; but onelyonly to come a little more cloſe unto you, and to make it plaine, that God alone can make a man happy. To omit all others, there be two excellent examples in Scripture that preſent this truth unto us.
That ſame in 1 Sam. 30.6, 7. of David being wonderfully diſtreſſed, the people (ſaith the ſtory) whiſpered of ſtoning him: He had loſt before, his wife, and children, and his eſtate, and all his people were at this loſſe, and therefore they that were among his troopes began to mutiny, yea even thoſe that were his followers thought to ſtone him: but yet (the Text ſaith) David comforted himſelfe in the Lord his God. It was that which ſtayed him, and ſupported him, and furniſhed him with comfort in that great diſtreſſe, he being able to ſee his conjunction with God. For there is a double degree of comfort. There is the conſummation of comfort in heaven, when there is the conſummation of happineſſe. And there is a lower degree of it here, which ſometime is called a conſolation; ſuch as may be enough to comfort us here, and to make us hold up our heads here, and that when all the creatures faile, and are all withered and blaſted, even here God affords this to David, in his greateſt diſtreſſe and extremity.
And that which I have ſometime treated on, that excellent place in Habbac. 3.17. The figge tree ſhall not bloſſome; neither ſhall fruite be in the Vines, the labour of the Olive ſhall faile, &c. But yet though all theſe things faile and decay, I will rejoyce in the Lord, I will exceedingly joy in the God of my ſalvation: which implies thus much; that God is ſo excellent a good, that they that keepe their hold in him, and keepe cloſe to him, it ſhall be a ſpring of comfort, a fountaine of happineſſe unto him in the middeſt of all adverſity; when all things deſert, and forſake a man, and will afford a man no happineſſe at all, this ſhall. Now briefely in a word, further for the foreign 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 foreign 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 foreign, 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 onelyonly 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 fi…l up that latitude; Neither will there be any defect in the height, or profundity. A high, a noble, and ſublime good, it muſt be, that muſt make a man happy: that is of ſome noble nature, a ſolid and ſubſtantiall good, and all this concurres in God, and therefore
Nature of God.3. To come to the thi…d, if wee conſider the nature of God, we ſhall finde that all theſe doe concurre in God, and that there is no deficiency at all; but that God alone without the helpe of any creature, may make up our reall and our royall happineſſe. I propound this
1. A little more generally.
2. A little more particularly.
Generall.1. More generally. Divines uſe to obſerve, and it is traditionally taken out of the Schooles; that there are three wayes of knowing God,All-ſufficient. which I will mention here by the way, becauſe I ſhall have occaſion to uſe them hereafter.
1. Via cauſalitatis, of cauſality.
2. Via eminentiae, of eminency.
3. Via Negationis, of negation.
They make them three, but I ſhall invert the order, and make them but one: becauſe there is but one way, whereby God doth come to be knowne unto us, who are his creatures, and that is Via cauſalitatis; if God had done nothing, or made nothing, though he had beene then in his owne excellency of nature, and injoyed an infinite glory, and happineſſe in himſelfe, yet he could not have manifeſted it to others, when there were no creatures made, and ſo all the manifeſtation of God had laine hidden; not hid in darkeneſſe, but hid in light, in abundance of light. It is not for want of ability that hee cannot make knowne himſelfe, but it is for glory. As the Sunne cannot bee beheld, not becauſe it is too obſcure, but becauſe it is too light, Excellens ſenſibile deſtruit ſenſum. The object is too ſtrong; it is ſo glorious an object that our eyes are too weake to looke fully upon it. Now the two other wayes come in, and ſubordinately helpe out that; becauſe God hath manifeſted himſelfe to our capacity, by his workes of creation, and providence, which is the onelyonly way that God manifeſts himſelfe in nature, in every workemanſhip, in every worke of his: As the ſaying is, the meaneſt creature hath aliquid Dei, and the beſt creature hath aliquid nihili. Every creature is a compound of perfection, and imperfection; and therefore cannot poſſibly exactly manifeſt God. But there muſt be the two other wayes to ſupply it, and make up that manifeſtation, by which the ſoule may be reduced to the underſtanding of God, by his workes.
The two other come in, I ſay as wayes to ſupply it.
Firſt of all, all the excellencies that be in the creatures, are ſuppoſed to be in God that did make them. It is impoſſible, as the ſaying is, that ullus daret quod in ſe non habet. It is impoſſible that a man ſhould give that to another, which is not in himſelfe, it is impoſſible that there ſhould be any good, or excellency in the creature, but that it muſt be in the Creator, and that in a tranſcendent manner: which is the ſecond way Via eminentiae.
But becauſe every creature hath aliquid nihili in him, that is his imperfection, by which he comes ſhort of God, and will not be full: we muſt make it up with the other ſupply, and that is the third thing, Via negationis: by removing all the imperfections, and ſetting them all aſide, as the concomitants of the creature, for God cannot ſee the creature, but with ſome deficiency which he is free from. And therefore this followes as another way, I ſay Via negationis, God hath not theſe and theſe imperfections. But now to apply all this and bring it home to my preſent purpoſe; As God may bee knowne theſe wayes in generall.
2. So in ſpeciall, he may be knowne to be, and is our happineſſe, and can bee our happineſſe all theſe wayes even alone.
1. He can be our happineſſe, and is our happineſſe, Via cauſalitatis, God is omnipotent, and ſo if there be any thing that is neceſſary, or conducible for our comfort, or happineſſe, it is all in his power to give, and ſo can be our happineſſe. If creatures be neceſſary (and ſo farre as they be neceſſary) if we have God wee are in the moſt certaine way of having theſe and all other things. For all lye in God as a Fountaine and ſpring of all. Suppoſe there be a neceſſity, that a man cannot be perfectly, meerely happy, in the fruition of God, formally; becauſe man is a compound creature, a body as well as a ſoule: yet God alone may be ſufficient, becauſe all is in him caſually, he can produce and command all other good, and all other creatures, as being Lord over all, if we want fire, or cloathes to warme us, and keepe us from the cold; though for the preſent wee have not thoſe, yet God can bring fire and cloathes, and command all the creatures to waite upon us, and ſerve our neceſſities. So that if a man have nothing, yet in having God hee hath all; beſides hee hath the Lord of all; which can with a word, or a nodde, an intimation command not onelyonly the creatures that are, but create creatures anew, if hee would; If the whole world now extant were not able to doe Chriſtians good; God were able to create another world for their good: and furniſh it with all creatures ſufficiently to doe them good. As ſuppoſe a Chriſtian were ſicke of ſome new diſeaſe, that all the world had not a medicine for it; yet God can command one, or make a new medicine; becauſe all things are at his diſpoſing, So that if we have God, we have all in the caſe, and ſo an all ſufficient good in God alone, and an all-ſufficiency of happineſſe.
2. God is all via eminentiae, being able to ſupply the want of any creature; as hee can bring all the creatures to us, and give them us, which are neceſſary for our good, and comfort: ſo he is able by way of eminency to ſupply the defect of them, though he bring them not, he can doe it by himſelfe; and which is moſt of all, he can give us that, without which nothing can be good for us; that is, ſet our ſpirits, and hearts in a right frame; which if they were not, they would ſpoile all we have, and they would make them rather an aggravation of our miſery, then any addition to our happineſſe. God onelyonly is able to make a man ſo that he may be a fit ſubject of happineſſe, and capable of it; being inlightened in his underſtanding, and rectifyed in his will and affections, whereby hee is able to eſteeme of things, and love things as hee ought, and to uſe them accordingly. So that whatſoever good may reſult from the creature for our good, if we have God, we have it. For we have the Spring, and Fountaine, and Mint, in which he can caſt all other good for us. For this is a certaine rule in Divinity, that God cannot doe any thing by the creature, but he can doe the ſame without the creature. Nay more then ſo, the creature (although preſent) cannot doe any thing without the aſſiſtance of God; but he himſelfe can doe it though no creature be preſent. Yea God is ſo eminent a good, that he containes the tranſcendent excellency of every creature: For let any creature be wanting, as fire to warme us, or water to waſh us, yet God can ſupply that defect; he can doe it by himſelfe, becauſe all the excellency of every creature is tranſcendently in God. He hath power to ſuſpend the action of the creature, and take off the bleſſing: and on the other ſide, God can ſupply the want of the creature, by a hidden way of his owne bleſſing. He can make a little to goe a great way, yea without all, as well as with all, hee can make a man happy. He is an equivalent good to make ſatisfaction for al, and ſo in this reſpect he can be our happines, and bring us to happines.
3. Via negationis. God alone can bee our happineſſe, becauſe there is no defect in him. He is a rocke in time of need; he can doe whatſoever any creature, or all can doe for us; nay more, for if wee had all the creatures, they would be all defective, but there is no defect in God; As ſuppoſe if in ſickneſſe there were ſuch a medecine, which if I could get, it, may be it would doe ſome good: Now God, hee can doe that alone himſelfe, which any, or all creatures could doe, nay and above, and beyond all that every one of the creatures can doe. Becauſe every creature is defective, and too ſhort, but God, he hath all excellencies without any mixture of imperfection. In a word, God is All-ſufficient, as in the tenor of the covenant with Abraham, Walke before me and be upright, I am God All-ſufficient. He is All-ſufficient, that you cannot name what you would have, but he is that, As the Rabbins had a conceite of Manna, that it had that taſte in every mans mouth, that every man deſired: I am ſure it is ſo of God: Or as ſome men that have a mind at ſome diſhes of meate, they can finde all the dainties in the world in that diſh which likes them; as ſuppoſe Pheaſant, and Partridg, & Capon they find al in that diſh; It is moſt certainly and really true of God, not in conceit onelyonly; Hee that knowes what God is, if he have God, he can finde all good in him, all the excellencies of all the creatures are compendiouſly, and ſummarily comprehended in God. Now hee that is All-ſufficient, there can bee nothing wanting in him to make perfectly happy, even by himſelfe alone.
2. But now to ſpeake a little more particularly. There are but three things that I ſhall deſire you to conſider, and no doubt but out of every one of them will reſult a ſtrong and cleare proofe of this truth.
Firſt, conſider the particular perfections which are in God.
Secondly, conſider the proportion they have with our nature to ſupply our wants.
Thirdly, conſider the neereneſſe of that conjunction and communion, which we may have with God, that ſo we may be intereſted in his perfections.
For the firſt of theſe, the particular perfections of God: In a word to name no more but the maine.
1. The power of God, and his omnipotency.
2. The wiſedome of God, and his omniſciency.
3. The goodneſſe and grace of God, which is infinitely tranſcendent, and hath the crowne of all the attributes of glory. For when the Lord told Moſes he would ſhew him all his goodneſſe, hee ſet himſelfe out in the attribute of grace and mercy. But yet a little more particularly.
1. There is power in God, by which he is able to ſupply all things whatſoever, according to his will. There is nothing but his omnipotency can reach; And for a man to have him to be his friend, that is Lord of all, in whoſe hands is the diſpoſing of all, he cannot but thinke himſelfe happy, having the poſſeſſion of ſuch a friend.
Wiſedome.2. All wiſedome is his. If he knew not our wants, but were ignorant of them, though he had all power, it were nothing, and hee had need to be put in minde to ſhew it. But now he knowes our ſtate, and condition; and he doth know all the wayes, by which it is poſſible to ſupply our neceſſities.
Good will.3. But yet neither of theſe were any thing, though he had power and wiſedome, yet if he did want goodneſſe, this would little relieve a man, and ſtand him in ſtead. Therefore we added in the third place, the excellency of goodneſſe. He is the fountaine of all goodneſſe, all proceeds from himſelfe; he is the Originall of it, and he lookes not for any riſe from us.
Now to have God in whom there is ſuch a concurrence of all theſe; that hath all power to helpe me in all caſes; that there is nothing can come without the ſphere of his activity, beyond his power. That hath all wiſedome, to take notice of all my wants, and knowes all the wayes to ſupply them. And beyond all theſe, having intelligible goodneſſe, ſuch bowels of compaſſion, that it is not poſſible, but he ſhould uſe his power, and ſet out his wiſedome, rather then thoſe that he hath taken into covenant ſhall not be ſupplyed. Who would not eaſily apprehend out of this▪ that the poſſeſſion and fruition of God, ſuch a friend as he is, needs no more, all being in his power. Suppoſe that a man had among men ſuch a friend, ſuppoſe a King, who were wiſe, and did know in what ſtate and condition hee were: And had ſuch power, and dominion, that he could command any thing, that were neceſſary for the ſupply of his honour, or advancement; And withall, had ſuch an ingagement upon him in affection, and good will, might not this aſſure a man, that this were better then many pennies in a mans purſe, then the poſſeſſion of many other things, nay although he wanted all other things, yet the favour of ſuch a man would fetch in all other things. Such a friend is God.
2. This would not be our good,Proportion except there were ſome proportion in our nature towards it. It is not in God, in all thoſe excellencies to make us happy, unleſſe we be capable of happineſſe: But now therefore conſider that man being created according to Gods Image, he is capable of it, and it is ſutable and competible with him, as Gods ſervants good. His ſoule may looke upon this ſociety, and fellowſhip that he hath with God, hee is apprehenſive what a rich treaſure it is. How much it is more worth then tenne thouſand Mines of Gold, to be able to ſay, God is mine: he is apprehenſive of it, and hee ſeeth no defect, but this may be compleate happineſſe to him and therefore he delights in it, and comforts himſelfe with it. As he did ſometime, hee was a great Courtier in King Cyrus his Court, and one in favour with him, he was to beſtow his Daughter in marriage, to a very great man, and of himſelfe hee had no great meanes, and therefore one ſaid to him O Sir, Where will you have meanes to beſtow a dowrie upon your Daughter, proportionable to her degree? where is your riches? Hee anſwered, what need I care, foreign, Cyrus is my friend. But may not wee ſay much more foreign, where the Lord is our friend, that hath thoſe excellent and glorious attributes, that cannot come ſhort in any wants, or to make us happy, eſpecially wee being capable of it, and made proportionable.
3. Conſider the degrees of communion and conjunction betweene God and thoſe that are his, He is ſo intimate, that hee can conveigh himſelfe; he can drop his owne influence into the ſoule of a man, and ſweeten a mans very ſpirits within him, and heighten and elevate them. Whereas all other creatures ſtand without a man, and cannot reach ſo farre, but in him we live and moove and have our being. To omit all other expreſſions, of the neereneſſe of God and the ſoule. It is the moſt intimate conjunction that can be. And therefore the fitteſt to conveigh an infinite and compleat happineſſe. And as it is the moſt intimate conjunction; ſo it is the moſt indiſſoluble conjunction. The bond can never be untyed again, if the match be once made betweene God, and t he ſoule of a man, that muſt continue, which is the excellency of happineſſe. For this is one maine part of happineſſe that it ſhall never be loſt. And therefore where there is ſuch riches in God, and ſuch All ſufficiency, as appeares in the particular attributes before mentioned: and ſuch as wee are capable of, as are within the ſphere of our natures capacity; and ſo may be our good. For nothing will make us happy, but what is bonum congruum. And where wee may come to have ſufficient conjunction with it, an intimate, and ſtrong conjunction, and indiſſoluble and inſeparable. And all this being in God; there can be no hinderance but that God alone may, nay God alone is the ſpring of all our happineſſe; and ſo the point is cleare. That God alone can make a man truely and perfectly happy; give us the reall and the royall happineſſe.