The Righteous Mans Plea to True Happiness, Sermon 1 · Sermon 2
The ſecond Sermon.SER. 2.
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 come now to the ſecond thing, viz. Wherein doth happineſſe lye, and conſiſt. And our anſwer is twofold,
1. Negatively.
2. Affirmatively.
Doct. 2 Wee are to ſpeake firſt of the negative, and that is, That not the quinteſence of any nor the confluence of all created things, can make a man happly: Nothing without God can bring a man true, much leſſe, Perfect happineſſe. I ſay no created thing can make us happy; that is the thing we are now upon,Explication.
And for the further explication of this Point; there are ſome things to be conſidered.
Propoſition1. Concerning the ſubject of the propoſition.
2. Concerning the predicate:
Subject.The ſubject of this propoſitin, or this truth that I have now propounded, is contained in theſe two branches.
1. No created thing.
2. No created thing without God.
I expreſſe in it two other things, to make the point more full. Not any of thoſe, nor all conjoyned. Not the quinteſſence of any nor the confluence of all, can make a man happy.
I ſhall but briefely touch this.
No created good. Not the quinteſſence of beſt.1. There is no created thing of that excellency (though we ſucke out the very quinteſſence of it) that can afford true happineſſe.
There may bee two things that may bee thought upon, which (if any could) might doe it.
Accompliſhment.1. There is no accompliſhment, not endowments.
2. No addittaments to thoſe accompliſhments.
There be two ſorts of thoſe accompliſhments, that may be thought fit, or worthy to be named.
1. There bee ſome intrinſecall within a man.
2. There be ſome extrinſecall without a man.
1. Intrinſecall, or within a man, there are excellencies, and endowments of the mind, Intrinſecall of the mind.more excellent then thoſe of the body. But none of thoſe can give a mans heart, or ſoule, true happineſſe. None (I ſay) even of thoſe excellencies of the mind:Intellectuall. whether they be intellectuall vertues, as wiſdome, underſtanding, and knowledge; although they be in the greateſt height, or higheſt Meridian, that poſſibly they can be exalted to, none of them can make a man truely happy.
No nor any morall vertues, Morall.as well as the intellectuall, they come farre ſhorter then the, other, (I meddle not here with ſupernaturall vertues, infuſed by the ſpirit of God, for they come in for their ſhare in happineſſe, and make much towards it, as will appeare hereafter, but) now I meddle with morall vertues, or excellencies which may adorne a civil man, one that ſtands within the bounds of nature: Although a man have never ſo much of theſe, though he hath the utmoſt excellency of thē ; nay and though he have them all, yet they all come farre ſhort of true happineſſe, and ſo of making him truely happy.
2. And much leſſe any excellencies, Extrinſecall of the body.or endowments of the body, can make a man happy, as health, ſtrength, or beauty, or any other thing, which commend, and adorne the body, whatſoever the good of it be, or the price of it. It comes exceeding ſhort of bringing the ſoule to happineſſe; they are as farre inferiour to the true happineſſe, as the body is to the ſoule, and therefore, to paſſe from them, I ſay.
No extrinſecall, or outward accompliſhments; whatſoever they call them: whether the goods of fortune,Goods of Fortune. or otherwiſe; of what ranke, and condition ſoever they be, the further ſtill off from happineſſe, and the more remote: for the neerer any thing comes to the ſoule, to the perfection of it, the neerer it is to happines: but the further off it is (as the eſtate, & goods, or the clothes, and other ornaments) the farther off ſtill from happineſſe. No endowments,No additaments. or accompliſhments will doe it, whether they be intrinſecall, or extrinſecall.
2. Nay though we take in to Additaments, or Adjuments, which may be conceived, for the farther perfecting, and poliſhing of thoſe. Which as they have a relation to the former, may be conſidered, as they were Either
1. Intrinſecally,
2. Or extrinſecally.
Intrinſecall1. There be two intrinſecally, which may be as additaments, or adjuments for the perfecting of a man, and conducing towards happines.
1. There is one more properly belonging to the mind, and the mind takes ſome content in it,Honour. and eſpecially in a generous perſon. viz. Honour. And yet all the honour in the world cannot doe it: though a man were never ſo honourable, or high, or had in reputation (although it be of high price in noble mindes, and gives a great ſatisfaction to them) yet there is no happineſſe at all in it: It comes farre too ſhort to make a man happy.
2. But then there is an other, which belongs more properly to the body, but yet may be extended in ſome ſenſe unto the minde likewiſe, and that is pleaſure:Pleaſure. Some have placed happineſſe in that, as ſome Philoſophers, and the Stoicks, and ſome of them dogmatically too; which yet is inferiour to honour, and therefore comes farre ſhorter of making a man happy.Extrinſecall.
2. There be two others extrinſecally, which may be ſuppoſed to make ſome additament, and may have ſome name in this buſines, & belong partly to the one, and partly to the other.
viz.
Riches,
and Friends.
1. Not riches, nor eſtate,Riches. they cannot doe it: let the heape be never ſo great. Let there be never ſo great a ſpring of riches, it is not that can doe it.
2. I will but adde the ſecond thing,Friends. and that is this; No content, or compleate ſatisfaction in friends; no relation that a man hath, in which, his naturall content doth much conſiſt in; as parents, or children, and others that are neare, and deare unto him; nor any other of thoſe friends, that may be more beneficiall, and have a greater influence in their good, as the favour of great ones, and the like, no friend or relation to a man, though that be a great ſweetnes, as the Wiſeman expreſſeth. Or as the Father expreſſeth it very well. Though a man drinke nothing but Ambroſia, or Nectar, all his life, and have no friend to partake of it, there would not be any ſweetneſſe unto him in it.
So I ſay, though it much ſweeten the life, yet it cannot reach ſo farre (although hee were never ſo bleſt in that kinde) as to make him happy.
It is not any of theſe things will doe it; neither the intrinſecall goods of the minde, nor the extrinſecall of the body; it is not Pleaſure to ſatisfie the body, nor honour to ſatisfie the minde; nor any other thing to ſatisfie both; neither eſtate, nor friends, none of theſe can give a man true happineſſe.
2. But then there is an other branch, to make the point more full, viz. not all of theſe.
Not the quinteſſence of any of thoſe fully, nor the confluence of many, Not the confluence of any.or all of them together can doe it.
1. It is not any of them alone can doe it; for a man is a compound creature both of body and ſoule, and therefore thoſe things which make it up muſt be for both: for ſuppoſe a man had a Beaver hat, and a gold hat-band, a ſatten dublet, and the like: yet if in the meane time hee goe bare-legg'd, this is farre from compleateneſſe, becauſe there is one thing wanting: ſo it will be in the matter of happineſſe: It is not conceiveable that one alone ſhould doe it; to have the minde full, or the body full, to injoy but one peece, that cannot make a man happy. And therefore
2. I adde this in the ſecond place, not the confluence of all together, though all were concentred together in one, and conſpired together to make a man happy, yet they would come ſhort. Though a man had wiſedome, and vertue, and goods of body, as ſtrength, and beauty, though he had all outward ornaments, though hee injoyed honour and pleaſure at the full, and riches, and friends, nay, though he had all theſe meeting in one together, and concentred in one man, they come farre ſhort of making a man happy, and he may be a miſerable man (though hee have all theſe) in this Theologicall ſenſe. Thus we ſee no created thing can doe it.
2.Theſe things without God cannot doe it. Theſe things conſidered without God cannot doe it. For there is a great deale of difference betweene thoſe as they ſtand in relation to God, and in conjunction with him, and as they are without him, and ſtand upon their owne bottome, and in their owne ſtrength, and excellencie.With God they may make acceſſion.
1. With God it is true, theſe things may make ſome acceſsion to happineſſe, they may adorne and beautifie happineſſe, and have ſome part and place in happineſſe in an inferiour kinde; they are in themſelves, and in their kinde good, and they are the gifts of God, and thoſe that hee beſtoweth on man for this purpoſe, to inch out, and helpe out their happineſſe in ſome kinde, or other; as Auguſtin diſtinguiſheth very well: there be Bona Throni, & bona Scabelli; goods of the Throne of happineſſe, which is God and Chriſt: and goods of the Footſtoole, as thoſe inferiour things: It is true, the throne of a godly mans happineſſe is in heaven; but yet the Footeſtoole may be upon earth. For a man being a compound creature, is not a meere ſimple ſeparated ſpirit: but hee hath a body likewiſe, and therefore thoſe outward and lower things may ſome way be conducible towards his outward happineſſe, and be in an inferiour degree of this happineſſe: eſpecially when they doe not derogate or diminiſh from the other: when they make no wall of ſeparation betweene God, and the ſoule; but are in a conjunction with God, and proceede out of Gods favour and love towards us; and that for our good; and ſo farre they may make an acceſſion to happineſſe: as it is with ciphers, put a thouſand of them and they make no number, but put the leaſt figure before them, and they make up a great number. So all thoſe worldly things, are but ciphers without God; but if they ſtand in conjunction with God, they may make ſome acceſſion to happineſſe, and be ſubſervient to it.
2. Without God they cannot doe it, Without God they cannot doe it.they can neither give the reall, nor the royall happineſſe. It is impoſſible without God they ſhould doe it.
Though there may be an imagination of happineſſe in thoſe men,May breed imagination of happineſſe. who are the owners of them: they may fill themſelves with dreames and fancies, as though they were in a happy eſtate, and condition,Cannot give poſſeſſion of it. The royall or reall happineſſe. becauſe of the poſſeſſion of them. But if we conſider, either the royall happineſſe, or the reall happineſſe, that which is truely worthy to be accounted ſo, that they cannot be. And that leades mee to the ſecond branch, viz. the predicate, or the thing affirmed, which is,
2. That all created things without God,The predicate. The ſecreated things cannot give poſſeſſion of happineſſe either. none of them all alone, or all of them together, can bring a man perfect or true happineſſe.
Now there may be a double degree of happineſſe propounded;
1. A Supernaturall happineſſe.
2. A Naturall happineſſe.
1. The naturall happineſſe is,Natuall or when a man is all well in the naturall man, which a man may be capable of as he is a man.
2. The Supernaturall happineſſe is,Supernaturall. that which cannot be attained without ſome ſupernaturall qualifications, and the whole eſſence of it muſt be ſupernaturall.
Now all theſe earthly created things cannot put us in poſſeſſion of either of theſe, neither put a man in a poſſeſſion of a naturall, much leſſe of a ſupernaturall happineſſe.
Perfect.Or rather to expreſſe it otherwiſe, there is
1. A Perfect happineſſe, or a royall happineſſe.
True.2. A True happineſſe, or a reall happineſſe, though it be not abſolute, and perfect.
A godly man, that injoyes communion with God, even in this life, in the midſt of all other wants, and miſeries; hee hath a ſupernaturall, or ſuperexcellent good, which makes him really happy, though hee doe want many things to the perfecting, and compleateneſſe of happineſſe. There may be teares in the eyes, and ſorrow in the heart here: which perfect happineſſe wipes off, which is hereafter: then all theſe teares ſhall be wiped away, and this ſorrow ſhall be turned into joy, and all defects ſupplied.
Now I affirme, that all theſe created good things, one of them, or all of them, are ſo farre from bringing a man to compleate happineſſe, where there is no want, that is; Omnibus numeris abſoluta. They are ſo farre, I ſay, from that, that they are not worth the name of true happineſſe, or ſo much as to give reſt and ſatisfaction to the ſoule, neither in full meaſure, nor ſo farre as to denominate happineſſe. Thus of the explication.
2.Proofe. I come to the Probation and demonſtration of this Point. It may be proved Both for the
foreign of it.
and foreign of it.
Both that it is ſo, and then the ground, and reaſon, whence it comes to be ſo.
1. For the foreign of it, that it is ſo,foreign. that it is an undoubted, and infallible truth of God, that reaſon muſt of neceſſitie yeeld and ſubſcribe unto it. It will appeare by that which is the demonſtration of all, viz.
Both
1. By Scripture.
2. By experience.
1. By Scripture;Scripture. I ſhall forbeare many places at preſent, becauſe I ſhall have occaſion to doe it hereafter, when I come to handle the other Point. For all theſe places, that prove our happineſſe to be in God alone, and that there is no other way unto it, they all prove this Point. I ſhall ſelect ſome few for preſent.
To mention that firſt, wherein this argument is treated in. It is the ſame with this wherein happineſſe is ſeated. Mat. 5. at the beginning; our Saviour there in this Sermon upon the Mount, purpoſely treats of happineſſe, and bleſſedneſſe: Hee ſets the crowne of bleſſedneſſe or happineſſe on the head of many things. As, Bleſſed are thoſe that are poore in Spirit; Bleſſed are thoſe that mourne; Bleſſed are the meeke, &c. But among all thoſe hee mentions there, he mentions none of thoſe created good things wherein a man might ſuppoſe they ſhould be: There is not, Bleſſed is the rich man, or Bleſſed is the honourable man; or the wiſeman, or he that injoyes the goods of beauty, or riches, or ſtrength of body, and the like. None of thoſe things mentioned. But all theſe things that are mentioned there are ſpirituall, and heavenly graces, that put a man into fellowſhip, and communion with God.
The ſecond Scripture is that in Pſal. 34.12. where the Pſalmiſt is in a way of directiō. Come to me my children, & I wil inſtruct you in the way to happineſſe; who is he that deſires to ſee good; to live long, and ſee good dayes; to ſee happineſſe, and to come to happines. Where he mentions none of thoſe things, as I named before: but the ſame that our Saviour ſeemes to expreſſe, and hee excludes other things. Hee directs to ſpirituall wayes, and ſpirituall meanes for the accompliſhment of happineſſe; but for earthly things, hee doth not ſo much as once name them. And then againe, Pſal. 73. about the beginning, there is a full proofe of it, in the whole beginning; there the Prophet reckons up the propriety, and the happineſſe of wicked men: and expreſſeth it ſo much the fuller, becauſe the gliſter of theſe worldly things had dazled the eyes of the Pſalmiſt, and they had almoſt made his feete to ſtippe; Ver. 2. He was ſo taken with the flare of earthly things, and the proſperous ſtate of men in worldly things, that hee began to bleſſe in his heart, and thinke well of thoſe that injoyed them, and to repine at his owne eſtate: and thus hee was carried away till God brought him into the Sanctuary. Verſe 18. There hee found that all thoſe that had them were not happy; but thoſe that had them were ſet in ſlippery places. There was no ſoliditie of happineſſe, that could be gathered out of thoſe things; when God brought him into the ſanctuary, then hee learned there, that there was no true happineſſe in all theſe earthly things.
And ſo Pſal. 144. the laſt verſe, The Pſalmiſt there in the beginning of the Verſe, ſeemed to looke this way, as though there were happineſſe in theſe created things: Happy are the people that are in ſuch a caſe: the people that flouriſh in proſperity, as in the foregoing Verſes: and ſo farre indeede, as they are conjoyned with God, there is ſomething of happineſſe in them: But leſt any ſhould miſtake the Prophet; he corrects himſelfe againe, and ſaith (as if hee did unſay what he he had ſaid) Happy are the people who have God for their Lord: They are happy men whoſe God is the Lord, that is the right of it; it is not theſe things wherein true happineſſe lies, though they may be ſubſervient to it, and ſomething conducible to happineſſe, yet our happineſſe doth lie in our conjunction with God.
And therefore the Prophet, Ier. 9.23. giveth a caution. Let not the Wiſeman glory in his wiſedome, nor the ſtrong man in his ſtrength, nor the rich man glory in his riches; none of theſe things can make a man happy; theſe are not the things that a man can delight in, or boaſt of; there muſt be other things that muſt make up this happineſſe, or elſe we ſhall come ſhort of it.
And ſo in, 1 Tim. 6.17. See what the Apoſtle ſaith, concerning one thing, which hath the greateſt ſhew and ſplendor, viz. Riches. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded, and that they truſt not in their uncertaine riches. That they doe not build a conceited happineſſe in, or upon them; and thinke they are in a good eſtate by reaſon of them; the Apoſtle doth it with authoritie, and efficacie, and hee would have it laid home to them, becauſe men are exceeding apt to cozen themſelves, in ſuch things.
And to give ſomething as the Reaſon of it: Looke Hoſeah 1.21.22. Alas, all theſe things and the goodneſſe of them (ſo farre as they may conduce in an inferiour ranke for our good) depend upon God, as God by the Prophet there ſaith. In that day, ſaith the Lord, I will heare the heavens, and they ſhall heare the earth, and the earth ſhall heare the corne and wine, and the oyle, &c. The firſt linke of the chaine is tyed to the Throne of God, I will heare, ſaith the Lord, the earth, and the earth ſhall heare the corne, &c. All the influence there he tyes to God, all comes from him, and depends upon him.Experience
2. By Experience; All the experience in the world makes this certainely true, and evident, eſpecially to thoſe that have found the experiment, and to others likewiſe, if they will truſt to experience, and not (like fooles) buy their owne wiſedome, by their owne experience.
1. Take an extraordinary experiment;Extraordinary of Salomon. the experiment of one may ſerve for all: viz. that of Salomon, who gives up his verdict, Vanity of vanityes, all is vanitie. &c. Eccleſ. 1.2. I would deſire every one to conſider this well, there is no exception to be put in againſt the verdict; but it will ſpeake home to the point, and abſolutely convince any one, that is a rationall man,
A mans teſtimony may be elevated, or abaſed upon divers grounds; but there is none can come here to make a ſlight, or diminiſh the authority of Salomon. He wanted not meanes to try; for he had all theſe things, and could runne through them all, and taſte, and picke out as it were all the excellencies of them: He was the richeſt King that ever was, he had the greateſt plenty of gold, and all other things, that God had beſtowed upon him: there wanted no meanes whatſoever, to make an experiment of any worldly thing, but he had it; being a King, and a rich King. Neither wanted there any Wiſedome, for if he had all other things, and wanted skill, it had beene nothing, he might have gone the wrong way to worke. But hee wanted not skill to make an experiment, although it had beene to draw fire out of flint; as Alchymiſts can draw oyle out of iron, whereas ordinary people can draw little moiſture out of it, being they want skill to fetch out the quinteſſence of it. But it cannot be ſaid ſo of Salomon, he had meanes and wit to fetch out all the vertue in them; and to ſucke the quinteſſence out, to ſift the things to the branne, as they ſay. But then againe, if a man had both meanes and wit to doe it, yet if he had not a minde to it, he could not doe it; But it cannot be ſaid ſo of him, for he had a minde to try; Salomon ſet his heart to it, to try the nature of all the world, and worldly things; to try what was in pleaſure, and honour, and muſicke, and ſinging, and all things that may give content to the heart of man. He had a minde to imploy his meanes, and wiſedome this way, to try the experiment of all theſe worldly things, and yet after all this, he returnes this verdict (as I ſaid before) vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
2. The ordinary experience of every one may confirme this ſame;Ordinary experience of everyone Not onelyonly in particular good things, wherein men promiſe to themſelves happineſſe: A man thinkes he ſhould be happy, if he could but obtaine ſuch an eſtate, or marry thus, and thus, &c. And ordinarily, this is our folly, that whatſoever a man is eagerly ſet upon that doth pleaſe him, while he is a ſuitor for it, he pleaſeth himſelfe with conceites and fancies, that if he were but maſter of ſuch a thing, oh he ſhould be a happy man. But who is he that hath not tryed the folly, and the emptineſſe of this conceite; how ſhort it comes to ſatisfie the ſoule, and give it that fullneſſe of content, which a man expected from it: Although a man were extreame fond, and ſicke of deſire for thoſe things; He findes no defect in the thing, for it may be it is really ſuch as it did appeare, but yet meerely the defect in the creature is, that it ſatisfies not; God would not have it ſo, neither were it good for us to be ſo; namely, that wee ſhould finde a fulneſſe in the creature.
And not onelyonly for the particulars doe we find it; but alſo in the conjunction of all together. It was the ſaying of a great Emperor, that in his time had paſſed all the rankes, and ſtates of every condition: He had beene meane and baſe, and yet grew to the greateſt condition, to have the greateſt Empire in the world, himſelfe made this the wonderment of all, Omnia fui & nihil expedit: He had made tryall of all conditions, but yet could not find any happineſſe, or any reſt and ſatisfaction in any condition at all that he had: So doth (or at leaſt may) every man finde this vanity in all things; what ever ſeeme glorious in our eyes before we have them, yet when we have them, they ſend us away empty. There is no man, that hath had to deale in the world, but may come in, and give teſtimony to this truth.
Reaſon. 3 The foreign of all may appeare in a generall reaſon drawne from all theſe things, there is in all thoſe created things, (beſides the intrinſecall nature of them, which I ſhall touch in the demonſtration of the foreign) an indifferency, that they are indifferent both to good and to bad: Now if a man be not good himſelfe, it is impoſſible that any of theſe things ſhould make him happy, a wicked man if he remaine ſuch, he cannot but be in a miſerable condition, a miſerable man for all theſe things: Now theſe are indifferent, and as incident to the wicked as to the godly, God makes not theſe things any badge of his people, or any characters of difference, or pledges of his love and favour; But deales them promiſcuouſly to all, yea many times and moſt frequently, his people have the leaſt ſhare in them, his ſervants are low and baſe for theſe outward things, for thoſe created excellencies, it may be they are not many wiſe, nor many noble, nor many rich, that may be rather a vexation; but God beſtowes graces on them. For all theſe outward things are very various: for the goods of the body, and much more for the eſtate, is common to all, nay ſometimes God beſtowes them, and uſually, upon thoſe that are naturally crabbed and untoward.
2. To come briefely now to the Reaſon of the point; and I will but touch a few things, and ſo demonſtrate the foreign,foreign, the reaſon whence it ariſes, that no earthly thing, nor all earthly things, can make a man truely, much leſſe perfectly happy: It will appeare to riſe, From
1. The nature of happineſſe.
2. The nature of earthly things.
3. The nature of man.
1.Nature of happineſſe wherein it muſt be. I muſt premiſe here (though I included it in the other) in the firſt place, ſomething of the nature of happineſſe.
Now happineſſe, in the nature of it, implies theſe two things;
Perfection
and Satisfaction.
And there cannot be happineſſe where theſe doe not meete.Perfection.
1. Happineſſe is that which gives the utmoſt perfection, and compleatneſſe to our nature.Satisfaction
2. And ſecondly, it muſt be happineſſe in that eſtate and condition, which gives true and full ſatisfaction to the ſoule, that it can reſt upon it, and have quiet, and full content in it.
Now neither of theſe two; neither the perfecting of our nature, nor the ſatisfying, and contenting of our ſoule, can be had in this fruition of any created good thing whatſoever: As I have often expreſſed it: Aurum luto inaurare, to guild gold with dirt, it is ridiculous, to beautifie the more excellent thing with the inferiour, or the more unworthy thing; to thinke to make a man happy with that which is lower then a mans ſelfe, it addes rather diſgrace: It is impoſſible that ſatisfaction ſhould be had in theſe things, as it is for a ſtone to mount up, or reſt in the aire, without holding up with a mans hand, or ſome other thing; The ayre, it is a thinne liquid body, and that a heavy body; and therefore it will give way unto it, to fall downe; it cuts through the ayre, and can find no reſt till it come to ſome ſollid body, for (if it might be) it would never leave moving, till it come to the center: So it is impoſſible that the ſublime nature of man, which is ſubſtantiall and ſolid, a man that hath ſollid affections, and ſolid underſtanding; I ſay it is impoſſible that he ſhould find any ſolid reſt but in the center, in God; who is the alone center of reſt; all theſe earthly things are but like the ayre to the ſtone, they can give the ſoule no ſtay, but thoſe ſolid affections will make way through them, as being airy ſubſtances.
2. But it will appeare more cleare,The nature of created things. if wee conſider the nature of theſe earthly things, and eſpecially if we compare together the generall nature of theſe earthly created good things, and the nature of man: and wee ſhall find that there is no
1. Proportion in the one,There is no proportion, becauſe to adde ſatisfaction, or perfection to the other: and among many things I ſhall contract all into a few conſiderations.
2.Defective and ſhort. That good that is in the creature is ſuch an inferiour good, that it falls ſhort in three circumſtances, and is therefore impoſſible to give ſatisfaction or compleatneſſe to the nature of man, which muſt have none of thoſe defects.
I. All the good that is in any created good thing, it is at the beſt defectively good. As the Prophet Iſaiah expreſſeth it. The bed is too narrow, and the covering is too ſhort, to keepe warme, and wrap them in, all theſe worldly things are too ſhort and too narrow; beſides that I ſhall adde hereafter.
Firſt, they are too ſhort, and of a defective nature, of no ſolid ſubſiſtence and continuance. It is certaine all theſe worldly things, will and muſt have either finem ſuam, or finem tuam.
1. Finem ſuam, either they dye, or may take them wings and flye away. And ſure they being ſo fading as the flower,They are fading themſelves. the ſweeteſt flower which a man is delighted with, withers away, while a man holds it in his hand, in the middeſt of a mans delight, he ſeeth it wither away, & loſe the beauty of it, & the ſweetnes of it; it is of no continuance; and ſo al theſe worldly things are fading & fleeting, and mutable, & ſuch a defective nature as this is, cannot poſſibly make happy or give ſatisfactiō to the ſoule in that reſpect. A man may be to day high in honour, and to morrow high on the gallowes, as it was Hamans caſe; and it falls out many times ſo with wicked men; they are like the graſſe which ſtands on the houſe top, it ſtands high indeed, but it hath no rooting, and ſo vaniſheth quickely away. And as they ſay of the mettall, which they make glaſſe of, it is neereſt melting when it ſhines moſt brighteſt. So wicked men are neereſt deſtruction, when they are at the greateſt luſter, and ruffling themſelves in their pride, and jollity; and therefore the caution is given Pſalme 37. To Gods children and ſervants, that they ſhould not fret themſelves, though theſe proſpered in their wayes.
We muſt leave them.2. But although theſe things had not Finem ſuam, yet they have Finem tuam: though they ſhould not faile, nor flie away, as hee ſaid (namely the Romane when hee tooke his Kingdome) tie the goods of Fortune, and clip the wings of victory: So though that thou hadſt the wings of Fortune tied to thee with adamantaine ties, ſuppoſe that they be not moved, yet thou mayſt and muſt be moved from them, and have Finam tuam, thou muſt die and carry no ſubſtance with thee; when thou art gone they will leave thee; all theſe worldly things will accompany a man to the grave, but no farther, and therefore in regard of their defective nature, they cannot make happy; neither the goods of one, or all the creatures together.
2. They are all of a diminutive good, Dimunitive narrow.and they are too narrow a ſupply to furniſh the large heart of man; as I have ſometime ſaid, they obſerve in nature, that a mans heart is made in a mans body like to a triangle, three cornered, and they doe obſerve that it is impoſſible to cover a triangle with a circle, with any round thing juſtly, but ſtill there will be ſome corner empty: and ſo, although a man could compaſſe all the whole world, yet his heart could never be filled, till it have the poſſeſſion of God. And therefore ſome have obſerved it, and would make out the initiall letters of the word Cor, this. viz. Camera omnipotentis regis, i. e. the Preſence Chamber of the King of heaven, and as it fits none but him, ſo none will, or can fill it, but him.
An other thing they have obſerved, that this triangle ſtands with the ſharpe end downwards and the broad upwards; as intimating that a godly man ſhould but touch on the earth, Vno puncto, as little as may be; but hee ſhould have his broad ſides towards heaven, and ſtand extended and inlarged towards, heaven and heavenly things, as being his proper field land marke.
No perfection. No ſatisfaction. They adde vexation.And in this reſpect they are of ſuch an inferiour ranke, as that they not only miſſe to give perfection to the nature, and no ſatisfaction, or reall content to the ſoule of man,
But alſo they adde vexation, as Salomon ſpeaketh of one that ſtood (as it were) on the toppe of all theſe excellent things, of wiſedome, and knowledge, &c. He that increaſeth knowledge, increaſeth ſorrow; that is much more true of any other thing. As hee ſaid ſometime being a great Emperour; you looke on this goodly robe, or this goodly crowne, it is purple the robe, and gold the crowne; but if you knew what it were lined with, or what cares are under it, you would not ſtoope to gather it up in the dirt to have it. Theſe earthly things, they are not ſuch excellent things, as the world eſteemes them to be, though they make a glorious ſhew, and draw great admiration towards them, yet when a man comes to the inſide of them, they doe make the head full of cares, and vexation of ſpirit, they are ſo farre from giving ſatisfaction, or perfection.
3. All the good that is in all, or in any created good it is an others, it is but a derivative good, and a dependant good,Derivative. Shallow. and ſo not ſolid and deepe enough to give the ſoule ſatisfaction, to yeeld ſatisfaction, or perfection to the heart of a man,Without God not. the things in themſelves in their nature depend on God, they cannot be had or attained unto without Gods leave, hee muſt beſtow them upon us, or elſe wee ſhall never come to have them. It is not riſing up earely, and going to bed late, and eating the bread of carefulneſſe, that can make a man attaine unto riches, but it is God that beſtowes riches. Promotion comes not from the Eaſt, or from the Weſt, but it is God that pulls downe one, and ſets up another. Held.All is derived and borrowed from God, and when wee have them, it muſt be God that muſt be ſoder, to knit and hold them together, with an other bleſſing and mercy of God; for God doth not ſettle them upon us, and perpetuate our tenor, we are but tennants ad placitum at the will of God, he may turne us out at pleaſure: Theſe earthly things are but like Snow balles which melt with the Sunne.
But the maine thing here,Happy. is to ſhew their diminution or no ſufficiency to conduce to make up happineſſe which is plaine.
Becauſe that all the good and vertue of them contribute nothing at all towards our happineſſe; but onelyonly what depends ſimply upon God. It is bread that nouriſheth us, but take it alone, and not in the word of God, it will doe no good, for it is Gods bleſſing that makes any thing nouriſhing, and comfortable to us, though we have the things, and they remaine with us, yet they cannot be uſefull to us, neither bread to nouriſh us, nor cloathes to warme us, or wiſedome to guide our wayes. God can take away all theſe, and nothing is any thing without the Lord, nothing hath any vertue to preſerve us without him, but God may beate our own weapons on our own heads, and afflict us, and make thoſe good things executioners of his juſt judgements againſt us. So that without God there is no ſweetneſſe in theſe things, but our conjunction with God that gives all the ſweetneſſe and excellencie, in which they may any way conduce to our happineſſe.
3. Conſider the nature of man, we ſee the thing that is in the creature is a diminutive, and a dependant good, which may faile, and there is no good at all in them without the bleſſing of God. But now the nature of a man is ſuch as it muſt be free from all theſe defects, it deſireth ſomething elſe, that it muſt be free from theſe defects.
Long; immortall1. The nature of man requires good that may be long, immortall. The minde is the man, and the ſoule is the man, Hoſpes corporis, the body but the inſtrument of the ſoule, and the ſoule is the principall, it is of an immortall nature, and cannot be happy, but by an immortall good; ſomething that cannot decay; and therefore all things that fade or decay can no way doe it, they are too ſhort to cover him, to reach to make him happy; except they could be extended to immortality which they cannot be.
2. It muſt be large univerſall good;Large, univerſall. that good that makes a man happy, which nature requires, muſt be a large good; it muſt be an univerſall good, according to the univerſalitie of his deſire. For there is an univerſall appetite, and deſire in man to every thing that is good; and if a man had many things, and not all, there would be an emptineſſe, and want of ſatisfaction, unleſſe hee could have all the good hee is capable of; but now all the creatures cannot reach this univerſalitie. Man is capable of more than all the created things are, of a greater good than is in any creature; and ſo long as hee miſſeth the principall, he is farre from happineſſe. It is a remarkeable ſaying of the Father concerning King Ahab, when he was walking in the time of the three yeeres famine. I have gold, and ſilver, and wives, and children, and all theſe like things; but what doe theſe things good, ſeeing the heaven is as braſſe, and the earth as iron? I have no ſupply from thence: ſo if a man have never ſuch an abundance of all created things, and doth ſee heaven ſhut with doores of braſſe, and barres of iron againſt him; that hee hath no part, or portion there, what would all theſe created things doe him good? Hee is made by nature capable of that high and noble happineſſe, and therefore whatever comes ſhort of that, it cannot give him ſatisfaction, or perfection; but he may ſay in the midſt of all other riches, and plenty, I am miſerable.
Deepe, ſpirituall.3. It muſt be a deepe, and ſpirituall good; That good that muſt make a man happy, make his nature happy, as it muſt be immortall and univerſall; ſo it muſt be a ſpirituall, a tranſcendent, and ſuperexcellent good; and therefore all the good of theſe created things is too ſhort, they are to ſhallow, o not deepe enough, nothing but God is better than man, and it muſt be ſomething better than man, that muſt make him happy, and therefore it is nothing but God that can adde the leaſt perfection, or give full ſatisfaction to the nature of man: as the Hebrew Grammarians uſe to obſerve, concerning the letters in the name Iehovah: all the letters of Iehovah, are Litera quieſcentes, quieſcent letters, letters of reſt. And there can be no true reſt to the ſoule, till it be in God; it will be in trouble and anxietie; it will be perplexed in the midſt of all worldly things till it reſt in God, who is the center of the ſoule, the center of true reſt; as the Father ſaid. Cor noſtrum factum eſtate, & inquietum eſt, donec requieſeat in te: Our heart is made, oh Lord by thee, and it will never be at reſt, till it returne to thee.
As it is in the circle, the circle is the perfecteſt figure of all other figures in the world, and this the Mathematicians give to be the reaſon of it, becauſe it begins and ends, and the points doe meete together, the laſt point meetes in the firſt, from whence it came, and ſo we ſhall never be at reſt, or come to perfection, or ſatisfaction; till we returne to our Originall, till our ſoules come to God, untill God doe make the circle, and wee returne to God, we can never reſt in our perfection.