The Righteous Mans Plea to True Happiness, Sermon 1 · Sermon 5
The fifth Sermon.
PSALME IV. VI.
There be may that ſay, who will ſhew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
WE are ſtill upon the point of happineſſe: The laſt time, wee came to the affirmative part, viz. That God alone can make us happie. I opened then the point, and demonſtrated the truth of it; wee now come to the Application of it.
The maine thing that I aime at, according to my ordinary courſe, is the matter of Exhortation. But before I come to it, I ſhall premiſe a word, or two.
SER. V.Firſt, for Inſtruction.
Application.Second, for Reproofe, and ſo
Third, for Exhortation.
Inſtruction of the ignorant.1. Firſt of all for Inſtruction. Wee may firſt learne what happineſſe is, and who is the happy man. A thing I confeſſe, which I mentioned by way of inſtruction out of the former point, as ſometimes it fals out, that I have occaſion to deduce the ſame things, out of different principals. But yet let no man thinke it is ſuperfluous; for, for the moſt part, thoſe conſequencies which flow out of many things, and are ſo often ſpoken of, are (for the moſt part, I ſay) of frequent uſe: and therefore if they be iterated it cannot be unneceſſary: as we ſee it, there be ſome things that are more neceſſarie than others, and we are not wearie of uſing them often, nay alwayes: and ſome things though neceſſary, yet if we uſe them alway, we ſhould grow wearie of them; as now if we uſe Beefe, and Mutton, or any one ſuch thing, (though theſe are the beſt wee can hold longeſt with) yet if we uſe them alwayes, the ſtomack would be cloied, and we ſhould grow wearie of them. But yet Bread we are not wearie of, though we uſe it alwaies: nor drinke we are not wearie of uſing alwayes: what ever other cates or dainties we have, yet theſe are common concommitants of all our eatings and feaſts. And ſo there be ſome things in Religion, that men would bee cloied with all, with hearing them often over, and they count it tedious to have them often inculcated upon. But yet there be ſome things, that are ſo neceſſarie, and we have ſuch an immediate neceſſity of them, that the ſtate of our ſoules requires that they ſhould often be inculcated on. As the ſaying is (which I often uſe) Nanquam nimis dicitur, quod nunquām ſatis diſcitur: We can never heare that too often, that we can never learne too well. And this is that we learne hence, both,
Who are the happie men:
And wherein happineſſe conſiſts.
Becauſe there is ſo much blindneſſe and darkneſſe in the minds of men this way, and men are ſo befooled in their thoughts; that though they be told of it a thouſand times, yet they will relapſe into the ſame errour.
Now to give a briefe touch;Godly. we ſee here that a godly man, and even in the worſt condition,Felicitie. when he is at the loweſt; how ever men do ſcorne,Dignitie. and deſpiſe men in that condition; yet if we looke on them (as we ought to do) with judicious eyes, we muſt needs acknowledge them the happie men. Admit they have not wealth: admit they have not honour: admit they have not pleaſure, in this world, but it is all contrary with them; yet if they have God, who is the all in all in point of happineſſe, as this truth manifesſteth, who can deny that they are happie men? We ſee the Stars; although we ſee them ſometimes in a puddle, in the bottome of a Well, nay in a ſtinking Ditch: yet the Starres (although they reflect there) have their ſituation in the Heaven: So it may be with a godly man; we may ſee him in a miſerable condition, in a low condition for theſe worldly things; but yet for all that, hee is fixed in the region of happineſſe: ſo long as they retaine the poſſeſſion of God, and the fruition of him; that God ownes them; and that they have commerce with him, and communion with him; It cannot be, but that he that thus partakes of God, muſt partake alſo of happineſſe. And on their ſide, it will not be amiſſe (though it be done enough already, yet it can be never too enough) to beat downe the vanitie of worldly men, that want godlines,Wicked. Miſerie. Indignity. and ſo have no intereſt in God, but live in their naturall condition, in prophanneſſe, or ſome higher degree of ſinne; and are ſtrangers, and aliens from God; Suppoſe now ſuch a one, who hath all thoſe outward things, in ſuch a manner; that men at the firſt view doe admire, and envie, and repine at the happineſſe of ſuch a man, yet if a man doe conſider well, and view the ſtate of that man, he cannot conclude him to be a happie man. Alas this man is without God; he hath not the favour of God, but God is his enemie; and how can he be happie then? As the Father ſpeakes of Ahab, he deſcribes him ſitting in his Ivorie palace, in the time of the three yeares famine in Samaria; when that there was a want and ſcarcitie of all things, by reaſon that it had not rained in three, yeares, (ſaith he) he had gold and ſilver, and jewels, in every place, but yet ſaith he, what good doth all this to me; ſo long as the heaven is as braſſe, above; and the earth as iron, beneath? And what good can all theſe worldly things doe to a man, ſo long as the heaven is as braſſe; ſo long as heaven is ſhut againſt him; if Gods favour be not on him; but his frowne? this muſt needs daſh, and marre all the mirth, and happineſſe that he hath, in the middeſt of all earthly things.
2 Secondly,Reprehenſion of the madnes of wicked men who, we may take up an other conſideration from this; and ſpeake of it by way of Reproofe and Lamentation, and bewaile here the vanitie and miſerie of a great many (not wicked men only, but even) godly men: that ſeeing there is ſo much in God, yet they make out ſo little after God.
1 If wee looke upon worldly men, Seek not God. Eſteeme him not as the only happineſſe.we ſhall eaſily ſee this; how farre they are from ſeeking God as the only happineſſe, from eſteeming God, and loving God as the only happines, inſomuch, that they cannot be perſwaded to think that there is or can be any great happines in him: you ſhall hardly beat them out of it, but that it were better to have ſo much gaine; ſuch a revenew by the yeare, then to have God for their friend: they will hardly be beaten out of theſe principals: and therefore it is no marvaile, no wonder if they turne an ace with God, and be bold with ſinne to like violation of their peace with God, to purchaſe that thing which they count more precious then God, and to turne their backs on God to get that which they count their happineſſe: as ſuppoſe they think that gold, or any ſuch thing, be the only way to make them happie, then farewell God: & hoc primum repetunt opus, hoc poſtremum omittunt: they are all for this: and therefore I ſay it is no wonder that theſe worldly men who never taſted the ſweetneſſe of God, doe thus: 2. But this is the griefe of heart, and the greatneſſe of the ſinne,Of godly men that, Know it. that thoſe that are Gods ſervants, that know the excellencie that is in God, and doe pretend to it, and profeſſe that they believe that God is their only happineſſe,Profeſſe to believe it, and that it conſiſts in their communion and fellowſhip with him: yet when all comes to all they are ſo farre carried away with the courſe of the world,Yet neglect it. that neglecting God, they ſeeke after gew-gawes, and toies, and place ſo much happineſſe in them; and make ſo little after God, though they profeſſe otherwiſe, and though they know otherwiſe. It is not my jewell in my boſome, or my curling, or criſping my haire, that makes me a happie woman: nor is it any of theſe gew-gawes, or toies, (happily will they ſay) that makes me happie: But yet alaſſe, when all comes to all, they goe as gaudie and as fantaſticke as any others, and make ſo much of it, and are as readie and as fooliſh to run to the ſame exceſſe of riot, as though God were not their ornament and their happineſſe: If they did believe this, and remember this, that their happineſſe and excellencie lay all in God, though they might make uſe of other things in a ſober and a modeſt and exemplary way, ſuch as were fit to give an example to the world, of extraordinarie pietie and ſobrietie: in this courſe, and with this caution, I ſay, though they might make uſe of any ſober and modeſt way, yet they would not goe ſo vainly, and fondly, and gaudily, and place ſo much happineſſe in theſe things; did they believe this, that their happineſſe lay in God: and ſurely, it argueth that they have not that high eſteeme of God, and that they repoſe ſo much confidence in him as in their only happineſſe, they would not els be ſo fond of ſo fooliſh things, for it is a thing incompatible with a minde that is fully poſſeſſed with the excellency of God, which if we had, it would make us looke a ſquint on all other things, even the beſt things, and much more on things of an inferiour nature: yet I ſay, this follie of many profeſſors that they place ſo much in theſe poore things, and it is a thing to be bewailed.
3 But to come to that which I aime at moſt,Exhortation to the weake. and which is indeed the principall, viz. the matter of exhortation: That we would every one of us, ſeeing the maine of our happineſſe lieth in God, and ſo much of it, that he alone can make us happie, if we can but get him, and enjoy him, and walke in a ſweet and holy communion with him, that will make us happie, though we have nothing elſe in the world, though we be cut off from all other things, then I ſhall intreat to make way by certaine ſteps and degrees to what I aime at: and,
1 That all Chriſtians would underſtand this truth;Vnderſtand it. I know there are many other things in Religion neceſſary to be knowne, but I only mention theſe ſteps which otherwiſe I am not to dwell on, but to ariſe higher, and aſcend by theſe. Many men I know count many things in Religion, and many things that are delivered, and ſo this, to be but Paradoxes, and the conceits of mens braine, the fancies of ſome contemplative perſons, that live retired and doe not know what belongs to the world: and truly for my own part, I will never decline the imputation of being ſubject to ſuch weakneſſe (if men will ſo terme it) as there is no man but hath his failings and his errours: But yet if this be truth of God, and in his Word, then I ſuppoſe we are out of any danger of being queſtioned for fantaſticke, or fooliſh, or paradoxall conceits, delivering that which wee have received from God: and I would deſire every one but to conſider and take notice of this truth, not as the fancies of a man, but as a truth that is divine, and as the Word of God: that God alone can make a man happie, though a man have nothing elſe: underſtand this and take notice of, and thinke on this truth.
Believe it.2 Believe it, bring your hearts to aſſent and adhere unto it: Doe not ſtand out in diſtinctions, or in ſtaggerings with this truth, or ſpeaking againſt it, or finding ſome evaſions or declinations to avoid it, but receive this truth and embrace it by a firme and ſtedfaſt faith: It is not to be expected, though this good Word of God bee for my good, might ſerve for a good end, viz. to preſſe the endevouring many things in my practiſe; yet (I ſay) it is not expected that it ſhould do this, except it be imbraced by faith; believe this therefore, that is the ſecond ſtep. I would deſire every one to bring their hearts to this truth, and believe this, and receive it as a realitie.
Ponder it.3 Ponder on it, and conſider it, and meditate upon it; to chew it up and downe in their mouths, and in their minds. Many truths there be, that have a ſwimming motion in our heads, but there is no decoction of this truth, and we are not the better for them, becauſe we doe not ruminate on them, and chew them, that we doe not turne them into nutriment: As you know it is with meat which a man would put into his bellie, if it be not prepared ſome way, as boyled, or roaſted, or ſome ſuch fitting, it will not turne to nutriment, but rather turne to diſeaſes in the ſtomack: And ſo it is oftentimes; that many truths that a man underſtands to be truths, for want of ruminating and chewing, they doe not turne to ſpiritual nutriment, to breed any good ſpirits, any good blood: I would deſire every man therfore ever and anon to ponder on this truth, and meditate on it. Is this a certain truth that there is ſuch a compendious way to happineſſe, that although I goe not from the Eaſt to the Weſt Indies, and fetch all the commodities to bring in gain daily, bring in ſuch an eſtate to me, yet if I ſit ſtill and only take care to walke with God, and make God mine, if I can but get him, and come to poſſeſſe my ſoule of him, and have a fruition of him, this will make me happie alone: I would deſire men to conſider this and to ponder, and meditate upon this.
5 And then in the laſt place,Walke in the ſtrength of it. I will but only mention all theſe ſteps, let us carrie our ſelves in the vertue and ſtrength of this truth, in the way that this truth thus known, and believed, and thought on, will bring us unto, and force us to goe; let us doe theſe things, that may expreſſe our apprehenſions of this truth, and our beliefe of it, and our thinking on it; this is the maine thing I aime at, Let us live as thoſe doe, and as thoſe cannot chuſe but do, that doe know and believe and thinke on this truth.
Now there be but three things, wherein wee ſhall expreſſe the realitie, that we doe know, and that we doe believe, and that we doe ponder and thinke on this truth, and not caſt it farre from our eyes, I ſay wee ſhall expreſſe it, in theſe three things according to the ſeverall rankes and degrees of men.
They that yet are not in poſſeſſion of God ſhould,1 Firſt of all, are there any men that are not yet in the poſſeſſion of God, that are yet without God in the world, ſuch as have no intereſt in him, no relation unto him; no aſſurance of his favour, if this be a truth, that in his favour is life, and that all our happineſſe is bound up in him: then thoſe that know and believe and thinke on this truth ſhould ſeeke after God, and endeavour to make God theirs, to come in and lay hold on God: to come into covenant with God, to come out of their ſinfull courſe and to repent of their evill wayes, and to make their peace with God, and ſet themſelves to walke with him:Seek after him So that this is the firſt ſort of men we have to deale withall, if there be any here, that are not yet Gods, nor he theirs, that are not in covenant with him, nor have an intereſt in him, nor have any aſſurance of his favour, nor any ground of any ſuch aſſurance, let this be an incitement to induce them, to make it the firſt thing that they doe, to lay hold on God, believe in him, ſubmit your ſelves to his ſervice, repent of all your evill wayes, and come into the ſervice of God: only let me adde ſomething by way of caution, though we all profeſſe the name of God, yet I perſwade my ſelfe there is none here that is ſo charitable to thinke that all that are within the pale of the Church, have reall intereſt in, and reall poſſeſſion of God, Many are called, but few choſen; and I thinke no man will hold this in generall uncharitable (though when a man ſhall fall to deale with particulars perhaps there hee may tranſgreſſe the bounds of charity, but) I ſay in the generall there is no man will queſtion it: And therefore being to ſpeake in ſuch a place of this argument, where we ſuppoſe there are a great many that have reall intereſt in God, yet we cannot expect that all have ſo: the thing therefore will not be in vaine, to give ſome cautions.
1 Take heed that they do not preſume that they are Gods, and hate the profeſſion of him,Preſume not. and have an intereſt in him, without ſufficient ground and warrant, there be many things that lift men vainly up in their preſumptions this way: Briefly to mention ſome few.
1 Many men are preſumptuous of God and of his favour,VponUpon goods of fortune. upon the moſt unworthie ground that can be, I mean, not worthie to be named among Chriſtians as a ground of Gods favour, I meane riches and outward eſtate, they preſume on this as a ſigne of Gods favour, ſuppoſing if God did not love them, how ſhould he proſper them ſo, whereas they ſee that many men that pretend more to Religion than they doe, and are more buſie in religious wayes and courſes then they are, yet notwithſtanding they have a great deale more, and are a great deale richer, and more proſperous then they are; and therefore they are readie to bleſſe themſelvs: but this is ſo fond and fooliſh a ground to preſume upon, as it is unworthie to be mentioned among men, much leſſe among Chriſtians: I beſeech you, let no man be ſo fooliſh, nor ſo ignorant in the wayes of God, as to think that a great eſtate is an argument of Gods reall favour: God many times debarres his ſervants and children of thoſe outward things, and many times, loades his enemies with them: As you know it is in another caſe, thoſe Sheepe and Oxen that are to be fatted for the ſlaughter, ſhall be ſure to bee put in the beſt paſture, whereas thoſe that are to live, be laid up perhaps in a poore, or no paſture: And ſo it is in this caſe, thoſe that God preſerves for heaven, reſerves to eternall glory, may be and often are in a meane condition on earth; whereas thoſe that he fattens for eternall fire, for the day of deſtruction, the day of ſlaughter, are it may bee fatter fed here. I hope there is no man therefore in this aſſembly that will be ſo fooliſh as to be carried away with theſe, to thinke that becauſe he is in greater eſtate, and hath more riches, hee is therefore in Gods favour.
VponUpon the bounds of the Church.And again, many men are readie to preſume becauſe they are in the bounds of the Church, as they replyed to our Saviour, have not we heard thee preaching in our ſtreets, yet ſaith our Saviour, I know you not: It is no argument that a man is in Gods favour, becauſe God hath made a man ſo happie as that hee hath beene borne in the boſome of the Church of God, and hath beene acquainted with the means of grace and hath been a partaker of the ordi…nces, as I have ſaid divers times on other occaſions, there may bee found ſome filth under the ſtones of the Temple, under the Church building: ſo there may be as filthie and as odious perſons to God, live under the ordinances, and in the Church, as any other: And therefore let no man preſume on this, build on this, that he is in Gods favour, becauſe God have given him this happineſſe, made him ſo happie as to bee borne within the Church of God.
3 Let no man preſume on common gifts: VponUpon common gifts.there be ſome gifts even in the Church of God, and ſuch as belong to the Spirit, ſuch as are communicable not only to the good and elect of God, but to the wicked and reprobates, ſuch as neither have nor ſhall have any part in God: they may have, many gifts, but they are but common gifts, which doe not commend them to bee the ſonnes and daughters of God: wicked men may have a great deale of knowledge and outward godlineſſe, and know a great deal of the myſtery of faith and other things, and therefore let no man build on this ſandie foundation, to conceit that he is in the favour of God, and a poſſeſſion of him, and ſo in a ſtate of happineſſe and way unto it.
2 But to come to that which I aime at,Make ſure that God i… y…s make it ſure unto our ſelves that God is ours, let men goe throughly to worke, and conſider and deliberate of it, as it becomes ſo ſolid and ſo ſerious a buſineſſe,Make ſure God is yours. to make ſure of their ſalvation, to work out their ſalvation with feare and trembling; and in one word, for I ſhall only put you in minde of what I delivered in the explication, which will be the criſis of a mans eſtate and condition, No man is in the fruition of God, but he that is truly regenerated, and effectually called; and hee that is received into a covenant, and league, and confideracie with God: Now therefore here will bee all the triall: Let a man examine whether he be thus truly regenerated, and effectually called: and in one word, the ſumme of all will be this, if hee doe embrace Chriſt, (and God in Christ) as Chriſt is offered him in the Goſpell, and reſignes himſelfe to the regiment and government of Chriſt, and doth ſo eſteeme and priſe him, that he counts all things as dung and droſſe in compariſon of him, and can leave father and mother, and forſake all, to follow him; and can take up his croſſe, undergoe any croſſe and affliction that ſhall bee laid on him, rather then he will forſake Chriſt, or part with him; they that have thus brought him in their hearts, to contract it in one word, to reſigne themſelves to the government of the Law of God, and ſet themſelves in every thing to walke with him, and to approve themſelves to him, that have ſome evidences that God hath brought them into covenant, and that he hath effectually called them, and that all the promiſes and priviledges doe belong to him, but without this he muſt not reſt ſecure, till he hath deſerved ſome ſignes of this, for certainly (I know there be degrees of this, but) except he bee aſſured of this in ſome meaſure, let no man preſume that hee hath an intereſt in God, and therefore that hee is not in the ſtate of happineſſe, but he is yet in the ſtate of ſinne and of miſery, and that hee muſt repent and alter his courſe, that ſo hee may make an approach to happineſſe.
2 But then in the ſecond place, is God our happineſſe, and the poſſeſſion of him alone perfect happineſſe; then, as they that as yet have not God, make that the firſt thing they do to get him, and neglect all other things, for otherwiſe they are out of the ſtate of, and way to happineſſe: So in the ſecond place, let thoſe that have God and doe enjoy him, learne how charie they ſhould be to maintaine their communion with God, Retaine him.they ſhould be as charie and warie as in a thing that concernes their happineſſe ſo neere: No man would neglect his happineſſe, nor willingly forgoe his happines more or leſſe: God is all in all to the happineſſe of a man: And therefore if God hath given you any taſte of this, if he hath brought you home unto himſelfe, any Chriſtian that is made ſure of this, let him make precious account of it, and let him be very charie and warie how hee forgets his happineſſe; conſider your cloſe keeping to God, is your cloſe keeping to your owne happines: your life, and your good, and your happineſſe belongs to that: learne therefore to depend on God, and to looke charily to that.
Now there bee two things neceſsary toward this, and I take both out of the Scripture.
Seeke his favour.1 If we would enjoy God, then as in the Pſalm, Thou ſaideſt Lord ſeeke my face, thy face Lord will I ſeeke: if we would enjoy the light of Gods countenance, then it ſhould be our care, our firſt and chiefe care to doe our dutie, to ſeeke the face of God, O Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us, ſeeke the face of God; make it our care to keepe cloſe to, and walk with our God; and not ſtraggle and wander away from him in the wayes of ſinne: That which the Prophet gives us counſell to doe in Iſaiah 1.17. Ceaſe to do evill, learne to doe well, may ſerve as a generall rule.
Eſchew evill.1 If we would enjoy God, then let us be carefull to avoide and take heed of evills; for every ſinne doth make a ſeparation from God; ſinne is the wall of ſeparation, and a cloud that hides Gods face from us.
Doe good.2 Seeke his face, and walke more diligently and conſtantly in the practice and exerciſe of all holy duties, eſpecially the ſpirituall dutie of continuall prayer, that is one thing by which you maintaine communion with God: and ſo all other ſpirituall duties that are ſpirituall, they are the things that doe approximate us to God, and therefore let us practiſe them, and bee ſerious and ſpirituall in the performance of them, that is one thing, wee muſt ſeeke his face by abſtaining from every evill, and doing every good, eſpecially by doing thoſe things by which our communion with God is in an eſpeciall manner maintained.
Acknowledge his favour.2 And then when all is done, there is another thing. Lord hide not thy face from us, we muſt acknowledge it is all of the ſpeciall grace of God, Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us: if we ſhould ſet our ſelves to ſeeke God, and God ſhould hide himſelfe from us, if we ſeeke his face, I ſay, yet if God ſhould hide his face from us, there might be a great deale of ſorrow and anguiſh of ſpirit, it is Gods gracious freeneſſe to lift up the light of his countenance: and therefore let us walke humbly with God, that wee may not provoke him to hide his face in indignation, let us priſe him ſo (I ſay) and walke ſo with him as he may not forſake us: For if we live not looſely and doe not evill, yet if wee are but formall, and cold in the performance of duty, and goe not ſubmiſſively about the worke, and ſhew not the vivacitie of love and affections towards him, this may cauſe him to hide his face from us, and puniſh us ſharply, though his good will be towards us. And therefore we ſhould doe all theſe things that I ſpake of before, and doe them withall humilitie, and all vivacitie, and ſtill know it is Gods ſpeciall grace to lift up the light of his countenance upon us, even when wee have ſought it; and therefore that I adde here, Thou ſaideſt, ſeeke my face, thy face Lord will I ſeeke, Lord hide not thy face from mee: Men ſhould ſtill bee begging of God that hee would not hide himſelfe from us, nor withdraw himſelfe, but cauſe himſelfe to ſhine upon us, and the only way after all is this, that wee ſhew our ſelves humble and vigorous in the performance of our dutie, for the more vigorouſly we call on God, and the more humbly we walke with God in a ſweet manner, the more wee ſhall perceive God to be delighted with us, and reveale himſelfe unto us.
Is God our happineſſe, and our all in all unto it, then as thoſe in the firſt place that want God ſhould make out after him and ſeeke to enjoy him; and as thoſe in the ſecond place, that doe enjoy him; ſhould make it their greateſt care to keepe cloſe to God, and to hold him and to maintaine communion with him: that they cauſe him not to withdraw his face from them, and depart from them, and ſo withdraw all comfort, (for when the King is gone, all the hanging is taken downe, ſo all joy and comfort and happineſſe is gone and taken away when God is gone; whereas in the middeſt of miſeries if God be with us we are happie foreign, where God is, there is Heaven; where the King is, there the Court is; if a man be in a priſon, yet if God be with him, he is in ſtate of happineſſe.
Eſteeme God, ſo muſt,3 In the laſt place, let every man eſteem and priſe God as the only thing of his happineſſe, and let us ſhew that we doe eſteeme him ſo: if we doe profeſſe that our happineſſe dependeth upon God, then let us ſhew that we doe thus thinke, and thus believe, and thus eſteeme of God. I might draw this into divers particulars: As for example.
Rich men.1 Rich men, let them take heed when they have riches, let not their hearts runne too much upon them, nor after them, but in the middeſt of them they can ſcorne them, and ſpit on them, and think it is not in them to make them happie, but God that gave them, and with adherence cleave to God, and ſay, I had rather have my part in God, a thouſand times, than all this wealth: and it would be a greater evill to me to want him, then to want all theſe: for though I had all theſe and wanted him, I ſhould be in a miſerable condition.
2 If a man be in a meaner condition, Poore men.in the loſſe of friends and eſtate, let us learne to ſet a priſe upon God as our only happineſſe, by delighting our ſelves in him, when all is gone, and when wee are ſtript naked of all other things: Doe wee priſe God to be our happineſſe, and doe wee believe hee is able to make us happie alone, then let us ſhew it when there is nothing elſe but God. It is a diſhonour to God to relie otherwiſe: You know what Elkanah ſaid to Hannah, when ſhe was caſt down and overwhelmed with a conceit of her barrenneſſe, Am not I better to thee than many children? Should wee not count God ſo great a happineſſe, that wee ſhould be able to raiſe our ſpirits, and poſſeſſe our ſouls with patience though all other things frown on us, and though all things elſe forſake us: that were an honour to God indeed, and an honour to Religion.
3 All Chriſtians ſhould thus priſe God above all:All Chriſtians. if Chriſtians will bee like other men, mourne as other men, be caſt downe as other men, it is diſhonourable to their profeſſion, and exceeding derogatorie from that faith which they have profeſſed, namely that God alone is able to make a man happie, for how can it be ſaid wee ſpeake truth in ſaying God is our happineſſe, when as we let others ſee how unable wee are to delight our ſelves in him as in our happineſſe?
Motives.2 Conſider the motives to this dutie: There be two things in this Pſalme, which may ſerve as effectuall arguments to ſtirre us up to this,Poſſeſſion of God brings, truly to ſet our whole care, to ſeeke to poſſeſſe our ſelves of God, as of our only happineſſe. By this meanes we ſhall attaine the,
1. Greateſt Ioy.
2. Greateſt Peace.
The greateſt joy.Firſt, the greateſt joy, Thou haſt put more joy into my heart, then when their corne and wine increaſed: this will bring a man more joy then all worldly things can, when wee can thus bee poſſeſſed of God, and eſteeme of him, and that in many reſpects.
More noble joy.1 It is a more noble joy, a more high and tranſcendent joy, that raiſeth the ſoule to God, which no worldly thing can doe.
More cordiall joy.2 As it the more noble and the higheſt joy, and more tranſcendent and excellent, for God is infinitely above all thoſe things, as being cauſally all, and eminently all, and therefore the joy from him as it is a more noble joy, ſo it is beſides that a more intimate joy, a more cordiall joy: all theſe outward things can but come to the outſide, they cannot pierce into the heart to affect that, but now the light of Gods countenance can; God being a ſpirit, hee can penetrate the ſpirit of a man, and raiſe the ſpirit and ſoule of a man, and ſet it above himſelfe.
3 It is a more permanent joy, whereas all other joy is tranſient,More permanent joy. all the joy that we have in other things, is as the things themſelves are, but tranſient; they may all, nay will all paſſe away, and all bee turned into unhappineſſe. A man may have theſe outward things they may make an ornament of joy, but they will not hold long; All theſe things being momentary and tranſient, a man may have them to day, but they will betake themſelvs to their wings to morrow, they cannot laſt long, at moſt, not longer than this life: but the joy that is ſetled upon the favour of God, is eternall joy, and brings to eternall joy.
2 As it will bring the greateſt joy,The ſweeteſt peace. the moſt excellent, intimate and permanent joy; ſo it brings the only peace, I ſay the poſſeſſion of God brings the only peace; I will lay me downe and reſt in peace. A man may bee ſecure and at reſt, if hee hath God in poſſeſſion, if he hath God for his friend, although all the world be his enemies, this may ſecure him and quiet him, God is his, and what can all the world do to him, whereas if God be his enemie, how can all the world keepe him from the wrath of God; cannot God finde him out, I ſay, although he hath all the world to guard him, yet if God be his enemie he cannot reſt in ſecurity, I ſay, though he be compaſſed with all the world, and have it as a guard about him; nothing can give reſt to the ſoul but God; and if a man have Gods favour, and him for his friend, hee may reſt in ſweet ſecuritie, notwithſtanding all foes whatſoever: In one word to end all, I know it would bee counted an infinite thing, (and I ſuppoſe there have beene many tricks and a great deale of knavery to finde out the Philoſophers ſtone) I ſuppoſe, I ſay, no man would deſire any other riches but that, if it were a reall thing, and certainly knowne, that a man knew the experience of it, and the vertue that it would turne all things into gold: and not as that will do, for all that ever men have done in it, they muſt uſe ſo much gold, and ſpend ſo much gold, and then they can turne as much into gold by it, as they have ſpent in making of it, and ſo they have their labour for their paines: but ſuppoſe they could without the expence of any gold, turne all other baſer metals into gold by it, I ſuppoſe, none of you would deſire a better trade and jewell than this ſtone: But this is a better thing we ſpeake of, and a better skill to turne all things into gold indeed: If a man have Gods favour, all things ſhall turn unto his good, and that is better than gold, for gold may not be good. As they ſay of King Midas (not true, but fabulous) the King had obtained that of the gods, that whatſoever he touched ſhould be turned into gold, but it became an unhappie favour, for when he came to touch his meat, his meat alſo turned into gold, and ſo by this meanes hee was ſtarved, but now to have all things not turned into gold, but into good, that is a thing that is the happineſſe of Gods ſervants: All Gods ſervants have this great priviledge, All things ſhall worke together for the good of thoſe that love God: to thoſe whom God loves and favours, God will doe them that good, and give them that happineſſe, that whatever it be, good eſtate, or bad eſtate, high eſtate, or low eſtate, ſpirituall, or temporall, what ever fals, all ſhall worke together for their good, and this is better than gold: get Gods favour and that is this happineſſe: ſo that in a word, you may ſit down, and need not goe from the one Indies to the other to get happineſſe, here is a more compendious way, get gods favour therefore, and that is the compendious way to all happineſſe.