The Righteous Mans Plea to True Happiness, Sermon 1 · Sermon 7
The ſeventh Sermon.SER. VII.
PSALME IV.VI.
There be many that ſay, who will ſhew as any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
WE are on the point of happines, the laſt time wee came to the way to attaine it, and the point you may remember was this, viz. Sound knowledge and beliefe, joyned with ſoveraigne feare and love, and both theſe crowned with ſyncere repentance and obedience, guided by the line and light of the true religion, is the only way to true happineſſe.
Wee have paſſed over the explication of the point in the particulars of,
1. Knowledge and beliefe, with their qualification: ſoliditie.
2. Of feare and love, with their qualification: ſoveraigntie.
3. Repentance and obedience, with their qualification: ſynceritie.
Which was the firſt thing I propounded in the explication of the point.
2 We ſhall now come to adde a word or two of the ſecond, and that is to take up all theſe,In generall. and to ſay ſomething of them in the generall, having opened them already in the particulars.
And there bee but two things, that I ſhall but touch in a word.
1 All theſe are required take them together,All theſe are required. not one of them alone is ſufficient, but all of them joyned together, to make up the perfect way to true happineſſe: they are all of them in their places of abſolute neceſſitie, and without any one of them a man cannot attaine to that happineſſe that we aime at.
1 All theſe are required abſolutely:Abſolutely. Take them diviſively, every one of them by themſelves, and a man ſhall ſee a great, nay an abſolute neceſſitie in every one of them: Knowledge and Faith are neceſſarie as the very foundation and ground-worke of the whole building: Repentance and obedience, they are neceſſarie too, as the very iſſue and product of all, as the evident demonſtration of the other: Love and feare thoſe holy affections of the ſoule, they are neceſſary too, as the very vitall things, wherein I conceive grace doth principally conſiſt; it is that which demonſtrates that our knowledge is ſaving knowledge, when it hath won the heart, and wrought on the heart and affections, and it is that which giveth the beautie to all our actions; it is the life, and vigour, and grace, and gloſſe of all that is in them. The actions donne of themſelves, though they iſſue from a right root of knowledge and faith, yet they have no worth, nor are not in the way to happineſſe, they are but ſplended acts, but ſplendida peccata, except they ariſe from this: ſo that wee ſee every one of them is neceſſarie, all in generall, and every one in particular have a plaine evident neceſſitie.
Comparatively.2 But yet if wee ſhould ſpeake comparitively; which of all theſe were the moſt neceſſarie, and wherein lyeth the principalitie of theſe, I conceive in this former reſpect, every one of them may claime a principalitie, and may goe for a principall: But yet ſimply and abſolutely, the moſt characteriſtical of all theſe is the qualification of the heart and ſoul, the changing and turning of the affections: when the byas of them is ſet to God-ward, and heaven-ward, there lyeth the principall: No knowledge for ought I can underſtand (as I intimated the laſt time) cannot in the nature of knowledge be termed to bee a characteriſticall thing, to bee a notionall thing for a difference: a man may have a great deale of light, and underſtanding, and yet bee out of the way to heaven, and true happineſſe. No nor actions which are ſurer ſignes than knowledge, theſe cannot bee characters of being in the right way to true happineſſe; for a godly man may bee (as I often have expreſſed it) like a tree which may have life in it, when it hath neither fruit nor leaves on it; as in the winter time: ſo that I may not define a tree, a living tree by the fruit and leaves, as though the maine character and criſis of life were tyed on that, for that is a thing which in ſome ſeaſon may bee wanting, and yet the tree may be and is different from a dead ſtake in the ground: a dead ſtake wants the ſpirit of life at the root, and therefore come in the winter ſeaſon and you ſee nothing, and come in the heat of ſummer againe, and you find nothing, dead ſtill, and withered, and ſprings not out; but a living tree, he, though ſome time hee bee hindred for want of the externall favour of the heavens, that it doth not produce his leaves and fruit, as in the winter time, yet when the heavens looke faire and ſmile on him, and the Sunne returnes in the ſpring, then it ſhews the head and life: And ſo it may be with a godly man, actions are not ſo infallible characters a man may be a living man and yet in a ſown, no action left in him: a man may be a living Chriſtian, and yet be in ſome deficiencie of ſpirit, and in ſome ſown, his ſpirits bound up, and is not in caſe for action, alwayes in any kinde: and beſides there is more required, then action, to the conſtitution of grace to ſet a man in a true condition.
So that I conceive of all theſe the maine thing and the principall, is the right ſetting of the heart and affections on God, that is the principall, though every one of them in their ſeverall kindes are neceſſarie, knowledge as leaves, and actions as fruits in their ſeaſon; theſe are ſo neceſſarie too, that I would rather decline compariſons, but yet when I come to make the moſt exact ſearch and tryall, eſpecially of living; the beſt way is to feele the pulſe of the affections, and they are the moſt certaine ſigne of life. And this is the firſt thing I deſire to adde to all the particulars, in a generall conſideration; there muſt bee all had; both Knowledge, Affections, and Obedience, all are required.
Muſt be regulated by the light and line of true religion2 But there is an other thing, and that is, All theſe muſt be regulated according to the light and line of the true religion: It muſt bee ſuch a knowledge, ſuch ſound knowledge; ſuch affections, ſuch ſoveraigne affections; ſuch repentance and obedience as are preſcribed, and as wee are inabled to performe and exhibit unto God, by Gods light and line, by the line and regiment of the true Religion: I propound this clauſe in the point, becauſe it comprehends all theſe particulars, as you ſhall ſee.
Now there be two things that I expreſſe concerning it.
None but that can teach theſe1 There is none but the true religion can teach us ſuch a knowledge, as will bee a ſaving knowledge, or ſuch affections, as will bee the reall holy affections, or ſuch obedience, as will bee available to happineſſe; they are not to bee learned any where elſe, they grow no where but in the garden of Religion: ſuch a knowledge as is not illuminated with the higher light of the true religion cannot teach us theſe things, nothing but the true religion can doe it; the higheſt principles of nature or philoſophy cannot conveigh the knowledge of God, and ſo conſequently, not thoſe holy affections, nor that obedience, which are the way to true happineſſe, none but Religion, the true Religion, can teach us theſe things.
2 The ſumme of all religion, Theſe are all that that teacheth.all that religion teacheth, conſiſts briefly and compendiouſly in theſe things: And therefore (this point becauſe I doe not meane in the proſecution of the argument to handle any notionall things yet) this point would helpe mee here in the definition and for the diſtribution of Divinitie, and thoſe notionall things that belong to the doctrine, and way of conveyance and delivering of thoſe doctrines that belong to religion: in ſumme, Divinitie may bee defined to bee that Doctrine that teacheth the way to true happineſſe, that is, the ſumme, and the maine parts of which it conſiſts, are partly Theoreticall, and partly practicall, it containes things to be knowne and believed, and things to bee done and practiſed: the whole ſumme of Religion is reduced to this. Now though I expreſſed the point in things to bee knowne, and affections to be had, and then things to be done: yet theſe three may be circumſcribed in the other two: the affections may bee included in the matter of knowledge according to the uſe of Scripture, for that knowledge the Scripture accounts as no knowledge, that doth not carry along with it ſutable affections, and therefore the rule is, Verba ſenſus denotant affectus: or elſe affections may bee comprehended under the practicall part, things to bee done, for there is not only the thing to be done, but the manner of the doing of that thing, as out of holy affections: for that is one of the principall praiſes of Religion, it lyeth in the right regulating of the affections, and the ſetting of them aright: So that I ſay this diſtribution into theſe, that Religion comprehends and teacheth no more but theſe three, nothing but the right knowledge of God.
And the right affections we ought to have towards God.
And the right actions and obedience that wee ought to exhibit unto God; All is comprehended under theſe three, and it comes to the ſame effect if it be laid down in theſe two.
1 Things to be knowne and believed.
2 And things to be done and practiſed.
And the ancient contraction of Religion was nothing elſe, but, Rectus de Deo ſenſus & rectus cultus: the right apprehenſion of God, and the right way of worſhipping and ſerving of God, this they made the very ſumm, and pith, and ſubſtance of Religion.
Now this is all I deſire to adde in the generall to the particulars, and having thus explicated the ſubject of the propoſition both generally and particularly, I come to the predicate of it.
2 Now concerning the predicate of the propoſition I have expreſſed,Predicate. Theſe are the way to happineſſe.
Firſt in generall, and
Second in particular.
The true Religion in generall, or, which is the particular of the true Religion, the right knowledge of, and affections and obedience unto God, I affirm to be is the only way to true happineſſe, that is the predicate: But here wee muſt enquire,
1 What kinde of way it is which is the ſufficient way, both effectually and ſingularly;What way. Sufficient. Effectually. Only. it is the only way and the effectuall way, for the attaining of happineſſe.
2 It is the neceſſarie way, it is ſuch a way,Neceſſarie. as happineſſe may be had only by it, and cannot be attained without it.
2. What happineſſe?To what happineſſe. I ſhall expreſſe it in a word I comprehend it in the point.
1 The true happineſſe: not a vaine and imaginary happineſſe, not a painted happineſſe,True. or the dreame of happineſſe, but the thing it ſelfe, this will bring a man to the reall, ſolid, and true happineſſe.
2 All happineſſe, it leads not to a peece,All. but to all happineſſe, and all the degrees of it; both the inchoate in this life, which conſiſts in thoſe taſts of heaven which the ſoule hath,Inchoate and that more obſcure communion and fellowſhip that we have with God; in the light of his countenance and the aſſurance of his favour, in the ſealing of the pardon of our ſinnes unto us, and that we are reſerved in a ſtate of grace with him.
Conſummate.And alſo the perfect and conſummate happineſſe, which is to be expected in heaven, which beſide and above that, which we have here, hath a more full and entire union with God, a more cloſe fellowſhip with him, with an apprehenſion of all other good that may make up, and compleat the nature of man, and ſatisfie every deſire of the ſoule, and every deſire of the bodie too; there is no ſuch happineſſe here, but it is mixed with ſome defect, though yet it be the true happineſſe in the maine, in that it is the poſſeſſion of God, which is the principle, and which is true happineſſe, though it bee not in that excellent manner as it is in heaven, where a man ſhall injoy God in every kinde, taking away all wants, and adding every perfection that is compleat and perfect happineſſe: And now the walking according to this rule or line of ſound knowledge, and ſoveraigne affections, and ſyncere obedience unto God, it will bring a man to that inchoate happineſſe, ſo much as wee are capable of here; and to the conſummate happineſſe hereafter, and thus you have the explication of the point.
Proofe.2 The Probation: I ſhall be very briefe in the proofe and demonſtration of the point, becauſe I take it a very cleare truth, without any ſuperfluous elaborating of the demonſtration of it.
Firſt of all therefore for the foreign that it is ſo, it is ſo cleare.foreign.
1 The Scripture, Scripture.as that at the firſt wee may ſee this, as the way that God hath chalked out for the obtaining of happineſſe, I will propound it in a double conſideration.
1 Take all of them diſtinctly as I have mentioned them,Diſtinctly. take the particulars ſimply by themſelves, and there are ſome places of Scripture that intitle happineſſe to each of theſe, the knowledge of God, the loving and fearing of God, and the obedience and obſervance of God is happineſſe: onelyonly let mee premiſe one caution by the way: when the Scripture doth aſcribe happineſſe to every one of thoſe, and ſo makes any one of theſe the way to happineſſe, they muſt not bee taken in oppoſition one to the other, but in conjunction, and ſubordinate one to and with another, as for example, Iohn 17.3. This is life eternall to know thee the only true God, and Ieſus Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent: this is the way to life eternall, and ſo farre the way that it is life eternall, giveth a man in part a poſſeſſion of life eternall, which intimateth that when a man is once in the way, when a man hath once a begining, there will bee a perpetuitie in this cauſe, or elſe the thing cannot bee ſaid to bee life eternall, ſo that knowledge is ſaid to bee the way and poſſeſſion in part of life eternall: But there you muſt not take it to bee a bare knowledge, but ſuch a knowledge as wee ſpake of, that is in conjunction with holy affections, and both of theſe together doe produce fruitfulneſſe, holy actions and obedience.
And then againe for the other two, feare and love, happineſſe is aſcribed to either of them: tho to adde this caution by the way: the old Teſtament ſpeakes more often in the language, of feare, and the new Teſtament in the language of love, as in the Prov, 1.7. The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wiſdome, wiſdome as you ſhall ſee in every place, is ſet out as the ladder to happineſſe; the feare of the Lord, is the firſt ſtep in that ladder:foreign or (for the word * will beare both) the higheſt top, as well as the firſt ſtep, the principall thing, ſo the margent reades it, and the word will beare it, there it is aſcribed to the feare of God, and ſo in infinite places of Scripture.
And it is aſcribed to love too, in that place of the Romans 8.28. All things worke together for the beſt to thoſe that love God: they are in a condition of happineſſe, in a way to, and in a poſſeſſion of happineſſe that love God: but now you muſt not take either of theſe in oppoſition to knowledge, or without knowledge, for without knowledge of God, theſe affections cannot bee wrought, nor have any acceptance, nor countenance: but you muſt take them in conjunction.
And ſo moſt frequently the Scripture aſcribes happineſſe unto obedience alone, as to name but one place, that in Pſalm 15. where the inquirie is made, Who ſhall come into Gods Tabernacle, who ſhall be the happie man here and hereafter? the anſwer is, from obedience: he that walks according to the rule and line of obedience, he that abstaines from evill and doth good, he that walketh uprightly and worketh righteouſneſſe ▪ In the ſumme of the Pſalme happineſſe is aſcribed to obedience, but ſtill obedience flowing from holy affections, and guided and directed, and firſt ſet aworke by the knowledge of God.
2 But now take them conjunctly;Conjunctly. ſometime two of them are joyned together, and ſometime all three: I will give you an inſtance of ſome few places of either. Somtime knowledge and obedience are joyned; knowing and doing; knowing God, and doing his will are joyned together, to make up happineſſe, as in Ioh. 13.17. If ye know theſe things, happy are ye if ye do them: there is happineſſe, or, at leaſt, the way of happineſſe; There is firſt ſuppoſed, if you do know him: the knowledge of divine things is the very firſt ſtep to and in the way to happineſſe: but that is not all, if you know theſe things, and do them: this is that which makes up the perfection of happineſſe; the tree of knowledge and the tree of life make up the perfect garden of paradiſe: but both muſt concurre.
And as knowledge and obedience are joyned together, ſo ſometime knowledge and feare: as to inſtance in the Proverbes 9.10. The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wiſdome (as the firſt Chapter had it) and he that knowes him, or the knowledge of him is underſtanding: i.e. perfecting underſtanding, ſound underſtanding, which will be as the very ſpring which leads a man to happineſſe, and put a man in the certaine way to it: there is feare and knowledge joyned together.
And ſometime feare and obedience are joyned together; and that frequent, as Deut. 5.29. O that there were ſuch a heart in my people, that they might feare me and keepe my commandements alway: that it might go well with them, &c. There the way of happineſſe that God intimates in that place, is made up of theſe two, fearing and obeying, fearing God, and keeping his commandements; a heart to feare him, and a heart to keep his commandements; affections ſet aright, and actions flowing from them; and ſo in Eccleſiaſtes 12.13. Let us heare the end of all, having diſcourſed before diverſly pro and con; negatively and affirmatively; this is the ſumme of all, even the whole deſire of man, to feare God, and keepe his commandements: the fearing of God, and keeping of his commandements, i. e. feare and obedience, happineſſe is placed in theſe. And ſo in the Pſalme 24.23. where the like inquirie to that in 15. Pſalme being made, the anſwer to this queſtion, who is, or ſhall be the happy man? is made up out of theſe two, he that feares God, and ſerves him.
And to name but one place where all are joyned together, you have it in the 1 Chron. 28.9. And thou Salomon my ſonne, know thou the God of thy fathers, and ſerve him with a perfect heart, and willing mind: he preſcribes that of the certaine trace and path to happineſſe, which comprehends all theſe ſtaires to make up a ladder to reach heaven, to reach happineſſe: Know thou the God of thy fathers; there is knowledge: and ſerve him; there is obedience: with a perfect heart, and willing minde; there are thoſe holy and ſoveraigne affections. So you have all the particulars I named before.
I ſhall not need to adde any more for the foreign: and but little for the foreign.
2 For the ground and reaſon therefore,foreign. two things will make it apparent; that thoſe things are a ſufficient, and a neceſſary, and an effectuall way to attaine happineſſe.
1 Suppoſing one thing,Happineſſe in Gods favour. that the happineſſe of a man conſiſts in the favour of God; that it is that which will make a man happy; that the light of his countenance ſhining upon a man, is the onelyonly thing which will make a man happy: ſuppoſing this, I ſay in the firſt place, which we have already proved. Then,
2 It is a cleare caſe in reaſon,Gods ſavour by theſe. that theſe three are the onelyonly meanes, yea a perfectly ſufficient meanes to make the ſoder and the union between man and God, to bring a man to the poſſeſſion and fruition of God, (for this comprehends the whole man) ſo that the whole man is poſſeſſed of God, and inflamed by God, when his underſtandings know him, and ſee the excellence that is in him; and when the affections of his heart cleave to him; and cloſe with the moſt ſoveraigne affections of feare and love, and then when all his whole man is at the command of this knowledge, and thoſe holy affections; to be members of righteouſneſſe, walking in a courſe of obedience to him; ſo as that we exhibit the whole man unto God; then we come to have a poſſeſſion of God: and this makes up to us a perfect union to, and fruition of him in ſuch a manner as the creature is capable of, and ſo conſequently this brings a man to true happineſſe.
I will not inlarge any more in this, becauſe I ſuppoſe the thing is cleare: to come therefore to the application.
Application.And here be ſome things which I ſhall but give the meere hint and mention of, leaving them to your farther meditations, and ſo to paſſe to ſome other things, at which I aime more.
Vſe. 1 Confutation.This being therefore a truth, and rightly underſtood; in the firſt place it may ſerve for a full confutation, of all thoſe erroneous conceits and fancies that men may take up concerning any way to happineſſe beſides this: The world uſually counts religion one of the moſt unprofitableſt things in the world, as appeares by their ſpeeches, which are ſuch as this; What is it good for? I tell thee what it is good for, it is better then all thoſe things you hunt after: for they will never put you in a way of happineſſe: but walking in the way of religion puts you in the way of happineſſe alone; it is onelyonly the knowing, and fearing, and loving, and ſerving of God (which is the ſumme of the true religion) that is the plaine path-way of happineſſe: this therefore confutes all thoſe ignorant conceits that the blinde nature of man, the blinde underſtanding of man is ready to fall on, and to be ſeduced and drawne away by, as it were with ignis fatuus, which, as ſome fable, drawes out of their way in the night. This I ſay, confutes all thoſe falſe and erroneous conceits of the way to happineſſe.
2 This may ſerve for conviction, Conviction.to convince a great many; and I pray God there be none here among us whom it may concerne; as I ſuppoſe, none will thinke it uncharitable in me to thinke that there may be ſome: for when the ſonnes of God appeared before God, Satan ſtepped in amongſt them; and there may be ſome that are not the ſonnes of God: But if there be any ſuch here, let them know here is a cleare conviction, that there be many, even within the compaſſe of religion, that do pretend towards it, that are not in the way to happineſſe: they have nothing of it here, they have no beginnings of it here, nor are they ever like to have the full perfection of it hereafter, however they pleaſe themſelves in their owne conceits and imaginations: for a man may eaſily evince it, and convince them of it, if they want any of theſe things which we have mentioned; and much more, if they want all of them: they are diverſe: to inſtance but in one of the branches, viz. in the branch of knowledge, which is the very firſt introducer in the way of happineſſe: He that hath not a ſound knowledge of the nature of God, and of the will of God, at the leaſt the ſubſtance of the covenant; and that in ſome degree of profunditie, ſolid, and ſubſtantiall, the meere ignorant man that knowes not theſe things, as hereby convinced that hee is out of the way to happineſſe: and which is worſe, I am afraid, even in theſe times of knowledge, (though it bee a ſhame it ſhould bee ſo, and a griefe to thinke on it, that it is ſo) I am afraid, I ſay, that there be many men, not only of the poorer ſort of people, that by reaſon of the meanes of their condition, have no generous thoughts in themſelves, nor looke after matter of knowledge, who cannot ſo well appeare in the uſe of the meanes, I meane, come to Church, in that they have not time to ſpare to come, nor underſtandings to reach what they heare when they come. But beſides theſe, I am afraid even many men and woemen, in gaudie coats, and gay cloaths, yea, and I am afraid too many, that are of good intellectuals, and underſtanding for other things, as for the world, and their Trade, for plentie, and honour, and riches, and as we uſe to ſay of a Top, the keene point of it is towards the earth, but it is flat and dull enough towards Heaven, and heavenly things: I am afraid, I ſay, that they have not at leaſt a ſound and ſolid knowledge; but content themſelves either with none at all, or at beſt, very little; though they know other things, yet they care not for religion; or if they doe, they content themſelves with a ſuperficiall ſwiming knowledge, or ſome generall knowledge of God. But certainly beloved, know, that they that have not knowledge, and a competent degree of knowledge in ſome meaſure and degree of the maine things of Religion; theſe men muſt needs bee cleane out of the way to happineſſe, that is a cleare truth. But I ſuppoſe many men will eſcape this conviction, and when they come at this doore, they are, it may be admitted, they paſſe now, and it is true, it may bee they have knowledge in theſe times of knowledge, yet know, that many men that have it, ſhall at laſt be kept out: for ſuppoſe it, come but to examine their affections, how their hearts doe ſtand towards God, eſpecially in the degrees of it: where is the ſoveraigntie of the affections, of feare and love, to love God, and to feare God above all, certaine this is a cleare caſe, where this is wanting (as in many it is I feare) knowledge will not give entrance into heaven, they will not bee admitted at this doore: ſo that it is a cleare caſe, they that doe want holy affections, and that in ſome degree and meaſure of ſoveraigntie, they that want theſe are cleane out of the way to happineſſe, though they have a great deale of knowledge.
And laſtly, which is indeed the maine triall is by the pulſe. The Phyſitian uſeth to trie the condition of the Patient by feeling the pulſe; and though there bee one through the whole bodie, yet notwithſtanding hee takes the pulſe at the hand: So indeed, the greateſt tryall, the moſt viſible tryall is by our hands; by our actions and converſations: they that walk not in a courſe of obedience unto God, of ſyncere obedience, univerſall obedience, perpetuall obedience, obedience ariſing and flowing from a high principle of love and affections towards God, according to the rule of his Word, and aiming at his glorie: they that do not this in ſome meaſure, they are here convinced that they are not in a way of happineſſe, for the way of happineſſe is made up of theſe three, knowledge, affections, and obedience, as ye have heard at large: I will adde no more of this uſe, but come to the next, and only in a word.
3. Vſe. Examination.This ſerves for a ſad and ſerious examination, by which we may trie our owne eſtate and condition, whether we be yet in the way of happineſſe or no. And I beſeech you, doe not you deceive your ſelves, in a point of ſuch conſequence, look you have a good Card or Compaſſe to ſaile by, againſt you come to the tryall of the buſineſſe: As I have ſaid ſometimes of Scholers that make verſes, though they will not trie them themſelves, nor ſcann them, their maſter will: you were as good ſcanne your lives, as God, for God will ſcan you, before he admit you into heaven, and happineſſe: you were as good therefore to trie your ſelves, for I ſay, God will ſay, friend, how cameſt thou in here, what right or title haſt thou to this place of heaven without thy wedding garment? except you bring theſe things that God requires, there will be no admittance: and though you outbrave and outface the Miniſters, yet when the Lord of the feaſt comes, hee will trie. I beſeech you therefore be ſo wiſe as to trie your ſelves: Trie your ſelves by your knowledge; trie your ſelves by your affections; trie your ſelvs by your actions; if you find it is not ſo with you, as I have ſaid, doe not I beſeech you, looſe the realitie of heaven, for a fancie; do not let goe the realitie, while you hugg the ſhaddow; as the Dogge in the Fable, who did let goe the bone in his mouth to catch at the ſhaddow hee ſaw in the water; take heed I ſay, you doe not looſe the realitie while you catch at your fancies, and relie on them: but this is not that which I intend.
Are theſe things I have ſpoken of the way to happineſſe?4. Vſe. Reprehenſion. Then it is a juſt reproofe that meets with every one, more or leſſe; why doe not we proſecute this way more earneſtly then? and why are wee ſluggiſh in this way? is it not the way of happineſſe? why doe we not labour and endeavour after knowledge? why doe not wee labour to raiſe and elevate our affections to a high pitch towards God? Why doe not wee ſtrive to abound in the worke of the Lord? and make our calling and election ſure, by adding one grace to another, one action of obedience to another; to ſcale heaven, climing up from one round of the Ladder to another, and ſo be going upward ſtill? O that wee ſhould bee ſo ſluggiſh and ſlow in theſe things, that make ſo for our happineſſe, that are indeed (as wee have prooved) the way of happineſſe! when on the contrary ſide, wee are laborious enough, and too much after theſe things, that are not for our happineſſe, tend not to it: —Tanquam hac ſit noſtri medicina doloris. Wee hunt after worldly things as though they would make us happie: but alas wee are to conſider, that there is no happineſſe in them; this is the way of happineſſe, why doe not wee then make haſte to enter this way; and ſpeedily proſecute this way? it is the great folly of thoſe that are negligent.