The Righteous Mans Plea to True Happiness, Sermon 1 · Sermon 9
The Ninth Sermon.SER. IX.
PSALME 4.6.
There bee many that ſay, who will ſhew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
WE are ſtill on the poynt of happineſſe; and wee are on the laſt part of that poynt, and are come to the laſt thing in it: the poynt (that you may not forget it) was this; That ſound knowledge and beleefe, joyned with ſoveraigne feare and love; and both theſe crowned with ſincere repentance and obedience, according to the line and light of the true religion is the only way to true happineſſe: having diſpatcht the explication, and the confirmation, wee came to the Application, and in it to the poynt of Exhortation: wherein wee propounded two things
1 In particular.
1 To exhort every one to labour after every one of theſe in particular, to get,
1 Sound knowledge:
2 Soveraigne affections:
3 Sincere obedience.
2 In generall, to ſpeake ſomething in the generall of ſeeking them all, and of the true Religion.
VVe began with the firſt of theſe the laſt time; And I endeavoured then to perſwade every one to labour for knowledge.
Get feare and love.2 And therefore in the ſecond place, I ſhall exhort every one to labour to get thoſe ſoveraigne affections, of feare and love of God: which is the ſecond ſtep towards our happineſſe, to bring us to the poſſeſſion of it.
Sound knowledge muſt have ſoveraigne feare and love joyned with it, or elſe it will be of little worth, nay it will not be available: I ſhall proceed in this as in the former (although more briefly, becauſe I deſire and reſolve to end.)
To proceed therefore in the ſame ſteps.
1 I ſhall circumſcribe what affections, what feare and love we muſt get.
2 And then I ſhall direct thoſe that are willing, how they may bring and implant ſuch affections in their hearts.
3 And laſtly ſhew, why we muſt doe ſo; laying downe ſome motives which may induce us to a ſerious care of this.
To begin with the firſt of theſe, viz. What affections of feare and love we muſt labour for.What for the
Briefely they muſt bee ſuch affections as in regard
Object. 1 Of the Object, muſt be placed on God; above all get ſuch affections, that is that, at which I ayme now, to put every Chriſtian on,Placed on God. to indeavour to plant in the garden of their heart, ſuch affections as have God for their object, viz. the feare and love of God.
2 For the act (to expreſſe that) they will not doe well except they be tempered and mixed together: the moſt beautifull colour,Act. Tempered together. the goodneſſe and ſweetneſſe of the ſoule, ariſeth from a mixture of feare and love: as if a man would temper the pureſt white and faireſt red, it makes the perfect ruddy colour; ſuch as that is for which the Spouſe giveth her beloved the commendation, he was candidus & rubicundus: The mixture of that makes the beauty of the face in the body: and the mixture of theſe make the beauty of the affections in the ſoule: feare mixed with love, for it muſt not go alone: Feare though it be apt to make us carefull and cautious; carefull how to pleaſe God, and cautious, fearefull to offend him; yet if it be alone, it will be ready to precipitate us into deſpaire, or forlorne hope. It muſt be tempered therefore with love, that we looke not only upon the greatneſſe; but on the goodneſſe and ſweetneſſe of God: that as we are affected with the proſpect of the one, viz. his greatneſſe; with an affection of holy feare and awe and reverence of him: ſo that, that may not drive us too fa…re to ſubject us and overthrow us by deſpai…e, we muſt keepe it up with a mixture of love, looking upon his ſweetneſſe and goodneſſe. And ſo love likewiſe, that muſt be tempered and mingled with feare: love alone perhaps may grow wanton, if wee think on nothing but love, fix our eyes on nothing but goodneſſe and ſweetneſſe in God, wee ſhall be ready to build our ſinnes on his backe, in a preſumption of his goodneſſe: and as the laying is; there be as many, if not more ſhips and veſſels that miſcarry on the ſoft ſands as on the hard rockes; and there be as many that doe miſcary on the ſoft ſands of preſūption, as on the hard rocks of deſperation; building on the goodneſſe of God inordinately, and upon his mercy, ever ſaying, miſericordia ejus ſuper omnia opera, miſericordia, &c. and ſo preſume to doe any thing: preſuming that God will in mercy ſave them; I ſay, love alone would be too wanton; except it be poized and ballanced with a holy feare and awe and reverence of God: As a ſhip that is well furniſhed with tackle and ſailes, that may give the motion and advance the ſwiftnes of it; but if the ſhip hath not ballaſt in it, nor weight to make it goe ſteddy, it is up and downe toſſed alway, and the more ſailes, the more danger, and hazzard: ſo it is in this caſe: That our ſhip may goe ſafe and ſteddy, we muſt not only have the ſailes of love to make it goe ſwift; but the ballaſt of feare to make it goe ſteddy; we muſt not only have love, but feare, leaſt otherwiſe we walke but wantonly▪ skipping and danc…ng by fits and by ſpurts, in good wayes, and not keepe any conſtant tenour in a holy pace.
3 And laſtly, for the manner, that is another thing, which I muſt confeſſe I have ever in all things commended and praiſed as one of the moſt vitall and maine things of religion, and I never yet met with any juſt reaſon to contradict my apprehenſion of it, or to thinke otherwiſe but well of my opinion; I ſay, it is the manner; we muſt looke to the manner and degreeDegree., of theſe affections: and in one word they muſt be ſoveraigne: a ſoveraigne feare of God and a ſoveraigneSoveraigne.love of God, above all things: aſſuredly when all is done, I conceive the word is cleare for it, that a man doth but vainely pretend to godlineſſe, and pretend to God, who though he hath ſome kind of feare of him, and ſome kind of love of him; yet comes ſhort of this degree of ſoveraignty. God is the ſoveraigne Lord of all, and therefore will have the ſoveraignty of our affections; he will not indure any parting, he muſt have all, the higheſt and the moſt ſoveraigne feare and love, he will not ſuffer any to part with him, but we muſt feare him above all, and we muſt love him above all: The Scripture runnes full for it, and I conceive this is the maine cogniſance whether the will be regenerated or no; this will characterize whether grace hath attained the preheminency in the ſoule, whether it bee ſet up in the throne, ſurely if it be, it would quickly turne all out of doores that is not competent with God that is not fit: and therfore remember this, as the mayne, that we ſhould aym at to bring our affections to; not to reſt or ſatisfie our ſelves with any degree, or with any kind of feare, or love, or any meaſure of them; but wind them up to that degree of ſoveraignty; love God above all, and feare him above all: Let nothing be ſo terrible nor ſo formidable as to make us to forſake God, nor nothing ſo lovely or ſo deſirous, that it ſhould tempt or allure us to part with God; if any thing doe make a man doe ſo, that is his God; and that is that which hee preferres above all, that is to him really and formally a very God, and God is no God to him: if he can ſet his foot (to ſpeake it with reverence) upon God, to clime up to ſome other thing, and make religion his ſtirrup for that purpoſe, it cannot be right. And therefore reſt not in any thing till you come to that degree of ſoveraignty, to love God and feare God above all.
How.2 How ſhall we bring our hearts to this; how ſhall we implant, and ingraft theſe affections of ſoveraigne feare and love in our ſoules? There is ſome art in getting theſe in this kind.
Briefely to ſhew it in a few words; there bee ſome things I ſhall ſay in generall, and then adde ſome things in particular, and but in a word.
In Generall by taking heed.1 In generall we muſt take heed of ſome things; and take care of ſome things; or,
There is a Negative act, and a poſitive act of care that muſt be uſed, for the implanting, and ingrafting of theſe affections in the ſoule.
Heede to chaſe avvay other.1 We muſt take heed to chaſe away, at leaſt to moderate and bring under, and ſubjugate all other affections; to keepe them under, to keepe them low,Feare and love. that the water doe not goe beſide the Mill; that we doe not ſpend thoſe precious affections, and poure them out like ſweet water on ſome filthy and ſtinking ditch; beſtow not your feare upon any thing that is not to be feared; nor beſtow your love on any unworthy thing, that hath neither beauty nor goodneſſe, nor worth, nor any thing to deſerve love: Wee muſt call in all our ſtock, and drive an other trade; and ſuppreſſe and keep all theſe under as much as may bee; that all may run in this channell; If the ſtreame be divided, it is weakned, and it will not be navigable when it is cut into many rivers; and ſo if wee divide the ſtreame of our affections; if we ſuffer one current of feare to run this way, and another the other way; and a current of love to breake out this way, and the other way, and make many little channels that will not be uſefull; neither ſhall we bee able to maintaine the maine Current. We muſt therefore take off our affections from other things; weane our affections from the world; from the pleaſures, from the honours, from the riches of it; for every one of theſe like unfruitfull boughes, under boughes, flouriſh at the root of the tree and grow up to the prejudice of the maine tree; for as much as they draw the ſap and nouriſhment away from that, and ſtarve the tree it ſelfe; like Ivie about the Oake, the Ivie groweth about it, but the Oake fares the worſe: as one ſaid of the Child at nurſe; the Nurſe fares the worſe for the childs ſake, the Nurſe pineth and waſteth when ſhe nouriſheth, and cheriſheth her child; the child drawes her ſo much downe, that it leaves her but leane: and ſo in this caſe, if wee let our affection looſe, let them out upon any thing beſides God, in an inordinate way, it doth exceedingly abate and weaken our affections towards God: They who would preſerve the fire which is on the hearth, can hardly do it, if the Sunne beames doe ſhine upon the hearth; for they will extinguiſh and put it out: ſo it is in this caſe, our hearts will grow exceeding cold towards God, and all the fire of holy affections will moulder away, if theſe worldly things ſeeme glorious in our eyes, and ſeeme beautifull, they will ſteale away our love, and ſteale away our affections, and draw away our hearts from God: That is the thing that ſhould be taken heede of; it is a thing that Chriſtians ſhould alway be carefull of; that the feare of other things, doe not eate out the feare of God; nor the love of other things, do not make a damp, and quench the love of God, and choake the growth of it: we muſt take heed of that.
Care to chaſe in theſe.2 But then as we ſhould take heed to chaſe away other things that would bee prejudiciall to theſe holy affections; So we ſhould take care to chafe in theſe holy affections; to keepe them alwayes warme, to nouriſh, and to cheriſh them: If you would keep in your fire, you muſt ſupply it with fire; what ever few ill will ſerve to keepe in this fire of heavenly love, and heavenly feare, in the full heat, and full brightneſſe, you muſt be chary how you withdraw that fire, and carefull rather to feede that fire: And ſo much the more tender care ſhould bee had of this; becauſe you muſt know that it is with thoſe holy affections as it is with noble and generous plants, which are in our country, but exotique; and brought hither from another ſoil, out of other countryes: the country is not ſo kindly for them, being but a ſtep-mother to them, and a little unkindneſſe of the ayre will ſoone nippe the bloſſomes, if wee have not ſo much the more care of them; in watering of them, and cheriſhing of them: Now all grace, and all holy affections are but exotique plants, they came from heaven, and they deſcended from thence, and they are farre more by a great deale rigorous, and odoriferous in heaven, becauſe they are there in their proper native ſoile, in the bleſſed Saints, and the bleſſed Angells, they are neere God; neare to the fountaine of life and heate, and there is more vigour and ſweetneſſe in them: But alas we are farre a fonte caloris, and this world is but an unkinde mother to theſe plants, a ſtep mother to them, though a mother to other affections; and therefore they will eaſily dye, if there be not an eſpeciall care taken of them, to rub, and chafe theſe, to keepe perpetuall life in them, by ſo much the more diligence, and by the uſe of all meanes, that may preſerve and perpetuate it. So much in generall.
2 Now more particularly, Particularly.I ſhall preſent a few rules of direction, eſpecially to the laſt of theſe generalls, how we may keepe holy affections in warmth; but very briefely.
Conſtant Application.1 Conſtant application of thoſe things, that are of force for the chaſing in, which cauſe a begetting and preſerving of theſe holy affections. As for example, wee heare many things out of the Word of God, we reade many things out of the Word of God, and other good writings, which doe conduce exceedingly to inflame and warme the heart and affections, with a holy love, and to make the heart ſoft with a holy awe and feare of God: Now wee ſhould never read or heare thoſe things, but wee ſhould lay hold on them, and labour to chafe them on our hearts, and demonſtrate the uſe of them: if wee have but the bare naked, cold theorem and ſpeculation, wee doe but ſtrangle the birth child in the wombe: if wee read them, and heare them, and neuer chafe them in, by application, to warme the affections; ſo that all thoſe things that wee heare or reade, wee muſt chafe them on our affections, by applying them to our affections, and by holding of them to the affections, and keeping the warmth with it.
Vigilent Caution.2 Let there be vigilant caution, over out hearts, to obſerve both our full and our wane: when our hearts are full and high in holy affection, obſerve cautiouſly what uſeth to raiſe them ſo, what experience, what arguments prevaile moſt to advance and mount the ſoule like Eliah his fiery Charriot, ſparkling with holy affection, and mounting us to heaven (as ſometime a man is as it were in heaven, when he is elevated in theſe divine affections) obſerve very narrowly, and marke very carefully what are our vehicula our fiery Chariots that carry us up to heaven; and make uſe of them, apply them, ponder on them: And againe obſerve our wane and declining; for a Chriſtian hath not onelyonly his ſpring tide when affections over-flow, and carry him ſweetly; But he hath alſo his low tide, the motions of the ſpirit of God are not ordinary, rara hora, brevis mora, as Bernard ſaid, rare and dainty are the taſts of Gods ſpirit; and many times a Chriſtian is at low water, at ebb in his affections: obſerve now and marke and ſee how comes this declining: what aileth my poore ſoule to wither, and my affections to droope, and hang downe the head? obſerve whether it bee not my neglect of the Ordinances? my neglect of duty? and whether it bee not ſome ſinne that lyeth upon mee, that God doth eſtrange himſelfe, and hide himſelfe thus, that the pipes that ſhould bring in water are cut off by the Key (I meane the conveyances of Grace) obſerve I ſay what cauſeth this wane, what it is that hinders, and watch againſt that: pry often into thy heart, meditate on thy wayes; and keepe a vigilant eye, bee very ſuſpicious, watch continually to make full diſcovery unto thy ſoule, what doth advance, or what doth hinder you in the way of theſe holy affections; and take heede of the one, and take care of the other: that is the ſecond thing.
2 Vſe frequent excitation and ſtirring up of your affection; If a man bee in a ſwoone;Frequent excitation. rubb and chafe him till you fetch life againe: and ſo it had neede bee with us, wee had neede often to rubbe our affections; for as I have often expreſſed it, our hearts are ponderous, multum trahit de terra, de carne multum: it weighes downwards; as the weight of a Clocke moves downeward continually, and if it be once to the ground, the Clocke is ſilent; they muſt pull it up againe, every twelve houres, or ſuch a certaine compaſſe, they muſt ever and anon be winded up: And ſo in this caſe, beſides mans ordinary courſe what hee doth in a diurnall way; he muſt have his annuall courſes, and his monethly courſes, and his weekely courſes of winding up his holy affections: if the fire be out, kindle it againe from heaven, go to God, and reinforce your ſelves to prayer and other holy duties; There muſt bee a frequent excitation and ſtirring up of our ſelves: when once we doe feele our ſelves beginne to dye, goe and make your complaints to heaven, my heart ô God hath forſaken mee, is gon away from me, I cannot have the command of it, Lord reſtore it againe: go thus to God to fetch it backe: this holy fire if it bee out, it is like the fire on the Altar, it was unlawfull to have it kindled but only by the meanes of heaven, it muſt be the fire of heaven, not any other fire: So we muſt be often renewing of our holy affections; we muſt uſe often excitation to keepe our affections in reparation.
Pregnant meditation ofLaſtly, uſe pregnant meditation on thoſe things that may conduce and are effectuall for the producing and preſerving of theſe holy affections: that wee muſt take up, inure our ſelves, to a conſtant and lively meditation of thoſe things, the conſideration of which may winde the ſoule up againe if it be down; may fetch life in it againe. As for example, ever and anon meditate on
1 The vanity of the world: If the heart be out;Vanity of the world. it is becauſe it is drawne away with ſome worldly thing which hath ſtollen it away; and therefore it languiſheth towards God, and heavenly things; if any worldly thing comes within our eyes ſight, (ſuch is our nature that) it hales and ſteales away our heart, makes us in love with it, makes us eſteeme highly of it; makes a man grow ſicke for it: and then farwel all holy affections; they are turned out of doore; and this new gueſt muſt take up all the roome: it is a thouſand to one, but we find it ſo on ſuch an occaſion. And therefore to prevent this, the heart ſhould ever and anon meditate on the vanity of the world, vanity of vanities, all is vanity: and what a mad thing is it for me to miſplace my affections upon ſuch poore things as theſe are: bee full therefore with all thoſe thoughts and meditations that preſent the vanity of the world, that it may take off that apparent and painted beauty that bewitcheth you, and ſtealeth away your hearts, ſo that you cannot beſtow them on God: often meditate of the vanity of the world, that is the firſt.
2 And ſecondly,Excellency of God. often meditate upon the excellency of God: If a man would ſee the vanity of the world, and then turne his eyes and behold the bright beauty of God, and all thoſe tranſcendent excellencies of goodneſſe that is in God, which are ſuch that a mans ſoule is (at leaſt may bee) overwhelmed in the conſideration of them: I ſay if a man did but fix his eyes upon it, would not he think himſelf a ſtarke mad man, to be ever ſo fooliſh, as to dote upon theſe worldly things; on thoſe inferiour things: when there is ſuch a conjugall, and ſoule raviſhing beauty in God, to delight it ſelfe in meditation upon the excellencie of God, inflaming the ſoule with that, that will ſet an edge, when our affections are dull; and ſharpen them againe: Whet your ſoules therefore, and your affections upon that meditation.
Nobility of man.3 Meditate often, ever and anon, upon the frailty, and yet illuſtrious nobility of mans nature: Conſider and ponder, thou haſt a poore mortall body, a rotten carkaſſe that muſt drop ere long into the grave, and ſtinke there (be it what it will) and be devoured by wormes: But yet thou haſt as a Gueſt in that ſame homely cottage, a divine Gueſt, an immortall ſoule: Now then reflect on that thing firmely with this conſideration, ſhall I neglect my precious ſoule, and beſtow my ſhort time that I have to live, that I have to worke out Eternity (for upon this little point of time hangs the Crowne of Eternity, all depends on it) ſhall I now I ſay, that have ſuch a noble ſoule befoole my ſelfe ſo; as to neglect and refuſe the offer of Gods excellency; and not to bee inamoured with his beauty, and in the meane time goe a doting on the vanities of the world, is this a thing ſutable to me? this would wonderfully raiſe a man, if men did but remember that foreign, did but underſtand both his frailty, and his nobility, it would make him infinitely to ſcorn any other thing, and raiſe him onelyonly in his affections towards God.
3 Let me ad but a word now concerning the third thing, and that very briefely.Wherfore theſe Wherefore muſt we get theſe, or what may be the motives to move us to labour for the gaining of theſe heavenly affections of feare and love placed on God in a ſoveraigne manner?
I will propound ſome, but according to the proportion of the poynt that I have now in hand, and confine my ſelfe to that narrow compaſſe: and ſo
There bee five maine conſiderations that may induce every one to make it a principall part of his care, to get about him thoſe holy affections, and get them in a high and ſoveraigne manner.
1 Becauſe they are the beſt fruit of all our knowledge: Beſt fruit of knowledge.Alas our knowledge is meerely and altogether but barren that doth not beget affections: To have a golden head, and feet of clay was that portentuous Image ſhewed to Nebuchadnezar; to have a golden head, and earthen affections; knowledge of divine things, and yet love of humane; love of the world; the whole fruit of knowledge, and the whole ſcope of it is loſt: God doth conveigh knowledge to us with this purpoſe, to beget holy affections: it doth therefore fruſtrate God in the maine ſcope of all our knowledge: let that be the firſt conſideration, it is the beſt fruit of our knowledge; the beſt product of knowledge is when the light of the underſtanding warmes our affections, and raiſeth them to God in ſome manner.
2 It is the next root of all obedience: If knowledge be precious unto us, then ſhould heavenly affections;Next roote of obedience. for the pearle and price of our knowledge is when it elevates and workes in us holy affections: And if obedience be deſirable, if obedience bee worth the while; then holy affections which are the very next roote of our obedience, muſt be deſirous and worth the while; for from it, it iſſues and flowes, and receives it life and ſtrength: It is juſt with the ſoule as it is with the body; the nerves and muſcles are the inſtruments of motion: that I pull in or put out my hand or foot, or open or cloſe my eyes, it is by a ſecret and inward power of the muſcles, nerves and ſinewes; by which I rule theſe, and order theſe parts as occaſion is: and ſo it is in the ſoule, all outward motions in obedience, it will bee but a meere poppet-play, except it be from an inward motion, a popet is a dead thing except ſome man move it, the wind may move it, it is but meerely carried in mens hands, and not by any naturall motion or life: But then only is our obedience right and lively, when it hath an inward motion, a motion of love, or feare, when it riſeth from a root of holy affections: when a man loves God, and feares God, then is he fit to ſerve and obey God: timor addidit alas, and ſo amor: feare giveth wings, and love is the moſt compelling thing, for the love of Chriſt conſtraineth us to make us induſtrious to ſerve God; the act of love or feare is great: affections are the beſt root, to thruſt plenty of ſappe forth, to make all our actions greene, and freſh, and flouriſhing.
3 As affections are the beſt fruit of knowledge, if we value knowledge; and as they are the next root of obedience, if wee prize obedience;Only grace of either, without which Knowledge is not ſaving. ſo they are the onelyonly grace of both: neither of them hath any grace on it, or any gloſſe, or beauty in it, without heavenly affections; Knowledge, (let it be never ſo great, never ſo profound, never ſo univerſall, never ſo cleare, yea in divine things, yet) it is not ſaving, till it bee mingled with holy affections, till it have begotten and brought forth them: All our knowledge without affections, is not ſaving; but a man may goe like a Bull with Coronet and garland when he goes to the ſlaughter; a man may go to hell and periſh everlaſtingly with all theſe ornaments of knowledge in his head: knowledge is not ſaving, except wee have this ornament in our hearts of ſpirituall and holy affections: And therefore as the Father ſayd in a patheticall bemoaning of thoſe that were learned men; men of great parts, but cold affections: Surgunt indocti, & coelum rapiunt; & nos cum doctrinis noſtris ſine corde, ecce ubi volutamur in carne & ſanguine: that is, the unlearned ariſe and ſnatch heaven, and ſhall we periſh with all our learning? they out-goe the learned in this, they that have heavenly affections. Though they have ſuch a great excellency of knowledge, as it was ſometime ſayd of one that came to contend at the olympike games, in the game of running: hee was a tall man, and had a mighty long arme and hand, certaine ſaid one jeſtingly if the garland were to be worne with reaching, hee that could reach himſelfe fartheſt; this man would carry it: but it was not he that could reach fartheſt, but hee that could runne faſteſt, that bare away the garland. And it is not thoſe that have the deep reach in religion, but thoſe that have the beſt ſpeed in religion, the ſweeteſt affection in religion: It is heavenly affection that puts the grace on our knowledge, yea and puts a life into it, which otherwiſe would bee but a dead knowledge.
Obedience not pleaſing.And againe obedience without holy affections will not bee pleaſing: except it proceed out of a root of holy affections, and what we doe, (let us doe it never ſo buſily) if wee doe it not out of the feare of God, and conſcience to him; if we do it not out of love, and ſweet and heavenly affections towards him, it hath no acceptance with God, nor is it available: The heathens had many acts of obedience, as juſtice, and temperance, and chaſtity, and ſuch like vertues, which were but wild plants, not gardens planted, nor having their due culture; they were never cultured by God in his garden, becauſe they grew not upon the right root; they were done in ſelfe-love, for their owne glory, as the Stoikes were called, they were animalia gloriae, men that aimed at ſelfe-love and their owne vaine glory in doing of them, and therefore they had no acceptance with God. But it is theſe holy affections, that God looks at in all our actions, and which alone puts the price upon all our obedience: He that giveth but a little in a way of charity, ſo it be out of affection, is accepted: It is not the greatnes of the guift; but the riches of the mind that commands; not the great guift, but the rich mind hath acceptance with God: The Widdowes mite, was beyond the rich mans magnificence, becauſe it came out of a richer mind: And ſo it is in all other actions, it is the root, from what heart they ſpring, from what affections they ſpring, that commands the actions: without which the actions looſe all their beauty. And this ſhall ſuffice to infer the ſecond part of the exhortation, to labour to get ſoveraigne affections.