A Saint or a Brute, Part 1 · Doctrine 2
II. Let us next lay both together; and ſee how the troubling matters of the world are called [Many] in oppoſition to …his One.
And 1. Every creature to a ſenſual man, is made by him in …ome ſort, his End and God: For he doth not Uſe it only, and …eferr it as the godly do, to an end that is One; but he would En…y it, and make it objectively his end it ſelf, and ſo idolize it. And …herefore though in the general notion of Delight they all ageee; yet materially what abundance of ends and gods have carnal men? Every ſenſe muſt have its own delight: the eye muſt have its delight, and the appetite its delight; and ſo of the reſt.
2. And alſo theſe fleſhly baits and pleaſures are diſcordant even among themſelves: They draw the ſinner ſeveral waies; and one of them fighteth againſt the other: The riches of the ſenſualiſt do uſually contradict his eaſe; and often his voluptuous humour: and his ambition and pride doth bridle his diſgraceful luſt; and one ſin will not let another have its end, but robbeth him of the poor expected fruit: And thus they do diſtract the ſinners, and tear their very hearts in pieces; and divide and diſmember them, where God would heal them and unite them in himſelf. And the toilſome cares and labours by which theſe things muſt be obtained, are many, and oft contrary to each other; and a great deal of ſtir it is that a deluded ſinner▪ makes to little purpoſe.
The ſumme then of both theſe Heads is this. The matter of a Chriſtians Faith, and Religion, Deſire, Hope and Love, is therefore called One thing, becauſe God who is One, is the ſumme of all. It is but One Sun, though it hath many beams, and all theſe beams are nothing but the emanations of the Sun; and have nothing but what they have from it: God is All to the Religion and the Soul of a true Believer: and therefore All to him is One: Creatures, and Duties, and Ordinances which are many, are all but One to him in God. His Faith beholdeth them, and his Affections reliſh them as united all in God. 1. As their spring from whom they flow. 2. And as the Life by whom they are all animated; and as the matter and ſenſe which they ſignifie and import. 3. And as their end to which they tend, and in which they all terminate and agree.
Many branches are but One Tree, and have One Stock: and many members are One body, becauſe they are animated with One ſoul. Many letters, ſyllables and words may make One ſentence; and many leaves may make One Book, and treat but of One ſubject. Many actions of a Plow-man are called Plowing, and of a Weaver, Weaving, &c. as being all united in One end: I know theſe ſimilies have their diſſimilitude, but this is the ſumme; that It is God that the Believer ſeeth, and ſeeketh, and loveth, and converſeth with, and intendeth in all the Ordinances of grace, in all his duties, and in all the creatures: and in God they are united, and One thing to him. He hath nothing to do at Church, or at home, in private or publike, but live to God, and ſeek after the everlaſting enjoyment of him. If weakneſs and temptation put any other buſineſs into his hands, he is ſo far ſtept out of the Chriſtian way. In his very common labours and mercies, (ſo far as he is Holy) God is to him, the spring, the life, the ſweetneſs, the beauty, the ſtrength, the meaning, and the end of all, and therefore All in All.
But the creatures in the hands and uſe of the ungodly, (or of the godly ſo far as they uſe them ſinfully) have no ſuch Unity. Though in themſelves they ſo depend on God, that none can make a ſeparation, nor can they at all exiſt without him; yet in the ſenſe, eſtimation, ends and uſe of the ungodly, the creatures are ſeparated from God, and are as branches cut off from the tree; and departing from God, theſe men are gone from Unity, and are loſt, diſtracted and confounded in the multitude of the creatures; and will never have Unity till they return … God.