Moses Choice, Treatise · Part 2 · Chapter 25
CHAP. XXV. Whatſoever is but for a ſeaſon, cannot ſatisfie a gracious heart.
THat whatſoever is but for a ſeaſon, cannot ſatisfie a gracious heart: Or, Nothing but that Doct. 7.which is eternal, can ſatisfie a gracious heart.
Moſes, if he would have been ſatisfied with any thing that abided but for a ſeaſon, he might have had ſatisfaction enough; but his heart was ſet upon eternity, and therefore could have no ſatisfaction in things that were but for a ſeaſon. St. Paul ſays in 2 Cor. 4. 18. We look not at things that are ſeen, but at the things which are not ſeen; for the things which are ſeen are temporal, but the things which are not ſeen are eternal. We do not ſo much as look at things ſeen, for they are temporal, but there are other things that our hearts are upon, which are eternal; we look not at things that are ſeen, but at things not ſeen: The word notes theſe two things eſpecially, not onelyonly that we believe things that are not ſeen, eternal things, but we look at them, we minde them; we do not much minde things that are temporal, but eternal things are minded of us.
Secondly, we do not make things that are ſeen, foreignthat are temporal, to be our ſcope and aim; that which ſatisfies the heart, is that which is looked at as the end, and aim, and ſcope of the ſpirit: ſo that if a man could look at things ſeen as his aim and ſcope, they would ſatisfie him, but nothing that is ſeen can be the ſcope and aim of a gracious heart, but eternal things are his ſcope and aim, and therefore they ſatisfie him.
That nothing which is but for a ſeaſon, can ſatisfie a heart rightly principled, appears:No temporal thing can ſatisfie a ſpiritual heart.
Firſt, becauſe there is no proportion between an immortal ſoul, and fading tranſitory things; indeed the ſenſitive ſoul that does depend upon the preſent temper of the body, that is ſatisfied onelyonly with preſent things, and the reaſon is, becauſe it depends upon that which is preſent; but the rational ſoul being immortal, and not depending upon any ſuch thing, whatſoever it be that continues not for ever, cannot ſatisfie it.
Secondly, a gracious heart knows the things of 2.eternity after another maner then any other does, God hath revealed eternal things to it, and upon the ſight of thoſe eternal things, it comes to know it is taken off from all temporal things; for all temporal things, be they never ſo glorious, yet in compariſon of eternal, they are but as the point of a centre to an infinite circumference: Indeed while a man knows no better then temporal things, the heart is let out upon them, as the greateſt good, but when it comes to know the things of eternity, the heart is greatned, and all temporal things are but ſmall to that ſoul; when it comes to know what an eternal God is, and what an eternal crown is, and an eternal inheritance, when it knows that God does intend to communicate himſelf eternally to his creature, it cannot be ſatisfied, unleſs it knows it ſhall live to enjoy thoſe things that God ſhall communicate eternally.
Thirdly, a gracious ſpirit hath received an eternal principle within it, that does work the heart beyond things for a ſeaſon, that works the heart all to eternity; for the work of Grace that is in the ſoul, it is begotten of the immortal ſeed of the Word, and it is an eternal principle, that is infuſed by God into it, and therefore it works beyond things that are for a ſeaſon; every creature works according to the nature of its principles; as ſenſitive creatures according unto ſenſitive principles, and rational creatures according unto rational principles, but grace is beyond reaſon, and is of an everlaſting nature, and therefore it works the heart beyond all that is but for a ſeaſon.
Fourthly, a gracious heart cannot be ſatisfied with things that are but for a ſeaſon, becauſe God 4.hath loved ſuch a heart with an eternal love, and there is the impreſſion of the ſame love in the ſoul, that carries the ſoul to God in ſome meaſure with that love wherewith it is loved, that cauſes the ſoul to love God with an eternal love, and not to be ſatisfied with any work of love that it can work in time; and therefore grace muſt have eternity for to manifeſt the love again that it hath to God, or elſe it hath not a love proportionable in its meaſure to the love wherewith God hath loved it, but that is in every gracious heart.
Fifthly, there is a kinde of image of Gods infiniteneſs in the ſouls of men, and according to this 5print of Gods infiniteneſs, the enjoyment of God is deſired, where the heart is gracious: though it is true, our ſouls are not infinite creatures in themſelves, yet having a print of Gods infiniteneſs upon them, they manifeſt this in their infinite deſires; and becauſe they cannot enjoy an actual infinite good in themſelves, therefore they deſire an infinite good in duration at leaſt; let there be never ſo much good, yea, as much as an infinite power can let out for preſent good, yet this does not ſatisfie the ſoul, unleſs it can have it infinitely for duration; for an enlightned ſoul knows that it is not capable to hold that good that an infinite God can, and hath a purpoſe to communicate to his creature, if it ſhould come all together, therefore it deſires to enjoy communication of what good it is capable of to all eternity. To receive good from God is not ſufficient, except it be received in an infinite way; now it cannot receive any thing infinite for the preſent, and therefore it muſt have it in an infinite way in regard of duration.
Sixthly, there is nothing that is but for a ſeaſon, 6.can ſatisfie a gracious heart, but it muſt be ſome eternal thing, becauſe ſuch a one hath received light from God to underſtand the infinite conſequence of eternity, to make any good to be infinite, or any evil to be infinite: When as one enjoys any good, and knows it ſhall continue infinitely, it makes that preſent good to have a kinde of infiniteneſs in it; and and ſo for evil, if there be any evil upon the heart, though the evil ſhould be never ſo little, yet if it be an evil, and the ſoul knows it muſt continue infinitely, it puts a kinde of infiniteneſs to every moment; and that is the principal thing that makes the miſery of the damned to be ſo miſerable, and the happineſs of the godly ſo happy; they are not onelyonly happy and miſerable, becauſe they ſhall be happy and miſerable for ever, but becauſe they know there is continance in happineſs, and in miſery; their knowledge of this is that which puts infinite weight upon every moment.
Suppoſe a beaſt ſhould have happineſs ſuitable to its nature for eternity, that would come infinitely ſhort of the happineſs of a rational creature, that knows wherein happineſs conſiſts, and what eternity is; for the beaſt enjoys nothing but the preſent happineſs, but a reaſonable creature it hath happineſs for the preſent, and it can by the thoughts of the minde fetch in the infiniteneſs of the duration, and put it upon the preſent content it receives, and ſo have infinite ſatisfaction every moment: And ſo for miſery; it were not ſo much if God by his power ſhould hold a brute beaſt in the fire eternally, as if a man were in miſery; becauſe though it hath pains, yet it hath no thought of future pains, but what it now feels: But if a rational creature be in miſery, by the thoughts of his minde, he can fetch all the pains that ſhall be in hundred thouſands of years, and put them upon that inſtant, and this makes it to be miſerable indeed, in a kinde of infiniteneſs, beyond that which any other creature is capable of.
You think to be tortured with fire is miſerable, and to be ſo eternally is miſerable; but there is ſomething more, every inſtant you ſhall be in miſery, there ſhall be a kinde of infiniteneſs, becauſe you ſhall by your thoughts bring whatſoever is to come, and put it upon the preſent moment, and nothing can ſwallow up a mans ſpirit ſo much as this, if he underſtands eternity. Now then a gracious heart that knows this, that knows what the conſequence of eternity is, cannot be ſatisfied, except it hath made good proviſion for eternity; whatſoever it enjoys for the preſent, cannot ſatisfie the ſoul, unleſs it hath made good proviſion for that which it underſtands, to be of ſuch infinite conſequence as it is. A ſoul that underſtands the conſequence of eternity, ſees it as an infinite Ocean, that it is lanching into, and muſt for ever ſwim in: Now if a man were to go a voyage in the vaſt Ocean, that he muſt go thouſands of miles, could he be content that he had made proviſion of ſuch a Veſſel, that he could make ſhift to get over ſome narrow water with? ſo it is here; yea, this ſimilitude comes ſhort of the expreſſion of the folly of any that knows any thing concerning eternity, to think to ſatisfie themſelves in any thing that is but for a ſeaſon; for any thing that is but for a ſeaſon, let it be for as long a ſeaſon as you will, if it were for Methuſelahs ſeaſon, that is but as ſome ſmall Brook, and what is this to the going of many thouſand miles in the infinite vaſt Ocean? and therefore a gracious heart knowing the vaſtneſs of it, except it hath made ſome proviſion for it, can never be quieted with what it can enjoy for a ſeaſon.
Seventhly, a gracious heart cannot be ſatisfied in 7.any thing that is but for a ſeaſon, becauſe there is nothing that is but for a ſeaſon, but it can make the end of it as really preſent; If ſo be that the end of things that are but for a ſeaſon were preſent, they could not ſatisfie: Now a gracious heart makes the end of all things that are but for a ſeaſon to be really preſent: If grace enables a man to make the things of God, and eternal things to be preſent, much more will grace in the heart make the end of all worldly things to be really preſent: Now a gracious heart being wiſe, and conſidering, and looking upon theſe things that are but for a ſeaſon, as if the end now were; hence it is that it hath the ſame judgement of things that are but for a ſeaſon now, as it ſhall have when the end of all ſhall be: Now when the end of all things we enjoy for a ſeaſon is come, No love can be ſatisfying, when I love tanquam oſurus.then every man will ſee the vanity of them, and cry out of them, and ſay they will not ſatisfie: Yea, we ſhall not onelyonly ſee the vanity of them, but in ſome reſpect ſee it a greater miſery, then if we had never enjoyed them; now that thing which will not onelyonly fail us, but when it ſhall fail us, it will be a greater vexation to us that we had them, then if we had never enjoyed it, certainly they which know this cannot be ſatisfied with it.
Eighthly, a gracious heart makes uſe of all the experiences that it hath had of the vanity of the creature 8., of all things that are but for a ſeaſon; when God in the way of his providence gives to one that is gracious, experience of things, he will treaſure up his experience: vain light hearts, though God do give them experience of the vanity of the creature, and of things that are but for a ſeaſon, they do not treaſure up their experiences, but though they cry out of the vanity of the creature at ſome time, yet they run out again as greedily in their deſires after it as before: but a gracious heart findes when God takes away the creature, wherein it had placed a great deal of confidence, God hath ſhewed it how fading it was, and the ſetled condition of it is nothing but vanity: and ſo the experience of the vanity of former things, does take off his heart from any thing that it looks upon as abiding for a ſeaſon.
Laſtly, that which is but for a ſeaſon, does want an eſpecial ingredient in it, which is required for ſatiſfaction 9.: the ſpecial ingredient unto ſatisfaction, is ſecurity, that there may be ſoul-ſafe ſecurity. Auguſtine ſays, The ſoul cannot enjoy any thing freely with ſatisfaction, unleſs it can enjoy it with ſecurity: Now when the ſoul enjoys a thing for a ſeaſon, it cannot be ſatisfied, becauſe it muſt be ſolicitous to provide ſomething when that is gone, which it hath for the preſent. So that theſe arguments being put together, you may ſee evidently, Nothing that is for a ſeaſon can give ſatisfaction to a gracious heart. Having laid theſe things in the explication of the point, all that we have to do is to apply it.
Hence we may ſee the excellency of a true gracious Uſe.ſpirit: where there is grace in the ſoul, it puts a wonderful excellency upon the ſoul, as in many other reſpects, ſo this one does wonderfully declare the excellency of a gracious heart, that it is ſo raiſed, ſo enlarged, ſo greatned, that nothing that is for a ſeaſon can ſatisfie it, but it looks for things beyond a ſeaſon. Let all the world, the things that are in Heaven and Earth, preſent themſelves to the ſoul to ſatisfie it, the ſoul will ſay, What are you, temporal or eternal? If the anſwer be given temporal, the ſoul rejects them, and puts them off as too mean things to be ſatisfaction for it; If you had brought eternity with you, ſays the ſoul, I could have embraced you, and cloſed with you, and have been ſatisfied in the enjoyment of you, but if the inſcription of eternity be not in you, you are too mean for me, my happineſs Pecuniam da quae permaneat ac cōtin…ò duret, gloriam quae ſemper floreat. Baſil in 40. Martyrs.is not here, I muſt look higher, I am loſt for ever if I do not look higher then theſe things. When Baſil was offered money and preferment to tempt him, he anſwers, Give money that may laſt for ever, and glory that may eternally flouriſh.