The Chief Interest of Man, Section 8
SECT. IX. Tranquility of mind the priviledge of the Godly Man. A due ordering of the affections, not a ſtoical Apathy neceſſary thereto. Peace of Conſcience unknown to the Heathen Philoſophers, and attainable only by true Religion. Objectionsgrounded on the moroſeneſs, and inward troubles of Chriſtians anſwered.
THE next advantage of the Soul, in this World by Godlineſſe, is Tranquility of Mind, whereby a Man is exempted from the importunity of inordinate paſſions, and from the ſecret (though ſevere) laſhes of an accuſing terrifying Conſcience, which wound deeper than Scorpions. This the Philoſophers cry up as the ſum of a happy life; but what is ſaid of happineſſe in general, I may apply to this part of it: Philoſophy ſeeks it, Theology ſinds it, but Religion poſſeſſeth it. As Paul told the Athenians; he declared unto them, him whom they ignorantly worſhipped. So the Chriſtian diſcovers that which the Heathen Moraliſt blindly purſues, but it is only the Godly Man who hath his Soul throughly tinctured with true Grace that enjoyes this tranquility, and hereby I mean a ſedate calmneſſe of affections, whereby a man is freed from the terrors of an accuſing Conſcience, and from the impetus and violence of unruly paſſions, which make him as the troubled Sea caſting up continually mire and dirt, diſcovering in the effects of ſuch vile affections the filthineſſe that lies deep in the bottom of their hearts, ſo foaming out their own ſhame, theſe luſts (like the Devil in the poor man that caſt him ſometimes into the fire, and ſometimes into the water, or made him cut himſelf with ſtones) hurry men with violence, ſometime into one extream, ſometimes into another, and make them pierce themſelves through with many ſorrows, and make dreadful wounds and gaſhes in their own Conſciences, ruſhing them into a thouſand dangers, as the unruly horſe doth the Rider into the battel. But I have already ſaid enough of the diſeaſes, quarrels, and other inconveniences, that mens ſins ſubject them to, which are but the fulfilling of theſe importunate Luſts which will never let a man reſt, but are continually ſolliciting for ſatisfaction, and can never be ſatisfied, but enlarge themſelves continually, as Hell; and thoſe fleſhly Luſts do not only war againſt the Soul, but in the Soul againſt one another: this is our unhappineſs that we muſt ſerve divers Luſts, ſo that a man is not only (as one compares him) like a Servant in an Inne, where there are many Gueſts, ſome calling with importunity one way, ſome another, ſome up ſtairs, ſome down, but like thoſe that live on the Frontiers of a Kingdom, bordering upon the Territories of another Prince, or betwixt two Garriſons in a civil War, his ſervice is required of both, he knows not whom to obey, both require more taxes than he knows how to pay; thus is miſerable man tortured, while he is a ſlave to his Luſts, one calls one way, another calls another way, Pride puts him upon one thing, Covetouſneſſe countermands, Senſuality calls him another way, Pride reclaims and tells him it will ſtain his reputation, ſpot his honour. Now for freeing a man from this baſeſt ſlavery, the Goſpel is much more effectual than all the precepts of morality, as it more clearly layes before us the expreſſe commands, and peremptory will and pleaſure of the Soveraign Law-giver, as it inforceth theſe with promiſes and threatnings, of ſuch things as there is either a deep ſilence of amongſt the Philoſophers, or which at leaſt they deſcry but at a great diſtance, and ſeem to make ſome imperfect diſcovery of which the Goſpel doth evidently demonſtrate. And which is more than all this, there doth a ſpirit of Life and Power accompany the Goſpel where it is received, which changeth the Soul into another form; there is a Divine nature thereby communicated, whereby men become as it were new Creatures, have new thoughts, and new affections, whereby they now ſavour the things of the ſpirit, as they did before the things of the fleſh. The Old Man is mortified by the ſpirit; that, as in old age deſire fails, (as we have a proof in Barzillai that taſted not the ſweetneſſe of the Creatures, as formerly) ſo when a Mans Luſts are mortified, he hath not a deſire after forbidden vanities, and the pleaſures of ſin as formerly. Philoſophy indeed hath one Polemo to boaſt of, but the Goſpel thouſands whoſe natures have been ſo changed by its power, that they have become quite other perſons, and whatever Morality can furniſh us with to perſwade, the Goſpel hath the ſame in greater evidence, and much more: beſides, a Chriſtian may more truly ſay of the Goſpel, than one ſaid of Philoſophy, he thereby learns to want what others enjoy, not that any man hath more pleaſure, or finds more contentin what he poſſeſſeth, than the Chriſtian, that hath all ſweetened to him by the favour of God, and knows that it is not his only portion, as to others when they dye, wo to you, ye have received your conſolation; but he doth not diſquiet himſelf with the deſire of more than God hath given him, and it is better to be content with a little, than to have much, and not to be ſatisfied, better to enjoy perfect health, and eat and drink no more than nature requires, than to be troubled with the foreign, or appetitus caninus, and be continually eating, or a Dropſie, and be always drinking. So for thoſe natural evils which are the objects of our fear and ſorrow, as they are future and foreſeen, or preſent and ſelt, the Chriſtian hath the advantage of all others for bearing them, not only as Hope, Patience, Meekneſſe are the fruits of the ſpirit which he works by that ſpecial power and energy which he puts forth in Gods choſen ones; but as the Goſpel doth furniſh him with moral arguments, much more effectual to perſwade to patience, than any that are learned in the Schools of the Philoſophers, as it is in vain to be troubled at what we cannot help: all good hath a mixture of evil, and all evil hath a mixture of good. There is a viciſſitudo of fortunes, ſo that in adverſity a Man may hope that proſperity will ſucceed. We ſhould conſider the condition of others who ſuffer the like things with our ſelves. Bearing afflictions, will harden us to undergo them better, (as Iron grows harder by being oft heated in the fire,) ſometimes injuries prove advantagious to thoſe who ſuffer them. Theſe and ſuch like rational conſiderations may help to correct the exceſſe of Mens paſſions, but it is only the Goſpel which diſcovers the care and ſingular love of God to his people in all the eviſs that befall them, he being with them, ſympathizing with them, (ſo far as is conſiſtent with his happineſſe and perfection) ordering all things by his wiſe and powerful Providence, ſitting as a refiner, while he caſts his Gold and Silver into the Furnace to purifie it, ordering all things for the good of his choſen: this may make us not only patient in tribulation, but to glory in it, not only to conquer in our ſufferings, but to be more then Conquerors. Indeed all that aſſume to themſelves the title of Chriſtians, enjoy not this tranquility, for many arrogate this to themſelves which belongs not to them, thoſe that are Chriſtians indeed, attain to this but by degrees, none are abſolutely perfect in this life, and perfect peace of mind is not an abſolute freedom from all paſſion, not an apathy, but tranquillitas ordinis, when every affection keeps its own place, and doth its proper work. When Fear is the Souls Gentinel to warn it of approaching danger, that being forewarned, it may before-armed, when Sorrow is the temper of the Soul, or the ballaſt of it to keep it ſteady, Angercos Fortit udinis & ingenii, the mettle of it to fit it for action, and the Oyl of Gladneſſe, making the face to ſhine, and being as marrow to the bones, making our converſation more acceptable and agreeable unto others, our life more pleaſing and comfortable to our ſelves. But that wherein a Chriſtian hath the greateſt advantage is Peace of Conſcience, the importunate ſollicitations of Satan and our own Luſts, to the commiſſion of ſin are not ſo diſquieting to the Soul, as the rebukes and clamors of Conſcience after the commiſſion of it. The Devil is a meer Trapan, that draws Men into a Plot againſt Heaven, and when he hath enſnared them, is the firſt that accuſeth them, ſollicites men importunately to ſin by the ſtrongeſt enticements, afterwards affrights their Conſciences by aggravating their guilt to them, and this is a preoccupation of Hell, as peace of conſcience, and joy in the Holy Ghoſt … the firſt fruits and … of …eaven. As Vertue is its own reward, …o ſin is its own puniſhment; guilt followes ſin, as the ſhaddow doth the body, haunting the ſinner like a hideous Ghoſt, and continually terrifying him. It is true, many do not feel theſe terrors, but it is not through any true ſetled peace that they have, but only a ſenſeleſſe ſtupid ignorance of their own danger, they are like a man aſleep on the top of a Maſt, do but awake them to ſee their danger, and it is enough to affright them into the infernal abyſs. While they go on quietly in ſin, they are but as a man which hath bribed the Serjeant, which doth not pay his debt, nor ſecure him againſt Arreſts, his debt increaſes ſtill, and he will have more to pay when he is arreſted. It is not a Merchants putting off the melancholick thoughts of his debts by pleaſures and divertiſements that will alwayes quiet his mind, he doth but beguile himſelf, and increaſe his debt, it is the acquitiance of his Creditor that can only ſecure him. This is the caſe of many, that when they are haunted, as Saul by the evil ſpirit of an accuſing Conſcience, as he had his muſick to quiet his mind, they muſt have ſomething to divert their thoughts from ſuch diſquieting and tormenting objects; but theſe are but like Opiates, which may ſtupifie for a time, and free from pains, but do nothing to the cure of the diſeaſe. It is only the blood of Chriſt that can ſprinkle our hearts from an evil Conſcience, cleanſe our Conſciences from dead works, only an effectual Faith that applies this blood to the Conſcience. So that the Heathen Philoſophers by all their preſcriptions could never quiet the Conſciences of ſinners, and all that peace that they had was only from ignorance of that ſevere inexorable juſtice of God, (which will never pardon ſin without ſatisfaction, and never be ſatified but by the ſufferings of Jeſus Chriſt) and the nature of the Covenant of Grace, or the condition of the Goſpel, that none ſhould have any benefit by Jeſus Chriſt but thoſe who are united with him by an effectual Faith which produceth the fruits of holineſſe in a blameleſſe upright converſation; ſo that as the blood of Chriſt is the cauſe of our reconciliation with God, by Faith and holineſſe, we actually patake and are aſſured of the fruits thereof: all theſe therefore are in ſeveral reſpects neceſſary to true peace of Conſcience. Morality therefore can never teach a right way and means of it, to which the righteouſneſſe of faith is an hidden myſtery. The looſe prophane Chriſtan can never attain it, while his converſation is evidently inconſiſtent with that true faith and Goſpel ſincerity, which is abſolutely required of all that will be ſaved; and however they may flatter or cheat themſelves into a vain preſumption, or ſhut their eyes that they may not ſee their danger, they are continually obnoxious to the affrights and alarms of ſuch places of Scripture, as affirm that without holineſſe none ſhall ſee God, that if we live after the fleſh we ſhall dye; that the Gate is ſtrait, and the way narrow that leads to life, and there are few that find it, that many ſhall ſeek to enter, and ſhall not be able: That if any will be Chriſts Diſciple, he muſt deny himſelf and take up his Croſs and follow him: That whoever ſayes he knows God, and keeps not his Commandments, or that he hath communion with God, and walks in darkneſſe, is a lyar, and the truth is not in him: That whoever ſeems to be Religious, and bridleth not his tongue, his Religion is vain: That he that loves Father, or Mother, or Wife, or Children, or Houſe, or Lands, more than Chriſt, is not worthy of him. Beſides, others clearly importing, that a Man may have much knowledge, and his judgment ſo far convinced, as to approve of the beſt things; may be much in holy duties, take delight in them, hear the word with joy, do many things which he hears, be blameleſs as to his outward carriage, and yet be an hypocrite. So that without daily exerciſing our ſelves to Godlineſſe, and a ſtrict watch over all our wayes, it is impoſſible to maintain a ſetled well grounded peace of Conſcience. If any object that there are none more diſquieted in their Conſciences, than thoſe that make the greateſt ſhew of Religion, none more melanchollick and moroſe in their converſation; I may anſwer, ſolid joy is a ſerious thing, (as Seneca could ſay) it is not moſt ſeen in a forced laughter and jollity, which is as thorns under a pot, Eccl. 7.6. that for the preſent makes a great noiſe and blaze, but neither heats nor laſts. In the midſt of it the heart many times is ſorrowful, and the end of it is heavineſſe, and, as the heart knows its own ſorrow, the ſtranger intermeddleth not with its joy. There is that comfort within, which every one cannot obſerve. A Godly man needs not have his heart revived with wine, and ſtrong drink, and merry company, like a ſick Man that is forced continually to have his ſpirits kept up with Cordials: He hath that within, which is better to him than Wine and Muſick. It is true, Godly Men have more inward conflicts in their Conſciences than others, but this proceeds from the ſenſe that they have of their own danger, as they ſay, Wiſdone armes miſery againſt it ſelf, that is, diſcovering the evils that we are obnoxious to, makes a Man more timerous and ſuſpicious, whiles fools go on and are puniſhed without any fear of danger, go on as an Ox to the Slaughter, a fool to the Stocks, a Bird to the ſuare, and knows not that it is for her life. It is time for a Man that knows, if he be not ſet upon the Rock that is higher than himſelf, if he be not upon that ſure Foundation, Jeſus Chriſt, he hangs by the ſmall thread of a brittle life, over the bottomleſſe pit, to look about him, and make his calling and election ſure. Again the greater eſteem any one hath of Heavenly things, the more careful he is to make ſure of them, the more fearfull to be deceived about them, (Tarda ſolet magnis rebus in eſſe fides.) And further, when Satan, who before kept all things in peace, ſees himſelf in danger of being diſpoſſeſſed, he rageth the more, as he rent the poor man out of whom he was caſt almoſt to death. And God gives him leave ſometimes to winnow his deareſt Children for their tryal; but for the moſt part God leaveth them to ſuch diſquietment of ſpirit, and terrors of conſcience for ſome ſin, which they have fallen into, (as in Davids caſe) and then their trouble is not becauſe of their piety, but of their defect in it; or elſe it is before he intends to raiſe them to ſome great eminency, or fill them with ſome extraordinary joy: as we may obſerve, where Men have been raiſed exceeding high, their foundation hath been laid very low in ſome deep abaſement, and ſo God brings them as a King our of Priſon to reign; and ordinarily when God layes his people low, either by extraordinary outward afflictions, or inward temptations, he doth recompence them for it by thoſe inward conſolations, which are the fore-taſts of Heaven; hence proceeds that joy the Apoſtle ſpeaks of, which is unſpeakable and full of Glory; which he that hath taſted the ſweetneſſe of it, would not want to be exempted from all thoſe Temptations and tryals which he hath been exerciſed with. The peace of wicked Men is but an agreement with Hell, which ſhall be diſanulled; a Covenant with death, which ſhall be broken, as the mirth of a Drunken Man, who whilſt his ſpirits are raiſed, feels not his wounds, but afterwards feels the ſmart of them, when his reaſon returns to him. That will be the woful end of the carnal mans ſecurity, if he be laid in the Bonds or Fetters of afflictions, and ſo come to himſelf and feel the wounds which he hath by ſin made in his own conſcience, he is a Magor miſſa bib, terror round about; that is the reaſon of ſuch horror many times on ſick beds, which yet is better than to be huſhed aſleep by the charming pleaſures of ſin, and not awake till he be amidſt the everlaſting flames. So that we may ſay with the Prophet. The work of righteouſneſſe is peace, and the effecti of righteouſneſs, quietneſs and aſſurance for ever. It is only by the righteouſneſſe of Jeſus Chriſt, imputed to us by faith, that we have peace with God, and ſo peace of Conſcience, which is as a continual feaſt daily to entertain us, as a brazen wall, alwayes to ſecure us, that we may alwayes ſind that within, wherewith we may ſolace our ſelves, and need not fear that any thing ſhall diſturb or diſquiet the tranquillity which we have in our own ſouls.