A Persuasive to a Holy Life, Tract · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. Of the Happineſs of the Inward Man.
I Proceed now to treat of the Happineſs of the Inner Man, the Soul or Spirit, and that conſiſts in the love of God, and of our Neighbour; whatever makes the Soul happy, muſt be ſuitable and agreeable to the Nature of it. Now the Soul is a ſpiritual ſubſtance, and therefore its Objective Happineſs muſt be ſo too. The Soul is immortal, and therefore the Object which makes it happy muſt be of eternal duration. The Deſires of the Soul are very vaſt and extenſive; nay, infinite; and therefore not to be ſatisfied but by an Infinite Good.
From the Love of God flows an univerſal Obedience to all his holy Commandments, John 14.23. If a man love me, he will keep my words. It is the nature of love to deſire and endeavour to pleaſe and gratifie the Party beloved: And therefore he that loves God will labour to pleaſe him, by doing thoſe things that are acceptable to him, and right in his ſight. The Love of God will add Wings to his Soul, and conſtrain him to run the ways of his Commandments, which will no longer ſeem grievous or burthenſome to him, but pleaſant and delightful; yea, eligible, were they propoſed to his chioce in competition with the ſhort and unſatiſfactory Pleaſures of Sin.
Now Holineſs of Life, and Obedience to the Commandments of God, hath the pro…iſes of all good things both for the Soul and Body; for this Life, and a better, Pſal. 84.11. He will give g…ace and glory, and n… good thing will …e withhold from them that li…e uprightly. Pſal. 34.10. They that fear the Lord ſhall n…t want any good thing. Rom. 8.28. We know that all things work together for go…d to them that love God. 1 Tim. 4.8. Godlineſs is profitable to all things, having the promiſes of the Life, that now is, and of that which is to come.
Moreover thoſe that love God, cannot but be happy, becauſe they that love him, ſhall be beloved of him, both of the Father, and of the Son, John 14.21. He that loveth me, ſhall be beloved of my Father, and I will love him, and manifeſt my ſelf to him. And again, v. 25. If a man love me, my Father will love him, a…d we will come to him, and make our abode with him. God is the fountain of Happineſs; whatever good is in the Creature, it came from him, and is but a Beam of his Light: Whatever is in the Creature in a limited, reſtrained, imperfect manner, is in him without limitation, without reſtriction, without imperfection. He both can and will make them whom he loves as happy as they are capable of being. God is the only Object that deſerves the higheſt degree of our Love, and he requires it: And therefore it is as well againſt our Duty as our Intereſt to deny it.
As for the Love of our Neighbour, that is commanded us by God, Levit. 19.18. Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelf, repeated Matt. 22.9. 1 John 4.21. And this Commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God, love his Brother alſo. From this immediately flows the performance of the Duties of the Second Table. That great Rule of doing to others as we would they ſhould do to us in like caſe; and the contrary of not doing to others that we would not ſhould be done to us, are neceſſary conſequences of loving our Neighbour as our ſelves. If we loved him as our ſelves, we would wiſh him as much good, and do him as much good as we do to our ſelves. We would willingly that other Men ſhould do their Duties to us, ſhew us all kindneſs, and be helpful and beneficial to us in all our Wants and Neceſſities; and why? becauſe we love our ſelves. Had we the ſame love to them, it would have the ſame effects. We would do the ſame good to them, that we deſire from them. To inſtance in the particular Commands:
Children, Subjects and Inferiors would yield to their Parents, Magiſtrates and Superiors, all that Honour, Reverence and Obedience, which themſelves would expect and deſire from their Inferiors, were they in the ſame Relations and Circumſtances.
No Man would willingly have his own Body killed, or wounded, or any way tormented and put to pain; becauſe no Man ever yet hated his own fleſh, but nouriſheth and cheriſheth it, as the *Eph. 5.29.Apoſtle ſpeaks. Did he then love his Neighbour as himſelf, he would be ſo far from injuring him in that kind, that he would not ſuffer others to do ſo, if he could help it.
Every Man is jealous of the Loyalty of his Wife, and impatient of having his Encloſure invaded, and made common, becauſe he ſets a high value on her Love and Fidelity, and looks upon it as a great diſhonour, as well as an injury done him, to be robbed of it. Think we then he would offer ſuch an abuſe and wrong to his Neighbour, did he love him as himſelf, and were as tender of his Reputation as his own.
Did Men love their Neighbours as themſelves, there would be no need of Locks and Bars to ſecure their Goods from rapine and ſurreptions by Thieves and Robbers, becauſe there would be no ſuch; ſo that every Man might lie down ſecurely, and there would be none to make him afraid: Love is ſo far from invading another's right, that it is liberal and communicative, and willing rather to part with its own.
The like, if it were needful, might eaſily be ſhewn in the reſt of the Commandments relating to our Neighbour.
It remains now that we ſpeak of the Effects and Conſequents of a Holy Life upon the Soul or Inward Man.
They are,
I. The regulating and exalting of our Faculties, and inabling them for their proper Functions.
II. The Peace, Tranquillity and Joy attendant to, and conſequent thereupon.
1ſt. As for the regulating and exalting of our Faculties, they are, 1. The Ʋnderſtanding. 2. The Will. 3. The Affections.
1. The Ʋnderſtanding: As Sin and Vice doth ſtupifie and blind it, and diſable it to judge aright; ſo the Commandments of God when obeyed do enlighten it, and enable it to diſcern and approve things that are excellent, Pſalm 119.98. Thou through thy Commandments haſt made me wiſer than mi…e enemies; for they are ever with me, v. 99. I have more underſtanding than all my teachers; for thy teſtimonies are my meditation. v. 100. I underſtand m…re than the a…cients, becauſe I keep thy precepts. Pſalm 111.10. A good underſtanding have all they that do his Commandments.
2. The Will: The Perfection whereof conſiſts in a perfect reſignation to the Will of God, and true liberty; that is, freedom from the Bondage of Sin and Corruption, from the ſlavery of Satan, from the dominion of every vile Affection.
Wicked Men are real Slaves and Vaſſals to their Luſts: This the very Heathen acknowledged; as Cicero and Horace, Juvenal, Perſius, and others.
From this Bondage the Son of God delivers us, John 8.34. Our Saviour ſaith, Whoſoever committeth ſin is the ſervant of ſin. And v. 36. If the ſon therefore ſhall make you free, ye ſhall be free indeed.
3. The Affections or Paſſions: The Law of God requires and commands us to moderate and rule them, to place them upon their proper Objects, and to keep them within their due bounds; and good reaſon there is we ſhould hold a ſtrict hand over them: Animum rege, qui niſi paret Imperat. If they be given way to, and the Bridle let looſe, they become the great diſturbers of Mens peace, quiet, and tranquillity; Anger, Hatred, Envy, &c. What ſtorms and tumults do they raiſe in the Breaſt? what miſchievous imaginations do they excite? what plotting, and counterplotting of revenge? breaking out many times into railings, revilings, opprobrious Language, bitter Curſes and Execrations; they toſs the Mind to and fro, as contrary Winds do the Sea, cauſing it to caſt up Mire and Dirt.
On the contrary; where the Paſſions are duely governed and moderated, kept within their proper bounds and channels, the Soul is calm and ſerene, and fit for any Employment or Exerciſe Civil or Religious.
2dly. The Happineſs of the Inward Man conſiſts in that peace, joy and tranquillity that is attendant upon, or conſequent to our obedience to God's Commands.
1. Pleaſure and Delight attends the performance of our Duties. Vertuous and Pious Actions are agreeable to the Nature and Inclinations of good Men: It is as grateful and pleaſing to a good Man to do good, as to an hungry Man to eat, or a thirſty Man to drink. It is as great a ſatisfaction to his Rational Inclinations, as thoſe other are to the ſenſual Appetites. Nothing can be more delightful and welcome to a generous Mind, than an opportunity of ſhewing it ſelf grateful, to Parents, Friends and Benefactors, and making ample returns to thoſe by whom he hath been obliged for the favours received: Nothing more acceptable than to be employed in worthy Actions, eſpecially ſuch as tend to promote publick good, the peace and proſperity of our Country, or Mankind in general. The Heathen Poet could ſay, Dulce & decorum eſt pro Patria mori. It is a ſweet and comely thing even to die for ones Countrey: Which yet I ſuppoſe is too high a flight or pitch of Charity for a Heathen to attain to; and that there muſt be ſomething of glory to carry them ſo far. To overcome Evil with Good, and return Kindneſſes inſtead of Injuries, thereby melting the Hearts of our Enemies, and making them our Friends, is certainly a more pleaſant thing, and much more for our peace and eaſe, than revenging our ſelves of them. To return good for evil is a Godlike quality; our Saviour commanding us to love our enemies, and to do good to them that hate us, &c. to engage us thereto, propoſes God's Example; who cauſes his ſun to ſhine on the evil, and on the good; and ſendeth rain on the juſt, and on the unjuſt. Who is kind unto the unthankful and the evil. Cicero in his Gratulatory Oration to Caeſar for M. Marcellus, makes him that forgives Enemies, and reſtores them to their former Dignities, like to God: Non ego illum ſummis viris comparo, ſed Deo ſimilem judico.
2. Peace and joy, and confidence towards God is a neceſſary conſequent of Obedience to his Commandments, 1 Joh. 3.21. If our hearts condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God; and whatſoever we ask, we receive of him, becauſe we keep his Commandments, and do thoſe things that are pleaſing in his ſight. Delight and Pleaſure, and ſatisfaction of Mind, inward Peace and Tranquility naturally follow Religious Actions: When a man hath done his Duty, and ſpent his time well, he can reflect upon his doings with comfort; he is not afraid to review his Life paſt, and call himſelf to an account for what he hath done; Res ſevera eſt verum gaudium, ſaith Seneca: Ʋnde ſit interrogas? dicam; ex bo…a conſcientia, ex honeſtis conſiliis, ex rectis actionibus: True joy is a ſevere thing: Do you ask whence it comes? I'll tell you; From a good …onſcience, from honeſt Counſels, from just Actions. A good Conſcience is ſaid to be a continual Feaſt: The Poet reſembles it to a Brazen Wall, which ſecures the Soul from all inward Trouble and Diſquiet, Fear and Terror.
— Hic murus ah neus eſto,
Nil conſcire ſibi, nullâ palleſcere culpâ.
I ſhall conclude this Particular with the Words of Dr. Wilkins, Biſhop of Chester, The moſt rational, ſolid, ſublime, compleat, durable Delights of all others do flow from the Conſcience of well-doing. 'Tis a chief part this, of that Heaven we enjoy upon Earth; and it is a principal part of that Happineſs which we hope to enjoy in Heaven; next to the Beatifical Viſion and Fruition of God, is the Happineſs of a good Conſcience, and next to that, the Society of Saints and Angels. Solomon ſaith of Wiſdom, that is the fear of God, Her ways are ways of pleaſantneſs, and all her paths are peace, Prov. 3.17. Peace internal, Peace external, Peace eternal: Peace with our ſelves; Peace with Men; Peace with God; as I have hear'd a Reverend Divine diſtinguiſh it.
On the other ſide, no Man can be happy that keeps not a good Conſcience: But without Holineſs of Life, and Obedience to God's Commandments, a good Conſcience cannot be kept, Eſay 57.21. There is no peace to the wicked ſaith my God. Guilt is an obligation to Puniſhment; but an obligation to Puniſhment infers an expectation of it; and whoſoever expects it doth really ſuffer it: as Seneca excellently, Dat poenas quiſquis expectat; quiſquis autem meruit expectat: That man doth really ſuffer puniſhment, who expects it: But whoſever hath deſerved it, expects it. Were it not for diverſion, and nonattendance to his Condition, a wicked man would carry a continual Hell in his Breaſt; there is therefore (as I have noted elſewhere) but a thought's diſtance between him and Hell: His only ſecurity is in being a ſtranger to himſelf. This, (one would think) ſhould be the moſt powerful curb imaginable to reſtrain men from ſin, and the moſt effectual Perſuaſive in the World to a Holy life; That thoſe that live in Sin cannot think upon their Condition without fear and diſquiet; eſpecially thoſe who are guilty of ſecret Crimes, who are liable to thoſe more ſevere Laſhes, and affrighting Rebukes of Conſcience. Theſe Men are not able to hear ſuch Sins reproved without bluſhing and confuſion, and inward trouble of Mind;
—Rubet Auditor cui frigida mens eſt
Criminibus, tacitâ ſudant praecordiaculpâ.
— He whoſe Spirits feel
Cold guilt, his Crimes laid open,
Bluſhing hears
His conſcious Intrails ſweat.
Nay, ſometimes they are in ſuch diſtreſs, as to be a burthen to themſelve, as holy Job *Job 7.20.ſpeaks, and weary of their very Beings, ſo as to chuſe Strangling rather than Life; or elſe to be their own delators, and publiſh their guilt. God hath impl…nted in our Natures (as I noted before) an averſation from, and diſlike of Sin: The Reaſon of Man cannot be reconciled to it, but muſt needs diſapprove and condemn it. We know (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Rom. 7.) that the Law and Commandment of God is holy, and juſt, and good; and therefore he that lives in Sin, is a ſelf-condemned perſon, and can have no inward peace. You will o…ject, Conſuetudo peccandi tolli… ſenſum …e…cati…: The Cuſtom of ſinning takes aw…y t… ſenſe of Sin: And ſome men have their Conſciences cauterized, being p…ſt feeling, and go on ſecurely in their viciou… Cou…ſes without check or remorſe. I anſwer, That ſuch men indeed, who long r…ſ…ſt the Grace of God, he is pleaſed …t …ſt to withdraw it from them, and g…ve them up to a reprobate Mind, to do things not convenient; yet is not their condition the better for this: But this ſenſeleſneſs or ſtupidity is a more dangerous and incurable Diſeaſe, anſwering to a Lethargy, or Apoplexy in the Body.
Neither yet doth the Troubles of Mind ariſing from an evil Conſcience, determine in Death, but continue for ever. This is that Worm which dieth not; a ſad reflection upon our own deſperate madneſs and folly in leading ſuch wicked Lives, as have brought this Miſery upon us; and a perpetual indignation againſt, and condemnation of our ſelves.
I have often wondred that the very Heathen, who had no clear Revelation of a future Eſtate after this Life ended, nor any more than an ancient Tradition of Rewards and Puniſhments then to be received or ſuffered, accordingly as Men had lived vertuous or wicked Lives ſhould be ſo terrified with a ſenſe of guilt; and that the conſciouſneſs of ſecret Crimes ſhould be ſo grievous and inſupportable to them, arming their Minds againſt themſelves, and making them their own Tormentors, as the Poet expreſſes it,
—Quos diri conſcia facti
Mens habet attonitos, & ſurdo verbere coedit,
Occultum quatiente animo tortore ſlagellum.
I cannot but think that this great terrour and anxiety of Mind attending the conſciouſneſs of any heinous ſin, is more than the effect of an expectation of puniſhment, grounded only upon an ancient Tradition; but that the ſenſe of a connexion between Sin and Puniſhment is deeply imprinted upon the Soul of Man, by the Finger of God; and is one great Argument of the exiſtence of a Deity.
Againſt what we have ſaid concerning the Happineſs that attends the godly in this preſent State, it m…y be objected: Is it not ſaid in Scripture, Pſal. 34.19. Many are the afflictions of the righteous. And do we not read in the Hebrews, Chap. 11.37. of ſome who had trial of bonds and impriſonments, who were ſtoned, ſawn in ſunder, tempted, ſlain with the ſw…rd, wa…dred about in Sheeps skins and Goat… skins, being deſtitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the world was not worthy. And doth not the Apoſtle ſay, 1 Cor. 15.19. If in this life on…y we have hope in Chriſt, we are of all men moſt miſerable. And 2 Tim. 3.12. All that will live godly in Chriſt Jeſus ſhall ſuffer perſecution.
To all this I anſwer, That we ſpeak according to the natural and uſual courſe of things. But there are ſome exceptions from general Rules, peculiar and exempt Caſes; ſome righteous perſons, whom for weighty and wiſe Reaſons God is pleaſed to permit to be exerciſed with great and ſore A…llictions and Diſtreſſes; either perhaps to manifeſt his own Power in ſupporting them; or to ſet them forth as illuſtrious Examples of Fortitude, Faith and Patience. Did not righteous Men ſometimes conflict with adverſity and Miſery, there would be no uſe of ſuch a Grace as Patience; nay, it could not be known that there were any ſuch; or, to enhance their future reward. The Martyrs who ſeal the Truth with their Blood, ſhall in the judgment of Divines, be advanced to a higher degree of Glory than ordinary Chriſtians, and …e crowned with Aureolae ſuitable to their deſerts.
But thoſe two latter places of the Apoſtle are to be underſtood of the Primitive Times of Chriſtianity, when all the Powe…s of the World were Heathen; when God was pleaſed to make uſe of the Sufferings of the Pro…eſſors of it …o propagate the Goſpel, after a ſtrange and wonderful manner; So that Sanguis Martyrum was ſaid to be Semen Eccleſiae, the Blood of Martyrs, the Seed of the Church. But now ſince the publick reception and acknowledgment of the Truth: Since Kings have become …urſing Fathers, and Queens nurſi…g M…thers to the Chu…ch: The caſe is altered, and Religion inſtead of expoſing its Profeſſors to Sufferings, doth rather promote their Wor…dly Intereſt.
Thoſe Afflictions which God is pleaſed to lay upon his Children and Servants as fatherly Corrections for their Miſcarriages, ſerving as Phyſick to purge out the Reliques of Corruption, and to embitter Sin to them, and quicken them to the performance of their Duty; …re no prejudice to our Aſſertion, becauſe we bring them upon our ſelves by our own default; and 'tis not holineſs of Life, but the want of it, and neglect of our Duties, which is always the procuring, and often the productive cauſe of them. For God doth not willingly afflict nor grieve the Children of men, Lament. 3.33. Here we may note the great imperfection of the Love of God even in the beſt Men, Afflictions being oftentimes a more powerful Curb to reſtrain them from the commiſſion of Sin; and a more effectual Spur to quicken them to Duty, than the Love of God: as we ſee in David, the Man after God's own heart, Pſalm 119.67.