Immanuel, Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
The occaſion of the words of the Text; the principal contents of it. The original of true Religion. All Souls the Offspring of God, and a more eſpecial Portraicture of Him, but godly Souls yet more eſpecially. God the Author of Religion from without, in ſeveral reſpects, God the Author of it from within enlightning the faculty; Religion ſomething of God in the Soul. A diſcovery of religious Men by the affinity that they have to God. God alone to be acknowledged in all holy Accompliſhments. The original of Sin from hence diſcovered.
John 4. 14.
foreign
But whoſoever drinketh of the Water that I ſhall give him, ſhall never thirſt; but the water that I ſhall give him ſhall be in him a Well of Water, ſpringing up into everlaſting Life.
THis Chapter contains an excellent, profitable, familiar diſcourſe of the bleſſed Saviour of the World, into whoſe Lips grace was poured, Pſal. 45. 2. and he ceaſed not to pour it out again: That which is ſaid of the Wiſe, Prov. 15. 7. is fully verified of Wiſdom it ſelf, His Lips diſperſed Knowledge. A poor Woman of Samaria comes to draw Water, and our Saviour takes occaſion from the Water, to inſtruct her in the great and excellent Doctrines of the Kingdom of Heaven. Oh the admirable zeal for God, and compaſſion for Sonls, which dwelt in that Divine Breaſt! And Oh the wonderful unſearchable Councels of an all-wiſe God! He ordains Saul's ſeeking of Aſſes to be the means of his finding a Kingdom upon Earth; and this poor Woman's ſeeking of Water, to be an occaſion of her finding the way to the Kingdom of Heaven: She comes to the Well of Jaceb, and behold ſhe meets with the God of Jacob there. The Occaſion, Paſſages, and Iſſue of this Diſcourſe, would each afford many good and profitable Obſervations: But I think none more than this verſe that I have pitch'd upon; in which the myſtery of Goſpel-Grace is rarely unfolded, and true Chriſtian Religion is excellently deſcribed. For ſo I underſtand our Saviour, not as ſpeaking of Faith or Knowledge, or any other particular Grace, but of Grace in general, of the holy Spirit of God, that is, the Gifts and Graces of it, of true Godlineſs, or if you will, of Chriſtian Religion; for that word I ſhall chooſe to retain throughout my Diſcourſe, as being moſt intelligible and comprehenſive.
In which words we find true Chriſtian Religion unfolded in the original, nature, properties, conſequent, and end of it. The original of it is found in thoſe words, [I ſhall give him:] The nature of it is deſcribed by a [Well of Water;] The properties of it will be found in the phraſe of [ſpringing up;] The conſequent of it, that the man that is endued with it ſhall [never thirſt;] The end or perfection of it is, [everlaſting Life.] Of all theſe, by Gods aſſiſtance, in this order:
Firſt I begin with the Original of it, as it ſeems meet I ſhould: for indeed it is firſt found in the words,—The Water that I ſhall give him. And here the Propoſition that I ſhall go upon muſt be, That
True Chriſtion Religion is of a Divine Original. All Souls are indeed the Offſpring of God. Thoſe Noble Faculties o… Ʋnderſtanding, and a Will free from conſtraint, do more reſemble the nature of God, than all the World beſides. There is more of the glory, beauty, and brightneſs of God in a Soul, than there is in the Sun it ſelf. The Apoſtle allows it as a proper ſpeech ſpoken in common of all men, foreign, Act 17. 28. God hath derived more lively prints of himſelf and his Divine Eſſence upon a rational Soul, than he hath upon the whole Creation: ſo that the Soul of man even as to its conſtitution, doth declare and diſcover more of the rature of God, than all the other things that he hath made, whereof the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Rom. 1. 20. He that rightly converſeth with his own Soul, w…ll get more acquaintarce with God, than they that gaze con…ually upon the material Heavens, or traverſe the dark and u…moſt corners of the Earth, or go down unto the Sea in Ships; the ſ… rious conſideration of the little World, will teach more of him than the great one could do: So that I doubt not to take the Apoſtles words concerning the Word of God, and apply them to the Nature of God, Rom. 10. Say not in thy heart, Who ſhall aſcend into Heaven, to bring a diſcovery of God from thence? or who ſhall deſcend into the Deep, to fetch it up from thence? The Nature and Eſſence of God is nigh thee, even in thine own Soul, excellently diſplayed in the Conſtitution and Frame, Powers and Faculties thereof: God hath not made any Crea…u…e ſo capable of receiving and …flecting his Image and Glory, as Angels and Men: Which hath made me often to ſay, That the vileſt Soul of Man is much more beautiful and honourable than the moſt excellent Body, than the very Body of the Sun at noon day. And (by the way) this may render S…n odious and loa…h ſome; becauſe It hath defiled the faireſt piece of Gods Workmanſh…p in the World, and blur…ed the cleareſt Copy which he had drawn of himſelf in the whole Creation.
But though all rational Souls be the Children of God, yet all of them do not imi…ate their Father; though their Conſtitution do expreſs much of the Eſſence of God, yet their Diſpoſition doth expreſs the Image of the Devil. But godly Souls, who are followers of God, are indeed his dear Children, Epheſ. 5. 1. Holy Souls, who are endued with a divine and god like diſpoſition, and do work the work… of God, theſe are moſt truly and properly his Off ſpring, Mat. 5. 44, 45. And in this reſpect, God's Children are his workmanſhip created unto good Works, Epheſ. 2. 10. Religion is of a Divine Original: God is the Author and Father of it, both from without, and from within.
1. God is the Author of it from without. When Man had ſallen from God by ſin, and ſo had loſt his way, and was become both unwilling and unable to return, God was pleaſed to ſet up that glorious Light his own Son, the Sun of Righteouſneſs, in the World, that he might guide their feet into the way of peace, who is therefore called, A Light to lighten the Gentiles, Luk. 2. 32. and compared to a Candle ſet upon a Candleſtick, Mark 4. 21. God of his infinite free grace, and over-flowing goodneſs, provided a Mediator, in and by whom theſe Apoſtate Souls might be reconciled and re-united to himſelf; and to as many as receive him, to them he giveth power to become the Sons of God, John 1. 12.
Yet further, It pleaſed God in his infinite Wiſdom and Mercy, to chalk out the way of Life and Peace in the holy Scriptures, and therein to unlock the ſecrets of Salvation to ſucceeding generations. Herein he hath plainly laid down the terms of the Covenant of Peace, which was made in the Mediator, and given Precepts and Promiſes for the direction and encouragement of as many as will enquire into the ſame. Theſe are the ſacred Oracles which give clear and certain anſwers to all that do conſult them about their future ſtate, Rom. 3. 2. Chriſt Jeſus opened the way into the holieſt of all, and the Scriptures they come after, and point it out unto us: He purchaſed life and immortality, and theſe bring it to light, 2 Tim. 1. 10.
And yet further, That theſe might not be miſtaken, or perverted to mens deſtruction, which were ordain'd for their ſalvation (which ſometimes doth come to paſs, 2 Pet. 3. 16.) God hath been pleaſed to commit theſe Records into the hands of his Church, and therein to his Miniſters, whom he hath appointed, called, qualified, inſtructed for the opening, explaining, interpreting & applying of them: ſo that they are called Scribes inſtructed unto the Kingdom of God, and ſtewards of the Myſteries, Stewards over the houſhold of God▪ to give unto every one his portion. Theſe Apoſtles, Prophets, Evangeliſts, Paſtors, Teachers, God hath given for the perfecting of the Saints, for the edifying of the Body of Chriſt, Epheſ. 4. 11, 12.
Theſe things hath God done for us, from without us; he hath ſet up a light, chalk'd out our way, and appointed us Guides. To which I might adde the many inticements and motives, which we call Mercies or Comforts of this Life; and the many aff…ightments of Judgements and Afflictions, which God hath added to the Promiſes & Threatnings of his Word, to bring us into the way of Life. But all theſe are too little, too weak of themſelves to bring back a ſtragling Soul, or to produce a living Principle of true Religion in it. Therefore,
2. God is the Author of Religion from within. He doth not only reveal himſelf and his Son to the Soul, but in it; he doth not only make diſcoveries …o it, but l…vely impreſſions upon it; he doth not only appoint, and point out the way of Life, but breathes in the breath of Life. He hath not only provided a Saviour, a Redeemer, but he alſo draws the Soul unto him, John 6. 44. He hath not only appointed Paſtors and Teachers, but he himſelf impregnates their Word, and cloaths their Doctrine with his own Power, uſing their Miniſtry as an Inſtrument whereby to teach; ſo that the Children of God are ſaid to be all taught of God, John 6. 45. Miniſters can only diſcover and as it were enlighten the Object, but God enlightens the faculty, he gives the ſeeing Eye, and does actually enable it to diſcern. Therefore the work of converting a Soul is ſtill aſcribed to God in Scripture; he begets us again, 1 Pet. 1. 3. he draws the Soul, before it can run after him, Cant. 1. 4. Chriſt apprehends the Soul, lays powerful bold of it, Phil. 3. 12. God gives a heart of fleſh, a new heart, he cauſes men to walk in his ſtatutes, Ezek. 36. 26, 27. He puts his Law into their inward parts, and writes it in their hearts, Jer. 31. 33. To which I might adde many more Quotations of the ſame value.
But yet methinks we are not come to a perfect diſcovery of Religions being the Off-ſpring of God in the minds of men. For it is God who enlightneth the faculty as to the learning of all other things alſo; he teacheth the Grammar and the Rhetorick, as well as the Divinity; he inſtructeth even the Husbandman to diſcretion in his affairs of Husbandry, and teaches him to plow, and ſow, and threſh, &c. Iſa. 28. 26. Not only the gift of Divine Knowledge, but indeed every good gift cometh from the Father of Lights, Jam. 1. 17. God doth from within give that capacity, illumination of the faculty, ingenuity, whereby we comprehend the myſteries of Nature, as well as of Grace, John 1. 9.
Therefore we may conceive of the Original of Religion in a more inward and ſpiritual manner ſtill. It is not ſo much given of God, as it ſelf is ſomething of God in the Soul; as the Soul is not ſo properly ſaid to give, as to be the Life of Man. As the conjunction of the Soul with the Body, is the Life of the Body; ſo verily the Life of the Soul ſtands in its conjunction with God by a ſpiritual union of Will and Affections. God doth not enlighten mens minds as the Sun enlightens the World, by ſhining unto them, and round about them, but by ſhining into them, by enlightning the faculty, as I ſaid before; yea, which ſeems to be ſomewhat more, by ſhining in their hearts, as the Apoſtle phraſeth it, 2 Cor. 4. 6. He ſets up a Candle, which is his own Light within the Soul; ſo that the Soul ſees God in his own Light, and loves him with the Love that he hath ſhed abroad in it; and Religion is no other than a reflection of that Divine Image, Life, and Light, and Love, which from God are ſtamped and imprinted upon the Souls of true Chriſtians. God is ſaid to enlighten the Soul, but it is not as the Sun enlightens, you ſee; ſo he draws the Soul too, but not ab extra only, as one man draweth another with a Cord, (as Jupiter in Homer draws men up to Heaven by a Chain, and Mahomet his Diſciples by a Lock of Hair) but he draws the Soul, as the Sun draws up Earthly Vapours, by infuſing its vertue and power into them; or as the Loadſtone draws the Iron, by the powerful inſinuations of his grace. God doth not ſo much communicate himſelf to the Soul by way of Diſ…overy, as by way of Impreſſion, as I ſaid before; and indeed not ſo much by impreſſion neither, as by a myſtical and wonderful way of implantation. Religion is not ſo much ſomething from God, as ſomething of God in the Minds of good Men; for ſo the Scripture allows us to ſpeak: It is therefore called his Image, Col. 3. 10. and good men are ſaid to live according to God in the Spirit, 1 Pet. 4. 6. But as if that were not high enough, it is not only called his Image, but even a participation of his Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1. 4. ſomething of Chriſt in the Soul, an infant-Chriſt, as one calls it, alluding to the Apoſtle, Gal. 4. 19. where the ſaving knowledge of Chriſt, is called Chriſt himſelf,— Ʋntil Chriſt be formed in you. True Religion is as it were God dwelling in the Soul, and Chriſt dwelling in the Soul, as the Apoſtles St. John and St. Paul do expreſs it: yea, God himſelf is pleaſed thus to expreſs his relation to the godly Soul, …ſa. 57. 15. I dwell in the high and holy place, with him alſo that is of a humble ſpirit; And again, 2 Cor. 6. 16.—As God hath ſaid, I will dwell in them, and walk in them. Pure Religion is a beam of the Father of Lights, Lumen de Lumine; it is a drop of that eternal Fountain of Goodneſs and Holineſs, the Breath of the Power of God, a pure Influence flowing from the Glory of the Almigh…y, the Brightneſs of the everlaſting Light, the unſpotted Mirrour of the power of God, and the Image of his Goodneſs, more beautiful than the Sun, and above all the Orders of Stars, being compared with the Light, ſhe is found before it, as the Author of the Book of Wiſdom ſpeaks, Chap. 7. What is ſpoken of the e…ernal Son of God, Heb. 1. 3. may in a ſenſe be truly affirmed of Religion in the abſtract, That foreign, that it is foreign, the effulgency, or beaming forth of Divine Glory. For there is more of the Divine Glory and Beauty ſhining forth in one godly Soul, than in all things in the World beſide: The glorious Light of the Sun is but a dark ſhadow of the Divine Light, not to be compared with the Beauty of Holineſs. An immortal Soul doth more reſemble the Divine Nature, than any other created Being; but Religion in the Soul is a thouſand times more divine than the Soul it ſelf. The material World is indeed a darker Repreſentation of Divine Wiſdom, Power, and Goodneſs; it is as it were the footſteps of God: the immaterial World of Angels and Splrits does repreſent him more clearly, and are the Face of God: but Holineſs in the Soul doth moſt nearly reſemble him of all created Things, one may call it the Beauty and Glory of his Face. Every Creature partakes of God indeed; he had no Copy but himſelf and his own Eſſence to frame the World by; ſo that all theſe muſt needs carry ſome reſemblance of their Maker. But no Creature is capable of ſuch communications of God, as a rational immortal Spirit is; and the higheſt that Angel or Spirit, or any created Nature can be made capable of, is to be holy as God is holy. So then if the Poet may call the Soul, and St. Paul allows him in it,—Divinoe particula a…ra; ſure one may rather ſpeak at that rate of Religion, which is the higheſt perfection that the Soul can attain to, either in the World that now is, or that which is to come. One Soul, any one Soul of man, is worth all the World beſide for glory and dignity; but the loweſt degree of true Holineſs, pure Religion, Conformity to the Divine Nature and Will, is more worth than a World of Souls, and to be preferr'd before the Eſſence of Angels. I have often admir'd three great Myſteries and Mercies, God revealed in the Fleſh, God revealed in the Word, and God revealed in the Soul: This laſt is the Myſtery of Godlineſs which I am ſpeaking of, but cannot fathom: It is this that the Apoſtle ſays tranſcends the ſight of our Eyes, the capacity of our Ears, and all the faculties of our Souls too, 1 Cor. 2. 9. Eye hath not ſeen, &c. Chriſt Jeſus formed in the Soul of man, incarnate in a heart of Fleſh is as great a Miracle, and a greater Mercy, than Chriſt formed in the Womb of a Virgin, and incarnate in a humane Body. There was once much glorying concerning Chriſt in the World, the Hope of Iſrael, but let us call out to the powers of Eternity, and the Ages of the World to come, to help us to celebrate and magnifie Chriſt in us the hope of Glory; or if you will, Chriſt in us the firſt fruits of Glory.
1. This will then help us in our diſcoveries of that precious part Religion. There is nothing in the world that men do generally more ſeek, or leſs find: no nation in the world but hath courted it in one way or other; but alas how few that have obtained it! At this day there are many claims laid to it, all pretending a juſt title: the men of Judab cry, ſhe is of Kin to us; the men of Iſrael ſay, we have ten parts in this Queen, and we have more right in Religion than ye; according as they contended of old about King David, 2 Sam. 19, They ſay of Chriſt as it was foretold, (though perhaps not in the ſame as was foretold) loe here he is, and loe there he is; which ha…h made many ſay, he is not at all, or if I may go on in the ſame alluſion, they live by the rule that there follows, they will not go forth to ſeek him any where. Mighty ſtrivings, yea and wars there have been about the Prince of peace, whoſe he ſhould be: And at this day no queſtion more debated, nor leſs decided, than which is the Religious party in the Land. Oh would to God, men would diſpute this controverſie with works and not with words, much leſs with blows? Religion is of an eminent pedegree, of a noble deſcent, you may find her name in the Regiſter of Heaven, and look where God is, there is ſhe. She carryes her name in her forehead; the Divine diſpoſition that ſhe is of, the Divine works which ſhe worketh, which no one elſe can work, the ſame do bear witneſs which is ſhe. I am ready to ſay with the man that had been blind, Joh. 9. 3. here in is a marvelous thing, that ye know not Religion, who ſhe is, and yet ſhe is the mighty power of God opening the eyes, changing the hearts, and as it were deifying the ſouls of men. Why do we not alſo go about enquiring which of thoſe many ſtars is the Moon in the Firmament? If ye ask of the Religions party, I will point you to the bleſſed and eternal God, and ſay, As he is, ſo are they, in their capacity, each one reſembling the Children of a King; or I will point out the Religions Chriſtian by the ſame token, as Chriſt himſelf was marked out to John the Baptiſt, Joh. 1. 33.—upon whom thou ſhalt ſee the ſpirit deſcending and remaining, the ſame is he. If ye enquire about the Children of God, the Apoſtle ſhall deſcribe them for you, Epheſ. 5. 1. The followers of God are his dear Children. That which is moſt nearly allyed to the nature and life of God, that call Religion, under whatſoever diſguiſes or reproaches it may go in the world. Examine the world by no lower a mark, than that Character that is given of David, 1 Sam. 13. 14. and the man that doth appear to be after Gods heart, viz. comformable to his image, complyant with his will, and ſtudious of his glory, pitch upon him, for that is that man, under what name ſoever he goes, of what party or faction ſoever he is. And let no ſoul examine it ſelf by any lower marks than this foreign, participation of the Divine nature, conformity to the Divine Image. Examine what alliance your ſoul hath to God; whoſe is the image and ſuperſcription. Religion is a divine accompliſhment, an efflux from God, and may by its affini…y to Heaven be diſcerned from a brat of Hell and darkneſs. Therefore Chriſtians if you will make a judgement of your ſtate, lay your hearts and lives to the rule, the eternal goodneſs, the uncreated purity and holineſs, and ſee whether you reſemble that Copy: For conform…ty to the image and will of God, that is Religion, and that God will own for his, when all the counterfeits and ſhadows of it ſhall fly away, and diſappear for ever. I fear it may be imputed as a great piece of vanity and idle curic…ty to many … ſpeculative Chriſtians, that they are very inquiſitive, prying into the hidden ro…s of Gods decree, the ſecrets of predeſtination, to find out the cauſes and method of their vocation and ſalvation; in the mean time they are not ſollicitous for, nor ſtudious of the relation and reſemblance that every religious ſoul bears unto God himſelf, the heaven that is opened within the godly ſoul it ſelf, and the whole plot and myſtery of ſalvationſalvation tranſlated upon the heart of a true Chriſtian. There is a vanity which I have obſerved in many pretenders to nobility and learning, when men ſeek to demonſtrate the one by their Coat of Arms, and the Records of their family, and the other by a gown, or a title, or their names ſtanding in the Regiſter of the univerſity, rather than by the accompliſhments and behaviours of Gentlemen or Schollars. A like vanity I doubt may be obſerved in many pretenders to religion: ſome are ſearching Gods decretals, to find their names written in the book of life; when they ſhould be ſtudying to find Gods name written upon their hearts, holineſs to the Lord engraven upon their ſouls: ſome are buſie examining themſelves by notes and marks without them; when they ſhould labour to find the marks and prints of God and his nature upon them: ſome have their Religio… in their books and Authors, which ſhould be the Law of God unwritten in the Tables of the heart: ſome glory in the bulk of their duties, and in the multitude of their pompous performances, and religious atchievments, crying with Jehu, come ſee here my zeal for the Lord; whereas it were much more excellent, if one could ſee their likeneſs to the Lord, and the Characters of Divine beauty and holineſs drawn upon their hearts and lives. But we, if we would judge rightly of our religious ſtate, muſt view our ſelves in God, who is the Fountain of all goodneſs and holineſs, and the Rule of all perfection. Value your ſelves by your ſouls, and not by your bodies, eſtates, friends, or any outward accompliſhments, as moſt men do: But that is not enough; (if men reſt there, they may make an idoll of the faireſt of Gods creatures, even their own ſouls,) therefore value your ſouls themſelves by what they have of God in them. To ſtudy the bleſſed and glorious God in his word, and to converſe with him in his works, is indeed an excellent and honourable employment, but oh what a bleſſed ſtudy is it to view him in the communications of himſelf, and the impreſſions of his grace upon our own ſouls! All the thin and ſubtil ſpeculations which the moſt raiſed Philoſophers have of the eſſence and nature of God, are a poor and low and beggarly employment and attainment, in compariſon of thoſe bleſſed viſions of God which a godly ſoul hath in it ſelf, when it finds it ſelf partaker of a Divine Nature, and liveing a Divine Life. Oh labour to view God and his Divine perfections in your own ſouls, in thoſe copies and tranſcripts of them which his holy ſpirit draws upon the hearts of all godly men. This is the moſt excellent diſcovery of God that any ſoul is capable of; it is better and more deſirable than that famous diſcovery that was made to Moſes in the clift of the rock, Exod. 34. Nay I ſhould much either deſire to ſee the reall impreſſion of a God-like nature upon my own ſoul, to ſee the Crucifying of my own pride and ſelfwill, the mortifying of the more ſenſual life, and a Divine life ſpringing up in my ſoul inſtead of it, I would much rather deſire to ſee my ſoul glorified in the image and beauty of God put upon it, which is indeed a pledge, yea and a part of Eternal glory, than to have a viſion from the Almighty, or hear a voice witneſſing from Heaven, and ſaying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom my ſoul is well pleaſed. This that I am ſpeaking of is a true foundation of Heaven it ſelf in the ſoul, a reall beginning of Happineſs: For Happineſs, Heaven it ſelf is nothing elſe but a perfect conformity, a cheerfull and eternal complyance of all the powers of the ſoul with the will of God: ſo that as far as a godly ſoul is thus conformed to God, and filled with his fulneſs, ſo far is he glorified upon earth—Sed heu quantum diſtamus ab illo!
2. Let wiſdom then be juſtified of her Children; let the children of God, thoſe that are his genuine off-ſpring, riſe up and call him bleſſed, in imi…ation of their Lord and Saviour that eldeſt ſon of God, that firſt born amongſt many brethren, who rejoyced in ſpirit, and ſaid, I thank thee Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou haſt revealed theſe things, Luk. 10. 21. or according to the ſtyle of the Apoſtle Peter, 1 Pet. 1. 3. Bleſſed be the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again! There is no greater contradiction in the world; than a man pretending Religion, and yet aſcribing it to himſelf; whereas pure Religion is purely of a Divine Original: Beſides, Religion doth principally conſiſt in the ſubduing of ſelfwill, in conformity to, and complyance with the divine will, in ſerving the intereſt of Gods glory in the world. Then, and not till then, may a ſoul be truly called Religious, when God becomes greateſt of all to it and in it, and the intereſt of God is ſo powerfully planted in it, that no other intereſt, no ſelf-intereſt, no creature-love, no particular private end, can grow by it, no more than the Magicians could ſtand before Moſes, when he came in the power of God to work wonders. So that Solomon ſaith of ſelf-ſeeking, Prov. 25. 27. For men to ſeek their own glory is not glory; the like I may ſafely ſay, upon that double ground that I have laid down, ſelf-Religion is not Religion. How vainly and madly do men dream of their ſelf religion, carrying them to Heaven; when Heaven it ſelf is nothing elſe but the perfection of …elf-denyal, and Gods becoming all things to the Saints, 1 Cor. 15. 28. Inſtead of advancing men towards Heaven, there is nothing in the world that doth more directly make war againſt Heaven, than that foreign (as Siracides calls it) that proud and petulant ſpirit of ſelf-will that rules in the children of diſobedience. So that when the Holy-Ghoſt would deſcribe David one of the beſt men, to the beſt advantage, he deſcribes him with oppoſition to ſelf, and ſelfwill, 1 Sam. 13. 14.—a man after Gods own heart; and again, Acts 13. 36.—he ſerved the will of God in his generation.
There have been of old a great number of Philoſophical men, who being raiſed up above the ſpeculation of their own ſouls, (which is the logical life,) unto a contemplation of a Deity; and being purged by a lower kind of vertue and moral goodneſs, from the pollutions that are in this world through luſt, did yet ultimately ſettle into themſelves, and their own ſelf-love. They were full indeed, but it was not with the fulneſs of God as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, but with a ſelfſufficiency; the leaven of ſelf-love lying at the bottome, did make them ſwell with pride and ſelf-conceit. Now theſe men, though they were free from groſs external enormities, yet did not attain to a true knowledge of God, nor any true Religion, becauſe they did ſet up themſelves to be their own Idols, and carry ſuch an image of themſelves continually before their eyes, that they had no clear and ſpiritual diſcerning of God. They did, as it is ſtoried of one of the Perſian Kings, enſhrine themſelves in a Temple of their own. But what ſpeak I of Heathen Philoſophers? Is there not the ſame unclean ſpirit of ſelf-adoration to be found amongſt many Chriſtians, yea and Teachers of Chriſtianity too! witneſs that whole brood thoſe men, who whileſt they hang the grace of God upon mans free-will, do rob him of his glory. Some of theſe have impudently given a ſhort but unſavoury anſwer to the Apoſtles queſt…on in 1 Cor. 4. 7. Who maketh you to differ from an other! Ego me ipſum diſcerno, I make my ſelf to differ. Theſe men whileſt they pretend to high attainments, do diſcover a low and moſt ignoble ſpirit: To faſten and feed upon any thing in the Creature, is the part of a low and degenerate ſpirit; on the other hand it is the greateſt perfection of the Creature, not to be its own, not to be any thing in it ſelf, or any way diſtinct from the bleſſed God, the father and fountain of light and grace. Holy Paul is all along in a different ſtrain, as in 1 Cor. 15. 10. I, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. I told you before what a fair and honourable character the Holy Ghoſt hath given of holy David, a man after Gods own heart: now you may alſo find a deſcription of theſe men too in Scripture, not much differing from the other in phraſe, but very much in ſenſe; it is the ſame that is given of the proud Prince of Tyrus, Ezek. 28. 2. They ſet their heart as the heart of God. But we, if we do indeed partake of the Divine Nature, ſhall not dare to take any part of the Divine Glory; if we conform to Gods Image, we ſhall not ſet up our own. This ſelfglorying in the predominancy of it is utterly inconſiſtent with true Religion, as Fire is with Water: For Religion is nothing elſe but the ſhinings forth of God into the Soul, the reflection of a beauty and glory which God hath put upon it. Give all therefore unto God; for whatſoever is kept back, is ſacrilegiouſly purloined from him: Glory we in the fulneſs of God alone, and in ſelfpenury and nothingneſs. The whole of Religion is of God: Do we ſee and diſcern the great things of God? It is by that light that God hath ſet up in us; according to that of the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 2. 11. The things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God: That love whereby we love him, he firſt ſhed abroad in our hearts: If our Souls be beautiful, it is with his brightneſs, the beauty and glory of eſſential Holineſs, according to that of the Apoſtle, Heb. 12.—Partakers of his holineſs: If we be really and truly full, we receive it of his fulneſs, according to that of the Apoſtle, Epheſ. 3. 19.—filled with all the fulneſs of God. In a word, if we be in any God-like diſpoſitions like unto him, it is by his ſpreading of his image in us and over us. By all which it appears to be a thing not only wicked and unwarrantable, but utterly impoſſible for a godly Soul to exalt himſelf againſt God, for grace to advance it ſelf againſt divine glory; for grace is nothing elſe but a communication of divine glory; and God is then glorified, when the Soul in holy and gracious diſpoſitions becomes like unto him. How is it poſſible that grace ſhould be a ſhadow to obſcure divine glory, when it ſelf is nothing elſe, as it comes from God, but a Beam of glory, and as it is found in the Creature, may properly be called a reflection of it. To conclude then, Be ye perſwaded that a man hath ſo much of God, as he hath of Humility, and Self denial, and Selfnothingneſs, and no more; He is ſo far of God, as he loves Him, honours Him, imitates H…m, and lives to Him, and no further.
3. By this diſcovery of the Original of Religion, we come to underſtand the Original of Sin and Wickedneſs. And here, according to the method wherein I ſpoke of the Original of Religion, I might ſhew you how the original of Sin from without, is of the Devil, that firſt uſher'd it into the World, and ceaſeth not to tempt men to it continually; as alſo of men, who are his inſtruments; and that it does in a ſenſe ſpring from many occaſions without. But theſe things are more improperly ſaid to be the cauſes of Sin. The inward cauſe is the corrupt heart of man, that unclean ſpirit, that devilliſh nature, which is indeed the worſt and moſt pernicious Devil in the world to Man. It is an old ſaying, Homo homini Daemon; One Man is a Devil to another: which though it be in ſome ſenſe true; yet it is more proper to ſay, Homo ſibi Daemon; Man is a Devil to himſelf; taking the ſpirit and principle of Apoſtacy, that rebellious nature for the Devil, which indeed doth beſt deſerve that name. But yet if we enquire more ſtrictly into the original and nature of this Monſter, we ſhall beſt know what to ſay of it, and how to deſcribe it, by what we have heard of Religion. Sin then, to ſpeak properly, is nothing elſe but a degeneration from a holy ſtate, an apoſtacy from a holy God. Religion is a participation of God, and ſin is a ſtragling off from him. Therefore it is wont to be defined by Negatives, a departure from God, a forſaking of him, a living in the World without him, &c. The Souls falling off from God, does deſcribe the general nature of S…n; but then as it ſinks into it ſelf, or ſettles upon the World, and faſtens upon the Creature, or any thing therein; ſo it becomes ſpecified, and is called Pride, Covetouſneſs, Ambition, and by many other names. All Souls are the Offſpring of God, were originally formed into his image and likeneſs, and when they expreſs the purity and holineſs of the Divine Nature, in being perfect as God is perfect, then are they called the Children of God: But thoſe impure Spirits that do lapſe and ſlide from God, may be ſaid foreign, to implant themſelves into a other ſtock by their own low and earthly lives, and are no more owned for the Children of God, but are of their father the Devil, John 10. 44. By which you may underſtand the low and baſe original of Sin: Nothing can be ſo vile as that which, to ſpeak properly, is nothing elſe but a perfect falling off from glory it ſelf. By this you may alſo (by the way) take notice of the miſerable condition of unholy Souls. We need not call for Fire and Brimſtone to paint out the wretched ſtate of ſinful Souls. Sin it ſelf is Hell and Death, and Miſery to the Soul, as being a departure from Goodneſs and Holineſs it ſelf; I mean from God, in conjunction with whom the Happineſs, and Bleſſedneſs, and Heaven of a Soul doth conſiſt. Avoid it therefore as you would avoid being miſerable.