Immanuel, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Containing the firſt property mentioned of true Religion, viz. The Freeneſs and unconſtrainedneſs of it: This diſcovered in ſeveral outward Acts of morality and worſhip; as alſo in the more inward Acts of the Soul. This Freedom conſidered as to its Author; in which is conſidered how far the command of God may be ſaid to act a godly ſoul: Secondly conſidered as to its object. Two cautionary conceſſions; Firſt, that ſome things without the ſoul may be ſaid to be motives; how far afflictions and temporal proſperity may be ſaid to be ſo. Secondly, That there is a conſtraint lying upon the godly ſoul; which yet takes not away its freedom. An enquiry into forc't devotion, and firſt into the cauſes of it, viz. Men themſelves, and that upon a threefold account, other men, or the providences of God: Secondly, into the properties of it, proving that it is for the moſt part dry and ſpiritleſs, needy and penurious, uneven, and not permanent.
I proceed now from the nature of Religion, to ſpeak of the pro…erties of it, as many of them as … ed under this phraſe foreign, ſpringing up into everlaſting life. Not to ſqueeze the phraſe any further than it will naturally afford diſcourſe, I ſhall only take notice of theſe three properties of true religion, contained in the word [ſpringing up] viz. the Freeneſs, Activity, and permanency or perſeverance of it.
The firſt proſelyte of it coucht under this phraſe is, that is is Free and unconſtrained. Religion is a principle, and it flows and acts freely in the ſoul, after the manner of a fountain, and in the day of its mighty power makes the people a willing people, Pſal. 110. 3. and the ſoul in whom it is truly ſeated, to become a freewill offering unto God. Alexander the great ſubdued the World with force of arms, and made men rather his tributaries and ſervants, than his lovers and friends: But the great God the King of ſouls obtains an amicable conqueſt over the hearts of his elect, and overpowers them in ſuch a manner, that they love to be his ſervants, and do willingly and readily obey him▪ without diſſimulation or conſtraint, without mercinarineſs or moroſity: In which they are unlike to the ſubjects of the Kingdoms of this world, who are kept in their duties by fear and force, not from a pure kindneſs and benevolence of mind, to whom foreign, the preſent yoke is alwayes grievous. Hence it is that the propagation of this people is called their flowing unto the Lord, Iſa. 2. 2. the mountain of the Lords houſe ſhall be eſtabliſhed, and all nations ſhall flow unto it; and again, Jer. 31. 12. they ſhall flow together to the goodneſs of the Lord. And the diſpoſition of this people is deſcribed to be a hearty and willing frame, Eph. 6. 6, 7. and elſewhere often. Now this willingneſs or freeneſs of godly ſouls might be explained and confirmed by the conſideration both of their outward and inward acts.
1. As to the outward acts of ſervice which the true Chriſtian doth perform, he is freely carryed out towards them without any conſtraint or force. If he keep himſelf from the evils of the place and age and company wherein he lives and converſes, it is not by a reſtraint which is upon him meerly from without him, but by a principle of holy temperance planted in his ſoul: it is the ſeed of God abiding in him that preſerves him from the commiſſion of ſin, 1 Joh. 3. 9. He is not kept back from ſin as a horſe by a bridle; but by an inward and ſpiritual change made in his nature. On the other hand, if he imploy himſelf in any external acts of moral or inſtituted duty, he do's it freely, not as of neceſſity or by conſtraint. If you ſpeak of acts of charity, the godly man gives from a principle of love to God, and kindneſs to his brother; and ſo cheerfully, not grudgingly, or of neceſſity, 2 Cor. 9. 7. An almes may be wrung out of a Miſer, but it proceeds from the liberal ſoul, as a ſtream from its fountain: therefore he is called a deviſer of liberal things, and one that ſtandeth upon liberalities, as thoſe laſt words of Iſa. 32. 8. are rendred by the Dutch tranſlators. If you ſpeak of righteouſneſs o… temperance, he is not overruled by power, or compelled by Laws, but indeed acted by the power of that law which is written and engraven upon his mind. If you ſpeak of acts of worſhip whether moral or inſtituted, in all theſe he is alſo free, as to any conſtraint. Prayer is not his task, or a piece of penance, but it is the natural cry of the new born ſoul; neither do's he take it up as a piece of policy, to bribe Gods juſtice, or engage mens charity, to purchaſe favour with God or man or his own clamarous conſcience: but he prays, becauſe he wants, and loves and believes; he wants the fuller preſence of that God whom he loves, he loves the preſence which he wants, he believes that he that loves him, will not ſuffer him to want any good thing that he prays for. And therefore he do's not bind up himſelf ſeverely, and limit himſelf penuriouſly to a morning and evening Sacrifice and ſolemnity, as unto certain rent-ſeaſons wherein to pay a homage of dry devotion; but his loving and longing Soul diſdaining to be confin'd within Can…nical hours, is frequently ſoaring in ſome heavenly raptures or other, and ſallying forth in holy ejaculations: He is not content with ſome weak aſſays towards Heaven in ſet and formal Prayer, once or twice a day, but labours alſo to be all the day long ſucking in thoſe Divine influences, and ſtreams of grace by the mouth of faith, which he beg'd in the morning by the tongue of prayer; which hath made me ſometimes to think it a proper ſpeech to ſay, the faith of Prayer, as well as the prayer of faith; for believing, and hanging upon Divine grace, doth really drink in what Prayer opens its mouth for, and is in effect a powerful kind of praying in ſilence: By believing we pray, as well as in praying we do believe. A truly godly man hath not his hands tyed up meerly by the force of a National Law, no nor yet by the authority of the fourth commandment, to keep one in ſeven a day of reſt; As he is not content with meer reſting upon the Sabboth, (knowing that neither working nor ceaſing from work doth of itſelf commend a Soul to God) but doth preſs after intimacy with God in the duties of his worſhip; ſo neither can he be content with one Sabboth in a week, nor think himſelf abſolved from holy and heavenly meditations any day in the week; but labours to make every day a Sabboth, as to the keeping of his heart up unto God in a holy frame, and to find every day to be a Sabboth, as to the communications of God unto his Soul: Though the neceſſities of his body will not allow him it may be (though indeed God hath granted this to ſome men) to keep every day as a Sabboth of Reſt; yet the neceſſities of his Soul do call upon him, to make every day as far as may be, a Sabboth of communion with the bleſſed God. If you ſpeak of Faſting, he keeps not Faſts meerly by vertue of a civil, no nor a divine inſtitution, but from a principle of godly ſorrow afflicts his …oul for ſio, and daily endeavours more and more to be emptied of himſelf, which is the moſt excellent Faſting in the world. If you ſpeak of Thanſgiving, he do's not give thanks by laws and ordinances, but having in himſelf a law of thankſulneſs, and an ordinance of love engraven upon, and deeply radicated in his Soul, delights to live unto God and to make his heart and life a living deſcant upon the goodneſs and love of God; which is the moſt divine way of thank offering in the world, it is the hall…lujah which the Angels ſing continually. In a word, wherever God hath a tongue to command, true godlineſs will find an hand to perform; whatever yoke Chriſt Jeſus ſhall put upon the Soul, religion will enable to bear it, yea and to count it eaſie too; the mouth of Chriſt hath pronoun…'d it eaſie, Mat. 11. 30. and the ſpirit of Chriſt makes it eaſie. Let the commandment be what it will, it will not le grievous, 1 Joh. 5. 3. The ſame ſpirit doth in ſome meaſure dwell in every Chriſtian which without meaſure dwelt in Chriſt, who counted it his meat and drink to do the will of his Father, Joh. 4. 34.
2. And more eſpecially, the true Chriſtian is free from any conſt…aint as to the inward acts which he performeth. Holy love to God is one principal Act of the gracio…s ſoul, whereby it is carryed out freely, and with an ardent luſt towards the object that is truly and infinitely lovely and ſatisf…ctory, and to the enjoyment of i…. I know indeed that this ſprings from ſelf indigency, and is commanded by the ſoveraignty of the ſupream good, the object that the Soul eyes: but it is properly free from any conſtraint. Love is an affection, that cannot be excorted as ſear is; nor ſor…d by any external power, nor indeed internal neither: the revenues of the King of Perſia, or the treaſu…es o… Aegypt cannot commit a rape upon …, Heb. 11. 26. neither indeed can the ſoul it ſelf raiſe and lay this ſpirit at pleaſure; which made the Poet complain of himſelf, as if he were not ſole Emperour at home,
Non amo te Sabidi; nec poſſum dicere quare, &c.
Though the outward bodily Acts of Religion are ordinarily forced, yet this pure, chaſt, virgin-affection cannot be raviſhed; it ſeems to be a kind of a peculiar in the ſoul, though under the juriſdiction of the underſtanding. By this property of it, it is elegantly deſcribed by the ſpirit of God, Cant. 8. 7.—if a man would give all the ſubſtance of his houſe for love, it would utterly be contemned. It cannot be bought with money or money-worth, cannot be purchaſed with gifts or arts; and if any ſhould offer to bribe it, it would give him a ſharp and ſcornful check in the language of Peter to Simon, Thy money periſh with thee; love is no hireling, no baſe born mercenary affection, but noble, free, and generous. Neither is it lowſpirited and ſlaviſh as Fear is: therefore when it comes to full age, it will not ſuffer this Son of the Bond woman to divide the inheritance, the dominions of the Soul with it; when it comes to be perfect, it caſteth out fear, ſayes the Apoſtle, 1 Joh. 4. 18. Neither indeed is it directly under the authority of any law, whether humane or Divine: it is not begotten by the influence of a divine law, as a law, but as holy, juſt and good, as we ſhall ſee more anon:—quis legem dat amantibus? ipſe Eſt ſibi lex amor; the Law of Love, or if you will, in the Apoſtles phraſe, the ſpirit of love, and of power, in oppoſition to the ſpirit of fear (2 Tim. 1. 7.) doth more influence the godly man in his purſuit of God, than any law without him: this is as a wing to the Soul, whereas outward commandments are but as guides in his way, or at moſt, but as ſpurs in his ſides.
The ſame I may ſay of holy delight in God, which is indeed the flower of love, or love grown up to its full age and ſtature, which hath no torment in it, and conſequently no force upon it. Like unto which are holy confidence. Faith and Hope, ingenuous and natural Acts of the Religious Soul, whereby it haſtens into the Divine embraces, as the Eagle haſtneth to the prey, ſwiftly and ſpeedily, and not by force and conſtraint, as a fool to the correction of the ſtocks, or a bear to the ſtake. Theſe are all genuine off-ſprings of holy religion in the Soul, and they are utterly uncapable of force; Violence is contrary to the nature of them; for to uſe the Apoſtles words, with the change of one word, Hope that is forc'd, is not hope.
Now a little further to explain this excellent property of true Religion, we may a little conſider, the Author and the object of it.
The author of this noble and Free principle is God himſelf who hath made it a partaker of his own nature, who is the Free agent, himſelf is the fountain of his own Acts. The uncreated life and liberty, hath given this priviledge to the religious Soul, in ſome ſenſe to have life and liberty in it ſelf, and a dominion over its own Acts. I do not know that any created Being in the world hath more of divinity in it than the Soul of man, qua nihil homini dedit Deus ipſe divinius, as Tully ſpeaks; nor that any thing in the Soul doth more reſemble the Divine eſſence, than the noble Freedom that the ſoul hath in itſelf; which freedom is never ſo divine and generous, as when it is objected upon God himſelf. This excellent freedom is ſomething of God in the Soul of man, and therefore may juſtly claim the Free ſpirit for its author, Pſal. 51. 12. 2. Cor. 3. 17. or the Son of God for its original, according to that in Joh. 8. 36. If the Son ſhall make you free, then ſhall ye be free indeed.
But here it may be demanded, whether the command of God do not act the godly ſoul, and ſet it upon its holy motions? I confeſs indeed that the command of God is much eyed by a godly man, and is of great weight with him, and do's in ſome ſenſe lay a conſtraint upon him: but yet I think not ſo much the authority of the Law, as the reaſonableneſs and goodneſs of it, do's prevail principally with him. The Religious Soul do's not ſo much eye the Law under the notion of a command, as under the notion of holy, juſt, and good as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, and ſo embraces it, chooſes it, and longs to be perfectly conformable to it. I do nor think it ſo proper to ſay that a good man loves God, and all righteouſneſs and holineſs, and religious duties by vertue of a command to do ſo, as by vertue of a new nature that God hath put into him, which doth inſtruct and prompt him ſo to do. A religious Soul being reconciled to the nature of God, do's embrace all his Laws by vertue of the equitableneſs and perfection that he ſees in them; not becauſe they are commanded, but becauſe they are in themſelves to be deſired, as David ſpeaks, Pſal. 19. 10. In which Pſalm the holy man gives us a full account why he did ſo love and eſteem the laws and commandments of God, viz. becauſe they are perfect, right, pure, clean, true, ſweet, and lovely, as you will find, v. 7, 8, 9, 10. To love the Lord our God with all our heart, and ſtrength, and mind, is not only a duty, by vertue of that firſt and great commandment that doth require it; but indeed the higheſt priviledge, honour and happineſs of the Soul. To this purpoſe may that profeſſion of the Pſalmiſts be applyed, Pſal. 119. 173. I have choſen thy precepts, and, ver. 30. I have choſen the way of truth. Chooſing is an act of judgement and underſtanding, and reſpects the quality of the thing, more than the authority of the command. David did not ſtumble into the way of truth accidentally by vertue of his education, or acquaintance, or the like circumſtance, nor was he whipt or driven into it by the meer ſeverity of a law without him; but he choſe the way of truth, as that which was indeed moſt eligible, pleaſant and deſireable. What our bleſſed Saviour ſayes concerning himſelf, is alſo true of every true Chriſtian in his meaſure, he makes it his meat and drink to do the will of God: Now we know that men do not eat and drink, becauſe Phyſitians preſcribe it as a means to preſerve life; but the ſenſual appetite is carryed out towards food, becauſe it is good, ſweet, ſuitable: ſo is the ſpiritual appetite carryed out towards ſpiritual food, not ſo much by the force of an external precept, as by the attractive power of that higher good which it finds ſuitable and ſufficient for it. As for the object of this Free and generous ſpirit of Religion, it is no other than God himſelf principally and ultimately, and other things only as they are ſubſervient to the enjoyment of him. God as the ſupream good, able to fill and perfectly ſatisfie all the wants and indigencies of the ſoul, and ſo to make it wholly and eternally happy, is the proper object of the Souls moſt free and chearful motions. The Soul eyes God as the perfect and abſolute good, and God in Chriſt as a feaſable and attainable good, and ſo finds every way enough in this object to encourage it to purſue after him, and throw it ſelf upon him. Religion fixes upon God, as upon its own centre, as upon its proper and adequate object; it views God as the Infinite and abſolute good, and ſo is drawn to him without any external force. The Godly Soul is overpowred indeed, but it is only with the infinite goodneſs of God, which exerciſes its Soveraignty over all the faculties of the Soul; which overpowring is ſo far from ſtraitning or pinching it, that it makes it truly free and generous in its motions. Religion wings the Soul, and makes it take a flight freely and ſwiftly towards God and eternal life: it is of God, and by a ſympathy that it hath with him, it carryes the Soul out after him, and into conjunction with him. In a word, the godly Soul being looſned from ſelf-love, emptyed of ſelf-fulneſs, beaten out of all ſelf-ſatisfaction, and delivered from all ſelfconfining luſts, wills, intereſts and ends, and being mightily overcome with a ſenſe of a higher and more excellent good, goes after that freely, centres upon it firmly, graſps after it continually, and had rather be that than what itſelf is, as ſeeing that the nature of that ſupream good is infi…itely more excellent and deſirable than its own.
Thus have I briefly explain'd and confirmed the Freeneſs of this principle in the truly godly Soul: I would now make ſome little improvement of it, but that it ſeems needful I ſhould here interweave a cautionary conceſſion or two.
Firſt, It muſt be granted, that ſomethings without the Soul may be motives, in our common ſenſe, and encouragements to the Soul to quicken, and …aſten, and ſtrengthen it in its religious acts. Though grace be an internal principle, and moſt free from any conſtraint, yet it may be excited, or ſtirred up as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 2 T…m. 1. 6. by ſuch means as God hath appointed hereunto, as prayer, meditation, reading, adminiſtration of our callings, as the Apoſtle intimates in the body of that forequoted Epiſtle. But perhaps there will a queſtion ariſe concerning ſome other things, which may ſeem to lay a conſtraint upon the ſpirits of men. I deny not but that the ſeemingly religious motions of many men are meerly violent, and their devotion is purely forc'd as we ſhall ſee by and by: but I affirm, and I think have confirmed it, that true and ſincere Religion is perfectly free and unconſtrain'd. This being premiſed, now if you ask me what I think of afflictions, I confeſs God doth ordinarily uſe them as means to make good men better, and it may be ſometimes to make bad men good: theſe may be as weights to haſten and ſpeed the Souls motions towards God, but they do not principally beget ſuch motions. If you ask me of temporal proſperity, commonly called mercies and bleſſings, of promiſes and Rewards propounded; I confeſs they may be as oyle to the wheels, and ought to quicken and encourage to the ſtudy of true and powerful godlineſs; but they are not the ſpring of the ſouls motions: they ought to be unto us, as dew upon the graſs to refreſh and fructifie the Soul; but it is the root which properly gives life and growth.
Secondly, It may be granted that there is a kind of conſtraint and neceſſity lying upon the godly Soul, in its holy and moſt excellent motions: according to that of the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 5. 14. The love of Chriſt conſtraineth us; and again, 1 Cor. 9. 16. Neceſſity is laid upon me to preach the Goſpel. But yet it holds good, that grace is a moſt free principle in the Soul, and that where the ſpirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. For the conſtraint that the Apoſtle ſpeaks of is not oppoſed to freedom of Soul, but to not acting; Now although the Soul ſo principled and ſpirited cannot but act, yet it acts freely. Thoſe things that are according to nature though they be done neceſſarily, yet are they done with the greateſt freedom imaginable. The water flows, and the fire burns neceſſarily, yet freely: Religion is a new nature in the ſoul, and the religious Soul being toucht effectually wi…h the ſenſe, and impreſt with the influences of divine goodneſs, fulneſs and perfection, is carryed indeed neceſſarily towards God as its proper centre, and yet its motions are pure, free, generous and with the greateſt delight and pleaſure conceivable. The neceſſity that lay upon Paul to preach the Goſpel is not to be underſtood of any external violence that was done to him, much leſs of …odily neceſſity, by reaſon of which many men ſerve their own bellyes in that great function, more than the Lord Jeſus; for though he preacht the Goſpel neceſſarily, yet did he preach freely and willingly, as he oft profeſſeth. The godly Soul cannot but love God as his chiefeſt good, yet he delights in this neceſſity, under which he lyeth, and is exceeding glad that he finds his heart framed and enlarged to love him. I ſay enlarged, becauſe God is ſuch an object, as do's not contract and pinch and ſtraiten the ſoul, as all created object▪ do, but ennoble, ampliate, and enlarge it. The ſinful ſoul, the more it lets out, and lays out, and ſpends itſelf upon the creature, the more it is ſtraitned and contracted, and the native freedom of it is enſlaved, debaſed, and deſtroyed: but grace do's eſtabliſh and ennoble the freedom of the Soul, and reſtore it to i…s primitive perfection: ſo that a godly ſoul is never more large, more at reſt, more at I berty, th… when it finds itſelf delivered from all ſelf. confining creature-loves and luſts, and under the moſt powerful influences and conſtraint of infinite love and goodneſs.
By this that hath been ſaid of the free and generous ſpirit of true Religion, we may learn what to think of the forc'd devotion of many preſt Souldiers of Chriſt in his Church militant; that there is a vaſt difference and diſtance between the preſt, and the impreſt Chriſtian. Though indeed the freedom of the will cannot be deſtroyed, yet in oppoſition to a principle, many mens devotion may be ſaid to be wrung out of them, and their obedience may be ſaid to be conſtrai…ed. I ſhall explain it briefly in two or three particulars.
1. Men force themſelves many times to ſome things in Religion, that are beſides, yea and againſt their nature and genius. I need not inſtance in an overly conformity to the letter of the law, and ſome external duties which they force themſelves to perform, as to hear, pray, give almes, or the like: in all which the violent and unnatural obedience of a phariſee may be more popular and ſpecious, than the true and genuine obedience of a free-born diſciple of Jeſus Chriſt, If going on hunting, and catching of Veniſon might denominate a good and dutiful Son, Eſau may indeed be as acceptable to his father, as Jacob; but God is not ſuch a father as Iſaac, (whoſe affections were bribed with fat morſels,) he feeds not upon the pains of his children, nor drink, the ſweat of their brow…. I doubt not but that an unprincipled Chriſtian, that hath the heart of a ſlave; may alſo force himſelf to imitate the more ſpiritual part of Religion, and as it were to act over the very temper and diſpoſition of a ſon of God. Therefore we read of a ſemblance of joy and zeal, which was found in ſome, whom yet our Saviour reckons no better than ſtony ground, Mark. 4. 16. and of great ex…aſies in ſome, whom yet the Apoſtle ſuppoſes may come to nothing, Heb. 6. 5. and what appearance of the moſt excellent and divine graces of patience, and contempt of the world many of the ſowrer ſort of Monaſtical Papiſts, and our m…ngrel breed of Papiſts, the Quakers do make at this day, all men know: nay ſome of theſe laſt ſort do ſeem to themſelves I believe, to act over the temper and experiences of the chiefeſt Apoſtles, rejoycing with Peter and the reſt that they are counted worthy to ſuffer ſhame, Act. 5. 41. and keeping a catalogue of their ſtripes with Paul, 2 Cor. 11. 24. and in theſe things, I am confident (to uſe the Apoſtles words) that they think themſelves not a whit behind the very chiefeſt Apoſtles: nay they are not aſhamed to lay claim to that grace of graces, ſelf-denyal, which they have forced themſelves to act over ſo artificially, that even a wiſe man might almoſt be deceived into a favourable opinion of them, but that we know that whileſt they profeſs it they deſtroy it; for it is contrary to the nature of ſelf-denyal to magnifie and boaſt itſelf: And indeed it is very evident to a wiſe obſerver, that theſe men by a pretence of voluntary humility, and counterfeit ſelf-denyal, do in truth endeavour moſt of all to eſtabliſh their own righteouſneſs, and erect an idol of ſelf-ſupremacy in themſelves, and do really fall in love with an foreign or ſelf-ſufficiency, inſtead of the infinite fulneſs of God.
Now there ſeem to be three things in a formal hypocrite, that do eſpecially force a kind of devotion and ſhew of religion from him, viz. Conſcience of guilt, ſelf-love, and Falſe apprehenſions of God. Firſt, There is in all men a natural conſcience of guilt, ariſing from that imperfect and glimmering light that they have of God, and of their duty towards him; which though it be in ſome men more quick and ſtinging, in others more remiſs and languid, yet I think is not utterly choaked and extinguiſhed, no not in the worſt and moſt diſ…ol…e men, but that it doth ſometimes beget a bitter ſadneſs in the midſt of their ſweeteſt merriments, and doth diſturb their moſt ſupine and ſecure reſt, by faſtning its ſtings in their very ſouls at ſome time or other, and filling them with agonies and anguiſh, and haunting them with dreadful apparitions, which they cannot be perfectly rid of, no more than they can run away from themſelves. This foundation of hell is laid in the bowels of ſin itſelf, as a preface to eternal horrour. Now although ſome more profligate and deſperate wretches, do …uriouſly bluſter through theſe briars, yet others are ſo cought in them, that they cannot eſcape theſe pangs and throws, except they make a compoſition, and enter into terms to live more honeſtly, or at leaſt, leſs ſcandalouſly. In which undertaking they are carryed on in the next place, by the power of ſelf-love, or a natural deſire of ſelf-preſervation: For the worſt of men hath ſo much Reaſon left him, that he could wiſh that himſelf were happy, though he have not ſo much light as to diſcover, nor ſo much true freedom of will as to chooſe the right way of happineſs. Conſcience having diſcovered the certain reward and wages of ſin, ſelf-love will eaſily prompt men to do ſomething or other to eſcape it. But now what ſhall they do? why Religion is the only expedient that can be found out; and therefore they begin to think how they may become friends with God, they will up and be doing. But how come they to run into ſo great miſtake about religion? why their falſe and groſs apprehenſions of God do drive them from him, in the way of ſuperſtition and …ypocriſie, inſtead of leading them in the way of ſincere love, and ſelf-reſignation to him. Self being the great Diana of every natural man, and the only ſtandard by which he meaſures all things, he knows not how to judge of God himſelf, but by this; and ſo he comes to fancy God in a dreadful manner, as an auſtere, paſſionate, ſurly, revengeful Majeſty, and ſo ſomething muſt be done to appeaſe him: but yet he fancies this angry Deity to be of an impotent, mercena…y temper like himſelf, and not hard to be appea…ed neither; and ſo imagines that ſome cheap ſervices, ſpecious oblations, external courteſies will engage him, and make him a friend, a ſheep or a goat, or a bullock under the old Teſtament, a prayer or a Sacrament, or an Almes under the new. For it is reconciliation to an angry God that he aims at, not union with a good God; he ſeeks to be reconciled to God not united to him, though indeed theſe two can never be divided. Thus we ſee how a man void of the life and ſpirit of Religion, yet forces himſelf to do God a kind of worſhip, and pay him a kind of homage.
2. Sometimes men may be ſaid in a ſenſe to be forced by other men to put on a vizard of holineſs, a dreſs of Religion. And this conſtraint men may lay upon men by their tongues, hands, and eyes. By their tongues, in the buſineſs of education, often and ardent exhortation and inculcation of things divine and heavenly: and thus an unjuſt like the unjuſt Judge in the Goſpel, though he fear not God ſincerely, yet may be overcome by the importunity of his father, friend, miniſter, tutor, to do ſome righteous acts. This ſeems to have been the caſe of Joaſh King of Judah, the ſpring head of whoſe religion was no higher than the inſtructions of his tutor and guardian Jehojada the highprieſt, 2 King. 12. 2. By their hands, that is either by the enacting and executing of penal laws upon them, or by the holy example which they continually …et before them; exempla trahunt. By their eyes, that is, by continual obſerving and watching their behaviour; when many eyes are upon men, they muſt do ſomething to ſatisfie expectations of others, and purchaſe a reputation to themſelves. It may be ſaid that ſometimes God doth lay an external force upon men; as particularly by his ſevere judgements or threatnings of judgements, awakening them, humbling them, and conſtr…ining them to ſome kind of worſhip and religion. Such a forc'd devotion as this, was the humillation of Aha…, 1 King. 21. and the ſupplication of Saul, 1 Sam. 13. 11, 12. For God himſelf acting upon men, only from without them, is far from producing a living principle of free and noble Religion in the Soul.
Now the better to diſcern this forc'd and violent Religion, I will briefly deſcribe it by three or four of its properties, with which I will ſhut up this point.
1. This forc'd Religion is for the moſt part dry and ſpiritleſs. I know indeed tha… Fancy may be ſcrew'd up to a high pitch of joy and frolickneſs, ſo as to raiſe the mind into a kind of a rapture, as I have formerly hinted in my diſc…orſe upon theſe words. A meer artificial and counter…it Chriſtian, may be ſo ſtrongly acted by imagination, and the power of ſelf▪love▪ that he may ſeem to himſelf to be fuller of God, than the ſober and conſtant ſoul. You may ſee how the hypocritical phatiſ… ſw…ll… with … conceit, gloryed over the poor man that had been blind▪ but now ſaw more than all they, Joh. 9. 34. Thou waſt altogether born in ſin, and doſt thou teach us? and indeed over the whole people, Joh. 7. 49. This people that knoweth not the law is curſed. A counterfeit Chriſtian may riſe high as a Meteor, and blaze much as a Comet, which is yet drawn up by meer force from the ſurface of the earth or water. And as to the external and viſible acts and duties of Religion which depend much upon the temper and conſtitution of the body, it may eaſily be conceived and accounted, how the mimical and mechanical Chriſtian may riſe higher in theſe, and be more zealous, watchful, and cheerful, than many truly religious and godly men: as having greater power and quickneſs of fancy, and a greater number of animal ſpirits; upon which the motions and actions of the body do mainly depend. The animal ſpirits may ſo nimbly ſerve the ſoul in theſe corporal acts, that the whole tranſaction may be a fair imitation of the motions of the divine ſpirit, and one would verily think there were a gracious principle in the ſoul itſelf. This ſeems to be notably exemplified in cap…ain Jehu whoſe religious actions (as he would fain have them to be eſteemed, 2 Kin. …0. 16.) were indeed rather Fury than Zeal, and proceeded more from his own fiery ſpirits, than from that ſpirit of Fire, or ſpirit of burning, which is of God, Iſa. 4. 4. But commonly this forc'd devotion is jejune and dry; void of zeal and warmth, drives on heavily in purſuit of the God of Iſrael, as Pharaoh did in purſuit of the Iſrael of God, when his Chariot wheels were taken off▪ Exod. 14. Gods drawing the Soul from within, as a principle, doth indeed cauſe that ſoul to run after him, Cant. 1. 4. but you know the motion of thoſe things that are drawn by ex…ernal force is commonly heavy, ſlow and languid.
2. This forc'd Rel…gion is penurious and needy. Something the ſlaviſh ſpirited Chriſtian muſt do, to appeaſe an angry God, or to allay a ſtorming conſcience, as I h…n…ed before; but it ſhall be as little as may be. He is ready to g…ndge God ſo much of his time and ſtrength, and to find fault that Sabbaths come ſo thick, and laſt ſo long, and that duties are to be performed ſ… often: ſo he is deſcribed by the Prophet, Amo… 8. 5. When will the Sabbath be paſt, and the new Moon gone? But yet I will not deny, but that this kind of Religion may be very liberal and expenſive too, and run out much into the branches of external duties, as is the manner of many trees that bear no f…uit: for ſo did the baſe ſpirit of the Phariſees, whoſe often faſting, and long praying is recorded by our Saviour in the Goſpel, but not with approbation. Therefore theſe are not the things by which you muſt take meaſure, and make eſtimate of your Religion. But in the great things of the Law, in the grand duties of mortification, ſelf denyal and reſignation; here this forc'd Religion is alwayes very ſtingy and penurious. In the duties that do nearly touch upon their beloved l…ſts, they will be as ſtrict with God as may be, they will break with him for a ſmall matter: God muſt have no more than his due, as they blaſphemouſly phraſe it in their hearts; with the ſlothful ſervant in the Goſpel, Lo there thou haſt that is thine, ſelf and the world ſure may be allowed the reſt. They will not part with all for Chriſt, Matth. 19. 22. is it not a little one? let me eſcape thither, and take up my abode there, ſaid Lot, Gen. 19. They will not give up themſelves e…tirely unto God; the Lord pardon me in this one thing, cryes Naaman; ſo they, in this or that let God hold me excuſed. The ſlaviſh ſpirited Chriſtian is never more ſhrunk up within himſelf, than when he is to converſe with God indeed: But the Godly ſoul is never freer, larger, gladder, than when he doth moſt intimately and familiarly converſe with God. The Soul that is Free as to liberty, is free alſo as to liberality, and expences; and thatnot only in external, but internal and ſpiritual obedience, and complyance with the will of God: he gives himſelf wholly up to God, knows no intereſt of his own, keeps no reſerve for himſelf, or for the Creature.
3. This forc'd Religion is uneven, as depending upon inconſtant cauſes. As land-floods that have no ſpring within themſelves vary their motions, are ſwift and ſlow, high and low, according as they are ſupplyed with rain; even ſo theſe mens motions in Religion, depending upon Fancy for the moſt part; (than which nothing is more fickle and flitting;) have no conſtancy nor conſiſtency, in them. I know indeed, that the ſpirits of the beſt men cannot alwayes keep one pace, nor their lives be alwayes of one piece; but yet they are never willingly quite out of the call or compaſs of Religion. But this I alſo toucht upon formerly. Therefore,
4. The forc'd Religion is not permanent. The Meteors I will down again, and be choakt in the earth whence they aroſe. Take away the weight, and the motion ceaſes; take away …, and Joaſh …lands …, ye… runs backwards. But this I ſhall ſpeak more unto, when I come to ſpeak of the laſt property of Religion, viz. its performance.