Immanuel, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
The active and vigorous nature of true Religion proved by many Scriptural phraſes of the moſt powerful importance: more particularly explained in three things; Firſt, In the Soul… continual care and ſtudy to be good; Secondly, In its care to do good; Thirdly, In its powerful and inceſſant longings after the moſt full enjoyment of God. In all which the cauſes and reaſons of the ſame are either more obſ…urely intimated, or openly aſſigned.
I Come now to the Second property of true Religion, which is to be found in this phraſe, foreign ſpringing up or leaping up; wherein the Activity and vigorouſuaſs of it is deſcribed. Religion though it be compared to water, yet is no ſtanding pool of water, but a well of water ſpringing up. And here the propoſition that I ſhall go upon is, that True Religion is active and vigorous: It is no lazy and languid thing, but full of life and power: ſo I find it every where deſcribed in Scripture, by things that are moſt active, lively vigorous▪ operative, ſpreading, powerful; and ſometimes even by motion it ſelf. As ſin is in Scripture deſcribed by death and darkneſs, which are a ceſſation and privation of life and light and motion; ſo Religion is deſcribed by life, which is active and vigorous, by an Angelical life, which is ſpiritual and powerful, yea a divine life, Epheſ. 4. 18. which is, as I may ſay, moſt lively and vivacious, Chriſt liveth in me, Gal. 2. 20. and the production of this new nature in the Soul is called a quickning, Epheſ. 2. 1. and the reception of it a paſſing from death unto life, Jo…. 5. 24. Again, as ſin and wickedneſs is deſcribed by fleſh, which is ſluggiſh and unactive, ſo this holy principle in the ſoul is called ſpirit. Gal. 5. 17. the ſpirit luſ…eth againſt the fleſh; yea the ſpirit of power, 2 Tim. 1. 6. and the ſpirit of life, Rom. 8. 2. the law of the ſpirit of life in Chriſt Jeſus hath made me free from the law of ſin and death. How can the power and activity of any principle be more commended, than by ſaying it is life, and the ſpirit of life, and the law of the ſpirit of life in the ſoul? which hath made me ſometimes to apply thoſe words of the Prophet, as a deſcription of every godly ſoul, Mic. 3. 8. I am full of power and might by the ſpirit of the Lord.
Yea further, the holy Apoſtle ſeems to deſcribe a godly principle in the ſoul by activity and motion itſelf, Phil. 3. 12, 13, 14. where he gives this excellent character of himſelf, and this lively deſcription of his religious diſpoſition, as if it were nothing elſe but activity and fervour, I follow after that I may apprehend, I forget thoſe things that are behind, and reach forth unto thoſe things that are before. I preſs towards the mark, &c. It were too much to comment upon thoſe p…a…s of like importance, labouring, ſeeking, ſtriving, fighting, running, …ſt…ing, panting, longing, h…ngring, thirſting, watching, and many others which the Holy Ghoſt makes uſ… of up and down the Scriptures, to expreſs the active, induſtriou…, vigorous, d…ge…t and powerfull nature of this divine principle, which God hath put into the ſouls of his elect. The ſtreams of divine grace which flow forth from the throne of God and of the Lamb into the ſouls of men, do not cleanſe them and ſo paſs away, like ſome violent Land-Flood that waſhes the fields and meadows, and ſo leaves them to contract as much filth as ever; but the ſame become a well of water, continually ſpringing up▪ bo…ling and b…bling and working in the ſoul, and ſending out freſh rivers, foreign, as our Saviour calls them, Joh. 7. 38. Out of his billy ſhall flow rivers of living water.
But more particularly to unfold the Active nature of this divine principle in the ſoul, we ſhall conſider it in theſe three particulars, viz. as it is ſt…ll conforming to God, Doing for him, and longing after him.
1. The Active and ſprightly nature of true godlineſs or Religion planted by God in the ſoul appears and ſhews itſelf in a continued car… and ſtudy to be good▪ to conform▪ more and more to the nature of the bl…ſſed God, the glorious patter… of all perfection. The nature of God being infinitely and abſolutely perfect, is the only rule of perfection to the creature. If we ſpeak of Goodneſs, our Saviour tells us that God alone is good, Luke 18. 19. of wiſdom, the Apoſtle tells us, that God is only wiſe, 1 Tim. 1. 17. of power, he is omnipotent, Rev. 19. 6. of mercy and kindneſs, he is love itſelf, 1 Joh. 4 8. men are only good by way of participation from God, and▪ in a way of aſſimilation to him: ſo that though good men may be imitated, and followed, yet it muſt be with a quatinus with this limitation, as far forth as they are followers of God: the great Apoſtle durſt not preſs his example any further, 1 Cor. 11. 1. Be ye followers of me, even as I alſo am of Chriſt. But the nature of God being infinitely and abſolutely perfect, is to be …yed and imitated ſingly, entirely, univerſally, in all things wherein the creature is capable of following him, and becoming like unto him. So Chriſtians are required to look up unto the Father of lights, the fountain of all perfections, and to take from him the pattern of their diſpoſitions and converſations, to eye him continually and eying him, foreign, to derive an image of him (not into their eye, as we do by ſenſible objects but) into their ſouls, to poliſh and frame them into the moſt clear and lively reſemblances of him; that is in the language of the Scripture, to be perfect, as their heavenly father is perfect, Ma…. 5 44. 45, 48. to be holy as God is holy, 1 Per. 1. 16. And thus the genuine children of God are deſcribed by the Holy Ghoſt, Epheſ. 5. 1. they are followers of God. This is the ſhorteſt, but the ſureſt and cleareſt mark that can be given of a good man, a follower of God: They are not owned for the children of God, who are created by him, nor they who have a notional knowledge of him, who profeſs him, or exhibit ſome externall worſhip and ſervice to him in the world; but they that imitate him: the true children of Abraham were▪ not thoſe that were deſcended from him, or boaſted of him, but they that did the works of Abraham, Joh. 8. 39. eve… ſo are they only the off-ſpring of Heaven, the true and dear children of …he living God, who are followers of him; be ye followers of God … dear Children. A godly ſoul having its eyes opened to behold the infinite beauty, purity and perfect on of that good God whoſe nature is the very Fountain, and muſt needs then be the Rule of all goodneſs, preſently comes to undervalue all created excellencies both in it ſelf and all the world beſides, as to any ſatisfaction that is to be had in them, or any perfection … can be acquired by them▪ and … endure to take up with any … …od, or live by any lower r…l… than God himſelf. A godly man having the unclean and rebellious ſpirit caſt out, and being once reconciled to the nature of God, is daily labouring to be more intimately united thereunto, and to be all that which God is (as far as he is capable,) the nature of God being infinitely▪ more pure and perfect, and more deſirable than his own. Religion is a partic…pation of life from him who is life itſelf, and ſo muſt needs be an active principle ſpreading it ſelf in the ſoul, and cauſing the ſoul to ſpread it ſelf in God: And therefore the Kingdom of Heaven, which in many places of the Goſpel. I take to be nothing elſe but this divine principle in the ſoul, which is both the …eſt Heaven, and moſt properly a Kingdom, (for thereby God doth moſt powerfully reign and exerciſe his Soveraignty, and moſt excellently diſplay and manifeſt his glory in the world) is compared to ſeed ſown in good ground, which both ſp…ingeth up into a blade, and bringeth forth fruit; to Muſtard-ſeed, which ſp…deth i…s ſelf, and groweth great, ſo that the birds of the air may lodge in the branches thereof; to Leaven, ſpreading it ſelf thorow the whole quantity of meal, and leavening the whole and all the parts of it. M…tth. 13. By a like ſimilitude, the path of the juſt is compared to a ſhining light, whoſe glory & …uſtre encreaſeth continually, ſhining more and more unto the perfect day, Prov. 4. 18. which continuall growing up of the holy ſoul into God, is excellently deſcribed by the Apoſtle in an elegant metaphor, 2 Cor. 3. 18. We all with open face, beholding as in a glaſs, the glory of the Lord, are changed into the ſame image from glory to glory; that is, from one reſemblance of divine glory to another. The gracious ſoul no… being contented with its▪ preſent a…tainments, and having in its eye a perfect and abſolute good, forgets that which is behind, and labours, prays▪ ſtrives, and ſtudies to get the perfections of God more clearly cop…ed out upon it ſelf, and it ſelf as much as may be, ſwal…owed up in the divin…y: I cove…s earneſtly theſe beſt th…gs, …o be p…r…ct…d … grace and holineſs, to have divine characters more fair and legible, divine impreſſion… ▪ more deep and lively▪ divine life more ſtrong and powerful, and the communicable Image of the bleſſed God ſpread quite over it, and through it: A godly ſoul is not content to receive of Chriſt's fulneſs, but labours to be filled with the fulneſs, with all the fulneſs of God; he rejoyces indeed, that he hath received of Chriſt grace for grace, as a child hath limb for limb with his Father; but this his joy is not fulfilled, except he find himſelf adding daily ſome cubits to his Infantſtature; nor indeed then neither, nor can it be, until he come to the meaſure of the ſtature of his Lord, and be grown up into him in all things, who is the head, even Chriſt, Epheſ. 4. 15. He delights and glories in God, beholding his ſpices growing in his ſoul; but that does not ſatisfie him, except he may ſee them flowing out alſo, Cant. 4. 16. He is neither barren nor unfruitful, as the Apoſtle Peter ſpeaks; but that is not enough, he deſires to be fat and fruitful alſo, as a watered Garden, as the Prophet phraſeth it, even as the Garden of God. The ſpirit luſteth againſt the fleſh, and ſtruggles with it in the ſame womb of the ſoul, as Jacob with Eſau, until he had caſt him out: The ſeed of God warreth continually againſt the ſeed of the Serpent, raging and reſtleſs, like Jehu ſhooting, and ſtabbing, and ſtrangling all he meets with, till none at all remain of the family of that Ahab, who had formerly been his Maſter: Oh how do's the godly and devout ſoul long to have Chriſt's victory carried on in it ſelf, to have Chriſt going on in him conquering and to conquer, till at length the very laſt enemy be ſubdued, that the Prince of Peace may ride triumphantly thorow all the Coaſts and Regions of his heart and life, and not ſo much as a Dog move his tongue againſt him … This holy principle which is of God in the ſoul, is actually induſtrious too; it doth not fold the arms together, hide its hand in its boſome, faintly wiſhing to obtain a final conqueſt over its enemies, but advances it ſelf with a noble ſtoutneſs neſs againſt luſts and paſſions, even as the Sun glorieth againſt the darkneſs of the night, until it have chaſed it all away. The godly ſoul puts it ſelf under the banner of Chriſt, fights under the conduct of the Angel of God's preſence, and ſo marches up undauntedly againſt the children of Anak, thoſe earthly loves, luſts, ſenſual affections, which are indeed taller and ſtronger than all other enemies that do encounter it in this wilderneſs ſtate: and the gracious God is not wanting to ſuch endeavours, he remembring his promiſe, helpeth his ſervants, even that promiſe, Iſa. 49. 31. That they that wait upon the Lord, ſhall renew their ſtrength. A true Iſraelitiſh ſoul impregnated with this noble and heroick principle, is not like thoſe ſlothful Iſraelites, that were content with what they had got of the holy Land, and either could not, or cared not to enlarge their border, Judg. 1. But he makes war upon the remainder of the Canaanites, and is never at reſt till be have with Sarah, caſt out the bond woman and her Son too. You may ſee an emblem of ſuch a ſoul in Moſes holding up his hands all the day long, till Amalek was quite discomfited, Exo. 17. As oft as the floods of temptation, ſpringing from the Devil, the world, or the fleſh, do offer to come in upon him, he oppoſeth them in the ſtrength of Chriſt, or if you will, in the Prophets phraſe, (Iſa. 59. 19.) The Spirit of the Lord lifteth up a ſtandard againſt them, ſo that he is not carried down by them, or at leaſt, not overwhelmed with them. In the beginning of my diſcourſe upon this head, I hinted to you the reaſon why the godly ſoul continually ſtudies conformity of God, even becauſe he is the perfect and abſolute good, and the ſoul reckons that its happineſs conſiſts only in being like unto him, in partaking of a divine nature. But I might alſo here take occaſion ſpeak of three things, which I will but briefly name, and ſo paſt on.
Firſt, A godly man reckons with himſelf, that conformity to the image and nature of God, is the moſt proper converſing with God in the world. The great, and indeed only imployment of an immortal ſoul, is to converſe with its Creator; for this end it was made, and made ſo capacious as we ſee it: Now to partake of a divine nature, to be indutd with a God-like diſpoſition, is moſt properly to converſe with God; this is a real, powerful, practical and feeling converſe with him, infinitely to be preferred before all notions, profeſſions, performances, or ſpeculations.
Secondly, A godly man reckons that the image of God is the glory and ornament of the ſoul; it is the luſtre, and, brightneſs, and beauty of the ſoul, as the ſoul is of the body. Holineſs is not only the duty, but the higheſt honour and dignity that any created nature is capable of: And therefore the godly ſoul, (who hath his ſenſes exerciſed to diſcern good and evil) purſues after it, as after his ſull and proper perfection.
Thirdly, A godly man reckons that conformity to the divine image, participation of the divine nature, is the ſureft and moſt comfortable evidence of divine love, which is a matter of ſo great enquity in the world. By growing up daily in Chriſt Jeſus, we are infallibly aſſured of our implantation into him. The Spirit of God deſcending upon the ſoul in the impreſſions of meekneſs, kindneſs, uprightneſs, which is a Dove-like diſpoſition, is a better, and more deſirable evidence of our Sonſhip, and God's favour towards us, than if we had the Spirit deſcending upon our heads in a Dove-like ſhape, as it did upon our bleſſed Saviour. Theſe things may paſs for a kind of reaſons, why the religious Chriſtian, above all things, labours to become God-like, to be formed more and more into a reſemblance of the ſupreme good, and to drink in divine perfections into the very inmoſt of his ſoul.
2. The active and induſtrious nature of true Godlineſs, or Religion manifeſts its ſelf in a good man's continual care, and ſtudy to do good, to ſerve the intereſt of the holy and bleſſed God in the world. A good man being maſtered with the ſenſe of the infinite goodneſs of God, and the great: end of his life, cannot think it worth while to ſpend himſelf for any inferiour good, or beſtow his time and ſtrength for any lower end than that it; and therefore as it is the main happineſs of his life to enjoy God, ſo he makes it the main buſineſs of his life to ſerve him, to be doing for him, to lay out himſelf for him, and to diſplay and propagate his glory in the world. And as he is raviſhed with the apprehenſions of the ſupreme goodneſs, which doth infinitely deſerve, and may juſtly challenge all that he can do or expend for him, ſo he doth indeed really partake of the active and communicative nature of that bleſſed Being, and himſelf becomes active and communicative too: A godly ſoul ſluggiſh and unactive, is as if one ſhould ſay, a godly ſoul altogether unlike to God; a pure contradiction. I cannot dwell upon any of thoſe particular deſigus of ſerving the intereſt of God's glory, which a good man is ſtill driving on in the world: Only this in general, whether be pray, or preach, or read, or celebrate Sabbaths, or adminiſter private reproof or inſtruction, or indeed plow or ſow, eat or drink, all this while he lives not to himſelf, but ſerves an higher intereſt than that of the fleſh, and a higher good than himſelf, or any created Being. A true Chriſtian actively doth not only appear in thoſe things which call duties of Worſhip, or religious performances; but in the whole frame of the heart contriving, and the converſation expreſſing and unfolding the glory of God. A holy, ſerious, heavenly, humble, ſober, righteous, and ſelfdenying courſe of life, do's moſt excellently expreſs the divine glory, by imitating the nature of God, and moſt effectually call all men to the imitation of it; according as our Saviour hath nakedly ſtated the caſe, Joh. 15. 8. Hereby is my Father glorified, that ye bring forth much fruit: By which fruits are not to be underſtood only preaching, praying, conference, which are indeed high and excellent duties; but alſo righteouſneſs, temperance, ſelfdenial, which things are pure reflections of the divine image, and a real glorifying of God's Name and perfections. A good Chriſtian cannot be content to be happy alone, to be ſtill drawing down Heaven into his own ſoul; but he endeavours alſo both by prayer, counſel, and holy example, to draw up the ſouls of other men Heaven-ward. This God witneſſeth of Abraham, Gen. 18. 19. I know him, that he will command his children, and his houſhold after him, and they ſhall keep the way of the Lord: And this Moſes doth excelently witneſs of himſelf in that holy …apture of his, Numb. 11. 29. Would God that all the Lord's people were Prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them! By ſuch examples as theſe a good man deſires to live, yea by higher preſidents than either Abraham or Moſes, even by the example of the Father and of the Son: He admires and ſtrives to imitate that character which is given of God himſelf. Pſal. 119. 68. Thou art good, and doſt good; and that which is given of Chriſt Jeſus, the Lord of life, Act. 10. 38. Who went about doing good; who alſo witneſſed elſewhere concerning himſelf, that he came not into the world to do his own will, nor ſeek his own glory, but the will and glory of him that ſent him: And again, Luk. 2. 49. Wiſt ye not that I muſt be about my Father's buſineſs? Oh how happy would the godly ſoul count it ſelf, if it could but live and converſe in the world at the ſame rate, and with the ſame devout, fervent, exalted ſpirit, as Chriſt Jeſus did, whoſe meat and drink it was ſtill to be doing the will, and advancing the glory of his Father! But (alas) the poor ſoul finds it ſelf enſnared by paſſions, and ſelfiſh affections from within, clogg'd with an unweildy body, and diſtracted with ſecular affairs from without, that it cannot riſe ſo nimbly, run ſo ſwiftly, nor ſerve the infinite and glorious God ſo chearfully, nor liberally, as it would, and therefore the poor priſoner ſigbs within it ſelf, and wiſhes that it might eſcape: But finding a certain time determined upon it in the body, which it muſt be content to live out, it looks up, and is ready to envy the Angels of God, becauſe it cannot live as they do, who are alwaies upon God's errand, and almoſt thinks much that it ſelf is not a Miniſtring Spirit, ſerving the pure and perfect will of the ſupreme good, without grudging or ceaſing. The godly ſoul under theſe powerful apprehenſions of the nature of God, the example of Chriſt, and the honourable office of the holy Angels, is ready to grudge the body that attendance that it calls for, and thoſe offices which it is forc't to perform to it; as judging them impertinent to its main happineſs, and moſt excellent employment; it is ready to envy that more chearful and willing ſervice, which it finds from the heavy and droſſy body with which it is united, and to cry out, Oh that I were that to my God, which my body, my eyes, hands and feet are to me! For I ſay to one of theſe, go, and he goeth: and to another, do this, and he doeth it. In a word, a good man being acquainted feelingly with the higheſt good, eying diligently the great end of his coming into the world, and his ſhort time of being in i…, ſerves the Eternal and Bleſſed God, lives upon eternal deſigns; and by conſecrating all his actions unto God, gives a kind of an immortality to them, which are in themſelves ſ…tting and tranſient: He counts it a repro…ch to any man, much more to a godly man, to do any thing inſignificantly, much more to live i…percinently; and he reckons all things that have not a tendency to the higheſt good, and a ſubſerviency to the great and laſt end, to be impertinencies, yea and abſurdities in an immortal ſoul, which ſhould continually be ſpringing up into everlaſting life.
3. The active and vigorous nature of true Religion, manifeſts it ſelf in thoſe powerful and inceſſant longings after God, with which it fills that ſoul in which it is planted. This I ſuperadd to the two former, becauſe the godly man, though he be formed into ſome likeneſs to God, yet deſires to be more like him; and though he be ſomewhat ſerviceable to him, yet deſires to be more inſtrumental to his will: though he be good, yet deſires to be better; and though he do good, yet he deſires to do better, or at leaſt more. And indeed, I reckon that theſe ſincere and holy hungrings after God, which I am going to ſpeak of, are one of the beſt ſigns that I know in the world, of ſpiritual health, and the beſt foreign of a true Chriſtian: For in this low and animal ſtate, we are better acquainted with lovings and languiſhings, than with fruition or ſatisfaction; and the beſt enjoyment that we have of God in this world, is but ſcant and ſhort, indeed but a kind of a longing to enjoy him. Love is certainly a high and noble affection; but (alas) our love, whilſt we are here in the body, is in its non-age, in its weak and ſickly ſtate, rather a longing, than a loving, much unlike to what it will be, when it ſhall be grown up unto its perfect ſtature in glory. But this ſickly kind of languiſhing affection, is a certain ſymptom of a healthful conſtitution, or (as the Apoſtle calls it) of the ſpirit of a ſound mind. Godly ſouls are thirſty ſouls, alwaies gaſping after the living ſprings of divine grace, even as the parched Deſart gapeth for the dew of Heaven, the early and the later rain. One would wonder what kind of Magick there was in Elijahs mantle, that the very caſting of it upon Eliſha ſhould make him leave Oxen and Plough, yea Father and Mother and all, to run after a ſtranger: Elijah himſelf ſeems to wonder at it, 1 King. 19. 20. What have I done to thee? oh but what a mighty char… is there in divine love! which when it is once ſhew abroad in the ſoul, makes the ſoul to ſpread itſelf in it, and to it, as the heliotrope attending the motions of the Sun, and turning itſelf every way towards it, wellcoming its warm and refreſhing beams. Elijah paſſing by Eliſha as he was at plough, and catching him with his mantle, is but a ſcant reſembl…nce of the bleſſed God paſſing by a carnal mind, and wrapping it in the mantle of his love, and thereby cauſing it to run, yea to flye ſwiftly after him. If divine grace do but once touch the ſoul, the ſoul preſently ſticks to it, as the needle to the Loadſtone. They that heard Chriſt Jeſus chiding the winds and the waves, cryed out what manner of man is this, that even the winds and the ſea obey him: But if one had been preſent when he called James and John from their nets, Matthew from the Cuſtome-houſe; and Za…heus from the tree, and by calling made them willing to come, would have cryed o…t ſure, what manner of God is this, that by his bare word, makes poor men leave their trades and livelyhood, and rich men their gainfull exactions, uſuries, oppreſſions to follow him, and ſhews them no reaſon why. What a mighty vertue is there in the oyntment of Chriſts name, that as ſoon as it is poured out, the Virgins fall in love with him, Cant. 1. 3? Micah cryed out when he was in purſuit of his Gods, and ſhould they ask him what ailed him? And will ye wonder that a holy Soul in purſuit of the holy God ſhould be …arneſt; that he ſhould run, and cry as he runs, as I have ſeen a fond child whom the father or mother have endeavoured to leave behind them. God breathing into the Soul, makes the Soul breath after him, and in a mixture of holy diſd…in and anger, to thruſt away from itſelf all diſtracting companions, occaſions and concernments, ſaying with Ephraim to her Idols, Get ye hence: The Soul thus inſpired is ſo far from proſtituting it ſelf to any …arthly ſenſual, ſelfiſh luſts and loves, that it cannot brook any thing that would weaken it in the proſecution of the higheſt good; it is impatient of every thing that would either ſtop or ſlacken its motions after God. The godly man deſires ſtill to be doing ſomething for God indeed; but if the caſe ſo fall out that he cannot ſpend his life for God as he deſires, yet he will be ſpending his ſoul upon him: though he cannot perpetually abide upon the knee of prayer, yet he would be continually upon the wing of faith and love: when his tongue cleaves to the roof of his mouth that he cannot ſpeak for God, yet his Soul ſhall cleave unto him, and complain becauſe it can ſpeak no longer. For faith and love are kni…ing graces, and do long to make the ſoul as much one with their object, as is poſſible for the creature to be with its Creator. Religion puts a reſtleſs appeti…e into the ſoul after a higher good, and makes it to throw itſelf into his arms, and wind itſelf into his embraces, longing to be in a more intimate conjunction with him, or rather entirely wrapt up in him: Itſelf is an unſatiable and covetous principle in the ſoul, much like to the daughter of the horſeleech, crying continually Give, Give: what the Prophet ſpeaks rhetorically of Hell, Iſa. 50. is alſo true concerning this off-ſpring of Heaven, in the Soul, it enlargeth it ſelf, and openeth its mouth without meaſure. The ſpirit of true godlineſs ſeems to be altogether ſuch, that it cannot reſt in any meaſures of grace, or be fully contented with any of its attainments in this life; but ardently longs to receive the more plentiful communications of love, the more deep and legible impreſſions of grace, the more clear and ample experiences of divine aſſiſtance, the more ſenſible evidences of divine favour, the more powerfull and raviſhing illapſes and incoms of divine conſolation into itſelf; let him kiſs me with the kiſſes of his mouth, Cant. 1. 2. ſuch is the ſpirit of true godlineſs, that the weakeſt that is indued with it, longs to be as David, and the Davids to be as God, as the Angel of the Lord, according to that promiſe, Zach. 12. 8. The godly ſoul that is in his right ſenſes, under the powerfull apprehenſions of the lovelineſs of God, and the beauty of holineſs cannot be content to live by any lower inſtance than that of David, whoſe ſoul even broke for the longing that it had unto the Lord, Pſal. 119. 20, or that of the ſpouſe, who was even ſick of love, Cant. 2. 5. You have read of the Mother of Siſera, looking out at the window waiting for his coming, and crying through the latteſs, why is his Chariot ſo long in coming; why tarry the wheels of his Chariots? But this is not to be compared to the foreign the earneſt expectation of the creature, the new creature, waiting ſort he manifeſtation of God; which the Apoſtle elegantly expreſſeth, and yet ſeems …o labour for words, as if he could not ſufficiently expreſs it neither, Rom. 8. 23. you have read of the Iſraelites marching up towards the promiſed land, and murmuring that they were held ſo long in the wilderneſs: But the true Iſraelitiſh Soul makes more haſt with leſs diſcontent, marches as under the conduct of the Angel of Gods preſence, and longs to arrive at its reſt: But alas it is held in the wilderneſs too, and therefore cannot be fully quiet in itſelf, but ſends forth ſpyes to view the land, the ſcouts of Faith and Hope like Caleb and Joſhua thoſe men of another ſpirit, and theſe go and walk through the holy land, and return home to the ſoul, and come back, not as Noahs dove with an Olive leaf in her mouth, but with ſome cluſters in their hands, they bring the ſoul a taſte of the good things of the Kingdom, of the glories of her eternal ſtate: yea the ſoul▪ ſelf marches up to poſſeſs the land, goes out, with the ſpouſe in the Canticles, to meet the Lord, to ſeek him whom her ſoul loveth. Religion is a ſacred fire kept burning in the temple of the ſoul continually, which being once kindled from Heaven, never goes out, but burns up Heaven-wards, as the nature of fire is: this fire is kept alive in the ſoul to all eternity, though ſometimes through the aſhes of earthly cares and concernments caſt into it, or the Sun of earthly proſperity ſhining upon it, it may ſometimes burn more dimly, and ſeem almoſt as if it were quite ſmothered: this fire is for ſacrifice too, though ſacrifice be not alwayes offered upon it; the ſame fire of faith and love which offered up the morning Sacrifice is kept alive all the day long, and is ready to kindle the evening Sacrifice too, when the appointed time of it ſhall come. In this chariot of fire it is that the ſoul is continually carryed out towards God, and accompliſheth a kind of foreign or glorification daily; and when it finds i… ſelf firmly ſeated and ſwiftly carryed herein, it no longer envies the tranſlation of Elias. The ſpirit of ſanctification is in the ſoul as a burning fire ſhut up in the bones, which makes the ſoul weary with forbearing, and ſo powerfull in longings, that it cannot ſtay; as the ſpirit of propheſie is deſcribed, Jer. 20. it is more true of the ſpirit of God than of the ſpirit of Elih…, the ſpirit within conſtraineth, and even dreſſeth the ſoul, ſo that it is ready to ſwoun and faint away for very vehemence of longing. S…e the am… rous ſpouſe falling into one of theſe fainting fi…s, Cant. 2. 5. and crying out mainly for ſome cordial from Heaven to keep up her ſinking ſpirits, Stay me with flaggons, ſtraw me with apples, for I am ſick of love. Oh beautifull and bleſſed fight, a ſoul working towards God, gaſping and longing and labouring after its proper happineſs and perfection! Well, the ſinking ſoul is relieved, Chriſt Jeſus reacheth forth his left hand to her head, and his right hand embraceth her; and now ſhe recovers, her hanging hands lift up themſelves, and the … of her …ading complex on … reſtored; now ſhe ſits down under his ſhadow with great delight, and his fruit is ſweet unto her taſte. See here, the faireſt ſight on this ſide Heaven; a ſoul reſting, and glorying, and ſpreading itſelf in the arms of God, growing up in him, growing great in him, growing full in his fulneſs, and perfectly raviſhed with his pure love! O my ſoul, be not content to live by any lower inſtance! did not our hearts burn within us ſaid the two Diſciples one to the other, whileſt he talked with us? But the ſoul in which the ſacred fire of love is powerfully kindled, doth not only burn towards God, whileſt he is more familiarly preſent with it, and as it were blows upon it; but if he ſeem to withdraw from it, it burns after him ſtill; my beloved had withdrawn himſelf and was gone, I ſought him, I called him, Cant. 5. 6. And if the fire begin to languiſh, and ſeem as if it would go out, the holy ſoul is ſtartled preſently, and labours foreign, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, to revive it and blow it up again, calls upon itſelf to awake, to ariſe and purſue to mend its pace, and to ſpeed its heavy and ſluggiſh motions. This divine active principle in the ſoul maintains a continual ſtriving, a holy ſtrugling and ſtre…ching forth of the ſoul towards God, a bold and ardent contention after the ſupre…m good; foreign, Religien hath the ſtrength of the Divinity in it, its motions towards its object are quick and potent. That elegant deſcription which the Prophet makes of the wicked heart, with ſome change may be brought liv…ly to expreſs this excellent temper of the godly ſoul; it is like the working Sea which cannot …eſt: and although its waters do not caſt up mire and dirt, yet in a holy impatience, they riſe and ſwell, and caſt up a froth and ſome towards Heaven. In a word, that I may comprize many things in few expreſſions, no man ſo ambitious as the humble, none ſo covetous as the heavenly-minded, none ſo voluptuous as the ſelf-denying: Religion gives a largeneſs and wideneſs to the ſoul, which ſin, and ſelf, and the world had ſtraightned and confined: But his Ambition is only to be great in God, his Covetouſneſs is only to be filled with all the fulneſs of God, and his voluptuouſneſs is only to drink of the rivers of his pure pleaſures: He deſires to taſte the God whom he ſees, and to be ſatisfied with the God whom he taſtes. Oh now, how are all the faculties of the ſoul awakened to attendance upon the Lord of life! It hearkens for the ſound of his feet coming, the noiſe of his hands knocking at the door, it ſtands upon its watch tower waiting for his appearing, waiting more earneſtly than they that watch for the morning, and rejoyces to meet him at his coming; and having met him, runs into his arms, kiſſes him, holds him, and will not let him goe, but brings him into the houſe, and entertains him in the gueſt-chamber: The ſoul complains that itſelf is not large enough, that there is not room enough to entertain ſo glorious a gueſt, no not though it have given him all the room that it hath: It entertains him with the wideſt arms, and the ſweeteſt ſmiles; and if he depart and withdraw, fetches him again with the deepeſt groans, Return, Return, O Prince of Peace, and make me an everlaſting habitation of righteouſneſs unto thy ſelf!
It will not be amiſs here briefly to touch upon the Reaſon of the godly ſouls ſo ardent pantings after God. And here I might ſhew firſt negatively, that it ſprings not from any carnal ambition of being better and higher than others, not from any …arnal hope of impunity and ſafety, nor meerly from the bitter ſenſe of preſſing and tormenting afflictions in this life. But I ſhall rather inſiſt upon it affirmatively. Theſe earneſt breathings … God ſpring from the feeling apprehenſions of ſelf-indigency and inſufficiency, and …e powerful ſenſe of divine goodneſs and fulneſs, they are begotten of the divine Bounty and ſelf ſufficiency manifeſting itſelf to the ſpirits of men, and conceived and brought forth by a deep ſenſe of ſelfpoverty: one might almoſt apply the Apoſtles words to this purpoſe, we receive the ſentence of death in our ſelves, that we ſhould not truſt in our ſelves, but in him. I ſhall not diſcourſe upon theſe two heads disjunctly, but frame them into one notion, and ſo you may take it thus; theſe holy longings of the godly ſoul after God, do ariſe from the ſenſe of its diſtance from God. To be ſo far diſtant from God who is life and love itſelf, and the proper and full happineſs of the ſoul, is grievous to the ſoul that is rightly affected towards him; and hence it is that the ſoul cannot be at reſt, but ſtill longs to be more intimately joyned to him, and more perfectly filled with him: and the clearer the ſouls apprehenſions are of its object, and the deeper its ſenſe is of its own unlikeneſs to him, and diſtance from him, the more ſtrong and impatient are its breathings; inſomuch that not only fear (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks,) but even love itſelf ſometimes ſeems to itſelf to have a kind of agony and torment in itſelf; which made the ſpouſe cry ſhe was ſick of love, that is, ſick of every thing that kept her from her love, ſick of that diſtance at which ſhe ſtood from her beloved Lord. The godly ſoul being raviſht with the infinite ſweetneſs and goodneſs of God, longs to be that rather than what itſelf i…, and beholding how it is eſtranged from him, by many ſenſual loves, ſelfiſh paſſions, corporal clogs and diſtractions, bewails its diſtance, and cryes out within itſelf, Oh when ſhall I come and appear before God! Oh when will God come and appear gloriouſly to me and in me! who will deliver me from this body of death! Oh that mortality were ſwallowed up of life! Davids ſoul did wait for God as earneſtly, and more properly than they that watch for the morning; they may be ſaid rather to be weary of the long and cold and troubleſome night, than properly covetous of the day; but he out of a pure and ſpiritual ſenſe of his eſtrangement from God longs to appear before him, and be wrapt up in him. Heal the Godly man of all his affl…ctio…s, grievances, adverſities in the world, that he may have nothing to trouble him, nor put him to pain; yet he is not quiet, he is in pain becauſe of the diſtance whereat he ſtands from God: give him the whole world and all the glory of it, yet he has not enough, he ſtill cryes and craves give, give, becauſe he is not entirely ſwallowed up in God: he openeth his month wide, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks, and all the Silver and Gold, peace, health, liberty, pre…erment, that you caſt into it, cannot fill it, becauſe they are not God, he cannot look upon them as his chiefeſt good. In a word, A godly man doth not ſo much ſay, in the ſenſe either of ſin or affliction, Oh that one would give me the wings of a Dove, that I may fly away and be at reſt, as in the ſenſe of his diſſimilitude to, and diſtance from God, Oh that one would give me the wings of an Eagle, that I might fly away towards Heaven!