Immanuel, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
Religion conſidered in the conſequent of Not thirſting: the phraſe explained two wayes, both reſulting into the ſame general truth, viz. that divine grace gives a ſolid ſatisfaction to the ſoul. This Aphoriſme confirmed by ſome Scriptures, and largely explained in ſix propoſitions. The firſt, that there is a raging thirſt in every ſoul of man, after ſome ultimate and ſatisfactory good: The ſecond, that every natural man thirſteth principally after happineſs in the creature: The third that no man can find that ſoul-filling ſatisfaction in any creature enjoyment which every natural man principally ſeeketh therein; this proſecuted in two particulars: The fourth, that grace takes not away the ſouls thirſt after happineſs, but much enflames it; the reaſon aſſigned. The fifth, that the godly ſoul thirſteth no more after Reſt in any worldly thing, but in God alone; this proſecuted in both the branches of it; in the former more largely, where enquiry is made how far a godly man may be ſaid to thirſt after the creature, and anſwered in four particulars: the latter briefly toucht upon. The ſixth, that in the enjoyment of God the ſoul is at Reſt; and this in a double ſenſe, viz. ſo as that it is perfectly matcht with its object; two things noted for the clearing of this; Secondly, ſo ſatisfied as to have joy and pleaſure in him; a double account given of that joy. The chapter expires in a paſſionate lamentation taken up over the levity and earthlineſs of Chriſtian minds.
John 4. 14.
Whoſoever drinketh of the water that I ſhall give him ſhall never thirſt, &c.
HItherto we have taken a view of true Religion as it ſtands deſcribed in this pregnant text by its original, nature, and properties: we are now to conſider it in the certain and genuine conſequent of it; and that is in one word Affirmatively, ſatisfaction; or if you will, negatively, not thirſting: for ſo it is in our Saviours phraſe, whoſoever drinketh of the water that I ſhall give him ſhall never thirſt.
Whileſt I addreſs my ſelf to the explication of this phraſe, I ſuppoſe I need not be ſo exact and curious as to tell you in order, with a certain kind of Scholaſtical gravity, firſt, what is nor, and then what is meant by it: For I preſume no body will dream of a corporeal or groſs kind of thirſting to be meant here. Grace doth no more quench the thirſt of the body, than elementary water can relieve the panting of the ſoul. Nay he himſelf was ſubject to this groſs kind of thirſt, who gave to others the water whereof if they drank, they ſhould never thirſt more. If it be underſtood of a ſpiritual thirſt, yet I ſuppoſe I need not to tell you neither, that then it muſt not be underſtood abſolutely: For it cannot poſſibly be that the thirſt of a Soul ſhould be perfectly allayed, till all its faculties be filled up to the brim of their reſpective capacities; which will never be untill it be ſwallowed up in the infinite and unbounded Ocean of the ſupream good.
But I conceive we may fairly come to the meaning of this phraſe [never thirſt] either by adding or diſtinguiſhing.
Firſt, Then let us ſupply the ſentence thus, whoſoever drinketh of the water that I ſhall give him, ſhall never thirſt after any other water. There is no worldly liquor can be ſo accommodated or attempered to the Palate as to give it an univerſal ſatisfaction, ſo as that a man ſhould be perfectly mortified to all variety: But this Heavenly water which our Saviour treats of here, is ſo fitted to the Palate of ſpirits, and brings ſuch ſatisfaction along with it, that the ſoul that is made to drink of it do's ſupercede its chaſe of all other delights, counts all other waters but a filthy and ſtinking puddle, thirſts no more after any other thing, neither through neceſſity nor for variety. The more the ſoul drinks of this water indeed, the more it thirſteth after fuller meaſures, and larger potions of the ſame, and do's not only ſuck in divine vertue and influences, but even longs to be itſelf ſuckt up in the divinity, as we ſhall ſee further in the procedure of this diſcourſe: But its thirſt after all created good, all the waters of the Ciſtern are hereby extinguiſhed, or at leaſt maſtered and mortified. Or,
Secondly, By diſtinguiſhing upon thirſt, the ſenſe of the phraſe will be clearly this, whoſoever drinketh of the water that I ſhall give him ſhall never be at a loſs more, never be to ſeek any more, never be uncertain or unſatisfied as to his main happineſs or ſupream object, be ſhall not rove and range up and down the world in an unfixedneſs and ſuſpenſe any more, ſhall not run up and down to ſeek ſatisfaction and reſt any more. From an internal unſatisfiedneſs of the body ſpring violent and reſtleſs motions and runnings up and down, by which thirſt is contracted; ſo that by a Metonymy thirſt comes to be uſed for unſatisfiedneſs, which is the remote cauſe of it; and by a metaphor the ſame phraſe comes to be applyed to the ſoul. I ſuppoſe I am warranted by the ſacred ſtyle thus to interpret, eſpecially by the uſe and explication of the phraſe in Jer. 2. 25. where the Prophet intimates that by thirſt is to be meant a reſtleſs and diſcontented running up and down to ſeek ſatisfaction, withhold thy foot from being unſhod, and thy throat from thirſt, which two phraſes are of the ſame importance, and ſignifie no more than ceaſe from gadding after your Idols; and that this is the meaning of that thirſting appears by the anſwer that the wilfull and deſperate people make in the ſequel of the verſe: For inſtead of ſaying, no, but we will thirſt, they cry, no, but after them will I goe. To thirſt then, is in an unſatisfiedneſs and ſpiritual diſquiet to range up and down ſeeking ſomething wherein ultimately to acquieſce. And in this ſenſe it is moſt true what our Lord here pronounceth, that whoſoever drinketh of the water that I ſhall give him, ſhall never thirſt. Of which thirſt that famous Proclamation of our Saviours is to be underſtood, Joh. 7. 37. If any man thirſt, let him come unto me and drink; in which place alſo we muſt neceſſrily underſtand what is here expreſt, that then he ſhall never thirſt more.
It matters not much by which of theſe two wayes we explain the phraſe here of [not thirſting;] for according to either of them it will reſult into this theological maxime, viz. that▪
Divine grace or true Chriſtian Religion gives a real and ſolid ſatisfaction to the ſoul that is principled with it. This will appear plain, though we apply but out of each Teſtament of the holy Scriptures one text thereunto. I think it cannot reaſonably be doubted but that the Propheſie and promiſe made in Iſa. 49. 10. is to be performed unto believers in this preſent life, for ſo muſt the foregoing verſes neceſſarily be underſtood; and there we have the doctrine expreſly aſſerted, They ſhall not hunger nor thirſt, &c. for he that hath mercy on them, ſhall lead them, even by the ſprings of water ſhall he guide them. To which thoſe words of our Saviour are parallel, Joh. 6. 35. he that believeth on me ſhall never thirſt: which doctrine of his is yet amplified and enlarged in Joh. 7. 38. he that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath ſaid, out of his belly ſhall flow rivers of living water. What greater ſecurity from thirſt can be deſired, than that one ſhould be led by ſprings of water? yes, one may be led by the ſprings of water, and yet not be ſuffered to drink of them: well therefore to put all out of fear, the godly ſoul ſhall contain within himſelf a ſpring of water, he ſhall have rivers of living waters in himſelf; and for his fuller ſecurity, theſe rivers ſhall be ever flowing too. It ſhall ſuffice at preſent, thus briefly to have eſtabliſht this concluſion. And now having lapt up the meaning of the words in this ſhort poſition, I ſhall endeavour to unfold it in theſe ſix following propoſitions.
1. There is a raging thirſt in every ſoul of man after ſome ultimate and ſatisfactory good. The God of nature hath implanted in every created nature a ſecret but powerful tendency towards a centre, which dictates ariſing out of the very conſtitution of it, it cannot diſobey, untill it ceaſe so be ſuch, and utterly apoſtatize from the ſtate of its Creation. And the nobles any Being is, the more excellent is the object aſſigned unto it, and the more ſtrong, and potent, and uncontrollable are its raptures and motions thereunto. Wherefore the ſoul of man muſt needs alſo have its own proper centre, which muſt be ſomething ſuperiour to, and more excellent than itſelf, able to fill up all its indigencies, to match all its capacities, to maſter all its cravings, and give a plenary and perfect ſatisfaction: which therefore can be no other than uncreated goodneſs, even God himſelf. It was not poſſible that God ſhould make man of ſuch faculties, and thoſe of that capaciouſneſs as we ſee them, and appoint any thing below himſelf, to be his ultimate happineſs. Now although it be ſadly true, that the faculties of this ſoul are miſerably maimed, depraved, benighted, diſtorted, yet I do not ſee that the ſoul is utterly unnatured by ſin, ſo as that any other thing ſhould be obtruded upon it for its centre and happineſs, than the ſame infinite good that was from the beginning ſuch, or ſo as that its main and cardinal motions ſhould be ultimately directed to any other than its natural and primitive object. The natural underſtanding hath not indeed any clear or diſtinct ſight of this bleſſed object, but yet it retains a darker and more general apprehenſion of him, and may be ſaid even in all its purſuits of other things, to be ſtill groping in the dark after him: neither is it without ſome ſecret and latent ſenſe of God, that the will of man chooſeth or embraceth any thing for good. The Apoſtle ſticks not to affirm that the idolatrous Athenians themſelves did worſhip God, Act. 17. 23. though at that time indeed they knew not what they worſhiped: their worſhip was ſecretly and implicitly directed unto God, and did ultimately reſolve itſelf into him, though they were not aware of it—whom ye ignorantly worſhip, Him declare I unto you; now that he declared God unto them, appears abundantly by the following verſes, what he ſayes in point of worſhip▪ the ſame methinks I may ſay in point of love, truſt, delight, dependance, and apply it to all ſorts of Idolaters, as well as image-worſhipers, and affirm that the covetous idolater even when he moſt fondly huggs his bags, and moſt firmly confideth in his riches, doth ignorantly love and truſt in God; the proud idolater in the higheſt acts of ſelf-ſeeking, and ſelf-pleaſing, doth ignorantly admire and adore God; the ambitious idolater even in the hotteſt chaſe of ſecular glory, and popular applauſe, doth ignorantly purſue, and advance God. For that Reſt, Contentment, peace, happineſs, ſatisfaction, which theſe miſtaken ſouls do aim at, what is it other than God, though they attribute it to ſomething elſe which cannot afford it, and ſo commit a real blaſphemy? For they that do in their hearts and courſe of their lives aſcribe a Filling and ſaisfying vertue to riches, pleaſures or honours, do as truly though not ſo loudly blaſpheme, as they who cryed out concerning the Calf of Gold, Exod. 32. 4. Theſe be thy Gods O Iſrael, &c. And in this ſenſe that I have been ſpeaking, one may ſafely affirm that the moſt profeſt Atheiſt in the world doth ſecretly purſue the God whom he openly denies, whileſt his will is catching at that which his judgement renounceth, and he allows that piety in his luſts which he will not own in Heaven. The Hypocrite profeſſes to know God, but in works denies him; on the other hand the Atheiſt, though in words he deny God, yet in his works he profeſſeth him: ſo natural and neceſſary it is for all men to acknowledge a Deity, though ſome are ſo brutiſh and beſotted, as to confine him to their own bellies; of whom the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Phil. 3. 19. Whoſe God▪ is their belly. I ſay natural, for it is not only ſome few men of better education, and more contemplative complexions that hunt after this inviſible and ſatisfying good, but indeed …he moſt vulgar ſouls retaining ſtill the nature of ſouls, are perpetually catching at an ultimate happineſs and ſatisfaction, and are ſecretly ſtung and tormented with the want of it. Certainly the motions of a ſoul are more ſtrong and weighty than we are ordinarily aware of; and I think one may ſafely conclude, that if there were no latent ſenſe or natural ſcience of God, the poor man could not ſpend the powers of his ſoul ſo intenſely for the purchaſing a little food and raiment for the body, nor the covetous man ſo inſatiably thirſt after houſes and land, and a larger heap of refined earth: Did they not ſecretly imagine, I mean, ſome Contentment, Happineſs, or ſatisfaction were to be drunk in together with theſe acquirements, they would ſeem to be but dry and inſipid morſels to a ſoul; which ultimate happineſs and ſatisfaction, as I ſaid before, can be no other than God himſelf, whom theſe miſtaken ſouls do ignorantly adore, and feel for in the dark. Neither let any one think that this ignorant and unwary purſuit of God can paſs for Religion or be acceptable in the ſight of God: for as it is impoſſible that ever any man ſhould ſtumble into a happy ſtate, without foreſight and free choice, and be in it without any kind of ſenſe or feeling of it, ſo ne…her can God accept the blind for ſacrifice, or be pleaſed with any thing leſs than reaſonable ſervice …r…m a reaſonable creature. A… the Athenians worſhipping God by altars and images, are counted ſuperſtitious not devout, ſo the whole generation of groſs and … admiring, loving, and … … after God in the … …ages of true goodneſs; … blaſphemers and … …ligious they cannot be. We cannot excuſe them from idolatry who direct their worſhip purpoſely to the true God, by or through images; much leſs ſure can we be favourable to them who beſtow their love, joy, confidence and delight ignorantly upon the ſupream and ſelfſufficient good by or through any created good, in which they, as far as they underſtand, do terminate their devotion. I do not ſay that all ſouls have a diſtinct diſcovery of the good they aime at, it is evident they have not; but yet the will of every man is ſecretly in chaſe of ſome ultimate end and happineſs, and indeed in its eager tendencies outflies the underſtanding. All which myſterie ſeems to be wrapt up in that ſhort but pithy enquiry, which if it were a little otherwiſe modified, would be an excellent deſcription of the natural ſoul, Pſal. 4. 6. Many ſay, who will ſhew us any good. The nature of the object is ſet out in the word [good] the eagerneſs of the motion in the form of the queſtion who will ſhew us, and the ignorance of the mover appears in the indeterminateneſs of this object, which is well explained by the ſupply of the word [any] who will ſhew us any good: And that this is the cry of every rational ſoul is inſinuated by the word [many] which many is alſo in Meter multiplyed into the greater ſort, and muſt indeed neceſſarily be extended unto All.
2. Every natural man thirſteth principally after happineſs and ſatisfaction in the creature. The fall of the ſoul conſiſteth in its ſinking it ſelf into the animal life, and the buſineſs of every unrenewed ſoul is in one kind or other ſtill to gratifie the ſame life. For although, as I have ſhewn, God is in the bo…tome of theſe mens cares, and loves, and deſires, and implicitly in all their thirſtings, yet I may well ſay of them as God ſayes of the Aſſyrian Monarch, at what time he executed his pleaſure in correcting his people Iſrael, Iſa. 10. 7. howbe…t he meaneth not ſo, neither doth his heart think ſo: God is not in all the… thoughts, whileſt they purſue that … creature, which really none but God alone can be unto them. They do ultimately direct, as to their intention, all their cares, and covetings, and thirſtings to ſome created object, all which are calculated for the animal life, the gratifying and accompliſhing their own baſe luſts. This is very apparent in the idolatry of the Pagans, whoſe luſts gave being to their Gods; and ſo their Deities were as many as their concupiſcences and filthy paſſions: To Sacrifice to their own revenge and ſenſuality under the names of Mars, Bacchus and Venus, what was it elſe but to proclaim to all the world, that they took the higheſt contentment and ſatisfaction in the fulfilling of ſuch kind of luſts▪ this was unto them their God or ſupream felicity. The caſe is the ſame, though not ſo expreſly and profeſſedly, with all carnal Chriſtians, who although they profeſs the true God, yet in truth make him only a pander to their own luſts and baſe ends, though they name the name of Chriſt, yet in very deed Deifie their own paſſions, and ſacrifice to the gratification of their animal powers. The Pſalmiſt, as we have ſeen, determines the main end of all men to be foreign, or good, Pſal. 4. 6. but left any man ſhould be deceived in them, he preſently tells us where this good was placed, ver. 7. viz. in Corn and Wine; by which we muſt underſtand the animal life, and whatſoever adminiſters to the delight thereof. And certainly this will go far; for not only meats and drinks, venereal pleaſures, gorgeous apparel, ſumptuous buildings, ſplendid deſcent, honourable preferments, popular applanſe, inordinate recreations and an unweildy bulk of earthly riches; but alſo orthodox opinions, philoſophical, political, yea and Scholaſtical learning, fair profeſſions, much pompous worſhip, yea and worſhip induſtriouſly void of pomp, ſpecious performances, to which we may add the moſt ſeemly exerciſes of undaunted valour, unſhaken conſtancy, unbribed juſtice, uninterrupted temperance, unſpotted chaſtity, and unlimited charity (if much giving may deſerve ſo ſacred a name) even all theſe, and as many more may ſerve only as fewell for the rapacious fire of luſt and ſelſlove, to maintain and keep alive the more animal or (at moſt) logical life, and are ordinarily deſigned as ſacrifices to that which we ſignificantly call ſelf, in contradiſtinction from God. I need not here declare againſt covetous, luxurlous, ambitious ſouls, the Apoſtle having ſo expreſly prevented me by his plain and punctual arraignment of ſuch men, Col. 3. 5. Phil. 3. 19. where he charges them with placing a deity in their bags and bellies: otherwiſe I durſt appeal to all the world that are not parties, yea to the parties themſelves whether it be God or themſelves that theſe perſons do intend to ſerve and pleaſe and gratifie, whether it be a real aſſimulation unto God, and the true honour of his name, or ſome luſt or humour of ſelf-pleaſing, ſelf-advancing, and ſelf-enjoying that they ſacrifice their cares and pains, and the main thirſtings of their ſouls unto. I am confident it will be eaſily acknowledged that the covetous, voluptuous, and ambitious, do ſacrifice all they are, and do, to the latter; but alas it is not yet agreed among men, who are ſuch; the hypotheſis is grented, but the theſis is diſputed; and indeed this is no wonder neither, for it is as natural for the animal ſelflife to ſhift off guilt as it is to contract it, and the pride of the natural man is no leſs conſpicuous in his wrongfull endeavours to ſeem innocent of what he is indeed guilty, than his covetouſneſs and voluptuouſneſs is apparent in the matter wherein his guilt conſiſteth. It is not only theſe and ſome few of the greateſt and prophaneſt ſort of ſouls, that are guilty in this kind which I have been deſcribing, (though they indeed are groſly and moſt viſibly guilty,) but verily the whole generation of meer animal men, who have no principle of divine life implanted in them, do ſpend all their dayes, beſtow all their pains, and enjoy all their comforts in a real ſtrain of blaſphemy, from firſt to laſt. What a blaſphemous kind of Philoſophy was that which profeſſedly placed the ſupream good and chiefeſt happineſs of man in the fruition of pleaſures? And indeed all thoſe kinds of Philoſophy, which placed it elſewhere in things below God himſelf and the enjoyment of him, were no leſs prophane, though they may ſeem ſomewhat leſs beaſtly. For whether the Epicureans idolized their own ſenſes, or the more exalted Stoicks deified their own faculty, placing their main contentment in their ſelfſufficiency and the perpetual ſerenity and tranquility of their own minds, it is too apparent that both the one and the other ſtill moved within the narrow and low ſphere of natural ſelf, and graſped after a Deity in the poor dark ſhadows, and glimmering repreſentatives of him. But I am ſpeaking to Chriſtians: and amongſt theſe let no man tell me how orthodox his opinions, how pure and ſpiritual his forms, how numerous and ſpecious his performances are, how rightly he pays his homage, and prayes to one living God, by one living Mediator; I will willingly allow, and do with delight obſerve theſe things where ever they are; but yet all this doth not denominate a Chriſtian: For ſtill that of the Apoſtle muſt hold good, Rom. 6. 16. His ſervants ye are, to whom ye obey; and I may adde by ſomewhat a like phraſeologie, His children ye are whom ye reſemble, His creatures ye are (as far as you can make your ſelves ſo) whoſe ſufficiency and ſoveraignty is moſtly magnified in your hearts, His worſhippers ye are whom ye moſtly love, truſt in, delight in, depend upon; in a word, That is your God, which your ſoul doth mainly reſt, and centre, and wrap up itſelf in. And (alas) how viſibly dear and precious is the ſelf-central life, which is ſo univerſally pampered, cheriſht, ſerved and ſacrificed unto, beſides the inviſible and more ſpiritual oblations that are made thereunto. This is as true an Antichriſt in the myſterie, as there is any literal Antichriſt in the world; and of this one may as truly ſay, as St. John doth of the other all the world wandereth after the beaſt. In a word then, … in his heart concerning any thing that is not God, what that rich man in the Goſpel ſaid concerning his goods, ſoul take thine eaſe in them, and be merry, the ſame is an idolater and blaſpemer: and this I affirm to be the language of every Apoſtate ſpirit, and unregenerate ſoul of man.
3. No man can find that happineſs, and ſoul-filling ſatisfaction in any creature-enjoyment, which every natural man principally ſeeketh therein. Here are two things to be ſpoken to, viz. the enjoyments of men, or what they poſſeſs, and the ſatisfaction which the natural man ſceketh in ſuch poſſeſſions. For the firſt of theſe, I do not eaſily believe that ever any natural man had his fill of ſuch poſſeſſions, I mean as to the quantity of them; he never had ſo much of them, as to be able freely to ſay, It is enough. The rational ſoul hath a ſtrong and inſatiable appetite, and whereſoever it imagineth its beloved prey to be found, and filling enjoyment to be bad, it is exceeding greedy and … whether the ſame will ever be able to afford it or no, it matters not. The animal life is that voracious idol, not like Bell in the ſtory which ſeems only to eat up, but which doth really devour all the far morſels, and ſenſual pleaſures that are ſacrificed unto it, and yet is not filled therewith. The whole employment of the natural man quantum, quantum eſt, is nothing elſe, but as the Apoſtle elegantly deſcribes it, Rom. 13. 14. To make proviſions for the fleſh, to fulfil it in the luſts thereof: wherein yet to ſpeak the truth, he loſes his labour, for he ſacrifices all to an unſatisfiable idol, and powers it into a gulf that hath neither bottom nor bounds, but ſwalloweth up all into its barren womb, and is rather made to thirſt, than to ceaſe from thirſting by all that is or can be adminiſtred unto it. I take that of Solomon, Eccleſ. 1. 8. to be a clear proof in general of what I affirm, the eye is not ſatisfied with ſeeing, nor the ear filled with hearing; the eye of man, as little as it is, is bigger than the whole conſpicable world, which although it may be wearied with looking upon various objects, as the Engliſh Annotators obſerve upon theſe words, yet ſtill deſires new ones, and can drink them in without ſurfeiting: ſo that although the acts of the eye be ſcant and finite, yet the luſts of the eye ſeem to have a kind of infinity in them. And indeed by the unſatiableneſs of the eye and care, is meant, the greedineſs or voracity of the fleſh or animal life, as Mr Cartwright hath well obſerved upon, Prov. 27. 20. Hell and deſtruction are never full, ſo the eyes of a man are never ſatisfied; where by not being ſatisfied is meant not having enough in quantity, as appears by the ſimilitude in the former part of the verſe. To the ſame ſenſe he ſpeaks, Eccleſ. 4. 8. and 5. 10. It would be endleſs to relate the monſtrous and inexpleble gapings of covetous, ambitious, voluptuous, proud, vain-glorious minds after their reſpective idols. And indeed I need not deſcend to particular inſtances, for I ſuppoſe never any natural man could heartily ſay he had enough of riches, promotions, applauſe, ſenſual delights, eloquence, policy, proweſs or victory, or of any other thing which is accommodated to the gratification of the fleſh, no more than any godly ſoul ſojourning upon earth could ever be yet able to ſay he had enough of God and eternal life. So that in a word, I know not how to apply any deſcription to this inſatiable and devouring principle more properly than that which the Prophet makes of hell, Iſa. 5. 14. She enlargeth her ſelf and openeth her mouth without meaſure, and all glory, multitude and pomp deſcend into it. I know there are of theſe men that pretend to have enough in quantity of theſe fleſhly proviſions; but I fear falſly and unjuſtly: For as for the rich and honourable of the earth, it is too evident that they are ſtill climbing higher, and graſping after more, as the great Alexander is ſaid to have whined after more world, when he conceited himſelf to be maſter of all this; as for the poorer and meaner ſort of people who are as ready ſometimes to lay claim to this vertue of thinking themſelves to have enough, as any other people whatſoever, it is too manifeſt to a wiſe obſerver that it is not a reall apprehenſion that they have enough, but either a lowneſs and weakneſs of ſpirit ariſing from the meanneſs of their education, or a down right deſpair of ever getting more.
But be it imagined that the enjoyments of ſome natural men are enough in reſpect of quantity, yet ſtill there is certainly wanting a true and ſincere ſatisfaction of ſoul in ſuch poſſeſſions; no man of all theſe findes that real happineſs in thoſe things which he ſo vehemently hunteth after. Solomon reduces all of pleaſure and contentment that is to be found in multiplyed riches to a very pittifull ſumma totalis, Eccleſ. 5. 11. what good is there to the owners thereof, ſave the beholding of them with their eyes? And alas what is the ſight of the eye to the ſatisfaction of the ſoul! The whole conſpicable world is utterly too ſcant for and incommenſurate to the wide and deep capacity of an immortal ſpirit; ſo that the ſame can no more ſatisfie, than a leſs can fill a greater, which is ſurely impoſſible. Whatever is in the world out of God is deſcribed by the Prophet. Iſa. 55. 2. to be not bread, there is the unſuitableneſs; and not to ſatisfie, there is the inſufficiency of it as to the ſoul of man: on the other hand this ſoul of man is ſo vaſtly capacious, that though it be alſo never ſo greedy and rapacious, ſnatehing on the right hand and catching on the left hand as the Prophet deſcribes the famelick people, Iſai. 9. 20. yet ſtill it is hungry and unſatisfied. Which ravenous and inſatiable appetite of the ſenſual ſoul, is elegantly deſcribed by the Prophet in the ſimilitude of an whoriſh Woman, who proſtituted her ſelf to all comers, and multiplyeth her fornications, yet is unſatiable, is not, cannot be ſatisfied, Ezek. 16. 28, 29. The ſoul may indeed feed, yea and ſurfet upon, but it can never ſatisfie itſelf from itſelf, or from any created good: nothing can ultimately determine and centre the motions of a ſoul, but ſomething ſuperiour to its own eſſence; which whileſt it miſſes of, it is as it were divided againſt itſelf, perpetually ſtrugling and fluctuating, and travelling in pangs with ſome new deſign or other to be at reſt; like the old Lioneſs in the parable of Ezekiel, breeding up one whelp after an other, to be a Lion wherein to confide, but diſappointed in all…; or like the poor diſcontented butterflye lighting and catching everywhere but ſticking nowhere, adoring ſomething for a God to day which it will be ready to fl…ng the fire to morrow, after their manner of creating Gods to themſelves, whom the Poet brings in ſaying—Hodie mihi Jupiter eſto, Cras mihi truncus eris, ficulnus, inutile lignum.
Neither the quantity, variety or duration of any created objects can poſſibly fill up that large and noble capacity wherewith God hath endewed the rational ſoul, but having departed from its centre and not knowing how to return to its original, it wanders up and down as it were in a wilderneſs, and having an imperfect glimmering ſight of ſomething better than what itſelf as yet either is or hath, but not being able to attain to it, is miſerably tormented, even as a man in a thirſt which he cannot quench, yea the more he runs up and down to ſeek water, the more is his thirſt encreaſed whileſt he miſſes of it; ſo this diſtempered and diſtracted ſoul, whileſt it ſeeks to quench its thirſt at the creature-ciſtern, do's but inflame it, and in a continual purſuit of reſt becomes moſt reſtleſs. That every unregenerate ſoul is in ſuch a diſtreſſed, weary, reſtleſs ſtate as I have been deſcribing, appears moſt evidently by thoſe famous Goſpel Proclamations: one in Iſa. 55. 1, 3. Ho every one that thirſteth, come ye to the waters; where by the thir…ters, are meant thoſe unfixed, unſatisfied ſouls, as appears by the ſecond verſe; the other in Mat. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour, &c. where the promiſe of giving reſt do's plainly imply the reſtleſs ſtate of the perſons invited. There is a certain horrour and anguiſh in ſin and wickedneſs; even long before it be ſwallowed up in hell; a certain vanity and vexation folded up in all earthly enjoyments, though the ſame do not alwayes ſting and pierce the ſoul alike: ſo true is that famous aphoriſm of the Prophet Iſaiah, There is no peace to the wicked.
4. Grace takes not away this thirſt of the ſoul after happineſs and plenary ſatisfaction. Love and deſire, and a tendency towards bleſſedneſs, are ſo woven into the nature of the ſoul, and inlaid in the very eſſence of it, that ſhe cannot poſſibly put them off, however it is the work of grace to change and rectifie them; as we ſhall ſee under the next head: The ſoul of man is foreign a kind of immaterial fire, an inextinguiſhable activity, alwayes neceſſarily catching at ſome object or other, in conjunction with which ſhe thinks to be happy: And therefore if ſhe be rent from her ſelf and the world, and be mortified to the love of fleſhly and animal l…ſts, ſhe will certainly cleave to ſome higher and more excellent object; as will more clearly appear by and by. Grace do's not ſtupifie the ſoul as to its ſenſe of its own indigency and poverty; but indeed makes it more abundantly ſenſible and importunate. There are more ſtrong motions and more powerful appetites in the godly ſoul towards its true and proper happineſs, than in the ungodly and wicked. For the underſtanding of the regenerate ſoul is ſo enlightned, as that it doth preſent the will with an amiable and ſatisfactory object, which object therefore being more diſtinctly and perfectly apprehended, doth alſo apprehend or lay hold upon the ſoul, and attract her unto itſelf. Oculi ſunt in amore duces is moſt true of the eye of the ſoul, I mean the underſtanding▪ that firſt affects the heart with amorous paſſions. The firſt and fundamental errour and miſtake of the rational ſoul ſeems to lye here even in the underſtanding; here lyes the very root of the degenerate ſouls diſtemper; and if this were thoroughly reſtored and healed, ſo as to preſent the will with pure and proper ideas and repreſentations of God, it might be hoped that this ductile faculty would not be long before it clave unto him entirely; nay, it may be doubted whether it could poſſibly reſiſt the dictates of it. Now in the regenerate ſoul, this faculty is repaired; yea, I may ſay, that the ſpirit of Regeneration firſt of all ſpreads it ſelf upon the underſtanding, and awakens in it a ſenſe of ſelf-ind… gency, and of the perfect, a…l-ſufficient, ſuitable, and ſatisfactory …ulneſs of God, in whom it ſees all beauties, ſweetneſs, and lovel…neſſes in an infinitely in…ffable manner wrapt up and contained; which will be ſo far from allaying the eſſential th…rſt of the ſoul, and … its eager …, that it m…ſt needs give a mighty edge and ardour to its inclinations, and put it upon a more bold and earneſt contention towards this glorious object, and charm the whole ſoul into the ve…y arms of God. Therefore …ot thirſting in the Text, muſt not be underſtood abſolutely, as if grace did utterly extinguiſh the natural activities of the ſoul, and finiſh its propenſions: But the regenerate and gracious ſoul doth not thirſt in ſuch ſenſe, as thirſt implies a want of a ſuitable good, or diſſatisfaction, or inclues torment properly ſo called. In this notion of thirſt, grace doth indeed quench it, as I intimated in the beginning of this diſcourſe, and will ſurther appear in the procedure of it. But as to this moſt eſſential thirſt, this natural foreign, or vergency of the ſoul after a central reſt and happineſs, the ſame is ſo far from being extinguiſhed or moderated, either by divine grace, that it is bugely improved, and mightily inflamed thereby. I ſuppoſe I need not ſtay upon ſo popular a Theme, and ſo acknowledged a ſubject; therefore I will but preſent you with the inſtances of holy David in the Old Teſtament, and gracious Paul in the New, and ſo quit this head. I need not, I ſuppoſe, magnifie the holy and divine frame of David's ſpirit by any balbutient Rhetorick of mine; God himſelf hath given the ampleſt teſtimony, and faireſt character of him that I remember to have been at any time given of any man, when he owns him for a man after his own heart: And what a longing, thirſting ſoul this was, I need do no more to demonſtrate, than to turn you to ſome paſſages and profeſſions of his own in his devout Pſalms; ſuch as Pſal. 42. 12. 63. 1. 143. 6. Where he borrows the ſtrongeſt inclmations that are to be found in the whole Creation, to repreſent the devout ardots of his own ſoul; As the Hart panteth after the water brooks, ſo panteth my ſoul after thee, O God. O God, thou art my God, early will I ſeek thee; my ſoul thirſteth for thee, my fleſh longeth for thee in a dry and thirſty Land, where no water is. I ſtretch forth my hands unto thee, my ſoul thirſteth after thee, as a thirſty Land: Yea he ſeems like one that would ſwoon away for very longing; Hear me ſpeedily, O Lord, my ſpirit faileth; hide not thy face from me, leſt I be like unto them that go down into the pit: I lift my ſoul unto thee. I flee unto thee, &c. The very ſame temper you will find in boly Paul, that choſen veſſel of God, if you peruſe his Epiſtles, in all which you will meet with devout and ſtrong breathings of the ſame kind; particularly, Phil. 3. 11, 12, 13, 14. Where he ſeems to be ſo thirſty after a ſtate of heavenly perfection, that he longs after (if I miſtake not the meaning of the 11. verſe) ſomething that yet he knows he cannot arrive at whilſt he is in this world, even the reſurrection of the dead, or ſuch a perfect ſtate of purity and holineſs, as belongs to the children of the reſurrection.
5. The godly ſoul thirſteth no more after happineſs in any creature, nor reſts in any worldly thing, but in God alone. This particular conſiſts alſo of two branches: the former and negative part whereof ſeems to me to contain in it the ſcope and meaning of out Saviour, in theſe words which I am now interpreting. We have already ſeen, that every unſanctified ſoul is reſtleſs, and creaving, wavering, unſatisfied, inconſtant to it ſelf, and its choice: By reaſon of its natural activity, it is alwaies ſpending it ſelf in reſtleſs and giddy motions, as we obſerved under the firſt head of this diſcourſe; but by reaſon of its ignorance, and unacquaintedneſs with the one, Supreme and All-ſufficient good, and the multiplicity of lower ends and objects, is miſerably diſtracted, and doth neceſſarily grapple with inevitable diſturbances, in a continual unſteadineſs, putting forth it ſelf now towards one thing, anon to another, courting every thing, but matching with nothing, like a fickle Lover that is alwaies enamoured with the laſt feature he ſaw, or a greedy Merchant, that being equally in love with the pleaſure of being at home, and the profit of being abroad, can ſtay long no where with any content, but has alwaies moſt mind of the place where he is not, as he confeſſes of himſelf in the Poet,
Romae Tybur amo ventoſus, Tybure Romam.
The deſcription that our Lord gives of the unclean ſpirit that is gone out of a man, Matth. 12. 43. ſeems very aptly to agree to that unclean ſpirit that is in man, that being departed from God its proper reſt and habitation, walketh thorough dry and deſart places, I mean empty and unſatisfying creature-enjoyments, ſeeking reſt, but finding none. It was an accidental affliction of believers, but it is the natural and neceſſary affliction of every unbelieveing and wicked ſoul to wander up and down the world diſtitute, afflicted; tormented. Sinful ſelf is ſo multiform, and that one root the animal life has ſuch a world of branches, that it is impoſſible to adminiſter due nouriſhment to them all; and yet they are all importunate and greedy ſuckers too: ſo that he muſt needs have a difficult task, and a painful Province that is conſtrained to attend upon ſo many, ſo different, and yet all of them ſo …, and imperious Maſters. But I ſhall loſe ground by thus going backward to what I ſpoke to under the ſecond head, except I can make this advantage of it, enforce that which I was going to ſpeak of, with the greater ſtrengeh and clearer evidence. The caſe ſtanding thus with the unregenerate ſoul, as we have ſeen in this ſhort review, I now ſay that divine grace allays the multifarious thirſt of the ſoul after other waters, filthy puddles, of which it could never yet drink deep; or if it drunk never ſo deep, could not be quenched; it determines the ſoul to one object, which before was rent in pieces amongſt many. It do's not deſtroy any of the natural powers, nor dry up the innate v…gour of the ſoul, as I made evident under the laſt head, but it takes it off from the chaſe of all inferiour ends, and inadequate objects, ſetting it upon a vehement purſuit of, and cauſing it to ſpend all thoſe its powers not leſs vlgorouſly, but far more rationally and ſatisfactorily upon that objectum par amori, the infinitely-amiable and ſelfſufficient God. When the ſoul hath once met with this glorious object, is once maſtered with this ſup…reme good, is by divint grace ampliated and enlarged, it cannot with any eaſe ſtretch it ſelf upon the creature any more; that is too ſcant and inſufficient for it. Certainly the ſoul that underſtands its own original, nature, and capacity, and once comes to view it ſelf in God, will ſee it ſelf too large to be bounded by the narrow confines o… ſelf, or any creature, and too free to be bound down and chained to any earthly object whatever. The world indeed may, yea and will labour to take off the ſoul, What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved, that thou art ſo fond of him? Are not Abara and Pharpar Rivers of Damaſens, better than all the waters of Iſrael? Be content, here is hay and provender, ſtay with me this n…ght, let us dally and make merry together a little longer. But theſe Syrenian ſongs are ſung to a deaf ear, they cannot inchant the wiſe and devout ſoul, that hath her ſenſes rightly awakened, and exerciſed to diſcern between good and evil: Oh no, I am ſick of love, and ſick of every thing that keeps me from my Beloved; and therefore however you may go about to defile me through fraud or force, through ſurprize or violence, yet I will not proſtitute my ſelf unto you. The gracious foul hath now diſcovered the moſt beautiful, perfect, and lovely object, even him whoſe name is Love it ſelf; which glorious viſion hath ſo blaſted and withered the choiceſt flowers in natures Garden, that they have now no more form nor comelineſs, beauty or fragrancy, as to deſerve to be deſired; ſhe hath taſted the pure and perfect ſweetneſs of the fountain, which hath ſo imbittered all ciſtern-waters, that ſhe finds no more thirſtings in her ſelf after them; which is chat which our Saviour promiſeth here—ſhall never chriſt. A godly ſoul cannot poſfibly be put off with any thing ſhort of God; give him his God or he dies: Give him never ſo much fair uſage in the world never ſo much of earthly accommodations, they are not accommodated to his wants and thirſts, if they have not that God in them, out of whom all worldly pleaſures are even irkſome and unpleaſant, and all fleſhly caſe is tedious and painſul: Creature-employments are but a weatiſome Crudgery to a ſoul that is acquainted with the work of Angels; and creature-enjoyments in themſelves conſidered, are very inſignificant, if not burdenſome to a mind that is feelingly poſſeſt of the chiefeſt good.
But here it will be ſeaſonable to take into conſideration, a grand enquiry, viz. whether a godly man may not be ſaid in ſome ſenſe to deſire the creature, and how far ſuch a perſon may be ſaid to thirſt after it. This I ſhall ſpeak to as briefly, and yet as clearly as I can, in theſe four following particulars.
1. All godly ſouls are not equally mortified to worldly loves, nor equally zealous and importunate lovers of God. This is ſo evident de facto, that I need not inſiſt upon it. Abraham ſeems to have been as much higher and nobler in ſpirit than his Brother Lot, as Lot was more excellent than one of the ordinary Sons of Adam, I had almoſt ſaid, than one of the Sodomites amongſt whom he dwelled. The one leaves all the pleaſant and plentiful accommodations of his native Country, at the very firſt call going out, not knowing whither he went, only relying upon the gracious guidance of him whom he followed; he ſeems to reckon all ſoils alike for his ſojourning, and the whole habitable world as his own City and home; as appears by his read…neſs to break up houſe, and quit his preſent habitation, rather than interfere with the conveniences of his Nephew, Gen. 13. 9. The other preferred a fruitful ſoil before a faithful ſociety, and ſo in ſome ſenſe his body before his ſoul; and yet as if it had not been enough to make ſo unadviſed a choice, he reſts in it too; yea though he was ſo ſeverely reproved by the captivity that befell him there, whereby he was not ſo much call'd, as indeed carried away thence; yet this will not looſen him from his earthly conveniences, but he returns to Sodom, and from thence he will not part till he be fired out, nay and then alſo it is with much lingring and loathneſs, Gen. 19. 16. It is evident, I ſay, de facto, both from this, and many other inſtances which I purpoſely omit, that it is ſo, that all godly ſouls are not equally careleſs of theſe earthly things, not carried out with equal ardour and intemperance (as I may call it) towards the ſupreme and moſt glorious object, of which I can aſſign no fitter reaſon than this, becauſe they are not all equally godly. For,
2. So far as grace prevails, and Religion in the power of is acteth the ſoul in which it is planted, ſo far earthly loves decay and wither. For theſe two cannot ſtand together, mutuo ſe pellunt, the love of the world is inconſiſtent with the love of God, 1 Joh. 1. 15. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. So far as any ſoul is ſanctified, ſo far is it mortified alſo to all creature-enjoyments, to all things that are only fuel for the animal life, honour, eaſe, victory, plenty, liberty, relations, recreations, all the entertainments and delights in this lower life, yea and this very life it ſelf. Earthly and heavenly loves, are to each other, as the two ends of a pair of ballances (ſave that they are never found equally poizing) as the one riſes, the other falls; juſt ſo much advantage as this gets, that loſes. The more the ſenſual and ſelf-central life thrives and proſpers, and the creature is exalted, the more Religion and the divine life fainteth and flogeth in the ſoul: And ſo certainly on the other hand, the more divine grace prevails, and the divine life flouriſheth in the ſoul, the more all earthly objects wither away and loſe their beauty, and the ſoul cooleth and languiſheth as to its love and deſire of them. So far as a regenerate ſoul is unregenerate, ſo far ſhe will be bufling after other Lovers: which regeneration will not. I conceive, be throughly perfected, and therefore theſe luſtings not utterly extinguiſhed, till this mortal put on immortality; or as the Apoſtle ſpeaks elſewhere; till mortality be ſwallowed up of life.
3. For the preventing of raſh and uncharitable judging, I do affirm, that divine and holy ſouls are oft miſtaken by them that behold their ordinary converſe and actions in the body: They are thought ſometimes to take pleaſure in the creature, and to gratifie the fleſh, when indeed it is no ſuch matter; but they take pleaſure in the ſtamp of God, or the evidence of his fatherly love, which they contemplate therein, and do perhaps moſt of all ſerve a ſpiritual end, and an eternal deſign in thoſe very actions which others may think are calculated for the gratification of the animal life, and the ſervice of the fleſh. Let not the purblind world, nor the ſelf-befriending hypocrite be judge, and it will appear that the truly godly ſoul counts nothing ſavoury to it ſelf, but what repreſents, teaches, exhibits ſomething of God, nothing pleaſant but what hath a tendency to him: Such a ſoul doth not feel himſelf in his higheſt raptures, doth not taſt himſelf in his nobleſt accompliſhments, doth not ſeek himſelf in his moſt excellent performances: be nor miſtaken, he doth not ſo much thirſt after long life, riches, friends, liberties, as indeed after God in them all; theſe all ſignifie nothing to him, if they bring him not nearer to his God, and conduce to his real and ſpiritual happineſs. Yea, poſſibly in his moſt ſuſpicable actions, and thoſe that ſeem moſt alien from Religion, and moſt deſigned to pleaſe the fleſh, he may be highly ſpiritual and pure: So was our bleſſed Saviour we know even in his converſing with ſcandalous ſinners, eating and drinking with Publicans and notorious o… fenders, however he was traduced by a proud and hypocritical generation; and ſo I doubt not is many a good Chriſtian, according to his meaſure, pure as Chriſt was pure. When a painted Hypocrite, who can gueſs a… the temper of others, no other way but by what he finds in himſelf, and by what he ſhould be and do if he were under the ſame circumſtances, comes to be Judge of the actions or diſpoſition of one who is transformed into the Image of the divine freedom and benignity, you may eaſily imagine what a perverſe ſentence he will paſs. It needs not ſeem very ſtrange, methinks, in ſpirituals, no more than it is in corporals, that the moſt ſound and healthful conſtitutions ſhould (upon a lawful call) adventure themſelves further that the crazy, and ſickly, and familiarly converſe with and handle, yea and make good work with thoſe briars and thorns, which would prove a ſnare, or a wound, or a pricking temptation to others. If it were poſſible for any man to arrive at the purity and perfection of his Saviour, and his firm and immoveable radication in true goodneſs, he would find himſelf ſo wholly dead to ſin, and all temptations, and motions thereunto, that he would be able to dare to walk upon the moſt boiſterous waves, without fear of bring ſwallowed up in them, and to take up in his hands the moſt venemous Serpent, not dreading the ſting of it. However, the apprehenſions and actions of more perfect and more refined ſouls are not raſhly to be judged; for they may eaſily be miſtaken, either by the unhallowed hypocrite, or the more imperfect and impotent Saint.
4. To anſwer yet more fully, I do affirm, that no truly religious ſoul in the world doth ſo thirſt after the creature, as to place his main happineſs in it, or to ſeek ſatisfaction from it. However all holy ſouls may not be alike weaned from the world, nor equally loving of God, however the affections and actions of ſome may really be, and of others may ſeem to be too groſs and fleſhly, yet no one of all theſe, in whom this new and divine life is indeed found, doth erect a ſelfſupremacy in his own ſoul, nor take his full and compleat reſt and happineſs to conſiſt in any creature-communion whatſoever. Surely this of not thirſting, is ſo far a conſequent of true Religion, as that no religious ſoul in the world can be content to exchange the preſence of God, and acquaintance with him for any thing, for all things beſides; or if you will, plainly thus, no ſuch perſon could be content, no not for all the world, (the glory of Heaven not excepted, if it may be ſuppoſed) to be wicked and ungodly: So that by thirſting here, muſt not be meant ſome weak wiſhings and fainter propenſions of the ſoul towards created objects (for certainly there is no ſoul found in a body of earth, in which theſe are not found) no not yet ſome more lively and ſtronger ſtruglings after them (how ſtrong they may be in a good Chriſtian, and yet predominated over by grace, we cannot punctually determine;) but by thirſting, here muſt be meant the moſt quick and powerful breathings, the higheſt and ſtrongeſt ardencies, the predominant and victorious motions and deſires of the ſoul, which do as it were fold up the whole ſoul, and lead all its powers and faculties with it into a grateful captivity. Thus ſhall be thirſt no more, who hath once drunk of theſe waters which flow forth from the preſence of the Lord of life, and which the bleſſed Rodeemer of the world is here ſaid to give.
But (which is the latter branch of this particular) this inſp…red ſoul which we have been deſcribing, thir… ech after his happineſs in God alone, that is, in the enjoyment of him. We have already ſeen that grace do's not deſtroy the natural and eſſential longings of the ſoul after a ſatisfactory good, but rather enhance them, and that the godly ſoul is moſt thirſty of all, but not with a creature-thirſt, as is before proved; it remains then that his thirſting after reſt and happineſs is terminated upon God alone. And ſo indeed it appears in the inſtances of holy men recorded in the holy Writ, which I have under the laſt head ſpoke ſomething to, and ſo partly prevented my ſelf. But unto thoſe paſſages and profeſſions which I quoted out of Pſal. 42. 1, 2. &c. You may add ſuch, as Pſal. 4. 6. which is the voice of every godly ſoul; Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us: Pſal. 39. 6, 7. Surely every man walketh in a vain ſhow; ſurely they are diſquieted in vain; he heapeth up riches, &c. And now Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee: Where you have the different ſeekings and centrings of the ungodly, and of the godly ſoul elegantly deſcribed. Laſtly, you may in Pſal. 73. 25. again view the term or end of the godly man's ambition; Whom have I in Heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I deſire beſides thee! Which tranſlation of the words doth lively ſets out the godly man's end, and aim, and object, and happineſs, and indeed his all: or if we tranſlate (perhaps more fitly) with Mollerus, yet they afford us the ſame doctrine, Who will give me to be in Heaven, and with thee? on earth I deſire nothing.
And thus have we diſpatcht the fifth Propoſition, viz. that the godly ſoul thirſteth no more after happineſs in any creature, or reſt in any worldly thing; and come to the ſixth and laſt particular deſigned for the explication of this not thirſting of the religious ſoul, which is this.
In the enjoyment of God this ſoul is at reſt, is fully ſatisfied. I do not mean ſo ſatisfied, as not ſo thirſt after any more of him, as I have often hinted, but ſo ſatisfied, as to be perfectly maicht with an object tranſcendently adequate to all its faculties, and their reſpective capacities; and ſo ſatisfied, as to have peace and joy, and triumph in him. Theſe two I will ſpeak ſomething to diſtinctly, and ſo paſs on.
Now for the better underſtanding of the firſt of theſe, it ſhould be noted, That the reaſonable ſoul, and the faculties of it are of a vaſt, large, and noble capacity. It is univerſally granted by all, that are not Sadduces, that the capacity of Angels is very great and noble, and that the condition of the humane ſoul is not much inferiour to it, may, I think, be gathered from the Pralmiſt's words, Pſal. 8. 5. Thou haſt made him a little lower than the Angels: Which words, although the Auchor of the Epiſtle to the Hebrews applies to Chriſt, Heb. 2 9. (And indeed, they have a marvelous aptneſs to him, according to the Dutch Tranſlation, which runs thus, We ſee Jeſus crowned with glory and honour, who was become a little leſſer than the Angels, by reaſon of the ſuffering of death a that he ſhould by the grace of God &c.) Yet I ſee …othing hindring, but that they may be well applied to the excel…ent condition of man by creation; eſpecially conſidering that many other paſſages of the Old Teſtament have a double aſpect, one more ordinary and obvious, which was moſt clearly underſtood by the Prophet that wrote them; the other more obtruſe, and myſterious, principally intended by that ſpirit that inſpired him, and only to be underſtood by the revelation of the ſame ſpirit: Such are thoſe paſſages, I conceire, which are found in Iſa. 7. 14. Hoſea 11. 1. Interpreted by the Erangeliſt, Mat. 1. 23. and 2. 15. As alſo Jer. 31. 15. with many more. But, however it goes with that Text, and whether or no the ſouls of men be ſo near of kindred to the Angels, as to their comprechenſions; yet that they are capable of a moſt noble and excellent happineſs, and much allyed to God himſelf, doth appear from ſuch texts of Scripture, as do require them to be holy, as God is holy, to be perfect, as their heavenly Father is perfect. Neithen need it ſeem to any incredible, that the rational ſoul ſhould be ſo capacions; for we are no more to judge of the Angelical temper, and noble actings of the ſeparated ſoul, by what we ſee it to be and do in this body of fleſh, than one can judge of the proweſs and puiſſance of a renowned Warriour in the head of an Army, by what we diſcern in him when he lyes bound in Chains; or of the power and ſplend or of the Sun, by what we diſcern of it when it is ecclipſed or miſerably beclouded; or if you will, no more than we can judge of a man, by the imperfections, balbutioncies, and titubancies of his childhood: For ſo the Apoſtle Paul ſeems to ſtate the caſe, 1 Cor. 13. 10, 11. Plainly i… plying, that the preſent and future condition of the ſoul, is comparable to the minority and adult ſtate of a man; as if he had ſaid, the ſoul in its future and ſeparate ſtate will act as much nobler than what it doth now; as the ſoul of the wiſeſt and diſcrcereſt man in the world acteth more nobly than what it did when he was a child: Yea, and what is ſtill more to our preſent purpoſe, he ſeems clearly to intimate in the twelfth verſe, that this improvement ſhall happen, not ſo much by the more evident propounding of the object, as by the more ample illumination and corrobotation of the faculties. In the next place, it will be eaſily inferred, that all created good is too ſcant and inſufficient for this capacious ſpirit of man; too ſhort a bed to ſtre…c… it ſelf upon; n…y, it cannot contract it ſelf ſo as to be accommodated to any worldly good, without pain and anguiſh. From both which, it will be naturally and neceſſarily concluded, that God alone is that adequate object which can match the ſoul of man, and ſatisfie it, as being infinitely ſuperiour and tranſcendens to it. The enjoyment of God is that ultimate end, and perfect good, that is only able to fix the ſpirit of man, which otherwiſe, not meeting with its match, would be toſſed to and ſ…o, and labour under perpetual …, and reſtleſs fluctuations. God is that A mighty goodneſs and ſweetneſs, who alone is able to draw us all the poetites of the ſoul unto himſelf, ſatisfie all its cravings, charm ali its reſtieſs motions, and cauſe all its aculties in the pureſt and moſt complac…ntial manner, to conſpire together how to give up themſelves wholly and entirely to himſelf.
Secondly, From this conjunction with omnipotent goodneſs, ariſeth pure peace, yea joy and triumph to the religious ſoul. For the clearer underſtanding of this, I ſhould premiſe, what ſome have wiſely obſerved, that there is a natural congruity between God and the ſoul, ſhe being a ſpiritual ſubſtance, and he being a ſpiritual good, only ſuitable unto her. This ſeems to be evident by experience; for we ſee how difficult, I had almoſt ſaid impoſſible it is, utterly to eradicate and extinguiſh all ſenſe of vertue and goodneſs out of the ſoul of man; to which purpoſe I think our Divines generally ſpeak, when they allow of ſome holy relicks, ſomething of the Image of God remaining in the moſt degenerate ſouls, however all men have reduced the ſame to a very poor and inconſiderable ſpark, and many have raked that very ſpark under aſhes too, and impriſoned that remainder of truth in unrighteouſneſs, living according to thoſe unnatural and forreign principles and conceptions that they have unhappily drunk in. Hence it is, I ſuppoſe, that ſin and wickedneſs are ſo often ſtiled the defilement of the ſoul: Now we know, that whatſoever defileth, is adventitious and improper: And hence it is that ſin many times ſlings and wounds the conſciences of thoſe that take moſt pleaſure in it, namely, being ſo perfectly contrary to this noble and inbred ſenſe of the ſoul; allowing then this natural ſympathy that the ſoul of man hath with its Creator; it will be eaſie to give a Philoſophical account of that peace, joy and triumph, of which the ſoul muſt needs be poſſeſt, or rather indeed tranſported with, that finds and feels it ſelf in conjunction with its centre, & in the deareſt embraces of its Creator. It need not ſeem ſtrange that the ſoul ſhould mightily congratulate it ſelf in its arrival at its own haven; nay, it were ſtrange if it ſhould not diſſolve into ſecret joy and pleaſure in the hearty entertainments of ſo bleſſed and proper a gueſt as God is unto it: Nay, indeed it were unreaſonable to imagine, that the conjunction of ſo noble and diſcerning faculties, with ſo perfect and proper an object, ſhould not beget the trueſt and ſincereſt delight and pleaſure imaginable. The delights of an earthly and ſenſual mind, are filthy and dreggy, in compariſon of theſe pleaſures of the refined and purified ſoul, which muſt needs live moſt gracefully, triumphantly, and deliciouſly, when it converſeth with God moſt intimately. Certainly if there be any innocent and well-natur'd ſelf-feeling, or ſelf-pleaſing in the world, this is it; though indeed, to ſpeak truly, it deſerves a better name. It cannot be but that a godly ſoul, being in its right ſenſes, ſhould taſt a ſweetneſs in theſe pure and divine accompliſhments wrought in it by the eternal Spirit of Righteouſneſs; which ſelf-pleaſing is no more blameable, than that natural pleaſure, which every creature finds in the enjoyment of that which is moſt aptly accommodated to its neceſſities, and moſt perfective of its happineſs; which pleaſure, I ſay, ariſeth in the ſoul from its ſenſible union with God in the ſpirit, and enjoyment of him: By which enjoyment of God, you will eaſily perceive that I do not mean the bare pardon of ſin, or an abſtract Juſtification; (for this is not the attainment that is perfective of the ſoul, neither could it alone (if we could ſuppoſe it alone) fill up the capacities of the ſoul, or make it happy, however the rapturous joys of the unprincipled hypocrite ſpring principally from the opinion and falſe apprehenſion of this; which indeed I take to be a notable (though not infallible) ſign of a mercenary, low-ſpirited, and fleſhlyminded Chriſtian:) but by it I mean the ſouls being really regenerated into the Image of God, conſiſting in knowledge, Righteouſneſs and Holineſs, and her implantation into the …oot Chriſt Jeſus, by which ſhe partakes of his divine life, power, and ſpirit.
And yet beſides this, I conceive there is a more Theological account to be given of theſe joys and pleaſures which the renewed ſoul doth ſo plentifully reap, upon her return to God, from whom ſhe had ſo long ſtraggled by ſin and wickedneſs. For the God of hope filleth the godly ſoul with all peace and joy in believing, Rom. 15. 13. Chriſt doth on purpoſe ſpeak words to the hearts of his Diſciples, that their joy may be full, Joh. 15. 11. But whether the moſt benign and gracious Father of ſpirits doth immediately from himſelf inſpire the holy ſoul, with divine joys and pleaſures, kindled, as I may ſay, with nothing but his own breath; or whether he bring them to his holy Mountain, and into his houſe of prayer, and by that or any other the like means make them joyful, and of glad heart, as in the day of a ſolemn feſtival, as he hath promiſed to do, Iſa. 56. 7. and Iſa. 25. 6. However it be, I ſay, ſure it is that he frequently puts a gladneſs into their hearts beyond that of the Harveſt or the Vintage, Pſal. 4. 7. and makes them to rejoyce with joy unſpeakable and full of glory, 1 Pet. 1. 8.
Having now unfolded the meaning of the gracious ſoul's nor thirſting any more, I ſhould paſs to the laſt thing contained in the Text; but finding my ſelf oppreſt in my ſpirit, by the conſideration of this neceſſary conſequent of true Religion, when I compare the temper of Chriſtians with it (foreign) I muſt crave leave to ſtay a little and breathe. And what ſhall I breath but a ſad and bitter complaint over that low, earthly, ſelfiſh, greedy ſpirit, which actuateth the world at this day; yea and the generality of Profeſſors of that ſacred Religion, which we call Chriſtianity. Alas! what a company of thieves and murderers, I mean, baſe and ſenſual loves and luſts, lodge in thoſe very ſouls, who would be taken for Temples conſecrated to the name, and honour, and inhabitation of the eternal God, the ſpirit of Truth and Holineſs. Oh what pitty is it that the precious ſouls of men, yea and of Chriſtians, the beſt of men, that are all capable of ſo glorious liberty, ſo high and honourable a happineſs, ſhould be bound down under ſuch vile and ſordid luſts, feeding upon duſt and gravel to whom the hidden Mannah is freely offered, and God himſelf is ready to become a banquet! And oh what a ſhame is it for thoſe who profeſs themſelves children of God, Diſciples of the moſt holy Jeſus, and Heirs of his pure and undefiled Kingdom of Heaven; for theſe, I ſay, willingly and greedily to roll themſelves in filthy and bruitiſh ſenſualities, to ſet up that on high in their ſouls, which was made to be under their bodies, and ſo to love and live as if they ſtudied to have no affinity at all, but would be as unlike as they could to that God, and Redeemer, and unfit for that inheritance! How often ſhall it be proteſted to the Chriſtian world, by men of the greateſt devotion and ſeriouſneſs, that it is utterly mad, and perfectly vain to dream of entring into the Kingdom of Heaven hereafter, except the Kingdom of Heaven enter into our ſouls during their union with theſe bodies? How long ſhall the Son of God, who came into the world on purpoſe to be the moſt glorious example of true and divine purity, exact and perfect ſelf-denial, and mortification, how long ſhall he lye by in his word, as an antiquated pattern only cut out for the Apoſtolical ages of the world, and only ſuited to ſome few moroſe and melancholick men! Is it not a monſtrous ſpectacle, and to be hiſt out of the world with the greateſt indignation, a covetous, voluptuous, ambitious, ſenſual Saint? With what face can we pretend to true Religion, or a feeling acquaintance with God and the things of his perſonall ſervice and Kingdome, whileſt the continual bleatings and lowings of our ſouls after created good, do bewray us ſo manifeſtly, and proclaim before all the world, that the beaſt, the brutiſh life, is ſtill powerful in us? If ye ſeek me, ſaith Chriſt to his followers, as well as he did once to his perſecutors, then let theſe go; let go the hold of theſe earthly objects, let vaniſh theſe worldly joys and toys, with-hold your throat from thirſt, and your feet from being unſhod, and come follow me only, and ye ſhall have treaſure in Heaven; for he that will not deny all for me, is not worthy of me. But O curvae in terras animae, &c. Ah ſad and dreadful fall, that hath ſo miſerably crampt this royal off-ſpring, and made the Kings Son to be a ſame Mephiboſheth! Ah doleſul Apoſtaſie! How are the Sons of the morning become Brats of darkneſs, and the heirs of Heaven, vaſſals and drudges to earth! How is the Kings Daughter unequally yoaked with a churliſh Nabal, that continually checketh her with more divine and generous motions! How unhappily art thou matcht, O my ſoul! And yet (alas) I ſee it is too properly a marriage for thou haſt clean forgotten thine own people, and thy Fathers houſe. Take up, oh take up a lamentation thou Virgin, Daughter of the God of Zion: Sometimes indeed a Virgin, but now (alas) no longer a Virgin, but miſerably married to an unworthy mate, that can never be able to match thy faculties, nor maintain thee according to the grandeur of thy birth, or the neceſſary pomp of thy expences, and way of living; nay, thou art become not only a miſerable wife, but in ſo being, thou art alſo a wicked adultereſs, proſtituting thy ſelf to the very vileſt of thy lawful Husbands ſervants: if thou be not inceſtuous, it is no thank to thee, there being nothing in this world ſo near of kin to thee, as to make way for inceſt. Return, return, O Shulamite, return, return; put away thine adulteries from between thy breaſts, and ſo ſhall the King yet again greatly deſire thy beauty; for ſo he hath promiſed, Jer. 3. 21. that when there ſhall be a voice heard upon the high places, weeping and ſupplications of the children of Iſrael, becauſe they have perverted their way, and forgotten the Lord their God, and the backſliding children ſhall return, that then he will heal their backſlidings.