The Voice of One Crying in a Wilderness, Sermon 3

The Voice of One Crying in a Wilderness · Sermon 3

p. 165THE Angelical Life.

MAT. 22. 30.

—Are as the Angels of God in Heaven.

THE Doctrine of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and the great things of Chriſtian Religion, as they were accounted a ſtrange thing by all the world, when they were firſt publiſht and preacht: ſo indeed by none leſs entertained, or rather more oppoſed, than by the wiſeſt of men living in that age, viz. Scribes, Phariſees, Sadduces; who were the diſputers of this world, as the Apoſtles phraſe is, 1 Cor. 1. 20. A thing of p. 166wonderful obſervation, not only to us in our day, but even to our bleſſed Lord himſelf in the dayes of his fleſh, who fetches the cauſe of it from Heaven, and adores the infinite Wiſdom of God in it, Mat. 11. 25. Amongſt other ſet Diſputations that the Sadd…ces held with our Saviour, this in this chapter is very famous; where they diſpute againſt the Reſurrection of the dead, by an argument fetcht ab abſurdo, verſ. 25. grounded upon an inſtance of a woman that had been married to ſeven Husbands ſucceſſively: Now, ſay they, if there be a Reſurrection, whoſe Wiſe ſhall ſhe be then? our Saviour anſwers by deſtroying the ground of their argument, and ſhewing that they diſputed upon a falſe ſuppoſition: for, ſaith he, In the Reſurrection there ſhall be no marrying, but men ſhall be as the Angels of God. In which words this Doctrine is plainly layd down (for I ſhall not meddle with the Controverſie.)

Doct. That the glorified Saints ſhall be as the Angels of God in Heaven. The other Evangeliſts do lay down the ſame truth, as you may find, Mark 12. 25. Luk. 20. 36. In the explication of which point, I will ſhew 1. Negatively, wherein the Saints ſhall not be like the Angels. 2. Affirmatively, p. 167wherein they ſhall be like unto them; or, as St. Luke hath it, equal to them.

1. Negatively, The glorified Saints ſhall not be like the Angels in eſſence: The Angelical eſſence, and the rational ſoul are, and ſhall be different. Souls ſhall remain ſouls ſtill, keep their own eſſence: The eſſence ſhall not be changed; ſouls ſhall not be changed into Angelical eſſences.

2. They ſhall not be wholly ſpirits, without bodyes, as the Angels: The ſpirit of juſt men now made perfect, are more line to the Angels in this ſenſe, than they ſhall be after the Reſurrection: For now they are ſpirits without bodyes; but the Saints ſhall have bodyes; not ſuch as now (ſo corruptible, ſo crazy) not in any thing defective, not needing creature ſupplyes; But incorruptible, glorious bodyes, in ſome ſenſe ſpiritual bodyes; which are deſcribed by three characters, 1 Cor. 15. 42, 43. Incorruptible (ſomewhat more than immortal) glorious, powerful. Neither doth their having bodyes any whit abate of their perfection or glory, nor render them inferior to the Angels: for even the glorious Redeemer of the world, hath a body, who is yet ſuperior to the Angels; and he ſhall change the vile bodyes of the Saints, p. 168and make them like unto his glorious body, Phil. 3. ult.

3. Neither have we any ground to believe, that the Saints ſhall be altogether equal to the Angels in dignity and glory: But rather, that as man was at firſt made a little lower than the Angels; ſo that he ſhall never come to be exalted altogether ſo high as they: for it ſeemeth, that the natural capacity of an Angel, is greater than of a …; and ſo ſhall continue; for they are diſtinct kinds of creatures. As a beaſt cannot become ſo wiſe and intelligent as a man; for then he would ceaſe to be a beaſt: ſo neither can a man become ſo large and capable as an Angel; for then he would ceaſe to be a man.

2. Affirmatively, The glorified Saints ſhall be like the Angels of God in Heaven; firſt, In their qualities; that is,

1. In being pure and holy; whether they ſhall be equal to them in poſitive holineſs, or no, I know not: whether they ſhall underſtand, and know, and love God, in all degrees, as much as the Angels: It ſeems rather that they ſhall not; becauſe, as I ſaid before, their capacity ſhall not be ſo large. But if in this they be not altogether equal to the Angels, yet it implyes no imperfection: p. 169for they ſhall be poſitively holy as far as their nature is capable; and ſo ſhall be perfect in their kind, Heb. 12. 23. The ſpirits of Juſt men made perfect: They ſhall in this be like unto the Angels, if not equal to them; yea like unto God himſelf in it; Be ye holy as I am holy, 1 Pet. 1. 15. Mat. 5. ult. But as to negative holineſs, the Saints ſhall be even equal to the Angels of God in Heaven, i. e. they ſhall have no more ſin, no more corruption than they have. They ſhall be as perfectly freed from all iniquities, imperfections, and infirmities, as the Angels. What can be cleaner than that which hath no uncleanneſs at all in it? Why, ſo clean ſhall all the Saints be, Rev. 21. 27. No unclean thing ſhall enter into Heaven. They ſhall be without all kind of ſpot or blemiſh, Epheſ. 5. 27. which is a perfect negative holineſs: more cannot be ſaid of the Angels in this reſpect. As branches of this,

2. As the holy Angles do reverence the Divine Majeſty, Iſa. 6. 2, 3. they cover their faces with their wings, crying, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord of Hoſts; ſo ſhall the glorified Saints. You may ſee what ſweet harmony they make, conſenting together to give all the glory of all to God, Rev. 7. 9, 11, 12. The Saints ſtood and cryed, Salvation p. 170to our God who ſitteth upon the Throne, and to the Lamb: The Angels ſtood round about ſaying Amen, Amen.

3. In their readineſs to do the will of God, and execute his commands; therefore the Angels are deſcribed to have wings, Iſa. 6. 2. with twain they did fly. How God ſhall pleaſe to imploy Angels or Saints in the world to come, is not for us to enquire: But they ſhall be alike ready to do his will, and ſerve his pleaſure, whatever it ſhall be. Even whilſt the Saints are imperfect on earth, they can cry, Here am I, ſend me, Iſa. 6. 8. How much more ready ſhall they be then, when all their fetters are knockt off!

4. They ſhall be as the Angels in their chearful and unwearied execution of the will of God: So the Angels are, and ſo ſhall the Saints be. The ſpirit ſhall be then more willing, and the Fleſh ſhall be no more weak, as it is now; for when it is raiſed again, it ſhall be in power, 1 Cor. 15. 43. More things of this nature might be added: but I paſs lightly over them, becauſe although they be true, yet they are not principally lookt at in this Text: therefore I come to the ſecond thing wherein the glorified Saints ſhall be like unto the Angels, and that is;

p. 1712. In their way of living. They ſhall be like the Angels, i. e. ſaith one truly, foreign, living like the Angels: How is that? our Saviour tells us, Neither marrying, nor being given in marriage: it is added preſently in Luk. 20. 36. For neither can they dye any more: If there be no dying, there will be no need of propagation; if no need of propagation, then why ſhould they marry? The Angels are ſingle, and know no other conjunction, but with God in a ſpiritual manner: no more ſhall the Saints. But what great matter is that to be like the Angels in? what perfection is that? Many Saints, yea and ſinners too upon earth, are ſo like the Angels; nay, and the Devils too. Therefore you muſt know that our Saviour under this phraſe of not marrying, &c. doth comprehend all manner of creature-converſe, all kind of living upon, and delighting in the creature, by a Synecdoche of the part, as is ordinary in Scripture; I have not given upon uſury, ſaith the Prophet, yet the people curſe me, Jer. 15. 10. i. e. I have had no dealing in the world, no negotiation: By one kind he underſtands the whole, Ezek. 25. 41. where, by eating their fruits, and drinking their milk, is underſtood the p. 172poſſeſſing of all that was theirs: And in many other places, the Spirit of God uſes this Tropical way of ſpeaking.

The Angels of God neither marry, nor are given in marriage, i. e. they live not upon any created good, delight not in any created comfort; but live entirely upon God, converſe with him, are everlaſtingly beholding his glory, and delighting themſelves in him: Thus ſhall the glorified Saints live for ever. Their bodyes ſhall not need nor uſe created ſupplyes, food, phyſick, rayment, &c. which things in this animal ſtate they ſtand in need of, Mat. 6. 32. But that's not all; for their ſouls ſhall not any longer deſire, nor hanker after any created thing; but (as the Angels) ſhall be poſſeſt of God, filled with the fulneſs of God; all the powers and faculties of them perfectly refined and ſpiritualized, abſtracted from all created things, eternally rejoycing and delighting themſelves in the contemplation and participation of the ſupreme and infinite good: For during this earthly and imperfect ſtate, not only the bodyes of good men feed upon, and are ſuſtained by the creatures in common with other men, but even their ſouls do taſte too much of worldly contentments, p. 173and drink too deep of earthly pleaſures, and creature-comforts: Even the moſt refined ſouls upon earth, though they do not properly feed upon any thing below God, yet do oſt dip the end of their Rod in this hony that lyes upon the earth (with Jonathan) do caſt an unchaſte eye upon their earthly enjoyments, and delight in them in a way too groſs and unſpiritual, having abſtracted them from God, and loving them with a diſtinct love. But in the Reſurrection it ſhall not be ſo: for the holy ſouls ſhall be perfectly conformed to the holy God, ſhall feed upon him ſingly, live upon him entirely, be wrapt up in him wholly, and be ſatisfied in him ſolely and everlaſtingly: and ſo ſhall they be foreign, equal to the Angels. The creature, although it do not fill any truly ſanctified ſoul upon earth, yet it hath ſome room there; but then it ſhall be perfectly caſt out, and the ſoul ſhall be filled with all the fulneſs of God: the creature is now much in ſome godly ſouls, and ſomething in all of them; but then it ſhall be nothing at all to them, or in them; but God ſhall be all in all; all things in all of them; as the way of the Saints living, and their glorified ſtate is deſcribed, 1 Cor. 15. 28. foreign, that God p. 174may be all in all. They ſhall inherit all things: but how is that? why, ſee the explication of it in the following words, God will be their God, Rev. 21. 7. He that overcometh ſhall inherit all things, and I will be his God. God ſhall be unto them inſtead of all things. In that ſtate there ſhall be no need of Sun or Moon, Rev. 21. 23. by which excellent and uſeful creatures, the whole Creation ſeems to be underſtood; for they that ſhall live above the Sun and Moon, ſhall certainly live above all things that are below theſe: But how then? why it follows, The glory of God ſhall enlighten them; and the Lamb ſhall be their light: ſo Rev. 22. 5. And there ſhall be no night there, and they need no Candle, neither light of the Sun; for the Lord giveth them light: All happineſs is derived into them from God; and therefore there ſhall be no night; no want of any creature-comfort to them; neither ſhall they deſire any thing more of the creature, whether ſmall or great, whether Candle or Sun. For explication of this their bleſſed life, let me allude to that of our Saviour, Luk. 12. 24. The Fowls of the Heaven neither ſow nor reap, yet God feedeth them: ſo the Saints of Heaven neither want nor deſire any created good; for they feed upon God the ſupreme p. 175and infinite good: And again, verſ. 27. The Lillies neither toyl nor ſpin, and yet Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of theſe: Theſe bleſſed ſouls have no reſpect at all to things terrene & created; yet are they ſo filled and adorned with the glory of the infinite Majeſty, that Solomon in all his glory was a filthy and ragged thing in compariſon of them. In a word, the ſtate of the glorified Saints and Angels is ſet out by our Saviour in the ſame manner, by one and the ſame deſcription, and that is the ſeeing of God: The life of Angels, is called a continual beholding of the face of God, Mat. 18. 10. and the ſtate of the Saints glory and happineſs is alſo a ſeeing of God, Mat. 5. 8. Heb. 12. 14. Rev. 22. 4. They ſhall ſee his face, and his name ſhall be in their foreheads. Now this phraſe, the ſeeing of God, applyed both to the Saints and Angels, doth place their happineſs in God alone, excluding the creature; and it doth import the fulneſs, and clearneſs, and certainty of that their bliſs.

Thus I have ſhewed you in what ſenſe (though I am not able to ſhew you in what degree) the glorified Saints ſhall be like the Angels of God in Heaven: Their way of living, viz. upon the bleſſed God alone, p. 176ſhall be the ſame with that of the holy Angels. Application.

From the diſcovery of the future ſtate of the Saints, I find my ſelf filled with indignation.

1. Reproof: Againſt the carnal conceits that many Chriſtians have of Heaven. Chriſtians do I call them! Nay, herein they ſeem rather Mahumetans, who place Heaven in the full and laſting enjoyment of all creature-comforts; nay indeed of ſinful and abominable pleaſures, as one may read in their Alcoran. It may be few Chriſtians are altogether ſo ſenſual; but, ſure I am, the far greater ſort of Chriſtians (ſo called) are very groſs and carnal; at leaſt very low in their conceits of the ſtate of future happineſs; Heaven is a word as little underſtood as Holineſs; and that, I am ſure, is the greateſt myſtery in the world; it would be tedious to run thorow the particular various apprehenſions of men in this matter, and indeed impoſſible to know them. The common ſort of people underſtand either juſt nothing by Heaven but a glorious name; or at beſt, but a freeneſs from bodily torment: As, nothing of Hell affects them, but that dreadful word fire; ſo nothing of Heaven, but the comfortable word, p. 177Reſt or ſafety. Others, it may be, think there is ſomething poſitive in Heaven, and they dream of an honourable, eaſic, pleaſant life, free from ſuch kind of toyls, labours, pains, perſecutions, reproaches, penuries which men are ſubject to in this life: This is a true notion, but much below the nature of that happy ſtate; others are yet more highly affected with the words of Glory and Glorious, and ſeem to be much raviſhed with them; but are like men in a maze or wonderment, that admire ſomething that they underſtand not, and are altogether confounded in their own apprehenſions of it: As if a man ſhould be mightily taken with ſuch a fine name as Arabia the happy, and by a blind fervor of mind ſhould deſire to go and viſit it. Others riſe higher yet in their apprehenſions of Heaven, and look upon it as a holy ſtate; but that holineſs is negative, viz. a perfect freedom from ſin, and all temptations to it: And indeed this is a precious conſideration, and that wherein many a weary ſoul finds much reſt. But yet this amounts not to the life of Angels; it is a lower conſideration of Heaven, than what our Saviour here preſents us with. The ſtate of the glorified Saints, ſhall not only be a ſtate of freedom p. 178from temporal pains, or eternal pains, or a freedom from ſpiritual pains and imperfections; but a ſtate of perfect poſitive holineſs, pure light, ardent love, ſpiritual liberty, holy delights; when all created good ſhall perfectly vaniſh, all created love ſhall be ſwallowed up, the ſoul ſhall become of a moſt God-like diſpoſition, ſhining forth in the glory that he ſhall put upon it glorying in nothing but the bleſſed God, Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt, in his divine Image and perfections, and wrapt up entirely into his infinite fulneſs to all eternity: Which hath made me oft-times to nauſeat, and indeed to blame the poor low deſcriptions of the Kingdom of Heaven which I have found in Books and Sermons, for too drye, yea and groſs; which do deſcribe Heaven principally as a place, and give it ſuch circumſtances of beauty, firmneſs, ſecurity, light and ſplendor, pleaſant ſociety, good neighbourhood, as they think will moſt commend an earthly habitation. True indeed, the Holy Ghoſt in Scripture is pleaſed to condeſcend ſo far to our weak capacities, as to deſcribe that glorious ſtate to us by ſuch things as we do beſt underſtand, and are apt to be moſt taken with, and do moſt gratifie our ſenſes in this world; as a Kingdom, p. 179Paradiſe, a glorious City, a Crown, an Inheritance, &c. But yet it is not the will of God that his enlightened people ſhould reſt in ſuch low notions of eternal life: For in other places God ſpeaks of the ſtate of glory, according to the nature and excellency of it, and not according to the weakneſs of our underſtanding; and deſcribes it at another rate, calling it the Life of Angels; as here, the beholding of God (Mat. 5. 8.) a coming unto the meaſure of the ſtature of the fulneſs of Chriſt, Epheſ. 4. 13. Gods being All things in us, 1 Cor. 15. 28. It is called a Knowing of God, and of his Son Jeſus Chriſt, Joh. 17. 3. In a word, which is as high as can be ſpoke, higher indeed than can be perfectly underſtood, it is called a Being like unto God, 1 Joh. 3. 21. We ſhall be like unto him. But this Uſe is not ſo much for Reproof, as it is for Information.

2. Here is matter of Roproof, yea and of juſt indignation againſt the groſs, low, ſenſual, earthly life of Profeſſors, who yet hope to be the children of the Reſurrection, and to be as the Angels of God in Heaven. What, hope to be like them then, and yet altogether unlike them now! I ſpeak not in a paſſion, but out of a juſt indignation that I have conceived againſt my ſelf, and p. 180againſt the generality even of Saints themſelves. I am not going to ſpeak of Covetouſneſs commonly ſo called; there is a ſin much like to it, which is not indeed a ſingle ſin, but an evil and unſeemly temper, which is earthly-mindedneſs, or minding of earthly things; or if you will, becauſe I would not be miſunderſtood, a living upon the creature, or a loving of the creature with a diſtinct love. Oh the inſenſible ſecrecy, and inſuperable power of this creature-love! I cannot ſufficiently exclaim againſt it. Why do we ſpend noble affections upon ſuch low and empty nothings! Are we called with ſu…h a high Calling, think you, that our converſation ſhould be ſo low? Is the fulneſs of the fountain yours, and do ye yet delight to ſit down by, and bathe your ſelves in the ſhallow ſtreams? Is your life hid with Chriſt in God? Why then do you converſe, as if your life were bound up in the creature? Have you layd up your treaſure in the bleſſed God? what do your hearts then ſo far from it? Is your happineſs in Heaven? why then is not your converſation there too? Do ye count it your bliſs to ſee God? what then mean thoſe fond and wanton glances, that ye caſt upon created-comforts, and that unchaſte p. 181love which you beſtow upon things below? I mean, not only the bleatings of the Sheep, and the lowings of the Oxen: I ſpeak not of the groſſer ſort of earthly-mindedneſs, ſenſuality, or covetouſneſs; but of that more refined and hidden creature-love; a loving of friends, relations, health, liberty, life, and that not in God, but with a love diſtinct from that love wherewith we love God. To love all theſe in God, and for his ſake, and as flowing from him, and partaking of him, and with the ſame love wherewith we love God himſelf, is allowed us: But to love them with a particular love, as things diſtinct from God, to delight in them meerly as creatures; and to follow them as if ſome good, or happineſs, or pleaſure were to be found in them diſtinct from what is in God; this is a branch of ſpiritual Adultery, I had almoſt ſaid Idolatry. To taſte a ſweetneſs in the creature, and to ſee a beauty and goodneſs in it is our duty; but then it muſt be the ſweetneſs of God in it, and the goodneſs of God which we ought alone to taſte and ſee in it. As we ſay, Ʋxor ſplende… radiis mariti, the wiſe ſhines with the rayes of her huſband: ſo more truly, every creature ſhines but by a borrowed light, and commends p. 182unto us the goodneſs, and ſweetneſs, and …ulneſs of the bleſſed Creator. You have heard that the glorified ſouls ſhall live upon God alone entirely, wholly, eternally; and ſhould not the leſs glorious ſouls, I mean gracious ſouls, do ſo too, in ſome degree? yea even we who are upon earth, and do yet uſe creatures, ſhould behold all the ſcattered beams of goodneſs, ſweetneſs, perfection that are in theſe creatures, all united and gathered up in God, and ſo feed upon them only in God, and upon God in all them. It is the character of wicked and godleſs men, that they ſet up, and drive a trade for themſelves; live in a way diſtinct from God, as though they had no dependence upon him; they love the world with a predominant love; they enjoy creature-comforts in a groſs, unſpiritual manner, they dwell upon the dark ſide of their mercies, they treaſure up riches, not only in their cheſts, but in their hearts; they feed upon the creature, not only with their bodyes, but their very ſouls do feed upon them; and thus, in a word, they live without God in the world: All this is no wonder; for that which is of the earth, muſt needs be earthly, Joh. 3. 31. is it not a monſtrous thing, that a heavenly p. 183ſoul ſhould feed upon earthly traſh? I ſpeak without any Hyperbole; the famous King of Babylon forſaking the ſociety of men, and herding himſelf with the beaſts of the earth, and eating graſs with the Oxen, was not ſo abſurd a thing, nor half ſo monſtrous or unſeemly, as the children of the Moſt High God, forſaking the true bread of ſouls, and feeding upon the low fare of carnal men, even created ſweetneſs, worldly goods: Nay, a glorious ſtarr falling from its own ſphere, and choaking it ſelf in the duſt, would not be ſuch an eminent piece of baſeneſs: For what is ſaid of the true God in one ſenſe, Joh. 3. 31. is true of the truly godly in this ſenſe; He that cometh from Heaven is above all, i. e. above all things that are below God himſelf.

3. Shall this life of Angels, be alſo the life of Saints? This may then ſerve as a powerful conſideration, to mortifie in us the love of this animal life, to make us weary of this low kind of living, and quicken us to long after ſo bleſſed a change. Well might the Apoſtle ſay indeed, that to dye was gain. Phil. 1. 21. For, is not this gain, to exchange an animal life, for an Angelical life; a life which is in ſome ſenſe common to the very beaſts with us, for that which in p. 184ſome ſenſe may be called the life of God? For as the bleſſed and holy God lives upon his own infinite and ſelf-ſufficient fulneſs, without being beholden to any thing without himſelf; ſo ſhall the Saints live upon him, and upon the ſelf-ſame infinite fulneſs, and ſhall not need any creature- contributions. The Apoſtle indeed ſaith, That the laſt enemy to be deſtroyed is death, (1 Cor. 15. 26.) which is true of enemies without us; and it is true with reſpect to Chriſt, who ſhall make a general Reſurrection from the dead; for that is the proper meaning of it: But it is true alſo, that the laſt enemy to be overcome within us, is the love of life: Therefore it is ſaid, That a man will part with any thing to keep his life, Job 2. 4. And we do generally excuſe the matter, and cry, Oh! life is ſweet, life is precious. It muſt be confeſt, and it may be granted; I believe that there is an inclination of the ſoul to the body (ariſing from that dear and unconceivable union that God himſelf hath made of them) which is purely natural (ſome ſay altogether neceſſary for the maintaining of man in this complex ſtate) and not in it ſelf ſinful: Poſſibly there may not be found a man upon earth ſo holy and mortified, in p. 185whom this is not found; certainly it is the laſt hinderance to be removed out of the way of our perfect happineſs. This, although in i… it ſelf natural, yea neceſſary, & without blame, yet in the inordinateneſs of it, ordinarily, if not conſtantly, becomes ſinful. I count him the moſt perfect man in the world, who loves not his own life with an inordinate, ſinful love: who loves it only in God, and not with a creature-love diſtinct from God. There are two wayes whereby this natural and lawful love of life becomes ſinful, viz. immoderateneſs, and inordinateneſs Immoderateneſs is when men love their lives at that rate, that they are filled with unreaſonable and diſtracting fears, cares, and thoughts about them, when the whole buſineſs of life is almoſt nothing elſe but a ſtudiouſneſs to preſerve the Being of life. Inordinateneſs is when men, though they do not love their lives at that exceſſive rate, yet do love life as a creature-good, not in God, nor in order to him, but love it for it ſelf, as ſomething out of God: Every carnal man in the world is guilty of the latter; and I doubt but few Saints altogether free from the guilt of it. Now that this immoderate love of life ought to be ſubdued in Chriſtians, all p. 186men almoſt will grant: If any will not grant it, we can eaſily prove it from the command of God, Mat. 6. 25. Take no thought for your life, 1 Joh. 2. 15. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. Both which words, in the favourableſt interpretation that can be given of them, do in the judgment of all, forbid immoderation: N…y, a meer Philoſopher would enforce this from meer moral confiderations, which I cannot now ſtand upon. But this inordinate love of life, as it is a more ſecret, ſticking evil, a more refined corruption, is harder to be diſcovered, and men are loath to be convinced of the evil of it. Now this particular diſtinct loving of life, not as in God, but in it ſelf, as a creature-good, is clearly condemned in that firſt and great Commandment, Matth. 22. verſ. 37. Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy ſoul, and with all thy mind, q. d. God the Supreme, Infinite, Perfect, Original, Eſſential, Self-ſufficient Good, is to be loved in the higheſt, and pureſt, and ſtrongeſt manner, that the heart of man is capable to love; and all other things only in him, and under him, and as being of p. 187him, and for his ſake. Let it be allowed that life is good; yet it muſt be added, that it is but a created-good: let it be allowed that life is comfortable; yet it muſt be acknowledged, that mans chiefeſt comfort and happineſs doth not ſtand in this animal. life, So then, life it ſelf is to be loved in God, who is the fountain and ſpring of life, it is to be loved in the quality of a created good, and no otherwiſe: Now created goods are to be loved only in the Creator, as coming from him, as partaking of him, as leading to him. Argue the caſe a little, thus; The ſoul of man is allowed to love its body with which the great God hath matcht it; and to love union with this body, which union we call life: But this body being a creature, and a creature much inferiour to it ſelf, and much more ignoble than it ſelf, cannot in reaſon be judged to be the fit and adequate object of its ſtrongeſt and beſt affections: That muſt needs be ſomething more excellent than it ſelf, and that cannot be any thing in this world (for this world hath nothing ſo noble, ſo excellent in it as the ſoul of man) it muſt indeed be the Creator himſelf. Well, ſeeing God is the ſupreme, ſelf-ſufficient, perfect Good, he is to be p. 88loved with all the ſtre…gth and powers of the ſoul, ſingly and entirely: And the will of God, being God himſelf, is not only to be ſubmitted to, or reſted in, but to be choſen and loved above all created things; yea even above life it ſelf, the beſt of creatures. So then, if it be the will of God to call for our lives, we ought readily to give them up; becauſe we ought to love the will of God much more than our lives. I pray you drink in that notion, viz. that the will of God being pure, holy, perfect, ſhould not only be ſubmitted to, or reſted in, but even loved and choſen above all creatures: Now the will of God is not that only whereby he teacheth men, and preſcribes Laws to them, but that whereby he rules, and governs the world, and diſpoſes of men in any condition of life, or takes away their lives from them. The eternal fountain of goodneſs can ſend forth nothing but what is perfectly good: and that which is perfectly good, ought to be loved with an univerſal, pure, and (as far as poſſible) perfect love. This you will ſay, perhaps, is a high and a hard ſaying: But, let it not ſeem impoſſible, for a man to love his own life only in God, and in ſubordination to him; for this p. 189God requires (and he requires not things …mpoſſible) Luke 14 26. If any man come after me, and hate not his own life, he cannot be my Diſciple, i. e. not ſimply hate …t, but in compariſon of me and my will: It is not then impoſſible; nay, you ſee it is a neceſſary duty, without which we cannot be Chriſts Diſciples. The Saints of old found it poſſible. Holy Paul gives this anſwer readily, Act. 21. 13. I am ready to dye at Jeruſalem for the name of the Lord Jeſus; and Act. 20. 24. I count not my life dear unto me, ſo that I might finiſh my courſe with joy: It is witneſſed of the whole Army of the Saints, in Rev. 12. 11. That they loved not their lives unto the death, i. e. they did not value them in reſpect of God and his truth. Neither let any one flatter himſelf, and ſay, Yea if I were called to dye for God, I would rather do it than deny him: For the will of God is as much to be eyed in his ſending for us by a natural death, as by martyrdom; and a not giving up our lives to him at any time, is as truly to deny him and his will, as not to give them up at the ſtake, when we are called to it. Beſides, how ſhall we imagine that he that is unwilling to dye in his bed, ſhould be willing p. 190to dye at a ſtake? Now this duty of being mortified to the love of this animal life, being ſo difficult, yet ſo neceſſary, and ſo noble; how doth it become every Saint to ſtudy to attain to this perfection! which, that we may, let us preſs upon our ſelves this Conſideration, this Doctrine, That the glorified Saints ſhall live as the Angels of God in Heaven. We know that if this body were broken down, this low life cut off, we ſhould live like Angels, not being beholden any more to poor creatures for help or comfort, but ſhould be filled with the fulneſs of God, filled with his Image and Glory, and live upon him entirely for evermore. Yea I may add, that this very living above our own lives, meerly at the will of God, is a participation of the Angelical Life even in this world: Therefore labour to be mortified to that love of this life which is here upon earth; yea be weary of it, yea almoſt aſhamed of it.

4. Shall we thus live the lives of the Angels, ſubſiſting in God, feaſting upon him, filled with him to all eternity? This may moderate our ſorrow which we conceive for the loſs of any created good, houſes, lands, husband, wife, children, &c. yet a p. 191little while, and we ſhall not miſs them, ſhall not need them, ſhall not deſire them any more: The bleſſed Angels live a glorious life, and they have none of theſe; but are perfectly ſatisfied in the enjoyment of God alone: They have no wives nor children, yet they want none: And yet a little while, and we ſhall have none neither, neither ſhall we want them, having all things in the God of all things: They neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are in conjunction with the Father, with love, and goodneſs, and truth it ſelf; and ſo they have no want of any thing. If you have no Candles left in the houſe, yet it is towards day-break, and the Sun will riſe upon you, and you ſhall need none, and yet have light enough too. In a word, learn to live beſide them whilſt you have them, and you will be the better able to live without them, when they are removed.

5. I come now to the fifth and laſt Uſe that I ſhall make of this Doctrine; and oh that you and I may make this happy uſe of it! Shall the Saints be as the Angels of God in their way of living, in living upon God, and enjoying all happineſs in him alone for ever? Shall this certainly be ou… p. 192life in Heaven? oh then labour to begin this life upon earth! If you cannot perfectly tranſcribe, yet, at leaſt, imitate that Angelical kind of life. Though you are here impriſoned in a body of earth, and oft cumbred and clogg'd with bodily infirmities, and called to attend upon bodily neceſſities; yet, as far as this animal ſtate will permit, live upon God. Do not excuſe nor vindicate that low kind of earthly life; do not juſtifie your living below and beſides God, but ſtir up your ſelves to behold where your happineſs lies, and live not willingly below it. Certainly a godly ſoul hath more than bare hope in this world: God the bleſſed, infinite and communicative good, hath not lockt up himſelf ſo far out of fight, but that he gives his people a comfortable beholding of him even whilſt they are in their Pilgrimage: and what Soloman ſaith of the life of the godly, he means it of their preſent life, Prov. 15. 24. The way of life is above to the wiſe: Their living not only ſhall be, but is now above; it is a high way of living: They are certainly a puny ſort of Mechanical Chriſtians, that think and talk only of a Heaven to come, and dream of an happineſs without p. 193them, and diſtinct from them: The truly godly and God-like ſoul cannot ſo content himſelf, but being ſpirited and principled from above, is carryed out after the Infinite and Almighty Good, as a thing is carryed towards its centre; and haſtens into his embraces, as the Iron haſtens to the Loadſtone, and longs to be in conjunction with it. If therefore ye be from Heaven, live above all, above all earthly things: If ye be riſen with Chriſt, ſeek the things that are above, Col. 3. 1. If ye be born of God, live upon God, and ſuck not the breaſts of a ſtranger. Deny ſelf, live beſides ſelf, i. e. live not to the luſts, live not to the ſervice of your ſenſes, to the luſt of the fleſh, to the luſt of the eye, to the pride of life; let not your ſouls be ſervants to your ſins, no nor to your ſenſes; that were for ſervants to ride on horſeback, and Princes to walk on foot, Eccleſ. 10. 7. Live above ſelf, i. e. let your ſouls quit all their own intereſt in themſelves, and entirely reſign themſelves to God as to all points of duty and ſervice. But that's not all; neither is that it which I preſs you to from theſe words; but live above the creature, and whatſoever is in it, viz. delighting in God, converſing and communing p. 194with him alone, as the chiefeſt Good: Deſire not any creature any further, than as it may help you forward to the Creator; neithet delight in it any further, than as it either repreſents ſome of the divine perfections, witneſſeth ſomething of divine love, or leadeth to ſome divine participation or communion: Seeing we ſhall come to live upon God, and delight in God alone without any creature; let us now live upon, feed upon, love God alone in every creature: Now to give you a more diſtinct knowledge of this high and noble life, I will explain it in ſome particulars, negatively and affirmatively. Firſt Negatively.

1. Live not upon Self; I ſpeak not of living unto Self, but live not upon Self, Self-excellencies, Self-ſufficiencies, any created accompliſhments; which was the life of the Stoicks, thoſe great Philoſophers, who placed happineſs in the enjoyment of themſelves, which they called foreign. To enjoy ones ſelf indeed is a high duty, a noble priviledge, a duty of the Goſpel, Luk. 21. 19. Poſſeſs ye your ſouls: But how muſt we enjoy our ſelves? why, only in God. He enjoys himſelf,

1. Not who in a ſullen melancholy, p. 195retires to a ſolitary and monaſtical life, as many of the ſowrer ſort of Papiſts do.

2. Nor he that in a proud mood diſdains the perfections of God ſhining forth in other men; and hiding himſelf from them through envy, contents himſelf to ſit and admire his own perſonal accompliſhments, as many humoriſts do.

3. Nor he who finding nothing without him, nor knowing nothing above him to give his ſoul her full reſt, ſettles upon a foundation of his own, and admires a ſelfſufficiency in the temper of his own ſpirit a little ſubdued by Philoſophical precepts, as the Stoicks did, and our Quakers do: But he who enjoyes himſelf in God, i. e. who doth not view himſelf in the narrow point of his own Being, but taking a view of himſelf in the unbounded eſſence of God, loves, and enjoyes, and values himſelf, and all his perſonal excellencies as he is in God, and partakes of his perfections. To live in a way of ſelf-converſe, is below the end of mans creation, who was made for a higher good: And hereby a man ſhall never obtain true happineſs; for it is peculiar to God alone to be happy in himſelf. In a word, a ſoul that confines it ſelf to its ſelf, and lives, and moves, and p. 196rejoyces only within the narrow cell of its own particular Being, deprives it ſelf of that Almighty and Original Goodneſs and Glory that ſills the world, and ſhines thorow the whole Creation.

2. Live not upon any creature without your ſelves. Self indeed is a Creature; but yet for clearneſs in proceeding, we ſhall diſtinguiſh them. Now this is the life of the greateſt ſort of men, they live beſide God, and move only within the ſphere of the creature: you will eaſily underſtand that I ſpeak not of the bodyes living upon the creature; for ſo God hath appointed that it ſhall live: and yet as to this too, I ſay with our Saviour, Man liveth not by bread alone, &c. But I ſpeak of the ſoul of man living upon the creature as its higheſt good, and feeding upon it as its beſt fare: They riſe up early, and ſit up late, and God is not in all their thoughts: They are filled with domeſtiek and forein comforts, but behold not the Father of Lights from whom all theſe deſcend: They live upon the good things of the world, yet live without God in the world. Now by theſe men,

1. do not mean thoſe Heathens that in the moſt Idolatrous manner, do in p. 197the literal ſenſe, ſet up the creatures for Gods.

2. Nor thoſe Chriſtians that in a moſt groſs manner do makeidols of the creatures, and place their happineſs in them.

3. No nor only thoſe earthly Profeſſors, who follow the world too eagerly, and have ſuch a deep and rooted reſpect for it, that they can be ordinarily content to ſuffer creature-employments to juſtle God and duties out of their hearts and houſes, whoſe worldlineſs is apparently too hard for their Religion. Who then? Shall we come any nearer! yes;

4. Thoſe are guilty of creature converſe, who do not enjoy all creatures in God; who love any thing in any creature with a diſtinct love, that do not love it only in God; who love ſilver, gold, houſes, lands trading, friends, with a particular pinching love. Oh take heed of this creaturelove; of valuing any created thing any otherwiſe than in God, any otherwiſe than as being from God, partaking of him, and leading to him.

3. Live not upon Ordinances: Theſe are Gods inſtitutions; love them, cleave to them, attend upon them, let no temptation cauſe you to leave them; but live not upon p. 198them, place not your Religion, place not your hope, your happineſs in them, but love them only in God; attend upon them, yet not ſo much upon them, as upon God in them; lie by the Pool, but wait for the Angel: love not, no not a divine ordinance for its own ſake: Why, who doth ſo? Alas who almoſt doth not?

1. Thus did they in Ezek. 33. 32. who delighted in the Prophets eloquence, and in the Rhetorick of his Sermons as much as in a well tuned voice, and harmonious muſick: and ſo do thouſands in England, who read the Bible for the ſtyle or the ſtories ſake, and love to ſit under learned and elegant diſcourſes, more for accompliſhment, than for converſion: And ſwarms of Prieſts who preach themſelves, more than Chriſt Jeſus even in his own ordinances; as a proud Boy rides a horſe into the Market, to ſet forth himſelf more than his Maſters goods.

2. But there are many not ſo groſs as theſe, who do yet uſe ordinances in a way very groſs and unſpiritual, placing their devotion in them, and ſinking their Religion into a ſettled courſe of hearing or praying; who will wait upon God (as they call it) at ſome ſet and ſolemn times, New Moons and Sabbaths, it may be evening p. 199and morning; but Religion muſt not be too buſie with them, nor intermeddle in their ordinary affairs, or worldly employments; it hath no place there; they do not count it a garment for every dayes wear.

3. And not only theſe, but even almoſt all men are too apt to ſeek reſt in duties and ordinances, or, at leaſt, to be pretty well ſatisfied with the work done, whether they have converſed with God there or no: Oh if you love your ſouls, ſeek you happineſs higher! converſing with divine ordinances, I confeſs, is honourable and amiable, but it is too low a life for an immortal ſoul. Affirmatively,

Let nothing ſatisfie you but God himſelf; take up with no pleaſure, no treaſure, no portion, no paradiſe; nay, no Heaven, no happineſs, below the infinite, ſupreme, and ſelf-ſufficient good. Let your eye be upon him, and his all-filling ſulneſs; let your deſire be unto him, and to the remembrance of his name; follow hard after to know the Lord, and to enjoy the Father through his Son Jeſus Chriſt; let your fellowſhip be with the Father, and with the Son by the ſpirit, 1 Joh. 1. 3. O love the Lord all ye his Saints, Pſal. 31. 23. yea love p. 200him with all your ſoul, and all your ſtrength, Mat. 22. 37. yea and keep your ſelves alwayes in the love of God, Jude 21. perſevere and increaſe in the love of God; Keep your ſelves in the love of God. Oh ſweet duty! Oh amiable pleaſant task! Oh ſweet and grateſul command! Away ye crowd of creatures, I muſt keep my heart for my God: Away ye gawdy ſuitors, away ye glittering toyes, there is no room for you: My whole ſoul, if its capacity were ten thouſand times larger than it is, were too ſcant to entertain the ſupreme good, to let in infinite goodheſs and fulneſs. Oh charge it upon your ſelves with the greateſt vehemence! love the Lord O my ſoul, keep thy ſelf in the love of God; let the love of God conſtrain you, and keep your ſelves under the moſt powerful conſtraints of it. In a word, live upon God as upon uncreated life it ſelf; drink at the fountain, ſeed upon infinite fulneſs; depend upon Almighty Power, refer your ſelves to unſearchable wiſdom, and unbounded love; ſee nothing but God in the creature, taſte nothing but God in the world, delight your ſelves in him; long for communion with him, and communications from him, to receive of his fulneſs grace for grace. Then do we p. 201live moſt like Angels, when we live moſt purely in God, and find all the powers of our ſouls ſpending themſelves upon him, and our ſelves, our life, and all the comforts of it flowing from him, and again ſwallowed up in him. But becauſe we are yet in the body, I ſhall explain it in theſe following particulars.

1. Converſe with God in all your Selfexcellencies. I bade you before not converſe with theſe; now, I ſay, converſe with God in theſe. Thus do the Angels, they know nothing that they have of their own, they enjoy nothing diſtinct from God: They are excellent creaturs, excellent in knowledge, power, holineſs, &c. yet they enjoy all their excellencies in God, and aſcribe them all to him, Rev. 7. 12. And ſo let us labour to do.

1. View your ſelves, not in your own particular Beings, but in the Eſſence of God; look upon your ſelves as being and ſubſiſting in the midſt of an Infinite Eſſence, in which the whole Creation is, as it were, wrapt up, and doth ſubſiſt.

2. And what ever excellency you find in your ſouls or bodyes, look not upon it as your own; maintain not a Meum and Tuum, a diſtinction of intereſts be…ween God and p. 202your ſelves; but look upon all as Gods, and enjoy it in him.

3. When you find your ſelves tempted to caſt a fond and unchaſte look upon the beauty, ſtrength, activity, or temper of your own bodyes, upon the ingenuity, wiſdom, conſtancy, courage, compoſedneſs of your own ſouls; take heed of ſettling into a ſelfiſh admiration of any of them, but enjoy them in God, and ſay, This, O my body, this, O my ſoul, is no other than the portraicture of the Bleſſed God; theſe created excellencies are broken beams of the infinite, unſpotted, uncreated perfections! Jer. 9. 23, 24. Having once attained to this, we ſhall no longer covet to be admired, deſire to be commended, fret at being undervalued; I mean not in a ſelfiſh manner, but rather break out in a ſpiritual paſſion with the pſalmiſt, Oh that men would praiſe the Lord for his goodneſs, and for his wonderful works in the children of men! Pſal. 107. 8.

3. Nay, let me add, when you find your ſelves ready to put your own ſtamp upon Gods beſt coin; to look upon ſupernatural gifts and graces with a ſinful, ſelfiſh admiration, remember that you have them only in Chriſt Jeſus, and enjoy them in your p. 203head; labour to enjoy grace it ſelf only in Chriſt; as the Apoſtle, Gal. 2. 20. I, yet not I but Chriſt in me: I laboured, yet not I, but the grace of God, 1 Cor. 15. 10. So ought we to glory; I believe, I love, I am patient, penitent, humble; yet not I, but the grace of God that is with me, Chriſt Jeſus that dwelleth in me. And indeed a godly man who thus lives at the very height of his own Being, yea and above it too, knows beſt how to reverence himſelf, yea and to love himſelf too, and yet without any ſelflove: For he loves himſelf in God, and his own endowments as divine ornaments.

2. Converſe with God, and live upon him in the excellencies of all other creatures, and in all your creature-enjoyments. We cannot live without creatures, as the Angels do indeed; but let us come as near them as we can, which is by living above creatures: place your happineſs in God, and your hearts upon him; labour to find God all things to you, and in you, and to be filled with his fulneſs; labour to get your underſtandings filled with the knowledge of God, your wills filled with his divine will, your hearts filled with his infinite goodneſs and ſweetneſs, your memories p. 204filled with the remembrance of his name, your whole ſouls filled with his holy and pure Image, filled with the fruits of his holy Spirit: Nay, let theſe very bodyes be filled not only with his good creatures; but more eſpecially with his good will in the creatures. It is ſaid indeed of the ſenſual Epicures of the world, that their bellyes are filled with Gods hid treaſure, i. e. with rare and precious delicacies: But how much better doth God fill the bellyes of his Saints with his hid treaſures, when he feedeth them with his divine favour, and dippeth his hand with them in the diſh? This is meat within meat, which the Saints eat of, which other men, though they feed at the ſame Table, know not of. The glorified Saints ſhall be ſatisfied wholly and perfectly with the Divine Image, ſhining gloriouſly on them, and in them; to which purpoſe that of the Pſalmiſt may be accommodated, Pſal. 17. ult. When I awake, &c. Well, we cannot be ſo ſatiſfied in this life, it ſeems; however, though we cannot be ſo ſatisfied with it; yet let us not be ſatisfied without it, nor ſatisfied with any thing beſides it: Reſolve, holy ſoul, well, if I muſt not be fully ſatisfied with p. 205the Image of my heavenly Father till I awake, I will lie down and fall aſleep hungry as I am then; for I will not fill my mouth with chaff, nor my ſoul with the husks that the Swine do eat. But, in the mean time, get what you can of God out of creature-enjoyments.

1. Enjoy all things for God: And that theſe two wayes.

1. Ʋſe all for him: Thoſe riches, honours, intereſts, friends, which are cloggs upon the heels of others, let them be as heels to you to carry you Heaven-ward; let your ſouls be winged with thoſe very enjoyments, wherewith the wings of others are pinioned; and that which is fewel to their worldly luſts, let it be as fewel to feed and nouriſh your ſpiritual love. To uſe what we have for God, is the only way of not abuſing it: This is one way of enjoying all for God, to uſe all for him; and yet there is ſomething higher in that phraſe of enjoying all for God, than this, viz.

2. Value no creature-comfort any further than as it leads to God: And this in a double ſenſe too. Firſt, Value things to be good only by this, by their leading you unto God. Perfectum in ſuo genere …ſt menſura p. 206reliquorum: Now God being the Supreme and Infinite Good, any thing is ſo far good, as it leads to the enjoyment of him: Now the enjoyment of God is only in being like to him; Holineſs is his Image: So then, every thing is good that tends to ſanctification, and to make men partakers of a Divine Nature. We are uſually miſtaken in the true notion of good and evil, of mercies and judgements; judging according to the taſte, as fooliſh Patients do; but Gods thoughts are not as our thoughts. Meaſure all things by the proportion they bear, and the tendency they have to the Supreme Good; and call not any thing evil that brings nearer to him, nor any thing good that draws off from him. Secondly, When you have found a thing that is really good, tending and leading to the chief good, and to the poſſeſſion of him; labour to enjoy it, and rejoyce in it only under this notion, as ſuch; when you love it, let it be with a pure ſpiritual love; and ſo order your delight in it, that it may be ſaid, you do rather rejoyce in the end of it, than in the enjoyment of it.

2. Another way of living upon God in the creature, is, To enjoy all things as partaking of him. Every good and perfect gift p. 207is from above. Every beam of created light floweth out of the Father of light, James 1. 17. When the bleſſed and glorious God framed this ſtately fabrick of the viſible world, becauſe there was nothing better in the world than himſelf, he was pleaſed to copy out himſelf in it, and to ſpread his own infinite perfections over it, and thorow it, Rom. 1. 20. ſo that every particular good is a bloſſom of the firſt goodneſs; every created excellency is a dark draught of God, and a broken beam of this infinite Sun of Righteouſneſs. Created life, beauty, wiſdom, goodneſs, ſweetneſs, are nothing elſe but effluxes, or rather ebullitions out of the ſelf-ſufficient fountain, ſcant communications made of himſelf, from untreated life, eſſential wiſdom, univerſ…l goodneſs: And under this notion we ought only to enjoy them, and delight in them: And if we do ſo, we do not ſo much enjoy them, as God in them. Oh labour to do ſo! lo…k upon the perfections which you find here below, not ſo much as the perfections of this or that particular Being, but as they are ſo many drops riſen out of the fountain of all perfections, in whom they all meet, and are concentred. It it well expreſt by one, In a p. 208particular Being, love the univerſal goodneſs; let the whole world be as the Garden of God to you, where every creature is a flower, from which you may ſuck ſomething of the divine ſweetneſs. Alas, at what a low and ſenſual rate do we live, when we rejoyce in creatures, either as they are excellent, or as they are ours; whereas indeed neither of theſe is true: For they are not excellent, but God is excellent in them: And how can we call any thing our own, when God made both us and all things for himſelf? On how injurious is it to the bleſſed God, when we rob him of his own perfections that he hath imprinted upon the creature, by loving it, and delighting in it not as in him, but as ſomething diſtinct from him! Nay, we are then injurious to our ſelves, as we ſhall ſee by and by. Labour to enjoy, and to converſe with God in the creatures. O how precious are the thoughts of thee unto me, O God! cryed David when he had been meditating of the creatures excellencies, Pſal. 139. 17. Labour to abſtract your minds from terrene things even in the enjoyment of them, and call upon your ſelves to love, and live, and feed upon God in them; live not upon the dark ſide of your mercies, but upon the p. 209repreſentations of God in them. Is there any thing good? Oh this is a taſte of infinite Goodneſs! Is there any thing ſweet? Oh how ſweet is the God that made it ſo! Is there any thing lovely? it is a picture of him whoſe name is Love. Is any thing firm, ſtable, laſting? it is a ſhadow of that glorious eſſence, with whom there is no ſhadow of change. Have you any thing ſtrong? it ariſes out of that God with whom is everlaſting ſtrength. Doth any creature give reſt, eaſe, refreſhment? it ſprings out of the All ſatisfying fulneſs of God. In a word, labour to climb up by every created excellency, as by ſo many beams to the Father of lights: let all the world be to you as Gods Temple, and be ready to ſay of every place, as Jacob▪ How dreadful is this place; ſurely this is no other than the houſe of God! that God who runs thorow all created Beings, and from himſelves derives ſeveral prints of beauty and excellency all the world over: But eſpecially take heed of your own created-comforts, that they do not inſenſibly lead a way your hearts, and enſnare you into a ſinful, particular, diſtinct love of them; which is a ſin ſoon committed, hardly p. 210diſcerned, and moſt hardly reformed. If any be freed from theſe inordinate affections, ſure they are but few, and thoſe few have come dearly by it; as he ſaid in another caſe; with a great ſumm they have obtained this freedom; they have payed for it. not with the foreskins of the Philiſtines, but with the lives of what they ſo loved; there being no way to cure this evil diſtemper, but cutting off the member infected with it, the part that it fed upon. As a branch of this head, let me add, labour to live upon God in the excellencies of other men▪ value them and all their accompliſhments only in God, as he that did diligere Deum habitantem in Auguſtino: Admire God, and enjoy God in them: Where ever you ſee wiſdom, goodneſs, ingenuity, holineſs, juſtice, or any other accompliſhment: ſay, Here and there is God. And this is the honeſt way of making our ſelves Maſters of whatever is another mans, and enjoying it, as truly as he himſelf doth; yea, as truly as if it were our own: when we behold all theſe beams, as coming from the ſame fountain of lights, and do love them all in him with an univerſal love. This is the rare Art of having nothing, yet poſſeſſing p. 211all things, of being rich, though one have nothing: and of being wiſe, though one know nothing.

3. The laſt way of living upon God in the creature, is, To taſte and feed upon the love of God in them; not only his common bounty, but his ſpecial love in Chriſt. The good will of God gives a ſweet reliſh to every morſel, as I hinted before. Even in the midſt of all your delightful, pleaſant, ſweet enjoyments, let your ſouls be more affected with this, than with them; let this be as the Manna lying upon the top of all your outward comforts, which your ſpirits may gather up, and feed upon. But this I toucht upon before; therefore I ſhall add no more concerning it. Thus I have ſhewed you how you may imitate the life of Angels in living upon God, even whilſt you live in the body. To this I may add another particular or two.

3. Converſe with God, and live upon him in all his Ordinances: Let communion with God be your drift in every duty, and the very life, and ſoul, and ſweetneſs of every ordinance. You never read of a ſoul more thirſty after ordinances, than David, as might appear abundantly: yet if you look p. 212well into the expreſſions, you will find that it was not ſo much after them, as after God in them; not after the dead letter, but after the living God, Pſa. 4. 2. 2. My ſoul thirſteth for God, for the living God; and Pſal. 84. 2. My heart and my fleſh cryeth out for the living God. Let the Word preacht or read be as a voyce from Heaven talking you; let your conſerence be a comment upon that Word; let meditation be as a kind of bringing down God into your ſouls; and prayer as a raiſing up of your ſouls into God; nothing but faith and love put into phraſes. And ſo of all the reſt.

4. Converſe with God in all his Providences; proſperity, adverſity, plenty, penury, health, ſickneſs, peace and perplexity. This is a large Theme: But as to proſperity, I have ſpeken ſomething a ready, under that head of converſing with God in creature enjoyments: As for adverſity, I have ſaid much more in a large diſcourſe, to deſcribe and commend the Art of converſing with God in affictions: Briefly at this time, converſe not with loſſes, wants, afflictions, but with God in them; and that not only with the juſtice, p. 213righteouſneſs, ſeverity and ſoveraignty of God in them, but with the goodneſs and mercy of God in them: They are dark Providences, we had not need to dwell all together on the dark ſide of them. If all the wayes of the Lord towards his people be mercy and truth, Pſa. 25. 10 then his rougheſt and moſt uncouth wayes are ſo 100: If God be wholly love, 1 Joh. 4. 8. then his very corrections proceed not from hatred: If it be his name to be good, and to do good, Pſal. 119. 68. where have we learnt then to call his afflicting Providences Evils, and to divide evil, which is but one, even as God is one, into culpae and paenae, ſin and affliction? ſurely we ſpeak as men: And if God call them ſo, he ſpeaks after the manner of men, as he often doth. If the governing will of God be pure, perſect, and infinitely good and righteous, ought we not to converſe with it in a free and chearful manner; yea and to love it too? In a word, pore not upon creature-changes, nor the uncertain wheels of motion that are turning up and down, we know not how, nor how oft; but fix your ſouls upon that All-ſeeing eye, that unbounded underſtanding, that unſearchable and infinite p. 214goodneſs that derives it ſelf thorow the whole univerſe, and ſits in all the wheels of motion, governing all the ſtrange motions of the creatures in a wonderful and powerful manner, and carrying them all in their ſeveral Orbs to one laſt and bleſſed end.

Thus imitate the Angelical life, even whilſt you are in the body; converſe with God in ſelf-excellencies, in creature-excellences, Ordinances, Providences: And yet labour to be more like them ſtill, to abſtract your mind from all theſe, and all material and ſenſible things, and to converſe with God without the help of any creature, I mean in the ſpirit, and by a ſecret feeling of his Almighty Goodneſs, and the energy of grace, and the communications of a divine life, in your ſouls. In a word, if you would taſte of Heaven whilſt you are upon Earth, labour above all things for a true conjunction of your hearts with God, in a ſecret feeling of his goodneſs, and a reciprocation of love to him; and to find the holy and bleſſed God exerciſing his grace and power upon all the faculties of your ſouls, and rendring them like unto himſelf; and all theſe powers of the ſoul p. 215mutually ſpending themſelves upon him freely and entirely, as upon the chiefeſt good, which is their proper and full object. Seeing the Saints in glory ſhall be like unto the Angels of God in their way of living in and upon God alone, receive, I pray, this Exhortation, which I have ſo largely proſecuted, and labour to begin that life as far as you can, upon Earth. Is there not reaſon for ſuch an Inference? Doth it not now flow naturally from the Doctrine? If you think it do not, I will add two or three particulars to ſtrengthen this Inference; or at leaſt to clear it.

1. It is highly reaſonable that we begin to be that which we expect to be for ever, to learn that way of living in which we hope to live to all eternity: So that I infer upon as ſtrong ground as the Apoſtle, 1 Joh. 3. 3. He that hath this hope purifieth himſelf, &c.

2. If this be the life of Angels, then it is the higheſt and nobleſt life that any created Being is capable of. As by the bread of Angels, and the tongue of Angels, the moſt excellent food, and the moſt excellent language, is underſtood in Scripture; ſo muſt we underſtand this life of Angels. Now it is very ſuitable to the reaſonable ſoul, that p. 216immortal, noble Being, to aim at the higheſt and nobleſt life: See Mat. 16. 26. What ſhall a man give in exchange for his ſoul?

3. This ſhall not only be our life in Heaven, but it ſelf is ſomething of Heaven, a beginning of Heaven. This life is not a thing really diſtinct from life eternal, Joh. 17. 3. this is life eternal, &c. 1 Joh. 5. 13. Ye have eternal life. Therefore we read of eternal life abiding in men, and not abiding in them, 1 Joh. 3 15. So alſo Joh. 6. 54. Whoſo eateth my fleſh, hath eternal life. A holy ſoul thus deified, thus living in and upon God, is as truly glorified upon Earth in ſome degree, as the world is enlightened by the morning Sun; which is as truly, though not ſo glorionſly, as by the Sun in its g…eateſt height. Oh low and ignoble ſpirits, that can be ſatisfied with a happineſs which ſhall only be in the world to come! Certainly it true and proper ſpeech to ſay that a Participation of God is an Anticipatien of Heaven; and to be like unto him, is to be with him. You ſee what reaſon I have to make ſuch an Inference, and to form it into ſuch an earneſt Exhortation: Oh therefore I beſeech you before God and his holy Angels, to endeavour to be like him, and live like them! Object. Say p. 217not, How can men on Earth live like Angels! Anſ. 1. But fall on and imitate them, though it be—haud paſſibus aequis: labour to be foreign if you cannot be altogether foreign. 2. We are bidden to live the life of God, Mat. 5. ult. Be perf…ct, &c. So 1 Pet. 1. 15. Be ye holy, &c. If I ſpeak high, how high ſpeak theſe Texts? Obj. Say not, But how can this animal life permit this! Anſ. 1. For 1. Thus men have lived in the body. Thus lived Enoch, Gen. 5. 22. Thus lived Paul, Phil. 1. 21. Thus lived David that man after Gods own heart (the greateſt and moſt divine character that can be given of a mortal man) Pſal 73. 25. there is none upon Earth that I deſire beſides thee 2. Cannot we live in the body, except we live to the body? You ſee Saints upon Earth live above other men upon Earth, and yet a little more pains, take the other flight, and you may live above your ſelves too, higher than you do: I will only add a Motive or two to this duty of living upon God.

1. The laſt enemy to be overcome, is creature-love: This is the laſt enemy that keeps the field, by which alone the greateſt ſort of men do periſh everlaſtingly; beat down this, and you win the day, and ſhall wear p. 218the Crown: nay the very conqueſt of it is a Crown, as I ſaid before.

2. To live upon God in the creature, is to enjoy the creature in the beſt ſenſe. You will loſe nothing of the creature by this means, but ſhall enjoy it more fully than ever you did. For the creature is ten thouſand times ſweeter in God, than it is in it ſelf. Yea in a word, this is the way to enjoy all the world, and to enjoy the accompliſhments of all men, and all things as much as if they were your own.

3. is the way never to loſe any thing. He that lives upon God, ſpends upon a ſtock that cannot be waſted, drinks at a fountain that cannot be exhauſted. So much as we enjoy of God in the creature, we do not loſe with it: and that which we do not ſo enjoy, we deſerve to loſe. This then is the ſecure and honourable life; in compariſon of which the life of a Prince is but a wallowing in the mire. Lord give us evermore this bread, and hearts to feed upon it! Amen.

FINIS.

Dei & Animae Conſortium: SIVE Periphraſis in poſterius foreign

1 JOHN 4. 16.

—foreign.

O Mnia mî Deus eſt; idem Deus eſt meus omnis:

Ipſe Deo totus; totus & ipſe Dei.

Omnia mihi Deus eſt.

In Deo cujuſque boni creati

Singulae vires penitiſſimè inſunt

In Deo ſolaminàque implicantur

O mnia vitae.

Omnis Deus eſt meus.

Omne quod feoit mihi dat benignus;

Omne quod prae ſe quia nil pependi,

Inſuper menti dedit appetenti

Omne quod ipſe eſt.

Ipſe in Deo totus.

In Deo verſor medio, que spiro,

In Deo grandeſcere concupiſco,

Luceo totus radiis paternâ

Luce receptis.

Ipſe totus Dei.

Non m…, non alterius creati

Sum, (Deus) ſed quantus ego, tuus ſum:

Vita quos à te radios recepi,

Oro, refl…ctat!

Cunctate ſubter (Deus alme) quae ſunt,

Judico mente inferiora noſtrâ:

Abſit ut rebus ſtudeat caducis

Mens generoſa!

Fac teipſum, mi Deus, ipſiorem

Huic meae menti penitus ſeipſâ;

Fac meipſum, mi Deus, uniorem,

Quàm mihi, tecum!

GOD and the SOƲL: OR A Periphraſe upon

1 JOHN 4. 16.

—dwelleth in God, and God in him.

MY God is All things unto me;

All God is alſo mine:

I am, O Lord, wholly in thee;

And alſo wholly thine.

God is All things unto me.

The powers of each created good

In God are all contain'd;

In him my Comforts all do bud,

Flouriſh, and are maintain'd.

All God is mine:

He gave me all that he had made,

All which did not ſuffice

My larger Soul; therefore I pray'd,

He gave himſelf likewiſe.

I am wholly in God.

I'th midſt of God I live and breath,

In him I'm only bright,

The rayes with which I ſhine beneath,

Are borrow'd from his light.

I am wholly God's.

O Lord I'm not at all mine own,

Nor for another free:

Let life be a reflection

Of beams receiv'd from thee!

All things below thee (Lord) I judge

To be below my Soul;

Oh let my nobler mind even grudge,

It ſelf in duſt to rowl!

Be more my ſelf, O God, to me

Than I my ſelf have been;

Make me, O God, more one with thee,

than with my ſelf! Amen.

FINIS.

End of the text · Samuel Shaw, The Voice of One Crying in a Wilderness (1666)