The Fading of the Flesh and Flourishing of Faith, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. God the Saints happineſs, becauſe of his Eternity and the Saints propriety in him.
GOD is a permanent good: That which makes a man happy, muſt be immortal like himſelf: as man is rational, ſo he is a provident creature, deſirous to lay up for hereafter; and this forecaſt reacheth beyond the fools in the Goſpel for many years, even for millions of ages for ever, by laying hold on eternal life. He naturally deſires an immortality of being (whence that inclination in creatures, ſay Philoſophers, of propagating their kind) and therefore an eternity of bleſſedneſs. The ſoul can enjoy no perfection of happineſs, if it be not commenſurate to its own duration. For the greater our joy is in the fruition of any good, the greater our grief in its amiſſion. Eternity is one of the faireſt flowers in the glorified Saints garland of honour. Its an eternal weight of glory: 2. Cor. 4.17. Were the triumphant ſpirits ever to put off their Crown of life, the very thought thereof would be death, and like leaven would ſower the whole lump of their comforts. The perpetuity of their ſtate, adds infinitely to their pleaſure. We ſhall ever be with the Lord. 2. Theſ. 4.16. Here they have many a ſweet bait, but there God will be their ſtanding-diſh, never off the Heavenly Table.
The creature cannot make man happy,La…itia ſaeculi cum ma na expect …o…e ſperat…r ut venini…t, & …o… … teſt ten…r… c…nvenit. Aug. tract. 7 in Job. becauſe (as it is not able to fill him ſo,) it is not faſt to him; like the Moon in the increaſe, it may ſhine a little the former part of the night, but is down before morning. Man is not ſure to hold them whilſt he liveth. How often is the candle of outward comforts blown out by a ſuddain blaſt of providence? Many (as Naomi) go out full, but come home empty; ſome diſaſter or other as a Theif meets them by the way, and robs them of their deified treaſure. The Veſſel in which all of ſome mens wealth is embarqued, while it ſpreadeth fair with its, proud Sails, and danceth along upon the ſurging waters, when the Factor in it is pleaſing himſelf with the kind ſalutes he ſhall receive from his Merchant, for making ſo profitable a Voyage) is in an inſtant ſwallowed up of unſeen quickſands, and delivereth its Fraught at another Port, and to an unknown Maſter. Thoſe whoſe morning hath been ſunſhiny and clear, have met with ſuch ſhowres before night, as have waſhed away their wealth. However if theſe comforts continue all day, at the night of death, (as falſe lovers ſerve men in extremity) they leave us the knife of death, which ſtobs the ſinner to the heart; Lets out the blood, and ſpirits of all his joyes and happineſs. But God is the true happineſs of the ſoul; becauſe, he is an eternal good; As this Sun hath no miſts, ſo it nevey ſets; ſo that the reſt of the Soul in God is an eternal Sabbath; like the new Jeruſalem, it knoweth no night. Outward mercies in which moſt place their felicity, are like land floods, which ſwell high, and make a great noiſe, but are quickly in again, when the bleſſed God, like the Spring-head, runeth over, and runneth ever.
Fourthly, Becauſe of the Saints propriety in this God; though God be never ſo perfect, ſuitable, ſure a good; Yet its litle Comfort, to them that have no intereſt in him; Another mans health will not make me happy, when ſick. What Happineſſe hath a begger in the ſhady walkes, pleaſant garden, ſtately buildings, curious roomes, coſtly furniture, and precious jewels of an Earl, when they are none of his; A Crown and ſcepter may be as ſuitable to the nature of a Subject, as a Soveraign; yet the comfort of them extends not to the former, for want of this propriety in them. The leaving out one word in a Will, may marr the eſtate and diſapoint all a mans hopes; the want of this one word, my (God) is the wicked mans loſſe of heaven, and the dagger which will peirce his heart in Hell to all eternity. The degree of ſatisfaction in any good, is according to the degree of our Union to it, (hence our delight is greater in food, then in cloaths; and the Saints joy is greater in God, in the other world, then in this, becauſe the Union is nearer) but where there is no propriety, there is no Union; therefore no complacency; now this alſufficient, ſutable, and eternal God is the Saints peculiar portion, and therefore cauſeth infinite ſatisfaction. God is my portion for ever. God even our God ſhall bleſſe us, Pſalm. 67.7. The Pronoun my, is as much worth to the ſoul, as the boundleſs portion; All our comfort is lock't up in that private cabinet. Wine in the glaſſe, doth not chear the heart, but taken down into the body. The propriety of the Pſalmiſts in God was the mouth whereby he fed on thoſe dainties which did ſo excedingly delight him. No love potion was ever ſo effectual as this Pronoun. When God ſaith to the ſoul, as Ahab to Benhadad, Behold I am thine, and all that I have, who can tell how the heart leaps with joy in, and expires almoſt in deſires after him, upon ſuch news! Others like ſtrangers may behold his honour, and excellencies; but this Saint onelyonly, like the wife, enjoyeth him: Luther ſaith, Much Religion lyeth in Pronouns. All our conſolation indeed conſiſteth in this Pronoun it the is the cup, which holdeth all our cordiall waters; He undertake as bad as the devil is, He ſhall give the whole world (were it in his power) more freely then ever he offered it to Chriſt, for his worſhip, for leave from God to pronounce thoſe two words, my God. All the joyes of the beleiver are hung upon this one ſtring; break that aſunder, and all is loſt. I have ſometimes thought, how David rouls it as a lump of ſugar under his tongue, as one loth to loſe its ſweetneſs too ſoon. I love thee O Lord my ſtrength; The Lord is my rock, and my fortreſſe, and my deliverer, my God my ſtrength, my buckler, the horn of my ſalvation, and my high Tower: Pſalm. 18.1, 2. This pronoun is the door at which the King of Saints entereth into our hearts with his whole train of delights and comforts.