The Fading of the Flesh and Flourishing of Faith, Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. The Second Doctrine. That God is the Comfort of a Chriſtian, with the grounds of it; His happyneſs is in God.
I Proceed now to the ſecond Doctrine, from the ſecond part of the Text, the Saints comfort; But God is the ſtrength of my heart, and my portion for ever:
That the comfort of a Chriſtian in his ſaddeſt condition is this; That God is his portion. The Pſalmiſts condition was very ſad, his Fleſh failed him. The ſecond Doctrine, that the comfort of a Chriſtian in his ſaddeſt condition is that Go… is his portion. foreign. lib. de Ju. &. Se. cap. 3.Mans Spirit often decayes with his fleſh: The Spirits and blood are let out together. His Heart fell with his fleſh; but what was the ſtrong cordial which kept him from ſwooning at ſuch a ſeaſon? Truly this, But God is the ſtrength of my heart, and my portion for ever. Ariſtotle affirmeth of the Tortoys that it liveth when its heart is taken away. The holy man here liveth when his heart dyeth. As the Sap in winter retreateth to the root, and there is preſerved, ſo the Saint in croſſes, in death retireth to God, the Fountain of his life, and ſo is comforted. David when his Wives were captivated, his wealth plundred, and his very life threatned (for the Souldiers talked of Stoning him) was doubtleſs in a very dreadfull eſtate; one would have thought ſuch an heavy burden, muſt needs break his back; but behold, the joy of the Lord was his ſtrength; But David encouraged his heart in the Lord his God. 1 Sam. 30.6. When the Table of earthly comforts (which for a long time at beſt, had been but indifferently ſpread for him) was quite empty, he fetcheth ſweet-meats out of his Heavenly Cloſet. But David encouraged his heart in the Lord his God. Methodius reporteth of the Plant Pyragnus that it flouriſheth in the flames of Olympus. Chriſtians (as the Salamander) may live in the greateſt fire of affliction, at this day; And (as the three Children) may ſing when the whole world ſhall be in a flame at the laſt day. They are by the Spirit of God compared to Palm-trees (Pſalm. 92.12.) which though many weights are hanging on the top, and much drought be at the bottom, are neither (ſay ſome Naturaliſts) born down nor dried up. This nightingale may warble out her pleaſant notes with the ſharpeſt thorne at her breaſt.
The onelyonly reaſon which I ſhall give of the Doctrine,Reaſon of the Doctrine, becauſe God is his happineſs. is this; Becauſe a Godly man placeth his happineſs in God. Its natural to the creature in the mid'ſt of its ſufferings to draw its comfort and ſolace from that pipe, (whether ſuppoſed or real) happineſs. All things have a propenſity towards that in which they place their felicity. If a ſtone were lay'd in the Concave of the Moon, though air and fire and water are between, yet it would break through all, and be reſtleſs till it come to the earth its centre. Aſutable and unchangeable reſt, is the onelyonly ſatisfaction of the rational creature. All the toſſings and agitations of the ſoul are but ſo many wings to carry him hither and thither, that he may find out a place where to reſt. Let this Eagle once find out, and faſten on the true carcaſſe, he is contented; as the needle pointing to the North, though before in motion, yet now he is quiet. Therefore the Philoſopher though in one place he tells us that delight conſiſteth in motion, yet in another place tells us foreign, that it conſiſteth rather in reſt.
Happineſe is nothing but the Sabbath of our thoughts and the ſatisfaction of our hearts in the fruition, Eth. lib 7. cap. ult.of the chiefeſt good. According to the excellency of the object which we embrace in our hearts, ſuch is the degree of our happineſs; the Saints choice is right, God alone being the ſouls center and reſt. Omnes literae in Jehovah ſunt literae qui eſcentes, ſay the Rabbies. Let a ſinner have but that which he counteth his treaſure, though he be under many troubles he is contented. Give a covetous man wealth, and he will ſay as Eſau, I have enough; When an ambitious man mounts up to a chair of ſtate, he ſits down and is at eaſe. If a voluptuous perſon can but bath himſelf in the ſtreams of carnal pleaſures, he is as a fiſh in his Element. So let a Godly man enjoy but his God, in whom he placeth all his joy, and delight, in whom is all his happineſs and heaven, he is well, he hath all; Shew us the Father and it ſufficeth; No more is deſired, John. 14.8.
No man thinks himſelf miſerable, till he hath loſt his happineſs. A Godlyman is bleſſed when afflictied and buffetted, becauſe God is the proper Orb in which he doth fix, and he hath his God ſtill: Job. 5.17. When a few leaves blow off, his comfort is, he hath the fruit and the tree ſtill. As a man worth millions, he can rejoyce though he loſe ſome mites.Pliny Nat. hiſt. lib. 2 cap. 103. In the Salentine country there is mention made of a lake brim-full: put in never ſo much, it runneth not over; draw out what you can, its ſtill full. Such is the condition of a Chriſtian, he hath never too much; and take away what you will, having God, he is ſtill full. Auguſtine out of Varro alledgeth 288. ſeveral Opinions about happineſs; but thoſe Philoſophers were vain in their imaginations. I ſhall cleerly prove The ſtrength of Mans happineſs to flow from another ſpring.