Forty Sermons, Sermon 30
SERMON XXX.
PSAL. 73. 28.
At St. Maries, Sep. 9. 1649.But it is good for me to draw near to God.
THe ſecond ground whereof is taken from the Nature of Reaſ. 2 This foreign in the Text is alone. foreign God Almighty is only God All-ſufficient. foreign, and therefore foreign, God of himſelf, and therefore alone Self-ſufficient, foreign that hath ſo his Being from himſelf, that all elſe have their beings from him.the Creature in General, which at beſt is but a depending being, not ſufficient in and of it ſelf for its own Happineſs, and therefore muſt go out of it ſelf, to find it in another; which ultimately, nay, immediately is God only. Now that it may have it of him, it muſt be ſome way or other united to him; and ſo from a natural Tendency proportionably to the nature of it looks and moves towards him, and as it can, draws near and cleaves to him, according to that of the Pſalmiſt, The eyes of all wait upon thee. Pſal. 145. 1, 15. As the Vine to the Elm, and the Ivie to the Oak, how faſt doth it claſp and cleave? How doth it inſinuate? Like the Rivers to the Ocean, or Ezekiel's Cedar-branches to the great Eagle, Chap. 17. 6. The Soveraign Lord and Creator leaving in the moſt perfect Creature ſome defect, either for being, well-being, or continuing in both, that it may have recourſe to Him for a ſupply; as the Child that cannot defend, or (it may be) carry it ſelf on its own Legs, when left, crieth to the Father: Well were it if we could cry more after ours, for that might make God draw near to us, when we cannot to him. What a dark frozen thing is ſuch a Northern Clime, where the Sun's Light ſhines not, and whither its warm Beams reach not? But what a very nothing is every thing without a God creating and ſupporting it? The very Chaos could not continue in its imperfect confuſed being without the Spirit of God brooding upon Gen. 1. 2. foreignit: And therefore when we ſee the Flowers opening to the Sun, and the Birds in Winter-Seaſon flying away into warmer Countries; they tell us, that (as we are Creatures) for our being, and well-being, it's good to draw near to God; and teach Confeſſ. lib. 13. cap. 8.us to make Auſtin's Confeſſion, Male eſt mihi praeter te, non ſolum extra me, ſed in meipſo, & omnis mihi copia, quae Deus meus non eſt, egeſtas eſt, Lord, without thee how ill would it be with me? And that not only in regard of what's without me, but alſo within me. Without thee, my greateſt Plenty is errant Beggary; and therefore ſuch a poor Creature ſtands in need to dwell near to ſuch a Good Neighbour, to be warmed by his Fire, and fed at his Table. Lord, it's good for me to beg an Alms at thy Betheſda; though I creep on my Knees, to get as near as I can to thee.
And this the rather, if, in the third place, we conſider the Reaſ. 3 Nature of Man, as in himſelf, and in reference to God; in a ſpecial manner made by him, and for him, and therefore unquiet Feciſti nos ad te, & irrequi etum eſt cor noſtrum doneo requieſcat in te. Auguſtin. Confeſſ. 41. c. 1. See Dr. Field of the Church. lib. 1. c. 1.and reſtleſs till it return to him. The right Line is turned into a Circle, in which the Line is ſo reflected, that in its return it ſtays not, till it return from whence it firſt came.
Of a Spiritual, Immortal, and Underſtanding Soul, of vaſt apprehenſions and deſires.
Of a Sociable Nature, pity it ſhould not have acquaintance with God. If not good for Adam to be alone, without a Meet-help, foreign Gen. 2. 18. as always before him, with whom he might be made one fleſh: How ill to be without a better help nearer at hand, with whom he may be made one Spirit?
Made after Gods Image, Gen. 1. 26. and therefore beſt when he can come neareſt to that firſt and beſt Copy.
With an underſtanding Soul, Job 35. 11. And therefore the more he knows, the more he underſtands his own Dependency, and therefore ſeeth a greater neceſſity of drawing the nearer to the Fountain of his Being and Welfare.
Of a Capacious Apprehenſion, which nothing but this Primum Verum can fill, and therefore wearys himſelf (Eccleſ. 12. 12.) in an endleſs ſearch after Truth in ſeveral Arts and Sciences: The World is ſet in his heart, Eccleſ. 3. 11. but it's but little that he can attain, Job 26. 14. and not without a great deal of difficulty is tired out in gathering up the Rays of Light and Truth, which Scattered as Iſrael over Egypt, to gather ſtubble.this Sun hath ſcattered among the Creatures; but is not ſatisfied till he find them all, and more than all in himſelf. This is eternal Life, to know thee, and whom thou haſt ſent, Jeſus Chriſt, John 17. 3. In the Study of the Creature is a toilſome task, Eccleſ. 1. 18. It's in the near Viſion of God, which the underſtanding of a Man doth fully acquieſce in, and ſo Intellectus eſt in quiete. And as he is of a Capacious Apprehenſion, which nothing but this Primum Verum can fill: So he is of a large heart and vaſt deſires, which nothing but this Summum bonum can ſatisfie; God only being El Shaddai, Exod. 6. 3. Gen. 17. 1. The God All-ſufficient either to his own or our Happineſs. Whence it is, that when the Soul is once put off from him, Per devia errans, like the evil Spirit in the Goſpel, Mat. 12. 43. goes through dry Places, ſeeking reſt, and finds none; till with the Pſalmiſt, he looks Home-ward to God, and ſaith, Return unto thy reſt, O my Soul, Pſal. 116. 7.
Sometimes, as Solomon in Eccleſiaſtes, he ſeeks and ſearcheth for what may ſatisfie him in the Creature; and what content it can afford; and as there was no Nation and Kingdom, in which Ahab did not hunt for Elijah, 1. Kings 18. 10. and yet he could not be found: So there is no Creature in or under Heaven, which in this buſie ſearch is not as it were unlapt and ranſacked, if poſſibly by the Profit or Pleaſure of it content may be found lapt up in it. This buſie Bee ſits and ſucks on every Flower, and like a Chymiſt makes Extractions of all ſorts out of all things, if from any from all he might gain ſuch an Elixir as may ſerve his turn. But the deep ſaith, it is not in me. In all the inferiour Creatures Adam could not find a Meet-help, Gen. 2. 20. It's pity that in any he ſhould meet with his Happineſs. Solomon, when tired out with this wild and eager purſuit, is glad at laſt to turn in to God: Let's hear the concluſion of the whole Matter, Fear God and keep his Commandments, for this is the whole of Man, Eccleſ. 12. 13. all one with this in the Text, It's good for me to draw near to God.
But before that, when vain Man hath been wearied out in ſeeking that in the Creature, which will not be found, before he will draw near to God, with Saul he will rather apply himſelf to Satan, and dig as deep as Hell to find it, trying whether that may be overtaken in a way of ſin, which could not be met with in the lawful Content of the Creature, and here he runs counteramain Hell-ward, till he hath quite wearied himſelf in that Courſe, Iſa. 57. 10. adds Drunkenneſs to Thirſt, and Thirſt to Drunkenneſs; when he hath been moſt drunk, yet thirſts the more, and the more he drinks, the more he thirſts; moſt unhappy in that he ſeeks the Living amongst the Dead; miſtakes Miſery for Happineſs, and Hell for Heaven. But it's this Good that he looks and gropes for; though now Blind-folded and turned off from God, he goes a quite contrary way: But yet as Auſtin well obſerves, Mali propterea ſunt mali ut ſint In Pſal. 118. 1.boni nempe beati: The wickedeſt Men do ill, that they might fare well. It's a Goodneſs and Happineſs, that they make after. It's foreign to which they Sacrifice, a Deity which they ſerve; unhappy in this, that they graſp the Cloud for Juno in their Hunting after the vain Creature, and worſhip the Devil inſtead of the true God, 1 Cor. 10. 20. in their thus queſting with open Mouth after ſinful Contentments; but yet whilſt miſled with theſe fowl Errors, they bear witneſs to this Fundamental Truth, that whilſt they ſo eagerly, but in vain, purſue ſuch falſe Goods, they plainly ſay, that it's good to draw near to the True; ſo that the Man hath loſt himſelf when he hath loſt this Principle, is rather a Beaſt, or a Devil, than a Man, that in Profeſſion and Converſation will not ſay, that it's good to draw near to God.
Eſpecially if we conſider that new Nature, which God works Reaſ. 4 in the new Creature, the holy frame of a Godly heart: As thoſe Men, whoſe hearts God had touched, followed Saul the Lords Anointed, 1 Sam. 10. 26. So thoſe bleſſed Souls, which Chriſt (that true Loadſtone) hath indeed touched, whilſt it draws, they run after him, Cant. 1. 4. Such Divine Sparks muſt needs move upward to their proper Element, as the Virgula Divina bends that way that the Mine lieth. And this,
1. Partly from the inward Inſtinct of that Divine Nature which they partake of, which makes them foreign (as the Apoſtle's 2 Pet. 1. 4.word is, Phil. 2. 20.) even naturally care for the things of God, and propend towards him, which appears by this, that whilſt with others
—Trahit ſua quemque voluptas:
Ad unum omnes, All of them, though of never ſuch different Ages, Parts, Conditions, nay, though of quite contrary Tempers and Diſpoſitions otherwiſe, yet foreign, with one joynt conſent look, and according to their ſeveral abilities draw towards God as near as they can. The Swallow doth not more naturally flie to the Saladine when hurt, or the Chicken run to the Hen when in danger, than a Right-born Heir of Heaven to God his Father. The new-born Babe crys, and the dying Chriſtian now breathing out his Soul, gaſps and breaths after him: The one in the beginning of his Race thinks it long till he comes at him, the other almoſt at the end of his, with Paul Phil. 3. 13, 14. the further he goes, makes the more haſte to him [in ſeveral Paths, but all in one Road God-ward]: the one though he hath not yet had ſuch experience of him, yet thinks how good it were; if he could get near him; the other upon his long experience, thinks it beſt to keep cloſe to him: when in Affliction, he accounts his Preſence more than all other things that he wants, and when in Proſperity, he values the ſame Preſence above all elſe that he enjoys. I might Inſtance in many other Particulars: But theſe may ſuffice to ſhew, that amongſt never ſo many Diſcords, they yet altogether make up this Harmony, and from the general Inſtinct of that new Nature all cry out with the Pſalmiſt in the Text, It's good for every one of us ſeverally, for all of us (the whole Chorus) joyntly, to draw near and keep cloſe to God.
2. But eſpecially upon their deliberate Reſolutions upon long trial and experience, they thereby come more fully to know what they have found good to apply themſelves to; they cannot but conclude that it's beſt to draw near to God.
At their firſt Converſion, they were ſufficiently convinced of Hoſ. 2. 6, 7. Jer. 3. 22, 23.the Vanity, and oft-times of the Miſchief of all other Applications, of the Creatures utter Inſufficiency for any ſaving Good to them. John Baptiſt, that made way for Chriſt in their hearts, cried, All fleſh is graſs, Iſa. 40. 6. The firſt ſaving Breath, that breathed Life into them, blaſted the Creature to them: As ſoon as they began to live to God, the Fleſh was mortified, and the World crucified.
But further, In their after frequent Experience they have been herein more confirmed; that, when their Souls have gone out to any Creature to ſupport them, they find the beſt ſo weak that they cannot, or nothing in compariſon of God; not at all without God: Father and Mother caſt off, when God alone takes up, Pſal. 27. 10. (and therefore Ceaſe from Man, whoſe Breath is in his Noſtrils, for wherein is he to be accounted of? Iſa. 2. 22.)
And for others, ſo bad, that if they could, they would not; ſo that oft-times they are the worſe, the nearer they come to them. The Reed breaks, and pierceth the Hand, when leaned upon for ſupport, Ezek. 29. 6, 7. the Briar ſcratcheth and pricks, when gone to for ſhelter: They get as much good by applying themſelves to them, as Joſeph did by going to his Brethren; or the Levite by turning in to Gibeah. Of all others Gen. 37.the Godly are deſerted by Friends, and purſued by Enemies, and they themſelves a poor ſhiftleſs helpleſs People, and therefore it's good for the Conies, that feeble folk, and ſo much hunted, to make their Houſes in the Rock, Prov. 30. 26. It's good for the Vine, ſo unable to ſubſiſt of it ſelf, and ſo much pluckt by others, to claſp faſt to the Elm: For me, that am plagued all the day long, and chaſtned every morning, as the Pſalmiſt ſaid of himſelf, v. 14. for me, at leaſt, it's good to draw near to God. This by experience they find; and therefore as Joſhua ſaid to Iſrael, If it ſeem evil to you to ſerve the Lord, chuſe you whom you will ſerve; but I and my Houſe will ſerve the Lord, Joſh. 24. 15. So will every right-born Heir of Heaven, however others take offence and go away, Joh. 6. 66. yet when asked, Whether they alſo would go away, (v. 67.) with Peter be ready reſolvedly to anſwer, Lord, to whom ſhould we go? Thou haſt the words of Eternal Life; and we believe and are ſure that thou art that Chriſt, &c. ver. 68. We know, and have found and felt, what thou art in thy ſelf, and what thou haſt been to us in our keeping cloſe to thee, and therefore there's no talking or thinking of leaving thee. The faithful Soul from the very Heart ſaith, what the Pſalmiſt v. 25. expreſſeth; Lord, whom have I in Heaven but thee? and there is none on Earth that I deſire beſides thee: And therefore when others, v. 27. by their dear-bought experience, find at laſt nothing but deſtruction is gained by being afar off, and going a whoring from thee, foreign, Quod ad me ſpectat, I that know this, and have had experience both of the miſchief of my being eſtranged from thee, and of the bleſſing of keeping cloſe to thee, I muſt hold to it, and ſhall ever (by the Grace of God) bide by it, that it's good for me to draw near to thee.
Which teacheth us with all humble thankfulneſs to think Ʋſe 1 and acknowledg, how good God hath been to us in giving us Jeſus Chriſt, by whoſe Mediation alone we may have this acceſs; and without which, as we now are, it would be as good for us to draw near to God, as for a guilty Malefactor to the Bar of an angry Judge, or for Briars and Thorns to a conſuming fire, Iſa. 27. 4. for ſo God is to Sinners out of Chriſt, Heb. 12. 29. And then; Who among us is able to dwell with devouring fire? Who among us can dwell with everlaſting burnings? Iſa. 33. 14. His Majeſty is ſo infinitely glorious, that (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks) he dwells in Light unapproachable, 1 Tim. 6. 16.
His Holineſs ſo impatient of ſinful defilement, that he cannot endure to behold it, Hab. 1. 13. ſo that even the impudent ſinner gets as far as he can out of his fight, that he may more freely commit it, Iſa. 29. 15. and the humbled bluſhing ſinner cannot ſtand before him by reaſon of it, Ezra. 9. 6, 15.
His Juſtice is ſo ſtrict, and his Wrath ſo dreadful, as makes Adam, when now under guilt, hide himſelf; Cain run out of his Gen. 3. Gen. 4. Luke 18. 13. Rev. 6. 15, 16.preſence; the poor humbled Publican ſtand afar off; and the forlorn damned Souls at the laſt day deſire Mountains and Rocks to fall upon them, rather than he ſhould ſee them, and, as Baſil thinks, wiſh rather to lie ſtill in the Priſon of Hell, than to be brought out before him to his Judgment-Seat.
How awful is that ſad word of God's being ſanctified in them that draw nigh to him, Levit. 20. 3! And how dreadful is that Threat of God's drawing near to Judgment, Mal. 3. 5! And can it then be ſo good, to draw near to ſuch a God ſo glorious and terrible? I thank God through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, ſaid the Rom. 7. 25.Apoſtle in alike caſe; and ſo doth the faithful Soul in this, I thank God through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord: Through him my Propitiatory I find my Judg on a Mercy-Seat: and ſo it's good to draw near: happy that we may, and more happy if we will. It was he, that engaged his heart to approach to God, Jer. 30. 21. That Son of Man, that drew near to the ancient of days, Dan. 7. 13. and ſo brings us with him, as Joſeph did his Brethren into the Gen. 47. 2.King's preſence. As our near Kinſman taking our Nature into the neareſt Ʋnion of his Perſon, ſo as in this Glaſs we ſee the Glory John 1. 14. Heb. 2. 14.of God ſo refracted and attempered to our weakneſs, that inſtead of being oppreſſed with it, we are changed into it, 2. Cor. 3. 18. By our bleſſed Emanuel God is ſo with us, as that we may have free and near acceſs to him.
Whilſt his Holineſs and Obedience become a Vail to cover our Defilement.
And his Blood hath ſo fully quenched the fiery Indignation of his Father's Wrath, that we, who by the Law are kept at a diſtance afar off, Exod. 20. 18. & 24. 2. have by the Goſpel of Chriſt brought to us a better hope, by which we draw nigh to God, Heb. 7. 19.
And what now remaineth? but that ſeeing it is ſo good to draw Ʋſe 2 near to God, we be all exhorted in his fear to be ſo good to our ſelves, as to keep no longer at a diſtance. Let Strangers, yea Enemies, draw near, and let Friends draw yet nearer. Let not our ſins any longer ſeparate us, and then let not unbelief diſhearten us. Remember, that as on the one ſide the Spirit and the Bride ſay, came; and he that beareth ſaith, come, viz. in the deſires and out-goings of their Soul to Chriſt; ſo he on the other ſide, in his deſire of their union with him, ecchoeth back again, And he that is athirſt, come; and whoſoever will, let him take of the Water of Life freely, Rev. 22. 17. And then, as the Lord ſaith, Jer. 30. 21. Who is he that engageth his heart to approach unto me? So I in the Name of the Lord, whilſt I look upon this great Congregation, am bold to ask the Queſtion; But who amongſt you all is ſuch an Enemy to his own good, as will not now and henceforth ever hereafter engage his whole heart to make yet nearer approaches to this God, who is ſo good, and in drawing near to whom conſiſts our everlaſting happineſs? Some Interpreters upon that Text, think that the Queſtion, Who is he that engageth his heart, &c. is made by way of a troubled admiration that ſo few do. But I beſeech you let it not ſo be, but that (as others rather think) by way of encouragement, as though he had ſaid, But who is that bleſſed Man, that I may ſee him, and go out to meet him? And therefore as Jebu in another caſe ſaid, Who is on my ſide? who? and it's added, That two or 2 King. 9. 32.three Eunuchs looked out. Though I deſire not in other things to make any ſidings, (there are too many already) yet in regard of our drawing near to God, I make no factious queſtion, if I ask of you all; But who will be on the Lord's ſide? who? Who of you will now engage your hearts to approach to God? Let it not, I beſeech you, be two or three, but many. O that I could prevail with you all. Here ſay one and all, I and I, and (as it's ſaid in the Prophet) I will go alſo. Let the forwardeſt Chriſtian, Zech. 8. 21.that hath advanced furtheſt, ſay, I by the Grace of God will make one; and let the humbled ſinner, that is now but firſt looking after Chriſt, ſay, and I fain would make another. Inſtead of our preſent uncomfortable eſtrangements from Chriſt and one another, happy we, if with our faces Sion-ward we could take hold one of another, the ſtrongeſt of the weakeſt, and thoſe that are eſtranged of them with whom they have been moſt at odds, and ſo go hand in hand together, ſaying, Come, let us Jer. 50. 5.join our ſelves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant never to be forgotten. This joint drawing near to God in the good old way of the Power of Godlineſs (which by our new Devices is now too much out of faſhion) would make us leave off our crooked bypaths, and croſs walkings, in which we now ſo juſtle, and at laſt ſo quite looſe one another.
Loud calls and ſtrong perſwaſions in this kind are not wanting.
1. In this bleſſed Motion, the Terminus ad quem is God; who is ſo good, as that there is in him vis infinita magnetica, ſuch a wonderful attractive power and force, as may trahere, nay, rapere animam, draw and ſnatch the Soul to him, in a way of a ſweet but irreſiſtible violence. Our Saviour ſaid, That when he was lifted up, he would draw all Men to him, John 12. 32. Even ſo, Amen, Lord Jeſus, thou faithful and true Witneſs.
Eſpecially as God in Chriſt looks out, and comes out to us; how earneſt is he to call us? how glad to welcome us? how ready more than half way to meet us? When the Prodigal began to come, the Father ran, Luk. 15. 20. Deſperate Prodigal, when thy Heavenly Father draws near, wilt thou draw backward? Oh take heed of it, leſt God's Soul take no pleaſure in thee, Heb. 10. 38. Think what a ſtep thy Saviour took in his Incarnation to come to thee▪ Inaeſtimabilis dignatio, & penitus inexcogitabilis, Serm. 1. de Advent.quod in carceris hujus horrorem deſcendere dignata eſt Celſitudo, as Bernard ſpeaks. When he cannot expreſs it, he cannot think of it without admiration: Non eſt Conſu…tudo divitum ut ad pauperes veniant, &c. At leaſt therefore, though we cannot go, being lame and blind, at ſaltem conetur erigere caput & aliquatenus aſſurgere in occurſum tanti Medici. And yet beſides, in all the after-travel of his Soul think how he came leaping over Mountains, and skipping over Hills, that he might get to thee before thou periſhedſt eternally. By his Word and Spirit doth he not ſometimes come very near thee? In the Sacrament, though there be no Tranſubſtantiation, yet is there not a very near union with thee? And is not all this enough to draw thee?
2. If not, conſider then the Terminus a quo, that eſtate, which of thy ſelf thou art in, and think if it may not drive thee. It may be thou art of their mind, who, when God bad them return, return'd this anſwer, We are Lords, we will come no more unto thee, Jer. 2. 31. Though God be never ſo good, and it be very good to draw near to him, yet we are ſo well, that we need not trouble our ſelves in making out after him. I, ſo? woful blind Creature, that haſt loſt thy ſelf and thine eyes together that thou canſt not ſee it; wer't thou not deadlily lethargical, thou wouldſt be more ſenſible of thine own wants: wert thou not wholly a ſtranger at home, thou wouldſt ſee nothing but miſery and beggery there, that would thruſt thee out for ſupply elſewhere. So far as thou art off from Chriſt, ſo far from Righteouſneſs, Iſa. 46. 12. and juſt ſo far from bleſſedneſs. And what then? ſo deadly ſick, and not ſo much as to ſend for thy Phyſician! ſuch a Sinner, and not ſo much as to look out for a Saviour! Doth the Avenger of Blood purſue thee, and doſt thou not fly to the City of Refuge? to the hope that is ſet before thee? Doth Hell behind thee gape for thee? and no need, no care of Chriſt and Heaven to receive thee?
But had we leſs need in that kind, yet even in outward reſpects the World is never ſo good, but, when at beſt, it's good to draw near to God: But it's now ſo bad, that I think David's Prayer will not ſound ill in any of our Mouths, Lord, be not thou far off, for trouble is near. I delight not to read State-Lectures out of a Pulpit; I am not of the Privy-Councel, either of God or our Governors, to tell you what will be: but without me your own hearts will tell you what very probably may be: though the Weather for the preſent be ſomewhat fair, yet at beſt it's very doubtful. If we conſult our ſins, they'l tell us that there is likely to be a Storm; and then if we would conſult our own peace, we cannot but think it good to be provided of a ſhelter. Our ſad experiences of all that hitherto we have had recourſe to fully evidence to us, that none of them are tight enough, but it may and will drop through, ſave God only: and therefore in ſuch doubtful Circumſtances, I think it ſafeſt to join with the ſtrongeſt Party: But miſtake me not, I mean not ſuch as Men out of ſelf-intereſts are wont to cloſe with; that's falſeneſs and baſeneſs; but I mean in a way of Faith and Obedience to God, and I am ſure that he is ſtrongeſt. Neither is it cowardize in ſuch a Storm, to thruſt the Head into ſuch a Corner. David was no Coward, and yet, as the weak fearful Chick, he gets himſelf under the ſhadow of God's Wings, till calamity be over-paſt, Pſal. 57. 1. Till then, becauſe we may yet live to ſee and ſay, as in the Verſe before the Text, Lo, they are periſhed that are far from thee, let every faithful Soul conclude in the words of the Text, Therefore it is good for me to draw near to God.
And if ſo, it is further matter, 1. Of Comfort to ſome; 2. Of Reproof and Humiliation to others; 3. Of Inſtruction and Direction to us all.
Comfort to ſuch as do draw near and keep cloſe. If it be ſo Ʋſe 3 good, how well may they be apaid with their condition, whatever it is for the outward Man, if for the inward, God and they be not at a diſtance? Though Enemies be near to accuſe and condemn, if Chriſt be but near to juſtifie and acquit us, Iſa. 50. 8. though thou beeſt far from Peace, if not far from God; though others thruſt us away, as Iſa. 65. 5. and caſt us out, if Chriſt will but then draw near and find us, as he did him, John 9. 34, 35. The Proclamation of old was, Rejoyce greatly, O Daughter of Zion, ſhout, O Daughter of Jeruſalem: Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, having Salvation, lowy, and riding upon an Aſs, Zech. 9. 9. May there be but an happy meeting of my Lord and King coming to me, and of my Soul drawing and keeping cloſe to him, I'le rejoyce and ſhout, to ſee my Saviour ſo near to me, though upon an Aſs-Colt; whatever outward Meanneſs, or Wants, yea, or Dangers and Miſeries, theſe nearer approaches and interviews are accompanied with; yet therein I do rejoyce, yea, and will rejoyce; nay, cannot but rejoyce, ſaith the Experienced Chriſtian, that knows what this goodneſs of drawing and keeping near to God (in the Text) meaneth. When he ſaith, it's Good; he could not ſay a better word; and when he adds to draw nigh to God, he could not, I am ſure, mention a better thing. It's Good, ſpoken Indefinitely, meant Univerſally. It's ſo only Good, that nothing is good without it (though the Torch-light be very great, it's Night till Sun-riſe) ſo univerſally Good, that nothing with it can be ill; or be things never ſo ill, yet he is far from being ill, who hath God ſo near him. It was Iſrael's Comfort in a Wilderneſs, Deut. 4. 7. The lamenting Church's Stay when ſinking, Lam. 3. 57. At the laſt Day, when the whole World ſhall be on Fire, we are even then bid lift up our Heads, becauſe our Salvation draweth nigh; Luke 21. 28. 1 Theſſ. 4. 17.When Chriſt cometh again to us, and we ſhall be caught up into the Clouds to meet him, and ſo for ever to be with the Lord. Viſio, amor, gaudium, you know, make up Heavens Happineſs, but all ariſe from God's and Chriſt's neareſt Union and Preſence. There indeed we ſhall come to neareſt approaches, and they ſo near as utterly for ever to drive all evils away as the Noon-day-Sun all Miſts and Clouds. That's Heaven, which we are not yet got into. It's well if we be ſo far on our way, as to be in the Gate of Heaven; if we that were afar off, be made near by the Blood of Chriſt, whilſt we here walk by Faith and not by Sight. Such Morning-Suns may admit of ſome over-cloudings, but more Light than Darkneſs, when the Sun is up and drawn ſo nigh. I may in other reſpects, be in a dry thirſty Wilderneſs: But I ſhall not die for Thirſt, if I lie ſo near the Fountain Head. I ſhall not be Heart-ſick, if I may come ſo near, as to lay my aking Head in my Saviour's Boſome. Joſeph's encouragement to his famiſhed Brethren was, Gen. 45. 10, 11.that they ſhould be nigh to him in Goſhen: It ſhall be comfort enough to me, if my Jeſus will but tell me, that I ſhall be nigh Him, though it be in a Wilderneſs; whilſt cold Northern Climes (becauſe far from the Sun) have a deſolate horrid Aſpect: With what a virdant Flouriſh do thoſe Countries ſmile, and laugh, and ſing, that are nearer, and lie more directly under his Beams? Let frozen-hearted Sinners, that are far from the Sun of Righteouſneſs, be as far from Heart-melting joys; but ſuch as upon whom He hath Riſen, and have got ſo near as to be under his Wings, let them get ſo much lively Warmth and Healing from them, that where-ever you read thoſe words, a People near unto him, the next word may be Halelujah, as Pſal. 148. 14. Let God hear the Voice of Joy and Praiſe from them that are near about him; Whilſt uncomfortable Dejections would better beſeem them that are eſtranged from him. Such Sack-cloth becomes not the King of Heaven's Court, nor them that are ſo near to him, as to behold his Face, and to be before him. It's an Aguiſh diſtemper, if, when near the Fire, or in the warm Sun, thou ſitteſt ſhiverring. Leave ſuch kind of amazed Palſic-ſhakings to profane Cains, that run out of God's Preſence, Gen. 4. 16. to Stran… and Enemies, who know not how good it is to draw near to him, and juſtly deſerve the worſt of all Evils for their fooliſh and froward withdrawing of themſelves from him. Which leads me,
To the next Application, which ſpeaks Terrour to ſome, Jonah 2. 8.and Humiliation to us all, that by following after lying Vanities, and departing from the Living God, we ſo much forſake our own Mercy. If ſo good to draw near to God, then it is an evil thing, and bitter, to forſake him, Jer. 2. 19. This the fore-going Verſe compared with the Text ſuggeſts to us; there we read, For loe, they that are far from thee ſhall periſh; thou haſt deſtroyed all them that go a whoring … …ee: And then the Text adds, But it's good for me to draw near to God. Juſt ſo much Good as comes by our drawing near to him, ſo much Evil and Miſchief befals us by being far from him. As much Warmth and Life, Flouriſh and Fruitfulneſs, as the Summers Sun brings in its drawing near to us; ſo much Cold and barren Deadneſs doth it leave beind it, when in Winter it with-draws it ſelf from us. Wo to you when I depart from you, ſaid God to Iſrael, Hoſ. 9. 12. And, Lord, wo to us, ſay we, that we ſhould have ſuch evil hearts of unbelief, that we ſhould ſo depart from thee. For if ſo much Good follows upon ſuch happy Approaches and Meetings, then nothing leſs than utter Ruine can be the Conſequent of a mutual Parting. When thou leaveſt the Bleſſed God, give a Longum vale, and adieu for ever to thine own Happineſs: For juſt as far from the one, as from the other. And (which is worſt) becauſe by our Out-runnings we cannot get out of his Reach; the further we are from God in one ſenſe, the nearer we ſhall be in another; the further from Righteouſneſs, Iſa. 46. 12. the nearer to a Curſe, Heb. 6. 8. It will be the ſaddeſt learning the truth of this Point, what a Bleſſed thing it is to draw nigh to God, to be chid from Chriſt's Preſence with that Soul-ſinking word, Depart from me, ye Curſed, at the laſt Day. Matth. 25. 41.They are deep and heavy words, foreign, 2 Theſſ. 1. 9. It's everlaſting Deſtruction, if Expulſi a facie, as Beza renders it, if it be ſo, from the Preſence of the Lord, and his Glorious Power. And therefore that we may prevent that Howling then, how tuneable would it be ſweetly, and yet ſadly, to bewail and mourn over
1. Our natural Eſtrangement from God, which the Pſalmiſt Pſal. 58. 3.ſaith, we were acquainted with from the very Birth? foreign, They are Eſtranged from the Womb, they go aſtray as ſoon as they are Born. Now what Monſters are we all from the Birth? That before we know to refuſe the Evil and chuſe the Iſa. 7. 16.Good, by a kind of natural Inſtinct we can tell how to refuſe the Good and chuſe the Evil; before we can go, can run away from God. See this in a three-fold Inſtance.
1. When Nature is left to its Swing without renewing, or ſome meaſure of reſtraining Grace; for were there none, we ſhould be very Devils to God and one another, foreign, Hoſ. 11. 7. Even bent to Back-ſliding: That may expreſs Suſpenſi haerent averſioni a me, Jun.a more ſtiff bent of a perverſe Heart from a further contracted Averſeneſs, but yet ſo as … the foreign, and natural propenſion of the Heart, Animus pendulus, dubius haeſitat circa converſionem meam, as Grotius renders it: When (as it's there expreſſed) called upon to turn home to God, the Heart naturally ſticks, and ſtops, and hangs off, as you may ſee ſome Trees do from others planted by them, which from ſome occult quality in Nature agree not with them. What elſe mean all theſe Stirs in our Hearts, and Tumults in the World, but when called to God, all is its an uproar? Acts 16. 19, 20. & 19. 28. & 21. 28. Wretched Creatures, that have an Antipathy to their Creator! graceleſs Natures, that do not more ungraciouſly than unnaturally ſtart back from a Saviour!
2. Or if any be more ingenuous, and (as you call it) a little better-natured, that with him in the Goſpel they be not far from the Kingdom of Heaven, Mark 12. 34. yet even that, reſted in, keeps them from ever coming up to Jeſus Chriſt. Pity that Rachel ſhould die, when it was now but a little way to come Gen. 35. 16.to Ephrath, that an Almoſt ſhould altogether keep ſo many a towardly Man from Heaven: But a thouſand pities that my drawing ſo near the Goal ſhould ſet me down as having gone far enough, and ſo keep me from ever attaining the Prize, that Ingenuity, becauſe it's ſo near akin to Grace, ſhould prove ſo Diſingenuous, as to keep a Man from ever being truly Gracious
3. Even in the Godly themſelves, in whom this perverſeneſs of Nature is not wholly ſubdued, what is their greateſt Burden and Moan? But, as Rom. 7. 18, 21, 23, 24. that makes us ſo liſtleſs, and ſometimes ſo averſe from drawing near to God in holy Duties, and eſpecially in thoſe in which neareſt Communion is to be had with him. Rather read than hear the Word, rather hear than pray and meditate; and rather pray than examine our Hearts. Mourn we therefore over our bad, nay, our beſt Natures; that if they walk not contrary to God, yet at beſt cannot be drawn up the Hill near enough to him. Mourn, Levit. 26. 23. foreign in occurſum.I ſay, over our natural Eſtrangement from God.
2. Over our actual Out-runnings, and more wild and endleſs Vagaries in our ſinful Courſes and Practiſes. It's a wicked departing from God, foreign, 2 Sam. 22. 22. And here, as in ſin, there is a double Irregularity, an Averſio a Deo, and a Converſio ad Creaturam; ſo in this our ſinful not drawing near to God, foreign, Jam. 1. 14.there is a double Miſcarriage, which we are to be humbled for.
1. Our inordinate Converſion, and Turning to the Creature; (a hankering after ſomething elſe, when a hanging off from God) that inſtead of God, there are ſo many other things which we draw ſo near, and keep ſo cloſe to, as Sin, Self, the World, &c. Indeed any thing rather than God.
Not a ſinful Luſt, but a corrupt Heart is in the earneſt purſuit of it, Prov. 11. 19. reſts not till it overtake it, and it then proves a Member, cleaves ſo faſt, is ſuch a right Eye, and Hand, and Foot, that it's death to part with it; here the unchaſte Soul amplexibus haeret: We are drawn to an Holy God, and off from an unholy Luſt, with the like and very ſame difficulty.
For Self, Proximus egomet mihi holds here, and holds us ſo faſt, that too oft it with-holds us from drawing near to God. Nothing ſhall come between us and our ſelves, when any thing almoſt can be ſuffered to put in between our God and our Souls. We hug Self in the warmeſt Boſom, and claſp about our ſelves with lovingeſt Embraces: Our own Opinions we do mordicus tenere; our Votes we adhere to, Our own underſtandings we lean to; Prov. 3. 5. De Verbis Apoſt. Ser. 13.Dicebat Epicuraeus, mihi frui carne bonum eſt; dicebat Stoicus mihi frui meâ mente bonum eſt. But for our Pſalmiſt, Mihi adhoerere Deo, bonum eſt. So St. Auſtin.
And for the World, Solomon ſaith, God hath ſet it in Man's heart, Eccleſ. 3. 11. He means to contemplate him in it; but we pervert his meaning, whilſt the whole deſire and bent of the Heart cloſeth with it, and is faſtned in it. It's the Market which you ſee all going to. They ſay the Earth hath vim magneticam; and ſome think, that if you ſhould dig deep enough into it, you ſhould find it a perfect Loadſtone. Sure I am, ſome Men's hearts are ſo deeply buried in it, that they find a perfect Loadſtone of it. It's not ſo much the Centre of the World, as of our Hearts, as the chief Good which they move to, and reſt in, and cannot be parted from, inſtead of accounting it our chief Good to draw near to God.
The covetous too-good Husband makes his Goods his chief Good. You call him a near Man, and not amiſs, becauſe he deſires to be nearer to himſelf than to God, Jer. 22. 17. The Idle Drone with Aſs-like Iſſachar, ſaith, That reſt is good, Gen. 49. 15. And the wanton Epicure places his beſt good in his Pleaſure, and a Turkiſh Paradiſe. Haec eſt maxima merces & interminabilis, is the higheſt Point of the Alcoran's Divinity.
I omit to ſhew how in point of honour and preferment (in which the ambitious place the higheſt pitch of their happineſs) ſuch ſtatelier Plumes lure high-ſoaring Spirits, how Beauty draws after it many Men's eyes, the loving Wife, the pleaſant Child, the faithful Friend take our very hearts, and that too often from God. In company and enjoyment of them our Souls are ſo ſnatcht to them, ſo immerſed, do ſo dwell in them, that we are ready to ſit down and ſay with Peter, and more inconſiderately than he, it's good to be here, rather than to advance on, and with the Pſalmiſt in the Text to ſay, It's good to draw near to God.
2. Which is the other part of our ſin; namely our Averſio a Deo, our froward averſneſs, and awke hanging off from God, as from the greateſt Stranger, or worſt Enemy. So falſe-hearted, that after fair Advances we often draw back in a ſly retrograde Motion, Heb. 10. 38, 39. So peeviſh, that when he reacheth out the hand, we pluck away the ſhoulder, Nehem. 9. 29. when called to him, we run the faſter and farther from him, Hoſ. 11. 2. So proud, that we are Lords, and will not come at him, Jer. 2. 31. So profane, that we are either afraid or aſhamed to be near him; and therefore ſuch bid the Almighty depart, Job 21. 14, 15. and the Prodigal gets himſelf into a far Country, that ſo he might be further out of his Father's fight; and ſo with more freedom ſatisfie his luſts, and will rather join himſelf to a Farmer to feed Hogs, and to be fed with Husks, than to come home to his Father to have Childrens Bread: any way rather than home, and Sub oculo Catonis. Cupiditas—junxit porcis, a patre piiſſimo quem ſejunxit, Chryſolog. Serm. 1.any thing rather than a Father's preſence. Fond deſperate Soul,
—Neſcis temeraria, neſcis
Quem fugias, ideoque fugis.—
Didſt thou but know what thou leaveſt, thou wouldſt draw nearer; and what thou purſueſt, thou wouldſt ſtand further off. Will a fainting Man leave the Snow of Lebanon? And ſhall the cold flowing Waters be forſaken? Jer. 18. 14. Do not ſuch Shadows, the faſter thou purſueſt them, fly the faſter from thee? Like the fooliſh Boy running after the Bee to catch it, ſequendo labitur, aſſequendo laeditur. Have not all ſuch things, which draw out thy Soul ſo after them, as to withdraw it from God, have they not either a Wing to fly away, that thou never overtakeſt what thou ſeekeſt, or a ſting to hurt thee, when thou haſt overtaken them? that thou getteſt more hurt than good by them? Is not Dina raviſhed, thy Soul abuſed and defiled by ſuch out-gaddings? Is not (I ſay not Health, Eſtate, Eſteem, but it may be) thy Life, thy Soul loſt in ſuch ramblings, and (which is worſt of all, and above all) God loſt too? Cain went out of the preſence of the Lord; but he thereupon dwelt in the Land of Nod, as a trembling amazed vagrant Wretch in a moſt unſetled condition ever after, Gen. 4. 14, 16. Jonah alſo fled frrom the preſence of the Lord; but a tempeſtuous Wind is ſent out with Hue and Cry after him; and when laid up in the cloſe Priſon of the Whale's belly, he then confeſſeth he had forſaken his own mercy. The Prodigal went into a far Country; but the further from his Father, the nearer to Ruine. Though we are ſtudious to put far from us the evil day, Amos 6. 3. Yet, as the Lord liveth, there is but a ſtep between us and death, as long as we keep at ſuch a diſtance from the God of our Salvation; miſchiefs then near at hand to come, and irrecoverable when come. It's ſaid, that Laiſh had no Deliverer, becauſe it was far from Zidon, Judg. 18. 28. But who will be thy Deliverer when Enemies are near, Ezek. 9. 1. Death near, Pſal. 107. 18. Judgment near, Heb. 10. 25. And thou further from God? In this caſe H. de S. Victore tells us, what In Pſal. 63.Men uſually betake themſelves to; Aliis in neceſſitate bonum eſt conſilium ſuum, aliis in proſperitate bonum eſt gaudium ſuum, mihi unicum bonum eſt adhaerere Deo. In Proſperity they think it's good for them to betake themſelves to their delights, and in ſtraits to their ſhifts. But foreign. This one direct courſe of drawing near to God will be of more uſe than all their other Shifts and Applications. Illos conſilium non liberat, gaudium non conſervat; as the ſame Author there adds: all other neareſt and deareſt Friends may fail us, may not come at us, Nehem. 4. 19. may caſt us off, as Pſal. 27. 10. It's God only drawing near that muſt relieve us. And then, wo to us, if he only draw near to us as an Enemy or Judg, (as Mal. 3. 5.) to take vengeance, not to reſcue us as our beſt Friend.
And therefore in the laſt place, this is of ſpecial uſe for direction Ʋſe 5
1. Of our Judgment in a right eſtimate of true goodneſs, which moſt Men are inquiſitive after. It's the Voice of Nature, Who will ſhew us any good? Pſal. 4. 6. and yet which very few are well reſolv'd in, according to that of Solomon, Who knoweth what is good for Man? &c. Eccleſ. 6. 12. But the Pſalmiſt affords a full Anſwer to both thoſe great Queſtions, when after a long and ſtrong debate in the foregoing part of the Pſalm, he concludeth, It's good for me to draw near to God: and by good (as we have ſhown) he meaneth the prime and chiefeſt and beſt Good; mihi quidem optimum, ſo the Arabick hath it. Now then primum in unoquoque genere eſt menſura reliquorum, The firſt and chiefeſt in every kind is the Rule and Meaſure of the reſt. Let this therefore be the Standard, by which we always meaſure the goodneſs of every thing that we moſt value and ſet the higheſt price on: and let this be the Rule, which in ſuch prizings we go by, that that is indeed good, by which we are drawn near to God, and that beſt by which we get neareſt. My God is my goodneſs, Pſal. 144. 2. and therefore that only (at leaſt that principally) I muſt call good, by which I am drawn nearer to God. Indeed becauſe Bonum & Ens convertuntur, we are ready to call any thing good; and becauſe finis & bonum convertuntur, accordingly every thing is good, at leaſt in our eyes, which either is an end we aim at, or a means conducing to it: And ſo, as the Apoſtle ſaid in another kind, There be Gods many, and Lords many; but to us there is but one God, 1 Cor. 8. 5, 6. So there are many things which in Scripture-phraſe, and ordinary uſe, are called good: a good Day, good Company, a good Work or Employment; and ſo of the reſt. But in a Believer's eſtimate there is but one main chief good, and that's to draw near to God; and all other things are only good reductive, as either they may be reduced to this, or we led 1 Sam. 25. 8. Eſther 8. 17.to God by them. Some call it a good Time, and the Scripture calls it a good Day, that's a day and time of feaſting and rejoycing; but if they be Feſtivals, rather than Holy Days; times in which we run a whoring from God, rather than draw near to him; account that day to thee the worſt in the year, in which thou runneſt furtheſt from God; and let that ever be accounted good Company, and good Employment, &c. in and after which thy heart was moſt drawn out after God; but if more deaded and ſtraitned, God and thy Soul more eſtranged by it; either certainly it was bad in it ſelf, or at leaſt unhappily it proved not good to thee. If Jacob take a Wife of the Daughters of Heth, what good will my life do me? ſaid Rebekah, Gen. 27. 46. And what good will the goodlieſt Beauties, and moſt delightful Objects in the World do thee, if (as the Daughters of Heth did Eſau's, ſo.) they draw off thine heart from God, whom to draw near and keep cloſe to is ſo good, as nothing is good without it; nothing ſo bad as that which comes moſt croſs to it. And this for direction of our Judgment in a right eſtimate of true goodneſs.
2. Of our practice in our earneſteſt purſuit after our own happineſs. Let this Text (It's good for me to draw near, and keep cloſe to God) be ever our Vade mecum to quicken us, ſtill and ever to draw nearer and cleave faſter. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you, ſaith the Apoſtle, Jam. 4. 8. The Promiſe is very heartning, that in theſe our approaches God (as the Father to the Prodigal) will meet us the half way: but therefore it layeth a greater engagement upon us to mind the Duty. Let us draw near with a true heart, and full aſſurance of Faith, having our Hearts ſprinkled from an evil Conſcience, Heb. 10. 22. Happy that we may, that ſuch, as whoſe unworthineſs is ſuch, as their place is with the Publican to ſtand afar off, and whoſe Guilt Luk. 18. 13.is ſuch, as with Cain may make them run from God, may have liberty and boldneſs of acceſs to draw near to God; that the Exod. 3. 2.Buſh ſhould burn and not be conſumed, was not ſo great a Miracle, as that ſuch dry Stubble as we are ſhould draw nigh to that God which is a conſuming Fire, and not periſh in everlaſting Burnings. That Blood of Sprinkling, which hath quenched the Fire of God's Wrath, being ſprinkled on us hath ſo cooled the inflammations of our wounded and afrighted Conſciences, that we with humble boldneſs may draw near. We had need therefore look to it that we do.
And here now the faithful Soul breaths out the Pſalmiſt's Prayer, Lord, cauſe me to know the way, for I lift up my Soul unto Pſal. 143. 8. Pſal. 27. 8.thee. Thou ſayeſt unto me, Seek ye my Face; and my heart ecchoes back again, Thy Face, O Lord, will I ſeek. When thou calleſt to us, Return ye back-ſliding Children; from our Souls we return this Anſwer, Behold, we come unto thee, for thou art the Jer. 3. 22.Lord our God. Thou haſt faſtned Cords of Love upon our Hearts, thou haſt ſavingly touched them, that they ſtrongly move towards thee, they cleave to thee, or they follow hard after thee, as it is Pſal. 63. 8. But the diſtance between thee and us is great, the obſtacles many, and the way hard we are to be found, yet ſo to walk in it, as by it to attain to theſe bleſſed Approaches; and therefore here the main Query is, in what way, and by what means we may ſo draw near to thee, as to cleave cloſe and abide with thee for ever?