God All in All, Part 2
Part. II.
WE have ſeen in general, that the higheſt Happineſſe of the Saints is the injoyment of God, it remains that we now inquire, what kind of injoyment it muſt be, in order whereunto we ſhall take into conſideration the
2d Propoſition. That injoyment of God which is the Saints higheſt Happineſſe, ſhall be immediate, ſole, free, full, and everlaſting.
Each of which five particulars, I ſhal indeavour to prove and apply, as they lie in order.
SECT. I. That our higheſt Happineſs ſhall bee to injoy God immediately.
HEre below we injoy God by means, not ſo hereafter, not in Ordinances, graces, bleſſings, or through any ſuch Mediums, as we injoy him now, all theſe, though they be great conducements to that happineſſe, which we are capable of on earth, they be yet great abatements of that, which we ſhall be crown'd withall in Heaven, to injoy a friend in his picture, letters, tokens, is ſhort of what we injoy, when we have his perſonal preſence; neither doth the Sun heat, or light us ſo comfortably through a cloud, as when the glorious body of it is open to us, without any interpoſition: our happineſſe in God will be without its perfection, till our injoyment of God, ſhall be without means *Deus ſine ullo mediatore aut medio cauſa immediata erit—& objectum immediatum noſtrae felicitatis, Zanch. de nat. Dei. l. 2. c. 8.. Let us conſider:
1. Chriſts Kingdom ſhal be delivered up, that God may bee all in all, (i. e.) all Ordinances, and adminiſtrations, which are means of our injoying God here, ſhall ceaſe and expire, that we may be fully and compleatly happy,, Chriſt hath ſome things in his Kingdom, that bears an Analogy to the means and inſtruments of governing in the Kingdomes of men, and in each of them is God injoyable. He hath his Militia and his laws, with promiſes and threatnings in the Ordinances of his Word; his Seals to confirm to his people, his free grants of priviledge, in the Ordinance of his Sacraments; his Embaſſadours and Offieers for the management of ſpiritual affairs in the Ordinance of his Miniſtry, the ceaſing of Chriſts Kingdom is the ceſſation of all theſe, that God may immediately ſucceed to fill up the meaſure of our promiſed bleſſedneſſe to the full.
2. All Rule, and all Authority and Power muſt be put down, ver. 24. which ( *Aqu. in locum Mr. Jo. Goodwins foreign p. 15.divers expound of lawful government, and) are remoter means of our injoying of God, by preſerving to us, and protecting us in the uſe of thoſe Ordinances which God appears in, and upon this account muſt even theſe be put down, That God may bee all in all, that is, That our happineſſe may be compleated.
3. To injoy God by means, is to know him but in part, and to ſee him in a glaſs darkly, in aenigmate, to have ſuch apprehenſions of God as we have of a Riddle, which we do not fully underſtand, but that degree of happineſſe which we ſhall be advanced to hereafter, is to ſee him face to face, to injoy him immediately, and all this you have in 1 Cor. 13.12. and altogether as much, though in fewer words, in 1 John 3.2. that what we ſhall be in glory and happineſſe, above what we are, wil be this, That we ſhal ſee God, as he is (i.e.) clearly and immediately *Dioniſ. Carthuſ. in locum..
4. Was it not the higheſt pitch of happineſſe which the Apoſtles ſo earneſtly groan'd after 2 Cor. 5.4.? and what was that but to be preſent with the Lord, v. 8? why had not theſe Saints the preſence of God already? Sure they had in his graces and Ordinances, and they had the earneſt of his ſpirit, ver. 5. they injoyed God by theſe means, 't was the injoyment of God without them, 't was his immediate preſence which they groan'd for; ſo Paul in Phil. 1.23. I deſire to depart, and to be with Chriſt, which is far better, were not Paul and Chriſt together already? Sure they were near, very near, one to another; ſee Gal. 2.20. I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, &c. he had the preſence of Chriſt by faith, and this was very good; his deſire to depart, was to have the preſence of Chriſt by ſight, to injoy him immediately, this is far better.
SECT. II. This Branch of the point improved by way of information.
IT will follow from what we have now ſaid.
1. That the injoyment of God by means, is but a little drop of that Ocean of ſweetneſſe and ſatisfaction, which the Soul ſhall be filled with, when ſhe ſhall come to enjoy God without them. All the raviſhment of our ſpirits in prayer, hearing, meditation, &c. is but a ſip of thoſe Rivers of it, which we ſhall have in Heaven, ſo that unſpeakable ſolace of our Souls meeting God in an Ordinance, may ſomething help us to gueſſe at the inconceivable bliſſe of a Soul meeting God in Heaven. Will you ſtay then a little, and ſee what it is to be in Heaven below, to injoy God by means and at a diſtance?
If David look but upon the Sanctuary where God gave ſome evidences of his preſence, hee is tranſported with apprehenſions of felicity in being there, oh how amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of Hoſts? and ſome ſuppoſe the latter part of the 3d. v. to be an abrupt expreſſion, not at all depending upon the fore going words, Thine Altars O Lord of Hoſts, my King, and my God, as men are wont to expreſs themſelves concerning any thing that they are raviſht withall, ſee alſo Pſal. 27.4. and 43.3.
If God in Ordinances be ſo deſirable, ſo ſatisfying, ſo amiable, ſo raviſhing; what ſhall God be without them? if the picture pleaſe ſo abundantly what will the perſon do? if ſo much bliſſe be caſt upon the ſoul from a copy, what may we not expect from the original?
The Saints here rejoice with joy unſpeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8. and yet doth this reſult but from our injoyment of God by the medium of Faith, the degrees that will be added unto it by viſion muſt needs render it inconceivable, and running over; if ſome of the Saints here are ſo ſwallowed up of Divine ſweetneſſe, that they deſire God to forbear *Xaverius clamabat ſatis est, Domine ſatis eſt, nec enim mens mea in hâc vitâ, tantū gaudiorū pondus capit. referente. A Lapid. in Cant 2.3, we can but (yea we cannot ſo much as) imagine what will be.
The remembrance of God in a private meditation is ſweet, Pſal. 104.34. and if a gracious Soul can entertain her ſelf with ſome conferences with her God, ſhe is ſatisfied as with marrow and fatneſſe, Pſal. 63.5, 6. our entertainments below are a great feaſt, Luke 14.16, they are promiſed us as ſuch, Iſa. 25.6. we are invited to them as ſuch, Iſa. 55.1, 2. Prov. 9.5. they are fed upon as ſuch, Pſ. 34.8. Cant. 2.3. Pſal. 119.103. we are cheered up at them as at a feaſt, Cant. 5.1. can a created underſtanding gueſſe, what ſhal be provided for us above?
In Gods Kingdome of grace we are made to drink of the Rivers of his pleaſures, Pſal. 36.8. but when God ſhall immediately poſſeſſe the Soul, and fill it; when the Soul ſhall immediately poſſeſſe God, and be full of him; when this Kingdom of grace ſhall expire, and all the adminiſtrations of it (as ſo many Eclipſes of our happineſſe) ſhall vaniſh away, ſhall we not then drink of the Fountain? ſurely feaſts, and ſweetneſſe, and marrow, and fatneſſe, are terms exceedingly too diminutive to give us any more then a ſmall hint, of that incomprehenſible ſatisfaction.
2. That when the happineſſe of the Saints is at higheſt, then will be the time, when they ſhall be above any need of Ordinances, when you ſhall enjoy God immediately, then you ſhal have no need of means to enjoy him by; and when you ſhall ſo enjoy God, you ſhall be perfectly bleſſed.
If any would vouchſafe to read this who pretend to the injoyment of God, and yet deny it to bee in the uſe of means; I would adventure to argue the caſe with them thus. If you do indeed injoy God at all, it is immediately, and ſuch as ſo injoy him are perfectly bleſſed: and are you of that number? is every evill removed? have you never any pain, ſorrow, affliction, ſin? is every deſire ſatisfied? do your appetites go out after nothing in the World? no body will beleeve it, and ſo you are not yet fully bleſſed and happy, whatever you may be, and by conſequence your immediate injoyment of God, is but the injoyment of a fancy.
The Apoſtle tells us, that now (i. e.) in this life, if wee ſee God at all, it is in a glaſſe, wee have need of ſuch mediums to do it by; the immediate viſion of him face to face is reſerved for hereafter (i. e.) the life that is to come, 1 Cor. 13.12.
Adde hereunto, that if you injoy God here immediately, you ſo injoy him, as you ſhall hereafter, and ſo not onelyonly your preſent, but your future condition is apparent, it appears what you ſhall be, as well as what you are: and, how then is it poſſible you ſhould be accounted of their number, who are now the ſons of God, but it doth not yet appear what they ſhall be, 1 Joh. 3.2?
SECT. III. A further Improvement of the point by way of exhortation, againſt the fear of Death.
YOu ſee that it muſt be an immediate injoyment of God, that can let us in to the fulneſſe of our happineſſe. Let us hence be exhorted rather to deſire Death, then to be afraid of it, if the end be deſirable, why ſhould the means be dreadfull? to be happy is to injoy God immediately, which we ſhal never do except we die: There ſhall no man ſee God and live, Exod. 33.20. we ſhall not indeed ſee him till we be like him, 1 Jo. 3.2. nor be like him enough to ſee him, till we be ſinleſſe, nor be ſo, whileſt we are alive, Eccleſ. 7.20. God as a founder, muſt melt us before we ſhall be ſufficiently refin'd to come ſo neare him, and the Furnace he wil do it in, is Death. God pardons our ſin by the death of Chriſt, but totally deſtroies it by our own: we die in ſin, and to ſin by a metaphorical death, but we onelyonly die from it, by a natural one, and this muſt be done, its not enough that ſin be totally pardoned, that it have no guilt, it muſt be totally aboliſhed, that it have no being, before we ſhal be meet enough to bee partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light.
As Death deſtroies the being of our nature, ſo 't is exceeding formidable, and the King of terrours: but as it deſtroies the being of our ſin, to let us into the preſence of our God 't is exceedingly deſirable. Socrates profeſſed himſelf willing to die upon this account, that he might enjoy thoſe worthies that went before him, as Orpheus, Heſiod, Homer, &c. our incouragement is, we ſhal come to enjoy our God, after this the Apoſtles groaned earneſtly, 2 Cor. 5.2.8. and if Chriſt ſay, ſurely I come quickly; the ſpouſe wil anſwer, even ſo come Lord Jeſus. Apoc. 22.20. We ſhould not be afraid of our paſſage into the immediate imbracements of our God, which we then enter upon, when into his hands we commend our ſpirits; fleſh and bloud cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, 1 Cor. 15.50. wee could not be happy, if we were not mortall.
SECT. IIII. That our perfect Happineſſe ſhall be in the ſole injoyment of God.
WHat ever others may ſuppoſe, we cannot but place our happineſſe when it ſhal be at the full, in the injoyment of God alone, excluding the injoyment of every thing elſe. Here below the Saints have their God, and this is their happineſſe; but they have withal ſomething elſe, Wives, Children, Friends, Houſes, Money, Lands, Honours, &c. and this is a diminution of their happineſſe, it wil never be at higheſt til they ſhal injoy God alone, God and nothing elſe. Let us conſider:
1. The phraſe of the Text: God ſhall be all, we ſhal have nothing elſe: Himſelf *Premium virtutis erit, qui virtutem dedit.ſhal be our exceeding great reward, Gen. 15.1. our draughts of Happineſſe ſhal be taken in immediately from the Fountain, and not be leſſened by their conveyance to us in any channel.
2. Then cometh the end, ver. 24. which is expounded of *Ego puto ſimpliciter intelligendum de fine mundi Piſcat. Schol. in locum.the end of the World, there ſhal be an end of all the accommodations this world was wont to afford, nothing ſhal remain that a heart may be ſet upon. When ſhal this be? *Reſurrectione completâ Carthuſ. in loc.When the Saints are entring upon the conſummation of their bleſſedneſſe. And why ſhal this be? Why ſhal there bee an end of whatever might be an object of delight in the whole Creation? You are anſwered in the Text; then commeth the end, that God may be all in all, that we may be fully happy in the enjoyment of God alone.
3, As all our happineſſe is in injoyment, ſo much of our injoyment is by love, as we have noted already [Part 1. Sect. 2.] ſo that the leſſe we love God, the leſſe we injoy him, and as long as we have any thing beſide God wil not ſome of our love go out after it? ſo that what I aim at is eaſily concluded; we ſhal not be perfectly happy, til we perfectly injoy God, nor perfectly injoy him, til we perfectly love him, nor perfectly love him, til we have nothing to love elſe. So it is the ſole injoyment of God, which our Happineſſe when it is at the higheſt, ſhal conſiſt in. And I think.
4. This was Davids meaning in Pſ. 73.25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee? he had in the former verſe, expreſſed his confidence of Gods receiving him to glory, in this he declares what the glory was that he thirſted after, it was the ſole injoyment of God, God alone, and nothing elſe, and indeed, though while our love hath its infirmities, it hath other objects, yet *Perfecta charitas ſolum fitit quod ſummum eſt, Bern.when it ſhal be perfectly healed, it wil pitch upon nothing but God alone.
SECT. V. 1 Uſe of this Branch, by way of Exhortation.
J Have ſome thing from the laſt mentioned part of the propoſition to commend unto you by way of exhortation, I ſhal beſeech you but to ſuffer theſe 4 words.
1. Learn in whatſoever ſtate you are, therewith to be content, Phil. 4.11. we ſhould never grumble at any diſpenſations of our God, were we not guilty of ſome miſtakes about the matter of our Happineſſe; are you in a mean condition, and have you but a little of the world? be contented, you muſt have leſſe, you muſt have none; before ever you wil be happy.
You have not that Eſtate, Honour, Credit, greatneſſe in the world which others have; and you whine, and ſigh, and take on, and repine, and murmur: what ails you? are theſe things your happineſſe? nay, can you ever be truly happy, whileſt you have any one piece of them? is not your bleſſedneſſe alone in God? why then ſhould it diſcontent you to want ſomething, ſeeing you wil never be contented as long as you have any thing? you wil never have enough, till God ſhall be all.
2. Let your Converſation be without Covetouſneſſe, Heb. 13.5. are you thirſty, immoderately thirſty after more and more of the earth? how fooliſh is ſuch an appetite; the more we enjoy beſide God, at the greater diſtance we ſtand from happineſſe. What ground have we for an inſatiable deſire of ſuch things, which we cannot poſſeſſe but upon condition of being miſerable? it is an un-Saint-like folly to graſp after much of the world, as if we could not be wel without it, when we know it is impoſſible for us to be wel enough with it; even God himſelf in conjunction with other things is not enough, it muſt be God alone that can fully bleſſe us: God in the creature (I deſire to ſpeak it with reverence) is an inconſiderable enjoyment, in compariſon of God in himſelf.
3. If Riches increaſe, ſet not your hearts upon them, Pſ. 62.10. carry a holy jealouſie over your ſouls, leſt you cleave to them with a bird-lim'd affection. Beg God to keep your hearts looſe enough, the world is a ſea, and every luſt is a Tempeſt ſtrong enough to ſink us, unleſſe Chriſt enable us (with Peter) to walk on top of it; this we muſt do, or we ſhal be miſerable: the more we love other things the leſſe we have of happineſſe, becauſe the more ſolely we love God, the more ſolely we enjoy him: the heart can have but a ſlender communion with him, if it be too much taken up with other company; he can but by halfs enjoy his wife and children, who is daily troubled with the entertainment of ſtrangers.
4. In your patience poſſeſſe ye your ſouls, Luke 21.19. whatever loſſes wee meet with in the World it is our folly, and our ſin, that if we looſe our friends or our goods, we have much adoe to keep our ſelves, as if we had never heard of the patience of Job; when a ſtroak is directed but to our goods, we are ſimple enough to direct it upon our ſelves; like the Iriſh, who if they have a good Scymiter, rather then their weapon ſhal be hurt, wil receive the blow upon their arm *Stamhurſt. Hibern. hiſt.. This folly would bee cured, if wee would be perſwaded, that we ſhal never be happy till we have loſt all, till we have no friend no eſtates, no enjoyment but God alone.
SECT. VI. 2d Uſe of this ſame point by way of Inſtruction.
IF our higheſt happineſſe be the ſole enjoyment of God, we may take out ſome leſſons thence for our inſtruction; theſe that follow ſeem to be very legible.
1. That it is an impoſſibility to make the Saints of God miſerable; becauſe it is impoſſible to deprive them of their God, in whom alone is all their happineſs. They may loſe
1. Their Liberty, as Joſeph, Peter, Paul, Silas, &c. the primitive Chriſtians, by the Heathen perſecutors *In Carceres conjecti fideles, locis tenebroſis, &c. Eccleſiaſt. l. 5. c. 1., and the Orthodox by the Arrians *Theodorit. hiſt. Eccleſ. l. 4. c. 22., Chriſt himſelf may be impriſoned, Mat. 25.43. and Satan may make the mittimus, Apoc. 2.10. but this is not their happineſſe, this is not the glorious liberty of the ſons of God, Rom. 8.21. their God wil be in priſon with them, Gen. 39.23.
2. Their Eſtates, they may ſuffer the ſpoiling of their goods, Heb. 10.34. of a great part, or all, as it ſhal pleaſe their more potent enemies, of which we have examples *Socrat. Hiſt. Eccleſ. l. 3. c. 11. Euſeb. de vita Conſt. l. 1. c. 45.enough in the Hiſtory of the Church, but this is not their happineſſe, they have in heaven a better and a more enduring ſubſtance, Heb. 10.34.
3. Their Lives, as the noble Army of Martyrs did. But this is not their happineſſe, they may ſav to the proudeſt of their perſecutors *Occidere quidem poteſtis, nocere non poteſtis., you may kill us, but it is not in your power to hurt us; they have a life which is hid with Chriſt in God, Col. 3.3.
Our happineſſe is not in any thing that the gates of Hell can reach unto; 'tis in God onelyonly and ſolely, and who can take away our God from us? what condition can leave us without him? pray ask the Apoſtle in Rom. 8.35.38, 39.
2dly. That (did wee rightly improve it) the leſſe wee have of the world, the more wee may have of happineſſe, this I doubt wil ſeem a paradox to moſt, but yet before you be too peremptory in concluding it ſo, conſider if happineſſe conſiſt in the ſole enjoyment of God; doth it not follow that the more ſolely wee enjoy him, the happier we are? and may we not the better ſo enjoy God, the leſſe we have to enjoy beſide him? even the troubles of a family do ſo far unbleſſe us, that they hardly give us leave to attend upon the Lord without diſtraction, 1 Cor. 7.35. what then have they leave to do, who are troubled with more then this a thouſand fold?
Are there none of us, whoſe poſſeſſions and imployments in the world are more then they were wont to be? it would be wel to conſider (if we have ſo much leiſure) whether our enjoyments of God be not ſo much the leſſe; whether a great part of that time, and thoſe meditations which we were wont to lay out upon God, be not now waſted, and caſt away upon other occaſions.
You that have but a little to do with the world, pray make much of that condition, 't is your own fault if you have not the more to do with God; you have little elſe to take up your hearts, God may dwel and walk in them without diſturbance. God and you may be together a great part of your time, and the ſweetneſſe of your communion not hindred, whileſt others are caſting up their accounts, you have leiſure enough to ſay with David, how precious are thy thoughts unto me O God, how great is the ſumme of them; if I ſhould count them, they are more in number then the ſands! Pſ. 139.17, 18. Whileſt others are following their ſuits at a Court of Juſtice, you may follow all you have at a Throne of grace: whileſt others are numbring their flocks and heards, al your Arithmetick may be imploied to number your daies: whileſt others cannot get out of the clutches of the world, you may get into the imbracements of your God: you may bee in heaven whileſt others cannot ſee it for the interpoſition of too much earth. Truly a mean condition ſeems to bee capable of more happineſſe, then that which over-loadeth us with outward things.
3d. That little cauſe have the Saints to be troubled at the diſſolution of al things: That al theſe things here below ſhal be diſſolved, he cannot doubt that is a Chriſtian, 2 Pet. 3.11. and the diſſolution of them ſhal be by fire, the Elements ſhal melt with fervent heat, the Earth alſo and the works that are therein ſhal be burnt up, ver. 10. that glorious heaven which rouls over our heads, ſhal be rouled together as a Scrowl; and al their Hoſt ſhal fal down, as the Leaf falleth off from the Vine, and as a falling Figge from the Fig-tree, Iſa. 34.4. and the earth under our feet the mother of ſo many good things, with her whole off-ſpring ſhal flee away, neither ſhal any place be found for her, Apoc. 20.11. it moves our bowels to behold the rage of fire in ſome petty deſolations; it wil you wil ſay be a melancholly proſpect indeed, to ſee it bury the whole world in its own aſhes. Wel, ſuppoſe we ſhould be of thoſe, who ſhal be found alive at the laſt day; ſhould it trouble or pity us that ſuch a world as this ſhould bee deſtroyed? ſure not a jot; unleſſe we would continue to our prejudice: for this end muſt come, That God may bee all in all, that there may bee nothing for us but God, that is, that we may be perfectly happy.
SECT. VII. Shewing our happineſs to conſtſt in the free enjoyment of God.
AS our happineſſe in the height and perfection of it, ſhal be to enjoy God immediately without helps, and ſolely without partners, ſo it wil be as neceſſary that wee enjoy him freely, without interruption or oppoſition: Here ſin ſtands in our way with power and pollution, and Satan with his fiery darts, and the world meets us with a thouſand contradictions, and whatever ſtands in the way of our enjoyment, ſtands in the way of our happineſſe, wch wil not bee perfect til al theſe impediments be removed. Let us conſider
1. All enemies ſhal be ſubdued, v. 25, 26. Satan and ſin amongſt the reſt, which are the great diſturbers of our enjoyment of God, theſe ſhal trouble us no more; and the end is, That God may be all in all, that we may enjoy him freely without any contradiction.
2. It follows rationally that if our enjoyment of God be not free, our happineſſe in God cannot be ful: every diſturbance of enjoyment is an Eclipſe of happineſſe; every evil is not excluded, where there is any thing left ſtanding between God and us, nor every deſire ſatisfied, when one great deſire is to have theſe rubs out of our way: we are ſo far from perfect happineſſe, as long as Satan, or ſin, or any thing ſhal thwart us in our enjoyment of God, that we are indeed miſerable and wretched men; and ſuch an apprehenſion I think the Apoſtle had of this condition, in Rom. 7.24.
SECT. VIII. A threefold uſe of this Point.
IF we ſhall not be fully happy, till we ſhall enjoy God freely, and have nothing to oppoſe, or interrupt us
Firſt, It will inform us, that in caſe our ſins ſhould go up to Heaven with us, we ſhould never be happy, becauſe we ſhould not be able to enjoy God freely: here they croſs us, and do ever and anon interrupt our Communion, and would they not think you, do ſo there too? ſo thoſe carnal perſons that pray for Heaven, and yet would not part with their ſins, do (like the ſons of Zebedee) ask they know not what. To be in Heaven is to enjoy God *Vita ubi non eſt adverſarius impugnans ubi nulla peccati illecebra, &c. Aug. meditat. c. 22.freely, which neither the guilt of ſin, nor the pollution of it, will ſuffer us to do.
2ly. This doth teach us what courſe to take, if we mean to be as much in Heaven, as it is poſſible to be here upon earth: we muſt enjoy our God with all poſſible freedom. If you ask how ſhal this be done? pray conſider, what you would do to enjoy a friend freely, from whoſe ſociety you fetch much of your delight, would you not get your ſelf and your friend together? and exclude all other company? and in caſe of intruſion, would you not refuſe to admit them? pray try ('tis a Noble experiment) if ſuch a courſe wil not bleſs your ſpirits with a more free enjoyment of God, then you do ordinarily attain unto.
1. You muſt get God and your ſouls together, by walking with him, Gen. 5.24. and converſing in Heaven, Phil. 3.20. by ſending up your faith and love, and bringing God into your hearts, to ſup and walk, and dwel there: that you may look upon him, and hear him, and ſpeak to him and throw your ſelves into his Armes, and ſolace your ſouls in his Boſome as your God: when you ſtand, ſtand faſt in the Lord, Phil. 4.1. When you walk, let it be in Gods waies, Pſal. 119.1. When you ſit down, let it be under his ſhadow, Cant. 2.3. When he invites you go with him into his Banqueting houſe, Cant. 2.4. and eat and drink abundantly, Cant. 5.1. open your *Os corporis modica implet buccella, capacitatem animae ſolus Deus. Lor. in locum.mouths wide, that he may fil them (Pſal. 81.10.) with what ever his preſence of grace brings with it, to feaſt your ſouls. But if you mean to do this freely, you muſt
2. Exclude all other company, every care that is ſuperfluous, and every thought that is carnal muſt be ſhut out of doors. When Joſeph meant to diſcover himſelf to his Brethren, he cryed, Cauſe every man to go out from me, Gen. 45.1. When Abraham went to ſacrifice his Son, he ſaid to his young men, abide you here with the Aſs, and I and the Lad will go younder and worſhip, Gen. 22.5. Joſeph could not have unbowel'd himſelf freely, nor Abraham have met God in the Mount without interruption, had they not diſmiſſed their company: ſo muſt we deal with all other buſineſſes of the heart, cauſe every one of them to goe out from us, and abide behinde, if we would converſe with God freely, The cares of the world, and the luſts of our hearts are obſtreperous and turbulent, they wil keep ſuch a noyſe in our ſouls, that ſhal looſe very much of that communion with God, which we come together for; they wil provide us ſuch avocations and diſtractions, that a great deal of our heart, which is al too little to be ſpent upon God, wil go out upon theſe.
3. If they offer to intrude themſelves again, when God and the ſoul are in communication, you muſt by no means admit them. Carnal luſts are ſufficiently ſawcy and immodeſt, they have impudency enough to thruſt themſelves into the ſoul, though ſhe be never ſo private and never ſo buſie in the company of her God: one errand or another wil they pretend, and be importunate for audience if you give them admiſſion, you are ſadly interrupted. And becauſe do what we can, theſe impediments wil be, and wil more or leſs diſturb us while we are here. It is
3dly. Matter of comfort to the Saints, that when their happineſs ſhal be perfect, their enjoyment of God ſhal be free, without any diſturbance at all: every enemy ſhal be ſubdued: Beatum nihil quod non caret peccato. Ambr.when we ſhal ſtand before the Lord in in Heaven, we ſhal have no Satan at our right hand to reſiſt us, his everlaſting chains wil eternally keep him at a ſufficient diſtance; neither ſhal one of the luſts that haunt us here go along with us: it wil be a world where dwells nothing but righteouſneſs, 2. Pet. 3.13.
SECT. IX. Our full happineſs is in the full enjoyment of God.
THe Fruition of God without means, or partners, or oppoſitition, though it amount to very much of our felicity; yet not to all, it muſt be ful too without any defect: not as if the ſoul which is finite, could take in the whole Eſſence of God which is infinite, and ſo incomprehenſible; but the ſoul ſhal and muſt be ſo ful of God, as that it ſhal not be able to receive or deſire a jot more. Let's conſider,
1. That the difference between our enjoyment of God here and hereafter, is but in degrees. Here it is inits infancy *Gratia eſt aetas infantilis gloriae.there it ſhal be in its ful age: Here it is in drops, there it ſhal be in the Ocean. Here tis *per modum paſſionis tranſeuntis.as light is in the Air there it ſhal be as *Per modum formae permanentislight is in the body of the Sun: Here we ſee Gods back parts, there we ſhal ſee his Face, not his ſecond face (as ſome diſtinguiſh) which is grace and favour enjoyed by faith, but his firſt face which is, his divine Eſſence enjoyed by ſight: it is the ſame love whereby we cleave to God here and in Heaven (love never faileth, 1 Cor. 13.8) onelyonly here it is love militant againſt Ʋt voluntas in preſenti vitâ, infermitati non cedat, in futurâ infermitatem non habeat, & nunc recreetur iuvamine medicaminis tunc fruatur aeternâ plenitudine ſanitatis Fulgent. l. 1. p. 8many weakneſſes, there it ſhal be love triumphant over al. And God loves us with the ſame love now, which he wil love us with in Heaven; onelyonly here it is but upon its deſign, there it wil be in Execution. In a word, the Apoſtle ſets down the difference of our enjoying God here and hereafter to be in this, That now it is but in part, and then it ſhall be at full, 1 Cor. 13.12.
2. As long as our enjoyment of God is not at ful; we are capable of more, and as long as we poſſeſs more we can deſire more, and ſo our happineſs is not perfected, becauſe every deſire is not ſatisfied.
SECT. X. The Uſes of this Branch for Information and comfort.
FIrſt we may from what we laſt ſaid, be informed, that the happieſt ſight we can have of God out of Heaven is that ſight of him which we have in the Goſpel, becauſe it is the fulleſt. God is ſeen
1. In his creatures. Here (at leaſt) his eternal power and Godhead are legibile enough, Rom. 1.20.
2. In his Law, we cannot but ſee his Soveraignty, his Holineſs, and and his Juſtice, if we look here. But
3. In his Goſpel: our ſight of God is much fuller. Here we ſee
1. More of this.
2. More then this.
3. More clearly.
Firſt, More of this, then ever was ſeen before. I ſhal inſtance in theſe Particulars, viz,
1. More of Gods Power. Much of this, very much was evidenced in making the world, having nothing but nothing to do it withal. Put together the whole Poſſe of men and Angels, and allow them no preexiſtent matter, and ſee if they be able to make ſo much as one hair. To enlarge here were to ſuppoſe my Readers ſomething worſe then not chriſtened: onelyonly thus, I will praiſe thee (O Lord) for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works and that my ſoul kuoweth right well, Pſal. 139.14.
But is there not more of Gods power diſcovered in the Goſpel? to pardon a ſinner is an act of great power, Numb. 14.17, 18, 19. To quicken him, is an act of exceeding great power, Eph. 1.19. compared with chap. 2.1. The *Ʋtrum Juſtificatio impii ſit opus miraculoſum? Aq. 1ae 2ae q. 113. Art. 10.Schoolmen do enquire, whether the Juſtification of a ſinner be a miracle or no? a Queſtion that could not proceed but from an apprehenſion of ſome, more then ordinary, evidences of Gods power in this work. But what ſhal we think of the uniting of God and man in one perſon to bring this to paſs? I ſhal not ſo much as endeavour to puzle you, by inquiring into the myſteries that are in it. *Vid. Aq 3. part q. 1.2.3. &c.If you ſtudy how little you are able to *O admirabila myſteriū! O inenrrabile cō mercium… Aug. meditat c. 16.apprehend of it you wil confeſs a longer manifeſtation of power in this one act to redeem the world, then was put forth at firſt to make it. And where is this diſcovered but in the Goſpel?
2. More of Gods Wiſdom, whoſe deſign is to be advanced in the ſalvation of ſinners. Now ſet aſide the Goſpel, and let al the men in the world and al the Angels in Heaven, lay their heads together, and tel you (if they can) by what means this ſhal be brought to paſs, they are ſinners that muſt be ſaved; this indeed wil advance Gods mercy, but what then ſhal become of his Juſtice? One Attribute of God muſt not go down, whileſt another is ſet up, this were not for God to advance his whole ſelf. There is no imaginable way for Juſtice to ſatisfie it ſelf, but either upon the ſinner himſelf, or upon ſome other in his ſtead, if upon themſelves the deſign is loſt, it muſt pay ſin its wages, and ſo the ſinner periſheth, Rom. 6.23. if upon ſome other, who ſhould that be? if but a man, he cannot ſatisfie; if a God, he cannot ſuffer; if ſinful he muſt ſuffer for himſelf; if ſinleſſe where ſhal ſuch a one be found? if willing how ſhould he be able? if not willing how were it juſt to lay it upon him?
'Tis the Goſpel that unriddles all this, and in doing ſo diſcovers an incomprehenſible wiſdom: hence are we told of this contrivement to ſave ſinners, that it is, the wiſdom of God, 1 Cor. 2.6. a wiſdom that no natural or moral helps, or parts, can raiſe us to the comprehenſion of, 1 Cor. 2.6. wiſdom in a myſtery, 1 Cor. 2.7. A great myſtery, 1 Tim. 3.16. a myſtery which the Angels deſire to look into, 1 Pet. 1.12. a diſcovery of the manifold wiſdom of God, Eph. 3.10. there is more of this attribute opened in the Goſpel, then in that immenſe volume the whole world. But one inſtance more
3. More of Gods Juſtice, much of this was ſet on work in not ſparing the Angels that ſinned, &c. 2. Pet. 2.4. do not they ſeem to ſuffer the ſeverity of Gods juſtice, who (for ought we read) ſinned but once, and are yet under an eternity of wrath, without hope or means or poſſibility of reſtitution? and it was much of juſtice that fel upon the old world, in ſo dreadful a ſhowre, that All in whoſe noſtrils was the breath of life periſhed, Gen. 7.22. and upon Sodom read, Gen. 19.24, 25. and upon Corah and his company, read Num. 16.32, 33.
But yet we have a manifeſtation in the Goſpel of more juſtice then al this, here we have God not ſparing his own ſon, Rom. 8.32. his onelyonly ſon, Joh. 3.16. the ſon of his love, Col. 1.13. the ſon of his boſome, Joh. 1.18. though he did no ſin, 1 Pet. 2.22. though he fulfilled all righteouſneſſe, Mat. 3.15. yet having taken our ſins upon him, he did not ſpare him though he offered up prayers and ſupplications, with ſtrong crying and tears, Heb. 5.7.
Secondly in the Goſpel we ſee more then this; that is, what neither the book of the creatures, nor of the law did ever diſcover unto us: you may look elſe where in vain; but look into the Goſpel, you ſhal ſee God in Chriſt reconciling the world unto himſelf not imputing their treſpaſſes unto them, 2 Cor. 5.19. quickning ſuch as are dead in treſpaſſes and ſins Eph. 2.1. bringing life and immortality to light, and offering it to the greateſt of ſinners, 2 Tim. 1.19. Act. 3.26. here we ſee a free grace, a full Chriſt, a general pardon, a way fot ſinful creatures to the injoyment of a juſt and holy God. The Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, were not by way of eminency to be called by that name *Vid. Chemnit. loc. com. part 2. edit. 1594 in 4 to fol. 242., were any thing elſe able to bring us glad tidings of theſe good things.
Thirdly what we ſee of God in the Goſpel, we ſee more clearly, then we can ſee it any where elſe, here below; and are therefore ſaid to behold his glory with open face as in a glaſſe, 2 Cor. 3.18. that the Jews under the adminiſtration of Moſes had a clearer diſcovery of God, then the Gentiles (who ſaw him but in his works) is not to be doubted: and how much clearer ours is under the adminiſtration of the Goſpel, then theirs was under Moſes, is that we have produced the Apoſtle for. It is as much clearer, as the ſeeing of an object with open face in a glaſſe, is a clearer viſion then to look upon it, but thorow a vail: no picture can repreſent a thing ſo lively as a glaſſe doth. So the happieſt ſight of God out of heaven, is to ſee him in the Goſpel, becauſe it is the fulleſt. I hope men wil take heed how they carry themſelves to ſuch a Goſpel as this is, and I wil anon ſpeak with them about it.
Secondly, It is comfort for the Saints that their higheſt happineſſe ſhal be in the ful injoyment of God, your hungrings and thirſtings after more of him, ſhal one day end in a compleat ſatisfaction, you ſhal have as much of him as your ſouls can hold here, it is much of your happineſſe, to have ſome glimpſes of his glory ſhining upon you, and ſome drops of his favour diſtilled into your hearts: hereafter it ſhal be all your happineſſe to have it poured in til you ſhal be able to receive no more; and becauſe all your Lords joy cannot enter into you, to be ſure of having enough you ſhal enter into it, Mat. 25. v. 21.
SECT. XI. That the enjoyment of God in which our highest happineſſe ſhall conſiſt is to be everlaſting.
ALL that we have ſaid of the injoyment of God, though it riſe to very much, yet were it of any ſhorter date then eternity, it would not be enough for an abſolute bleſſedneſſe. He ce
1. The Scriptures do every where expreſſe it to be everlaſting and without end. We ſhall be ever with the Lord, 1 Theſ. 4.17. and the pleaſures at his right hand are for evermore, Pſal. 16.11. our weight of glory ſhall be eternall, 2 Cor. 4.17. and our inheritance incorruptitible, which fadeth not away, 1 Pet. 1.4. and you know it is called life eternal and everlaſting, in a multitude of Scriptures.
2. Were it any thing ſhort of this, two things would prove it ſhort of its perfection.
Firſt, There would be a poſſibility of being one time or another miſerable, and ſo every deſire would not be ſatisfied. Miſery, ſet it at what diſtance you wil, is not onelyonly what we do not deſire to come under, but what we cannot *Miſeri eſſe non ſolum nolumus, ſed nequaquam velle poſſumus, Aug..
2d There were then ſome places for fear, and ſo for pain, 1 Joh, 4.18. and conſequently for evil, and that condition is not perfectly happy, which is capable of this, for every evil is not excluded.
SECT. XII. This briefly applied by way of exhortation and comfort.
WEE have ſeen the immediate injoyment of God, that nothing may ſhadow our happineſſe: the ſole injoyment of God; that nothing may abate it: the free injoyment of God; that nothing interrupt it, wee have ſeen it ſo full, that there is no room for more; and yet all this muſt and ſhal be eternal too, that we may *Beatitudo non eſt de eujus eternitate dubitatur. Aug.never ſee the expiration of it. And ſhal we not hence
1. Be exhorted, not to place our happineſſe in any thing that ſhal have an end? and (not to nauſeate you with particulars) ſuch are all that our eyes behold here below, the things that are ſeen are temporal, 2 Cor. 4.18. were there no other inſufficiency in them, yet would this prove their injoyment infinitely ſhort of happineſſe, that they can bee injoyed but for a time, and upon this account the Apoſtles did not think them worth the looking upon, 2 Cor. 4.18. what a fool was he, that comforted his ſoul with goods laid up in ſtore for many years? Luk. 12.19. it ſeems the enjoyment of God himſelf would not amount to an abſolute beatitude, were it not everlaſting; how much leſſe the enjoyment of the creature, which to the happieſt man under the ſun, cannot be above a ſpan long, Pſal. 39.5.
2. Is not here comfort for the Saints, in all their afflictions? theſe can be ſuffered but for a time, God ſhal be enjoyed to all eternity, are we a while groaning under a burthen of ſin? Rom. 7.24. we ſhall be loaded with an eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. 4.17. have we a ſpirit ful of wounds for a time? Prov. 18.14. we ſhal have a ſoul ful of God, for an eternity. Doth God forſake us for a ſmal moment, Iſa. 54.7. We ſhall be ever with the Lord, 1 Theſſ, 4.17. Doth heavineſs endure for a night? Pſal. 30.5. joy ſhal come in a morning that hath no night at all, have we paines ever and anon? Wee ſhall have pleaſures for evermore, Pſal. 16.11. do we die daily? we ſhal live everlaſtingly. Saints, comfort your ſelves, Comfort one another with theſe words, 1 Theſ. 4.18.
SECT. XIII. A brief Application of the whole.
FRom all that hath been ſaid of the quality of our enjoyment of God, when we ſhal come to be at the happieſt. We may learn
Firſt, That not one of the Saints is perfectly bleſſed in this life, becauſe not one of them doth enjoy God, either immediately, but what we do is darkly thorow a glaſſe, by ſuch mediums as do eclipſe much of what, that Lumen gloriae, the light we ſhal have in heaven wil diſcover unto us: or ſolely, but in conjunction with other enjoyments, which call out much of our hearts, and many Item's of our love, which hereafter ſhal be totally ſummed up, and all laid out upon one God: or freely; but are thwarted with a thouſand impediments, which ſhal all be left behind us when we go to heaven: or fully, they are but part of his waies that we trace him in, and how little a portion is heard of him? Job. 26.14. wee ſhal never ſee the compleatment of our happineſſe, until we go hence, and be no more ſeen.
Ob. Why then do ſome perſons ſay that they are as happy, and do enjoy as much of God, as ever they ſhall?
Sol. Can I tell? perhaps it is too true in reference to ſome of them, others may bee under a temporary deluſion; but ſure I am, they bee none of the Saints, who have their portion in this life. Pſal. 17.14. [See before Sect. 2.]
Ob. Saints are happy in this life.But why do the Scriptures ſo frequently call the Saints bleſſed and happy?
Sol. I ſhall lay before you what I conceive of it in theſe 6 particulars. Its becauſe
Firſt, 1 Pretio.The price by which we have a title to the happineſſe we have enquired into, is already paid and accepted of: the poſſeſſion of God, is a purchaſed poſseſſion, Eph. 1.14. and the purchaſe is made to our uſe, upon which account our names are written in the book of life, to bee of thoſe many children whom God by the ſufferings of his ſon meant to bring unto glory, Heb. 2.10. when a captives ranſom is paid, he may be ſaid to have his liberty, although his Manu-miſſion be a while delayed.
2. 2 Promiſſo.God hath made us a promiſe of this happineſſe before the world began to Chriſt, for us, Titus, 1.2. and ſince the world began to us in Chriſt, John 3.16. to have any thing in a promiſe, is to be as ſure of it, as if we had it in ful poſſeſſion; it being as impoſſible for us to miſſe it, as it is for God to lie, Heb. 6.18.
3. 3 Primitiis.We have the firſt fruits of Heaven here upon the earth, Rom. 8.23. ſomething of God drawn upon our ſouls, and ſo ſome converſe with him, and influences from him, and it was never known that ſuch as came ſo farre as to gather the firſt fruits, fel ſhort of reaping the whole harveſt.
4. 4 Diſpoſitione.We are put into a capability of this happineſſe, being (in ſome meaſure) made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light, Col. 1.12. having our robes waſht and made white in the blood of the Lamb, that we may be before the Throne of God, and ſerve him day and night in his Temple, Apoc. 7.14, 15.
5. 5 Spe.We are ſaved by hope, Rom. 8.24. and by whatever we are ſaved, by the ſame we are made happy, hereafter we ſhal rejoyce in poſſeſſion, but in this life we rejoyce in hope of the glory of God, Rom. 5.2.
6. 6 Sen.The Saints have ſome taſte here of that full meal of happineſſe, which they ſhal eternally bee feaſted with hereafter, Pſal. 34.8. Cant. 2.3. and even this doth ſometimes raviſh them ſo abundantly, that they value one daies enjoyment of God, above the revenues of the whole world.
In all theſe (and perhaps in ſome other) reſpects, the Saints are ſaid to be bleſſed and happy; though they be not perfectly and fully ſo. And we may learn
2dly That no nature below ours is capable of an abſolute happineſſe, as not being capable of ſuch an enjoyment of God: *Scot. in 4 Sent. q. 8. dist. 49.wee owe God very much for this benefit of our creation. I cannot tel whether it be not better then if he had made us Angels; they, 't is true, were capable of happineſſe as wel as we, and of loſing it as wel as we, but when 'tis loſt, they are not capable of recovering it again as wel as we, 2 Pet. 2.4. Jud. 6. however God might have made us any of the lower creatures: look upon a houſe, a tree, a worm, a heap of dirt, and ſay, Cur non ego talis? Why had not I been ſuch? and we ſhal be worſe then ſuch, if wee enjoy not God: other creatures attain to al the happineſſe they are capable of not ſo we. And we may learn
3dly That they ſpeak like Atheiſts, who ſaid it is vain to ſerve God, Mal. 3.14. is ſuch an enjoyment of God ſo? if you be indeed chriſtians, pray be ſtedfaſt and immoveable alwaies, abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord, 1 Cor. 15.58.