Gods Love to Man and Mans Duty Towards God, Part 1 · Section 4
Sect. 4. PROP. IV. Therefore God rules and governs man after another manner, than inanimate things, and brutes, are governed. His Kingdom ruleth over all. Natural Agents are ruled by his power and providence. But man he ruleth alſo a moral Agent, by Precepts, Promiſes and Threatnings.
ANd if the Lord had not deſigned in the Making of Man, thus to govern him, then might not one uſe the Pſalmiſt expoſtulation (though in another ſence) wherefore haſt thou made all men in vain? wherefore hath he endowed us with a Faculty of diſcerning right and wrong, good and evil? And why hath he given us a capacity to look backwards to reflect on our wayes and actions, a power of ſetting up a Iudgment-ſeat, within our ſelves, to call our ſelves to account? And why hath he given us a capacity of looking forwards, to conſider with our ſelves whether our preſent courſe tends, why hath God placed ſuch a power as Conſcience in men, Conſcience, I ſay to check curb, and reſtrain us from Sin, to ſpur on and quicken us to duty, to accuſe, or excuſe, to Propheſie good or evil, to give Sentence for us or againſt us; and why hath God planted ſuch affections in men, as Deſire, Hope, Fear, all reſpecting ſome abſent, remote, future good or evil! How is it, we can dread evil threatned, or have any hope of good promiſed, if it were not the will of God, that we ſhould be governed, not a… Bruets, that are led on to things by a meer Natura… inſtinct, without reaſon; but as rational Mora… Agents, by ſuch Moral means, as Laws, Promiſes Threatnings.
And here again I cannot but enter my diſſent, and declare my diſlike of what that writer, with whom I had to do before, layes down ſo confidently, that a true believer is to obey; Marrow p. 209.yea, does obey, without fear of Hell, or hope of Heaven. And ſo far forth as they eſchew evil, p. 172. 176, 177, 178.or do good, for fear of Hell, or hope of Heaven, their obedience is but ſlaviſh.
Now I ſhall not ſay much here concerning the fear of puniſhment, becauſe I ſhall have occaſion to ſpeak of that afterwards.
And to prevent miſunderſtanding, I ſhall lay this down, That a true believer does not obey God meerly out of ſuch ſelf-reſpect, as for fear of puniſhment, or hope of reward. No, he hath a true love to God, and a love to the Law of God. As the Apoſtle ſaith, Rom. 7.22. I delight in the Law of God after the inward man.
But as he hath a love to God, and obeyeth in love, ſo he hath, and ought to have a love to himſelf too. And although gracious Souls in ſome holy raptures, have the Love of God ſo far prevailing in them ſometimes, that for the preſent they would ſeem quite to forget themſelves, and to ſet aſide all reſpect to their own Souls, as it was with holy Paul there, where (had it been poſſible) he could have wiſhed himſelf accurſed from Chriſt— Rom. 9. Yet it is not thus with them ordinarily, neither yet may we ſay, that ſo far as Chriſtians look, and aim at their own happineſs, ſo far they degenerate and act like Slaves, not like themſelves. All love of the reward is not a mercenary love: but when men only reſpect the reward. Now a Child of God hath a love to his work, as well as to his reward, Gods commands are not grievous to him; but indeed this is grievous to him, that he is no more conformed to Gods commands. And were it put to ſuch an ones choice, he would not deſire any liberty to tranſgreſs them, but would have more power to keep them. But what a groſs miſtake is this, becauſe men are not only to obey for fear of puniſhment, or only in hope of reward, to conclude thus, therefore they are not at all to regard either what God hath threatned, or promiſed.
And if it were ſo, that men were not to obey with any reſpect to what God hath promiſed them.
1. How great a part of Scripture is given to us in vain, but all Scripture is profitable—to make the Man of God perfect, and to perfect the Godly man, that he may be thorowly furniſhed to every good work. Shall we think that God hath made ſo many promiſes in vain. That thoſe great and precious promiſes in Scripture are but Cyphers, and ſtand for nothing?
2. Is it not horrible pride for men to think themſelves more perfect than innocent Adam was, to conceit that they yield obedience unto God upon more pure and ſpiritual grounds and motives? This is evident, that the Law given to innocent Adam, was backed with a threatning, and a promiſe. And ſo it was his duty both to dread the threatning, and to have regard unto Gods promiſe.
3. I can boldly ſay, that to have no thoughts … our own everlaſting happineſs, not to look at tha… is ſuch a ſtrange piece of ſelf denial as the Lord … where allows; much leſs does he command, o… commend. Is it not contrary to ſuch Scriptures … theſe, Seek firſt the Kingdom of God, work out you… own Salvation—Lay hold on eternal life? It is … carnal Self-love, and ſelf-ſeeking, which is mens ſ… and ſhame too. As what can be more abſurd, an… irrational, than for men to care for the body, b… neglect their precious immortal Souls, to labou… for the meat that periſheth, and not to be at any pain… for that meat which indureth to everlaſting life? T… be wholly taken up with things preſent, things be… low, that are but temporal, not regarding the thing above, which are eternal.
4. And if true Believers are ſuppoſed to be o… ſuch a ſtrain, as to obey without eying the promiſe… reward at all; then it follows they are better tha… Moſes, the man of God. For he had reſpect unt… Recompence of the reward. Heb. 11.26. And ye… you are to obſerve, he is their commended for ſo doing. And this is made an expreſſion, and effect o… his Faith, v. 24, &c. Yea, this would ſeem to b… an out-doing of the bleſſed Apoſtles. We run an… ſtrive to obtain a Crown incorruptible, 1 Cor. 9.25. we look at the things which are not ſeen, 2 Cor. 8.14. foreign. Theſe are the marks we aim at. Yea… which I even tremble to mention, this would mak… Chriſtians better than their Maſters, would ſet th… Servant above their Lord. Do we not read o… Jeſus Chriſt, that for the joy that was ſet before him he endured the Croſs, Heb. 12.2.
5. How glorious a pretence ſoever men may have for their ſetting aſide all reſpect to the promiſed reward; yet it is really and indeed a ſinful ſleighting, and contempt of Gods Grace, Bounty, Goodneſs; ſo the Sadduces had their fair pretence, that God was to be loved for himſelf, which is a certain truth: but (mark it) this is not the whole truth. For God is alſo to be loved, ſerved, for what he is, and would be to thoſe that love him. We ought to love God, not only becauſe he is infinitely worthy of love in himſelf (in regard of his own infinite excellencies, and perfections) but alſo becauſe he is ſo loving, and gracious to, and ſuch a bountiful rewarder of them that ſeek him, and love him. Where is the Mouth that dare deny, that God is even in this reſpect alſo to be loved, ſerved, honoured of his creatures?
6. Though men will ſometimes talk at randome, without weighing or conſidering what they ſay; yet the truth is, it is impoſſible that one right in his wits ſhould not have a deſire of his own everlaſting happineſs. And certainly it is very great raſhneſs for any to make that a foreign, a diſtinguiſhing ſign of a true believer, which would rather prove one not a man, or reaſonable. The Service which God requireth of us, is reaſonable Service; but it is unreaſonable, when God hath revealed and propounded to us inconceiveable, everlaſting happineſs, that we ſhould not believe it; or that believing there is ſuch happineſs to be had, and obtained, we ſhould not moſt earneſt deſire, and indefatigably purſue and preſs after the attainment of it. And what can ſound more ſtrangely than this, that it is not a Chriſtians duty, but rather his Infirmity by patient continuance in well-doing to ſeek for Glory, Honour, Immortality, Eternal life?
7. What is the happineſs of Heaven, but the moſt full and glorious enjoyment of God? That to obey in hopes of Heaven, is indeed to obey and ſerve God for himſelf. Are we to ſeek after the enjoyment of God in every Duty and Ordinance, as when we pray, hear, &c. Is his preſence to be ſought on earth, and not much more to be deſired in Heaven? Much more I could ſay here, but I hope this may ſatisfie: All is not Gold (Sirs) that gliſters; nor all thoſe Notions Goſpel Doctrines, which many pretend to be ſo.
What is here ſaid, I hope may help (through Gods bleſſing) to deliver ſome poor doubting trembling Soul out of one great ſnare, that ſome, who mean well, yet being unwary lay before them.
Certainly, I ſhould tremble to think of making this the Touchſtone to try my own, or your Faith, by, ſcil. [Doing what the Lord requires, without any hope of Heaven, or eying of the promiſed reward.] You may follow vertue (holineſs) & virtutis amore, & mercedis amore, both from a love to vertue it ſelf, and to the reward of vertue, ſo much I think is implyed in Rom. 6.22. Ye have your fruit unto holineſs, and the end everlaſting life. And to follow after holineſs, as that without which we cannot come to the enjoyment of God, and happineſs, is to attend to the Scripture direction, Heb. 12.14. and therefore cannot but be ſafe. If holineſs be the way to happineſs, by Gods appointment, and happineſs the end of holineſs; then certainly we ought to follow after holineſs, not only for its own ſake; but alſo for the tendency it hath to true and everlaſting happineſs. And though there be a truth in it, that vertue and goodneſs is a reward of it ſelf, and to be loved for it ſelf; yet it is not true, that where this is, a man deſires no other reward, looks no further, Heb. 10.35. Caſt not away your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. This Conſideration ſhould move us to continue in faith and holineſs, that there is great recompence of reward; That to quicken and encourage our ſelves, on in a way of holineſs and obedience, by the thoughts of what the Lord hath graciouſly promiſed thereunto, this is (you may clearly ſee) according to the Scripture; and the other way, wherein men pre…end to do all out of pure love to God, without any …egard to their own happineſs, is a being religious …nd holy above the Scriptures. But certainly they overſhoot themſelves, that pretend to an higher way, a more ſpiritual and excellent way, than that which is ſhown us in the Scriptures.