The Saints Delight, Chapter 1 – Chapter 4
CHAP. I. Shewing that negative goodneſſe is but a broken title to heaven.
AS the Book of the Canticles is called the ſong of ſongs by an Hebraiſme, it being the moſt excellent; ſo this Pſalme may not unfitly be entituled, the Pſalme of Pſalmes, for it containes in it the very pyth and quinteſcence of Chriſtianity. What Hierom ſaith of St. Pauls Epiſtles *Breves eſſe pariter, ac longas. Hierom., the ſame may I of this Pſalme; 'tis ſhort for the compoſure, but full of length and ſtrength for the matter *Pſalmus hic reliquis anteponitur, eſtenim quaſi pro… mium in univer ſam ſacram Scripturam Moller.. This Pſalme carries bleſſedneſse in the frontiſpiece; it begins where we all hope to end: It may well be call'd a Chriſtians guide, for it diſcovers the quickſands where the wicked ſink down in perdition, verſe 1. and the firme ground on which the Saints tread to glory, ver. 2. The text is an epitome, and breviary of Religion. But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in his Law doth he meditate day and night. Every word hath its Emphaſis; I begin with the firſt word But *foreign.
This But is full of ſpiritual wine, we will broach it, and taſte a little, then proceed.
But] This is a tearme of oppoſition. The godly man is deſcribed,
1. By way of negation, in three particulars. 1. Verſe 1.He walketh not in the councel of the ungodly. He is none of the Councel; he neither gives bad councel, nor takes it. 2. He ſtandeth not in the way of ſinners. He will not ſtand among thoſe who ſhall not be able to ſtand in the judgement, verſe 5.3. He ſitteth not in the ſeat of the ſcornful. Let it be a chaire of ſtate, he will not ſit in it, he knows it will prove very uneaſie at laſt. The word ſitting *foreignimplies,
1. An habit in ſinne *Moles impoſita ſepulchroipſa eſt vis dura conſuetudinis qua premitur anima, nec reſurgere nec reſpirare poſſit. Aug. in Mat. hom. 45. Adeo ſunt pertinaces, ſuiſque perfricta fronte peccatis addicti, ut jam nihil cos pudeat, ſed omnem religionem habeant proludibrio. Moller.Pſal. 50.20. Thou ſittest and ſpeakeſt againſt thy brother.
2. Sitting implies familiarity with ſinners. Pſal. 26.4. I have not ſate with vaine perſons; that is, I do not haunt their company. The godly man ſhakes off all intimacy with the wicked *foreign. Menander.. He may traffique with them, not aſſociate; he may be civil to them, as neighbours, but not twiſt into a cord of friendſhip: Diamonds and ſtones may lie together, but they will not ſodor and ceament.
II. The godly man is deſcribed by way of poſition, or rather oppoſition, But his delight is in the Law of the Lord. From this word But] obſerve,
Doct. That negative goodneſſe is not ſufficient to entitle us to heaven. To be no ſcorner, is good, but it is not enough. There are ſome in the world whoſe religion runs all upon negatives; they are not drunkards, they are not ſwearers *Qui flagitium nou committit non eſt vir bonus, ſed tantum non malus. natal. com., and for this they do bleſſe themſelves. See how that Phariſee vapours, Luke 18.11. God I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjuſt, adulterers, &c. Alas, the not being ſcandalous will no more make a good Chriſtian than a cipher will make a ſumme. The godly man goes further, He ſits not in the ſeat of the ſcorner, but his delight is in the Law of the Lord. We are bid, not only to ceaſe from evil, but to do good, Pſalme 34.14. 'Twill be a poore plea at laſt, Lord I kept my ſelfe from being ſpotted with groſſe ſin. I did no hurt, but quid boni ineſt? What good is there in thee? It is not enough for the ſervant of the vineyard that he doth no hurt there, he doth not break the trees, or deſtroy the hedges; if he doth not work in the vine-yard, he loſeth his pay; 'tis not enough for us to ſay at the laſt day we have done no hurt, we have liv'd in no groſſe ſin, but what good have we done in duplicate page duplicate page the vine-yard? where is the grace we have gotten? if we cannot ſhew this, we ſhall loſe our pay, and miſs of ſalvation.
Uſe. Uſe. Do not content your ſelves with the Negative part of Religion; *Virtutis eſt magis houeſta agere quàm non turpia.many build their hopes for heaven upon this crack'd foundation, they are given to no vice, none can charge them with any foule miſcarriages, and theſe are their letters of credence to ſhew; to ſuch perſons I ſay three things.
1. You may not be outwardly bad, and yet not inwardly good. You may be as far from grace as from vice; though none can ſay, black is your eye, yet, our ſoul may be dyed black. Though your hands be not working iniquity, your heads may be plotting it. Though you do not hang out your buſh, yet you may ſecretly vent your commodity: a tree may be full of vermine, yet the fair leaves may cover them that they are not ſeen; ſo the faire leaves of civility may hide you from the eye of man, but God ſees the vermine of pride, unbelief, covetouſneſſe in your heart: Ye are they (ſaith Chriſt) that juſtifie your ſelves before men, but God knows your hearts, Luke 16.15. a man may not be morally evil, yet not ſpiritually good. He may be free from groſſe enormity, yet full of ſecret enmity againſt God; like the ſnake, which though it be of a fine colour, yet hath its ſting.
2. If you are onelyonly negatively good, God makes no reckoning of you; you are as ſo many ciphers in Gods Arithmitick, and he writes down no ciphers in the book of life: Take a piece of braſſe, though it be not ſo bad mettal as lead or iron, yet not being ſo good as ſilver, there is little reckoning made of it, 'twill not paſſe for currant coine; though thou art not profane, yet not being of the right mettal, wanting the ſtamp of holineſſe upon thee, thou wilt never paſſe currant, God ſlights thee, thou art but a braſſe Chriſtian.
3. A man may as well go to hell for not doing good, as for doing evil; he that beares not good fruit is as well fuel for hell, as he that bears bad, Matth. 3.10. Every tree which beareth not good fruit, is hewen down and caſt into the fire. One may as well die with not eating food, as with poiſon; a ground may as well be ſpoil'd for want of good ſeed, as with having tares ſown in it; They that were not active in works of charity, were ſadly ſentenc'd: Depart from me ye curſed, &c. for I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat, Matth. 25.41, 42. It is not ſaid ye took away my meat from me, but ye gave me no meat. Why were the fooliſh Virgins ſhut out? They had done no hurt, they had not broken their lamps, I, but they took no oyle in their lamps, Matth. 25.3. Their wanting oyle was the indightment; therefore let not any man build his hope for heaven upon negatives. This is building upon the ſand; the ſand is bad to build on; it will not ceament *Arena eſt terra ſterilis, minuta, & grana ejus non cohaerent., being ex materia friabili; but ſuppoſe a man ſhould finiſh an houſe upon it, what is the iſſue? the flood comes, viz. perſecution, and the force of this flood will drive away the ſand and make the houſe fall; and the winde blows, the breath of the Lord as a mighty winde will blow ſuch a ſandy building into hell; Be afraid then to reſt in the privative part of Religion, launch forth further, be eminently holy. So I come to the next words, but his delight is in the Law of the Lord *foreign. Theodoret in loc., and in his Law doth he meditate day and night.
CHAP. II. What is meant by the Law of God, what by delight in the Law, and the propoſition reſulting.
THe words give us a twofold deſcription of a godly man.
Firſt, He delights in Gods Law.
Secondly, he meditates in Gods Law.
I begin with the firſt. His delight is in the Law of the Lord: The great God hath graffed the affection of delight in every creature; it hath by the inſtinct of nature ſomething to delight it ſelf in *Ovis frondem, cervus fontem, Canis leporem, Pylades ſectatur Oreſtem.. Now the true Saint, not by inſtinction, but divine inſpiration makes the Law of God his delight. This is the badge of a Chriſtian, ejus oblectatio in lege Jehovae, his delight is in the Law of the Lord. A man may work in his trade, and not delight in it; either in regard of the difficulty of the work, or the ſmalneſſe of the income; but a godly man ſerves God with delight; 'Tis his meat and drink to do his will.
For the Explication of the words, it will be enquired,
1. What is meant by the Law of the Lord. This word Law *foreignmay be taken either more ſtrictly, or more largely. 1. More ſtrictly, for the Decalogue or ten Commandments. 2. More largely. 1. For the whole written Word of God *Muſculus Diodat.*Tota dectrina a Deo patefacta & Eccleſiae tradita. Mollerus.. 2. For thoſe truths which are deducted from the Word, and do concenter in it. 3. For the whole buſineſſe of Religion which is the counterpane of Gods Law, and agrees with it as the tranſcript with the original. The word is a ſetting forth, and Religion is a ſhewing forth of Gods Law. I ſhall take this word in its full latitude and extent.
2. What is meant by delight in Gods Law. The Hebrew and Septuagint *foreignboth render it, his will is in the Law of the Lord *Plus valet conſouantia voluntatum quàm vocum. Bern. Serm. ſup. ſalve. Regina.; and that which is voluntary is delightful; a gracious heart ſerves God from a principle of ingenuity; he makes Gods Law not only his task, but his recreation; upon this Scriptureſtock I ſhall graffe this Propoſition.
Dost. Doct. That a child of God, though he cannot ſerve the Lord perfectly, yet he ſerves him willingly; His will is in the Law of the Lord; he is not a preſt ſouldier, but a volunteer *Quia Deus cor quaerit, cor intus inſpicit, teſtis eſt, judex, approbator, adjutor, coronator, ſufficit ut offeras voluntatem. Aug. in Pſ.; by the beating of this pulſe we may judge whether there be ſpiritual life in us, or no. David profeſſeth Gods Law was his delight, Pſalme 119.77. he had his crown to delight in, he had his muſick to chear him, but the love he had to Gods Law did drown all other delights; as the joy of harveſt and vintage exceeds the joy of gleaning. I delight in the Law of God (ſaith Saint Paul) in the inner man, Rom. 7.22. the Greek word is, I take pleaſure *foreign; The Law of God is my recreation, and it was an heart-delight,* 'twas foreign, in the inner man *2 Cor. 5.12.; a wicked man may have joy, foreign, in the face*, 2 Cor. 5.12. like honey-dew, that wets the leaf; but the wine of Gods Spirit chears the heart; Paul delighted in the Law, in the inner man.
CHAP. III. Whence the Saints ſpiritual delight ſpringeth.
THe Saints delight in the Law of God proceeds,
1. From ſoundneſſe of judgement. The minde apprehends a beauty in Gods Law, now the judgement as the primum mobile draws the affections, like ſo many orbes after it; The Law of God is perfect *Lex Dei integra. Hierom. Pagnin. Abſoluta & conſummata cui nihil deſit Fabrit. in Pſalm., Pſalme 19.7. it needs not be eeked out with traditions: The Hebrew word for perfect foreign ſeemes to allude to a perfect, entire body that wants none of the members or lineaments; Gods Law muſt needs be perfect, for it is able to make us wiſe to ſalvation, 2 Tim. 3.15. The Septuagint renders it, The Law of the Lord is pure, foreign. Septuagintlike beauty that hath no ſtaine, or wine that is clarified and refined. The ſoul that looks into this Law, ſeeing ſo much luſtre and perfection, cannot but delight in it; The middle lamp of the Sanctuary being lighted from the fire of the Altar, gave light to all the other Lamps: So the judgement being lighted from the Word, it ſets on fire the lamps of the affections.
2. This holy delight ariſeth from the predominancy of grace. When grace comes with authority, and Majeſty upon the heart, it fils it with delight; naturally we have no delight in God, Job 21.14. Therefore they ſay unto God depart from us, for we deſire not the knowledge of they wayes; nay, there is not only a diſlike, but antipathy; ſinners are called foreign haters of God, Rom. 1.30. Rom. 1.30but when grace comes into the heart; O what a chang is there! Grace preponderates; it files off the rebellion of the will, it makes a man of another ſpirit *Joſh. 14.24. It turnes the lion-like fierceneſſe into a dove-like ſweetneſſe, it changeth hatred into delight; Grace puts a new by as into the will, it works a ſpontaneity and cheerfulneſſe in Gods ſervice. Thy people ſhall be a willing people in the day of thy power, Pſalme 110.3.
3. This holy delight in Religion is from the ſweetneſs of the end. Well may we with cheerfulneſſe let down the net of our endeavour when we have ſo excellent a draught. Heaven at the end of duty cauſeth delight in the way of duty.
CHAP. IV. Shewing a characteriſtical difference between a childe of God and an hypocrite.
Uſe. 1 IT ſhews us a diſcriminating difference between a childe of God and an hypocrite, the one ſerves God cum animi prolubio, from a principle of delight, the other doth not. The Law of thy mouth is better unto me than thouſands of gold & ſilver, Pſalm 119.72. With what delight doth a covetous man tell over his thouſands? I, but Gods Law was better to David than thouſands; a child of God looks upon the ſervice of God, not only as his duty, but his priviledge. A gracious heart loves every thing that hath the ſtamp of God upon it. The Word is his delight. Thy Words were found, and I did eat them, and thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of my heart, Jerem. 15.16. The Sabbath is his delight, Iſaiah 58.13. If thou turne away thy foot from doing thy pleaſure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight. Prayer is his delight, Iſa. 56.7. I will make them joyful in my houſe of prayer. Hearing is his delight, Eſay 60.8. Who are theſe that flie as Doves to to the windows? The gracious ſoul flies as a Dove to an Ordinance, upon the wings of delight; The Sacrament is his delight: On this day the Lord makes a feaſt of fat things, a feaſt of wines on the Lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined, Eſay 25.6. A Sacrament-day is a ſoul-feſtival day; here Chriſt takes the ſoul into his banqueting-houſe, and diſplays the banner of love over it, Cant. 2.4. Here are dulciſſima fercula (as Auſtin ſaith) heavenly delicacies ſet before us. Chriſt gives us his body and blood *In vulneribus Chriſti dormio ſecurus & requieſco intrepidus. Aug.. This is Angels food, this is the heavenly Nectar, here is a cup perfum'd with the divine nature *Sanguis Chriſti ſalus Chriſtiani. Salvian.; here is wine ſpiced with the love of God. The Jews at their feaſts, poured oyntment upon their gueſts, and kiſſed them; Here Chriſt poures the oyle of gladneſs into the heart, and kiſſes us with the kiſſes of his lips *Cant. 1.2. This is the Kings Bath where we waſh and are cleanſed of our leproſie: The withered ſoul, after the receiving this bleſſed Euchariſt, hath been like a watered garden, Eſay 58.11. or like thoſe Egyptian fields, after the overflowing of Nilus, fruitful and flouriſhing; and do you wonder that a childe of God delights in holy things? He muſt needs be a volunteer in Religion.
But it is not thus with an hypocrite, though he may facere bonum, yet not velle, he may be forced to do that which is good, but not to will that which is good; he doth not ſerve God with delight. Job 27.10. Will he delight himſelfe in the Almighty? That he hath none of this complacency and delight, appears thus, becauſe he ſerves God grudgingly *Vir'us nolentium nulla eſt.; he brings his ſacrifice with a wicked minde, Prov. 21.27. Such an one was Cain: It was long before he brought his offering *Gen. 4.3, it was not the firſt fruits, and when he did bring it, it was grudgingly; 'twas not a free-will-offering, Deut. 16.10. 'Tis probable 'twas the cuſtome of his fathers family to ſacrifice; and perhaps conſcience might check him for forbearing ſo long, at laſt the offering is brought, but how? as a task rather than a duty; as a mulct or fine rather than a ſacrifice. Cain brought his offering, but not himſelf. What Seneca ſaith of a gift, I may ſay of a ſacrifice *Multum intereſt in ter materi am benefi cii & beneficium, itaque nec aurum, nec argentum beneficium eſt, ſed ipſa tribuentis voluntas. Sen. de benef.; 'Tis not gold and ſilver makes a gift, but a willing minde; if this be wanting, the gold is only parted with, not given: So, 'tis not prayer and hearing makes a ſacrifice, but it is a willing minde. Cains was not an offering, but a tax, not worſhip, but pennance.