Goodwill Towards Men, 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 as Bruets, that are led on to things by a meer Natural instinct, without reason; but as rational Moral 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 of our own everlasting happiness, not to look at that, is such a strange piece of self denial as the Lord no where allows; much less does he command, or commend. Is it not contrary to such Scriptures as these, Seek first the Kingdom of God, work out your own Salvation—Lay hold on eternal life? It is a carnal Self-love, and self-seeking, which is mens sin and shame too. As what can be more absurd, and irrational, than for men to care for the body, but neglect their precious immortal Souls, to labour for the meat that perisheth, and not to be at any pains for that meat which indureth to everlasting life? To be wholly taken up with things present, things below, that are but temporal, not regarding the things above, which are eternal.
4. And if true Believers are supposed to be of such a strain, as to obey without eying the promised reward at all; then it follows they are better than Moses, the man of God. For he had respect unto Recompence of the reward. Heb. 11.26. And yet you are to observe, he is their commended for so doing. And this is made an expression, and effect of his Faith, v. 24, &c. Yea, this would seem to be an out-doing of the blessed Apostles. We run and 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 make Christians better than their Masters, would set the Servant above their Lord. Do we not read of 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 pretend to do all out of pure love to God, without any regard to their own happiness, is a being religious and 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.