True Happiness

From the Lord.

YE have heard the first part of this doctrine concerning (on • thing) followeth the second concerning the author of happiness, and this is the Lord Jehovah. One thing have I sought of the Lord. This is clear, both by the properties of a fountain, and some instances. The properties of the fountain of happiness are three: That it be happy itself; that it impart happiness to other without diminishing it self; and that it preserve that happiness it imparteth. These three are proper to God alone, for he is the fountain of the gardens, and well of living waters: With him is the fountain of life, and in his light we see light: And he is the father of lights, from whom every good gift and donation cometh down. Next, though he impart happiness to all, yet his fullness is never diminished. Though all the vessels of the world were set at the sea shore and filled, the sea would not be known to be less. If this be in the creature, how much more in the Creator? And therefore the apostle crieth out, O the deepness of the riches. It is a deep richness that cannot be sounded, and a rich deepness that can neither be lessened nor exhausted. All the happiness of men and angels do not impare it, but it abideth ever the same fullness. Before it imparted itself it was full, and by that imparting it hath a greater manifestation without either diminishing or augmenting.

Thirdly, he preserveth the happiness that he giveth, for none can pull his sheep out of his hand: and all that the Father giveth me, saith Christ, they come to me; and these that come to me, I cast not away, but shall present them at the last day. In Adam we were blessed, but left to our own free-will, and that free-will overthrew us: we were like a fair lock without the backsprint, and therefore Satan like a jugler shot the lock with the first temptation. But now renewed in Christ, our will hath the backsprint of a confirming grace. I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.

Three instances prove the same: The first is from reasonless creatures, the lion roareth for meat, the dog howleth, the ox loweth for fodder, &c. these creatures have no sense of God, but of their own necessity, and nature directeth them that way to implore the author of nature for help. The eyes of all things wait on thee. The second is in children, who being either afraid suddenly or provoked, cry on God. Though then they be neither sensible of the work of reason nor of grace, yet God giveth them these beginnings of amore resolute seeking to him, while they call to him as the fountain of their safety. The third instance is of men come to age, and these either hypocrites or atheists, for I need not speak of the godly who openly profess him the fountain of their happiness. The fashioned prayers of the hypocrite, though they be without his heart, proves God to be this fountain: and the forced prayers of the atheist in his necessity, telleth likewise that he is the fountain of happiness.

From this ground we have first some errors to refute, and then our duty to learn. The errors about the fountain of happiness are dangerous.

First, the Pagans made themselves the authors of it in thinking they had a sufficiency by nature to deserve and work their own happiness. They knew not that man was made good in Adam, that he fell, and is now corrupt, and hath need of regeneration: But they thought he was never better than he is now, and that he may be better by the right use of his natural sufficiency. This was Satan's craft, for he knew that man had a natural notion of happiness, and a care to find it, therefore he set both these wrong, and made man think he needed not go out of himself for happiness. This was not in the grosser sort only, who placed happiness in pleasure and bodily things, but even in these Philosophers who placed it in the gifts of the mind and virtuous actions, they were puffed up with pride of their own strength both to work these actions, and to engage their gods to give them happiness, as the just fruit and consequent of their virtue: So they ascribed not things to their author, but to nature, or their own industry and virtue. And yet in vain they either disputed or conceited of virtues which they had not without him: So they could find no true happiness, because they sought their own happiness, and they had no true virtues who had not the Lord of virtues.

But Satan led them on farther to contemn their gods in the matter of happiness: for they sought it not from any of them; and it was long ere felicity was made a goddess, and being made, the Romans assigned her a place without the ports. If they had worshipped her according to her name, they might have neglected all other gods beside her. It is a wonder how godless they were about the multitude of their gods; for they employed their select gods in base offices, for begetting, bringing forth, and nourishing of children, for their food and trifling business, whereas they neglected Men's (of whom they held the soundness and goodness of their mind) in respect of Venus, Ceres and Bacohus; in all which they testified they were more brutish than reasonable. And lastly to tell the conceit they had of their own felicity, they gave to their greatest gods ( Jupiter and Juno ) their names from helping only, as though they had power to do their own turn, and lacked nothing but some small and accessory help of the gods. They took the greatest part of the work to themselves, and the greatest praise, and so made themselves their own gods, and gave no other respect to the gods but of servants without any relation to happiness. They sought trifles from their greatest gods, and greatest things from their trivial and basest gods, but sought happiness from none of them.

The same error Satan brought in the church by Pelagius, he is the father of that spiritual pride, that natural man is able to purchase happiness, and needeth not grace for efficacy, but for facility of working. And that he is so sufficiently disposed to receive grace, that he needeth no more but a general offer. After that Satan for three ages had labored to make the Godhead contemptible by innumerable errors he turned him to exalt and defy human nature by Pelagianism, and put such a trick upon the church, that he turned man's free-will in a seat of war against the grace of Christ, and the root of all our misery in the root of merit, and the cause of our first and perpetual falling in the cause of happiness. He was crafty in his choice, for it is the strongest power of the soul, and hath a natural indifferency to diverse things, and a liberty in working, and therefore the most fit power either to present as a counterfeit of grace, or to employ as opposite to grace.

The papists have followed both: They are busy with many gods, and though they seem to employ them about happiness, yet they take more of the work to themselves, and do share salvation with God, as to make him only a common helper, turning our Jehovah in the Pagan Jupiter. This was justly taxed of one who said that this name of helper did not express a divine power, but an human, and that Jupiter and Juno had their name from helping, which do not agree to God, because it is man's work to help: —And again, he understandeth not divine blessings, who thinketh that he is only helped of God.

It is more dangerous to err about God than about man, but they err about both, for they make God but a cypher by their moral suasion, only offering grace, and not conferring it, and ascribe to him but a help without a principal and effectual working. But they make their own will mistress of her actions, and not subordinate to the will of God, nor taking influx nor determination from grace, but determining itself as a natural principle which they have of Adam: And whereas sometime they were content to call the will a power partly passive, partly active, now since they are Jesuited they will have it with Pelagius a mere active power as another principle, beside God which properly is a pure act. Herein they usurp upon the grace of God, even as the Pope did upon principality; for as he (void of civil power in himself) begged some of it from Princes, and in end overthrew them: So they who craved at the beginning some power to free-will, make it now an usurper against grace. They are ingrate to grace, giving it no thanks for its work, and exalt their own nature as sufficient of itself without grace to salvation; They take the glory of the work to themselves, and are not content with the glory that God worketh. They make him only a witness to their work, and engage him to recompense their pride with salvation, which deserveth to be condemned. This of old was justly called an aversion from God, when he, to whom God is happiness, will be his own happiness, as he is his own God. But man is better, when he forgetteth himself for the love of the unchangeable God, or when he altogether contemneth himself in comparison of God. But if he please himself to the perverse imitation of God while he will enjoy his own power, then he is so much the less as he desires to be great. For while the will turneth from the common good to the particular, it is separate from it, when it will be of its own power.

This is pride, the beginning of all sin, and the beginning of man's pride is to fall from God. For malicious envy, joined to Satan's pride, made him to entice and persuade man to that same pride, whereby he found himself damned. He would be equal with God, and free from his dominion. This is the mother of the Frank-arbitrians pride. I touch this not for any delight in controversies, but to show that their question of free-will is of no less moment that Whether God in Christ, or we be the causes of our happiness; or whether we are saved by the good will of God or our own free-will. Therefore God in wisdom made Luther to clear these two jointly. Our happiness in the grace of Christ, and our misery in our natural will, which justly according to scripture and pure antiquity he called it slavish-will, and affirmed that the proud exalting of nature by her patrons, was the cutting of the throat of grace. If in a childish pride we will not be freely saved, justly we are not saved at all. The dissembling of our misery is the excluding of God's mercy.

Another error about the fountain of happiness is in the multitude: They seek it by guess, Who will let us see good? All is here uncertain, an unknown happiness, wished with a wandering desire from an unknown author. If Satan came in their way who offered all the kingdoms of the earth to Christ, they would soon agree with him: And some go so far on as to covenant with him expressly for to satisfy their wicked desires of riches, honor, revenge, pleasure, &c. They are the shame of men and Satan's mockingstocks, who first inflaming them with excessive desire, blindeth them both with imaginary satisfaction, and the price of it: they value a shadow at no less price than the loss of soul and body eternally. There be also many who seek happiness of him, though not in so express a bargain, they care not to loose their credit, honesty, and conscience to come to their desire, and to oppress or deceive their neighbor to make themselves great. They bargain with Satan as well as the other, and there is no difference between them, but that the first expressly covenanteth with him, and the second serveth him without a covenant. Both seek happiness by the means of sin, & shall have the same punishment in hell, except they repent.

Others again as the Mathematicians, make the fountain of their happiness neither God nor their own will, but a fatal necessity, which they fetch from the stars: They deny providence, they are deceived, and deceive others, and speak many lies against God: They say (Not unlike to our Libertines who lay all their sins on God) that man's own will committeth not murder, but Mars; and that man's will committeth not adultery, but Venus. This is to turn men Atheists towards God, and brutish towards themselves, that they shall neither thank God for blessings, nor blame themselves for sin, and so to turn themselves from God and themselves and from religion the bond betwixt both.

Followeth our duty to hold God for the only fountain of our happiness: We got it first of him in creation, and cannot find it of another, though we lost it in our fall, yet it ever abideth in him, and is recoverable when we return. We have right to it by our election, it is offered to us in the promise, and conferred upon us in our conversion, and shall be perfected in glory. Let us therefore return, lest we be overturned. In our creation our soul was set towards God alone, and by our fall we turn back on him: it is now only the right set of our soul to look to him again for happiness: This should not be by occasion only, but we should adhere to him continually and dwell at this fountain: Peter said, Whither shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life: and it was Mary's praise that as she chose this one necessary thing, so she set herself down at the feet of Christ where she might find it: The happy man is as the tree that groweth by the rivers of waters. When frost hath bound up the face of the floods, birds and beasts do haunt living springs, so should all that care for true happiness dwell continually at this fountain of living waters.

God is not a sealed up fountain reserving his goodness to himself, but runneth over continually: He was ever happiness itself, and yet by creation would bo • h reveal and communicate that happiness to us: And though we lost it, yet still he runneth over more abundantly to us in Christ, and a part of this overrunning is his grace, making us to seek happiness: We have a confused notion of it by nature, but he cleareth it by his word and spirit, and it is the work of his special grace, that maketh us both seek and find it in him alone. The instruction wherewith he dealeth with us to seek God, floweth from the fountain itself. But this is an unspeakable goodness, that rather than we receive not grace, he will send his own Son in our nature, and turn that our nature, which he assumed to a personal union with the word, in a conduit to convey grace unto us: The human nature of Christ is as a channel between this fountain and the faithful for the influence of grace. It is said to the Godhead by a personal union, & to the heart of every believer by a spiritual union. God and we were more distant than heaven and hell: and how should that fountain communicate its goodness to us, but by that channel of our own nature? in Christ we receive it both kindly and largely: He is the fountain of grace, as God one with his Father: he hath deserved it by his obedience, and dispenseth it to us as God-man. So we receive grace by a kindly convoy. This is better than Laban's Well, for none could drink of that till the stone was rolled off. But this fountain is always open to the house of David: And the first shot of these overrunning waters roll this stone of hardness from our heart, when his grace softeneth our heart to receive more grace. And though Jacob's Well had water, yet they who came to it had need of a bucket, and cord to draw: but this fountain furnisheth both the bucket of an earnest desire, and the cord of a strong faith: Even he who saith, Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it, doth open our heart with Lidia's, and maketh us to receive his grace largely.

This is the sweet respect that this fountain of happiness hath to our misery, to prevent us with exciting grace, to draw us with effectual grace, and to communicate this happiness to us, that our misery may be happy in him. Before we loved him, he made us, when he kythed his love to us, he renewed us, and being beloved of us, he shall perfect us. I close this point with Solomon, O fountain of the gardens, O Well of living waters. Arìse, O north, and come O south, and blow on my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out: Let my well-beloved come to his garden, and eat his pleasant fruit.

I have sought, that I will inquire.

THe first section of this doctrine hath told us that there is a happiness ( one thing ) The second, that God is the fountain of it. Now followeth the third, how to seek it. And this is set down in two words, of Praying and Inquiring; and offereth to us two kinds of seeking: The first is the Inquirie of happiness among many things: The second is the suiting of it from God by prayer after we have found it.

In this inquiry we shall consider the necessity, difficulty, and the form. The necessity is great, because it is about this greatest necessar one thing. We have it not by nature, but must get it by grace, so we are not born happy but made happy. We are miserable in ourselves, and must be changed by happiness, and this change is furthered by inquiry: Our life is short, our death uncertain; and when it approacheth, if it find us unprovided, our misery shall be threefold: What then should we do in a short life; but cast off vanity, and set us for the search of the truth? Besides, it is the main end wherefore we are brought into the world, and if a new born child could speak and were asked, wherefore he is born? He should answer: To seek the happiness that he lost in Adam. We are not born to buy, and build, and heap riches, and honor together, but to inquire for salvation, as a child is not formed in the belly to bide there, but to come forth, and to be a perfect man in the free light: It is a great good to seek the chief good.

The difficulty of this inquiry is first from the nature of happiness: It is hid manna, the eye hath not seen it, nor the ear heard it, &c. And this our life is hid with Christ in God. Next from the multitude of false happiness that deceive us: For Satan hath filled the way of our inquiry with sundry baits to divert us from the right, that on them we may stick as upon the chief good, and embrace our own fancies. Thirdly from our own disposition we are all born with a desire of happiness, and every life in it own kind desires to be better. If we ask any man though he were a fool, would you be happy? He would answer I would: For every being is desirous of goodness or well being: The desire of meat, drink, raiment are no more rooted in us than that desire of happiness, and these smallest desires serve the greatest: The appetite of the wills sacietie (which the schools call happiness) is common, but few know the reason of that saciety, so that many laboring to choose a particular happiness which their common appetite desired, have chosen misery for happiness: It is as hard to find out true happiness as it is easy to have the common desire of it the one hath need of a supernatural grace, as the other floweth from a natural power. Fourthly, the practice of all ages proveth this difficulty: for of the many millions that sought out happiness, none did find it out except those whom God assisted by a special grace. The Philosophers travelled painfully, but brought out the wind; they were confident that they had found it, and yet found it not: But that confidence was double misery, both in missing true happiness, and then in resting upon their own deceit. They neither agreed with the truth, nor among themselves, nor any one of them with himself. If we look to the universal desire, rising from the common notion, we shall be forced to say, There is a happiness: if we look on their diversity, and contrariety, we shall wonder at Satan's craft, abusing man's wit to err so foully about happiness. And Solomon himself thought this task both worthy of him, and hard for him to find out, what was that good or happiness of the sons of men? We must think it an hard task, whereon so many Philosophers have lost their labor, their time, and themselves.

The search itself goeth in two: the refusing of ill, and choosing of good. The ill of sin must simply be refused, whether it be original or actual, inherent or adherent guiltiness. It is the cause of our misery, and contrary to good; it cannot enter in happiness, but stays it in us. Our misery began at it, and our happiness beginneth in turning from it. Adam was tried by the tree of knowledge of good and ill, which told him that so long as he stood, he had a known good, and was free from an unknown ill: But when he fell, he • o und experimental knowledge of a lost good and purchased ill: That tree is yet our trial, if we will eschew the ill of sin, and follow the good of happiness. There can be no happiness in ill, neither can any man desire or love ill as ill, and Satan (whose malice is fed with it) doth not love it as ill, but as a good, as a satisfaction of his malicious will; And those men are most like to him, who seek their happiness in ill. They make it their happiness when they boast of it, as Lamech of his tyranny, and Doeg of his calumnies, and politics, that they can plot mischief, and bring it to pass. Who ever glorieth in sin, professeth that he counteth it his happiness.

It may here be demanded: If affliction can stand with happiness? The name of it is miserable to the worldly; but that name hurteth not, where misery is absent . I answer, it can: for it is not the ill of sin, or of the fault, but the ill of punishment; and there is more misery in the least sin than in the greatest cross: and the Apostle called not himself miserable for his great affliction, but glorieth in it, I will glory in my infirmities. But when he found the rebellion of his will against the law of his spirit, he cries out, Miserable man that I am. God's love is the ground of our happiness, and affliction can stand well with it, for whom he loveth, he chasteneth. Sin woundeth the soul and body, and wasteth the conscience, but affliction purgeth all, and maketh God's grace more sharp, and lively. Sin can admit no qualification, but must either be simply pardoned or punished, but affliction is qualified with grace to the godly, and furthereth them to happiness; so that the spirit pronounceth them happy that are chastened of the Lord: Our happiness is in no external good, but in God's favor, and the state of our person qualified with his grace and image in us: But affliction, though it spill external blessings, yet it neither separateth us from his favor, neither destroyeth his grace, but augmenteth it. It can make us no more miserable, than prosperity maketh the wicked happy. We need not now compare Lazarus in heaven with the rich man in hell: Even in this life, Lazarus in his rags and sores was more happy than the rich man in his costly apparel and dainty fair. Affliction is a medicine, and keepeth grace fresh in us, while ease and prosperity slayeth the foolish. It is both the occasion, and whetstone of virtue; for God exerciseth them most whom he loveth and employeth most. The best soldiers are set on hardest service, and none of them going out exponeth it as their Generals base account of them; but rather, that he esteemeth highly of their valor. God keepeth us from more misery in making us repent former sin, and keeping us from sin that we might commit, than all the ill that affliction bringeth on us. Our daily crosses chase us daily to God who is our happiness: and the godly count more of grace than of goods. Job, after he had lost all, kept his soul so fixed on God, that he made it manifest that they they were not given to him, but that he was more than they, and God was more to him than they and himself.

The second respect is to good, that we choose it; and that not every good, but the best: for we are not now inquiring every good, but the chief. Herein we must climb in two ascensions, the one in our self, the other in goods. For our self, we must not bide in our bodily senses, which are evil Judges of happiness: but we must ascend from our body to our spirit, from our affections and will to our reason, and from that to the eternal law the rule of reason, and from that to eternal verity the informer of reason in that law: So we must rise to the enlightened mind in Jesus Christ, that we may be enabled to make this search aright.

Next we must ascend by the degrees of goodness in the things themselves; for every creature of God is good, but not the chief good: Though we may respect it as good in the own kind and degree, yet we may not rest on it for happiness. As a man that seeketh a lost jewel in a house, casteth by all that cometh to hand till he find it: Or as one in a well furnished shop seeking rare stuff, though the merchant put many in his hand after other, yet he layeth them all by, till he find that he desires: So in this search of happiness, what ever good come in our way, we must shift it till we come to the chief good. If we ascend to the height of a mind enlightened by God, nothing will content us till we come to himself: As his own light discovereth him, so his own love shed abroad in our heart cannot rest on any good till it come to him. The dove sent out by Noah found no rest till she returned to the ark, so the inquiring mind findeth no rest in the creature till it come to God in the covenant of grace. Spiritual things are better then temporal, and heavenly things better then earthly, and in spiritual things we must ascend from gifts to grace, and in grace from a common to a special grace, and in the special grace from a preveening to an exciting grace, from that to the operating and cooperating graces, and from those to preserving and persevering grace. From given grace, we ascend to giving grace, that maketh us acceptable: And from all graces inhering in us, and qualifying us, as faith, hope, holiness, &c. we rise to the fountain-grace in God, even his free favor, whereby he hath chosen and blessed us in spiritual things in Christ: This is the grace whereby we are saved, our chief good and true happiness. The Prophet professeth this his search through heaven and earth, ending in this choice of God alone. Whom have I in heaven but thee, and in the earth I have desired none with thee? And the Apostle, I count all things but dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ, and that I may know him, and be found in him. This is our highest ascent.

Reason itself craveth this, for we ought to seek the best good; and if these things be good, God is better who made them: They have their goodness of him, which is infinitely less then his goodness, as a drop of water compared to the sea: They are both better and greater in him then in themselves, and more truly also, as the original is better then the extract. All goodness is both originally and eminently in him, and more perfect then in creatures, because what is in them a shadow, in him is truth: If we love riches, true riches is in his favor; If we love honor, true honor is in his testimony; If we love true pleasure, it is in his peace. The author of things is better then the things themselves, and he who made all, is to us for all things: He who made all is better then all, and that is our God, he departeth not because none succeedeth to him .

This is the right set of our two chief affections, hatred and love: Of hatred, that we hate all ill absolutely. There are degrees of ill, some less and some greater, and answerably we should hate them all, but we may not love any degree of ill: this is our separation from it; for though it subsist in our substance & flesh, yet if it be not in our affection, but we abhor it, then God will assist us against it. It may lessen the degrees of our happiness, but cannot destroy it: In like manner, there are degrees of good, and we should love every good according to the degree, till we ascend to the chief good, and love him with all our heart, and all our soul. These affections qualify our person, for the hatred of ill divideth us from that ill we hate, and the love of good maketh us like that good we love; And our love to the degrees of good, maketh us grow in goodness and grace. The wicked keep neither this order nor aseending: They pervert all, and choose for their happiness a lesser good then they refuse, as worldly goods in place of heavenly. That is both a transposing of their heart and a descending, and so they prove the sons of Belial, according to the Hebrew, because they neither ascend in the Lord's mountain, but are unthrifts; neither take on them the Lord's yoke, and it is their naughtiness or knaverie, according to the Latins, that they turn themselves to nothing; for knaverie is the death of the life, so called because it turneth to nothing .

But we must further distinguish these affections, for though we should hate all sinful ill, yet we may not hate any good: We may wisely neglect lesser goods for the chief, but not hate them: Though we count less of a lesser good then of a greater, and comparatively neglect all in respect of God, yet we should abhor none. What ever is neglected is in comparison of a better. It is not only sin to turn from good to ill, but even among goods to decline from eternal to temporal things, from visible to invisible, from the creator to the creature, yea and to love any good too much that is less then ourselves, because it is ordered under us. And that due love we give them is not to hold us on them, but to send us away to the chief good; for if these small goods be love-worthy, with what a love should we adhere to the fountain-good?

The most part of men run on riches, honor, fame, power, and pleasure and yet true happiness is not in any of them, nor in all together. Riches, whether natural, in food and raiment; or artificial, in money, are but earth in their substance, and worthless in themselves: Though the wretch count greatly of them, they are only for use wherein they perish. Honor is not happiness (though the ambitious man count it so) but a consequent of it, neither hath it true worth, but is a sign of it, and that discerned and proclaimed by the multitude a blind judge of worthiness: And though the supposed worth be in him that is honored, yet the offered honor is more in the honourer; and at the best it is but a vanishing smoke. Fame, is happiness to the vain-glorious man, but at the best it is a fruit, and not a cause thereof: It is oftener false then true, and can proclaim loud where no happiness is: Satan useth it as a miserable subsidy to the dead, whom he hath killed with the hunger of vain-glory, and as a bait to their consorts to devour that same angle. Power seemeth happiness to the stirring man, that he may perform his own purposes, and oppress his enemies; but it is rather an instrument then happiness, and more hurtful to the abuser then to others; and the abufe of it maketh more miserable, then the possession of it can bless.

As for pleasure, the happiness of beasts, it is to be left to Epicures; for though some of them pretended a pleasure of the mind, yet when all is searched, that is but a pretence to color their beastly opinion of bodily pleasure. They strove to purify it with abstract explications, but their life refuted their discourse, and their gross practice overthrew their subtle disputes. Pleasure is the bodies happiness, but not the souls; and if we speak properly, the soul is rather the best thing of the body, then any bodily thing.

Moreover all these idols of the world are cut off from happiness, because they are common as well to the wicked as to the godly, which cannot fall in true happiness, the patrimony of the saints. Next, happiness bringeth contentment; but the more we have of these the more we thirst. Thirdly, true happiness is not in external things; but all these are external.

The cause why so many seek these things for happiness is, they love them better then God, and from their own fancy do conceit a worth which is not in them, and allege a promise on them which they make not. It is truly said that they who love, fain dreams to themselves; The wretch thinketh that riches cry on him, saying, Come to me, I shall make thee happy: The ambitious man thinketh honor cries so to him, so the epicure dreameth of pleasure, &c. But falsehood riseth not of the things themselves, but of our own deceiving and deceived hearts . These things neither promise happiness, neither can perform; the error of their fancy turned into a strong desire, maketh them father such promises on these things: even as fools and babes do imagine, that ringing bells do speak the thing that they think. And it is our reproach that we believe things that neither promise nor can perform, and hazard our eternal happiness on that credulity: But when God promiseth who is both truth and omnipotency, we meet his word with infidelity: If these things could speak, they would chide their lovers as the angels did the woman seeking Christ in the grave, Why seek ye the living among the dead? Why seek ye happiness in us who have it not, but are worse then yourselves?

Some again who seem more perfect, seek happiness in the gifts of the mind, as learning, virtue, wisdom, &c. These are better than the former, and yet come not to true happinsse; for these gifts are common, and many wicked men have excelled in them, and yet perished. They are as the light to the eye without seeing, a furnishing to seek it without fruit: The Philosophers who excelled most in these things were most miserable: The fleshly villainies of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle equalled and exceeded their moral virtues. Solomon found not happiness in these moral virtues, but in the fear and obedience of God.

All these erred foully in their search, yet not alike. The world is as a great man's house, to whom many resort: Some stay in the lower rooms with their companions; but some go to the hall, and yet stand there gazing on pictures, or rich hangings, but the wiser sort pass all these, and stay not till they find him in his cabinet. So all men are busy for happiness, but the most part remain below on riches and pleasure: Other that seem of greater spirits, climb up to honor, and are bewitched with the painted hangings of worldly glory, or adore the gifts of their own mind: But the godly pity these men in their errors, who are enticed with such trifles. They know that they are not called to a worldly felicity, but to a heavenly; they pass from one good to another, and urge pensively their inquiry, till they come to God himself. So the church in her search could not stay, till she found him whom her soul loved. God is above all, whom if we follow we learn well; if we apprehend, we learn both well and blessedly: his following is our appetite of happiness, his apprehending is happiness itself .

Let us therefore in this inquiry lift our minds above all things, visible or created, and seek true happiness in God alone; for none can make man blessed, but God that made man: Seek the thing that you seek, saith one, but not where you seek it. You seek a blessed life in the region of death, it is not there. For how can there be a blessed life, where there is no life? And we may say: Woe to that bold soul, which hopeth, if it depart from God, that it can find anything better than God. For the soul goes into fornication when it departeth from, and seeketh not out of him these things pure and clean, which it will never find till it return unto him .

The choice itself.

WE have heard of the search of happiness, followeth the choice itself: I know school-divinity speaketh otherwise, and thinketh (some of them at least) with the Philosopher, that election is not of the end, but of the midst to it: But I am content to speak rather with Christ, than the Philosopher, who commended Marie for choosing that one thing that was necessary: and Divines speak roundly, What shall we choose to love but that, than which we find nothing better . There is formally a choice of the end. This choice is the act of the will, and goeth in four special works, Inclination, Apprehension, Retention, and Rest.

Inclination, when the will inclineth and applieth it self to the sought and found happiness. The desire of our heart is unto the • . We have naturally a desire of happiness; but when the truth hath particularly revealed it, then we desire it more firmly. And this hath not only the last judgment of the practical understanding (as some speak,) but more, the finger of God's spirit bowing the will to it; for many in their reason do apprehend things to be good, and yet their will followeth not. The Creator of the will doeth bow it to good, else that pointing of the mind were not sufficient: All the time of our search the will stood in suspense, but now being informed by the mind of the nature of happiness, and bowed by the spirit, it inclineth to it willingly: Our first sin began at a declining from God, and our first good disposition beginneth at the inclining of our will to him again.

2. Apprehension is, when the will embraceth that greatest good with greatest power. I laid hold on him, whom my soul loved: In griping other goods, it abideth in itself, and gripeth them slenderly, as inferior goods, but it goeth out of itself gladly to this chief good, and quitting that proud title of mistress of her own actions, is glad to go out of her self, and to be taken up in that chief good. For the pure and perfect soul, subjecteth itself unto happiness .

3. Retention is our firm keeping of happiness. I would not let him go, till I brought him in the house of my mother. This keeping is his keeping of us; for as inclination is by his power, our apprehension by his griping of us, so this retention is by his holding of us: The stock beareth us, and not we the stock.

4. A sweet rest on this good followeth, which is the sweeter, the greater our search hath been: As Scripture hath some mysteries, otherwise men would neither seriously search, nor sweetly find out the truth: So in the search of happiness, the more labor the sweeter rest: If Adam had painfully labored for his happiness, he had kept it better than he did: Easie finding, maketh slack keeping, but a painful conquest is carefully preserved: It is but the continuance of one care, and that with more joy in the preservation, than was in the purchase.

This choice is accompanied with a conscience of it self; for our conscience goeth along all this work, and maketh us conscious, both of our seeking and finding: God hath joined it to the reasonable soul, as a witness of all actions, yea even of the least motion of our affections: We both know that they are, and we know that we know: The conscience making us sensible of the own consciousness: So that it is a comfortless religion, that involveth men in the confusions of an implicit faith towards God, and holdeth them in senselessness of their own estate, as not being conscious of that they do. They destroy the image of the Trinity in us, which is known by conscience: Our being; to know that our being; and to love both: Our being in him hath no death, our knowledge hath no ignorance, and our love no offense; but they confound all. He is senseless, who feeleth not the work of his own affections, when he hateth, or feareth, or rejoiceth; so here if we love God, we need no more doubt that we are beloved of him, than that we love him. By this I know that it is true that is said . And again, I know that I know these things: and when I love God, I can no more doubt that I am beloved than that I love .

But the experience of the Saints, will clear this practic point of the search, and finding of happiness: And first in Solomon: He wrote the book of Ecclesiastes, than which the world hath nothing more perfect of this purpose : Therein he expresseth his consultations ending in just sentences: His counsel-house for this inquiry was his heart, I said in my heart: where gathering all his thoughts in the presence of God, he pondered things deeply. Next he proponeth the purpose for consultation, that he might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do uuder the heaven all the days of their life. Thereafter he bringeth in all these common places of worldly happiness, as riches, honors, wisdom, possessions, &c. and sentenceth everyone of them: This also is vanity and vexation of spirit. Moreover in the beginning of the sixth Chapter he gathereth Paradoxes, adjudging rather happiness to the contrary of these things, than to themselves. That it is better to be in the house of mourning, than of laughing. That the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. And in the end he closeth with the sum of all, that to fear God and keep his commandments, is the duty of man: If we look to the beginning of his discourse, Vanity of vanities, all is vanity, it is like a program affixed on the entry of a city, to tell that all things in the world are but vanity: vanity in their being, because they are but shadows of true goods; vanity in their work, because they work not that good we expect; and vanity in their durance, because they perish in using: The first is a vacuity; the second is a weakness; and the third an evanishing. And his conclusion is to set us upon that chief good, to wit God, and his worship.

The second practice is in the Apostle, who had many privileges; he was a Jew , brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, profited greatly in learning, and so zealous of the law, that he sought commissions to persecute the Gospel: But when he compareth all these things with the excellent knowledge of Christ, he counteth them but loss and dung, and setteth down his choice of true happiness in terms, that after long inquiry, he had judged and decreed to know nothing but Christ and him crucified.

Two errors in the inquiry of happiness are here to be condemned: The first seeketh not at all; they think happiness is easily found, and will fall to them as rype fruit: And because they look easily up to heaven, they think it as easy to go up thither; But they should remember, that though naturally the way be broader, because it is from the center to the circle, yet spiritually it is straiter, because God is our center, and we upon the earth are in the circumference; They are as gross as beasts, who have neither foresight, consultation, nor election, and are carried only with the sway of appetite, which is not much different from the weight of a stone: These men say in their heart, that there is not a God; and though the common notions of nature tell them there is one, they hold that righteousness of God in unrighteousness; but in the matter of happiness, though they have a natural appetite of it, yet they take no pains to seek it out. Herein they carry their conviction in their bosom: for in all other matters they use consultation, as in contracts of marriage, plees for their inheritance: But in the matter of happiness, how few dare say, that in all their life time they have taken one hour to advise ripely, how to come to it? We have all time and leisure enough for other matters, but little or none for happiness. I know that everyone cannot make that painful inquiry like Solomon and Paul. God was to employ them to teach others, and therefore took more pains on them; yet everyone in some measure should make this search, and bring their souls to this question, How shall I find and obtain true happiness? If it be not in a question, it will never come to a consultation, nor a sentence, nor a search.

The second error is worse in a bad consulting They take counsel, but not of God, and advising with flesh and blood, call in three dangerous counselors: Their bodily sense, their predominant lusts, and the custom of the world. Their bodily sense goes no further than things present: Their predominant lusts leadeth them on their own delight. Avarice counselleth the greedy man to seek riches: Pride biddeth the ambitious man seek honor, &c. And the custom of the world adviseth them to conform them to it, lest they incur the anger of the world, and be persecuted for crossing its choice. These are like Rehoboams young Counselors, brought up with himself: The first is brutish, and biddeth satisfy the body: The second is violent, and biddeth please the predominant lusts; The third is politick, to do as others do, and to hazard on a common error, rather than on an happiness uncertain, and unseen to them. But they shall at last seriously (though too late) repent their foolish choice : They serve these creatures which they choose, and lose both their happiness and themselves, whereas by the choice of God, they might both be free, and served of these creatures, which now they make their masters .

But God saveth his own from these errors, and leadeth them in a wise search and choosing, by his word, his example, and work. By his word, generally bidding us, Seek the things above, and not the things beneath, and forbidding us to love the world and the things of it: And specially, forbidding the rich to lay up their treasures in earth, but in heaven: He saith to the leacherous, He that soweth to the flesh, shall reap of the flesh: He saith to the proud, That he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted: He saith to the revengeful man, If any smite thee on the one cheek, hold up the other also: And to the contentious, love your enemies. We must not look what man saith, or what our own fleshly mind suggesteth, but what his oracles saith, And subject our weak reasons to his divine speeches .

Next by example: Because when Christ took our nature he walked in the best way to happiness, and that in two: In contemning those things that the world loveth, and enduring those things which it fleeth: He saw men love riches, but he chose poverty: They thirsted for honor, but he refused to be a King: They abhorred contempt and contumelies, but he endured them patiently: They counted injuries intolerable, but he was scourged and tormented. There is no greater sin, than to covet those things which he contemned, and to abhor those things which he endured: All his life on earth was a discipline and pattern of Christian manners .

Thirdly by his work, and that in Correction and Direction: In Correction, because he maketh us to forsake other small goods, which otherwise we would keep as happiness: For when we find them but weak, and not able to be our constant contentment; and when in their loss, we find our comfort in spiritual things, we forsake the weaker, and take us to spiritual graces. In direction, when he leadeth us in this search, and in place of the three bad counselors, the bodily sense, predominant humor, and custom of the world, he giveth us other three, a sanctified mind, a pure conscience, and his word as a thread, to lead us through the labyrinth of the worlds errors: The light of that truth directeth us, and the work of his spirit guideth us in that direction: He guideth us by his counsel, that he may bring us to glory.

But let none think, that this search and choice cometh of himself, as many who turn great blessings into curses, when being made great of God, they use not his gifts as given to glorify him, but take the glory of them to themselves: But he that taketh glory of God's gift, is a thief and brigand: The School says, That to will, to love, &c. are elicit acts of the will, and flow from her inward power: If they mean of moral and natural things, we dispute not with them, but if of supernatural and spiritual things, it is a proud piece of divinity, for Scripture saith, That God worketh in us, both to will and to do: It is a great gift of God to seek God; It is second to no gift, because it is the first; It succeedeth no grace, which hath no precedent, and cedeth to none that hath the perfection of all. Let no soul seeking God turn that great good into a great ill, by ascribing it to itself, but let it know, that it is preveened and sought by him, before it seek him. The church sought Christ in the night, but was first sought of him: And David confessing his wandering like a sheep, prayeth to God, seek thy servant. If it had been in his own power, he needed not to pray for it; he would, but he could not, and that his will was of God's effectual grace: Therefore let every soul that seeketh God confess, that it is sought before it seek, and is beloved before it love him. Our invention then is God's prevention, and that prevention excludeth invention; he sought us who sought him not, that we might seek him: He preveeneth us with two blessings, of Love and Seeking; Love, the cause of seeking, and seeking the fruit of his love: And hereof cometh our seeking, because he seeketh and findeth us; If we were not sought we could not seek him, and being sought we cannot but seek him: Neither can we seek before we be sought: Neither can we but seek when God hath sought us. God's suasion is his seeking of us, and his persuasion is his finding. Our desire of him is our seeking of him, and our faith and delight is our finding of him. We seek him by desire, and find him by faith.

Of all that is spoken of this search, we gather three things: The happiness of the godly man in his search; The distinction of mankind; And our duty. The happiness of the godly, in that they are not left to themselves, but are guided therein by a divine wisdom and justice: In wisdom, because they pass by all other things, till they come to God: They count of other goods as becometh, but not as the chief good, they are lesser goods, but not prime, they follow happiness, but lead not to it : They love that, that cannot be taken from them: none can take God from them. Many of the Ancients make these three equivalent, Wisdom, Veritie, and Happiness, because it is truth that directeth to happiness, and wisdom that findeth it out, and this is true wisdom to choose the best, and the thing that will not be taken from us. It was Mary's wisdom, that she chose the thing that would not be taken from her.

Next they are guided by divine Justice, to give everything the own due; To God their greatest love, and to his gifts they measure according to their kind, and degree of goodness: They seek God for their happiness, and leave the world unto worldlings: That is perfect justice, that loveth best things greatly, and mean things meanly: None have the balance of the sanctuary in their heart, but the sanctified ones; their minds enlightened of God value things rightly, and their pure affections follow accordingly, and therefore they are only the right esteemers of things; but the worldling is a blind judge, he neither knows the excellency of things spiritual, neither the baseness of worldly things, but as a sow, embraceth the dongue-hill of worldly contentments, and contemneth the heaven, yea they are the serpents brood, because they eat the dust of earthly trifles, and are the more sweet morsel to him again.

Secondly, this distinguisheth mankind in it self. —Mankind hath many divisions, but this is a special one from the choice of happiness, and so goeth in two parts: One the Generation of those that seek the Lord, the other of them that seek him not. Many say who will let us see good things? But Lord lift up above me the light of thy countenance. This is not like Martha and Marie: These two sisters choice were both good, for Marthaes business was commendable, but Mary's was better: The one was busy in the works of Charity, doing good to the body of Christ; the other in the works of Piety, about his Godhead: The one to feed his body: The other to be fed of his spirit: and yet he counteth more of Marie, who neglected his body, to feed her own soul, than of Martha, who neglected her own soul, to feed his body: He was fed in spirit by her, whose spirit he did feed: This was a work of the same love, that made him neglect himself to save us; he came to do divine things, and to suffer human miseries for us, and so to be hungry and eat: He subjected himself to be a guest in man's houses, who is preparing mansions in heaven for men, and yet in this voluntary necessity, giveth more than he taketh, and is gladder to feed us, than be fed.

Jacob and Esau do more represent these parties, the one in piety waiting on God, and enjoying the blessing: The other profanely contemning the blessing, and following his fleshly delights. Sometimes the godly will follow the common error, and choose the world, as Lot enticed with the fatness of the valleys, chose to dwell in Sodom; but that folly cost him dear, for beside the society of Abraham, he lost his wife, and all his goods: There is no other cure of their folly, but the loss of that their choice.

Herein the godly and the wicked, have both a concord, and discord in their choices: They agree in the matter, in that they choose contrary things, the godly choose God for their happiness, and the wicked, the trifles of the world: They cannot encroach one on another, for the choice of the one is the refuse of the other, and the refuse of the one, is the choice of the other: And yet they discord, because these contrary courses flow from contrary dispositions, which breaketh out in enmity in the wicked; for though they be content, that the godly's choice leave the trifles of the world to them, yet they are angry at it, because it proveth them fools, who choose that which the godly refuse: And Satan augmenteth this discord, to avenge his double quarrel upon the godly: The one, in disdaining his baits, whereby he allureth the wicked, the other, for loving of God, whom he abhorreth: Yea the wicked mock the godly as fools, for their refusing of the world, and choosing of God . But it is like Ishmael's mocking of Isaac, , or rather as foolish children, mocking the prudence of the ancient, which they can neither choose nor follow. But the godly endure that ignorant censure patiently, as wise men do either contemn or neglect the ignorance of babes, or else bear with them, till they come to riper judgment.

This expresseth that which God did by choosing his own out of the corrupt mass: Albeit they were borne twins as Jacob and Esau, yet they are divided at their birth, and setting their backs to other, the one runneth to God, the other to the world: The one as right-handed men follow good: The other as left-handed men follow ill: This is that Solomon telleth us, That the heart of a wise man is at his right hand, but the heart of a fool is at his left hand, that is, not in situation, but in use: For God hath given our soul many strong and sweet powers toward good, as love, to love it; to desire it; to hope before we get it; and rejoice, when we have found it: These are as the souls right hand, which in their work to good, carrieth herself dexterously. But ill is set at our left hand, and God hath armed us against it, with Hatred, Fear ere it come, and Sorrow when it is come; which serve to rebate and keep us in separation from it: Therefore when the wicked set their soul for the seeking and embracing of ill, they turn left-handed like the Benjamites, who with their left-handed skill, were foreward and able to defend a villainy; Their right hand is a right hand of iniquity, because they prefer the things that should be postponed, as the right hand is to be preferred to the left . But the godly are contrary, they set God before them, and find him at their right hand, and all the dexterity they have is for good.

This furnisheth also to the godly a resolution, for three things: The first, of their election before time: For no soul can choose God for its portion, but that soul that is chosen of God, and our choosing of him is his work in us, meeting that his eternal election in the own kind. Next our present estate: For if we love God sincerely, we may be sure we are beloved of him, if we seek him: we are first sought of him; if we find him, we are first found of him in mercy: If we desire him, we are the men of his desire, as Daniel was: If we delight in him, we are the children of his delight, &c. For all these works of the soul neither breed in us, neither begin at us, but he preveeneth us in them all, and worketh that meeting to himself. Thirdly, of our estate to come; For if we be righthanded men in God, in choosing and seeking true happiness, then at the last day, he shall set us at his right hand, and keep us in an eternal separation from the wicked, when he shall say, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you . Now we are not distinguished in our wishes, but in our courses, for both good and ill desire happiness, but none obtain it but the good, and that by a separation from the wicked, before time, in time, and after it.

Lastly our duty is, to be of that generation that seek the Lord. Some are neither sought of him, nor seek him, as they who lie hardened in their sins: Others are sought of him, but seek him not as yet, as the elect in Baptism whom he inquireth, and acquireth in that second generation, though they know it not. But the third sort are best, who are so sought of him, that he maketh them seek him again. This is the generation of them that have him, and seek him, for if they had him not they could not seek him: And a clear testimony that we have tasted grace, is this vehement hunger of grace. God is most simple, and we should seek him in simplicity. And let us seek him truly, that hath not another like him, nor another beside him, nor another above him: If we seek him with all our heart, we shall find him, for he cannot withdraw himself from those that love him. Love maketh up all the parts of this inquiry, for he is sought by love, and found and kept by love: We go to him not by walking, but by loving, and we have him so far present as we love him, we go to him not on our feet, but on our manners, and our love is our manners.

Happiness is to be sought by prayer.

Have I desired.

THis is the other part of the seeking: By prayer: The first was a seeking out of the thing it self, and now when he findeth it in God, he seeketh it of him by prayer.

In the order it is to be marked, that seeking of happiness, and praying for it, are well joined together: for if they be separate they are unprofitable. Some pray only without labor, as the old Euchites. But they should remember, that God who giveth us a heart, and a tongue to pray, giveth us also hands and feet to work and walk. This was Balaam's warsh wishing, his desires were so weak, that they pierced not his heart, how could they pierce the heaven? He put not his hand to labor, how should God open his hand to bless? They had no strength to banish or mitigate his avarice or pride: The fleshly heart cannot conceive the birth of true happiness, nor admit the love of it, and these weak wishes are more forced on it from outward occassions, than bred in it, at least they are soon strangled by the predominant love of some vanity.

Others take great pains to find out happiness, but pray not to God for it, so the Philosophers thought by their labor, and good use of natural abilities, to attain it, and would not pray for it . And indeed upon their grounds of a self-sufficiency, they needed not pray to him. Therefore we must join them together. Labouring in faith is God's presence with us as his instruments, working that in us that we pray for: In prayer, we crave that he would work happiness in us: In labor, we strive that he would work with us: The success of our labors dependeth on his blessing, and that blessing is obtained by prayer. This is a complete seeking of happiness, when both go together: There is no happiness without fruition, and no fruition without Union, and no union without endeavoring for obtaining: Divine light discovereth it, faith apprehendeth it, and love feeleth it. Therefore we must labor diligently for the increase of discovering light, of apprehending faith, and feeling love, that we may grow in that fruition, and rejoice in the conscience of that growth.

In the word of his prayer, we shall first consider the prayer it self, and then the properties of it enclosed therein. In the prayer it self three things are offered: The conscience of want going before; The desire to have; And the hope of obtaining. The conscience preceding is of a double want, both of happiness it self, and of merit or worth to purchase it. If we had it in ourselves, we needed not seek it, and if we had merit to deserve it, we needed not suit it of God: But we have none of those, and therefore we must ask it. We have set times to pray, both public and private; but are often coldrife therein, and do it more of custom than conscience. Therefore God sharpeneth our conscience with a felt necessity and want, as a whetstone, to make our prayers fervent. When Seth called his son Enoch, that is, miserable or calamitous, then men began to call upon the name of the Lord: So that name expressed that they were sensible of their misery, and that felt misery maketh men religious.

Next cometh the desire to have that thing which we want, and that is the prayer itself: For a ground, we look to God's mercy; and for price, we look to Christ's merit. Herein is the work of faith, to make the prayer faithful, as the preceding conscience maketh it fervent: It specifieth our desire, and maketh it supernatural; for it is the hand of our soul, meeting God's hand, who offereth his blessings to us in the promise: as a lively child, taketh the pap of his mother greedily, and sucketh milk out of it largely: So the faithful soul opening wide the mouth of the desire taketh in the promise, and sucketh the blessing of God out of it. We present his promises, as his own handwrit and obligation: And he deigneth by his promises to be debtor to us, to whom he forgiveth all debt .

True prayer is not so much in our words, as our heart: Words in public prayer are necessary for others to hear and follow us: And in private prayers they serve to hold our minds constant; but the life of prayer standeth in faithful desires: For long speech is one thing, and a strong affection is another, and the work of prayer is done more by groans, than by words, and by tears more than talk : And the Lord careth not much for the cry of our flesh, but for the cry of our heart; For his ears are in our heart, and he heareth us say nothing to him, but what he hath first spoken to us . Moses was silent at the red sea, and yet God said to him, why criest thou? His mouth was close, but his heart was crying to the Lord, he was grieved to see the people's danger, and yet believed God, who promised to deliver them, and was challenging God in his heart to keep his promise: Therefore one saith, That the people cried, but God heard them not: Moses cried not, and yet the Lord answered him. . And the reason is clear, because the cry of the people was in murmuring and fleshly reason, which God misregardeth, but the secret and heart-cries of Moses, were the language of the holy Spirit: And the Apostle seemeth to point at this, when he telleth the work of the spirit helping us to pray, bringeth forth sighs and groans, which cannot be uttered. We call him then into ourselves, when we call upon him .

Light cares can speak, but great cares do stupefy with silence: Weak desires are easily expressed, but excessive desires cannot be equalled by speech. A rod serveth a man in a small work, but in a greater he casteth it away, and taketh him to stronger instruments: So the tongue is a sufficient interpreter in other things; but here we leave it, and take us to groans and sighs, the best language of the heart. Men may be near and not hear us, and yet our groans be heard in the heaven of heavens: We cannot bide in ourselves, but would be at God, and yet cannot win to him as we would, therefore we groan under that restraint. God's suggestion to our heart is by inspiration of heavenly power, making us capable of grace: And by infusion, pouring in that grace he offereth. So our best speech to him is by aspiring, not of ambition, but of affection, in breathing to him as the chased heart doeth to the waters. The kisses of Christ on our soul, are better impressed and stamped by him, than can be expressed by us . So the best expressing of our soul to him, is better by thrusting it on him, than by uttering of words.

This excessive desire of God is wrought in the heart by himself, he filleth it both with him • elf, and a desire of him, that he may make it sensible of both: The more it is full of him, it desireth him the more, and the more it poureth out it self in that desire, it is satiat the more, and the more the desire increaseth: And in this heavenly inebriation, satiety provoketh our thirst. The more we have of God, we thirst him the more, and are inflamed with new desires. Superstitious worshippers think by their prayers, as charms, to devocat and draw God out of heaven. And the Idolater thinketh to command him, but both separate themselves from him: But the godly seek him in their heart, and thrust their heart on him. It is also a touch of that sickness of love, when the soul burneth in a desire of God, and that sickness is the health of the soul, and God sensibly filling the heart, is the cure of that sickness. This prayer then is nothing else, but a laying of his desirous heart, open to the fountain to drink in happiness. Who so hath received this affectuous devotion, and devout affection to God, hath already conceived the birth of happiness, and shall travel therewith now painfully, now joyfully, till he be delivered of it in his full delivery from all misery .

Thirdly, hope of obtaining happiness followeth our faithful prayers, for what faith believeth, that hope expecteth: It is as soon in our hope, as it is in our faithful desire, and long before it be in our hand; and yet as sure as it were in our hand, though sometime interveen; for he that is to come, will come, and not delay; And behold I come, and my reward is with me; And the hope of the godly shall not perish. Our hope is greatly confirmed, by the tastes of happiness we find in prayer: We may more firmly expect that, that we find begun already, and these first fruits assure us of the fullness in due time: Such faithful desires poured out with a delightful freedom, are not only the Lord's harbengers in our heart, to tell that he is coming, but the ushers of his entry, and tokens that he is already come. He is in that heart that earnestly desireth him, and with liberty poureth it self out on him.

Moreover this word containeth three properties of his prayer: Humility, Absoluteness, and Constancy. Humility, because it is an humble asking, and not a proud exacting, and so excludeth man's merit, which cannot stand with the humility of prayer: If he had merit for happiness, he would not beg it as a gift, but exact it as a debt. The Apostle cleareth this, for when he hath said, The wages of sin is death, if he had followed the rules of Logic, he would have said, that the reward of righteousness is life eternal: But he knew that could not stand with God's mercy, and Christ's merit, therefore he calleth life eternal, the free gift of God. And to this truth God provided himself a witness even among the Cardinals: The Apostle (saith he) saith not that the wages of righteousness are life eternal, but the gift of God is life eternal: That we may understand, that we obtain eternal life, not by our merits, but by the free gift of God. Therefore he subjoins (In Christ Jesus our Lord.) Behold the merit, behold the righteousness, whose wages life eternal is: But to us it is a free gift through Jesus Christ .

Reason also proveth this: For all the good we have, whether natural or spiritual is his gift. Natural goodness cometh by his providence, both in it self, and the right use. And though they were both of ourselves, they have no proportion to deserve any grace: No good deserveth another, but far less doeth natural good deserve happiness: And all supernatural goodness is his gift also, and every degree of it is a native growth of his donation, without the respects of merit or reward; for that same mercy that giveth the beginning, giveth also the increase and perfection of grace. Our state also goes in two; first we are miserable in ourselves, and then happy in God; and what good can be in misery to deserve the least happiness? While we are in misery, we can deserve no happiness, and when God beginneth happiness in us, that beginning is neither a reward of any preceding merit, neither a merit of any following goodness: But all is the work and gift of grace. Again, both the name and nature of grace excludeth merit, for grace properly cannot be valued at any price, neither hath miserable man any price to give for it: Therefore the greatness of the giver, the excellency of the gift, and poverty of the receaver make it to come freely. Ho, everyone that is a thirst, come to the waters, come and buy without money, without merit. And he that is a thirst let him come, and drink of the water of the well of life freely.

That pride of the Pelagians is grounded upon the indifferency of the will to ill and good, and on a like furniture for both, which deny flatly man's misery, and the grace of God: In such a pride they cannot pray, because they neither feel their misery, nor seek to mercy. They are like the Pharisee that counted with God, and put him in his debt, and like sturdy beggars, who boast of their birth, and do rather threaten than beg, and deserve more to be thrust to a house of correction, than to be helped with alms: So God plagueth these proud Justitiaries with a judicial pride, that not subjecting themselves to the righteousness of God, but seeking to establish their own righteousness, they cut themselves off from Christ and his grace.

It were better to them with the Public an humbly to beg mercy, and with the blind man at Jericho, to cast away the menstruous clouts of their supposed righteousness, that they may be clothed with the righteousness of Christ. They are like the old Giants, whom the fables said, would take the heavens by force, and for that end heaped mountains upon mountains. So do they add Condignitie to congruity, and dignity to condignity, Supererogation to dignity, and confidence in them all: This is nothing but the old blind cyclopick superarrogancie, and will have the like success with these Giants: For we may say of them as Jovian said to Acesilas a Novatian, disputing of the perfection of his followers. Go to Acesila, set that ladder to heaven, and thou wilt find it too short to carry thee thither. They cast aside Jesus Christ the ladder of Jacob, and make to them a ladder of pride to their own ruin.

Heaven hath no open door to the prayer of a proud Pharisee, but all the gates of it are cast open to an humble supplicant, David disclaimed merit. Enter not into judgment with thy servant, & appealed only to mercy, Have mercy upon me according to the multitude of thy compassions. And the faithful venture on that humility: What I have (saith one) I have taken it of God, and not presumed it of myself, —for what I am commendably, it is not of my ingine, neither of my merit, but of his free gift: And what merit can be in man, whom the deliverer from sin Jesus Christ himself found altogether a sinner? Or how shall a man trust in himself to be happy, who cannot guide his mind (his best part) from error ? And if the Prophet saith truly, Cursed is he who putteth his trust in man, much more is he accursed, who trusteth in himself for happiness.

Next this prayer for happiness must be absolute, and not conditional, and that because happiness is absolutely necessary. We crave common blessings with this condition, if God think it expedient, as health, liberty, wealth, &c. But when we pray for remission of sins, life eternal, and happiness, we seek them absolutely. All things that we ask go in three ranks. The first are good in themselves, and yet better us not, as riches and honor, &c. because they qualify not our person with any good change: The second are god in themselves, and make us better, but cannot beatify us; as learning, wisdom, prudence, &c. The third is both good, maketh us better, and beatifieth us, and therefore is simply to be craved of God: This distinction settleth the godly in a great doubt, they pray oft and earnestly for some things, and yet are not heard, and therefore think that God hath cast them off. But here is a resolution, for God neglecteth not their prayers, but hath them written before they utter them. And his refuse is not in anger, but because he thinketh it not expedient: and though he refuse one thing, it is to give us a better; as he refused to stay Satan's buffering to the Apostle, yet gave him sufficient grace to endure it. Besides, we may plainly say, that God heareth ever his own, although not to their will, yet to their weal .

Our will that leadeth us in rebellion against his Commandments, should not rule his hearing of our prayers. For oftentimes God giveth us blessings that we never sought, and holdeth from us in that same mercy, many things that we seek: As a wise father giveth his son nourishment, though he seek it not; but if that same child cry and weep for a knife, he will refuse him, because he foreseeth he may hurt him with it. It had been good for Israel that God had refused to give them flesh in the wilderness; and for Balaam, that God had stayed him as well in his second as in his first desire. But happiness hath a more absolute course; for God hath purposed it absolutely for his own: he hath promised it absolutely, and what ever condition is required of faith or repentance, he worketh it in us. Christ hath purchased it, and prayed for it absolutely, and upon these grounds absolutely we seek it of God; Rachel said to Jacob Give me children, or else I die. How much more reason have we to crave of God, that he would give us happiness to conceive Jesus Christ by faith, or else we perish?

The third property of this prayer is Constancy: For faithful prayer knows no end but obtaining of that it seeketh, and this is both in constant love of the chief good, and constant seeking of it: The love we have to chief good changeth not, but increaseth daily: Worldly happiness giveth not this constancy; Men seek one thing today, and another tomorrow, they burn even now in a desire of honor, and at once in greed of riches, as occasion offereth, or possibility of obtaining appeareth, they change both their object and course: But the godly who choose true happiness, neither repent their choice, nor change their course, but grow in the like of their choice and love of happiness: They can change the place of their dwelling, their complexion, their diet and contentment in common goods, but not in the chief good: These things are but for the way, and for a short time, but the other for eternity, and in the current of changes upon other things, he holdeth ever fast his love to happiness: The more he knoweth it, the more he loveth it, and blesseth God who hath directed him in that choice. Herein he is not so much active as passive, and that both willingly, & in a sort of sweet violence, captivated with the delights of his most beloved and desired good. It possesseth him rather, than he doeth it, and he is more in it, than in himself: The sweetness he findeth in it, suffereth him not to change for any other: God may bless him with many other goods, and Satan may turn them as baits to withdraw, or divert him from the chief good, but he never changeth his first love: The first impression of the joys of happiness are so deep in his heart, that no contentment of lesser goods can either divert it by change, or diminish it by equality. And though God from heaven would bid him make a new search of happiness, he would still fall upon his first choice.

The other is in his prayer, he will not leave seeking, till he obtain happiness: It is not at our hand, nor found at the first, but we must pray often for it: We faint if we be not heard at the first, but that is our fleshliness, who would have God subject to us: The gift is his own, and he knoweth his time, and it is our part patiently to wait on: So David, I waited patiently on the Lord: And Jeremiah, The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, therefore will I hope in him: It is good that a man should both hope, and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. And Christ giveth us the parable of the poor widow, who importuned the judge, till she was heard: It is counted a courtesy among men, to take with the first refuse, but with God, it is no courtesy, but infidelity; and we cannot give him greater rest, than to importune him with our desires of happiness: And the Canaanitish woman is commended for it, that she cried out, till she was heard. So should we do in praying for happiness: and that the more, because we get it not here in the fullness, but in the degrees, which should strengthen our patience, because they are obligements on God's part. His purpose is in himself, and his promise is known and believed of us, and if providence begin to perform them both, it is a sort of engaging of him who is liberty, (if we may • o speak) to perform that he hath begun. God's delay is in respect of us, but not of himself: It is the trial of our faith, the proof of our hope, the opening of our heart in large desires, and a way to sweeten our delights, when our desire is filled. For the more and longer we have thirsted, the sweeter shall our satiety be; and our prayers are not so much in particular times, as the constant opening of our desires to God, when our hearts, like empty vessels, lie at the fountain, and like the man at the pool of Bethesda, we wait on till God heal us. He will have us exercised in prayer, that we may receive that, that he prepareth to give us .

This answereth a question which some move, when they hear of some who are oft and long at their private devotion: They ask, what purpose they had to be so oft, and long with God? But if we be sensible of our misery, we will never want purpose to pray to God, though it were to crave again, and again this true happiness; we get it not at the first, nor at once, but by degrees: and though the matter were one, yet we have need of a new affection of that same matter; and when that affection decays, we have need to have it repeated. The Apostle biddeth us pray continually: which is not so to be taken, as though we should ever be on our knees, in the action of prayer, because he hath commanded us to labor in our particular callings; but of our constant affection, our habitual desire, and continual disposition, for seeking of God, which most show themselves in the frequent action of prayer, though not in the continual.

Out of this I raise three things: First our duty: That if we would obtain true happiness, we ask it of God by prayer. We are every way craving and begging creatures, because we are ever necessitous. Though our grave have the name from craving, yet from our conception to our grave, we are craving continually. In the womb we crave nourishment, and then liberty by birth; and at our birth, our weeping is a craving, to testify, that a miserable and indigent creature is come into the world. Though there be some reason of the first weeping, because we are come from a warm lodging to a colder, yet the main reason of it is, because we are entering into the valley of misery, & the fittest saluting of it, is by tears: And all our time in this life is nothing but a world of necessities, after other, of raiment, food, physic, &c. But among all, we care least for this one thing. Our body is sensible of the own wants, and seeketh for them, but our soul is senseless, and in the multitude of prayers, scarcely have we one about true happiness: But we owe to that chief good our greatest love, the greatest care to obtain, and so the most frequent and fervent prayers. Christ taught us this by express command; Seek first the kingdom of God, and these things shall be cast to you: So that comparatively other things are scarce to be sought; but a promise made, that they shall be cast to us. And in his prayer he persuadeth the same order: First, to pray, that God may be glorified in the hallowing of his name, and so our glorification will follow his glory. Next, that his kingdom may come, both insubduing his enemies, and ruling us by his grace, to our happiness. Thirdly, that as his revealed will directing us, should be done by us, so the secret will of his purpose, may be performed on us, in our happiness. Likewise the petition for remission of sins committed, and the other for escaping temptation to sins, that might be committed: Of all these petitions only one is for daily bread, or temporal things, and that cast in the mids, where is least, either attention or intention. So Christ hath put the matter of happiness in that prayer, that we may daily ask this one necessary thing of God, though the most part rehearse the words, without thinking on that matter.

Next we may infer, that our praying for happiness is a work of happiness in us: That chief good communicateth it self to us diversely, according to our necessities: As sin original is not a single sin, but a multitude and mass of corruptions, defiling all our powers, like a pulpous or chairie root, which in one containeth many several roots, as in garlic, or such like: So that natural viciousness containeth ignorance, senselessness, infidelity, pride, and all other corruptions in us: Even so the chief good hath all goods in it, and sendeth out it self to men to cure these miseries: It is light, to enlighten our ignorance; It is life, to quicken our senselessness; It is mercy, to pardon our sin, and strength, to keep us from falling; It is good, to allure us, and a prevening power, to stir us up to pray for it, so that our very praying for it, is its prevening work. This is all of God, who worketh powerfully, and abundantly in us; He bidd • th us open our mouth wide, and promiseth to fill it. And he himself openeth the mouth in moving our desire. As Physicians force up the mouths of some patients, under their convulsions, and then pour in some cordials to refresh them: So God, by the convictions of our conscience, openeth our hearts to desire, and then giveth us the happiness that we desire. Thus the chief good giveth it self to us in this life, by parts and degrees, but in heaven Go • shall be all in all, and we shall possess our chief good once, at once, and eternally.

Lastly, we have here sure grounds of hope to be heard in this prayer, for we pray not alone, but have moe intercessors than we know of: We feel when we pray ourselves, and are sensible of the assistance of God's spirit, when he helpeth our infirmities, with groans, that cannot be expressed: But our necessity cries also to God, and he heareth it, though we know it not; Yea before we were, and before our necessity was in us, it cried to his commiseration from eternal, and his bowels were moved toward us: Christ also prayeth for us, that the fruit of his obedience may be applied to us: The covenant also supplicateth for us, and casteth it self open before him, entreating him, to accomplish all that he hath promised to us: And his own name and glory pleadeth for us, For my own names sake I will do this. Besides these, his justice intercedeth for us: If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us. It is as native to justice to absolve the innocent, as to punish the guilty; And we are clean before him, when we are clad with Christ the Lord our righteousness. It is as just to pardon the faithful penitent, as to punish the faithless impenitent: So when Christ hath applied to us the fruit of his obedience, God's justice pleadeth for happiness to us. It is mercy enough in God to hear us when we call, but this is more, before they call I will answer. These things may assure us, we shall be heard. All this is bred in the bowels of God's commiseration, and the brood of so tender mercies must be acceptable to him, and so our happiness sure withal. Where his will, and our weal, and so many intercessors concur, who can stay our happiness?

That I may dwell.

WE have heard the first three parts of this doctrine: That one thing; The Author of it, Jehovah; The way to find it, by prayer, and searching: Followeth the fourth, to wit, happiness it self, expressed in a dwelling, or remaining, and that not everywhere, but in God's house: Not for a short time, but all the days of his life: And for this end, to see the beauty of the Lord, and partake that happiness, that God there offereth to the Saints: And because of our imperfection here, to be still inquiring more and more for happiness.

The notion of dwelling or mansion, expresseth happiness well; because it is the end of the inclinations, intentions, and work of all creatures: For the senseless creatures incline to a rest in their places; the reasonable intend and labor for it, Christ calleth it the place of our Mansions, the Apostle our biding City, and S. John A rest from our labors. God provided the earth, a dwelling place for the creatures; and a paradise in the midst of it, a dwelling place for man, and it was Cain's punishment, that he found no rest, but was a vagabond. This dwelling we consider in peace and rest.

Peace with God, is the special part of our happiness, and the first whereof we are sensible: For albeit we be in God from eternal, and his mercy secretly, (yet strongly) doth follow us from the womb in our adoption, baptismall regeneration, &c. yet we are never sensible of that happiness, till our effectual calling; wherein repenting our sins, we find remission, and so peace with God: Being justified by faith, we have peace with God; he is our chief good, and our union with him, maketh us happy. In his favor is life, yea it is better than life; and a separation from him, is our misery; we may flee from the anger of men, but whither can we flee from the anger of God? This is the peace that passeth all understanding, for even the minds that have it, cannot express the sweetness of it: And God hath wisely so provided, that he shaketh the conscience with some fear and terror, ere he pour this peace into it, and that not only as a fruit of our sin, but for two other ends: The one, to make the change more sensible to us: For if we be translated from nature to grace, without any grief for sin, or fear of wrath, we could not so well know our translating; but when we are even now swallowed up in sorrow and fear: and repenting, and believing in Christ, feel ourselves persuaded of remission: and the tormenting conscience turning a comforter, and the joys of the spirit filling the heart in the sense of that peace, then we are sensible of a change. The next cause is for proportion, that as the measure of our grief is, so shall the measure of our peace and joy be; so that they who are most grieved at their conversion, afterward are usually acquainted with greatest joys. What ever our condition be in the world, we are but miserable without this peace, but what ever be our condition, we are happy with it, and may say; Blessed is the man, whose sins are forgiven him.

This peace of God hath two fruits: Peace with our selves, and with the creatures: Peace with ourselves floweth from God's peace. So soon as God is offended with our sins, and setteth us against him, as marks of his wrath: Then we are contrary to our selves, and revenge his quarrel on us.

This is that holy indignation, arising of the sorrow, according to God; when we seek a sithment and revenge on ourselves for angering him we take God's part against our self, and eat up our own heart, and make our flesh to pine away for his displeasure, and our beauty to consume like a moth: But when he pardoneth us, and sealeth that pardon with his peace, then we turn to peace with ourselves: So long as we feel sin, we are as an house on fire; God is a consuming fire: and who can dwell with devouring fire, and who can abide with everlasting burnings? The conscience terrified of God, doth terrify us, and all the powers of the soul are in confusion: The spirit so wounded, woundeth the body in all the natural powers; weak appetite, worse digestion, troubled sleep, and an universal ineptnesse, both in soul and body to any good office: The flesh evanishing, the bones consuming, and the moisture turning in the drought of summer, wherein the Prophet possibly alludeth to mount Horeb, which had the name from burning; the Law was given on it in fire and thunder, and every heart in some measure, must be shaken with the terrors of the Lord, that it may come to the peace of God. But the sight of a reconciled God in Christ, changeth all to the contrary; the testimony of conscience is stronger in her judicial acts, than in other: For when God is directing, informing, and simply proponing things, she hath but a weak testimony, but when God judicially dealeth with us, accusing, reproving, and terrifying, her testimony is strong; because the hand of God is powerful in it; and therefore, there is no denying of her accusation, no shifting of her torture: On the other part, her comforting is as certain, when she assureth us of God's pardon, because the hand of God is in her to comfort us, and in us, to be as sweetly comforted, as we were formerly grievously tormented.

The combat betwixt the flesh and the spirit seemeth to trouble this peace, and consequently our happiness; but it doeth rather confirm, and increase it: For it is not a power of God pursuing us, but our own corruption molesting us. The parties are flesh and spirit, nature and grace, the new and the old man: And though it be grievous that we have corruption either passively, to receive Satan's temptations by consent: or actively, of it self to breed the work of sin: Yet this is joyful, that we have a party within us against Satan: And that not only a conscience or reason, or care of public honesty, &c. which are in the wicked, but the new man, and the new spirit, assisted by the holy spirit. The Apostle finding that combat, cried out; miserable man that I am, yet feeling the spirit a contrary party making resistance, thanked God in Christ for his delivery; and though Rebecca was grieved, to find the two children strive in her belly; yet she was glad for having children. This spiritual combat, is a seal that we are at peace with God, and ourselves, so long as we abhor our flesh, strive against, and complain to God of violence, and implore his help to his own spirit against it.

Our peace with the creatures cometh not so near to our happiness: God hath the fabric of the world in his hand, as a mounter; so long as we please him, he maketh all creatures go in their order; but when we offend him, he distempereth it that nothing go right, till we return to him by repentance, and then he maketh the stone of the field at covenant with us. But we are to inquire of the peace of the reasonable creature. The good angels are ever at peace with us, for though sometimes God giveth them hard commissions of punishment against us, yet they love us still: The evil angels will never be at peace with us, but their war is our peace: Better to have Satan without us, than within us; and to have him tempting us to sin, rather than tormenting us for sin. If we were his possession, he would not trouble us; but his temptation argueth that God hath hedged us about, and we are free of his tyranny: He troubleth none of his own, but keepeth them in peace: A mastive dog barketh at none of the household, but at strangers; and Satan's temptations are not against his own, but the Saints.

As for men, their peace is various: We should not look for peace at the hand of the wicked, for we are called out of the world, therefore the world hateth us; and the old denounced war betwixt the woman and the serpent, hath neither truce nor peace; therefore their injuries are our peace. But the wrongs we receive from the godly are more grievous, for God's grace in them coloureth their cause, and perplexeth our mind more, than the wrongs of the wicked: And Satan craftily setteth the godly against the godly, as Jacob's sons against Joseph, and David's brethren against him, &c. But though these things may trouble the peace of our body, yet they should not trouble the peace of our breast. The equity of our cause; Our patience in suffering; No desire of revenge, but seeking occasions to do good to our injurers, and that neither of hypocrisy, nor policy, nor a natural softness, but a conscience, and that because God commandeth it: Christ hath done so, and commandeth us to follow him. These work greater peace than injuries can make trouble: Joseph rejoiced more in God's grace, making him meek and beneficial to his brethren, than in the outward power he had so to do: In the second, he overcame them, but in the first, he overcame himself.

The second part of this habitation is Rest, the most desirable end of our appetites, and that of resolution, refreshment, and security. The rest of Resolution, keepeth us at home with God: For when we are searching what is happiness, where, and how it is to be found, perplexity holdeth us from home; but being resolved that all is in God, that as Andrew said to Peter, We have found the Messias, so that we may say, We have found happiness in God, we rest from these first perplexities. Our labors after that (though painful) are sweet and pleasant, because they are about the chief good; yea we have not such rest in anything, as when we are most busied about happiness: These very labors are our rest, and we go to bed most contentedly that night, when we have spent the day most painfully with God about happiness.

Next the Rest of refreshment, when God refresheth with his grace in that habitation. So the Church calleth to Christ; Tell me where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon. And David professeth; That God led him by the still waters, and made him lie down in green pastures. God hath provided convenient means for every life, and the spiritual as excellent in the actions, as in the kind, is ever set on the grace of Christ, as the only convenient food. The body turneth food to the own substance, but the food of our soul turneth us to its own nature. When the heat of the holy spirit boileth and burneth up our earthly thoughts, and turneth them into heavenly. There is no dwelling like this, and it hath the own convenient diet; the house of God hath its own fat things, wherewith the godly are fed abundantly.

The third is the Rest of security: For what availeth quiet and refreshment, if the next hour we might lose them? This security is seen in God's protection, and our conscience of it. God is like that loving shepherd, guarding his sheep from their own wanderings, and the violence of the wolf: And like the Hen warming the birds she hath brought forth: whom ever he loveth, he hath them all in his heart, and preserveth them by his power to that immortal kingdom. He giveth us also the conscience of this security, when as we know the certainty of the matter in him, so we find the confidence of it in ourselves. He hath promised to preserve us to the end; and when we feel ourselves to believe that promise, our confidence of security riseth. So the faithful soul concludeth the own security formally; Who so dwelleth in the secret of the most high, shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty. Then from the conscience of faith it assumeth; I will say unto the Lord, O my hope, and my fortress, he is my God, in him will I trust. Lastly, from both it inferreth that God would preserve it; Surely he will deliver thee, &c. But the committing of ourselves to him cleareth it most, I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded, that he will render to me, that I have committed to him. This is not so much life eternal, as our soul and body, which are every hour in hazard. Therefore when in the conscience of our weakness, and malice of our enemies, we take our soul and body, as things, which we can neither preserve from ignorance, nor rebellion, from sin and fearful accidents, &c. and lay them over in his hand to be preserved to the last day, with express indenting for restitution; we cannot but be sensible of such a work, and confident both of his taking us in keeping, and of his restoring of us in the last day: If God brought us not to the possession of the inheritance, he would suffer the loss of the earnest.

This then is the power of true happiness, that maugre all the miseries of this life, it provideth a peaceable habitation to us. Christ reigneth in the midst of his enemies : and maketh all his own to possess happiness in the mids of miseries. This is our heaven on earth, without which, it were better to dwell in hell, than in the world.

False religions know no settled dwelling, but are ever restless: restless in intending, restless in working; and most in their fruitless end. The Pagans doctrine in this point may be found in three of their sentences. The first was, that in any misery they should return to the beginnings of nature. This telleth they acknowledge no misery in nature, but like the declining of a common-wealth, for which there was sufficient remedy in nature to return to the beginnings, as politics do in reforming their republicks: Our first naturals, are our worst naturals: we are conceived and borne in sin, and except we be borne again we cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Their next sentence was: That a man should be careful to be reconciled to himself: They acknowledged a discord, but placed it wrong: They knew no other, but the discord between their will and the conscience: Of their mind and heart: Of their reason and passion: Of their contrary affections, And extremes of vice; And most of their predominant sin against all the rest. These vexed them sometimes with such anxiety, that it cut their life. But they knew nothing of the Combat betwixt the flesh and the spirit, nor of the offense of God, in breaking his Law: And therefore they neither knew peace with God, nor themselves.

Thirdly, they affirmed, that it was man's happiness, to live agreeably to nature: This was nothing, but to loose the rains to their fleshly lusts, that they might sin with greediness, they found the check of conscience mar the pleasure of their sin, and where they should have reduced their humor to reason, they threw reason to humor, and of a grave counselor, they turned it into a base flatterer, to applaud their greatest villainies. So their pretended conveniency with nature was not only a discord with grace, but with nature it self, and that dedolencie or senselessness, whereof the Apostle speaketh, That they were past feeling.

Papists also prejudge themselves greatly of this dwelling, and that both in general and particular. In general: Their Church will not reconcile with God: When they were first challenged, they past two parts of their own penance, contrition, and confession. For Hadrian. 6. professed his grief for the abuses of the Church: And he confessed they began at Rome. He promised also reformation, (the third part of their penance,) but the world hath not seen it as yet: But contrary, that whorish Church in the council of Trent hath damned divine truths with Anathems, and bound her self by oath to believe and maintain their greatest heresies, and so hath sent word to God, that she will not return to the husband of her youth. It is time for us to speak for reconciling with Rome, when Rome hath reconciled her self to God.

In the particular they cut off their reconciliation, for Scripture placeth it in the blood of Christ, but they take in the merits and satisfactions of men and Angels, which rather separateth, than reconcileth them to God. And this habitation, or rest of security, they know not, but choose rather to dwell in the doubtings of their own heart, than with God, in the assurance of his protection. Albeit they confess that it is surest to put all their trust in the mercy of God, and merit of Christ, and that because of the uncertainty of their own merit, and peril of vain glory; yet they will forsake that, that is most sure, and be tossed in their own uncertainties, God raised up in the Council of Trent one to plead openly for this truth, who affirmed, That this is sincere piety, yea the ground of absolute obedience, if a man, abhorring from all vain confidence of his own worthiness, depend wholly on the mercy of God,—And if he be persuaded that God is with him, as a merciful Father, —and never suffer that persuasion to be shaken out of his mind.

Our duty then is, to seek this habitation in God, what ever be our lot in the world; for nothing can quiet the will of man but God. He hath prepared us Mansions: and to assure us thereof, hath promised to make us his mansions. If he dwell in us, assuredly we dwell in him. One made frequent meditation in the night, a token of this dwelling, but Christ giveth us a surer: If any man love me, and keep my Commandments, the Father and I will come and dwell with him. It is not his shadow will content us, nor his wings, nor his bosom, but his heart, where all our happiness was bred: We will not be content with the dove, to be taken in the ark , except he take us in the affection that bred the covenant: Our superficial thoughts of his love suffer not our hearts to warm in it; it is neither the garment nor the skirt, but the heart that was pierced for us, that we should touch. When God made the world, he stayed not till he came to man, and then came the Sabbath, after which no day is numbered, to tell that man is for eternity. This dwelling in God is our spiritual sabbathizing, the type of the eternal: we prescribe no measure to God, but thirst the fullness; but with the casting in of the bucket of our desires, let us cast in our heart also in the fountain. The outbreaking of the fountain is according to our straitness, and not according to the fullness it self. God hath made us to himself, and our heart is restless, till it rest on him: For if we shall go through the world, we shall not find a sure place to our soul but in him: Things natural are carried to their place by their weight: And the weight of our soul, is our love : Thereby we are carried whithersoever we go. And by the grace of God it is kindled in us, and carrieth us upward. This is our rest and life, that cannot be troubled: For who so entereth in God, entereth in his masters joy, and shall be most happy in him, who is most happy. Therefore O the virtue of our soul; enter in her, and fit her to thyself, that thou mayest possess her. He who is come to this, is in his rest, and may justly say: Return my soul to thy rest.

In the house of the Lord.

God's house is the school of happiness.

WE have heard of the happy man's habitation. Followeth the place, and it is God's house. Not that he needeth a house, who is All, and filleth all, for the heaven is his throne, and the earth is his footstool, what house can we build unto him? But he hath chosen Churches for his houses, that therein he may deal with us in the matter of happiness, and they are so called from his presence and delight. His presence, because as his providence is manifest every where in ruling the World in temporal things, he would also have some houses set apart for happiness, and eternal salvation: So that albeit he be in every house, yet that his being in them may be called an absence, comparatively to his presence in the Church. His delight also is great in Churches: This is my rest, here I delight to dwell. And to make it prove his house, he decoreth it with greater beauty than all the houses in the world: which made David to choose the house of the Lord, though he had stately and royal palaces to dwell in, as we shall hear (God willing) hereafter; for this cause one calleth him, an aspiring Lover of life eternal, who sought that one thing to dwell in the house of God. There are also other considerations of the Church mystical, and individual. Mystical, is the Church of the Elect, to whom he imparteth this happiness: Individual, to speak so, is every elect person, a lively member of the Church of the Elect, because they are the Temples of the holy Spirit.

Hereof three things arise: First, God's great mercy, who notwithstanding our grievous sins, hath erected his houses everywhere in the world for our happiness. Man could not ascend to God, therefore God came down to man, to deal with him openly in the matter of happiness. When we were cast out of Paradise, Satan thought we should never be taken in favor again, but now he hath appointed millions of houses for reconciliation. And he hath appointed his houses eminently for Satan's more eminent confusion. So Porphyre confessed it as from Apollo, that the devils abhorred the chief God, and that most in Churches, because there he exposed them to mockery. For his house is his trysting place, wherein we deal with him about happiness: It is also as a richly furnished shop, offered to those that have no money . It is like unto these wine-cellars , whereunto Christ taketh his spouse to fill her with spiritual consolations.

Lastly, it is his open School, wherein the doctrine of happiness is plainly taught. He saw mankind lie flat on the earth; and though the Grecians seemed to lift men's minds to heavenly things, yet they erred worse than the former, in so far as error is worse than simple ignorance, and made people err by authority, who before erred only in simplicity: for among them all, there was neither truth nor concord. For this cause, sometimes God's house is put for Christ, as he is opposed to the Philosophers, because in him only is happiness to be found. Therefore God pitying man, opened his schools of the Church in the doctrine of happiness: and there is more of it in this one sentence, This is life eternal to know thee to be the only God, and whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ; than in all the writs of Philosophers from the beginning. And God doth this in the sight of the World, because his works are good, and seek the light. Satan stealeth away man in his works of darkness; but he will have them publicly returning to honor him, and shame Satan.

Secondly, the happiness of a Nation where God hath houses, Zion the perfection of beauty. And more, Zion the joy of the whole earth, and the City of the great King. Many count his house a burden, and wrangle miserably in the provision of pastors, like the Gadarenes, who thrust Christ away for their swine: or like the Polonians, who having embraced Christianity, and finding the maintenance of it heavier than Paganism, resolved to turn to Paganism again. However, it bideth sure, that God's presence in a Land is their happiness and glory. The world thinketh, that Monarchies are the glory of a nation, but God gave more to the Jews in the Temple and Synagogues, than to the Assyrians, Persians, Grecians, Romans in their flourishing Monarchies. He giveth to other nations without the Church, great natural and politick gifts, but they are nothing to the sanctuary. Albeit they excel the Sain • s in these common gifts, yet the spiritual gifts are infinitely better. For as the waxing power is stronger in plants than in beasts. because in them it is eminent, but in the other subject to the sensitive power: and in beasts the sensitive power is stronger than in man, in whom it is subject to reason; so among men, they who have nothing but Nature, it is eminent in them, as in the own sphere. Without the Church many have excelled in common gifts for mankind's civil perfection, and because they had no other purpose to exercise their spirit. But the Saints are taken up in things supernatural, and so are weaker in the natural. And this is a fruit of God's dwelling among them, when their souls run out on things supernatural, rather than natural.

Thirdly, our duty in two things: First, that we frequent the house of God in reverence: for God is there in a singular manner, and our salvation and happiness is proponed there. Therefore since he keepeth both time and place of trysting, let us not be so ingrate as not to meet with him. Many in opinion of greater spiritual profit in private, abstain from temples: but let them remember, that David was a Prophet, and laden with revelations: yet in the statute times of worship, he chose to be in the Sanctuary rather than in private. For albeit God bid us worship him privately, lest we be found hypocrites; yet he will have us honor the public meetings, because larger grace descendeth from God, and more groans ascend to him. Moreover, when we come to the sanctuary, let us remember, that we are come to get happiness, which is proponed there. For, to pass by humanity and ph • losophie (which treat not of happiness) and come to the schools of divinity, Happiness is not there so clearly proponed as in Churches. For there truth is almost lost by jangling: Happiness is rather obscured than cleared, new questions augmented, and all more for the glory of the disputer, than edification of the hearer, but nothing of heart or conscience. But in the Churches, happiness is clearly proponed. Here a man shall be convinced of his own misery, he shall hear many are blessed whom the world count miserable for their crosses, and that many are miserable, whom they count happy for their prosperity. And that the best have need to look to the deceit of their heart, that they steal not God's glory, ascribing his gifts to them. Churches are types of heaven, and of these two great places, God hath set the earth under our feet, and the heaven above our head; and given our body a straight stature, to tell we should tread on the earth, and aspire to heaven.

Next, that we try if we be the Temples of the holy Spirit: if we have the altar of a clean heart, daily warmed with fire from above: The daily offering of Repentance: The shining Candlestick of a pure conscience: The Shew-bread of sincerity and truth, in obedience: The altar of Incense, to praise God for his blessings we receive daily. God sought not sacrifices under the Law for themselves, but for the thing signified: They represented Christ to us, and that we should sacrifice ourselves upon that great altar. If we be so, that unction dwelleth in us, he will reveal to us the chief good, and apply our hearts to the love of it, that we may enjoy it: He maketh us also conscious and sensible of this work, for he is an unction teaching, and a seal confirming our union with the chief good. This is a great happiness, when the temples of the holy Ghost, and living members of Jesus Christ, come to the house of God, to seek true happiness, and obtain it. Here is also a mutual dwelling, when God & man dwelleth mutually in other. He prepareth us Mansions, when he prepareth us for these mansions: His house is the godly, and then the place is prepared, when we live by Faith; by beleaving we desire him, that by our desire we may have him. The desire of our love to him, is the preparing of our Mansion. So Lord prepare what thou preparest! thou preparest us to thee, and thee to us, because thou makest a place in us to thee, and thee to us, for thou hast said Abide in me, and I will abide in you.

All the days of my life.

FOlloweth the Time, which is not a Day, nor a year, but all the Time of our life. This may seem too much: for neither God in the fourth Commandment craveth it, neither his royal affairs could permit it: But this must be exponed by the Prophets desire, flowing from his delight in the house of God, which was so great, that gladly he would have spent all his life in it. And this desire is acceptable to God: for, as the wicked are punished eternally albeit they sin but temporally, because they sin in their eternal, and because they never repent, nor change, nor diminish their desire nor delight of sinning: Yea if they lived eternally here, they would sin eternally: So God respecteth the holy desires of the faithful, for albeit they cannot bide continually in the temple, neither be ever exercised in holy things, yet God accepteth their desire so, as though they remained in the Temple.

Hereof we may gather the Saints Kalendar. We number times from the course of the Sun, and thereby measure natural and civil actions. But the godly reckon their Kalendar from the Sun of righteousness his aspect, and influence: this reckoning is for the new man, for he hath his spiritual being in Christ. That I may be found in him. And his spiritual life; Henceforth I live not, but Christ liveth in me, and the life that I live, I live by the faith of the son of God; so he hath his Sun that measureth his time and seasons. For, the Lord is a Sun and Shield. Yea, he counteth these days shorter than they are, and no time runneth to him so swiftly, as the time of God's worship; for he is so affected with the sweetness of God, that he is grieved that such sweet time doth so soon end. The Sabbath is both the sweetest and shortest day to him, so among hours is the hour of divine service; but the profane count that a long time, God's house is a prison to them, and his worship a torture.

This cleareth the contrary disposition of the godly and the wicked; while they are in that same Church, in that same work of God's worship, in that same hour. The godly rejoice as in their own element worshipping God, and enjoying his presence . Some mocked the Jews for keeping the Sabbath, calling it a loss of the seventh part of their time: But it was their best spent time, & sanctified all their other days. Then their new man dealeth freely with God, and all the gifts of the spirit pour themselves out on him. Then they feel the beginnings of life eternal, which maketh the time seem shorter than it is indeed. For the more we enjoy a desired good, the more time we crave for that enjoying; so that a long time seemeth short. And again, when an hateful ill sticketh to us, a short time seemeth long; hours are as days, days as months, and months as years. Hereof cometh the weariness of the profane, for the shortest hour of worship tormenteth them: Their fleshly passions are bound in stocks, they know not God, and the signs of his presence are terrible to them. And yet these same men count whole days but short for their drunkenness in tavernes; and in brothels they join nights to days, and days to nights, as though all time were too short to measure out their vanity. But this will be the end of all, when at death we look back to our time, we shall have most comfort of these days we have spent in the Sanctuary, in seeking happiness, and shall put these chiefly in our Almanac: for one day in thy house is better than a thousand elsewhere.

That I may see the beauty of the Lord.

THis is the end why he desireth to dwell in the Sanctuary, and that is twofold, in the fruition of God's goodness, and continuance in that fruition; wherein consisteth the happiness he desireth. This fruition is to behold the beauty of the Lord: wherein are two things, the beauty it self, and beholding. For the knowledge of this beauty, we shall first remove two false Glosses, and then follow the truth.

The first is of some Papists, who place this beauty in the stately and costly building of their Temple. Herein they follow the Jews, devoted to the external shows, their religion is all for them; and seeing they cannot fill the hearts of people with the power of doctrine, they will fill their eyes with stately buildings, and pompous ceremonies. So their Cardinals advised Paul 3. that in the decay of their authority they would make the world admire them, by building and busking stately temples. The stateliness of the temple of Jerusalem was extraordinary, both because it was in the time of a carnal service, and a type of the Church under Christ, the beauty whereof was not in gold and silver (as Malachi expresseth) but in that the desire of all nations came therein. But some fail on the other extreme, and have no more care to the houses of God, than to common houses; yea, it may be seen, that many barns and stables are more stately in the Parish, than God's house. This argueth a brutish mis-regard of God, and of his worship, which is justly fruitless in them. Churches ought indeed to be comely, as houses set apart to God. But that necessary comeliness is not this beauty of the Lord, that we require, the beauty of houses is not in marble.

The second is worse, and placeth this beauty in Images: So the Fathers of the second Nicene Council (such a Council, & such Fathers) thought them the beauty of the Sanctuary. But the Scripture calleth images abominations, and the shame of the Sanctuary: And when the Jews brought the Idols of Israel, and Thammuz, or Osiris the God of Egypt, in their temple. God departed from them. When the Pagans charged the Christians of the first ages, that their Oratories had no images; Origen, and other Apologists, took with the challenge, and gave the reason, that God whom they worshipped, was invisible and infinite, and therefore, neither could nor would be represented by images. From the Apostles time till images were brought in the Church, there was a sufficient body of doctrine, though with some declination, but after that, the Clergy turned more blockish and ignorant than images. Let them be called the books of the Laics, but such as turn the Laics in stocks and stones, because they are the teachers of lies and vanities , for they leave their minds in as base estimation of the thing they represent, as of themselves.

The beauty of the Lord in the Sanctuary, is to be taken first, of God himself, and then of his work with his people. God is the beauty of beauties, and all these things, which we call beautiful, excellent, glorious, perfect, &c. in the creatures are but names and shadows of the truth of these things that are in him. He alone is being without beginning, and giveth being to all, and sustaineth them in that being: He is life it self without inliving, and yet quickening and inliving all: What ever we consider to be excellent, as wisdom, purity, goodness, power, &c. are all in him primely, perfectly, and unitely, howsoever to our minds and experience, they be diverse: He is great without quantity, good without quality▪ Every where, but included in no place, without localitie, and yet excluded no place. A fountain without a vein, but running out in a continual source; communicating substance, life, induements, of both to all creatures, in such plenty, as proveth his riches; and in such diversity, to make up the beauty of the creature, that he the Author thereof may be seen most bountiful: How beautiful is that Unity in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity! The Father begetting, the Son begotten, and the holy Spirit proceeding from both; the Father the beginning, working all in the Son, and that by the holy Spirit: a mystery to be adored, but not searched; believed by faith, but not discussed by reason.

Herein Christ Jesus the fairest among men, is to be considered; in whom the Church taketh boldness to seek her happiness with God: he is that eternal Son, of the eternal Father, and came down full of grace and truth to save us: As God he is equal with the Father and the Spirit; As man he is most beautiful of all creatures. In him dwelleth all fullness, even the fullness of the Godhead bodily: and because of the personal union, his human nature exalted above all principalities and powers, is adored by them. He is most beautiful, because of wisdom in preaching: righteousness in remission of sins: Sanctification in conversing with sinners: Redemption in suffering for sinners. And because through him only we take boldness to approach to God: for who durst commit himself to so great a Majesty without his mediation? But while we speak of him we fail; and suffice not. But most of all he is the beauty of beauties, if we consider him in his passion: For though the world contemn him in that state, yet he is our delight, because he suffered these things for us. This then is the first thing that we should do, when we enter into the Sanctuary, to take up with the light of a purified mind this glorious God, as the prime beauty of the Sanctuary, and the only object of our religious worship, wherein true Christians excel all other people, who worship not this true God.

Religious worship in the Sanctuary, is the greatest work we act in this life, because we seek happiness in the union with that we worship; For therein three things go together: First our highest estimation of it, as chief good in it self, and so communicative of that goodness to our happiness. Next our highest affection, loving it above all: And these are the two main parts of inward worship. The third is a religious reverence, arising of them, manifesting it self in the acts of outward worship, to pray to him, and praise him. According to the object we worship, so is our fruit: For if we worship the true God alone, then we come to happiness, both because our estimation, affection, and reverence are right placed. And more, because thereby he communicateth himself to us, even to our conformity with him: for our due estimation of him is our excellency, that maketh us misprise all things beside, and seek him alone. Our due affection to him, is our union with him, and a partaking of his divine nature; in that we loath all things beside, and adhere to him as our only happiness. Thirdly, our religious reverence holdeth him ever in our eye, as the pattern, to the which we conform ourselves. So thereby undoubtedly we attain true happiness: But if we worship anything beside, we make ourselves more and more miserable; Though we should worship Angels and Martyrs, neither can they communicate goodness to make us happy; and their worship is impious, and idolatrous, and separateth us from God.

The pretended cause, why Julian forbad Christians children the use of secular learning, was, lest they being armed therewith, might more dextrously refute the Pagans: But the secret cause was, lest by reading the fables and histories of the God's, they should find just matter of mocking and insulting over them; As the old Senate burnt Numaes books, because they expressed the secrets of their religion. For their own histories maketh them the worst men of their time, yea monsters rather than men, and yet after their death, the world seeking a color to their own wickedness, made them gods; And the devils (the promoters of their worship, for their own behoove) made the world think that adultery, murder, drunkenness, and such were good service to them. If Jupiter, Mars, Apollo, Bacchus, were now living, as they were at their best in their life time, they would be abhorred as pests, and cast out of the common-wealth. This then is our happiness, that we worship that God alone who made the heaven and the earth; and finding him, that all the parts of religious worship begin in him, continue, and abide in him.

Secondly, the beauty of God in the Sanctuary is in his working with his people for happiness; which we consider in three: First, as it proceedeth from him. Secondly, the work of his grace in the people meeting him. Thirdly, the work of pastors betwixt both. God's work toward his people, goeth in four: First, his offering of happiness. Secondly, his exacting of service. Thirdly, his conferring, or giving the grace, that he offereth to them. Fourthly, his accepting of his work in them, as if it were theirs only.

The first is his offer of salvation and happiness: At the first it is thought, that we come to offer to him, but indeed he bringeth us to his house to offer to us: Here a great change; God whom we have made our enemy, is our best friend: Our Judge, who may plague us for our sin, turneth our repledger, by his mercy rescuing us from Justice. Our Creditor turneth our Pardoner; and while he might pour out all his wrath upon us, he is to reconcile us to him: And under this name our reconciliation goeth, because he worketh the work, whereof we are at first both ignorant and uncapable: So in Scripture everywhere he calleth on us: Come let us count together. Come to me ye that are weary, and laden, and I will ease you.

Next in the Sanctuary he exacteth service of us, and that for our own good only; that seeing he is applying to us his happiness purchased by his Son, he craved of us preparations and dispositions to receive it. So he craveth that we lay up his word in our heart; That we repent our sin unfeignedly; that we believe in him; that we love him with all our heart, and all our soul, and that we honor him in keeping his Commandments: for even while he promiseth to ease us of our own yoke, he biddeth us take his yoke upon us; That we pray to him for blessings we have need of, and that we praise him for every blessing we receive. For God commandeth no man anything for his own profit, but for his profit whom he commandeth: And all the business of our sacrifice under the Gospel is not for him, but for our more profitable exercise in piety.

Thirdly, he conferreth upon us, and giveth the things that he both offereth and exacteth; so he worketh faith in us, opening our hearts, as he did the heart of Lydia: and while he biddeth us, Come to his Son, he draweth us to him, both by alluring us with his excellency, and bowing of our wills to him: He craveth of us, that we understand his word, and giveth us hearts to understand it, when he circumciseth our ear and heart, and writeth his Law therein. As he commandeth, that we love him with all our heart; so he sheddeth abroad his love in our heart, making all our heart pour it self out on him. As he craveth obedience of us, so he giveth the spirit of obedience, putting his fear in our heart, and causing us to walk in his Law. His craving or exacting is not Legal, but Evangelic; for the legal is, Do, and thou shalt live; and yet gave no help to do the thing that was commanded; but the Evangelic exacting giveth us power to do the thing that it commandeth, giving us to know, to will, and to do. And their obedience differeth as well as the exaction; for the legal obedience was to righteousness and salvation, (if they could attain it,) but the Evangelic obedience is for gratitude and thankfulness to God, for that happiness, which he hath both purchased, and applies to them freely.

Fourthly, as a gracious Acceptor, of that we are able to do by his grace; which goeth in two: First, though it be his, he counteth it ours; for we are not able of our selves, as of ourselves to think any good, but all our sufficiency is of him. He giveth us the habit of faith, of repentance, and bringeth their acts out of them. And though formally, believing, repenting, &c. be our work, because our wills, moved by grace, do move themselves, and so specifieth the acts of these habits, yet the power and furniture whereby we believe is of God. Next, these spiritual acts being pure as they come of him, yet they have some blemish in them, because of our corruption: as water from a pure fountain doeth taste of the brazen or miry channel, through which it runneth; For our very righteousness is as a filthy clout : For woe to the life (otherwise commendable) if it be judged without mercy : Yet he winketh at these blemishes, and taketh our service as perfect. He taketh a weak faith, like a Graine of mustard-seed, as though it were a Cedar: Our will for deed; Our purposes for performances; Our very desires of grace for grace, and for a sufficient preparation to fill us with grace; yea, and the desire of a desire is as welcome to him, as though it were a greater degree: We would not take so little of our neighbor, no not of our selves, as he taketh of us: yea, ofttimes we are most acceptable to him, when we are least content with ourselves.

The people a part of this beauty.

SEcondly, this beauty is in respect of the people; and that either in themselves, or in their work. In themselves they are the Lord's choice and portion: They have a spiritual and inward beauty in the image of God by regeneration; and their love to God maketh them beautiful. The love of no other beautiful thing can change us into it; but the love of God maketh us beautiful like him: For by loving him, who is ever beautiful, we become beautiful; and how much that love groweth in us, so much groweth that beauty, because that love is the beauty of the soul.

The people in their work are beautiful, when they flow to the Sanctuary: I rejoiced when they said, We will go unto the house of the Lord: They are like the chickens gathered under the hens wings: in that dispensation of grace to be warmed with the heat of that same love of God, that hath elected them. It is like the Angels moving of the waters of that pool; but with this difference, that there only one was healed; but here all are healed who can by faith but touch the hem of his garment. Or it is rather like the spirit moving upon the waters in the creation: Because the holy Spirit, working mightily upon the hearts of the godly, produceth such motions and affections, as he thinketh good. And in a word, it is like innumerable empty vessels, set about an overrunning fountain; so godly souls compassing God in the Sanctuary, are sensible of their own wants, and desirous of God his supply: And he in the riches of his grace, furnisheth to everyone as they have need. In the Gospel sometimes a leper, craved to be cleansed: Sometimes a blind man, to receive his sight: Sometimes a deaf man, to get his hearing, &c. But in the sanctuary all these are spiritually; for therein some are blind in ignorance; some are lepers in natural corruption; others are deaf, and cannot hear God: Others are lame, and cannot walk in the ways of God: yea and more, there is not one soul, who hath not all these spiritual diseases by nature, and Christ in his own time healeth them by parts.

In this beauty, the diversity of people's disposition, and God his operation are to be considered: For as many men and women, as many several dispositions, and God answerably worketh on them all: His word is the extract of his infinite wisdom, so accommodat to man, that it both informeth his mind with light, and stampeth his heart with a divine power; So it hath a variety of that stamping, according to the disposition of the hearer: Some that are guilty of great sins, and yet senseless, it will waken and pierce them, and make them cry, Men and brethren what shall we do? Some again are wounded with conscience of sin, and fear of God's wrath, but they shall hear: At what time ever a sinner repenteth, I will pardon him, and the conscience of his faith believing in Christ, and repenting sin, shall be followed with this sweet whispering of his spirit, Son be of good comfort, thy sins are forgiven thee. A contrite heart is a pleasant spectacle to God, when it is brayed in the mortar of conscience. Some again borne down with heavy affliction, and in fear that they be rejected of God, because they are daily afflicted; their weary hearts shall hear this word in due season, That whom I love I chasten, and the only way to follow him, is to take up our cross daily, and that affliction is our best lot, because it telleth us we are not bastards , but children, and that it is a part of our conformity with Christ here, and a pledge that we shall be like him in glory.

Moreover that same variety will be found in one godly soul at one time; for being in the hand of God, it is like soft wax for the stamp, and as the points of doctrine go along is answerably moved, so that in one Sermon it will find down-cast and raising up, grief and comfort, and be sensible of all these changes of operation.

This beauty is inward, seen of God, and felt of them that have it; yet so, that outwardly it will appear: For there is such harmony between the heart and face, as scarcely can any affection be in the heart, that appeareth not some way in the countenance; which as it ought to be expressed with modesty, so should it be exponed of other in charity. Sometimes the heart will be so moved when God's hand toucheth it, that it cannot contain it self, but will break forth into tears of sorrow and joy; but prudence commandeth us to convoy these things in public, as modestly as we can: Our chambers, or the fields, are more convenient places for the full uttering of these affections; for there we may use gestures of body, speeches, &c. which we cannot before man: for even the most sincere affection any ways uttered, will find such uncharitable censure, as Hannah's tears found at the hand of Eli. Therefore in public, the expressions of our affections must be moderate; our tears that would burst out, must be turned into groans; and these groans must be suppressed, and turned into ejaculations; and these brought to a soul-speech with God, admiring our vileness, and his goodness, that taketh such pains on us: Praising him where we find his grace hath kept us in obedience, resolving, promising, and vowing better obedience in time to come: That is the joy of our heart, when as it can pour out it self wholly on God in spiritual affections. Affection hath the own voice, whereby it is known of God: Sometimes it requireth no other expression, but is content with sighs; and these sighs will break out, not only when we will, but also when we know not.

What more pleasant thing than to see God's people taught of him: All hearers are not taught of God, but only such as the unction teacheth. He speaketh to the renewed ear and heart , and the soft heart is only sensible of his working, and giveth him the Echo of his voice. When thou saidst, Seek ye my face, my heart answered, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. If he speak of sin, it groaneth under guiltiness, or praiseth him, if it be free. If he speak of wrath, it trembleth, and prayeth for averting. If he command, it prayeth for grace to obey. And as clean paper taketh the stamp of every type, so the soft heart is stamped with all his word, this is the writing of the Law in our heart. The pen is his effectual power; the ink his unction; the letters are God's properties, stamped on the powers of our soul; the words are infused habits; the lines are the lineaments of his image in righteousness and holiness. This is to hear to our happiness▪ when we hear in our heart, and there remaineth no more doubting. But oft times we know not what Christ speaketh, because we feel not what he feeleth.

If any think this beauty to be marred, because therein possibly are Hypocrites and Atheists, &c. I answer, that as there is a beauty of the universe which is not destroyed, but decored by some naughty things: for ill vices argue a good nature wherein they are, & manifest good things to be better by their comparison. By some things perfect, and some things imperfect, the universe is perfect. God seeth them as blots in the Sanctuary, without prejudice of the godly, who are his delight.

How Pastors are this beauty.

THe beauty of the sanctuary in respect of Pastors is, in their calling and work. Their calling is to stand betwixt God and man: They are God's mouth to the people in doctrine, and the people's mouth to him in prayer and praise. This is the only calling that teacheth man true happiness, that openeth the heaven, and leadeth him to it. All the body of the heavens is pure, yet the stars are most pure parts, receiving light from the sun, and rendering it to the world: So are Pastors among men, the light of the world, stars receiving light from God, and rendering it to others: They are as one of a thousand, to declare to man the righteousness of God; and their very feet are beautiful, because they bring good tidings to the world: God sendeth them not of indigence, but indulgence , as a more fit way to teach man, than either by himself, or by Angels: for man can peaceably receive instruction of man, but the glory of God, or of Angels, would overwhelm us. It is likewise man's trial, and the commendation of his Faith; for if we were taught only by God immediately, and not of man, there were no proof of our obedience to God's ordinance. Pastors then are a part of this beauty, when they stand between God, who heareth the prayer, and inhabiteth the praise of Israel, and are remembrancers to both.

The beauty in respect of their work, is as the mouth of God to the people, and their mouth to him: They are God's mouth in preaching, the beauty whereof standeth in the matter, & form, the diversity, & efficacy. The matter, that they preach Christ crucified, and happiness in him: That it be sound without error or heresy; and divine, according to Scripture. Mans mind inquireth a reason of all human verities; but when it heareth divine verity, it neither inquireth, nor examineth, but at the first resteth upon it with a divine faith. Therefore the Ancients in their sermons were exceeding sparing of human testimonies, and contented them with Scripture, because they knew, to do otherwise was to confound divine and human faith in the hearer: As now the Papists, who have equalled traditions with Scriptures, have brought their people, that they know no difference between divine and human truth, or betwixt divine and human faith, respecting both. When anything is spoken beside Scripture, the mind of the hearer will vage, but when God speaketh, all doubting ceaseth.

The second beauty of their doctrine is in the form, that holy things be delivered holily. As every science hath the own proper matter, so hath it the own proper form; and God's word which is holy hath the own pattern of wholesome words, wherein it should be delivered. If therefore we propone it as Orators in the school, or Lawyers, we spill the native beauty of the word. And this is it which the Apostle calleth, the demonstration of spirit and power: which is not so much to be expounded of an exact form of reasoning, as with a manifesting▪ and kything of a spiritual power in doctrine. Doctrine cometh of four special grounds: 1 Natural quickness: 2. Art and learning: 3. Diligence in industry, hearing, reading, collecting: and by grace in the inward teaching and inspiration of the Spirit. Now public doctrine is a kything how many of these, or what of them are in us. For a judicious hearer can well discern from which of these, one, or moe, or all, it floweth. And though we could rub the itching ear wonderfully, with the first, or the second, or the third, or all three of them together, yet if the fourth be lacking, it is not the Apostles demonstration of the spirit and power, but of nature and industry. This cometh of the concurrence of the spirit, who is first effectual in them by sanctification, and then effectual by them in a heavenly doctrine in the hearts of people. Then his Priests are clothed with salvation, and his Saints shout for joy.

Thirdly, the beauty of Pastors doctrine is in the diversity of their gifts: God's house hath people of all complexions, and his word hath a sufficiency to every man's condition. So wife Pastors propone it as milk for the weaker, and as strong food for the perfect: For they study not to their own vain honor and praise, but to the profit of their hearers. . God is not like Isaac that hath but one blessing, but out of his fullness, to some he giveth the gift of knowledge, to some the gift of wisdom; he hath given some to be Apostles, some Pastors, some Doctors, &c. and all to the edifying of the Church: but these two are most eminent and ordinary gifts, Knowledge and Wisdom. The first is doctrinal knowledge, preserving the purity of doctrine in the Church▪ The other is pastoral wisdom, dividing the bread of life aright, and applying it to the hearts of people; which Saint Augustine preferreth to the other, as far as the Sun is above the moon.

This cometh not only by ordinary teaching of men, and that measure of Instruction which the spirit giveth to everyone, but likewise by exercise of the cross and experience. For God schooleth some Pastors greatly in affliction, and that not only for their personal sins; (which they have as great as any) but also to make them fitter instruments to instruct and comfort others. For this cause Luther said, That a Theologue of affliction was a Theologue of light: and though it be no part of our Church trials of intrant Pastors, yet the consideration were profitable. For whether we be afflicted, it is for you, &c. For when, beside all human means without, or labor within, they are taught of God to know the vileness of their own sin, the deceit of their own heart, the weight of God's wrath for both, the terrors of an accusing conscience in all three, the horrors of spiritual desertion, the desolation and widowhood of the soul in such a case, &c. And on the other part, the freeness of God's mercy pardoning sin, the sweetness of the peace of conscience under that assurance, and joys of the holy Ghost, the sense of God's favor shed abroad in our hearts better than life, and the complete happiness of the soul, under sense of the presence of a reconciled God. With this furniture they are made the more sufficient in those practic points (wherein the life of Christiaanitie standeth) to speak as men, who have learned by exercise and experience.

This experience bringeth three things: First, a sort of obligement to communicate it according to our calling. Secondly, a lively speech. Thirdly, authority in both. Obligement, because we get not experience for our own private use, but to make others better thereby. Come children, I will teach you the fear of the Lord: And, Come, I will tell you what God hath done to my soul. Let men confess before men the goodness of the Lord: And he glorieth in it, that he hid not God's goodness from the great congregation. Such communication of experienced men is profitable, for thereby people come easily to the knowledge of that which otherwise they could not learn without great exercise . And among other causes why God afflicteth Pastors grievously, this is one, both to furnish them with a body of experimental doctrine, and to bring the people easily to it by their communication.

Next, it furnisheth them with a powerful speech. Our language is the daughter of our reason, and our style floweth from our complexion, education, and gift: and the gift is labored by experience. The spirit createth the species in us, the species give the notion, the notion gives the style to express itself . Every science hath the own matter and terms; so hath Divinity. The spirit, who giveth the matter, giveth also the style of language, and the door of utterance, comparing things spiritual with spiritual; and fitly to express divine matters in a divine style, is his gift. If we conceive things only by the mind, we may speak properly, but not affectuously, nor effectually: But if we take them in our affection, our style will be emphatick. No purpose hath need to be more pertinently expressed than happiness; if it be coldly and warshly proponed, it wakeneth not the affection: But if they speak who have found the sweetness of it, their words are vive lineaments, both of their affection, and the thing that hath affected them; so that the common saying is true, As is the knowledge, so is the expression.

The Apostle condemneth human eloquence, and not divine; and there is none comparable to Isaiah in eloquence; and the Scripture hath the own pithy phrase, without the flowers of human oratory. Men's words testify their gift, and the measure of God's working in them. Nazianzens emphatick words are sentences, and therefore is called the Theologue. Augustine in many places hath a pathetic style; and Bernard's style is full of affection and sense: and Calvin among the late Divines, like another Nazianzen, expresseth his deep conceptions in a pithy style. This is not only the language of Canaan, but also the masculous Schiboleth: their words have weight, and are as goads piercing the hearts of the hearers, and fastening them to God in the Sanctuary. This is the tongue of the learned (not of man, but of God) to speak a word in due season.

Thirdly, experience maketh them speak with authority. Christ spake with authority, and not as the Scribes. For the Scribes spake warshly, as men doing some other business; or as Boys in the school, rehearsing other men's inventions. But a faithful Pastor speaketh with authority. And that cometh of Conscience and Confidence: Conscience of their calling from God; of some competent furniture for the work, and of his presence with them in doing the work. Confidence of the warrant of their word from Scripture, and from experience that they find the power of it in their souls in private: We believe, and therefore we speak. This maketh them speak affectuously, uttering their very heart in their speech. Their heart is in their words, which go out with the weight of affection: They are moved themselves with that they say, when they feel the power of it renewed in them in public, which they felt in secret. But when a purpose (though both sound and divine) is rehearsed either from reading, hearing, or superficial thinking, there is not such union of the heart with the tongue, or the word with the affection; and so oft times as little union betwixt the word spoken, and the heart of the hearer. If any man would move his hearer, he must be moved himself; otherwise, how can they think that he believeth the thing he speaketh. Preachers are lights, and fires: they must have light and heat, if they would warm and lighten others: So then this experience of God's working, is his speech to their heart; and when he maketh them express it powerfully, they speak to the hearts of the hearers. When they speak to hearers that have experience, they are heard earnestly, but others judge of them according to their own disposition . This made the Ancients in their sermons to cry out, Give me one that thirsteth, and he knoweth what I say, &c. Want of experience maketh uncharitable carping.

Fourthly, the divine assistance is the beauty of their work: I shall be with thy mouth. If we consider only how so frail men, in so eminent a place, in the hearing possibly of some thousands, can deduce heavenly matters without kything infirmity, speaking to God and man in such sort, as the judicious hearer doeth confess. That God speaketh in them. For God hath chosen the most part of Preachers of the meanest sort of people, who possibly in common purposes can speak but little: But so soon as they stand up in the chair of truth, they are overshadowed with a wonderful presence of God, that maketh them speak with authority. But his assisting them to work the work of the Gospel, is far more, when they are workers with him, to beget children to God, to turn souls to him, to cast down in the conscience of sin, and raise up in the confidence of mercy: And though the fruit of the work dependeth not on them, for God hath put these treasures in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be seen to be of God, and not of man: Yet it is their glory and happiness, to be God's instruments in bringing others to happiness. They have his assistance first, because of their calling; for God is never lacking to his own ordinance: Next, because of their gifts, which are a greater token of his presence, than their simple calling: Thirdly, and most by sanctification, when they sanctify their persons and gifts for the work, and remove all things from them, that may either offend God or his people; and this is it, that disposeth them for the manifestation of spirit and power.

The ministration of Sacraments, is a part of this beauty: The first giveth us the life of God, the second nourisheth that life in us: The first meeteth us with provision at our entry in the valley of tears: The second strengtheneth us for temptations in it. Baptism is our first Sacrament, and scarcely are we borne naturally, when we are borne again spiritually: God's grace prevening our wit, our will, and our worth, and sealing us before we be sensible. It is a prevening of Satan's malice, to mark us with the seal of the covenant, ere he can abuse us to any actual sin. Therein great works are acted with little show; the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, is there represented: Our Justification, death, burial, and resurrection with him, are there acted. Therein the sons of Adam are made the sons of God: The children of wrath are made heirs of the kingdom of heaven. What grace from eternal ordained us, prevening grace as a midwife bringeth out. By our first birth we increase the number of mankind: By our second birth we increase the Church. The grace of election griped us in eternity; the grace of Baptism gripeth us in time, by the beginnings, and the grace of effectual calling, pulleth us fully to God. As elect children receive the seeds of grace in Baptism, so in time they break out fully in them. In our election, though we were in God, yet we were neither in ourselves, nor sensible of that his choising grip: In our Baptism we are in our selves, but not sensible of his working. In our calling both we are, and are sensible of the work of his grace in us.

The Sacrament of the Lord's supper is another part of this beauty: He gave us life in Baptism, and feedeth it conveniently in the Supper, as a life for eternity. He is both our life and the food of it: Neither can that life live without him, neither can anything beside him nourish it. It is a precious food, and dearly prepared. He prepared it on the cross, when he suffered the punishment for our sins, and giveth it to us in that Sacrament, as that Manna that tasteth to every man, according to his desire. He is with these mysteries, both sacramentally and spiritually, and with us spiritually, to make us one with him; not by mixture of substances, but by union of spirits; for our eating of him is our biding in him . To eat his flesh, and drink his blood, is not horror, but honor . Because we eat him spiritually, we need not prepare our teeth, but our mind, for it is not the food of the belly, but of the mind, and our believing is our eating: He both feedeth us with himself, and is fed by our profit and increase in his grace, refreshing us with his spiritual joy, and rejoicing for our spiritual profit . Our repentance, our love, and amendment, are his meat. We are eaten, when we are reproved: set over, when we are instructed: We are concocted, when we are changed: We are digested, when we are transformed, and united, when we are conformed to him . Then we eat him, when we dissolve in the sense of his love: When his heart sendeth out that love that pierced it before the soldiers spear: Then our heart is drawn to his, and sucketh his heart in us, we thrust the tongue of our desire into his wounds, & drink largely out of them: The mother suffereth not her dear babe more lovingly to lay the mouth to her pap, than he suffereth us to lay our heart to his: We see his heart more gladned for the glory of God in our salvation, than grieved for the wounds, and therein the love of God, who from eternal loved us in Christ to such a happiness. This is a drunkenness without sin, an excess without fault. He thinketh strange things, and seeth wonderful things, and speaketh unheard things, who is full of this Paschal Lamb, and of this beauty of the house of God.

Thus much for Pastors work, as they are God's mouth to his people. They are the people's mouth to God in prayer and praise, the two tables of God's immediate worship, and a great part of this beauty. In prayer all adore God as the fountain of happiness: Therein we acknowledge our misery in sin and punishment, and send up our faithful desire for pardon: Again, the good that we want, as holiness, righteousness, and happiness it self we crave in confidence. There is no part of God's worship, wherein we be more sensible of the Trinity: The Father as the fountain, the Son as Mediator, in whose hand we put up our prayers, and the holy Spirit helping our infirmities, and making us pray with groans that cannot be expressed. It is the sweetest exoneration of our heart, for when it is oppressed with grief, or bound up in the own hardness of senselessness; if we get liberty to pour it out before the Lord, we find a wonderful release, and God pouring in joy for the grief we poured out: In the multitude of the thoughts of my heart, thy comforts sustained me. It is a work of God's grace in us, for those whom he hath chosen, to them he hath appointed all the blessings that follow election, and so among the rest, he giveth them the spirit of prayer, to crave the performance of his promise: By his grace they draw near to that throne of grace, by the way that Christ hath made new by his blood; and Christ who purchaseth access, provideth also a success, to receive grace for help in time of need. The more we grow in grace, the more we are enlarged with confidence: Thereof it is, that we both love more ardently, and pray more confidently for that we want.

Privat prayers have greater liberty to feel and express these divine operations, and is the diet that most nourisheth us, but the prayers in the sanctuary have their great fruit: Therein all the prayers of the Saints are joined with us, to make an onset on God: This is an holy violence, wherein he delighteth. It was not a reproof of Moses, Suffer me to destroy this people; but a commendation of his zeal for God's glory in the salvation of Israel, and a professing; that he cannot resist the earnest prayers of his own. He is liberty it self, and yet willingly is bound by the bonds of his own making. For what is our faith challenging him of his promise, but his own grace in us, telling he is minded to yield, because he worketh in us that strength to wreastle with him, like Jacob, till we prevail: His Fatherly love that preveneth us with that disposition, meeteth us with the desire to answer.

It is most profitable even in this; that by our prayers we partake of all the prayers of the godly, that have been made from the beginning: God hath them all in register, and they are a treasure of the Church; but above all, the prayer of Christ, that gives life unto them: If therefore we put in our mite in this treasure, we have a right to the whole. Some have questioned of what thing men made most gain, as twenty, forty, fifty in the hundredth, but prayer exceedeth all, for we gain a million for one: Neither let us be discouraged if sometimes we find our prayers but faint, few words, no order, weak desires, and no satisfying of ourselves therein. For as a mother will sooner hear her sick babe in the cradle, and run to him if he begin to weep, than a stronger boy that cries strongly; so God is more near and ready to help, when we can scarcely cry, than when we find greater freedom. We please God best, when we please ourselves least, and we please him worst, when we please ourselves best: our cutted and broken desires are our voice , and these desires are as acceptable to him, as our long prayers. Oftentimes we come to prayer with a trembling and withered heart, but continuing therein, sometimes grace is suddenly infused, the heart is filled with joy, and we find the liberty we crave.

Praise is the other part of this beauty: The floods return to the sea, so should we give thanks to God, our Maker in creation, our Benefactour in providence, our Redeemer in Christ, our Rewarder in crowning his own mercies in us. That affection is dead that poureth not out it self wholly in thanksgiving: Therein people with heart and voice render him thanks: And with prayer it maketh up the sweet respect betwixt God and man; for in the first we pull down grace for grace, in the second we send up praise for prayers. In the first the sense of our misery filling the heart with grief, openeth it with a desire of relief; In the second the sense of mercy, filling the heart with joy, maketh it with an unspeakable delight, to thrust it self upon God. That heavenly thanksgiving, that closeth God's service, is some token, that people have gotten what they sought, and that God sendeth them away in peace with his blessing, pronounced upon them, as a seal thereof: It is the people's triumph over Satan, who is more grieved with the Saints praising, than with all the charms of his confederates.

Some have thought strange, why we are commanded by the Apostle both to pray and praise continually : But that continual is not, as though we should be ever in the action of prayer, or praise, which is impossible, but of our disposition and affection rising therefrom: That as we have rooted in us the affections of grief and joy, so when God sendeth grievous things, we should pray, and when he sendeth joyful things, we should praise. They stand well with our mixed state here, for there is no man who wanteth his own daily miseries, and so hath need to pray continually; and none wanteth his own daily blessings, and so hath cause to praise continually. Even our affliction is a secret cause of praise, for as it telleth God's love, and foretelleth the happy fruit, so God leaveth ever better behind him, than he taketh from us: For if he take away our health, or fame, &c. yet if he leave remission of sins, peace of conscience, &c. they are better than the blessings removed. Lastly, these two are mutual causes to other, for when our heart is soaped with sorrow, and tears run down our face, we have cause to rejoice in that disposition, as a special work of grace so bruising our heart. And in our greatest joy we have cause of sorrow: For while God is filling our heart with joy, yet at that time we will be grieved, because that joy will bide but shortly, and that on our default. For we can no more keep it, than a riven lantern can keep a candle in a storm, or a cold hearth a sparkle of fire.

This is the set debt which the Church acknowledgeth, different from all other: Civil debts oppress men, but this relieveth them: And the debt of sin maketh us weary and laden, but this easeth us. We owe a heavy debt to God's justice: It is first directing, & when we obey it not, turneth into a vindictive justice to punish us, and we lie under a double burden of sin and punishment, whereof Christ biddeth us pray for pardon: Forgive us our debts. But this is a debt to God's mercy, because it engageth us by blessings, so with new grace it helpeth us to pay that contracted debt: In other debts, the more we pay, the less is to pay; but in this, the more we pay, the more we owe, because the thing that we pay is a new gift of God. Thankfulness receiveth continually greater blessings, and the opened thankful heart keepeth God's hand and treasure open . We crave not to be freed of this debt, but to be drowned in it; so that we be not able to pay, till we be in heaven eternally. This life is too short a time, and our souls and bodies now, are ill tuned instruments to praise him: Here we have but beginnings and preparations of praise, for grief the basse-string of our harp soundeth now highest, but in heaven God shall take away that basse, and tune our harps like the harps of the Angels, when he hath wiped all tears from our eyes. Now Christ giveth us a prayer for the way, but then he shall put a new song in our mouth: New for matter, because Evangelical, not Legal: New for the form, because all joy without mixture of grief: And new for Indurance, because eternal.

Of this beauty of the sanctuary we may gather: First, that when the Saints are met with God in the sanctuary, they are the most beautiful congregations of mankind: Other meetings, as triumphs, coronations, &c. have their own show and glory, but nothing to this: Their expectation is more than their being, and their being evanisheth at the height. God is also in other meetings, but not so as in the sanctuary. For there he is as Creator ruling all things for this present life: But here he is as Redeemer, working true happiness in his children, that we may justly say, That his presence elsewhere, comparatively is a desertion to his presence in the sanctuary. His work in the sanctuary is the kernel, and his providence in all things is the husk and the shell. He hath more delight to see a penitent sinner mourn for sin, than to look upon all the glorious shows in the world. The good Angels frequent these meetings with joy, as the pleasantest sight they see among men: And the grieves they have to see the godly offend God, are mitigate, when they see these same saints in the work of repentance, and reconciliation with God. And the evil angels who compass the earth continually, make a pause, when they come to these congregations, as at their most doleful object: For then they see their labors destroyed in an hour, when God openeth the eyes which they have blinded, softeneth the heart which they have hardened, and delivereth them whom they have kept long in the bands of sin.

But all meetings may not claim this, but such only as have God's Word and Worship in purity, according to which this beauty is to be exponed. Let Papists therefore consider how far they are from this beauty. God's word is corrupted among them in such sort, that it cannot have that efficacy which naturally accompanieth it. They serve God in an unknown language, and know neither what God saith to them, nor they to him, so that they cut themselves off from the sweet intercourse of grace betwixt God and the godly soul, wherein reformed Churches abound. Their idolatry in praying to Saints as helpers, and intercessors, and praising of them (as their guardians and deliverers ) defile the sanctuary.

Thirdly, Congregations that seem reformed may prejudge themselves of this beauty, if they be not spiritually disposed; so that both Pastors and people may learn their lesson, to keep their part of this beauty. Pastors, that they strive to be Pastors whom God hath sanctified: That ere they come to the public, they be with God upon the mountain to get their commission of him, what to speak, and how to speak in his name. Eliseus sent his servant with his rod to the Shunamites son, but there was neither life, nor moving, wrought, till the Prophet came himself. We carry the rod of the word, but there will be no quickening, except God himself be with us. That they deal expressly with God, Who am I to carry thy message to thy people? for I am a child that cannot speak: Except thou go with me I cannot go. That they bring down from the mountain the written tables, and a shining face, and the testimonies of their conversing with God. That coming to the public they cast their shoes off their feet, because the place where they stand is holy ground. That they come in much fear and trembling, under conscience of the burden of the word of God. That they have their secret ejaculations to God, when they fall upon hard points. Tell me, Lord God, what I shall say to thy servants . That in all things they depend upon the divine assistance, for it is God alone that entereth in the heart : and he speaketh better that dwelleth within, than he that cries without . That they carry Aaron's garment, bearing their people on the breast-plate of their heart in love, and on their shoulders, in the care of their salvation. That they be taken up with the desire of God's glory, and their people's happiness, so that they care not what come of themselves, if they obtain those ends.

That they count their people's tears their glory, and seek more their mourning, than their applause ; and whatever blessing follows their labors in working grace in the people, that they take no part of it to themselves, but ascribe it wholly to God. So the Apostle, I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which is with me. John the Baptist rejoiced in Christ, and not in himself: He made difference betwixt him and man-man, and betwixt his master, who was Man-God: He knew that who will rejoice in himself shall be grieved: and therefore he took no more to himself, lest he should lose that that he received. So ought Preachers to do lest they glory in the Lord's gifts; and not in the Lord. But if they neglect the rule, and propone novelties beside, or contrary to Scripture, taking liberty to preach in public their private new opinions: if they preach themselves to show their quickness, their reading, their memory, and that only for a popular applause; they are not beauty, but blots of the sanctuary, and abominations before God. And though they be free of these things, they may fall in a worse, if seeing their labors fruitful in people, they take the glory of it to themselves in any part: then they steal the glory of God, procure his desertion to their future labors, and prejudge themselves of their own happiness. Besides, passionate Pastors are worse in the sanctuary than Hophni and Phinehas, they have no end but revenge, no rule, but spleen, and neither regard GOD, nor reverence man: There cannot be a greater blot in the sanctuary; thereby God is angered, people are offended, the sacrifice of the Lord is made to stink.

Next, the people's duty is, to keep their part of this beauty: That they count it God's great mercy who speaketh to them by Pastors, not for the help of any Creature (because he is omnipotent) but for accommodation to their weakness: And it is their great good, that without their own labor they are brought to happiness by the labor of Pastors. In their preparation, to be purified according to the purifications of the Sanctuary . The measures of the sanctuary were the double of the common measure, therefore the disposition for private worship must be doubled for the Church, and the week days measure must be doubled for the Sabbath. Our Sabbath hath the Manna doubled, and is not like the Jews Sabbath in the wilderness, theirs was a type that in heaven we should need no preaching nor prayer, but ours is of perfect glory in heaven. People then ought to be affected according to the parts of God's worship: In prayer, that the mind in faith and zeal, follow the thing that is spoken: In praise, to be sensible of the Psalm they sing; for praying or praising with a wandering heart is a mocking of God in his face: In doctrine, that they have their cjaculations for the work of the spirit, and their earnest intention for themselves and the Pastors : That they mixe faith with their hearing, and be as content to be rebuked of their sin, as to be comforted in their cross; if they suffer not themselves first to be hewn and wounded with the word of reproof, God will not pour in the balm of Gilead: And above all, let them be earnest with God, that his spirit may teach them inwardly: For many hear, but all are not persuaded, save those only to whom God speaketh inwardly : Lastly, that they take heed how they end that Treatie with God; for it were a blockish thing for a man who is in danger of his life, or state, if his party call him to a frindly Treatie, and he be so senseless that he knew neither if he met with his party, or know not how they began, proceeded, and closed their Treatie: So are the most part of us, we come to the Sanctuary, the Lord's trysting place, and when we come home, if any would ask us, Did you meet with God in his house? Was your treaty in the terms of peace? And was it closed with this, Son, be of good comfort, thy sins are forgiven thee? We would answer with the Disciples at Ephesus, We know not if there be such things or no.

Lastly, Nations or Cities who have this beauty of the sanctuary, should keep it carefully, for it is their glory. And this is our advertisement, that we keep this precious thing, that God hath committed to us: For we may affirm, that God hath blessed us with a body of as sound and wholesome divinity, as any age or nation since the Apostles time. No Church is absolutely perfect, yet in this point, we may contest with the best. For in former times Satan busied the Church with heresies, as the Ebionites, Marcionits, Sabellians, Arians, Pelagians, &c. And when these were damned, Antichrist amassed them all in one under other terms, and making thereof the body of his Apostasy, obtruded them to the Church, under the colors of his authority and infallibility. And when God led his Church by his Worthies, the Reformers, he blessed this Nation with a body of most refined Doctrine. If we keep this in purity, it shall be our happiness: But if liberty of private opinions, turn in a liberty of public venting these opinions, and to turn us to Rome again, then altar against altar will deface this beauty of the sanctuary. Hold fast that thou hast till I come, that no man take thy crown from thee. Politicks (like Gallio) care not for these things, but the safety of the common-wealth consisteth in happiness , and that same that maketh a particular man happy, maketh a City happy also. The last day will prove this, when the sheep on Christ's right hand shall be gathered out of Nations and Cities, who had the beauty of the sanctuary in the doctrine of happiness in the Gospel: But all other shall be ranked with the goats.

That I may see.

WEe have heard of the beauty of the Lord in the Sanctuary, wherein happiness is offered to us: followeth the application, whereby we apply it to ourselves, set down in this word ( to see ) which hath a general and special consideration. In the general it signifies with the Hebrews all sensing, because it is the most excellent sense. So it is put for hearing: I turned to see the voice, that is, to hear the voice. God hath bored through our bodies with five senses, that our souls might have intercourse with the qualities of his creatures, in their color, juice, smell, &c. And spiritually for our fuller joy, offereth himself to be the object of our five spiritual senses. So we see him in his works, we hear him in his word , we taste him in his goodness: We smell the fragrancie of the grace of the Gospel: We touch him, to draw virtue out of him with the diseased woman, and with Thomas to call him our Lord, and our God. Therefore hearing is not here excluded, but included as the fittest sense for spiritual things , for faith comes by hearing, and it is a preparation to the spiritual sight : Hearken Daugter, and behold: As we have heard, so have we seen. It supplieth the weakness of our sight in God's works. In them we see his power, his wisdom, &c. But in the Word, we hear of Christ his coming in the flesh, our redemption and reconciliation in him: It is also a more common way to learn, for mo can hear than can read, and the most fit way to receive heavenly things, which are revealed in the audible word. It is also surest, to keep us from idolatry, for though spiritual things cannot be represented; yet some have attempted to do so in images, but when they are explained by words, there is no such danger : We only hear the voice, but see nothing. Lastly, we were lost by Eva's hearing of the Serpent, therefore God will wound Satan with his own rod, and save us by that sense whereby we were lost; we are saved by faith , and faith cometh by hearing .

The special consideration goeth in seeing and fruition. This seeing is not bodily, but spiritual: For as the object is, so must the sense be. There have been great disputes concerning the seeing of God with our eyes: but let us stand to Scripture, That God dwelleth in the light inaccessible, whom none hath seen nor can see in their mortality , yet afterward, we shall see him face to face, and shall know him as we are known. But for this life, though none have seen him, yet his only begotten Son who came out of his bosom hath revealed him to us, and that both in himself who is his eternal and substantial word , and the engraven form of his petson; and likewise by the word that he gave to his Apostles. In like manner our happiness in the own fullness, the eye hath not seen , nor hath the ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to think upon; yet God by his Spirit revealeth to his own in the first fruits, and earnest. God hath created the new man in his own, and furnished him with spiritual senses: His sight is the mind enlightened with heavenly light, when God, who commanded light to shine out of darkness, shineth in our soul by the Gospel of grace: When he hath created this light in us, then in his light we see light . This illumination of the mind turneth in faith, when the things we simply see by light, we assent unto and apply them to us as our own, and so go forward in the application of happiness to ourselves.

No light discovereth the Sun, but the light that cometh from it, and no light discovereth God, but the light that cometh from him, and that so clearly, that it pulleth the heart to him, and true happiness in him. Our happiness is in union with God, and the main bands thereof are the spirit on his part, and faith on our part. Faith standeth not at sight, but goeth on to apprehension: our assent tieth us to him by the mediation of his truth, but our apprehension gripeth himself immediately, as one who is truth itself, and in whom all things are good truly and infinitely, so that our trust in God may be called a thrusting of our souls on him. The diseased woman was not content to look upon Christ, but would likewise have virtue out of him by touching. What is this, said one which shineth within me, and smiteth my heart without hurt; so that I both tremble and burn? I tremble, in so far I am unlike him; I burn, in so far I am like unto him : This sight terrifieth not, but comforteth . It is the sight of a reconciled God by a reconciled man, the matter of his presence here, and of our heaven on earth. There is no light clearer than this, when truth shineth in the mind, and the mind in truth seeth God and it sel • e .

Herein appeareth the Prophets happiness, that seeking out happiness, and knowing what it is, and where it is to be found, he resteth not there, till he apply it to himself. Happiness may ever be happiness, and we remain miserable, if we have no part in it. God is happiness in himself without us, and we are misery in ourselves without him: therefore we must be in him, that we may be happy. And this is by application, when as we know he is chief good, so we are persuaded that he is our chief good and happiness. This is the proper work of faith in her double persuasion. The one direct, and outgoing to the truth and things themselves: The other reflecting and turning home to us by the work of our conscience, in the assurance that we believe, and that these things are ours by faith.

Papists are here blame-worthy, who cut the throat of the sweetest Christian consolation: for what availeth it to hear that God is good, that happiness is in him, if we dare not, and may not apply it to ourselves? And this is the end of God's dispensation of the Gospel; for he revealeth to us that we may know, and the first end of knowledge is application: It is also the end of the efficacy of the Spirit, joined with the word, not to open our minds only to know, but also to apply to us. And shall we think that the blessings of the Gospel are set before us only to look to without application? It is the food of our soul, and must be eaten: The clothes of our soul, and must be put on: The physic of our soul, and must be applied: So is Christ to us. The Apostle is not content to say, that Christ came in the world to save sinners, but subjoineth of whom I am the chief: And more clearly, Henceforth I live not, but Christ liveth in me, and the life that I live, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me, and gave himself for me. Ancient Creeds content themselves more to express things to be believed, (because of the debates of heretics in the matter of doctrine) than to declare the way how to believe, and yet this particular application may be found in them: for as we believe the spiritual patrimony of the Church in the remission of sins, the glorious resurrection of the body, and life eternal, is it only to know that there is such a treasure in the Church without application to ourselves? Or is an heir so simple, as to content himself to know, that his father hath an heritage, and is not at all persuaded that it pertaineth to him?

Faith acteth a personal act, and as the root of it is personal in the habit, so the fruit of it must be personal in the application of consolation. God's work is particular to his own, he chooseth them by name, he calleth them by name, as he called, Come down Zacchaeus: He casteth them down by the law personally; why should not the application of the grace of the Gospel be personal also? The nature and work of conscience proveth the same; for it is a withknowledge in our breast, and all the actions of it are particular, ending in our person: And it contenteth not itself generally to say, We are sinners, but choppeth us in a particular branch of a particular Law; and that in a particular kind of sin, in a particular degree. So it maketh us as particularly to apply the promise of the Gospel under conscience of repentance, as it applieth wrath under conscience of sin. And Christ commendeth the wiseman, not for finding of the pearl, but for buying of it; nor for knowing of the field where the treasure was, but for the possession of the treasure. Where this application is not, there is nothing but doubting concerning the promise: Probably they hold them as general in the conscience of sin, as they are in the promises of grace; and content themselves slenderly to think they are sinners, without any feeling of particular sins. Thus they delight to shuff • e themselves up in general, both in misery and happiness, and not to come to particular application of either: God's children call him Abba Father, for the divine nature in them, the sense of their filliation, and the testimony of the Spirit of adoption maketh them to do so, but the want of these things, make bastards and slaves to stand aloof from him, and not to think or speak warmely of him, whom they know not to be their Father.

None hath this sight in the sanctuary but the spiritual man: For he only hath the heavenly light infused in him, which is as necessary, as the external light in the eye for bodily things. For the mind, and not the eye, is created to behold that greatest beauty of God: And they live the better and more highly, the more perfectly they behold him . The natural man percieveth it not, but thinketh it a fantasy that is spoken of it: They see not God but men, and the actions they see, are both base and a burden to them: The Philosophers called Paul a Babbler, because his doctrine was not in a Philosophic form; and Festus said, that much learning made him mad ; so the natural man conceiveth not the things of God, because they are spiritually discerned: None conceiveth these things, but he that is wise spiritually; for the world cannot receive the Spirit, because it seeth him not . But the spiritual man discerneth all, he seeth the glory of God in his sanctuary, discerneth the spiritualitie of doctrine, feeleth the power of the spirit, and so wisdom contemned of fools is justified of her own children. He who feeleth not the sweet smell of the spouse, and runneth not, is either dead or rotten .

Let us then strive to see God. This sight shall be our happiness in heaven, and the godly are desirous of it in this life, for they will see nothing more desirable, and can see nothing more dilectable : Moses desired to see his glory, but was refused, and saw only his way. Isaiah saw him symbolically, or significatively: And though he datted the Patriarchs by the familiarity of his divine presence, yet they saw not himself, but something of him . For these Fathers saw him not as he was: And that because to see him as he is, is to be as he is; but we have that much sight of him in Christ as to save us, for he that seeth me, seeth the Father also. To have this sight we must be pure in heart, blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God: For God showeth not himself to the unclean: We get this purity by renovation, and being defiled by sin, we purge our hearts from every evil conscience by repentance: thereby we both may, and dare draw near to the throne of grace in Christ, and look on God, without whom he is a consuming fire. The wicked never have this sight, they shall see him in the sign of his power, but never in his glorious form: Neither have all the godly it alike: Neither any one godly man hath it alike at all times.

Of fruition of God.

THe second thing is Fruition; the fruit of the former sight, and the real possession of the chief good, and so our happiness in it: This no tongue can teach but grace , and they who have it, cannot satisfy themselves in explication of it, for it is better felt than described: Yet we may call it with some a possessing of God, or to have him ready at hand . But we shall consider in it two affections especially, Love and joy: The first is our inloving, the other our enjoying of him, and they go together, and carry our souls with them on a good present and possessed. Love uniteth us to God, and turneth all our affections to it , and with it to him: It is both the contract and embracements of Christ, it is our worthiness, and our reward: Our merit, because he loveth that his own gift in us, and our reward, because so he followeth his former mercies in us. It is most pleasant to our selves, because it maketh the soul to rest sweetly on a present and eternal good: Even the desire of a good to come, hath the anxiety of delay, but love hath it present. It layeth not a part of the heart on God, but all; for that is his due, Love the Lord with all thy heart: neither will the heart rightly affected with him divide it self, but seeing and feeling his goodness as he draweth, so it yieldeth wholly to him, and desireth to be out of it self, that it may be in him. Love is that only motion or affection, whereby we dare give God a meeting: If he be angry, we dare not be angry at him, but tremble and repent: If he rebuke, we dare not rebuke him, but deprecat his wrath: If he judge us, we dare not judge him, but justify him in his judgments. If he command, we dare not command him, but in all humility obey him. But it is contrary in love, for when God loveth us, he seeketh that meeting to be loved again, for he loveth us, that we may love him.

The second part of this fruition is joy, when the soul overjoyed with God rejoiceth in him. It floweth from love; for when God hath filled our heart with the infusion of his love, and made it to pour it self on him, by loving him with all our heart; Of the sense of these two loves, followeth a new infusion of joy, whereby it rejoiceth, that it is beloved of God, and bestoweth it self in loving him. Love is the work of our soul, in our dearest chief good about happiness, and joy is the fruit of that work, and the rest of our soul resting sweetly in the possession of him whom it loveth: and they are both mutual causes and equal. Mutuall, because the more we love God, the more we rejoice in him; and the more we rejoice in him, the more we love him, as the matter of our joy: And they are equal, because in that same measure we rejoice in him, in that same we love him. This is a joy unspeakable and glorious: Unspeakable, even of those that have it, for if they press to express it, their words are less than their thoughts, and their thoughts less than the sense of it, and their sense less than it self: And therefore their usual expression is in secret with God, to pour out their heart in that joy, which they cannot express to man. When God infuseth it, the heart cannot comprehend it fully, but is like a small vessel, filled and overturned with a greater measure of liquor than it can contain; but it turneth that overrunning on God, and findeth that the best containing both of it, and that joy, is to be contained of God. It is also a glorious joy, or glorified, because it is the first fruits and earnest of the joys of heaven, and all worldly joys are as short of it, as the smoke of flax to a great fire.

Hereby are cleared both the spiritual • atietie and excess. Spiritual satiety is that heavenly drunkenness, or inebriation of grace, wherewith God filleth his own. They shall be satiat (or made drunk) with the fatness of thy house. This is not of wine, as the Jews blamed the Apostles , neither of malice that Satan poureth into the heart, neither of worldly cares, which come of the wild grapes of human condition, but it is of drunkenness of the wine of grace, which floweth from the fullness of Christ, and is put in new vessels. This S. Peter granted for himself and the rest, we are not drunk with wine as ye think , but with a better liquor, the graces of the Spirit, that came down abundantly on them: And be not drunken with wine wherein is excess, but be fulfilled with the Spirit. This is that satiety, that cometh of the fat things of the ho • se of God, and of the rivers of his pleasures or Paradise: what are these fat things, but the fatted calf Jesus Christ, who is daily crucified in the sanctuary in the Gospel, and that for Raritie, Excellence, and Sweetness? Raritie, because none but he: Excellencie, because none like him: And Sweetness, because he fully delighteth the soul, which by the faith of his incarnation and passion, &c. applieth him to it self: Here is Samsons riddle: Out of the laborer came meat, and out of the strong came sweetness. Who labored more than he, who trode the winepress of the Lord alone? And who stronger than the Lion of the tribe of Judah? And what sweeter than that honeycomb sticking in his bowels, that is the fruit of his obedience for us, springing of his incomparable love? This made the Greek Church to call it a monster of love The wicked go by, and search not his bowels for this honey, but the godly take it out and eat it, yea the wicked can lick the dew off the rock, but cannot suck the honey out of it ; but the godly by the mounds of the rock, thrust their believing and loving hearts into his heart, and are satiat with that love of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, which they find there. This is to be filled with marrow and fatness, who receive largely of that unction, to make us fat and flourishing in the body of Christ.

Spiritual Excess is, when God so communicateth himself to the soul, that it exceedeth the wonted disposition, and is carried out of it self to him: The excellency of the object, and singular sort of working, maketh this unaccustomed sweetness; for ordinarily we can comprehend our disposition, but when he transcendeth our ordinary diet, we must gather our wits afterward to consider the matter: In our wonted diet the spirit can bide in it self, though with reference to God, and by the way can move our body in natural and civil actions: But when this excess cometh, the spirit is pulled out of it self, and the body feebled: So the Apostle knew not whether in the body, or out of the body, because of the excellency of revelation; so Daniel's body was feebled, because of the separation of the spirit taken up only with heavenly things: For the soul in any degree of that excess, doeth not furnish power to the body, but turneth it in half a carcase. It is good that the body find sometimes this feebling by the vigorous work of the spirit, because the vigor of the body, often feebleth the spirit. Though they both make up one person, yet they have but a discording concord, and do not ay agree upon a common joy and grief. By this feebling, the body resents its own mortality, and findeth that verified, That no mortal man can see God and live; and therefore is moved to long for immortality, that it may joyfully brook the fullness of that joy, whose first fruits do so affect us.

But this is not oft to be found, no not in the best: It is but as a sun-blink in the mids of storms, that cometh rarely, and bideth shortly. God offereth it but rarely as a delicate, lest we should think, that it came of our own deserving or working; or lest the frequence of it should take away the sweetness or accompt of it. And he giveth it for two special ends: The one, to refresh us after great afflictions or desertions, when we have been striving with hardness and witherednesse of heart: But so soon as his spirit rusheth on us, with that holy and heavenly satiety, like the woman delivered of a son, we forget our former sorrows, because we have found him whom our soul loveth. The other is, to strengthen us for some great temptation, like Elijah's double supper: But come what temptation may, better to find that furnishing, than to want it.

It hath also a further reach than for the present time, for it leadeth us back to eternity, and maketh us feel ourselves in God's electing love, whose infallible fruit we find in so full infusion of his love. Next, it leadeth us foreward to glorification, and these joys assure us, that as now we have these first fruits, so eternally we shall rejoice with God, for it is not as the small and warsh taste of the temporary Christian, as a drop; but the full measure of God's children, as the outbreaking of a fountain. It reacheth also to a higher place than the sanctuary, for under this satiety we are in heaven with God: For as he boweth down and kisseth us with the kisses of inspiration, infusion, and delight, so we ascend to him in heaven, and the soul is more there busied, than the body in the sanctuary. This is also to assure us of life eternal, for God never bringeth any to heaven, but sometimes in this life he giveth them a taste of it by some transfiguration on the mountain: He hath promised it, and Satan would make us think his promise but wind, therefore he giveth us such real beginnings, to assure us of the truth, and to persuade us of the fullness of it in heaven. For it is not a divided, but a continuat thing, like a chain that cannot be broken, so that he which getteth such beginnings, shall also get the perfection. Lastly, it is to destroy the love of the world, for the world will never be great in his eyes, who hath seen God; but the loathing of the world, and the love of God will grow in his soul by equal degrees.

The soul thus filled with love and joy, is full of God, and under that disposition cannot be wrong charged to any doing or suffering for him: For the sense of Christ's love maketh his yoke easy , & his burden light. That love constrained the Apostle to diligence, and the nativenes of it seeketh out ways to honor God. The Martyrs were thereby moved to misregard their torments: For as a drunken man neither heareth nor seeth what is done beside him, so when their wives and children wept on them, that they would pity themselves; they neither heard that diversion, neither the pain of the torments. And the Apostle met tears, with What do ye weeping and breaking my heart? I am not only content to be bound at Jerusalem, but also to die for the name of the Lord Jesus. On this excess Moses desired to be cut off, and the Apostle to be accursed for his brethren. The love of God made them forget themselves with an holy oblivion: But it was their best remembering of themselves; to hold them fast in straitest union with God.

Hereof four things arise: 1. The agreement of sight and fruition. 2. The completeness of God's beauty in the sanctuary. 3. The difference of religions; 4. And of worshippers in the true religion. 1. Sight and fruition go well together, as the double spirit of Eliseus, for the illumination of the mind; and the purging of the affections complete the man: for the mind knoweth, and the affections will. Sight or light without fruition is fruitless; and fruition or affection without light is rash: Light first wakeneth, and then directeth the affection, to affect things in that order▪ and measure as it directeth: And the affection followeth to justify the truth of that light. Sight apprehendeth God as distant, but fruition enjoyeth him within, and ourselves in that union: the mind is more easily enlightened, than the affection bowed. The Disciples knew Christ was to depart from them, yet they were sorry for it, their will crossing their mind.

But fruition is better than sight, as Ephraim the younger brother was more fruitful and mighty than Manasseh. When God craveth the best of man, he biddeth him love him with all his heart: And the image of God consisteth most in righteousness and holiness, which are most in the heart: Knowledge maketh a sort of mental union, and yet the heart may hate that same thing it is so united to; but affection maketh a hearty and strong union, which cannot be broken. Knowledge is a great gift of God, but if men stand at it as their happiness, and advance not to fruition, they may be as hard in heart, and profane in life, as the ignorant. Satan hath his name Daemon from knowledge, because being a complete spirit, he hath both great knowledge by creation, and daily augmented by experience: but his affection is contrary to his knowledge, for he neither loveth the good, nor hateth the evil, he knoweth. We partake more of God by fruition, than by sight. To dispute of happiness with a frosen and cold heart, is great misery. Goodness is a special attribute of God, expressing that fountain; and he revealeth it, to make us good and happy in his goodness: and that is more in the conformity of our will and affections to him, than of knowledge alone. If it be true, that we know no more of God, than we affect him, then fruition is better than knowledge, which it both limiteth and exceedeth. Instruction maketh men learned, but affection maketh them wise. It is one thing to know, and another to possess: It is not the knowledge of riches, but the possession that maketh men rich: It is one thing to see God, and another to fear and love him. They may justly glory of their power in being the sons of God, in whom this sonly love burneth, and this affection liveth.

Secondly, the complete beauty of the sanctuary is God's presence, which maketh up all the parts of it. It is known in his working, wherein we consider four things: First, the efficacy: Secondly, the secrecy: Thirdly, the sensibleness: Fourthly, the discerning. His working in the Saints, is the work of his omnipotency, whereby he raised Christ from the dead; for it is called a new Creation, a regeneration, and the Hebrews call comfort the returning of the soul, as though grief had thrust it out of the body, but God by comfort brought it back again, as a sort of resurrection. And this is the power that goeth out with the word to make it conquering. for it returneth not in vain, but worketh the work wherefore it is sent.

Secondly, the secrecy of his work, which is hid ofttimes to those who have it: The spirit bloweth where it listeth: yea, oft times we apprehend the contrary; for his diet with the godly is to lead them to heaven by the gates of hell. For many a time he plungeth us in fearful terrors, but his work endeth in joyful comforts. So David is mourning in the beginning of many Psalms, the 6 ^th . 32. 51. &c. but in the end, he is rejoicing, and of a poor supplicant for himself, is turned an Intercessor for the Church. The child in the belly feeleth not his growing, yet he groweth, and the hand of the horologue is not seen in the moving, yet when it cometh to an hour, it is manifest that it hath moved. So the work of grace hath a growing in us though hid, and is manifest in some great degree of joy, or great grief.

Thirdly, the sensibleness of it, for we are both the object of his work, and reasonable and conscionable workers with him: Sometimes we feel the work, but know not the Author, as the disciples going to Emmaus felt their hearts burning: but knew not it came of Christ. Sometimes we know the author, as Elizabeth knew the presence of Christ to be the cause of her joy at the blessed Virgins salutation. And the fore-runner springing in her belly, testified that he was spiritually sensible of his masters presence, before he had the use of any bodily sense: So the new man in us, when he is not oppressed with senselessness, leapeth for joy at the voice of Christ.

Fourthly, the discerning of it goeth in three: First, for original: That it is a divine power; though it specify it self in our disposition which is human, yet it self is merely divine: Secondly, in the force, for it worketh infallibly in the Elect. Omnipotencie admitteth no resistance, and man's will hath no loss, when the Creator of it maketh it free from sin: no, it is both the glory and liberty of our will, that God takes it in his hand, & boweth it what way he pleaseth. And God's best children endeavor to this as a perfection, who have their wills altogether conformed to the will of God; and that they can quite their own will, when they see his will revealed in his providence: so far are they from thinking their wills to be harmed, when they are determined of God. They strive to be like God's who stand out in the question of free-will against God, and are blasphemous while they affirm, That God worketh no more mightily in the elect, than Satan doth in the reprobate. But when we find his power to be such, that neither nature can imitate nor resist, then we acknowledge it is the finger of God in us. Thirdly, the fruits are a change and calmenes: The change is so sensible, that it argueth a divine power. For it goeth either from contrary to contrary, as from joy to grief, or from grief to joy; or if it abide in either of them it cometh in a greater degree than was immediately before. Yea, all in us feeleth that working; the old man to his wounding, and the new man to his strengthening. Calmenesse of spirit is the other fruit, whereby with some sweet astonishment, we rest in his bosom whom our soul loveth: Then we break out with this, or the like ejaculation, Who am I that thou rememberest me with the favor of thy people, and visitest me with thy salvation! that thou makest me see the felicity of thy chosen, and rejoice with the joy of thy people, and glory with thine inheritance! Who am I that thou discernest me, making me both see and enjoy thee in the sanctuary, and so to be a part of the beauty of it! Who can contain himself for joy, when he findeth that divine majesty incline himself to his weakness, and co •• down to so familiar and sweetest society ?

Hereof cometh the Christian true contentment. The world hath almost talked as much of contentment (the marrow of happiness) as of happiness it self, on these same grounds, in these same errors, & with the like fruit. For they sought it never in God, but in his gifts: They fastened not their souls upon the chief good, but loosed their desires upon every occasional good, and so they neither contained their lot, nor were contained of it. But increase of their lot inflamed their desire, and augmented their miscontentment: But true contentment is, when the soul findeth it self embraced of God, yea, and possessed of him; that it may say, The Lord is the portion of my inheritance; for it findeth it self contained of God, & is content to be so contained, which is properly contentment. As in it self it is so contained, so in all the desires, which run no ways out to other things; for it hath a spiritual delicacy, that being full of God, it counteth not greatly of other things beside. Therefore when the Prophet hath called God his portion, he said, his inheritance was pleasant to him: he found such contentment in God, that he saw nothing beside, that could so much as draw his vaging desire to it. He contemneth other things, and that not only which he might have, but what he would have, because these things do more hurt being obtained, than desired.

Thirdly, here is a difference betwixt the true and false religion. True religion presenteth the true God as an object of worship; an author of working, an opener of his people's eyes to see, a mover of their hearts to love him, and rejoice in him: So that both the union is sensible▪ and the communion flowing from it. False religion hath none of these: for idolatry hath no true God for the object, neither superstition (the false worship of the true God.) Let them pretend affection and zeal even to ecstacy, it is no better than the fury of the Baalites . The new Pelagians also deny any other working of God in the Elect than in the Reprobate, and grant no more than a moral suasion generally offering, but never moving the heart to receive: They hold God and man ever asunder; for they give man a beginning of good which he hath not of Christ. In the work, they make him his own discerner, and in the end exactour of his own due glory. But we should consider the Elect, as they are the lively members of Christ, and have right to the fullness of grace that is in that head, so that when God cometh down to work in the Sanctuary, he looketh not to the Elect as strangers, but as to the living members abiding in his Son, and therefore his Spirit communicateth to them both easily and powerfully, the grace that is in that fountain. This real union with Christ is better than their division: and they who will ever be divided from the chief good cannot intend to have happiness in him.

Fourthly, this putteth a difference among them, who are exercised in a true religion. They are not all alike disposed: some receive happiness with joy by that effectual working: others remain senseless in the hardness of their heart, which they have drawn on with the deceit of sin : Some again contemn the holy disposition of the godly: So Eli (albeit otherwise a good man) expounded Hannah's devotion at the first uncharitably: But though Eli mock Hannah's devotion, and the proud Pharisee disdain the tears of the penitent Woman , yet Christ both accepteth and defendeth her . No wonder, for this work is personal, and known only to them in whom it is. That white stone hath the name of Elect written on it, and none can read it but he that hath it; none is conscious of his estate in grace, but himself: Others, who have the like, can judge charitably, while they, who have not such experience do carpe and censure. This vilifying of the grace of God, is a policy of Satan; thereby he hardeneth natural men, and presseth to dash God's children from seeking, or uttering of that, which is so uncharitably censured. But grace guardeth them sufficiently, it recompenseth them largely, for that suffering doubleth their joy; and the conscience of it sharpeneth them to seek it the more . When wisdom is justified of her children, she justifies them the more: for their justifying of others, and erecting the throne of God in the soul by his approbation, contemneth the uncharitableness of man. Natural men will neither mourn at Christ , not dance at his pyping, yet they can mock such as sympathize with them both. They are like that Prince of Samaria, who saw the plenty, but tasted not of it, but was trod down by the press of those who desired that, that he distrusted.

Lastly, it is our duty to seek this fruition, and it is proper to man: for though other things be possessed of God, yet they possess not God, and this is our possession of him to enjoy it . And for this cause, beside the work in the sanctuary, in private sometimes to steal ourselves from ourselves, that we may be found in God . This self-stealth is our preservation, for we find ourselves more in him, than when we are in ourselves. This is a commendable theft, God commandeth it, and we glory in it. That that is stolen is safer than that which remaineth, and nothing is lost, but that which is not stolen. For, knowing of ourselves, we have need of a great custom and task to depart from our senses, and to gather our spirit in i • self . For if we exceed not visible things, we have not the eye of our mind fitted to behold things eternal: But when the soul hath gathered it self in it self it dare look to God . It is our grief to come back from such a disposition, as a man delighted with a palace desires not to come to the cottage where he was borne.

This is the presence of God with his Saints, whereby they solace their absence from him dwelling in the body. God commandeth it, Seek ye my face: The godly desire it, Thy face, Lord, will I seek; he promiseth it, I will be with him in trouble; and they boast of it, I will not be afraid, because thou art with me: They take the measure from some excess of spiritual fruition, and according thereto, rule their spiritual state: As a Man that hath leapen far, trieth his strength by equalling that leap; thereby they judge of their lot, which is the prosperity of their prosperity, the comfort of their adversity, their walking with God like Enoch, and their conversion in heaven, the awband of our corruption, and the spurr of God's grace in us. For no law, reward, or punishment, can so either hold us from sin, or draw us to God, as the conscience of God's presence. It is God's dwelling in us, and our dwelling in him, and our happiness and heaven on earth.

But let us not deceive ourselves in the conceit of this vision or fruition, except our lives answer to both. For this vision is true wisdom, which we both have and kythe, by the obedience of the commandments: And it is the law of God written in wise souls, that they live so much the better, when they behold him by understanding, and keep him by a godly life . Therefore let none boast of vision and fruition, who liveth not godly. All men would come to Christ, but few will follow him: All would enjoy, but few will imitate him .

And to inquire in his Temple.

THis is the last point of the Text, concerning our greatest care about happiness, to be searching continually, that we may persevere and grow therein. The first inquiry was to find out what happiness was, and where to find it. The second is, after we have obtained it, to go forward in the degrees till perfection. For, inquiry importeth more than finding: and prayer is farther off than obtaining. The order telleth us, that enquiring followeth beholding, and none do more seek God, and happiness in him, than they that see him. Desire of grace groweth with the growth of it. As the wretch wretcheth the more he is enriched, so the increase of grace augmenteth the desire of it. God's Church is busy, running to and fro seeking her beloved, when other companies seek their vanities. That heavenly affection setteth her on work, and the want of it made them idle. Peter and John were most forward in running to the sepulcher, because they loved him most; and Simeon came oftener to the temple, than others in Jerusalem, because he longed more to see Christ in the flesh. And it is ever seen, that they who have most knowledge with holiness, are busiest to seek the Lord. God is so glorious, and happiness is so sweet, that the more we see them, the more we seek them. And the nature of true grace is to be so allured; neither is there a better token of the liveliness of the new man, than to be set continually to seek his Creator.

The word ( inquire ) in the original pointeth also at the morning, because the Soul is then most fit for enquiring; and the Sun rising, raiseth all things up with him with their first and best actions, which at Even in his falling are not so. Wisdom also promiseth, that they that seek her in the morning , shall find her; and the light of the Spirit in the faithful is compared to the morning light, because Jesus Christ the Sun of righteousness hath brought a new light into the world after the Evening of Adams fall. Therefore in seeking happiness, we would be tymous in the morning of our age, and vigor of our soul, and not cast off that greatest work to old age. God biddeth us haste in the morning, but Satan biddeth us delay till the evening of our time: And he who doth so, what knoweth he, if he shall live so long? Or, if he do, he knoweth not, if God will continue the occasions of happiness with him: Or, if they abide, what knoweth he, if God will bless them? No, it is just with God to neglect them in their old age, who neglected him in their youth. Because I cried, and ye would not answer, therefore ye shall cry, and I will not answer, but laugh at your destruction. He who spendeth the morning of his age dissolutely, hath never earnestly thought of true happiness.

This word offereth three things to our consideration: 1. Our imperfection. 2. Our changeable state. 3. And the remedy of both, in a diligent inquiry. 1. Imperfection is in the best, for we are here not capable of perfection, because we have flesh mixed with the spirit, and are laid open to the continual temptations of Satan: This cannot stand with happiness; for in heaven neither can the sin of ill or temptation be admitted, neither can the chief good be lost . The most perfect after Christ confessed his imperfection; Not that I have already attained, or am already perfect, and that to the astonishment of the best . And here we know but in part, for where we know one thing, millions are hid from us; and that same that we know is more hid than known; and all our knowledge is but something of all, but nothing of all, but nothing of the whole: And the undoubted testimony of greatest knowledge, is the greatest conscience of ignorance: Take the knowledge of the best, it is but ignorance, confusion, and full of uncertainty. Therefore one crieth out justly, Woe to our straight knowledge, woe to the poverty of our understanding . If we look to God, how small is our knowledge; and though modestly we may search his will, but not curiously his Majesty, lest we be oppressed, we come but short. And in the search of his will, if we should study from 16. to an 100. year old, we would daily find matter of a new searching , albeit there is as much plain, as to suffice people to salvation.

The conceit of perfection is the greatest imperfection, and the greatest stay of proceeding: When men set up these two mountains in their way, of presumption, and vain glory, they leave off to go forward: For whither shall they go, who think themselves already perfect? The Jews had this, and would not submit them to the righteousness of God . The Papists have it, in their perfection obtained, or to be obtained, their merit, supererogation: and all vented in the confidence they put in their merits. They who will not trust in God, will trust in themselves, and in their righteousness; which is a non ens, or rather their greatest sin. Pelagius had this pride, when he boasted, that there lacked not one to do the things commanded, but one to command more: But God hath dauntoned that pride by the Law: And one hath answered them in the person of the Jews: Behold, fulfill the Law, there lacketh not one to command, but there lacketh one to obey .

Secondly, the imperfect measure we have is subject to change; and that because of the spiritual combat, of decay, defection, and desertion. 1. The spiritual combat proveth our weakness, the flesh continually rebelling against the spirit, so that the good we would do, we cannot do it, and the evil we would not do, we are forced to do: For though we were even now in some good disposition, yet the flesh, yielding to some temptation, casteth us down further, than we can arise in many days.

Decay falleth in the best and most wakrife Christian: For the knowledge that the mind hath laid up, the memory forgetteth; and the softness and tenderness of heart decayeth even in them, who labor on their heart continually: and that not so much by outward provocations, as by the inward deceit, and native backslyding of the heart it self. When a workman leaveth his work at evening, he findeth it in the morning in that same case, wherein he left it: But if we lie down, with an heart softened with the sense of God's mercies, in the morning we find it oftentimes like a stone; grace is a stranger to us, and our nature at the best, giveth it but a step-mothers entreaty: it findeth opposition of our corruption, and therefore is subject to hourly decays.

Defection stayeth our proceeding in happiness. Every sin is a defection, and a falling from a better to a worse ; for it hath not only the double guiltiness of the blemish, and lyablenesse to punishment, but likewise crosseth the grace of God in us, as one contrary doeth another: And as in our youth, our food hath two works: One of sustentation, the other of adding a new substance; so when happiness is begun in us, we have need of double labor to entertain it. Satan rageth, and the flesh fretteth the more, therefore we have need of more diligence to resist them.

Desertion is most fearful, when we find not God as we were wont, and under that dreariesome widowhood of our soul, are put to that grievous task to seek him again, and to greatest necessity to find him. Sometime it is procured by great sins, as in David under his murder and adultery; sometimes by our negligence, as when we wax coldri • e in our devotion, and in well-doing in our calling: Sometimes it is supposed, as when a mother hiding her face with a cloth, the loving child thinketh her absent, and hath no rest till he see her face again. So is it in our supposed desertions: And according to the degree of God's presence, is the grief that we conceive of his desertion, which admitteth no comfort, but the sense of his presence again. The more gracious presence we have found, his absence afterward is the more grievous; for the withdrawing of the thing that we love, is the increase of our desire: And the thing that we most desire, we want it with greatest grief: But many of our desertions are more supposed than real: Marie Magdalene wept, because they had taken away the Lord, and yet he was beside her, and by his virtue made her to seek him, till she found him: So many a time we mourn for the want of God when he is with us, yea, it is his presence, that maketh us feel his absence: For we should not think ourselves without God, when we find him dwelling in our heart by faith: For he cometh when he is manifest in his working, and he departeth when he is hid in his working .

The best remedy then of these impediments of our happiness is, continually to inquire it, which standeth in three things: The fixing of the end; The forgetting of things behind; And advancing foreward. One thing I do, forgetting things behind, I endeavor myself to that which is before. The end is God himself, and our happiness as the praise of our high calling in his hand; Not that we love him for that reward, but he himself is our reward . This must be so fixed, as we neither change with any other, neither join any other to it; but as a mark we must direct all our thoughts, words, and deeds, respecting or using things only, as they can further us: Whether ye eat, or ye drink, do all to the glory of God. We must intend no other, nor no less, than this end, like the spouse who craved not to be admitted to the kiss of Christ's feet, or of his hands, but of his mouth. Travelers are known by their journeying, and the Jews knew that Christ was going toward Jerusalem, because his face was that way. So if we mind toward heaven, we must walk through the world as strangers , not resting upon the things of the way. God in heaven, with the prize of our high calling, must be so in our eye, and in our heart, as to draw the course of our conversation toward them, so that all that look upon us may say: That they see our mind is toward Zion. Cain built a City, because he sought his happiness on earth, but Abel built none, because he looked for a biding City in heaven. The vessels of wrath, and citizens of the earthly city sticking in that corrupt mass abide on the earth; But they that are separate are burgesses in the city of God: And though Cain called his city Enochia, as though he had found rest; yet he was but a vagabond: For strong walls are but weak defences against an evil conscience.

Secondly, a holy forgetfulness of by-gone degrees of happiness; yea, though they were excesses or satieties, we must pass them as degrees, and not stand upon them as perfections: For so long as we seek, not being satiat with the fullness of the fountain, we are not come to our full measure: God giveth us divine virtues, that here we may live a godly life, and afterward receive full happiness. While we are proceeding in the way, we count these degrees perfection before we come to them; but having attained them, and comparing them to perfection it self, we find them as far less than it, as they are greater than our beginnings. A weak spirit sitteth down upon some taste of grace with admiration, and thinketh that there is no greater degree, and that none hath the like: But a masculous spirit, while it is advancing in greater degrees, is mourning for the weakness of grace. This breedeth in the best an earnest desire of more , which is both a seal of the spirit, when we can desire fullness; and a token of a growing happiness, because the hunger of grace is a testimony of tasted grace , and God respecteth our desire, so that he accepteth the very desire of a desire .

Thirdly, advancing in grace to the end: For we get not perfection in an instant, as Adam in creation, and the thief at Christ's right hand in regeneration, but we must come to it by degrees: both that God's work and ours may be the better discerned; and that we may count the better of any degree of happiness when we find it. Yea happiness it self drawing, and the new man in us thrusting, maketh us advance: For the greatest satiety of grace bringeth not a loathing, but sharpeneth the desire the more. And such is this delight that we have in this beauty, that it is ever present, and yet never satiateth, yea it will ever satiat thee, though thou be never satiat : As in natural motions, the nearer to the end the faster; so here in this native motion of grace, the nearer to perfection, with greater desire and zeal, we are carried toward it. Christianity knoweth no motion, but foreward or backward, and no standing still. We are like men rowing up against a strong river, if they slack their oars for a moment, they are carried more down, than they can ascend for a long space: S. Peter upon the mountain thought he craved perfection, but it was his imperfection; for if Christ had bidden on the mountain with him, beside the frustrating of God's purpose, and the salvation of the Saints in his death, S. Peter himself could not have been saved. The more we inquire, the more we shall know God; The more we know him, the more we receive him: The more we receive him, the more he seemeth to grow in us, but he groweth not in himself, for he is perfect. If thou knew a little yesterday, thou shalt know more today, and much more tomorrow: For all the life of a good Christian is an holy desire. But we see not as yet the thing we desire, but yet by desiring thou art made capable of it, that when that thing cometh which thou desirest, thou mayst be perfected. For as a man enlargeth the lap of his garment, that would receive some great thing: So God by delaying enlargeth our desire; and by desiring enlargeth our soul; and by enlarging maketh it capable to receive our perfect happiness.

This is a ground for the perseverance of the Saints, because God hath entered them in happiness; and by his Spirit leadeth them on by degrees, to work out their salvation in fear and trembling. They may fall into great sins, but neither fully nor finally: Not fully, because in their greatest fall they have both the Spirit, and the seed of God in the habits of faith, love, &c. albeit the work of the Spirit, and of these habits do cease, during the time of their impenitence. So David desireth the restoring of the joys of salvation, while in the mean time, he craveth a retaining of the spirit. That retaining imported that the spirit was still with him, and that restoring, imported his wonted joys wer • stayed. Neither can they fall finally, because th • Lord in his own time raiseth them by repentance, as Peter and David, &c. But Scripture and reason prove the same clearly. I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will never turn away from them to do them good, but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me: So Christ telleth, It is impossible that the elect can be seduced: and the Apostle Peter telleth, That we are preserved by the power of God, to that heavenly inheritance; so that God his preserving power maketh our perseverance. And no man (saith Christ) shall pull my sheep out of my hand. And because they except slyly: It is true that none can pull his sheep out of his hand, yet, what if the sheep depart from him of their own will? The Apostle meeteth, That neither life nor death, nor any creature shall separate us from his love; If no creature, then not we ourselves, since we are a creature : And the new heart, and the new spirit do promise the contrary: If God be for us, who is against us? For none can hurt us, but he that over cometh God, and who can overcome the Almighty ?

Reasons also taken from the persons of the Godhead prove the same. For the Father delivereth us to the Son to be kept, and presented blameless at the last day: The Son committeth us to the Father, and prayed for us that we perish not: The Father and Son commit us to the Spirit, to be led in our ways, who dwelleth in us, and in our seal, which cannot be broken. But in our time, God gave a fearful document in this question: For when one pressed to destroy the grace of perseverance, God let him fall from such grace as he had, to turn Papist, and of a professor of divinity, to become a lecturer of humanity.

Our late Libertines mock this doctrine. They profess a perfection in this life, and so deny the necessity of a gradual increase. They affirm, that the justified man cannot sin, and that God neither seeth nor hateth sin in them; That they need not repent nor mourn for sin, nor incite themselves to the obedience of God; That they need not pray, but praise continually. This is a refined extract of Satan, who as by the Pelagians he oppugneth grace by nature, so in them he destroyeth it in the name of grace; And under a conceit of singular grace, maketh them singularly graceless. They have carved to themselves an easy way to heaven by laughing and mirth, whereas God's best children find it a valley of tears. But their pretended perfection is found to be a presumptuous color of liberty to their flesh; for they are known to be more licentious in their ways, than they who groan under the sense of their imperfections.

The last degree cometh at death: Not that our happiness is suspended till then, for we are here preparing happiness, though we cannot possess it till death. Solons speech cannot abide an exact trial, for we are called to happiness even in this life: It is called a valley of misery, and craveth some solace by a begun happiness: And the scripture pronounceth in the present some men happy. Blessed is he whose sins are forgiven: And happiness is here begun in us; faith gripeth it in the promise, hope waiteth on it in the fullness, our desire longeth for it, and the beginnings of it self begin our profession. But after death all shall be perfected. This was the weakness of the wisest Pagans, when they had pleased themselves with their discourses of happiness, they could not endure the thoughts of death, but called it of fearful things the most fearful. They trembled at that, where they should find most comfort; and their thoughts of eternity were as confused, as their doctrine of happiness was false: And therefore could find no comfort in their evanishing. But the truth telleth us, that at death we end the valley of misery, and enter in everlasting happiness.

At death then our perfect happiness beginneth, and that in two: First, in removing all misery, or what ever imperfection; The other in completing happiness in it self. Our first misery is sin original, which God cutteth off by perfect sanctification. In our effectual calling, that cutting off beginneth and goeth on by degrees till death, when our last breath hath the last act of mortifying grace in the full abolishing of sin. Secondly, the abolishing of all guiltiness whatsoever, that we may be presented pure and blameless to him. Thirdly, we shall be freed from all tempters and temptations: Satan shall molest us no more: There shall be no need of an hedge to Job, neither shall wicked men by their example pervert us, or by their violence injure us, neither shall a deceitful heart deceive us anymore. Fourthly, we shall be freed of all affliction; we shall not desert God in sin; and he shall not desert us in his anger to punish us for sin: There shall be no more sorrow, nor fear, nor crying out, because these first things shall be ended, and God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes. Lastly, the mortality of this body shall end: It is so frail now, that hardly can we fit it to serve us in actions natural or spiritual, and is a daily burden to us, to keep it from sickness and inconvenients. And when it is under them, a greater burden to make it free: But when it shall be made a spiritual body, these things shall cease: Christ's death hath killed death, and his life is our life.

This is the consumption of the ills of our misery: Followeth the consummation of good things, that perfecteth our happiness: and these are first the ceasing of the means of grace, which are now necessary for the way; then they shall end, as having neither further work, nor use in us. So prophesying shall cease, and praying shall turn in praise: On our part faith shall end in sight; hope in fruition; desire in delight; and the beginnings themselves in their due perfection. 2. All goodness shall be perfected in us, according to our measure: our light perfect without ignorance or error; our love perfect without slacking; our will obsequious without rebellion; our affections straight without perversenes; and righteousness & holiness in our last breath shall be accomplished: and that last act of our regeneration shall bring forth the new man, and send him in a glorious liberty to God. And when our bodies have rested a while in the grave, till our brethren be perfected, they shall rise glorious, like the body of Christ. Our souls shall see God, as they are seen, and know him as they are known; Then we shall see his face, and his name shall be on our foreheads. The full happiness that we expect from God, is of God: neither expect we any other thing from him but himself. God shall fully possess us; we shall be perfect in God; and God shall be all in all: he shall delight to look on us his creatures, whom he hath glorified in mercy, and we shall delight in him eternally.

Therefore let true religion bind us to the blessed God, who is happiness it self, and giveth happiness to others, betwixt whom and our mind (whereby we know him to be happiness and truth,) no creature interveneth; and who hath given to some creatures so much happiness as they desire; to others as much as they can contain: He is that only God, of whom we are, from whom we departed, and to whom we were made unlike by our fall, and yet of his mercy he suffered us not to perish: the beginning, to the which we return; the form that we follow, the grace whereby we are reconciled; by whom as creator we live, and by whom being reformed, we live wisely; and by loving and enjoying of whom we live happily: even that true God, of whom are all, to whom are all; to him be praise and honor forever.