A Complete Body of Divinity

ERRATA in the PREFACE.

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SERMON, I.

THAT it hath been customary in the Church of Christ from the beginning, to drew up the main and most necessary points of Religion into a Method, which we commonly call a Body of Divinity, there needs no more to make it evident, but that of Paul in his advice to Timothy, 2 Tim. 1.13. Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. The great Usefulness of which custom is manifest, in that it is profitable for all serts of Christians. It 〈◊〉 of great use for Young ones, that they may be principled in the Truth, and preserved from being drawn away with Error; which is usually occasioned by a confused knowledge, and want of being well settled at first. It is necessary for Ministers of the Gospel, for their profitable Preaching, and help to reduce all their Doctrines, to the proper foundamental Article they relate unto. And for every Professor, it is exceeding advantageous, to help them in reading the Scriptures, and trying of Doctrines. The reducing these Heads or Articles into a Catechetical way, for the better institution of Youth, is of no late Original. The Primitive Church had it's Catechument, such as were questioned about the Matters of Faith distinctly, in order to their coming to the Lord's Table. Nor are there obscure footsteps for Catechising in the Scripture: The word translated Instructed, Luk. 1.4. signifies Catechised; the same word is used. Act. 18.25. Gal. 6.6. which word signifies a being taught the Rudiments of any Art whatsoever and is in the New-Testament applied to the first Elements of the Christian Religion. And that it is commonly received among Professors, appears in that all Churches in all Nations, and among all sorts, have their Catechisms.

THERE have been various Methods observed in the compiling of these Systems; But that which hath of late more generally of 〈◊〉 • amed among us, is that of this Catechisms. 〈◊〉 Exposition whereof having once, more glancingly gone over, for the help of Young ones especially; I shall endeavor in this second Essay, more elaborately to open; adding to the clearing up of the sense of the Doctrine, as there is occasion, the removal of Objections, and satisfying Cases of Conscience depending.

TOUCHING the Method of the Catechism in general, we may observe; That the Great Thing which all Rational, and Immortal Creatures have to be mostly inquisitive about, is HAPPINESS: The Substance of this Inquiry may be reduced to Two Heads, or gathered up in two Questions, viz. What is Happiness; and How may it be Obtained? So that the whole Doctrine hereto related, bares respect either to the End or to the Means. Happiness properly consists in our attaining of our End, and this is reached unto by a right using of Means suitable and proper. The End, though' it be last in execution, yet is the first in intection; and being that unto which the Means are to be fitted, is that which i • first to come into •••••• eration; because, the better that is known, the fitter we are to judge of the other. A Man cannot rationally tell what he is to do, until he first understand what it is for: hence therefore all Art: and Sciences are went to be defined by their END 〈◊〉 unto which, all that is delivered under them, is to be Reduced; and the dignity, worth or excellency of every Art, is thereby to be judged of.

THE Art or Doctrine, which we have now under Consideration is DIVINITY, or Religion: and not only so, but the Christian Religion, or that which is suited to direct and guide fallen Man to Glory. That there is such a Doctrine is not hard to be proved: for if there 〈◊〉 Happiness provided for fallen Man, there 〈◊〉 be a Way to bring him to the Enjoyment •• at; and consequently a Rule to set him in that Way, and conduct him in it, and that is Religion.

THE special Worth of this Doctrine, showing it to excel all others, discovers it's self in the End that it points Men to; and that is BLESSEDNESS, than which nothing can be more excellent or desirable.

THE First Question with is Answer is a •• y to all the Rest, because they refer to Divinity no further than they refer Hither: it is therefore necessary to state this Case rightly: for which purpose, I shall first take an account of the Thing armed at in the Question, and then proceed to give the Right meaning of the Answer.

First. In the QUESTION, we are marily to note what the Enquiry is about: And here are two Positions.

I. IT is about Mans END. Man is therefore properly & peculiarly concerned in it: It belongs to every rational Creature to know what he was made for, and what is his proper Work. Till a Work man knows his End, he cannot work prudently: for how should he be able to choose and use Means, except he know for what? The reason why the most of Men lead such foolish Lives, and do so many impertinent Actions, is because they know not what they live for, nor whereto their actions 〈◊〉 : And if they would be persuaded to 〈…〉 their Works with their End, they would 〈◊〉 call themselves Fools. Now when Man's END is inquired after, we are to observe,

• 1. Negatively, THE Question is not about that which the most of Men do practically make their End, or propound to themselves as their Design. The Design of Divinity is to tell us what is Right; and by that it gives us light to discover that which is Wrong. Fallen Man is therein unhappy, because he hath lost his Right End, and is fallen upon others, which are so various, that they are also endless, Eccl. 7.29. Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright: but they have sought out many inventions.
• 2. Possitively, or Affirmatively: THERE are three things especially intended in it.

1. WHAT is that End, which Man is by the Precept commanded to as 〈◊〉 at: Or, What it is that God would have Man to make his End? Mans being fallen short by • n, both not 〈◊〉 the Rule: his Duty still abides: the Force of the Command is not Elemented: whether he doth so 〈◊〉 no practically, yet it is his Duty to make this his End; God appointed him so to do, and it is his Sin to do otherwise; for which, reason those two things are put together, Rom. 3.23. For all have finner, and come short of the glory of God.

2. WHAT is that End which doth most properly fate the 〈◊〉 of Man? What is most proper and national for him ••• fo •••• ? and in the making 〈◊〉 whereof, be can end discover 〈◊〉 Wisdom? According So that, Job 28.28. And unto man he said, Behold, the jear of the Lord, that is Wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding. For, as when God wrought the works of Creation, he had a Design in every Creature which he made; so he therein displayed his Infinite Wisdom, in that he suited all the Creature Natures and Ends one is another. This then is •• e End which Man, if he knows himself, and his Natural Constitution, will propose to himself, as being made for it, and all his faculties were suited to it, before such time as Sin had depraved them.

3. WHAT is that End which, if attained by him, will make him Happy? Man is a Creature that was made capable of Happiness: which no other inferior Creature, can ever attain unto. Hence God was pleased to appoint him such an End, as in the attainment whereof he might be Blessed forever. Every other thing by reaching it's End, attains to it's Goodness; but Man by his, gains his Felicity: Hence that. Isa. 56.2. Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it: that keepeth the so • bath from polluting is, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. Jam. 1 25. But whose 〈◊〉 into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, be being not a forgetful hearer, but a 〈◊〉 of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. And if he falls short of it, he makes himself Miserable.

II. IT is Man's CHIEF End, which is here inquired after. The Question takes it for granted, that a Man may have Diverse Ends, which he proposeth to himself in his action; and that not only practically, through mistake, but lawfully and regularly. There are various Designs, and diversities of Operations which Man is appointed to: and hence there are divers Arts and Sciences, which he hath to guide him therein, and every Art hath its distinct End. But we are here given to understand, that Divinity or Religion hath its peculiar Glory and Preference, in that its business is to treat of Man's Cheif End. That a Man may and must have Divers Ends in his Operations, appears for Two Reasons.

• 1. Because there is many times a Subordination of Means: It is so in every Art: there being a great many Steps to be taken in the Way to that End, which is firstly and principally aimed at: Yea, Nature itself follows such an order Hos. 2.21, 22. A man doth one thing for another, and that for another; and so till he rifts in something, beyond which he hath no respect: which Subordination produceth manifold Ends; because that for which another thing is done, bears the respect of an End unto that which was done for it. Thus a Carpenter cuts one piece of Timber for a Groundsel, another for a Post, &c. though all be for the House.
• 2. BECAUSE a Man bears Divers Capacities or Relations, to which he is to refer his relative Actions, and to aim at the Discharge of them. A Man may be a Member of a Civil or Ecclesiaftical Society; and he is as such, to seek the Good and Prospenrity of that Society; and what he doth, as such a Member, ought to look that way. He may have the care of a Family upon him, to provide for, and discharge many Offices to; and hence must make that his End in many things which he doth: To this purpose is that of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 7.33, 34. Man hath a bodily Life to take care for, Food and Raiment to provide, and for th • s is appointed his Labor in his particular Calling; and he is to make it his next End, • ccl. 6.7. All the labor of •• m is for his month.

NOW among all these T •• ds that a Man propounds to himself, there is and m • st be One that is Chief; One that is presentable to all the rest, and bears the bell away from them: and the Reason is, because there is something that he was specially and ultimately made for: & will farther appear, if we consider what are the NOTES, by which our Chief End is •• be judged of, which are more printipally these Three:

• 1. THAT, in the Attamment whereof, a Man's Best and highest Good doth cousist. It is a Rule in Logic F • uit et B •• um conver ••••• r; the End & Goodness of a thing are the same. If then these be Degrees of Goodness in the things aimed at, there must be Degrees in the Ends: If one thing • e Better than another, & consequently if there he a Best, Good, there is a Chief End. For that which is Best, can be but One • and that there is so, is intimated in that of Christ, Mat. 19.17. There is none good but one, i. e. eminently, superlatively good; Goodness itself, compared to whom the Goodness of all other things disappears.
• 2. THAT to which all other Ends ought to serve, as so many Means: For that which is subordinate, always looks forward, and points to that which is supreme. That End, to which every other End pays contribution, and no farther truly benefits the Man, than as it helps him to the Enjoyment of that, is the Chief; and that there is such an one is certain. It is a received Maxim, that all Arts are Handmaids to Divinity; and what are they but Rules to direct Man how to attain his subordinate Ends? Man labors that he may eat. he eats that he may live: and if that be all his Happiness, merely to live, what is he better than a Beast? The Apostle plainly assures us, that there is One Point in which all Human Actions center, and that must needs be Man's Chief End, 1 Cor. 10.31. Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
• 3. THAT which is only an End, and not a Mean. All subordinate Ends are also Means respectively: as they look backward, they are Ends; but as they look forward they are Means: but that which is the Chief serves to no other. It is that in which Man ought to rest, and in the Fruition of it to count himself as happy, as he is capable of being made; he is to take it for his full Portion. So he, Lam. 3.24. The Lord is my portion saith my soul —. Such an End there must be, or Man can never be Blessed: because he could never come to his Resting Place, but must be left in a Labyrinth, and carried on in an endless Pursuit of Happiness.

HERE that Great CASE belongs, viz.

HOW stall a Man know that his Ends be Right?

THE foregoing Discourse well pondered, will give light to the Resolution of it; from whence may be gathered these satisfactory CONCLUSIONS. If our Ends he Right

1. WE have an End, which we pay the Respect of a Chief End unto. There is One so by Appointment: and except we look upon One as so practically, we must needs be in on Error. That Man that hath no more Love to nor is specially carried cut after One more than all other, hath no Chief, and therefore is on a false bottom: Hear the Psalmist, Psal. 73.23. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee.

2. WE have made choice of that to be our Last End, which God hath Commanded us so to do. There is but One; and if we be not fallen upon that, we labor under a Defusion: for there it no other, the Obtaining whereof is able to render us truly Happy. God hath not left it to Man's Arbitrary Choice, so set up what End he will, but hath shewn him what is good and directed him to fix upon it; Deut. 30.19. I cell heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life & de • th, 〈◊〉 • • sing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.

3. WE pursue all other •• feriour Ends for the sake of the Last, but the Last for it's Own sake. Religion doth hot disallow those, but only regulates them: It gives them their pace, and, if we do so too, we do well. And this is done, when we endeavor so to follow them, as to help and encourage us in following that, and not to hinder us; When we labor, both to carry that on notwithstanding the other, and to forward that by the other; And when we have brought them thither, there we rest Hence that, 1 Pet. 4.11. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man min • ster de •• h t • do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through J • sus Christ i • to whom be praise & dominion forever & ever, Amen.

4. WE are more moderate and indifferent in our Pursuit of all Other, but m • st insatiable in prosecution of This As to the Former. Paul guides us to a right acting about them. 1 Cor. 7.29, 30. And this I say, brethren, the time is short. It remaineth, that both they that have wives, be as though had none; And they that weep, at though they wept not; and they that rejoice, at though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possed not. As to the Latter, the Scripture describes our Pursuits of it, by the hungering, thirsting, longing, panting, fainting of the Soul after it, Psal. 42.1, 2. As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my soul after there, O God. My soul thirsteth for God for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God!

5. WE can cheerfully suffer Disappointment in our Other Ends, and count ourselves Gainers by the Loss, if it promote the Chief. So did Paul, Phil. 3.7. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. And Chap. 1.18, 19. So the Hebrews, Chap 10.34. And took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have • in heaven a better & an enduring substance. And so John the Baptist, Joh. 3.29.30. He that hath the bride, is the bride-groom: but the friend of the bride groom, which standeth & heareth him, rejoy • eth greatly because of the bride-groods voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.

AND let it be our Care to be well resolved in this Case; it being the Foundation of our everlasting Consolation: If we miss it in the right placing of our End, we lose the Benefit of all the Means. As it is the First Question in Divinity, What is Man's Chief End? and all refers to it; so it is the First Enquiry that every man should make of his own Soul, What is the Ultimate End that I am reaching after? This for the sense of the Question.

SERMON, II.

HAVING thus stated the QUESTION, it remains,

Secondly, TO give some Explication of the ANSWER.

HERE we have Two distinct things put together, viz. To Glorify God and Enjoy him forever: But we must warily consider them, else we may be greatly mistaken about them.

IT is to be observed, that in strict speaking, that which is Chief can be but One. It is a Contradiction to say, there are Two last Ends; if both are Equal, neither of them can be the Chief or Last. Among Intermediate Ends, some may be subordinate, others may be co-ordinate, but the Last will admit of no Compeer: and as the Chief is but One, so it is not a thing compounded, but single: It cannot be made of the Meeting of divers in One, for that which is compounded, is indeed manifold; and except there were an Equality between those things so concurring, they cannot he of a like Weight: and therefore the One must needs stand in Subordination to the Other. So, that if we would speak exactly, there is but One of these, viz. TO GLORIFY GOD. which is Man's Chief End; the Other is immediately subordinated, or it is Next to the Last. It is Man's Duty to seek his Own Pest Good, which consists in his Enjoying of God; but he is to do it in and for the Glory of God; and so from thence all his seeking of it is to take it's Measures.

BUT These Two are joined together in the Answer for these Reasons.

1. BECAUSE God is pleased to put them together in his Word, under the nation of Work and Reward. God having put into Man a natural Desire after Happiness or Well-being, makes use of it to help him in his Duty: and therefore having made him for: His Glorry, quickens him to it by a Promise of Happiness in his so doing. Hence the Scripture is full of such Passages wherein the Command and Promise are connected; nor would fallen man seek God's Glory, had he not this Encouragement.

2. BECAUSE they are inseparable in Practice. A Man cannot seek God's Glory aright, but In so doing, he also seeks his Own Salvation; and this follows from the former And the Conjunction between them in Practice is thus stated; viz God doth, as it were, say to the Children of Men. You have a desire to be Happy; that you can only be in the Enjoyment of Me; I am the only adequate Object of the Happiness of the Children of Men; But if you will truly glorify me, in it you shall be Happy; Do you take care for My Honor, and I will secure Your Felicity. And by this means it comes to pass, that all the Rules which God gives Men to Glorify him become thro' this strong Connection, the sure Guide of Man to Eternal Glory. Hence that forementioned, Isa. 56 2. Jam. 1.25. Happiness is made the Reward of true Ob-dience; and yet because Man owes God Service, by a Tie of Nature antecedent to the Reward, hence he is to seek God • s Glory, though' there were none: so that Respect to his Own Benefit is but a secondary Consideration.

HERE therefore that Great CASE, with which some perlex themselves and others, is easily resolved, viz.

Q. WHETHER a Man ought willingly to be Dimned. so God's Glory may be advanced by it?

Answ. A Willingness to be Damned is inconsistent with a true Desire that God may be Glorified: Because it separateth those things which God hath made inseparable: It supposeth a clashing in that very Order, which God hath put between the End and the Means: It must there are presume a Consent that God should be false to his Word and Promise, which militates against his Glory; or else a Willingness to neglect the Duties to which the Promise is made; which is to consent to our own actual dishonoring of him: neither of which are consistent with our sincere aiming at our Last End.

THERE are indeed two Scripture-examples, that seem to make for the contrary Conclusion: that of M • ses, Exod. 32.32. and of Paul Rom. 9 3.—But if thoroughly weighed, they will not evince it. Both of them are of One Tencur, and neither looks immediately to the Glory of God, but to express an exuberant Affection to their People: Neither of them in their extent are justifiable. God himself seems to testify against, and tacitly to reprove that of Meses, ver. 33. and Paul expresseth himself in the Potential Mood, I could wish, &c. q. d. I have such an endeared Love to my Kindred, that I am at the Point of so wishing; I could do it, if it were lawful: It is a pathetical Expression of an hyperbolical Affection. It must needs therefore be an ensnaring Trial that is put upon the Children of God, when this is offered as a Rule to prove their Sincerity by. He that insatiably desires to be saved and yet resolves to be saved in no other way but that wherein God may be Glorifyed, certainly is the Man, whose Ends are rightly fixed.

IT now follows to speak to these here distinely.

1. MAN's Chief End is to GLORIFY GOD. As this is first mentioned in the Answer, so it hath the Preeminence in our Consideration: This and that which follows, are not put distributivety, but subordinately; for it is a Definition, and not a Distribution, that we are upon the Consideration of.

TWO things here call for our enquity, viz.

• 1. What is meant by Glorifying God?
• 2. The Evidence that this is Man's Chief End

[1.] WHAT is meant by Glorifying God?

A. WE ought carefully to beware of being mistaken in this Point; it being that in which our whole Life is to be emploved, and upon which our whole Happiness hath it's absolute Dependence: so that an Error here spoils all, & necessitates us to live in vain. Here therefore,

1. Negatively. IT intends not that we are able to make any Addition to God's immediate & essential Glory; as though we shoulder could make him more glorious in Himself than he is, and hath been from all Eternity. So to do is out of the Reach, and above the Capacity, either of Angels or Men: and that appears for these Two Reasons.

• 1. FROM the Infinite Persection of God's innate Glory, rendering in incapable of any Access or Increase. To that which is absolutely perfect, nothing can be added: such is God's Being and Glory: could it receive anything, it were not infinite: were it capable of increase, it were imperfect in Degrees: Goodness itself cannot be made better; Happiness itself can never be happier. Concretes may receive Magis et Minus, but Abstracts are Superlatives. God therefore makes that challenge of all his Creatures, Rom. 11.35. Who hath first given to him — intimating that there are no Such.
• 2. BECAUSE all that any have, they received it of him. And that is the Argument used, Ver. 36. For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glery forever. Amen. All that Men can offer up to God, is nothing but what they were first beholden to him for; so that they can give him nothing back but his own: For this we have David 's full Acknowledgement, 1 Chron 29.12, 14 New therefore, cur God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. God is no ways beholden to us for our Service: He needs it not, though it be cur Duty and our Happiness to serve him, Job 35.6, 7, 8. If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him? If thou he righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth be of thine hand?

2. Positively. TO Glorify God is to show forth his Glory, to declare him to be most glorious. There is a declarative Glory of God, which he himself aims at in all his Works of Creation and Providence; which is the making himself known, in the Manifestation of his glorious Being and Perfections by the Foot-steps thereof, which leave a visible Print upon all: That he designed it, appears in, Prov. 1. • 4. The Lord hath made all things for himself —. Rev. 4.11. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honor, and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are, and were created. That they do declare it may be seen, Psal. 19. begin. The heavens declare the glory of God: and the sirmament show • th his handy work, &c. Rom. 1.19, 20. Because that when may be known of God, is manifest in them; for God hath shown it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being und ••• o • d by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. So Act 14.17. Now Man, as he was made capable of it in Creation; so he is obliged by the Law o • Gubernation, to Gather up, and Reflect back upon God the Praise and Glory of all this, by acknowledging it to him and ans • erably serving of him. Hence the Glorifying of God is expounded to us in Scripture by other equipollent terms; Showing s • rth his Praise. Isa. 43.21. Speaking and Talking of his Greatness & goodness, Psal. 145.10, 11, 12. Showing forth his Salvation, Psal. 96.2. Giving him his due Acknowledgment, Ver 7, 8. & ver 10. Saying among the heathen that the Lord re • g •••• ; And many the like.

MORE particularly God is to be glorified by us,

(1.) IN our Hearts: And that,

1. BY entertaining suitable Thoughts & Conceptions of him. When we employ our Minds in taking up becoming Apprehensions of God, such as are honorable, we then honor him in Heart. And indeed Honor, which is one part of our Duty & End, is properly the high Ro • m he hath in our Souls: without it all ourward. Shows are hypocritical, and mere Mockery. We know therefore that God calls for the Heart, and judgeth according to it.

2. BY a Frame of Heart suitable to these Impressions. Thereby we set up his Trophies in our Souls, and that is properly Glorifying him: And that contains divers things in it. Especially,

1. AN hearty Adoration of him according to that glorious Goodness we have discovered in him. We acknowledge him King and Sovereign; and accordingly we how down before him, and worship him; Hence we are so often called upon to Worship him, and to Adore him, in the Scriptures.

2. A Fearing of him for his Greatness, & for his Goodness. We see that in him which tells us that he is to be Feared; and we therefore nourish a reverential Fear of him in us, to keep us in our Place, and to excite us to our Duty, in Attendance to that Direction. Isa. 〈◊〉 . 13. Sanctify the Lord of be •• s himself, & let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

3. A Trusting in him, a reposing our • o silence, & leaning the whole Weight of our Soals upon him. The more fully, quietly, and resolvedly, we can do it, the more do we Honor God: and therefore as we are often called upon to trust in him, so they are declared happy that so do; Psal. 2.12. Blessed are all they that pat their trust in him.

4. A Submitting our Wills to his Command. Such a God is to be obeyed and all his Perfections challenge our Submission to him: all Religion therefore is comprehended in a Living to his Will; 1 Pet. 4.2. That be 〈◊〉 longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh, to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. And that begins in Willing his Will.

5. IN a quiet Entertaining all his Previdences, with an •••• ty Approbation of them, because He is the Potter & we the Clay. & saying Good is the Word of the Lord, when it never so much thwarts our own Natural Inclinations.

(2.) IN our Words: By confessing him before men, and verbal Acknowledgment of him to be such a God: and professing of all those Obligations lying upon us, to Love, Obey, Fear, and Believe in him. The Tongue is called our Glory, and we make it so indeed, when we use it to declare God's Glory.

(3) IN our p • actical Conversation. When we direct all our Actions, Natural, Civil, Religious to his Glory, according to the forementioned Precept, 1 Cor. 10 31. When we so look to our Ways, that they may be to our utmost capacity performed for the Matter, Manner, & all Circumstances, as that God may be Honoured, and his Name Exalted by us. How all this is to be done, is the Matter Discussed in all the rest of the Catechism.

[2.] FOR Evidence that this is Mans Chief End. This will appear from these Considerations.

1. MAN must love a Lost & Chief End. He must have an End, or else he were in vain. A Being that hath no End, is for nothing, and had as good not to have been. Vanity is properly the coming short of an End; and whether it be for Want of one, or by Missing of it, it comes all to one at the last: And he must have a Last End, else he can never be happy; for if there were an Infinite Subordination in his Ends, be could never come to his Resting Place, but must be an Everlasting Seeker, wandering in his endless Quest.

2. GOD's Glory is the Lost End of all the Creatures, and therefore of Man. He also is a Piece of the Creation, and partakes in whatsoever is common to the Whole: But that all things were made for God's Glory, is clearly asserted in Scripture; forementioned Prov. 16.4. Rev. 1.11.

3. MAN 〈◊〉 nearly and immediately made for the Glory of God. Other Creatures were made for it ultimately, but Man both nextly and ultimately too. The other parts of the Visible Creation were nextly made for Man and his Service, Psal. 8. And in serving Him they were to serve God: They were to be his Helps in it, both to encourage him, and to discover much of God to him: But there • as nothing stood between God and him to intercept his Service. Angels might be his C • later • ls, and in many Respects more noble Beings: but They were not to be Worshipped and Served by him, but God alone: And for the sitting him to this Service He received the Image of God, which was his Created Sanctification.

4. MAN can have we other Lost End but God & his Glory. For then it must be either the Creature or Himself: A Third cannot be thought of: But it can be neither of these as will appear,

(1) IT cannot be the Creature; neither in General nor any Particular, for these Reasons.

1. BECAUSE the Creature is inseriour to Him: A Man's End is to be looked for above him, and not beneath him: but Man is Super • our to these: He is better and more excellent than they, in his Being, and therefore cannot be for them.

2. BECAUSE Men is the Creatures Next Eng. That therefore cannot be His Last End: That that should be made for Man's Service; and that yet Man should be to serve that, implieth a Contradiction: But God gave all these things to Man to Rule over them, Gen. 1.28. And God blessed them, & God said were them, Be fruitful, & ••• ti •• lie, & replenish the earth & subdue it: and have dominion ever the fish of the sea, & over the soul of the air, & ever every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

3. BECAUSE the Creature cannot Satisfy him. Man's Last End and his Objective Happiness are the same: And the Wise-Man when he would prove that this cannot be the Creature, renders that as a sufficient Reason, Ecc • . 1.8. All things are full of labor, man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing; not the ear filled with ••• ring. And that is far from being a Last End, which when enjoyed leaves the Man Miserable, Mat. 16.26. For what is a man prosited, if he shall gain the whole wor • d, & •• se his own soul?

(2). NEITHER can He be his Own Last End. For.

1. THE End must be something Better than the Means that serve to it. For the Goodness of the Means as such, is nothing else but their Servicableness to the End; whereas the Goodness of the End is in itself: Thus our Savior argues, Mat. 6.25. Therefore I say unto you, Take 〈◊〉 thought for your 〈◊〉 , what ye shall 〈◊〉 , or what ye shall drink; no • y • t 〈◊〉 your • ody what ye shall put on: Is 〈◊〉 the, 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 , and the holy th • n rai •••• ?

2. THERE is a Being B • tter than M • n and therefore He ca •••• be his C ••• Chief End. The Last End, and the Chief Good, are One and the Same: There is therefore no resting till we come there: God is his Own Last End, because there is none bett ••• ; but then he is no Mean, but only a • End: But God is better than Man. Mat. 19.17. And • e said unto him, Why •• llest th •• 〈◊〉 good? there is 〈◊〉 good but one, that is GOD. He is only Essentially and Supremly Good: All Goodness in Man is only by Participation.

3. MAN cannot be his 〈◊〉 Happiness, and therefore 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 Chief End. A • End that cannot happisy him, is not worthy of that Name. Man is a Dependent Be ••• : his Felicity is out of himself: It was so in his best State of Integrity, 〈◊〉 more in his lapsed State of Misery: He must go out of himself, if ever 〈◊〉 will be well: God alone is an Adequate Object for Felicity; He only can be a Portion for the Soul. Law. 3.14. So that if Man cannot find his Life neither in the Creature, not in Himself, but in God alone, it follows of Necessity, that not They, but He only must be his Chief End.

SERMON, III.

II. MANS next Chief End to the Glorifying of God, is to ENJOY HIM FOREVER: Why these Two are joined in the Description, hath been already declared: The S • m •• is, that they are both promoved by the same Means; there is no other way to Enjoy God but by Glorifying him; no • shall they who do truly Glorify him, ever miss of Enjoying him. That we have now under Consideration, is. That in Subordination to the Glory of God, Man is nextly bo •• d for the Everlasting Enjoyment of Him as his Great End. I shall not here exp • tiate in Explaining what is meant by Enjoying of God: The distinct opening whereof belongs to the Head of Glorification, which follows afterwards. In sum, it intends our having him to be our Portion: It therefore presupposeth our being Reconciled to him, and at Peace with him; our Union to him: And i • includes in it the Beatifical Vision and Fru • tion; the Derivation of all that Communicable Goodness from him unto and into us, which he hath engaged in the Promises: It grasps in all inchoated and perfected Glory. That this is Mans Great End, would need no Arguments to persuade us, had not the Fall beclouded our Understandings, and darkened that Light, which was at first in the Mind of Man, on which this Principle was Written, as with 〈◊〉 Sun beam: Yet there is so much of the hight of Nature remaining, as may Sufficiently convince us of this Truth; and it is further confirmed by the Light of the Scriptures: and it will be made evident by these CONCLUSIONS.

1. THAT M •• is 〈◊〉 a Subject capable of Happiness. This is a Privilege which •• e • ath above the I •••• our Creatures. They can never be Happy, He may: There are those things required to true Felicity, which none but Reasonable Creatures can pe •••• in: There must be an understanding to • ister • , & a Will to embrace the Object, •• so it cannot be called Blessedness. This therefore was a Favor which God bestowed 〈◊〉 Man is his very Constitution, that h • might be Happy; and therein Pri • iledged him 〈◊〉 the Beasts of the Field. And though • the W •• ul Fall of Ad ••• hath made Mankind actually Miserable, yet it hath 〈◊〉 • ut him off structurall Possibilty of being restored again to Felicity.

2. THAT all Mankind are Naturally carried forth in Quest of Happiness, 〈◊〉 their Last End, This Principle is so engraver in the Nature of Man, that all the Mischief which the Fall hath done him, hath not deprived him of. It is true, he hath lost the Knowledge of what true Happiness is, in a great measure, and is utterly at a loss in regard of the Way to it, Rom. 3.17. And the way of p •• ce have they not know • . But he hath such Notions of the thing, and Apprehensions of the Capacity of his Nature to enjoy it, of the Necessity he stands in of it, and what a Misery it will be to go without it, that he makes it the Aim of all his Actions; It is the Bottom of his Projects and Designs; and though' the far greater Number of Men take most wretched Courses to compass it, yet this is it they would be at in all, Psal. 4.6. There • e many that say, Who will show us any good? Luk. 12.19. And I will say to • y soul, Soul, th •• e host much goods laid up for many years; take thine case, eat, drink, and be merry.

3. TRUE Happiness doth properly consist in Two Things, viz. Well-Doing, and Well-Being. Happiness in Scripture Language is frequently called Life; and the Philosopher tells us, that Life is an Act with Delight; WELL-DOING belongs to Mans Felicity, because his Happiness is in Attaining his End, and that is mainly in Gorifying God; which is by • upraxy or Well-Doing. Vanity is opposed to Happiness, E •• l. 1.2. Now Vanity is the Loss of ones End; Happiness must therefore be in the Attaining it: Hence that forementioned Isa. 56.2. Man being made for God, it must be a main Part of his Happiness to Serve and Glorify him: So David, Psal. 84.4. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house; they will be still praising thee. WELL-BEING also is requisite to Felicity: Misery therefore and Blessedness are frequently set in Opposition: and therefore it is that the Scripture Promises are so full of such Encouragements to Love and Serve God, as contain in them the Well-Being of the Creature.

4. THAT Well-Being which will amount to Happiness can be nothing l • ss than the Enjoyment, of so much real and enduring Goodness, as the Creature may fully and finelly rest satisfied in. David describes Happiness by Satisfaction, Psal. 36.8.63.5. And that which cannot Happify a Man, is called that which cannot satisfy, Isa. 55. 〈◊〉 . Felicity is called Rest. Ma • . 11.29. But till all the Reachings of the Soul are gratified, till all its Appetites are filled, it cannot rest, it will be in Motion as long as it feels any Want.

5. THAT the Object of Mans Happiness is out of himself, Man cannot be his own Felicity: He is 〈◊〉 dependant Creature: His Being and his Blessedness are two things: He cannot dwell at home: He doth not enjoy in • imself a Self sufficiency. Man in his best and most perfect state of Integrity was to seek his Well-Being out of himself: He was not made Happy, but only Capable of being so by Closing in with his Object. Fallen Man then, who is not only not Happy, but become e • treamly Miserable, is under a Necessity of going abroad to seek for Good. Neither can the Body or Soul be at Rest, till they meet with and fall upon an Object that may give them Satisfaction. This is it that hath made the Whole World a Company of Seekers, asking for Good, Psal. 4.6.

6. THAT the whole Creation affords no such Object, the Fruition whereof can make a Man Happy. And the Reason is, because they cannot Satisfy: So far are they from Satisfying the Rational, that they cannot do it to the Sensitive Soul; and for that Cause the Wise, man argues them to be Vanity, Eccl. 1.8. Not the. Lower World only, but Heaven itself is not enough to Answer Mans Desires, Psal. 73.25. There are Three Defects in the Creature, rend • ing it Insufficient for our perfect Well-Being.

• (1.) ITS Unsuitableness. If there were enough of it, yet it is not accommodated to all a Man Wants; nay, those which are his Greatest Wants, and make him truly Miserable. It cannot Purchase him the Pardon of his Sins, Prov. 11.4. Riches prosit: not in the day of wrath. It cannot deliver his Soul from being Eternally Lost; forementioned Mat. 16.26. It cannot make a Price that will pay his Ransom from the Curse which lies heavy upon him, Psal. 49.6, 7, 8. They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches: None of them can by any means redeem his brother, no • give to God a ransom for him: For the redemption of their soul is precious and it ceaseth forever. It is but only his Earthly Part which it can give any Relief unto, that is the least and most inconsiderable of the two.
• (2.) ITS Scantiness. Were it never so suitable, yet there is not enough of it: The Reaches of Mans Soul are so vast, that they can grasp in the whole Creation, and scarce feel it: The Desire of Man, that • orsel •• ches Daughter, is still •• ving Give, Give,: The Bed is too narrow, and the Covering too short: The World looks hully, but it is empty, void and • aste. Many have had too m ••• , but never yet any had enough, so as to 〈◊〉 Content, that had nothing but the Creature, but they have still enlarged their desires as Hell: And the reason is, because the World is a great Nothing, Prov. 23.5. Will • thou set thine eyes upon that which is not?
• (3.) ITS short Comi •• ence, and Uncertainty. Man is a Creature made for Perpetuity: and if his Object be not Stable and Durable, it will sooner or later leave him under horrible Disappointment, and so will these things. They are B •• kon Cisterns, Jer. 2.18. They are Certain in nothing but Uncertainty, Prov. 23.5. For riches certainly make themselves wings, they fly away as an eagle towards heaven. They are the Subjects of Moth & Rust, and lie ready for the Thief. Mat 6.19. Lay 〈◊〉 up for yourselves treasures upon earth; •• ere moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. Yea, they are made to be Burnt up, 2 Pet. 23.10. But the day of the Lord will co ••• as a thief in the night; in the which the • eavens shall pass away with a great no • se, and the • lements shall molt with servant • eat, the earth also, and the works that are therein shalll be burnt up. How then can they make a Man Happy?

7. GOD & He Only is such an Object, in the Enjoyment of whom, there is perfect Satisfaction and Blessedness. That the Creature • ath i • not in it, hath been Discovered; But sti • l Man is not at an utter loss, because he may find it in God: The full demonstration of this belongs to a following Question: The Scripture Sufficiently informs us in this Truth, see, Psal 16. ult. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy, at thy right • and there are pleasures for evermore. 36.9. For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. So see Eph. 3.20. There is with him enough to fill all the •• Desires, Psal. 81.10. I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill 〈◊〉 .

8. HENCE, if Mans Great End be Well-Being, it must be to Enjoy God Eternally, For therein only can his Well-Being consist: Here only is his Resting Place; Till he comes hither, he doth but wander from Mountain to Hill, seeking Rest, and finding none: And if there be no self concern equally incumbent on him with this, as it is certain there is not, needs must it be an End Superior to all those poor. Designs, which the generality of Mankind are in Persuit of with so much Heat and Vigour; and nothing but the Glory of God can be beyond it.

Q. HOW • ar is a Man bound to have his mind exercised about this Chief End in all his Actions?

A. THIS Case hath been too laxly resolved by some, and too severely Strained by others: Popish Casuists give too large Allowances to Men's carnal Corruptions, while they tell us, that a Previous Intention is enough, and that if a Man at most Once a Day think of his End, it is enough; • ay an Implicite Intention may suffice. They on the other hand lay a Snare to trouble pious Consciences, who charge Sin and Hypocrisy on Men, if they be not always int •••• , thinking upon their Glorifying and Enjoying of God. For a right ••• ting of the Resolution of this Case, take T •• se • o ••••• sions.

1. THAT every Action in a Man's Life, that doth not Serve to this Great End, is a 〈◊〉 Action: Because it misseth the mark which 〈◊〉 was made to attain▪ Means are •• profitable, if they be not made Serviceable to their Ends: And if the Chief of Subordinate Means be broken off, before it comes to the Last Link, it is lost. There may be a Civil Goodness, but there is no Theological Good in anything that stays short of the Glory of God: That was the Vanity of their Fasts. Zech. 7.5. Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying when ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all 〈◊〉 unto me, even to me?

2. IT is required of M • x, that they aim or l • v • l all their Actions to this End. It is not Sufficient that they reach it casually: for we know God will be Glorifyed by all, whether we will or no; but it must be intentionally: forementioned 1 Cor. 10.31. The Nature of an End, to be pursued by a Voluntary Agent, requires it: without this Intention there can be no Prosecution.

3. THERE can be no Application to the Use of Means, without Thinking upon the End. A Man my make use of things: but not as Means to his Chief End, unless his Mind be upon it: For it is the End that puts him upon the Using Means; It is the only Moral Motive that excites him Except a Man think that he was made for God's Glory, and to seek his own Salvation, he will never inquire how this may be done. Isa. 1.3.

4. THERE can be Choice of Means, without • n • ye upon the End. It is not indifferent what a Man doth, if he would reach his End▪ there must be a Sutableness in the Means, else they are lost; and that cannot be known, without applying them in our Consideration to it: It is necessary therefore for a Man in all he sets about to deliberate, and say to himself, Will God be Glorified by this! Will 〈◊〉 help me to the Enjoyment of him? And accordingly to choose or reject it, Gen. 39.9. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

5. THERE can be no Using the Means ••• sen, Rightly, without the Consideration of the End: It is as easy to miss it in using Right Means, as in choosing of Wrong ones. A Man may not only eat, and drink, but also read, and hear, and pray, and neither honor God nor further his own Salvation: He that would not be deceived here, must lay them by the End, and frame their according to it; which cannot be without setting it before him, Psal. 16.8. I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

6. THERE are 〈…〉 & Means, which 〈…〉 eyed 〈◊〉 : by reason whereof it is not possible that he should without Inter •••••• 〈◊〉 actually engaged in the Thoughts of his Last End: It would distress his Mind; and God hath not laid any Duty, in itself impossible upon Me • . There are Occasions calling 〈◊〉 order our outward Affairs with 〈…〉 Psal. 11 • . • 〈…〉 good 〈…〉 end 〈◊〉 ; be will guide 〈◊〉 affairs 〈◊〉 discretion. And that cannot be without pondering on them which will intermit the actual thinking of the other, in a ••• ite limited Understanding.

7. T • T we ought in the 〈◊〉 of all our Occasions to be very frequently Reflecting upon our Great End, and in 〈◊〉 to rest in 〈◊〉 subordinate one: and the •• me • the better, so it be done with Wisdom: It is the 〈…〉 the Heart Right, and call it in if go •••• astray; to ask ourselves still on all occasions, H ••• do I Glorify God is 〈◊〉 H • x is 〈…〉 •• rthered by it? To ask, Where is our Heart? What are we Driving: And the rather because the Corruption in 〈◊〉 draws • s to dominy impertiment and unprofitable Actions, for want of being rightly 〈◊〉 by us, 〈◊〉 32.31. And they 〈…〉 cometh, and they 〈◊〉 before thee as my people, and they be as thy words, but they will not to them: for with them 〈…〉 their heart goeth after their 〈◊〉 .

THERE are a few INFERENCES, which may be drawn from the foregoing Discourse 〈◊〉 .

1. THAT there are but a very sew that known what they were made for: If the Lives & Practices of Men may be a Rule for us to judge of their Principles by, we may safely conclude, that either they understand not, or do not consider (which is called Ignorance in Scripture) what Errand God sent them into the World about: How woefully are the Children of Men mistake about their Ends? They ••• pose they were made for nothing 〈…〉 gratify their own Concupiscence, 〈…〉 this World's Goods, to drown themselves in Pleasures 〈…〉 up the •• na •• es of this World's 〈…〉 seek an Happiness under the 〈…〉 Glory of God, and everlasting 〈…〉 of that, 〈…〉 . And may 〈…〉 these to be woefully mis ••• ble? The Apostle joy • s these Two together, Rom. 3 16, 17. Destruction •• d misery ere in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known.

2. THAT the greatest Number of the Children of Men live in vain. What is Vanity but a missing the End? That Man, as to himself, had better never to have been born, that comes into the World, and goes out of it again, and misseth of the End he was born for. And yet how lamentably will this be found true of the Generality of Mankind, if we compare their lives by the End, which Religion tells us that all Men are made for? What shall we think of the covetous Worldling, who makes an • ol of the Creature, and spends all his thoughts and time in compassing the World; who makes Mam •••• his God, & wealth his felicity! What shall we think of the voluptuous Pleasure- ••• ter; who reckons himself born to eat, drink, and play; who thinks, drink, fare, full c • ps, lascivous company, and wanton dalliances, to be the Ne plus 〈◊〉 of Mankind: makes his Belly to be his God, and the satisfaction of his fleshly appetite, to be his highest happiness! What shall we think of the ambitions Glory-Seeker, who values himself by the Dignity and Preferment he can climb up to among men: and mistake any honor for 〈◊〉 blessedness, and looks no farther! What of the profine Sc ••• er at Godliness, who dishonors God's Name by Oaths, Curses, Re •••• of his holy ways, and is so far from seeking Communion with God, that he 〈◊〉 ; him depart from him! Certainly, either the Scriptures is mistake about 〈◊〉 chief end, or these are beside it, and will lose all their labor at the last, and their Souls into the bargain▪ Nay, the Hypocrite too, the false P •• sessor, who pretends to aim at the glory of God, but really makes Self 〈…〉 , H • also will lose his Labor, & deceive his Soul into Ruin.

3. THAT in highly concerns Young Ones to set themselves to the study of Religion betimes. And let it then be a Motive to all such, early to engage themselves in it. Remember therefore, that you were made for an End: you can be happy only in the attaining of it: You are capable of serving to it • n the days of your Youth: All that time is already lost, which you spend in pursuing any other ends but this. You have by reason of original Sin lost the apprehensions of it, and are naturally engaged for lower or inferior ends: True Religion only gives you direction, how you may come by the right perception of it again: If you miss of, and do not teach to this end, you are undone forever. And if you are so foolish as to spend away your Childhood and Youth in Vanity, you may be cut off from any after opportunities of engaging yourselves for the glorifying of God and enjoy 〈…〉 him. As then you love your Souls, and would not come short of God's Glory, & your Souls Salvation, set yourselves earnestly to attend upon all those means & helps, whereby you may 〈◊〉 acquainted with your great end, & engaged in living unto it.

SERMON IV.

EVERY wise Agent always observes this method, he first propounds an End to himself, and fixeth upon if and then he sets himself • o study and find out proper & suitable Means, which he may improve in his regular pursuance of it. This Scheme Idea, or Exemplar of the means, and the way rightly to apply them to his purpose, is that which is called his Rule of •••• •• tion. And such a Rule is requisite in order to the practice of every Art; and he that is thoroughly acquainted with it, and dexterous at it may only be called an Artist. Such a method as this is followed in our Catechism, in laying down the Doctrine of Religion or Divinity. Having therefore rightly stated and limited man's great End, in the former question, there remains nothing but to set him in the Way to his unfailing obtainment of it, which is the design of all that follows. And there are two things here requisite, viz. that we be satisfied about our Rule, and that we be well acquainted with the Contents of it. The former is end ••••• red in the Question we are now upon; the latter is pu •••••• in th • se that follow after.

THE main soop • th • n of the present Inquiry, is about the Rule is 〈◊〉 . Man's happiness is a 〈◊〉 and momentous thing, if he miss of 〈…〉 hath labored in vain. He had need therefore have a sure & •• erring Rule to direct him thereunto, that he be not deceived & disappointed; because his loss will be irreparable. We are therefore here pointed to this Rule, and have it characterized unto us.

FOR a right Understanding, and full Explication of this Question and Answer; there are these things will call for our distinct Consideration.

• (1.) That Man must have a Rule to direct him, or else he can never attain to his chief end.
• (2.) That this Rule can be but one.
• (3.) That the Word of God is the only Rule.
• (4.) That this word, which is the Rule, is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament.

Prop. 1. THAT Man must have a RULE to direct him, with which he is well acquainted; or else he can never attain to his chief End. There are two things contained in the Proposition.

• (1) That there must be a Rule.
• (2) That we must have Acquaintance with it. Both these may be evidenced.

Article 1. THERE must be a Rule. Man cannot be led to his End without one. The necessity of Man's having a Rule, may be argued from two Consideration.

[1.] FROM the Consideration of the Respect 〈◊〉 Man bears to his End: and that whether looked upon in a state of Integrity or of Apostasy.

(1.) LOOK upon him in his Primitive Perfection, standing in his Integrity; and here he could never reach his End without a Rule. The following Conclusions will evidence the Truth of this Assertion.

1. MAN was not made happy. That Man was (strictly speaking) neither happy nor miserable in his first state, is a Truth undeniable, if we do but acknowledge his happiness to consist in his attaining his chief End, and his misery in his missing of falling short of it. He was fitted for happiness, inasmuch as he had all the stock of Grace put into his hands, which was sufficient by improvement to make him happy. There was nothing wanting in that Image of God, which he had stamped upon him: And yet he was capable of losing his felicity, and becoming unhappy; being made mutable, and capable of losing that 〈…〉 the Event unhappy proved. Man was therefore at first made a Pobationer for happiness: and that by the law of special Government.

2 HAPPINESS was pro •• osed to Man •• first in a Covenant-Way. That there was a Covenant between God & 〈◊〉 , the Scripture •• sures us and gives us an account of the Nature and Terms of it. Now in a Covenant there are always those two things, Something promised upon condition on one part, and the conditions required on the other part, in order to the obtaining it. The Thing proposed to Man in the first Covenant was Happiness. The manner of proposing it, was by telling him how he was to come by it if ever he expected to become the owner of it. The Terms therefore so run, Do & Live, Rom. 10.5.

3. HENCE there was a fixed or stuted way, to which Man's being made happy was restrained. For, if Happiness were not promised to man absolutely, but hypothetically, it must needs depend upon that • hy • •••• is; and the performance of the Condition is the way to his felicity: and that this was fixed, is therein evident, because together with a firm Promise made to him, That if he obeyed, he should be happy, there was as strong a Threatning, That if he came short of it, he should undoubtedly be miserable, Gen. 2.17.

4. HE could neither find nor keep this way, without a Rule of direction; and consequently could never have reached blessedness. He could never have known, when he served to his end, or when he mist of it. He had been lost in a wilderness, out of which he could not have gotten, but must have been at an utter Loss. In sum, there was a Medium between a state of Innocence, and a state of Felicity: there was a way to pass safe to it, and a way to miss of it. And to enable him to choose the one, and avoid the other, he must have a Rule.

(2.) MUCH more does Man need a Rule, if we look upon him in his state of Apostasy. And this is that which we are mostly concerned in; for that is the Condition of all Adam 's Posterity. That • allen Man needs a Rule to guide him to Salvation, will appear if we consider, —

1. THAT Sin hath made him truly & woefully Miserable and Wretched. He is not only not happy, but he is fallen from that Nearness to it, in which he once stood, into a great Distance from Felicity. He is separated from his end; is fallen short of the Glory of God. (Rom. 2.23.) and is removed from the Enjoyment of him, ( Isai. 59 2.) and because in these Two, his Blessedness did consist, the loss of them declares him wretched.

2. THAT if ever fallen Man recover happiness, he must be brought back again to this great End of his. As long as he is out of his read, nothing but destruction and misery are in his ways, (Rom 3.16.) He can never be truly blessed, but only in the glorifying God, and enjoying him; because happiness is only in reaching his chief end.

3. THERE is something required of man, in order to his recovering his Felicity. He is not only to be passive, but active too in this affair. There is Faith in Christ and new Obedience requisite, as will afterwards appear. As man was at first made capable of being happy in a Covenant-way: So fallen man is recovered to Blessedness in a Covenant-way. Hence the terms are declared in the Gospel 〈…〉 16.16. Rom. 8.12. He • ▪ 〈…〉 .

4. HENCE be must have a Rule for this. The Gospel must have its Precepts, as well as the Law. Fallen Man cannot steer his course without a Compass. The gate is strait, and the way is narrow, and few find it. (Mat. 7.14.) It is vain for him to endeavor it, unless he have a Clue to direct him.

THAT Man must have a Rule further appear, —

[2.] FROM the Consideration of the nature of a Rule. A Rule is nothing else but that whereby a man is guided so to do his Work, as to su • e it to the End and Use for which the doth it: and the reason of it is, because he may else miss, and so lose his Labor. There is necessarily requisite a Sutableness between the Means, and the End, for which they are used: Else means are vain. The right suiting of them, 'tis the nature of a Rule to discover, and no man can be an Artist in any employment without it. And how then shall Man work out his Salvation, if he have no such Direction?

Articl. 2. THAT Man must have Acquaintance with this Rule. It is not enough that there be one, but he must be skilled in it. To clear this, Consider —

1. Man is made a Cause by Counsel of his own Actions. God hath given him an understanding, capable of discerning; and a will, able to choose his way. This is a privilege bestowed upon Man above all other Creatures in this lower World. Job. 35.11. God teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser then the fowls of heaven.

2. GOD deals with man in a way that is suited to his Nature. He treats him as a Reasonable Creature. He suits his state to his Constitution, accommodates it to such a sort of Being. Inferior Beings have a Rule, as well as Man: But God guides them only by Instinct They cannot know their Rule. It is sufficient for them, that He knows it, and hath imprinted it upon their Natures. But God deals with Man in a way of Precepts, Promises, & Threatenings, which is a Moral Way. The whole Scripture gives us account of this manner of God's treating Man.

3. HENCE Man can never attain his End, without he knows his Rule. The Service God expects of Man is a reasonable Service, (Rom. 12, 1.) He must be voluntary in his Obedience: God requires the Heart. He must choose the ways of God: And how can he do so, except he knows them? For this reason it is said, that without knowledge the mind of Man cannot be good, and that a people are destroyed for lack of Knowledge. There is no such thing as blind Obedience in Religion.

Prop. II. THAT this Rule can be but ONE. This Proposition is not so to be understood, as if there were not many particular Rules prescribed, to be followed by men, in order to Salvation. Out of doubt, so many several Precepts as are laid down in Scripture, are so many particular Rules to direct us in our way. But the meaning is, that there is but one System or Body of Rules; but 〈◊〉 Directory, according to which he can so order his way as to be happy. This is called a Rule, Gal 6.16. And that this is but One, will appear, if we consider these Arguments.

1. THAT Man's Happiness depends upon his performing the Conditions of the Covenant, in which it is • ffered to him. God is the Author of Blessedness, and it is his free gift. He therefore hath sovereign arbitrary Authority to propose the Terms on which he will bestow it: and having so done, if Man expects to be happy, he must see to the fulfilment of those Terms; else he can never lay Claim or pretend a Title to it. Nay, if he miss of the Condition of the promise, he presently brings himself under the Threatning▪ and for this reason Precepts are not only given affirmatively, but negatively too.

2. THAT there is but one Way, in one Covenant, according to which God hath engaged to make Man happy. It is true, there are two Covenants, in which God hath been concerned with Man; the Covenant of Works, and the Covenant of Grace: and these have their several ways and rules. In the first, Man was to be made happy by Works: in the second, by Grace. The former depended upon man's personal Obedience: the latter upon Christ 's. The former called for doing, the other for believing. But each of them have their limited way. And man being fallen from the first Covenant-Condition, and set it against him, and having lost his strength, it can no more be a Rule of Happiness to him. It is now only by the New Covenant, that he can ever hope to obtain Life & Salvation: and the Way to it, according to this Covenant, is determined; and therefore the Rule can be but one. For,

• 1. THERE is no Salvation without Reconciliation to God. As long as God and He are Enemies, He is unhappy. God only can save him; and he will save him only in the way of Reconciliation. Nay, he cannot be happy but in the Enjoyment of God; which how can he come at, till reconciled? Till then, he is without God, Eph. 2.12.
• 2. THERE is but one Mediator of reconci •• i • n, and that is Jesus Christ, as the Apostle tells us expressly, 1 Tim. 2.4. There is no coming to God but by him: out of him God is a Consuming Fire. He only hath satisfied provoked Justice, and pulled down the wall of partition. Thro' him then, and in no other way must we obtain Reconciliation.
• 3. THERE is but one way to become interested in the Satisfaction of (brist, and partake in reconciliation by him; and that is by believing in him. Joh. 3 36. He that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life; but the wr • th of God abideth on him. Christ is not actually a Savior to all men indiscriminatively, but only to Believers. He therefore had his Disciples to preach That, as the Sum of the Gospel. Mark 16.15, 16. Preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be 〈◊〉 .
• 4. THERE is but one way of serving God in new & evangelical Obedience, and that is by living to the will of God. (1 Pet. 4.2.) God hath told man what is his Will, ••• rein he expects to be served by him, ( M •• . 6.8) and this only hath a Fr ••• , given to it: without which, it is bold presumption for a man to challenge to himself a reward of Blessedness.

AND here we have an easy Resolution to that CASE which some so perplex themselves about, viz.

Quest. WHETHER Man may be saved in any Religion, provided he be true to the Observance of it?

Answ. TO bring this Case to be Promisses, I will lay down these few following Conclusions;

• 1. THAT, if there be but one Rule guiding to blessedness, and Man must know that Rule, or he cannot be blessed, then no Religion can save a Man, but that only in which this Rule is made known. Hence therefore the Word of God discovers the misery of men who are S • rangers to this Rule. The Apostle argues, Rom. 10.14. How shall they believe in him of whom they have not board? How shall man guide his steps to Life, if he have not a discovery of the Way? Or guide them right, if he have not the true Way? The Wise Man tells us, Where there is no Vision, the people perish, Prov. 29.18.
• 2. THAT there may be different S ••• s in Religion, and yet men may be saved in them. We are to distinguish between diverse Religions, and Diversity in Religion. Through out knowing but in part, it is come to pass, that Professors of Christianity have been of diverse Opinions in many things; and their difference hath occasioned several Denominations; but while they agree in the Foundation, they may be saved. So Paul assures us, 1 Cor. 3.11, 12, &c.
• 3. THAT there are Religions in the World, that not only have no discoveries of this one Rule, but prescribe to men Rules contradictory thereunto. The Truth of this Assertion cannot be suspected, by him that hath but a little Acquaintance with the several Religions, which the Children of Men have taken up, and followed. If we look upon all the Sects of the Gentile Religion, we shall not find in them any the least footsteps of man's Salvation by Christ, and faith in him. They have set up 〈◊〉 Worship, and served gods of their own making, bo • ed down to stocks and stones: among Twenty Thousand gods, have mist of the true One; have betook themselves to moral Virtues, as the way to felicity; and though they had Sacrifices, yet they neither used them as typical shadows of Christ, nor did they offer them to GOD, but to Devils. If we look upon the M ••••• t • n; though they do in word acknowledge God and Christ, yet they neither acknowledge Christ as a Redeemer, nor do they prescribe faith in him as necessary, nor yet do they acknowledge his Laws: but set up their 〈◊〉 in Opposition to his. If we consider the Anti-Christian; whatever pretence they make, yet they have subverted this Rule, in the foundations of it; inasmuch as they have joined other Mediators unto Christ; have •••••• ted faith in his Righteousness for Justification & Salvation; and brought back a Covenant of Works; have set up their own C ••• s, not only in equality 〈◊〉 , but in Opposition to his Commands; and because they loved not the Truth, have been left to believe 〈◊〉 .
• 4. HENCE the closer such men follow these Religions, the further they are from Happiness; because they thereby keep at the greater distance from the only Rule of Salvation. They mistake, that think conscientious following an erroneous Rule, is a Salve for the Errors of it. Ignorance is a damning evil; and Ignorance in the Understanding will beget Error in the Conscience, and there is no reason why God should not punish Sin in the Conscience, as well as Sin in the Will.

IT therefore tells us, that it is a matter of great, yea infinite Concernment to us, that we labor to be rightly acquainted with the Rule we are to follow in our pursuit of happiness: and therefore that we do not take it upon Credit; but make diligent inquiry to know, what is the good & perfect and acceptable Will of God, left otherwise we take a great deal of pains to no purpose, and following a false guide, do in the end miss of, and finally fall altogether short of our desired Salvation.

SERMON V.

Prop. III. THAT the WORD of GOD is this only Rule. If Man cannot be happy, without a Rule that can direct him to it, it must needs be his great concernment to know it, and not be mistaken. Now when the Word of God is said to be the Rule, it is a me • onymical Expression, and intends that it is therein contained & nowhere else. Here therefore, two things are to be considered.

• (1.) What we understand by the Word of God?
• (2.) How it appears to be the only Rule?

Q. 1. WHAT are •• to understand by the Word of God?

A. THIS Expression is variously used in Scripture: Especially,

• 1. For the Son of God, who is the Eternal Word, ( Job. 1.1, 14.) So called, because by him God hath been pleased to make himself known to his People. Vet. 18. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
• 2. FOR the Eternal Decree or Ordinance, in which God laid out and determined the works of Efficiency. So Psal. 148. •
• 3. FOR God's powerful Administration of the Works of Creation & Providence. There is a Creating Word ( Psal. 33.6.) and there is a Preserving Word, ( Mat. 4.4. Heb. 1.3.) But neither of these is here applicable.
• 4. FOR the Revelation or Discovery of his approving Will. The proper use of 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 among men, is to communicate their minds & thoughts one to another: and hence 'tis metaphorically applied to God, in respect of those manifestations, which he makes to the Children of men, of himself; and is more especially restrained to those discoveries, wherein he lets them know what is their Duty, and wherein they may be capable of pleasing him. And this is the most frequent use or the Word in Scripture. In what way soever God sees meet to make known his mind to us, in that way he may be said to speak to us; which the Apostle tells us hath been in divers manners. Heb. 1.1.

Q. 2. HOW does it appear to be the 〈◊〉 Rule?

A. WE may here (to expedite this matter) call to mind, that there have been 〈◊〉 Covenants, in which God hath readed with men about their happiness, viz. that of Works, and that of •• ace. As to the former, or that of works, there needs no 〈◊〉 of this Consideration to it, because man is no 〈◊〉 to expect felicity by it. If fallen man could have attained his end according to the tenor of that, the second had been supers •• ous. Gal. 3.21. Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily Righteousness should have been by the law. That Covenant stands armed with Curses, and all that are nader it can expect nothing else: Ver. 10. For as many as are of the works of the law, 〈◊〉 under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. And yet if there were need, it might be evidenced that God's Word was Man's only Rule there; but because Adam's apostate Children can expect Life & Salvation only according to the tenor of the Covenant of Grace, it will suffice to make it appear, that the Word of God is the only Rule, to direct us to glorify and enjoy him, in the way of this Covenant. And this will be manifest by these Propositions.

1. THAT Man by his fall mist of the happiness offered in the first Covenant, & brought himself under a condition of misery. Man's happiness consists in the glorifying of God, & enjoying him: and the fall cut him oft from both. From the former, Rom. 3.23. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God: From the latter. Isa. 59 2. Your iniquities have separated between you and your God. And hence he fell from Life into a state of Death: for therein did the Curse consist. Gen. 2.17. In the day that thou • atest thereof, thou shalt surely die. So that all the Children of men are not only born capable of Misery: But they are born actually miserable. Hence this Death is said to be past upon all men, Rom. 5.12.

2. THAT fallen man is no longer capable of being made happy by that Covenant. For, though his happiness be still in attaining his end, and his end be still the same that ever it was, yet it is not to be advanced by him in that way wherein it was at first prescribed: and this, not by reason of any default in the Law or Covenant, (that is holy, & just and good) but by reason of his own Impotency. Rom. 7.13, 14. Was then that which is good, made death unto me? God forbid. For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. And here is a double Impotency expressed in the two Phrases: — Ca • nal, i. e. Sinful naturally and habitually; and so not able to keep the Law, by which God may be glorified, and I perform the Condition of Life: — Sold under Sin, i. e. under the Sentence of Condemnation; not able to make Satisfaction, and remove the Curse. So that this Covenant speaks nothing but terror and despair. to all those that are held under the Conditions of it.

3. THAT hence, if ever the undone Creature be restored to happiness, by attaining his end, there must be another way found our for it. If blessedness can be no longer by the law, then either man must never be blessed; Or, there must be a new law of blessedness provided for him; Or he must be made blessed without any, which cannot be; for, if he could not be happy when he was innocent, but by closing with his Rule, and reaching his End, much less can he be so now he is miserable, unless there be a way to rid him of his misery, and bring him back to felicity. If therefore the law of works cannot, something else must, or otherwise he must needs perish. And if there be another way, there must of necessity be another Rule; This being a directory suited to the way, and therefore cannot but vary accordingly. Hence that, Heb. 7 12. For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.

4. THAT the Recovery of fallen man from this Misery, is an act of God's sovereign Pleasure. It derives from hence, and hath its dependence here. If, when man had come short of his end, and lost his happiness, he had left him there without hopes forever, he could not have done him any injury; it had been but an Hell of his own procuring. Hence the Original of man's Recovery is referred to God's Will. Eph. 1.5. Having predestinated us to the a ••• tion of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. God had once brought himself under an Obligation to give him life in case of Obedience; but he had not obliged himself to deliver him, if he should cast himself away.

5. THAT hence the Way, in which this recovery is to be obtained, depends upon that Pleasure of His. He that might have chosen, whether ever he would have saved us, hath the liberty of prescribing (as he sees meet) how he will bring it about, and upon what Terms we may expect it. If he do not restore us, none can: and if he do, it is free Grace. Who then shall prescribe to him? Or who shall make his terms for him? And for this reason it is, that Salvation is said to belong to God.

6. THAT as God purposed from Eternity to bring back a number of fallen Men, so he provided a new C •••• ant-way to accomplish it in. God hath a company of Elect or chosen ones among the ruins of the fall, whom he appointed to felicity in the days of Eternity, before the World was, ( Eph. 1.6.) And when he appointed them to the End, he also allotted the Means, by which they should reach it. Eph. 1.4. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should he holy, and without blame before him in love. The new and living way was then fixed, & preremptorily resolved upon; and it was but one way that was then determined, unto the which the terms of the new Covenant are in the publication of it restrained. Mark 16.16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but be that believeth not, shall be damned.

7. THAT except God had revealed this Way and Rule, it could never have been known in the World. Men nor Angels could not have so much as published that good news, that there is such a thing, unless he and first declared it: much less could they have given a draught of it. Hence it is, that where there is none of this Revelation, a People are in a state of Perdition, Prov. 29.18. Where there is no vision, the people perish: but be that keepeth the law, happy is be. Rom. 10.14. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? For who should be able to know the mind of God, or enter into the secrets of the decree, till God was pleased to break them open? Hence when Peter confessed Christ, he tells him, as Matth. 16.17. Blessed art thou Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my father which is in heaven.

8. THAT in what way soever God reveals this will of his, that is to be accounted his Word. For God's word is nothing else but his making his mind known to his Creature. Now there have been divers ways, that God hath taken thus to inform his people of their duty; sometimes by Oracles, giving vocal Commands to them; sometimes by Urim & Thum •••• ; partly by Angels appearing in human Shape, 〈◊〉 by the Son of God before his Incarnation, who often came to his Servants of Old: partly by Visions and Dreams, appearing to them in sleep, in raptures, and trances: and partly by Prophets and extraordinary men sent and spirited by him: and partly by appointing such men to write down his Will for the use of his People: of all which ways we have an account given unto us in the holy Scriptures.

9. THAT nothing but what GOD hath thus revealed to his People, doth or can belong to the Rule. That there needs no more, will be afterwards considered, when we come to observe the Perfection of Scripture: But here we observe, that there can be no more. We are therefore severely forbidden to add. Prov. 30.5, 6. Every word of God is •• re. — Add thou not unto his words, left be reprove thee, and thou be sound a liar. For, if the Salvation of fallen man depends merely on the good pleasure of God, the knowledge of it necessarily depends upon his revelation. How else should it possibly come to be known? Hence we have that challenge, Rom. 11.34. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his counselor? None was admitted to sit at Council-Table with him, or hear what he purposed in the Days of Eternity, or read those Records of his Decrees. Till • e told it, it was a secret. For any therefore of their own head to make any addition to this Rule, is a bold Intrusion upon the Divine Prerogative; an imposing upon God, which he will never admit of▪ nor shall they f •• d any other thanks from God, but a severe Demand, Who required these things at your hands?

HERE I shall take into Consideration a CASE controverted among many viz.

Quest. WHETHER the Light of Nature, which Men bring with them into the world may not be improved, so •• to be a sufficient Rule to guide them to their chief End?

Answ. WE are here to consider Man in his lapsed Estate, and the Light of Nature as It is to be found in him in this estate of his: And thus taken, the Answer is in the Negative. For the full Illustration whereof let these things be thought upon.

1. WHAT the light of Nature at the first only discovered to Man the Rule, by which he was to attain his end, according to a Covenant of Works. It was properly adapted to the first covenant, in which man was by his personal Obedience to serve to God's glory and secure his favor. Hence it contained in it only the moral law or the substance of what was contained in the ten Commandments. Rom. 2.14, 15. The Gentiles which have not the law do by nature the things contained in the law, these having not the • awe, are 〈◊〉 unto themselves. Which show the work of the law written in their hearts. It said, These things ought to be done and those to be avoided; • if though •• so do, thou shall be happy. It was accommodated to the Image of God, that was imprinted on man, and served to guide him in the right improvement of it. It was the candle of the Lord, set up in him to light him in his way wherein he ought to go.

2. THAT though the light of Nature clearly discovered to man his Obligation to God, yet it did not show him every point of the Rule, by which God would be served by him. There were some things positive required, which were not to be particularly found in it, but were made known to man by Revelation. Man knew, that God was to be obeyed in whatsoever he should enjoin him, by the light of Nature: but this did not tell him that the Tree of life & knowledge w ••• sacramental, and that it was Death to e •• of the latter. The difference between the 〈◊〉 was arbitrary, and not natural. Possibly that might tell him, a Sabbath was due to be kept, but that one day of seven, or this day of seven 〈◊〉 , he had by revelation; God is therefore said to sanctify i • .

3. THAT this l • ght in • allen man is woefully imported. Man knockit his head in his fall, and cra • 'd his understanding as to divine Truths. It is but a little that he knows of that Rule. •• ne broken fragments, & moth eaten registers, • ld rusty out worn mo •• ments there are; but so imperfect & illegible, that the •• are but very few of them, that he can spall 〈◊〉 what they mean, and in others he is mistaken. For this, we have that good Man's confession, Prov. 30.2. Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man. For this reason, a state of Nature is c • lled a state of Darkness, and natural men said to be brutish. Hence Divine Revelation is necessary to the right & thorough discerning of what was required in the old Covenant; in which a mistake is a capital crime, Gal. 3.10.

4. THAT if the light of Nature, were as clear in man now as it was at first, yet his Inability to follow it, renders it unprofitable to him. The impotency, which is in natural men, to obey the demands of the Law, cuts them off from a capacity of improving the greatest discoveries they can make of it, to their advantage & happiness. For if men know & do not, their