THis Chapter contains an excellent, profitable, familiar diſcourſe of the bleſſed Saviour of the World, into whoſe Lips grace was poured, Pſal. 45. 2. and he ceaſed not to pour it out again: That which is ſaid of the Wiſe, Prov. 15. 7. is fully verified of Wiſdom it ſelf, His Lips diſperſed Knowledge. A poor Woman of Samaria comes to draw Water, and our Saviour takes occaſion from the Water, to inſtruct her in the great and excellent Doctrines of the Kingdom of Heaven. Oh the admirable zeal for God, and compaſſion for Sonls, which dwelt in that Divine Breaſt! And Oh the wonderful unſearchable Councels of an all-wiſe God! He ordains Saul's ſeeking of Aſſes to be the means of his finding a Kingdom upon Earth; and this poor Woman's ſeeking of Water, to be an occaſion of her finding the way to the Kingdom of Heaven: She comes to the Well of Jaceb, and behold ſhe meets with the God of Jacob there. The Occaſion, Paſſages, and Iſſue of this Diſcourſe, would each afford many good and profitable Obſervations: But I think none more than this verſe that I have pitch'd upon; in which the myſtery of Goſpel-Grace is rarely unfolded, and true Chriſtian Religion is excellently deſcribed. For ſo I underſtand our Saviour, not as ſpeaking of Faith or Knowledge, or any other particular Grace, but of Grace in general, of the holy Spirit of God, that is, the Gifts and Graces of it, of true Godlineſs, or if you will, of Chriſtian Religion; for that word I ſhall chooſe to retain throughout my Diſcourſe, as being moſt intelligible and comprehenſive.

In which words we find true Chriſtian Religion unfolded in the original, nature, properties, conſequent, and end of it. The original of it is found in thoſe words, [I ſhall give him:] The nature of it is deſcribed by a [Well of Water;] The properties of it will be found in the phraſe of [ſpringing up;] The conſequent of it, that the man that is endued with it ſhall [never thirſt;] The end or perfection of it is, [everlaſting Life.] Of all theſe, by Gods aſſiſtance, in this order:

Firſt I begin with the Original of it, as it ſeems meet I ſhould: for indeed it is firſt found in the words,—The Water that I ſhall give him. And here the Propoſition that I ſhall go upon muſt be, That

True Chriſtion Religion is of a Divine Original. All Souls are indeed the Offſpring of God. Thoſe Noble Faculties o • Ʋnderſtanding, and a Will free from conſtraint, do more reſemble the nature of God, than all the World beſides. There is more of the glory, beauty, and brightneſs of God in a Soul, than there is in the Sun it ſelf. The Apoſtle allows it as a proper ſpeech ſpoken in common of all men, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Act 17. 28. God hath derived more lively prints of himſelf and his Divine Eſſence upon a rational Soul, than he hath upon the whole Creation: ſo that the Soul of man even as to its conſtitution, doth declare and diſcover more of the rature of God, than all the other things that he hath made, whereof the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Rom. 1. 20. He that rightly converſeth with his own Soul, w • ll get more acquaintarce with God, than they that gaze con •• ually upon the material Heavens, or traverſe the dark and u • moſt corners of the Earth, or go down unto the Sea in Ships; the ſ • rious conſideration of the little World, will teach more of him than the great one could do: So that I doubt not to take the Apoſtles words concerning the Word of God, and apply them to the Nature of God, Rom. 10. Say not in thy heart, Who ſhall aſcend into Heaven, to bring a diſcovery of God from thence? or who ſhall deſcend into the Deep, to fetch it up from thence? The Nature and Eſſence of God is nigh thee, even in thine own Soul, excellently diſplayed in the Conſtitution and Frame, Powers and Faculties thereof: God hath not made any Crea • u • e ſo capable of receiving and •• flecting his Image and Glory, as Angels and Men: Which hath made me often to ſay, That the vileſt Soul of Man is much more beautiful and honourable than the moſt excellent Body, than the very Body of the Sun at noon day. And (by the way) this may render S • n odious and loa • h ſome; becauſe It hath defiled the faireſt piece of Gods Workmanſh • p in the World, and blur • ed the cleareſt Copy which he had drawn of himſelf in the whole Creation.

I Come now to ſpeak of the Nature of True Religion, which is here deſcribed by our bleſſed Lord, by a well of Water: Firſt, by Water, ſecondly, by a Well of both theſe, but more briefly of the former.

1. Pure Religion, or Goſpel-Grace, is deſcribed by Water. This is a compariſon very familiar in holy Scriptures, both of the Old Teſtament, and the New, By this ſimilitude Goſpel-Grace was typi • ied in the Ceremonial Law, wherein both Perſons and Things ceremonially unclean were commanded to be waſh'd in Water, as is abundantly to be ſeen in that adminiſtration. Under this notion the ſame Grace is pray'd for by the Pſalmiſt, when he had defiled himſelf in the Bed of a Stranger, Pſal. 51. 7. Waſh me, and I ſhall be whiter than Snow: He had drunk Water out of a ſtrange Ciſtern, (as his Son Solomon deſcrib •• that unclean act, Pro. 5. 15.) and now he calls out for Water from the Fountain of Grace to undefile him: He now crys out for Water from the Fountain of Grace, the bleſſed Meſſiah, that ſprung up into the world at Bethlehem, and that with more earneſtneſs than formerly, we read that he wiſh'd for the Water of the Well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate, 2 Sam. 23. In the ſame phraſe the ſame grace is promiſed by the Miniſtry of the Prophets, who propheſied of the grace that ſhould come unto us. Thus we read of the fair and flouriſhing ſtate of the Church, Iſa. 58. 11. Thou ſhalt be like a watred Garden, and like a ſpring of Water, whoſe Waters fail not; and of the fruitful ſtate of the Goſpel-Proſelytes, Joel 3. 18. All the Rivers of Judah ſhall flow with Waters, and a fountain ſhall come forth of the Houſe of the Lord, and ſhall water the Valley of Shittim. Which promiſes that they are underſtood of the grace of Sanctification, the Prophet Ezekiel ſheweth plainly▪ Ezek. 36 25. I will ſprinkle clean Water upon you, and ye ſhall be clean; from all your filthineſs, and from all your Idols will I cleanſe you: for ordinary elementary Water cannot cleanſe men from Idols. The Prophet Iſaiah alſo puts it out of doubt, whoſe Prophecy, together with the interpretation of it, we find both in one verſe, Iſa. 44. 3. I will pour water upon him that is thirſty, and floods upon the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon thy Seed, and my Bleſſing upon thine Off-ſpring. By the ſame Ceremony the Goſpel-Diſpenſation ſhadows out the ſame Myſtery, in the Sacrament of Baptiſm; and by the ſame phraſe, our Saviour offers and promiſes the ſame Grace, Joh. 7. 37. If any man thirſt, let him come unto me and drink: and his Apoſtles after him, who in alluſion to Water, call this Grace the waſhing of Regeneration, Tit. 3. 5. To which I might adde 1 Pet. 3. 21. and many other Texts, if it needed.

Now as the grace of God is compared to Fire, becauſe of its refining nature, and conſuming the droſs and refuſe of Luſt in the Soul; and to other things for other reaſons; ſo is it compared to Water, eſpecially for thoſe two properties, viz. Cleanſing and quenching. For obſerve this by the way, that it is a very injurious thing to the holy Ghoſt, to preſs the Metaphors which he uſeth in Scripture, further than they do naturally & freely ſerve. Neither are we to ſtick in the letter of the Metaphor, but to attend unto the ſcope of it. If we tenaciouſly adhere to the phraſe, wanton wits will be ready to quarrel with abſurdities, and ſo unawares run into ſtrange blaſphemies: They will cry out preſently, How can Fire waſh, when they read that of the Prophet. Iſa. 4. 4. The Lord will waſh away the filth of the Daughter of Sion, by the Spirit of Burning? But who art thou, O man, that wilt teach him to ſpeak, who formed the Tongue? The Spirit of God intends the vertue and property of things when he names them, and that we muſt mainly attend to.

Firſt therefore, by the phraſe Water, is the Cleanſing nature of Religion commended to us: It is the undefiling of the Soul, which Sin and Wickedneſs hath polluted: Sin is oft deſcribed in Scripture by filthineſs, loathſomneſs, abomination, uncleanneſs, a ſpot, a blemiſh, a ſtain, a pollution; which indeed is a moſt proper deſcription of it. The ſpots of Leproſie, and the ſcurff of the fowleſt ſcurvy are beauty ſpots in compariſon of it: Job upon the Dunghil, furniſhed cap-a-pe with ſcabs and boils, was not half ſo loathſome as goodly Abſalom, in whoſe Body there was no blemiſh from the ſole of his foot to the crown of his head; but his Soul was ſtained with the ſanguine ſpots of malice and revenge, and feſtred with the loathſome Carbuncle and Tumour of Ambition. Lazarus lying at the gates full of raw and running ſores, was a far more lovely object in the pure Eyes of God, than dame Jezabel looking out at the window, adorned with ſpots and paints. If the beſt of a godly man that he hath of his own, even his Righteouſneſs, be as a filthy rag, Iſa. 64. 6. Whence ſhall we borrow a phraſe ſoul enough to deſcribe the worſt of a wicked man, even his wickedneſs; I need ſay no more of it, I can ſay no worſe of it, than to tell you it is ſomething contrary to God, who is the eternal Father of Light, who is Beauty, and Brightneſs, and Glory it ſelf; or to give it you in the Apoſtle's phraſe, Rom. 3. 23. a falling ſhort of the glory of God. Which hath made me many times to wonder, and almoſt ready to cry out with the Prophet, Be aſtoniſhed, O ye Heavens at this, when I have ſeen poor, ignorant, wicked, and prophane Wretches, paſſing by a perſon or a family viſited with ſome loathſome Diſeaſe, in a mixture of fear and diſdain, ſtopping their Noſes, and haſtning away; when their own Souls have been more vile than the dung upon the Earth, ſpotted with Ignorance and Atheiſm, ſwollen with the riſings of Pride and Self-will, and contempt of God and his holy Image. This might well be a matter of wonder to any man, till he conſider with himſelf, that one part of theſe mens uncleanneſs, is that very blindneſs which keeps them from diſcerning it: I ſpeak principally of the defilement of the Soul; though indeed the ſame do pollute the whole Converſation: Every action ſpringing from ſuch an unclean Heart, thereby becomes filthy; even as Moſes his hand, put into his boſome became leprous, Exod. 4. or rather as one that is unclean by a dead body, defileth all that he toucheth, Hag. 2. 13.

Now Religion is the cleanſing of this unclean ſpirit and converſation; ſo that though the Soul were formerly as filthy & odious as Augeus his Stable, when once thoſe living Waters flow into it, and thorow it from the pure Fountain of Grace and Holineſs, the Spirit of our God, one may ſay of it as the Apoſtle of his Corinthians, 1 Cor. 6. 11. Such were ſome of you; but ye are waſhed, but ye are ſanctified, &c. The Soul that before was white as leproſie, is now white as Wool▪ Iſa. 1. 18. the Soul that before was like Moſes his hand, leprous as ſnow, is now like David's Heart, white as ſnow, yea, and whiter too, Pſal. 51. 7. Oh what a beauty and glory is upon that godly Soul that ſhines with the image and brightneſs of God upon it! Solomon in all his glory was not beautiful like ſuch a Soul; nay, I dare ſay, the ſplendor of the Sun in its greateſt ſtrength and altitude, is a miſerable glimmering, if it be compared with the Day-Star of Religion; that even in this Life ariſes in the heart, or if you will in the Prophets ſtile, the Sun of Righteouſneſs, which ariſeth with healing in his wings, upon them that fear the Name of God. To ſpeak without a Metaphor, the godly Soul having entertained into its ſelf the pure effluxes of Divine Light and Love, breathes after nothing more than to ſee more familiarly, and love more ardently, its inclinations are pure and holy, its motions ſpiritual and powerful, its delights high and heavenly; it may be ſaid to reſt in its love, and yet it may be ſaid that love will not ſuffer it to reſt, but is ſtill carrying it out into a more intimate union with its beloved object. What is ſaid of the Oyntment of Chriſts Name, Cant. 1. 3. is true of the Water of his Spirit, it is poured forth, therefore do the Virgins love him: Religion begets a chaſte and virgin-love in the Soul towards that bleſſed God that begot it, it bathes it ſelf in the Fountain that produc'd it, and ſuns it ſelf perpetually in the warm beams that firſt hatch'd it. Religion iſſues from God himſelf, and is ever iſſuing out towards God alone, paſſionately breathing with the holy Pſalmiſt, Whom have I in Heaven but thee? In Earth there is none that I deſire beſide thee! The Soul that formerly may be ſaid to have lain among the Pots, by reaſon of its filthineſs, is now as the wings of a Dove covered with ſilver, and her Feathers with yellow gold: the Soul that formerly may be ſaid to have ſitten down by the fleſh pots of Egypt, in regard of its ſenſual and earthly Loves, being redeemed by the almighty grace of God, is upon its way to the holy Land, haſtning to a Country, not earthly but heavenly, Heb. 11. This pure Principle being put into the Soul, puts it upon holy Studies, indites holy Meditations, directs it to high and noble ends, and makes all its embraces to be pure and chaſte, labouring to compaſs God himſelf, which before were adulterous & idolatrous, free for ſin, and ſelf, and the world, to lodge and lie down in. In a word, this Offſpring of Heaven, this Kings Daughter, the godly Soul, is all glorious within; yea, and outwardly too, ſhe is cloathed with wrought gold, Pſal. 45. 13. Her faith within, is more precious than gold, 1 Pet. 1. 7. and her Converſation curiouſly made up of an Embroidery of good Works, ſome of P • ety, ſome of Charity, ſome of Sobriety, but all of Purity, ſhineth with more noble and excellent ſplendor, than the high Prieſts Garments and Breſt-plate ſpangled with ſuch variety of precious Stones. This precious Oyntment, this holy Ʋnction, as the Apoſtle calls it, 1 John 2. 20. is as diffuſive of it ſelf and ten thouſand times more fragrant than that of Aaron ſo much commended in Pſal. 133. that ran down from his head upon his beard, and from thence upon the skirts of his garment. Not my feet only, but my hands and my head, Lord; ſaid Peter, John 13. Not well knowing what he ſaid; but the Soul that is truly ſenſible of the excellent purity which is cauſed by Divine Waſhings, longs to have the whole man, the whole Life alſo made partaker of it, and cries, Lord not my head only, not my heart only, but my hands and my feet alſo, make me wholly pure as God is pure. In a word then, true Religion is the cleanſing of the Soul, and all the powers of it, ſo that whereas Murderers ſometimes lodged in it, now Righteouſneſs; the Den of Thieves, thieviſh Luſts and Loves, and Intereſts, and Ends, which formerly ſtole away the Soul from God its right Owner, is now become a Temple fit for the great King to dwell, and live, and reign in: And the whole Converſation is turned from its wonted vanity, worldlineſs, and iniquity, and is continually employed about things that are true, honeſt, juſt, pure, lovely, and of good report, Phil. 4. 8.

2. By the phraſe Water, the Quenching nature of Religion is commended to us. God hath indued the immortal Soul with a reſtleſs appetite and raging thirſt after ſome chief Good, which the heart of every man is continually groping after, and catching at, though indeed few find it, becauſe they ſeek it where it is not to be found. If we ſpeak properly, it is not gold, or ſilver, or popular applauſe, which the covetous or ambitious mind doth ultimately aim at, but ſome chief good, happineſs, ſufficiency, and ſatisfaction in theſe things: wherein they are more guilty of Blaſphemy than Atheiſm: for it is clear that they do not deny a ſupreme Good, (for that which men do chiefly and ultimately aim at, is their God, be it what it will) but they do verily blaſpheme the true God, when they place their happineſs there where it is not to be found, and attribute that fulneſs and ſufficiency to ſomething elſe beſides the living God. Sin hath not deſtroyed the nature and capacity of the rational Soul, but hath diverted the mind from its adequate object, and hath ſunk it into the Creature, where it wanders hither and thither, like a baniſhed man, from one Den and Cave to another, but is ſecure no where. A wicked man, who is looſed from his centre by ſin, and departed from the Fountain of his Life, flies low in his affections, and flutters perpetually about the Earth, and earthly Objects, but can find no more reſt for the foot of his Soul, than Noah's Dove could find for the ſole of her foot. Now Religion is the hand that pulls this wandring Bird into her own Ark from whence ſhe was departed; it ſettles the Soul upon its proper centre, and quenches its burning thirſt after happineſs. And for this reaſon it is called Water in Scripture, as appears from Iſa. 58. 11. The Lord ſhall ſatisfie thy Soul in drought; and of Iſa. 45. 3. I will pour Water upon him that is thirſty, and floods upon the dry ground; compared with John 7. 37. Jeſus ſtood and cried, ſaying, If any man thirſt, let him come unto me, and drink. Religion is a taſte of infinite Goodneſs which quenches the Souls thirſt after all other created and finite Good; even as that taſte which honeſt Nathaniel had of Chriſts Divinity, took him off from the expectation of any Meſſiah to come, and made him cry out preſently, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Iſrael, Joh. 1. 49. And every religious Soul hath ſuch a taſte of God even in this life, which though it do not perfectly fill him, yet doth perfectly aſſure him where all fulneſs dwells. But of this I ſhall have occaſion to diſcourſe more largely, when I come to treat of the conſequent of true Religion.

I proceed therefore to the ſecond phraſe whereby our Saviour deſcribes the nature of true Religion, It is a Well, a Fountain in the Soul,—Shall be in him a Well of Water. From which phraſe, to wave niceties, I ſhall only obſerve,

That Religion is a Principle in the Souls of men.

The Water that Chriſt pours into the Soul, is not like the Water that he pours upon our Streets, that waſhes them, and runs away; but it becomes a cleanſing Principle within the Soul it ſelf; every drop from God becomes a Fountain in man. Not as if man had a kind of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in himſelf, or were the firſt ſpring of his own motions towards God: I find not any Will in the natural man ſo divinely free. God hath indeed given this to his natural Son, his only begotten Son, to have life in himſelf, Joh. 5. 26. but not to any of his adopted ones. If you ask me concerning man in his natural capacity, I am ſo far quickning power, a principle of life in himſelf, that I muſt needs aſſert the contrary with the Apoſtle, That he i • dead in treſpaſſes and ſins, Epheſ. 2. 1. ſo far from thinking that he hath in himſelf a Well of Water, that I muſt call him, with the Prophet, Iſa. 44. thirſty and dry ground. As for the Regenerate man, I will not enter into that deep controverſie concerning the co-operation of mans Will with the Spirit of God, and its ſubordination to that in all gracious acts, or what a kind of cauſe of them this renewed will of man may be ſafely called, only I will affirm, That Repenting and Believing, are properly mans acts, and yet they are performed by Gods power; firſt Chriſt muſt give this Water, ere it can be a Well of Water in the Soul: Which is enough, I ſuppoſe to clear me from ſiding with either of thoſe parties, whether thoſe that aſcribe to God that which he cannot do, or thoſe that aſcribe to Free-will that which God alone can do. But I fear nothing from theſe Controverſies, for that way wherein I ſhall diſcourſe of this matter, will nothing at all border upon them. This then, I affirm, That Religion is a living Principle in the Souls of good men: I cannot better deſcribe the nature of Religion, than to ſay it is a Nature; for ſo does the Apoſtle ſpeak, or at leaſt allows us to ſpeak, when he calls it a participation of a divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1. 4. no • hing but a Nature can partake of a Nature; a mans Friend may partake of his Goodneſs and Kindneſs, but his Child only partakes of his Nature: He that begets, begets a Nature, and ſo doth he that begets again. The Sun enlightens the World outwardly, but it does not give a Sun like nature to the things ſo enlightened; and the Rain doth moyſten the Earth, and refreſh it inwardly, but it does not beget the nature of Water in the Earth: But this Water that I give (ſays our Saviour) becometh a Well of Water in the Soul. Religion is not any thing without a Man, hanging upon him, or annext to him; neither is it every ſomething that is in a man, (as we ſhall ſee anon) but it is a Divine Principle informing and actuating the Souls of good Men, a living and lively Principle, a free and flowing Principle, a ſtrong and laſting Principle, an inward and ſpiritual Principle. I muſt not ſpeak of all theſe diſtinctly in this place, for fear of interfering in my diſcourſe. When I ſay Religion is a Principle, a vital Form acting the Soul and all the powers of it, an inward nature, &c. Saith not the Scripture the ſame here, a Well or Fountain of Water? And elſewhere, a new man, the hidden man of the heart, the inward man, Epheſ. 4. 24, 1 Pet. 3. 4. As the Soul is called an inward man, reſpective to the Body, 2 Cor. 4. 16. ſo Religion is called an inward man, reſpective to the Soul it ſelf, Rom. 7. 22. It is a man within man. The man that is truly alive to God, hath in him not only inward parts, for ſo a dead man hath, but an inward man, an inward Nature and Principle. Again, It is called a Root, Job 19. 28. or if not there, yet plainly in Mark 4. 17. Where temporary Profeſſors are ſaid to have no root in themſelves. And this is by the ſame propriety of ſpeech, whereby a wicked principle is called, A Root of bitterneſs, Heb. 12. 15. Again, it is called a Seed, the Seed of God, 1 Joh. 3. 9. where this Seed of God is called an a biding or remaining principle. In the firſt Creation God made the Trees of the earth, having their ſeed in themſelves, Gen. 1. 11. and in the New Creation, theſe trees of Righteouſneſs, of Gods planting, are alſo made with ſeed in themſelves, though not of themſelves: it is ſaid to be the Seed of God indeed, but remaining in the godly Soul. Again, it is called a Treaſure, in oppoſition to an Alms or Annuity, that laſteth but for a day or an year, as a Well of Water, in oppoſition to a Diſh of Water; and a Treaſure of the heart, in oppoſition to all outward and earthly treaſures, Matth. 12. 35. It is a treaſure affording continual expences, not exhauſted, yea encreaſed by expences; wherein it exceeds all treaſures in the World. By the ſame propriety of Speech, Sin is called a treaſure too, but it is an evil treaſure, as our Saviour ſpeaks in that ſame place. Do you not ſee what • ſtock of wickedneſs ſinful men have within themſelves, which although they have ſpent upon ever ſince they were born, yet it is not impaired, nay, it is much augmented thereby: And ſhall not the ſecond Adam beſtow ſomething as certain and permanent upon his Off-ſpring, as the firſt Adam conveyed to his Poſterity? Though men have ſomething without them to guide them in the way of life, yet it is ſome living principle within them, that does denominate them living Men. The Scripture will abundantly inform you which is the true Circumciſion, Col. 2. 11. the true Sacrifice to God, Pſal. 51. 17. And ind ••• • he Law it ſelf is not ſo much to • ••• ſidered as it was engraven in Tables of Stone, as being written in the heart, Jer. 31. 33. The Jews need not have taken up their reſt in the Law, conſidered as an outward Rule or Precept; for they knew, or might have known, that God requireth truth in the inward parts as one of themſelves, a Prophet and King of their own acknowledgeth, Pſal. 51. 6. But I doubt many Chriſtians are alſo ſick of the ſame Diſeaſe, whilſt they view the Goſpel as an Hiſtory, and an external diſpenſation; whereas the Apoſtle, when he oppoſeth it to the Law, ſeems altogether to make it an internal thing, a vital form and principle ſeated in the minds and ſpirits of men, 2 Cor. 3. The Law was an external Rule or Diſpenſation, that could not give Life, though it ſhewed the way to it, Gal. 3. 21. but the Goſpel in the moſt proper notion of it, ſeems to be an internal impreſſion from God, a living principle whereby the Soul is enabled to expreſs a real conformity to God himſelf. If we conſider the Goſpel in the Hiſtory of it, and as a piece of Book-Learning, it is as weak and impotent a thing as the Law was, and men may be as overly and formal in the profeſſion of this, as they were of that, which we ſee by daily ſad experience. But if we conſider the Goſpel, as an efflux of Life and Power from God himſelf upon the Soul, producing Life where-ever it comes, then we have a clear diſtinction between the Law and the Goſpel; to which the Apoſtle ſeems to refer, when he calls the Corinthians the Epiſtle of Chriſt, not written with ink, nor in Tables of Stone, but with the Spirit of the living God, in fleſhly Tables of the Heart, 2 Cor. 3 3. According to which notion of the Law and Goſpel, I think we may (with a learned man of our own) come to a good underſtanding of that tormented Text, Jer. 30. 31. quoted by the Apoſtle, Heb. 10. 8. This is the Covenant that I will make I will put my Law into their minds, &c. The Goſpel doth not ſo much conſiſt in verbis, as in virtute; a Divine Principle of Religion in the Soul, is the beſt Goſpel: And ſo Abraham and Moſes under the Law, were truly Goſpellers; and on the other hand, All carnal Chriſtians that converſe with the Goſpel only as a thing without them, are as truly legal, and as far ſhort of the Righteouſneſs of God, as ever any of the Jews were.

Thus we ſee that Religion is a Principle in the Souls of good Men.—Shall be in him a Well of Water.

We ſhall here now take notice of the difference between the true, and all counterfeit Religions. Religion is that pearl of great price, which few men are poſſeſſed of, though all men pretend to it, Laodicean-like, ſaying, they are rich, and need nothing, when indeed they are poor and have nothing. This then ſhall be the teſt by which at preſent we will a little try the counterfeit pearls. True Religion is an inward nature, an inward and abiding principle in the minds of good men, a well of water.

1. Then we muſt exclude all things that are meerly external; theſe are not it. Religion is not ſomething annex'd to the ſoul ab extra, but a new nature put into it. And here we ſhall glance at two things.

1. A godly ſoul does not find the whole of his ſoul lying without him. Religion does not conſiſt in external reformations, though never ſo many and ſpecious. A falſe and overly Religion may ſerve to tie mens hands, and reduce their outward actions to a fair ſeemlineſs in the eyes of men: but true Religion's main dominion and power is over the ſoul, and its buſineſs lies moſtly in reforming and purging the heart, with all the affections and motions thereof. It is not a battering Ram coming from without, and ſerving to beat down the out-works of open and viſible enormities of life; but enters with a ſecret and ſweet power into the ſoul it ſelf, and reduces it from its rebellious temper, and perſwades it willingly to ſurrender it ſelf, and all that is in it. Sin may be beaten out of the outward converſation, and yet retire and hide it ſelf in the ſecret places of the ſoul, and there bear rule as perfectly by wicked loves and luſts, as ever it did by prophane and notorious practices. A man's hands may be tied by ſome external cords caſt upon them, from viſible revenge, and yet murders may lodge in the temple of his heart, as murderers lodged in the Temple of old: mens tongues may be tied up from the foul ſin of giving fair words concerning themſelves, very ſhame may chaſtize them out of proud boaſtings, and ſelf-exaltings; when in the mean time they ſwell in ſelf-conceit, and are not afraid to bear an unchaſte and ſinful love towards their own perfections, and adore an image of ſelf ſet up in their hearts. What a fair out-ſide the Phariſee had, himſelf will beſt deſcribe, (for indeed it is one of his properties to deſcribe himſelf) Luke 18. 11. God, I thank thee that I am not, &c. but if you will have a draught of his inſide, you may beſt take it from our Saviour, Matth. 23. Neither doth Religion conſiſt in external performances, though never ſo many, and ſeemingly ſpiritual. Many profeſſors of Chriſtianity, I doubt, ſink all their Religion into a conſtant courſe of duties, and a model of performances, being more ſtrangers to the life, and ſtrength, and ſweetneſs of true Religion. Thoſe things are needful and uſeful, and helpful, yea, and honourable, becauſe they have a relation and ſome tendency to God; but they are apt to become ſnares and idols to ſuperſtitious minds, who conceit, that God is ſome way gratified by theſe, and ſo they take up their reſt in them. That Religion, that only varniſhes and beautifies the outſide, tunes the Tongue to Prayer and Conference, inſtructs and extends the Hands to Diligence and Almeſdeeds, that awes the Converſation into ſome external Righteouſneſs o • Devotion, is here excluded, as alſo by the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 13. Much leſs can that paſs for Religion, that ſpends it ſelf about Forms, and Opinions, and Parties, and many diſputable points, which we have ſeen ſo much of in our own Generation. The Religion that runs upon modes, and turns upon intereſts, as a door turns upon its hinges, is a poor narrow ſcant thing, and may eaſily view it ſelf at once, all together from firſt to laſt. Men may be as far from the Kingdom of Heaven in their more ſpiritual Forms, and Orthodox Opinions, as they were in their more carnal and erroneous, if they take up their reſt in them: Neither is it the purſuing of any intereſt that will denominate them religious, but the grand intereſt of their Souls.

2. A godly Soul in his more inward and ſpiritual acts, hath not his motive without him: For a man may be ſomewhat more inward in his motions, and yet as outward in his motives as the former. Religions acts and gracious motions are not originally and primarily cauſed by ſome weights hung upon the Soul either by God or men, neither by the worldly Bleſſings which God gives, nor the heavy afflictions which he ſends. The Wings by which the godly Soul flies out towards God, are not waxt to him, as the Poets feign Icarus's to have been; but they grow out of himſelf, as the wings of an Eagle that flies ſwiftly towards Heaven: On the other ſide, a Soul may be preſs down unto humiliation under the heavy weight of Gods Judgements, that has no mind to ſtoop, no ſelf-denying or ſelf-debaſing diſpoſition in it. Thus you may ſee Jehu flying upon the Wings of Ambition and Revenge, born up by ſucceſſes in his Government; and his Predeceſſor Ahab bowing down mournfully under an heavy Sentence. The Laws, and Penalties, and Encouragements, and Obſervations of men, do ſometimes put a weight upon the Soul too, but they beget a more ſluggiſh, uneven, and unkindly motion in it. You may expect that under this head I ſhould ſpeak ſomething of Heaven and Hell; and truly ſo I may very pertinently, for I think they do belong to this place. If you take Heaven properly, for a ſull and glorious union to God, and fruition of him, and Hell for an eternal ſeparation and ſtragling from the Divinity, and ſuppoſe that the love of God, and the fear of living without him, be well drunk into the Soul, then verily theſe are pure and religious Principles: But if we view them as things meerly without us, and reſerved for us, and under thoſe common carnal notions of delectableneſs and dreadfulneſs, they are no higher nor better motives to us, than the carnal Jews had in the Wilderneſs, when they turned their Backs upon Egypt, where they had been in bondage, and ſet their Faces towards Canaan, where they hoped to find Milk and Honey, Peace, Plenty and Liberty. A Soul is not carried to Heaven, as a Body is carried to the Grave, upon mens Shoulders; it is not born up by Props, whether humane or divine; nor carried to God in a Charior, as a man is carried to ſee his Friend: The holy fire of arden • Love wherein the Soul of Elijah had been long carried up towards God, was ſomething more excellent, and indeed more deſirable, than the Fiery Chariot by which his Body and Soul were tranſlated together. Religion is a ſpring of motion which God hath put into the Soul it ſelf.

And a • all things that are external, whether actions or motives, are excluded in this Examination which we make of Religion: So neither,

2. Muſt we allow of every thing that is internal, to be Religion. And therefore,

1. It is not a fit, a ſtart, a ſudden paſſion of the mind, cauſed by the power and ſtrength of ſome preſent Conviction in the Soul, which in a hot mood will needs make out after God in all haſte. This may fitly be compared to the raſh and rude motion of the Hoſt of Iſrael, who being chidden for their ſlothfulneſs over night, roſe up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of the Mountain, ſaying, Lo▪ we be here, and will go up unto the place which the Lord hath promiſed, for we have ſinned, Numb. 14. 40. And indeed it • ares with theſe men oftentimes as it did with thoſe, both as to the undertaking, and as to the ſucceſs; their motion is as ſinful as their ſtation; and their ſucceſs is anſwerable, they are driven back and diſcomfited in their enterprize. Nay, though this paſſion might ariſe ſo high as to be called an extaſie or a rapture, yet it deſerves not the name of Religion: For Religion is (as one ſpeaks elegantly) like the natural hea • that is radicated in the hearts of living Creatures, which hath the dominion of the whole body, and ſends forth warm Blood and Spirits, and vital nouriſhment into every part and Member, it regulate • and orders the motions of it in a due and even manner. But theſe extatical Soul • , though they may blaze like a Comet, and ſwell like a torrent or land-flood for a time, and ſhoot forth freſh and high for a little ſeaſon, are ſoon extinguiſhed, emptied, and dried up, becauſe they have not a Principle, a ſtock to ſpend upon, or as our Saviour ſpeaks, no root in themſelves. Theſe mens motions and actions bear no more proportion to Religion, than a Land-flood that ſwells high, and runs ſwiftly, but it is only during the rain, or in the Scripture-phraſe, no more than a morningdew that ſoon paſſes away, (Hoſ. 6. 4.) is like a Well or Fountain of Water.

2. If Religion be a Principle, a new Nature in the Soul, then it is not a mee • Mechaniſm • , • piece of Art. Art imitates Nature; nothing more ordinary (I doubt) than for Religion it ſelf, that new Nature, to go into an Art. I need not tell you, how all the external acts and ſhootings forth of Religion, may be diſſembled and imitated by Art, and be acted over by a mimical apiſh Phariſ •• , who finds nothing at all of the gentle and mighty hea • , not the divine and noble life of it in his own Soul, whereby he may fairly deceive the credu • ous World, as I have partly hinted already. But it is poſſible (I wiſh it be not common) for men that are ſomewhat more convinced, enlightened, and affected, to imitate the very power and ſpirit of Religion, and to deceive themſelves too, as if they poſſeſt ſome true living Principle; and herein they exceed the moſt exquiſite Painters. Now this may be done by the power of a quick and raiſed Fancy; men hearing ſuch glorious things ſpoken of Heaven, the City of the great King, the New Jeruſalem, may be carried out by the power of ſelf-Love, to wiſh themſelves there, being mightily taken with a conceit of the place. But how ſhall they come at it? Why they have ſeen in Books, and heard in diſcourſes, of certain ſigns of Grace, and evidences of Salvation; and now they ſet their fancies on work, to find or make ſome ſuch things in themſelves. Fancy is well acquainted with the ſeveral Affections of Love, Fear, Joy, Grief, which are in the Soul, and having a great command over the animal Spirits, it can ſend them forth to raiſe up theſe Affections, even almoſt when it liſteth; and when it hath raiſed them, it is but putting to ſome thoughts of God and Heaven, and then theſe look like a handſome platform of true Religion drawn in the Soul; which they preſently view, and fall in love with, and think they do even taſte of the powers of the world to come, when indeed it is nothing but a ſelf-fulneſs and ſufficiency that they feed upon. Now you may know this artificial Religion by this; Theſe men can vary it, alter it, enlarge it, ſtraiten it, and new mold it at pleaſure, according to what they ſee in others, or according to what themſelves like beſt; one while acting over the Joy and Confidence of ſome Chriſtians, anon the Humiliation and Brokenneſs of others. But this fanciful Religion, proceeding indeed from nothing but low and carnal conceits of God and Heaven, is of a flitting and vaniſhing nature. But true Chriſtians are gen •• y, yet powerfully moved by the natural force of true Goodneſs, and the beauty of God, and do move on ſtedily and conſtantly in their way to him, and purſuit of him. The Spirit of Regeneration in good men, ſpreads it ſelf upon the underſtanding, and ſweetly derives it ſelf through the will and affections, which makes true Religion to be a conſiſtent and thriving principle in the Soul, as not being acted upon the ſtage of imagination, but upon the higheſt powers of the Soul it ſelf: and may be diſcerned by the evenneſs of its motions, and the immortality of its nature: for a good man though indeed he cannot go on alwayes with like ſpeed and cheerfulneſs in his way, yet is not willing at any time to be quite out of it.

By this ſame nature of true Religion, you may examine all thoſe ſpurious and counterfeit Religions, that ſpring from a natural belief of a Deity, from convictions, obſervations, fleſhly and low apprehenſions of Heaven, booklearning, and the precepts of men, as the Prophet calls them, and the reſt, which are ſeated in the fancie, and ſwim in the brain; whoſe effect is but to gild the outward man, or at beſt, but to move the ſoul by an external force, in an unn • tural, inconſtant and tranſient manner. In a word, All theſe pretenders to Religion may ſeem to have water, but they have no well; as there are others, deep men, principled indeed with learning, policy, ingenuity, &c. but not with true goodneſs, whom the Apoſtle calls Wells, but without Water, 2 Pet. 2. 7. But the truly godly, and Godlike ſoul hath in it ſelf a principle of pure Religion—The water that I ſhall give him, ſhall be a well of water, ſpringing up into Eternal Life.

But you will ask me when a Chriſtian may be ſaid to be ſluggiſh and unactive, and who theſe lazy ſouls are. I will premiſe two things, and then give you a brief account of them. Firſt, When I ſpeak of a ſluggiſh and ſpiritleſs Religion, I do not ſpeak as the hot-ſpirited Anabaptiſts or Chiliaſts▪ who being themſelves acted by a ſtrange fervour of mind, miſcalled zeal, are wont to declaim againſt all men as cold and benummed in their ſpirits, who do not call for fire from Heaven to conſume all diſſenters, under the notion of Antichriſtian; who are not afraid to reproach the divine, holy, gentle, yet generous ſpirit of Religion, calling it weak, womaniſh, cowardly, low, cold, and I know not what. Theſe men I believe (ſo far as I can gueſs at their ſpirit) if they had lived in the dayes of our Saviour, and had beheld that gentle, meek, humble, peaceable and pacate ſpirit, which did infinitely ſhine forth in him, would have gone nigh to have reproved him for not carrying on his own Kingdom with ſufficient vigour and activity; if not have judged Chriſt himſelf to be much Antichriſtian. I hope you ſee nothing in all my diſcoveries of the Active ſpirit of Religion, that ſavours of ſuch a fiery ſpirit as this is. Secondly, when I do ſo highly commend the Active ſpirit of true Religion, and the vigorous temper of truly Religious ſouls, I would not be underſtood, as if I thought all ſuch ſouls were alike ſwift, or that any ſuch ſoul did alwayes move with like ſwiftneſs, and keep a like pace towards God. I know that there are different ſizes of Active ſouls, yea and different degrees of Activity in the ſame ſoul: as may be ſeen, Cant. 5. 3. compared with the ſixth verſe of the ſame chapter; and in many other places of Scripture.

But yet that none may flatter and deceive themſelves with an opinion of their being what indeed they are not, I will briefly diſcover the ſluggiſhneſs and inactivity of Chriſtians in a few particulars. I pray take it not ill though the greateſt part of Chriſtians be found guilty; for that is no other than what Chriſt himſelf hath propheſied.

1. The Active ſpirit of Religion in the ſoul will not ſuffer men to take up their reſt in a conſtant courſe of external performances; and they are but ſlothful ſouls that do place their Religion in any thing without them. By external performances, I mean not only open and publick and ſolemn ſervices, but even the moſt private, and ſecret performances that are in and by the body, and ab extra to the ſoul. It is not poſſible that a ſoul ſhould be happy in any thing that is extrinſecal to itſelf; no not in God himſelf, if we conſider him only as ſomething without the ſoul: The devil himſelf knows and ſees much of God without him, but having no communications of a divine nature or life, being perfectly eſtranged from the life of God, he remains perfectly miſerable. I doubt it is a common deceit in the world, men toyle and labour in bodily acts of worſhip and Religion in a ſlaviſh and mercinary manner, and think (with thoſe labourers in the parable) that at the end they muſt needs receive great wages, and much thanks, becauſe they have born the heat and burden of the day. Alas that ever men ſhould ſo groſly miſtake the nature of Religion, as to ſink it into a few bodily acts and carcaſe-ſervices, and to think it is nothing elſe but a running the round of duties and ordinances, and a keeping up a conſtant ſet and courſe of actions! ſuch an external legal righteouſneſs the Apoſtle Paul after his converſion, could not take up with, but counted it all loſs and dung in compariſon of that Godlike righteouſneſs which was now brought into his ſoul, that inward and ſpiritual conformity to Chriſt, which was now wrought in him, Phil. 3. 9, 10. I know indeed that men will be loth to confeſs that they place their Religion in any thing without them; but I pray conſider ſeriouſly wherein you excell other men, ſave only in praying or hearing now and then, or ſome other outward acts, and judge your ſelves by your nature, and not by your actions.

2. The Active ſpirit of Religion, where it is in the ſoul, will not ſuffer men to take up their reſt in a meer pardon of ſin; and they are but ſlothfull ſouls that could be ſo ſatisfied. Bleſſed is the man indeed whoſe inquities are pardoned, Pſal. 32, 1, 2. but if we could ſuppoſe a ſoul to be acquitted of the guilt of all ſin, and yet to lie bound under the dominion of luſts and paſſions, and to live without God in the world, he were yet far from true bleſſedneſs. A reall hell and miſery will ariſe out of the very bowels of ſin and wickedneſs, though there ſhould be no reſerve of fire and brimſtone in the world to come. It is utterly impoſſible that a Soul ſhould be happy out of God, though it had the greateſt ſecurity imaginable that it ſhould never ſuffer any thing from him. The higheſt care and ambition indeed of a ſlaviſh and mercenary ſpirit is to be ſecured from the wrath and vengeance of God, but the breathings of the ingenuous and holy ſoul, are after a divine life, and Godlike perfections. This right gracious tempe you may ſee in David, Pſal. 51. 9, 10, 11, 12. which is alſo the temper of every truly Religious ſoul.

3. The Active ſpirit of Religion where it is in the ſoul, will not ſuffer men to take up their reſt in meer inn • cency, freedom from ſin; and they are ſlothful ſouls that could count it happineſs enough to be harmleſs. I doubt men are much miſtaken about holineſs; it is more than meer innocency, or freedom from the guilt or power of ſin, it is not a negative thing; there is ſomething active, noble, divine, powerfull in true Religion. A ſoul that rightly underſtands its own penury and ſelf-inſufficiency, and the emptineſs and meanneſs of all creature-good, cannot poſſibly take up its reſt, or place its happineſs, in any thing but in a real participation of God himſelf; and therefore is continually making out towards that God from whom it came, and is labouring to unite itſelf more and more unto him. Let a low-ſpirited, fleſhly▪ minded Phariſee take up with a negative holineſs and happineſs, as he doth Luke 18. 11. God I thank thee that I am not ſo and ſo: a noble and high-ſpirited Chriſtian cannot take up his reſt in any negation or freedom from ſin. Every godly ſoul is not ſo learned indeed as to be able to deſcribe the nature and proper perfection of a ſoul, and to tell you how the happineſs of a ſoul conſiſts, not in quiete, but in actu & vigore, not in ceſſation and reſt, as the happineſs of a ſtone doth, but in life and power and vigour, as the happineſs of God himſelf doth: But yet the ſpirit of true Religion is ſo excellent and powerfull in every godly ſoul, that it is ſtill carrying it to the fuller enjoyment of an higher good; and the ſoul doth find and feel within itſelf (though it cannot diſcourſe Philoſophically of theſe things) that though it were free from all diſturbance of ſin and affliction in the world, yet ſtill it wants ſome ſupream and poſſible good to make it compleatly happy, and ſo bends all its power thi • herward. This is the deſcription which you will everywhere find made in Scripture of the true ſpirit of holineſs, which hath alwayes ſomething poſitive and divine in it, as Iſ • . 1. 16, 17. ceaſe to do evil, learn to do well; and Epheſ. 4. 22, 24. Put off the old man▪ put on that new man which after God is created in righteouſneſs and true holineſs. And accordingly a truly godly ſoul (to uſe the Apoſtles words) though he know nothing by himſelf, yet doth not thereby count himſelf happy.

4. The Active ſpirit of true Religion, wh • re it is in the Soul, will not ſuffer men to take up their reſt in ſome meaſures of grace received; and ſo far as the ſoul doth, ſo it is ſluggiſh and leſs Active than it ought to be. This indeed oft times comes to paſs, when the ſoul is under ſome diſtemper of proud ſelfiſhneſs, earthly-mindedneſs or the like, or is leſs apprehenſive of its object and happineſs; as it ſeems to have been the caſe of the ſpouſe, Cant. 5. 3. Some ſuch fainting fits, languiſhings, ſu • ferings, in ſenſibleneſs muſt be allowed to be in the Godly ſoul during its impriſoned and imperfect ſtate: But we muſt not judge our ſelves by any preſent diſtempers, or infirmities. The nature of Religion, when it acts the ſoul rightly and powerfully, is to carry it after a more lively reſemblance of God, which is the moſt proper and excellent enjoyment of him. A mind rightly and actually ſound is moſt ſick of love; and the nature of love is, not to know when it is near enough to its object▪ but ſtill to long after the moſt perfect conjunction with it. This well of water, if it be not violently obſtructed for a time, is ever ſpringing up till it be ſwallowed up in the Ocean of divine love and grace. The ſoul that is rightly acquainted with itſelf and its God, ſees ſomething ſtill wanting in itſelf, and to be enjoyed in him, which makes it, that it cannot be at reſt, but is ſtill ſpringing up into him, till it come to the meaſure of the ſtature of the fulneſs of its Lord. In this holy, loving; longing, ſtriving, active temper we find the great Apoſtle, Phil. 3. 12, 13, 14. And by how much the more of divine grace any ſoul hath drunk in, the more thirſty is it after much more.

5. The Active ſpirit of true Religion, where it is powerfully ſeated in the minds of men will not ſuffer them to ſettle into a love of this animal life, nor indeed ſuffer them to be content to live for ever in ſuch a kind of body as this; and that ſoul is in a degree lazy and ſlothful that doth not deſire to depart and be with his Lord. The godly ſoul eying God as his perfect and full happineſs, and finding that his being in the body doth ſeparate him from God, keep him in a poor and imperfect ſtate, and hinders his bliſsfull communion with the higheſt good, groans within itſelf that mortality were ſwallowed up of life, with the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 5. 4. I know not how much, but I think he hath not very much of God, neither fight of him nor love of him, that could be content to abide for ever in this imperfect, mixed low ſtate, and never be perfected in the full enjoyment of him. And it ſeems, that they in whom the love of God is rightly predominant, potent, flouriſhing, do alſo look earneſtly for the mercy of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, unto eternal life, Jude. 2. without doubt they ought to do, 2 Pe • . 3. 12. What manner of perſons ought ye to be in all holy converſation and godlineſs, looking for and haſting unto the coming of the day of God!

Let this ſuffice by way of general Reprehenſion.

2. More particularly, the conſideration of the Active nature of true Religion, may well ſerve to correct a miſtake about that noble grace of faith. How diſhonourably do ſome ſpeak of this excellent and powerfull grace, when they make it to be a ſlothfull, paſſive thing, an idle kind of waiting, or a Melancholick ſitting ſtill; which indeed and in truth, is Life and power. Be not miſtaken in ſo high and eminent a grace: True faith doth not only accept the imputed righteouſneſs of Chriſt for juſtification, but by a lively dependance upon God, drinks in divine influences, and eagerly ſucks in grace, and vertue and life from the fountain of grace for its more perfect ſanctification: And for this cauſe (I think) a purifying vertue is aſcribed to it, Act. 15. 9. Faith is not a lazy languid thing, content to wait for ſalvation till the world to come; but it is even now gaſping after it, and accompliſhing it too in a way of mortification, ſelf-denyall and growing up in God: it is not content to be a candidate waiting for life and happineſs, but is actually drawing down Heaven into the ſoul, attracting God to itſelf, ſucking in participations of divine grace and image into the ſoul: Its motto is that of the famous painter, nulla dies ſine lineâ, it longs to find ſome divine lineament, ſome line of Gods image drawn upon the ſoul daily. Faith is a giving grace, as well as receiving; it gives up the whole ſoul to God; and is troubled that it can give him no more: it binds over the ſoul afreſh to God every day, and is troubled that it can bind it no faſter, nor cloſer to him. The believing ſoul is wearyed becauſe of muderers, murdering loves, luſts, cares, earthly pleaſures, and calls mightily upon Chriſt to come and take vengeance upon them: it is wearyed becauſe of thoſe robbers that are daily ſtealing away precious time and affections from God, which are due unto him, and calls upon Chriſt to come and ſcourge theſe thieves, theſe buyers and ſellers out of his own Temple. In a word, the godly ſoul is Active, and faith is the very life and Action of the ſoul itſelf.

Laſtly, Let me exhort all Chriſtians from hence to be zealous, to be fervent in ſpirit, ſerving the Lord, and longing after him; Stir up the grace of God that is in you Quench not, i. e. blow up, enflame the ſpirit of God in you. Awake Chriſtian ſoul out of thy Lethargy, and rejoyce as the Sun to run the race that is ſet before thee, and as a mighty man refreſhed with Wine to fight thy ſpiritual battels againſt the armies of uncircumciſed prophane and earthly concupiſcences, love, and paſſions. Eye God as your centre, the enjoyment of him as the Happineſs, and full conformity to him as the perfection of your ſouls; and then ſay Awake, Ariſe O my Soul, and hide not thy hand in thy boſome, but throw thy ſelf into the very heart and boſome of God, lay hold upon eternal life. Again, obſerve how all things in the world purſue their ſeveral perfections with unwearied and impatient longings, and ſay, come my ſoul, and do thou likewiſe. Converſe not with God ſo much under the notion of a Law▪ giver, but as with love itſelf; nor with his commands as having authority in them, but as having goodneſs and life and ſweetneſs in them. Again, conſider your poverty as creatures▪ and how utterly impoſſible it is for you to be happy in your ſelves; and ſay, Ariſe O my ſoul from off this weak and tottering foundation, and build thy ſelf up in God; ceaſe pinching thy ſelf within the ſtraits of ſelf-ſufficiencies, and come, ſtretch thy ſelf upon infinite Goodneſs and Fulneſs. Again pore not upon your attainments, do not ſit brooding upon your preſent accompliſhments, but forget the things that are behind, and ſay, Awake O my ſoul, there is yet infinitely much more in God, purſue after him for it, till thou have gotten as much as a created Being is capable to receive of the divine nature. In a word, take heed you live not by the loweſt examples, (which thing keeps many in a dwindling ſtate all their dayes) but by the higheſt: Read over the Spouſe her temper, ſick of Love; Davids temper, waiting for God more than they that watch for the morning, breaking in heart for the longing that he had to the Lord, and ſay, Ariſe O my Soul, and live as high as the higheſt, it is no fault to deſire to be as Good, as holy, as happy as an Angel of God, And thus O my ſoul open thy mouth wide, and God hath promiſed to fill thee!

Under this head, let me glance at three things.

1. The Mediator of this Covenant lives for ever, and lives to make interceſſion for believers, Heb. 7. 25. and from this the Apoſtle argues, that they ſhall be ſaved to the uttermoſt, or evermore, as the Margin reads it. From this alſo the Apoſtle argues the unchangeable ſtate of believers, as we obſerved before out of Rom. 8. 34. Chriſt Jeſus is alwayes heard and accepted of the Father in all the requeſts that he maketh to him, according to that in Joh. 11. 41, 42. Jeſus lift up his eyes and ſaid, Father I thank thee that thou haſt heard me; And I know that thou heareſt me alwayes. If theſe things be ſo, then the perſeverance of the Saints is built upon a moſt certain bottome, is ſecured againſt the very gates of Hell, for Chriſt hath prayed for them that they may be where he is, Joh. 17. 24. and in the mean time that they may be kept from the evil, ver. 15. and that their faith fail not, Luke 22. 32.

2. The promiſes of this Covenant are immutable, they are in Chriſt Jeſus yea and Amen, 2 Cor. 1. 20. as if one ſhould ſay in Latine, Certo certiora, perfectly ſure and certain. God who is truth itſelf, will not, can not be unto his people as a lyar, or as waters that fail, as the Prophets phraſe is; the infinite fountain of grace and truth, cannot poſſibly become like one of the brooks which Job ſpeaks of, which ſeem to be full of water, and are ſo at a certain winter ſeaſon, but when the poor ſcorched Arabian comes to look for water thence in ſummer, he goes away aſhamed, becauſe they are now vaniſhed, they are conſumed out of their place, Job 6. 19, 20. Now the promiſe is concerning not only grace, but the final perſeverance of it: If he promiſe pardoning grace, it is in theſe full and ſatisfying expreſſions, I will remember their ſin (any one of their ſins) no more, Jer. 31. 34. If he promiſe purging and purifying grace, it is in the like amplitude of phraſe, that they may fear me for ever; and again, they ſhall not depart from me, Jer. 32. 39. 40. with many other places of like importance.

3. righteouſneſs brought in by this mediator is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , an everlaſting righteouſneſs, as it is expreſſly called, Dan. 9. 24. by which I do not underſtand the righteouſneſs of Juſtification (which was alwayes one and the ſame, and there was never any righteouſneſs of that kind temporary or fading) but the righteouſneſs of real internal ſanctification in oppoſition to that poſitive and temporary righteouſneſs, which depended upon the pleaſure of God that did preſcribe it. This righteouſneſs brought in and advanced by Chriſt (who in a powerful and vital way diſpenſeth the ſame by his holy ſpirit unto the minds and ſouls of men) is not only true and inward, (in oppoſition to the phariſaical, which was an external conformity only) but it is of an everlaſting and unchangeable nature; as being grounded upon and indeed comformable to eternal and unchangeable truth, in oppoſition to that temporary kind of righteouſneſs which was grounded upon poſitive Laws, and the arbitrary commands of God, if I may ſo call them. This eternal righteouſneſs is by Chriſt Jeſus the Prince of liſe put into the very ſouls of men, and being a plant of his planting ſhall never be pluckt up. We read indeed in the Prophet Ezekiel that the glory of God departed out of the Temple made with hands; but this glory of God, his image; ſhall never depart out of the living Temple, the ſouls of good men, having once powerfully diſplayed itſelf there. And therefore God is ſaid to dwell in the ſouls of his people, in oppoſition to a wavering man who turneth in to tarry for a night. God indeed hath promiſed that it ſhall be ſaid to them that were not his people, ye are the ſons of the living God, Hoſ. 1. 10. but never on the contrary; he hath no where threatned them that are the ſons of the living God that it ſhall at any time be ſaid to them, ye are not my people. True indeed, as to external profeſſion, Church-memberſhip, meer Covenent-holineſs, and ou • w • rd communion, God doth many times diſinherit and reject them that were ſo his people: but as to true godlineſs; participation of the divine image, internal and ſpiritual communion, we may confidently ſay with the Apoſtle to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 1. 9. God is faithfull, by whom ye were called unto the fellowſhip of his Son Jeſus Chriſt our Lord; or with the • ame Apoſtle to the Theſſalonians, I Theſ. 5. 24. faithfull is he that calleth you, who alſo will do it: Do what? why that which he was ſpeaking of, and praying for, in ver. 23. v z preſerve ſpirit and ſoul and body blameleſs unto the coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

I conclude then that Grace in the Crea • ure is a partic • pation of him who is eſſential and perfect grace and goodneſs, a communication made by him of his holy nature, which becomes a living principle in the ſouls of men, a • ountain ſending forth a continued 〈◊〉 of holy diſpoſitions and affections without interciſion or ceſſation: Though theſe ſtreams run ſometimes higher, ſometimes l • wer; ſometimes ſwi •• er, ſometimes ſlower, yet they are never wholly dryed up as the brooks of Tema were. For where God hath once opened a fountain in the ſoul, he feeds it 〈◊〉 ſupplyes from himſelf; as a 〈◊〉 itſelf would dry up, if it 〈◊〉 not nouriſhed by the ſupplyes o • ſubterraneous waters. The perſeverance of grace depends purely upon the ſupports and ſupplyes of uncrea •• d eſſential life and goodneſs. But how do we know that God will certainly afford theſe ſupplies? We build upon his goodneſs and love in Chriſt towards his elect, which is infinite and unſpeakable; and upon his faithfulneſs in accompliſhing his promiſe, viz. that be will never leave nor ſorſake them, Heb. 13. 5. that he will keep them by his power unto ſalvation, 1 P •• . 1. 5. They that are of the number of Gods holy and choſen ones ſhall no doubt continue of that number according to that in 1 Jo • . 2. 19. they that are truly in Chriſt ſhall abide in him, 1 Joh. 2. 27. the ſeed of God remaineth in the godly, and they cannot ſin, becauſe they are born of God, 1 Joh. 3. 9. he that is begotten of God keepeth himſelf, and that wicked one toucheth him not, 1 Joh. 5. 18. What can be more expreſs and ample than that conſolatory promiſe of our Lord made to his poor frail ſheep, Joh. 10. 28. I give unto them eternal life, and they ſhall never periſh, neither ſhall any one pluck them out of my hand.

But ſome one may ſay perhaps, what if man will apoſtatize; what if the ſaints themſelves will forſake God? will he not then ſay of them, as the Apoſtle of the unbelieving huſband, If they will depart, let them depart. Will not God forſake them that forſake him?

Anſw. Yes, God will forſake them that forſake him; But they never ſhall forſake him: They being rightly renewed after the image of God, and perfectly overpowered by his grace, ſhall never will any ſuch departure: I will betroth thee unto me for ever, Hoſ. 2. 19. It is certain ſaith Dr. Arrowſmith that God will condemn all impenitent ſinners; but it is as certain that all juſtified and regenerate ſinners ſhall repent, ſemper fit, procurante ſpiritu. It ſeems unreaſonable to demand what if man himſelf will apoſtatize; ſeeing he is by the grace of God ſo renewed in his will, and put into ſuch a condition, that he cannot will any ſuch thing. God doth not give unto his Saints (ſaith Auſtin) only ſuch help, without which they could not perſevere if they would (which was that which he gave Adam;) but he alſo worketh in them the will: that becauſe they ſhall not perſevere except they both can and will, his bountifull grace beſtoweth upon them both the can and the will. For their will is ſo enflamed by the ſpirit of God, that they therefore can, becauſe they ſo will, they therefore ſo will, becauſe God worketh in them to Will. Neither is it any diſparagement or injury to the freedom of mans will, that it ſhould be overpowered by divine grace, and determined only to that which is good. The indi •• erency and fl • ctuation of the will of man is indeed the imperfection of it, and the more God reveals himſelf to the ſoul as the chiefeſt good, the more this indifferency of the will is deſtroyed, and the faculty is determined; not by being conſtrained, but indeed perfected. Oh unhappy liberty, for a ſoul to be indifferently affected towards its own happineſs, and to be free to chooſe its own miſery! The nobleſt freedom in the world is, when a ſoul being delivered from its heſitancies, and healed of its indifferencies, is carryed like a ſhip with ſpread ſales and powerfull winds in a moſt ſpeedy, cheerful and ſteady courſe into its own harbour, into the arms and embraces of its own object. The grace of God doth never ſo overpower the will of man as to reduce it to a condition of ſlavery, ſo as that man ſhould not have a proper dominion over his own acts; but I think we do generally conclude that in the world to come, in the future ſtate, the wills of all glorified Saints ſhall be ſo advanced and perfected in their freedome, as not in the leaſt to verge towards any thing that is evil, but ſhall in the moſt gladſome and ſteady manner be eternally carryed towards their full and glorious object, which the glorified underſtanding ſhall then repreſent in a moſt true clear and ample manner: And this we take to be the ſouls trueſt liberty in the higheſt elevation of it. Now although it be not altogether thus with us in this preſent world, (for by reaſon of the weakneſs and muddineſs of our underſtandings which do here repreſent God unto us ſo faintly and diſadvantagiouſly, it comes to paſs that the will cannot ſo freely and fervently, with ſo ardent and generous motions purſue its excellent object, as it ſhall do hereafter) yet I believe that the more God reveals himſelf to any ſoul, the more the fluctuations and aequilibriouſneſs of it are healed, and a true liberty of will encreaſed; and that he doth ſo far reveal himſelf to every truly godly ſoul, as to eſtabl • ſh this noble freedome in him, in ſuch a degree as will keep him from willing a final departure from him, and carry him certainly, (how remiſly and faintly ſoever) towards the ſupream and ſoveraign good, till he come to be perfectly ſwallowed up in it. A will thus truly and divinely free, thought it be not the proper efficient cauſe, yet certainly is an inſeparable concomitant of final perſeverance. So then the more God communicateth himſelf to any ſoul, the more powerfully it willeth a nearer conjunction with him; and no ſoul I conceive to whom God communicateth himſelf ſavingly can at any time will an utter ſeparation from him.

As for the fouleſt falls of Scriptureſaints, that are any where recorded, I know not what more can rationally be inferred from them but that grace in the creature admits of ebbs and flows, is ſubject to augmentations and diminutions; which I know no ſober perſon that denies. But I think the hiſtory of their lapſes, if we take it altogether, hath a very favourable aſpect upon the doctrine of perſeverance; yea for ought I know, one great deſign of God in penning thoſe relations might be to confirm this very doctrine, by giving us ſo expreſs and ample an account of their Repentance and Recovery, that we are indeed to believe they were ſtrengthned by their falls, ſo far were their falls from proving mortal to them: one would think that if ever the habits of grace ſhould be utterly ſuffocated and extinct, if ever they ſhould languiſh even unto death, it ſhould be under the power of ſuch contrary Acts as David and Peter committed, and eſpecially Solomon, whoſe acts for ought I can ſee were as foul, and alſo often repeated, which is the likelieſt thing that I know, to deſtroy gracious habits. I know there are inſtances given of good Joaſh, Hymeneus, Alexander, Demas utterly falling from that gracious ſtate, wherein ſometimes they had been. But it did never yet appear to me beyond contradiction, that ever they were any of them in ſuch a ſtate. Joaſh is put amongſt the number of hypocrites by ſome that have rifled his ſtory: And for ought that can evidently appear to the contrary, Demas might be no better. Moſt is pleaded for Hymentus and Alexander who put away a good conſcience, and made ſhipwrack of faith, 1 Tim. 19. 20. But it do's not yet appear that the faith which they made ſhipwrack of, was any more than the profeſſion or doctrine of the true faith; yea rather it doth appear that it was no more. Neither do's it at all appear that they ever had that good conſcience which they are ſaid (in our tranſlation) to have put away; which may as fully be rendred [rejected;] for that we find to be the moſt common uſe of the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 arceo, prohibeo, reſiſto, renitor, repello, to reject, repell, or thruſt away from one. I am not confident that this apoſtaſie of theirs was total neither. ſuppoſing it to be an Apoſtaſie; for however their faith was ſhipwrackt, poſſibly ſome plank or other of it might be left. And who dare ſay that it was final? The Apoſtle doth not that I perceive give them up for loſt, but executes diſcipline upon them as it ſeems for their receovery, of which one might think by the following words, that he had ſome hopes—that they may learn not blaſpheme. In ſhort then, as to theſe two men, I conceive, that good canſcience which they put away they never had, and the faith which they had was not that good faith. And as to the other two that were named, and indeed as to all other inſtances of the like nature, I ſuppoſe we may give this general anſwer, that either they did but ſeem to ſtand, er they did but ſeem to fall: the former perhaps was the caſe of Joaſh, and the latter of Demas. When ever you obſerve therefore the backſlidings of any ſeeming Chriſtians take heed of concluding raſhly againſt the perſeverance of Saints, but rather inferr with the holy Apoſtle, 1 Joh. 2. 19. They went out from us, but they were not of us: had they been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us; Which words if they be meant only of a communion in doctrine and profeſſion, ſo as to conclude againſt the ſeparation of ſuch as are indeed in ſuch a communion; then we may argue the more ſtrongly, a minore ad majus againſt the final apoſtaſie of any that are in a higher and more excellent communion.

As for thoſe texts of Scripture that ſeem to ſuppoſe a mans falling away from grace and turning from righteouſneſs; I conceive a fair anſwer may be given unto them by diſtinguiſhing of righteouſneſs; and ſo it may be granted that many men have turned away from, and utterly made ſhipwrack of their legal righteouſneſs, conſiſting in an external conformity to the letter of the precepts of the law, void of the ſupernatural and divine principle: it is indeed the common lot of theſe men that ſpring up thus fairly, and yet have no root, to wither away, Mat. 13. 6. Luk. 8. 6. And yet on the other hand it abides an everlaſting maxime of truth, whoſoever is born of God, doth not commit ſin, for his ſeed remaineth in him, and he cannot ſin, becauſe he is born of God, 1 Joh. 3. 9. If there be any texts that ſeem to ſpeak of apoſtatizing from an Evangelical righteouſneſs, a righteouſneſs of faith, and ſo cannot well be ſalved by this diſtinction, as that in Heb. 10. 38. and ſome others; it muſt be conſidered that ſuppoſitions are made of things impoſſible as well as poſſible, yea and that even in the Scriptures themſelves, as ſome have obſerved from Gal. 1. 8. 1 Cor. 15. 14. which texts do not at all imply what they ſuppoſe. I know indeed that external ſalvation is ordinarily entailed upon perſeverance, and ſo is promiſed to us in Scripture, as it were conditionally, Joh 8. 31. If ye continue in my word, then are ye my Diſciples indeed, Col. 1. 21, 22, 23. you hath he reconciled in the body of his fleſh through death to preſent you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his ſight, If ye continue in the faith, and be not moved away from the hope of the Goſpel, &c. To the ſame purpoſe are thoſe words, He that endureth to the end, the ſame ſhall be ſaved, and Rev. 2. 26. He that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give, &c. All which do ſtrongly imply that there is no ſalvation but in a way of perſeverance; and the words being laid down thus conditionally (eſpecially the words firſt quoted) are indeed cautionary and quickning to the dull and ſluggiſh minds of men, but do not neceſſarily imply any uncertainty or doubtfulneſs in the thing itſelf; no more than thoſe words of the Apoſtle Peter, 1 Pet. 1. 10. compared with the latter end of the 12. verſe where he doth affirm them to be eſtabliſht in the truth, and yet at the ſame time doth ſpeak to them by way of caution and encouragement. There are many Texts that do ſeem to ſuppoſe the apoſtaſie of men in a ſtate of regeneration, but not one that doth aſſert it, that ever I could yet find; but they are almoſt without number that to my apprehenſion do more than ſeem to aſſert the contrary, viz. their final perſeverance: of which perſeverance we have alſo through the goodneſs of God thouſands of inſtances; but no man could ever yet produce one inſtance of the contrary, but by meer conjecture; which conjectures, let them that make them ſee that they be neither over-charitable towards men, or uncharitable towards God. Wherefore I do conclude that what is ſaid concerning Heaven and Hell in the Parable, (as to one branch of it) is true of grace and wickedneſs; a gulf is fized, and they that would paſs from God to ſin and the devil cannot: not that there ſhall ever be in any a real and predominant deſire ſo to paſs, as I ſuppoſe I have already proved; but it denotes the impoſsibility of the thing. It is equally impoſſible that a godly ſoul ſhould fall from God and become an hater of him, fall from his love and image, and take upon him the image of the devil, as it was for L • zarus to quit Abrahams boſome for the flames of hell: the caſe ſeems to be the ſame, the former being the moſt reall Heaven, and the latter the trueſt Hell. True Religion is that holy fire which being once kindled in the ſoul from Heaven, never goes out; whereof the fire of the altar was but a faint and imperfect reſemblance: It is as true in this reſpect of good men, as it is of wicked men in an other, their fire never goes out.

And here now we are preſented with another great difference between true and counterfeit Religion. All counterfeit Religion will fade in time, though never ſo ſpecious and flouriſhing; All dew will paſs away though ſome lye much longer than other; All land-floods will fail, yea the flood of Noah at length dryed up, though it were of many moneths duration: But this well of water which our Saviour ſpeaks of here, will never utterly fail; cold Adverſity cannot freeze it up, ſcorching proſperity cannot dry it up: The upper ſprings of uncreated grace and goodneſs will evermore feed thoſe nether ſprings of grace and holineſs in the creature. Though Heaven and earth paſs away, yet ſhall the ſeed of God remain; he that hath begun a good work, will certainly perform it, Eph. 1. 6. Where the grace of God hath begotten a Divine principle and ſpirit of true Religion in a ſoul, there is the central force even of Heaven itſelf, ſtill attracting, and carrying the ſoul in its motions thitherward, untill it have lodged it in the very boſome and heart of God. If any principle lower than true Religion do actuate a man, it will certainly waſte and be exhauſted; though it may carry him ſwiftly in a rapid motion, yet not in a ſteady; though it may carry him high, yet not quite through. A meteor that is exhaled from the earth by a forreign force, though it may mount high in appearance, and brave it in a blaze enough to be envyed by the poor twinkling ſtars, and to be admired by ordinary ſpectators, yet its fate is to fall down, and ſhamefully confeſs its baſe original. That Religion which men put on only for a cloak, w • ll wear out and drop into rags, if it be not preſently thrown by as a garment out of faſhion. You have read of the ſeeming righteouſneſs of Jehu founded in ambition and cruelty, the piety and devotion of Joaſh grounded upon a good and vertuous education, the zeal of Soul for the worſhip of God, and his fat Sacrifices, growing upon a root of ſuperſtition, as Samuel that man of God interprets it, 1 Sam. 15. 22. and you have ſeen the ſhamefull iſſue of all theſe diſſemblers, and the ſtinking ſnuff in which all this candle-light Religion ended, very much unlike to that ſun-light luſtre of true and genuine goodneſs, which ſhineth more and more unto the perfect day, according to that elegant deſcription which the ſpirit of God makes of it in the writings of Solomon, whoſe pen hath as much adorned this great truth, as his life hath blotted it, Prov. 4. 18. To this purpoſe I might fairly alleadge the frequent teſtimonies which the Holy Ghoſt in Scripture gives concerning ſuch hypocritical and unprincipled profeſſors that having no root they wither away in a ſcorching ſeaſon, that they are again entangled in the pollutions of the world and overcome, that like dogs they turn to their own vomit again, and like Sows wallow in the mire from which they had been waſhed, 2 Pet. 2. 20, 22. together with many others of the ſame nature: as alſo the propheſies that are made concerning them, that that which they ſeemed to have, ſhall be taken away from them, Luke 8. 18. that they ſhall proceed no further, for their folly ſhall be manifeſt to all men, 2 Tim. 3. 9. that evil men and ſeducers (and of thoſe, ſelf-ſeducers are the worſt) ſhall wax worſe and worſe, 2 Tim. 3. 13. with other places of the like nature. It were eaſie to record many hiſtories of many men, eſpecially great men, who have ſpeedily; I had almoſt ſaid diſdainfully thrown off that ſemblance of humility, meekneſs, ſelf-denyal, juſtice and faithfulneſs which they had put on for a vizard during their probationarſhip for preferment, the better to accompliſh their ſelfiſh deſigns, and to be poſſeſt of ſome baſe ends of their own. But yet I will not deny, but that a hypocrite may maintain a fair conformity to, and correſpondence with the letter of the law of God, he may continue fair and ſpecious to the very end of his life, yea perhaps may go to his grave undiſcovered either to himſelf or any in the world beſides. I believe many men have lived and dyed Phariſees, have never apoſtatized from that righteouſneſs which they profeſt, but have perſevered in their formality and hypocriſie to the laſt. But yet although that counterfeit righteouſneſs and Religion may poſſibly not fade away, yet nevertheleſs being of an earthly and ſelfiſh conſtitution, it is tranſitory and fading, and if it were ſoundly aſſaulted and battered with perſecutions and temptations, no doubt would actually vaniſh and diſappear; on the other hand, the promiſe of God is pregnant and precious, Iſa. 40. 31. They that wait upon the Lord ſhall renew their ſtrength, they ſhall walk and no faint.

Take encouragement from hence all ye that love the Lord, go on in the ſtrength of God; Be the more lively, by how much the more you are aſſured that this well of water ſhall ſpring up in you into everlaſting life. Make this good uſe of this comfortable doctrine: will God indeed work in you, both to will and to do? why then ſo much the rather work out your own ſalvation, according to the Apoſtle, Phil. 2. 12. will the Lord God be with you, will he not fail you nor forſake you, till you have finiſhed all your work? why then Be ſtrong, and of good courage, and do, as good David inferrs and argues, 1 Chron. 28. 20. Have you this hope, this firm ground of hope in the promiſe and goodneſs of God? why then purifie your ſelves as God is pure; according to the Apoſtle, 1 Joh. 3. 3. ſtop the mouths of thoſe men that ſay the Doctrine of perſeverance is prejudicial to godlineſs; let them ſee, and be forced to acknowledge it, that the more a godly ſoul is aſſured of the infinite and unchangeable love and care of God towards him, the more is he winged with love and zeal, with ſpeed mounting up thither daily where he longs to arrive. They that underſtand the doctrine of perſeverance, do alſo underſtand that they muſt accompliſh it in a way of dutifull diligence, and watchfull willingneſs; and if any grow prophane and licentious, and apoſtatize from the way of righteouſneſs which they have known, it is an evident argument to them that they are no Saints, and then what will the doctrine of the perſeverance of Saints avail them?

Secondly, There is another notion of Eternal Life (which ſome contend for) by which they mean not barely the eſſential happineſs of the ſoul, but that with the addition of many ſuitable and glorious circumſtances, the eſſential happineſs of the ſoul, as it is attended with the appendixes of a glorified body the beholding of Chriſt, the amicable ſociety of Angels, freedom from temptations, the knowledge of the ſecrets of nature and providence, and ſome ſuch like: To which may be alſo added (though of a lower degree) open abſolution, or a viſible deliverance of the Saints out of the overthrow of the wicked, at the conflagration of the world, power over Devils, eminence of place, enjoyment of friends, and ſome other like. Now let us briefly conſider what tendencies there are in the religious ſoul towards each of theſe: And here I muſt crave leave to ſpeak joyntly both of the End, and of the Motion thereunto; though it may be thought that the former only falls fairly under our preſent conſideration.

Firſt, Then I ſuppoſe that Eternal Life in the firſt ſenſe of it, is intended here, to wit, the eſſential happineſs of the ſoul, or its perfect and everlaſting enjoyment of God. For the deſcription is here made of Religion it ſelf in the abſtract, or that principle of divine life, which Chriſt Jeſus implanteth in the ſoul; and being ſo conſidered, it is hard to conceive how that ſhould ſpring up into any of theſe appendant circumſtances, or into any thing but the completion and perfection of it ſelf; though the religious ſoul taken in the concrete, poſſibly may. And indeed, though we ſhould allow (which we ſhall take into conſideration under the next head) that many of thoſe high ſcriptural phraſes which are brought to deſcribe the future condition of believing ſouls, do principally reſpect the appendixes of its eſſential happineſs (as a Kingdom, a houſe not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens, an inheritance reſerved, a place prepared, and the like) yet it ſeems very unnatural to interpret this phraſe, Life, and Eternal Life, any otherwiſe than of that which I call the eſſential happineſs of the ſoul: But if we interpret it of this, the ſenſe is very fair and eaſie; thus, this principle of divine life is continually endeavouring to grow up to its juſt altitude, to advance it ſelf unto a triumphant ſtate, even as all other principles of life do naturally tend towards a final accompliſhment, and ultimate perfection. Carnal ſelf, or the animal life may be indeed ſaid to be a well of water too, poyſonous water; but that ſprings up into a ſenſual life, popular applauſe, ſelf-accommodations; or if you will in the Apoſtles phraſe, into the fulfilment of the luſts of the fleſh. This I ſpeak only by way of illuſtratory oppoſition: for to ſpeak more properly, this corrupt principle hath in it the central force of death and Hell, and is alwaies tumbling downward; whereas this divine principle is alwaies climbing upward: But they do both agree in this, that they do both ſeek their own gratifications, and ſtudy to acquire their reſpective perfections. The everlaſting and moſt glorious enjoyment of God is certainly moſt perfective of the ſoul; and therefore is moſt properly and moſt deſervingly ſaid to be its Eternal Life, according to that of our Saviour, Joh. 17. 3. Now this Eternal Life is not a thing ſpecifically different from Religion, or the image of God, or the divine life; but indeed the greateſt height, and the moſt poſſible perfection of it ſelf: even as the Sun at noon-day is not a light really diſtinct from what is was in the firſt dawnings of the morning, but a different degree, and far more glorious ſtate; which ſeems to be the very ſimilitude whereby the Spirit of God illuſtrateth the matter in hand, Prov. 4. 18. Or as a man of perfect age is not a diſtinct ſpecies from a child, but much more compleat and excellent in that ſpecies; to which the Apoſtle refers, treating of this ſubject, 1 Cor. 13. 11. Man hath not two diſtinct kinds of happineſs in the two diſtinct worlds that he is made to live in; but one and the ſame thing is his bleſſedneſs in both, which, as I ſaid before, muſt needs be the enjoyment of God. The tranſlation made of the Text is very ſuitable to this notion; for this divine principle is ſaid to ſpring up, not unto, but into everlaſting life, q. d. it ſprings up till it be ſwallowed up into the perfect knowledge, love, and enjoyment of God: Even as youth is ſwallowed up in manhood, ſo this grace is ſwallowed up in glory, and not ſo much aboliſhed, as indeed perfected.

By this phraſe, the genius of true Religion, and the excellent temper of the true religious ſoul, is moſt lively deſcribed. This is the ſoul, that being in ſome meaſure delivered from its unnatural bondage, and freed from its unhappy confinement now ſpreads it ſelf in God, lifts up it ſelf unto him, ſtretches it ſelf upon him, is not content with a Heaven meerly to come, but brings down Heaven into it ſelf, by carrying up it ſelf unto, and after the God of Heaven. God is become great, only great in the eye of ſuch a Chriſtian; he is indeed become All things to him; whileſt this principle • is rightly and actually predominant in him, he knows no intereſt but to thrive and grow great in God; no will, but to ſerve the will, and comply with the mind of God; no end, but to be united to God; no buſineſs, but to diſplay and reflect the glory and perfections of God upon the Earth; the main buſineſs of his life, I ſay, is to ſerve him, the main ambition of his ſoul to be like unto him, and his main happineſs in this world to be united to him, and in the world to come, to be ſwallowed up in him, in this world to know, and love, and reſt, and delight in, and enjoy God more than all things, and in the world to come to enjoy him more than ſo. The gladſome growings up of the tender flowers unto the friendly Sun, being once powerfully ſurpriz'd with his precious and benign influences, and the chearful haſt with which the ſympathetick needle ſo amorouſly purſues the inchanting loadſtone, being once rightly toucht and affected with it, do a little (though but a little) reſemble and repreſent the motions of a ſpirit impregnated with this divine principle, and ſtrongly impreſt with the image and ſtamp of God: he puts in his hand by the hole of the door, and the bowels of the eſpouſed ſoul are preſently moved, yea, melted for him, Cant. 5. 4. He caſts the skirt of his garment, the mantle of his love, and preſently the converted ſoul leaves all to follow him. Faith, Hope, and Love are knitting and ſpringing graces, and this Eternal Life is the end and perfection of them all; not that any one of them (I conceive) ſhall be utterly incaſſated and aboliſhed, as ſome conclude concerning the two former (though without good ground I think) from the Apoſtles words, 1 Cor. 13. 13. But Faith will be ripened into the moſt firm and undiſturbed confidence, affiance, and acquieſcence in God, hope will be advanced into a more chearful, powerful, and confident expectation, having for its object the perpetuation of the ſouls felicity; and love will become much more loving, and more clearly diſtinguiſhable from the imperfect longings and languiſhings of this preſent ſtate, when it ſhall flower up into pure delights and complacencies, reſting and glorying in the arms of its adequate, ſatiſfactory and eternal object. The faith of the hypocrite (and indeed his hope too) is ſtill ſpringing up into ſelf-preſervation, deliverance, liberty, a ſplendid and pompous ſtate of the Church (that is of his own party) or ſome ſuch thing as will gratifie the animal life, and there i • terminates; but the faith of the ſincere and religious ſoul ſprings up into eternal life, it knows no term but the ſalvation of the ſoul, 1 Pet. 1. 9. As his hope knows no accompliſhment but a ſtate of god-like purity and perfection, 1 Joh. 3. 3. The more natural man lives within himſelf, within a circle of his own, and cannot get out; whether he eat, or drink, or pray, or be zealous for the popular pulling down of the political Antichriſt, he is ſtill in his own circle, he is ſtill ſacrificing in all this to that great helluo the animal life, as I have already made evident: But the godly ſoul is diſintereſted of ſelf, and ſo is ſtill contriving the advancement of a nobler life within it ſelf, and moving towards God, as his ſupreme and all-ſufficient good. Give him all that the whole world can afford, he cannot fix, nor ſettle, nor centre here: God hath put into him a holy reſtleſs appetite after a higher good, which he would rather be, than what he is. I know indeed that the ſoul that is thus divinely free, may be hindered in its flight; but it will deliver it ſelf from the clog at length: you may choak and damm up the ſtreamings of this fountain perhaps, but they will burſt out again; you may caſt aſhes upon this pure fire for a time, but it will flame out again; ſuch a damp cannot ariſe, no not from Hell it ſelf, as to extinguiſh it. The Philiſtines, I remember, ſtopped the wells of water which Abraham had digged in Gerar, and filled them with earth, Gen. 26. 15. But this well of water which God diggeth in the holy and humble ſoul, cannot be ſtopped, neither by the Devil that King of Gerar, (that is, of wandrings) Job 1. 7. nor by any of his ſervants, but it will find vent upward: though you endeavour to fill it with earth, which indeed is the likelieſt to choak it, (for amor rerum terrenarum eſt viſcus ſpiritualium pennarum) though you caſt duſt and gravel of earthly pleaſures, profits, or preferments into it, yet it is a well of living water, and will work its paſſage out. The hungrings of the godly ſoul are not, cannot be ſatisfied, till it come to feed upon the hidden Manna, nor its thirſtings quenched, till it come to be ſwallowed up in the unbounded Ocean of life and love.

But I ſee I cannot divide ſpringing up from Eternal Life, nor purſue the term of Religion, but I muſt alſo take in the motion of the Religious ſoul, whereby he purſues it, which I have already handled in my diſcourſe, therefore I will quit this head, and take a ſhort view of the ſecond.

The ſecondary and more improper notion of Eternal Life, I told you, was that which takes in the circumſtances or appendices of it. And here we muſt needs allow, that the holy Scriptures do openly avonch ſome of theſe circumſtances, as thoſe eſpecially of the firſt rank that I named, of ſome of which it ſeems to make great account; and poſſibly the Scripture may ſome where or other imply all the reſt, even thoſe of the inferiour rank. Again, we will allow, that many of thoſe phraſes which the Scripture uſes to deſcribe the bleſſed ſtate of the other world, do principally reſpect theſe appendices of the ſouls eſſential happineſs: Such perhaps are the Crown of Righteouſneſs mentioned by the Apoſtle, 1 Tim. 4. 8. The price of the high Calling, mentioned by the ſame Apoſtle, Phil. 3. 14. The Houſe which is from Heaven, ſpoken of, 2 Cor. 6. 2. A Kingdom, an incorruptible Inheritance, a place prepared, Manſions, a reward, praiſe, and honour, and glory at the appearing of Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Pet. 1. 7. And that glory, honour and peace ſpoken of by the Apoſtle Paul, Rom. 2. 10. Theſe are all Scripture deſcriptions of the other ſtate, and I ſuppoſe we may grant them to have a peculiar reference to this ſecondary and preter-eſſential happineſs of the ſoul: Though I know not any neceſſity there is to be ſo liberal in our conceſſions; for it may be fairly ſaid concerning all▪ or moſt of them, that the deſign of theſe phraſes, is not ſo much to eſtabliſh this leſs proper notion, or to point ou • to the circumſtances of the glorified ſtate, as to inſinuate how much more ample and glorious that ſtate ſhall be than this in which we now are; as a prize is looked upon as ſomewhat more excellent than what is done or expended to acquire it (it muſt needs be ſo eſteemed by runners and wreſtlers) a Kingdom is a more glorious ſtate than that of ſubjection, and an Inheritance is incomparably more ample than the penſion that is allowed the heir in his minority.

But theſe things being conceded, it doth not appear how far, or under what notion the religious ſoul (as ſuch) doth ſpring up into theſe additional glories, and thirſt after them. I know there are many that ſpeak very highly of theſe appendices; and allow the godly ſoul a very high and irreſpective valuation of them: And this they do principally infer from the examples of Chriſt himſelf, as alſo of Moſes and Paul. Give me leave therefore to ſuggeſt ſomething, not to enervate, but to moderate the Argument drawn from theſe perſons, and after that I ſhall briefly lay down what I conceive to be moſt Scriptural and rational in this matter.

Firſt, As for the example of Chriſt, it ſeems to make not much for them in this matter. For however the Text is very plain, that for the joy that was ſet before him, he endured the croſs, and this joy ſeems plainly to be his ſeſſion at the right hand of God, Heb. 12. 2. Yet if by this joy we underſtand a more full and glorious poſſeſſion of God, and a more excellent exaltation of his humane nature, to a more free fruition of the divine, then it cannot be applied to any thing but the ſpringing up of the gracious ſoul into its eſſential happineſs; which I have already contended for, as being the proper genius of ſuch a ſoul; or if by this Joy and Throne we underſtand the power that Chriſt foreſaw he ſhould be veſted with of leading captivity captive, trampling under feet the powers of hell and darkneſs, and procuring gifts for men (which ſeems to me to be moſt likely) then it belongs not at all to men, neither can this example be drawn into▪ imitation.

As for the inſtance of Moſes, who is ſaid to have had reſpect to the recompence of the reward, Heb. 11. 26. It is not yet granted, that that recompence of reward relates principally to theſe appendants of the ſouls eſſential happineſs, neither can it, I ſuppoſe, be evinced: But, though I ſhould alſo allow that, (which I encline to do) yet all that can be inferred from it is but a reſpect that Moſes had, as our Tranſlation well renders it, or ſome account, which he in his ſufferings made of this recompence; which was a very warrantable contemplation.

The Apoſtle Paul indeed doth openly profeſs that he looked for, and deſired the coming of Chriſt from Heaven upon the account of that glorious body which he would then cloath him with, Phil. 3. 20, 21. And ſo he might ſure, and yet not deſire it principally and primarily, but ſecondarily, and with reference.

And this leads me to the general anſwer that I was preparing to give, which is this. Some of theſe circumſtances which I named, eſpecially that of the glorified body, may be reduced to the eſſential happineſs of the ſoul, or included in it, ſo as that the ſoul could not otherwiſe be perfectly happy. It is the vote of all Divines I think, that a Chriſtian is not compleatly happy, till he conſiſt of a ſoul and body both glorified. And indeed, conſidering the dear affection, and eſſential aptitude that God hath planted in the humane ſoul for a body, we cannot well conceive how ſhe ſhould be perfectly happy without one: And this earthly body is (alas) an unequal yoak fellow, in which ſhe is half ſtifled, and rather buried than conveniently lodg'd; ſo that it ſeems neceſſary even to her eſſential happineſs, that ſhe ſhould have ſome more heavenly and glorious body, wherein ſhe may commodiouſly and pleaſantly exert her innate powers, and whereby ſhe may expreſs her ſelf in a ſpiritual and noble manner ſuitable to her own natural dignity and vigour, and to her infinitely-amiable, and moſt beloved object.

Concerning the reſt of the circumſtances which cannot be thus reduced, I conceive that ſuch of them as are neceſſary to the eſſential happineſs of the ſoul by way of ſubſerviency, may be eyed, and deſired, and thirſted after ſecondarily, and with reference, as I ſaid before, that is, under this notion only, as they are ſubſervient to that eſſential bleſſedneſs; I confeſs I do not underſtand under what other notion a religious ſoul can lift up it ſelf unto them, I mean, not ſo far forth as it is holy and religious, and acts ſuitably to that divine principle which the Father of Spirits, or rather the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt hath implanted in it. And if there be any other circumſtance which cannot be reduced to one of theſe kinds, I ſuppoſe it may be reckoned amongſt the objects and gratifications of the animal life, and not to make up any part of the godly man's Heaven, or that Eternal Life which Religion ſprings up into. For I do eaſily imagine, that a fleſhly fancy may verily be mightily raviſht with the deſire of ſuch a Heaven as is ſuitable to it; and that a meer animal man may be as heartily deſirous to be in ſuch a Kingdom of God, as he hath ſhaped out to himſelf, as he is utterly unwilling that the true Kingdom of God (ſuch as the Apoſtle deſcribes, Rom. 14. 17. conſiſting in righteouſneſs, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghoſt) ſhould be in him. If our continual cry be after ſafety, ſelf-preſervation, liberty, redemption, and deliverance from thoſe things only that oppreſs and grieve our fleſhly intereſt, and our thirſtings principally terminated in Knowledge (though it be of God himſelf) freedom from condemnation, power over Devils, yea or any viſible pomp, glory, or ſplendour, though it be of never ſo aethereal and heavenly a nature, what do we more than others? what is all this more than may naturally ſpring up from the animal life, and be ultimately reſolved into carnal ſelf?

Wherefore as a reſult from the whole diſcourſe, eſpecially from this laſt part of it, let me earneſtly entreat all the profeſſors of this holy Religion, which the bleſſed Meſſiah Chriſt Jeſus hath ſo dearly bought for the world▪ and ſo clearly revealed in it, not to value themſelves by any thing which the power of natural ſelf-love may exert or deſire, perform or expect, nor by any thing below the image of God, and the internal and transforming manifeſtations of Chriſt Jeſus in them; the perfection of which is eternal life in the moſt proper and true notion of it, as you have heard. I know that I have often ſuggeſted the ſame leſſon in this ſhort treatiſe, but I know alſo that I can never inculcate it often enough; nay the eloquence of Angels is not ſufficient to imprint it upon the hearts of men. Poſſibly it may ſtartle ſome hypocritical profeſſors, and carnal-Goſpellers, (God grant it may effectually!) and make the ears of many that hear it to tingle, but yet I will proclaim it, It is poſsible for a man to deſire, not only the things of this world (which S • . James ſpeaks of Jam. 4. 3.) But even Heaven it ſelf, to conſume it upon his luſts; and he may as truly be making proviſion for the fleſh, to fulfil it in the luſts thereof, in longing after a kind of ſelf-ſalvation, as in eating, and drinking, and riſing up to play. Certainly a true Chriſtian ſpirit rightly • nvigorated and actuated by this divine and potent principle, Chriſtian Religion, cannot look upon Heaven as meerly future, or as ſomething perfectly diſtinct from him; but he eyes it as life, eternal life, the perfection of the pureſt and divineſt life communicable to a ſoul, and is daily thirſting after it, or rather as it is in the Text, growing up into i • . I know that Heaven is ſometimes called a Reſt, in oppoſition to the diſſatisfaction of the un • entred and unbelieving ſoul; but in oppoſition to a ſluggiſh, inert, and dormient reſt, it is here ſaid to be life, eternal life. Let us ſhew our ſelves to be living Chriſtians, by ſpringing up into the utmoſt conſummation of life: Let it appear that Chriſt Jeſus the Prince of Life, who was manifeſted on purpoſe to take away our ſins, (1 Joh. 3. 5.) hath not only covered our ſhame, and as it were embalmed our dead ſouls to keep them from putrefaction, and ſt •• wed them with the flowers of his merits, to take away their noiſome ſtink from the noſtrils of his Father, but hath truly advanced, re • inſtated, and made to flouriſh the ſouls that ſin had ſo miſerably degraded and deflowred. Deliver your ſelves (O immortal ſouls) from all thoſe unſuitable and unſeemly cares, ſtudies and joys, from all thoſe low and particular ends and luſts, which do not only pinch and ſtraiten, but even debaſe and debauch you! Let it not be ſaid, that the King of Sodom made Abraham rich, that your main delight, happineſs and conten •• ent is derived from any proſperous, plentiful, peaceable, pompous ſtate, any thing that may be called a ſelf-accommodation, either in the world that now is, or that which is to come; but from the righteouſneſs of Faith, and your vital union with the Father and the Son: To whom in the unity of the ſpirit, be honour and glory, world without end.

THeſe words do expreſs the way of a Chriſtians living, and that kind of Converſe whereby a good man is diſtinguiſhed from all other men.

A good man is not differenced from other men by any thing without him, any Church Priviledges which are common to hypocrites and ſincere Chriſtians; any external viſible performances, in which the Diſciples of the Phariſees may be more abundant and more ſpecious than the Diſciples of Chriſt, Mat. 9. 14. much leſs by any corporal or temporal enjoyment or ornament, ſtrength, beauty, riches, deſcent, &c. nor by any carnal relation, though it were to Abraham, as the Jews bragg'd of their Father Abraham, Joh. 8. 33. but by ſomething internal, ſubſtantial, by a relation to God; The character of a good man muſt be fetcht from his correſpondence to the chief good▪ and the happineſs of a ſoul muſt be judged of by its relation to life, and love and bleſſedneſs it ſelf. Things external, corporal, temporal, make ſome difference amongſt men, but it is but nominal and titular in compariſon: By theſe, men are ſaid to be rich or poor, noble or ignoble; but men are really and ſubſtantially differenced by the relation that they have to God; by this they are good or bad, Godly or wicked. This is the moſt certain and proper note of a good man, viz. communion with God: In all other things he may be li • e other men, but in this he differs from and excells them all. This is a character proper quarto modo, for it agrees to every good man, to none but a good man, and alwayes to him, as we ſhall ſee hereafter. The ground of my diſcourſe then ſhall be this ſhort and plain Propoſition. viz.

A godly man hath communion with God.

In order to the more diſtinct handling hereof, I muſt premiſe a few things briefly.

1. That the gracious and loving God made nothing miſerable of all that he had made. There are no ſlaves born in his great houſe of the world. He made all things out of himſelf, and he hath no idea of evil in himſelf, ſo that it was not poſſible that he ſhould make any thing evil or miſerable. Every thing was good, Gen. 1. and ſo in ſome ſenſe happy. He was free to make the world, but making it, he could not make it evil or miſerable. Every thing is the product of Almighty love and goodneſs.

2. The happineſs of every creature conſiſts in its acting agreeably to that nature that God gave it, and thoſe ends which he propounded to it, and ſuitably to thoſe laws which he gave them; which laws were contrived with the greateſt ſuitableneſs to thoſe natures, and ſubſerviency to thoſe ends. Every creature is in its kind happy, whileſt it acts agreeably to that nature which the wiſe creator implanted in it; as the Sun runs its race without ceaſing, and rejoyces ſo to do, and is in ſome ſenſe happy in ſo doing. Departing from that nature it becomes miſerable, as the earth bringing forth briers and thorns inſtead of thoſe good fruits which it was appointed to bring forth, is ſaid to be curſed, Gen. 3. 17, 18.

3. The happineſs of the creature is higher or lower, greater or leſſer, according as it comes nearer to God, or is further off from him, according as it receives more or leſs from him, according to what communion it hath with him. The life and happineſs of the Sun is much lower than that of a man, becauſe it cannot enjoy ſuch high and excellent communications from, or communion with God as man doth.

4. There can be no communion without likeneſs. The Sun ſhines upon a ſtone wall, as well as upon man, but a ſtone wall ha's no communion with the Sun, becauſe it hath no eyes to ſee the light of it as man hath, nor can receive the benign influences of its heat as the herbs do. A log of wood lyeth in the water as well as the Fiſh, but it hath no communion with the water, nor receives no advantage by it as the Fiſh doth. God is preſent (according to his infinite eſſence) with the Devils as well as with the Angels, but they have no likeneſs in nature to him, and ſo no communion with him, as theſe have.

5. God bath given a more large and excellent capacity to man, than to any other of his creatures upon earth. God hath endued man with reaſon, and ſo made him capable of a higher life, and a more excellent communion with his Maker than all the reſt. The rational ſoul of all ſublunary creatures is only capable to know, love, ſerve, enjoy, imitate God, and ſo to have a glorious communion with him. The Sun in all its glory and brightneſs is not ſo excellent a Being as any ſoul of man upon this account. And although man by his fall loſt his actual communion with God, yet be is a reaſonable creature ſtill, he hath not loſt his capacity of receiving influences from him, and enjoying communion with him. The world when it is at the darkeſt, is yet capable of being enlightned.

6. When the nature of man is by divine grace healed of its diſtemperedneſs, and reſtored to its former rectitude to act ſuitably to the end for which it was made, and to ſpend it ſelf upon its proper object, then 〈◊〉 to have a right communion with God, and to be happy. All ratio ••• ſouls are capable of holding communion with God, but all do not hold communion with him, but they that expreſs the purity and holineſs of the divine life, that know God and live like him, theſe are hi • children, Mat. 5. 15. and thoſe only do rightly and really converſe with him: when the ſpirit of God informs theſe rational ſouls, and derives the ſtrength of a divine life through them, and ſtamps the lively impreſſions of Divine perfections upon them, rendring our hearts, will▪ and wayes conformable to that glorious pattern, that infinite good, then do we enjoy a proper communion with him, and are truly bleſſed; though we are not compleatly bleſſed, till this conformity be perfected according to what thoſe ſouls are, or may be capable of.

This is the true and proper notion of mans communion with God; and relation to him, which we cannot fully deſcribe till we do more fully enjoy. That ſoul that truly lives and feeds upon God, do's taſte more than it can tell; and yet it can tell this, that this is the moſt high, excellent, noble, glorious life in the whole world.

This communion, as alſo the intimateneſs and cloſeneſs of it are deſcribed variouſly in the Holy Scriptures, by the ſimilitude of members being in the body, 1 Cor. 12. 27. Of branches being in the Vine, Joh. 15. 1, 2. By being formed according to Gods image, Rom. 8. 29. Changed into his image, 2 Cor. 3. 18. By Gods dwelling in the ſoul, and the ſoul in him, 1 Joh. 4. 16. By Chriſts being formed in the ſoul, Gal. 4. 19: By the ſouls having Chriſt, 1 Joh. 5. 12. By Chriſts ſupping with the ſoul, and the ſoul with him, Rev. 3. 20. Becauſe nothing is more our own, nor more one with us, than that which we eat and drink, being incorporated into us; therefore is this ſpiritual communion between God and the godly ſoul ofttimes in Scripture deſcribed by our eating and drinking with him. Thus God was pleaſed to allow his people under the law, when they had offered up a part of their Beaſts in Sacrifice to him, to ſit down and feaſt upon the reſt, as a token of that familiarity and oneneſs that was between him and them. By the like action our Saviour ſhadowed out the ſame myſterie, when in the Sacrament of his ſupper he appointed them to ſit down and eat and drink with him, to intimate their feeding upon him, and moſt cloſe communion with him: yea the ſtate of glory which is the moſt perfect communion with God, is thus ſhadowed out too, Mat. 8. 11. Rev. 19. 9. And which is worth noting, I think the Sacramental eating and drinking hath ſome reference to that moſt intimate communion of the Saints with God in glory: our Saviour himſelf ſeems to imply as much in that ſpeech of his, Luk. 22. 30. That ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom: In which words he ſeems plainly to allude to the Sacramental eating and drinking which he had a little before inſtituted, viz. ver. 19. Which makes ſome to believe that that geſture is to be retained in that ordinance, which is moſt proper and uſual to expreſs familiarity and communion, and to take away that geſture, is to deſtroy one great end of our Saviour in appointing this Supper, which was to repreſent that familiar communion which is between himſelf and every believing ſoul. I will not here examine the validity of their argument, which poſſibly if preſt home might introduce a rudeneſs into the worſhip of God under pretence of familiarity: but it ſeems very plain that the nature of that ordinance doth ſhadow out the intimate communion between God and a godly ſoul.

I have already in part prevented my ſelf, and ſhewed you wherein the ſouls communion with God conſiſts: But yet to give you a more diſtinct knowledge of this great myſterie, I ſhall unfold it in theſe three following particulars.

1. A godly ſoul hath communion with God in his Attributes. When the Soul of man is molded and formed into a reſemblance of the divine nature, then hath it a true fellowſhip with him. Now this communion with God in his Attributes is to be ſeen two wayes.

1. When the ſoul is in its meaſure, according to the capacity of a creature, all that which God is. This is the communion which the Angels have with God: Their beholding of the face of God is not to be underſtood of a meer ſpeculation, or an idle gazing upon a Deity; but they ſee him, by receiving his Image upon themſelves, and reflecting his glory and brightneſs; they partake of the goodneſs, purity, holineſs, wiſdome, righteouſneſs of God, which makes them ſuch glorious ſpirits; and the want of this makes the other whom we call Devils, to be what they are. Thus godly men ſhall have communion with God, they ſhall ſee God, Mat. 5. 8. Heb. 12. 14. Yea thus they have communion with him in ſome meaſure: They do not only ſee God in the world as the Devils do, nor ſee him in the word as many hypocritical and wicked men do, but they ſee him in themſelves, in the frame of their own ſouls, they find themſelves molded into his image, and a reſemblance of him drawn upon them. This is a beautiful viſion of God true and real though not full and complete. This is ſet out in Scripture by being holy as God is holy, 1 Pet. 1. 16. perfect as God is perfect, Mat. 5. ult. This our Saviour exhorts us to ſeek after Mat. 11. 29. take my yoke upon ye, learn of me for I am meek and lowly; and the Apoſtle, Epheſ. 5. 1. Be ye followers of God as dear Children. When the nature and perfections of God, his holineſs, goodneſs, righteouſneſs, wiſdom, &c. are coppyed out upon our natures, and the ſame Spirit is in us, which was in Chriſt Jeſus, then have we a true communion with God, which bleſſed communion, when the ſoul becomes all that which God is by a conformity of nature!

2. When the ſoul in its actions as a creature, doth rightly anſwer to the Attributes of the Creator. As when the ſoul doth anſwer the goodneſs of God with ſuitable aff • ctions of love, and joy, and delight; when the ſoul doth correſpond to the Soveraignty and wiſdom of God by the Acts of ſelf-denyal and reſignation; doth converſe with the righteouſneſs of God by patience and a holy Acquieſcency. When the ſoul doth rightly exert thoſe Acts which are proper and ſuitable to the nature of God, then it may be ſaid to hold communion with him in his attributes; when the actions and notions of the ſoul do correſpond to the divine nature and attributes. Now this ſuitableneſs of the ſoul I mean eſpecially with reference to the incommunicable attributes of God, where there is no place for imitation, though it hold good in the reſt alſo.

2. A godly ſoul hath communion with God in his word. To read, profeſs or hear the word is not to hold a real communion with God therein: many do ſo that are ſtrangers to God: A man may read my letters, and yet correſpond with my enemy. That Son in the Goſpel that heard his Fathers command, and anſwered, I goe ſir, but went not, had no right communion with his paternal authority. But when the ſoul is ennobled into ſuch a frame as this word doth require, then it holds communion with God in his word: e. g. when the ſoul puts forth thoſe acts of humiliation, holy fear and reverence, godly trembling which do ſuit the nature of a divine threatning; when the ſoul anſwers the command of God with ſuitable reſolutions, repentings, reformations, and real obedience, when it entertains the promiſe with ſuitable acts of holy delight, joy, refreſhment, recumbency, and acquieſces in the ſame, then doth it truly converſe with God in his word.

3. A godly ſoul hath communion with God in his works. And that is, when the 〈◊〉 doth anſwer the ſeveral providences of God with ſuitable and pertinent affections and diſpoſitions. The godly ſoul doth not only eye and obſerve the hand of God in all things that fall out, but doth comply with thoſe providences, and is molded into that frame, and put upon thoſe duties which ſuch providences do call for. Then doth the ſoul rightly hold communion with God in his works, when it is humbled under humbling providences, is refreſhed, ſtrengthned and grows up under proſperous providences, as they did Act. 9. 31. who having reſt given them, were edified, comforted, multiplyed, &c. when the ſoul doth rightly comport with every providence, and the will is molded into the will of God, then do we hold communion with him in his works. This theme is large, becauſe the works of God are manifold of Creation, Redemption, Preſervation, works towards other men, and towards our ſelves, both towards our outward and inward man: A godly ſoul hath communion with God in all theſe; in the ſenſe that I named even now, though perhaps not equally in all, yet ſincerely and truly.

By what hath been ſaid, you underſtand that right fellowſhip with God is not a bare communion of names; To have the name of God called upon us, and to be called Chriſtians, or the people of God, or to name the name of God, to profeſs it, to cry, Lord, Lord, doth not make any one really and truly the better man, doth not make a ſoul rightly happy: It is not enough to cry the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord with them in Jer. 1. 4. to make our boaſt in the Law with them, Rom. 2. 23. to call our ſelves the Children of Abraham, as the Jews did in John Baptiſts time, Mat. 3. 9. Theſe priviledges and profeſſions are extrinſecal to the ſoul, and do nothing to the true ennobling of it. But right fellowſhip with God is a communion of hearts and natures, of will and affections, of intereſts and ends: To have one heart and will▪ the ſame intereſt and ends with God, is to be truly godly; A Godlike man is the only godly man: A Chriſt like nature brought into the ſoul doth only denomin • te a man a true Chriſtian. It is not ſpeaking together, but loving and living together that brings God and the ſoul into one, I live, yet not I, but Chriſt that liv • th in me, Gal. 2. 20. And thus I ſuppoſe you have a fair account why the Apoſtle James, chap. 2. do's ſo much preferr works before faith, (for indeed faith is nothing worth, ſave only that faith which joyns the ſoul to the object, and makes the thing believed ones own) as alſo why the Apoſtl • Paul prefers love before a faith of mi • acles, 1 Cor. 13. 2. Though indeed a juſtifying ſaith is the moſt miraculous: that faith that unites the ſoul and God together is more excellent, and indeed more miraculous than the faith that removes Mountains. When I conſider the proper happineſs and perfection of a ſoul, and the nature of this true bliſsful communion with God▪ I cannot but wonder how it is poſſible, that men ſhould take their communion with God to conſiſt in an overly acquaintance with him, profeſſion of him, performances to him. I am confident it is not poſſible that men ſhould have any true feeling of happineſs in ſuch acquaintance; no more than a man can be really filled with the ſeeing or carving of meat, which he eats not.

Before I apply the Doctrine, give me leave to lay down ſome rules or poſitions tending further to explain and clear it.

1. This muſt be held, which I toucht upon before, that there can be no communion between God and man, but by a likeneſs of nature; a new, a divine principle implanted in the ſoul. A beaſt hath no communion with a man, becauſe Reaſon the ground of ſuch communion is wanting. Of all the Creatures, there was none found that could be a meet help for Adam, that could be taken into the humane ſociety, till Eve was made, who was a humane perſon. So neither can there be any conjunction of the ſoul with God, but by oneneſs of ſpirit, 1 Cor. 6. 17. He that is joyned to the Lord is one ſpirit.

2. There can be no communion with God but by a Mediator, no Mediator but Chriſt Jeſus who is God-man. Two cannot walk together, nor hold communion except they be agreed, And there can be no agreement made between God and man but by Chriſt Jeſus. Therefore it is ſaid here, our communion is with the Father and the Son, q. d. with the Father by the Son. And faith, whereby the Soul and God are united, is ſtill ſaid to be faith in Chriſt, as we find up and down the Scriptures.

3. There can be no perfect communion with God in this life. Ou • communion with Heaven whileſt we▪ are upon earth is imperfect, our reſemblance to God is ſcant and dark in compariſon of what it ſhall be. We know but in part, love but in part, enjoy but in part; we are but in part holy and happy. There can be no perfect communion with God, till there be a perfect reconciliation of natures as well as perſons; and that cannot be whileſt there is any thing unlike to God in the ſoul, whileſt any impure thing dwells in the Soul which cannot truly cloſe with God, nor God with that. The Holy Spirit can never ſuffer any defiled thing to unite it ſelf with it; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , it is not lawful for any impure thing to mix it ſelf with pure Divinity, ſo Socrates the Heathen. What communion hath righteouſneſs with unrighteouſneſs ſaith the Apoſtle 2 Cor. 6. 14. and ſo far as a righteous man is in any part unrighteous, ſo far he is a ſtranger to God: The unregenerate part of a regenerate man hath no more communion with God than a wicked man, than the devil himſelf hath, no more than darkneſs hath with light.

4. Our communion with God muſt be diſtinguiſhed from the ſenſe and feeling of it. Many have run upon ſad miſcarriages (and thoſe indeed extreams▪) whileſt they place communion with God in the ſenſe and feeling of it, in raptures of joy, extaſies, and tranſports of ſoul; which indeed (if they be real) are not ſo much it, as the flower of it, ſomething reſulting and ſeparable from it. Communion with God cannot be loſt in a Saint, for then he is no Saint▪ for it is the proprium quarto modo of a Saint▪ to have communion with God: and a Saint under deſertion hath communion with God even then as rea •• y▪ though not ſo feelingly as at any other time, ſo far as he is ſanctified. But the ſenſe of this communion may be very much (if not altogether) loſt, and oftentimes is loſt.

5. A ſouls communion with God cannot be interrupted by any local mutations. It is a ſpiritual conjunction, and is not violated by any confinement, the walls of a Priſon cannot ſeparate God and the godly ſoul; baniſhment cannot drive a ſoul from God,—Coelum non animum mutant, &c. The bleſſed Angels thoſe miniſtring ſpirits, when they are diſpatcht into the utmoſt ends of the world upon the ſervice of God, are even then beholding the face of God, and do enjoy as intimate communion with him as ever: The caſe is the ſame with all godly ſouls, whoſe communion with God • os not depend upon any local ſituation; It is not thouſands of miles that can beg • t a diſtance between God and the ſoul. Indeed nothing but ſin dos it, or can do it—Your iniquities have ſeparated between you and your God, Iſa. 59. 2. nothing but ſin is contrary to this divine fellowſhip, and ſo nothing but that can interrupt this ſpiritual ſociety. To ſpeak properly, ſin dos not ſo much cauſe the ſouls diſtance from God, as it ſelf is that diſtance. Man and Wife remain one, though at a hundred miles diſtance; and believing ſouls do maintain a certain ſpiritual communion one with another▪ though in ſeveral parts of the world. The ſociety and communion of godly ſouls one with another, ſo far as it is ſpiritual, cannot be interrupted by bodily diſtance, much leſs then the fellowſhip of God with the godly ſoul, who carryes about with him and in him a divine nature, the image of God, a holy godlike diſpoſition whither ſoever he goes.

6. This communion with God which I have been ſpeaking of is much better than all outward acts and enjoyments, duties and ordinances whatſoever, though they be never ſo many or ſpecious. God himſelf long ſince decided this matter that a broken and contrite heart is better than all Sacrifices, Pſal. 51. 17. that to obey was better than Sacrifice, 1 Sam. 15. 22. that mercy was better than Sacrifice, Hoſ. 6. 6. that to do juſtly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God was to be preferred before thouſands of Rams and ten thouſands of Rivers of Oyle, Mie. 6. 7, 8. It holds in reference to Goſpel duties, though they may ſeem more ſpirituall, than the oblations of the Law. A real ſoul-communion with God, a communion of hearts and natures, of wills and affections, of intereſts and ends is infinitely more excellent than all hearing, praying, celebration of Sabboths or Sacraments, Jam. 1. 25. as the end is more excellent than the means: For ſo ſtands the caſe between them.

Yea I will add (though ſome proud and wanton ſpirits have made ſtrange work with it, yet) it is a ſure and moſt excellent doctrine, that this ſpiritual communion is a continual Sabboth, (a Sabboth of communion is much better than a Sabboth of reſt:) this is the Sabboth that the Angels and Saints in Heaven keep, though they know no ſuch thing as a feaſt day in the week, have no reading, preaching, or praying amongſt them. This is a continual praying, an effectual way of praying in ſilence. A right active ſucking faith dos vertually contain a prayer in it; Right believing is powerful praying. The knees, eyes and tongues bear the leaſt ſhare in prayer, the whole of the work lyes upon the ſoul, and particularly upon faith in the ſoul, which is indeed the life and ſoul of prayer. Faith can pray without words; but the moſt elegant words, the phraſe of Angels is not worthy to be called prayer without faith. I ſpeak not ſo much of faith inditing a prayer, or giving life to it, as of its being vertually prayer, if not ſomething more; for indeed faith is a real bringing down of that God, and ſucking in of thoſe influences into the ſoul, which prayer only looks up for.

Communion with God is a continual faſt, it is that ſpiritual and moſt excellent way of faſting, whereby the ſoul emptying it ſelf of it ſelf and all ſelf-fullneſs, ſelf-ſufficiency, ſelf-confidence receives of the fulneſs of God alone, and is filled therewith. A ſoul communing rightly with God, is a ſoul emptied of, and as it were faſting from it ſelf; which is the moſt excellent way of faſting.

It is a continual thanksgiving; and indeed the beſt way of thankſgiving in the world. To render up our ſelves to God purely and entirely, to reflect the glory of God in an holy and godlike temper, is a real and living thank-offering. This is that Hallelujah, ſo much ſpoke of, which the Angels and Saints in glory do ſing perpetually: what other adjunct of it there may be, I will not here diſpute.

This communion of hearts and wills is a conſtant and moſt excellent celebration of Sacraments. The Soul that is really Baptized into the ſpirit of the Lord Jeſus, and feeds upon God, and is one with him, keeps a continual Sacrament; without which, the Sacramental eating and drinking is but a jejune and dry devotion. In a word, it is not poſſible for any thing that is extrinſecal to the ſoul to make it happy, but the ſoul that is advanced into the noble ſtate of communion with God, is made partaker of a new nature, and is truly happy.

Nay further I will add, that this communion with God is not only better than all duties and ordinances, but even better than all revelations, evidences, diſcoveries that can be made or given to the ſoul ab extra, all that are from without, a manifeſtation of God, i. e. of a divine life in the ſoul, is much better than ſuch a manifeſtation as Moſes had of his glory in the cleft of the Rock, Exod. 34. Many think, oh if they might but be aſſured of the love of God, of the pardon of fin, of an intereſt in Chriſt, they ſhould be happy: why I will tell you, if you had a voice from Heaven, ſaying that ye were the beloved Children of God, as Chriſt had; an Angel ſent from God to tell you that ye were beloved and highly favoured of God, as his Mother Mary had, yet were communion with God to be preferred before theſe: For theſe things could not make a ſoul happy without real communion with God, but communion with God can and doth make a ſoul happy without theſe: And to this purpoſe I ſuppoſe I may apply that famous ſpeech of our Saviour's by way of alluſion, It is more bleſſed to give, than to receive, to give up ones ſelf, ones heart, will, intereſts and affections to God, than to receive any external diſcoveries and manifeſtations from him. Why do we ſo earneſtly ſeek after ſigns from without us of Gods preſence with us; as if there were any thing better or more deſirable to the ſoul than Emanuel God with us, or as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Chriſt in us the hope of glory? He that deſires any other evidence of grace, but more grace, dos not only light up a candle to ſee the Sun by, but indeed he acts like one that thinks there is ſomething better than God himſelf; though I do not ſay that all do think ſo who are covetous of ſuch manifeſtations. But this I will ſay, and you may do well to chew upon it, that holy longings after a true and ſpiritual communion with God do certainly ſpring from a divine principle in the ſoul; whereas a thirſt after aſſurance of Gods love, and reconciliation of our perſons with him, may be only the fruit of ſelf-love and intereſt.—Let me dye the death of the Righteous! you know whoſe wiſh it was.

7. Though communion with God do concern the whole ſoul, and all the faculties, affections, and motions of it, (it is Gods ſpreading his influences and exerciſing his Soveraignty over all the powers of the ſoul, and their mutual ſpending of themſelves upon him and conforming to him,) yet the great Acts of the ſoul whereby it chiefly holds communion with God are loving and Believing. Love is the joyning and knitting of the ſoul to God; Faith is the ſouls labouring after more intimate conjunction with him, a ſucking in influences from him, and participations of him into the Soul. We may ſay that faith fetches in ſupplies from Heaven, and Love enjoyes them; faith ſucks in ſweetneſs and vertue from Chriſt, and love feeds upon it. Certainly theſe two eminent graces grow, and live, and thrive together, and are inſeparable companions. It is ſomewhat difficult to diſtinguiſh them, or to aſſign to each his proper place and work in the ſoul; they ſeem mutually to act, and to be mutually acted by each other: perhaps the Apoſtle might have reſpect to this myſtery, when he ſpeaks ſo doubtfully, Gal. 5. 6. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which words may be tranſlated, either Faith acting by love, or faith acted by love. We know indeed that in the ſtate of perfect communion (which we call glory) love ſhall abide and flouriſh more abundantly, and there ſhall be no room for faith there, not as to the principal act of it; but whether hath the greater part in maintaining our communion with God in this world, is not eaſie, nor indeed needfull to determine. The godly ſoul is the moſt proper Temple wherein God dwelleth, according to that, 2 Cor. 6. 16. Ye are the Temple of the living God; Faith and Love are the Jachin and Boaz the two great Pillars which keep up the Soul as a Temple, take away theſe, and it remains a ſoul indeed, but the ſoul dos not remain a Temple to the Lord. In a word, theſe two are the ſouls principal handmaids which ſhe uſeth about this bleſſed gueſt; Faith goes out and brings him in, and Love entertains him; by faith ſhe finds him, whom ſhe ſeeks, and by love ſhe kiſſes him whom ſhe finds, as the ſpouſe is deſcribed, Cant. 8. 1.

8. The communion that is between God and the godly Soul is altogether different from that communion that is between creatures. Here I might ſhew you how it exceeds and excells that, in many reſpects; but I ſhall not inſiſt upon any of thoſe particulars, nor indeed upon any of thoſe many differences that are between them, ſave only upon this one: The communion that is between creature and creature is perfect in its kind, and ſo conſequently gives mutual ſatisfaction; I mean it terminates the expectations, ſo that nothing remains to be enjoyed in them more than what is enjoyed. The creature is ſhallow and ſoon fathomed, we ſoon come to the bottom of it: A finite can graſp a finite Being and enjoy it, as I may ſay, all at once. A man may come ſo near to his friend that he can come no nearer, enjoy him as fully as he is capable to enjoy, or the other to be enjoyed: Created ſweetneſs may be exhauſted to the very bottom. But the ſouls communion with God dos not give it any ſuch ſatisfaction, though indeed, in ſome ſenſe, it gives a ſatisfaction of a much higher and more excellent kind. I told you before that the ſouls communion with God is imperfect in this life, and therefore it muſt needs follow that it cannot ſatisfie; that is, not terminate and fill up the deſires of it. Communion with God is maintained by faith and love as you have heard, which proves it to be very ſweet; but it alſo admits of Hope, which proves it to be not ſatisfactory: For where there is yet any place left for hope, there is no full or ſatisfactory enjoyment. This may ſerve as a certain note whereby to judge of the truth of that communion with God; it is not glutting to the ſoul, but will certainly manifeſt it ſelf in inceſſant hungrings; inter opes inops, the ſoul is in the midſt of plenty, and yet cryes out as if it were ready to ſtarve for want. When I conſider the temper of ſome perfectioniſts, who cry down duties and ordinances as low and unprofitable rudiments, and boaſt of their full and inacceſſionable attainments, and compare it with the temper of the great Apoſtle, who did not reckon that he had attained, but ſtill followed after that he might apprehend, who forgot the things that were behind, and reached forth unto thoſe things that were before, preſſing towards the mark, &c. Phil. 3. 12, 13, 14. I am ready to cry out Aut hic non eſt Apoſtolus aut hi non ſunt Apoſtolici; But an Apoſtle he was, and had very intimate communion with his Lord, and therefore I confeſs I cannot allow theſe men ſo high a place in my opinion as they have in their own. God is infinite, and therefore though the ſoul may be ever graſping, yet it can never comprehend; and yet the ſoul finds him to be infinitely good, and ſo cannot ceaſe graſping him neither. The godly ſoul ſees that there is yet much more to be enjoyed of God, and in him; and therefore though it be very near to him, yet cryes out and complains of its diſtance from him,—Oh when ſhall I come and appear before him! though it be united to him, yet it longs to be yet more one with him ſtill, to be in a cloſer conjunction. The godly ſoul forgets with Paul what it hath received, not through diſingenuity and unthankfulneſs, but through a holy ardour and covetouſneſs: All that he has of God ſeems little, becauſe there is yet ſo much to be had. Though the godly ſoul do drink of the fountain, yet that is not enough, it would lye down by it; though it do lye down by it, yet ſo it is not ſatisfied neither, except it may bath it ſelf, and even be ſwallowed up therein. Behold a Paradox, the godly ſoul is moſt thirſty, though according to Chriſts promiſe, it thirſt no more: it is moſt reſtleſs, though according to his promiſe it have reſt. It is proper to God alone to reſt in his love, for the creature cannot in this imperfect ſtate: By this we know that we are not yet in Heaven, for it is a ſtate of perfect reſt, not ſloth or ceſſation, but ſatisfaction. Faith is the Feaver of the ſoul, rendring it more thirſty by how much the more it drinks in of the Water of Life, the living ſtreams that flow forth from the Throne of God and of the Lamb. As the Waters of the Sanctuary are deſcribed by the Prophet growing deeper and deeper, Ezek. 47. ſo hope which is the ſouls appetite grows larger and larger, and cannot be ſatisfied till the ſouls capacity be filled up.

The Doctrinal part being thus briefly diſpatcht, it will be eaſie to inferr ſome things by way of corolary. I ſhall content my ſelf with three only amongſt many.

1. All wicked men are ſtrangers to God. We know indeed that God according to his infinite eſſence is preſent with all his creatures: not only men but even devils too have their being in him, he hath ſpread his omnipotence as the foundation whereupon the whole Creation doth ſtand; he reared up the world in himſelf, and in him it doth ſubſiſt at this day. However Angels and men have ſadly fallen from God, yet they may be truly ſaid to live in him ſtill; and although all wicked ſouls do ſtraggle off from God as to their diſpoſitions and affections, ingrafting themſelves into another ſtock by ſin and wickedneſs, yet they cannot poſſibly ſtraggle from him as to their ſubſiſtence, as the Apoſtle teaches the Athenian Philoſophers, Act. 17. 27. He is not far from every one of us, though few feel after him or find him. And it may be truly ſaid in ſome ſenſe, that all the Creatures, yea the very worſt of them, have a communion with God, all partake of him, no creature hath any thing of its own really diſtinct from him. Every thing that hath a Being, hath a relation to that infinite and ſupream Being, and every living thing may be rightly ſaid to have communion with him who is life it ſelf. And all thoſe ſeveral excellencies that are in the Creatures, are effluxes from God, who hath derived various prints of his own beauty and perfection upon every thing that he hath made. Gods making of a thing is no other than the communicating of himſelf thereunto. And therefore when you look into the world, do not view any creature in the narrow point of its own Being, but in the unbounded eſſence of God, and therein love and admire it. But upon the immortal ſoul of man, God hath coppyed out his Divine perfections more clearly and gloriouſly than upon any other Creature in this world. God could not make a rational ſoul without communicating of his own infinite wiſdom, power, life, freedom unto it: ſo that there is more of the Divine nature to be ſeen in the underſtanding and will of any one man, than in the whole fabrick of Heaven and Earth.

Notwithſtanding this, wicked men are ſtrangers to God. They live and move in God indeed, but they know it not, they conſider it not; they act as if they had no dependance upon him, no relation to him. Though they have ſome kind of communion with God as Creatures, yet this makes them not at all happy; for they are departed from God in their affections and diſpoſitions, they have degenerated from that ſubſerviency and ſubordination to the Divine Will which is the proper perfection of the creature, and are alienated from the life of God, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Eph. 4. 18. It is not the ſouls moving in God that makes it truly and happily nigh unto him, but its moving towards God as the chief object, and according to the will of God, as the chiefeſt rule, and therefore wicked men who pitch upon other objects, and walk by other laws, even the luſts and ordinances of their own fleſh and fancy, are properly ſtrangers to God and miſerable. He is not properly ſaid to know God, who hath a notion of him formed in his head, but he whoſe heart and will is molded into a conformity to God, and a delight in him; ſo that a wicked man, though he know and believe and tremble as much as any of the Devils, yet not loving nor delighting in him as his chiefeſt good, not being conformed to his Image, as the higheſt and pureſt perfection, may be truly ſaid to be eſtranged from God; which is a ſtate of hell and death and darkneſs. This is the man who though not in words, yet interpretatively and really ſaith unto God, Depart from me, I deſire not the knowledge of thy wayes, with them in Job 21. 14. Theſe do really exempt themſelves from the dominion of Chriſt, and do really, though not audibly, ſay with them in the Goſpel, Luk. 19. 14. We will not have this man to reign over us. However men pretend to, and boaſt of their relation to, and acquaintance with God, certainly all that live a meer ſenſual life, non-conformiſts to the image of God, are truly ſaid to be ſtrangers to him, and in a ſtate of noncommunion with him. 1 Joh. 1. 6. 2 Cor. 6. 14.

2. The life of a true Chriſtian is the moſt high and noble life in the world; it exceeds the life of all other men, even of the greateſt of men. The character that is here given of the godly man is the higheſt that can be given of any man, or indeed of any creature. It is the higheſt glory and excellency of the creature to partake of the life of God, of the perfections of the Creator; and ſuch is the deſcription that the ſpirit of God here makes of the godly man. What an unreaſonable and ſenſeleſs reproach is that which this wicked world doth caſt upon Religion, calling it a low and deſpicable thing, and upon Religious and godly men, calling them low ſpirited, puny people. Can a man be better ſpirited, than with the ſpirit of God? Can any thing more truly ennoble a ſoul than a divine nature? Can a man be raiſed any higher than unto Heaven it ſelf? So noble is the godly ſoul, Prov. 15. 24. The way of life is above to the wiſe; And conſequently all wicked men lead a low life, and are bound under chains of death and darkneſs: The righteous man is of a high and divine original born of God, born from above, and therefore is more excellent than his neighbour, than any of his neighbours, even a King himſelf being judge, Prov. 12. 26. What a helliſh baſeneſs is that ſinful gallantry of ſpirit, what a brutiſhneſs is that ſenſuality of living, which the degenerate Sons of Adam do ſo much magnifie! True goodneſs and excellency of ſpirit muſt be meaſured by the proportion that it bears to the ſupream good, the infinite pattern of all perfection. What excellent perſons were thoſe renowned Saints of old, of whom the Apoſtle ſayes, that the world was not worthy, Heb. 11. 38. however they were thought not worthy to live in the world. What a noble and generous ſpirit of true Chriſtian valour, patience, meekneſs, contempt of the world and ſelf-denyal was that, which was to be ſeen in the bleſſed Apoſtles, however they were eſteemed as the filth and ſweepings of the world, the off-ſcouring of all things? To which of the noble, wiſe, mighty men of the world, as ſuch, did God ever ſay, theſe as the men that have fellowſhip with me, theſe are the men that lead a noble and divine life? No no, not many noble are called; and when they are called, they are made more noble, than ever they were by birth or deſcent, by places of preferment or command. The life of every wicked man, of what rank or ſize ſoever he be in the world, is but a low life, a life in moſt things common to the very beaſts with him; If the main of his buſineſs and delight be to eat, and drink, and work, and ſleep, and enjoy ſenſual pleaſures, what doth he? what enjoyeth he more than the beaſts that periſh? But the life of the meaneſt ſoul that hath true and ſpiritual communion with God, is a life common to him with the bleſſed Angels, thoſe ſons of the morning, the flower of the whole Creation. That life which hath ſelf for its centre, muſt needs be a penurious and indeed a painfull life: For how can the ſoul of man poſſibly feed to the full upon ſuch ſpare diet, ſuch ſcant fare as it finds at home? Nay indeed how can it chooſe but be in pain and torture; whileſt it ſtretcheth itſelf upon a ſelf-ſufficiency, or creature-fulneſs which is not at all commenſurate to it? But the ſoul that rightly ſtretches and ſpends all its faculties upon the infinite and bleſſed God, finds all its capacities filled up to the brim with that fountain of goodneſs, and it ſelf perfectly matcht with a ſuitable and ſatisfactory object. This is the true and only nobleneſs of ſpirit, when all the powers and faculties of this immortal ſoul are exalted and advanced into a true and vital ſympathy and communion with the chiefeſt good, formed according to his will, conformed to his image.