Chapter VII (3)

A PRAYER.

_Infinite and eternal Majesty, author and fountain of being and blessedness, how little do we poor sinful creatures know of thee, or the way to serve and please thee? We talk of religion, and pretend unto it; but alas! How few are there that know what it means? How easily do we mistake the affections of our nature, for those divine graces which alone are acceptable in thy sight? It may justly grieve me to consider, that I should have wandered so long, and contented myself so often with vain shadows of religion; yet I cannot but acknowledge and adore thy goodness, who hast been pleased, in some measure, to open mine eyes, and let me see what it is at which I ought to aim. I rejoice to consider what mighty improvements my nature is capable of and what a divine temper doth shine in those whom thou causest to approach thee. Blessed be thine infinite mercy, who sentest thine own Son to dwell among men, and instruct them by his example, as well as his laws, giving them a perfect pattern of what they ought to be. O that the holy life of the blessed Jesus may be always in my thoughts, till I receive a deep sense and impression of those graces that shined so eminently in him; and let me never rest, till that new and divine nature prevail in my soul, and Christ be formed within me._

_The excellency and advantage of Religion._

1. AND now, having discovered the nature of true religion, let us fix our meditations a little on the excellency and advantages of it. But what words can express that inward satisfaction, those hidden pleasures, which can never be rightly understood, but by those who feel them? _A stranger intermeddleth not with their joy¹._ Holiness is the right temper, the vigorous and healthful constitution of the soul: its faculties had formerly been enfeebled and disordered, so that they could not exercise their natural functions; it had wearied itself with endless tossings and rollings, and was never able to find any rest. Now that distemper being removed, it feels itself well; there is a due harmony in its faculties, and a sprightly vigour possesseth every part: the understanding can discern what is good, and the will can cleave unto it; the affections are not tied to the motions of sense, and the influence of external objects; but are stirred by more divine impressions, are touched with a sense of invisible things.

¹ Proverbs xiv. 10.

_The excellency of divine love._

2. Let us descend into a nearer view of religion, in the several branches of it named before. Let us consider that love wherewith holy souls are united to God, that we may see what excellency is involved in it. Love is that powerful passion, by which all the faculties of the soul are determined, and on which both its perfection and happiness depend. The worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love. He who loveth mean and sordid things, doth thereby become base and vile; but a noble and well placed affection advances the spirit to a conformity with the perfections which it loves. The images of these frequently present to the mind, and, by a secret energy, insinuate into the very constitution of the soul, and mould and fashion it unto their own likeness. Hence we see how easily lovers or friends slide into the imitation of the persons whom they affect; and how, even before they are aware, they begin to resemble them, not only in the more considerable instances of their deportment, but also in their voice and gesture, and that which we call their mein and air: and certainly we should as well transcribe the inward beauties of the soul, if they were the object and motive of our love. But as all the creatures we converse with have their mixture and alloy, we are always in hazard to be corrupted by placing our affection on them: passion easily blinds our eyes, so that we first approve, and then imitate the things that are blameable in them. The true way to improve and ennoble our souls, is by fixing our love on the divine perfections, that we may have them always before us, and derive an impression of them on ourselves; and _beholding, with open face, the glory of the Lord, may be changed into the same image, from glory to glory_. He who hath raised his eyes towards that uncreated beauty and goodness, and fixed his affection there, is quite of another spirit, of a more excellent and heroic temper than the rest of the world; and cannot but infinitely disdain all mean and unworthy things, will not entertain any low or base thoughts, which might disparage his high and noble pretensions. Love is the greatest and most excellent thing we are masters of; and therefore it is folly and baseness to bestow it unworthily. It is indeed the only thing we can call our own; other things may be taken from us by violence, but none can ravish our love. Is any thing else be counted ours, by giving our love, we give all, so far as we make over our hearts and wills, by which we possess our other enjoyments. It is not possible to refuse him any thing, to whom, by love, we have given ourselves; nay, since it is the privilege of gifts, to receive their value from the mind of the giver, and not to be measured by the event, but by the desire, he who loveth, may, in some sense, be said not only to bestow all that he hath, but all things else which may make the beloved person happy; since he doth heartily wish them, and would really give them, if they were in his power. Certainly therefore love is the worthiest present we can offer unto God, and it is extremely debased when we bestow it another way.

3. When this affection is misplaced, it doth often vent itself in such expressions, as point at its proper object. The blasphemous terms of adoration, wherein men sometimes express their passion, are the language of that affection which was designed for God; as he who is accustomed to speak to some great person, doth perhaps unawares accost another with those titles he was wont to give him: But certainly that passion which accounteth its object a Deity, ought to be bestowed on him who really is so; those unlimited submissions, which debase the soul, is directed to any other, will exalt and ennoble it, when placed here. Those chains and cords of love, are infinitely more glorious than liberty itself; this slavery is more noble than all the empires in the world.

_The advantages of divine love._

4. Again, as divine love advances and elevates the soul, so it is that alone which can make it happy. The highest pleasures, the most substantial delights, that human nature is capable of, are those which arise from a well-placed and successful affection. That which imbitters love, and makes it ordinarily a very troublesome passion, is the placing it on those who have not worth enough to deserve it, or gratitude to requite it, or whose absence may deprive us of their converse, or their miseries occasion our trouble. To all these evils are they exposed, whose chief affection is placed on creatures; but the love of God delivers us from them all.

_The worth of the object._

5. First, Love must needs be full of disquietude, when there is not excellency in the object to answer the vastness of its capacity: So violent a passion cannot but torment the spirit when it finds not wherewith to satisfy its cravings; and indeed so large and unbounded is its nature: that it must be extremely straitened, when confined to any creature: nothing below an infinite good can afford it room to stretch itself, and exert its vigour and activity. What is a little skin-deep beauty, or some small degrees of goodness, to satisfy a passion which was made for God? No wonder lovers do so hardly suffer any rival, and do not desire that others should approve their passion by imitating it: They know the scantiness of the good which they love, that it cannot suffice two, being in effect too little for one. Hence love, _which is strong as death_, occasioneth _jealousy, which is cruel as the grave; the coals whereof are coals of fire, which hath a most violent flame_.

6. But divine love hath no mixture of this gall. When once the soul is fixed on that supreme good, it finds so much goodness, as doth not only satisfy its affection, but overpower it too: It finds all its love to be too languid for such an object, and is only sorry that it can command no more: It wishes for the flames of a _Seraph_, and longs for the time when it shall be wholly dissolved in love. And because it can do so little itself, it desires the assistance of the whole creation, that angels and men would concur with it in the admiration and love of these infinite perfections.

_The certainty to be beloved again._

7. Again, love is accompanied with trouble, when it misses a suitable return of affection. Love is the most valuable thing we can bestow, and by giving it, we in effect give all that we have: and therefore it must needs be afflicting, to find so great a gift despised; that the present which one hath made of his whole heart cannot obtain any return. Perfect love is a kind of wandering out of ourselves; it is a sort of voluntary death, wherein the lover dies to himself, and all his own interests; not thinking of them, nor caring for them; and minding nothing but how he may please the party whom he loves. Thus he is quite undone, unless he meets with reciprocal affection; he neglects himself, and the other hath no regard to him: But if he be beloved, he is revived, as it were, and liveth in the soul and care of the person whom he loves. And now he begins to mind his own concernments, not so much because they are his, as because the beloved is pleased to own an interest in them; he becomes dear unto himself, because he is so unto the other.

8. And herein the divine lover hath unspeakably the advantage, having placed his affection on him whose nature is love, whose goodness is as infinite as his being; whose mercy prevented us, when we were his enemies, therefore cannot chuse but embrace us, when we are become his friends. It is impossible that God should deny his love to a soul devoted to him, and which desires nothing so much as to please him. He cannot disdain his own image, nor the heart on which it is engraven. Love is all the tribute which we can pay him, and it is the sacrifice which he will not despise.

_The presence of the beloved person._

9. Another thing which disturbs the pleasure of love, and renders it a miserable and unquiet passion, is absence from those we love. It is not without a sensible affliction that friends part, tho’ for some little time: But if death have made the separation, as some time or other it must, this occasions a grief scarce to be parallel’d by all the misfortunes of human life. But, O how happy are those who have placed their love on him, who can never be absent from them! They need but open their eyes, and they shall every where behold the traces of his presence and glory, and converse with him whom their soul loveth; and this makes the darkest prison, or wildest desart, not only supportable, but delightful to them.

_The divine love makes us partake of an infinite happiness._

10. In fine, a lover is miserable, if the person whom he loveth be so. They who have made an exchange of hearts by love, get thereby an interest in one another’s happiness and misery; and this makes love a troublesome passion, when placed on earth. The most fortunate person hath grief enough to mar the tranquillity of his friend: and it is hard to hold out, when we are attacked on all hands, and suffer not only in our own person, but in another’s: But if God be the object of our love, we share in an infinite happiness. We rejoice to behold the glory of God, and receive comfort and pleasure from all the praises wherewith men and angels extol him. It delights us beyond expression to consider, that the Beloved of our souls is infinitely happy in himself, and that all his enemies cannot shake or unsettle his throne: _That our God is in the heavens, and doth whatever pleaseth him_.

Behold, on what sure foundations his happiness is built, whose soul is possessed with divine love, whose will is transformed into the will of God, and whose sole desire is, that his Maker should be pleased! O the peace, the rest, the satisfaction, that attendeth such a temper of mind!

_He that loveth God finds sweetness in every dispensation._

11. What an infinite pleasure must it needs be, thus as it were to lose ourselves in him; and, being swallowed up in the overcoming sense of his goodness, to offer ourselves a living sacrifice, always ascending unto him in flames of love? Never doth a soul know what solid joy is, till it give itself up unto the author of its being, and feel itself become a devoted thing; and can say, from an inward sense and feeling, _My Beloved is mine, and I am his_: I am content to be any thing for him, and care not for myself, but that I may serve him. A person moulded into this temper, finds pleasure in all the dispensations of providence: temporal enjoyments have another relish, when he tastes the divine goodness in them, and considers them as tokens of love sent by his dearest Lord and Maker: and chastisements hereby lose their sting; the rod, as well as the staff, comfort him: he rejoices, that though God does not the will of such a worthless creature as himself, yet he accomplishes his own designs; which are infinitely more holy and wise.

_The duties of religion are delightful to him._

12. The exercises of religion, which to others are insipid, yield the highest pleasure to souls possessed with divine love: they rejoice when they are called to _go up to the house of the Lord_, that they may _see his power and his glory, as they have formerly seen it in his sanctuary_¹. They never think themselves so happy, as when, having retired from the world, they have placed themselves in the presence of God, and entertain communion with him: they delight to adore his perfections, and recount his favours; and to protest their affection to him, and tell him a thousand times that they love him; to lay out their troubles or wants before him, and disburthen their hearts in his bosom. Repentance itself is a delightful exercise, when it floweth from the principle of love. There is a secret sweetness which accompanies those tears of remorse, those meltings of a soul returning unto God, and lamenting its former unkindness.

¹ Psalms lxiii. 2.

13. The severities of a holy life, and that constant watch which we are obliged to keep over our hearts and ways, are troublesome to those who are only ruled by an external law, and have no law in their minds inclining them to their duty. But where divine love possesseth the soul, it stands as centinel to keep out every thing that may offend the Beloved. It complieth chearfully, not only with explicit commands, but with the most secret notices of the Beloved’s pleasure; and is ingenious in discovering what will be most grateful and acceptable unto him. It makes mortification and self-denial change their harsh and dreadful names, and become easy, sweet and delightful things.

_The excellency of charity._

14. The next branch of the divine life is _universal love_ to man. The excellency of this grace will be easily acknowledged; for what can be more noble than a heart enlarged to embrace the whole world? Whose wishes and designs are levelled at the welfare of the universe, which considereth every man’s interest as its own? He, who loveth his neighbour as himself, can never entertain any base or injurious thought, or be wanting in any expressions of bounty. He had rather suffer a thousand wrongs, than be guilty of one; and never accounts himself happy, but when some one or other hath been benefited by him. The malice or ingratitude of men is not able to resist his love. He overlooks their injuries, and pities their folly, and overcomes their evil with good; and never designs any other revenge against his most bitter and malicious enemies, than to put all the obligations he can upon them, whether they will or not. This inward goodness and benignity of spirit reflects a sweetness and serenity upon the very countenance, and makes it amiable and lovely: it inspires the soul with a noble resolution and courage, and makes it capable of enterprising and effecting the highest things: those heroic actions which we are wont to read with admiration, have, for the most part, been the effects of the love of one’s country, or of particular friendships; and certainly a more extensive affection must be much more powerful and efficacious.

_The pleasure that attends it._

15. Again, as _charity_ flows from an excellent temper, so it is accompanied with the greatest satisfaction. It delights the soul to feel itself thus enlarged; to be delivered from those disquieting passions, malice, hatred, and envy; and to become gentle, sweet, and benign. Had I my choice of all things for my present felicity, I would pitch upon this, to have my heart possessed with the greatest kindness and affection towards all men. I am sure this would make me partake in all the happiness of others, their inward endowments, and outward prosperity. And though I should frequently meet with occasions of grief, yet there is a sweetness in commiseration, which makes it infinitely more desirable than a stupid insensibility. And the consideration of that infinite goodness and wisdom, which govern the world, might repress any excessive trouble for particular calamities that happen in it. Certainly, next to the love of God, that ardent affection wherewith blessed souls embrace one another, is justly to be reckoned as the greatest felicity of those regions above. And did it universally prevail in the world, it would anticipate that blessedness, and make us taste the joys of heaven upon earth.

_The excellency of purity._

16. A third branch of religion is _purity_; a contempt of sensual pleasures, and resoluteness to undergo those troubles and pains we may meet with in the performance of our duty. Now, the naming of this may suffice to recommend it as a most excellent quality. There is no slavery so base, as that whereby a man becomes a drudge to his own lusts. Never can that person be capable of any thing noble, who is sunk in the gross pleasures of sense, or bewitched with the airy gratifications of fancy. But the religious soul is of a more sublime and divine temper. It knows it was made for higher things, and scorns to step aside one foot out of the ways of holiness, for obtaining any of these.

_The delight it affords._

17. And this _purity_ is accompanied with a great deal of pleasure. Whatsoever defiles the soul disturbs it too. All impure delights have a sting in them, and leave smart and trouble behind them. Excess and intemperance, and all inordinate lusts, are so much enemies to the health of the body, and the interests of this present life, that a little consideration might oblige any rational man to forbear them on that very score. And if the religious person go higher, and do not only abstain from noxious pleasures, but neglect those that are innocent, this is not to be looked upon as any uneasy restraint, but as the effect of better choice: his mind is so taken up with sublime delights, that he cannot be concerned in these. Any person that is engaged in a violent affection, will easily forget his ordinary gratification; will be little curious about his diet, or his bodily ease, or the divertisements he was wont to delight in. No wonder then, if souls, overpowered with divine love, despise inferior pleasures, and be almost ready to grudge the body its necessary attendance for the common accommodations of life, judging all these impertinent to their main happiness, and those higher enjoyments they are pursuing. As for the hardships they may meet with, they rejoice in them, as opportunities to testify their affection: and since they are able to do so little for God, they are glad of the honour to suffer for him.

_The excellency of humility._

18. The last branch of religion is _humility_; and however, to vulgar eyes, this may appear a despicable quality, yet, really, the soul of man is not capable of a higher and more noble endowment. It is a silly ignorance that begets pride; but humility arises from a nearer acquaintance with excellent things, which keeps men from doating on trifles, or admiring themselves because of some petty attainments.

I know not what thoughts people may have of _humility_, but I see almost every person pretending to it, and shunning such expressions and actions as may make them be accounted arrogant and presumptuous; so that those who are most desirous of praise, are loth to commend themselves. What are all those compliments and modes of civility so ♦frequent in our ordinary converse, but so many protestations of the esteem of others, and the low thoughts we have of ourselves? And must not humility be an excellent endowment, when the very shadows of it are so necessary a part of good breeding?

♦ “frequently” replaced with “frequent” per Errata

_The pleasure and sweetness of an humble temper._

19. Again, this grace is accompanied with a great deal of happiness. The proud person is a trouble to all that converse with him, but most of all to himself. Every thing is enough to vex him; but scarce any thing sufficient to please him. But the humble person hath the advantage when he is despised, that none can think more meanly of him than he doth of himself; and as he is less affected with injuries, so he is less obnoxious to them. _Contention, which cometh of pride_, betrays a man into a thousand ♦inconveniences, which those of a meek and lowly temper seldom meet with. True humility begets veneration among wise men, whilst pride defeateth its own design, and depriveth a man of that honour it makes him pretend to.

♦ “inconvenices” replaced with “inconveniences”

20. And the exercises of humility which relate to God, are accompanied with the greatest satisfaction. It is impossible to express the delight which religious persons feel in the lowest prostrations of their soul before God; when having a deep sense of the divine Majesty, they sink (if I may so speak) to the bottom of their beings, and vanish and disappear in the presence of God, by a serious and affectionate acknowledgement of their own nothingness; when they understand the full sense of the psalmist’s exclamation, _Lord, what is man?_ And can utter it with the same affection. Never did any haughty person receive the praises of men with so much pleasure as the humble renounce them, _Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory_.

21. Thus I have spoken something of the excellencies and advantages of religion in its several branches. Let us acquaint ourselves with it, and experience will teach us more than all that ever hath been spoken or written concerning it. If we may suppose the soul to be already awakened unto some longing desires after so great a blessedness, it will be good to give them vent, and suffer them to issue forth in some such aspirations as these.

A PRAYER.

_GOOD God! what a mighty felicity is this to which we are called? How graciously hast thou joined our duty and happiness together, and prescribed that for our work, the performance whereof is a great reward? And shall such silly worms be advanced to so great a height? Wilt thou allow us to raise our eyes to thee? Wilt thou admit and accept our affection? Shall we receive the impression, of thy divine excellencies, by beholding and admiring them, and partake of thy infinite blessedness and glory, by loving thee, and rejoicing in them? O the happiness of those souls that are disintangled from every narrow good; whose understandings are enlightened by the holy Spirit, and their wills enlarged to the extent of thine; who love thee above all things, and all mankind for thy sake! I am persuaded, O God, I am persuaded, that I can never be happy, till my corrupt affections be mortified, and the pride and vanity of my spirit subdued, and till I come seriously to despise the world, and think nothing of myself. But O when shall it once be? O when wilt thou come unto me, and satisfy my soul with thy likeness, making me holy as thou art holy, even in all manner of conversation? Hast thou given me a prospect of so great a felicity, and wilt thou not bring me unto it? Hast thou excited these desires in my soul, and wilt thou not also satisfy them? O teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God; thy Spirit is good, lead me unto the land of uprightness. Quicken me, O Lord, for thy name’s sake, and perfect that which concerneth me. Thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever, forsake not the work of thine own hands._

_The despondent thoughts of some newly awakened
to a right sense of things._

1. I HAVE hitherto considered wherein true religion consists, and how desirable a thing it is; but when one sees how infinitely distant he is from it, he may perhaps be ready to despond; he may sit down in sadness, and bemoan himself, and say, in the ♦anguish of his spirit, “They are happy indeed whose souls enjoy the divine life, who are thus renewed in the spirit of their minds; but alas! I am quite of another constitution. If outward observances could have done, I might have hoped to acquit myself: but since nothing but a new nature can serve, what am I able to do? I could give all my goods to the poor, but cannot command that love, without which this would profit me nothing. This gift of God cannot be purchased with money¹. If a man should give all the substance of his house for love, it would be utterly contemned². I could pine my body; but I cannot starve my corruptions, nor wean my affections from earthly things. I am many times convinced of my own vileness; but this rather begets discontent in me, than true humility; and though I should come to think meanly of myself, yet I cannot endure that others should think so too. In a word, when I reflect on my most specious attainments, I have reason to suspect that they are all but the effects of nature; and sin is so powerful and so deeply rooted in me, that I can never hope to be delivered from it. I may toss and turn as a door on the hinges, but can never get clear off; so that all the advantage I can draw from the discovery of religion, is but to see, at a huge distance, that felicity which I am not able to reach; like a man in a shipwreck, who discerns the land, and envies the happiness of those there, but cannot himself get ashore.”

♦ “auguish” replaced with “anguish”

¹ Acts viii. 20.

² Canticles viii. 7.

_The unreasonableness of these fears._

2. These, or such-like thoughts, may arise in the minds of those who begin to conceive the nature and excellency of religion. They have spied the land, and seen that it is exceeding good, that it floweth with milk and honey; but they find they have the children of _Anak_ to grapple with, powerful corruptions to overcome, and they fear they shall never prevail against them. But why should we give way to such discouraging suggestions? Why should we entertain such unreasonable fears, which damp our spirits and weaken our hands, and augment the difficulties of our way? Let us encourage ourselves with those mighty aids we are to expect in this spiritual warfare; for greater is he that is for us, than all that can rise up against us. _The eternal God is our refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. Let us be strong in the Lord, and the power of his might_; for he it is that shall _tread down our enemies_. God hath a tender regard to the souls of men, and is infinitely willing to promote their welfare. He hath condescended to our weakness, and declared with an oath, that he hath no pleasure in our destruction. There is no such thing as despite in the bosom of that ever blessed being, whose name and nature is love. He created us at first in a happy condition, and now when we are fallen from it, _he hath laid help upon one that is mighty to save_¹, hath committed the care of our souls to no meaner a person than the eternal Son of his love. It is he that is the captain of our salvation, and what enemies can be too strong for us, when we are fighting under his banner? Did not the Son of God come down from the bosom of his Father, and pitch his tabernacle amongst men, that he might recover them to the divine life, and restore the image of God in their souls? All the mighty works he performed, all the afflictions he sustained, had this for their scope and design: for this did he labour and toil; for this did he bleed and die. _He was with child, he was in pain, and hath he brought forth nothing but wind²? Hath he wrought no deliverance in the earth? Shall he not see of the travail of his soul³?_ Certainly it is impossible that this great contrivance of heaven should prove abortive, that such a mighty undertaking should miscarry. It hath already been effectual for the salvation of many thousands, who were once as far from the kingdom of heaven as we. And our _high priest continueth for ever, and is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him_⁴. He is tender and compassionate; he knoweth our infirmities, and had experience of our temptations. _A bruised reed will he not break, and smoaking flax will he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory⁵._ He hath sent out his Holy Spirit, whose sweet but powerful breathings are still moving up and down in the world, to quicken the souls of men, and awaken them unto the sense and feeling of those divine things for which they were made. He is ready to assist such weak and languishing creatures as we are, in our essays towards holiness. And when once it hath taken hold of a soul, and kindled in it the smallest spark of divine love, will he not preserve and cherish, and bring it forth into a flame, which many waters shall not quench⁶. Whenever this day begins to dawn, and _the day-star to rise in their heart_⁷, it will dispel the powers of darkness, and make ignorance and folly, and all corrupt affections, flee away as fast before it as the shades of night, when the sun cometh out of his chambers. _For the path of the just is as the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day⁸. They shall go on from strength to strength, till every one of them appear before God in Sion⁹._

¹ Psalms lxxxix. 19.

² Isaiah xxvi. 18.

³ Isaiah liii. 11.

⁴ Hebrews vii. 24, 25.

⁵ Matthew xii. 29.

⁶ Canticles viii. 7.

⁷ 2 Peter i. 19.

⁸ Proverbs iv. 18.

⁹ Psalms lxxxiv. 7.

3. Why should we think it impossible that true goodness and universal love should come to sway and prevail in our souls? Is not this their primitive condition, as they came out of the hands of their maker? Sin and corruption are but usurpers; and though they have long kept the possession, yet _from the beginning it was not so_. That inordinate self-love which one would think were interwoven with our nature, is nevertheless of foreign extraction, and had no place at all in the state of integrity. We have still so much reason left as to condemn it. Our understandings are easily convinced that we ought to be wholly devoted to him from whom we have our being, and to love him infinitely more than ourselves, who is infinitely better than we. And our wills would readily comply with this, if they were not disordered and out of tune. And is not he who made our souls able to mend them again? Shall we not be able, by his assistance, to vanquish and expel those violent intruders, _and turn unto flight the armies of the aliens_¹.

¹ Hebrews xi. 34.

4. No sooner shall we take up arms in this holy war, but we shall have all the saints on earth, and all the angels in heaven engaged on our side. The holy church throughout the world is daily interceding with God for the success of all such endeavours. And doubtless those heavenly hosts above, are nearly concerned in the interests of religion, and infinitely desirous to see the divine life prevailing in this inferior world, and that the will of God may be done by us on earth, as it is done by them in heaven. May we not then encourage ourselves, as the prophet did his servant, when he shewed him the horses and chariots of fire, _Fear not, for they that be with us, are more than they that are against us_¹?

¹ 2 Kings vi. 16, 17.

_We must do what we can, and depend on the divine assistance._

5. Away then with all desponding thoughts. To undertake vigorously, and rely confidently on the divine assistance, is more than half the conquest: _Let us arise and be doing, and the Lord will be with us_¹. It is true, religion in the souls of men is the immediate work of God, and all our natural endeavours can neither produce it alone, nor merit those supernatural aids by which it must be wrought. The Holy Ghost must come upon us, and the power of the Highest overshadow us, before that holy thing can be begotten, and Christ formed in us. But yet we must not expect that this work should be done without any endeavours of our own; we must not lie loitering in the ditch, and wait till omnipotence pull us thence; no, no, we must bestir ourselves, and actuate these powers which we have already received. We must put forth ourselves to our utmost capacities, and then _our labour shall not be vain in the Lord_². All the art and industry of man cannot form the smallest herb, or make a stalk of corn to grow in the field. It is the energy of nature, and the influences of heaven, which produce this effect. It is God _who causeth the grass to grow, and herb for the service of man_³; and yet nobody will say that the labours of the husbandman are useless or unnecessary. So likewise the human soul is immediately created by God; it is he who both formeth and enliveneth the child, and yet he hath appointed the marriage-bed as the ordinary means for the propagation of mankind: and so, though there must intervene a stroke of omnipotence to effect this mighty change in our souls; yet ought we to do what we can, that we may be more ready to receive the seeds of grace and the dew of heaven. It is true, God hath been found of some who sought him not; he hath cast himself in their way who were quite out of his; he hath laid hold upon them, and stopt their course on a sudden; for so was St. _Paul_ converted in his journey to _Damascus_. But certainly this is not God’s ordinary method of dealing with men: though he hath not tied himself to means, yet he hath tied us to the use of them; and we have never more reason to expect the divine assistance, than when we are doing our utmost endeavours. It shall therefore be my next work to shew what course we may take for attaining that blessed temper I have described.

¹ 1 Chronicles xxii. 16.

² 1 Corinthians xv. 58.

³ Psalms civ. 14.

_We must shun all manner of sin._

6. Now if we desire to have our souls moulded to this holy frame, and have Christ formed in our hearts, we must carefully avoid all sinful practices. There can be no treaty of peace, till we lay down these weapons of rebellion wherewith we fight against heaven; nor can we expect to have our distempers cured, if we be daily feeding on poison. Every wilful sin gives a mortal wound to the soul, and puts it at a greater distance from God. And we can never hope to have our hearts purified from corrupt affections, till our hands are cleansed from vicious actions.

_We must know what things are sinful._

7. And, first, Let us inform ourselves well what those sins are from which we ought to abstain. And here we must not take our measures from the maxims of the world, or the practices of those whom in charity, we account good men. Most people have very light apprehensions of these things, and are not sensible of any fault, unless it be gross. And those who are more serious, many times allow themselves too great latitude. Alas! how much pride, and vanity, and passion; how much weakness and folly doth every day show itself in their converse and behaviour! It may be they are humbled for it, and striving against it, but the progress is so small, and their failings so many, that we had need to chuse an exacter pattern. Every one of us must answer for himself, and the practice of others will never warrant and secure us. It is the highest folly to regulate our actions by any other standard, than that by which they must be judged. If ever therefore we would _cleanse our way_, it must be _by taking heed thereto according to the word of God_¹. And that _word which is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow_², will certainly discover many things to be sinful, which pass for very innocent in the eyes of the world. Let us therefore imitate the psalmist, who saith, _Concerning the works of men, by the words of thy lips, I have kept myself from the path of the destroyer_³. Let us acquaint ourselves well with the holy laws of our religion: let us consider the discourses of our blessed Saviour, (especially that divine sermon on the mount) and the writings of his holy apostles; where an unbiassed mind may clearly discern those bounds by which our actions ought to be confined: and then let us never look upon any sin as light and inconsiderable, but be fully persuaded, that the smallest is infinitely heinous in the sight of God, and prejudicial to the souls of men: and that if we had the right sense of things, we should be as deeply affected with the least irregularities, as now we are with the greatest crimes.

¹ Psalms cxix. 9.

² Hebrews iv. 12.

³ Psalms xvii. 4.

_We must resist temptations._

8. Among those things which we discover to be sinful, there will be some to which, through our nature, or long custom, we are so wedded, that it will be like cutting of the right-hand, or pulling out the right-eye, to abandon them. But must we therefore sit down and wait till all difficulties be over, and every temptation be gone? This were to imitate the fool in the poet, who stood the whole day at the river-side, till all the water should run by. We must not indulge our inclinations, as we do little children, till they grow weary of the thing they are unwilling to let go. We must not continue our sinful practices, in hopes that the divine grace will one day over-power us.

9. If the heinous nature of sin cannot affect us, at least we may be frighted by its dreadful consequences. That selfish principle which pusheth us forward to sinful pleasures, may make us loath to buy them at the rate of everlasting misery. Let us therefore accustom ourselves to consider seriously what a fearful thing it must be to offend that infinite Being, on whom we depend every moment; who needs but withdraw his mercies to make us miserable, or his assistance to make us nothing. Let us remember the shortness and uncertainty of our lives, and that after we have taken a few turns more in the world, and conversed a little longer amongst men, we must all go down to the dark and silent grave, and carry nothing along with us but anguish and regret for all our sinful enjoyments. What horror must then seize the guilty soul, to find itself naked and all alone before the impartial judge of the world, to render an exact account, not only of its more considerable transactions, but of every word that the tongue hath uttered, and the most secret thought that ever passed through the mind? Let us represent to ourselves the terrors of that dreadful day, when _the foundations of the earth shall be shaken, the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat_¹. The present frame of nature shall be dissolved, and our eyes shall behold the blessed Jesus, (who came once into the world in all humility to visit us, to purchase pardon for us, and beseech us to accept of it) now appearing in the majesty of his glory, and descending from heaven _in flaming fire, to take vengeance on those_ that have despised his mercy. Then all the hidden things of darkness shall be brought to light, and the counsels of the heart made manifest². Then those secret impurities and subtle frauds whereof the world did never suspect us, shall be exposed and laid open to public view; and many thousand actions which we never dreamed to be sinful, shall be charged home upon our consciences, with such evident convictions of guilt, that we shall neither be able to deny, or excuse them. Then shall all the angels in heaven, and all the saints that ever lived on the earth, approve that dreadful sentence which shall be passed on wicked men; and those who loved and esteemed them when in the world, shall look upon them with indignation and abhorrence.

¹ 2 Peter iii. 10.

² 1 Corinthians iv. 5.

10. ’Tis true, this is a melancholy subject; there is horror in the consideration of it: but sure it must be infinitely more dreadful to endure it; and such thoughts as these may be useful to fright us from the courses that would lead us thither. How fond soever we may be of sinful pleasures, we shall startle when pressed with that question, _Who can dwell with everlasting burnings_¹.

¹ Isaiah xxxiii. 14.

_We must keep a constant watch over ourselves._

11. But it will not suffice to consider those things once and again, nor to form some resolutions of abandoning our sins, unless we maintain a constant guard, and be constantly watching against them. Sometimes the mind is awakened, and we resolve to reform: but alas! it presently falleth asleep, and we lose that prospect which we had, and then temptations take the advantage; they solicit us continually, and frequently engage our consent before we are aware. It is the folly and ruin of most people to live at adventure, seldom considering what they are about to say or do. If we would have our resolutions take effect, we must take heed unto our ways, set a watch before the door of our lips, and examine the motions that arise in our heart, whence they come, and whither they go; whether it be pride or passion, or any corrupt humour, that prompteth us to any design, and whether God will be pleased with it? And if we have no time for long reasonings, let us at least turn our eyes towards God, and place ourselves in his presence, to ask his leave and approbation for what we do. Let us consider ourselves under the all-seeing eye of that divine majesty, as in the midst of an infinite globe of light; which compasseth us about both behind and before, and pierceth to the inmost corners of our soul. The sense of the divine presence is a ready means, both to discover what is unlawful, and to restrain us from it. There are some things a person could make a shift to defend, and yet he dares not look God in the face, and adventure upon them. If we look unto him we shall be lightned; if we _set him always before us_, he will _guide us by his eye, and instruct us in the way wherein we ought to walk_.

_We must often examine our actions._

12. This care and watchfulness over our actions, must be seconded by frequent and serious reflections upon them; not only that we may obtain the divine mercy; but that we may strengthen our resolutions, and learn to decline or resist temptations. It is an advice worthy of a Christian, though it first dropped from a Heathen pen, that before we betake ourselves to rest, we renew and examine all the passages of the day, that we may redress what we find to have been amiss, and make the shipwrecks of one day be as marks to direct our course in another. But, withal, we must not forget to implore the divine assistance, especially against those sins that most easily beset us: and though our hearts are not yet moulded into that spiritual frame, yet methinks such considerations as have been proposed may stir us up to some seriousness, and make our prayers against it as earnest, at least, as they are wont to be against other calamities; and I doubt not but God, who heareth the cry of the ravens, will have some regard even to such petitions as proceed from those natural passions which himself hath implanted in us.

_It is fit to restrain ourselves in many lawful things._

13. Thus we are to make the first essay for recovering the divine life, by restraining the natural inclinations, that they break not out into sinful practices. But Christian prudence will teach us to abstain from gratifications that are not simply unlawful; and that not only that we may secure our innocence, which would be in continual hazard, if we should strain our liberty to the utmost point; but also that we may teach our appetites to obey, as prudent parents deal with their children, who cross their wills in many little things, to make them manageable in more considerable instances. He who would mortify the pride and vanity of his spirit, should stop his ears to the most deserved praises, and sometimes forbear his just vindication, from the censures and aspersions of others. He who would check a revengeful humour, would do well to deny himself the satisfaction of representing to others the injuries he hath sustained. And if we would so take heed to our ways, that we sin not with our tongue, we must accustom ourselves to solitude and silence. Thus we may make our appetites more moderate in their cravings, by accustoming them to frequent refusals; but it is not enough to have them under violence and restraint.

_We must strive to put ourselves out of love with the world._

14. Our next essay must be to possess our minds with a deep persuasion of the vanity and emptiness of worldly enjoyments. This is an ordinary theme, but alas! how few understand and believe what they say? These notions float in our brains, and come sliding off our tongues, but we have no deep impression of them on our spirits. We feel not the truth which we pretend to believe. We can tell that all the glory and splendor, all the pleasures of the world, are vanity and nothing; and yet these nothings take up all our thoughts, and engross all our affections. Perhaps sometimes we resolve to be no longer deluded with them; but these thoughts seldom outlive the next temptation. And after we have been frustrated a thousand times, we must continually be repeating the experiment. The least difference of circumstances is enough to make us expect that satisfaction in one thing, which we missed in another. But had we once a real contempt of worldly things, this were a considerable advancement in our way. The soul of man is of a vigorous and active nature, and hath in it an unextinguishable thirst, an immaterial kind of fire, always catching at some object or other, in conjunction wherewith it thinks to be happy: and were it once rent from the world, it would search after some higher object, to satisfy its importunate cravings. The love of the world and the love of God, are like the scales of a balance, as the one falleth the other doth rise. It therefore nearly concerns us to be convinced of the emptiness and vanity of creature enjoyments. Let us seriously consider what our reason and faith, our own experience, and the observation of others suggest. Amidst all our pursuits and designs, let us stop and ask ourselves, for what end is this? At what do I aim? Can the gross pleasures of sense, or a heap of white or yellow earth, or the esteem of silly creatures like myself, satisfy an immortal soul? Have I not tried these things already? Will they have a higher relish, and yield me more contentment to-morrow than yesterday, or the next year than they did the last? There may be some little difference between that which I am now pursuing, and that which I enjoyed before: but sure my former enjoyments did shew as pleasant, and promise as fair before I attained them. Like the rainbow, they ♦looked very glorious at a distance, but when I approached, I found nothing but emptiness and vapour. O what a poor thing would the life of man be, if it were capable of no higher enjoyments!

♦ “look” replaced with “looked” per Errata

_We must do those outward actions that are commanded._

15. When our inclinations towards worldly things are in some measure subdued, we must proceed conscientiously to perform those duties which religion ♦requires. If we cannot get our inward dispositions presently changed, let us study at least to regulate our outward deportment: if our hearts be not yet inflamed with divine love, let us however ♠own our allegiance to that infinite Majesty, by attending his service, and listening to his word; by speaking reverently of his name; and praising his goodness, and exhorting others to serve and obey him. If we want that charity, and those bowels of compassion which we ought to have towards our neighbours, yet must we not omit any occasion of doing them good. If our hearts be haughty and proud, we must nevertheless study a modest and humble deportment. These external performances are of little value in themselves, yet may they help us forward to better things. It is always good to be doing what we can, for then God is wont to assist our feeble endeavours. Nor need we fear the imputation of hypocrisy, though our actions thus somewhat out-run our affections, seeing they still proceed from a sense of our duty, and our design is not to appear better than we are, but that we may really become so.

♦ “require” replaced with “requires” per Errata

♠ “owe” replaced with “own” per Errata

_We must endeavour to form internal acts
of devotion, charity, &c._