Book X
Of the two essential properties of inherent holiness and sanct ification
. That a
regenerate man makes God his chiefest good. That he also sets up God and
his glory as his chiefest end. A trial of difference between a regenerate and un regenerate man herein. That there is also an eminent disposition in the new creature, inclining a regenerate man earnestly to desire, and endeavour
to convert others to God.
CHAPTER I.
That every man hath something which he makes his chiefest good. What men unregenerate place their chief good and happiness in, and in what the re
generate place theirs. That there are two chief treasuries in which the good things of men are laid, viz., heaven and earth.
But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good
things, and likewise Lazarus evil things : but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. LUKE XVI. 25. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth
corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal : but lay up for your selves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal ; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. MAT. VI. 19-21.
ALL creatures are said to have their life, motion, and being in God, Acts xvii. 28. But this is only as he is their efficient cause, and upholder of them by his power. It is in like manner said, that God hath made all
things for himself, even the wicked, Prov. xvi. 4, namely, as thesis cui, or external end. He by his power and wisdom ordered all their beings and motions to his own glory. But it is the privilege, yea, essential constitu tion of the new creature, to hold of God by a more near and intrinsecal tenure or copy, even for its very being, to have its life bound up in God, and that in a double further respect unto him. Namely, 1. To have its life, actuation, and motion, and stirrings of all within itself to lie and consist in God himself, as known and loved by itself as the close
object and matter of its happiness and comfort. And 2. To have God made unto it, from the inward constitution and tendency of itself, its proper, natural, principal end, its own intrinsecal end or finis cujus, and more intrinsecal unto it than itself is to itself He is the load star that guides, and loadstone which quickens all the motions and ten dencies of all within it, and which draws them all into, and carries them along with, itself.
460 THE WORK OF THE HOLY GHOST [BOOK X.
And look, as the understanding and will are two essential faculties in the
soul, so to make a man s chiefest good, and a man s chiefest end, these are the two essential properties of the new nature that do constitute it such, and are proper thereunto. The soul was originally made for God, so as both to glorify him, and also to be made happy in him ; and holiness in the soul, and that principle alone, doth fit it for, and elevate it unto both these. Therefore in some scriptures you find it termed,
< the life of God, as Eph. iv. 18 ; sometimes
* the glory of God, Rom. iii. 23. The first of these is my present subject in design, and to call all yonr souls to an account, what it is you account your chiefest good. All men of knowledge, brought up under the light we enjoy, out of ordinary convic tion of what God is, and out of common experience of the vanity of the
creature, do acknowledge and profess this God to be the chiefest good as to the speculative part ; but that which we seek after is a discovery of what men do herein practically and really in the daily actings and motions of their souls towards God, and into God, and not what men profess him to be in reason. All will say, We hope for happiness from God in the other world, when they can live no longer, though all their lives here they live in the creatures. But the inquisition is, what men do make here in this life their chiefest good, and do live upon it, and are taken up therewith, either in the pursuance or enjoyment of it, and this with difference from all carnal men in the world.
It is uttered as the common cry and voice of the many or multitude : Ps. iv. 6, The many will say, Who will shew us any good ? That is the common voice and cry of nature, common to good and bad ; but how then are wicked and godly men differenced and distinguished ? Even by this, what good things their souls make their good things. There are multi tudes of scriptures to evidence this ; Luke xvi., Christ s chief scope indeed was to shew the vastly differing conditions of a rich wicked man, and of a poor saint in this world, and in that to come. How plentifully the rich man lived, and what he enjoyed according to the opinion and desire of his own heart, the 19th verse relates : There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day. And how miserable the poor man was : ver. 20, 21, And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and
desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man s table : moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores. He was in his body full of sores, and so in continual tortures, unable to stir, for he was laid at the rich man s outward gate, not having to sustain nature, for he desired crumbs, which are the allowance of dogs, and these were denied him ; and on the contrary, the rich man s dogs licked and sucked his blood, refreshing them selves therewith, a dead carcass, he unable so much as to drive them away. This difference is in their lives.
^ The other is in their death. Poor Lazarus dies, and the angels carry his soul to feast in heaven, which Christ elsewhere expresseth by
<
sitting down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as at a feast ; and here, by his being placed in Abraham s bosom, as next guests to him, it being the manner at feasts to lean on the bosom of him that was next him, as John did in Christ s, John xiii. 23. The rich man dies, and hath a stately funeral; he was buried, that is added, which you may observe is not spoken of the other ; but withal, the next news you hear of him is his being in hell, where, in the words of my text, he is upbraided with and reminded of this, Remember thou receivedst thy good things in thy lifetime, but
CHAP. I.] IN OUR SALVATION. 461
Lazarus evil tilings. Souls in hell meditate and perfectly remember what in this world they had been and what sins they committed, what pleasures they enjoyed, and in the conscience and remembrance of such things does lie
that worm that never dieth ; and the 21st verse of the 50th Psalm tells us
* afore them. Nor is it simply said,
that their sins are set in order, or martial array,
* Thou receivedst good things, as of Lazarus, it is
said he received evil, as if that were the rule God went by. No ; for even
this very Abraham, who is here brought in speaking this to him, is an unde
niable instance to the contrary. And the rich man had had from thence wherewith to have retorted to him. Gen. xiii. 2, Abraham was very rich
in cattle, in silver, and in gold. And this was spoken of him many years afore he died, and it is to be supposed he increased therein. The sting therefore which he sets and leaves in this rich man s heart lies in this word,
thy good things ; that is, which thy soul pitched upon as such, as the
chief object of its desires, the darling of thy delights, or (as it is uttered by God to the inhabitants of that great city, when in like manner destroyed and
cast to hell, Rev. xviii. 14), The fruits which thy soul lusted after, and all
things that were dainty and goodly (namely, in thine own eyes), are
departed from thee. And this the very text, with difference, puts the em
phasis upon. For of Lazarus he says that he received evil things ; but
thou, thy good things.
So then carnal men make the good things that are in this life their chief and only good things which their souls lust after, and live upon. And the reason is in Eph. vi. 18,
* They being estranged from God, and the life of God, through ignorance and unbelief, they know no better. And all men s
* Who will shew us any good ? And therefore they, as the
souls cry out,
prodigal (whose story is the living type of this), being ready to starve, and no saving intercourse being betwixt God and them, they content themselves with what is afore them, though but husks. Nor can they relish, or take in, or delight in any other, and so are confined and shut up to these.
And 2. In that other Scripture, Mat. xvi. 19-21, Christ holds forth as to
: 1. That every man hath something or other he accounts his treasure, which in like manner, speaking to every man, he calls their treasure : Where your treasure is, there will your hearts be. Every man that hath a heart hath also some treasure. For it
this point in hand these two things
will be taken up with something or other ; and the reason is, because every man hath self to provide for and lay up for. Christ hath expressed it in
* A man laying up treasure, says he, for
these very words : Luke xii. 21,
himself; and of what his heart judgeth best, and finds naturally most content in, it lays out for such things. It is not riches only that are the
treasures of the sons of men (though some men s), but whatever thing the heart fancies and is set upon as its chiefest good. The poorest have their treasure in this respect, of what is in their sphere and compass ; it is that on which their hearts are, as the phrase is, ver. 21 ; that is, which he values and esteems as his chiefest good. So then,
f thy good things in Luke, is
* thy treasure in Matthew ; only the one is a real expression, the other only a metaphorical. A treasure hath this addition, that it is some eminent good thing, which he accounts such, and so his chiefest good. Treasure, you know, is of what a man counts most precious. Rich and covetous men (from whom the metaphor is taken) heap not up for treasures
all one with
iron, lead, or pebbles, but gold, precious stones, the world, which in com mon estimation hath turned up trump. We may approve of many things in their kind which we make not our treasure, but treasure is still the
462 THE WORK OF THE HOLY GHOST [BOOK X.
choicest and the chiefest, and so here is put to express what a man hath
pitched on as his chiefest good. A godly man accounts the things of
this life good, for he useth them ; yet he reckons them not as his treasure. And a wicked man may acknowledge, and cannot but say of the things of the other world, God, and Christ, and grace, that they are things that are
good ; yet he makes them not his treasure. The second thing that Christ holds out is, that there are two differing treasuries or storehouses, repositories or places, in which the chief good things of the sons of men are found, and but two ; and they are earth and heaven. These are the two great staples of differing commodities. Look, as heaven and hell will one day make a perfect dichotomy, disjunction, or a single division of men s persons hereafter ; so here, on earth, and on
heaven, do men s hearts and affections divide.
Now, as the general reason afore given was, that every man hath a self
to provide for ; so the reason of this different treasure and provision is the difference of that self that is in men. Some have nothing but an earthly self. All their affections, and inclinations of their souls, are through sin become members upon earth, Col. iii. 5, and earth will to earth. But a man born again hath another self begun in him. For what is it else that
is born again but another self, by this second birth (as the product thereof), as that former self was by the other birth ? and is therefore called the new
creature, as that which is made for and fitted to the things of another world. And these things on earth will no more make that self happy, than meat and drink, and clothes or beauty, would conduce to make an angel or a separated spirit happy, or contribute to their well-being.
I need not open to you these two vast treasuries ; they are known to you all. The world is a large shop of vanity, and one heart hath a mind to this thing, another to that, viz., beauty, credit, learning, wit, conversation, riches, honour, power ; Soul, thou hast goods for many years, Luke
xii. 19 ; eat, drink, and be merry ; which, because the world generally knows no better, and uttering their very hearts, they use to give the name of goods unto ; yea, and of substance forsooth, it being so to them ; and therefore John is fain to distinguish them, upon the mention of them, from the true good, terming them the world s good, 1 John iii. 17 ; that is, which they count such. It is the name the world gave ; and in the other
part of the distinction, or rather in opposition thereto, Luke xvi. 11, the other are termed the true riches by Christ, and, chap. xii. 21,
* riches to God ; that is, in God s account and valuation such, whereas the others are such in the world s.
But not riches only, but anything else more mental and aerial, as honours,
learning, yea, legal righteousness itself, outward privileges and duties of Christians (when God is not made a man s chief end in the performance or enjoyment of them), come under this inventory of men s treasuries, Philip,
iii. 5, 6, Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews ; touching the law, a Pharisee ; con
cerning zeal, persecuting the church ; touching the righteousness that is in the law, blameless. Now he counted these his excellency and his gain
: he useth both expressions in what follows, ver. 7, 8, What things were
gain to me, I accounted loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ.
Yea, put in all things, for so Paul doth : I account all things now but
loss. Or, Heaven s treasury you have set out under that notion (for I shall quote no other than such as speak in the language of this metaphor) ; I am thy
CHAP. L] IN OUR SALVATION. 463
exceeding great reward, says God to Abraham, Gen. xv. 1, after he had refused the spoil of five kings. By this metaphor are set forth
1. God, who in Job xxii. 25 is termed a righteous man s best gold. See the margin.
* unsearchable riches, Eph. iii. 8.
2. Christ, in whom are
3. The promises, which are the veins, the mines, those treasures are laid
up in. They are great and precious, 2 Pet. i. 4.
4. The graces that do interest us in these riches, as faith, it is called
precious faith, 2 Pet. i. 1 ; yea, much more precious than gold, 1 Pet.
i. 7. So wisdom also is styled, whether you understand it of Christ, or the wisdom to salvation, through faith in him : Prov. viii. 19, 20, 21, My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold ; and my revenue than choice
silver. I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of
: that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance ; and I will fill their treasure. And 2. That the soul of a man born again is thus framed as to place in God, and these things of God, his chiefest and sole supreme comfort, and
judgment
this by way of difference from wicked men, the Scripture throughout sheweth. David is a sufficient instance, who utters this disposition of his both absolutely, or singly, as also comparatively, or with difference to what wicked men account their chiefest good.
* Whom have I in heaven but thee ? Or in earth in comparison of thee ?
: Ps. Ixxiii. 25,
(1.) Absolutely or singly
(2.) Comparatively, with wicked men, as a difference from them : Ps.
iv. 6, There be many that will say, Who will shew us any good ? Lord,
lift up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than when their corn and their wine increased : where, 1, He brings in the common cry of all mankind, as hungerstarved creatures,
Who will shew us any good ? Then, 2, shews what chief good the
option of himself and of all the saints is, in whose name he uttereth it, as
Paul, in the like case, instancing in his own persuasion, but speaking in
* Nay, in all these
this name of the whole us of believers : Kom. viii. 37-39,
things we are more than conquerors through him thatjoved us : ver. 38, For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor princi
palities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
* Lord, lift upon us the
light of thy countenance ; this we have pitched on as that in which our
joy and happiness lies ; and the light or communication thereof unto us is the pursuit of us all which are the chosen of God : ver. 3, Know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself, to enjoy himself, to be made happy in himself, ordained him and singled him out to communicate himself unto ; and accordingly hath given him a principle of godliness suited to himself. He hath set out him that is godly for himself, making him capable of himself, as the faculty is of its natural object, and the eye of colours, &c. Whereas wicked men (says he) have their corn and wine. Observe how he calls it their corn, &c. Had not David corn and wine too ? Oh but these were these men s chief good things, which their souls had seized upon, as the bee doth on the flowers, to suck honey out of.
Again; You find the same request with this very difference, Ps. xvii. 14, The men of the world (says he) which have their portion in this life. There is the one sort, who have their name from the things they affect : The men of this world ; that look, as things of this world, in relation to
464 THE WORK OF THE HOLY GHOST [BOOK X.
their adherence to them, are called the goods of this world, 1 John iii. 17, so David calls carnal men
* the men of this world. They have their deno mination and distinction from what their hearts are set on and addicted unto ; even as Esau is called a man of the field, like as the birds are
called the birds of the air, because that is the element they live in.
* And their portion is in this life : their portion, that is, that which them
selves seek and choose. Eemember thou hadst thy good things in thy lifetime. The prodigal s portion was that which himself desired, Luke
xvi. 12, of which, Mat. vi. 2, Christ speaks ; that as they seek glory from
men, so they have their reward ; still it is called theirs ; that is, what they
pitched on, expected, desired, covenanted for.
Now, how doth David ? As a godly man he distinguished himself from
these, it follows, ver. 15, As for me, I will behold thy face in righteous ness. He severs himself from them, as a man of another genius. It is as when we say, For my part ; so he speaks to God, The happiness I look for
lies in thy face, in thyself ; that is, in thy person and favour (as face is
taken) ; this I pursue after in this life, upon the glimpse I have of it. And
in expectation of that, my desires grow dead and flat to all other things here. So as though the chief of my affections towards it here are but
desires, yet when I awake from the dust, Isa. xxiv. 19, I shall be satisfied with thy image, the light, sight, and knowledge of thee, and of him whom thou hast sent, Christ, the express image of thy person. That desire or aim of Paul s, Phil. iii. 11, did fully interpret this. He looked not to
things that are seen, which are temporal, but his eyes were upon things that are not seen, but are eternal, as himself speaks, 2 Cor. iv. 18. So that in philsophy we say, Potentice distingwmtur per actus et objecta, as
sight from hearing, as having colours for its object, whereas hearing hath sounds ; so shall the distinction of persons and their fatal conditions at the
latter day be fetched from the objects their souls pursued after, as their
chiefest good, as that which they enjoy or hope to arrive at, Ps. xxiv. 6.
They are a generation ; that is, a sort or kind of men whose differencing property is this, that they seek thy face. This is the generation of them
that seek him, that seek thy face, in opposition to which, Christ using the same denomination David had done, termeth the other sort the children
of this world ; and then adds, who are wiser in their generation, Luke
xvi. 8 ; thus terming them in that very respect, a generation distinct from the children of light, insomuch as this distinction riseth up to be an
essential difference, and to rnakr a several kind and generation of men, Ps. xxiv. 6.