A Christian Directory Volume I Part 41

59. Yet the same man who is prevalently sensual, may know that he hath a rational, immortal soul, and that knowledge and rect.i.tude are the felicity of his soul; and that it is the knowledge and love of and delight in G.o.d, the highest good, that can make him perpetually happy: and therefore as these are apprehended as a means of his own felicity, he may have some kind of love or will unto them all.

60. The thing therefore that every carnal man would have, is an everlasting, perfect, sensual pleasure; and he apprehendeth the state of his soul's perfection mostly as consisting in this kind of felicity: and even the knowledge and love of G.o.d, which he taketh for part of his felicity, is princ.i.p.ally apprehended but as a speculative gratifying of the imagination, as carnal men now desire knowledge. Or if there be a righter notion of G.o.d and holiness to be loved for themselves, even ultimately above our sensual pleasure and ourselves; yet this is but an uneffectual, dreaming knowledge, producing but an answerable lazy wish: and it will not here prevail against the stronger love of sensuality and fantastical pleasure, nor against inordinate self-love. And it is a sensual heaven, under a spiritual name, which the carnal hope for.

61. This carnal man may love G.o.d as a means to this felicity so dreamed of; as knowing that without him it cannot be had, and tasting corporal comforts from him here: and he may love holiness as it removeth his contrary calamities, and as he thinks it is crowned with such a reward.

But he had rather have that reward of itself without holiness.

62. He may also love and desire Christ, as a means (conceived) to such an end; and he may use much religious duty to that end; and he may forbear such sins as that end can spare, lest they deprive him of his hoped-for felicity. Yea, he may suffer much to prevent an endless suffering.

63. As nature necessarily loveth self and self-felicity, G.o.d and the devil do both make great use of this natural _pondus_, or necessitating principle, for their several ends. The devil saith, thou lovest pleasure, therefore take it and make provision for it. G.o.d saith, thou lovest felicity, and fearest misery: I and my love are the true felicity; and adhering to sensual pleasure depriveth thee of better, and is the beginning of thy misery, and will bring thee unto worse.

64. G.o.d commandeth man nothing that is not for his own good, and forbiddeth him nothing which is not (directly or indirectly) to his hurt: and therefore engageth self-love on his side for every act of our obedience.

65. Yet this good of our own is not the highest, nor all the good which G.o.d intendeth, and we must intend; but it is subordinate unto the greater good aforementioned.

66. As a carnal man may have opinionative, uneffectual convictions, that G.o.d and his love are his spiritual felicity (better than sensual); yea, and that G.o.d is his estimate end above his own felicity itself; so the sanctifying of man consisteth in bringing up these convictions to be truly effectual and practical, to renew and rule the mind, and will, and life.

67. Whether this be done by first knowing G.o.d as the beginning and end, above ourselves, and then knowing (effectually) that he is man's felicity; or whether self-love be first excited to love him as our own felicity, and next we be carried up to love him for himself, as our highest end, it cometh all to one when the work is done; and we cannot prove that G.o.d tieth himself constantly to either of these methods alone. But experience telleth us, that the latter is the usual way; and that as nature, so grace beginneth with the smallest seed, and groweth upward towards perfection; and that self-love, and desire of endless felicity, and fear of endless misery, are the first notable effects or changes on a repenting soul.

68. And indeed the state of sin lieth both in man's fall from G.o.d to self, and in the mistake of his own felicity, preferring even for himself a sensible good before a spiritual, and the creature before the Creator: and therefore he must be rectified in both.

69. And the hypocrite's uneffectual love to G.o.d and holiness is much discovered in this, that, as he loveth dead saints, and their images and holidays, because they trouble him not, so he best loveth (opinionatively) and least hateth (practically) the saints in heaven, and the holiness that is far from him, and G.o.d as he conceiveth of him as one that is in heaven to glorify men; but he hateth (practically, though not professedly) the G.o.d that would make him holy, and deprive him of all his sinful pleasures, or condemn him for them: and he can better like holiness in his pastor, neighbour, or child, than in himself.

70. Therefore sincerity much consisteth in the love of self-holiness; but not as for self alone, but as carrying self and all to G.o.d.

71. As the sun-beams do without any interception reach the eye, and by them without interception our sight ascendeth and extendeth to the sun; so G.o.d's communicated goodness and glorious revelation extend through and by all inferior mediums, to our understandings, and our wills, and our knowledge and love ascend and extend through all and by all again to G.o.d. And as it were unnatural for the eye illuminated by the sun, to see itself only, or to see the mediate creatures, and not to see the light and sun by which it seeth (nay, it doth least see itself); so it is unnatural for the soul to understand and love itself alone, (which it little understandeth and should love with self-denial,) and the creatures only, and not to love G.o.d, by whom we know and love the creature.

72. It is possible to love G.o.d, and holiness, and heaven, as a conceited state and means of our sensual felicity, and escape of pain and misery; but to love G.o.d as the true felicity of the intellectual nature, and as our spiritual rest, and yet to love him only or chiefly for ourselves, and not rather for himself as our highest end, implieth a contradiction.

The same I say of holiness, as loved only for ourselves. The evidence whereof is plain, in that it is essential to G.o.d to be not only better than ourselves and every creature, but also to be the ultimate end of all things, to which they should tend in all their perfections. And it is essential to holiness to be the soul's devotion of itself to G.o.d as G.o.d, and not only to G.o.d as our felicity: therefore to love G.o.d only or chiefly for ourselves, is to make him only a means to our felicity, and not our chief end; and it is to make ourselves better, and so more amiable than G.o.d, that is, to be G.o.ds ourselves.

73. This is much of the sense of the controversy between the Epicureans and the sober philosophers, as is to be seen in Cicero, &c. The sober philosophers said, that virtue was to be loved for itself more than for pleasure; because if pleasure as such be better than virtue as such, then all sensual pleasure would be better than virtue as such. The Epicureans said, that not all pleasure, but the pleasure of virtue was the chief good, as Torquatus's words in Cicero show. And if it had been first proved, that a man's self is his just, ultimate end, as the _finis cui_ or the personal end, then it would be a hard question, whether the Epicureans were not in the right as to the _finis cujus_ or the real end (which indeed is but a medium to the personal, _cui_). But when it is most certain, that no man's person is to be his own ultimate end, as _cui_, but G.o.d, and then the universe, and societies of the world as before said, it is then easy to prove that the sober philosophers were in the right, and that no man's pleasure is his ultimate end, _finis cujus_; because no man's pleasure is either such a demonstration of the divine perfection as virtue is, as such; nor yet doth it so much conduce to the common good of societies or mankind, and so to the pleasing and glorifying of G.o.d. And this way Cicero might easily have made good his cause against the Epicureans.

74. Though no man indeed love G.o.d as G.o.d, who loveth him not as better than himself, and therefore loveth him not better, and as his absolutely ultimate end; and though no man desire holiness indeed, who desireth not to be devoted absolutely to G.o.d before and above himself: yet is it very common to have a false, imperfect notion of G.o.d and holiness, as being the felicity of man, and though not to deny, yet to leave out the essential superlative notion of the Deity; and it is more common to confess all this of G.o.d and holiness notionally, as was aforesaid, and practically to take in no more of G.o.d and holiness, but that they are better for us than temporary pleasures. And some go further, and take them as better for them, than any (though perpetual) mere sensual delights; and so make the perfection of man's highest faculties (practically) to be their ultimate end; and desire or love G.o.d and holiness (defectively and falsely apprehended) for themselves, or their own felicity, and not themselves, and their felicity and holiness, ultimately for G.o.d. Which showeth, that though these men have somewhat overcome the sensual concupiscence or flesh, yet have they not sufficiently overcome the selfish disposition, nor yet known and loved G.o.d as G.o.d, nor good as good.

75. Yet is it not a sin to love G.o.d for ourselves, and our own felicity, so be it we make him not a mere means to that felicity, as our absolutely ultimate end. For as G.o.d indeed is, 1. The efficient of all our good; 2. The dirigent cause, that leadeth us to it; 3. The end in which our felicity truly consisteth; so is he to be loved on all these accounts.

76. If G.o.d were not thus to be loved for ourselves, (subordinated to him,) thankfulness would not be a christian duty.

77. Our love to G.o.d is a love of friends.h.i.+p, and a desire of a kind of union, communion, or adherence. But not such as is between creatures where there is some sort of equality: but as between them that are totally unequal; the one infinitely below the other, and absolutely subject and subordinate to him.

78. Therefore, though in love of friends.h.i.+p, a union of both parties, and consequently a conjunct interest of both, and not one alone, do make up the ultimate end of love; yet here it should be with an utter disproportion, we being obliged to know G.o.d as infinitely better than ourselves, and therefore to love him incomparably more, though yet it will be but according to the proportion of the faculties of the lover.

79. The purest process of love, therefore, is, first thankfully to perceive the divine efficiencies, and to love G.o.d as communicative of what we and all things are, and have, and shall receive, and therein to see his perfect goodness in himself, and to love him as G.o.d for that goodness; wherein is nothing but the final act, which is our love, and the final object, which is the infinite good. So that the act is man's, (from G.o.d,) but nothing is to be joined with G.o.d as the absolutely final object; for that were to join somewhat with G.o.d as G.o.d.

80. And though it be most true, that this act may be made the object of another act, and (as Amesius saith, _Omnium gentium consensu dicimus Volo velle_, so) we may and must say, _Amo amare_, I love to love G.o.d, and the very exercise of my own love is my delight, and so is my felicity in the very essential nature of it, being a complacency, and being on the highest objective good: and also this same love is my holiness, and so it and I are pleasing unto G.o.d; yet these are all consequential to the true notion of the final act, and circularly lead to the same again. We must love our felicity and holiness, which consisteth in our love to G.o.d, but as that which subordinately relateth to G.o.d, in which he is first glorified, and then finally pleased; and so from his will which we delight to please, we ascend to his total perfect being, to which we adhere by perfect love. In a word, our ultimate end of acquisition (and G.o.d's own, so far as he may be said to have an end) is the pleasing of the divine will, in his glorification; and our ultimate end of complacency, objectively, is the infinite goodness of the divine will and nature.

81. There is, therefore, place for the question whether I must love G.o.d, or myself, more or better? as it is resolved. But there is no place for the question, whether I must love G.o.d or myself? Because G.o.d alloweth me not ever to separate them; though there is a degree of just self-loathing or self-hatred, in deep repentance. Nor yet for the question, whether I must seek G.o.d's glory and pleasure, or my own felicity? for I must ever seek them both, though not with the same esteem. Yea, I may be said to seek them both with the same diligence; because by the same endeavour and act that I seek one, I seek the other; and I cannot possibly do any thing for one, that doth not equally promote the other, if I do them rightly, preferring G.o.d before myself, in my inward estimation, love, and intention.

82. Though it be essential to divine love, and consequently to true holiness, to love G.o.d for himself, and as better than ourselves, (or else we love him not as G.o.d, as is before said,) yet this is hardly and seldom perceived in the beginning in him that hath it; because the love of ourself is more pa.s.sionate, and raiseth in us more subordinate pa.s.sions, of fear of punishment, and desires of felicity, and sorrow for hurt and misery, &c. Whereas, G.o.d being immaterial, and invisible, is not at all an object of our sense, but only of our reason and our wills, and therefore not directly of sensitive, pa.s.sionate love: though consequently while the soul is united to the body, its acting even on immaterial objects, moveth the lower sensitive faculties, and the corporeal spirits. Also G.o.d needeth nothing for us to desire for him, nor suffereth nothing for us to grieve for, though we must grieve for injuring him, and being displeasing to his will.

83. I cannot say nor believe (though, till it be searched, the opinion hath an enticing aspect) that the gospel faith which hath the promise of justification, and of the Spirit, is only a believing in Christ as the means of our felicity, by redemption and salvation, out of the principle of self-love alone, and for no higher end than our said felicity; because he is not believed in as Christ, if he be not taken as a reconciler to bring us home to G.o.d. And we take him not to bring us to G.o.d as G.o.d, if it be not to bring us to G.o.d as the beginning and end of all things, and as infinitely more lovely than ourselves. And our repentance for not loving G.o.d accordingly above ourselves, must go along with our first justifying faith. Therefore, though we are learners before we are lovers, and our a.s.sent goeth before the will's consent, yet our a.s.sent that G.o.d is G.o.d, and better than ourselves, must go together with our a.s.sent that Christ is the Mediator to save us, by bringing us to him; and so must our a.s.sent that this is salvation, even to love G.o.d above ourselves, and as better than ourselves; and accordingly our consent to these particulars must concur in saving faith.

84. He, therefore, that out of self-love accepteth Christ as the means of his own felicity, doth (if he know practically what felicity is) accept him as a means to bring him to love G.o.d perfectly, as G.o.d above himself, and to be perfectly pleasing to his will.

85. Yet it is apparent that almost all G.o.d's preparing grace consisteth in exciting and improving the natural principle of self-love in man; and manifesting to him, that if he will do as one that loveth himself, he must be a christian, and must forsake sin, and the inordinate love of his sensuality, and must be holy, and love G.o.d for his own essential as well as communicated goodness. And if he do otherwise, he will do as one that hateth himself, and seeketh in the event his own d.a.m.nation. And could we but get men rationally to improve true self-love, they would be christians, and so be holy.

86. But because this is a great, though tender point, and it that I have more generally touched in the case, Whether faith in Christ, or love to G.o.d as our end, go first? and because, indeed, it is it for which I princ.i.p.ally premise the rest of these propositions; I shall presume to venture a little further, and more distinctly to tell you, how much of love to G.o.d is in our first justifying faith, and how much not; and how far the state of such a believer is a middle state between mere preparation, or common grace, and proper sanctification or possession of the Holy Ghost. And so, how far vocation giving us the first faith, and repentance, differeth from sanctification. And the rather because my unriper thoughts and writings defended Mr.

Pemble, who made them one, in opposition to the stream of our divines. And I conceive that all these following acts about the point in question, are found in every true believer, at his first faith, though not distinctly noted by himself.

(1.) The sinner hath an intellectual notice, that there is a G.o.d, (for an atheist is not a believer,) and so that this G.o.d is the first and last, the best of beings, the Maker, Owner, Ruler, and Benefactor of the world, the just end of all created beings and actions, and to be loved and pleased above ourselves: for all this is but to believe there is a G.o.d.

(2.) He is convinced that his own chief felicity lieth, not in temporary or carnal pleasure, but in the perfect knowing, loving, and pleasing this G.o.d above himself: for if he know not what true salvation and felicity is, he cannot desire or accept it.

(3.) He knoweth that hitherto he hath been without this love, and this felicity.

(4.) He desireth to be happy, and to escape everlasting misery.

(5.) He repenteth, that is, is sorry, that he hath not all this while loved G.o.d as G.o.d, and sought felicity therein.

(6.) He is willing and desirous for the time to come, to love G.o.d as G.o.d above himself, and to please him before himself; that is, to have a heart disposed to do it.

(7.) He findeth that he cannot do it of himself, nor with his old carnal, indisposed heart.

(8.) He believeth that Christ, by his doctrine and Spirit, is the appointed Saviour to bring him to it.

(9.) He gladly consenteth that Christ shall be such a Saviour to him, and shall not only justify him from guilt, and save him from sensible punishment, but also thus bring him to the perfect love of G.o.d.

(10.) He had rather Christ would bring him to this by sanctification, than to enjoy all the pleasures of sin for a season, yea, or to have a perpetual sensitive felicity, without this perfect love to G.o.d, and pleasing of him.

(11.) G.o.d being declared to him in Jesus Christ, a G.o.d of love, forgiving sin, and conditionally giving pardon and life to his very enemies, as he is hence the easilier loved with thankfulness for ourselves, so the goodness of his nature in himself is hereby insinuated and notified with some secret complacency to the soul. He is, sure, good, that is so merciful and ready to do good, and that so wonderfully as in Christ is manifested.

(12.) So that as baptism (which is but explicit, justifying faith, or the expression of it, in covenanting with G.o.d) is our dedication by vow to all the Three Persons; to G.o.d the Father, as well as to the Son and Holy Ghost; so faith itself is such a heart-dedication.

(13.) Herein I dedicate myself to G.o.d as G.o.d, to be glorified and pleased in my justification, sanctification, and glorification, that is, in my reception of the fruits of his love, and in my loving him above all, as G.o.d: or to be pleased in me, and I in him, for ever.

(14.) In all this the understanding acknowledgeth G.o.d to be G.o.d, (by a.s.sent,) and to be loved above myself, and the will desireth so to love him: but the object of the will here directly, is its own future disposition and act. It doth not say, I do already love G.o.d, as G.o.d, above myself; but only I would so love him, and I would be so changed as may dispose me so to love him; I acknowledge that I should so love him, and that I do love him for his mercies to myself and others. Nor can it be said, that _Volo velle_, or _Volo amare_, a desire to love G.o.d as such, is direct love to G.o.d. Because it is not all one to have G.o.d to be the object of my will, and to have my own act of willing or loving to be the object of it. And because that a man may for other ends (as for mere fear of h.e.l.l) will to will or love that, which yet he doth not will or love, at least for itself.

(15.) In this case, above all others, it is manifest, that every conviction of the understanding doth not accordingly determine the will.

For in this new convert, the understanding saith plainly, G.o.d is to be loved as G.o.d, above myself: but the will saith, I cannot do it though I would: I am so captivated by self-love, and so void of the true love of G.o.d, that I can say no more, but that _Propter me vellem amare Deum propter se_; I love my own felicity so well, that I love G.o.d as my felicity; and love him under the notion of G.o.d the perfect good, who is infinitely better than myself; and desire a heart to love him more than myself; but I cannot say, that I yet do it, or that I love him best or most, whom I acknowledge to be best, and as such to be loved.

(16.) Yet in all this, there is not only _s.e.m.e.n amoris_, a seed of divine love to G.o.d as G.o.d, but the foundation of it laid, and some obscure, secret conception of it beginning, or _in fieri_, in the soul. For while the understanding confesseth G.o.d to be most amiable, and the will desireth that felicity which doth consist in loving him above myself, and experience telleth me, that he is good to me, and therefore good in himself, it can hardly be conceived, but that in all this there is some kind of secret love to G.o.d, as better than myself.

87. In all this, note, that it is one thing to love G.o.d, under the notion of the infinite good, better than myself and all things, and another thing for the will to love him more, as that notion obligeth.

88. And the reason why these are often separated, is, because besides a slight intellectual apprehension, there is necessary to the will's just determination, a clear and deep apprehension, with a right disposition of the will, and a suscitation of the active power.

89. Yea, and every slight volition or velleity will not conquer opposing concupiscence and volitions: nor is every will effectual to command the life, and prevail against its contrary.

90. Therefore, I conceive, that in our first believing in Christ, even to justification, though our reason tell us that he is more amiable than ourselves, and we are desirous so to love him for the future, and have an obscure, weak beginning of love to G.o.d as G.o.d, or as so conceived: yet, 1. The strength of sensitive self-love maketh our love to ourselves more pa.s.sionately strong. 2. And that reason, at least in its degree of apprehension, is too intense in apprehending our self-interest, and too remiss in apprehending the amiableness of G.o.d as G.o.d: and so far, even our rational love is yet greater to ourselves, though, as to the notion, G.o.d hath the pre-eminence. 3. And that in this whole affair of our baptismal covenanting, consent, or christianity, our love to our own felicity, as such, is more powerful and effectual, in moving the soul, and prevailing for our resolution for a new life, than is our love to G.o.d, as for himself, and as G.o.d.