Imatges de pàgina
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of God, and in the arms of Omnipotence. But when it begins to confider where it is, how far it is from its God, its life, and the happy ftate that God hath prepared it for, then it cannot but groan within itself, and be ready with Peter, to caft itfelf out of the fhip; to get to its God, to land itfelf in eternity. Neither indeed (to speak truly) is it only the fense of fin against God, which fets the godly foul a going; for though it must be confeft, that this is a heavy burden upon the foul, yet the apostle makes no complaint of this here, but only of his distance from God, that neceffary distance from God that the body kept him at.

2. See here the excellent spirit of true religion. Godly fouls do groan after an unbodied ftate, not only because of their fins in the body, but even because of the neceffary distance at which the body keeps them from God. We may suppose a godly foul, at fome time, to have no manner of affliction in the world to grieve him; no fin unpardoned, unrepented of to trouble him; yet for all this he is not at perfect rest: he is burdened, and groans within himself, because he is at fuch a distance from that abfolute good, whom he longs to know more familiarly, and enjoy more fully than he doth yet, or than is allowed to mortal men. And though nothing else ail him, yet the confideration of this diftance makes him cry out, Oh when fhall I come and appear before God! be wholly fwallowed up in him, fee him as he is, and converfe with him face to face. Bare innocency, or freedom from fin, cannot fatisfy that noble and large fpirit that is in a truly and God-like foul; but that spirit of true goodness (being nothing else

but

but an efflux from God himfelf) carries the foul out after a more intimate union with that being from whence it came. God, dwelling in the foul, doth, by a fecret, mighty power, draw the foul more and more to himself. In a word, a godly foul, that is really touched with the fenfe of divine sweetness and fullness, and impreffed with divine goodness and holiness, as the wax is with the ftamp of the feal, could not be content to dwell for ever in this kind of animal body, nor take up an eternal reft in this imperfect mixed ftate, though it could converfe with the world without a finful fullying of itself, but muft needs endeavour ftill a clofer conjunction with God; and, leaving the chace of all other objects, pant and breathe, not only after God alone, but after more and more of him; and not only when it is under the fenfe of fin, but most of all when it is under the most powerful influences of divine grace and love, cry out with Paul, Oh, who will deliver me out of this body!

3. Suffer me, from hence, to expoftulate a little; to expoftulate with Chriftian fouls about their unfeemly temper. Doth this animal life, and mortal body, keep us at fuch a distance from our God, our happinefs? Why are we then fo fond of this life and mixed ftate? Why do we so pamper this body? Why fo anxiously ftudious to keep it up, fo dreadfully afraid of the ruins of it? If we take the apoftle's words in the first sense that I named, then I may afk with him in the first verfe, Know we not, that if our earthly houfe of this tabernacle were diffolved, we have a building of God, a boufe not made with hands, eternal in the heavens ? or ver. 8. Why are we not willing rather to be

abfent

abfent from the body, and to be prefent with the Lord? If we take them in the latter fenfe, as this animal body is an hindrance to the foul's knowledge of, and communion with God; then I ask concerning this, as the apoftle doth concerning rich men, James ii. 6. Why do ye pamper, prize, honour, dote upon this body? Doth not this body opprefs you, diftract you, burden you, clog you, hinder you? Doth not this body interpofe between the Sun of Righteoufnefs, between the Father of Lights, and your fouls that fhould fhine with a light and glory borrowed from him; even as the dark body of the earth interpofes between the fun and moon, to eclipfe its light? Why are we not rather weary that we are in the body? Surely there are fome objections, fome impediments to the foul's longing after its happy ftate, which I fhall come to anon; but I doubt also that there is fomething that chains the foul to this animal life; fome cords to this earthly tabernacle that tie up the foul in it: but I cannot well imagine what they should be. Say not, There is fomething of God to be enjoyed in this life, which makes it pleasant; for, although this be true, yet I am fure God gives nothing of himself to a foul, thereby to clog it or cloy it. Did Mofes fend for fome clufters of the land of Canaan into the wildernenefs, think ye, that the people might fee and tafte the fruits, and fit ftill, and be fatisfied, and fay, Oh it is enough; we fee that there are pleasant things in that land, we will never come at it? Or, did he not do it rather that they might make the more hafte to poffefs themselves of it? Will any man say, Away, I will have no more land, no more

money,

money, I have fome already? Can a godly foul fay, God hath given me an earnest, I defire no more? No, no; but the report that a Chriftian hears of a rest remaining, a happy life remaining for it, and the chariots of divine graces that he fees God hath fent out into his foul to convey it thither, make him cry out, not with Jacob, Gen. xlv. 28. It is not enough Jofeph my fon is yet alive, I will go and fee him before I die. But Oh this is not enough; this report is not enough; it is not enough that I tafte fome of the good things of the land; it is not enough that I fee these carriages sent out for me; it is not enough that my foul hath an happy and honourable life prepared for it; I fee it indeed before I die, but I will alfo die, that I may fee it better, and enjoy it more. But I doubt there is fome earthly tie, even upon the heavenly foul that chains it to this present animal body; but fure I am, that whatsoever it is, it is but a weak one. Is there any worldly accommodation, any creature-toy, that should in reafon ftep between a foul and its God? Is this life fweet, because there are creature-comforts to be enjoyed? And will it not be a better life, when creature-comforts fhall not be needed? And are the pleasures of this body, the comforts of this life, the flattering fmiles, or fawning embraces of the creature, such a mighty contentment to a foul, to a foul acquainted with the highest good? Haft thou, O my foul, any fuch full and fatisfying entertainment in thy pilgrimage, as to make thee loth to go home? Wilt thou hide thyfelf with Saul among the stuff, among the lumber of the world, when thou art fought for to be crowned?

Are

Are the empty founds of popular applaufe, the breaking bubbles of fecular greatnefs, the fhallow ftreains of fenfual pleasures, the fmiling dalliance, and lisping eloquence of wives and children, the flying fhadows of creature-refreshments, the momentary flourishes of worldly beauty and bravery; are these meat for a foul? Are these the proper object, or the main happiness of such a divine thing as an immortal foul? Why are we not` rather weary of this body, that makes us fo weary of heavenly employment? Why do we not rather long to part with that life that parts us from our life? And instead of the young apoftles, It is good to be here, cry out with the fweet Singer, Oh that one would give me the wings of a dove, that I may fly away and be at reft!

And now methinks, by this time, I might be fomewhat bold, and form my remaining difcourfe into an exhortation. But it may be, you will not bear it all at once; therefore I will first begin with a dehortation, to diffuade from two evils concerning your body, viz. Fear and Fondness.

1. Take heed of Fear for the body. I fpeak, not fo much of thofe firft impreffions which our fancies and animal fpirits do make upon our minds (though it were to be wifhed that the mind did not fo much as once fenfate or entertain thefe) but of those acts of the will, whereby it doth receive, allow, cherish these impreffions, until the cockatrice egg be hatched into a viper. I fpeak not against care and circumfpection; no, nor against that kind of fufpicion, whereby wife and prudent perfons are jealous of circumstances and events, and fo do watch to prevent, remove, or

manage

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