CHAPTER I.
_Of the end proposed by |Christian Prudence|, and the general means of obtaining it_.
1. BY prudence I here mean, the same with wisdom, a practical knowledge of the best end and the best means to attain it, actually directing us to the choice of that end, and the use of those means.
2. The end of every reasonable creature is God: for he alone is the true object of our happiness: all the happiness we desire, or are capable of, being to be found in him, and him only.
3. That the happiness of man is not to be found in any thing but in God, is usually proved by shewing that it cannot consist in sensual pleasure, riches, honour or power. But the shortest way of proving it is, by shewing at once that it cannot consist in any created good. For as by happiness we mean a state wherein the mind totally acquiesces, and takes full rest and satisfaction, so that which is the object of happiness must be such a good, as perfectly satisfies the mind, contents all its desires, and gives it an absolute tranquility and repose. But that no creature does this is plain from experience, from the vanity which we find in all things, and that restlesness and desire of change which is consequent upon it. *We try one thing after another, as the searching bee wanders from flower to flower; but we go off from every one with disappointment, and a deluded expectation. Almost every thing promises, but nothing answers, and even the succession of new enjoyments (the best remedy for the emptiness we find in each) amuses, but does not satisfy. And as no created good actually does this, so ’tis plain by reason none can. For as none but infinite truth can satisfy the understanding, so only infinite good can satisfy the will. But this the creature is not. As its being is, so is its goodness, both of a limited extent, and so by no means fit to satisfy the capacity of that mind, which aspires after all good. Every creature therefore must confess its utter insufficiency to be the object of our happiness: Nay, the whole collection and amasment of created good, must acknowledge the same; the very depth and abyss of it must say, _It is not in me_.
4. It is in God alone: he is the fountain of eternal blessedness; all the springs of our happiness are in him: he is our good, and our end, as being every way sufficient for our happiness. For he is all goodness; he is that infinite good which is the entire and adequate object of our will; and which being the proper object of all its inclinations, must needs be able to satisfy them. They cannot aspire to any thing beyond him, and therefore must needs center and acquiesce in him. _When I awake up after thy likeness_, I shall be satisfied with it. Then, and not before; which all resolves into that pious saying of St. _Austin_, _Thou hast made us for thyself, and our heart has no rest till it rests in thee_.
5. It must therefore be the first office of Christian prudence, to make God our end. For indeed not to do so, is the greatest folly that any man can possibly be guilty of. For what can we expect but vanity and disappointment all over, a fruitless labour, and a deluded and abortive hope, if we place our happiness any where but in him, who is the true object of it? ’Tis like leaning with our full force upon what cannot bear our weight, the consequence of which is, to fall with violence. And what an imprudence is this, especially for a Christian, since the clear revelation of the gospel, concerning the true end and final happiness of man: wherein our Saviour hath plainly declared, _This is life eternal to know thee, the only true God_! Since God has not only given us a nature capable of happiness, but has also endued us with faculties and desires, which nothing but himself can satisfy, and he both can and will; and above all, since he has been pleased, lest we should miss the end ♦of our being, to point it out to us, and to tell us that himself is the good, which we so passionately desire, and so blindly seek; it must be the very foolishness of folly for any Christian not to make God his end; much more, so to forget himself and him, as to place it in any thing of this vain world: whether it be directly and professedly, according to the language of the rich epicure, _Soul, take thy ease_; or consequentially, by pursuing the world, and cleaving to its interests, as if it were his end. And besides the folly of this conduct, it bespeaks also such a contempt of God, and of his immense greatness and goodness, as nothing can either parallel or excuse! Especially since the Son of God hath been pleased to concern himself so far for our happiness, as to make this great and excellent end attainable to us, preparing and providing, and procuring an union and communion of God with man, by uniting them both in his own person. Whether, therefore we consider the excellency, or the attainableness of this good, or the manner or price whereby it becomes attainable, God, by all means, is to be made our end, the end of all our desires, and the end of all our designs, the end of all our undertakings, all our actions, and all our hopes, to which we are to refer whatever we think, whatever we speak, and whatever we act, and in one word, to which our whole life is to be directed.
♦ duplicate word “of” removed
6. What a thorough concern then ought every Christian to feel, how hearty a care ought he to take for the obtaining and securing this his right and only end, the fruition of God? This our Saviour calls _The one thing needful_, in opposition to the many things that are apt to trouble and distract us in this busy life, which unless so far as they fall in with this, are all mere trifle and amusement. Even those affairs which carry the face of the greatest seriousness, and pretend to be of the weightiest consequence, if they are not so many parts of this, are _lighter than vanity and nothing_. For indeed a man has but one business in the world, and that is, to make sure his everlasting happiness, and to secure to himself the fruition of that excellent good, which is the true end of his being. This is the whole of man, his only considerable interest, and that upon which all depends. ’Tis not necessary, that he should be born to an estate, or that he should acquire one. ’Tis not necessary that he should succeed in his attempts, for this or that dignity or preferment; that he should live long to enjoy his wealth or greatness, or even that he should live at all. But it is absolutely necessary that he should arrive at his end, that he should attain to the fruition of God, whose loving-kindness is better than life, and without whom he cannot be happy. All the rest may be spared, but there is no dispensing with this. Should he lose all besides, and gain this one thing, yet still he would be happy. And should he gain all besides, and lose this one thing, yet still he would be miserable: for what gain will ever make amends for such a loss? Not that of the whole world, if we believe our Saviour: _What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?_ Which is then only lost, when it loses God. ’Tis therefore one great part of the prudence of every Christian, after he has fixed this his right end, to endeavour, by much consideration, to possess his mind with a due sense of its moment and importance; and of what consequence it is, that he should succeed in this affair, whatever he miscarries in besides: which when he is once thoroughly convinced of, he will then diligently apply himself to the use of such means as are necessary thereto.
7. All the particular acts of prudence with regard to these means, may be summed up in one general one, and that is, to chuse those very means to this our great end, which God has chosen for us already. To follow his, is indeed an implicit choice, but at the same time ’tis a very safe and a very wise one. For he cannot but know what means are most fit to procure the end for which he made us. And he will not impose upon our weakness, or do what he hath forbidden us, _Make the blind go out of his way_. And therefore, without enquiring into its intrinsic nature, we may securely depend upon this in general, that the way which he has prescribed, must be the very best, and consequently, that it is our wisdom to walk in it.
*8. Now the means which God hath chosen for us are no other than his commandments, which were intended by God for our direction to happiness. As he made us for himself, so the laws which he prescribes to us are but a pursuance of the same kind design, namely, to bring us to himself. For since we cannot suppose him to propose any advantage of his own, by giving us rules of life; and since we can as little suppose that he does it for so poor a reason as only to shew his authority, and much less that he does it for no reason at all, we cannot but conclude, that the laws of God are given us with this design, to shew us the path of life, the true way to that great end for which we were made, the everlasting fruition of God. A consideration which, by the way, ought greatly to endear the laws of God to us, and invite us to yield a free, ready, and chearful obedience to them. Especially if we add,
9. That as they were given for our direction to happiness, so they actually lead to it: _If thou wilt enter into life_, saith our Saviour, _keep the commandments_. This is the path of life, the way of the kingdom, the direct road that leads to happiness, described to us by him who is himself the way, the truth and the ♦life. Men may employ their wits, consult their ease, and flatter their hopes in the invention of other ways; but if we will believe our guide, the way of happiness is the way of obedience.
♦ “life, and men” replaced with “life. Men” per Errata
10. That it is so by the positive order and appointment of God, is plain from the whole tenor of the gospel. And equally plain it is, that he therefore appointed these means, because they naturally conduce to our happiness. For some things are, by the very original constitution of their being, conducive to our good, as others to our hurt; the former he commands, and the latter he forbids. That there is this difference in things with regard to our present happiness, is evident from experience. Temperance, for instance, is more conducive than intemperance to the health of the body, and consequently to the health of the mind too, as depending upon the other. The power which plants have variously to affect our bodies, either by the way of physic or poison, is not more plain and certain than the different influence which different dispositions have upon the well or ill being of our souls. And God in his laws concerning these things, does but what a physician does for those, whose health he takes care of; he prescribes the wholsome diet or physic, and forbids the poison.
11. The same observation will hold as to future happiness; which resulting (as all happiness does) from a certain proportion and agreement between the faculty and the object, must depend upon, and require a certain temper and disposition of the mind, as a natural qualification for it. We find it is ♦so even in the pleasures of sense. Let the ear be unmusically disposed, and the sweetest sounds put together with the greatest art, will give it no entertainment. And if the organs of taste are indisposed, either naturally or by a disease, the most delicious food is brought in vain, which, as it finds no taste, will give no relish. And if it be thus in the lowest pleasures, can it be otherwise in the highest? If a guest sits idle at a nice and plentiful table, merely because he wants a stomach to eat, or a palate to relish what he finds there, shall an indisposed soul enjoy God? Is there no disposition requisite to make it relish the heavenly banquet? Are these the _only_ pleasures that are to be enjoyed at any rate, and however disposed we come to them? No, without doubt there are dispositions for this, as well as for other enjoyments, a certain temper of mind, which as the apostle speaks, is to make us _meet partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light_.
♦ “even so” replaced with “so even” per Errata
12. Now this temper that qualifies us for happiness, must be in general, to be like him who is the object of it, to have our minds conformable to his mind, and our wills conformable to his will; to resemble him as far as he is imitable by us, to have a godlike frame of spirit, or, as the apostle expresses it, _to be partakers of the divine nature_. And that for this clear reason, because without being in some measure like God, ’tis not possible we should enjoy him, or take any delight in beholding his excellent glory. But _when I awake up after thy likeness, I shall be satisfied with it_. Lord, what a satisfying likeness is thine? Our likeness to the world makes us love it, but the love of it does not satisfy. O make us like unto thee, that we may be satisfied with thee!
13. More particularly, the temper that qualifies us for happiness, consists in those virtuous dispositions, which the gospel enjoins to all Christians, such as truth, justice and mercy: because in these consists that part of the divine nature, wherein alone we can be like him: his other perfections being peculiar to himself, and ♦such as no creature can partake of. And accordingly we are exhorted to _be holy, as the Lord our God is holy; to be followers of God, as dear children; to be perfect, as our Father which is in heaven is perfect_. There is therefore a necessity for us, ♠as to be like God, that we may enjoy him, so ♣to be endued with virtuous habits, without which we cannot be like him, nor consequently enjoy him.
♦ extraneous word “as” removed per Errata
♠ “to” replaced with “as to” per Errata
♣ “so as to” replaced with “so to” per Errata
14. But there are two dispositions, which are more particularly necessary to qualify us for the fruition of God, charity and purity: that charity, as it signifies the love of our neighbour, is a necessary qualification is plain, because without this we can’t be like God, who is all love and goodness, overflowing with kindness to all his creatures, and continually doing good to them all, as far as they are capable of receiving it. If ever therefore we mean to be happy with and in him, we must be of the same good loving spirit. And as to charity, taken in its primary sense, for the love of God, this is so immediate a qualification for happiness, that nothing can be more so, since all enjoyment depends upon the love of what we are possessed of, and therefore unless we love God, ’tis impossible we should enjoy him. And for this reason it is, that the love of God is so strictly enjoined, and in so high a measure, no less than that of our whole heart and soul, and mind and strength; and that the precept which requires it is called, the first and great commandment: first and great in many respects, and particularly in this, that ’tis the fundamental qualification for happiness, as immediately respecting the object of it, which if we do not love, we can never enjoy.
*15. The other great qualification for the enjoyment of God is purity; that part of it especially which relates to the pleasures of sense. Now the reason why this is such a qualification for our final happiness is this: God, the object of it is a spiritual being, and the happiness of heaven which consists in the fruition of him, is all over of a rational and intellectual nature: being indeed no other than this, the pleasure of the understanding contemplating the supreme truth, and of the will transported with the love of the sovereign good. And therefore a love of sensual pleasure must indispose us for the love of a good so purely spiritual. And if ever it rises so high as to become the prevailing and governing affection of the soul (the case and character of those who are _lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God_) it must utterly unqualify us for it. For what can a sensualized soul find in heaven, that will suit with his distempered taste? A _Mahometan_ paradise would suit with such affections well; but in heaven they would meet with nothing but disappointment; and therefore St. _Peter_, with a pressing earnestness, cautions us against them: _Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly desires that war against the soul_. They war against the soul, not only by betraying us into sin, either by consenting to them in unlawful circumstances, or by indulging them in an immoderate degree, but chiefly by indisposing us for the enjoyment of a far nobler happiness. And accordingly St. _John_, among all virtuous dispositions, singles out purity as a preparation for heaven. _Every man_, says he, _that hath this hope, purifieth himself as he is pure_. And our Saviour applies this purity to the heart, to shew how that ought to be disposed for happiness. _Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see_ God. O infinite purity, what heart will be fit to see thee, if thou dost not purge and cleanse it? O purify us by thy grace, and so fit us for thy glory!
16. By all these considerations it appears, that the commandments of God are the means that lead us to happiness. And for this reason it is, that God, who is willing we should be happy, having made us for that very end, requires them of us, and obliges us to them by all the authority he has over us. For this reason it is, for instance, that he commands us to love him. What is our love to him? Nothing at all. But though it be nothing to him, yet it is to ourselves, as being a necessary qualification for our happiness. This God knows, and therefore requires us to love him; nay, to love him with all our heart and all our strength, because he knows a less degree of love is neither ♦worthy of him, nor will qualify us to be happy in him. And so in every other instance, God makes those things our duty, which have a close connection with our happiness; and this is that which makes his laws so good and so excellent, and his service a truly reasonable service; for certainly nothing can be more reasonable, than for a man to pursue his own good, nor consequently than to serve and obey God, since this is a certain means to that end, and his own good is the natural fruit of that obedience; and how should this (as was intimated before) endear the service of God to us? How should it make us in love with our duty to him, and glad to be subject to his government? How should it incite us, to yield the most free, ready, chearful and zealous obedience to his laws? In a word, to do his will on earth as the angels do it in heaven, since our own advantage is both the reason of his laws, and the sure consequence of keeping them. *Every prudent Christian therefore looks upon the commandments of God, not as so many imperious curbs and retrenchments of his liberty, nor as so many arbitrary impositions, much less as burthens and grievances (as human laws sometimes are, for want of wisdom or goodness in those that make them) but as so many kind provisions for our happiness, and so many merciful instructions to bring us to our true end: and in this view he yields them obedience, not such as is forced and violent, servile and extorted by fear, such as slaves pay to tyrants, but such as is liberal and ingenuous, and wherein love is the prevailing principle; as becomes one who is under a government so good and gracious, and so every way directed and administered for the best advantage of the subject, as that of God is.
♦ added missing word “worthy” per Errata
17. And now since it appears that the means that lead to our end, the great highway to happiness, are no other than the commandments of God, it appears with equal clearness, that the one business of every prudent Christian is, to pay a due obedience to all these commandments. This is our wisdom, and indeed the only wise thing we can do, not to indulge our own fancies, not to fulfil our own will, or to follow the devices and desires of our own hearts, but to apply ourselves to the law of God, to lay hold of those _paths of life_ which he hath described to us. By doing this, we shall give a better proof of our wisdom, than by all the fine-wrought plots, and cunning intrigues of worldly policy, or by the most acute reasonings of philosophy, or deepest treasures of learning. These things cast indeed a dazzling light, and make a figure in the world: but after all, the wisdom of man is, to attain to his end, and consequently to find and use the true means of attaining it. And since the commandments of God are those true means, _to keep and do them is our wisdom and understanding_, or, as _Job_ expresses it: _Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding_.
18. It is not only wisdom, but our wisdom, the wisdom of _man_, the wisdom that belongs to his _nature_, as being made for happiness; that belongs to the present _state_ and _condition_ of his nature, as having capacities to qualify himself fully for this; whereas his faculties will carry him but a very little way in speculative knowledge: it is the wisdom that belongs to his present _circumstances_ in this world, which is wholly in order to the other, and is no farther considerable than it is a preparation for eternity; and after this I need not say, it is the wisdom that belongs to his _interest_, nothing being more evident, than that it is every man’s greatest interest to be everlastingly happy. Upon all which considerations it appears, that the study and practice of God’s commandments, the devoting himself to his service, and to the obedience of all his laws, is the true and proper wisdom of man, in which alone he is concerned to employ and improve himself, and to which all his other learning, knowledge and business, all he thinks, says, or does, is to be referred.