spirit; but in the primitive times of Chris- about, but our restoration was a work of the tianity, the baptism of water, on account of greatest difficulty, and only to be performed the supposed concurrence of the Spirit, was by the powerful hand of God; there are but commonly called the illumination, and the few whom the exalted Father of Spirits has solemn seasons appointed for the celebration loved, and Christ has raised up to heaven. of this mystery, the days of illumination or He is the source whence the Spirit of God light. And in the very same manner, the flows down to us; he is the fountain of that baptism of the Holy Ghost, is by John the new life and sanctified nature, by which we Baptist called the baptism of fire, on ac-mount towards God, whereby we overcome count of the wonderful influence it has in the world, and in consequence thereof, are illuminating and purifying the soul. It is, admitted into heaven. And happy, to be to be sure, a celestial fire quite invisible to sure, are those truly noble souls, whose fate our eyes, and of such a nature, that the secret it is to be thus born again, to be admitted communications of it to our souls cannot be into the choirs of the holy angels, and to be investigated; but the sum of all is what clothed with those glorious robes that are follows. whiter than snow: they will follow the Lamb wherever he goes, and he will lead them to the crystal streams, and even to the fountain of life itself. It seemed good to infinite Goodness and Wisdom, to form a noble piece of coin out of clay, and to stamp his own image upon it, with this inscription, "The earthly son of But all those, that are to be the attendants God" this is what we call man. But alas! of the Lamb, in those blessed pastures which how soon did this piece of coin fall back to are to be met with in his heavenly country, clay again, and thereby lost that true image, must of necessity, even while they live in and had the inscription shamefully blotted this lower world, be followers of him in his out! From that time, man, who was former-humble innocence and purity. ly a divine creature, and an angel clothed This spotless, holy, and pure Lamb of God, with flesh, became entirely fleshly, and in is the guide and shepherd of a pure and holy reality a brute the soul, that noble and ce-flock, a flock dear to God, and of distinlestial inhabitant of his earthly body, became guished beauty; but the shepherd is still now quite immersed in matter, and, as it more beautiful than they. But the impure were, entirely converted into flesh, as if it goats and uncleanly hogs he beholds at a had drunk of the river Lethe; or, like the distance, and leaves them to unclean spirits, son of an illustrious family, carried away in to be possessed by them at pleasure, and infancy to a far country, it is quite ignorant afterwards to be precipitated into the depth of its present misery, or the liberty and feli- of misery; unless it be determined to decity it has lost, becomes an abject slave, de-liver some of them from that shocking form, graded to the vilest employments, which it by a wonderful and divine change, and to naturally and with pleasure performs; be- convert them into lambs, which is effected in cause having lost all sense of its native ex- proper time, by the influence of the Holy cellency and dignity, and forgotten its hea-Ghost. Whence they are called the holy, venly original, it now relishes nothing but pure, and divine sons of God; and all love earthly things, and, catching at present ad- to earthly things, all carnal, impure affecvantages, disregards eternal enjoyments, as tions, are banished out of those hearts which altogether unknown, or removed quite out of are, as it were, temples consecrated hencesight. But if in any particular soul, either forth to God: "for the dwelling-place of the from some spark of its native excellency still Holy One must be holy also."+ remaining alive, or any indistinct report that| reaches it, some desires or emotions towards the recovery of its native liberty should arise; yet, as it has no sufficient strength of its own, nor finds any way open that can lead to so great a blessing, these ineffectual wishes come to nothing, and the unhappy soul, having lost its hopes, languishes in its chains, and is at last quite stupified. LECTURE XVII. Of TRUE FELICITY and ETERNAL Philosophy, as we have already observed, perceiving that man was born to higher views O HOW insipid and unsatisfactory are all than this world affords, attempted to raise the pleasures of this earthly life, which we him from his present dejection, secure his now live, in respect of that incomparable and claim to heaven, and restore him to a con- altogether heavenly delight, which attends formity and likeness to God; but in vain. the meditation and contemplation of divine To redeem the sons of man, and restore them things! When mortals are thus employed, to what they had lost, it was necessary that they eat the bread of angels; and if there the eternal Son of God should come down from heaven. ur fall was easily brought] Formosi pecoris custos formosior. 'Αγιου γαρ άγιον ἴσιν οικητηρίου. the mind of man discovers its natural excellency and dignity; for thus it proves, that all things here below are insufficient to satisfy, or make it happy; and its capacity is so great and extensive, that it cannot be filled by the whole of this visible frame of things. For, as St. Augustine observes, "Thou hast made us, O Lord, for thyself, and our hearts are restless till they return to thee." are any who do not relish the sweetness of stantly devour it, and, as if it was still empty this food, it is because the divine part of their and unsatisfied, would require something composition is become brutish, and, forget- more. And indeed, by this insatiable thirst, ting its original, lies buried in earth and mud. But though the soul is reduced to these woeful circumstances, it is not yet so entirely divested of itself, but it still retains some faint remains of its heavenly original and more exalted nature; insomuch, that it cannot acquiesce in, or be at all satisfied with those fading enjoyments wherewith it is surrounded, nor think itself happy or easy in the greatest abundance of earthly comforts. And though, possibly, it may not be fully sensible of what it wants; yet it perceives, not without some pain and uneasiness, that something is still wanting to make it happy. The truth is, besides that great and unknown good, even those whom, by an abuse of that term, we call most happy, are in want of a great many things: for if we look narrowly into the condition of those who are arrived Therefore, it is not without reason that at the highest pitch of earthly splendour, we the royal Psalmist boasts not of his victories, shall certainly find some defect and imperfec- nor the splendour of his royal crown, but of tion in it, and be obliged to conclude with this one advantage; "The Lord is the the poet, "That since the earth began to be portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup inhabited by men, a full cup of good things, thou maintainest the lot:" and on the without any mixture of evil, never fell to the justest grounds he immediately adds, "The share of one man; a graceful body is often lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; dishonoured by bad morals, and a mind of yea, I have a goodly heritage." And it uncommon beauty is sometimes joined to a deformed body," &c.' The mind that makes God its refuge, after it has been much tossed to and fro, and distressed in the world, enjoys perfect peace and absolute security; and it is the fate of those, and those only, who put into this safe harbour, to have, what the same St. Augustine calls a very great matter, "The frailty of man, together with the security of God."+ is quite agreeable to reason, that what improves and completes any thing else, must be But what we call the chief and supreme itself more complete and perfect : so that the good must, of necessity, be complete, and en- mind of man can neither be made happy by tirely free from every defect; and therefore, earthly enjoyments, which are all far inferior what is not in every respect perfect, properly to it in dignity, nor be so in itself. Nay, speaking, is not perfect at all. The happi- neither can the angels, though of a more ness of rich and great men, which the poor perfect and sublime nature, confer felicity admire and respect, is only a gaudy and either upon men or themselves; but both splendid species of misery. What St. Ber- they and we have our happiness lodged in nard says of the rash and ill-founded opinion that Eternal Mind which alone is its own which the generality of mankind form of felicity: nor is it possible for us to find it the lives of the saints, from the imperfect any where else, but in our union with that knowledge they have of them, "They see original Wisdom and Goodness from which our crosses, but they see not our comforts,"+ we at first took our rise. Away then with may be here inverted: we see the advantages all the fictitious schemes of felicity proposed of those men that are puffed up with riches and honours, but we see not their troubles and vexations. "I wish, I wish," says one, "that those who desire riches, would consult with rich men; they would then be sure to be of another opinion."+ I will spend no more time in describing or lamenting the wretched state of mankind on this earth, because it would answer no end. For, suppose a more complete assemblage of sublunary enjoyments, and a more perfect system of earthly felicity than ever the sun beheld, the mind of man would in Etenim mortalibus ex quo Tellus cœpta coli, nunquam sincera bonorum † Cruces nostra vident, unctiones non vident. Utinam, utinam qui divitias appetunt, cum divitibus deliberarent; certe vota mutarent. by the philosophers, even those of them that were most artfully contrived; for even Aristotle's perfection of virtue, as well as what the Stoics fancied concerning their wise men, are mere fictions. They are nothing but dreams and fancies, that ought to be banished to Utopia; for what they describe is no where to be found among men; and, if it were, it would not constitute complete felicity. So far indeed they are to be commended, that they call in the mind from external enjoy. ments to itself; but in this they are defective, that when the mind is returned to itself, they carry it no further, nor direct it to ascend, as it were, above itself. They some Fecisti nos, Domine, propter te, et inquietum est cor nostrum donec in te redeat. 1 Habere fragilitatem hominis et securitatem Dei. Psalm xvi 9 6 times, it is true, drop such expressions as could say, were we to treat of the same subthese: "That there can be no good dispo-ject over again, is but mere trifling. And sition of the mind without God ;" and that, | yet it is not disagreeable to hear children in order to be happy, the soul must be raised speak, even with stammering, about the digup to divine things: they also tell us, "That nity of their father, and of the riches and magthe wise man loves God most of all, and for nificence of his inheritance. It is pleasant and this reason is the most happy man. But decent to speak of our native country, even these expressions they drop only at random, while we are sojourning in a foreign land: but, and by the bye. O! how much fuller and for the present, I shall insist no longer on this clearer are the instructions of the teacher subject, but, turning the tables, lay before sent down from heaven- Blessed are the you that dreadful punishment which stands pure in heart, for they shall see God !"+ in opposition to this happiness, by presentBut because the purest minds of the ing you only with a transient view of the saints, while they sojourn in this earth, still future misery of the wicked; and though retain some mixture of earthly dross, and this is indeed a most unpleasant task, yet arise not to perfect purity; therefore, they nothing but our own carelessness and inatcannot yet enjoy the full vision of God, nor, tention can render it useless. consequently, that perfect happiness which Here, first of all, it is to be observed, is inseparably connected with it. "For that as, in this life, there is no perfect felithey see only darkly, and through a glass ;"§ city; so neither here is there any complete but with the advantage even of this obscure misery. Those whom we look upon as the light, they direct their steps, and go on most wretched in this world, have their sufcheerful and unwearied: the long-wished-ferings chequered with many intervals of for day will at length come, when they will ease; but the misery to come admits of no be admitted into the fullest light. That abatement; it is all of a piece, without adday, which the unhappy men of this world mitting of any mixture of relief. They are dread as their last, the sons of light wish surely mad with their notions who here talk for, as their nativity into an endless life, and of the advantages of being or existence, and embrace it with the greatest joy when it contend that it is more desirable "to be comes. And this, indeed, seems to me to miserable, than not to be at all." For my be the strongest argument for another life, part, I am fully satisfied, they can never and an immortality to come. For since no persuade any man of the truth of their assercomplete or absolutely perfect happiness is tion; nor even believe it themselves, when to be found in this life, it must certainly they think seriously on the subject. But follow, that either there is no such thing to not to insist on this, it is certain, that all be had any where, or we must live again kinds of delight are for ever banished from somewhere, after our period here is out. that eternal and frightful prison. There is And, O! what fools are we, and slow of there no light, no day, nor sleep, which is heart to believe, that think so rarely, and the blessing of the night: and, indeed, nowith such coolness, of that blessed country; thing at all but places full of darkness, preand that in this parched and thirsty land, cipices, nakedness, and all kinds of horror; where even those who are so happy, have no entertainments, merry meetings, nor any only some foretastes of that supreme happi- sensible pleasure: and to be for ever separaness; but when they remove hence," They ted from all such, must be no small misery, shall be abundantly satisfied, (or, as the especially to those who used to pass their word ought to be translated, intoxicated,) time amidst such scenes of mirth and jollity, O Lord, with the fatness of thy house, and and imagined themselves in some measure thou shalt make them drink of the river of happy therein; and that the remembrance thy pleasures:"T¶ thus the divine Psalmist of this may distress them the more, they expresses it; and, to be sure, it is very sur-will be continually haunted with a thought prising, that the great and ancient philoso- that will cleave to them like a worm devourpher Pythagoras, in communicating his ing their bowels, and constantly keep them thoughts upon the same subject, should hap-in mind, that out of a distracted fondness pen to fall upon the very same figure: for he for these fleeting pleasures, which have now used to promise those of his disciples that conducted themselves right in this life, that they should be continually drunk in that which is to come. flown away, without hope of returning, they have lost those joys that are heavenly and eternal, whereof they will have some knowledge; but what kind of knowledge that will be, and how far extended to enhance their torments, is not ours to determine. But who will attempt to express the excess of their misery, or describe those streams of brimstone, and eternal flames of Divine wrath? Or rather, who will not remble, I • Miserum esse quam non esse. say, not in describing them, but even in brute creatures; how few are there, that, in thinking of them, and be quite overpowered this respect, act like men that propose to with an idea so shocking? themselves an end, and direct all their actions That I may no further attempt "to speak to the attainment of it! It is very certain, things unutterable, and to derogate from that the greatest part of mankind, with a folly a grand subject by inadequate expres- something more than childish, go in quest of sions;" behold now, my dear youths, if painted butterflies, or commonly pursue the you believe these things, behold, I say, you birds with stones and clods; and even those have now life and death laid before you; who spin out their lives to the utmost extent choose for yourselves. And that you may of old age, for the most part gain little by it, not put off a matter of such importance, con- but only this, that they may be called very sider these things, pray seriously, and say to aged children, being as ignorant as infants yourselves, concerning the vanishing shadows why they came into the world, and what will of external things, How long will these en- become of them when they leave it. Of all joyments last? O! how soon will they pass! questions, therefore, none can be more proEven while I am speaking these words, while perly proposed to you, who are just upon the I am thinking of them, they fly past me. Is verge of manhood, I mean entering upon a any one oppressed with calamities? Let him rational life, than this, Whither are you say cheerfully, with a remarkably good man, going? What good have you in view? To "Lord, while I am here, kill me, burn me, what end do you purpose to live? For hence, only spare me there." Is there any among possibly, your minds may be excited within you of weak capacity, unhappy in expressing you to an earnest desire after that perfect and himself, of an unfavourable aspect, or deform- supreme good, and you may not content ed in body? Let him say with himself, It yourselves with cool speculations upon this is a matter of small consequence: I shall subject, as if it were a logical or philosophi soon leave this habitation; and, if I am but cal problem, that falls in your way of course; good myself, be soon removed to the man- but with that application that is proper in a sions of the blessed. Let these thoughts question concerning a matter of the greatest prevent his being dejected in mind, or over-moment, where it highly concerns us to be come with too much sorrow. If any one is well informed, aud where the highest rewards distinguished by a good understanding, or and greatest dangers are proposed to our view, outward beauty, or riches, let him reflect, And, in this hope, I have often addressed and seriously consider, how soon all excel-myself to you upon the subject of happiness, lencies of this kind will pass away, that he or the supreme good, at different periods of may not be vain, or lifted up by the advan- time, entertaining you in the intervals with tages of fortune. Let it be the chief care and essays and suitable exhortations upon other study of you all, to avoid the works of dark-subjects; yet so as to observe a kind of me. ness, that so you may escape utter and eter-thod, and keep up a connexion throughout nal darkness; embrace with open and cheer- the whole. I have taken notice of the name ful hearts that divine light which hath shone and general notion of happiness, the univer from heaven; that, when you are divested of these bodies, you may be received into the glorious mansions of that blessed and perfect light. LECTURE XVIII. sal desires and wishes whereby men are excited to the pursuit of it, the no less universal, because natural, ignorance of mankind, and their errors and mistakes in the search of it. Whence it happens, that, as they all run in the wrong road, the faster they advance, the further they depart from it; and, like those who ply the oars in a boat, they look one way and move another. And though it seemed almost unnecessary, as facts sufficiently demonstrate the truth of our assertion, Of the CHRISTIAN RELIGION, and that it yet by a brief recapitulation, wherein we took is the true Way to Happiness. I CONFESS, young gentlemen, that whenever I think on the subject, I cannot help wondering at the indolence and madness of mankind; for though we boast that, to order our affairs with prudence and discretion, and conduct our lives according to the principles of reason, is the great privilege and ornament of our nature that distinguishes us from the * Τα αλάλητα λαλείσθαι. notice only of the principal heads and classes of things, we proved that happiness is by no means to be found in this earth, nor in any earthly enjoyments whatsoever. And this is no more than all, even fools as well as wise men, are willing to own: they not only pronounce one another unhappy, but, with regard to this life, all of them in general, and every one for himself in particular, acknow. ledge that they are so; and, in this respect, experience fully justifies their belief: so that, * Παίδες πολυχρονιδια 600 OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGIÓN. LECT. XVIII. if there were no further prospect, I am apt to vine things which the gods have thought believe all mankind would agree in that com- proper to conceal, even though you should mon saying, "That if mankind were appriz- ransack all nature.' ed before-hand of the nature of this life, and Nor has this sacred science God for its it were left to their own option, none would author only, but also for its subject and its accept of it." As the immortality of the ultimate end, because the knowledge of him, soul has a near connexion with this subject, and his worship, comprehends the whole of and is a natural consequence from it, we, religion; the beatific vision of him includes therefore, in the next place, bestowed some in it the whole of our happiness, and that time in illustrating that doctrine. In the happiness is at last resolved into the divine last place, we advanced some thoughts upon grace and bounty. future happiness and misery, so far as is I should therefore choose to give this brief consistent with the weakness of our capaci- and clear definition of theology, namely, ties to comprehend things so little known," That it is a divine doctrine, directing man and to express such as are, in a great mea- to real felicity, as his chief end, and conductsure, ineffable. ing him to it by the way of true religion." Having treated of these things according I call it a doctrine, because it is not conto our measure, it remains that we now in-sidered here as a habit in the mind, but as a quire about the way which directly leads into summary of celestial truth. I call it a di that happy city, or to that happiness which vine doctrine, for all the reasons already is reserved in the heavens. This is a great mentioned; because, for instance, it is from and important article, comprehending the end God; he is the subject of it, and it all terand design of our life, as well as the hopes minates in him at last. I call it a doctrine and comforts of it; and is very proper to be directing man, for I confine my notion of it first treated of in a catechetical, or, indeed, to that doctrine only which was sent down any methodical system of theology, as ap- from heaven for that purpose. What signify pears from reason and precedents: for by then those distinctions, which are indeed this discussion we are immediately introduc- sounding, but quite tedious and foreign to ed into the whole doctrine of true religion. the purpose, that divide theology into archAccordingly, the first question in the gene-etypal and ectypal, and again into the theorally-received Catechism, which you have in logy of the church militant, and that of the your hands, is, "What is your only conso- church triumphant? What they call archlation in life and in death ?" And the first etypal theology is very improperly so named ; question of another Catechism, which not for it is that perfect knowledge which God long ago was used, particularly in this Univer- has of himself:+ and the theology of the sity, is, "What is the only way to true feli- church triumphant, ought rather to be called city?" For the salvation and happiness of the beatific vision of God. The theology mankind, in subordination to the glory of in question, "is that day spring from on high, God, which is, to be sure, the supreme end which hath visited us, to give light to them of all, is the peculiar and genuine scope of which sit in darkness, and in the shadow of theology; and from it the definition of this death, to guide our feet in the way of peace."|| science secmis to be most properly drawn: That peace is true happiness, and the way of nor do I imagine that any one is so weak as peace is true religion: concerning which I from hence to conclude that it ought to be shall offer a few thoughts, and very briefly. called anthropology, rather than theology: First of all, you are to observe, that man is for though it not only treats of the happiness not a lawless creature, but capable of a law, of mankind, but also has this happiness, as and actually subject to one. This expreshas been observed, for its chief end and de- sion conveys no harsh nor dishonourable idea; sign; yet, with good reason, and on many nay, this subjection is so far from being a accounts, it has obtained this more sublime burden, that it is the greatest honour. To title. It has God for its author, whom the be capable of a law, is the mark and ornawisest of men would in vain attempt to find ment of an intelligent, rational soul, and that out, but from the revelation he has made of which distinguishes it from the brutes; it himself; every such attempt being as vain as evidently supposes a resemblance to God, and it would be to look for the sun in the night- an intercourse with heaven; and to live actime, by the light of a candle; for the for-tually under the direction of religion and the mer, like the latter, can only be seen by his law, is the great honour and ornament of hu own light. God cannot be known but so man life, and what distinguishes it from the far as he reveals himself: which Sophocles irregular conduct of the brute creation. For, has also admirably well expressed : "You as the poet expresses it, "One beast dewill never," says he, “understand those di- vours another, fishes prey upon fishes, and birds upon birds, because they are subject * Αλλ' ού γαρ αν τα θεια κρύπτοντος Θεού, Μάθεις αν ουδ' και επεξέλθοις σκοτειν Η Αυτοσοφία. | Luke 78, 79. Vitam hanc, scientibus daretur, neminem accepturum. SENECA. + Quæ est unica tua consolatio in vita et in morte? Qus est unica ad veram felicitatem via ? |