life of pleasure? and what is the pleasure of his life but holiness? He takes pleasure in the graces of his saints, Psa. cxlix. 4 ; liow much more in his own essential holiness, from whence those beams which shine so beautifully to his eye in his children were at first shot ! Thou, whoever thou art, hast an art above God himself, if thou canst fetch any true pleasure out of unholiness and unrighteousness ; and let me tell thee also, it is not the lowest of blasphemies for thee to charge the way of righteousness and holiness to l)e an enemy to true pleasiu-e; for in that thou chargest God himself to want true joy and pleasure, who has no pleasure if holiness will not yield it. But away with such putrid stuff as this is. The devils and damned souls themselves, that hate Gocl with the most perfect hatred of any other, yet ihey dare not say, they cannot say so. They know God to be glorious and happy, yea, glorious in holiness ; and the creature's bliss and glory to consist in a participation of that holiness, which makes God himself so blessed and glorious. This, Christian, is the utmost that can be said of thy happiness, either here, or in heaven hereafter. That makes thee glorious which makes God glorious; thy joy and pleasure is of the same kind with the pleasure God delights himself in, Psa. xxvi. 8 : ' Thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.' Mark that phrase, ' the river of thy pleasures.' God hath his pleasiu'es, and God gives his saints to drink of his pleasures. This is the sweet accent of the saint's pleasures. When a prince bids his servants carry such a man down into the cellar, and let him drink of their beer or wine, this is a kindness from so great a personage to be valued highly. But for the prince to set him at his own table, and let him drink of his own wine, this, I hope, is far more. When God gives a man estate, corn, and wine, and oil, the comforts of the creature, he entertains the man but in the common cellar ; such as have none but carnal enjoyments, they do but sit with the servants, and in some sensual pleasures they are but fellow-commoners with the beasts. But when he bestows his grace, beautifies a soul with holiness, now he prefers the creature as high as it is capable of, he never sends this rich clothing to any but he means to set such by him at his own table, with him, in heaven's glory.
CHAPTER XIII.
WHEREIN IS DEFEATED SATAn's SECOND WILE, BY WHICH HE WOULD CHEAT THE CHRISTIAN OF HIS BREASTPLATE, PRESENTING IT AS PREJUDICIAL TO HIS WORLDLY PROFITS,
Assault'!. Secondly, Ifthou dost not stumble at this stone, the devil hath another at hand to throw in the way. ' He is not so unskilful a fowler as to go with one single shot into the field ; and, therefore, expect him, as soon as he hath discharged one, and missed thee, to let fly at thee with a second; and tell thee, this holy life, and righteous walking, thou hadst best never meddle with it, except thou meanest to undo thyself, and all that depend on thee. Look upon the rich, will he say, and great men in the world; how dost think these heaped together such vast estates, and raised their families to such dignity and grandeur in their places ? Was it by their righteousness and holiness ? Alas ! if they had been so strait-laced in their consciences as thou must be, if thou tiest thyself up to the rules of a holy life, they had never come to so good a market for this world as tliey have done. And if thou wilt thrive with them, thou must do as they have done, throw off the ' breastplate of righteousness' quite, or unbuckle it, that it nuiy hang loose enough to turn aside when an advantage is offered, or else you may sliut up your shop-windows, and give over your trade, for all you are like to get at the year's end.
Ans. To defend thee, Christian, against this assault, take these considera- tions, from which it will not be hard to draw an answer tliat will stoji the mouth of this objection.
First, Consider it is not necessary that thou shouldst be rich; but it is neces- sary thou shouldst be holy, if thou meanest to be happy. You may travel to heaven with never a penny in your purse, but not without holiness in your heart and life also. And wisdom bids thee first atlend to that which is of greatest necessity.
Secondly, Heaven is worth the having, though thou gocst poor and ragged.
332 AND HAVING ON
yea, naked, thither. There are some in the world that will accept God's offer thankfully, may they be admitted into that glorious city, though God doth not bribe them, and allure thither with great estates here. And, therefore, for shame, resolve to be holy at all j^eradventures. Do not stand indenting with God for that, which, if you were actually possessed of and loved him, you would leave, and throw at your heels with scorn, rather than part with him.