Docf. 2. That one of the diseases of mankind is that we catch at felicity, without considering the way that leadeth to it.
Peter seeing and apprehending this estate to be an estate of happi- ness and glory, doth not consider what he must first do and first sufier before he could come to converse with Christ and the glorified saints. Out Saviour had lately told him that he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow him ; but Peter overlooketh all this, and saith, ' It is good to be here.' He would be glorified before he was abased and had suffered all the afflictions foretold, and would have his wages before he had done his work. Every one would enjoy Christ's glory and happiness, but we do not like his yoke — are loth to submit to his cross. If we would enjoy happiness with Christ and the glorified saints, we must be humbled with them and suffer with them first. But we would triumph before we had fought any battle, and receive the crown before we have run our race, and reap in joy before we have sowed in tears, or performed that necessary work that God requires at our hands.
Now the reasons of it are these : — •
1. Because by nature we love our own ease and contentment : Gen. xlix. 15, ' He saw that rest was good.' We are loth to undergo the cross, and desirous to enjoy happiness and glory before and without afflictions ; but this is an untimely and preposterous desire, proceeding from self-love. God hath appointed another order, that the cross should go before the crown: Rom. viii. 17, 'If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be glorified together.'
2. From the libertinism and yokelessness of our natures, and that spirit of unsubjection which is so natural to us : Rom. viii. 7, ' The carnal mind is enmity against God ; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be;' Ps. ii. 3, 'Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.' Duties are more dis- pleasing to the flesh than happiness, and we like pardon and life more than we like strictness, purity, and that watching and striving, and waiting, and exercising ourselves unto godliness which the scripture calleth for.
Use. To press us to get this disease cured, and our hearts reconciled to our duty as well as to our happiness. These considerations may be a help to you.
378 Christ's transfiguration. [Ser. IV.
1. Grod is a governor as well as a benefactor, and must be respected in both relations ; and therefore we must not only desire and wait for his benefits, but submit to his government. His government is seen in his laws and providence. In his laws he appoints our duty, in his providence he appoints our trials ; to refuse either is to question his sovereignty : Ps. xii. 4, ' Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail : our lips are our own : who is lord over us ?' Exod. v. 2, ' And Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go ? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go ; ^ so also not to submit to his trials. Therefore now, if we love God as a benefactor, we must be subject to him as our true and proper sovereign, who will bring us to heaven in what way he pleaseth.
2. The terms and means appointed conduce to mortify our love to the false happiness, for one great part of religion is to draw off our hearts from the vain pleasures and honours of the world, the other part is to carry us on in the pursuit of the true happiness — a recess from the world and an access to God, mortification and vivification. We shall sit down with present things if we abandon ourselves to our sensual inclinations, Luke xvi. 25, so that our desires of the true happiness will be feeble and easily controlled if we submit not to the means.
3. The care and due observance of the means showeth the value and respect to the true happiness. If we do not labour for it and suffer for it, we do not value it according to its worth. There is a simple, naked estimation, and a practical esteem. Naked approbation, Eom. ii. 18, ' And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are ex- cellent, being instructed out of the law.' The practical esteem is a self-denying obedience, Eom. ii. 7, ' To them who by patient continu- ance in well-doing seek for glory/ &c. Then they respect means and end together, and submit to the one to obtain the other. If the wicked are said to despise eternal happiness, it is not simply as happiness, nor as eternal, for they that love themselves would be happy, and everlastingly happy ; but it is in conjunction with the means, as the Israelities despised the pleasant land, and murmured in their tents : Ps. cvi. 24, ' Yea, they despised the pleasant land ; and they believed not his word ; but murmured in their tents, and hearkened not to the voice of the Lord.' The land was a good, fertile land, but afar off, and because of giants and walled towns, and so not thought worthy the pains and difficulties to be undergone. Heaven is a good place, but out of indulgence to the ease of the flesh we dislike difiicul- ties and strictness of holy walking.