[2.] The promises of the word, they hold forth the highest happiness that man is capable of. Philosophy was to seek of a fit reward and encouragement of virtue ; the chief good is only revealed in tlie scrip- tures. Men are at a puzzle and loss till they take this light along with them : Ps. iv. 6, ' There are many that say, AVho will show unto us any good ? ' There is a disposition and instinct of nature towards happiness, yea, towards eternal happiness. All men would be happy. Man's soul is a chaos of desires ; like a sponge, it desireth to fill itself; it is thirsty, and seeketh to be satisfied. Austin speaketh of a jester that at the next show would undertake to show every one what they did desire ; and when there was a great confluence and expectation, he told them, Hoc omnes vultis, vili emcre, et cciro vendere. Another said, Ye all desire to be praised. But Austin saith rightly, these were but foolish answers, because many good men desire neither, the one being against justice, and the other against sincerity ; but, saith he, Si dixisset, omnes heati esse vidtis, he had said right : every one may find this disposition in his own heart, to an eternal infinite happiness. This stock was left in nature, on which grace hath grafted : Acts xvii. 2G, ' That they may seek the Lord, if happily they might feel after him and find him, though he be not far from every one of us.' They groped after God, like the blind Sodomites about Lot's door. When we have all outward blessings, the soul of man is not filled, but this sore runneth. Fecisti nos, Domine, p-opter te, et ideo irrequietmn est
4_5S SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. [SeK. XXIX.
cor meum, donee reqmescat in te. There is a natural poise in the sonl, that bendeth it that way, so that we cannot be quiet without God. We may make experiments, as Solomon did, but still we shall want an in- finite eternal recompense after this life, for we can never be happy here ; as the heathens dreamed of Elysian fields. This is fit for God to give, and for us to receive ; the infinite eternal God will give like himself, 2 Cor. iv. 17, ' A far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory ; ' as Arauuah ' gave like a king to the king,' 2 Clu-on. xxiv. 24, a royal gift. There is a time when God will give like himself. The scripture giveth this manifestation of eternal happiness.
[3.] The doctrines of the word, of sin, righteousness, and judgment, tney are all sublime : John xvi. 8, * When the Spirit is come, he will reprove (or convince) the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judg- ment.' Without a revelation from God they could not enter into the heart of man ; doctrines of sin, to humble the creature ; of righteous- ness, to raise him and comfort him ; of judgment, to awe him unto holiness. Of sin, as of the fall, the heathens knew nothing of this ; they complained of nature as a step-mother. Vitia etiam sine mag- istro discuntur. Man cometh into the world crying, as into a place of misery ; the cause they could not tell. The scriptures show us how Ave sinned in Adam. Our natures are evil, more susceptible of bad than of good, never weary of sin, because this is most suitable to us. Then there are doctrines of righteousness, and there indeed come in many mysteries, trinity of persons, union of the two natures in Christ's person, a child born of a virgin ; but all these, though above nature, yet not against it. All religions aim at this, to bring men to God ; nature is sensible of a breach. There are vain offers elsewhere to make up this breach, but the scriptures show the way ; therefore there is no reason to suspect the truth of them. It is above reason, that showeth it to be of divine original ; if the creature had been put to study it, they could never have found it out ; it exceedeth all human contriv- ance, and therefore maketh us wonder. And there are doctrines of judgment ; take it of judgment to come, resurrection, last judgment, it IS not incredible ; reason showeth it may be : Acts xxvi. 8, ' Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you that God should raise the dead ? ' Justice must have a solemn triumph. The heathens dreamed of a severe day of accounts : Acts xxiv. 25, ' As he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled;' Kom. i. 18, ' The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in un- righteousness.' There is a sad presage of it in a guilty heart.
[4.] The histories of the word. The scriptures are a history of the creation of the world, which puzzled the philosophers ; some thought it was produced by chance, others that it was from eternity, Moses with plainness, and yet with majesty, speaks of the original of_ all things, the propagation of mankind, &c. There is no such ancient historical monument ; for above the funerals of Troy, all is uncertain. And all the rest of the bible is but a comment on Moses.