Chapter 15: The true pleasantness of all the ways of godliness

NOw that you may be further convinced that in the choice of the ways of godliness, you shall not lose, but change pleasures; you shall finde pleasures sweet and satisfying, of a higher nature in them then ever before your souls were acquainted with; consider what Solomon says of the ways of wisdom; Solomon, who had experience of all other pleasures whatever, yet of them he says, Proverbs 3:17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness.

That the yoke of Christ was an easie yoke, and the ways of godliness had ease in them, we have spoken largely: As they have ease, so they have pleasantness, all the ways of godliness are pleasant, to that at this time. Ordinarily we cannot expect any dependence in these Proverbs, but yet in this you have, there is a dependence of these words upon the 13. ver. and so from thence there is a connextion of the several Proverbs.

In the 13. ver. you have the commendation of wisdom, and the blessed estate of that man set out, that findes wisdom: Wisdom is commended by many arguments, and amongst the rest, not to spend time about the other, this is one, because all her ways are ways of pleasantness; and therefore happy is the man that findes it out. All her ways, that is, the ways of wisdom, the ways of godliness, they are ways of pleasantness, not only shall be, but they are so, they are ways in themselves pleasant, and lead to pleasantness: They are ways not only pleasant, but ways of pleasantness in the abstract. Therefore the point that is to be the subject of this exercise, is, as you have it plain in the words:

That the ways of godliness are delightful ways, full of pleasure, yea, they are pleasantness it self.

There is nothing that mans heart is set more upon then pleasure; and nothing hinders a man from the ways of godliness, more then fear he shall not finde pleasure in them: Therefore it is an argument of great concernment for us, throughly to be convinced that there is pleasantness in the ways of godliness, they are ways of pleasure; and I hope I speak unto such, whose hearts close with the point as soon as it is named, who can say, Yes, and we finde it so. The ways of wisdom are either the ways of Gods Ordinances, or the ways of exercise of grace, or ways of obedience; all these are the ways of pleasantness. How amiable are your Tabernacles, O Lord! they shall be satisfied with the fatness of your house, the beauty of holiness; And the like is said of the Ordinances of God: The exercises of the graces of the Spirit, they are the ways of wisdom, and are full of delight and pleasure: Cant. 7:13 The Mandrakes give a smell, and at our gates are all manner of fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for you, O my beloved: In the Church of God the exercise of the graces of Gods Spirit among them is pleasant. The duties of obedience are pleasant: O how I love your Law! Your Law is my delight: and a hundred such expressions in Scripture.

The Scripture sets out the pleasantness of Gods ways, by all manner of pleasure that men finde in the world, the pleasure of the eye, of the taste, of the smell, of the ear. The way of the righteous is as a light that shines more and more, to a perfect day: Now it is a good and pleasant thing for an eye to behold the light; no such beauty as in the ways of godliness. The savour of oyntments and spices, in Scripture sets out the fragrancy of Gods Spirit. The melody of the ear, that is also for the setting out of the joy of Gods people; Blessed are they that hear the joyful sound. The taste, O come and taste how sweet the Lord is. And the delight that Gods people have with the Lord in his ways, is set out by the marriage delight, that is the greatest natural delight amongst the children of men.

But in which does the pleasantness of the ways of wisdom appear? what kinde of pleasantness is it?

I shall answer some quaeres about this, and make some application of it, and so proceed. Then a Master is like to prevail with his Scholars, and make them good Scholars, when he can make them love their Books: and it is the duty of Ministers, not only to convince people, that they ought to walk in the ways of godliness, but to make them love them; that we may make you in love with the ways of godliness, we shall show what pleasantness is in them: Surely they must needs be ways of pleasantness,

First, because they are the ways of wisdom: if they were but only rational ways, such ways as were suitable to the principles of right reason, there were abundance of delight in them: certainly, there are rational delights, as well as sensual delights; he is not worthy of the name of a man, that does not think there are rational delights, as well as sensual: Many of the Heathens that knew what rational delights were, those things suitable to the rules of right Reason, scorned sensual delights, as inferior to them; give me that man that has but the rules of right Reason, and I dare undertake to convince him, that all the ways of godliness are suitable to those principles, though some be above them: But being ways of wisdom there is more pleasure, because they are not only suitable to the rules of right Reason, but are able to elevate Reason: Wisdom does make the face of a man to shine, and puts a lustre upon a man, and puts a glory upon any thing; the beauty and glory that wisdom has, is put upon the ways of godliness, therefore pleasant.

Secondly, they are pleasantness, because in them the soul of a man is in the true and right temper and frame of it: Now the delight of nature, it is the right temper and frame, suitable to the principles of nature in every thing; And therefore, that Text that you all know, where it is said, A good Conscicience is a continual feast; the word is in the Original, a good heart, a merry heart, and some translate it, a heart that is in a right temper, that is, in such a frame and temper, that is the true right temper of the heart, that affords a continual feast to any. That place in James 5. If any man be merry, let him sing; the word is, if any ones mind be right, if his mind be in the right temper, then let him sing: For there is no true mirth, no true joy, but that which arises from the true temper of the spirit. Sense has no delight, but when the sensitive part is in the right temper; and so it is in the soul: Now the soul in the ways of godliness is in the right temper, these put the soul into the right frame, and so comes to be pleasant.

Thirdly, they are pleasantness, because they are the highest actions of the highest faculties, elevated by the highest principles, about the highest objects, and therefore must needs afford a great deal of pleasure. This is a special consideration of the pleasantness of the ways of godliness, and will let much of the excellency of them into your hearts. What is the highest pleasure of sense, but the highest exercise of the sensitive faculty about such an object as is suitable to sense? as there is a great deal of pleasure in meat and drink: Whence comes this? It comes from that exercise of the Salinal humor in the tongue and frame of the mouth, meeting with another humor in meat and drink, suitable to it, that is all the pleasure in the taste, which is the special pleasure that is sought for in the world.

Now I beseech you consider, if there be pleasure in joining two such mean things together, the exercise of the humor in the spittle, meeting with a humor in meat and drink suitable to it; what pleasure must needs be in the exercising, and acting of a creature, that is of the highest nature that ever God made creature; and these creatures raised with the highest principles for the kinde that any creature is capable of, and exercised about the highest objects that it is possible for a creature to be exercised about for the kinde, God, and Christ, and Eternity? if we see pleasure in the other that is so low, and not in this, certainly we must pull out our eyes, and willingly besot our own hearts, if we yield not that the pleasure herein is abundantly more, and more glorious. So the pleasure of the eye, what is it but the visive spirit that is in the eye? meeting with color abroad, it has pleasure therein: If the visive spirit in the eye, which is a poor mean thing that brute beasts have as well as ourselves, meeting with such a poor thing as the color is, becomes such delight; what delight must be in exercising the highest faculties, about the highest objects? And so the smell is nothing but that humor in the nostrils, meeting with another humor that is without: And so of the ear, and of the touch; we might instance, there the delight comes from nothing but the exercise of the faculty about mean things; but if godliness exercises such glorious faculties, so elevated about such glorious objects, there must needs be a great deal of pleasantness.

Fourthly, the ways of wisdom must needs be ways of pleasantness, because they are the life of God himself, the soul in the ways of wisdom does live the very life of God: The Scripture speaks of the Life of Grace, it is the life of God: Now all pleasure and comfort, is according to the life that a creature lives; comfort is nothing else but the feeding of such a kinde of life: Sensitive comforts is the feeding of that life, rational comforts the feeding of that life; and the life of God being a higher life then any other, then sense or reason, that must have its comforts too, and there must be delight and pleasure for the filling up of this; now the work of Grace in the hearts of Gods people, & in their lives, it is the life of God, and therefore there must needs be a great deal of comfort in the exercise of such a life.

Fifthly, much pleasantness there is in the ways of godliness, because in them the people of God do communicate unto God their souls, in all that they have or do, by a letting out of the soul into God that is the fountain of all good: Now there is an infinite delight in this. All the delight that there is in God, or in the creature, is in communication. In God himself: because God would have delight in himself, therefore he would have that that he might communicate himself to; and because he would have infinite delight, according to his infinite nature, therefore he would have that, that he might infinitely communicate himself unto; and therefore the Son of God, the second Person of the Trinity, is the infinite delight of his Father, because the Father does infinitely communicate himself unto him.

And now because God would have further delight, though there be nothing that he can infinitely communicate himself unto but his Son, yet that he may have such delight as his creature may understand, he makes a world; and the special end why God made the world, is, that he might have creatures to communicate himself unto, in his wisdom, and goodness and glory; and therefore those creatures that are most capable of Gods communicating himself unto, are called Gods delight; God rejoyces in the habitable parts of the earth, because there are creatures that he can communicate himself unto, and especially his pleasure is among his people, because there are creatures that are capable of communicating of himself: Thus you see that the delight of Gods is communicating himself.

And so the delight of the creature is in communicating themselves; and therefore of all natural delights, that of marriage is the most, because there is the greatest communication of one creature to another: Now when as Gods delight is in communication, and our delight is in natural communication, then much more when we come to communicate ourselves spiritually to God. There is a delight in the life of friendship, because one friend communicates himself to another, but in marriage greater, because that communication is greater; and according to the degrees of communication, the degrees of delight are; then the delight in the ways of God must be the greatest, because there is the greatest, and highest, and most glorious communication of a creature, it communicates it self, and lets out it self fully into the infinite Ocean of all good: If there were nothing but a letting out of it self into an ordinary good, it were delight, but to let out it self into an infinite Ocean of all delight, this is pleasure, and this is a mystery; this is a ground why no hypocrite has the delight of the ways of godliness, because he does not communicate himself fully unto God; but when the heart comes off fully to communicate it self to God, there is infinite delight in them: The ways of godliness surely are ways of pleasure, if this be in them, as it is.

Sixthly, the ways of godliness are ways of pleasure, because in them the soul has the presence of God, and walks with God, walks up and down in the light of his face: There is a blessed shine of Gods countenance, and of his love upon the soul, and influences of his graces unto the soul in those ways; as the soul has delight in the communication of its self unto God, so they are ways of pleasantness, because in them there is a communication of God unto the soul: That place in Psalm 89:19 has a notable expression of the sweetness of the ways of godliness, and the delight that Gods people have in those ways: Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound, they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of your countenance. God is in them, and lets out himself unto them; now the quintessence of all good put together, is in every beam of Gods face, and therefore when God shall let out himself, and be thus the portion of a soul, it must needs be a great deal of delight.

Seventhly, ways of godliness are the ways of pleasure, because the principles of them all is love: whatever comes from love, has much delight and pleasure, and the principle of every way of God is love: God would have nothing from us but out of love, and that may carry us unto love of God himself, and that love by which the heart is carried unto God, is the chariot of love: There is a sweet expression for this that we have in Cant. 3. 9, 10. the estate of the Church is set out by Solomons making himself a Chariot of the wood of Lebanon: He made the Pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with love. A strange expression, that the midst of Chariot should be paved with love: the chariot whereby Christ does carry his people up and down in the world, and bring them to himself, is such a Chariot, as the midst thereof is paved with love. At the 7. ver. he speaks of the bed of Solomon, and here of his Chariot; Divines interpret these two places, his bed to set out the rest and glory that the Saints shall have with Christ eternally; and the Chariot of Solomon, that is, those ways in which Christ carries his people up and down in the world to himself, and the midst thereof is love; there must needs then be delight in those ways.

Eighthly, the ways of God are full of pleasantness, because they are such as are delightful to God: Now they must be pleasant, when they are such as God takes delight in, they are such as the Church knows Christ takes much delight in. What admirable expressions has that Book of the Canticles, of Gods delight in the graces of his people, and in the ways of godliness? Now there is no man loves a friend, but accounts every good thing that his friend loves, to be a double good: Now that which God himself accounts pleasantness, and is his delight, must needs be the delight and pleasure of a gracious heart, because there is so much nearness between God and a gracious heart.

Ninthly, Yet further, there is abundance of pleasantness in the ways of God, in regard of the many encouraging delights that God has provided for his people while they do live here, and walk with him in these ways, to make their lives to be sweet unto them; God provides his Paradise here for them, to encourage them, they walk in the garden of God; God has his Eden, his garden, The Covenant of Grace, and the glorious things prepared, are as the Eden and Paradise of God, in which the souls of his people walk, in which they have delightful hills and dales. In the Scripture there are the high mysteries of godliness, and the plain and easie truths of Religion, as valleys and hills to delight them in their way. They have the sweet springs and rivers of Ordinances, that are appointed as sweet streams to refresh them; and the blessed promises, delightful trees to behold, The tree of life, Christ himself, and a feast of fat things in the Ordinances, wine upon the lees, making melody in their hearts, they go no further for that, and therefore sure their ways are ways of pleasantness, there being so many encouraging delightful things that God has provided for them in their way.

Tenthly, Further, ways of pleasantness they are, because that Religion does enable them to draw out more delight and pleasure from the creature it self, then any other possibly can do; there is no principle that can enable to draw out delights from the creature, as godliness does enable a man to do; for take any other carnal natural man, he can draw out nothing from the creature but that which is carnal and natural; but Gods people have a principle to draw out more, and we are to know this, that every creature has a natural delight in it, and there is somewhat more in it to a gracious heart, then a natural delight; as it was with Manna, when Manna fell, there was a dew that fell together with it; and so with our meat, and drink, and clothes, and estate, and delights in the world; it is true, they are Manna, and we feed upon them as the carnal Israelites fed upon Manna, but we do not see the dew; a carnal heart is not acquainted with the dew that fals with the Manna, but those that are godly and religious, and walk in these ways of wisdom, they have a principle to discern and relish the dew that falls with this Manna, a secret blessing of God that their souls are enabled to close with in the enjoyment of the creature; in meat, and drink, and clothes, and recreations, they finde a secret influence of GOD together with them.

Take a flower, if a flie come to it, it cannot get out that good which a Bee can do: If we take a flower, we can get out the smell, but there is a honey dew, and if we had that principle a Bee has, we might get out more then the smell: So carnal people have many sweet flowers, which are pleasant to the smell, but there is a honey dew that only the godly can get out: So that he has not only the use of all lawful pleasure to the full that any other has, but he can go and take them as his own, as those that are purchased by the blood of Christ, as those his Father allows him: If he see the glory of the creature, and delights in it, he looks upon it as Gods own delight that he gives him, and looks upon all creatures as his Fathers; he sees no ground, but he says it is his Fathers ground; and he sees springs and rivers, and delights in the creatures as they are his Fathers.

A wicked man that takes delight in the creature, he travels and walks up and down, and sees other creatures; but it is as if a man were walking in the Orchard and Garden of his deadly enemy: Suppose a man have a deadly enemy, and he has a pleasant garden, that has many fair walks and trees in his garden, and he walks in it as others do; But where am I now? I am walking here, and compassed in the garden that is mine enemies, and what if he meet me here? it may cost me my life: And so it is with all carnal men in the world; but the people of God enjoy the outward delights of the world, and see the sweet walks, and delightful pleasures that are here, and it is their Fathers garden, the garden of him that is their God, that they have an interest in, so that they have more delight in the creatures then any else.

Yea not only so, godliness does not only enable to draw more delight from the creatures then others, but raises all natural pleasures on high, and makes them spiritual, it puts a spiritual excellency upon that which is natural, it does not rest in having content to the eye, or ear, or taste in any natural delight, but spiritualizeth all; there is that vertue in godliness to spiritualize all natural things, to raise the excellency of them.

Yea not only so, but in the last place there is that vertue in godliness, to turn all evil into good, if it meet with any thing that has bitterness; godliness is like that wood, that made the bitter waters sweet, it has that excellency to turn evil, and make it not only profitable, but delightful. So that all these being put together concerning the commendation of the ways of wisdom, we must either put out our eyes, or acknowledge we do not know what the ways of wisdom mean, if we do not subscribe to this truth, that her ways are ways of pleasantness: Ways of pleasantness they are, and this pleasantness that is in her ways has abundance of excellencies in it. Very many I thought to have spoken of, and enlarged, take only the very mention of them, (because I must not be too long) and then we will answer to some quaeres, and apply all, and so conclude. For the excellent properties of this pleasantness, it is that which is the sweetest soul-satisfying pleasantness, the very rule it self is sweet, sweeter then honey; oh how sweet is the souls acting by it! it has the very quintessence of all other delights extracted in it, it is the most solid, such as has not vanity and froth in it, as other delights have; it is such a delight as ennobles the soul, it spiritualizeth the heart, it is immixt, not dangerous as others are; it is abiding, not vanishing, it is continually virid and fresh; though there is a fulness in it, yet it grows not to satiety by use, but grows more and more sweet, for it raises and enlargeth the faculty; it is Heavenly, it is divine, it is independent in regard of the creature, there needs no sharking out to the creature for the upholding it, all other delights depend on this; there is no pleasure had but in the ways of godliness: Una guttula malae conscientiae totum marae mundani gaudii absorbet: One drop of an evil conscience swallows up the whole Sea of worldly joy, says Luther; but one drop of this delight is enough to sweeten all sorrows; one drop of gall will imbitter much sweet, but one drop of sweet cannot sweeten much gall; but here it is otherwise, one drop of this sweet sweetens all bitterness of afflictions, but all the bitter of afflictions cannot imbitter one drop of this delight. Yea this pleasure is the rule of all pleasure, and the end of all pleasure, whatever pleasure is not regulated by this, and subordinate to this, is evil.

But how are the ways of wisdom the ways of pleasantness? It appears otherwise, for the ways of godliness do abridge men of abundance of pleasure and delight in many things in the world; What is so great an enemy to the pleasures of men and women as Religion? It causes them to be cut short of abundance of delightful things that others rejoice in.

To that I answer, first, Suppose it were so: you heard in the commendation, that the pleasantness of the ways of godliness was exceeding great, that it has that excellency in it, to make up whatever pleasure it wants: Though it should cut you short of abundance of pleasure, if it shall put a principle that shall enable you to stand in no need of that pleasure it cuts you short of, what have you lost? As suppose a man that is weak, and has little blood or spirits in him, and is chill, and cold, and puts on many clothes to keep himself warm; if these clothes should be al taken away, save only his inward garment, if there could be put into him spirits, and blood and marrow, and that which should make him not to be sensible of the want of his clothes, it is a great deal better; What man that is weak and sickly, and is fain to have abundance of clothes to keep him warm, would not be willing to part with his clothes, if he might have spirits and blood put into him, not to feel the want of those clothes? So, why is it that your hearts are set upon the delight of the creature? because you want a principle within to satisfy your souls withal, and therefore you are fain to seek the cloathing of the creature, and to keep yourselves warm with the cloathing of the creature; but if Religion take away those things, and give you a principle not to feel the want of them, but have them made up another way and better, you have no cause to complain of the want of pleasantness.

Secondly, I answer, that godliness abridges us of no lawful pleasure; if it abridges of any, it is delightfulness to want those delights that godliness abridges us of: What, hast you delight in that which is sinful? if it be not sinful, Religion does not abridge you of it, only such delights in which you dishonorest God, and provokest him against you.

But secondly, How are the ways of God ways of pleasantness, when they require abundance of humiliation, trouble for sin; and is not that bitter and grievous?

To that I answer, First, there is more sweetness in that which you callest bitterness, then in all the delightfulness of the world besides: those waters Christ does turn into wine. And to convince you that these are not bitter waters, but that the tears of repentance and humiliation, are sweet refreshing waters of life; consider from what fountain they come.

First, the work of humiliation if it be right, the principle of it is the melting work of the Gospel in the soul, the sweetness of the goodness, and mercy of God in Jesus Christ melting the heart, and causing it to dissolve, and fall down under the hand of God; certainly that which comes from such a sweet principle, cannot have much bitterness in it.

Secondly, the soul in the work of humiliation, melting before the Lord, eases it self in that melting of abundance of sin; and much sweetness there must needs be in those tears that ease the soul of, and deliver the soul from much sin.

Thirdly, in the work of humiliation there is much delight, because the soul has much delight in looking back to that sorrow it has had; and if godliness makes mourning to be delightful, what does it make rejoicing to be?

But if it be said in the third place, But there are many hardthings that Gods people do meet withal in the ways of godliness, and the ways of godliness put them upon such things as cause them to meet with sore temptations and trials here in the world; how then can the ways of godliness be so pleasant?

To that I answer, Here is a mighty commendation to the pleasantness of the ways of Religion, notwithstanding the hardest, and sorest things a godly heart meets with; there is that delight in the ways of godliness, as upholds the heart under all, and carries the heart sweetly on. What commendation was it to the grace in the hearts of the Martyrs, that did uphold their hearts, and carry their hearts sweetly in the enduring of such hard things?

Secondly, these being hard to flesh and blood, hinder not the pleasure of a gracious heart; it is the highest improvement of all our estates that can be, the highest testimony of giving your respect to God, whereby the soul enjoys most of God all times: The Spirit of God and glory resteth upon the soul while it is enduring such things. And how opposite is your heart, and what difference between Christs heart and your? Christ bids you leap for joy, when you meet with such things, and you think they take away all joy.

But we see it in experience contrary; when people come into the ways of godliness, they do not finde that delight and joy you speak of, their spirits are heavy, and lumpish, and sad.

For answer to that, It may be it is but seriousness, and you thinkest it is sadness.

Secondly, it may be they are not in their element, and therefore they do not express chearfulness: If the fish be upon the earth, it cannot take delight; the bird does not sing when it is upon the ground, but when it is got up to the air: Those that you say are melancholly and lumpish, put them to religious and gracious exercises, and get up their hearts to God, and they will be merry.

Thirdly, it may be it is your company makes them so, because they see so much dishonor to God in your company, let them be among their own company, and they know how to be joyful.

Fourthly, it is not because of Religion, but because they are no more religious, because they finde so much want of godliness in their hearts.

Fifthly, it is not because they have so much cause of sorrow as you, but they come to see more then you; not because their hearts are not so pleasant as yours, but because God has discovered the danger of their condition more to them, and the things that concern their souls and eternal estates, such things as if you didst but see, would sink your heart into dismal, bottomless sorrow and desperation. You thinkest much to see them so sad as they are, If you didst but see that they see, you would sink down into the gulf of desperation among the damned spirits.

It is a mighty argument, they have some mighty work of God to uphold them, and that grace comes from a mighty principle, that they have some chearfulness, notwithstanding they see such things, as if one that were meerly natural should see them, he would sink down into hell, and yet they can hope in God; and sometimes, notwithstanding all unbelief, do rejoice in God. Alas, your pleasantness and delight is such, as every little toy is enough to damp; if you beest crossed in the least thing in the creature, you art damped: But what if God should show you all his terrors, the infinite evil of sin, and the infinite danger you art in, in regard of your eternal estate, that would damp you indeed; and therefore acknowledge that that joy that the godly have, considering what they see, is exceeding strong, that upholds them as it does.

Sixthly, their joy is a secret inward thing, which strangers shall not intermeddle withal, you hast no skill in it. What was it for Nebuchadnezzar, to say, No Nobleman had such pleasure as he, when he was among the beasts; you hast no principle to judge of it, and therefore art no meet Judge.

For Application.

Hence we see one special and great reason, why Gods people are taken off so much from carnal pleasure as they are; they have met with better; and the sweet of the world is not so much to them, because they have met with that which is abundantly more sweet. It is the sweet savor of Christs precious oyntment, that draws the hearts of the Saints after him, that makes them cry out, Draw us, and we will run after you, Cant. 1. 3, 4. But the savor of base pleasures draws vile hearts after them:

—Trahit sua quemque voluptas.

The light of the Sun darkens the light of the candle, and puts out the light of the fire; The light that Gods servants do meet with in the ways of God, do darken all, and take away the lustre of all carnal delight; and this is the reason that Satan does not go that way to work, to tempt a gracious heart with sensual pleasures, because he is so far above them, and therefore he is fain to tempt them with spiritual pride, and lusts of a higher nature: It were a wonderful dishonour for any that profess godliness, to have their hearts taken with any pleasures of the flesh, but only in order to better pleasures that are to be enjoyed in the ways of godliness, in the ways of wisdom.

In the second place; What infinite cause have we to bless the Name of God that gives us such pleasant ways unto glory? Though his ways were never so full of torment, we had cause to bless God; but for to pave our way to Heaven with such delights, and to afford unto us such soul-satisfying contents, here while we live in this our poor pilgrimage, this is praise-worthy: If we were to ascend to Heaven in a fiery Chariot, we were to praise God; but this is the Chariot of Solomon, the midst whereof is paved with love, as you heard; How are we to bless God for this?

Thirdly, if it be so, here is an aggravation of the wickedness of those that shall take delight in sinful pleasures: God sees it is impossible for any of his creatures, but they must seek for pleasures some way, and that God might take our hearts to himself, he has provided ways in which we may have pleasure, and an infinite aggravation it will be to your wickedness, to seek for pleasure in the ways of sin, in dishonoring God, when you mayest have pleasure in honoring of God: Consider this, and let your soul upbraid it self for abominable wickedness and ingratitude: There are ways of delight in which God may be honored, and my soul satisfied; there are other ways that have delight, but such ways as God will be dishonored in them, and my soul endangered. Now when as God does give me a cup full of all delicacy to satisfy my thirst with, for me to take a cup of poyson to satisfy my thirst with, this is folly, and this is abominable wickedness of mens hearts. God sets his cup of salvation, and tenders it in his ways to satisfy your souls withal, and the Devil comes with his cup of poyson, and do but speak of delight, and when you are athirst, you rather take the cup of poyson, then the cup of Salvation: the more delight there is in Gods ways, the more abominable is your wickedness to forsake them.

Fourthly, hence the great scandal of the ways of godliness, that the world stumbles at, is taken away, they call them dumpish ways: The Saints of God never knew the mind of God if this be so. The world deals with the ways of God in this case, as they did with the Christians in the Primitive times; they used to put Christians into Bears and Dogs skins, or ugly creatures, and then bait them; and so the men of the world put Religion into ugly conceits, and then speak against them: and truly that they speak against, is only their own conceits, and not any thing in themselves; they are lovely and excellent, and glorious, only they appear to be sad and evil, by the conceits you hast put upon them.

In the fifth place, by that which has been said, let all be drawn to the love of the ways of godliness. I have often hinted upon such an argument as this, and therefore will pass lightly over it. Fear not pleasure, trust God with it, you shall finde enough. would you never be sad? live well, says Bernard: Tell me, would you embrace the ways of Religion, if you were sure of pleasure? I call Heaven and Earth to record this day, that which I have spoken of the ways of wisdom are truths of God, they are not notions, not conceits, but certain realities. God has engaged himself to make this good, and abundantly more; Oh come and taste how sweet the Lord is, do not stand aloof off; they may seem to be unpleasant ways a great way off, but when you come near, you will see delight. Therefore all you that have been acquainted with the ways of wisdom, manifest this, that God has brought you into blessed paths, that these things are true: Religion does mightily suffer by the Professors of it, when those that look on, see no such things manifested: It is our duty to rejoice in the Lord, and to walk in the ways of wisdom, as it may appear they are ways of pleasantness, to carry ous selves delightfully in these delightful ways. Delightfulness in the ways of godliness puts a beauty upon them; It is an excellent similitude that Chrysostom has to express this, As, says he, a beautiful face at all times is pleasing to the eye, but then especially when there is joy manifested in the countenance: joy in the face puts a new beauty, and makes that which before was beautiful, to be exceeding beautiful, it puts a lustre upon beauty; so, though the ways of Religion be in themselves beautiful, yet when there is spiritual joy added, they appear then beautiful with a double beauty. We have a sweet promise, Isa. 65:18 Oh that we could see it fulfilled! I will create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy; a joy even in the abstract, not only joyful, but a joy, and God will create this, it must be Gods work; and though to the eye of flesh and blood there be no matter of joy, yet God will create her people a joy. You know what charges the Prophet lays upon this; what a comely thing it is, and see that in any case you rejoice. Only take heed you do not mistake in pleasantness; many that are godly may be pleasant in their way upon that ground, because Christians must be pleasant, but do not mistake natural pleasantness for spiritual pleasantness.

How shall we know the difference between natural pleasantness in a Christian, and spiritual pleasantness.

There may be a great many of temporal pleasures that God gives forth to Christians in its place; but you must rise higher then that, and put another manner of lustre upon the ways of Religion then natural pleasantness.

First, if it be a spiritual pleasantness, it will be serious, such as becomes Christian gravity; Yea, not only seriousness and gravity is to be mixed with pleasantness; but if it be spiritual pleasantness,

Secondly, it is such as can stand with fear, and the work of repentance and humiliation; these do not hinder a spiritual pleasantness, though it hinders that which is natural: You know the Scripture that says, Rejoyce with trembling; and Blessed is the man that fears the Lord, and greatly delights in his Commandments: That is a spiritual pleasantness, which has a gracious mixture of seriousness and other graces of Gods Spirit with it.

Thirdly, Again, if it be a gracious pleasantness, it is a delight in all the ways of wisdom; many can delight in some ways of wisdom, the stony ground received some truths with joy, but others they cannot close with; but when the pleasantness is spiritual, there is rejoicing in all.

Fourthly, Again, if the pleasantness be spiritual, it is our strength, it carries on the soul in the ways of God more fully, it is oyl that causes the wheels of your soul to go on more freely in the ways of Religion. I appeal to you, Does your pleasantness carry you on more sweetly in the ways of Religion? You hast been merry in company, but does this carry you on more fully in the ways of God? If you have had pleasure in natural things, and when you come to spiritual things, your hearts are dead, certainly you went beyond your bounds.

Fifthly, Again, if it be spiritual pleasantness, it will bear up the heart in the want of all outward pleasantness, and though all outward content be taken away. Habbak. 3. 17, 18. Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the Vines, the labor of the Olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. When all is dark abroad in the world, the soul does rejoice in God alone: A soul that has but natural pleasantness of spirit, is all amort and down when any affliction befals him. You that have the most delightful spirits, when you have friends, and all that you like, you are jocund and merry, but when affliction comes, how quickly are your spirits down? and how are you vext and troubled? whereas if there were this spring of pleasantness in the heatt, it would bear up the heart joyful in affliction; though servants and friends should cross, this delightfulness of spirit within would carry the heart on chearfully: But those that are delightful when they are well pleased, yet every little thing that crosses them, makes them dumpish. This is another argument, it is not spiritual pleasantness their hearts are filled with, it is not from the delight they have found in the ways of God that makes them so merry. This by way of Caution.

But if we be sure that our pleasantness is spiritual, let us expatiate ourselves to the utmost: It is a work of grace to moderate all carnal pleasures, and to keep them down; but it is the special work of grace to expatiate the soul to the utmost in all spiritual pleasure: Therefore if God has given you this spring of delight and pleasure, expatiate it to the glory and praise of God. Blessed is the man that greatly delights in the ways of Gods Commandments: And if God takes pleasure in you, how much more should you take pleasure in him! God gives out his pleasure to be joined to our pleasantness, and if we should not carry on the ways of Religion pleasantly, it will be a dishonor to God, and a disgrace to ourselves, and we cannot expect that acceptance from God of what we do, as otherwise we might; for as God loves a chearful Giver, so a chearful Server.

How shall we carry on the work of God pleasantly?

First, be sure to keep the heart right within, be sure to keep all at peace within your soul; you know according to the temper within, so there is the relishing of things without; He that has peace within, can easily go through the duties that are required without with joy.

Further, exercise faith in the work and office of the holy Ghost, that office that the holy Ghost is designed unto by the Father and the Son, to be the Comforter of his people, to bring joy and comfort to them; look upon the holy Ghost, as designed by the Father and the Son to bring joy and delight to the souls of his people. What an infinite difference there is between the comforts of a carnal heart, and the comforts of the godly? The one come from a little meat and drink, and the other come from the exercise of faith about the office of the holy Ghost that is designed to this work.

Thirdly, in all that you doest, be sure to be upright: Though you beest able to do but a little in any way of God, if you beest upright, God accepts of it, and and you will finde comfort: You sayest your duties are mean; it may be so, but if you beest upright, you mayest have comfort, it becomes the upright to be joyful; whereas the most glorious performances, if they be not in uprightness, are but abominable.

Again, sweeten all your duties by spiritual meditation; a Christian that treasures up spiritual meditation, and every duty that he performs brings it in by meditation, and has a great many meditations to rowl his duty up and down; in this is delight: To go to duty, and to have a barren heart to act, there is no delight; but to go to a duty, and to exercise spiritual meditation, this is sweet.

Again, labor to principle your heart aright in the ways of godliness, to understand what they are; if you understoodest what they are, they would be delightful; and the reason why many do not go on delightfully is, because they do not understand what is in the ways of God to cause delight.

You will say, What is there in the ways of God, to cause delight?

First, every work of godliness, and that ability that grace has to exercise, is a beam of that infinite, choice, eternal, electing love of God upon your soul; if you lookest upon it so, it will be wonderfully delightful.

Secondly, look upon every duty of godliness, as having more of the glory of God in it, then the whole frame of heaven and earth besides: Take all Gods works in the Creation, in Providence, in the Heavens, the Sun, Moon and Stars, in the Earth, and the Seas, there is not so much of the glory of God in them all, as in one gracious action that a Christian performs; and if you looked at it thus, it could not but have pleasure in it.

Thirdly, look at that action of grace, as that in which God attains his end in creating heaven and earth, more then in other things besides; as there is more of God in it, so God attains more in it; the end of God in his counsels is more attained by any gracious act, then by any thing else that can be done, save of the same nature: How delightful should we be in the ways of godliness, if we looked thus at them?

Fourthly, look upon every gracious act, as the seed of glory and eternal life: Every work of grace in the heart and life of Gods people, is a seed of glory and eternal life. And these four considerations being put upon every gracious act, do confirm that which was said in the opening of the point, they must needs be full of pleasantness: Be not satisfied in doing any thing in the ways of God, till you do it pleasantly; I hear the ways of God are pleasant, I have gone on being haled by conscience, but little have I understood of the pleasantness of them, there is more to be looked after then I have attained to: By this you shall come to be mightily strengthened, and it wil be a marvellous help to make you continue in the ways of godliness: And as I said in handling that argument of the easiness of the ways of godliness, those that are continually thinking of the hardness of Gods ways, will fall off; but by having them pleasant, it will carry you on against temptations, and the current of all arguments.

The last Use of all, is, If the ways of wisdom be ways of pleasantness, what is the end of wisdom? If the neather springs be so sweet, what will the upper be? If the lower Jerusalem be paved with gold, surely that upper Jerusalem is paved with pearls. It is an excellent speech of Bernard, Good art you, O Lord, to the soul that seeks you; what art you then to the soul that findes you? How sweet and pleasant are the ways of wisdom then? How sweet and delightful is the end of wisdom? If grace be pleasant, how pleasant is glory? therefore the Saints dye so pleasantly, because there is a meeting of grace and glory: Grace is delightful, glory more delightful; but when these both meet together, what delight will there then be? It is a speech of Jerome, speaking of carnal delights; None can go from delight to delight; but it is not so spiritually, the more delight we have here, the more we shall have hereafter: and therefore let this be all our prayer, Lord give us evermore this pleasure, satisfy our souls with this pleasure; if the drops be sweet, the rivers of pleasure and joy that are at Christs right hand, how sweet are they?