Moses his choice with his eye fixed upon Heaven, discovering the happy condition of…

Fourthly, Again, if the pleasantness be spiritual, it ¹is our strength, it carries on the soul in the ways of God more fully, it is oil that causes the wheels of thy soul to go on more freely in the ways of Religion. I appeal to thee, Does thy pleasantness carry thee on more sweetly in the ways of Religion? Thou hast been merry in company, but does this carry thee 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.

Fourthly, Again, if the pleasantness be spiritual, it ¹is our strength, it carries on the soul in the ways of God more fully, it is oyl that causes the wheels of thy soul to go on more freely in the ways of Religion. I appeal to thee, Does thy pleasantness carry thee on more sweetly in the ways of Religion? Thou hast been merry in company, but does this carry thee 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.

1. 14.

Fifthly, Again, if it be spiritual pleasantness, it ¹will bear up the heart in the want of all outward pleasantness, and though all outward content be taken away. Habak. 3. 17, 18. Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the Vines, the labour 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 ⟨p. 193⟩all is dark abroad in the world, the soul does rejoice in God alone: A soul that hath but natural pleasantness of spirit, is all amort and down when any affliction befalls 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 vexed and troubled? whereas if there were this spring of pleasantness in the heat, 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 cheerfully: 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.

Fifthly, Again, if it be spiritual pleasantness, it ¹will 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 rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. When ⟨p. 193⟩all is dark abroad in the world, the soul does rejoyce in God alone: A soul that hath 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.

1. 15.

But if we be sure that our pleasantness is spiritual, let us expatiate our selves 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 hath given thee 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 thee, how much more shouldst thou 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 dishonour to God, and a disgrace to our ⟨p. 194⟩selves, and we cannot expect that acceptance from God of what we do, as otherwise we might; for as ¹God loves a cheerful Giver, so a cheerful Server.

But if we be sure that our pleasantness is spiritual, let us expatiate our selves 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 hath given thee 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 thee, how much more shouldst thou take pleasure in him! God gives out his pleasure to be joyned 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 our ⟨p. 194⟩selves, and we cannot expect that acceptance from God of what we do, as otherwise we might; for as ¹God loves a chearful Giver, so a chearful Server.

1. 1Si quid boni tristis feceris fit de te potius quam facis Prosper

First, be sure to keep the heart right within, be sure ¹to keep all at peace within thy soul; you know according ²to the temper within, so there is the relishing of things without; He that hath peace within, can easily go through the duties that are required without with joy.

1. 1Quest.
2. 2Answ.

Further, exercise faith in the work and office of the ¹holy 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.

1. 1How to carry on the work of God pleasantly.

Thirdly, in all that thou doest, be sure to be upright: ¹Though thou beest able to do but a little in any way of God, if thou beest upright, God accepts of it, and and thou wilt find comfort: Thou sayest thy duties are mean; it may be so, but if thou beest upright, thou mayest have comfort, it becomes the upright to be joyful; whereas the most glorious performances, if they be not in uprightness, are but abominable.

Thirdly, in all that thou doest, be sure to be upright: ¹Though thou beest able to do but a little in any way of God, if thou beest upright, God accepts of it, and and thou wilt finde comfort: Thou sayest thy duties are mean; it may be so, but if thou beest upright, thou mayest have comfort, it becomes the upright to be joyful; whereas the most glorious performances, if they be not in uprightness, are but abominable.

1. 13.

Again, sweeten all your duties by spiritual meditation; ¹a Christian that treasures up spiritual meditation, ⟨p. 195⟩and every duty that he performs brings it in by meditation, and hath a great many meditations to roll 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, sweeten all your duties by spiritual meditation; ¹a Christian that treasures up spiritual meditation, ⟨p. 195⟩and every duty that he performs brings it in by meditation, and hath 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.

1. 14.

Again, labour to principle thy heart aright in the ¹ways of godliness, to understand what they are; if thou 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.

Again, labor to principle thy heart aright in the ¹ways of godliness, to understand what they are; if thou 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.

1. 15.

You will say, What is there in the ways of God, to ¹cause delight?

1. 1Quest.

First, every work of godliness, and that ability that ¹grace hath to exercise, is a beam of that infinite, choice, eternal, electing love of God upon thy soul; if thou lookest upon it so, it will be wonderfully delightful.

1. 1Ans. 1.

Secondly, look upon every duty of godliness, as ¹having more of the glory of God in it, then the ²whole 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.

1. 12.
2. 2What there is in the ways to cause delight.

Thirdly, look at that action of grace, as that in which God attains his end in creating heaven and earth, ¹more 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, ⟨p. 196⟩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?

1. 13.

Fourthly, look upon every gracious act, as the seed ¹of 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 thou shalt come to be mightily strengthened, and it will be a marvellous help to make thee 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 thee on against temptations, and the current of all arguments.

Fourthly, look upon every gracious act, as the seed ¹of 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 thou shalt come to be mightily strengthened, and it wil be a marvellous help to make thee 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 thee on against temptations, and the current of all arguments.

1. 14.

The last Use of all, is, If the ways of wisdom be ways of pleasantness, what is the end of wisdom? If the nether springs be so sweet, what will the upper be? If the lower Jerusalem be paved with gold, ¹surely that upper Jerusalem is paved with pearls. It is an excellent speech of Bernard, Good art thou, O Lord, to the soul that seeks thee; what art thou then to the soul that finds thee? How sweet and pleasant are the ways of wisdom then? How sweet and delightful is the end of wisdom? If grace be pleasant, how ⟨p. 197⟩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?

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, ¹surely that upper Jerusalem is paved with pearls. It is an excellent speech of Bernard, Good art thou, O Lord, to the soul that seeks thee; what art thou then to the soul that findes thee? How sweet and pleasant are the ways of wisdom then? How sweet and delightful is the end of wisdom? If grace be pleasant, how ⟨p. 197⟩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, satisfie 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?

1. 1Bonus es Domine, animae quaerenti; quid invenienti?

Moses his Choice.