4 SERMONS upon Serin. 39. wayfaring Man that hath loft his DireEtion,turneth up and down, and knows not where to pitch ; or the Needle in the Compels, when it is jogged, thaketh and wavereth, and knoweth not where to reft, till it turneth to the Pole again. There is a reftlefnefs in our Defires, (till we have new Projects, and know not where to pitch, are not convent with what we do potters, this is not the Pole where we reft. k_t,eriint in vanitate crea- turarum quod ayz f runt in imitate Creatoris. A River, the further it runneth from the Fountain, the more it is difperfed into feveral Streams. Blindnefs maketh us grope and feel about for Happinefs, as the Sodomites did for Lot's Door. We change Obje &s, ftriving to meet with that in one thing, which we cannot find in another ; as Bees Hy, and go from Flower to Flower, we feek to patch up things as well as we can. 2. In all this Chafe, and diftraaion of Thoughts, there is no Contentment in the vaft World, nothing that can fatiate the Heart of Man. Tranfitory Things may di- vert,the Soul, but they cannot content it. After Solomon's Survey, Eccief. r. 2. Vanity of Vanities, faith the Preacher, Vanity of Vanities, all is Vanity. He had made many Experiments, but Rill found himfelf difappointed, and Difappointment is the wort} Vexation. 3. This Diftrahion continueth till we return to God again. i Pet.2.25. re were as Sheep going affray, bet are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bifhop of your Souls. There is no fafety, but in the Fold. God, who is the Principle of our Being, is the only Object of our Contentment. We began in a Monade or Unity, and there we end. God is the Boundary of all Things. Rom. i s. 36. For of him, and through him, and to him, are allThings ; to whom be Glory for ever, Amen. In him, or no where, the Soul findeth content : He is our fitft Caufe, and our laft End. There are fome Striftures and. Rays of Goodnefs in the Creature, but they cannot fatisfy, becaufe there we have Happinefs by Parcels, it is difperfd 5 nothing is difperfed in the Creature, but what is recolle &ed in the Creator ; there is all in him, becaufe all came out from him. 4.. The great Work of Grace, is to return us to God again, that we may pitch up- on him as the chief Obje l and Center of our Reft. Jer. 32.39. 1 will give them one Heart, and one Way, that they may fear me for ever. It is the great Bleffing of the Co- venant, this one Heart is to pitch upon God as the chief Objeû and Center of our Rea Otherwife we are troubled with divers Cares, Fears, and Defires: Thus Grace worketh upon us. But the diftance lieth not only on our part, but God's : Before God and the Creature can be brought together, Juftice mull be fatisfied. Chrift came to rettore us to our Primitive Condition. z Cor. 5. 19. God was in Chrift, reconciling the World unto hinaßif The Merit of Chrift bringeth God to us; and the Spirit of Chrift bringeth us to God. It is as neceffary Chrift fhould be united to us, as we to God. 5. Our Happinefs in God is compleated by degrees. In this Life the Foundation is laid, we are reconciled to him upon Earth; But the compleat fruition we have in Heaven, there we are fully made perfeú in one. Here there is weaknefs in our Re- conciliation, we do not cleave to himwithout diftraiion; there are many goings a whoring and wandring from God after our return to him. And here on God's part, our Punifhment is continued in part. God helpeth us by Means at fecond and third ,Hand. We need many Creatures, and cannot be happy without them; we need Light, Meat, Cloaths, Houle : Our Life is patched up by Supplies from the Creature. But there God is all,and in all, i Cori 5.z8. We find in God,whatever is neceffary for us without Means and outward Helps. There God is all, and in all; he is our Houle, Cloaths; Meat, Ordinances. We have all immediately from God, and in all, all are made pencil in one. We cannot pofrels any Thing in the World, except we encroach upon one anothers Happinefs. Worldly Things cannot be divided without leffening; and we take that from others, which we poflefs our felves. Envy fheweth the narrow- nefs of our Comforts. But there the Happinefs of one, is no hindrance to another, all are gratified, and none miferable. As the Sun is a common Privilege, none have lets, becaufe others have more. All poffefs God as their Happinefs without Want and Jealoufy. Z1fe. If to be drawn into Unity and Onenefs with God be our Happinefs and Per - feftion, then take heed of two Things; r. Of 4.1
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