shall not tarry in his sight Psal 5.5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight or as the Hebrew hath it before thine eyes thou hatest all workers of iniquity God will never admit fools to be his favourites he will at last shut the door of glory against them Mat. 25.4 13. A seventh Argument to prove that without real holiness there is no happiness that without holiness on earth no man shall ever come to a blessed vision or fruition of God in heaven is this Unholy persons are to be excluded and shut out from sacred from special communion and fellowship with the Saints in this world and therefore without all peradventure they shall never be admitted to everlasting communion and fellowship with God Christ Angels and Saints in that other world That they are to be shut out from having any special communion with the Saints here is most plain and evident from several Scripures take these for a taste Lev. 10.10 Lev. 13.46 Numb 5.1 2 3 4. Exod. 12.48 Lev. 22.3 4 5 6 7. As oft said One as I have been among wicked men I return home less a man then I was before The Docrenean well will quench a burning torch so will bad company the most burning and most shining Christians as you see in Joseph and Peter Psal 106.35 when they were mingled among the Heathen they quickly learn their works Psa 119.115 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy and between unclean and clean Ezek. 44.23 And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and prophane and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean And because the Priests did not improve their power and interest to preserve the things of God from prophaning and polluting the Lord was very much offended and provoked Ezek. 22.26 Her Priests have violated my Law and have prophaned mine holy things they have put no difference between the holy and prophane neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean and have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths and I am prophaned among them And in Chap. 44.7 8. God sadly complains that they brought into his Sanctuary strangers uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh and prohibits such from entring into his Sanctuary ver 9. Thus saith the Lord God No stranger uncircumcised in heart nor uncircumcised in flesh shall enter into my Sanctuary of any stranger that is among the children of Israel God expects that faithfull teachers should put a difference between person and person between the holy and prophane between the clean and the unclean in all holy administrations Jerem. 15.19 Therefore thus saith the Lord If thou take forth the pretious from the vile then thou shalt be as my mouth let them return unto thee but return not thou unto them Now certainly if under the Ceremonial Law natural uncleanness did exclude and shut out the Israelites from a participation in holy things then certainly moral uncleanness may justly exclude and shut out Christians from a participation in holy things under the Gospel Mat. 7.6 Give not that which is holy unto dogs neither cast ye your pearls before swine lest they trample them under their feet and turn again and rent you Holy things are too precious to be spent and spilt upon swinish sinners Gospel administrations are pretious pearls that must not be given to swine 2 Cor. 6.17 Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you Prophane scandalous blind and ignorant persons are very unclean things and from them we must come out as we would be in with God we must be out with them we must reject them as we would have God to receive us 2 Tim. 3.5 Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof from such turn away Our Saviour Christ hied him to the wilderness amongst the beasts and carried his Disciples with him holding their fellowship to be less hurtfull and dangerous It is better to live among beasts then to live among men of beastly principles and beastly practises Now there are ten sorts of persons that Christians must turn from that they must have no intimate no special communion with in this world First Unbelievers 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16. We should not close with them that have not closed with Christ nor give our selves up to them who have not given up themselves to Christ Every unbeliever is a condemned person the Law hath cast him John 3.18 the Gospel hath cast him and his own conscience hath cast him and what sacred communion what delightfull fellowship can believers have with condemned persons Ver. 36. Every Unbeliever is under the wrath of the great God he is under that wrath that he can neither avoid nor abide and what communion can such have who are under love with those that are under wrath Every unbeliever makes God a Lyar. 1 Iohn 5.10 And what children will have communion with such who every day give their Father the Lye to his very face Every unbeliever doth practically say Tush there is no such loveliness or comeliness there is no such beauty or glory there is no such fulness or sweetness there is no such goodness or graciousness in Jesus as men would make us believe and what is this but to give God the Lie Tus◠there is no such favour there is no such peace there is no such pardon there is no such Righteousness there is no such Grace there is no such glory to be reaped by Christ as God and men would perswade us and what is this but to tell God he lyes to his very teeth And what ingenuous child can take pleasure in such who are still a spitting in his Fathers face Every unbeliever is a disobedient person Numb 14.11 Heb. 11.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 5.8 2 Cor 6.14 15. 1 Cor. 14.23 ult 2 Tim. 3.1.6 and therefore unbelievers and disobedient are in the Greek expressed by one word and what communion can obedient children have with those that are disobedient and rebellious Every unbeliever is a Pagan a Heathen in the Scripture dialect and what communion can those who are of the houshold of faith have with Pagans and Heathens Every unbeliever is a Traytor he commits Treason daily against the Crown and dignity of heaven and what Loyal Subjects will hold communion with Traitors Unbelievers are the greatest Robbers they rob God of his declarative glory though they cannot rob him of his Essential glory they rob h m of the glory of his truth and faithfulnesse as if he would falsifie the word that is gone out of his mouth as if he were yea and nay and as if his credit was so low and contemptibe that he must needs run a hazzard that shall trust to him or roul himself upon him They rob him of the glory of his goodness and mercy as if there were any sins too great
have in heaven shall not be given out to them upon the account of their merits or the dignity of their persons or the worthiness of their works but upon the account of Gods meere mercy and grace who in the day of retribution will delight to crowne his own gifts not our merits and where he shall finde the greatest measures of grace holiness Deus nihil coronat nisi dona sua Aug. When God crowneth us he doth but crowne his own gifts in us c. there he will of his own free mercy bestow the greatest measure of glory Well friends remember this you must alwayes carefully distinguish between the essence and substance of glory and between degrees and measures of glory Now the essence and substance of glory which consists in the Saints full communion with God and in their perfect conformity to God and in their universal subjection to God and in their everlasting fruition of God be common to all the Saints so that no one Saint shall have more of the essence and substance of glory then another has yet the degrees and measures of glory shall be distributed to some more to some less Now that there shall be different degrees of glory in heaven answerable to the different degrees of grace and holiness that the Saints reach to here on earth and that God will at last proportion his Rewards according to the different degrees of labour seâ—â—ice and sufferings of his people in this world may be made evident 1. By cleare Scriptures 2. By Arguments Now there are severall Scriptures that speaks out this truth take these for a taste First that 1 Cor. 3.8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour The Apostle having compared his own and Apollo's work together adds That both should receive their reward according to their work that is as their work differed so should their reward differ though they both preacht one and the same doctrine and had both one and the same designe and purpose viz. to bring in souls to Christ and to build up souls to Christ yet according to their different degrees of labour so should be their different degrees of reward Though no man should work in Gods vineyard for nought yet he that was most faithful diligent and laborious in planting or in watering Gods Husbandry should have the greatest reward Paul and Apollo shall at last receive their different reward according to their different labour or neerer the Original they shall each of them receive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their proper reward according to their proper work A second Scripture is that 1 Cor. â—5 41 42. There is one glory of the Sun and another glory of the Moone and another glory of the Stars for one Star differeth from another in glory so also is the resurrection of the dead Mark here is the full stop and these words are not to be referr'd to those following words viz. That the body is sown in corruption and riseth againe in incorruption For the Apostle speaks not here of the difference between glorious and inglorious corruptible and incorruptible things but he speaks here of the difference that is between heavenly and glorious things for faith he one Star differs from another in glory 'T is very observable that the comparison runs between the glorified condition of some Saints that shall rise and other some that shall rise in the great day So that look as one Star differs from another Star in glory so one Saint shall differ from another Saint in glory at the resurrection of the dead Though every Star is bright shining and glorious yet some Stars are more bright shining and glâ—rious then others are so though every Saint still shine gloriously in heaven yet some Saints shall have a greater lustre glory and shine upon them then others shall Look as some heavenly bodies are more glorious then others so in the morning of the resurrection some Saints shall be more glorious then others c. A third Scripture is that 2 Cor. 9.6 But this I say He which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly and he which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully A sparing liberality shall be attended with a sparing reward and a bounteous liberality shall be attended with a bounteous reward Look as the harvest answers the measure of seed that is sown so that he that sows but little reaps but little and he that sows much reaps much so Saints reaping at last will be answerable to their sowing here All mens charities shall at last be rewarded proportionable to the severall degrees of it he that gives a pound shall have a greater reward then he that gives a penny he that sows thousands shall reap more then he that sows hundreds he shall have the most plentifull crop in heaven who has sow'd most seed here on earth c. They shall have interest upon interest in heaven who sow much on this side heaven A fourth Scripture is that Luk 19.12 20. Now in this Parable you have a great Lord going into a far Country Mina here translated a pound is twelve ounces and a halfe which pound according to five shillings an ounce is three pound two shillings and six pence starling money Math. 2.2 Rev. 17.14 and ch 1.5 but before he goes he gives ten pounds to ten of his servants to trade with till his returne Now upon his returne he that had increased his pound to ten pounds was made ruler over ten Cities v. 17. And he that made five of one was made ruler over five Cities v. 19. Here he that gained most received the greatest reward The Nobleman in this Parable is our Lord Jesus Christ who is truly and highly noble he being coeternall and coequall with his Father in respect of his Deity he was borne a king and is now King of kings and Lord of lords and Prince of the Kings of the earth The far Countrey that he is gone to is heaven for thither he went at his ascension now when he shall returne from heaven to judge the quick the dead he will then bring men to an account to a reckoning about their improvement of all the gifts and graces that he has intrusted them with and according to the different improvement that men shall make of their Talents so shall be their reward he that makes the greatest improvement of his pound he shall have the greatest reward he shall be Ruler over ten Cities that is he shall be very highly honored and exalted and he that makes a lesser improvement he shall have a lesser reward he shall be Ruler over five Cities he that makes a great improvement of a little he shall if I may so speak sit at Christs right hand but he that makes a lesser improvement he must be contented to sit at Christs left hand God will proportion out mens reward at last answerable to their improvement of
their recompence and reward bee multiplied in another world 'T is true Christ hath many lovers of his Crown but few bearers of his Cross all would rejoyce with him but few care to suffer for him but yet 't is as true on the one hand viz. that they who bear most of his Cross shall bee greatest sharers in his Crown they that suffer most for him on Earth shall bee most blest and rewarded by him when they come to Heaven 2 Cor. 1.4 5. Look as the consolation of the Saints rises higher and higher in this world even as their sufferings rise higher and higher so the glory of the Saints shall rise higher and higher in the other world as their sufferings has rise higher and higher in this world The persecuted Christians in Tertullian cries out Crudelitas vestra gloria nostra your cruelty is our glory and the harder wee are put to it the greater shall bee our reward in Heaven One speaking of the Martyrs said look how many sufferings they have so many crowns they shall have for every suffering God shall set a crown on their heads By how much mens sufferings have been greater saith Chrysostom by so much the more their crown shall bee bright and splendent The greater conflicts and buffetings any Saint hath endur'd the greater shall bee his reward and the more ample shall bee his glory saith Austin As Christ hath many crowns upon his head sutable to the multitude of his sufferings and victories so Christians at last shall have crowns sutable to the multitude of their sufferings Rev. 19.7 and sutable to those famous victories they have gained over a tempting Devil and a persecuting world certainly it will bee but Justice that they should receive the weightiest Crown 1 Joh. 5.4 chap. 2.13 14. who have bore the heaviest Cross The seventh and last Scripture that I shall produce is that Matth. 10.41 Hee that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophets reward that is say some they shall bee partakers of the same reward that is laid up for the Prophets Without all dispute these two things lyes fair in the Text First that there is some special and eminent degrees of reward due unto a Prophet above other men And Secondly that he that shall entertain a Prophet and perform any offices of love and favour to him under that name and notion hee shall bee partaker of that reward hee that receives a Prophet as hee is Gods messenger and imployed in his service and sent about his arrant and not upon any carnal or worldly respects hee shall receive a Prophets reward that is hee shall receive either such a reward as the Prophet himself shall receive at last or hee shall receive such a large ample and noble recompence as is meet for one to receive that received a Prophet as coming from the Lord and as acted by the Lord Look as sucâ— who give an honourable reception to the Ambassadours of Kings or Princes do highly raise themselves in the favour and esteem of those Kings or Princes that had sent them so those that receive the faithful Prophets of the Lord as the Ambassadours of God they shall bee highly interested in the favour of God and as nobly bee rewarded by God I might produce several other Scriptures As that Mat. 6.20 Joh. 14.2 Mat. 20.20 to the 24. that sound to the same purpose as these Seven do but enough is as good as a feast I shall therefore in the Second place come to the Reasons that may further evidence and confirm this great truth viz. That there shall bee different degrees of glory in Heaven among many other reasons that might bee given I shall only give you these five First there are diversities of degrees of Angels in Heaven There are Cherubims and Seraphims and there are Angels and Archangels now the Cherubims and Seraphims are a lower rank and order of Angels and the Archangels are a higher rank and order of Angels And the Apostle speaks clearly of several ranks and orders of invisible creatures in that Col. 1.16 here you have an enumeration of Thrones Dominions Principalities and Powers and so in that Eph. 1.21 Far above all Principalities and Powers and Might and Dominion These principalities and powers are the blessed Angels that Minister before the Lord and that are subordinate unto one another and here they are reckoned up by assending power is above principality and might above power and dominion above might To define those orders and degrees of Angels with which God is invironed is a work too high and hard for mee and though the Papists and several School-men are so bold as to define their particular offices and orders Dionysius Areopagita Thomas Aquinas Anselm c. yet I dare not be wise above what is written where the Scripture is silent I love to be silent and where the Scripture hath no tongue there I desire to have no ears There is an order in Hell an order among the Devils and therefore you read in * Mat. 9.34 chap. 12.34 Mark 3.22 The very supposition of order supposeth inequality and disproportion three Scriptures of the Prince of Devils and so much also that expression imports that you have in that Mat. 25.41 The Devil and his Angels which intimates a Prince among those unclean and damned spirits Now shall there be order in Hell and confusion in Heaven Shall there be order among the evil Angels and shall there not much more be order among the good Angels Certainly that God that is the God of order and that hath made all things in order and that to this day keeps all things in order here below will never suffer the least disorder and confusion to be among those Princes of glory that stand continually before him Hee that denies order in Heaven denies Heaven to be Heaven and hee that grants order in Heaven grants degrees of glory in Heaven Though there is no difference between the Angels in natura Angelica the Angelical nature being alike in all yet in officio in office there is a great deal of difference in the glory of the Angels for God imploys some of the Heavenly Host in more high noble and excellent services than others and answerable thereunto shall their reward bee Though all Angels shall share alike in the essential and substantial glory of Heaven yet there is an additional glory an accidental glory an over-plus of glory that shall be conferred upon the Angels answerable to the several and various services that they have managed and ingaged in Now the Scripture tells us plainly Matth. 22.30 that in Heaven wee shall be like to the Angels and therefore if there be degrees of Angels and if the Angels in Heaven shall have a different glory and reward according to the work in which they have been employed then the glory of the Saints in respect of degrees shall bee different also But
Lawfulnesse For a man to be often a looking over his Natural actions his Moral actions and his Religious actions and to be still a putting this question to himself O my soul dost thou eye what is expedient dost thou eye as well what is expedient as what is lawful such a frame and temper of spirit speaks out much of Christ and Holinesse within O the sins O the sorrows O the shame O the reproach O the troubles O the travels O the trials c. that might have been prevented had the Law had the Rule of Expediency been more minded and followed by Christians in these daies c But Twelfthly and lastly The more a man can deny himself when hee hath an opportunity power and authority to raise himself to greaten himself to seek himself and to lift up himself the greater measure of Holiness that man hath attained to Providence often puts many a rare and fair opportunity into Moses his hand Exod. 32.9 15. Deut. 9.13 14 18 19 20. Heb. 12.24 25. Nehem. 5.14 ult whereby hee might have raised himself and have greatned himself in the world and yet then even then hee denies himself And Nehemiah was a man of the same mind and metal hee stood upon the advantage ground to have greatned himself and to have lifted up himself as others had done before him but instead of this hee lessens himself hee denies himself hee degrades himself and being of a very noble generous publick spirit hee turns his back upon his own worldly interest and keeps a very free and bountiful Table upon the account of his own particular Revenue and not upon the account of a publick purse And so Daniel was one in Spirit with the former when God had brought him into high favour with the Prince of the Eunuchs Dan. 1.8 9 10 11. and given him a great deal of heart-room there yet upon no terms would hee defile himself with the Kings meat or comply with the requests of the Prince of the Eunuchs it argues a great deal of holiness for a man to deny his temporal self Rev. 4.10 11. to dethrone his temporal self when hee stands upon the advantage ground to advance his temporal self and to throne his temporal self in the world I have read of Trojane the Emperour how hee sent Eustochius one of his chiefest Captains against the Barbarians who having vanquished them returned home The Emperour being very joyful at this good news goes to meet him and brings him gloriously into the City Now Eustochius being high in the Emperours favour 't was but ask and have speak and speed but on this very day of Pomp Triumph and Glory hee chose rather to suffer the Martyrdome of himself his wife and children than with the Emperour to offer sacrifice to Apollo and so denies himself and all his present Pomp and Glory when hee might greatly have inriched himself and advanced himself Nothing speaks out greater measures of holiness than for a man to deny himself when hee may seek himself and exalt himself if hee pleases I have read of a godly man who being sorely tempted by Satan was much in duty to whom Satan said why takest thou this pains thou dost watch and fast and pray and abstainest from the sins of the times But O man what dost thou more than I do art thou no Drunkard no more am I art thou no Adulterer no more am I dost thou watch why let mee tell thee I never slept dost thou fast why I never ate nor drank what dost thou more than I do why I will tell thee Satan said the holy man I pray I serve the Lord nay more than all this I deny my self nay then saith Satan thou goest beyond mee for I am proud and I exalt my self and so vanished O the excellency of self-denial and O the holiness and the happiness of that man that can deny himself that can debase himself that can even trample upon himself when hee hath power and authority in his own hand to greaten himself and to exalt himself Power and authority will try what metal men are made of Ah how many have there been among us of late years who when they have had no power nor authority in their hands to help themselves have seemed to be great deniers of themselves but no sooner had they power and authority in their hands but ah what self-love what self-interest what self-seeking and what self-exalting was to be found amongst them O how have many among them instead of loving God to the contempt of themselves loved themselves to the contempt of God and who instead of debasing themselves that they might exalt God have debased God that they might exalt themselves and who instead of losing themselves that they might finde God have lost God that they might finde themselves These put mee in minde of the Abbot in Melancthon who lived strictly and lookt demurely and walkt humbly so long as hee was but a Monk but when by his seeming sanctity and humility hee had got to be Abbot hee grew most intollerable proud and insolent c. and being asked the reason of it hee confessed that his former lowly looks was but to see if hee could finde the keyes of the Abby how many such Abbots wee have had amongst us you all know Ah how rare is it to finde a man to deny himself when hee is advantaged to seek himself such a man is worth gold but this Iron-age affords few such golden-men Where this frame of spirit is there the streams of holiness runs deep And thus much for this Use of Trial and Examination And so I come now to the last Use of this Doctrine and that is for Comfort and Consolation to all those that have this real holiness without which there is no happiness O Sirs open wide the everlasting doors of your souls that not a River but a Sea of joy and comfort may flow in upon you For First Know for your comfort That real holiness is the seal of your eternal Election Some are elected to glorious offices in this world others are elected to eternal glory in the other world Joh. 6.70 Judas was chosen to be an Apostle on Earth but not to be a Saint in Heaven but the Thessalonians were elected to eternal glory in Heaven 1 Thes 1.4 though they were not chosen to any glorious offices here on Earth It may be thou art a poor creature that never wast nor never art like to be elected to any noble or honourable imployments either in Church or State O but if thou art a holy person then know for thy everlasting comfort that thy real holiness is a real seal of thine Eternal Election 't is the counterpane as it were of all that gracious love good will and eternal favour that God bears unto thee Ephes 1.4 Hee hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that wee should be holy God did not chuse us either
us and will â—od admit such to cohabit with him that never had any acquaintance or familiarity with him Surely no. In history we read of such Towns and Cities as would not admit strangers to inhabit among them and such a City is that above Exod. 33.12 17. It hath been long since concluded that In coelo nullus erit alienus in heaven there shall be no strangers none shall be admitted into that state but such as God knows by name Charon in Lucian requesting Mercurius to shew him Jupiters Palace above how sayes Mercurius that such a caitiff as thou whose conversation hath been altogether with black shades and impure ghosts shouldst set thy foot in that pure place of light what a dishonour and derogation were that to the place The Application is easie Unholy persons have fellowship and familiarity with Satan and therefore doubtless God will have no familiarity nor fellowship with them 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16. As righteousness can have no fellowship with unrighteousness nor light with darkness nor Christ with Belial nor heaven with hell no more can a holy God have any communion or fellowship with unholy souls for they are Satans house Luke 11.21 he keeps possession of them as a man doth of his house Rev. 18.2 and hath familiarity with them as a man hath with those of his house he is their Father and they are his children John 8.44 and look what familiarity a Father hath with his children that hath an unholy devil with unholy souls A workman cannot be more familiar with his tools then Satan is with unholy souls and therefore he is said to work in the children of disobedience as a Smith worketh in his forge or as an Artificer worketh in his shop Ehpes 2.2 Unholy persons have bosome fellowship with Satan 1 John 5.19 And we know that we are of God and the whole world lieth in wickedness or in that wicked one the Devil as the Greek will bear they lie as it were in the bosom of Satan as the child lies in the bosom of the Mother or as the Wife lyes in the bosom of the Husband or as a friend lyes in the bosom of his friend Unholy persons partake with him at his Table they eat with him and drink with him and converse with him 1 Cor. 10.21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of Devils ye cannot be partakers of the Lords Table and of the Table of Devils If Judas was at the Sacrament the greater was his wo. Ambrose brings in the Devil boasting against Christ and challenging Judas as his own thus He is not thine Lord Jesus he is mine his thoughts beat for me He eats with thee but is fed by me he takes bread from thee but money from me he drinks with thee and sells thy blood to me By all which you may see what fellowship and familiarity there is between Satan and a sinner Now what is this less then blasphemy to assert that a holy God will have fellowship with them that have fellowship with the Devil God hath not cast Satan out of heaven that he may make room for his familiars in heaven if heaven was too holy to hold unholy devils it will be found at last to be too holy to hold unholy souls certainly they shall not lie in the bosome of God who have the Devil for their bed-fellow Fourthly Unholy persons are full of contrariety to God their natures principles practises aims minds wills affections judgements intentions and resolutions Lev. 26.21 22 23 24 27 28 40 41. Isa 58.4 5 6. Jerem. 44.16 17 18. Ch. 2.25 Ch 18.11 12 are contrary to God his name nature being truth and glory you may as soon bring East and West North and South light and darkness heaven and hell together as you shall bring a holy God and unholy souls together Antipathies will never incorporate as soon may midnight be married to the noon-day as a holy God embrace an unholy sinner That unholy persons are made up of contrarieties to God is most evident as you may see in Isa 22.12 13. And in that day did the Lord God of Hosts call to weeping and to mourning and to baldnest and to girding with sack-cloth And behold joy and gladness slaying oxen and killing sheep eating flesh and drinking wine let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die These sad souls practise quite contrary to what the Lord calls for at their hands Rom 8.7 Iames 4 4. Pope Julius the third would have his Pork though it was forbidden him by hâ—s Physitians in despite of God himseâ—f he calls them to weeping and mourning and behold joy and gladness he calls them to fasting and behold here is nothing but feasting carousing and making merry and jovial and that in contempt of God and his dreadfull judgements Unholy persons are like the Rainbow now the Rainbow is never on that side of the world that the Sun is on but whensoever it appears it is still in opposition against the Sun if the Sun be in the East the Rainbow is in the West c. So unholy souls in all tâ—eir actings and walkings will still be opposite to God they will still be cross and contrary to him John 8.38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father and ye do that which ye have seen with your Father Unholy hearts are full of the highest strains of contrariety and opposition against the Lord. I have read of a King that Reigned in no very remote part of the world who having received a blow from the hand of God took a solemn Oath to be revenged on him and ordained that for ten years space no man should pray to him speak of him nor so long as he was in Authority to believe in him O the vanity the contrariety and blasphemy of this Prince Now we will not admit such to be about us who are made up of contrarieties to us and will God will God heaven and earth fire and water the Woolf and the Lamb the Winds and the Sea will sooner accord then a holy God and an unholy heart There can be no amity where there is a spiritual Antipathy 5. Fifthly Without holiness no man can have any spiritual communion with God in this world he may hear but he can have no communion with God in hearing without holiness he may pray but he can have no communion with God in prayer without holiness he may come to the Sacrament but he can have no communion with God in the Sacrament without holiness he may come into the communion of Saints but he can have no communion with God in the communion of Saints without holiness he may read and meditate but he can have no communion with God in reading and meditation without holiness Deut. 23.14 For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy Camp to deliver thee and to give up thine enemies before thee therefore shall thy Camp be
be meer strangers to union and communion with Christ and to the more secret and inward operations and workings of the spirit of Christ and to the most spiritual duties and services that are commanded by Christ Civility is very often the nurse of impiety Mat. 5.19 20 Acts 7.54 Chap. 13.50 Ch. 17.17 18. Romans 8.7 the mother of flattery and an enemy to real sanctity a high conceit of civility keeps many a man from looking after inward and outward purity moral honesty proves to many men a bond of iniquity There are those who are so blinded with the fair shews of civility that they can neither see the necessity nor beauty of sanctity there are those that now bless themselves in their common honesty whom at last God will scorn and cast off for want of real holiness and purity Matth. 25.3.11 12. As Aristides so Socrates Plato Titus Vespatian Tully with multitudes of others amongst the Lacedemonians Grecians Romans c. Many of the Heathens were so famous for justice and righteousness for equity fidelity and sobriety for civility and moral honesty that it would put many professors to the blush to read what is written of them and yet there was such a tincture of popular applause of pride and vain glory of hypocrisie and self-flattery upon their civility and moral honesty that for any thing we can find in Scripture to the contrary there is cause to fear that they shall be miserable to all eternity for all their civility and moral honesty they were left in a damnable I will not say in a damned condition he that rises to no higher pitch then civility and moral honesty shall never have communion with God in glory Naaman was a great man but a Leper 2 Kings 5.1 Naaman was an honourable man but a Leper Naaman was a mighty man but a Leper Naaman was a victorious man but a Leper Naaman was in high favour and esteem with his Prince but a Leper This but he was a Leper stained all his honour and was a blot upon all his greatness and glory both at Court and in the field both in the City and in the Countrey So it is a stain a blot upon the most moral honest man in the world to say he is a very civil honest man but Christless he is a very just man but graceless he is a man of much moral righteousness but he hath not a dram of real holiness c. This but is a fly in the box of ointment that spoils all Well Sirs remember this though the moral honest man be good for many things yet he is not good enough to go to heaven he is not good enough to be made glorious Mat. 5.20 Certainly there is nothing in all the world below real sanctity that will ever bring a man to the possession of glory And though it may grieve us to speak after the manner of men to see sweet natures to see many moral honest men take many a weary step towards heaven and to come near to heaven and to bid fair for heaven and yet after all to fall short of heaven yet it will be no way grievous to a holy God to turn such sweet natures into hell Psal 9.17 moral honesty is not sufficient to keep a man out of eternal misery all it can do is to help a man to one of the best rooms and easiest beds that hell affords For look as the moral mans sins are not so great as others so his punishments shall not be so great as others This is all the comfort that can be afforded to a moral man that he shall have a cooler hell then others have but this is but cold comfort Moral honesty without piety is as a body without a soul and will ever God accept of such a stinking sacrifice Surely no. Fifthly If real holiness be the only way to happiness if men must be holy on earth or else they shall never come to a fruition of God in heaven then this truth by way of conviction looks sowerly and sadly upon all Neuters who divide their hearts between God and Mammon Matth 6.29 who halt between God and Baal 1 Kings 18.21 Zeph. 1.5 2 Kings 17.32 33. Chap. 18.11 James 1.8 A double-soul'd man Matth. 19.16.26 who divide their souls between heaven and earth between Religion and their lusts Like the Samaritans who both worshipped the Lord and the Assyrians Idols too A Neuter is a monster he hath two tongues two minds and two souls he hath a tongue for God and a tongue for the world too he looks up to God and saith Certainly thou art mine he looks down upon the world and saith Surely I am thine He hath a mind to be religious and a mind to save his own stake in the world too He hath a soul reaching after the happiness of another world Numb 23.10 Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his saith Balaam and he hath a soul strongly reaching after this evil world too 1 Pet. 2.15 Jude 11. Callenuceus tells us of a Noble man of Naples that was wont prophanely to say that he had two souls in his body one for God and another for whosoever would buy it as if heaven and happiness were wrapt up in it As you may see in the same person he loved the wages of unrighteousness he loved it as his portion he loved it as his life he loved it as his happiness he loved it as his all he loved it as his soul yea he loved it above his own soul for he damned his soul to gain it It is true when he was under a divine restraint he professed that he would not curse the people of God for a house full of Gold but when he was from under that restraint his heart was so set upon the unrighteous reward that he would have curst them for a handfull of gold The Neuter as the Romans paint Erasmus hangs between heaven and earth He is neither fit to go to heaven nor yet worthy to live on earth If Meroz was to be certainly curst to be bitterly curst to be universally curst as the Hebrew phrase cursing curse ye Meroz imports in Judges 5.23 for standing Neuter when they should have come forth to the help of the Lord Do you think that Neuters in religion shall be blest Do you think that ever such shall go to heaven who are indifferent whether they go to heaven or no or that ever such shall be happy who are indifferent whether they be holy or no or that ever such shall see the face of Christ with joy who are indifferent whether they have an interest in Christ or no or that ever such shall be admitted into the kingdom of glory who are indifferent where ever they have any entrance into the kingdom of grace or no. Certainly heaven is too holy to hold any such indifferent irresolute Neutral souls In the University not long since
eternity hath been posting upon them Oh the deadnesse the barrennesse the listlesnesse the heartlesnesse to any thing that is good that doth attend a worldly temper Many men are so bewitcht with the profits pleasures and honours of the world that they mind not holinesse they regard not holinesse they care not for holinesse nor the means that lead to holinesse Philip. 3.18 19. For many walk of whom I have told you often and now I tell you even weeping that they are the enemies of the Cross of Christ whose end is destruction whose God is their belly and whose glory is their shame who mind earthly things Who were those that walked disorderly why those that minded earthly things Who were those that fetcht tears from the Apostles eyes why those that minded earthly things Who were those that were enemies to the cross of Christ why those that minded earthly things Who were those whose end is destruction why those that minded earthly things who were those whose God was their belly why those that minded earthly things Who were those whose glory was their shame why those that minded earthly things Sicily is so full of sweet flowers that dogs cannot hunt there and what do all the sweet contents and delights of this world Diodorus Siculus but make men lose the scent of heaven and holinesse The world proves silken halters to some and golden fetters to others to some it is like the Swallows dung that put out Tobias eyes to others it is like the waters of Nilus that makes the inhabitants deaf All the flowers of this world are surrounded with many bryars The world is all shadow and vanity its like Jonahs gourd man may sit under its shadow for a while but it soon decayes and dies He that shall but weigh mans pains with his pay his miseries with his pleasures his sorrows with his joyes his crosses with his comforts his wants with his enjoyments c. may well cry out Vanity of vanity and all is vanity The whole world is circular If the whole earth were changed into a globe of gold it could not fill thy heart the heart of man is triangular and we know a circle cannot fill a triangle O Sirs if your hearts be not filled with holinesse they will be filled with the world the flesh and the Devil Either holinesse or Satan must possesse you Some there be that have much holiness and much of the world too as Abraham Isaac Jacob Joseph Job David Hezekiah Daniel c. And others there be that have no holinesse nor nothing of the world neither these men are fair for two hells a hell of misery here and a hell of torment hereafter Some have much of the world but not a spark of holinesse as Saul Haman Dives Herod c. who had a world of wealth but not a dram of grace and others have a great deal of holinesse Iames 2.5 Mat. 11.5 that have but little or nothing of the world as the Apostles and Lazarus c. Now is it not infinitely better to have holinesse without the world and so be happy for ever then to have much of the world without holinesse and so be damned for ever A man bewitch't with the world will loose many precious opportunities of grace which are more worth then a world Act. 24.24 ult witness Rich Felix who had no leasure to hear poor Paul though the hearing of a Sermon might have saved his soul A man bewitch't with the world has his sinning times and his eating times and his sleeping times and his trading times and his feasting times and his sporting times c. but he has not his hearing times nor his praying times nor his reading times nor his mourning times nor his repenting times nor his reforming times c. He can have time yea and he will have time for every thing but to honor his God and to make himself happy for ever A man bewitch't with the world will when 't is put to his choice rather part with Christ to enjoy the world Mat. 19.16.23 then part with the world to enjoy Christ witness the young man in the Gospel who preferred a drop before a Sea a crum before a Crown and his treasure on earth before treasure in heaven he would not leave that on earth which he could not long keep for the enjoyment of that in heaven which he should never loose rather then he would let his possessions go he would let God and Christ go and heaven go and all go c. If Heaven can be had at no cheaper a rate then parting with his possessions Christ may keep his Heaven to himself and make the best on 't he can if he will for hee 'l have none on 't upon those terms Again a man bewitch't with the world will prefer the most base and contemptible things before the Lord Jesus Christ he will with the Gergesens prefer his very Swine before a Saviour Mat. 8.28 ult when they saw what a sad market their Hoggs were brought to they desired Christ to depart out of their country these Gergesites had rather loose Christ then loose their Porkets they had rather that the devil should possess their souls then that he should drown their Pigs they prefer their Swine before their salvation and present a wretched petition for their own damnation they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts though there be no misery no plague no curse no wrath no hell to Christs departure from a people yet men bewitched with the world will desire this Men bewitched with the world will prefer a Barabbas before a Jesus they will with Judas betray Christ and with Pilate condemn Christ and with the Scribes and Pharisees they will cry out Crucifie him Crucifie him away with this Jesus away with this Jesus let Barabbas live but let Jesus dye let Barabbas be saved but let Christ be hanged Ah what incarnate Devils will such men prove who are bewitched with this world A man bewitch't with the world will gain no good by the Ministry of the Word witness Ezekiels hearers Ezek. 33.31 32 33. and witness the stony ground Mat. 13.22 and witness Christs followers John 6. Some Writers say that nothing will grow where Gold grows certainly where the love of this world growes there nothing will grow that is good A heart filled either with the love of the world or the profits of the world or the pleasures of the world or the honors of the world or the cares of the world or the businesses of the world is a heart incapacitated to receive any divine counsel or comfort t is a heart shut up against God and holiness t is a heart posses 't with many devils and therefore no wonder if such a heart loaths the hony-comb of holiness yea t is no wonder to see such a heart to deride and scorn holiness as the greatest foolishness Luke 16.14 The Poets tell of Licaon being
to poor sinners without their using of the means but he won't being resolved that they shall use the means of hearing reading praying and conference c. and when they have done leave the issue of all their labors and endeavors to his good Will and pleasure I have taken the more pains fully and clearly to answer this objection that it may never more have a resurrection in any of your souls Ninthly If ever you would be holy then when you have done all wait Oh hear and wait and wait and hear pray and wait and wait and pray read and wait and wait and read confer and wait and wait and confer watch and wait and wait and watch Oh sirs shall the husbandman wait for a good harvest Jam. 5.7 8. and the Merchant for good returns and the Watchman for the dawning of the day and the Patient for a happy cure and the poor Client for a day of hearing c and will not you wait for Christ and wait for the spirit and wait for pardon and wait for grace and wait for glory c Oh sinners sinners remember you are at the right doore and therefore wait Oh remember that whilst you are waiting for mercy God is preparing of mercy Oh remember that 't is mercy that you may wait for mercy devils and damned spirits can't wait for mercy wait they must but O 't is for more wrath anger and fiery indignation Oh remember your condition bespeaks waiting for you are poor halt lame blinde and miserable creatures Oh remember that mercy is sweetest when it comes after a patient waiting Deut. 32.13 He made him to suck honey out of the rock and oil out of the flinty rock That is he made him to suck water that was as sweet as honey out of the rock out of the flinty rock Oh remember that a patient waiting for mercy is the onely way to greaten your mercy The longer said the Emperors son the Cooks are a preparing the meat the better the chear will be his meaning was the longer he staid for the Empire the greater it would be So the longer a soul waits for mercy the greater and the better it will be when it comes as you may see in that famous instance of the poor man that lay eight and thirty years at the Pool of Bethesda Joh. 5.2.16 Famous was the patience of Elijah's servant 1 King 18.8 who in obedience to his Masters command went seven several times up and down steep Carmel which could not be without danger and difficulty and all to bring news of nothing till his last journey which made a recompence for all the rest with the tydings of a cloud arising Oh so do but patiently wait upon the Lord and that grace that favour that mercy will come at last which will fully recompence you for all your waitings remember that the mercies of God are not styled the swift Isa 55.3 but the sure mercies of David mercy may be sure though it be not presently upon the wing flying towards us And the same Prophet saith the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward Isa 58.8 now this we know comes up last to secure and make good all the rest for where Grace leads the Front Glory at last will be in the Rere Oh do but patiently wait Heb. 10.37 and he that shall come will come and will not tarry not a year not a quarter not a month not a week not a day no not an hour beyond the prefixed time that he hath set of shewing mercy to poor sinners O how sad was it that Saul should lose his Kingdom for want of two or three hours patience but O how much more sad will it be if thou shouldst lose all the prayers that thou hast made and all the Sermons that thou hast heard and all the tears that thou hast shed and all other pains that thou hast taken and all for want of a little more patience yea how woful sad would it be if thou shouldst lose thy God and lose thy Christ and lose thy soul and lose an eternity of glory and all for want of a little patience to wait the Lords leisure O therefore resolve to hold on waiting to the death and if thou must perish to perish in a waiting way which if thou shouldst thou wouldst be the first that ever so perished O remember that if God should come and mercy come and pardon come and grace come when thy Sun is near setting when thy glass is almost out and when there is but a short step between thee and eternity it will infinitely recompence thee for all thy waiting and therefore wait still and to keep up thy spirits and to uphold thy soul in a waiting way O! that thou wouldest make these following promises thy daily food thy daily friends thy daily companions Psal 27.14 Waâ—t on the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart wait I say on the Lord. Prov. 20.22 Wait on the Lord and he shall save thee Isa 30.18 And therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you and therefore will he be exalted that he may have mercy upon you for the Lord is a God of judgement Blessed are all they that wait for him Chap. 40. ult But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint Chap. 49.23 They shall not be ashamed that wait for me And Chap. 64.4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear neither hath the eye seen O God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him Pro. 8.34 Blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors O how should these precious promises encourage your hearts to wait on the Lord O how should they lengthen and draw out your patience to the utmost But Tenthly and lastly Dwell much upon the memorable judgements of God that even in this life has faln upon unholy persons Remember Lots wife O! remember her sin and punishment that so fearing the one Luk. 17.32 you may learn to take heed of the other Isa 26.9 When thy judgements are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness that is they should learn righteousness for so the words may be read they should learn to fear thee and learn to turn unto thee and learn to forsake their sins and amend their lives When thy judgements thy memorable judgements are abroad in the world it highly concerns all the sons of men to look after holy dispositions holy affections and holy conversations that so it may go well with them in the day of the Lords wrath others sense the words thus When thy judgements are on the earth the inhabitants of the world that is sinners as well as Saints
in times of persecution the Saints have still had recourse to The Romans being in great distress were put so hard to it that they were faine to take the weapons out of the Temples of their gods to fight with their enemies and so they overcame them so when the people of God have been hard put to it by reason of afflictions and persecutions the weapons that they have fled to has been prayers and teares and with these they have overcome their persecutors as is evident in the three Children in Daniel and many others c. But Secondly Persecutions doe but raise whet and stir up a more earnest and vehement spirit of prayer among the persecuted Saints See Acts 4.17.21 29 31. compared Luke 18.7 Lam. 5.59 60 61 c. Rev. 6.9 10. And when he had opened the fift seal I saw under the Altar the souls of them that were slaine for the word of God and for the testimony which they held And they cryed with a loud voice saying How long O Lord holy and true doest thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth The blood Blood hath as many tongues as drops to cry for vengeance which made King James say that if God did leave him to kill a man he would think God did not love him 1 Cor. 6. ult 1 Pet. 1.18 19. of the persecuted cryes aloud for vengeance upon the persecutors By the souls under the Altar you are to understand the persons of the Saints which were martyred and lay slaine upon the ground like sacrifices at the foot of the Altar under the Roman persecuting Emperours There is no blood that cries so loud and that makes so great a noise in heaven as the blood of the Martyrs as the blood of butchered persecuted Saints Persecutors like these Roman Emperours in all ages have causlesly and cruelly destroyed the people of God they delight in the blood of Saints they love to wallow in the blood of Saints they take pleasure in glutting themselves with the blood of Saints they make no conscience of watering the earth nor of colouring the Sea nor of quenching the flames with the blood of the Saints yea if it were possible they would willingly swim to heaven through their hearts-blood whom Christ has purchased with his own most precious blood as all Historians know and as you may all know if you would but search a little into Ecclesiastical Histories and therefore 't is no wonder if the blood of the Martyrs cry aloud for vengeance upon such desperate persecutors The blood and prayers of persecuted Saints will first or last bring down wrath and ruine upon their persecutors Persecution puts an edge yea a sharp edge upon the prayers of the Saints Acts 12.5 Peter therefore was kept in prison but prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for him The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies earnest and stretched-out prayer When Peter was in prison All these circumstances doe wonderfully declare the power of God in his deliverance Some say he had 16. others say he had 20 Souldiers for his Guard the greater was his deliverance sleeping between two Souldiers and bound with two chains and the keepers standing before the prison doore O how earnest O how instant O how fervent O how vehement O how constant were the Saints in their prayers for his deliverance O their hearts their souls their spirits were in their prayers O their prayers were no cold prayers no formal prayers no luke-warme prayers nor no dull or drowsie prayers but their prayers were full of life and full of warmth and full of heate they knew Herods bloody intention to destroy this holy Apostle by his imprisoning of him and by the chaines that were put on him and by the strong Guards that were set upon him and by his bathing of his sword in the innocent blood of James James was the first of the Apostles that dyed a violent death that his hand might be the more apt and ready for further acts of murther and cruelty and O how did the consideration of these things whet and provoke their spirits to prayer O now they will have no nay now they will give God no rest till he has overturn'd the Tyrants counsell and designes and sent his Angel to open the prison doores and to knock off Peters chains and to deliver him from the wrath and fury of Herod and their prayers were successfull as is evident in the 12. ver And when he had considered the thing he came to the house of Mary the mother of John This house is thought by many to be the house where the Apostles commonly had their meetings whose surname was Mark where many were gathered together praying or rather as the Originall has it where many thronged together to pray the violence and rage of their persecutors did so raise whet and incourage them to prayer that they throng together they crouded together to pray yea when others were a sleeping they were a praying and their prayers were no sleepie prayers they were no lazy dronish prayers nor they were no book-prayers but they were powerfull and prevalent prayers for as so many Jacob's or as so many Princes they prevailed with God they prayed and wept and wept and prayed they call'd and cryed and cryed and call'd they beg'd and bounc'd and they bounc'd and beg'd and they never left knocking at heavens Gates till Peters chains were knockt off and Peter given into their Armes yea their bosomes as an answer of prayer O the power and force of joynt prayer when Christians doe not only beseech God but besiege him and beset him too and when they will not let him goe till he has blest them and answered their prayers and the desires of their souls I have read that Mary Queen of Scots that was mother to King James was wont to say that she was more afraid of Mr. Knox's prayers and the prayers of those Christians that walk't with him then shee was of a knocking Army of ten thousand men And that is a remarkable passage of the Psalmist Psal 109.3 4. They compassed me about also with words of hatred and fought against me without a caâ—se The like speech you have in that Psal 120.7 Vaani uzephillah But I prayer For my love they are my adversaries but I give my selfe unto prayer or as the Hebrew has it But I am prayer or a man of prayer Persecuted Saints are men of prayer yea they are as it were made up all of prayer David prayed before but O when his enemies fell a persecuting of him then he gave up himsâ—lf wholly to prayer O then he was more earnest more fervent more frequent more diligent more constant and more abundant in the work of prayer Plutarch in the life of Numa When Numa King of the Romans was told that his enemies were in Armes against him he did but laugh at it
be the Herald of his honor Psal 7.15 16. He made a pit and digged it Histories would furnish us with many hundred instances of this nature and is fallen into the ditch which he hath made His mischief shall return upon his own head and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate The wicked shall be undone by their own doings all the Arrows that they shoot at the righteous shall fall upon their own pates Maxentius built a false bridge to drown Constantine but was drowned himself Henry the third of France was stabbed in the very same Chambe where he had help't to contrive the cruel Massacre of the French Protestants And his brother Charles the ninth who delighted in the blood of the Saints had blood given him to drink for he was worthy Afterwards he was made Lord Cobham Soon after Thomas Arundel Arch-bishop of Canterbury had condemned Sir John Oldcastle a godly Knight it pleased the Lord to strike the Arch-bishop so in his tongue that he could neither swallow down any food nor speak a word before his death and so he was starved to death The Duke of Somerset in King Edward the sixth's days by consenting to his brothers death made way for his own by the same Ax and hand that beheaded his brother 'T is usuall with God to take persecutors in the snares and pits that they have laid for his people as many thousands in this Nation have experienced and though Rome her confederates are this day a laying of snares and traps and a digging of pits for the righteous who will rather burn then bow to their Baal yet do but wait and weep and weep and wait a little and you shall see that the Lord will take them in the very snares and pits that they have laid and digged for his people But Sixthly and Lastly God sometimes preserves his people from persecuting hands by providing Cities of refuge to shelter them and by providing hiding places to hide them in Mat. 10.23 If they persecute you in one city flye to another God has always found one City of refuge or another to shelter his persecuted people in And so when bloody persecuting Jezebel had cut off many of the Lords Prophets God provided an Obadiah to hide an hundred of them by Fifty in a Cave 1 Kin. 18.4.13 The Learned judge that there were several others in Israel that kept other Prophets of the Lord from Jezabels fury besides those that Obadiah hid Three years before Titus Vespasian besieged Jerusalem there was a voice frequently heard go up to Pella go up to Pella which very many of the Jews did and were saved God never wants a Chamber of presence a chamber of providence a chamber of protection a chamber of salvation to hide his people in Isa 26.20 I have read of one that in the time of the Massacre at Paris crept into a hole to hide himself and as soon as he was in there came a spider and weaved a Web before the hole the next morning the murderers came to search for him search in that hole said one and see if he be not there O no said another he can't be there for there is a Cob-web at the holes mouth upon which they did not suspect his being there by which means he was preserved from the rage and fury of those men of blood Constantius the Emperor promised a reward to those Captains or Souldiers that should bring Atharasius head to him but God hid him in a pit and fed him there a long time by the hand of a friend but being at last discovered by a Maid-servant the very night before his adversaries search't for him the providence of God opened away for his escape and sent him into the West by which means he was preserved from the rage and fury of his adversaries I think no men under heaven have had larger experience of this truth then English men Ah what Cities of refuge what hiding places has God provided for them to hide them from the wrath and rage of their persecutors for many years And thus I have given you a brief account of some of those ways which God takes to deliver his people out of persecuting hands But Quisquis volens detrahit famae meae nolens addit mercidi meae saith Augustin Twelfthly and lastly I answer That all the persecutions that you meet with on earth shall advance your glory in heaven the more Saints are persecuted on earth the greater shall be their reward in heaven as persecutions do increase a Christians grace so they do advance a Christians glory Mat. 5.10 11 12. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you Luk. 6.22 23. Blessed are ye when men shall hate you and when they shall separate you from their company and shall reproach you and * Excommunicate and Anathematize you as notorious shameful and abominable offenders cast out your name as evil for the son of mans sake Rejoyce ye in that day and leap for joy for behold your reward is in heaven for in the like manner did their fathers unto the Prophets They that are now opposed and persecuted by men shall at last be owned and crowned by God yea and the more afflictions and persecutions are multiplyed upon them in this world the greater shall be their recompence in another woâ—ld The Original words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Matthew and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Luke signifies exceeding great joy such as men usually express by skipping and dancing let your hearts leap and let your bodies leap for joy for great is your reward in heaven Look as wanton young cattle in the Spring when every thing is in its prime and pride do use to leap and skip for joy so says Christ do you leap and skip under all the afflictions and persecutions that befalls you for righteousness sake for great is your reward in heaven Bernard speaking of persecutors saith That they are but his Fathers Goldsmiths who are working to add Pearls to the Saints Crowns It is to my loss said Gordius the Martyr if you abate me any thing of my present sufferings sufferings for Christ are the Saints greatest glory they are those things wherein they have divinely glorified Crudelitas vestra gloria nostra your cruelty is our glory say they in Tertullian and the harder we are put to it the greater shall be our reward in heaven Chrysostom hit the nail when he said if one man should suffer all the sorrows of all the Saints in the world yet they are not worth one hours glory in heaven By the consent of the Schoolmen all the Martyrs shall appear
had all your dayes laine under a hedge then that you have sit so long upon seats of honor and that you had begg'd your bread from dore to dore then that you have had your full Cups and full Tables and that you had been cloth'd with Raggs then that you have put on costly Robes and that you had rather been a turning of Spits then a tossing of Pots or Pipes for the great things of this world do's but lay men the more open to great Temptations and to great provocations even to commit the greatest abominations O! Sirs Suppose a criminous person who is led to execution should ingrave his Coat of Armes upon the Prison-Gate would he not be accounted vaine and mad and yet such is the madness and vanity of the great ones of this world that they endeavour with the greatest industry to leave monuments of their dignity in the prison of this world Psal 49.10 15. but take no care to make provision for another world and all this is out of the horrid pride and loftiness of their spirits Psal 10.4 The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God God is not in all his thoughts There is nothing that hinders a man from seeking after a holy God and from pursuing after holiness like pride A proud heart is too stout to thinke of holiness or to mind holiness or to prize holiness or to press after holiness Exod. 5.2 Who is the Lord says proud Pharoah that I should serve him so says the proud heart who is holiness and what is holiness that I should seek it and press so hard after it As there is no sin that fortifies the heart against holiness like pride so there is no sin that weakens dis-inables the heart to pursue after holiness like pride O! you proud and lofty ones of the world who look upon holiness as a poor low contemptible thing tell me what are all your noble births and great estates c. but trisles that God bestowes upon the worst and basest of men The whole Turkish Empire says Luther is but a Crust that God casts to a Dogge Tell me whether the Fly and the Worme yea the most contemptible creature if there be any such was not mans elder Brother at his first creation and if so why then should vaine man be proud O tell me whether thou hast ever laid to heart that soul-abasing and soul-humbling text Psal 39.5 The originall runs elegantly Verily every man at his best estate is altogether vanity Selah Verily lets that in and Selah shuts that up verily every man not some man but every man Col Adam Col Hebel all Adam is all vanity or every man is every vanity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every man is a comprehensive vanity every rich man is every vanity and every great man is every vanity and every mighty man is every vanity and every Noble man is every vanity yea and that which is yet more every man at his best estate not in his childhood or decrepit age but in his best estate when he is best constituted and under-laid when he is most firmly fixed and setled on his best bottom yet even then he is vanity The Original runs thus every man standing that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as some carry it standing a Tip-toe in all his Gallantry and bravery in all his beauty and glory and in all his pomp and majesty is vanity yea every vanity Well Sirs remember this that as rotten wood and Glow-worms make a glorious shew in the night but when the day appeares they appeare to be poore despicable base creatures so though now the high the great and mighty ones of the earth shine and gloriously sparkle in the darkness of this world yet in that day when the Sun of righteousness shall arise and manifest the secrets of all hearts to the world and strip the great ones of all their Titles of honor and their noble parentage and their rich and royal Robes and their Troopes and Traines and their crowns and chains then they will appeare to be but base and despicable creatures then their poverty and misery their nakedness and vileness will appeare to all the world then the world shall see that riches without righteousness power without piety and greatness without holiness will doe the Gods of this world no good O that thou hadst now a heart to weep over that pride of heart that keeps thee from pursuing after holiness that so thou mayest not weep to all eternity in utter darkness But Fifthly and lastly I answer That there are no persons under heaven that stand so much obliged to look after holiness and to press with all their might to obtaine holiness as the rich the great the mighty and the honorable of the earth For first why has God made them greater then others but that they should labour to be better then others they are therefore higher then others that they may be holier then others the greatness of their outward glory calls aloud upon them to excell in sanctity and woe to them that are resolv'd to be worse then others because God has done more for them then he has for others Secondly They of all men have more time leasure and advantages to heare much that they be holy and to reade much that they may be holy and to pray much that they may be holy and to confer much with all sorts and ranks of men that they may be holy and therefore it concerns them above all other men in the world to be holy Other men have neither the time nor the advantages to gaine holiness as these men have The poor people in Sweden say that 't is only for Gentlemen to keep the Sabbath But Thirdly Their examples are most powerfull and prevalent with the people either for much good Pro. 29.12 or for much evill If the mountains overflow with waters the vallies are the better and if the head be full of ill humors the whole body fares the worse The Actions of Rulers are most commonly rules for the peoples actions and their examples passeth as currant as their Coine Esth 1.10 11 15 16 17 18. Vide. It s noted in King Alphonsus sayings that a great man cannot commit a small sin If their examples are evill there are none so dangerous as theirs Jeroboam the Son of Nebat is never mentioned in the Scripture nor never read of in the Chronicles of Israel but he draws a Tayle after him like a blazing Star who made Israel to sin A sick head disordereth all the other parts and a dark eye benights the whole body The evill examples of great men corrupts the Aire round about The common people are like tempered wax easily receiving impressions from the Seals of great mens vices If a Peasant meet with Luxury in a scarlet Robe he dares be such having so faire a cloake for it If the vulgar people meet with drunkenness
and large Tophet is the name of a place in the valley lying on the South side of Jerusalem Josh 18.16 Now in this vale stood Tophet wherein the Idolatrous Jews used to burne their children in sacrifice to the Idol Moloc and it had that name from the Drums or Tabrets that their Idolatrous Priests used to beat upon at the time of their detestable services to drowne the hideous shrieks and lamentable cryes of the poore sacrificed children the pile thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a streame of Brimstone doth kindle it Alas the Brick-kilns of Egypt and the Furnace of Babel were but as a blaze of straw to this Tormenting Tophet that has been prepared of old for the great and mighty ones of the earth Oh how dreadfull must that fire be that is prepared by God himselfe and that is kindled by the breath of the Lord and that shall never be quenched and yet such is the fire that is prepared for the great and mighty ones of the world O! the easeless the endless the remediless the unsufferable and yet the inevitable Torments that are prepared for those that are great and graceless in hell their wanton eyes shall be tormented with ugly and fearefull sights of ghastly Spirits and their ears that us'd to be delighted with all delightfull musick shall now be filled with the hideous cryes howlings and yellings of Devills and damned Spirits and their tongues of blasphemy shall now be tormented with drought and thirst and though with the Glutton they cry out for a drop to coole their tongues yet Justice will deny them drops who have denyed others crums and their hands of bribery cruelty and tyranny shall now be bound with everlasting chaines and so shall their feete which were once swift to shed innocent blood In a word their torments shall be universall they shall extend to every member of the body and to every faculty of the soul Ah Sirs fire sword famine prisons Racks and all other torments that men can invent are but as flea-bitings to those Scorpions but as drops to those vials of wrath and but as sparks to those eternal flames that all unsanctified persons shall lye under Look as the least joy in heaven infinitely surpasseth the greatest comforts on earth so the least torments in hell doe infinitely exceed the greatest that can be devised here on earth for a close remember this as there are degrees of glory in heaven so there are degrees of torment in hell and as those that are most eminent in grace and holiness Math. 10.15 Chap. 11.22 Luke 12.47 48. shall have the greatest degrees of glory in heaven so those that are most vile and wicked on earth shall have the greatest degrees of torments and punishments in hell Now common experience tells us that the rich the great the high the honorable and the mighty ones of the world are usually the most excelling in all wickedness and ungodliness and therefore their condemnation will be the greater they shall have a hotter and a darker hell then others except they labour after this holiness which will be their only fence against hell and their sure path to heaven But Sixthly and lastly of all men on earth the rich the great and the honorable will be found most inexcusable The poore and the mean ones of the earth will plead their want of time and want of means and want of opportunities they will be ready to say Psal 127.1 2. Lord we have rise earely and gon to bed late we have labour'd and sweate and droyl'd and all little enough to get bread to eate and cloaths to weare As the poore people on the Northerne borders when to suppress their Theeveries some prest upon them the eighth Commandement they to excuse themselves replied that that Commandement was none of Gods making but thrust into the Decalogue by King Henry the eighth and to keep the Sargeant from the doore and to pay every man his own had we had but the time the meanes the advantages that such and such Gentlemen have had and that such and such Nobles have had and that such and such Princes have had c. O how would we have minded holiness and studied holiness and prest after holiness but seeing it has been otherwise with us we hope Lord we may be excused but what excuse will you be able to make O ye great ones of the earth who have had time and opportunities and all advantages imaginable to make your selves holy and happy for ever and yet you have trifled away your golden seasons and forgotten the one thing necessary and given your selves up to the lusts and vanities of this world as if you were resolv'd to be damn'd Let me a little allude to that John 15.22 If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin but now they have no cloak or excuse for their sin So will God one day say to the great ones of the woâ—ld Had I not given you riches and greatness and honor c. to have encouraged you to look after holiness and that you might have time and leasure and opportunity to seek holiness and pursue it you might have had some â—loak some excuse for your neglecting so great so glorious so noble and so necessary a work O but now you have no cloak no excuse at all for your sin now you can shew no reason under heaven why an eternal doom should not be past upon you and ah how silent how mute how speechless Titus 3.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Self-condemned or self damned and how self-condemned will all the great ones of the world be when God shall thus expostulate with them O! that such would seriously lay to heart that Math. 22.11 12. And when the King came in to see the Guests he saw there a man which had not on a wedding Garment And he saith unto him Friend how camest thou in hither not having a wedding Garment and he was speechless By the wedding Garment the Learned understand holiness of heart and life now when the King questions him about the want of this wedding Garment he is speechless or as the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports He was muzzled or haltered up that is he held his peace as though he had a bridle or a halter in his mouth he was not able to speak a word for himselfe his own conscience had past a secret sentence of condemnation upon him and he sat silent under that sentence as having nothing under heaven to say why he should not be cast into utter darkness And this will be the very case of all the rich the great and the mighty ones of the world who shall be found without the garment of holiness when the Lord shall enter into Judgement with them And thus you see by these six Arguments that there are no persons under heaven that are so eminently engaged to look after
as much called out of the kingdome of darkness as another and one Saint is as much called to Jesus Christ as another in vocation God looks with as favourable an eye upon one as he do's upon another And as all Saints are equally called so all Saints are equally justified 2 Cor. 5.19 20. 1 Cor. 1.30 though one Saint may be more sanctified then another yet no Saint is more justified then another the weakest believer is as much justified and pardoned before the throne of God as the strongest is that pure perfect matchless and spotless righteousness of Christ is as much imputed to one Saint as 't is to another And as all Saints are equally justified so all Saints are equally adopted Gal. 4.4 5 6. the weakest believer is as much an adopted son as the strongest believer in the world is God is no more a father to one then he is to another the Babe in the armes is as much a son as he that is of riper yeares Thus you see that Gods love of good will is equall in all his Saints and therefore you are to understand this Argument of Gods love of complacency now this love runs out more to some Saints then it do's to others for they that have much holiness are much beloved John 14.21 23 but they that have most holiness are most beloved the greater thou art in holiness the greater wilt thou be beloved of God O Daniel Dan. 9.23 thou art greatly beloved And why do's God love more and delight more in Christ then he do's in all the Angels and Saints in heaven and in all the upright ones that are on earth but because Christ is more eminent and glorious in holiness then all created beings are Heb. 1.3 he is more the express Image of his Fathers person and the brightness of his Fathers glory then others and therefore he is more beloved then others 'T was an excellent observation of one of the Fathers August Tract in John 1.14 viz. that God loved the humanity of Christ more then any man because he was fuller of grace and truth then any man Now for the further clearing up of this great Argument Consider first that the more holy any person is the more excellent that person is All corruptions are diminutions of excellency the more mixt any thing is the more abased it is the more you mix your wine with water the more you abase your wine and the more you mix your Tin with Gold the more you abase your Gold but the purer your wine is the richer and the better your wine is and the purer your Gold is the more glorious and excellent it is so the purer and holier any person is the more excellent and glorious that person is Now the more divinely excellent and glorious any person is the more he is beloved of God and the more he is the delight of God But secondly the more holy any person is Heb. 11.5 the more that person pleases the Lord fruitfulness in holiness fills heaven with joy The Husbandman is not so much pleased with the fruitfulness of his fields nor the wife with the fruitfulness of her womb nor the father with the thriving of his child as God is pleased with the fruitfulness and thriving of his children in grace and holiness now certainly the more God is pleased with any person the more he loves that person and the more pleasure and delight he takes in such a person if God be most pleased with holiness he cannot but be most delighted in those that are most holy But thirdly the more holy any person is the more like to God he is and the more like to God he is doubtless the more he is beloved of God 't is likeness both in nature and grace that alwayes drawes the strongest love Though every child is the father multiplyed the father of a second edition yet the father loves him best and delights in him most who is most like him and who in feature spirit and action do's most resemble him to the life and so do's the father of spirits also he alwayes loves them best who in holiness resemble him most There are foure remarkable things in the beloved Disciple above all the rest 1. John 13.23 Ch. 18.16 Ch. 19.26 Vers 27. That he lay nearest to Christs Bosome at the Table 2. That he followed Christ closest to the high Priests Palace 3. That he stood close to Christ when he was on the Cross though others had basely deserted him and turn'd their backs upon him 4. That Christ commended the care of his virgin mother to him Now why did Christs desire love and delight run out with a stronger and a fuller Tyde towards John then to the rest of the Disciples doubtless 't was because John did more resemble Christ then the rest 't was because John was a more exact picture and lively representation of Christ then the others were But fourthly the more holy any man is the more communion and familiarity that man shall have with God As you may see in Moses Moses was a none-such for meekness and holiness Num. 12.3 Now the man Moses was very meeke above all the men which were upon the face of the earth There was no man so slighted wronged provoked teazed perplexed and troubled by that wicked unthankful unbelieving and murmuring Generation as Moses was and yet he did neither raile at them nor revile them he did neither storme nor rage he did neither fret nor fling and though he had a sword of Justice in his hand and might easily have avenged himselfe on them yet he would not but exercised all patience tenderness goodness and sweetness towards them O the lowliness the meekness the holiness of this man Moses And O the freeness the friendliness the openness and the familiarness of God with Moses Deut. 34.10 And there arose not a Prophet since in Israel like unto Moses whom the Lord knew face to face To give you a little light into these words Some of the Rabbies observe that Moses surpassed all the other Prophets not only in sublimity of Prophesies but also in excellency and number of miracles for Moses within one Age wrought seventy six miracles when all the rest of the Prophets from the beginning of the world quite downe to the ruine of the first Temple wrought only seventy foure And as for those words whom the Lord knew face to face you are not to understand them thus that God hath a face as man hath nor that Moses had a view of the essence of God which is invisible John 1.18 1 Tim. 6.16 for in this sense no man hath seen God at any time and indeed the least beame of Gods essentiall glory and Majestie would have swallowed up Moses alive But these words whom the Lord knew face to face are to be understood of Gods speaking to Moses in a free friendly familiar and plaine manner God did speak to
the old man in all our holy offerings the more they are the delight of God the more holiness any man has the less there will be of man and the more there will be of Christ and the Spirit in all his duties and services and doubtless the less there is of man and the more there is of Christ in duties the more pleasant and delightful they will be unto the Lord. The more holy any man is the more there will be of his heart in his duties and the more a mans heart is in his duties the more pleasant and delightful they will be to God God is a spirit Joh. 4.23 24. and he is only taken with those duties wherein the Spirit of a man is the heart is Camera omnipotentis Regis the presence chamber of the king of heaven 't is his bed of spices 't is his royal Throne on which he delights to sit and rule a sanctified heart in duties shall carry it with God for crownes when a silver tongue shall not carry it with God for crums The more holy any man is the more delight and pleasure he will take in religious duties and services the more a mans natural strength is the more easily he walks the more delightfully he works the fuller the wings are of feathers with the more ease and pleasure the Bird flyes so the fuller the soul is of holiness Psal 40.8 Psal 119.32 Math. 11.29 1 Iohn 5.3 the more easily the more pleasantly and the more delightfully will it walk yea run yea flie in all the wayes of Gods commands every yoak of Christ is easie and every command of Christ is joyous to a man that is eminent in holiness now the more any man delights and takes pleasure in religious duties and services the more God delights and takes pleasure in his religious duties and services the more a Christians heart is affected and taken with the duties of Religion the more the heart of God will be affected and taken with those duties Look as there is no duty that affects the heart of God that do's not first affect our own or that takes the heart of God that do's not first take our own so all those duties and services that are divinely pleasing and delightfull to our noble part they are also pleasing and delightful to God himselfe The very heathen as several Authors report had their store pots of water set at the doores of their Temples where they used to wash before they went to sacrifice having this notion and opinion amongst them that their gods did best accept and most delight in those sacrifices that were offered by those who had washed themselves pure and cleane sure I am that the great God who is the God of gods is most pleased and delighted with those sacrifices of prayers and praises that are offered up with the purest hands and with the cleanest heart and therefore as ever you would have God to take singular pleasure and delight in all your duties and services labour after an eminency in holiness But Ninthly To provoke you to labour after higher degrees of holiness Consider that many who have been won over to Christ later then you do yet in holiness much excell you are there not many children who have been in Christ but yesterday as it were and yet how doe they outstrip their parents not only in parts but in piety who have been in Christ many years before them And are there not many servants to be found who have not been in Christ seaven years who yet are more holy more humble more heavenly more spiritual more serious and every way more gracious then their Masters who have been in Christ long before them And are there not many poor meane neglected despised and scorned Christians who have been converted and sanctified but a few years who yet are more fearfull of sinning against God and more carefull of pleasing God and more studious of glorifying of God and more wise and watchfull and circumspect in their walking with God and more laborious and diligent in the use of all holy means whereby God may be exalted and lifted up in the world then many great and rich Christians in the world who yet have been in Christ very many years before them Paul had some kinsmen that were in Christ before him as you may see in that 16 Rom. 5 7. Likewise greet the Church that is in their house salute my well beloved Epenetus who is the first fruits of Achaia unto Christ Salute Andronieus and Junia my kinsmen 2 Cor. 1.12 Ch. 11.22 30. 1 Thes 2.2 13. and my fellow-prisoners who are of note among the Apostles who also were in Christ before me and yet in grace and holiness he excell'd them all You know many men in riding a Journey do often set out after their neighbours and yet they do not only overtake them but also get into their Innes many houres before them And among Sea-men is there any thing more common then for those who set saile some dayes after others yet to get into their Ports before them so there are many Christians who have set out heaven-wards and holiness-wards after others and yet they have not only overtaken them but also in grace and holiness gone far before them Luke 2.46.47 48. As Christ in his non-age put all the Doctors in the Temple down so many Christians even in their non-age as I may say do put down other Christians Hierom writes of Paulinus that in the first part of his life he excellled others and in his latter part he excelled himself who in respect of their years and opportunities might have been Doctors in Christianity In this great City you have very many who have set up many years after others and yet they are grown far greater and richer then those of their callings who have set up many years before them and doubtless there are very many in this City who have set upon the Trade of Christianity the Trade of godliness long after others who yet are grown greater and richer in grace holiness then those who have for very many years driven that Trade And O how should this Alarm all such to double their diligence and to strive and labor as for life to be eminent in holiness yea to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord. But Tenthly To provoke you to labor after higher degrees of holiness Consider that there are no persons under heaven that are so strongly obliged and engaged to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord as you are for you are the onely persons on earth that are made partakers of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Dan. 6.3 1 Cor. 2.12 and that have a more excellent spirit in you then the men of this world have and that have more excellent principles in you as knowledge wisdom faith love self-denyal humility c. to help on the advance and increase of holiness then others have whose souls are
providing for eternity mind nothing Luke 12.16 21. nor talke of nothing but pullin◠down their Barns building of greater What strugling is there for places of honour what desperate ventures for rich commodities and what high attempts are there for large possessions O the time the strength the spirits Psal 4.6 that many spend in an eager pursuit after earthly things O how sad is it to consider that Satan shall have more service of a worldling for an ounce of gold then God shall have for the kingdome of heaven though the world in all its bravey is no better then the Cities which Solomon gave to Hiram which he called Cabul that is 1 Kings 9.13 displeasing or dirty yet O how mad are men upon it though all the great the gay and the glorious things of the world Gen. 3. may fitly be resembled to the fruit that undid us all which was faire to the sight smooth in handling sweet in tast but deadly in operation yet O how fond are men of these things Multi amando res noxias sunt miseri habendo miseriores August in Psal 16. and how do most long to be touching and tasting of them though a touch a tast may exclude them out of Paradise for ever O Sirs what fools in Folio are they who dare hazard the loss of a Paradise for a wilderness of a crowne for a crum of a kingdome for a Cottage and of Pearls for trifles and yet such fools are all those who spend themselves in multiplying and encreasing of their earthly enjoyments In that 13 Gen. 2. 'T is said that Abraham was very rich in Cattel in silver and in gold but according to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it runs thus Abraham was very heavie in Cattel in silver and in gold to shew that riches that gold and silver which is the great god of the world are but heavie burdens and rather a hinderance then a help to heaven and happiness Gold and silver which are but the white and yellow guts and garbage of the earth is fitly called by the Prophet Hab. 2.6 thick clay which will sooner break a mans back then satisfie his heart and O what folly and madness is it for a man to be still a loading of himself with the clay of this world though the Sumpter horse be loaden with rich treasure all the day long yet when night comes he is turn'd into the dark stinking Stable with an empty belly and with his back full of gauls sores and bruises so though vaine men may be loaded with the treasures of this world during the day of their life yet when the night of death comes then they shall be turned into a dark stinking hell with consciences full of guilt and gauls and with souls full of sores and bruises and then what good will all their treasures do them Luke 16. Though the rich man in the Gospel lived like a Gentleman a Gallant yet when he died he went to hell Though Mammon as Aretius and many others observe is a Syriack word and signifies wealth riches yet Irenaeus derives Mammon of Mum that signifies a spot and Hon that signifies riches to shew that riches have their spots and yet O how unwearied are men in their adding of spots to spots men in their pursuit after the things of this world seeme to act by an untired power they are never weary of heaping up bags upon bags nor of enlarging their Tents nor of encreasing their revenues c. Now O how should this provoke every gracious soul to be adding of grace to grace and holiness to holiness O let not the men of the world out-doe you let them not out-act you O let not nature excell grace O let the muck-wormes of this world know that divine principles are too high and noble to be matcht or to be out-acted by any thing that they can doe O Sirs shall children grow in your families and oxen grow in your stalls and fish grow in your ponds grass grow in your fields and flowers grow in your gardens c. and shall not holiness grow in your hearts well friends remember this 't is infinitely better to be poore men and rich Christians then to be rich men and poore Christians But Sixteenthly To provoke you to labour after higher degrees of holiness consider that the more holiness you attaine to in this world the more weighty and heavy the more bright and glorious will be your faithfull Ministers crowne O Sirs as you rise higher and higher in holiness 2 Epist of John 4. so the springs of joy rises higher and higher in your Ministers souls O Christians 't is neither your seraphical notions nor your pompous profession 't is neither your good words nor your sweet looks 't is neither your civilities nor your courtesies that raises joy in your Ministers hearts or that will adde to your Ministers crowne Rom. 15.14 but an encrease of holiness will do both The Thessalonians were rare Christians they were very eminent high in holiness as you may see in that 1 Thes 1.5 6 7 8. And they were the Apostles joy and crowne of rejoycing as you may see in Ch. 2.19 20. For what is our hope or joy or crowne of rejoycing are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming For ye are our glory and joy The Apostle tells these raised these renowned Thessalonians that as they were now his hope his glory and joy so at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ they should be his joy and crowne of rejoycing Look as Christ has his thousand Shekels of silver Shekels of silver were their common money and a name both for weight and coyne being in value answerable to our English half-crowns so his faithful laborious Ministers have their two hundred Shekels of silver and that indeed is a great reward Cant. 8.12 My vineyard which is mine is before me thou O Solomon must have a thousand and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred O what an honor is it for faithful Ministers to have a fift part of that Reward that Christ has himself in this 12 v. Christ opposeth his vineyard his Church to that of Solomons which is mentioned in v. 11. and though doubtless Solomons vineyard was one of the rarest choicest and fruitfullest vineyards in all Judaea yet it was wonderful inferiour to Christs vineyard and that partly because Christs vineyard cost him a dearer and a greater price even the price of his blood then ever Solomons cost him 1 Pet. 1.18 19 partly bécause his vineyard serves to more spiritual high honorable and noble ends 1 Tim. 3.15 then ever Solomons did viz. the glory exaltation of God the propagating of truth the bringing forth of the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 23. viz. love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance the bringing in of sinners and the
Sons and stand by them as Sons and lay up for them as Sons and lay out himself for them as Sons that they that have not deserved a smile from God a good word from God a bit of bread from God or a good look from God should be made the Sons of God What manner of love is this that they that have so highly provoked God that they that have walkt so cross and contrary to God that they that were so exceeding unlike to God that they that have preferred every lust and every toy and vanity before God that they that have fought many years under Satans Banner against God that they that have refused all the offers of mercy that hath been made by God that they that have deserved to be reprobated by God to be damned by God and to be thrown to Hell by God that these should be made the Sons of God O stand and wonder O stand and admire at the freeness of Grace and at the riches of Grace But Seventhly If thou art a holy person if thou art one that hast that real holiness without which there is no happiness then know for thy comfort that thou art an undoubted heir of everlasting Glory Rom. 8.16 17 18. James 2.5 2 Tim. 4.7 8. Rom. 8.29 30. For whom hee did foreknow hee also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son that is in holinesse that hee might bee the first born among many Brethren Moreover whom hee did predestinate them hee also called and whom hee called them hee also justified and whom hee justified them hee also glorified Holiness is a most sure earnest and pawn of glory 2 Thes 2.13 God hath chosen you to Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit Mat. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God 1 Joh. 3.2 3. When hee shall appear wee shall be like him that is in glory for wee shall see him as hee is And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as hee is pure Hee that hath a real hope a lively hope of being like to Christ in Glory and of reigning with Christ in Heaven will set roundly upon the work of self-purifying there is no hope to that hope that runs out into holiness and that leads the soul on to the highest degrees of purification and that inables a man to set up Christs purity as the most perfect Pattern and exact Coppy for his Imitation Titus 3.4 5 6 7. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared not by works of Righteousness which wee have done but according to his mercy hee saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which hee shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour That being justified by his Grace wee should bee made heirs according to the hope of eternal Life Holiness is an infallible forerunner of glory 't is the first-fruits of that eternal happiness and blessedness that God hath laid up for his children in the highest Heavens And O what cause of joy and gladness should this be to every holy heart what though thou shouldest never have a good day more on Earth what though all the springs of comfort should be dried upon thy right hand and on thy left hand what though God should never smile on thee more in this world what though the remaining part of thy life should bee filled up with crosses losses troubles and trials what though God should let Satan loose to tempt thee and wicked men grow strong to oppress thee and friends turn enemies to grieve thee Yea what if thou shouldest go to thy grave with tears in thy eyes and with sorrow in thy heart yet as long as thou art sure that thou art an heir of Glory and that all the happiness of Heaven is thine and that thy Crown is safe Psal 16. ult and that thou shalt be for ever filled and satisfied with those everlasting pleasures and delights that be at Gods right hand thou hast cause to joy and rejoyce in the midst of all thy sorrows and sufferings Heb. 12.28 1 Pet. 1.3 4. See my String of Pearls on that very Text. yea to glory and triumph in the hopes and expectations of a Kingdome that shakes not of a Crown that withers not of Riches that corrupt not and of an Inheritance that fadeth not away O Sirs 't is not all the Silks of Persia nor all the Spices of Egypt nor all the Gold of Ophir nor all the Treasures of both Indies nor all the Crowns and Scepters in the world no nor yet the worth of ten thousand worlds that are to be compared with that Glory that is treasured up for all Gods holy ones they have an Inheritance reserved in Heaven for them that cannot be moth-eaten nor spoiled by hostile invasion nor wrung from them by power nor won from them by Law nor mortgaged for debt nor impaired by publick calamity nor plundered by Theeves and Robbers nor changed by Kings or Parliaments no nor violated by death it self and therefore what infinite cause of joy and rejoycing have all such that are interested in such an Inheritance and in such a perfect happiness and compleat blessedness that is reserved in Heaven for all Gods holy ones O what a singular comfort must this be to a Christian in the midst of all his miseries and distresses Psal 73.24 when hee is able to look upon God and say This God is my God for ever and ever and hee shall be my Guide to Glory and when hee is able to look up to Heaven and say This is my Inheritance yea when hee is able to look upon all the Glory and Happiness of another world and to say All this Glory and Happiness is mine for I have that Holiness that is the earnest of it Qui spirituali exultationis oleo uncti sunt c. Macar Hom. 17. the pawn of it and the first-fruits of it in my own soul 'T was an observable saying of Macarius They that are anointed with the spiritual Oil of gladness saith hee have received a sign of that incorruptible Kingdome to wit Gods Spirit for an earnest they are the Secretaries of the Heavenly King and relying confidently upon the Almighty they enter into his Palace where the Angels and the Spirits of holy men are although they be yet in this world for although they be not yet come to the intire Inheritance which is prepared for them in that world yet they are most sure of it by that pledge which they have newly received as sure as if they were already crowned and had the key of the Kingdome in their own possession 'T was a very sweet and comfortable speech which the Emperour used to Galba in his childehood and minority when hee took him by the chin and said Tu Galba c. Thou Galba shalt one day sit upon a Throne so 't is very sweet and
towards their desired Harbour And so 't is with a holy heart sometimes the gales of the spirit blow very fair and sweet very strong and powerful upon a gracious soul and then a Christian sails most sweetly most speedily and most successfully on in a way of Holiness and towards his Port of Happiness but anon the spirit is either resisted or grieved or neglected or quenched or vexed or disobeyed and then his gales his influences his breathings are slacked and then a poor Christian sails but very slow on in a way of holiness then hee doth but even creep towards the Harbour of everlasting blessedness Again no Saints have at all times alike the same external helps advantages and opportunities of being holy and of thriving in holiness It may bee they have not the word so clearly so powerfully so sweetly so faithfully nor so frequently preacht to them as formerly they have had or it may bee they have not other Ordinances so lively so purely so spiritually so evangelically dispenced to them as formerly they have had It may bee they have had stones instead of bread and bones instead of flesh and chaffe instead of wheat and muddy water instead of choice wine and then no wonder if they do not thrive in holiness as they did when God rained Mannah every day about their Tents and when they were fed with the best of the best that their Heavenly Fathers Table Wine-seller and House did afford When Children have not as good Food and as good Physick and as good lodging and as good looking to as they have formerly had no wonder if they thrive not as at other times And so 't is here look as no men have alwaies the same helps the same advantages the same opportunities to grow great and rich and high and honourable in the world that sometimes they have had so no Christian hath alwaies the same helps advantages and opportunities to grow rich and high in holiness as sometimes hee hath had It may bee hee hath not that communion and fellowship with the people of God that once hee had or if hee hath yet it may bee their communion is not so pure so holy so lively so heart-warming so soul-inriching as once it hath been or it may bee hee hath not as good counsel as formerly nor as good examples as formerly nor as good encouragement as hee hath formerly had to bee holy or it may bee their calling imployment and outward condition is so altered and changed from what once it was that they have not that time for closet Duties and to wait on publick Ordinances that once they had or it may bee bodily infirmities weaknesses diseases aches and ailements are so increased and multiplied upon them that they cannot make that improvement that once they did of those very advantages and opportunities that yet by a hand of grace is continued among them now these cases being incident to the people of God there is no reason to wonder if at some times Saints are more holy than they are at others and if at some seasons they shoot up more in holiness than they do at others The serious weighing of this Position may serve to prevent many fears and scruples many debates and disputes that often rise in the hearts of Christians upon the often ebbings and flowings of holiness in their souls The sixt Position is this There will come a time when in this world holiness shall bee more general and more eminent than ever it hath been since Adam fell in Paradise The Scripture speaks clearly roundly and fully to this Deut. 30.5 6 8. The Lord thy God will bring thee into thine own Land and the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and thou shalt return and obey the voice of the Lord and do All His Commandements This gracious Promise was made to the Jews above two thousand years ago and yet to this very day it hath not been fulfilled and therefore there will certainly come a time wherein God will make it good Isa 11.6 The Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb c. and they shall not hurt c. for the Earth shall bee Full of the Knowledge of The Lord As the Waters Cover The Sea This glorious Promise hath not been made good to this day but there is a time a coming wherein it shall bee accomplished Isa 35.8 There shall bee a high-way and it shall bee called a way of Holiness THE UNCLEAN SHALL NOT PASSE OVER IT Isa 59.21 This is my Covenant my WORD AND MY SPIRIT SHALL NEVER DEPART from thee for ever Isa 60.21 Thy People shall bee ALL RIGHTEOUS Jer. 32.40 41. I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good But I will put my fear into their hearts So Ezek. 36.23 to v. 30. Mal. 4.1 2. 2 Pet. 3.13 that they shall not depart from mee yea I will rejoyce over them to do them good and will plant them in this Land assuredly WITH MY WHOLE HEART AND WHOLE SOUL Now it is very observable that this great Promise must bee fulfilled when the Jews shall return and bee settled in their own Land And so the Prophet Ezekiel speaking of the glorious state of the Church in the last daies Ezek. 44.7 9. adds Thus saith the Lord no stranger uncircumcised in HEART shall enter into my Sanctuary Zeph. 3.13 The remnant of Israel SHALL NOT DO INIQUITY nor SPEAK LYES neither shall a DECEITFUL TONGUE bee found in their mouths Now the context clearly shews that these words relate to the glorious state of the Church on Earth and they have never yet received their accomplishment but shall in the last daies for hee is faithful that hath spoken it Zach. 14.20 21. Upon ALL SHALL BEE HOLINESSE TO THE LORD I have opened this Text pretty fully to you already in my former discourses on holiness and therefore shall pass it by now Rev. 21. verse the first See the English Annotations on these words and verse the last And I saw a New Heaven and a New Earth and I saw the holy City New Jerusalem coming down from God out of HEAVEN Behold the Tabernacle of God is WITH MEN c. and there shall in no wise enter into it any thâ—ng that DEFILETH c. but they that are written in the Lambs Book I have formerly proved by several Arguments as divers of you knows that this chapter cannot be understood of Heaven but must necessarily and beyond all dispute bee understood of the glorious state of the Saints on Earth which they shall certainly enjoy in the last daies By all these Scriptures it is most evident that there will come a time when holiness shall bee more general and at a fuller height than ever yet it hath been since man fell from his Original holiness and therefore pray
except there be sound repentance on their sides and pardoning mercy on Gods they are so abominable debauched and wicked But Eightly When God hath separated and severed his people from the corrupt and sinful customes and manners of the world and brought them into fellowship with himself and into Gospel-Communion with one another O then in a special manner hee calls aloud upon them to be holy Levit. 20.23 24 26. And yee shall not walk in the manners of the Nation which I cast out before you for they committed all these things and therefore I abhorred them But I have said unto you ye shall inherit their Land and I will give it unto you to possess it a Land that floweth with milk and hony I am the Lord your God which have separated you from other people And yee shall be holy unto mee for I the Lord am holy and have severed you from other people that yee should bee mine Distinguishing mercies should breed and nourish distinguishing qualities O Sirs 't is not for you who are separated and severed from the world by God to be proud and carnal and formal and distrustful and hypocritical and earthly and froward c. as the world is 't is not for you to deny your principles to debauch your consciences to change your notes to turn your coats to defile your souls to blot your names and to scandalize your profession O Sirs if God hath separated you and severed you from the world by a call from Heaven it highly concerns you not to think as the world thinks nor to speak as the world speaks nor to judge as the world judges nor to walk as the world walks nor to worship as the world worships but so to think speak judge walk and worship as may make most for the honour of God the glory of the Gospel and as best becomes those that have had the honour and the happiness of being separated and severed by God from the world But Ninthly When the day of the Lord draws neer and when wee look for the accomplishment of great things O then God calls aloud upon his people to bee holy 2 Pet. 3.10 11 12 13 14. But the day of the Lord will come as a Theif in the night in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Element shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the works that are therein shall bee burnt up Seeing then that all these things shall bee desolved what manner of persons ought yee to bee in all holy conversation and godliness Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God wherein the Heavens being on fire shall bee desolved and the Element shall melt with fervent heat Never-the-less wee according to his promise look for a new Heaven and new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness Wherefore Beloved seeing that yee look for such things bee diligent that yee may bee found of him in peace without spot and blameless The neerer the day of Christ is to us and the more great and glorious things wee expect from God Isa 65.17 18 19 20. the more holy the more spotless and the more blameless wee must labour to bee I know there are many that look for new heavens and a new earth that is for a glorious Church-state here on earrh wherein shall dwell righteousness 't is certain that the highest Heavens where God keeps his Royal Court was never without righteousness righteousness hath been alwaies the habitation of his Throne righteousness hath alwaies dwelt in the highest Heavens and indeed Heaven would bee no Heaven yea it would rather hee a Hell than a Heaven if righteousness did not alwaies dwell there neither can the highest Heaven ever wax old neither were they ever made of Earth or Brittle mouldering matter the Pallace of the great King will bee alwaies new fresh shining and gloriousness but indeed the Earth in all Ages have been full of injustice unrighteousness wickedness tyranny cruelty and oppression so that righteousness seems to have been banished out of the world ever since Adam fell from his primitive righteousness and holiness O! but there is a glorious day a coming wherein the Earth shall bee full of righteousness and holiness as I have formerly proved at large from other Scriptures Now Christians the more great and glorious things you expect from God as the downfall of Antichrist the conversion of the Jews the conquest of the nations to Christ the breaking off of all yoâ—ks the new Jerusalems coming down from above the extraordinary pouring out of the spirit and a more general union among all Saints the more holy yea the more eminently holy in all your waies and actings it becomes you to bee many there bee that will talke high and speak big words and tell you stories of great things that they expect and look for in these daies which are the last of the last times and yet if you look into their lives you shall finde them loose and vain and what not O! that these would for ever remember that the more great and glorious things wee expect and look for from God the more holiness God expects and looks for from us and therefore as wee would not have God fail our expectation let not us frustrate his and the higher your expectation rises the higher alwaies let your holiness rise Eccle. 12 2 3 4 5. for there is nothing that will hasten that desirable day of glory upon the world like this But Tenthly and lastly When you draw neer your end when there are but a few steps between you and the Grave between you and Eternity when you have but a little time to live when death stands at your backs and treads on your heels and knocks at your doors when the eyes begin to grow dark when the grinders begin to cease when the keepers of the house the hands and the arms begin to tremble and when the strong men the legs and thighs begin to bow and stagger and totter as being too weak to bear the bodies burden O then what a holy people should you bee this very consideration had a very great influence upon that great Apostles spirit in that 2 Pet. 1.12 13 14 15. Wherefore I will not bee negligent to put you alwaies in remembrance of these things though yee know them and bee established in the present truth Yea I think it meet as long as I am in this tabernacle * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To rouse you up The Greek word signifies to awaken rouse and raise such as are a sleep There is a sinful slugishness and drousiness that often hangs upon the best of men and therefore they stand in much need of being awakned and roused up to look after their spiritual and eternal concernments to stir you up by putting you in remembrance knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle even as our Lord Jesus Christ shewed me Moreover I will endeavour that you
requisite beauties and abilities that might render him lovely and comely to every eye In a word mans first estate was a state of perfect happiness all within him and all without him and all about him spoke him out to be compleatly blessed there was nothing within him but what was very sweet and desirable there was nothing without him but what was very delightful and amiable neither was there any thing about him but what was serviceable and comfortable Lam. 5.16 O but now by his fall his crown is faln from his head and from the heads of all his posterity for Adam was a publick person he was the Prince of all mankind and though all mankind was not actually in his loyns when he fell yet they were all potentially in his loyns when he fell If two Kings make a league and the one break it he makes not only himself but all his Subjects lyable and obnoxious to all the calamities and miseries that shall follow thereupon Adam was our common Father and we are all his Sons and Daughters Now we know by the Law of inheritance that if the Father forfeit his Lease he dis-inherits his posterity Now Adam forfeited his Lease as I may say and divine Justice took the advantage of the forfeiture and so hath turned all his posterity out of doors So that there is now no way under heaven to be happy but by being holy all sorts and ranks of men are faln in Adam and there is no way to rise but by Christ and holiness c. A second Reason why I dedicate this Treatise to all sorts and ranks of persons is because the matter contained in this book is of the greatest and highest concernment imaginable to all ranks and degrees of men from the greatest Emperour that ever set upon a Throne to the meanest and the poorest wretch that ever lay upon a Dunghill And doubtless that which is of such a marvellous importance to all may very justly and reasonably be dedicated to all A third reason why I dedicate this Treatise to all sorts and ranks of persons is because God intends to save some of all sorts ranks and degrees though greatness and goodness do not alwayes meet yet greatness and goodness do sometimes meet and though riches and religion do not alwayes meet yet riches and religion do sometimes meet though not many wise yet some wise 1 Cor. 1.26 though not many mighty yet some mighty though not many noble yet some noble shall be called sanctified and saved Look as the Sun in the Firmament doth cast his light and warmth upon all sorts ranks and degrees of men Matth. 5.45 So doth the Sun of righteousness shine upon the understandings and consciences of all sorts ranks and degrees of men and by his secret and spiritual influences he warms and cheers the hearts of high and low rich and poor noble and ignoble Abraham was very great and very gracious Joseph was very high and very holy Job was very rich and very righteous It is a strange sâ—ying in Lâ—psius The names of all good Princes saith he may easily be engraven or written in a small Ring Lips de coâ—stantia lib. 2. cap. 25. Though most of those Kings and Princes that we read of in Scripture were bad very bad yet some of them were good yea very good Some of them were as famous for grace righteousness and holiness witness David Asa Josiah Hezekiah Jehosaphat c. as Saul Jehoram Jehu Ahab and others of them were infamous for all unrighteousness and wickedness God for the glory of his own grace and the honour of his Sons blood will have some of all sorts ranks and degrees sanctified and saved and upon this very ground he engages his servants to pray for all sorts ranks and degrees of men in 1 Tim. 2.1 2 3 4. Now where God is resolved to save there he is resolved to sanctifie where he is resolved to make happy there he is resolved to make holy And therefore I look upon my self as many wayes obliged to have so large a heart for God as to do all I can to help on the salvation of all sorts ranks and degrees of men in the world My hearts desire and prayer for England is Rom. 10.1 Pauls Copy is not to be despised but imitated that her Princes and Nobles may be sanctified and saved and that her Gentry may be sanctified and saved and that all the people of the Nation may be sanctified and saved I look upon my self as engaged to do all I can by my pen and prayers to help make England holy that so England may be truly happy For of this I am most certain that if God will but make England a holy Nation it is not all the powers on earth nor all the powers of hell that shall ever make England a miserable Nation A fourth Reason why I thus Dedicate this Treatise as you see is because my former poor labours and endeavours have been acceptable to some of all ranks and degrees and they have been blest to some of all ranks and degrees and I have been encouraged whetted and stirred up by some on all hands once more to cast in my Net and now I have done it O that it may issue in the drawing of many souls to Christ and in the making of the gracelesse gracious the prophane holy and in the making of those that are holy to be yet more holy c. A fifth Reason why I thus Dedicate this Treatise as you see is because though all men are bound to be holy yet the great the rich the noble and the honourable of the earth are bound above all other men in the world to be holy Reader if thou art one that standest upon thy birth nobility and greatness do thy self that favour and thy soul that right as to read from page 343. to page 447. before thou goest any further God hath laid upon them greater obligations and Tyes to holinesse then he hath upon any other men under heaven and this you may see so clearly and so fully proved in this Book from page 433. to page 447. that neither the world nor the Devil as cunning and as learned a Devil as he is will ever be able to disprove This reason alone is sufficient to justifie my present practice My sixth and last Reason why I thus Dedicate this Treatise as you see is that it may be a blessed Testimony and a standing Witnesse for Christ in this day of blasphemy prophanesse loosnesse Isa 43.10 12. chap. 44.8 and wickednesse against all sorts and ranks of persons into whose hands it may fall who notwithstanding all that is here said shall continue obstinate and impenitent in their ungodly courses and practises as men resolved rather to go to hell then to heaven and to be for ever unhappy rather then they will be holy Wo wo to them for ever that had rather be Satans bond-slaves then Christs free-men
that had rather be vessels of wrath then vessels of honour and that had rather be fire-brands of hell then glorious Saints in heaven Ephes 2.12 Rom. 9.22 And so I have done with those reason◠that may satisfie the Reader concerning my Dedication of this Treatise to all sorts ranks and degrees of persons Having premised these things in the general give me leave to say That if this Treatise should fall into the hands of any of the Learned Judges of this Land or into the hands of any of the Justices of this Nation I would then take the humble boldnesse to offer this to their most serious consideration viz. That if they would discharge the duties of their places so as to give up their accounts at last with joy and cheerfulness to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords it highly concerns them to study this doctrine of holinesse yea to fall in love with holinesse and highly to prize it and earnestly to presse after it and to be restlesse in their own spirits till they have experienced the powerful operations of holinesse in their own souls for till then they will never be able so to administer Justice and Judgement as becomes those that have the name of God and the name of profession upon them and that judge themselves to be in a higher Form then those Heathens were who were famous for justice and righteousnesse Cato Fabricius Scipio Cambyses c. and yet never heard of a Christ nor salvation by him and as becomes those that would not stand trembling and quaking in the great and terrible day when Christ the Lord-chief-Iustice of heaven and earth shall passe a righteous and impartial judgement upon all the Judges and Justices that ever were on earth Joel 2.11 31. Acts 17.31 2 Tim. 4.1 2. Where justice is God is and where God is there is no want of men or fortitude said Herod at the head of his Army the better to encourage his souldiers My Lords and Gentlemen you know that the wisest Prince that ever set upon a Throne hath told us that Righteousnesse exalts a Nation Prov. 14.34 It is not valour in war but righteousnesse it is not policie in Government but righteousnesse it is not wittinesse of invention but righteousnesse it is not civility in behaviour but righteousnesse it is not antiquity of forms but righteousnesse it is not largenesse of dominion but righteousnesse nor it is not greatnesse of command Iustice is conservatrix Humanae conjunctionis quae ad beatitudinem via est c. Amos 5.24 The Hebrew word Veiiggalchat is here rendred run down is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Galal that signifies to roul down f eely plentifully plainly vigorously constantly Where justice thus rouls down all the world shall never make that Nation miserable but righteousnesse that is the honour and the safety that is the renown and the security of a Nation That Nation that exalts righteousnesse that Nation shall be certainly exalted by righteousnesse It is not Achitophels policy it is not Jeroboams calves in Dan and Bethel it is not Jehues pompous zeal it is not Goliahs sword it is not rich Mines of Gold and Silver nor Magazines nor Armies nor Counsels nor Fleets nor Forts but Justice and Righteousnesse that exalts a Nation and that will make a mean people to become a great a glorious and a famous people in the world The world is a Ring and Righteousnesse is the Diamond in that Ring The world is a body and Righteousnesse and Justice is the soul of that body Ah England England so long as judgement runs down as waters in the midst of thee and righteousnesse as a mighty stream thou shalt not die but live and bear up bravely against all gain-sayers and opposers but if injustice shall grow rampant and thou shalt brandish the sword of Justice in the behalf of the friends of Baal Balaam and Bacchus and turn the wheel upon the righteous if the sword of justice shall be a sword of protection to the desperate swearer and to the cruel oppressor and to the roaring drunkard and to the cursing monster and to the Gospel despiser and to the Christ contemner c. and shall be a devouring sword to the upright and peaceable in the Land Divine vengeance will dig thy grave and divine Justice will tumble thee into it though all the Nations of the earth should labour to prevent it It is a base and ignoble spirit to pity Cataline more then to pity Rome to pity any particular sort of men more then to pity the whole It is cruelty to the good to justifie the bad It is wrong to the sheep to animate the Wolves It is danger if not death to the Lambs not to restrain or chain up the Lyons but from all these vanities the Lord deliver all your souls And O that you would for ever remember this that as the constitution of a mans body is best known by his pulse if it stir not at all then we know he is dead if it stir violently then we know him to be in a Fever if it keep an equal stroak then we know he is sound well and whole so the estate and constitution of a Kingdom or Common-weal is best known by the manner of executing justice therein for justice is the pulse of a Kingdom if justice be violent then the Kingdom is in a Fever in a very bad estate if it stir not at all then the Kingdom is dead but if it have an equal stroak if it be justly and duely administred then the Kingdom is in a good a safe and sound condition When Vespasian asked Apollonus What was the cause of Nero 's ruine he answered That Nero could tune the Harps well but in Government he did alwayes wind up the strings too high or let them down too low The Application is easie Now having premised thus much in the general give me leave to tell you that there are eight special Rules that you are carefully and faithfully to observe in the administration of Justice and Righteousnsse And how you will be able to act sutable to those Rules without a Spirit of holinesse without principles of holinesse and without an experience of the powerful influences and operations of holinesse in your own souls I cannot for the present understand Now my Lords and Gentlemen the first Rule that you are to observe in your administring of Judgement and Justice Psalm 82.1 6. Luke 20.21 Mat. 22.16 is this You must do Justice impartially you are called Gods and in this you must be like to God who is no acceptor of persons Audi alteram partem said Lotharius the second Duke of Saxony he accepts not the rich man because of his Robes neither doth he reject the poor man because of his Rags Deut. 1.17 Ye shall not respect persons in judgement but you shall hear the small as well as the great you shall not be afraid of the face of
given unto me by the vertue of which gift I do rightly lay claim unto it and am not confounded Though we cannot lay claim to heaven nor to a blessed fruition of God by any inherent holiness in us it being weak and imperfect yet we may lay claim to both by the mediatory holiness of Christ imputed to us As Christs Essential holiness gives him an hereditary right to everlasting happiness So his Mediatory holiness gives us a right to everlasting blessedness The costly cloak of Alcisthenes which Dionysius sold to the Carthaginians for an hundred Talents was but a mean and beggarly ragg to that embroidered royal Robe of Christs mediatory holiness that is imputed or reckoned to us And therefore as ever you would come to a vision of God in happiness you must labour to be interested by faith in Christs mediatory holiness But Sixthly and Lastly there is an inherent internal qualitative holiness Holiness is not any single grace alone but a conjunction a constellation of all graces together Now this inherent holiness lies in two things First in the infusing of holy principles divine qualities or supernatural graces into the soul such as the Apostle mentions in Gal. 5.22 23. But the fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance against such there is no Law These habits of grace which are severally distinguished by the names of faith love hope meekness c. are nothing else but the new nature or new-man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Ephes 4.24 These seeds of holiness these habits of grace are those sweet ointments with which all must be annointed 1 John 3.9 2 Cor. 1.21 1 John 2.27 that shall ever come to a blessed sight or vision of God You may know much of God you may hear much of God you may talk much of God and you may boast much of your hopes and interest in God and yet without these habits of holiness you shall never come to a blessed fruition of God in happiness without these feeds of holiness you shall never reap a crop of blessedness But Secondly This inherent this qualitative holiness lies in an holy use and exercise of those supernatural graces in a way of holy walking Acts 10.35 1 John 1.3.7 Tit. 2.12 Luke 1.73 2 Pet. 1.8 1 Pet. 1.15 16. Isa 35.8 all holy habits must be brought forth into holy acts gracious habits must be attended with gratious motions gratious operations and a gracious conversation outward works must be suitable to inward habits it is with spiritual habits as it is with natural habits the more they are acted and exercised the more they are increased and strengthened holy habits are golden Talents that must be imployed and improved Gracious habits are the candles of the Lord set up in us and God hath set up those candles of heaven not to idle by not to sleep by but to work by and to walk by Where there is holiness of disposition there must be nay there will be holiness of conversation a holy heart is alwayes attended with a holy life Where there are the seeds of holiness there will be the flowers of holiness you may separate a man from his friend but you can never separate though you may distinguish acts of holiness from the habits of holiness now it is certain without this holiness you shall never come to a sight or fruition of God in happiness And thus I have shewed you what that holiness is without which there is no hope no possibility of ever seeing the Lord. I come now to the second thing and that is to prove the truth of the Proposition viz. That without men are holy they can never be happy without holiness on earth none of the sons of men shall ever come to a blessed vision and fruition of God in heaven Now this great and weighty truth I shall make good by an induction of particulars thus First God hath by very plain and clear Scriptures bolted and barred the door of heaven and happiness against all unholy ones See also Mat. 7.21 22 23. Ch. 25.10 11 12. Witness 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God be not deceived neither fornicators nor Idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor thieves nor covetous nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God Heaven is an undefiled inheritance 1 Pet. 1.4 and none that are defiled can enter into the possession of it When the Angels fell from their righteousness heaven rejected them it would no longer hold them and will it now accept of the unrighteous will it now entertain and welcome them surely no. Such sinners make the very earth to mourn and groan now and shall they make heaven to mourn and groan hereafter Surely no. What though the Serpent did wind himself into an earthy Paradise yet none of the seed of the Serpent so remaining shall ever be able to wind themselves into a heavenly Paradise witness Gal. 19.20 21. Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these Adultery fornication uncleanness lasciviousness Idolatry witchcraft hatred variance emulations wrath strife seditions heresies envying murders drunkenness revellings and such like of the which I tell you before as I also have told you in time past that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God Before they go to hell he tells them again and again that they shall not inherit the kingdom of God By the Kingdom of God we are to to understand the kingdom of Heaven the kingdom of glory now the kingdom of heaven of glory is called the kingdom of God 1. Because he hath prepared it 2. Mat. 20.23 Luke 12 32. Because it is a royal gift that he confers and bestows upon his little little flock Augustus in his Solemn Feasts gave trifles to some and Gold to others Rev. 4.10 11. Chap. 20.6 Dan. 4.16 17. The trifles of this world God often gives to the worst and basest of men but the kingdom of heaven he only gives to his bosome friends 3. Because that of and under him the Saints hold it and possess it 4. Because with him they shall for ever reign in the fruition of it And so that in John 3.3 Jesus answered and said unto him Verily verily I say unto thee Except a man be born again be cannot see the kingdom of God To give a little light into the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth truth or truly truly Verily verily the Greek is Amen amen The word Amen is Hebrew and in the Old Testament is most commonly used by way of wishing or imprecation but here and in other places of the New Testament the sense of it is altered from precatory to assertory or from the way of wishing to the way of affirming This phrase Amen amen or Verily verily imports First The
to make his prison so strong and thousands to thousands and is not rich towards God This age is full of such golden fools who pamper their bodies but starve their souls who trick and trim up their bodies with Gold Silver and Silks whilst their souls are naked and ragged and destitute of all grace and goodness The Jews have a story of a foolish woman that took two children to nurse the one very mean deformed crooked blind and not likely to live long the other a goodly lively lovely beautifull child and likely to live long now this foolish woman spent all her pains care diligence and attendance upon the worst child never so much as minding or regarding the best child this age is full of such foolish men and women who having two to nurse their bodies and their souls spend their time their care labour and pains in making provision for the flesh in laying up for their bodies and in the mean while never regard their souls never look after their souls though they have the beauty of a Deity upon them and though they are immortal and capable of union and communion with God in grace and of a blessed fruition of God in glory Surely no fools to these fools Seventhly The sharpest and severest course you can take cannot separate between a fool and his folly Notwithstanding all your frowns threats checks knocks c. A fool will not leave his folly nay you shall sooner beat a fool to death then you shall beat him off from his folly Prov. 27.22 Solomon in this place alludeth to one kind of grinding which in old time the people were accustomed to which was to put their parched corn into a morter and to beat it unto powder Though thou shouldst bray a fool in a morter among wheat with a pestell yet will not his foolishness depart from him The husk doth not stick so close to the grain of corn as folly doth to the heart of a fool there is a possibility of severing the husk from the flower by beating but there is no possibility of severing a fool from his folly You see it in Pharaoh who though he was often in Gods morter yet he could not be severed from his folly nay he did chuse rather to be beaten to death and to see his friends relations favourites followers subjects and souldiers with their first born beaten to death before his eyes rather the he would leave his folly And such a fool was King Ahaz who when God had him in the morter and threatned to beat him and his people to death yet then in his distress he sinned more against the Lord 2 Chron. 28.22 and therefore for his obstinacy obdurateness and irreclaimableness he is branded and mark't with a black coal by the Lord to all posterity They were like those Bears in Pliny that could not be stirred with the sharpest prickles This is that King Ahaz And such spiritual fools are all ungodly persons let God frown chide strike reprove correct yet they will not turn from the evil of their doings they will rather be consumed and destroyed then they will be amended or reformed Jer. 5.3 O Lord are not thine eyes upon the truth thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction See Ez. 22.18 Jer. 2.30 31. Ch. 19. ult Amos 4.4.13 Isa 26.10 11. 2 Pet. 2.22 they have made their faces harder then a rock they have refused to return no smart nor grief no calamities nor miseries can turn obstinate fools from their impieties Jer. 6.29 The bellows are burnt the lead is consumed of the fire the Founder melteth in vain or in vain melting melteth he trying tryeth he for the wicked are not plucked away All the cost and charge that God hath been at all the pains and labour that he hath taken to sever these wicked ones from their wickedness was lost they would not be refined nor reformed After Gods greatest severity a spiritual fool will return to his iniquity Prov. 26.11 As a dog returneth to his vomit so a fool returneth to his folly or iterateth his folly It is true the comparison is homely but good enough for those fools to whom it is applyed Spiritual fools sometimes vomit up their sins when they are under terrors of conscience or under the afflicting hand of God or upon a dying bed but still retain a disposition and purpose to return to them again As some say the Serpent vomits up his poyson when he goes to drink and then takes it in again Foolish souls say to their lusts as Abraham to his servants Gen. 22.5 Abide you here and I will go yonder and come again to you Whatever becomes of their souls they are resolved to keep close to their sins Isa 1.5 And as Aesops foolish fishes leaped out of the warm water into the burning fire for ease So these poor fools will rather adventure a burning in hell then they will attempt a turning from their folly Eighthly Natural fools make the simplest and unhappiest exchanges they will exchange a pearl for a Pippin The foolish Indians prefer every toy and trifle above their mines of Gold things of greatest worth and value for a feather a ribbon a toy a trifle a house to live in for a house of clay or a house of Cards and like Glaucus a foolish Captain who changed with Diomedes his Armour of Gold for Dioemedes his armour of brass All unholy persons are spiritual fools they will exchange spirituals for carnals and eternals for temporals they will exchange God Christ the Gospel heaven and their souls for a lust for the world nay for a little of the worlds smiles pleasures or profits Mat. 16.26 and well may he lay claim to a Boat-swains place in Barkleys ship of fools that will exchange his soul and his soul concernments for the toyes and trifles of this world Now do you think that God who hath within himself all the wisdom of Angels of men and universal nature that he who hath all glory all dignity all riches all treasures all pleasures all comforts all delights all joyes all beatitudes in himself That that God who is a super-substantial substance and understanding not to be understood a word never to be spoken Dionys Areop de divin nom cap. 1. that he will have everlasting fellowship and communion with fools that a God whose wisdom is infinite and unsearchable will ever debase himself so as to have his royal Pallace filled with fools as to make those his companions in heaven that he can take no pleasure in on earth Eccles 5.4 he hath no pleasure in fools The wise God would not have his children keep company with fools Prov. 14.7 Go from the presence of a foolish man when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge and will he keep company with them himself Surely no. God hath given it under his own hand that such
with the State of this Common-wealth of Kings to admit such vermine as as unholy persons are to be of that noble society surely no God hath long since resolved upon it that no unclean beasts shall enter into heaven that no dirty dogs shall ever trample upon that golden pavement All in heaven are holy the Angels holy the Saints holy the Patriarchs holy the Prophets holy the Apostles holy the Martyrs holy but the Lord himself above all is most glorious in holiness and therefore all those holy ones do as it were in a divine Anthem sing and say Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty Rev. 21. ult There are no Owls in Creet nor no wild beasts in Lebanon heaven and earth are full of the Majesty of thy glory Now certainly it would be a hell to these holy ones to have unholy wretches to be their companions When the holy Angels fell from their holiness heaven was so holy that it spewed them out Isaiah 6.3 as once Canaan did its unholy inhabitants and therefore certainly there will be no room in heaven for such filthy beasts as unholy persons are Well remember this that all those stinging Expressions and Appellations which disgrace and vilifie unholy persons they were inspired by a holy spirit and penned by holy Secretaries and enrolled in his holy word and published by his holy messengers and all by his holy appointment who as he is greater then the greatest and wiser then the wisest and better then the best Lev. 18.28 So he is too pure and too holy to eat the words that are gone out of his mouth or to deny or unsay what he hath spoken or not to maintain the truth thereof against all gain-sayers It is prophecied that when the Church shall be restored to her purity and glory such beasts shall not be there Isa 35.9 Ezek. 28.24 The Majesty of Church-discipline shall be such as shall keep out all such beasts Jerusalem above is too glorious a habitation for beasts or for men of beastly spirits or beastly principles or beastly practices The City of the great God was never built for beasts A wilderness and not a Paradise is fittest for beasts The ninth Argument to prove the truth of the Proposition Exod. 23.32 Chap. 34.12 If you would see the greatness and dangerousness of this sin then read Ezra 10. 1 Kings 11. with Exo. 34.14 15 16. Judg. 3.6 7 8. When Dionysius the elder Tyrant of Syracusa asked Aristides a Locrian his good will to marry his daughter I had rather see my daughter dead said he then married unto a Tyrant Plutarch in the life of Timoleon The Application is easie is this God would not have his holy ones in this world to be yoked in marriage with unholy ones and therefore certainly he will never suffer such to be yoked to himself to all eternity That God would not have his righteous people to be yoked in marriage with the unrighteous is most evident by these Scriptures Deut. 7.3.6 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them thy daughter thou shalt not give to his son nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy Son For thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself above all people that are upon the face of the earth Ezra 9.12 Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons neither take their daughters unto your sons But did they keep this commandment of the Lord No as you may see in the second verse of that chapter For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands yea the hand of the Princes and Rulers have been chief in this trespass But how did this operate upon good Ezra that you may see in the third verse And when I heard this thing I rent my garment and my mantle and pluckt off the hair of my head and of my beard and sate down astonied Oh the sorrow the grief the perplexity the holy passion the indignation the amazement the astonishment that this abomination begot in the heart of good Ezra The like effect this sin had upon the heart of good Nehemiah as you may see in that remarkable text Neh. 13.23 24 25. compared with Ch. 10.29 30. So in 2 Cor. 6.14 15. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion hath light with darkness And what concord hath Christ with Belial or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel It is an evil thing a dangerous thing to be yoked to any who have neither skill nor will to bear the yoke of Christ Under the Law an Ox and an Asse might not be yoked or coupled together Deut. 22.10 and to this the Apostle alludes as some judge God would not have righteous souls to be yoked in marriage with those that are unrighteous a gracious soul were better be married to a quartern ague then to an ungracious wife Proverbs 12.4 A vertuous wife is a crown to her husband she is the life of life if thou art a man of holinesse thou must look more for a portion of grace in a wife 1 Cor 7.39 then for a portion of gold with a wife thou must look more after righteousnesse then riches more after piety then money more after what inheritance she hath in heaven then what possessions she hath on earth more at what interest she hath in Christ then at what interest she hath in creatures more at her being new born then at her beâ—ng high born more at her being good then at all her worldly goods If money makes the match and she be good enough that hath but goods enough thou shalt be sure to have hell enough with such a wife In thy choice to err but once is to be undone for ever at least as to the comforts and contentments of thy life once blest or curst must be for ever so Men have not leave to choose or change often By what hath been said it is most evident that God would not have the holy seed to mingle or marry with the unholy And do you think that a holy God wil mingle and marry with such in heaven that he would not have his people to mingle or marry with on earth surely no. Or do you think that that God that would not in the Law have an Ox and an Asse plough together that he will be yoked to such wretches may I say to such Asses whose ungodliness hath debased them below the very Ox and Asse Isa 1.3 Surely no. The tenth and last Argument to prove that without real holinesse there is no happinesse c. is this Unholy persons are adjudged doomed and sentenced to another place viz. to hell Matth 11.23 Ch. 23.15.33 The Hebrew word Shâ—ol hath several significations Sometimes it signifies
everlasting strength that it may go well with them for ever I have read of a chaste Virgin who being strongly tempted and soliticed by a lewd Russian to uncleannesse after some disscourse she called for a pan of burning coals requesting him for her sake to hold his finger in them but one hour he answered it is an unkind and unreasonable request it is truth saith she it is so but you ask me a more unkind and unreasonable request viz. to satisfie you in a thing for which I shall not only burn an hour but burn both body and soul in hell fire for ever and ever And so overcame the temptation But Lord if I must go into fire into everlasting fire Oh let me have some good company in my misery No the Devil and his Angels shall be your companions Ah who can conceive or express the misery of cohabitation with Devils and damned Spirits Many unholy souls would not live in a house haunted with evil spirits one night for all the world and yet they live as if it were nothing to be billetted with hellish Fiends and furies for ever If the sight of a seeming ghost for a moment be such a terror and torment to thee what will the horrible sight of devils and the gastly sight of the damned be Job 30.29 If it was so great an affliction to Job to be a companion to Owls what will it be to thee to be a companion to devils Psalm 120.5 If it was so great a grief and wo to David to sojourn in Mesech and to dwell in the tents of Kedar for a time what a wo will it be to unholy souls to dwell with Devils and reprobates for ever Ah how will Satans deformity antipathy and cruelty amaze thee and torment thee How will the damneds wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth abash thee and confound thee How will thine old companions cursing of thee the sight of thy near relations in misery with thee and devils scornfully insulting over thee and the never dying worm feeding perpetually upon thee be many hells of horror to thee Had an unholy soul as many worlds in his hand to give as there be stars in heaven he would give them all for a license alwayes to sleep under those pains and torments that will admit of no intermission or mitigation In Rev. 21.8 As the Antients fain of Endymion that he got leave of Jupiter alwayes to sleep you have a catalogue of that damned crue of that rout of Reprobates which shall be your companions for ever But the fearfull and unbelieving and the abominable and murderers and whoremongers and sorcerers and Idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death These companions are the devils lime-twigs they are his scorpions with which he will torment and whip poor souls for ever Such companions will make many hells to meet in one they will be the top of the souls torments Thus I have done with those arguments that prove the point Viz. That without holiness there is no happiness c. I come now to the Reasons of the Point Why is it that Without holiness there is no happiness that without holiness on earth no man shall ever come to a blessed vision or fruition of God in heaven Among other Reasons that might be rendered you may please to take these Reason 1 First Because God hath said it who is truth and faithfulnesse it self and cannot lye That he hath said it witnesse the very Text and the proofs that are produced to make good the doctrine and hath he said it and shall it not come to pass Hath he spoken it and will he not accomplish the word that is gone out of his mouth Isaiah 46.11 Chap. 48.15 Jerem. 32.24 Isaiah 55.11 Zech. 1.6 Dan. 9.12 Psal 119.138 God is not a man that he should lye Numb 23 19. Also the strength of Israel will not lye 1 Sam. 15.29 God will make good every word that is gone out of his mouth Men sometimes eat their words as soon as they have spoken them they often say and unsay but so will not the holy One of Israel that first and supream being that gives being to all others will certainly give being to all his promises and threatnings God himself shall sooner cease to be then the word that is gone out of his mouth shall be frustrated He that is the faithful witnesse hath said it that without holiness no man shall see the Lord. And verily heaven and earth shall pass away before one jot or one tittle that is before the least letter or particle of a letter of Gods blessed word shall pass unfulfilled Matth. 5.18 Gods faithfulnesse is great Lam. 3.23 It reaches unto the clouds Psalm 36.5 He will not suffer his faithfulnesse to fail Psalm 89.33 His faithfulnesse endures through all Generations Psalm 119.90 God will never suffer his faithfulnesse to be stained or blotted and therefore he will undoubtedly make good the word that is gone out of his mouth I had rather said Plutarch that men should say there was never any such person in the world as Plutarch then that they should say Plutarch is unfaithfull A man were better say there is no God then say that God is unfaithful a noble spirit can better bear any charge then that of being unfaithfull and so can a faithfull God Secondly Because real holinesse is that great principle Reason 2 that fits and capacitates souls for communion with God The glory of glory consists in seeing of God 1 Cor. 13 12. 1 John 3.2 as the hell of hell lyes in the souls everlasting separation from God and for a blessed sight and fruition of God Matth. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Without a principle of purity of sanctity there is no vision of God in glory If a man be never so poor yet if his heart be pure God will make a house of his heart wherein his honour will delight to dwell let a mans outside be never so homely yet if his inside be but cleanly God will make it his own habitation God is for that man and that man is for God that carries about with him a pure heart Heart-purity makes a man a darling of heaven Many affect pure language pure houses pure habits pure hands pure air pure meat pure drink pure gestures c. who yet for want of heart-purity shall never see the face of God in glory Heart-purity speaks a man eternally happy Holinesse is that noble principle that fits a man for the happiest sight of God it makes a man a meet companion for God both here and herafter without this principle no man can have communion with God in this world much lesse can he have communion with God in heaven if this precious principle of holinesse be not seated in his heart it will not stand with the holinesse of God
c. Men void of holinesse are in the Scripture resembled to chaff Psalm 1.4 Isa 41.2 Zeph. 1.17 Ezekiel 2.6 Isa 9.18 Ch. 10.6.17 Chap. 57.27 to dust to dirt to briars and thorns which are things that are good for nothing that are fit for nothing And what should such men do in heaven who are good for nothing on earth The Horse is good to carry the Ox is good to draw the Sheep is good for cloth the Cow is good to give milk the Asse is good to bear and the Dog is good to keep the house but what is a man void of holinesse good for An unholy person is good for nothing but to be destroyed and to make some room for a better person to stand up in that place which he takes up in the world As the Hogg in the Arabick fable tells us that a Butcher carrying three creatures upon his Horse A Sheep a Goat and a Hog the two former lay very quiet and still but the Hog kicked and cried and would never be quiet thereupon the Butcher said Why are thou so impatient when the other two are so quiet the Hog answered Every one knows himself the Sheep knows that he is brought into the City for his wool sake and the Goat knows that he is brought into the City for his milk sake and so they need not fear nor care but alasse I know very well that I have neither wool nor milk but that assoon as I am come into the City I must be killed for that is all I am good for Matth. 7.6 An unholy soul is like a Hog good for nothing but to be killed Certainly heaven-happinesse is too great and too glorious a thing to be possest by them that are good for nothing We look upon such as are fit for nothing to be worthy of banishment from the society of men But oh how much more worthy are they to be banished from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power 2 Thess 1.8 9. Heb. 12.22 23. Romans 2.5 and to be shut out for ever from the society of Angels and the spirits of just men made perfect who are fit for nothing but to dishonour the Lord undo their own souls and to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath And thus I have given you an account of the Reasons of the Point Vse VVEE shall now come to make some improvement of this great truth to our own souls Is it so That real holinesse is the only way to happinesse and that without holinesse here no man shall ever come to a blessed vision or fruition of God hereafter Then the first Use shall be a Use of Conviction This then may serve to convince the world of several things As First That the number of those that shall be eternally happy the number of those that shall attain to a blessed vision and glorious fruition of God in heaven are very few for there are but a few that reach to this holinesse without which there is no happinesse Rev. 3.4 Thou hast a few names A few names that is a few persons â—cts 1.15 who are all known to Christ by name as he said to Moses I know thee by name Ex. 33 12 17. by these Scriptures it is evident that few shall be saved Jer. 5.1 Ezek. 22.30 Ch. 9.4 6 7. Mich. 1.13 Luke 23. Rom. 9.21 Matth. 22.14 1 Cor. 1.20 even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments and they shall walk with me in white for they are worthy Among the many in Sardis there were but a few that had holy insides and pure outsides Among the multitude that made a holy profession there were but few that walkt answerable to their holy calling and therefore but a few that should walk with Christ in white White in antient times was the Habit of Nobles to walk with Christ in white is to partake with Christ in his glory they and only they at last shall be cloathed nobly royally gloriously who maintain inward and outward purity The holy seed is a little little flock Luke 12.32 here are two Diminitives in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 little little flock to shew the exceeding littleness of it They were little in their own eyes and little in their enemies eyes and little in regard of that world of Wolves among whom they were preserved as a spark of fire in the midst of the wide Ocean When the Syrians came up against Israel in the time of Ahab it is said that the children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of Kids but the Syrians filled the countrey 1 Kings 20.27 holy souls are but like two little flocks of kids but the unholy fill the world Gracious souls are like the three hundred men of Gideon but graceless souls are as the Midianites that were like Grashoppers for multitude Judges 7.7.12 Straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leads unto life and few there be that find it Matth. 7.14 The way of holiness that leads to happiness is a narrow way there is but just room enough for a holy God and a holy soul to walk together And few there be that find it And no wonder for there are but few that minds it that loves it that likes it or that enquires after it The whole world lies in wickedness 1 Joh. 5.19 and will die in their wickedness Amongst the millions in Rome there are but a few Senators and they too none of the best John 8.21 Geographers say that if all the known parts of the world were divided into one and thirty parts there will be found but five parts that do so much as profess the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ For at this day nineteen parts of the world are possest by unholy Turks and Jews which do not nor will not so much as acknowledge Jesus Christ to be the King and Head of his Church And seven parts of the world is possest this day meerly by Heathens who worship stocks and stones And of those five parts that are possest by Christians how many are Papists Atheists Hypocrites Drunkards Swearers Lyars Adulterers Idolaters Oppressors How many are proud covetous carnal formal lukewarm indifferent c Now should all these sorts of sinners be separated as they shall in the great day from those that are gracious and holy would it not quickly appear that the flock of Christ is a little little flock Ah how few among the great ones are found to be gracious How few among the rich are found to be rich in Christ rich in grace rich in good works 1 Cor. 1.16 1 Tim. 6.16 17. Flavus Vopiscus Lips de Constantia lib. 2. cap. 25. how few among those that are high born can you find that are new born It was the saying of One that all the names of good Emperours might be engraven in a little Ring And so saith Lipsius that the names of all good Princes may easily be
not only to holy men but also to all ingenious men and to all civil and moral honest men As the scorners tongue and hand is against every man so every mans tongue and hand shall be against him Now if the scorners of men be abominable to men then much more are the scorners of holiness abominable to God and therefore certainly such shall be shut out from a glorious fruition of God Thirdly If real holiness be the only way to happiness and that if men be not holy on earth they shall never come to a blessed vision or fruition of God in heaven Then by way of conviction this looks sowerly and sadly upon all Formalists who have only a form a shew a profession of holiness but have nothing of the reality spirit life or power of holiness in them 2 Tim. 3.5 Isa 58.1.2 3. Zach. 7.4.5 6. Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof from such turn away They have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a face a vizard a mask a shew of godliness but they have nothing of the pith sap life or marrow of godliness their devotion their godliness lies in good words and in fair shews and in religious gestures if you hearken to their voice if you look upon their eyes if you observe the motion of their hands and the bowing of their knees and the shaking of their heads c. you would think that they were men of much religion of much godliness But if you look into their hearts and lives you will find them to be the greatest renouncers and denyers of Religion and godliliness in the world They have the semblance of goliness but not the substance they have the lineaments of godliness but not the life they have the face of godliness but not the heart they have the form the shadow of godliness but not the power They are like a well drawn picture which hath all the lineaments of a man but wants life wants a principle of motion and operation Mark 1. A form of godliness is Englands Epidemical disease The form of godliness is common but the power of godliness is rare 2. The form of godliness is cheap but the power of godliness is dear 3. The form of godliness is easie but the power of godliness is difficult 4. The form of godliness is a credit but the power of godliness is a reproach 5. The form of godliness is pleasurable and delightfull but the power of godliness is displeasing and undelightful to the ignoble part of a Christian 6. The form of godliness will stand with secret and with open wickednesse as you see in Saul 1 Peter 1.17 Jer. 44.17 Jehu Judas Simon Magus Demas and the Scribes and Pharisees but the power of godliness will not the power of godliness layes the Ax to the very root of all sin both secret and open Rachel was very fair and beautifull to the eye but she was barren and that marred all So the Formalist he is a very fair and beautifull Christian to the eye but he is barren God-wards and Christ-wards and Heaven-wards he is fruitless sapless and lifeless and that marrs all The Formalist takes up a form of godliness 1. To quiet his conscience 2. To get himself a name 3. To cloak over his sins 4. To advance his worldly interest and 5. To avoid opposition and persecution from the world the flesh and the Devil 6. And to conform to old customs And what should such Formalists do in heaven A formal Christian is but a figure a flaunt a flourish a flash and all he doth is but the shadow of what he should do A formalist is more light then life more notion then motion more head then heart more outside then inside more leaves then fruit more shadow then substance A formalist is a blazing Comet a painted Tomb a Stage-player a white devil or a devil in an Angels habit and what should such devils do in heaven Certainly if without real holiness no man shall see the Lord then the formalist that hath only the shape the shew the form of godliness but nothing of the reality and power of it shall never be blest with such a sight A formalist is neither hot nor cold of all sorts of sinners he is the worst and God so loaths him that he is resolved he will rid his stomack of him Rev. 3.16 I will spue thee out of my mouth and certainly heaven is too holy a place to lick up that gorge God hath cast up Lukewarm water cannot be so loathsome to our stomacks as a formalist is to Gods God is never at such ease as when he hath cast up and cast out the formal Christian Magdenburge Cent. 5. I have read of Anastasius the Emperour how God shot him to death with a thunder-bolt because of his lukewarmness and formality God hath a thunder-boult for every formalist by which he will at last certainly strike them down to the lowest hell A formalist is too loathsome a thing too heavy a burden for heaven to bear Fourthly If real holiness be the only way to happiness if men must be holy on earth or else they shall never see the face of God in heaven Then this truth by way of conviction looks sowerly and sadly upon all those who please and satisfie themselves with civility and common honesty who are good negative Christians who bless themselves that they are no swearers nor drunkards Luke 18.10 11 12 13 14. Mat. 5.21 Chap. 19.20 21 22. nor extortioners nor adulterers c. they pay every man his own they are just and righteous in their dealings no man can say black is their eye their carriage is civil comely harmless and blamelesse They make a fair shew in the flesh Gal. 6.12 or as the Greek hath it they set a good face on it But as good a face as they do set on it I must crave leave to tell them that civility is not sanctity civility rested in is but a beautifull abomination a smooth way to hell and destruction I may truly say of all civil men who are disstitute of that real holiness that leads to happiness what Erasmus said of Seneca If you look upon him as a heathen then he seemeth to write as if he were a Christian but if you look upon him as a Christian then he seemeth to write as a heathen So if you look upon many civil moral mens lives you will find them so full of ingenuity equity righteousness sweetness and justice that you will be ready to say Sure these are holy men But then do but observe how unacquainted they are with God with Christ with the Scripture with the way and working of the spirit with the filthiness of sin with the depths and devices of Satan with their own hearts with the new-birth and with the great concernments of eternity and you will judge them to be meer heathens to be men void of all principles of grace and holiness and to
to rise against it and to cry out Away with it it was never good dayes since we have had so much preaching and hearing Or when the Word comes to be scorned slighted disgraced opposed or persecuted oh then they turn their backs upon it and quickly grow weary of it As the Jussians in Strabo delighted themselves with the musick of an excellent Harper till they heard the market bell ring then they run all away save a deaf old man that could take but little delight in the Harpers ditties So let these men but hear the bell of lust or the bell of profit or the bell of pleasure or the bell of applause or the bell of honour or the bell of errour or the bell of superstition sound in their ears and presently they will run from the sweet musick of the Word to follow after any of these bells But now a man that loves the Word and that is affected and taken with the Word as it is a holy Word no bell can ring him from the Word no disgrace no affliction no opposition no persecution can take him off from affecting the Word and from taking pleasure in the Word The cause of his love is abiding and lasting and therefore his love cannot but be lasting and continuing Not but that a holy heart may sometimes be more affected and taken with the Word then at other times As first when a man enjoyes much communion with God in the Word Or 2. when God speaks much peace and comfort to the soul by the Word Or 3. when God assures a man more clearly and fully of the goodness and happiness of his condition by the Word Or 4. when God lets in very much quietness or quickness or sweetness or seriousness or spiritualness into a mans spirit by the Word Oh then a man may more then ordinarily be affected and taken with the Word But now though a holy Christian is not at all times in the same degree and measure taken with the Word yet take such a Christian when he is at worst and you shall find two things in him 1. You shall find in him a holy love to the Word And 2. you shall find in him a real love to holy Christians Fourthly He that loves the Word and that is affected and taken with the Word as it is a holy Word he is most affected and taken with those parts of the Word that do most incite to holiness that do most promote holiness and that do most provoke to holiness As 1 Pet. 1.15.16 But as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy I shall give you light into these words when I come to open the holiness of God to you Ad similitudinem non aequalitatem Calv. So Mat. 5.48 Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect Our summum bonum in this world consists in our conformity to the heavenly pattern in all imitations it is best to chuse the most perfect pattern There is nothing more laudable and commendable then for a Christian to endeavour more and more to resemble his God in the highest perfections of righteousness and holiness So Ephes 5.15 16. See then that ye walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Redeeming the time because the dayes are evil Christians must walk precisely curiously exactly accurately As the Carpenter works by line and rule so a Christian must walk by line and rule he must labour to get up to the very top of godliness he must go to the utmost of every command as the original word importeth So Phil. 2.15 That ye may be blameless and harmless or sincere the sons of God without rebuke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Sine querela sine reprehensione in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation among whom ye shine or shine ye as lights in the world Gods sons should be spotless sons as the Greek imports that is they should be without all such spots as are inconsistent with Sonship or Saintship And so in Col. 2.6 As ye have therefore received Jesus Christ the Lord so walk ye in him They had received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Law-giver they had received Christ as a ruling Christ as a reigning Christ and as a commanding Christ and now the great duty incumbent upon them is to walk at such a rate of holiness as may evidence that they have thus received Christ And so in 1 John 2.6 Iohn 13.15 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked Christians are to set all Christs moral actions before them as a pattern for their imitation in his life a Christian may behold the lively picture or lineaments of all vertues and accordingly he ought to order his conversation in this world To walk as Christ walked is to walk humbly holily justly righteously meekly lowly lovingly fruitfully faithfully Matth. 4. uprightly with an As of quality or similitude but no◠with an As of equality for that is impossible for any Saint on earth to walk so purely so holily so blamelesly Mat. 5.44 45 46 47. so unspottedly so spiritually so heavenly as Christ walked that is with an as of equality To walk as Christ walked is to slight the world and contemn the world and make a footstool of the world and to live above the world and to triumph over the world as Christ did that is 1 Pet. 2.20 21 22 23. with an As of quality but not with an As of equality To walk as Christ walked is to love them that hate us to pray for them that persecute us to bless them that curse us and to do good to them that do evil to us but still with an As of similitude but not with an As of equality To walk as Christ walked is to be patient and silent and submissive and thankful under the vilest reproaches the heaviest afflictions and the greatest sufferings with an As of quality but not with an As of equality Now a holy heart that is taken with the holiness of the Word he is certainly taken most with those parts of the Word that do most call for holiness and that do most strongly press the soul to make a progress in holiness I have given you a taste of some of the most principal Scriptures that do incite most to holiness and I shall leave it to your own consciences to give in witness for you or against you according to what you find in your own spirits Certainly to a holy man there are no Prayers no Sermons no Discourses no Conferences no books nor no parts of Scripture to those that do most encourage and provoke to holiness But Fifthly and lastly He that loves the Word and that is affected and taken with the Word as it is a holy Word he highly prizes and values
sanctified the same Spirit the same Grace the same Power the same Presence that hath sanctified any of these may sanctifie all of these there is no heart so unholy but a holy God can make it holy there is no spirit so unclean but a holy Spirit can make it clean Well sinners there are many living and standing witnesses of divine grace among you and about you that do sufficiently declare that it is possible that you may be sanctified and saved Again it is possible that you may be sanctified and made holy Witness 7. The Oath of a holy God Ezek. 33.11 Say unto them As I live saith the Lord God Ezek. 18.31 32. I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live Turn ye turn ye from your evil wayes for why will you die O house of Israel As I live is the form of an Oath and is much used in the Scripture by God himself wicked men are very hardly perswaded to believe that God is willing that they should be sanctified and saved and therefore God takes his oath on it that he is infinitely more willing that wicked men should turn from their evil wayes and be sanctified and saved then that they should perish in their sins and be damned for ever As I live is a weighty oath and imports the certainty of that which follows it is absolute without evasion or revocation As sure as I live and am God I have no pleasure in destroying and damning of souls but desire that they would turn from their evil wayes and that they would be sanctified and saved let me not live let me be no longer a God if I would not have the wicked to live and be happy for ever The possibility of your being holy God hath confirmed by an oath and therefore you may no longer question it As Paulus Fagius observeth in his comment on Genesis The Egyptians though Heathens so hated perjury that if any man did but swear by the life of the King and did not perform his oath that man was to die and no gold was to redeem his life And do you think that a holy God doth not stand more upon his oath then Heathens yea then the worst of Heathens Certainly he doth 8. Lastly it is possible that you may be a holy Witness The great designs and undertakings of Jesus Christ to make lost man holy His great design in leaving his fathers bosom and coming into this world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dissolve unravel the works of the Devil was the destroying the dissolving of the works of the Devil 1 John 3.8 For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil Sin is Satans work and Christ comes to destroy it and break it all in pieces Mens sins are Satans chains by which he links them fast to himself but Christ was therefore manifested that he might loose and knock off these chains Satan had knit many sinful knots in our souls but Christ comes to unty those knots he had laid many snares but Christ comes to discover and to break those snares It was the great design of Christ in the divesting of himself as it were of his divine honour glory and dignity Phil. 2.6 7 8 15. and in his taking on him the nature of man to destroy Satan and to sanctifie the souls of men Heb. 2.11 14 15. It was the great design of Jesus Christ in giving of himself for us in giving his soul his body his life to justice to death to wrath for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity Titus 2.14 and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works The crown of holiness was faln from our heads and Christ freely and willingly uncrowns himself that once more we might be crowned with holiness immortality and glory Christ was resolved that he would lose all that was near and dear unto him but he would recover our lost holiness for us Christ knew that heaven had been but a poor purchase had he not purchased holiness for us As heaven is but a low thing without God so heaven is but a low thing without holiness It is holiness that is the sparkling Diamond in the Ring of happiness a man were better be holy in hell then unholy in heaven and therefore Christ ventures his All for holiness The great design of Christ in redeeming of souls with the choicest the purest the costliest the noblest blood that ever run in veins Luke 1.74 75. was that they should serve him in righteousness and holiness all the daies of their lives In a word Christ had never taken so great a journey from heaven to earth but to make men holy he had never taken upon him the form of a servant but to make us the servants of the most high God He had never lyen in a manger he had never trod the Wine-press of his fathers wrath but to make you holy he prayed he sweat he bled and he hung on the Cross and all to make you holy he was holy in his birth and holy in his life and holy in his death and holy in all his sufferings and all to make you holy The great design of Christ in all he did and in all he suffered was to make man holy And thus you see by all these Arguments that holiness is attainable Thirdly Consider this that real holiness is the honour and the glory of the creature and therefore the Apostle links holiness and honour together 1 Thes 4.3 4. 2 Cor. 3. ult Eph. 5.27 For this is the will of God even your sanctification that ye should abstain from fornication That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour The vessel is mans body which is the great utensil or instrument of the soul and contains it as in a vessel now the sanctity and chastity of this vessel is the honour of a Christian even bodily purity is a Christians glory he that keeps his vessel in holiness keeps it in honour A heathen could say Nobilitas sola est atque unica vertus Vertue is the only true nobility Holiness is the greatest dignity that mortal man is capable of it is mans highest promotion it is his highest exaltation holiness is the true gentility and the true nobility of the soul Deut. 26. ult And to make thee high above all Nations which he hath made in praise and in name and in honour and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the Lord thy God There is nothing that lifts a people so high and that makes them so truly famous and glorious as holiness doth Holiness is the praise the renown the crown and glory of a people Holiness is the diadem the beauty and the excellency of a people Holiness is the strength the honour and the riches of a people Holiness is the image of God
judgement proof The day of judgement will be to a holy man a marriage day a day of redemption a day of coronation a day of exaltation and therefore he may well lift up his head and rejoyce Look as the Israelites who had the blood of the Passeover on their door-posts Exo. 12.7.11 though the destroyer was abroad and a dreadfull cry was all over Aegypt yet they were not slain not stricken they did not fear not tremble but had their loyns ready girt and staves in their hands boldly and cheerfully expecting when the happy and joyful hour of their redemption would come Heb. 9.14 So those that have the door-posts of their hearts and consciences sprinkled with holinesse in this terrible day of the Lord they shall with boldnesse and cheerfulnesse lift up their faces because the day of their redemption is come Sermon de Signis prae extr Júd And this made Luther say that he had rather never have been born then not to be in hope of this day This day to Gods holy ones will be melodia in aure Psalm 1.5 2 Thess 2.7 8 9 10. jubilum in corde like musick in the ear and a Jubilee in the heart It is true the ungodly shall not stand in Judgement Stand they must to be arraigned sentenced and condemned Stand they shall but not with any boldnesse or cheerfulnesse comfort or content Stand they shall but not to be approved acquitted or absolved Chaff and stubble cannot stand before that God that is a consuming fire When Belshazzar saw the hand writing upon the wall Heb. 12. ult Dan. 5.5 6. O how was he affrighted how was his countenance changed his joints loosed and his knees dashed one against another O how do many ungodly men now tremble at a thunder-crack in the clouds and at a flash of lightning in the air but how will they tremble and quake when the whole frame of heaven and earth shall break in pieces and be set in a flame about their ears O what trouble of mind what horror and terror of conscience what weeping and wailing what crying and roaring what wringing of hands what tearing of hair and what gnashing of teeth will there be among the ungodly in this day when they shall see their sins charged on them on the one side and divine Justice terrifying them on the other side when they shall look upward and there see an angry God frowning upon them and look downward and there see hell gaping ready to receive them and look inward and there find conscience accusing and gnawing of them When they shall look on their right hands and there behold the good Angels standing with so many flaming swords to keep them out of heaven and look on their left hands and there behold the devil and his Angels ready prest to dragg them down to the lowest hell O now how will they wish for the Rocks to fall upon them and the mountains to cover them how will they wish that they had never been born or that they might now be unborn how will they now wish that their immortal souls were mortal or that their souls might be turned into the nature of Beasts Birds Stones Trees or Air or any thing rather what they are I have read a story of two Souldiers Holcot who being in the valley of Jehosaphat in Judea the one said to the other Here in this place shall be the general Judgement and therefore I will now take up my place where I will then sit and so lifting up a stone he sate down upon it as taking possession before hand but being sate and looking up to heaven such a quaking and trembling fell upon him that falling to the earth he remembred the day of Judgement with horror and amazement for ever after But alas what heart is able to conceive or what tongue is able to expresse the fear and dread the horror and terror the astonishment and amazement that will fall upon all ungodly persons in this day And yet even now Gods holy ones shall lift up their heads and hearts they shall be bold and stedfast they shall be far from fear shame or trembling And thus you see that godlinesse that holinesse is the most gainfull trade And therefore Sirs as you love gain as you tender your own profit and advantage labour to be holy But Twelthly Consider this that holinesse will put the greatest splendour and majesty upon persons that can possibly be put upon them Job 29.8 9 10 11. vide Prov. 12.26 There is nothing that imprints such a reverence and Majesty upon man as holinesse doth There is nothing that is such a grace to man as grace It is holinesse that puts the greatest excellency and majesty upon man Psalm 16.3 But to the Saints that are in the earth and to the excellent in whom is all my delight Saints are the most excellent ones Arias Montanus Junius c. The Hebrew word Veadire from Adar that is here rendred excellent signifies magnificis the magnificent ones or the noble glorious or wonderfull ones Saints or holy persons are the most excellent magnificent noble glorious ones And in Dan. 8.24 the holy people are called mighty because there are no people upon the earth that have might and Majesty stampt upon them as they have Cant. 6.10 Some by the Moon understand inherent righteousness and by the Sun they understand imputed righteousness Who is she that looketh forth as the morning fair as the Moon clear as the Sun and terrible as an Army with banners The light grace glory and holinesse of the Church rises by degrees and this makes her terrible to all her enemies Every degree of holinesse is terrible to the unholy but the higher the Church rises in holinesse the more terrible and majestical it grows Holinesse puts such a splendor and graceful Majesty upon all persons that have it as even dazles the eyes sometimes of wicked men and begets in them an awe and reverence As it is evident in Saul 1 Sam. 24.17 And Saul said to David Thou art more righteous then I for thou hast rewarded me good whereas I have rewarded thee evil So Herod in Mark 6.20 it is said That he feared John knowing that he was a just man and holy and observed him Holinesse is very Majestical the greatest Monarchs fall down before it Herod reverences John not for his birth or breeding but for his holinesse not for his Arts or Parts but for his holinesse not for his Schollarship or greatnesse but for his holinesse 2 Kings 11.1 2. So that great Monarch King Joash fell down before the holinesse of Jehojada whilest he lived And so did the holinesse of the three children command tespect and honour from that great Monarch Nebuchadnezzar And so did the holinesse of Daniel Daniel 3. cause King Darius to reverence him and to cast a favourable Aspect upon him And so did the Holinesse that was written upon
as it were strings in their rails but in plain positive downright terms he tels you that there were stings in their tails ver 10. he tells you that their stings were true stings real stings certain stings And so while men remain unholy there are sure and certain stings in the tails of all their comforts Job 29.14 contentments and enjoyments The best way on earth to have a sure a sound a solid a lasting peace with God with our selves and with others is to put onholinesse as a Robe upon us to put all inquity far from us Job 11.13 20. O Sirs the worser the times are the better should every man labour to be Many complain of burdens Taxes oppressions Isa 59.9 10 11 14 15. and vexations and they say with those That Judgement is turned backward and that Justice standeth afar off and that truth is fallen in the street and that equity cannot enter and that he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey that judgement is far from us and that Justice doth not overtake us that we wait for light but behold obscurity for brightnesse but behold darknesse that we grope for the wall like the blind that we grope as if we had no eyes that we stumble at noon-day that we roar all like Bears and mourn sore like doves that we look for Judgement but there is none and for salvation but it is far off from us These and a thousand more such complaints may be found amongst us This Scripture last cited puts me in mind of a strange but yet of a very true saying viz. That there is more justice and equity in hell then there is in France for in hell the oppressor is oppressed in hell he that would not give a crumb of bread shall not have a drop of water In hell such as shed innocent blood have blood to drink in hell there are no bribes in hell there is none to plead an unrighteous cause in hell there is no respect of persons in hell every man hath according to his deserts but in France it is otherwise c. And do not the strong cries tears sighs groans and complaints of the poor and needy of hirelings orphans and widows c. in most Nations strongly demonstrate that there is more Justice and Equity in hell then there is in most of the Nations of the earth But now what is the choicest salve for all these fores certainly holinesse What is the most soveraign Remedy against all these maladies nothing but holinesse O Sirs the more holinesse rises in a Nation the more will righteousnesse run down as mighty streams and the more the hearts of the poor and needy will leap and sing for joy There is no way to make a Nation happy but by making of it holy O Sirs as you are men as you are English-men as you love your Countrey as you honour your King and Countrey and as you desire the peace prosperity and felicity of your Countrey labour to be holy O England England it is holinesse that will be a wall of fire about thee and a glory in the midst of thee it is holinesse that will make thee happy at home and prosperous abroad Among all English men there is no man to the holy man Certainly that man that is most busie about mending his own heart and life contributes most to the mending of the times There are many sturdy blades that will talk stifly for their Countrey and that say that they will stand stoutly for their Countrey and yet by their daily ungodlinesse they do undo their Countrey these men destroy by their lives what they seem to build with their hands And therefore as ever you would have all things that are out of order in order labour for a well ordered heart and a well ordered life Holinesse of conversation is the best means under heaven to prevent confusion and desolation Again If you will look upon the present times as times wherein the Judgements of God are abroad in the world I say if you will thus look upon them then I say the times call aloud upon you for holinesse Isa 26.9 When thy Judgements are abroad in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousnesse O Sirs when garments are rowld in blood when the sword devours the flesh of the slain when Justice laies heap upon heap when pestilence and famine destroyes all on the right hand and on the left O! then every one will say Come let us break off our sins let us turn to the Lord let us mend our wayes and reform our lives and get holinesse into our hearts We behold many sorer heavier and worse judgements then these are upon us this day if we had but eyes to behold them O! that hardnesse of heart Psalm 78. Psalm 81.12 That which was wont to be said of Asrick that it was ever a producing some new monster or other may be said of the Age yea of the land wherein we live 2 Thess 1.8 9. Amos 8 11 12. that barrennesse of soul that blindnesse of mind that searednesse of conscience that perversnesse of Spirit that Superstitious Will-worship and that loosnesse of life that multitudes are given up to this day O! those God-dishonouring those Christ-denying those Ordinance-despising those Conscience-wasting those life-corrupting and those Soul-damning opinions principles blasphemies and practices that multitudes are given up to this day O! the spiritual decayes the spiritual witherings the spiritual slumberings the spiritual faintings the spiritual langiushings that are to be found among a professing people this day Now certainly there are no judgements to spiritual judgements none reach the soul like these none seperate between God and the soul like these none lay men open to temporal and eternal judgements like these Spiritual judgements are the most insensible judgements they are the most dreadfull judgements they are the most incureable judgements they are the most damnning judgements of all judgements Spiritual judgements have most of wrath and most of horror and most of hell in them O that now these terrible judgements are abroad in the earth you would learn righteousnesse that you would learn to be holy For as there is no such sence against temporal judgements as holinesse so there is no such sence against spiritual judgements as holinesse O the spiritual strokes the spiritual Arrows the spiritual diseases the spiritual sicknesses the spiritual plagues that are abroad in the world and O that the dread and sense of these might provoke you and prevail with you to labour after real holinesse to labour after the power of godliness which will be your greatest security against these most deadly and soul-killing maladies Again the dayes and times wherein we live call aloud for holinesse if you look upon them as dayes and times of grace what greater and higher engagements to holinesse were ever put upon a people then those that God hath put upon us who enjoy so many wayes means and
to say with those in Ezekiel Behold they of the house of Israel say the vision that he seeth is for many days to come Amos 6.3 Ezek. 12.27 Luk. 12. and he prophesieth of the times that are afar off So the rich man in the Gospel reckoned upon many years when he had not many monthes no not many weeks no not many days no not many hours to live in this world Unholy persons are very apt to say to death as Pharaoh said to Moses Get thee from me Exod. 10.28 and let me see thy face no more When death knocks at the poor mans door he sends it to the rich mans gate and the rich man translates it to the Schollar and the Scholar posts it away to the Citizen and the Citizen to the Courtier and the Courtier to his Lady and his Lady to her Maid so death is posted away as it were from one to another every one crying out to death O let me not see thy face O let me not see thy face 'T was even a death to Queen Elizabeth Sigismund the Emperor Lewes the 11 of France Cardinal Beauford and others to think of death or to hear of death and therefore they strictly charged all their servants about them that when they saw them sick they should never dare to name that bitter word Death in their ears And Pashur can't cast his eye upon death but he is presently a Magor Missabib a terror to himself Jer. 20.3 And Saul though he was a valiant King yet at the news of death he falls on his face 1 Sam. 28.20 And so Belshazzar though he was a mighty Emperor Dan. 5.1 7. yet a letter to him from him whom Bildad calleth the King of terrors Job 18.14 Ah how does it amaze astonish affright and terrifie him and how many are there who with Mecaenas in Seneca had rather live in many diseases then die and with the most famous Heathens prefer the meanest life on earth above all the hopes they have of another world like Achilles who had rather be a servant to a poor country Clown here then to be a King to all the souls departed or like Withipoll a rich and wretched man who when he was in danger of death earnestly desired that he might live five hundred years Vitellius looking for the messenger of death made himself drunk to drown the the thoughts of it though it were but in the shape of a Toad Near Lewes in Sussex a woman being ill one of her neighbors coming to visit her told her that if she died she should go to heaven and be with God and Jesus Christ and with Angels and Saints the sick woman answered that she had no acquaintance there she knew no body there and therefore she had rather live with her and her other neighbors here then to go thither to live amongst strangers And thus you see how apt persons are to shrug at death which is a common lot and to say to it as Ephraim did to his Idols Get you hence what have we more to do with you but this is and must be for a lamentation that men put off the thoughts of their latter end to the latter end of their thoughts Man naturally is a great life-lover and therefore he will bleed sweat vomit purge part with an estate yea with a limb I limbs to preserve his life like him that cryed out O give me any deformity any torment any misery so you spare my life And upon this account 't is that he desires that such a guest as death may not knock at his door but Ah that all such vain men would consider that by putting the day of their death far from them they do but gratifie Satan strengthen their sins provoke the Lord and make the work of faith and holiness more hard and difficult and so lay a deep foundation for their own eternal destruction Well sirs remember this the serious thoughts and meditations of death if any thing will work you to break off your sins to mend your lives and to look to the salvation of your souls there is nothing that will sooner work a man to a holy fear of offending God in any thing and to a holy care of pleasing God in every thing then the serious meditation of death Though that text Remember thy latter end and thou shalt never do amiss be Apocryphal yet the truth asserted is Canonical I have read a story of one that gave a young prodigal a Ring with a Deaths-head on this condition that he should one hour in a day for seven days together think and meditate upon Death which accordingly he did and it bred a great change and alteration in his life and conversation O! man thou doest not know but that the serious thoughts of death may work that desireable thing in thee viz. holiness which yet has not been wrought in thee by all the holy counsels the gracious examples the fervent prayers the sorrowful tears of thy dearest friends thou doest not know but that the serious meditation of Death may do thee more good then all the Sermons that ever thou hast heard or then all the books that ever thou hast read or then all the prayers that ever thou hast made or then all the sighs or groans that ever thou hast poured out and why then shouldest thou put the thoughts of death far from thee Certainly as he is a sinner in grain that dares look death in the face and yet sin that dares cut a purse when the Judge looks on so he is a monster rather then a man that dares look death in the face and yet satisfie himself to live without holiness that dares look death in the face and yet say I 'll drink and be drunk I 'll sware and swagger I 'll roar and whore I 'll cheat and cozen I 'll hate and oppose I 'll quarrel and kill and my hands shall be as bloody as my heart and let death do her worst if such a person be not in the ready way of being miserable for ever I know nothing Well sirs remember these three things First That there is nothing more certain then death That Statute Law of heaven Dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt return Gen. 3.19 will take hold of all the sons of men There is no man that lives and shall not see death Psal 89.48 Gen. 32. Though Jacob wrestled with an Angel and prevailed yet death was too hard for him though Hazael was as light of foot as a wild Roe yet he could not out-run death 2 Sam. 2.18 and Absalom could not out-ride it nor Pharoah out-drive it though Saul and Jonathan were as swift as Eagles and as strong as Lyons yet were they slain among the mighty 'T was not Solomons wisdom that could deliver him nor Sampsons strength that could rescue him nor Hamans honor that could secure him nor Goliahs sword that could defend him nor Dives riches that could
strangely converted by hearing a voice from heaven saying Tolle lege Tolle lege Take and read take and read and taking up the Bible the first passage of Scripture that he cast his eyes upon was that Rom. 13.13 14. Let us walk honestly as in the day not in gluttony and drunkenness not in chambering and wantonness not in strife and envying But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof and no sooner had he read the verses but the work of conversion was finished and pious resolutions for a through reformation of life was settled in him The Gospel read is sometimes the power of God to salvation as well as the Gospel heard Rom. 1.16 Cyprian confesseth that he was converted from Idolatry and Negromancy by hearing the history of the Prophet Jonas read and expounded by Cecilius whom therefore he calleth the father of his new life And Luther confesseth that he was converted by reading I have read of a scandalous Minister that was struck at the heart and converted in reading that Rom. 2.21 22. Thou therefore which teachest another teachest thou not thy self thou that preachest a man should not steal doest thou steal Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery doest thou commit adultery thou that abhorrest Idols doest thou commit sacriledge There is a Schollar now alive who being perswaded by an honest poor man to leave reading of Poetry and to fall upon reading of the Bible did so and before he had read out Genesis his heart was changed and he was converted O sirs as you tender your conversion your salvation make more conscience of reading the Scripture then ever you have done be often in wheting of these Scriptures upon your hearts Deut. 6.6 7 8 9. ch 31.11 12. Jer. 36.6 7. John 5.39 In these Scriptures God requires all sorts of people both men women children and strangers both learned and unlearned to read the Scriptures and to search after the heavenly treasures that are laid up in them as men search for Gold and silver in the Oar. And Paul charges Timothy that he gives attendance to reading And blessed is he saith John 1 Tim. 4.13 Rev. 1.3 that heareth and readeth the words of this Book Yea Christ himself hath highly honored reading with his own example for coming to Nazareth as his custom was he stood up to read the Scriptures Luk. 4.16.21 and the Bereans for reading and searching of the Scriptures are stiled more noble then the Jews of Thessalonica or as the Greek has it Acts 17.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were better born and bred they were better Gentlemen they were of a more noble and ingenious disposition though they did belong to the Country Town of Barea then the Thessalonians were who dwelt in the rich and stately City of Thessalonica sometimes there is more true nobility and ingenuity under a Russet coat then there is under a Sattin suit The Holy Ghost gives a very large Encomium high commendation of the Scriptures in that 2 Tim. 3.15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus 'T is observable that in these words you have not simply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy Scriptures but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Holy Scriptures the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is very emphatical and 't is used by the Holy Ghost to distinguish these sacred writings from all prophane writings and to note the eminency and excellency of the holy Scriptures above all other mens writings whatâ—oever Now the Scriptures have this adjunct this Epithet Holy given them in five respects 1. In respect of their Author and original viz. a Holy God 2. They are holy in respect of the Pen-men who were holy men of God 2 Pet. 1.21 3. They are holy in respect of their matter they treat of the holy things of God a vein of holiness runs through every line of Scripture the Scripture calls for holy hearts and holy lives it calls for holy principles and holy practises holy words and holy works holy affections and holy conversations 1 Pet. 1.15 4. They are holy in respect of their effects and operations they are a means to effect and work holiness and they are a means to compleat and perfect holiness Joh. 17.17 The word is not onely a pure word but also a purifying word 't is not only a clean word but also a cleansing word Psal 19.8 9. 5. They are called holy by way of distinction and in opposition not onely to all humane and prophane writings but also to the writings of the best and choicest men that ever wrote for they have had their failings weaknesses and infirmities and therefore must have their many grains of allowance but the holy Scripture is most perfect and compleat Now sirs if ever you would be holy it stands you upon to make more conscience of reading the holy Scriptures then ever yet you have done many a man has been made holy by reading the holy Scriptures and why maist not thou also be made holy by reading of the same holy word Certainly all the Angels in heaven and all the men on earth can't tell to the contrary but that thou mayest be made holy even by reading of the holy word the Holy Ghost is a free Agent and he can as well work holiness in thy heart by reading as by hearing and therefore set thy self about this noble and necessary work Ah friends the Scriptures are Gods Epistle they are Gods love-letter to the sons of men and why then will you not read them Count Anhalt that princely preacher was wont to say that the Scriptures were Christs swadling bands the child Jesus being to be found almost in every page in every verse and in every line Oh who would not therefore be often in looking upon and in handling of these swadling bands O sirs there are no histories that are comparable to the histories of the Scripture First For Antiquity Moses is found more antient then all those whom the Grecians make most ancient as Homer Hesiod and Jupiter himself whom the Greeks have seated in the top of their divinity Secondly For rarity Thirdly For brevity here you have much wrapt up in a little room heâ— you have Homers Iliads compriz'd in a Nut-shell Fourthly For perspicuity the foundations of Religion and happiness are so plain and clear that every one may run and read them 'T was a true saying of Augustin Inclinavis Deus Scripturas ad infantium lactentium capacitatem That God hath bowed down the Scriptures to the capacities even of Babes and Sucklings Fifthly For harmony though there may seem to be a contrariety between Scripture and Scripture yet there is a blessed harmony between all the parts of Scripture the contrariety is seeming not real As when a man is drawing water out of a well with two
vessels of a different mettal the water at the first seemeth to be of a different colour but when he draweth up the vessels nearer to him the diversity of colours vanish and the water appeareth to be of one and the same colour and when he tasteth them they have one and the same relish So though at first sight there may seem to be some contradictions in the Scriptures yet when we look more nearly and narrowly into them and compare one place with another we shall finde no contrariety no repugnancy in them at all but a perfect harmony and a full and sweet consent and agreement between one place and another between text and text Scripture and Scripture Sixthly For verity the Scriptures are most sure and certain heaven and earth shall pass away before one jot or tittle of the Scripture shall pass unfulfilled Seventhly For variety there are no varieties to those that are to be found in Scripture as in Noahs Ark all sorts of creatures were to be found so in this heavenly Ark the Scriptures all varieties are to be found here you may finde Physick for every disease and Balm for every wound and a plaister for every sore Here the Lamb may wade and here the Elephant may swim here is milk for Babes and here is meat for strong men here is comfort for the afflicted and succour for the tempted and support for the distressed and ease for the wearied here is a staff to support the feeble and a sword to defend the mighty That which a Papist reports lyingly of their Sacraments of the Mass viz. That there are as many misteries in it as there are drops in the sea dust on the earth Angels in heaven Stars in the sky Atoms in the Sun-beams or sands on the Sea shore c. may be truly asserted of the holy Scriptures there are many thousand thousand varieties in this garden of Paradise the Scripture Eighthly For fulness the Scriptures are full of light and full of life and full of love they are full of righteousness and full of holiness and full of all goodness 'T was a weighty saying of Tertullian Adoro plenitudinem scripturarum I adore the fulness of the Scripture Many men talk much of the Philosophers Stone that it turns Copper into Gold and of Cornucopia that it had all things necessary for food in it and of the Herb Panaces that it was good for all diseases and of the Drugg Catholicon that it is instead of all purges and of Vulcans armor that it was full proof against all thrusts and blows but that which they vainly attribute to these things for bodily good may safely and honorably be attributed to the blessed Scriptures in a spiritual manner the Scriptures turns hearts of Copper into hearts of Gold 't is a Paradise that is full of the Trees of life Rev. 22.2 and these trees of life are both for food Physick here is all manner of fruit to feed you fill you to delight you and satisfie you and the very leaves of these Trees are singular medicines to heal you and cure you the Scripture prescribes the choicest druggs to purge you viz. Repentance and the blood of Christ and 't is the Scripture that furnishes you with the best armor of proof against all principalities and powers and against all spiritual wickednesses in high places Eph. 6.11.18 Oh how should the consideration of all these things work you to be much in reading of the holy Scriptures if you will but make trial you should be sure to finde in them stories more true more various more pleasant more profitable and more comfortable then any you will find in all ancient or modern writers Ah friends if you would but in good earnest set upon reading of the holy Scriptures you may finde in them so many happinesses as cannot be numbred and so great happinesses as cannot be measured and so copious happinesses as cannot be defined and such precious happinesses as cannot be valued and if all this woâ—â—t draw you to read the holy Scriptures conscientiously and frequently I know not what will It 's said of Mary that she spent the third part of her time in reading of the word and Caecilia a Roman Maiden of noble parentage carried always about her the New Testament and spent much time in reading it Alfredus once King of England compiled Psalms and prayers into one book and called it a Manuel which he always carried about him and spent much time in the perusal of it Augustin Vide Pos in vita Aug. caused Davids penitential Psalms to be drawn upon the walls of his Chamber that he might read them as he lay in his bed he read and wep't and wept and read Well if all this will not prevail with you to be much in reading of the Scriptures consider that Agesilaus an excellent King of Sparta would never go to bed nor rise up before he had looked into Homer whom he called Amasium suum his sweet heart but what was Homers books to Gods Book which is the book of books as Charles the great did signifie when he crowned it with his own crown And Scipio Africanus was much commended Plutarch Moral for that he usually had in his hands the books of Xenophon But Oh how much more commendable will it be for you to have always in your hands the book of God Alphonsus had always in his bosom the commentaries of Caesar and he was so much delighted with the history of Titus Livius that he once commanded certain Musitians that were very skilful in that Art to depart his presence saying he could read a more pleasant story out of Livius Alas what are Livius his stories to the blessed stories that be in the Bible Oh sirs if Lipsius when he did but read Seneca thought that he was even on the top of Olympus above mortality and humane things And if Julius Scaliger thought twelve verses in Lucan better then the German Empire O then of what infinite worth and value is the blessed Scripture shall Heathens take such pleasure in reading of the Works of Heathens and shall not Christians take as much pleasure in reading of the holy Scriptures wherein there is so much of the Spirit hand and heart of God Shall they set so high a price upon the books of Heathens and shall we so slight and undervalue the books of God as not to thinke it worth a opening once a day verily I am afraid I am afraid that there are some among us that hardly open their Bibles once a weeke and others that hardly open their Bibles once a moneth and not a few that hardly open their Bibles once a quarter c. Certainly as the rustiness of some mens gold Jam. 5.1 2 3. will be a witness against them in the great day of the Lord so the mustiness of some mens Bibles will be a witness against them in that great day Quest But is it not lawfull
for a man to reade other mens books to reade other mens holy works c. Answ Doubtless it is lawfull and that First Because other mens holy works so far as they are holy are but the fruits products and operations of the holy Spirit c. Secondly Because their holy labours are of singular use for the clearing up of many hard difficult and mysterious Scriptures c. Thirdly Because they have been the means of many mens conversion John Hus confesseth that the reading of Luthers works was the maine cause of his conversion And whilest Vergerius read Luthers books with an intent to confute them himselfe was converted by them I doubt not but that there are many now in heaven and multitudes now on earth that have been converted by the books and writings of holy men and therefore it cannot but be lawfull to reade such books c. Fourthly Though it be lawfull to reade other mens holy works yet the holy Scriptures must still have the preheminence they must be firstly chiefly and mostly read all other books in comparison of the book of God must be cast by 't is Gods book that is indeed the book of Books Lib. 20. cap. 4. Josephus in his book of Antiquities makes mention of one Cumanus a Governour of Judea that though he were but a Heathen and a wicked man yet he caused a Souldier to be beheaded for tearing a Copy of the book of Moses Law which he found at the sacking of a Towne And venerable in all Ages and among all Nations have been the books wherein the Laws either of their belief or politie have been contained As the Talmud among the Jews and the Laws of the twelve Tables among the Romans and the Alcoran among the Turkes yea all Pagans have highly valued the Laws of their Legislators and shall not Christians much more set an high esteeme upon the holy Scriptures which are the Map of Gods mercy and mans misery the touchstone of truth the shop of remedies against all maladies the Hammer of vices and the treasury of vertues the displayer of all sensual and worldly vanities the Ballance of equitie and the most perfect Rule of all Justice and honesty What Chrysostom said of old to his hearers viz. Get you Bibles for they are your souls Physick that I say to you all oh get you Bibles for they are your souls Physick your souls food your souls happiness Ah friends no book becomes your hands like the Bible 't was this book that made David wiser then his Teachers this is the book that makes the best preachers and this is the book that is the best preacher This book this preacher will preach to you in your Shops in your Chambers in your Closets yea in your own bosomes This book will preach to you at home and abroad 't will preach to you in all companies whether they are good or bad and 't will preach to you in all conditions whether they are prosperous or afflictive by this book you shall be saved or by this book you shall be damned by this book you must live by this book you must die and by this book you shall be judged in the great day John 12.48 Oh therefore love this book above all other books and prize this book above all other books and buy this book before all other books in king Henry the Eighths time and in Queen Maries dayes Christians would have given Cart-loads of Hay and Corne for a few Chapters in the new Testament and will not you part with three or foure shillings to buy a Bible that may save your souls that may make you holy here and happy hereafter and reade this book before all other books and study this book more then all other books for he that reads much and understands nothing is like him that hunts much and catcheth nothing And let this suffice for this 7th direction Eighthly If ever you would be holy then be much in prayer Prayer is the most prevalent Orator at the throne of grace many that have gon to that throne with tears in their eyes have come away with praises in their hearts and many that have gon to that throne with hearts full of sin have returned with hearts full of grace Hosea 14.4 Jacob wep't and prayed and prayed and wep't and in the close as a Prince he prevailed with God so many a sinner has wep't and prayed and prayed and wep't and in the close as a Prince he has prevailed with God Ah Sirs it may be that there are but a few weeks nay a few dayes peradventure but a few houres between your souls and eternity between your souls and everlasting burnings between your souls and a devouring fire between your souls and damnation and will you not then pray and mourn and mourn and pray for that holiness without which there is no happiness yea without which hell and destruction will be for ever your portion Oh take that blessed promise Ezek. 36.25 26 27. and urge God with it oh tell him that he has said that he will sprinkle clean water upon you and that ye shall be clean from all your filthiness and that from all your Idols he will cleanse you c. Oh tell him First That he stands engaged by promise to give his holy Spirit to them that aske it Luke 11.13 Secondly Oh tell him that none can make an unholy heart holy but a holy God Thirdly Tell him that surely 't is no sin to beg holiness of a holy God Fourthly Tell him that he has made such who were once notorious in wickedness to become eminent in holiness witness Manasses Mary Magdalen Paul the murderers of Christ and those vile Corinthians 1 Cor. 5.6 9 10 11. Fifthly Tell him that he has given holiness to them that have not sought it and how then can it stand with his honour to deny it to them that seek it surely if he has been found of them that sought him not he will not hide himselfe from them that seek him Isa 65.1 2. Sixthly Tell him that thou hadst rather that he should deny thee any thing then that he should deny thee holiness say to him Lord health is the Prince of outward mercies and wealth is the spring of many mercies and wife children and friends are the set offs of mercies the creame of mercies and that liberty is the sweetner of all thy mercies and yet tell him that thou hadst rather that he should strip thee of any of these nay that he should deny thee all of these then that he should deny thee holiness Seventhly Tell him that thou didst never reade of any man that did ever make a hearty request for holiness but his request was granted The Leper would faine be clean and Christs answer is I will be thou clean Math. 8.2 3. Christ do's neither delay him nor deny him the poor Leper could no sooner desire to be clean but Christ commands him to be clean I will
required of us a song and they that wasted us required of us mirth saying Sing us one of the songs of Zion How shall we sing the Lords song in a strange Land And 't is as unreasonable to expect or look that the people of God should sing and be merry rejoyce and be glad when they are under soul-distresses and under the sore rebuks of God poured from vessel to vessel c. Musick in times of mourning is as unreasonable as 't is unseasonable and unsavory Jer. 48.11 Prov. 25.20 As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather and as vinegar upon nitre so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart Musick and mourning singing and sorrow agree like Harpe and Harrow there is such a contrariety between singing and sorrow that he that sings does but add weight to his sorrow that cannot sing O sirs As there is a time for rejoycing so there is a time for mourning Eccles 3.4 as there is a time to laugh so there is a time to weep and as we must rejoyce with them that rejoyce so we must mourn with them that mourn Rom. 12.15 and weep with them that weep The condition of Gods people in this life is a mixt condition in this life they have their rejoycing times and their mourning times their laughing times and their weeping times their singing times and their sorrowing times c. 'T is true in heaven there is all joy and no sorrow all gladness and no sadness and in hell there is all sorrow and no joy all grief and no gladness all howling and no singing all madness and no mirth but in this life 't is otherwise for if there should be nothing but joy many would look for no other heaven and if there should be nothing but sorrow most would look for no other hell if men should have nothing but joy how sadly would they be puffed up And if they should have nothing but sorrow how easily would they be cast down but now by a divine hand our sorrows being mixt with our joys our hearts come to be the more effectually weaned from the vanities of this life and to long more earnestly after the pure and unmixed joys of a better life c. But Eighthly I answer that 't is possible that the sadness sorrow The cure of Melancholy belongs rather to the Physitian then to the Divine to Galen then to Paul and grief of those particular Saints that thou hast thine eye upon may arise from the natural temper and constitution of their bodies many Saints are often cast into a melancholy mould for though grace changes the disposition of the soul yet it alters not the constitution of the body Now there is no greater enemy to holy joy and gladness then melancholy for this pestilent humor will raise such strange passions and imaginations 't will raise such groundless griefs and fears and frights and such senceless surmises and jealousies as will easily damp a Christians joy and mightily vex perplex trouble and turmoyle daunt and discourage a Christians spirit A Melancholy constitution is Satans Anvil upon which he formes many black It is an old saying That Melancholia est vehiculum Daemonum dark and dismall temptations which do exceedingly tend to the keeping down of Divine consolation from rising high in the soul this black dark dusky humor disturbs both soul and body it tempts Satan to tempt the soul and it unables the soul to resist the temptation yea it prepares the soul to hearken to the temptation and to close and fall in with the temptation as the experiences of all Melancholy Christians can testifie Look as coloured glass makes the very beams of the Sun seem to be all of the same colour with it self if the glass be blew the beams of the Sun seems to be blew if the glass be red the beams of the Sun seems to be red or if the glass be green the beams of the Sun seems to be green So this black Melancholy humor represents all things to the eye of the soul as duskish and dark and as full of horror and terror yea many times it represents the bright beams of Divine love and the shinings of the Sun of righteousness and the gracious whispers of the blessed Spirit as delusions and as slights of Satan to cousen the soul I have read of a foolish Melancholy bird that stands always but upon one legg for fear her own weight though she be very small should sink her into the center of the earth and holding her other legg over her head lest the Heavens should fall upon her and crush her I shall not dispute the credibleness of the relation but certainly there is nothing that fills a Christian so full of fears and frights as a Melancholy humor does and all know that know any thing that there are no greater adversaries to joy and gladness then such fears and frights Now how absurd and unreasonable is it to father that upon holiness or upon all holy persons that proceeds from the special constitution of some particular Saints and yet this is the trade that unsanctified souls drive And let thus much suffice for answer to this grand objection and O that this objection may never have a resurrection in any of your hearts more But Fourthly some may further object and say We see that no persons Object 4 on earth are exposed to such troubles dangers afflictions and persecutions as those are exposed to who mind holiness who follow after holiness these are days wherein men labor to frown holiness out of the world and to scorn and kick holiness out of the World and do you think that we are mad now to pursue after holiness Now to this great and sore objection I shall give these following answers First It must be granted that afflictions and persecutions has been the common lot and portion of the people of God in this world Abel was persecuted by Cain Witness the sufferings of the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Saints in all ages Act. 7.52 Rev. 12.13 Act. 9.16 Lam. 5.5 The common cry of persecutors have bin Christianos ad Leones 1 Joh. 3.12 and Isaac by Ishmael Gal. 9.29 That seems to be a standing Law All that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 A man may have many faint wishes and cold desires after Godliness and yet escape persecution yea he may make some assays and attempts as if he would be godly and yet escape persecution but when a man is thorowly resolved to be godly and sets himself in good earnest upon pursuing after holiness and living a life of godliness then he must expect to meet with afflictions and persecutions 'T is neither a Christians gifts nor his graces 't is neither his duties nor his services that can secure him whoever escapes the godly man shall not escape persecution in one kind or another in one degree or another he that will live
remediless torments and punishments that will at last inevitably fall upon all the persecutors of the Saints But Fifthly and lastly Persecutors at present are under an evident token of perdition and destruction they have the marks and signes of divine displeasure upon them Mr. Bradford looked upon his sufferings as an evidence to him that he was in his right way Phil. 1.28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries which is to them an evident token of perdition but to you of salvation and that of God Persecuted Christians ought not to be disheartned or discouraged but rather to take heart and courage by all the persecutions that are raised against them because they are most certaine witnesses and evidences from God himself both of their own salvation and of their persecutors perdition and destruction A state of unbeliefe John 3.18.36 Isa 6.9 10. 1 Tim. 4.2 John 3.19 20. Psal 81.12 hardness of heart blindness of mind searedness of conscience perversness of spirit slighting and despising of that which is good hating of the light and a mans being given up to the wayes and lusts of his own heart are dreadfull tokens of perdition and fearefull witnesses and evidences of destruction and these tokens and evidences all persecutors are under though it may be they want eyes to see them and hearts to be affected with them plaine and evident tokens of wrath and ruine are stampt in Roman Characters upon all persecutors and did they but see those tokens they would be as so many hand-writings upon the wall against them And thus you see by these five things that there is no condition under heaven that is so sad and deplorable a condition as the condition of persecutors is But Fifthly I answer that God will bare his people company in all their afflictions and persecutions if the Bush the Church be all on a light fire Exod. 3.2 6. Math. 10.17 18 19 20. Acts 6.9 10. Rom. 8.33 34 35. the Angel of the Covenant will be in the midst of it Isa 43.2 When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flames kindle upon thee Both in the waters of affliction and in the fire of persecution God will bare his people company So in that Dan. 3.24 25. Then Nebuchadnezzar the King was astonied and rose up in hast and spake and said unto his Counsellers Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the Fire they answered and said unto the King true O King He answered and said lo I see foure men loose walking in the midst of the fire and they have no hurt and the forme of the fourth is like unto the Son of God Christ is never so neare to his people as when they are in their fiery tryals and the hotter the Furnace is the more eminently present will Christ be with his people Saints never enjoy so much of the supporting imboldning comforting and encouraging presence of the Lord as they doe when the Sun of persecution shines hottest upon them Though Mr. Glover wanted the presence of God for a time yet when he came neare to the stake where he was burnt he clapt his hands for joy and cryed out He is come he is come 2 Cor. 4.8 9. We are troubled on every side yet not destroyed we are perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed Divine help is neaâ—est when a Saints danger is greatest It is the deriding question which persecutors put to the Saints in the time of their tryals and troubles Vbi Deus Where is now your God Psal 79.10 but they may returne a bold and confident answer Hic Deus Our God is here our God is nigh unto us our God is round about us our God is in the midst of us our God has given us his promise that he will never Heb. 13.5 never leave us nor forsake us in every trouble in every danger in every death the Lord will be sure to keep us company Hos 2.14 God will bare his children company not only whilst they are in a delightfull Paradise but also when they are in a howling wilderness August de Civit Dei lib. 2. cap. 39. When a company of poor Christians were going into Banishment one standing by to see them pass along said that it was a very sad condition that those poor people were in to be thus hurried from the society of men and to be made companions with the Beasts of the field True said another it were a sad condition indeed if they were carried to a place where they should not find their God but let them be of good chear for God goes along with them and will exhibite the comforts of his presence whithersoever they goe his presence is infinite Psal 139. and filleth all places The Rabbins put Makom which signifies place among the names of God Bithner brings them in expounding that text Esth 4.14 thus Deliverance shall arise from another place that is from God now they call'd God place because he is in every place filling heaven and earth with his presence Where ever God scatters his people he will be a little Sanctuary A little Sanctuary is opposed to that faire and glorious one that was at Jerusalem to them Ezek. 11.16 Therefore say thus saith the Lord God although I have cast them far off among the heathen and although I have scattered them among the Countreys yet will I be to them as a little Sanctuary in the Countries where they shall come The Heathens were wont to say of a valiant man Omne solum forti patria every soyle is his Countrey so I may say of a Christian every Countrey is his home who enjoyes the presence of God with him who finds God to be a little Sanctuary to him persecuted Saints shall be scattered no where but God will be a little Sanctuary to them in the want of a visible Sanctuary God will be an invisible Sanctuary to them in the want of outward ordinances they shall have the presence of his grace and favour God will be a protection to them and a spring of joy and comfort in them his power shall be as a wall of fire about them and his Spirit shall be the Guide and Leader of them Though the Jews at Jerusalem who enjoyed their glorious Temple and their pompious worship and solemn assemblies and precious ordinances lookt upon their Brethren in Babylon as a poor miserable despicable forlorne and forsaken people yea as a people without God and without his worship and ordinances and as those that had nothing to doe with their magnificent Temple they having no outward splendor or glory at all upon them yet says God by Ezekiel I will have them to know that I have other thoughts and better thoughts concerning their Captived Brethren for
in the Church Triumphant bearing the signs of their Christian wounds about them as so many speaking testimonies of their godly courage that what here they endured in the behalf of their Saviour may be there an addition to their glory O Christians all your sufferings will certainly increase your future glory every affliction every persecution will be a grain put into the scale of your heavenly glory to make it more weighty in that day wherein he will richly reward you for every tear for every sigh for every groan for every hazard and for every hardship that you have met with in the pursuit of holiness c. for light afflictions you shall have a weight of glory and for a few afflictions you shall have as many joys 2 Cor. 4.16 17 18. pleasures delights and contents as there be Stars in heaven or sands on the Sea-shore and for momentary afflictions you shall have an eternal crown of glory If you have suffering for suffering with Christ on earth you shall have glory for glory with Christ in heaven Ah Christians your present sufferings are but the seeds of your future glory and the more plentifully you sowe in tears the more abundant will be your harvest of glory Cyrus in a great expedition against his enemies the better to encourage his souldiers to fight in an Oration that he made at the head of his Army promised upon the victory to make every foot souldier an horseman and every horseman a Commander and that every Officer that did valiantly should be highly rewarded but Christ our General promises more for he promises a Crown Rev. 2.10 And a throne Chap. 3.21 to all his afflicted and persecuted ones which are the greatest rewards that a God can give or that man can crave It troubled one of the Martyrs when he was at the stake that he was going to a place where he should be for ever a receiving of wages for a little work Aristippus being demanded in a storm Why he was not as fearful as others were answered That there was great reason for it For saith he they fear the torments due to a bad life but I expect the reward due to a good life Ah Christians shall not the hopes of that great reward that attends suffering Saints bare you up bravely and carry you out sweetly under all the storms that may beat upon you whilst you are sailing heaven-wards and holiness-wards Surely yes I have read that Lycurgus could draw the Lacedemonians to any thing by temporal rewards And O then how much more should I draw all your hearts to a readiness and willingness to do any thing to be any thing and to suffer any thing for Christs sake and holiness sake upon the account of that great reward that sure reward and that eternal reward that attends suffering Saints And let thus much suffice for answer to this fourth objection I hope none of you will think that I have been too long in answering this Objection considering the present times But Fifthly Others may object and say We would labor after this holiness without which there is no happiness c. But if we should then we must resolve to be poor and mean and beggarly in the world we must resolve then to fare hard and lye hard and labor hard and live low in the world for we shall never raise an estate to our selves by holiness and strictness we shall never grow rich and great in the world by godliness nay by driving this trade of holiness we shall lose our Trades our Customers and those estates we have and quickly bring a noble to nine pence c. Now to fence and arm you against this objection give me leave to propose these six following considerations First Consider that 't is not absolutely necessary that you should be rich or high or great in this world but 't is absolutely necessary that you should be holy the want of riches can onely trouble you but the want of holiness will certainly damne you you may be happy in another world though you are not high in this world many a man has gone to heaven without a penny in his purse or good cloaths on his back Luk. 16.19 31. and doubtless 't is infinitely better with ragged naked Lazarus to go to heaven then 't is with Dives to go rich and bravely clad to hell 't is better to go to heaven poor and halt and maimed then to go to hell sound and rich poverty and outward misery with salvation is far better then worldly prosperity and felicity with everlasting perdition Holiness and not riches is the One thing necessary if thou hast holiness nothing can make thee miserable but if thou wantest holiness nothing can make thee happy Outward blessings are no infallible evidences of a blessed estate Was Abraham rich so was Abimelech to Was Jacob rich so was Laban to Was David a King so was Saul to Was Constantine an Emperor so was Julian to 'T is onely holiness that sets the crown of happiness upon a Christians head But Secondly Consider that 't is not sanctity but impiety 't is not holiness Prov. 24.33 34. Ch. 28.19.22 but wickedness that exposes men to the greatest poverty and misery Prov. 6.26 For by the means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread Whoredom is a very costly sin the prodigal had quickly spent his portion among his Harlots Luk. 15. Whoredom can't be a greater Paradise to the flesh then 't is a purgatory to the purse and many great ones have found it so Mar. 6.23 24. Herod that old fornicator was so inflamed and bewitched with the immodest wanton dancing of his Damosel that he swore he would give her to the half of his kingdom And 't is very observable that whilst Solomon in his younger days kept holy 1 King 10.27 28. Chron. 1.15 16 17. chast and pure silver and gold was as plentious at Jerusalem and at Court as the stones of the street but when Solomon had given himself up to his Concubines they quickly exhausted his Treasuries and brought him to so low an ebb that he was forced to oppress his subjects with such heavy taxes 1 Kings 12.1 20. burdens and tributes which occasioned the revolt of the ten Tribes Josephus in his Antiquities tells us of one Decius Mundus that offered to give so many hundred thousand Drachmes that came to six thousand pound English money to satisfie his lusts one night with a whore and yet could not obtain his desire There is no sin that has brought more men and greater men to beggary and misery then this has it is a great misery to be brought to a piece of bread to a scrap a little bit of bread but to be brought into so low a condition by Harlots doubles the misery for he that is by a whorish woman brought to a piece of bread on earth shall be brought to a drop of water in hell
14.34 Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people or as the Hebrew has it to nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nations or peoples The world usually accounts either beggerliness of estate or badness of scituation or rudeness of behaviour or changes in Government or dulness of invention or a disuse of Armes or some such like imperfections to be the reproach of Nations but the holy Ghost tells us that 't is sin 't is sin that is the reproach of nations that is the shame of nations that is the contempt and scorne of nations and that blots and blurres all the excellencies and glories of nations impious persons makes the nations infamous and the more impious any nation City or person is the more infamous that nation City or person is Pro. 6.32 33. But who so committeth adultery with a woman What an indeleble blot was this still upon David viz. That his heart was upright in all things save in the matter of Vriah lacketh understanding he that doth it destroyeth his own soul A wâ—und and dishonour shall he get and his reproach shall not be wiped away There is nothing that is such a blemish and such a wound to a mans honor as sin sin leaves such a blot such a blurr and such a reproach upon a mans name fame and reputation that no Art no paines shall ever be able to wipe it out all the water in the Sea cannot wash away nor all the rubbing in the world cannot wipe away the disgrace disdaine and contempt that enormities that wickednesses lays a people under Jer. 24.9 And I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt to be a reproach and a proverb a taunt and a curse in all places whether I shall drive them 'T was not for their holiness their godliness but for their wickedness and ungodliness that God was resolv'd to make them a reproach and a proverb a taunt and a curse in all places Pro. 10.7 The memory of the Just is blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot The wickedness of the wicked heaps so much disgrace disparagement and dishonor upon them that it makes their very names to rot and stinke above ground their carkasses doe not more rot and stinke under ground then their very names do rot and stinke above ground the wickedness of the wicked will make their very names such a detestation and such an abhorring that they shall either not be remembred at all or if they be they shall be only remembred as a rotten stinking putrified thing As the curse of God follows the soul of a wicked man to hell so the curse of God follows the name of a wicked man on earth so that it becomes most noysome and loathsome among the sons of men Sin do's so debase and bebeast the great ones of the world that the Prophets as Grotius hath rightly observ'd use to set forth wicked Kings by the names of Beasts Dan. 7 3 4 5 6 7. Pro. 28.15 16. as the Goat the Ram the Léopard the Beare to note the beastliness of their conditions and because they commonly maintaine and exercise their government by brutish violence and Tyranny And Christ himselfe who never spoke Treason nor Sedition tearmes king Herod a Fox in that Luke 13.32 And he said unto them goe ye and tell that Fox behold I cast out devils and I doe cures to day and to morrow and the third day I shall be perfected Herod was as crafty and as subtile as Fox he was as cruel and as fraudulent as a Fox and therefore he is very fitly tearmed by Christ a Fox And so Paul describes Nero by the name of a Lyon 2 Tim. 4.17 And I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lyon that is out of the mouth of Nero who for his power and cruelty was like a Lyon for he was a most cruell and desperate persecutor of the Christians and made a bloody decree that whosoever confessed himself a Christian should without any more adoe be put to death aâ— a convicted enemy of mankinde Now by what has been said you see that 't is not holiness but wickedness that is the greatest disgrace dishonor and disparagement imaginable to the sons of men and therefore there is no reason why the great ones of the world should disdaine to pursue after holiness upon the account of this objection But Fourthly I answer That this objection savours strongly of cursed pride and of hellish loftiness and stateliness of spirit for who art thou O great mountaine who art thou O great man Zech. 4.7 Calvin hath this note on that 1 Pet. 5.5 viz. Regis animum quisque intra se habet every man hath in him the minde of a King or what art thou O mighty man but that thou mayest be dishonored and disparaged for holiness sake what are thy great swelling Titles but as so many Rattles what are thy Honors but as so many Meteors and what is all thy worldly greatness but a winde that may blow thee the sooner to hell all thy glory is but a glorious fancy a magnum nihil a great nothing and this Haman and Herod found by experience and so did Julius Caesar and Augustus Caesar who gave a charge to the Pretors of Rome that they should not suffer his name to be worne thread-bare Bajazet who was one of the greatest Commanders in the world was carried about in an Iâ—on-grate to be a foot-stool to an insulting Conquerour And Belisarius the most famous Generall that the latter Age of the Roman Empire knew and in greatest favour with Justinian his Prince was reduced to that great want that he was faine to beg his bread And thus in all Ages men have quickly fallen from the highest pinacle of honor to sit with Job upon the dunghill The true honor of a Souldier lyes not in boasting of the nobleness of his linage nor in the blazing of his Armes nor in telling of large Stories of his Pedigrees and Genealogies nor in his brave Cloaths nor in his rich plunder c. but his honor lyes in a torne Buckler a crackt Helmet Of these Biron the French Marshall boasted at his death And so did many of the Romans a blunt Sword and in the scarres and wounds that he has received in the defence of his Countrey so thy true honor O thou great piece of vanity that makest this objection do's not lye in thy Coat of Armes nor in thy great Titles nor in thy great Lordships and Mannors nor in thy high Birth c. but in thy interest in Christ in thy new birth in thy being an heire of the promises in thy Title to heaven and in thy pursuit after holiness and verily if you should live and dye without these things it had been ten thousand times better that you had been brought up in a Cave then that you had been brought up at Court and that you
under a black Cassock they dare be such they make no bones on 't to sin by prescription and to damn themselves with Authority Austin brings in some excusing their compliances with the sinfull customes of those times in drinking healths thus Great personages urged it and it was at the Kings Banquet where they judged of Loyalty by Luxury and put us upon this election drink or die they thought it a sufficient excuse to plead the examples of great men And if their examples are vertuous there are none so winning and drawing as theirs Carus the Romane Emperour us'd to say Bonus duae bonus comes A good leader makes a good follower It is observable in the very course of nature that the highest Spheres are alwayes the swiftest in their motion and carry about with them the inferior Orbes by their celerity so men that are high and eminent in Authority power and dignity and eminent also in grace and holiness they carry the inferior people by their examples to a liking of holiness and to a love of holiness and to a pursuit after holiness As the biggest Stars in the Firmament are alwayes the brightest and gives the greatest lustre to those of a lesser magnitude so those that in respect both of Greatness and grace are as so many shining Stars they give the greatest light and lustre to others by their shining conversations O! what a world of good will the gracious example of a good Prince provoke unto 'T was the saying of Trajanus a Spaniard Qualis Rex Talis Grex Subjects prove good by a good Kings example Stories tells us of some that could not sleep when they thought of the Trophies of other Worthies that went before them the gracious examples of great men are very awakening quickning and provoking to that which is good as is most evident in all those Kingdomes Countries Cities and villages where such men live And therefore great men are the more obliged to be good men and honorable men to be holy men But Fourthly Of all men under heaven you will have the greatest accounts to make up with God and therefore you have the more cause to seek after holiness Where God gives much Luke 12.48 It was excellent counsell that the Heathen Oratour gave his hearers Ita vi vamus ut â—ationem nobis reddendam arbitremur Let us so live as those that must give an account of all at last there he looks for much O Sirs God will bring you to an account for that Talent of honor and that Talent of wealth and that Talent of birth and that Talent of power and that Talent of Authority and that Talent of interest and that Talent of Time c. that he has intrusted you with and how will you be able to stand in the day of account without holiness in your hearts King Philip the third of Spaine whose life was free from gross evills professing that he would rather lose all his Kingdoms then offend God willingly yet being in the Agony of death and considering more thorowly of his account that he was to give to God feare struck into him and these words brake from him Oh would to God I had never reigned oh that those years I have spent in my kingdome I had lived a private life in the Wilderness oh that I had lived a solitary life with God! how much more securely should I have now dyed how much more confidently should I have gone to the Throne of God What do's all my glory profit me but that I have so much the more torment in my death Well Gentlemen there is a day a coming wherein the Lord will call you to a strict account both for the principall and also for the interest of all those Talents of honor riches and greatness c. that he has put into your hands and how will you be ever able to hold up your heads in this day of account without you experience principles of holiness in your hearts and hold forth the power of godliness in your lives If Saul was astonished when he heard Jesus of Nazareth but calling upon him Acts 22.7 8. Mark 6.16 1 Sam. 21.9 Num. 7.10 If Herod was affrighted when he thought that John Baptist was risen from the dead If the Philistians were afraid when they saw Davids Sword If the Israelites were appalled when they saw Aarons Rod Den. 38.2 If Judah was ashamed when he saw Thamars Signet and Staffe And if Belshazzar was amazed when he saw the hand writing on the wall Dan. 5.9 O! how astonished how affrighted how ashamed and how amazed will the great ones of the world be who live and die without holiness when God shall bring them to the Barr and command them to give an account of all the Talents that he has put into their hands If the Carthagenians were troubled when they saw Scipio's Sepulchre If the Saxons were terrified when they saw Cadwallon's Image And if the Romans were dashed when they saw Caesars bloody Robe Ah how will all the Great unholy ones of the earth be troubled terrified and dashed in the great day of their accounts there are none that will have such large accounts to give up as the great ones of the world and therefore there are none that stand so strongly engaged to look after holiness as they doe But Fifthly The greater any men are on earth if they live and die without holiness the greater will be their torments in hell all their Greatness Glory and Gallantry will but sink them the lower in hell The Scribes and Pharisees were the rich the high and the great ones of the times Math. 23.14 and these Christ lays under the greater damnation The Germans have this proverb The pavement of hell say they is made of the bare sculs of the Priests and the glorious Crests of Gallants Their meaning is that the more eminent any are in Church or State and doe not employ their eminency power and Authority in wayes of piety and sanctity the lower they shall lye in hell yea these men of all others shall lye lowest in hell Rev. 18.7 Isa 47.8 How much or in as much as she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her for she saith in her heart I sit a Queen and am no widow and shall see no sorrow Babylons torment and sorrow must be sutable to her sin Babylon excell'd all others in pride haughtiness luxury and blasphemy c. and her punishments must be answerable So the Great the rich the high and the mighty men of the world they usually exceed all others in pride drunkenness uncleanness filthiness oppression vaine-glory Gluttony and Tyranny c. and answerable to their sins will be their torments and their punishments in hell Isa 30.33 For Tophet is ordained of old I it may be for the poore meane and beggarly of the world yea for the King it is prepared he hath made it deep
the hearts and tongues of others against the people of God A wicked tongue as Bernard observes kills three at once first it kills his name and fame by ill report who is slandered Secondly it kills his belief with a lye to whom the report is made 3. It kills the slanderer himself with the sâ—â—â— of detraction David who fell oftener under the sad lashes of evil tongues compares reviling tongues to three fatal weapons a Razor a Sword and an Arrow 1. To a Razor in that Psal 52.2 Now you know a Razor meets with every little hair and many times instead of shaving the hair it slashes the flesh and sometimes by missing the Beard it endangers the throat And so the reviling tongue will take the least advantage imaginable to slash and cut the names and reputations of those that fear the Lord in a thousand pieces Psal 57.4 2. To a sword that cuts and wounds deep and so does the revilers tongue cut deeply into the names fames and credits of the people of God And 3. To an Arrow the sword onely cuts when we are near Psal 64.3 but the Arrow hits at a distance the sword can't cut except we be at hand but the Arrow may hit us when we are afar off the reviler can easily shoot his Arrows of reproach a great way off he can shoot them from one Town to another Psal 73.9 from one City to another from one kingdom to another yea from one end of the earth to the other when the hands are manacled and the feet fettered and stocked the tongue travils freely all the world over and loads the names of men with what reproaches it pleaseth The tongue is the great interpreter of the heart the tongue is the key that unlocks those treasures of wickedness that be in the heart Mat. 12.34 That man has commonly most of the devil in his heart that has most of the devil in his mouth The strokes in Musick answer to the notes that are pricked in the Rules the corruptions of mens hearts commonly breaks forth at their lips Look as a pimpled face discovers a distempered Liver and as a stinking breath discovers corrupted Lungs so a reviling tongue discovers a base rotten heart When the Pumpe goes you may quickly know whether the water that is in the Fountain or Well be clear or muddy sweet or stinking and when the clapper strikes you may soon guess of what mettal the Bell is made of and so by mens tongues you may easily guess what is in their hearts if the tongue be vil'd the heart is so if the tongue be bloody the heart is so if the tongue be adulterous the heart is so if the tongue be malicious the heart is so if the tongue be covetous the heart is so and if the tongue be cruel the heart is so c. mens minds are known by their mouthes if the mouth be bad the mind is not good he that is rotten in his talk is commonly rotteâ—â—n the heart Of all the members of the body there is none so serviceable to Satan as an evil tongue and therefore when all the body is full of sores Chrysostom Drexelius and others he will keep the tongue from blisters that so a man may the more freely and fully curse God and die And this was the reason why Satan spared Jobs tongue when he sadly paid all other members of bis body that so his grand designe which was to provoke Job both to curse God and to charge him foolishly might take place but Jobs tongue be oyled with grace proved his glory in his trying hour and instead of cursing he blesses a taking God an angry God O! sirs the world is as full of evil tongues as Nilus of Crocodiles or as Sodom of Sulphur or as Egypt of Lice and there is no fence no guard against these evil tongues and therefore why should any man be discouraged from pursuing after holiness because of the revilings of evil tongues Munster writes of men in India which speak not like men but barks like doggs and who regards such men no more should we regard such foul mouth'd persons who are still barking against holiness as the doggs bark against the Moon but as the Moon runs her race and holds her course though all the doggs in the Town bark never so much at it so should you pursue after holiness though all the tongues in the Town should be barking and scoffing at you But Thirdly Consider That those that now reproach holiness will ere long be of another minde they that now revile and reproach holiness will in a short time change their minds and their notes when these very men who revile holiness shall come to fall under terrors and horrors of conscience and when they shall come to lye upon their dying beds and to have their immortal souls sit trembling and quaking upon their pale lips and when they shall appear before the great God Numb 23.10 and awake with everlasting flames about their ears O how will they then wish that they had never reviled holiness How will they then wish that they had prized holiness and that they had spent their All in pursuing after holiness O how will they then charge themselves and censure themselves and arraign and condemn themselves for their scorning and condemning of holiness O how will they then wish that they had never heard of holiness nor read of holiness nor thought of holiness O how will they then wish that their mothers wombs had proved their Tombes and that they had rather lived and died in a land of darkness then thus to live and dye without holiness Now O what folly and madness is it for thee to neglect the pursuit of holiness because such and such revile it who perhaps before the next year the next month yea it may be the next Sabbath comes about will wish ten thousand times over and over that they had pursued after it and that they had made it their greatest work in this world to obtain it But Fourthly Such persons who are revilers deriders and haters of holiness should rather be divinely contemned scorned and slighted then any ways gratified encouraged pleased and strengthned in their evil ways by thy neglect of holiness and by thy non-pursuance after holiness Ezek. 13.19 ult O how may thy neglect of holiness upon the account of revilings and scornings strengthen the hands and the hearts of revilers and scorners c and therefore 't is much better divinely to slight and disdain them then by sinful omissions to gratifie and please them See how slighting Elisha carries it to wicked Jehoram though he was a King 2 Kings 3.13 14. The Prophets here spoken of were the remaining Prophets of Baal of the idolatrous groves and of the Calves of Jeroboam And Elisha said unto the King of Israel what have I to do with thee get thee to the Prophets of thy father and Prophets of thy
as you would not have a hand in the damnation of sinners take heed of scandalous sins O! Sirs 1 Kings 11.9 as you would not provoke the great God as you would not crucifie afresh the Lord of glory and put him to an open shame as you would not set the Comforter a mourning that alone can comfort you as you would not raise a hell in your own consciences and as you would not darken the Churches Glory fly from scandalous sins as you would fly from hell it selfe I have read of holy Polycarp that religious Martyr and Bishop of Smyrna how that in the time of the fourth persecution under Marcus Antonius Verres when he was commanded to sweare but one Oath made this Answer Euseb Hist lib. 2. cap. 15. Fourscore and six years have I endeavoured to doo God service and all this while he never hurt me and how then shall I speak evill of so good a Lord and Master who hath thus long preserved me And being further urged to sweare by the Proconsul he answered I am a Christian and cannot doe it let Heathens and Infidels sweare if they will I cannot doe it were it to the saving of my life This holy man would rather sacrifice his life then fall into a scandalous sin O Christians pray and watch and watch and pray that you may never be left to staine your own honor or the honor of your profession by falling into scandalous sins Well friends remember this 't is not infirmities but enormities 't is not weaknesses but wickednesses that will cast the crowne from off your heads and that will strip you of all your glory and therefore as you would hold fast your crowne keep at an everlasting distance from scandalous sins c. But Secondly Declare and evidence the reality and power of holiness by your cordial thankfulness for so rare a Jewel Psal 103.1 2 3 4 5. or as the originall will bare bow the knee O my soul and for so great a mercy O Sirs one drop one spark of holiness is more worth then heaven and earth and how then can you but be thankful for it Wilt thou be thankful to that God that made thee a man and wilt thou not be thankful to the same God that made thee a Saint Wilt thou bless him that made thee a creature and wilt thou not bless the same God that has made thee a new creature Wilt thou praise him for the heavens that are but the workmanship of his hands Psal 8. and wilt thou not praise him for holiness Augustin writ his 49. Ep. to one called Deo gratias which is the workmanship of his heart Tell me O Christian is not holiness a soul-mercy and what mercies wilt thou be thankful for if not for soul-mercies Tell me O Christian is not holiness of all mercies the most necessary mercy the want of other mercies might have troubled thee I but the want of holiness would have damned thee and wilt thou not be thankful for holiness which is the one thing necessary Tell me O Christian is not holiness an incomparable mercy what 's thy health thy wealth thy wit to holiness darest thou mention thy birth thy breeding thy arts thy parts thy honor thy greatness or thy advancement in the world in that day wherein holiness is spoken of surely no and wilt thou not then be thankful for such an incomparable mercy as holiness is Tell me O Christian is not holiness a peculiar mercy a peculiar treasure that God intrusts but few men with 1 John 5.19 Don't the world lye in wickedness are not the multitude in all places strangers yea enemies to holiness and how then canst thou but be thankful for holiness Yea once more tell me O Christian is not holiness a mercy sweetning mercy is it not the beauty of holiness that puts a beauty upon all thy mercies is it not holiness that bespangles all thy comforts and contentments O how sower would all thy mercies tast and how pale and wan would all thy mercies look were it not for holiness 'T is the want of holiness that makes all a mans mercies look as ill-favoured as Pharaoh's leane kine Gen. 41.2 3 4. and 't is the fruition of holiness that makes all a mans mercies look as well-favour'd as Pharaoh's fat-kine 't is holiness that both puts a colour upon all our mercies and that gives a tast and a rellish to them All our mercies without holiness will be but as the waters of Marah Exod. 15.23 24 25. bitter 't is only holiness that is the Tree that will make every bitter sweet and every sweet more sweet and how then canst thou but be thankful for holiness O remember how far off thou wert from God Eph. 2.12 and Christ and the promise and heaven and happiness when thou wast without holiness in this world O remember what a child of wrath what a bond-slave to Satan what an enemy to God and what an apparent heire to hell thou wert when thou wert an opposer of holiness and a secret despiser of holiness and then be unthankful for holiness if thou canst O remember that now by holiness of a slave thou art made a Son and of an heire of wrath Rev. 8.16 17. thou art made an heire of heaven and in stead of being Satans bond-man thou art now made Christs free-man John 8.36 thy Iron-chains are now knockt off as sometimes Joseph's were and the Golden chaine of holiness is now put upon thee Gen. 41.14.42 and what do's all this call aloud for but thankfulness This saying is also fathered on Socrates c. Thales a Heathen gave thanks to God for three things 1. That he had made him a man and not a beast 2. That he had made him a man and not a woman 3. That he was borne a Greek and not a Barbarian And O then what cause of thankfulness hast thou for thy supernatural being and for all those noble principles of holiness that the Lord has stampt upon thy soul c Shall the husbandman be thankful for a plentiful Harvest and the Merchant for quick returnes and the Shop-keeper for a full Trade and the Marriner for a good voyage and wilt not thou be much more thankful for holiness Shall the beggar be thankful for a crust to feed him and shall the blind be thankful for a dogge to lead him and shall the naked be thankful for raggs to cover him Ingratum dixeris omnia dixeris and shall the Aged be thankful for a Staffe to support him and shall the diseased be thankful for a cordial to raise him and wilt not thou be thankful for holiness yea for that holiness that is bread to strengthen thee and a Guide to lead thee and rayment to cloath thee and a Staffe to support thee and a cordial to comfort thee O remember that ingratitude is a monster in nature a solecisme in manners and a paradox in
Winter is past and the singing of birds is come and anone you say your Winter is like to be longer then ever now you say there is Balm in Gilead and anon you say your wound is incurable now you say all is your own and anon you are ready to give up all as lost c. and thus your hearts rise and fall according to the working of second causes When you have full purses and powerful Armies and subtle Councellors Psal 30.6 7 8. and great Allies then you are ready to say surely our mountain is strong and we shall never be removed but when your bags are empty and your forces broken and your counsels dissipated and your Allies faln off then you are ready to cry out O now there is no hope there is no help O but now were you eminent in holiness then under the saddest and crossest workings of second causes 2 Chron. 14.11 you would say with Asa O Lord it is nothing with thee to help whether with many or with them that have no power 2 Kin. 6.16 17. Exod. 14.13 and with Elisha They that be with us are more then they that be with them and with Moses Stand still Psal 118.6 and see the salvation of God and with David The Lord is on my side I will not fear what man can do unto me Holiness in any considerable heighth will set the power of God in opposition to all the power of the world Psal 65.6 11. and then divinely triumph over them Plutarch in vita Pomp. Pompey once gloried in this that with one stampe of his foot he could raise all Italy up in Arms but the great God with one stampe of his foot or with one word of his mouth can raise not onely Italy but also all the Angels in heaven and all the men on earth in Arms at his pleasure and in the power of this God raised holiness will enable a man to glory all the day long Where holiness is weak there men stand and fall as second causes work but where holiness is eminent there men will live upon the first cause and however second causes may wheel about yet such a man will live upon him and look up to him that hath a wheel within every wheel Ezek. 1.15 22. But Seventhly You have but little holiness witness that soul-leanness Psal 106.15 Isa 24.16 and Chap. 10.16 barrenness and unfruitfulness that is among you at this very day Ah how may most cry out with the Prophet Isaiah O my leanness my leanness O our leanness our leanness our barrenness our barrenness c. though God has waited many three years for fruit yet behold nothing but leaves I have read of the Indian Fig-tree how that its leaves are as broad as a Target Athenaeus de Ipnosoph lib. 3. but its fruit is no bigger then a Bean Ah how many Christians be there in these days whose leaves of profession are very broad but their fruits of righteousness and holiness are very small and as the Indian Fig-tree though it be of fair and goodly dimensions yet it riots out all its sap and juce into leaves and blossoms So many in these days who though they carry it fair and make a goodly shew yet they riot out all that spiritual sap and life that is in them into the mear leaves and blossoms of an empty profession Ah how are many of our hearts like to the Isle of Pathmos which is so barren that nothing that is good will grow on 't all the good things that grow there is from the earth that is brought from other places Look as a company of Ants are very busie about a Mole-hill running to and fro and wearying themselves in their several movings and turnings this way and that and yet never grow great for after all their motions and stiring they are still the same as to the slender proportion of their bodies so many Christians in these days run to and fro they run from one duty to another and from one ordinance to another and from one opinion to another and from one principle to another and from one Minister to another and from one Church to another and from one way to another and from one notion to another and yet they make little progress in holiness 2 Pet. 3.18 2 Tim. 3.6 7. they grow but little in the love the life the likeness and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ they are like those silly women that Timothy speaks of who were ever learning and yet never able to come to the knowledge of the truth and they are like Nazianzens country of Ozizala which abounded with gay flowers but was barren of corn so these abound in gay notions and flourishing parts but are barren of grace and holiness Seneca hath long since observed that as the Philosophers in his time grew more and more learned so they grew less and less moral and is there any thing more evident in these days then this viz. that as men grow more and more in empty airy notions and in a pompous Religion and profession so they grow less and less zealous and religious The reason say some why Christ cursed the Fig-tree though the time of bearing fruit was not come was because it made a glorious shew with leaves and promised much but brought forth nothing What 's a barren tree a barren ground or a barren womb to a barren heart Many in our days are like the Cypress-tree Joh. 15.6 which the more it is watered the more it is withered so the more many are watered with the means of grace the more they wither the more the dews of heaven falls upon them and the more heavenly Manna is daily rained round about them the more lean fruitless and barren they grow Such souls may do well to remember that those trees that are not for fruit are for the fire Heb. 6.8 Augustin For a close let me tell you that I fear with that Father that many grieve more for the barrenness of their lands then they do for the barrenness of their lives and for the barrenness of their trees then they do for the barrenness of their souls and for the loss of their Cattel then they do for the loss of Gods countenance But Eigthly lastly You have but little holiness witness that great indifferency and inconstancy that is to be found among you My Lord Paulet kept both great favor and places under Henry the eighth a Papist and under King Edward the sixth a Protestant and under Queen Mary a Papist and under Queen Elizabeth a Protestant being ask'd how he could do so he answered that he always imitated the willow and not the oak Ah how many Christians are there in these days of Gospel-light who are indifferent who they hear or what they hear who are indifferent whether they pray or not or walk in Gospel-order or not or keep Sabbaths or not or maintain
man has of his Justification the stronger will be his consolation and indeed the strongest waters of consolation doe alwayes flow from a cleare sight and a true sense of a mans justification no man lives so comfortably no man bares the cross so sweetly no man resists the devill and the world so stoutly nor no man will die so chearfully as he that lives and dies in a cleare sight of his Justification The more holiness any man attaines to the more his feares will be scattered his doubts resolved and all those impediments removed that commonly bar out joy and comfort and what will be the happy issue of these things but the bringing in of a sea of joy and comfort into the soul 'T is not riches nor honors nor applause nor learning nor friends nor a great name in the world but an eminency in holiness that can highly raise the springs of divine joy in a Christians soul Though the windowes of the Temple were broad without but narrow within yet the joy and comfort of a Christian that is eminent in holiness is broad and full within though it be narrow and contracted without O Sirs as ever you would have your joy full labour for a heart fill'd with holiness your comforts will be alwayes few and low if your holiness be low Why have the Angels alwayes Harpes in their hands and Hallelujah's in their mouths but because they have attain'd to a fulness of holiness But Seventhly To provoke you to labour after higher degrees of holiness Consider that the more holy any person is the more the Lord will reveale and manifest himselfe and his mind and will unto him Joh. 14.21 23. Hosea 6.3 Ezekiel was a man of eminent holiness and a man that had glorious visions and deep mysteries and rare discoveries of God and of the great things that should be brought about in the latter dayes See 2 4 7 8 9 10 11 12 Chapters of Daniel discovered to him And Daniel was a man of very great holiness and O what secrets and mysteries did God reveale to him many of those great and glorious things which concernes the destruction of the four last Monarchies and the growth increase exaltation flourishing durable invincible and unconquerable estate of his own kingdome was discovered to him 2 Cor. 12.2 4. Among all the Apostles Paul was a man of the greatest holiness and of all the Apostles Paul had the most glorious revelations and discoveries of God manifested to him witness those glorious Revelations that he had when he was caught up into the third heaven into Paradise and heard unspeakable words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or wordless words such as words were too weak to utter such as was not possible for man to utter and that either because they transcended mans capacity in this life or else because the Apostle was forbidden to utter them they being revealed to him not for the publike use of the Church but only for his particular encouragement that so he might be the better able to encounter with all the hardships difficulties dangers and deaths that should attend him in the conscientious discharge of his ministerial work Some of the Ancients are of opinion that he saw Gods essence for say they other things in heaven might have been uttered but the essence of God is so great and so glorious a thing that no man or Angel can utter it or declare it but here I must crave leave to enter my dissent for the Scripture is express in this John 1.18 1 Tim. 6.16 1 Ioh. 4.12 that no man hath thus ever seen the Lord at any time and that no man can thus see the Lord and live And as great a favourite of heaven as Moses was yet he could only see the back parts of God he could only behold some lower representations of God Others say that he heard the heavenly singing of Angels and blessed Spirits which was so sweet so excellent and glorious that no mortall man was able to utter it and this of the two is most probable but no man is bound to make this opinion an Article of his faith this I think we may safely conclude that in this rapture besides the contemplation of Celestial Mysteries he felt such unspeakable delight and pleasure that was either like to that or exceeding that which Adam took in the terrestrial Paradise doubtless the Apostle did see and heare such excellent and glorious things as was impossible for the tongue of any mortal man to express or utter And so John was a man of most rare holiness and Christ reveals to him the General estate of his Church and all that should befall his people and that from Johns time unto his second coming Christ gives John a true representation of all the troubles tryalls changes mercies and glories that in all times and in all Ages and places should attend his Church untill he came in all his glory About sixty years after Christs ascension 'T is the General opinion of the learned that this book of the Revelation was penned about the latter end of the Reigne of Domitian the Emperour which was about sixty years after Christs Ascension Christ comes to John and opens his heart and unbosomes his soul and makes knowne to him all that care that love that tenderness that kindness and that sweetness that he would exercise towards his Church from that very time to the end of the world Christ tells John that though he had been absent and seemingly silent for about threescore years that yet he was not so taken up with the delights contents and glory of heaven as that he did not care what became of his Church on earth O! no And therefore he opens his choicest secrets and makes knowne the most hidden and glorious mysteries to John that ever was made knowne to any man As there was none that had so much of the heart of Christ as John so there was none that had so much of the eare of Christ as John Christ singles out his servant John from all the men in the world and makes knowne to him all the happy providences and all the sad occurrences that were to come upon the followers of the Lamb that so they might know what to pray for and what to fit for and what to waite for also he declares to John all that wrath and vengeance all that desolation and destruction that should come upon the false Prophet and the Beast and upon all that wondered after them and that were worshippers of them and that had received their marks either in their foreheads or in their hands We reade of holy Polycarpus that as he lay in his bed he saw in a vision the bed set on fire under his head A vision and thus God did forewarne him and manifest to him what manner of death he should die and accordingly it fell out for he was burnt for the cause of Christ and rejoycingly sealed to the
truth with his blood Mr. John Hus was a man eminent in holiness he was borne in Prague in Bohemia A Prophesie and was Pastor of the Church of Bethleem his name Hus in the Bohemian language sâ—gnifies a Goose at his Martyrdome he told them that if they rosted him in the fire out of the ashes of the Goose an hundred years after God would raise up a Swan in Germany that should carry the Cause on for which he suffered and whose singings would affright all those Vulters which was exactly fulfilled in Luther whose name in the Bohemian language signifies a Swan for God raised him up as a famous instrument in his hand who carried on that glorious Cause with mighty success and upon his death the Bohemians under Ziska rose in Armes and had most admirable success against the Emperour and the Papists A Prophesie Luther was a man of great holiness and being one time more then ordinarily earnest with God in prayer he came downe to his Friends and told them with a very great confidence that it should goe well with Germany all his dayes he knew what was done in heaven by that which God had done in his own heart accordingly it fell out The Martyr that was burnt last in Smithfield A Prophesie told the people that they should be of good comfort for he was fully perswaded that he was the last that should suffer under Queen Mary and so he was Thus you see that men of greatest holiness have had the clearest and choicest manifestations discoveries of God and of his mind made knowne to them Suitable to that choice promise that you have in that 33 Jer. 3. Call unto me and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty or hidden things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hidden as bunches of Grapes are hidden under the leaves of the Vines which thou knowest not God will make knowne to his holy ones the most hidden and abstruse things and the more holy they are the more they shall know of the most secret and mysterious things of God John 7.17 If any man will doe his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my selfe Christ will be most open to them that are most obedient to him they shall know most of the doctrine of Christ who are most complying with the will of Christ David was a man of great holiness as is evident by that glorious testimony that God has given of him in that 13 Acts 22. And when he had removed him that is Saul v. 21. he raised up unto them David to be their King to whom also he gave testimony and said I have found David the son of Jesse a man after mine own heart which shall fulfill all my will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All my wills to note the eminency transcâ—ndency universality and sincerity of his obedience Now if you will but look into that 2 Sam. 7.27 there you shall see how the Lord declares and makes knowne himselfe and his intentions towards him For thou O Lord of Hosts God of Israel hast revealed to thy servant saying I will build thee an house But the Hebrew is more full and excellent in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it runs thus Lord thou hast revealed this to the eare of thy servant Now the emphasis lyes in those words to the eare of thy servant When God makes knowne himselfe and his intentions to such as are eminent in holiness he do's it in their eare God tells David in his eare that he will build him an house that is that he would continue his kingdome to him and to his posterity after him this was blessed newes and this God tells in his eare Such as are our special friends and favourites we often whisper them in the eare when we would acquaint them with our most secret and weighty purposes intentions and resolutions we give them a whisper in the eare such persons that are eminent in holiness are the great favourits of heaven and God tells them in the eare of many a rare secret which all others are kept ignorant of Well Sirs for a close remember this that there are no persons on earth that are so prepared and fitted for the clearest fullest and highest manifestations of God as those that are eminent in holiness nor none that set so high a price upon the discoveries of God as men that are eminent in holiness nor none that are so able to bare the Revelations of his will as men that are eminent in holiness nor none that will make such an humble faithful constant and through improvement of all that God shall make knowne to them as men that are famous for holiness and therefore as ever you would have God in an eminent way to manifest and discover himselfe and his mind unto you O labour after a greater measure of holiness But Eighthly To provoke you to labour after higher degrees of holiness Consider that the more holy any man is the more singular delight and pleasure God will take in all his religious duties and services Generally 't was the custome of the Eastern countries to wash before worship The very heathen gods would be served in white the very emblem of purity holiness puts a divine savour upon all a mans services there are no duties so sweet as those that have most holiness in them Mal. 3.3 4. And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver and he shall purifie the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord as in the dayes of old and as in former years After the Lord Jesus Christ hath been to his people as a refiners fire and as Fullers sope that is after he hath refined scoured and purged his people from their drossiness filthiness earthliness selfishness and sensualness c. then their offerings shall be pleasant to the Lord. Look as light makes all things pleasant and delightful to man so holiness makes all a mans duties and services pleasant and delightful to the Lord. Zach. 13.9 And I will bring the third part through the fire and will refine them as silver is refined and will try them as gold is tryed they shall call on my name and I will heare them I will say it is my people and they shall say the Lord is my God When God has refined his people as silver is refined then he will bow his eare and open his hand and grant them the desires of their hearts O the pleasure and delight that God takes in the prayers tears hearings readings meltings mournings and repentings of such who are eminently purged and sanctified the more holiness any man has the less of the flesh polution and corruption there is in all his duties and services and the less there is of
matters Job was the onely man he was chosen by all and advanced by all above all in all Assemblies and places of Judicature c. whoever was of the Committee yet Job was still Chair-man who ever was of the counsel yet Job was still President and whoever was of the Court yet Job was still King yea he dwelt as a King in the Army Job was guarded as a King in the Army and honored as a King in the Army and beloved and admired as a King in the Army and obeyed and served as a King in the Army and feared and reverenced as a King in the Army I might give you further instances of this in Joseph Moses Nehemiah Mordecai the three Children and Daniel but I shall forbear Faith is but a piece a part a branch of holiness and yet O what an honorable mention doth Paul make of the Romans faith in that Rom. 1.8 First This is a figurative expression according to the stile and manner of speaking then I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all that your faith is spoken of throughout the world The Romans had attained to an eminency in faith and the report thereof sounded thoroughout the Roman Empire yea throughout the world for there being a great resort to Rome from all parts of the world and by every ones discoursing and admiring of the Romans faith their faith came to be spread abroad among all the Churches all the world over Look as Christs fulness of grace was his highest glory in this world Psal 45.1 2. so a Christians fulness of holiness is his highest honor in this world O sirs there is no such way to be high in honor and renown both in the consciences of sinners and Saints as to be high in holiness Jewel was a man eminent in holiness and his holiness set him high in the very judgements and consciences of the Papists The Dean of the Colledge though a Papist yet speaks thus of him In thy faith I hold thee an Heretick but surely in thy life thou art an Angel thou art very good and honest but a Lutheran Among the very Heathens those were most highly honored that were most excellent and eminent in moral vertues Aristides was so famous among the Athenians for his Justice Plutarch that he was called Aristides the Just c. O Christians 't is your highest honor and glory in this world to be so eminent and famous for holiness that men may point at you and say there goes such a one the wise there goes such a one the humble there goes such a one the heavenly and there goes such a one the meek there goes such a one the patient and there goes such a one the contented and there goes such a one the Just and there goes such a one the merciful and there goes such a one the zealous and there goes such a one the couragious and there goes such a one the sincere and there goes such a one the faithful c. well for a close remember this that though great places great offices great revenues and great honours c. may exalt you set you high in the uppermost seats and roomes among men yet 't is only an eminency in holiness that will exalt you and set you high in the consciences of sinners and Saints But Fourteenthly To provoke you to labour after higher degrees of holiness Consider that the times wherein you live calls for this at your hands Jer. 51.5 Ah how is this Land filled with sin yea with the worst of sins against the holy One of Israel Hell seems to be broken loose and men strive to exceed and excell one another in all kinds of wickedness O the scarlet sins that are now to be found under many scarlet Robes O the black transgressions that are now to be found under many black Cassocks O the new-found oaths the hellish blasphemies the horrid filthinesses and the abominable debaucheries that are committed daily in the face of the Sun ah how shameless how sensless are sinners grown in these dayes Jer. 3.3 sin every where now appears with a whores forehead ah what open opposition do's Christ meet with in his Gospel offices Math. 24.12 members wayes worship and works ah how do's all iniquity abound and how bold and resolute are multitudes now in dishonoring of God in profaning his Sabbaths in poluting his ordinances in destroying their own souls and in treasuring up of wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 c. Now the worser the times are the better every Christian must labour to be the more profane the Age is wherein we live the more holy we must endeavour to be O Sirs how else will you recompence the great God if I may so speak for all the dishonors that are cast upon him by the matchless loosness and wickedness of the present times Phil. 2.15 how else will you shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation how else will you convince the consciences 1 Pet. 2.15 and stop or button up the mouths of wicked and unreasonable men how else will you be the Lords witnesses against this sinful and adulterous Generation Isa 43.10 12. And ch 44.8 how else will you manifest your great love to Christ and your exceeding tenderness of the honor and glory of Christ how else will you give an undeniable testimony of the glorious operations of the Spirit in you how else will you satisfie your own consciences Psal 18.20 25. Heb. 11.7 that your hearts are upright with God and how else will you with Noah condemne a wicked world well Christians remember this 't is more then time for you to perfect holiness in the feare of the Lord when so many thousands labour day and night to perfect wickedness in despite of the Lord 't is time for you to be Angels in holiness when multitudes strive to exceed the very devill in wickedness since Christ was on earth there has been no times that have called louder for the perfecting of holiness then the present times wherein we live But Fifteenthly To provoke you to lâ—bour after higher degrees of holiness consider how the men of the world do study and strive to abound and encrease in worldly blessings O what ado is there among worldlings to lay house to house and field to field Isa 5.8 to make a hundred a thousand and a thousand ten c Many men rise early and go to bed late yea they cross their light Psal 127.1 2. wound their consciences and decline their principles and endanger their immortall souls and all to adde to their worldly stores This Age is ful of such Ahabs 1 Kings 21. that are even sick for their neighbours Vineyards yea that rather then they will goe without them will wade through Naboths blood to them And how many rich fools be there amongst us who instead of minding their souls and
a fixed eye upon the infinite and most glorious holiness of God Now that this direction may the better work premise with mee these eight things concerning the holiness of God First Premise this with mee that God is essentially holy Mat. 19.17 There is none good but God that is there is none essentially good but God c. and in this sense none is holy but himself Now essential holiness is all one with God himself Gods essential holiness is Gods conformity to himself holiness in God is not a quality but his essence Quicquid est in Deo est ipse Deus whatsoever is in God is God holiness in Angels and Saints is but a quality but in God it is his essence The fallen Angels keep their natures though they have lost their holiness for that holiness in them was a quality and not their essence Look as created holiness is the conformity of the reasonable creature to the Rule so the increated holiness of God is Gods conformity unto himself Gods holiness and his nature are not two things they are but one Gods holiness is his nature and Gods nature is his holiness God is a pure Act and therefore whatsoever is in God is God 't is Gods prerogative royal to be essentially holy the most glorious creatures in Heaven and the choicest souls on Earth are only holy by participation 1 Sam. 2.2 There is none holy as the Lord Gods holiness is so essential and co-natural to him that hee can as soon cease to be as cease to be holy Holiness in God is a substance but in Angels and men 't is only an accident or a quality the essence of the creature may remain when the holiness of the creature is lost As you may see in Adam and the fallen Angels but Gods essence and his holiness are alwaies the same his very nature is holy Exod. 3.14 and therefore 't is that hee is called Jehovah and I Am because what hee is really that hee is essentially Though men for our information do distinguish between the Attributes of God and the Nature of God yet in him they are the same Look as the Wisdome of God is the wise God and the Truth of God the true God and the Power of God the powerful God and the Justice of God the just God and the Mercy of God the merciful God and the Mightiness of God the mighty God and the Righteousness of God the righteous God and the graciousness of God the gracious God so the Holiness of God is the holy God Gods Nature and his Name are one and the same God is essentially holy and that is the top of all his glory But Secondly As God is essentially holy so God is unmixedly holy the Holiness of God is a pure Holiness 't is an unmixed Holiness 1 Joh. 1.5 God is light and in him is no darkness at all There are no mixtures in God God is a most clear bright-shining light yea hee is all light and in him is no darknesse at all The Moon indeed when it shines brightest Plato calls God the horn of plenty and the Ocean of beauty without the least spot of injustice c. hath her dark spots and specks but God is a light that shines gloriously without the least spot or speck Now look as that darknesse which hath not the least light attending it is the grossest the thickest Egyptian darknesse that can be so that light that hath not the least cloud of darknesse attending it must be the most clear splendid light that possible can be and such a light is the holy one of Israel 'T is very observable the Apostle to illustrate the perfect purity and sanctity of God adds a Negative to his Affirmative In him is no darkness at all that is God is so pure that not the least spot the smallest speck can cleave to him hee is so holy that no iniquity can be found in him there is no defect not default in the Nature of God hee is a God of Truth and without iniquity just and right is hee As Moses spake in that Deut. 32.4 God is a pure a most pure Act without the least potentiality defectability or mutability and therefore in the highest sense hee is light and in him is no darkness at all Surely there is no unrighteousnesse in God no evil can dwell with him or come neer unto him God stands at such a distance from iniquity yea hee so abhors it that hee never did nor never will bestow a good look upon it Hab. 1.13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil and canst not look on iniquity There are four things that God cannot do 1. He cannot lye 2. Hee cannot dye 3. Hee cannot deny himself nor 4. Hee cannot look with a favourable eye upon iniquity God doth indeed look upon iniquity with a hateful eye with an angry eye with a revengeful eye and with a vindictive eye but hee never did nor will look upon iniquity with an eye of delectation or with an eye of approbation witnesse his hurling the fallen Angels out of Heaven and his banishing of sinning Adam out of Paradise By all this you see that the Holinesse of God is a pure Holinesse 't is a Holinesse without mixture but now all the holinesse that is in the best and choicest Saints in the world is but a dreggy holinesse a mixt holinesse a weak and imperfect holinesse their unholinesse is alwaies more than their holinesse Ah what a deal of pride is mixt with a little humility and what a deal of unbeleef is mixt with a little faith and what a deal of passion is mixt with a little meeknesse and what a deal of earthlinesse is mixt with a little heavenlinesse and what a deal of carnalnesse is mixt with a little spiritualnesse and what a deal of hardnesse is mixt with a little tendernesse O but now the Holinesse of God is a pure Holinesse 't is a Holinesse without mixture there is not the least drop nor the least dregge of unholinesse in God 't is true the Gods of the Heathen were such as had been impure beastly filthy men Arnobius Austin Tertullian c. and therefore several writers have taken a great deal of pains to convince Heathens of their impiety and folly in worshipping such for gods upon whom they fastened many horrid ridiculous lascivious and impious actions and therefore they conclude against them that they are no gods t is most certain that the true God that Hee that is the high and the holy one cannot bee charged with any iniquity no nor with the least shew or shadow of vanity In God there is wisdome without folly truth without falshood light without darkness holiness without sinfulness But Thirdly As God is unmixedly holy so God is Universally holy hee is holy in all his waies and holy in all his works his precepts are holy precepts and his promises are holy promises and his threatnings are holy threatnings his
love is a holy love and his anger is a holy anger and his hatred is a holy hatred c. His nature is holy his attributes are holy and all his actions are holy hee is holy in punishing and holy in sparing hee is holy in justifying of some and hee is holy condemning of others hee is holy in bringing some to Heaven and holy in throwing others to Hell God is holy in all his sayings and God is holy in all his doings God is holy in what ever hee puts his hand to and hee is holy in what ever hee sets his heart to his frowns are holy and his smiles are holy his liftings up are holy and his castings down are holy when hee gives his givings are holy givings and when hee takes away his takings are holy takings c. But Fourthly As God is universally holy so God is eminently holy hee is transcendently holy hee is superlatively holy Exo. 15.11 and therefore hee is said to bee glorious in holiness there is no fathoming there is no measuring there is no comprehending there is no searching of that infinite Sea of holiness that is in God as neither Men nor Angels can set banks or bounds to Gods holiness so neither Men nor Angels can sound to the bottome of Gods holiness all that holiness that is in Angels and Men is but a spark to Gods flame t is but a drop to his sea t is but a beam to his sun t is but a mite to his millions c. O Sirs you shall as soon stop the Sun in his course and change the day into night and raise the dead and make a world and tell the stars of heaven and empty the sea with a Cockle-shell as you shall bee able either to conceive or express that transcendent holiness that is in God This glorious Name or Title the holy one of Israel is ascribed to God about thirty times in the Old Testament and all to shew that hee is most excellent and transcendent in holiness and the Seraphims which stood before the Throne cryed out three times a row Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of hosts Isa 6.3 to shew that God is most eminently and superlatively holy for so thrice holy in some languages is most holy for holiness God is a none-such there are none to bee compared with him neither are there any among Angels or among Men yea or among the Gods that are like unto him who is like to thee among the Gods glorious in holiness fearful in praises doing wonders Gods holiness is infinite t is so super-eminent and so super-excellent that it can neither bee limited nor lessened nor augmented if men should blaspheme or reproach the Lord hee would bee never the worse he would be never the lesse holier then hee is and if men should bless him and worship him hee would bee never the better never the holier unto perfection there can be no addition a drop taken out of the sea can no waies add unto the sea Hee is exalted above all blessing and praise Nehe. 9.5 All the Angels in Heaven and all the men on earth cannot add one Ray one Beam of glory to the essence of God to the holiness of God as God is goodness in the very Abstract and justice in the very abstract and mercy in the very abstract and righteousness in the very abstract and lovingkindness in the very abstract so hee is holiness in the very Abstract so that no man can flatter him or add unto him and hence t is that God glories in the Attribute of his Holiness more than in any other Attribute For Isa 57.15 thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity whose name is holy when God would lift up himself in all his Glory hee doth it by declaring that his name is holy and so when God would swear by himself hee swears by his holiness Psal 89.25 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lye unto David and so in that Amos 4.2 The Lord God hath sworn by his holiness that lo the daies shall come upon you that hee will take you with hooks and your posterity with fish-hooks Look as the great men of the World are wont to swear upon their honour when they would give us the greatest assurance of what they will do because such Oath are look't upon as most sacred and inviolable so the great God swears by his holiness because his holiness is his greatest Honour and because hee hath no greater nor no better nor no choicer nor no sweeter nor no preciouser things to swear by let mee saith God bee never owned as a God nor honoured as a God nor trusted as a God nor feared as a God nor valued as a God if I do not Inviolably keep my promises and make good my threatings having sworn thereunto by my Holiness Now you know the Scripture saith when God could swear by no greater hee sware by himself Heb. 6.13 so I may say when God could swear by no greater Attribute by no greater Excellency hee swears by his Holiness that being the top and the glory of all Look as all the wisdome of the creatures compar'd with the wisdome of God is but folly and as all the goodness of the creatures compared with the goodness of God is but naughtiness and as all the fulnesse of the creature compared with the fulnesse of God is but emptiness and as all the power of the creature compared with the power of God is but weaknesse and as all the righteousnesse of the creature compared with the righteousnesse of God is but unrighteousnesse So all the holinesse of the creature compared with the holinesse of God is but unholinesse mans highest purity is but impurity when 't is compared to the purity of God yea the very holinesse of Angels compared with the holinesse of God is chargeable with folly Job 4.18 That fulnesse of holinesse that is in Angels or Saints is only the fulnesse of the Vessel but that fulnesse of holinesse that is in God is the fulnesse of the Fountain that fulnesse of holinesse that is in Angels or Saints is but the fulnesse of the Branches but that fulnesse of holinesse that is in God is the fulnesse of the Root that fulnesse of holinesse that is in Angels or Saints is but the fulnesse of Sufficiency but that fulnesse of holinesse that is in God is the fulnesse of redundancy But Fifthly As God is infinitely holy transcendently holy superlatively holy so God is originally radically and fundamentally holy the Divine Nature is the root original and spring of all holinesse and purity all that holinesse that is in Angels and men flows from God as the streams from the Fountain as the beams from the Sun as the branches from the Root and as the effect from the Cause There is no holinesse to be had but from the Holy One hee is the Author and Original of all the holinesse that
ever was or that is this day in the world all the seeds of holiness and all the roots of holiness that are to be found in Angels or men Phil. 1.11 are of the Lords sowing and planting All that holiness that the Angels had in Heaven and all that holiness that Adam had in Paradise and all that holiness that Christ had in his humane nature and all that holiness that ever any Saints have had was from God and all that holiness that any Saints now have is from God The Divine Nature is the first root and original fountain of all sanctity and purity James 1.17 Ministers may pray that their people may be holy and Parents may pray that their children may be holy and Masters may pray that their servants may be holy and husbands may pray that their wives may be holy and Wives may pray that their husbands may be holy but none of these can give holinesse none of these can communicate holinesse to their nearest and dearest relations t is only God that is the giver and the Author of all holinesse If holy persons could convey holinesse into others souls they would never suffer them to go to Hell for want of holiness to hand out holiness to others is a work too high for Angels and too hard for all mortals 't is only the Holy One that can cause holiness to flow into sinners hearts 't is only hee that can form and frame and infuse holiness into the souls of men A man shall sooner make a man yea make a world and unmake himself than hee shall make another holy t is only a holy God that can enlighten the mind and bow the will and melt the heart and raise the affections and purge the conscience and reform the life and put the whole man into a holy gracious frame and temper But Sixthly As God is originally radically and fundamentally holy Isa 44.24 Rev. 1.18 so God is independently holy the Holiness of God depends upon nothing below God God is the Alpha the fountain from â—â—ence all holinesse springs and hee is the Omega the Sea to which all glory runs As all our holiness is from God so all our holiness must terminate in the honour and glory of God 'T is God alone that is independently holy All that holiness that is in Angels and men is a dependent holiness it depends upon the Holiness of God as the streams depend upon the Fountain the beams upon the Sun the branches upon the Root and the members upon the Head God is Unum principium ex quo cuncta dependent one beginning upon whom all things depend God hath his Being only of himself and 't is hee alone that gives Being unto all other things God is the first cause and without all causes himself the very Beings that Angels and men have they have by participation from God And 't is the first cause that giveth unto all causes their proper operations Isa 44.6 I am the first and I am the last and besides mee there is no God God never had a cause of his Being as all other creatures have He is a glorious being a holy being without all causes either efficient or formal or material or final and therefore hee must needs be independently holy Look as the power of God is an independent power and the wisdome of God an independent wisdome and the goodness of God an independent goodness and the righteousness of God an independent righteousness so the holiness of God is an independent holiness And as it is the glory of his power that his power is an independent power and the glory of his goodnesse that his goodnesse is an independent goodnesse so 't is the glory of his holinesse that his holinesse is an independent holinesse And look as all that power that Angels and men have depends upon the power of God and as all that wisdome that Angels and men have depends upon the wisdome of God and as all that goodnesse that Angels and men have depends upon the goodnesse of God so all that holinesse that Angels and men have depends upon the holinesse of God c. Philo could say that God is such a fountain that hee breaks forth with the streams of his goodnesse upon all things but receives nothing back again from any to better himself therewith There are none in Heaven nor none on Earth that are absolutely independent but God alone Seventhly As God is independently holy so God is constantly holy hee is unchangeably holy hee was holy yesterday and hee is holy to day and hee will be holy for ever What is natural is constant and lasting Now Gods holinesse is natural to him 't is as natural for God to be holy as 't is for us to breathe yea as 't is for us to bee unholy God can as well and as soon cease to bee as hee can cease to be holy Holinesse is his nature as well as his name and therefore his holinesse cannot decay though ours may whatever wee may lose of our holinesse yet 't is certain that God can never lose one grain of that holinesse that is in him Here our holinesse ebbs and flows but the Holinesse of God never ebbs but is alwaies a flowing and over-flowing there is still a full tyde of Holinesse in God Though the Saints cannot fall from that seed of holinesse that is sown in their hearts 1 Joh. 3.9 yet they may fall from some degrees of holinesse that they have formerly attained to they that have been old men in holinesse may fall from being old men to be but young men in holinesse and they that have been young men in holinesse 1 Joh. 2.12 13 14. 2 Pet. 2.1 2 3. may fall from being young men to be but children in holinesse and they that have been children in holiness may fall from being children to be but babes in holiness but now that holiness that is in God is never subject to any decayings abatings or languishing that spring that Sea of holiness that is in God is no waies capable of diminution nor of Augmentation Plato could say that God is one and the same Pierius and alwaies like himself And it was a custome among the Turks to cry out every morning from a high Tower God alwaies was and alwaies will bee and so salute their Mahomet O Sirs God hath been alwaies holy and God will bee alwaies holy whatever men may lose yet God is resolved that hee will never lose his honour nor his holiness But Eighthly and lastly As God is continually holy so God is exemplarily holy Levit. 20.26 Remember this you and I must answer for examples as well as precepts Hee is the Rule Pattern and Example of holiness 1 Pet. 1.15 Bee yee holy as I am holy Gods Holiness is the great example and pattern of all that holiness which is in the creatures Gods holiness is the Copy that we must alwaies have in our eye and indeavour most
of holinesse that Christian is grown to Phil. 3.3 For wee are the câ—rcumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh These Philippians were eminent in grace and holinesse as you may see in chap. 1. And they place no confidence in circumcision nor in any such outward performances or services but they were much in the exercise of grace and in worshipping of God in the Spirit and in rejoycing in the Person of Christ the Natures of Christ the Offices of Christ the Discoveries of Christ the Communications of Christ the glorious Operations of Christ the precious Promises of Christ and in the heart-warming and heart-chearing Blood of Christ Now to bee much exercised in the most internal spiritual and Evangelical duties of Religion argues a very great height of holinesse But 8thly The more spiritual internal intrinsecal Principles Motives and Considerations carries a person on in Religious duties and services the more holy that person is when a man is carried on in the duties of Religion from a sense of Divine Love Psa 119.1 2 3. 1 Joh. 1.1 2 3 4. Isa 38.16 17 19 20. Psa 63.1 2 3. or from a sense of the special presence of Christ with his Spirit or from a sense of the excellency and sweetnesse of communion and fellowship with God or from a sense of the graciousnesse and goodnesse of God towards him or from a sense of singular influences and incomes from God or from a sense of the choice and precious discoveries of God or from a sense of the beauty and glory of God c. This argues a very great measure of holinesse that such a person hath attained to The more the sweet looks of Christ the secret visits of Christ the private whispers of Christ the divine joggings of Christ the blessed Love-tokens of Christ and the holy kisses and glorious embraces of Christ doth incite and provoke a person to Religious duties the greater degrees of holinesse that person hath reacht to but now 't is an Argument that the streams of holinesse runs but low when external Motives and Considerations have the greatest hand in carrying a person on in Religious duties The more bare custome the eye of the creature the favour of the creature the example of the creature the applause of the creature the rewards of the creature or the keeping up of a mans parts or the keeping up of a mans name esteem and repute in the world doth influence a Christians heart to Religious duties the lesse holinesse that Christian hath Yea 't is considerable that outward Motives and natural Principles have carried many Heathens to do many great and glorious things in the world Did not Sisera do as great things as Gideon the difference did only lye here that the great things that Gideon did hee did from more spiritual Principles and raised Considerations than any Sisera was acted by And did not Diogenes trample under his feet the great and glorious things of this world as well as Moses Heb. 11. the difference did only lye in this that Moses trampled under his feet the gay and gallant things of this world from inward holy Principles and from high and glorious Considerations and Motives whereas Diogenes did only trample upon them from poor low Principles and from carnal and external Considerations I have read of one Cosmus Medices a rich Citizen of â—lorence that hee confessed to a neer friend of his that hee built so many Magnificent Structures and spent so much on Scholars and Libraries not for any love to Learning but to raise up to himself the Trophies of fame and renown And many of the Romans have done very great and glorious things for their Country but all from natural Principles and from carnal and external Motives and Considerations as for a great name a puff of honour a little applause c. and therefore their most glorious actions have been but shining sins God alwaies writes a nothing upon all those services Jer. â—2 23 wherein mens Principles and their Ends are naught and low 'T was a notable saying of Luther one work of a Christian saith hee is more precious then Heaven and Earth and if I might have my desire I would rather chuse the meanest work of a Country Christian or poor Maid than all the Victories and Triumphs of Alexander the Great and of Julius Caesar because whatsoever a Saint doth though it be never so small and mean yet it is great and glorious because he doth all in Faith and by the Word And saith the same Author further let our works be never so small servile womanish yet let but this title be added the Word of the Lord and then they will be all glorious yea such as shall remain to all eternity O Sirs all our works and services must bee wrought from God for God in God and according to God or else they will bee but splendida peccata glistering sins well the more spiritual and internal the principles motives and considerations are that carries a Christian on in religious duties the greater measure of holinesse hath that Christian arrived to But Ninthly The more solid precise exact and accurate a Christian is in religious duties and services the greater measure of holinesse that Christian hath attained to and the more any Christian grows in holinesse the more spiritual the more savory the more exact and accurate hee will grow in all his religious services and performances The more a Christians heart is endeared to religious duties the more his heart is affected with the heavenly nature of religious duties and the more easily the more holily the more freely the more spiritually he performs religious duties the more he is thriven grown in holiness A young Carpenter gives more blows makes more noise chips than an old experienced workman doth but the old experienced workman doth his work more solidly more exactly and more accurately than the young Carpenter doth So many young Christians that are but newly entred into the trade of Christianity and that are raised up but to a very small degree of sanctity these may multiply duties upon duties these may abound in religious performances these may bee much in adding of service to service but yet the aged and experienced Christian in grace and holinesse doth duties more solidly more spiritually more exactly and more accurately than the young Christian doth Wee must never judge of an eminency in holinesse by the number or multitude of our duties but by the seriousnesse the graciousnesse the solidnesse the spiritualnesse the holinesse the heavenlinesse and the accuratenesse of our hearts in duties A young Musitian may play longer and more quick and nimble upon an Instrument than an old Musitian can but yet the old Musitian playes with more art accuratenesse skill judgement and understanding than a young Musitian doth so young Christians in grace and holinesse may hold out
the state of Grace from the state of Glory the state of Holiness from the state of Happinesse 't is necessary that Holinesse should be communicated to us by degrees an absolute fulness of holiness will make an absolute fulness of happiness when our holiness is perfect our happiness shall be perfect and if this were attainable on earth there would be but little reason for men to long to bee in Heaven The third Position is this that there is a great deal of preciousnesse in the least degree of holinesse For 1. 'T is the special work of the holy Spirit and this I have shewed you already at large and therefore it must needs be precious 2. 'T is a part of the Divine Nature 't is a beam of God a spark of Glory and therefore it must needs be precious 2 Pet. 1.4 Mat. 12.20 Isa 40 10 11. ch 60.22 Isa 35.3 4. Joel 3.10 Mat. 5.3 4 5 6. Rom. 14.1 ch 15.7 3. There are many choice and special Promises that are made over to the least degrees of Holinesse as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the Margint together and therefore the least degree of holinesse is very precious 4. It gives a man a right to precious Priviledges and to all the precious Ordinances of Christs house Ergo. 5. 'T is a fruit of the special love and favour of God a man may read more of the heart of God and of the special love of God towards him in the least spark of holinesse than hee can in his highest worldly enjoyments A man may read that special grace in the least degree of holinesse which hee can never read in the honours profits pleasures delights and contents of this world Ergo. 6. The least degrees of holinesse gives a man as great a right The little hand of a childe may hold a Pearl as well as the hand of the greatest Giant in the world and as good a title to everlasting happinesse and blessednesse as the greatest degrees of holinesse doth and the reason is clear because the promise of happinesse and blessednesse is not made over to degrees of holinesse but to the truth of holinesse and therefore hee that hath but the least spark of true holinesse may plead the Promise and apply the Promise and suck marrow and sweetnesse out of the Promise as well as hee that hath the greatest measures of holinesse in the world The Promises of Salvation are not made over to the strength of Faith but to the truth of Faith Joh. 6.35 'T is no where said that only hee that beleeves with the Faith of an Abraham shall bee saved but 't is often said Hee that beleeves shall bee saved that is hee that beleeves truly though hee doth not beleeve strongly shall bee saved Ergo. 7. When unholy persons are under terrours of conscience A little holiness is like a Diamond very little in bulk but of a very high price and value c. and upon their dying-beds and when they shall stand before a judgement seat had they as many worlds to give as there bee stars in Heaven and as there are men on Eartâ— they would give them all for the least spark of true holinesse and therefore without all peradventure the least degree of holinesse must bee very precious considering what a price the worst of men would give for it were it in their power to purchase 8. The least degree of holinesse shall at last bee blest with a happy triumph over the strongest corruptions the least degree of holinesse will lead the soul to Christ it will bring the soul into communion with Christ it will work the soul to lean upon Christ and by degrees to draw that life that vertue and that vigour from Christ that will inable a Christian not only to combate but to conquer even Goliah himself and therefore the least degree of holinesse is doubtlesse very precious Gen. 18. The least finger is of use to the whole body 9. The least degree of holinesse will render a Christian in some measure serviceable and useful to the turnings away of the wrath and judgements of God from a People or Nation and for the bringing down of favours and blessing upon a Land When all the Power Authority Greatnesse Grandeur and Glory that wicked men have in their hands can do just nothing either to the diverting of wrath or the obtaining of mercy and therefore the least degree of holinesse is precious But Tenthly and lastly The least degree of holinesse is a sure pledge and pawn of greater degrees of holinesse that in time thou shalt attain to The tallest Oak was once an Acorn the deepest Doctor was once in his Horn-book and the greatest Giant was once a childe Thy spark in time shall bee blowed up into a flame thy drop in time shall bee turned into a Sea and thy penny in time shall bee multiplied into pounds and thy pounds into hundreds and thy hundreds into thousands and thy thousands into millions and now tell mee Christians whether these ten things do not sufficiently prove that there is a great deal of preciousnesse in the least degrees of holinesse and O that you that have but a little holinesse would bee often a warming of your hearts at this heavenly fire and O that you that have a great deal of holinesse wâ—uld not despise those that have but a little holinesse O that you that bring forth a hundred-fold would not despise those that bring forth but thirty-fold and O that you that have ten Talents would not despise those that have but two Talents considering that there is a great deal of preciousnesse in the least degree of holiness The fourth Position is this All Saints are not alike holy some are more holy and others are lesse holy in some Saints the springs of Holiness runs low in others the springs of Holiness rise very high Holiness thrives not alike in all Saints Mat. 13.8.23 Mat. 25.14 15. Luk. 19.12 21. in the Parable some brought forth thirty some sixty and others a hundred-fold and yet all was good ground too And in that other Parable every one had not ten Talents some had but five others two others but one God never doth distribute holiness alike to all to some hee gives more to others less according to the good pleasure of his Grace God never intended that all should thrive alike in holiness Neh. 7.2 Though there were divers that feared God in Nehemiah's time yet hee tells you that his Brother Hanani feared God above many Job 1.8 And though Jobs three friends that came to visite him in the daies of his sorrows viz. Eliphaz Zophar and Bildad were doubtless all holy men yet they fell very much short of Job in Grace and Holiness as is evident not only by that high testimony that God himself gives concerning Job That there was none like him upon the earth a perfect and upright man one that feared God and eschewed evil
holiness as the rich the great and the mighty ones of the earth But Seventhly and lastly Others may object and say Should we pursue after holiness we shall be sure to be reviled slandered and reproached on all hands every one will hoote and hiss at us we shall become a scorne and a by-word to all that live in the family with us and to all our neighbours round about us every one will scorne us and hate us and we shall be their Table-talke and their song and the Butt at which they will shoote in all their meetings and discourses c. Now that you may be sufficiently armed against this objection I desire you seriously to consider of these five following Answers First That those that revile and reproach holiness are such that have never known the necessity nor the excellency of holiness they have never experienced the power nor the sweetness of holiness Jude 10. 1 Tim. 1.7 they speak evill of things they know not of things they understand not not to know is mans misery but to speak evill of that which a man understands not is the heighth of folly 1 Cor. 2.8 and this these revilers doe Had they knowne saith the Apostle they would not have crucified the Lord of glory Scientia non habet inimicum praeter ignorâ—ntem so I say had these revilers known the splendor the beauty and the glory of holiness they would never have reviled it and scorn'd it Had the Jews known the God-head of Christ the divinity of Christ the glory of Christ they would never have cryed up Barrabas and have rail'd on Jesus as they did so had these Railers but known the worth and the weight of holiness they would never have cry'd up wickedness and decry'd holiness as they doe Now oh what shame what folly what vanity is it for a man to turne his back upon holiness because such revile it and scorne it who never knew feelingly nor experimentally what holiness was Would not a man either sigh or laugh at him that should turne his back upon riches honors and preferments c. because the blinde poore and beggarly sort of people who never experienc'd what these things meane casts dirt dung scorne and reproach upon them and is not this the present case surely yes The Fox in the Fable when he could not come at the Grapes cryed out That they were sower they were sower so men that cannot reach to the Riches the honors and the great things of the world O how doe they cry out against these things O what disgrace scorne and contempt doe they cast upon these things and all because they cannot reach them because they cannot graspe them the application is easie 'T is mens ignorance of holiness that makes them cry out so much of holiness That heathen Aristotle hit the mark when he cry'd out Ignorat sane improbus omnis Ignorance is the source of all sin the very well-spring from whence all wickedness flowes for ignorance inslaves the soul to Satan it lets in sins by Troops and then locks them up in the heart and it shuts out all the meanes of recovery c. And who then will wonder to see ignorant persons let fly at holiness Suppose a Geometrician should be drawing of lines and Figures and there should come in some silly ignorant fellow who seeing him should laugh at him would the Artist think you leave off his employment because of his derision surely no for he knows that his laughter is but the fruit of his ignorance as not knowing his Art and the grounds upon which he goes and therefore he holds on drawing though the silly fellow should hold on in his laughing O Sirs though ignorant persons deride holiness and laugh at holiness yet be not you asham'd of holiness but hold on and hold out in your pursuit after holiness for they understand not the rules and principles by which you are acted and therefore 't is that they throw dirt in the face of holiness but 't will be your wisdome to wipe that off and so much the more to pursue after holiness by how much the more the silly ones of the world slight holiness and laugh at holiness But Secondly There is no fence against an evill tongue a man may fence himself against an evill eye and against an evill hand and against an evill head c. but there is no fence against an evill tongue an evill tongue is such an unruly such a mischievous such a dangerous such a killing and such a destroying member that there is no fence against it a man may fence off the stâ—oak of a sword the thrust of a Rapier and the shot of an Arrow but he can never fence off the reproach and the reviling of an evill tongue If the heart be sanctified the tongue is the best member in the body if the heart be unsanctified 't is the worst Bias one of the seven wise men told Amasis King of Egypt that the Tongue was the best or worst member of the body Tota vita homines linguae delictis est referta The whole life of man is made up of the sins of the tongue Basil Aesop being by his Master sent to buy up all the best meat he could get in the Market bought up all the tongues and being sent againe to buy up all the worst meat he could get in the Market he bought up all the tongues againe and when he was askt why he did so he answered that there was no flesh better then a good tongue nor no flesh worser then a bad tongue which the Apostle confirmes fully in that 3 James from verse the second to verse the 12th Vide. An evill tongue is wilder then the wildest Beast the Horse the Ass the Camel the Elephant yea the Lyon the Leopard the Beare and all other Beasts have been tamed by man but the tongue no man no Monarch on earth have ever been able to tame An evill tongue in some respect is worse then the devill for the devill may be shunned and avoyded but an evill tongue no man can shun and if you resist the devill he will fly from you but the more you resist an evill tongue the more it will fly upon you Pro. 16.27 An ungodly man diggeth up evill and in his lips there is a burning fire An ungodly man or a man of Belial as the Original has it diggs up evill such old evills that have been long since buried in the Grave of oblivion and forgetfulness he diggs up to cast in the Saints dishes and to reproach them with The teeth of malice will be still a digging to finde out something against the people of God and if they can pick up any thing out of the dunghill of false reports to object against them their lips presently are as so many burning Beacons to discover it to all the world now their tongues will be set on fire of hell and now they will labour to fire