Lord of Hosts the whole Earth is full of his glory which is repeated Revel 4.8 Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come This then that is the glory of God must needs be the perfection of the creatures beauty and so it will be found to be for 't is more to the glory of Angels that they are holy than that they are wise and mighty Zion was called the Perfection of beauty but 't was because of her being holiness to the Lord the Spouse the fairest among Women because she was undefiled and the Church is called glorious because holy and without blemish 'T is the glory of Gods Sabbath that 't is an holy Day and of his Commandments that they are all holy and so of all his Judgements too What wants holiness cannot be what is holy cannot but be glorious according to it's degree Among all the things that have been or are famous for any perfection Holiness bears the bell and though many have been justly celebrated and their renown hath been spread abroad for their beauty yet this of Holiness excells them all You will find many high sounding words joyn'd with beauty as Glory and Beauty Exod. 28.2 and 40. Job 40.10 Joy attends it but to see it Psal 48.2 Praise attends it as 't is said of Absalom 2 Sam. 14.25 Excellency Isa 13.19 Ornament Ezek. 7.20 Renown Ezek. 16.14 c. But the Beauty of Holiness exceeds them all and the rest is as a thing of naught where this is not That which may seem strange is you may hear a Woman and a Queen calling it Vanity Prov. 31.30 Favour is deceitful and Beauty vain but a Woman that feareth the Lord she shall be prais'd For what For a Beauty Her own works such as the Apostle speaks of 1 Tim. 2.10 in the language of my Text becoming Women professing Godliness Her good Works shall praise her in the Gate All the other glorious beauty is but a fading flower Isa 28.14 but this is the lasting and abiding beauty even for ever as in the Text as in 1 Pet. 1.24 with Isa 40.6 7. One rebuke of God if he do but blow upon it makes the most glaring beauty to consume like a moth Psal 39.11 yea of its self 't is in a consumption and dying daily But wickedness makes not only the person but the beauty to be abhorred Ezek. 16.25 There is more ugliness in the sin than there can be beauty in or on the person of a sinner though an Absalom among men a very None-Such or a Bathsheba among Women who was very beautiful 2 Sam. 11.2 The glory of young men is their strength Prov. 20.29 What to do wickedly no but when such young men as St. John speaks of 1 John 2.14 who were strong by the Word of God abiding in them and overcame the evil and wicked one so that this strength of Holiness is the true glory of young men And they that pride themselves and glory in their being mighty to drink woe unto them for they glory in their shame As for old men the same Text Prov. 20.29 tells us that the gray head is their beauty but when for it seems to need an interpretation why then 't is a crown of glory viz. the hoary head when 't is found in a way of righteousness Prov. 16.31 So that we see there is no glory allowed to any beauty but that of Holiness We may conclude as holy King David I have seen an end of all perfection but the perfection of beauty that is the beauty of Holiness which is as exceeding broad as all the Holy Commandments of God Holy David was so taken with and inamoured of this beauty which is the glory of God himself that he begs nothing but this or nothing like this of God in prayer Psal 27.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord and that will I seek after his heart is fully set and resolved that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the dayes of my life what to do to behold the beauty of the Lord a sight that passeth all sights And Moses the man of God prayes to see this glory Psal 90.16 17. Let thy work appear unto thy servants and thy glory unto their children and let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us c. The truth of it is to see the glory and beauty of the Lord is a sight not only worth praying but worth dying for it being no less than the Beatifical Vision I perceive I have been engaged sooner than I was aware of in the second thing the comparative consideration of holiness and yet I must proceed and make further progress to evidence this that nothing is worthy to be compared with her but that her beauty is incomparable There are many pretenders and competitors who are brought in by too many in this blinded world to vie with holiness But if we will believe so clear so great and so just a judgement as that of Gods The beauty of holiness is beyond comparison and competition 1. There have been and I am afraid there are with a sigh be it spoken to their shame that prefer sin before the holy Jesus and say as Isa 53.2 3. There is no beauty that we should desire him they despise and reject him they hide their faces from him and have no esteem for him but say as Isa 30.11 Cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us and as the Devils Let us alone or away what have we to do with thee art thou come to torment us thou Holy One Luke 4.34 Woe and alas that the altogether lovely Jesus should be thus undervalued and that by them whom he had infinitely obliged to serve and honour him He had for us a love that passeth knowledge such as never was the like known unexampled and never to be parallelled by any great it was like that of his Fathers who sent him into the World from and in the strength of this love he came not only to make or give a Visit but to save us with a great Salvation from sin and wrath and shall not this man rule over us and be our Prince who is our Saviour Oh dis-ingenious ingrateful foolish people and unwise thus to requite the Lord with contempt scorn and hatred for his Good-will what alles this degenerate wicked World that they see not his glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of all Graces and Truth of Beauty I must confess that the Son of God did appear with many seeming disadvantages to sensual and sinful eyes for he being to take a journey into this World where he was to taste of death dis-robed himself of his Majesty and Glory becoming for a time not only little lower than the Angels but was pleased to put on our Countrey Cloths and came habited into the World like one of us yea in the form of a servant and in the likeness of sinful
incorruptible inheritance is hers Heaven its self is called the inheritance of the Saints or holy-ones Col. 1.12 and this inheritance is shared among them that are sanctified and none else Acts 26.18 And this inheritance is both Light and Life Kingdome and Crown of Glory which fadeth not away and therefore methinks the great and generous Gallants of this World as they love to be called should be in love with and all inamour'd of Holiness seeing Beauty and Glory Honour and Riches meet and center in her as much and well as they are annexed to her 9. To gather and close up many things together Holiness is the end of all that God the Father Son and Spirit have done and will do for us from first to last as also of all the means enjoyn'd to Priviledges confer'd on Graces wrought in Duties to be done by us Afflictions and Trials wherewith we are exercis'd 'T is the end the Father hath in Electing Eph. 1.4 He hath chosen us in him viz. Christ before the foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him in love As of the Fathers Election so is it the end of the Sons Redemption of us Eph. 5.25 26. He loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it and so again Titus 2.14 He gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works The Office and Work of the Spirit is to sanctifie and he is called holy not only as being so in himself but for making us so by his efficient power 2 Thess 2.13 God hath chosen you to salvation not only through belief of the truth but sanctification of the Spirit 1 Pet. 1.2 Elect according to foreknowledge through sanctification of the Spirit 1 Cor. 6.1 Such were some of you but ye are sanctified c. by the Spirit of our God 'T is the end of all Ordinances and means and we should not take up with the means without the end What is preaching for but to bring men into and to build them up in holiness Eph. 4.11 12 13. 'T is the end of all Dignities and Priviledges of which the Promises are principal and why are they given us but as was said above that we might perfect holiness and partake of a Divine Nature Why is the great Title of the Sons and Children of God bestow'd upon us but that we should be followers of and like to God our Father as dear Children 'T is the end of all graces wrought in and exercis'd by us of faith Acts 15.9 Purifying their hearts by faith and Acts 26.18 them that are sanctified by faith So of hope 1 John 3.3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifies himself as he is pure So of knowledge 1 John 2.4 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him He hath not learned the truth as 't is in Jesus and therefore his knowledge is but a form of knowledge Rom. 2.20 and knowledge falsly so called 1 Tim. 6.20 'T is the end and effect of love also 1 John 5.3 For this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and they are not grievous Commands from God who loves us and to us who love him cannot be grievous if they are so 't is for want of love in us for our Saviour tells us if we love him we will and they are the lovers and friends of him who do keep his Commandments 'T is the end of that great duty of Prayer why or what do we pray for but that we may be holy and do his will on Earth as 't is done in heaven Surely what the Apostle prays for in relation to the Thessalonians 1 Ep. 5.23 should be every ones prayer for themselves that they may be sanctified throughout and wholly and to walk worthy of God to all well-pleasing Col. 1.10 'T is the end of all Afflictions Chastenings and Trials that we might come out of them like Gold purified 1 Pet. 1.7 that the fruit may be the taking away of sin Isa 27.9 and for our profit which is in this that we might be partakers of his holiness Heb. 12.10 Yea 't is the end of all mercies and deliverances Luke 1.74 75. that being deliver'd out of the hands of our enemies we might serve him in righteousness and and true holiness without fear all the dayes of our life Yet again and so I conclude 'T is the preparation for and our glory in Heaven its self 'T is our preparation for the sight of God for without Holiness no Man how Wise and Learned Rich and Honourable Fair and Beautiful soever he be shall see the Lord Heb. 12. and when we do see him more Holiness will be the effect of that sight 1 John 3.2 when he doth appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is and this is called Glory Col. 3.4 When Christ our Life shall appear we shall appear with him in Glory and 't is for the very thing viz. being holy that the Church is called Glorious Ephes 5.27 Well then These things being so I intreat you to consider of what hath been said and beseech God to give you Understanding in all things that you may so Know as to Believe so Believe as to Love so Love as to Practise so Practise as to Perfect Holiness and be Eternally saved and then I know that you will rejoyce and sing the New Song even Praise to God and joyn with them that say Holy Holy Holy and conclude with my Text that Holiness becomes thine House O Lord for ever Let all the People say Amen And as the Arabick adds Allelujah FINIS
many great men are at their service When David would have built the Temple saith God to the Prophet Go tell my servant David 2 Sam. 7.5 but when David had sinned in the matter of Vriah 't is only said the Lord sent Nathan unto David 2 Sam. 12.1 the Title of honour my servant is left out Our honour dies when we live in and unto sin God will not honour them with the Name of his servants who dishonour him by serving their own lusts Rom. 6.16 20. 38 'T is clear and evident that it cost the Apostles as much if not more pains to preserve them in the truth whom they had converted than it did to convert them at first as by their Epistles is apparent and it is in it self as great an instance of the power of God Psal 110.3 compared with 1 Pet. 1.5 As wicked men need conversion so converted ones need strengthening Luke 22.32 and to be exhorted not to be high minded but to fear Rom. 11.20 and to take heed least they fall 1 Cor. 10.12 39 'T was Sauls sad complaint 1 Sam. 28.15 I am sorely distressed for the Philistines make war against me and God is departed from me So dolefully and more will sinners one day cry out sickness sin death and devils are upon me and God hath forsaken me and I know not what to do Oh forsake not God by sinning least God forsake you for sinning against him and his wrath come upon you Eph. 5.6 40 When God saw all that he had done to be very good he entred into rest Gen. 2.2 so when we can see what we have done to be good and well done we may enter into the rest of a good Conscience here 2 Cor. 1.12 and shall enter into the Rest the Sabbatisme of glory hereafter Heb. 4.9 10. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest and labour so that rest may be the end of our labour Heb. 4.11 Rev. 14.13 41 Next to impenitency take heed of late repentance for though true repentance is never too late yet late repentance is seldome true and if true as it may be yet it must needs be very uncomfortable because a man hath sin'd as long as he could and cannot live longer to give proof of his repentance Prov. 27.1 42 Some mens repentance is very near as crazed and faulty as their sin they repent of sin but sinfully for their very repentance needs repenting of as is implied 2 Cor. 7.10 seeing it flows but from a worldly sorrow they would make us believe they feel great remorse and are inwardly much displeased with sin but as to amendment they shew us none As for that Repentance of old age it 's for the most part but accidental for they leave not sin but sin leaves them and a sick-bed Repentance is too often like 〈◊〉 man i. e. sickly and the recovery of the man to life hath many times proved his Repentance dead because he hath not walkt in newness of life but returned like the dog to his vomit c. 2 Pet. 2.32 43 If the form of Godliness without the power cannot go to heaven surely the power of ungodliness must needs go to hell 2 Tim. 3.5 Kom 1.18 44 There is but one way to heaven Joh. 14.6 Acts 4.12 but there are many ways to hell as many as there are sins and 't is all one to the Devil so we go to hell whether we go in the common road of Profaneness or in the seemingly pleasant walks of hypocrisie Matth. 24.51 with Luke 12.46 45 He that would have his affliction short or have ease under it should quickly and quietly submit to God for when we subscribe to his wisdom and submit to his will 't is as if and as much and better than if we had had our own wills Psal 39.9 46 Self-penance is will-worship and meer Epicurisme where pain is pleasant for as long as people impose it on themselves they do not deny their town will but fullfil it and while they beat down the body they do but â—pusse up the flesh Col. 2.20 23. 47 A seared conscience an hardned heart a being given up is a kind of fore-runner and earnest of yea as it were a sealing up of men to damnation for whereas the damned are in hell hell is in these and would any think madness or the dead Palsie to be best because such men feel nothing having lost their senses by their disease which is a greater punishment than any other it being that of loss Rom. 1.28 Eph. 4.18 19. 2 Thess 2.11 12. 1 Tim. 4.1 2. 48 There is a necessity of disproportion and disparity between meâ— and men for were all persons equalâ— the world could not consist Superierity and Inferiority are the Pillan thereof and therefore we are so ofter called upon to obey them that are over us and that not for wrath sake but for conscience Rom. 13.5 49 Man seems to be one of the weakest parts of the Creation for there 's searcely a creature by which he hath not been conquered A flie the kernel of a grape c. hath overcome Conquerours Mice Lice c. were too hard for the Aegyptians We need therefore pray as David Psal 39.4 and with Moses Psal 90.12 and to think of what is said James 4.14 for though we know that there is but one way of coming into theworld yet none knows how many ways there are of going out 50 'T is a known Maxime that a Negative makes nothing known for we know things by discovering not what they are not but what they are and therefore to give only negative Characters of Christians is not to describe them nor can they only make them known to themselves or others Hence throughout the Scripture the Negative and the Affirmative are for the most part joyn'd together Rom. 12.2 1 Pet. 1.14 15. Eph. 4.17 25. 51 God in Scripture compares his Church to an Espoused Wife and himself to an Husband yea to a Jealous Husband how careful then must they be who are married to such an husband to abstain not only from all pollution but from all suspicion of sin 2 Cor. 11.2 3. 52 There is a natural over-charitable affection in most men to their own ways Prov. 16.2 and 21.2 and which yet seems strange the worse they are the more men are inclin'd to favour them but the reason is because the worse they are the more they are their own for mens sins are not so much from the Devil as from themselves and though he may tempt yet 't is they that sin James 1.14 53 He that by Grace is as good as the best was by Nature as bad as the worst Eph. 2.2 3. 54 Before the coming of Christ the Father trusted the Son that he would make satisfaction and since the coming of Christ he trusts the Father that he shall have satisfaction in seeing the travel of his soul safely deliver'd Isa 53.11 55 A Woman may sooner be deliver'd of a Child
should consider that the begining and end of their bodies is but earth and dust Gen. 3.19 and how rich soever they be they should yet entertain their thoughts with this that as they brought nothing in so they must carry nothing out of this World 1 Tim. 6.7 74 If ever men may remember and mention their own noble deeds 't is then when their just defence and others unjust dealings doth require it 2 Cor. 12.11 75 'T is not good to vie slanders with men of tongue that were only to be at strife who should be most foolish and most wicked 1 Pet. 3.9 Prov. 26.4 76 Though we may punish we should never wrong an Offender When we punish the Malefactor we should spare the Man and make it appear that our anger is not against the Man that sins but against the Sin Psal 99.8 Deut. 2â— 3 c. A just punishment may be in the manner of doing unjustly done 77 Vengeance is a thing we should leave to God and content our selves onely with a Vindication Though we may right our selves we may not wrong others And in taking Vengeance we wrong God our Neighbour and our Selves Rom. 12.19 20 21. 78 He is a very gross Christian that thinks it his duty to be a Clown or Uncivil The Apostle Paul seldome used handsomer language or carried himself more gentilely or gave more terms of respect than when he appeared before men of Place and Power Phil. 4.8 79 We should not encourage Flatteries nor Calumnies and Backbiting by our belief or hearing of them If some did not take pleasure to hear and beleeve others would not be so much pleas'd to make or carry false reports Lev. 19.16 1 Tim. 5.13 Prov. 26.20 80 Though our own inclinations would lead us to the most pleasing civilities yet our Neighbours need must over-rule our judgement to put on severity for his profit Jude 22 23. 81 He that will not use the rod on his Child is like to have his Child used as a rod on him 1 Sam. 3.13 1 Kings 1.5 6. 82 There 's nothing makes death evil but the evil of our life If sin be taken away death hath no sting but instead of being dreadful it becomes desirable They therefore that would not be afraid of death should close with Christ who makes it worth our while to live or die Heb. 2.14 15. 1 Cor. 15.56 58. Phil. 3.20 21. Revel 14.13 83 He that dissembleth with God is not to be trusted by man John 2.23 24. 2 Thess 3.2 84 There 's scarce any thing more rare than true grief there are tears fained tears of custom and tears of decorum and fashion Many weep gracefully without grace 'T is only godly sorrow that 's worth commending 2 Cor. 7.11 85 Youth excites delight beauty desire great wit admiration vertue esteem and respect eminent goodness friendship and they say to produce a Love there must be a pleasingness also Thus all things are parcel'd out and none hath all together 'T is none but Jesus Christ that is altogether lovely and therefore seeing all desires are in him he should be the desire of all and no soul can have content and satisfaction that is not married to him and they that are want none Cant. 5.10 16. 86 The best policy is to prefer doing our duty before all enjoyments and the peace of ones conscience before any peace else and the liberty of serving God whose service is perfect freedom before the liberty of our persons Acts 4.19 20. 87 To go against reason and conscience for any other reason is highly to sin against God who is God of reason and Judge of conscience Gen. 39. James 4.12 88 Love is the root and spring of all other affections and passions a man hates because he seeth somewhat in that he hates contrary to what he loves and is therefore angry because in that wherewith he is angry there is something which impedeth or hurteth what he loves 89 'T is a difficult thing to judge â—nes self aright It 's best with some when they think it worst Revel 2.9 â—nd worst with some when they think â—t best Revel 3.17 90 God is the Father of mercies 〈◊〉 Cor. 1.3 Mercy is his Child and â—omes as freely from him as a Child from a Father and therefore he sent â—is own Son whose Father he is and 〈◊〉 whom he is a Father of Mercies to â—e his Love-Token to the World John â— 16 Rom. 5.8 1 John 4.9 91 We cannot live without breaking either naturally or spirituâ—lly and this necessity of breathing that we may live doth sometimes â—rce out such sighs and groans as are â—nutterable Rom. 8.22 26. 92 It was sad with the Primitive Times when they were undone for well-doing and must suffer evil because they would out do evil but though 't were sad yet 't was their glory and for which they not only glorified God 1 Pet. 4.13 16. but for which as the Apostle speaks God gave them thanks 1 Pet. 2.19 20. 93 A wicked man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not a friend to himself he flies and labours to run away from himself like Adam as well as from God and is never in so bad company as when he is and therefore caâ— seldome endure to be alone because he is then with his own guilty conscience and this makes men study saâ— many Pastimes and Arts of diversion or to fall a building as Cain did They endeavour to hide their faults noâ— only from others but to conceal them from themselves they esteem their crimes not sufficiently hidden if themselves see them they with-draw them from their own conscience bâ— bribing blinding and searing it 〈◊〉 much as they can 94 Some men hate their own vice in others as if they had not the tradâ— of sin enough to themselves unleâ—â— they had a Monopoly and might ingross it 95 When we go about any thing from the dictates of passion we should if at least when in a passion we can consider whether we our selves may not afterward be the first men who will wish it undone 96 He in some measure loves an evil who is overcome by it 2 Pet. 2.19 for conquest of this nature is on the Will which never chuseth an object till it love it There only we can have a perfect Conquest over sin where there will be a perfect hatred of it Here in the best there is but an incompleat restauration of the image of God The body of Nature and body of Sin are born and must die together 97 There is scarce a more hateful quality in the eyes of God or Man than that of the Herodians who lie in wait to catch and to accuse an innocent man Mark 12.13 98 Some men eat and drink so long that they are good for nothing bâ—â— either to lie down and sleep or to rise up and play to live to day and die to morrow having made their belly the grave of their souls and dungeon of reason Rom. 13.12 14.
of God and as his Name is so is he The Holy One Isa 57.15 And how excellent is his Name in all the earth He is called the Holy One and the Holy One of Israel many a time over in the Scriptures His Holiness is himself for to swear by his Holiness and by himself is the same thing as 't is also to swear by his Great Name Psal 89.35 Heb. 6.13 Jer. 44.26 compared Now God being the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the altogether lovely how beautiful a thing must Holiness be it being the Name of him who only is God who only is good who only is wise and all that is the perfection of beauty and object of desires Secondly Holiness is the Will of God and as his Will is holy so his Will is that we should be holy S. Paul bids us in every thing give thanks for this is the Will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you 1 Thess 5.18 So may I say In every thing be holy for this is the Will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you His Word is the signification and discovery of his Will and this is his Will your sanctification or holiness 1 Thess 4.3 And this is his word too 1 Pet. 1.15 16. As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation for it is written Be ye holy because I am holy O what a lovely and beautiful thing is the Will of God! He worketh all things according to the Counsel of his Will and so should we 'T was the great commendation of King David that he served his Generation according to the Will of God Acts 13.36 and is for this said to be the man after Gods own heart because he would fulfil all his Wills for the Greek is plural Acts 13.22 Yea our Lord Jesus Christ who is so often called The holy Jesus gloryed in this because by it he glorified his Father that he did alwayes did and delighted to do th◠things that pleased him or which i◠all one his Fathers Will. Well the◠the Will of God being the Rule and measure of what 's acceptable and pleasing lovely and beautiful in his eyes Holiness must be transcendently so for this is the Will of God Thirdly Holiness is the Work of God All Gods works are worthy of him and like himself rare and excellent to admiration and wonder The Rule holds here operari sequitur esse in this sense the work is according to the worker If Apelles's and Titian's Peeces were so admirable what are Gods If the works of the first Creation were good exceedingly Gen. 1.31 of which Man was one of the chief and holiness the chief excellency of Man how much more the work of the new Creation which doth mainly consist in holiness He that hath wrought us to this self same thing is God 2 Cor. 5.5 and he that sanctifies or makes us holy is the Lord Exod. 31.13 We are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Eph. 2.10 And put on the New-Man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness So that holiness being the work of God it must needs be lovely Yea Fourthly Holiness is not only the Name the Will and the Work but 't is the Image of God and his likeness The Image of God is not so much in our souls being a spirit as being holy The Devil is a Spirit but far enough from being the Image of God We were at first created in Gods Image and after Gods likeness Gen. 1.26 27. And the Apostle refers to this Eph. 4.24 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Created after God i. e. after the Image and likeness of God viz. in righteousness and true holiness Christ Jesus is the holy One and we are to be conformed to the Image of him the Son of God Rom. 8.29 both in being holy and in suffering with him for being so vers 17. as well as in being glorified If I may allude to the Art of Limning I would say that an holy life is the Picture of Gods though not drawn perfectly and to the life and I think the Apostle favours the expression Eph. 4.18 speaking of the Gentiles that they were alienated from the life of God i. e. from holiness And as to the workers of iniquity Christ Jesus professeth that he never knew them Matth. 7.23 Sin hath so altered and disguised man from what he was when God made him that God knows him not owns him not for the man he made Fifthly 'T is yet more Holiness is the very Nature of God There are some Attributes that flow from the Will of God as well as from his Nature as Mercy which he may suspend and not exert if so please him and none can say unto him Why dost thou thus But the Holy Scriptures tell us that there are some Attributes which admit of a cannot be otherwise God saith the Apostle cannot lie cannot deny himself so cannot do wickedly He is True Just Faithful and Holy and 't is impossible he should be otherwise And 't is of clear observation that in the Holy Scripture A Divine Nature and Perfect Holiness are equivalent terms Be pleas'd to compare 2 Pet. 1.4 whereby are given to us exceeding great or the greatest and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of a Divine Nature having escaped the pollution or corruption that is in the World through lust Here you see that the design and end of the promises is to make us partakers of a Divine Nature Now compare this with 2 Cor. 7.1 and there the use of the promises is to perfect holiness Having these promises which according to St. Peters Phrase are the greatest for they are that God will be a God and Father and there 's none greater to promise as there was none greater to swear by than himself Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit which is the same with the corruption spoken of by St. Peter perfecting holiness i. e. till we be sanctified throughout and perfectly or in St. Peters phrase be made partakers of a Divine Nature Sixthly Yet once more Holiness is not only the Name the Will the Work the Image and the Nature but 't is the Glory of God Exod. 15.11 Who is like unto thee glorious in holiness 'T is his great Title of Honour 'T is the Glory of all his Attributes and Administrations it is the Attribute whereby God is declared to be free from all impurity and imperfection his Soveraignty would seem and look like Tyranny but that 't is holy his Patience would look like an Indulgence and Toleration of sin and so the World judge it Mal. 2.17 but that 't is holy his Love would look like respecting of persons but that 't is holy Holiness is the ground of the Songs of Praise that are sung to his Glory in Earth and Heaven Isa 6.3 Holy holy holy is the
flesh And though it were manifest that he was God yet without controversie 't is one of the great Misteries of Godliness that he was God manifest in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 Being thus clad in his travelling cloths he was not known nor taken to be for what he was Yet in truth this Self-denial and condescention of his is that we are hugely beholden to him for if he had not put on this Vail we poor weak-eyed mortals could not have seen his face and live This humbling of himself should indear him to us as it did unto his Father who declared from Heaven that he was his Son in whom he was well pleas'd even now in this humane dresse and while about the dispatch of this Worlds concerning affairs yea the Father did not only love him because he laid down his life but did put the Cup into his hand yea and which is wondrous strange it pleased the Lord to bruise him This then methinks should not be nor indeed is it either the only or greatest cause that the holy Jesus hath no more respect or esteem but alas 't is from hence that such men love their sins more than their Saviour This this is the condemnation that light glorious and beautiful light is come into the world but men too too many men love darkness and deformity more than Light and Beauty but why because their deeds are evil A goodly reason indeed what sin because they have sin'd Will they love and hug their evil deeds and with them damnation Will they refuse Salvation because they have sinned and that not out of modesty but desperate willfulness because sinned they have sin they will Alas poor men But I pray what is this sin that men are so much lovers of it Is there any beauty or comliness why it should be desired Ah no! As I would not I need not call it out of its Name for a worse cannot be given it 'T is such a deformed ugly hag as is more odious than Death or Devil 'T is impossible to rail at it or to speak bad enough of it the worst of words are too good to call it by 't is so vile and abominable a thing that no Name but its own is expressive of it and yet as if that were not significant enough the Apostle Rom. 7.13 adds an exceeding to it to denote its hyperbolical and inexpressible vileness 'T is nothing but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Unlawfulness Illegality Disorder Confusion Filthiness Corruption and every thing that admits of the name of bad and evil of odious and abominable 'T is good for nothing but to be hated scorned and put to death 'T is worse than death for 't is the cause and sting of it too 'T is worse than the Devil for 't was only sin that made Angels Devils so that the Devil may call it Father more than it can call the Devil so 'T is not only the cause but the Hell of Hell and if there were no other 't were damnation to be a sinner for as such he is separated from God and under a Curse and indeed sin and damnation have one Name they are both a separation and departure from God This alas would you think it is the thing shall I say that wicked and devilish men and such as the Jews of old prefer before the holiness of blessed Jesus I cannot yet give over but I must tell you that this sin which the World is so inamour'd of is so rotten a thing and hath so stinking a breath that one cannot come near it without danger of being infected Who can touch this pitch and not be defiled 'T is infinitely worse and more contagious than the plague and we should abhor the garment spotted with this flesh The face of it hath not one good feature the aire of it is gastly its complexion is so like Hell that 't would fright any one that hath not lost the eyes of his understanding Mean or measure it hath none 't is altogether indecent and unsatiable and is never quiet till it have sent men to Hell no nor there doth it leave them but in its upbraids and torments is a continual fury and gnawing worme yea a fire that burns everlastingly 'T is the ugliest thing that ever was and most mis-shapen all the auxiliary Artifices that can be used cannot straiten it nor make it handsome It 's so ashamed of it self that it dares not appear in its own colours nor own its Name it disguiseth it self so that its lovers little know with whom they have to do If good were not called evil it could not be hated if evil were not called good it could never be beloved If Pride were not new-named Decency Wantonness Affability and Complasance Covetousness Frugality Prodigality Generosity c. And if Godliness were not nick-named Hypocrisie and a Fear to sin Cowardize and Pusilanimity Holiness Preciseness and Faithfulness Folly I say were it not that the Names are thus altered it were impossible but holiness would be greatly desired for her beauty and sin would be houted away and stoned to death men would take revenge on it and themselves too repenting even in dust and ashes that ever they were so mad to prefer sin before holiness 2. A second pretender to Beauty and which is indeed a very taking thing is a Civil and Courteous Carriage and Behaviour I mean not such as is over nice and ceremoniously formal that 's luscious but a gentile graceful demeanor joyn'd with an ingenious affability and becoming condescendingness ah how winning is this We use to give such an one the the name of an accomplish't lovely obliging and therefore an obtaining person This way Absalom stole more hearts than his face ravisht eyes as you may see 2 Sam. 15.5 6. but this is not so much to his praise as his Treason is to his disgrace Civility without Sanctity Ingenuity without Holiness is more pretty than precious some call it splendidum peccatum a glittering sin but I shall only call it a well-acted vanity an insignificant ceremony an handsom nothing To be accomplisht to serve a Prince and not be accomplish'd to serve a God is no great commend to any man To be lovely in the sight of all men and not to be lovely in the sight of God is a praise may sit a Pharisee or an Hypocrite but will not content a godly man 3. Holiness excells if compared with the charming and captivating beauty of faces Alas what is it to be fair as Absolom and celebrated as he beyond all others and be branded for Murther and Treason T is far from a glory to have beauty enough to inflame a Prince as Dinah had and to be defiled as she was 'T is said of Tyre that she was perfect in beauty but being lifted up because of her beauty God cast her down because of her being lifted up Ezek. 28.17 for God had purposed to stain the pride of her glory as was foretold Isa
blush and be ashamed that ever they should so much wrong Religion by giving such occasion to reflect such undeserved reproaches on her Alas how will they answer it to Gods-Deputy their Conscience and if not to that how to God for if our hearts condemn us God is greater than our hearts and knoweth more by us than we do by our selves and therefore may much more condemn us With what faces can such persons appear before the Throne of God either here when they pray or hereafter when they must be judged I will say to them as Alexander is said to say to a souldier of his and of his Name Either lay aside thy Name or fight better Either be not Christians in Name or be Christians indeed for if they have a Name to live and yet be dead in sins and trespasses by living in them they may die in their sins and be damned for all their Name He that made them will not save them if they be not new-made and become new-men for t is not being a creature but a new creature that entitles to and assures of Salvation Again 2. Let me say to every House of God by way of dehortation in St. Pauls words which are of God 2 Cor. 6.14 c. Be ye not unequally yoaked 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 Insidel and what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols For ye are the Temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwel in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people Wherefore come cut from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and will be a Father to you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty Having therefore these Promises Dearly Beloved Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God Who hath given us these exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of a divine Nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1.4 And you may hear another Voice from Heaven saying Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues Revel 18.4 Therefore once more in St. Pauls expressions 1 Cor. 10.14 15 c. My dearly beloved flee from Idolatry I speak as to wise men judge ye what I say for why should we provoke the Lord to jealousie are we stronger than he v. 22. Of old God would not permit his people linsie-woolsie garments nor to plow with an Oxe and an Ass nor to halt between God and Baal Methinks Protestants if they remember the Name should not incline to communion with Papists in their Idolatry which was the ground of our separation from them 3. I would say this by way of caution Let no man counterfeit and dissemble a being holy Simulata sanctitas est duplex iniquitas to be an hypocrite is to be but a rotten post though double gilt 'T is to be not only a sinner but one died in grain Hypocrisie is a word taken from the Stage as is well known and 't is rather a playing than an acting of Religion 'T is personating without being a religious person 'T is an Art not an Act. And in Religion 't is true what they say of faces that painting doth not so much advance beauty to the eye as debase it to the judgement and that handsomness which is only artificial is real deformity 'T is not what is service in the eyes of men or what is celebrated by them for beautiful but what is so in the sight of God as the Apostle Col. 1.22 4. This by way of Exhortation to the House of God be then really zealously and eternally holy not for a day as if ye put on no more but an holy-dayes face and sine cloths but at all times and in all things Whatsoever ye do from the highest duty of Grace to the lowest of Nature whether you eat or drink buy or sell as well as whether you hear or pray do all to the glory of God Jesus Christ hath given himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of and in readiness to every good word and work to walk worthy of him to all well-pleasing and to serve him in righteousness and holiness all the dayes of our life to length of dayes or for ever as 't is in the Text and that though the floods lift up their voice and waves as 't is a little before the Text and to which it hath relation We should be ambitious to be as holy as Absalom was fair and to have as glorious a Name as the Old Temple had which was the beauty of the whole Earth and of which it is said That in it every one spake of his glory or as 't is in the Margine every whit of it uttereth glory viz. to God whose due it is I do the rather urge this because the life of Religion lies in living in it and I scarce know any thing more wanting than an holy life professing hearing and praying there is great store but where is holiness alas can we find it in our hearts to live by God and not live to God! Do we love to hear of Christians Dignities and shall we not love to hear of Christian Duties of Priviledges and not of Performances of Consolation and not of Conversation Doctrine Can we lend our ear to hear what God hath done for us and shall we not give that the hearing which is to be done by us Surely our design in being Christians should be like Gods not only to save our selves but to glorifie him If you will please to lend me a little more of your patience I will endeavour to set this Exhortation home by some obliging arguments 1. The Lord of this House the Pater-familias the Father of this Family is holy and as I have already made appear 't is his Name his Work his Will his Image his Nature and Glory therefore be ye also holy 2. Your Profession is holy and we should not only make a good profession but make it good The House of God is as I may call it an Holy Academy where all are to be holy professors as well as professors of holiness Profession is an engaging thing as St. Paul tells us 1 Tim. 6.12 Fight the good fight of Faith c. seeing thou hast made a good Profession before many Witnesses 3. Your Calling is holy 2 Tim. 1.9 He hath called us with an holy calling and 1 Thess 4.7 He hath called us not to uncleanness but to holiness We are indeed saved by Grace but we are to know