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
good penny worths put into the buyers hands if the buyer hath neither wisdom nor heart to buy Unholy persons are such spiritual fools though they have a price an opportunity put into their hands which if improved might make them for ever yet they have no heart to make an improvement of the means and advantages that might do them good to all eternity Prov 1.20 ult Isa 53.1 Ch. 55.1 2. Mat. 25.3.6.10 Ch 23.37 Luke 19.41 42. c. That great Conqueror vainly feared that his Father Philips Victories would deprive the Son of an opportunity to improve his Magnanimity Ah what opportunities have unsanctified persons to get changed hearts renewed natures purged consciences reformed lives to get an interest in Christ to obtain the favour of God to procure pardon of sin to make provision for their immortal souls But they have no hearts to improve these opportunities and so by neglecting of them they cut the throat of their own souls And this will be the worm that will he gnawing of them to all eternity that they have let slip the opportunities of grace that they have trifled away the seasons of mercy Ah Sirs there is no fool to that fool that hath an opportunity put into his hand to make himself for ever and yet hath no heart to improve it The hottest place in hell will be the portion of such fools Mat. 11.21 22. The little Bee so soon as flowers appear goes abroad views the gay Diapery and the diversity of the flowery fields sucks the sweetest of them fraights her thighs makes a curious comb and so betimes hoards up honey in Summer against Winter And so the little busie Ant in Summer provides food for Winter Prov. 6.6.7 8. The Stork the Crane and the Swallow know their seasons and opportunities Jer. 8.7 All these poor little creatures are not so much below man in nature as they are above sinfull man in worth wisdom and work These improve their Summer seasons their harvest hours and yet such spiritual fools are wicked man that they let slip such seasons of grace and mercy that cannot be redeemed with ten thousand worlds Ah how is man fallen from his primitive nobility and glory that these little busie creatures are propounded as a pattern of diligence and wisdom unto him The Antients painted Opportunity with a hairy forehead but bald behind to signifie that while a man hath it before him he may lay hold on it but if he lets it slip away he cannot pull it back again There is a great truth in what the Rabbi hath long since said Nemo est cui non sit hora sua Every man hath his hour and he who overslips his season may never meet with the like again There are many thousand spiritual fools in hell that find this true by experience and therefore now they bewail their folly but all too late all too late Thirdly Natural fools are very inconstant they are never long in one mind now they are for this Ecclesiasticus 22.11 12 13 14 15. and anon for that now in this mind and anon in that their minds are more changeble then the Moon they turn oftner then the Wether-cock they are only constant in inconstancy and such spiritual fools are all unholy persons For now they are for a righteous cause and anon they are against it now they are for God and anon they are against him now they are for Christ and by and by they are against him now they cry out Hosanna Hosanna in the highest Mat. 21.9 15. but did they hold in this mind long no their mind is presently changed and they cry out crucifie him crucifie him Luke 23.21 Now they are for the Saints and anon they are against them they cry up the Gospel and presently they make opposition against the Gospel like the kingdom of Congo who at first kindly embraced the Gospel but as soon as they found it restrain their lusts and carnal liberties they made fierce opposition against the Gospel this week they are for Ordinances and the next they are against Ordinances this hour they will forsake their sins and the next hour they 're return to their sins as the dog to his vomit and as the Sow to her wallowing in the mire 2 Pet. 2.20 21 22. Now they are for this way and anon for that now they are for this opinion and anon for that now they are for this Religion Beza and to morrow they are for another Religion 2 Kings 17.33 like Baldwin a French Lawyer of whom it is said that he had Religionem Ephemeram every day a new Religion but constant to none This moment you shall hear them bless and the next moment you shall hear them curse James 3.9 10. Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing Lewis the second would swear and then kiss his Crucifix and then swear again more confidently and kiss his Crucifix again more devoutly Now because this Age is full of such swearing fools and happily this Treatise may fall into some of their hands give me leave to say that it is observable that the word in the Hebrew which the Scripture useth for swearing is alwayes used in the passive voice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nashabange to note say some that a man should not swear but when an oath is laid upon him and he driven to it The word also hath a signification of seven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as having reference say some to the seven spirits of God before the throne before whom we swear and therefore should never swear but in truth righteousness and Judgemen Jer. 4.2 Rev. 1.4 Ch. 5 6. one day you shall have these spiritual fools these prophane fools crying out O! heaven heaven heaven O! That we may go to heaven and the next day you shall see them live as if there were neither heaven nor hell one day with Balaam you shall have them wish Oh that we might die the death of the righteous and the next day with Saul you shall have them a persecuting of the righteous to death one day you shall have them cry out What shall we do to be saved and the next day you shall see them live as if they were resolved to be damned Thus these spititual fools like natural fools are always fickle and inconstant Mischief is the fools bable the fools fiddle Fools can rejoyce in other mens harms and laugh to see others lament Fourthly Fools delight to sport and play with such things as are most hurtfull pernicious and dangerous to them as you all know that have observed any thing of natural fools Prov. 10.23 It is a sport to a fool to do mischief Fools take as great delight and pleasure in doing mischief as wise men do in their lawfull sports or pastimes Wisdom is not more a joy and delight to a man of understanding then mischief and wickedness is a sport or recreation to a fool It is a great contentment and
screws up his Consciencee till he makes all crack again Under all his shews of sanctity he had not so much as common honesty in him Counterfeit holiness is often made a stalking horse to the exercise of much unrighteousness Certainly that man is as far from real holiness as the Devil himself is from true happiness who lives not in the exercise of righteousness towards men as well as in a profession of holiness towards God Well Christians remember this it were better with the Philosopher to have honesty without Religion then to have Religion without honesty But Ninthly He that is truly holy will labour and endeavour to make others holy a holy heart loves not to go to heaven alone it loves not to be happy and blessed alone a man that hath experienced the power excellency and sweetness of holiness will strive and study how to make others holy When Sampson had tasted honey Judg. 14.8 9. he gave his father and mother some with him Holiness is so sweet a morsel that a soul cannot taste of it 1 Thes 1.5 6 7 8. but he will be a commending of it to others As you may see in holy Moses in Numb 11.29 And Moses said unto him Enviest thou for my sake Lilmod le lammed we therefore learn that we may teach is a proverb among the Rabbines would God that all the Lords people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them A holy soul will never make a monopoly of holiness the Prophets you know were men of greatest grace and holiness now holy Moses is very importunate and earnest with God that he would not only make the two that prophesied but all the Lords people eminent and excellent in grace and holiness such was Moses his holiness and humbleness that he desires that all others might either equal him or excell him in gifts and grace The Heathen could say I do therefore lay in and lay up that I may draw forth again for the good of many A heart eminently holy is so far from envying of the gracious excellencies of others that it can rejoyce in every Sun that out-shines his own and every light that burns more dim then his he desires that it may be snufft not put out that so it may give a clearer and a greater light to others So holy Paul in Acts 26.29 And Paul said I would to God that not only thou but also all that hear me this day were both almost and altogether such as I am except these bands True holiness is no Churl nothing makes a man more noble in his spiritual desires wishes and actings for others then holiness Real holiness like oyl is of a diffusive nature like light it will spread it self over all like Maries box of ointment it fills all the house with the sweet scent thereof Art thou a holy Father then thou wilt with holy Abraham labour to make thy children holy Gen. 18.17 18 19. A holy heart knows that both by his first birth but especially by his new-birth he stands obliged to promote holiness in all but especially in those that are parts and pieces of himself Art thou a holy Master then thou wilt with holy Joshua labour to make all under thy charge holy Josh 24.15 But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. True holiness cannot be concealed it will be a stirring and a provoaking of others to be holy as a holy man doth not love to be happy alone so a holy man doth not love to be holy alone A holy master loves to see a Crown of holiness set upon every head in his family Holiness is a very beautiful thing and it makes those beautiful in whom it is in a holy Masters eye there is no servant so lovely and beautiful as he that hath the beauty of holiness upon him George Prince of Aâ—halt his family is said to have been Ecclesia Academia Curia A Church an University and a Court. A holy Magistrate will labour to make both his servants and his subjects holy As holy David holy Asa holy Josiah and holy Ezekiah did he knows that the souls of his servants and subjects are the choicest treasure that God hath committed to his care he knows that every soul is more worth then his Crown and Kingdom he knows that he must one day give up an account for more souls then his own and therefore he improves his power and interest every way for the making of all holy under him As Lewis the ninth King of France took pains to instruct his poor Kitchin-boy in the way to heaven and being asked the reason of it he answered The meanest have a soul to save as precious as mine own and bought by the same blood of Christ It is said of Constantine that in this he was truly great that he would have his whole Court gathered together and cause the Scriptures to be read and opened to them that they might be made holy Courtiers Rev. 21.27 and so fitted for the Court of heaven into which no unclean person or thing can enter It grieved an Emperour that a neighbour of his should die before he had done him any good Ah it is the grief of a holy Magistrate to see others die before they are made holy the great request of a holy Magistrate living and dying is this Lord make this people a holy people O make this people a holy people Art thou a holy kinsman a holy friend then thou wilt labour to make thy kindred holy and thy friends holy As holy Cornelius did So in 1 John 39 49. Chap. 4.28 29 30. as you may see in Acts 10.24 27. And the morrow after they entred into Cesaria and Cornelius waited for them and had called together his kinsmen and near friends And as Peter talked with him he went in and found many that were come together And in ver 33. saith Cornelius to Peter Thou hast well done that thou art come Now therefore we are all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God Ver. 1 2 3 4. Devout Cornelius gets his kinsmen and near friends together that they also might be partakers of the grace and mercy of God with him he had experienced a work of grace and holiness upon his own heart and he uses his best endeavours that they might experience the same on theirs A holy Christian is like a loadstone that draws to it self first one iron ring and that another and that a third It is a true saying in natural Philosophie that it is Naturalissimum opus viventis generare sibi simile the most natural act or work of every living thing to produce another like unto it self As there is a natural instinct in all creatures to propagate their own kind as in beasts birds and fishes so there is a holy a spiritual instinct in all gracious hearts to propagate grace and holiness in whatever hearts they
take any real pleasure delight content and satisfaction in God but those that are holy the worldling takes pleasure and delight in his baggs and the ambitious man in his honours and the voluptuous man in his pleasures and the malicious man in his revenge and the envious man in the harms that befalls others and the drunkard in his cups and the adulterer in his harlots and the gamster in his shifts and tricks and the player in his fopperies fooleries and mockeries 't is only the holy man that takes pleasure and delight in God Job 22.25 26. Cant. 2.3 cap. 7.6 Psal 33.21 Psal 48.11 Isa 41.16 Joel 2.23 Hab. 3.18 Zech. 10.7 as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the margent together to delight and take pleasure in God is a work too high too hard too spiritual and too noble for any but holy persons there are none headed nor hearted nor spirited nor anointed nor principled for taking Pleasure in God but holy ones Abraham did not take more pleasure in his Isaac nor Jacob did not take more delight in his Joseph nor David did not take more satisfaction in his Absalom nor Jonah did not take more content in his Gourd than a holy man when hee is himself takes pleasure delight satisfaction and content in God and therefore how can God but take pleasure and delight in him Shall the Childe take delight in the Father and shall not the Father delight again in the Childe and shall the Wife take pleasure and satisfaction in the Husband and shall not the Husband take pleasure and satisfaction again in her Look as God hates them that hate him so hee takes pleasure in them that take pleasure in him now what a singular cordial and comfort is this to all Gods holy ones that God takes singular pleasure delight satisfaction and content in them what though the world hate you and scorn you and despise you and prefer every Barabas and Judas before you yet cheer up your spirits with this cordial and warm your hearts at this fire that God takes singular pleasure and delight in you what cares the Childe though others flight him so long as his Father at home delights in him and what cares the Wife though others despise her as long as her Husband at home honours her and takes pleasure in her and what cares the Innocent person though the Malefactor at the Bar rails upon him as long as the Judge upon the Bench acquits him and what should a Christian care though all the world should abhor him as long as the Lord takes singular pleasure and delight in him But Thirdly If thou art a holy person if thou hast that real holiness without which there is no happiness then know for thy comfort that thy real holiness is a substantial evidence of thy real union with Christ all true holiness is the immediate fruit of our real union with Christ Joh. 17.20 21. ch 15.5 Eph. 4.16 1 Pet. 2.4 5 6. Eph. 5.25 to the end upon our union with Christ Christ is made not only Wisdome Righteousness and Redemption but hee is also made Sanctification to us 1 Cor. 1.30 Christ and a holy person are one as Father and Son are one and they are one as the Vine and the Branches are one and they are one as Head and Members are one and they are one as the Foundation and the Building are one and they are one as Husband and Wife are one and that which speaks out their oneness their union is their holiness Hee that is in Christ is a new creature 2 Cor. 5.17 Hee that is ingrafted into Christ hee that is initiated into Christ hee that is united unto Christ hee is a new creature hee hath a new head a new heart a new lip a new life a new spirit new principles and new ends hee can truly say with that convert Ego non sum ego I am not the man that I was of a Lion holiness hath made mee a Lamb of a Wolf holiness hath made mee a Sheep of a Raven holiness hath made mee a Dove c. And what doth all this speak out but a mans being in Christ but a mans union with Christ renovation speaks out union and union speaks out renovation renewing by Christ speaks out the souls in-being in Christ and the souls in-being in Christ speaks out the souls renewing by Christ Look as there could be no depravation but from our union with the first Adam so there can be no renovation but through our union with the second Adam Col. 3.10 But Fourthly If thou art a holy person if thou hast that real holinesse without which there is no happinesse then know sort by comfort Psa 34.12 13 14. that God will certainly bless all thy blessings to thee and hee will bless every estate and condition to thee most men have many blessings but 't is only the holy man that hath his blessings blest unto him Gen. 22.17 In blessing I will bless thee saith God to holy Abraham i. e. I will bless thy blessings to thee The holy person is in Covenant with a holy God and therefore all the blessings of the Covenant are his Psa 50.5 Psa 105.42 Ezek. 36.25 26. Zach. 3.3 4. Psal 84.11 Pro. 12.21 c. all they that partake of the Holiness of the Covenant they shall certainly partake of the blessings of the Covenant Now this is one of the blessings of the Covenant that all our blessings shall bee blest unto us O Christian all thy right hand blessings shall be blest unto thee and all thy left hand blessings shall be blest unto thee all the blessings of the upper springs shall be blest unto thee A little blest is better than a world enjoyed If thou art a holy man the God of all mercies and all the mercies of God the God of all comforts and all the comforts of God are thine and what wouldest thou have more and all the blessings of the lower springs shall be blest unto thee all the blessings of the Throne shall be blest unto thee and all the blessings of the foot-stool shall be blest unto thee And as all thy blessings shall bee blest unto thee so every estate and every condition shall be blest unto thee thou shalt be blest in health and blest in sickness blest in strength and blest in weakness blest in wealth and blest in want blest in honour and blest in dishonour blest in life and blest in death thou shalt be blest at home and blest abroad blest at board and blest at bed blest lying down and blest rising up blest in liberty and blest in bonds Look as all the blessings of a wicked man are curst unto him and as all the relations of a wicked man are curst unto him Prov. 3.33 Mal. 2.1 2 3. Levit. 26. Deut. 28. and as all estates and conditions that are incident to a wicked man are curst unto him so
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
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
mocked at the Virgin dâ—ughter of Sion but his scoffs issued in the destruction of his Army by the hand of an Angel and in his own by the hands of his two Sons Julian the Emperour was a great mocker and scoffer at the Christians but God struck him with an Arrow from heaven which made him cry out Vicisti Galilee thou Galilean meaning our Lord Jesus hast overcome me Felix for one malicious scoff did nothing day and night but vomit blood till his unhappy soul was separated from his wretched body Lucian for barking against religion as a dog was by the just judgements of God devoured of dogs History tells us of some scoffers that God hath stricken with madness Others with blindness others with loathsome diseases and some God hath stricken dead and others he hath left to be their own Executioners Scoffing at holiness is a Metropolitan sin and therefore no wonder if God executes upon scoffers Metropolitan judgements Mockers and scoffers are the worst of sinners Among the three sorts of sinners that David mentions Scorners have the chair The chair of Pestilence as the Septuagint translateth it Scorners are the pests of mankind Psalm 1.1 In Cathedra pest lentiae The eye of the Scorner is blinded the heart of the scorner is hardned the judgement of the scorner is perverted the will of the scorner is enthralled and the conscience of the scorner is seared and this makes the scorner fall mad upon scoffing at holy men and holy things Look as they are the worst of servants that will scoff and mock a child in the family because he is his Fathers picture though they take wages of his Father and live by his Father so they are the worst of sinners who scoff at holiness which is the very picture of God though they live by him and cannot live without him Yet this world is full of such monsters who count it a grace to disgrace holiness and to lade holy ones with all the names of scorn and contempt that they can invent or that Satan can help them to These are your holy brethren these are Phanaticks these are your holy Sect these are your pure souls these are your strict Precifians these are the Saints forsooth these are the brotherhood Erasmus saith that that Proverb A young Saint and an old devil was devised by the Devil himself to scoff and mock men out of their holiness It hath been the common portion of men most eminent in grace and holiness to be most scofft and scorned in all Ages Iob 17.2 Nehem. 4.1 Isaiah 28.22 Luke 18.32 witness Noah Isaac and Elisha but now cited and witness Job Chap. 21.3 Suffer me that I may speak and after that I have spoken mock on Chap. 12.4 I am as one mocked of his neighbour who calleth upon God and he answereth him the just upright man is laughed to scorn So David Psalm 35.16 With hypocritical mockers in feasts they gnashed upon me with their teeth Psalm 44.14 Thou makest us a by-word among the Heathen Psalm 79.4 We are become a reproach and derision to them who are round about us Psalm 109.25 I am become a reproach to them when they looked upon me they shaked their heads So Isa 8.18 Behold I and the children that the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel So Jeremiah Chap. 20.7 I am in derision daily every one mocketh me So Paul Acts 17.18 What will this babler say So the Apostles Acts 2.13 Others mocking said These men are full of new wine So those Worthies of whom this world was not worthy Heb. 11.36 Mat. 26.68 Ch. 27 29 31. Luke 22 63. Chap. 23.11 Mark 15 31. Yea the Philosophers called Christ a Magician and affirmed that he did all by Necromancy Calv. Jnst Advers Libert c. 9. Others had tryal of cruel mockings But above all how sadly how frequently yea how fearfully was our Lord Jesus Christ scoffed and scorned by Herod and Pilate and flouted by the rascally souldiers but the vengeance of his Father overtook them all And in the Primitive times as Tertullian observes the Saints were called heards of Asses vile fellows the Disciples of a man crucified Galileans Nazarites Eaters of mens flesh and drinkers of mens blood The Heathens as the same Author observes painted the God of the Christians with an Asses head and a book in his hand to signifie that though the Christians pretended to knowledge yet they were a company of silly ignorant Asses The Libertines of old have cast much scorn and contempt upon all the Apostles they call Matthew an Usurer Lam 3.45 1 Cor. 4 45. Lam 2.15 16. Ch. 4 2. vide Peter an Apostate Luke a pelting Physitian Paul a broken vessel and John a foolish young man c. by way of scorn and contempt Athanasius was called Sathanasius and Cyprian was called Coprian one that gathers up dung and so Luther Calvin and almost every one that hath attained to any eminency in holiness they have been commonly accounted as the off-scouring and refuse among the people Now certainly if holiness be the only way to happiness c. then such as are scorners and scoffers at holiness are out of the very way to happiness and how such are like to come to heaven that scorn the very path that leads to heaven I shall leave you to judge If the Ravens of the valley shall pick out his eyes that mocketh his Father and the young Eagles eat out his eyes that despiseth the instruction of his Mother Prov. 30.17 The first thing that Eagles do when they have found a carkass is to pick out its eyes as Solomon speaks then of how much sorer punishment are they guilty off who mock and scoff at holiness which is the very Image picture and glory of God himself holiness is so near akin to God that no man can deride holiness but he derides God himself As he that mocks the poor derides him that made him Prov. 17.5 so he that mocks holy ones derides that God that made them holy And will God take this at the scorners hands no he will retaliate he loves to retaliate scorn upon the scorner Proverbs 3.34 Surely he scorneth the scorners God will pay home scorners in their own coyn scorners shall be sure to have scorning enough Prov. 1.24 ult Psalm 2.4 Isa 37.36 God so scorns the persons and prayers of scorners that he will have nothing to do with them The Angels so scorn scorners that instead of being a life-guard to them they stand ready prest to execute the vengeance of heaven upon them And Saints are so far to scorn them by a divine precept as not to reprove them Prov. 9.8 Reprove not a scorner lest he hate thee Yea God in his just judgements will make scorners to be an abomination to all sorts of men Prov. 24.9 The scorner is an abomination to men that is to all sorts of men the scorner is an abomination
may be much like his own should attempt to come in yet the Father will keep him out and wish him to repair to his own home So when the night of death comes the Father of Spirits will only take into the family of heaven his own child viz. the child of holiness but now if the child of gifts which is so like the child of holiness should press hard upon God to come in as that child of gifts Baalam did Numb 23.10 Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his God will answer him No he will say to him as he did to that child of gifts Judas Acts 1.25 Mat. 8.12 Go to your own place In the night of death and judgement the children of the Kingdom shall be cast out the children of the Kingdom that is of the Church now the children of the Kingdom are children of gifts and yet there will come a day when these children shall be cast out Gen. 25.6 c. As Abraham put off the sons of the Concubines with gifts but entailed the inheritance upon Isaac So God puts off many men now with gifts but he entails the heavenly inheritance upon holiness Psalm 24.3 4. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place He that hath clean hands and a pure heart who hath not lift up his soul to vanity nor sworn deceitfully Heaven is for that man and that man is for heaven who hath clean hands and a pure heart whose holy conversation is attended with heart-purification a pure heart is better then a golden head a heart full of holy affections is infinitely beyond a head full of curious notions there is no Jewel there is no anointing to that of holiness he that hath that hath all and he that wants that hath nothing at all But Eightly and lastly if real holiness be the only way to happiness if men must be holy on earth or they shall never come to a blessed fruition of God in heaven then by way of conviction let me say that this truth looks very sowerly and angrily upon those who are so far from being holy themselves that they cannot endure holiness in those that are about them or any waies related to them Ah how many unholy people be there that cannot endure holiness in their Ministers and how many unholy husbands are there that cannot endure holiness in their yoak-fellows and how many unholy parents are there that cannot endure holiness in their children and how many unholy Masters are there that cannot endure holiness in their servants The Panther say some when she cannot come at the man she rendeth and teareth his picture in pieces so many unholy husbands unholy fathers and unholy masters when they cannot rend and tear the persons of their relations in pieces ah how do they do their best to rend and tear the image of God upon them Matth. 23.14 15. 2 Sam. 6.16 20. viz. holiness in pieces These forlorn souls will not be holy themselves nor suffer others to be holy neither they will neither go to heaven themselves nor suffer others to go thither who are strongly biased that way Some despise their gracious relations even eâ— nomine for that very reason because they are holy sometimes you shall hear them speak at such a rate as this Well our relations are wise and witty but so holy they are very knowing and thriving but so precise they have good parts and sweet natures but they are so strict they are so round that they will not endure an oath a lye c. and therefore I cannot abide them I cannot endure them These are like he in Seneca which was so fearfully idle that his sides would ake to see another work So these are so fearfully wicked that it makes their sides their heads their very hearts ake to see others holy How far these are in their actings below Heathens you may see in Rom. 16.10 11. Aristobulus and Narcissus that are spoken of in this Scripture were both Heathens and yet they had in their families those that were in the Lord those that were gracious c. Heathens were so ingenuous that they would not despise that holiness in others that they wanted in themselves they were so noble that they would give holiâ—ess house-room though they knew not how to give it heart-room Gen. 39.1 2 3 4. So Potiphar though he was an Heathen yet he gave holy Joseph both house-room and heart-room These and several other heathens of the like spirit with them will one day rise in Judgement against many in these dayes that are so far faln out with holiness as that they will not endure it under the roof of their houses yea as that they make it the greatest matter of scorn and derision Like those in Lam. 2.15 16. All that pass by clap their hands at thee they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem saying Is this the City that men call the perfection of beauty the joy of the whole earth All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee they hiss and gnash the teeth they say We have swallowed her up c. Ah how many such monsters are there in these dayes who express their derision disdain and contempt of holiness and holy persons by all the scornful gestures postures and expressions imaginable that clap their hands that hiss that wag their head that gnash their teeth and that say Lo these are your Saints these are your holy ones your perfect ones your beautiful ones It is very sad to want holiness but it is saddest of all to deride holiness to disdain holiness Of this evil spirit Salvian complained in his time Salvi de Guber lib. 4. What madness is this saith he amongst Christians that if a man be good he is despised as if he were evil if he be evil he is honoured as if he were good And as great cause have we to complain of the prevalency of the same evil spirit in our times If the wife be holy 1 Cor. 7.16 how is she despised by her unholy husband as if she were wicked If she be wicked how is she honoured as if she were holy So if the child be gracious how is he disdained as if he were gracless if he be gracless how is he admired as if he were gracious So if a Servant be godly how is he scorned as if he were godless if he be godless how is he applauded as if he were godly Certainly God will never endure such to stand in his sight who cannot endure the sight of holiness Doubtless Psalm 1.5 God will never give them any room in heaven who will not so much as give holiness a little house-room I say not heart-room here He that now despises and disdains holiness in others shall at last be eternally despised and disdained for want of holiness himself Vse 2. THe second Use is
much affected and afflicted with seeing and hearing of the wickednesse of those among whom he lived 2 Peter 2.7 8. The Greek word for vexed in verse 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to be oppressed under the wanton and wicked conversation of the ungodly Sodomites as a man that is oppressed under a heavy burden which he labours under and would fain be delivered from Or to be oppressed as the Israelites were under their cruel Aegyptian Taskmasters Ah the sins the wickednesse of others sets hard upon the hearts of the Saints The Israelites did not more labour and sigh and groan under all their loads and oppressions then many holy hearts do labour and sigh and groan under the load of wicked mens sins And the Greek word for vexed in ver 8. It is a Metaphor taken from Engines that they did torment people withall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to be tortured tormented and wracked Oh their wickednesse did torment and wrack his righteous soul he could not see nor hear of their wickednesse but his soul was as upon a wrack Pambus in Ecclesiastical History wept when he saw an Harlot take so much pains to deck and dresse her self in curious and costly apparrel and all to entertain a wanton lover and so to make work for hell Oh it cannot but grieve a gracious soul to see what pains poor sinners take to go to hell A holy heart looks upon other mens sins as great dishonours done to his Father his King And therefore he cannot but cry out with Croesus his Son who though he was born dumb yet seeing some going about to kill his Father his tongue-strings unloosed and he cried out O kill not King Croesus kill not my Father Oh kill not my God and my King Oh kill not Oh dishonour not my dear Father and Saviour saith a holy heart Such is the love and high respects that holy hearts bear to their heavenly Father that they cannot but grieve and mourn and cry out when they see others to act Treason against the Crown and dignity of heaven Elijah had rather dye then to see Ahab and Jezebel to cast contempt and dishonour upon his God 1. A holy heart mourns for sin as sin he weeps over the very nature of sin he grieves for sin as it is the breach of a holy Law He that hates a Thief as a Thief will hate a Thief in another mans house as well as in his own and as it is a dishonour to a holy God c. and therefore he cannot but mourn for other mens sins as well as his own He that hates a Toad as a Toad will hate a Toad in other mens bosoms as well as his own He that hates poison as poison will hate poison in another mans hand as well as his own So he that hates sin as sin will hate it where-ever he sees it And he that mourns over sin as sin cannot but mourn over sin where-ever he observes it 2. By other mens sins a holy man is put in mind of the badnesse of his own heart Bernard makes mention in one of his Homilies of an old man who when he saw any man sin wept and lamented for him and being asked why he grieved so for other mens sins answered Ille hodie ego cras he fell to day and I may fall to morrow the falls of others puts a holy man in mind of the roots of bitternesse that be in himself other mens actual sins are as so many glasses through which a holy man comes to see the manifold seeds of sin that be in his own nature and such a sight as this cannot but melt him and break him 3. A holy heart knows that the best way to keep himself pure from other mens sins is to mourn for other mens sins 1 Tim. 5.22 1 Cor. 5.1 2 3. Ephes 5.11 He that makes conscience of weeping over other mens sins will rarely be defiled with other mens sins he that mourns not over other mens sins is accessary to other mens sins and first or last may find them charged upon his account He that mourns not for other mens sins is in danger of being insnared by other mens sins And how then can a holy man look upon other mens sins with dry eyes 4. A holy man looks upon other mens sins as the crucifiers of his Saviour He looks upon the proud mans pride as that which set a crown of thorns upon the sacred head of Christ and this makes him figh he looks upon the swearers oaths as the nails that nailed his blessed hands and feet to the crosse and this makes him grieve He looks upon scorners as spitting upon Christ and worldlings as preferring Barabbas before Christ and this makes him groan He looks upon hypocrites as kissing and betraying of Christ and he looks upon drunkards and wantons as giving gall and vinegar to Christ and this makes him mourn He looks upon other mens sins as having a hand in all Christs torments and this puts him upon the wrack and makes his very soul heavy even to the death 5. A holy heart knows that by mourning for other mens sins he may be instrumental to keep off wrath Psalm 106. Ezek. 9.4.6 How oft did holy Moses by his tears quench the wrath of an angry God However if wrath should break forth upon a Nation Isa 26.20 yet they that mourn for the abominations of the times they shall be hid in the day of Gods publick visitation When the house is on fire the Father hath a special care to provide for the safety and security of his children when the lumber is on fire a man will be sure first to secure his box of Jewels In times of common calamity God will be sure to look after his Jewels his mourning ones Isa 43.2 3. Dan. 3.17 18 19 26 27 28. though the lumber the wicked be burnt up on every hand in the day of Gods wrath yet he will be sure to preserve his jewels in the midst of the flames Augustin coming to visit a sick man found the room full of mourners he found â—he wife sobbing the children sighing and the kindred lamenting whereupon he suddenly breathed forth this short but sweet ejaculatory prayer Lord saith he what prayers dost thou hear if not these So in times of common calamity holy hearts may look up and say Ah Lord whose sighs whose groans whose tears wilt thou hear if not ours Who are mourners in Sion and who wilt thou save and secure in this day of thy fierce indignation if not we who have laboured to drown both our own and other mens sins in penitential tears 6. A holy heart looks upon sinners sins to contribute very much towards the bringing in of sore and sad changes upon a Land and Nation Psal 107.33 34. he knows that sinners sins may turn Rivers into a wildernesse and water-springs into dry ground and a fruitfull land into a barren wildernesse
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
happiness Jerem. 6.16 Isa 35.8 And a high-way shall be there and a way and it shall be called the way of holinesse the unclean shall not passe over it but it shall be for those the way-faring men though fools shall not err therein Some men say lo here is the way Other men say lo there is the way but certainly the way of holinesse is the surest the safest the easiest the noblest and the shortest way to happinesse Among the Heathens no man could enter into the Temple of Honour but must first enter into the Temple of Vertue There is no entring into the Temple of happinesse except you enter into the Temple of holinesse Holinesse must first enter into you before you can enter into Gods holy hill As Sampson cried out Give me water or I die or as Rachel cried out Give me children or I die so all unsanctified souls may well cry out Lord give me holinesse or I die Psalm 15. throughout give me holinesse or I eternally die If the Angels those Princes of glory fall once from their holinesse they shall be for ever excluded from everlasting happinesse and blessednesse If Adam in Paradise fall from his purity he shall quickly be driven out from the presence of divine glory Austin would not be a wicked man an unholy man one hour for all the world because he did not know but that he might die that hour and should he die in an unholy estate he knew he should be for ever separated from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power O Sirs do not deceive your own souls holinesse is of absolute necessity 2 Thess 1.8 9 10. without it you shall never see the Lord it is not absolutely necessary that you should be great or rich in the world but it is absolutely necessary that you should be holy it is not absolutely necessary that you should enjoy health strength friends liberty life but it is absolutely necessary that you should be holy A man may see the Lord without worldly prosperity but he can never see the Lord except he be holy A man may to heaven to happinesse without honour or worldly glory but he can never to heaven to happiness without holiness without holinesse here no heaven hereafter Rev. 21.27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth God will at last shut the gates of glory against every person that is without heart purity Ah Sirs holinesse is a flower that grows not in natures garden Men are not born with holinesse in their hearts as they are born with tongues in their mouths holinesse is of a divine off-spring it is a pearl of price that is to be found in no nature but a renewed nature in no bosome but a sanctified bosome There is not the least beam or spark of holinesse in any natural man in the world I have read that the Isle of Arren in Ireland hath such a pure Air that it was never yet infected with the Plague but such is not the nature of man Gen. 6.5 Every imagination of the thoughts of mans heart is only evil continually Job 25.4 How can man be clean that is born of a woman The interrogation carries in it a strong negation How can man be clean that is man cannot be clean that is born of a woman man that is born of a woman is born in sin and born both under wrath and under the curse And who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Job 14.4 Isa 64.6 But we are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags Rom. 3.10 11. There is none righteous no not one there is none that understandeth there is none thot seeketh after God Every man by nature is a stranger yea an enemy to holinesse Rom. 8.7 Every man that comes into this world comes with his face towards sin and hell and with his back upon God and holinesse Such is the corruption of our nature that propound any divine good to it it is entertained as fire by water or wet wood with hissing Propound any evil then it is like a fire to straw it is like the foolish Satyr that made haste to kisse the fire it is like that unctious matter which the Naturalists say sucks and snatches the fire to it with which it is consumed All men are born sinners and there is nothing but an infinite power that can make them Saints All men would be happy and yet they naturally loath to be holy By all which you may clearly see that food is not more necessary for the preservation of natural life then holiness is necessary for the preservation and salvation of the soul If a man had the wisdom of Solomon the strength of Sampson the courage of Joshua the policy of Ahitophell the dignities of Haman the power of Ahashueros and the eloquence of Apollos yet all these without holinesse would never save him Secondly Consider there is a possibility of obtaining holiness Prov. 2.2 3 4 5 6 7. Holiness is a golden mine that may be come at if you will but digg and sweat and take pains for it it is a flower of Paradise that may be gathered it is a crown that may be put on Rom. 13.12 13 14. it is a pearl of price that may be obtained if you will but part with the wicked mans Trinity the world the flesh and the devil to enjoy it Though some of the Attributes of God be incommunicable yet holinesse is a communicable attribute and this should mightily encourage you to look after holiness Well sinners remember this it is possible that those proud hearts of yours may be humbled it is possible that those hard hearts of yours may be softned it is possible that those unclean hearts of yours may be sanctified it is possible that those blind minds of yours may be enlightened it is possible that those stubborn wills of yours may be tamed it is possible that those disordered affections of yours may be regulated it is possible that those drowsie and defiled consciences of yours may be awakened and purged it is possible that those vile and polluted natures of yours may be changed and purified There are several things that do witness that holiness is attainable As 1. Witness Gods promise to give his holy Spirit to them that ask it Luke 11.13 If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him The holy Spirit is a gift more worth then a world yea then heaven it self and yet to make men holy God is willing to give his holy spirit upon very easie terms They shall have it for asking John 3.6 Titus 3.5 1 Cor. 6.11 the Spirit is a spirit of holiness he is holy in himself and the Author of all that holiness that is in man it is he that most powerfully
himself to work all manner of wickedness as you may see in 2 Chron. 33. in vers 3. He reared up Altars for Baalim and made groves and worshipped all the hoast of heaven and served them vers 4. He built Altars in the house of God vers 5. Yea for all the hoast of heaven did he build Altars in the Courts of the house of God This was a horrid piece of impudence to provoke God to his very face by equalizing his Altars to Gods Altar vers 6. And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom Here was inhumane superstition and inhumane cruelty to offer his own children in sacrifice to the Devil Also he observed times and used witchcraft and dealt with a familiar spirit and with wizards he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord to provoke him to anger The complaint is antient in Seneca that commonly men live not ad rationem but ad similitudinem Seneca de vita beata cap. 1. vers 9. He made Judah and Jerusalem to err by his example and to do worse then the Heathens The actions of Rulers are most commonly rules for the peoples actions and their example passeth as currant as their coin The common people dare practise the very worst of wickedness that they see acted in a scarlet Robe they are like tempered wax easily receiving impressions from the seals of great mens vices they make no bones on it to sin by prescription and to damn themselves with authority The heathen brings in a young man who hearing of the adulteries and wickednesses of the gods said What do they so and shall I stick at it so say most when great ones are greatly wicked Why they do thus and thus and why should we stick at it The Egyptians esteemed it graceful and their duty to halt on that leg on which their King limped most men think it a grace to imitate the greatest authority in their most graceless actings Which made the Poet say Subjects and Kingdoms commonly do chuse The manners that their Princes daily use Vers 10. And the Lord spake unto Manasseh but he would not hearken He was settled in idolatry and stopt his ears against all the counsel and admonitions of the Prophets that were sent to reclaim him Now who would ever have thought that one so abominably wicked and wretched should ever have obtained such favour with God as to be pardoned renewed and sanctified and yet vers 12 13. He besought the Lord and humbled himself greatly before the Lord and prayed unto him and God was intreated of him and heard his supplication and brought him again to Jerusalem into his Kingdom Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God He now acknowledges Jehovah to be the true God and renounces all other gods that he may cleave to God alone There is no heart so wicked but grace can make it holy So Paul was once so great a sinner that had he stept but one step further he had faln into the unpardonable sin against the Holy-Ghost in 1 Tim. 1.13 you have a brief survey of his great transgressions He was a Blasphemer he blasphemed God and Christ and his wayes and truth he made a mock and scoff at holiness he made nothing of blaspheming that God that he should have feared and of blaspheming that Christ that he should have sweetly embraced and of blaspheming those Truths that he should have readily entertained Paul was a great proficient in the School of blasphemy he made nothing of belching out blasphemy in the very face of heaven And he was a persecutor too Acts 9. Chap. 26.11 he persecuted holiness to the death yea he was mad in persecuting the poor Saints and servants of Christ he did all he could to make their lives a hell and to rid them out of this world he thought them not worthy to live though they were such Worthies of whom this world was not worthy Chap. 8.3 he was a ravening and an untired Woolf that was never weary in worrying Christs little flock and in sucking out the blood of his Lambs Yea and he was an injurious person too he made no conscience of wronging others Mat. 7.12 or of squaring his carriage by that golden rule Do to others as you would have others do to you This Royal Law this standard of equity he regarded not he made nothing of haling men and women to prison and of compelling them to blaspheme by his cruelty and wicked example he spared no sex but practised the highest cruelty upon all that had any thing of sanctity in them he would adventure the torments of hell rather then not be a tormenter of the Saints here and the more active any were in holiness the more injurious was he to them And yet behold this blasphemer this persecutor this injurious person became a sanctified Christian an eminent Saint a pattern of holiness to all Christians in all ages Once more witness that sad bed-rool of unsanctified persons that are mentioned in 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 drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God These monstrous sinners and prodigious sins were enough to have brought another flood upon the world or to have provoked the Lord to rain hell out of heaven upon them as once he did upon Sodom and Gomorah or to have caused the ground to open and swallow them up as once it did Corah Dathan and Abiram and yet behold some of these are changed and sanctified v. 11. And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Oh! the infinite goodness Matthew Zacheus Mary Magdalen the Jaylor and the murderers of Christ Acts. 2. are clear instances of this truth 1 Cor. 7.14.16 1 Pet. 3.1.6 Oh! the infinte grace Oh! the infinite wisdom and power of God that hath pardoned washed sanctified and cleansed such guilty filthy and polluted souls The worst of sinners should never despair of being made Saints considering what unholy ones have been made holy It is possible that you may be made holy Witness 6. All those sanctified ones among whom you live who once were as unholy or more unholy it may be then ever you were the sanctified husband is a clear witness to the unsanctified wife that she may be sanctified the sanctified father is a witness to the unsanctified child that he may be sanctified the sanctified master is a witness to the unsanctified servant that he may be sanctified the sanctified Prince is a witness to his unsanctified people that they may be sanctified and the sanctified Minister is a witness to his unsanctified hearers that they may be
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
holiness if he were not glorious in holiness That which speaks his power to be glorious power is his holiness and that which speaks his wisdom to be glorious wisdom is his holiness and that which speaks his mercy to be glorious mercy is his holiness c. Were not the power of God a holy power it could never be a glorious power were not the wisdom of God a holy wisdom it could never be glorious wisdom and were not the mercy of God holy mercy it could never be glorious mercy c. So the holiness of a man is the glory and excellency of all a mans excellencies it is the perfection of all a mans perfections in Paradise Heb. 12.23 mans perfect holiness was his perfect blessedness and in heaven mans perfect holiness will be his perfect happiness Holiness adds an excellency to all a mans excellencies that which adds an excellency to a mans wisdom is holiness when a mans wisdom is a holy wisdom then it is excellent wisdom So holy courage is excellent courage and holy zeal is excellent zeal and holy knowledge is excellent knowledge and holy faith is excellent faith and holy love â—s exâ—ellent love and holy fear is excellent fear it is the adding of holiness to all these that renders these vertues truly excellent it is holinesse that is the top of all these royalties 0000000 these signifie nothing but if you do but add a figure to them 10000000. then they signifie much Look as all ciphers signifie nothing except you add a figure to them so all the excellencies that be in men whether they are natural moral or acquired they signifie nothing except you add holinesse to them Birth and breeding wit and wealth honour and learning are but the shadows and shapes of nobleness and true excellency it is holinesse that is the soul and substance of all and without holinesse all other things are of no worth all other excellencies have no excellency at all in them 2 King 5 1. Naaman was General of the Kings Army he was a man in great favour with his Prince a man much honoured among the people for being a saviour and deliverer to them He was also a mighty man in valour but he was a Leper this But he was a Leper was a cloud upon all his glory it was a vail upon all his honour greatnesse and noblenesse So to say there is a wise man but unholy and there is a great man but unholy and there is an ingenuous man but unholy and there is a noble-man but unholy and there is a valiant man but unholy and there is a good natured man but unholy and there is a learned man but unholy c. What is this But unholy but a cloud of darkness upon all the excellencies that are in these persons But let now holiness be but added to each of these and then they will shine as so many Suns Holiness is a garment that sets off arts and parts and all other excellencies that be in man let but this garment be wanting and the nakednesse of all things will quickly appear And this made Hierom to say that he had rather have Saint Pauls coat with his heavenly graces then the purple of Kings with their Kingdoms Look as a precious Jewel set in gold makes that much more conspicuous and glorious which was glorious before So holiness adds beauty splendour and glory to a mans parts birth honour and estate c. But Sixthly Consider that holiness is not only an honour and an ornament to the person that hath it but it is also an honour and an ornament both to the persons and places to whom he stands related the holinesse of the father is an honour and ornament to the child So holy Eliakim was a throne of glory to his fathers house Isa 22.23 The Hebrew is A woman of of strength or a valiant woman that is a woman that is made strong and valiant by grace by holiness to withstand sin to conquer temptation and to triumph in affliction c. so was Abrahams to Isaac and the holinesse of the child is an honour and an ornament to the father so was Isaacs to Abraham the holinesse of the husband is an honour and ornament to the wife so was Abrahams to Sarah and the holinesse of the wife is an honour and an ornament to the husband so was Sarahs to Abraham So in Prov. 12.4 A vertuous woman is a crown to her husband A crown is the top of honour it is the top of royaltie and glory why a vertuous wife is such a thing A sweet a good natured wife is as a gold ring upon her husbands finger a gifted wife is as a gold chain about her husbands neck but a holy vertuous wife is as a crown upon her husbands head The holinesse of the Prince is an honour and an ornament to the people and the holinesse of the people is an honour and an ornament to the Prince The holinesse of the master is an honour and an ornament to the servant and the holinesse of the servant is an honour and an ornament to the master And the holinesse of one brother is an honour to another brother Jude glories in this that he was the brother of James Vers 1. James was famous for his sanctity for his holinesse he was called the just as Eusebius writes Euseb lib. 2. c. 23. where you have many memorable things concerning the holiness of his life and the manner of his death his holinesse did so sparkle and shine that the Jews were generally convinced that in holinesse he was more eminent and excellent then others Now Jude took it for a very high honour to be related to one so eminent in holinesse Holy persons reflect a credit and an honour upon their relations It was the speech of a Heathen notably qualified though but meanly bred and born to a dissolute person well born upbraiding him with his birth I am a grace to my stock but thou art a blot to thy linage Yea holy persons are an honour to the places where they have been born and bred Psalm 87.5 6. And of Zion it shall be said this and that man was born in her and the highest himself shall establish her The Lord shall count when he writeth up the people that this man was born there Selah God seems to be very much affected and taken with the very places where holy men are born Some Antiquaries say that the Primitive Church had her publick Tables whereâ—n the names of the persons that were most noted for piety and holiness were recorded he loves the very ground that holy men tread on and he delights in the very air that holy men breath in holy persons reflect honour upon the very places where they were born the holy Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles were the honour and the glory of the ages and places where they lived They were as so many bright morning Stars they were
helps to make us holy O the pains the care the cost the charge that God hath been at and that God is daily at to make us holy Hath he not sent Jer. 7.13 25. Chap. 25.3 4. and chap. 35.14 15. Isa 49.4 5. 2 Cor. 12.14 15. Rom. 13.11 ult and doth he not still send his Messengers rising up early and going to bed late and all to provoke you to be holy Have not many of them spent their time and spent their strength and spent their spirits and spit up their lungs and spent their very lives to make you holy O Sirs what do holy Ordinances call for but holy hearts and holy lives What do dayes of light call for but walking in the light and casting off the deeds of darkness What is the voice of all the means of grace but this O labour to be gracious And what is the voice of the holy Spirit but this O labour to be holy And what is the voice of all the miracles of mercy that God hath wrote in the midst of you but this Be ye holy be ye holy O Sirs what could the Lord have done that he hath not done to make you holy Hath he not lifted you up to heaven in respect of holy helps Hath he not to this very day followed you close with holy offers and holy intreaties and holy counsels and holy encouragements and all to make you holy And will you be loose still and proud still and worldly still and malicious still and envious still and contentious still and unholy still O what is this Rev. 2 4 5. Isa 32.25 but to provoke the Lord to put out all the lights of heaven to drive your Teachers into corners to remove your Candlesticks and to send his everlasting Gospel that hath stood long a tip-toe among a people that may more highly prize it and dearly love it and stoutly defend it and conscientiously practice it then you have done to this very day By what hath been said I suppose there is nothing more evident then that the times and seasons wherein we live calls aloud upon every one to look after holinesse and to labour for holinesse never complain of the times but cease to do evil and labour to do well Isa 1.16 17 18 19. and all will be well Get but better hearts and better lives and you will quickly see better times Fourteenthly Consider that holinesse will render you most like to a holy God a holy Christ and to holy Angels God is frequently called the holy one in Scripture he is called the holy one above thirty times in the old Testament Gold being the most precious mettal you lay it over those things that are most precious to you so doth God lay holiness over all those things that are most precious to him Angels are holy and Saints are holy but it is God alone that is the holy one His person is holy Isa 6.3 his name is holy Luke 1.49 his works are holy Psalm 45.17 his judgements are holy Psalm 22.1 2 3. his habitation is holy Isa 57.15 his Temple is holy 1 Cor. 3.17 his Kingdom is holy Rev. 21.27 his Word is holy Psalm 19. and his Sabbaths are holy Exod. 16.23 Now this is Gods own Argument Be ye holy for I am holy Lev. 19.2 1 Pet. 1.15 16. Concerning the holinesse of God I shall speak at large by divine assistance when I come to press you upon perfecting of holinesse and therefore let this touch suffice for the present Sirs you cannot be lâ—ke to God in many other things but you may be like to God in this one thing in this noble thing in this most necessary thing Holinesse and therefore labour after it Again as holinesse will render you most like to a holy God so holinesse will render you most like to a holy Christ The Apostle calls him the holy one 1 John 2.20 Christ is essentially holy he is infinitely holy he is originally holy he is singularly holy he is eminently holy he is perfectly holy he is transcendently holy and he is immutably holy And so much the Devil himself confesseth in Mark 1.24 I know thee who thou art Alluding as some think to Exod. 28.36 the holy one of God or rather as the Greek hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that holy one by way of excellency and eminency Yea Christ takes delight to characterize himself by this title in Rev. 3.7 These things saith he that is holy And in Dan. 9.24 he is called the most holy or as the Hebrew hath it Kodesh kâ—dashim the holiness of holinesses These abstracts speak out the vigour and strength the eminency and excellency of Christs holiness Christ is holiness it self yea holinesses and what do these abstracts speak out but that perfect and compleat holiness that is in Christ The Angels in Isa 6.3 do three times iterate or repeat holy holy holy now though some do conceive that this three-fold repetition hath reference to all the three persons holy Father holy Son and holy Spirit yet they that will but compare the Text with John 12.37 42. shall plainly see that it relates only to our Lord Jesus Christ and so the three-fold repetition denotes only the superlative eminency of Christs holiness Christ is holy in his natures in his offices in his purposes in his counsels in his word and in his works Acts 4.23 Luke 1.35 Ephes 4. Gal. 2.20 His conception was holy his conversation was holy his converse was holy c. Holiness is the image of Christ it is the picture of Christ the perfections of Christ it makes a man conformable to the life of Christ Christs Holiness is that noble copy after which we should all endeavour to write Subjects may without Treason or offence attempt to be like their Prince in wisdom goodness righteousness holiness peace piety clemency and sanctity though they cannot without rebellion and disobedience endeavour to be like him in power greatness might majesty splendour and glory so we may safely and honourably attempt to be like to Jesus Christ in wisdom righteousness and holiness c. It is Christs particular honour to be imitated in all morals absolutely Though we may not attempt to be like him in his miracles signs and wonders O Sirs Some have counted it their greatest honour and glory in this world that they have been like such and such who have been high and glorious in the world and why then should not you reckon it your greatest glory and happiness to be like to Christ in holiness though not in measure or quantity yet in truth and reality As you would resemble Christ to the life labour to be holy in other things you cannot be like to Christ but in holiness you may you cannot be like to Christ in his greatness majesty or glory nor yet in his omnipotency omnisciency nor omnipresence nor yet in his general or special providence nor in a thousand other things but
the wrath of the Lord what shall we doe to be safe in this evill day O take these bags and pay so much to such a one whom I have deceived and restore so much to such a one whom I have in bargaining over-reached O give so much to the poore and so much to other pious uses c. But after the sickness was over they returned with the dog to the vomit and with the sowe to the wallowing in the mire againe and so their latter end was worse then their former There was a very great sinner who in the time of his sickness was so sorely terrified in his conscience for his many hainous sins that he made the very bed to shake upon which he lay and cryed out all night long I am damn'd I am damn'd I am damn'd c. and in this his sickness he made many great protestations of amendment of life if God would but be pleased to recover him and prevent his going downe to the grave at this time Well in a short time after he did recover and being recovered he was as base wretched and wicked as ever he was before This man with those that were cited before him were like that cunning Devill of whom the Epigrammatist thus writeth Aegrota Daemon Monachus tunc esse volebat Convaluit Daemon Monachus tunc esse nolebat Which is thus Englished The Devill was sick the Devill a Monk would be The Devill was well the Devill a Monk was he But those who are now like to Satan in sin may hereafter be like to him in torment such who now out-live their vows shall when they dye have hell enough You count it a very shamefull thing to break promise or covenant with men but is it not farre more shamefull to break with God The Egyptians though Heathens so hated perjury that if any man did but swear by the life of the King and did not performe his oath that man was to dye and no gold was to redeeme his life As Paulus Fagius observes in his Comment on Genesis c. When the Romans made Covenants they took Stones in their hands and said If I make this Covenant seriously and faithfully then let the great Jupiter bless me if not so let me be cast away from the face of the gods as I cast away this Stone Covenant-breaking was a sin greatly detested and abhorred among the very Heathens and shall Christians make nothing of breaking their vows promises and covenants with the great God Well Sirs remember this those sins that you have vowed against must be deserted and that holiness which you have vowed to follow must be pursued or a worse thing then the curse of Meroz must be expected Judg. 5.23 compared with that Joh. 5.14 But Sixthly If ever you would be holy then dwell much upon the worth and preciousness of your souls Christ that only went to the price of souls hath told us that one soul is more worth then all the woâ—ld Math 16.26 Christ left his Fathers bosome and all the glory of heaven for the good of souls he assumed the nature of man for the happiness of the soul of man be trod the wine-press of his Fathers wrath for souls he wept for souls he sweat for souls he prayed for souls he payd for souls and he bled out his heart-blood for souls The soul is the breath of God the beauty of man the wonder of Angells and the envie of Devills 't is of an Angelical nature 't is a heavenly sparke a celestiall plant and of a divine off-spring 't is a spirituall substance capable of the knowledge of God and of union with God and of communion with God and of an eternall fruition of God there is nothing that can suit the soule below God nor nothing that can satisfie the soule without God the soule is so high and so noble a piece that it scornes all the world in point of acceptation justification satisfaction and salvation What are all the riches of the East or West Indies what are rocks of Diamonds or mountaines of gold or the price of Cleopatra's draught to the price that Christ laid downe for souls 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Christ made himself an offering for sin that souls might not be undone by sin the Lord dyed that slaves may live the Son dyes that servants may live the naturall Son dyes that adopted sons may live the only begotten Son dyes that bastards may live yea the Judge dyes that malefactors may live Ah friends as there was never sorrow like Christs sorrow so there was never love like Christs love and of all his love none to that of soule-love In a word the spirituall enemies which daily warre against the soule the glorious Angels which hourely guard the soule and the precious ordinances which God hath appointed as meanes both to convert and to feed the soul doe all speak out the preciousness and excellency of the soule There was once a great contest among some Nations about Homer an excellent Poet they severally pleaded their interest in him and truly so 't is this day about the soule of man many lay claime to it sin lays claime to it and the world lays claime to it and Satan lays claime to it and Christ and holiness lays claime to it and O that Christ and holiness might have it before all others O Sirs there is no wisdome nor policy to that of securing our precious souls for they are Jewels of more worth then all the world all the honours riches greatness and glory of this world are but chips and pibbles to these glorious pearles therefore before all and above all other things make sure worke for your souls if they are safe all is safe but if they are lost all is lost Other things cannot be made sure riches cannot for as they are lying so they are flying vanities they make themselves wings and they fly away Honours cannot Haman is feasted with the King one day and made a feast for Crowes the next Herod is one houre cryed up for a God and the next houre he is eaten of wormes Princes Courts are very slippery a man may quickly get a fall there that may easily break both back and neck as many in all ages have experienced the applause and favour of creatures cannot for many mens favours are got with an Apple and lost with a Nut Math. 27.4 5. Judas his heart was hardly warm'd with the high Priests favour before they shut their doores upon him with a what is that to us look thou to that most mens favours are as light as a feather and so tos't up and downe with every breath of windy vanity the Moone do's not so often vary and change as the respects of most men doe vary and change how many men have had their names written in golden Characters one yeare and in letters of blood the next what is the favour of man but a blast a Sun-shine-houre a puff of winde a magnum
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
Better is a dinner of herbs where love is then a stalled Ox and hatred therewith Chap. 16.8 Better is a little with righteousness then great revenues without right Chap. 17.1 Better is a dry morsel and quietness therewith then a house full of sacrifices with strife Psal 37.16 A little that a righteous man hath is better then the riches of many wicked Where there is a holy God and a holy heart a little of the world will go far a little will be a sufficiency to him who with it enjoys that holy one that is All-sufficiency it self Though a whole world will never fill nor satisfie an unsanctified heart yet a little Phil. 4.11 20. a very little of the world will satisfie and content a holy heart There are two things that an unholy heart can never finde it can never finde any sweetness in Spirituals Esth 5.9 14. nor it can never finde any satisfaction in Temporals but a holy heart alwayes findes the greatest sweetness in Spirituals and is as easily satisfied with the least and meanest of Temporals Gen. 28.20 21. And Jacob vowed a vow saying if God will be with me Bread water with the Gospel is good chear said holy Greenham He is rich enough that lacketh not bread and high enough that is not forced to serve Jerom. and will keep me in this way that I go and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on so that I come again to my fathers house in peace then shall the Lord be my God Holy Jacob does not indent with God for costly Apparel or delicate fare he does not make a bargain with God to be housed bravely and fed daintily and clothed gorgiously and lodged easily and waited on noblely O no bread to eat and clothes to wear is as much as holy Jacob looks after Ah friends a little will serve nature and less will serve grace though nothing will serve or satisfie an unsanctified mans lusts O sirs the very pulse and locusts which a holy man eats relishes better then all the Gluttons delicious fare and the very Sheep-skins and Goat-skins which he wears wear softer and finer then all the purple and soft raiment that is in Princes houses and the very holes and Caves and Dens wherein holy men live are more pleasant and delightful then the stately Palaces of the great ones of the world It is great riches not to desire riches and he hath most that covets least Socrates godliness and contentment does so sweeten and so lengthen out all a Christians mercies that he can't but reckon himself a happy man though he may be the poorest among many men Let me conclude this third Answer thus This worlds wealth that men so much desire May well be likened to a burning fire Whereof a little can do little harm But profit much our bodies well to warm But take too much and surely thou shalt burn So too much wealth to too much wo do's turn But Fourthly Consider That worldly riches and holiness do often meet together a man may be a very holy man and yet a rich man too Abraham and Lot were as wealthy men as most in their time Gen. 13. Isa 41.2 Abraham is called the righteous man and yet behinde none for faith and holiness David and Solomon and Jehosaphat and Hezekiah had crowns on their heads and Scepters in their hands and very great revenues at their commands and in all these grace and greatness sweetly meet Job 1.3.8 Job was a very holy man and yet a very rich man if you cast your eye upon the first of Job and survey his estate you shall finde that he had seven thousand Sheep three thousand Camels five hundred yoke of Oxen five hundred she Asses and a very great Family but if you will look into the last of Job and survey his estate there you shall finde it doubled Joseph Nehemiah Mordecai Daniel and the three children were very gracious and yet very high and great in the world As every wicked man is not a rich man so every holy man is not a poor man if you will but set the gracious against the graceless the holy against the prophane I doubt not but for one holy man whose estate is low and mean you will finde thousands of wicked men whose conditions are beggarly and low in this world God many times delights to confute the devils Proverb viz. That plain dealing is a Jewel but he that useth it shall die a Beggar Now God by heaping up riches and honor and greatness upon the righteous gives the devil the lye and lets the world see that holiness many times is the ready way to worldly greatness 'T is observable that when all the sons of Jacob returned with corn and money in their sacks from Egypt Gen. 44. Benjamin had not onely corn and money in his sack but he had over and above the silver cup put into the mouth of his sack as a singular pledge of his brother Josephs favor so God many times gives to his Benjamines the sons of his right hand not onely as much of the world as he does to others but more of the world then he does to others he does not only give them corn and money in common with others but he also gives them the Silver-cup the Grace-cup he puts in some singular temporal blessings into their sacks more then into other mens for he is the great Lord of all and therefore may dispose of his own as he pleases But Fifthly Consider Psal 63.1 2 3 4. That most men are best in a low condition David was never better then when he was in a wilderness condition for degrees of Grace and for the exercise of Grace and for communion with the God of Grace 't was best with David when his condition was low in the world 't was never better with Jacob Gen. 32.10 then when he past over Jordan with a staff in his hand Jobs Job 1. graces never shined so gloriously as when he sat upon a dunghil and could bless a taking God as well as a giving God though John was poor in the world yet the Holy-Ghost tells us Mat. 11.11 that he was the greatest that was born of women Paul was but a poor Tent-maker Phil. 3.20 and yet his conversation was in heaven The Church of Smyrna was the poorest Church Rev. 2.8 9. but yet the best of all the seven Churches in Asia Christ knew very well that his Disciples would be best in a low condition and therefore he fed them but from hand to mouth Learned Ainsworth had but nine pence a week to live on whilst he wrote his excellent Commentary on the Penteteuch Mat. 8.20 21. he that could have turned stones into bread could as easily have turned stones into gold and so have made his Disciples rich and great in the world but he would not Christ could easily have changed their raggs into
mother And the king of Israel said unto him Nay for the Lord hath called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab And Elisha said as the Lord of Hosts liveth before whom I stand surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehosaphat the King of Judah I would not look toward thee nor see thee 'T was not the great distress and danger that they were in being like to perish for want of water nor the dignity of Kings nor the number of three but the goodness the graciousness and holiness of Jehoshaphat that wrought upon Elisha to work a miracle to preserve them and their people alive the holy Prophet carries it very high towards this unholy Prince for had it not been for Jehoshaphat he would not have honored him with a look no not with a cast of his eye these words I would not look toward thee nor see thee are words of a very high strain and speak out a great deal of holy-loftiness stateliness and contempt towards King Jehoram And the same spirit was working in Mordecai towards wicked Haman as you may see in that Esth 3.2 And all the Kings servants that were in the Kings gate bowed and reverenced Haman for the King had so commanded concerning him but Mordecai bowed not nor did him reverence The Persian The Persians manner was to kneel down and reverence their Kings and such as he appointed in chief authority which Mordecai would not do to this proud ambitious wicked Haman though all the Courtiers and the Kings Life-Guard and all that had occasions to attend the Court did Kings as many other heathenish Kings were reverenced by their subjects with a kind of Divine honor or service and such reverence and honor the King commanded should be shewed to his great favourite Haman but this renowned Mordecai refused to do he was so Divinely noble and stout that he would not reverence such a wicked wretch in his heart nor yet yeild to him that outward worship that was required by the King it being more then was due to a man Some of the Rabbins say As Aben Ezra c. that Haman had the Image of some false god about him and that therefore Mordecai would not bow before him least he might seem to bow to the Idol that Haman carried about him Others of the Rabbins say as R Salomon c. that Haman did make himself a God and required such worship as was due onely to the true God and that therefore Mordecai would not reverence him nor bow before him And so Junius and other Expositors say that it was more honor then did belong to a man that they gave to Haman and that therefore Mordecai refused to bow to him And 't is very remarkable that some of the wisest and best of Heathens have forborn to come into their Kings presence because there was expected greater honor and worship to be done to their Kings then was meet to be done to a mortal man but that which is most considerable and most probable is this that therefore Mordecai refused to reverence Haman and to bow unto him because he was a wicked Amalekite and a bitter enemy to the people of God and of that Nation of that stock whose remembrance God would have blotted out under heaven Exod. 17.14 Deut. 25.19 and with whom the Lord had sworn that he would have war from generation to generation untill they were utterly wasted and destroyed Exod. 17.16 Compared with that 1 Sam. 15.3 It has been usual with the Saints to slight such who have been slighters of Christ and holiness I shal look upon Auxentius no otherwise then as upon a devil so long as he is an Arrian said holy Hilary When Amphilochius the Bishop came into the presence of the Emperor Archadius and his son who was then partner with his father in the Empire he saluted the Emperor with all reverence but slighted his son whereupon the Emperor was very much displeased and demanding the reason why he so slighted his son the Bishop answered Because he had slighted and neglected the eternal Son of God he being at that time a professed Arrian whereupon the Emperor received the Bishop again into favor and banished all Arrians out of his Dominions I have read of one Maris a godly Bishop of Calcedon who being blind and Julian that Apostate Emperor giving him some opprobrious words calling him blind fool because he had rebuked him for his Apostasie the good man answered thus I bless God that I have not my sight to see such an ungracious face as thine is Do your worst do your worst said Justin Martyr slightingly to his pe secutors but this I will tell you you may put all that you are like to gain by the bargain into your eye and weep it out again When a great Lord of this Land who was as graceless as he was great met Mr. Fox in London streets and ask't him how he did Mr. Fox said little or nothing to him whereupon says this great Lord Sir do you not know me No not I said Mr. Fox says the Lord I am such a one Sir said Mr. Fox I desire to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified Policarpus meeting at a certain time with Marcion the Heretick says Marcion don't you know me yea said Policarpus Eusebius I know thee to be primo genitum Diaboli the first begotten child of the devil And indeed why should we prefer him before a piece of Copper that prefers a piece of Gold before his God yea that prefers his lusts and every toy and trifle before Jesus Christ his immortal soul and the great concernments of another world God commanded in the old Law that whatsoever did go with its breasts upon the ground should be an abomination to us O how much more should we abominate that man whose heart and soul is glued unto a piece of earth or to this or that defiling destroying lust Pro. 29.27 An unjust man is an abomination to the just and he that is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked The quarrel between the seed of the Woman Gen. 3.15 and the seed of the Serpent is almost six thousand years old light and darkness heaven and hell The Antipathies that are in nature between the Elephant and the Boar the Lyon and the Cock c. is nothing to that which is between the just and the unjust are not more opposite and contrary one to another then these are contrary one to another that seed of enmity that was at first between them is now grown up on both sides to an abomination and an abhorring of each other the just man saith what have I to do with thee thou son of Belial and the unjust man saith what have I to do with thee thou son of David the original in the text last cited is observable the just abhorreth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vir iniquitatis
grace and holiness And thus much for this third motive Fourthly To provoke you to labour after higher degrees of holiness consider that the more your holiness is encreased the more the great God will be honored and glorified Math. 5.16 Fruitfulness in holiness sets the weightiest crowne of glory upon the head of God John 15.8 Herein is my Father glorified that ye bare much fruit The more eminent any person is in holiness the more clearely and convincingly he proclaimes God before all the world to be a rich God a full God a bountiful God an overflowing good there is nothing that works men to admire God so much and to exalt God so high as a Christians fruitfulness in holiness O how good must that God be whose servants are so good said the Heathen O how glorious in holiness must that God be whose people are so holy Look as the thriving child is a credit to the Nurse and the rich servant an honor to his Master and a plentiful Crop the praise of the husbandman so that Christian that thrives in grace that grows rich in holiness is the greatest credit and the highest honor and the sweetest praise to God in the world The Tree in Alcinous Garden had alwayes blossomes buds and ripe fruits one under another O! Sirs those Trees of righteousness Isa 61.3 that have not only the blossomes and buds of holiness upon them but also the ripe fruits of holiness one under another they are the greatest honor and glory to God in the world What will men say when they shall behold your eminency in sanctity will they not say certainly God is no hard Master Math. 25.24 he never looks to reape where he do's not sowe nor to gather where he do's not straw Certainly he keeps a noble house his Tables are richly spread his Cups overflow he feeds yea he feasts his servants with the choicest rarities and varieties that heaven affords witness their thriving and flourishing estate in grace and holiness And thus you see that the more your holiness is encreased the more highly the God of heaven will be exalted and magnified But Fifthly To provoke you to endeavour after higher degrees of holiness Consider that the more holiness thou hast the more hee 'l give thee At first God gives holiness where there is none and where this holiness is improved there God will be still augmenting and increasing of it do thou but make it thy business to perfect holiness in the feare of the Lord Heb. 6.7 and the Lord will not faile to make new and fresh additions of more grace and holiness to that thou hast Psal 84.11 The Lord will give grace and glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly Mark those words viz. that the Lord will give grace and glory that is grace unto glory hee 'l still be adding more grace to that thou hast till the bud of grace be turn'd into the flower of glory till thy grace on earth commenceth glory in heaven the more holiness any man has the more still God will give him Math. 13.12 For whosoever hath to him shall be given and he shall have more abundance He that hath principles of grace and holiness laid into his soul he shall finde a plentifull increase of those sanctifying and saving principles he shall have more abundance his spark of holiness shall grow into a flame his drops of holiness shall be turn'd into a sea and his mite of holiness shall be multiplyed into millions Math. 25.29 The greater harvest of holiness a Christian brings forth the greater encrease of holiness shall he experience every exercise of grace and holiness is alwayes attended with new increase of grace and holiness Look as that arme is greatest and strongest that is most used and exercised so that particular grace that is most exercised and used is most strengthned and greatned Look as earthly Parents when they see their children to husband and improve a little Stock to great advantage then they adde to their Stock they increase their Stock they double their Stock so when the father of spirits sees his children to husband and improve a little Stock of grace and holiness to the great advantage of their souls then he will increase their spiritual Stock he will be still a adding to their Stock yea he will double their Stock John 15.2 Every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit Such as are fruitful shall be made more fruitful Christ will take most paines to make them better who are already very good of all Christians in the world there are none that have so much grace as humble Christians have and yet God delights to pour in grace into their souls as men pour liquor into empty vessels humility is both a grace James 4.6 and a vessel to receive more grace And thus much for this fifth Argument But Sixthly To provoke you to labour after higher degrees of holiness Consider that the more holiness you attaine to the greater will be your heaven of joy and comfort in this world Though the least spark of true holiness will bring a man to heaven certainly yet 't is only an eminency in holiness that will make a man walk to heaven comfortably the more holiness any man has Psal 16. ult the more he shall enjoy him in whose presence is fulness of joy and the more any man enjoyes the presence of God with his Spirit the greater will be his heaven of joy in this world Look as a little Star yeilds but a little light so a little holiness yeilds but a little comfort and look as the greatest Stars yeilds the greatest light so the greatest measures of holiness alwayes yeilds the greatest comforts Divine joy ebbs and flowes as holiness ebbs and slowes soul comforts rises and falls as holiness rises and falls Great measures of holiness carries with them the greatest evidence of the reality of holiness now the more clearely and evidently the reality and sincerity of a mans holiness appeares the higher will the springs of joy and comfort arise in his soul Great measures of holiness carry with them the greatest evidence of a mans union and communion with God and the more evident a mans union and communion is with God the more will that mans soul be fill'd with that joy that is unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 Acts 9.31 In great measures of holiness a man may see and reade most of the love of God the face of God the favour of God and the heart of God and the more a man is blest with such a sight as this is the more will that Babe of grace divine joy spring in his soul The greater measures of holiness and sanctification any man attaines to the clearer and brighter will the evidences of his Justification be Rom. 5.1 2 3. And Ch. 8.30 33 34 35 Now the clearer evidences any
spiritual blessings among his dearest children to some hee gives more light to others less to some a greater measure of love to others a less to some a greater degree of joy to others a less c. Some Saints shine in grace and holiness as the Firmament and others shine in grace and holiness as the Stars some shine in grace and holiness as the Moon and others shine in grace and holiness as the Sun and all this springs from those different measures of grace and holiness that God bestows upon his people Now doubtless men may as well plead for equal degrees of grace as they may for equal degrees of glory they may as well plead for an equal share in the good things of this world as they may plead for an equal share in the happiness and blessedness of that other world Doubtless as God dispenses his gifts and graces unequally in this life so hee will dispense his Rewards unequally in the other life As mens gifts and graces are different here on earth so their glory shall be different when they come to Heaven without all peradventure they shall have the whitest and the largest Robes of Honour and the heaviest and the brightest Crowns of Glory whose souls are most richly adorned with grace and whose lives are most eminently bespangled with holiness The more grace and holiness any Saint hath here the more hee is prepared and fitted for glory and the more any Saint is fitted for glory the more that Saint shall at last be filled with glory The greatest measures of grace holiness do most inlarge the soul and widen the soul and capacitate the soul to take in the greatest measures of glory and therefore the more grace the more glory the more holiness the more happiness a Saint shall have at last Certainly God will crown his own gracious works in his children proportionable to what they are but they are different and unequally in all his children in respect of measures and degrees and therefore God will set different Crowns of glory upon the heads of his children at last But Fourthly They that have more grace and holiness than others they are more like to God than others They bear his glorious Image in a greater print they have a brighter character of God upon them and they are the most lively picture of God in all the world Now wee know though Parents love their children well and wish all their children well and do for all their Children well yet commonly they love them most and provide for them best that resemble them most Parents cannot but love those children most and lay up for them most who have most of themselves in them and I cannot see how God can do otherwise than love them most and provide for them best who most resembled him to the life the nature of God is a holy nature and so there lies a holy necessity on his nature to love them most who have most grace and holiness in them look as t is natural to God to hate wickedness Psal 45.7 so t is natural to God to love holiness and as the higher men rise in wickedness the more a holy God hates them so the higher men rise in holiness the more a holy God loves them now the more any are like to God and the more they are beloved of God the higher doubtless in glory shall they bee advanced by God The best and the largest Portion is laid up for that Childe that is most like his Father the more any man in holiness resembles God on Earâ—h the greater and the larger Portion of glory that man shall have when hee comes to Heaven But Fiftly and lastly to deny degrees of glory in Heaven and to say that God won't sute mens wages to their works nor their rewards to their services nor crown the highest improvements of grace with the highest degrees of glory is to render useless many glorious exhortations that are scattered up and down in the Scripture as that in the 1 Cor. 15.58 Therefore my beloved Brethren bee yee stedfast unmoveable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord for asmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. If this were not a truth that I have been all this while asserting why then when men meet with this exhortation they may say why t is no great matter whether we are stedfast unmoveable and alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord or no for if wee are wee shall never advance our reward in Heaven wee shall never add Pearls to our glorious Crown wee shall never add one mite to our happiness and blessedness and if wee are not wee shall bee as high in Heaven and our reward as great and our crown as weighty as theirs shall bee who are stedfast unmoveable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord. And so the denyal of degrees of glory in Heaven will take off also the edge of all those other exhortations of perfecting holiness of sowing liberally 2 Cor. 7 1. cap. 9.6 2 Pet. 3. ult Joh. 15.8 2 Pet 1.5 6 7. of growing in grace of bringing forth much fruit and of adding vertue to vertue c. yea this will cut the throat of all divine endeavours for who will labour to bee rich in grace and to bee much in service and to abound in all the fruits of righteousness and holiness when none of all this will turn to a mans advantage in another world If hee that sows little shall have as great a Harvest as hee that sows much if hee that is dull and negligent in the work of the Lord shall have as great a reward as hee that is active and abundant in the work of the Lord. If those trees of righteousness which bring forth much fruit shall have no greater a recompence than those trees of righteousness which bring forth many leaves of profession but little fruit c. who would sow much and who would bee active and abundant in the work of the Lord and who would bring forth much fruit verily but few if any But now the opinion or rather the truth that I have been labouring to make good viz. that there shall bee different degrees of glory in Heaven and that God will proportion mens reward to their work and that he will measure out happiness and blessedness to them at last according to the different measures of grace bestowed upon his people and according to the work service and faithfulness of his people in this world This truth I say held forth in its luster and glory is a marvellous incouragement and a mighty provocation to all sincere Christians to labour after the highest pitches in Christianity and to bee very eminent in grace and holiness for what man is there that will not reason thus the more grace the more glory the more holiness the more happiness the more work the more wages and the greater my service shall bee here the
accustoâ—â—d not to bee overcome of evil but to overcome evil with good But Thirdly When men in the main I say in the main are as holy out of religious duties as they are in religious duties when in the main of their lives they are as spiritual as heavenly as humble as gracious as serious as watchful as circumspect c. as they are in their most religious performances and duties this argues not only the truth of holiness Exo. 34.29 30. â—3 35 but a very high degree of holiness Moses Face did shine as gloriously when he came off from the mount as ever it did shine when he was upon the mount O Sirs if when you come off from the mount of duties there remains some rayes and shinings of God upon you 't is an argument that the waters of Sanctity are risen to a considerable heighth in your Souls Ezek. 47.2 6. Ah how lively how warm how enlarged how holy how humble how heavenly how spiritual how serious how zealous how religious how gracious are many in duties in ordinances but ah how dead how cold how straitned how unholy how proud how worldly how carnal how slight and how irreligious are theâ— out of duties out of ordinances now certainly these have either no holiness at all or else they have attained to but a very little measure of holiness But now when a man in the main when a man in his course is the same out of duties out of ordinances that hee is in duties in ordinances 't is a very great and glorious Argument that such a person hath in a very great measure perfected holiness in the fear of the Lord. But Fourthly The more a man can Divinely joy and rejoyce under tribulations and afflictions the greater measure of holiness hee hath attained to 't is a mercy not to grumble not to mutter not to murmur nor to fret not to faint not to dispond nor not to despair 't is much to bee silent under afflictions and to bee quiet and patient under tribulations oh but divinely to joy and rejoyce under afflictions under tribulations argues a very great height of holiness Rom. 5.3 4. And not only so but wee glory in tribulations also knowing that tribulation worketh patience And patience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 experience and experience hop That glorying and rejoyceing are both one in the New Testament is sufficiently known they differ only in degrees glorying being a step above rejoycing 'T is much to rejoyce in tribulations but 't is more to glory in tribulations yea to glory in them as an Old Souldier glories in all those marks and scars of honour that hee hath met with in the service of his King and Country and yet to this height the beleeving Romans were raised which argues a very great measure of holiness in them And so in that 2 Cor. 7.4 Great is my boldness of speech towards you great is my glorying of you I am filled with comfort I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation or as the Greek runs I do over-abound exceedingly with joy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have a superabundance of joy in all our tribulation and so in chap. 12.9.10 Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ might rest upon me Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christs sake for when I am weak then am I strong Paul rejoyces and glories more in his heavy afflictions and in his various tribulations than hee did in his glorious and Mysterious Revelations the more hee was afflicted and distressed the more hee had of the visible presence of Christ and the more hee had of the glorious assistance of Christ and the more hee had of sweet communion and fellowship with Christ and the more hee had of the choise supports and singular comforts of Christ and therefore hee takes pleasure in all the pressures that were upon him and so in that Jam. 1.2 My brethren count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations that is into divers afflictions O Sirs to bee divinely merry in misery to rejoyce in the Cross as men rejoyce in a Crown to rejoyce in adversitie as others rejoyce in prosperity to rejoyce in a stinking prison as others rejoyce in their stately palaces to rejoyce in restraint as others rejoyce in liberty to rejoyce in wants as others rejoyce in abundance to rejoyce in reproaches as others rejoyce in their honours c. is very much but to bee joyful in such cases not with a little joy but with exceeding great joy is more All joy is an Hebraism and it signifies great joy full Joy exceeding joy perfect joy O! thus to rejoyce and that not only when you fall into some afflictions but when you fall into divers afflictions argues a very great measure of holiness but ah how rare is it to finde such souls in these daies that can not only bear the Cross but also rejoyce in the Cross that can not only bear reproaches but also wear reproaches as their Crown and Glory But Fiftly The more extensive a mans obedience is to divine commands Num. 14.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vajemalle the Hebrew word is a Metaphor taken from a Ship under fail which is strongly carryed with the wind as if it feared neither rocks nor sands the greater measure of holiness that man hath attained to Caleb had a very great measure of the spirit of holiness upon him and hee is said to have followed the Lord fully or as the Hebrew hath it hee fulfilled after mee that is his obedience was full universal resolute and constant to the end the contrary is affirmed of Solomon in that 1 King 11.6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord and went not fully after the Lord as did David his Father or as the Hebrew hath it hee fulfilled not after the Lord that is his obedience was not so full so universal so sincere so resolute and so constant as Davids his Fathers was Zacharias and Elizabeth were persons of great holinesse and their obedience was very extensive for they walked not only in some but in all the commandments and not only in all the Commandements but also in all the Ordinances of the Lord blamelesse Luke 1.5 6. their obedience was of such an universal extent and latitude that it comprehended and took in all the duties both of their general and particular callings they had an eye to the duties of the second Table as well as they had an eye to the duties of the first and they subjected themselves to the duties of their particular calling Mat. 23.23 as well as to the duties of their general calling As they had an eye to mint annisse and cumming that is to the lesser and lower duties of Religion so they had an eye to the greater and weightier duties of Religion viz. Judgement Mercy and Faith c. But now
because wee were holy or because hee did fore-see that in time wee would be holy but hee chose us to that very end that wee should be holy Look as Esther Esther 1. was first chosen out among the Virgins and then purified and decked with Rich and Royal Ornaments and Garments before shee was brought into the presence of the King So God first chuses poor sinners and then hee purifies them Psal 45.13 and adorns them with the rich and glorious Garments of Grace and Holiness that so they may be meet and fit to enter into his Royal Presence 1 Thes 1.4 Knowing Brethren Beloved your Election of God Vers 5. For our Gospel came not unto you in word only but also in Power and in the Holy Ghost Vers 9. And how yee turned to God from Idols to serve the Living and True God When the Gospel comes in Power and in the Holy Ghost and turns persons from Idols to serve the Living God 't is a clear and evident sign of their Election real Sanctification is a sure evidence a fair copy of a mans Election Look as the Pattern is known by the Picture and the Cause by the Effect so Election is known by real Sanctification A Christian need never put himself to the charge of making a Ladder to climbe up to Heaven to search the Records of Glory to see whether his Name is written in the Book of Life in the Book of Election or no but rather make a strict and diligent enquiry whether hee be really and throughly sanctified or no for where there is real sanctification there the glorious Image of Gods Election is in Golden Characters stampt upon the soul A man may have his Name set down in the Chronicles yet lost wrought in durable Marble yet perish set upon a Monument equal to a Colossus yet be ignominius inscribed on the Hospital gates yet go to Hell written in the front of his own house yet another come to possess it All these are but writings in the dust or upon the waters where the Characters perish so soon as they are made they no more prove a man happy than the fool could prove Pontius Pilate happy because his Name was written in the Creed but in real Sanctification a man may see his Name so written in the Book of Gods Election as that it shall remain legible to all Eternity But Secondly If thou are a holy person if thou hast that real holiness without which there is no happiness then know for thy comfort that the Lord takes singular pleasure delight and complacency both in thy holiness and in thy person Psa 149.4 5. For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people hee will beautifie the meek with salvation Let the Saints be joyful in glory let them sing aloud upon their beds The Hebrew word Rotseh that is here rendred pleasure is from Ratsah that signifies pleasure delight complacency content c. O God takes singular pleasure singular delight singular complacency and singular content in all his Saints in all his sanctified ones Holiness is the express Image of God and therefore hee cannot but take pleasure in it and in all those that bear it Zeph. 3.13 The Remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity nor speak lies neither shall a deceitful tongue bee found in their mouth Well here are glorious Characters of their holiness but what pleasure what delight c. doth God take in these holy ones why certainly very much as you may see in ver 17. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty hee will save hee will rejoyce over thee with joy hee will rest in his love hee will joy over thee with singing Look as a Bridegroom rejoyces over his Bride Isa 62.4 5. so will the Lord rejoyce over his holy ones and look what delight complacency and content the Bridegroom takes in his Bride the same yea greater God takes in all his sanctified ones Yea look as a fond Father joyes over his dear childe that hee carries in his arms or dandles upon his knee with singing so God will joy over all his holy ones which are his fondlings with singing such is the singular delight satisfaction and content that hee takes in them Look as the Husbandman delights much in that ground that was once barren but is now fruitful and as the Captain takes a great deal of pleasure in that souldier that once run from his colours but is now returned and fights valiantly and resolutely against all opposers and adversaries and as the Father takes a great deal of joy content and satisfaction in the return reformation and amendment of his Prodigal Son Luke 15. even so a holy God is wonderfully delighted pleased enamoured and even overjoyed Heb. 6.7 â— when such as brought forth nothing but the thorns and briers of wickedness Heb. 2.10 do now bring forth the pleasant fruits of righteousness and holinesse and when such as have run from Christ the Captain of their salvation and run from their profession and run from their principles and run almost from every thing that is good shall now return to the Captain of their Salvation and fight it out most valiantly and resolutely against the world the flesh and the devil and when such as have proved Prodigals and spent all that portion all that stock and all that treasure that they have been intrusted with shall now break off their sins and humble themselves and reform their lives and mend their waies God is so infinitely pleased and delighted in these that hee Records their Names in Heaven Luke 10.20 Rejoyce not in this that the spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoyce because your names are written in Heaven 't is matter of the greatest joy in the world for a man to have his name inrol'd in Heaven look as 't is the sinners hell that his name is ingrossed in the book of perdition so 't is the beleevers heaven that his name is ingrossed in the book of election I have read of a Senatour Tacitus who relating to his Son the great honours that were assign'd to some Souldiers whose names were written in a certain book whereupon the Son was very importunate to see that book his Father shews him the outside and it seemed so glorious that hee earnestly desired him to open it no saith the Father by no means for it is sealed by the counsel then saith the Son pray tell mee if my name bee written there his Father replies no because all the names of those Souldiers were kept secret in the breasts of the Senatours The Son studying how hee might get some satisfaction desired his Father to acquaint him with the merits of those Souldiers whose names were written in that book the Father relates to him their noble atchievements and worthy acts of valour wherewith they had eternized their names such are written said hee and none but such must bee written in this book whereupon the Son consulting
you yet let this support you let this rejoyce you that you are high in the favour of God But Tenthly 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 all thy duties and services are very pleasing Act. 10.4 Mal. 3.3 2 Tim. 2.21 delightful and acceptable to the Lord and this roundly follows upon the former for when ever a mans person comes to bee accepted of God and to bee high in favour with God then all his services and sacrifices comes to bee acceptable to God Gen. 4.4 And Abel hee also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof and the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering God had first a respect to his person in Christ and then to his offering and so his sacrifice was accepted for the man and not the man for the sacrifice Heb. 11.4 By Faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Kain by which hee obtained witness that hee was righteous God testifying of his gifts and by it hee being dead yet speaketh God will alwaies welcome the holy man into his presence and hee shall alwaies have his ear at command God will still bee a warming his heart Isa 45.11 and a cheering up his spirit and a satisfying of his soul in meeting of him in all holy means and in giving gracious answers to all his requests Isa 64.5 Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousness those that remember thee in thy waies Prov. 21.8 The way of man that is of unholy man is froward and strange but as for the pure his work is right When God hath cleansed ◠mans heart and sanctified his nature then his work his religious work is right 't is then right in the eye of God and in the account of God and in estimation of God and therefore his Petitions are as soon granted Isa 65.24 as they are offered and his requests performed Sealh here is a special note of observation to work us to a serious marking of the things that are mentioned as things that are of special weight and of highest concernment to us as soon as they are mentioned Psal 32.5 I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin Selah Holy David had an inward purpose and resolution to confess his sin but before hee could do it God throws him his pardon thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin God loves to bee before-hand with his people in acts of grace and favour Gods eye and his ear was in Davids heart before Davids confession could bee in his tongue O! the delight of God O! the pleasedness of God with the duties and services of his holy ones Psal 4.3 But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself the Lord will hear when I call upon him that is the Lord will approve of my prayer hee will accept of my prayer he will delight in my prayer and hee will answer my prayer when I call unto him and what can the Godly man desire more Psal 61.1 Hear my cry O God attend unto my prayer Aquinas saith that some read the words thus Intende ad cantica mea attend unto my songs and so the words may bee safely read from the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ranah which signifies to shout or shrill out for joy to note that the prayers of the Saints are like pleasant songs and delightful dirties in the ears of God no mirth no musick can bee so pleasing to us as the prayers of the Saints are pleasing to God Cant. 2.14 Psal 141.2 Let my prayer come before thee as incense and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifize What 's more sweet what 's more pleasing and what 's more perfuming then incense why the prayers of the Saints Rev. 5.8 ch 8.3 4 as they are in the hands of a Mediatour are as sweet and pleasing to God as incense that is made up of the choicest and sweetest spices are sweet and pleasing unto us 1 Pet. 3.12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open unto their prayers or rather as the Greek hath it his ears are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to their prayers that is when their prayers are so faint and weak that they cannot reach to God that they cannot travel as far as Heaven then God will come down to them and lay his ears as it were unto their prayers O what matter of joy and comfort is this to all the holy seed that God will graciously bow his ears to their prayers when hee turns his back with the greatest disdain and indignation upon the most costly sacrifices of the wicked O you precious Sons of Zion that are daily lamenting and mourning over the weaknesses that cleaves to your best services know for your comfort and joy that though with Moses you can but stammer out a prayer God once accepted of a handfull of Meal for a sacrifice and of a gripe of Goats hair for an oblation Artaxerxes the Persian monarch accepted with a cheerful countenance a little water as a present from the hand of a poor labourer c. or with Hannah weep out a prayer or with Hezekiah chatter out a prayer or with Paul sigh and groan out a prayer yet the Lord will own your prayers and accept your prayers and delight in your prayers O what a rare comfort is this for a Christian to consider that when hee is under outward wants and inward distresses that when hee hath sickness upon his body and reproach upon his name and death knocking at his door that in all these cases and in all other cases hee may run to God as to a Father and tell God how 't is with him and when hee hath done that hee may sit down satisfied and assured of Audience and Acceptance in Heaven O Sirs this is a priviledge more worth than a thousand worlds and had unsanctified persons as many Kingdomes to give as they have haires on their heads they would give them all for an interest in this priviledge when guilt and wrath is upon their consciences and when the arrows of the Almighty stick fast in them and when the terrours of death are round about them and when the dreadful day of their account is every moment remembred by them O! if it bee so great a favour to have the ears of an earthly King at pleasure what a transcendent savour must it bee to have his ear at pleasure who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and yet this favour hath all his Saints But Eleventhly 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 Jesus Christ will certainly preserve thy holiness Next to Christ holiness is a