they can fast or feast pray and praise God do and suffer be abased and abound c. Now they are fitted not for one but for every good work 2. Tim. 2. 21. 22. Such are fit for Goverment Magisteriall Ministeriall Martiall Domesticall 1. This qualifies men for Magistracy See 9. reas why great men should be good men Bur. Gratious spi. ch 11. p. 200 c. he must be one that fears God and hates sin in himself or he can never with a good conscience punish it in another How can he punish another for swearing drunkennesse Sabbath-prophaning c. that is guilty of those sins himself The holiest men ever make the happiest Governours it is observed that the best times that ever Israel had were under their wisest and holiest Kings as David Hezechiah c. 2. It fits men for the Ministry first a man must be sanctified and then he shall be a vessell of honour fit for the Masters use God loves to do his worke by instruments that are like himself he can make wicked men to do him service but the most holy delights especially to do his work by holy men then it prospers and goes on to purpose God will be sanctified of all his nigh ones Levit. 10. 3. Now Sanctitatem meä demonstrabo puniendo illos propter peccata Piscat Ministers of all men draw nearest to God and therefore they must sanctifie themselves lest the Lord break forth upon them Exod. 19. 22. They must be clean that bear the vessels of the Lord Isa. 52. 11. Levit. 21. 6. 23. 'T is their office to tell Iabob of his sins but with what face can that Minister Medicus ulceribus scatens haud idoneus aliis curdnâ—…is Bowles reprove another for covetousnesse malice drunkennesse c. when himsell is guilty of those very crimes or if he should reprove them can a reproof coming from such a man be prevailing will they not say Physitian cure thy self He that will pull the moat out of his brothers eye had need to have no beam in his own Most young Ministers are all for Learning Arts Sciences Languages c. 'T is true these are excellent ornaments very needfull and usefull in their proper places but sanctity is farre beyond them all for a man may be saved * See Downams Warfar p. 394. 398 c. without Learning but no man can be saved without sanctification this is that one thing necessary without which no man shall see How much better is it to be a good Christian then a good Philosopher though both may well stand together if they be rightly ranked Prideaux Ser. Luke 7. 35. p. 11. God The devil is a great schollar and hath great abilities but because they be not sanctified to him he is still a devil and damned spirit Learning in a wicked man is like a pearl in a toads head like wine in a poysoned vessell like sugar in a dunghill or like a sword in a mad mans hand with which he doth abundance of mischief A dram of holinesse is Eruditio in malo homine male habitat See M. Ant. Burgess Ser. 105. p. 611. Surgunt indecti raipunt caelum nos cum nostris doctrinis detru dimur in gehennaÌ„ Aug. See Bròoks Remed ag Sat. c. p. 358 c. better then a world of learning the poorest unlettered holy man is in a farre better condition then the greatest Bellarmine or dissolute schollar whatsoever these will arise and get heaven when thou with all thy learning shalt be thrown to hell as Austin said of his mother other good women Mulier oulaeist aelachrymis suis caelum nobis praeripiunt when we have done all we can which our learning these women with their Tears will get heaven before us Two sins there are which are more directy opposite to holinesse drunkennesse and fornication these See Brooks Remed ag Sat. c. p. 358. c. are odious in any but most abominable in a Minister such as are given up to them seldom repent they are Peccata maximae adhaerentiae sinnes that stick close and are hardly left they besot men and take away their hearts Hos. 4. 11. These bring reproach on Religion and make it stink in the nostrils of men as Jacob complained of Simeon and Levi Gen. 34. 30. Ye have troubled me made me stink amongst the inhabitants of the Land This makes so many Ministers to erre Isa. 28. 7. and therefore the Lord did forbid the Priests and Levites the use of wine and strong drink upon pain of death when they were to come into the Congregation to execute their office V. Bowels Pastor Evangel l. i. c. 7. p. 42 43. Levit. 10. 9 10 11. The Nazarites by their profession were to study the Law of God to this end they must abstain from wine and strong drink which might trouble their brain S. Austin spends a whole book in exhorting Ministers to chastity Aug. l. de Singularitate Clericorum stirre up lust or any way unfit them for so sacred imployment Numb 6. 3. And the Apostle makes this one ingredient of a good Minister he must be temperate sober not given to drink wine 1 Tim. 3. 3. 4. 5. Titus 1. 7. Of all sorts of scandalous Ministers none like the drunkard and the whoremonger who ever is spared yet let these be cast out as unsavoury salt Adams in vita Luth. p. 151. This made Luther so seriously to exhort the Students of the University of Wittemberg to fly fornication otherwise he professeth he would fly from them 3. Holinesse qualifies a man for Military imployment No man can Estote mundi ut sitis intropidi Aug. be truly valourours but he that is truly Religious The guilt of sinne will daunt the stoutest spirit in the day of battell it makes men timerous and fly at the shaking of a leaf Levit 26. 36. Of all men souldiers had need to be pious men though usually they are the most * Grotius de Iur. Belli c. Prolog p. 1. impious They that carry their lives in their hands had need to carry holinesse in their hearts that so they may be assured of a better life before they leave this Hence the Lord commands the Camp should be holy that he might see no uncleaness there * See an excellent Ser. of M. Reynerson that Text. Deut. 23 9 to 15. Warre is an execution of Gods wrath upon men for sinne and how can he punish Cum belluÌ„ sit vindicta publica minimè decet eos qui hanc suscipiunt esse iis qui castipentur indigniores Wol phius another when himselfe is guilty of the same sinne Non prosperè pugnant adversus malos qui ipsi sunt mali He that is wicked himself can expect no successe in fighting against the wicked 4. It qualifies a man for domesticall imployment it fits him for the government of a family Holy David
whom Vid. Lactan. de â—…alsa Rel. l. c. 9. 10. 11. Their gods were men that died yea the worst of men Preston on the Attributes Omnes Dij gentium daemonia p. 81. c. we serve is the only true God there is none Holy as the Lord none essentially eminently infinitely and originally Holy but our God all other Gods are Idols false and filthy dunghill-Gods 1. The Gods which the Heathen worshipped what were they but unclean beasts their Jove an abominable whoremaster a Parricide a Sodomite Mars a murderer Mercury a thief Venus a harlot Bacchâ—…us a drunkard Apollo killed his Catamitâ—…e formosum puerum dum amat violat Lactan. 2. Maâ—…omet whom the Turks adore See 17. good useâ—… thaâ—… we may make of the Alcoran Râ—…se Tâ—… of the Alcoran in the end and worship what was he but an ignorant â—…ate vicious cruell Pagan and Sorcerer the grand Impostor of the greatest part of the world corrupt both in his life and doctrine his Alcoran full of Bâ—…asphemies Heresies Libertinism and Lyes 3. The Pope whom the Papists adore as their God observing his superstitious commands before Gods righteous ones what is he but that man of sin even a man compounded of iniquity directly opposite to Christ who is the Holy One by way of Eminency Platina See more Whites way to the true Church p. 417. 18. Dominus Deus noster Papa Glos. v. Prideaux Serm. on 1 Pet. 5 6 7. one of their own tels us of 13. Popes that were Adulterers three commonbrothelers four incestuous ones eleven Sodomites seven Whore-masters and Erectors of Stews where every whore payeth weekly a Julian penny to the Pope which many years amounts to forty thousand Ducats c. yet these are they whom their flatterers have stiled Gods Now how should we admire the riches of Gods free grace in revealing himselfe to us yet hiding himself from â—he greatest part of the world he hath not dealt so with every Nation the Heathen have no knowledge of his Law Oh how many millions of men perish in their Heathenism Turcism Idolatry and ignorance It is his free distinguishing love that hath made any difference between us the vilest Pagan in the world who are by nature as vile as they So that as the sight of some ugly monstrous creature should make the beholder praise God that he was not so so the hearing and seeing of Gods judgments on others should quicken us to thankfullnesse who enjoy the glorious light of the Gospel and behold the truth in the beauty of Holinesse Secondly It informs us that God cannot be the Author of sin He is Holinesse Cum sis ipsa Sanctitas summe tibi displicit omne peccatum Lessius See Resbury Ser. 6. p. 100. it selfe a God of purer eyes then to behold iniquity he cannot look upon sin but with a vindictive eye Heb 1. 13. He is a God that takes no pleasure in wickednesse neither shall evill dwell with him he hates all the workers of inquity as the Psalmist excellently Psa. 5. 4 5. He forbids sin he hates sin he punisheth for sin therefore he cannot be a patron of sin True he permits it but he never commands or approves of it as appears James 1. 13. 1 John 2. 16. Deut. 32. 4. Rom. 1. 18. yea * Ambrose Medâ—a p. 256. he sees the sinnes of his own people and is angry with them 2 Sam. 11. ult Rev. 2. 4 c. Away Rutherf ag Antinom 2. part chap. 25 29 31. then with that Blasphemous * V. Rutherf ag Antino 2. part p 169 219. Tenent of some Sectaries of our times who say that God is the Author not of those actions alone in with which sin is but of the very Pravity Ataxy Anomy Irregularity and sinfulness it self which is in them yea God hath more hand in mens sinfulness then themselves Now the Lord rebuke thee Men and Devils are the Authors of sin but God is so essentially and transcendently holy that with reverence be it spoken he may as soon cease to be God as cease to be Actio in peccato qua naturalis a Deo qua vitiosa ab homine good and holy delighting in sin He is indeed the Authour of the action but not of the obliquity and sinfulness of the action he hates that with an infinite Walaeâ— loci p. 231. ubi plura hatred as being most opposite to himself and to his pure Law Sin is directly contrary to his nature he is The holy Deus est amator sanctitatis acer rimus omnis immundâ—â—â—â— oser â—ibel One and sin is The unholy thing Sinne would destroy God it is Dei-cidium therefore God will destroy both it and such as delight in it Thirdly It informs us of the sad condition of all such as are enemies to the power of purity and holiness It should be matter of lamentation to us to see the gross prophaness and Lioertinism that still abounds notwithstanding all the powerfull Preaching direfull judgments glorious mercies and fatherly corrections that we have had To this end we must 1. Lament the impurity of our own hearts and lives He can never truly mourn for the sins of others that hath not first mourned for his own sin When we consider the depravation of our natures our indisposednesse to the Homo esâ—… inversus decalogus Iob. 11. 12. best things what a contrariety is in them to Gods nature it must make us to loath sin and our selves for sin Ezek. 36. 31. 2. Then must we lament for that prophanesse which like a Leprosie hath overspread the Land It is not sufficient that we mourn for our own sins but God expects that his people should lay to heart the sins and abominations of Tâ—…um est quod tiâ—…i non distâ—…licet 1 Cor. 5. the times they live in else we become accessary to those sins We have six excellent examples to encourage us to this duty 1. Jeremiah 13. 17. weeps in secret for the sins of the people 2. Lots righteous soul is vexed and grieved for the sins of Sodom 2 Pet. 2. 8. Observe 1. The greatnesse of his grief he was tormented like a man on a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 torqueor equuleo imponi wrack as the word signifies 2. It was free he wracked and vexed himself for their sins 3. It was cordial his soul was vexed 4. Constant from day to day 3. Davids eyes run down with rivers of tears and his soul was grieved because of the transgressors Psal. 119. 53 136 158. he sheds not a tear or two but rivers of tears and why not for his own troubles or persecutions but for the sins of others 4. Christ wept over Jerusalem for not knowing the day of their visitation Luk. 19. 41 42. mourns fâ—… the hardness of their hearts who could not mourn for thmselves Mark 3. 5. 5. Paul * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 á irritabatur excandescebat
the devil who is called by way of Eminency The unclean spirit Math. 10. 1. 26. 12. 43. as being in himself most foul and unclean and making it his chief delight to provoke and stirre up others to uncleannesse so is directly opposite to the most holy and pure God 3. Consider That whilst thou livest in thy wickednesse there is no hope of heaven God hath expressely told thee that no unrighteous person shall inherit his Kingdom no fornicators idolaters adulterers drunkards coveteous c. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11. Ephes. 5. 5. no unclean person can come there Rev. 21. 8 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there 's a double negative they shall in no wise enter Heaven is an inheritance undefiled 1 Pet. 1. 4. It is Gods holy mountain where he doth more especially manifest his presence and glory such a pure place and presence will not brook an impure sinner Most men would have happinesse but they regard not holinesse they would be glorified Saints in heaven but not mortified Saints on earth Like Balaam they would dye the death of the righteous Numb 23. 10. but not live their lives They would go to heaven with their sins but if no unclean beast might come near the Mount lest it died and if a King will not suffer such as have the plague runing on them to come nigh his Court-Royal where then will those beasts appear that have the plague of sin runing on them and reigning in them Who ever hopes for heaven and happinesse Non est via ad regnum sine primitiis regâ—… nec sperare potest coeleste regnum cui neque super propriam datur regnare concupiscentiâ—…m Bernard must tread the path of holinesse or he will never come there 1 Iohn 3. 2 3. He that hath this hope viz. of attaining glory with Christ hereafter must first resemble Christ in purity here as Christ died for sin so he must dye unto sin for if we be in the flesh we cannot please God Rom. 8. 8. and if flesh and blood i. the weaknesse of our nature cannot inherit glory 1 Cor. 15. 50. how much lesse can corrupt nature Obi. Though our lives be wicked yet we have as good hearts and as good mindes and meanings as the purest of them all Ans. The emptiest barrels sound loudest Saul boasts that he had kept the commandments of the Lord when he had broke them Thy wicked life See M. Ant. Burgess Ser. 92. pag. 543. c. shews clearly the wickednesse of thy heart thy evil fruit shews that thy root is evil for a good tree cannot but bring forth good fruit and if thy heart were so good thy life would be better where the fountain is sweet the streams cannot be bitter therefore deceive not thy self for if thy life be wicked thy heart is a thousand times more wicked and if thy actions be naught thy spirit is worse Obi. If the Lord be angry we must bear it as well as we can we hope yet to escape for he is mercifull c. Ans. Bear it Alas there is no enduring Gods wrath it rends the rocks melts the mountains makes the devils tremble and roar like the sea and shrike for fear Hence the Lord tels his people Ezek. 22. 14. that their hearts could not endure nor their hands be strong in the day when he should bring his judgements on them If we cannot bear the V. Baxter Saints Rest part 2. ch 4. sect 10. pangs of a rotten tooth or a broken bone how shall we endure the terrors of the Lord when they shall seize on all the powers both of body and soul 2. Presume not of Gods mercy for See more Harsnet on Repent p. 318 c. Brooks his Remedies against Satans dâ—…vices p. 52 c. as he is mercifull to them that fear him so he is just in punishing those that rebell against him and hath said he will not be mercifull to such as offend of malicious wickednesse Psal. 59. 5. though Burgess Ser. 59. he be gracious to the penitent yet he will by no means acquit the wicked Nihil est deterius quam pacem sperare â—…ul 〈◊〉 bellum gerimus cum Deo illum promittere nobisquietum quem lacessâ—… mus peccato Calv. Exod. 34. 6 7. Dreadfull is that place none like it in all the book of God against all impenitent presumptuous sinners that cry Peace peace and blesse themselves in their wickednesse adding drunkennesse to thirst and sin to sin What will the Lord do to such a one Deut. God cannot satisfie himself in threatning this heynous sin as if the very naming of it had enraged his jealousie Trap. in loc 29. 19 20 21. 1. The Lord will not spare him 2. His anger and jealousie shall smoak against him 3. All the curses which are written in this Book shall lie upon him 4. Yet more God shall blot out his name from under heaven 5. The Lord shall separate him unto evil A second sort of wicked unholy persons Second sort See D. Preston on 2 Tim. 3. 5. are formall professors meer outside Christians who have a form of godlinesse but are strangers to the life and power of it they have fine words but filthy deeds like Pharaoh King of Egypt ox praeâ—…erea nihil Nihil prodest nomen sanctum sine moribus q. vita a professione discordans ab rogaâ—… illustris tituli honorem Salv. who is said to be a Noise i. nothing but words he promiseth much but performs nothing Jer. 46. 17. Like the prophane Jews they cry The Temple of the Lord The Temple of the Lord yet for all that they will steal murder commit adultery swear fasly and bow for an advantage to any Baal Jer. 7. 9 10. They make great shews and come to hear the Prophets of the Lord when it is only to Hear but they will not Do with their mouths they praise but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse Ezek. 33. 31. These Buts spoil all It is said of Naaman that he was a valiant man But he was a leper so many are men of fine Parts But they are proud But they are covetous But they are censorious alwaies prying into the lives of others Domi talpae â—…ris oculati neglecting their own c. These walk as if they had been trained up in Machiavells School who tels men they need not much care for vertue it self but for the appearence only in the eyes of the world because the fame and credit of vertue is an help but the practice of it is a cumber But sure if the shadow be so good the substance is better if the very name of piety be a praise how Si bonum est bonum apparere melius est bonum esse Chrys. Nihil tâ—…m provocat Deum qui est sanctitas ad abominationeÌ„ peccantis sicut hypocrisis quae est simulatio sanctitatis Wickliâ—… great is the praise of real holinesse Counterfeit
is such as they 5. Consider That God is King of Saints Rev. 15. 3. therefore he will defend Quamvis nulli sint excubatores qui defendant Ierusalem nulli sint mili◅es praesid◅arij nulli denique custodes ego tamen unus sufficiam q. non modo ero murus ad hostes arcendos sed ero ign◅s ad incutiendum terrorem Calvin See more Caryll Iob 8. 20. p. 122 124. Ball on Faith p. 258. them and offend their enemies he will be a wall of fire round about them Zach 2. 5. He tenders them as the apple of his eye They are the Sign◅t on his right hand His portion * Deut 32. 9. Isa 19. 25. Ioel 2. 17. Psal 33. 12. His pleasa at portion His inheritance His ◅wels he accounts of all the world but as ◅umber and drosse in comparison of them Hence he threatens to ruine all such as do oppose and persecute them Jer. 2. 3. God hath made Jerusalem a burdensome stone a cup of poison a hearth of fire among the wood a torch of fire in a sheaf to consume her enemies Zach. 12. 2 3 6. Beware then of hurting them lest fire proceed out of their mouths and devour you Rev. 11. 5. not material fire but spiritual fire by their prayers they bring down judgements on their incorrigible enemies God will ruine those Powers that go about to ruine his people Pharaoh that would destroy Israel was destroyed himself Daniels accusers that thought to have torne him in pieces with lions were themselves torne in pieces by these lions Dan. 6. 24. Hence the Lord doubles and trebles the threatning Isa. 8 9 10. to shew the certainty of it ye shall be broken broken broken vahettu vahettu vahettu ye shall be thrown downe thrown downe thrown downe or confounded confounded confounded i. certainely suddenly irrecoverably confounded and why so v. 20. for God is with us and if he be for us who can be against us The proud of the world look upon the people of God as a company of poor weak silly people whom they can trample on at pleasure It is true the people of God simply considered in themselves are the weakest society in the world they cannot shift for themselves as the world ◅an Hence they are compared to a Dove a Sheep a Vine a Widow c. but consider them in relation to their God and so they are the strongest society in the world excellent is that Jer. 50. 33 34. The people of God were oppressed by their enemies they held them fast and would not let them go but their Redeemer is strong who will plead their cause c. Wo then to England for the injuries which are done to real Saints and zealous Christians In other Nations and Religions the more zealous a man is the more he is prized but with us if a man be zealous for the In hoc scelus res devoluta est ut nisi quis malus fuerit salv◅es esse non possit Salvian l. 5. doctrine and discipline of Christ and cannot bear them that are evil c he is presently made a prey c. Let such know God will not take it at their hands he that reproved Kings and Potentates for wronging his people will not spare peasants and inferiour persons Psal. 105. 12 13 14. Fourthly It may inform us If our God be so holy and pure then his worship also must be pure What should a pure God do with an impure and mixt worship he will have no plowing with an Ox and an Asse he hates a Linsey-Wolsey Aut undique religionem tolle aut usquequaque conserva Cicero Phil. 2. Religion Deut. 22. 10 11. There is no serving him and Idols too Josh. 24. 19. He tels these Idolaters Ye cannot serve the Lord for he is an holy and a jealous God that can endure no corrivall in his worship He will De Deo nit sine Deo have all done there according to the pattern we must set up nothing in his worship without the warrant of his Word Matth. 28. 20. Whatsoever he commands not whatsoever men command must we observe to do Gods Courts are Courts of holinesse and therefore no uncleannesse must be set up there Isa. 62. 9. Away then with all Popish trash on the one hand and with all those new coined waies of Arminianism Socinianism Anabaptism c. on the other hand that one question will non plus them all Isa. 1. 12. Quis haec efflagitavit Who hath required these things at your hands Fifthly It informs us that the persons Cum Deus sit ipsa puritas in suis cultoribus summā animi puritatem Reverentiam attentionem requirit non enim summae puritati potest placere nisi quod purum est Lessius must be pure As the worship must be pure so must the worshippers The God of purity must have pure servants the fountain of holinesse will have none but holy followers It is a disgrace to an eminent holy man to have a bastard lay claim to him Psal. 50. 16. To the wicked saith God What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes When ever we come to worship this glorious God we must wash our hands in innocency Psal. 26. 6 and purge our families from sin as Jacob did his from Idols before he went to Bethel Gen. 35. 1 2 3. The people must be sanctified prepared before the Lord will deliver his holy Law unto them then and not tell then doth God speak Exod 19. 14 15. compared with 20. 1. He will not take a wicked man by the hand What communion hath light with darknesse Purity with impurity Vertue with vice beauty with deformity life with death or the chiefest good with the foulest evil There must be alwaies a purging of our hearts from sin before we draw nigh to God in praying hearing Sacraments c. else the Lord will abhorre both us and our duties and will answer us according to our Idols Ezek 14. 3 4. Under the Law if any man came to offer a sacrifice with his uncleannesse on him he must be cut off there must be washing and cleansing before he came so in all our approaches to God in duty there must be not only a habituall but also an actuall fitting and preparing of our selves for the work Therefore when James 4. 8. had commanded us to draw nigh to God he presently adds Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts Our hearts are not fit to See more Harsnet on Repent p. 193. c. serve the living God till they be purged from dead works Heb. 9. 14 God will not vouchsafe to reason with us nor to have any communion with us till we have first washt our selves and made us clean Isa. 1. 16 17 18. Then come let us reason together The Lord will be worshipped in the beauty of holinesse Sanctitati exosum est omne peccatum ut Deus sanctitatem summe amat ita
maerore afficieâ—…atur talis fuit perturbatio qualis est in morbis paroxâ—…smus Are 〈◊〉 tius Acts 17. 16. is troubled at the Idolatry of the Athenians and weeps Phil. 3. 18. to consider the sad condition both of the Seducers and the seduced 6. The two witnesses prophesie in * sackcloth mourning to see so many bewitched with Antichrists delusions Externo habitu vili et sord do sunt testaturi amaritudinem et dolorem aâ—…imi sui ob vastitatem ecclesiae et horribilem mundi coecitatem Paraeus Rev 11. 3. Such mourners are dear to God he hath a speciall respect unto them and care over them in times of common calamity Ezek. 9. 4. They mourn not for worldly losses but for the abominations of the Land not for punishment but for sin not for one or two sins but for All the abominations these must be marked for mercy in the midst of misery God hath an Ark for righteous Noah a Zoar for Lot a grave to hide mourning Iosiah from evil to come a Prison to hide mourning Jeremiah in when merry Jerusalem is taken and the Kings eyes put out Ier. 39. 6 7 11 12 c. And if ever this duty If we cannot mend the things that are amisse yet mourn Dalachrymulam Dulce decoâ—…um est pro patria flere Disputare malumus quam vivere Nimium altercaâ—…do amittitur pietas veritas See M. Ant. Burgesse Ser. 22. Ser. 51. were in season 't is now when sin like a flood hath overspread the Land and holiness is turned into hollowness and hypocrisie Piety is vanisht into Disputes we are now all for disputing pious living is out of date We have wrangled so long about niceties and vanities that verity and sanctity are almost banisht What Iob 28. 12 13. speaks of wisdom may be applied to sanctification where shall purity be found and where is the place of sanctity Our families say it is not in us our Towns and Cities say it is not in us our Counties Courts say we know it not It is fled to heaven and hath left the earth The holiness and integrity of men is invisible but their wickedness and impiety is visible Drunkenness swearing forswearing cursing lying whoredom adultery blasphemy heresie pride divisions censoriousness covetousness oppression atheism malice envy hypocrisie bribery extortion cruelty idolatry apostacy gluttony prophanation of Sabbaths and all holy things ignorance ingratitude murder incorrigibleness unrighteousness barrenness under the means of grace contempt of the Gospel contempt of holy Magistrates contempt of holy Ministers contempt of the power of godliness neutrality and lukewarmness superstition and will-worship besides a numberlesse number of Anabaptists Sicut in sentinam profundi maris colluviones omnium sordium sic in mores nostrorum quasi ex omni mundo vitia fluxerum Salvian Arminians Socinians Familists Separatists Arrians Antinomians Mortalists Enthusiasts Perfectists c. Our Land is become the very sink of all abominations a sign we are fallen into the last and worst times of which this is one character amongst those nineteen â—…ins of the last times men shall be unholy 2 Tim. 3. 1 2 3 4 5. Amongst us you may finde the Drunkness of the Dutch the lust of the French the Italians ambition the Spaniards treachery the Lap-landers witchcraft the coveteousnes of the Jew the cruelty of the Turke and the Monsters of Munster c. Of these unholy ones there are four sorts First Some are openly prophane they have neither good outside nor good inside they have neither good hearts Hi dicuntur Christiani ad contumeliaâ—… Christi Salv. nor good hands but are open swearers open drunkards open hereticks Gods holy Sabbaths they mispend his holy Name they blaspheme his holy word they scorn his holy Sacraments they defile his holy ones they persecute and revile they declare their sin like Sodom they hide it not Isa. 3. 9. wo unto them for they have rewarded evil to themselves God will one day bâ—… terror to all such prophane wretches who instead of confessing do professe their sin without either fear or shame These are directly opposite to the most holy God and he to them they abhorre him and he abhorrs them Zach. 11. 8. Mal Quam vis Deus propter immensitateÌ„ essentiâ—… non possâ—…recedere reipsa recedit tâ—…men tum â—…ffectu tum â—…ffectu quia odit tale â—…abitaculum Lessius 4. 1. God loaths such an habitation he will not dwell in such a swine-sty and brothel of uncleannesse he will not pour the oyl of grace into such fusty vessels nor his precious balsom into such nasty sinks the most holy God will have no communion with any but holy ones What Solomon saith of the froward is most true of all the wicked Prov. 3. 32. they are an abomination to the Lord not only abominable but abomination it self in the abstract therefore he cast the Angels from heaven Adam out of Paradise drowned the old world fired Sodom ruined Jerusalem A wicked mans heart is nidus diaboli a den for devils to dwell in the pure Spirit of God loves to dwel in a pure house Holinesse becomes his house for ever and therefore if we will have his Spirit for our guest we must keep our selves pure not only from the blots but also from the spots of the world James 1. 27. for if rotten and unsavoury speeches do grieve Gods Spirit Ephes. 4. 29. unholy actions will much more I would advise such to consider 1. That if such as professe Religion pray reade hear the Word observe the Sabbath c. may yet come short of heaven what will be their condition who do none of these things If the figtree that had leaves of profession were cursed what will become of those that have neither leaves nor fruit neither form nor power neither shew nor substance but are impure without and impute within If Herod who 1. Heard Iohn Baptist though he was a sharp reprover of sin 2. He heard him gladly 3. He reformed many things Mark 6. 20. but not all he abstained from some sins though he lived in others yet if he missed of heaven what thinkest thouwill thy end be who railest on such Ministers as sharply reprove sinne neither hearest them gladly nor reformest any thing How many of our people fall short of See how far a reprobate may go Perkins on Mat. 7. 21 p. 244. c. those that fall short of heaven that never confesse their sin with Pharaoh nor weep with Esau nor desire Gods Samuels to pray for them as Saul did nor M. Ant. Burgesse in his last Ser. p. 13. Ser. 3. Ser. 21. Ser. 90. be zealous as Iehu nor repent as Iudas nor tremble with Felix nor are almost perswaded with Agrippa not have good desires with Balaam nor humble themselves with Ahab c. and yet all these were reprobates and came short of heaven 2. Consider That this thy wickednesse makes thee like
35. p. 5. 10 20. Acts 26. 24. 1 King 18. 17. 2 Kings 9. 11. Amos 7 10. Iohn 19. 12. Acts 17 6 7. 24. 5. Ier. 18. 18. 37. 13 14 15. 38. 4. Thus they dealt with the Primitive Christians if any calamity fel on the land presently they cried Away wâ—…th the Christians to the Lions they are the cause of all this misery 2. These must know that it is not Religion but the want of it which breeds uproars and tumults in the nations It is not the godly but the ungodly the swearer the drunkard the Sabbath-prophaner the covetous Achan Idolatrous Ieroboam wicked Ahab unclean Zimri and Cozbi these these are they that trouble Israel that bring plagues calamities on a Land these are those Ps. 1. 1. Rashang homos inquietus turbulentu V. Leigh Crit. Reshagnaims those turbulent ones which disquiet the places where they come As for the godly they are of those that are peaceable in our Israel they are endued with the wisdom that is frome above which is first pure and then peaceable James 3. 17. They are peaceable in themselves and labour to make and preserve peace amongst others See Bur. Gracious Spi. p. 137 c They are the pillars of a Land the equites cataphracti the chariots and horsmen the strength and glory of a Land As Sampsons strength lay in his hair so the Governours of Judah shall one day say In the inhabitants of Ierusalem is our strength Zech. 12. 5. They are a blessing to families Cities and Nations God blessed the house of Pharaoh for Iosephs sake he spared Israel at the prayers of one Moses ten righteous persons had preserved Sodom Paul hath all the souls given him which were in the ship Acts 27. 24. yea one holy man may be a means to save a whole Iland fromdestruction Iob 22. ult It is ignorance and wickedness that makes people rude and rebellious but where Religion comes in the poweâ—… of it and men obey not for fear but for conscience sake no better subjects then those in the world none more faithful to their trust none pray more for their Superiors nor pay their just dues more freely fully to them these are those that wil venture their lives and estates for their honour when such as serve them for their own ends wil leave them and forsake them And though for the present the righteous may be condemned as traitors and the wicked exalted to the Throne yet in Gods due time he will clear the innocency of his servants as the light there shal be a resurrection of their Names as wel as of Bodies Then David shal appear to be innocent David and Saul a bloody man then shall we clearly discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that fearâ—…th the Lord and him that feareth him not Those that would see any more Cavils raised against sanctity by the world the flesh and the devil fully answered let them peruse two excellent Books which I shall commend to the serious study of â—…ll young Divines viz. Dyke oâ—… the 〈◊〉 of mans Heart and M. Downhaâ—…s warfar especially p. 287 c. and Mr. Timothy Rogers his good news from Heaven Since I finisht this Tract there came to my hands an excellent piece stiled Precious Remedies against Satans devices by M. Brooks where you have many more Cavils fully and learnedly answered As also those Elaborate and Soul-searching Sermons of M. Anthony Burgess Ser. 44. p. 270. CHAP. VIII I Am come now unto the Motives There is a great indisposition in ouâ—… natures to purity and therefore we had need of all incitements that possibly may be to quicken us to it 1. The first Motive is drawn from the necessity of it Holinesse is absolutely 1. Motive necessary to salvation a man may be saved without riches honour c. Buâ—… no man can be saved without holiness 2. It is necessary Necessitate praecepti it is no indifferent thing it is not actuâ—… elicitus sed imperatus it is no free and voluntary action of our own but a duty commanded and enjoyned by Goâ—… under severest penalties and thereforâ—… we are necessarily bound to the â—…ractice of it This is the will of God even our sanctification 1 Thess. 4. 3. It is his will Iacienda sunt nobis quaecunqâ—… Deus praecipit etsi non statim videamus quorsum â—…vasura sunt clausis tamen oculis debemus eum ducem sequi Roll. in Ioh. emphatically i. it is that which God doth more especially require of us and therefore it must be done intuitae voluntatis simply because he commands it we must not stand questioning Gods commands but obey them when once we understand what is that acceptable will of God we must presently do it This is motive sufficient to a gratious soul if there were no more as the Lord said to Ioshua 1. 9 Be strong of good courage hâ—…ve not I commanded thee q. d. This is ground sufficient to make thee couragious because I have commanded thee to be so so this is sufficient to make us fâ—…y sin study purity because our God commands that it should be so 2. Necessitate medii Holinesse is the way to happinesse it is via ad regnum the way to the Kingdom though not Vâ—…a caelo vâ—…a sanctitatis Isa. â—…5 8. the cause of reigning it 's necessary as a qualification though not as a meritorious cause of heaven No unclean thing Licet non siâ—… causa merito 〈◊〉 gloriae est tamen causa dispositiva qu â idoneiredd imur ad gloriam recipiendam Alsted can come there If the earth groan under prophane wretches and the Land be ready to spue them out Levit. 18. 28 〈◊〉 Iob thought the wicked unfit to sit with the dogs of his flock if God See Harsnet on Rep. p. 42. to 50. p. 308. c. abhorre their persons prayers and praises here can we think that he will receive such into his Kingdom and if the Virgins that stood before the Persian Monarchs must first be perfumed and prepared before they come into their presence Hest. 5. 1. surely then the Kings daughter must be gloriously arraied before she be brought into the presence of the King of Kings Psal. 45 13. 14. Such as wait on Princes must be arraied accordingly Mat. 11. 8. else they disparage their Master when they follow him with loathsome rags How oft hath the Lord told us that there is no enjoying the beatificall vision of his face in glory without this See D. Preston on the New Covenant Ser. 20. p 313. Deus Se ipâ—…um videndâ—… 〈◊〉 in verbo sâ—…o in â—…c vita et visioâ—…e gloriasâ iâ—… futura Rivet Psal. 24. 3. 4. Matth. 5. 8. Heb. 12. 14. without holinesse no man shal see God to his comfort Sinne draws a vail over our hearts and eyes so that we cannot see God in his word nor see him in his