vile what shall I answer thee I will lay my hand upon my mouth Once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no further So holy Agur Prov. 30.2 3. Surely I am more brutish then any man and have not * Binath Adam the understanding of Adam the understanding of a man I neither learned wisdom nor have the knowledge of the holy Though all men are brutish yet holy men are most sensible of their brutishness and most affected and afflicted with it wicked men are more brutish then the beasts Isa 1.3 4. yet they see it not they bewail it not but holy Agur both sees his brutishness and bewails it Holy Agur looking upon that rare knowledge that depth of wisdom and those admirable excellencies that Adam was endued with in his integrity and innocency confesses himself to be but brutish to be as much below what Adam once was as a bruit is below a man Psalm 51. So holy David cries not Perii I am undone I shall perish but peccavi I have sinned I have done foolishly And so for his being envious at the prosperity of the foolish Psalm 73.2 3. how doth he befool and be-beast himself Psalm 73.22 So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee The Hebrew word Behemoth Therefore the Elephant is called Behemoth in Job 40.15 that is here rendred beast generally comprehends all beasts of the greater sort As an aggravation of his folly he confesseth that he was as a beast as a great beast yea as an Epiâ—ome of all great beasts So the holy Prophet Isaiah complains that he was undone Isa 6.5 that he was cut off not upon any worldly account but because he was a man of unclean lips and dwelt in the midst of a people of unclean lips Dan. 9. So holy Daniel complained not that they were reproached and oppressed but that they had rebelled So Peter Luke 5.8 Depart from me for I am a sinful man O Lord Or as the Greek hath it I am a man a sinner O Lord depart from me for I am a mixture and compound of all vileness and sinfulness Rom. 7.23 24. So holy Paul cries not out of his opposers or persecutors but of the Law in his members rebelling against the Law of his mind Pauls body of death within him put him to more grief and sorrow then all the troubles and trialls that ever befell him An holy heart laments over those sins that he cannot conquer a holy person labours to wash out all the stains and spots that be in his soul in the streams of godly sorrow that his sins may never drown his soul Zach. 2.10 Isa 59.1 2. he will do what he can to drown his sins in penitential tears A holy person looks upon his sins as the crucifiers of his Saviour and so they affect him he looks upon his sins as the great incendaries make-bates and separatist between God and his soul and so they afflict him he looks upon his fins as so many reproaches to his God blemishes to his profession and wounds to his credit and conscience and so they grieve and trouble him he looks upon his sins as those that make many a righteous soul besides his own sad whom God would not have sadded and that opens many a sinful mouth that God would have stopped Ezek. 13.22 and that strengthens many a wicked heart that God would not have strengthened and so they fetch many a sigh from his heart and many a tear from his eyes When a holy man sins he looks upwards and there he sees God frowning he looks downwards and there he sees Satan insulting he looks within himself and there he finds his conscience either a bleeding raging or accusing he looks without himself and there he finds gracious men lamenting and mourning and graceless men deriding and mocking the sense of which doth sorely and sadly afflict a gracious soul Some say that Saint Peters eyes after his great falls were alwayes full of tears insomuch that his face was furrowed with continual weeping for his horrid thoughts his desperate words his shameful shifts and his damnable deeds which made him look more like a child of hell then like a Saint whose name was written in heaven Some say of Adam that when he turned his face towards the Garden of Eden he sadly lamented his great fall Some say of Mary Magdalen that she spent thirty years in Galba in weeping for her sins Davids sins were ever before him and therefore no wonder if Tears instead of Gemms were so constantly the ornaments of his bed Wicked Pharaoh cryes out Psal 115.3 Oh take away these filthy frogs take away these dreadful judgments but holy David cryes out O Lord take away the iniquity of thy servant Pharaoh cryes out because of his punishments but David cryes out because of his sin Anselm saith that with grief he considered the whole course of his life I found saith he the infancy of sin in the sins of my infancy the youth and growth of sin in the sins of my youth and growth and the ripeness of all sin in the sins of my ripe and perfect age and then he breaks forth into this patheticall expression What remaineth for thee wretched man but that thou spend thy whole life in bewailing thy whole life By all which it is most evident that holy hearts are very much affected and afflicted with their own unholiness and vileness Now certainly those persons are as far off from real holiness as hell is from heaven who take pleasure in unrighteousness who make a scoff and mock of sin who commit wickedness with greediness who talk wickedly who live wantonly who trade deceitfully who swear horribly who drink stifly who lye hideously and who die impenitently But Seventhly Real holiness naturalizes holy duties to the soul it makes religious services to be easie and pleasant to the soul 1 Pet. 1 2. Jam. 5.15 Hence prayer is called the prayer of faith because holy faith naturalizeth a mans heart to prayer it is as natural for a holy man to pray as it is for him to breath or as it is for a bird to fly or fire to ascend or a stone to descend Rom. 16.26 Psalm 119.166 And hence it is that obedience is called the obedience of faith because holy faith naturalizes a mans heart to obedience As soon as ever this plant of renown was set in the heart of Paul he cryes out Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 9.6 Gal. 3.2 And hence it is that hearing is called the hearing of faith because this holy principle naturalizes a mans heart to hearing Psalm 122.1 2. I was glad when they said unto me Let us go into the house of the Lord. And so in Isa 2.3 And many people shall go and say Come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of
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
do Justice resolutely couragiously valiantly As soon as Joshua came into the office of Magistracy God charges him no lesse then three times in a breath as it were to be very couragious in Joshua 1.6 7 9. A Judge that is timerous will quickly be treacherous A Judge that is fearfull can never be faithful Solomons Throne was supported with Lyons to shew that Magistrates should be men of courage and mettal The Athenian Judges sate in Mars street Acts 17.22 Job 31 31 34. to shew that they had Martial hearts and that they were men of courage and mettal Job was a Judge of rare courage and magnanimity nothing could fear him nothing could daunt him nothing could terrifie him nothing could discourage him from doing Justice and Judgement The Graecians placed Justice betwixt Leo and Libra to signifie that as there must be indifferency in determining so there ought to be courage in executing Where there is courage without knowledge there the eye of Justice is blind and where there is knowledge without courage there the sword of Justice is blunt Judges and Justices should be men of courage for God and godlinesse Why should not the standard be of steel and the chief posts in the house be heart of Oak I have read of Agesilaus how that he was by all concluded fit to be made their King but that he halted Men of the best choicest accomplishments if they are not couragious and magnanimous but lame and halting they are no wayes fit for Magistrates Judges and Justices should have Martial Spirits high Spirits for Justice and Righteousnesse Every Judge every Justice should have a Lyons heart an Eagles eye and a Gyants arm Such men whose hearts are faint whose heads are dull whose ears are heavy whose eyes are dim whose hands are weak and whose feet are lame are more fit to sit in a Chimney corner then to sit Judges and Justices upon the Bench. It hath been long since said of Cato Fabritius and Aristides that it was as easie to remove the Sun out of the Firmament as to remove them from Justice and Equity they were men of such couragious and magnanimous Spirits for Justice and Righteousnesse No scarlet Robe doth so well become a Judge as holy courage and stoutnesse doth I have read of Lewis the eleventh King of France who going about to establish some unjust Edicts which when some of his chief Courtiers perceived they went altogether to him in Red-Gowns the King asked them what they would have the President La Vacqueri answered We are come with a full purpose to lose our lives every one of us rather then by our connivency any unjust Ordinance should take place The King being amazed at this Answer and at the courage constancy and resolution of those Peers gave them gracious entertainment and commanded that all the former Edicts should be forthwith cancelled in his presence Courage and resolution may prevent many a Publick mischief and misery But Sixthly As you are to do Justice resolutely couragiously so you are to do Justice and Judgement exactly Exod. 23.6 7.13 The Egyptians had a notable practise when their Judges were set they caused the Image of a divine Numen by them called truth to be hung about his neck who sate next unto the Judges to make them the more exact and heedfull in Iudgement 2 Chro. 19.5 6 7. And he set Judges in the Land throughout all the fenced Cities of Judah City by City And said to the Judges Take heed what you do for ye judge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in the Judgement Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you Take heed and do it for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God nor respect of person nor taking of gifts God is exact in all his wayes and he is exact in all his works he is exact in all his promises he is exact in all his threatnings he is exact in all his Rewards and he is exact in all his punishments he is exact in the exercise of his mercy and he is exact in the exercise of his Justice And therefore you that are called Gods should in this be like God O Sirs some by force others by flattery some by large presents to your relations and others by promising great rewards to your selves may indeavour to corrupt you and blind you and induce you to judge rashly inconsiderately irregularly c. And therefore you have the more cause to be exact in transacting all your judicial affairs O remember that the most sharp piercing eye of God is still upon you O remember that the severe eye of Jesus Christ who is the Judge of Judges is never off of you And the Angels those Princes of glory are very strict Observers of you When the Ethiopian Judges were set in their seats of Judicature certain empty chairs were placed about them into which they conjectured the holy Angels came and were spectators of all their transactions and this they thought would work such an awe such a dread such a care such a fear and such a resolution in them that they could not but manage all their Judicial proceedings with much exactnesse and heedfulnesse And as the Angels have their eyes upon you so Satan hath alwayes his eyes upon you Cave spectat Cato was a watch-word among the Romans O how much more should Cave spectat Dominus be a watch-word amongst you he hath alwayes a watchfull eye an envious eye a malitious eye a crafty eye and a revengfull eye upon you witnesse his disswading you sometimes from your duty and witnesse his distracting and disturbing of you whilest you are in your duty and witnesse his accusing of you for the neglect of your duty and witnesse his endeavours to pride you and puffe you up upon the discharge of your duty And as the eye of Satan is upon you so the eyes of good men are upon you and the eyes of bad men are upon you And if all this doth not bespeak you to be very exact and accurate in all your Judicial transactions I know nothing My Lords and Gentlemen if all this will not do then remember that the lives liberties consciences rights priviledges estates and interests of persons next to God and Christ and Grace are the most choice and precious the most desireable and delectable Jewels that men have in all the world and therefore you had need be very exact and accurate in all your Judicial transactions Yea once more remember that God will one day bring you to an exact account concerning all your Judicial proceedings That same mouth that tells you that you are Gods Psalm 82.6 Heb. 9.27 tells you also that you must die like men And after death comes Judgement You that now call others to Judgement shall shortly be called to Judgement your selves Acts 17.32 you that now sit in Judgement upon others shall ere long be Judged by him that will
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
Angels He that will sell souls dog-cheap that will slay the souls that should not die Ezekiel 3.19 and save the souls alive that should not live for handfulls of barley and pieces of bread will make no bones of making merchandise of souls for silver and gold Rev. 8.12 13. Zech. 13.14 He that will sell his Saviour once for thirty pieces of silver will sell him as often as you please for a greater summ He that makes no conscience of betraying Christ into the hands of sinners for thirty shillings Mat. 7 4 5 6. will make no conscience of betraying his own soul into the hands of the devil at the price of a halter He that dares lye to save a little of his estate what will not he do to save his life Acts 1.11 These things a holy heart well understands and the serious remembrance of them stirs up in him a holy indignation against the least transgression But Fifthly and lastly take many things in one A holy heart knows that the least sin cost Christ his dearest blood without shedding of blood there was no remission no remission of great sins Hebrews 9.22 nor no remission of little sins He knows that the blood of Christ is as requisite to cleanse the soul from the least sin as it is to cleanse it from the greatest 1 John 1.7 And the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all our sins It is not the casting of a little holy water upon us it is not the Papists Purgatories About little sins you may see more in my Precious Remedies against Satans Devices pag. 22.34 nor their whippings nor St. Francis his kissing or licking of our sores nor a Bishops blessing nor a few knocks on the breast nor a few tears dropping from our eyes that can cleanse us from the least sin No it is only the blood of Christ that cleanseth us from all our sins there is not the least spot in a Christians heart that can be washt out but in the blood of the Lamb. When Satan appeared and presented to a dying man in a long Parchment Role his Idle words his false words his angry words his wanton words and his more wicked words and deeds The dying man answered All this is true Satan but yet there is one thing more for thee to set down under all my sins and that is this The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all our sins Whereupon the devil vanished as being vanquished Certainly there is not a vain thought nor an Idle word nor an angry word not a wanton word that can be pardoned or cleansed but by the blood of Jesus Christ The remembrance of which cannot but stir up a holy indignation in a gracious soul against the least corruption When Julius Caesar the Emperour was murdered Antonius brought forth his bloody Coat and shewed it to the people which stirred up in them such an indignation against the murderers that they cryed out Slay the murderers and went and burnt their houses and all that was in them So when a holy heart looks upon his sins yea his little sins as those that have murdered the Prince of glory ah what an indignation doth it raise in the soul against them A holy heart knows that there is not the least sin but doth in a measure estrange the soul from God as little clouds do somewhat interpose between the Sun and us so little sins do somewhat interpose between God and our souls and as sometimes a little matter a mistake or lending an ear or a word out of joint or an act of forgetfulness doth occasion some distance between dearest friends so sometimes little sins do occasion some distance between our dearest God and our souls Acts 15.36 ult Prov. 16.28 Chap 17.9 A holy heart knows that Christ looks upon those sins as great which the blind world accounts but little Christ accounts hatred murder 1 John 3.15 A wanton eye adultery Matth. 5.28 And he reckons the officious lie and the merry lie amongst the most monstrous sins and condemns it to the lowest hell Rev. 21.8 The consideration of all which raises no small indignation in a holy heart against the least the smallest sin But now unholy hearts make nothing of little sins with Achan they will be bondslaves for a wedge of gold with Gehazi they will be servants of unrighteousness for a talent of silver 2 Kings 5.22 23. and two changes of garments with Adam they will transgress for n Apple and with Esau they will sell their birth-right of grace here and of glory hereafter for a mess of Pottage The hearts of unholy persons may rise against gross sins such as are not only against the Law of God but against the light and laws of nature and Nations their souls may rise in arms against those sins that makes them liable to the laws of men or that layes them open to shame fear grief or losse But as for vain thoughts idle words petty oaths sinfull motions and frequent omissions they look upon these as trifles motes and gnats that are not to be regarded or bewailed But Thirdly As a holy heart rises against the least sins So a holy heart rises against bosome sins against constitution sins against those that either his calling former custom or his present inclination or condition do most dispose him to It is true a prodigal person may abhorr covetetousness and a covetous person may condemn prodigality A furious person may hate fearfulness and a fearfull person may detest furiousness But now the hearts of those that are holy rise against complexion sins against darling sins against those that make for present pleasure and profit against those that were once as right hands and right eyes that were that to their souls that Dalilah was to Sampson Herodias to Herod Isaac to Abraham and Joseph to Jacob Psalm 18.23 I was also upright before him and I kept my self from mine iniquity That is from my darling sin whereunto I was most inclined and addicted What this bosome sin was that he kept himself from Psal 119.29 is hard to say Some suppose his darling sin was lying dissembling for it is certain he often fell into this sin Others suppose it to be some secret iniquity which was only known to God and his own conscience Others say it was uncleanness and that therefore he prayed that God would turn away his eyes from beholding vanity Psalm 119.37 Others judge it to be that sin of disloyalty which Saul and his Courtiers falsly charged upon him It is enough for our purpose that his heart did rise against that very sin Jer. 44.15.20 Isa 1.29 ch 57.5 Ier. 17.1 2. Hosea 2.8 Isa 31.6 7. that either by custom or some strong inclination he was most naturally apt ready and prone to fall into Idolatry was the darling sin of the people of Israel they called their Idols delectable or desireable things Isa 44.9 they did
dearly affectand delight in their Idols but when God should come to put a spirit of holinesse upon them then their hearts should rise in hatred and detestation of their Idols as you may see in Isa 30.18.25 mark ver 22. Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven Images of Silver and the ornament of thy molten Images of gold thou shalt cast them away as a menstrous cloth thou shalt say unto it Get thee hence They were so delighted and enamoured with their Idols that they would deck then up in the greatest glory and bravery they would attire them with the most rich costly After the return of the Jews out of Babylon they so hated abhorred Idols that in the time of the Romans they chose rather to die then to suffer the Eagle which was the Imperial Arms to be set up in their Temple pompous and glorious rayment O but when a spirit of holinesse should rise upon them then they should defile deface and disgrace their Idols then they should so hate and abhor them they should so detest and loath them that in a holy indignation they should cast them away as a menstrous cloth and say unto them get ye hence pack be gon I will never have any more to do with you God hath now made an everlasting divorce between you and me And so in Isa 2.20 In that day that is in the day of the Lords exaltation in the hearts lives and consciences of his people ver 17. a man shall cast his Idols of silver and his Idols of gold which they made each one for himself to worship to the moles and to the Bats In the day of Gods exaltation they shall expresse such disdain and indignation against their Idols that they shall take not only those made of trees and stones but even their most pretious and costly Idols those that were made of silver and gold and cast them to the moles and to the bats that is they shall cast them into such blind holes and into such dark filthy nasty and dusty corners as moles make under ground and as Bats roust in So when holinesse comes to be exalted in the soul then all a mans darling and bosom sins which are his Idols of silver and his Idols of gold these are with a holy indignation cast to the moles and to the bats they are so loathed abandoned and casheered that he desires they may be for ever buried in oblivion and never see the light more Idols were Ephraims bosom sin Hos 4.17 Ephraim is joyned or glewed to Idols let him alone but when the dew of grace and holinesse fell upon Ephraim as it did in Chap. 14.5 6 7. Then saith Ephraim what have I any more to do with idols v. 8. Now Ephraim loaths his Idols as much or more then before he loved them he now abandons and abominates them though before he was as closely glewed to them as the wanton is glewed to his Dalelah or as the Enchanter is glewed to the Devil from whom by no means he is able to stir Ephraim becoming holy cryes out What have I any more to do with Idols O I have had to do with them too long and too much already O how doth my soul new rise against them how do I detest and abhor them surely I will never have more to do with them But now unholy hearts are very favourable to bosome sins they say of them as Lot of Zoar Gen. 19.20 Is it not a little one and my soul shall live And as David spake of Absalom 2 Sam. 18.5 Deal gently for my sake with the young man even with Absalom Beware that none touch the young man Absalom ver 12. And the King said Mark Acts 19.24.30 Is the young man Absalom safe ver 29. An unholy heart is as fond of his bosom sins as Herod was of his Herodias or a Demetrius was of his Diana or as Naaman was of the Idol Rimmon 2 Kings 5.18 which was the Idol of the Syrians or as Judas was of bearing the bagg or as the Pharisees were of having the uppermost seats and of being saluted in the market place with those glorious titles Rabbi Rabbi Matthew 6. Bosom sins have at least a seeming sweetnesse in them and therefore an unholy heart will not easily let them go Let God frown or smile stroke or strike lift up or cast down promise or threaten yet he will hide and hold fast his darling sins Job 20.12 13. let God wound his conscience blow upon his estate leave a blot upon his name crack his credit afflict his body write death upon his relations and be a terror to his soul yet will he not let go his bosom lusts he will rather let God go and Christ go and grace go and heaven go all go then he will let some pleasurable or profitable lusts go An unholy heart may sigh over those sins and make war upon those sins that war against his honours profits or pleasures and yet at the same time make truce with those that are as right hands and right eyes an unholy person may set his sword at the breasts of some sins and yet at the same time his heart may be secretly courting of his bosom sins But now an holy heart rises most against the Dalilah in his bosom against the Benjamin the son the sin of his right hand And thus you see how an holy heart hates and disdains all sins he abhors small sins as well as great secret sins as well as open and bosom sins as well as others that have not that acquaintance and acceptance with the soul Real holiness will never mix nor mingle it self with any sin it will never incorporate with any corruption Wine and water will easily mix so the wine of gifts and the water of sin the wine of civility and the water of vanity the wine of morality and the water of impiety will easily mix but oyl and water will not mix they will not incorporate so the oyl of grace the oyl of holiness will not mix it will not incorporate with sin the oyl of holiness will be uppermost Mark natural and acquired habits and excellencies as a pregnant wit an eloquent tongue a strong brain an iron memory a learned head all these with some high speculations of holiness and some profession of holiness and some commendations of holiness and some visible actings of holiness are consistent with the love of lusts with the dominion of sin witness the Scribes and Pharisees Judas Demas and Simon Magus but the real infused habits of true grace and holiness will never admit of the dominion of any sin whether great or little whether secret or open But Sixthly Persons of real holiness are cordially affected and afflicted Ezek. 36.25 26 31. grieved and troubled about their own vileness and unholiness you may see this in holy Job chap. 40. 3 4 5. Then Job answered the Lord and said Behold I am
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
work to his praying work to his mourning work to his repenting work to his believing work to his waiting work though nothing comes on it though he make no earnings of it though comfort doth not come though joy and peace doth not come though assurance doth not come though enlargements do not come though answers and returns from heaven do not come though good dayes do not come though deliverance doth not come yet such will keep close to their work that have their eye upon divine glory But now such who eye not the glory of God in what they do they quickly grow weary of their work if they can make no earnings of their seekings and fastings and prayings they are presently ready to throw up all and to quarrel with God himself as if God had done them an injurie Isa 58.1 2 3 4. Fifthly and lastly A man that really aims at the glory of God in this or that duty he cannot be satisfied nor contented with the performance of duties without some enjoyments of God in duties without some converse and communion with God in duties his soul cannot be satisfied his soul thirsts and longs to see the beauty and the glory of the Lord in his sanctuary Psalm 63.1 2 3. and without this sight he cannot be quieted Here is the Ordinance but where is the God of the Ordinance Here is prayer but where is the God of prayer Here is the duty but where is the God of duty Here is enlargements but where is the God of enlargements Here are meltings and breakings of spirit but where is the God of these meltings and breakings Psalm 84.2 My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord My heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God The Courts of the Lord without spiritual converses with the living God could not satisfie his soul O saith he Here be the Courts of the Lord the Courts of the Lord but where is the living God where is the living God where is that God that makes men to live and that makes Ordinances to be living lively Ordinances to his childrens souls O the Courts of the Lord are very desireable but the living God is much more desirable The Courts of the Lord are precious and glorious but the living God is infinitely more precious and glorious Here is the mantle of Elijah but where is the God of Elijah 2 Kings 2.12 13 14. Mr. Fox Acts and Mon. Here are the Courts of the Lord but where is the Lord of these Courts It was the speech of holy Mr. Bradford That he could not leave a duty till he had found communion with Christ in the duty he could not give off a duty till his heart was brought into a duty frame he could not leave confession till he had found his heart humbled and melted under the sense of his sin he could not give over petitioning till he had found his heart taken with the beauties of the things desired and strongly carried out after the enjoyment of them Neither could he leave thanksgiving till he had found his spirit enlarged and his soul quickned in the return of praises And so it was with holy Bernard who was wont to say O Lord I never come to thee but by thee Nunquam abs te absque te recedo Bern. Mâ—ditat I never go from thee without thee A man that hath his eye upon the glory of Christ he cannot put off his soul with any thing below communion with Christ in those Religious services and duties that he offers up to Christ Though the breasts of duty are sweet yet those breasts will not satisfie the soul except Christ lies betwixt them Can. 1.13 But now men that have base poor low and by-ends in what they do they can come off easily from their duties though they find no spirit no life no warmth in duty yet they can come off with content from duty though they have no communion no converse at all with God in duty though they have no pledges of grace no pawns of mercy no tastes of love no relishes of heaven in a duty yet they can come off from the duty with content and satisfaction of spirit let but others applaud him and his own heart hug him and he hath enough Psalm 45.1 2. Zeph. 3.9 Can. 4.3 Compare these Scriptures together Prov. 11 30. chap. 1â— 18 chap. 25.11 Mat 7.6 chaâ— 12.35 Col. 4.6 Eph. 4.29 Acts 26.25 John 6.25 1 Pet. 4 11. In the sixteenth and last place A man that is really holy speaks a holy language a holy heart and a holy tongue are inseparable companions if there be grace in the heart there will be grace in the lips if the heart be pure the language will be pure Christ saies his Spouses lips are like a thred of scarlet they are red with talking of nothing but a crucified Christ and they are thin like a thred not swelled with other vain discourses And ver 10. he tells you That the lips of his Spouse drop as the honey-combs or drop honey-combs and that honey and milk are under her tongue You know that Canaan was a land that flowed with milk and honey why the language of the Spouse was the language of Canaan her lips were still dropping such holy spiritual and heavenly matter as was as sweet pleasant profitable desireable and delectable to mens souls as ever honey and millk was to mens palates or appetites and as many were fed and nourished by milk and honey so many were fed and nourished by the holy droppings of her lips Psalm 37.30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom and his tongue talketh of judgement If the heart be holy the tongue will be a talking wisely fruitfully feelingly affectionately of that which may profit both a mans self and others Prov. 10.20 The tongue of the just is as choice silver Quod hominis dignitas excellentia nulla alia re magis cognoscitur quam oratione Pet. Martyr 2. pag. 4. Qui in Christum credunt loquuntur novis the heart of the wicked is little worth Good mens words are of more worth then wicked mens hearts and look as choice silver is known by its tinkling so holy men are known by their talking And as choice silver giveth a clear and sweet sound so the tongue of the just soundeth sweetly and pleasantly in the ears of others Look as choice silver is highly prized and valued among men so is the tongue of the righteous among those that are righteous And look as choice silver allures and draws the hearts of men to a love and liking of it so the tongues of the righteous do allure and draw the hearts of men to a love and liking of vertue and goodness Ver. 21. The lips of the righteous feed many They feed many by their exhortations instructions admonitions and counsels The mouthes of the righteous are like the gates of some hospitable persons where many are fed The
the way of righteousnesse is chaiim lives so the Hebrew hath it in the way of righteousnesse there are many lives in that way there is spiritual life and eternal life and natural life and all the comforts and sweets and blessings and happinesse of that life without which mans life would be but a lingering a languishing death yea a hell rather then a heaven unto him And in the path thereof there is no death There is no spiritual death there is no eternal death yea there is no corporal no temporal death to hurt or harm the them Death is not mors hominis but mors peccati not the death of the man but the death of his sin Phil. 1.23 2 Cor. 5.12.4.7 8. Death is a Christians Quietus est it is his discharge from all trouble and misery to sting or terrifie them to dammage or disadvantage them for death is an out-let and an in-let to a holy man it is an out-let to sin to sorrow to shame to suffering to afflictions to temptations to desertions to oppressions to confusions and to vexations and it is an in-let to a more clear full and constant fruition of God and Christ and an in-let to the sweetest pleasures the purest joys the highest delights the strongest comforts and the most satisfying contentments Death is the funeral of all a holy mans sins and miseries and it is the resurrection of all his joyes and the perfection of all his graces and spirituall excellencies Death to a holy man is nothing but the changing of his grace into glory his faith into vision his hope into fruition and his love into perfect comprehension The Persians had a certain day in the year in which they used to kill all Serpents and venemous creatures such a day as that will the day of death be to a holy man Peccatum erat obstetrix mortis mors sepulchrum peccati Sin was the Midwife that brought death into the world and death shall be the bearers that shall carry sin out of the world When Sampson died the Philistines died together with him so when a holy man dies his sins die with him Death came in by sin and sin goeth out by death As the worm kills the worm that bred it so death kills sin that bred it Vltimus morborum medicus mors Acts Mon. fol. 1733. Death cures all diseases the aking head and the unbelieving heart the diseased body and the defiled soul At Stratford Bow were burned in Queen Maries dayes a lame man and a blind man after the lame man was chained casting away his crutch he bade the blind man be of good comfort for saith he Death will cure us both it will cure thee of thy blindnesse and me of my lamenesse Death will cure the holy man of all natural and spiritual distempers Death is the holy mans Jubilee it is his greatest advantage it puts him into a better estate then ever he had before It is Gods Gentleman Usher to conduct us to heaven it will blow the bud of grace into the flower of glory O! Death is but an entrance into life Miseri infideles mortem appellant fideles vero quid nÃsi pascham Bernard Miserable â—nbelievers call it death but to faithfull believers what is it but a Passeover but a Jubilee who would not go through hell to heaven who would not go through a temporary death to an eternal life who would not willingly march through mortality to immortality and glory O Sirs holinesse will make you look upon death as a welcome guest a happy friend a joyfull messenger it will make you kisse it and embrace it as Favinus the Italian Martyr kissed and embraced his executioner it will make you desire it long after it with tears as holy Bradford did By all this you see that holiness will deliver you from death in death and therefore I shall close up this head as that wise witty man Sr. Francis Bakon closed up a paper of verses What then remains but that we still should cry Not to be born or being born to die Fifthly and lastly by holinesse you shall gain the greatest boldnesse in the day of judgement Job 19.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies boldness of face a lifting up of the face countenance in the sight or face of many beholders It signifies a freedom and liberty of speech nothing will imbolden a man in that great day like holinesse holinesse will then make the face to shine indeed 1 John 4.17 Herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldnesse in the day of judgement because as he is so are we in this world That which will make Christs last appearance delightfull to Christians will be their likenesse to Christ in holinesse in nature and grace likenesse begets the greatest boldnesse As there is no child so bold with the Father as he that is most like the Father so there is no Christian so bold with Christ as he that is most like to Christ A holy Christ is most famiiar with a holy Christian and a holy Christian is most bold with a holy Christ The more a Christian is like to Christ in holinesse of heart and life in holinesse of affecti-and conversation the more divinely bold and familiar will that man be with Christ both in this world and in the great day of account when he that was a brat of Satans is made a Saint when he that was like hell is made like heaven when he that was most ugly and uncomely is made like him that is the holy of holies this is that which gives boldnesse both here and hereafter O Sirs it is not wit nor wealth but holinesse it is not race nor place but holinesse it is not power nor policy but holinesse it is not honour nor riches but holinesse it is not natural excellencies nor acquired abilities but holinesse that will give boldnesse in the day of Christs appearing 1 Pet. 1.5 6 7. A well-tried faith which is but a branch of holinesse shall be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ At the coming of Christ holiness shall be a mans praise and honour Rev. 6.15 16 17. and glory In that great day when shame and everlasting contempt shall be poured forth upon the great Monarchs of the world who have made the earth to tremble when the Kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chief Captains and the mighty men c. shall cry out to the mountains and rocks to fall upon them and to hide them from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb then I say then shall the righteous shine as the Sun in the firmament Dan. 12.1 2 3. Prov. 28.1 In life and death and in the day of account a righteous man will be as bold as a Lion Real holinesse will make a man death proof and hell proof and
and to be shut out from the presence of the Lord 2 Thes 1.7 11. and from the glory of his power If it were such an unspeakable grief and misery to the Primitive Christians as indeed it was to be debarred of one anothers society and company by being confined to Isles and Mines and strong holds O then what an unspeakable grief and misery will it be to all unholy persons to be for ever debarred of the blessed society of God Christ Angels and Saints and to be everlastingly confined to the strong holds of hell and to the society and company of that damned crew who will be still a cursing and a blaspheming of God and adding to one anothers torments O Sirs it is the sight of God in heaven wherein mans happiness and blessedness doth consist it is the fruition of God in heaven that is the life the honour the crown and glory of Angels and Saints Heaven it self would be but a low thing yea it would be but magnum nihil a great nothing without the sight and fruition of God there Now without holinesse there is no seeing of God there is no possessing or enjoying of God there is no possibility of ever obtaining a part or portion in God Ah friends without holiness all is lost thy soul is lost thy Christ is lost thy God is lost thy Crown is lost thy Heaven is lost thy glory is lost and what are all other losses to these losses Demorrathus of Corinth saith they lost the chiefest part of their lives happiness that did not see Alexander sit on the throne of Darius but what was their loss to that unconceivable and unexpressible loss that all unholy persons must sustain who shall never see the King of Kings in his beauty who shall never behold the Lord on the throne of his glory Well Sirs if none of these Arguments can prevail with you to labour after holiness I must conclude that divine Justice hath hardened you and that Satan hath blinded you and that your lusts have besotted you and that this world hath bewitched you and that it had been ten thousand thousand times better for you that you had never been born then to live without holiness and to die without holinesse and to be everlastingly damned for want of holinesse And thus much for the Motives I come now to lay down some means and helps to holiness Supposing that the language of some of your souls may be this O what shall we do to be holy O what course what way what means must we use that we may obtain this holiness without which we now clearly see that we shall never come to a fruition of happiness Methinks I hear some of you crying out Oh none but holiness none but holiness As that Martyr once cryed out Oh none but Christ none but Christ Methinks I hear you crying out O give me holiness or I die As Sampson once cryed out Give me water or I die Or as Rachel once cryed out Give me children or I die So you cry out O give us holiness or we die give us holiness or we eternally die O what shall we do to be holy we see we are undone without holiness we shall be damned without holiness O! that we were but made holy that hereafter we may be assuredly happy Well then if you are in good earnest resolved to be holy I would thus advise and counsel you First take heed of some things Secondly Labour to put in practise other things The things that you are to avoid and shun even as you would shun poyson in your meat or a Serpent in your way yea as you would shun the Devil himself or hell it self are these First Take heed of mistaking some particular Scriptures as that of Ezek. 14.6 Chap. 18.30 31 32. and Chap. 33 11 14 16 19. from these and such like Scriptures many unholy hearts are apt to conclude that they can repent when they please and that though they do defer their repentance yet it is no such difficult thing to confess their sins at last cast and to be sorry for their sins at last cast and to forsake their sins at last cast and to beg the pardon of their sins at last cast And that if they do so God hath given his Word for it he hath given it under his own hand that he will pardon their sins and save their souls Now to prevent these soul-undoing mistakes thou must know O sinner First that thou canst as well wash a Blackamore white at pleasure as thou canst repent at pleasure thou canst as well raise the dead at pleasure Jer. 13.23 chap. 31.18 Lam. 5.21 Acts 5.31 Eph. 1.17 18 19. 2 Tim. 2.25 Acts 11.18 as thou canst repent at pleasure thou canst as well make a world at pleasure as thou canst repent at pleasure thou canst as well stop the course of the Sun at pleasure as thou canst repent at pleasure thou canst as well put the Sea in a Cockle-shell at pleasure and measure the earth with a span at pleasure as thou canst repent at pleasure witness the proofs in the margin I confess that if to repent were to hang down the head like a Bull-rush for a day or to whine with Saul for an hour or to put on sackcloath and walk softly with Ahab for a short space or to confess with Judas I have sinned or to say with Simon Magus Pray to the Lord for me or to tremble with Felix for a moment I say if this were to repent doubtless you might repent at pleasure but alas friends to repent is another thing to repent is the hardest and difficultest work in the world and that will appear in the next particular And therefore Secondly To repent is to turn a flint into flesh it is to turn darkness into light hell into heaven and is this easie Ezek. 36.25 26. Acts 26.18 Ezek. 16.61 62 63. To repent is to make all clean in-side clean and out-side clean it is to make a clean head and a clean heart a clean lip and a clean life and is this easie True repentance includes a true sense of sin a deep sorrow for sin a hearty loathing of sin and a holy shame and blushing for sin chap. 29.43 and is this easie To repent is for a man to loath himself as well as his sin and is this easie for man that is so great a self-lover 2 Corin. 7.10 11. and so great a self-exalter and so great a self-admirer to become a self-loather To repent is to cross sinful self it is to walk contrary to sinful self yea it is to revenge a mans self upon himself and is this easie To repent is to pluck out right eyes and to cut off right hands and offer up only Isaacs and is this easie True repentance is a daily turning of the soul further and further from sin and a daily turning of the soul nearer and nearer to God It is a repentance not to
shall learn righteousness that is they shall learn to fear thee upon the account of thy righteous judgement suitable to that Job 37.23 24. Touching the Almighty we cannot finde him out he is excellent in power and in judgement and in plenty of justice Men do therefore fear him he respecteth not any that are wise of heart and to that Rev. 15.4 Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy name for thou onely art holy for all nations shall come and worship before thee for thy judgements are made manifest The judgements of God upon Antichrist shall so awaken alarm and affect the nations that they shall cast off all false ways of worship and worship the Lord in a more pure spiritual high and noble way then ever yet they have done God is a free Agent and he can make sinners Saints as well by judgements as by mercies Waldus from whom the Waldenses had their name when many were met together to be merry seeing one among them suddenly fall down dead it struck so to his heart that he went home a penitent and proved a very precious holy man Rabbi Salomon on Prov. 9.25 Pharaoh was not a pin the better for all the plagues that came upon him but Jethro taking notice of Gods heavy judgements upon Pharaoh and likewise upon the Amalekites was thereby converted and became a Proselyte as some observe O sirs who can tell but that a fixed eye upon the remarkable judgements of God that has been inflicted upon notorious sinners may be a means to change you and turn you to the Lord forget not the plagues that came upon bloody Pharaoh Remember how crafty Achitophel and proud Haman and covetous Judas came all to the halter forget not how the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up Corah and his companions forget not the Angel that drew upon Balaam nor Samuels sword that cut Agag in pieces nor the Royal Oake on which Absalom was hanged nor the Javlin by which Phinehas in his zeal for God thrust through Zimri and Cozbi remember how Ananias and Saphira were struck dead with a lye in their mouthes remember how God rained hell out of heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah remember how suddenly how unexpectedly and how inevitably the flood came upon the old world and remember how the Angels that kept not their first station of holiness See the Theatre of Gods Judgments by Dr. Beard and Dr. Taylor and see Mr. Clarks Looking-glass both for Saints and sinners are now in chains under everlasting darkness O who can seriously dwell upon the severe judgements of God upon these persons and not resolve upon breaking off his sins and pursuing after that holiness without which there is no happiness O! remember that God is as holy a God as ever and as just a God as ever and as jealous of his glory as ever and therefore turn from the evil of your doings that your souls may live O! that the dreadful judgements of God that has been executed upon others might so alarm all unholy hearts that they may with all their might cast off the works of darkness and put on the Armor of light that so they may be children of the light and their souls may live for ever And thus much for the means whereby men may reach to that holiness without which there is no happiness I come now in the third place to answer those objections which usually are made against mens pursuing after holiness As Object First We have no power to make our selves holy we are as well able to make a world to command the winds and to raise the dead as we are able to cleanse our own hearts or change our own natures or sanctifie our own souls and therefore to what purpose should we be so strongly prest to do that which we have no power to do Now to this objection I shall give these following answers First That thou hast no power to perform any supernatural act as to believe or love God or repent or to change thine own heart or to sanctifie or make thy self holy must be granted that by nature thou art dead in trespasses and sins and hast lost all thy spiritual senses of seeing hearing tasting Eph. 2.1 and feeling can't be denyed 't is certain that thy nature is so corrupted that thou canst not think a good thought 2 Cor. 3.5 Mat. 12.34 Joh. 6.44 1 Cor. 2.14 nor speak a good word nor do a good work thou art not sick but dead God-wards and Christ-wards and heaven-wards and holiness-wards c. I have read of the Lyoness how that she brings forth her whelps dead and so they remain till after some time by her roaring aloud over them they come to live certainly all unholy hearts are spiritually dead and till Christ the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah comes to roar over them by uttering his voice in the Gospel they cannot live John 5.25 't is Christ onely that can quicken the dead 't was never known since the creation of the world that ever a dead man could make himself alive 1 King 8.38 Sin in Dominion is the plague of the heart now as there is no disease so deadly as the plague so there is no plague so deadly as the plague of the heart O this is a disease that none can cure but he who is the Physitian of souls an unsanctified person is not half dead as the Pelagians Arminians and Papists say but as to spirituals he is stark dead Col. 2.13 An unsanctified soul is dead 1. Respectu operis In respect of working and therefore his works are called dead works Heb. 9.14 There is death written upon all he does 2. Respectu honoris He is dead in respect of honor he is dead to all priviledges he is not fit to inherit mercy who will set the crown of life upon a deads man head the crown of life is for the holy Christian and the holy Christian is for the crown of life Rev. 2.10 2 Tim. 4.8 When he in Plutarch had tried all manner of ways to raise a dead man and to make him stand upon his feet and saw he could not do it then he cryed out there must be something within there must be something within So when men have said and done all they can there must be something within there must be something of the power and Spirit of Christ within that must raise up spiritual life in those that are spiritually dead But Secondly I answer That God gave thee ability and power in Adam to obey him in all his commands Gen. 1.26 Eccles 7.29 Psal 8.4 ult and though by Adams fall thou hast lost thy power to obey yet God has not lost his right and power to command thee to obey Suppose a father should furnish a Child with moneys and all other necessaries to go a journey and he should be drawn in by some stronge temptation to spend his money his time and his strength
joyes of the Saints lye deep The Moone is often dark to the world when yet that part which faceth the Sun is very lightsome beautifull and glorious so many times if you look upon the outside of a Christian which is his dark side you may see his countenance clouded and his carriage and behaviour as to the world either damped or obscured but if you could but now look upon his inside which is his best side and which faces the Sun of Righteousness O then you should see the light of joy and comfort sweetly and gloriously shining forth O Sirs look as there are many rich men in the world who make no shew of it by their Garbe or Table or Attendance c. so there are many Christians that are rich in divine consolations who yet don't shew it in such or such an outward carnal way as the men of the world doe usually express their joy in And look as many a wicked man has heaviness in his heart when he has laughter in his face as the wisest of Princes has long since observ'd in Pro. 14.13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowfull and the end of that mirth is heaviness the heart often weepes when the mouth laughs every laughter is not hearty for laughter being but a signe of joy the signe may be where the substance is not many wicked men are inwardly sad when they are outwardly glad 2 Cor. 5.12 The false Apostles did glory in the face 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the face and not in the heart they set a good face on 't and seem'd to be upon a merry pin and yet all their smiles were but counterfeit smiles all their joyes were but skin-deep the joy that was in their faces was nothing to the terrours horrours and torments that were in their hearts so the godly many times rejoyce in heart when sadness and blackness seemes to cover their faces 2 Cor. 6.10 As sorrowfull yet alwayes rejoycing c. 'T is very observable that the Apostle brings in the sorrow of the godly with a quasi as it were sorrow not that it is sorrow indeed but as sorrowfull as if their sorrow had been rather a painted sorrow then a reall sorrow but when he speaks of their joy there is no quasi but true joy he do's not say as rejoycing but alwayes rejoycing their joy was a reall joy but their sorrow was but a seeming sorrow to the weak and childish opinions of vaine men When a Christian is at worst as to the eye of the world he may say of his joy as Christ speaks of his meate c. when he said John 4.33 I have meate to eate that you know not of so he may say I have joy I have great joy that the world knows not of Look as there is life and sap and juice in the roote of the Tree even in the winter season when there is no leaves nor blossomes nor fruit hanging on the Tree so there is joy and comfort and peace in the heart of a Saint when there are no outward visible discoveries of it to others And you may as rationally conclude that there is no life sap and juice in the roote of the Tree because the Tree has no leaves blossoms or fruit on it as you may conclude that the Saints have no joy in their hearts because they doe not express it in such outward visible acts as may convince the world that they have it c. But Fifthly I answer That 't is horrid injustice and dis-ingenuity in thee and in such as thou art to make the hearts of the righteous sad whom God would not have sadded by your pride prophaneness loosnesse wickedness worldliness Ezek. 13.22 23. lukewarmness filthiness carnalness c. and then to cry out against them that they are the saddest and uncomfortablest people in the world What is this but with Nero to set the City of Rome on fire and then to lay it upon the Christians and punish them for it What is this but to deale by the Saints as the Devill deales by them he loads them and follows them with most sad grievous blasphemous horrid and hellish temptations on purpose to make them walk heavily mournfully and uncomfortably and when he has accomplish't his designe then he accuses them sometimes to God sometimes to themselves Rev. 12.10 and sometimes to others for their heavie and uncomfortable walking O what inhumanity cruelty and vanity was it in the Egyptians to double the Israelites tale of bricks Exod. 5.8.17 and to take away their straw and then to cry out that they were Idle they were Idle so O what inhumanity and cruelty is this in unsanctified persons to sad Psal 119.136 158. Jer. 9.1 2. 2 Pet. 2.7 8. grieve and afflict the people of God with their drunkenness wantonness and lewdness and with their cursing swearing and lying and with their scorning and scoffing at Godliness with their slandering of the Lord his people and wayes and with their resisting and quenching of the blessed motions of the Spirit and with their shifting off the glorious offers of grace and mercy Rom. 2.4 5. and with their treasuring up of wrath against the day of wrath c. And then to cry out O how sadly O how mournfully doe these men walke O what uncomfortable lives doe these men live O what sorrow and pensiveness do's still attend them But is this just is this faire Suppose a husband should doe all he could to afflict and grieve his wife and a father his child and a Master his servant and a friend his friend c. and when they had done then fall a complaining that there were none so melancholy nor none so sad and sorrowfull as they O what folly what madness and what injustice were this Dan. 4.27 and yet this is the common dealing of unsanctified persons with the people of God Ah sinners sinners if you would but break off your sins by repentance and cease from doing evill and turne to the Lord with all your hearts and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and fall in with the wayes of God and trample upon this wicked world and seek after the things of a better life O how soon would the Saints sighing be turned into singing and their mourning into rejoycing O the musick the mirth the melody that your conversion would make both in their hearts and in their eares It is very observable that Abraham made a Feast at the weaning of his Son Isaac Gen. 21.8 he did not make a Feast on the day of his Nativity nor on the day of his Circumcision but on that day when he was taken from his mothers Breast O Sirs if you were but once weaned from your lusts 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Hosea 6.7 and from the vanities of this world if you were but once weaned from old corrupt customes and from following after your sinfull lovers O how would all Gods faithfull Abraham's
most despised hands 1 Cor. 1.21 25 27. as it is evident in this instance The Apostles did not fret and fume and storm and take on because these Brethren preacht the Lord Jesus without ordination to the work of the Ministry O no but they were glad and rejoyced in their bringing in of souls to Christ and they made it their work to exhort encourage and build up those that were brought in neither did they prohibit these Brethren from preaching because they had not Apostolical hands laid on them By these Lay-mens preaching Christ is revealed and multitudes are converted and truth is advanced and the Apostles are gladded Now by what hath been said it is most evident that persecuting times are truth-advancing times But Seventhly and lastly As persecuting times are truth-advancing times so persecuting times are a Christians rejoycing times A Christians heart is never so full of joy as it is when he is under sufferings Acts. 5.41 Acts 7.55 56. Chap. 16.25 Oh how my heart leapeth for joy said Mr. Philpot that I am so near the apprehension of eternal life Eph. 3.1 Chap. 4.1 2 Tim. 1.8 Phil. 1.9.23 And they departed from the presence of the Council rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name They counted it an honour to be dishonoured for Christ they took it as a grace to be disgraced for Jesus Stephen found the joyes of heaven in his heart as the stones came clattering about his ears So Paul and Sylas when they were in prison their hearts were so full of joy that they could not hold but at mid-night when others were a sleeping they must fall a singing out the praises of the most High they found more pleasure then pain more joy then sorrow more comfort then torment in their bonds the Rods with which they were whipt Col. 4.10 Rom. 16.7 Paul rattles his chaine which he bears for the Gospels sake and was as proud of it as a woman of her ornaments saith Chrysostom were as Rods made up all of Rosemary branches divine consolations rise so high in their souls that their prison was turn'd into a Pallace yea into a Paradise Paul was a man that took a great deale of pleasure in his sufferings for Christ 2 Cor. 12.10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christs sake He did not only bare his sufferings patiently but chearfully also he often sings it our I Paul a prisoner as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the margent together of Jesus Christ not I Paul an Apostle nor I Paul wrapt up in the third heaven nor I Paul that have more gifts parts and learning then others but I Paul a prisoner to shew how much he rejoyced in his bonds and sufferings for Christ Chrysostom did not hold Paul so happy for his rapture into Paradise as he did for his imprisonment for Christ So Rom. 5.3 4. And not only so but we glory in tribulations also knowing that tribulation works patience and patience experience and experience hope Old Souldiers could not glory and joy more in their marks and scars of honour then these Saints did in their tribulations and persecutions for Christs sake Rabbi Simeon Ben Jochai liv'd twelve years in a dark Dungeon for feare of the Roman persecution in the Reigne of Trajane the Emperour and he call'd his dark Dungeon Zohar that is splendor because God had turn'd his darkness into light and made up the want of the light of the Sun by the light of his countenance and by the shinings of the Sun of righteousness upon his soul Eusebius tells us of Algerius the Italian martyr how that writing to his friend from a stinking Dungeon he dates his Letter from my delicate Orchard Acts and Mon. fol. 857. And Master Glover the Martyr wept for joy of his imprisonment William Hunters Mother that suffered under Bonner told him that she was glad that ever she was so happy as to beare such a childe as could finde in his heart to die for Christs sake such were his divine consolations that they turn'd his Dungeon into a pleasant Orchard I with my Fellowes saith Mr. Philpot were carried to the Cole-house where we doe rouze together in the straw as chearfully we thank God as others doe in their beds of downe Mr. Bradford put off his Cap and thanked the Lord when his Keepers wife brought him word that he was to be burnt the next day And Mr. Taylor fetcht a frisk when he was come neare to the place where he was to suffer Henry and John two Augustin Monks being the first that were burnt in Germany and Mr. Rogers the first that was burnt in Queen Maries dayes did all sing in the flames If men did but know by experience the sweet that is in suffering for Christ they would desire with Chrysostom if it were put to their choice rather to be Paul a prisoner of Jesus Christ then Paul wrapt up in the third heaven One of the holy Women that suffered Martyrdom in this Nation rejoyced that she might have her foot in the same hole of the Stocks in which Mr. Philpots had been before And Luther Luther Fire sword death prison famine are all pleasures they are all delightfull to me saith Basil Modestus Lieutenant to Julian the Emperour told him that when the Christians suffered they did but deride them and the torments said he with which Christians are tormented are more terrible to the tormentors then they are to the tormented râ—ports of that famous Martyr Saint Agatha that as she went to prisons and tortures she said she went to Banquets and Nuptials Vincentius laughing at his Tormentors said that death and tortures were to Christians Jocularia ludicra matters of sport and pastime and he joyed and gloried when he went upon hot burning Coales as if he had trod upon Roses Philip Lansgrave of Hesse being a long time prisoner under Charles the fifth 't was demanded what upheld him all that time and he answered that he felt the divine consolations of the Martyrs Basil in his Oration for Barlaam that famous Martyr saith that he delighted in the close prison as in a pleasant green meddow and he took pleasure in the severall inventions of tortures as in severall sweet flowers William Tims Martyr in a Letter to a friend of his a little before his death writeth thus Now I take my leave of you till we meet in heaven and hie you after I have tarried a great while for you and seeing you are so long in making ready I will tarry no longer for you you shall finde me merrily singing Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabboth at my journeys end c. And when they kindled the fire at the feete of James Bainkam me-thinks said he you strew roses before me And Hawkes the Martyr lifted up his hands above his head and clapt them together when he was in the fire as
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
truth with his blood Mr. John Hus was a man eminent in holiness he was borne in Prague in Bohemia A Prophesie and was Pastor of the Church of Bethleem his name Hus in the Bohemian language sâ—gnifies a Goose at his Martyrdome he told them that if they rosted him in the fire out of the ashes of the Goose an hundred years after God would raise up a Swan in Germany that should carry the Cause on for which he suffered and whose singings would affright all those Vulters which was exactly fulfilled in Luther whose name in the Bohemian language signifies a Swan for God raised him up as a famous instrument in his hand who carried on that glorious Cause with mighty success and upon his death the Bohemians under Ziska rose in Armes and had most admirable success against the Emperour and the Papists A Prophesie Luther was a man of great holiness and being one time more then ordinarily earnest with God in prayer he came downe to his Friends and told them with a very great confidence that it should goe well with Germany all his dayes he knew what was done in heaven by that which God had done in his own heart accordingly it fell out The Martyr that was burnt last in Smithfield A Prophesie told the people that they should be of good comfort for he was fully perswaded that he was the last that should suffer under Queen Mary and so he was Thus you see that men of greatest holiness have had the clearest and choicest manifestations discoveries of God and of his mind made knowne to them Suitable to that choice promise that you have in that 33 Jer. 3. Call unto me and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty or hidden things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hidden as bunches of Grapes are hidden under the leaves of the Vines which thou knowest not God will make knowne to his holy ones the most hidden and abstruse things and the more holy they are the more they shall know of the most secret and mysterious things of God John 7.17 If any man will doe his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my selfe Christ will be most open to them that are most obedient to him they shall know most of the doctrine of Christ who are most complying with the will of Christ David was a man of great holiness as is evident by that glorious testimony that God has given of him in that 13 Acts 22. And when he had removed him that is Saul v. 21. he raised up unto them David to be their King to whom also he gave testimony and said I have found David the son of Jesse a man after mine own heart which shall fulfill all my will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All my wills to note the eminency transcâ—ndency universality and sincerity of his obedience Now if you will but look into that 2 Sam. 7.27 there you shall see how the Lord declares and makes knowne himselfe and his intentions towards him For thou O Lord of Hosts God of Israel hast revealed to thy servant saying I will build thee an house But the Hebrew is more full and excellent in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it runs thus Lord thou hast revealed this to the eare of thy servant Now the emphasis lyes in those words to the eare of thy servant When God makes knowne himselfe and his intentions to such as are eminent in holiness he do's it in their eare God tells David in his eare that he will build him an house that is that he would continue his kingdome to him and to his posterity after him this was blessed newes and this God tells in his eare Such as are our special friends and favourites we often whisper them in the eare when we would acquaint them with our most secret and weighty purposes intentions and resolutions we give them a whisper in the eare such persons that are eminent in holiness are the great favourits of heaven and God tells them in the eare of many a rare secret which all others are kept ignorant of Well Sirs for a close remember this that there are no persons on earth that are so prepared and fitted for the clearest fullest and highest manifestations of God as those that are eminent in holiness nor none that set so high a price upon the discoveries of God as men that are eminent in holiness nor none that are so able to bare the Revelations of his will as men that are eminent in holiness nor none that will make such an humble faithful constant and through improvement of all that God shall make knowne to them as men that are famous for holiness and therefore as ever you would have God in an eminent way to manifest and discover himselfe and his mind unto you O labour after a greater measure of holiness But Eighthly To provoke you to labour after higher degrees of holiness Consider that the more holy any man is the more singular delight and pleasure God will take in all his religious duties and services Generally 't was the custome of the Eastern countries to wash before worship The very heathen gods would be served in white the very emblem of purity holiness puts a divine savour upon all a mans services there are no duties so sweet as those that have most holiness in them Mal. 3.3 4. And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver and he shall purifie the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord as in the dayes of old and as in former years After the Lord Jesus Christ hath been to his people as a refiners fire and as Fullers sope that is after he hath refined scoured and purged his people from their drossiness filthiness earthliness selfishness and sensualness c. then their offerings shall be pleasant to the Lord. Look as light makes all things pleasant and delightful to man so holiness makes all a mans duties and services pleasant and delightful to the Lord. Zach. 13.9 And I will bring the third part through the fire and will refine them as silver is refined and will try them as gold is tryed they shall call on my name and I will heare them I will say it is my people and they shall say the Lord is my God When God has refined his people as silver is refined then he will bow his eare and open his hand and grant them the desires of their hearts O the pleasure and delight that God takes in the prayers tears hearings readings meltings mournings and repentings of such who are eminently purged and sanctified the more holiness any man has the less of the flesh polution and corruption there is in all his duties and services and the less there is of
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
the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his pathes for out of Zion shall go forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem 1 Thes 1.3 And hence patience is called patience of hope because this holy principle of hope naturalizes a mans heart to a patient waiting upon God Rom. 8.25 But if we hope for that we see not Heb. 6.10 then do we with patience wait for it So holy love naturalizes the soul to holy service in 1 Thes 1.3 you read of the labour of love holy love is very laborious nothing makes a Christian more industrious painful and diligent in the service and waies of God then holy love holy love will make us to pray and to praise Rom. 14.7 8. 2 Corin. 12.14 15 16. it will make us wait and work it will provoke souls to study Christ to admire Christ to live to Christ to lift up Christ to spend and be spent for Christ and to break through all difficulties that it may come nearer to Christ and cleave closer to Christ As Jerom once bravely said If my father said he should stand before me my mother should hang upon me and my brethren should press about me I would break through my brethren throw down my mother tread under-feet my father that I might the faster cleave unto Christ my Saviour O the laboriousness of holy love So far as a Christian is holy so far holy services will be delightful and easie to him Rom. 7.22 I delight in the Law of God after the inward man ver 25. So then with the mind I my self serve the Law of God Psalm 119.16 I will delight my self in thy Statutes I will not forget thy Word Ver. 35. Make me to go in the path of thy Commandments for therein do I delight Ver. 47. And I will delight my self in thy Commandments which I have loved Ver. 92. Vnless thy Law had been my delights I should then have perished in mine affliction Ver. 143. Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me yet thy Commandments are my delights Sirs Honour is not more suteable delightful and pleasing to an ambitious man nor pleasure to a voluptuous man nor flatterie to a proud man nor gold to a covetous man nor excess to an intemperate man nor revenge to an envious man Psalm 27.8 Psal 81.8 ult nor pardon to a condemned man then Religious duties and services are suteable pleasing and delightful to a holy man but now unholy hearts are very averse to holy duties and services they are averse to hearing averse to praying averse to reading averse to meditating averse to self-judging averse to self-examining averse to holy worship averse to holy Sabbaths Amos 8.5 When will the new moon be gone that we may sell corn and the Sabbath that we may set forth Wheat Isa 26.10 11. Jer. 5.1 6. You may sooner draw a Coward to fight or a Malefactor to the Barr or a Bear to the stake Wicked hearts are habitually averse to all that is good c. then you shall draw unholy hearts to holy services But if at any time by the strong motions of the Spirit the close debates of conscience the powerful perswasions of the Word the education of godly parents the pious example of bosom friends the rich treasures in precious promises the dreadful evils in terrible threatnings or if at any time by the displeasure of God the smarting rod the bowels of mercy the woings of love or if at any time by some flashes of hell or glimpses of heaven or by the heavy sighs the deep groans and the bleeding wounds of a dying Saviour their hearts are wrote over to Religious services Ah how soon are they weary of them What little delight or pleasure do they take in them Isa 43.22 Isa 58.1 2 3 4 5. But thou hast not called upon me O Jacob that is thou hast not worshipped nor served me sincerely faithfully feelingly heartily affectionately humbly holily as thou shouldest and as thou oughtest but thou hast been weary of me O Israel that is thou hast been weary of my worship and service and thou hast counted it rather a burden then a benefit a dammage then an advantage a reproach then an honour a disgrace then a favour a vexation then a blessing and for all thy formal courtings and complementings of me thou hast been secretly weary of me So in Mal. 1.12 13. Ye say The table of the Lord is polluted and the fruit thereof even his meat is contemptible Ye said also Behold what a weariness is it and ye have snuffed at it saith the Lord of hosts c. They did God but little service and that they did was after the worst manner too and yet they snuff and puff and blow and sweat and swell and fall into a fustian fume as if they had been over-tyred and wearied with the burden and weight of those sacrifices which they offered up to the great God A holy heart thinks all too little that he doth for God but an unholy heart thinks every little too much that he doth for God An holy heart like the holy Angels loves to do much and make no noise but an unholy heart makes most noise when he doth least service an unsanctified soul hath a Trumpet in his right hand when he hath but a penny to give in his left hand as here But Eighthly Where there is real holiness there will be the exercise of righteousness towards men from righteous principles and upon religious accounts viz. the honour of God the command of God the will of God the credit of the Gospel c. Real holiness towards God is alwayes attended with righteousness towards men Eph. 4.24 And that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness or holiness of truth Titus 2.11 12. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godlily in this present world These words contain the summ of a Christians duty to live soberly towards our selves righteously towards our neighbours and godlily towards God The common shekel is about 20. pence so then 400. shekels amount to 33. pound six shillings and eight pence after five shillings sterling the ounce And in this purchase is prophetically shewed that Abrahams posterity should have the inheritance of that land As Jeremiahs buying of his Uncles field was a sign of the Jews return and of their pollicie there again to buy and sell is true godliness indeed and the whole duty of man So holy Abraham in Gen. 23.16 And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth four hundred shekels of silver currant money with the Merchant It is recorded to holy Abrahams everlasting honour and fame that he paid for
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
with his own heart that he had no such Trophies to shew but had spent his time in courting of Ladies rather than in encountring of Knights and that hee was better for a dance than for a march and that hee knew no Drum but the Tabret nor no courage but to bee Drunk and Rant hereupon hee presently retired himself repented entred into a combate with his own lusts and affections and subdued them and became temperate continent valiant and vertuous Now when the Souldiers came to receive their Wreaths their Crowns their Honours c. Hee steps in and challenges a Wreath a Crown for himself but being asked upon what title his challenge was grounded hee answered if honours bee given to Conquerours then they must bee given to mee too for I have gotten the noblest conquest of all and it being demanded wherein he answered these have subdued strange Foes and conquered their outward enemies but I have subdued my self I have conquered the enemies that were in my own bosome O Sirs there are no mens names written in the book of life but theirs who by grace and holinesse have subdued and brought under their sinful selves and who have conquered the corruptions that bee in their own bosoms that is in respect of love and dominion many there bee who are exceeding inquisitive to know whether their names are written in Heaven or no I would say to such there is no such way to know this Phil. 4.3 Heb. 11.38 Seneca though a Heathen saw so much excellency that morality put upon a man that hee cryes out Ipse aspectus boni viri delectat the very looks of a good man delights one Sapiens dei comes est saith Philo. as by your holinesse hast thou broke off thy sins by sound repentance hath the Gospel chang'd thy inside and thy outside hath it made thee a new creature and turned thee from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to Jesus Christ c. then without all peradventure thy name is written in Heaven and thou art the person that hast the greatest cause in the world to joy and rejoyce Again the Holy Christian is the best Christian in the world nay hee is such a one of whom this world is not worthy and therefore God cannot but take singular pleasure and delight in him many there are which are accounted deep Scholars great Linguists profound Philosophers good Grammarians excellent Mathematicians sharp Logitians cunning Polititians fine Rhetoritians sweet Musitians c. but the truth is hee is the best Grammarian that hath learn't to speak the truth from his heart and hee is the best Astronomer that hath his conversation in Heaven and he is the best Musitian that hath learn't practically to sing out the praises of God and hee is the best Arithmetitian that knows how to number his daies and hee is the best read in Ethicks that every day grows holier and holier and hee is the best skild in Oeconomicks that trains up his Family in the fear of the Lord and hee is the best Polititian that is as good at taking good counsel as hee is at giving good counsel and hee is the best Linguist that speaks the language of Canaan and therefore God cannot but take the greatest content and satisfaction in such Again the Holy Christian is the only man for whom God hath wrought the greatest miracles hee can tell you that he was blinde but now God hath given him eyes to see sin to bee the greatest evil and Christ to bee the choisest Good hee can tell you that once hee was so deaf that though God called very often and very loud upon him by his word and by his works by his rods at home and by his judgements abroad and by his spirit and conscience that were still a preaching in his bosome sometimes Life sometimes Death sometimes Heaven and sometimes Hell yet hee could not hear but now God hath given him an hearing ear so that now hee can with delight hear the sweet Musick of the promises on the one hand and with a holy trembling lissen to the voice of divine threatnings on the other hand Psal 45.1 Jude 3. The very Heathen could say quando sapiens loquitur aulea animi aperit When a wiseman speaketh hee openeth the rich treasure and wardrob of his minde hee can tell you that once hee was so dumb that if hee might have had the whole world hee could not have spoke a good word for God nor for his waies nor for his people nor for his ordinances nor for any of his concernments in the world O but now his tongue is as the pen of a ready writer and hee is never better than when hee is a speaking either of God or for God and his concernments now hee can contend for the faith and speak for Saints and plead for Ordinances and though in some cases hee may want power to act for God yet hee never wants a tongue to speak for God The Spouses lips drop honey combs in that 4 Cant. 11. And the tongue of the just is as choice silver in that 10. Prov. 20. yea his tongue is a tree of life whose leaves are medicinable in that 12. Prov. 18. Hee can tell you that once hee was so lame that hee was not able to move one foot Heaven-wards or Christ-wards or Holiness-wards c. but now his feet delights not only to go but to run in all the waies of Gods commands Psal 119.32 Yea hee can tell you that once hee was dead as to all his soul concernments but now hee is alive and the life that hee leads in the flesh is by the faith of the Son of God that hath loved him and given himself for him Gal. 2.20 It was by a miracle that the River Jordan was driven back and t is no less a miracle to see a sinner that was accustomed to do evil habituated now to do good That the tyde of sin which before did run so strong should bee so easily turned that the sinner which a little before was sailing Hell-ward and wanted neither wind nor tyde to carry him thither should now on a sudden alter his course and tack about for Heaven what a miracle is this To see the earthly man become heavenly a carnal man become spiritual a loose man become precise a proud man become humble a covetous man become liberal and a froward man become meek c. is to behold no less than miracles To see a sinner move cross and contrary to himself in the waies of Christ and holiness should bee as wonderful in our eyes as to see the Sun go backward or the Earth to fly upward or the Dead to raise themselves or the Bowl to run contrary to its own byass Now how can God but take infinite delight and pleasure in his holy ones considering the many miracles that hee hath wrought both in them and for them Psa 4.6 7. Again there are no persons under Heaven that