world who from the promises of God take libertie to sinne For God and the world are contrary and it is to be obserued that Gods Saints out of his promises deduce arguments of obedience which worldly libertines do not I wil dwell among you I will walke with you I will be your God I will be your Father c. these are Gods promises and the Apostle reades them in feare and feeling Seeing we haue these promises let vs cleanse our selues but the world reades them in licentiousnes Seeing we haue these promises let vs defile our selues Psal 130.4 There is mercie with God therefore shall he be feared saith Dauid therefore we need not feare him saith the world The time of our abiding here is short therefore let vs vse the world as though we vsed it not 1. Cor. 7.29 saith the Apostle but let vs vse it while we haue it 1. Cor. 15.32 Let vs eate and drinke for to morrow we shall die saith the libertine These things being thus I do the lesse wonder to reade what is written Know ye not my brethren that the wisedome of the world is foolishnesse and the loue of the world is enmitie with God Iam. 4. By which opposition you may perceiue that there are two sorts of men here aimed at the former such as are not named nor worthy the naming which promise themselues libertie and yet are themselues the seruants of corruption 2. Pet. 2.19 Who turne the grace of God into wantonnesse beasts without reason men without humanitie as bad as the horse and mule which haue no vnderstanding their consciences are feared with an hote iron and are setled on the lees of their iniquities which make a mocke of Gods promises and say Where is the promise of his coming 2. Pet. 3.3 beasts led in sensualitie which haue giuen themselues to worke vncleannesse euen with greedinesse Ephes 4. a generation of vipers and vicious brood Math. 23.33 more degenerate then Nebuchadnezzar from a King to a beast for whom is reserued the damnation of hell Be not therefore companions with them for you were once darknesse but now are you light in the Lord Eph. 5.7 and therefore labour to be of them which are the children of light the sonnes of God and heires with Christ according to these promises in whom resteth the spirit of feare and feeling Prou. 28.14 Lastly that we may so do as the promises moue and teach vs viz. forsake sinne and embrace holinesse let vs euermore consider the sufferings of Christ for sinne and his promises mouing him thereunto Can the adulterer take delight in the sinne of the flesh considering his flesh that was wounded for his sinnes Could the voluptuous and feathered gallants take such surfets of pleasure seeing Christ sweating and shedding streames of water bloud Could the horseleach the vnsatiable seruant of Mammon say as the Poet saith Populus me sibilat mihi plaudo ipse domi so blesse himselfe in his wretched gettings and know Christ pierced to the heart for getting of them Or can we heare of his bleeding and suffering and yet continue in sinning Can we loue that which God at all times and in all places hath so protested that he hates He could not endure it in heauen Angeli detruduntur the Angels were throwne downe headlong for it he could not endure it on earth Christus crucifigitur his owne Sonne died for it nor yet in hell Inferni cruciantur whole legions are tormented for it Let vs therfore deale with sinne for his sake as he was dealt withall for ours The Iewes pursued him in his life crucified him in his death Math. 27.60 Augustine and when he was dead rolled a stone vpon him so let vs as Augustine counselleth vpon the crosse of repentance betweene these two grand theeues the world and the flesh crucifie sinne pursue it in the rising resist it in the growing rest not vntill we haue killed it and then as neuer safe enough let vs rolle a stone vpon it neuer to reuiue the same or the like againe And in conclusion Seeing we haue these promises merits and mercies for the remission of sinnes let vs cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit an grow vp to full holinesse in the feare of God My text you see hath brought vs now from the antecedent promises to the consequent inferred Let vs cleanse c. Which conclusion is a sure perswasion to a regenerate life wherein is contained the two parts of sanctification 1. Remotio mali Let vs cleanse our selues from c. 2. Substitutio boni And grow vp to full holinesse c. Furthermore in the conclusion obserue the two generall parts of a proposition 1. Subiectum Vs Let vs cleanse c. 2. Praedicatum in the two parts forenamed Remotione mali Let vs cleanse c. Substitutione boni And grow vp to c. To take them then in order as they are propounded And first of the Subiectum Vs. Subiectum Vs If we enquire who are here meant we shall finde them the same with the former We viz. Paul and the Corinthians beleeuers these are they that must cleanse themselues From whence obserue There is drosse in the best Doctr. euen the most regenerate and that in all the parts and powers of the flesh and spirit All flesh is as grasse Iam. 1.10 and full of frailties there is no come but may be blasted and no soule but may be corrupted In the fairest rose a man may find a canker euen so the holiest man hath his gifts with sundry imperfections The stoutest man may haue a fall and the iust man falls seuen times a day Whosoeuer then is without sinne let him cast the first stone at his fellow in many things saith the Apostle we sinne all And therefore saith Iob though a iust man If I shall iustifie my selfe my owne mouth shall condemne me if I will put forth my selfe for a perfect man he will proue me a wicked doer Iob 9.20 And Dauid to like purpose though a man after Gods owne heart cries out Heale my soule O Lord for I haue sinned against thee 1. Ioh. 1.10 And who so faith that he is without sinne is a lier and the truth is not in him 1. Ioh. 1.10 There is sinne therefore in the godly aswell as the vngodly but with difference the one sinnes of infirmity the other with consent and approbation in the one sin dwels peccatum inhabitans in the other it reignes Peccatum inhabitans regnans peccatum regnans It is in the godly as a fire which he laboureth to quench but in the wicked a consuming fire which he takes pleasure to kindle Of the godly Saint Iohn saith they commit not sinne 1. Ioh. 3. 9. Howsoeuer they offend yet it is with reluctation of spirit they are preuented and ouertaken vnawares Gal. 6.1 But the wicked commit sinne and continue therein but their commtitimus
the promises of God are generall particular reall personall conditionall free temporall eternall who can go through them all The Apostle saith that the Angels looke with amazement at the mysterie of our redemption to behold the infinite oddes betwixt Gods greatnesse and our vilenesse so to let passe the great and precious promises of his word and Spirit the care and ministery of his Angels and creatures and to consider that our very corrections shall do vs good Psal 94.12 that he will turne our beds in our sicknesse Psal 41. take care of the haires of our heads Matth. 10. Matth. 10.30 it will driue vs to astonishment to consider for there is no end of his goodnesse The heathen Captaine which had care to wash his souldiers wounds they could not sufficiently honour him with praises surely if the God of glorie and Captaine of his Church should do such and so great things for vs let vs say with Saint Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 11.33 O the deepnesse of the riches both of the wisedome and loue of God and his wayes that are past finding out Thus farre we haue dealt in these promises at rouers as I may say and now to bring them home to our hearts which are the true marke Vse 1 Are these promises rarae inauditae Let vs hence learne to ioy in the same Oh how sweete are thy words vnto my throate yea sweeter then honey vnto my mouth Psal 119.103 And againe Thy testimonies haue I claimed as mine heritage for euer for they are the very ioy of my heart Psal 119.111 Thus Sara reioyced and called others to reioyce with her Gen. 21.6 God hath caused me to reioyce all that heare will reioyce with me Luk. 1.46 My soule doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit reioyceth in God my Sauiour this is the song of that blessed euer Virgin mother who reioyced in these promises Secondly are they certissimae Then let vs beleeue and trust in them by the example of our father Abraham who beleeued aboue hope So though they are aboue beside contrary to reason yet knowing that God is powerfull and able faithfull and so ready to make his promise good let vs be strengthened in faith and giue glorie to God Rom. 4.17 Yea and in the second place trust and relie on his promised mercies for hereby we haue accesse to challenge God both for safetie and saluation Thus Moses is bold to charge God with his promise on the behalfe of Israel Exod. 32.13 Remember Abraham Isaac and Iacob to whom thou swarest c. and it followeth ver 14. Then the Lord changed his mind from the euill c. An instance of like nature we haue in Deut. 9.27 Dauid had the like refuge in extremitie Lord where are thy former mercies which thou swarest to Dauid in thy truth Psal 89.49 Calling to minde therefore the certaintie of these promises let vs by the example of Iacob commit our selues to Gods tuition and defence Gen. 32.9 for they are certissimae 3. Are they Gratuitae the free donations of his goodnesse mercy Then where are the blind merits of Monks and Friars and the workes of supererogation of insolent Iesuites their pretended merits either of condignitie or congruity are altogether repugnant to the freedome of these promises a debt of desert as hire to a labourer or of duty as of thankfulnesse to a benefactour farre be it that we should claime any such due from God to vs for to vs belongeth shame and confusion Gen. 32.10 being lesse then the least of Gods mercies It is his great mercie that we are not consumed and therefore in all these promises Psal 115.1 Not vnto vs Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue the glorie 4. Are they magnae pretiosae Hence then let vs learne to be thankfull When one told Dauid Sauls intendment to make him his sonne in law he answered For what Seemeth it a small thing vnto you to be sonne in law to a King Sam. 18.18 what am I or what is my life or the familie of my father in Israel that I should be sonne in law to a King His case fits with ours but in some respects it doth not for what comparison betwixt Dauid and vs or analogy twixt God and Saul Dauid had deserued well of his countrey and againe though he were sonne in law yet should not be heire to the Crowne but for our selues I say not what am I but what are we or our fathers house was not our father an Amorite and our mother an Hittite drowned in superstition sold vnto sinne and full of ignorance I say of the best which can best expresse his mind and meaning that he cannot expresse his owne vnworthinesse And betwixt God and Saul what should I say who is the Saul of Sauls in whose respect all the Princes of the earth are but washpots vnto whom the Angels are ministers accounting it their greatest honour to do him seruice yea and the heauens and the earth do bow downe vnto him yet vs tantillos tales so weake and so vnworthy hath he crowned with his honours to make vs sonnes and daughters to himselfe to reigne and rule for euer in his glory Praise ye the Lord therefore all ye his Saints for it becometh the Saints right well to be thankfull 5. Are they Futurae of good things to come Then it behoueth vs expectare impletionem to waite on his mercies vntill he heare vs helpe vs heale vs and crowne vs Patientia vobis opus est Heb. 10.36 Ye haue need of patience that when you haue done the will of God you might inherite the promise therefore must we become followers of them which through faith and patience Heb. 12.1 obtained the promises 6. And lastly are they so generall speciall such as hath bene said tam augustissimae so glorious and in extent so large and liberall Let vs then make the same vse of them which the Apostle here maketh in this place viz. Let vs obey them Let vs cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit Where in the transition of the point from the Antecedent Seeing we haue these promises to the Consequent let vs cleanse our selues c. Doct. obserue The promises of God in Christ are the ground of obedience the Apostle therefore to this purpose maketh the same connexion Tit. 2.11 The grace of God which bringeth saluation to all men hath appeared and teacheth vs to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and that we should liue godlily and righteously and soberly in this present world the grace of God teacheth vs not to do vngodlines but to deny it to cleanse our selues from all the outrages and vngodlinesse of the hand and tong yea and all sinfull lusts of the heart that we should liue towards God piè towards others iustè and to our selues sobriè The grace of God teacheth vs to do euē so as I haue said The
God and his good meanes to sleepe or be idle in vs but we must set our hands to his plow labour in his vineyard worke the saluation of our selues and others worke I say and that for life euen with feare and trembling Phil. 2.12 The carter driuing by the way let me craue your honourable patience for a familiar and homely comparison sodainly his wheele chopped into a dangerous pit and the poore man well perceiuing the difficultie and streights to escape presently fell downe on his knees and besought his god iupiter to come and helpe but a voice was returned vnto him saying Set thy shoulder to the wheele and lash on thy horses and then I will helpe thee euen so the helpe of Gods sauing health is proper to the generation of Seekers which are not slacke no nor weary of well doing but seeke him with the whole heart Psal 24 6. viz. with all the force and power of the parts and powers both of bodie and mind so that as it is true in common experience Fortes Deus adiuuat God doth helpe and blesse the endeuours of a diligent hand so is it most true in our purgation Vp and be doing Neh. 2. and God will be with you for seeing God doth enable vs we must stirre and bestirre to cleanse our selues Reason 1 1. Iob 25.5 Because our God is most pure and holy which hath found folly in his Angels yea and the heauens are not cleare in his sight Iob 15.15 how much more is man abhominable and filthy which drinketh iniquitie like water yea our God is iealous and iust God Haba 1.13 whose eyes cannot see and spare offenders Slow to anger but great in power and cannot iustifie the wicked Nahum 1.3 He spared not the world which sinned but ouerwhelmed all with a floud of water He spared not his Church Gen. 7. the Quintessence of the world no nor his Saints Psal 106. iude 6. ver the Quintessence of his Church not the Angels which were in his presence but threw them downe from heauen like lightning no nor his onely Sonne standing in our place Math. 27.46 but he bare the full viall of his wrath Magna amaritudo peccati quae tantam amaritudinem peperit Surely it is time that we cleanse our selues for our God is a iealous God to visite the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children Exod. 20. Heb. 12.29 to the third and fourth generation of them that hate him 2. Because it is his will and pleasure that we should be pure and holy As obedient children saith Saint Peter not fashioning your selues to the former lusts of your ignorance but as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conuersation because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy Deut. 10.17 And if you call him Father which without respect of person iudgeth euery man according to his worke passe the time of your dwelling here in feare I. Pet. 1.15 16. 3. Because the pure in heart shall onely stand in his presence to which purpose were all the oblations and washings of the Leuiticall law together with the differences and distinguishments of the cleane and vncleane Leuit. 11. in birds and beasts and men also to teach that no vncleane or sinnefull person shall stand in his presence 1 Cor. 15. neither doth corruption in herite incorruption For if the question be Who shall ascend into the mountaine of the Lord or who shall stand in his holy place The answer is Euen he that hath innocent hands and a pure heart Psal 24. 3. 4. And Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Math. 5. 4. Because the promises both of this and a better life belong to them onely Vnto the pure are all things pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their minds and consciences are defiled they professe that they know God but in workes they deny him and are abhominable and disobedient and to euery good worke reprobate Tit. 1.15 And for a better life God is light saith Saint Iohn and in him dwelleth no darknesse if we say that we haue fellowship with him and walke in darknesse we lie and do not truely but if we walke in the light as he is in the light we haue fellowship one with another and the bloud of Christ his Son cleanseth vs from all sinne 1. Ioh. 1. 6.7 Vse 1 1. The vse of this point is that seeing in the worke of renouation man is meerely a patient dead vnto sinne c. not to ascribe the worke of renouation or corruption vnto our selues but vnto God onely For as it was not possible for the Israelits to passe through the red sea if God by a speciall miracle had not prepared their way and made a passage for them so for man to passe from the waies of death to the waies of life from the waies of sinne to the waies of righteousnesse without the speciall meditation and helpe of diuine grace is impossible This is that which our Sauiour speaketh of Ioh. 15.5 Without me you can do nothing For can we promise any thing more to our selues then Dauid in the 119. Psal I will run O Lord saith he the way of thy commandements when thou hast set my heart at liberty Can we run with our feete before our hearts be prepared or can we run with our heart before God hath enlarged it Can we run the way without the way which is Christ Iesus away which we cannot see till our eies be enlightned Not so but when God shall haue opened the eies of our vnderstandings then with Dauid may we see the wonderfull things of Gods law For there is gratia praeueniens before we can do any good and there must be gratia cooperans to assist vs in well doing and gratiaperficiens vel subsequens to continue vnto the end so that we cannot perfect the worke of renouation Nisi gratia praeueniat gratia cooperetur gratiaperficiat vel subsequatur 2. Seeing God of his mercie doth deuide the worke of our purification with vs and doth challenge the former to himselfe it remaineth in the latter that we be not wanting to our selues but seeing he hath begun conuerted cleansed vs let vs second this inchoation conuersion purgation by cleansing our selues and working out our owne saluation For whereas formerly we were blinde now he hath enlightned vs we were cast downe but he hath raised vs we were dead in sinnes trespasses but he hath quickned vs illuminating our minds rectifying our willes disposing our hearts from euill to good Let vs not be the enemies of God and our owne saluation to quench the spirit but endenour our selues to know the good pleasure of his will for he hath enlightned vs to walke in his waies for he hath raised vs and by all meanes to make our election sure for he doth enable vs to euery good worke
first But wee must giue our heart freely and with a willing minde our whole heart must we giue and that continually Deut 6.5 Vae duplici cordi saith Saint Austen They dissemble with a double heart saith the Psalmist Psal 12. But this I say Cor diuisum moritur A diuided heart is a dead heart Et qui diuidunt partem diabolo partem Deo iratus Deus à sua parte discedit diabolus totum possidet and therefore giue God all or thou giuest him nothing at all yea and do it continually non Deo in iuuentute diabolo in senectute like the foolish Galathians which began in the spirit Gal. 3. but would end in the flesh In a word we may giue our knowledge to the ignorant our goods to the poore our taxes to Ceesar but our hearts only to God freely and wholy Because that as one flie corrupteth the whole boxe of ointment Reason so one sinne makes vs liable to condemnation The Apostle therefore speakes of sinne in singular Rom. 6.23 Stipendium peccati The wages of sinne not of many but of any sin is death And if we should suffer so many deaths as we haue committed sinnes yet were Gods iudgements iust and right A ship is endangered by one leake in the side and a citie surprised by one breach in the wall and a fowler catcheth the bird as well by one part as the whole bodie So sinne is like leauen and a little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe Gal. 5.9 2. King 2. one Coloquintida brought death into the pot and one dead worke of darknesse destroyeth the soule Vse It serueth to condemne the halting profession of our dissembling age wherein many will be content to leaue some sinnes 1. Sam. 1 5.9 but keepe others as Saul spared Agag and the fatlings and as Herod spared his lust and vnlawfull marriage Mat. 6.12 Ananias and Saphira were willing to bring a part to the Apostles but they were loth to bring all The yong man in the Gospel would follow Christ but he was loth to sell all so that this word all marres all Euery man would go to heauen with his darling The couetous would go with his gold the vicious with his harlots the ambitious with his braue attire c. But touch the world in these their profitable pleasant darling and bosome sinnes and you shall heare men speake as in the house of Rimmon like Naaman the Assyrian God be mercifull to me in this 2. King 5. Preach to the vsurer or oppressour That he which doth not prouide for his owne familie is worse then an infidel or against prodigality or suretiship and your word shall be as the first and latter raine and sinke deepe into his romembrance but turne him to Psal 15. where no vsurer shall rest in Gods holy hill or 1. Cor 6. where no extortioner shall enter into the kingdome of heauen or to Saint Matthew concerning workes of mercie or to Saint Luke against couetousnesse and you shall finde him eared like the deafe adder and his heart harder then the nether milstone But it is written If thy right eye offend thee that is Math. 5. if thy sinne be as deare vnto thee as the apple of thine eye yet pull it out and let not thine eye spare it or if thy right hand offend thee that is if thy sinne be as profitable and commodious as thy hand whereby thou gettest thy liuing yet cut it off and cast it from thee or if thy foote offend thee to cause thee to sin that is if thy sinne be so necessary as thy foote wherewith thou bearest thy selfe yet spare it not For it is better to enter into the kingdome of God blinde and lame and maimed then otherwise to be cast into hellfire For one sinne in the soule is like a serpent in the bosome cast it from you or it will sting you to death and as Dalila neuer left fawning and flattering Sampson till she made him a mill horse to the Philistimes so your sinne if you trust it will betray you to the diuel and he will send you with such a grist to grinde that you shall pay your soule for the tole As therefore it is said of Iob. 1. that he was integer rectus and so must we be integri sound and not hollow and recti straight and not crooked and so are all good men and euery good worke both within and without And to this purpose ought we to set God alwaies before our eies 1. 2. 3. 4. Eph. 6.6 and to think vpon iudgement and our account and to consider that eye seruice is nothing pleasing to God and to remember that as Christ gaue his heart bloud for vs so as Saint Bernard saith Iustè cor nostrum vendicat quisuum pro nobis dedit He I say hath redeemed vs and therefore ought we to cleanse our hearts from all sinne and giue all to his seruice This is the point which I aime at viz. the triall of out integrity when a man can say with good conscience as Psal 139. Try me O God and know my heart proue me and knew my thoughts and consider if there be any way of wickednesse in me or at the least as it is Psal 7.3 if there be any wickednesse in my hands Surely brethren I say to you that are the elect of God Let vs thus examine our owne hearts vpon our beds Psal 4. and in our chambers secretly and cleanse our selues from all filthinesse All filthinesse I say both of the flesh and spirit which is the last passage of this point viz. The speciality of the parts and powers infected 5. 5. The speciality of the parts and powers infected Of the flesh and spirit There was a law in Rome De purgandis fontibus and it holds good in Scripture where we must purge our hearts which is fons vitoa tam naturalis quà m spiritualis and in purging of our heart we must cleanse our bodies yea and our soules also from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit whence note Doct. We must mortifie our bodies and mortifie our soules and so giue the whole to Gods seruice Rom. 12.1 I beseech you brethren by the mercies God that you giue vp your bodies and soules a liuing sacrifice c. In stead of the bodies of dead beasts we must giue our bodies a liuing sacrifice and in stead of the bloud of beasts which was a shadow and pleased not God of it selfe we must giue vp the acceptable sacrifice of the soule and this is iuge sacrificium viz. a perpetuall mortifying of the will reason affections and members Atque haec obedientia non potest plus dare dedit enim se And therefore must we mortifie both that we may sanctifie him both in body and soule not onely saying in the outward organe of speech My soule praise thou the Lord Psal 103.1 but body and soule flesh and spirit must
of herbes then a tree and lastly hath boughes and branches wherein the fowles of heauen make their neasts And so the kingdome of heauen is oft compared to things increasing to teach our growth and progresse in weldoing if we haue faith to confirme it Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeleefe Mar. 9.24 Luk. 7.47 Psal 129.139 if loue to increase it Many sinnes are forgiuen her for she loued much if zeale to enkindle it The zeale of thy house hath euen eaten me vp And as God hath begun and continued a chaine of his high fauours towards vs in predestinating calling Rom. 8.30 iustifying sanctifying and glorifying his Church so let vs encounter his loue with all diligence ioyning to our vertue faith to faith knowledge to knowledge temperance to temperance patience to patience godlinesse to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse to brotherly kindnesse loue 2 Pet. 1.5.6 And thus by ioyning together the linkes of this golden chaine of his graces we must grow vp from grace to grace Reason 1. Because we are as new borne babes and as a building begun As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that you may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 Now as babes which are not fed do perish and as a building begun and not followed comes to nothing it is euen so in the nursing and building of the inward man 2. Because we haue tasted of the good word of God and the powers of the world to come and therefore if we proceede not in well doing we crucifie the Lord anew vnto our selues and make a mocke of his fauours Heb. 6.6 Vse 1 1. This serueth for the examination and condemnation of those which the world calls harmelesse men who haue set vp their pride in this viz. To do no harme But he which proceeds no further is as one that hauing a long iourney to trauell doth pitch downe his rest in the midst of the way but as the Israelits that staied and died in the desert they saw not the land of Canaan no more shall any such see the saluation of God for the breach of the law is not onely commission but omission and the wages of sinne is death and omission of duty is commission of iniquitie This I say that he which endeuoureth an harmelesse life to deale vprightly and iustly and not to defraud or wrong his brother this man is in the way to the king dome of heauen but if thou wilt be perfect Hoc vnum restat do well and endeauour thy selfe to euery good work and thus we must grow in grace that we may attaine to ful holinesse and that is the perfection of our worke and the part that now ensueth To full holinesse The Apostle would haue vs like the wise builder in the Gospel who gaue not ouer his worke till he brought it to perfection we must grow to full holinesse from whence obserue No man must content himselfe with the beginnings of viuification but endeauour perfection The Israelits gathered Manna euery day but vpon the Saboath day to teach vs and teach thē that vntil that euerlasting Saboath of rest where we shall be glorified bodies and soules we must neuer stand still in our Christian growth But as the waters spoken of in Ezechiel grew vp by degrees first to the ankles then to the knees then to the loynes and lastly to the head and as the wheate our Sauiour spoke of grew vp by degrees first there was the blade thē came the stalke after that the full corne but lastly came the haruest euen so like that water we must grow higher and higher til we come to our head Christ and like that corne riper and riper vntill the end of the world when the Lord shall winnow the chaffe from the wheate the wheate he shall receiue into his garner but the chaffe to be burnt vp with vnquenchable fire Thus we must grow vnto full holinesse Mat. 2.9 For as the starre which directed the wise men in their search ceassed not till it came to the place where Christ was and there it stayed so must we not stay in the course of holinesse till we come to heauen where God is And as the kine of the Philistims which drew the Arke of God 1. Sam. 6. though they were milch and had calues at home the one to weaken them the other to withdraw them yet without turning to the right hand or left they kept on their way till they came to Bethshemesh so hauing once ioyned our selues to the yoake of Christ and bearing the arke of his law vpon our shoulders in the way of a vertuous life though we haue many hindrances wordly allurements the diuels temptations and our owne sinfull prouocations yet must we keepe on the way of holinesse to perfection and so the apostle exhorteth Phil. 3. Let vs as many as be perfect be thus mindid Luk. 1. like Zachary and Elizabeth of whom Saint Luke reporteth that they were both righteous befor God walking in all the commandements and iustifications of the Lord without rebuke that is without iust exception to be taken against them yet to dreame of an absolute and Angelicall perfection in a mortall man was the errour of the Pelagian heretikes but our perfection is in part not wholly in respect not absolute or perfect we may be said towards men but not in relation to God There is also a perfection by way of comparison with others and so optimus ille est qui minimis vrgetur he is the most perfect man which hath the fewest faults Yea and further there is a perfection of holinesse secundùm huius vitae modum according to the measure and proportion of this life and this perfection euery good man must haue Saint Paule describes it thus Phil. 3.3 I account not my selfe that I haue attained perfection but one thing I do I forget that which is behind and endeauour my selfe to that which is before and follow hard toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus So that this is the point We must resolue endeauour contend and striue for perfection as for a prize euer be adding grace till we are in some sort according to the capacity of our humane nature perfect men in Christ Ie sus and to this our Sauiour exhorts Beye perfect as your heauenly Father is perfect Math. 5.48 neither must we desist till we come to full holinesse Reason Because non progreds est regredi and our life is like the tumbling of a bowle vp an high hil which if it be throwne part of the way or halfe or more it returneth againe but if it be throwne to the top there it resteth so the hauen of holinesse it is Olympus an high hill which we must climbe to the top for to sticke or stay in the midst is but lost labour Againe our life is as a Boate rowed against the streame where if the rowers stay it goeth backeward of it selfe so in
obserue Doctr. All our holinesse must be perfected in feare For as I haue formerly noted the greatest perfection of our holinesse hath in it many imperfections According to the measure and proportion of this life so is our holinesse and no otherwise yea and the least part doth not consist in this to know and confesse our wants Saint Paul wil therefore haue vs to workeout our owne saluation in feare and trembling Phil. 2. and Saint Peter to Passe the time of our mortall pilgrimage in feare Our estate is neuer secure of danger for the Angels though in heauen yet thence did they fall Iude. Gen. 3. Math. 4. Adam and Eue though in Paradise yet there tempted and ouercome Our Sauiour in the vaste and wilde desert yet there the diuell finds him And the Saints of God though in the bosome of the Church Psal 105. yet they haue had many foule slips and falls and therefore our holinesse must be perfected in feare Secondly seeing that the feare of loue and not of punishment is the truest measure of our perfection obserue Note We must grow to full holinesse euen of zeale to Gods glorie and goodnesse must be loued for it selfe oderunt peccare mali for midine poenae To do well for feare of punishment is but an asses vertue And herein is the triall of a perfect heart if a man can ioy in holinesse conscionably though it come alone yea though accompanied with many miseries Singular is the example of Dauid to this purpose Psal 119 126. Psalm 119. It is time for thee O Lord to lay to thine hand for men haue destroyed thy law therefore saith he euen for the loue and zeale that I haue to holinesse and Gods glorie therefore I say loue I thy command ments aboue gold and all false wayes do I vtterly abhorre This is the point our perfection consists in this if we can be content to embrace holinesse euen for it selfe and for reuerence to our heauenly Father By which it may appeare that feare and the feare of loue is the measure and perfection of our holinesse Reason 1 1. Because of the danger that may befall vs for want of this feare viz. lest hereby we fall from our constancie and so for want of perseuerance do hazard our saluation The diuell is a cunning and diligent aduersarie Luk. 11.24 ready to take adnantage vpon euery occasion and if he find the house swept and garnished and no resistance be made he entreth in and dwelleth there and the end of that man is worse then the beginning and therefore we ought at all times and in all things to walke circumspectly and in feare Eph. 5.15 2. For feare of giuing offence to others and by our halting or standing still we wound the weake hands and feeeble knees of the brethren and so become partakers of their sinnes Praeceptamonent exempla mouent yea know that examples in sinne do draw multitudes to offend and therefore we ought to feare our selues euen for the good of others 3. Lest that by our securitie and standing still the enemie be comforted and haue cause to blaspheme and the Angels of God and the Spirit of God be grieued within vs who as they do reioyce for the conuersion of a sinner so do they grieue at the falls of the righteous Vse The vse of the point is to teach vs to beware of securitie and to let the feare of God euermore keepe the doores of our hearts the wants whereof doth breed in vs a numnesse of soule and doth much withstand the ordinance of God for our saluation For when men come to this that they are cold to holinesse if they heare so it is if not they feele no great want if they receiue the Sacrament they haue no great delight or ioy or if they for beare they feele no grieuance and for other exercises of religion they can be content to do them for ceremonious custome but not for conscience and feeling Such a secure and carelesse estate as this doth shew them to lie in some grosse sin presently or else are in danger to fall into some great transgression or some grieuous punishment But all the paths of the Lord are hedged about with feare that we should not forget nor for sake the Lord at any time Beleeue in God we cannot alwayes and to reioyce is not alwayes present faith is sometime faint loue is little ioy is sicke hope is dead and seeling fallen asleepe but the feare of God in a godly iealousie ouer our owne wayes is the meanes to recouer all againe Our sanctification is but in part He that thinkes that he stands let him take heed lest he fall and Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes Surely brethren it is a good thing through godly feare euer to get victorie of out infirmities before they come to be ioyned with the sinnes of the world to the griefe of the godly the reproch of the wicked the trouble of our owne consciences or the hazard of Gods glorie Thus the feare of God is the beginning of wisedome Prou. 1 yea and the perfection of holinesse is the feare of the Lord. heare the end of all Feare God and keepe his commandements It is the Alpha and Omega of our holinesse the measure and foundation of the same and Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord Psal 112. Of God My text hath at last brought me to the end of our iourney euen to God the Lord who alone is to be feared And seeing it is now high time to leaue you here I will leaue you for I cannot leaue you better then with God Consider therefore a little the height of his Maiestie the brightnesse of his glorie the perfection of his goodnesse the strength of his power the excellency of his wisedome the eternitie of his being the holinesse of his truth the sweetnesse of his mercie the blessednesse of his presence in whose sight there is length of dayes and in his presence is fulnesse of ioy for euermore Let his name be had in honour from the rising of the Sunne to the going downe thereof Againe Oh Lord of hoasts how excellent is thy name in all the world Againe God is the feare of his Saints For the strength of Israel is a dreadfull God clothed with vnspeakable maiestie as with a garment and the splendor of his glorie is ten thousand times more bright then the Sunne in his greatest beautie yea the beholding of his face is present death to a mortall man The Angels tremble the heauens melt away the mountaines smoke the sea is dried vp and Iordan driuen backe and the earth doth totter vpon the foundations at the sight thereof The voice of the Lord is a glorious voice and hath the preheminence The voice of the Lord bringeth mightie things to passe Heare and feare and tremble before the Lord your God ye men of Israel In conclusion therefore seeing we know that one and onely God euer to be worshipped and feared whose authoritie doth command and power execute and prouidence gouerne vs and all things let vs as Henoch walked with God so passe the time of our mortall pilgrimage in feare and holinesse as if we walked in his presence whose eye seeth all and whose eare heareth all alwayes remembring that his all-seeing eye and all-hearing eare shall bring you and me and vs all to iudgement In the feare of God therefore let vs begin and so end all endeuours to cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit and grow vp to full holinesse that at the appearance of the Sonne of God to iudge the ends of the earth we may be found faithfull seruants and as we haue dealt truly in a little so he may then make vs rulers ouer much through the riches of his grace who hath freely and formerly beloued vs not for our owne sake but because himselfe is loue and takes delight in his owne goodnesse To which God be ascribed all goodnesse and glory and mercy and power both now and for euermore Amen Amen FINIS