attends the Closet which I may call by the name of vacancy When men have a Closet to talk of not to pray in a Closet to look upon not to bow before God in a Closet to lay up Gold in but not to mourn in for the sins of my life A Closet that could it speak would say my owner is seldom here upon his knees before the God of Heaven seldom here humbling himself for the iniquity of his heart or or to thank God for the mercies of his life Thirdly Then also a man is guilty of Closet-iniquity when though he doth not utterly live in the neglect of duty he formally carnally and without reverence and godly fear performs it Also when he asketh God for that which he cannot abide should be given him or when he prayeth for that in his Closet that he cannot abide in his house nor his life Fourthly Then also a man is guilty of Closet-iniquity when he desireth that the sound of the devotion he doth there may be heard by them without in the house the street or of those that dwell by For a Closet is only for the man and God to do things in secretly These things let the professor beware of lest he add to his iniquity sin untill he and it comes to be loathsom The Closet is by God appointed for men to wait upon him in and to do it without hypocrisie To wait there for his mind and his will and also for grace to perform it And how can a man that went last time out of his Closet to be nought have the face to come thither again If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayer and if so then he will not meet me in my Closet and if so then I shall quickly be weary thereof being left to my self and the vanity of my mind It is a great thing to be a Closet-Christian and to hold it he must be a Close-Christian that will be a Closet-Christian When I say a Close-Christian I mean one that is so in the hidden part and that also walks with God Many there be that profess Christ who doe oftener in London frequent the Coffee-house than their Closet and that sooner in a morning run to make bargains than to pray unto God and begin the day with him But for thee who professest the name of Christ do thou depart from all these things do thou make conscience of reading and practising do thou follow after righteousness do thou make conscience of beginning the day with God for he that begins it not with him will hardly end it with him He that runs from God in the morning will hardly find him at the close of the day Nor will he that beginâ— with the world and the vanities thereof in the first place be very capable of walking with God all the day after 'T is he that finds God in his Closet that will carry the savour of him into his house his shop and his more open conversation when Moses had been with God in the Mount his face shone he brought of that glory into the Camp Sixthly I add again let those that name the name of Christ depart from the iniquity that cleavâ—th to opinions This is a sad age â—or that let opinions in themâ—elves be never so good never â—o necessary never so innocent â—et there are spirits in the world â—hat will entail iniquity to them â—nd will make the vanity so inseparable with the opinion that 't is almost impossible with some to take in the opinion and leave out the iniquity that by craft and subtilty of Satan is joyned thereto Nor is this a thing new and of yesterday It has been thus almost in all ages of the Church of God and that not only in things small and indifferent but in things fundamental and most substantial I need instance in none other for proof hereof but the doctrine of faith and holiness If faith be preached as that which is absolutely necessary to Justification then faith-fantastical and loosness and remisness in life with some are joyned therewith If holiness of life be preached as necessary to salvation then faith is undervalued and set below its place and works as to justification with God set up and made co-partners with Christâ— merits in the remission of sins Thuâ— iniquity joyneth it self with the great and most substantials of thâ— Gospel and 't is hard to receive anâ— good opinion what ever but iniquity will joyn it self thereto Wicked spirits do not only tempt men to transgress the moral law but do present themselves in heavenly things working there and labouring in them to wrest the judgment and turn the understanding and conscience awry in those high and most important things Wherefore I say we must be the more watchful and careful lest we be abused in our notions and best principles by the iniquities that joyn themselves thereto 'T is strange to see at this day how notwithstanding all the threatnings of God men are wedded to their own opinions beyond what the law of grace and love will admit Here 's a Presbyter here 's an Independent an Anabaptist so joyned each man to his own opinion that they cannot have that communion one with another as by the testament of the Lord Jesus they are commanded and injoyned What is the cause Is the Truth No! God is â—he author of no confusion in the Church of God It is then because every man makes too much of his own opinion abounds too much in his own sence and takes not care to separate his opinion from the iniquity that cleaveth thereto That this confusion is in the Church of Christ I am of Paul I of Apollo I of Cephas I of Christ is too manifest But what unbecoming language is this for the Children of the same Father members of the same body and heirs of the same glory to be accustomed to whether it is Pride or Hypocrisie or Ignorance or Self or the Devil or the Jesuite or all these joyntly working with the Church that makes and maintains these names of distinction This distance and want of love this contempt of one another these base and undervaluing thoughts of brethren will be better seen to the shame and confusion of some in the Judgment In the mean time I advise thee with whom I am at this time concerned to take heed of this mixture this sinful mixture of trutâ— and iniquity together And to help thee in this thing keep thine eye much upon thine own base self labour also to be sensible of the imperfâ—ctions that cleave to thy best performances be clothed with humility and prefer thy brother before thy self and know that Christianity lieth not in small matters neither before God nor understanding men And it would be well if those that so stickle by their private and unscriptural notions which only is iniquity cleaving to truth I say it would be well if such were more sound
has been provoked most bitterly by us while we have profaned his name making use of his Name his Word and Ordinances to serve our selves O Lord what wilt thou do to this Land We are every one looking for something even for something that carrieth terrour and dread in the sound of its Wings as it comes though we know not the form nor visage thereof One cries out another has his Hands upon his Loyns and a third is made mad with the sight of his Eyes and with what his Ears do hear And as their Faith hath served them about Justification so it now serves them about Repentance and Reformation it can do nothing here neither for though as was said Men cry out and are with their Hands upon their Loyns for fear yet where is the Church the House the Man that stands in the gap for the Land to turn away this Wrath by Repentance and amendment of Life Behold the Lord cometh forth out of his place and will come down and tread upon the places of the Earth and the Mountains shall be molten under him and the Valleys shall be cleft as Wax before the Fire and as the Waters that are poured down a steep place but what is the cause of all this For the transgression of Jacob is all this and for the Sin of the House of Israel It is that that is observed by them that can make Observation that all that God has done to us already has been ineffectual as to cause that Humility and Reformation by which his judgments must be turned away Repentance is rare this day and yet without doubt that without which things will grow worse and worse As for them that hope that God will save his people though but from temporal Judgments whether they Repent and Reform or do otherwise I must leave them and their Opinions together this I have found that sometimes the Repentance even of the Godly has come too late to divert such Judgments And how some of the Godly should be so indulged as to be saved from punishment without Repentance when the true and unfeigned Repentance of others will not deliver them leaves me I confess in a Wilderness But that which is most of all to be lamented is That sin through custom is become no sin The superfluity of naughtiness is at this day become no sin with many Surely this was the case with Israel else how could they say when the Prophets so bitterly denounced Gods judgments against them Because we are innocent surely his anger shall turn from us When custom or bad example has taken away the Conscience of sin it is a sign that Soul is in a dangerous Lethargy and yet this is the condition of the most that profess amongst us this day But to leave this and to proceed As there is a twofold Faith two sorts of good Works and the like so there is also A twofold love to Christ. The one standing or stopping in some passions of the mind and affections The other is that which breaks through all difficulties to the holy Commandment to do it Of both these there is mention made in the Scripture And though all true Love begins at the Heart yet that love is but little set by that breaks not through to practice How many are there in the World that seem to have the first but how few shew the second The young Man in the Gospel did by his running kneeling crying enquiring and intreating of Christ to shew him the way to Life shew that he had inward Love to Christ and his own Salvation but yet it was not a love that was strong as Death cruel as the Grave and hotter than the Coles of Juniper It was a Love that stopt in mind and affection but could not break out into Practice This kind of Love if it be let alone and not pressed to proceed till it comes into a labouring practising of the Commandment will love as long as you will to wit as long as Mouth and Tongue can wag but yet you shall not by all your skill drive this Love farther than the Mouth For with their Mouth they shew much Love but their Heart goeth after their Covetousness Nor may this Love be counted for that of the right kind because it is in the Heart for the Heart knows how to dissemble about Love as much as about other matters This is feigned Love or Love that pretends to dear affections for Christ but can bestow no cost upon him Of this kind of Love the world is full at this day especially the Professors of this Age but as I said of this the Lord Jesus makes little or no account for that it hath in it an essential defectiveness Thus therefore Christ and his Servants describe the love that is true and of the right kind and that with reference to himself and Church First with reference to himself If a man loves me saith he he will keep my Words And again He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me And He that loveth me not keepeth not my Sayings And The Word which you hear is not mine but the Fathers which sent me Behold you now where Christ placeth a sign of love it is not in word nor in tongue Not in great and seemingly affectionate gestures but in a practical walking in the Law of the Lord. Hence such and such only are called the undefiled in the way You know who sayes I am the way Blessed saith David are the undefiled in the way who walk in the Law of the Lord. But here again the hypocrite will give us the slip by betaking of himself to exterior matters as to his mint anise and cummin still neglecting the more weighty matters of the Law to wit Judgment Mercy Faith Or else to the significative ordinances still neglecting to do to all men as he would they should do to him But let such know that God never ordained significative ordinances such as Baptism the Lords Supper or the like for the sake of Water or of Bread and Wine nor yet because he takes any delight that we are dipped in Water or eat that bread but they were ordained to minister to us by the aptness of the Elements through our sincere partaking of them further knowledg of the death Burial and Resurrection of Christ and of our death and resurrection by him to newness of life Wherefore he that eateth and believeth not and he that is Baptized and is not dead to sin and walketh not in newness of Life neither keepeth these ordinances nor pleaseth God Now to be dead to sin is to be dead to those things forbidden in the moral Law For sin is the transgression of that and it availeth not to vaunt that I am a Saint and under this or that significative ordinance if I live in the transgression of the Law For I am convicted of the Law as a
fruit of repentance yea if you would see the fruits of repentance as described by the Holy Ghost and put together for the further conviction and shame of the impenitent professor look into the Second Epistle to the Corinthians Chapter 7. vers 9 10 11. But this is a day that was never read of a day wherein conversion is frequent without repentance such a conversion as 't is and therefore doth the Church of God now swarm with them that religiously name the name of Christ yet depart not from iniquity Alas all Houses all Tables all Shops have hanging up in them the sign of the want of repentance To say nothing of the talk of the beds and the backs of most that profess by which of these is it that one of a thousand for Men and for Women one of ten thousand do shew that they have repentance No marvel then that the name of Christ is so frequently mentioned there where iniquity dwells yea reigns and that with the consent of the mind I would not be austere but were wearing of Gold putting on of apparel dressing up houses decking of children learning of complements boldness in women letchery in men wanton behaviours lascivious words and tempting carriages signs of repentance then I must say the fruits of repentance swarm in our Land but if these be none of the fruits of repentance then O the multitude of professors that religiously name the name of Christ and do not depart from iniquity But Thirdly Love is another of those great and principal graces which the Hâ—ly Ghost worketh in the heart wherefore let profession be never so high yet if Love be wanting there to be sure such professors depart not from iniquity Hence all profession and subjecting to profession are counted nothing where love is not Love is counted a most infallible sign that a man is in a state of Salvation He that loveth dwells in God is born of God and knoweth him Love divideth it self to God and to my Neighbour Love to God is that we keep his savings his commandments his Laws If a man love me saith Christ he will keep my words and he that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous So then that professor that hath not love cannot depart from iniquity 1. Where no love is men cannot be tender of the name of God they are not afflicted because men keep not Gods Law 2. Where no love is men cannot deny themselves of that which otherwise they might lawfully do lest the weak should fall and the world be destroyed 3. Where love to God is there is hatred against iniquity ye that love the Lord hate evil A man cannot love God that loves not holiness he loves not holiness that loves not Gods word he loves not Gods word that doth not do it It is a common thing to find men partial in Gods Law setting much by small things and neglectâ—ng the weightier matters paying Tythe of Mint and Anise and Cummin and neglecting the weightier matters These turn the Tables of Gods book up-side-down making little Laws of great ones and great ones of little ones counting half an hours bodily service better than a moral life Love Love is gone out of the Conutry Love to â—he doctrine of the first Table Love to the doctrine of the second Table O how many professors in Gods eyes are accounted of no more than sounding brass for want of this ornament love To speak nothing of the first Table where is he that hath his love manifested by the second where are they that feed the hungry and cloath the naked and send portions to them for whom nothing is prepared Where is Paul that would not eat meat while the world standeth lest he made his brother offend Where is Dorcas with her garments she used to make for the Widow and for the Fatherless Yea where is that rich man that to his power durst say as Job does as is recorded in those Chapters quoted in the Margent Love love is gone and now coveting pinching griping and such things are in fashion now iniquity abounds instead of grace in many that name the name of Christ. They want love and therefore cannot depart from iniquity Fourthly Hope is another of those great and principal graces which the Holy Ghost worketh in the heart and without which let a man be never so high in profession and so open in naming the name of Christ he cannot depart from iniquity As was said before of faith so we say now of hope And every one that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as he is pure Here is that excellent office or rather effect of hope made manifest it purifieth it cleanseth a man it makes him make the Lord Jesus his example as well as his Saviour He purifieth himself even as he is pure to wit in soul in body in spirit in life and conversation Hope of life eternal by Christ makes a man purifie himself in obeying the truth through the spirit Hope to be with Christ hereafter will make me strive to believe him here Hope of being with Angels then will make a man strive to live like an Angel here Alas alas there is a company of half-priests in the world and they cannot they dare not teach the people the whole counsel of God because in so doing they will condemn themselves and their manner of living in the world where is that Minister now to be found that dare say to his people look on me and walk as you have me for an example or that dare say what you see and hear to be in me do and the God of peace shall be with you These men had hope and hope purified them to an example till they became patterns to others Is not this now far off from some professors in the world are they purified are they clean that name the name of Christ are they weaned from that milk and drawn from the breasts No nor their profession is not attended with grace they name the name of Christ well but they do not depart from iniquity Let a man believe a lie and according to the reality of his belief such will his obedience be let a man hope for that for which he hath no ground to hope yet his hope will work with him according to the power thereof And yet we have a generation of men that profest the blessed Gospel which yieldeth the most substantial ground for faith and hope yea we have a company of men that will be naming the name Christ which is the sweetest the most taking and desirable name that is named among the sons of men and for all that this Gospel this worthy name nor yet their naming of it doth make them depart from iniquity But what 's the reason why they have taken up a profession but want the
A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF Christianity OR An EXHORTATION to CHRISTIANS to be HOLY By JOHN BUNYAN Holiness becomes thy House O Lord for ever LONDON Printed by B. W. for Benj. Alsop at the Angel and Bible in the Poultry 1684. AN INTRODUCTION To the following DISCOURSE WHen I write of Justification before God from the dreadful curse of the Law then I must speak of nothing but Grace Christ the Promise and Faith but when I speak of our Justification before Men then I must joyn to these good Works For Grace Christ and Faith are things invisible and so not to be seen by another otherwise than through a life that becomes so blessed a Gospel as has declared unto us the remission of our sins for the sake of Jesus Christ. He then that would have Forgiveness of Sins and so be delivered from the Curse of God must believe in the Righteousness and Blood of Christ but he that would shew to his Neighbours that he hath truly received this Mercy of God must do it by good Works for all things else to them is but talk As for example A Tree is known to be what it is to wit whether of this or that kind by it's Fruit. A Tree it is without Fruit but so long as it so abideth there is ministred occasion to doubt what manner of Tree it is A Professor is a Professor though he hath no good Works but that as such he is truly godly he is foolish that so concludeth Not that Works make a Man good for the Fruit maketh not a good Tree it is the Principle to wit Faith that makes a Man good and his works that shew him to be so What then why all Professors that have not good Works flowing from their Faith are naught are Bramble-bushes are nigh unto Cursing whose end is to be burned For Professors by their fruitlesness declare that they are not of the planting of God nor the Wheat but Tares and Children of the Wicked one Not that Faith needeth good works as an help to Justification before God For in this matter Faith will be ignorant of all good Works except those done by the Person of Christ. Here then the good Man worketh not but believeth for he is not now to carry to God but to receive at his Hand the matter of his Justification by Faith nor is the matter of his Justification before God ought else but the good deeds of another Man to wit Christ Jesus But is there therefore no need at all of good Works because a Man is justified before God without them or can that be called a justifying Faith that has not for its Fruit good Works Verily good works are necessary though God need them not nor is that Faith as to Justification with God worth a rush that abideth alone or without them There is therefore a twofold Faith of Christ in the World and as to the notion of Justifying Righteousness they both concur and agree but as to the manner of application there they vastly differ The one to wit the non-saving faith standeth in speculation and naked knowledg of Christ and so abideth idle but the other truly seeeth and receives him and so becometh Fruitful And hence the true justifying Faith is said to receive to imbrace to obey the Son of God as tendred in the Gospel by which expressions is shewed both the nature of Justifying Faith in its actings in point of Justification and also the cause of its being full of good Works in the World A gift is not made mine by my seeing of it or because I know the nature of the thing so given but then it is mine if I receive and imbrace it yea and as to the point in hand if I yield my self up to stand and fall by it Now he that shall not only see but receive not only know but imbrace the Son of God to be justified by him cannot but bring forth good Works because Christ who is now received and imbraced by Faith leavens and seasons the Spirit of this Sinner through his Faith to the making of him capable so to be Faith made Sarah receive Strength to conceive Seed and we are Sanctified through Faith which is in Christ. For Faith hath joyned Christ and the Soul together and being so joyned the Soul is one Spirit with him not essentially but in agreement and oneness of design Besides when Christ is truly received and imbraced to the justifying of the sinner in that Mans Heart he dwels by his Word and Spirit through the same Faith also Now Christ by his Spirit and Word must needs season the Soul he thus dwells in so then the Soul being seasoned it seasoneth the Body and Body and Soul the Life and Conversation We know it is not the Seeing but taking of a potion that maketh it work as it should nor is the Blood of Christ a Purge to this or that Conscience except received by Faith Shall that then be counted right believing in Christ unto justification that amounts to no more than to an idle speculation or naked knowledg of him shall that knowledg of him I say be counted such as only causes the Soul to behold hold but moveth it not to good Works No verily For the true beholding of Jesus to justification and Life changes from glory to glory Nor can that Man that hath so believed as that by his Faith he hath received and imbraced Christ for Life before God be destitute of good works for as I said the Word and Spirit comes also by this Faith and dwels in the Heart and Conscience now shall a Soul where the Word and Spirit of Christ dwels be a Soul without good Works Yea shall a Soul that has received the Love the Mercy the Kindness Grace and Salvation of God through the Sorrows Tears Groans Cross and Cruel Death of Christ be yet a Fruitless Tree God forbid This faith is as the Salt which the Prophet cast into the Spring of bitter Water it makes the Soul good and serviceable for ever If the receiving of a temporal Gift naturally tends to the making of us to move our Cap and Knee and binds us to be the Servant of the Giver shall we think that Faith will leave him who by it has received Christ to be as unconcerned as a Stock or Stone or that it 's utmost excellency is to provoke the Soul to a lip-labour and to give Christ a few fair Words for his Pains and Grace and so wrap up the business No no the Love of Christ constraineth us thus to judge that it is but reasonable since he gave his all for us that we should give our some for him Let no Man then deceive himself as he may and will if he takes not heed with true Notions but examine himself concerning his Faith to wit Whether he hath any and if some Whether of that kind that will turn to
Grace of Christ the Faith the Repentance the Love and hope of the Gospel No marvel then if they abide among the wooden sort of professors No marvel then though the iniquity of their heels still follows them and that it droppeth from them whereever they go But so much for the first reason Why men do name the name of Christ and yet do not depart from iniquity Secondly The second reason why some that name the name of Christ depart not from iniquity is for that though they rest not in bare notions as those forementioned yet they take up as they short of the saving grace of God There are bare notions there are common workings and there is a work that is saving and that will do the soul good to eternity 1. There are bare notions and they that have them are such unto whom the Gospel comes in word only such whose Religion stands in word only and is not attended with a power sutable that is there goeth not along with the word a power sufficient to subdue and work over the heart to a cordial and gracious close with that word that comes to them Yet such is the noise and sound of the word that they are willing to become professors thereof there is some kind of musicalness in it specially when well handled and fingered by a skilful preacher And lo saith God unto such preachers when their auditory is made up of such kind of hearers And lo thou art unto them as a very lovely Song or as one that sings a Song of Loves of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument For they hear thy words but they do them not 2. But then besides these there is another sort and they go further than these For to them the word came not in word only but also in power though not in that or in such a power as is sufficient absolutely against all atempts whatsoever to bring the soul to glory Of these we read in several places to wit that they have tasted of the powers of the world to come but not so as to bring them safe to glory Yet thus far they go 1. They attain light or illumination to see much of their state by nature with 2. This light standeth not in bare speculation but le ts fall upon the conscience convincing arguments to the bowing and humbling of the spirit 3. They submit to these convictions and reform and may for a time not only come out from them that live in error but escape the pollutions of the world by the knowlege of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 4. Yea so powerful will this dispensation be that it will prevail with them to do and suffer many things for the vindication of the truth of that Gospel which they profess For 1. The word will be sweet unto them 2. Christ the gift of God will be relished by them 3. The powers of the world to come will be in them 4. Some workings of the Holy Ghost will be in them 5. And joy which is as oyl to the wheels will be with their souls Thus I say it is with some professors who yet cannot be said to depart from iniquity that is for all ado because the things that now are upon them abide with them but awhile For awhile they believe they rejoyce in the light for a season So they clean escape from them who live in error for a little or awhile and after that return to their old course and are again intangled with their inquities and overcome This is called A turning with the Dog to his own vomit again and with the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire And some of these are set forth by this and such like sayings When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through dry places seeking rest and finding none Then he saith I will return into my house from whence I came out and when he is come he findeth it empty swept and garnished Then goeth he and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself and they enter in and dwell there and the last state of that man is worse than the first Now the causes of this declension returning or falling away again unto iniquity are many First One is for that this work this work of power that they have been made partakers of has not been thorough enough upon all the powers of their souls Their understandings their Judgments and Consciences have been dealt with but the power of God has not been upon their wills and minds and affections rightly to subdue them to the grace of the Gospel Indeed there seems to be a subjection of the will and an overruling of the mind and affections also else they could not for a time lay aside their iniquity come off from the pollutions of the world and for a season rejoyce in the word and be pleased with the light thereof But we may consider that this may be not for that a sound work of God hath passed upon these powers of the soul but that rather this was by reason of those reflex acts that the understanding now inlightened the judgment now informed and the conscience now convinced had upon these other powers of the soul. And I the rather think it so because willingness mindfulness of and affection for this Gospel lasted no longer than the light shined in their understandings or than the things were relished by their judgment and conscience So that when the light of their Candle went out and when the taste of this sugar-plumb was out of their mouth their wills and affections not being possessed with the fear of God they returned again to their course and went away as before with iniquity Nor do I by any thing here discoursed lay blame or fault at the door of God For 1. He is a free agent to do what he pleaseth and may if he please refuse to give any thing or if he gives something why may he not give what he pleases also He may give special grace to one and that which is not so to another he may open Baalams eyes and open Lydia 's heart he may give some but a taste and cause some to eat abundantly He may suffer some to fall away and keep others by his power through faith unto salvation 2. Besides Gods withdrawing to wit of those common workings if they were withdrawn without a cause given which yet I question yet why may they not be withdrawn from these as well as from his own peculiar ones He knows but little that doth not know that God oft-times hides his face from his own and also withdraws from them the light and great influences of the Holy Ghost and turns them over at least in their own apprehensions to the ungodly and to fallen Angels for their Chastisement or Tryal or Instruction c. 3. And why
of the judgments of God crys out in a sence of his wâ—akness to bear them and to go through as he should Is my strength the streâ—gth of stones or is my flesh brass And again Am I a Sea or a Whale that thou settest a watch over me Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro And wilt thou pursue the dry stubble 3. So Daniel when he was but to stand and talk with the Angel how weak did he find himself There remained saith he no strength in me and O my Lord by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me and I have retained no strength For how can the servant of this my Lord talk with this my Lord for as for me straightway there remaineth no strength in me neither is breath left in me Some may say but this is natural weakness But I ask how came nature to be so weak but through sin the remains whereof abiding still upon the best of Saints make them notwithstanding their graces uncapable to do any thing as they should 4. Paul a man of men who had so much Grace revelation of grace and Communion with Christ that sometimes he knew not whether he was in or out of the body and yet you find him making bitter complaint of the weakness of his grace and of the power of his corruptions I am Carnal saith he and what I hate that do I. How to perform that which is good I find not when I would do good evil is present with me But I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin which is in my members O wretched man that I am c. What complaints what confessions what bewailings of weakness is here And what need was there of any of this if Paul could as he would have departed from iniquity I have instanced in these four men because as to failings and miscarriages they are as free by what the holy record saith as any four of whose lives you shall read in all the Bible but you see that they were too weak to do and depart from iniquity as they would Grace may be said to be weak either when a lower or less degree thereof is compared with a higher and greater degree of the same or it may be said to be weak when in what degree of it you will it shall be ingaged by or ingage it self against sin c. 1. There are degrees of grace in the world some have less and some bigger measures thereof and according to the measure of grace received so is a Christian capable of action He that has little acts but weakly he that has much acts more strongly and he of the Saints that has most acteth best of all but yet none of these three can act so as they should and would and consequently so depart from iniquity as is their duty Witness those four that I mentioned but now for they are among the first rate of Saints yet you see what they did and hear what they said Sin is a mighty Tyrant it is also installed in our flesh and has moreover that in it which suiteth with what ever is sensual in us The flesh relisheth it well though the spirit of the Christian is against it Sin is an Active beast and will not admit that the soul should attempt to put forth it self in any good thing without opposition and contradiction When I should do good evil is present with me Sin is of a polluting and defiling nature and what grace soever it toucheth it staineth and in staining makes it weaker than were it not so defiled it would be Besides not a grace nor an act of grace in the soul can escape untouched Vnbelief stands ready to annoy faith in the grace as well as in the act of faith Hardness of heart will not let love so affectionately and sympathisingly act as it should Sence and reason being polluted will not let hope be so stedfastly fixed upon unseen things as it should Pride will not let us be so humble as we ought nor self so self denying passion often interrupts our patience and angry motions our meekness By these and more that might be named it appears that sin is in us opposeth our graces and letteth them from acting as they should And because this sin has part of our self in its possession therefore though our more noble part be utterly against it yet we depart not from it as we should God chargeth Moses with rash and unadvised words and so he doth Job also Daniel did wear the name of an Idol God and Paul freely confesseth himself unfirm Nor may what hath now been said be applied to those that are weak in faith and so in every other grace for the strongest grace when acted as well as we can cannot cause that we depart from iniquity as we should 1. Because the strongest grace cannot act without opposition 2. Because we that are the actors are lame infirm and made weak by sin that dwells in us 3. Because grace and a state of grace is not that wherein the perfection designed for us doth lie for that is in another world 1. This is a place to act faith in 2. This a place to labour and travel in 3. This is a place to fight and wrestle in 4. This is a place to be tryed in And therefore this is no place of perfection and consequently no place where Gods people can depart from iniquity as they should Now there is a twofold way of departing from iniquity 1. One is when the mind is set against it and withdrawn from the love and liking of it 2. The other is when the practice of it is shunned by the whole man The first of these ways the Saints though they truly do depart from iniquity yet depart not from it as they should 1. Their understanding sees not the utmost baseness that is in it 2. Their judgment is not informed about the vileness of it to perfection 3. The conscience has not yet been convinced of all the evil that is in it Then 1. How should the soul abhor it as it should 2. How should the desires depart from it with that fervency as they should 3. And the will and affections so turn away from it as they should Secondly As to the shunning of the acts of sin there we also come wonderful short We shun not the sins of others as we should This is made appear 1. For that we shun not the company of base men as we should 2. Nor shun or refuse to imitate them in their evil as we should How easily are good men perswaded to comply with bad mens ways Yea Jehosaphat himself said to Ahab that base one Behold I am as thou art my people as thy people my horses as thy horse Joseph could learn in Pharaohs Court to swear by Pharoahs life Peter also when dissembling was in fashion among the
people could learn to dissemble likewise We shun not our own sins or the sins of our own company as we should Christians learn to be proud one of another to be covetous one of another to be treacherous and false one of another to be cowardly in Gods matters one of another to be remiss and negligent in Christian duties one of another Besides If I should go about to shew here how Christians will hide iniquity as David how they will excuse it as did Aaron how they will plead for it as did the men of the City of Joash for Baal and the like I might soon make it abundantly appear that Christians do not depart from iniquity as they should And therefore the exhortation stands good and of use to the best of Saints on earth that they and every of them should depart from iniquity Yea the observation also that they do not do it as they should doth still stand good against us Wherefore as it is true in those that have nothing but notion and that it is true in those that are wrought upon but not effectually so it is true upon those that are truly gracious observation proves it fears of damnation prove it the outcry of the world proves it and the confession of the best men proves it I come now to another observation with which I will present you and that is this namely that every one that in way of profession and religion names the name of Christ should depart from iniquity I say that every one that in a way of profession and Religion nameth the name of Christ should depart from iniquity This truth needs more practice than proof For I think there are none that have either Scripture or reason by them but will freely consent to this Nor is there any thing ambiguous in the observation that we need now to stand upon the explaining of For What iniquity is who knows not That it cleaves to the best who knows not That it is disgraceful to profession who knows not and therefore that it ought to be departed from who knows not But because the motives in particular may not be so much considered as they ought and because 't is Satans design to tempt us to be unholy and to keep iniquity and the professing man together therefore I will in this place spend some arguments upon you that profess and in a way of profession do name the name of Christ that you depart from iniquity to wit both in the inward thought and in the outward practice of it And those arguments shall be of four sorts some respecting Christ some his Father some our selves and some the World First The Christ whom you profess whose name you name and whose Disciples you pretend to be is holy Be ye holy for I am holy This is natural to our discourse for if Christ be holy and if we profess him and in professing of him declare that we are his Disciples we ought therefore to depart from iniquity that we may shew the truth of our profession to the world Secondly They that thus name the name of Christ should depart from iniquity because This Christ whose name we name is loving Those that have a loving Master a Master that is continually extending his love unto his Servants should be forward in doing of his will that thereby they may shew their sence and acceptation of the love of their Master Why this is his will that we depart from iniquity that we throw sin away that we fly every appearance of evil Thirdly They that thus name the name of Christ should depart from iniquity Because of the honour and reputation of their Lord. 'T is a disparagement to Christ that any of his servants and that any that name his name should yet abide by and continue with iniquity A son honoureth his Father and a servant his Master If then I be a Father where is mine honour and if I be a Master where is my fear saith the Lord of Hosts unto you O Priests that despise my name and ye say wherein have we despised thy name Fourthly They that name the name of Christ should depart from iniquity because of his name that his name may not be evil spoken of by men for our holiness puts a lustre and a beauty upon the name of Christ and our not departing from iniquity draws a cloud upon it Wherefore we ought to depart from iniquity that the name of the Lord Jesus may be glorified and not reproached through us Fifthly They that name the name of Christ should depart from iniquity because of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. That the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ which they profess may not be evil spoken of by our neighbours The Gospel is called holy therefore let them be holy that profess it The which they can by no means be if they depart not from iniquity Men cannot serve the designs of the Gospel and their own worldly and fleshly designs But they that profess the name of Christ they should be tender of his Gospel that they keep that in good esteem and reputation in the world The which they can by no means do unless they depart from iniquity Sixthly They that name the name of Christ should depart from iniquity Because the very profession of that name is holy The profession is an holy profession Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord The vessels that is the profession for by that is as it were carried about the name and Gospel of Jesus Christ. We must therefore lay aside all iniquity and superfluity of naughtiness and do as persons professing Godliness as professing a profession that Christ is the Priest of the High-Priest of It is a reproach to any man to be but a bungleâ— at his profession to be but a sloven in his profession And it is the honour of a man to be excellent in the managing of his profession Christians should be excellent in the managment of their profession and should make that which is good in it self good to the Church and to the world by a sweet and cleanly managing of it Seventhly They that profess the name of Christ or that name it religiously should to their utmost depart from iniquity because of the Church of Christ which is holy He that religiously professeth the name of Christ has put himself into the Church of Christ though not into a particular one yet into the universal one Now that is holy What agreement then hath the temple of God with Idols I or any Pillar or Post or Pin or member of that temple One black sheep is quickly espied among five hundred white ones and one mangie one will soon infect many One also among the Saints that is not clean is a blemish to the rest and as Solomon says one sinner destroyeth much good Eightly They that profess the name of Christ or that name that name religiously should depart
follow the apish fashions of the world hath the God oâ— wisdom set them on foot among us or is it because the Devil and wicked men the inventors of these vain toyes have out-witted the law of God What Nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them as his people have and as he is in all things that we call upon him for and what Nation is there so great that hath Statutes and Judgments so righteous as all this law said Moses which I set before you this day This then is that which declareth us to be godly-wise when we keep our soul diligently to the holy words of God and sit not only our tongues and lips but also our lives thereto Fourthly But again let them that name the name of Christ depart from the iniquity that is as I may call it from family-iniquity There is an house-iniquity an iniquity that loves not to walk abroad but to harbor within doors This the holy man David was aware of therefore he said that he would behave himself wisely in a perfect way yea saith he I will walk within my house with a perfect heart Now this house-iniquity standeth in these things 1. In Domâ—stick broyls and quarrels 2. In Domestick Chambrings and wantonness 3. In Domestick misorders of Children and Servants First For house broyles and quarrels it is an iniquity to be departed from whether it be betwixt Husband and Wife or otherwise This as I said is an iniquity that loves not to walk abroad but yet it is an horrible plague within doors And many that shew like Saints abroad yet act the part of Devils when they are at home by giving way to this house iniquity by cherishing of this house-iniquity This iniquity meeteth the man and his wife at the very threshold of the door and will not suffer them to enter no not with one foot into the house in peace but how far this is from walking together as heirs of the grace of life is easie to be determined Men should carry it in love to their wives as Christ doth to his Church and wives should carry it to their husbands as the Church ought to carry it to her Saviour and untill each relation be managed with respect to these things this house-iniquity will be cherished there O! God sees within doors as well as without and will judge too for the iniquity of the house as well as for that more open 2 dly As house-iniquity standeth in domestick broyls and Contentions So it also standeth in Chambrings and wantonness Wherefore the Apostle puteth them both together saying not in chambring and wanness not in strife and envy This chambring and wantonness is of a more genneral extent being entertained by all insomuch that sometimes from the head to the foot all are horribly guilty But it is a shame to speak of those things that are done of some in secret For through the lusts of their own hearts they dishonour their own bodies between themselves working that which is unseemly to their ignominy and contempt if not with their fellows yet with God who sees them for the darkness hideth not from him It was for this kind of iniquity with other that God told Ely that he would judge his house for ever also the words that follow are to be trembled at that say The iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever Such an evil thing is house-iniquity in the eyes of the God that is above Thirdly As domestick iniquity standeth in these so also in the disorders of children and servants Childrens unlawful carriages to their Parents is a great house iniquity yea and a common one too Disobedience to Parents is one of the sins of the last days O! 'T is horrible to behold how irreverently how irrespectively how sawcily and malapertly children yea professing children at this day carry it to their Parents Snapping and checking curbing and rebuking of them as if they had never received their beings by them or had never been beholding to them for bringing of them up yea as if the relation was lost or as if they had received a dispensation from God to dishonour and disobey Parents I will add that this sin reigns in little and great for not only the small and young but men are disobedient to their Parents and indeed this is the sin with a shame that men shall be disobedient to Parents the sin of the last times that men shall be disobedient to Parents and without natural affection Where now adays shall we see children that are come to men and womens estate carry it as by the word they are bound to their aged and worn-out Pâ—rents I say where is the honour they should put upon them who speaks to their aged Parents with that due regard to that relalation to their age to their worn-out condition as becomes them Is it not common now adays for Parents to be brought into bondage and servitude by their children For Parents to be under and children above for Parents to be debased and children to Lord it over them Nor doth this sin go alone in the families where it is no those men are lovers of their own selves Covetous Boasters proud Blaspheemers that are disobedient to their Parents This is that the Prophet means when he saith the child shall behave himself proudly aginst the antient and the base against the honourable This is a common sin and a crying sin and to their shame be it spoken that are guilty a sin that makes men vile to an high degree and yet it is the sin of professors But behold how the Apostle brands them he saith such have but a form of godliness and deny the power thereof and bids the godly shut them out of their fellowship This sin also is I fear grown to such a hight in some as to make them weary of their Parents and of doing their duty to them Yea I wish that some are not murtherers of Fathers and Mothers by their thoughts while they secretly long after and desire their death that the inheritance may be theirs and that they may be delivered from obedience to their Parents This is a sin in the house in the family a sin that is kept in hugger mugger close but God sees it and hath declared his dislike against it by an implicit threatning to cut them off that are guilty of it Let them then that name the name of Christ depart from this iniquity Disorders of Servants is also an house-iniquity and to be departed from by the godly He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house said David and he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight One of the rarities in Solomons house and which the Queen of Sheba was so taken with was the goodly order of his Servants Some of the disorders of Servants are to be imputed to
It is urged from the dangerousness of the latter days Wouldest thou examin thy self then make not the lives of others any rule to thee in this matter 'T is prophesied long ago by Christ and by Paul concerning the latter times that iniquity shall abound and be very high among professors Therefore it will be a rare thing to find an exemplary life among professors Wherefore cease from man and learn of the word try thy self by the word receive conviction from the word and to take off thy self from taking of incouragemnt from others set the judgment before thine eyes and that account that God will demand of thee then and know that it will be but a poor excuse of thee to say Lord such an one doth so did so would do so and they professed c. Whether thou wilt hear me or not I know not yet this I know If thou be wise thou shalt be wise for thy self but if thou scornest thou alone shalt bear it Let me then to press this use farther upon thee shew thee in a few particulars the danger of not doing of it that is of not departing from iniquity since thou professest First The iniquity that cleaveth to men that profess if they cast it not away but countenance it will all prove Nettles and Bryers to them And I will assure thee yea thou knowest that Nettles and Thorns will sting and scratch but ill-favouredly I went saith Solomon by the field of the slothful and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding And lo it was all grown over with Thorns and Nettles had covered the face thereof and the stone wall thereof was broken down Suppose a man were after work all day to be turned into a bed of Nettles at night or after a man had been about such a business should be rewarded with chastisements of Bryers and Thorns this would for work be but little help relief or comfort to him why this is the reward of a wicked man of a wicked professor from God Nettles and Thorns are to cover over the face of his Vineyard his Field his Profession and that at the last of all for this covering over the face of his Vineyard with Nettles and Thorns is to shew what fruit the slovenly slothful careless professor will reap out of his profession when reaping time shall come Nor can he whose Vineyard whose profession is covered over with these Nettles and Thorns of iniquity escape being afflicted with them in his conscience For look as they cover the face of his Vineyard through his sloth now so will they cover the face of his conscience in the day of judgment For profession and conscience cannot be separated long If a man then shall make profession without conscience of Gods honour in his conversation his profession and conscience will meet in the day of his visitation Nor will he whose condition this shall be be able to ward off the guilt and sting of a slothful and bad conversation from covering the face of his conscience by retaining in his profession the name of Jesus Christ For naming and professing of the name of Christ will instead of salving such a conscience put venom sting and keenness into those Nettles and Thorns that then shall be spread over the face of such consciences This will be worse than was that cold wet cloth that Hazael took and spread over the face of Benhadad that he died This will sting worse tear worse torment worse kill worse Therefore look to it 2. Nor may men shift this danger by their own neglect of inquiring into the truth of their separation from iniquity for that God himself will search them I search the reins and the heart saith he to give unto every one of you according to his ways There are many that wear the name of Christ for a Cloak and so make their advantages by their iniquity but Christ at death and judgment will rent this Cloak from off such shoulders then shall they walk naked yea the shame of their nakedness shall then appear Now since no man can escape the search of God and so not his judgment it will be thy wisdom to search thine own ways and to prevent judgement by judging of thy self 3. Christ will deny those to be his that do not depart from iniquity though they shall name his name among the rest of his people Depart from me saith he all you that departed not from iniquity Yea they that shall nâ—me his name religiously and not depart from iniquity are denyed by him all along 1. He alloweth them not now to call him Lord. And why call ye me Lord Lord saith he and do not the things which I say He cannot abide to be reputed the Lord of those that presume to profess his name and do not depart from iniquity The reason is for that such do but profane his name and stave others off from falling in love with him and his ways Hence he says again Behold I have sworn by my great name saith the Lord that my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah 2. He regardeth not their prayers If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayer And if so then what ever thou hast at the hand of God thou hast it not in mercy but in judgment and to work out farther thine everlasting misery 3. He will not regard their soul but at the last day will cast it from him as a thing abhorred by him As is evidently seen by that thirteenth of Luke but now noted in the margent Wherefore from these few hints thou whoever thou art maiest well perceive what an horrible thing it is to make a profession of the name of Christ and not to depart from iniquity Therefore let me exhort thee again to examin thy self if thou hast and dost since thou professest that name depart from iniquity And here I would distinguish for there is two parts in iniquity to wit the guilt and filth As for the guilt that is contracted by inquity I perswade my self no man who knows it needs to be bid to desire to depart from that nay I do believe that the worst Devil in Hell would depart from his guilt if he could and might but this is it to wit to depart from the sweet the pleasure and profiâ— of iniquity There are that call evil good iniquity good and that of professors too this is that to be departed from and these are they that are exhorted to forsake it upon the pains and penalties before threatened Therefore as I said let such look to it that they examin themselves if they depart from iniquity And come now thou art going about this work let me help thee in this matter 1. Ask thy heart what evil dost thou see in sin 2. How sick art thou of sin 3. What means dost thou use to mortifie thy sins 4. How much