all the people visible holiness is a loadstone that will draw eyes and hearts after it 1 Pet. 3.1 Likewise ye wives be in subjection to your own husbands that if any obey not the Word they also may without the Word be woon by the conversation of the wife A holy conversation is a winning conversation Phil. 2.15 1 Cor. 7.16 the holy conversation of the wife may be the conversion of the husband the holy the wise the watchful the circumspect conversation of the wife may issue in the salvation of the husband many a husband hath been woon to Christ by the holy conversation of the wife and many a wife hath been woon by the holy conversation of the husband Monica woon her husband Patricia from being an impure Manichee not by force of argument but by purity and chastity of life saith Augustine many a servant hath been woon by the holy conversation of the Master and many a Master hath been woon by the holy conversation of the servant Zozomen reports that the holy life of a poor captive Christian maide made a King and all his family to embrace the Christian faith I have read of Cicilia a poor virgin who by her holy and gracious behaviour in her martyrdom was the means of converting four hundred to Christ Many a soul hath been woon by the dumb Oratory of a holy life Justin Martyr confesseth that the constancy of Christians in their piety and sufferings was the chiefest motive that converted him to Christianity For I my self saith he was once a Platonist and did gladly hear the Christians reviled but when I saw they feared not death nor any of those miseries which did most frighten all other men I began to consider with my self that it was impossible for such men to be lovers of pleasure more then lovers of piety and that made me first think of turning Christian 1 Pet. 2.12 Chap. 15.3 16. There is nothing that hath that influence upon the judgements of men to perswade them upon the consciences of men to awe them upon the mouthes of men to stop them upon the hearts of men to convince them and upon the lives of men to reform them as holiness What Plato once said of his moral vertue viz. that if it could be seen with bodily eyes it would be beloved of all and draw all hearts to it self That is most true of this Theological grace holiness holiness is so beautiful and so lovely a thing that it renders men amiable and lovely in the very eyes of their enemies Tilligny for his rare vertues Vide the French History in the life of Charles the ninth was rescued from death by his greatest enemies at the massacre of Paris Holiness makes a mans face to shine as it did Moses his and Stephens nothing pleases the eye nor wins the heart like holiness What is gold to godliness gifts to grace parts to piety a spark a ray a beam of holiness will certainly have an influence upon the spirits of men either to restrain them or change them or allay them or sweeten them or win them or one way or another to better them Look as the unholy lives and conversations of many professors do occasion some to blaspheme God others to belye God others to withstand God and others to forsake God Look as the loosness of many Christians doth work some to reproach Christ others to deny Christ others to refuse Christ others to revile the good wayes of Christ and others to oppose and despise the faithful followers of Christ As Lactantius reports that the loose lives of many Christians was made by the Heathens the reproach of Christ himself Quomodo bonus Magister cujus tam pravos videmus discipulos How can we think the Master to be good whose disciples we see to be so bad And Salvian also complains that the loose walking of many Christians was made by the Heathen the reproach of Christ himself saying If Christ had taught holy doctrine surely his followers had led better lives Salvianus de G. D. l. 4. And further the same Author relates how the Heathens did reproach some Christians who by their lewd lives made the Gospel of Christ to be a reproach Where said they is that good Law which they do believe Where are those rules of godliness which they do learn they read the holy Gospel and yet are unclean they hear the Apostles writings and yet are drunk they follow Christ and yet disobey Christ they profess a holy Law and yet do lead impure lives Now I say look as the holiness of many professors is a dishonour to God Ezek. 13.22 a reproach to Christ a scandal to Religion a blot to profession and a grief to many whom God would not have grieved So the power of holiness the practice of holiness is very influential upon the worst of men to win and work them to the Lord and to a love and liking of his wayes The holy lives of the Saints made the very Heathens to say Surely this is a good God whose servants are so good Ambrose his holiness did very much draw out the heart of Theodosius the Emperour to him and the holiness of Paphnutius did very much draw out the heart of Constantine the great to him there is nothing that gives a man that heart-room and that hearty room in the souls of others 2 Thes 1.3 4 5. read it as holiness it is the holy man that is a man of a thousand But Fifthly Consider that real holiness is the excellency of all a mans excellencies As holiness is the glory of God a part of the divine nature a spark of heaven a ray of glory so it is the excellency of all a mans excellencies it is the excellency of all our natural excellencies it is the excellency of all our moral excellencies and it is the excellency of all our intellectual excellencies Look as Gods holiness is the excellency of all his excellencies as the Angels who best know what is the top of his excellency do evidence by that three-fold repetition Holy holy holy Isa 6.3 Rev. 4.8 Some Greek Copics have the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy nine times over c. these multiplied acclamations of holiness denote the superlative eminency excellency and perfection of Gods holiness Both among the Hebrews and among the Grecians the holiness of God is the excellency of his omnisciencie omnipotencie and omnipresence it is the excellency of his eternity immutability and fidelity it is the excellency of his wisdom love care and goodness Psalm 111.9 Holy and reverend is his name Gods name comes to be reverend by holiness if his name were not holy it would never be reverend and why is God called so often the holy one but to shew us that holiness is the very top of all his glory and excellency God could not be glorious in any thing Exod. 15.11 That which God accounts his highest honour is his
some instinct of gratitude and shall not a divine instinct enable Christians to do much more in a way of gratitude both upon the account of their own graces and upon the account of those eminent measures of grace that other Saints are blest and crown'd withal though Seiarus did dare to sacrifice to himself yet a Christian must not dare to sacrifice to himself nor to his duties nor to his graces c. the sacrifice of praise in regard of grace received is a crown of glory that is due to none but the God of grace All the Rivers return to the Sea from whence they had their beginning God will give you his Covenant and he will give you his Ordinances and he will give you his heaven and he will give you his Son yea he will give you himself Isa 42.8 but his glory his glory he will not give unto another Whatever he parts with he is resolved that neither Angels nor men shall share with him in the glory of his grace I have read of a Stork that cast a Pearl into the bosom of a Maid which had healed her of a wound O! Sirs when God comes to heal you of your spiritual wounds and diseases and not onely so but shall also richly bespangle and adorn your souls and others with his precious graces what can you do less then cast that Pearl of praise into the bosom of God as David did in that Psal 103.1 6. The best means to get more grace is to be thankful for that grace you have for God loves to sowe much where he reaps much if your returns are answerable to your receipts you will still be on the receiving hand thankfulness is Gods impost for all his blessings and they that truely and duely payes this impost shall be sure to abound in the best of blessings thankfulness for one blessing always draws on another blessing as Saints by experience daily find And thus you see by these Arguments that 't is possible for you to attain higher degrees of holiness then any yet you have reach't unto But Fifthly and lastly 'T is possible for you to attain to higher degrees of holiness c. witness those choice those rare and singular gifts that Christ has bestowed upon many of his servants for this very purpose viz. that they may help on a growth and an increase of holiness in your hearts Eph. 4.8 11 12 13. Wherefore he saith when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers For the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ Till we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ One main end of Christs giving such eminent gifts to his Church Officers is that his people may be made eminent in holiness 't is not onely to bring them in but also to build them up 't is not onely to convert them but also to edifie them 't is not onely to begin a work of holiness but also to perfect and carry on a work of holiness and therefore the Word is not only compared to seed that begets holiness in mens hearts but also to wine and milk and strong meat that helps forward the growth and increase of holiness in mens hearts 'T is only the holy soul that can truely say Credo vitam aeternam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 edo vitam aeternam Cyprian lib. 4. Ep. 6. And so the great end of the Lords Supper is not to work spiritual life where it is not but to encrease it where it tis 't is not to change the heart but more and more to sanctifie the heatt 't is not to work holiness but to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord 't is not to sowe the seed of grace in the soul but 't is to cause that seed to grow and flourish in the soul The Martyrs in the Primitive Church when they were to appear before the cruel Tyrants they were wont as Cyprian shews to receive the Lords Supper and thereby they were fired with zeal and fervor and filled with faith and fortitude c. Chrysostom saith that by the Sacrament of the Lords Supper we are so armed against Satans temptations that he fleeth from us as if we were so many Lyons that spit fire The Lords Supper is a Cabinet of spiritual Jewels And O then how unmanly and unseemly a thing is it to hang this Cabinet of Jewels which is more worth then the Gold of Opher in a Swines snout And how that mother can be guiltless of the death of her child that giveth him poison in a Golden cup with this caution that she tells him it is poison I know not no more do I know how that Minister can be guiltless of the body and blood of our Lord who dispences the bread of Life to those who are known to be without spiritual life yea that are known to be dead in sins and trespasses The end of the 43. Sermon And thus you see by these five arguments that 't is possible for you to attain to greater measures of holiness then any yet you have reacht unto and so much for the second Motive Thirdly To provoke you to labour after higher degrees of holiness Psal 16.3 4. consider that the more holy you are the more you will be the delight of God and the more deare you will be to God and the more beloved you will be of God For the right understanding of this argument you must carefully distinguish between Gods love of good Will and his love of complacency now Gods love of good Will is equall to all his Saints whether they are rich or poore high or low bond or free or whether they have a sea of grace or but a drop of grace Gods love of good Will runs as much out to the weakest Christian as it do's to the strongest to a Babe in grace as to a Gyant in grace All Saints are equally elected God never chose one man a vessel of glory more then another Rom. 11.17 the weakest Saint is as much elected as the strongest And as all Saints are equally elected so all Saints are equally redeemed by Jesus Christ Isa 53.3 12. Christ bled as much for one Saint as another and he sweat as much for one Saint as another and he sighed and groaned as much for one Saint as another and he trod the wine-press of his Fathers wrath as much for one Saint as another 1 Cor. 6.19 20. Christ paid as great a price for his Lambs as for his Sheep for Lazarus in his Rags as for David in his Royal Robes And as all Saints are equally redeemed so all Saints are equally called 1 Pet. 2.9 one Saint is
strangers yea enemies to those noble and divine principles And you are the onely persons on earth upon whom all exhortations and commands to grow in holiness to encrease in holiness and to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord do's most immediately most directly most eminently most roundly and most fully fall as you may easily see by comparing the Scriptures in the Margent together O sirs 2 Pet. 3.18 how gloriously should that house be adorned with holiness that is of Gods own building 2 Corin. 7.1 Ch. 13.11 Colos 2.7 Heb. 6.1 1 Corin. 15.58 Jude 10. and how fruitful should those vineyards and gardens be that are of Gods own planting and how full should those Wells be that are of Gods own digging and how sweet should those flowers be that are of Gods own setting and how ripe should those fruits be that are of Gods own Grafting O sirs shall the Eagle flye higher and higher shall the Sun shine brighter and brighter and shall the Gyant refreshed with wine run swifter and swifter and shall the woman man that is with child grow fuller and fuller and greater and greater and shall not you who are the people of Gods holiness flye higher and higher in holiness and shine brighter and brighter in holiness Charles the Fifth had this for his Motto Vlterius goe on further Math. 13.23 Mar. 4.28 Ezek. 47.3.4 and run swifter and swifter in the ways of holiness and grow fuller and fuller and greater and greater in the births of holiness O sirs holiness in a Christian is not like a Star in the Skie nor a Stone in the Center nor a Bullet in a Gun which is always equal but holiness is like to the seed which being sown in the furrows of the earth first springs up into a blade and then into an ear and then into ripe corn Holiness is like to the waters in Ezekiels Sanctuary that rise by degrees First it rise to the Ancles then to the knees then to the Loyns and then to a mighty river that could not be passed over 2 Sam. 3.1 Holiness is like to the house of David that grew stronger and stronger and like to the Cedars of Lebanon that grew greater and greater Hosea 14.6 7. O Christians there are none that are so strongly obliged to go on from faith to faith Rom. 1.17 and from strengâ—h to strength and from holiness to holiness as you are O! 1 Col. 13. you must labor to be filled up to the brim with holiness O! you must strive to equalize the first three of Davids worthies O! 2 Ch. 7. you must endeavor to be like the brethren of Gideon every one resembling the children of a King 1 Chron 11.21 O that you could all say as Elihu once did Judg. 8.18 Job 32.18 19. I am full of matter my belly is as wine which hath no vent it is ready to burst like new bottles O my brethren to be as full of holiness as new bottles are full of wine or as the Moon is full of light or as the black clouds are full of Rain or as Nurses breasts are full of milk is the greatest happiness in this world O sirs there are no persons on earth that aâ—e engaged to love the Lord with such a vehement love as you nor to tâ—ust in the Lord with such an inflamed faith as you nor to hope in the Lord with such a raised hope as you nor to delight in the Lord with such ravishing delights as you nor to long after the Lord with such earnest longings as you nor to fear before the Lord with so great a trembling as you nor to be so zealous for God with such a burning zeal as you nor to mourn before the Lord with so great a mourning as you nor to hate all things that are contrary to the nature of God the being of God the command of God the glory of God with such a deadly hatred as you Well remember this viz. 't is no little sin for any Christian to set down satisfied under a little measure of holiness considering the many and the great obligations that lies upon him to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord. But Eleventhly To provoke you to labor after higher degrees of holiness consider that the more holiness any man attains to 2 Corin. 1.8 9 10 11 12. the more bold couragious resolute Masculine and Heroick that man will be for God and godliness holiness enobles the heart it raises the heart and the higher the springs of holiness riseth in the heart the higher it raiseth the heart and the more it steels the heart for God and godliness the more holiness any man has the more resolutely he will set himself against sin and the more divinely he will scorn the world and the more couragiously he will trample upon temptations and the more Heroick he will be under all his afflictions men of greatest holiness have been men of greatest boldness witness Nehemiah the three children Daniel Nehe. 6.11 and all the holy Prophets and Apostles Prov. 28.1 The wicked flee when no man pursueth but the righteous are as bold as a Lyon yea as a young Lyon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Hebrew has it that is in his hot blood and fears no colours and that is more bold then any others holiness made Daniel not onely as bold as a Lyon but also to daunt the Lyons with his boldness Luther was a man of great holiness and a man of great boldness witness his standing out against all the world and when the Emperour sent for him to Wormes and his friends disswaded him from going as sometimes Pauls did him Go Acts and Mon. 776. said he I will surely goe since I am sent for in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ yea though I knew that there were as many Devils in Wormes to resist me as there be Tiles to cover the houses yet I would goe And when the same Author and his Associates were threatned with many dangers from opposers on all hands he lets fall this heroick magnanimous speech Come let us sing the six and forty Psalme and then let them do their worst Latimer was a man of much holiness counting the darkness and profaneness of those times wherein he liv'd and a man of much courage boldness Acts and Mon. 1594. witness his presenting to king Henry the eight for a new years gift a new Testament wrapt up in a Napkin with this posie or motto about it Whoremongers and Adulterers God will Judge Dr. Taylor the Martyr was a very holy man and being perswaded by some of his friends not to appeare before Stephen Gardner Bishop of Winchester Acts and Mon. 1380. but to fly fly you said he and do according to your consciences but as for my self I am fully determined by Gods grace to go to the Bishop and to tell him to his Beard that he doth naught
longer and bee quicker and nimbler in religious duties than others that are more aged in grace and holinesse but yet they that are aged in grace and holinesse do perform religious duties with more spiritual art and accuratenesse and with more divine skill judgement and understanding than they do in whom the spring of holinesse runs low A young Scholar may run over more paper and write more paper and make more letters than his Master doth but yet his Master writes more understandingly exactly and accurately than hee doth So many young converts may run over more duties than others and yet others may perform duties more understandingly and more exactly and more accurately than they do let the duty bee never so short yet if there bee much spiritualnesse holinesse brokennesse seriousnesse and accuratenesse in it it will carry all before it 't will win the blessing and obtain the crown when the longest duties wherein there is no such frame nor temper of spirit shall not prevail with God at all Zach. 7.4 5 6. Isa 58.1 6. It argues a very great measure of holinesse when the soul is habitually carried on in religious duties with much solidnesse seriousnesse spiritualnesse exactnesse and accuratenesse But Tenthly The more any man makes it his great businesse and work in all his duties waies and walkings to approve himself to God and to bee accepted of God Jer. 12.3 Psa 17.3 The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chakreni signifies a very strict careful diligent search and inquisition c. the greater height of holinesse that man hath attained to David was a man of great holinesse and how studious and industrious hee was to approve his heart to the Lord you may see in that 139. Psalm 23 24. Search mee O God! and know my heart try mee and know my thoughts and see if there bee any wicked way in mee and lead mee in the way everlasting The Psalmist knew that God had an eye upon him both at home and abroad both at bed and at board both in publick and in private both in his family and in his closet hee knew that God had an eye in every corner of his house and in every corner of his heart and therefore hee appeals to God and hee approves his heart to God and nobly ventures upon the tryal of God Search mee O God and know my heart c. this frequent repetition and doubling of words Search mee O God and know my heart try mee and know my thoughts c. doth not only note the earnestnesse and seriousnesse of Davids spirit in prayer but also the soundnesse the uprightnesse the plainnesse and the unfeignednesse of Davids heart in that hee was very willing and ready to submit himself to the search tryal examination and approbation of God And so Peter that great Apostle of the Gentiles makes it his great businesse to approve himself to Christ thrice together Joh. 21.15 16 17. Lord thou knowest that I love thee Lord thou knowest that I love thee Lord thou that knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Christ best knew the reality and sincerity of Peters love and therefore Peter appeals to him as to a judge that would bee sure to judge righteous judgement Thou knowest that I love thee And so the Apostle Paul speaking in the Name of his fellow Apostles saith wherefore wee labour that whether present 2 Cor. 5.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or absent wee may bee accepted of him The Greek word that is here rendred labour is a very Emphatical word it signifies to labour and endeavour with all earnestnesse and might to indeavour with a high and holy ambition to bee approved of by God and to bee accepted of God judgeing it to bee the greatest honour and the most desireable happinesse in all the world to bee graciously owned approved and accepted of the Lord as ambitious industrious and laborious as Haman was to bee highly accepted with King Ahasuerus yet he was not more ambitious to bee accepted with the King than the Apostles were ambitious to be accepted of the King of Kings O Sirs when in every Sermon you hear and in every prayer you make and in every fast you keep and in every action you do and in every way that you walk and in every mercy that you enjoy and in every cross that you bear c. you make it your great businesse and work to approve your selves to the Lord and that though the world should discountenance you and friends hate you and near and dear Relations reject you that yet you may find blessed acceptance with God this argues holiness to be upon the Throne when in all your dealings and tradings with God you make it your Heaven to approve your selves to God and when in all your transactions with men you make it your happiness to approve your selves to God 't is an Argument that the springs of holiness are risen high in your souls But Eleventhly The more a man lives by the Rule of Expediency as well as by the Rule of Lawfulnesse the greater measure of holinesse that person hath attained to Joh. 16.7 2 Cor. 8.10 Weak holinesse hath only an eye upon the Rule of Lawfulnesse but raised holinesse hath one eye upon the Rule of Lawfulnesse and the other upon the Rule of Expediency Weak holinesse saith O this is lawful and that is lawful O but saith raised holinesse is it expedient is it expedient as well as lawful That Angelical Apostle Paul had still his eye upon the Law of Expediency 1 Cor. 6.12 All things are lawful unto mee but all things are not expedient all things are lawful for mee but I will not bee brought under the power of any And so ch 10.23 All things are lawful for mee but all things are not expedient all things are lawful for mee but all things edifie not And so in that 2 Cor. 12.1 'T is not expedient for mee doubtless to glory Many things may bee lawful that yet may bee very inexpedient for our place state calling and condition in the world 'T was lawful for the Apostle to eat meat Rom. 14. but 't was not expedient for him to eat meat when his eating of meat would make his weak Brother to offend or grieve or stumble or fall And therefore hee resolves that rather than hee will eat meat to offend 1 Cor. 8.13 hee will never eat meat whilst the world stands The more unchangeably resolved any person is to eye the Rule of Expediency and to live by the Rule of Expediency the greater measure of holinesse that person hath certainly attained to the streams of holinesse runs low in that Christians heart that hath two eyes to behold the Rule of Lawfulnesse but never an eye to see the Rule of Expediency it argues a very great height of holinesse for a man to make as much conscience of living by the Rule of Expediency as hee doth of living by the Rule of
and the more careful they should be in pleasing of him Divine blessings should be the greatest obligations in the world upon a Christian to keep at a distance from sin and to keep close to a holy God the greater the mercy is and the more miraculous the deliverance and the salvation is that God crowns his people with the greater are the ingagements that God hath put upon them to be a holy people to him So in that 116. Psal David gives in a bill of particulars in the eight first verses hee gives you a choice Narrative of the singular favours and blessings of God both in respect of his inward and his outward man God had been good to his soul and hee had been kind to his body hee tells you of Gods sparing mercy and of his preventing mercy and of his preserving mercy and of his delivering mercy and of his supporting mercy and of his multiplying mercy and of his pardoning mercy hee tells you that God hath heard his prayers and wip'd off his tears and preserved his feet from falling and his soul from death And then in the following words hee tells you what his resolution is upon the whole I will walk before the Lord in the Land of the Living vers 9. or rather as the Hebrew hath it Ethhallech Liphne Jehovah I will walk before the face of the Lord The Hebrew word that is here rendred walk signifies a continued action or the reiteration of an action David resolves that hee will not only take a turn or two with God or walk a pretty way with God as Orpah did with Ruth Ruth 1.10 15. and then take his leave of God as Orpah did of her Mother but hee resolves whatever comes on it that hee will walk constantly resolutely and perpetually before God or before the face of the Lord Now walking before the face of the Lord doth imply a very exact circumspect accurate and precise walking before God and indeed no other walking is either suitable or pleasing to the eye of God But is this all that hee will do upon the receipt of such signal mercies O no! for hee resolves to take the cup of salvation and to call upon the Name of the Lord and â—o offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving v. 13. and 17. but is this all that hee will do oh no! for hee resolves that hee will presently pay his vows unto the Lord in the presence of all his people v. 14 and 18. but is this all that hee will do O no! for hee resolves that hee will love the Lord better than ever and more than ever v. 1. Hee loved God before with a real love but having now received such rare mercies from God hee is resolved to love God with a more raised love and with a more inflamed love and with a more active and stirring love and with a more growing and increasing love than ever And so the Apostle in that Rom. 12.1 2. I beseech you therefore Brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service And bee not conformed to this world but bee yee transformed by the renewing of your mind that yee may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God When this great Apostle would work up the Romans to a full resignation of themselves to God and to his service and would sence and arm them against the sinful fashions customes examples dispositions and practices of a corrupt and wicked world hee sets the mercies of God before them the Apostle very well knew that there was no such spur to holiness nor no such preservative against wickedness as this was the Apostle could have set threatnings before them and the curse before them and wrath before them and former and latter judgements before them and hell before them and yet hee passes over all these things and presents the mercies of God before them as the most effectual means under Heaven to engage them to holiness and to fortify them against all sinful conformity and worldly vanity O Sirs you are all under several signal mercies this day you are out of Hell and is not that a signal mercy you have many mercies that others want and is not that a signal mercy yet God rains Mannah every day about your Tents when others wander several miles and are too often put off with stones instead of bread and is not that a signal mercy That wicked mens hearts should be so full of wrath rage revenge envy and malice and you cast at their feet and yet not trod to death is a signal mercy that you should stand when others fall that you should be faithful when others are false that you should persevere when others backslide that you should be for God when so many are for Baal and that you should be followers of the Lamb when so many thousands are dancing after Antichrists Pipes are all very rare and signal mercies and calls aloud upon you to be holy yea to be eminently holy c. But Thirdly Times of personal afflictions are times wherein God calls aloud for holiness when the Rod of God is upon our backs See my Mute Christian under the Smarting Rod c. it highly concerns us to look that our words are full of grace and that all our waies and works are full of holiness Now God looks that his people should be divinely fearful of offending him and divinely careful in pleasing of him and divinely willing to resign up themselves to him and divinely patient in waiting on him and divinely humble in submitting to him and divinely wise in justifying of him and divinely resolute in serving of him Heb. 12.10 But hee afflicts us for our profit that wee might be made partakers of his holiness why they were before partakers of his holiness that 's true and these words declare that the great reach and design of God in all the afflictions that hee brings upon his people is to make them more and more holy and therefore for Christians to be proud under the Rod and carnal under the Rod and worldly under the Rod and froward under the Rod and stupid under the Rod and wanton under the Rod and wicked under the Rod is to cross and frustrate the great design of God in afflicting of them In afflictions God looks that his people should shine brighter and brighter and grow better and better and holier and holier O there is nothing that pleases God more that delights God more that affects God more or that wins upon God more than to see his people a holy people in the daies of their afflictions Well-waters are hottest in the winter c. Jer. 2.2 3. Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem saying Thus saith the Lord I remember thee the kindness of thy youth the love of thine Espousals when thou wentest after mee in the wilderness in a Land that was not sown Israel
that had rather be vessels of wrath then vessels of honour and that had rather be fire-brands of hell then glorious Saints in heaven Ephes 2.12 Rom. 9.22 And so I have done with those reason◠that may satisfie the Reader concerning my Dedication of this Treatise to all sorts ranks and degrees of persons Having premised these things in the general give me leave to say That if this Treatise should fall into the hands of any of the Learned Judges of this Land or into the hands of any of the Justices of this Nation I would then take the humble boldnesse to offer this to their most serious consideration viz. That if they would discharge the duties of their places so as to give up their accounts at last with joy and cheerfulness to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords it highly concerns them to study this doctrine of holinesse yea to fall in love with holinesse and highly to prize it and earnestly to presse after it and to be restlesse in their own spirits till they have experienced the powerful operations of holinesse in their own souls for till then they will never be able so to administer Justice and Judgement as becomes those that have the name of God and the name of profession upon them and that judge themselves to be in a higher Form then those Heathens were who were famous for justice and righteousnesse Cato Fabricius Scipio Cambyses c. and yet never heard of a Christ nor salvation by him and as becomes those that would not stand trembling and quaking in the great and terrible day when Christ the Lord-chief-Iustice of heaven and earth shall passe a righteous and impartial judgement upon all the Judges and Justices that ever were on earth Joel 2.11 31. Acts 17.31 2 Tim. 4.1 2. Where justice is God is and where God is there is no want of men or fortitude said Herod at the head of his Army the better to encourage his souldiers My Lords and Gentlemen you know that the wisest Prince that ever set upon a Throne hath told us that Righteousnesse exalts a Nation Prov. 14.34 It is not valour in war but righteousnesse it is not policie in Government but righteousnesse it is not wittinesse of invention but righteousnesse it is not civility in behaviour but righteousnesse it is not antiquity of forms but righteousnesse it is not largenesse of dominion but righteousnesse nor it is not greatnesse of command Iustice is conservatrix Humanae conjunctionis quae ad beatitudinem via est c. Amos 5.24 The Hebrew word Veiiggalchat is here rendred run down is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Galal that signifies to roul down f eely plentifully plainly vigorously constantly Where justice thus rouls down all the world shall never make that Nation miserable but righteousnesse that is the honour and the safety that is the renown and the security of a Nation That Nation that exalts righteousnesse that Nation shall be certainly exalted by righteousnesse It is not Achitophels policy it is not Jeroboams calves in Dan and Bethel it is not Jehues pompous zeal it is not Goliahs sword it is not rich Mines of Gold and Silver nor Magazines nor Armies nor Counsels nor Fleets nor Forts but Justice and Righteousnesse that exalts a Nation and that will make a mean people to become a great a glorious and a famous people in the world The world is a Ring and Righteousnesse is the Diamond in that Ring The world is a body and Righteousnesse and Justice is the soul of that body Ah England England so long as judgement runs down as waters in the midst of thee and righteousnesse as a mighty stream thou shalt not die but live and bear up bravely against all gain-sayers and opposers but if injustice shall grow rampant and thou shalt brandish the sword of Justice in the behalf of the friends of Baal Balaam and Bacchus and turn the wheel upon the righteous if the sword of justice shall be a sword of protection to the desperate swearer and to the cruel oppressor and to the roaring drunkard and to the cursing monster and to the Gospel despiser and to the Christ contemner c. and shall be a devouring sword to the upright and peaceable in the Land Divine vengeance will dig thy grave and divine Justice will tumble thee into it though all the Nations of the earth should labour to prevent it It is a base and ignoble spirit to pity Cataline more then to pity Rome to pity any particular sort of men more then to pity the whole It is cruelty to the good to justifie the bad It is wrong to the sheep to animate the Wolves It is danger if not death to the Lambs not to restrain or chain up the Lyons but from all these vanities the Lord deliver all your souls And O that you would for ever remember this that as the constitution of a mans body is best known by his pulse if it stir not at all then we know he is dead if it stir violently then we know him to be in a Fever if it keep an equal stroak then we know he is sound well and whole so the estate and constitution of a Kingdom or Common-weal is best known by the manner of executing justice therein for justice is the pulse of a Kingdom if justice be violent then the Kingdom is in a Fever in a very bad estate if it stir not at all then the Kingdom is dead but if it have an equal stroak if it be justly and duely administred then the Kingdom is in a good a safe and sound condition When Vespasian asked Apollonus What was the cause of Nero 's ruine he answered That Nero could tune the Harps well but in Government he did alwayes wind up the strings too high or let them down too low The Application is easie Now having premised thus much in the general give me leave to tell you that there are eight special Rules that you are carefully and faithfully to observe in the administration of Justice and Righteousnsse And how you will be able to act sutable to those Rules without a Spirit of holinesse without principles of holinesse and without an experience of the powerful influences and operations of holinesse in your own souls I cannot for the present understand Now my Lords and Gentlemen the first Rule that you are to observe in your administring of Judgement and Justice Psalm 82.1 6. Luke 20.21 Mat. 22.16 is this You must do Justice impartially you are called Gods and in this you must be like to God who is no acceptor of persons Audi alteram partem said Lotharius the second Duke of Saxony he accepts not the rich man because of his Robes neither doth he reject the poor man because of his Rags Deut. 1.17 Ye shall not respect persons in judgement but you shall hear the small as well as the great you shall not be afraid of the face of
the Scriptures in the margin together To delay justice is worse sometimes then to deny justice it is an evil thing and a dangerous thing when Magistrates Judges and Justices are as long a bringing forth their Verdicts as the Elephant her young Delayes of justice makes many more irreconcileable It makes the Clyent often go with an heavy heart an empty purse and a thred-bare coat It fetcheth heavy sighs and groans from the hearts and a Sea of tears from the eyes of the delayed and oppressed Magistrates Judges and Justices should be alwayes ready to do justice they should be alwayes at leisure to do justice I have read of one of the Kings of Persia how that he would many times alight off from his horse to do justice only to a poor body It were well if all Judges and Justices would write after this Copy to be ready to do justice and judgement at all times and upon all occasions O Sirs you may have time to live even when you have out-lived your seasons and opportunities of doing justice and judgement and what a hell will then your lives be to you To prevent this hell it is good to do justice in the morning I have read of a very poor woman who was very earnest with King Philip of Macedon to do her Justice but he deferred her Plutarch Apothegm in vita Dometrii and told her that he had no leisure to hear her she replyed then Why have you leisure to be King The poor woman thought that they were very unmeet to be Kings and Judges who could not be at leisure to do justice when the necessities and miseries of poor creatures cryed aloud for Justice Justice I have read of a famouus passage of Theodorick King of the Romans who when a widow came to him with a sad complaint The Poets feign Justice to be the daughter of Jupiter whom he hath set over the world to revenge those injuries that one man doth to another c. that she had a suit depending in the Court three years which might have been ended in a few dayes the King demands of her the Judges names she tells him he sends a special command to them to give all the speedy dispatch that was possible to the widows cause which they did and in two dayes determined it to the widows liking this being done the King calls for the Judges and they supposing that they should have both applause and reward for their expedition hastened to him full of joy but after the King had propounded several things to them about their former delayes he commanded both their heads to be struck off because they had spun out that Cause to a three years length which two dayes would have ended Here was Royal Justice indeed O that all the Magistrates Judges and Justices of the Nation would every morning lay Prov. 13.12 warm upon their hearts Hope deferred maketh the heart sick but when the desire cometh it is a tree of life The Hebrew word Memushshacah that is here rendred deferred is from Mashach that signifies to draw out at length men are short-breathed and short-spirited and hopes hours are full of eternity and when their hopes are drawn out at length this makes their hearts sick and ah what a world of such sick souls lies languishing at Hopes Hospital all the Nation over yea all the world over Hope in this Text is put for the good things men hope for now when the good things men hope for be it justice or a quick dispatch c. are deferred and delayed this makes the poor Client sick at heart A lingring hope alwayes breeds in the heart a lingring consumption The harder travel hope hath and the more strongly it labours to bring forth and yet is deferred and delayed the more deadly sick the Client grows But when the desire cometh that is when the thing desired wished and looked for be it justice be it righteousnesse be it successe c. is gained it is a Tree of life or rather as the Hebrew hath it is a Tree Chajim of lives All sorts of lives and all the comforts and contents of life are wrapt up in the enjoyment of the thing desired He that hath these things granted to him that are earnestly desired by him is once more put into a Paradise Wilful delayes in justice makes the Iudge unrighteous Luke 18.6 But Thirdly As you must do justice speedily so you must do justice sincerly Isa 61.8 you must do justice out of love to justice When the golden Angels appear to draw you to perver◠justice Acts 8.20 you must say as Peter did to Simon Magus Thy money perish with thee Deut. 16.20 That which is altogether just shalt thou follow that thou mayest live and inherit the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Or rather as the Hebrew hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tsedek Tsedek Iustice Iustice shalt thou follow that is pure Iustice shalt thou follow The streams of justice should be alwayes pure and clear Justice Justice shalt thou follow that is all manner of Justice shalt thou follow and nothing but Justice shalt thou follow and thou shalt follow Justice sincerely exactly carefully and constantly thou shalt be not seemingly just but really just not hypocritically just but intirely just not partially just but universally just not just to some but just to all not transiently just but perpetually just not sometimes just but alwayes just and so much the Geminating of the word Justice Justice imports Prov. 21.15 It is joy to the just to do judgement This argues much sincerity and integrity in a mans spirit when he doth not only do judgment but joyes to do judgement it is a vanity to do justice slightly lightly wantonly but it is an honour to do justice from a principle of divine joy he that joyes to do judgement he will do justice sincerly he will do justice out of love to justice and indeed there are no Judges there are no Justices to those that do justice out of love to justice Mazarinus complaineth of Forraign Judges that they too much resembled the blood-stone which hath a special property to stanch blood but as Jewellers observe it puts not forth this vertue unless it be let in or covered over with silver and so applyed to the vein but certainly these men were far from doing justice sincerely from doing justice out of love to justice Some Judges and Justices there have been who for the cleanlinesse of the conveyance would like Mendicant Fryars touch no money themselves but have a boy or a Clerk with a bag to receive it for them Certainly these were as far from doing justice out of love to justice as heaven is from hell or as the Pope the Turk and the Devil are from being real Saints Doubtlesse many Magistrates Judges and Justices have found that a gift blindeth the wise Exod. 23.8 and perverteth the words of the righteous Golden dust hath put out
I such a one as this is when he sees a man to have a form of godliness but no power he should say Am I such a one as this is when he hears of a man that hath a name to live but is spiritually dead he should say Am I such a one as this is c. and when he hears or reads of one that is really holy he should say am I such a one as this is As you would not put a cheat upon your own souls it highly concerns you to try whether you have real holiness or no. Look as many young children catch many a fall out of a strong conceit of their abilities to go so many a man out of a strong conceit that he hath holiness when he hath none catches many a fall in an eternal fall at last The best way to prevent an everlasting miscarriage is to make a privy search after holiness in thine own heart Fifthly Consider that there is a great deal of counterfeit grace and holiness in the world There is not more counterfeit coin this day in the world then there is counterfeit holiness in the world Look as many Bristows stones and counterfeit Gemms do so shine and sparkle like true Jewels that if a man be not very carefull he may be easily cheated so counterfeit grace counterfeit holiness doth so shine and sparkle they do so neerly resemble real holiness and the sanctifying and saving graces of the Spirit that a man may be easily mistaken if he do not make a narrow search Doth the gracious soul abstain from gross sins Matth. 25.1 2 3 4. Ezra 8. Esther 4. Daniel 9. Mat. 6.16 Luke 18 11. Matth. 27. Hebrews 12. Matthew 6. Acts 10.1 2 3 4 Luke 19.11 Acts 21.8 1 Sam. 15.24 Isaiah 58. 2 Chr. 32.26 1 Kings 22.15 Ionah 3. Mark 6. Ezek 33.30 31 32 33. Luke 18.11 so doth the formalist too Do Saints fast and pray so do Pharisees too Doth Peter shed tears so doth Esau too Doth Peter repent so doth Jâ—das too Doth Cornelius give Alms so do the Pharisees too Doth Zacheus believe so doth Simon Magus too Doth David confess his sin so doth Saul too Doth David delight in approaching to God so doth Isaiahs hypocrites too Doth Hezekiah humble himself so doth Ahab and the King of Nineveh too Doth a gracious soul hear the word with joy so did Herod too Doth a gracious soul receive the word with joy so did the stony ground too Doth a gracious soul delight in his teacher so did Ezekiels worldlings too Is a gracious soul in Closset duties so is the Pharisee too c. When counterfeit coin is abroad you will not take a piece but you will try it you will bring every piece to the touchstone Ah that you would deal so by your holiness there is a great deal of counterfeit holinesse abroad and therefore you had need bring yours to the tryal As all is nor gold that glisters so all is not holinesse that men take for holinesse that men count for holinesse The child is not more like the Father nor one Brother like another Wine in the Bottle is not more like to Wine in the Butt nor water in the Cistern more like to water in the River The difference between these true and counterfeit graces is largely discovered in my Treatise on Assurance nor fire in the forge more like to fire in the chimney nor milk in the sawcer to milk in the breasts then counterfeit grace and holinesse is like to that which is real Counterfeit faith doth so neerly resemble true faith and counterfeit love true love and counterfeit repentance true repentance and counterfeit obedience true obedience and counterfeit knowledge true knowledge and counterfeit holinesse true holinesse that it is not an easie matter to discover the one from the other The Cyprian Diamond saith Pliny looks so like the true Indian Diamond that if a man do not look warily to it he may easily be deceived and cheated O Sirs true grace and counterfeit true holinesse and counterfeit look so like one another that without a divine light to guide you you may be easily cheated and deceived for ever In these dayes of profession there is abundance of false ware put off Satan is a subtile Merchant and where prophanesse will not passe for current coin there he labours to furnish his customers with the shews and resemblances of grace and holinesse that so he may hold them the faster in golden setters and put them off from looking after that real holinesse without which no man can be blessed here or happy hereafter And therefore it neerly concerns every â—an to search and try whether he hath real holinesse or no. Sixthly Consider If upon tryal you shall find in you this real holinesse that paves the way to happiness it will turn exceedingly to your accounts thy happinesse depends upon the real being of holinesse in thee but thy comfort depends upon thy seeing of holinesse Real holinesse will yield thee a heaven hereafter but the seeing of holinesse will yield thee a heaven here he that hath holinesse and knows it shall have two heavens a heaven of joy comfort peace content and assurance here and a heaven of happinesse and blessednesse hereafter but he that hath holiness and doth not know it shall certainly be saved 1 Co. 3.11 16. yet so as by fire he shall have a heaven at last but he must passe to it by the flaming sword When a person is heir to a great estate and knows it when a person is son to a King and knows it when a person is highly in favour knows it when a person is out of all hazard and danger and knows it when a persons pardon is sealed and he knows it then the springs of joy and comfort rises in him So when a man is holy and knows it Ezek. 47.2 3 4 5. 2 Cor. 4.16 17 18. then the springs of divine joy and comfort rises in his soul as the waters rise in Ezekiels Sanctuary The knowledge of the goodnesse and holinesse of thy estate will make heavy afflictions light long afflictions short and bitter afflictions sweet the knowledge of the goodnesse and holinesse of thy estate will make thee frequent fervent constant and abundant in the work of the Lord. The knowledge of the goodnesse and holinesse of thy estate wiâ—l strengthen thy faith raise thy hope inflame thy love 1 Cor. 15. ult increase thy patience and brighten thy zeal The knowledge of the goodnesse and holinesse of thy estate will make every mercy sweet every duty sweet every ordinance sweet and every providence sweet The knowledge of the goodnesse and holinesse of thy estate will rid thee of all thy sinfull fears and cares Phil. 1.22 23. 2 Cor. 5.1 10. it will give thee ease under every burden and it will make death more desireable then life The knowledge of the goodnesse and holinesse of thy estate will make thee
screws up his Consciencee till he makes all crack again Under all his shews of sanctity he had not so much as common honesty in him Counterfeit holiness is often made a stalking horse to the exercise of much unrighteousness Certainly that man is as far from real holiness as the Devil himself is from true happiness who lives not in the exercise of righteousness towards men as well as in a profession of holiness towards God Well Christians remember this it were better with the Philosopher to have honesty without Religion then to have Religion without honesty But Ninthly He that is truly holy will labour and endeavour to make others holy a holy heart loves not to go to heaven alone it loves not to be happy and blessed alone a man that hath experienced the power excellency and sweetness of holiness will strive and study how to make others holy When Sampson had tasted honey Judg. 14.8 9. he gave his father and mother some with him Holiness is so sweet a morsel that a soul cannot taste of it 1 Thes 1.5 6 7 8. but he will be a commending of it to others As you may see in holy Moses in Numb 11.29 And Moses said unto him Enviest thou for my sake Lilmod le lammed we therefore learn that we may teach is a proverb among the Rabbines would God that all the Lords people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them A holy soul will never make a monopoly of holiness the Prophets you know were men of greatest grace and holiness now holy Moses is very importunate and earnest with God that he would not only make the two that prophesied but all the Lords people eminent and excellent in grace and holiness such was Moses his holiness and humbleness that he desires that all others might either equal him or excell him in gifts and grace The Heathen could say I do therefore lay in and lay up that I may draw forth again for the good of many A heart eminently holy is so far from envying of the gracious excellencies of others that it can rejoyce in every Sun that out-shines his own and every light that burns more dim then his he desires that it may be snufft not put out that so it may give a clearer and a greater light to others So holy Paul in Acts 26.29 And Paul said I would to God that not only thou but also all that hear me this day were both almost and altogether such as I am except these bands True holiness is no Churl nothing makes a man more noble in his spiritual desires wishes and actings for others then holiness Real holiness like oyl is of a diffusive nature like light it will spread it self over all like Maries box of ointment it fills all the house with the sweet scent thereof Art thou a holy Father then thou wilt with holy Abraham labour to make thy children holy Gen. 18.17 18 19. A holy heart knows that both by his first birth but especially by his new-birth he stands obliged to promote holiness in all but especially in those that are parts and pieces of himself Art thou a holy Master then thou wilt with holy Joshua labour to make all under thy charge holy Josh 24.15 But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. True holiness cannot be concealed it will be a stirring and a provoaking of others to be holy as a holy man doth not love to be happy alone so a holy man doth not love to be holy alone A holy master loves to see a Crown of holiness set upon every head in his family Holiness is a very beautiful thing and it makes those beautiful in whom it is in a holy Masters eye there is no servant so lovely and beautiful as he that hath the beauty of holiness upon him George Prince of Aâ—halt his family is said to have been Ecclesia Academia Curia A Church an University and a Court. A holy Magistrate will labour to make both his servants and his subjects holy As holy David holy Asa holy Josiah and holy Ezekiah did he knows that the souls of his servants and subjects are the choicest treasure that God hath committed to his care he knows that every soul is more worth then his Crown and Kingdom he knows that he must one day give up an account for more souls then his own and therefore he improves his power and interest every way for the making of all holy under him As Lewis the ninth King of France took pains to instruct his poor Kitchin-boy in the way to heaven and being asked the reason of it he answered The meanest have a soul to save as precious as mine own and bought by the same blood of Christ It is said of Constantine that in this he was truly great that he would have his whole Court gathered together and cause the Scriptures to be read and opened to them that they might be made holy Courtiers Rev. 21.27 and so fitted for the Court of heaven into which no unclean person or thing can enter It grieved an Emperour that a neighbour of his should die before he had done him any good Ah it is the grief of a holy Magistrate to see others die before they are made holy the great request of a holy Magistrate living and dying is this Lord make this people a holy people O make this people a holy people Art thou a holy kinsman a holy friend then thou wilt labour to make thy kindred holy and thy friends holy As holy Cornelius did So in 1 John 39 49. Chap. 4.28 29 30. as you may see in Acts 10.24 27. And the morrow after they entred into Cesaria and Cornelius waited for them and had called together his kinsmen and near friends And as Peter talked with him he went in and found many that were come together And in ver 33. saith Cornelius to Peter Thou hast well done that thou art come Now therefore we are all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God Ver. 1 2 3 4. Devout Cornelius gets his kinsmen and near friends together that they also might be partakers of the grace and mercy of God with him he had experienced a work of grace and holiness upon his own heart and he uses his best endeavours that they might experience the same on theirs A holy Christian is like a loadstone that draws to it self first one iron ring and that another and that a third It is a true saying in natural Philosophie that it is Naturalissimum opus viventis generare sibi simile the most natural act or work of every living thing to produce another like unto it self As there is a natural instinct in all creatures to propagate their own kind as in beasts birds and fishes so there is a holy a spiritual instinct in all gracious hearts to propagate grace and holiness in whatever hearts they
prepared his Table and made a feast of fat things for their souls in the Ministry of his word they can easily and readily passe over those sound solid and savoury truths that are prepared for their strength and nourishment and fall a pidling and picking upon some new coined phrases or some quaint expressions or some Seraphical notions And no wonder for they are not sound within they are under a great distemper As the Israelites would not be satisfied with wholsome diet but they must needs have Quails as picking meat Well they had them and whilest they were at their picking meat the wrath of God came upon them the Application is as easie as it is dreadfull But now a holy heart savours the word and relishes the word and is affected and taken with the word as it is a holy word a substantial word a pure word a clean word and as it begets holinesse and cherishes holinesse and increases holinesse and as it works towards the compleating and perfecting of holinesse Quest But how may a person know whether he loves the Word and is affected and taken with the Word as it is an holy Word or no Answ First by what hath been already said but because the question is weighty Psalm 119.6 128. Acts 24.16 Heb. 13.18 As the wise Philosopher delights in all Aristotle and the prudent Physitian in all Galen and the grave Orator in all Tullie and the understanding Lawyer in all Justinian so a holy man delights in all the Bible The Jewish Rabbines were wont to say That upon every letter of the Law there hangs mountains of profitable matter Gen. 12. and â—hap 22. I further answer in the second place He that loves the Word and that is affected and taken with the Word as it is a holy Word he loves the whole Word of God and he is affected and taken with one part of the Word as well as another every Law of God is a holy Law and every Statute is a holy Statute and every command is a holy command and every promise is a holy promise and every threatning is an holy threatning and every exhortation is a holy exhortation and therefore he that loves any part of the Word as a holy Word he cannot but love every part of the Word because every part of the Word is holy And indeed he loves no part of the Word as holy who loves not every part of the Word as such Every chapter in the book of God is a holy chapter and every verse is a holy verse and every line in that book is a holy line and every word in every line is a holy word he that loves a chapter as it is a holy chapter he loves every verse in that chapter as a holy verse and he that loves every verse as a holy verse he loves every line as a holy line and he that loves every line as a holy line he loves every word in every line as a holy word Upon easie commands he reads holiness and upon difficult commands he reads holiness upon comfortable commands he reads holiness and upon costly commands he reads holiness and upon dangerous commands he reads holiness and therefore he loves all and closes with all and endeavours a conformity to all A holy heart dares neither to dispute with that word nor make light of that word where he reads holiness engraven upon it to a holy heart there is no command of God unjust or unreasonable but now an unholy heart though it may for some worldly advantages court and cry up some parts of the word yet it is ready with Judas to betray and crucifie other parts of the word The whole Scripture is but one intire love-letter dispatcht from the Lord Christ to his beloved Spouse on earth and this letter is written all in golden letters and therefore a holy heart cannot but be taken and affected with every line in this letter in this love-letter there is so much to be read of the love of Christ the heart of Christ the kindness of Christ the grace of Christ and the glory of Christ that a holy heart cannot but be affected and taken with it The whole word of God is a field and Christ is the treasure that is hid in that field it is a ring of gold and Christ is the pearl in that ring and therefore a holy heart cannot but be taken with the whole Word of God Luther was wont to say that he would not take all the world for one leaf of the Bible And Rabbie Chija in the Jerusalem Talmud says that in his account all the world is not of equal value with one word out of the Law Thirdly A man that is affected and taken with the word as it is a holy word he is alwayes affected and taken with it he loves it and takes pleasure in it as well in adversity as in prosperity Psalm 119.59 Thy Statutes have been my songs I but where we in the house of my pilgrimage or pilgrimages The Saints have commonly lookt upon themselves as Pilgrims and Strangers in this world Gen. 47.9 39. Psal 12.19 Heb. 11.9 10 c. as the Hebrew hath it When David was in his banishments by reason of Saul Absolom and others now the Word of God was musick to him now it was matter of joy and rejoycing to him his whole life was the life of a Pilgrim and Stranger now as a Pilgrim he sojourns here and anon as a Stranger he sojourns there no man could take more pleasure joy and contentment in the rarest and choicest musick then David did in the Word of God and that not only when he was in his royal Palace but also when he was in the house of his Pilgrimage he that loves the Word and that delights in the Word for its holiness and purity Psal 119.67 69 70 72. he will love it and delight in it in health and sickness in strength and weakness in honour and disgrace in wealth and want in life and in death The holiness of the Word is a lasting holiness and so will every mans affections be towards it who affects it and is taken with it for its holiness and pureness Some there be that cry up the Word and that seem to be much affected delighted and ravished with the Word as Herod Ezekiels hearers Ezek. 33.30 31 32 33. Mar. 6 c. and the stony ground was whilest the Word is either a cheap Word to them or a profitable and pleasing Word to them or whilest it is courted and countenanced in the world or whilest it is the path to preferment or a key to enlargement c. But when the Word gets within them and discovers their own sinfulness and wretchedness to them when it shews them how Christless and gracelâ—ss and lifeless and helpless and hopeless they are when it discovers how far they are from heaven and how near they are to hell O! Ier. 44.15 29. then their hearts begin
look which way you will the Spirit still appears to be the great principle of holiness holiness is the very picture of God and certainly no hand can carve that excellent picture but the spirit of God Holiness is the divine nature and none can impart that to man but the Spirit A man never comes to see his sins nor to be sick of his sins nor to loath his sins nor to arraign his sins nor to condemn his sins nor to judge himself for his sins evangelically till he comes to be possest of the holy Spirit A man never comes to spit out the sweet morsels of sin he never come to make a sacrifice of his onely Isaac and to cut his delicate Agag in pieces and to strangle his Dalilah and in good earnest to set upon an utter exterpation of those sins that his constitution inclination custome calling and interest does most incline him to till a spirit of holiness comes upon him till this holy Spirit which is a spirit of judgement and burning falls upon the hearts of sinners they will never be fired out of their pride formality carnality sensuality and security when this holy Spirit comes as a Spirit of Glory and Power to change thy heart to destroy thy sins to reform thy ways and to save thy soul c. Oh then cry out let him still go on conquering and to conquer till all his enemies ate made his footstool Oh let him cut off every right hand and pluck out every right eye c. that does offend O let him do justice upon every sin upon every open sin upon every secret sin upon every bosom sin upon every pleasing sin and upon every gainful sin Oh set your selves under the Celestial influences and sweet distillings of the holy Spirit Oh prize his motions Oh welcome his motions Oh comply with his motions Oh follow his motions that so you may be holy and happy for ever When David asked counsel of God whether he should goe up against thâ— Philistins or no he received this answer When thou hearest the noise of one going in the top of the Mulbery-trees 2 Sam. 5.24 then remove for then shall the Lord go out before thee to smite the Philistines So should every one wisely observe when the Spirit sweetly and strongly moves them to mind holiness to fall in love with holiness to press after holiness when the spirit moves them to leave off their sins to turn to God to open to Christ to tremble at threatnings and to imbrace promises Oh make much of these holy motions Oh cherish these divine breathings Oh don't quench these heavenly sparks least the Spirit never move thee more nor never strive with thee more Gen. 6.3 Oh when thou hearest a voice within thee or a voice behind thee saying Come with me from Lebanon my sister Isa 30.21 Cant. 4.8 my spouse c. Come away from thy cups thou drunken wretch come away from thy wanton Dalilahs thou unclean wretch come away from thy sinful pleasures thou voluptious wretch come away from thy baggs thou worldly wretch come away from thy honors thou ambitious wretch and come away from thy fraud thou cheating wretch Oh hearken to this voice Oh obey this voice that it may go well with thy soul for ever if now thou strikest whilest the iron is hot if now thou hoistest up sail whilst the wine is fair thou maist be made for ever In that 5 Joh. 4. there were certain times when the Angel came down and troubled the waters and whosoever did then step in was healed of whatsoever disease he had So there are certain times and seasons wherein the Spirit of holiness stirs the heart and affections and moves and breaths upon the soul now if men were wise to observe these times and seasons they might be happy for ever the time of the spirits moving is the acceptable time if you observe it you are made if you neglect it you are mar'd all the movings and motions of the spirit are in order to an eternity of felicity and glory Oh therefore don't grieve the Spirit don't cross the Spirit don't vex the Spirit don't tempt the Spirit Spiritus sanctus est res delicata don't quench the Spirit don't oppose the Spirit don't resist the Spirit don't deal harshly or unkindly with the Spirit by sinning against illumination conviction resolutions and promises of reformation Oh be more tender of the gracious motions of the Spirit then thou art of thy name thy estate thy liberty thy life for he designs thy internal good in this world and thy eternal good in the other world and therefore don't affront him nor carry it unworthily towards him if thou shouldest it may be as much as thy life and thy soul is worth if a man slip the opportunity of a favorable gale he may lie wind-bound till all be spent when the Spirit moves salvation and all the glory of heaven stands waiting at thy door if now thou will but open the King of glory will enter in and bless thee for ever Saul by neglecting his opportunity lost an earthly kingdom take heed least thou by slighting the motions of the Spirit comest to loose a heavenly kingdom the letting slip one season when the Spirit moves may undo a man in both worlds and some think Felix found it so Well sirs as ever you would be holy you must labor for a Spirit of holiness and for your encouragement remember this that though the holy Spirit be the great Jewel of Glory yet God is more ready to give it then you are to aske it witness that 11. of Luke from the 9. to the 14. verse But Thirdly If ever you would be holy then you must waite upon the word the word of God faithfully preached is the ordinary meanes by which holiness is wrought in sinners hearts the word is that triumphant Chariot of the Spirit wherein he rides conquering and to conquer the souls of men the holy word is designed by God to beget holiness in sinners hearts and to countenance cherish nourish and strengthen holiness where it is begotten John 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth And for their sakes c. I sanctifie my selfe that they also might be sanctified through the truth ver 19. So Chap. 15.3 Now ye are cleane through the word which I have spoken to you The ordinary way of making uncleane souls cleane unholy souls holy is the Ministry of the word Phil. 5.26 As there is a cleansing vertue in the blood of Christ 1 John 1.7 so there is a cleansing vertue in the word of Christ Psal 119.9 Wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy word Of all men the young man is usually most wild and wicked most licentious and rebellious and yet the word of God is the power of God to his conviction and conversion to his sanctification and salvation though the cleansing of a young mans
be thou clean his prayer was short and sweet and his answer was sudden and gracious Eighthly Tell him that thou art unwilling to be miserable for ever tell him that thou canst not bare the thoughts of an eternall separation from him and yet this must be thy portion except he will glorifie the riches of his grace in bestowing of that pearle of price holiness upon thee oh tell him that thy want of holiness is now thy greatest hell tell him that thou art now fully resolved to give him no rest till he has changed thy heart and made thee in some measure to be what he would have thee to be c. It is observable amongst the worst of men the Turks yea amongst the worst of Turks the Moores that by their Law it is a just exception against any witness that he hath not prayed six times every natural day it being a usual custome with them to pray for day before the day brake and when 't is day they give thanks for day light and at noone they give thanks to God that halfe the day is past and then at last they pray that they may have a good night after their day Ah sinners sinners shall not these Turks rise up one day in Judgement against you that thinke not holiness worth a praying for Object But the prayers of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord Pro. 15.8 Chap. 28.9 and he casts their sacrifices as dung in their faces Isa 1.11 16. Ch. 58.1 7. their very prayers are sinfull and therefore they were better neglect prayer till God shall worke graciously and savingly upon them then to pray and so to sin as often as they pray c. To this I answer First The prayers of the wicked may be materially good when they are not formally good yea when they are Theologically evil 2 Chron. 25.2 Amaziah did that which was perfect in the sight of the Lord as to the matter but not with a perfect or sincere heart he failed not in the matter but in the manner he did not doe that good he did from principles of faith love c. nor to a right end divine glory many unsanctified persons may have the gift of prayer that have not the spirit of prayer Psal 78.36 37. Pro. 1.27 28. Isa 58.1 2 3 4. nor the grace of prayer Math. 7.21 Ch. 23.14 Now certainly where God gives such a gift he requires the use of it the gift of prayer is from the Spirit as well as the grace of prayer and who can tell but that upon the use of the gift of prayer the Spirit may give the grace of prayer however 't is dangerous to neglect a gift the sloathfull servant was not cast into utter darkness for rioting out his Talent but for not improving of his Talent Math. 25.30 That the prayers of a wicked man are not formally good must be granted yea that they are abominable and ineffectual cannot be denied they are like the precious stone Diacletes which though it hath many excellent Soveraignties in it yet it looseth them all if it be put in a dead mans mouth so prayer though it hath many vertues and excellencies in it yet it looseth them all when 't is performed by a man that is spiritually dead that is dead God-wards and Christ-wards and heaven-wards and holiness-wards but if you consider the matter of a wicked mans prayers so they may be good yea so good as that they may prevaile with a good God for much temporal good as I shall shew you before I close up all my answers to this objection But Secondly 'T is a less sin for an unholy person to doe a religious dutie then 't is to omit it now of two sins whereupon not God but a mans selfe hath inevitably put him to commit one of them he must chuse the least he must chuse rather to sin in the manner in not doing of it so well as he should then to faile in the matter and so quite neglect the duty it selfe for this is most certain when God commands a duty absolutely to be done it is a greater sin not to doe it at all then to doe it amiss and the reason is evident because our disobedience is totall in not doing at all and but only partial in doing it otherwise then we ought As for a man wilfully and peremptorily to refuse to heare the word is a greater and a fouler fault then to heare it with a forgetful or a disobedient heart there being more hope of the latter then of the former for some that have come to catch have been caught by the word John 7.46 And therefore come saith Latimer to the word though thou comest to sleepe it may be God may take thee napping Joh. Sleidani Comment When Mr Henry Sulphen was preacher at Breme several Roman Catholiques sent their Chaplains to trap him in his words but the power of God was so wonderfully seen in his preaching that the greatest part of them that came to ensnare him were converted by him 'T is good to come to the word though a man comes with an ill intent to come though he should come with a purpose to catch for in so coming he may be catch'd as Augustine was by Ambrose without doubt there is no disobedience to that which is total partial disobedience is no disobedience to that which is total That wife that totally disobeys her husband and that child that totally disobeys the father and that servant that totally disobeys his Master is much more to blame and doe much more provoke then those that are onely partiall in their disobedience and so 't is between God and sinners c. Thirdly If there were any strength in this objection it would lye as strong against a wicked man's civil actions as it do's against his religious actions Prov. 21.4 The plowings of the wicked is sin not only the prayers of the wicked but also the plowings of the wicked are sin not only the spiritual but also the natural and civil actions of a wicked man are sin and therefore according to their arguing a wicked man must not exercise himselfe in his calling in his plowing and sowing c. because that his civil actions are sinfull as well as his religious and 't is as impossible for him to please God in the one as 't is to please him in the other but surely all men that are in their wits will either sigh or laugh at such kinde of reasonings But Fourthly This objection lyes as strong against wicked mens natural actions viz. their eating drinking and sleeping c. as it do's against their praying 1 Cor. 10.31 when a wicked man eats he is to eate to divine glory and when he drinks he is to drinke to divine glory and when he recreates himselfe he is to recreate himselfe to divine glory and when he sleeps he is to sleep to divine glory in all these natural and common actions he is
deserted happily God is withdrawn from them and he that should comfort them stands afar off Ah what Christian can rejoyce when the countenance of God is not towards him as of old who can be pleasant when God is displeased who can smile when God frowns who can sing when God sighs who can be merry when God is sorry surely none that have ever experienced what the shinings of his face means O sirs the proper work of a deserted soul lies not in joy and rejoycing but in mourning and waiting and in seeking and suing at the throne of Grace that God would lift up the light of his countenance and cause his face to shine and his favor to break forth that the bones that he has broken may rejoyce As Hudson the Martyr when he was deserted at the stake he slipt from under his chain and praying earnestly he was comforted immediately and suffered valiantly Look as when Sampsons Locks were cut off his strength was gone So when God is gone a Christians Locks are cut off his strength is gone his strength to joy and rejoyce in God is gone his strength to delight and to take pleasure in God is gone And as Sampson when his Locks were cut off and his strength was gone fell to prayer Judg. 16.28 And Sampson called unto the Lord and said O Lord God remember me I pray thee onely this once O God that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes So when God is gone the work of a Christian lies more in praying then it does in rejoycing Though Josephs heart was as full of love to his brethren as it could hold Gen. 42.7.25 yet when he look't sowrely upon them and spake roughly to them they were much afflicted and distressed See the 3. and 5. Chapters of Solomons Song so though the heart of Jesus be as full of love to his people as it can hold yet when he looks sowrely and speaks roughly to them they can't but be grieved and saded But Fourthly Fourthly 2 Cor. 12.8 9 10. It may be they are sadly tempted and strangely buffeted by Satan as Paul was and from thence their present sadness may arise Tempted souls can tell you that 't is one of the hardest works in the world to rejoyce in the School of temptation Gen. 3. 1 Chron. 21. Job 3. and to be merry when Satans fiery darts stick fast in the soul Adams tempting time was not his rejoycing time but his sinning time and Davids tempting time was not his rejoycing time but his miscarrying time and Jobs tempting time was not his rejoycing time but his complaining time and Peters tempting time was not his rejoycing time Mat. 26. 2 Cor. 12.7 8. Our whole life says Austin is nothing but a continued tentation but his cursing and blaspheming time and Pauls tempting time was not his rejoycing time but his humbling time The best men are most tempted and oftentimes they are followed with the sadest darkest vildest basest and most amazing affrighting tormenting and astonishing temptations and how is it possible that they should be able to rejoyce and be glad when such dreadful storms beat upon them Ephes 6.10 11 16 17 18. Certainly the work of a Christian in the day of temptation lies in his putting on the whole Armor of God and in a prudent handling the sword of the Spirit and the shield of Faith and in earnest praying and vigilant watching and a stout resisting of all Satans fiery darts for he who thinks by disputing and reasoning to put Satan off Jam. 4.7 1 Pet. 5.9 does but shoot with him in his own Bow and will find to his cost that Satan will be too hard for him 't is open defiance 't is down right blows that makes Satan flye and that secures the victory now joy and rejoycing attends not the combate but the conquest The Romans never used to ride in triumph but after conquests obtained A Christians triumphing time is his conquering time joy is most seasonable and sutable when a Christian has beaten Satan out of the field The Cock in the Arabick Fable began to crow and clap his wings as if he had obtained a perfect conquest but behold on a sudden a Vulture comes and snatches this great conqueror away they that triumph and rejoyce over Satan before they have overcome him are in no small danger of being worsted by him But Fifthly Fifthly and lastly to gather up many things together I say that their present sorrow and sadness may arise from their going astray into some by-Path of vanity and folly Gal. 6.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Set him in joynt again again 't is a Metaphor from Chyrurgions and Bone-setters who handle their patients gently and tenderly wherein they have got a fall or broke a bone or put their souls out of joynt As children sometimes get a fall and then they come home by weeping-cross so Christians too often go astray and get a fall and then they are fain to weep it out When men keep not the Kings high-way they are often robbed of their money and strip't of their clothes and wounded too as he was in the Gospel who fell among Theives So when Christians keep not in the King of Kings high-ways which are ways of righteousness and holiness then they are often robbed of their comfort and joy and peace and assurance and communion with God c. and sorely wounded and bruised and then 't is no wonder if they are brought home with tears in their eyes Or it may be their evidences for heaven are so blotted and blur'd Luk. 10.30 Isa 35.8 Psal 119.176 that they they can't read their Title to heaven and then 't is no wonder if they are perplexed and grieved or it may be they call in question former grants of favor and grace or it may be a deeper sense of mis-spent time lies harder then ever upon them or else the littleness and smallness of their graces under such soul-enriching opportunities and advantages do sorely oppress them or else the lateness of their conversion may sadly afflict them c. Now how absurd and unreasonable a thing is it for any men to argue thus that surely godly men have no joy no delight no pleasure c. because there are some particular cases and conditions wherein they may be cast which rather bespeaks sorrow then joy grief then gladness mourning then mirth Certainly you may as rationally as righteously expect mirth joy and gladness from carnal worldly and ungodly wretches when they are under burning Feavors loathsome diseases or violent pains of the Stone or Gout c. as you may expect upon a rational or Religious account joy and gladness c. in the Saints in the forementioned cases that are incident to them 'T was a very unreasonable request that they made to the people of God in that Psal 137.3 4. For there they that carried us away captive
in times of persecution the Saints have still had recourse to The Romans being in great distress were put so hard to it that they were faine to take the weapons out of the Temples of their gods to fight with their enemies and so they overcame them so when the people of God have been hard put to it by reason of afflictions and persecutions the weapons that they have fled to has been prayers and teares and with these they have overcome their persecutors as is evident in the three Children in Daniel and many others c. But Secondly Persecutions doe but raise whet and stir up a more earnest and vehement spirit of prayer among the persecuted Saints See Acts 4.17.21 29 31. compared Luke 18.7 Lam. 5.59 60 61 c. Rev. 6.9 10. And when he had opened the fift seal I saw under the Altar the souls of them that were slaine for the word of God and for the testimony which they held And they cryed with a loud voice saying How long O Lord holy and true doest thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth The blood Blood hath as many tongues as drops to cry for vengeance which made King James say that if God did leave him to kill a man he would think God did not love him 1 Cor. 6. ult 1 Pet. 1.18 19. of the persecuted cryes aloud for vengeance upon the persecutors By the souls under the Altar you are to understand the persons of the Saints which were martyred and lay slaine upon the ground like sacrifices at the foot of the Altar under the Roman persecuting Emperours There is no blood that cries so loud and that makes so great a noise in heaven as the blood of the Martyrs as the blood of butchered persecuted Saints Persecutors like these Roman Emperours in all ages have causlesly and cruelly destroyed the people of God they delight in the blood of Saints they love to wallow in the blood of Saints they take pleasure in glutting themselves with the blood of Saints they make no conscience of watering the earth nor of colouring the Sea nor of quenching the flames with the blood of the Saints yea if it were possible they would willingly swim to heaven through their hearts-blood whom Christ has purchased with his own most precious blood as all Historians know and as you may all know if you would but search a little into Ecclesiastical Histories and therefore 't is no wonder if the blood of the Martyrs cry aloud for vengeance upon such desperate persecutors The blood and prayers of persecuted Saints will first or last bring down wrath and ruine upon their persecutors Persecution puts an edge yea a sharp edge upon the prayers of the Saints Acts 12.5 Peter therefore was kept in prison but prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for him The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies earnest and stretched-out prayer When Peter was in prison All these circumstances doe wonderfully declare the power of God in his deliverance Some say he had 16. others say he had 20 Souldiers for his Guard the greater was his deliverance sleeping between two Souldiers and bound with two chains and the keepers standing before the prison doore O how earnest O how instant O how fervent O how vehement O how constant were the Saints in their prayers for his deliverance O their hearts their souls their spirits were in their prayers O their prayers were no cold prayers no formal prayers no luke-warme prayers nor no dull or drowsie prayers but their prayers were full of life and full of warmth and full of heate they knew Herods bloody intention to destroy this holy Apostle by his imprisoning of him and by the chaines that were put on him and by the strong Guards that were set upon him and by his bathing of his sword in the innocent blood of James James was the first of the Apostles that dyed a violent death that his hand might be the more apt and ready for further acts of murther and cruelty and O how did the consideration of these things whet and provoke their spirits to prayer O now they will have no nay now they will give God no rest till he has overturn'd the Tyrants counsell and designes and sent his Angel to open the prison doores and to knock off Peters chains and to deliver him from the wrath and fury of Herod and their prayers were successfull as is evident in the 12. ver And when he had considered the thing he came to the house of Mary the mother of John This house is thought by many to be the house where the Apostles commonly had their meetings whose surname was Mark where many were gathered together praying or rather as the Originall has it where many thronged together to pray the violence and rage of their persecutors did so raise whet and incourage them to prayer that they throng together they crouded together to pray yea when others were a sleeping they were a praying and their prayers were no sleepie prayers they were no lazy dronish prayers nor they were no book-prayers but they were powerfull and prevalent prayers for as so many Jacob's or as so many Princes they prevailed with God they prayed and wept and wept and prayed they call'd and cryed and cryed and call'd they beg'd and bounc'd and they bounc'd and beg'd and they never left knocking at heavens Gates till Peters chains were knockt off and Peter given into their Armes yea their bosomes as an answer of prayer O the power and force of joynt prayer when Christians doe not only beseech God but besiege him and beset him too and when they will not let him goe till he has blest them and answered their prayers and the desires of their souls I have read that Mary Queen of Scots that was mother to King James was wont to say that she was more afraid of Mr. Knox's prayers and the prayers of those Christians that walk't with him then shee was of a knocking Army of ten thousand men And that is a remarkable passage of the Psalmist Psal 109.3 4. They compassed me about also with words of hatred and fought against me without a caâ—se The like speech you have in that Psal 120.7 Vaani uzephillah But I prayer For my love they are my adversaries but I give my selfe unto prayer or as the Hebrew has it But I am prayer or a man of prayer Persecuted Saints are men of prayer yea they are as it were made up all of prayer David prayed before but O when his enemies fell a persecuting of him then he gave up himsâ—lf wholly to prayer O then he was more earnest more fervent more frequent more diligent more constant and more abundant in the work of prayer Plutarch in the life of Numa When Numa King of the Romans was told that his enemies were in Armes against him he did but laugh at it
holy man proceeds from grace to grace from vertue to vertue he goes from faith to faith and from strength to strength till at length he shines as the Sun in his strength So in that Hosea 14.5 6 7. I will be as the due unto Israel he shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his root as Lebanon His branches shall spread and his beauty shall be as the Olive-tree and his smell as Lebanon They that dwell under his shaddow shall return they shall revive as the corn and grow as the vine the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon The growth the fruitfulness and the flourishing estate of the Saints in grace and holiness is set forth by a seven-fold Metaphor in these words the Similes are all plain and easie and you may easily dilate upon them in your own thoughts and therefore I shall pass them I shall conclude with that precious promise John 4.14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life The Spirit in its gracious operations shall be a constant spring in believers hearts and it shall every day rise higher and higher like the water in Ezekiel Ezek. 47.1 7. till grace be swallowed up in glory And thus you see by these choice promises that 't is possible for you to attain to a greater measure of holiness But Secondly The prayers that have been put up upon this very account do clearly evidence the same Certainly the people of God would never have prayed for higher degrees of grace and holiness if they had not been attainable Now 't is very observable that the spirits of the Saints have run out much this way as is evident in these instances Phil. 1.9 10 11. And this I pray 〈◊〉 brevis penetrat Coelum that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement That ye may approve things that are excellent that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ Being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God Col. 1.9 For this cause we also since the day we heard it do not cease to pray for you and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding Chap. 4.12 Epaphras who is one of you a servant of Christ saluteth you always laboring fervently for you in prayers that ye may stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Metaphor from a Ship whose Sails are filled with wind Epaphras was an humble petitioner that the souls of the Colossians might be filled with the highest degrees of grace and holiness as the Sails of a Ship are filled with winde 1 Thes 3.12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one towards another and towards all men even as we do towards you The Apostle by doubling his word encrease and abound discovers himself to be an importunate suitor that a double portion of grace and holiness might be given out to the Thessalonians So in that Heb. 13.20 21. Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant Make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen The Apostle can't beg any thing for these believing Hebrews below perfection And the Apostle Peter puts up the same requests for those blessed converts that were scattered throughouâ— Pontius Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia In that 1 Pet. 5.10 But the God of all grace who hath called us into his eternal glory by Christ Jesus after that ye have suffered a while make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you God is called the God of all grace because he is the giver of all kinds of grace and of all degrees of grace Now nothing will satisfie this great Apostle when he comes to plead for these Saints below perfection though they had as much grace as would bring them to heaven yet he begs such a perfection of grace as might raise them high in heaven And thus it appeareth by the prayers of these holy men that Saints may still be rising in grace and holiness But Thirdly The experience of other Saints does clearly evidence this that you may attain unto higher degrees of grace and holiness then those that yet you have attained unto Psal 37.37 Phil. 3.11 16. Can. 4.7 Eph. 5.26 27. Rev. 14.4 5. Prov. 2.21 Chap. 11.5 2 Tim. 3.16 17. Gen. 6.9 Noah was a just man and perfect in his generation and Noah walked with God Noah was not only perfect with a perfection of parts nor onely perfect in respect of desires endeavors and aims nor onely perfect â—n respect of his justification before God by imputed righteousness nor onely perfect in respect of Gods approbation acceptation and delight nor onely perfect in respect of Gods designe and intentions to make him so in another world nor onely perfect in respect of those gifts and graces with which he was adorned and furnished for the discharge of his place office work to which the Lord had called him nor onely comparatively perfect in regard of that prophane ungodly and debauched generation among whom he lived but also he is said to be perfect in respect of an eminent progress that he had made in grace and holiness he had attained to considerable degrees and measures of grace and holiness and though his proficiency in the exercise of grace and practice of piety fell short of compleat perfection yet it rise to such a height that God could not but crown him and and Chronicle him for a perfect man 1 Pet. 2.2 1 Joh. 2.12 13 14. Heb. 5.12 13 14 In all Ages of the world there has been four several Ages of Christians viz. Babes children young men and old men Noah was not a babe nor a child nor a young man but an old man in grace and holiness and therefore he is said to be perfect There are several forms in Christs School some higher some lower now he that is in the highest form may be said to be perfect in regard of those that are in a lower or in the lowest form now Noah was in the highest form of grace and godliness therefore he is said to be perfect and in this sense I suppose Job is said to be a perfect man Job 1.1.8 There was a man in the Land of Vz whose name was Job and that man was perfect and upright and one that feared God and eschewed evil And the Lord said unto Satan hast thou considered my servant Job that there is none like him
in the earth a perfect and upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evil Job was a very considerable person he was a man of a choice spirit he was caller in goodness and higher by the head and shoulders in grace and godliness then any of the Saints in that Age and corner of the world where he lived Job was a man of the greatest weight and worth for holiness that was in all the world Job was a none such no Christians could come neer him as he was the greatest so he was the best of the best of all the Saints that were in the East for heighths of grace and holiness he was a Giant and all the Christians round about him were but as so many Dwarfs he was the Paragon of his time for piety and sanctity none could parallel him none could match him And in this sense we are to understand the Apostle both in that 1 Cor. 2.6 We speak wisdom among them that are perfect and in that Phil. 3.15 Let as many as be perfect be thus minded He speaks here not of an absolute perfection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I persecute I follow with as hot and as eager a spirit after perfection as persecutors do follow after those they persecute for such a perfection himself disclaimeth in vers 12. Not as though I had already attained either were already perfect but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus By the force of the Original word that is here rendred follow the Apostle declares that he had perfection in chase as it were and that his spirit was with much heat and eargerness carried out in pursuing after it and resolved not to rest till he had attained to it An absolutely perfection is very desireable on earth but shall never be obtained till we come to heaven Absolute perfection is not the priviledge of Saints militant but of Saints triumphant and therefore the perfection that the believing Corinthians and holy Philippians had attained to was not an absolute but a comparative perfection they were perfect incompaâ—ison of those that were but Babes and Shrubs and Dwarfs in Christ And 't is a very high and honorable report that the Apostle gives of the Corinthians in that 2 Cor. 8.7 Therefore as ye abound in every thing in faith in utterance and knowledge and in all diligence and in your love to us see that ye abound in this grace also And 't is a very large testimony that the same Apostle gives of the Romans in that Rom. 15.14 And I my self also am perswaded of you my brethren that ye are also full of goodness filled with all knowledge able also to admonish one another Now the fullness the Apostle speaks of is not a fulness of parts for the weakest believer as well as the strongest is at first conversion renewed and sanctified in every part though it be but in part and imperfect and this is a fulness of parts but of this fullness the Apostle does not speak but then there is a fullness of degrees now this fullness is either an absolute fullness or a comparative fullness the Apostle is to be understood of a comparative fulness the Romans were full of all goodness and knowledge in comparison of those in whom Christ was but newly formed and in whom the work of grace was but newly erected and they were full of all goodness and knowledge now in comparison of what they were at their first acquaintance with Christ and first acceptance of Christ and first resignation of themselves to Christ and at their first marriage-union and communion with Christ And thus you see by the experiences of other Saints that 't is possible for you to attain to higher degrees of grace and holiness then any those are that yet you have attained to But Fourthly 'T is possible for you to attain to higher degrees and pitches in holiness then any yet you have reach't unto witness the praises and thanksgivings that has been offered up to God upon their accounts who have attained to a very great heighth of holiness Take a few Scripture-instances for the clearing up of this particular as that in 1 Cor. 1.4 5 7. I thank my God always on your behalf for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ That in every thing ye are enriched by him in all utterance and in all knowledge Though injuries should be writ in the dust yet spiritual mercies should be writ on Marble that our hearts may be the better provok't to thankfulness for them so that ye come behind in no good gift and that in Eph. 1.3 7 8. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ who according to the riches of his grace hath abounded towards us in all wisdom and prudence Here the Apostle trumpets out the high praises of God for that he had blest them and enrich't them though not with corn or oyl or wine or with gold or silver which is but red and white clay that yet he had blest them with all spiritual blessings which are the choicest the chiefest and the sweetest of blessings for spiritual blessings are right-handed blessings they are peculiar blessings they are blessings sweetning blessings for they sweeten all the blessings man enjoys and they are blessings begetting blessings for they beget and bring forth many other blessings to the enriching and adorning of a Christians soul and they are blessings sanctifying blessings they are blessings that sanctifie all other blessings and they are blessings preserving blessings they are blessings that will preserve all our other blessings spiritual blessings are peculiar blessings they are costly blessings they are blessings that reach to the very spirit and soul of a Christian they are blessings that raises the spirit of a Christian and that enobles the spirit of a Christian and that cheers up the spirit of a Christian and that a thousand ways betters the spirit of a Christian and therefore 't is no wonder that the Apostles heart was so affected with spiritual blessings and that his mouth was so filled with spiritual praises as indeed it was And so in that 1 Tim. 1.12 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was overful redundant or hath abounded to flowing over as the sea doth overflow the banks many times and drown the lower grounds that are nearest to it And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord because the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus And thus you see by others thanksgivings that 't is possible for you to attain to far higher degrees of holiness then what for the present you are raised to The Stork is said to leave one of her young ones where she hatcheth them and the Elephant to turn up the first sprig towards heaven when he comes to feed and both out of
as much called out of the kingdome of darkness as another and one Saint is as much called to Jesus Christ as another in vocation God looks with as favourable an eye upon one as he do's upon another And as all Saints are equally called so all Saints are equally justified 2 Cor. 5.19 20. 1 Cor. 1.30 though one Saint may be more sanctified then another yet no Saint is more justified then another the weakest believer is as much justified and pardoned before the throne of God as the strongest is that pure perfect matchless and spotless righteousness of Christ is as much imputed to one Saint as 't is to another And as all Saints are equally justified so all Saints are equally adopted Gal. 4.4 5 6. the weakest believer is as much an adopted son as the strongest believer in the world is God is no more a father to one then he is to another the Babe in the armes is as much a son as he that is of riper yeares Thus you see that Gods love of good will is equall in all his Saints and therefore you are to understand this Argument of Gods love of complacency now this love runs out more to some Saints then it do's to others for they that have much holiness are much beloved John 14.21 23 but they that have most holiness are most beloved the greater thou art in holiness the greater wilt thou be beloved of God O Daniel Dan. 9.23 thou art greatly beloved And why do's God love more and delight more in Christ then he do's in all the Angels and Saints in heaven and in all the upright ones that are on earth but because Christ is more eminent and glorious in holiness then all created beings are Heb. 1.3 he is more the express Image of his Fathers person and the brightness of his Fathers glory then others and therefore he is more beloved then others 'T was an excellent observation of one of the Fathers August Tract in John 1.14 viz. that God loved the humanity of Christ more then any man because he was fuller of grace and truth then any man Now for the further clearing up of this great Argument Consider first that the more holy any person is the more excellent that person is All corruptions are diminutions of excellency the more mixt any thing is the more abased it is the more you mix your wine with water the more you abase your wine and the more you mix your Tin with Gold the more you abase your Gold but the purer your wine is the richer and the better your wine is and the purer your Gold is the more glorious and excellent it is so the purer and holier any person is the more excellent and glorious that person is Now the more divinely excellent and glorious any person is the more he is beloved of God and the more he is the delight of God But secondly the more holy any person is Heb. 11.5 the more that person pleases the Lord fruitfulness in holiness fills heaven with joy The Husbandman is not so much pleased with the fruitfulness of his fields nor the wife with the fruitfulness of her womb nor the father with the thriving of his child as God is pleased with the fruitfulness and thriving of his children in grace and holiness now certainly the more God is pleased with any person the more he loves that person and the more pleasure and delight he takes in such a person if God be most pleased with holiness he cannot but be most delighted in those that are most holy But thirdly the more holy any person is the more like to God he is and the more like to God he is doubtless the more he is beloved of God 't is likeness both in nature and grace that alwayes drawes the strongest love Though every child is the father multiplyed the father of a second edition yet the father loves him best and delights in him most who is most like him and who in feature spirit and action do's most resemble him to the life and so do's the father of spirits also he alwayes loves them best who in holiness resemble him most There are foure remarkable things in the beloved Disciple above all the rest 1. John 13.23 Ch. 18.16 Ch. 19.26 Vers 27. That he lay nearest to Christs Bosome at the Table 2. That he followed Christ closest to the high Priests Palace 3. That he stood close to Christ when he was on the Cross though others had basely deserted him and turn'd their backs upon him 4. That Christ commended the care of his virgin mother to him Now why did Christs desire love and delight run out with a stronger and a fuller Tyde towards John then to the rest of the Disciples doubtless 't was because John did more resemble Christ then the rest 't was because John was a more exact picture and lively representation of Christ then the others were But fourthly the more holy any man is the more communion and familiarity that man shall have with God As you may see in Moses Moses was a none-such for meekness and holiness Num. 12.3 Now the man Moses was very meeke above all the men which were upon the face of the earth There was no man so slighted wronged provoked teazed perplexed and troubled by that wicked unthankful unbelieving and murmuring Generation as Moses was and yet he did neither raile at them nor revile them he did neither storme nor rage he did neither fret nor fling and though he had a sword of Justice in his hand and might easily have avenged himselfe on them yet he would not but exercised all patience tenderness goodness and sweetness towards them O the lowliness the meekness the holiness of this man Moses And O the freeness the friendliness the openness and the familiarness of God with Moses Deut. 34.10 And there arose not a Prophet since in Israel like unto Moses whom the Lord knew face to face To give you a little light into these words Some of the Rabbies observe that Moses surpassed all the other Prophets not only in sublimity of Prophesies but also in excellency and number of miracles for Moses within one Age wrought seventy six miracles when all the rest of the Prophets from the beginning of the world quite downe to the ruine of the first Temple wrought only seventy foure And as for those words whom the Lord knew face to face you are not to understand them thus that God hath a face as man hath nor that Moses had a view of the essence of God which is invisible John 1.18 1 Tim. 6.16 for in this sense no man hath seen God at any time and indeed the least beame of Gods essentiall glory and Majestie would have swallowed up Moses alive But these words whom the Lord knew face to face are to be understood of Gods speaking to Moses in a free friendly familiar and plaine manner God did speak to
matters Job was the onely man he was chosen by all and advanced by all above all in all Assemblies and places of Judicature c. whoever was of the Committee yet Job was still Chair-man who ever was of the counsel yet Job was still President and whoever was of the Court yet Job was still King yea he dwelt as a King in the Army Job was guarded as a King in the Army and honored as a King in the Army and beloved and admired as a King in the Army and obeyed and served as a King in the Army and feared and reverenced as a King in the Army I might give you further instances of this in Joseph Moses Nehemiah Mordecai the three Children and Daniel but I shall forbear Faith is but a piece a part a branch of holiness and yet O what an honorable mention doth Paul make of the Romans faith in that Rom. 1.8 First This is a figurative expression according to the stile and manner of speaking then I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all that your faith is spoken of throughout the world The Romans had attained to an eminency in faith and the report thereof sounded thoroughout the Roman Empire yea throughout the world for there being a great resort to Rome from all parts of the world and by every ones discoursing and admiring of the Romans faith their faith came to be spread abroad among all the Churches all the world over Look as Christs fulness of grace was his highest glory in this world Psal 45.1 2. so a Christians fulness of holiness is his highest honor in this world O sirs there is no such way to be high in honor and renown both in the consciences of sinners and Saints as to be high in holiness Jewel was a man eminent in holiness and his holiness set him high in the very judgements and consciences of the Papists The Dean of the Colledge though a Papist yet speaks thus of him In thy faith I hold thee an Heretick but surely in thy life thou art an Angel thou art very good and honest but a Lutheran Among the very Heathens those were most highly honored that were most excellent and eminent in moral vertues Aristides was so famous among the Athenians for his Justice Plutarch that he was called Aristides the Just c. O Christians 't is your highest honor and glory in this world to be so eminent and famous for holiness that men may point at you and say there goes such a one the wise there goes such a one the humble there goes such a one the heavenly and there goes such a one the meek there goes such a one the patient and there goes such a one the contented and there goes such a one the Just and there goes such a one the merciful and there goes such a one the zealous and there goes such a one the couragious and there goes such a one the sincere and there goes such a one the faithful c. well for a close remember this that though great places great offices great revenues and great honours c. may exalt you set you high in the uppermost seats and roomes among men yet 't is only an eminency in holiness that will exalt you and set you high in the consciences of sinners and Saints But Fourteenthly To provoke you to labour after higher degrees of holiness Consider that the times wherein you live calls for this at your hands Jer. 51.5 Ah how is this Land filled with sin yea with the worst of sins against the holy One of Israel Hell seems to be broken loose and men strive to exceed and excell one another in all kinds of wickedness O the scarlet sins that are now to be found under many scarlet Robes O the black transgressions that are now to be found under many black Cassocks O the new-found oaths the hellish blasphemies the horrid filthinesses and the abominable debaucheries that are committed daily in the face of the Sun ah how shameless how sensless are sinners grown in these dayes Jer. 3.3 sin every where now appears with a whores forehead ah what open opposition do's Christ meet with in his Gospel offices Math. 24.12 members wayes worship and works ah how do's all iniquity abound and how bold and resolute are multitudes now in dishonoring of God in profaning his Sabbaths in poluting his ordinances in destroying their own souls and in treasuring up of wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 c. Now the worser the times are the better every Christian must labour to be the more profane the Age is wherein we live the more holy we must endeavour to be O Sirs how else will you recompence the great God if I may so speak for all the dishonors that are cast upon him by the matchless loosness and wickedness of the present times Phil. 2.15 how else will you shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation how else will you convince the consciences 1 Pet. 2.15 and stop or button up the mouths of wicked and unreasonable men how else will you be the Lords witnesses against this sinful and adulterous Generation Isa 43.10 12. And ch 44.8 how else will you manifest your great love to Christ and your exceeding tenderness of the honor and glory of Christ how else will you give an undeniable testimony of the glorious operations of the Spirit in you how else will you satisfie your own consciences Psal 18.20 25. Heb. 11.7 that your hearts are upright with God and how else will you with Noah condemne a wicked world well Christians remember this 't is more then time for you to perfect holiness in the feare of the Lord when so many thousands labour day and night to perfect wickedness in despite of the Lord 't is time for you to be Angels in holiness when multitudes strive to exceed the very devill in wickedness since Christ was on earth there has been no times that have called louder for the perfecting of holiness then the present times wherein we live But Fifteenthly To provoke you to lâ—bour after higher degrees of holiness consider how the men of the world do study and strive to abound and encrease in worldly blessings O what ado is there among worldlings to lay house to house and field to field Isa 5.8 to make a hundred a thousand and a thousand ten c Many men rise early and go to bed late yea they cross their light Psal 127.1 2. wound their consciences and decline their principles and endanger their immortall souls and all to adde to their worldly stores This Age is ful of such Ahabs 1 Kings 21. that are even sick for their neighbours Vineyards yea that rather then they will goe without them will wade through Naboths blood to them And how many rich fools be there amongst us who instead of minding their souls and
spiritual blessings among his dearest children to some hee gives more light to others less to some a greater measure of love to others a less to some a greater degree of joy to others a less c. Some Saints shine in grace and holiness as the Firmament and others shine in grace and holiness as the Stars some shine in grace and holiness as the Moon and others shine in grace and holiness as the Sun and all this springs from those different measures of grace and holiness that God bestows upon his people Now doubtless men may as well plead for equal degrees of grace as they may for equal degrees of glory they may as well plead for an equal share in the good things of this world as they may plead for an equal share in the happiness and blessedness of that other world Doubtless as God dispenses his gifts and graces unequally in this life so hee will dispense his Rewards unequally in the other life As mens gifts and graces are different here on earth so their glory shall be different when they come to Heaven without all peradventure they shall have the whitest and the largest Robes of Honour and the heaviest and the brightest Crowns of Glory whose souls are most richly adorned with grace and whose lives are most eminently bespangled with holiness The more grace and holiness any Saint hath here the more hee is prepared and fitted for glory and the more any Saint is fitted for glory the more that Saint shall at last be filled with glory The greatest measures of grace holiness do most inlarge the soul and widen the soul and capacitate the soul to take in the greatest measures of glory and therefore the more grace the more glory the more holiness the more happiness a Saint shall have at last Certainly God will crown his own gracious works in his children proportionable to what they are but they are different and unequally in all his children in respect of measures and degrees and therefore God will set different Crowns of glory upon the heads of his children at last But Fourthly They that have more grace and holiness than others they are more like to God than others They bear his glorious Image in a greater print they have a brighter character of God upon them and they are the most lively picture of God in all the world Now wee know though Parents love their children well and wish all their children well and do for all their Children well yet commonly they love them most and provide for them best that resemble them most Parents cannot but love those children most and lay up for them most who have most of themselves in them and I cannot see how God can do otherwise than love them most and provide for them best who most resembled him to the life the nature of God is a holy nature and so there lies a holy necessity on his nature to love them most who have most grace and holiness in them look as t is natural to God to hate wickedness Psal 45.7 so t is natural to God to love holiness and as the higher men rise in wickedness the more a holy God hates them so the higher men rise in holiness the more a holy God loves them now the more any are like to God and the more they are beloved of God the higher doubtless in glory shall they bee advanced by God The best and the largest Portion is laid up for that Childe that is most like his Father the more any man in holiness resembles God on Earâ—h the greater and the larger Portion of glory that man shall have when hee comes to Heaven But Fiftly and lastly to deny degrees of glory in Heaven and to say that God won't sute mens wages to their works nor their rewards to their services nor crown the highest improvements of grace with the highest degrees of glory is to render useless many glorious exhortations that are scattered up and down in the Scripture as that in the 1 Cor. 15.58 Therefore my beloved Brethren bee yee stedfast unmoveable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord for asmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. If this were not a truth that I have been all this while asserting why then when men meet with this exhortation they may say why t is no great matter whether we are stedfast unmoveable and alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord or no for if wee are wee shall never advance our reward in Heaven wee shall never add Pearls to our glorious Crown wee shall never add one mite to our happiness and blessedness and if wee are not wee shall bee as high in Heaven and our reward as great and our crown as weighty as theirs shall bee who are stedfast unmoveable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord. And so the denyal of degrees of glory in Heaven will take off also the edge of all those other exhortations of perfecting holiness of sowing liberally 2 Cor. 7 1. cap. 9.6 2 Pet. 3. ult Joh. 15.8 2 Pet 1.5 6 7. of growing in grace of bringing forth much fruit and of adding vertue to vertue c. yea this will cut the throat of all divine endeavours for who will labour to bee rich in grace and to bee much in service and to abound in all the fruits of righteousness and holiness when none of all this will turn to a mans advantage in another world If hee that sows little shall have as great a Harvest as hee that sows much if hee that is dull and negligent in the work of the Lord shall have as great a reward as hee that is active and abundant in the work of the Lord. If those trees of righteousness which bring forth much fruit shall have no greater a recompence than those trees of righteousness which bring forth many leaves of profession but little fruit c. who would sow much and who would bee active and abundant in the work of the Lord and who would bring forth much fruit verily but few if any But now the opinion or rather the truth that I have been labouring to make good viz. that there shall bee different degrees of glory in Heaven and that God will proportion mens reward to their work and that he will measure out happiness and blessedness to them at last according to the different measures of grace bestowed upon his people and according to the work service and faithfulness of his people in this world This truth I say held forth in its luster and glory is a marvellous incouragement and a mighty provocation to all sincere Christians to labour after the highest pitches in Christianity and to bee very eminent in grace and holiness for what man is there that will not reason thus the more grace the more glory the more holiness the more happiness the more work the more wages and the greater my service shall bee here the
because wee were holy or because hee did fore-see that in time wee would be holy but hee chose us to that very end that wee should be holy Look as Esther Esther 1. was first chosen out among the Virgins and then purified and decked with Rich and Royal Ornaments and Garments before shee was brought into the presence of the King So God first chuses poor sinners and then hee purifies them Psal 45.13 and adorns them with the rich and glorious Garments of Grace and Holiness that so they may be meet and fit to enter into his Royal Presence 1 Thes 1.4 Knowing Brethren Beloved your Election of God Vers 5. For our Gospel came not unto you in word only but also in Power and in the Holy Ghost Vers 9. And how yee turned to God from Idols to serve the Living and True God When the Gospel comes in Power and in the Holy Ghost and turns persons from Idols to serve the Living God 't is a clear and evident sign of their Election real Sanctification is a sure evidence a fair copy of a mans Election Look as the Pattern is known by the Picture and the Cause by the Effect so Election is known by real Sanctification A Christian need never put himself to the charge of making a Ladder to climbe up to Heaven to search the Records of Glory to see whether his Name is written in the Book of Life in the Book of Election or no but rather make a strict and diligent enquiry whether hee be really and throughly sanctified or no for where there is real sanctification there the glorious Image of Gods Election is in Golden Characters stampt upon the soul A man may have his Name set down in the Chronicles yet lost wrought in durable Marble yet perish set upon a Monument equal to a Colossus yet be ignominius inscribed on the Hospital gates yet go to Hell written in the front of his own house yet another come to possess it All these are but writings in the dust or upon the waters where the Characters perish so soon as they are made they no more prove a man happy than the fool could prove Pontius Pilate happy because his Name was written in the Creed but in real Sanctification a man may see his Name so written in the Book of Gods Election as that it shall remain legible to all Eternity But Secondly If thou are a holy person if thou hast that real holiness without which there is no happiness then know for thy comfort that the Lord takes singular pleasure delight and complacency both in thy holiness and in thy person Psa 149.4 5. For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people hee will beautifie the meek with salvation Let the Saints be joyful in glory let them sing aloud upon their beds The Hebrew word Rotseh that is here rendred pleasure is from Ratsah that signifies pleasure delight complacency content c. O God takes singular pleasure singular delight singular complacency and singular content in all his Saints in all his sanctified ones Holiness is the express Image of God and therefore hee cannot but take pleasure in it and in all those that bear it Zeph. 3.13 The Remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity nor speak lies neither shall a deceitful tongue bee found in their mouth Well here are glorious Characters of their holiness but what pleasure what delight c. doth God take in these holy ones why certainly very much as you may see in ver 17. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty hee will save hee will rejoyce over thee with joy hee will rest in his love hee will joy over thee with singing Look as a Bridegroom rejoyces over his Bride Isa 62.4 5. so will the Lord rejoyce over his holy ones and look what delight complacency and content the Bridegroom takes in his Bride the same yea greater God takes in all his sanctified ones Yea look as a fond Father joyes over his dear childe that hee carries in his arms or dandles upon his knee with singing so God will joy over all his holy ones which are his fondlings with singing such is the singular delight satisfaction and content that hee takes in them Look as the Husbandman delights much in that ground that was once barren but is now fruitful and as the Captain takes a great deal of pleasure in that souldier that once run from his colours but is now returned and fights valiantly and resolutely against all opposers and adversaries and as the Father takes a great deal of joy content and satisfaction in the return reformation and amendment of his Prodigal Son Luke 15. even so a holy God is wonderfully delighted pleased enamoured and even overjoyed Heb. 6.7 â— when such as brought forth nothing but the thorns and briers of wickedness Heb. 2.10 do now bring forth the pleasant fruits of righteousness and holinesse and when such as have run from Christ the Captain of their salvation and run from their profession and run from their principles and run almost from every thing that is good shall now return to the Captain of their Salvation and fight it out most valiantly and resolutely against the world the flesh and the devil and when such as have proved Prodigals and spent all that portion all that stock and all that treasure that they have been intrusted with shall now break off their sins and humble themselves and reform their lives and mend their waies God is so infinitely pleased and delighted in these that hee Records their Names in Heaven Luke 10.20 Rejoyce not in this that the spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoyce because your names are written in Heaven 't is matter of the greatest joy in the world for a man to have his name inrol'd in Heaven look as 't is the sinners hell that his name is ingrossed in the book of perdition so 't is the beleevers heaven that his name is ingrossed in the book of election I have read of a Senatour Tacitus who relating to his Son the great honours that were assign'd to some Souldiers whose names were written in a certain book whereupon the Son was very importunate to see that book his Father shews him the outside and it seemed so glorious that hee earnestly desired him to open it no saith the Father by no means for it is sealed by the counsel then saith the Son pray tell mee if my name bee written there his Father replies no because all the names of those Souldiers were kept secret in the breasts of the Senatours The Son studying how hee might get some satisfaction desired his Father to acquaint him with the merits of those Souldiers whose names were written in that book the Father relates to him their noble atchievements and worthy acts of valour wherewith they had eternized their names such are written said hee and none but such must bee written in this book whereupon the Son consulting
hearts of his children against sin by their very falling into sin O what love to Christ what thankfulness for Christ what admiration of Christ what cleaving to Christ what exalting of Christ and what drawing from Christ are Saints led to by their very falls O what exercise of grace what increase of grace what magnifying of grace what liftings up of Divine Power and what a high price are holy men led to set upon the precious Blood of Christ and all by their falls 'T is the glory of Gods Holiness that hee can turn spiritual diseases into holy remedies and soul-poisons into heavenly cordials that hee can prevent sin by sin and cure falling by falling one calls that 8th of the Romans and the 28. The blinde mans Promise and I may call it the lame mans Promise that is holy and the deaf mans Promise that is holy and the dumb mans Promise that is holy and the needy mans Promise that is holy and the sick mans Promise that is holy and the languishing mans Promise that is holy and the dying mans Promise that is holy O the comfort O the sweet O the content O the satisfaction that this Promise hath afforded to many a precious Saint when other Promises have not been at hand O Christian what though friends and relations frown upon thee what though enemies are plotting and conspiring against thee what though wants like an armed man are ready to break in upon thee what though men rage and Devils roar what though sickness be in thy family and death stands every day at thy elbow yet there is no reason for thee to fear or faint because all these things shall work for thy good Yea there is wonderful cause of joy and rejoycing in all the afflictions and tribulations that comes upon thee considering that they shall all work for thy good O Christians I am afraid I am afraid that you do not run so often as you should to the breasts of this Promise nor draw that sweetness and comfort from it that it would yeeld and that your several cases may require and thus I have done with this use of comfort and consolation to all Gods holy ones You see what comfort what consolation yea what strong consolation waits upon all Gods sanctified ones I have been the longer upon this use because the times require it and the condition of Gods people calls for the strongest cordials and the choicest and the sweetest comforts And now I have nothing to do but to lay down some Positions concerning Holiness which may be of singular use for the preventing of some Objections and mistakes and for the giving of satisfaction especially to such in whom the streams of Holiness runs low and who are still a lamenting and mourning under the imperfections of their Holiness c. And the first Position is this Where ever real Holiness is it will appear it will discover it self it will shew it self Eph. 4.15 16. it is the very nature of Grace and Holiness to manifest it self and therefore it is set forth in Scripture by the names of light which shines abroad and of ointment and perfume Mat. 5.16 Prov. 27.9 Cant. 3.6 which cannot be hid of Leaven and Salt which deriveth its own nature and rellish upon a whole lump And 't is very observable that when the Holy Ghost was given Act. 2.1 2 3 4 5. he was given in tongues fiery tongues and with a rushing of a mighty wind all which have a quality of self-manifestation and notifying of themselves to others Take a River that is damm'd and stopt up yet if the course of it be natural and if it commonly runs downward it will at length bear down all and ride and run triumphantly over all that is in its way So though real Holiness in a day of temptation desertion and affliction c. may seem to bee damm'd and stopt up yet at length it will make its way through all over all and shew its self in its native colours Though fire for a time may lye hid under the Ashes yet at last it will flame forth and shew it self to be fire Holiness is a divine fire and though in some cases it may for a time seem to bee hid it will at length break forth and shew it self to be Holinesse I have not Faith enough to beleeve that that man was ever really holy whose Holinesse is still unâ—er a bushel or in a dark Lanthorn Look as natural life cannot be so hid but that it will discover it self a hundred hundred waies So Holinesse which is a Christians spiritual life cannot be so hid but it will discover it a hundred hundred waies The second Position is this That Holiness rises by degrees it rises gradually in the souls of the Saints Though the first Adam was made a man a holy man Job 17.9 Psal 92.12 Mal. 4.2 Hos 14.5 6 7. yea man perfectly holy and all at once yet the Holiness of all that is interested in the second Adam rises by degrees 'T is true in the Creation of the world all the creatures were made in their full and perfect growth and strength at once but in the new Creation Holiness which is Gods own creature is carried on by degrees Luk. 2.52 Look as Christ increased in wisdome and in stature and in favour with God and man by degrees So that Babe of Grace Holiness increases in the soul by degrees Look as the seed which is sown in the furrows of the earth Mat. 13.23 Mark 4.28 first springs into a blade and then into an ear and then into ripe Corn So that immortal seed Holiness which is sown in the furrows of a Christians soul springs and grows by degrees Look as the waters in the Sanctuary rise first to the ancles then to the knees then to the loins then to the chin Ezek. 47.3 4 5. and then to a River that was not passable So Holinesse rises higher and higher in the soul by degrees Look as the morning light shines more and more unto the perfect day Prov. 4.18 So the light of Holinesse shines more and more clear and more and more bright until all darknesse and imperfection be swallowed up in perfection Look as the body of a man grows and increases by degrees in stature and strength till it comes to its full growth and perfection Eph. 4.16 So Grace and Holinesse will grow and increase by degrees till Grace bee turned into Glory till Holiness bee turned into Happiness Though the Ocean be full yet the bottle cannot bee filled but by degrees Wee are poor narrow-mouthed Bottles and therefore what wee take in of Holinesse must bee by degrees our incapacity is so great that at present wee are no waies able to take in a fulnesse of Holinesse and therefore God drops in now a drop and then a drop now a little and then a little as wee are able to take it in And indeed to difference
was holiness unto the Lord and the first-fruits of his increase all that devour him shall offend evil shall come upon them saith the Lord. God was wonderfully affected and taken with the love of his people and with the kindness of his people and with the holiness of his people when they were in their wilderness condition Look as stars shine brightest in the darkest nights and as Torches are the better for beating and Spices the sweeter for pounding and young Trees the faster rooted for shaking and Vines the more fruitful for bleeding and Gold the more glittering for scouring So God looks that his childrens graces should shine brightest in the darkest nights of afflictions hee looks that his children should be the better for his Fatherly beating and the sweeter for being pounded in the morter of affliction and the faster rooted in grace and holiness by all divine shakings c. In times of affliction God looks that his children should be true Salamanders that live best in the fire Where afflictions hangs heaviest hee looks that there corruptions should hang loosest hee looks that that grace and holiness which lies hid in nature as sweet water doth in Rose leaves should then be most fragrant when the fire of affliction is put under to distil it out c. But Fourthly When persons that are under a great Profession or in Church Communion shall â—all presumptuously and scandalously when they shall not only do weakly but wickedly when not only infirmities but inormities may be justly and righteously charged upon them When such persons walk so loosely and vainly as that they occasion the Name of God to be blasphemed Rom. 2.21 22 23. Religion to be scorned the Gospel to be despised Profession to be abhorred the Saints to be reviled and young comers on to be discouraged and the ungodly in their wickedness to be hardened and confirmed O this is a time wherein God calls aloud upon his people to be holy O now God expects an extraordinary measure of holiness in his people O now hee looks that his people should rather walk like Angels than live like Saints that so they may in some measure repair and make up the sad breaches that have been made upon his honour and the credit of Religion and that they may live Profession into honour and esteem once more in the world Such blessed effects as these the horrid sin of the incestuous person did occasionally work in the hearts and lives of the Corinthians as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the Margint together 1 Cor. 5.1 2 3. 2 Cor. 2 4 5 6 7 8. ch 7.11 O Sirs in these daies are there not many that have made a very high Profession that have shined as the stars in the Firmament who are now fallen from their Profession from their Principles and from all things that are good How many now do build the things that they have destroyed what betraying of Christ what betraying of Truth and what betraying of Saints is there this day among many that have pretended very high to Religion how many now approve of those things that before they would never own and that justifie those things now that they have formerly condemned and that comply with those things now that formerly they have abhorred yea that contend for those things now for which they have formerly suffered and therefore certainly these are the very times wherein God calls aloud upon his people to be holy yea to be eminently holy c. But Fifthly In all our approaches addresses and drawings neer to God God calls aloud for holiness Levit. 10. â—3 Then Moses said to Aaron This is it that the Lord spake saying I will bee sanctified in them that come nigh unto mee â—nd before all the people I will bee glorified and Aaron held his peace There is nothing more evident than this throughout the Old Testament that the people of God were alwaies to sanctifie themselves when they were to draw nigh to God Joh. 4.23 24. God is a holy God and there is no drawing nigh to him without holiness the worship that God stands most upon and that is most pleasing and delightful to him is Spiritual Worship and none can offer this but a holy people Such as draw nigh to God without holiness may if they were not deaf hear God saying to them Psal 50.16 17. What have you to do to take my Name into your mouths seeing you hate to bee reformed And who required these things at your hands Isa 1.12 The Renians taught that a man might be saved in any Religion Isa 29.13 14. Mat. 15.8 9. The Persians every morning worship the rising Sun and the Turks their Mahomet and the Papists their Images and some of the Indians worship the first thing that they meet with in the morning and others of them worship a red Ragge and others of them worship the Devil The Romans used to worship Jupiter a hurtful god amongst them not because they loved him but because they would not be hurt or harmed by him And Praxitelles the Painter made the silly people worship the Image of his Strumpet under the title and pretence of Venus And verily all the worship that thou offerest to God is little better if thou drawest nigh to him with thy body without holiness in thy soul O Sirs remember that in all your publick duties God calls aloud for holiness and in all your family duties God calls aloud for holiness and in all your closet duties God calls aloud for holiness times of drawing neer to God should be alwaies times of much holiness you may come to a duty but you will never come to God in a duty without holiness you may come to an Ordinance but you will never come to God in an Ordinance without holiness and therefore in all your drawings nigh to God remember that God calls for holiness in a special manner then But Sixthly When God eminently appears in the execution of his judgements upon wicked and ungodly men O that is a time that God calls aloud for holiness when hee is a raining Hell out of Heaven upon unholy persons God now loâ—ks that his people should be holy yea eminently holy So in that Exod. 19.4 5. Yee have seen what I did unto the â—gyptians you have been eye-witnesses of my dealings with them in Egypt you have seen how I have followed them with plague upon plague because they did so sorely oppress you and would not let you go to worship mee Exod. 24. ult and serve mee according to my own prescriptions And when they were judgement-proof you saw mee drown them in the Red Sea before your eyes and upon this very ground hee urges them to obey his voice and to keep his Covenant vers 5. And so in that Rev. 15.1 2 3 4. And I saw another sign in Heaven great and marvelous seven Angels having the seven last plagues from them is filled up the wrath
except there be sound repentance on his side and pardoning mercy on Gods Take another instance in that Prov. 23.20 21. The glutton and the drunkard were to be stoned to death Deut. 21.20 21. Basil calls drunkenness a self chosen devil When Aechines commended Philip King of Macedon for a jovial man that would drink freely Demosthenes being by told him that was a good quality in a Spunge but not in a Prince Be not among wine-bibbers amongst riotous eaters of flesh For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty and drowsiness shall cloath a man with raggs Many Dukes Earles Lords and Gentlemen of great estates have â—adly experienced the truth of this Scripture society and luxurious company hath brought many a man to extream poverty The full cup makes an empty purse and the fat dish makes a lean bagg he that fills thee wine with one hand and sets before thee dainty dishes with the other hand will be sure to pick thy pockets with both hands and this Caligula the Roman Emperor found by experience for his gluttony brought him to incredible poverty Diogenes hearing that the house of a certain prodigal was offered to sale said I knew that house was so accustomed to surfeting and drunkenness that ere long it would spue out the Master Excessive drinking is now so great in England that the Germans may fear the loss of their Charter There was a street in Rome called vicussobrius the sober street because there was never an Ale-house in it but this I think is hard to say of any street in London yea of any street in England It is an observation amongst the Marriners that as the Sea grows daily shallower shallower on the shoars of Holland and Zealand so the Channel of late waxeth deeper deeper on the Coasts of Kent and Essex Ah sirs what is more evident then this that as drunkenness ebbs in Holland so it flows in England O what a deal of ground has this sin got within this few months upon English hearts there was a time when drunkards were as rare in England as Wolves but now they are as common as Swine Ah what staggering reeling and shameful spewing is to be found both among the great ones the Priests and people of this Nation The Prophet Hosea Hos 7.5 complained in his time that the Princes upon their Kings day made him sick with bottles of wine This day of their King was either his birth day and so Pagnine rendreth it here Die natalis ejus or his Coronation day and so the Chalde paraphrast carrieth it or the day wherein their King Jeroboam set up his golden Calves at Dan and Bethel as some others conceive Now in this day of their King there was such carnal triumphing and such pampering of the flesh and such roaring carouzing Richard the third drowned his brother in a Butt of Sack and drinking of bottles of wine that the Princes drank themselves sick drowning their bodies and souls in bottles and Butts of wine Memorable is the Kings late Proclamation against all such debauched persons who pretending to drink His Health destroy their own by a shameful abusing of the precious creatures of God But if the Prophet Hosea were now alive in this Nation If one may credit relations many hav drunk themselves dead within this few months Ah what cause would he have to complain that both high and low men and women young and old have given themselves to this beastly sin that unmans a man and that besots the soul and that destroys the body and that proves a Canker-worm to mens estates What are most Ale-houses but hell-houses but the Devils-houses in which the name of God is notoriously blasphemed Religion scorned the Saints derided the Sabbaths prophaned young ones impoysned and old ones hardned and many thousand families impoverished And why then should it be almost as easie a task to conquer the West Indies to overcome the Turke and to bring down the Pope as 't is to bring down such wretched Ale-houses as are the very Nurseries of all sin and the Synagogues of incarnate Devils and the very sinks of all misery poverty and beggary By these instances 't is most clear that 't is not holiness but wickedness that exposes men to the greatest poverty and misery But 1 Kings 17.10 17. Mr. Fox in his Act. and Mon. pag. 1874. edit ult Speaks of a poor woman who being threatned that she should have but a little bread one day and a little water on the next replyed If you take away my meat I hope God will take away my hunger and then 't will be all one as if I had meat Thirdly Consider That God can make a little with holiness go a great way A little with holiness shall serve the turn and then enough is as good as a feast God can make a handful of Meal in the Barrel and a little Oyl in the Cruse hold out a long while So Deut. 8.4 Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee neither did thy foot swell these fourty years Chap. 29.5 And I have led you fourty years in the wilderness your clothes are not waxen old upon you and thy Shâ—o is not waxen old upon thy foot Their raiment in fourty years time was not the worse for wearing their garments were not worn out with wearing in all that time they were not grown old and so unfit to wear O no but they were as fresh and strong and fit for use at the last as they were when they first came into the wilderness and this was by a divine power that preserved them from decay God supplyed all the backs and bellies of the Israelites in such state as if every Israelite had been a Prince When God brings his people into a wilderness condition he will make their mercies last and hold out as long as their wilderness condition continues Some of the learned are of opinion that the garments and Shoos of children and young men grew up with their persons so that as their stature increased so their apparel and Shoos waxed larger and longer But I suppose that 't is not safe for us to imagine or multiply miracles without necessity and clear warrant from Scripture and therefore I shall rather fall in with those worthy men who thus judge viz. That when any began to out-grow their Apparel and Shoos they laid them aside and took others that were fit for their present stature and that those which they laid aside were as sound and fresh and fit for service as when they first began to use them and so those they put off were fit for others to put on that were of a less stature and thus God lengthned out their mercies in their wilderness condition So in that Prov. 15.16 17. Better is a little with the fear of the Lord Sheep can live upon bare Commons where fat Oxen would be quickly starved c. then great treasure and trouble therewith
Better is a dinner of herbs where love is then a stalled Ox and hatred therewith Chap. 16.8 Better is a little with righteousness then great revenues without right Chap. 17.1 Better is a dry morsel and quietness therewith then a house full of sacrifices with strife Psal 37.16 A little that a righteous man hath is better then the riches of many wicked Where there is a holy God and a holy heart a little of the world will go far a little will be a sufficiency to him who with it enjoys that holy one that is All-sufficiency it self Though a whole world will never fill nor satisfie an unsanctified heart yet a little Phil. 4.11 20. a very little of the world will satisfie and content a holy heart There are two things that an unholy heart can never finde it can never finde any sweetness in Spirituals Esth 5.9 14. nor it can never finde any satisfaction in Temporals but a holy heart alwayes findes the greatest sweetness in Spirituals and is as easily satisfied with the least and meanest of Temporals Gen. 28.20 21. And Jacob vowed a vow saying if God will be with me Bread water with the Gospel is good chear said holy Greenham He is rich enough that lacketh not bread and high enough that is not forced to serve Jerom. and will keep me in this way that I go and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on so that I come again to my fathers house in peace then shall the Lord be my God Holy Jacob does not indent with God for costly Apparel or delicate fare he does not make a bargain with God to be housed bravely and fed daintily and clothed gorgiously and lodged easily and waited on noblely O no bread to eat and clothes to wear is as much as holy Jacob looks after Ah friends a little will serve nature and less will serve grace though nothing will serve or satisfie an unsanctified mans lusts O sirs the very pulse and locusts which a holy man eats relishes better then all the Gluttons delicious fare and the very Sheep-skins and Goat-skins which he wears wear softer and finer then all the purple and soft raiment that is in Princes houses and the very holes and Caves and Dens wherein holy men live are more pleasant and delightful then the stately Palaces of the great ones of the world It is great riches not to desire riches and he hath most that covets least Socrates godliness and contentment does so sweeten and so lengthen out all a Christians mercies that he can't but reckon himself a happy man though he may be the poorest among many men Let me conclude this third Answer thus This worlds wealth that men so much desire May well be likened to a burning fire Whereof a little can do little harm But profit much our bodies well to warm But take too much and surely thou shalt burn So too much wealth to too much wo do's turn But Fourthly Consider That worldly riches and holiness do often meet together a man may be a very holy man and yet a rich man too Abraham and Lot were as wealthy men as most in their time Gen. 13. Isa 41.2 Abraham is called the righteous man and yet behinde none for faith and holiness David and Solomon and Jehosaphat and Hezekiah had crowns on their heads and Scepters in their hands and very great revenues at their commands and in all these grace and greatness sweetly meet Job 1.3.8 Job was a very holy man and yet a very rich man if you cast your eye upon the first of Job and survey his estate you shall finde that he had seven thousand Sheep three thousand Camels five hundred yoke of Oxen five hundred she Asses and a very great Family but if you will look into the last of Job and survey his estate there you shall finde it doubled Joseph Nehemiah Mordecai Daniel and the three children were very gracious and yet very high and great in the world As every wicked man is not a rich man so every holy man is not a poor man if you will but set the gracious against the graceless the holy against the prophane I doubt not but for one holy man whose estate is low and mean you will finde thousands of wicked men whose conditions are beggarly and low in this world God many times delights to confute the devils Proverb viz. That plain dealing is a Jewel but he that useth it shall die a Beggar Now God by heaping up riches and honor and greatness upon the righteous gives the devil the lye and lets the world see that holiness many times is the ready way to worldly greatness 'T is observable that when all the sons of Jacob returned with corn and money in their sacks from Egypt Gen. 44. Benjamin had not onely corn and money in his sack but he had over and above the silver cup put into the mouth of his sack as a singular pledge of his brother Josephs favor so God many times gives to his Benjamines the sons of his right hand not onely as much of the world as he does to others but more of the world then he does to others he does not only give them corn and money in common with others but he also gives them the Silver-cup the Grace-cup he puts in some singular temporal blessings into their sacks more then into other mens for he is the great Lord of all and therefore may dispose of his own as he pleases But Fifthly Consider Psal 63.1 2 3 4. That most men are best in a low condition David was never better then when he was in a wilderness condition for degrees of Grace and for the exercise of Grace and for communion with the God of Grace 't was best with David when his condition was low in the world 't was never better with Jacob Gen. 32.10 then when he past over Jordan with a staff in his hand Jobs Job 1. graces never shined so gloriously as when he sat upon a dunghil and could bless a taking God as well as a giving God though John was poor in the world yet the Holy-Ghost tells us Mat. 11.11 that he was the greatest that was born of women Paul was but a poor Tent-maker Phil. 3.20 and yet his conversation was in heaven The Church of Smyrna was the poorest Church Rev. 2.8 9. but yet the best of all the seven Churches in Asia Christ knew very well that his Disciples would be best in a low condition and therefore he fed them but from hand to mouth Learned Ainsworth had but nine pence a week to live on whilst he wrote his excellent Commentary on the Penteteuch Mat. 8.20 21. he that could have turned stones into bread could as easily have turned stones into gold and so have made his Disciples rich and great in the world but he would not Christ could easily have changed their raggs into
providing for eternity mind nothing Luke 12.16 21. nor talke of nothing but pullin◠down their Barns building of greater What strugling is there for places of honour what desperate ventures for rich commodities and what high attempts are there for large possessions O the time the strength the spirits Psal 4.6 that many spend in an eager pursuit after earthly things O how sad is it to consider that Satan shall have more service of a worldling for an ounce of gold then God shall have for the kingdome of heaven though the world in all its bravey is no better then the Cities which Solomon gave to Hiram which he called Cabul that is 1 Kings 9.13 displeasing or dirty yet O how mad are men upon it though all the great the gay and the glorious things of the world Gen. 3. may fitly be resembled to the fruit that undid us all which was faire to the sight smooth in handling sweet in tast but deadly in operation yet O how fond are men of these things Multi amando res noxias sunt miseri habendo miseriores August in Psal 16. and how do most long to be touching and tasting of them though a touch a tast may exclude them out of Paradise for ever O Sirs what fools in Folio are they who dare hazard the loss of a Paradise for a wilderness of a crowne for a crum of a kingdome for a Cottage and of Pearls for trifles and yet such fools are all those who spend themselves in multiplying and encreasing of their earthly enjoyments In that 13 Gen. 2. 'T is said that Abraham was very rich in Cattel in silver and in gold but according to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it runs thus Abraham was very heavie in Cattel in silver and in gold to shew that riches that gold and silver which is the great god of the world are but heavie burdens and rather a hinderance then a help to heaven and happiness Gold and silver which are but the white and yellow guts and garbage of the earth is fitly called by the Prophet Hab. 2.6 thick clay which will sooner break a mans back then satisfie his heart and O what folly and madness is it for a man to be still a loading of himself with the clay of this world though the Sumpter horse be loaden with rich treasure all the day long yet when night comes he is turn'd into the dark stinking Stable with an empty belly and with his back full of gauls sores and bruises so though vaine men may be loaded with the treasures of this world during the day of their life yet when the night of death comes then they shall be turned into a dark stinking hell with consciences full of guilt and gauls and with souls full of sores and bruises and then what good will all their treasures do them Luke 16. Though the rich man in the Gospel lived like a Gentleman a Gallant yet when he died he went to hell Though Mammon as Aretius and many others observe is a Syriack word and signifies wealth riches yet Irenaeus derives Mammon of Mum that signifies a spot and Hon that signifies riches to shew that riches have their spots and yet O how unwearied are men in their adding of spots to spots men in their pursuit after the things of this world seeme to act by an untired power they are never weary of heaping up bags upon bags nor of enlarging their Tents nor of encreasing their revenues c. Now O how should this provoke every gracious soul to be adding of grace to grace and holiness to holiness O let not the men of the world out-doe you let them not out-act you O let not nature excell grace O let the muck-wormes of this world know that divine principles are too high and noble to be matcht or to be out-acted by any thing that they can doe O Sirs shall children grow in your families and oxen grow in your stalls and fish grow in your ponds grass grow in your fields and flowers grow in your gardens c. and shall not holiness grow in your hearts well friends remember this 't is infinitely better to be poore men and rich Christians then to be rich men and poore Christians But Sixteenthly To provoke you to labour after higher degrees of holiness consider that the more holiness you attaine to in this world the more weighty and heavy the more bright and glorious will be your faithfull Ministers crowne O Sirs as you rise higher and higher in holiness 2 Epist of John 4. so the springs of joy rises higher and higher in your Ministers souls O Christians 't is neither your seraphical notions nor your pompous profession 't is neither your good words nor your sweet looks 't is neither your civilities nor your courtesies that raises joy in your Ministers hearts or that will adde to your Ministers crowne Rom. 15.14 but an encrease of holiness will do both The Thessalonians were rare Christians they were very eminent high in holiness as you may see in that 1 Thes 1.5 6 7 8. And they were the Apostles joy and crowne of rejoycing as you may see in Ch. 2.19 20. For what is our hope or joy or crowne of rejoycing are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming For ye are our glory and joy The Apostle tells these raised these renowned Thessalonians that as they were now his hope his glory and joy so at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ they should be his joy and crowne of rejoycing Look as Christ has his thousand Shekels of silver Shekels of silver were their common money and a name both for weight and coyne being in value answerable to our English half-crowns so his faithful laborious Ministers have their two hundred Shekels of silver and that indeed is a great reward Cant. 8.12 My vineyard which is mine is before me thou O Solomon must have a thousand and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred O what an honor is it for faithful Ministers to have a fift part of that Reward that Christ has himself in this 12 v. Christ opposeth his vineyard his Church to that of Solomons which is mentioned in v. 11. and though doubtless Solomons vineyard was one of the rarest choicest and fruitfullest vineyards in all Judaea yet it was wonderful inferiour to Christs vineyard and that partly because Christs vineyard cost him a dearer and a greater price even the price of his blood then ever Solomons cost him 1 Pet. 1.18 19 partly bécause his vineyard serves to more spiritual high honorable and noble ends 1 Tim. 3.15 then ever Solomons did viz. the glory exaltation of God the propagating of truth the bringing forth of the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 23. viz. love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance the bringing in of sinners and the
building up of Saints and partly because his eye is still upon it and his protection is still over it Psal 121.3 4 5 6 7 8. and his presence is still with it Isa 27.2 3. In that day sing ye unto her a vineyard of red wine I the Lord do keep it I will water it every moment lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day But Solomons eye was not alwayes upon his vineyard neither was his hand of protection alwayes over it neither was his kingly presence alwayes with it and partly because all his treasure is laid up in his vineyard his Church his treasures of grace Eph. 3.10.17 18 19 20. his treasure of mercy his treasures of comfort his treasures of goodness c. is all laid up in his Church but Solomon as rich as glorious a King as he was yet he had no such treasures laid up in his vineyard Solomon never made his vineyard his treasury and partly because his vineyard was given to him for ever Psal 2.7 John 6.39 Ch. 17.6 8 12. as an everlasting inheritance but Solomons was but temporary and mutable Now all those that are painfull and faithfull labourers in Christs vineyard shall receive a noble a liberall compensation and recompence for their labours no man shall shut a dore nor open a dore in Christs vineyard for nought no man shall labour an houre there without a reward all faithfull Ministers are Fellow-labourers with Christ in the spirituall husbandry 1 Cor. 3.8 9. they dig with Christ they plant with Christ and they prune with Christ and they water with Christ and they watch with Christ therefore Christ will allow them a fift part of the glory and reward with himselfe as he has his thousand pieces of silver so he will look to it that they shall have their two hundred pieces of silver a thousand is the number of perfection and here it may note that fulness of glory that Christ should have the two hundred may note that very great proportion of heavenly glory that all the faithfull labourers in Christs vineyard shall have Math. 19.27 28 29. who have helpt forward the flourishing estate of that vineyard Look as the thriving of the child adds to the comfort and the credit of the Nurse and the fruitfulness of the field adds to the pleasure and delight of the Husbandman and the health and increase of the Flock adds to the joy and reward of the Shepherd so the increase of holiness the thriving the fruitfulness of souls in holiness adds to the credit and comfort to the pleasure and delight to the joy and reward of faithful painful Ministers who are Nurses Husbandmen and Shepherds in the language of the holy Scriptures Though it be true that faithful Ministers are a sweet savour to God both in them that are saved 2 Cor. 2.15 and in them that perish though their labour whether it hit or miss is accepted and shall be rewarded of the Lord Isa 49.45 as the Physitian has his Fee though the patient dies the Nurse has her wages though the child don't thrive and the Vine-dresser has his hire though the Vines don't bare fruit yet the more they win men to heaven and the more by their means the work of holiness is carried on in the hearts lives of men the weightier will be their crowne of glory and the greater will be their joy and rejoycing in the great day of our Lord. O Sirs did you but see your faithfull Ministers tears did you but heare their heavy sighs and groanes were you but acquainted with their fervent and frequent prayers on your behalfes did you but believe how they beare their brains and how willing they are not only to spend themselves but even to spit out their very lungs in the service of your souls how would you call upon your own souls to adde holiness to holiness yea charge your own souls to perfect holiness in the feare of the Lord. Well friends as ever you would adde to your faithfull Ministers comfort here and to their joy and crowne at the coming of our Lord labour after higher degrees of holiness But Lastly To provoke you to labour after higher degrees of holiness consider that the more holiness you have here the more happiness you shall have hereafter the more grace you have on earth the more glory you shall have in heaven Now before I come to make good this Argument viz. that some Saints shall partake of more glory in heaven then others shall give me leave to promise these few things to prevent mistakes First That the object of their happiness which is God blessed for ever will be one and the same to all Saints all glorified Saints shall have but one God among them all God shall be no more one Saints God then he shall be every Saints God in heaven c. Secondly That the beatifical vision shall be seen by all the Saints and communicated to all the Saints they shall all have a happy and blessed fruition and possession of God all the vessels of glory shall be filled to the brim with a cleare sight of God and with a full injoyment of God and yet doubtless for all this some Saints shall apprehend more of God then others and comprehend more of God then others and enjoy more of God then others though all shall be filled with those everlasting springs of pleasure and delight that be at Gods right hand Psal 16. ult yet some shall be able to take in more of those pleasures of Paradise then others shall 2 Kings 4.3 8. Though all the widows vessels were filled to the brim with oyle yet doubtless some being greater and larger then others they accordingly contained more oyle then others and so 't will be with the Saints when they come to heaven There shall be no lack of glory to any of the Saints in glory all the Saints shall be fill'd with glory according to their capacity If you bring a thousand vessels of different sizes to the Sea the Sea fills them all though their sizes differ and some are bigger and others lesser yet all are fill'd every little vessell hath its fill as well as the greater so every Saint shall have his fill of glory when he comes to glory the felicity of every Saint shall be perfect God will be all in all to all Saints Psal 17.15 Thirdly All Saints shall be freed from all evills alike they shall all be freed from the aking head and from the unbelieving heart they shall all alike be free from the evill of sin and from the evill of sufferings there shall not be a Saint in glory that shall ever feele a pricking brier Ezek. 28.24 or a grieving thorne there all sorrow shall be removed from all their hearts and all tears shall be wipt from all their eyes Rev. 7.17 Fourthly and lastly the degrees of glory that Saints shall