the way of righteousnesse is chaiim lives so the Hebrew hath it in the way of righteousnesse there are many lives in that way there is spiritual life and eternal life and natural life and all the comforts and sweets and blessings and happinesse of that life without which mans life would be but a lingering a languishing death yea a hell rather then a heaven unto him And in the path thereof there is no death There is no spiritual death there is no eternal death yea there is no corporal no temporal death to hurt or harm the them Death is not mors hominis but mors peccati not the death of the man but the death of his sin Phil. 1.23 2 Cor. 5.12.4.7 8. Death is a Christians Quietus est it is his discharge from all trouble and misery to sting or terrifie them to dammage or disadvantage them for death is an out-let and an in-let to a holy man it is an out-let to sin to sorrow to shame to suffering to afflictions to temptations to desertions to oppressions to confusions and to vexations and it is an in-let to a more clear full and constant fruition of God and Christ and an in-let to the sweetest pleasures the purest joys the highest delights the strongest comforts and the most satisfying contentments Death is the funeral of all a holy mans sins and miseries and it is the resurrection of all his joyes and the perfection of all his graces and spirituall excellencies Death to a holy man is nothing but the changing of his grace into glory his faith into vision his hope into fruition and his love into perfect comprehension The Persians had a certain day in the year in which they used to kill all Serpents and venemous creatures such a day as that will the day of death be to a holy man Peccatum erat obstetrix mortis mors sepulchrum peccati Sin was the Midwife that brought death into the world and death shall be the bearers that shall carry sin out of the world When Sampson died the Philistines died together with him so when a holy man dies his sins die with him Death came in by sin and sin goeth out by death As the worm kills the worm that bred it so death kills sin that bred it Vltimus morborum medicus mors Acts Mon. fol. 1733. Death cures all diseases the aking head and the unbelieving heart the diseased body and the defiled soul At Stratford Bow were burned in Queen Maries dayes a lame man and a blind man after the lame man was chained casting away his crutch he bade the blind man be of good comfort for saith he Death will cure us both it will cure thee of thy blindnesse and me of my lamenesse Death will cure the holy man of all natural and spiritual distempers Death is the holy mans Jubilee it is his greatest advantage it puts him into a better estate then ever he had before It is Gods Gentleman Usher to conduct us to heaven it will blow the bud of grace into the flower of glory O! Death is but an entrance into life Miseri infideles mortem appellant fideles vero quid nÃsi pascham Bernard Miserable â—nbelievers call it death but to faithfull believers what is it but a Passeover but a Jubilee who would not go through hell to heaven who would not go through a temporary death to an eternal life who would not willingly march through mortality to immortality and glory O Sirs holinesse will make you look upon death as a welcome guest a happy friend a joyfull messenger it will make you kisse it and embrace it as Favinus the Italian Martyr kissed and embraced his executioner it will make you desire it long after it with tears as holy Bradford did By all this you see that holiness will deliver you from death in death and therefore I shall close up this head as that wise witty man Sr. Francis Bakon closed up a paper of verses What then remains but that we still should cry Not to be born or being born to die Fifthly and lastly by holinesse you shall gain the greatest boldnesse in the day of judgement Job 19.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies boldness of face a lifting up of the face countenance in the sight or face of many beholders It signifies a freedom and liberty of speech nothing will imbolden a man in that great day like holinesse holinesse will then make the face to shine indeed 1 John 4.17 Herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldnesse in the day of judgement because as he is so are we in this world That which will make Christs last appearance delightfull to Christians will be their likenesse to Christ in holinesse in nature and grace likenesse begets the greatest boldnesse As there is no child so bold with the Father as he that is most like the Father so there is no Christian so bold with Christ as he that is most like to Christ A holy Christ is most famiiar with a holy Christian and a holy Christian is most bold with a holy Christ The more a Christian is like to Christ in holinesse of heart and life in holinesse of affecti-and conversation the more divinely bold and familiar will that man be with Christ both in this world and in the great day of account when he that was a brat of Satans is made a Saint when he that was like hell is made like heaven when he that was most ugly and uncomely is made like him that is the holy of holies this is that which gives boldnesse both here and hereafter O Sirs it is not wit nor wealth but holinesse it is not race nor place but holinesse it is not power nor policy but holinesse it is not honour nor riches but holinesse it is not natural excellencies nor acquired abilities but holinesse that will give boldnesse in the day of Christs appearing 1 Pet. 1.5 6 7. A well-tried faith which is but a branch of holinesse shall be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ At the coming of Christ holiness shall be a mans praise and honour Rev. 6.15 16 17. and glory In that great day when shame and everlasting contempt shall be poured forth upon the great Monarchs of the world who have made the earth to tremble when the Kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chief Captains and the mighty men c. shall cry out to the mountains and rocks to fall upon them and to hide them from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb then I say then shall the righteous shine as the Sun in the firmament Dan. 12.1 2 3. Prov. 28.1 In life and death and in the day of account a righteous man will be as bold as a Lion Real holinesse will make a man death proof and hell proof and
Judge the world in righttousness My Lords and Gentlemen give me leave to tell you Tennes the son of Cyrnus who was worshipped as a god was so strict and exact in Judgement that he caused an Ax to be held over the witnesses heads to execute them out of hand if they were taken with falshood and from thence was the Proverb Tenedia bipennis that that Judge to whom you must be responsible is no ignorant Judge nor no covetous Judge nor no partial Judge nor no fearful Judge nor no doating Judge nor no trifling Judge though such there may be in the world but he is an omniscient Judge an omnipotent Judge an impartial Judge a holy Judge a couragious Judge a serious Judge a severe Judge an unbiassed Judge a righteous Iudge and a resolute Iudge Alas Sirs it is not your scarlet Gowns nor your Titles of honour nor your great estates nor your interest in Princes nor your noble relations nor your applause among men that will stand you in stead when you shall stand before that Iudge that is a consuming fire Heb. 12. ult Well Gentlemen remember this there is never a professing Iudge nor Iustâ—ce in the world that will be able at last to give up their accounts with joy and to stand in judgement when the Lamb shall sit upon his Throne but such as have made it their great businesse to take the spirit of the Lord for their guide and to set up the glory of the Lord as their great end and to make the Word of the Lord their principal Rule and to eye the example of the Lord as their choicest and chiefest pattern and therefore it is much to be feared that the numher of such Iudges and Iustices that will be able to stand before the Iudge of all the world will be but few But Seventhly As you must do justice and judgement exactly so you must do justice to others as you would have others do justice to you For Judges and Justices to do as they would be done by is the Royal Law the golden Rule and the Standard of equity Judges and Justices should think of others as they would have others think of them and speak of others as they would have others speak of them and do to others as they would have others do to them Mat. 7.12 Severus the Emperour had this Scripture often in his mouth and whensoever he punished any of his souldiers for offering of injuries to others he still commanded this Scripture to be proclaimed by the Cryer Whatever by the light of nature or by the light of conscience or by the light of Scripture a Judge a Justice would have another do to him the same must he do to another In all just things for so this Law of Christ is only to be understood we must do to others as we would have others do to us as we would have others carry it equally justly and righteously towards us so we must carry it equally justly and righteously towards others and as we would not have others to wrong us in our names estates rights liberties lives so we must not wrong others in their names estates rights liberties lives c. This Law of Christ is the summe of all righteousnesse it is the foundation of all Justice and Equity Self-love doth so commonly blind the sons of men that to judge righteously they must change the person they must put themselves in others room All Princes Judges Justices Parents Masters Subjects Servants Children should so act in their relations as they would have others act in the correlation All injustice will be repaid one time or another and therefore men had need be just and do to others as they would have others do to them I have read of a Citizen of Comun in the Dukedom of Farrara who being cast into prison upon suspitâ—on of murder his wife could get no promise of his deliverance unlâ—sse she would give the Captain whose prisoner he was two hundred Ducats and yield her body to his pleasure which with the consent of her husband she did but after the Captain had his desire he notwithstanding put him to death The Duke Gonzala hearing of it commanded the Captain to restore the two hundred Ducats to the widow with an addition of seven hundred Crowns then he enjoyned him to marry her presently and lastly before he could enjoy his new wife the Duke caused him to be hanged for his treachery and injustice Sometimes in this life injustice is repaid upon the heads of unjust Judges My Lords and Gentlemen before I close up this head give me leave heartily to recommend to your Justice those wrongs and injuries which more immedâ—ately strike at the honour and glory of the great God God hath put his name upon you Psalm 82.6 I said that ye are gods yet it must be granted that you are gods in a smaller letter mortal gods gods that must die like mâ—n all the sons of Ish are sons of Adam And as God hath put his name upon you so he hath made you his Vice-Royes 2 Chron. 19 6. Ye judge not for your selves but for the Lord. Rom. 13.2 Exod. 16.7 8. 1 Sam. 8.7 And therefore God takes all affronts that are done to you as done to himself as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the margin together And God hath provided for your honour among men Exod. 20.28 Thou shalt not revile the gods Rom. 13.7 Josh 4.14 i. e. the Magistrates nor curse the Ruler of thy people I have read of Fabius Maximus who highly reverenced and honoured his own son being Consul this Heathen will one day rise up in judgement against all such that scorn to give to Magistrates that honour that by the fifth Commandment is due unto them 2 Pet. 2.9 10. 1 Sam. 10.2 Iude 8.2 1 Sam. 8.7 And God is very severe in revenging the wrongs that are done to you He interprets all the injuries that are done to you as done to himself And why then will you not revenge the wrongs and injuries that are done to the great God Give me leave Gentlemen in the behalf of the great God a little to expostulate with you Shall the least dishonourable word that is spoken against an earthly Prince be severely punished and shall all those horrid and hellish blasphemies by which the Prince of the Kings of the earth is dishonoured and reproached all the Nation over passe unobserved Rev. 1.5 Shall all affronts that are offered to Embassadors be deeply resented and justly censured as high indignities done to the Prince that employed them And shall the Embassadors of the great God I mean such as are called commissionated spirited gifted and graced for that high office by God himself be scorned defamed injured reviled and on all hands evilly intreated and yet no man say Why do you thus wickedly 2 Chron. 36.15 ult to provoke the great God to your own destruction Shall it be
a Use of Tryal and Examination Is it so that real holiness is the only way to happiness must men be holy on earth or else they shall never come to a blessed vision or fruition of God in Heaven Oh then what cause hath every one to try and examine whether he hath this real holiness without which there is no happiness or no! Now because this is a point of great importance and a mistake here may undo a man for ever and considering the great aversness and backwardness of mens hearts to this noble and necessary work I shall therefore in the first place propose some considerations to provoke all your hearts to fall in good earnest upon this great point of Tryal and Examination Now to this purpose consider First it is possible for you to know whether you have this real holiness or not it is possible for you by the light of the Spirit See my Treatise of Assurance pag. 1 to 26. where you have this truth made fully evident by the light of the Word and by the light of your own Consciences to see whether holiness which is the image of God be stamped upon your souls or no Though it be impossible for thee to climb up to heaven to search the records of glory to see whether thy name be written in the book of life yet it is possible for thee to go down into the Chambers of thine own soul to enter into the withdrawing rooms of thine own heart and there to read what impressions of holiness are upon thee though this work be hard and difficult yet it is noble and possible though the heart be deceitful and full of shifts yet it is possible for a man to make such a curious such a narrow such a diligent such a faithful and such an impartial search into his own soul as that he may certainly know whether he hath that real holiness that is the pledge of immortal happiness or no it is possible for him that hath this Jewel this holiness to know it to finde it and in the beautiful face of holiness to read his own everlasting happiness I might call in the experiences of many precious Saints As Abraham Noah Jacob David Job Paul and others to bear witness to this truth but I suppose it is needless What great and weighty what high and hard what hazardous and dangerous things do many Souldiers Saylers sick Patients and others attempt and undertake upon the meer account of a possibility it is possible that the Souldier may win the field it is possible that the Mariner may make a happy voyage it is possible that the sick Patient may recover it is possible that he that strives for mastery may overcome c. Now upon this very account that it is possible what will they stick at what will they not attempt and endeavour to effect And why then should not Christians upon the account of a possibility make a diligent search after that holiness that will at last throne the soul in everlasting happiness Well Christians as a possibility of obtaining grace and mercy should bear up your hearts against despair Matth. 9.26 Mark 10 27. Chap. 14.36 Mark 9.23 Luke 18.27 as a possibility of obtaining a pardon should keep up your hearts in a seeking and a waiting way and as a possibility of salvation by Christ should be argument sufficient to work a soul to venture it self upon Christ so a possibility of knowing whether you have this pearl of price Holiness should work you to make a diligent search and enquiry after it Let no man do more upon the account of a possibility for this world then you will do upon the account of a possibility for another world Let no man do more upon the account of a possibility for his body then you will do upon the account of a possibility for your souls Let no man do more upon the account of a possibility for temporals then you will do upon the account of a possibility for eternals It is possible for you to know whether this babe of grace Holiness be formed in your souls or no and therefore search and enquire after it Secondly Consider this that it is a point of very great concernment to you to know whether you have this real holiness or no your souls lies upon it eternity lies upon it Psalm 4.5 your All lies upon it and an errour here may make a man miserable for ever it is good for thee to know the state of thy body the state of thy family the state of thy flock Prov. 27.25 Multi multa sciunt se autem nemo but it is of infinite more consequence for thee to know the state of thine own soul No man lives so miserable nor no man dies so sadly as he that lives and dies a stranger to his own soul It is good for thee to set all reckonings even between thy self and others but it is far better to set all reckonings even between God and thine own soul Ah how many are there who are better known to others Luke 12.16 17 18 19 20 21. Chap. 16.19 26. then they are to themselves and who are able to give a better account of their Lands and Lordships of their Treasures and Mannors yea of their Horses Hawks and Hounds then they are of the state of their souls Ah how many are there that are very inquisitive to know things to come Eccles 7.10 to know what will be hereafter to know whether they shall be great and rich in the world to know whether they shall be prosperous and successful in their undertakings to know whether they shall be crowned with length of dayes Job 21.23 24. Isa 41.22 23. Chap. 43.9 10. The heathens did admire that saying as an Oracle Nosce te ipsum Know thy own self or whether they shall be cut off in the flower of their age to know the secret counsels of Princes and what will be the issue of such and such mutations and revolutions that have happened amongst us and yet are not at all inquisitive after the state of their souls nor whether they have this real holiness without which there is no happiness They never enquire what will become of them hereafter They never enquire what state they shall enter upon after death whether upon a state of eternal wo or a state of everlasting bâ—â—s Of all acquaintances in this world there is none to that of a mans being acquainted with the state of his own soul A mistake about my outward condition may trouble me but a mistake about my spiritual condition may damn me There are many wayes to make up my mistakes about temporals but there is no way to make up my mistakes about eternals If at last I shall be sound to be mistaken in the great concernments of my soul I am undone for ever Well Sirs you are in a state of nature or in a state of grace you are in a
dearly affectand delight in their Idols but when God should come to put a spirit of holinesse upon them then their hearts should rise in hatred and detestation of their Idols as you may see in Isa 30.18.25 mark ver 22. Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven Images of Silver and the ornament of thy molten Images of gold thou shalt cast them away as a menstrous cloth thou shalt say unto it Get thee hence They were so delighted and enamoured with their Idols that they would deck then up in the greatest glory and bravery they would attire them with the most rich costly After the return of the Jews out of Babylon they so hated abhorred Idols that in the time of the Romans they chose rather to die then to suffer the Eagle which was the Imperial Arms to be set up in their Temple pompous and glorious rayment O but when a spirit of holinesse should rise upon them then they should defile deface and disgrace their Idols then they should so hate and abhor them they should so detest and loath them that in a holy indignation they should cast them away as a menstrous cloth and say unto them get ye hence pack be gon I will never have any more to do with you God hath now made an everlasting divorce between you and me And so in Isa 2.20 In that day that is in the day of the Lords exaltation in the hearts lives and consciences of his people ver 17. a man shall cast his Idols of silver and his Idols of gold which they made each one for himself to worship to the moles and to the Bats In the day of Gods exaltation they shall expresse such disdain and indignation against their Idols that they shall take not only those made of trees and stones but even their most pretious and costly Idols those that were made of silver and gold and cast them to the moles and to the bats that is they shall cast them into such blind holes and into such dark filthy nasty and dusty corners as moles make under ground and as Bats roust in So when holinesse comes to be exalted in the soul then all a mans darling and bosom sins which are his Idols of silver and his Idols of gold these are with a holy indignation cast to the moles and to the bats they are so loathed abandoned and casheered that he desires they may be for ever buried in oblivion and never see the light more Idols were Ephraims bosom sin Hos 4.17 Ephraim is joyned or glewed to Idols let him alone but when the dew of grace and holinesse fell upon Ephraim as it did in Chap. 14.5 6 7. Then saith Ephraim what have I any more to do with idols v. 8. Now Ephraim loaths his Idols as much or more then before he loved them he now abandons and abominates them though before he was as closely glewed to them as the wanton is glewed to his Dalelah or as the Enchanter is glewed to the Devil from whom by no means he is able to stir Ephraim becoming holy cryes out What have I any more to do with Idols O I have had to do with them too long and too much already O how doth my soul new rise against them how do I detest and abhor them surely I will never have more to do with them But now unholy hearts are very favourable to bosome sins they say of them as Lot of Zoar Gen. 19.20 Is it not a little one and my soul shall live And as David spake of Absalom 2 Sam. 18.5 Deal gently for my sake with the young man even with Absalom Beware that none touch the young man Absalom ver 12. And the King said Mark Acts 19.24.30 Is the young man Absalom safe ver 29. An unholy heart is as fond of his bosom sins as Herod was of his Herodias or a Demetrius was of his Diana or as Naaman was of the Idol Rimmon 2 Kings 5.18 which was the Idol of the Syrians or as Judas was of bearing the bagg or as the Pharisees were of having the uppermost seats and of being saluted in the market place with those glorious titles Rabbi Rabbi Matthew 6. Bosom sins have at least a seeming sweetnesse in them and therefore an unholy heart will not easily let them go Let God frown or smile stroke or strike lift up or cast down promise or threaten yet he will hide and hold fast his darling sins Job 20.12 13. let God wound his conscience blow upon his estate leave a blot upon his name crack his credit afflict his body write death upon his relations and be a terror to his soul yet will he not let go his bosom lusts he will rather let God go and Christ go and grace go and heaven go all go then he will let some pleasurable or profitable lusts go An unholy heart may sigh over those sins and make war upon those sins that war against his honours profits or pleasures and yet at the same time make truce with those that are as right hands and right eyes an unholy person may set his sword at the breasts of some sins and yet at the same time his heart may be secretly courting of his bosom sins But now an holy heart rises most against the Dalilah in his bosom against the Benjamin the son the sin of his right hand And thus you see how an holy heart hates and disdains all sins he abhors small sins as well as great secret sins as well as open and bosom sins as well as others that have not that acquaintance and acceptance with the soul Real holiness will never mix nor mingle it self with any sin it will never incorporate with any corruption Wine and water will easily mix so the wine of gifts and the water of sin the wine of civility and the water of vanity the wine of morality and the water of impiety will easily mix but oyl and water will not mix they will not incorporate so the oyl of grace the oyl of holiness will not mix it will not incorporate with sin the oyl of holiness will be uppermost Mark natural and acquired habits and excellencies as a pregnant wit an eloquent tongue a strong brain an iron memory a learned head all these with some high speculations of holiness and some profession of holiness and some commendations of holiness and some visible actings of holiness are consistent with the love of lusts with the dominion of sin witness the Scribes and Pharisees Judas Demas and Simon Magus but the real infused habits of true grace and holiness will never admit of the dominion of any sin whether great or little whether secret or open But Sixthly Persons of real holiness are cordially affected and afflicted Ezek. 36.25 26 31. grieved and troubled about their own vileness and unholiness you may see this in holy Job chap. 40. 3 4 5. Then Job answered the Lord and said Behold I am
vile what shall I answer thee I will lay my hand upon my mouth Once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no further So holy Agur Prov. 30.2 3. Surely I am more brutish then any man and have not * Binath Adam the understanding of Adam the understanding of a man I neither learned wisdom nor have the knowledge of the holy Though all men are brutish yet holy men are most sensible of their brutishness and most affected and afflicted with it wicked men are more brutish then the beasts Isa 1.3 4. yet they see it not they bewail it not but holy Agur both sees his brutishness and bewails it Holy Agur looking upon that rare knowledge that depth of wisdom and those admirable excellencies that Adam was endued with in his integrity and innocency confesses himself to be but brutish to be as much below what Adam once was as a bruit is below a man Psalm 51. So holy David cries not Perii I am undone I shall perish but peccavi I have sinned I have done foolishly And so for his being envious at the prosperity of the foolish Psalm 73.2 3. how doth he befool and be-beast himself Psalm 73.22 So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee The Hebrew word Behemoth Therefore the Elephant is called Behemoth in Job 40.15 that is here rendred beast generally comprehends all beasts of the greater sort As an aggravation of his folly he confesseth that he was as a beast as a great beast yea as an Epiâ—ome of all great beasts So the holy Prophet Isaiah complains that he was undone Isa 6.5 that he was cut off not upon any worldly account but because he was a man of unclean lips and dwelt in the midst of a people of unclean lips Dan. 9. So holy Daniel complained not that they were reproached and oppressed but that they had rebelled So Peter Luke 5.8 Depart from me for I am a sinful man O Lord Or as the Greek hath it I am a man a sinner O Lord depart from me for I am a mixture and compound of all vileness and sinfulness Rom. 7.23 24. So holy Paul cries not out of his opposers or persecutors but of the Law in his members rebelling against the Law of his mind Pauls body of death within him put him to more grief and sorrow then all the troubles and trialls that ever befell him An holy heart laments over those sins that he cannot conquer a holy person labours to wash out all the stains and spots that be in his soul in the streams of godly sorrow that his sins may never drown his soul Zach. 2.10 Isa 59.1 2. he will do what he can to drown his sins in penitential tears A holy person looks upon his sins as the crucifiers of his Saviour and so they affect him he looks upon his sins as the great incendaries make-bates and separatist between God and his soul and so they afflict him he looks upon his fins as so many reproaches to his God blemishes to his profession and wounds to his credit and conscience and so they grieve and trouble him he looks upon his sins as those that make many a righteous soul besides his own sad whom God would not have sadded and that opens many a sinful mouth that God would have stopped Ezek. 13.22 and that strengthens many a wicked heart that God would not have strengthened and so they fetch many a sigh from his heart and many a tear from his eyes When a holy man sins he looks upwards and there he sees God frowning he looks downwards and there he sees Satan insulting he looks within himself and there he finds his conscience either a bleeding raging or accusing he looks without himself and there he finds gracious men lamenting and mourning and graceless men deriding and mocking the sense of which doth sorely and sadly afflict a gracious soul Some say that Saint Peters eyes after his great falls were alwayes full of tears insomuch that his face was furrowed with continual weeping for his horrid thoughts his desperate words his shameful shifts and his damnable deeds which made him look more like a child of hell then like a Saint whose name was written in heaven Some say of Adam that when he turned his face towards the Garden of Eden he sadly lamented his great fall Some say of Mary Magdalen that she spent thirty years in Galba in weeping for her sins Davids sins were ever before him and therefore no wonder if Tears instead of Gemms were so constantly the ornaments of his bed Wicked Pharaoh cryes out Psal 115.3 Oh take away these filthy frogs take away these dreadful judgments but holy David cryes out O Lord take away the iniquity of thy servant Pharaoh cryes out because of his punishments but David cryes out because of his sin Anselm saith that with grief he considered the whole course of his life I found saith he the infancy of sin in the sins of my infancy the youth and growth of sin in the sins of my youth and growth and the ripeness of all sin in the sins of my ripe and perfect age and then he breaks forth into this patheticall expression What remaineth for thee wretched man but that thou spend thy whole life in bewailing thy whole life By all which it is most evident that holy hearts are very much affected and afflicted with their own unholiness and vileness Now certainly those persons are as far off from real holiness as hell is from heaven who take pleasure in unrighteousness who make a scoff and mock of sin who commit wickedness with greediness who talk wickedly who live wantonly who trade deceitfully who swear horribly who drink stifly who lye hideously and who die impenitently But Seventhly Real holiness naturalizes holy duties to the soul it makes religious services to be easie and pleasant to the soul 1 Pet. 1 2. Jam. 5.15 Hence prayer is called the prayer of faith because holy faith naturalizeth a mans heart to prayer it is as natural for a holy man to pray as it is for him to breath or as it is for a bird to fly or fire to ascend or a stone to descend Rom. 16.26 Psalm 119.166 And hence it is that obedience is called the obedience of faith because holy faith naturalizes a mans heart to obedience As soon as ever this plant of renown was set in the heart of Paul he cryes out Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 9.6 Gal. 3.2 And hence it is that hearing is called the hearing of faith because this holy principle naturalizes a mans heart to hearing Psalm 122.1 2. I was glad when they said unto me Let us go into the house of the Lord. And so in Isa 2.3 And many people shall go and say Come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of
sanctified the same Spirit the same Grace the same Power the same Presence that hath sanctified any of these may sanctifie all of these there is no heart so unholy but a holy God can make it holy there is no spirit so unclean but a holy Spirit can make it clean Well sinners there are many living and standing witnesses of divine grace among you and about you that do sufficiently declare that it is possible that you may be sanctified and saved Again it is possible that you may be sanctified and made holy Witness 7. The Oath of a holy God Ezek. 33.11 Say unto them As I live saith the Lord God Ezek. 18.31 32. I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live Turn ye turn ye from your evil wayes for why will you die O house of Israel As I live is the form of an Oath and is much used in the Scripture by God himself wicked men are very hardly perswaded to believe that God is willing that they should be sanctified and saved and therefore God takes his oath on it that he is infinitely more willing that wicked men should turn from their evil wayes and be sanctified and saved then that they should perish in their sins and be damned for ever As I live is a weighty oath and imports the certainty of that which follows it is absolute without evasion or revocation As sure as I live and am God I have no pleasure in destroying and damning of souls but desire that they would turn from their evil wayes and that they would be sanctified and saved let me not live let me be no longer a God if I would not have the wicked to live and be happy for ever The possibility of your being holy God hath confirmed by an oath and therefore you may no longer question it As Paulus Fagius observeth in his comment on Genesis The Egyptians though Heathens so hated perjury that if any man did but swear by the life of the King and did not perform his oath that man was to die and no gold was to redeem his life And do you think that a holy God doth not stand more upon his oath then Heathens yea then the worst of Heathens Certainly he doth 8. Lastly it is possible that you may be a holy Witness The great designs and undertakings of Jesus Christ to make lost man holy His great design in leaving his fathers bosom and coming into this world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dissolve unravel the works of the Devil was the destroying the dissolving of the works of the Devil 1 John 3.8 For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil Sin is Satans work and Christ comes to destroy it and break it all in pieces Mens sins are Satans chains by which he links them fast to himself but Christ was therefore manifested that he might loose and knock off these chains Satan had knit many sinful knots in our souls but Christ comes to unty those knots he had laid many snares but Christ comes to discover and to break those snares It was the great design of Christ in the divesting of himself as it were of his divine honour glory and dignity Phil. 2.6 7 8 15. and in his taking on him the nature of man to destroy Satan and to sanctifie the souls of men Heb. 2.11 14 15. It was the great design of Jesus Christ in giving of himself for us in giving his soul his body his life to justice to death to wrath for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity Titus 2.14 and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works The crown of holiness was faln from our heads and Christ freely and willingly uncrowns himself that once more we might be crowned with holiness immortality and glory Christ was resolved that he would lose all that was near and dear unto him but he would recover our lost holiness for us Christ knew that heaven had been but a poor purchase had he not purchased holiness for us As heaven is but a low thing without God so heaven is but a low thing without holiness It is holiness that is the sparkling Diamond in the Ring of happiness a man were better be holy in hell then unholy in heaven and therefore Christ ventures his All for holiness The great design of Christ in redeeming of souls with the choicest the purest the costliest the noblest blood that ever run in veins Luke 1.74 75. was that they should serve him in righteousness and holiness all the daies of their lives In a word Christ had never taken so great a journey from heaven to earth but to make men holy he had never taken upon him the form of a servant but to make us the servants of the most high God He had never lyen in a manger he had never trod the Wine-press of his fathers wrath but to make you holy he prayed he sweat he bled and he hung on the Cross and all to make you holy he was holy in his birth and holy in his life and holy in his death and holy in all his sufferings and all to make you holy The great design of Christ in all he did and in all he suffered was to make man holy And thus you see by all these Arguments that holiness is attainable Thirdly Consider this that real holiness is the honour and the glory of the creature and therefore the Apostle links holiness and honour together 1 Thes 4.3 4. 2 Cor. 3. ult Eph. 5.27 For this is the will of God even your sanctification that ye should abstain from fornication That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour The vessel is mans body which is the great utensil or instrument of the soul and contains it as in a vessel now the sanctity and chastity of this vessel is the honour of a Christian even bodily purity is a Christians glory he that keeps his vessel in holiness keeps it in honour A heathen could say Nobilitas sola est atque unica vertus Vertue is the only true nobility Holiness is the greatest dignity that mortal man is capable of it is mans highest promotion it is his highest exaltation holiness is the true gentility and the true nobility of the soul Deut. 26. ult And to make thee high above all Nations which he hath made in praise and in name and in honour and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the Lord thy God There is nothing that lifts a people so high and that makes them so truly famous and glorious as holiness doth Holiness is the praise the renown the crown and glory of a people Holiness is the diadem the beauty and the excellency of a people Holiness is the strength the honour and the riches of a people Holiness is the image of God
as I live saith the Lord God they shall deliver neither son nor daughter they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness Saints may prevail with God for themselves when they cannot prevail with him for others These three Noah Daniel and Job were very holy men they had great interest in God and were very prevalent with God But the Decree being gone forth they could not prevail with God for others yet their righteousness should be their own preservation safety and security in dayes of calamity and misery So in Isa 33.15 16. He that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly he that despiseth the gain of oppressions that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood and shutteth his eyes from seeing of evil He shall dwell on high his place of defence shall be the munition of rocks bread shall be given him his waters shall be sure Let us dive a little into this admirable promise He shall dwell on high but rather as the Hebrew hath it He shall dwell on hights if the holy man were among his enemies he might be in danger but he shall dwell on hights on many hights and many ascents he shall be out of harms way out of Gun-shot he shall be above the reach of danger O! but his enemies may raise up mounts and so get as high as he is Well grant that but yet they shall not hurt him for he is in a place of defence O! but though he be in a place of defence yet his defence is not so strong but it may be broken down and destroyed No not so for his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks many rocks and many munitions of rocks shall be the place of his defence and therefore his defence is impregnable and invincible O! but though his defence be munitions of rocks yet he may be famished he may be starved out for rocks are barren places and there is no plowing and sowing upon rocks No he shall not be starved nor famished out of his strong place of defence for bread shall be given him God will spread a Table for him O! but though he hath bread yet he may perish for want of water for he hath no faith skill nor power to fetch water out of a Rock Moses had not and he hath not and therefore he may be forced to deliver up his place of defence for water to quench his thirst as King Lysimachus and others have done no not so for he shall have water too O but his water may be spent his water will not alwaies last his Well as well as Hagars bottle may be dry his pipes may be cut off or the water that now supplies him may be turned another way No not so for his water shall be sure O! the safety and security of holy men Plutarch in the life of Alexander tells us that when he came to besiege the Sogdians a people who dwelt upon a Rock or such as had the munition of Rocks for their defence they jeered him and asked him whether his souldiers had wings or not for said they except your souldiers can fly in the air we fear you not Such is the safety of Gods holy ones that they need not to fear There are no ladders long enough to scale their place of defence nor no Artillery or Engine strong enough to batter down their munitions of Rocks There is an Apologue how the Dove made moan to her fellow birds of the tyrannie of the Hawk one counsels her to keep below but saith another The Hawk can stoop for his prey another advised her to soar aloft but saith another the Hawk can mount as high as she another wished her to shroud her self in the woods for there she should be secure but saith another alas there is the Hawks Mannour the place where he keeps Court another bids her keep the Town but saith another that is to become a prey to man but at last one bids her rest her self in the holes of the Rock and there she should certainly be safe for violence it self could not surprize her there and there she was safe Dove-like Saints they have their munitions of Rocks to fly to and there they shall be safe O Sirs there is no breast-plate to that of Righteousness there is no Armour of proof no munitions of Rocks to that of holinesse Heylin Cosm lib. 3. Noahs holinesse was an Ark to save him when Nimrods Tower of Babel which was raised five thousand one hundred forty six paces high could not secure him And therefore as you tender your own safety and security in times of trouble and calamity O labour to be holy Fourthly By holinesse you will gain deliverance from death in death Prov. 11.4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath but righteousness delivereth from death and Chap. 10.2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing but righteousness delivereth from death Nugas the Scythian King despised the rich presents and ornaments that were sent unto him by the Emperour of Constantinople because they could not ward off sorow sickness diseases death Many Treasuries of the most precious Jewels that be in the world cannot ward off a blow a disease a sicknesse in the day of Gods wrath It is not the Crown of gold that can cure the head-ache nor the golden Scepter that can cure the Palsie hand nor the Neck-lase of Pearl that can cure the Aking teeth nor the Honourable Garter that can ease the Gowt nor the Purple Robe that can chase away the burning Feaver nor the Velvet Slipper that can heal the kibe-heel no more can Treasures of gold or silver deliver from wrath or help in a day of death O but Righteousnesse that delivers from death Look what the Sword the Shield the Helmet the Brest-plate the Coat of Mail is to the Souldier in the heat of battell that all that and more then that is righteousnesse to the righteous in the day of death Righteousnesse or holinesse of affection of action of life and conversation delivers from spiritual death and from eternal death yea it delivers from the evil the hurt the horror the terror the dread and the stinge of temporal death Piety delivers not only from the second death but also from all the evils and miseries of the first death too As the righteousnesse of the righteous will be a royal protection to him both against the day of wrath and the wrath of the day So the righteousnesse of the righteous will be a royal protection to him both against death and against all the evils of death Righteousnesse unstings death it takes away the venome the poyson and bitternesse of death It turns that curse into a blessing that punishment into a benefit that night of darknesse into a day of light that wildernesse into a Paradise that hell into a heaven Prov. 12.28 In the way of righteousnesse is life and in the path thereof there is no death In
to say with those in Ezekiel Behold they of the house of Israel say the vision that he seeth is for many days to come Amos 6.3 Ezek. 12.27 Luk. 12. and he prophesieth of the times that are afar off So the rich man in the Gospel reckoned upon many years when he had not many monthes no not many weeks no not many days no not many hours to live in this world Unholy persons are very apt to say to death as Pharaoh said to Moses Get thee from me Exod. 10.28 and let me see thy face no more When death knocks at the poor mans door he sends it to the rich mans gate and the rich man translates it to the Schollar and the Scholar posts it away to the Citizen and the Citizen to the Courtier and the Courtier to his Lady and his Lady to her Maid so death is posted away as it were from one to another every one crying out to death O let me not see thy face O let me not see thy face 'T was even a death to Queen Elizabeth Sigismund the Emperor Lewes the 11 of France Cardinal Beauford and others to think of death or to hear of death and therefore they strictly charged all their servants about them that when they saw them sick they should never dare to name that bitter word Death in their ears And Pashur can't cast his eye upon death but he is presently a Magor Missabib a terror to himself Jer. 20.3 And Saul though he was a valiant King yet at the news of death he falls on his face 1 Sam. 28.20 And so Belshazzar though he was a mighty Emperor Dan. 5.1 7. yet a letter to him from him whom Bildad calleth the King of terrors Job 18.14 Ah how does it amaze astonish affright and terrifie him and how many are there who with Mecaenas in Seneca had rather live in many diseases then die and with the most famous Heathens prefer the meanest life on earth above all the hopes they have of another world like Achilles who had rather be a servant to a poor country Clown here then to be a King to all the souls departed or like Withipoll a rich and wretched man who when he was in danger of death earnestly desired that he might live five hundred years Vitellius looking for the messenger of death made himself drunk to drown the the thoughts of it though it were but in the shape of a Toad Near Lewes in Sussex a woman being ill one of her neighbors coming to visit her told her that if she died she should go to heaven and be with God and Jesus Christ and with Angels and Saints the sick woman answered that she had no acquaintance there she knew no body there and therefore she had rather live with her and her other neighbors here then to go thither to live amongst strangers And thus you see how apt persons are to shrug at death which is a common lot and to say to it as Ephraim did to his Idols Get you hence what have we more to do with you but this is and must be for a lamentation that men put off the thoughts of their latter end to the latter end of their thoughts Man naturally is a great life-lover and therefore he will bleed sweat vomit purge part with an estate yea with a limb I limbs to preserve his life like him that cryed out O give me any deformity any torment any misery so you spare my life And upon this account 't is that he desires that such a guest as death may not knock at his door but Ah that all such vain men would consider that by putting the day of their death far from them they do but gratifie Satan strengthen their sins provoke the Lord and make the work of faith and holiness more hard and difficult and so lay a deep foundation for their own eternal destruction Well sirs remember this the serious thoughts and meditations of death if any thing will work you to break off your sins to mend your lives and to look to the salvation of your souls there is nothing that will sooner work a man to a holy fear of offending God in any thing and to a holy care of pleasing God in every thing then the serious meditation of death Though that text Remember thy latter end and thou shalt never do amiss be Apocryphal yet the truth asserted is Canonical I have read a story of one that gave a young prodigal a Ring with a Deaths-head on this condition that he should one hour in a day for seven days together think and meditate upon Death which accordingly he did and it bred a great change and alteration in his life and conversation O! man thou doest not know but that the serious thoughts of death may work that desireable thing in thee viz. holiness which yet has not been wrought in thee by all the holy counsels the gracious examples the fervent prayers the sorrowful tears of thy dearest friends thou doest not know but that the serious meditation of Death may do thee more good then all the Sermons that ever thou hast heard or then all the books that ever thou hast read or then all the prayers that ever thou hast made or then all the sighs or groans that ever thou hast poured out and why then shouldest thou put the thoughts of death far from thee Certainly as he is a sinner in grain that dares look death in the face and yet sin that dares cut a purse when the Judge looks on so he is a monster rather then a man that dares look death in the face and yet satisfie himself to live without holiness that dares look death in the face and yet say I 'll drink and be drunk I 'll sware and swagger I 'll roar and whore I 'll cheat and cozen I 'll hate and oppose I 'll quarrel and kill and my hands shall be as bloody as my heart and let death do her worst if such a person be not in the ready way of being miserable for ever I know nothing Well sirs remember these three things First That there is nothing more certain then death That Statute Law of heaven Dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt return Gen. 3.19 will take hold of all the sons of men There is no man that lives and shall not see death Psal 89.48 Gen. 32. Though Jacob wrestled with an Angel and prevailed yet death was too hard for him though Hazael was as light of foot as a wild Roe yet he could not out-run death 2 Sam. 2.18 and Absalom could not out-ride it nor Pharoah out-drive it though Saul and Jonathan were as swift as Eagles and as strong as Lyons yet were they slain among the mighty 'T was not Solomons wisdom that could deliver him nor Sampsons strength that could rescue him nor Hamans honor that could secure him nor Goliahs sword that could defend him nor Dives riches that could
and therefore rather then Daniel shall be hurt God will by a miracle preserve him he will stop the mouthes of the hungry Lyons and he will tame their rage and over-master their cruelty rather then a hair of Daniels head shall perish when Daniel was taken out of the Den there was no hurt no wound no sore no bruise found upon him Daniel was a harmless man and God keeps him from harms in the midst of harms Acts 18.9 10. Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision be not afraid but speak and hold not thy peace For I am with thee and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee for I have much people in this City Paul met with many trials and troubles bonds and prisons oppositions and persecutions Acts 20.23 and yet none of all these hurt him but God miraculously preserved him even to old age All the troubles Phil. 9. afflictions and persecutions that attends holiness can never reach a Christians soul they can never diminish a Christians treasure they reach the shell not the kernel the Case not the Jewel the lumber not the goods the out-house not the Palace the ribbon in the hat not the gold in the purse the most fiery trials and persecutions can never deprive a Christian of the special presence of God nor of the light of his countenance Psal 23.4 2 Cor. 1.8 9 12. nor of the testimony of a good conscience nor of the joys of the spirit nor of the pardon of sin nor of fellowship with Christ nor of the exercise of grace nor of the hopes of glory and therefore certainly they can't hurt a Christian they can't wronge a Christian in his greatest and chiefest concernments O Christian let persecutors do their worst they can't reach thy soul thy God thy comfort thy crown thy Paradise c. and therefore let no man be kept off from pursuing after holiness because of afflictions or persecutions seeing none of these can reach a Christians great concernments When the Emperor Valens threatned to confiscate Basils goods and to torment him and to banish him or kill him Basil makes this noble reply He needs not fear confiscation of goods that hath nothing to loose nor banishment to whom heaven onely is a country nor torments when his body may be dash't with one blow nor death which is the onely way to set him at liberty the Emperor hearing of him thus undantedly to speak told him that he was mad to whom he replyed opte me in aeternum sic delirare I wish that I may be for ever thus mad Basil knew that no torments nor sufferings could hurt him or harm him and therefore he bravely triumphs over them They may kill me said Socrates of his enemies but they cannot hurt me So may a Saint say they may kill my body but they cannot hurt my soul they may take away my natural life but they cannot take away my spiritual life for that is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 they may take away this and that outward comfort Heb. 11. but they cannot take away my Christ they may take away my costly ornaments but they cannot take away that Robe of righteousness that Christ has put upon me Isa 61.10 they may take away my earthly crown but they cannot take away that crown of righteousness which Christ the righteous Judge 2 Tim. 4.8 has laid up for all that love his appearing Methinks said one of the Martyrs I tread upon pearls when he trod upon hot burning coals Vincentius and I feel said he no more pain then if I lay in a bed of Doune and yet he lay in flames of fire I have read of Nero that he had a shirt made of a Salamanders skin so that if he walk't through the fire in it it would keep him from burning it would keep him from being hurt or harmed by the fire our Lord Jesus Christ is this Salamanders skin that will keep the Saints from burning yea from being hurt or harmed by the most fiery afflictions and persecutions that can befall them in this world But Fourthly I answer That the condition of persecutors of all conditions under heaven is the most sad and deplorable condition and this will appear by the consideration of these five things First By the prayers and enditements that the Saints have preferred against them in the highest court of Justice I mean in the Parliament of Heaven Psal 35.3 9. Psa 69.22 29. Neh. 4.3 4 5. turn to it Draw out the Spear and stop the way against them that persecute me say unto my soul I am thy salvation Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt Let them be as chaffe before the winde and let the Angel of the Lord chase them Let their way be dark and slippery or darkness and slipperiness and let the Angel of the Lord persecute them For without cause have they hid for me their net Both good and evil Angels are at Gods beck ready to execute vengeance upon his and his peoples enemies and persecutors and therefore the Text may be understood of both in a pit which without cause they have digged for my soule Let destruction come upon him ar unawares and let his net that he hath hid catch himselfe into that very destruction let him fall So in that 83 Psalme David sighs out his sad complaints against his persecutors from ver 2. to ver the 9th and from ver the 9. to ver the 18. he prayes against them turne to it 't is a text that is worthy of your most serious meditation Psal 119.84 How many are the dayes of thy servant when wilt thou execute judgement on them that persecute me Jer. 15.15 O Lord thou knowest remember me and visite me and revenge me of my persecutors take me not away in thy long suffering know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke Chap. 17.18 Let them be confounded that persecute me but let not me be confounded let them be dismayed but let not me be dismayed bring upon them the day of evill and destroy them with double destruction or break them with a double breach Lam. 3.61 ult Thou hast heard their reproach O Lord and all their imaginations against me The lips of those that rose up against me and their device against me all the day Behold their sitting down and their rising up I am their musick or I am their song Render unto them a recompence O Lord according to the work of their hands Give them sorrow of heart thy curse unto them Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the Lord. 2 Tim. 4.14 Alexander the Copper-smith did me much evill the Lord reward him according to his works Thus you see how the hearts of the Saints have been drawn out against their persecutors Prayers are the Armes that
Christians at their first conversion and whilst they remain weak in grace and holinesse their obedience is more strait and narrow for commonly they spend much if not most of their time in praying fasting hearing reading Christian-conference c. and neglect a hundred other duties that are incumbent upon them they are very forward and warm in the duties of their general Calling but very cold and remisse in the duties of their particular Calling they are very frequent and fervent in some duties and very rare in other duties but now the more they grow in grace and holinesse the more extensive will their obedience be and the more their hearts will be dilated and extended to all the duties both of the first and second Table But Sixthly The more a man conflicts with heart-sins with spiritual-sins with invisible-sins with sins that lye most hid and obscure from the eyes of the world and the more spiritual victories and conquests a man obtains over them the greater measure of holiness that person hath certainly attained to When the heart rises with all its strength and might against secret Pride secret Self-love 2 Chron. 32.26 Psal 119.80 2 Cor. 12.7 8 9. Psal 30.6 7. Rom. 7.23 24. 2 Cor. 7..1 secret bublings of Lusts secret Carnal-confidence secret Murmuring secret Hypocrisie secret Envy secret Self-applause secret Malice secret Hatred secret Snares secret Temptations c. It is an Argument that Holiness is grown up to some considerable height there A little Grace a little Holiness will work a man to conflict with grosse sins with outward sins with bodily sins with such sins that every one may set their eyes on and lay their hands on yea where there is no Grace no Holinesse at all the light of Nature the common convictions of the Spirit the Laws of Men the eyes of Men the threats of Men the examples of Men a smarting Rod and good Education may work men to conflict with such sins O but when all the strength and might of the soul is ingaged against those very sins that lye not within the sight or reach of the most sharp and piercing men in the world but in the heart and about the heart and are only obvious to an Omniscient eye this argues a great degree of Holinesse And therefore Augustine hit the mark when hee said that it is a harder thing for a man to fight with his lusts understand it especially of heart-lusts of spiritual-wickednesse than 't is to fight with the Crosse Aug. Serm. 4. de verbis Domini Jam. 3.7 Hiraclius motto was a Deo victoria 't is God that giveth victory And Austin hath long since complained that wee do not tame the beasts in our own bosomes O! 't is an easier thing to tame all the beasts in the world than 't is to tame one beast in the bosome all the beasts in the world may be tamed and brought under by a humane power but no power below that power that raised Christ from the Grave can tame the beasts that bee in our bosomes Now look as conflicts with heart-sins with spiritual-sins c. argues some eminency in Holinesse so victory over heart-sins over-spiritual sins over those sins that lye most remote from the eyes of others argues a very great degree of Holinesse when a Christian doth not onely resist heart-sins but vanquishes heart-sins when hee doth not only combate with heart-sins but conquers heart-sins when hee doth not only fight with heart-sins but also overcomes heart-sins when hee doth not only wrestle with heart-sins but also overthrows heart-sins this speaks out holiness in its growth 'T was a good saying of Cyprian there is no such pleasure saith hee as to have overcome an offered pleasure neither is there any greater conquest than that that is gotten over a mans corruptions And 't was an excellent saying of Eusebius Emesenus our Fathers overcame the torments of the flames let us overcome the fiery darts of vices and indeed 't is an easier thing to overcome the flames than 't is to overcome those flaming lusts and corruptions that bee in our own hearts Philosophy may teach us to indure hardships as it did Calanus in Curtius who willingly offered his body to the fire to the flames but 't is only grace 't is only holinesse that can inable us to overcome our lusts our heart-lusts wee read of many that out of greatnesse of Spirit could offer violence to Nature but were at a losse when they came to deal with their corruptions I remember a notable saying of Ambrose Ambros Apâ—l Davâ—d Post. c. 3. speaking of Sampson vincula solvit hostium c. Saith hee hee brake the bonds of his enemies but hee could not break the bonds of his own lusts hee choaked the Lion but hee could not choak his own wanton love hee set on fire the harvest of strangers and himself being set on fire with the spark of one strange woman lost the harvest of his vertue And this saying of Ambrose puts mee in minde of a great Roman Captain who as hee was riding in his triumphant Chariot through Rome had his eyes never off a Courtizan that walkt along the street which made one say Behold how this goodly Captain that conquered such potent Armies is himself conquered by one silly woman O 't is not Philosophy nor Morality nor Civility c. but holinesse but sanctity that will make the soul victorious over iniquity and the more victories and conquests a man makes upon heart sins upon spiritual-sins upon secret-sins the greater measures of holinesse that person hath certainly attained to But Seventhly The more a man is exercised and busied in the most internal and spiritual duties of Religion the greater measures of holinesse that man hath attained to You know there are external duties of Religion and there are internal duties of Religion There are external duties of Religion as publick Preaching hearing the Word reading the Word Mar. 6. ch 23. fasting singing of Psalms Christian conference Communion of Saints and receiving the Lords Supper Now such Christians as have but small measures of grace and holinesse Isa 1.11 19 Isa 58.1 2 3.4 5. Zach. 7.4 5 6 7 and Hypocrites and Formalists that have not the least measure of true grace and holinesse these are most commonly exercised and busied about the external duties and services of Religion but very seldome very rare shall you finde them in the more inward and spiritual duties of Religion but then as there are external duties so there are internal and spiritual duties as Self-examination Self-resignation to God Self-loathing Self-judging Divine-meditation praying in the Spirit Watchfulnesse over the Heart and making application of the blood of Christ the death of Christ the grace of Christ the love of Christ and the word of Christ to a mans own soul Now the more any Christian is exercised and imployed in these internal spiritual and Evangelical duties and services the greater heights and degrees
you yet let this support you let this rejoyce you that you are high in the favour of God But Tenthly If thou art a holy person if thou art one that hast that real holiness without which there is no happiness then know for thy comfort that all thy duties and services are very pleasing Act. 10.4 Mal. 3.3 2 Tim. 2.21 delightful and acceptable to the Lord and this roundly follows upon the former for when ever a mans person comes to bee accepted of God and to bee high in favour with God then all his services and sacrifices comes to bee acceptable to God Gen. 4.4 And Abel hee also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof and the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering God had first a respect to his person in Christ and then to his offering and so his sacrifice was accepted for the man and not the man for the sacrifice Heb. 11.4 By Faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Kain by which hee obtained witness that hee was righteous God testifying of his gifts and by it hee being dead yet speaketh God will alwaies welcome the holy man into his presence and hee shall alwaies have his ear at command God will still bee a warming his heart Isa 45.11 and a cheering up his spirit and a satisfying of his soul in meeting of him in all holy means and in giving gracious answers to all his requests Isa 64.5 Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousness those that remember thee in thy waies Prov. 21.8 The way of man that is of unholy man is froward and strange but as for the pure his work is right When God hath cleansed ◠mans heart and sanctified his nature then his work his religious work is right 't is then right in the eye of God and in the account of God and in estimation of God and therefore his Petitions are as soon granted Isa 65.24 as they are offered and his requests performed Sealh here is a special note of observation to work us to a serious marking of the things that are mentioned as things that are of special weight and of highest concernment to us as soon as they are mentioned Psal 32.5 I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin Selah Holy David had an inward purpose and resolution to confess his sin but before hee could do it God throws him his pardon thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin God loves to bee before-hand with his people in acts of grace and favour Gods eye and his ear was in Davids heart before Davids confession could bee in his tongue O! the delight of God O! the pleasedness of God with the duties and services of his holy ones Psal 4.3 But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself the Lord will hear when I call upon him that is the Lord will approve of my prayer hee will accept of my prayer he will delight in my prayer and hee will answer my prayer when I call unto him and what can the Godly man desire more Psal 61.1 Hear my cry O God attend unto my prayer Aquinas saith that some read the words thus Intende ad cantica mea attend unto my songs and so the words may bee safely read from the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ranah which signifies to shout or shrill out for joy to note that the prayers of the Saints are like pleasant songs and delightful dirties in the ears of God no mirth no musick can bee so pleasing to us as the prayers of the Saints are pleasing to God Cant. 2.14 Psal 141.2 Let my prayer come before thee as incense and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifize What 's more sweet what 's more pleasing and what 's more perfuming then incense why the prayers of the Saints Rev. 5.8 ch 8.3 4 as they are in the hands of a Mediatour are as sweet and pleasing to God as incense that is made up of the choicest and sweetest spices are sweet and pleasing unto us 1 Pet. 3.12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open unto their prayers or rather as the Greek hath it his ears are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to their prayers that is when their prayers are so faint and weak that they cannot reach to God that they cannot travel as far as Heaven then God will come down to them and lay his ears as it were unto their prayers O what matter of joy and comfort is this to all the holy seed that God will graciously bow his ears to their prayers when hee turns his back with the greatest disdain and indignation upon the most costly sacrifices of the wicked O you precious Sons of Zion that are daily lamenting and mourning over the weaknesses that cleaves to your best services know for your comfort and joy that though with Moses you can but stammer out a prayer God once accepted of a handfull of Meal for a sacrifice and of a gripe of Goats hair for an oblation Artaxerxes the Persian monarch accepted with a cheerful countenance a little water as a present from the hand of a poor labourer c. or with Hannah weep out a prayer or with Hezekiah chatter out a prayer or with Paul sigh and groan out a prayer yet the Lord will own your prayers and accept your prayers and delight in your prayers O what a rare comfort is this for a Christian to consider that when hee is under outward wants and inward distresses that when hee hath sickness upon his body and reproach upon his name and death knocking at his door that in all these cases and in all other cases hee may run to God as to a Father and tell God how 't is with him and when hee hath done that hee may sit down satisfied and assured of Audience and Acceptance in Heaven O Sirs this is a priviledge more worth than a thousand worlds and had unsanctified persons as many Kingdomes to give as they have haires on their heads they would give them all for an interest in this priviledge when guilt and wrath is upon their consciences and when the arrows of the Almighty stick fast in them and when the terrours of death are round about them and when the dreadful day of their account is every moment remembred by them O! if it bee so great a favour to have the ears of an earthly King at pleasure what a transcendent savour must it bee to have his ear at pleasure who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and yet this favour hath all his Saints But Eleventhly If thou art a Holy Person if thou art one that hast that real holiness without which there is no happiness then know for thy comfort that Jesus Christ will certainly preserve thy holiness Next to Christ holiness is a