Praeparatio Evangelica OR A Plain and Practical DISCOURSE CONCERNING The SOUL'S Preparation FOR A Blessed Eternity Being the Substance of several SERMONS Preach'd at LEEDS By TIMOTHY MANLOVE Minister of the Gospel Heb. 12.14 Follow Peace with all Men and HOLINESS without which no Man shall see the LORD 1 Joh. 4.16 God is LOVE and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation LONDON Printed for Nevill Simmons Bookseller in Sheffield Yorkshire And sold by George Coniers at the Ring in Little Britain 1698. To the Diligent and Serious READER CVstom obligeth me to say something by way of Preface and the weight of the Subject before us is such as requires the utmost Diligence to press the serious Consideration of it upon all to whom it is presented That the Soul of Man is in its own Nature fitted for Immortality being capable of subsisting and acting in a state of separation from the Body and therefore designed thereto is a Truth commonly acknowledged amongst Christians yea and amongst Pagans too as I have proved at large in a former Treatise Now if this be a Truth 't is certainly a very important one how little soever considered by the unthinking World Must we live for ever Surely it highly concerns us to examinâ— whither we are going what State wâ— are like to enter upon when the uncertain Term of our present Life shall be at an end Shall it be well or ilâ— with us to all Eternity The Resolution of this great Question depends upon our Behaviour whilâ— we are in the Body for accoraing to that we must be judged whether it bâ— good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 The Goodness or Wickedness of ouâ— Actions is to be measured by their agreeableness or disagreeableness to thâ— Divine Law which is norma officiâ— judicii a Rule to live by and by which we must be judged The Duties which God hath enjoinâ— are such as in their own Nature do manifestly tend to qualify and fâ—â— us for that eternal Blessedness which he hath prepared for his holy ones It is therefore of great consequence to understand in some competent measure the Nature of the Heavenly Felicity because the more clear and distinct our Apprehensions are in this Matter the more will our Hearts be raised to desire it and our Endeavours quickened in the pursuit of it and the better we shall understand the way that leads to it The absolute necessity of Holiness in order to our everlasting Happiness is rather confessed than well understood by the generality of those that bear the Christian Name and this not for want of sutable Means and Helps in order to such Knowledg but for want of Hearts to use them Prov. 17.16 Men's thoughts are otherwise taken up and their carnal Minds are averse from Considerations of this nature That Holiness is necessary because God hath commanded it is a very great Truth and nothing but the Truth but yet it is not the whole Truth neither For besides this legal Necessity of it there is also a natural Necessity in the case it being as impossible in the nature of the thing that we should be happy without being holy as that a blind Man should be delighted with Colours or one that is deaf with Sounds and Harmony And this will appear if we consider what it is that must make a rational immortal Spirit compleatly blessed namely the enjoyment of the most holy glorious blessed God whereunto an unholy Soul is utterly indisposed and disaffected and therefore cannot be happy till its Temper be altered and made sutable to the Object that is holy The Saints in Glory are taken up with God admiring loving praising and delighting in him as their chief Good their only Soul-satisfying Portion yea and as infinitely and amiably good in himself and withal injoying the most sweet and refreshing sense of his Love to them without any Clouds Darkness or Interruptions Now this kind of Happiness is no way sutable to the Genius and Disposition of an unsanctified Heart and how should a Man be happy while his very Soul is averse to and at Enmity against that which alone can make him so This is the woful case of the far greater part of the World which loudly calls for our deepest Lamentations over it and our utmost Endeavours to redress it To this purpose I have thought meet to publish the following Discourse wherein I have laboured to lay open our Way and our End beginning with the latter according to the order of intention I have therefore first laid down a short plain scriptural Account of that blessed State reserved in Heaven for true Believers and then proceeded to open the Nature of that great Work of Grace whereby we must be prepared wrought or made meet for that State Each of these gives Light to the other the End and Way are so near a-kin that they differ rather in degree than in kind Grace is Glory begun Glory is Grace perfected If these things were well weighed and compared together the advantage would be very great every way Give me leave to mention some few Particulars 1. This would effectually put to silence the ignorant Cavils of foolish Men who complain that the ways of Holiness are too strict and precise for them Did they but better know what the Bless'd Above are doing and what they are enjoying they would quickly see reason to conclude that the greatest Diligence and Care we can use is all little enough to ripen us for so holy so glorious so perfect a State 2. It would certainly pull down the groundless Presumptions of Self-deceiving Hypocrites who promise to themselves Heaven at last tho they be utter Strangers to that vital Power of Religion without which there 's no coming thither No wonder that Men who hope for they know not what hereafter live they know not or care not how while they are here But whatsoever a Man sows that shall he also reap Gal. 6.7 3. This would also shew us what way and manner of religious Worship is like to be most acceptable to God and advantagious to our selves viz. That which tends most to refine and spiritualize our Hearts and so to fit them for Heaven 4. And consequently what ends we ought to propose to our selves in every religious Duty Namely that we may get as near unto God and be as inward with him as possibly we can till we come to the State of full and perfect Communion with him 5. And what need there is of Divine Grace to elevate and raise our Hearts to such high and holy things as these Alas what poor work shall we make with spiritual things if we be left to our selves 6. This will greatly support the People of God under the difficulties of their present State and Work Their spiritual Conflicts will soon be over and Heaven will make amends for all The end to which the dispised ways of
Cries will avail them nothing Inser 2. Learn from hence the Reasonableness and Equity yea the wonderful Grace and Benignity of the Divine Government over fall'n Man See what a Connexion there is between our Duty and Interest All the Precepts which God hath given us may justly he esteemed as so many Directions which have a natural Tendency to our own Welfare 'T is true they have the nature of Laws being enforced by the Divinâ— Command But is that any Injury to us that the moâ—â— blessed glorious God has by his Soveraign Righâ—â—â— Authority over us obliged us to be happy Put us under such a Law that we cannot be innocently miserable if we perish it shall be our own fault that we do soâ—â—â— Well may it be called a Paternal Government God iâ— pleased to deal with us in a way sutable to that Tidâ— which he has condescended to take unto himself viâ—â— The Father of Spirits Behold how tenderly and geâ—â—ly he deals with his Off-spring even the rational Souâ—â— that issued from him His Love invites them hâ—â— Authority enjoys them to be happy he reasons thâ— Case with them why will ye die Yea he beseeched them in the most earnest moving manner as tho Gâ—â— did beseech you by us 2 Cor 5.20 They are impoâ—cuned from time to time in his Name to lay aside theâ—â—â— Frowardness and Enmity against him who alone 〈◊〉 make them compleatly blessed And thus he waits 〈◊〉 be gracious to them How little do we deserve to 〈◊〉 thus treated methinks this should make us even to 〈◊〉 ashamed and blush to consider our unworthy 〈◊〉 disingenuous Carriage towards him and convioâ—us at length how much better it is to be under 〈◊〉 Government than to be left to our own Conduct His Commandments are not grievous The first aâ—â— principal of them is this Thou shalt love the Lord 〈◊〉 God with all thine Heart c. What but the despertâ—â—â— Wickedness of our depraved sinful Natures can maâ—â— this seem an hard Saying Whom should we love not him who is infinitely Good in himself and thâ— most sutable Good for us The Author of all the Bleâ—sings that we ever enjoyed upon whom both 〈◊〉 Beings and Well-beings do entirely depend Ye 〈◊〉 he doth not put us off with Trifles but offers himâ—â—◠〈◊〉 to be the Object of our Love And promiseth all thoâ—â—â— Returns of Kindness and Benignity which can raâ—â—onally be desired to make us happy And can ye yâ—â— refuse to love O what is the cause of your so mighâ— an Aversion from him What Iniquity have ye ever found in him Jer. 2.5 Lord into how great Confusion and Distraction are we fallen by forsaking him and sinking into our own wretched selves Alas that our Hearts should be so averse from closing with the infinite universal all comprehending Good He hath made our Capacities such as none but himself can fill and satisfy Therefore we must needs be uneasy or restless while we keep at a distance from him Surely then no Precept can tend more directly to our own Felicity than this of loving God with all our Hearts And to this all the rest are reduced for 't is the fulfilling of the Law and surely the Obedience of Love will be pleasant if thy Mind be once brought up to this holy Love the work is done thy Cavils against any other Commands will then be at an end Thou wilt ever justify the Divine Law and humble thy self that in so many things thou fallest short Thou wilt then see reason to convince thee that even those things which thou wast wont to look upon as over great Severities in Religion were nothing but what the nature of thy Case made necessary in order to thy Cure That no needless Restraints are laid upon thee that the most exact Watchfulness the greatest Mortification and Self-denial are all little enough to keep so froward a Nature within its due Bounds In a word thou wilt see that God hath restrained thee from nothing which was truly good for thee but only denied thee the liberty of Self undoing and therefore that his ways are equal how unequal soever thine own ways have been Infer 3. Learn from hence what woful work Sin hath made in human Nature forasmuch as so great a Power of Divine Grace is necessary to refit and qualify â—it for its proper Use and End All our Faculties and Powers are exceedingly depraved and enfeebled by the Fall In us that is in our Flesh there dwells no good â—â—ing When we would do good evil is present with us Rom. 7.18 21. They that are in the Flesh that is all unregenerate Persons cannot please God Chap. 8.8 Some indeed there are who deny Original Sin and would perswade us that 't is only by imitation that we become wicked But the Scripture is full and clear in the Case Psal 51.5 Behold I was shapen in Iniquity and in Sin did my Mother couceive me Even the best of Men were by nature Children of Wrath as well as others Ephes 2.3 Hence our Saviour shews us the necessity of Regeneration Joh. â— 5 6. That which is bore of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Vers 7. Marvel not that I said into thee 〈◊〉 must â—e born again Is not Death the wages of Sin Do not Infants die even before they are capable of actual Sin therefore they have original Sin And why are they washed with Water in the Name of the Father Son and Holy-Ghost if they have no sinful Defilement upon them and whence is it that Corruption doth so early discover it self in them but because they brought it into the World with them True it is that our first Parents were created in a holy and happy State endued with the Knowledg and Love of God fitted for Communion with him and perfect Obedience to him c. This Man once was lad to say was and is not Our Gold is become Dress the Crown is fallen from our Head Wo unto us for wâ— have sinned How are the Mighty fallen The Distempers of our Souls are now past numbering The Understanding and Will which were made to govern the inferiour Faoulties the one by guidance the other by command are themselves enslaved to Lust and Appetite So that Man is born like a wild Asâ—s Colt Folly and Vanity it bound up in his Heart from hâ— very Child-hood Being departed from God the Center in which aâ— our Faculties should unite and for whom they ought to be improved and employ'd we are become at variance with one another and each Man with himself Not to mention the bitter Strifes and Envyings the bloody VVars and Contentions whereby Nations and Kingdoms yea and lesser Societies too rise up one against another it may not be amiss to consider how strangely inconsistent even with themselves ungodly Men are One would think they were made up of Contradictions and Absurdities The sensitive part is against the rational The VVill against
wanting to your selves What tho indwelling Sin sticks very close to our Natures it is not essentiaâ— to them nor had any place in Man's primaeval State And the second Adam came to heal those Diseases which the First had brought upon us Therefore tho it be good to be sensible of your own Weakness and to feel the Burden of Sin that you may flie to Christ yet ye have no reason to faint or be discouraged because ye have him to flie to Tempt 6. Are ye perplexed with troublesome Scruples as to matter of Practice that ye dare scarce move forward in the way of your Duty for fear of going wrong Answ 'T is certain that our best Services while we are here on Earth will be attended with many sinful Weaknesses and Imperfections But necessary Duty must not be left unâ—one for fear of mis-doing it That which God requires of us is that we cheaâ— fully and quietly obey his Will so far as we know it and sincerely endeavour to understand it better Thankfully receiving the Gospel-pardon for our many Failings and Infirmities If we have the worthiness for so the Gospel calls it of Faith Repentance and sincere Desire Christ hath the Worthiness of perfect Holiness and Obedience for us And tho it be our great Duty to keep Conscience tender that is to be 〈◊〉 careful to please God and fearful of sinning 〈◊〉 we must remember that needless Self-tormenting â—â—ruples are not at all pleasing to God but great â—â—derances to our Duty and Devices of Satan to â—ake Religion burdensome and uneasy to us And â—â—at if these and such other Temptations cease not 〈◊〉 be troublesome it is sometimes necessary that we â—â—â—temn them The Devil says Luther is a proud â—â—irit and cannot endure to be slighted He will â—â—d us work enough to do if we will but parley and â—â—gue the case with him To slight him is to resist â—â—â—m and then he flies from us Tempt 7. Are ye tempted to ensnare your selves â—â—y rash Vows and to make Duty to your selves â—hich God never enjoined you Or to impose â—asks upon your selves which he has not prescriâ—ed Answ The use of Vows is to bind us to the performance of that which God himself had bound â—s to by his Laws before That is to express our Consent and Resolution by a Self-Obligation to obey his Will but not make a new Religion to our selves nor to injure our Christian Liberty by Self-devised Snares Who hath required this at your â—lands Such sacred things as Vows are not to be trifled with our Baptismal Covenant and Sacramental Engagements at the Lord's Table must be carefully observed But Vows about lesser Matters are not to be made without great Consideration and Caution alteration of Circumstances may make that sinful or however troublesome and inconvenient which at present appears and perhaps really is a Duty Good Purposes and Resolutions are necessary and safe and may be changed when the nature of the Case requires it that is when they cease to be useful to those Ends whereunto they were first intended But it is a dangerous thing after Vows or Promises made to God to make enquiry 〈◊〉 tho sometimes even that must be done yet 〈◊〉 great fear and trembling For God will not hold 〈◊〉 guiltless that take his Name in vain Tempt 8. Are you tempted to grow weary of â—â—rious Religion and to turn back again to your wâ—â—ted Formality and Negligence Answ Humble your selves deeply before God 〈◊〉 those Remnants of Corruption which thus dispose you to revolt renew your Covenant with him 〈◊〉 Christ plead the Promise of his holy Spirit 〈◊〉 upon his Assistance and Grace Make not a ligâ—â—â— Matter of the least Decays or Declinings in Hoâ—â—ness for these tend to greater Gird up the Loâ—â— of your Minds consider the Prize that is set before you and look to the Examples of those who by Faith and Patience inherit the Promises Sâ—â—vings and Difficulties will be soon over bâ— iâ— weary of well doing you shall reap if you faint 〈◊〉 Gal. 6.9 Whither will ye flie in the Hour of your extremity if the Lord help you not then who can help you if ye forsake him he will also forsake you Tempt 9. Is there some beloved Sin which you are especially inclined to and can scarce forbear or part with it Answ Fortify your Minds with Arguments 〈◊〉 your Wills with Resolutions against it Avoid the occasions of it and resist the first Strivings and Tendencies towards it Double your Watch that ye be not surprized by it single it out to run iâ— down mortify and destroy it as that which most dishonours God and endangers your own Souls Tempt 10. Are you tempted to place an undâ—â—â— Conâ—idence in your own Works or Righteousness Answ Consider that if ye thus go about to establish 〈◊〉 Righteousness of your own you take the way 〈◊〉 â—â—se the Benefit of Christ's Righteousness If â—ardon and Life be of Grace they cannot be of VVorks else Grace were no more Grace As we â—â—e Creatures we owe our selves and all that we â—ave or can do to God the greatest Angel in Heaven cannot strictly and properly merit any thing of God how much less such Worms as we Every â—â—â—y which we sincerely perform is a great Mercy received and renders us further indebted to that Grace whereby we are enabled thereto And besides we stand in need of pardon for the sinful Weaknesses of our best Services VVhen we have done all we are but unprofitable Servants Eternal Life is a free Gift By the Grace of God we are what we are II. VVe come now to the second Branch of Exhortation namely to those who are much in the Dark as to the State of their Souls not knowing what to think of themselves in reference to this great Question viz. Whether they be passed from Death to Life that is whether they be wrought for Heaven or no. To such Persons I would offer the following Directions Direct 1. Remember 't is no new thing nor unusual amongst the People of God to be full of Doubts Fears and Spiritual Troubles Do not think that your Case is singular lest your Spirits should sink under it Solamen miseris c. There hath nothing befal'n you in this Matter but what is common to Men even to very good Christians It may be Satan will tempt you to think that none ever were so perplex'd with Fears Uncertainties and misgiving Thoughts as you But the Scripture is very plain in the case that a truly gracious Person may sometimes walk in Darkness and have no Light Isa â—0 10 Read also the 88th Psalm and see 〈◊〉 that good Man was afflicted and even distraâ—â— with the Terrours of the Almighty Therefore in all this God deals no otherâ—â—â— with you than he hath done with thousands 〈◊〉 his dearst Children And as ye ought not to â—â—spise the chastenings of the Lord so neither shoâ—â—â— ye faint under them For whom he loveth he
Sin to God a change of the Temper and Disposition of the Heart the very work whereof we have all this while been speaking Repentance toward God Hence the Gospel was ushered in with the preaching of Repentance Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at band That so all Men might know upon what terms they were like to enjoy the blessed Priveledges of this glorious Gospel Constitution And here I must tell you it is not enough to say that you are sorry for your past Sins now the Pleasure of them is over and Conscience it may be uneasy about them No no the bent of your Hearts must either be turned against Sin to hate abhor it and mourn for it as 't is displeasing and hateful in the sight of God c. or else Iniquity will be your rain Moreover the Sincerity of your Repentance or of this change of Heart from the Love of Sin to the Love of God and Holiness must appear by bringing forth Fruits meet for Repentance 8. All that ever have entred into that blessed State were first prepared for it and effectually wrought upon by Divine Grace The case of Infants need not stop us such as have been saved from the Womb have also been sanctified from thence But 't is the case of the Adult or grown Persons which falls more directly under our Consideration Search the Scriptures and you may find there how those Persons are characteriz'd and described who are gone to Heaven before us 'T is true they all had their failings which they groaned under and longed to be delivered from But as to the main they were Men that walked with God Ordered their Conversations as seeing him that is invisible Men that lived humble mortified self-denying Lives chusing rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin for a season That mourned for the Abominations of the Times and Places wherein they lived whose righteous Souls were vexed with the filthy Conversation of the Wicked in a word Men that confessed themselves Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth sought and Heavenly Country and waited for the Salvation of the Lord. See Heb. 11. Thus ye have heard how the Saints now in Glory got thither and will ye dream of coming to Heaven any other way They were all wrought for that blessed State and so must ye or else fall short of it and perish As it is matter of great Encouragement and Comfort to the Godly to think how many Thousands are got to Heaven the same way by which they themselves through Grace are going So one would think it should damp the hopes of graceless Hypocrites to find themselves in a quite different yea contrary way 9. The Scripture assures us that the Righteous themselves are scarcely saved 1 â—et 4.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vix egrè i. e. tho they are certainly saved yet not without a great deal of difficulty The same word ye have Acts 14.18 Sâ—ved they are but not without much striving by reason of the straitness of the Gate and the narrowness of the Way which leads to Life many Enemies to conflict with many Temptations Doubts and Fears to overcome many Storms and Tempestâ— to get through before they come safe to the Haven What say ye to all this Do these things offenâ— ye They are true for all that And now consider what the Apostle infers from this in the words immediately following Where shall the Vngodly and the Sinner appear What shall become of them Why the Psalmist gives you an answer to this Psal 1.4 5. They are like the Chaff which the Wind driveth away therefore the Vngodly shall not stand in the Judgment nor Sinners in the Congregation of the Righteous they shall be driven away in their own wickedness Well Sirs Do ye think much to be told of the Difficulties that lie in the way to Heaven Are ye for a cheap formal customary easy way of Religion Do ye think that the greatest Earnestness Care and Seriousness which we can possibly use to secure our Everlasting Interest is making more adoe than needs Look ye to it go on and prosper but remember that the Righteous themselves are scarcely saved 10. Lastly 'T is impossible in the very nature of the thing that an unholy Soul should enjoy the Heavenly Felicity This is evident if ye will but compare the Temper and Spirit of unregenerate Persons with the Account that has been given concerning the State of future Glory The nature of Things must be quite overthrown and the grossest Contradictions reconciled before an unrenewed Person as such can be happy I know that all Men have some general injudicious Tendencies even by Nature towards Happiness But as for those upon whom this great Change has not past they neither know nor truly desire that which alone can make them blessed They are most miserably confounded in their own Wishes and cannot tell what they would be at They say indeed that they desire and hope for Heaven but in the mean time they know not what they talk of Were it possible they should be admitted thither why so long as their corrupt depraved temper of Spirit remaineth upon them they would be quite out of their Element and unhappy even in Heaven it self The reason is plain there must be a sutableness between the Faculties and the Objects or else what Frution what Pleasure can there be Would the most pompous magnificient Shews signify any thing to a blind Man or a Confort of the most Harmonious Musick to the Deaf Why just so it is here The Hearts of the Sons of Men till sanctified by Divine Grace are utterly unfit for the Society the Work the Enjoyments of Heaven As for the Society 't is holy there 's a Communion of Saints in Perfection But the Hearts of carnal Men are impure and unholy There are none like them to converse with in Heaven Those above are employ'd in admiring loving praisâ—ng and glorifying the blessed God And 't is the enâ—oyment of him that makes them happy in that State But certain it is that the Souls of Ungodly Men are â—eeply averse from God and at Enmity against him â—â—ow then should they be blessed in the enjoyment of â—â—ne whom they never loved when to enjoy him is â—o love and delight in him O Sirs ye must either â—e made holy that is conformed unto God in the â—â—ame and disposition of your Spirits or else Heaven â—annot be Heaven to you Therefore I beseech you deal truly with your selves â—n this Matter let me put it to your Consciences â—ea do ye put it to them your selves and then tell â—â—e How do ye relish that sort of Life on Earth which is most like to the Heavenly Life How are ye â—ffected to those things which have a nearer Tendency to lead you God-ward Is his holy Day the Joy of your Hearts Are ye delighted in his Worship Do ye strive in every Duty to get as near to him through
Christ as you can What Pleasure do ye take is discoursing concerning the things of God In speaking of the Glory of His Majesty and the Wonders of his Grace the Holiness and Perfection of his Law c. What say ye Do such things as these are agree with you Or are they not a weariness to you Are ye nor ready to think that Lords-Days return too oâ— And that strict and serious Religion is intolerable Prociseness Do not your Hearts rise against it Are â—e not glad when the Service of God is over Tho sour thing ye would do to secure Heaven for a reserve who ye can enjoy the World no longer Is not this the very Temper of your Spirits And is it not very deplorable Alas what should ye do in Heaven with sod Hearts as these Would ye not be eternally weary oâ— an Eternal Sabbath Would not your ungracious Spirits be ever recoiling and uneasy Do ye not yet see that there is no coming to the new Jerusalem without new Hearts If not 't is because ye shut your Eyes Certainly if unregenerate Men might have â—n Haven of their own choosing it would be vastly different even quite another thing from that which Goâ— hath prepared for them that LOVE him But he should Men be happy against their own Wills Or it State to which the Temper of their Spirits is not suâ—ed So true is that great Saying of a Worthy Divine When God hath so determined that without â—â—â—ness none shall see him he lays no other Law upon unholy Souls than what their own impure Nature lay upon themselves Blâ—ssedness of the Righteouâ—â— pag. 46 By this time ye see or may see if ye will thâ—â— except the Decrees of God can be reverst the design of Redemption perverted the Office of the hâ—â— Spirit nullified the Institution of the Ministry aâ—â— Ordinances run down the Threarnings of the Gospâ—â— made of none Effect the Inheritance be attained without the earnest a new way found to Heaven which none ever discovered before and all this while the Righteous themselves are scarcely saved in a word unless the nature of things be quite overturn'd and palpable Contradictions made to agree none can come to Heaven till they be prepared and wrought for it by Divine Grace Lo this we have searched it so it is hear it and know thou it for thy good Heb. for thy self Job 5.27 CHAP. VI. Several Inferences of Truth drawn from the foregoing Discourse THus we have fully proved that except ye will be holy ye cannot be happy If this therefore be so clear and certain a Truth it must needs be also a very weighty and important one a thing much to be considered and closely applied because our Spiritual and Eternal Welfare and what is infinitely more than either the Glory of the Great God is so nearly concerned in it Now since there are many other Truths which have an intimate connexion with and dependance upon this great Doctrine let us begin with the Consideration of these for the informing of our Judgments Inser 1. We may learn from hence the great Worth and Excellency of real Holiness Real I say in opposition to that vain empty shew of Religion wherewith Multitudes make a shift to deceive themselves even because they know no better and that because they will not know Satan hath taken advantage by their own Corruption to blind their Minds and close their Eyes and thus they choose Darkness rather than Light because their Deeds are Evil. Hence it is that they see no Beauty in Holiness no more than they do the Form and Comliness of the great Pattern and Procurer of it Isa 53.2 They do not approve things that are excellent If they meddle with Matters of Religion they do but debase them First by forming low and unworthy Notions of them sutable to their own degenerate Tempers and Spirits then they act accordingly and after all highly value themselves upon what they have done Nevertheless the high Excellency of Holiness manifestly appears from the three following Particulars which may easily be drawn from what has been already delivered 1. It s Original 'T is from Heaven the blessed God is himself the Author of it as in the Text. He that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God 'T is a Divine Work and that not a common Work neither but wrought in a way of special Grace and therefore it has a peculiar Excellency in it Insomuch that the Subjects of this great Change are denominated born of God Joh. 1.13 born from above chap. 33. as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be rendred Hereupon they are advanced to the Name and Relation of Children 1 Joh. 3.1 Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God So called and not miscalled for so they are as vers 2. Now are we the Sons of God 2. The Nature of true Holiness speaks the Excellency of it 'T is the Soul's Conformity to the blessed God his Image drawn upon it a Participiation of the Divine Nature which sweetly and effectually inclines all the Faculties and Powers of our Souls God-ward and so far as it prevails upon us it takes away our unkind Aversion and Estrangedness from him and teacheth us to center upon him as our Portion Happiness and chief Good In short it is our devotedness unto God which implies a Separation from whatsoever stands in opposition against him as such So that had the Apostle been silent as to the Author of this great Work the very Nature of it might have told us whence it is for it bears the Image and Superscription of God upon it Little do the proud Despisers of Holiness consider what they say or against whom it is that they sprit themselves make a wide Mouth and draw out the 〈◊〉 Isa 57.4 To vilify this work is a dishonour to its Author To cast Dirt upon the Image is an affront to its great Original who scorneth their Scorners sits in the Heavens and laughs at them for he seeth that their Day is coming Psal 37 13. 3. The blessed End and Issue of Holiness shews you the worth of it it comes from above and thither it leads and is at last compleated in the Heavenly Perfection Judg then of the Way and Means by the End here is the Faith and Patience of the Saints They are high-born and a sutable Inheritance is designed them To think or speak slightly of Holiness is to contemn Heaven it self which is a State of Perfection therein Wo unto them that draw Iniquity with Cords of Vanity and Sin as it were with a Cart-Rope That put Darkness for Light and Light for Darkness Isa 5.18 20. It may be at last they 'll say as one of their Predecessors did let me die the Death of the Righteous Not from any love to Righteousness but from a slavish Fear of the just Punishment of their Impiety and therefore those forced