the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his pathes for out of Zion shall go forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem 1 Thes 1.3 And hence patience is called patience of hope because this holy principle of hope naturalizes a mans heart to a patient waiting upon God Rom. 8.25 But if we hope for that we see not Heb. 6.10 then do we with patience wait for it So holy love naturalizes the soul to holy service in 1 Thes 1.3 you read of the labour of love holy love is very laborious nothing makes a Christian more industrious painful and diligent in the service and waies of God then holy love holy love will make us to pray and to praise Rom. 14.7 8. 2 Corin. 12.14 15 16. it will make us wait and work it will provoke souls to study Christ to admire Christ to live to Christ to lift up Christ to spend and be spent for Christ and to break through all difficulties that it may come nearer to Christ and cleave closer to Christ As Jerom once bravely said If my father said he should stand before me my mother should hang upon me and my brethren should press about me I would break through my brethren throw down my mother tread under-feet my father that I might the faster cleave unto Christ my Saviour O the laboriousness of holy love So far as a Christian is holy so far holy services will be delightful and easie to him Rom. 7.22 I delight in the Law of God after the inward man ver 25. So then with the mind I my self serve the Law of God Psalm 119.16 I will delight my self in thy Statutes I will not forget thy Word Ver. 35. Make me to go in the path of thy Commandments for therein do I delight Ver. 47. And I will delight my self in thy Commandments which I have loved Ver. 92. Vnless thy Law had been my delights I should then have perished in mine affliction Ver. 143. Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me yet thy Commandments are my delights Sirs Honour is not more suteable delightful and pleasing to an ambitious man nor pleasure to a voluptuous man nor flatterie to a proud man nor gold to a covetous man nor excess to an intemperate man nor revenge to an envious man Psalm 27.8 Psal 81.8 ult nor pardon to a condemned man then Religious duties and services are suteable pleasing and delightful to a holy man but now unholy hearts are very averse to holy duties and services they are averse to hearing averse to praying averse to reading averse to meditating averse to self-judging averse to self-examining averse to holy worship averse to holy Sabbaths Amos 8.5 When will the new moon be gone that we may sell corn and the Sabbath that we may set forth Wheat Isa 26.10 11. Jer. 5.1 6. You may sooner draw a Coward to fight or a Malefactor to the Barr or a Bear to the stake Wicked hearts are habitually averse to all that is good c. then you shall draw unholy hearts to holy services But if at any time by the strong motions of the Spirit the close debates of conscience the powerful perswasions of the Word the education of godly parents the pious example of bosom friends the rich treasures in precious promises the dreadful evils in terrible threatnings or if at any time by the displeasure of God the smarting rod the bowels of mercy the woings of love or if at any time by some flashes of hell or glimpses of heaven or by the heavy sighs the deep groans and the bleeding wounds of a dying Saviour their hearts are wrote over to Religious services Ah how soon are they weary of them What little delight or pleasure do they take in them Isa 43.22 Isa 58.1 2 3 4 5. But thou hast not called upon me O Jacob that is thou hast not worshipped nor served me sincerely faithfully feelingly heartily affectionately humbly holily as thou shouldest and as thou oughtest but thou hast been weary of me O Israel that is thou hast been weary of my worship and service and thou hast counted it rather a burden then a benefit a dammage then an advantage a reproach then an honour a disgrace then a favour a vexation then a blessing and for all thy formal courtings and complementings of me thou hast been secretly weary of me So in Mal. 1.12 13. Ye say The table of the Lord is polluted and the fruit thereof even his meat is contemptible Ye said also Behold what a weariness is it and ye have snuffed at it saith the Lord of hosts c. They did God but little service and that they did was after the worst manner too and yet they snuff and puff and blow and sweat and swell and fall into a fustian fume as if they had been over-tyred and wearied with the burden and weight of those sacrifices which they offered up to the great God A holy heart thinks all too little that he doth for God but an unholy heart thinks every little too much that he doth for God An holy heart like the holy Angels loves to do much and make no noise but an unholy heart makes most noise when he doth least service an unsanctified soul hath a Trumpet in his right hand when he hath but a penny to give in his left hand as here But Eighthly Where there is real holiness there will be the exercise of righteousness towards men from righteous principles and upon religious accounts viz. the honour of God the command of God the will of God the credit of the Gospel c. Real holiness towards God is alwayes attended with righteousness towards men Eph. 4.24 And that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness or holiness of truth Titus 2.11 12. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godlily in this present world These words contain the summ of a Christians duty to live soberly towards our selves righteously towards our neighbours and godlily towards God The common shekel is about 20. pence so then 400. shekels amount to 33. pound six shillings and eight pence after five shillings sterling the ounce And in this purchase is prophetically shewed that Abrahams posterity should have the inheritance of that land As Jeremiahs buying of his Uncles field was a sign of the Jews return and of their pollicie there again to buy and sell is true godliness indeed and the whole duty of man So holy Abraham in Gen. 23.16 And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth four hundred shekels of silver currant money with the Merchant It is recorded to holy Abrahams everlasting honour and fame that he paid for
out but an unspeakable readinesse and willingnesse in Jesus Christ to sanctifie you and save you as well as others A man might write volumes on this subject there is so much said in Scripture and History upon this account but in an Epistle a touch must suffice c. All knowing men can tell you that many Ladies and Gentlewomen in all Ages have been very famous for all Natural Moral Spiritual and Acquired excellencies yea more famous then many men that yet have done worthily in their Generation and by their attainments you may easily see what is possible for you to attain unto both in respect of gifts and grace Of all things gracious examples are most awakening convincing and encouraging for in them you may see that both the attainment of holinesse and the exercise of holinesse is possible though difficult in eying of examples it is alwayes best to eye the highest the holiest and the worthiest examples for as he that shooteth at the Sun though he falls short of his mark yet will shoot higher then he that aimeth only at a shrub so those that set up the highest examples of holinesse for their mark for their imitation will certainly attain to greater degrees of holinesse then those that propose to themselves the meanest and the lowest examples of holinesse for their pattern and imitation Well Ladies and Gentlewomen do you think that it is good going to hell Isa 33.14 2 Thes 1.7 8 9 10. that it is good dwelling with the devouring fire that it is good dwelling with everlasting burnings that it is good for ever to be separated from the presence of God Christ Angels and the spirits of just men made perfect that it is good for ever to lie a sweltering under the wrath of an infinite just God and to abide for ever and ever under those pains and torments that are endlesse easelesse hopelesse and remedilesse and that it is good to be associated and fettered with Devils and damned spirits to all eternity O no this cannot be good for the very serious thoughts of these things are enough even to raise a hell a this side hell in our hearts O then Ladies and Gentlewomen pray that you may be holy hear that you may be holy read that you may be holy and with all your might presse after holinesse and pursue hard after holinesse as after the one thing necessary for without holinesse you will as certainly go to hell as holy persons shall certainly go to heaven and this you will find as clearly and fully proved in this following Treatise as heart can wish O that you would for ever remember this that without all peradventure you shall never be saved unlesse you are sanctified you shall never be truly happy unlesse you are really holy except God should do five things that are not possible for him to do viz. 1. Change his purpose 2. Make null and void his decree 3. Make a new Gospel 4. Find out a new way to heaven And 5. ungod himself God must undo himself and ungod himself if ever he make you happy before he hath made you holy and therefore O what infinite cause have you to read this following Treatise and to study this Treatise and to meditate on this Treatise and to pray over this Treatise and to look up to heaven for counsel and strength to make such an improvement of the means helps and directions that are here prescribed for the attaining of holinesse as that you may be made really holy that so you may be everlastingly happy And to quicken and encourage your hearts in this work I could heartily wish that as soon as you have read over the Epistle you would read from page 433. to page 447. for there you will finde many Arguments that are of a particular concernment to your selves and that ought to be no small obligations upon you to work you to pursue after holinesse with all your might c. If this Treatise should fall into the hands of any faithful serious gracious conscientious laboririous Ministers hands as I suppose it may I would then say Reverend Sirs let my weak endeavours be a spur a provocation to you to lay out your choicest and your chiefest gifts parts strength time and opportunities to promote holinesse of life and holinesse in Doctrine Worship Discipline and in all your sacred Communions Certainly had we all eyed holinesse more and preached holinesse more and practised holinesse more and cryed up holinesse more and encouraged holinesse more and countenanced holinesse more the countenance both of God and man might have been set more pleasingly towards us then they are this day When once maintenance comes to be more in Ministers eyes then holinesse and when their studies and endeavours are more to make men Proselytes to this or that way this or that form this or that party then to make men holy it is no wonder if God writes out bitter things against them I doubt not but providential dispensations have bad such a teaching vertue in them as to lead you to lay your fingers upon several such like sores and to mourn over them and to justifie the holy One of Israel who is holy in all his wayes and righteous in all his works Truly Brethren I have alwayes lookt upon the great work of the Ministry to lie in two things First in making unholy men holy and secondly in making them that are already holy to be more and more holy First to beget holinesse and then to nurse up holinesse first to bring souls to Christ and then to build up souls in Christ is without all peradventure the work of works that should be most in every Ministers eye and that should alwayes lie nearest and warmest upon every Ministers heart c. And through grace I have reade this my grand design in the course of my Ministry and throughout all my writings and now it yields me that joy that comfort that content and that satisfaction that I would not be without for all the world Besides I know it will turn most to my account at the great day O that all of you that yet have any opportunities and advantages in your hands to preach the everlasting Gospel would make this your great businesse to promote holinesse and to exalt and lift up holinesse in the world For as this great principle of holinesse shall gain ground upon the hearts consciences and lives of men so all the things of Antichrist and all the Trade of Antichrist and all those grand mischiefs and miseries that threaten the sons of men will fall before it as Dagon fell before the Ark. If this Treatise should fall into the hands of any of Gods sanctified ones of what degree or rank soever they are of as I suppose it may fall into the hands of many such I would then say Dear friends In this Treatise you will find many strong Motives to provoke you to perfect holinesse in the fear of the Lord
truth and certainty of the things delivered for the word Amen doth properly signifie truth Secondly This double Asseveration is never used but in matters of greatest weight and importance the matters here spoken of are of a very celestial and sublime Nature Thirdly This gemination Verily verily is a vehement confirmation of what Christ speaks Fourthly This gemination calls aloud for the greatest observation and most serious attention of the soul to what Christ is a saying Ver. 2. I say unto thee I that thou hast confest to be a Teacher sent from God I that lie in the bosome of the Father I John 1.18 Rev. 3.14 that am of the Cabinet Counsel of heaven I that know his heart and all his secrets I that am the faithfull and true witness and cannot lye I that am called the Amen the truth it self Rev. 1.18 I that have the keyes of heaven and hell at my own Girdle I that open and no man shuts and I that shut and no man opens I that shall be your Judge in the great day I say unto thee c. Rom. 2.28 29. Except a man be born again A man be he old or young learned or unlearned high or low rich or poor knowing or ignorant circumcised or uncircumcised under this form or that a member of this Church or that let his disposition be nevâ—r so ingenuous and his parts never so high and his conversation as to men never so blameless and harmless yet except this man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God 2 Cor. 5.17 Be born again Except a man be first unmade and new-made up again except he be of an old creature made a new creature yea a new creation of God there is no seeing of the kingdom of God the whole frame of the old man must be dissolved and a new frame erected else there is no heaven to be enjoyed The kingdom of God is a divine kingdom and there is no possession of it without a divine nature a new head without a new heart 2 Pet. 1.4 1 Cor. 7.19 Gal. 5.6 Luke 17.21 Rom. 14.17 a new lip without a new life will never bring a man to this kingdom of light That man is for the kingdom of God and the kingdom of God is for that man that hath got the kingdom of God within him if the kingdom of grace do not enter into thee here thou shalt never enter into the kingdom of glory hereafter A new heart is for a new heaven and a new heaven is for a new heart Except a man be born again except a man be born from above and so Cyrill interprets that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Generation in some sense is from below but regeneration is only from above and without this there is no fruition of God above He cannot see the kingdom of God The Scripture speaks of several Cannots First There is a natural Cannot now every son and daughter of Adam is by nature born under a Cannot they are all born under a cannot believe a cannot repent a cannot love God a cannot walk with God a cannot see God a cannot enjoy God 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned A blind man cannot see colours nor a natural man cannot discern spiritual things they are too high they are too sublime for him they are mysteries that he cannot understand that he cannot unriddle The natural man can ascend no higher then nature as the water can rise no higher then the spring from whence it comes Quantum descendit tantum ascendit The Scripture sets such sad souls below the Ox and the Ass Isa 1.3 Take nature civilized and moralized refined and raised sublimated strengthened and improved to the utmost and it cannot enable a man to do a supernatural action nature cannot act ultra sphaeram above it self But Secondly there is a contracted and an habituated Cannot and of this Cannot the Prophet speaks in Jer. 6.10 To whom shall I speak and give warning that they may hear behold their ear is uncircumcised and they cannot hearken behold the word of the Lord is unto them a reproach they have no delight in it They had by their carnality impiety sensuality security and obstinacy contracted upon their poor souls such deafness wretchedness unteachableness and untractableness that they could neither love the word nor like it they could neither take pleasure nor delight in it nay they could neither hear it nor bear it though it never so nearly concerned the internal and eternal welfare of their souls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly distinctly signifies an adulteteress and this phrase of having eyes full of the adulteress answers to that of the Rhetorician who describing an unchast lascivious person rhetorically said of him that he had Whores in his eyes And of this Cannot the Apostle speaks in 2 Pet. 2.14 Having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin beguiling unstable souls an heart they have exercised with covetous practices cursed children By their riot and excess by their lasciviousness and wantonness by their loosness and uncleanness which they had habituated and accustomed themselves unto they brought upon themselves a cursed necessity of sinning so that they could not cease from sin They mourn over sin and yet they cannot cease from sin they resolve against sin yet they cannot cease to sins they pray against sin yet they cannot cease to sin they make many promises vows and Covenants against sin yet they cannot cease from sin their souls being habituated and accustomated thereunto Jer. 2.20 For of old time I have broken thy yoke and burst thy bands and thou saidst I will not transgress I will never play the harlot more but were they as good as their word no for upon every high hill and under every green tree they wandred playing the harlot I have read of a man who in the time of his sickness was so terrified in his conscience for his sins that he made the very bed to shake upon which he lay and cried out all night long I am damned I am damned and made many great promises and protestations of amendment of life if God would be pleased to recover him In a little while he did recover and being recovered he was as base and vile as wretched and wicked as ever he was before Custom in sin takes away all conscience of sin Jer. 13.23 Can the Aethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may he also do good that is accustomed to do evil The Ethiopian cannot make his black skin white he cannot change the hew or the colour of it by washing to attempt this is but labour in vain Nor the Leopard cannot change his spots no more can a poor sinner that hath habituated and accustomed himself to sin that is desperately enthralled to sin
state of darkness or in a state of light you are in a state of life or in a state of death you are in a state of love or in a state of wrath you are either Goats or Sheep Sons or Slaves you are either in the broad way to destruction or in the narrow way of salvation and therefore what can be of greater concernment in this world to you then to know in which of these two spiritual estates you are in How can you order aright your prayers or your praises or any religious services till you come to know in which of these two spiritual estates you stand whether you be in a state of nature or in a state of grace in a state of sin or in a state of holiness for all religions duties must be ordered according to mens spiritual estates If a man be in a state of nature his work lies one way if he be in a state of holiness his work lies another way By all which it is most evident that it very nearly concerns you to search and try whether you have this bird of Paradise Holiness in your bosoms or no And for a close let me say that a mistake about your spiritual estate will at last be found not only insufferable and inexcusable but very terrible and damnable Thirdly Consider That a cordial willingness to enter upon this work of tryal is a hopefull evidence of your real integrity and sanctity Unsanctified souls hate the light they had rather go to hell in the dark then come to be weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary As pure gold fears neither fire nor furnace neither test nor touchstone John 3.20 neither one ballance nor another so a pure heart a sanctified soul dares venture it self upon tryal yea Job 31.5 6. Psalm 26 2. Psalm 139 23 24. Matth. 12.20 upon the very tryal of God For he knows that God never brings a pair of scales to weigh his graces but only a touchstone to try the truth of his graces he knows if his gold be true though it be never so little it will pass for current with God As Bankrupts care not for casting up their accounts because they know all is naught very naught stark naught with them so unsanctified souls they care not to come to the tryal to the test because they know that all is naught yea worse then naught with them They have no mind to cast up their spiritual estates because at the foot of the account they must be pâ—t to read their neck-verse Undone undone for ever undone And therefore as old deformed women cannot indure to look into the looking-glass least their wrinckles and deformity should be discovered so unsanctified souls cannot endure to look into the glass of the Gospel least their deformities impieties and wickednesses should be discovered and detected I have read of the Elephant how unwilling he is to go into the water but when he is forced into it he puddles it lest by the clearness of the stream he should discern his own deformity So unholy persons are very unwilling to look into their own hearts or into the clear streams of Scripture lest their souls deformity and ugliness should appear to their own terror and amazement And therefore as you would have a hopefull evidence of your integrity and sanctity fall upon this work of tryal For as it is a hopeful evidence that the Clyents cause is good when he is ready and willing to enter upon a tryal and as it is a hopefull sign that a mans gold is true gold when he is willing to bring it to the touchstone and that a man thrives when he is willing to cast up his books so it is a hopeful evidence that a Christian hath real holiness Gal. 6.4 5. when he is ready and willing to bring his holiness to the test to try whether it be true or no when he is willing to cast up his books that he may see what he is worth for another world Fourthly Consider that there are very many that deceive themselves about their spiritual estates Job 15.34 Prov. 30.12 It is the easiest thing in the world for a man to deceive himself there are those that do but think that they stand 1 Cor. 10.12 and these at last come to fall from their seeming standing into a real hell Matthew 23. Yea from their highest standing into the lowest hell There are many that think themselves to be something when they are nothing Gal. 6.3 There are many that have a form of godliness Isaiah 9.17 Chap. 29.13 Jer. 7.4 8 9 10 11. Rev. 3.16 17 18. Isa 65.2.3 4 5 Matthew 25. but none of the power 2 Tim. 3.6 There are many that have a name to live but are dead Rev. 3.1 There are many that are very confident of their integrity and yet are full of horrible hypocrisie There are many that carry the Lamps of profession that have no oyle of grace in their hearts There are many that take a good nature for grace civility for sanctity and a garb of godliness for real holiness yea there are those who dare say that they excell others in holiness when in truth they exceed most men in wickedness Yea there are many now in hell who have had a great confidence of going to heaven There are many that cry out with Agag Surely the bitterness of death is past wrath is past and hell is past and damnation is past when as vengeance is ready to fall on them and hell stands gaping to devour them The heart of man is full of self-love full of self-flattery and full of hypocrisie and therefore many a man who is only a Jew outwardly Rom. 2.28 29. thinks himself to be a Jew inwardly many a man thinks himself to be as good a Christian as the best and to be as happy as the best and to be as fair for heaven as the best till he comes to hear that tormenting word Depart I know ye not As many are kept off from Christ by a conceit that they have him already so many are kept off from holiness by a conceit that they have it already And therefore it doth very much concern you to make a diligent enquiry whether you have that holiness without which there is no happiness or no. I have read of Plato that when he did walk in the streets if he saw any disordered in speech disguised in drink or otherwise our of frame he would say to himself Num ego talis Am I such a one as this is Am I such a swearer as this is Am I such a drunkard as this is Am I such a wanton as this is Am I such a royotous person as this c. So should every Christian say when he hears of any that doth but think that they stand Num ego talis Am I such a one as this is When he sees one that thinks himself something when he is nothing he should say Am
himself to work all manner of wickedness as you may see in 2 Chron. 33. in vers 3. He reared up Altars for Baalim and made groves and worshipped all the hoast of heaven and served them vers 4. He built Altars in the house of God vers 5. Yea for all the hoast of heaven did he build Altars in the Courts of the house of God This was a horrid piece of impudence to provoke God to his very face by equalizing his Altars to Gods Altar vers 6. And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom Here was inhumane superstition and inhumane cruelty to offer his own children in sacrifice to the Devil Also he observed times and used witchcraft and dealt with a familiar spirit and with wizards he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord to provoke him to anger The complaint is antient in Seneca that commonly men live not ad rationem but ad similitudinem Seneca de vita beata cap. 1. vers 9. He made Judah and Jerusalem to err by his example and to do worse then the Heathens The actions of Rulers are most commonly rules for the peoples actions and their example passeth as currant as their coin The common people dare practise the very worst of wickedness that they see acted in a scarlet Robe they are like tempered wax easily receiving impressions from the seals of great mens vices they make no bones on it to sin by prescription and to damn themselves with authority The heathen brings in a young man who hearing of the adulteries and wickednesses of the gods said What do they so and shall I stick at it so say most when great ones are greatly wicked Why they do thus and thus and why should we stick at it The Egyptians esteemed it graceful and their duty to halt on that leg on which their King limped most men think it a grace to imitate the greatest authority in their most graceless actings Which made the Poet say Subjects and Kingdoms commonly do chuse The manners that their Princes daily use Vers 10. And the Lord spake unto Manasseh but he would not hearken He was settled in idolatry and stopt his ears against all the counsel and admonitions of the Prophets that were sent to reclaim him Now who would ever have thought that one so abominably wicked and wretched should ever have obtained such favour with God as to be pardoned renewed and sanctified and yet vers 12 13. He besought the Lord and humbled himself greatly before the Lord and prayed unto him and God was intreated of him and heard his supplication and brought him again to Jerusalem into his Kingdom Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God He now acknowledges Jehovah to be the true God and renounces all other gods that he may cleave to God alone There is no heart so wicked but grace can make it holy So Paul was once so great a sinner that had he stept but one step further he had faln into the unpardonable sin against the Holy-Ghost in 1 Tim. 1.13 you have a brief survey of his great transgressions He was a Blasphemer he blasphemed God and Christ and his wayes and truth he made a mock and scoff at holiness he made nothing of blaspheming that God that he should have feared and of blaspheming that Christ that he should have sweetly embraced and of blaspheming those Truths that he should have readily entertained Paul was a great proficient in the School of blasphemy he made nothing of belching out blasphemy in the very face of heaven And he was a persecutor too Acts 9. Chap. 26.11 he persecuted holiness to the death yea he was mad in persecuting the poor Saints and servants of Christ he did all he could to make their lives a hell and to rid them out of this world he thought them not worthy to live though they were such Worthies of whom this world was not worthy Chap. 8.3 he was a ravening and an untired Woolf that was never weary in worrying Christs little flock and in sucking out the blood of his Lambs Yea and he was an injurious person too he made no conscience of wronging others Mat. 7.12 or of squaring his carriage by that golden rule Do to others as you would have others do to you This Royal Law this standard of equity he regarded not he made nothing of haling men and women to prison and of compelling them to blaspheme by his cruelty and wicked example he spared no sex but practised the highest cruelty upon all that had any thing of sanctity in them he would adventure the torments of hell rather then not be a tormenter of the Saints here and the more active any were in holiness the more injurious was he to them And yet behold this blasphemer this persecutor this injurious person became a sanctified Christian an eminent Saint a pattern of holiness to all Christians in all ages Once more witness that sad bed-rool of unsanctified persons that are mentioned in 1 Cor 6.9 10. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God These monstrous sinners and prodigious sins were enough to have brought another flood upon the world or to have provoked the Lord to rain hell out of heaven upon them as once he did upon Sodom and Gomorah or to have caused the ground to open and swallow them up as once it did Corah Dathan and Abiram and yet behold some of these are changed and sanctified v. 11. And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Oh! the infinite goodness Matthew Zacheus Mary Magdalen the Jaylor and the murderers of Christ Acts. 2. are clear instances of this truth 1 Cor. 7.14.16 1 Pet. 3.1.6 Oh! the infinte grace Oh! the infinite wisdom and power of God that hath pardoned washed sanctified and cleansed such guilty filthy and polluted souls The worst of sinners should never despair of being made Saints considering what unholy ones have been made holy It is possible that you may be made holy Witness 6. All those sanctified ones among whom you live who once were as unholy or more unholy it may be then ever you were the sanctified husband is a clear witness to the unsanctified wife that she may be sanctified the sanctified father is a witness to the unsanctified child that he may be sanctified the sanctified master is a witness to the unsanctified servant that he may be sanctified the sanctified Prince is a witness to his unsanctified people that they may be sanctified and the sanctified Minister is a witness to his unsanctified hearers that they may be
Godlinesse hath the promise of Gold as well as of Grace of honour as well as of heaven of life and happinesse here as well as of glory and blessednesse hereafter The good things of this life as well as the great things of a better life follows holinesse hard at heels Holinesse is not a barren but a fruitful womb it is like that tree in Rev. 22.2 which did bear twelve manner of fruits and that yielded fruit every moneth What is of greater value among men then riches and what is more glorious among men then honour and what is more sweet among men then life Why all these fruits and ten thousand more grow upon the tree of holinesse The bag of riches the robe of honour and life that is the comfort and sweet of both hangs all upon the back of holiness There is no argument to that which is drawn ab utili Haec omnia tibi Dabo said Satan to Christ But that I may the more effectually win upon you and provoke you to look after holinesse let me by an induction of particulars further confirm the truth of this last consideration especially considering that there is no argument under heaven that is so taking with all men as this of gain Profit is a bait that all bite at it is the great god of the world And therefore thus First Consider that holinesse brings in present gain and what gain to present gain there are many that lay out much and venture far and run the hazard of all and yet it is long before they see returns O but holinesse that brings in present profit Rom. 6.22 But now being made free from sin and become servants to God ye have your fruit unto holinesse and the end everlasting life The Apostle doth not say Ye may have your fruit unto holinesse but Ye have your fruit unto holinesse he doth not say Ye shall have your fruit unto holinesse but Ye have your fruit unto holinesse he doth not say O that ye had your fruit unto holinesse but Ye have your fruit unto holinesse So Psalm 19.11 Not only for keeping but also in keeping of his commands there is great reward Holinesse is its own reward whilest a Christian is in the very exercise of holinesse O what blessed sights what sweet tastes what glorious incomes from heaven hath he O the secret visits the secret whispers the secret joggings the secret love-tokens that Christians meet with in the very practice of holinesse Holinesse brings in present comfort and joy Seneca a Heathen hath confessed that the best receipt to drive away sadness was to live well 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our consciences that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly to you-wards There is no mirth no joy to that that holinesse brings in let a mans load be never so heavy yet holinesse will bring in that joy that will make him bear up bravely and cheerfully under it Holinesse brings in present peace hence it is that you read of the peaceable fruits of righteousnesse Heb. 12.10 11. And holinesse will bring in present communion with God 1 John 1.7 But if we walk in the light as he is the light we have fellowship one with another that is God and we have fellowship togegether as it is ver 3. Now to walk in the light as he is in the light what is it but to walk in holinesse to walk in pathes of sanctity for only in such pathes the Lord walks And therefore as you love present gain labour after holiness But Secondly As holinesse brings in present gain so holinesse brings in the best greatest gain this I shall evidence thus First Holinesse will make a man rich in the midst of poverty Râ—v 2.9 I know thy poverty but thou art rich though the Church of Smyrna was poor in goods Jam. 2.5 yet she was rich in grace she was rich in faith and rich in hope and rich in patience and rich in contentment c. she was rich in Christ her head and rich in promises and rich in experiences she had spiritual riches in possession and glorious riches in reversion so in 2 Cor. 6.10 As poor yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things A holy man cannot be a poor man A holy man is still the richest man But this is a riddle the world understands not The riches of a Christian have no bottom all a Saints baggs are bottomless baggs Experience tells us 1 Cor. 3. chap. 22 23. that unholy mens baggs purses coffers and mints may be drawn dry but the Treasury the riches of a Saint can never be exhausted for he still possesses all things in Christ and with Christ Though he hath nothing in hand yet he hath all things in hope Though he hath nothing in the cistern yet he hath all things in the fountain Gen. 33.9 Esau could say Li Rab I have much and it was much that an Esau should say he had much but saies holy Jacob v. 11. Li col I have all Esau had much but Jacob had all because he had the God of all He had him that was all in all It hath been said of the great Duke of Guise that though he was poor as to his present possessions yet he was the richest man in France in bills bonds and obligations because he had engaged all the Noble men in France to himself by preferring of them A holy man is the richest man in the world in promises and obligations for he hath the great and glorious God engaged by many thousand promises to own him to bless him to stand by him to give grace and glory to him Psalm 84.10 11. and to with-hold nothing from him that may be good for him When wicked men brag of their Lordships and Mannors and boast of their great possessions and glory in their thousands a year A holy man may make his boast of God and say God is mine God is mine he is my great all he is my all in all and therefore I am richer and a greater possessor then any wicked man in the world yea then all wicked men in the world put together But Secondly By holinesse you will gain a good report a good name Heb. 11.39 And these all having obtained a good report through faith received not the promise Nothing raises a mans name and fame in the world like holinesse A good renown is better then a golden girdle saith the French Proverb The seven Deacons that the Church chose were holy men Acts 6.5 and they were men of good report ver 3. they were men well witnessed unto well testified of as the Greek word imports Cornelius was a holy man Acts 10.1 2 3 4. and he was a man of good report among all the Nation of the Jews ver 22. Ananias was a
to make the glory of God his supream scope Now there is not a wicked man on earth that do's or can eate oâ— drink c. to divine glory he do's not nor cannot set up the glory of God as the chiefe and ultimate end of his natural and common actions Now who but fooles in folio will reason thus wicked men are to eate and drink c. to divine glory but this they cannot doe Titus 1.15 and therefore wicked men must neither eate nor drink c. But Fifthly The force and spirit of this objection if there were any in it lyes as flat and full against all other religious duties as it do's against prayer it lyes as strong against hearing reading and meditating on the word c. as it do's against prayer and who but such who are sadly left of God and wofully blinded by Satan will be so wretched as to say wicked men must neither heare the word nor reade the word nor meditate on the word because they cannot doe these actions in faith and whatsoever is not of faith is sin Rom. 14. ult But Sixthly There are those that can say by experience that the first special work of God that ever they perceived on their own hearts was while they were pleading with God at the throne of grace there are those that have brought proud hearts to the throne of grace but have returned with hearts humbled and that have brought hard hearts but have gon away with hearts graciously broken and melted and that have brought carnal hearts but returned with spiritual hearts and that have brought worldly hearts but returned with heavenly hearts God sometimes heares prayers for his own sake and for his Sons sake and for his glories sake and for his promise sake when he will not heare prayers for the sinners sake But Seventhly Sinfull omissions lead to sinful commissions yea sometimes they lead to ruine As you may see in the Angels that fell from the highest heaven to the lowest hell and in Adam who fell in paradise from the highest pinacle of glory to the lowest step of sin and misery Those Reprobates in that 25 Math. did not rob the Saints but only omitted the relieving of them and this proved a damning to them Rich Dives did not rob the poore but his not relieving of them was his ruine Luke 16. Moab and Ammon were banished the Sanctuary to the tenth Generation for a meere omission because they met not Gods Israel in the Wilderness with bread and water Deut. 23.3 4 6. Look as the omission of good dyet breeds natural diseases in the body so doth the omission of good duties breed spiritual diseases in the soul all â—â—nful omissions make worke for hell or for the Physitian of souls Oh man thou doest not know what deadly sin what deadly temptation may follow upon a meere single omission Origen going to comfort and encourage a Martyr that was to suffer was apprehended by the Officers and constrained either to offer to the Idolls or to have his body abused by a Blackamore that was ready prest for that service being thus hard put to it to save his life he bowed to the Idolls but afterwards when he came to himselfe he sadly bewailes his sin and confesseth that he went forth that morning without making his prayers unto God which sinful omission God did so severely punish by leaving of him to fal into so great a sin which pierc'd his soul through with many sorrows I am apt to think that many a sin many a snare and many a fall might have been prevented if such and such religious duties had not been omitted sinful omissions prepare the way to sinful commissions and both prepare the way to a fatal destruction I believe many men had never been so abominable vicious if they had not first cast off religious duties he that lives in the neglect of prayer tempts more Devils then one to beset his soule yea to destroy his soule c. But Eighthly and lastly there are several weighty arguments that may be produced to prove that 't is the duty of wicked and unconverted men to performe religious duties as to pray and seek the Lord c. Among the many that may be brought forth I shall only give you these fix First This is evident from divine commands as you may clearly see by comparing of these Scriptures together Isa 55.6 7. Acts 8.21 22 23. Psal 65.2 1 Thes 5.17 Pray without ceasing is an indefinite injunction and who art thou oh man that darest to prohibite what God commands are not his commands oblieging and may not disobedience to the least of them cost thee thy life thy soul thy all Gods commands are neither to be slighted censured nor neglected woe to him that looks upon great commands as little commands and little commands as no commands Math. 23. Oh Sirs 't is a very dangerous thing to act or run Counter-cross to Gods express command it may cost a man deare as you may see in that sad Story 1 Kings 13.24 The Heathens indeed would frequently run cross to their gods commands for when their gods commanded them to offer up a man they would offer up a Candle and so Hercules when he was to offer up a living man he offered up a painted man but do's it become Christians to deale thus with the great God with the living God with the God of gods as the Heathens did by their gods surely no Gods commands are not like unto the commands of the Heathens that might be contradicted and changed but they are like to the commands of the Medes that cannot be reversed nor changed they must be Evangelically obeyed or you will be eternally destroyed Jer. 35.2 5 6 7. Psal 103.20 The Rechabites were very rigid observers of their fathers commands and will you make slight of Gods commands and the Angels that excell in strength doe his Commandements and will you despise them why should the peasant scorne that work in which the Prince himself is engaged But Secondly Prayer is a natural worship and is incumbent upon all men as they are created by God prayer is a duty which the very Law of nature as well as the Law of the word lays upon men And this you may see in those Pagans Jonah 1. â— The Marriners cryed every man to his god That there is a God and that this God is to be called upon are lessons that are taught in natures Schoole Isa 45.20 They pray to a god that cannot save for any man to say a wicked man ought not to pray is to say a wicked man ought not to worship God nor acknowledge him to be his maker and who but such who are either blinde or mad dare speak such language Certainly they that live in the neglect of prayer under the Gospel sin against a double light the light of nature and the light of the Gospel and therefore they shall be double-damn'd there is no hell to these
to poor sinners without their using of the means but he won't being resolved that they shall use the means of hearing reading praying and conference c. and when they have done leave the issue of all their labors and endeavors to his good Will and pleasure I have taken the more pains fully and clearly to answer this objection that it may never more have a resurrection in any of your souls Ninthly If ever you would be holy then when you have done all wait Oh hear and wait and wait and hear pray and wait and wait and pray read and wait and wait and read confer and wait and wait and confer watch and wait and wait and watch Oh sirs shall the husbandman wait for a good harvest Jam. 5.7 8. and the Merchant for good returns and the Watchman for the dawning of the day and the Patient for a happy cure and the poor Client for a day of hearing c and will not you wait for Christ and wait for the spirit and wait for pardon and wait for grace and wait for glory c Oh sinners sinners remember you are at the right doore and therefore wait Oh remember that whilst you are waiting for mercy God is preparing of mercy Oh remember that 't is mercy that you may wait for mercy devils and damned spirits can't wait for mercy wait they must but O 't is for more wrath anger and fiery indignation Oh remember your condition bespeaks waiting for you are poor halt lame blinde and miserable creatures Oh remember that mercy is sweetest when it comes after a patient waiting Deut. 32.13 He made him to suck honey out of the rock and oil out of the flinty rock That is he made him to suck water that was as sweet as honey out of the rock out of the flinty rock Oh remember that a patient waiting for mercy is the onely way to greaten your mercy The longer said the Emperors son the Cooks are a preparing the meat the better the chear will be his meaning was the longer he staid for the Empire the greater it would be So the longer a soul waits for mercy the greater and the better it will be when it comes as you may see in that famous instance of the poor man that lay eight and thirty years at the Pool of Bethesda Joh. 5.2.16 Famous was the patience of Elijah's servant 1 King 18.8 who in obedience to his Masters command went seven several times up and down steep Carmel which could not be without danger and difficulty and all to bring news of nothing till his last journey which made a recompence for all the rest with the tydings of a cloud arising Oh so do but patiently wait upon the Lord and that grace that favour that mercy will come at last which will fully recompence you for all your waitings remember that the mercies of God are not styled the swift Isa 55.3 but the sure mercies of David mercy may be sure though it be not presently upon the wing flying towards us And the same Prophet saith the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward Isa 58.8 now this we know comes up last to secure and make good all the rest for where Grace leads the Front Glory at last will be in the Rere Oh do but patiently wait Heb. 10.37 and he that shall come will come and will not tarry not a year not a quarter not a month not a week not a day no not an hour beyond the prefixed time that he hath set of shewing mercy to poor sinners O how sad was it that Saul should lose his Kingdom for want of two or three hours patience but O how much more sad will it be if thou shouldst lose all the prayers that thou hast made and all the Sermons that thou hast heard and all the tears that thou hast shed and all other pains that thou hast taken and all for want of a little more patience yea how woful sad would it be if thou shouldst lose thy God and lose thy Christ and lose thy soul and lose an eternity of glory and all for want of a little patience to wait the Lords leisure O therefore resolve to hold on waiting to the death and if thou must perish to perish in a waiting way which if thou shouldst thou wouldst be the first that ever so perished O remember that if God should come and mercy come and pardon come and grace come when thy Sun is near setting when thy glass is almost out and when there is but a short step between thee and eternity it will infinitely recompence thee for all thy waiting and therefore wait still and to keep up thy spirits and to uphold thy soul in a waiting way O! that thou wouldest make these following promises thy daily food thy daily friends thy daily companions Psal 27.14 Waâ—t on the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart wait I say on the Lord. Prov. 20.22 Wait on the Lord and he shall save thee Isa 30.18 And therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you and therefore will he be exalted that he may have mercy upon you for the Lord is a God of judgement Blessed are all they that wait for him Chap. 40. ult But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint Chap. 49.23 They shall not be ashamed that wait for me And Chap. 64.4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear neither hath the eye seen O God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him Pro. 8.34 Blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors O how should these precious promises encourage your hearts to wait on the Lord O how should they lengthen and draw out your patience to the utmost But Tenthly and lastly Dwell much upon the memorable judgements of God that even in this life has faln upon unholy persons Remember Lots wife O! remember her sin and punishment that so fearing the one Luk. 17.32 you may learn to take heed of the other Isa 26.9 When thy judgements are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness that is they should learn righteousness for so the words may be read they should learn to fear thee and learn to turn unto thee and learn to forsake their sins and amend their lives When thy judgements thy memorable judgements are abroad in the world it highly concerns all the sons of men to look after holy dispositions holy affections and holy conversations that so it may go well with them in the day of the Lords wrath others sense the words thus When thy judgements are on the earth the inhabitants of the world that is sinners as well as Saints
closet communion with God or not or enjoy the Lords Supper or not c. And O what inconstancy is to be found among many in these days many persons are onely constant in inconstancy now they are for Ordinances and anone they are against them now Ordinances are precious and glorious things and anone they are poor low things now they cry up this and that for glorious truths and anone they cry down the same things as dangerous and pernicious errors now they cry up Paul and cry down Apollo and anon they cry up Apollo and cry down Paul now they are for this form and anon they are for that now they are very zealous and anon they are very lukewarm now they are for worshipping of God according to rule and anon they are for worshipping of God according to the prescriptions of men now they have their gales of devotion and anon they are quite becalmed now they are full of life and anon they are very lumpish now they stand fast and anon they are wavering now they are confident all will be well and anon they give up all as lost now they will lay down their lives for Christ and anon they are afraid to own Christ c. Now what does this indifferency and inconstancy speak out but either a total want of holiness or else that holiness is at a very low ebb in these mens souls Now these eight Arguments do clearly evidence that many O that I could not say that most Christians have attained but to small measures and degrees of holiness But Secondly To provoke you to labor after higher degrees of holiness Consider that 't is possible for you to attain to greater measures of holiness then any yet you have reach't unto Though the work be hard yet 't is possible and what great things things won't men attempt upon the account of a possibility Now that 't is possible that you may attain to a greater perfection of holiness I shall evidence these five wayes First By many precious promises that are scattered up and down in the blessed Scriptures as that Job 17.9 The righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Or as the Hebrew has it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall add strength that is he shall go on from one degree of spiritual strength to another he shall go on from a lesser degree to a greater degree and from a lower degree to a higher degree of spiritual strength a holy man shall not onely have his spiritual strength maintained but encreased he shall not onely retain that spiritual strength he has but he shall be still a adding of strength to strength Psal 84.7 Me chaiil el chaiil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies vigor courage alacrity power success and an Army wherein usually most power is required and manifested They go from strength to strength or from power to power or as the word may be read from company to company or from Troop to Troop in allusion to the custome of the Jews when all the Males went up thrice a year to Jerusalem now when they went up to Jerusalem they went up with their flocks and in Troops now those that were lively active and strong they over took this company and that and this Troop and that and so they went on their power and strength increasing daily more and more till they appeared before God in Zion or look as the Bee goes from flower to flower to gather Honey so those that had a principle of grace and holiness in them they went from one good company to another from one Troop of Christians to another still gathering up heavenly honey as they went O Sirs there is no such way to perfect holiness as to be still a going on from duty to duty and from ordinance to ordinance from praying to hearing and from hearing to praying from reading to meditating from meditating to reading from publike duties to closet duties and from closet duties to publike duties c. Psal 92.12 13 14. The righteous shall flourish like the Palm-tree he shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon Those that be planted in the house the Lord Ille non est bonus qui non vult esse molior shall flourish in the Courts of our God They shall still bring forth fruit in old age they shall be fat and flourishing The promise of flourishing is three times repeated in these three verses they shall flourish they shall flourish they shall flourish to note the more then ordinary flourishing estate of the Saints even in their old age I have read of an old Christian who being asked whether he grew in goodness or no answered I believe I do because the Lord has promised that his people shall bring forth fruit in old age Pliny writing of the Crocodile tells us that she grows to her dying day so Christians that are rooted in Christ and planted in the house of the Lord they will be still growing up in grace and holiness even to their dying day 'T is with real Christians as 't is with wine the older the better or as 't is with the Sun which shines most gloriously and amiably when 't is near seting Gracious souls are like the Laurel or the Bay-tree whose leaves are always green not onely in the Summer of youth but also in the Winter of old age Pliny The Palm-tree is always green it never loseth his leaves or fruit and the more it is loaded the deeper it is rooted and so it shall be with throughout Christians So in that Isa 46.3 4. God has promised to carry us on to old age Hearken unto me O house of Jacob and all the remnant of the house of Israel which are born by me from the belly which are carried from the womb And even to your old age I am he and even to hoar hairs will I carry you I have made and I will bear even I will carry and will deliver you That God that begins a work of Grace and Holiness in his peoples hearts that God will perfect and carry on that work Mothers and Nurses express their tender care love and delight by carrying their Babes in their arms till they can go alone but God surpasses them in his love care tenderness and divine fondness for he will carry them even to hoary hairs This word I that is Six times repeated in verse the fourth is doubtless of very great importance and signifies not onely Gods eternal Essence and that he will be ever like himself but also his unchangeableness in regard of us for whatever our thoughts may be concerning God yet we shall always find him one and the same he will be as good to his people at last as he was at first even to old age he will carry them So in that Prov. 4.18 But the path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day A
holy man proceeds from grace to grace from vertue to vertue he goes from faith to faith and from strength to strength till at length he shines as the Sun in his strength So in that Hosea 14.5 6 7. I will be as the due unto Israel he shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his root as Lebanon His branches shall spread and his beauty shall be as the Olive-tree and his smell as Lebanon They that dwell under his shaddow shall return they shall revive as the corn and grow as the vine the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon The growth the fruitfulness and the flourishing estate of the Saints in grace and holiness is set forth by a seven-fold Metaphor in these words the Similes are all plain and easie and you may easily dilate upon them in your own thoughts and therefore I shall pass them I shall conclude with that precious promise John 4.14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life The Spirit in its gracious operations shall be a constant spring in believers hearts and it shall every day rise higher and higher like the water in Ezekiel Ezek. 47.1 7. till grace be swallowed up in glory And thus you see by these choice promises that 't is possible for you to attain to a greater measure of holiness But Secondly The prayers that have been put up upon this very account do clearly evidence the same Certainly the people of God would never have prayed for higher degrees of grace and holiness if they had not been attainable Now 't is very observable that the spirits of the Saints have run out much this way as is evident in these instances Phil. 1.9 10 11. And this I pray 〈◊〉 brevis penetrat Coelum that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement That ye may approve things that are excellent that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ Being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God Col. 1.9 For this cause we also since the day we heard it do not cease to pray for you and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding Chap. 4.12 Epaphras who is one of you a servant of Christ saluteth you always laboring fervently for you in prayers that ye may stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Metaphor from a Ship whose Sails are filled with wind Epaphras was an humble petitioner that the souls of the Colossians might be filled with the highest degrees of grace and holiness as the Sails of a Ship are filled with winde 1 Thes 3.12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one towards another and towards all men even as we do towards you The Apostle by doubling his word encrease and abound discovers himself to be an importunate suitor that a double portion of grace and holiness might be given out to the Thessalonians So in that Heb. 13.20 21. Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant Make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen The Apostle can't beg any thing for these believing Hebrews below perfection And the Apostle Peter puts up the same requests for those blessed converts that were scattered throughouâ— Pontius Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia In that 1 Pet. 5.10 But the God of all grace who hath called us into his eternal glory by Christ Jesus after that ye have suffered a while make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you God is called the God of all grace because he is the giver of all kinds of grace and of all degrees of grace Now nothing will satisfie this great Apostle when he comes to plead for these Saints below perfection though they had as much grace as would bring them to heaven yet he begs such a perfection of grace as might raise them high in heaven And thus it appeareth by the prayers of these holy men that Saints may still be rising in grace and holiness But Thirdly The experience of other Saints does clearly evidence this that you may attain unto higher degrees of grace and holiness then those that yet you have attained unto Psal 37.37 Phil. 3.11 16. Can. 4.7 Eph. 5.26 27. Rev. 14.4 5. Prov. 2.21 Chap. 11.5 2 Tim. 3.16 17. Gen. 6.9 Noah was a just man and perfect in his generation and Noah walked with God Noah was not only perfect with a perfection of parts nor onely perfect in respect of desires endeavors and aims nor onely perfect â—n respect of his justification before God by imputed righteousness nor onely perfect in respect of Gods approbation acceptation and delight nor onely perfect in respect of Gods designe and intentions to make him so in another world nor onely perfect in respect of those gifts and graces with which he was adorned and furnished for the discharge of his place office work to which the Lord had called him nor onely comparatively perfect in regard of that prophane ungodly and debauched generation among whom he lived but also he is said to be perfect in respect of an eminent progress that he had made in grace and holiness he had attained to considerable degrees and measures of grace and holiness and though his proficiency in the exercise of grace and practice of piety fell short of compleat perfection yet it rise to such a height that God could not but crown him and and Chronicle him for a perfect man 1 Pet. 2.2 1 Joh. 2.12 13 14. Heb. 5.12 13 14 In all Ages of the world there has been four several Ages of Christians viz. Babes children young men and old men Noah was not a babe nor a child nor a young man but an old man in grace and holiness and therefore he is said to be perfect There are several forms in Christs School some higher some lower now he that is in the highest form may be said to be perfect in regard of those that are in a lower or in the lowest form now Noah was in the highest form of grace and godliness therefore he is said to be perfect and in this sense I suppose Job is said to be a perfect man Job 1.1.8 There was a man in the Land of Vz whose name was Job and that man was perfect and upright and one that feared God and eschewed evil And the Lord said unto Satan hast thou considered my servant Job that there is none like him
grace and holiness And thus much for this third motive Fourthly To provoke you to labour after higher degrees of holiness consider that the more your holiness is encreased the more the great God will be honored and glorified Math. 5.16 Fruitfulness in holiness sets the weightiest crowne of glory upon the head of God John 15.8 Herein is my Father glorified that ye bare much fruit The more eminent any person is in holiness the more clearely and convincingly he proclaimes God before all the world to be a rich God a full God a bountiful God an overflowing good there is nothing that works men to admire God so much and to exalt God so high as a Christians fruitfulness in holiness O how good must that God be whose servants are so good said the Heathen O how glorious in holiness must that God be whose people are so holy Look as the thriving child is a credit to the Nurse and the rich servant an honor to his Master and a plentiful Crop the praise of the husbandman so that Christian that thrives in grace that grows rich in holiness is the greatest credit and the highest honor and the sweetest praise to God in the world The Tree in Alcinous Garden had alwayes blossomes buds and ripe fruits one under another O! Sirs those Trees of righteousness Isa 61.3 that have not only the blossomes and buds of holiness upon them but also the ripe fruits of holiness one under another they are the greatest honor and glory to God in the world What will men say when they shall behold your eminency in sanctity will they not say certainly God is no hard Master Math. 25.24 he never looks to reape where he do's not sowe nor to gather where he do's not straw Certainly he keeps a noble house his Tables are richly spread his Cups overflow he feeds yea he feasts his servants with the choicest rarities and varieties that heaven affords witness their thriving and flourishing estate in grace and holiness And thus you see that the more your holiness is encreased the more highly the God of heaven will be exalted and magnified But Fifthly To provoke you to endeavour after higher degrees of holiness Consider that the more holiness thou hast the more hee 'l give thee At first God gives holiness where there is none and where this holiness is improved there God will be still augmenting and increasing of it do thou but make it thy business to perfect holiness in the feare of the Lord Heb. 6.7 and the Lord will not faile to make new and fresh additions of more grace and holiness to that thou hast Psal 84.11 The Lord will give grace and glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly Mark those words viz. that the Lord will give grace and glory that is grace unto glory hee 'l still be adding more grace to that thou hast till the bud of grace be turn'd into the flower of glory till thy grace on earth commenceth glory in heaven the more holiness any man has the more still God will give him Math. 13.12 For whosoever hath to him shall be given and he shall have more abundance He that hath principles of grace and holiness laid into his soul he shall finde a plentifull increase of those sanctifying and saving principles he shall have more abundance his spark of holiness shall grow into a flame his drops of holiness shall be turn'd into a sea and his mite of holiness shall be multiplyed into millions Math. 25.29 The greater harvest of holiness a Christian brings forth the greater encrease of holiness shall he experience every exercise of grace and holiness is alwayes attended with new increase of grace and holiness Look as that arme is greatest and strongest that is most used and exercised so that particular grace that is most exercised and used is most strengthned and greatned Look as earthly Parents when they see their children to husband and improve a little Stock to great advantage then they adde to their Stock they increase their Stock they double their Stock so when the father of spirits sees his children to husband and improve a little Stock of grace and holiness to the great advantage of their souls then he will increase their spiritual Stock he will be still a adding to their Stock yea he will double their Stock John 15.2 Every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit Such as are fruitful shall be made more fruitful Christ will take most paines to make them better who are already very good of all Christians in the world there are none that have so much grace as humble Christians have and yet God delights to pour in grace into their souls as men pour liquor into empty vessels humility is both a grace James 4.6 and a vessel to receive more grace And thus much for this fifth Argument But Sixthly To provoke you to labour after higher degrees of holiness Consider that the more holiness you attaine to the greater will be your heaven of joy and comfort in this world Though the least spark of true holiness will bring a man to heaven certainly yet 't is only an eminency in holiness that will make a man walk to heaven comfortably the more holiness any man has Psal 16. ult the more he shall enjoy him in whose presence is fulness of joy and the more any man enjoyes the presence of God with his Spirit the greater will be his heaven of joy in this world Look as a little Star yeilds but a little light so a little holiness yeilds but a little comfort and look as the greatest Stars yeilds the greatest light so the greatest measures of holiness alwayes yeilds the greatest comforts Divine joy ebbs and flowes as holiness ebbs and slowes soul comforts rises and falls as holiness rises and falls Great measures of holiness carries with them the greatest evidence of the reality of holiness now the more clearely and evidently the reality and sincerity of a mans holiness appeares the higher will the springs of joy and comfort arise in his soul Great measures of holiness carry with them the greatest evidence of a mans union and communion with God and the more evident a mans union and communion is with God the more will that mans soul be fill'd with that joy that is unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 Acts 9.31 In great measures of holiness a man may see and reade most of the love of God the face of God the favour of God and the heart of God and the more a man is blest with such a sight as this is the more will that Babe of grace divine joy spring in his soul The greater measures of holiness and sanctification any man attaines to the clearer and brighter will the evidences of his Justification be Rom. 5.1 2 3. And Ch. 8.30 33 34 35 Now the clearer evidences any
have in heaven shall not be given out to them upon the account of their merits or the dignity of their persons or the worthiness of their works but upon the account of Gods meere mercy and grace who in the day of retribution will delight to crowne his own gifts not our merits and where he shall finde the greatest measures of grace holiness Deus nihil coronat nisi dona sua Aug. When God crowneth us he doth but crowne his own gifts in us c. there he will of his own free mercy bestow the greatest measure of glory Well friends remember this you must alwayes carefully distinguish between the essence and substance of glory and between degrees and measures of glory Now the essence and substance of glory which consists in the Saints full communion with God and in their perfect conformity to God and in their universal subjection to God and in their everlasting fruition of God be common to all the Saints so that no one Saint shall have more of the essence and substance of glory then another has yet the degrees and measures of glory shall be distributed to some more to some less Now that there shall be different degrees of glory in heaven answerable to the different degrees of grace and holiness that the Saints reach to here on earth and that God will at last proportion his Rewards according to the different degrees of labour seâ—â—ice and sufferings of his people in this world may be made evident 1. By cleare Scriptures 2. By Arguments Now there are severall Scriptures that speaks out this truth take these for a taste First that 1 Cor. 3.8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour The Apostle having compared his own and Apollo's work together adds That both should receive their reward according to their work that is as their work differed so should their reward differ though they both preacht one and the same doctrine and had both one and the same designe and purpose viz. to bring in souls to Christ and to build up souls to Christ yet according to their different degrees of labour so should be their different degrees of reward Though no man should work in Gods vineyard for nought yet he that was most faithful diligent and laborious in planting or in watering Gods Husbandry should have the greatest reward Paul and Apollo shall at last receive their different reward according to their different labour or neerer the Original they shall each of them receive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their proper reward according to their proper work A second Scripture is that 1 Cor. â—5 41 42. There is one glory of the Sun and another glory of the Moone and another glory of the Stars for one Star differeth from another in glory so also is the resurrection of the dead Mark here is the full stop and these words are not to be referr'd to those following words viz. That the body is sown in corruption and riseth againe in incorruption For the Apostle speaks not here of the difference between glorious and inglorious corruptible and incorruptible things but he speaks here of the difference that is between heavenly and glorious things for faith he one Star differs from another in glory 'T is very observable that the comparison runs between the glorified condition of some Saints that shall rise and other some that shall rise in the great day So that look as one Star differs from another Star in glory so one Saint shall differ from another Saint in glory at the resurrection of the dead Though every Star is bright shining and glorious yet some Stars are more bright shining and glâ—rious then others are so though every Saint still shine gloriously in heaven yet some Saints shall have a greater lustre glory and shine upon them then others shall Look as some heavenly bodies are more glorious then others so in the morning of the resurrection some Saints shall be more glorious then others c. A third Scripture is that 2 Cor. 9.6 But this I say He which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly and he which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully A sparing liberality shall be attended with a sparing reward and a bounteous liberality shall be attended with a bounteous reward Look as the harvest answers the measure of seed that is sown so that he that sows but little reaps but little and he that sows much reaps much so Saints reaping at last will be answerable to their sowing here All mens charities shall at last be rewarded proportionable to the severall degrees of it he that gives a pound shall have a greater reward then he that gives a penny he that sows thousands shall reap more then he that sows hundreds he shall have the most plentifull crop in heaven who has sow'd most seed here on earth c. They shall have interest upon interest in heaven who sow much on this side heaven A fourth Scripture is that Luk 19.12 20. Now in this Parable you have a great Lord going into a far Country Mina here translated a pound is twelve ounces and a halfe which pound according to five shillings an ounce is three pound two shillings and six pence starling money Math. 2.2 Rev. 17.14 and ch 1.5 but before he goes he gives ten pounds to ten of his servants to trade with till his returne Now upon his returne he that had increased his pound to ten pounds was made ruler over ten Cities v. 17. And he that made five of one was made ruler over five Cities v. 19. Here he that gained most received the greatest reward The Nobleman in this Parable is our Lord Jesus Christ who is truly and highly noble he being coeternall and coequall with his Father in respect of his Deity he was borne a king and is now King of kings and Lord of lords and Prince of the Kings of the earth The far Countrey that he is gone to is heaven for thither he went at his ascension now when he shall returne from heaven to judge the quick the dead he will then bring men to an account to a reckoning about their improvement of all the gifts and graces that he has intrusted them with and according to the different improvement that men shall make of their Talents so shall be their reward he that makes the greatest improvement of his pound he shall have the greatest reward he shall be Ruler over ten Cities that is he shall be very highly honored and exalted and he that makes a lesser improvement he shall have a lesser reward he shall be Ruler over five Cities he that makes a great improvement of a little he shall if I may so speak sit at Christs right hand but he that makes a lesser improvement he must be contented to sit at Christs left hand God will proportion out mens reward at last answerable to their improvement of
spiritual blessings among his dearest children to some hee gives more light to others less to some a greater measure of love to others a less to some a greater degree of joy to others a less c. Some Saints shine in grace and holiness as the Firmament and others shine in grace and holiness as the Stars some shine in grace and holiness as the Moon and others shine in grace and holiness as the Sun and all this springs from those different measures of grace and holiness that God bestows upon his people Now doubtless men may as well plead for equal degrees of grace as they may for equal degrees of glory they may as well plead for an equal share in the good things of this world as they may plead for an equal share in the happiness and blessedness of that other world Doubtless as God dispenses his gifts and graces unequally in this life so hee will dispense his Rewards unequally in the other life As mens gifts and graces are different here on earth so their glory shall be different when they come to Heaven without all peradventure they shall have the whitest and the largest Robes of Honour and the heaviest and the brightest Crowns of Glory whose souls are most richly adorned with grace and whose lives are most eminently bespangled with holiness The more grace and holiness any Saint hath here the more hee is prepared and fitted for glory and the more any Saint is fitted for glory the more that Saint shall at last be filled with glory The greatest measures of grace holiness do most inlarge the soul and widen the soul and capacitate the soul to take in the greatest measures of glory and therefore the more grace the more glory the more holiness the more happiness a Saint shall have at last Certainly God will crown his own gracious works in his children proportionable to what they are but they are different and unequally in all his children in respect of measures and degrees and therefore God will set different Crowns of glory upon the heads of his children at last But Fourthly They that have more grace and holiness than others they are more like to God than others They bear his glorious Image in a greater print they have a brighter character of God upon them and they are the most lively picture of God in all the world Now wee know though Parents love their children well and wish all their children well and do for all their Children well yet commonly they love them most and provide for them best that resemble them most Parents cannot but love those children most and lay up for them most who have most of themselves in them and I cannot see how God can do otherwise than love them most and provide for them best who most resembled him to the life the nature of God is a holy nature and so there lies a holy necessity on his nature to love them most who have most grace and holiness in them look as t is natural to God to hate wickedness Psal 45.7 so t is natural to God to love holiness and as the higher men rise in wickedness the more a holy God hates them so the higher men rise in holiness the more a holy God loves them now the more any are like to God and the more they are beloved of God the higher doubtless in glory shall they bee advanced by God The best and the largest Portion is laid up for that Childe that is most like his Father the more any man in holiness resembles God on Earâ—h the greater and the larger Portion of glory that man shall have when hee comes to Heaven But Fiftly and lastly to deny degrees of glory in Heaven and to say that God won't sute mens wages to their works nor their rewards to their services nor crown the highest improvements of grace with the highest degrees of glory is to render useless many glorious exhortations that are scattered up and down in the Scripture as that in the 1 Cor. 15.58 Therefore my beloved Brethren bee yee stedfast unmoveable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord for asmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. If this were not a truth that I have been all this while asserting why then when men meet with this exhortation they may say why t is no great matter whether we are stedfast unmoveable and alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord or no for if wee are wee shall never advance our reward in Heaven wee shall never add Pearls to our glorious Crown wee shall never add one mite to our happiness and blessedness and if wee are not wee shall bee as high in Heaven and our reward as great and our crown as weighty as theirs shall bee who are stedfast unmoveable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord. And so the denyal of degrees of glory in Heaven will take off also the edge of all those other exhortations of perfecting holiness of sowing liberally 2 Cor. 7 1. cap. 9.6 2 Pet. 3. ult Joh. 15.8 2 Pet 1.5 6 7. of growing in grace of bringing forth much fruit and of adding vertue to vertue c. yea this will cut the throat of all divine endeavours for who will labour to bee rich in grace and to bee much in service and to abound in all the fruits of righteousness and holiness when none of all this will turn to a mans advantage in another world If hee that sows little shall have as great a Harvest as hee that sows much if hee that is dull and negligent in the work of the Lord shall have as great a reward as hee that is active and abundant in the work of the Lord. If those trees of righteousness which bring forth much fruit shall have no greater a recompence than those trees of righteousness which bring forth many leaves of profession but little fruit c. who would sow much and who would bee active and abundant in the work of the Lord and who would bring forth much fruit verily but few if any But now the opinion or rather the truth that I have been labouring to make good viz. that there shall bee different degrees of glory in Heaven and that God will proportion mens reward to their work and that he will measure out happiness and blessedness to them at last according to the different measures of grace bestowed upon his people and according to the work service and faithfulness of his people in this world This truth I say held forth in its luster and glory is a marvellous incouragement and a mighty provocation to all sincere Christians to labour after the highest pitches in Christianity and to bee very eminent in grace and holiness for what man is there that will not reason thus the more grace the more glory the more holiness the more happiness the more work the more wages and the greater my service shall bee here the
it burning The words are an allusion to the fire in the Temple which was alwaies to be kept burning Paul would have Timothy to be alwaies a blowing his spark into a flame Look as fire is preserved and maintained by blowing and stirring of it up so holiness is preserved and maintained in the soul by being stirred and blown up in the soul The habits of grace and holiness are like dull coal-fires which if they are not now and then blown and stirred up will certainly dye and go out O Sirs 't is not the having but the husbanding of holiness that brings glory to God for a man to have the habit of holiness and not to put it in practice is all one as for a man to have a Talent and to wrap it up in a Napkin 'T was a notable observation of Pliny upon Phydeus the famous Painter that had the habit of that Art above all of his time saith hee That great Art and skill that Phydeus had had been to no purpose had hee not exercised and practised it upon some Table so t is with the habits of grace and holiness in the Saints if they are not brought forth into exercise into action 't is all one as if they had no such habits at all Holiness out of action is like a candle under a Bushel that yeelds no comfort to a mans self nor no light to others Though Gold bee Gold in the myne and though it bee the most precious desirable mettle in the world yet so long as t is only in the myne what profit or advantage have we by it but now when t is dig'd out of the myne and becomes a Treasure in mens hands and is fitted for use and service then it brings profit and advantage to men and then the lustre and glory of it appears So though grace and holiness in the habit in the myne bee grace and holiness yet what profit or advantage is there in those habits till they are brought forth into action into exercise and till then all the lustre and glory of grace and holiness lies hid and obscure the more the habits of holiness are brought into action the more holiness will bee augmented and increased and therefore above all look to the frequent exercises actings of that holiness you have and this will bee a ready way to turn your drop of holiness into a sea and your spark of holiness into a flame and your two mites of holiness into a vast treasure But Sixtly If ever you would attain to higher degrees of holiness Mat. 6.5 9. if ever you would perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord then be much insecret prayer be much in closet duties Christ takes a great deal of pleasure to hear and to see his people pour out their souls before him in a corner Cant. 2.14 O my Dove that art in the clefts of the rock in the secret places of the staires let mee see thy countenance let mee hear thy voyce for sweet is thy voyce and thy countenance is comly Look as secret meals are very fatning so secret duties are very soul-inriching secret Prayers are the Pillars of smoak whereby the soul ascends to God out of the Wilderness of this world secret Prayers are the wings of the Soul whereby it flyes to God in a more still and silent way for the Increase and Augmentation of Holiness the tender dew that falls in the silent night will abundantly more cause sweet herbs to flourish and grow than greaâ— showers of rain that falls in the stirring day so secret prayer will abundantly more cause the sweet herbs of grace and holiness to grow and flourish than all those more open and visible duties of Religion which too too often are mingled and mixt with the Sun and Wind of Pride and Hypocrisie O Sirs secret prayer is Jacobs Ladder where you have God in his fulness and holiness descending down into the Soul 't is that Ladder whereby the soul ascends to the highest pitch of communion with God witness Ambrose who was wont to say I am never less alone then when I am all alone for then I can injoy the presence of my God most freely fully and sweetly without interruption And witness that Heaven-born-Lady who spent most of her time in secret duties in closet communion with God and when persons of great quality came to visit her shee would so entertain them as shee would bee sure not to omit her set times for secret prayer shee would rather rudely take her leave of them as some call'd it than omit her closeâ— communion with God And Constantine that great Emperour made it his constant practise as Eusebius reports to shut up himself daily in a secret place in his Palace where hee went to private Prayer Cant. 1.11.12 shee had found such rare advantages by closet duties that shee would not upon any terms neglect them or in the least turn her back upon them And 't was a most sweet and divine saying of Bernard O Saint knowest thou not saith hee that thy husband Christ is bashfull and will not bee familiar in company retire thy self therefore by meditation into thy closet or the fields and there thou shalt have Christs embraces O Sirs 't is an experienced truth that there is no such way under Heaven to bee rich in grace and to bee high in holiness as by driving and maintaining a secret trade with God When had Peter that glorious vision and manifestation of grace but wheâ— hee was alone and on the house top a praying Act. 10.11 12. And when was that soul ravishing that soul cheering Dan. 9.20 21 22 23. and that Soul strengthening message dispatcht by the Angel to Daniel viz. that hee was greatly beloved of God but when hee was alone a praying and doubtless many thousand Saints have had their hearts melted their corruptions weakned their fears scattered their doubts resolved their holiness raised and their assurance seal'd whilst they have been in closet-duties Look as men many times gives their best their choisest and their richest gifts in secret so doth God many times give the choisest discoveries of his love and the sweetest dainties and delicates of glory and the richest measures of grace and holiness to his people in secret Look as there was none so holy as Christ Compare these Scriptures together Mat. 14.23 Mar. 6.46 Luk. 5.16 and cap. 6.12 Mat. 26.36 39 42 44. Luk. 22.32 44 45. John 17.17 so there was none so much in secret prayer as Christ look as many men in this famous City by driving a secret trade a private trade gain very great estates beyond what many do who drive more publick trades so many Christians that drive a secret trade a private trade with God in their closets they grow abundantly more rich in grace in holiness in communion with God and in all gracious experiences than many other Christians who make a great deal of bussel in the world
because wee were holy or because hee did fore-see that in time wee would be holy but hee chose us to that very end that wee should be holy Look as Esther Esther 1. was first chosen out among the Virgins and then purified and decked with Rich and Royal Ornaments and Garments before shee was brought into the presence of the King So God first chuses poor sinners and then hee purifies them Psal 45.13 and adorns them with the rich and glorious Garments of Grace and Holiness that so they may be meet and fit to enter into his Royal Presence 1 Thes 1.4 Knowing Brethren Beloved your Election of God Vers 5. For our Gospel came not unto you in word only but also in Power and in the Holy Ghost Vers 9. And how yee turned to God from Idols to serve the Living and True God When the Gospel comes in Power and in the Holy Ghost and turns persons from Idols to serve the Living God 't is a clear and evident sign of their Election real Sanctification is a sure evidence a fair copy of a mans Election Look as the Pattern is known by the Picture and the Cause by the Effect so Election is known by real Sanctification A Christian need never put himself to the charge of making a Ladder to climbe up to Heaven to search the Records of Glory to see whether his Name is written in the Book of Life in the Book of Election or no but rather make a strict and diligent enquiry whether hee be really and throughly sanctified or no for where there is real sanctification there the glorious Image of Gods Election is in Golden Characters stampt upon the soul A man may have his Name set down in the Chronicles yet lost wrought in durable Marble yet perish set upon a Monument equal to a Colossus yet be ignominius inscribed on the Hospital gates yet go to Hell written in the front of his own house yet another come to possess it All these are but writings in the dust or upon the waters where the Characters perish so soon as they are made they no more prove a man happy than the fool could prove Pontius Pilate happy because his Name was written in the Creed but in real Sanctification a man may see his Name so written in the Book of Gods Election as that it shall remain legible to all Eternity But Secondly If thou are a holy person if thou hast that real holiness without which there is no happiness then know for thy comfort that the Lord takes singular pleasure delight and complacency both in thy holiness and in thy person Psa 149.4 5. For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people hee will beautifie the meek with salvation Let the Saints be joyful in glory let them sing aloud upon their beds The Hebrew word Rotseh that is here rendred pleasure is from Ratsah that signifies pleasure delight complacency content c. O God takes singular pleasure singular delight singular complacency and singular content in all his Saints in all his sanctified ones Holiness is the express Image of God and therefore hee cannot but take pleasure in it and in all those that bear it Zeph. 3.13 The Remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity nor speak lies neither shall a deceitful tongue bee found in their mouth Well here are glorious Characters of their holiness but what pleasure what delight c. doth God take in these holy ones why certainly very much as you may see in ver 17. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty hee will save hee will rejoyce over thee with joy hee will rest in his love hee will joy over thee with singing Look as a Bridegroom rejoyces over his Bride Isa 62.4 5. so will the Lord rejoyce over his holy ones and look what delight complacency and content the Bridegroom takes in his Bride the same yea greater God takes in all his sanctified ones Yea look as a fond Father joyes over his dear childe that hee carries in his arms or dandles upon his knee with singing so God will joy over all his holy ones which are his fondlings with singing such is the singular delight satisfaction and content that hee takes in them Look as the Husbandman delights much in that ground that was once barren but is now fruitful and as the Captain takes a great deal of pleasure in that souldier that once run from his colours but is now returned and fights valiantly and resolutely against all opposers and adversaries and as the Father takes a great deal of joy content and satisfaction in the return reformation and amendment of his Prodigal Son Luke 15. even so a holy God is wonderfully delighted pleased enamoured and even overjoyed Heb. 6.7 â— when such as brought forth nothing but the thorns and briers of wickedness Heb. 2.10 do now bring forth the pleasant fruits of righteousness and holinesse and when such as have run from Christ the Captain of their salvation and run from their profession and run from their principles and run almost from every thing that is good shall now return to the Captain of their Salvation and fight it out most valiantly and resolutely against the world the flesh and the devil and when such as have proved Prodigals and spent all that portion all that stock and all that treasure that they have been intrusted with shall now break off their sins and humble themselves and reform their lives and mend their waies God is so infinitely pleased and delighted in these that hee Records their Names in Heaven Luke 10.20 Rejoyce not in this that the spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoyce because your names are written in Heaven 't is matter of the greatest joy in the world for a man to have his name inrol'd in Heaven look as 't is the sinners hell that his name is ingrossed in the book of perdition so 't is the beleevers heaven that his name is ingrossed in the book of election I have read of a Senatour Tacitus who relating to his Son the great honours that were assign'd to some Souldiers whose names were written in a certain book whereupon the Son was very importunate to see that book his Father shews him the outside and it seemed so glorious that hee earnestly desired him to open it no saith the Father by no means for it is sealed by the counsel then saith the Son pray tell mee if my name bee written there his Father replies no because all the names of those Souldiers were kept secret in the breasts of the Senatours The Son studying how hee might get some satisfaction desired his Father to acquaint him with the merits of those Souldiers whose names were written in that book the Father relates to him their noble atchievements and worthy acts of valour wherewith they had eternized their names such are written said hee and none but such must bee written in this book whereupon the Son consulting
606. The more solid and exact a Christian is in religious duties and services the more holy he is Page 608 609. E. Of Election Reall holiness is a sure evidence of election Page 614 615 616. Of not Enduring Such as cant endure holiness in others shall never goe to Heaven Page 87 88 89. Of Ends. A holy man propounds holy ends to himself in all his actings and undertakings Page 157 158 159. How persons may know when they make the glory of God their end answered five wayes Page 159-168 Of Errors We are to have no speciall communion with such as erre in foundation truths Page 44 45 46. Of Exercise He that would have more holiness must be much in the exercise of that holiness he has Page 578 579 580. Of Expediency The more a man lives by the rule of expediency the more holiness he has attained to Page 611 612. Of the Eye of God He that would attain to greater measures of holiness must alwayes remember that the eye of God is continually upon him Page 573 574 575. F. Of Fellowship Vnholy persons have familiarity and fellowship with Satan Page 26 27. Of the Favour of God Holy persons are highly in Gods favour Page 630 631 632. Of the Fewness of those that shall be saved The number of those that shall goe to Heaven are but few Page 67 68 69. Of Flatterers Take heed of flatterers Page 285-289 Of Formalists Formalists shall not goe to Heaven Page 75 76 77. All unholy persons are fooles they have all the characteristical notes and properties of fooles And this is shewed in eight particulars Page 30-44 Christians are to have no speciall communion with fooles Page 49. G. Of our Generation The more holy any man is the more serviceable and usefull he will be in his generation Page 509 510. The meer gifted man shall not goe to Heaven Where you have seventeen differences between gifts and grace Page 84 85 86 87. Of Growth The afflictions and persecutions of the Saints will further the growth and increase of their grace Page 403 404 405. Of Guilt Of guilt upon the conscience Page 362 363. H. Of Hatred Where there is true holiness there is a hatred of all ungodliness Page 109-123 Of Heaven Ten arguments to prove that unholy persons have no mind to goe to Heaven Page 64 65 66. Of Heaven The more holy any man is the more actually ripe for heaven that man is Page 493 494. That there are degrees of glory in Heaven That some Saints shall partake of more glory in Heaven then others shall is approved by Scripture and Arguments from p. 517. to p. 565. only observe that next to p. 520. followes p. 553. all this misfiguring of the pages will be prevented in the next impression Objections against degrees of glory in Heaven answered from p. 565. to p. 572. Of Hell Vnholy persons are doomed adjudged and sentenced to Hell Page 57-62 Of an Heir Reall holiness is a sure evidence that thou art an Heir of glory Page 626 627 628 629. Of Holiness There is a sixfold holiness Page 5-19 Holiness is the honor and the glory of the creature Page 183 184 185 186. Holiness is very attractive drawing and winning Page 186 187. 188. Holiness is the excellency of all a mans excellencies Page 188 189 190. Holiness is an honor and an ornament both to the persons that have it and also to the very places where they were borne Page 190 191 192 193. Holiness is the very ear-mark the very livery and and badge of Christs servants and subjects Page 193 194. A man of holiness is a common blessing a publick mercy Page 194 195 196 197. Holiness is of the greatest antiquity Page 197 198 199. Holiness will render you most beautiful and amiable Page 199 200 201 202. Holiness is the most gainefull trade in the world This is made good by five Arguments Page 202-216 Holiness will put the greatest splendor and majesty upon persons that can possibly be put upon them Page 216 217 218. The times wherein we live calls aloud for holiness Page 218 219 220 221 222 223 224. Holiness will render you most like 1. To God 2. To Christ 3. To the blessed Angels Page 224. 225 226 227 228. Without holiness there is no seeing no enjoying of of God Page 228 229. Eight arguments proving that most Christians have but a little holiness Page 466-479 The more holiness any man has the more holiness God will give him Page 495 496. The more holiness any man has the more God will reveale himself to him Page 498 499 500 501 502. None under Heaven are so strongly obliged to perfect holiness in the feare of the Lord as holy ones are Page 505 506 507. The times require greater measures of holiness Page 512 513. Christ will certainly preserve thy holiness Page 634 635 636. Of the Holiness of God 1. God is essentially holy Page 585 586. 2 God is unmixedly holy the holiness of God is a pure holiness Page 586 587 588. 3. God is universally holy Page 588. 4. God is eminently holy he is transcendently holy he is superlatively holy Page 588 589 590 591. 5. God is originâ—lly radically and fundamentally holy Page 591 592 6. God is independently holy Page 592 993. 7. God is constantly holy he is unchangeably holy Page 593 594. 8. God is exemplarily holy Page 594. Of Holiness Where ever reall holiness is it will discover it self p. 639. Holiness rises by degrees p. 639 640. There is a great deale of preciousness in the least degrees of holiness and this is evidenced by an induction of Ten particulars 640 641 642. All Saints have not a like measure of holiness 643 644. A Christian may have more holiness at one time then at another 644 645 646 647. There will come a time when even in this world holiness shall be more generall and more eminent Page 647 648 649. Of Honor and of honoring of God The more holiness is increased the more the great God will be honored 494 495. The highest degrees of holiness are commonly attended with the highest degrees of honor Page 510 511 512. Of Hypocrites Hypocrites shall not goe to Heaven Page 82 83 84. I. Of Idleness We are to have no special communion with idle persons Page 43 44. Of Joy Of Joy several considerable things Page 352-369 The more holiness any man attains to the greater will be his Heaven of joy in this world Page 496 497 498. Of the Judgements of God He that will be holy must dwell much upon the memorable Judgements of God that in this life has fallen upon unholy persons Page 339 340 341. K. Four reasons why the Kingdom of Heaven is called the kingdom of God Page 19. L. Of Labour A holy heart will labour to make others holy Page 132 133 134 135. Of Life Several Arguments proving the life of man to be but short Page 292-296 Of Little sins Five Reasons why a holy heart