and Pharâ—…sees Who opposed Paul more then the Athenian Philosophers in so much that no Church was founded at Athens though it had the name thorow the world for famous wits and learning See more Love Ser. Growth in Gr. p. 160 to 176. Some men are rich in gifts but poor in grace others are strong in grace yet have but weak gifts of the two ouâ—… greatest care should be for grace which is that one thing necessary And then for gifts be they more or lesse be contented with them be thankful for them improve them Piety is lovely in it self though the parts person of him that hath it be but poor low Many proud and prophane wretches be all for parts and the praise of men no matter for piety hence they oft go to the devil himself that they may get a name for gtfts and abilities I fear many of our seducing speakers are tainted in this kind Vain fools to get the praise of men lose the praise of God to win mens applause get Gods displeasure to get the shadow lose the substance when we should prize a dram of grace before many pounds of gifts a mite of sincerity before many talents of hypocrisie as we prize a little pearl before thousand pebbles a little Gold before much earth Grace will endure when See more Bur. Gratious Spir. p. 219. c. gifts are gone this will bring thee to heaven when the great-gifted-gracelesse men with all their gifts unsanctified abilities shall be cast into hell Tender consciences have many other scruples about their sanctification which they may see fully Answered in Scudders daily Walking chap. 16. sect 6. p. 626 660 c. and M. Wall None but Christ chap. 27. p. 339 to 384. CHAP. V. THe fourth Use is for Examination If ever Examination were needfull 't is here If you take but farthings you will try them you are more carefull about silver but most exact in trying gold This is as I may say the golden grace the grace of our graces without which all morall vertues are but canorae nugae glorious trifles Sanctification is a radicall fundamentall grace Now an error in the foundation is most dangerous and destroyes the building This cannot hurt thee for if upon triall thou findest that thou hast it thou hast cause to be thankfull and to admire the riches of Gods free-grace and love that he should passe by thousands more wise more rich more noble and able to have done him better service and yet should look on thee in thy low and lost condition 2. If upon triall thou findest the want of it then give no rest to thine eyes nor take comfort in any thing till thou hast obtained it And because many do willingly deceive themselves taking blear-eyed Leah for a beautifull Rachel a false sanctification for a true I shall therefore 1. shew you What it is not 2. What it is 1. It is not an externall federall visible See the severall acceptations of this word in those elaborate Serm. of M. Ant. Burgâ—…ss Ser 62. 64. Ser. 19. 28. 45. 57 58. holinesse when by vertue of the externall Covenant all the Lords people are said to be holy Thousands have this that shall never see God a Simon Magus may be baptized and yet be in the gall of bitternesse still He is not a Jew that is one outwardly it is not * Vnder those two Synechdochically all ouâ—…ward priviledge are comprehended circumcision which comprehended the priviledges of the Jew nor uncircumcision which comprehended the priviledges of the Gentiles with all their wealth wisdom nobility birth c. it is none of these which God regards but it is the New-creature he delights in Gal. 5. 6. 2. It is not civility or morall righteousnesse civility is one thing sanctification is another that 's a morall common vertue this is a special saving grace that a Heathen may have he may be just righteous sober civil but this is a grace peculiar to the people of God 2. The civil man looks only to the outward act but the sanctified man looks also to the inward man 3. Civility comes by education sanctification by grace 4. Civility stands in negatives not to hurt not to steal but sanctity in doing good as well as eschewing evil 5. Civility looks only to the second Table sanctification to both Thus you have a fivefold difference between sanctity and civility 3. It is not an opinionative hypocriticaâ—… holinesse such as the Pharisees had who conceited they were holy because they fasted praied gave almes c. though it were but externally and hypocritically Thus many amongst our selves because they frequent duties they conclude themselves to be holy not considering that duty and prophanesse may stand together Men may perform all the duties of Religion and obtain a great measure of illumination so that in their own opinions and conceits they may think themselves holy and in the judgement of charity may be thought to be so by others Heb. 10. 29. and yet be nothing as Iudas Simon Magus and those Heb. 6. 4 * Hypocrita dicuntur sanctisicatiaequivocè i. respectu externae vocationis professionis propriè vero soli electi intus renovantur verâ—…que univocè sanctificantur Tilen that had an externall sanctification in outward profession common illumination and some sleight reformation Not that I speak against duties or ordinances for I know that such as God hath decreed to the end he hath decreed them to the use of means to bring them to that end but against resting in the bare performance of them or idolizing them 4. There is a real internal qualitative holinesse this is that holinesse which we are to seek after it is not shews or shadows it is nothing but real holinesse which can satisfie a gracious soul. This is no superficiall sleight alteration but Ephes. 1. 19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supereminens illa magnitudo V. Leigh in locum God by his Almighty power alters the very bent and resolution of the soul a quite contrary way he sets not up a bare foorm of holinesse but infuseth life and power he puts to the exceeding greatnesse of his power to work it it is harder to create a new heart then a new world for in that God would meet with no opposition it is but speaking the word and is is done Psal. 33. 6. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made but in the work of Regeneration the devil sin and the world oppose 2 The creation of heaven is but finger-work Psal. 8. 3. but the restauration and renovation of man cals for Gods arm Luke 1. 51. and mighty power to crucifiâ—… corruption and to enable us to duties of obedience 1 Cor. 4. 20. By this grace we are said to be partakers of the * Non trans 〈◊〉 naturae humanae in divinä sed participatione donoruÌ„ quibus conformes efficimur divinae naturae Paraeus
after perfection going from strength to strength as an infant grows from one age to another and as the seed which is cast into the ground comes to perfection by degrees Mark 4. 28. so we must all be graduates taking our degrees in the school of Christ growing up into him not in some but in all the graces of his Spirit Ephes. 4. 13. He that is holy must be holy still Revel 22. 11. proceeding and persevering therein Keep it and preserve it for it is your life What we say of modesty Perit â—…ui â—…eriit pietas is most true of piety Lose it and you lose all God hath made many gracious promises that his people shall grow stronger and stronger Job 17. 9. Psal. 92. 12. Hos. 14. 5 6 7. When others fall yet they shall not be moved but shall enjoy peace of conscience sweet contentment communion with God here and the blessed vision of him for ever Oh then let us suffer this word of exhortation to work upon our hearts let us not out-sit all the intreaties of God nor despise this day of our visitation least the Lord in wrath should seal up thy condemnation and say Let him EZek. 24. 13. that is filthy be filthy still since I would have cleansed them but they would not Ezek. 24. 13. be cleansed therefore they shall never be cleansed but as they would live so shall they die in their sins Since I have tried all conclusions to better them but in vain therefore my spirit shall no more contend with them They could not say Nay to a tempter but they could say Nay to Me they could not resist a temptation from a drunkard or some lewd companion but the least hint or call from them is readily obeyed but My Spirit must be denied My invitations rejected and a very base lust preferred before it therefore My Spirit shall no more contend with you but I will forsake you and then Hosea 9. 17. Woe unto them when I depart from them It will be our wisdom then to pursue this Royal game with an holy eagernesse for fear we should misse of it and though it fly from us yet let us still pursue it many run but it is on a false sent they neither pursue peace nor holinesse when they should with diligence pursue both For as in temporals so in spirituals it is the diligent that maketh rich Hence we are commanded not barely to seek but to follow holinesse nor simply Heb. 12. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sectam 〈◊〉 persequimini Metaph. sigâ—… singulare studium sanctitatis obtinendae to follow it but to pursue it as the Hound doth the Hare eagerly delightfully unweariedly or as the cruel persecutor who will never rest till he hath taken him whom he pursueth We must look for much opposition in this way the devil he will raise a thousand discouragementts our own lazy corrupt hearts will cry out of lions in the way Prov. 22. 13. and the world will raise mountains of dangers and difficulties c. but all these will but heighten heroick spirits As that valiant souldier when one told him of a vast Army coming against him answered The greater their number the more glorious â—…ntò plus Toriâ—… refeglemus quonirm eò plures auperabimus will the victory be A gratious spirit knows not what discourageÌ„ent means Jacob will lose all rather then lose the blessing Gen. 32. 24. He came for a blessing Christ sayes to us as Alexander said to one of his name Aut nomen depone aut fortiterpugna and he is resolved to have it ere God and he part and therefore he tels him plainly I will not let thee go until thou blesse me though God crush him lame him shrink his sinews and biâ—… him leave his hold yet he hold the faster and is resolved to lose sinews and bones life and limbs rather then losâ—… the blessing See the issue for this God doth not blame him but highly commends him and cals him Israel i. a Prince and prevailer with God and over men also ver 28. so that Esau instead of killing him doth kiss him Thus we see it is good to be zealous in a good thing Many are the objections and Cavils which are made against holinesse which now come in order to be handled CHAP. VII Where are Answers to all tho Cavils Scruples Scriptures and Objections that are of any weight raised by carnall men against the power of Godlinesse The first Objection Obj. IF we be thus holy and strict we may The flesh never wâ—… excuses beggar our selves endanger our states and lose all c. Ans. 'T is not piety but impiety that â—…eggars men 't is not godlinesse but the want of it that hath undone thousands Do we not daily see many Earls Lords Gentlemen c. that had fair Estates Such are doubly undone they are undone and lose all here and hereafter to yet by whoredom pride idlenesse cruelty oppression drunkennesse c. they have wasted all brought themselves to miserable ends when God hath blest the low estate of his people and made their little increase unto a thousand Let not therefore Satan deceive you with his delusions for it is not holinesse but wickednesse that brings beggary and ruine according to the threatning Deut. 28. 15 to 68. If men will not obey the Commandments of the Lord what then Shall they prosper and have riches No but they shall be cursed in the City and cursed in the field cursed in body soul wife children and estate c. Lo here what sin and wickednesse brings Yea but what if we be an holy obedient people may not these curses light upon us also Oh no for God hath promised to blesse them in their bodies souls goods and God oft in his dispensations makes a great difference between Israel and Egypt Exod. 11. 5. 7 good name Deut. 28. 1 to 15. and therefore the Lord to take off this scandall which the wicked are so apt to lay upon his waies hath made many gracious promises to uphold our hearts as Matth. 6. 33. If we first seek his Kingdom * See Gatâ—…kers Ser on that Text. whan then shall we be beggared No but all these things viz. Food raiment health and wealth and all Virtus omnia in sehabet omnia adsunt bona quem penes est viâ—…tus Plautus temporall blessings so far as shall be good for us shall be freely cast upon us as an over plus into the bargain So Prov. 22. 4. Isa. 1. 19. Psal. 34. 10. Matth. 5. 5 Rom. 8. 32. Heb. 13. 5. Job 22. 21 to 30. Acquaint thy self with God and be at peace with him Ob. So we may beggar our selves No but good shall come to thee and thou shalt lay up gold as dust and shalt have plenty of silver 2. The Lord hath fulfilled these See Gataker Ser. on Gen. 22. 10. fol. p. 299 c promises to his people so
people whom out of ignorance I opposed under the notion of Puritans and set me at the feet of Learned Pious Orthodox Divines who instructed me in the way of the Lord and where the foundation of that little I have was laid To you therefore by way of Thankfulnesse do I Dedicate this Treatise it hath been Preached in your ear it now presents it self to your eye that by oft Reading and Meditation on it you may the better understand remember and practise that purity and Holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. Remember therefore what you have received and heard and hold fast and repent for 't is not a bare speculative notionall knowledge of these things which will make you happy but it must be an affective practicall experimentall knowledge so as to love fear desire and obey this most holy God We must begin our heaven here there we shall be taken up for ever with the contemplation admiration and praise of this our God who is glorious in holinesse Prayer will then cease but Praise and Love will endure for ever This is the chief end wherefore we Nostrum est sanctâ vitâ sanctificare sanctitatem divinam omnaeesque ad eandem exhortari it aque sanctissimum Dei nomen gloriam apud omnes toto orbe propagare à Lap. came into the world viz. That by a pure inoffensive conversation we might bring glory to God do good to others and so spread his praise what in us lies over all the world Get publick spirits now in these daies of publick calamity be zealous for Gods glory valiant for his truth resolute against sin and sharp against errors Watch alwaies over your selves and over your families be industrious in catechizing and teaching your children and servants the way of the Lord by so doing you may propagate piety to posterity for when you have taught your children they will teach their children and their children will teach the succeeding generations Thus 2 Tim 1. 5. Magnum est Dei beneficium pios nancisciparentes ac praesertim matrem à quâ penè tota filiorum educatio pendet á Lap. Lois Timothy ' s Grandmother taught his Mother Eunice she instructs Timothy and Timothy taught the Church c. Dye cloth in the wool and the colour will be better and more durable Teach children when they are young and when they are old they will savour of it Prov. 22. 6. Off with those deformed long-locks those badges of Pride and vanity which See my Treatise against long hair you have been so oft warned of imprison the truth no longer hate not to be reformed lest the Lord put fire into the bush and by some Feaver Pox c. become your barbar as he hath been to some amongst us to their sorrow c. What I here prescribe to you it hath been my study and endeavour though in great weaknesse and many infirmities to practise amongst you I have not laid such burdens upon you as I would not touch my self my desire hath been to Preach to you vitâ voce by Practice as well as Precept The Subject that I present you with is one of the highest and choicest subjects in Divinity Justification and sanctification are the two main Pillars in the house of our God whereupon the whole building stands I have therefore handled this Attribute of Gods Holinesse the more fully 1. Because'tis omitted by the most * Zanchy M. Will. Burton M. Stock D. Preston c. omit it wholly Learned who yet treat fully and excellently on all the rest of the Attributes 2. A right understanding of this Attribute will give us light into all the rest for what is said of Gods Holinesse is also true of his Wisdome Power Mercy Justice c. they are all in him Essentially Eminently Originally Causally Formally and Finally 3 As the knowledge of God in his Attributes is one of the sweetest choicest and most necessary kindes of knowledge so of all the Attributes this of his transcendent Purity deserves our most solemn and serious Meditation it being as I may so say the Attribute of all Sanctitas est attributum Dei nobilissimum ob quod ipse adoratione omnique veneratione obsequio cultu est dignissimus à Lap. Gods Atributes he is Holy in his Mercy Holy in his Iustice c. and that wherein the Lord himself glories most and therefore is so oft stiled The Holy One of Israel and is said to be Glorious in Holinesse c. This Tract such as it is I leave with you as a starre to direct you in your way to Canaan as a friend to comfort you in your spirituall distresses as a Counsellour to teach you and your children after you what is that good and pleasing Cum omnibus Christi ecclesiis omnibus quibus possumus modis teneamur consulere tum maximè obligamur illi Ecclesiae quacum Deus nos conjunxit ac ad quam nos secretâ suâ providentiâ destinavit vocavit Rollos Tota supellex mca est charace a. will of God and as a perpetual monument of my care and desire of your eternall welfare you being that people to which the Lord hath more especially called me and amongst whom he hath by an Almighty hand of providence for many years together protected me I have no better Legacy now that I am going out of the world to bequeath unto you then this Gold I have none and Silver I have but little besides I have made mine own hands the Executors of that little Omnia mea mecum porto but such as I have I give unto you viz. a spirituall Legacy which by the blessing of God upon it may prove better to you then mountaines of Gold and Silver You have been in my heart to live and to die with you This foure and twenty years have I been your servant in your School in your Chappel and Parish Church and have continued with you in the midst of many dangers tentations and difficulties when I could have had double and treble your Means with peace and freedom but 't is work that I prize not wages I seek not yours but you I have coveted no mans silver or gold or apparel yea your selves know that these hands of mine have ministred to my necessities and that I have kept my self in a single condition that I might every way be the fitter for your service But so long as you strive to walk answerable to the Gospel and shew forth the power of it in your conversations being willing to submit unto Christs yoke in this day of his power I am resolved that nothing shall separate us but death This Treatise hath cost me some paines and study and to tell you the truth I like it the better we should not offer to God his Church of that which cost us nothing 'T is the diligent hand which God delights to blesse when the idle shall be cloathed with rags
thing no humane invention but it was long since commanded by God in his written word that his people should be holy because their God was holy alluding to Levit. 11. 44. 19. 2. 20. 7 26. 21. 8. 2. Because the God whom we serve is holy and what should a holy God do with wicked and uâ—…holy servants His holiness is both the Rule and ReasoÌ„ of our holness 1. We must be boly As he is holy Sicut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VD Reynol Sinfull of sin p. 410 to 423. by way of Analogy and Similitude though not by way of Equality He is our pattern whom we must imitate and strive to resemble as the drop resembles the vast Ocean 2. He also is the reason and motive of our holiness therefore we must be holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quia saith the Text Because our God is holy It is he who hath separated Vos mei estâ—…s ergo à gentium pollutionibus abstinete Calv. us from the pâ—…anc of the world to be his own pâ—…culiar therefore we must not fashion our selves like unto them but we must walk as a people whom God hath chosen for himself Ob. By this command it appears say Liberam voluntatem n nobis arguâ—…t provocatio ad acquirendam sanctitatem Lorinus Papists and Arminians that we have free-will to get holiness of our selves why else say they doth the Lord command us to be holy and to purifie our selves 1 John 3. 3. if it be not in our power A. 1. 'T is not in the power of any man Sine Christo ad Christum pervenire impossibile est Rollac to convert or sanctifie himself It is Gods prerogative Royal to be the Lord that sanctifieth us Lev. 20. 8. None can come to him without drawing John 6. 44. which implies our backwardness and great indisposition to the best things We are not only sick but dead in sin Ephes. 2. 1. and what Velle posse facere principium progressum complementuÌ„ omnis bonâ—… divinum danum agnoscimus Cypr. power hath a dead man to raise himself It is God that must work in us both to will and to do for without him we can do nothing Phil. 2. 12 13. John 15. 5. 2 Cor. 3. 5. James 1. 17. 1 Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man 1. Non est capax saith Beza is not capable of spiritual things they are above his capacity Nil dat quod non habet 2. They are foolishness in his judgement 3. He knows them not how then can he desire them Nihil volitum nisi prius cognitum 4. They are spiritually discerned but he is carnal and wants spiritual sight So that you have four strong reasons in one verse against that spreading errour of Free-will 2. It doth not follow because the Lord commands and exhorts us to be holy therefore we may gain it by our own strength for 1. The Lord requires this of us to put us in minde of our original perfection he cals for that which he gave us but we have lost he created Adam in holiness Gen. 1. 27. Eccles. 7. ult We being all in lumbis Adami Adams posterity God may justly demand that of us which once he gave us 2. He doth it to humble us that seeing our own weakness and inability we may sue unto him for strength These precepts shew us not what we are but what we should be they shew us our Duty and not our Ability 3. These exhortations are not in vain for they are a means by which God works in us these things that he commands there is Latens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a secret power of the Spirit which goes along Dei dâ—…re eit faâ—… with every command and exhortation to make it effectual in the hearts of the Elect. When Christ bid Lazarus arise there went a vertue along with that Call which made him to arise Christ S S. non solum monet sâ—… movet voluntatâ—…m commands Thomas to beleeve and immediatly he beleeves John 20. 27 28. What God bids them do he makes them willing and able in some measure for to do 4. As for that place 1 John 3. 3. it speaks of a Regenerate man one that hath faith and hope in him and so hath vertue from Christ to purifie himself 5. Yet we must not sit still like stocks and sots and say Christ must do all we must do nothing say the * See them fully confuted M. Aâ—…burges Uâ—…d Legis p. 86. Davenâ—…nt Determin 〈◊〉 9. Antinomians but when the Lord cals we must answer as the Church promiseth Cant. 1. 4. Draw me what then I will not go but run after thee Our wils must concur with Gods will Paul was not disobedient to the heavenly vision Acts 26. 19. Christs sheep when they hear his voice must follow him John 10. 4. The Text being cleared two observations naturally flow from it That our God is an holy God Dect 1. 2. Seeing our God is holy â—…herefore we that are his people must be holy also I shall treat only of the former the later will fall in with the Application For the better explication of the point I will shew you how the Lord may be said to be holy Our God is holy 1. Essentially 2. Eminently 3. Originally 4. Operatively First God is essentially Holy Holines is 1. Essentialâ—…ter Sanctâ—…â—…ei est 〈◊〉 alâ—…s 〈◊〉 â—…s illâ—…m 〈◊〉 arâ—…ypa â—…ostra vero ac 〈◊〉 dependens 〈◊〉 ectypa Alsteed his very Essence it is himself 't is not a quality or accident that may be separated from him Holinesse in Angels and men is a Quality and an * An accident is that which may be added to a substance and after â—…e taken from it and yet the substance re maâ—…n still Accident their Essence may remain though their Holinesse be lost but Gods Holinesse is so essentiall and connaturall to him that he may as soon cease to be as cease to be Holy Hence 1 He is constantly Holy what 's naturall is constant he is holy yesterday to day and for ever he ever was is and will be holy Rev. 4. 8. He 's holy in Heaven and holy in earth holy and righteous Verâ—… ac proprie Deâ—…s est Sanctus i. un versaâ—…i perfectisâ—…maque justitia iustâ—…s in quo nihil viâ—…j nihil in â—…qui nihil â—…ali essâ—… pâ—…t est eoâ—… plâ—…nus maiestâ—…te Zanchy in hell it self holy in his word and holy in his works he never sinned nor can sin the righteous Lord will do no iniquity he is alwaies just righteous pure good and loves it in his people he delights in such as study purity they are men after his own heart 2. He delights in Holinesse what is naturall is pleasing and delightfull God delights to shew himself to his people by this Attribute hence he is so often by way of Eminency called The Holy One of Israel i. Israels most eminent and glorious God and by
maerore afficieâ—…atur talis fuit perturbatio qualis est in morbis paroxâ—…smus Are 〈◊〉 tius Acts 17. 16. is troubled at the Idolatry of the Athenians and weeps Phil. 3. 18. to consider the sad condition both of the Seducers and the seduced 6. The two witnesses prophesie in * sackcloth mourning to see so many bewitched with Antichrists delusions Externo habitu vili et sord do sunt testaturi amaritudinem et dolorem aâ—…imi sui ob vastitatem ecclesiae et horribilem mundi coecitatem Paraeus Rev 11. 3. Such mourners are dear to God he hath a speciall respect unto them and care over them in times of common calamity Ezek. 9. 4. They mourn not for worldly losses but for the abominations of the Land not for punishment but for sin not for one or two sins but for All the abominations these must be marked for mercy in the midst of misery God hath an Ark for righteous Noah a Zoar for Lot a grave to hide mourning Iosiah from evil to come a Prison to hide mourning Jeremiah in when merry Jerusalem is taken and the Kings eyes put out Ier. 39. 6 7 11 12 c. And if ever this duty If we cannot mend the things that are amisse yet mourn Dalachrymulam Dulce decoâ—…um est pro patria flere Disputare malumus quam vivere Nimium altercaâ—…do amittitur pietas veritas See M. Ant. Burgesse Ser. 22. Ser. 51. were in season 't is now when sin like a flood hath overspread the Land and holiness is turned into hollowness and hypocrisie Piety is vanisht into Disputes we are now all for disputing pious living is out of date We have wrangled so long about niceties and vanities that verity and sanctity are almost banisht What Iob 28. 12 13. speaks of wisdom may be applied to sanctification where shall purity be found and where is the place of sanctity Our families say it is not in us our Towns and Cities say it is not in us our Counties Courts say we know it not It is fled to heaven and hath left the earth The holiness and integrity of men is invisible but their wickedness and impiety is visible Drunkenness swearing forswearing cursing lying whoredom adultery blasphemy heresie pride divisions censoriousness covetousness oppression atheism malice envy hypocrisie bribery extortion cruelty idolatry apostacy gluttony prophanation of Sabbaths and all holy things ignorance ingratitude murder incorrigibleness unrighteousness barrenness under the means of grace contempt of the Gospel contempt of holy Magistrates contempt of holy Ministers contempt of the power of godliness neutrality and lukewarmness superstition and will-worship besides a numberlesse number of Anabaptists Sicut in sentinam profundi maris colluviones omnium sordium sic in mores nostrorum quasi ex omni mundo vitia fluxerum Salvian Arminians Socinians Familists Separatists Arrians Antinomians Mortalists Enthusiasts Perfectists c. Our Land is become the very sink of all abominations a sign we are fallen into the last and worst times of which this is one character amongst those nineteen â—…ins of the last times men shall be unholy 2 Tim. 3. 1 2 3 4 5. Amongst us you may finde the Drunkness of the Dutch the lust of the French the Italians ambition the Spaniards treachery the Lap-landers witchcraft the coveteousnes of the Jew the cruelty of the Turke and the Monsters of Munster c. Of these unholy ones there are four sorts First Some are openly prophane they have neither good outside nor good inside they have neither good hearts Hi dicuntur Christiani ad contumeliaâ—… Christi Salv. nor good hands but are open swearers open drunkards open hereticks Gods holy Sabbaths they mispend his holy Name they blaspheme his holy word they scorn his holy Sacraments they defile his holy ones they persecute and revile they declare their sin like Sodom they hide it not Isa. 3. 9. wo unto them for they have rewarded evil to themselves God will one day bâ—… terror to all such prophane wretches who instead of confessing do professe their sin without either fear or shame These are directly opposite to the most holy God and he to them they abhorre him and he abhorrs them Zach. 11. 8. Mal Quam vis Deus propter immensitateÌ„ essentiâ—… non possâ—…recedere reipsa recedit tâ—…men tum â—…ffectu tum â—…ffectu quia odit tale â—…abitaculum Lessius 4. 1. God loaths such an habitation he will not dwell in such a swine-sty and brothel of uncleannesse he will not pour the oyl of grace into such fusty vessels nor his precious balsom into such nasty sinks the most holy God will have no communion with any but holy ones What Solomon saith of the froward is most true of all the wicked Prov. 3. 32. they are an abomination to the Lord not only abominable but abomination it self in the abstract therefore he cast the Angels from heaven Adam out of Paradise drowned the old world fired Sodom ruined Jerusalem A wicked mans heart is nidus diaboli a den for devils to dwell in the pure Spirit of God loves to dwel in a pure house Holinesse becomes his house for ever and therefore if we will have his Spirit for our guest we must keep our selves pure not only from the blots but also from the spots of the world James 1. 27. for if rotten and unsavoury speeches do grieve Gods Spirit Ephes. 4. 29. unholy actions will much more I would advise such to consider 1. That if such as professe Religion pray reade hear the Word observe the Sabbath c. may yet come short of heaven what will be their condition who do none of these things If the figtree that had leaves of profession were cursed what will become of those that have neither leaves nor fruit neither form nor power neither shew nor substance but are impure without and impute within If Herod who 1. Heard Iohn Baptist though he was a sharp reprover of sin 2. He heard him gladly 3. He reformed many things Mark 6. 20. but not all he abstained from some sins though he lived in others yet if he missed of heaven what thinkest thouwill thy end be who railest on such Ministers as sharply reprove sinne neither hearest them gladly nor reformest any thing How many of our people fall short of See how far a reprobate may go Perkins on Mat. 7. 21 p. 244. c. those that fall short of heaven that never confesse their sin with Pharaoh nor weep with Esau nor desire Gods Samuels to pray for them as Saul did nor M. Ant. Burgesse in his last Ser. p. 13. Ser. 3. Ser. 21. Ser. 90. be zealous as Iehu nor repent as Iudas nor tremble with Felix nor are almost perswaded with Agrippa not have good desires with Balaam nor humble themselves with Ahab c. and yet all these were reprobates and came short of heaven 2. Consider That this thy wickednesse makes thee like
the devil who is called by way of Eminency The unclean spirit Math. 10. 1. 26. 12. 43. as being in himself most foul and unclean and making it his chief delight to provoke and stirre up others to uncleannesse so is directly opposite to the most holy and pure God 3. Consider That whilst thou livest in thy wickednesse there is no hope of heaven God hath expressely told thee that no unrighteous person shall inherit his Kingdom no fornicators idolaters adulterers drunkards coveteous c. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11. Ephes. 5. 5. no unclean person can come there Rev. 21. 8 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there 's a double negative they shall in no wise enter Heaven is an inheritance undefiled 1 Pet. 1. 4. It is Gods holy mountain where he doth more especially manifest his presence and glory such a pure place and presence will not brook an impure sinner Most men would have happinesse but they regard not holinesse they would be glorified Saints in heaven but not mortified Saints on earth Like Balaam they would dye the death of the righteous Numb 23. 10. but not live their lives They would go to heaven with their sins but if no unclean beast might come near the Mount lest it died and if a King will not suffer such as have the plague runing on them to come nigh his Court-Royal where then will those beasts appear that have the plague of sin runing on them and reigning in them Who ever hopes for heaven and happinesse Non est via ad regnum sine primitiis regâ—… nec sperare potest coeleste regnum cui neque super propriam datur regnare concupiscentiâ—…m Bernard must tread the path of holinesse or he will never come there 1 Iohn 3. 2 3. He that hath this hope viz. of attaining glory with Christ hereafter must first resemble Christ in purity here as Christ died for sin so he must dye unto sin for if we be in the flesh we cannot please God Rom. 8. 8. and if flesh and blood i. the weaknesse of our nature cannot inherit glory 1 Cor. 15. 50. how much lesse can corrupt nature Obi. Though our lives be wicked yet we have as good hearts and as good mindes and meanings as the purest of them all Ans. The emptiest barrels sound loudest Saul boasts that he had kept the commandments of the Lord when he had broke them Thy wicked life See M. Ant. Burgess Ser. 92. pag. 543. c. shews clearly the wickednesse of thy heart thy evil fruit shews that thy root is evil for a good tree cannot but bring forth good fruit and if thy heart were so good thy life would be better where the fountain is sweet the streams cannot be bitter therefore deceive not thy self for if thy life be wicked thy heart is a thousand times more wicked and if thy actions be naught thy spirit is worse Obi. If the Lord be angry we must bear it as well as we can we hope yet to escape for he is mercifull c. Ans. Bear it Alas there is no enduring Gods wrath it rends the rocks melts the mountains makes the devils tremble and roar like the sea and shrike for fear Hence the Lord tels his people Ezek. 22. 14. that their hearts could not endure nor their hands be strong in the day when he should bring his judgements on them If we cannot bear the V. Baxter Saints Rest part 2. ch 4. sect 10. pangs of a rotten tooth or a broken bone how shall we endure the terrors of the Lord when they shall seize on all the powers both of body and soul 2. Presume not of Gods mercy for See more Harsnet on Repent p. 318 c. Brooks his Remedies against Satans dâ—…vices p. 52 c. as he is mercifull to them that fear him so he is just in punishing those that rebell against him and hath said he will not be mercifull to such as offend of malicious wickednesse Psal. 59. 5. though Burgess Ser. 59. he be gracious to the penitent yet he will by no means acquit the wicked Nihil est deterius quam pacem sperare â—…ul 〈◊〉 bellum gerimus cum Deo illum promittere nobisquietum quem lacessâ—… mus peccato Calv. Exod. 34. 6 7. Dreadfull is that place none like it in all the book of God against all impenitent presumptuous sinners that cry Peace peace and blesse themselves in their wickednesse adding drunkennesse to thirst and sin to sin What will the Lord do to such a one Deut. God cannot satisfie himself in threatning this heynous sin as if the very naming of it had enraged his jealousie Trap. in loc 29. 19 20 21. 1. The Lord will not spare him 2. His anger and jealousie shall smoak against him 3. All the curses which are written in this Book shall lie upon him 4. Yet more God shall blot out his name from under heaven 5. The Lord shall separate him unto evil A second sort of wicked unholy persons Second sort See D. Preston on 2 Tim. 3. 5. are formall professors meer outside Christians who have a form of godlinesse but are strangers to the life and power of it they have fine words but filthy deeds like Pharaoh King of Egypt ox praeâ—…erea nihil Nihil prodest nomen sanctum sine moribus q. vita a professione discordans ab rogaâ—… illustris tituli honorem Salv. who is said to be a Noise i. nothing but words he promiseth much but performs nothing Jer. 46. 17. Like the prophane Jews they cry The Temple of the Lord The Temple of the Lord yet for all that they will steal murder commit adultery swear fasly and bow for an advantage to any Baal Jer. 7. 9 10. They make great shews and come to hear the Prophets of the Lord when it is only to Hear but they will not Do with their mouths they praise but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse Ezek. 33. 31. These Buts spoil all It is said of Naaman that he was a valiant man But he was a leper so many are men of fine Parts But they are proud But they are covetous But they are censorious alwaies prying into the lives of others Domi talpae â—…ris oculati neglecting their own c. These walk as if they had been trained up in Machiavells School who tels men they need not much care for vertue it self but for the appearence only in the eyes of the world because the fame and credit of vertue is an help but the practice of it is a cumber But sure if the shadow be so good the substance is better if the very name of piety be a praise how Si bonum est bonum apparere melius est bonum esse Chrys. Nihil tâ—…m provocat Deum qui est sanctitas ad abominationeÌ„ peccantis sicut hypocrisis quae est simulatio sanctitatis Wickliâ—… great is the praise of real holinesse Counterfeit
therefore Uomitus hic significat Deum exeâ—…rari tepidos sicut execramur id quod os evomuit 2. â—…d fieri violentia magna sicut fit vomitus a Lop. threatens to spue them out the punishment is sutable to the sin a foul sin must be thrown into a foul place and as a man loaths his vomit and cannot endure the sight or sent of it so God will reject those persons and Nations that are not zealous for his glory they are a burden to him and he is not at ease till he cast them up 4. Neuters are in a worse condition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucydâ—d Such as are in a middle condition aâ—e assoyled if not slaine on both sides then any other men because they are hated of all sides God hates them because they halt are not fully for him and therefore he threatens to punish such as swear by the Lord and by Malcom too Zeph. 1. 5. And the devil hates them because they are not fully for him Good men hate them because of their badnesse and backwardnesse and evil men hate them because they pretend to goodnesse Thus are they justly hated of all sides who are truly of no side 5. He is a spiritual coward and so must answer for disheartning others 2 Tim. 4. 16. When Paul came to answer before Nero all men forsook him I pray God said he it be not laid to their charge They were obnoxious to a curse though it were not presently executed 6. They shall have no comfort when times of refreshing come no dividing of the spoils God will do his own work without them deliverance shall come some other way when they and theirs shall perish 7. It is contrary to our National Covenant so solemnly sworn before the Lord Art 6. We vow against detestable indifferency and neutrality in the Cause of God If the good man perform his Covenants which tend to his hurt Psal. 15. 4. much more should we perform the Covenants which tend to our good Oh then let us serve the Lord truly and totally without halting or halving God will have all or none at all Like Caleb let us be men of other spirits differing from the sordid spirits of the men of the world following the Lord fully Numb 14. 24. Let us cleave to the Lord and his waies with full purpose and resolution of heart Act. 11. 23. As David danced before the Ark with all his might 2 Sam. 6. 14. so let us pray fervently hear attentively observe Gods Sabbaths chearfully follow our Callings diligently For if we do these things we shall neve be moved Fourth sort Scorners at purity A fourth sort are such as scorn at purity and make a mock at holiness When Christ did but set his face as though he would go to Ierusalem the Samaritans hated him Luk. 9. 51. So let a man begin to resolve against sin and to crosse the corruptions of the age he lives in and presently he shall hear This is one of the holy Bretnren a Puritan a Precisian a Presbyterian a Round-head 〈◊〉 Hypocrite a Saint forsooth As it was said of simplicity that Simplicitâ—…s cujus â—…on auâ—…o â—…re nomen Iuven. it was almost a reproach to name it so it is almost a crime to mention sanctity in this prophane age or to use the title of holy Brethren and the Brotherhood though the Apostle useth both Heb. 4. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 17. Not long since it was a step to preferment to rail upon Pauper Lutherus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fecit divites Puritans as many by railing at Luther got riches and others by reviling Calvin got Deaneries Bishopriks and Cardinals Caps according to the distich Sis fur sis nebulo sycophanta turpis adulter Calvinum ferias fulmine magnus eris Be thief adulterer be sycophant or knave If Calvin thou canst smite thou shalt be brave But if the Lord plagued the spies for raising an evil report on the Land of Canaan Numb 14. 36 37. let them not think to escape the hand of justice that raise slanders on purity which is the way to the celestial Canaan Let such consider these five things 1. In scoffing at pure ones they scoff Benignissimus pâ—…issimus Deus communem sibi cum servâ—…s suis 〈◊〉 contâ—…meliam facit c. Salvian l 8. p. 292. at God he takes the injuries done to them as done to himself Saul Saul why persecutest thou Me As Solomon saies of the poor Prov. 17. 5. He that mocks the poor derides him that made him so he that mocks the pure derides him that made him so and did ever any mock at God and prosper Let the potsheards strive with the potsheards of the earth but wo to him that striveth with his Maker Isa. 45. 9. 2. Thou art come to the highest degree of wickednesse To want purity is dangerous but to scorn at it is most dangerous Hence David sets them in the devils highest forme and makes them Doctors of the chair Psal. 1. 1. who sit in the seat of scorners These are vassals of Satan vessels of wrath sons of Belial enemies to God and to all goodnesse 3. Consider Whom dost thou scorn Are they not the people of God thy best friends thou farest the better for them every day the tares are spared for the wheats sake and were their number once accomplisht the worlds frame would soon flame about thy ears they are a people near and dear to God by their prayers they either keep off judgements or get them sanctified and therefore wo to the world when God takes them away When Noah was shipped then came the flood When Lot was safe Sodom is destroyed When Luther was dead the warres began in Germany Many esteem the godly no better then a pack of precise fools but they know that wicked men are fools and the time is at hand when themselves shall confesse it There is a Canonicall truth in that Apocryphal Impii hic rerum evdentia suaque jactura et damno convict serio sed seroagnescunt vanitatem sâ—…a 〈◊〉 honorum et voluptatum quod cio evanescant c. a Lap. iâ—… locum Text Wisd 5. 4. to 10. This is he whom we had sometime in derision and a proverb of reproach we fools counted his life madnesse and his end to be without honour how is he mumbred amongst the children of God and his lot among the Saints c. what hath pride profited us or what good hath riches with our vaunting brought us All these things are past away like a shadow and as a post that hasted by c. This ere long will be your language 4. Consider Thou maiest need their praiers ere thou diest A Pharaoh in trouble may beg for the praiers of a Moses Yea have we not known some in our own time that have been notorious scorners at Puritans yet upon their death-beds have desired their praiers and have confest if any go to heaven it
this world is the place of duty of weeping wrastling watching striving running fighting c. Heaven is the place of resting singing comfort and rejoycing there all tears shall be wiped from our eyes all fears taken from our souls there shall be no working watching praying there is no Temple there But he that hath all joy in this life must look for none in another Luke 6. 25. 16. 25. It is farre better to want comfort then grace for comfort is not essential to holinesse though usually it attend it See Love Degrees of growth p. 143 c. yet God for good ends may hide comfort from the eyes of his dearest servants here 3. Whereas you think that God doth not see your sins you must know that if you do truely belong to him he takes more special notice of your sins for he is more especially present amongst his people he walks in the midst of the golden Christus in medio Ecclesiae prvoidentia sua praesto adest omnia coram intuetur fidem diligen iam probat praemâ—…is compensat ignaviam et praevaricationem aversatur poenis ulciscitur Pareus Candlesticks Rev. 2. 1. to behold their holiness and obedience to reward it to behold their sin and disobedience to punish it He is the holy One in the midst of his people Hos. 11. 9. therefore his people must keep themselves from every evil thing and suffer no iniquity to reign either in themselves or in their dwellings For it is the sins of Gods own people that do most displease him they are as it were the only sins as Jer. 32. 30. God takes no notice of the sins of Criminosior est culpa ubi â—…onestior status Si honcratior est persona peccantis peccati quoque maior invidia Sal. de Gub. l. 4. p. 128. others in comparison of the sins of his own people 1. Because they are a people near to him they are his spouse his sons and daughters his houshould-servants and so their sins do more dishonour him the world will conclude that the Master cannot be good that hath such wicked followers 2. Their sins are Quomodo bonus Magister est cuius tam malos videmus esse discipulos Salv. l 4. mihi p. 141. more scandalous cause Gods Name to be blasphemed by the enemies of Religion 1 Sam 12. 14. Rom. 2. 24. Ezek. 36. 20. 3. Their sins are committed against greater means and greater mercies Grave luctuosum est ipsa Dei Eoclesia quae in omnibus esse debet placatrix Dei quid est aliud quam exacerbatrix Sal. de Gub. l. 3. p. 87. against greater light and knowledge against the motions of Gods Spirit and cheeks of conscience c. Wothen to Antinomians that bid men after adultery and theft rejoyce for God loves not heavinesse c. See them fully confuted Rutherf against Antinom part 2. ch 32. ch 37 38 39. Sixtly and lastly It informs us That our Religion is the old and true Religigion that Religion which teacheth men the way to obtain Gods Image which consists in Holinesse and Righteousnesse See M. Ienkyn on Jude 6. p. 468. that is the old and the true Religion but our Religion only teacheth this Our Religion is as old as Adam whom God created after his own Image in Righteousnesse and Holinesse so that as Righteousnesse and Holinesse is elder then sinne and wickednesse so is our Religion then all other Religions Popery is a new and See D. Halls old Religion false Religion instead of sanctification it sets up Ceremonies and cals for outside worship and bodily exercise which profits little and instead of regeneration and renewing of our corrupt nature it pleads for nature as but half-dead and wounded only and needs but a little reviving and strengthening CHAP. III. THe second use is for Instruction Sanctitati dâ—…betur reverentia Les. Iâ—…e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 colo â—…en ror q. d. â—…b puritatem coleâ—…dus â—…nera â—…us A Lap. and that ten waies 1. We learn to adore and admire the transcendent purity of God which appeares in all his Attributes Excellency cals for reverence and admiration we admire great Princes and Potentates when we see them in their glorious Robes stately Palaces and honourable attendance and shall we not admire the glory of the King of Kings before whom the Angels stand with reverence and fear It is meer Atheism to forget the Lord daies without number to have him seldom in our thoughts when we can passe over his glorious works of mercy power providence and justice without due observation 'T will be our wisdom to eye and observe When there be divisions ruines plundeâ—…ings â—…n a Kingdom theâ—…e iâ—… a wheel in those wheels a providence that acts orders them Greenâ—… his holinesse and wisdom in all those crosse workings of providence both towards our selves and the Nations He hath a wheel in the wheels Ezek. 1. 16. When we think the wheels go backward he can make them go forward and those waies which we think will ruine the Nations he can make them a means to raise them this is the way to true wisdom and to understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord Psal. 107. 43. This is the principall end why God created man viz. that he might acknowledge set forth his praise in the world and declare his glorious holinesse and excellency This is the work of the Angels in heaven Isa. 6. 3. they cry Holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts and this is the work of all Gods people thorow the world Rev. 4. 8. The summe of all that which the Catholick Church dispersed over all the world doth is to sing and agnize the sanctity and holinesse of the great God it is their constant imployment they rest not day and night saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was which is and is to come Then we are said to sanctifie him not by adding any holinesse to him but declaratively when we proclaim his holinesse and acknowledge it both in our hearts and lives this he accounts as a sanctifying oâ—… his great Name We should therefore set apart soÌ„e time to meditate on Gods absolute perfection and excellency we should admire him commend him to our selves till we can expeâ—…ntally say wi th David Ps. 86. 8. Among the Gods there is none like thee O Lord We should glory in him wheÌ„ the world boasts of their houses lands riches friends c. do thou make thy boast of the Lord and challenge them all to shew such a Lord and Master of such transcendent purity and perfection as thy God is of 2. If the Lord be thus glorious in holinesse then we should set our affections on him love him fear him desire him and trust in him We must love him with all our heart with the highest intenâ—…ion of affection prizing his favour Intensive appretiative Affectu
so holy a God It aggravates a mans sin to abuse some eminent holy man that is just and upright in all his waies ever doing us good and tender over us But for sinfull man to abuse and provoke the most high and holy God who never wronged us but renews his mercy every morning c. is a very sad aggravation of our sin especially considering the basenesse of him that offends and the excellenty of him that is offended When David would shew the great indignity offered to him he tels us that the base druâ—…kards made songs and ballads of him And Job complains of the injuries that were done to him by base and worthlesse persons There might be some comparison between David and Job and those that abused them but who art thou base sinful dust and ashes that settest thy self against thy God thy Maker whom miriads of Angels reverence and adore This is that which makes thy sins objectively infinite because committed against a God of infinite Majesty and Holinesse and therefore let none presume to sin against him for he hates sin wherever he findes it even where he loves the person yet he 'l punish their iniquity as we see in Moses Aaron Eli Hezekiah David Solomon Sampson Jonah Zachary c. their sins are more displeasing The indignities of a friend go nearer to us then the abuses of an enemy It troubled David Psal. 55. Lo thus was I wounded in the house of my friend And the Lord complains Isa. 1. that he had nourished and brought up children and lo they had rebelled against him As Caesar said to his son when he came with the rest and wounded him What and thou my son Brutus art thou one that woundest me too Relations abused turn to the greatest fury If Gods own will be so bold as to sin God will be so bold as to let the world see that he will punish them for their sin Weeds in the wilderness we can bear with but not in our gardens Dung is good in our fields but not so in our Parlours God calls his Church Jehovah Shammah Ezek. 48. ult The Lord is there So long as his people walk answerable to their principles and priviledges the Lord is there to assist protect comfort them to plead their cause and fight their battels for them making their enemies to submit unto them Psal. 81. 12 13. But if his people rebell against him he will be terrible in the assembly of his Saints Judgement shall begin at his house Ezek. 9. 6. and those whom he hath known above others shall be puâ—…ished before others Amos 3. 2. 9. Chuse him for your portion get interest 'T is said of T. Aquinas that as he was kneeling at prayer he heard a voice saying Bene de me scrâ—…psisti Thoma quam ergo mercedem accipies resp Thomas Nullam Domine nâ—…si Teipsum and propriety in him have him and you have all He that hath the Mine cannot want gold and he that hath God for his God cannot want goods riches grace c. because all these are in God eminently and transcendently he is God All-sufficient Gen. 17. 1. able to satisfie all the desires of our soules finite things cannot satisfie our infinite desires he hath made our hearts for himself and none but he that made them can satisfie them True happinesse and contentednesse is to be found in him alone Chuse him for your Lord and Master become servants Persectio creaturae est parere crea tori to him prefer his service before all the Crowns and Kingdoms of the world The greater the Prince the more noble the service It is more noble to be tenant to this thrice holy God then to be King of all the world as 't is more noble to be the Princes favourite then to be shepheard of a flock of sheep This made that famous Bucholtzer to tell his friends who blamed him for stooping so low as to teach a School that he preferred that service before a kingdom Let us spend our selves and all we have for his honour we cannot serve a better Master As Christ was Totus in nostros suus expensus wholly laid out for us so it is but reason that we should wholly lay out our selves for him again 10. Imitate God T is his will that we should resemble him in the beauties of holinesse We are apt to imitate Regis ad exemplum c. great men especially if they can advance us Oh that we would imitate the great God and learn to be holy because he is holy Naturally man desireth to be like God and therefore the serpent useth this argument to perswade our first Parents to eat of the Similitudo moris ratio amorâ—…s Aquinas 1. 2. q. 99. art 2. forbidden fruit because they should be like unto God and so in a better condition for the more like unto God we are the better and the more he delights in us I may truly say Tast of this commanded fruit of holinesse and ye shall be like unto God and live with him for ever Children are apt to imiâ—…ate their fathers God is our holy faâ—…her Tantó quisq Deo sim lior quanto ab immuÌ„ditia mundior August John 17. 11. and if we will be his â—…ons and daughters we must imitate â—…im in purity and follow him as dear â—…hildren Ephes. 51. 'T is the excellency Quo quis est sanctior timem iorque Dei â—…o etiam maiori Deum amore complectitur Zanchy Quo quid similius Deo eo melâ—…us â—…f the creature to resemble its Creator â—…e more like to him the better Let us â—…rite after this Copy make him our â—…ule and we shall never go astray If â—…en be to study an Art they will chuse â—…e best and choicest Author for their â—…itation Those that would be excelâ—…t Orators do propound to themâ—…ves a Cicero or a Demosthenes for â—…eir pattern None holy as the Lord â—…d therefore none so fit a pattern for Deus vult nos imitaâ—…i non ejus omnipotentiam omniscientiam c. sed bonitatem sanctitatem A Lap. to imitate as He. Gods other Artriâ—…es of Omnipotency Eternity Simâ—…city c. call for Adoration Reveâ—…ce and Admiration but his holiâ—…sse cals for our imitation Be ye holy 〈◊〉 I am holy CHAP. IV. THe third Use for Consolation Here is singular Consolation 〈◊〉 all such as are pure in heart in worâ—… and works that have not only a forâ—… but the power and practice of godâ—… nesse appearing in the whole course 〈◊〉 Whatsoever filthor duâ—…g of scorn reproach or slaâ—…der the sâ—…avingers of this world can â—…ake out of the keâ—…nell of their malâ—…cious hearts is fair and good enough to cast in the face of Gods people their conversations You must aâ—… now for persecution * See this Text fully opened Bur. Moses choice p. 14 c. 2 Tim. 3. 12. 〈◊〉 that will live godly must suffer persecâ—…on You must
Deut. 33 3. as we see in Noah Loâ—… Abraham Iob David Paul and all the Saints He is the holy God and therefore will defend his holy ones and will pity them in their distresses Hos. 11. 9. and will avenge their blood upon their enemies Rev. 6 10. 2. Provision Piety hath the promise of temporall as well as spirituall blessings 1 Tim. 4. 8. If we first seek Gods Kingdom we need not cark and care for food raiment health and wealth v. Praefat. Piscatoris ad 1 Chronicoroâ—… c. all these shall be cast upon us as an over plus into the bargain Full is that promise Psal. 132. 13 14 15 16. If fathers must provide for their children much more will God provide for his The lions may lack and suffer hunger but such as fear the Lord shall lack nothing that may be for their good He that feeds ravens takes care for sparrows and is so bountifull to the wicked which are his enemies will never suffer his children to want He hath given us Christ and with him all things We need not doubt of crusts since he hath promised a Kingdom Luke 12. Qui dabtt regnum non do it viaticum Aug. 31. 3. Supportation The Lord will uphold your spirits in times of triall the righteous shall be bold as lions Uprightnesse Magnas vires babet pietas Luth. Psal. 46. breeds boldnesse and The holiest men make the happiest Martyrs David hath a heart like a lion Paul beholds the Councell undauntedly Holy Nehemiah 6. 11. will not fly Piety makes men invincible and iuvulnerable When friends forsake and riches fail when head and heart fails yet our holinesse will not forsake us but will go with us to heaven 4. Exaltation Exalt piety and it will exalt thee God is yours in a more speciall propriety Psal. 144. ult Happy is that people whose God is the Lord. He is Sancti sunt 〈◊〉 Dei 1 portio selâ—… res rara et 〈◊〉 tâ—…saurus Ireâ—…io us cimelium prae 〈◊〉 à Lap. Lord of all but he is your God and you are his peculiar people above all the world All the world is but lumoer you are his treasure others are his creatures but you are his first fruits Ier. 2. 3. Holy ones are near and dear to God no man loves his jewels so as the Lord loves theÌ„ Deut. 7. 6. P. 148. 14. Mal. 3. 17 Holinesse exalts men both in this life and in the life to come 1. In this life They bring judgements on their enemies Ps. 149. 5. to 10. there is an honour given to all the Saints and only to the Saints to execute vengeance on the Heathen To binde their Kings in chains and Nobles with fetters of iron 〈◊〉 by their praiers censures and denouncing Gods judgements against wicked men they shall binde them in fetters and slay them with a two-edged sword Dan. 7. 22. This honour have all the Saints to conquer overcome and subdue their enemies 2. At the day of judgement Christ will be glorious and made marvellous in his Saints 2 Thes. 1. 10. and though the wicked for a time here may trample them under foot contemn them yet the time is at hand when they sâ—…all judge their judges Matth. 19. 28. Luke 22. 28. Luke 22. 30. 1. Cor. 6. 2. 3. Know ye not that the Saints shall judge the world The poor Saints whom the world now esteem as dung and dirt yet shall one day sit with Christ on his Throne to judge their enemies and though now they scorn them yet then shall they behold them with horror and amazement and cry to be hid from them from the sight of them Yea they shall not onely Judge their fellow-creatures but they shall sit as Judges on the Apostate Angels also 1 Cor. 6. 3. not they that shall judge men or Angels Authoritatively by pronouncing the sentence of condemnation on them which is proper to Christ the Judge but as astipulators they shall assent and approve of Christs Judgement as righteous Christ as Judge shall pronounce the sentence Go ye cursed the Saints assent and say Righteous art thou Lord Christ just are thy judgements Obj. I am sensible of so much corruption saith the gracious soul and see so much fiâ—…th and uncleanesse in my self that I question whether I have any holinesse in me at all c. Ans The holiest men are most sensible See this doubt fully and sweetly answered in M. Ant. Burgess last Ser. S 65. p. 40â—… of their own unholinesse 'T is a sign of some purity wheÌ„ we can unfeignedly lament our own impurity corruption will not complain of corruption neither wil nature complain of nature there must be some grace begun in the soul before we can lament the loathsomenesse of sin how long may one live with a naturall man and yet he never once complain of his uncleannesse though helie in the dregs of sin and therefore let not the sight and sense of thy sinne discourage thee I wish there were more sick of thy disease but rather encourage thee to fly unto Christ who is a fountain not sealed but opened not for one or two sins but infinitely for sin and fer uncleannesse Zach. 13. 1. You must therefore know for your comfort that there is a twofold holinesse The first is a legall holinesse which is a perfect conformity to the law of God and so onely Adam in the state of innocency Christ were perfectly holy There is no perfect holinesse to be found in us here as the * See them confuted 〈◊〉 The ol l 1. C 26. Thes. 10. p. 682. Sanctif est duplex 1. Re sic babetur perfecté tantum in Patria in caelo 〈◊〉 Spe sic babetur â—…n via iâ—…perfecté tantum in hac vita Anabaptists dream perfection is reserved for heaven there indeed we shall sin no more Secondly There is an Evangelicall holinesse when we truly desire and endeavour to please God in all things lamenting our impurity striving against our corruptions and hate every false way c. this is true sanctification though it be not perfect for as all our S. inchoata est vera licet non absoluta Daven See Dovvnams Warfar fol. 289 c. graces so our sanctification in this life is imperfect Hence the purest Saints on earth have made sad complaints of their own uncleannesse as Iob 9. 20. 42. Psal 38. 4. 51. Isa. 64. Rom. 7. Yet in Gods acceptation they are Saints still and are so â—…alled in Scripture from the better part A corn field though it have some weeds in it yet we call it a A parte praestantiori fit denominatio corn field still and white paper though it have some blots on it yet we call it white still from the greater and the better part So that there are not onely Saints in heaven but also Saints on earth as appears Psal. 16. 3. 116. 15. and the Apostle writ to Saints
at Ephesus Corinth Collosse c. And'tis observed that the godly are called Saints in Scripture at least fourscore times And theyare called Saints in this life for three respects 1. Segregatione 2. Imputatione 3. Inchoatione 1. By segregation God of his free grace hath separated them for himself from amongst the wicked and prophane of the world Christi sanctitas impuritatis nostrae est ope rculuÌ„â—… Innocens affligitur ut noxâ—…us liberetur ut reâ—… dimatur servus occiditur filius Sib. 1. 2. By imputation Christs absolute holinesse is imputed to them for holinesse and their sinnes are imputed unto him 1 Cor. 1. 30. By his blood we are cleansed from all our sins 1 Pet. 3. 18 3. By inchoation that sanctification which is begun in thee here shall be perfected in heaven and though we cannot be holy perfectly yet if we can be holy sincerely in desire and endeavour tisacceptable with God who measures Voluntas 〈◊〉 est homo nihil aliud sumus quà m voluntate Aug. us by our wills and sincere desire rather then our deeds The will is the man that we are which we desire to be Let us then strive after perfection in the use of all holy means as fasting prayer hearing meditation selfe-examination c. and then in Gods due time he will bring forth judgement into victory and make the work of sanctification prevalent over corruption 2. You must know that there is difference in Saints to some God gives ten talents and there he looks for ten again to some but one and there expects no more then he gives where he bestows much he looks for much Some ground brought forth an hundred fold some sixty some thirty yet all good ground Some God cals forth to greater service and more eminent imployment and to these he gives a greater measure of sanctification Paulus infirmos non excludité numero sanctorum q. opus suum Deus bic inchoat tantum in uobis paulatim vero per gradus inrementa perficit Calvin 3. Know for thy comfort that there are degrees in sanctification as well as in faith and other graces as faith hath its weaknesse and infancy so hath sanctification It is graduall and grows by degrees from a weak and low degree to a strong perfect man Weaknesse holinesse may well subsist together the Disciples were willing yet the flesh was weak And David oft begs for quickning Psal. 119. In the mean time thou hast a perfection of parts though not of degrees and measure as a childe is a perfect man in all the parts of a man though not in the quantity of any part Be thankfull then for what thou hast and still seek after more and then all thy imperfections shall be covered with the perfect righteousnesse of Christ c. we must indeede strive endeavour and aspire after the greatest perfection Psal. 119. 5. O that my wayes were directed to keepe thy Statutes but since in this life we cannot attaine it we must Suspirare groane and grieve The Law saith thou shalt not lust now when we find that we do lust we must sigh and say with the Apostle Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me Rom. 7. an Heroick spirit wisheth it could do more then it can and gieves when it cannot do what it ought to do Quest. But why doth not God sanâ—…ifie us perfectly but by degrees purâ—…ing out our corruption by little and â—…ittle Ans. God could cure us perfectly of â—…ll our sins and purge us from them in a moment but for good ends he will not doe it 1. For the greater exaltation of his free-grace to make us more sensible what he hath done for us that we might have no cause of glorying in our selves but might give all the glory unto God from whom we have all 2. To humble us and keep us low in our own eyes He could have driven out all the Candanâ—…es before the people of Israel but he left some still amongst them to vex them to humble them and make them more watchfull The Lord could free us from all those remainders of sin that are in us but in his wisdom he sees it best for us to have these clogs of corruption still about us to wean us from this world and make us long for heaven where we shall be for ever free from these fetters of sin and Audeo dicere superbis utile esse cadere 〈◊〉 aliquod aperâ—…m pâ—…eatum uâ—…ae sibi displicâ—…ant qui iam sibi plaoendo ceciderant Aug. de Civil Dei 1. 14. c. 13. to keep us low 'T was better with Peter falling and watching then presuming and therefore Saint Austin concludes that fals into sin are good to humble proud persons 3. To out us of our selves and to make us fly unto Christ for help The sight sense of Pauls native impurity drove him to Christ and made him so thankfull unto God for him Rom. 7. The Lord is pleased to distill his grace by drops into us that he may often hear of us as Paul that had a messenger of Satan to buffet him prayes oft God loves to have us come with new prayers and praises to him Obj. I fear I have no purity say many weak Christians because I have not those parts and abilities that others have I cannot pray nor speak for Religion as such and such can c. Ans. Grace is one thing and gifts are See more a fully M. Ant. Burgess late Ser. p. 110. Ser. 20. Ser. 65. another the least measure of grace is better then the greatest measure of gifts many have grace who cannot define it and many that can define it have it not Parts though they are ornaments and not to be despised yet are they but common gifts are probate a Judas Demas may have an excellent memory singular elocution a quick wit a nimble invention c. He may be able to prayfor outward expression farre beyond a child of God The Devil hath parts and natural abilities beyond all the men in the world Christianity is a matter of grace rather then of gifts of obedience then of parts those may be allotted to wicked men but purity in sincerity is a speciall gift of God We have more gifts then formerly but lesse grace abundance of Ignis qui in parentibus fuit calidus in nobis luciâ—… 〈◊〉 knowledge but where 's the zeal the piety the practice We have more science but lesse conscience we have the light of former times but not their heat Most of our Professors are all for parts and gifts these bring applause and praise but grace and piety humble men make them contemptible in the eye of the proud world And this is that great root of pride division and errour that so much abound amongst us men are all for gifts thesâ—… puff men up make them censorious self-conceited and enemies to the power of godlinesse Who greater enemies to Christ then the Scribes
divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. i. Analogically and by way of similitude when we partake of those graces which make us like unto God when we are just patient mercifull pure as God is when we love what he loves and hate what his soul abhorres this is the image of God in us and by these God becomes as it were visible in man Hence sanctification say some is nothing else but the conformity of our hearts and lives to Gods will It is a created quality say Sanctitas est congruentia nostra cum lege Dei Les. S. est Realis mutatio hominis â—…a turpitudine peccati in puritatem â—…maginis Dei Alsted others of purenesse in the Saints wherby they resemble God being pure and severed in part from the mixture of sin and corruption So much the word Kadash implies one separated from a common to a Divine use because holinesse consists in a separation froÌ„ sin a dedication to God 1 Pet. 1. 14. 15. not fashioning your selves according to your former lusts in your ignorance What then But as he who hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation Hence some make this morall See more Mr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iudâ—… 2. p. 26 â—…7 holinesse to be two fold 1. Privative i. an immunity and purity from sin 2. Positive which is 1. Grace in the habit 2. 〈◊〉 iâ—… the act when God is known feared served 〈◊〉 and sin is hateâ—… and eschewed when there is the root of 〈◊〉 in the hearâ—… the fruit of righteousnâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then is a person or people truly 〈◊〉 the utensiles in the Law were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy when they were set apart froâ—… 〈◊〉 other service to God alone so a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said to be holy 〈◊〉 his heart and liâ—… are separated from all by-ends and aims and they are wholly devoted unto God Holinesse is a kinde of spiritual 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Purus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab usâ—… commuâ—… ad a vinum separatus Rivet chastity when the soul is consecrated to God and goes not a whoring after the vanities of the world Hence the Saints are called Virgins for their purity and spiritual chastity Cant. 1. 3. Matth. 25. 1. Rev. 14. 4. The Apostle describing the holinesse of Christ shews us clearly what holinesse is Heb. 7. 26. Christ our High-Priest is holy What 's that he is harmlesse undefiled separated from sinners We see then that sanctity consists in discretion distinction and discrimination from common use by way of exaltation and preheminence Hence the Lord describing his own people cals them a people separated and severed from the wicked of the world to be an holy people to himself Levit. 20. 24. 25. Psal. 4. 4. The Lord hath set apart for himself the man that is godly therefore when the Lord cals his people to sanctity he cals to an holy separation 2 Cor. 6. 17. 18. Come out from amongst them and be ye separate God will have his people to Non requirit ut loca infidelium deserant fideles unde nulla contamintio est sed vt á superstitosis ritibus ac sceleratis illorum moribus separentur Muscut shew their sanctity by a discriminative manner of living since the Lord hath discriminated and severed them from the base people of the world who lie like beasts tumbling in their own filth 1 Job 5. 18 19. to be his own peculiar people therefore they must have different lives different waies and different aims from the men of the world though they live in the world yet must they not live like the world but must do such excellent things as the world cannot do this Christ expects from his Matth. 5. 47. What do ye more then * See this excellently enlarged by M. Bur. 〈◊〉 tious Spi. p. 189 c others implying that his disciples must do more then heathens more then civil men more then formalists or hypocrites Yet that I may make it clear to every capacity what sanctification is I shal define it and explain all parts of it in order because it tends much to the right understanding of this point Yet we must not rest in a bare notional Opto magis sentire sanctificationâ—… quám scire ejus definiâ—… tionem knowledge of the definition of sanctification but we must labour to finde the virtue and power of it in our hearts and lives Def. Sanctification is a grace of the Spirit wrought in all Beleevers whereby they are purified daily more and more from their native corruption and are restored to the Image of God daily dying to sin and living to righteousnesse 1. It is a grace gift or work of the Spirit sanctity grows not in natures See Ienkyn on Iude. 1. p. 48â—… c. garden but it is a quality or infused gift of the Spirit who is therfore called the Spirit of sanctification Rom. 1. 4. It washeth and cleanseth us 1 Cor. 6. 11. By it God takes away mens stony stubborn rebellious hearts and gives them hearts of flesh i. melting flexible obedient hearts Hence the Spirit is compared to Fire Water Winde 1. To * 8ee more Dr. Râ—…ynolds on the Sacrament ch 19. p. 183 to 187. Fire Matth. 3. 11. Isa. 4. 4. because it inlightens our mindes purgeth and refineth us from the drosse of sin and inflames our cold hearts with a zeal for Gods glory 2. To Water for its cleansing nature it makes our barren hearts fruitfull it refresheth us it cools and pacifieth the scorched conscience Isa. 44 3 4. 3. To the Winde * See Sibbs in locum Cant. 4. 16. which is 1. Free it bloweth where it listeth Iohn 3. 8. 2. It dries up dirty ground 3. It helps and drives us on in our journey 4. It cools and comforts in a time of heat 5. It purgeth the chaff from the wheat 6. It melts hard ice Psal. 147. 17. 18. 7. It purifies the aire 8. It increaseth the heat of fire All these operatitions hath the sanctifying Spirit of God on the soules of his people It is freeâ—…y given it dries up the unclean lusts of their hearts it helps them in their way to heaven it cools and comforts troubled conscienâ—…s c. II. It is not wrought in every soul but only in the hearts of beleevers Faith is the internall instrumentall cause by it we apply Christ to our selves for our sanctification All beleevers more or lesse are sanctified it is the nature of faith where it dwels to purifie the heart Acts 15. 9. III. The subject or seat of our sanctification is the * See that excellent Tract of M. Ambrose on the new birth p. 9 10 11 c. whole man body soul spirit 2 Cor. 7. 1. 1 Thes. 5. 23. Hence the spouse of Christ is said to be fair in all parts eyes hair teeth lips temples Cant. 4. 1 to 8. They are sanctified throughout in every part though every part be not throughout sanctified as sin
35. p. 5. 10 20. Acts 26. 24. 1 King 18. 17. 2 Kings 9. 11. Amos 7 10. Iohn 19. 12. Acts 17 6 7. 24. 5. Ier. 18. 18. 37. 13 14 15. 38. 4. Thus they dealt with the Primitive Christians if any calamity fel on the land presently they cried Away wâ—…th the Christians to the Lions they are the cause of all this misery 2. These must know that it is not Religion but the want of it which breeds uproars and tumults in the nations It is not the godly but the ungodly the swearer the drunkard the Sabbath-prophaner the covetous Achan Idolatrous Ieroboam wicked Ahab unclean Zimri and Cozbi these these are they that trouble Israel that bring plagues calamities on a Land these are those Ps. 1. 1. Rashang homos inquietus turbulentu V. Leigh Crit. Reshagnaims those turbulent ones which disquiet the places where they come As for the godly they are of those that are peaceable in our Israel they are endued with the wisdom that is frome above which is first pure and then peaceable James 3. 17. They are peaceable in themselves and labour to make and preserve peace amongst others See Bur. Gracious Spi. p. 137 c They are the pillars of a Land the equites cataphracti the chariots and horsmen the strength and glory of a Land As Sampsons strength lay in his hair so the Governours of Judah shall one day say In the inhabitants of Ierusalem is our strength Zech. 12. 5. They are a blessing to families Cities and Nations God blessed the house of Pharaoh for Iosephs sake he spared Israel at the prayers of one Moses ten righteous persons had preserved Sodom Paul hath all the souls given him which were in the ship Acts 27. 24. yea one holy man may be a means to save a whole Iland fromdestruction Iob 22. ult It is ignorance and wickedness that makes people rude and rebellious but where Religion comes in the poweâ—… of it and men obey not for fear but for conscience sake no better subjects then those in the world none more faithful to their trust none pray more for their Superiors nor pay their just dues more freely fully to them these are those that wil venture their lives and estates for their honour when such as serve them for their own ends wil leave them and forsake them And though for the present the righteous may be condemned as traitors and the wicked exalted to the Throne yet in Gods due time he will clear the innocency of his servants as the light there shal be a resurrection of their Names as wel as of Bodies Then David shal appear to be innocent David and Saul a bloody man then shall we clearly discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that fearâ—…th the Lord and him that feareth him not Those that would see any more Cavils raised against sanctity by the world the flesh and the devil fully answered let them peruse two excellent Books which I shall commend to the serious study of â—…ll young Divines viz. Dyke oâ—… the 〈◊〉 of mans Heart and M. Downhaâ—…s warfar especially p. 287 c. and Mr. Timothy Rogers his good news from Heaven Since I finisht this Tract there came to my hands an excellent piece stiled Precious Remedies against Satans devices by M. Brooks where you have many more Cavils fully and learnedly answered As also those Elaborate and Soul-searching Sermons of M. Anthony Burgess Ser. 44. p. 270. CHAP. VIII I Am come now unto the Motives There is a great indisposition in ouâ—… natures to purity and therefore we had need of all incitements that possibly may be to quicken us to it 1. The first Motive is drawn from the necessity of it Holinesse is absolutely 1. Motive necessary to salvation a man may be saved without riches honour c. Buâ—… no man can be saved without holiness 2. It is necessary Necessitate praecepti it is no indifferent thing it is not actuâ—… elicitus sed imperatus it is no free and voluntary action of our own but a duty commanded and enjoyned by Goâ—… under severest penalties and thereforâ—… we are necessarily bound to the â—…ractice of it This is the will of God even our sanctification 1 Thess. 4. 3. It is his will Iacienda sunt nobis quaecunqâ—… Deus praecipit etsi non statim videamus quorsum â—…vasura sunt clausis tamen oculis debemus eum ducem sequi Roll. in Ioh. emphatically i. it is that which God doth more especially require of us and therefore it must be done intuitae voluntatis simply because he commands it we must not stand questioning Gods commands but obey them when once we understand what is that acceptable will of God we must presently do it This is motive sufficient to a gratious soul if there were no more as the Lord said to Ioshua 1. 9 Be strong of good courage hâ—…ve not I commanded thee q. d. This is ground sufficient to make thee couragious because I have commanded thee to be so so this is sufficient to make us fâ—…y sin study purity because our God commands that it should be so 2. Necessitate medii Holinesse is the way to happinesse it is via ad regnum the way to the Kingdom though not Vâ—…a caelo vâ—…a sanctitatis Isa. â—…5 8. the cause of reigning it 's necessary as a qualification though not as a meritorious cause of heaven No unclean thing Licet non siâ—… causa merito 〈◊〉 gloriae est tamen causa dispositiva qu â idoneiredd imur ad gloriam recipiendam Alsted can come there If the earth groan under prophane wretches and the Land be ready to spue them out Levit. 18. 28 〈◊〉 Iob thought the wicked unfit to sit with the dogs of his flock if God See Harsnet on Rep. p. 42. to 50. p. 308. c. abhorre their persons prayers and praises here can we think that he will receive such into his Kingdom and if the Virgins that stood before the Persian Monarchs must first be perfumed and prepared before they come into their presence Hest. 5. 1. surely then the Kings daughter must be gloriously arraied before she be brought into the presence of the King of Kings Psal. 45 13. 14. Such as wait on Princes must be arraied accordingly Mat. 11. 8. else they disparage their Master when they follow him with loathsome rags How oft hath the Lord told us that there is no enjoying the beatificall vision of his face in glory without this See D. Preston on the New Covenant Ser. 20. p 313. Deus Se ipâ—…um videndâ—… 〈◊〉 in verbo sâ—…o in â—…c vita et visioâ—…e gloriasâ iâ—… futura Rivet Psal. 24. 3. 4. Matth. 5. 8. Heb. 12. 14. without holinesse no man shal see God to his comfort Sinne draws a vail over our hearts and eyes so that we cannot see God in his word nor see him in his
will not only see to the Common-wealth but he hath also a care of his family Psal. 101. He walks not only in Gods house but in his own house with a perfect heart he prayes there and praiseth God there 2 Sam. 6. 20. Ioshua 24. 15. will not serve God alone but he and his house will serve the Lord. He can never be truly tender of the souls of his wife children servants c. that is carelesse Morbido capite nihil sanum est neque ullum omninò membrum officio suo fungitur ubi quod est principale non constat Salv. of his own and therefore it concerns Governous to be holy that they may teach their children and servants the way of the Lord as Abraham did Gen. 18. 19. The great prophanesse that is in the Land springs principally from the prophane Governours of families for they usually swear and their children learn of them to swear they be enemies to the power of godlines their childreÌ„ are like theÌ„ When Diogenes saw a child offending he ran and beat the father the fathers and mothers of our time would be beaten for most of the offences of their children they being one way or another accessary unto them O that all Governours Infans tibi est ne ansaÌ„ occasioneÌ„ arripiat improbitas ab infantia Sanctitate imbuatur ab ipsis unguiculis Spiritui conâ—…retur Nazian Orat. 40. then would labour for grace and teach it to others how might they propagate piety to posterity for many generations for if thou teach thy children the way of the Lord then they will teach their children and so on As Timothy's grand-mother taught his mother and his mother taught him and he taught the Church c. Secondly A holy life is a comfortable life When all earthly comforts are dead and gone yet this is the singular comfort of a godly man that Bonae menli calamitas omnis occasio est virtutis nec malum putat sed exercitium patientiae et pro eo Deo gratias agit Drexel he hath a God to go to Iob 16. 20. Are his friends dead yet the Lord lives Psal. 18. 46. Hath he lost his riches yet the Lord will be to him instead of gold and he shall have plenty of silver Iob 22 25 Doth his head fail and heart fail yet the Lord will be the strength of his heart his portion forever Psal. 73. 26. In a word if he be in any want 't is but going to his father and make it known to him and it is supplied Phil. 4. 6. 7. In nothing be carefull with a care of diffidence an excessive unbeleeving vexing tormenting care when mens hearts are rent in sunder with cares this is forbidden 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tear not your hearts in peices with care But a care of diligence we may use a moderate wise providentiall care when we are industrious in those callings wherein God hath set us 2. Cor 2. 14. 1 Tim. 5. 8. Our great work is to pray for what we want and to give thanks Quoties impetimur aliquâ tentatione statim ad orationeÌ„ tanquaÌ„ ad sacruÌ„ asyluÌ„ refugiamus Calvin for what we enjoy and then in nothing to be carefull but if our enemies encompasse us it is but making our requests to God as David did Psal. 86. 2. Preserve me Lord for I am holy Lo this is the priviledge of those holy ones whom God will honour This honour have all only his Saints As for the wicked it is not so with them when they fall into trouble they are the most uncomfortable men in the world when the good man is most comfortable like those foul which are fattest in frosty weather he sees a good hand of providence turning all to his good what ever befals him or what ever he lose yet say to the righteous Nihil accidere bono viro mali potest adversi aliquid fateor nihil mali Sen. it shall be well with him Isa. 3. 10. We all desire comfortable lives lo this is the way Fly from sin and fight the good fight for godly actions are seeds of joy and godly people are the most comfortable people in the See more Gross Inducements to Christ. Chap. 25. Bolton in his Epist. Dedicat. to true Happiness in the End of it world and have the greatest grounds of comfort as having a sweet possession and a large Reversion Thirdly 'T is an easie life True to a carnall heart and to a wicked unwilling spirit no life so tedious they esteem holy humble walking with God a bondage not a priviledge but to a regenerate man whose nature is changed it is very pleasant Rom. 7. 22. It is as naturall to him to pray believe Suave juguÌ„ juguÌ„ Christi See more Hildersham on Psal. 51. Lect. 47. P. 235. obey c. as to a wicked man to swear drink whore c. Christs yoke is easie to an humbled meekned soul Matth. 11. 28. 29. The yoke of Christs Doctrine his yoke of Discipline and Affliction are all easie sweet and pleasant the yoke of the devil and the yoke of the world are iron yokes unreasonable cruell tyrannicall yokes they binde heavie burthens and grievous to be born Matth. 23. 4. But Christs yoke of holinesse and obedience is easie in five respects 1. Comparatively in comparison of the devils yoke and the slavery of sin no work so toilsome as the devils drudgery to lie drinking night day to lie tumbling in their own vomit and filth to quarell fight cut and kill one another c. none undergo such pains no thresher toyles like these slaves of the devil But Christs yoke is easie compared with this For it is more easie and pleasant to live soberly in the use of the creatures and so enjoy our selves our friends and comforts then to lie drunken and be fit for nothing Is it not more easie and delightfull to follow those vocations and callings wherein God hath set us and so to improve our times and talents for our Masters honour then thus sinfully to mispend our precious time and those talents of health wealth peace c. and so destroy both body soul goods and good name 2. It is easie to such as have been accustomed to it to a young beginner at first these waies may seem hard and harsh till he have been habituated and accustomed to them as David could not go in Sauls armour because he was unaccustomed to it A trade at first seems irksome to a young beginner but after he hath learnt the Art and Mystery of it it is pleasant when holy waies are become natural they are no burdens for what we do naturally we do delightfully and easily he now doth good as freely and readily as as once he did sin 3. It is easie because we have Iugum dicitur quod duo jumenta juncta subâ—…unt à Lap. Gods Spirit to help us in the work A yoke carried by
it is vomited up the better it 's for him While sin is fresh and green there is some tendernes and sense in us but our heard hearts are like iron let them cool and they are hardly wrought upon A disease that is chronicall and old is harder to cure then a new one Jer. 13. 23. Can a Blackmore change his skin c. 4. Sincerely and cordially Our outward confessions and expressions must come from inward impressions of grace upon the soul. Most mens confessions Iu Iabris non in fibris natâ—… are meer words God is nigh to their mouths but farre from their reins Jer. 12. 2. Isa. 29. 13. and though in words they speak much against their sins yet their hearts love them dearly and they will in no wise part with them Such mens confessions will be their condemnations out of their own mouths will God condemn them and give them their portion with the hypocrites Hypocriticall confessions be they never so eloquent or excellent for words are meer abominations our confessions must be the voice of our hearts rather then of our tongues for as in all duties so especially when we come before the Lord to acknowledge and confesse our sins there must be all plainnesse and sincerity without doubting or hypocrisie cold carelesse customary confessions do more provoke God oft times then the sin it self If a child should come and tell his father what he had done against him without any remorse or sorrow he would take it rather for a profession then any true confession of his fault God oft punisheth such formall confessors by giving them up more greedily to sin as Pharaoh after he had made a verball coâ—…fession of his sin was worse after Exod. 9. 27. yet v. 34. he sinned yet more and hardened his heart against the Lord. 5. Affectionately with sorrow hatred shame c. 1. Our hearts must be full of sorrow and deep humiliation under the sight and sense of sin every sin must be as a sword in our bosoms we must be sensible of the burden and bitternesse of it This made Peter weep bitterly When David resolved to confesse his iniquity he presently adds and I will be sorry for my sin Psal. 38. 18. Where this sorrow is though a man be not able to expresse himself in words yet God accepts of the affection 2. In our confessions there must be an hatred and loathing of sin it must work an indignation in us Hos. 14. 8. 2 Cor. 7. 11. Job 40. 4. 42. 6. his sin made him to abhorre himself We must fall out with our sins before God will fall in love with us 3. We must confesse our sins with shame When we consider the number and nature of our sins what a tender bountifull and gracious God we have sinned against ' how long we have rebelled against him and yet he hath spared us now must we take shame to our selves and be even confouded under the sense of our sins as Ezra 9. 6. Ier. 31. 18 19. Dan. 9. 7. Ezek. 16. 61. Now he cares not for his own reputation so God may be glorified he is content to be a based so God may be magnified he is content to be nullified This holy shame is a sign of ingenuity and of a good temper of Pudor est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 colorvtirutis Diog. spirit We are ashamed to be found doing any base thing sin is the basest of evils and therefore we should be ashamed and confounded before God at the remembrance of all those base lusts which have reigned in us and over us God loves to see us thus loathing our selves Ier. 31. 18. 20. And if the Sun and Moon be ashamed of our sins Isa. 24. 23. Ier. 50. 12. and the apostasie of Christians puts Christ to shame Heb. 6. 6. should not we then be ashamed of sinne which makes the very creature blush and puts Christ to shame Oh let our hearts be full of grief and our faces filled with shame for all our abominations yet let it not be the shame of a thief when he is taken Ier. 2. 26. because of disgrace and losse of credit but let it be a filiall shame from a sight and sense oâ—… the loathsomnesse of sin it being offensivum Dei aversivum à Deo odious to God and hurtfull to our selves such shame is our glory Wo then to all imprudent frontlesse men whose life is a trade of sin and they meer workers of iniquity yet have brows of brasse and whores foreheads that cannot blush God will not bear long with such Isa. 3. 9 10. 48. 4. Ier. 3. 3. 6. 15. 8. 12. Impudency proclaims impudency when men are so farre from shame that they think it a shame disgrace not to sin and swear and go like Ruffians these are come to the height of sin and are sinners that know no shame Zeph. 3. 5. 6. Beleevingly hoping and waiting for mercy and Pardon We must be humbled but not despair David had sinned greatly yet he beleeves iâ—… Gods mercy and begs for pardon Psal. 51. Iudas indeed confessed but without hope of pardon and therefore hangs himself but the sorrow of the godly is mixt with faith and his confession with beleeving that his sins are pardonable and God will yet shew him mercy Ezra 10. 2. Yet there is hope for this thing 7. Reformingly True confession is joyned with Reformation he doth not only confession his Ignorance Atheism Worldlinesse Hypocrisie c. but he likewise forsakes them and resolves against them Prev 28. 13. Confession of sin and the confusion of sin go together in his soul he desires as freely to forego his sin as he desires it should be forgiven The Ephesian Converts confesse their sin and then burn their books Act. 19. 18 19. The wicked sometimes confesse but they never forsake their sin but after confession they return whith the dog to his vomit Saul confesseth with tears that David was more righteous then he yet after that persecutes him again Pharaoh confesseth the Lord is righteous I have sinned yet after persecutes Israel again But the godly ever joyn Reformation with Consession In a word then we see there must be See twenty exâ—…e consider to keep us from sin Bolton comfaffl consc ch 49 〈◊〉 10 c. Peccatum est deformitas pravaricatio legis divinae directè contrarium sanctitati quae est conâ—…o mitas voluntatâ—… nostrae cum lege divinâ à Lap. an abhorring of all sin by such as would attain to sanctification for sanctitie and sin approved of cannot subsist together though sanctitie and sin â—…ated and lamented may Sin and sanctitie are directly opposite for sanctitie is our conformitie to Gods will sin is a deformitie and transgressing of it Yet some sin nes are more directly opposite to it and therefore we must more especially watch against them As 1. Drunkennesse is a beastly swinish Vt omnium amnium confluxus in oceanum sic