a perfection of holines in life and conversation a perfection of manners in act and habite as the Schoolmen call it So we account righteous livers to be Saints And because there are none perfectly holy in this life we cannot gain say the Popish Schoolmen in that sence that aver and teach none to be properly holy in his life I say if they mean by properly holy perfectly holy For to make a man holy there must be in him a perfection of habite and conversation agreeable to the eternall law of God And as nothing is weight till it counterpose the weight that is set against it so no mans life is compleatly that is perfectly holy untill it be exactly answerable to the holy law of God which cannot be said of any man in this life until he come unto a perfect man unto the measure of the fulnes of Christ Ephes 4.13 It is true Christ was full weight according to the weight-stones of Gods eternal law he was full measure according to that met-yard but so was never any man else holy or righteous perfectly I meane and exactly This by the way let me tell you is one cause why when an emenient person dies in Popish countries whom they judge fit to be canonized for a Saint they let a hundred years passe after his death before they do it allowing a considerable time for the purgatory-purgations of his soule before he passe for a Saint But yet though properly when by it we mean compleatly none be holy in this life Yet are there holy one on earth to whom the holy eternal morall law of God is a rule And there are some who though they cannot keepe all Gods Commandements Yet they have respect unto them all Such a one was David Ps 119.6 And ver 111. he saith Thy testimony have I taken as an heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart and ver 112 I have inclined my heart to performe thy statute alway even unto the end But to proceede in shewing you what holines is according to this second use of the word I have said it is a conformity to the eternal law of God and so it is For as the conception of the divine mind is the measure of natural perfections and of that being that is in all things So the eternal law is the mesure and rule of morall perfection and of the holines of a reasonable nature in all good workes He is holy therefore whose affection and manners do exactly agree to the eternall law of God But here falls in a question by the way that calls for an answer To wit whether all acts of obedience required now were required ever and such as have beene required heretofore are still required To which I answer shortly That Obedience to Gods mind is still required Moralia sunt aeternae veritatis and for all moralls they are still the same But God hath been pleased to make positive lawes some ceremonical some judiciall which are now out of date He trained up the Jewes under them indeed but upon the dissolution of their common wealth their judicial lawes ceased to be of use And upon the comming of Christ to be a sacrifice for the sins of mankinde the ceremonies as shadows of good things to come did fly away And so also we now in Gospel times have our proper Gospel laws which the Jewes had not But yet the moral law is still one and the same and of it not one jot or title shall ever be altered or made void Well then let us come to some issue A man of an upright life and conversation is a holy man Ye see what holines is in man let us a little take a view of Angels those holy celestial flames And we shall find that they are holy in both the formentioned respects For they make Gods glory the end of their actions being given up to him and to his honour and there is no blemish in their obedience None in their nature none in their lives It is true their holines is but finite because created and therefore perishable holines in it selfe for they might fall if they were not supported those Angels that fell at first were holy Yea it is by the grace and decree of God that these elect Angels do and shall continue holy as it also is that the Saints-separate from the world unto God do not return to the world againe Yea this is true of the holines and hapynes of Angels and saints in heaven One thing more touching the holy Ghost who in this sense is called holy not as he is the holy God but as he is the giver and worker of holines and makes men conformable to the law of God And therefore he is called God the holy Ghost or holy spirit al the three persons Fatner Son Spirit are holy essentially but the third person is called the holy Ghost or holy Spirit because he it is that worketh holines and frameth your Spirits suteable to the holy law of God Now if holines be such a conformitie in men to Gods law what glory is there in Gods holy conformitie to his own mind and law as you will heare when we come to it And in the mean time judge whether there be not sufficient ground of calling upon men to exalt the Lord our God and to worship at his holy hill in the rememberance of his holines because he is a holy God because he never required any thing of any man that was not holy just and good it is meet such a one should be exalted and set high worshiped and honoured Therefore Worship for he is holy both wayes in both acceptations of the word he is dedicated to his owne glory and so he is holy and he is perfectly just and holy righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works Ps 145.17 Therefore exalt the Lord our God therefore worship him Ye see the emphasis of the reason and why the consideration of the attribute of holines is rather then of another attribute made the ground of this inculcated exhortation of exalting and worshiping God Now as in other Attributes formerly handled so in this I shall speak of these three propositions out of this Scripture 1. That holinesse is an attribute of God 2. that it is a Communicable attribute 3. That Holines in God is Infinite and incomprehensible For the first that holines is an attribute of God Let those things be remembred that have been spoken of the twofold acceptation of the word holy and we shall find that both are eminently true of God He is all for himselfe he will not give his honour to another Herod shall be smitten by an Angel and eaten of wormes for not giving God his glory Act. 12.23 Selfe love as you have formerly heard affirmed of men renders them ugly but it is a glorious attribute of God And then also the conformity that is in God between his mind and will that I
have you know or consider that it is too such only as seek him and waite upon him He cares not that ye know God is mercifull but he would not have you take notice of his justice and holy severitie against sinne that he is a revenging God and a consuming fire 〈◊〉 transgressours He would not have you take notice of everlâ—â—â—ing burnings and devouring fire in which sinners shall ly and be tormented during the long life of God T is true if he see that ye be in perplexitie about your sins and be in to tremble and to be afraid of the wrath of God then he will fast enough be telling you what a terrible God he is whom ye have sinned against that he may drive you to dispaire Thus would the devill separate what God hath joyned together Ye may see God putting both together Exod. 34.6 7. The Lord the Lord God mercifull and gratious long suffring and abundant in goodnes and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquitie and transgression and sinne and that will by no meanes clear the guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children c. And therefore when wicked men shall talke of the goodnes of God I may say to them as Jehu did to Joram concerning peace what hast thou to do with peace c. So What have ye to do to talke of the goodnes of God that do not seeke him nor waite upon him I may say to such as Elisha did to that Lord on whose hand the King of Israel leaned mentioned 2 Kings 7.2 about the great plenty that should be in Samaria Behold thou shalt see it with thine eies but shalt not eate thereof So such may heare and speake of the unspeakable goodnes of God but they shall have no share therein O! T is true there are rich and pretious promises made but only to such as love God and keepe his commandements and take Christ to be their King Priest and prophet but gracelesse wretches must know that nothing remaines for them but a fearfull expectation of vengence when God shall reveale his wrath upon the breakers of his law upon the refusers of his Christ And therefore that Sathan may not carry you along in a fooles paradise do not separate those attributes of God which from all eternitie are joyned in one in God And chiefly labour to be in a capacitie of this attribute of goodnes and benignitie If ye will be welcome to God ye must have the wedding garment if ye will profit by my discourse of the usefull goodnes of God which I am now upon ye must be the children of the promise and have your vessels uncovered or else all the pretious liquor of the goodnes of God will run over But I have somewhat forestall'd mine application I have a few words more to speak of the explicatory part of this disâ—â—â—â—se and then I shall come to the Uses It is true it is naturall in God to be good for it ariseth out of his infinite perfection but yet the acts thereof are free From this disposition commeth another attribute to wit love of which we shall speake hereafter when we shall have finished others first in their order But in the meane time It is my work to shew you what this goodnes of God is which I am now upon It is in God a naturall propension to communicate himselfe to creatures according to their severall capacities VVhat the benignity of God is And whereas I say it is a naturall propension yet I do not meane that the acts of goodnes are so for they are free There was but one necessary and naturall act of goodnes in God and that is the communicating of his whole essence which is of infinit perfection excellency As inferior things are naturally prone to procreate somthing like and equall unto themselves But because that which is altogether infinite cannot be multiplied therefore the Divine essence doth not communicate it selfe by the production of a like essence distinct in number as created things do in which the essence which is in one suppositum doth produce an essence in another suppositum distinct innumber but by the giving of himself and as it were by replication so as the same most simple nature in number is in three subsistences distinct in number Yet this communication sith it is natural the pronenesse unto it is it not to be called benignity of which I am now speaking but it is a naturall production of a person and communication of a nature And we may call it fertility or fecundity But goodnes is a free communicating to inferior Which in God although it spring from his infinite goodnes or perfection as the former communication of the whole essence and be also naturall yet the acts thereof are free And this goodnes of God communicated to creatures is generall to all Psalm 145.9 The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his workes and verses 15.16 The eies of all waite upon thee and thou givest them their meate in due season Thou openest thy hand and satisfiest the desire of every living creature But yet more especially to the rational and intellectuall creatures men and Angles which only by understanding and will are made capable of the divine goodnes These angelicall and humane natures God hath made far more capable of his goodnes and hath adorned them with many gifts of his good will And for man which he saw would stand in neede of many helpes he made all other things to be usefull for him out of Gods goodnes and benignity is all this done That the goodnes of humane being night be hereby made the more sweet and comfortable unto the sons of men In this respect he is said to be the Saviour of all men 1 Tim. 4.10 preserving them from many dangers and relieving and comforting them with the service of his other creatures Math. 5.45 He maketh his sun to rise on the evill and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust Thus goodnes is communicated to man as man But Thirdly Gods goodnes is not only generall to all creatures and speciall to mankind but singular to his Church not only in giving them means of salvation and deliverance from the curse but to many of them vouchsafing the sense of his choisest favours in remission of sinnes gifts of the spirit and life everlasting fullnes of joy reserved for us at the right hand of God O what a goodly garden of the goodnes of God is the whole creation Even Devills have a share in regard of their natures it is angelicall such a nature as the best and wisest and most knowing of the sonnes of men can little tell what to make of it In so much that even in Christs time among the Jews it became doubtfull whether there were any such creatures as Angels at all and by a considerable sect viz. the Sadduces was held in the Negative I say
natural goodnes or perfection of God And I am much confirmed in mine apprehension by the concurrent judgment of Tremelius so far as I can understand him For in his short Notes upon this place upon these words tota bonitas all my goodnes he hath these words in the margin id est gloria ut vers 18.22 that is my glory referring to those verses where mention is made of the glory of God that is the Essence or perfect being of God which Moses unadvisedly did desire to see v. 18. which is by God himself called his Face v. 20. And he said thou canst not see my face and live And v. 22. it is by God himself called his glory And it shall come to passe that while my glory passeth by I will put thee in a clift of the rock c. And the same Tremelius upon the words in 23. v. Thou shall see my back parts hath this short Scholia aliquam gloriae meae imperfectam imaginem some imperfect representation of my glory And upon these words but my face shall not be seen his note is ipsissima mejestas mea retecta my very hidden Majesty So that me thinks goodnesse in this text cannot be understood either of the Moral goodnesse of God which is his holinesse or of the usefull goodnesse of God which is his benignity or of that sweet inclination in God to succour such as be in misery called somtime the mercy of God and somtime also the goodnesse of God as well as holinesse and benignity Therefore it remaineth that they be understood of Gods natural goodness or perfection The words are an answer unto a demand of Moses proposed as may be seen v. 18. And he said I beseech thee shew me thy glory A request somewhat like unto that motion which Peter made Mat. 17.4 Then answered Peter and said unto Jesus Lord is it good for us to be here if thou wilt let us make here three Tabernacles one for thee Ipsissimam majestatem tuam ab imaginibus nudam admajorem rei confirmationem Trem. in vers 18. and one for Moses and one for Elias of which motion the Holy Ghost bears witness that he knew not what he said Luke 9.33 And so indeed may it be said of this request of Moses here he knew not what he desired He would fain have seen the very Majesty of God without representations or shapes which had God granted to him he had been consumed in a moment and so God tels him v. 20. And he said thou canst not see my face for there shall no man see me and live The thing which Moses would have was to see God as he is in himself which would have been a terrible and destructive sight unto him But because Moses made that request to a good end to wit the confirmation of his Faith and from an honest and good heart God passeth by his unadvisednesse And so he tels him what he should not see and condiscends to shew him a gratious reason ver 20. And then what he would do to gratifie him and to satisfie his desire as much as was fit partly in the words which are my text viz. ver 19. and partly in the three last verses of the cap. The summe of Gods answer in the affirmative part thereof is I will put thee in a cleft of the rocke where thou shalt stand in a place by me and while my glory or my goodnes which is all one here Passeth by or before thee I will cover thee with my hand So that you may easily perceive what is meant by this tota bonitas Dei by this all or compleat goodnes of God which Moses could not see fully but in part the back parts onely of Jehovah It is the naturall goodnes or perfecton of God I will leave the words under this more Paraphrase as if God should say Moses I wil do what I can for thee seeing thou meanest well I know thou hast a good heart and that it is to a good end that thou desirest to see my glooy Thou wouldest be confirmed more in thy faith that thou mightest be the fitter to lead a long my people Thou desirest to see mine essence without shape or forme and representation But that cannot be granted No man shall see me and live that is while he liveth here That 's reserved for glorified saints to feede their eyes with unutterable delights in beholding my glory Thou wilt be better like me when thou shalt see my face 1. Joh. 3.2 Thou shalt one day be like me for thou shalt see me as I am Thou shalt then be holy as I am holy and happy as I am happy according to the capacity of a finite though glorified being Thou shalt see the divine nature But now content thy selfe to see my back-parts for my face cannot be seen to see me as Abraham saw my day viz. in the promise To see me in mine ordinance of proclaiming the name of Jehovah before thee In all my glorious title and attributes behold me The natural goodness of God argued from his being the efficient of all created perfections as thou shalt shortly heere them made mention of Thou also shall see me in my providences Yea in some formes viz. of cloudes and fire and noise of trumpets and a sound of words thou shalt see me But my face cannot be seen All my goodnes and natural perfections thou a creature art uncapable to see yea to understand to see with the eye of thy mind Goodnes then as it signifies perfection is ye see an attribute of God Magis minus dicuntur de diversis ut accedunt proprius vel longius ad aliquid quod maxime est tale Greg. de Valen. 1 Tom. 86. Quod est maximum in uno quoque genere est causa aliorum in illo genere ut ignis est causa omnium Calidorum Arist 2. Metaph. tex 4. Goodness is twofold uncreated and created uncreated is God himself who never had beginning and who is goodness it self he speaketh of his naturall goodness because his nature is absolutely and perfectly good and because he is the Author and worker thereof in all things created Perk. 2. vol. 2.2 B. Bonitas naturalis in Deo est excellentia naturae divinae per quam habet omnem perfectionem in toto genere entis unde etiam complectitur sanctitatem benignitatem aliaque divina attributa quatenus ad naturae divinae perfectionem spectant Lessius de bonitate Dei naturali c. 1. in libro 7. de perfect div Deus non habet perfectionem suum ab alio sed a se tantum ipse enim prima perfectio Idem Per viam sive modum affirmationis à posteriori ex consequenti possumus etiam pervenire in cognitionem perfectionum Dei juxta illud Invisibilia Dei à creatura mundi boc est ab homine per en quae facta sunt intellectu conspiciuntur Vigue Granat de
Myst sanct Trin. 251. This totum bonum of God is that excellency of his nature in regard whereof he hath all perfection in toto genere entis as the Schoolmen say This attribute comprehends all other attributes whatsoever as they have respect to the perfection of this divine nature Now to demonstate this natural goodnes or perfection of God who is so good that he cannot be better I will fetch an argument from the gradations of things according to perfection in this manner There is in the nature of things somthing which is best most true most noble the prime being and which is the cause unto all other things of that goodnes that they have There are entities more or lesse noble as we have continual experience Now more and lesse are said of things diverse as they come neerer or are more remote from that which is the rule and especially and perfectly such And this is God the first efficient cause of all created perfections Per quod unum quodque est tale illudest magis tale A second argument or reason of Gods perfection Non ex vi ullius causae sed secundum suam quidditatem atque adeo ex se c. which are more or less excellent as they come neerest or are most distant from the goodness or perfection of God If all the goodnes natural that is wrapt up in the essence of all creatures Angels men beasts Fishes Fowls and what ever else hath a place in the creation were gathered into one goodnesse or perfection God would infinitely transcend it And the reason is because they have all they have from God God is the everlasting fountain of all the goodnesse in the world all Candles are lighted at his Candle and by what any thing is such as it is that must much more be such likewise the perfection of God must be most compleat because he is the ipsum esse of himself Other beings hang upon the being of God and did he not uphold them they would fall to nothing presently But as for God he is of himself before the mountains were brought forth saith the Psalmist Ps 90.2 Or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world even from everlasting to everlasting thou thou art God The former argument was strong For sith God doth most perfectly act he must needs be most perfect and good in all his actings and therefore a most perfect entity or being But this second reason is more convincing He is God of himselfe and not by the procurement of any other Many other things even to the dazling of the eys of your understanding might I say of this goodnes of Gods nature and being But that I am loath to puzzle you with darke things and notions lest the words spoken by the Lord to Job cap. 38.2 should be applied unto me Who is this that darkneth Counsell by words without knowledge Only those 4 reasons which Lessius bringeth out of Dionysius his 13 booke de divinis nominibus I shall briefly lay before you to make it yet more plain Reasons out of Dyonisius that naturall goodnes or perfection is an attribute of God and infinitly and incomprehensible in him First Because he is perfect of himselfe whereby is signified that he hath not received his perfection from another Qui est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either as from an efficient cause or as from a formall cause as it is done in creatures but he hath all perfections in him from his most simple essence alone Where his perfection doth not arise from the heaping or gathering together of many things as in creatures of which not one can be said to have in it selfe perfection But from one most simple being which is himselfe and so of him according to every kinde of perfection he is most perfect Secondly Because God is more then perfect that is above more excellent then any perfection that can be possibly Est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conceived For nothing can be thought upon by any created mind so great noble or excellent but God is infinitly more excellent and greater Thirdly He containing in himself by his own essence all things and truths naturally without either seeing hearing or argument cannot be more or lesse excellent at any time Non potest augeri vel minui but is still the very self same Fourthly He is so full and more then full of all good things that as a living fountain not to be drawn dry he doth abound Assiduè omnia suo influxu perfecit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by his giving out unto all creatures and that daily and hourly which otherwise would vanish in a moment He aboundeth I say with one and the same unminishable giving by which he perfecteth all things perfected and filleth every thing with a goodnesse fit for it Whence it appeareth that God is the author of all naturall perfection and supernaturall also In all things from the highest and those next unto himself unto the lowest of all both in creation and providence he is present Math. 10.29 Are not two sparrowes sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your father saith Christ to his disciples Gods beames of goodnes do reach to all creatures and actions not only once when he made them but daily and continually He Vse 1 is first in every action None hath first given Now I say hath first given to him to be by him recompensed againe Who hath done it Paul challengeth any to shew if they can such a thing Rom. 11.34 whatsoever generall goodnes there is either by creation ro by ordination it commeth from this perfect fountain James 1.17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and commeth down from the father of lights with whom is no variablenes nor shadow of turning First the substance of each creature hath its goodnes and perfection be on this good being of God and in this regard saith Mr. Perkins whose waies I will use least I should be accounted a blasphemer as out of ignorance and malice I have often been for no more cause Every creature is good partly by creation and partly by ordination Perkins in his Preface to his case of conscience By creation it is that the substance of each creature as of the Sun the Moon the Earth Water Meat Drink c. is good Having the being thereof from God Hence also the essentiall properties quantites qualities actions and inclinations of the creatures in themselves considered withall their events are good Things again do take unto them the condition of goodnes not only by creation but also by Gods ordination whereby they are directed and appointed to some certaine uses and ends Thus the evill conscience hell and death are good because they are ordained of God for the execution of his justice howsoever in themselves and to us they be evill And it must needs be so Because as we began this
may so expresse it evinceth this to be true that the Lord our God is holy And thus we may say the will of God the actings of God are conformable to the eternall law of God but yet the holines of God is of a far higher consideration then the holines of men or angles For the will of God and his actings are not to be thought to be conformable in an accidentary manner to an eternal law but essentially and from within himself not by diverse or various vertues but by his essence as it commeth under the consideration of a will he is holy even as the same one infinite essence comming under the consideration of a mind is said to be most wise yea wisdome it selfe so that is as it were the ordering of Gods actions according to his understanding which is called the holines of God There was never a wise action or word in the world but it came out of Gods head nor never a good right or holy action but came out at his heart Again whereas the eternal law doth spring from the divine essence which as it is the first originall of all entitative perfections so also of all morall perfection and of all the rectitude of the affection and conversation It then appeareth that as holines in men and Angles doth stand in conjunction with God in affection so God most conjoyned to himself both by nature and by the affection of love must needs be exactly holy according to the saying in the schools Amor Dei est sanctitate The love of God is holines because in men it ariseth from the knowledge of his excellency which draws their souls to God Now therfore no creature can be holy as God is because no man doth know God as he knows himself You know the saying ignoti nulla cupido of a thing unknown there is no desire The reason we love God no more is because we know him no better All our want of love to God flows from our ignorance of him he is holy among men that loves God most and he will love more then others that hath a greater knowledge of God then others God knows himselfe and loves himself and this is his holines Yea he so adhears to himselfe that he will cast downe all things rather then suffer his honour to be abased Lastly in the application of the acceptation of the word holines to God you must know that holines standeth in puritie of soule free from all contagion and spot of sin therefore God is holy in himself without regard to an eternal law to be measured by There is the holines of obeying a law and the holines of being a law There is a created holines and an uncreated holines There is a regulating holines and a regulated holines Holines in man is a compleate conformitie to the will of God but in God there is a compleate essentiall will and an essentiall freedom from the least spot of sinne In Christ as man was an exact conformitie and submission to his father wil even contray to his creaturely will But in God there is much more for he essentially is holy and therefore cannot be measured by a law By this time you perceive I trust what holines is which is an attribute of God yet for further Discovery of God unto you I will speake of the diverse wayes that God is said to be holy distinctly properly and perentically so as none but him can be so said to be holy as he is Lessius God is said to be holy five manner of waies according to the doctrine of the schooles First Radically because the devine nature is the first root and originall fountaine of all sanctitie and puritie For from the essence of God in our manner of conceiving things both the eternall law and all love in God of himself and all purity called by some the chastity of God doth flow and come Schaerpius For although there be not in God a priority of nature in any regard yet we must conceive in him a prioritie of order To clear up this by familiar instances or similitudes though the beames of the sun be assoone in in nature as the sun yet we must account the sunne to be the radicall cause of those beames So also assoone as there is fire there is light and heate yet is the fire in order to be conceived before either of them And so now you may see my meaning when I say holines is radically in God I meane the essence of God is the radicall cause roote and fountain of that holines which is in God As God the sonne hath alwaies been the sonne of God and begotten from everlasting and is called the wisdome and word of God So upon the same account the holy Ghost is the love and holines of the Godhead and divine essence and so proceedeth from the father and the sonne this helpeth us to discerne some what of the great mystery of the Trinitie And so although not the same truth yet a truth like unto this would I hold forth in this Doctrine of radicall sanctitie Secondly God is objectively holy because he is the object of all holines For not only it is true of the holines of angels men but even of the holines of God that it is placed in the love of and conjunction with God God is the supream of all things and most simple and pure and the cheifest purity is in cleaving to him and purity is holines or the chastity of God therefore God is holy objectively as the measure of all holines and the fit object of selfe love For as in men impurity commeth by touching things below as when our faces are soule or our garments dirty And in our soules there is defilement by cleaving inordinatly to the world and worldly things so purity springs by acquaintance with things above when our affections do ascend to high and more noble things and do stick to them And so God leaveth to himself and is the object and measure of his own holines Thirdly God is holy exemplarily in manner of a rule or coppy The conformitie of the soule and life of man to the eternal law is true holines such conformity is in God to himself and law though not because it is his law which is the rule of holines Fourthly formally God is holy he cleaves to himselfe who is most pure and is therefore formally holy God is the love of himselfe this is his holines and because he loveth himselfe infinitely as he is lovely infinitly therefore he is infinitely holy Yea God in the love of all his creatures is holy Psalme 145 17. He is holy in all his workes 1. He loves them for his own sake Sanctum esse est amare Deum et gloriam ipsius in omnibus procurare To be holy is to love God and to seeke his glory in all things And so he is holy in all his workes And Secondly he is holy in all his works because
God will no further look upon us then we perfectly aime at his glory in every thing what would become of us had we not a Christ Seeing selfe ends will so mingle themselves with one best performances have we not cause to blesse God for Jesus Christ 't is our duty and let it be our practice to blesse God for Jesus Christ To Summe up all Holy men have holy minds their holy minds are fixed upon God The will word and workes of God and Christ are coppyes before their eies and lastly holy men ayme at Gods glory and not themselves for they are swallowed up in God and know whom they have believed therefore I commend in all these respects God to be eminently and causally holy Now le ts come to make some use and application of this truth Vses of the Attribute of holinesse in God that the Lord our God is holy that holines is an attribute of Gods And first by way of information it teacheth us that holines is not to be contemned nor such as labor after it is not to be set light by nor holy persons despised Wo therefore to those that despise holy persons this must needs be an heynous offence why Sirs what do ye mean Holines is an attribute of God and can that be base or despicable which God takes and makes to be one of his owne attributes one of his names which must not be taken in vaine much lesse not trampled upon Are such to be blamed that desire to be like God to be holy as their father which is in heaven is holy what horrible wickednesse is this to mock at holy people as to twit them with holinesse is to mock at God those that do so are like unto such wretched servants in a house as will dog and misuse a childe in the family because it is like his father whom they yet take wages off and live by and can not live with out little do men think to what a pitch of sinfulnesse their carriage this way doth amount unto though many think it nothing to mock at holy people yet is it a very great sinne And yet what is more in disgrace then holynesse who more despised then pure and holy soules Oh these are your pure folkes these are the holy sect and the like scoffing speeches If a man do but looke towards the wayes of holynes he is streightway had in derision by prophane people How do parents abuse their owne children even among us in this place if they do but looke towards Sion and even weep for mad Alas poore soules Oh that I had but bowells to pitty you as there is cause Do ye know what ye do Let me tell you yee mock at that which must be in your selves or ye shall not see God Heb. 12.14 and holynesse without which no man shall see the Lord yea ye mock at that without which ye cannot serve the Lord. Josh 24 19. Ye cannot serve the Lord for he is an holy God c. Such as despise holynesse cannot serve God so this is the first use If you should have thoughts of indignation against people because they be holy ye would plainly declare that ye are none of Gods servants none of his worshippers and as first I said that ye shall not see his face in mercy so much for that they that labour to be holy are not to be condemned nor holynesse which is an attribute of God contemned Secondly If holinesse be an attribute of God then it further Vse 2 teacheth us that God must needs like of holinesse and delight in holy persons For all Gods attributes are pleasing to him and this being one of them he must needs take pleasure in this This clearly follows where God doth finde but a sparkle of himself he must delight necessarily in it because of his holiness as hath been abundantly manifested in the foregoing part of this discourse he runs with joy to his the workmanship of his own spirit And this is not onely a Use of information but of comfort also exceeding great comfort to those that are taken out of this widâ— world and set into Christ the root of Jesse the root of holinesse The spirit of glory and of God resteth on you saith the Apostle Peter 1 Epist c. 4.14 which may rejoyce under their reproaches for the name of Christ when a soul loves God and is seeking to set up his glory this is matter of great joy because they are partakers of his holinesse O well shall it be with such and happy shall they be Psal 128.2 The Apostles Acts 5.46 Departed from the presence of the Council rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name And so may all holy ones be their outward condition what it will Vse 3 Thirdly Such as would become acceptable to God must labour to become holy persons for this is that which the Lord calleth for Lev. 11.44 45. and cap. 19.2 Ye shall be holy for I am holy this is that the Lord calleth for from all persons nothing will give him content but this you know the saying likenesse makes love And here it takes place if you will have God to love you you must labour to be like him Nothing will please him but holinesse if you would give the fruit of your body for the sin of your soul yet that will not give him content But ye must be holy the reason is given because the Lord your God is holy Be exhorted therefore to labour for holinesse To move you consider first the excellency of this grace Motives to labour for holines it is of the divine nature it is most excellent The excellency of a thing will make a man to labour for it excellent things are the objects of wise mens desires and labours Now there is nothing so excellent as holinesse for that is to be like God And therefore why do ye spend your money for that which is not bread and for that which will not profit you but is vain and like a shadow Riches get wings and flie away labour therefore for that which when once you have will never forsake you in life or death or judgment And therefore the excellency herof thus considred should never let us be quiet til we have gotten some evidence that we have in some measure attained unto this holines even holines which is one of Gods attributes Secondly consider this too holines is a thing which every man is without There is not so much as one sparkle of holines in any man by nature for we are wholy defiled with sin Ever imagination of the thoughts of mans heart is only evil continually Gen. 6 5. How can man be cleane that is borne of a Woman Job 25.4 the interrogation there is a vehement negation How can that is it cannot be But we are all as an uncleane thing and all our righteousnes are as filthy rags Isaiah 64.6 There is none righteous no not one there is
the wonderfull goodnes which God hath communicated to Angels in general as Angels is beyond our apprehension They are glorious intellectual creatures they come not by their knowledge of truthes as we do admirable shares have they in the generall goodnes of God to that speciall kind of creature And for the soules of men first as men I mean The possession of that master piece is a most rich possession no Jewell so pretious It is a divine sparke capable of the devine nature and fitter to be a sanctuary and temple for God to dwell in then to be so basely used as it is by most men They are eternal beings â parte post O let me breake out I can go no further yet untill I have a litle wept over the soules of men that best jewell of which men make so little account both of their owne and others What indignity is this to abuse this good and glorious gift of Gods goodnes that must live for ever either in blisse or torment Alas upon what poor termes do men hazard that the nature and worth whereof is beyond mans reach to comprehend O how cruell are men to the soules of one another Do ye so vilifie that which God breathed into man and set his owne image upon and gave so great a price for and valves above all the world besides But no wonder men are so careles of or rather cruell unto the soules of others that are so cruell to their owne soules giving them a way in a manner for nothing of this humour are not onely the scum of people but many of the more eminent sort quarelling and brawling against the good means of grace appointed for the salvation of their poore soules And imploying all their wit and strength and parts and time and friends to maintain and defend their fleshly lusts which warre against the soule O how do the most forget their soules to satisfie their lusts Is it not the busines of the world to satisfie their lusts and to remove by proud violence or close fraud whatsoever standeth in their way And yet to put colours and pretences upon their soule murthering practices to delude the world and themselves Besides other goodnesses are there communicated to the humane nature to men as men from a good God Which should not be slighted much lesse abused seeing God out of his goodnes hath given them unto us O how many things have we given to us to make our life comfortable And therefore by the way we should be thankfull and demeane and carry our selves so at this large table which God hath given us that it might not be a snare unto us as it is usually to ungodly men who make the goodnes of God an occasion to sin and being Waxt fat with Jesurun kicke and forsake God which made them and lightly esteem the work of their salvation O t is sad that the good of strength should be an occasion of many sins somtimes of murthers And the good of wealth the occasion of pride oppression and many outrages And the good of knowledge puffe them up that have it and often be abused to fight with it against the trueth of God and his wayes and worship Thus do many turne the goodnes and blessings of God as they are in themselves into evill and make them so many curses And therefore wittily saith one wicked men may have much wealth but they have no goods But what 's all these in comparison of that goodnes which is vouchsafed to the elect Angels and to elect men of both which sorts of creatures Christ is the head and Saviour to keepe the one in the goodnes of their created estate which some of them kept not The Angels which kept not their first estate Jude ver 6. And to bring the other backe unto that goodnes which they had lost And with this goodnes Angels are a part of the mysticall body of Christ and Christ is the head of Angells elect as well as of elect men My Beloved in the Lord Jesus Here are goodnesses indeed For as no evill that can be fall the sonnes of men is like unto that to be without Christ So no goodnes comparable to this of being in the number of them that are redeemed by Christ Jesus What will pride profit or what will the pomp of riches avail when ye must lose your soul And suppose besides your riches ye have art and learning so had Aristotle Suppose ye had great wisdome so had Achitophel Suppose kingdoms whose kingdoms were like those of the Assyrians Grecians Persians and Romanes Suppose great knowledge in Divinitie so have the very devils The Devill is a great divine Suppose morall honesty So had the Pharisies Yet there must be another righteousnes to bring us to God Math. 5.20 For I say unto you that except your righteousnes shall exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies ye shall in no case enter into the kingdome of heaven Vse 1 Now we are next to make use of this attribute of God And First from this glorious display of goodnes in God to creatures in general to men and Angels to more noble creatures yet as creatures simply considered more specially And to elect Angels and men singularly as they are members of the mysticall body of Christ We may learne this and let it ever remaine with you that hurtfull dispositions and micheivous natures must needs be displeasing to God For such a disposition and frame of spirit is contrary unto Gods disposition and contraries never accord well as we see in this present world God ye have heard is good to all creatures his goodnes descendeth even to the feeding of yong ravens he takes care for oxen and doth good to his very enemies He causeth his sunne to rise on the evill and on the good and sendeth raine on the just and on the unjust And surely if God be such a good God as ye see he is Then it must needs be that evill natures and mischievous spirits and cruell dispositions must be odious to him As fire and water can never agree but one must overcome the other so will there be alwaies a quarelling between God and hurting men untill one be overcome which I trow ye all suppose cannot be God Let all oppressiors and troublesome men know that there is an everlasting enmity between God and them O these fell natures make men like unto the Devill who like a roaring lion goeth about seeking whom he may devoure 1 Pet. 5.8 He is called Abaddon and Apollyon Rev. 9.12 That is a destroyer The Hebrew word Tobb in my text I told you was reade in the vulgar Latine Svavis that is sweete Sowre froward spirits are contrary to Gods sweetenes We read of such Prov. 2.12.13.14 15. To deliver thee from the way of the evill man from the man that speaketh froward things Who leave the pathes of righteousnes to walke in the waies of darknes who rejoice to do evill and delight in