that faithful Servant of Jesus Christ John Ball late Minister of the Gospel at Whitmore in Stafford-shire published by M. Simeon Ash Preacher of the Gospel at Austins London Irenicum A Weapon-Salve for the Churches Wounds Or the Divine Right of particular Forms of Church-Government discussed and examined by Edward Stillingfleete Rector of Sutton in Bedford-shire The second Edition corrected An Exposition by way of Supplement on the 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th and 9th Chapters on the Prophecy of Amos where you have the Text fully explained other Texts occasionally cleared many Cases Stated many practical Observations raised and many Polemical Points debated by Tho. Hall B. D. and Pastor of Kings-Norton A Cluster of Grapes taken out of the Basket of the Woman of Canaan or Counsel and Comfort for Beleeving Souls By John Durant late Preacher of the Gospel in Canterbury A Call to the Unconverted By Richard Baxter A Latin and English Grammar By Charls Hool M. A. Books sold by John Sims at the Cross-Keyes in St. Pauls Church-yard CHrist the Pattern of a Christians Practise By Mr. Ralph Robinson Octavo Several Peeces of Mr. Ralph Venning collected into one Volume viz. Orthodox Paradoxes Mysteries and Revelations Canaans Flowings A Warning to Backsliders The Way to True Happiness Mercies memorial 8 to A Practical Discourse of Prayer wherein is handled the Nature the Duty and the Qualifications of Prayer By Tho. Cobbet Minister of the Gospel 8 to Two Treatises of Mr. Brinseley 1. A Groan for Israel 2. The Spiritual Vertigo with two other Treatises viz. Three Sacred Emblems 2. Tears for Jerusalem By the same Author 8 to Irenicum A Weapon-Salve for the Churches Wounds Or the Divine Right of particular Forms of Church-Government discussed and examined By Edward Stilling fleete Rector of Sutton in Bedford-shire The second Edition corrected 4 to FINIS THE TABLE CHristian Reader take notice that the Pages are misfigured for next to page 240. followes page 280. yet doe thou but follow the directionss laid downe in the Table and without any further trouble to thy self thou will find any particular that thou hast a mind to be satisfied in A. OF Adams holiness in innocency Page 5 6 7. The greatness of Adams sin in four particulars Page 52. Of Adoption Reall holiness is a sure evidence of a mans Adoption Page 624 625 626. Of Admiration Holy persons are much taken up in the Admiration of the holiness of God Page 102 103 104 Of being Afflicted Holy persons are much afflicted c. with their own unholyness Page 123 124 125 126. And much affected and afflicted with the unholiness of others Page 139 140 141. Afflictions Of great and heavy afflictions Page 363 364 The more a man can divinely rejoyce under afflictions the greater measures of holiness that man has certainly attained to Page 600 601 602. Of All Things All things shall be sanctified to the holy man Page 629 630. Of Approving a mans self to God The more a man makes it his great business to approve himself to God the greater measure of holiness that man has attained to Page 609 610 611. Of Authors That unholy persons are to be shut out from special Communion with the people of God is made evident by the Judgements of many Learned and approved Authors Page 51 52 53 54. B. Of Beasts Vnholy persons are Beasts yea the worst of Beasts Page 54 55 56. Of Blessings God will certainly bless all a holy mans blessings to him Page 622 623. Of Boldness The more holy any man is the more bold and couragious that man will be for God and Godliness Page 507 508 509. C. Of severall Cannots There is a threefold Cannot 1. A natural Cannot 2. A contracted and habituated cannot 3. A judicial cannot Page 21-25 Of Conformity to Christ True holiness is conformable to the holiness of Christ Page 138 139. Of Civil men Meere civil men shall not go to Heaven Page 77 78 79. Of Company He that will be holy must keep company with those that are holy Page 307 308. And he that will perfect holiness in the feare of the Lord must be most In with them that are most excellent in holiness Page 577 578. Of Communion There is no spiritual communion with God in this world without holiness Page 28 29 30. Vnholy persons are to be shut out from sacred and special communion with the people of God in this world This proved by an induction of ten particulars Page 44-54 The more holy any man is the more communion that man will have with God Page 491 492 493. Of Comparing your selves with others Take heed of comparing your selves with those that are worse then your selves Page 284 285. Of Contrariety Vnholy persons are full of contrariety to God Page 27 28. Of being Condemned Vnholy persons are adjudged and condemned to hell Page 57 58 59 60 61 62. Of Conversion The persecutions of the Saints may issue in the conversion of sinners Page 401 402 403. Many that have been converted later then others do yet in holiness much excell them Page 504 505. D. Of Death Take heed of putting the day of death far from you three arguments to perswade to this Page 288-296 Of Degrees A holy person will be still reaching after higher degrees of holiness Page 107 108 109. Christians must press after the highest degrees of holiness Page 468 469. About degrees of glory in Heaven see Heaven Of Delight The more holy any man is the more he will be the delight of God c. Page 488 489. Tbis is further proved by five Arguments Page 490 491 492 493 494. God takes singular delight both in a holy mans person and in his services to Page 616 617 618 619. Of Self-denyall The more a man can deny himself when he hath power and opportunity to raise himself c. the greater measure of holiness he has attained to Page 612 613 614. 620 621. Of Discord No speciall communion to be held with those that cause discord and division among the Saints Page 46. Of the Doctrine The Doctrine is this That reall holiness is the onely way to happiness All men must be holy on earth or they shall never see the Beatifical Vision they shall never reach to a glorious fruition of God in Heaven Page 5. The Doctrine proved by ten Arguments Page 18-62 Of holy Duties The holy mans duties are most delightfull to God Page 632 633 634. Reall holiness naturaliseth holy duties to the soule Page 126 127 128. The more holy any man is the more singular delight and pleasure God will take in all his Religious duties and services Page 502 503 504. When men in the maine are as holy out of Religious duties as they are in Religious duties t is an evidence of a great measure of holiness that they have attained to Page 600. The more a man is exercised in the most spirituall and internall duties of Religion the more holiness he hath attained to Page 605
shall not tarry in his sight Psal 5.5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight or as the Hebrew hath it before thine eyes thou hatest all workers of iniquity God will never admit fools to be his favourites he will at last shut the door of glory against them Mat. 25.4 13. A seventh Argument to prove that without real holiness there is no happiness that without holiness on earth no man shall ever come to a blessed vision or fruition of God in heaven is this Unholy persons are to be excluded and shut out from sacred from special communion and fellowship with the Saints in this world and therefore without all peradventure they shall never be admitted to everlasting communion and fellowship with God Christ Angels and Saints in that other world That they are to be shut out from having any special communion with the Saints here is most plain and evident from several Scripures take these for a taste Lev. 10.10 Lev. 13.46 Numb 5.1 2 3 4. Exod. 12.48 Lev. 22.3 4 5 6 7. As oft said One as I have been among wicked men I return home less a man then I was before The Docrenean well will quench a burning torch so will bad company the most burning and most shining Christians as you see in Joseph and Peter Psal 106.35 when they were mingled among the Heathen they quickly learn their works Psa 119.115 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy and between unclean and clean Ezek. 44.23 And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and prophane and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean And because the Priests did not improve their power and interest to preserve the things of God from prophaning and polluting the Lord was very much offended and provoked Ezek. 22.26 Her Priests have violated my Law and have prophaned mine holy things they have put no difference between the holy and prophane neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean and have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths and I am prophaned among them And in Chap. 44.7 8. God sadly complains that they brought into his Sanctuary strangers uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh and prohibits such from entring into his Sanctuary ver 9. Thus saith the Lord God No stranger uncircumcised in heart nor uncircumcised in flesh shall enter into my Sanctuary of any stranger that is among the children of Israel God expects that faithfull teachers should put a difference between person and person between the holy and prophane between the clean and the unclean in all holy administrations Jerem. 15.19 Therefore thus saith the Lord If thou take forth the pretious from the vile then thou shalt be as my mouth let them return unto thee but return not thou unto them Now certainly if under the Ceremonial Law natural uncleanness did exclude and shut out the Israelites from a participation in holy things then certainly moral uncleanness may justly exclude and shut out Christians from a participation in holy things under the Gospel Mat. 7.6 Give not that which is holy unto dogs neither cast ye your pearls before swine lest they trample them under their feet and turn again and rent you Holy things are too precious to be spent and spilt upon swinish sinners Gospel administrations are pretious pearls that must not be given to swine 2 Cor. 6.17 Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you Prophane scandalous blind and ignorant persons are very unclean things and from them we must come out as we would be in with God we must be out with them we must reject them as we would have God to receive us 2 Tim. 3.5 Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof from such turn away Our Saviour Christ hied him to the wilderness amongst the beasts and carried his Disciples with him holding their fellowship to be less hurtfull and dangerous It is better to live among beasts then to live among men of beastly principles and beastly practises Now there are ten sorts of persons that Christians must turn from that they must have no intimate no special communion with in this world First Unbelievers 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16. We should not close with them that have not closed with Christ nor give our selves up to them who have not given up themselves to Christ Every unbeliever is a condemned person the Law hath cast him John 3.18 the Gospel hath cast him and his own conscience hath cast him and what sacred communion what delightfull fellowship can believers have with condemned persons Ver. 36. Every Unbeliever is under the wrath of the great God he is under that wrath that he can neither avoid nor abide and what communion can such have who are under love with those that are under wrath Every unbeliever makes God a Lyar. 1 Iohn 5.10 And what children will have communion with such who every day give their Father the Lye to his very face Every unbeliever doth practically say Tush there is no such loveliness or comeliness there is no such beauty or glory there is no such fulness or sweetness there is no such goodness or graciousness in Jesus as men would make us believe and what is this but to give God the Lie Tus◠there is no such favour there is no such peace there is no such pardon there is no such Righteousness there is no such Grace there is no such glory to be reaped by Christ as God and men would perswade us and what is this but to tell God he lyes to his very teeth And what ingenuous child can take pleasure in such who are still a spitting in his Fathers face Every unbeliever is a disobedient person Numb 14.11 Heb. 11.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 5.8 2 Cor 6.14 15. 1 Cor. 14.23 ult 2 Tim. 3.1.6 and therefore unbelievers and disobedient are in the Greek expressed by one word and what communion can obedient children have with those that are disobedient and rebellious Every unbeliever is a Pagan a Heathen in the Scripture dialect and what communion can those who are of the houshold of faith have with Pagans and Heathens Every unbeliever is a Traytor he commits Treason daily against the Crown and dignity of heaven and what Loyal Subjects will hold communion with Traitors Unbelievers are the greatest Robbers they rob God of his declarative glory though they cannot rob him of his Essential glory they rob h m of the glory of his truth and faithfulnesse as if he would falsifie the word that is gone out of his mouth as if he were yea and nay and as if his credit was so low and contemptibe that he must needs run a hazzard that shall trust to him or roul himself upon him They rob him of the glory of his goodness and mercy as if there were any sins too great
3. A promise to live well Austin Austin well observes That as many think the eating of an Apple was but a small sin So many think that the eating of the Sacrament is but a small sin But as many horrid sins were wrapt up in that so are there many wrapt up in this 1. Here is pride else no man in his wickedness would presume to come to the Lords Table 2. Here is Rebellion and Treason against the Crown and dignity of Christ Romans 2.22 their hands and lips adore him as Judas his did but their hearts and lives abhor him 3. Here is Theft and Sacriledge now if to take away the Communion cup be such a high offence 1 Cor. 11.27.29 such horrid sacriledge what is it then to take the Bread and Wine set apart and sanctified for a holy use by the Lord himself 4. Here is Murder the worst murder the greatest murder the cruelest murder thou killest thy self thy soul and as much as in thee lies Gods dearest Son Now certainly in some respects this sin is a greater sin then Adams was For 1. Adams Eating was against a Creator but thine is against a Redeemer now it is more to redeem a soul then to create a world 2. His was against the word of the Lord thine against the blood of the Lord. 3. His struck at the Covenant of Works thine at the Covenant of Grace 4. He eat but once but thou eatest often Yea Aquinas Aquinas saith the Majesty of Church Discipline should never suffer this to let open and known offendors presume to come to the Table of the Lord. It was a worthy saying of Bilson an approved Author Suppose any man saith he be he a Prince Bilsons Christian Subject par 3. pag. 63. 64 74 c. 52. if he will not submit himself to the precepts of Christ but wilfully maintain either heresie or open impurity the Ministers are to admonish him what danger from God is at the door and if he impenitently persist they must not suffer him to communicate either in divine prayer or any holy mysteries among the people of God but wholly to be excluded the Congregation Again not only the lack of the word and Sacraments saith the same Author but the abuse of either greatly hazards the weale of the whole Church yea casting holy things to dogs c. procures a dreadfull doom as well to consenters as presumers it being the way to turn the house of God into a den of Theives if prophane ones be allowed to defile the mysteries and Assemblies of the faithfull I said Calvin Calvin will sooner die then this hand of mine shall give the things of God to the contemners of God Mr. Rutherford Rutherford that champion for Presbyterie in his divine right of Church-Government pag. 520 saith that they are co-partners with the wicked who dispence the bread to them who are knowingly dead in sins I might multiply many others but let these suffice for a close let me only say How the Father can be guiltless of the death of his child that giveth him poyson to drink with this Caution that he telleth him it is poyson I cannot see Josephus reports of some that prophanely searched the sepulchres of the Saints Joseph Antiq. lib. 12 13. l. 16. cap. 11. supposing to find some treasures there but God made fire to rise out of the earth that devoured them on a suddain Now if Gods wrath like fire breaks forth to consume such as wrong but the sepulchres of his Saints c. Oh then with what flames of fury will God burn up such as abuse not only the Sacrament of his Son but his Son himself It was a very great wickededness in Julian to throw his blood in the face of Christ but for a wicked Communicant to take Christs own blood as it were running from his heart and to throw it into he face of Christ is most abominable and damnable By all that hath been spoken you clearly see that unholy persons are to bâ— shut out of the special communion of Saints here on earth and therefore certainly the Lord will never suffer such to have communion with him in heaven it will not stand with the holiness and purity of God to have fellowship with such in the kingdom of glory whom he would not have his people have fellowship with in the kingdom of grace The eighth Argument to prove that without real holiness there is no happiness Unholy persons are throughout the Scriptures branded to their everlasting contempt with the worst Appellations that without holiness on earth no man shall ever come to a blâ—ssed vision or fruition of God in heaven is this The Scripture that speaks no Treason stiles unholy persons beasts yea the worst of beasts and what should such do in heaven Unholy persons are the most dangerous and the most unruly pieces in the world and therefore are emblemized by Lions Psalm 22.21 and they are cruel by Bears and they are savage Isa 11.7 by Dragons and they are hideous Ezek. 29.3 by Wolves and they are ravenous Ezek. 22.27 by dogs and they are snarling Rev. 22.15 by Vipers and Scorpions and they are stinging Mat. 12.34 Ezek. 2.6 by Spiders and Cockatrices and they are poysoning Isa 59.5 by swine and they are still gruntling Mat. 7.6 No man in this world is more like another It was wont to be a tryal whither land belonged to England or Ireland by putting in Toads or Snakes c. into it if they lived there it was concluded that the land belonged to England if they died to Ireland then the Epicure is like a Swine the fraudulent person a Fox the lustfull person a Goat the back-biter a barking Curr the slanderer an Asp the oppressor a Wolf the Persecutor a Tyger the Seducer a Serpent Certainly the Irish Air will sooner brook Toads and Snakes and Serpents to live therein then heaven will brook such beasts as unholy souls are to live there Surely God and Christ and the Spirit and Angels and the Spirits of just men made perfect are not so in love with Dogs and Swine c. as to put them into their bosoms or make them their companions Heaven is a place of too great state to admit such vermine to inhabit there When Cyneas the Embassador of Pyrrhus after his return from Rome was asked by his Master what he thought of the City and State he answered and said that it seemed to him to be Respublica Regum a State of none but great Statesmen and a Common-wealth of Kings Such is heaven it is no other State then a Parliament of Emperours a Common-wealth of Kings There is not a soul in heaven under the degree of a King Rev 6.1 and every King there hath a Robe of honour upon his back a golden Scepter in his hand and a glorious Crown upon his head And do you think that it will stand with the State of heaven or
much affected and afflicted with seeing and hearing of the wickednesse of those among whom he lived 2 Peter 2.7 8. The Greek word for vexed in verse 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to be oppressed under the wanton and wicked conversation of the ungodly Sodomites as a man that is oppressed under a heavy burden which he labours under and would fain be delivered from Or to be oppressed as the Israelites were under their cruel Aegyptian Taskmasters Ah the sins the wickednesse of others sets hard upon the hearts of the Saints The Israelites did not more labour and sigh and groan under all their loads and oppressions then many holy hearts do labour and sigh and groan under the load of wicked mens sins And the Greek word for vexed in ver 8. It is a Metaphor taken from Engines that they did torment people withall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to be tortured tormented and wracked Oh their wickednesse did torment and wrack his righteous soul he could not see nor hear of their wickednesse but his soul was as upon a wrack Pambus in Ecclesiastical History wept when he saw an Harlot take so much pains to deck and dresse her self in curious and costly apparrel and all to entertain a wanton lover and so to make work for hell Oh it cannot but grieve a gracious soul to see what pains poor sinners take to go to hell A holy heart looks upon other mens sins as great dishonours done to his Father his King And therefore he cannot but cry out with Croesus his Son who though he was born dumb yet seeing some going about to kill his Father his tongue-strings unloosed and he cried out O kill not King Croesus kill not my Father Oh kill not my God and my King Oh kill not Oh dishonour not my dear Father and Saviour saith a holy heart Such is the love and high respects that holy hearts bear to their heavenly Father that they cannot but grieve and mourn and cry out when they see others to act Treason against the Crown and dignity of heaven Elijah had rather dye then to see Ahab and Jezebel to cast contempt and dishonour upon his God 1. A holy heart mourns for sin as sin he weeps over the very nature of sin he grieves for sin as it is the breach of a holy Law He that hates a Thief as a Thief will hate a Thief in another mans house as well as in his own and as it is a dishonour to a holy God c. and therefore he cannot but mourn for other mens sins as well as his own He that hates a Toad as a Toad will hate a Toad in other mens bosoms as well as his own He that hates poison as poison will hate poison in another mans hand as well as his own So he that hates sin as sin will hate it where-ever he sees it And he that mourns over sin as sin cannot but mourn over sin where-ever he observes it 2. By other mens sins a holy man is put in mind of the badnesse of his own heart Bernard makes mention in one of his Homilies of an old man who when he saw any man sin wept and lamented for him and being asked why he grieved so for other mens sins answered Ille hodie ego cras he fell to day and I may fall to morrow the falls of others puts a holy man in mind of the roots of bitternesse that be in himself other mens actual sins are as so many glasses through which a holy man comes to see the manifold seeds of sin that be in his own nature and such a sight as this cannot but melt him and break him 3. A holy heart knows that the best way to keep himself pure from other mens sins is to mourn for other mens sins 1 Tim. 5.22 1 Cor. 5.1 2 3. Ephes 5.11 He that makes conscience of weeping over other mens sins will rarely be defiled with other mens sins he that mourns not over other mens sins is accessary to other mens sins and first or last may find them charged upon his account He that mourns not for other mens sins is in danger of being insnared by other mens sins And how then can a holy man look upon other mens sins with dry eyes 4. A holy man looks upon other mens sins as the crucifiers of his Saviour He looks upon the proud mans pride as that which set a crown of thorns upon the sacred head of Christ and this makes him figh he looks upon the swearers oaths as the nails that nailed his blessed hands and feet to the crosse and this makes him grieve He looks upon scorners as spitting upon Christ and worldlings as preferring Barabbas before Christ and this makes him groan He looks upon hypocrites as kissing and betraying of Christ and he looks upon drunkards and wantons as giving gall and vinegar to Christ and this makes him mourn He looks upon other mens sins as having a hand in all Christs torments and this puts him upon the wrack and makes his very soul heavy even to the death 5. A holy heart knows that by mourning for other mens sins he may be instrumental to keep off wrath Psalm 106. Ezek. 9.4.6 How oft did holy Moses by his tears quench the wrath of an angry God However if wrath should break forth upon a Nation Isa 26.20 yet they that mourn for the abominations of the times they shall be hid in the day of Gods publick visitation When the house is on fire the Father hath a special care to provide for the safety and security of his children when the lumber is on fire a man will be sure first to secure his box of Jewels In times of common calamity God will be sure to look after his Jewels his mourning ones Isa 43.2 3. Dan. 3.17 18 19 26 27 28. though the lumber the wicked be burnt up on every hand in the day of Gods wrath yet he will be sure to preserve his jewels in the midst of the flames Augustin coming to visit a sick man found the room full of mourners he found â—he wife sobbing the children sighing and the kindred lamenting whereupon he suddenly breathed forth this short but sweet ejaculatory prayer Lord saith he what prayers dost thou hear if not these So in times of common calamity holy hearts may look up and say Ah Lord whose sighs whose groans whose tears wilt thou hear if not ours Who are mourners in Sion and who wilt thou save and secure in this day of thy fierce indignation if not we who have laboured to drown both our own and other mens sins in penitential tears 6. A holy heart looks upon sinners sins to contribute very much towards the bringing in of sore and sad changes upon a Land and Nation Psal 107.33 34. he knows that sinners sins may turn Rivers into a wildernesse and water-springs into dry ground and a fruitfull land into a barren wildernesse
and though Legal terrour Evangelical joy are inconsistent Zach. 12.10 1 Pet. 1.8 yet Evangelical sorrow and Evangelical joy are consistent in one and the same soule the same eye of faith that drops tears of sorrow drops also tears of joy A cleare sight of free-grace of pardoning mercy and of a bleeding dying Saviour will at the same time fill the soul both with sorrow and joy as the experiences of a thousand Christians can testifie A Christian alwayes joys most and mourns most Luke 7. when he is most under the sense of divine love the influences and incomes of heaven the hopes of glory the reports of mercy and the precious sealings of the blessed Spirit Look as Physick is the way to health so godly sorrow is the way to holy joy Prov. 14.13 look as a wicked mans joy ends in sorrow so a godly mans sorrow ends in joy Isa 61.3 To appoint unto them that mourne in Zion to give unto them beauty for ashes the oyl of joy for mourning the garment of gladness for the spirit of heaviness that they may be called trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified Godly sorrow is the Parent of holy joy a Godly mans mourning time is his most joyfull time I have read of a godly man who lying upon his dying bed and being askt which was the joyfullest time that ever he had in all his life cryed our O give me my mourning dayes againe O give me my mourning dayes againe for they were the joyfullest dayes that ever I had The more a Christian sowes in teares Psal 126.6 the greater even in this world shall be his harvest of joy his merry dayes shall be alwayes answerable to his mourning dayes But Thirdly I anâ—wer that this is a false charge a meere slander an unjust calumny that Satan and his bond-slaves have cast upon holiness and the wayes of holiness on purpose to hinder men from pursuing and following after holiness The language of the objection is quite contrary to the language of the holy Scripture witness that Psal 138.5 Yea they shall sing in the wayes of the Lord for great is the glory of the Lord. When the Kings of the earth shall be generally converted and sanctified as 't is in ver the 4th Then they shall sing in the wayes of the Lord when they shall come to experience and taste the power excellency and sweetness of holiness then they shall sing in the wayes of the Lord. Conversation and sanctification administer the highest grounds of joy and rejoycing 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly to you-wards A holy conversation affords the greatest ground of rejoycing There is no joy to that which springs from the testimony of a sanctified conscience God has given it under his own hand Pro. 3.17 that the wayes of wisdom which are alwayes wayes of holiness are wayes of pleasantness and all her paths are peace There is no pleasure nor felicity to that which flowes from the wayes of sanctity The sweetest Roses the strongest comforts and the greatest pleasantness is to be found in the wayes of holiness O! the joy the peace the tranquillity the serenity that attends the wayes of purity I might call in many millions of Saints who from their own experiences are able to give the lye to this objection and further to tell you that they have met with more comforts sweetness and pleasantness in one houres communion with God in one houres walking with God then ever they have found in all the wayes of ungodliness and wickedness wherein they have wandered O! they are able to tell you Isa 57.20 21. that when they walkt in wayes of impiety they found by experience that God had made a seperation between sin and peace between sin and joy Rom. 6.21 between sin and assurance between sin and the light of his countenance c. and they are able to tell you from what they have found that there is no feare no terror no horror no gripes no grief no stings no hells to those that attend the wayes of ungodliness and this were enough to blow off this objection But Fourthly I answer that the joy of the Saints is chiefly and mainely an inward joy a spiritual joy a joy that lyes remote from a carnal eye the joy of a Christian lyes deep it cannot be expressed it cannot be painted look as no man can paint the sweetness of the Honey-combe nor the sweetness of a Cluster of Grapes nor the fragrancy of the Rose of Sharon so no man can paint out the sweetness and spiritualness of a Christians joy it lyes so deep and low in a gracious heart and look as the life of a Christian is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 so the joy of a Christian is hid with Christ in God as their life is a hidden life so their joy is a hidden joy the joy of a Christian is hidden Manna 't is the new name and white stone Rev. 2.20 that none knoweth but he that has it Pro. 14.10 The heart knoweth his own bitterness and a stranger doth not intermeddâ—e with his joy The joy of a Saint is a Jewel that falls not under a strangers eye Look as the greatest terrors and torments of the wicked are inward so the greatest joyes and comforts of the Saints are inward and look as the heart of man is deep Jer. 17.9 10. so holy joy is a treasure that lyes deep and 't is not every man that has a golden key to search into this Treasury As a man standing on the Sea-shore sees a great heap of waters one wave riding upon the back of another and making a dreadfull noise but all this while though he sees the water rouling and hears it raging and roaring yet he sees not the wealth the gold the silver the Jewels and incredible Treasures that lye buried there so wicked men they see the wants of the Saints but not their wealth they see their poverty but not their riches their miseries but not their mercies their conflicts but not their comforts their sorrows but not their joyes 1 Cor. 2.14 O the blinde world cannot see the joys and rejoycings the comforts and consolations of the Saints that lye at the bottom of their souls their joys are inward and spiritual and so must the eye be that discernes them the joy of the Saints is like a Garden inclosed Cant. 4.12 a spring shut up a fountaine sealed Psal 45.13 And as the glory of the Church is inward so the joy of the Church is inward Isa 12.3 The waters of consolation lye deep in the wells of salvation The richest veines of Oare lye deepest under ground and so do's the strongest and the choicest
book of life And thus you see on all hands that suffering for Christ is the highest honour that you are capable of in this world And therefore there is little reason why a Christian should shrink or shrug at sufferings But Ninthly I answer That the afflictions persecutions and sufferings that attend Christians in these dayes are nothing to the fiery trialls that the Saints and Martyrs of old have met with For seven-fold harder measure has been measured forth to them then is this day measured forth to us our sufferings are hardly to be nam'd in the day wherein those sore and heavy things are mentioned that those precious and famous Worthyes of old have suffered I may say to most Christians as the Apostle did to the Hebrewes Heb. 12.4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood striving against sin many have but you have not you have only met with hard words when others have met with blowes and wounds you have been only a contending with men when others have been a contending with beasts you have been only whipt with Rosemary branches when others have been whipt with Scorpions you have been only bound with silken bands when others have been bound with Iron chaines Will you be so favourable to your selves as to compare your sufferings with the sufferings of former Saints and that you may let me give you a little Breviate of their sufferings of whom the world was not worthy History tells us that in the Ten primitive persecutions they exercised all manner of cruelty and torments that could be devised against the Christians 1. in the Reigne of Adrian the Emperour there were ten thousand Christians crucified in the Mount Ararat crowned with crownes of Thornes and thrust into the sides with sharp darts 2. Others were so whipt that their very inward arteries and veines appeared and their intrailes and bowells were seen and afterwards they were set upon sharp shells taken out of the Sea edged and sharp and certaine nailes and thornes were sharpned and pointed called Obelisci for them to goe upon and after all this cruelty they were throwne to wild beasts to be devoured 3. Multitudes were banished 4. Others were drawn asunder with wild Horses 5. Some were Rackt with bars of Iron 6. Others were cast into loathsome Dungeons 7. Some were burnt in the fire 8. Others were knockt downe and had their braines beate out with Staves and Clubs 9. Some were prickt in their faces and eyes with sharp Reeds 10. Others were stoned to death with stones as Stephen was 11. Some were dashed in pieces against Mill-stones 12. Others had their teeth dasht out of their Jawes and their joynts broken 13. Some were cast downe from very high places 14. Others were beheaded 15. Some were tormented with Razors 16. Others were slaine with the sword 17. Some were run thorow with Pikes 18. Others were driven into the wilderness where they wandered up and downe suffering hunger and cold and where they were exposed to the fury both of wild beasts and also to the rage of the barbarous Arabians 19. Some fled into Caves which by their persecutors were rammed up with stones and there they dyed 20. Others were troden to death by the people 21. Some were hanged on Gibbets with fire under their sides 22. Others were cast into the Sea and drown'd 23. Some were slaine in mettal Mines 24. Others were hanged by the feet and choaked with the smoak of a small fire their leggs being first broken 25. Some were poudered with salt and vineger and then roasted with a soft fire 26. Others were hanged by one hand that they might feele the weight of their whole bodies scorching broyling over burning Coales 27. Some were shot through with Arrowes and afterwards thrown into stinking Jakes 28. Others were stript stark-naked as ever they were borne and turned out of doores in cold frosty nights and burnt the next day 29. In Syria a company of Christian virgins were stript stark-naked to be scorned by the multitude then shaved then covered with swill and draffe and then torne in pieces and devoured by swine 30. Lastly many women had one joynt of their bodies pulled from another And another cruelty that they practised in the primitive times was this They would make Fathers to kindle the Faggots to burne their own children c. and their flesh and sides scratched with Tallons of wild Beasts to the bones and their breasts seared with Torches till they dyed And thus you have an account of thirty severall wayes by which the precious sons and daughters of Zion have formerly been afflicted tormented and destroyed and what heart of stone can reade over this bill of particulars with dry eyes And now tell me Sirs whether your fufferings are worth a naming in that day wherein the sufferings of the precious servants of God in the primitive times are spoken of O no well then take heed of making Mole-hills mountaines and of crying out is there any sorrow to our sorrow or any sufferings to our sufferings But Tenthly I answer That unholy persons have suffered as great and grievous things for the satisfying of their lusts and humors and for the compassing of some worldly good as you have suffered Witness Jehu Ahab Jezebel Balaam Judas c. or are like to suffer for your pursuing after holiness O the hazards the dangers the deaths that many have run through to gratifie their lusts Petrus Blesensis has long since observed that the Courtiers of his time suffered as many vexations with weariness and painfulness with hunger and thirst and with all the Catalogue of Pauls afflictions that is reckon'd up in that 2 Cor. 11. as good Christians did for the truth I have read of a Roman servant who knowing his Master was sought for by Officers to be put to death he to save his Masters life put himselfe into his Masters Cloathes that he might be taken for him and accordingly he was taken and put to death for him and all this out of a humor of vaine glory The Romans desire of the praises of men saith Augustin made them bountifull of their purfes and prodigall of their lives This was in Anno 1555. c. Servetus at Geneva gave all his goods to the poore and his body to be burnt and all for a name for a little glory among men saith Calvin Ah what cutting what lancing what bleeding what vomitting and what searching will many men endure upon the advice of their Physitians and all for a little health a little â—trength or to preserve a wretched life for a few dayes yea for a few houres sometimes O the tortures and torments that many Romans and others have undergon sometimes out of love to their Countrey and sometimes to maintaine their credit and reputation among men and sometimes out of an affectation of future fame and renowne and to eternalize their names and why then should Christians thinke so much of suffering afflictions and persecutions for holiness
mother And the king of Israel said unto him Nay for the Lord hath called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab And Elisha said as the Lord of Hosts liveth before whom I stand surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehosaphat the King of Judah I would not look toward thee nor see thee 'T was not the great distress and danger that they were in being like to perish for want of water nor the dignity of Kings nor the number of three but the goodness the graciousness and holiness of Jehoshaphat that wrought upon Elisha to work a miracle to preserve them and their people alive the holy Prophet carries it very high towards this unholy Prince for had it not been for Jehoshaphat he would not have honored him with a look no not with a cast of his eye these words I would not look toward thee nor see thee are words of a very high strain and speak out a great deal of holy-loftiness stateliness and contempt towards King Jehoram And the same spirit was working in Mordecai towards wicked Haman as you may see in that Esth 3.2 And all the Kings servants that were in the Kings gate bowed and reverenced Haman for the King had so commanded concerning him but Mordecai bowed not nor did him reverence The Persian The Persians manner was to kneel down and reverence their Kings and such as he appointed in chief authority which Mordecai would not do to this proud ambitious wicked Haman though all the Courtiers and the Kings Life-Guard and all that had occasions to attend the Court did Kings as many other heathenish Kings were reverenced by their subjects with a kind of Divine honor or service and such reverence and honor the King commanded should be shewed to his great favourite Haman but this renowned Mordecai refused to do he was so Divinely noble and stout that he would not reverence such a wicked wretch in his heart nor yet yeild to him that outward worship that was required by the King it being more then was due to a man Some of the Rabbins say As Aben Ezra c. that Haman had the Image of some false god about him and that therefore Mordecai would not bow before him least he might seem to bow to the Idol that Haman carried about him Others of the Rabbins say as R Salomon c. that Haman did make himself a God and required such worship as was due onely to the true God and that therefore Mordecai would not reverence him nor bow before him And so Junius and other Expositors say that it was more honor then did belong to a man that they gave to Haman and that therefore Mordecai refused to bow to him And 't is very remarkable that some of the wisest and best of Heathens have forborn to come into their Kings presence because there was expected greater honor and worship to be done to their Kings then was meet to be done to a mortal man but that which is most considerable and most probable is this that therefore Mordecai refused to reverence Haman and to bow unto him because he was a wicked Amalekite and a bitter enemy to the people of God and of that Nation of that stock whose remembrance God would have blotted out under heaven Exod. 17.14 Deut. 25.19 and with whom the Lord had sworn that he would have war from generation to generation untill they were utterly wasted and destroyed Exod. 17.16 Compared with that 1 Sam. 15.3 It has been usual with the Saints to slight such who have been slighters of Christ and holiness I shal look upon Auxentius no otherwise then as upon a devil so long as he is an Arrian said holy Hilary When Amphilochius the Bishop came into the presence of the Emperor Archadius and his son who was then partner with his father in the Empire he saluted the Emperor with all reverence but slighted his son whereupon the Emperor was very much displeased and demanding the reason why he so slighted his son the Bishop answered Because he had slighted and neglected the eternal Son of God he being at that time a professed Arrian whereupon the Emperor received the Bishop again into favor and banished all Arrians out of his Dominions I have read of one Maris a godly Bishop of Calcedon who being blind and Julian that Apostate Emperor giving him some opprobrious words calling him blind fool because he had rebuked him for his Apostasie the good man answered thus I bless God that I have not my sight to see such an ungracious face as thine is Do your worst do your worst said Justin Martyr slightingly to his pe secutors but this I will tell you you may put all that you are like to gain by the bargain into your eye and weep it out again When a great Lord of this Land who was as graceless as he was great met Mr. Fox in London streets and ask't him how he did Mr. Fox said little or nothing to him whereupon says this great Lord Sir do you not know me No not I said Mr. Fox says the Lord I am such a one Sir said Mr. Fox I desire to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified Policarpus meeting at a certain time with Marcion the Heretick says Marcion don't you know me yea said Policarpus Eusebius I know thee to be primo genitum Diaboli the first begotten child of the devil And indeed why should we prefer him before a piece of Copper that prefers a piece of Gold before his God yea that prefers his lusts and every toy and trifle before Jesus Christ his immortal soul and the great concernments of another world God commanded in the old Law that whatsoever did go with its breasts upon the ground should be an abomination to us O how much more should we abominate that man whose heart and soul is glued unto a piece of earth or to this or that defiling destroying lust Pro. 29.27 An unjust man is an abomination to the just and he that is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked The quarrel between the seed of the Woman Gen. 3.15 and the seed of the Serpent is almost six thousand years old light and darkness heaven and hell The Antipathies that are in nature between the Elephant and the Boar the Lyon and the Cock c. is nothing to that which is between the just and the unjust are not more opposite and contrary one to another then these are contrary one to another that seed of enmity that was at first between them is now grown up on both sides to an abomination and an abhorring of each other the just man saith what have I to do with thee thou son of Belial and the unjust man saith what have I to do with thee thou son of David the original in the text last cited is observable the just abhorreth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vir iniquitatis
the man of iniquity i. e. the man that is made up of iniquity that is nothing but iniquity now this shews that 't is iniquity in the man that makes the man to be an abomination to the just but now wicked men they abhor the upright for their very uprightness they abhor him that is upright in the way and could wish him quite out of the way and will do what they can to make him away the uprightness of the upright is such a terror to the wicked that they can't but abominate and abhor the upright and therefore no wonder if the upright abominate them and indeed who can look upon wicked men as enemies to God as adversaries to Christ as murderers of their own souls as fighters against the Church as Champions for Satan and as the Pests and Plague of a Nation and not abhor them and not abominate them O sirs not to contemn the wicked is an argument that you your selves are wicked and not to contemn the wicked is a means to make them more wicked not to contemn the wicked is to encourage and tempt the wicked to be seven-fold more wicked yea not to contemn the wicked who contemn God Christ Heaven and holiness c. is to contemn God himself As for such that advance the wicked that magnifie the wicked that flatter the wicked that strengthen the hands of the wicked that are most In with the wicked that joy and glory in the prosperity of the wicked and that sigh and mourn that stamp and take on at the downfall of the wicked these are certainly wicked yea they are eminently wicked and therefore the more to be slighted and scorned by men of integrity and sanctity But Fifthly and lastly To neglect the pursuit of holiness upon the account of this objection is to debase the great God and to overvalue vain man as if there were more power ability policy and malice c. in worthless man to hurt and harm thee then there is power allsufficiency wisdom goodness and graciousness in God to defend thee and secure thee and arm thee against all the reproaches and revilings of slanderous tongues Now who art thou and what art thou O vain man that thou shouldst dare to lessen God greaten man to debase God and exalt man yea to set up man above God himself and to ungod him as much as in the lyes and yet all this thou doest when thou turnest thy back upon holiness because of the revilings and reproaches of wicked men But I shall say no more to this objection because I have spoken very largly to this objection in my former books If you desire further satisfaction to this objection turn to that Treatise called Apples of Gold c. and from Page 311. to Page 327. you will finde seven more distinct answers to it And see also my Mute Christian under the smarting Rod and from Page 304. to Page 326. you will finde eight answers more to this objection I confess several other objections might be made against your pursuing after holiness but because I have spoken to them at large in my former writings therefore I shall not trouble you with them here and therefore let thus much suffice for answer to those objections that usually men make when they are prest home to follow after holiness And so I shall come now to the second part of the Exhortation and that relates to Gods holy ones to his sanctified ones to those that have obtained holiness that have experienced the principles the power the life and the sweetness of holiness And here let me exhort such First To express declare evidence and hold forth both the reality and power of holiness and that First By keeping your selves free from gross enormities from scandalous wickednesses Rom. 2.23 24 25. O remember that one scandalous sin will obscure and cloud all your graces and spiritual excellencies Look as one spot in the face spoils all the beauty The Schoolmen say that if a Sow do but wallow in one miry or dirty hole she is filthy c. and one blot upon the copy obliterates the whole copy and as one drop of Inke coloureth a whole glass of clear water so one scandalous sin will blot and blur all former acts of piety and holiness it will stain all a mans duties and services it will deface all a mans contentments and enjoyments it will dash and rase out all those golden Characters of righteousness and goodness that has been stampt upon the soul Ezek. 36.20 The Babylonians beholding the enormities of the Jews cryed out These are the people of the Lord these are come out of the Lords land Davids one act of folly with Bathsheba made the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme When one commended Alexander for his many noble acts another objected thus against him I but he killed Calisthenes He was valiant and successful in the wars Plutarch in vita I but he killed Calisthenes He overcame the great Darius I but he killed Calisthenes his meaning was that this one unjust and unrighteous action clouded and darkned all his most noble deeds A Christian can't after his conversion fall into a scandalous sin but 't will be objected against him by every one to the defacing and darkning of all his spiritual glory When Naaman the Syrian was cured and as some think converted by the Prophet Elisha he offers gold and rich garments 2 Kings 5.1 One flaw in a Dyamond takes away the lustre and the price of it and if we fall but once into a puddle it will defile us and make every one point at us but he bows in the house of Rimmon he seems to be very devoute and religious but he bows in the house of Rimmon he promises to offer to none but the Lord but yet he bows in the house of Rimmon this Rimmon like the flye in the Alabaster box spoyl'd all his best intentions and highest resolutions and thus one scandalous vice disgraceth all the Noble vertues that be in a Christian O such a man is a very holy man but and such a one is a very gracious experienced Disciple but and such a one is a very wise and understanding man but and such a one is a very active stirring Saint but c. and this but marrs all If there be but one crack in the honey-glass there the waspe will be buzing and if there be but one scandalous sin that a Christian falls into in all his life how will the wicked be still a buzing of that about both in City and Country O sirs there are no sins that opens so many mouthes and that sads so many hearts and that swells so many eyes and that endangers so many souls as scandalous sins doe and therefore above all keeping keep off from them O Sirs as you would not harden sinners as you would not encourage sinners as you would not tempt sinners Rom. 14.13 as you would not stumble sinners yea
love is a holy love and his anger is a holy anger and his hatred is a holy hatred c. His nature is holy his attributes are holy and all his actions are holy hee is holy in punishing and holy in sparing hee is holy in justifying of some and hee is holy condemning of others hee is holy in bringing some to Heaven and holy in throwing others to Hell God is holy in all his sayings and God is holy in all his doings God is holy in what ever hee puts his hand to and hee is holy in what ever hee sets his heart to his frowns are holy and his smiles are holy his liftings up are holy and his castings down are holy when hee gives his givings are holy givings and when hee takes away his takings are holy takings c. But Fourthly As God is universally holy so God is eminently holy hee is transcendently holy hee is superlatively holy Exo. 15.11 and therefore hee is said to bee glorious in holiness there is no fathoming there is no measuring there is no comprehending there is no searching of that infinite Sea of holiness that is in God as neither Men nor Angels can set banks or bounds to Gods holiness so neither Men nor Angels can sound to the bottome of Gods holiness all that holiness that is in Angels and Men is but a spark to Gods flame t is but a drop to his sea t is but a beam to his sun t is but a mite to his millions c. O Sirs you shall as soon stop the Sun in his course and change the day into night and raise the dead and make a world and tell the stars of heaven and empty the sea with a Cockle-shell as you shall bee able either to conceive or express that transcendent holiness that is in God This glorious Name or Title the holy one of Israel is ascribed to God about thirty times in the Old Testament and all to shew that hee is most excellent and transcendent in holiness and the Seraphims which stood before the Throne cryed out three times a row Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of hosts Isa 6.3 to shew that God is most eminently and superlatively holy for so thrice holy in some languages is most holy for holiness God is a none-such there are none to bee compared with him neither are there any among Angels or among Men yea or among the Gods that are like unto him who is like to thee among the Gods glorious in holiness fearful in praises doing wonders Gods holiness is infinite t is so super-eminent and so super-excellent that it can neither bee limited nor lessened nor augmented if men should blaspheme or reproach the Lord hee would bee never the worse he would be never the lesse holier then hee is and if men should bless him and worship him hee would bee never the better never the holier unto perfection there can be no addition a drop taken out of the sea can no waies add unto the sea Hee is exalted above all blessing and praise Nehe. 9.5 All the Angels in Heaven and all the men on earth cannot add one Ray one Beam of glory to the essence of God to the holiness of God as God is goodness in the very Abstract and justice in the very abstract and mercy in the very abstract and righteousness in the very abstract and lovingkindness in the very abstract so hee is holiness in the very Abstract so that no man can flatter him or add unto him and hence t is that God glories in the Attribute of his Holiness more than in any other Attribute For Isa 57.15 thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity whose name is holy when God would lift up himself in all his Glory hee doth it by declaring that his name is holy and so when God would swear by himself hee swears by his holiness Psal 89.25 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lye unto David and so in that Amos 4.2 The Lord God hath sworn by his holiness that lo the daies shall come upon you that hee will take you with hooks and your posterity with fish-hooks Look as the great men of the World are wont to swear upon their honour when they would give us the greatest assurance of what they will do because such Oath are look't upon as most sacred and inviolable so the great God swears by his holiness because his holiness is his greatest Honour and because hee hath no greater nor no better nor no choicer nor no sweeter nor no preciouser things to swear by let mee saith God bee never owned as a God nor honoured as a God nor trusted as a God nor feared as a God nor valued as a God if I do not Inviolably keep my promises and make good my threatings having sworn thereunto by my Holiness Now you know the Scripture saith when God could swear by no greater hee sware by himself Heb. 6.13 so I may say when God could swear by no greater Attribute by no greater Excellency hee swears by his Holiness that being the top and the glory of all Look as all the wisdome of the creatures compar'd with the wisdome of God is but folly and as all the goodness of the creatures compared with the goodness of God is but naughtiness and as all the fulnesse of the creature compared with the fulnesse of God is but emptiness and as all the power of the creature compared with the power of God is but weaknesse and as all the righteousnesse of the creature compared with the righteousnesse of God is but unrighteousnesse So all the holinesse of the creature compared with the holinesse of God is but unholinesse mans highest purity is but impurity when 't is compared to the purity of God yea the very holinesse of Angels compared with the holinesse of God is chargeable with folly Job 4.18 That fulnesse of holinesse that is in Angels or Saints is only the fulnesse of the Vessel but that fulnesse of holinesse that is in God is the fulnesse of the Fountain that fulnesse of holinesse that is in Angels or Saints is but the fulnesse of the Branches but that fulnesse of holinesse that is in God is the fulnesse of the Root that fulnesse of holinesse that is in Angels or Saints is but the fulnesse of Sufficiency but that fulnesse of holinesse that is in God is the fulnesse of redundancy But Fifthly As God is infinitely holy transcendently holy superlatively holy so God is originally radically and fundamentally holy the Divine Nature is the root original and spring of all holinesse and purity all that holinesse that is in Angels and men flows from God as the streams from the Fountain as the beams from the Sun as the branches from the Root and as the effect from the Cause There is no holinesse to be had but from the Holy One hee is the Author and Original of all the holinesse that
of God And I saw as it were a Sea of glass mingled with fire and them that had gotten the victory over the Beast and over his Image and over his Mark and over the number of his Name stand on the Sea of glass having the harps of God And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God and the Lamb saying Great and marvelous are thy works Lord God Almighty just and true are thy waies thou King of Saints Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name for thou onely art holy for all Nations shall come and worship before thee for thy judgements are made manifest In this and the following chapters the utter overthrow of Antichrist is described In this chapter you have a new Vision of the Gospels restoring and of Antichrists ruine By the Sea of glass mingled with fire wee are to understand the fiery trials and dreadful persecutions by fire and faggot that Antichrist will inflict upon sincere and faithful Christians The allusion is to the Red Sea and Pharaohs persecuting of Israel but the addition of fire is plainly to distinguish the Popes persecution from Pharaohs for though Pharaoh did sorely oppress the people of God both in their liberties and consciences and though hee had plotted and contrived a way to destroy their male children yet hee was never so cruel hee was never so bloody as to burn the people of God with fire and faggot as Antichrist hath done in all ages But now mark when the vials of the wrath of God comes to be poured out upon Antichrist yea upon what ever smells of Antichrist or looks like Antichrist why then the people of God will in a very eminent way lift up God as the great object of their fear and then the generality of the Nations shall be so deeply affected with the dreadful amazing and astonishing judgements of God upon Antichrist that they shall repent worship him and give glory to him O Sirs when God strikes slaves Sons should tremble great judgements upon sinners speaks out a great deal of the justice and holiness of God and the more the justice and holiness of God appears the more holy his people should grow Ah Christians had you grown more holy by those severe judgements of God that hath been inflicted upon others before your eyes you had not been under those smart rebukes of God that now you are under this day But Seventhly When men are called forth to war by God O! that 's a special time and season wherein God calls aloud for holiness The man of war must have holiness written upon the bridles of the horses Zach. 14.20 When men carry their lives in their hands they had need of holiness in their hearts when in every encounter a man must expect to enter upon a state of eternity hee had need be very holy that so if hee should fall in the encounter The Romans lived more orderly in time of war than in the times of their greatest peace hee may be sure to be happy Deut. 23.9 14. When the Hâ—st goeth forth against thine enemies then keep thee from every wicked thing For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy Camp to deliver thee and to give up thine enemies before thee therefore shall thy Camp be holy that hee see no unclean thing in thee and turn away from thee When the sword devoureth on both hands when it eats the flesh of Nobles and drinks the blood of Nobles when it feeds upon the flesh of the poor and drinks the blood of the needy then every souldier had need be a Saint when an eternity of glory and misery is every moment before every souldier every souldier had need walk very accurately hee had need live very holily Mark though the people of God were to keep themselves from every wicked thing at all other times yet when they went out against their enemies then in a special manner it highly concerned them to keep themselves not from some but from every evil thing or rather as the Hebrew hath it from every evil word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Daâ—ar hee that is in danger of death every step hee takes and that carries his very soul in his hand had need precisely to abstain not onely from every evil work but also from every evil word as here God expresly charges Israel to do When God findes holiness in Israels Camp then God will quickly give up Israels enemies into Israels hands but when the Camp becomes a Den of iniquity then God will depart from the Camp and when God who is the bulwrk of a Camp is departed all the world cannot preserve that Camp from being destroyed Rev. 17.14 The Lamb looks that all those brave hearts that ingage with him against Antichrist should be called and chosen and faithful there is no armour of proof to that of holiness let a man be never so well mounted cloathed armed weaponed yet if hee be unholy hee lies naked and open to all disasters calamities and miseries O Sirs 't is one of the dreadfullest things in the world to hear such a cursing swearing lying and damning of themselves and to see such a giving up themselves to work all manner of wickedness with greediness who carry their lives in their hands every hour in the day yea at whose elbows damnation stands every moment O Sirs when God gives the sword a Commission to eat flesh and drink blood to stay both old and young to spare none that come before it and to pitty none that come nigh unto it it highly concerns all men to be holy this is a special season wherein God calls aloud for holiness I confess I am for Peace and Truth for Peace and Righteousness for Peace and Holiness against all war in the world but when ever the Lord shall call forth his people to fight his battels against Antichrist 1 Sam. 25.28 Dan. 2.31 ult and to smite Daniels Image in peeces it stands them very much upon to be a holy people yea to be eminently holy as they would have the presence of God with them and the power of God ingaged for them and the mercy goodness and blessing of God succeeding and prospering of them though hee that goes to war had need carry his purse with him yet hee must be sure to leave his sins behinde him or else his sins will do him more mischief than all his enemies for they will set God against him and how can straw and stubble possibly stand before a consuming fire I have read of Xerxes that viewing almost an innumerable Army of men hee fell a weeping saying Where will all these men be within a hundred years hee wept to think that all that mighty Army would be in their graves within a hundred years Ah what cause of weeping is there when wee behold most Armies in the world considering that within a few years yea months for any thing wee know they may be most in Hell