holiness 'T was a good saying of One Da quod Jubes Augustine jube quod vis Give what thou commandest and command what thou wilt O goe to God and tell him that what he has commanded in some Scriptures he has promised to give in other Scriptures and therefore press him to make good his promises that so you may obey his precepts O tell him that if he will but sprinkle clean water upon thee and put his Spirit within thee Ezek. 36.25 26 27 28. and give a new heart unto thee according to his promise that then thou wilt walke in his Statutes and keep his Judgments and doe them O tell him that if he will but put his feare into thy heart according to his promise Jer. 32.40 that then thou wilt never depart from him O tell him Phil. 1.29 James 5.17 that he has commanded thee to believe and that he has also promised to give thee faith and therefore if he will but make good his promise thou shalt be sure to obey his precepts O tell him that he has frequently commanded thee to repent Acts 5.31 2 Tim. 2.25 and that he has also graciously promised to give repentance and therefore if he will but performe his promise thou shalt not faile to obey his precepts c. O tell him that thou hast no mind to be damn'd tell him that thou tremblest at the thoughts of hell tell him that thou canst not without much horror think of dwelling with a devouring fire of dwelling with everlasting burnings O tell him Isa 33.14 2 Thes 1.7 8 9 10. that thou dreadest an eternall separation from him and therefore earnestly beseech him for his Sons sake and for his glory sake and his promise sake and thy souls sake that he would renew thy nature and sanctifie thy soul that so thou mayest not perish to all eternity But Sixthly and lastly What dis-ingenuity yea what injustice and unrighteousness is this that thou shouldest lye complaining of the want of power when thou doest not use and improve the power thou hast without the power and assistance of special grace thou hast power to attend religious duties and services thou hast power to turne thy back upon the infectious and dangerous society of wicked and ungodly men thou hast power to keep at a distance from the Harlots door Prov. 7. thou hast power to keep thy mouth of blasphemy shut thou hast power to keep thy hands from stealing James 3.10 Ephe. 4.28 Rom. 3.15 and thy feete from being swift to shed innocent blood thou hast power to bring thy body to an Ordinance though thou hast not power to bring thy soul to the Ordinance the Noble Bereans brought their bodies to the Ordinance Acts 17.11 12. and they took the heads of the Apostles Sermon and compared them with the Scripture and yet they were in an unrenewed and unsanctified estate O Sirs you have power to come to publick Ordinances and to set your selves under the droppings of a Gospel powerful Ministry you have power to lie at the poole of Bethesda and there to waite till the cure be wrought but where is the unsanctified soul that improves the power he has Tell me O vaine man why should God trust thee with a greater power when thou makest no conscience of improving that power thou hast Why should God trust thee with Ten Tallents when thou hast no heart to improve the two that he has already trusted thee withall What wise Father or Master will trust that child or servant with hundreds or thousands who makes no conscience of improving far lesser sums to the honour and advantage of the Father or the Master how doest thou know O man but that upon the faithfull improvement of that power thou hast God may adde a greater power to thee if thou wilt but goe that two miles thou canst God may strike in with thee and inable thee to goe Ten. 'T is a dangerous thing to neglect the doing of that which thou canst doe because that thou canst not doe every thing that thou shouldest doe Suppose a Father or a Master should say to his Son or servant take such and such wares and commodities and carry them to such and such places for such and such Chapmen and the Son or servant should say well though there be some small light burthens that I can well enough carry yet there are many heavie burthens that I cannot carry and therefore I will carry none at all may not the Father of such a Son or the Master of such a servant in much Justice and righteousness severely punish such a Son or servant doubtless yes Why this is the very case of all unsanctified souls God commands them to believe and repent and to love him with all their hearts and to set him up as the object of their feare and to give him the preheminence in all things c. But these are supernaturall acts beyond their power And he commands them to attend on the meanes of grace and to waire at Wisdoms door he commands them to apply themselves to publike ordinances and to keep close to family duties and to turne their backs upon such and such vicious societies c. and these are things they can doe and yet because they cannot doe the former they wilfully and wickedly refuse to doe the latter because they cannot bare the heaviest burthen they are resolved they will bare none at all and because they cannot doe every thing they should they will doe nothing at all except it be to complaine that God is a hard Master and expects to reape where he do's not sowe now how just and righteous a thing it is with God to deale severely with such I will leave you to judge And let this suffice for answer to the first objection Object Object 2 But hereafter may be time enough to look after holiness I may yet pursue after the pleasures and profits of the world I may yet spend some years in gratifying mine own lusts and in walking after the course of the world I have time enough before me and therefore some years hence may be time enough to look after holiness Now to this objection I shall give these Answers First Thou wilt not say that thou canst be saved too soon nor happie too soon nor blessed too soon nor pardoned too soon nor in the favour of God too soon nor out of the danger of wrath hell and everlasting burnings too soon and if so then certainly thou canst not be holy too soon for thou canst never be truly happie till thou art truly holy No man will be so foolish and mad as to say he may be rich too soon and great too soon and high and honorable in the world too soon and in faâ—â—â—r and esteeme with men especially with great men too soon and why then shouldest thou be so mad and foolish as practically to say that thou canst be holy too soon
holy that he see no unclean thing in thee and turn away from thee Keep up holiness among you and you shall keep me among you saith God but if you turn away from holiness I will undoubtedly turn away from you a holy God will keep company with none but those that are holy Holiness is the bond that ties God and souls together God will cleave close to them who in holiness cleave fast to him but if he see uncleanness and wickedness among you he will certainly turn away from you The holy spirit gives the lye to those that say they have fellowship with God and yet maintain familiarity and fellowship with sin 1 John 1.6 If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lye The Apostle dares give the lye to any man without fearing the stab who pretends to communion with God and yet walks in darkness Men may be much in Ordinances and yet for want of holiness may have no communion at all with God in Ordinances Isaiah 1.11 18. and though communion with God in Ordinances is the very life and soul of Ordinances yet multitudes who enjoy Ordinances can content and satisfie themselves without that which is the very life soul and quintessense of Ordinances There are many that cry out the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord who have no communion with the Lord of the Temple at all Jer. 7.4 12. Though unholy persons may trade much in Ordinances Isa 29.13 Ezek. 24.21 22. Ch. 33 30 31 32. yet they will never make any earnings any advantage by all their trading and stir because they cannot reach to communion with God in them which is the only means of being enriched by them As many men rise early and go to bed late and make a great deal of stir and do to be rich in the world and yet for want of a stock nothing comes on it they are poor still and beggarly still and low and mean in the world still So many rise early and go late to Ordinances they exercise themselves much in religious duties and yet nothing comes on it their souls are poor and beggarly and thredbare still And no wonder for they want a stock of holiness to trade with Remigius a Judge of Lorraign saith that the Devil in those parts did use to give money to Witches which at first did appear to be good and currant coin but after a while it turned to dry leaves Ah Sirs all duties and Ordinances to a man that wants holiness will be sound at last to be but as dry leaves to be sapless and liveless and heartless and comfortless to him Now if without holiness no man can have any spiritual communion or fellowship with God here then certainly without holiness no man can have a glorious communion with God hereafter if without holiness God will not take us into his arms on earth then undoubtedly without holiness God will never put us into his bosom in heaven But to proceed Unholy persons are fools and what should such do in the presence of God who is wisdom it self the fool and the ungodly man are Synonomaes words signifying the same thing in Scripture Deu. 36.6.21 Psalm 94.8 Psalm 14.1 The fool i. e. the wicked the unholy person hath said in his heart there is no God they are corrupt they have done abominable works there is none that doth good Jer. 4.22 For my people are foolish they have not known me they are sottish children and they have no understanding they are wise to do evil but to do good they have no knowledge Prov. 1.7 Fools despise wisdom and instruction that is wicked and ungodly men despise wisdom and instruction and to shew that the world is full of such fools he uses the word in the plural no less then sixteen times in this book of the Proverbs I shall open this truth a little more to you by proving that they have all the characteristical notes and properties of fools So that one face is not more like another then a fool is like a wicked man or then a wicked man is like a fool For First A fool prefers toyes and trifles before things of greatest worth he prefers a brass counter before a piece of gold a fine Baby before a rich inheritance Prov. 1.29 an Apple that pleaseth the eye before a pearl of greatest price so wicked and ungodly men they prefer their lusts before the Lord Isa 65.12 Therefore will I number you to the sword and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter because when I called ye did not answer when I spake ye did not hear but did evil before mine eyes and did choose that wherein I delighted not Such a one was Cardinal Borbonius who profest he would not leave his part in Paris for a portion in Paradise Upon choice they preferred the honours the riches the bravery and glory of the world above their own souls and the great concernments of another world Such fools were Laban and Nabal in the Old Testament whose names by inversion of letters are the same and the latter signifies a fool and such were the two rich fools in the New Testament Luke 12.16 22. and Chap. 16.19 ult I have read of the foolish people of the East Indiâ—s in the Isle Zeylon who preferred a consecrated Apes tooth above an incredible mass of treasure Such fools are all unholy persons who prefer the toyes the trifles of this world before the pleasures and treasures that be at Gods right hand The world is full of such fools Psalm 16.11 Mat. 6.19 10. Si admores hominum respicias mundum universum stultorum domum judicabis saith One if thou beholdest the manners of men thou wilt judge the whole world to be a house of fools Ah friends What folly to that of mens spending their time their strength their lives their souls in getting the great things of this world and neglecting that one thing necessary the salvation of their souls Matth. 16.26 O! What vanity is it to prefer a smoke of honour a blast of fame a dream of pleasure a wedge of gold a Babylonish garment and such like transitory trifles and trash before a blessed eternity Secondly Fools make no improvement of advantages and opportunities that are put into their hands Prov. 17.16 Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom Like Graâ—hoppers they sing and sport away their precious time and opportunities of mercy c. seeing he hath no heart to it It is to no purpose to put a price into the hand if folly be bound up in the heart if a man had as much wealth as would buy all the grace all the peace all the comforts and all the wisdom in the world yet if he hath neither wit nor will to make an improvement of his wealth what good would his wealth do him To what purpose is the Market open and
to have any thing to do with those that have no principles of holiness in them It is a principle of holinesse that fits a man for the service of God that fits a man for fellowship with God that fits a man for walking with God that fits a man for correspondency with God and that fits a man for the delight of God and that fits a man for an everlasting fruition of God And therefore certainly without holinesse there is no happinesse without a principle of purity there can be no seeing of the face of God in glory Reason 3 A third Reason why Without real holiness there is no happinesse c. is this because heaven is a holy place and therefore no unholy souls can enter there it is called the high and holy place Isa 57.15 the inheritance of the Saints in heaven is an inheritance that is incorruptible and undefiled 1 Pet. 1.4 Holinesse dwells in heaven 2 Pet. 3.13 as a man dwells in his house Heaven is the house of Gods holinesse and therefore certainly without holinesse there is no entring into that house Exod. 26.34 Psalm 78.69 Hebrews 9.8 Chap. 12.24 Rev. 21.27 The Holy of Holies in the Temple was a Type of heaven And as none might enter into the Holy of holies that were unholy so none can enter into heaven which is the true Holy of holies but those that are holy Heaven was so holy that it cast out the Angels when they fell from their holinesse Paradise was a Type of heaven and no sooner did Adam lose his holinesse but he was shut out of Paradise Heaven is a City of holinesse and none can enter into that City but such as are holy Rev. 22.14 Heaven is so holy that it would groan to bare one unholy soul Well heaven is a holy place and the inhabitants are all holy and the work of heaven is holy and what then should unholy souls do there Reason 4 A fourth Reason why Without real holiness there is no happinesse Coelum est altera gehenna damnatorum Heaven is another hell to the damned said One. Isa 66.3 4. c. is this Because unholy persons have no hearts to go to heaven though now and then they may talk of heaven and now and then lift up their eyes and hands to heaven and now and then expresse a few cold wishes and lazy desires after heaven it is no difficult thing to demonstrate that in good earnest they have no heart to go to heaven For First How often hath God set life and death heaven and hell before them and they have chosen death rather then life and hell rather then heaven 2. Do you â—hink that that man hath any heart to heaven that will not so much as part with a lust for heaven Luke 13.33 34. 3. Will you say that that man hath a heart to go to heaven that hath not so much as a hand to lay hold on the opportunities of grace that might bring him to heaven 4. Will you say that that man hath a heart to go to heaven that daily hardens his heart against him who is the way to heaven 5. John 14.6 Isa 63.10 Will you say that that man hath a heart to go to heaven who is still a grieving vexing and quenching that spirit of holinesse that can only fit frame and form him for heaven 6. Will you say that that man hath a heart to go to heaven that rarely spends a serious thought of heaven and that lives in this world as if there were no heaven 7. Will you say that that man hath a heart to go to heaven whose sinfull courses speak him out to be one of those who have made a covenant with death Isa 18.15 18. and an agreement with hell 8. Do you think that that man hath a heart to go to heaven Rom. 3.8 1 Cor. 4.9 10. that detests those most that are the best woers for heaven 9. Do you think that that man hath any heart to go to heaven who can take no pleasure nor delight in those that are travailing towards heaven 10. Will you say that that man hath a heart to go to heaven that will do nothing affectionately for heaven that will not hear for heaven nor pray for heaven nor trade for heaven nor look for heaven nor long for heaven nor strive for heaven No man ever went to heaven sleeping nor wait for heaven The heart commands all it carries all if the heart were bent for heaven the head would contrive for heaven the eye would look out for heaven and the ear would hear for heaven and the tongue would speak for heaven and the foot would walk towards heaven and the hand would do for heaven By all which it is most evident that unholy persons are not cordially willing to go to heaven it is most certain that unholy persons have no such great mind to go to heaven as some imagine when Dives was in hell his desire was not to be with Abraham in heaven Luke 16.24 27 28 29. but that Lazarus might come and give him a little ease in hell he preferred a little ease in hell before his being with Abraham in heaven Neither did he desire that his five brethren might go to heaven but that they might be kept out of hell and that not out of love to them but out of love to himself he knowing that their company would be no small increase of his own torments Heauen would be a very hell to an unholy heart If now the presence of God in his servants and the presence of God in his Ordinances be such a hell to unholy souls Ah what a hell would the presence of God in heaven be to unholy hearts It is true an unholy heart may desire heaven as it is a place of freedom from troubles afflictions oppressions vexations c. and as it is a place of peace rest ease safety c. but this is the least and lowest part of heaven but to desire it as it is a place of purity of grace of holinesse of enjoying of God c. is above the reach of an unholy heart The company of heaven are all holy the imployments of heaven are all holy and the enjoyments of heaven are all holy and therefore heaven cannot but be an undesireable thing to unholy hearts An unholy heart is no ways desirous nor ambitious of such a heaven as will rid him of his darling sins as will make him conformable to a holy God as will everlastingly divorce him from his old companions and link him for ever to those gratious souls that he hath scorned despised and persecuted in this world Ergo c. Reason 5 Fifthly and Lastly Because without real holinesse men are good for nothing they are fit for nothing without holinesse men are neither good for Church nor State they are neither fit to Rule nor to be ruled to command nor to be commanded to guide nor to be guided
there were three Doctors heads of houses one of them was accounted an Innovator the second a Puritan the third a Neuter A witty Scholler presented them thus to the world the first in a Coach driving to Rome the second driving to Genevâ—h the third running on foot begging sometimes the one sometimes the other to receive him but both refused him Neuters shall be refused on all hands at last Newters are Traytors they betray Christ for the worlds sake and the world for Christs sake and themselves for sin and Satans sake And who will not refuse and scorn traytors God will refuse them because he loaths halting Angels will refuse them because they loath halving Good men will refuse them because they loath lukewarmness and bad men will refuse them because they pretend to goodness though they live in wickedness Ambo-dexters in Religion are ignominious disgracers both of the name and profession of Christians they are prodigious traytors to the crown of heaven they are the greatest enemies to the power of godliness they are the very off-spring of Judas and in the day of account it will be found that it had been good for them that they had never been born Neutrality is the spiritual adultery of the heart Aut totum mecum tene aut totum omitte Greg. Nazien Neuters are spiritual Harlots they have their hearts divided between God and Mammon betwixt Christ and other Lovers Now Harlots in Ancient time were to be burnt Gen. 38.24 Certainly hell is for the Neuter and the neuter for hell God will be as severe yea more severe in punishing spiritual whoredom then ever men have been in punishing corporal whoredom God looks upon every neuter as a man in arms against him Matth. 12.30 He that is not with me is against me And therefore Martial Law shall be executed upon them God will blot out their names and hang them up as monuments of his justice and vengeance Sirs do not deceive your own souls no man was ever yet carried to glory in the chariot of neutrality or mediocrity he that is not throughout holy is not really holy and he that is not really holy can never be truly happy it is only throughout holiness that entitles a man to everlasting happiness 1 Pet. 1.15 2 Pet. 3.11 Matth. 24.51 The true mother would not have the child divided she would have all or none you must be for all holiness or for none Neuters now devide and cut those things asunder that God hath closely joyned together but at last God will suite their punishment to their sin and cut them asunder Luke 12.46 Now the neuter chuses here a piece and there a piece and at last God will cut him in pieces 1 Sam. 15.23 as Samuel did Agag Well Neuters now you divide one command from another one duty from another one promise from another one threatning from another one ordinance from another and one way of God from another But the day is a coming wherein God will divide your souls from your bodies and both from himself his Son his Saints and his Glory for ever Sixthly If real holiness be the only way to happiness if men must be holy on earth or they shall never come to a fruition of God in heaven Then this truth by way of conviction looks sowerly and sadly upon all hypocrites who have only a seeming holiness a feigned holiness a counterfeit holiness The Apostle speaks of a true holiness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 4.24 or holiness of truth as the Greek reads it in opposition to that feigned and counterfeit holiness that is in the world pretended holiness is most opposite to the holiness of God Hypocritical holiness is the greatest unholiness Ex. 30.32 33. Who can with patience see Apes in the habit of Nobles saith Lucianus and as God hath so certainly God will still sute the punishment to the sin If it was death in Moses his Law to counterfeit that Ceremonial and figurative ointment what shall it then be to counterfeit the spirit of life and holiness Dissembled sanctity is double iniquity He that professeth religion without being religious and godliness without being godly he that makes counterfeit holiness a cloak to impiety and a Mid-wife to iniquity He that is a Cato without and a Nero within a Jacob without and an Esau within a David without and a Saul within a Peter without and a Judas within a Saint without and a Satan within an Angel without and a devil within is ripened for the worst of torments Matth. 24.5 And shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Hypocrites are the freeholders of hell all other sinners do but hold under them none have so large a portion in hell as hypocrites have No man at last will be found so miserable as he that hath the name of a Saint upon him but not the divine nature in him that hath a profession of holiness upon him but no principles of holiness in him that hath a form of godliness but not the power that can cry up godliness and court godliness but in practise denyes it that is a Jew outwardly but an Atheist a Pagan a devil inwardly Who had a greater name for holiness and who made a greater shew of holiness and who did more despise and insult over men for the want of holiness then the Scribes and Pharisees and who so miserable now as they Mat. 23.14 Hypocritis nihil est crudelius impatientius vindictae cupidius Luther There is not a more cruel creature more impatient and vindictive then an hypocrite said he that had the experience of it in his own person Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye devour widows houses and for a pretence make long prayers therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation Pretended holiness will double damn souls at last Sirs do not deceive your own souls A painted sword shall as soon defend a man and a painted mint shall as soon inrich a man and a painted fire shall assoon warm a man and a painted friend shall assoon counsel a man and a painted horse shall assoon carry a man and a painted feast shall assoon satisfie a man and a painted house shall assoon shelter a man as a painted holiness shall save a man He that now thinks to put off God with a painted holiness shall not fare so well at last as to be put off with a painted happiness The lowest the hottest and the darkest habitation in hell will be his portion whose religion lyes all in shews and shadows Well spiritual Counterfeits remember this it will not be long before Christ will unmask you before he will uncase you before he will disrobe you before he will take off your vizards your hoods and turn your rotten insides outward to your eternal shame and reproach before all the world Counterfeit Diamonds may sparkle and glister
work to his praying work to his mourning work to his repenting work to his believing work to his waiting work though nothing comes on it though he make no earnings of it though comfort doth not come though joy and peace doth not come though assurance doth not come though enlargements do not come though answers and returns from heaven do not come though good dayes do not come though deliverance doth not come yet such will keep close to their work that have their eye upon divine glory But now such who eye not the glory of God in what they do they quickly grow weary of their work if they can make no earnings of their seekings and fastings and prayings they are presently ready to throw up all and to quarrel with God himself as if God had done them an injurie Isa 58.1 2 3 4. Fifthly and lastly A man that really aims at the glory of God in this or that duty he cannot be satisfied nor contented with the performance of duties without some enjoyments of God in duties without some converse and communion with God in duties his soul cannot be satisfied his soul thirsts and longs to see the beauty and the glory of the Lord in his sanctuary Psalm 63.1 2 3. and without this sight he cannot be quieted Here is the Ordinance but where is the God of the Ordinance Here is prayer but where is the God of prayer Here is the duty but where is the God of duty Here is enlargements but where is the God of enlargements Here are meltings and breakings of spirit but where is the God of these meltings and breakings Psalm 84.2 My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord My heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God The Courts of the Lord without spiritual converses with the living God could not satisfie his soul O saith he Here be the Courts of the Lord the Courts of the Lord but where is the living God where is the living God where is that God that makes men to live and that makes Ordinances to be living lively Ordinances to his childrens souls O the Courts of the Lord are very desireable but the living God is much more desirable The Courts of the Lord are precious and glorious but the living God is infinitely more precious and glorious Here is the mantle of Elijah but where is the God of Elijah 2 Kings 2.12 13 14. Mr. Fox Acts and Mon. Here are the Courts of the Lord but where is the Lord of these Courts It was the speech of holy Mr. Bradford That he could not leave a duty till he had found communion with Christ in the duty he could not give off a duty till his heart was brought into a duty frame he could not leave confession till he had found his heart humbled and melted under the sense of his sin he could not give over petitioning till he had found his heart taken with the beauties of the things desired and strongly carried out after the enjoyment of them Neither could he leave thanksgiving till he had found his spirit enlarged and his soul quickned in the return of praises And so it was with holy Bernard who was wont to say O Lord I never come to thee but by thee Nunquam abs te absque te recedo Bern. Mâ—ditat I never go from thee without thee A man that hath his eye upon the glory of Christ he cannot put off his soul with any thing below communion with Christ in those Religious services and duties that he offers up to Christ Though the breasts of duty are sweet yet those breasts will not satisfie the soul except Christ lies betwixt them Can. 1.13 But now men that have base poor low and by-ends in what they do they can come off easily from their duties though they find no spirit no life no warmth in duty yet they can come off with content from duty though they have no communion no converse at all with God in duty though they have no pledges of grace no pawns of mercy no tastes of love no relishes of heaven in a duty yet they can come off from the duty with content and satisfaction of spirit let but others applaud him and his own heart hug him and he hath enough Psalm 45.1 2. Zeph. 3.9 Can. 4.3 Compare these Scriptures together Prov. 11 30. chap. 1â— 18 chap. 25.11 Mat 7.6 chaâ— 12.35 Col. 4.6 Eph. 4.29 Acts 26.25 John 6.25 1 Pet. 4 11. In the sixteenth and last place A man that is really holy speaks a holy language a holy heart and a holy tongue are inseparable companions if there be grace in the heart there will be grace in the lips if the heart be pure the language will be pure Christ saies his Spouses lips are like a thred of scarlet they are red with talking of nothing but a crucified Christ and they are thin like a thred not swelled with other vain discourses And ver 10. he tells you That the lips of his Spouse drop as the honey-combs or drop honey-combs and that honey and milk are under her tongue You know that Canaan was a land that flowed with milk and honey why the language of the Spouse was the language of Canaan her lips were still dropping such holy spiritual and heavenly matter as was as sweet pleasant profitable desireable and delectable to mens souls as ever honey and millk was to mens palates or appetites and as many were fed and nourished by milk and honey so many were fed and nourished by the holy droppings of her lips Psalm 37.30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom and his tongue talketh of judgement If the heart be holy the tongue will be a talking wisely fruitfully feelingly affectionately of that which may profit both a mans self and others Prov. 10.20 The tongue of the just is as choice silver Quod hominis dignitas excellentia nulla alia re magis cognoscitur quam oratione Pet. Martyr 2. pag. 4. Qui in Christum credunt loquuntur novis the heart of the wicked is little worth Good mens words are of more worth then wicked mens hearts and look as choice silver is known by its tinkling so holy men are known by their talking And as choice silver giveth a clear and sweet sound so the tongue of the just soundeth sweetly and pleasantly in the ears of others Look as choice silver is highly prized and valued among men so is the tongue of the righteous among those that are righteous And look as choice silver allures and draws the hearts of men to a love and liking of it so the tongues of the righteous do allure and draw the hearts of men to a love and liking of vertue and goodness Ver. 21. The lips of the righteous feed many They feed many by their exhortations instructions admonitions and counsels The mouthes of the righteous are like the gates of some hospitable persons where many are fed The
Traveller mend his pace when he sees the night comes on and shall the Smiâ—â— strike when the Iron is hot and shall not we take the present opportunity of repenting and turning to the Lord Remembring that there will be a time when time shall be no more He. 12.17 Luke 13.24 27. and when there shall be no place found for repentance though it should be sought carefully with tears and remembring that there will be a time when thy glass will be out when the door will be shut and when there will be no entrance at all And remembring that it is a safer course with prudent Prometheus to foresee a danger and shun it then with foolish Epimetheus to go on unadvisedly and be punished Ah friends it is a dangerous thing to make repentance What madness and folly is it for a man that hath many young strong stout horses and a long journey to go to let these pass by and to lay his carriage and get up himself upon an old feeble jade that can hardly bear himself The application is easie Mal. 1.13 14. which should be the practice of all your dayes to be the task of old Age. Doth not common experience tell us that the longer the Ship leaketh the harder it is to be emptied and that the longer the house goes to decay the worse it is to repair and that the further the nail is driven the harder it will be to get out and so certainly the longer any man defers his repentance the more difficult it will be for him to repent his heart will every day grow more and more hard his will more and more perverse and his judgement more and more corrupted and his affections more and more disordered and his conscience more and more benummed or enraged and his whole life more and more defiled and debauched Friends do not deceive your selves old age is but a sad a sandy a tottering and sinking foundation for you to build your hopes and happinesse upon for you to build your everlasting condition your eternal making or marring upon Are the dog dayes of old age are the trembling hands the wrinckled face the dazeled eyes the stinking lungs the fainting heart the feeble knees and the failing leggs are these a sacrifice worthy of God is a body full of sores aches and diseases and a soul full of sin an offering becoming a God surely no. O what madnesse what wickednesse is this to serve Satan your lusts and this world with full dishes and to put off God with scraps to serve these in the flower in the prime and primrose of you days and to put off God with the dregs of old age Certainly repentance is rather a work for youth then old age it is a work rather for strength then weaknesse and for health then sicknesse O do not let Satan deceive you do not let your own hearts delude you but fall upon the work of repentance presently knowing that as you have one day more to repent of so you have one day lesse to repent in What a piece of vanity is it that while the Ship is sound the tackling sure the Pilot well the Sailers strong provisions laid in and the wind favourable that the Mariners and passengers should lie in the Rode carding drinking diceing dancing and idling And when the Ship is leak the Pilot sick the mariners faint provisions spent and the winds boisterous then to weigh Anchors and hoist up sail to make a voyage into a far Countrey And yet such is the vanity of most men who in the dayes of their youth health and strength who when their memories are strong and their fancies quick and their Reason ripe c. do sin away and fool away and trifle away the day of grace the offers of mercy the motions of the Spirit and the intreaties of Christ and when old age comes when their wits are crackt their souls distracted their senses stupified their hearts astonied their minds darkned and their bodies diseased and distempered O then they think to leap into heaven with a Lord have mercy upon me in their mouthes and though they have lived like devils yet they hope they shall die like Saints and though they never took no care of Gods honour yet they hope that God will take care of their souls but when the thred of their lives is cut the next news that ever you shall hear of these is that they are gone to hell I have read of a young man who being admonished of the evil of his way and course and being pressed to leave his wickednesse and to break off his sins by repentance upon the consideration of Judgement Eternity and Death a coming he answered what do you tell me of these things I warrant you I will do well enough for when death comes I will speak but three words and that will help all so he went on in his wickednesse but in the end coming to a Bridge on Horse-back to go over a deep water the Horse stumbling and he labouring to recover his Horse could not but at last he let go the Bridle gave up himself and his Horse to the waters and was heard to say these three words Devil take all Here were three words with a witnesse And ô that all that think to repent at last with a Lord have mercy upon me would lay this instance to heart The light of thy life may be put out before thou canst once say Miserere mei Deus Lord be mercifull to me a sinner Though the Chariot wheels run all the day long very near one another yet they never overtake one another O take heed of delaying thy repentance for the more thou delayest it the more will thy account be increased thy debt augmented Satan strengthned thy body infeebled thy lusts imboldned thy soul endangered and all the difficulties of conversion more and more multiplied by delaying of thy repentance thou goest the way to gratifie Satan to cozen thy self to lose the opportunities of grace and to damn thy soul for ever and ever Well remember this if thou wilt not repent to day God may swear in his wrath to morrow that thou shalt not enter into his rest and then wo to thee that ever thou wert born And thus much for the preventing of these sad mistakes about repentance which mistakes keep off many a man from looking and labouring after that holinesse without which there is no happinesse Secondly If ever you would be holy O then take heed of a Witch take heed of the world the world often swells the heart with pride â—eut 32.15.22 it makes men forget God neglect Christ slight Ordinances and despise holinesse Ah the time the thoughts the strength That Cardinal was wretched as well as rich that would not leave his part in Paris for a part in Paradise the spirits that this enticing world hath made many to spend and consume whilest their souls have lien a bleeding and
the wrath of the Lord what shall we doe to be safe in this evill day O take these bags and pay so much to such a one whom I have deceived and restore so much to such a one whom I have in bargaining over-reached O give so much to the poore and so much to other pious uses c. But after the sickness was over they returned with the dog to the vomit and with the sowe to the wallowing in the mire againe and so their latter end was worse then their former There was a very great sinner who in the time of his sickness was so sorely terrified in his conscience for his many hainous sins that he made the very bed to shake upon which he lay and cryed out all night long I am damn'd I am damn'd I am damn'd c. and in this his sickness he made many great protestations of amendment of life if God would but be pleased to recover him and prevent his going downe to the grave at this time Well in a short time after he did recover and being recovered he was as base wretched and wicked as ever he was before This man with those that were cited before him were like that cunning Devill of whom the Epigrammatist thus writeth Aegrota Daemon Monachus tunc esse volebat Convaluit Daemon Monachus tunc esse nolebat Which is thus Englished The Devill was sick the Devill a Monk would be The Devill was well the Devill a Monk was he But those who are now like to Satan in sin may hereafter be like to him in torment such who now out-live their vows shall when they dye have hell enough You count it a very shamefull thing to break promise or covenant with men but is it not farre more shamefull to break with God The Egyptians though Heathens so hated perjury that if any man did but swear by the life of the King and did not performe his oath that man was to dye and no gold was to redeeme his life As Paulus Fagius observes in his Comment on Genesis c. When the Romans made Covenants they took Stones in their hands and said If I make this Covenant seriously and faithfully then let the great Jupiter bless me if not so let me be cast away from the face of the gods as I cast away this Stone Covenant-breaking was a sin greatly detested and abhorred among the very Heathens and shall Christians make nothing of breaking their vows promises and covenants with the great God Well Sirs remember this those sins that you have vowed against must be deserted and that holiness which you have vowed to follow must be pursued or a worse thing then the curse of Meroz must be expected Judg. 5.23 compared with that Joh. 5.14 But Sixthly If ever you would be holy then dwell much upon the worth and preciousness of your souls Christ that only went to the price of souls hath told us that one soul is more worth then all the woâ—ld Math 16.26 Christ left his Fathers bosome and all the glory of heaven for the good of souls he assumed the nature of man for the happiness of the soul of man be trod the wine-press of his Fathers wrath for souls he wept for souls he sweat for souls he prayed for souls he payd for souls and he bled out his heart-blood for souls The soul is the breath of God the beauty of man the wonder of Angells and the envie of Devills 't is of an Angelical nature 't is a heavenly sparke a celestiall plant and of a divine off-spring 't is a spirituall substance capable of the knowledge of God and of union with God and of communion with God and of an eternall fruition of God there is nothing that can suit the soule below God nor nothing that can satisfie the soule without God the soule is so high and so noble a piece that it scornes all the world in point of acceptation justification satisfaction and salvation What are all the riches of the East or West Indies what are rocks of Diamonds or mountaines of gold or the price of Cleopatra's draught to the price that Christ laid downe for souls 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Christ made himself an offering for sin that souls might not be undone by sin the Lord dyed that slaves may live the Son dyes that servants may live the naturall Son dyes that adopted sons may live the only begotten Son dyes that bastards may live yea the Judge dyes that malefactors may live Ah friends as there was never sorrow like Christs sorrow so there was never love like Christs love and of all his love none to that of soule-love In a word the spirituall enemies which daily warre against the soule the glorious Angels which hourely guard the soule and the precious ordinances which God hath appointed as meanes both to convert and to feed the soul doe all speak out the preciousness and excellency of the soule There was once a great contest among some Nations about Homer an excellent Poet they severally pleaded their interest in him and truly so 't is this day about the soule of man many lay claime to it sin lays claime to it and the world lays claime to it and Satan lays claime to it and Christ and holiness lays claime to it and O that Christ and holiness might have it before all others O Sirs there is no wisdome nor policy to that of securing our precious souls for they are Jewels of more worth then all the world all the honours riches greatness and glory of this world are but chips and pibbles to these glorious pearles therefore before all and above all other things make sure worke for your souls if they are safe all is safe but if they are lost all is lost Other things cannot be made sure riches cannot for as they are lying so they are flying vanities they make themselves wings and they fly away Honours cannot Haman is feasted with the King one day and made a feast for Crowes the next Herod is one houre cryed up for a God and the next houre he is eaten of wormes Princes Courts are very slippery a man may quickly get a fall there that may easily break both back and neck as many in all ages have experienced the applause and favour of creatures cannot for many mens favours are got with an Apple and lost with a Nut Math. 27.4 5. Judas his heart was hardly warm'd with the high Priests favour before they shut their doores upon him with a what is that to us look thou to that most mens favours are as light as a feather and so tos't up and downe with every breath of windy vanity the Moone do's not so often vary and change as the respects of most men doe vary and change how many men have had their names written in golden Characters one yeare and in letters of blood the next what is the favour of man but a blast a Sun-shine-houre a puff of winde a magnum
required of us a song and they that wasted us required of us mirth saying Sing us one of the songs of Zion How shall we sing the Lords song in a strange Land And 't is as unreasonable to expect or look that the people of God should sing and be merry rejoyce and be glad when they are under soul-distresses and under the sore rebuks of God poured from vessel to vessel c. Musick in times of mourning is as unreasonable as 't is unseasonable and unsavory Jer. 48.11 Prov. 25.20 As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather and as vinegar upon nitre so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart Musick and mourning singing and sorrow agree like Harpe and Harrow there is such a contrariety between singing and sorrow that he that sings does but add weight to his sorrow that cannot sing O sirs As there is a time for rejoycing so there is a time for mourning Eccles 3.4 as there is a time to laugh so there is a time to weep and as we must rejoyce with them that rejoyce so we must mourn with them that mourn Rom. 12.15 and weep with them that weep The condition of Gods people in this life is a mixt condition in this life they have their rejoycing times and their mourning times their laughing times and their weeping times their singing times and their sorrowing times c. 'T is true in heaven there is all joy and no sorrow all gladness and no sadness and in hell there is all sorrow and no joy all grief and no gladness all howling and no singing all madness and no mirth but in this life 't is otherwise for if there should be nothing but joy many would look for no other heaven and if there should be nothing but sorrow most would look for no other hell if men should have nothing but joy how sadly would they be puffed up And if they should have nothing but sorrow how easily would they be cast down but now by a divine hand our sorrows being mixt with our joys our hearts come to be the more effectually weaned from the vanities of this life and to long more earnestly after the pure and unmixed joys of a better life c. But Eighthly I answer that 't is possible that the sadness sorrow The cure of Melancholy belongs rather to the Physitian then to the Divine to Galen then to Paul and grief of those particular Saints that thou hast thine eye upon may arise from the natural temper and constitution of their bodies many Saints are often cast into a melancholy mould for though grace changes the disposition of the soul yet it alters not the constitution of the body Now there is no greater enemy to holy joy and gladness then melancholy for this pestilent humor will raise such strange passions and imaginations 't will raise such groundless griefs and fears and frights and such senceless surmises and jealousies as will easily damp a Christians joy and mightily vex perplex trouble and turmoyle daunt and discourage a Christians spirit A Melancholy constitution is Satans Anvil upon which he formes many black It is an old saying That Melancholia est vehiculum Daemonum dark and dismall temptations which do exceedingly tend to the keeping down of Divine consolation from rising high in the soul this black dark dusky humor disturbs both soul and body it tempts Satan to tempt the soul and it unables the soul to resist the temptation yea it prepares the soul to hearken to the temptation and to close and fall in with the temptation as the experiences of all Melancholy Christians can testifie Look as coloured glass makes the very beams of the Sun seem to be all of the same colour with it self if the glass be blew the beams of the Sun seems to be blew if the glass be red the beams of the Sun seems to be red or if the glass be green the beams of the Sun seems to be green So this black Melancholy humor represents all things to the eye of the soul as duskish and dark and as full of horror and terror yea many times it represents the bright beams of Divine love and the shinings of the Sun of righteousness and the gracious whispers of the blessed Spirit as delusions and as slights of Satan to cousen the soul I have read of a foolish Melancholy bird that stands always but upon one legg for fear her own weight though she be very small should sink her into the center of the earth and holding her other legg over her head lest the Heavens should fall upon her and crush her I shall not dispute the credibleness of the relation but certainly there is nothing that fills a Christian so full of fears and frights as a Melancholy humor does and all know that know any thing that there are no greater adversaries to joy and gladness then such fears and frights Now how absurd and unreasonable is it to father that upon holiness or upon all holy persons that proceeds from the special constitution of some particular Saints and yet this is the trade that unsanctified souls drive And let thus much suffice for answer to this grand objection and O that this objection may never have a resurrection in any of your hearts more But Fourthly some may further object and say We see that no persons Object 4 on earth are exposed to such troubles dangers afflictions and persecutions as those are exposed to who mind holiness who follow after holiness these are days wherein men labor to frown holiness out of the world and to scorn and kick holiness out of the World and do you think that we are mad now to pursue after holiness Now to this great and sore objection I shall give these following answers First It must be granted that afflictions and persecutions has been the common lot and portion of the people of God in this world Abel was persecuted by Cain Witness the sufferings of the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Saints in all ages Act. 7.52 Rev. 12.13 Act. 9.16 Lam. 5.5 The common cry of persecutors have bin Christianos ad Leones 1 Joh. 3.12 and Isaac by Ishmael Gal. 9.29 That seems to be a standing Law All that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 A man may have many faint wishes and cold desires after Godliness and yet escape persecution yea he may make some assays and attempts as if he would be godly and yet escape persecution but when a man is thorowly resolved to be godly and sets himself in good earnest upon pursuing after holiness and living a life of godliness then he must expect to meet with afflictions and persecutions 'T is neither a Christians gifts nor his graces 't is neither his duties nor his services that can secure him whoever escapes the godly man shall not escape persecution in one kind or another in one degree or another he that will live
matters Job was the onely man he was chosen by all and advanced by all above all in all Assemblies and places of Judicature c. whoever was of the Committee yet Job was still Chair-man who ever was of the counsel yet Job was still President and whoever was of the Court yet Job was still King yea he dwelt as a King in the Army Job was guarded as a King in the Army and honored as a King in the Army and beloved and admired as a King in the Army and obeyed and served as a King in the Army and feared and reverenced as a King in the Army I might give you further instances of this in Joseph Moses Nehemiah Mordecai the three Children and Daniel but I shall forbear Faith is but a piece a part a branch of holiness and yet O what an honorable mention doth Paul make of the Romans faith in that Rom. 1.8 First This is a figurative expression according to the stile and manner of speaking then I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all that your faith is spoken of throughout the world The Romans had attained to an eminency in faith and the report thereof sounded thoroughout the Roman Empire yea throughout the world for there being a great resort to Rome from all parts of the world and by every ones discoursing and admiring of the Romans faith their faith came to be spread abroad among all the Churches all the world over Look as Christs fulness of grace was his highest glory in this world Psal 45.1 2. so a Christians fulness of holiness is his highest honor in this world O sirs there is no such way to be high in honor and renown both in the consciences of sinners and Saints as to be high in holiness Jewel was a man eminent in holiness and his holiness set him high in the very judgements and consciences of the Papists The Dean of the Colledge though a Papist yet speaks thus of him In thy faith I hold thee an Heretick but surely in thy life thou art an Angel thou art very good and honest but a Lutheran Among the very Heathens those were most highly honored that were most excellent and eminent in moral vertues Aristides was so famous among the Athenians for his Justice Plutarch that he was called Aristides the Just c. O Christians 't is your highest honor and glory in this world to be so eminent and famous for holiness that men may point at you and say there goes such a one the wise there goes such a one the humble there goes such a one the heavenly and there goes such a one the meek there goes such a one the patient and there goes such a one the contented and there goes such a one the Just and there goes such a one the merciful and there goes such a one the zealous and there goes such a one the couragious and there goes such a one the sincere and there goes such a one the faithful c. well for a close remember this that though great places great offices great revenues and great honours c. may exalt you set you high in the uppermost seats and roomes among men yet 't is only an eminency in holiness that will exalt you and set you high in the consciences of sinners and Saints But Fourteenthly To provoke you to labour after higher degrees of holiness Consider that the times wherein you live calls for this at your hands Jer. 51.5 Ah how is this Land filled with sin yea with the worst of sins against the holy One of Israel Hell seems to be broken loose and men strive to exceed and excell one another in all kinds of wickedness O the scarlet sins that are now to be found under many scarlet Robes O the black transgressions that are now to be found under many black Cassocks O the new-found oaths the hellish blasphemies the horrid filthinesses and the abominable debaucheries that are committed daily in the face of the Sun ah how shameless how sensless are sinners grown in these dayes Jer. 3.3 sin every where now appears with a whores forehead ah what open opposition do's Christ meet with in his Gospel offices Math. 24.12 members wayes worship and works ah how do's all iniquity abound and how bold and resolute are multitudes now in dishonoring of God in profaning his Sabbaths in poluting his ordinances in destroying their own souls and in treasuring up of wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 c. Now the worser the times are the better every Christian must labour to be the more profane the Age is wherein we live the more holy we must endeavour to be O Sirs how else will you recompence the great God if I may so speak for all the dishonors that are cast upon him by the matchless loosness and wickedness of the present times Phil. 2.15 how else will you shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation how else will you convince the consciences 1 Pet. 2.15 and stop or button up the mouths of wicked and unreasonable men how else will you be the Lords witnesses against this sinful and adulterous Generation Isa 43.10 12. And ch 44.8 how else will you manifest your great love to Christ and your exceeding tenderness of the honor and glory of Christ how else will you give an undeniable testimony of the glorious operations of the Spirit in you how else will you satisfie your own consciences Psal 18.20 25. Heb. 11.7 that your hearts are upright with God and how else will you with Noah condemne a wicked world well Christians remember this 't is more then time for you to perfect holiness in the feare of the Lord when so many thousands labour day and night to perfect wickedness in despite of the Lord 't is time for you to be Angels in holiness when multitudes strive to exceed the very devill in wickedness since Christ was on earth there has been no times that have called louder for the perfecting of holiness then the present times wherein we live But Fifteenthly To provoke you to lâ—bour after higher degrees of holiness consider how the men of the world do study and strive to abound and encrease in worldly blessings O what ado is there among worldlings to lay house to house and field to field Isa 5.8 to make a hundred a thousand and a thousand ten c Many men rise early and go to bed late yea they cross their light Psal 127.1 2. wound their consciences and decline their principles and endanger their immortall souls and all to adde to their worldly stores This Age is ful of such Ahabs 1 Kings 21. that are even sick for their neighbours Vineyards yea that rather then they will goe without them will wade through Naboths blood to them And how many rich fools be there amongst us who instead of minding their souls and
towards their desired Harbour And so 't is with a holy heart sometimes the gales of the spirit blow very fair and sweet very strong and powerful upon a gracious soul and then a Christian sails most sweetly most speedily and most successfully on in a way of Holiness and towards his Port of Happiness but anon the spirit is either resisted or grieved or neglected or quenched or vexed or disobeyed and then his gales his influences his breathings are slacked and then a poor Christian sails but very slow on in a way of holiness then hee doth but even creep towards the Harbour of everlasting blessedness Again no Saints have at all times alike the same external helps advantages and opportunities of being holy and of thriving in holiness It may bee they have not the word so clearly so powerfully so sweetly so faithfully nor so frequently preacht to them as formerly they have had or it may bee they have not other Ordinances so lively so purely so spiritually so evangelically dispenced to them as formerly they have had It may bee they have had stones instead of bread and bones instead of flesh and chaffe instead of wheat and muddy water instead of choice wine and then no wonder if they do not thrive in holiness as they did when God rained Mannah every day about their Tents and when they were fed with the best of the best that their Heavenly Fathers Table Wine-seller and House did afford When Children have not as good Food and as good Physick and as good lodging and as good looking to as they have formerly had no wonder if they thrive not as at other times And so 't is here look as no men have alwaies the same helps the same advantages the same opportunities to grow great and rich and high and honourable in the world that sometimes they have had so no Christian hath alwaies the same helps advantages and opportunities to grow rich and high in holiness as sometimes hee hath had It may bee hee hath not that communion and fellowship with the people of God that once hee had or if hee hath yet it may bee their communion is not so pure so holy so lively so heart-warming so soul-inriching as once it hath been or it may bee hee hath not as good counsel as formerly nor as good examples as formerly nor as good encouragement as hee hath formerly had to bee holy or it may bee their calling imployment and outward condition is so altered and changed from what once it was that they have not that time for closet Duties and to wait on publick Ordinances that once they had or it may bee bodily infirmities weaknesses diseases aches and ailements are so increased and multiplied upon them that they cannot make that improvement that once they did of those very advantages and opportunities that yet by a hand of grace is continued among them now these cases being incident to the people of God there is no reason to wonder if at some times Saints are more holy than they are at others and if at some seasons they shoot up more in holiness than they do at others The serious weighing of this Position may serve to prevent many fears and scruples many debates and disputes that often rise in the hearts of Christians upon the often ebbings and flowings of holiness in their souls The sixt Position is this There will come a time when in this world holiness shall bee more general and more eminent than ever it hath been since Adam fell in Paradise The Scripture speaks clearly roundly and fully to this Deut. 30.5 6 8. The Lord thy God will bring thee into thine own Land and the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and thou shalt return and obey the voice of the Lord and do All His Commandements This gracious Promise was made to the Jews above two thousand years ago and yet to this very day it hath not been fulfilled and therefore there will certainly come a time wherein God will make it good Isa 11.6 The Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb c. and they shall not hurt c. for the Earth shall bee Full of the Knowledge of The Lord As the Waters Cover The Sea This glorious Promise hath not been made good to this day but there is a time a coming wherein it shall bee accomplished Isa 35.8 There shall bee a high-way and it shall bee called a way of Holiness THE UNCLEAN SHALL NOT PASSE OVER IT Isa 59.21 This is my Covenant my WORD AND MY SPIRIT SHALL NEVER DEPART from thee for ever Isa 60.21 Thy People shall bee ALL RIGHTEOUS Jer. 32.40 41. I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good But I will put my fear into their hearts So Ezek. 36.23 to v. 30. Mal. 4.1 2. 2 Pet. 3.13 that they shall not depart from mee yea I will rejoyce over them to do them good and will plant them in this Land assuredly WITH MY WHOLE HEART AND WHOLE SOUL Now it is very observable that this great Promise must bee fulfilled when the Jews shall return and bee settled in their own Land And so the Prophet Ezekiel speaking of the glorious state of the Church in the last daies Ezek. 44.7 9. adds Thus saith the Lord no stranger uncircumcised in HEART shall enter into my Sanctuary Zeph. 3.13 The remnant of Israel SHALL NOT DO INIQUITY nor SPEAK LYES neither shall a DECEITFUL TONGUE bee found in their mouths Now the context clearly shews that these words relate to the glorious state of the Church on Earth and they have never yet received their accomplishment but shall in the last daies for hee is faithful that hath spoken it Zach. 14.20 21. Upon ALL SHALL BEE HOLINESSE TO THE LORD I have opened this Text pretty fully to you already in my former discourses on holiness and therefore shall pass it by now Rev. 21. verse the first See the English Annotations on these words and verse the last And I saw a New Heaven and a New Earth and I saw the holy City New Jerusalem coming down from God out of HEAVEN Behold the Tabernacle of God is WITH MEN c. and there shall in no wise enter into it any thâ—ng that DEFILETH c. but they that are written in the Lambs Book I have formerly proved by several Arguments as divers of you knows that this chapter cannot be understood of Heaven but must necessarily and beyond all dispute bee understood of the glorious state of the Saints on Earth which they shall certainly enjoy in the last daies By all these Scriptures it is most evident that there will come a time when holiness shall bee more general and at a fuller height than ever yet it hath been since man fell from his Original holiness and therefore pray