blush and be ashamed that ever they should so much wrong Religion by giving such occasion to reflect such undeserved reproaches on her Alas how will they answer it to Gods-Deputy their Conscience and if not to that how to God for if our hearts condemn us God is greater than our hearts and knoweth more by us than we do by our selves and therefore may much more condemn us With what faces can such persons appear before the Throne of God either here when they pray or hereafter when they must be judged I will say to them as Alexander is said to say to a souldier of his and of his Name Either lay aside thy Name or fight better Either be not Christians in Name or be Christians indeed for if they have a Name to live and yet be dead in sins and trespasses by living in them they may die in their sins and be damned for all their Name He that made them will not save them if they be not new-made and become new-men for t is not being a creature but a new creature that entitles to and assures of Salvation Again 2. Let me say to every House of God by way of dehortation in St. Pauls words which are of God 2 Cor. 6.14 c. Be ye not unequally yoaked with unbelievers for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion hath light with darkness and what concord hath Christ with Belial or what part hath he that believeth with an Insidel and what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols For ye are the Temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwel in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people Wherefore come cut from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and will be a Father to you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty Having therefore these Promises Dearly Beloved Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God Who hath given us these exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of a divine Nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1.4 And you may hear another Voice from Heaven saying Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues Revel 18.4 Therefore once more in St. Pauls expressions 1 Cor. 10.14 15 c. My dearly beloved flee from Idolatry I speak as to wise men judge ye what I say for why should we provoke the Lord to jealousie are we stronger than he v. 22. Of old God would not permit his people linsie-woolsie garments nor to plow with an Oxe and an Ass nor to halt between God and Baal Methinks Protestants if they remember the Name should not incline to communion with Papists in their Idolatry which was the ground of our separation from them 3. I would say this by way of caution Let no man counterfeit and dissemble a being holy Simulata sanctitas est duplex iniquitas to be an hypocrite is to be but a rotten post though double gilt 'T is to be not only a sinner but one died in grain Hypocrisie is a word taken from the Stage as is well known and 't is rather a playing than an acting of Religion 'T is personating without being a religious person 'T is an Art not an Act. And in Religion 't is true what they say of faces that painting doth not so much advance beauty to the eye as debase it to the judgement and that handsomness which is only artificial is real deformity 'T is not what is service in the eyes of men or what is celebrated by them for beautiful but what is so in the sight of God as the Apostle Col. 1.22 4. This by way of Exhortation to the House of God be then really zealously and eternally holy not for a day as if ye put on no more but an holy-dayes face and sine cloths but at all times and in all things Whatsoever ye do from the highest duty of Grace to the lowest of Nature whether you eat or drink buy or sell as well as whether you hear or pray do all to the glory of God Jesus Christ hath given himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of and in readiness to every good word and work to walk worthy of him to all well-pleasing and to serve him in righteousness and holiness all the dayes of our life to length of dayes or for ever as 't is in the Text and that though the floods lift up their voice and waves as 't is a little before the Text and to which it hath relation We should be ambitious to be as holy as Absalom was fair and to have as glorious a Name as the Old Temple had which was the beauty of the whole Earth and of which it is said That in it every one spake of his glory or as 't is in the Margine every whit of it uttereth glory viz. to God whose due it is I do the rather urge this because the life of Religion lies in living in it and I scarce know any thing more wanting than an holy life professing hearing and praying there is great store but where is holiness alas can we find it in our hearts to live by God and not live to God! Do we love to hear of Christians Dignities and shall we not love to hear of Christian Duties of Priviledges and not of Performances of Consolation and not of Conversation Doctrine Can we lend our ear to hear what God hath done for us and shall we not give that the hearing which is to be done by us Surely our design in being Christians should be like Gods not only to save our selves but to glorifie him If you will please to lend me a little more of your patience I will endeavour to set this Exhortation home by some obliging arguments 1. The Lord of this House the Pater-familias the Father of this Family is holy and as I have already made appear 't is his Name his Work his Will his Image his Nature and Glory therefore be ye also holy 2. Your Profession is holy and we should not only make a good profession but make it good The House of God is as I may call it an Holy Academy where all are to be holy professors as well as professors of holiness Profession is an engaging thing as St. Paul tells us 1 Tim. 6.12 Fight the good fight of Faith c. seeing thou hast made a good Profession before many Witnesses 3. Your Calling is holy 2 Tim. 1.9 He hath called us with an holy calling and 1 Thess 4.7 He hath called us not to uncleanness but to holiness We are indeed saved by Grace but we are to know
incorruptible inheritance is hers Heaven its self is called the inheritance of the Saints or holy-ones Col. 1.12 and this inheritance is shared among them that are sanctified and none else Acts 26.18 And this inheritance is both Light and Life Kingdome and Crown of Glory which fadeth not away and therefore methinks the great and generous Gallants of this World as they love to be called should be in love with and all inamour'd of Holiness seeing Beauty and Glory Honour and Riches meet and center in her as much and well as they are annexed to her 9. To gather and close up many things together Holiness is the end of all that God the Father Son and Spirit have done and will do for us from first to last as also of all the means enjoyn'd to Priviledges confer'd on Graces wrought in Duties to be done by us Afflictions and Trials wherewith we are exercis'd 'T is the end the Father hath in Electing Eph. 1.4 He hath chosen us in him viz. Christ before the foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him in love As of the Fathers Election so is it the end of the Sons Redemption of us Eph. 5.25 26. He loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it and so again Titus 2.14 He gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works The Office and Work of the Spirit is to sanctifie and he is called holy not only as being so in himself but for making us so by his efficient power 2 Thess 2.13 God hath chosen you to salvation not only through belief of the truth but sanctification of the Spirit 1 Pet. 1.2 Elect according to foreknowledge through sanctification of the Spirit 1 Cor. 6.1 Such were some of you but ye are sanctified c. by the Spirit of our God 'T is the end of all Ordinances and means and we should not take up with the means without the end What is preaching for but to bring men into and to build them up in holiness Eph. 4.11 12 13. 'T is the end of all Dignities and Priviledges of which the Promises are principal and why are they given us but as was said above that we might perfect holiness and partake of a Divine Nature Why is the great Title of the Sons and Children of God bestow'd upon us but that we should be followers of and like to God our Father as dear Children 'T is the end of all graces wrought in and exercis'd by us of faith Acts 15.9 Purifying their hearts by faith and Acts 26.18 them that are sanctified by faith So of hope 1 John 3.3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifies himself as he is pure So of knowledge 1 John 2.4 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him He hath not learned the truth as 't is in Jesus and therefore his knowledge is but a form of knowledge Rom. 2.20 and knowledge falsly so called 1 Tim. 6.20 'T is the end and effect of love also 1 John 5.3 For this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and they are not grievous Commands from God who loves us and to us who love him cannot be grievous if they are so 't is for want of love in us for our Saviour tells us if we love him we will and they are the lovers and friends of him who do keep his Commandments 'T is the end of that great duty of Prayer why or what do we pray for but that we may be holy and do his will on Earth as 't is done in heaven Surely what the Apostle prays for in relation to the Thessalonians 1 Ep. 5.23 should be every ones prayer for themselves that they may be sanctified throughout and wholly and to walk worthy of God to all well-pleasing Col. 1.10 'T is the end of all Afflictions Chastenings and Trials that we might come out of them like Gold purified 1 Pet. 1.7 that the fruit may be the taking away of sin Isa 27.9 and for our profit which is in this that we might be partakers of his holiness Heb. 12.10 Yea 't is the end of all mercies and deliverances Luke 1.74 75. that being deliver'd out of the hands of our enemies we might serve him in righteousness and and true holiness without fear all the dayes of our life Yet again and so I conclude 'T is the preparation for and our glory in Heaven its self 'T is our preparation for the sight of God for without Holiness no Man how Wise and Learned Rich and Honourable Fair and Beautiful soever he be shall see the Lord Heb. 12. and when we do see him more Holiness will be the effect of that sight 1 John 3.2 when he doth appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is and this is called Glory Col. 3.4 When Christ our Life shall appear we shall appear with him in Glory and 't is for the very thing viz. being holy that the Church is called Glorious Ephes 5.27 Well then These things being so I intreat you to consider of what hath been said and beseech God to give you Understanding in all things that you may so Know as to Believe so Believe as to Love so Love as to Practise so Practise as to Perfect Holiness and be Eternally saved and then I know that you will rejoyce and sing the New Song even Praise to God and joyn with them that say Holy Holy Holy and conclude with my Text that Holiness becomes thine House O Lord for ever Let all the People say Amen And as the Arabick adds Allelujah FINIS
because he hath Places and Preferments to bestow and they have none 1 Tim. 6.3 4 5. 63 'T is made a question by some which is better the War that brings Peace or the Peace that brings War but surely we should endeavour to have Peace with God and all men and to War with nothing but the Devil the Flesh and Sin Eph. 6.12 64 Though men may pluck my heart out of my bowels they shall never pluck the truth nor the love of it out of my heart was the saying of and becoming a Martyr 65 If the Word of God slay not the sin of man yet t will slay the Man of Sin 2 Thes 2.8 and the man that goes on in sin Hos 6.5 66 God made man to serve him and he that serves God is a made man for Godliness is the making the enriching and exalting of a man A man is made for ever when he is new-made 1 Tim. 4.8 67 If Gods Precepts be far from our hearts his Ear will be far from our Prayers Prov. 1.28 68 Sleep which is the Shadow of Death is the Nurse of Nature the Parenthesis of our Cares Griefs and Troubles and Death is the Periodus the full stop point or end of them all if we die in the Lord Revel 14.13 The Resurrection is the beginning of a new Verse or Paragraph yea of the whole Tract of Eternal Life to the Children of the Resurrection John 5.29 69 Though it be a misery to have a sinful heart yet 't is a mercy to see it so for Conviction is the first step to Conversion and though there are many vile enough as to their state to be damned yet there are but few vile enough as to their sense in their own eyes to be saved or to cry out What shall we do to be saved Acts 2. 70 The Professors of and Pleaders for merit would be loth to use such arguments before God in Prayer which is a little day or the emblem of the Day of Judgement before God as they do in dispute before Men as I am worthy for whom thou should'st do this Though some did plead it for the man yet the man durst not plead it for himself as Luke 7.4 with 7. 71 There 's not so great a difference between the highest Saint in Heaven and the lowest Saint on Earth for 't is but gradu in degree as there is between the lowest Saint on Earth and the highest Man if but a Man on Earth for 't is specie a difference in kind Prov. 12.26 and God loveth the lowest Saint more than the highest Angel doth love God 72 When Christians goods are spoil'd and taken from them for Christs sake Men take what is not but God what is his own and yet he will place it to their account and reward them abundantly if not in this Life yet in that to come if not in kind yet in kindness which is infinitely better Heb. 10.34 Matth. 19.29 73 It might be just with God to make them go naked for want who go naked for wantonness and to suffer them to be bespotted with the Name of proud c. who bespot themselves for the fame of beauty and though charity command me to believe that some women which hang out signs will not lodge strangers yet these Mock-Guests as one calls them seem guilty of tempting others to tempt them Gen. 38.14 15 16. Prov. 7.15 16 17. 74 'T were to be wisht there were more and fairer proportion between Profession and Practice That men would do as they say and not only talk of but walk in Christ and the Spirit and not only adorn themselves their houses and their books with fine gay and golden clothing hangings and covers but that they would adorn the inner man with a meek and quiet Spirit and the outer man with Good Works and by both the Doctrine of God our Saviour for he is a very piteous Christian who in words confesseth but in works denieth Christ Gal. 4.25 Col. 2.6 1 Tim. 2.9 10. 1 Pet. 3.4 Titus 2.10 and 1.16 How can he be true to the Will of God that 's false to his own word 75 Wicked men do not only depart from God but bid God depart from them Job 21.14 but wo unto them when God takes them to their word Hos 9.12 and when they shall hear that dreadful Sentence Depart from me ye cursed Matth. 25.41 Sin and damnation have one Name departure from God 76 We have great reason to acknowledg our beholdenness to God for the time that is past and as great to own our dependance on God for the time to come and are by both hugely and strongly obliged to glorifie God Dan. 5.23 77 Thinking time if well improved may be some of our best time and we may be in good company when alone There is a Story of a Gentleman who on his Death-bed laid this one command upon his wild son and engaged him to the performance of it by a solemn promise viz. That he should spend some time every day in retired thinking but left him at liberty to think on what he would Being under this promise and having this liberty he addresses himself to perform the one and enjoy the other one day recalling his past pleasures another contriving new delights but at length becomes inquisitive after his Fathers design and end in requiring this penance He knew his Father to be a wise and good man and therefore concluded his design to be so too that his intent could be no other but to bring him to consider his wayes and whither they tended and what would become of him â—f he were not religious but should â—ive and dye in his sin which was by a divine hand set so home that he was restless till it was made effectual to his becoming a new man Happy Command happy Promise happy Performance happy Time happy Employment happy success Some-body hath a saying that Consideration is half Conversion and that a considerative person is not far nor is like to be long from the Kingdome of Heaven The great complaint God makes of men is this that they are not men i. e. rationally considering and reflecting on their wayes Isa 1.3 and 44.19 As if 't were impossible for men to act sinfully if they would act rationally and therefore calls on them to shew themselves men Isa 46.8 When the Proding came to himself he quickly went to his Father 78 When men as the Apostle Paul doth often use Hyperbolies in speaking of Grace and Glory it makes the highest of them but seeming ones for they are a Thence on which 't is easie for a man to speak much but impossible to speak too much or well enough there 's want in the words that are and want of more words than there are to tell us the All of Grace and Glory Eph. 3.18 19. and 3.8 2 Cor. 4.17 1 John 3.1 2 3. 79 Of the two Promises bind Faith more than threatnings do and we should ever be
as God is more ready to promise than threaten and to perform them rather than execute these Psal 103.8 9. 80 He must be of a very weak Understanding or very perverse Will who is so illogical as to conclude from the ill practise of men professing a good Religion that the Religion is bad and will not distinguish between Fact and Faith Practise and Principle and so is he that will give way to such inconsequential reasonings as to conclude from one bad or some bad that all are so That because Judas was a Traytor none of the Disciples were true faithful and honest 'T is impertinent and absurd to say This is their Religion and they are all alike 81 Conscience is a Deputy-God as Moses was made a God to Pharaoh 1. To declare the Will of God 2. To instigate to the doing thereof And 3. To bring Plagues and Terrors if it be not obeyed Rom. 2.15 82 To sin is humane-like to grieve for 't is Saint-like but to persevere in and to boast of it is Devil-like John 8.44 83 Every sin transgresseth Gods Command but they who prefer the Traditions of men before the Commands of God do make his Commands of none effect Math. 15.6 9. and Mark 7.7 13. 84 A man may conceive more in an hour than all the greatest of Kings or Emperours did ever enjoy as Rocks of Diamond Heaps of Pearl Mountains of Gold but 't is impossible to think what God is able to do or to conceive what God will do for them that love him Eph. 3.20 1 Cor. 2.9 85 'T is not the Faith of sense which is seeing nor the Faith of Reason which is knowing but the Faith of Revelation which is believing that the Gospel requires He◠11.1 John 20.31 86 Where there is not quiet in passive Obedience the sincerity of active may be doubted Job 4.3 4 5. 87 We should look to it that we be gracious as well as vertuous and not only be conformable to the dictates of Philosophy but of Divinity We should do good not only for others sake or our own sake or Vertues sake but for Gods sake We then do well and shall hear it said Well done good and faithful servants when the good we do is from the love of God as the Principle 1 John 5.3 by the Will of God as the Rule Gal. 6.16 and to the Glory of God as the End 1 Cor. 10.31 88 Some men are so impudently wicked that though they take Gods Name into their Mouth yet they hate to be reformed and because God is silent they think he gives consent and that he is such an one as themselves Psal 50.16 21. that God is as much a lover of sin as they are for Mal. 2.17 they stick not to say Every one that doth evil is good in the sight of the Lord and he delighteth in them or Where is the God of Judgment and Because Judgment is not executed speedily therefore their heart is fully set to do evil Eccles 8.11 God is scarce known or acknowledged but as he is a God of Judgment Psal 9.16 Now seeing nothing else but Judgment will convince them hence it is that David Jeremiah c. do so often pray for Judgment on the wicked viz. that they may know they are but men Psal 9.20 that they may seek thy Name O Lord that they may know that thou whose Name is Jehovah art most High over all the earth Psal 83.16 18. They pray for evil to do them good and seem to curse them that they may be blessed For such cursings are not the imprecations of their spirit but the predictions of Gods Spirit to signifie not what they desire may be but what God threatens shall be their condition if they persist in their sin and what they deserve for having sinned They that call for fire from Heaven know not what spirit they are of Bless and curse not yea bless them that curse you and pray for them that despitefully use you and perhaps both they will be and you will speed the better Matth. 5.44 45. To curse any person or thing passionately is an infirmity at least but to do it maliciously is impiety at the best 89 No man can positively and infallibly say what God will do with the Man of Sin as to the particulars of his punishment or the time of it nor how God will recover the World from under the power of Antichristianism 'T is to be wisht it may be and some believe it will be by the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God rather than by the Sword of VVar and the wrath of man by conversion than by confusion by turning hearts than by taking away lives Surely next to sin nothing can be more cross and dreadful to a Christian Genius and Spirit than war 'T is sad to think of fighting and dying but sadder to think of damning I should be very jealous of and angry with my self should I find an inclination to please my self in the ruine the death especially in the damnation of any person and I am pretty confident that if it might pass according to the Votes of good men they would all wish and pray that no one person might sin any more or perish for ever and whatever shakings yet remain for this world till the Judgment Day that they may begin and end only in holiness and be managed with a meek and quiet Spirit Isa 2.4 Hag. 2.6 7. Jam. 3.13 18. 90 To hold Communion with men that are sinners and not to have Communion with their sins is an excellent sociable spirit To extend it where the Rule commands and deny it where the Rule forbids qualifies us to converse with God and Men 1 Cor. 5.9 10 11. Eph. 5.6 17. 1 John 1.3 7. 91 If we have not been thankful for great mercies God may and somtime doth take them away that he may bring us to have a great value and to be thankful for the least of mercies Lam. 3.22 2 Kings 20.16 20. 92 The heart may be allowably toucht and feel when objects of 〈◊〉 and grief present themselves to and are upon us God allows us to give Nature its due provided we deny not him his due Our blessed Lord and Saviour was sensible of such things Heb. 4.15 and without it a man should be not only a Stoick but a Stock and 't would be no exercise or tryal of grace if matter of grief and fear were not perceived and felt Heb. 12.11 93 God rested not from his work of Creation till man was made nor can man rest from his pursuits after the Creation till God be enjoyed Psal 73.25 Fecisti nos Domine propter te nec acquiescimus donec ad te perveniamus said St. Austine thou madest us for thy self O Lord and we are not quiet till we come unto thee And 't is only in the God-Man Christ Jesus that God is and we can be well pleased 94 Love is the fulfilling of the Law Faith the
18 A Wise Man may learn much of or by a Fool but a Fool especially the conceited one will not learn any thing of a Wise Man Prov. 1.7 and 26.12 19 Though we have learnt to call and celebrate the World and things thereof by the great Names of Grandure and Gallantry by the pleasing Names of Pleasure and Prettiness by the affected Names of Honour and Happiness by the taking Names of Beauty and Bravery yet we do but miscall and flatter it yea abuse out selves to boot for it's proper Names are far otherwise Vanity of Vanities being it's first Pronomen and Vexatiof Spirit it's second and Sirname Cognomen as the great and searching Antiquary found them to be Eccl. 1.1 2. 20 God will not be put off with a mouth full of good words 't is in vain to say to him Lord Lord by way of Profession Prayer and Appeal if we do not do his Will for though we may plead with him and quote our many preachments c. yet he will profess that he never knew us no not then when casting out Devils c. but will bid us depart as Workers of Iniquity even then when we pretended to preach up Holiness and to cast out the Devil and all his Works Matth. 7.21 22 23. 21 They mourn for sin on the best account who mourn for it as the worst of evils and herein the worst 〈◊〉 't is against God Psal 51.4 and they that do so will mourn for other mens sins as for their own for they are against God also and it may be fear'd they never truly griev'd for their own who can rejoyce at other mens 1 Cor. 13.6 22 When we make other mens sins our own they will make us smart as much as if they were our own And we may call other mens our-other mens sins not only when we command and counsel or take pleasure in their sin but when we do not reprove them for their sin and use all due means to prevent or to remove their sin 1 Kings 12.28 30. 1 Sam. 3.13 23 Philosophy and Moral Discourses may teach men the Art of concealing their Vices the way how to cuâ— off the luxuriant branches and excrescencies of corruption but the Scripture-Doctrine only teacheth the way oâ— subduing and putting them to death by laying its Axe to the root of the Tree the very Heart Moral Doctrine maâ— kelp to make good men but ' twiâ— never make good Christians for wâ— are such only by learning of Chriâ—â— Jesus Eph. 4.20 24. 24 Alas How often are many mens Vertues nothing else but the results and effects of their Vices 'T is Covetousness makes some Temperate and Ambition makes others Liberal and Just nay Lust makes some so religious as to pray James 4.3 but they either aske and miss or else are punished with the grant of their own desires Oh what a sorry thing is man how few are there that know themselves how often are the actions commendable and not the man Well-fare simplicity and godly sincerity which make not only the actions but the persons approved 2 Cor. 1.12 25 Of all the store of Vanities which are in the World Eccles 1.2 Man is one of the greatest Psal 39.5 and of all men the Irreligious Atheists who brain-sick that they are endeavour to be worse than they can for they offer violence to the faculties and inclinations of their own souls and wish that with and say that in their hearts which for their hearts they cannot stedfastly believe Psal 14.1 so that though they may have a great deal of security 't is impossible they should have any satisfaction 26 We should be very careful to behave our selves so as to give all persons occasion to love us at least to give none an occasion to hate or despise us Heb. 12.14 1 Tim. 4.12 27 What an uneasie and sickly condition is poor man in full of impatiency and discontent all about him is Vanity himself in his best estate is Vanity yea altogether Psal 39.5 Weariness attends not only his labour by day but his sleep and rest by night what of frights what of dreams what of very long lying the man 's not at ease in an easie bed 28 The most laborious and principal study is to study ones self to know ones self how to live at home and converse alone not only company but Books seduce us from it Meditation is a large and powerful study to them that can imploy themselves in it Too many peruse others more than themselves as some study Humane Writings more than Divine 't is more easie and a diversion and we being idle seek these things for pastime as if time lay heavy on our hands and we had not imployment enough in our selves Psal 4.4 and 39.3 4. 29 How many different and all very poor things do many persons entertain and comfort themselves with when they come to die either the great Name and Estate they shall leave behind them or the confidence of their childrens worth or the avoiding of this lives mischiefs or the revenge that hangs over their heads who have been procurers of their death such as these are the miserable comforts that many men have But on the other hand how many are tormented with the sting of sin and a guilty conscience with the fear of dying and shame of living or with solicitudes and thoughtfulness of what will become of that and them they shall leave behind Ah how few can meet death half way and welcome it as a friend Surely none but they who have kept faith and a good conscience 2 Tim. 4.6 7 8. How few are fit and willing to die Surely none but they who are in Christ Jesus Phil. 1.23 Rom. 14.8 30 Here below there is no satisfaction for any but disquietment for all but them that are of an heavenly and divine mind who live to and hope to live with God Psal 39.6 7. 31 In the Old Testament the Prophesies of the latter dayes were of good and glorious times but in the New Testament the latter dayes are foretold to be apostatizing and perilous bad for suffering and worse for sinning 1 Tim. 4.1 2 Tim. 3.1 32 'T is natural to own and acknowledge a God Rom. 1.19 but to own and acknowledge Jesus Christ to be Son of the Living God is supernatural Matth. 16.17 and to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent is Eternal Life and this only John 17.3 33 The very questions and debates about the Souls Immortality is a proof that 't is so for as none can distinguish between rational and irrational who have not a rational soul So none can distinguish between Mortal and Immortal who have not an Immortal Soul Even so the controversies that are about the Mystery of Godliness do prove that without Controversie great is the Mystery of Godliness 1 Tim. 3.16 33 Books that contain pleasure and profit are most likely to be lik't at least 't is most rational that
of God and as his Name is so is he The Holy One Isa 57.15 And how excellent is his Name in all the earth He is called the Holy One and the Holy One of Israel many a time over in the Scriptures His Holiness is himself for to swear by his Holiness and by himself is the same thing as 't is also to swear by his Great Name Psal 89.35 Heb. 6.13 Jer. 44.26 compared Now God being the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the altogether lovely how beautiful a thing must Holiness be it being the Name of him who only is God who only is good who only is wise and all that is the perfection of beauty and object of desires Secondly Holiness is the Will of God and as his Will is holy so his Will is that we should be holy S. Paul bids us in every thing give thanks for this is the Will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you 1 Thess 5.18 So may I say In every thing be holy for this is the Will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you His Word is the signification and discovery of his Will and this is his Will your sanctification or holiness 1 Thess 4.3 And this is his word too 1 Pet. 1.15 16. As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation for it is written Be ye holy because I am holy O what a lovely and beautiful thing is the Will of God! He worketh all things according to the Counsel of his Will and so should we 'T was the great commendation of King David that he served his Generation according to the Will of God Acts 13.36 and is for this said to be the man after Gods own heart because he would fulfil all his Wills for the Greek is plural Acts 13.22 Yea our Lord Jesus Christ who is so often called The holy Jesus gloryed in this because by it he glorified his Father that he did alwayes did and delighted to do th◠things that pleased him or which i◠all one his Fathers Will. Well the◠the Will of God being the Rule and measure of what 's acceptable and pleasing lovely and beautiful in his eyes Holiness must be transcendently so for this is the Will of God Thirdly Holiness is the Work of God All Gods works are worthy of him and like himself rare and excellent to admiration and wonder The Rule holds here operari sequitur esse in this sense the work is according to the worker If Apelles's and Titian's Peeces were so admirable what are Gods If the works of the first Creation were good exceedingly Gen. 1.31 of which Man was one of the chief and holiness the chief excellency of Man how much more the work of the new Creation which doth mainly consist in holiness He that hath wrought us to this self same thing is God 2 Cor. 5.5 and he that sanctifies or makes us holy is the Lord Exod. 31.13 We are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Eph. 2.10 And put on the New-Man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness So that holiness being the work of God it must needs be lovely Yea Fourthly Holiness is not only the Name the Will and the Work but 't is the Image of God and his likeness The Image of God is not so much in our souls being a spirit as being holy The Devil is a Spirit but far enough from being the Image of God We were at first created in Gods Image and after Gods likeness Gen. 1.26 27. And the Apostle refers to this Eph. 4.24 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Created after God i. e. after the Image and likeness of God viz. in righteousness and true holiness Christ Jesus is the holy One and we are to be conformed to the Image of him the Son of God Rom. 8.29 both in being holy and in suffering with him for being so vers 17. as well as in being glorified If I may allude to the Art of Limning I would say that an holy life is the Picture of Gods though not drawn perfectly and to the life and I think the Apostle favours the expression Eph. 4.18 speaking of the Gentiles that they were alienated from the life of God i. e. from holiness And as to the workers of iniquity Christ Jesus professeth that he never knew them Matth. 7.23 Sin hath so altered and disguised man from what he was when God made him that God knows him not owns him not for the man he made Fifthly 'T is yet more Holiness is the very Nature of God There are some Attributes that flow from the Will of God as well as from his Nature as Mercy which he may suspend and not exert if so please him and none can say unto him Why dost thou thus But the Holy Scriptures tell us that there are some Attributes which admit of a cannot be otherwise God saith the Apostle cannot lie cannot deny himself so cannot do wickedly He is True Just Faithful and Holy and 't is impossible he should be otherwise And 't is of clear observation that in the Holy Scripture A Divine Nature and Perfect Holiness are equivalent terms Be pleas'd to compare 2 Pet. 1.4 whereby are given to us exceeding great or the greatest and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of a Divine Nature having escaped the pollution or corruption that is in the World through lust Here you see that the design and end of the promises is to make us partakers of a Divine Nature Now compare this with 2 Cor. 7.1 and there the use of the promises is to perfect holiness Having these promises which according to St. Peters Phrase are the greatest for they are that God will be a God and Father and there 's none greater to promise as there was none greater to swear by than himself Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit which is the same with the corruption spoken of by St. Peter perfecting holiness i. e. till we be sanctified throughout and perfectly or in St. Peters phrase be made partakers of a Divine Nature Sixthly Yet once more Holiness is not only the Name the Will the Work the Image and the Nature but 't is the Glory of God Exod. 15.11 Who is like unto thee glorious in holiness 'T is his great Title of Honour 'T is the Glory of all his Attributes and Administrations it is the Attribute whereby God is declared to be free from all impurity and imperfection his Soveraignty would seem and look like Tyranny but that 't is holy his Patience would look like an Indulgence and Toleration of sin and so the World judge it Mal. 2.17 but that 't is holy his Love would look like respecting of persons but that 't is holy Holiness is the ground of the Songs of Praise that are sung to his Glory in Earth and Heaven Isa 6.3 Holy holy holy is the
23.9 Bathsheba was very beautiful to look upon but her sin was more her shame than that her praise You heard before how this Beauty of Holiness was prefer'd and had the commendation beyond that of the face Prov. 31.30 And the Apostle gives the holy hand the honour above all 1 Tim. 2.8 A white hand if not innocent a neat hand if not holy though adorned with never so many rings and bracelets makes no fair shew in the eyes of God though lifted up to him in Prayer 4. The Artificial beauty which is short of the Natural must therefore of necessity fall short of this which is Supernatural The Ornaments of Gold and Silver Garnishings with Precious Stones for Beauty as 2 Chron. 3.6 Modish garbs and dresses which often bewitch and dazle the beholders eyes and hath many times more beauty than the wearer is infinitely short of the beauty of holiness And therefore the glory of the Kings Daughter Psal 45.13 14. is not given to her clothing though of wrought gold nor to her rayment though of curious Needle-work but to her inner beauty which is holiness she was all glorious within viz. pure in heart and her beauty is in forgetting her fathers house and in worshipping her Lord and King who would then desire her beauty Psal 45.10 11. for such he seeks to worship him as do it in spirit and truth in the beauty of holiness So St. Paul tells us that the best ornaments are not broidered hair or gold or pearls or costly array but modesty shamefastness sobriety and good works which becometh women professing Godliness 1 Tim. 2.9 10. That without this is nothing at all but this though without that is all in all And so St. Peter also tells us 1 Pet. 3.3 4. that women should not reckon those outward ornaments their beauty but the hidden man of the heart that which is not corruptible a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price and that 's the praise we should be ambitious of viz. which is of God and not of men Rom. 2.29 To be drest to the approbation and admiration of men to be renowned for beauty and not to have the approbation of God will afford but cold comfort while we live and when we die And therefore to declare the thing as it is and to dis-abuse this mistaken World let me tell them that they do but mis-call and flatter these sublunary things when they attribute to them and adorn them with the fine words and specious titles of beauty and bravery delight and delicacy pleasure and prettiness honour and happiness alas these are but great fancies pompous shews glittering and gaudy nothings The rosiness of the most orient beauty the whistling of the most silken bravery the chinking of white and yellow dust alias gold and silver the sparkling glories which tempt and captivate the amorous the proud the covetous the ambitious sons of men will one day appear to be but the cheat of imagination and that they who have courted them have jugled themselves out of true happiness into a false one and have espoused themselves to a meer paultry vanity which if it be any thing is a something less than nothing as the Prophet phraseth it Isa 40.17 they will find by the disappointment of their hopes that they did but build Castles in the aire and their false joys will end in true miseries 5. Holiness far surmounts the Morality and half refined Vertues of Philosophers Morality is indeed a very lovely thing in its kind and is a great rarity among men 't were to be wisht there were as much among some Christians as there was among some Heathens Christians profess more than they did but they did more than many who are profest-Christians For this Christ loved the young man but yet 't was not enough the one thing necessary was wanting he was not sanctified There are many fine things that may glitter but be no gold good inclinations sweet dispositions ingenious behaviour seemingly vertuous conversations may make a fair shew in the flesh and yet they who own them may be in the flesh and so cannot please God Rom. 8.8 A complexional or a constitutional meekness c. may be no vertue which is a conquest over opposition Philosophical Vertue which they place in obeying and conforming to the Placits of wise men and dictates of Reason or performing vertuous acts for vertues sake may be far from holiness which is as I clear'd above a conformity to the will of God as such sub intuitu divinae voluntatis with respect to his will and an eye to his glory Education Art and Prudence may and do oblige to and produce effects very resembling and like to them that are religious but the sweetest innocency and most glorious acts if not the result and effect of union with Christ and the love of God will profit nothing 1 Cor. 13.1 2 3. Though such persons may seem too good to go to Hell yet without holiness they will not be found good enough to go to Heaven but the person may be condemnable when the acts may be by themselves considered capable of commendation See Matth. 7.21 22 23. Yet again as to this head To teach or learn Moral Vertues apart from Christ is to have them apart from Heaven they are indeed required of and to be practis'd by Christians but so is more than they and they as springing from the fountain directed by the rule and terminated in the glory of God in Christ Otherwise though we learn to conceal or disguise Ungodliness we shall never learn to be godly and every thing but being and living godly in Christ Jesus leaves us under the first Covenant which is too weak to save us Philosophy and Morality may make us civil and good men but they will never make us holy and good Christians And as Doctor M. Causabon well observes Christless discourses are to little purpose the truth is saith he the consideration of Christ laid aside though good language and excellency of wit may go far with some men to perswade and with all or most to please and delight yet bare vertue of it self all things soberly considered will prove generally but a weak plea and as Brutus at his death is said to have bemoan'd himself rather a Name or Word than reality 6. and Lastly The Beauty of holiness far exceeds and excells Pharisaical righteousness The Pharisees if you would take their word and believe of them as they conceited of themselves were righteous more than others and therefore despised others and bid them stand afar off as unclean in comparison of them the more holy but these were no incense only smoak in the nostrils of God They had so obtain'd upon the credulous and easily deluded Vulgar that they also thought them Gods darlings and favourites in so much that 't was Proverbial among the many That if but two went to Heaven the one would be a Pharisee Our
if not all interpreters meant and understood the People or Servants or Houshold of God Munster and Clarius who often transcribes Munster word for word express it thus Per Domum ornatam perpetuo perstituram intellige fidelium Ecclesam By this adorned House which is to endure for ever they understand the Church of the Faithful Doctor M. Causabon in these words holiness actively that is all manner of reverence in outward performances and duties but especially an holy life and conversation becometh them that profess themselves to be servants to so great and glorious a Majesty And the Apostles both St. Paul and St. Peter speak of the House and Temple of God in these expressions 1 Cor. 3.16 17. Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God The Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are 1 Pet. 2.5 Ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house so that the House is the Houshold or Family of God 2. Holiness all and all manner of holiness becomes all and every one of the houses of God 'T is their desire and delight their beauty and comliness as the word imports and is so render'd by both Jewish and Christian Interpreters Holiness of Doctrine and Worship of heart and life becomes the houses of God not only becomes them as their duty to be holy but being holy is their comliness 'T is their greatest ornament and excellency in the eyes of God Angels and all good men As to fear God and keep his Commandments is the whole or all as duty so happiness of man being opposed to all the rest which the wisest of Men and Kings properly and significantly calls Vanity and vexation of spirit so holiness is the all of their beauty and excellency in distinction from the other exteriour ornaments I told you before that other beauty had many a great and big word attributed to it but we may allow them much more to be the Titles of Honour belonging to this Beauty of Holiness This then is the Glory the Joy the Praise the Excellency the Diadem the Crown the Ornament the Renown the Perfection of Beauty Doth not the Holy Spirit who indited the Scripture tell us so and what need we any further witness If 't were said but once by the Infallible Truth yet it were as true as if said an hundred times over and he that believes not one would not in likelihood believe ten or ten times ten quoted Scriptures though backt with the concurring Suffrages and Authorities of the Fathers and Expositors which the Holy Scripture needs not and therefore I shall not urge them Only to indear the argument and by that the thing viz. Holiness 't is worthy of a remark that the Pen-man of this Text utters it by way of admiration O Lord which indeed speaks the unspeakableness of it Oh how amiable How lovely How beautiful How becoming is Holiness and how doth it become thine House O Lord There 's want in the words that are and need of more words than there are to express it according to its worth and perfection And so in the New Testament we may observe St. Peter speaking of it with an admiration beyond what he could utter 2 Pet. 3.11 What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversations and godlinesses for so the reading is in the Original Greek not only single holiness and godliness but plurality holy conversations and godlinesses and that with an universality all holy c. yea with admiration too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quanti-quales What manner c. Having thus dispatcht these three things First The discovery of what Holiness is in its proper Notion and Nature Secondly That it is an absolute and incomparable beauty Thirdly That it becomes and is the chiefest ornament of every House of God both above and here below I may come to the Application in the language of St. Paul Rom. 8.31 What shall we then say to these things 1. I say by way of Inference and Information That Sin doth not become but is the disgrace and reproach of the House of God Our blessed Lord and Saviour had not patience the Zeal of his Fathers House did so possess and eat him up to behold the Temple the House of Prayer and Holiness to be turn'd into a Den of Thieves he could not bear it nor endure the sight Matth. 21.12 13. When he found in the Temple those that sold Oxen and Sheep and Doves and the Changers of Money sitting he made a Scourge of small cords and drove them all out of the Temple and said Take these things hence and make not my Fathers House an House of Merchandise Certainly such things as lofty and scorning Pride griping and sordid Covetousness loathsome Lukewarmness un-manning Drunkenness beastial Vncleanness c. are the spots which diminish and disparage the beauty of the House of God as Saint Peter tells us 2 Pet. 2.13 It cannot be imagined that they who are enemies to holiness can be friends to or lovers of God They that live in sin whose practise and delight is to do wickedly are so far from being the House of God that they are but a Cage of unclean birds and like to that house which the Devil calls his own though 't were swept and garnisht Matth. 12.44 To hate holiness and to be in love with sin is by interpretation and true construction to be in love with Hell and to hate Heaven or to be in love with misery and to hate happiness This is that which opens the mouths of Jews Turks and Indians against the Christian Religion and as by the Jews of Old the Name of God and Christ is evil spoken of by reason of these Rom. 2.23 24. who by their evil deeds give great occasion to the enemies of our best friend the Lord Jesus Christ to blaspheme his Name The Christian Religion is Magnetical and attractive 't is of so pleasing an aspect and happyfying a Nature and Influence that did but the Professors of it make their Profession good I should not doubt almost but that the lovely and loving holy Jesus would quickly be the desire of and be embraced by all Nations whereas now when they come among Christians or Christians go among them and they see the Vileness the Injustice the Wantonness and the almost all manner of wickedness that attends and adheres to many of their conversations they are apt though illogically enough to say this is or is this their Religion as they did of Jerusalem of old when her beauty was departed from her Lam. 1.6 and 2.15 Is this the City that men call the perfection of beauty the joy of the whole Earth Thus they twit and taunt clap their hands hiss and wag their head and abhor the excellency of Jacob and beauty of Israel And truly if the Professors of this excellent lovely best and only saving Religion would but do themselves the right to consider of it it were impossible but they would