success Some more and some less according as the Lord is pleased to use them or bless them and as suitable to the Churches necessities so he doth give gifts so heâ— doth give Officers also for no men are to minister in the things of God without a call from God therefore such Ordinances and Officers as the Church doth stand in need of he hath appointed and with these they ought to rest satisfied and to fancy or create no more to themselves which was the error of the first Churches when they began to degenerate and corrupt themselves when they brought in new Ordinances then did they begin to set up new officers immediately and they that will lay aside the Ordinances of God will bring in multitudes of their own as we see it in Israel they multiplyed their Idols and also they that wil lay aside the Officers of Christ wilmultiply Officers of their own Ambrose saith of the Church of God at first Ambâ—ose It did nothing without the approbation of certain Elders thereunto appointed but that being neglected doctorum desidia vel potius superbia dum soli voluerunt aliquid videri now they brought in all manner of new Officers to the great burden of the Church that under Popery they are as much burthened with officers as they are with Ordinances therefore it must be our care to have an eye to the pattern in the one as well as the other for what ever is not of the Lords appointment that he will neither own nor bless it is of such that Christ speaks of in Ioh Every plant that my Heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up it is those that did place themselves in Offices in the Church never planted by the Father Here are in the words two things First the Officers duty and that is first to rule and then to watch Secondly the object or subject of this authority it is not over the bodies and estates of men but their souls only Thirdly the great engagement and obligation that lies upon them so to do because they must give an account Fourthly here are the different accounts that Church Officers will give to God and that is some with joy and some with grief Secondly here is the duty of the people that are under their power First they are to obey Secondly to submit themselves Thirdly upon this ground because they are such as watch for their souls and must give an account Fourthly as knowing if it be with grief it will be unprofitable unto them And hence there are several propositions very useful to our present occasion which I will set down in their order First that the Lord Christ as head of the Church hath appointed that there shall be Officers in all the Churches there is as well an Institution of Officers and offices as there is of Ordinances and it is in a mans power to constitute the one no more then he may the other and the neglect of one is a neglect of the Institution and so of the authority of Christ as well as the other it will appear that there hath gone some great hands unto this and to manifest this appointment First Christ Eph. 4.11 it is counted there as one of his gifts which Christ gave upon his Ascension for he doth not only say that he gave the gifts that qualified men for that work and that is a mercy when the Church is enriched with gifts and the Lord doth pour out his spirit upon many of them that they be fitted for office if they be called to it 1 Cor. 1.7 2. in a Common-wealth though there be but a few Magistrates yet there be many that are fitted to be Magistrates as in an Army when the souldiers are valiant yet it s not expedient that every one is able to command a party or be an Officer c. But it is not the gifts only but the Officers also that Christ hath given his Church and they are to be looked upon as a special gift of Christ as a special fruit of his taking possession of the Kingdom when he sat down at his Fathers right hand and though they were all given for the gathering and the perfecting of the Saints yet some were but temporary others were to abide to the end of the world till all the Saints were gathered and perfected and therefore it is said that he hath set them in his Church 1 Cor. 12.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word notes a constitution a firm stablishment that cannot be changed Act. 17. the times and seasons which the Father hath put in his own power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a firm appointment and decree c. 1 Thes 5.9 God hath not appointed us to wrath but to attain salvation it s the same word So that the word signifies to appoint by a firm and a sure decree which cannot be changed he hath set them there and therefore none shall or can remove them Secondly the Holy-Ghost he also hath a hand in this Constitution Acts 20.28 Over whom the Holy-Ghost hath made you over-seers it is spoken unto Officers when they meet with the Apostles c. and for the understanding of it we must consider That the Spirit is the Mediatory Kingdom hath undertaken to be as it were a Prorex to rule for Christ therefore before the Throne there are seven Lamps of fire that is the seven spirits of God Rev. 4.5 for in the gifts and graces the Spirit is given the Gospel it s Preached by the Holy-Ghost sent down from heaven c. Now there are two things mainly that the Holy-Ghost doth in this constitution First the Spirit doth gift the men and qualifie them for the work for though there be diversity of gifts yet it is the same spirit that works in every man even as he will to one man the gifts of wisdom to another the word of knowledge but by the same spirit 1 Cor. 12.7,8,9,11 that as before Bezaleel and Aholiab did set upon the work of the Tabernacle he was filled with all wisdom by the spirit of God understanding and knowledge in all manner of work-man-ship and when Saul was called unto the Kingdom the spirit of the Lord came upon him and he was turned into another man 1 Sam. 10. Whether we do look unto the providential or spiritual Kingdom it is now in the hands of the Spirit and he knowing what works he hath to accomplish in both he doth gift men for the work in which he will employ them for though the gifts be common yet they proceed from the spirit as well as graces Secondly when a man is gifted and by the furniture of the man there is a ground to conceive God hath done it that he may employ him yet it is not enough by and by for any man to say I am gifted and therefore I will employ my self but there is another work of the spirit and that is he doth stir up the hearts of men to chuse
can alledge to defend it the greatest plot that ever the Divel had and so it is with Popery they 'l alledge the same Scriptures together with us Secondly The bitterest enemies that ever the Church of God had have been those that have owned the same Scriptures with themselves as the Samaritans and the Jews and the Papists unto us for hereby wickedness comes under the title of a Duty John 16.2 They shall suppose that they do good service and Paul saith I verily thought that I ought to do many things against the name of the Lord Jesus he did it in Duty and did Sin conscientiously as I may say c. Vse The Lord hath given you Liberty in many things such as we could not have expected that ever our eyes should have seen done Now let me exhort you Do not turn this Grace of God into vantonness Use not your Liberty as an occasion â—o the flesh Take heed of this way of sinning above all other to make the Word of the holy God a Patron of Lust abhor those men above all other men next the Divel that are best skill'd in Scripture to this end that they may justifie an evil way Truly I shall say better our old bondage or suffering again if this be the use we make of it if our new liberty be a liberty in sinning One disputes for Free-will and Universal Grace and he hath Scripture for it another he disputes against the regulating power of the Law and he hath Scripture another against Prayers but when the Spirit moves him and he hath Scripture another against the Sabbath and others for all manner of wickedness for they say we live in God and others plead for swearing for it 's an Ordinance of God Thou shall swear by his Name and others plead for mixt multitudes in Ordinances and they have Scripture and others act for every ignorant and confident fellow to preach in our publike Congregations for say they the Scripture says as every man hath received the gift so let him minister c. whereas we know the publike ministery is an Office and it is committed unto some and not to all 2 Cor. 5.17 Consider but these four things and I have done First Is this the return you make for all the goodness of God towards you Consider the evil of it First hereby you do dishonour God in that which is highest to him and which he has most exalted next to his Son Psalm 138.2 His Word is exalted above all his Name Now to lay the Word of God aside and to count it as a strange thing Hos 8.12 is a great evil much more to turn it against the Lord and gather rules from the Word to justifie that which the Lord himself abhors Secondly Hereby you do gratifie the Divel for that hath been his great Design First when the Lord hath at any time powered out a higher measure of light as in Luthers time then rose up abundance of heresies and so in the days immediately succeeding the Apostles and when the Lord works any great changes tending to Reformation for cast Satan down in one kind and he will rise in another as when Rome Pagan was cast down now there is a floud upon Rome Christian c. and by degrees to be at last gathered together into the See of Rome Thirdly No men brings on themselves greater destruction then these men do who turn the grace of God into wantonness by bringing into the Church damnable heresies 2 Pet. 2.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are men ripe for destruction and as I have told you the Lord will make it eminently appear that they are the greatest enemies to his glory and his Churches good and therefore God reserves them for worse punishment then other wicked men shall have God looks on them as men of Blood Bloody men that are drunk with the blood of souls the sons of perdition men of sin 't is an Hebraism that signifies an eminency in every one of those kinds of sin that wicked men are guilty of and it is not only reserved for them hereafter God will not stay till he gives punishments and rewards at the day of Judgement as he will do to all men both good and bad but they shall receive an earnest of damnation here in a special manner as well as hereafter God will exalt their damnation above other mens Primogenitus Sathanae Hereticks are the first born of the Divel and they shall have a double portion with the Divel in his Inheritance Fourthly This is a dangerous fore-runner of destruction to any Nation or Church Truly if if you bear with the woman Jezabel God will not bear with you for he is tender of his Truths and prizeth them above all the world Heaven and Earth shall fail before one tittle of that shall fall to the ground Christ made that the great signe of the destruction of Jerusalem that it was neer There shall arise false Christs and false Prophets many and so 1 John 2.18 There are many Antichrists and hereby we know it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it s not spoken of the end of the world but of the destruction of the Jewish state and it drew very neer upon this ground because many Antichrists had turned the grace of God into wantonness and made use of the Word of Christ to the dishonour of Christ in opprobrium Christi and it was the over-spreading of heresie that did give the Sarasins footing in the Eastern Empire and seeing they are willing to be deceived the Lord let out that floud upon them therefore oh all you that fear God that desire to serve him as he has revealed himself in his Word whose spirits God has drawn forth to prize the truth of the Gospel Take heed of false Teachers Hold fast the Faith that was once delivered to the Saints For if damnable heresies do creep in amongst you Consider nothing threatens destruction so much as they do THE Just Mans End AT THE Funerall of William Ball Esquire a Member of the House of Commons ESAY 57.1 The Righteous perish and no Man lays it to heart IN these words are four things to be considered First here 's a godly man described in his life and that either in respect of his inward disposition or his outward conversation In his disposition of soul hee is a Righteous man and a merciful man also A Righteous man hee had need have good eyes that finds out such a one for Psal 53.4 The Lord looked down from Heaven upon the children of men and he found none righteous Indeed in a legall sence there is none but hath an allay in a Gospel sence there is arighteousness that is imputed upon justification and there is a new image infused upon sanctification and both these must concur in the righteous man and the merciful man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the man of mercy who hath attained mercy himself and who is ready to shew mercy unto others
John 17. Sanctifie them by thy Truth c. Take away Truth and ye destroy Holiness at the root Let men pretend holiness whilest they will unclean opinions will ever be accompanied with unclean practises and therefore it is a vain thing for men to hope that a holy conversation can be maintained without truth which is the instrument which the Lord useth of mens sanctification Job 6.14 he forsakes God that forsakes the fear of the Lord. Secondly What is it for a people to be forsaken of God First when God withdraws the influence of his Spirit from the Ordinances that though the Ordinances continue yet the influences are gone it is the first step of the Lords removing from a people and this is properly the removing or departing of his glory from off the Temple though the Lord is everywhere present yet there was a gracious presence there Deus ubique est sed non eadem ubique praestat And therefore there is a darkness that fills the house when the glory of the Lord was departed its true that the Temple and the Sacrifices did continue but it was but barely an outside for the presence of God in glory and mercy was not among them and therefore when the Lord returns to a people in mercy the glory of the Lord doth in this manner return unto their Ordinances Ezek. 43.4 while he may be found seek the Lord the time of the Spirits working in the means is the day of salvation Heb. 6. unto that people there is a ground that drinks in the rain not only of Ordinances but of Influences and the Lord will say My Spirit shall not alwaies strive there is an oath that may go forth against a people and then they are undone for ever for the Lord is not as a man that he should repent and this is the greatest Judgement that can befall a person or a people in this life for if the Spirit of the Lord depart from them and evil Spirit from God in Judgement comes upon them a Spirit of giddiness a vertiginous Spirit which doth cause them to err in all the works of their hands there is by some a great talk of conversion that abundance have been lately converted it is true if turning unto a new opinion or being brought off from such a party be conversion there are abundance of such turnings in this Nation but such a general conversion that if we look into the conversation of men yea even of them that do profess Religion and the power of godliness and the good old way of holiness in the practise of it is even wholly forgotten amongst us Secondly he takes away the Ordinances also the presence of God is in them he is by these said to dwell amongst us now when God departs from a people he is said to take away the Ordinances which are the visible tokens of his presence Ier. 23.33 they say the burden of the Lord and they were weary of the Ordinances of God amongst them saies God this shall be your burden I will forsake you Nulla posthac erit Prophetia Calvin Calvin But what if it be so its that in a special manner that we desire but consider 2 Chron. 7.20 I will cast this house which I have sanctified for my name out of my sight and I will pluck you up by the roots out of my Land which I have given you when God once forsakes his Ordinances he will the Land too Thirdly the Lord doth forsake a people by taking away the former assistances that they have had and denying of them to his people therefore the promise is Isa 62.4 thou shalt be no more termed forsaken whilst they were under the power of the enemy and given up into the hands of their oppressors so long they were a people forsaken of the Lord Iosh 1.5 I will not leave thee nor forsake thee when God forsakes them they shall not have the wonted presence of God amongst them the Lord will neither bless their counsels nor go forth with their Armies but he will delight to make that people vile that all their enemies should take encouragement thereby and say God hath forsaken them persecute them and take them for there is none to deliver them as the presence of God is the great terror unto all that are round about he being a wall of sire about them and the glory in the middle of them so the greatest encouragement to the enemies is when they shall see that Gods people have not the wonted presence or assistance of God with them and they shall be a derision to all the Nations round about ha ha so would we have it Fourthly God doth forsake a people in respect of his returns of their prayers Psal 22.1,2 My God why hast thou forsaken me and why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring O my God I cry in the day time and thou hearest not and in the night season am not silent and this is the true greatness and the glory of a people Deut. 4.7 that they have God nigh them in all that they call upon him for and this hath been your glory in former times in the sight of your adversaries that you could say Tertullian Caelum tundimus misericordiam extorquemus And the prayers of the people of God have been the fire that hath gone out of the mouthes of the people of God that hath consumed your enemies on every side as Rev. 11 5. We did no sooner make our prayers but we might as it were with Stephen lift up our eyes to heaven and see Iesus standing at the right hand of God tanquam causae suae Judex vindex But if God forsake a people they may cry but the Lord will not hear them he will shut out their prayers in displeasure and will cover himself with a cloud that they shall not pass through when God takes away the spirit of prayer from his people there is not a greater Argument that I know that God doth intend to forsake them and to shut out their prayers Vse Having thus spoken of the Doctrinal proposition let us take the particular application to our selves If you forsake him he will also forsake you our own hearts cannot but testifie against us that there is a great forsaking of God in the middle of us look but upon the generality of the Nation and for all manner of prophaness we go beyond the worst of times and under a pretence of liberty every man doth that which is right in his own eyes and there is no master of restraint to put them to shame It may be the fault is immediately to be laid upon inferiour officers but ye know their neglects and yet you do not force your own Laws misera vis est valere ad nocendum it is woful liberty a liberty of sinning the horrible oppressions such as have not been heard of you have made an act against it and what
beset us Isa 6.6 and 7.8 when the Lord saith Whom shall I send the Prophet saith send me non tardat uncta rota but see the contrary in Moses and Ionah and this makes men in all the duties God cals them unto no longer then corruption is bribed to drive heavily Fourthly This makes all our services the more sweet unto God the more clean the heart is in them Mal. 3.4 Then shall the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord c. Psal 66.18 But if I regard iniquity in my heart God will not hear me the duty would be more valuable in Gods account Luke 21.3 The poor widdow cast in more then they all because her mite came from a purer spirit then their great gifts therefore such services of the Saints Christ cals them the honey and the honey-combe wine and milk to shew how acceptable they are Cant. 5.1 Lastly consider the glorious motives and encouragements we have therein as First the promises Ezek 47.8 and Zach. 13.2 Secondly the Spirit of Christ to be a spirit of burning Isa 4.4 and when the Church is in the purest condition yet alwaies this spirit is leading her on to perfection still the spirit and the Bride saith come Rev. 22.17 and Christ and the Father love the purity as well as the prosperity of his people and if we would set faith on work he hath promised to manifest it Iohn 14.20,21 In that day ye all know that I am in my Father in his counsel in his â—osom one with him in Majestie and in power and we have the same purposes and intentions towards sinners and you in me your nature and your infirmities you are in my bosom and in my heart cloathed with me and living with me and while I live you shall live I dyed your death and you rose my resurrection I bear your in firmities and you are filled with my fulness I pray your prayers and you weare my righteousness and I in you not only by my righteousness to justifie you but by my Spirit to purifie you by my wisdom to guide you and by my power to keep you and by my glory to Crown you You unto whom I will say Enter into the joy of your Lord these are the better promises of the Gospel and it is the lowness of mens spirits want of Christian greatness of mind grounded upon the consideration of this that is the true cause why Christians lie fettered with their old failings and out-grow their infirmities no more then they do A Set Time FOR Iudgement JER 8.7 The Stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow observe the time of their coming but my people know not the Iudgement of the Lord. EVery faithful Minister of God hath a double reference First unto the particular Flock over which God hath made him an Over-seer Acts 20.28 Secondly unto the Land in general where he lives unto whom God hath made him a watch-man to foresee danger Ezek. 3.17 and a Trumpeter to discover it Numb 10.8 For first every private Officer in the Church is to have a publike spirit and so to perform his particular duty as to have respect unto the general good a Minister is so limited to a particular Flock as he must also remember that he is the servant of the whole Church and as every particular Church hath an interest in the gifts of all 1 Cor. 3.21 so every particular Minister is to have a care of the good of all though in a more peculiar manner of the Flock committed unto his own charge Secondly there are not only Congregational and Personal sins and mercies but there are National also and there are times when God cals a people to be humbled for the one and to be thankful for the other and in both these the Ministers of the Gospel must be employed as Trumpeters to sound forth the praise of God and as watch-men to give warning of Gods displeasure and of the time and approach of Judgement Being thus debters unto both we must pay both debts in their season and be so far careful of our particular charge that also we forget not to be faithful to the Nation and Church wherein we are for this is the common Ship in which we are all embarked and if this in Judgement be cast away whether dashed against the Rock of any forraign power or swallowed up in the quick-sands of domestick divisions it must needs hazard all the passengers Or if you were sure that for your parts you might be safe would it not be a bitter thing to you to stand upon the shore and to see so glorious a Vessel as this Nation is to be cast away to see this glorions Land defaced the blessed Gospel polluted the golden Candlestick removed it cannot but affect men that have any bowels Or if this move you not yet to see a stranger to Lord it in thy habitation and thy dwelling to cast thee out for your delightsom dwellings your pleasant and well-tilled fields to be made a prey and for you to sow and another to reap Impius has segetes c. for the delicate woman upon whom the wind must not blow and that scarce dares venter to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for tenderness Deut. 28.26 to be exposed to the lusts and cruelty of an enemy and to be glad to flie away naked to prolong a miserable life which they would be glad to part with for death were it not for fear of the exchange for the tender mother to look upon the child of her womb and consider Must this child in whom I have placed the hope of my age for omnis in Ascanioâ—stat chari cura parentis he that hath been so tenderly bred up must he fall into the rough hands of a bloody souldier skilful to destroy it had been well for me if God had given me a miscarrying womb and dry breasts rather then to bring forth children unto murderers if you might be safe how could you endure thus to see the evil that should come upon your people and the destruction of your kindred as it was her expression Hest 8 6. I do not Rhetorize and fawn to draw your affections your Brethren are a sad Comment upon what I have spoken and Ireland the stage upon which you may see this Tragedy acted before your eyes And is this nothing unto all you that pass by are you nothing concerned in the misery of your Brethren is not the Lord come neer un to you and may not you be consumed by the same fire tunc tua res agitur c. is not Iudah neerly concerned in the desolation of Israel can we see the dealing of the Lord with our Brethren say I shall sit down as a Ladyfor ever I shall see no forrow shal we say when the over-flowing scourge shall pass over it shall not come at us Isa 28.15 shall we
let the things that are present be sufficient to thee whether I have much or little honour or disgrace it is that that is present Now for a man to subscribe to the dealing of God and to lay his hand upon his mouth and to say This is the disposing of a wise Father it is but in viaticum it is not in praemium it is but for my passage it is not for my reward then I say for a man to say truly Whatsoever I have here if it be but enough to land me sase in an other world it is all I care for O my Brethren this is the pitch that the Saints of God now set to themselves where there is holiness I say these difficult duties the soul propounds unto itself But Further yet Where there is holiness it propounds this To look upon suffering as a gift in Phil. 1.29 to you it is given not only to believe but to suffer for the name of the Lord Jesus Men can look upon imployment as a gift sometimes if God will set them in honorable service O but to look upon sufferings as honorable as if a man by that were to fill up that which is behind of the sufferings of Christ this is that pitch which the Saints set to themselves the mark they aim at is such difficult duties as these are to look upon suffering as a gift to say as in Jam. 1.9 Let the brother of low degree rejoyce that he is exalied I there is reason for that I but shall the brother of high degree rejoyce that he is made low Yes that God hath called thee to any condition to do good O that is a spiritual heart indeed that is a holy heart indeed Besides there is yet another great truth and that is to have such a spirit willing to go alone in duties and not to be turned out of the way that if I am brought to duty though I am left alone yet notwithstanding the duty is mine the special assistance is Gods Man is a sociable Creature indeed and he is in a great measure like a drop emptyed into the Sea he is mightily apt to swim down with the tide O t is a hard matter for a man to be willing in duty to go alone yet so it was with Paul At my first Answer all men for sook me no man stood by me for a man to say One God is sufficient as Mr Calvin I remember hath it upon Zach. 9.12 Go to the strong holds ye prisoners of hope Strong holds they had no strong hold the City was burnt and the Temple destroyed and they had no strong hold to betake themselves to turn to your strong holds Satis praesidii in uno Deo but yet notwithstanding saith he there was succour enough in one God So saith the soul There is society and communion enough in one God if no man stand by me in duty yet notwithstanding the Lord will for a man to go alone and not to balk nor to be turned out of the way because he is deserted by men either by a principle of falshood or Cowardice truly this is one of the difficultest duties of Religion There is one thing more I see I must break off I will but name this one thing and that is To have a mans spirit raised by opposition that the more he doth meet with opposition in a way of duty the more resolute he is for it so far is he from being afraid of the threatnings of men of the frowns of men he shall lose this mans favour incur such a mans displeasure and lose such an advantage and opportunity no his spirit riseth far more for it it is with such a man as it is with the fire in winter the fire burns the hotter because of the coldness of the air so it is with such a soul that is truly inflamed Come to David and tell him O there is a Goliah and he is come out with a spear like a Weavers beam and there is one that bears his target goes before him where is he saith David I will fight with him saith he his spirit doth not fall by difficulties but riseth I am not afraid of any uncircumcised Philistim my Brethren this is a true noble spirit holy greatness of mind lies in this when a mans spirit is born up upon the greatness of his God and the goodness of his Cause it is a base spirit that is born up by the strength of his party I have so many men on my side alass my Brethren that is a base spirit but I say here is a true noble spirit the greatness of his God and the goodness of his Cause and if that will not bear me out saith the soul let me sink in it I am content to perish I remember a godly man the Lord saith he will make Jeremiahs face like an Adamant saith he like an Adamant the hardest of stones truly then let the storm come and the Adamant that shrinks not it fears not it changeth not its hue no not a jot the Adamant is the same Certainly my Beloved this is the Motio of every truly noble spirit Nec spe nec timore it is neither hope nor fear that acts me I can neither hope for any thing ne ther truly am I afraid of any thing that man can do unto me and he doth neither fear nor faint nor flie but the more difficulties rise the more doth his spirit rise I say grounded upon the greatness of his God and the goodness of his cause Now it ye be holy men you do not pick and chuse duties but the more difficult duties are the more you strive to rise to bring up your spirits to them I that is holiness not to bring down the duty to you but to keep up the Law as Paul saith the Law is holy and just and good only labour you to bring up your spirits to the rule of it If you are holy men now it will be thus with you Thirdly a holy man hates every false way and fears it and recovers out of it Psal 119.128 Rom. 12.9 the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it s to hate it as Hell it self Secondly he fears it Eccl. 9.2 he that fears an oath c. I fear nothing but sin saies the holy man Thridly he recovers himself he doth not lie in his sin Peter sinned but Peter sorrowed for his sin a good man is a living fountain will never be drawn dry grace is a living principle it doth work out the mudd in the heart by degrees as the Sun doth labour for some time with the mist but dispels it at the last the longer any man lies in sin after a fall the more unholy his heart is to sin presently after duty is a sign there hath been little communion with God in the duty and to rise presently after sin is a sign that God hath hold on the man and that the root of the matter is in him Fourthly try
to himself in his own iniquity did not hide a sweet morsel but had respect to all the Commandments and hated every false way Secondly he was a friend to Reformation in the purity and spirituality of it which consists not onely in casting out the old rubbish of corruption in doctrine and worship but laying a new foundation not onely an outward Reformation of Ordinances but an inward reformation of members Re. 11.1 The corruption of the Church is so express'd There are many when God is about to reform his Church will bear the name of Christians Isa 54.11,12 I will lay thy stones with fair colours and thy foundations with Saphyrs when the Church of God sparkles in the eys of the world as many times it does it shall have many followers There is saith Calvin a double foundation a foundation of doctrine on which the Church is built and of members of which the Church is constituted and this he saith is meant here the Church shall not be built of every ordinary and Common-stone but new-Jerusalem shall be built with precious stones and without shall be dogs and every one that loves and makes a lye and in comparison of what now it is they shall be all eminent Saints then as it is said thy people shall be all righteous every one of them and this will distinguish in an eminent manner the Saints from the men of the world and therefore no wonder if godliness has so few friends in the world Color omnibus unus 3 He was a man in all his relations of a very publik spirit he was far from making those private advantages to himself that many do of kindred and friends he was one had impoverisht himself for the publick service to my knowledge and never sought and profess'd never would recompence from the State Many men will serve the kingdom whilst they serve themselves upon it and the while they serve the State they have wrought well for themselves dives potestas pauperem facit Rem-publicam 'T will be an honor in after ages that a man hath made no advantage of his publick trust when every man is making gain from his interest to promote himself and his family thereby 4 He was a man very humble of a meek and a sweet temper free from the common bitterness that is in men he had much of the Dove and of dovelike simplicity and much of the wisdom though very free from the craft of the Serpent a man full of sweetness and love of an amiable and a winning conversation which surely are things in the sight of God in great price 5 He was a man of a very faithful spirit which truely now is very hard to finde We may well say the faithful man is perished falshood is now grown the wisdom and the policy of the times for men to pretend grace and intend nothing less to look one way and row another to speak words smoother then butter when they have war in their hearts and to betray his brother with a kiss and with Ioab stab him in an imbracement and he that can carry it with the greatest fairness and smoothness is the wisest man and this is the great policy of our times 6 Lastly He was and I wish all that are in places of trust would consider this exceeding industrious and active in the care of the publick much lay upon him he did not spare his pains and his time even to the neglect of his own necessary affairs yea the necessity of nature for a support of nature many a time as I can witness and the sad condition of the kingdom lay very heavy upon him he was willing to his power to put men a work ere he had wages for them from the publick Many men are active but it is when there is something to be gotten that does oyl their Chariot wheeles they love to tread out the Corn but to plow in hope and to labour barely for the publick good I fear there are but few such in the kingdom I le appeal now to you that knew him you knovv these things to be true I doubt not but God has rewarded him according to his works God with Vs whilst We are with Him At a publick Fast before the Parliament Iune 9. 1652. 2 Chron. 15.2 But if ye forsake Him He will also forsake you THe Lord having rent the kingdom from Rehoboam according unto the vvord that he had spoken and left him only tvvo Tribes that his servant David might have alvvays a light before the Lord in Ierusalem this remainder of the kingdom did he seek to establish to strengthen himself in but as Luther observes qui regit signum est in quod Satan omnia jacula dirigit therefore as he doth of men endeavour to corrupt the first the prime of their yeers so he doth also to Magistrates the prime of their Government that he may lay corruption in the foundation and therefore he forsook the Law of the Lord ch 12.1 and men in Authority sin not alone principum delicta sunt plano diabolica they have many that fall with them therefore it is said that he did not only forsake the Law of the Lord but all I srael with him having thus departed from the Lord they now betake themselves unto other Laws having chosen unto themselves other Gods for they forsake God that forsake his Law and they build high places and Images and groves upon every high hill and under every green tree and there were Sodomites in the land also who did according unto all the abominations of the Nations permittente Rehoboam so also he did give them a toleration its true that he did not set them up by authority but he did connive at them and let them alone he did not look upon it as his duty to use his Authority and turn the edge of it against them but there was something else in it for it was done nomine praetextu religionis Pet. Mart. it being the way that the heathens did worship their Gods and who shall limit the Consciences of men that way of worship which they shall think fit that they are to use and who shall controll them and so set themselves in the place of God if men as Sodomites or Ranters will worship God who hath power to gainsay them for uncleanness in opinion will soon bring in uncleanness in conversation and Abijam succeeded his father in all these abominations for he walked in all the sins of his father that he had done before him as Rehoboam did in the abominations of the heathens which the Lord had cast out before them for men may be the sons of those per imitationem to whom by generation they have no relation and they that cast others out of authority and yet be their successors in the same abominations they are in Gods account their sons though their posterity be disinherited by them and this was the state and condition of the kingdom when Asa came
together for good by their Covenant all things are yours whether life or death c. 1 Cor. 3.22 Now this dealing of God with men living in the Church under the same Ordinances and enjoying the same priviledges being so different there can be no reason given of it but meerly the different Covenants under which they stand for God hath been and is alwaies mindful of his Covenant and according to it doth alwaies dispence himself to the creature Vse Let it awaken every natural man to seek for a translation Thy misery by sin stands in two things First that thou art under Adams Covenant Secondly that thou bearest his Image now we many times see our misery by the one the evil of our waies but few are sensible of the other the evil of our state and that is the greatest for this makes thee a bond-man whilest thou livest for the Covenant genders unto bondage and it cuts thee off from all hope of an inheritance hereafter for the bond-woman must be cast out with her children This is the translation which the Apostle speaks of being translated into the Kingdom of his dear son Col. 1.1 this is the passage from death to life Iohn 5.24 In this passage a of man there must be a double change First mutatio moralis a Relative change as when of a bond-man a man is made a free-man of a servant he becomes a son Secondly Physica a natural change that is when of a sick man he is made sound the first is the change of a mans Covenant and the second a change of his Image the one is done in Justification and the other in Sanctification and by both these old things are past away all things do become new 1 Cor 5.17 This translation all the people of God that ever went to heaven had experience of and this is that I desire all men in a natural state may be awakened to seek after But you will say who be the men that stand under this first Covenant I hope there be none such amongst us You may judge your selves by these two rules First he that is under the second Covenant hath an interest in him who is the prince of the Covenant he that was given as a Covenant to the Nations Isa 42.6 for we heard before that the two Covenants were made with two different heads and it is union with them that brings a man under either Covenant it is being in Adam that makes a man stand under the one and being in Christ that gives a man interest in the other for a man must be in Christ as he was in Adam that is in him legally standing under his Covenant and in him naturally that is bearing his Image Now if a man would know whether he hath an Interest in Christ or no let him take the Apostles rule and lay it unto his own soul impartially 2 Cor. 5.17 he that is in Christ is a new creature he is not barely new dressed or hath gotten a new out-side but he is within renewed in the Spirit of his mind he hath a new understanding new apprehensions of persons and things and those things which before he counted foolishness now he doth know them to be his only wisdom and those persons that he looked upon as the scum and off-scouring of all things these they judge to be the excellent ones of the earth and those dark and carnal apprehensions of the waies of God and the mysteries of Godliness that he had before they are now done and past away they have no affection to them for it is not enough for a man to have new words and new actions there is many a man abstains from the practise of many sins that their hearts love and many a man for some respects takes up the practise of some duties that his heart hates but such a man now loves that which before he hated and he now hates that which before he did love that which before was to him the only matter of his joy now becomes the only object of his sorrow thus he that is in Christ is a new creature If so then surely they cannot take themselves to be new creatures that have not so much as renewed their actions that were drunkards and so continue were Sabbath-breakers and Swearers and Userers and Scoffers and so continue still the comfort of whose lives comes in by evil it is their meat and drink they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence Prov. 4.27 It s their cloathing Pride compasseth them as a chain violence covers them as a Garment Psal 73.6 and it is their recreation it is a pastime for a fool to do wickedly Prov. 10.23 and there be no recreations that have any pleasure in them unless they be sweetned by sin surely thus walking in their old waies it is impossible they should be new creatures and not being new creatures they are not in Christ and not being in Christ the Prince of the Covenant they have no interest in the new Covenant Secondly he that is under the first Covenant is a bond-man as Ismael whereas he that is under the second Covenant is the son of the free-woman and receives from the Lord by that Covenant a free Spirit Psal 51.12 First he is in bondage by earthly engagements he can have no engagement but it is a snare to him The false Prophets were honoured by some of the Kings of Israel therefore they could not speak the truth to him neither to reprove his sin nor to discover the mind of God I must do such a thing though it be against my conscience to give such a man content I must not reprove such a sin because it will displease c. the Prophet Michaiah had a dis-engaged Spirit in this respect Secondly in bondage unto sin and under the power of their own lusts that though they may see many evils in themselves and confess it yet when occasion and opportunity serves and the lust represents it self they are no more their own thy cannot resist Eyes full of Adultery that cannot cease to sin 2 Pet. 2.14 and as men use to say they cannot choose c. Thirdly in bondage unto the creatures under the power of them 1 Cor. 6.12 one man cannot live without his honour another without his minion another without such an estate and all the thoughts of their hearts run out about such things and are wholly busied about meat and drink and cloathes and money and play and this wholly drinks up their spirits Fourthly in bondage under the guilt of sin and slavish and servile fears they go all their life long with a galled conscience filled with fearful apprehensions of death and Judgement for they all their life long for fear of death are subject to bondage Heb. 2.15 Consider seriously of these particulars and unto such men I speak as being as yet under the first Covenant and I exhort them to seek to be translated I speak not this to
make the first Covenant which God made with Adam vile in your eyes For first it was a great favour that God would be pleased to make a Covenant with the creature for we did owe him service though he had never promised a reward Secondly the person with whom this Covenant was made was the most excellent of any meer man never any so full of perfections as he so fit to be head and so likely to convey grace unto us as Adam was and therefore the Lord made the best choice for us for the establishing of this Covenant for had we our selves been to chuse seeing his perfections we would rather have put the keeping of our happiness into his hands then have kept it in our own Thirdly there were great things promised by this Covenant Gen. 2.9 all the good things of this life and eternal happiness with God in the life to come Fourthly it was the same Covenant that God made with the best of the creatures even the glorious Angels they stood by it and owe their happiness to it at this day which appears by Gods dealing with the Angels that fell he cast them off for one transgression Jude 6. and they that stood stood by vertue of the same Covenant which they broke that fell and by vertue of that Covenant being now confirmed in their estate they daily behold the face of your Father which is in Heaven Fifthly to put an end to all it is the same Covenant that the Lord Christ himself stood under for he was made under the Law Gal. 4.4 that is not only the Ceremonial and Judicial Law as a Jew but as a man also under the moral Law Gal. 4.4 being bound to his obedience and to suffer the curse thereof for he was our surety Heb. 7.22 and the surety is bound in the same bond with the principal and therefore he was made a curse for us which is the proper fruit of the Law as a Covenant of works Gal. 3.13 in all these respects it was a glorious Covenant But men should be awakened to seek to be translated whether we look upon this Covenant and mans standing under it in his state of innocency or in the state of sin First in the state of innocency so if he had stood he might well have desired to have been translâ—ted out of this Covenant if we consider it and compare it with the Covenant of grace Secondly this was a Covenant made with a mutable head Adam though he were an excellent creature yet he was but a creature and it is true of all men that they were given to change Prov. 24.21 now for a man to have all his happiness inbarked in a creature daily subject unto change must needs imply an imperfection in their condition but the Covenant of grace is made with Christ an unchangable head and therefore because he lives we shall live also Ioh. 14.19 Thirdly the Covenant it self was a changeable Covenant and therefore by reason of sin there is a change thereof unto all that believe and the Lord hath introduced a second and a better Covenant but the Covenant of grace is an everlasting Covenant Gen. 17.7 a sure Covenant 2 Sam. 23.1,2 so that nothing can arise de novo to disannul it Fourthly the promises of this Covenant were far in feriour unto those in the Covenant of grace it is a Covenant established upon better promises Heb. 8.6 in this indeed God did promise life here and hereafter but he did not promise I will be thy God I will give thee my Son and I will give thee my Spirit I will be thy God that is all the Attributes that be in me shall be as truly thine for thy good as they be mine for my own glory thou shalt have my wisdom to direct thee my power to protect thee if thou sin thou shalt have my mercy to pardon my grace to rule and my glory to crown thee Fifthly the righteousness of this Covenant was a far less glorious righteousness for it should have been the works of righteousness that we had done Tit. 3.5 but the righteousness of a creature but the righteousness of the second Covenant is the righteousness of God himself 2 Cor. 5.21 not the essential righteousness of God but a righteousness answerable unto the Law unto which the God-head gave both efficacy and excellency Heb. 9.14 Sixthly the Condition of this Covenant was less glorious for it was Doing but the Condition of the 2d was believing and this is most glorious because it sets a man upon the highest way of glorifying God for all acts of obedience in Adam did but glorifie God in his Law but this is glorifying of God in his Son which is the highest glory Ioh. 6.29 Seventhly Lastly the power of performance was far inferiour for that was to be done by man alone by the strength of grace received without any further supply and grace unassisted what can it do but under the second Covenant though the work be to be performed by us yet the supply of strength is Gods it is God that works in us both to wâ—ll and to do Phil 2.13 Thus if we look upon man in his integrity under this Covenant he hath reason seeing the new Covenant is offered to desire to be translated Secondly but if we look upon man as fallen then all those that stand under this Covenant have reason to be awakened to be transplanted First by vertue of this Covenant sin is imputed and laid upon a mans own score Noxa sequitur caput the soul that sins shall dye Gen. 4.7 Sin lies at thy door so that thou though hast heard talk of the death and suffering of Christ yet not a drop of his blood shall go to take off one sin or one torment from thee for thy Covenant admits no commutation Secondly it is a Covenant without a Mediator for then there needed no middle person no daies-man to lay hold upon both Iob 5.9 so now since man is fallen all that stand under this Covenant converse with God immediately they have no Mediator to bear their sins or to offer their sacrifices First to offer their sacrifices so that in all their services they come unto God immediately First thou hast none to bring thee into the presence of God whereas by the second Covenant we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boldness and access Eph. 3.12 we have a manuduction to the Father by him Secondly when we come to God we have no Priest to offer our sacrifices and so they can never be acceptable unto the Lord for whosoever should offer a sacrifice of himself without a Priest that soul was to be cut off from his people Yet this is your condition under the second Covenant Thirdly there is none to perfume them and take away the failings of them to bear the iniquity of your holy things Exod. 28.38 to perfume your prayers to wash your tears Lava lachrymas meas Domine Fourthly if Satan object any thing
to stop their mouthes therefore if you would not have Judgements encreased take heed when you see the Lord appearing for his Church providentially acting the Lord is up then Say to thy own soul Let all flesh be silent before him That is the first looking upon these words as referring to the Churches enemies A word I shall add looking upon these words as referring to the poor distressed Jews who were now returned out of the Land of their Captivity but there was a mighty power of the enemy against them why yet saith the Lord do you keep silence silence your doubtings silence your frettings Silence your doubtings It it said of Abraham Rom. 4.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he did not dispute the business pro and con and truly neither must you if God be up leave the work in his hand leave off your doubtings leave off your doubtings upon conjectures and suppositions That is the first Let all flesh keep silence silence your doubtings Secondly Let all flesh keep silence silence your frettings saith David Psal 39. I kept silence I was dumb saith he for it was thy doings A terrible Judgement befell Aaron two sons were taken away by an immediate stroke from Gods hand and Aaron held his peace his spirit did not rise and discontentedly fret at the present dispensation Oh ye that fear God take heed when the Lord ariseth for his people keep silence before him silence your doubtings silence your fret tings That I press by four considerations and so I shall conclude I beseech you mark them You that fear God that know his name that expect an interest in all that mercy that the Lord intendeth for his people in the latter daies take heed I say that ye keep silence before the Lord. First Consider but this will you contend with God will you I say contend with God in Judgement the Lord challengeth that Who will appoint me a time who will contend with me in Iudgement Will you dispute the business out with God Consider Gods Judgement is the last Judgement and his Judgement is an eternal Judgement from his Sentence there is no appeal it is the worst course that a man could take that is to be Judged to undertake to contend with his Judgement before God therefore take heed of it you cannot contend with God in Judgement Iob 9.32 Secondly should not the Soveâ—aignty of God put you to silence though it may be all the actings of God be not according to your will should not the Soveraignty of God I say stop your mouthes â— hath not the Lord reserved to himself the power of Kingdoms Depoint Reges disponit Regna he it is that disposeth Kings he it is that disposeth Kingdoms now I beseech you observe this seriously this did silence David I was dumb and opened not my mouth it was thy doings truly had I looked barely upon man it was such a thing I could not have born if I had looked only upon instruments but when I looked upon him as my Soveraign and absolute Lord then saith he I was silent before him In the third place consider this A fretful spirit even in Gods own people doth strangely blind their eyes that they cannot see the goodness of God in the mercy but take many times that which is a high and glorious mercy they take it to be a cross and an affliction My Brethren observe envy will strangely hoodwink a man when the hand of the Lord is lifted up they will not see why for their envy at the people they text saith it is an evil frame of spirit in a Christian a froward discontented fretful spirit a spirit ill becoming a Saint your wisdom should hinder it Solomon tels you a man of understanding is of an excellent Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frigidus spiritu he is a man of a cool spirit a man of understanding a great many men will speak of their understandings and their zeal many times but know that a man of understanding is of a cool spirit Consider the Spirit of Christ comes in the form of a Dove be innocent as Doves without gall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sine felle sine dolo so the word signifies the Dove is without gall as well as without guil and truly that is a spirit becoming a Christian and the want of this my Brethren makes many deny the most glorious actings of God towards his people when many times even an Heathen man a stranger standing by is ready to cry out as he did truly it is a glorious God the God of the Christians Alas they will not look upon it they cannot see it envy I say strangely bleareth the eyes take heed of it therefore In the last place and so I have done Consider doth the wrath of man work the righteousness of God the Apostle S. Iames tels you clearly the contrary certainly you that will maintain Gods cause you must do it by Gods means the Lord needs no carnal weapons no help of any body no fleshly interest to maintain his spiritual cause no I entreat you consider it when if ever you will carry on the cause of God let it be done by the means and with that spirit that God requireth I dare undertake you shall find that of Nazianzen a good rule Nazian Let us be weak that we may overcome I that is the way the way to overcome men or to mannage a cause though you say it is the cause of God I say it is not to be done by humane heats and fleshly animosities therefore this is that I shall leave with you for the present in these five considerations farther and so have done First God hath never set up any authority or way of government but he hath reserved to himself in his providence a power to change it at his pleasure Zach. 21.10 Remove the Diadem take away the Crown God will shew himself to be King of Kings and Lord of Lords Secondly it is his ordinance that there should be a Magistracie they are called the shields of the earth the stay of your tribes the foundations of the earth and it is not good there should be an Anarchie for God hath set Rulers over men some by providence some by promise But yet God sets them over them that should be enough to restrain men of giddy spirits who are like the children of Belial without a yoak therefore let us not go about to pluck up our own bedge and destroy our own foundations Hab. 1.13 The fishes of the Sea have no Ruler over them but devour one another The Persians at the death of their Kings have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on purpose that men might find the evil of it therefore be not unruly boysterous spirits like the raging Sea But be content to submit to the bounds that God hath set you Thirdly though this Government be an Ordinance of God yet the extent and specification of it is but an humane creation 1. Pet. 2.13 〈◊〉
exceeding great and precious promises of which by their holy calling they did partake in ver 16.17,18 having therefore these he exhorts them to look upon them either as meâ—… of holiness or as motives to perfecting holiness 〈◊〉 the fear of God First as means of holiness the whole word of God is operative and doth produce real effects I speak the word saith Christ but my Father in heaven doth the works Ioh. 14.10 therefore not a word spoken but the word written Heb. 3.8,9 leaving upon the soul answerable dispositions not barely an informing but a transforming word 2 Cor. 3.13 a word ingrafted the change of the stock into its own nature not a transient Iames 1.21 but an abiding word 1 Pet. 1.25 if you receive these promises aright they will thus make you partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 4.4 Holiness here as Cameron hath interpreted Cameron ad modum creaturae c. in blessedness hereafter having such promises that will transform you Matth. 11.5 the blind receive their sight c. and the Gospel is preached to the poor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the poor are Evangelized that is both to the poor is the Gospelpreached and the poor receive the Gospel and be transformed thereinto the poor are Evangelized therefore cleanse your selves perfecting holiness Secondly As motives to holiness and that considered three waies either First As an honour put upon a man and dignity should engage a man to duty monstrosa res est gradus summus animus Infimus Nehem. 6.11 Dan. 4.17 therefore having such promises let us cleanse our selves and stand upon our dignitie as they did Secondly as an assurance that whatsoever God promised he will also accomplish for omne promissum cadit in debitum therefore Matth. 10.7 it is said there he will perform his truth to Jacob and his mercy to Abraham The promises it is true their ground is now in fieri but it is truth in facto â—sse surely therefore faithful is he that hath promised and will also do it Having therefore such promises let us cleanse our selves c. Thirdly as rewards for so it is true most of the promises are rewards for services going before and as the Lord in his punishments doth usually punish sin with sin so in the waies of mercy he doth usually reward grace with grace to him that hath shall given for recte fecisse merce est and knowing that a godly man desires no greater reward but even that which comes in keeping the Commandment and the Lord doth proportion the reward unto the work he will reward every one according to the works here For as hereafter in glory so he doth it in the life that now is answerable to a mans service in reference to the promises such shall the reward from the promise be For he will not forget any of the works and labour of Love it shall not be in vain in the Lord. Having therefore such promises let us cleanse our selves c. Here then is first a duty pressed which is perfect sanctification which consists of two parts 1. Perfect cleansing 2. Perfect holiness Secondly here is the means and motive unto both sanctifying truths Having such promises secondly sanctifying graces in the fear of God The Observations that might be gathered are divers as Observ 1. First Sin is filthyness that is First it includeth in it all loathsom evil there is malum turpe as well as malum triste Secondly it is so in its essence for it is in the abstract abstractum denot at essentiam Observ 2. Secondly it is an universal defilement both of life and spirit it is an over-spreading leprosie so that men have not only fleshly members but also fleshly minds 2 Col 18. Vainly puft up by his fleshly mind Observ 3. Thirdly this universal defilement remains in a great measure even in those that have believed through grace they must cleanse themselves also they have not already attained neither are they also perfect Phil. 3.12 the Apostle saith Not as though I had already attained neither was already perfect c. But I shall pass these by and pitch only on those things which the Apostle doth in these words mainly intend which is to press them to perfect sanctification having promises made unto them of the great perfection the Doctrine which we shall therefore speak is this Doctrine As perfect holiness hereafter shall be the Christians Crown so striving to perfection here is the Christians duty perfecting holiness in the fear of God Here I will shew you two things First what holiness is Secondly what perfection of holiness is and so come to prove this point First to begin with the first What holiness is The holiness of God being absolute and independent as all his other Excellencies are cannot as I conceive consist in relation but must be an absolute and positive thing which I conceive to be nothing else but the purity of the divine nature but now holiness in the creature being a dependent excellency having its principle from another and its pattern in another that is in God and in the Law it must consist in conformity unto another as the truth and goodness of the creature doth so that the holiness of the creature is nothing else but a conformity of the creature unto the purity of God manifested in his Law I do not say the holiness of God as in himself but the holiness of God as in the Law in conformity whereto the holiness of the creature doth consist Before the fall the holiness required was only positive consisting in a conformity to the duty commanded but since sin there must be a cleansing from the sins forbid it was before only a conformity to the precept but since it is a conformity to the holiness of God in the prohibition also so that as in the Justification of a sinner there is more required then was required to justifie the Angels or Adam in innocency not only a doing the duty but a suffering the curse so in the sanctification of a sinner also there is more required to make us holy then there was to make Adam holy It is not now barely a creation of the new man but also a mortification of the old and a destroying of the body of sin not only sanctification and dedication to what is holy but a purification and separation from what is unclean therefore here the Apostle sets down both parts of holiness purification and dedication a cleansing of a mans self from all filthyness and then a perfecting holiness in the fear of God Secondly the perfection of holiness therefore consists in three things 1. Perfectio gradus when corruption is perfectly cleansed and all filthiness and in all degrees and in all faculties both of the flesh and of the spirit 2. Perfectio essentin when grace hath attained its full pitch unto which it is appointed the measure of the age of the stature of Christs fulness to all might in every grace