and free from guile can meet with another such as himselfe and can close together in every point but what a delight then is it to meet with a God that is infinite in purity and holinesse in whom there is no mixture at all God he takes delight in us because we have but some drops of his holinesse O how should we then rejoyce in him who is infinite in holinesse Indeed when we deal with men we doe not alwayes finde them as we expect we many times meet with men of excellent parts and gifts but when we come to close with them we doe not finde their wayes and spirits sutable to the eminency and excellency of those parts and gifts and this is a grievous vexation to the Saints when they look upon men that are eminent and excellent and hope to finde a proportion of spirit sutable thereunto but instead thereof finde abundance of filth in their spirits though this may trouble thee yet blesse thy God in this that when thou art to deal with God thou shalt finde nothing but holinesse in him thou shalt finde him working according to his excellency for that I told you was the nature of Gods holinesse 't is the perfection of his will whereby he workes all things sutable to his eminency and excellency Man hath an excellency in him but not alwayes grace in his heart to worke sutable to it but God I say alwayes workes sutable to his eminency and excellency Now when our hearts are raised with the sight of Gods excellency and then thinke with our selves we shall alwayes finde God working according to it O what a comfort is this to a gracious soul against all the evill he meets with in the spirits of men amongst whom he converseth Againe further for the comfort of the Saints if God be glorious in holinesse then as in the former point as there is none like to God so there is none like to his people for as a mans god is so is he so are the Saints glorious in holinesse too for that which can make an infinite God glorious must needes make a poor worme a glorious creature It is true that which will make a poor man glorious will not make a King glorious but that which will make a King glorious must needs make a begger glorious now holinesse puts a luster and glory upon the divine nature it selfe upon the infinite God so that if thou have it it must needs put a glory upon thee therefore it is observable that the communication of Gods holinesse to us is exprest in another way then when he communicates any other attribute to us when God communicates his knowledge to us we are not said to partake of the divine nature by it and so his power and the like but when he communicates his holinesse to us we are then said to be made partakers of the divine nature the holinesse of the Saints is the same with Gods holinesse as it were a beame of his so sayes the Scripture Heb. 12. 10. He chastneth us for our profit that we might be partakers of his holinesse Marke his holinesse and therefore it puts a wonderfull glory and excellency upon us for it enables us to worke as God and to live as God for what is Gods holinesse as I said before but that whereby he workes to himselfe as his last end sutable to his own excellency so the Saints come to worke to God according to their measure as their last end sutable to the infinite excellency of God himselfe and so they live as God lives and worke as God workes and so are fitted to have communion with God as the life of a plant makes it not fit to have communion with beasts nor the life of beasts with men nor men with the life of God Now holinesse is the highest life of all beings being the life of God and therefore fits for communion with God for in communion there must be the same life therefore no creature can have communion with God that doth not live the same life that God doth but if thou partakest of holinesse thou livest the life that God doth and so art fit to have communion with God himselfe Further it puts not onely a glory upon thy person but upon all thou hast and doest it sanctifies all as the gold was sanctified by the Altar so the very naturall actions and the wayes of Gods common providence are sanctified to Gods people there is a luster upon all the good they enjoy by vertue of that holiness which God puts in them as Gods holiness puts a luster upon all his attributes so holinesse in the Saints puts a luster upon their parts names estates converse with others there is a beauty upon all by holinesse take a man that hath excellent naturall parts if he have no holinesse there is no luster and beauty in him but take a man that hath able parts and holinesse too O the luster that then appeares in him Againe holinesse is the very principle of eternall life the very beginning of eternall life in the heart and that which will certainly grow up to eternall life Againe holinesse is the proper object of Gods delight God delights not in the legs of a man but in his holinesse let a man be what he will if God see any impression of holinesse in him the soul of God closeth with that soul Further holinesse is that which is the separation of the creature for God and eternall life there is you know a twofold separation of a creature for God you have the expression Psalm 4. 3. The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himselfe he is set apart passively and then he hath an active principle to set apart himselfe for God God in his eternall election sets apart those he intends to save for himselfe here are those sayes God that I have set apart from the common lumpe of mankinde to magnifie the riches of my grace upon and to live with me to all eternity If God should now look from heaven upon a man or woman in the congregation and say Be it known to all the word that I from eternity have set apart such a man and woman to glorifie them with my selfe for ever every one would look upon such a man and woman as glorious creatures indeed but now know that if God hath stampt the image of his holinesse upon thee thou hast as much honour from God as if he should thus speak to thee and in some respects more for if God should declare that from all eternity thou art set apart from the creature for God this were glorious but when God hath put a principle of his own spirit into thee to enable thee to set apart thy selfe and to consecrate thy selfe and thy all to God this is more for in the other thou art but passive in this thou art active As on the contrary there is more dreadfull evill in unholinesse then in reprobation men are
so between man and man how should it doe so much more between us and Christ who is indeed the husband of his Church and through whom the fulnesse of God is let out unto his people O how deare and precious therefore ought he to be unto us Fourthly is Christ all in all then if we have an interest in him it should satisfie and content us though we have nothing or be nothing in our selves Why because if we have Christ we have all though thou wantest parts friends estate outward comforts yet know Christ is to be thy all and is not he enough as he said am not I better to thee then ten sons so sayes Christ to the soul what doest thou want thou wantest this comfort and the other comfort but am not I all in all to thee and better then all yea be willing to be made nothing for all is made up in Christ Again it should have put us upon this to be willing to give up all we have to Christ alas our all is but a poor all yet give it to Christ our parts estates interest names let Christ have all because he is our all And let him be the rule of our prizing all things so farre as we see any thing of Christ prize it sutably as t is reported of Master Bucer if he could see any thing of Christ in any man or woman though they were never so poor and meane his heart would close with them And t is said of Austin that before his conversion he took great delight in reading of Cicero's workes but afterward sayes he I finde not the name Christ in all Cicero and that took off his heart from him so in all thou doest enjoy look how much thou seest of Christ in it so farre let thy delight and esteem be carried out towards it and no farther Again with what mighty intention of spirit should the heart be put forth toward Jesus Christ above all things what though God give thee an estate and honour in the world if thou hast not Christ thou hast nothing thou hast not that that makes way for thee to eternity Therefore be not satisfied with any thing without Christ As Abraham sayes What wilt thou give me Lord seeing I goe childlesse So say thou Lord thou hast given me a portion in the world thou hast given me credit and repute amongst men but Lord what is all this to me if I goe Christlesse and have not him that is the conveyance of grace unto my soul that is all in all O Lord thou hast this day taught me that such is the distance and breach betweene thee and me that unlesse it be made up through a mediator I must eternally perish therefore give me Christ whatever thou denyest me O satisfie not your selves with any thing without Christ Many hypocrites they satisfie themselves with gifts if they have gifts then they are contented Consider that parable in the Gospell Matth. 13. 45 46. The merchant-man sought after goodly pearles but when he had found the pearle of price then be went and sold all that be had and bought it Now gifts and parts and other atchievements are these goodly pearles I but Christ he is the pearle of price therefore whatever thou hast be willing to part with it for him if God have discovered to thee the pearle of price let no goodly pearles satisfie thee Many souls perish eternally because they are satisfied with goodly pearles and doe not endeavour to obtaine this pearle of price Againe the application should further have been to have endeavoured to work this upon you that in your seeking after God you would be sure to take Christ along with you I will give you onely this note if it were your last time to pray to God and your everlasting estate did depend upon Gods mercy should you now seek God never so earnestly yet if it were onely in a naturall way as your creator your condition would be very dreadfull and you would perish eternally If God should lay any of you upon your sick beds or death beds and you should cry to God mercy mercy Lord be sure you take Christ along with you and look upon God through Christ or else all your cryes will be to no purpose It is a speech of Luther that God lookt upon out of Christ is most dreadfull and terrible and it argues a great deal of ignorance in us when we think we can goe to God and shall finde mercy with him without considering him as a God that will be reconciled to us only through his Son To conclude all as Christ sayes If I be lifted up I will draw all men unto me so this is the work of our Ministry we have spent time amongst you that we might labour to lift up Christ to you and O that God would be pleased to draw all your souls to him This Sermon was preacht March 28. 1641. HEBR. II. V. I. Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen April 25. 1641. IN the latter end of the former chapter the Apostle exhorts to perseverance and shewes the great evill and danger of drawing back Now to the end this evill might be Prevented he shewes what it is that will deliver us from it Whatever others doe or whatever temptations or afflictions we meet withall to draw us back yet still the just shall live by faith Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen In this Chapter therefore he falls upon this argument to wit the opening of the doctrine and practice of faith And the words read are an excellent description of faith not an exact definition of it It is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen The substance the word in the originall is very full the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it hath many significations the fundamentall the foundation of things hoped for the subsistence the substantiality of things hoped for those things that in themselves have no reall present subsistence to us but are things to come and hoped for yet faith gives them a present reall substantiall being to us The substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen The word translated evidence is a Logicall terme and signifieth such a kinde of conviction as is by way of dispute and cleare demonstration so as it must needs compell one to yield unto it that is the propriety of the word that although the objects of faith are things not seen either by the eye of sense or by the eye of reason yet faith brings such a light with it and makes them so demonstratively cleare that it even forceth the soul to a beliefe of them so that it hath the fullest conviction of them that possibly can be Two things then you finde are here said of faith First that it gives a substantiall reall present being to things hoped for And secondly that it is the
JEREMIAH BVRROUGHES Late Minister of the Gospell J. Croâ—s Sculpsit THE SAINTS TREASURY Holding forth 1. The incomparable Excellency and Holinesse of God 2. Christs All in All. 3. The glorious enjoyment of Heavenly things by Faith 4. The Naturall mans bondage to the Law and the Christians liberty by the Gospell 5. A preparation for judgement Being sundry SERMONS preached in LONDON By the late Reverend and painfull Minister of the Gospel JEREMIAH BURROUGHES LONDON Printed by T. C. for John Wright at the Kings head in the Old-baily 1654. TO THE HONOURABLE FRANCIS ROUS Esq Speaker of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England and Provost of Eaton-Colledge Honoured Sir IF a Heathen Poet could say Non omnis moriar I shall live though I die supposing his Works immortall though himselfe were mortall Upon how much better an account may a Prophet of the Lord say Non moriar sed vivam I shall not die but live both in respect of his immortall soule to which death is as the gate of life and in respect of the immortall travell of his soule being conversant in the Word of the Lord that abideth for ever The workes of the Saints of God in whom is the spirit of prophecie not onely live when they are dead but are instrumentall in the hand of grace both to plant life where it is not and water it where it is that it may spring forth more abundantly The chosen Vessell of the Lord by whose Ministry he was pleased to give out the Heavenly treasures laid up in these Sermons hath some yeares since put off his earth and put on that Inheritance of the Saints in light for which the Lord seemed earlie to have fitted him by his earnest and assiduous Travail in sitting others But though the Vessell be broken or rather indeed refined and translated to his masters more immediate use yet the Treasures abide for the common enrichment of the Saints For spirituall Treasures like the loaves blessed by our Saviour multiply in their use and when thousands have been enriched by them doe still remaine sufficient to enrich thousands To you honoured Sir is this small but Precious treasury presented not as though your own store were not already full for who knowes not how many precious Jewels through the riches of Christ in you you have richly set and polished for the adorning the Bride the Lambs wife Surely the spirit of Christ seemes to have chosen and sealed your Spirit to celebrate his own Nuptials in your Mystical Marriage and song of loves But as gold besides its own internal worth receives an Authentick impression from the Image and Superscription of the Prince And as in honouring the Lord with the best part of our substance An humble acknowledgement of his Interest both in the whole and our selves not any Addition to his fulnesse is intended So is this Treasury presented to the touch and test of your Judgement First as the Standard of approving things that are excellent And then as an humble testimony how much he owes himselfe to you that presents it That the Lord would make you long an Ornament and defence to his Saints and prosper his own pleasure in your hands is the prayer of Honoured Sir The most humble and most obliged of your Servants J. W. To the Christian Reader THe Authour of these ensuing Sermons hath so abundantly approved himselfe to the Church of God by his former labours both in preaching and writing that it would be rather a disparagement to him to offer any thing by way of commendation His name is yet like a precious Oyntment and so may it be so long as the Sunne and Moon endures These Sermons will discover themselves to be his genuine issue the severall lineaments and proportions of his stile though stiles differ as much as faces are here discernable Those that had the happinesse to be conversant with him and auditors to him are able to say Sic oculos sic ille manus sic ora ferebat So he opened his Text so he handled his Doctrine so he delivered his Application It is true these fragments of his are under the prejudice of being Posthumus works yet we may say of them as Paul said concerning himselfe We suppose they are not inferiour to the rest of his Works though they are born out of due time and fragments though they are yet are they to be esteemed Ramenta auri sunt pretiosa These Sermons are to be prized for their own worth and intrinsecall excellency whoever was Authour And this Authour is to be honoured for his reall worth whatsoever he is the authour of We shall adde this also for thy encouragement that these Sermons have been very happily taken by the pen of a ready writer Mr. Farthing now a Teacher of Shortwriting one who hath given ample testimonie of his great skill and dexteritie in writing Short-hand We think we may say there are not many words delivered by the Author that are left out However confident we are that there is nothing materiall which was by him preached but is here by the care and faithfulnesse of the Scribe presented to thy view The desire of the publishers is that the name of this worthy man of God may be kept in honour that thou maist transferre these things to thy own use and expresse them in thy life that what was spoken to some may be common to all what was accepted by them that heard it may be received and improved by those that read it This is all we have to communicate to thee it would be an injury to detaine thee longer from the reverend Author we only commend thee to the grace of God which is able to make thee abound in every good work and bid thee Fare-well Ja. Nalton Wil. Cooper Tho. Jacomb Matthew Poole Allen Geare Ralph Venning Septemb. 29. 1653. Imprimatur EDM. CALAMY THE SAINTS TREASURY EXODUS 15. 11. Who is like unto thee O Lord amongst the Gods who is like unto thee glorious in holinesse fearfull in praises doing wonders THis Scripture is this day fulfilled in our Eares and before our eyes that which God hath already begun to doe for this Kingdome and the neighbour Churches doth shew unto us that there is none like unto the Lord Who is glorious in holinesse fearfull in praises doing wonders The words though they be in the middle of the song yet they are a kinde of an Epiphonema which usually is at the end but the spirit of Moses being raised in admiring at and blessing God for the great things he had done for his people he containeth not himselfe till he comes to the end but breakes forth in the very middle with this applause of the glory of God Who is like unto thee O Lord amongst the Gods who is like unto thee glorious in holinesse fearefull in praises doing wonders You see then the words are a part of Moses his song occasioned upon the goodnesse of God in delivering of his
people from Egypt and carrying of them through the Red-sea And this song is the most ancient song that ever was in the world it is the first in Scripture and we know of no Author before Moses those that were skilfull in the way of Poetry were many hundred yeares after Moses It is a spirituall and most excellent song the stile of it is full of Elegancy the matter of exceeding variety it is Eucharisticall Triumphant Propheticall and 't is pitty we have not such an excellent song as this is turned into Meeter to be sung in our Congregations And it is a most delightfull song and therefore you shall observe when God promised a great mercy to his people in which they should exceedingly rejoyce he hath reference to this song Hosea 2. 15. And I will give her Vineyards from thence and the valley of Achor for a doore of hope and she shall sing there as in the dayes of her youth and as in the day when she came up out of the Land of Egypt When God intended any great mercy to his people he would have them sing according to this song of Moses So then if God be in a way of mercy if he be opening a doore of hope to us you see how seasonable this song is And 't is a Typicall song as of the deliverance of Gods people out of Egypt so a Type of the deliverance of Gods people from the bondage of Antichrist therefore it is very observable that this song was to be sung againe when the people of God should be delivered from Antichrist In Revel 15. and the beginning you may see Gods judgements upon Antichrist and in vers 3. it is said they sing the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb saying Great and marvellous are thy workes Lord God almighty just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints By this you may see that God would shew us that the bondage under Antichrist is like the bondage in Egypt and therefore Rome is called Egypt in the Revelations because when we shall be delivred from Antichristian bondage we shall renew this song of Moses So that if we now expect deliverance from bondage under Antichrist it is good for us to acquaint our selves with this song because it is that which shall be sung over againe when the bondage of Antichrist is removed It is a miraculous song according to the opinion of Austin he brings in this song as one of the miracles that is that God did at the same time by the spirit inspire all the people of Israel that they sung together one and the same song and therefore it was miraculous true if it had been so but the Scripture is not cleere in that But we leave generalls and come to the words though there be many excellent things in the Chapter to make way to that I have read yet because I would not be hindered I will come instantly to the words which are as it were a recapitulation of all containing the substance of all as if he had said I have spoken of many particulars that God doth for his people but there is none like unto the Lord who is glorious in holinesse fearefull in praises doing wonders There are four things you see then wherein the name of God is advanced here First there is none like the Lord Secondly glorious in holinesse Thirdly fearefull in praises Fourthly doing wonders I confesse when my thoughts were first to speake upon this Text I intended onely the third particular the opening of that Title of God fearefull in praises we finde not any such Title that I know of in all the book of God but onely in this place but because I saw there was much of God in the two former therefore I thought it might be usefull to shew you what there is of God in them and was unwilling to passe them by For the two first then who is like to thee O Lord amongst the Gods who is like unto thee glorious in holinesse who is like to thee this you see is put by way of interrogation now interrogations in Scripture are especially brought in two wayes First by way of admiration Secondly by way of negation Sometimes by way of admiration Isaiah 63. 1. Who is this that cometh from Edom with died garments from Bozrah Many others we might name by way of admiration and by way of negation you know there are hundreds of examples and both these we are to understand here in the Text First by way of admiration who is like unto thee O Lord amongst the Gods c. The spirit of Moses and the people being struck with astonishment at the glory of God now manifested by the great workes he did they â—â—mire and say who is like unto thee O Lord and then by way of negation who is like unto thee O Lord that is there is none like unto thee that is the first expression of the glory of God the lifting up of the name of God above all things whatsoever there is none like to God And God doth much glory in this expression of his glory that there is none like to him we have it very often in Scripture 1 Chron. 17. 20. O Lord there is none like thee neither is there any God besides thee according to all that we have heard with our eares So in Psalm 86. 8. Among the Gods there is none like unto thee O Lord and Psalm 89. 6. For who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord we might name divers other places where God glories much in this expression of his glory and the people of God have gloried much in it and there is great cause they should doe so It is said of the godly Machabees that at first by reason their name was an offence meeting with this sentence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is like unto thee O Lord amongst the Gods and being much taken with it they wrote the first Hebrew Letter of every word in this sentence in their ensignes of warre and carried them about with them and upon this ground they were called the Machabees glorying in this Title of God who is like unto thee And upon this ground the Holy Ghost concludes that all should honour and glorifie God because there is none like unto him Psal 86. 8. Among the Gods there is none like unto thee O Lord neither are there any works like unto thy works Mark what followes in 9. 10. 11. 12. verses All Nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee O Lord and shall glorifie thy name for thou art great and doest wondrous things for thou art God alone teach me thy way O Lord I will walke in thy truth unite my heart to feare thy name I will praise thee O Lord my God with all my heart and I will glorifie thy Name for evermore Thus you see how the
excellency of God above the creature and so fell from God and worshipt them that were no gods And so for spirituall Idolatry those that commit Idolatry with riches or any creature come to them at first and say to them how doe you apprehend the comforts of the creature is there not infinitely more in God then there is in the creature yes they will say I but by letting our hearts out upon the creature and by poring upon the beauty of the creature we begin at length to lose the power of this apprehension that was at first upon our hearts and so commit spirituall Idolatry with the creature and therefore it must be our care to keep intire and fresh our apprehension and sense of that infinite distance that there is between God and all the comforts of the creature and so long as thou doest keep thy apprehensions fresh and strong here there is no danger and thou sinnest not in letting thy selfe out to the creature if it have not abated thy apprehensions of the infinite disporportion that there is between God and all creatures therefore now seeing there is an infinite stupendious height of excellency in God above all creatures there should be the like thoughts in our hearts towards God and the creature thus as there is an infinite distance between the excellency of God and the excellency of all creatures so there ought to be a kinde of infinitenesse in the distance and disproportion between that esteem and delight and dependance we have in and upon the creature and that we have in and upon God therefore you should not satisfie your selves in this that you acknowledge God above the creature for all will do so but you are to finde in your souls such a disproportion between your esteem and joy and desire after the creature and that you have after God as is somewhat like the distance that there is between God and the creature now the distance is infinite that is between God and the creature therefore there should be a kinde of infinitenesse in the distance between your esteem of and the working of your hearts and endeavours after the creature and that esteem and working of your hearts and souls which you have towards God and this is to glorifie God as a God this is the soul worship we owe to God in the world this is the true sanctifying of the name of God when this comes practically upon our hearts Secondly if there be none like to God then it followes that there is none like to the people of God for as a mans god is so is he look what god a man chuseth he is as his god is a covetous man if he make riches his god he is so to be judged and so a voluptous man or a Heathen Now if the Saints of God have chose this God to be their God and there be none like to him then it must needs follow that there is no people like to Gods people and marke how the Holy Ghost makes this reference in divers Scriptures as Deut. 33. 26 29. compared verse 26. There is none like unto the God of Iesurun who rideth upon the Heaven in thy help and in his excellency in the skie what is the inference of the Holy Ghost upon this verse 29. Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O people saved by the Lord c. So that you see according to the glory of God in any particular there is a reflection of it upon the Saints of God and this is the wonderfull excellency of Gods Saints to have the reflection of God upon them happy are they that have God to be their God if God be excellent so are they if God be above all and there is none liketo him so are they above all and there is none like to them You have the same inference of the Holy Ghost 2 Samuel 7. 22 23. Wherefore thou art great O Lord God for there is none like thee neither is there any God besides thee according to all that we have heard with our eares Marke what followes and what one nation in the earth is like thy people even like Israel c. So that there is none like the people of God and it must needes follow from hence for they are as their God therefore sayes Moses when he speaks of the people of God Exod. 33. 16. So shall we be separated I and thy people from all the people that are upon the earth so you read it in your Bibles but the word in the originall signifies wonderfully separated Gods people are wonderfully separated from the world as God is wonderfully high above all creatures so are his people therefore in Numb 23. 9. it is said that Gods people shall dwell alone and shall not be reckoned among the Nations why because they are the people of God and the people of that God that hath none like to him and therefore there is none like to them that is for the consolation of the Saints of God Thirdly it followes from hence that therefore it should be our care that none should doe for their gods so as we doe for ours for if there be none like to our God then it is a shame that any that chuse other gods should doe that for them that is above that which we doe for our God As now for Idolators to instance in outward and spirituall Idolatry why there is none like to our God certainly all the Idolaters in the world have not such a God as we have their rocke is not as our rocke our enemies themselves being judges What a shame then were it if we should not doe more for our God then they doe for theirs yea we should labour to doe that for our God that may come up to that height of excellency which we apprehend to be in him Will you see what Idolaters doe for their Gods First observe the earnestness of the spirits of Idolaters after their gods their hearts are enflamed after their Idols so we have it Isaiah 57. 5. enflaming your selves with Idols under every green Tree their hearts were enflamed after their Idol gods which are not like our God O how then should our hearts be enflamed after our God! should we content our selves with and rest satisfied in cold and in dead services to our God! how much strength should that exhortation of the Apostle have upon us Rom 12. 11. Be fervent in spirit serving the Lord It is the Lord we serve it is our God the great and glorious God and therefore we should be fervent in spirit serving him Secondly the Scripture sayes that Idolaters those that worship false gods are mad upon their Idols Jer. 50. 38. The people of God then should have their hearts run after God so that those that are carnall and not able to judge should look upon them even as mad men and indeed they doe so whensoever the hearts of the Saints are after God fully they are lookt
could sweare by no greater he sware by himselfe so I may say when God could sweare by no excellency above this he swares by his holinesse Again God glories in heaven it selfe as the habitation of his holinesse heaven is the habitation of Gods glory there God lets out his glory fully but what is that glory why the top of all is the holinesse of God Isaiah 63. 15. Looke downe from heaven and behold from the habitation of thy holinesse and thy glory yea the throne of God is Gods holinesse Psal 47. 8. God sitteth upon the throne of his holinesse you know Kings upon their thrones are exalted and lifted up so is God lifted up upon the throne of his holinesse Solomon he made himselfe a throne of Ivory and overlaid it with the best gold 1 Kings 10. 18. But the throne of God is a throne of holinesse a throne of bright shining holinesse Again when God reloyces in his people he doth it as they are a holy people Deut. 7. 6. For thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himselfe above all the people that are upon the face of the earth Yea further you shall finde that this attribute of holinesse is more especially ascribed to the third person in the Trinity God the Father is a holy God the Son he is the holy one of God but the Holy ghost hath his name from Holinesse and t is very observable that all the three persons challenge an equall share in the working of holinesse in the creature it being such a part of Gods glory that all the three persons work it wheresoever it is as the Father he is a Sanctifier Jude speaks of the work of sanctification wrought by God the Father in the first verse of his Epistle To them that are sanctified by God the Father And then for the Son Eph. 5. 25 26. Husbands love your wives even as Christ also loved the Church and gave himselfe for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word Christ he gives himselfe for his Church to what end Not that he might bring it to Heaven onely but that he might sanctifie it also and then the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 6. 11. And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God So that all the three persons come in for a share in this work this is the glorious work of Father Son and Holy ghost But yet further for the demonstration of it holinesse must needs be the glory of God because it is the highest perfection and rectitude of an Intelligent free Agent An Intelligent free Agent is the highest being of all and holinesse is the rectitude of that being and therefore must needs be glorious Hence it is that grace is called Gods image because it is that which represents God in his highest excellency for that is properly an Image of another thing that sets it out in the excellency of it if it doe it onely in a common and generall way it is not an Image of it And then in Scripture holinesse is called the beauty of God Psalm 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that I will seeke after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple Now what is Gods beauty but the beauty of holinesse the holinesse of God appearing in his Ordinances and his worship is the luster and beauty of the infinite glory of God as Psalm 110. 3. the Ordinances are called the beauty of holinesse Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power in the beauties of holinesse c. Yea holinesse some seeds of it the very Image of it onely in the creature is called the glory of God Rom. 3. 23. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God the very beginnings of the work of holiness in the hearts of Saints is called the glory of God much more then the infinite holinesse of Gods own nature Further it is holinesse that puts a luster upon all the other attributes of God and makes them glorious and honourable Psalm 111. 9. Holy and reverend is his name the name of God is therefore reverend because holy so take all the height of excellencies that are in God yet if they be such as you can conceive them separated from his holinesse they doe not make his name reverend and this shewes how infinitely it concernes us to labour after holinesse if all the excellencies of God cannot make his name reverend being separated from holinesse then let the creature have what excellency it wil for parts for estate for dignity and honour in the world take away holiness you cannot say reverend is his name but holy and reverend is his name so it is said of God his name is reverend because holy Again Gods name is glorious by holinesse because it is the speciall end of all his works to advance holinesse a workman when he drawes a worke he shewes Art in the beginning of it but when he comes to the top of it there he shewes the excellency of his workmanship 't is so with God God will be honoured in all his workes of creation and providence but now come to the height and pitch of all and 't is that he might be honoured as a holy God and that he might have a holy people to honour him here and to all eternity I say holinesse is that which God aymed at in creating of heaven and earth 't is that which God aymes at in all the wayes of his providence It is the great businesse for which the son of God came into the world that he might redeem to himselfe a people to serve him in holinesse 't is the end of the great councell of God from all eternity yea and that he might manifest the beauty of his own holinesse in those two great attributes Mercy and Justice which are the branches of his holinesse that he might make them shine to all eternity this is that God aymes at therefore holinesse must needes be the glory of Gods name Now a little for the third but what is the reason that this Title is given to God here in this Song of Moses glorious in holinesse the reason is this to shew that the infinite excellency of Gods power is such that it is without any mixture of the least evill in the exercise of it here was an act of mighty power put forth and God was infinitely holy in this act of his power It is otherwise with men observe the difference between God and man It is a very hard thing for a man to doe great things and to manifest great power without a mixture of evill as 't is with the waters while
to wish the time of thy life at an end thou mayest meet with another manner of discontent then ever thou metst withall here for after death comes judgement Amos 5. 18. Wee unto you that desire the day of the Lord to what end is it for you the day of the Lord is darknesse and not light So I say woe to them that in a froward mood desire the day of the Lord which is not a day of light but like to be a day of darknesse unto them for ought they can tell Instead of giving God the praise of thy life upon every sullen mood doest thou wish thy self dead this is a great dishonour to the grace and mercy of God extended towards thee Again this concernes those that upon every drunken occasion for a word or two will venture their lives t is true fooles will venture their lives for trifles because they know not the worth of them but those who know the worth of their lives will not doe so I remember a story of a Philosopher being at Sea and in danger of his life he was mightily afraid and the Marriners were not at all afraid what say they are you a Philosopher afraid when we rude Marriners doe not feare I says he there is reason for it for if I dye a Philosopher is gone but for you your lives are not worth much so they that are ready to venture their lives in a drunken quarrel and will venture nothing for God and a good cause know not what their lives are worth and that is the reason they are so willing to throw them away Again it concernes those that in trouble and anguish of conscience are ready to lay violent hands upon themselves to take away their lives one would think this point thus opened and applyed might for ever keep back such a temptation for time to come What an infinite desperate folly is this that I that am made sensible of Gods wrath and am afraid of it shall yet doe that which may put me irrecoverably into it and state me eternally in it as they doe who lay violent hands upon themselves If any people in the world should desire the continuance of their lives and prize them at a high rate those that are troubled in conscience should doe it they should pray Davids prayer Psalm 39. 13. O spare me that I may recover strength before I goe hence and be no more And use Gods own argument Psalm 103. 13 14. where it is said God is merciful to his people because he remembers they are but dust So doe thou plead with God and say O Lord spare me I am but dust and as a winde that passeth away and shall never returne againe now is the time wherein thou hast said thou wilt be intreated O let my life be continued for if this time be out I am gone for ever Lastly this concernes those that have been as they thought upon their death beds that have apprehended themselves as dying and have had this truth somewhat setled upon them that have seen eternity before them and have been in danger as they conceived of everlasting ruine and in their own hearts have received judgement but God hath magnified his mercy towards them and restored them againe perhaps in this condition when thou sawest and hadst the judgement in thine own heart that thy time was gone thou then madest promises and saydest O if God would spare my life what a new man would I be I would be sure to make use of my time in another manner then ever heretofore Well God hath raised thee up againe and what then why now thou wilt venture upon Gods patience and his wrath too O woe to thee when thy dayes are ended and this judgement comes it will fall dreadfully upon thee Wherefore my brethren let me speak to you all for I am not come this day onely to spend an houre with you but to doe your souls some good be it known to you this is your day the day of grace and salvation And yet once againe in the name of God I declare unto you this truth supposing you have heard it many times before that there is not the worst the vilest in the congregation that is come through the providence of God before God this day but for ought we know it is possible for thy sinnes to be pardoned it is possible yet for thy soul to be saved for God to be reconciled to thee and this day it is once more declared to thee that thou art not yet stated in eternal misery which might have been thy condition before now O that when you are gone home you would get into your closets and fall down before God and blesse him for this message once more preached to you Beloved if I or any of the servants of the Lord should be sent by God to the gates of hell with this message O you damned spirits know from the Lord that there is a possibility for you to be saved certainly they would with joyfulnesse hearken to such tidings Now this cannot be preached to them but this may be this is preached to the vilest and wickedest wretch and enemy to God and goodnesse that is in the congregation and God declares this now to you but how long it will be before judgement comes to state thee in another condition thou canst not tell therefore know in this thy day the things of thy eternal peace and who knows what may depend upon one day yet prayers and teares may doe thee good but stay a while and though streames of bloud should flow from thee and thou shouldest cry and howle to God to all eternity it would never doe it therefore know your time it is a happy thing for a man to doe a businesse in such a time wherein he may have the benefit of it amongst men though a thing be done yet if not in the season of it it loses of its worth and efficacy so now prayers and teares and mourning and crying to God for mercy the efficacy of these things are gone except they be done in time and for ought thou knowest unlesse they be done this day or to morrow or very shortly they may doe thee no good at all therefore now take your time God proclaimes and sayes to every one of you this day Poor creatures as ever you expect to receive mercy in the day of Christ look to it now for now the golden scepter is stretched forth now is the acceptable time and the day of grace and salvation come in and accept of the offers and tenders of grace and mercy now or else you are gone for ever Wherefore then let this take off all slightnesse of heart and those roving dispositions of your spirits that run so after vanities If a man that were wilde in his thoughts and that had his eyes roving up and down should have one say to him Sir consider what you doe for it concernes your life if you miscarry