good a common blessing All fare the better for a holy man all in the family all in the Court all in the City all in the Countrey fare the better for the holy mans sake Gen. 30.27 chap. 19.21 22 23 24. chap. 41 c. All in Labans family did fare the better for Jacobs sake and all in the City of Zoar did fare the better for Lots sake and all Pharoahs Court and the whole Countrey of Egypt did fare the better for Josephs sake Sodom was safe whilest holy Lot was in it 2 Kings 2.12 Psalm 106.23 Holy Elijah was the chariots and horsemen of Israel whilest holy Moses stood in the gap destroying judgements were diverted when holy Phineas took up his Censer and stood between the living and the dead the plague was stayed Numb 26.46 49. Holy persons are publike mercies publike blessings Job 22.30 God will sometimes deliver a whole Countrey for the sake of the inocent c. He shall deliver the Island of the innocent and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands or as some read the words the innocent shall deliver the Island that is the inhabitants of the Island the innocent shall deliver those that are not innocent had there been but ten innocent but ten righteous persons in Sodom Sodom might have been a glorious city to this day had there been but ten righteous souls among them Gen. 18.32 to the end God would never have rained hell out of heaven upon them The guiltless shall deliver the guilty in an Island the guiltless by lifting up pure hands to God in prayer shall stay the hand of God that it destroyes not the guilty It is the holy seed that upholdeth the civil state Isa 6.13 I will seek thy good was holy Davids royal and religious resolution Psalm 122.9 Kings are for Kingdoms not Kingdoms for Kings But yet in it shall be a tenth and it shall return and shall he eaten as a teyl-tree and as an oak whose substance is in them when they cast their leaves so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof The holy seed were the stay and prop of their Land and this the Lord evidences by a very familiar instance or similitude it is as if he should say You see the way or cawsey leading from the Kings house to the Temple spoken of in 1 Kings 10.5 and 2 Kings 12.21 1 Chron. 26.16 17. and 2 Chron. 9.11 how by reason of the oaks and trees on either side thereof the earth between is stayed and held up firm which otherwise would fall to decay and moulder away So saith God it is the holy seed that bears up the whole state and were it not for them desolation and destruction would come in as a flood upon you Prov. 10.25 The righteous is an everlasting foundation the Hebrew Doctors sense it thus The righteous are the foundation of the world which would soon shatter and fall to ruine but for their sakes The whole world fares the better every day for the righteous sake If it were not for this holy seed the chaff of this world would soon be set on fire if the number of the holy seed were but called and converted God would quickly turn the whole world into flames and ashes it is they that bear up the pillars of the earth Psalm 75.3 I bare up the pillars of the earth holy persons are the true Atlasses both of Church and state they are the pillars on whom all do rest the props on whom all do lean do but overturn these pillars and all will fall about your ears as the house did about the Philistines when Sampson shook it let but Kingdoms and Common-wealths wrack these and they shall quickly be ship-wrackt themselves There is not a sinner in the world but enjoyes his estate his relations his outward accommodations yea his very life upon the account of the Saints and therefore they must needs be bewitcht or fools or mad men that are still a lifting and a thrusting at these very pillars that bear them up Look as Sampsons strength did lie in his locks so the strength and safety of the Nation lies in the holy seed they are the Bullwarks and Ammunition of the Nation the safety and felicity of the whole is bound up in them it is not Armies nor Navies nor walled Cities nor fortified Casiles nor golden Mines nor grave Counsells that will secure a Nation if once the people of Gods holinesse be cast by as broken pitchers Lam. 4.1 2. Est 4. and chap. the last compared it is their piety and prayers that keeps off sweeping judgements from a Nation and that brings down variety of mercies upon a Nation Holy persons are the clouds that water the earth as a common blessing and they are the rising Sun that scatters all clouds and darknesse A holy man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a publke diffusive blessing in the place where he lives look as one sinner destroyes much good Eccles 9.18 so one Saint may save a Land a Countrey Jer. 5.1 Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem and see now and know and seek in the broad places thereof if ye can finde a man if there bee any that executeth judgement If among the rabbâ—â— if among the noble if among the rich if among the fearned a man could have been found that loved holiness that was stout for righteousness and that practised uprightness God would have spared Jerusalem that seeketh the truth and I will pardon it Though Jerusalem was far larger and more populous I say not only then Sodom but then all the other Cities that sinned and perished with it yet God makes so large and noble an offer that if there could be found in it but one man divinely qualified but a man of justice a man of faithfulnesse a man of uprightnesse a man of holinesse the Lord would pardon it that is hee would spare it hee would not destroy it not ruine it God once made an offer to Abraham that if there were but ten righteous souls in Sadome he would save it but here he falls so low as to make an offer that if there could bee but one righteous soul found in Jerusalem hee would not destroy it One Saint may save a City yea a world of sinners from confusion and destruction Luther whilest he lived by Faith and Prayer kept off troubles from Germany but soon after he was gone to his grave in Peace O! the wars the miseries and mischiefs the distractions and confusions that came in like a stood upon them Possidonius in the life of Augustine tells us that the famous City of Hippo could never bee spoyled whilest Augustine lived The flood could not drown the old world till holy Methâ—sâ—lah was laid up in peace O Sirs as ever you would be a publick blessing labour to bee holy But Ninthly Consider the antiquity of holinesse holinesse is of the greatest highest and
and yet thus much thou doest proclaime upon the house-top when thou cryest out hereafter hereafter will be time enough to seek after holiness But Secondly I answer that 't is thy wisdom and thy work to set one may be against another Eccl. 7.14 thou say'st now that hereafter may be time enough to look after holiness O set another maybe against this may-be Isa 55.6 and say if I now neglect this season of grace it may-be I shall never have another if I now slight the offers of mercy Pro. 1.20 to the 33. Heb. 2.1 2 3. Luke 19 41. 45. Gen. 6.3 it may be I shall never have such offers more if I now despise this day of salvation it may be I shall never have such another day if I now withstand the tenders of Christ it may-be Christ will never make a tender to me more if I now resist the strivings of the Spirit it may be the Spirit will never strive with my soule more and then wo wo to me that ever I was borne O don't put off God don't put off thy soule don't put off the thoughts of holiness don't put off eternity with may-bees Heb. 3.18 least the Lord should sweare in his wrath that thou shalt never enter into his rest and seeing that thou wilt not suffer holiness to enter into thee thou shalt never enter into thy Masters joy O! why shouldest thou put off thy poor soule so as thou wouldest not have God to put it off thou wouldest not have God to put off thy soule with may-bees as with a may-bee I will pardon thee it may-bee I wilt lift up the light of my countenance upon thee it may-bee I will change thy nature and save thy soule it may-bee I will fill thee with my Spirit and adorne thee with my grace it may-bee I will bring thee to my kingdome and glory O thou wouldst not have God to put thee off with such may-bees and why then shouldst thou deale more hardly and cruelly with thine own soule then thou wouldst have God to deale with thee But Thirdly I answer 't is a cleare argument that thou art not truly nor throughly sensible of thy present condition and danger who thus objectest wert thou but truly sensible of thy lost and undone estate out of Christ didst thou but indeed know what 't is to live one houre in a Christ-less and grace-less condition didst thou but see that wrath that hangs over thy head didst thou but reade the curses that are pronounced in the book of God against thee didst thou but behold how hell gapes to devoure thee didst thou but see how farre off thou art from God Christ the Covenant Acts 2.39 Ephe. 2.12 and all the glory and happiness of another world ah how wouldst thou every day cry out give me holiness or I die give me holiness or I eternally die The Patient that is truly sensible of his disease will not say hereafter will be time enough to send for the Physitian nor the wounded man will not say hereafter will be time enough to fetch the Surgeon nor the condemned man will not say hereafter will be time enough to sue for a pardon nor the needy man will not say hereafter will be time enough to look for reliefe nor the fallen man will not say hereafter will be time enough to lift me up nor the drowning man will not say hereafter will be time enough to bring a Boate to save my life now this is the very case of all unsanctified persons in the world and why then should they cry our hereafter hereafter will be time enough to be holy The Boare in the Fable being questioned why he stood wherting his teeth so when no body was neare to hurt him wisely answered that it would then be too late to whet them when he was to use them and therefore he whetted them so before danger that he might have them ready in danger Ah Sirs there is nothing more dangerous then for you to have your holiness to seek when temporal spiritual and eternal dangers are at your heels there is no wisdom to that which leads men forth to a present pursuit after holiness nor no hell to that for a man to have his holiness to seek when he should use it Fourthly I answer that the brevity shortness and preciousness of time Sumptus protiocissimus tempus Theophrastus calls aloud upon thee to pursue after holiness without delay time past is irrecoverable time to come is uncertaine the present time is the only time and on this moment of time depends eternity this very day is a day of grace O that thou hadst but grace to take notice of it this very time is an acceptable time O that thou hadst but a heart to accept of it and to improve it he that hath a great way to goe and a great deale of worke to doe in a little time had not need to trifle away his time and this is the case of every unsanctified soule O the sins that such a soule has to repent of O the graces that such a soule has to seek O the evidences for heaven that such a soule has to secure O the miseries that such a soule has to escape O the mercies that such a soule has to press after c. and therefore of all men in the world it stands unsanctified persons upon well to husband and improve their present time O 't is a dangerous thing to put off that worke to another day which must be done to day or else thou mayest be eternally undone to morrow the old saying was Nunc aut nunquam now or never if not now done it may be never done and if so then thou art undone for ever Many sinners are now in hell who when they were on earth were wont to put off the motions of the Spirit by crying out eras cras to morrow to morrow Time is so precious a thing that mountaines of gold and rocks of pearle cannot redeem one lost moment which that great Lady well understood when on her death-bed she cryed out Queen Elizabeth Call time againe call time againe a world of wealth for an inch of time ah what a precious and gainfull commodity would time be in hell where for one day to repent yea for one hour to seek after holiness a man would give ten thousand worlds were they in his hands to dispose of Time is so costly a Jewel that few know how to value it and prize it at a due rate witness that sad and frequent complaint among many O what shall we doe to drive away the time come let 's goe to Cards to drive away the time or let 's goe to Tables to drive away the time or let 's goe to the Taverne and take a pint and a pipe to drive away the time or le ts goe and take a walke in the fields to drive away the time c. Thus most are lavishly and
providing for eternity mind nothing Luke 12.16 21. nor talke of nothing but pullin◠down their Barns building of greater What strugling is there for places of honour what desperate ventures for rich commodities and what high attempts are there for large possessions O the time the strength the spirits Psal 4.6 that many spend in an eager pursuit after earthly things O how sad is it to consider that Satan shall have more service of a worldling for an ounce of gold then God shall have for the kingdome of heaven though the world in all its bravey is no better then the Cities which Solomon gave to Hiram which he called Cabul that is 1 Kings 9.13 displeasing or dirty yet O how mad are men upon it though all the great the gay and the glorious things of the world Gen. 3. may fitly be resembled to the fruit that undid us all which was faire to the sight smooth in handling sweet in tast but deadly in operation yet O how fond are men of these things Multi amando res noxias sunt miseri habendo miseriores August in Psal 16. and how do most long to be touching and tasting of them though a touch a tast may exclude them out of Paradise for ever O Sirs what fools in Folio are they who dare hazard the loss of a Paradise for a wilderness of a crowne for a crum of a kingdome for a Cottage and of Pearls for trifles and yet such fools are all those who spend themselves in multiplying and encreasing of their earthly enjoyments In that 13 Gen. 2. 'T is said that Abraham was very rich in Cattel in silver and in gold but according to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it runs thus Abraham was very heavie in Cattel in silver and in gold to shew that riches that gold and silver which is the great god of the world are but heavie burdens and rather a hinderance then a help to heaven and happiness Gold and silver which are but the white and yellow guts and garbage of the earth is fitly called by the Prophet Hab. 2.6 thick clay which will sooner break a mans back then satisfie his heart and O what folly and madness is it for a man to be still a loading of himself with the clay of this world though the Sumpter horse be loaden with rich treasure all the day long yet when night comes he is turn'd into the dark stinking Stable with an empty belly and with his back full of gauls sores and bruises so though vaine men may be loaded with the treasures of this world during the day of their life yet when the night of death comes then they shall be turned into a dark stinking hell with consciences full of guilt and gauls and with souls full of sores and bruises and then what good will all their treasures do them Luke 16. Though the rich man in the Gospel lived like a Gentleman a Gallant yet when he died he went to hell Though Mammon as Aretius and many others observe is a Syriack word and signifies wealth riches yet Irenaeus derives Mammon of Mum that signifies a spot and Hon that signifies riches to shew that riches have their spots and yet O how unwearied are men in their adding of spots to spots men in their pursuit after the things of this world seeme to act by an untired power they are never weary of heaping up bags upon bags nor of enlarging their Tents nor of encreasing their revenues c. Now O how should this provoke every gracious soul to be adding of grace to grace and holiness to holiness O let not the men of the world out-doe you let them not out-act you O let not nature excell grace O let the muck-wormes of this world know that divine principles are too high and noble to be matcht or to be out-acted by any thing that they can doe O Sirs shall children grow in your families and oxen grow in your stalls and fish grow in your ponds grass grow in your fields and flowers grow in your gardens c. and shall not holiness grow in your hearts well friends remember this 't is infinitely better to be poore men and rich Christians then to be rich men and poore Christians But Sixteenthly To provoke you to labour after higher degrees of holiness consider that the more holiness you attaine to in this world the more weighty and heavy the more bright and glorious will be your faithfull Ministers crowne O Sirs as you rise higher and higher in holiness 2 Epist of John 4. so the springs of joy rises higher and higher in your Ministers souls O Christians 't is neither your seraphical notions nor your pompous profession 't is neither your good words nor your sweet looks 't is neither your civilities nor your courtesies that raises joy in your Ministers hearts or that will adde to your Ministers crowne Rom. 15.14 but an encrease of holiness will do both The Thessalonians were rare Christians they were very eminent high in holiness as you may see in that 1 Thes 1.5 6 7 8. And they were the Apostles joy and crowne of rejoycing as you may see in Ch. 2.19 20. For what is our hope or joy or crowne of rejoycing are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming For ye are our glory and joy The Apostle tells these raised these renowned Thessalonians that as they were now his hope his glory and joy so at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ they should be his joy and crowne of rejoycing Look as Christ has his thousand Shekels of silver Shekels of silver were their common money and a name both for weight and coyne being in value answerable to our English half-crowns so his faithful laborious Ministers have their two hundred Shekels of silver and that indeed is a great reward Cant. 8.12 My vineyard which is mine is before me thou O Solomon must have a thousand and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred O what an honor is it for faithful Ministers to have a fift part of that Reward that Christ has himself in this 12 v. Christ opposeth his vineyard his Church to that of Solomons which is mentioned in v. 11. and though doubtless Solomons vineyard was one of the rarest choicest and fruitfullest vineyards in all Judaea yet it was wonderful inferiour to Christs vineyard and that partly because Christs vineyard cost him a dearer and a greater price even the price of his blood then ever Solomons cost him 1 Pet. 1.18 19 partly bécause his vineyard serves to more spiritual high honorable and noble ends 1 Tim. 3.15 then ever Solomons did viz. the glory exaltation of God the propagating of truth the bringing forth of the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 23. viz. love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance the bringing in of sinners and the
us and will â—od admit such to cohabit with him that never had any acquaintance or familiarity with him Surely no. In history we read of such Towns and Cities as would not admit strangers to inhabit among them and such a City is that above Exod. 33.12 17. It hath been long since concluded that In coelo nullus erit alienus in heaven there shall be no strangers none shall be admitted into that state but such as God knows by name Charon in Lucian requesting Mercurius to shew him Jupiters Palace above how sayes Mercurius that such a caitiff as thou whose conversation hath been altogether with black shades and impure ghosts shouldst set thy foot in that pure place of light what a dishonour and derogation were that to the place The Application is easie Unholy persons have fellowship and familiarity with Satan and therefore doubtless God will have no familiarity nor fellowship with them 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16. As righteousness can have no fellowship with unrighteousness nor light with darkness nor Christ with Belial nor heaven with hell no more can a holy God have any communion or fellowship with unholy souls for they are Satans house Luke 11.21 he keeps possession of them as a man doth of his house Rev. 18.2 and hath familiarity with them as a man hath with those of his house he is their Father and they are his children John 8.44 and look what familiarity a Father hath with his children that hath an unholy devil with unholy souls A workman cannot be more familiar with his tools then Satan is with unholy souls and therefore he is said to work in the children of disobedience as a Smith worketh in his forge or as an Artificer worketh in his shop Ehpes 2.2 Unholy persons have bosome fellowship with Satan 1 John 5.19 And we know that we are of God and the whole world lieth in wickedness or in that wicked one the Devil as the Greek will bear they lie as it were in the bosom of Satan as the child lies in the bosom of the Mother or as the Wife lyes in the bosom of the Husband or as a friend lyes in the bosom of his friend Unholy persons partake with him at his Table they eat with him and drink with him and converse with him 1 Cor. 10.21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of Devils ye cannot be partakers of the Lords Table and of the Table of Devils If Judas was at the Sacrament the greater was his wo. Ambrose brings in the Devil boasting against Christ and challenging Judas as his own thus He is not thine Lord Jesus he is mine his thoughts beat for me He eats with thee but is fed by me he takes bread from thee but money from me he drinks with thee and sells thy blood to me By all which you may see what fellowship and familiarity there is between Satan and a sinner Now what is this less then blasphemy to assert that a holy God will have fellowship with them that have fellowship with the Devil God hath not cast Satan out of heaven that he may make room for his familiars in heaven if heaven was too holy to hold unholy devils it will be found at last to be too holy to hold unholy souls certainly they shall not lie in the bosome of God who have the Devil for their bed-fellow Fourthly Unholy persons are full of contrariety to God their natures principles practises aims minds wills affections judgements intentions and resolutions Lev. 26.21 22 23 24 27 28 40 41. Isa 58.4 5 6. Jerem. 44.16 17 18. Ch. 2.25 Ch 18.11 12 are contrary to God his name nature being truth and glory you may as soon bring East and West North and South light and darkness heaven and hell together as you shall bring a holy God and unholy souls together Antipathies will never incorporate as soon may midnight be married to the noon-day as a holy God embrace an unholy sinner That unholy persons are made up of contrarieties to God is most evident as you may see in Isa 22.12 13. And in that day did the Lord God of Hosts call to weeping and to mourning and to baldnest and to girding with sack-cloth And behold joy and gladness slaying oxen and killing sheep eating flesh and drinking wine let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die These sad souls practise quite contrary to what the Lord calls for at their hands Rom 8.7 Iames 4 4. Pope Julius the third would have his Pork though it was forbidden him by hâ—s Physitians in despite of God himseâ—f he calls them to weeping and mourning and behold joy and gladness he calls them to fasting and behold here is nothing but feasting carousing and making merry and jovial and that in contempt of God and his dreadfull judgements Unholy persons are like the Rainbow now the Rainbow is never on that side of the world that the Sun is on but whensoever it appears it is still in opposition against the Sun if the Sun be in the East the Rainbow is in the West c. So unholy souls in all tâ—eir actings and walkings will still be opposite to God they will still be cross and contrary to him John 8.38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father and ye do that which ye have seen with your Father Unholy hearts are full of the highest strains of contrariety and opposition against the Lord. I have read of a King that Reigned in no very remote part of the world who having received a blow from the hand of God took a solemn Oath to be revenged on him and ordained that for ten years space no man should pray to him speak of him nor so long as he was in Authority to believe in him O the vanity the contrariety and blasphemy of this Prince Now we will not admit such to be about us who are made up of contrarieties to us and will God will God heaven and earth fire and water the Woolf and the Lamb the Winds and the Sea will sooner accord then a holy God and an unholy heart There can be no amity where there is a spiritual Antipathy 5. Fifthly Without holiness no man can have any spiritual communion with God in this world he may hear but he can have no communion with God in hearing without holiness he may pray but he can have no communion with God in prayer without holiness he may come to the Sacrament but he can have no communion with God in the Sacrament without holiness he may come into the communion of Saints but he can have no communion with God in the communion of Saints without holiness he may read and meditate but he can have no communion with God in reading and meditation without holiness Deut. 23.14 For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy Camp to deliver thee and to give up thine enemies before thee therefore shall thy Camp be
strikes the sinner into such a damp as a discourse on the holiness of God it is as the hand-writing upon the wall nothing makes the head and heart of a sinner to ake like a Sermon upon the holy one nothing gaules and gripes nothing stings and terrifies unsanctified ones like a lively setting forth of the holiness of God But now to holy souls there are no discourses that do more suit them and satisfie them that doth more delight and content them that doth more please and profit them then those that do most fully and powerfully discover God to be glorious in holiness Well this is an everlasting truth he that truly affects the holiness of God and affects God for his holiness is certainly made partaker of his holiness if you are really holy you are much affected and taken with the holiness of God Souls what say you to this But Secondly True holiness is diffusive it doth extend diffuse and spread it self all over the soul Psal 119.6 128. Bonum est sui communicativâ—m it spreads it self over head and heart lip and life inside and outside Psal 45.13 The Kings daughter is all glorious within her cloathing is of wrought gold inward holiness is the inward glory of the Kings daughter the Kings daughter is all glorious within her understanding is hang'd with holiness her mind is adornâ—d with holiness her will is bowed to holiness all her affections are sprinkled yea cloathed with holiness her love is holy love her grief is holy grief her joy is holy joy her sorrow is holy sorrow her fear is holy fear her care is holy care her zeal is holy zeal and her cloathing is of wrought gold that is her life and conversation which is as visible to others as the cloathes she weares is very sparkling and shining in grace and holiness True sanctification is throughout it reaches to soul body and spirit 1 Thes 5.23 True holiness is a divine leaven Mat. 13.33 which leavens the whole man Look as leaven diffuses it self through the whole dough so true holiness diffuses it self through the whole man Look as Absoloms beauty was spread all over him even from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot 2 Sam. 14.25 so the beauty of holiness spreads it self over every member of the body and every faculty of the soul Look as Solomons Temple was glorious both within and without so holiness makes all glorious both within and without Look as Adams sin spread it self over the whole man 1 John 16. so that holiness that we have by the second Adam spreads it self over the whole â—â—n so that that man that is not all over holy that is not throughout holy that man was never truly holy Look as that holiness which was in Christ did diffuse and spread it self over all Christ so that his person was holy his natures were holy his heart was holy his language was holy and his life was holy so real holiness spreads it self over head hand 1 Pet. 1.15 heart lip and life The fruit of the spirit is in all goodness Ephes 5.9 he that is truly good is all over good he hath goodness engraven upon his understanding and goodness engraven upon his judgement and goodness engraven upon his will and goodness engraven upon his affections and goodness engraven upon his inclination and goodness engraven upon his disposition and goodness engraven upon his conversation he that is not all over good is not really good there are those that have new heads but old hearts new words but old wills new expressions but old affections new memories but old minds new notions but old conversations and these are as far off from true holiness as the Pope the Turk and the Devil are from real happiness In every holy person there are many divine miracles there is a dead man restored to life a dumb man restored to speech a blind man restored to sight a deaf man restored to hearing a lame man restored to walking a man possest with Devils possest with grace a heart of stone turned into an heart of flesh and a life of wickedness turned into a life of holiness if it be thus with thee I dare write thee and call thee both holy and happy But Thirdly Persons of real holiness do set the highest price and the greatest value and esteem upon those that are holy they do not as the blind world do value persons by their great places names professions arts parts gifts gay cloathes gold chains honours and riches but by their holiness As a holy God Chrysostom called some holy men in his time Aggelous earthy Angels and so Doctor Taylor lookt upon holy Bradford as an Angel so holy souls look not how rational men are but how religious not how notional but how experimental not how great but how gracious not how high but how holy and accordingly they value them Psalm 16.3 But to the Saints that are in the earth and to the excellent in whom is all my delight Prov. 12.26 The righteous is more excellent then his neighbour It is holiness that differences one man from another and that exalts one man above another a holy man is a better man then his neighbour in the eye account and esteem of God Angels and Saints there is no man to the holy man The Sun doth not more excell and out-shine the Stars then a righteous man doth excell and out-shine his unrighteous neighbour Prov. 28.6 Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness then he that is perverse in his ways though he be rich A man of holiness prefers an holy Job though upon the dunghill before a wicked Ahab upon the throne he sets an higher price upon an holy Lazarus though cloathed with rags and full of sores then upon a rich and wretched Dives Luke 16. who is cloathed gloriously and fares sumptuously every day As King Ingo valued poor ragged Christians above his Pagan Nobles saying that when his Pagan Nobles in all their pomp and glory should-be cast down to Hell those poor Christians should be his consorts and fellow-Princes in heaven this blind mad world rates and values men according to their worldly interest greatness glory and grandure but men of holiness rate and value men by their holiness by their inward excellencies and by what they are worth for another world the world judgeth him the best man in the Parish that is most rich but a holy man judgeth him the best man in the Parish that is most righteous the world counts him the best man in the Town that is cloathed most gorgeously but a holy man counts him the best man in the Town whose inside and outside whose heart and life whose body and soul is cloathed with sanctity and purity the world reckons him the best man in the City whose bags are fullest and whose estate is largest but a holy man reckons him the best man in the City whose heart is
as it were strings in their rails but in plain positive downright terms he tels you that there were stings in their tails ver 10. he tells you that their stings were true stings real stings certain stings And so while men remain unholy there are sure and certain stings in the tails of all their comforts Job 29.14 contentments and enjoyments The best way on earth to have a sure a sound a solid a lasting peace with God with our selves and with others is to put onholinesse as a Robe upon us to put all inquity far from us Job 11.13 20. O Sirs the worser the times are the better should every man labour to be Many complain of burdens Taxes oppressions Isa 59.9 10 11 14 15. and vexations and they say with those That Judgement is turned backward and that Justice standeth afar off and that truth is fallen in the street and that equity cannot enter and that he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey that judgement is far from us and that Justice doth not overtake us that we wait for light but behold obscurity for brightnesse but behold darknesse that we grope for the wall like the blind that we grope as if we had no eyes that we stumble at noon-day that we roar all like Bears and mourn sore like doves that we look for Judgement but there is none and for salvation but it is far off from us These and a thousand more such complaints may be found amongst us This Scripture last cited puts me in mind of a strange but yet of a very true saying viz. That there is more justice and equity in hell then there is in France for in hell the oppressor is oppressed in hell he that would not give a crumb of bread shall not have a drop of water In hell such as shed innocent blood have blood to drink in hell there are no bribes in hell there is none to plead an unrighteous cause in hell there is no respect of persons in hell every man hath according to his deserts but in France it is otherwise c. And do not the strong cries tears sighs groans and complaints of the poor and needy of hirelings orphans and widows c. in most Nations strongly demonstrate that there is more Justice and Equity in hell then there is in most of the Nations of the earth But now what is the choicest salve for all these fores certainly holinesse What is the most soveraign Remedy against all these maladies nothing but holinesse O Sirs the more holinesse rises in a Nation the more will righteousnesse run down as mighty streams and the more the hearts of the poor and needy will leap and sing for joy There is no way to make a Nation happy but by making of it holy O Sirs as you are men as you are English-men as you love your Countrey as you honour your King and Countrey and as you desire the peace prosperity and felicity of your Countrey labour to be holy O England England it is holinesse that will be a wall of fire about thee and a glory in the midst of thee it is holinesse that will make thee happy at home and prosperous abroad Among all English men there is no man to the holy man Certainly that man that is most busie about mending his own heart and life contributes most to the mending of the times There are many sturdy blades that will talk stifly for their Countrey and that say that they will stand stoutly for their Countrey and yet by their daily ungodlinesse they do undo their Countrey these men destroy by their lives what they seem to build with their hands And therefore as ever you would have all things that are out of order in order labour for a well ordered heart and a well ordered life Holinesse of conversation is the best means under heaven to prevent confusion and desolation Again If you will look upon the present times as times wherein the Judgements of God are abroad in the world I say if you will thus look upon them then I say the times call aloud upon you for holinesse Isa 26.9 When thy Judgements are abroad in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousnesse O Sirs when garments are rowld in blood when the sword devours the flesh of the slain when Justice laies heap upon heap when pestilence and famine destroyes all on the right hand and on the left O! then every one will say Come let us break off our sins let us turn to the Lord let us mend our wayes and reform our lives and get holinesse into our hearts We behold many sorer heavier and worse judgements then these are upon us this day if we had but eyes to behold them O! that hardnesse of heart Psalm 78. Psalm 81.12 That which was wont to be said of Asrick that it was ever a producing some new monster or other may be said of the Age yea of the land wherein we live 2 Thess 1.8 9. Amos 8 11 12. that barrennesse of soul that blindnesse of mind that searednesse of conscience that perversnesse of Spirit that Superstitious Will-worship and that loosnesse of life that multitudes are given up to this day O! those God-dishonouring those Christ-denying those Ordinance-despising those Conscience-wasting those life-corrupting and those Soul-damning opinions principles blasphemies and practices that multitudes are given up to this day O! the spiritual decayes the spiritual witherings the spiritual slumberings the spiritual faintings the spiritual langiushings that are to be found among a professing people this day Now certainly there are no judgements to spiritual judgements none reach the soul like these none seperate between God and the soul like these none lay men open to temporal and eternal judgements like these Spiritual judgements are the most insensible judgements they are the most dreadfull judgements they are the most incureable judgements they are the most damnning judgements of all judgements Spiritual judgements have most of wrath and most of horror and most of hell in them O that now these terrible judgements are abroad in the earth you would learn righteousnesse that you would learn to be holy For as there is no such sence against temporal judgements as holinesse so there is no such sence against spiritual judgements as holinesse O the spiritual strokes the spiritual Arrows the spiritual diseases the spiritual sicknesses the spiritual plagues that are abroad in the world and O that the dread and sense of these might provoke you and prevail with you to labour after real holinesse to labour after the power of godliness which will be your greatest security against these most deadly and soul-killing maladies Again the dayes and times wherein we live call aloud for holinesse if you look upon them as dayes and times of grace what greater and higher engagements to holinesse were ever put upon a people then those that God hath put upon us who enjoy so many wayes means and
turned into a Wolf but when a worldling is made holy there is a Wolf turned into a man yea a devil turned into a Saint therefore the Holy Ghost speaking of Zacheus who had long been bewitch't by the world brings him in with an Ecce Behold as if it were a wonder of wonders that ever such a worldling should be made holy A man bewitch't with the world will venture the loss of his soul to enjoy the world Mat. 16.26 As that Pope that sold his soul to the devil for the enjoyment of the Popedom six years We hate the Turkes for selling of Christians for slaves but Ah how many be there among us that call themselves Christians who yet sell themselves and their souls to the devil for slaves for half a crown yea for a half penny Look as Shemei by seeking his servant lost his life so many by seeking of the world have lost their souls Now though of all losses the loss of the soul is the greatest the sadest the sorest the heaviest and the most intollerable inconceiveable and irrecoverable loss yet a man bewitch't with the world will run the hazard of losing it of damning it to enjoy the world You know the Reubenites in Josh 22. preferred the country that was commodious for the feeding of their cattle though it were far from the Temple where they might have fed their souls and have got heaven and holiness for their souls before their interest in the Land of Promise We so men that are bewitch't with this world in these days O! how do they prefer their sensual delights their brutish contentments and their carnal enjoyments before the heavenly Canaan and before the beauties of holiness and before the Temple of Gods holiness where holiness sparkles and shines in all its bravery and glory and where their souls might be abundantly satisfied and delighted with the most ravishing joys the most surpassing delights and the most transcendent pleasures which are at Gods right hand To draw to a close the Arabick Proverb saith That Mundus cadavar est petentes eum sunt canes the world is a carkass and they that hunt after it are doggs If this Proverb be true what a multitude of professors will be found to be doggs who hunt more after earth then heaven who hunt more after Terrestial then Celestial things who hunt more after nothingnesses and emptinesses then they do after those fulnesses and sweetnesses that be in God Christ Heaven and Holiness Well friends as ever you would obtain that real holiness without which there is no happiness take heed of a Witch take heed of this world and to that purpose O that you would always look upon the things of this world as you will look upon them when you come to dye O that you would now look upon all the pompe state bravery and glory of the world as you will look upon it when your souls shall sit upon your trembling lips O with what a disdainful eye with what a weaned heart do men look upon those things then do so now and I dare assure you that though the world may trouble you yet it shall never bewitch you I have read of a man that lying in a burning Feaver profest that if he had all the world at his dispose he would give it all for one draught of Beer at so low a rate do men value the world at such a time as that is if men were so wise to value the world at no higher a rate in health then they do in sickness in life then they do at the time of their death it would never bewitch them it would never be as a wall of separation between holiness and them As ever you would be holy here and happy hereafter take heed of this Witch and believe it to be a Witch before it hath bewitched you or else you may believe it too late Thirdly If ever you would be holy then take heed of comparing your selves with those that are at least supposedly worse then your selves many there be who by comparing themselves with those that are bad very bad think themselves to be good very good yea to be too good to go to hell and yet they are not good enough to go to heaven and many there be who are worse then others and yet by comparing themselves with those they suppose very bad they conclude themselves to be very good such a one was that proud Pharisee in Luk. 18. who thought himself a far better man then the poor Publican and yet he was not half so honest nor half so just nor half so righteous nor half so good as he was the poor Publican was ashamed of himself he loathed himself he abased himself he judged himself and he condemned himself the poor Publican acknowledged God he adored God he dreaded God he admired God and he justified God in all which he exceeded the proud Pharisee and yet O! how scornfully does this proud Pharisee look upon him and how disdainfully and disgracefully does he speak of him And this was the general frame and temper of the Scribes and Pharisees who thought no mans penny so good silver as their own who thought themselves better then the best when they were the very worst of the worst for Publicans and Harlots believed and repented and entred into the Kingdom of God before them Mat. 21.31 32. And so they in that of Isa 65. were naught very naught yea stark naught they were the basest among the base they were the vilest among the vile they were the most rebellious among the rebellious and the most superstitious among the superstitious witness v. 2 3 4. And yet O! how do they stroke themselves and bless themselves and commend themselves and cry up themselves and exalt themselves as the only holy ones v. 5. they could deifie themselves and yet damne and devilifie others though they were such monsters as God abhorr'd v. 6. Ah! how many be there who by comparing themselves with those that are worse then themselves do judge themselves to be good enough and holy enough they are good negative Christians and they think that 's enough to bring them to heaven they bless themselves that they are no Nabals for drunkenness nor no Sodomites for filthiness nor no Hamans for haughtiness nor no Ammons for lustfulness nor none of the old world for idleness nor no Zacheus's for covetousness nor no Laodiceans for lukewarmness c. They bless themselves that they are no Gehazies for lying nor no Shemeies for cursing nor no Joabs for swearing nor no Rabshakehs for railing nor no Doegs for cruelty nor no Judases for treachery nor no Demases for Apostacy c. And thus they cheat themselves and find out fine ways to delude and damn their own souls they think it grace enough and holiness enough that they have attained to this viz. not to be so bad as the worst though they fall infinitely short of coming neer unto the best Well sits
to be carried home in the morning his wife began mildly to blame him for his acting against the Minister the day before at which he with fearefull oathes swore that he would soon rid the Towne of that Puritan but behold the hand of God for as this wretched man was about to rise and having put one arme in his Dublet even as the oathes were uttering he was taken speechless yea and sensless and so dyed To conclude the Judgements of God upon the persecutors of the Saints in Bohemia was such that it was used as a Proverb among the adversaries themselves that if any man were weary of his life let him but attempt against the Piccardines for so they called the Saints and he should not live a yeare to an end And thus you see by these instances that most severe Judgements have still followed the persecutors of the people of God Let me close up this argument thus look as in Princes Courts they are judg'd but silly shallow brain'd men that profess open and mortall hatred to the greatest favourites of the King because in so doing they take the right and ready way to ruine themselves and families so they are doubtless the most silly shallow-brain'd men in the world how wise soever they may be in their own eyes or in others eyes who are like unto themselves who persecute the favourites of the King of Kings that being the ready way to their owne ruine and destruction But Fourthly It will appeare that persecutors are in the most sad and deplorable condition if you doe but consider that there is a day a coming wherein God will fully reckon with all persecutors for their persecuting of his Saints Psal 9.12 When he maketh inquisition for blood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Damim bloods in the plural it notes the killings and murderings of Gods afflicted ones Gen. 4.10 1 Kings 9.26 2 Chron. 24. Chap. 22. he remembreth them he forgetteth not the cry of the humble There is a time when God will make inquisition for innocent blood the Hebrew word Dorâ—sh from Darash that is here rendred inquisition signifies not barely to seek to search but to seek search and enquire with all diligence and care imaginable O there is a time a coming when the Lord will make a very diligent and carefull search and enquiry after all the innocent blood of his afflicted and persecuted people which persecutors and Tyrants have spilt as water upon the ground and woe to persecutors when God shall make a more strict critical and carefull enquiry after the blood of his people then ever was made in the inquisition of Spaine where all things are carried with the greatest diligence subtilty secrecy and severity O persecutors there is a time a coming when God will make a strict enquiry after the blood of Hooper Bradford Latimer Taylor Ridly c. There is a time a coming wherein God will enquire who silenced and suspended such and such Ministers and who stop't the mouthes of such and such and who imprisoned confined and banished such and such who were once burning and shining lights and who were willing to spend and be spent that sinners might be saved and that Christ might be glorified There is a time when the Lord will make a very narrow enquiry into all the actions and practises of Ecclesiastical Courts High Commissions Committees Assizes Sessions c. and deale with persecutors as they have dealt with his people Psal 12.5 For the oppression of the poore for the sighing of the needy now will I arise saith the Lord I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him When oppressors and persecutors doe snuffe and puffe at the people of God when they defie them and scorne them and thinke that they can with a blast of their breath blow them away then God will arise to judgement as the Chaldee has it at that very nick of time when all seemes to be lost and when the poore oppressed and afflicted people of God can do nothing but sigh and weep and weep and sigh then the Lord will arise and ease them of their oppressions and make their day of extremity a glorious opportunity to work for his own glory and his peoples good Math. 22.6 7. And the remnant took his servants and entreated them spitefully and slew them But when the King heard thereof he was wroth and he sent for his Armies and destroyed those murderers and burnt up their City Christ sent his Apostles and Disciples to invite the Jewes to a marriage feast to a stately feast to a feast made by a King upon the account of his Son of his only Son of his beloved Son of his Son that is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 1.5 Compare these Scriptures Acts 5.40 ch 7.58 and ch 12.2 and ch 21.32 2 Cor. 11.24 Heb. 11.37 38. but they entreated them spitefully calling them pestilent fellows and movers of sedition and some they imprisoned and scourged and others they put to death as Stephen and James c. and O what spitefulness and ingratitude was this to returne evill for good to requite them with reproaches prisons scourges and death for their endeavouring to save their souls and to make them happy for ever But will this great King put up these injuries indignities and abuses that are done to his servants no he will not for as soon as he heard of it he was wroth and sent forth his Armies to be revenged on them The murderers in the text were the Jewes and the Armies were the Romans now they are called Gods Armies Dan. 9.26 because God imployed them as the executioners of his wrath upon Jerusalem now these Roman Armies did burne up their City Josephus Antiq lib. 20. c. 8. which was once the Paradise of the world and brought to ruine and destruction a 11 millions of men women and children besides multitudes that were sold for slaves and others that were scattered among all nations and thus God took vengeance on these persecutors and turn'd their Temple and City into ashes Plutar Lib. de superstitione Plutarch writing of the quality of Tygres saith That if Drums or Tabours sound about them they will grow mad and rend and tear their own flesh in pieces O there is a day a coming when the last Trumpet shall sound and then all the persecutors of the Saints will grow mad O then they will fret and fume Rev. 6.15 16 17. and tear and torment themselves and wish for the mountaâ—â—s and rocks to fall upon them and to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb who in that day will with a witness avenge all his afflicted and persecuted ones Alas all the sorrows troubles afflictions vexations torments and punishments that befall the persecutors of the Saints in this life they are but quasi tales as it were such they are but the beginnings of sorrows they are but Types and Figures of those easeless endless and
had all your dayes laine under a hedge then that you have sit so long upon seats of honor and that you had begg'd your bread from dore to dore then that you have had your full Cups and full Tables and that you had been cloth'd with Raggs then that you have put on costly Robes and that you had rather been a turning of Spits then a tossing of Pots or Pipes for the great things of this world do's but lay men the more open to great Temptations and to great provocations even to commit the greatest abominations O! Sirs Suppose a criminous person who is led to execution should ingrave his Coat of Armes upon the Prison-Gate would he not be accounted vaine and mad and yet such is the madness and vanity of the great ones of this world that they endeavour with the greatest industry to leave monuments of their dignity in the prison of this world Psal 49.10 15. but take no care to make provision for another world and all this is out of the horrid pride and loftiness of their spirits Psal 10.4 The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God God is not in all his thoughts There is nothing that hinders a man from seeking after a holy God and from pursuing after holiness like pride A proud heart is too stout to thinke of holiness or to mind holiness or to prize holiness or to press after holiness Exod. 5.2 Who is the Lord says proud Pharoah that I should serve him so says the proud heart who is holiness and what is holiness that I should seek it and press so hard after it As there is no sin that fortifies the heart against holiness like pride so there is no sin that weakens dis-inables the heart to pursue after holiness like pride O! you proud and lofty ones of the world who look upon holiness as a poor low contemptible thing tell me what are all your noble births and great estates c. but trisles that God bestowes upon the worst and basest of men The whole Turkish Empire says Luther is but a Crust that God casts to a Dogge Tell me whether the Fly and the Worme yea the most contemptible creature if there be any such was not mans elder Brother at his first creation and if so why then should vaine man be proud O tell me whether thou hast ever laid to heart that soul-abasing and soul-humbling text Psal 39.5 The originall runs elegantly Verily every man at his best estate is altogether vanity Selah Verily lets that in and Selah shuts that up verily every man not some man but every man Col Adam Col Hebel all Adam is all vanity or every man is every vanity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every man is a comprehensive vanity every rich man is every vanity and every great man is every vanity and every mighty man is every vanity and every Noble man is every vanity yea and that which is yet more every man at his best estate not in his childhood or decrepit age but in his best estate when he is best constituted and under-laid when he is most firmly fixed and setled on his best bottom yet even then he is vanity The Original runs thus every man standing that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as some carry it standing a Tip-toe in all his Gallantry and bravery in all his beauty and glory and in all his pomp and majesty is vanity yea every vanity Well Sirs remember this that as rotten wood and Glow-worms make a glorious shew in the night but when the day appeares they appeare to be poore despicable base creatures so though now the high the great and mighty ones of the earth shine and gloriously sparkle in the darkness of this world yet in that day when the Sun of righteousness shall arise and manifest the secrets of all hearts to the world and strip the great ones of all their Titles of honor and their noble parentage and their rich and royal Robes and their Troopes and Traines and their crowns and chains then they will appeare to be but base and despicable creatures then their poverty and misery their nakedness and vileness will appeare to all the world then the world shall see that riches without righteousness power without piety and greatness without holiness will doe the Gods of this world no good O that thou hadst now a heart to weep over that pride of heart that keeps thee from pursuing after holiness that so thou mayest not weep to all eternity in utter darkness But Fifthly and lastly I answer That there are no persons under heaven that stand so much obliged to look after holiness and to press with all their might to obtaine holiness as the rich the great the mighty and the honorable of the earth For first why has God made them greater then others but that they should labour to be better then others they are therefore higher then others that they may be holier then others the greatness of their outward glory calls aloud upon them to excell in sanctity and woe to them that are resolv'd to be worse then others because God has done more for them then he has for others Secondly They of all men have more time leasure and advantages to heare much that they be holy and to reade much that they may be holy and to pray much that they may be holy and to confer much with all sorts and ranks of men that they may be holy and therefore it concerns them above all other men in the world to be holy Other men have neither the time nor the advantages to gaine holiness as these men have The poor people in Sweden say that 't is only for Gentlemen to keep the Sabbath But Thirdly Their examples are most powerfull and prevalent with the people either for much good Pro. 29.12 or for much evill If the mountains overflow with waters the vallies are the better and if the head be full of ill humors the whole body fares the worse The Actions of Rulers are most commonly rules for the peoples actions and their examples passeth as currant as their Coine Esth 1.10 11 15 16 17 18. Vide. It s noted in King Alphonsus sayings that a great man cannot commit a small sin If their examples are evill there are none so dangerous as theirs Jeroboam the Son of Nebat is never mentioned in the Scripture nor never read of in the Chronicles of Israel but he draws a Tayle after him like a blazing Star who made Israel to sin A sick head disordereth all the other parts and a dark eye benights the whole body The evill examples of great men corrupts the Aire round about The common people are like tempered wax easily receiving impressions from the Seals of great mens vices If a Peasant meet with Luxury in a scarlet Robe he dares be such having so faire a cloake for it If the vulgar people meet with drunkenness
matters Job was the onely man he was chosen by all and advanced by all above all in all Assemblies and places of Judicature c. whoever was of the Committee yet Job was still Chair-man who ever was of the counsel yet Job was still President and whoever was of the Court yet Job was still King yea he dwelt as a King in the Army Job was guarded as a King in the Army and honored as a King in the Army and beloved and admired as a King in the Army and obeyed and served as a King in the Army and feared and reverenced as a King in the Army I might give you further instances of this in Joseph Moses Nehemiah Mordecai the three Children and Daniel but I shall forbear Faith is but a piece a part a branch of holiness and yet O what an honorable mention doth Paul make of the Romans faith in that Rom. 1.8 First This is a figurative expression according to the stile and manner of speaking then I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all that your faith is spoken of throughout the world The Romans had attained to an eminency in faith and the report thereof sounded thoroughout the Roman Empire yea throughout the world for there being a great resort to Rome from all parts of the world and by every ones discoursing and admiring of the Romans faith their faith came to be spread abroad among all the Churches all the world over Look as Christs fulness of grace was his highest glory in this world Psal 45.1 2. so a Christians fulness of holiness is his highest honor in this world O sirs there is no such way to be high in honor and renown both in the consciences of sinners and Saints as to be high in holiness Jewel was a man eminent in holiness and his holiness set him high in the very judgements and consciences of the Papists The Dean of the Colledge though a Papist yet speaks thus of him In thy faith I hold thee an Heretick but surely in thy life thou art an Angel thou art very good and honest but a Lutheran Among the very Heathens those were most highly honored that were most excellent and eminent in moral vertues Aristides was so famous among the Athenians for his Justice Plutarch that he was called Aristides the Just c. O Christians 't is your highest honor and glory in this world to be so eminent and famous for holiness that men may point at you and say there goes such a one the wise there goes such a one the humble there goes such a one the heavenly and there goes such a one the meek there goes such a one the patient and there goes such a one the contented and there goes such a one the Just and there goes such a one the merciful and there goes such a one the zealous and there goes such a one the couragious and there goes such a one the sincere and there goes such a one the faithful c. well for a close remember this that though great places great offices great revenues and great honours c. may exalt you set you high in the uppermost seats and roomes among men yet 't is only an eminency in holiness that will exalt you and set you high in the consciences of sinners and Saints But Fourteenthly To provoke you to labour after higher degrees of holiness Consider that the times wherein you live calls for this at your hands Jer. 51.5 Ah how is this Land filled with sin yea with the worst of sins against the holy One of Israel Hell seems to be broken loose and men strive to exceed and excell one another in all kinds of wickedness O the scarlet sins that are now to be found under many scarlet Robes O the black transgressions that are now to be found under many black Cassocks O the new-found oaths the hellish blasphemies the horrid filthinesses and the abominable debaucheries that are committed daily in the face of the Sun ah how shameless how sensless are sinners grown in these dayes Jer. 3.3 sin every where now appears with a whores forehead ah what open opposition do's Christ meet with in his Gospel offices Math. 24.12 members wayes worship and works ah how do's all iniquity abound and how bold and resolute are multitudes now in dishonoring of God in profaning his Sabbaths in poluting his ordinances in destroying their own souls and in treasuring up of wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 c. Now the worser the times are the better every Christian must labour to be the more profane the Age is wherein we live the more holy we must endeavour to be O Sirs how else will you recompence the great God if I may so speak for all the dishonors that are cast upon him by the matchless loosness and wickedness of the present times Phil. 2.15 how else will you shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation how else will you convince the consciences 1 Pet. 2.15 and stop or button up the mouths of wicked and unreasonable men how else will you be the Lords witnesses against this sinful and adulterous Generation Isa 43.10 12. And ch 44.8 how else will you manifest your great love to Christ and your exceeding tenderness of the honor and glory of Christ how else will you give an undeniable testimony of the glorious operations of the Spirit in you how else will you satisfie your own consciences Psal 18.20 25. Heb. 11.7 that your hearts are upright with God and how else will you with Noah condemne a wicked world well Christians remember this 't is more then time for you to perfect holiness in the feare of the Lord when so many thousands labour day and night to perfect wickedness in despite of the Lord 't is time for you to be Angels in holiness when multitudes strive to exceed the very devill in wickedness since Christ was on earth there has been no times that have called louder for the perfecting of holiness then the present times wherein we live But Fifteenthly To provoke you to lâ—bour after higher degrees of holiness consider how the men of the world do study and strive to abound and encrease in worldly blessings O what ado is there among worldlings to lay house to house and field to field Isa 5.8 to make a hundred a thousand and a thousand ten c Many men rise early and go to bed late yea they cross their light Psal 127.1 2. wound their consciences and decline their principles and endanger their immortall souls and all to adde to their worldly stores This Age is ful of such Ahabs 1 Kings 21. that are even sick for their neighbours Vineyards yea that rather then they will goe without them will wade through Naboths blood to them And how many rich fools be there amongst us who instead of minding their souls and
of God And I saw as it were a Sea of glass mingled with fire and them that had gotten the victory over the Beast and over his Image and over his Mark and over the number of his Name stand on the Sea of glass having the harps of God And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God and the Lamb saying Great and marvelous are thy works Lord God Almighty just and true are thy waies thou King of Saints Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name for thou onely art holy for all Nations shall come and worship before thee for thy judgements are made manifest In this and the following chapters the utter overthrow of Antichrist is described In this chapter you have a new Vision of the Gospels restoring and of Antichrists ruine By the Sea of glass mingled with fire wee are to understand the fiery trials and dreadful persecutions by fire and faggot that Antichrist will inflict upon sincere and faithful Christians The allusion is to the Red Sea and Pharaohs persecuting of Israel but the addition of fire is plainly to distinguish the Popes persecution from Pharaohs for though Pharaoh did sorely oppress the people of God both in their liberties and consciences and though hee had plotted and contrived a way to destroy their male children yet hee was never so cruel hee was never so bloody as to burn the people of God with fire and faggot as Antichrist hath done in all ages But now mark when the vials of the wrath of God comes to be poured out upon Antichrist yea upon what ever smells of Antichrist or looks like Antichrist why then the people of God will in a very eminent way lift up God as the great object of their fear and then the generality of the Nations shall be so deeply affected with the dreadful amazing and astonishing judgements of God upon Antichrist that they shall repent worship him and give glory to him O Sirs when God strikes slaves Sons should tremble great judgements upon sinners speaks out a great deal of the justice and holiness of God and the more the justice and holiness of God appears the more holy his people should grow Ah Christians had you grown more holy by those severe judgements of God that hath been inflicted upon others before your eyes you had not been under those smart rebukes of God that now you are under this day But Seventhly When men are called forth to war by God O! that 's a special time and season wherein God calls aloud for holiness The man of war must have holiness written upon the bridles of the horses Zach. 14.20 When men carry their lives in their hands they had need of holiness in their hearts when in every encounter a man must expect to enter upon a state of eternity hee had need be very holy that so if hee should fall in the encounter The Romans lived more orderly in time of war than in the times of their greatest peace hee may be sure to be happy Deut. 23.9 14. When the Hâ—st goeth forth against thine enemies then keep thee from every wicked thing For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy Camp to deliver thee and to give up thine enemies before thee therefore shall thy Camp be holy that hee see no unclean thing in thee and turn away from thee When the sword devoureth on both hands when it eats the flesh of Nobles and drinks the blood of Nobles when it feeds upon the flesh of the poor and drinks the blood of the needy then every souldier had need be a Saint when an eternity of glory and misery is every moment before every souldier every souldier had need walk very accurately hee had need live very holily Mark though the people of God were to keep themselves from every wicked thing at all other times yet when they went out against their enemies then in a special manner it highly concerned them to keep themselves not from some but from every evil thing or rather as the Hebrew hath it from every evil word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Daâ—ar hee that is in danger of death every step hee takes and that carries his very soul in his hand had need precisely to abstain not onely from every evil work but also from every evil word as here God expresly charges Israel to do When God findes holiness in Israels Camp then God will quickly give up Israels enemies into Israels hands but when the Camp becomes a Den of iniquity then God will depart from the Camp and when God who is the bulwrk of a Camp is departed all the world cannot preserve that Camp from being destroyed Rev. 17.14 The Lamb looks that all those brave hearts that ingage with him against Antichrist should be called and chosen and faithful there is no armour of proof to that of holiness let a man be never so well mounted cloathed armed weaponed yet if hee be unholy hee lies naked and open to all disasters calamities and miseries O Sirs 't is one of the dreadfullest things in the world to hear such a cursing swearing lying and damning of themselves and to see such a giving up themselves to work all manner of wickedness with greediness who carry their lives in their hands every hour in the day yea at whose elbows damnation stands every moment O Sirs when God gives the sword a Commission to eat flesh and drink blood to stay both old and young to spare none that come before it and to pitty none that come nigh unto it it highly concerns all men to be holy this is a special season wherein God calls aloud for holiness I confess I am for Peace and Truth for Peace and Righteousness for Peace and Holiness against all war in the world but when ever the Lord shall call forth his people to fight his battels against Antichrist 1 Sam. 25.28 Dan. 2.31 ult and to smite Daniels Image in peeces it stands them very much upon to be a holy people yea to be eminently holy as they would have the presence of God with them and the power of God ingaged for them and the mercy goodness and blessing of God succeeding and prospering of them though hee that goes to war had need carry his purse with him yet hee must be sure to leave his sins behinde him or else his sins will do him more mischief than all his enemies for they will set God against him and how can straw and stubble possibly stand before a consuming fire I have read of Xerxes that viewing almost an innumerable Army of men hee fell a weeping saying Where will all these men be within a hundred years hee wept to think that all that mighty Army would be in their graves within a hundred years Ah what cause of weeping is there when wee behold most Armies in the world considering that within a few years yea months for any thing wee know they may be most in Hell
do Justice resolutely couragiously valiantly As soon as Joshua came into the office of Magistracy God charges him no lesse then three times in a breath as it were to be very couragious in Joshua 1.6 7 9. A Judge that is timerous will quickly be treacherous A Judge that is fearfull can never be faithful Solomons Throne was supported with Lyons to shew that Magistrates should be men of courage and mettal The Athenian Judges sate in Mars street Acts 17.22 Job 31 31 34. to shew that they had Martial hearts and that they were men of courage and mettal Job was a Judge of rare courage and magnanimity nothing could fear him nothing could daunt him nothing could terrifie him nothing could discourage him from doing Justice and Judgement The Graecians placed Justice betwixt Leo and Libra to signifie that as there must be indifferency in determining so there ought to be courage in executing Where there is courage without knowledge there the eye of Justice is blind and where there is knowledge without courage there the sword of Justice is blunt Judges and Justices should be men of courage for God and godlinesse Why should not the standard be of steel and the chief posts in the house be heart of Oak I have read of Agesilaus how that he was by all concluded fit to be made their King but that he halted Men of the best choicest accomplishments if they are not couragious and magnanimous but lame and halting they are no wayes fit for Magistrates Judges and Justices should have Martial Spirits high Spirits for Justice and Righteousnesse Every Judge every Justice should have a Lyons heart an Eagles eye and a Gyants arm Such men whose hearts are faint whose heads are dull whose ears are heavy whose eyes are dim whose hands are weak and whose feet are lame are more fit to sit in a Chimney corner then to sit Judges and Justices upon the Bench. It hath been long since said of Cato Fabritius and Aristides that it was as easie to remove the Sun out of the Firmament as to remove them from Justice and Equity they were men of such couragious and magnanimous Spirits for Justice and Righteousnesse No scarlet Robe doth so well become a Judge as holy courage and stoutnesse doth I have read of Lewis the eleventh King of France who going about to establish some unjust Edicts which when some of his chief Courtiers perceived they went altogether to him in Red-Gowns the King asked them what they would have the President La Vacqueri answered We are come with a full purpose to lose our lives every one of us rather then by our connivency any unjust Ordinance should take place The King being amazed at this Answer and at the courage constancy and resolution of those Peers gave them gracious entertainment and commanded that all the former Edicts should be forthwith cancelled in his presence Courage and resolution may prevent many a Publick mischief and misery But Sixthly As you are to do Justice resolutely couragiously so you are to do Justice and Judgement exactly Exod. 23.6 7.13 The Egyptians had a notable practise when their Judges were set they caused the Image of a divine Numen by them called truth to be hung about his neck who sate next unto the Judges to make them the more exact and heedfull in Iudgement 2 Chro. 19.5 6 7. And he set Judges in the Land throughout all the fenced Cities of Judah City by City And said to the Judges Take heed what you do for ye judge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in the Judgement Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you Take heed and do it for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God nor respect of person nor taking of gifts God is exact in all his wayes and he is exact in all his works he is exact in all his promises he is exact in all his threatnings he is exact in all his Rewards and he is exact in all his punishments he is exact in the exercise of his mercy and he is exact in the exercise of his Justice And therefore you that are called Gods should in this be like God O Sirs some by force others by flattery some by large presents to your relations and others by promising great rewards to your selves may indeavour to corrupt you and blind you and induce you to judge rashly inconsiderately irregularly c. And therefore you have the more cause to be exact in transacting all your judicial affairs O remember that the most sharp piercing eye of God is still upon you O remember that the severe eye of Jesus Christ who is the Judge of Judges is never off of you And the Angels those Princes of glory are very strict Observers of you When the Ethiopian Judges were set in their seats of Judicature certain empty chairs were placed about them into which they conjectured the holy Angels came and were spectators of all their transactions and this they thought would work such an awe such a dread such a care such a fear and such a resolution in them that they could not but manage all their Judicial proceedings with much exactnesse and heedfulnesse And as the Angels have their eyes upon you so Satan hath alwayes his eyes upon you Cave spectat Cato was a watch-word among the Romans O how much more should Cave spectat Dominus be a watch-word amongst you he hath alwayes a watchfull eye an envious eye a malitious eye a crafty eye and a revengfull eye upon you witnesse his disswading you sometimes from your duty and witnesse his distracting and disturbing of you whilest you are in your duty and witnesse his accusing of you for the neglect of your duty and witnesse his endeavours to pride you and puffe you up upon the discharge of your duty And as the eye of Satan is upon you so the eyes of good men are upon you and the eyes of bad men are upon you And if all this doth not bespeak you to be very exact and accurate in all your Judicial transactions I know nothing My Lords and Gentlemen if all this will not do then remember that the lives liberties consciences rights priviledges estates and interests of persons next to God and Christ and Grace are the most choice and precious the most desireable and delectable Jewels that men have in all the world and therefore you had need be very exact and accurate in all your Judicial transactions Yea once more remember that God will one day bring you to an exact account concerning all your Judicial proceedings That same mouth that tells you that you are Gods Psalm 82.6 Heb. 9.27 tells you also that you must die like men And after death comes Judgement You that now call others to Judgement shall shortly be called to Judgement your selves Acts 17.32 you that now sit in Judgement upon others shall ere long be Judged by him that will
Judge the world in righttousness My Lords and Gentlemen give me leave to tell you Tennes the son of Cyrnus who was worshipped as a god was so strict and exact in Judgement that he caused an Ax to be held over the witnesses heads to execute them out of hand if they were taken with falshood and from thence was the Proverb Tenedia bipennis that that Judge to whom you must be responsible is no ignorant Judge nor no covetous Judge nor no partial Judge nor no fearful Judge nor no doating Judge nor no trifling Judge though such there may be in the world but he is an omniscient Judge an omnipotent Judge an impartial Judge a holy Judge a couragious Judge a serious Judge a severe Judge an unbiassed Judge a righteous Iudge and a resolute Iudge Alas Sirs it is not your scarlet Gowns nor your Titles of honour nor your great estates nor your interest in Princes nor your noble relations nor your applause among men that will stand you in stead when you shall stand before that Iudge that is a consuming fire Heb. 12. ult Well Gentlemen remember this there is never a professing Iudge nor Iustâ—ce in the world that will be able at last to give up their accounts with joy and to stand in judgement when the Lamb shall sit upon his Throne but such as have made it their great businesse to take the spirit of the Lord for their guide and to set up the glory of the Lord as their great end and to make the Word of the Lord their principal Rule and to eye the example of the Lord as their choicest and chiefest pattern and therefore it is much to be feared that the numher of such Iudges and Iustices that will be able to stand before the Iudge of all the world will be but few But Seventhly As you must do justice and judgement exactly so you must do justice to others as you would have others do justice to you For Judges and Justices to do as they would be done by is the Royal Law the golden Rule and the Standard of equity Judges and Justices should think of others as they would have others think of them and speak of others as they would have others speak of them and do to others as they would have others do to them Mat. 7.12 Severus the Emperour had this Scripture often in his mouth and whensoever he punished any of his souldiers for offering of injuries to others he still commanded this Scripture to be proclaimed by the Cryer Whatever by the light of nature or by the light of conscience or by the light of Scripture a Judge a Justice would have another do to him the same must he do to another In all just things for so this Law of Christ is only to be understood we must do to others as we would have others do to us as we would have others carry it equally justly and righteously towards us so we must carry it equally justly and righteously towards others and as we would not have others to wrong us in our names estates rights liberties lives so we must not wrong others in their names estates rights liberties lives c. This Law of Christ is the summe of all righteousnesse it is the foundation of all Justice and Equity Self-love doth so commonly blind the sons of men that to judge righteously they must change the person they must put themselves in others room All Princes Judges Justices Parents Masters Subjects Servants Children should so act in their relations as they would have others act in the correlation All injustice will be repaid one time or another and therefore men had need be just and do to others as they would have others do to them I have read of a Citizen of Comun in the Dukedom of Farrara who being cast into prison upon suspitâ—on of murder his wife could get no promise of his deliverance unlâ—sse she would give the Captain whose prisoner he was two hundred Ducats and yield her body to his pleasure which with the consent of her husband she did but after the Captain had his desire he notwithstanding put him to death The Duke Gonzala hearing of it commanded the Captain to restore the two hundred Ducats to the widow with an addition of seven hundred Crowns then he enjoyned him to marry her presently and lastly before he could enjoy his new wife the Duke caused him to be hanged for his treachery and injustice Sometimes in this life injustice is repaid upon the heads of unjust Judges My Lords and Gentlemen before I close up this head give me leave heartily to recommend to your Justice those wrongs and injuries which more immedâ—ately strike at the honour and glory of the great God God hath put his name upon you Psalm 82.6 I said that ye are gods yet it must be granted that you are gods in a smaller letter mortal gods gods that must die like mâ—n all the sons of Ish are sons of Adam And as God hath put his name upon you so he hath made you his Vice-Royes 2 Chron. 19 6. Ye judge not for your selves but for the Lord. Rom. 13.2 Exod. 16.7 8. 1 Sam. 8.7 And therefore God takes all affronts that are done to you as done to himself as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the margin together And God hath provided for your honour among men Exod. 20.28 Thou shalt not revile the gods Rom. 13.7 Josh 4.14 i. e. the Magistrates nor curse the Ruler of thy people I have read of Fabius Maximus who highly reverenced and honoured his own son being Consul this Heathen will one day rise up in judgement against all such that scorn to give to Magistrates that honour that by the fifth Commandment is due unto them 2 Pet. 2.9 10. 1 Sam. 10.2 Iude 8.2 1 Sam. 8.7 And God is very severe in revenging the wrongs that are done to you He interprets all the injuries that are done to you as done to himself And why then will you not revenge the wrongs and injuries that are done to the great God Give me leave Gentlemen in the behalf of the great God a little to expostulate with you Shall the least dishonourable word that is spoken against an earthly Prince be severely punished and shall all those horrid and hellish blasphemies by which the Prince of the Kings of the earth is dishonoured and reproached all the Nation over passe unobserved Rev. 1.5 Shall all affronts that are offered to Embassadors be deeply resented and justly censured as high indignities done to the Prince that employed them And shall the Embassadors of the great God I mean such as are called commissionated spirited gifted and graced for that high office by God himself be scorned defamed injured reviled and on all hands evilly intreated and yet no man say Why do you thus wickedly 2 Chron. 36.15 ult to provoke the great God to your own destruction Shall it be
and wait and wait and pray look and long and long and look for the breaking forth of this day of glory upon the world The seventh and last Proposition is this That though the people of God ought to bee holy at all times yet there are some special times and seasons wherein God calls aloud for holiness more than hee doth at other times and wherein hee looks and expects that his people should be eminently holy as well as really holy Quest But what are those special times and seasons wherein God calls loudest for Holiness and most for Holiness I answer they are these First After great and sore falls O now God calls aloud for holiness Jer. 3. â—sal 51. Job 3. ch 12.4 5. Isa 38.14 Mat. 26. ult David after his great falls greatly humbles himself before the Lord. And Job after his bitter cursing and heavy complaining abhorrs himself in dust and ashes And Hezekiah after his great miscarriage did chatter like a Crane and mourn as a Dove And Peter after his hellish cursing hiâ— desperate swearing and his hideous lying goes forth and weeps bitterly So Origen after hee had denied the Truth and sacrificed to an Idol hee â—ame to Jerusalem and being desired to preach and having opened his Bible the first Scripture that his eye was fixt upon was that Psal 50.16 17. verses What hast thou to do to take my Word into thy mouth seeing thou hatest to bee reformed whereupon hee shut his Book sate down and fell into a passion of weeping and so came out of the Pulpit as not being able to speak to the people After great falls God expects and looks that his people should bee more fearful of sin than ever and more careful of pleasing and honouring of him than ever and more resolute in resisting of temptations than ever and more constant and abundant in a way of duty than ever and more thankful and fruitful under mercies than ever and more quiet and silent under afflictions than ever and more stout and couragious in the face of all opposition than ever more wise and circumspect in their walkings than ever and more vigilant and diligent to prevent avoid future falls than ever how else will the honour of God bee repaired and the glory of Religion bee vindicated and the Credit of the Gospel be raised and the grieved Saints bee rejoyced and young beginners in Religion be afresh incouraged and secure sinners bee awakened convinced and converted But Secondly When God shews singular mercy to his people and when hee doth great things for his people then hee expects and looks that his people should bee a holy people and then hee calls loudest for Holiness Exod. 19.3 4 5. And Moses went up unto God and the Lord called unto him out of the Mountain saying Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob and tell the children of Israel Yee have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I bare you upon Eagles wings and brought you unto my self Now therefore of yee will obey my voice indeed and keep my Covenant then yee shall bee a peculiar treasure unto mee above all people for all the Earth is mine Here Moses makes use of a very elegant expression to shew the singular love Vide Aristotle l. 9. de Historia Animalium care kindness and goodness of God towards his people Hee bare you upon Eagles wings the Eagle is a very Princely Noble Bird shee fears no Birds from above to hurt her young ones and because shee fears the Arrow from beneath therefore shee carries her young ones upon her wings so that there is no hurting nor harming nor no killing of them but by shooting through the body of the old one other Birds carry their young ones in their talons and so expose them to danger but the Eagle carries hers upon her wings that they may bee safe and secure Moses to shew how choice and chary God was of Israel and how much hee stood upon their safety and security tells them that he carried them upon Eagles wings that so none of their enemies might ruine or destroy them yea that they might not so much as in the least hurt or harm them hee carried them out of Egypt and hee carried them through the Red-Sea sweetly swiftly strongly and tenderly as the Eagle carried her young ones when danger is at hand Now God having exprest such love such care such bowels such tenderness such sweetness and such kindness to his people hee looks and expects that they should bee a holy people and therefore hee strongly urges them to obey Gods voice indeed and to keep his Covenant now what is it for a man to obey Gods voice indeed and to keep his Covenant out to bee really holy yea to be eminently holy So in that 10th of Deut. where Moses had made a large Narrative of the singular favours and mercies of God to Israel in the eleven first verses of that chapter hee falls in the 12 and 13. verses upon pressing of them to bee a holy people And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God to walk in all his waies and to love him and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul To keep the Commandements of the Lord and his statutes which I command thee this day The word in the 12th vers rendred require is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shoel from Shaal which signifies to ask to request or petition a person Now here â—â—ses brings in God asking requesting and petitioning of Isrâ— l that they would fear him and walk in his waies c. and what is that but that they would bee a holy people to him that had done such great and glorious things for them the word in the 13. vers rendred keep is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shamar which signifies to keep carefully diligently Job 7.12 1 King 20.39 faithfully to keep as watch-men keep the City or as Souldiers keep their Garrisons or as Jaylors keep their Prisoners Now God would have his people thus to keep his Commandements and his Statutes and this God would have them to do upon the account of those high acts of favour and grace that hee had shewed unto them and thus to keep his Commandements and his Statutes what is it but to be a holy people yea to be a very holy people unto the Lord And so in that Ezra 9.13 14. Seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve and hast given us such deliverance as this should wee again break thy Commandements and joyn in affinity with the people of these abominations wouldest thou not bee angry with us till thou hast consumed us so that there should bee no remnant nor escaping Free and rich mercy calls hardest and loudest for duty the more merciful God hath been to his people the more fearful they should be of offending of him
and the more careful they should be in pleasing of him Divine blessings should be the greatest obligations in the world upon a Christian to keep at a distance from sin and to keep close to a holy God the greater the mercy is and the more miraculous the deliverance and the salvation is that God crowns his people with the greater are the ingagements that God hath put upon them to be a holy people to him So in that 116. Psal David gives in a bill of particulars in the eight first verses hee gives you a choice Narrative of the singular favours and blessings of God both in respect of his inward and his outward man God had been good to his soul and hee had been kind to his body hee tells you of Gods sparing mercy and of his preventing mercy and of his preserving mercy and of his delivering mercy and of his supporting mercy and of his multiplying mercy and of his pardoning mercy hee tells you that God hath heard his prayers and wip'd off his tears and preserved his feet from falling and his soul from death And then in the following words hee tells you what his resolution is upon the whole I will walk before the Lord in the Land of the Living vers 9. or rather as the Hebrew hath it Ethhallech Liphne Jehovah I will walk before the face of the Lord The Hebrew word that is here rendred walk signifies a continued action or the reiteration of an action David resolves that hee will not only take a turn or two with God or walk a pretty way with God as Orpah did with Ruth Ruth 1.10 15. and then take his leave of God as Orpah did of her Mother but hee resolves whatever comes on it that hee will walk constantly resolutely and perpetually before God or before the face of the Lord Now walking before the face of the Lord doth imply a very exact circumspect accurate and precise walking before God and indeed no other walking is either suitable or pleasing to the eye of God But is this all that hee will do upon the receipt of such signal mercies O no! for hee resolves to take the cup of salvation and to call upon the Name of the Lord and â—o offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving v. 13. and 17. but is this all that hee will do oh no! for hee resolves that hee will presently pay his vows unto the Lord in the presence of all his people v. 14 and 18. but is this all that hee will do O no! for hee resolves that hee will love the Lord better than ever and more than ever v. 1. Hee loved God before with a real love but having now received such rare mercies from God hee is resolved to love God with a more raised love and with a more inflamed love and with a more active and stirring love and with a more growing and increasing love than ever And so the Apostle in that Rom. 12.1 2. I beseech you therefore Brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service And bee not conformed to this world but bee yee transformed by the renewing of your mind that yee may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God When this great Apostle would work up the Romans to a full resignation of themselves to God and to his service and would sence and arm them against the sinful fashions customes examples dispositions and practices of a corrupt and wicked world hee sets the mercies of God before them the Apostle very well knew that there was no such spur to holiness nor no such preservative against wickedness as this was the Apostle could have set threatnings before them and the curse before them and wrath before them and former and latter judgements before them and hell before them and yet hee passes over all these things and presents the mercies of God before them as the most effectual means under Heaven to engage them to holiness and to fortify them against all sinful conformity and worldly vanity O Sirs you are all under several signal mercies this day you are out of Hell and is not that a signal mercy you have many mercies that others want and is not that a signal mercy yet God rains Mannah every day about your Tents when others wander several miles and are too often put off with stones instead of bread and is not that a signal mercy That wicked mens hearts should be so full of wrath rage revenge envy and malice and you cast at their feet and yet not trod to death is a signal mercy that you should stand when others fall that you should be faithful when others are false that you should persevere when others backslide that you should be for God when so many are for Baal and that you should be followers of the Lamb when so many thousands are dancing after Antichrists Pipes are all very rare and signal mercies and calls aloud upon you to be holy yea to be eminently holy c. But Thirdly Times of personal afflictions are times wherein God calls aloud for holiness when the Rod of God is upon our backs See my Mute Christian under the Smarting Rod c. it highly concerns us to look that our words are full of grace and that all our waies and works are full of holiness Now God looks that his people should be divinely fearful of offending him and divinely careful in pleasing of him and divinely willing to resign up themselves to him and divinely patient in waiting on him and divinely humble in submitting to him and divinely wise in justifying of him and divinely resolute in serving of him Heb. 12.10 But hee afflicts us for our profit that wee might be made partakers of his holiness why they were before partakers of his holiness that 's true and these words declare that the great reach and design of God in all the afflictions that hee brings upon his people is to make them more and more holy and therefore for Christians to be proud under the Rod and carnal under the Rod and worldly under the Rod and froward under the Rod and stupid under the Rod and wanton under the Rod and wicked under the Rod is to cross and frustrate the great design of God in afflicting of them In afflictions God looks that his people should shine brighter and brighter and grow better and better and holier and holier O there is nothing that pleases God more that delights God more that affects God more or that wins upon God more than to see his people a holy people in the daies of their afflictions Well-waters are hottest in the winter c. Jer. 2.2 3. Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem saying Thus saith the Lord I remember thee the kindness of thy youth the love of thine Espousals when thou wentest after mee in the wilderness in a Land that was not sown Israel