The Crown and Glory of Christianity

First, That the number of those that shall be eternally happy, the number of those that shall attain to a blessed [ 1] vision and glorious fruition of God in heaven are very few: for there are but a few that reach to this holiness without which there is no happiness, Rev. 3.4. Thou hast a few names, even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. Among the many in Sardis there were but a few that had holy insides and pure outsides: Among the multitude that made a holy profession, there were but few that walked answerable to their holy calling: and therefore but a few that should walk with Christ in white. White in ancient times was the Habit of Nobles: to walk with Christ in white, is to partake with Christ in his glory, they and only they at last shall be clothed nobly, royally, gloriously, who maintain inward and outward purity. The holy seed is a little little flock, Luke 12.32. here are two Diminitives in the Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 little little flock; to show the exceeding littleness of it. They were little in their own eyes, and little in their enemies eyes, and little in regard of that world of Wolves among whom they were preserved as a spark of fire in the midst of the wide Ocean. When the Syrians came up against Israel in the time of Ahab, it is said that the children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of Kids, but the Syrians filled the country, 1 Kings 20.27. holy souls are but like two little flocks of kids; but the unholy fill the world: Gracious souls are like the three hundred men of Gideon: but graceless souls are as the Midianites that were like Grashoppers for multitude, Judges 7.7.12. Straight is the gate, and narrow is the way that leads unto life, and few there be that find it, Matth. 7.14. The way of holiness that leads to happiness, is a narrow way; there is but just room enough for a holy God and a holy soul to walk together. And few there be that find it; And no wonder: for there are but few that minds it, that loves it, that likes it, or that enquires after it. The whole world lies in wickedness, 1 Joh. 5.19. and will die in their wickedness, John 8.21. Geographers say, that if all the known parts of the world were divided into one and thirty parts, there will be found but five parts that do so much as profess the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; For at this day nineteen parts of the world are possessed by unholy Turks and Jews, which do not, nor will not so much as acknowledge Jesus Christ to be the King and Head of his Church. And seven parts of the world is possessed this day merely by Heathens who worship stocks and stones. And of those five parts that are possessed by Christians, how many are Papists, Atheists, Hypocrites, Drunkards, Swearers, Liars, Adulterers, Idolaters, Oppressors? How many are proud, covetous, carnal, formal, lukewarm, indifferent, &c! Now should all these sorts of sinners be separated (as they shall in the great day) from those that are gracious and holy, would it not quickly appear, that the flock of Christ is a little little flock! Ah how few among the great ones are found to be gracious! How few among the rich are found to be rich in Christ, rich in grace, rich in good works! how few among those that are high born, can you find that are new born? It was the saying of One, that all the names of good Emperors might be engraven in a little Ring. And so saith Lipsius, that the names of all good Princes may easily be written in a small Ring. I have read of godly Mr. Buchanan that was King James his Tutor, who lying upon his dying bed, desired a Noble man then with him to tell the King, that his old Master Buchanan was going to a place where few Kings come. (Kings are as rare meat in heaven, as venison is in poor men's kitchins, saith the Dutch Proverb.) And how few among the wise can you find that are wise for heaven, that are wise for their souls, that are wise for eternity. And how few among the learned, can you find that have learned Christ, and learned their own hearts, and learned to deny themselves, and learned to save their own souls and others! By all which it is most evident that few are holy, and that few shall be happy. But,

Secondly, and more particularly, Is it so that real holiness [ 2] is the only way to happiness: and that without holiness here no man shall ever come to a blessed vision or fruition of God hereafter? Then this may serve to convince several sorts of persons of their woeful and miserable conditions. As,

[ 1] First, All profane persons who give up themselves to wickedness, who wallow in all ungodliness, and delight themselves in all manner of filthiness, who commit wickedness with greediness; who draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart-rope; who weary themselves to commit iniquity; who are so desperately set upon wickedness, that neither the rod of God, the lashes and checks of their own consciences, nor the flashes of hell upon their souls can reduce them, who are resolved that they will gratify their lusts, though they damn their souls; and who will live wickedly, though they perish eternally: Who by custom in sin, have destroyed all conscience of sin, and contracted such desperate hardness upon their own hearts, as neither smiles nor frowns, promises, nor threatenings, life nor death, heaven nor hell, ministry nor misery, miracle nor mercy can possibly mollify them; these are grown from naught, to be very naught; from very naught, to be stark naught; these souls are sadly left of God, and woefully blinded by Satan, and fully ripened for ruin. Now if without holiness no man shall see the Lord, what will become of all profane wretches, who are so far from being holy, that they fall short of common honesty? Certainly God will shut the gates of glory upon such workers of iniquity. Such profane Esau's shall never be blest with a sight of God in glory. A wicked man is a sin lover; he is a sin maker, he lives in sin upon choice; the Hebrew word that is commonly used for a wicked man 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 properly signifies a laborious sinner, a practitioner in sin; now such as these are, God will have nothing to do with, Job 8.20. Behold God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers, or rather as the Hebrew carries it, he will not take the ungodly by the hand: that is, he will not have any fellowship, any society, any familiarity with the ungodly: the holy God will not so much as take an ununholy soul by the hand; he will not in the least countenance him nor respect him; he will not welcome him nor entertain him, nor show the least favor to him. Now certainly if God will not take the wicked by the hand, he will never take them into heaven, he will never take them into his bosom. God will have no commerce nor communion with those to whom he will not so much as lend a hand. God will wash his hands of them forever, to whom he will not give a hand. Which made Austin say, that he would not be a wicked man one half hour for all the world, because he might die in that half hour. God will wash his hands of every man that lives and dies a wicked man, Mat 25.11.12. The hearts and ways of wicked menare full of hells: and therefore to fill heaven with such, would be to fill heaven with hells.

Secondly, This truth may serve to convince those that [ 2] are scoffers and mockers at holiness of their woeful and miserable estate. Holiness is so high, and so noble a thing, that men should rather honor it, then deride it; reverence it, then reproach it: they should rather set a crown of glory, then a crown of thorns upon the head of it. Holiness is the glorious Image of God fairly stamped upon the foul; and to deride holiness, is to deride God himself: God takes all the affronts that are done to his Image: as done to himself: and this scoffers shall know at last to their eternal woe. If it was such a heinous crime in Tiberius his days to carry the Image of Augustus upon a Ring or Coin into any sordid place; Ah how heinous a crime is it then to cast dirt and filth, scorn and reproach upun holiness, which is the Image of the invisible God! The despite and contempt that is done to the Image or coin of a Prince is done to the Prince himself; and accordingly he will revenge it. In old Rome there were near as many Statues as there were living people; and some were made of Gold, some of Silver, some of Brass, some of Ivory, and some of polished Marble: And there was an Earl appointed whose office it was continually to walk up and down in the night attended with many soldiers to see that none did wrong the Statues of those that were set up in the City, and if any such were found that had done wrong to any of the Statues, they were put to death. Holiness is the Statue of God, and such as shall dare to deface it and wrong it, God will destroy: The old world scofft and scornd at righteousness, and God sweeps them away with a flood. Cham mockit and scoffit at Righteous Noah; and what did he get by it, but a curse? Ishmael scoffit at holy Isaac; and what did he get by his scoffing and mocking but ejection out of Abraham's family? And what became of those two and forty young scoffers that scoffed and mocked at holy Elisha? were they not cursed in the name of the Lord, and torn in pieces by two She bears, which were more fierce and cruel then others? The Jews were much given up to scoffing and mocking of the messengers of the Lord, till there was no remedy: till old and young were destroyed by the sword of the Chaldees: till their Temple and City were fired and sacked, and thirty of them sold for a penny: &c. and those that escaped the sword, were captivated and enslaved. Sennacherib scoffed and mocked at the Virgin d • ughter of Zion, but his scoffs issued in the destruction of his Army by the hand of an Angel; and in his own, by the hands of his two Sons. Julian the Emperor was a great mocker and scoffer at the Christians, but God struck him with an Arrow from heaven, which made him cry out Vicisti Galilee, thou Galilean (meaning our Lord Jesus) hast overcome me. Felix for one malicious scoff did nothing day and night but vomit blood till his unhappy soul was separated from his wretched body. Lucian for barking against religion as a dog, was by the just judgments of God devoured of dogs. History tells us of some scoffers that God hath stricken with madness: Others with blindness: others with loathsome diseases: and some God hath stricken dead: and others he hath left to be their own Executioners. Scoffing at holiness is a Metropolitan sin; and therefore no wonder if God executes upon scoffers Metropolitan judgments. Mockers and scoffers are the worst of sinners. Among the three sorts of sinners that David mentions, Scorners have the chair. The chair of Pestilence, as the Septuagint translateth it. Scorners are the pests of mankind. The eye of the Scorner is blinded; the heart of the scorner is hardened; the judgment of the scorner is perverted: the will of the scorner is enthralled: and the conscience of the scorner is seared, and this makes the scorner fall mad upon scoffing at holy men and holy things. Look as they are the worst of servants that will scoff and mock a child in the family, because he is his Fathers picture (though they take wages of his Father, and live by his Father) so they are the worst of sinners who scoff at holiness which is the very picture of God, though they live by him, and cannot live without him: Yet this world is full of such monsters who count it a grace to disgrace holiness, and to lade holy ones with all the names of scorn and contempt that they can invent, or that Satan can help them to: These are your holy brethren, these are Fanatics, these are your holy Sect, these are your pure souls, these are your strict Precifians, these are the Saints forsooth, these are the brotherhood! Erasmus saith, that that Proverb, A young Saint, and an old devil, was devised by the Devil himself to scoff and mock men out of their holiness. It hath been the common portion of men most eminent in grace and holiness, to be most scofft and scorned in all Ages: witness Noah, Isaac and Elisha but now cited: and witness Job, Chap. 21.3. Suffer me that I may speak, and after that I have spoken mock on. Chap. 12.4. I am as one mocked of his neighbor, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn. So David, Psalm 35.16. With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth, Psalm 44.14. Thou makest us a by-word among the Heathen. Psalm 79.4. We are become a reproach, and derision to them who are round about us. Psalm 109.25. I am become a reproach to them; when they looked upon me, they shaked their heads. So Isa. 8.18. Behold I and the children that the Lord hath given me, are for signs, and for wonders in Israel. So Jeremiah, Chap. 20.7. I am in derision daily, everyone mocketh me. So Paul, Acts 17.18. What will this babbler say? So the Apostles, Acts 2.13. Others mocking, said, These men are full of new wine. So those Worthies of whom this world was not worthy, Heb. 11.36. Others had trial of cruel mockings. But above all, how sadly, how frequently, yea, how fearfully was our Lord Jesus Christ scoffed and scorned by Herod and Pilate, and flouted by the rascally soldiers? but the vengeance of his Father overtook them all. And in the Primitive times as Tertullian observes, the Saints were called, herds of Asses, vile fellows, the Disciples of a man crucified: Galileans, Nazarites; Eaters of men's flesh, and drinkers of men's blood. The Heathens (as the same Author observes) painted the God of the Christians with an Asses head, and a book in his hand; to signify that though the Christians pretended to knowledge, yet they were a company of silly ignorant Asses. The Libertines of old have cast much scorn and contempt upon all the Apostles: they call Matthew an Usurer, Peter an Apostate, Luke a pelting Physician, Paul a broken vessel, and John a foolish young man, &c. by way of scorn and contempt: Athanasius was called Sathanasius, and Cyprian was called Coprian, one that gathers up dung: and so Luther, Calvin, and almost everyone that hath attained to any eminency in holiness, they have been commonly accounted as the off-scouring and refuse among the people. Now certainly, if holiness be the only way to happiness, &c. then such as are scorners and scoffers at holiness; are out of the very way to happiness: and how such are like to come to heaven, that scorn the very path that leads to heaven, I shall leave you to judge. If the Ravens of the valley shall pick out his eyes that mocketh his Father, and the young Eagles eat out his eyes that despiseth the instruction of his Mother, (as Solomon speaks) then of how much sorer punishment are they guilty off, who mock and scoff at holiness which is the very Image, picture and glory of God himself! holiness is so near akin to God, that no man can deride holiness, but he derides God himself. As he that mocks the poor, derides him that made him, Prov. 17.5. so he that mocks holy ones, derides that God that made them holy. And will God take this at the scorners hands? no, he will retaliate: he loves to retaliate scorn upon the scorner, Proverbs 3.34. Surely he scorneth the scorners: God will pay home scorners in their own coin, scorners shall be sure to have scorning enough. God so scorns the persons and prayers of scorners, that he will have nothing to do with them. The Angels so scorn scorners, that instead of being a life-guard to them; they stand ready pressed to execute the vengeance of heaven upon them. And Saints are so far to scorn them (by a divine precept) as not to reprove them, Prov. 9.8. Reprove not a scorner lest he hate thee. Yea, God in his just judgments will make scorners to be an abomination to all sorts of men, Prov. 24.9. The scorner is an abomination to men; that is, to all sorts of men: the scorner is an abomination not only to holy men, but also to all ingenious men, and to all civil and moral honest men. As the scorners tongue and hand is against every man, so every man's tongue and hand shall be against him. Now if the scorners of men be abominable to men, then much more are the scorners of holiness abominable to God: and therefore certainly, such shall be shut out from a glorious fruition of God.

Thirdly, If real holiness be the only way to happiness, [ 3] and that if men be not holy on earth, they shall never come to a blessed vision or fruition of God in heaven: Then by way of conviction, this looks sowerly and sadly upon all Formalists who have only a form, a show, a profession of holiness, but have nothing of the reality, spirit, life, or power of holiness in them. 2 Tim. 3.5. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof, from such turn away. They have ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) a face, a vizard, a mask, a show of godliness, but they have nothing of the pith, sap, life, or marrow of godliness: their devotion, their godliness lies in good words, and in fair shows, and in religious gestures; if you hearken to their voice, if you look upon their eyes, if you observe the motion of their hands, and the bowing of their knees, and the shaking of their heads, &c. you would think that they were men of much religion, of much godliness. But if you look into their hearts and lives, you will find them to be the greatest renouncers and deniers of Religion and godliliness in the world. They have the semblance of goliness, but not the substance; they have the lineaments of godliness, but not the life: they have the face of godliness, but not the heart: they have the form, the shadow of godliness, but not the power. They are like a well drawn picture which hath all the lineaments of a man, but wants life, wants a principle of motion and operation. Mark 1. The form of godliness is common, but the power of godliness is rare. 2. The form of godliness is cheap, but the power of godliness is dear. 3. The form of godliness is easy, but the power of godliness is difficult. 4. The form of godliness is a credit, but the power of godliness is a reproach. 5. The form of godliness is pleasurable and delightful, but the power of godliness is displeasing and undelightful (to the ignoble part of a Christian.) 6. The form of godliness will stand with secret and with open wickedness (as you see in Saul, Jehu, Judas, Simon Magus, Demas, and the Scribes and Pharisees) but the power of godliness will not; the power of godliness lays the Ax to the very root of all sin, both secret and open. Rachel was very fair and beautiful to the eye, but she was barren, and that marred all. So the Formalist, he is a very fair and beautiful Christian to the eye, but he is barren God-wards, and Christ-wards, and Heaven-wards: he is fruitless, sapless, and lifeless, and that mars all. The Formalist takes up a form of godliness, 1. To quiet his conscience: 2. To get himself a name. 3. To cloak over his sins. 4. To advance his worldly interest: and 5. To avoid opposition and persecution from the world, the flesh, and the Devil. 6. And to conform to old customs. And what should such Formalists do in heaven? A formal Christian is but a figure, a flaunt, a flourish, a flash; and all he doth, is but the shadow of what he should do. A formalist is more light then life, more notion then motion, more head then heart, more outside then inside, more leaves then fruit, more shadow then substance. A formalist is a blazing Comet, a painted Tomb, a Stage-player, a white devil, or a devil in an Angels habit, and what should such devils do in heaven? Certainly, if without real holiness no man shall see the Lord; then the formalist (that hath only the shape, the show, the form of godliness, but nothing of the reality and power of it) shall never be blest with such a sight: A formalist is neither hot nor cold; of all sorts of sinners he is the worst, and God so loathes him, that he is resolved he will rid his stomach of him, Rev. 3.16. I will spew thee out of my mouth: and certainly, heaven is too holy a place to lick up that gorge God hath cast up. Lukewarm water cannot be so loathsome to our stomachs, as a formalist is to God's. God is never at such ease, as when he hath cast up, and cast out the formal Christian. I have read of Anastasius the Emperor, how God shot him to death with a thunder-bolt because of his lukewarmness and formality. God hath a thunder-boult for every formalist, by which he will at last certainly strike them down to the lowest hell: A formalist is too loathsome a thing, too heavy a burden for heaven to bear.

Fourthly, If real holiness be the only way to happiness: [ 4] if men must be holy on earth, or else they shall never see the face of God in heaven: Then this truth by way of conviction looks sowerly and sadly upon all those who please and satisfy themselves with civility and common honesty: who are good negative Christians, who bless themselves that they are no swearers, nor drunkards, nor extortioners, nor adulterers, &c. they pay every man his own, they are just and righteous in their dealings; no man can say black is their eye; their carriage is civil, comely, harmless and blameless. They make a fair show in the flesh, Gal. 6.12. or as the Greek hath it, they set a good face on it. But as good a face as they do set on it, I must crave leave to tell them that civility is not sanctity; civility rested in, is but a beautiful abomination, a smooth way to hell and destruction. I may truly say of all civil men (who are disstitute of that real holiness that leads to happiness) what Erasmus said of Seneca, If you look upon him as a heathen, then he seemeth to write as if he were a Christian; but if you look upon him as a Christian, then he seemeth to write as a heathen. So if you look upon many civil moral men's lives, you will find them so full of ingenuity, equity, righteousness, sweetness and justice, that you will be ready to say, Sure these are holy men. But then do but observe how unacquainted they are with God, with Christ, with the Scripture, with the way and working of the spirit, with the filthiness of sin, with the depths and devices of Satan, with their own hearts, with the newbirth, and with the great concernments of eternity, and you will judge them to be mere heathens, to be men void of all principles of grace and holiness; and to be mere strangers to union and communion with Christ, and to the more secret and inward operations and workings of the spirit of Christ, and to the most spiritual duties and services that are commanded by Christ. Civility is very often the nurse of impiety, the mother of flattery, and an enemy to real sanctity: a high conceit of civility keeps many a man from looking after inward and outward purity: moral honesty proves to many men a bond of iniquity. There are those who are so blinded with the fair shows of civility, that they can neither see the necessity, nor beauty of sanctity: there are those that now bless themselves in their common honesty, whom at last God will scorn and cast off for want of real holiness and purity. Many of the Heathens were so famous for justice and righteousness, for equity, fidelity and sobriety, for civility and moral honesty, that it would put many professors to the blush to read what is written of them: and yet there was such a tincture of popular applause, of pride and vain glory, of hypocrisy and self-flattery, upon their civility and moral honesty, that for anything we can find in Scripture to the contrary, there is cause to fear that they shall be miserable to all eternity: for all their civility and moral honesty, they were left in a damnable, I will not say in a damned condition: he that rises to no higher pitch then civility and moral honesty, shall never have communion with God in glory. Naaman was a great man but a Leper, Naaman was an honorable man, but a Leper; Naaman was a mighty man, but a Leper; Naaman was a victorious man but a Leper; Naaman was in high favor and esteem with his Prince, but a Leper. This but he was a Leper, stained all his honor, and was a blot upon all his greatness and glory, both at Court, and in the field; both in the City, and in the Country. So it is a stain, a blot upon the most moral honest man in the world to say, he is a very civil honest man, but Christless: he is a very just man, but graceless; he is a man of much moral righteousness, but he hath not a dram of real holiness, &c. This but is a fly in the box of ointment that spoils all. Well Sirs, remember this, though the moral honest man be good for many things, yet he is not good enough to go to heaven, he is not good enough to be made glorious, Mat. 5.20. Certainly, there is nothing in all the world below real sanctity, that will ever bring a man to the possession of glory. And though it may grieve us (to speak after the manner of men) to see sweet natures, to see many moral honest men take many a weary step towards heaven, and to come near to heaven, and to bid fair for heaven, and yet after all to fall short of heaven: yet it will be no way grievous to a holy God to turn such sweet natures into hell, Psal. 9.17. moral honesty is not sufficient to keep a man out of eternal misery; all it can do is to help a man to one of the best rooms and easiest beds that hell affords. For look as the moral man's sins are not so great as others, so his punishments shall not be so great as others. This is all the comfort that can be afforded to a moral man, that he shall have a cooler hell then others have: but this is but cold comfort. Moral honesty without piety is as a body without a soul, and will ever God accept of such a stinking sacrifice. Surely no.

Fifthly, If real holiness be the only way to happiness; if [ 5] men must be holy on earth, or else they shall never come to a fruition of God in heaven; then this truth by way of conviction looks sowerly and sadly upon all Neuters, who divide their hearts between God and Mammon, who halt between God and Baal, who divide their souls between heaven and earth, between Religion and their lusts. Like the Samaritans, who both worshipped the Lord, and the Assyrians Idols too. A Neuter is a monster; he hath two tongues, two minds, and two souls: he hath a tongue for God, and a tongue for the world too; he looks up to God and saith Certainly thou art mine; he looks down upon the world, and saith Surely I am thine; He hath a mind to be religious, and a mind to save his own stake in the world too. He hath a soul reaching after the happiness of another world, Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his, saith Balaam: and he hath a soul strongly reaching after this evil world too, as if heaven and happiness were wrapped up in it. As you may see in the same person, he loved the wages of unrighteousness: he loved it as his portion, he loved it as his life, he loved it as his happiness, he loved it as his all; he loved it as his soul, yea, he loved it above his own soul, for he damned his soul to gain it. It is true, when he was under a divine restraint, he professed that he would not curse the people of God for a house full of Gold; but when he was from under that restraint, his heart was so set upon the unrighteous reward, that he would have cursed them for a handful of gold. The Neuter (as the Romans paint Erasmus ) hangs between heaven and earth; He is neither fit to go to heaven, nor yet worthy to live on earth. If Meroz was to be certainly cursed, to be bitterly cursed, to be universally cursed (as the Hebrew phrase, cursing curse ye Meroz imports, in Judges 5.23.) for standing Neuter, when they should have come forth to the help of the Lord: Do you think that Neuters in religion shall be blest? Do you think that ever such shall go to heaven, who are indifferent whether they go to heaven, or no? or that ever such shall be happy, who are indifferent whether they be holy or no? or that ever such shall see the face of Christ with joy, who are indifferent whether they have an interest in Christ or no? or that ever such shall be admitted into the kingdom of glory, who are indifferent where ever they have any entrance into the kingdom of grace or no. Certainly heaven is too holy to hold any such indifferent, irresolute Neutral souls. In the University not long since there were three Doctors heads of houses; one of them was accounted an Innovator; the second a Puritan; the third a Neuter. A witty Scholar presented them thus to the world; the first in a Coach driving to Rome: the second driving to Genev • h: the third running on foot, begging sometimes the one, sometimes the other to receive him, but both refused him. Neuters shall be refused on all hands at last. God will refuse them because he loathes halting: Angels will refuse them because they loath halving: Good men will refuse them, because they loath lukewarmness; and bad men will refuse them because they pretend to goodness, though they live in wickedness. Ambo-dexters in Religion are ignominious disgracers both of the name and profession of Christians, they are prodigious traitors to the crown of heaven: they are the greatest enemies to the power of godliness, they are the very offspring of Judas, and in the day of account it will be found that it had been good for them that they had never been born. Neutrality is the spiritual adultery of the heart: Neuters are spiritual Harlots, they have their hearts divided between God and Mammon, betwixt Christ and other Lovers. Now Harlots in Ancient time were to be burnt, Gen. 38.24. Certainly hell is for the Neuter, and the neuter for hell: God will be as severe, yea, more severe in punishing spiritual whoredom, then ever men have been in punishing corporal whoredom. God looks upon every neuter as a man in arms against him, Matth. 12.30. He that is not with me, is against me. And therefore Martial Law shall be executed upon them. God will blot out their names, and hang them up as monuments of his justice and vengeance. Sirs, do not deceive your own souls, no man was ever yet carried to glory in the chariot of neutrality or mediocrity: he that is not throughout holy, is not really holy, and he that is not really holy, can never be truly happy: it is only throughout holiness that entitles a man to everlasting happiness. The true mother would not have the child divided; she would have all or none; you must be for all holiness, or for none. Neuters now devide and cut those things asunder, that God hath closely joined together: but at last God will suite their punishment to their sin, and cut them asunder, Luke 12.46. Now the neuter chooses here a piece, and there a piece: and at last God will cut him in pieces, as Samuel did Agag. Well, Neuters, now you divide one command from another, one duty from another, one promise from another, one threatening from another, one ordinance from another, and one way of God from another: But the day is a coming wherein God will divide your souls from your bodies, and both from himself, his Son, his Saints, and his Glory forever.

[ 6] Sixthly, If real holiness be the only way to happiness, if men must be holy on earth, or they shall never come to a fruition of God in heaven: Then this truth by way of conviction, looks sowerly and sadly upon all hypocrites, who have only a seeming holiness, a feigned holiness, a counterfeit holiness. The Apostle speaks of a true holiness, Ephes. 4.24. (or holiness of truth, as the Greek reads it) in opposition to that feigned and counterfeit holiness, that is in the world: pretended holiness is most opposite to the holiness of God. Hypocritical holiness is the greatest unholiness; and as God hath, so certainly God will still suit the punishment to the sin. If it was death in Moses his Law, to counterfeit that Ceremonial and figurative ointment; what shall it then be to counterfeit the spirit of life and holiness? Dissembled sanctity is double iniquity: He that professeth religion without being religious, and godliness without being godly: he that makes counterfeit holiness a cloak to impiety, and a Mid-wife to iniquity; He that is a Cato without, and a Nero within; a Jacob without, and an Esau within: a David without, and a Saul within; a Peter without, and a Judas within: a Saint without, and a Satan within: an Angel without, and a devil within, is ripened for the worst of torments, Matth. 24.5. And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Hypocrites are the freeholders of hell: all other sinners do but hold under them: none have so large a portion in hell as hypocrites have: No man at last will be found so miserable, as he that hath the name of a Saint upon him, but not the divine nature in him: that hath a profession of holiness upon him, but no principles of holiness in him: that hath a form of godliness, but not the power: that can cry up godliness, and court godliness, but in practice denies it: that is a Jew outwardly, but an Atheist, a Pagan, a devil inwardly. Who had a greater name for holiness, and who made a greater show of holiness, and who did more despise and insult over men for the want of holiness, then the Scribes and Pharisees? and who so miserable now as they? Mat. 23.14. Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites: for ye devour widows houses, and for a pretence make long prayers, therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Pretended holiness will double damn souls at last. Sirs, do not deceive your own souls: A painted sword shall as soon defend a man, and a painted mint shall as soon enrich a man, and a painted fire shall as soon warm a man, and a painted friend shall as soon counsel a man, and a painted horse shall as soon carry a man, and a painted feast shall as soon satisfy a man, and a painted house shall as soon shelter a man, as a painted holiness shall save a man. He that now thinks to put off God with a painted holiness, shall not fare so well at last, as to be put off with a painted happiness. The lowest, the hottest, and the darkest habitation in hell will be his portion, whose religion lies all in shows and shadows. Well, spiritual Counterfeits, remember this, it will not be long before Christ will unmask you, before he will uncase you, before he will disrobe you, before he will take off your vizards, your hoods, and turn your rotten insides outward, to your eternal shame and reproach before all the world. Counterfeit Diamonds may sparkle and glister, and make a great show for a time, but their luster will soon wear off (Nil fictum est diuturnum) nothing counterfeit will last long. Maud, mother to King Henry the second, being besieged in Winchester -castle, counterfeited herself to be dead, and so was carried out in a Coffin, whereby she escaped; at another time being besieged at Oxford in a cold Winter, by wearing white apparel she got away in the snow undiscovered, but at last vengeance did over-take her. So though hypocrites may for a time seem to be dead to sin, and dead to the world, though they may clothe themselves with a snow-like purity, and with the white sattin of seeming sanctity, yet God at last will unmask and unmuffle them, and vengeance will with a witness overtake them, Isa. 33.14. Hypocrites are like blazing Stars, which so long as they are fed with vapors, shine as if they were fixed Stars; but let the vapors dry up, and presently they vanish and disappear: As the joy of the hypocrite, so the goodness of the hypocrite is but for a moment; it is as a morning cloud and as the early dew; an hypocrite is a mere comet, a flaunt, a flash; principles of holiness are lasting, but hypocrisy makes a man only constant in inconstancy.

[ 7] Seventhly, If real holiness be the only way to happiness; if men must be holy on earth, or they shall never come to a fruition of God in heaven: Then this truth by way of conviction, looks sowerly and sadly upon such, who please and bless themselves with common gifts and common grace; with a gift of knowledge, a gift of faith, a gift of prayer, a gift of utterance, a gift of memory, &c. when they have nothing of real holiness in them. Like chose in Mat. 22.23. who had great gifts, but were so far from real sanctity, that they were workers of iniquity; they had a flood of gifts, but not a drop of grace; they had many gifts, but not one saving grace; they could work miracles, but that miracle of holiness being not wrote in them, Christ takes an everlasting farewell of them, Depart from me ye workers of iniquity. So they in Heb. 6. had enlightened heads, but where was their humbleness and holiness of heart? they had silver tongues, but where was their sanctified souls? they had some smack, some tastes and relishes of heavens glory, but where was their inward and outward purity? Notwithstanding all their extraordinary gifts of speaking with tongues, casting out of Devils, and opening of prophesies, yet were they not renewed, regenerated and sanctified by the Holy Ghost: Their gifts might be of singular use, to the enlightening, quickening, edifying, comforting and encouraging of others, and yet never have any influence upon their own hearts, to the changing, renewing and sanctifying of them. Men of greatest gifts are not always men of greatest holiness: The Scribes and Pharisees, Judas, D • mas, Tertullus, and Simon Magus, were men of great gifts, and yet they had no real holiness; they had the ninety nine of gifts wh • ch Christ looks not after, but wanted the one, viz. real holiness, which with Christ is all in all: The Devil hath greater gifts then any man on earth, and yet he is a Devil still; gifts without holiness, will but make a man twice told the child of hell: The more of gifts here, the more (without holiness) of hell hereafter. The greatest Scholars have often proved the greatest sinners, the stoutest opposers, and the worst of persecutors. There are none so wicked, as he that is wittily wicked. The highest gifts many times prove but the fairest paths to the chambers of death. As the richer the Ship is laden with bars of silver and gold, the deeper it sinks; so the richer the soul is laden with silver parts and golden gifts, and yet not balanced with real holiness, the deeper it sinks under wrath and misery: And no wonder, for 1. Gifts do but tickle the ear, they do not cleanse heart. 2. They do but stir the affections, they do not kill corruptions. 3. They are but ornaments to a man's profession, they have no saving influence upon a man's conversation. They tempt a man to take up with the world, but they never help a man to overcome the world. 4. They make a man wise to deceive, and wise to delude both • imself and others; rare accomplishments are many times turned into beautiful ornaments to adorn the Devil and error withal. 5. The gifted man cares not who is most holy, so he may be most honored; who is highest in favor with God, so he may be highest in favor with men; who is most serviceable, so he may be most acceptable; who gets most of another world, so he may have most of this world; and what should such an one do in heaven? Gifts differ as much from real holiness, as an Angel in heaven differs from a Devil in Hell. 6. Gifts makes a man work for life, but holiness makes a man work from life. 7. Gifts work a man to set up for himself, and to deal and trade for himself; but holiness works a man to deal for God, and to trade for God and his glory. 8. Gifts takes up in ingenuous civilities and outward formalities, but holiness takes up only in that holy one. 9. Gifts only restrains the soul, but grace renews and changes the soul. 10. Gifts puffs the soul, but holiness humbles the soul. 11. Gifts makes a man beautiful like Rachel, but holiness makes a man fruitful like Leah. 12. Gifts makes a man most studious and laborious about mending and reforming other men's hearts and lives; but holiness makes a man most studious and industrious in mending and reforming his own heart and life. 13. Gifts makes all glorious without, but holiness makes all glorious within. 14. Gifts makes a good head, but holiness makes a good heart. 15. Gifts envies, lessens, darkens, obscures, and disparages with buts, and ifs and ands, the excellencies of others; but holiness makes a man rejoice in every Sun that out-shines its own. 16. Gifts are fading and withering, but holiness is an everlasting spring that can never be drawn dry. 17. Gifts draws from God, but holiness draws to God; though men of gifts may bid fair for heaven, yea come so near as to hear the music of heaven, yet without holiness they shall never enter into heaven. When night comes, the Father will only take in his own child into his house, and though another child which may be much like his own should attempt to come in, yet the Father will keep him out, and wish him to repair to his own home; So when the night of death comes, the Father of Spirits will only take into the family of heaven his own child, viz. the child of holiness; but now if the child of gifts (which is so like the child of holiness) should press hard upon God to come in, as that child of gifts Balaam did, Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his; God will answer him, No, he will say to him as he did to that child of gifts Judas, Go to your own place. In the night of death and judgment, the children of the Kingdom shall be cast out: the children of the Kingdom, that is, of the Church; now the children of the Kingdom are children of gifts, and yet there will come a day when these children shall be cast out. As Abraham put off the sons of the Concubines with gifts, but entailed the inheritance upon Isaac: So God puts off many men now with gifts, but he entails the heavenly inheritance upon holiness. Psalm 24.3, 4. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? and who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lift up his soul to vanity, nor sworn deceitfully: Heaven is for that man, and that man is for heaven, who hath clean hands and a pure heart, whose holy conversation is attended with heart-purification; a pure heart is better then a golden head; a heart full of holy affections, is infinitely beyond a head full of curious notions; there is no Jewel; there is no anointing to that of holiness; he that hath that hath all, and he that wants that hath nothing at all. But,

Eighthly and lastly, if real holiness be the only way to happiness; [ 8] if men must be holy on earth, or they shall never come to a blessed fruition of God in heaven; then by way of conviction let me say, that this truth looks very sowerly and angrily upon those who are so far from being holy themselves, that they cannot endure holiness in those that are about them, or any ways related to them. Ah how many unholy people be there, that cannot endure holiness in their Ministers! and how many unholy husbands are there, that cannot endure holiness in their yoke-fellows! and how many unholy parents are there, that cannot endure holiness in their children! and how many unholy Masters are there, that cannot endure holiness in their servants! The Panther, say some, when she cannot come at the man, she rendeth and teareth his picture in pieces; so many unholy husbands, unholy fathers, and unholy masters, when they cannot rend and tear the persons of their relations in pieces; ah how do they do their best to rend and tear the image of God upon them, viz. holiness in pieces! These forlorn souls will not be holy themselves, nor suffer others to be holy neither; they will neither go to heaven themselves, nor suffer others to go thither who are strongly biased that way: Some despise their gracious relations, even e • nomine, for that very reason, because they are holy; sometimes you shall hear them speak at such a rate as this; Well, our relations are wise and witty, but so holy; they are very knowing and thriving, but so precise; they have good parts and sweet natures, but they are so strict; they are so round that they will not endure an oath, a lie, &c. and therefore I cannot abide them, I cannot endure them. These are like he in Seneca, which was so fearfully idle, that his sides would ache to see another work: So these are so fearfully wicked, that it makes their sides, their heads, their very hearts ache, to see others holy. How far these are in their actings below Heathens, you may see in Rom. 16.10, 11. Aristobulus and Narcissus that are spoken of in this Scripture, were both Heathens, and yet they had in their families those that were in the Lord, those that were gracious, &c. Heathens were so ingenuous, that they would not despise that holiness in others, that they wanted in themselves; they were so noble, that they would give holy • ess house-room, though they knew not how to give it heart-room: So Potiphar, though he was an Heathen, yet he gave holy Joseph both house-room and heart-room: These and several other heathens of the like spirit with them, will one day rise in Judgment against many in these days, that are so far fallen out with holiness, as that they will not endure it under the roof of their houses, yea as that they make it the greatest matter of scorn and derision: Like those in Lam. 2.15, 16. All that pass by, clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the City that men call the perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth? All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee; they hiss and gnash the teeth; they say, We have swallowed her up, &c. Ah how many such monsters are there in these days, who express their derision, disdain, and contempt of holiness and holy persons, by all the scornful gestures, postures and expressions imaginable; that clap their hands, that hiss, that wag their head, that gnash their teeth, and that say, Lo these are your Saints, these are your holy ones, your perfect ones, your beautiful ones! It is very sad to want holiness, but it is saddest of all to deride holiness, to disdain holiness. Of this evil spirit, Salvian complained in his time; What madness is this (saith he) amongst Christians, that if a man be good, he is despised as if he were evil! if he be evil, he is honored as if he were good! And as great cause have we to complain of the prevalency of the same evil spirit in our times: If the wife be holy, how is she despised (by her unholy husband) as if she were wicked! If she be wicked, how is she honored as if she were holy! So if the child be gracious, how is he disdained as if he were gracless! if he be gracless, how is he admired as if he were gracious! So if a Servant be godly, how is he scorned as if he were godless! if he be godless, how is he applauded as if he were godly! Certainly God will never endure such to stand in his sight, who cannot endure the sight of holiness. Doubtless, God will never give them any room in heaven, who will not so much as give holiness a little house-room (I say not heart-room) here. He that now despises and disdains holiness in others, shall at last be eternally despised and disdained for want of holiness himself.

Use 2.

THe second Use is a Use of Trial and Examination; Is it so, that real holiness is the only way to happiness? must men be holy on earth, or else they shall never come to a blessed vision or fruition of God in Heaven? Oh then, what cause hath everyone to try and examine, whether he hath this real holiness without which there is no happiness, or no! Now because this is a point of great importance, and a mistake here may undo a man forever; and considering the great averseness and backwardness of men's hearts to this noble and necessary work, I shall therefore in the first place propose some considerations to provoke all your hearts to fall in good earnest upon this great point of Trial and Examination. Now to this purpose consider,

[ 1] First, it is possible for you to know whether you have this real holiness or not; it is possible for you by the light of the Spirit, by the light of the Word, and by the light of your own Consciences, to see whether holiness, which is the image of God, be stamped upon your souls, or no: Though it be impossible for thee to climb up to heaven to search the records of glory, to see whether thy name be written in the book of life; yet it is possible for thee to go down into the Chambers of thine own soul, to enter into the withdrawing rooms of thine own heart, and there to read what impressions of holiness are upon thee; though this work be hard and difficult, yet it is noble and possible; though the heart be deceitful and full of shifts, yet it is possible for a man to make such a curious, such a narrow, such a diligent, such a faithful, and such an impartial search into his own soul, as that he may certainly know whether he hath that real holiness that is the pledge of immortal happiness, or no; it is possible for him that hath this Jewel, this holiness, to know it, to find it, and in the beautiful face of holiness to read his own everlasting happiness. I might call in the experiences of many precious Saints, to bear witness to this truth; but I suppose it is needless. What great and weighty, what high and hard, what hazardous and dangerous things do many Soldiers, Sailors, sick Patients and others attempt and undertake, upon the mere account of a possibility! it is possible that the Soldier may win the field; it is possible that the Mariner may make a happy voyage; it is possible that the sick Patient may recover; it is possible that he that strives for mastery may overcome, &c. Now upon this very account, that it is possible, what will they stick at? what will they not attempt and endeavor to effect? And why then should not Christians upon the account of a possibility, make a diligent search after that holiness, that will at last throne the soul in everlasting happiness? Well, Christians, as a possibility of obtaining grace and mercy, should bear up your hearts against despair: as a possibility of obtaining a pardon, should keep up your hearts in a seeking and a waiting way; and as a possibility of salvation by Christ, should be argument sufficient to work a soul to venture itself upon Christ; so a possibility of knowing whether you have this pearl of price, Holiness, should work you to make a diligent search and enquiry after it. Let no man do more upon the account of a possibility for this world, then you will do upon the account of a possibility for another world: Let no man do more upon the account of a possibility for his body, then you will do upon the account of a possibility for your souls: Let no man do more upon the account of a possibility for temporals, then you will do upon the account of a possibility for eternals. It is possible for you to know whether this babe of grace, Holiness, be formed in your souls or no; and therefore search and inquire after it.

Secondly, Consider this, that it is a point of very great [ 2] concernment to you, to know whether you have this real holiness or no; your souls lies upon it; eternity lies upon it; your All lies upon it; and an error here, may make a man miserable forever; it is good for thee to know the state of thy body, the state of thy family, the state of thy flock; but it is of infinite more consequence for thee to know the state of thine own soul: No man lives so miserable, nor no man dies so sadly, as he that lives and dies a stranger to his own soul: It is good for thee to set all reckonings even between thyself and others, but it is far better to set all reckonings even between God and thine own soul. Ah how many are there, who are better known to others, then they are to themselves! and who are able to give a better account of their Lands and Lordships, of their Treasures and Manors, yea of their Horses, Hawks and Hounds, then they are of the state of their souls! Ah how many are there that are very inquisitive to know things to come, to know what will be hereafter, to know whether they shall be great and rich in the world, to know whether they shall be prosperous and successful in their undertakings; to know whether they shall be crowned with length of days, or whether they shall be cut off in the flower of their age; to know the secret counsels of Princes, and what will be the issue of such and such mutations and revolutions that have happened amongst us: and yet are not at all inquisitive after the state of their souls, nor whether they have this real holiness, without which there is no happiness! They never inquire what will become of them hereafter; They never inquire what state they shall enter upon after death, whether upon a state of eternal woe, or a state of everlasting b •• s: Of all acquaintances in this world, there is none to that of a man's being acquainted with the state of his own soul. A mistake about my outward condition may trouble me, but a mistake about my spiritual condition may damn me. There are many ways to make up my mistakes about temporals, but there is no way to make up my mistakes about eternals: If at last I shall be sound to be mistaken in the great concernments of my soul, I am undone forever. Well Sirs, you are in a state of nature, or in a state of grace; you are in a state of darkness, or in a state of light; you are in a state of life, or in a state of death; you are in a state of love, or in a state of wrath; you are either Goats or Sheep, Sons or Slaves; you are either in the broad way to destruction, or in the narrow way of salvation; and therefore what can be of greater concernment in this world to you, then to know in which of these two spiritual estates you are in? How can you order aright your prayers, or your praises, or any religious services, till you come to know in which of these two spiritual estates you stand! whether you be in a state of nature, or in a state of grace; in a state of sin, or in a state of holiness; for all religions duties must be ordered according to men's spiritual estates. If a man be in a state of nature, his work lies one way; if he be in a state of holiness, his work lies another way: By all which it is most evident that it very nearly concerns you to search and try, whether you have this bird of Paradise, Holiness, in your bosoms, or no: And for a close, let me say, that a mistake about your spiritual estate will at last be found, not only insufferable and inexcusable, but very terrible and damnable.

Thirdly, Consider, That a cordial willingness to enter upon this work of trial, is a hopeful evidence of your real integrity and sanctity. Unsanctified souls hate the light; they had rather go to hell in the dark, then come to be weighed in the balance of the Sanctuary. As pure gold fears neither fire nor furnace, neither test nor touchstone; neither one balance nor another, so a pure heart, a sanctified soul dares venture itself upon trial: yea, upon the very trial of God: For he knows that God never brings a pair of scales to weigh his graces, but only a touchstone to try the truth of his graces: he knows if his gold be true, though it be never so little, it will pass for current with God. As Bankrupts care not for casting up their accounts, because they know all is naught, very naught, stark naught with them: so unsanctified souls, they care not to come to the trial, to the test, because they know that all is naught, yea worse then naught with them: They have no mind to cast up their spiritual estates, because at the foot of the account they must be p • t to read their neck-verse Undone, undone, forever undone. And therefore as old deformed women cannot endure to look into the looking-glass, least their wrinkles and deformity should be discovered, so unsanctified souls cannot endure to look into the glass of the Gospel, least their deformities, impieties and wickednesses should be discovered and detected. I have read of the Elephant, how unwilling he is to go into the water, but when he is forced into it, he puddles it lest by the clearness of the stream he should discern his own deformity. So unholy persons are very unwilling to look into their own hearts, or into the clear streams of Scripture, lest their souls deformity and ugliness should appear to their own terror and amazement. And therefore as you would have a hopeful evidence of your integrity and sanctity, fall upon this work of trial. For as it is a hopeful evidence that the Clients cause is good, when he is ready and willing to enter upon a trial; and as it is a hopeful sign that a man's gold is true gold, when he is willing to bring it to the touchstone; and that a man thrives, when he is willing to cast up his books; so it is a hopeful evidence that a Christian hath real holiness, when he is ready and willing to bring his holiness to the test to try whether it be true or no: when he is willing to cast up his books, that he may see what he is worth for another world.

[ 4] Fourthly, Consider, that there are very many that deceive themselves about their spiritual estates. It is the easiest thing in the world for a man to deceive himself: there are those that do but think that they stand, 1 Cor. 10.12. and these at last come to fall from their seeming standing into a real hell: Yea, from their highest standing, into the lowest hell. There are many that think themselves to be something, when they are nothing, Gal. 6.3. There are many that have a form of godliness, but none of the power, 2 Tim. 3.6. There are many that have a name to live, but are dead, Rev. 3.1. There are many that are very confident of their integrity, and yet are full of horrible hypocrisy. There are many that carry the Lamps of profession, that have no oil of grace in their hearts: There are many that take a good nature for grace, civility for sanctity, and a garb of godliness for real holiness; yea, there are those who dare say that they excel others in holiness, when in truth they exceed most men in wickedness. Yea, there are many now in hell, who have had a great confidence of going to heaven. There are many that cry out with Agag, Surely the bitterness of death is past: wrath is past, and hell is past, and damnation is past, when as vengeance is ready to fall on them, and hell stands gaping to devour them. The heart of man is full of self-love, full of self-flattery, and full of hypocrisy, and therefore many a man who is only a Jew outwardly, thinks himself to be a Jew inwardly: many a man thinks himself to be as good a Christian as the best, and to be as happy as the best, and to be as fair for heaven as the best, till he comes to hear that tormenting word, Depart, I know ye not. As many are kept off from Christ, by a conceit that they have him already: so many are kept off from holiness, by a conceit that they have it already. And therefore it doth very much concern you to make a diligent enquiry, whether you have that holiness without which there is no happiness, or no. I have read of Plato, that when he did walk in the streets, if he saw any disordered in speech, disguised in drink, or otherwise our of frame, he would say to himself, Num ego talis, Am I such a one as this is? Am I such a swearer as this is? Am I such a drunkard as this is? Am I such a wanton as this is? Am I such a royotous person as this? &c. So should every Christian say when he hears of any that doth but think that they stand, Num ego talis: Am I such a one as this is? When he sees one that thinks himself something when he is nothing, he should say Am I such a one as this is? when he sees a man to have a form of godliness but no power, he should say, Am I such a one as this is? when he hears of a man that hath a name to live, but is spiritually dead, he should say, Am I such a one as this is, &c.? and when he hears or reads of one that is really holy, he should say am I such a one as this is; As you would not put a cheat upon your own souls, it highly concerns you to try whether you have real holiness or no. Look, as many young children catch many a fall out of a strong conceit of their abilities to go: so many a man out of a strong conceit that he hath holiness when he hath none, catches many a fall in an eternal fall at last. The best way to prevent an everlasting miscarriage, is to make a privy search after holiness in thine own heart.

Fifthly, Consider that there is a great deal of counterfeit [ 5] grace and holiness in the world: There is not more counterfeit coin this day in the world, then there is counterfeit holiness in the world. Look as many Bristows stones and counterfeit Gemms do so shine and sparkle like true Jewels, that if a man be not very careful, he may be easily cheated: so counterfeit grace, counterfeit holiness doth so shine and sparkle, they do so nearly resemble real holiness, and the sanctifying and saving graces of the Spirit, that a man may be easily mistaken, if he do not make a narrow search. Doth the gracious soul abstain from gross sins? so doth the formalist too. Do Saints fast and pray? so do Pharisees too. Doth Peter shed tears? so doth Esau too. Doth Peter repent? so doth J • das too. Doth Cornelius give Alms? so do the Pharisees too. Doth Zacchaeus believe? so doth Simon Magus too. Doth David confess his sin? so doth Saul too. Doth David delight in approaching to God? so doth Isaiah's hypocrites too. Doth Hezekiah humble himself? so doth Ahab and the King of Nineveh too. Doth a gracious soul hear the word with joy? so did Herod too. Doth a gracious soul receive the word with joy? so did the stony ground too. Doth a gracious soul delight in his teacher? so did Ezekiel's worldlings too? Is a gracious soul in Closet duties? so is the Pharisee too, &c. When counterfeit coin is abroad, you will not take a piece, but you will try it; you will bring every piece to the touchstone. Ah that you would deal so by your holiness! there is a great deal of counterfeit holiness abroad, and therefore you had need bring yours to the trial. As all is nor gold that glisters: so all is not holiness that men take for holiness, that men count for holiness. The child is not more like the Father, nor one Brother like another; Wine in the Bottle is not more like to Wine in the Butt, nor water in the Cistern more like to water in the River, nor fire in the forge more like to fire in the chimney, nor milk in the sawcer to milk in the breasts, then counterfeit grace and holiness is like to that which is real. Counterfeit faith doth so nearly resemble true faith, and counterfeit love true love, and counterfeit repentance true repentance, and counterfeit obedience true obedience, and counterfeit knowledge true knowledge, and counterfeit holiness true holiness, that it is not an easy matter to discover the one from the other. The Cyprian Diamond (saith Pliny ) looks so like the true Indian Diamond, that if a man do not look warily to it, he may easily be deceived and cheated. O Sirs, true grace and counterfeit, true holiness and counterfeit look so like one another, that without a divine light to guide you, you may be easily cheated and deceived forever. In these days of profession there is abundance of false ware put off; Satan is a subtle Merchant; and where profaneness will not pass for current coin, there he labors to furnish his customers with the shows and resemblances of grace and holiness, that so he may hold them the faster in golden setters, and put them off from looking after that real holiness without which no man can be blessed here, or happy hereafter. And therefore it nearly concerns every • an to search and try whether he hath real holiness or no.

Sixthly, Consider, If upon trial you shall find in you [ 6] this real holiness that paves the way to happiness, it will turn exceedingly to your accounts: thy happiness depends upon the real being of holiness (in thee) but thy comfort depends upon thy seeing of holiness. Real holiness will yield thee a heaven hereafter; but the seeing of holiness will yield thee a heaven here: he that hath holiness and knows it, shall have two heavens; a heaven of joy, comfort, peace, content and assurance here; and a heaven of happiness and blessedness hereafter; but he that hath holiness and doth not know it, shall certainly be saved, yet so as by fire; he shall have a heaven at last, but he must pass to it by the flaming sword. When a person is heir to a great estate, and knows it; when a person is son to a King, and knows it; when a person is highly in favor, & knows it; when a person is out of all hazard and danger, and knows it; when a persons pardon is sealed, and he knows it: then the springs of joy and comfort rises in him. So, when a man is holy, and knows it, then the springs of divine joy and comfort rises in his soul, as the waters rise in Ezekiel's Sanctuary. The knowledge of the goodness and holiness of thy estate will make heavy afflictions light: long afflictions short, and bitter afflictions sweet: the knowledge of the goodness and holiness of thy estate, will make thee frequent, fervent, constant, and abundant in the work of the Lord. The knowledge of the goodness and holiness of thy estate wi • l strengthen thy faith, raise thy hope, inflame thy love, increase thy patience, and brighten thy zeal. The knowledge of the goodness and holiness of thy estate will make every mercy sweet, every duty sweet, every ordinance sweet, and every providence sweet. The knowledge of the goodness and holiness of thy estate will rid thee of all thy sinful fears and cares; it will give thee ease under every burden, and it will make death more desirable then life. The knowledge of the goodness and holiness of thy estate will make thee more strong to resist temptation, more victorious over opposition, and more silent in every condition. The knowledge of the goodness and holiness of thy estate, will turn every Winter night into a Summers day; every cross into a crown, and every wilderness into a Paradise. The knowledge of the goodness and holiness of thy estate; will be a sword to defend thee, a staff to support thee, a cordial to strengthen thee, a plaster to heal thee, and a star to lead thee. And O who then will not take some pains with his own heart, to know the goodness and holiness of his own estate! Well, remember this, next to a man's being holy, it is the greatest mercy in this world to know that he is holy. But if upon trial a man shall find that his estate is bad, and that his holiness is not of the right stamp, yet this will be many ways a mercy, and an advantage to him. For the way to be found, is to see yourselves lost; the way to infinite mercy, is to see your own misery: the way to Canaan, is through the wilderness: the way to heaven, is by the gates of hell: upon the knowledge of the badness and sadness of thy estate, thou wilt be awakened out of thy security, and thou wilt be alarmed to loath thyself, to judge thyself, ro condemn thyself, to be sick of sin, to break with Satan, and to close with Christ. Now the daily language of thy soul will be, Men and Brethren, what shall I do to be saved? O what shall I do to get my sinful nature changed, my hard heart softened, my blind mind enlightened, my polluted conscience purged, and my poor naked soul with grace and holiness adorned! Now the daily language of thy soul will be that of the Martyr, O none but Christ, none but Christ. O none but Christ to pardon me; none but Christ to justify me; none but Christ to command me; none but Christ to save me: and none but Christ to reign over me. Now the language of thy soul will be this, O though I have formely thought myself to be wise, yet now I see myself to be a fool! O that Christ would be wisdom to me! O now I see myself to be red with guilt, and black with filth, O that Christ would be righteousness to me! O now I see myself to be unclean, unclean, O that Christ would be sanctification to me! O now I see myself to be in a damnable condition, Oh that Christ would be redemption to me! O now I see myself naked, O that Christ would clothe me; now I see myself poor and miserable, O that Christ would enrich me! now I feel myself to be hungry, O that Christ would (be bread of life to) feed me! now I perceive myself to be lost, O that Christ would seek me! Now I fear that I am perishing, O that Christ would save me! Now the language of your souls will be that of the Lepers, If we stay here we die: if we stay in our unsanctified and unrenewed estate we die: If we stay in our sins we die, if we stay on our duties we die: if we stay on a conceited or counterfeit holiness we die: If we stay on a form of godliness we die: If we stay on a name to live we die; If we stay where the world stays we die: if we stay in anything a this side Christ and real holiness, we die, we eternally die; And therefore let us arise and make a venture of our souls upon Christ, and pursue after that holiness without which there is no happiness. But,

Seventhly and Lastly, Consider, that there are many that [ 7] are truly holy, that have real holiness in them, and yet for want of a narrow search, a diligent enquiry into their spiritual estates, they come to be sorely and sadly afflicted with fears and doubts about their wants of holiness. As the treasures of this world often lie obscure and hid in the bowels of the earth: so the treasures of holiness often lie obscure and hid in many a gracious soul, for want of a privy search, As it is one mercy for me to believe, and another mercy for me to know that I do believe; As it is one mercy for me to be beloved, and another mercy for me to know that I am beloved. As it is one mercy for me to be pardoned in the court of glory, and another mercy for me to know that I am pardoned in the Court of conscience. As it is one mercy for me to have my name written in the book of life, and another mercy for me to be told that my name is written in that book. So it is one mercy for me to have real holiness in me: and another mercy for me to see it, and to know it: As we many times complain of the want of those things that we have in our hands: so many dear Christians complain of the want of that holiness that they have in their hearts. As the well, the spring of water was near to Hagar though she saw it not; so the spring of holiness is near to many a Christian, yea it is in many a Christian, and yet he sees it not, he knows it not. As Jacob once said, The Lord was in this place, and I knew it not: So many a precious soul may say, I had real holiness in my heart, and I knew it not. As the face of Moses did shine, but he saw it not, he knew it not, though others did see it and take notice of it: so holiness shines in many a Christians heart and life, yet corruptions raise such a dust in his soul that he sees it not, he knows it not, though others can see it, take notice of it, and bless and admire the Lord for it. As there be some that think they are rich, when they are not; and that say they are rich, when they are not; so there be others that are rich, and yet they will not say it, nor believe it; So there be some that think they have holiness, when they have not; yea that say they have holiness when they have not. So there be others that have real holiness, and yet they dare not think so, they dare not say so. Yea they are apt in times of temptation, desertion, sore afflictions, and when they are under the sensible stirrings of strong corruptions, to conclude that they have no holiness, no grace, when indeed they have: witness Job, Chap. 13.24. And Ch. 19 9 witness David, Psalm 22.1, 2. witness Asaph, Psal. 77.2.11. witness Heman, Psalm 88.1.17. witness Jeremiah, Lam. 3.18. witness the whole Church, Isa. 49.15, 16. Ezek. 37.11, 12. And witness the Disciples, John 14.4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 20. compared. To know ourselves to be holy is very desirable, but woe were to many precious Christians if they might not be holy and yet not know it; if they might not have holiness in their hearts, when the appearance of holiness is hid from their eyes. Look as sparks and coals of fire are often hid under the ashes and we see them not; and as in Winter the sap and life is hid in the root of the tree, and we perceive it not; and as precious flowers are hid in their seeds, and we discern them not; so when it is Winter with a Christian, his holiness may be so hid and covered under fears, doubts, sins, &c. that he may not be able to see it, to discern it, or conclude that he hath it: As the air is sometimes clear, and sometimes cloudy, and the Sea sometimes ebbing and sometimes flowing; so the holiness of the Saints is sometimes so clouded, and at so low an ebb, that a Christian can hardly discern it, he can hardly say, Lo here is my holiness; the being of holiness in the soul is one thing; the seeing of holiness in the soul is another thing; the being of holiness is one thing; the feeling of holiness is another thing. A Christian may as safely conclude that there are no stars in the sky in a dark night, because he cannot see them; and that there is no treasure in the Mine, because he cannot discern it, nor come to the feeling of it, as he may conclude that he hath no holiness in his heart, because he cannot see it, he cannot feel it. As the treasures of this world, so the treasures of holiness often-times he low: a man must dig deep before he can come at them. As the babe lives in the womb, but doth not know it, and • s the Sun often shines into the house and a man doth not see it; so the babe of grace may be formed in the soul, and yet a Christian not know it; and the Sun of holiness may shine in his soul, and yet he not see it. O therefore how greatly doth it concern Christians to make a diligent, a narrow, and a serious search into their own hearts, whether they have this Jewel of glory, Holiness, in their souls or no! And if these arguments will not provoke you to fall upon this work of trial, I know not what will.

But me thinks I hear some of you saying, O Sir, how shall we do to know whether we have this real holiness or no? we see it is our very great concernment to know whether God hath sown this heavenly seed in our souls, or no: but how shall we come to know this? Now to this I answer, there are several ways whereby this may be discovered. As,

[ 1] First, a person of real holiness is much affected and taken up in the admiration of the holiness of God: Unholy persons may be somewhat affected and taken with other of the excellencies of God; but it is only holy souls that are affected and taken with the holiness of God. Exod. 15.11. Who is like unto thee, O Lord, amongst the God's? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? In this stately description of God, holy Moses is most taken up in magnifying and admiring the holiness of God: Holiness is that glory of the Creator, that holy ones most delight to glory in. So holy David, Psalm 71.22. Unto thee will I sing with the Harp, O thou holy one of Israel: So Isa. 12.6. Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the holy one of Israel in the midst of thee. The inhabitants of Zion must shout and hollow out (as the Hebrew word carries it) in token of joy, because he that is great and in the midst of them, is the holy one of Israel. So Hab. 1.12. Art not thou from everlasting, O Lord my God, my holy one? Among holy ones, none to the holy One: Yea the more holy any are, the more deeply are they affected and taken with the holiness of God: as you may see in Isaiah 6.3. And one cried unto another (or this cried to this) and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory. The holy Seraphims by trebling the acclamation of his holiness, Holy, holy, holy, do denote not only the superlative eminency, glory and excellency of God's holiness, but also they do discover how greatly, how abundantly they are affected and taken with the holiness of God. To the holy Angels, the holiness of God is the sparkling diamond in the ring of glory: But now unholy persons are rather affected and taken with anything then with the holiness of God: The carnal secure sinner is affected and taken with the patience, forbearance and longsuffering of God: O, saith he, what a God of patience is this, that hath waited so many years for my repentance? that he that might long since have damned me, waits still to save me! that he who might long since have cast me into hell, is still willing that I should go to heaven! The presumptuous sinner is much affected and taken with the mercy and goodness of God: Well, saith the presumptuous sinner, though I have sinned thus and thus, yet God hath been merciful to me; and though I do sin daily thus and thus, yet God is still merciful to me; and though I should still go on to sin seven-fold more, yet he would be merciful to me: He doth not delight in the death of a sinner, nor in the damnation of souls: O what a merciful God is God! The prosperous sinner, he is taken with the bounty and liberality of God; O, saith he, what a bountiful God, what a liberal God is this, who fills my barns, fills my bags, who prospers me at home and abroad, who hath blest me with a healthful body, a fair estate, a saving wife, a full trade, laborious servants, and thriving children! &c. But where is there a sinner in all the world that is affected and taken with the holiness of God! Certainly there is nothing that renders God so formidable and terrible to unholy persons as his holiness doth. Isa. 30.11. Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the holy One of Israel to cease from before us: O that you would not preach so much, nor talk so much to us of the holy One of Israel: O that you would once cease from molesting and vexing us with message upon message from the holy One: Why cannot you as well talk and preach to us of the merciful one, the compassionate one, the affectionate one, the pitiful one, &c. as be still a talking to us of the holy one, the holy one! O we love not to hear it! O we cannot tell how to bear it! nothing 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 ache, 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 satisfy 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,

[ 2] Secondly, True holiness is diffusive, it doth extend, diffuse and spread itself all over the soul, it spreads itself over head and heart, lip and life, inside and outside. Psal. 45.13. The Kings daughter is all glorious within, her clothing is of wrought gold: (inward holiness, is the inward glory of the Kings daughter:) the Kings daughter is all glorious within; her understanding is hanged with holiness, her mind is adorn • d with holiness, her will is bowed to holiness, & all her affections are sprinkled, yea clothed 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 clothing is of wrought gold, that is, her life and conversation (which is as visible to others as the clothes she wears) 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, which leavens the whole man. Look as leaven diffuses itself through the whole dough; so true holiness diffuses itself through the whole man: Look as Absolom's beauty was spread all over him, even from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot; so the beauty of holiness spreads itself over every member of the body, and every faculty of the soul: Look as Solomon's Temple was glorious both within and without, so holiness makes all glorious both within and without. Look as Adams sin spread itself over the whole man, so that holiness that we have by the second Adam, spreads itself over the whole •• 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 itself 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 itself over head, hand, 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 judgment, 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 possessed with Devils possessed 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 [ 3] 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 clothes, gold chains, honors and riches, but by their holiness. As a holy God, 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 neighbor: 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 neighbor; in the eye, account, and esteem of God, Angels and Saints, there is no man to the holy man: The Sun doth not more excel and out-shine the Stars, then a righteous man doth excel and out-shine his unrighteous neighbor. 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 clothed with rags and full of sores, then upon a rich and wretched Dives, who is clothed 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 grandeur; 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 clothed 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 clothed 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 fullest of holiness, and who hath most to show for a fair estate in the other world. Certainly to an holy man, there is no wife to an holy wife, no child to an holy child, no friend to an holy friend, no Magistrate to an holy Magistrate, no Minister to a holy Minister, nor no servant to an holy servant; internal excellencies carries it with a holy man, before all external glories. The Jews say that those seventy souls that went with Jacob into Egypt, were as much worth as all the seventy Nations in the world. Doubtless seventy holy persons in the esteem and judgment of those that are holy, are more worth then a whole world, yea then seventy worlds of unrighteous souls. A soul truly holy, sets the highest price upon those that are holy; holy Paul prized holy One simus as his Son, Philem. v. 10. as himself, v. 17. yea as his own bowels, v. 12. 2 Sam. 22.27. With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure, or (as the Hebrew will bear it) with the choice thou wilt show thyself choice. Pure souls are the choicest souls in all the world: They are choice in every eye but their own. All worldly excellencies in the judgment of a holy man, are but as Copper, Brass, Tin and Lead; but holiness is the tried silver, the gold of Ophir, the pearl of price in his eye that hath purity in his heart. They only rate and value men aright, who rate and value them according to their holiness; and if men were thus rated and valued, most men in the world would be found not worth the money that Judas sold his Master for. If thou prizest others for their holiness, thou art a holy person; no man can truly prize and highly value holiness in another, but he that hath holiness in his own heart. Some prize Christians for their wit, others prize them for their wealth; some prize them for their birth and breeding, others prize them for their beauty and worldly glory; some prize them for the great things that have been done by them, others prize them for the good things that they have received from them; some prize them for their Eagles eyes, others prize them for their silver tongues; but he that is truly holy, prizes them for their holiness, he values them for their purity and sanctity. But,

Fourthly, He that is truly holy, will be still a reaching and [ 4] stretching himself out after higher degrees of holiness; yea a man that is truly holy, can never be holy enough, he sets no bounds nor limits to his holiness; the perfection of holiness is the mark that he hath in his eye; he hears, and prays, and mourns, and studies, and strives that he may come up to the highest pitch of holiness. Phil. 3.12, 13, 14. Not as though I had already attained, or were already perfect; but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not my self to have apprehended; but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind; and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark, for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Received measures of holiness will not satisfy a holy soul; so much holiness as will keep hell and his soul asunder, will not satisfy him; nor so much holiness as will bring him to happiness, will not satisfy him; he will be still reaching and stretching out after the highest measures of holiness; his desires are for more holiness. Psalm 27.4. the beauties of holiness do so affect him and inflame him, that he cannot but desire to be more and more holy. Lord, saith the soul, I desire to be more holy, that I may glorify thy name more, that I may honor my profession more, and that I may serve my generation more. Lord, I desire to be more holy, that I may sin less against thee, and that I may enjoy more of thee; I would be more holy, that I may be more prevalent with thee, and that I may be more victorious over all things below thee. And as a man of holiness desires more holiness, so a man of holiness earnestly prays for more holiness. Psalm 51.2, 7. He prayeth that he may be filled with the fruits of righteousness, and that he may go on from faith to faith, and from strength to strength; he prayeth that his spark of holiness may be turned into a flame, his drop of holiness into a Sea, and his mite of holiness into a rich Treasury; he prayeth that he may like the Eagle fly higher and higher, and that his soul may be like the rising Sun, that shines brighter and brighter till it be perfect day: he prayeth that he may like the Giant refreshed, rejoice to run his course; and that holiness in his soul, like the waters in Ezekiel's sanctuary, may still be rising higher and higher. It was Beza's prayer, Lord, perfect what thou hast begun in me, that I may not suffer Shipwrack when I am almost at heaven. And as a man of holiness prayeth for more holiness, so a man of holiness believes for more holiness. Psalm 51.7. in your Translations you read the words prayer-wise, but in the Hebrew the words run in the future thus: Thou wilt purge me from sin with Hyssop, and I shall be clean; thou wilt wash me and I shall be whiter then snow: In the sense of all his sinfulness and vileness he believes that God will give out greater measures of purity and sanctity to him: Thou wilt purge me, and I shall be clean: thou wilt wash me, and I shall be whiter then snow. So in Psal. 65.3. Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away. Though for the present iniquity did prevail, yet he had faith enough to believe that God would purge him from his transgressions, and that he would mortify prevailing corruptions. And as a man of holiness believes for more holiness, so a man of holiness hopes for more holiness, 1 John 3.2, 3, 4. In every ordinance he hopes for more holiness, and under every providence he hopes for more holiness, and under every mutation and change of his condition he hopes for more holiness. When he is in prosperity, he hopes that God will make him more zealous, thankful, cheerful, fruitful and useful; and when he is in Adversity, he hopes that God will inflame his love, and raise his faith, and increase his patience, and strengthen his submission, and quiet his heart in a gracious resignation of himself to God. I dare boldly say that that man was never truly holy who endeavors not to get up to the highest pitches of holiness: True holiness knows no restrictions, nor limitation. But now counterfeit holiness is either like Hezekiah's Sun which went backward: Or like Joshuas Sun which stood still: or like Ephraim's morning cloud which soon passed away. No round but the highest round in Jacob's Ladder will satisfy a holy soul: True holiness make a man divinely covetous. Look as the victorious man can never make conquests enough, nor the Ambitious man can never have honor enough, nor the voluptuous man pleasure enough, nor the worldling Mammon enough, nor the wanton vain embraces enough, no more can a man of holiness have ever holiness enough in this world. As the grave & the barren womb are never satisfied, they never say it is enough: So a holyman whilst he is a this side eternity, he is never satisfied, he can never say that he hath holiness enough.

Fifthly, Where there is real holiness, there is a holy [ 5] hatred, detestation, and indignation against all ungodliness, and wickedness and that upon holy accounts; Psa. 119.101. I have refrained my feet from every evil way: (but why?) that I may keep thy word, ver. 104. Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. The good that he got by divine precepts, stirred up his hatred against every false way: ver. 128. Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way. His high esteem of every precept, raised up in him a holy indignation against every evil way. A holy man knows, that all sin strikes at the holiness of God, the glory of God, the nature of God, the being of God, and the Law of God: and therefore his heart rises against all; he looks upon every sin, as the Scribes and Pharisees that accused Christ; and as that Judas that betrayed Christ; and that Pilate that condemned Christ; and those Soldiers that scourged Christ; and as those spears that pierced Christ; and therefore his heart cries out for Justice upon all. He looks upon every sin as having a hand in the death of his Savior, and therefore he cries out Crucify them all, crucify them all; he looks upon every sin as a grieving of the spirit, as a vexing of the Spirit, and as a quenching of the spirit; and so nothing will satisfy him but the ruin of them all. He looks upon every sin as a dishonor to God, as an enemy to Christ, as a wound to the Spirit, as a reproach to the Gospel, and as a moth to (his) holiness: and therefore his heart and his hand is against every sin; but now if you will but look into the Scriptures, you shall find that all those that have been but pretenders to holiness, their hearts have been always engaged to someone way of wickedness or another. Jehu was very zealous against Idolaters; but yet his heart was engaged to his golden calves. Herod hears John Baptist gladly, and reforms many things, &c. but yet his Herodias must still lie in his bosom. Judas was as forward in religious Services as any others, but yet money did bear the mastery with him: The Pharisees made long prayers, that they might the better make a prey upon widows house. The young man offered fair for heaven; but yet his possessions had so possessed, and locked up his heart, that Christ could get no entrance. Though Simon Magus believed, and was baptized, and wondered at the miracles and signs which were done by Philip: yet for all these shows of godliness, he was a prisoner to his lusts; his condition was dangerous, poisonous and odious; he was in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity. So those in Mat. 7.21, 22, 23. though they complemented with Christ, saying, Lord, Lord, though they prophesied in Christ's name, and cast out devils in Christ's name; yea, though they did not a few, but many wonderful works in Christ's name; yet all this while they were workers of inity, they were Artists in sin; they were so addicted to sin, that they made a trade of sin. Look, as every Lyon hath his den, every Dog his kennel, every Sow her sty, and ever Crow her nest; so every unholy person hath one sin or another, to which his heart is engaged and married. and that sin will undo him forever. As Lysimachus lost his earthly kingdom by drinking one draught of water: So many lose a heavenly kingdom by indulging someone sin or other. One flaw spoils the Diamond; one Treason makes a Traitor; one turn brings a man quite out of the way; one Leak sinks the Ship; one wound strikes Goliath dead; one Delilah betrays Sampson: one broken wheel spoils the whole Clock; and one fly spoils the whole box of ointment. And as one Bastard destroyed Gideon's seventy sons: so one predominant sin is enough to destroy the soul forever. As by taking one nap Sampson lost his strength: and by eating one Apple Adam lost Paradise: so many men by favoring one sin, lose God, heaven and their souls forever. He that favors any sin, though he frowns upon many, doth but as Benhadab, recover of one disease, and die of another: Yea, he takes pains to go to hell; sin favored ever ends tragically. And as no unholy heart rises against all sin; so no unholy heart disdains sin or rises against sin upon noble accounts, upon holy and heavenly accounts: Sometimes you shall have an unholy person angry with sin, and falling out with sin, because in hath cracked his credit, or clouded his honor, or hindered his profit, or imbittered his pleasure, or enraged his conscience, or exposed him to shame here, and hell hereafter: But never because a righteous Law is transgressed, a holy God is dishonored, a loving Savior is (afresh) crucified, or the blessed Spirit grieved. It is between a holy and an unholy soul, as it is between two children; one will not touch the coal because it will smut him, and the other will not touch it because it will burn him. A holy heart rises against sin, because of its defiling nature; but an unholy heart rises against sin, because of its burning and damning nature. A holy man is most affected and afflicted with the evil that is in sin; but an unholy heart is most affected and afflicted with the punishment that is due to sin: A holy person hates sin, because it pollutes his soul; but an unholy person hates it, because it destroys his soul. A holy person loathes sin, because it makes against God's holiness; but an unholy person loathes it, because it provokes God's justice. A holy person detests sin, because of the hell that is in sin; but an unholy person detests sin, because of the hell that follows sin: a holy heart abhors all sin, but an unholy heart is still in league with some sin. Now because this is a point of great concernment, I shall a little more open and evidence the truth of it in these three particulars.

[ 1] First, The heart of a holy man rises against secret sins, against such as lie furthest off from the eye of man, Psal. 119.113. I hate vain thoughts, but thy Law do I love. What more secret then vain thoughts! and yet against these the heart of a holy man rises. When Joseph was tempted to be secretly wicked with his Mistress, his heart rises against it; How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against the Lord! Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart. Heart sins lie most close and secrret: And yet for these a holy man humbles himself. Job would not suffer his heart in an Idolatrous way secretly to kiss his hand. The heart of a holy man rises against wickedness in the dark, against folly in a corner, against sin a Closet. So Paul was much affected and afflicted with the operations of sin within him, with the Law in his members rebelling against the Law of his mind. Paul after his conversion never fell into any scandalous sin: those sins that did most trouble him and distress him, were of his own house, yea, were in his own heart. A holy man knows that secret sins are sins, as well as those that are open. He knows that secret sins must be repented of as well as others: he knows that God takes notice of secret sins as well as of open. 2 Sam. 12.12. Thou didst it secretly: he knows that secret sins do often interpose between God and his soul. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee: our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. He knows that secret sins will quickly become public, except they are presently loathed and speedily mortified: He knows that secret sins, like secret diseases and secret wounds, do oftentimes prove most dangerous and pernicious; He knows that secret sins are the price of blood, as well as open sinnings. He knows that secret sins are a grief to the Spirit, as well as those that are manifest. He knows that sometimes God punishes secret sins with manifest Judgments, as you may see in that great instance of David, 2 Sam. 12.10.18. Upon all which accounts, a holy heart rises in a detestation of secret sins. But,

Secondly, The heart of a holy man rises against the least [ 2] sins, as well as against secret sins, in a strict sense. I know there is no sin little, because there is no little hell, no little damnation, no little Law, nor no little God to sin against; but yet some sins may comparatively be said to be little, if you compare them with those that are more great and gross, that are more heinous and odious. Now the hatred of a holy man rises against the least, Psalm 119.163. I hate and abhor lying: but thy Law do I love. I hate, I abhor with horror, I loath, I detest, I abominate lying as I do hell itself: So much the Original word imports. David's heart smote him for the cutting off the lap of Saul's garment: And his heart smote him again for numbering of the people; and yet neither of these sins were heinous or scandalous. Some write, that there is suth a native dread and terror of the Hauk implanted in the Dove, that it detests and abhors the very sight of the least feather that hath grown upon the Hauk. Certainly, there is such a holy dread of sin implanted in the heart of a Saint, that he cannot but detest and and abhor the least sin; yea, the very appearance of sin: his soul rises against the least motions or inclinations to evil, though they are silverd over with the most specious shows, and most glorious pretences: for he knows that the least sins are contrary to a righteous Law, a holy God, and to his blessed Savior, and the Spirit his only Comforter.

[ 1] First, A holy man knows, that little sins if not prevented, will bring on greater. David gives way to his wandering eye, and that led him to those scandalous sins for which God broke his bones, hid his face, and withdrew his Spirit. So Peter first denies his Master, and then forswears him, and then falls a cursing and damning of himself, as the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 imports, he imprecated the wrath of God to fall upon him, and that he might be separated from the presence and glory of God if he knew the man; and then concludes with a most incredible lie, I know not the man; when as there was hardly a Jew which knew not Christ by face, he being very famous for the many miracles that he daily wrote before their eyes. Ah, to what a height will sin suddenly rise! So Jacob, first he tells three lies in a Breath: 1. I am Esau, 2. Thy first born; 3. I have done according as thou badest me: and then he dissembled in calling his meat venison; and then he takes the name of God in vain, by intitling God to that he did: The Lord thy God brought it to me. Ah of what an encroaching nature is sin! how insensibly and suddenly doth it get ground upon the soul! I have read of a young man that was tempted to three great sins, viz. to kill his Father, to lie with his Mother, and to be drunk; judging the last to be the least, he yielded to it, and being drunk, he killed his Father, and ravished his own Mother. Lesser sins usually are inlets to greater: As the little Thief let in at the window opens the door, and makes way for the greater: and the little wedge makes way for the greater. When Pompey could not take a City that he assaulted by force, he pretended that he would withdraw his Army: only he desired that they would entertain a few of his weak and wounded Soldiers, which accordingly they did; these Soldiers soon recovered their strength, and opened the gates of the City, by which means Pompey's Army entered and subdued the Citizens. So little sins yielded to, soon gather strength, and open the door to greater: and so a conquest is made upon the soul. This a holy heart well understands, and therefore it hates and abhors the least sin. But,

Secondly, A holy heart knows that little sins have exposed [ 2] both sinners, and Saints to very great punishments. A gracious soul remembers the man that was stoned to death for gathering of sticks on the Sabbath day. He remembers how Saul lost two kingdoms at once; his own kingdom, and the kingdom of heaven for sparing of Agag, and the fat of the Cattle; he remembers how the unprofitable servant for the non-improvement of his Talent, was cast into outer darkness. He remembers how Ananias and Sapphira were stricken suddenly dead for telling a lie. He remembers how Lots wife for a look of curiosity was turned into a pillar of Salt. He remembers how Adam was cast out of Paradise for eating an Apple, and the Angels cast out of heaven for not keeping their standings. He remembers that Jacob smarted for his lying to his dying day. He remembers how God followed him with sorrow upon sorrow, and breach upon breach, filling up his days with grief and trouble. He remembers how Moses was shut out of the holy land, because he spoke unadvisedly with his lips. He remembers the young Prophet who was slain by a Lyon, for eating a little bread, and drinking a little water contrary to the command of God, though he was drawn thereunto by an old Prophet under a pretence of a revelation from heaven. He remembers how Zacharias was stricken both dumb and deaf, because he believed not the report of the Angel Gabriel. He remembers how Uzzah was stricken dead for staying up the Ark when it was in danger to have fallen. Yea, he can never forget the fifty thousand men of Beth-shemesh who were slain for looking into the Ark. Now ah how doth the remembrance of these things stir up the hatred and indignation of a gracious soul against the least sins. A dram of poison disfuseth itself to all parts, till it strangle the vital spirits, and separates the soul from the body; A little coal of fire hath turned many a stately fabric into ashes. A little prick with a thorn may as well kill a man, as a cut with a drawn sword: A little fly may spoil all the Alablaster Box of ointment. General Norris having received a slight wound in his Arm in the wars of Ireland, made light of it, but his Arm gangrened, and so he lost both Arm and life together. Fabius a Senator of Room (and Lord Chief Justice besides) was strangled by swallowing a small hair in a draught of milk. Three fits of an Ague carried away Tamerlain, who was the terror of his time. Anacreon (the Poet) was choked with the kernel of a grape. An Emperor died by the scratch of a comb: One of the Kings of France died (miserably) by the chock of a Hog; And his Brother with a blow of a ball at Tennis was struck into his grave. And thus you see little things have brought upon many, great miseries. And so little sins may expose and make persons very liable to great punishments: And therefore no wonder if the heart of a holy man rises against them. Those sins which are seemingly but small, are very provoking to the great God, and very hurtful to the immortal soul: And therefore they cannot but be the object of a Christians hatred.

[ 3] Thirdly, A holy heart knows that a holy God looks and expects that the least sins should be shunned and avoided. He looks that the Cockatrice should be crushed in the Egg. God looks that Babylon's little ones should be dashed against the stones. Not only great sins but little ones must be killed, or they will kill the soul. The Viper is killed by the little ones that she nourishes in her own bowels. So many a man is eternally slain by the little sins that he nourishes in his own bosom: as a little stab at the heart kills a man, so a little sin without a great deal of mercy will damn a man. God expects that his children should abstain from all appearance of evil. As thou wouldst neither wound thy conscience, nor thy credit, God nor the Gospel, thou must keep off from the very appearances of evil. A Christian is to hate not only the flesh, but the garment; and not only the garment which is besmeared, but the very garment that is (but) bespotted with the flesh. Jude 23. Our first Parents were not only forbidden to eat of the forbidden fruit, but they were forbidden to touch it, Gen. 3.3. And certainly, he that would not gape after forbidden fruit, must not gaze upon forbidden fruit: He that would not long after it, must not look upon it; he that would not taste it, must not touch it. The pious Nazarite was not only commanded to abstain from wine and strong drink, but also from eating grapes, whether moist or dry: yea, he was prohibited from eating anything that was made of the vine-tree from the kernels, even to the husk. Lest by the sweet and contentment of any of these, he should be tempted or enticed to drink wine, and so forget the Law, and break his vow, and make work for hell or repentance, or the Physician of souls. Sin is so hateful a thing that both the remote occasion, and the least occasion that might draw the soul to it, is to be avoided and shunned as a man would avoid and shun hell itself. He that truly hates the nature of sin, cannot but hate the least sin, yea, all appearances of sin. A holy heart knows that the very thought of sin, if not thought on, will break forth into action, action into custom, custom into habit, and then body and soul are undone forever. Look, as nothing speaks out more sincerity and real sanctity, then shunning the very appearances of vanity: so nothing speaks out more indignation against sin, then the avoiding the occasions of sin. But,

Fourthly, A holy heart knows, that the indulging of [ 4] of the least sin is ground sufficient for any man to question his integrity and ingenuity towards God; he hath much reason to suspect himself, and to be suspected by others, who dares break with God, and with his own conscience for a trifle; he that will trangress for a morsel of bread, will be ready enough to sell his soul for a groat. He that will pervert Justice for a few pieces of silver, what will he not do for a hatful of gold? he that will sell the poor for a pair of Shoos, will destroy the poor for a brace of Angels. He that will sell souls dog-cheap, that will slay the souls that should not die, and save the souls alive that should not live, for handfulls of barley, and pieces of bread, will make no bones of making merchandise of souls for silver and gold: He that will sell his Savior once for thirty pieces of silver, will sell him as often as you please for a greater sum. He that makes no conscience of betraying Christ into the hands of sinners for thirty shillings, will make no conscience of betraying his own soul into the hands of the devil at the price of a halter. He that dares lie to save a little of his estate, what will not he do to save his life. These things a holy heart well understands, and the serious remembrance of them stirs up in him a holy indignation against the least transgression. But,

[ 5] Fifthly, and lastly, (take many things in one) A holy heart knows that the least sin cost Christ his dearest blood: without shedding of blood there was no remission, no remission of great sins, nor no remission of little sins. He knows that the blood of Christ is as requisite to cleanse the soul from the least sin, as it is to cleanse it from the greatest, 1 John 1.7. And the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all our sins. It is not the casting of a little holy water upon us: it is not the Papists Purgatories, nor their whippings, nor St. Francis his kissing or licking of our sores, nor a Bishops blessing, nor a few knocks on the breast, nor a few tears dropping from our eyes, that can cleanse us from the least sin. No, it is only the blood of Christ that cleanseth us from all our sins; there is not the least spot in a Christians heart that can be washed out, but in the blood of the Lamb. When Satan appeared and presented to a dying man in a long Parchment Role his Idle words, his false words, his angry words, his wanton words, and his more wicked words and deeds: The dying man answered, All this is true Satan, but yet there is one thing more for thee to set down under all my sins, and that is this, The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all our sins. Whereupon the devil vanished, as being vanquished. Certainly, there is not a vain thought, nor an Idle word, nor an angry word, not a wanton word that can be pardoned or cleansed but by the blood of Jesus Christ. The remembrance of which cannot but stir up a holy indignation in a gracious soul against the least corruption. When Julius Caesar the Emperor was murdered, Antonius brought forth his bloody Coat, and shown it to the people, which stirred up in them such an indignation against the murderers, that they cried out, Slay the murderers, and went and burnt their houses, and all that was in them. So when a holy heart looks upon his sins, yea his little sins, as those that have murdered the Prince of glory, ah what an indignation doth it raise in the soul against them! A holy heart knows that there is not the least sin, but doth in a measure estrange the soul from God; as little clouds do somewhat interpose between the Sun and us; so little sins do somewhat interpose between God and our souls: and as sometimes a little matter, a mistake or lending an ear; or a word out of joint, or an act of forgetfulness doth occasion some distance between dearest friends: so sometimes little sins do occasion some distance between our dearest God and our souls. A holy heart knows that Christ looks upon those sins as great, which the blind world accounts but little. Christ accounts hatred, murder, 1 John 3.15. A wanton eye, adultery. Matth. 5.28. And he reckons the officious lie, and the merry lie amongst the most monstrous sins, and condemns it to the lowest hell. Rev. 21.8. The consideration of all which raises no small indignation in a holy heart against the least, the smallest sin. But now unholy hearts make nothing of little sins; with Achan they will be bondslaves for a wedge of gold: with Gehazi they will be servants of unrighteousness for a talent of silver, and two changes of garments: with Adam they will transgress for n Apple: and with Esau they will sell their birth-right of grace here, and of glory hereafter, for a mess of Pottage. The hearts of unholy persons may rise against gross sins, such as are not only against the Law of God, but against the light and laws of nature, and Nations; their souls may rise in arms against those sins that makes them liable to the laws of men, or that lays them open to shame, fear, grief, or loss: But as for vain thoughts, idle words, petty oaths, sinful motions, and frequent omissions, they look upon these as trifles, motes and gnats that are not to be regarded, or bewailed. But,

[ 3] Thirdly, As a holy heart rises against the least sins: So a holy heart rises against bosom sins, against constitution sins, against those that either his calling, former custom, or his present inclination or condition do most dispose him to. It is true, a prodigal person may abhor covetetousness, and a covetous person may condemn prodigality: A furious person may hate fearfulness; and a fearful person may detest furiousness. But now the hearts of those that are holy rise against complexion sins, against darling sins, against those that make for present pleasure and profit, against those that were once as right hands, and right eyes; that were that to their souls, that Delilah was to Sampson, Herodias to Herod, Isaac to Abraham, and Joseph to Jacob, Psalm 18.23. I was also upright before him; and I kept myself from mine iniquity, That is, from my darling sin whereunto I was most inclined and addicted. What this bosom sin was that he kept himself from, is hard to say. Some suppose his darling sin was lying, dissembling; for it is certain, he often fell into this sin: Others suppose it to be some secret iniquity, which was only known to God and his own conscience. Others say it was uncleanness, and that therefore he prayed, that God would turn away his eyes from beholding vanity, Psalm 119.37. Others judge it to be that sin of disloyalty which Saul and his Courtiers falsely charged upon him. It is enough for our purpose that his heart did rise against that very sin, that either by custom or some strong inclination he was most naturally apt, ready and prone to fall into. Idolatry was the darling sin of the people of Israel: they called their Idols delectable, or desirable things, Isa 44.9. they did dearly affectand delight in their Idols; but when God should come to put a spirit of holiness upon them, then their hearts should rise in hatred and detestation of their Idols, as you may see in Isa. 30.18.25. mark ver. 22. Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven Images of Silver, and the ornament of thy molten Images of gold: thou shalt cast them away as a menstrous cloth, thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence. They were so delighted and enamored with their Idols, that they would deck then up in the greatest glory and bravery, they would attire them with the most rich, costly, pompous and glorious raiment. O but when a spirit of holiness should rise upon them, then they should defile, deface, and disgrace their Idols, then they should so hate and abhor them, they should so detest and loath them, that in a holy indignation they should cast them away as a menstrous cloth, and say unto them, get ye hence, pack, be gone, I will never have anymore to do with you. God hath now made an everlasting divorce between you and me. And so in Isa. 2.20. In that day, (that is, in the day of the Lord's exaltation in the hearts, lives and consciences of his people, ver. 17.) a man shall cast his Idols of silver, and his Idols of gold, which they made, each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the Bats. In the day of God's exaltation they shall express such disdain and indignation against their Idols, that they shall take not only those made of trees and stones, but even their most precious and costly Idols, those that were made of silver and gold, and cast them to the moles and to the bats; that is, they shall cast them into such blind holes, and into such dark, filthy, nasty and dusty corners as moles make under ground, and as Bats roust in: So when holiness comes to be exalted in the soul, then all a man's darling and bosom sins, which are his Idols of silver, and his Idols of gold: these are with a holy indignation cast to the moles and to the bats; they are so loathed, abandoned and casheered, that he desires they may be forever buried in oblivion, and never see the light more. Idols were Ephraim's bosom sin, Hos. 4.17. Ephraim is joined (or glued) to Idols, let him alone; but when the dew of grace and holiness fell upon Ephraim, as it did in Chap. 14.5, 6, 7. Then saith Ephraim what have I anymore to do with idols! v. 8. Now Ephraim loathes his Idols as much or more then before he loved them; he now abandons and abominates them, though before he was as closely glued to them, as the wanton is glued to his Dalelah, or as the Enchanter is glued to the Devil, from whom by no means he is able to stir. Ephraim becoming holy, cries out, What have I anymore to do with Idols? O I have had to do with them too long and too much already! O how doth my soul new rise against them! how do I detest and abhor them! surely I will never have more to do with them. But now unholy hearts are very favorable to bosom sins; they say of them as Lot of Zoar, Is it not a little one, and my soul shall live! And as David spake of Absalom, 2 Sam. 18.5. Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. Beware that none touch the young man Absalom, ver. 12. And the King said, Is the young man Absalom safe? ver. 29. An unholy heart is as fond of his bosom sins, as Herod was of his Herodias; or a Demetrius was of his Diana; or as Naaman was of the Idol Rimmon, which was the Idol of the Syrians: or as Judas was of bearing the bag; or as the Pharisees were of having the uppermost seats, and of being saluted in the market place with those glorious titles Rabbi, Rabbi. Bosom sins have at least a seeming sweetness in them: and therefore an unholy heart will not easily let them go. Let God frown or smile, stroke or strike, lift up or cast down, promise or threaten, yet he will hide and hold fast his darling sins: let God wound his conscience, blow upon his estate, leave a blot upon his name, crack his credit, afflict his body, write death upon his relations, and be a terror to his soul, yet will he not let go his bosom lusts. he will rather let God go, and Christ go, and grace go, and heaven go, all go, then he will let some pleasurable, or profitable lusts go. An unholy heart may sigh over those sins, and make war upon those sins, that war against his honors, profits or pleasures, and yet at the same time make truce with those that are as right hands and right eyes; an unholy person may set his sword at the breasts of some sins, and yet at the same time his heart may be secretly courting of his bosom sins. But now an holy heart rises most against the Delilah in his bosom, against the Benjamin, the son, the sin of his right hand. And thus you see how an holy heart hates and disdains all sins; he abhors small sins as well as great, secret sins as well as open, and bosom sins as well as others that have not that acquaintance and acceptance with the soul. Real holiness will never mix nor mingle itself with any sin, it will never incorporate with any corruption: Wine and water will easily mix, so the wine of gifts and the water of sin, the wine of civility and the water of vanity, the wine of morality and the water of impiety will easily mix, but oil and water will not mix, they will not incorporate; so the oil of grace, the oil of holiness, will not mix; it will not incorporate with sin; the oil of holiness will be uppermost. Mark natural and acquired habits and excellencies, as a pregnant wit, an eloquent tongue, a strong brain, an iron memory, a learned head, all these with some high speculations of holiness, and some profession of holiness, and some commendations of holiness, and some visible actings of holiness, are consistent with the love of lusts, with the dominion of sin, witness the Scribes and Pharisees, Judas, Demas and Simon Magus; but the real infused habits of true grace and holiness, will never admit of the dominion of any sin, whether great or little, whether secret or open. But,

Sixthly, Persons of real holiness are cordially affected [ 6] and afflicted, grieved and troubled about their own vileness and unholiness; you may see this in holy Job, chap. 40. 3, 4, 5. Then Job answered the Lord and said, Behold, I am vile, what shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken, but I will not answer; yea twice, but I will proceed no further. So holy Agur, Prov. 30.2, 3. Surely I am more brutish then any man, and have not the understanding of a man. I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy. Though all men are brutish, yet holy men are most sensible of their brutishness, and most affected and afflicted with it; wicked men are more brutish then the beasts, yet they see it not, they bewail it not; but holy Agur both sees his brutishness and bewails it. Holy Agur looking upon that rare knowledge, that depth of wisdom, and those admirable excellencies that Adam was endued with in his integrity and innocence, confesses himself to be but brutish, to be as much below what Adam once was, as a brute is below a man. So holy David cries not Perii, I am undone, I shall perish, but peccavi, I have sinned, I have done foolishly. And so for his being envious at the prosperity of the foolish, how doth he befool and be-beast himself! Psalm 73.22. So foolish was I and ignorant, I was as a beast before thee. The Hebrew word Behemoth, that is here rendered beast generally, comprehends all beasts of the greater sort. As an aggravation of his folly, he confesseth that he was as a beast, as a great beast, yea as an Epi • ome of all great beasts. So the holy Prophet Isaiah complains that he was undone, that he was cut off, not upon any worldly account, but because he was a man of unclean lips, and dwelt in the midst of a people of unclean lips. So holy Daniel complained not that they were reproached and oppressed, but that they had rebelled. So Peter, Luke 5.8. Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord: Or as the Greek hath it, I am a man, a sinner; O Lord depart from me, for I am a mixture and compound of all vileness and sinfulness. So holy Paul cries not out of his opposers or persecutors, but of the Law in his members rebelling against the Law of his mind. Paul's body of death within him, put him to more grief and sorrow, then all the troubles and trials that ever befell him. An holy heart laments over those sins that he cannot conquer; a holy person labors to wash out all the stains and spots that be in his soul, in the streams of godly sorrow; that his sins may never drown his soul; he will do what he can to drown his sins in penitential tears. A holy person looks upon his sins as the crucifiers of his Savior, and so they affect him; he looks upon his sins as the great incendaries, make-bates, and separatist between God and his soul, and so they afflict him; he looks upon his fins as so many reproaches to his God, blemishes to his profession, and wounds to his credit and conscience, and so they grieve and trouble him; he looks upon his sins as those that make many a righteous soul (besides his own) sad, whom God would not have sadded; and that opens many a sinful mouth that God would have stopped, and that strengthens many a wicked heart, that God would not have strengthened; and so they fetch many a sigh from his heart, and many a tear from his eyes. When a holy man sins, he looks upwards, and there he sees God frowning; he looks downwards, and there he sees Satan insulting; he looks within himself, and there he finds his conscience either a bleeding, raging, or accusing; he looks without himself, and there he finds gracious men lamenting and mourning; and graceless men deriding and mocking; the sense of which doth sorely and sadly afflict a gracious soul. Some say that Saint Peters eyes (after his great falls) were always full of tears, insomuch that his face was furrowed with continual weeping for his horrid thoughts, his desperate words, his shameful shifts, and his damnable deeds, which made him look more like a child of hell, then like a Saint whose name was written in heaven. Some say of Adam, that when he turned his face towards the Garden of Eden, he sadly lamented his great fall. Some say of Mary Magdalene, that she spent thirty years in Galba in weeping for her sins. David's sins were ever before him, and therefore no wonder if Tears instead of Gemms were so constantly the ornaments of his bed. Wicked Pharaoh cries out, Oh take away these filthy frogs, take away these dreadful judgments; but holy David cries out, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy servant. Pharaoh cries out because of his punishments, but David cries out because of his sin. Anselm saith, that with grief he considered the whole course of his life; I found (saith he) the infancy of sin in the sins of my infancy; the youth and growth of sin, in the sins of my youth and growth; and the ripeness of all sin, in the sins of my ripe and perfect age; and then he breaks forth into this pathetical expression, What remaineth for thee, wretched man, but that thou spend thy whole life in bewailing thy whole life! By all which it is most evident, that holy hearts are very much affected and afflicted with their own unholiness and vileness. Now certainly those persons are as far off from real holiness, as hell is from heaven, who take pleasure in unrighteousness, who make a scoff and mock of sin, who commit wickedness with greediness, who talk wickedly, who live wantonly, who trade deceitfully, who swear horribly, who drink stiffly, who lie hideously, and who die impenitently. But,

[ 7] Seventhly, Real holiness naturalizes holy duties to the soul, it makes religious services to be easy and pleasant to the soul: Hence prayer is called the prayer of faith, because holy faith naturalizeth a man's heart to prayer; it is as natural for a holy man to pray, as it is for him to breath, or as it is for a bird to fly, or fire to ascend, or a stone to descend: And hence it is that obedience is called the obedience of faith, because holy faith naturalizes a man's heart to obedience. As soon as ever this plant of renown was set in the heart of Paul, he cries out, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And hence it is that hearing is called the hearing of faith, because this holy principle naturalizes a man's heart to hearing. I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord. And so in Isa. 2.3. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the Law, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And hence patience is called patience of hope, because this holy principle of hope naturalizes a man's heart to a patient waiting upon God. Rom. 8.25. But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. So holy love naturalizes the soul to holy service; in 1 Thes. 1.3. you read of the labor of love; holy love is very laborious; nothing makes a Christian more industrious, painful and diligent in the service and ways of God, then holy love; holy love will make us to pray and to praise, it will make us wait and work, it will provoke souls to study Christ, to admire Christ, to live to Christ, to lift up Christ, to spend and be spent for Christ; and to break through all difficulties that it may come nearer to Christ, and cleave closer to Christ. As Jerome once bravely said, If my father (said he) should stand before me, my mother should hang upon me, and my brethren should press about me, I would break through my brethren, throw down my mother, tread under-feet my father, that I might the faster cleave unto Christ my Savior. O the laboriousness of holy love! So far as a Christian is holy, so far holy services will be delightful and easy to him. Rom. 7.22. I delight in the Law of God after the inward man. ver. 25. So then with the mind I myself serve the Law of God. Psalm 119.16. I will delight myself in thy Statutes: I will not forget thy Word. Ver. 35. Make me to go in the path of thy Commandments; for therein do I delight. Ver. 47. And I will delight myself in thy Commandments which I have loved. Ver. 92. Unless thy Law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction. Ver. 143. Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me; yet thy Commandments are my delights. Sirs, Honor is not more suitable, delightful, and pleasing to an ambitious man, nor pleasure to a voluptuous man, nor flattery to a proud man, nor gold to a covetous man, nor excess to an intemperate man, nor revenge to an envious man, nor pardon to a condemned man, then Religious duties and services are suitable, pleasing and delightful to a holy man; but now unholy hearts are very averse to holy duties and services: they are averse to hearing, averse to praying, averse to reading, averse to meditating, averse to self-judging, averse to self-examining, averse to holy worship, averse to holy Sabbaths. Amos 8.5. When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the Sabbath that we may set forth Wheat? You may sooner draw a Coward to fight, or a Malefactor to the Barr, or a Bear to the stake, then you shall draw unholy hearts to holy services. But if at any time, by the strong motions of the Spirit, the close debates of conscience, the powerful persuasions of the Word, the education of godly parents, the pious example of bosom friends, the rich treasures in precious promises, the dreadful evils in terrible threatenings, or if at any time by the displeasure of God, the smarting rod, the bowels of mercy, the woings of love, or if at any time by some flashes of hell, or glimpses of heaven, or by the heavy sighs, the deep groans, and the bleeding wounds of a dying Savior, their hearts are wrote over to Religious services, Ah how soon are they weary of them! What little delight or pleasure do they take in them! Isa. 43.22. But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob, (that is, thou hast not worshipped nor served me sincerely, faithfully, feelingly, heartily, affectionately, humbly, holily, as thou shouldest, and as thou oughtest) but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel; that is, thou hast been weary of my worship and service, and thou hast counted it rather a burden then a benefit, a damage then an advantage, a reproach then an honor, a disgrace then a favor, a vexation then a blessing, and for all thy formal courtings and complementings of me, thou hast been secretly weary of me. So in Mal. 1.12, 13. Ye say, The table of the Lord is polluted, and the fruit thereof, even his meat is contemptible: Ye said also, Behold what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts, &c. They did God but little service, and that they did was after the worst manner too, and yet they snuff, and puff, and blow, and sweat, and swell, and fall into a fustian fume, as if they had been over-tired and wearied with the burden and weight of those sacrifices which they offered up to the great God. A holy heart thinks all too little that he doth for God; but an unholy heart thinks every little too much that he doth for God. An holy heart, like the holy Angels, loves to do much and make no noise; but an unholy heart makes most noise when he doth least service; an unsanctified soul hath a Trumpet in his right hand, when he hath but a penny to give in his left hand, as here. But,

Eighthly, Where there is real holiness, there will be the [ 8] exercise of righteousness towards men from righteous principles, and upon religious accounts, viz. the honor of God, the command of God, the will of God, the credit of the Gospel, &c. Real holiness towards God, is always attended with righteousness towards men. Eph. 4.24. And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness, or, holiness of truth. Titus 2.11, 12. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men. Teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godlily in this present world. These words contain the sum of a Christians duty, to live soberly towards ourselves, righteously towards our neighbors, and godlily towards God, is true godliness indeed, and the whole duty of man. So holy Abraham in Gen. 23.16. And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron, and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, currant money with the Merchant. It is recorded to holy Abraham's everlasting honor and fame, that he paid for the field that he bought of Ephron currant money not counterfeit, pure not adulterate, shekels of silver, not shekels of brass silver'd over; he paid the price that was pitched, and he paid it in such coin as would go currant in one Country as well as another. So holy Jacob in Gen. 43. supposing that the money that was returned in the sacks of corn that his sons brought out of Egypt, was through some mistake or oversight, he very honestly and conscientiously ordered them to carry the money back again. Ver. 12. And take double money in your hand: and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hands; peradventure it was an oversight. A holy heart will not, a holy heart dares not take an advantage from another's error to do him wrong; it is but justice to return and restore to every man his due. So holy Moses in Numb. 16.15. And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the Lord, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one Ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them: He sought their good, not their goods; he preferred their safety before his own life; he did right to every man, he did wrong to no man; he did every man some good, he did no man the least hurt. So holy Samuel, in 1 Sam. 12.3, 4, 5. Behold here am I, witness against me before the Lord, and before his anointed: whose Ox have I taken? or whose Ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? And I will restore it you. And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand. And he said unto them, the Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, he is witness. He makes a solemn protestation before the Lord, before his anointed, and before the people, that he had so lived in the exercise of justice and righteousness amongst them, that they could not accuse him of the least unrighteousness, they could not say, black was his eye, they could not say that he had lessened them to greaten himself, or that he had impoverished them to enrich himself, or that he had ruined them to raise himself; upon his appeal they unanimously declare his innocence and integrity. So holy Daniel, in Dan. 6.4, 5. Then the Presidents and Princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the Kingdom, but they could find no occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. Then said these men, we shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the Law of his God. Though envy be the father of cruelty and malice, the mother of murder and ambition, the plotter of others destruction; yet holy Daniel was so just and righteous, so innocent and prudent, so careful and faithful in the administration of his high office, that none of his envious, malicious, and ambitious enemies could (after their unity in a hellish & cruel conspiracy) charge him with the least spot of injustice or show of unrighteousness; they narrowly scan'd all his administrations, and diligently weighed all his actions, and yet themselves being Judges, Daniel is found innocent: They could not so much as charge him with a colorable fault. So Zacharias and Elizabeth, they walked in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless; they walked not only in the Ordinances, but also in the Commandments of the Lord, and they walked not only in some Commandments, but in all the Commandments of the Lord; they walked in the Commandments of the second Table, as well as in the Commandments of the first Table; they were as well for righteousness towards man, as they were for holiness towards God. So the Apostles in 2 Corin. 7.2. Receive us, we wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man. The Apostle would have the Corinthians to make room for them in their hearts and houses (as the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 imports) for that they had wronged no man in his name or reputation, as the false Apostles had; neither had they corrupted any man in his judgment by false Doctrines or evil Examples, as the false Apostles had; neither had they defrauded any man in his estate, as the false Apostles had, who made a prize of their followers and hearers; of the same import is that of the Apostle in 1 Thes. 2.10. Ye are witness, and God also, how holily, justly, and unblamably we behaved ourselves among you that believe. He takes God and them to witness, that they had lived holily in respect of God, and righteously in respect of the world, and unblameably in respect of them that believe. By all which it is most evident, That where there is real holiness towards God, there will be the exercise of righteousness towards men.

But now where there is but the shows and appearances of holiness, there persons make no conscience of exercising righteousness towards men: witness the Scribes and Pharisees, who under a pretence of praying, made a prey of widows houses; who under a pretence of piety, exercised the greatest covetousness, unrighteousness and cruelty, and that upon widows, who are (usually) the greatest objects of pity and charity; they made no bones of robbing the widow, under pretence of honoring of God. So Judas, who was a Cato without, but a Nero within; who under a pretence of laying up for the poor, robbed the poor; he made use of counterfeit holiness, as a cloak to cover all his thievish villainies; he pretended to lay up for the poor, but he intended only to lay up for himself, & to provide against a rainy-day; it is like he had no great mind to stay long with his Lord, and therefore he was resolved to make the best market he could for himself; that so when he should lay down his Stewardship, he might have something to live upon. Judas acted the part of a Saint in his profession, and discourses, that so he might be the less suspected to act the part of a thief in his more secret practices. Judas had not been long in office, before he put Conscience out of office, and Conscience being put out of office, Judas sets up for himself, and under a Cloak of holiness, he practices the greatest unfaithfulness: Though the Eagle sores high, yet still her eye is upon her prey; so though Judas did sore high in profession, yet his eye was still upon his prey, upon his bags, and so he might have it, he cared not who went without it; so he might be rich, he did not care though his Lord and his retinue grew never so poor. Judas had Jacob's voice, but Gehazies heart and hands, and therefore he screws up his Consciencee till he makes all crack again. Under all his shows of sanctity, he had not so much as common honesty in him. Counterfeit holiness is often made a stalking horse, to the exercise of much unrighteousness: Certainly that man is as far from real holiness, as the Devil himself is from true happiness; who lives not in the exercise of righteousness towards men, as well as in a profession of holiness towards God. Well Christians, remember this, it were better with the Philosopher, to have honesty without Religion, then to have Religion without honesty. But,

[ 9] Ninthly, He that is truly holy, will labor and endeavor to make others holy; a holy heart loves not to go to heaven alone, it loves not to be happy and blessed alone; a man that hath experienced the power, excellency and sweetness of holiness, will strive and study how to make others holy. When Sampson had tasted honey, he gave his father and mother some with him. Holiness is so sweet a morsel, that a soul cannot taste of it, but he will be a commending of it to others. As you may see in holy Moses, in Numb. 11.29. And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the Lord's people were Prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them. A holy soul will never make a monopoly of holiness; the Prophets you know were men of greatest grace and holiness; now holy Moses is very importunate and earnest with God, that he would not only make the two that prophesied, but all the Lord's people eminent and excellent in grace and holiness; such was Moses his holiness and humbleness, that he desires that all others might either equal him, or excel him in gifts and grace. A heart eminently holy, is so far from envying of the gracious excellencies of others, that it can rejoice in every Sun that out-shines his own: and every light that burns more dim then his, he desires that it may be snufft, (not put out) that so it may give a clearer and a greater light to others. So holy Paul in Acts 26.29. And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bands. True holiness is no Churl: nothing makes a man more noble in his spiritual desires, wishes, and actings for others, then holiness. Real holiness, like oil, is of a diffusive nature; like light, it will spread itself over all, like Mary's box of ointment, it fills all the house with the sweet scent thereof. Art thou a holy Father, then thou wilt with holy Abraham, labor to make thy children holy. Gen. 18.17, 18, 19. A holy heart knows, that both by his first birth, but especially by his new-birth, he stands obliged to promote holiness in all, but especially in those that are parts and pieces of himself. Art thou a holy Master, then thou wilt with holy Joshua, labor to make all under thy charge holy. Josh. 24.15. But as for me, and my house, we will serve the Lord. True holiness cannot be concealed, it will be a stirring and a provoaking of others to be holy; as a holy man doth not love to be happy alone, so a holy man doth not love to be holy alone. A holy master loves to see a Crown of holiness set upon every head in his family: Holiness is a very beautiful thing, and it makes those beautiful in whom it is; in a holy Masters eye, there is no servant so lovely and beautiful, as he that hath the beauty of holiness upon him. A holy Magistrate will labor to make both his servants and his subjects holy. As holy David, holy Asa, holy Josiah, and holy Hezekiah did, he knows that the souls of his servants and subjects are the choicest treasure that God hath committed to his care; he knows that every soul is more worth then his Crown and Kingdom; he knows that he must one day give up an account for more souls then his own, and therefore he improves his power and interest every way for the making of all holy under him. As Lewis the ninth King of France took pains to instruct his poor Kitchen-boy in the way to heaven, and being asked the reason of it, he answered, The meanest have a soul to save as precious as mine own, and bought by the same blood of Christ. It is said of Constantine (that in this he was truly great) that he would have his whole Court gathered together, and cause the Scriptures to be read and opened to them, that they might be made holy Courtiers, and so fitted for the Court of heaven, into which no unclean person or thing can enter. It grieved an Emperor, that a neighbor of his should die before he had done him any good. Ah, it is the grief of a holy Magistrate to see others die before they are made holy; the great request of a holy Magistrate living and dying, is this, Lord make this people a holy people! O make this people a holy people! Art thou a holy kinsman, a holy friend, then thou wilt labor to make thy kindred holy, and thy friends holy: As holy Cornelius did, as you may see in Acts 10.24, 27. And the morrow after they entered into Cesaria: and Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends. And as Peter talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together. And in ver. 33. saith Cornelius to Peter, Thou hast well done that thou art come: Now therefore we are all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. Devout Cornelius gets his kinsmen and near friends together, that they also might be partakers of the grace and mercy of God with him: he had experienced a work of grace and holiness upon his own heart, and he uses his best endeavors that they might experience the same on theirs. A holy Christian is like a loadstone that draws to itself first one iron ring, and that another, and that a third. As there is a natural instinct in all creatures to propagate their own kind, as in beasts, birds and fishes; so there is a holy, a spiritual instinct in all gracious hearts to propagate grace and holiness in whatever hearts they can. Look as fire will assimilate and turn everything that comes near it into its own nature; so will a holy heart labor to make all that comes near him like himself. Look as one drunkard labors to make another, and one swearer another, and one wanton another, and one thief another, and one idle person another, and one fearful person another, and one doubtful person another, and one erroneous person another, &c. So one holy heart labors to make another, one gracious heart labors to make another, he that is humble will labor to make others humble, he that is sincere will labor to make others sincere, he that is faithful will labor to make others to be faithful, he that is fruitful will labor to make others fruitful, and he that is watchful will labor to make others watchful. A heart that is truly holy, will labor by prayers, reproofs, tears, example, counsel, and commands, to make others like himself: He knows that there is no love, no wisdom, no care, no pains (next to that which he takes with his own heart) to that which is laid out to make unholy hearts holy. And therefore he prays and weeps, and weeps and prays, that holiness may be written upon all that his name is written upon; he learns and teaches, and he teaches and learns, and all that he may teach and learn others to be holy; he counts it not worth while to live in this world, were it not for the glory of God, and the good of his own and others souls; but now what shall we say of those persons who are so far from being holy, who are so far from drawing others to be holy, that they do what they can to make those that are holy to become unholy; and who strongly tempt those that are unholy to be more unholy; these are factors for hell, and certainly such solicitors shall at last be most dreadfully handled by hellish tormentors. But,

[ 10] Tenthly, He that is really holy, will be holy in the use of earthly and common things, as well as in the use of spiritual and heavenly things. He will be spiritual in the use of carnal things, and heavenly in the use of earthly things. There is a silver vein of sanctity that runs through all his worldly concernments. If you look upon him in his eating and drinking; you shall find him holy, 1 Cor. 10.31. If you look upon him in his buying and selling, in his paying and receiving, you shall find him holy, Isa. 23.18. And her Merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the Lord. Before Tyres conversion she labored to enrich herself by hook and by crook: all was fish that came to Tyres net. Tyre could say anything, or do anything, or be anything for gain. Oh, but when Tyre is converted and sanctified, then all her merchandise and hire, then all her gettings and earnings shall be holiness to the Lord. Tyre now shall write holiness upon all her wares and commodities: Tyre shall buy nothing, nor sell nothing, nor exchange nothing, but there shall be holiness written upon it. And Tyre shall be as well holy in using and improving of her merchandise and hire, as she hath been holy in the getting of them; for so it follows in the same verse, It shall not be treasured nor laid up: for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the Lord, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing. Tyre before her conversion hoarded up riches; and laid up her merchandise to spend upon her lusts; to spend upon her pride, and wantonness, and luxuriousness, &c. But now being converted she uses and improves what she hath in the Service of the Lord, and for the comfort, support and relief of the poor and needy. When Tyre is once made holy, then Tyre will be holy in the use of all her earthly enjoyments. If you look upon a holy man going to war, then you shall find holiness written upon the bridles of his horses, Zach. 14.20, 21. In that day shall there be upon the bridles (or bells) of the horses holiness unto the Lord. Yea, every Pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the Lord of Hosts. Here is holiness written upon the bridles of the horses they ride on, and holiness written upon the cups and pots they drink in: a holy heart will be holy in the use of the meanest things; that are for common use. Every piece of his civility shall savor of sanctity, and in all the parts of his common conversation you shall be able to discern something of the power of religion, Job 5.24. And thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin. Thou shalt be holy in thy commerce, and holy in thy converse; holiness shall be written upon thy dealings with thy servants, and holiness shall be written upon thy carriages towards thy children, and holiness shall be written upon all thy behaviours towards thy friends. What ever thou puttest thy hand to in thy habitation, shall have holiness written upon it: thou shalt make a Jacob's ladder of all thy earthly enjoyments, all the comforts that be in thy habitation, shall be as so many bright morning stars to lead thee on in a way of holiness, and to lead thee up to a holy God. Look upon a holy man in his calling, and you shall find him holy: Look upon him in the use of the creatures, and you shall find him holy: Look upon him in his recreations, and you shall find him holy. The habitual frame and bent of his heart is to be holy in every earthly thing that he puts his hand unto. A spirit of holiness runs and shines in all the common actions of his life. But now look upon those who have only the shows and appearances of holiness, and you shall find that they have but a common spirit in common things; take them out of their duties, and you shall find them in a course to be earthly in the use of earthly things, and carnal in the use of carnal things, and worldly in the use of worldly things. All their religion, all their holiness lies in a few duties; take them out of these, and you shall find them as carnal, as vain, as foolish, as filthy and as frothy, as light and as slight as those that have not so much as a cloak of holiness upon them. But he that is really holy, will be holy as well out of duties, as in duties: If you look narrowly upon him in all his worldly concernments, you shall find some footsteps of the awe, fear, dread, authority and glory of God upon his spirit. Look as an unholy heart is carnal in spiritual things, and earthly in heavenly things, and unholy in holy things, so a man that is truly holy, he is as well holy in the ordinary affairs and actions of this life, as he is holy in any of the exercises of Religion. But,

[ 11] Eleventhly, True holiness is conformable to the holiness of Christ. The holiness of Christ is that first and noble pattern that real holiness makes us conformable to, 1 John 4.17. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world; there is no grace in Christ, which is not in some degree formed in a holy heart: and therefore the work of grace and holiness is called a forming of Christ in the soul, Gal. 4.19. Holy hearts have the very prints, stamps and impressions of the graces of Jesus Christ upon them, 1 John 16. Of his fullness we have all received grace for grace. Look as face answers to face, so the graces that are in real Christians, answer to the graces that are in Jesus; there is such love as answers to the love of Christ; and such lowliness as answers to the lowliness of Christ, and such heavenly mindedness as answers to the heavenly mindedness of Christ; and such meekness as answers to the meekness of Christ; and such patience as answers to the patience of Christ; and such faith as answers to the faith of Christ; and such zeal as answers to the zeal of Christ; and such fear as answers to the fear of Christ, in truth and reality, though not in degree and quantity. Look, as in generation, the child receives member for member; or as the paper from the Press, letter for letter; or the glass from the face, image for image; or as the wax from the seal, stamp for stamp; so holy hearts receive from Christ grace for grace. Look as wine in the bottle is conformable to that in the Butt, and as water in the Cistern is conformable to that in the river; and as light in the Air is conformable to that in the Sun; and as milk in the sawcer is conformable to milk in the breasts; and as money in the pocket is conformable to money in the bag. So the graces that are in a holy Christian are conformable to the graces that are in Christ, 2 Cor. 3.17, 18. To be a Philosopher (saith Plato ) is to know God, to be in love with God, and to imitate God. So say I, to be a holy person, is to know a holy Christ, to be in love with a holy Christ, and to imitate the virtues of a holy Christ. It was the height of Caesar's glory, to walk in the steps of Alexander; And of Selymus (a Turkish Emperor) to walk in the steps of Caesar. And of Themistocles, to walk in the steps of Miltiades: so it is the height of a Christians glory, to tread in the virtuous steps of his dearest Lord. And as Scipio accounted it no small disparagement for him to walk one foot awry from that course of life which Cyrus in Xenophon had gone before him in: so a holy heart counts it no small disparagement to him in the least, to step awry from that holy pattern that Christ hath set him. Look as the holy Prophet did lay his mouth to the Shunamites child's mouth, and his eyes to his eyes, and his hands to his hands: So a holy Christian lays his mouth to the mouth of Christ, and his eyes to the eyes of Christ, and his hands to the hands of Christ, and his breasts to the breasts of Christ, and his heart to the heart of Christ: that is, he doth in all things labor to resemble Christ, to be like to Christ; especially in those holy virtues which were most shining in the heart and life of Christ. Now certainly, they are far from being holy, who count it a crime to be virtuous: and so are they who walk directly contrary to Jesus Christ: he was holy, but they are profane; he was humble, but they are proud; he was heavenly, but they are earthly; he was spiritual, but they are carnal; he was zealous, but they are luke-warm; he was meek, but they are contentions; he was charitable, but they are covetous; he was courteous, but they are malicious. Will you call these men holy? surely no. But,

Twelfthly, He that is truly holy, is much affected and afflicted [ 12] with the unholiness of others, Psal. 119.53. Horror hath taken hold upon me, because of the wicked that forsake thy Law. Ver. 158. I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved, because they kept not thy Word. Ver. 136. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes; because they keep not thy Law. By this Hyperbolical phrase, he sets forth the greatness of his sorrows, and that not because his enemies had wronged him, but because they had dishonored his God. It was a great grief to him ro see others a grieving his God. So Jer. 9.1, 2, 3. O that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night! Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men, that I might leave my people, and go from them. But why doth the holy Prophet thus take on? why doth he thus lament? why doth he wish himself turned into waters, and into a fountain of tears? why doth he prefer a habitation amongst the wild beasts, before his habitation among his own people? Why, the cause you have in the following words, for they be all Adulterers, an Assembly of treacherous men; And they bend their tongues like their bow, for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the Lord. So Ezek. 9.4. And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the City, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh, and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. There were holy hearts in Jerusalem, that did sigh and cry, and cry and sigh for the wickedness of the times; the abominations of the times did lie in such full weight upon them, that they did fetch many a sigh from their hearts, and many a tear from their eyes. Holy hearts are able to tell you many sad stories of the groans, griefs and gripes, that other men's sins hath cost them. When most were a sinning, God's marked ones were a mourning; when others were with a high hand a cursing, blaspheming, and a rebelling, God's marked ones were deeply sorrowing; they mourned cordially, they sighed greatly, they grieved wonderfully, they groaned lamentably, and that not for some, but for all, for all Court sins, and Church sins, and City sins, and family sins. And so holy Paul could not with dry eyes make mention of those belly-gods, and earth-worms that were in his time, Phil. 3.18. So holy Lot was much affected and afflicted with seeing and hearing of the wickedness of those among whom he lived, 2 Peter 2.7, 8. The Greek word for vexed, in verse 7. ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) signifies to be oppressed under the wanton and wicked conversation of the ungodly Sodomites, as a man that is oppressed under a heavy burden which he labors under, and would fain be delivered from; Or to be oppressed as the Israelites were under their cruel Egyptian Taskmasters. Ah, the sins, the wickedness of others sets hard upon the hearts of the Saints. The Israelites did not more labor, and sigh, and groan under all their loads and oppressions, then many holy hearts do labor, and sigh, and groan under the load of wicked men's sins. And the Greek word for vexed, in ver. 8. ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) signifies to be tortured, tormented and wracked. Oh their wickedness did torment and wrack his righteous soul, he could not see, nor hear of their wickedness, but his soul was as upon a wrack. Pambus in Ecclesiastical History wept when he saw an Harlot take so much pains to deck and dress herself in curious and costly apparel, and all to entertain a wanton lover, and so to make work for hell. Oh it cannot but grieve a gracious soul to see what pains poor sinners take to go to hell! A holy heart looks upon other men's sins as great dishonors done to his Father, his King; And therefore he cannot but cry out with Croesus his Son (who though he was born dumb, yet seeing some going about to kill his Father, his tongue-strings unloosed, and he cried out) O kill not King Croesus, kill not my Father. Oh kill not my God, and my King! Oh kill not, Oh dishonor not my dear Father, and Savior, saith a holy heart. Such is the love, and high respects that holy hearts bear to their heavenly Father, that they cannot but grieve, and mourn, and cry out when they see others to act Treason against the Crown and dignity of heaven. Elijah had rather die then to see Ahab and Jezebel to cast contempt and dishonor upon his God.

1. A holy heart mourns for sin as sin, he weeps over [ 1] the very nature of sin; he grieves for sin, as it is the breach of a holy Law, and as it is a dishonor to a holy God, &c. and therefore he cannot but mourn for other men's sins, as well as his own. He that hates a Toad as a Toad, will hate a Toad in other men's bosoms as well as his own. He that hates poison as poison, will hate poison in another man's hand as well as his own: So he that hates sin as sin, will hate it where-ever he sees it. And he that mourns over sin as sin, cannot but mourn over sin where ever he observes it.

[ 2] 2. By other men's sins a holy man is put in mind of the badness of his own heart. Bernard makes mention in one of his Homilies of an old man, who when he saw any man sin, wept and lamented for him, and being asked why he grieved so for other men's sins, answered, Ille hodie, & ego cras, he fell today, and I may fall tomorrow: the falls of others puts a holy man in mind of the roots of bitterness that be in himself: other men's actual sins are as so many glasses through which a holy man comes to see the manifold seeds of sin that be in his own nature, and such a sight as this cannot but melt him, and break him.

[ 3] 3. A holy heart knows that the best way to keep himself pure from other men's sins, is to mourn for other men's sins: He that makes conscience of weeping over other men's sins, will rarely be defiled with other men's sins; he that mourns not over other men's sins, is accessory to other men's sins: and first or last may find them charged upon his account: He that mourns not for other men's sins, is in danger of being ensnared by other men's sins. And how then can a holy man look upon other men's sins with dry eyes?

[ 4] 4. A holy man looks upon other men's sins as the crucifiers of his Savior. He looks upon the proud man's pride as that which set a crown of thorns upon the sacred head of Christ, and this makes him figh; he looks upon the swearers oaths as the nails that nailed his blessed hands and feet to the cross, and this makes him grieve: He looks upon scorners as spitting upon Christ, and worldlings as preferring Barabbas before Christ, and this makes him groan: He looks upon hypocrites as kissing and betraying of Christ; and he looks upon drunkards and wantons, as giving gall and vinegar to Christ, and this makes him mourn: He looks upon other men's sins, as having a hand in all Christ's torments, and this puts him upon the wrack, and makes his very soul heavy, even to the death.

5. A holy heart knows that by mourning for other [ 5] men's sins, he may be instrumental to keep off wrath. How oft did holy Moses by his tears quench the wrath of an angry God? However if wrath should break forth upon a Nation, yet they that mourn for the abominations of the times, they shall be hid in the day of God's public visitation. When the house is on fire, the Father hath a special care to provide for the safety and security of his children: when the lumber is on fire, a man will be sure first to secure his (box of) Jewels. In times of common calamity, God will be sure to look after his Jewels, his mourning ones: though the lumber (the wicked) be burnt up on every hand in the day of God's wrath; yet he will be sure to preserve his jewels in the midst of the flames. Augustine coming to visit a sick man, found the room full of mourners; he found • he wife sobbing, the children sighing, and the kindred lamenting: whereupon he suddenly breathed forth this short, but sweet ejaculatory prayer, Lord (saith he) what prayers dost thou hear, if not these? So in times of common calamity, holy hearts may look up and say, Ah Lord, whose sighs, whose groans, whose tears wilt thou hear, if not ours? Who are mourners in Zion, and who wilt thou save and secure, in this day of thy fierce indignation, if not we who have labored to drown both our own and other men's sins in penitential tears!

6. A holy heart looks upon sinners sins to contribute [ 6] very much towards the bringing in of sore and sad changes upon a Land and Nation: he knows that sinners sins may turn Rivers into a wilderness, and water-springs into dry ground, and a fruitful land into a barren wilderness: he knows that sinners sins may have a deep hand in provoking God to rain hell out of heaven upon a sinful Nation, as he did of old upon Sodom and Gomorrah, and this sets him a mourning; if one sinner destroys much good, as Solomon speaks, Ah, saith he, what a world of good will a world of sinners destroy then! the serious thoughts of this makes him sigh.

7. A holy heart looks upon other men's sins, as their bonds [ 7] and chains, Acts 8.23. and this makes him mourn. When Marcellus the Roman General saw the multitude of captives that were taken in the City of Syracuse, the tears trickled down his cheeks. Ah how can tears but trickle down a Christians cheeks, when he sees multitudes fast bound with the cords of their iniquity trooping to hell! Who can look upon a sinner as a close prisoner to the Prince of darkness, and not bemoan him! Now if holy persons thus mourn for the wickedness of others: then certainly they are far from being holy, who take pleasure in the wickedness of others, who laugh and joy, who can make a sport, a pastime of other men's sins! These are rather monsters then men; there are none so nearly allied to Satan, as these; nor none resemble Satan to the life, so much as these: The devil always joys most when sinners sin most. Neither doubtless are they holy who tempt and entice others to be unholy: nor are they holy who only cry out of other men's sins, but never sigh for other men's sins; nor are they holy who insult over the iniquities of others, but never mourn for the iniquities of others; nor are they holy, who can rail, reproach, and revile others for their sins, but have neither skill, nor will to lament over others sins, and yet this age is full of such wretches. Certainly that man's holiness will be found to be of the right stamp at last, who can Evangelically mourn for other men's sins as well as his own. But,

[ 13] Thirteenthly, He that is truly holy, he loves the word, and is affected and taken with the word for its holiness and purity. Psal. 119.140. Thy word is very pure, therefore thy servant loveth it. A pure heart embraces the word for its purity. So holy Paul in Rom. 7.12. Wherefore the Law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just and good. Well, and what then? why saith he, ver. 22. I delight in the Law of God after the inward man. But is this all? No saith he, ver. 25. With the mind I myself serve the Law of God: Holy Paul delights in the Law as holy, and serves the Law as holy, just, and good. A holy heart is taken with the word for its spirituality, divinity and purity. So in Psalm 19.8, 9, 10. The Statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, (that is, the Doctrine that teacheth the true fear of God) enduring forever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether; More to be desired are they then gold, yea, then much fine gold: Sweeter also then honey, and the honey comb: or as the Hebrew hath it, Sweeter then the dropping of honey-combs. The whole word of God as it is a pure word, a clean word; so it rejoices a holy heart; and so it is sweeter then the very droppings of honey-combs. It is more sweet then those drops which drop immediately and naturally without any force or art, which is counted the purest and the sweetest honey. There is no profit nor pleasure to that which the purity of the word yields to a holy heart. But now unholy hearts they are affected with the word as it is dressed up with fine high notions (which are but mysterious nothings) they are taken with the word, as it is clothed with Arts, Parts and Elegancy of phrase they are pleased with the word; as it is appareled with a spruse wit, or with silken Expressions, or with some delicate Elocution. Augustine confesseth, that the delight which he took before his conversion in St. Ambroses Sermons, was more for the eloquence of the words, then the substance of the matter; so many are taken more with the wit, elocution, action, high notions, and far fetch expressions that be in a Sermon, then they are taken with the spirituality, divinity, weight, and holy worth that is in a Sermon; these are like those children, who are more taken with the fine flowers that are strewd about the dish, then they are with the meat that is in the dish; and that are more taken with the red weeds, and blew bottles that grow in the field, then they are with the good corn that grows there. But now as the prudent Farmer is taken more with a few handfulls of sound corn, then he is with all the gay weeds that be in the field. So a holy heart is more taken with a few sound truths in a Sermon, then he is taken with all the strong lines, and high strains, and flourishes of wit with which a Sermon may be decked up. Some are taken with the word as the profession of it brings in customers into their shops, and keeps up their credits in the world. Others are taken with the word as it seems to tickle their ears, and please their fancies. Some are affected with Sermons because of the elegancy of the style, delicacy of the words, smoothness of the language, and gracefulnesse of the delivery. And these deal by Sermons as many men do by their Nosegays, that are made up of many picked (sweet) flowers, who after they have smelt to them a while, cast them into a corner. So these after they have commended a Sermon, after they have applauded a Sermon, they cast away the Sermon: they smell to the Sermon, and say it is sweet, it is sweet, and presently they throw it by as a Nosegay that is withered, and of no further use. When a man that is sick, crazy and unsound, is at a Table that is furnished with variety of dishes, you know he easily and readily passes over all the most wholesome and nourishing dishes, and falls a pidling and picking here and there upon kickshaws and puff-paste, that have little or no substance in them. So unsound, unholy hearts when God hath prepared his Table, and made a feast of fat things for their souls in the Ministry of his word, they can easily and readily pass over those sound, solid, and savoury truths that are prepared for their strength and nourishment, and fall a pidling and picking upon some new coined phrases, or some quaint expressions, or some Seraphical notions: And no wonder, for they are not sound within, they are under a great distemper. As the Israelites would not be satisfied with wholesome diet, but they must needs have Quails as picking meat; Well they had them, and whilst they were at their picking meat, the wrath of God came upon them: the Application is as easy, as it is dreadful. But now a holy heart savors the word, and relishes the word, and is affected and taken with the word as it is a holy word, a substantial word, a pure word, a clean word, and as it begets holiness, and cherishes holiness, and increases holiness, and as it works towards the completing and perfecting of holiness.

Quest. But how may a person know whether he loves the Word, and is affected and taken with the Word, as it is an holy Word, or no?

Answ. First by what hath been already said; but because the question is weighty, I further answer in the second place; He that loves the Word, and that is affected and taken with the Word, as it is a holy Word, he loves the whole Word of God, and he is affected and taken with one part of the Word as well as another; every Law of God is a holy Law, and every Statute is a holy Statute, and every command is a holy command, and every promise is a holy promise, and every threatening is an holy threatening, and every exhortation is a holy exhortation; and therefore he that loves any part of the Word as a holy Word, he cannot but love every part of the Word, because every part of the Word is holy. And indeed he loves no part of the Word as holy, who loves not every part of the Word as such. Every chapter in the book of God is a holy chapter, and every verse is a holy verse, and every line in that book is a holy line, and every word in every line is a holy word; he that loves a chapter as it is a holy chapter, he loves every verse in that chapter as a holy verse; and he that loves every verse as a holy verse, he loves every line as a holy line; and he that loves every line as a holy line, he loves every word in every line as a holy word: Upon easy commands he reads holiness, and upon difficult commands he reads holiness; upon comfortable commands he reads holiness, and upon costly commands he reads holiness, and upon dangerous commands he reads holiness, and therefore he loves all, and closes with all, and endeavors a conformity to all. A holy heart dares neither to dispute with that word, nor make light of that word, where he reads holiness engraven upon it; to a holy heart, there is no command of God unjust or unreasonable; but now an unholy heart, though it may for some worldly advantages court and cry up some parts of the word, yet it is ready with Judas, to betray and crucify other parts of the word. The whole Scripture is but one entire love-letter, dispatched from the Lord Christ to his beloved Spouse on earth, and this letter is written all in golden letters, and therefore a holy heart cannot but be taken and affected with every line in this letter; in this love-letter there is so much to be read of the love of Christ, the heart of Christ, the kindness of Christ, the grace of Christ, and the glory of Christ, that a holy heart cannot but be affected and taken with it. The whole word of God is a field, and Christ is the treasure that is hid in that field; it is a ring of gold, and Christ is the pearl in that ring, and therefore a holy heart cannot but be taken with the whole Word of God. Luther was wont to say, that he would not take all the world for one leaf of the Bible. And Rabbie Chija in the Jerusalem Talmud says, that in his account all the world is not of equal value with one word out of the Law.

[ 3] Thirdly, A man that is affected and taken with the word as it is a holy word, he is always affected and taken with it; he loves it and takes pleasure in it, as well in adversity as in prosperity. Psalm 119.59. Thy Statutes have been my songs (I but where we) in the house of my pilgrimage, or pilgrimages, as the Hebrew hath it. When David was in his banishments by reason of Saul, Absalom, and others, now the Word of God was music to him, now it was matter of joy and rejoicing to him, his whole life was the life of a Pilgrim and Stranger; now as a Pilgrim he sojourns here, and anon as a Stranger he sojourns there; no man could take more pleasure, joy and contentment in the rarest and choicest music, then David did in the Word of God, and that not only when he was in his royal Palace, but also when he was in the house of his Pilgrimage; he that loves the Word, and that delights in the Word for its holiness and purity, he will love it and delight in it, in health and sickness, in strength and weakness, in honor and disgrace, in wealth and want, in life and in death. The holiness of the Word is a lasting holiness, and so will every man's affections be towards it, who affects it, and is taken with it for its holiness and pureness. Some there be that cry up the Word, and that seem to be much affected, delighted, and ravished with the Word, (as Herod, Ezekiel's hearers, and the stony ground was) whilst the Word is either a cheap Word to them, or a profitable and pleasing Word to them, or whilst it is courted and countenanced in the world, or whilst it is the path to preferment, or a key to enlargement, &c. But when the Word gets within them, and discovers their own sinfulness and wretchedness to them, when it shows them how Christless, and gracel • ss, and lifeless, and helpless, and hopeless they are; when it discovers how far they are from heaven, and how near they are to hell. O! then their hearts begin to rise against it, and to cry out, Away with it, it was never good days since we have had so much preaching and hearing: Or when the Word comes to be scorned, slighted, disgraced, opposed or persecuted, oh! then they turn their backs upon it, and quickly grow weary of it. As the Jussians in Strabo delighted themselves with the music of an excellent Harper till they heard the market bell ring, & then they run all away save a deaf old man, that could take but little delight in the Harpers ditties. So let these men but hear the bell of lust, or the bell of profit, or the bell of pleasure, or the bell of applause, or the bell of honor, or the bell of error, or the bell of superstition sound in their ears, and presently they will run from the sweet music of the Word, to follow after any of these bells: But now a man that loves the Word, and that is affected and taken with the Word as it is a holy Word, no bell can ring him from the Word, no disgrace, no affliction, no opposition, no persecution can take him off from affecting the Word, and from taking pleasure in the Word: The cause of his love is abiding and lasting, and therefore his love cannot but be lasting and continuing. Not but that a holy heart may sometimes be more affected and taken with the Word, then at other times. As first, when a man enjoys much communion with God in the Word. Or 2. when God speaks much peace and comfort to the soul by the Word. Or 3. when God assures a man more clearly and fully of the goodness and happiness of his condition by the Word. Or 4. when God lets in very much quietness, or quickness, or sweetness, or seriousness, or spiritualness into a man's spirit by the Word. Oh then a man may more then ordinarily be affected and taken with the Word. But now though a holy Christian is not at all times in the same degree and measure taken with the Word, yet take such a Christian when he is at worst, and you shall find two things in him. 1. You shall find in him a holy love to the Word. And 2. you shall find in him a real love to holy Christians.

[ 4] Fourthly, He that loves the Word, and that is affected and taken with the Word as it is a holy Word, he is most affected and taken with those parts of the Word that do most incite to holiness, that do most promote holiness, and that do most provoke to holiness. As 1 Pet. 1.15.16. But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy. (I shall give you light into these words, when I come to open the holiness of God to you. ) So Mat. 5.48. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Our summum bonum in this world, consists in our conformity to the heavenly pattern; in all imitations it is best to choose the most perfect pattern: There is nothing more laudable and commendable, then for a Christian to endeavor more and more to resemble his God in the highest perfections of righteousness and holiness. So Ephes. 5.15, 16. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise; Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Christians must walk precisely, curiously, exactly, accurately: As the Carpenter works by line and rule, so a Christian must walk by line and rule, he must labor to get up to the very top of godliness, he must go to the utmost of every command, as the original word importeth. So Phil. 2.15. That ye may be blameless and harmless (or sincere) the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation, among whom ye shine (or shine ye) as lights in the world. God's sons should be spotless sons, as the Greek imports, that is, they should be without all such spots as are inconsistent with Sonship or Saintship. And so in Col. 2.6. As ye have therefore received Jesus Christ the Lord, so walk ye in him. They had received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Law-giver, they had received Christ as a ruling Christ, as a reigning Christ, and as a commanding Christ; and now the great duty incumbent upon them, is to walk at such a rate of holiness as may evidence that they have thus received Christ. And so in 1 John 2.6. He that saith he abideth in him, ought himself also to walk even as he walked. Christians are to set all Christ's moral actions before them as a pattern for their imitation; in his life a Christian may behold the lively picture or lineaments of all virtues, and accordingly he ought to order his conversation in this world: To walk as Christ walked, is to walk humbly, holily, justly, righteously, meekly, lowly, lovingly, fruitfully, faithfully, uprightly, with an As of quality or similitude, but no • with an As of equality; for that is impossible for any Saint on earth to walk so purely, so holily, so blamelessly, so unspottedly, so spiritually, so heavenly as Christ walked; that is, with an as of equality. To walk as Christ walked, is to slight the world, and contemn the world, and make a footstool of the world, and to live above the world, and to triumph over the world as Christ did; that is, with an As of quality, but not with an As of equality: To walk as Christ walked, is to love them that hate us, to pray for them that persecute us, to bless them that curse us, and to do good to them that do evil to us; but still with an As of similitude, but not with an As of equality: To walk as Christ walked, is to be patient, and silent, and submissive, and thankful under the vilest reproaches, the heaviest afflictions, and the greatest sufferings, with an As of quality, but not with an As of equality. Now a holy heart that is taken with the holiness of the Word, he is certainly taken most with those parts of the Word that do most call for holiness, and that do most strongly press the soul to make a progress in holiness. I have given you a taste of some of the most principal Scriptures that do incite most to holiness, and I shall leave it to your own consciences to give in witness for you, or against you, according to what you find in your own spirits. Certainly to a holy man, there are no Prayers, no Sermons, no Discourses, no Conferences, no books, nor no parts of Scripture, to those that do most encourage and provoke to holiness. But,

[ 5] Fifthly and lastly, He that loves the Word, and that is affected and taken with the Word, as it is a holy Word, he highly prizes and values the holy dispensers of the Word for their work sake. Isa. 52.7. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, thy God reigneth! If the very feet of those that brought good tidings, though they were afar off, • nd sweaty, dusty, and dirty with traveling upon the mountains, were so desirable and amiable, honorable and comfortable: Oh then what was their faces, what was their messages! surely they were much more amiable and desirable. So in 1 Thes. 5.12, 13. And we beseech you, Brethren, to know them which labor among you in the Lord, and admonish you: And to esteem them very highly (or, more then abundantly, as the Greek hath it) in love for their work sake, and be at peace among yourselves. Their work is to bring Christ and your souls together, and to keep Christ and your souls together. Their work is to turn you from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to Jesus Christ: Their work is gradual; first they are to bring you to a saving acquaintance with Christ, and then they are to bring you to a holy acceptance of Christ, and then they are to bring you to a willing resignation of yourselves to Christ, and then they are to bring you to a sweet and blessed assurance of your interest in Christ, and so to fit you and prepare you for a glorious fruition of Christ; and therefore certainly their work is high and honorable, excellent and eminent, laborious and glorious, and why then should you not have a high and honorable esteem of them, even for their work sake! I have read of Ambrose, that being once to leave the Church of Milan, the people of the place flocked about him, laid hold of him, protesting that they had rather lose their lives then lose their Pastor, beseeching him to remain, and to promote among them the Gospel and Government of Christ, professing and promising (for his encouragement) their ready submission to Christ. Chrysostom's hearers were wont to say, that they had as good be without the Sun in the Firmament, as to be without Chrysostom in the Pulpit. Some of the ancients have long since concluded that Herod might have kept his oath ( Mark 6.23.) and yet have spared John Baptists head, because Johns head, Johns life, was more worth then all Herod's Kingdom. O Sirs! Shall Titus Sabinus his dog bring meat to the mouth of his dead master, and hold up his head in Tiber from sinking, because sometimes he gave him a crust of bread! And will not you highly love, honor, and esteem of those Pastors who feed your souls with the bread of life, yea with that bread that came down from heaven? Certainly the more any man is affected and taken with the holiness of the Word, the more highly they will honor and prize the holy and faithful dispensers of the Word: Holy men know that their place is honorable, their calling honorable, and their work honorable, and therefore they cannot but honor them. Holy men know that if they do not honor them, they dishonor him whose Ambassadors they are. Holy men know that Christ takes all the affronts that are put upon them, as put upon himself, and will accordingly revenge them, as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the margin together. Ambassadors are inviolable by the Law of Nations. David never played any such harsh part, as he did to the Ammonites that despitefully used his Ambassadors that he sent unto them, when they shaved off one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, &c. I have read that Rome was destroyed to the ground for some abuses that were offered to an Embassador that was sent unto it. And the Romans sacked the famous City of Corinth, and razed it to the ground, for a little discourtesy that they offered to their Ambassadors. No wonder then if God deal so severely with those that slight his Ambassadors, who come with messages of grace and favor from the King of Kings and Lord of Lord's, and whose great work is to make a firm, an everlasting peace between God and sinners souls, and that all differences between God and them may be forever decided, and a free trade to heaven fully opened and maintained. As for such as slight, scorn and despise the holy and faithful dispensers of the word, I think they are as far from real holiness, as hell is from true happiness. And so doubtless are they that grumble at the expense of a penny for the maintenance of that divine Candle that wasteth itself to give light to them: that will rather die to save charges, then spend a little money to save their lives, yea, their souls.

In the fourteenth place, A man that is really holy; will [ 14] be holy among the unholy; he will retain and keep his holiness, let the times be never so unholy. Principles of grace and holiness are lasting, they are not like the morning cloud, nor the early dew. Holy Abraham was righteous in Chaldea; holy Lot was just in Sodom; holy Job was upright in the land of Uz, which was a place of much profaneness and superstition: Holy Nehemiah was courageous and zealous in Damasco: And so was holy Daniel in Babylon. The several generations wherein these holy men lived, were wholly devoted to wickedness and superstition, and yet these precious souls had wholly devoted themselves to godliness. And of the same spirit, mind and metal was holy David,