The Crown and Glory of Christianity

does not say Lord teach us to number our years, but Lord teach us to number our days; fallen man is apt to misreckon, and to compute days for years; and therefore this holy Prophet desires, that God would teach them this Divine Arithmetic of numbering their days, it being a lesson that none but a God can teach. So Job 14.1, 2. Man that is born of a woman, is of few days (or short of days) and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower and is out down: he floeth also as a shadow and continueth not. He speaks not of an Age, nor of years, nor of many days, but of a few days; man's days are short in themselves, and shorter in respect of the troubles that attends this present life. Mans life is so short, Austin doubteth whether to call it a dying life, or a living death. Now these few days of man's life are upon the wing, hastening and flying from us as the Eagle hasteneth to his prey; and therefore man had need set a greater price upon every moment and minute of time, then he does upon all the world, and accordingly improve it.

Secondly, If you consider the life of man comparatively [ 1] 'tis but short, and that will appear briefly thus;

First, If you compare the life of man to what man might [ 2] have reachit to, had, he continued in his primitive glory; had man stood fast in innocence he had never known what death and misery had meanit; death is a fall that came in by a fall; had man kept sin out of the world, he had kept death out of the world; had man kept fast his holiness and purity, he had remained a piece of immortality to this day; death could never have carried man out of the world, had not man first let sin into the world, Rom. 5.12. ult.

[ 2] Secondly, If you compare the life of man, to the long lives of the Patriarchs before the stood, then the life of man is but short; threescore years and ten is man's age, Psal. 90.10. And where one man lives to this age, how many thousands die before they come to it? But what is this age to the age that men lived to in former times? Enoch lived as many years as there be days in the year, and Adam lived nine hundred and thirty years, and Methuselah lived nine hundred sixty and nine years, Gen. 5. Now what were Plato's eighty years, or Thomas Pars 160. years, or Johannes de Temporibus, John of the times, three hundred threescore and one years, to the long lives of the Patriarchs? and though in David's time old age and seventy often shook hands, yet 'tis otherwise in our times; for as men's wickedness do more and more increase, so their days do more and more decrease; the more wicked any generation is, the shorter lived, that generation shall be; God will quickly dispatch them out of the world, who make quick dispatches in ways of wickedness.

Thirdly, The life of man is but short, if you compare it to [ 3] what it shall be after the morning of the Resurrection; O then man's day shall reach to eternity; eternity is that (unum perpetuum hodie) one perpetual day that shall never have end; when men after the resurrection begin to live, they shall never die after that day, every man shall live in everlasting bliss, or in everlasting woe; when the last Trumpet has sounded man shall live forever and ever.

[ 4] Fourthly, The life of man is but short, if you compare it with the days of God, Psal. 39.5. Mine age is nothing before him, all time is nothing to eternity, man's life is but a minute, 'tis but a point of time to the days of eternity; what head, what heart can conceive or reckon up the duration of God, whoever was, who still is, and whoever will be? every child, and every fool can tell you their age; but what man on earth, or what Angel in heaven can tell you the years of the Most High? surely none.

[ 5] Fifthly and lastly, the life of man is but short, if you compare it with the lives of other creatures; some say that 'tis neither age nor sickness that killeth the Eagle; she casteth her feathers yearly, and so gets new, whereby her youth & strength is renewed, by which means she will live till she be an hundred years old, she dies not till her upper Bill be so grown over her under that she cannot take in her meat, and so at last she is staryed. And some Elephants live three hundred years, witness Aelian, Solinus and Strabo, &c. by all which you see the brevity of man's life; And why then should man be so weak, so vain, as to put the day of his death so far from him? I have read of the Birds of Norway, that they fly faster then the fowls of any other Country; they knowing by an instinct that God has put into them, that the days in that Climate are very short (not above three hours long say some) do therefore make the more haste to their nests. And O! that all that hear me this day would learn by these birds of Norway, to make haste to believe and to make haste to repent and to make haste to love God, and to make haste to be holy, &c. seeing their day of life is so short, and their night of death is posting towards them.

And as the life of man is very short, so 'tis very considerable, that a very small matter, a very little thing may quickly put an end to man's life. When the Emperor threatened the Philosopher with death, he replied, what is that more then a Spanish fly may do? An ordinary fly flying casually into the mouth of the proud Pope Adrian stifled him, that made the highest state then in the Christian world stoop, even to the holding of his stirrup. Tamberlain a Scythian Captain, the terror of his time, died with three fits of an Ague. Anacreon the Poet, was choked with the kernel of a Grape. Aeschylus was killed by the shell of a Tortoise, which fell from an Eagles Talons, who as some conceive took his bald head for a white rock. The Lord Mountaigne tells us of a Duke of Britany that was stifled to death in such a throng of people, as is in some great congregations on the Lord's day. An Emperor died by the scratch of a Comb; and one of the Kings of France died by the chock of an Hogg; and one that was brother to a great Lord, playing at Tennis, received a blow with a ball a little above the right ear, which struck him into his grave. There is nothing so small but may be a man's bane; The paring of a Toe, the cutting off a corn, the scratch of a nail, the prick of a pin, a fish-bone, a hair, a drop of water, a crumb of bread, a bad air, or an evil smell may bring a man to his long home, yea a little smoke may soon stifle him, or his own spittle, let down unwarily may suddenly choke him.

And O! that all that I have spoken upon this account might be so blest, as to work you to take heed of putting the day of your death so far from you. The evil servant when he thought his Master was gone afar off, then he lays about him, distempers himself, and beats his fellow-servants. And so the lewd woman in the Proverbs, when the good man was gone a long journey, when he was far from home, then she grew wanton, vain, and secure; so when men put afar off the day of their death, then they grow more loose, profane, and unholy; whereas a serious and frequent eying and minding of death, as at hand, as at a man's elbow, would alarm a man to break off his sins by repentance, and to labor for holiness, as a man would labor for life itself. I have read of the women in the Isle of Man, that the first Web they make is their winding sheet, wherewith they usually gird themselves when they go abroad, to show that they are still mindful of their mortality. Ah friends, a constant minding of your mortality, would contribute very much towards the making of you holy: He that daily looks upon death, will be daily a looking after holiness; the oftener any man looks into the grave, the oftener that man will be looking up to heaven, and a begging that God would make him holy even as he is holy. But,

[ 6] Sixthly and lastly, Take heed of settling yourselves under a lewd and scandalous Ministry, or of having any inwardness with such whose lives give the lie to their Doctrine; an ill lived preacher is the greatest destroyer of the souls of men; he that preacheth well, but lives ill, does what he can to murder all his hearers at once; there is no greater bar to holiness then Ministers leudness; an unholy life mars the soundest and the sweetest Doctrine, Isa. 9.16. The leaders of his people have caused them to ert. The sins of Teachers are the teachers of sins; as the corrupt glosses, so the lewd practices of many Preachers, makes many to stumble at that word, and to shuff and chat, and contest, and kick against that word whereby they should be made holy and happy forever; a scandalous Minister is the greatest Pest, the worse plague, and the sorest mischief that can be to a people, for his enormities, his wickednesses will have the strongest influences upon the souls and lives of men to make them miserable in both worlds; his falls will be the fall and ruin of many, for people are more prone to live by examples then by precepts, and to mind more what the Minister does then what he says, and to eye more how he walks then how he talks. It was said of One (long since) that was an excellent Preacher, but a very bad liver, that when he was in the Pulpit, it was pity he should ever come out of it, he preached so well, and when he was out of it, it was pity that ever he should go into it he lived so ill. Certainly 'tis pity that ever such should go into a Pulpit, who preach well but live ill, who have much of God in their mouths, and much of the devil in their lives, who have the earth as much at their fingers end, as they have heaven at their tongues end, who puts a loud lie upon the truth, and whose lives puts their words to a blush, who have much of heaven in their expressions, and nothing of heaven in their conversations, who have much holiness in their books, but none in their bosoms, and much holiness in their lips, but none in their lives; The lewd lives of such persons causes people to slight and abhor the holy things of God, 1 Sam. 2.17. yea their bad lives often raise doubts in their hearers hearts, whether those things be true that they preach or no; hearers will be ready to object and say, if these things be true that the Minister says, why does he not practice what he preaches? why does he not do as well as say? and with what face or confidence can he appear against that in the Pulpit, which he countenanceth and patronizeth in his life; who will credit that man's Doctrine who has Jacob's voice but Esau's hands, who is a Saint, yea an Angel in the Pulpit, but a debauched sinner, yea an incarnate devil out of it? I have read of a woman, who living in professed doubt of the God-head, after better illumination and repentance, did often protest, that the vicious life of a great Scholar, under whose Ministry she did live, did conjure up those damnable doubts in her soul: There is nothing that brings holy truths so much into question, as the unholy conversations of such preachers neither; is there anything that exposes a Ministers person and office to so much scorn and contempt as an unholy life. Let a Minister be never so learned, solid, quaint, elegant, zealous, judicious, sententious, &c. yet if he be carnal, covetous, worldly, vain and loose in his life and conversation, his hearers will rather deride his doctrine, then reform by his doctrine, they will rather contemn it, then study how to profit by it; therefore he said right that said

There is nothing in all the world that is more powerful and prevalent to corrupt and mislead unholy men, and to harden, strengthen, and encourage them in ways of wickedness, then the looseness of their lives, whose office binds them to look to the salvation of their souls, Mal. 2.8. Ye are departed out of the way, ye have caused many to stumble at the Law. When the preacher departs out of the way of holiness, the people will quickly stumble at the Law of holiness; when Ministers are as wandering stars, no wonder if their hearers wander from all that's good; he whose life is not a standing reproof to sin, will by his life encourage sinners more and more in a way of sin; there is nothing that keeps men so off from a good opinion of holiness, and from the love of holiness, and the liking of holiness, and from the pursuing after holiness, then the unholy lives of their teachers; and therefore as ever you would be holy, fly their Tents and abandon their company and society. Ministers whose lives are lewd, though their parts may be high, are like a stone gutter that conveyeth water into a garden, but receiveth no benefit itself thereby; or like a Harp that maketh others melody, but heareth nothing itself; they are like those Carpenters that built the Ark to save others, and were drowned themselves; or like Porters at great men's gates, that let in others, but lodge without themselves; or like Sea-marks that rot themselves, and yet give others warning to avoid Shipwrack; or like Casars soldier that digged a fountain for Caesar, and perished himself for want of water. O! the folly and madness of such Ministers that give light to others, and yet walk in darkness themselves, that feast others souls, but starve their own, that rescue others from a devouring enemy, and yet suffer themselves to be devoured, that forewarn others of the horrible pit, and yet fall into it themselves, that give good counsel to others, and yet cannot take good counsel themselves, that study and strive to bring others to heaven, and yet have no mind to go thither themselves. Certainly society and company with such upon choice, cannot but be a mighty hindrance to holiness; he that is in good earnest resolved to be holy, must resolutely be resolved to have nothing to do with such unholy persons. And thus you see the several things that you must decline if ever you would be holy. But,

Secondly, As there are several things that you must decline if ever you would obtain that real holiness, without which there is no happiness; so there are several things that you are to do, that you are to put in practice, without which you will never be holy here, nor happy hereafter. Q. But what are they? A. They are these.

First, Greatly lament and mourn over thine own unholiness, [ 1] over thine own wickedness; the first step to holiness is melting and mourning over a man's own unholiness; go to thy closet, and fall down before the most high and holy God, and mourn bitterly over the unholiness of thy nature, the unholiness of thy heart, the unholiness of thy affections, the unholiness of thy intentions, the unholiness of thy resolutions, the unholiness of thy expressions, and the unholiness of thy conversation. Joel 2.12. Turn ye to the Lord with weeping and with mourning. The foundation of a thorough reformation must be laid in a deep humiliation; the best way to be holy, is to accuse, indict, arraign, and condemn thyself for thy unholiness; you shall as soon espouse light and darkness, and marry midnight to the noon day, as you shall espouse or marry a holy God to an unhumbled sinner. O! who can look upon sin as an offense against a holy God, as the breach of a holy law, as the wounding and crucifying of a holy Savior, as the grieving and sadding of a holy sanctifier, and as an eternal loss and undoing of his own soul, and not mourn over it? O! who can cast a serious eye upon the nature of sin, or upon the exceeding sinfulness of sin, or upon the aggravations of sin, and not have his heart humbled, his soul grieved, and his Spirit melted for sin? O! who can look upon sin as it strikes at the honor of God, the name of God, the being of God, the glory of God, and the design of God, and not have his mouth full of penitential confessions, his eyes full of penitential tears, and his heart full of penitential sorrow? Some (as they say of witches) cannot weep for sin; but they that weep not for sin here (where there are handerchiefs in the hands of Christ to wipe off their tears) shall weep out their eyes in hell hereafter; 'tis better to weep bitterly for thy sins on earth, then to weep eternally for thy folly in hell. Ah how hard is that heart that can, sadly lament and bewail the loss of a groat, a chick, a child, a sheep, a ship, a friend, &c. and yet cannot let fall a tear to save a lost soul? Jacob weeps and prevails with God, Hosea 12.4. His tears made a happy conquest upon God; Jacob weeps and prevails with God for his life, and what dost thou know but that by thy penitential tears thou mayest prevail with God for thy soul? he weeps and prevails with God for temporals, and why mayest not thou by weeping prevail with God for eternals; he weeps and prevails with God for some outward happiness, and why mayest not thou by weeping prevail with God for inward holiness? 'It is an old observation, that the tears of repenting sinners, are the wine of Angels. Certainly God himself can smile to see a sinner grieve for his sins, and to see him grieve that he can grieve no more, for that he has sinned against a God so great, so gracious, so bountiful, so merciful, &c. though God be displeased with a sinners sins, yet he is very well pleased with a sinners tears, and therefore as he has a bag for the one, so he has a bottle for the other: It cannot but be a pleasure to God to see a sinner drown his sins in a deluge of penitential tears; though tears of indignation, as was Esau's, and tears of dissimulation, as was Ishmael's, and tears of desperation, as was Judas's, be abominable to God, yet tears of godly compunction and contrition, are acceptable and delightful unto God. A sinner never looks so sweetly, as when he weeps most penitentially, witness Mary Magdalene, Manasseh, and those murderers of Christ, Acts 2. A sinners face never shines so beautiful, as when 'tis bedewed with penitential tears; tears have a voice as well as blood, Psal. 6.8. And God has an eye as well upon a man's tears as upon his prayers. Penitent tears are divine Ambassadors, that never return from the throne of grace without answers of grace, Isa. 38.5. Peter said nothing, but went out and wept bitterly, and obtained mercy, Mat. 26. ult. Tears are a kind of silent prayers, that will at last prevail for mercy. Naaman the Syrian was cleansed of his leprosy by the waters of Jordan; penitential tears may do much towards the cleansing of thy leprous soul from sin; he that really grieves that he cannot grieve for sin, is grieved for sin; he that is truly sorry that he cannot be sorry for sin, is in a measure sorry for sin; he that truly desires to drown his sins in his tears, he has in Divine account, drowned his sins in his tears. The Maid in Scaliger swooned at the sight of a Lily. O! how much more should you at the sight of your unholiness. Basil wept when he saw the Rose, because it brought to his mind the first sin from whence it had the prickles. O! how should a sinner fall a weeping when he looks upon the greatness of his wickedness, and his want of holiness. As ever you would be holy mourn over your own unholiness. But,

Secondly, If ever thou wouldest be holy, thou must seek the [ 2] holy Spirit; the spirit is the efficient cause of all that holiness that is in the world. The Spirit of God is a Spirit of holiness, Rom. 1.4. he is frequently called the holy Spirit, Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy spirit from me, Psal. 5.11. But they rebelled and vexed his holy spirit, Isa. 63.10. And grieve not the holy spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption, Eph. 4.30. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit, 1 Thes. 4.8. In whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed by the holy spirit of promise, Eph. 1.13. To make a man holy, is more then to create a world, 'tis a work too high and too hard for Angels or men, it becomes none, and it can be done by none but by the holy spirit; sanctification is made the spirits personal operation in that 2 Thess. 2.13. and in that 1 Pet. 1.2. 'It is the great work of the spirit to shape, form, and fashion the new creature holiness in all the vessels of glory. The spirit is the root of all holiness, and therefore the several parts of holiness are called the fruits of the spirit, Gal. 5.22. 'It is true, God purposes holiness to his people, and Christ has purchased holiness for his people, but 'tis only the spirit that is the efficient cause or worker of holiness in his people; though the Father, Son, and Spirit hath designed to re-imprint holiness upon man's heart, yet the spirit has the greatest hand in that work. When man was in his primitive glory, holiness was his loveliness and his likeness to God, but being now fallen, that image is so broken and marred, that no hand can repair it or restore it, but the hand of the spirit. The great principle of holiness which was in Christ (as to his human nature) was the holy Spirit which he had above measure, for he was anointed with the Unction of the Spirit above his fellows. So that look which way you will, the Spirit still appears to be the great principle of holiness; holiness is the very picture of God, and certainly no hand can carve that excellent picture but the spirit of God; Holiness is the divine nature, and none can impart that to man but the Spirit. A man never comes to see his sins, nor to be sick of his sins, nor to loath his sins, nor to arraign his sins, nor to condemn his sins, nor to judge himself for his sins (evangelically) till he comes to be possessed of the holy Spirit. A man never comes to spit out the sweet morsels of sin, he never come to make a sacrifice of his only Isaac, and to cut his delicate Agag in pieces, and to strangle his Delilah, and in good earnest to set upon an utter exterpation of those sins that his constitution, inclination, custom, calling, and interest does most incline him to, till a spirit of holiness comes upon him; till this holy Spirit which is a spirit of judgment and burning, falls upon the hearts of sinners, they will never be fired out of their pride, formality, carnality, sensuality and security; when this holy Spirit comes as a Spirit of Glory and Power to change thy heart, to destroy thy sins, to reform thy ways, and to save thy soul, &c. Oh then cry out, let him still go on conquering and to conquer, till all his enemies ate made his footstool. Oh let him cut off every right hand, and pluck out every right eye, &c. that does offend; O let him do justice upon every sin, upon every open sin, upon every secret sin, upon every bosom sin, upon every pleasing sin, and upon every gainful sin; Oh set yourselves under the Celestial influences and sweet distillings of the holy Spirit; Oh prize his motions, Oh welcome his motions, Oh comply with his motions, Oh follow his motions, that so you may be holy and happy forever. When David asked counsel of God, whether he should go up against th • Philistines or no, he received this answer, When thou hearest the noise of one going in the top of the Mulbery-trees, then remove, for then shall the Lord go out before thee to smite the Philistines. So should everyone wisely observe, when the Spirit sweetly and strongly moves them to mind holiness, to fall in love with holiness, to press after holiness; when the spirit moves them to leave off their sins, to turn to God, to open to Christ, to tremble at threatenings, and to embrace promises; Oh make much of these holy motions, Oh cherish these divine breathings, Oh donit quench these heavenly sparks, least the Spirit never move thee more, nor never strive with thee more, Gen. 6.3. Oh when thou hearest a voice within thee, or a voice behind thee, saying, Come with me from Lebanon, my sister, my spouse, &c. Come away from thy cups, thou drunken wretch; come away from thy wanton Delilah's, thou unclean wretch; come away from thy sinful pleasures, thou voluptious wretch; come away from thy bags, thou worldly wretch; come away from thy honors, thou ambitious wretch; and come away from thy fraud, thou cheating wretch: Oh hearken to this voice, Oh obey this voice that it may go well with thy soul forever; if now thou strikest whilst the iron is hot; if now thou hoistest up sail whilst the wine is fair, thou mayest be made forever. In that 5 Joh. 4. there were certain times when the Angel came down and troubled the waters, and whosoever did then step in, was healed of whatsoever disease he had: So there are certain times and seasons wherein the Spirit of holiness stirs the heart and affections, and moves and breaths upon the soul; now if men were wise to observe these times and seasons, they might be happy forever; the time of the spirits moving is the acceptable time, if you observe it you are made, if you neglect it you are marred; all the movings and motions of the spirit are in order to an eternity of felicity and glory: Oh therefore donit grieve the Spirit, donit cross the Spirit, donit vex the Spirit, donit tempt the Spirit, donit quench the Spirit, donit oppose the Spirit, donit resist the Spirit, donit deal harshly or unkindly with the Spirit, by sinning against illumination, conviction, resolutions and promises of reformation: Oh be more tender of the gracious motions of the Spirit, then thou art of thy name, thy estate, thy liberty, thy life; for he designs thy internal good in this world, and thy eternal good in the other world; and therefore donit affront him, nor carry it unworthily towards him, if thou shouldest, it may be as much as thy life and thy soul is worth; if a man slip the opportunity of a favorable gale, he may lie wind-bound till all be spent: when the Spirit moves salvation, and all the glory of heaven stands waiting at thy door, if now thou will but open, the King of glory will enter in, and bless thee forever. Saul by neglecting his opportunity lost an earthly kingdom; take heed least thou by slighting the motions of the Spirit, comest to loose a heavenly kingdom; the letting slip one season when the Spirit moves may undo a man in both worlds, and some think Felix found it so. Well sirs, as ever you would be holy, you must labor for a Spirit of holiness; and for your encouragement remember this, that though the holy Spirit be the great Jewel of Glory, yet God is more ready to give it then you are to ask it, witness that 11. of Luke from the 9. to the 14. verse. But,

Thirdly, If ever you would be holy, then you must wait upon the word; the word of God faithfully preached, is the ordinary means by which holiness is wrought in sinners hearts; the word is that triumphant Chariot of the Spirit, wherein he rides conquering and to conquer the souls of men; the holy word is designed by God to beget holiness in sinners hearts, and to countenance, cherish, nourish, and strengthen holiness where it is begotten; John 17.17. Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth. And for their sakes, &c. I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth, ver. 19. So Chap. 15.3. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken to you. The ordinary way of making unclean souls clean, unholy souls holy, is the Ministry of the word; Phil. 5.26. As there is a cleansing virtue in the blood of Christ, 1 John 1.7. so there is a cleansing virtue in the word of Christ; Psal. 119.9. Wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. Of all men, the young man is (usually) most wild and wicked, most licentious and rebellious, and yet the word of God is the power of God to his conviction and conversion, to his sanctification and salvation; though the cleansing of a young man's heart be one of the hardest works in the world, yet this may be done by the word: There are no lusts so strong, but the word can cast them down, nor no stains so deep, but the word can wash them out. Three thousand sinners were made Saints by one Sermon, Acts 2.41. and five thousand more were converted and sanctified by another Sermon, Chap. 4.4. Here were eight thousand men cleansed, sanctified, and saved by two Sermons, and doubtless most of them were young. Oh Sirs, as ever you would have holy principles laid in your souls, and holy affections raised in your souls, and holy ends aimed at by your souls, hear the word in season and out of season, oh attend it, oh wait on it, 'twill be sope to cleanse you, and fire to purge you, and water to wash you, and a wind to turn you from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to Jesus Christ, Acts 26.16,—24. The Gospel preached hath been the power of God to the salvation of multitudes of souls, Rom. 1.16. The word is that immortal seed, by which holiness, which is not only a grace, but the conjunction of all graces, is formed in the soul, 1 Pet. 1.23. 'It is the word that gives a spiritual Birth and Being to men, Gal. 4.19. The word enlightens the eye, Psal. 119.105. It softens the heart, Deut. 32.2. It purges the conscience, and it converts the soul, Psal. 19.7. It dethrones Satan, it casts down strong holds, 2 Cor. 10.4, 5. It quickens the dull, Psal. 119.50. and it raises the dead, Joh. 5.24, 25. Oh therefore hear it, and wait on it, and come to it, that you may be made holy by it; many come to hear the word to censure it, others to mock at it, others to enrich their curious notions by it, and others come to catch the Minister at it; but do thou come to it that thou mayest be made holy by it, and doubtless first or last thou shalt obtain thy end; yea 'tis good for a man to come to the word, though his design in coming be bad; 'tis good for a man to sit under that great ordinance of the word, though he sits upon thorns, as it were, all the while he is there: They that come to see who hath got the newest fashions, may have their hearts fashioned into a conformity with the word. They came to catch, but were caught in that John 7.46. Austin coming to Ambrose to have his ears tickled, had his heart touched and turned. Come, saith old Father Latimer (in a Sermon before King Edward the Sixt) to the public meeting, though thou comest to sleep, it may be God may take thee napping. When thou comest, though it be but to taste the Ministers spirit, yet then God may take hold on thy spirit, and make it the day of his power upon thy soul; though thou comest with a heart full of prejudices against Christ, yet by the word thou mayest be brought to a love of Christ, to a liking of Christ, and to a choice of Christ, and to a blessed close and resignation of thyself to Christ. They that came to surprise Christ, were so taken with Christ, that being filled with admiration they could not but proclaim his divine Excellencies; Never man spake like this man. The word is the word of the Lord, let the hand be what it will that brings it. When gold is offered, men care not how noble or ignoble, how great or how base he is that offers it; so men should not look so much at the hand that brings the word, as at the word it self; the word of the Lord was as much the word of the Lord, in the hand and mouth of Amos, who was raised a Prophet from amongst the Heardsmen of Tekoa, as it was the word of the Lord in the hand and mouth of Isaiah, who, as some think, was a Prophet of the blood-royal. Ambrose observes of the Woman of Samaria, John 4.7. that she came peccatrix to Jacob's Well, but she went away praedicatrix, she came a sinner, but she went away a Prophetess. Oh Sirs, let nothing hinder you from coming to the word! oh come to the word; though you come sinners, yet come, for though you do come sinners, yet you may go away Saints; though the dew of heaven hath richly and sweetly fallen upon your hearts, and yet, like Gideon's sleece, you are still dry, yet come to the word still, for who can tell but that by the very next Sermon, God may make thy soul like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not, Isa. 58.11. It is reported of young King Edward the Sixth, that being about to lay hold on something that was above the reach of his short Arm, one that stood by espying a great Boss'd Bible lying on the Table, offered to lay that under his feet to heighten him, but the good young King disliked the motion, and instead of treading it under his feet, he laid it to his heart: oh come to the word, but come not to trample upon it, come not to scoff or mock at it, come not to despise it, or to revile it, but come and lay it to your hearts, and it may do you good forever; there is no better way to make thee holy, then to attend on the holy word. But

Fourthly, If ever you would be holy, then associate your [ 4] selves with those that are holy; Look as he that walks with the wise shall be wise, so he that walks with the holy shall certainly be pressed and provokit to be holy: As Socrates made it his business to better others by his company, so a holy man will make it his business to make others holy by his counsel, prayers, and example; he knows that it is one of the most noble and divine employments in the world to make others holy, and therefore he sets upon that work with all his might: Look as there is no greater a hindrance to holiness, then the society of the wicked, so there is no greater a help to holiness, then the society of those that are godly: Look as the beginning of ungodliness is to keep Company with those that are ungodly, so the beginning of holiness is to keep company with those that are holy: Look as one drunkard makes another, and one swearer makes another, and one proud person makes another, and one worldling makes another, and one formalist makes another, so one holy man makes another; or look as one sober man makes another, and one prudent man makes another, and one resolute man makes another, and one zealous man makes another, and one heavenly minded man makes another, so one holy man makes another. Ah sinners, sinners, there are no companions in the world that will pity you as these, that will weep and mourn over you as these, that will strive and wrestle with God for you as these, there are none that will be so tender of your salvation as these, nor none that will labor so much for your conversion as these, nor none that will so spend themselves to prevent your damnation as these, 2 Cor. 12.15. Oh Sirs, upon trial you will find that there are none so able to counsel you, nor none so faithful to reprove you, nor none so ready to help you, nor none so compassionate to sympathize with you, nor none so strong to support you, nor none so advantaged to convert you, as those that are holy; and why then will you not labor to be one of this society? Oh Sirs, of all fellowships the fellowship of Saints is the most noble, the most honorable, the most pleasant, the most amiable, the most desirable, the most profitable, and the most commendable fellowship; and why then will you still live strangers, yea enemies to this fellow • hip? Ah Sirs, holy men will still be awakening and alarming of your drowsy spirits, they will be still a knocking at the door of your hearts, and asking of you, whether it be good going to hell; they will still be enquiring of you, what provision you have made for another world, and how all things stands within; they will still be jogging at your elbows, that you may not die in your sins, & they will still be whispering in your ear, that your souls may live forever. The Jews have a Proverb, That two dry sticks put to a green one, will kindle it. Oh there is nothing in all the world, that contributes so much to the kindling, to the firing, and to the inflaming of men's hearts after holiness, as the society of those that are holy. Algerius (an Italian Martyr) had rather be in prison with Cato, then to live with Caesar in the Senate-house. Oh it is ten thousand times better to live with those that are holy, though in a dark prison, then to live amongst those that are unholy, though in a Royal Palace. Urbanus Regius, having one days converse with Luther, tells us, that it was one of the sweetest days that ever he had in all his life. Oh sinners, did you but experience for one day the sweet and happiness of the communion of Saints, you would then cry out, Oh there is no society to the society of God's holy ones. And therefore as ever you would be holy, let holy men have more heart-room and house-room with you. But

Fifthly, If ever you would be holy, then dwell much upon [ 5] those solemn Vowes and Covenants that you have formerly made in the days of your distress: Ah how often have you in the days of your calamity and misery, and in the days when sicknesses and weaknesses did hang upon you, and when the terrors of death were upon you, how frequently in those days did you solemnly vow and promise, that by the strength and assistance of the Lord, you would break off your sins by repentance, and that you would make it your greatest care, and your greatest business and work in this world to mind holiness, and to press after holiness, and to give your souls no rest, till you had experienced the power, excellency, and sweetness of holiness? As David by an oath bound himself to keep God's righteous judgments, Psal. 119.106. I have sworn and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous Judgments, (a religious vow is nothing else but a solemn promise or oath, whereby a man engages himself to the great God, that he will decline such ways, means, and methods, as lead to wickedness, and that he will set in good earnest upon the practice of all the ways and means of holiness, by the strength and assistance of divine grace) so you have by many vows and promises engaged yourselves to cast off the works of darkness, and to put on the Armor of light, suitable to the Apostles exhortation. And as the people in Nehemiah's time did enter into a curse and an oath to walk in God's Law, and to observe and do all his Commandments, Neh. 10.29. So you have in the times of your outward and inward distresses vowed to the Lord, that you would observe all his Statutes, and walk in all his holy ways, and do all his righteous Commandments. Job once made a covenant with his eyes, that he would not lustfully look upon a maid; but how often have you made a covenant with your thoughts, that you would not think of vanity, and with your eyes, that you would not behold vanity, and with your ears, that you would not hear vanity, and with your tongues, that you would not speak vanity, and with your hearts, that you would not contrive vanity, and with your hands, that you would not act vanity; now your vows and your covenants are upon you, oh that you would not with the strange woman in the Proverbs, forget the covenant of your God; oh 'tis better ten thousand times not to vow, then to vow and not to pay: God can take no pleasure in such as are off and on with him, nor in such who are forward to vow, but make no conscience to pay their vows; these are fools in folio, and therefore God cannot but detest them, and turn his back upon them. If good Jacob who is called the father of vows, was so backward to pay his vows, that God was forced, not only to round him in the ear again and again, with a go up to Bethel, and there build me a Chapel, but also severcly to punish his delays, both in the rape of his daughter, and in the cruelty of his sons, &c. Gen. 35. Ah how severely then may God deal with such, who do not only delay the paying of their vows, but who live also in the daily breach of their vows. Most men have need of that counsel which the Bishop of Colen gave Sigismund the Emperor, that asked him what he should do to be happy; Live (said he) as you promised and vowed to do when you were last sick of the Stone and Gout. Ah that all men would make more conscience of living out, and of living up to the covenants, vows, and promises, that they have made to God in the days when the hand of the Lord has gone out many ways against them, and when terrors of conscience have been strong upon them, O what repentance, O what reformation, O what amendment have they promised in those days, and yet no sooner have these outward and inward storms been over, but they have been as vain, and loose, and base as ever. In the time of the great Sweat in King Edwards days, as long as the heat of the plague lasted, O how did everyone cry out, peccavi, peccavi, I have sinned, I have sinned, mercy Lord, O mercy, mercy good Lord. Then Lord's and Ladies, and people of all sorts, cried out to the Ministers, for the Lord's sake, Sirs, tell us what shall we do to avoid the wrath of the Lord? what shall we do to be safe in this evil day? O take these bags and pay so much to such a one whom I have deceived, and restore so much to such a one whom I have in bargaining over-reached, O give so much to the poor, and so much to other pious uses, &c. But after the sickness was over, they returned with the dog to the vomit, and with the sow to the wallowing in the mire again; and so their latter end was worse then their former. There was a very great sinner, who in the time of his sickness was so sorely terrified in his conscience for his many heinous sins, that he made the very bed to shake upon which he lay, and cried out all night long, I am damned, I am damned, I am damned, &c. and in this his sickness he made many great protestations of amendment of life, if God would but be pleased to recover him, and prevent his going down to the grave at this time; Well, in a short time after, he did recover, and being recovered he was as base, wretched and wicked, as ever he was before: This man with those that were cited before him, were like that cunning Devil, of whom the Epigrammatist thus writeth;

Which is thus Englished;

But those who are now like to Satan in sin, may hereafter be like to him in torment; such who now out-live their vows, shall when they die have hell enough. You count it a very shameful thing to break promise or covenant with men, but is it not far more shameful to break with God? The Egyptians (though Heathens) so hated perjury, that if any man did but swear by the life of the King, and did not perform his oath, that man was to die, and no gold was to redeem his life. When the Romans made Covenants, they took Stones in their hands and said, If I make this Covenant seriously and faithfully, then let the great Jupiter bless me, if not, so let me be cast away from the face of the gods as I cast away this Stone. Covenant-breaking was a sin greatly detested and abhorred among the very Heathens, and shall Christians make nothing of breaking their vows, promises, and covenants with the great God. Well Sirs, remember this, those sins that you have vowed against, must be deserted, and that holiness which you have vowed to follow, must be pursued, or a worse thing then the curse of Meroz must be expected, Judge. 5.23. compared with that, Joh. 5.14. But

[ 6] Sixthly, If ever you would be holy, then dwell much upon the worth and preciousness of your souls; Christ that only went to the price of souls, hath told us that one soul is more worth then all the woe • ld, Math: 16.26. Christ left his Fathers bosom, and all the glory of heaven for the good of souls, he assumed the nature of man for the happiness of the soul of man, be trod the wine-press of his Fathers wrath for souls, he wept for souls, he sweat for souls, he prayed for souls, he paid for souls, and he bled out his heart-blood for souls. The soul is the breath of God, the beauty of man, the wonder of Angels, and the envy of Devils, 'tis of an Angelical nature, 'tis a heavenly spark, a celestial plant, and of a divine offspring, 'tis a spiritual substance, capable of the knowledge of God, and of union with God, and of communion with God, and of an eternal fruition of God; there is nothing that can suit the soul below God, nor nothing that can satisfy the soul without God; the soul is so high and so noble a piece, that it scorns all the world in point of acceptation, justification, satisfaction, and salvation. What are all the riches of the East or West Indies? what are rocks of Diamonds, or mountains of gold, or the price of Cleopatra's draught, to the price that Christ laid down for souls? 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. Christ made himself an offering for sin, that souls might not be undone by sin, the Lord died that slaves may live, the Son dies that servants may live, the natural Son dies that adopted sons may live, the only begotten Son dies that bastards may live, yea the Judge dies that malefactors may live. Ah friends, as there was never sorrow like Christ's sorrow, so there was never love like Christ's love, and of all his love none to that of soul-love. In a word, the spiritual enemies which daily war against the soul, the glorious Angels which hourly guard the soul, and the precious ordinances which God hath appointed as means, both to convert and to feed the soul, do all speak out the preciousness and excellency of the soul. There was once a great contest among some Nations about Homer (an excellent Poet) they severally pleaded their interest in him; and truly so 'tis this day about the soul of man, many lay claim to it, sin lays claim to it, and the world lays claim to it, and Satan lays claim to it, and Christ and holiness lays claim to it, and O that Christ and holiness might have it before all others. O Sirs, there is no wisdom nor policy to that of securing our precious souls, for they are Jewels of more worth then all the world; all the honors, riches, greatness, and glory of this world, are but chips and pibbles to these glorious pearls; therefore before all and above all other things, make sure work for your souls, if they are safe all is safe, but if they are lost all is lost: Other things cannot be made sure, riches cannot, for as they are lying, so they are flying vanities, they make themselves wings, and they fly away; Honors cannot, Haman is feasted with the King one day, and made a feast for Crowes the next; Herod is one hour cried up for a God, and the next hour he is eaten of worms; Princes Courts are very slippery, a man may quickly get a fall there, that may easily break both back and neck, as many in all ages have experienced; the applause and favor of creatures cannot, for many men's favors are got with an Apple, and lost with a Nut; Judas his heart was hardly warmed with the high Priests favor, before they shut their doors upon him, with a what is that to us? look thou to that; most men's favors are as light as a feather, and so tosit up and down with every breath of windy vanity; the Moon do's not so often vary and change, as the respects of most men do vary and change; how many men have had their names written in golden Characters one year, and in letters of blood the next? what is the favor of man, but a blast, a Sun-shine-hour, a puff of wind, a magnum nihil, a great nothing? and who then would spend an hours time to secure it? near and dear relations cannot, for the delight of Ezekiel's eyes is taken away with a stroke; and all Jobs children are snatched away in a day; all our nearest and dearest relations are like a Nose-gay, which the oftener we smell to it, the sooner it withers. But now holiness may be made sure, witness the spirits of just men made perfect in heaven, Heb. 12.23. and witness the many thousands of Christians this day in the world, who do experience the principles of holiness in their hearts, and who do evidence the power of holiness in their lives. O Sirs, if the serious consideration of the preciousness and worth of your souls, will not draw you out to study holiness, to love holiness, to prize holiness, and to press after holiness, what will? O Sirs, 'tis only holiness that is the happiness of the soul, the safety and security of the soul, the prosperity and felicity of the soul, and the luster and glory of the soul; and therefore why should you not labor, as for life, after this inestimable Jewel holiness? O let the remembrance of the preciousness of your souls, be an effectual means to draw you to hear that you may be holy, and to pray that you may be holy, and to read that you may be holy, and to mourn that you may be holy, and to sigh and groan after holiness, as after that which is the souls only happiness. O Sirs, there is nothing below heaven so precious and noble as your souls, and therefore do not play the Courtier with your souls; now the Courtier do's all things late, he rises late, and dines late, and sups late, and repents late; O do not poison your precious souls by gross enormities, O do not starve your souls by the omission of religious duties, O do not murder and damn your souls, by turning your backs upon holy Ordinances. I have read of a Woman, who when her house was on fire, so minded the saving of her goods, that she forgot her only child, and left it burning in the fire; at last being minded of it, she cries out, Oh my child, oh my poor child, but all too late, all too late; so there are many men now so mad upon the world, and so bewitched with the world, that they never mind, they never regard their poor souls, till they come to fall under everlasting burnings, and then they cry out, O our souls, O our poor souls, O that we had been wise for our souls, O that we had got holiness for our souls, O that we had made sure work for our souls, but all too late, all too late; the Lord make you wise to prevent soul-burnings at last. If he be rather a monster then a man, that feasts his slave, but starves his wife, what shall we say of those that pamper their bodies but starve their souls, and that have thread-bare souls under silk and sattin Cloaths, and that please themselves with deformed souls under beautiful faces? surely it had been good for these that they had never been born. I have read of a Scythian Captain, who having for a draught of water yielded up the City, cried out, Quid perdidi? quid prodidi? What have I lost? what have I betrayed? So all unholy persons will at last cry out, we have betrayed our immortal souls, we have lost a precious Father, we have lost a dear Redeemer, we have lost the company of glorious Angels, we have lost the society of the spirits of just men made perfect, and we have lost all the pleasures and joys and delights that be at the right hand of the most High; We have lost these, we have lost all these, and we have lost them forever and ever; surely there is no hell to this hell. For a close of this direction, remember this, that as the soul is the life and excellency of the body, so holiness is the life and excellency of the soul, and as the body without the soul is dead, so the soul without holiness is dead; This my Son was dead, and is alive: if you get holiness into your souls, your souls shall live forever, but if you die without holiness, your souls shall die forever and ever. I have read, that there was a time when the Romans did wear Jewels on their shoes; oh that in these days most men did not do worse, oh that they did not trample under feet that matchless Jewel their precisouls. But

Seventhly, If ever you would be holy, then set in good earnest [ 7] upon reading of the holy Scripture; many a man has been made holy by reading of the holy Word. The Bible is the book of books, 'tis the only book, all other books in the world are but waste paper to it: Augustine cries out, away with our writings, that room may be made for the book of God: notwithstanding the greatness and multiplicity of the affairs of Princes, yet they were diligently to read the word, Deut. 17.19. And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this Law and these Statutes, to do them. God looks that the greatest Princes on earth should make use of this Library. Though David was a great Prince, and had a multitude of weighty businesses upon his hand, yet he was so much in reading & meditating on the word, that he made it his Counselors; the word was David's Learned Counsel, to which he reforted for counsel, advice, and comfort in all his necessities and miseries. Alphonsus King of Aragon hath been highly extolled for reading the Scriptures fourteen times over, with glosses and expositions, notwithstanding his great public employments. And Alphonsus King of Naples read over the Bible forty times, notwithstanding many great affairs were upon his hand. Theodosius the Emperor, and Constantine the Great, were much taken up in reading of the Scriptures. So Queen Elizabeth, when she passed in triumph through the streets of London after her Coronation, and had the Bible presented to her at the little Conduit in Cheap-side, she received the same with both her hands, and kissing it, laid it to her breasts, saying, That the same had ever been her chiefest delight, and should be the rule whereby she meant to frame her Government. And 'tis very observable, that the Eunuch was reading the Scripture, when Philip was commanded, by Commission from the Holy Ghost, to join himself to his Chariot, and to instruct him in the knowledge of Christ, which proved his conversion and salvation. And Junius was converted by the reading of that first of John, In the beginning was the Word, &c. being amazed with the strange majesty of the style, and the profound mysteries therein contained. And Augustine was strangely converted by hearing a voice from heaven, saying, Tolle lege, Tolle lege, Take and read, take and read; and taking up the Bible, the first passage of Scripture that he cast his eyes upon, was that Rom. 13.13, 14. Let us walk honestly as in the day, not in gluttony and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof: and no sooner had he read the verses, but the work of conversion was finished, and pious resolutions for a through reformation of life was settled in him. The Gospel read is sometimes the power of God to salvation, as well as the Gospel heard, Rom. 1.16. Cyprian confesseth that he was converted from Idolatry and Negromancy by hearing the history of the Prophet Jonas read and expounded by Cecilius, whom therefore he calleth the father of his new life: And Luther confesseth that he was converted by reading. I have read of a scandalous Minister that was struck at the heart and converted in reading that Rom. 2.21, 22. Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, doest thou steal? Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, doest thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest Idols, doest thou commit sacrilege? There is a Scholar now alive, who being persuaded by an honest poor man, to leave reading of Poetry, and to fall upon reading of the Bible, did so, and before he had read out Genesis, his heart was changed, and he was converted. O sirs, as you tender your conversion, your salvation, make more conscience of reading the Scripture then ever you have done; be often in wheting of these Scriptures upon your hearts, Deut. 6.6, 7, 8, 9. ch. 31.11, 12. Jer. 36.6, 7. John 5.39. In these Scriptures God requires all sorts of people, both men, women, children, and strangers, both learned and unlearned, to read the Scriptures, and to search after the heavenly treasures that are laid up in them, as men search for Gold and silver in the Oar. And Paul charges Timothy that he gives attendance to reading; And blessed is he, saith John, that heareth and readeth the words of this Book. Yea Christ himself hath highly honored reading with his own example, for coming to Nazareth, as his custom was, he stood up to read the Scriptures; and the Bereans for reading and searching of the Scriptures are styled more noble then the Jews of Thessalonica, or as the Greek has it, they were better born and bred, they were better Gentlemen, they were of a more noble and ingenious disposition (though they did belong to the Country Town of Barea ) then the Thessalonians were who dwelt in the rich and stately City of Thessalonica: sometimes there is more true nobility and ingenuity under a Russet coat, then there is under a Satin suit. The Holy Ghost gives a very large Encomium & high commendation of the Scriptures, in that 2 Tim. 3.15. And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 'It is observable that in these words you have not simply 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Holy Scriptures, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Holy Scriptures; the Article 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 there is very emphatical, and 'tis used by the Holy Ghost to distinguish these sacred writings from all profane writings, and to note the eminency and excellency of the holy Scriptures above all other men's writings what • oever. Now the Scriptures have this adjunct, this Epithet, Holy, given them in five respects.

1. In respect of their Author and original, viz. a Holy God.

2. They are holy in respect of the Pen-men, who were holy men of God, 2 Pet. 1.21.

3. They are holy in respect of their matter, they treat of the holy things of God, a vein of holiness runs through every line of Scripture; the Scripture calls for holy hearts, and holy lives it calls for holy principles, and holy practices, holy words, and holy works, holy affections, and holy conversations, 1 Pet. 1.15.

4. They are holy in respect of their effects and operations, they are a means to effect and work holiness, and they are a means to complete and perfect holiness, Joh. 17.17. The word is not only a pure word, but also a purifying word, 'tis not only a clean word, but also a cleansing word, Psal. 19.8, 9.

5. They are called holy by way of distinction, and in opposition, not only to all human and profane writings, but also to the writings of the best and choicest men that ever wrote, for they have had their failings, weaknesses and infirmities, and therefore must have their many grains of allowance, but the holy Scripture is most perfect and complete. Now sirs, if ever you would be holy, it stands you upon to make more conscience of reading the holy Scriptures then ever yet you have done; many a man has been made holy by reading the holy Scriptures; and why mayest not thou also be made holy by reading of the same holy word? Certainly all the Angels in heaven, and all the men on earth cannot tell to the contrary, but that thou mayest be made holy even by reading of the holy word, the Holy Ghost is a free Agent, and he can as well work holiness in thy heart by reading, as by hearing, and therefore set thyself about this noble and necessary work. Ah friends, the Scriptures are God's Epistle, they are God's love-letter to the sons of men, and why then will you not read them? Count Anhalt (that princely preacher) was wont to say that the Scriptures were Christ's swaddling bands, the child Jesus being to be found almost in every page, in every verse, and in every line; Oh who would not therefore be often in looking upon and in handling of these swaddling bands? O sirs, there are no histories that are comparable to the histories of the Scripture.

First, For Antiquity; Moses is found more ancient then all [ 1] those whom the Grecians make most ancient, as Homer, Hesiod, and Jupiter himself, whom the Greeks have seated in the top of their divinity.

Secondly, For rarity. [ 2]

Thirdly, For brevity; here you have much wrapped up in a little [ 3] room he • you have Homers Iliads comprised in a Nut-shell.

Fourthly, For perspicuity; the foundations of Religion and happiness are so plain and clear, that everyone may run and [ 4] read them. 'Twas a true saying of Augustine (Inclinavis Deus Scripturas, ad infantium & lactentium capacitatem,) That God hath bowed down the Scriptures to the capacities even of Babes and Sucklings.

Fifthly, For harmony; though there may seem to be a contrariety [ 5] between Scripture and Scripture, yet there is a blessed harmony between all the parts of Scripture, the contrariety is seeming, not real; As when a man is drawing water out of a well with two vessels of a different metal, the water at the first seemeth to be of a different color, but when he draweth up the vessels nearer to him, the diversity of colors vanish, and the water appeareth to be of one and the same color, and when he tasteth them, they have one and the same relish: So though at first sight there may seem to be some contradictions in the Scriptures, yet when we look more nearly and narrowly into them, and compare one place with another, we shall find no contrariety, no repugnancy in them at all, but a perfect harmony, and a full and sweet consent and agreement between one place and another, between text and text, Scripture and Scripture.

Sixthly, For verity; the Scriptures are most sure and certain, [ 6] heaven and earth shall pass away, before one jot or tittle of the Scripture shall pass unfulfilled.

Seventhly, For variety; there are no varieties to those that [ 7] are to be found in Scripture; as in Noah's Ark all sorts of creatures were to be found, so in this heavenly Ark, the Scriptures, all varieties are to be found; here you may find Physic for every disease, and Balm for every wound, and a plaster for every sore; Here the Lamb may wade, and here the Elephant may swim; here is milk for Babes, and here is meat for strong men; here is comfort for the afflicted, and succor for the tempted, and support for the distressed, and ease for the wearied; here is a staff to support the feeble, and a sword to defend the mighty. That which a Papist reports lyingly of their Sacraments, of the Mass, viz. That there are as many mysteries in it, as there are drops in the sea, dust on the earth, Angels in heaven, Stars in the sky, Atoms in the Sun-beams, or sands on the Sea shore, &c. may be truly asserted of the holy Scriptures; there are many thousand thousand varieties in this garden of Paradise, the Scripture.

[ 8] Eighthly, For fullness, the Scriptures are full of light, and full of life, and full of love; they are full of righteousness, and full of holiness, and full of all goodness. 'Twas a weighty saying of Tertullian, Adoro plenitudinem scripturarum, I adore the fullness of the Scripture. Many men talk much of the Philosophers Stone, that it turns Copper into Gold, and of Cornucopia, that it had all things necessary for food in it, and of the Herb Panaceas, that it was good for all diseases, and of the Drugg Catholicon, that it is instead of all purges, and of Vulcans armor, that it was full proof against all thrusts and blows; but that which they vainly attribute to these things for bodily good, may safely and honorably be attributed to the blessed Scriptures in a spiritual manner; the Scriptures turns hearts of Copper into hearts of Gold; 'tis a Paradise that is full of the Trees of life, and these trees of life are both for food & Physic; here is all manner of fruit to feed you & fill you, to delight you and satisfy you, and the very leaves of these Trees are singular medicines to heal you and cure you; the Scripture prescribes the choicest druggs to purge you, viz. Repentance, and the blood of Christ; and 'tis the Scripture that furnishes you with the best armor of proof against all principalities and powers, and against all spiritual wickednesses in high places. Oh how should the consideration of all these things, work you to be much in reading of the holy Scriptures? if you will but make trial, you should be sure to find in them stories more true, more various, more pleasant, more profitable, and more comfortable then any you will find in all ancient or modern writers. Ah friends, if you would but in good earnest set upon reading of the holy Scriptures, you may find in them so many happiness as cannot be numbered, and so great happiness as cannot be measured, and so copious happiness as cannot be defined, and such precious happiness as cannot be valued, and if all this woe •• t draw you to read the holy Scriptures conscientiously and frequently, I know not what will.

It's said of Mary, that she spent the third part of her time in reading of the word; and Caecilia a Roman Maiden of noble parentage, carried always about her the New Testament, and spent much time in reading it. Alfredus once King of England, compiled Psalms and prayers into one book, and called it a Manuel, which he always carried about him, and spent much time in the perusal of it. Augustine caused David's penitential Psalms to be drawn upon the walls of his Chamber, that he might read them as he lay in his bed; he read and wepit, and wept and read. Well if all this will not prevail with you to be much in reading of the Scriptures, consider, that Agesilaus an excellent King of Sparta would never go to bed, nor rise up before he had looked into Homer, whom he called Amasium suum, his sweet heart; but what was Homers books to God's Book, which is the book of books, as Charles the great did signify when he crowned it with his own crown. And Scipio Africanus was much commended, for that he usually had in his hands the books of Xenophon: But, Oh how much more commendable will it be for you to have always in your hands the book of God? Alphonsus had always in his bosom the commentaries of Caesar, and he was so much delighted with the history of Titus Livius, that he once commanded certain Musicians that were very skillful in that Art, to depart his presence, saying, he could read a more pleasant story out of Livius; Alas what are Livius his stories to the blessed stories that be in the Bible? Oh sirs, if Lipsius when he did but read Seneca, thought that he was even on the top of Olympus, above mortality and human things. And if Julius Scaliger thought twelve verses in Lucan better then the German Empire; O then of what infinite worth and value is the blessed Scripture! shall Heathens take such pleasure in reading of the Works of Heathens, and shall not Christians take as much pleasure in reading of the holy Scriptures, wherein there is so much of the Spirit, hand, and heart of God? Shall they set so high a price upon the books of Heathens? and shall we so slight and undervalue the books of God, as not to think it worth a opening once a day; verily, I am afraid, I am afraid, that there are some among us, that hardly open their Bibles once a week, and others that hardly open their Bibles once a month, and not a few that hardly open their Bibles once a quarter, &c. Certainly, as the rustiness of some men's gold, will be a witness against them in the great day of the Lord, so the mustiness of some men's Bibles will be a witness against them in that great day.

Quest. But is it not lawful for a man to read other men's books, to read other men's holy works, &c.

Answ. Doubtless it is lawful; and that,

[ 1] First, Because other men's holy works (so far as they are holy) are but the fruits, products, and operations of the holy Spirit, &c.

[ 2] Secondly, Because their holy labors are of singular use for the clearing up of many hard difficult and mysterious Scriptures, &c.

[ 3] Thirdly, Because they have been the means of many men's conversion; John Hus confesseth that the reading of Luther's works was the main cause of his conversion. And whilst Vergerius read Luther's books with an intent to confute them, himself was converted by them. I doubt not but that there are many now in heaven, and multitudes now on earth, that have been converted by the books and writings of holy men; and therefore it cannot but be lawful to read such books, &c.

[ 4] Fourthly, Though it be lawful to read other men's holy works, yet the holy Scriptures must still have the preeminence, they must be firstly, chiefly, and mostly read; all other books in comparison of the book of God must be cast by, 'tis God's book that is indeed the book of Books. Josephus in his book of Antiquities, makes mention of one Cumanus, a Governor of Judea, that though he were but a Heathen, and a wicked man, yet he caused a Soldier to be beheaded for tearing a Copy of the book of Moses Law, which he found at the sacking of a Town. And venerable in all Ages and among all Nations, have been the books wherein the Laws either of their belief or polity have been contained. As the Talmud among the Jews, and the Laws of the twelve Tables among the Romans, and the Alcoran among the Turks, yea all Pagans have highly valued the Laws of their Legislators, and shall not Christians much more set an high esteem upon the holy Scriptures, which are the Map of God's mercy and man's misery, the touchstone of truth, the shop of remedies against all maladies, the Hammer of vices, and the treasury of virtues, the displayer of all sensual and worldly vanities, the Ballance of equity, and the most perfect Rule of all Justice and honesty. What Chrysostom said of old to his hearers, viz. Get you Bibles, for they are your souls Physic; that I say to you all, oh get you Bibles, for they are your souls Physic, your souls food, your souls happiness. Ah friends, no book becomes your hands like the Bible; 'twas this book that made David wiser then his Teachers; this is the book that makes the best preachers, and this is the book that is the best preacher; This book, this preacher will preach to you in your Shops, in your Chambers, in your Closets, yea in your own bosoms; This book will preach to you at home and abroad, 'twill preach to you in all companies, whether they are good or bad, and 'twill preach to you in all conditions, whether they are prosperous or afflictive; by this book you shall be saved, or by this book you shall be damned; by this book you must live, by this book you must die, and by this book you shall be judged in the great day, John 12.48. Oh therefore love this book above all other books, and prize this book above all other books, and buy this book before all other books (in king Henry the Eighths time, and in Queen Mary's days, Christians would have given Cart-loads of Hay and Corn, for a few Chapters in the New Testament; and will not you part with three or four shillings to buy a Bible, that may save your souls, that may make you holy here, and happy hereafter?) and read this book before all other books, and study this book more then all other books; for he that reads much and understands nothing, is like him that hunts much and catcheth nothing. And let this suffice for this 7th direction.

[ 8] Eighthly, If ever you would be holy, then be much in prayer: Prayer is the most prevalent Orator at the throne of grace; many that have gone to that throne with tears in their eyes, have come away with praises in their hearts, and many that have gone to that throne with hearts full of sin, have returned with hearts full of grace. Jacob wepit and prayed, and prayed and wepit, and in the close as a Prince he prevailed with God; so many a sinner has wepit and prayed, and prayed and wepit, and in the close as a Prince he has prevailed with God. Ah Sirs, it may be that there are but a few weeks, nay a few days, peradventure but a few hours, between your souls and eternity, between your souls and everlasting burnings, between your souls and a devouring fire, between your souls and damnation, and will you not then pray and mourn, and mourn and pray for that holiness, without which there is no happiness, yea without which hell and destruction will be forever your portion. Oh take that blessed promise, Ezek. 36.25, 26, 27. and urge God with it; oh tell him that he has said, that he will sprinkle clean water upon you, and that ye shall be clean from all your filthiness, and that from all your Idols he will cleanse you, &c. Oh tell him,

[ 1] First, That he stands engaged by promise, to give his holy Spirit to them that ask it, Luke 11.13.

[ 2] Secondly, Oh tell him, that none can make an unholy heart holy, but a holy God.

[ 3] Thirdly, Tell him that surely 'tis no sin to beg holiness of a holy God.

[ 4] Fourthly, Tell him that he has made such who were once notorious in wickedness to become eminent in holiness, witness Manasseh, Mary Magdalene, Paul, the murderers of Christ, and those vile Corinthians, 1 Cor. 5.6, 9, 10, 11.

[ 5] Fifthly, Tell him that he has given holiness to them that have not sought it, and how then can it stand with his honor to deny it to them that seek it? surely if he has been found of them that sought him not, he will not hide himself from them that seek him, Isa. 65.1, 2.

Sixthly, Tell him that thou hadst rather that he should deny [ 6] thee anything, then that he should deny thee holiness, say to him, Lord, health is the Prince of outward mercies, and wealth is the spring of many mercies, and wife, children, and friends, are the set offs of mercies, the cream of mercies, and that liberty is the sweetner of all thy mercies, and yet tell him that thou hadst rather that he should strip thee of any of these, nay that he should deny thee all of these, then that he should deny thee holiness.

Seventhly, Tell him that thou didst never read of any [ 7] man that did ever make a hearty request for holiness, but his request was granted. The Leper would fain be clean, and Christ's answer is, I will be thou clean, Math. 8.2, 3. Christ do's neither delay him nor deny him; the poor Leper could no sooner desire to be clean, but Christ commands him to be clean, I will be thou clean; his prayer was short and sweet, and his answer was sudden and gracious.

Eighthly, Tell him that thou art unwilling to be miserable [ 8] forever, tell him that thou canst not bare the thoughts of an eternal separation from him, and yet this must be thy portion, except he will glorify the riches of his grace in bestowing of that pearl of price, holiness upon thee; oh tell him, that thy want of holiness is now thy greatest hell, tell him that thou art now fully resolved to give him no rest, till he has changed thy heart, and made thee in some measure to be what he would have thee to be, &c.

It is observable amongst the worst of men, the Turks, yea amongst the worst of Turks, the Moors, that by their Law it is a just exception against any witness, that he hath not prayed six times every natural day, it being a usual custom with them to pray for day before the day brake, and when 'tis day they give thanks for day light, and at noon they give thanks to God that half the day is past, and then at last they pray that they may have a good night after their day: Ah sinners, sinners, shall not these Turks rise up one day in Judgment against you that think not holiness worth a praying for.

Object. But the prayers of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, Pro. 15.8. Chap. 28.9. and he casts their sacrifices as dung in their faces, Isa. 1.11.—16. Ch. 58.1.—7. their very prayers are sinful, and therefore they were better neglect prayer till God shall work graciously and savingly upon them, then to pray, and so to sin as often as they pray, &c. To this I answer.

[ 1] First, The prayers of the wicked may be materially good, when they are not formally good, yea when they are Theologically evil, 2 Chron. 25.2. Amaziah did that which was perfect in the sight of the Lord (as to the matter) but not with a perfect or sincere heart; he failed not in the matter, but in the manner; he did not do that good he did from principles of faith, love, &c. nor to a right end, divine glory; many unsanctified persons may have the gift of prayer, that have not the spirit of prayer, nor the grace of prayer, Math. 7.21. Ch. 23.14. Now certainly where God gives such a gift, he requires the use of it; the gift of prayer is from the Spirit, as well as the grace of prayer; and who can tell but that upon the use of the gift of prayer, the Spirit may give the grace of prayer; however, 'tis dangerous to neglect a gift; the slothful servant was not cast into utter darkness for rioting out his Talent, but for not improving of his Talent. Math. 25.30. That the prayers of a wicked man are not formally good, must be granted, yea that they are abominable and ineffectual, cannot be denied; they are like the precious stone Diacletes, which though it hath many excellent Soveraignties in it, yet it looseth them all if it be put in a dead man's mouth; so prayer though it hath many virtues and excellencies in it, yet it looseth them all, when 'tis performed by a man that is spiritually dead, that is dead God-wards, and Christ-wards, and heaven-wards, and holiness-wards; but if you consider the matter of a wicked man's prayers, so they may be good, yea so good as that they may prevail with a good God for much temporal good, as I shall show you before I close up all my answers to this objection. But

[ 2] Secondly, 'It is a less sin for an unholy person to do a religious duty, then 'tis to omit it, now of two sins, whereupon, not God, but a man's self hath inevitably put him to commit one of them, he must choose the least, he must choose rather to sin in the manner, in not doing of it so well as he should, then to fail in the matter, and so quite neglect the duty it self; for this is most certain, when God commands a duty absolutely to be done, it is a greater sin not to do it at all, then to do it amiss, and the reason is evident, because our disobedience is total in not doing at all, and but only partial in doing it otherwise then we ought. As for a man willfully and peremptorily to refuse to hear the word, is a greater and a fouler fault, then to hear it with a forgetful or a disobedient heart, there being more hope of the latter, then of the former; for some that have come to catch, have been caught by the word, John 7.46. And therefore come, saith Latimer, to the word, though thou comest to sleep, it may be God may take thee napping. When M ^r Henry Sulphen was preacher at Breme, several Roman Catholics sent their Chaplains to trap him in his words; but the power of God was so wonderfully seen in his preaching, that the greatest part of them that came to ensnare him were converted by him: 'It is good to come to the word, though a man comes with an ill intent; to come, though he should come with a purpose to catch, for in so coming he may be catched, as Augustine was by Ambrose: without doubt there is no disobedience to that which is total; partial disobedience is no disobedience to that which is total; That wife that totally disobeys her husband, and that child that totally disobeys the father, and that servant that totally disobeys his Master, is much more to blame, and do much more provoke, then those that are only partial in their disobedience, and so 'tis between God and sinners, &c.

Thirdly, If there were any strength in this objection, it [ 3] would lie as strong against a wicked man's civil actions, as it do's against his religious actions. Prov. 21.4. The plowings of the wicked is sin; not only the prayers of the wicked, but also the plowings of the wicked are sin, not only the spiritual but also the natural and civil actions of a wicked man are sin; and therefore according to their arguing, a wicked man must not exercise himself in his calling, in his plowing and sowing, &c. because that his civil actions are sinful as well as his religious, and 'tis as impossible for him to please God in the one, as 'tis to please him in the other; but surely all men that are in their wits, will either sigh or laugh at such kind of reasonings. But

[ 4] Fourthly, This objection lies as strong against wicked men's natural actions, viz. their eating, drinking, and sleeping, &c. as it do's against their praying; when a wicked man eats, he is to eat to divine glory, and when he drinks, he is to drink to divine glory, and when he recreates himself, he is to recreate himself to divine glory, and when he sleeps, he is to sleep to divine glory; in all these natural and common actions, he is to make the glory of God his supreme scope. Now there is not a wicked man on earth, that do's or can eat o • drink, &c. to divine glory, he do's not nor cannot set up the glory of God as the chief and ultimate end of his natural and common actions. Now who but fools in folio will reason thus, wicked men are to eat and drink, &c. to divine glory, but this they cannot do, Titus 1.15. and therefore wicked men must neither eat nor drink, &c. But

[ 5] Fifthly, The force and spirit of this objection (if there were any in it) lies as flat and full against all other religious duties, as it do's against prayer; it lies as strong against hearing, reading, and meditating on the word, &c. as it do's against prayer, and who but such who are sadly left of God, and woefully blinded by Satan, will be so wretched as to say, wicked men must neither hear the word, nor read the word, nor meditate on the word, because they cannot do these actions in faith, and whatsoever is not of faith is sin, Rom. 14. ult. But

[ 6] Sixthly, There are those that can say by experience, that the first special work of God that ever they perceived on their own hearts, was while they were pleading with God at the throne of grace; there are those that have brought proud hearts to the throne of grace, but have returned with hearts humbled, and that have brought hard hearts, but have gone away with hearts graciously broken and melted, and that have brought carnal hearts, but returned with spiritual hearts, and that have brought worldly hearts, but returned with heavenly hearts. God sometimes hears prayers for his own sake, and for his Sons sake, and for his glories sake, and for his promise sake, when he will not hear prayers for the sinners sake. But

Seventhly, Sinful omissions lead to sinful commissions, [ 7] yea sometimes they lead to ruin; As you may see in the Angels that fell from the highest heaven to the lowest hell, and in Adam, who fell in paradise from the highest pinnacle of glory, to the lowest step of sin and misery. Those Reprobates in that 25 Math. did not rob the Saints, but only omitted the relieving of them, and this proved a damning to them: Rich Dives did not rob the poor, but his not relieving of them was his ruin, Luke 16. Moab and Ammon were banished the Sanctuary to the tenth Generation for a mere omission, because they met not God's Israel in the Wilderness with bread and water, Deut. 23.3, 4, 6. Look as the omission of good diet breeds natural diseases in the body, so doth the omission of good duties breed spiritual diseases in the soul; all •• nful omissions make work for hell, or for the Physician of souls: Oh man thou doest not know what deadly sin, what deadly temptation may follow upon a mere single omission. Origen going to comfort and encourage a Martyr that was to suffer, was apprehended by the Officers, and constrained either to offer to the Idols, or to have his body abused by a Blackamore that was ready pressed for that service; being thus hard put to it, to save his life he bowed to the Idols, but afterwards when he came to himself, he sadly bewails his sin, and confesseth that he went forth that morning without making his prayers unto God, which sinful omission God did so severely punish, by leaving of him to fall into so great a sin, which pierced his soul through with many sorrows. I am apt to think that many a sin, many a snare, and many a fall, might have been prevented, if such and such religious duties had not been omitted; sinful omissions prepare the way to sinful commissions, and both prepare the way to a fatal destruction. I believe many men had never been so abominable vicious, if they had not first cast off religious duties; he that lives in the neglect of prayer, tempts more Devils then one to beset his soul, yea to destroy his soul, &c. But,

Eighthly, and lastly, there are several weighty arguments [ 8] that may be produced to prove, that 'tis the duty of wicked and unconverted men to perform religious duties, as to pray and seek the Lord, &c. Among the many that may be brought forth, I shall only give you these fix.

[ 1] First, This is evident from divine commands, as you may clearly see by comparing of these Scriptures together, Isa. 55.6, 7. Acts 8.21, 22, 23. Psal. 65.2. 1 Thes. 5.17. Pray without ceasing, is an indefinite injunction; and who art thou oh man, that darest to prohibit what God commands? are not his commands obliging? and may not disobedience to the least of them, cost thee thy life, thy soul, thy all? God's commands are neither to be slighted, censured, nor neglected; woe to him that looks upon great commands as little commands, and little commands as no commands, Math. 23. Oh Sirs, 'tis a very dangerous thing to act or run Counter-cross to God's express command, it may cost a man dear, as you may see in that sad Story, 1 Kings 13.24. The Heathens indeed would frequently run cross to their gods commands, for when their gods commanded them to offer up a man, they would offer up a Candle; and so Hercules when he was to offer up a living man, he offered up a painted man: but do's it become Christians to deal thus with the great God, with the living God, with the God of gods, as the Heathens did by their gods? surely no: God's commands are not like unto the commands of the Heathens that might be contradicted and changed, but they are like to the commands of the Medes that cannot be reversed nor changed, they must be Evangelically obeyed, or you will be eternally destroyed. The Rechabites were very rigid observers of their fathers commands, and will you make slight of God's commands? and the Angels that excel in strength, do his Commandments, and will you despise them? why should the peasant scorn that work, in which the Prince himself is engaged? But,

[ 2] Secondly, Prayer is a natural worship, and is incumbent upon all men as they are created by God; prayer is a duty which the very Law of nature, as well as the Law of the word, lays upon men; And this you may see in those Pagans, Jonah 1. • . The Mariners cried every man to his god. That there is a God, and that this God is to be called upon, are lessons that are taught in natures School; Isa. 45.20. They pray to a god that cannot save; for any man to say, a wicked man ought not to pray, is to say a wicked man ought not to worship God, nor acknowledge him to be his maker; and who but such who are either blind or mad, dare speak such language? Certainly they that live in the neglect of prayer under the Gospel, sin against a double light, the light of nature, and the light of the Gospel, and therefore they shall be double-damned; there is no hell to these men's hell, who sin against a double light, &c. But,

Thirdly, The neglect of prayer is charged upon wicked [ 3] persons as their sin, as you may see by comparing of these Scriptures together, Psal. 14.2, 4. Psal. 10.4. Jer. 10.21. Hosea 7.7. Zepha. 1.6. Now doubtless, if it were not a duty for unregenerate persons to pray, it could never stand with the holiness, justice, and righteousness of God, to charge the omission of prayer upon them as a sin; but the omission of prayer is charged upon them as a sin, and therefore without all peradventure 'tis their duty to pray. But,

Fourthly, Wicked and unregenerate persons are again and [ 4] • gain imprecated against, for not calling upon the Lord, Psal. 79.6. Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name. So Jer. 10.25. Pour out thy fury upon the Heathen that know thee not, and upon the families that call not upon thy name. Now certainly, if prayer were not a duty incumbent upon wicked men, they would never be thus imprecated against for the omission of it; to imprecate that vials, that full vials, that full vials of wrath and fury should be poured forth (as water is poured forth) suddenly and plentifully upon those kingdoms and families, that do not call upon the name of the Lord, is so dreadful a thing, that it had never been mentioned in the Scripture, had it not been to alarm the worst of men to the work of prayer. But,

Fifthly, If absolute promises or precious promises of special [ 5] grace and mercy be made to sinners as sinners, then sinners may in prayer plead out those promises, and urge God upon making good his promises; but absolute promises or promises of special grace and favor are made over to sinners as sinners, ergo, That such promises are made over to poor sinners as sinners, is evident by comparing these Scriptures together, Isa. 57. 17, 18, 19. These words drop nothing but myrrh and mercy; if Ennius could pick gold out of a dunghill, oh what gold, what comfort may be pickit out of these golden promises? In these words, let us consider two things; First, the precious promises that are here made; Secondly, the persons to whom they are made. In the words you have four precious promises of special grace and favor, they are as so many streams of grace flowing from the covenant of grace.

[ 1] First, You have here a promise of healing, ver. 18. I have seen his ways, and will heal him, or as you may read the words, though I have seen his ways and courses, and well observed how unworthily, how untowardly, and how obstinately he has carried it, yet I will heal him, I will heal his backsliding nature; though his disease be dangerous, though it be very dangerous, yet to an Almighty Physician, no disease is uncurable; I will heal his inside by pardoning his sin and purging his conscience, and I will heal his outside, by removing of judgments and calamities from him; and all this I will do upon the account of my promise and covenant, Hosea 14.4. Jer. 32.38. and 40.2. compared.

[ 2] Secondly, You have in the words a promise of leading, I will lead him also, or as the Hebrew hath it, and I will lead him, I will conduct him in safety to his own Country, so some sense it, but you may understand it doubtless of a spiritual, as well as of a providential leading; I will lead him by my word, and I will lead him by my Spirit, and I will lead him by my counsel, suitable unto many precious promises of grace that are scattered up and down in the Scripture.

[ 3] Thirdly, In the words you have a promise of comfort, I will restore comforts to him, not comfort, but comforts, that is, in the room of all those discomforts, sorrows, calamities and miseries that he has been exercised with, I will (says God) lay in abundance of comfort, yea I will store him with all sorts of comforts, both temporal, spiritual, and eternal, suitable to that word of grace that you have in Isa. 40.1, 2.

[ 4] Fourthly, In the words you have a promise of peace, v. 19. I create the fruit of the lips, peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; the gemination of the word (Shalom, Shalom) peace, peace, imports a large extent of peace, it notes true peace, firm peace, sure peace, great peace, abundance of peace, yea constant & lasting peace; under the name of peace in the Hebrew is denoted all manner of prosperity, and the Geminating of the word always notes a large measure of tranquility, plenty, prosperity, and felicity. Oh sirs, peace with God, and peace with conscience, and peace with the creatures, are all the products of God's creating power and grace, 2 Eph. 16.17, 18. and so must be referred to the Covenant of Grace.

Secondly, Let us consider the persons to whom these precious [ 2] promises are made; and here set us observe these three things.

First, Their sin, and this you have in verse. 17. For the iniquity [ 1] of his covetousness I was wroth; The sin that is charged upon him is a very great and grievous, 'tis a very vile and heinous sin, 'tis called not only covetousness, but the iniquity of his covetousness, to show the height and transcendency of this their wickedness, for covetousness is a Mother-sin, 'tis a breeding sin, 'tis a sin that has all sin in the womb of it, 'tis a sin not only against the light and law of grace, but also against the light and law of nature, for it makes the soul terrene which should be celestial; and therefore the Persians, though Heathens, have a law that no man ought to covet what belongs to any other man; And they have another Law, that they ought not to be worldly minded: No sin lays men under greater woes: Woe to him that joineth house to house; and woe to you Scribes, Pharisees and Hypocrites, Mat. 23: 'It is an evil that subjects men to the basest and vilest evils, 'tis the root of all evil, it makes a man a fool, Luk. 12.20. Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be taken from thee; It robes a man of all true peace, comfort, content, and quiet; it brings men into snares which drowns their souls in perdition; It renders men unsatisfied under all their outward enjoyments; though a covetous wretch may have enough to sink him, yet he can never have enough to satisfy him; first he wishes for a bag full, and then a chest full, and then a chamber full, and then a Church full, &c. The plague of unsatisfiedness is none of the least of plagues that covetous men are under. Certainly you shall as soon fill a triangle with a circle, and a chest with grace, and the body with air, as you shall be able to fill and satisfy a covetous mind with money: In a word, covetousness is a sin that renders a man unserviceable in his generation; a covetous man is like a Swine, that is good for nothing whilst he lives; the Horse is good to bare and carry, the Ox is good to draw, the Sheep is good for cloth, the Cow is good to give milk, and the Dogg is good to keep the house, but the Hogg is good for nothing whilst he lives; so a covetous man is neither good for Church nor State, he is no ways serviceable in his generation, only when he is dead; that Scripture often proves true, viz. That the riches of a sinner are laid up for the just, Job 27. By all which you may see the greatness of this sin of covetousness that is so closely charged upon them. But,

[ 2] Secondly, He grew worse under the afflicting hand of God, I was wroth, and smote him, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart; They were like pevish, froward, stubborn children, that grow more cross, crooked, and perverse under all the chastenings of their Father; and this was no small aggravation of their sin, that they grew worse under the Rod. Plutarch writes, that 'tis the quality of Tygres, that if the Drums or Tabou • s sound about them, they will grow mad, and rend and tear their own flesh in pieces; and so 'twas with these sinners in the text; Oh how did they fret and fume, and tear, and take on, when they were under the rebukes of God? But,

[ 3] Thirdly, He persevere'd and went on against all gain-sayings; I have seen his ways, that is, I have seen his obstinacy and incorrigibility in sin: Ah poor creature (says God) he sees not his present misery and slavery, he takes no notice of his own folly and vanity, of his own frowardness and pevishness, he scorns to bend or bow under my mighty hand, he is resolved to stand it out to the death, he will persist on in his own ways, though he eternally perishes; though hell stands at the end of his ways, yet on he will: Well what is the issue of all this? God saith, I have seen his ways, and will heal him; 'tis not I have seen his ways, and will curse him, no, but I have seen his ways, and will heal him; 'tis not I have seen his ways, and will never have any more to do with him, no, but I have seen his ways, and will heal him; 'tis not I have seen his ways, and will damn him, no, but I have seen his ways, and will heal him. Oh the freeness, Oh the unsearchableness, Oh the riches of God's grace! And thus you see that the precious promises last cited, are promises that are made over to sinners as sinners; And this is further evident in that Isa. 43.22, 23, 24, 25. For sins of omission and sins of commission, what can be more charged upon a sinful people, then here is charged upon them? they were not only negligent of his worship and service, but they were also weary of his worship and service, and counted it rather a burden then a benefit, a toil then a pleasure; in all their outward observances they did but court the Lord, they did but complement with God, for whilst they were in his service, their hearts were secretly weary of his service; and by their sinful commissions, Oh how did they grieve, vex, oppress, and burden the Holy one of Israel? and yet in verse. 25. God does passionately and emphatically proclaim their free pardon, I, even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. The Metaphor is taken from men's blotting out of debts out of their debt-book; now when a debt is blotted out of the debt-book, 'tis never charged upon the debtor more, 'tis never regarded nor remembered more; so when God proclaims the sinners pardon, when he forgives him his transgressions, he blots, he rases, he crosses his books, and cancels all bonds, so as that he will never object his sins against him, and never charge his sins upon him, but being once forgiven, they shall be forever forgotten, they shall never come into his remembrance more: And all this he will do for his name sake, and for the praise and glory of his own Free-grace. So in Ezek. 36.26, 27, 28. and 37. compared. Now by all these Scriptures 'tis most plain and evident, that the precious promises of special grace and mercy, are made over to sinners as sinners; and if so, then doubtless sinners may lawfully put these promises into suit. Oh sirs, donit you know that desire is the soul of prayer? and who but such as are witless and graceless, will say that a wicked man may not desire the accomplishment of God's gracious promises, that will say an unregenera • e man may not desire to be pardoned, sanctified and renewed, and that the Lord would bestow his spirit upon him, and that by the finger of the same spirit, the Law of the Lord may be written in his heart, that he may observe his Statutes, and do them; these are things that God has engaged himself to do for poor sinners, and therefore certainly sinners may put God in mind of his engagements. But,

[ 6] Sixthly and lastly, God would never have encouraged and rewarded with temporal favors, wicked and unregenerate men's religious duties and services as he has done, if he would not have had them exercise themselves in Religious duties; now that he has thus encouraged and rewarded wicked and unregenerate men is evident in these instances, 1 Kings 21.19— ult. Jonah 3.4.— ult. 2 Chron. 26.5. Uzziah sought God in the days of Zechariah, and when he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper; had he been really godly, had he had the root of the matter in him, had he been a sincere, a throughout Christian, he would have sought the Lord all his days, he would have held on and held out in well-doing, but being carnal hypocritical and unregenerate, his Religion dies with Zechariah. Another instance you have of this among the sailors, that usually are the worst of sinners, Psal. 107.23.—30. And another you have in that known case of Jehu; from all which we may well conclude, that God expects and looks that wicked men, that unregenerate men should be found in the exercise of Religious duties. It is an excellent observation of Calvin upon God's rewarding the Rechabites obedience, Jer. 35.19. God (saith he) oft recompenceth the shadows and seeming appearances of virtue, to show that complacency he takes in the ample rewards he hath reserved for true and sincere piety. To conclude, It was as easy for Boaz to have given Ruth as much corn at once as would have yielded her an Ephah of Barly, & so have sent her home without anymore ado, but he would not, being resolved that she should use her endeavor to gather and glean it, and beat it out too when she had gleaned it; so 'tis as easy a thing for God to give his Christ, to give his Spirit, and to give his Grace immediately to poor sinners without their using of the means, but he would not, being resolved that they shall use the means of hearing, reading, praying, and conference, &c. and when they have done, leave the issue of all their labors and endeavors to his good Will and pleasure. I have taken the more pains fully and clearly to answer this objection, that it may never more have a resurrection in any of your souls.

Ninthly, If ever you would be holy, then when you have [ 9] done all, wait; Oh hear and wait, and wait and hear; pray and wait, and wait and pray; read and wait, and wait and read; confer and wait, and wait and confer; watch and wait, and wait and watch. Oh sirs, shall the husbandman wait for a good harvest? and the Merchant for good returns? and the Watchman for the dawning of the day? and the Patient for a happy cure? and the poor Client for a day of hearing, &c? and will not you wait for Christ, and wait for the spirit, and wait for pardon, and wait for grace, and wait for glory, &c? Oh sinners, sinners, remember you are at the right door, and therefore wait; Oh remember that whilst you are waiting for mercy, God is preparing of mercy; Oh remember that 'tis mercy that you may wait for mercy; devils and damned spirits cannot wait for mercy, wait they must, but, O 'tis for more wrath, anger, and fiery indignation: Oh remember your condition bespeaks waiting, for you are poor, halt, lame, blind, and miserable creatures: Oh remember that mercy is sweetest when it comes after a patient waiting, Deut. 32.13. He made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock; That is, he made him to suck water that was as sweet as honey out of the rock, out of the flinty rock: Oh remember that a patient waiting for mercy, is the only way to greaten your mercy. The longer, said the Emperors son, the Cooks are a preparing the meat, the better the cheer will be; his meaning was, the longer he staid for the Empire, the greater it would be: So the longer a soul waits for mercy, the greater and the better it will be when it comes; as you may see in that famous instance of the poor man that lay eight and thirty years at the Pool of Bethesda. Famous was the patience of Elijah's servant, who in obedience to his Masters command, went seven several times up and down steep Carmel, which could not be without danger and difficulty, and all to bring news of nothing, till his last journey, which made a recompense for all the rest, with the tidings of a cloud arising: Oh so do but patiently wait upon the Lord, and that grace, that favor, that mercy will come at last, which will fully recompense you for all your waitings; remember that the mercies of God are not styled the swift, but the sure mercies of David; (mercy may be sure, though it be not presently upon the wing flying towards us) And the same Prophet saith, the glory of the Lord shall be thy rearward; now this we know comes up last to secure and make good all the rest, for where Grace leads the Front, Glory at last will be in the Rear. Oh do but patiently wait, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry, not a year, not a quarter, not a month, not a week, not a day, no not an hour beyond the prefixed time that he hath set of showing mercy to poor sinners. O how sad was it that Saul should lose his Kingdom for want of two or three hours patience? but O how much more sad will it be if thou shouldst lose all the prayers that thou hast made, and all the Sermons that thou hast heard, and all the tears that thou hast shed, and all other pains that thou hast taken, and all for want of a little more patience? yea how woeful sad would it be if thou shouldst lose thy God, and lose thy Christ, and lose thy soul, and lose an eternity of glory, and all for want of a little patience to wait the Lord's leisure? O therefore resolve to hold on waiting to the death, and if thou must perish, to perish in a waiting way, (which if thou shouldst, thou wouldst be the first that ever so perished:) O remember that if God should come, and mercy come, and pardon come, and grace come, when thy Sun is near setting, when thy glass is almost out, and when there is but a short step between thee and eternity, it will infinitely recompense thee for all thy waiting; and therefore wait still: and to keep up thy spirits, and to uphold thy soul in a waiting way, O! that thou wouldest make these following promises thy daily food, thy daily friends, thy daily companions; Psal. 27.14. Wa • t on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord. Prov. 20.22. Wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee. Isa. 30.18. And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgment. Blessed are all they that wait for him. Chap. 40. ult. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength: they shall mount up with wings as Eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint. Chap. 49.23. They shall not be ashamed that wait for me. And Chap. 64.4. For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, besides thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him. Pro. 8.34. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. O how should these precious promises encourage your hearts to wait on the Lord? O how should they lengthen and draw out your patience to the utmost. But,

Tenthly and lastly, Dwell much upon the memorable judgments [ 10] of God, that even in this life has fallen upon unholy persons. Remember Lots wife. O! remember her sin and punishment, that so fearing the one, you may learn to take heed of the other. Isa. 26.9. When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness; that is, they should learn righteousness (for so the words may be read) they should learn to fear thee, and learn to turn unto thee, and learn to forsake their sins and amend their lives; When thy judgments, thy memorable judgments are abroad in the world, it highly concerns all the sons of men to look after holy dispositions, holy affections, and holy conversations, that so it may go well with them in the day of the Lord's wrath: others sense the words thus, When thy judgments are on the earth, the inhabitants of the world (that is sinners as well as Saints) shall learn righteousness, that is, they shall learn to fear thee upon the account of thy righteous judgment, suitable to that, Job 37.23, 24. Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: Men do therefore fear him: he respecteth not any that are wise of heart; and to that Rev. 15.4. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee, for thy judgments are made manifest. The judgments of God upon Antichrist, shall so awaken, alarm, and affect the nations, that they shall cast off all false ways of worship, and worship the Lord in a more pure, spiritual, high and noble way then ever yet they have done. God is a free Agent, and he can make sinners Saints, as well by judgments, as by mercies. Waldus (from whom the Waldenses had their name) when many were met together to be merry, seeing one among them suddenly fall down dead, it struck so to his heart, that he went home a penitent, and proved a very precious holy man. Pharaoh was not a pin the better for all the plagues that came upon him; but Jethro taking notice of God's heavy judgments upon Pharaoh, and likewise upon the Amalekites, was thereby converted, and became a Proselyte, as some observe. O sirs, who can tell but that a fixed eye upon the remarkable judgments of God that has been inflicted upon notorious sinners, may be a means to change you and turn you to the Lord? forget not the plagues that came upon bloody Pharaoh; Remember how crafty Achitophel, and proud Haman, and covetous Judas, came all to the halter; forget not how the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up Corah and his companions; forget not the Angel that drew upon Balaam, nor Samuel's sword that cut Agag in pieces, nor the Royal Oak on which Absalom was hanged, nor the Javlin by which Phinehas, in his zeal for God, thrust through Zimri and Cozbi; remember how Ananias and Sapphira were struck dead with a lie in their mouths; remember how God rained hell out of heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah; remember how suddenly, how unexpectedly, and how inevitably the flood came upon the old world; and remember how the Angels that kept not their first station of holiness, are now in chains under everlasting darkness. O who can seriously dwell upon the severe judgments of God upon these persons, and not resolve upon breaking off his sins, and pursuing after that holiness, without which there is no happiness. O! remember that God is as holy a God as ever, and as just a God as ever, and as jealous of his glory as ever, and therefore turn from the evil of your doings that your souls may live. O! that the dreadful judgments of God that has been executed upon others, might so alarm all unholy hearts, that they may with all their might cast off the works of darkness, and put on the Armor of light, that so they may be children of the light, and their souls may live forever. And thus much for the means whereby men may reach to that holiness, without which there is no happiness.

I come now in the third place to answer those objections which usually are made against men's pursuing after holiness. As,