The Crown and Glory of Christianity, Part 2

The Crown and Glory of Christianity · Part 2

p. 18I come now to the ſecond thing, and that is, to prove the truth of the Propoſition, viz. That without men are holy, they can never be happy; without holineſs on earth, none of the ſons of men ſhall ever come to a bleſſed viſion and fruition of God in heaven. Now this great and weighty truth, I ſhall make good by an induction of particulars thus.

1Firſt, God hath by very plain and clear Scriptures bolted and barred the door of heaven and happineſs againſt all unholy ones.See alſo Mat. 7.21, 22, 23. Ch. 25.10, 11, 12.Matt 7:21Matt 7:22Matt 7:23 Witneſs 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. Know ye not that the unrighteous p. 19ſhall not inherit the Kingdom of God? be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor Idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abuſers of themſelves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor revilers, nor extortioners, ſhall inherit the Kingdom of God. Heaven is an undefiled inheritance,1 Pet. 1.4.1 Pet 1:4 and none that are defiled can enter into the poſſeſſion of it. When the Angels fell from their righteouſneſs, heaven rejected them; it would no longer hold them: and will it now accept of the unrighteous? will it now entertain and welcome them? ſurely no. Such ſinners make the very earth to mourn and groan now, and ſhall they make heaven to mourn and groan hereafter? Surely no. What though the Serpent did wind himſelf into an earthy Paradiſe, yet none of the ſeed of the Serpent (ſo remaining) ſhall ever be able to wind themſelves into a heavenly Paradiſe, witneſs Gal. 19.20, 21. Now the works of the fleſh are manifeſt, which are theſe, Adultery, fornication, uncleanneſs, laſciviouſneſs, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, ſtrife, ſeditions, hereſies, envying, murders, drunkenneſs, revellings, and ſuch like: of the which I tell you before, as I alſo have told you in time paſt, that they which do ſuch things, ſhall not inherit the kingdom of God. Before they go to hell he tells them again and again, that they ſhall not inherit the kingdom of God. By the Kingdom of God, we are to to underſtand the kingdom of Heaven, the kingdom of glory: now the kingdom of heaven, of glory, is called the kingdom of God; 1. Becauſe he hath prepared it. 2.Mat. 20.23. Luke 12 32.Matt 20:23Luke 12:32 Becauſe it is a royal gift that he confers and beſtows upon his little, little flock. Auguſtus in his Solemn Feaſts gave trifles to ſome, and Gold to others:Rev. 4.10, 11. Chap. 20.6. Dan. 4.16, 17.Rev 4:10Rev 4:11Dan 4:16Dan 4:17 The trifles of this world God often gives to the worſt and baſeſt of men; but the kingdom of heaven he only gives to his boſome friends. 3. Becauſe that of, and under him, the Saints hold it and poſſeſs it. 4. Becauſe with him they ſhall for ever reign in the fruition of it. And ſo that in John 3.3. Jeſus anſwered and ſaid unto him, Verily, verily, I ſay unto thee, Except a man be born again, be cannot ſee the kingdom of God. To give a little light into the words.

p. 20foreign, Truth, truth, or truly, truly.Verily, verily; the Greek is Amen, amen: The word Amen is Hebrew, and in the Old Teſtament is moſt commonly uſed by way of wiſhing, or imprecation; but here, and in other places of the New Teſtament, the ſenſe of it is altered from precatory to aſſertory, or from the way of wiſhing, to the way of affirming. This phraſe, Amen, amen, or Verily, verily, imports,

1Firſt, The truth and certainty of the things delivered; for the word Amen doth properly ſignifie truth.

2Secondly, This double Aſſeveration is never uſed but in matters of greateſt weight and importance; the matters here ſpoken of, are of a very celeſtial and ſublime Nature.

3Thirdly, This gemination Verily, verily, is a vehement confirmation of what Chriſt ſpeaks.

4Fourthly, This gemination calls aloud for the greateſt obſervation, and moſt ſerious attention of the ſoul to what Chriſt is a ſaying.

Ver. 2.I ſay unto thee; I, that thou haſt confeſt to be a Teacher ſent from God; I, that lie in the boſome of the Father; I, John 1.18. Rev. 3.14.John 1:18Rev 3:14that am of the Cabinet Counſel of heaven; I, that know his heart, and all his ſecrets; I, that am the faithfull and true witneſs and cannot lye; I, that am called the Amen, the truth it ſelf;Rev. 1.18.Rev 1:18 I, that have the keyes of heaven and hell at my own Girdle; I, that open and no man ſhuts, and I that ſhut and no man opens; I that ſhall be your Judge in the great day, I ſay unto thee, &c.

Rom. 2.28, 29.Rom 2:28Rom 2:29Except a man be born again; A man, be he old or young, learned or unlearned, high or low, rich or poor, knowing or ignorant, circumciſed or uncircumciſed, under this form or that, a member of this Church or that, let his diſpoſition be nev…r ſo ingenuous, and his parts never ſo high, and his converſation (as to men) never ſo blameleſs and harmleſs; yet except this man be born again, he cannot ſee the kingdom of God.

2 Cor. 5.17.2 Cor 5:17Be born again: Except a man be firſt unmade, and newmade up again; except he be of an old creature made a new creature, yea, a new creation of God, there is no ſeeing of the kingdom of God; the whole frame of the old man muſt p. 21be diſſolved, and a new frame erected; elſe there is no heaven to be enjoyed. The kingdom of God is a divine kingdom, and there is no poſſeſſion of it without a divine nature; a new head without a new heart;2 Pet. 1.4. 1 Cor. 7.19. Gal. 5.6. Luke 17.21. Rom. 14.17.2 Pet 1:41 Cor 7:19Gal 5:6Luke 17:21Rom 14:17 a new lip without a new life, will never bring a man to this kingdom of light. That man is for the kingdom of God, and the kingdom of God is for that man, that hath got the kingdom of God within him; if the kingdom of grace do not enter into thee here, thou ſhalt never enter into the kingdom of glory hereafter. A new heart is for a new heaven, and a new heaven is for a new heart. Except a man be born again, except a man be born from above, and ſo Cyrill interprets that word foreign. Generation in ſome ſenſe is from below, but regeneration is only from above, and without this there is no fruition of God above.

He cannot ſee the kingdom of God. The Scripture ſpeaks of ſeveral Cannots.

Firſt, There is a natural Cannot: now every ſon and 1daughter of Adam is by nature born under a Cannot; they are all born under a cannot believe, a cannot repent, a cannot love God, a cannot walk with God, a cannot ſee God, a cannot enjoy God, 1 Cor. 2.14. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are fooliſhneſs unto him: neither can he know them, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned. A blind man cannot ſee colours, nor a natural man cannot diſcern ſpiritual things: they are too high, they are too ſublime for him, they are myſteries that he cannot underſtand, that he cannot unriddle. The natural man can aſcend no higher then nature, as the water can riſe no higher then the ſpring from whence it comes.Quantum deſcendit, tantum aſcendit. The Scripture ſets ſuch ſad ſouls below the Ox, and the Aſs, Iſa. 1.3. Take nature civilized, and moralized, refined and raiſed, ſublimated, ſtrengthened, and improved to the utmoſt, and it cannot enable a man to do a ſupernatural action; nature cannot act ultra sphaeram, above it ſelf. But,

Secondly, there is a contracted and an habituated Cannot: 2and of this Cannot the Prophet ſpeaks in Jer. 6.10. To p. 22whom ſhall I ſpeak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold their ear is uncircumciſed, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the Lord is unto them a reproach: they have no delight in it: They had by their carnality, impiety, ſenſuality, ſecurity and obſtinacy, contracted upon their poor ſouls ſuch deafneſs, wretchedneſs, unteachableneſs, and untractableneſs, that they could neither love the word, nor like it: they could neither take pleaſure nor delight in it; nay, they could neither hear it, nor bear it, though it never ſo nearly concerned the internal and eternal welfare of their ſouls.foreign properly, diſtinctly ſignifies an adultetereſs: and this phraſe of having eyes full of the adultereſs, anſwers to that of the Rhetorician who deſcribing an unchaſt, laſcivious perſon, rhetorically ſaid of him, that he had Whores in his eyes. And of this Cannot the Apoſtle ſpeaks in 2 Pet. 2.14. Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot ceaſe from ſin, beguiling unſtable ſouls: an heart they have exerciſed with covetous practices: curſed children. By their riot and exceſs, by their laſciviouſneſs and wantonneſs, by their looſneſs and uncleanneſs which they had habituated and accuſtomed themſelves unto, they brought upon themſelves a curſed neceſſity of ſinning, ſo that they could not ceaſe from ſin: They mourn over ſin, and yet they cannot ceaſe from ſin: they reſolve againſt ſin, yet they cannot ceaſe to ſins they pray againſt ſin, yet they cannot ceaſe to ſin: they make many promiſes, vows, and Covenants againſt ſin, yet they cannot ceaſe from ſin, their ſouls being habituated and accuſtomated thereunto, Jer. 2.20. For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burſt thy bands; and thou ſaidſt I will not tranſgreſs: (I will never play the harlot more: but were they as good as their word? no,) for upon every high hill, and under every green tree, they wandred playing the harlot. I have read of a man who in the time of his ſickneſs, was ſo terrified in his conſcience for his 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, and made many great promiſes and proteſtations of amendment of life, if God would be pleaſed to recover him; In a little while he did recover: and being recovered, he was as baſe and vile, as wretched and wicked as ever he was before. Cuſtom in ſin takes away all conſcience of ſin, Jer. 13.23. Can the Aethiopian change his skin, or the Leopard his ſpots? p. 23then may he alſo do good that is accuſtomed to do evil. The Ethiopian cannot make his black skin white: he cannot change the hew or the colour of it by waſhing; to attempt this is but labour in vain. Nor the Leopard cannot change his ſpots: no more can a poor ſinner that hath habituated and accuſtomed himſelf to ſin, that is deſperately enthralled to ſin, turn from his ſin: The ſpots of the Leopard are not in him by accident but by nature: and they are ſuch which no Art can cure, nor water waſh off, becauſe they are not only in the skin, but in the fleſh and bones, in the ſinews and moſt inward parts. By cuſtom ſin hath beſpotted not only the skin, the life, the outſide of a poor ſinner, but alſo the very heart and ſoul of a poor ſinner, ſo as that he is never able to waſh off theſe ſpots. Ambroſe reports of one Theotimus, that having a diſeaſe upon his body, his Phyſitian told him, that except he did abſtain from intemperance, drunkenneſs, uncleaneſs, &c. he was like to loſe his eyes; his heart being habituated to ſin, and ſet upon wickedneſs, he anſwered, Vale lumen amicum, farwell ſweet light then. But,

Thirdly, as there is a contracted Cannot, an habituated 3Cannot, ſo there is a judicial Cannot. The Lord inflicts a judicial cannot upon many perſons in judgement: they cannot return from their ſins, they cannot withſtand a temptation, they cannot lay hold on eternal life, they cannot make ſure work for their ſouls, they cannot leave their boſome luſts, they cannot prefer Chriſt above all the world, they cannot make proviſion for eternity, they cannot ſee the things that belong to their peace, &c. and this Cannot the Lord in wrath hath brought upon them, Iſa. 6.9, 10. And he ſaid, Go and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but underſtand not: and ſee ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and ſhut their eyes; (or annoint, beſmeer, lime their eyes) leſt they ſee with their eyes, and hear with their ears, Many men, ſaith Bernard do ſeek for ſtraws to put out their own eyes.and underſtand with their heart, and convert and be healed. They would not ſee, they ſhall not ſee; they would not hear, they ſhall not hear; they would not underſtand, they ſhall not underſtand: they would not convert, they ſhall not convert: they p. 24would not be healed, they ſhall not be healed. When men are ſtifly and deſperately reſolved upon their ſinful courſes, when men grow ſtubborn, rebellious, licentious, and will wilfully wink and ſhut their eyes againſt the light, and ſtop their ears againſt the truth, God in his juſt judgement gives them up to dulneſs, ſtupidneſs, blindneſs, darkneſs, Iſa. 44.18. They have not known nor underſtood, for he hath ſhut their eyes that they cannot ſee; foreign dawbed, or plaiſtered.(or he hath dawbed up their eyes from ſeeing) and their hearts, that they cannot underſtand. God in his righteous judgement caſts a judicial Cannot upon them, he hath dawbed up their eyes that they cannot ſee, and he hath ſhut up their hearts that they cannot underſtand the great concernments of their ſouls. Now whileſt men lie under theſe ſad Cannots, they can never ſee the kingdom of God. Theſe three Cannots like a threefold cord, bind poor ſinners, ſo as that they can never come to a ſight or fruition of God in grace or glory till they are delivered from theſe Cannots, by a new birth, by being born again.

See the kingdom of God: that is, they cannot enter into it, they cannot enjoy it, they can have no childs part or portion in it, except they are new born, except they paſs the pangs of the ſecond birth. Let their education be never ſo ſweet, their illumination never ſo great, their profeſſion never ſo amiable, and their converſation never ſo unblameable; yet except they are new born, it had been good for them that they had never been born. And thus you ſee by plain Scriptures, that the Lord hath bolted the gates of glory againſt all unholy perſons.

2A ſecond Argument to prove, that without holineſs, there is no happineſs, &c. is this; Without holineſs men are ſtrangers to God, and therefore without holineſs they cannot be admitted to a co-habitation with God. God loves not to dwell with ſtrangers, nor to aſſociate himſelf with ſtrangers; now ſuch are all unholy perſons, Epheſ. 2.12. That at time ye were without Chriſt, being aliens from the Common-wealth of Iſrael, (or being far removed from the Citizenſhip of Iſrael) and ſtrangers from the Covenants of p. 25promiſe, having no hope, and without God in the world. Here are five withouts in the words, 1. They were without God the Author of hope. 2. They were without Chriſt the foundation of hope. 3. They were without the Church (which was contained in the Common-wealth of Iſrael) the place of hope. 4. They were without the Covenants of promiſe. (That is, they were without the precious promiſes which God in his Covenant had made, and oftentimes renewed with the Iſraelites, and therefore called Covenants in the plural number) the ground and reaſon of hope. And Laſtly, they were without the grace of hope: they had no hope of communion with Chriſt, no hope of fellowſhip with the Saints; no hope of any intereſt in the promiſe; no hope of reconciliation to God here, nor no hope of a fruition of God hereafter. And thus you ſee what ſtrangers they were to the Lord, and to the great concernments of their own ſouls. God of old would not have ſtrangers come into his Sanctuary: And do you think then that he will ever admit ſuch into heaven? Surely no. Ezek. 44.6.7, 9. And thou ſhalt ſay to the rebellious, even to the houſe of Iſrael, Thus ſaith the Lord God, O ye houſe of Iſrael,Heaven would be no heaven, were there any ſtrangers there. See my String of Pearls. let it ſuffice you of all your abominations, In that ye have brought into my Sanctuary ſtrangers uncircumciſed in heart, and uncircumciſed in fleſh, to be in my Sanctuary to pollute it, even my houſe; when ye offer my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken my Covenant, becauſe of all your abominations. Thus ſaith the Lord God, No ſtranger uncircumciſed in heart, nor uncircumciſed in fleſh ſhall enter into my Sanctuary, Mat. 7.21, 22, 23. Ch. 25, 11, 12. Ch. 22.11, 12, 13.Matt 7:21Matt 7:22Matt 7:23of any ſtranger that is among the children of Iſrael. Such as had no holineſs within, nor no holineſs without: ſuch as had no holineſs in their hearts, nor no holineſs in their lives, God would not have them to enter into his Sanctuary; and therefore certainly ſuch he will never ſuffer to enter into heaven. If God ſhuts the doors of an earthly Tabernacle againſt ſuch as were ſtrangers to him, to his Covenant, to his Church, and to themſelves, will he not much more ſhut the door of his heavenly Tabernacle againſt ſuch that are ſtrangers to him, and to his Chriſt, p. 26and to his word, yea, that are ſtrangers to their own ſouls, and to all the concernments of another world? and ſuch are all thoſe that are uncircumciſed in heart, and uncircumciſed in fleſh. Princes Pallaces are not for ſtrangers, but for ſons, friends, familiars, favourites; no more is the Pallace of heaven: we will not admit ſtrangers to cohabit with us: and will …od admit ſuch to cohabit with him, that never had any acquaintance or familiarity with him? Surely no. In hiſtory we read of ſuch Towns and Cities as would not admit ſtrangers to inhabit among them: and ſuch a City is that above.Exod. 33.12, 17.Exod 33:12Exod 33:17 It hath been long ſince concluded, that (In coelo nullus erit alienus) in heaven there ſhall be no ſtrangers: none ſhall be admitted into that ſtate, but ſuch as God knows by name. Charon (in Lucian) requeſting Mercurius to ſhew him Jupiters Palace above; how ſayes Mercurius, that ſuch a caitiff as thou whoſe converſation hath been altogether with black ſhades, and impure ghoſts, ſhouldſt ſet thy foot in that pure place of light! what a diſhonour and derogation were that to the place! The Application is eaſie.

3Unholy perſons have fellowſhip and familiarity with Satan, and therefore doubtleſs God will have no familiarity nor fellowſhip with them.2 Cor. 6.14, 15, 16.2 Cor 6:142 Cor 6:152 Cor 6:16 As righteouſneſs can have no fellowſhip with unrighteouſneſs, nor light with darkneſs, nor Chriſt with Belial, nor heaven with hell, no more can a holy God have any communion or fellowſhip with unholy ſouls: for they are Satans houſe, Luke 11.21. he keeps poſſeſſion of them as a man doth of his houſe,Rev. 18.2.Rev 18:2 and hath familiarity with them as a man hath with thoſe of his houſe: he is their Father, and they are his children, John 8.44. and look what familiarity a Father hath with his children, that hath an unholy devil with unholy ſouls. A workman cannot be more familiar with his tools, then Satan is with unholy ſouls, and therefore he is ſaid to work in the children of diſobedience; as a Smith worketh in his forge, or as an Artificer worketh in his ſhop, Ehpeſ. 2.2. Unholy perſons have boſome fellowſhip with Satan, 1 John 5.19. And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth p. 27in wickedneſs: or in that wicked one the Devil, as the Greek will bear; they lie as it were in the boſom of Satan, as the child lies in the boſom of the Mother, or as the Wife lyes in the boſom of the Husband, or as a friend lyes in the boſom of his friend: Unholy perſons partake with him at his Table, they eat with him, and drink with him, and converſe with him, 1 Cor. 10.21. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of Devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lords Table, and of the Table of Devils. If Judas was at the Sacrament, the greater was his wo.Ambroſe brings in the Devil boaſting againſt Chriſt, and challenging Judas as his own thus, He is not thine Lord Jeſus, he is mine; his thoughts beat for me; He eats with thee, but is fed by me; he takes bread from thee, but money from me: he drinks with thee, and ſells thy blood to me. By all which you may ſee what fellowſhip and familiarity there is between Satan and a ſinner. Now what is this leſs then blaſphemy to aſſert, that a holy God will have fellowſhip with them that have fellowſhip with the Devil? God hath not caſt Satan out of heaven, that he may make room for his familiars in heaven: if heaven was too holy to hold unholy devils, it will be found at laſt to be too holy to hold unholy ſouls; certainly they ſhall not lie in the boſome of God, who have the Devil for their bed-fellow.

Fourthly, Unholy perſons are full of contrariety to God; 4their natures, principles, practiſes, aims, minds, wills, affections, judgements, intentions, and reſolutions,Lev. 26.21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 40, 41. Iſa. 58.4, 5, 6. Jerem. 44.16, 17, 18. Ch. 2.25. & Ch 18.11, 12Lev 26:21Lev 26:22Lev 26:23Lev 26:24Lev 26:27Lev 26:28Lev 26:40Lev 26:41Isa 58:4Isa 58:5Isa 58:6Jer 44:16Jer 44:17Jer 44:18 are contrary to God, his name, nature, being, truth and glory; you may as ſoon bring Eaſt and Weſt, North and South, light and darkneſs, heaven and hell together, as you ſhall bring a holy God and unholy ſouls together. Antipathies will never incorporate; as ſoon may midnight be married to the noonday, as a holy God embrace an unholy ſinner. That unholy perſons are made up of contrarieties to God, is moſt evident, as you may ſee in Iſa. 22.12, 13. And in that day did the Lord God of Hoſts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldneſt, and to girding with ſack-cloth: And behold, joy, and gladneſs, ſlaying oxen, and killing ſheep, eating fleſh, and drinking wine; let us eat and drink, for to morrow we ſhall die. Theſe p. 28ſad ſouls practiſe quite contrary to what the Lord calls for at their hands:Rom 8.7. Iames 4 4. Pope Julius the third would have his Pork (though it was forbidden him by h…s Phyſitians) in deſpite of God himſe…f.Rom 8:7Jas 4:4 he calls them to weeping, and mourning; and behold joy and gladneſs: he calls them to faſting, and behold here is nothing but feaſting, carouſing, and making merry, and jovial, and that in contempt of God and his dreadfull judgements. Unholy perſons are like the Rainbow; now the Rainbow is never on that ſide of the world that the Sun is on; but whenſoever it appears, it is ſtill in oppoſition againſt the Sun if the Sun be in the Eaſt, the Rainbow is in the Weſt, &c. So unholy ſouls in all t…eir actings and walkings will ſtill be oppoſite to God; they will ſtill be croſs and contrary to him, John 8.38. I ſpeak that which I have ſeen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have ſeen with your Father. Unholy hearts are full of the higheſt ſtrains of contrariety and oppoſition againſt the Lord. I have read of a King (that Reigned in no very remote part of the world) who having received a blow from the hand of God, took a ſolemn Oath to be revenged on him; and ordained that for ten years ſpace no man ſhould pray to him, ſpeak of him, nor ſo long as he was in Authority, to believe in him. O the vanity, the contrariety and blaſphemy of this Prince! Now we will not admit ſuch to be about us who are made up of contrarieties to us: and will God, will God? heaven and earth, fire and water, the Woolf and the Lamb, the Winds and the Sea will ſooner accord then a holy God, and an unholy heart. There can be no amity where there is a ſpiritual Antipathy.

55. Fifthly, Without holineſs no man can have any ſpiritual communion with God in this world; he may hear, but he can have no communion with God in hearing without holineſs; he may pray, but he can have no communion with God in prayer without holineſs: he may come to the Sacrament, but he can have no communion with God in the Sacrament without holineſs; he may come into the communion of Saints, but he can have no communion with God in the communion of Saints without holineſs: he may read and meditate, but he can have no communion with God in p. 29reading and meditation without holineſs, Deut. 23.14. For the Lord thy God walketh in the midſt of thy Camp to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore ſhall thy Camp be holy, that he ſee no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee. Keep up holineſs among you, and you ſhall keep me among you, ſaith God; but if you turn away from holineſs, I will undoubtedly turn away from you: a holy God will keep company with none but thoſe that are holy. Holineſs is the bond that ties God and ſouls together: God will cleave cloſe to them who in holineſs cleave faſt to him: but if he ſee uncleanneſs and wickedneſs among you, he will certainly turn away from you. The holy ſpirit gives the lye to thoſe that ſay they have fellowſhip with God, and yet maintain familiarity and fellowſhip with ſin, 1 John 1.6. If we ſay we have fellowſhip with him, and walk in darkneſs, we lye. The Apoſtle dares give the lye to any man (without fearing the ſtab) who pretends to communion with God, and yet walks in darkneſs. Men may be much in Ordinances, and yet for want of holineſs may have no communion at all with God in Ordinances. Iſaiah 1.11.— 18. and though communion with God in Ordinances is the very life and ſoul of Ordinances; yet multitudes who enjoy Ordinances can content and ſatisfie themſelves without that which is the very life, ſoul and quinteſſenſe of Ordinances. There are many that cry out, the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, who have no communion with the Lord of the Temple at all, Jer. 7.4.— 12. Though unholy perſons may trade much in Ordinances,Iſa. 29.13. Ezek. 24.21, 22. Ch. 33, 30, 31, 32.Isa 29:13Ezek 24:21Ezek 24:22 yet they will never make any earnings, any advantage by all their trading and ſtir, becauſe they cannot reach to communion with God in them, which is the only means of being enriched by them. As many men riſe early and go to bed late, and make a great deal of ſtir and do to be rich in the world, and yet for want of a ſtock nothing comes on it; they are poor ſtill, and beggarly ſtill, and low and mean in the world ſtill. So many riſe early, and go late to Ordinances, they exerciſe themſelves much in religious duties, and yet nothing comes on p. 30it; their ſouls are poor, and beggarly, and thredbare ſtill: And no wonder; for they want a ſtock of holineſs to trade with. Remigius a Judge of Lorraign, ſaith that the Devil in thoſe parts did uſe to give money to Witches which at firſt did appear to be good and currant coin, but after a while it turned to dry leaves. Ah Sirs, all duties and Ordinances to a man that wants holineſs, will be ſound at laſt to be but as dry leaves, to be ſapleſs and liveleſs, and heartleſs, and comfortleſs to him. Now if without holineſs no man can have any ſpiritual communion or fellowſhip with God here, then certainly without holineſs no man can have a glorious communion with God hereafter: if without holineſs God will not take us into his arms on earth, then undoubtedly without holineſs God will never put us into his boſom in heaven. But to proceed.

6Unholy perſons are fools; and what ſhould ſuch do in the preſence of God, who is wiſdom it ſelf; the fool and the ungodly man, are (Synonomaes) words ſignifying the ſame thing in Scripture,Deu. 36.6.21. Pſalm 94.8.Ps 94:8 Pſalm 14.1. The fool (i. e. the wicked, the unholy perſon) hath ſaid in his heart, there is no God: they are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doth good, Jer. 4.22. For my people are fooliſh, they have not known me, they are ſottiſh children, and they have no underſtanding: they are wiſe to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge, Prov. 1.7. Fools deſpiſe wiſdom, and inſtruction, that is, wicked and ungodly men deſpiſe wiſdom and inſtruction: and to ſhew that the world is full of ſuch fools, he uſes the word in the plural no leſs then ſixteen times in this book of the Proverbs. I ſhall open this truth a little more to you, by proving that they have all the characteriſtical notes and properties of fools: So that one face is not more like another, then a fool is like a wicked man, or then a wicked man is like a fool: For,

Firſt, A fool prefers toyes and trifles before things of greateſt 1worth: he prefers a braſs counter before a piece of gold, a fine Baby before a rich inheritance:Prov. 1.29.Prov 1:29 an Apple that pleaſeth the eye, before a pearl of greateſt price; ſo wicked and ungodly men, they prefer their luſts before the Lord, p. 36Iſa. 65.12. Therefore will I number you to the ſword, and ye ſhall all bow down to the ſlaughter: becauſe when I called, ye did not anſwer; when I ſpake, ye did not hear, but did evil before mine eyes, and did chooſe that wherein I delighted not. Such a one was Cardinal Borbonius who profeſt he would not leave his part in Paris for a portion in Paradiſe.Upon choice they preferred the honours, the riches, the bravery and glory of the world, above their own ſouls, and the great concernments of another world. Such fools were Laban, and Nabal, in the Old Teſtament; (whoſe names by inverſion of letters are the ſame; and the latter ſignifies a fool) and ſuch were the two rich fools in the New Teſtament, Luke 12.16.—22. and Chap. 16.19.—ult. I have read of the fooliſh people of the Eaſt Indi…s in the Iſle Zeylon, who preferred a conſecrated Apes tooth above an incredible maſs of treaſure. Such fools are all unholy perſons, who prefer the toyes, the trifles of this world before the pleaſures and treaſures that be at Gods right hand. The world is full of ſuch fools.Pſalm 16.11. Mat. 6.19, 10.Ps 16:11Matt 6:19Matt 6:10 (Si admores hominum reſpicias, mundum univerſum ſtultorum domum judicabis) ſaith One, if thou beholdeſt the manners of men, thou wilt judge the whole world to be a houſe of fools. Ah friends! What folly to that of mens ſpending their time, their ſtrength, their lives, their ſouls in getting the great things of this world, and neglecting that one thing neceſſary, the ſalvation of their ſouls! Matth. 16.26. O! What vanity is it to prefer a ſmoke of honour, a blaſt of fame, a dream of pleaſure, a wedge of gold, a Babyloniſh garment, and ſuch like tranſitory trifles and traſh before a bleſſed eternity!

Secondly, Fools make no improvement of advantages and 2opportunities that are put into their hands, Prov. 17.16. Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wiſdom, Like Gra… hoppers they ſing and ſport away their precious time and opportunities of mercy, &c.ſeeing he hath no heart to it. It is to no purpoſe to put a price into the hand, if folly be bound up in the heart: if a man had as much wealth as would buy all the grace, all the peace, all the comforts, and all the wiſdom in the world; yet if he hath neither wit nor will to make an improvement of his wealth, what good would his wealth do him? To what purpoſe is the Market open, and good penny worths p. 32put into the buyers hands, if the buyer hath neither wiſdom nor heart to buy! Unholy perſons are ſuch ſpiritual fools; though they have a price, an opportunity put into their hands, which if improved might make them for ever: yet they have no heart to make an improvement of the means and advantages that might do them good to all eternity.Prov 1.20. ult. Iſa. 53.1. Ch. 55.1, 2. Mat. 25.3.6.10. Ch 23.37. Luke 19.41, 42. &c. That great Conqueror vainly feared, that his Father Philips Victories would deprive the Son of an opportunity to improve his Magnanimity.Prov 1:20Isa 53:1Matt 25:3Matt 25:6Matt 25:10Luke 19:41Luke 19:42 Ah what opportunities have unſanctified perſons to get changed hearts, renewed natures, purged conſciences, reformed lives, to get an intereſt in Chriſt, to obtain the favour of God, to procure pardon of ſin, to make proviſion for their immortal ſouls! But they have no hearts to improve theſe opportunities, and ſo by neglecting of them they cut the throat of their own ſouls: And this will be the worm that will he gnawing of them to all eternity, that they have let ſlip the opportunities of grace, that they have trifled away the ſeaſons of mercy. Ah Sirs, there is no fool to that fool that hath an opportunity put into his hand to make himſelf for ever, and yet hath no heart to improve it: The hotteſt place in hell will be the portion of ſuch fools, Mat. 11.21, 22. The little Bee ſo ſoon as flowers appear, goes abroad, views the gay Diapery and the diverſity of the flowery fields, ſucks the ſweeteſt of them, fraights her thighs, makes a curious comb, and ſo betimes hoards up honey in Summer againſt Winter. And ſo the little buſie Ant in Summer provides food for Winter, Prov. 6.6.7, 8. The Stork, the Crane and the Swallow know their ſeaſons and opportunities, Jer. 8.7. All theſe poor little creatures are not ſo much below man in nature, as they are above ſinfull man in worth, wiſdom and work: Theſe improve their Summer ſeaſons, their harveſt hours; and yet ſuch ſpiritual fools are wicked man, that they let ſlip ſuch ſeaſons of grace and mercy, that cannot be redeemed with ten thouſand worlds. Ah how is man fallen from his primitive nobility and glory, that theſe little buſie creatures are propounded as a pattern of diligence and wiſdom unto him! The Antients painted Opportunity with a hairy forehead, but bald behind, to ſignifie that while a man hath it before him, he may lay hold on it, but p. 33if he lets it ſlip away, he cannot pull it back again. There is a great truth in what the Rabbi hath long ſince ſaid, Nemo eſt cui non ſit hora ſua; Every man hath his hour: and he who overſlips his ſeaſon, may never meet with the like again; There are many thouſand ſpiritual fools in hell: that find this true by experience, and therefore now they bewail their folly, but all too late, all too late.

Thirdly, Natural fools are very inconſtant, they are never long in one mind: now they are for this,Eccleſiaſticus 22.11, 12, 13, 14, 15.Sir 22:11Sir 22:12Sir 22:13Sir 22:14Sir 22:15 and anon 3for that; now in this mind, and anon in that; their minds are more changeble then the Moon; they turn oftner then the Wether-cock, they are only conſtant in inconſtancy: and ſuch ſpiritual fools are all unholy perſons: For now they are for a righteous cauſe, and anon they are againſt it: now they are for God, and anon they are againſt him; now they are for Chriſt, and by and by they are againſt him: now they cry out Hoſanna, Hoſanna in the higheſt, Mat. 21.9, 15. but did they hold in this mind long? no their mind is preſently changed, and they cry out crucifie him, crucifie him, Luke 23.21. Now they are for the Saints, and anon they are againſt them: they cry up the Goſpel, and preſently they make oppoſition againſt the Goſpel; like the kingdom of Congo who at firſt kindly embraced the Goſpel, but as ſoon as they found it reſtrain their luſts and carnal liberties, they made fierce oppoſition againſt the Goſpel: this week they are for Ordinances, and the next they are againſt Ordinances: this hour they will forſake their ſins, and the next hour they're return to their ſins as the dog to his vomit, and as the Sow to her wallowing in the mire, 2 Pet. 2.20, 21, 22. Now they are for this way, and anon for that; now they are for this opinion, and anon for that: now they are for this Religion,Beza. and to morrow they are for another Religion, 2 Kings 17.33. like Baldwin a French Lawyer of whom it is ſaid that he had Religionem Ephemeram, every day a new Religion, but conſtant to none: This moment you ſhall hear them bleſs, and the next moment you ſhall hear them curſe, James 3.9, 10. Out of the ſame mouth proceeds bleſſing and curſing. Lewis the ſecond p. 34would ſwear, and then kiſs his Crucifix, and then ſwear again more confidently, and kiſs his Crucifix again more devoutly. Now becauſe this Age is full of ſuch ſwearing fools, and happily this Treatiſe may fall into ſome of their hands, give me leave to ſay, that it is obſervable that the word in the Hebrew which the Scripture uſeth for ſwearing, is alwayes uſed in the paſſive voice foreign Naſhabange to note (ſay ſome) that a man ſhould not ſwear but when an oath is laid upon him, and he driven to it. The word alſo hath a ſignification of ſeven foreign as having reference (ſay ſome) to the ſeven ſpirits of God before the throne, before whom we ſwear, and therefore ſhould never ſwear but in truth, righteouſneſs and Judgemen, Jer. 4.2. Rev. 1.4. Ch. 5, 6. one day you ſhall have theſe ſpiritual fools theſe prophane fools crying out, O! heaven, heaven, heaven: O! That we may go to heaven; and the next day you ſhall ſee them live as if there were neither heaven nor hell: one day with Balaam you ſhall have them wiſh, Oh that we might die the death of the righteous! and the next day with Saul you ſhall have them a perſecuting of the righteous to death: one day you ſhall have them cry out What ſhall we do to be ſaved! and the next day you ſhall ſee them live as if they were reſolved to be damned. Thus theſe ſpititual fools like natural fools are always 4fickle and inconſtant.

Miſchief is the fools bable, the fools fiddle. Fools can rejoyce in other mens harms, and laugh to ſee others lament.Fourthly, Fools delight to ſport and play with ſuch things as are moſt hurtfull, pernicious and dangerous to them, as you all know that have obſerved any thing of natural fools, Prov. 10.23. It is a ſport to a fool to do miſchief. Fools take as great delight and pleaſure in doing miſchief, as wiſe men do in their lawfull ſports or paſtimes: Wiſdom is not more a joy and delight to a man of underſtanding, then miſchief and wickedneſs is a ſport or recreation to a fool: It is a great contentment and merriment to a fool to do wickedly, Prov. 14.9. Fools make a mock of ſin; they make a jear of that which they ſhould fear more then hell it ſelf; they make that matter of ſport which may prove matter of damnation to them: they make a May-game, a paſtime of that which may p. 35make them miſerable to all eternity; they make a mock and flout of that on earth for which the devil will mock and flout them for ever in hell. Juſtice will at laſt turn over ſuch fools to Satan who will be ſure to return mock for mock, jear for jear, and flout for flout: they that love ſuch kind of paſtime, ſhall have enough of it in hell. Now all unholy perſons are ſuch ſpiritual fools, as that they delight,Prov. 1.22.Prov 1:22 and take pleaſure in ſin which is the moſt pernicious and dangerous thing in the world, Pſal. 62.4. They delight in lyes. Though every lye deſerves a ſtab from God, yet ſpiritual fools make but a ſport of them. Such a one was Theſpis (the Poet) who being reproved by Solon for lying: anſwered him That it was not material,Plutarch in the life of Solon. ſeeing it was but in ſport: upon which Solon beating the ground with his ſtaff, replied, If we commend lying in ſport, we ſhall find it afterwards in good earneſt in all our bargains and dealings. It is ſaid of Ep…minondas a heathen, that he abhorred mendacium jocoſum, a jeſting lye; this Heathen in the great day will put ſuch lyars to the bluſh who delight in lyes, Iſa, 66.3.There was no fleſh ſo ſweet as that which the Eagle robbed the Altar of. Ther ſoul delighteth in their abomination, 2 Theſſ. 2.12. they take pleaſure in unrighteouſneſs, 2 Pet. 2.13. They count it pleaſure to riot in the day time, ſporting themſelves with their own deceivings. Not that there is any real delight in intemperance, for if there were then Heliogabalus an exceeding intemperate perſon ſhould have been more happy then Adam in Paradiſe.**He writ a Book to provoke the Appetite. Apicius was the greateſt Glutton that ever was; at length he hanged himſelf: ſuch ſhall hang in hell at laſt, who delight to abuſe many at once; the creatures, their Creator, and their own ſouls and bodies. Well Sirs, Sin is the poyſon of the ſoul, the nakedneſs of the ſoul, the diſeaſe of the ſoul, the burden of the ſoul, and if mercy do not prevent, will prove the bane of the ſoul. O then how great is their folly that delight in it, and that make a ſport of it!

Fifthly, Natural fools are taken more with the outward 5ſhine, luſtre, beauty and glory of things, then they are taken with the intrinſecal vertue, value and worth of them: they are more taken with the ſhine and luſter of gold, jewels p. 40and precious ſtones, then they are with the worth and value of them. So unholy hearts are taken more with the form of godlineſs then they are with the power, 2 Tim. 2.5. they are taken more with a name to live, with a name of being holy, then they are taken with holineſs it ſelf. Rev. 3.1, 2.Auguſtin. Multi Chriſtianum nomen ad judicium habent, non ad remedium: Many have the name of Chriſtians to their condemnation,Iſa. 58.2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Mat. 1.9. Za. 7.4, 5, 6, 7. Matth. 23.Isa 58:2Isa 58:3Isa 58:4Isa 58:5Isa 58:6Matt 1:9Matt 23 not to their ſalvation: They are taken more with the outward ſhine and pomp of duties then they are taken with the ſpiritualneſs and holineſs of duties; they are taken more with what of man is in duty, then they are taken with that of God which is in a duty; they are taken more with raiſed notions, then they are taken with raiſed affections; they are taken more with ſome witty, rhetorical expreſſions in duty, then they are taken with the holy movings and breathings of the ſpirit in duty, Ezek. 33.30, 31, 32. All which ſpeaks them out to be ſpiritual fools; and indeed no fools to thoſe who are taken more with the ſhadow of Religion, then they are with the ſubſtance of Religion; who are taken more with the outſide of godlineſs then they are with the infide of godlineſs: for what is this but to be taken more with the outſide of the Cabinet then with the treaſure that is within; or to be taken more with the purſe that holds the gold, then with the gold that is in the purſe; and with Democritus the Philoſopher to eſteem a Room covered 6over with green branches of trees above the royal Palace!

They cry as the Epicure cryed, Ʋtere temporibus, praeſentibus utere rebus.Sixthly, Natural fools are all for the preſent; they cry out Spend and God will ſend; they only mind and care for the things of this life; As what they ſhall eat, and what they ſhall drink, and what they ſhall put on; they are all for their bodies, their bellies, their backs: they take no care, they make no proviſion for their immortal ſouls. A ſpruce Roman riding on a lean Jade, was asked by the Cenſor his reaſon: he anſwered, I look to my ſelf, but my man to my horſe. So fools look only to their bodies, let who liſt look to their ſouls. Such fools are all unſanctified perſons: they look only after their bodies, and their outward concerments: they look not at the neceſſities, p. 41miſeries and wants of their ſouls; ſuch were thoſe in John 6.26, 27. who croſt the Seas and followed after Chriſt for loaves, but never lookt after the meat which endureth to everlaſting life. And ſuch fools were thoſe in Hoſ. 7.14. who howled upon their beds for corn and wine: let them have but provender, provant for their bodies, and they care not what becomes of their ſouls; and ſuch were they in Phil. 3.19. whoſe God was their gut. And ſuch were the Laodiceans in Rev. 3.14.— 19. who had well fed bodies, but ſtarved ſouls: whoſe houſes were full of goods, but their hearts empty and void of Chriſt and grace: who had thred-bare ſouls under all their purple Robes; who were rich in temporals, but very poor and beggarly in ſpirituals. And ſuch a one was that rich fool in Luke 12. who only laid up for his body, for this life, but never took care for another life, for a better life; he makes many years proviſion for his body, and not a days proviſion for his ſoul; he talks of living many years when he had not a day, nor a night to live in this world: And being thus fooliſh in his reckoning, Chriſt brands him for a fool to all generations, Ver. 20, 21. Thou fool, this night ſhall thy ſoul be required of thee: then whoſe ſhall theſe things be which thou haſt provided! So is he that heapeth up treaſure for himſelf, and is not rich towards God. Every man in the world is a fool, that heaps up treaſure to himſelf, that adds land to land, and houſe to houſe, and heap to heap, and baggs to baggs, and hundreds to hundreds,Plato ſeeing one over indulgent to his body, asked him what he meant to make his priſon ſo ſtrong. and thouſands to thouſands, and is not rich towards God. This age is full of ſuch golden fools, who pamper their bodies, but ſtarve their ſouls: who trick and trim up their bodies with Gold, Silver and Silks, whilſt their ſouls are naked, and ragged, and deſtitute of all grace and goodneſs. The Jews have a ſtory of a fooliſh woman that took two children to nurſe, the one very mean, deformed, crooked, blind, and not likely to live long: the other a goodly, lively, lovely, beautifull child, and likely to live long: now this fooliſh woman ſpent all her pains, care, diligence and attendance upon the worſt child, never ſo much as minding p. 38or regarding the beſt child: this age is full of ſuch fooliſh men and women who having two to nurſe, their bodies and their ſouls, ſpend their time, their care, labour and pains in making proviſion for the fleſh, in laying up for their bodies, and in the mean while never regard their ſouls, never look after their ſouls, though they have the beauty of a Deity upon them, and though they are immortal, and capable of union and communion with God in grace, and of a bleſſed fruition of God in glory. Surely no fools to theſe fools.

7Seventhly, The ſharpeſt and ſevereſt courſe you can take, cannot ſeparate between a fool and his folly. Notwithſtanding all your frowns, threats, checks, knocks, &c. A fool will not leave his folly: nay you ſhall ſooner beat a fool to death then you ſhall beat him off from his folly, Prov. 27.22.Solomon in this place alludeth to one kind of grinding which in old time the people were accuſtomed to, which was to put their parched corn into a morter, and to beat it unto powder. Though thou ſhouldſt bray a fool in a morter among wheat with a peſtell, yet will not his fooliſhneſs depart from him: The husk doth not ſtick ſo cloſe to the grain of corn, as folly doth to the heart of a fool: there is a poſſibility of ſevering the husk from the flower by beating; but there is no poſſibility of ſevering a fool from his folly. You ſee it in Pharaoh, who though he was often in Gods morter, yet he could not be ſevered from his folly; nay, he did chuſe rather to be beaten to death; and to ſee his friends relations, favourites, followers, ſubjects, and ſouldiers, with their firſt born, beaten to death before his eyes, rather the he would leave his folly. And ſuch a fool was King Ahaz, who when God had him in the morter, and threatned to beat him and his people to death, yet then in his diſtreſs he ſinned more againſt the Lord; 2 Chron. 28.22. and therefore for his obſtinacy, obdurateneſs and irreclaimableneſs, he is branded and mark't with a black coal by the Lord to all poſterity,They were like thoſe Bears in Pliny, that could not be ſtirred with the ſharpeſt prickles. This is that King Ahaz. And ſuch ſpiritual fools are all ungodly perſons; let God frown, chide, ſtrike, reprove, correct, yet they will not turn from the evil of their doings: they will rather be conſumed and deſtroyed, then they will be amended or reformed. Jer. 5.3. O Lord, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou haſt ſtricken them, but they have not grieved; thou haſt conſumed them, p. 39but they have refuſed to receive correction: See Ez. 22.18. Jer. 2.30, 31. Ch. 19. ult. Amos 4.4.13. Iſa. 26.10, 11. 2 Pet. 2.22.Jer 2:30Jer 2:31Amos 4:4Amos 4:13Isa 26:10Isa 26:112 Pet 2:22they have made their faces harder then a rock; they have refuſed to return. no ſmart nor grief, no calamities nor miſeries can turn obſtinate fools from their impieties, Jer. 6.29. The bellows are burnt, the lead is conſumed of the fire; the Founder melteth in vain; (or in vain melting melteth he, trying tryeth he) for the wicked are not plucked away. All the coſt and charge that God hath been at, all the pains and labour that he hath taken to ſever theſe wicked ones from their wickedneſs was loſt; they would not be refined nor reformed. After Gods greateſt ſeverity, a ſpiritual fool will return to his iniquity, Prov. 26.11. As a dog returneth to his vomit, ſo a fool returneth to his folly, or iterateth his folly. It is true, the compariſon is homely, but good enough for thoſe fools to whom it is applyed. Spiritual fools ſometimes vomit up their ſins when they are under terrors of conſcience, or under the afflicting hand of God, or upon a dying bed: but ſtill retain a diſpoſition and purpoſe to return to them again. As ſome ſay, the Serpent vomits up his poyſon when he goes to drink, and then takes it in again. Fooliſh ſouls ſay to their luſts, as Abraham to his ſervants, Gen. 22.5. Abide you here, and I will go yonder and come again to you. Whatever becomes of their ſouls, they are reſolved to keep cloſe to their ſins, Iſa. 1.5. And as Aeſops fooliſh fiſhes leaped out of the warm water into the burning fire for eaſe: So theſe poor fools will rather adventure a burning in hell: then they will attempt a turning from their folly.

Eighthly, Natural fools make the ſimpleſt and unhappieſt 8exchanges: they will exchange a pearl for a Pippin,The fooliſh Indians prefer every toy and trifle above their mines of Gold. things of greateſt worth and value for a feather, a ribbon, a toy, a trifle; a houſe to live in, for a houſe of clay, or a houſe of Cards: and like Glaucus a fooliſh Captain who changed with Diomedes his Armour of Gold for Dioemedes his armour of braſs. All unholy perſons are ſpiritual fools; they will exchange ſpirituals for carnals, and eternals for temporals; they will exchange God, Chriſt, the Goſpel, heaven and their ſouls for a luſt, for the world, p. 44nay, for a little of the worlds ſmiles, pleaſures, or profits, Mat. 16.26. and well may he lay claim to a Boat-ſwains place in Barkleys ſhip of fools, that will exchange his ſoul, and his ſoul concernments for the toyes and trifles of this world.

Now do you think, that God who hath within himſelf all the wiſdom of Angels, of men, and univerſal nature, that he who hath all glory, all dignity, all riches, all treaſures, all pleaſures, all comforts, all delights, all joyes, all beatitudes in himſelf; That that God who is a ſuper-ſubſtantial ſubſtance, and underſtanding not to be underſtood, a word never to be ſpoken,Dionyſ. Areop. de divin. nom. cap. 1. that he will have everlaſting fellowſhip and communion with fools! that a God whoſe wiſdom is infinite and unſearchable, will ever debaſe himſelf ſo as to have his royal Pallace filled with fools, as to make thoſe his companions in heaven, that he can take no pleaſure in on earth! Eccleſ. 5.4. he hath no pleaſure in fools. The wiſe God would not have his children keep company with fools, Prov. 14.7. Go from the preſence of a fooliſh man, when thou perceiveſt not in him the lips of knowledge: and will he keep company with them himſelf? Surely no. God hath given it under his own hand, that ſuch ſhall not tarry in his ſight, Pſal. 5.5. The fooliſh ſhall not ſtand in thy ſight (or as the Hebrew hath it, before thine eyes) thou hateſt all workers of iniquity. God will never admit fools to be his favourites: he will at laſt ſhut the door of glory againſt them, Mat. 25.4.—13.

7A ſeventh Argument to prove that without real holineſs there is no happineſs; that without holineſs on earth no man ſhall ever come to a bleſſed viſion or fruition of God in heaven, is this. Unholy perſons are to be excluded and ſhut out from ſacred, from ſpecial communion and fellowſhip with the Saints in this world; and therefore without all peradventure they ſhall never be admitted to everlaſting communion and fellowſhip with God, Chriſt, Angels and Saints in that other world. That they are to be ſhut out from having any ſpecial communion with the Saints here, is moſt plain, and evident from ſeveral Scripures: p. 41take theſe for a taſte, Lev. 10.10.Lev. 13.46. Numb. 5.1, 2, 3, 4. Exod. 12.48. Lev. 22.3, 4, 5, 6, 7. As oft, ſaid One, as I have been among wicked men, I return home leſs a man then I was before. The Docrenean well will quench a burning torch; ſo will bad company the moſt burning and moſt ſhining Chriſtians, as you ſee in Joſeph and Peter. Pſal. 106.35. when they were mingled among the Heathen, they quickly learn, their works. Pſa. 119.115.Lev 13:46Num 5:1Num 5:2Num 5:3Num 5:4Exod 12:48Lev 22:3Lev 22:4Lev 22:5Lev 22:6Lev 22:7Ps 106:35Ps 119:115 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean, Ezek. 44.23. And they ſhall teach my people the difference between the holy and prophane, and cauſe them to diſcern between the unclean and the clean. And becauſe the Prieſts did not improve their power and intereſt to preſerve the things of God from prophaning and polluting, the Lord was very much offended and provoked. Ezek. 22.26. Her Prieſts have violated my Law, and have prophaned mine holy things; they have put no difference between the holy and prophane, neither have they ſhewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths, and I am prophaned among them. And in Chap. 44.7, 8. God ſadly complains that they brought into his Sanctuary ſtrangers uncircumciſed in heart and uncircumciſed in fleſh: and prohibits ſuch from entring into his Sanctuary, ver. 9. Thus ſaith the Lord God, No ſtranger uncircumciſed in heart nor uncircumciſed in fleſh ſhall enter into my Sanctuary, of any ſtranger that is among the children of Iſrael. God expects that faithfull teachers ſhould put a difference between perſon and perſon, between the holy and prophane, between the clean and the unclean in all holy adminiſtrations. Jerem. 15.19. Therefore thus ſaith the Lord, If thou take forth the pretious from the vile, then thou ſhalt be as my mouth; let them return unto thee, but return not thou unto them. Now certainly if under the Ceremonial Law natural uncleanneſs did exclude and ſhut out the Iſraelites from a participation in holy things, then certainly moral uncleanneſs may juſtly exclude and ſhut out Chriſtians from a participation in holy things under the Goſpel, Mat. 7.6. Give not that which is holy unto dogs, neither caſt ye your pearls before ſwine, leſt they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rent you. Holy things are too precious to be ſpent and ſpilt upon ſwiniſh ſinners. Goſpel adminiſtrations are pretious pearls that muſt not be given to ſwine, 2 Cor. 6.17. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye ſeparate, ſaith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you. Prophane, ſcandalous, p. 42blind and ignorant perſons are very unclean things, and from them we muſt come out; as we would be in with God, we muſt be out with them: we muſt reject them as we would have God to receive us, 2 Tim. 3.5. Having a form of godlineſs, but denying the power thereof, from ſuch turn away. Our Saviour Chriſt hied him to the wilderneſs amongſt the beaſts, and carried his Diſciples with him, holding their fellowſhip to be leſs hurtfull and dangerous: It is better to live among beaſts, then to live among men of beaſtly principles and beaſtly practiſes. Now there are ten ſorts of perſons that Chriſtians muſt turn from, that they muſt have no intimate, no ſpecial communion with in this world:

1Firſt Unbelievers, 2 Cor. 6.14, 15, 16. We ſhould not cloſe with them that have not cloſed with Chriſt; nor give our ſelves up to them who have not given up themſelves to Chriſt. Every unbeliever is a condemned perſon: the Law hath caſt him,John 3.18.John 3:18 the Goſpel hath caſt him, and his own conſcience hath caſt him; and what ſacred communion, what delightfull fellowſhip can believers have with condemned perſons!Ver. 36. Every Unbeliever is under the wrath of the great God; he is under that wrath that he can neither avoid nor abide; and what communion can ſuch have who are under love, with thoſe that are under wrath. Every unbeliever makes God a Lyar.1 Iohn 5.10.1 John 5:10 And what children will have communion with ſuch who every day give their Father the Lye to his very face! Every unbeliever doth practically ſay, Tuſh there is no ſuch lovelineſs, or comelineſs, there is no ſuch beauty or glory, there is no ſuch fulneſs or ſweetneſs, there is no ſuch goodneſs or graciouſneſs in Jeſus as men would make us believe: and what is this but to give God the Lie? Tuſ… there is no ſuch favour, there is no ſuch peace, there is no ſuch pardon, there is no ſuch Righteouſneſs, there is no ſuch Grace, there is no ſuch glory to be reaped by Chriſt as God and men would perſwade us; and what is this, but to tell God he lyes to his very teeth? And what ingenuous child can take pleaſure in ſuch who are ſtill a ſpitting in his Fathers face! Every unbeliever p. 43is a diſobedient perſon,Numb. 14.11. Heb. 11.31. foreign. 1 Tim. 5.8. 2 Cor 6.14, 15. 1 Cor. 14.23. ult. 2 Tim. 3.1.6.Num 14:11Heb 11:311 Tim 5:82 Cor 6:142 Cor 6:151 Cor 14:232 Tim 3:12 Tim 3:6 and therefore unbelievers and diſobedient are in the Greek expreſſed by one word; and what communion can obedient children have with thoſe that are diſobedient and rebellious! Every unbeliever is a Pagan, a Heathen in the Scripture dialect; and what communion can thoſe who are of the houſhold of faith have with Pagans and Heathens! Every unbeliever is a Traytor, he commits Treaſon daily againſt the Crown and dignity of heaven; and what Loyal Subjects will hold communion with Traitors! Unbelievers are the greateſt Robbers, they rob God of his declarative glory (though they cannot rob him of his Eſſential glory) they rob h m of the glory of his truth and faithfulneſſe; as if he would falſifie the word that is gone out of his mouth: as if he were yea and nay; and as if his credit was ſo low and contemptibe, that he muſt needs run a hazzard that ſhall truſt to him, or roul himſelf upon him. They rob him of the glory of his goodneſs and mercy, as if there were any ſins too great for him to pardon; or any mercy too great for him to give, or any wrath too great for him to divert, or any debt too great for him to ſatisfie. They rob him of the glory of his omnipotency and alſufficiency, as if there were ſomething too hard for a God; now what communion can the people of God have with Robbers? with the greateſt Robbers, with the worſt of Robbers; and yet ſuch are all unbelievers. And therefore let no unbelievers mutter or murmur when the door 2of admiſſion is ſhut againſt them. But,

Secondly, Such as have a form, a picture, a mask,Solon made a Law, that the Son ſhould not be bound to relieve his Father when he was old, unleſs he had ſet him in his youth to ſome calling. Plutarch in the life of …olon. a 3vizzard of godlineſs, but deny the power, 2 Tim. 3.5.

Thirdly, Such as walk diſorderly, that live either without a calling, or idly and negligently in their calling: theſe make Religion odious, by making Religion a mask for their idleneſs and lazineſs, 2 Theſ. 3.6. Now we command you, Brethren, in the name of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that you withdraw your ſelves from every Brother that walketh diſorderly Now who they are that walk diſſorderly, you may ſee in verſe 11. For we hear that there p. 44are ſome which walk among you diſorderly, working not at all, but are buſie bodies. Such vagrant Profeſſors that live idely, that will have an ore in every mans boat, a ſickle in every mans harveſt, a curious eye upon every mans way and work, are to be ſhut out of the communion of Chriſtians, and to be ſhunned as a man would ſhun a Serpent, an ill Air, a contagious diſeaſe, or as the Sea-man ſhuns rocks and ſands and ſhelfs. It was a great vanity in Dionyſius that would needs be the beſt Poet; and in Caligula that would needs be the beſt Orator; and in Nero that would needs be the beſt Fidler; and ſo became the three worſt Princes, minding more other mens buſineſs then their own callings; ſo it is a very great vanity in many profeſſors to mind more other mens buſineſs then their own; from the ſociety of ſuch, Saints muſt withdraw. No man is too Noble to have a calling; if Iron had reaſon, it would chuſe rather to be uſed in Labour then to grow ruſty in a corner. By Mahomets Law the Grand Turk himſelf was to be of ſome Trade. The hour of Idleneſs is the hour of temptation; an Idle perſon is the Devils Tennis-ball toſſed by him at his pleaſure. God ordained the neck of the conſecrated Aſs ſhould be broken (Exod. 13.13.) inſtead of ſacrificing him; peradventure becauſe that creature hath ever been the Heroglyphick of ſloth and lazineſs. Among the Aegyptians Idleneſs was a capital crime.Saith Diphilus. Among the Lucans he that lent money to an Idle perſon, was to loſe it. Among the Corinthians Idle perſons were delivered to the Carnifex. By Solons Law Idle perſons were to ſuffer death. The Antients call Idleneſs the burial of a living man. And Seneca had rather be ſick, then idle. Now ſhall Nature do more then Grace? Shall poor blind Heathens be ſo ſevere againſt Idle perſons; and ſhall Chriſtians embrace them? Shall they not rather turn their backs upon them, and have no communion with them, who think themſelves too great, or too good to hold the Plough!

4Fourthly, Such whoſe Judgements are corrupt and unſound in foundation truths, Titus 3.10. A man that is an heretick, p. 45after the firſt and ſecond Admonition reject. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump: and what leaven is more infections then that of hereſie and error! 2 John 9, 10. Whoſoever tranſgreſſeth and abideth not in the doctrine of Chriſt, hath not God: he that abideth in the doctrine of Chriſt … hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any … you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him … in… your houſe, neither bid him God ſpeed. You muſt have nothing to do with them, who have nothing to do with God;1 Iohn 2.22, 23, 24, 25. Col. 2.18, 19. Euſe. l. 3. c. 25. Lev. 13.44.1 John 2:221 John 2:231 John 2:241 John 2:25Col 2:18Col 2:19Lev 13:44 your houſe muſt be too hot to hold him who holds not faſt to foundation truths, who holds not cloſe to Chriſt the head. Euſebius reports of John the Evangeliſt, that he would not ſuffer Corinthus the Heretick in the ſame Bath with him, leſt ſome Judgement ſhould abide them both; He that had the Leproſie in his head, was to be pronounced utterly unclean: the breath of the erroneous is more dangerous and infectious then the breath of Lepers: for one infects but the body, but the other infects the ſoul, and therefore ought more carefully to be avoided. An erroneous mind is as odious to God as a vicious life; and why ſhould it not be ſo to us alſo? Certainly we ſhould ſhun the ſociety of erroneous perſons as we ſhould ſhun a Serpent in the way, or poyſon in our meat, 1 Tim. 6.5. Perverſe diſputings of men of corrupt minds, and deſtitute of the truth, ſuppoſing that gain is godlineſs: from ſuch withraw thy ſelf: Or as the Greek word foreign ſignifies, ſtand off, keep at a diſtance, as you would from one that hath an infectious diſeaſe; or as Sea-men ſtand off from rocks, or from a Lee-ſhore. It is recorded by Theodoret, that when Lucius an Arrian Biſhop came and preached amongſt the Antiochians his erroneous doctrines, the people went out of the Congregation,Eccleſ. Hiſt. lib. 4. cap. 20. and would not ſo much as lend an ear to him. In theſe dayes there are many old errors new vampt, and old Jezebels (old harlots) new painted. The beſt way is not to lend an ear to them,2 Kings 8.30.36.2 Kgs 8:302 Kgs 8:36 but to ſerve them as they ſerved Jezebel: they gave her no quarter, but caſt her down, and trode her under foot. Errors about the foundation are like the Jeruſalem Artichoaks which over-run all the p. 46ground where they are planted, and choak the very heart of it. And therefore to be abhorred, avoided, and ſhunned as a man would ſhun hell it ſelf. Who but a fool or mad man would exchange one old piece of gold for a hundred n…w counters? and what then ſhall we think of thoſe who willingly and readily exchange old tried truths for new …! The ſociety of ſuch muſt be ſhunned.

5Fi…ly, Such as cauſe diviſions and diſcord among the people of God, Rom. 16.17. Now I beſeech you, Brethren, mark them which cauſe diviſions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avod them. Mark them, the Greek word foreign ſignifies ſuch a marking as a watch-man uſeth that ſtands on a Watch-Towre to deſcry an approaching enemy.The Turks pray daily that the diviſions among Chriſtians may be hightned, that ſo they may be the ſooner …ined and undone. Ah, with what a wary, with what a watchfull, with what a curious, with what a jealous, with what a ſerious, with what a diligent eye doth the watchman watch all the motions, turnings and windings of the approachiny enemy! with ſuch an eye we ſhould mark them that cauſe diviſions. And avoid them, the Greek word foreign ſignifies a ſtudious carefull declining of them: A man muſt decline and ſhun them, as he would decline and ſhun ſuch perſons or things that are moſt pernicious, dangerous or infectious to him. Diviſions are a diſhonour to Chriſt, a reproach to Chriſtians, a blot upon profeſſion, a block in the way of the weak, and a ſword in the hand of the wicked; they are Satans Engines and an inlet to all deſtruction and confuſion. And therefore the Authors of them are to be ſhunned and avoided.

6Sixthly, Such Chriſtians as are ſcandalous and prophane in their lives and converſations, 1 Cor. 5.11. But now I have written unto you, foreign, not to be joyned, mixed, or mingled w…th them, &c. Prov. 9.6. Pſal. 15.4. Epheſ. 5.7. Pſal. 119.115. Prov. 4.14, 15.Prov 9:6Ps 15:4Eph 5:7Ps 119:115Prov 4:14Prov 4:15not to keep company; if any man that is called Brother, be a fornicator, or covetous, or an Idolater, or a rayler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with ſuch a one no not to eat: with ſuch a Brother who belies his profeſſion, with ſuch a Brother whoſe courſe and converſation contradicts his profeſſion, we muſt not hold Chriſtian communion. Certainly I may not have fellowſhip with him at the Lords Table, whom I may not have p. 47fellowſhip with at my own Table, Eph. 5.11. Have no fellowſhip with unfruitfull works of darkneſs, but rather reprove them, Acts 2.40. Save your ſelves from this untoward generation: Wicked company is very dangerous and infectious, 1 Cor. 15.33. Evil communication corrupts good manners. As he that walketh in the Sun will be tanned, and he that toucheth pitch will be defiled; ſo he that aſſociateth himſelf with the wicked will be tainted and polluted; Guilt or grief is all you ſhall gain by bad company, 2 Pet. 2.7, 8. witneſs Lot, David, Joſeph, Pſal. 120.7, 8. Gen. 42.15, 16. Ma…k 14.66. ult. 1 Kings 22.8. 2 Chron. 24.17, 18.Ps 120:7Ps 120:8Gen 42:15Gen 42:161 Kgs 22:82 Chr 24:172 Chr 24:18and Pe…er. By bad company Chriſtians come to loſe much of the ſweetneſs, ſeriouſneſs, goodneſs and graciouſneſs of their ſpirits. Gold though the nobleſt mettal, loſeth of its luſtre by being continually worn in the ſame purſe with Silver. Familiarity with vain perſons hath much worn off the ſpiritual luſtre, beauty and glory that hath been upon many Chriſtians. Bad company will prove a very great hinderance to you in your Chriſtian courſe, Pſalm 119.115. Away from me ye wicked, for I will keep the commandments of my God. I cannot keep my Gods commands whilſt I keep your company; I ſhall never do my duty till I abandon your Society. Divine commands will never lie cloſe and warm upon my heart, ſo long as I give you my hand. How hard is it to keep the commandment of labour among the ſlothfull, or the commandment of diligence among the negligent, or that of liberality among the covetous, or that of humility among the Ambitious, or that of love among the malicious, or that of union among the contentious, or that of chaſtity among the laſcivious, or that of righteouſneſs among the unrighteous, or that of faithfulneſs among the unfaithfull, or that of fruitfulneſs amongſt the unfruitfull, or that of thankfulneſs among the unthankfull, or that of faith among the doubtfull? &c. But,

Seventhly,Matth. 16.6.11, 12. Gal. 1.8. Mat. 7 15.13. De. 13.1, 2, 3. Titus 10.11.Matt 16:6Matt 16:11Matt 16:12Gal 1:8Matt 7:15Matt 7:13 A ſeventh ſort of perſons that Chriſtians muſt have no intimate, no ſpecial communion with, is falſe Prophets, falſe Teachers. They are not to give ſuch any houſe room, 2 Joh. 10.11. nor heart room, Mat. 24, 23, 24.26 p. 48They are to ſhun them and avoid them, Rom. 16.17. It is not ſafe for a Chriſtian to hear them or to have any communion or fellowſhip with them. Ariſtotle writeth of a certain Bird called (Capri-mulgus) a Goat-Sucker,Lib. de Animal. which uſeth to come flying on the Goats, and ſuck them, and upon that their milk dryeth up, and they grow blind. Ah how many a ſeeing man hath been made blind, and how many hopeful thriving Chriſtians have had all their ſprings of love, of life, of ſweetneſs and goodneſs dried up in them by the ſlights, deceits, and inſinuations of falſe Teachers! Falſe Prophets have their pithanology, their good words and fair ſpeeches, and ſubtile devices whereby they blind many ſouls, and dry up all the ſpiritual milk and moiſture that is in them and therefore they are to be ſhunned and avoided. But,

8Eighthly, you muſt have no intimate, no ſpecial communion with ſuch as are obſtinate and refractory, and that will not ſubmit to Chriſts Rules and Laws,The Greek word foreign is very ſignificant, for it denotes ſuch a perturbation of the mind, that he who is affected therewith, ſeeks up and down wher… he may hide himſelf for ſhame. 2 Theſ. 3.14. And if any man obey not our word by this Epiſtle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be aſhamed, or that he may turn into himſelf, as it is in the Orignal. Such as are refractory, muſt be noted with a brand of infamy; ſuch muſt be infamous in your eye who look with an eye of contumacy upon any command, or inſtitution of Chriſt. The Greek word (Semeiouſthai,) ſignifies to note him ſo as to make a ſign (as it were) of him; or to mark him ſo as to put him to the bluſh, to put him to ſhame. The obſtinate, the refractory perſon ſhould be a marked perſon, you muſt ſet a croſs upon him, that all may know him, and ſhun him; the Aſſemblies of the Saints are honourable, and refractory Chriſtians are to be ſhut out of them; Matth. 18.15, 16, 17. Moreover, if thy Brother ſhall treſpaſs againſt thee, go and t…ll him his fault between thee and him alone: if he ſhall hear thee, thou haſt gained thy Brother. But if he will not hear thee, (if he be refractory) then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witneſſes every word may be eſtabliſhed; And if he ſhall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the Church: p. 49but if he neglect to hear the Church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man, and a Publican. He that ſhall be refractory under private and publick admonition, is to be ſhut out from Church-communion: He that to ſmall faults ſhall add contumacy, is to be cut off from the Saints Society. We muſt turn our backs upon him that turns his back upon the Church. As we would keep our ſelves untainted, as we would preſerve the Church from being infected, as we would not have the name of God blaſphemed, and as we would have the refractory Chriſtian aſhamed and humbled, we muſt neither have Sacred nor Civil Society with him.

A ninth ſort of perſons that Chriſtians muſt have no intimate, 9no ſacred, no ſpecial communion with, are fools, Prov. 9.6. Forſake the fooliſh, and live; and go in the way of underſtanding. Chap. 14.7. Go from the preſence of a fooliſh man, Who would hang a Jewell in a Swines ear, or ſow precious ſeed among craggy Rocks, or put ſweet liquor into a muſty veſſel? &c.when thou perceiveſt not in him the lips of knowledge. Chap. 23.9. Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will deſpiſe the wiſdom of thy words. There is no profit, no pleaſure, no delight to be had in the ſociety of fools. Fools are neither capable of doing good, nor of receiving good: and therefore what ſhould good ſouls do among ſuch! A fool hath neither an ear to hear, nor an eye to ſee, nor a heart to underſtand, nor a memory to retain, nor a will to chuſe, nor affections to embrace any thing that is good. And therefore their company is to be ſhunned and avoided. The ſociety of fools is as dangerous as it is vexations. Proverbs 13.20. He that walketh with wiſe men ſhall be wiſe: but a companion of fools ſhall be deſtroyed. The Hebrew word (Jeroange) that is here uſed, ſignifies to be broken: yea, to be broken as ſometimes an Army is broken by ſome fierce and ſudden ſurprizal; a companion of fools ſhall be broken in his credit, in his eſtate, in his name, in his reputation; yea, in his very wits, for nothing contributes ſo much to make a man a fool as the company of fools.

The tenth and laſt ſort of perſons that Chriſtians muſt 10have no familiarity, nor ſociety with, are ſcorners. Such p. 50as ſcorn the Saints,Quintinus the Libertine was a great ſcoffer and ſcorner of the Saints; he called the Apoſtle Paul a broken veſſel; John a fooliſh youth, Peter a denyer of God; and Matthew an uſurer, &c. Calvin. and ſcorn Religion, and ſcorn Profeſſion; ſuch who ſcorn every way of Chriſt, and every inſtitution of Chriſt, Prov. 9.8. Reprove not a ſcorner leſt he hate thee: Wiſe and gracious reproofs are pearls that are not to be caſt before ſcorners. Now certainly, if I may not reprove ſcorners, then I may not keep company with ſcorners, Prov. 22.10. Caſt out the ſcorner, and contention ſhall go out, yea ſtrife and reproach ſhall ceaſe. The ſcorner muſt be caſt out of your family, and out of your company. Strife and contention, ſhame and reproach are the ſcorners attendants, and therefore he that would be rid of them, muſt caſt out him. The Hebrew word (Gereſh) here tranſlated caſt out, ſignifies not ſimply to eject or caſt out: but to caſt out or drive out, as God did drive Adam out of Paradiſe, Gen. 3.24. for the word is the ſame; and this God did as the Rabbins obſerve, with violence and diſpleaſure. So muſt the ſcorner be caſt out, or drove out. Look as God did drive out the Amorite and the Cananite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebuſite before his people, Exodus 34.11. So muſt the ſcorner be driven out of the ſociety of the Saints; for the Hebrew word is the ſame in both places. Look as Sarah would have Abraham to caſt out the bond-woman and her Son, Gen. 21.10. ſo muſt the ſcorner be caſt out of the company of the Saints; the word is ſtill the ſame. Look as the Sea caſteth up mire and dirt, Iſa. 57.10. ſo ſhould Chriſtians caſt out ſcorners from among them, the word being ſtill the ſame. The ſcorner conſtrues every thing to the worſt; he envies thoſe that excell him; he diſdains thoſe that are below him; he is never contented, never ſatisfied, he is ſtill a quarrelling, ſtill a fretting, and ſtill a perplexing of himſelf and others; and therefore you muſt caſt him out with ſcoffing Iſmael, or the houſe will be too hot to hold you. Caſt out the firebrand, and the fire goes out; caſt out Jonah, and the ſtorm ſhall ceaſe; caſt out the bond-woman, and her ſcornfull ſon, and all will be quiet: Davids bleſſed man is deſribed by this,Pſalm 1.1.Ps 1:1 that he fits not in the ſeat of the ſcornfull. p. 51Scorners are no companions for bleſſed men; Of all men the bleſſed man will never chuſe the ſcorner for his Pue-fellow. God himſelf ſcorns the ſcorner, Prov. 3.34. Surely he ſcorneth the ſcorner, &c. of all men in the world God caſts the greateſt contempt and ſcorn upon ſcorners, and therefore why ſhould we make ſuch our boſome Aſſociates? And thus you ſee the ſeveral ſorts of perſons that God hath ſhut out from the communion of his people: Well Chriſtians, remember this, dead ſtones muſt not be laid in a living Temple: No ſtones but hewen ſtones were to be brought and laid in the building of Solomons Temple,1 Kings 5.15, 16, 17, 18. 2 Chron. 2. Chap. 2.18. 1 Pet. 2 5. 2 Chron. 35.1 Kgs 5:151 Kgs 5:161 Kgs 5:171 Kgs 5:182 Chr 21 Pet 2:52 Chr 35 which was a Type of the Church of Chriſt in Goſpel dayes: Certainly ſuch ſtones, ſuch ſouls as are not hewen by the word and ſpirit, are not fit to be laid in Chriſts building. In Joſiahs dayes when the Paſſeover was kept, there were Porters at every gate of Jeruſalem, that no unclean or uncircumciſed ones might enter. And the Engliſh Annotations on Rev. 21.27. do ſay, that in the laſt Church on earth, diſcipline in likelyhood ſhall be ſo ſtrictly executed, that no prophane perſon ſhall be found there, only elect perſons ſo far as men can Judge. That vain perſons are to be ſhut out from ſacred communion with the people of God, is further evident by the Judgement of many approved Authors. As,

Chryſoſtom Chryſoſtom.ſaith, that the Table of the Lord is that whereon the carkaſs is laid, and that we muſt not ſuffer chattering Jayes to come thereunto; for only high-flying Eagles are to feed thereupon. Thereupon the ſame Author proteſted, that he had rather give his life to a murderer then Chriſts body to an unworthy receiver,Chryſoſt. in Matth. Hom. 6. Chryſoſtom in Mat. Hom. 83. and rather ſuffer his own blood to be poured out like water, then to tender Chriſts bleſſed blood to a baſe liver. And again, Church-officers (ſaith he) are to keep the Sacrament pure, as a man would keep a pleaſant ſpring clean whereat he uſeth to drink, not letting the feet of filthy beaſts and Swine to puddle it. The ſame Author further ſaith,Chryſoſtom in Epiſt. ad Heb. Hom. 17. that in the Primitive times when ever tht Sacrament was Adminiſtred; a Deacon ſtood up, and cried in the open Aſſembly, Holy things p. 52to holy men, holy things to holy men, thereby debarring all others that were unholy, and raiſing the hearts of the holy.

Juſtin Martyr Juſtin Martyr.who was about the year after Chriſt 150. he lived not above thirty years after St. John, he in his Apology (to Antoninus the Emperour) for Chriſtians, writes thus, In our Aſſemblies we admit none to the Lords Supper, but ſuch as being baptized continue in profeſſing the true faith, and in leading ſuch lives as Chriſt hath taught. There were three things, ſaith this Author, that were required of them that were to be received to the Sacrament, A New Birth; 2. Soundneſs in Faith; 3. A promiſe to live well.

Auſtin Auſtin.well obſerves, That as many think the eating of an Apple was but a ſmall ſin; So many think that the eating of the Sacrament is but a ſmall ſin: But as many horrid ſins were wrapt up in that, ſo are there many wrapt up in this: 1. Here is pride; elſe no man in his wickedneſs would preſume to come to the Lords Table 2. Here is Rebellion and Treaſon againſt the Crown and dignity of Chriſt,Romans 2.22.Rom 2:22 their hands and lips adore him (as Judas his did) but their hearts and lives abhor him. 3. Here is Theft, and Sacriledge; now if to take away the Communion cup be ſuch a high offence,1 Cor. 11.27.29.1 Cor 11:271 Cor 11:29 ſuch horrid ſacriledge; what is it then to take the Bread and Wine ſet apart and ſanctified for a holy uſe by the Lord himſelf? 4. Here is Murder, the worſt murder, the greateſt murder, the crueleſt murder; thou killeſt thy ſelf, thy ſoul, and as much as in thee lies, Gods deareſt Son. Now certainly, in ſome reſpects this ſin is a greater ſin then Adams was: For 1. Adams Eating was againſt a Creator, but thine is againſt a Redeemer: now it is more to redeem a ſoul, then to create a world. 2. His was againſt the word of the Lord, thine againſt the blood of the Lord. 3. His ſtruck at the Covenant of Works, thine at the Covenant of Grace. 4. He eat but once, but thou eateſt often.

Yea, Aquinas Aquinas.ſaith, the Majeſty of Church Diſcipline ſhould never ſuffer this, to let open and known offendors p. 53preſume to come to the Table of the Lord.

It was a worthy ſaying of Bilſon an approved Author, Suppoſe any man (ſaith he) be he a Prince,Bilſons Chriſtian Subject. par. 3. pag. 63. 64, 74, &c. 52. if he will not ſubmit himſelf to the precepts of Chriſt, but wilfully maintain either hereſie or open impurity, the Miniſters are to admoniſh him what danger from God is at the door; and if he impenitently perſiſt, they muſt not ſuffer him to communicate either in divine prayer, or any holy myſteries among the people of God; but wholly to be excluded the Congregation. Again, not only the lack of the word and Sacraments (ſaith the ſame Author) but the abuſe of either greatly hazards the weale of the whole Church: yea, caſting holy things to dogs, &c. procures a dreadfull doom as well to conſenters as preſumers, it being the way to turn the houſe of God into a den of Theives, if prophane ones be allowed to defile the myſteries and Aſſemblies of the faithfull.

I, ſaid Calvin, Calvin.will ſooner die then this hand of mine ſhall give the things of God to the contemners of God.

Mr. Rutherford Rutherford.(that champion for Presbyterie) in his divine right of Church-Government, pag. 520, ſaith that they are co-partners with the wicked who diſpence the bread to them who are knowingly dead in ſins. I might multiply many others: but let theſe ſuffice: for a cloſe, let me only ſay, How the Father can be guiltleſs of the death of his child, that giveth him poyſon, to drink, with this Caution, that he telleth him it is poyſon I cannot ſee. Joſephus reports of ſome that prophanely ſearched the ſepulchres of the Saints,Joſeph. Antiq. lib. 12, 13. & l. 16. cap. 11. ſuppoſing to find ſome treaſures there, but God made fire to riſe out of the earth that devoured them on a ſuddain. Now if Gods wrath like fire breaks forth to conſume ſuch as wrong but the ſepulchres of his Saints, &c. Oh then with what flames of fury will God burn up ſuch as abuſe not only the Sacrament of his Son, but his Son himſelf? It was a very great wickededneſs in Julian to throw his blood in the face of Chriſt; but for a wicked Communicant to take Chriſts own blood p. 54as it were running from his heart, and to throw it into he face of Chriſt, is moſt abominable and damnable. By all that hath been ſpoken, you clearly ſee, that unholy perſons are to b… ſhut out of the ſpecial communion of Saints here on earth: and therefore certainly the Lord will never ſuffer ſuch to have communion with him in heaven; it will not ſtand with the holineſs and purity of God to have fellowſhip with ſuch in the kingdom of glory, whom he would not have his people have fellowſhip with in the kingdom of grace.

8The eighth Argument to prove that without real holineſs there is no happineſs:Unholy perſons are throughout the Scriptures branded to their everlaſting contempt) with the worſt Appellations. that without holineſs on earth, no man ſhall ever come to a bl…ſſed viſion or fruition of God in heaven, is this, The Scripture that ſpeaks no Treaſon, ſtiles unholy perſons beaſts, yea, the worſt of beaſts: and what ſhould ſuch do in heaven. Unholy perſons are the moſt dangerous, and the moſt unruly pieces in the world, and therefore are emblemized by Lions, Pſalm 22.21. and they are cruel: by Bears, and they are ſavage, Iſa. 11.7. by Dragons, and they are hideous, Ezek. 29.3. by Wolves, and they are ravenous, Ezek. 22.27. by dogs, and they are ſnarling, Rev. 22.15. by Vipers and Scorpions, and they are ſtinging, Mat. 12.34. Ezek. 2.6. by Spiders and Cockatrices, and they are poyſoning, Iſa. 59.5. by ſwine, and they are ſtill gruntling, Mat. 7.6. No man in this world is more like another,It was wont to be a tryal whither land belonged to England or Ireland, by putting in Toads or Snakes, &c. into it; if they lived there, it was concluded that the land belonged to England; if they died, to Ireland. then the Epicure is like a Swine; the fraudulent perſon a Fox; the luſtfull perſon a Goat; the back-biter a barking Curr; the ſlanderer an Aſp; the oppreſſor a Wolf; the Perſecutor a Tyger; the Seducer a Serpent. Certainly the Iriſh Air will ſooner brook Toads and Snakes and Serpents to live therein, then heaven will brook ſuch beaſts as unholy ſouls are to live there. Surely, God and Chriſt, and the Spirit, and Angels, and the Spirits of juſt men made perfect are not ſo in love with Dogs and Swine, &c. as to put them into their boſoms, or make them their companions. Heaven is a place of too great ſtate to admit ſuch vermine to inhabit there. When Cyneas the Embaſſador of Pyrrhus after his return from p. 55Rome, was asked by his Maſter what he thought of the City and State; he anſwered and ſaid, that it ſeemed to him to be Reſpublica Regum, a State of none but great Statesmen, and a Common-wealth of Kings. Such is heaven, it is no other State then a Parliament of Emperours, a Commonwealth of Kings. There is not a ſoul in heaven under the degree of a King, Rev 6.1. and every King there hath a Robe of honour upon his back, a golden Scepter in his hand, and a glorious Crown upon his head: And do you think that it will ſtand with the State of heaven, or with the State of this Common-wealth of Kings to admit ſuch vermine as as unholy perſons are, to be of that noble ſociety, ſurely no? God hath long ſince reſolved upon it, that no unclean beaſts ſhall enter into heaven, that no dirty dogs ſhall ever trample upon that golden pavement: All in heaven are holy, the Angels holy, the Saints holy, the Patriarchs holy, the Prophets holy, the Apoſtles holy, the Martyrs holy, but the Lord himſelf above all is moſt glorious in holineſs, and therefore all thoſe holy ones do as it were in a divine Anthem ſing and ſay, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Rev. 21. ult. There are no Owls in Creet, nor no wild beaſts in Lebanon.Rev 21heaven and earth are full of the Majeſty of thy glory. Now certainly, it would be a hell to theſe holy ones to have unholy wretches to be their companions. When the holy Angels fell from their holineſs, heaven was ſo holy that it ſpewed them out,Iſaiah 6.3.Isa 6:3 as once Canaan did its (unholy) inhabitants; and therefore certainly there will be no room in heaven for ſuch filthy beaſts as unholy perſons are. Well, remember this, that all thoſe ſtinging Expreſſions and Appellations which diſgrace and vilifie unholy perſons, they were inſpired by a holy ſpirit, and penned by holy Secretaries and enrolled in his holy word, and publiſhed by his holy meſſengers, and all by his holy appointment, who as he is greater then the greateſt, and wiſer then the wiſeſt, and better then the beſt:Lev. 18.28.Lev 18:28 So he is too pure and too holy to eat the words that are gone out of his mouth, or to deny or unſay what he hath ſpoken, or not to maintain the truth thereof againſt all gain-ſayers. It is prophecied that when the Church ſhall be reſtored to her purity and glory, ſuch p. 56beaſts ſhall not be there, Iſa. 35.9. Ezek. 28.24. The Majeſty of Church-diſcipline ſhall be ſuch as ſhall keep out all ſuch beaſts. Jeruſalem above is too glorious a habitation for beaſts, or for men of beaſtly ſpirits, or beaſtly principles, or beaſtly practices. The City of the great God was never built for beaſts. A wilderneſs and not a Paradiſe is fitteſt for beaſts.

9The ninth Argument to prove the truth of the Propoſition,Exod. 23.32. Chap. 34.12. If you would ſee the greatneſs and dangerouſneſs of this ſin, then read Ezra 10. & 1 Kings 11. with Exo. 34.14, 15, 16. Judg. 3.6, 7, 8. When Dionyſius the elder Tyrant of Syracuſa asked Ariſtides a Locrian his good will to marry his daughter; I had rather ſee my daughter dead (ſaid he) then married unto a Tyrant. Plutarch in the life of Timoleon. The Application is eaſie.Exod 23:32Ezra 101 Kgs 11Exod 34:14Exod 34:15Exod 34:16Judg 3:6Judg 3:7Judg 3:8 is this God; would not have his holy ones in this world to be yoked in marriage with unholy ones, and therefore certainly he will never ſuffer ſuch to be yoked to himſelf to all eternity. That God would not have his righteous people to be yoked in marriage with the unrighteous, is moſt evident by theſe Scriptures, Deut. 7.3.6. Neither ſhalt thou make marriages with them: thy daughter thou ſhalt not give to his ſon, nor his daughter ſhalt thou take unto thy Son: For thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath choſen thee to be a special people unto himſelf, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. Ezra 9.12. Now therefore give not your daughters unto their ſons, neither take their daughters unto your ſons. But did they keep this commandment of the Lord? No, as you may ſee in the ſecond verſe of that chapter: For they have taken of their daughters for themſelves, and for their ſons: ſo that the holy ſeed have mingled themſelves with the people of thoſe lands; yea, the hand of the Princes and Rulers have been chief in this treſpaſs. But how did this operate upon good Ezra! that you may ſee in the third verſe, And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and pluckt off the hair of my head, and of my beard, and ſate down aſtonied. Oh the ſorrow, the grief, the perplexity, the holy paſſion, the indignation, the amazement, the aſtoniſhment that this abomination begot in the heart of good Ezra! The like effect this ſin had upon the heart of good Nehemiah, as you may ſee in that remarkable text, Neh. 13.23, 24, 25. compared with Ch. 10.29, 30. So in 2 Cor. 6.14, 15. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowſhip hath righteouſneſs with p. 57unrighteouſneſs? and what communion hath light with darkneſs? And what concord hath Chriſt with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? It is an evil thing, a dangerous thing to be yoked to any who have neither skill nor will to bear the yoke of Chriſt. Under the Law an Ox and an Aſſe might not be yoked or coupled together, Deut. 22.10. (and to this the Apoſtle alludes as ſome judge) God would not have righteous ſouls to be yoked in marriage with thoſe that are unrighteous: a gracious ſoul were better be married to a quartern ague then to an ungracious wife.Proverbs 12.4.Prov 12:4 A vertuous wife is a crown to her husband: ſhe is the life of life: if thou art a man of holineſſe, thou muſt look more for a portion of grace in a wife,1 Cor 7.39.1 Cor 7:39 then for a portion of gold with a wife: thou muſt look more after righteouſneſſe then riches: more after piety then money: more after what inheritance ſhe hath in heaven, then what poſſeſſions ſhe hath on earth: more at what intereſt ſhe hath in Chriſt, then at what intereſt ſhe hath in creatures; more at her being new born, then at her be…ng high born; more at her being good, then at all her worldly goods. If money makes the match, and ſhe be good enough, that hath but goods enough, thou ſhalt be ſure to have hell enough with ſuch a wife. In thy choice to err but once is to be undone for ever, at leaſt as to the comforts and contentments of thy life: once bleſt or curſt muſt be for ever ſo: Men have not leave to chooſe or change often. By what hath been ſaid, it is moſt evident that God would not have the holy ſeed to mingle or marry with the unholy. And do you think that a holy God wil mingle and marry with ſuch in heaven, that he would not have his people to mingle or marry with on earth? ſurely no. Or do you think that that God that would not in the Law have an Ox and an Aſſe plough together that he will be yoked to ſuch wretches (may I ſay to ſuch Aſſes) whoſe ungodlineſs hath debaſed them below the very Ox and Aſſe! Iſa. 1.3. Surely no.

The tenth and laſt Argument to prove that without real 10holineſſe there is no happineſſe, &c. is this. Unholy perſons are adjudged, doomed and ſentenced to another place, p. 58viz. to hell,Matth 11.23. Ch. 23.15.33. The Hebrew word Sh…ol hath ſeveral ſignifications; Sometimes it ſignifies the grave, ſometimes it ſignifies extraordinary great anguiſhes and diſtreſſes; and ſometimes it ſignifies hell or the place of the damned, as here, and as in Job 11.8. & Prov. 15.1….Matt 11:23Job 11:8Prov 15:1 Pſal. 9.17. The wicked ſhall be turned into hell, and all the Nations that forget God. In the Hebrew there ar two into's: into, into Hell, that is, the wicked ſhall be turned into the nether moſt hell, into the loweſt and darkeſt dungeon of Hell: They ſhall be turned into hell, that is, they ſhall be certainly turned into hell; they ſhall be vehemently, forcibly turned into hell: God will as it were with both hands thruſt them into hell. The wicked ſhall from hell to judgement, and from judgement they ſhall be turned with a witneſs into hell. The Photinians hold that there is no hell, and many now adayes ſay there is no hell but what a man finds in his own conſcience: and multitudes with Caeſar do think that all that is ſpoken of hell, is falſe and fabulous: They will not believe that there is a hell, till they come to feel themſelves in hell, till they find everlaſting flames about their ears. They are ſentenced to the fire, to everlaſting fire, they are doomed to fire and brimſtone, Mat. 25.41. Then ſhall he ſay unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye curſed, into everlaſting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. This terrible ſentence breaths out nothing but fire and brimſtone, terror and horror, dread and wo. The laſt words that ever Chriſt will ſpeak in this world, will be the moſt tormenting, and amazing, the moſt killing and damning, the moſt ſtinging and wounding. Depart from me, there is rejection: Pack, be gon, get you out of my fight, let me never ſee your faces more. It was a heavy doom that was paſt upon Nebuchadnezzar, that he ſhould be driven from the ſociety of men,Daniel 4.25.Dan 4:25 and in an extremity of a ſottiſh melancholy ſpend his time amongſt the beaſts of the field: but that was nothing to this ſoul-killing word Depart from me; it was nothing to mens being caſt out of the preſence of Chriſt for ever; The remembranre of which made one to pray thus,Bernard in Pſalm 91.Ps 91 O Lord, deliver me at the great day from that ſoul killing word Depart. And what ſaith another,

Sphinx.This word Depart, the Goats with horror hears.

But this word Come, the Sheep to joy appears.

p. 59Ye curſed: there is malediction. But Lord, if we muſt depart, Oh let us depart bleſſed; no, depart ye curſed: You have curſed others,Curſings now are their hymns, but in hell they ſhall be their woes, Rev. 16.9.11.21.Rev 16:9Rev 16:11Rev 16:21 and now you ſhall be curſt your ſelves; you have delighted your ſelves in curſing, and now you ſhall be curſt for ever. You ſhall be curſt in your bodies, and curſt in your ſouls; you ſhall be curſt of God, and curſt of Angels, and curſt of Saints, and curſt of Devils, and curſt of your companions, yea, you ſhall curſe your very ſelves, your very ſouls. You loved not bleſſing, and therefore you ſhall have curſing enough: Depart from me ye curſed: all your curſes, all your malidictions ſhalt at laſt recoyl upon your own ſouls. Now thou curſeſt every man and thing that ſtands in the way of thy luſts, and that croſſes thy deſignes: but at laſt all the curſes of heaven and hell ſhall meet in their full power and force upon thee.

But Lord, if we muſt depart, and depart curſed; Oh let us go into ſome good place: no, depart ye into everlaſting fire; Therefore they do but dream, who think and ſay, that the devil and damned ſhall be delivered at laſt. Pſalm 11.6. Alſted.Ps 11:6there is the vengeance and continuance of it. You ſhall go into fire, into everlaſting fire, that will neither conſume it ſelf, nor conſume you. Eternity of extremity is the hell of hell. The fire in hell is like that ſtone in Arcadia, which being one kindled could never be quenched. If all the fires that over were in the world were contracted into one fire, how terrible would it be! yet ſuch a fire would be but as a painted fire upon the wall, to the fire of hell. The greateſt and the hotteſt fires that ever were on earth are but Ice in compariſon of the fire of hell. If it be ſo ſad a ſpectacle to behold a malefactors fleſh conſumed by peice-meals in a lingring fire: Ah how ſad, how dreadfull would it be to experience what it is to lie in unquenchable fire, not for a day, a monethmonth, or a year, or a hundred, or a thouſand years, but for ever and ever! If it were ſaith one, but for a thouſand years, I could bear, it but ſeeing is for eternity, this amazeth and affrighteth me. I am afraid of hell ſaith another, becauſe the worm there never dies,Cyril. and the fire never goeth out: It is called unquenchable fire, Mat. 18.8. and eternal fire in the Epiſtle of Jude, ver. 7. p. 60The torments of the damned are very grievous for the bitterneſſe of them, but more grievous for the diverſity of them, but moſt of all grievous for the eternity of them. To lye in everlaſting torments,Dionyſ. in A ocaleps. 18. fol. 301. Matth. 25. ult. goes beyond all the bounds of deſperation: To roar for ever for diſquietneſſe of heart, to rage for ever for madneſſe of ſoul, to weep, and grieve, and gnaſh the teeth for ever for vexation of ſpirit, is a miſery beyond all expreſſion. Suetonius reports of Tiberius Caeſar, that being petitioned by a certain offendor to haſten his puniſhment, and to grant him a ſpeedy diſpatch,L…b. 3 cap. 6. he made him this Anſwer, Nondum tecum in gratiam redii: Stay Sir, you and I are not friends yet. So if after a damned ſoul hath been in hell a thouſand years, he ſhould petition the Lord for a ſpeedy death, the Lord would anſwer after the ſame manner, Stay ſoul, you and I are not yet friends: if after thouſands and millions of thouſands of years, the requeſt ſhould be renewed, the Anſwer would ſtill be the ſame. Stay you and I are not yet friends. Wronged Juſtice can never be ſatisfied, and therefore the ſinner muſt be for ever tormented: the ſinner in hell will ſin for ever, and therefore he muſt be puniſhed for ever. It will not ſtand with the unſpotted Juſtice and righteouſneſſe of God to ceaſe puniſhing where the ſinner ceaſes not ſinning. One tells us of ſome Devout perſonages,Jo. Pet. Camois. B. of Betty in France in his draught of eternity, Dan. 3. &c.Dan 3 who cauſed thoſe words of the Prophet, Iſa. 33.14. Who among us ſhall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us ſhall dwell with everlaſting burnings? to be written in letters of gold upon their chimney pieces. The fear of Nebuchadnezzars fiery furnace made men do any thing to avoid it: and ſhall not the fear of eternal flames, of everlaſting burnings, work men to bewail their ſins, to hate all their bitter ſweets, and to lay hold on everlaſting ſtrength, that it may go well with them for ever! I have read of a chaſte Virgin, who being ſtrongly tempted and ſoliticed by a lewd Ruſſian to uncleanneſſe, after ſome diſſcourſe, ſhe called for a pan of burning coals, requeſting him for her ſake to hold his finger in them but one hour; he anſwered, it is an unkind and unreaſonable requeſt: p. 61it is truth ſaith ſhe, it is ſo; but you ask me a more unkind and unreaſonable requeſt, viz. to ſatisfie you in a thing for which I ſhall not only burn an hour, but burn both body and ſoul in hell fire for ever and ever. And ſo overcame the temptation.

But Lord, if I muſt go into fire, into everlaſting fire: Oh let me have ſome good company in my miſery. No, the Devil and his Angels ſhall be your companions. Ah who can conceive or expreſs the miſery of cohabitation with Devils and damned Spirits. Many unholy ſouls would not live in a houſe haunted with evil ſpirits one night for all the world, and yet they live as if it were nothing to be billetted with helliſh Fiends and furies for ever. If the ſight of a ſeeming ghoſt for a moment be ſuch a terror and torment to thee: what will the horrible ſight of devils, and the gaſtly ſight of the damned be?Job 30.29.Job 30:29 If it was ſo great an affliction to Job to be a companion to Owls, what will it be to thee to be a companion to devils?Pſalm 120.5.Ps 120:5 If it was ſo great a grief and wo to David to ſojourn in Meſech, and to dwell in the tents of Kedar for a time; what a wo will it be to unholy ſouls to dwell with Devils and reprobates for ever? Ah, how will Satans deformity, antipathy and cruelty amaze thee, and torment thee! How will the damneds wringing of hands and gnaſhing of teeth abaſh thee and confound thee! How will thine old companions curſing of thee, the ſight of thy near relations in miſery with thee, and devils ſcornfully inſulting over thee, and the never dying worm feeding perpetually upon thee, be many hells of horror to thee? Had an unholy ſoul as many worlds in his hand to give as there be ſtars in heaven, he would give them all for a licenſe alwayes to ſleep under thoſe pains and torments that will admit of no intermiſſion or mitigation. In Rev. 21.8.As the Antients fain of Endymion, that he got leave of Jupiter alwayes to ſleep. you have a catalogue of that damned crue, of that rout of Reprobates which ſhall be your companions for ever: But the fearfull, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and ſorcerers, and Idolaters, and all liars, ſhall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimſtone: p. 62which is the ſecond death. Theſe companions are the devils lime-twigs; they are his ſcorpions with which he will torment and whip poor ſouls for ever: Such companions will make many hells to meet in one; they will be the top of the ſouls torments. Thus I have done with thoſe arguments that prove the point; Viz. That without holineſs there is no happineſs, &c.