The Crown and Glory of Christianity, Uses · Use and exhortation 3 (2 of 4)
Firſt, Conſider that holineſſe brings in preſent gain; and what gain to preſent gain? there are many that lay out much, and venture far, and run the hazard of all, and yet it is long before they ſee returns. O but holineſſe, that brings in preſent profit. Rom. 6.22. But now being made free from ſin, and become ſervants to God, ye have your fruit unto holineſſe, and the end everlaſting life. The Apoſtle doth not ſay, Ye may have your fruit unto holineſſe; but, Ye have your fruit unto holineſſe; he doth not ſay, Ye ſhall have your fruit unto holineſſe; but, Ye have your fruit unto holineſſe; he doth not ſay, O that ye had your fruit unto holineſſe; but, Ye have your fruit unto holineſſe. So Pſalm 19.11. Not only for keeping, but alſo in keeping of his commands, there is great reward. Holineſſe is its own reward; whileſt a Chriſtian is in the very exerciſe of holineſſe, O what bleſſed ſights, what ſweet taſtes, what glorious incomes from heaven hath he! O the ſecret viſits, the ſecret whiſpers, the ſecret joggings, the ſecret love-tokens that Chriſtians meet with in the very practice of holineſſe! Holineſſe brings in preſent comfort and joy.Seneca a Heathen hath confeſſed, that the beſt receipt to drive away ſadneſs, was to live well. 2 Cor. 1.12. For our rejoycing is this, the teſtimony of our conſciences, that in ſimplicity and godly ſincerity, not with fleſhly wiſdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our converſation in the world, and more abundantly to you-wards. There is no mirth, no joy, to that that holineſſe brings in; let a mans load be never ſo heavy, yet holineſſe will bring in that joy that will make him bear up bravely and cheerfully under it. Holineſſe brings in preſent peace; hence it is that you read of the peaceable fruits of righteouſneſſe, Heb. 12.10, 11. And holineſſe will bring in preſent communion with God. 1 John 1.7. But if we walk in the light, as he is the light, we have fellowſhip one with another: (that is, God and we have fellowſhip togegether, as it is ver. 3.) Now to walk in the light as he is in the light, what is it but to walk in holineſſe, to walk in pathes of ſanctity? for only in ſuch pathes the Lord walks. And therefore as you love preſent gain, labour after holineſs. But,
Secondly, As holineſſe brings in preſent gain, ſo holineſſe brings in the beſt & greateſt gain; & this I ſhall evidence thus.
Firſt, Holineſſe will make a man rich in the midſt of poverty. R…v. 2.9. I know thy poverty, but thou art rich; though the Church of Smyrna was poor in goods,Jam. 2.5. yet ſhe was rich in grace, ſhe was rich in faith, and rich in hope, and rich in patience, and rich in contentment, &c. ſhe was rich in Chriſt her head, and rich in promiſes, and rich in experiences, ſhe had ſpiritual riches in poſſeſſion, and glorious riches in reverſion; ſo in 2 Cor. 6.10. As poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet poſſeſſing all things. A holy man cannot be a poor man: A holy man is ſtill the richeſt man: But this is a riddle the world underſtands not. The riches of a Chriſtian have no bottom; all a Saints baggs are bottomleſs baggs. Experience tells us,1 Cor. 3. chap. 22, 23. that unholy mens baggs, purſes, coffers, and mints may be drawn dry; but the Treaſury, the riches of a Saint, can never be exhauſted, for he ſtill poſſeſſes all things in Chriſt and with Chriſt; Though he hath nothing in hand, yet he hath all things in hope; Though he hath nothing in the ciſtern, yet he hath all things in the fountain. Gen. 33.9. Eſau could ſay (Li Rab) I have much; and it was much that an Eſau ſhould ſay he had much: but ſaies holy Jacob, v. 11. (Li col) I have all. Eſau had much, but Jacob had all, becauſe he had the God of all: He had him that was all in all. It hath been ſaid of the great Duke of Guiſe, that (though he was poor as to his preſent poſſeſſions) yet he was the richeſt man in France, in bills, bonds, and obligations, becauſe he had engaged all the Noble men in France to himſelf, by preferring of them. A holy man is the richeſt man in the world in promiſes and obligations, for he hath the great and glorious God engaged by many thouſand promiſes to own him, to bleſs him, to ſtand by him, to give grace and glory to him,Pſalm 84.10, 11. and to with-hold nothing from him that may be good for him. When wicked men brag of their Lordſhips and Mannors, and boaſt of their great poſſeſſions, and glory in their thouſands a year: A holy man may make his boaſt of God, and ſay, God is mine, God is mine: he is my great all, he is my all in all; and therefore I am richer and a greater poſſeſſor then any wicked man in the world, yea then all wicked men in the world put together. But,
Secondly, By holineſſe you will gain a good report, a good name, Heb. 11.39. And theſe all having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promiſe: Nothing raiſes a mans name and fame in the world like holineſſe.A good renown is better then a golden girdle, ſaith the French Proverb. The ſeven Deacons that the Church choſe were holy men, Acts 6.5. and they were men of good report, ver. 3. they were men well witneſſed unto, well teſtified of, as the Greek word imports. Cornelius was a holy man, Acts 10.1, 2, 3, 4. and he was a man of good report among all the Nation of the Jews. ver. 22. Ananias was a holy man. Acts 9.10, 20. and he was a man of a good report. Acts 22.12. Gaius and Demetrius were both holy men, and they were men of good report, witneſs that third Epiſtle of John. The Patriarchs and Prophets were holy men, and they were men of a good report. Heb. 11.1, 2. For by it the Elders obtained a good report: their holineſs did eternalize them. The Apoſtles were holy men, 1 Theſ. 2.10. And they were men of a good report, 2 Cor. 6.8. Now certainly it is none of the leaſt of mercies to be well reputed and reported of; next to a good conſcience, a good report is the nobleſt bleſſing. Good fare doth not more rejoyce and ſtrengthen the outward man, the ignoble part of man, then a good report doth rejoyce and ſtrengthen the inward man, the noble part of man. Prov. 15.30. A good report makes the bones fat. Yea and I may add, it makes the heart fat too. It is no ſmall pleaſure to a man, to know that others are pleaſed with him. Beautiful objects do not more delight the eyes, then a good report delights the ears. O Sirs, as ever you would obtain a good report, you muſt labour after holineſs. You may obtain a great report without holineſs, but you can never obtain a good report without holineſs. There is no ſuch way to perpetuate your names,Holy Abel hath been dead above this five thouſand years, and yet his name is as freſh and fragrant as a Roſe to this very day. Heb. 11.4. as to labour after holineſs. Holineſs will inbalm your names, it will make them immortal. Pſal. 112.6. The righteous ſhall be in everlaſting remembrance. Prov. 10.7. The memory of the juſt is bleſſed, but the name of the wicked ſhall rot. Wicked men many times out-live their names, but the names of juſt men out-live them. When a holy man dies, he leaves his name as a ſweet and as a laſting ſcent behind him; his fame ſhall live when he is dead. According to the Hebrew, the words may be read thus, The memory of the juſt ſhall be for a bleſsing. The very remembring of the juſt ſhall bring a bleſſing upon them that remember them. Whileſt the juſt, the holy man lived, he was a bleſſing to thoſe amongſt whom he lived, and when he is dead, his memory is a bleſſing to poſterity. But the name of the wicked ſhall not: whileſt a wicked man lives, he laeis his name under diſdain and diſgrace, and when he dies, he leaves it under an odious ſtink. Wickedneſs corrupts not only the heart but the name: And look as wickedneſs makes a mans ſoul ſtink in the noſtrils of God, ſo wickedneſs makes a mans name ſtink in the noſtrils of men. Look as a wicked mans body (when he is dead) ſtinks under ground, ſo his name ſtinks above ground. His very name caſts forth ſo ſtinking a ſavour, that all the perfumes in the world, and all the ſpicery of hell can never ſweeten it. Well, once more remember, that theſe words, The name of the wicked ſhall rot, are a Metaphorical ſpeech taken from a tree, which though for a time it grows green and flouriſhes, yet at length it grows rotten; ſo though wicked men may flouriſh and be green and glorious for a time, yet at laſt they ſhall rot, their names ſhall rot on earth, their bodies ſhall rot in the grave, and their ſouls ſhall rot in hell: but the memory of the juſt ſhall be bleſſed. Next to a holy mans ſoul, there is nothing ſo near and dear to him as his name: and this God will ſo perfume, as that the fragrancy of it ſhall laſt for ever. The name of a holy man ſhall be alwayes as an ointment poured forth: but the name of a wicked man ſhall be alwayes as a ſtinking Jakes. O Sirs! what a deal of ſtir do many men make to get a name, to get a name to be wiſe, a name to be knowing,As Nimrod, Cain, Abſolom, Alexander, Pompey, Adrian, &c. a name to be learned, a name to be skilful, a name to be rich, a name to be great, a name to be mighty, and a name to be valiant, &c. And why then ſhould you not labour after holineſs, that ſo you may get a good name, which is rather to be choſen then riches, Prov. 22.1. and which is better then precious ointment! Eccleſ. 7.1. O Sirs, ſhall many Romans and others run the hazard of damning their ſouls to immortalize their names, and will not you labour after holineſs to eternalize yours? There is no way to a good name, to a good report, but by getting of holineſs.
Thirdly, By holineſs you will gain a hiding place, a ſhelter, a refuge in ſtormy and tempeſtuous times. Prov. 11.6.Iſa. 3.10. Iſa. 26.20, 21. The righteouſneſs of the upright ſhall deliver them: but tranſgreſſors ſhall be taken in their own naughtineſs. Let a holy mans enemies, dangers, ſnares, hazards be never ſo many, yet his righteouſneſs ſhall ſhelter him againſt all. In the midſt of trouble,Iſa. 43.2, 3, 4. John 14.1. holineſs will keep a man from trouble; and in the midſt of dangers, holineſs will keep a man from dangers: Holineſs is the moſt ſoveraign Antidote in the world, againſt all the troubles of this life. Noahs ſanctity was Noahs ſafety in the midſt of a deluge: And Lots piety was Lots ſecurity, in the day of Sodoms ruine and miſery: And the three childrens innocency,They walked up and down in the fiery furnace, as a man walks up and down in a pleaſant Garden. was a wall of fire about them in the midſt of the fiery furnace: And Davids integrity was a ſhield and buckler againſt Sauls rage and cruelty; ſo in Prov. 13.6. Righteouſneſs keepeth him that is upright in the way: but wickedneſs overthroweth the ſinner. There is no guard, no protection againſt troubles and dangers, to that of righteouſneſs. Righteouſneſs and holineſs is the moſt puiſſant Army, and the ſtrongeſt Tower of defence againſt all hazards and enemies. The Hebrew word that is here rendred keepeth, is from Natſar, that ſignifieth to keep with the greateſt care,Deut. 32.14. diligence, and vigilancy that can be; it ſignifies to preſerve and keep, as a man would preſerve and keep the Apple of his eye, which is the chiefeſt and the tendereſt piece of the tendereſt part; and it ſignifies to keep, as a man would keep ammunition and proviſion from fire,Nah. 2.1. or from treacherous hands, when a powerful and inraged enemy is drawing near. Why ſaies he, look how careful and diligent, &c. men are to keep and preſerve thoſe things that are moſt near and dear unto them, and that are moſt highly prized and valued by them; So will righteouſneſs and holineſs preſerve and keep the righteous man in times of trouble and danger: So in Ezek. 14.14, 20. Though theſe three men, Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, they ſhould deliver but their own ſouls by their righteouſneſs, ſaith the Lord. Though Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, as I live ſaith the Lord God, they ſhall deliver neither ſon nor daughter: they ſhall but deliver their own ſouls by their righteouſneſs. Saints may prevail with God for themſelves, when they cannot prevail with him for others.Theſe three, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were very holy men, they had great intereſt in God, and were very prevalent with God. But the Decree being gone forth, they could not prevail with God for others; yet their righteouſneſs ſhould be their own preſervation, ſafety and ſecurity, in dayes of calamity and miſery. So in Iſa. 33.15, 16. He that walketh righteouſly, and ſpeaketh uprightly, he that deſpiſeth the gain of oppreſsions, that ſhaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that ſtoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and ſhutteth his eyes from ſeeing of evil, He ſhall dwell on high; his place of defence ſhall be the munition of rocks, bread ſhall be given him, his waters ſhall be ſure. Let us dive a little into this admirable promiſe, He ſhall dwell on high, but rather as the Hebrew hath it, He ſhall dwell on hights; if the holy man were among his enemies, he might be in danger, but he ſhall dwell on hights, on many hights, and many aſcents, he ſhall be out of harms way, out of Gun-ſhot, he ſhall be above the reach of danger. O! but his enemies may raiſe up mounts, and ſo get as high as he is; Well, grant that, but yet they ſhall not hurt him; for he is in a place of defence. O! but though he be in a place of defence, yet his defence is not ſo ſtrong, but it may be broken down and deſtroyed. No, not ſo, for his place of defence ſhall be the munitions of rocks; many rocks, and many munitions of rocks, ſhall be the place of his defence, and therefore his defence is impregnable, and invincible. O! but though his defence be munitions of rocks, yet he may be famiſhed, he may be ſtarved out, for rocks are barren places, and there is no plowing and ſowing upon rocks: No, he ſhall not be ſtarved nor famiſhed out of his ſtrong place of defence; for bread ſhall be given him, God will ſpread a Table for him. O! but though he hath bread, yet he may periſh for want of water; for he hath no faith, skill nor power to fetch water out of a Rock. Moſes had not, and he hath not, and therefore he may be forced to deliver up his place of defence for water to quench his thirſt, as King Lyſimachus and others have done; no not ſo, for he ſhall have water too. O but his water may be ſpent, his water will not alwaies laſt, his Well, as well as Hagars bottle, may be dry; his pipes may be cut off, or the water that now ſupplies him may be turned another way. No, not ſo, for his water ſhall be ſure. O! the ſafety and ſecurity of holy men. Plutarch in the life of Alexander tells us, that when he came to beſiege the Sogdians, a people who dwelt upon a Rock, (or ſuch as had the munition of Rocks for their defence) they jeered him, and asked him whether his ſouldiers had wings or not? for, ſaid they, except your ſouldiers can fly in the air, we fear you not. Such is the ſafety of Gods holy ones, that they need not to fear: There are no ladders long enough to ſcale their place of defence, nor no Artillery or Engine ſtrong enough to batter down their munitions of Rocks. There is an Apologue how the Dove made moan to her fellow birds of the tyrannie of the Hawk; one counſels her to keep below, but ſaith another, The Hawk can ſtoop for his prey; another adviſed her to ſoar aloft, but ſaith another, the Hawk can mount as high as ſhe; another wiſhed her to ſhroud her ſelf in the woods, for there ſhe ſhould be ſecure, but ſaith another, alas, there is the Hawks Mannour, the place where he keeps Court; another bids her keep the Town, but ſaith another, that is to become a prey to man; but at laſt one bids her reſt her ſelf in the holes of the Rock, and there ſhe ſhould certainly be ſafe, for violence it ſelf could not ſurprize her there, and there ſhe was ſafe. Dove-like Saints, they have their munitions of Rocks to fly to, and there they ſhall be ſafe. O Sirs! there is no breaſt-plate to that of Righteouſneſs, there is no Armour of proof, no munitions of Rocks to that of holineſſe.Heylin. Coſm. lib. 3. Noahs holineſſe was an Ark to ſave him, when Nimrods Tower of Babel which was raiſed five thouſand one hundred forty ſix paces high, could not ſecure him: And therefore as you tender your own ſafety and ſecurity in times of trouble and calamity, O labour to be holy.
Fourthly, By holineſſe you will gain deliverance from death in death, Prov. 11.4. Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteouſneſs delivereth from death: and Chap. 10.2. Treaſures of wickedneſs profit nothing, but righteouſneſs delivereth from death. Nugas the Scythian King deſpiſed the rich preſents and ornaments that were ſent unto him by the Emperour of Conſtantinople, becauſe they could not ward off ſorow, ſickneſs, diſeaſes, death.Many Treaſuries of the moſt precious Jewels that be in the world cannot ward off a blow, a diſeaſe, a ſickneſſe in the day of Gods wrath. It is not the Crown of gold, that can cure the head-ache; nor the golden Scepter, that can cure the Palſie hand; nor the Neck-laſe of Pearl, that can cure the Aking teeth; nor the Honourable Garter, that can eaſe the Gowt; nor the Purple Robe, that can chaſe away the burning Feaver; nor the Velvet Slipper, that can heal the kibe-heel; no more can Treaſures of gold or ſilver deliver from wrath, or help in a day of death! O, but Righteouſneſſe that delivers from death. Look what the Sword, the Shield, the Helmet, the Breſt-plate, the Coat of Mail is to the Souldier in the heat of battell, that, all that, and more then that, is righteouſneſſe to the righteous in the day of death. Righteouſneſſe or holineſſe of affection, of action, of life and converſation, delivers from ſpiritual death, and from eternal death, yea, it delivers from the evil, the hurt, the horror, the terror, the dread, and the ſtinge of temporal death. Piety delivers not only from the ſecond death, but alſo from all the evils and miſeries of the firſt death too. As the righteouſneſſe of the righteous will be a royal protection to him, both againſt the day of wrath, and the wrath of the day: So the righteouſneſſe of the righteous will be a royal protection to him, both againſt death, and againſt all the evils of death. Righteouſneſſe unſtings death, it takes away the venome, the poyſon and bitterneſſe of death: It turns that curſe into a bleſſing, that puniſhment into a benefit, that night of darkneſſe into a day of light, that wilderneſſe into a Paradiſe, that hell into a heaven, Prov. 12.28. In the way of righteouſneſſe is life, and in the path thereof, there is no death In the way of righteouſneſſe is (chaiim) lives: ſo the Hebrew hath it, in the way of righteouſneſſe there are many lives: in that way there is ſpiritual life, and eternal life, and natural life, and all the comforts, and ſweets, and bleſſings, and happineſſe of that life, without which mans life would be but a lingering, a languiſhing death; yea, a hell rather then a heaven unto him. And in the path thereof there is no death. There is no ſpiritual death, there is no eternal death, yea, there is no corporal, no temporal death to hurt or harm the them,Death is not mors hominis, but mors peccati, not the death of the man, but the death of his ſin. Phil. 1.23. 2 Cor. 5.12.4.7, 8. Death is a Chriſtians Quietus eſt, it is his diſcharge from all trouble and miſery. to ſting or terrifie them, to dammage or diſadvantage them: for death is an out-let, and an in-let to a holy man: it is an out-let to ſin, to ſorrow, to ſhame, to ſuffering, to afflictions, to temptations, to deſertions, to oppreſſions, to confuſions, and to vexations; and it is an in-let to a more clear, full and conſtant fruition of God and Chriſt, and an in-let to the ſweeteſt pleaſures, the pureſt joys, the higheſt delights, the ſtrongeſt comforts, and the moſt ſatisfying contentments. Death is the funeral of all a holy mans ſins and miſeries, and it is the reſurrection of all his joyes, and the perfection of all his graces and ſpirituall excellencies. Death to a holy man is nothing but the changing of his grace into glory, his faith into viſion, his hope into fruition, and his love into perfect comprehenſion. The Perſians had a certain day in the year in which they uſed to kill all Serpents and venemous creatures: ſuch a day as that will the day of death be to a holy man. (Peccatum erat obſtetrix mortis, & mors ſepulchrum peccati.) Sin was the Midwife that brought death into the world, and death ſhall be the bearers that ſhall carry ſin out of the world. When Sampſon died, the Philiſtines died together with him: ſo when a holy man dies, his ſins die with him. Death came in by ſin, and ſin goeth out by death: As the worm kills the worm that bred it; ſo death kills ſin that bred it.Ʋltimus morborum medicus mors. Acts & Mon. fol. 1733. Death cures all diſeaſes, the aking head and the unbelieving heart: the diſeaſed body and the defiled ſoul. At Stratford Bow were burned (in Queen Maries dayes) a lame man and a blind man; after the lame man was chained, caſting away his crutch, he bade the blind man be of good comfort; for ſaith he, Death will cure us both, it will cure thee of thy blindneſſe, and me of my lameneſſe. Death will cure the holy man of all natural and ſpiritual diſtempers. Death is the holy mans Jubilee, it is his greateſt advantage, it puts him into a better eſtate then ever he had before. It is Gods Gentleman Uſher to conduct us to heaven; it will blow the bud of grace into the flower of glory. O!Death is but an entrance into life. Miſeri infideles mortem appellant, fideles vero quid níſi paſcham? Bernard. Miſerable …nbelievers call it death, but to faithfull believers, what is it but a Paſſeover, but a Jubilee? who would not go through hell to heaven! who would not go through a temporary death to an eternal life! who would not willingly march through mortality to immortality and glory! O Sirs, holineſſe will make you look upon death as a welcome gueſt, a happy friend, a joyfull meſſenger: it will make you kiſſe it and embrace it, as Favinus the Italian Martyr kiſſed and embraced his executioner: it will make you deſire it, & long after it with tears, as holy Bradford did. By all this you ſee, that holineſs will deliver you from death in death; and therefore I ſhall cloſe up this head, as that wiſe (& witty) man Sr. Francis Bakon cloſed up a paper of verſes,
What then remains, but that we ſtill ſhould cry,
Not to be born, or being born, to die?
Fifthly, and laſtly, by holineſſe you ſhall gain the greateſt boldneſſe in the day of judgement;Job 19.25. foreign, ſignifies boldneſs of face, a lifting up of the face & countenance in the ſight or face of many beholders. It ſignifies a freedom and liberty of ſpeech. nothing will imbolden a man in that great day like holineſſe; holineſſe will then make the face to ſhine indeed, 1 John 4.17. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldneſſe in the day of judgement: becauſe as he is, ſo are we in this world. That which will make Chriſts laſt appearance delightfull to Chriſtians, will be their likeneſſe to Chriſt in holineſſe: in nature and grace likeneſſe begets the greateſt boldneſſe. As there is no child ſo bold with the Father, as he that is moſt like the Father, ſo there is no Chriſtian ſo bold with Chriſt, as he that is moſt like to Chriſt. A holy Chriſt is moſt famiiar with a holy Chriſtian; and a holy Chriſtian is moſt bold with a holy Chriſt. The more a Chriſtian is like to Chriſt in holineſſe of heart and life, in holineſſe of affecti-and converſation, the more divinely bold and familiar will that man be with Chriſt, both in this world, and in the great day of account; when he that was a brat of Satans, is made a Saint, when he that was like hell, is made like heaven, when he that was moſt ugly and uncomely, is made like him that is the holy of holies, this is that which gives boldneſſe both here and hereafter. O Sirs, it is not wit, nor wealth, but holineſſe; it is not race nor place, but holineſſe: it is not power nor policy, but holineſſe; it is not honour nor riches, but holineſſe: it is not natural excellencies, nor acquired abilities, but holineſſe that will give boldneſſe in the day of Chriſts appearing, 1 Pet. 1.5, 6, 7. A well-tried faith (which is but a branch of holineſſe) ſhall be found unto praiſe, and honour, and glory, at the appearing of Jeſus Chriſt. At the coming of Chriſt, holineſs ſhall be a mans praiſe, and honour,Rev. 6.15, 16, 17. and glory. In that great day when ſhame and everlaſting contempt ſhall be poured forth upon the great Monarchs of the world, who have made the earth to tremble, when the Kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief Captains, and the mighty men, &c. ſhall cry out to the mountains and rocks to fall upon them, and to hide them from the face of him that ſitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: then, I ſay then ſhall the righteous ſhine as the Sun in the firmament.Dan. 12.1, 2, 3. Prov. 28.1. In life and death, and in the day of account a righteous man will be as bold as a Lion. Real holineſſe will make a man death proof, and hell proof, and judgement proof. The day of judgement will be to a holy man a marriage day, a day of redemption, a day of coronation, a day of exaltation, and therefore he may well lift up his head and rejoyce. Look as the Iſraelites who had the blood of the Paſſeover on their door-poſts,Exo. 12.7.11. though the deſtroyer was abroad, and a dreadfull cry was all over Aegypt, yet they were not ſlain, not ſtricken; they did not fear, not tremble, but had their loyns ready girt, and ſtaves in their hands, boldly and cheerfully expecting when the happy and joyful hour of their redemption would come.Heb. 9.14. So thoſe that have the door-poſts of their hearts and conſciences ſprinkled with holineſſe, in this terrible day of the Lord, they ſhall with boldneſſe and cheerfulneſſe lift up their faces, becauſe the day of their redemption is come.Sermon de Signis prae. extr. Júd. And this made Luther ſay, that he had rather never have been born, then not to be in hope of this day. This day to Gods holy ones will be (melodia in aure, Pſalm 1.5. 2 Theſſ. 2.7, 8, 9, 10.jubilum in corde.) like muſick in the ear, and a Jubilee in the heart. It is true, the ungodly ſhall not ſtand in Judgement: Stand they muſt to be arraigned, ſentenced and condemned. Stand they ſhall, but not with any boldneſſe or cheerfulneſſe, comfort or content. Stand they ſhall, but not to be approved, acquitted, or abſolved. Chaff and ſtubble cannot ſtand before that God that is a conſuming fire. When Belſhazzar ſaw the hand writing upon the wall,Heb. 12. ult. Dan. 5.5, 6. O how was he affrighted, how was his countenance changed, his joints looſed, and his knees daſhed one againſt another! O how do many ungodly men now tremble at a thunder-crack in the clouds, and at a flaſh of lightning in the air! but how will they tremble and quake, when the whole frame of heaven and earth ſhall break in pieces, and be ſet in a flame about their ears! O, what trouble of mind? what horror and terror of conſcience? what weeping and wailing? what crying and roaring? what wringing of hands? what tearing of hair? and what gnaſhing of teeth will there be among the ungodly in this day, when they ſhall ſee their ſins charged on them on the one ſide, and divine Juſtice terrifying them on the other ſide! when they ſhall look upward, and there ſee an angry God frowning upon them, and look downward, and there ſee hell gaping ready to receive them; and look inward, and there find conſcience accuſing and gnawing of them! When they ſhall look on their right hands, and there behold the good Angels ſtanding with ſo many flaming ſwords, to keep them out of heaven; and look on their left hands, and there behold the devil and his Angels ready preſt to dragg them down to the loweſt hell! O now how will they wiſh for the Rocks to fall upon them, and the mountains to cover them! how will they wiſh that they had never been born, or that they might now be unborn? how will they now wiſh that their immortal ſouls were mortal, or that their ſouls might be turned into the nature of Beaſts, Birds, Stones, Trees or Air, or any thing rather what they are! I have read a ſtory of two Souldiers,Holcot. who being in the valley of Jehoſaphat in Judea, the one ſaid to the other, Here in this place ſhall be the general Judgement, and therefore I will now take up my place where I will then ſit; and ſo lifting up a ſtone, he ſate down upon it, as taking poſſeſſion before hand, but being ſate, and looking up to heaven, ſuch a quaking and trembling fell upon him, that falling to the earth, he remembred the day of Judgement with horror and amazement for ever after. But alas, what heart is able to conceive, or what tongue is able to expreſſe the fear and dread, the horror and terror, the aſtoniſhment and amazement that will fall upon all ungodly perſons in this day! And yet even now Gods holy ones ſhall lift up their heads and hearts: they ſhall be bold and ſtedfaſt, they ſhall be far from fear, ſhame or trembling. And thus you ſee that godlineſſe, that holineſſe is the moſt gainfull trade: And therefore Sirs, as you love gain, as you tender your own profit and advantage, labour to be holy. But,
Twelthly, Conſider this, that holineſſe will put the greateſt ſplendour and majeſty upon perſons that can poſſibly be put upon them.Job 29.8, 9, 10, 11. vide Prov. 12.26. There is nothing that imprints ſuch a reverence and Majeſty upon man, as holineſſe doth: There is nothing that is ſuch a grace to man as grace. It is holineſſe that puts the greateſt excellency and majeſty upon man, Pſalm 16.3. But to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent in whom is all my delight. Saints are the moſt excellent ones;Arias Montanus, Junius, &c. The Hebrew word (Veadire from Adar) that is here rendred excellent, ſignifies (magnificis) the magnificent ones, or the noble, glorious, or wonderfull ones. Saints or holy perſons are the moſt excellent, magnificent, noble & glorious ones. And in Dan. 8.24. the holy people are called mighty, becauſe there are no people upon the earth, that have might and Majeſty ſtampt upon them as they have. Cant. 6.10.Some by the Moon underſtand inherent righteouſneſs, and by the Sun, they underſtand imputed righteouſneſs. Who is ſhe that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the Moon, clear as the Sun, and terrible as an Army with banners! The light, grace, glory and holineſſe of the Church riſes by degrees: and this makes her terrible to all her enemies. Every degree of holineſſe is terrible to the unholy: but the higher the Church riſes in holineſſe, the more terrible and majeſtical it grows. Holineſſe puts ſuch a ſplendor and graceful Majeſty upon all perſons that have it, as even dazles the eyes ſometimes of wicked men, and begets in them an awe and reverence: As it is evident in Saul, 1 Sam. 24.17. And Saul ſaid to David, Thou art more righteous then I: for thou haſt rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. So Herod in Mark 6.20. it is ſaid That he feared John, knowing that he was a juſt man, and holy, and obſerved him. Holineſſe is very Majeſtical; the greateſt Monarchs fall down before it. Herod reverences John not for his birth or breeding, but for his holineſſe: not for his Arts or Parts, but for his holineſſe; not for his Schollarſhip or greatneſſe, but for his holineſſe.2 Kings 11.1, 2. So that great Monarch King Joaſh fell down before the holineſſe of Jehojada whileſt he lived. And ſo did the holineſſe of the three children command teſpect and honour from that great Monarch Nebuchadnezzar. And ſo did the holineſſe of Daniel Daniel 3.cauſe King Darius to reverence him, and to caſt a favourable Aſpect upon him. And ſo did the Holineſſe that was written upon Judas the High-Prieſt, cauſe Alexander the Emperour to reverence him, and to fall down before him. In holineſſe there is ſuch a ſparkling luſtre, that none can behold it, but muſt admire it, and bow before the graceful majeſty of it. It is not greatneſſe but grace, it is not riches but righteouſneſſe, it is not outward pomp or ſplendour, but holineſſe that can over-awe the vain ſpirits of men. A holy life is the upbraiding of that which is corrupt, Wiſdom 2.15.12. He is grievous unto us, even to behold him; for his life is not like other mens, his wayes are of another faſhion, he upbraideth us with our offending the Law. Grace will make a man majeſtical among thoſe that have no grace. Bradford was had in ſo great reverence and admiration for his holineſſe, that a multitude that never knew him but by fame, greatly lamented his death, yea,Acts & Mon. pag. 1458. and a number of Papiſts alſo wiſhed heartily his life. Holy men have a daunting preſence and majeſty with them, as Athanaſius had, and Baſil had;Greg. Orat. de laude Baſilii. for when Valens the Emperour came to ſurprize him, he being in holy exerciſes, ſuch a ſplendour and majeſty was upon him, thnt it ſtruck ſuch a terror into the Emperour, that he reeled, and had fallen backward, had he not been upheld by thoſe that were with him.Epiſt. hiſt. Gal. 82. Henry the ſecond King of France being preſent at the martyrdom of a certain Taylor who was burnt by him for his Religion, and ſo terrified by the boldneſſe of his countenance, and by his holy and gracious behaviour in his ſufferings, that he ſwore at his going away that he would never be preſent at ſuch a ſight more. It is very obſervable, that the moral vertues of the Heathen did put a great deal of ſplendour and majeſty upon them:Valer. Max. l. 2. cap. 5. To inſtance only in Cato; Cato was a man of much juſtice and integrity; he was a man of an unſpotted converſation and of high reputation among the Romans: Now his morality put ſuch a ſplendour and majeſty upon him, that when he was preſent, the very worſt of the worſt durſt not in ſpeech or geſture diſcover any impiety or immodeſty, any wantonneſſe or wickedneſſe. Now certainly, if morality puts ſuch a ſplendour and majeſty upon men: true ſanctity will put much more upon them. And therefore Sirs, as ever you would have a ſplendour & majeſty upon you, labour to be holy. Maximilian the Emperour had ſuch a preſence & majeſty with him, that a ſtranger that never ſaw him before, pointed him out among thirty great perſons. O Sirs, it is not the gray beard, nor the purple Robe, nor the grim look that makes a man ſo much a man of preſence and majeſty as holineſſe doth; and therefore as you would indeed be men of preſence, men of majeſty, labour to be holy. But,
Thirteenthly, Conſider that the times and ſeaſons wherein we live, call aloud for holineſſe. Many ſay, the times are bad, very bad, extream bad: I, and let me tell you that your hearts and lives are bad, very bad, extream bad; and it is theſe that have made the times ſo bad, ſo very bad, ſo extream bad; it is in vain to talk of better times, or wiſh for better times till you mend your manners, and get better hearts. The times would quickly mend, if every man would but in good earneſt labour to mend one. If your hearts and lives were but more holy, the times would quickly be more happy. You ſay you ſhall never have peace and proſperity till all be brought to uniformity in Religion: but I ſay you ſhall never have any laſting peace, felicity, or proſperity till you come to be holy, 2 Kings 9.22. And it came to paſſe when Joram ſaw Jehu, that he ſaid Is it peace, Jehu? And he anſwered, What peace ſo long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel, and her witchcrafts are ſo many? The interrogation carries with it a ſtrong negation, What peace? that is, there is no peace to ſuch a wicked wretch as thou art: thou maiſt wiſh for peace, and dream of peace, and long for peace, and look for peace, and purſue after peace; and yet thou ſhall be far off from peace. What Jehu ſaid to Joram, I may ſay to all unholy perſons; What peace, and what proſperity can you expect whileſt your drunkenneſſe, and uncleanneſſe, and wantoneſſe, and lukewarmneſſe, and dead-heartedneſſe, and wantonneſſe, and wickedneſſe remains? what good dayes, what happy year can you look for whileſt your formality, and indifferency, and hypocriſie, and infidelity do bear witneſſe againſt you?Verſe 3 doubtleſs relates to Jeroboams and the ten Tribes firſt revolt from the houſe of David, and from the houſe of God, and from all his Ordinances; and this was a very wicked and unholy time, as is evident in ſeveral Scriptures. So when Iſrael was very ſuperſtitious and vain in her worſhip, then there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexati…ns were upon all the inhabitants of the Countreyes, and Nation was deſtroyed (or beaten in pieces) of Nation, and City of City: for God did vex them with all adverſity, 2 Chron. 15.5, 6. When men are unholy, God will vex them, he will vex them with adverſity, he will vex them with all adverſity. When Nations are ungodly, God will deſtroy them, he will beat them in pieces, he will beat them in pieces one againſt another. When there is no holineſſe in him that comes in, nor in him that goes out, then there ſhall be no peace to him that goes in, or to him that goes out; When all is ſaid that can be ſaid, and when all is done that can be done, wicked men will ſtill be as unquiet as the raging and foaming ſea, Iſa. 57.20, 21. God will one day or another be ſtill at war with that man that is at peace with his ſin. It is ſaid of the Locuſts that came out of the bottomleſſe pit in Rev. 9.7, 8, 9. that they were like unto horſes, and on their heads were as it were Crowns of gold, and their faces as it were faces of men, and their hairs as the hair of a woman, and their teeth were as it were the teeth of Lions, &c. Here are quaſi Horſes, quaſi Crowns of gold, quaſi faces of men, quaſi hairs of a woman, and quaſi teeth of Lions, &c. Now juſt ſuch things are all the comforts and contentments of unholy perſons, their gold and ſilver, is but as it were gold and ſilver; and their proſperity and plenty is but as it were proſperity and plenty; their peace and tranquility is but as it were peace and tranquility; and their victories and triumphs are but as it were victories and triumphs; and their joys and rejoycings are but as it were joyes and rejoycings. But mark when the holy Evangeliſt comes to ſet down a deſcription of the Locuſts tails, he doth not ſay that there were as it were ſtrings in their rails; but in plain poſitive downright terms he tels you that there were ſtings in their tails, ver. 10. he tells you that their ſtings were true ſtings, real ſtings, certain ſtings; And ſo while men remain unholy, there are ſure and certain ſtings in the tails of all their comforts,Job 29.14. contentments and enjoyments. The beſt way on earth to have a ſure, a ſound, a ſolid, a laſting peace with God, with our ſelves, and with others, is to put onholineſſe as a Robe upon us, & to put all inquity far from us, Job 11.13, 20.
O Sirs, the worſer the times are, the better ſhould every man labour to be. Many complain of burdens, Taxes, oppreſſions,Iſa. 59.9, 10, 11, 14, 15. and vexations, and they ſay with thoſe, That Judgement is turned backward, and that Juſtice ſtandeth afar off, and that truth is fallen in the ſtreet, and that equity cannot enter, and that he that departeth from evil maketh himſelf a prey, that judgement is far from us, and that Juſtice doth not overtake us, that we wait for light, but behold obſcurity: for brightneſſe, but behold darkneſſe; that we grope for the wall like the blind, that we grope as if we had no eyes, that we ſtumble at noon-day, that we roar all like Bears, and mourn ſore like doves: that we look for Judgement, but there is none: and for ſalvation, but it is far off from us. Theſe and a thouſand more ſuch complaints may be found amongſt us. This Scripture laſt cited, puts me in mind of a ſtrange, but yet of a very true ſaying, viz. That there is more juſtice and equity in hell, then there is in France: for in hell, the oppreſſor is oppreſſed: in hell he that would not give a crumb of bread, ſhall not have a drop of water. In hell ſuch as ſhed innocent blood, have blood to drink; in hell there are no bribes, in hell there is none to plead an unrighteous cauſe, in hell there is no reſpect of perſons; in hell every man hath according to his deſerts: but in France it is otherwiſe, &c. And do not the ſtrong cries, tears, ſighs, groans and complaints of the poor and needy, of hirelings, orphans, and widows, &c. in moſt Nations ſtrongly demonſtrate that there is more Juſtice and Equity in hell, then there is in moſt of the Nations of the earth? But now what is the choiceſt ſalve for all theſe fores? certainly holineſſe. What is the moſt ſoveraign Remedy againſt all theſe maladies? nothing but holineſſe. O Sirs, the more holineſſe riſes in a Nation, the more will righteouſneſſe run down as mighty ſtreams, and the more the hearts of the poor and needy will leap and ſing for joy. There is no way to make a Nation happy but by making of it holy. O Sirs! as you are men, as you are Engliſh-men, as you love your Countrey, as you honour your King and Countrey, and as you deſire the peace, proſperity and felicity of your Countrey, labour to be holy. O England, England, it is holineſſe that will be a wall of fire about thee, and a glory in the midſt of thee: it is holineſſe that will make thee happy at home, and proſperous abroad. Among all Engliſh men, there is no man to the holy man: Certainly that man that is moſt buſie about mending his own heart and life, contributes moſt to the mending of the times. There are many ſturdy blades that will talk ſtifly for their Countrey, and that ſay that they will ſtand ſtoutly for their Countrey, and yet by their daily ungodlineſſe they do undo their Countrey: theſe men deſtroy by their lives, what they ſeem to build with their hands. And therefore as ever you would have all things that are out of order in order, labour for a well ordered heart, and a well ordered life. Holineſſe of converſation is the beſt means under heaven to prevent confuſion and deſolation.
Again, If you will look upon the preſent times as times wherein the Judgements of God are abroad in the world, I ſay if you will thus look upon them, then I ſay the times call aloud upon you for holineſſe. Iſa. 26.9. When thy Judgements are abroad in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteouſneſſe! O Sirs! when garments are rowld in blood, when the ſword devours the fleſh of the ſlain, when Juſtice laies heap upon heap; when peſtilence and famine deſtroyes all on the right hand and on the left. O! then every one will ſay, Come let us break off our ſins, let us turn to the Lord, let us mend our wayes, and reform our lives, and get holineſſe into our hearts. We behold many ſorer, heavier and worſe judgements then theſe are upon us this day, if we had but eyes to behold them. O! that hardneſſe of heart,Pſalm 78. Pſalm 81.12. That which was wont to be ſaid of Aſrick, that it was ever a producing ſome new monſter or other, may be ſaid of the Age, yea, of the land wherein we live. 2 Theſſ. 1.8, 9. Amos 8, 11, 12. that barrenneſſe of ſoul, that blindneſſe of mind, that ſearedneſſe of conſcience, that perverſneſſe of Spirit, that Superſtitious Will-worſhip, and that looſneſſe of life that multitudes are given up to this day! O! thoſe God-diſhonouring, thoſe Chriſt-denying, thoſe Ordinance-deſpiſing, thoſe Conſcience-waſting, thoſe life-corrupting, and thoſe Soul-damning opinions, principles, blaſphemies, and practices that multitudes are given up to this day! O! the ſpiritual decayes, the ſpiritual witherings, the ſpiritual ſlumberings, the ſpiritual faintings, the ſpiritual langiuſhings that are to be found among a profeſſing people this day! Now certainly there are no judgements to ſpiritual judgements; none reach the ſoul like theſe, none ſeperate between God and the ſoul like theſe: none lay men open to temporal and eternal judgements like theſe. Spiritual judgements are the moſt inſenſible judgements, they are the moſt dreadfull judgements, they are the moſt incureable judgements, they are the moſt damnning judgements of all judgements. Spiritual judgements have moſt of wrath and moſt of horror, and moſt of hell in them. O that now theſe terrible judgements are abroad in the earth, you would learn righteouſneſſe that you would learn to be holy! For as there is no ſuch ſence againſt, temporal judgements, as holineſſe; ſo there is no ſuch ſence againſt ſpiritual judgements as holineſſe. O the ſpiritual ſtrokes, the ſpiritual Arrows, the ſpiritual diſeaſes, the ſpiritual ſickneſſes, the ſpiritual plagues that are abroad in the world! and O that the dread and ſenſe of theſe might provoke you, and prevail with you to labour after real holineſſe, to labour after the power of godlineſs, which will be your greateſt ſecurity againſt theſe moſt deadly and ſoul-killing maladies!
Again, the dayes and times wherein we live, call aloud for holineſſe; if you look upon them as dayes and times of grace, what greater and higher engagements to holineſſe were ever put upon a people, then thoſe that God hath put upon us, who enjoy ſo many wayes, means and helps to make us holy? O the pains, the care, the coſt, the charge that God hath been at, and that God is daily at, to make us holy! Hath he not ſent,Jer. 7.13, 25. Chap. 25.3, 4. and chap. 35.14, 15. Iſa. 49.4, 5. 2 Cor. 12.14, 15. Rom. 13.11. ult. and doth he not ſtill ſend his Meſſengers, riſing up early, and going to bed late, and all to provoke you to be holy? Have not many of them ſpent their time, and ſpent their ſtrength, and ſpent their ſpirits, and ſpit up their lungs, and ſpent their very lives, to make you holy? O Sirs! what do holy Ordinances call for, but holy hearts and holy lives? What do dayes of light call for, but walking in the light, and caſting off the deeds of darkneſs? What is the voice of all the means of grace, but this, O labour to be gracious? And what is the voice of the holy Spirit, but this, O labour to be holy? And what is the voice of all the miracles of mercy that God hath wrote in the midſt of you, but this, Be ye holy, be ye holy? O Sirs, what could the Lord have done that he hath not done, to make you holy? Hath he not lifted you up to heaven, in reſpect of holy helps? Hath he not to this very day followed you cloſe with holy offers, and holy intreaties, and holy counſels, and holy encouragements, and all to make you holy? And will you be looſe ſtill, and proud ſtill, and worldly ſtill, and malicious ſtill, and envious ſtill, and contentious ſtill, and unholy ſtill? O what is this,Rev. 2 4, 5. Iſa. 32.25. but to provoke the Lord to put out all the lights of heaven, to drive your Teachers into corners, to remove your Candleſticks, and to ſend his everlaſting Goſpel, that hath ſtood long a tip-toe, among a people that may more highly prize it, and dearly love it, and ſtoutly defend it, and conſcientiouſly practice it, then you have done to this very day? By what hath been ſaid, I ſuppoſe there is nothing more evident, then that the times and ſeaſons wherein we live, calls aloud upon every one to look after holineſſe, and to labour for holineſſe; never complain of the times, but ceaſe to do evil, and labour to do well,Iſa. 1.16, 17, 18, 19. and all will be well; Get but better hearts, and better lives, and you will quickly ſee better times.
Fourteenthly, Conſider that holineſſe will render you moſt like to a holy God, a holy Chriſt, and to holy Angels. God is frequently called the holy one in Scripture; he is called the holy one above thirty times in the old Teſtament.Gold being the moſt precious mettal, you lay it over thoſe things that are moſt precious to you; ſo doth God lay holineſs over all thoſe things that are moſt precious to him. Angels are holy, and Saints are holy, but it is God alone that is the holy one. His perſon is holy, Iſa. 6.3. his name is holy, Luke 1.49. his works are holy, Pſalm 45.17. his judgements are holy, Pſalm 22.1, 2, 3. his habitation is holy, Iſa. 57.15. his Temple is holy, 1 Cor. 3.17. his Kingdom is holy, Rev. 21.27. his Word is holy, Pſalm 19. and his Sabbaths are holy, Exod. 16.23. Now this is Gods own Argument, Be ye holy, for I am holy, Lev. 19.2. 1 Pet. 1.15, 16. Concerning the holineſſe of God, I ſhall ſpeak at large (by divine aſſiſtance) when I come to preſs you upon perfecting of holineſſe, and therefore let this touch ſuffice for the preſent. Sirs, you cannot be l…ke to God in many other things, but you may be like to God in this one thing, in this noble thing, in this moſt neceſſary thing, Holineſſe; and therefore labour after it.
Again, as holineſſe will render you moſt like to a holy God, ſo holineſſe will render you moſt like to a holy Chriſt. The Apoſtle calls him the holy one, 1 John 2.20. Chriſt is eſſentially holy, he is infinitely holy, he is originally holy, he is ſingularly holy, he is eminently holy, he is perfectly holy, he is tranſcendently holy, and he is immutably holy: And ſo much the Devil himſelf confeſſeth, in Mark 1.24. I know thee who thou art, Alluding, as ſome think, to Exod. 28.36.the holy one of God, or rather as the Greek hath it, (foreign) that holy one by way of excellency and eminency. Yea Chriſt takes delight to characterize himſelf by this title, in Rev. 3.7. Theſe things ſaith he that is holy: And in Dan. 9.24. he is called the moſt holy; or as the Hebrew hath it,Kodeſh k…daſhim. the holineſs of holineſſes. Theſe abſtracts ſpeak out the vigour and ſtrength, the eminency and excellency of Chriſts holineſs: Chriſt is holineſs it ſelf, yea holineſſes; and what do theſe abſtracts ſpeak out, but that perfect and compleat holineſs that is in Chriſt: The Angels in Iſa. 6.3. do three times iterate or repeat, holy, holy, holy; now though ſome do conceive that this three-fold repetition hath reference to all the three perſons, holy Father, holy Son, and holy Spirit, yet they that will but compare the Text with John 12.37, 42. ſhall plainly ſee that it relates only to our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: and ſo the three-fold repetition denotes only the ſuperlative eminency of Chriſts holineſs. Chriſt is holy in his natures, in his offices, in his purpoſes, in his counſels, in his word, and in his works:Acts 4.23. Luke 1.35. Epheſ. 4. Gal. 2.20. His conception was holy, his converſation was holy, his converſe was holy, &c. Holineſs is the image of Chriſt, it is the picture of Chriſt, the perfections of Chriſt, it makes a man conformable to the life of Chriſt. Chriſts Holineſs, is that noble copy, after which we ſhould all endeavour to write: Subjects may without Treaſon or offence attempt to be like their Prince, in wiſdom, goodneſs, righteouſneſs, holineſs, peace, piety, clemency, and ſanctity; though they cannot without rebellion and diſobedience endeavour to be like him in power, greatneſs, might, majeſty, ſplendour and glory; ſo we may ſafely and honourably attempt to be like to Jeſus Chriſt in wiſdom, righteouſneſs, and holineſs, &c. It is Chriſts particular honour to be imitated in all morals abſolutely.Though we may not attempt to be like him in his miracles, ſigns and wonders. O Sirs! Some have counted it their greateſt honour and glory in this world, that they have been like ſuch and ſuch, who have been high and glorious in the world; and why then ſhould not you reckon it your greateſt glory and happineſs to be like to Chriſt in holineſs, though not in meaſure or quantity, yet in truth and reality. As you would reſemble Chriſt to the life, labour to be holy; in other things you cannot be like to Chriſt, but in holineſs you may; you cannot be like to Chriſt in his greatneſs, majeſty, or glory, nor yet in his omnipotency, omniſciency, nor omnipreſence, nor yet in his general or ſpecial providence, nor in a thouſand other things, but you may be like to Chriſt in his holineſs: Look as face anſwers to face (as Solomon ſpeaks) ſo you may reach to that holineſs that in reality may anſwer to the very holineſs of Chriſt: And this is your only way to be like to Chriſt.
All Angels in reſpect of their nature are alike, but what the particular differences are between Angels, Archangels, principalities and powers, and what their diſtinct offices are, I confeſs (with Auſtin) I underſtand not, neither is it my duty to know, nor my danger to be ignorant of theſe things, &c.Again, as holineſs will render you moſt like to a holy Chriſt, ſo holineſs will render you moſt like to the bleſſed Angels. The bleſſed Angels are holy in their nature, and holy in their offices, and holy in their actings; they are called holy Angels, Mat. 25.31. When the ſon of man ſhall come in his glory, and all his holy Angels with him; and ſo in Rev. 14.9, 10. And he that worſhippeth the beaſt, or that receives his mark in his fore-head, or in his hand, he ſhall be tormented with fire and brimſtone in the preſence of the holy Angels, and in the preſence of the Lamb. The Angels holineſs is their conformity to the original pattern of purity and excellency. The Crown of holineſs was ſet upon the heads of Angels at their Creation; thoſe Princes of glory were crowned with holineſs (as it were) in the cradle. The Angels are holy in their praiſes, and holy in their waitings, and holy in their operations, and holy in all their miniſtrations. Boddin tells a ſtory of one, who deſired of God the guidance and aſſiſtance of an holy Angel, and accordingly he had ſenſible manifeſtations of a holy Spirit that aſſiſted him, and followed him to his death; if in company he ſpake any unwary words, he was ſure to be advertiſed and reproved for it by a dream in the night; or if he read any book that was not good, the Angel would ſtrike upon the book, to cauſe him to leave reading in it. When that Sorcerer Balaam went to curſe the people of God, a holy Angel ſtood in the way, drew his ſword upon him, and juſtled his bones againſt the wall, and all to prevent the execution of his wicked and curſed intentions, Numb. 22.22. O! how much more then do they ſtand in the way of the Saints, to prevent thoſe weakneſſes and miſcarriages which Satan and their own corruptions would otherwiſe carry them to. And doubtleſs as they have a hand to reſtrain the Saints from evil, ſo they have an eye and an influence upon them for good: 1 Tim. 5.21. I charge you before God, and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and the Elect Angels, &c. The holy Angels have their eyes and their influences upon us; they are our obſervers and overſeers; they are called watchers in Dan. 4.17. for they watch our words, and they watch our works,1 Cor. 11.10. Hebr. 1. ult. Rev. 22.9. The Angels watch you in all places, caſes and conditions, &c. and they watch our wayes; they watch us before duties, and they watch us in duties, and they watch us after duties; they watch us before duties, to ſee how we prepare and fit our ſelves to meet with God; and they watch us in duties, to ſee how our graces are acted upon God, and how our hearts and affections are running out after God; and they watch us after duties, to ſee whether we walk worthy of God, and worthy of our duties, and worthy of our profeſſion, and worthy of our high calling. In times of health, ſtrength, peace, proſperity, &c. they watch to ſee how wiſely, holily, humbly, fruitfully, cheerfully, and thankfully we will walk with God; and in times of adverſity, they watch to ſee how believingly, how contentedly, how ſelf-denyingly, and how patiently we will ſubmit to God, &c. All which ſpeaks out the holineſs of the Angels. O! Sirs, you cannot in this world be like to the Angels in power, ſtrength, might, nor in agility, activity, ſplendour, beauty or glory; but yet you may be like to them in purity and ſanctity. Sirs, do not deceive your ſelves, you ſhall never be like to the Angels in glory, if you will not be like to them now in grace; if you will not with them now put on the robe of holineſs, you ſhall not with them hereafter put on the crown of happineſs. We are to follow the examples of the beſt men,1 Cor. 11.1. not an inch further then they were followers of Chriſt. Chriſtians (ſaith father Latimer) are not bound to be the Saints Apes, they are not to imitate them in every thing; where their examples were good, it is good to imitate them; and where they were bad, it is duty to decline them. The faireſt copies that ever were written by Saints, have their blots, their blurs, and their errata's, and therefore it is beſt, it is ſafeſt, it is nobleſt, to ſet the moſt exact, the moſt perfect, and the moſt excellent copy of the Angels before us; who as they excell in ſtrength, ſo they excell in holineſs alſo. Pſalm 103.20. Bleſs the Lord ye his Angels, that excell in ſtrength, that do his Commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his Word. The Angels obey divine commands readily, cheerfully, faithfully, univerſally, reverentially, humbly, affectionately, and unweariedly. O Sirs, ſuch obedience, ſuch holineſs will be your honour here, and your happineſs hereafter. To gather up all; as ever you would be like to a holy God, a holy Chriſt, and the holy Angels, labour to be holy. In holineſs you may be like them, in other things you cannot reſemble them. But,
In the fifteenth and laſt place, to provoke you to labour after holineſſe, conſider, the ſtinging Argument in the text, viz. That without it no man ſhall ſee the Lord: The expreſſion is excluſive; now, to ſee, is an Hebraeiſm, and implies both viſion and fruition; now without holineſs, no man, be he high or low, noble or ignoble, rich or poor, &c. ſhall ever come to a bleſſed acquaintance with God here, or to a glorious fruition of God hereafter.Gen. 3. chap. 4.13. and Levit. 14. 2 Sam. 14.13, 14. Jonah 2. Rev. 1.9. O friends, if it were ſo great a miſery to Adam to be caſt out of Paradiſe, and ſo great a puniſhment to Cain to be caſt out of his fathers family (which was the only viſible Church of God on earth) and ſuch a ſore affliction for the Lepers in the Law to be ſhut out from all converſe with men, and ſo great a trouble and torment to Abſalom to be baniſhed his fathers Court, and ſo great a hell to Jonah to be ſeemingly caſt out of Gods ſight, and ſo great a tribulation to John to be confined to the Iſle o… Patmos? O! how great a miſery, how great a puniſhment, how great an affliction, how great a trouble and torment, how great a tribulation, how great a hell will it be for all unholy perſons for ever and ever to be baniſhed the Court of heaven, and to be ſhut out from the preſence of the Lord,2 Theſ. 1.7, 11. and from the glory of his power? If it were ſuch an unſpeakable grief and miſery to the Primitive Chriſtians (as indeed it was) to be debarred of one anothers ſociety and company, by being confined to Iſles, and Mines, and ſtrong holds: O then, what an unſpeakable grief and miſery will it be to all unholy perſons to be for ever debarred of the bleſſed ſociety of God, Chriſt, Angels, and Saints, and to be everlaſtingly confined to the ſtrong holds of hell, and to the ſociety and company of that damned crew who will be ſtill a curſing and a blaſpheming of God, and adding to one anothers torments! O Sirs, it is the ſight of God in heaven, wherein mans happineſs and bleſſedneſs doth conſiſt; it is the fruition of God in heaven, that is the life, the honour, the crown and glory of Angels and Saints: Heaven it ſelf would be but a low thing, yea it would be but magnum nihil, a great nothing, without the ſight and fruition of God there. Now without holineſſe there is no ſeeing of God, there is no poſſeſſing or enjoying of God, there is no poſſibility of ever obtaining a part or portion in God. Ah friends, without holineſs all is loſt; thy ſoul is loſt, thy Chriſt is loſt, thy God is loſt, thy Crown is loſt, thy Heaven is loſt, thy glory is loſt, and what are all other loſſes to theſe loſſes? Demorrathus (of Corinth) ſaith, they loſt the chiefeſt part of their lives happineſs, that did not ſee Alexander ſit on the throne of Darius, but what was their loſs, to that unconceivable and unexpreſſible loſs, that all unholy perſons muſt ſuſtain, who ſhall never ſee the King of Kings in his beauty, who ſhall never behold the Lord on the throne of his glory! Well Sirs, if none of theſe Arguments can prevail with you to labour after holineſs, I muſt conclude that divine Juſtice hath hardened you, and that Satan hath blinded you, and that your luſts have beſotted you, and that this world hath bewitched you, and that it had been ten thouſand thouſand times better for you, that you had never been born, then to live without holineſs, and to die without holineſſe, and to be everlaſtingly damned for want of holineſſe. And thus much for the Motives.
I come now to lay down ſome means and helps to holineſs. Suppoſing that the language of ſome of your ſouls may be this: O, what ſhall we do to be holy! O what courſe, what way, what means muſt we uſe that we may obtain this holineſs, without which we now clearly ſee that we ſhall never come to a fruition of happineſs! Methinks I hear ſome of you crying out, Oh none but holineſs, none but holineſs: As that Martyr once cryed out, Oh none but Chriſt, none but Chriſt: Methinks I hear you crying out, O give me holineſs or I die: As Sampſon once cryed out, Give me water or I die: Or as Rachel once cryed out, Give me children or I die: So you cry out, O give us holineſs or we die, give us holineſs or we eternally die. O what ſhall we do to be holy! we ſee we are undone without holineſs, we ſhall be damned without holineſs. O! that we were but made holy, that hereafter we may be aſſuredly happy.
Well then, if you are in good earneſt reſolved to be holy, I would thus adviſe and counſel you: Firſt take heed of ſome things: Secondly, Labour to put in practiſe other things. The things that you are to avoid and ſhun, even as you would ſhun poyſon in your meat, or a Serpent in your way, yea as you would ſhun the Devil himſelf, or hell it ſelf, are theſe.
Firſt, Take heed of miſtaking ſome particular Scriptures, as that of Ezek. 14.6. Chap. 18.30, 31, 32. and Chap. 33 11, 14, 16, 19. from theſe and ſuch like Scriptures, many unholy hearts are apt to conclude that they can repent when they pleaſe, and that though they do defer their repentance, yet it is no ſuch difficult thing to confeſs their ſins at laſt caſt, and to be ſorry for their ſins at laſt caſt, and to forſake their ſins at laſt caſt, and to beg the pardon of their ſins at laſt caſt: And that if they do ſo, God hath given his Word for it, he hath given it under his own hand, that he will pardon their ſins, and ſave their ſouls. Now to prevent theſe ſoul-undoing miſtakes, thou muſt know O ſinner, Firſt, that thou canſt as well waſh a Blackamore white at pleaſure, as thou canſt repent at pleaſure; thou canſt as well raiſe the dead at pleaſure,Jer. 13.23. chap. 31.18. Lam. 5.21. Acts 5.31. Eph. 1.17, 18, 19. 2 Tim. 2.25. Acts 11.18. as thou canſt repent at pleaſure; thou canſt as well make a world at pleaſure, as thou canſt repent at pleaſure; thou canſt as well ſtop the courſe of the Sun at pleaſure, as thou canſt repent at pleaſure; thou canſt as well put the Sea in a Cockle-ſhell at pleaſure, and meaſure the earth with a ſpan at pleaſure, as thou canſt repent at pleaſure; witneſs the proofs in the margin. I confeſs that if to repent, were to hang down the head like a Bull-ruſh for a day, or to whine with Saul for an hour, or to put on ſackcloath and walk ſoftly with Ahab for a ſhort ſpace, or to confeſs with Judas, I have ſinned, or to ſay with Simon Magus, Pray to the Lord for me, or to tremble with Felix for a moment; I ſay, if this were to repent, doubtleſs you might repent at pleaſure; but alas friends, to repent is another thing, to repent is the hardeſt and difficulteſt work in the world; and that will appear in the next particular. And therefore,
Secondly, To repent, is to turn a flint into fleſh, it is to turn darkneſs into light, hell into heaven; and is this eaſie?Ezek. 36.25, 26. Acts 26.18. Ezek. 16.61, 62, 63. To repent, is to make all clean, in-ſide clean, and out-ſide clean; it is to make a clean head and a clean heart, a clean lip and a clean life; and is this eaſie? True repentance includes a true ſenſe of ſin, a deep ſorrow for ſin, a hearty loathing of ſin, and a holy ſhame and bluſhing for ſin;chap. 29.43. and is this eaſie? To repent, is for a man to loath himſelf as well as his ſin; and is this eaſie, for man, that is ſo great a ſelf-lover,2 Corin. 7.10, 11. and ſo great a ſelf-exalter, and ſo great a ſelf-admirer, to become a ſelf-loather? To repent, is to croſs ſinful ſelf, it is to walk contrary to ſinful ſelf, yea it is to revenge a mans ſelf upon himſelf; and is this eaſie? To repent, is to pluck out right eyes, and to cut off right hands, and offer up only Iſaacs; and is this eaſie? True repentance is a daily turning of the ſoul further and further from ſin, and a daily turning of the ſoul nearer and nearer to God. It is a repentance not to be repented of; it is a repentance from ſin, as well as a repentance for ſin: Sin hath caſt the ſoul at ſuch a diſtance from God, that though the ſoul be every day a turning nearer and nearer to God, yet it can never (in this life) get ſo near him as once it was, and as in heaven it ſhall be. And now tell me, O ſoul, is this ſuch an eaſie thing to be every day a turning thy back upon ſin, and a turning thy face nearer and nearer to God? ſurely no: True repentance lies in a daily dying to ſin, and in a daily living to him who lives for ever. The very life of repentance, is the repentance of the life; and is this eaſie? But,
Thirdly, True repentance is a turning, not from ſome ſin, but from every ſin. Ezek. 18.30. Repent and turn your ſelves from all your tranſgreſſions, ſo iniquity ſhall not he your ruine. Ezek. 18.21.31. and chap. 20.43. He that had the ſpot of Leproſie in any one part of his body, was accounted a Leper, although all the reſt of his body were ſound and whole, Levit. 13. So he that hath but one ſpot, one ſin which he doth not endeavour to waſh out in the blood of Chriſt, and in the tears of true repentance, he is a Leper in the account of God. It was an excellent ſaying of Luther, Optima & aptiſſima poenitentia eſt nova vita.Every ſin ſtrikes at the Law of God, the honour of God, the being of God, and the glory of God, and therefore the penitent muſt ſtrike at all. Every ſin fetcheth blood from the heart of Chriſt, and every ſin is a grief and vexation to the Spirit of Chriſt, and therefore the penitent muſt ſet upon crucifying of all: Every ſin is an enemy to a mans peace, and to a mans comfort, and to a mans confidence, and to a mans aſſurance, and to a mans communion with God, and therefore he muſt ſet upon forſaking of all. If ever thou art ſaved, O man, thou muſt repent as well of thy Achans as thy Abſaloms, of thy Rimmons as of thy Mammons, of thy Davids as of thy Goliahs, of thy ſecret as well as thy open ſins, of thy loved as well as of thy loathed luſts, of thy babe-tranſgreſſions as well as of thy Giant-like provocations: If thy repentance be not univerſal, it will never be effectual: If a ſhip ſpring three leaks, and only two be ſtopt, the third will certainly ſink the ſhip; or if a man hath two dangerous wounds in his body, and takes only order for the cure of one, the other will undoubtedly kill him; or if a man hath two grievous diſeaſes upon him, and will only deal with the Phyſitian for remedies againſt the one, he will without all peradventure periſh by the prevalency of the other. Herod turned from many ſins, but not from his Dalilah, his Herodias, which was his ruine. Judas you know was a Devil in an Angels habit, he ſeemed to be turned from every ſin, but he was not; he was a ſecret thief, he loved the bag, and that golden Devil, Covetouſneſs, choaked him, and hanged him at laſt. Saul for a time turned from ſeveral evils, but his ſparing one Agag, coſt him his ſoul and his Kingdom at a clap. I have read a ſtory of a devout man, who amongſt other gifts, had the gift of healing, and many perſons reſorted to him for cure: Among the reſt, one Chromatius, who being ſick, ſent for him, and told him of his ſickneſs, and deſired that he might have the benefit of cure, as others had before him: The devout man replyed, I cannot do it till thou haſt beaten all the Images in thy houſe to pieces. O that ſhall be done ſaid Chromatius; Here take my keyes, and where you find any images, break them in pieces; which accordingly was done; upon this the devout man went to prayer, but no cure was wrought; whereupon the ſick man cryed out, O I am as ſick as ever, O I am very weak and ſick ſtill: It cannot be otherwiſe, replyed the devout perſon, neither can I help it, for there is doubtleſs one Idol yet in your houſe undiſcovered, and that muſt be defaced too: True (ſaith Chromatius) it is ſo indeed, it is all of beaten gold, it coſt 200. l. I would fain have ſaved it, but here take my keyes again, you ſhall find it faſt lock't up in my cheſt, break it alſo in pieces; which being done, the devout man prayed, and Chromatius was healed. The moral of it is good; the ſin-ſick ſoul muſt break, not ſome, but all its Idols in pieces, before a cure will follow. It muſt deface its golden Idols, its moſt coſtly Idols, its moſt darling Idols; the returning ſinner muſt make head againſt all his ſins, and trample upon all his luſts, or elſe he will die and be undone for ever; and though this be as difficult as it is noble, yet it is no more then what God hath engaged to do, and to ſee done, as you may ſee by comparing Ezek. 36.25, 26, 27. with Iſa. 30.21, 22. Now is this an eaſie thing, to turn from every ſin, to loath every ſin, and to abandon every ſin, with a Get you hence, for what have I more to do with you? Hoſ. 14.8. Surely no. As Nehemiah caſt out Tobiah and all his houſhold-ſtuff, in Nehem. 13.6, 7, 8. ſo true repentance, it caſts out Satan and all his retinue; As Moſes would not leave ſo much as a hoof behind him, Exod. 10.26. So true repentance will not leave ſo much as a luſt behind; a diſpenſatory conſcience is alwayes an evil conſcience; he that can diſpenſe with one ſin, will, when opportunity preſents, commit any ſin. And as the flood made clean work, it ſwept away all Noahs friends, and drowned all his ſervants; ſo the flood of penitent tears makes clean work, it ſweeps away every luſt, it drowns every corruption in reſpect of love and dominion. And as ſome Conquerours would not give ſo much as one of their enemies Quarter; ſo true repentance will not give one luſt quarter; it falls heavily upon the bones of every ſin, and nothing but the blood and death of ſin will ſatisfie the penitent ſoul; the true penitent is for the mortifying of every luſt that hath had a hand in crucifying of his deareſt Saviour. It was worthily (and wittily) ſaid by one, that true repentance ſtrips us ſtark naked of all the garments of the old Adam, and leaves not ſo much as the ſhirt behind. Well Sirs, remember this, to repent of ſin, and yet to live in ſin, is a contradiction; And if thou repenteſt with a contradiction (ſaith Tertullian) God will pardon thee with a contradiction; thou repenteſt and yet continueſt in thy ſin, God will pardon thee, and yet ſend thee to hell; theres a pardon with a contradiction.
Again fourthly, if repentance be ſuch an eaſie work as you ſuppoſe, I beſeech you tell me, why do many men lie under ſuch horrours and terrours of conſcience as they do, for not repenting, when as repentance would quickly give them eaſe, and turn their hell into a heaven! I was laſt Winter with a young man, who upon his dying-bed for ſeveral hours together, being in a dreadful agony, lay crying out, I am damn'd, I am damn'd, I am damn'd, I am damn'd! Ah how ſoon would this poor wretch have got out of this hell, if it had been ſo eaſie a thing to have repented, as you imagine it is! and how many, when they have been preſt to repent, have profeſſed, that if they might have a thouſand worlds to repent, they could not repent! And will you ſay that repentance is eaſie? How many have ſought repentance with tears, and would have bought repentance with the price of their deareſt blood, but could not obtain it? and will you ſay that repentance is eaſie? O Sirs, is it good to be damn'd? is it good to go to hell? is it good to dwell with a devouring fire, and to live in everlaſting burnings? Is it good to have your habitations amongſt Devils and damned ſpirits? Is it good to be baniſhed the Court of heaven, and to be ſeparated for ever from the glorious preſence of God, and the ſweet enjoyments of Chriſt, and the bleſſed ſociety of Angels and Saints, and the fruition of all the happineſs that heaven affords? O no! O no! O why then do not men prevent all this by repentance, if it be ſuch an eaſie thing to repent! But,
Laſtly, If repentance be ſuch an eaſie work, why then do your hearts ſo riſe both againſt the Doctrine of repentance, and againſt thoſe that preach it and preſs it? of all words, is not the word of repentance the hardeſt word to read? and of all ſayings and Sermons,Joh. 6.60. is not that of repentance the hardeſt to hear and bear? Luther confeſſes that before his converſion he met not with a more diſpleaſing word in all the Scripture, nor in all his ſtudy of Divinity, then that word Repent. O man! if repentance be ſo eaſie, why doth thy ſpirit rage, and why doth thy heart ſo ſwell and riſe againſt thoſe that preach repentance unto life? Of all Preachers,Mat. 3.2. Acts 2. &c. there are none that do ſo diſpleaſe and move thee, that do ſo cut and gall thee, as thoſe that are ſtill a crying out, Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. Repentance is the vomit of the ſoul; and ah how do ſinners hearts riſe againſt that Phyſick, and thoſe that bring it? Repentance is the bleeding of the ſoul; and ah how do wicked men ſtorm and take on at that hand that lets them blood?Iſa. 30.10. Jer. 5.30, 31. chap. 14.14. chap. 23.11. to the end. You love thoſe that preach pleaſing things, that tickle your ears, though they never touch your hearts; that pleaſe your fancies, though they never meddle with your conſciences; and one Sermon of mercy you prefer before a thouſand Sermons of repentance. Now certainly if repentance were ſo eaſie to you, the Doctrine of repentance would be more pleaſing to you. For a cloſe, know, that that white Devil who now preſents repentance to thee as the eaſieſt thing in the world, He will at laſt caſt, to work thee to deſpair, and to cut the throat of thy ſoul, preſent it not only as a hard and difficult work, but as an impoſſible work. O that theſe things may be ſo bleſt unto you, as to preſerve you from being deceived and deluded with a conceit that repentance is eaſie, and ſo by this means keep you from labouring to be holy!
Now as to that part of the plea (from the Scriptures formerly cited) viz. That hereafter will be time enough to repent; I ſhall thus reply, Certainly the preſent call of God, the uncertainty of the Spirits motion, and the danger of delay, calls upon thee for preſent repentance; it is a dangerous thing to deal with God, as ill Debtors do by their Creditors; firſt they put them off one week, and then another week, and then a third week, &c. till at laſt they provoke their Creditors to caſt them into priſon, and to practiſe all ſeverity upon them; they that thus deal with God, ſhall be as ſeverely dealt with by God, as you may ſee in Prov. 1.24. to 32. The antient warriers would not receive an old man into their Army; and doſt thou think O vain man,It is reported that God ſhould ſay to a man who deſired to repent in his old age, Ʋbi conſumpſiſti farinam, ibi conſume furfurem: Where you have ſpent your flour, there go ſpend your bran, &c. that when thou haſt ſpent thy time, and waſted thy ſtrength, and exhauſted thy ſpirits in the work of Satan, and in the ſervice of thy luſts, that God will receive thee to his grace and favour? If thou doſt thus flatter thy ſelf, it is ten thouſand to one but that thou wilt deceive thy ſelf; that God that hath made a promiſe to late repentance, hath made no promiſe of late repentance; & though true repentance is never too late, yet late repentance is ſeldom true: Ah how many millions are now in hell, who have thought, and reſolved, and ſaid, that they would repent hereafter, but that hereafter never came! Thou ſaiſt to morrow, to morrow thou wilt repent, when thou knoweſt not what a to morrow will bring forth. Alas! how many thouſand wayes may death ſurprize thee, before to morrow comes? Though there be but one way to come into the world, yet there is a thouſand thouſand wayes to be ſent out of the world. O the diſeaſes, the hazards, the dangers, the accidents, the deaths, that daily, that hourly attend the life of man! A Jewiſh Rabbin preſſing the practice of repentance upon his Diſciples, exhorted them to be ſure to repent the day before they died; to which one of them replyed, that the day of a mans death was very uncertain; to which the Rabbin made anſwer, Repent therefore every day, and then you ſhall be ſure to repent the day before you die. O Sirs, except you do repent to day, you cannot tell that you ſhall repent the day before you die; for who knows to day, but that he may die to morrow? It was once demanded of one,Auſtin. What he would ſay of a wicked man who had lived looſly, but died penitently? &c. to whom he replyed, What would you have me ſay? That he is damned? I will not, for I have nothing to do to judge him. Shall I ſay that he is ſaved? I dare not, for I would not deceive thee; what then? Why this, repent thou out of hand, and thou art ſafe, whatever is become of him. Ah friends, you are never ſafe till you repent; it is repentance that puts you out of all danger of miſcarrying for ever. Shall the husband-man take his preſent ſeaſons for ſowing and reaping? Shall the good Tenant repair his houſe while the weather is fair? Shall the careful Pilot take his advantage of wind and tide, and ſo put out to Sea? Shall the Traveller mend his pace, when he ſees the night comes on? and ſhall the Smi… ſtrike when the Iron is hot? and ſhall not we take the preſent opportunity of repenting and turning to the Lord? Remembring that there will be a time when time ſhall be no more;He. 12.17. Luke 13.24, 27. and when there ſhall be no place found for repentance, though it ſhould be ſought carefully with tears; and remembring that there will be a time when thy glaſs will be out, & when the door will be ſhut, and when there will be no entrance at all. And remembring that it is a ſafer courſe with prudent Prometheus to foreſee a danger and ſhun it, then with fooliſh Epimetheus to go on unadviſedly, and be puniſhed.