The Crown and Glory of Christianity, Uses · Use and exhortation 3 · Objections · Objection 6
But Sixthly, Some may further object and ſay, Should we purſue after holineſs, it would be a diſgrace, a diſparagement and diſhonour to us, who are high, and great, and rich, and honorable in the earth: We are Gentlemen, we are well bred and high-borne, and holineſs ſeemes to be too poor and too low a thing for ſuch as we are to look after, &c.
Now to fence and arme you againſt this objection, give me leave to propoſe to your moſt ſerious thoughts, theſe following Conſiderations, &c.
Firſt, That holineſs is mans greateſt honour and excellency, and this I have made evident at large in the third motive to holineſs, yea holineſs is the crown, excellency,In the other motives you will finde holineſs to be the honor of God, Chriſt, and Angels, &c. and glory of all a mans excellencies and glories, as has been fully proved in the fifth motive to holineſs, yea and that which is yet more, holineſs reflects honour not only upon a mans own perſon, but it reflects honour alſo upon a mans neare and deare relations, yea upon the very Countrey, City, or Towne, where he was borne, as is made good at large in the ſix…h motive to holineſs, to which I refer you for more full and compleate ſatisfaction to this objection. But,
Secondly, Ah how is man fallen from his Primitive glory, that looks now upon holineſs as his diſgrace, as his diſcredit and diſhonor,Mercury could not kill Argus till he had caſt him into aſleep, and with an inchanted rod cloſed his eyes; ſo the Devill can never hurt the ſoul, nor kill the ſoul, till he has caſt the ſinner into a deep ſleep of carnall ſecurity. which in innocency was the top and crowne of all his glory and felicity! Ah how has ſin blinded, be beaſted and beſotted the ſons of men, that they ſhould look upon that to be their reproach, which is their higheſt honor in this world; and to look upon that to be their diſgrace, which alone puts a grace upon them; and to look upon that to be their diſcredit, which can only bring them into credit with God, Angels, and good men.*Auguſt. Confeſſ. lib. 2. cap. 3. Auguſtine confeſſeth that it was juſt thus ſometimes with him, for he was ſtricken with ſuch blindneſs, that he thought it a ſhame unto him to be leſs vile and wicked then his companions, whom he heard boaſt of their lewdneſs, and glory ſo much the more by how much they were the more filthy; therefore, ſaith he, leaſt I ſhould be of no account I was the more vitious, and when I could not otherwiſe match others, I would feigne that I had done thoſe things which I never did, leaſt I ſhould ſeeme ſo much the more abject, by how much I was the more innocent, and ſo much the more vile, by how much I was the more chaſte. Ah, what will not a ſoul blinded by ſin ſay and doe, when the work of holineſs is not formed in him? Sin has certainly caſt that ſinner into a wofull Lethargy, who is the father of this objection; now 'tis obſerved of thoſe that are fallen into a Lethargy, that their bodies are ſubject to a continuall drowſineſs, and their memories are ſo weak that they cannot remember any thing that they ſpeak or do, nay it do's ſo far debaſe them, that they forget the very neceſſary actions of life; and juſt ſo has ſin dealt with theſe Objectors ſouls, it has caſt them under ſuch a ſpirituall drowſineſs, yea it has caſt them into ſuch a deadly and fearfull ſleep, that it makes them forget the unum neceſſarium, the one thing neceſſary, viz. holineſs. Souls under a ſpirituall Lethargy, forget their loſt and lamentable condition, they forget how far off they are from God, Chriſt, heaven, and ſalvation, and they forget how neare they are to hell, to ruine, to everlaſting burnings, and to utter perdition and deſtruction. It is obſervable of the Smiths dogge, that neither the noyſe of hammers by him, nor the ſparks of fire flying about him, nor thoſe that light upon him, doe any whit awaken him, but he ſnorts and ſleepes on ſecurely in the midſt of all; ſo ſin has caſt the ſinner into ſo deep a ſleep, that though the ſparks of hell-fire in the threatnings fly about him, and the hammers of Gods Judgements makes a noyſe on all ſides of him, yet he is ſo ſtupified and benum'd, that nothing will awaken him to behold his ſpirituall and eternall hazard, but he ſleeps on ſecurely, and ſo is like to doe (if infinite grace and mercy do's not prevent) till he awakes with everlaſting flames about his eares. When a man is in a deep Lethargy, if you pinch him with pincers, or prick him with needles, he feels it not, if you ſcourge him he cryes not, if you threaten him he feares not, or if you ſpeak him faire he regards it not, &c. Now this is the condition of ſuch that are in a ſpirituall Lethargy, let the Judgements of God be denounced, and let the terrours of the Law be preached they tremble not, let the flames of hell-fire flaſh upon their ſouls they regard it not, for they are Sermon-proof, and Judgement-proof, and hell-proof. Now this is thy very caſe O ſinner, who cryeſt out that the purſuit of holineſs will turne to thy diſgrace and diſcredit in the world; for were thy eyes but open to ſee the neceſſity, beauty, & excellency of holineſs, O then thou wouldſt call for holineſs, and cry for holineſs, and ſearch for holineſs, & preſs for holineſs, as that which is the chiefeſt ornament, & the only honor and glory of the Creature. But,
Thirdly, I anſwer, That 'tis not holineſs but wickedneſs, 'tis not ſanctity but impiety, that is the reproach, the diſhonor, the diſgrace, and diſparagement of man. Pro. 14.34. Righteouſneſs exalts a nation; but ſin is a reproach to any people, or as the Hebrew has it, to nations. foreign Nations or peoples.The world uſually accounts either beggerlineſs of eſtate, or badneſs of ſcituation, or rudeneſs of behaviour, or changes in Government, or dulneſs of invention, or a diſuſe of Armes, or ſome ſuch like imperfections to be the reproach of Nations; but the holy Ghoſt tells us, that 'tis ſin, 'tis ſin that is the reproach of nations, that is the ſhame of nations, that is the contempt and ſcorne of nations, and that blots and blurres all the excellencies and glories of nations; impious perſons makes the nations infamous, and the more impious any nation, City, or perſon is, the more infamous that nation, City, or perſon is. Pro. 6.32, 33. But who ſo committeth adultery with a woman, What an indeleble blot was this ſtill upon David, viz. That his heart was upright in all things ſave in the matter of Ʋriah.lacketh underſtanding: he that doth it deſtroyeth his own ſoul. A w…und and diſhonour ſhall he get, and his reproach ſhall not be wiped away. There is nothing that is ſuch a blemiſh and ſuch a wound to a mans honor as ſin; ſin leaves ſuch a blot, ſuch a blurr, and ſuch a reproach upon a mans name, fame, and reputation, that no Art, no paines ſhall ever be able to wipe it out; all the water in the Sea cannot waſh away, nor all the rubbing in the world cannot wipe away the diſgrace, diſdaine, and contempt, that enormities, that wickedneſſes lays a people under. Jer. 24.9. And I will deliver them to be removed, into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach, and a proverb, a taunt and a curſe in all places whether I ſhall drive them. 'Twas not for their holineſs, their godlineſs, but for their wickedneſs and ungodlineſs, that God was reſolv'd to make them a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curſe in all places. Pro. 10.7. The memory of the Juſt is bleſſed: but the name of the wicked ſhall rot. The wickedneſs of the wicked heaps ſo much diſgrace, diſparagement, and diſhonor upon them, that it makes their very names to rot and ſtinke above ground; their carkaſſes doe not more rot and ſtinke under ground, then their very names do rot and ſtinke above ground; the wickedneſs of the wicked, will make their very names ſuch a deteſtation and ſuch an abhorring, that they ſhall either not be remembred at all, or if they be, they ſhall be only remembred as a rotten ſtinking putrified thing. As the curſe of God follows the ſoul of a wicked man to hell, ſo the curſe of God follows the name of a wicked man on earth, ſo that it becomes moſt noyſome and loathſome among the ſons of men. Sin do's ſo debaſe and bebeaſt the great ones of the world, that the Prophets (as Grotius hath rightly obſerv'd) uſe to ſet forth wicked Kings by the names of Beaſts,Dan. 7, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Pro. 28.15, 16. as the Goat, the Ram, the Léopard, the Beare, to note the beaſtlineſs of their conditions, and becauſe they commonly maintaine and exerciſe their government by brutiſh violence and Tyranny. And Chriſt himſelfe who never ſpoke Treaſon nor Sedition, tearmes king Herod a Fox in that Luke 13.32. And he ſaid unto them, goe ye and tell that Fox, behold I caſt out devils, and I doe cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I ſhall be perfected. Herod was as crafty and as ſubtile as Fox, he was as cruel and as fraudulent as a Fox; and therefore he is very fitly tearmed by Chriſt a Fox. And ſo Paul deſcribes Nero by the name of a Lyon, 2 Tim. 4.17. And I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lyon, that is, out of the mouth of Nero, who for his power and cruelty was like a Lyon, for he was a moſt cruell and deſperate perſecutor of the Chriſtians, and made a bloody decree, that whoſoever confeſſed himſelf a Chriſtian, ſhould without any more adoe be put to death a… a convicted enemy of mankinde. Now by what has been ſaid you ſee that 'tis not holineſs but wickedneſs that is the greateſt diſgrace, diſhonor and diſparagement imaginable to the ſons of men; and therefore there is no reaſon why the great ones of the world ſhould diſdaine to purſue after holineſs upon the account of this objection. But,
Fourthly, I anſwer, That this objection ſavours ſtrongly of curſed pride, and of helliſh loftineſs and ſtatelineſs of ſpirit; for who art thou, O great mountaine? who art thou O great man?Zech. 4.7. Calvin hath this note on that 1 Pet. 5.5. viz. (Regis animum quiſ que intra ſe habet,) every man hath in him the minde of a King. or what art thou O mighty man? but that thou mayeſt be diſhonored, and diſparaged for holineſs ſake? what are thy great ſwelling Titles, but as ſo many Rattles? what are thy Honors, but as ſo many Meteors? and what is all thy worldly greatneſs, but a winde that may blow thee the ſooner to hell? all thy glory is but a glorious fancy, a magnum nihil, a great nothing; and this Haman and Herod found by experience, and ſo did Julius Caeſar, and Auguſtus Caeſar, who gave a charge to the Pretors of Rome, that they ſhould not ſuffer his name to be worne thread-bare. Bajazet who was one of the greateſt Commanders in the world, was carried about in an I…on-grate to be a foot-ſtool to an inſulting Conquerour. And Beliſarius the moſt famous Generall that the latter Age of the Roman Empire knew, and in greateſt favour with Juſtinian his Prince, was reduced to that great want that he was faine to beg his bread. And thus in all Ages men have quickly fallen from the higheſt pinacle of honor, to ſit with Job upon the dunghill. The true honor of a Souldier lyes not in boaſting of the nobleneſs of his linage, nor in the blazing of his Armes, nor in telling of large Stories of his Pedigrees and Genealogies, nor in his brave Cloaths, nor in his rich plunder, &c. but his honor lyes in a torne Buckler, a crackt Helmet,Of theſe Biron the French Marſhall boaſted at his death. And ſo did many of the Romans. a blunt Sword, and in the ſcarres and wounds that he has received in the defence of his Countrey; ſo thy true honor, O thou great piece of vanity, (that makeſt this objection) do's not lye in thy Coat of Armes, nor in thy great Titles, nor in thy great Lordſhips and Mannors, nor in thy high Birth, &c. but in thy intereſt in Chriſt, in thy new birth, in thy being an heire of the promiſes, in thy Title to heaven, and in thy purſuit after holineſs; and verily, if you ſhould live and dye without theſe things, it had been ten thouſand times better that you had been brought up in a Cave, then that you had been brought up at Court, and that you had all your dayes laine under a hedge, then that you have ſit ſo long upon ſeats of honor, and that you had begg'd your bread from dore to dore, then that you have had your full Cups and full Tables, and that you had been cloth'd with Raggs, then that you have put on coſtly Robes, and that you had rather been a turning of Spits, then a toſſing of Pots or Pipes, for the great things of this world do's but lay men the more open to great Temptations, and to great provocations, even to commit the greateſt abominations. O! Sirs, Suppoſe a criminous perſon, who is led to execution, ſhould ingrave his Coat of Armes upon the Priſon-Gate, would he not be accounted vaine and mad? and yet ſuch is the madneſs and vanity of the great ones of this world, that they endeavour with the greateſt induſtry to leave monuments of their dignity in the priſon of this world,Pſal. 49.10.—15. but take no care to make proviſion for another world; and all this is out of the horrid pride and loftineſs of their ſpirits. Pſal. 10.4. The wicked through the pride of his countenance, will not ſeek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. There is nothing that hinders a man from ſeeking after a holy God, and from purſuing after holineſs like pride; A proud heart is too ſtout to thinke of holineſs, or to mind holineſs, or to prize holineſs, or to preſs after holineſs:Exod. 5.2. Who is the Lord, ſays proud Pharoah, that I ſhould ſerve him? ſo ſays the proud heart, who is holineſs? and what is holineſs, that I ſhould ſeek it, and preſs ſo hard after it? As there is no ſin that fortifies the heart againſt holineſs like pride, ſo there is no ſin that weakens & diſ-inables the heart to purſue after holineſs like pride. O! you proud and lofty ones of the world, who look upon holineſs as a poor low contemptible thing; tell me, what are all your noble births, and great eſtates, &c. but triſles that God beſtowes upon the worſt and baſeſt of men? The whole Turkiſh Empire, ſays Luther, is but a Cruſt that God caſts to a Dogge. Tell me, whether the Fly and the Worme, yea the moſt contemptible creature (if there be any ſuch) was not mans elder Brother at his firſt creation, and if ſo, why then ſhould vaine man be proud? O tell me, whether thou haſt ever laid to heart that ſoul-abaſing and ſoul-humbling text, Pſal. 39.5.The originall runs elegantly. Verily every man at his beſt eſtate is altogether vanity. Selah: Verily lets that in, and Selah ſhuts that up, verily every man, not ſome man, but every man, Col Adam, Col Hebel, all Adam is all vanity, or every man is every vanity;foreign every man is a comprehenſive vanity, every rich man is every vanity, and every great man is every vanity, and every mighty man is every vanity, and every Noble man is every vanity; yea and that which is yet more, every man at his beſt eſtate, not in his childhood or decrepit age, but in his beſt eſtate, when he is beſt conſtituted and under-laid, when he is moſt firmly fixed and ſetled on his beſt bottom, yet even then he is vanity. The Original runs thus, every man ſtanding, that is,foreign (as ſome carry it) ſtanding a Tip-toe in all his Gallantry and bravery, in all his beauty and glory, and in all his pomp and majeſty, is vanity, yea every vanity. Well Sirs, remember this, that as rotten wood and Glow-worms make a glorious ſhew in the night, but when the day appeares, they appeare to be poore deſpicable baſe creatures; ſo though now the high, the great, and mighty ones of the earth ſhine and gloriouſly ſparkle in the darkneſs of this world, yet in that day when the Sun of righteouſneſs ſhall ariſe, and manifeſt the ſecrets of all hearts to the world, and ſtrip the great ones of all their Titles of honor, and their noble parentage, and their rich and royal Robes, and their Troopes and Traines, and their crowns and chains, then they will appeare to be but baſe and deſpicable creatures, then their poverty and miſery, their nakedneſs and vileneſs will appeare to all the world, then the world ſhall ſee that riches without righteouſneſs, power without piety, and greatneſs without holineſs, will doe the Gods of this world no good. O that thou hadſt now a heart to weep over that pride of heart that keeps thee from purſuing after holineſs, that ſo thou mayeſt not weep to all eternity in utter darkneſs. But,
Fifthly, and laſtly, I anſwer, That there are no perſons under heaven that ſtand ſo much obliged to look after holineſs, and to preſs with all their might to obtaine holineſs, as the rich, the great, the mighty, and the honorable of the earth; For, firſt, why has God made them greater then others, but that they ſhould labour to be better then others? they are therefore higher then others, that they may be holier then others; the greatneſs of their outward glory, calls aloud upon them to excell in ſanctity; and woe to them that are reſolv'd to be worſe then others, becauſe God has done more for them then he has for others. Secondly, They of all men have more time, leaſure, and advantages to heare much that they be holy, and to reade much that they may be holy, and to pray much that they may be holy, and to confer much with all ſorts and ranks of men, that they may be holy; and therefore it concerns them above all other men in the world to be holy: Other men have neither the time, nor the advantages to gaine holineſs as theſe men have: The poor people in Sweden ſay, that 'tis only for Gentlemen to keep the Sabbath. But, Thirdly, Their examples are moſt powerfull and prevalent with the people, either for much good,Pro. 29.12. or for much evill. If the mountains overflow with waters, the vallies are the better; and if the head be full of ill humors, the whole body fares the worſe. The Actions of Rulers are moſt commonly rules for the peoples actions, and their examples paſſeth as currant as their Coine:Eſth. 1.10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18. Vide. Its noted in King Alphonſus ſayings, that a great man cannot commit a ſmall ſin. If their examples are evill, there are none ſo dangerous as theirs. Jeroboam the Son of Nebat, is never mentioned in the Scripture, nor never read of in the Chronicles of Iſrael, but he draws a Tayle after him, like a blazing Star, who made Iſrael to ſin. A ſick head diſordereth all the other parts, and a dark eye benights the whole body. The evill examples of great men, corrupts the Aire round about. The common people are like tempered wax, eaſily receiving impreſſions from the Seals of great mens vices. If a Peaſant meet with Luxury in a ſcarlet Robe, he dares be ſuch, having ſo faire a cloake for it. If the vulgar people meet with drunkenneſs under a black Caſſock, they dare be ſuch; they make no bones on't to ſin by preſcription, and to damn themſelves with Authority. Auſtin brings in ſome excuſing their compliances with the ſinfull cuſtomes of thoſe times in drinking healths, thus, Great perſonages urged it, and it was at the Kings Banquet, where they judged of Loyalty by Luxury, and put us upon this election, drink or die; they thought it a ſufficient excuſe to plead the examples of great men.
And if their examples are vertuous, there are none ſo winning and drawing as theirs.Carus the Romane Emperour us'd to ſay, Bonus duae bonus comes, A good leader makes a good follower. It is obſervable in the very courſe of nature, that the higheſt Spheres are alwayes the ſwifteſt in their motion, and carry about with them the inferior Orbes by their celerity; ſo men that are high and eminent in Authority, power, and dignity, and eminent alſo in grace and holineſs, they carry the inferior people by their examples to a liking of holineſs, and to a love of holineſs, and to a purſuit after holineſs. As the biggeſt Stars in the Firmament are alwayes the brighteſt, and gives the greateſt luſtre to thoſe of a leſſer magnitude; ſo thoſe that in reſpect both of Greatneſs and grace, are as ſo many ſhining Stars, they give the greateſt light and luſtre to others by their ſhining converſations. O! what a world of good will the gracious example of a good Prince provoke unto. 'Twas the ſaying of Trajanus a Spaniard, Qualis Rex, Talis Grex, Subjects prove good by a good Kings example. Stories tells us of ſome that could not ſleep when they thought of the Trophies of other Worthies that went before them; the gracious examples of great men are very awakening, quickning, and provoking to that which is good; as is moſt evident in all thoſe Kingdomes, Countries, Cities and villages, where ſuch men live. And therefore great men are the more obliged to be good men, and honorable men to be holy men. But,
Fourthly, Of all men under heaven you will have the greateſt accounts to make up with God, and therefore you have the more cauſe to ſeek after holineſs. Where God gives much,Luke 12.48. It was excellent counſell that the Heathen Oratour gave his hearers; Ita vi vamus ut …ationem nobis reddendam arbitremur; Let us ſo live as thoſe that muſt give an account of all at laſt. there he looks for much: O Sirs, God will bring you to an account for that Talent of honor, and that Talent of wealth, and that Talent of birth, and that Talent of power, and that Talent of Authority, and that Talent of intereſt, and that Talent of Time, &c. that he has intruſted you with; and how will you be able to ſtand in the day of account without holineſs in your hearts? King Philip the third of Spaine, whoſe life was free from groſs evills, profeſſing that he would rather loſe all his Kingdoms, then offend God willingly; yet being in the Agony of death, and conſidering more thorowly of his account that he was to give to God, feare ſtruck into him, and theſe words brake from him; Oh, would to God I had never reigned! oh, that thoſe years I have ſpent in my kingdome, I had lived a private life in the Wilderneſs! oh, that I had lived a ſolitary life with God! how much more ſecurely ſhould I have now dyed? how much more confidently ſhould I have gone to the Throne of God? What do's all my glory profit me, but that I have ſo much the more torment in my death? Well Gentlemen, there is a day a coming wherein the Lord will call you to a ſtrict account, both for the principall, and alſo for the intereſt of all thoſe Talents of honor, riches, and greatneſs, &c. that he has put into your hands; and how will you be ever able to hold up your heads in this day of account, without you experience principles of holineſs in your hearts, and hold forth the power of godlineſs in your lives? If Saul was aſtoniſhed when he heard Jeſus of Nazareth but calling upon him;Acts 22.7, 8. Mark 6.16. 1 Sam. 21.9. Num. 7.10.If Herod was affrighted when he thought that John Baptiſt was riſen from the dead; If the Philiſtians were afraid when they ſaw Davids Sword; If the Iſraelites were appalled when they ſaw Aarons Rod;Den. 38.2. If Judah was aſhamed when he ſaw Thamars Signet and Staffe; And if Belſhazzar was amazed when he ſaw the hand writing on the wall;Dan. 5.9. O! how aſtoniſhed? how affrighted? how aſhamed? and how amazed will the great ones of the world be, who live and die without holineſs, when God ſhall bring them to the Barr, and command them to give an account of all the Talents that he has put into their hands? If the Carthagenians were troubled when they ſaw Scipio's Sepulchre; If the Saxons were terrified when they ſaw Cadwallon's Image; And if the Romans were daſhed when they ſaw Caeſars bloody Robe; Ah how will all the Great unholy ones of the earth be troubled, terrified, and daſhed in the great day of their accounts? there are none that will have ſuch large accounts to give up as the great ones of the world, and therefore there are none that ſtand ſo ſtrongly engaged to look after holineſs as they doe. But,
Fifthly, The greater any men are on earth, if they live and die without holineſs, the greater will be their torments in hell; all their Greatneſs, Glory, and Gallantry, will but ſink them the lower in hell. The Scribes and Phariſees were the rich, the high, and the great ones of the times,Math. 23.14. and theſe Chriſt lays under the greater damnation. The Germans have this proverb, The pavement of hell (ſay they) is made of the bare ſculs of the Prieſts, and the glorious Creſts of Gallants; Their meaning is, that the more eminent any are in Church or State, and doe not employ their eminency, power and Authority, in wayes of piety and ſanctity, the lower they ſhall lye in hell, yea theſe men of all others ſhall lye loweſt in hell. Rev. 18.7.Iſa. 47.8. How much (or in as much as) ſhe hath glorified her ſelf, and lived deliciouſly, ſo much torment and ſorrow give her: for ſhe ſaith in her heart, I ſit a Queen, and am no widow, and ſhall ſee no ſorrow. Babylons torment and ſorrow muſt be ſutable to her ſin. Babylon excell'd all others in pride, haughtineſs, luxury, and blaſphemy, &c. and her puniſhments muſt be anſwerable; So the Great, the rich, the high, and the mighty men of the world, they uſually exceed all others, in pride, drunkenneſs, uncleanneſs, filthineſs, oppreſſion, vaine-glory, Gluttony and Tyranny, &c. and anſwerable to their ſins, will be their torments and their puniſhments in hell. Iſa. 30.33. For Tophet is ordained of old (I it may be for the poore, meane, and beggarly of the world) yea for the King it is prepared, he hath made it deep and large, Tophet is the name of a place in the valley, lying on the South ſide of Jeruſalem. Joſh. 18.16. Now in this vale ſtood Tophet, wherein the Idolatrous Jews uſed to burne their children in ſacrifice to the Idol Moloc, and it had that name from the Drums or Tabrets that their Idolatrous Prieſts uſed to beat upon at the time of their deteſtable ſervices, to drowne the hideous ſhrieks and lamentable cryes of the poore ſacrificed children.the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the Lord, like a ſtreame of Brimſtone, doth kindle it. Alas, the Brick-kilns of Egypt, and the Furnace of Babel, were but as a blaze of ſtraw to this Tormenting Tophet, that has been prepared of old for the great and mighty ones of the earth. Oh how dreadfull muſt that fire be that is prepared by God himſelfe, and that is kindled by the breath of the Lord, and that ſhall never be quenched? and yet ſuch is the fire that is prepared for the great and mighty ones of the world. O! the eaſeleſs, the endleſs, the remedileſs, the unſufferable, and yet the inevitable Torments that are prepared for thoſe that are great and graceleſs; in hell their wanton eyes ſhall be tormented with ugly and fearefull ſights of ghaſtly Spirits, and their ears that us'd to be delighted with all delightfull muſick, ſhall now be filled with the hideous cryes, howlings, and yellings of Devills and damned Spirits, and their tongues of blaſphemy ſhall now be tormented with drought and thirſt, and though with the Glutton they cry out for a drop to coole their tongues, yet Juſtice will deny them drops, who have denyed others crums; and their hands of bribery, cruelty, and tyranny, ſhall now be bound with everlaſting chaines, and ſo ſhall their feete which were once ſwift to ſhed innocent blood. In a word, their torments ſhall be univerſall, they ſhall extend to every member of the body, and to every faculty of the ſoul. Ah Sirs, fire, ſword, famine, priſons, Racks, and all other torments that men can invent, are but as flea-bitings to thoſe Scorpions, but as drops to thoſe vials of wrath, and but as ſparks to thoſe eternal flames that all unſanctified perſons ſhall lye under. Look as the leaſt joy in heaven infinitely ſurpaſſeth the greateſt comforts on earth, ſo the leaſt torments in hell, doe infinitely exceed the greateſt that can be deviſed here on earth: for a cloſe remember this, as there are degrees of glory in heaven, ſo there are degrees of torment in hell; and as thoſe that are moſt eminent in grace and holineſs,Math. 10.15. Chap. 11.22. Luke 12.47, 48. ſhall have the greateſt degrees of glory in heaven, ſo thoſe that are moſt vile and wicked on earth, ſhall have the greateſt degrees of torments and puniſhments in hell. Now common experience tells us, that the rich, the great, the high, the honorable, and the mighty ones of the world, are uſually the moſt excelling in all wickedneſs and ungodlineſs; and therefore their condemnation will be the greater, they ſhall have a hotter and a darker hell then others, except they labour after this holineſs, which will be their only fence againſt hell, and their ſure path to heaven. But,
Sixthly, and laſtly, of all men on earth, the rich, the great, and the honorable, will be found moſt inexcuſable: The poore and the mean ones of the earth will plead their want of time, and want of means, and want of opportunities, they will be ready to ſay,Pſal. 127.1, 2. Lord we have riſe earely, and gon to bed late, we have labour'd, and ſweate, and droyl'd, and all little enough to get bread to eate, and cloaths to weare,As the poore people on the Northerne borders, when to ſuppreſs their Theeveries, ſome preſt upon them the eighth Commandement; they to excuſe themſelves replied, that that Commandement was none of Gods making, but thruſt into the Decalogue by King Henry the eighth. and to keep the Sargeant from the doore, and to pay every man his own, had we had but the time, the meanes, the advantages, that ſuch and ſuch Gentlemen have had, and that ſuch and ſuch Nobles have had, and that ſuch and ſuch Princes have had, &c. O how would we have minded holineſs, and ſtudied holineſs, and preſt after holineſs! but ſeeing it has been otherwiſe with us, we hope Lord we may be excuſed; but what excuſe will you be able to make, O ye great ones of the earth, who have had time, and opportunities, and all advantages imaginable, to make your ſelves holy and happy for ever, and yet you have trifled away your golden ſeaſons, and forgotten the one thing neceſſary, and given your ſelves up to the luſts and vanities of this world, as if you were reſolv'd to be damn'd. Let me a little allude to that John 15.22. If I had not come and ſpoken unto them, they had not had ſin: but now they have no cloak or excuſe for their ſin: So will God one day ſay to the great ones of the wo…ld; Had I not given you riches, and greatneſs, and honor, &c. to have encouraged you to look after holineſs, and that you might have time, and leaſure, and opportunity to ſeek holineſs, and purſue it, you might have had ſome …loak, ſome excuſe for your neglecting ſo great, ſo glorious, ſo noble, and ſo neceſſary a work; O but now you have no cloak, no excuſe at all for your ſin; now you can ſhew no reaſon under heaven, why an eternal doom ſhould not be paſt upon you; and ah how ſilent, how mute, how ſpeechleſs,Titus 3.11. foreign. Selfcondemned, or ſelf damned. and how ſelf-condemned, will all the great ones of the world be, when God ſhall thus expoſtulate with them? O! that ſuch would ſeriouſly lay to heart that Math. 22.11, 12. And when the King came in to ſee the Gueſts, he ſaw there a man which had not on a wedding Garment: And he ſaith unto him, Friend, how cameſt thou in hither, not having a wedding Garment? and he was ſpeechleſs. By the wedding Garment the Learned underſtand holineſs of heart and life; now when the King queſtions him about the want of this wedding Garment, he is ſpeechleſs, or as the Greek word (foreign) imports, He was muzzled or haltered up, that is, he held his peace, as though he had a bridle or a halter in his mouth, he was not able to ſpeak a word for himſelfe, his own conſcience had paſt a ſecret ſentence of condemnation upon him, and he ſat ſilent under that ſentence, as having nothing under heaven to ſay, why he ſhould not be caſt into utter darkneſs. And this will be the very caſe of all the rich, the great, and the mighty ones of the world, who ſhall be found without the garment of holineſs, when the Lord ſhall enter into Judgement with them. And thus you ſee by theſe ſix Arguments, that there are no perſons under heaven that are ſo eminently engaged to look after holineſs, as the rich, the great, and the mighty ones of the earth. But,