The Beauty of Holiness, Dedication 2 – Imprimatur
To my Beloved PARISHIONERS AND Much Honoured FRIENDS, The Inhabitants of Kingsnorton, Mosely, and Withall: The Upper and the Neather Springs, the blessings of this life, and of a better.
Men, Fathers, and Brethren.
I Have often thought with much delight on that If we had stood at Gods elbow when he bounded out the Nations and appointed the times and seasons that men should live in, we should not have known (unlesse when Christ and his Apostles lived) in what ago or place we should have chosen to have lived in, in respect of the Gospel, more then in this Kingdom wherein we live. M. Tho. Goodwin, Pris…a juven… alios, ego nunc me…deni quenatū Gratulator. Ovid.Soul-refreshing Text, [Acts 17. 26.] Where the Apostle tels us, that God hath determined the times which we should live in, and hath fore-appointed the bounds of our habitations: 'Tis matter of singular comfort in all conditions, to consider, That the most wise God hath decreed before ever I or thou were born into the world, the Time when we should be born, and the Place where we should live: We came not into the world by chance or fortune; nor do the places we dwell in, fall to us by hap or hazzard; but there is a sweet hand of providence God would have his people to remember these things. See an excellent place Deut. 32. 7, to 15 See more Ca…yll on Job 9. 24. p. 322.that orders all, and a gratious God who hath decreed that we should be born in this blessed age, and best of times in respect of glorious light and meanes (though we have made them the worst by our wretched abuse of them) and hath also allotted us the best Nation in the world to dwell in, and hath given to us in speciall, above most people in the Land, the fairest dwellings, and sweetest habitations, even a little Canaan flowing with Milk and Honey, enriched with many *You hav… within your selves, three ministers, a free School, A Court Baro…, A Charter, Rich Pastures, &c.Priviledges, which many of our Neighbours round about us want; all which call for our Thankfulnesse and Obedience, remembring that they that have much, of them shall be much required. The Lord might have brought us forth in times of Popery, superstition, ignorance and profanesse; he might have planted us amongst Heathens and Infidels, who worship the devil for their God: 'Tis his free distinguishing love that hath made the difference, since we are by nature as vile as the vilest. I desire therefore to quicken my self and you to a gratefull consideration of the loving kindnesse of the Lord, who hath cast our lot in the very best of Times and Places, when he might have allotted us the very worst, and have done us no wrong. For my one particular, I think I have as great cause Plurimûm refert qui fueris anteà, quique nuno sis scire, ne ferocias, néve quenquam despicias. Wolphius.as any, to admire the goodnesse of the Lord herein; that when I came from the University a foe and not a friend to his truth and people, having been trained up under Dr Lushington, an Atheisticall, Arminian, Popish Tutor, and now a Socinian and a *See M. Baxters Saints Rest. 2 part p. 301, 302.Mortalist: yet then the Lord of his own free grace brought me amongst you, My first Tutor in Bal. Col. starved me, but this poysoned me: yet the Lord hath made a medicine of this poyson, making me the more to love his truth, & also his people, whom out of ignorance I opposed under the notion of Puritans.and set me at the feet of Learned, Pious, Orthodox Divines, who instructed me in the way of the Lord, and where the foundation of that little I have was laid. To you therefore by way of Thankfulnesse do I Dedicate this Treatise; it hath been Preached in your ear; it now presents it self to your eye, that by oft Reading and Meditation on it, you may the better understand, remember and practise that purity and Holinesse, without which no man shall see the Lord. Remember therefore what you have received, and heard, and hold fast and repent; for 'tis not a bare speculative, notionall knowledge of these things which will make you happy; but it must be an affective, practicall, experimentall knowledge, so as to love, fear, desire and obey this most holy God. We must begin our heaven here, there we shall be taken up for ever, with the contemplation, admiration and praise of this our God who is glorious in holinesse: Prayer will then cease, but Praise and Love will endure for ever.
This is the chief end wherefore we Nostrum est sanctâ vitâ sanctificare sanctitatem divinam, omnaeesque ad eandem exhortari, it aque sanctissimum Dei nomen & gloriam apud omnes toto orbe propagare. à Lap.came into the world, viz. That by a pure, inoffensive conversation we might bring glory to God, do good to others, and so spread his praise (what in us lies) over all the world. Get publick spirits now in these daies of publick calamity; be zealous for Gods glory, valiant for his truth, resolute against sin, and sharp against errors: Watch alwaies over your selves, and over your families; be industrious in catechizing and teaching your children and servants the way of the Lord: by so doing you may propagate piety to posterity; for when you have taught your children, they will teach their children, and their children will teach the succeeding generations. Thus 2 Tim, 1. 5. Magnum est Dei beneficium pios nancisciparentes, ac praesertim matrem, à quâ penè tota filiorum educatio pendet. á Lap.Lois Timothy's Grandmother taught his Mother Eunice, she instructs Timothy, and Timothy taught the Church, &c. Dye cloth in the wool, and the colour will be better and more durable. Teach children when they are young, and when they are old they will savour of it, Prov. 22. 6.
Off with those deformed long-locks, those badges of Pride and vanity which See my Treatise against long hair.you have been so oft warned of; imprison the truth no longer, hate not to be reformed, lest the Lord put fire into the bush, and by some Feaver, Pox, &c. become your barbar, as he hath been to some amongst us to their sorrow, &c. What I here prescribe to you, it hath been my study and endeavour (though in great weaknesse and many infirmities) to practise amongst you. I have not laid such burdens upon you, as I would not touch my self; my desire hath been to Preach to you vitâ & voce, by Practice as well as Precept. The Subject that I present you with is one of the highest and choicest subjects in Divinity. Justification and sanctification are the two main Pillars in the house of our God, whereupon the whole building stands: I have therefore handled this Attribute of Gods Holinesse the more fully, 1. Because'tis omitted by the most *Zanchy, M. Will. Burton, M. Stock, D. Preston, &c. omit it wholly.Learned, who yet treat fully and excellently on all the rest of the Attributes. 2. A right understanding of this Attribute, will give us light into all the rest; for what is said of Gods Holinesse, is also true of his Wisdome, Power, Mercy, Justice, &c. they are all in him Essentially, Eminently, Originally, Causally, Formally and Finally. 3 As the knowledge of God in his Attributes is one of the sweetest, choicest and most necessary kindes of knowledge; so of all the Attributes, this of his transcendent Purity deserves our most solemn and serious Meditation; it being (as I may so say) the Attribute of all Sanctitas est attributum Dei nobilissimum, ob quod ipse adoratione, omnique veneratione, obsequio, & cultu est dignissimus. à Lap.Gods Atributes; he is Holy in his Mercy, Holy in his Iustice, &c. and that wherein the Lord himself glories most, and therefore is so oft stiled, The Holy One of Israel; and is said to be Glorious in Holinesse, &c. This Tract (such as it is) I leave with you as a starre to direct you in your way to Canaan, as a friend to comfort you in your spirituall distresses, as a Counsellour to teach you and your children after you, what is that good and pleasing Cum omnibus Christi ecclesiis, omnibus quibus possumus modis teneamur consulere; tum maximè obligamur illi Ecclesiae quacum Deus nos conjunxit, ac ad quam nos secretâ suâ providentiâ destinavit & vocavit. Rollos. Tota supellex mca est charace a.will of God, and as a perpetual monument of my care and desire of your eternall welfare, you being that people to which the Lord hath more especially called me, and amongst whom he hath by an Almighty hand of providence for many years together protected me.
I have no better Legacy (now that I am going out of the world) to bequeath unto you then this. Gold I have none, and Silver I have but little (besides I have made mine own hands the Executors of that little) Omnia mea mecum porto,but such as I have I give unto you, viz. a spirituall Legacy, which by the blessing of God upon it, may prove better to you then mountaines of Gold and Silver. You have been in my heart to live and to die with you: This foure and twenty years have I been your servant in your School, in your Chappel and Parish Church; and have continued with you in the midst of many dangers, tentations and difficulties, when I could have had double and treble your Means with peace and freedom; but 'tis work that I prize, not wages; I seek not yours but you. I have coveted no mans silver or gold, or apparel, yea your selves know that these hands of mine have ministred to my necessities; and that I have kept my self in a single condition that I might every way be the fitter for your service. But so long as you strive to walk answerable to the Gospel, and shew forth the power of it in your conversations, being willing to submit unto Christs yoke in this day of his power, I am resolved that nothing shall separate us but death.
This Treatise hath cost me some paines and study, and to tell you the truth, I like it the better; we should not offer to God & his Church of that which cost us nothing: 'Tis the diligent hand which God delights to blesse, when the idle shall be cloathed with rags of discredit and discomfort: You have here the summe and substance of many Sermons. Reade, digest and Practise them, for they are matters of Eternity, which will do you good for ever; when Riches fail, and Friends fail, when Trades fail, and strength fails, yet Piety, where it is in the power of it, is …verlasting Riches, enduring Substance, a never fading Treasure, having the promise both of the blessings of this life and that which is to come: Keep this therefore whatever else you lose; Buy it at any rate▪ but part with it at no rate; be like Pherecides the Athenian, who held the Ship on the shore with both hands; one being cut off, he held it with the other; and both being cut off, he held with his teeth. Resolve to part with all rather then part with purity: Say to it as Ruth did to Naomi, (Ruth 1. 16, 17.) Whether thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest will I die, and there will I be buried; The Lord do so to me and more also; if ought but death part thee and me.
These things the Lord who is rich in Mercy vouchsafe to give you; he blesse you with the dews of Heaven, and the fatnesse of the earth; with the blessings of his right hand, and of his left; he make you to abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement, that ye may approve the things that are excellent, that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits, of righteousnesse unto his praise. This is, and ever shall be the Prayer of
Your affectionate Pastor and hearty Well-wisher Tho. Hall. Kingsnorton Jan. 30. 1652.
Imprimatur, Nov. 20. 1652. Edm. Calamy.
THE BEAUTY OF HOLINESSE.
1 PET, 2. 16.
Be ye Holy, for I am holy.