Discourses Upon the Attributes of God, Sermon 13
SERMON XIII.Vol. VI. The Holineſs of God.
1 PET. I.16.
Be ye holy, for I am holy.
IN ſpeaking to this Attribute, I ſhall
I. Inquire, what we are to underſtand by the Holineſs of God.
II. Endeavour to ſhew, that this Perfection belongs to God.
I. What we are to underſtand by the Holineſs of God. There is ſome difficulty in fixing the proper Notion of …t; for tho' there be no Property more frequently attributed to God in Scrip…ure, than this of Holineſs, yet there is none of all God's Attributes, which Divines have ſpoken more ſparingly of than this.
The general Notion of Holineſs is, that it is a ſeparation from a common and ordinary, to a peculiar and excellent uſe. And this Notion of Holineſs is applicable either to Things or Perſons. To Things; thus the Veſſels of the Tabernacle, and the Veſtments of the Prieſts were ſaid to be holy, becauſe they were ſeparated from common Uſe, and appropriated to the peculiar and excellent uſe of the ſervice of God. Holineſs o… Perſons is two-fold, either Relative and External, which ſignifies the peculiar Relation of a Perſon to God; ſuch were call'd, foreign, Prieſts, or holy Men: or elſe Habitual and Inherent; ſuch is the Holineſs of good Men. And it is a ſeparation from moral imperfection, that is from Sin and Impurity. And this is call'd foreign; and the primary Notion of i… is Negative, and ſignifies the abſence and remotion of Sin: And this appears i… thoſe explications which the Scriptur… gives of it. Thus 'tis explain'd by oppoſition to Sin and Impurity, 2 Cor 7.1. Let us cleanſe our ſelves from a… filthineſs of the fleſh and ſpirit, perfecting holineſs; where Holineſs is oppoſed to all filthineſs. Sometimes by the negation of Sin and Defilement: So we find holy and without blame put together, Eph. 1.4. Holy and without blemiſh, Eph. 5.27. Holy, harmleſs, and undefiled, Heb. 7.26. 'Tis true indeed, this Negative Notion doth imply ſomething that is Poſitive, it doth not only ſignifie the abſence of Sin, but a contrariety to it; we cannot conceive the abſence of Sin without the preſence of Grace; as take away crookedneſs from a Thing, and it immediately becomes ſtraight. When ever we are made Holy, every Luſt and Corruption in us is ſupplanted by the contrary Grace.
Now this habitual Holineſs of Perſons, which conſiſts in a ſeparation from Sin, is a conformity to the Holineſs of God; and by this we may come to underſtand what Holineſs in God is; and it ſignifies the peculiar eminency of the Divine Nature, whereby it is ſeparated and removed at an infinite diſtance from moral Imperfection, and that which we call Sin; that is, there is no ſuch thing as Malice, or Envy, or Hatred, or Revenge, or Impatience, or Cruelty, or Tyranny, or Injuſtice, or Falſe-hood, or Unfaithfulneſs in God; or if there be any other Thing that ſignifies Sin, and Vice, and moral Imperfection, Holineſs ſignifies that the Divine Nature is at an infinite diſtance from all theſe, and poſſeſt of the contrary Perfections.
Therefore all thoſe Texts that remove Moral Imperfection from God, and declare the repugnancy of it to the Divine Nature, do ſet forth the Holineſs of God. Jam. 1.13. God cannot be tempted with evil. Job 8.3. Doth God pervert Judgment, or doth the Almighty pervert Juſtice? Job. 34.10, 12. Far be it from God that he ſhould do wickedneſs, and from the Almighty, that he ſhould commit iniquity. Yea ſurely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment. Rom. 9.14. Is there then unrighteouſneſs with God? God forbid. Zeph. 3.5. The juſt Lord is in the midſt thereof, he will not do iniquity. And ſo falſe-hood, and unfaithfulneſs, and inconſtancy, Deut. 32.4. A God of truth, and without iniquity ▪ 1 Sam. 15.29. The ſtrength of Iſrael will not lie. Tit. 1.2. In hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie hath promiſed ▪ Heb. 6.18. That by two immutable things, in which it was impoſſible for God to lie. Therefore you ſhall find, that Holineſs is joyned with all the Moral Perfections of the Divine Nature, or put for them. Hoſ. 11.9. I am the holy one in the midſt of thee; that is, the merciful one. Pſal. 145.17. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. Rom. 7.12. The commandment is holy, and juſt, and good. Rev. 3.7. Theſe things ſaith he that is holy, he that is true. Rev. 6.10. How long, O Lord, holy and true? Pſal. 105.42. He remembred his holy promiſe; holy, that is, in reſpect of the faithfulneſs of it. Iſa. 55.3. The ſure mercies of David; foreign, the holy mercies of David, which will not fail.
So that the Holineſs of God is not a particular, but an univerſal Perfection, and runs through all the moral Perfections of the Divine Nature, 'tis the Beauty of the Divine Nature, and the Perfection of all his other Perfections. Take away this, and you bring an univerſal ſtain and blemiſh upon the Divine Nature; without Holineſs Power would be Oppreſſion; and Wiſdom, Subtilty; and Soveraignty Tyranny; and Goodneſs, Malice and Envy; and Juſtice, Cruelty; and Mercy, Fooliſh Pity; and Truth, Falſe-hood: And therefore the Scripture ſpeaks of this, as God's higheſt Excellency and Perfection. God is ſaid to be glorious in Holineſs. Ex. 15.11. Holineſs is call'd God's throne. Pſal. 47.8. He ſitteth upon the throne of his holineſs. This is that which makes Heaven, Iſa. 63.15. It is called, The habitation of his holineſs, and of his glory; as if this were the very Nature of God, and the ſum of his Perfections. The Knowledge of God is called the Knowledge of the holy one. Pro. 9.10. To be made partakers of a Divine Nature, and to be made partakers of God's holineſs, are equivalent Expreſſions. 2 Pet. 3.4. Heb. 12.10. And becauſe there is no Perfection of God greater, therefore he is repreſented as ſwearing by this, Pſal. 60.6. God hath ſpoken in his holineſs. Pſal. 89.35. Once have I ſworn by my holineſs. The Angels and glorified Spirits they ſum up the Perfections of God in this, Iſa. 6.3. And one cryed unto another, and ſaid, holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hoſts, the whole earth is full of his glory. Rev. 4.8. And they reſt not day and night, ſaying, holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. There is no Attribute of God ſo often repeated as this; in ſome Copies it is nine times.
II. I ſhall endeavour to prove that this Perfection belongs to God;
Firſt, From the Light of Nature. The Philoſophers in all their Diſcourſes of God agree in this, that whatever ſounds like Vice and Imperfection, is to be ſeparated from the Divine Nature; which is, to acknowledge his Holineſs. Plato, ſpeaking of our likeneſs to God, ſaith, foreign. Dan. 4.9. King Nebuchadnezzar calls God by this Title, I know that the ſpirit of the holy Gods is in thee. In a Word, whatever hath been produced to prove any of God's Moral Perfections proves his Holineſs.
Secondly, From Scripture. There is no Title more frequently given to God in Scripture, and ſo often ingeminated, as this of his Holineſs. He is called Holineſs it ſelf, Iſa. 63.15. Where Heaven is call'd the habitation of his Holineſs, that is, of God. His Name is ſaid to be Holy, Luke 1.49. And holy is his name. He is called the holy one, Iſa. 40.25. The holy one of Iſrael. Iſa. 41.20. The holy one of Jacob. 49.23. He is ſaid to be holy in all his Works and Promiſes. Pſal. 105.42. In all his ways and works, Pſal. 145.17. This Title is given to each of the three Perſons in the Bleſſed Trinity. To God the Father in innumerable Places: To God the Son, Dan. 9.24. To anoint the moſt holy. The Devil cannot deny him this Title, Luke 4.34. I know thee who thou art, the holy one of God: And the Spirit of God hath this Title conſtantly given it, the holy Ghoſt, or the holy Spirit, or the Spirit of Holineſs. The Scripture attributes this Perfection in a peculiar manner to God, 1 Sam. 2.2. There is none holy as the Lord. Rev. 15.4. For thou only art holy. Holineſs is a communicable Perfection; but no Creature can partake of it in ſuch a manner and degree as the Divine Nature poſſeſſeth it. God is eternally Holy, the Fountain of Holineſs: the Creatures are derivatively and by participation Holy. God is eminently and tranſcendently ſo: the Creatures in a finite Degree. God is immutably ſo, 'tis impoſſible it ſhould be otherwiſe: but no Creature is out of an abſolute poſſibility of Sin. In this ſenſe it is ſaid, Job 4.18. That he putteth no truſt in his Saints, and his Angels he chargeth with folly, And Chap. 15.15. He putteth no truſt in his Saints, and the Heavens are not pure in his ſight. From all which I ſhall draw theſe inferences.
1. If Holineſs be a Perfection of the Divine Nature, and a Property of God, if in the Notion of God, there be included an everlaſting ſeparation and diſtance from Moral Imperfection, an eternal repugnance to Sin and Iniquity; from hence we may infer, that there is an intrinſecal good and evil in Things, and the Reaſons and Reſpects of moral good and evil do not depend upon any mutable, and inconſtant, and arbitrary Principle, but are fixt and immutable, eternal and indiſpenſable. Therefore they do not ſeem to me to ſpeak ſo ſafely, who make the Divine Will, preciſely and abſtractedly conſider'd, the Rule of Moral good and evil, as if there were nothing good or evil in its own Nature antecedently to the Will of God, but that all things are therefore good or evil, becauſe God Wills them to be ſo; for if this were ſo, Goodneſs, and Righteouſneſs, and Truth, and Faithfulneſs would not be eſſential, and neceſſary, and immutable Properties of the Divine Nature, but accidental, and arbitrary, and uncertain, and mutable; which is to ſuppoſe that God, if he pleaſed, might be otherwiſe than good, and juſt, and true. For if theſe depend meerly upon the Will of God, and be not neceſſary and eſſential Properties of the Divine Nature, then the contrary of theſe, Malice, and Envy, and Unrighteouſneſs, and Falſe-hood do not imply any eſſential repugnancy to the Divine Nature; which is plainly contrary to what the Scripture tells us, that God cannot be tempted with evil, that 'tis impoſſible he ſhould lie, that he cannot be unrighteous.
If any Man ſay that God hath now declared himſelf to be Juſt, and Good, and Faithful, and now he cannot be otherwiſe, becauſe he is a God of Truth, and he changeth not, this is to grant the thing; for this ſuppoſeth the veracity and immutability of God to be eſſential and neceſſary Perfections of the Divine Nature; and why not juſtice and goodneſs as well? I ſay it ſuppoſeth veracity and immutability to be eſſential Perfections, and not to depend upon the Will of God, that is, that God cannot Will to be otherwiſe than true and unchangeable; for if he could, what aſſurance can we poſſibly have, but that when he declares himſelf to be good and juſt, he is or may be otherwiſe.
But I need not inſiſt upon this, which ſeems to be ſo very clear, and to carry its own Evidence along with it. I will only uſe this Argument to prove it, and ſo leave it. No Being can Will its own Nature and eſſential Perfections, that is, chuſe whether it will be thus or otherwiſe; for that were to ſuppoſe it to be before it is, and before it hath a Being, to deliberate about its own Nature. Therefore if this be the Nature of God, (which I think no body will deny) to be good, and juſt, and true, and neceſſarily to be what he is; then goodneſs, and juſtice, and truth, do not depend up-the Will of God, but there are ſuch Things, ſuch Notions antecedently to any Act of the Divine Will. And this does no ways prejudice the Liberty of God; for this is the higheſt Perfection to be neceſſarily Good, and Juſt, and True; and a Liberty or Poſſibility to be otherwiſe is impotency and imperfection. For Liberty no where ſpeaks Perfection, but were the Things and Actions about which 'tis converſant are indifferent; in all other things, 'tis the higheſt Perfection not to be free and indifferent, but immutable and fixt, and neceſſarily bound up by the eternal Laws of Goodneſs, and Juſtice, and Truth, ſo that it ſhall not be poſſible to ſwerve from them; and this is the Perfection of the Divine Nature, which we call his Holineſs.
2. If Holineſs be the chief Excellency and Perfection of the Divine Nature, this ſhews us what account we are to make of Sin, and Wickedneſs, and Vice. We may judge of every Privation by the Habit, for they bear an exact Proportion one to another. Light and Darkneſs are oppoſed, as Habit and Privation; if Light be pleaſant and comfortable, then Darkneſs is diſmal and horrid. And ſo Holineſs and Sin are oppoſed; if Holineſs be the higheſt Perfection of any Nature, then Sin is the grand Imperfection and the loweſt Debaſement of any Being; becauſe it is the moſt oppoſite to that, and at the furtheſt diſtance from that which is the firſt Excellency and Perfection.
This ſhould rectifie our Judgment and Eſteem of Things and Perſons. We admire and eſteem Riches, and Power, and Greatneſs; and we ſcorns and contemn Poverty, and Weakneſs, and Meanneſs; yea Grace and Holineſs, if it be in the Company of theſe. We are apt to reverence and and value the Great, and the Rich, and the Mighty of this World, tho' they be Wicked; and to deſpiſe the poor Man's Wiſdom and Holineſs; but we make a falſe Judgment of Things and Perſons. There is nothing that can be a Foundation of reſpect, that ought to command our Reverence and eſteem, but real Worth and Excellency and Perfection; and according to the Degrees of this, we ought to beſtow our Repect and raiſe our Eſteem. What St. James ſaith of reſpect of Perſons, I may apply in this Caſe, Jam. 2.4. Are ye not then partial in your ſelves, and become judges of evil thoughts? We are extreamly partial, we make a falſe Judgment, and Reaſon ill concerning Things, when we admire gilded Vices, and Wickedneſs exalted to high Places; I mean ungodly rich Men, and ungodly great men; for wicked Men they are properly ungodly, unlike to God; and when we contemn poor, and mean, and afflicted Holineſs, and Piety. Were but our Eyes open, and our Judgment clear and unprejudic'd, we ſhould ſee a beauty and reſplendency in Goodneſs: even when it is under the greateſt diſadvantage, when it is cloathed with Raggs, and ſits upon a Dunghill, it would ſhine through all theſe Miſts, and we ſhould ſee a Native Light and Beauty in it, throw the darkneſs of a poor and low Condition: And we ſhould ſee Wickedneſs to be a moſt vile and abject thing, when it appears in all its gallantry and bravery; we ſhould look upon the poor righteous Man, as more excellent than his Neighbour; and the prophane Gallant, as the offſcouring of the Earth. We ſhould value a Man that does juſtice, and loves mercy, and ſpeaks the Truth to his Neighbour; we ſhould eſteem any one more upon the Account of any one of theſe ſimple Qualities, then we would another Man, deſtitute of theſe, upon the account of a Hundred Titles of Honour, and Ten Thouſand Acres of Land. A Wicked and Unholy Man, he is a vile Perſon, who deſerves to be contemned; and a holy man he is the right honourable. Pſal. 15.4. In whoſe Eyes a vile Perſon is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. The vile perſon is oppoſed to him that fears the Lord. He that is bold to affront God, and ſin againſt him, is the baſe and ignoble Perſon. God himſelf, who is poſſeſt of all Excellency and Perfection, and therefore knows beſt how to judge of theſe, he tells us, how we ſhould value our ſelves and others, Jer. 9.23, 24. Let not the wiſe man glory in his wiſdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might; let not the rich man glory in his riches. But let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he underſtandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord, which exerciſe loving-kindneſs, judgment, and righteouſneſs in the earth: for in theſe things I delight, ſaith the Lord. To know theſe Divine Qualities and Perfections, ſignifies here, to underſtand them ſo as to imitate them. I do not ſpeak this to bring down the value of any that are advanced in this World, or to leſſen the reſpect which is due to them; I would have nothing undervalued, but Wickedneſs and Vice; and I would have thoſe who have ſtore of worldly Advantages to recommend them, to add Religion to their Riches, and Holineſs to their Honour, that they may be current for their intrinſick value, rather than for the Image and Picture of worth which the World hath ſtampt upon them.
3. If Holineſs be the Chief Excellency and Perfection of the Divine Nature, then what an abſurd and unreaſonable thing is it, to ſcorn and deſpiſe Holineſs, to mock and deride men under this very Title! The World is much blinded, that they do not ſee the great Evil of Sin, and the Beauty and Excellency of Holineſs; but that Men ſhould be ſo infatuated, as to change the nature of things, and to miſtake things of ſo vaſt difference, as ſin and Holineſs; to call Good evil, and evil Good; that ſin, which is the vileſt thing in the World, ſhould be eſteemed and cheriſh'd, and accounted a piece of gallantry, and reckon'd amongſt the excellencies and accompliſhments of Humane Nature; and Holineſs, which is ſo great a Perfection, ſhould be a Name of hatred and diſgrace, to be contemned and perſecuted; that that which is the Glory of Heaven, and the moſt radiant Perfection of the Divine Nature, ſhould be matter of ſcorn and contempt, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks in another caſe, Behold! ye Deſpiſers, and wonder, and periſh. Do ye think the Holy and Juſt God will put up theſe Affronts, and Indignities? Ye do not only deſpiſe men, but ye deſpiſe God alſo. You cannot contemn that which God accounts his glory, without reviling the Divine Nature, and offering deſpite to God himſelf. The malice reacheth Heaven, and is level'd againſt God, whenever ye ſlight Holineſs.
4. If God be a Holy God, and hath ſuch a repugnancy in his Nature to ſin, then this is matter of terror to wicked Men. The Holy God cannot but hate ſin, and be an Enemy to wickedneſs; and the hatred of God is terrible. We dread the hatred of a great Man, becauſe where hatred is back'd with power, the Effects of it are terrible. But the Hatred of the Almighty and Eternal God, is much more dreadful, becauſe the Effects of it are greater, and more laſting, than of the hatred of a weak mortal man. We know the utmoſt they can do, they can but kill the body; after that, they have no more that they can do; they cannot hurt our Souls; they cannot follow us beyond the Grave, and purſue us into another World: But the Effects of God's Hatred and Diſpleaſure are mighty and laſting, they extend themſelves to all Eternity; for who knoweth the Power of his Anger? Who can tell the utmoſt of what Omnipotent Juſtice can do to ſinners? It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God; becauſe he that lives for ever, can puniſh for ever. We are miſerable, if God do not love us. Thoſe words, my ſoul ſhall have no pleaſure in him, ſignifie great miſery, and expreſs a dreadful Curſe: but it is a more poſitive Expreſſion of miſery, for God to hate us; that ſignifies Ruin and Deſtruction to the utmoſt. Pſal. 5.4, 5. Thou art not a God that hath pleaſure in wickedneſs, neither ſhall evil dwell with thee. This is a foreign, and expreſſeth leſs than is intended. God is far from being of an indifferent negative Temper towards ſin and wickedneſs; therefore the Pſalmiſt adds, thou hateſt all the workers of iniquity; and then in the next verſe, to ſhew what is the effect of God's Hatred, thou ſhalt deſtroy them that ſpeak leaſing. Therefore Sinner, fear and tremble at the thoughts of God's Holineſs.
5. Imitate the Holineſs of God; this is the Inference here in the Text, be ye holy; for I am holy. Holineſs, in one word, contains all the imitable Perfections of God; and when it is ſaid, be ye holy, 'tis as much as if he had ſaid, be ye Good, and Patient, and Merciful, and True, and Faithful; for I am ſo. Therefore Religion is call'd the knowledge of the holy one, Prov. 9.10. and Chap. 30.3. And our imitation of God is expreſt by our putting on the new man, which after God is created in righteouſneſs and true holineſs, Eph. 4.24. Seeing then this is the chief Excellency and Perfection of God, and the ſum of all the Perfections which we are to imitate, and wherein we are to endeavour to be like God, let us conform our ſelves to the holy God; endeavour to be habitually holy, which is our conformity to the Nature of God; and actually holy, which is our conformity to the Will of God. I will not enlarge upon this, becauſe I have preſt the imitation of theſe particular Perfections, Goodneſs, Patience, Juſtice, Truth, and Faithfulneſs upon other Texts. I ſhall only mention two Arguments, to excite and quicken our Deſires and Endeavour after Holineſs.
1. Holineſs is an imitation of the higheſt Excellency and Perfection. Holineſs, I told you, ſignifies a ſeparation from Sin and Vice, and all moral Imperfection, and conſequently, doth comprehend and take in all the moral Perfections of the Divine Nature, the Goodneſs, and Mercy, and Patience, and Juſtice, and Veracity, and Faithfulneſs of God; now theſe are the very Beauty and Glory of the Divine Nature. The firſt thing that we attribute to God, next to his Being, is his Goodneſs, and thoſe other Attributes which have a neceſſary connexion with it; for his Greatneſs and Majeſty is nothing elſe but the Glory which reſults from his united Perfections, eſpecially from his Goodneſs, and thoſe Perfections which are akin to it. Separate from God theſe Perfections which Holineſs includes in it, and what would be left but an Omnipotent Evil, an Eternal Being infinitely Knowing, and infinitely able to do miſchief? which is as plain and notorious a Contradiction, and as impoſſible a thing as can be-imagin'd; ſo that if we have any ſparks of ambition in us, we cannot but aſpire after Holineſs, which is ſo great an Excellency and Perfection of God himſelf. There is a vulgar prejudice againſt Holineſs, as if it were a poor mean thing, and below a great and generous Spirit; whereas Holineſs is the only true greatneſs of Mind, the moſt genuine Nobility, and the higheſt gallantry of Spirit; and however it be deſpiſed by Men, it is of a Heavenly Extraction, and Divine Original. Holineſs is the firſt part of the Character of the wiſdom that is from above. Jam. 3.17. The wiſdom that is from above, is firſt pure, then peaceable, gentle, and eaſie to be entreated, full of mercy, and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocriſie.
2. Holineſs is an eſſential and principal ingredient of Happineſs. Holineſs is a ſtate of Peace and Tranquillity, and the very frame and temper of Happineſs; and without it, the Divine Nature, as it would be imperfect, ſo it would be miſerable. If the Divine Nature were capapable duplicate page duplicate page of envy, or malice, or hatred, or revenge, or impatience, or cruelty, or injuſtice, or unfaithfulneſs, it would be liable to vexation and diſcontent, than which nothing can be a greater diſturbance of Happineſs: ſo that Holineſs is neceſſary to our Felicity and Contentment; not only to the happineſs of the next life, but to our preſent Peace and Contentment. If reaſonable Creatures could be happy, as brute Beaſts are in their degree, by enjoying their depraved Appetites, and following the Dictates of Senſe and Fancy, God would not have bound us up to a Law and Rule, but have left us, as he hath done unreaſonable Creatures, to ſatisfie our Luſts and Appetites, without check and control: but Angels and Men, which are reaſonable Creatures, have the Notions of Good and Evil, of Right and Wrong, of Comlineſs and Filthineſs, ſo woven and twiſted into their very Natures, that they can never be wholly defaced, without the ruine of their Beings; and therefore it is impoſſible that ſuch Creatures ſhould be happy otherwiſe, than by complying with theſe Notions, and obeying the natural Dictates and Suggeſtions of their Minds; which if they neglect, and go againſt, they will naturally feel remorſe and Torment in their own Spirits; their Minds will be uneaſie and unquiet, and they will be inwardly grieved and diſpleaſed with themſelves for what they have done. So the Apoſtle tells us, Rom. 1. That even the moſt degenerate Heathens had Conſciences which did accuſe or excuſe them, according as they obeyed, or did contrary to the dictates of Natural Light. God therefore, who knows our frame, hath ſo adapted his Law to us, which is the rule of holineſs, that if we live up to it, we ſhall avoid the unſpeakable torment of a guilty Conſcience; whereas, if we do contrary to it, we ſhall always be at diſcord with our ſelves, and in a perpetual diſquiet of Mind; for nothing can do contrary to the Law of its Being, that is, to its own Nature, without diſpleaſure and reluctancy, the conſequence of which, in Moral Actions, is Guilt, which is nothing elſe, but the Trouble and Diſquiet which ariſeth in one's Mind, from conſciouſneſs of having done ſome thing that contradicts the perfective Principle of his Being, that is ſomething which did not become him, and which, being what he is, that is a reaſonable Creature, he ought not to do.
So that in all reaſonable Creatures there is a certain kind of Temper and Diſpoſition that is neceſſary and eſſential to Happineſs, and that is Holineſs; which as it is the Perfection, ſo it is the great Felicity of the Divine Nature: And on the contrary, this is one chief part of the Miſery of thoſe wicked and accurſed Spirits the Devils, and of unholy Men, that they are of a temper contrary to God, they are Envious, and Malicious, and Wicked, that is, of ſuch a temper as is naturally a Torment and Diſquiet to it ſelf; and here the foundation of Hell is laid in the evil diſpoſition of our Spirits, and till that be cured, which can only be done by Holineſs, 'tis as impoſſible for a wicked Man to be happy, and contented in himſelf, as it is for a Sick Man to be at eaſe; and the external preſence of God, and a local Heaven would ſignifie no more to make a wicked Man happy and contented, than heaps of Gold, and Conſorts of Muſick, and a well ſpread Table, and a rich Bed, would contribute to a Man's eaſe in the paroxyſms of a Feaver, or in a violent fit of the Stone. If a ſenſual, or covetous, or ambitious Man were in Heaven, he would be like the rich Man in Hell, he would be tormented with a continual Thirſt, and burnt up in the Flames of his own ardent Deſires, and would not meet with the leaſt drop of ſuitable Pleaſure and Delight, to quench and allay the Heat; the reaſon is, becauſe ſuch a Man hath that within him which torments him, and he cannot be at eaſe, till that be removed. Sin is the violent and unnatural and uneaſie State of our Soul, every wicked Man's Spirit is out of order, and till the Man be put into a right Frame by Holineſs, he will be perpetually diſquieted, and can have no reſt within himſelf. The Prophet fitly deſcribes the condition of ſuch a Perſon, Iſa. 57.20, 21. But the wicked are like the troubled ſea when it cannot reſt, whoſe waters caſt forth mire and dirt; there is no peace ſaith my God, to the wicked. So long as a Man is unholy, ſo long as filthineſs and corruption abound in his Heart, they will be reſtleſty working, like Wine which is in a perpetual motion and agitation, till it have purged it ſelf of its Dregs and Foulneſs. Nothing is more turbulent and unquiet than the Spirit of a wicked Man; it is like the Sea, when it roars and rages through the ſtrengh of contrary Winds; it is the ſcene of furious Luſts and wild Paſſions, which as they are contrary to Holineſs, ſo they maintain perpetual conteſts and fewds among themſelves.
All Sin ſeparates us from God, who is the Foundation of our Happineſs. Our limited Nature, and the narrowneſs of our Beings, will not permit us to be happy in our ſelves; it is peculiar to God to be his own Happineſs; but Man, becauſe he is finite, and therefore cannot be ſelf-ſufficient, is carried forth by an innate deſire, of Happineſs, to ſeek his Felicity in God. So that there is in the nature of man a Spring of reſtleſs Motion, which with great impatience forceth him out of himſelf, and toſſes him to and fro, till he comes to reſt in ſomething that is ſelf-ſufficient. Our Souls, when they are ſeparated from God, like the unclean Spirit in the Goſpel, when it was caſt out, they wander up and down in dry and deſart places, ſeeking reſt, but finding none. Were the whole World calm about a Man, and did it not make the leaſt attempt upon him, were he free from the fears of Divine Vengeance; yet he could not be ſatisfied with himſelf, there is ſomething within him that would not let him be at reſt, but would tear him from his own Foundation and Conſiſtency; ſo that when we are once broken off from God, the ſenſe of inward want doth ſtimulate and force us to ſeek our contentment elſe-where. So that nothing but Holineſs, which re-unites us to God, and reſtores our Souls to their primitive and original ſtate, can make us happy, and give peace and reſt to our Souls. And this is the conſtant voice and language of Scripture, and the tenour of the Bible. Acquaint thy ſelf with God, that thou mayeſt be at Peace. Job 22.21. Light is ſown for the righteous, and gladneſs for the upright in heart, Pſal. 97.11. The work of righteouſneſs is peace, and the effect of righteouſneſs, quietneſs and aſſurance for ever, Iſa. 32.17.
Seeing then Holineſs is ſo high a Perfection, and ſo great a Happineſs, let theſe Arguments prevail with us, to aſpire after this temper, that as he who hath called us is holy, ſo we may be holy in all manner of Converſation, becauſe it is written, be ye holy, for I am holy.
ADVERTISEMENT.
THE Diſcourſes of the Divine Goodneſs, being more than can be contain'd in this Volume, are, together with thoſe of the remaining Attributes, reſerv'd for the next: But to complete this, here follows a ſingle Sermon upon another Subject.