The Power of Holiness is Expressed in the Duties of God’s Worship 2/2

           

Second. In a close and vigorous pursuance of those ends for which God hath appointed them.  Now there is a double end which God chiefly aims at in duties of his worship.  1. God intends that by them we should do our homage to him as our sovereign Lord. 2. He intends them to be as means through which he may let out himself into the bosoms of his children, and communicate the choicest of his blessings to them.  Now here the power of holiness puts forth it­self, when the Christian attends narrowly to reach these ends in every duty he performs.

1. God appoints them for this end, that we may do our homage to him as our sovereign Lord.Were there not a worship paid to God, how should we de­clare and make it appear that we hold our life and being on him?  One of the first things that God taught Adam, and Adam his children, was in divine worship.  Now if we will do this holily, we must make it our chief care so to perform every duty, that by it we may sanctify his name in it, and give him the glory due unto him.  A subject may offer a present after such a ridiculous fashion to his prince, that he may count himself rather scorned than honoured by him.  The soldiers bowed the knee to Christ, but they ‘mocked him,’ Matt. 27:29, and so does God reckon that many do by him, even while they worship him. By the carriage and behaviour of ourselves in religious duties, we speak what our thoughts are of God him­self.  He that performs them with a holy awe upon his spirit, and comes to them filled with faith and fear, with joy and trembling—he declares plainly that he believes God to be a great God and a good God—a glorious majesty and a gracious.  But he that is care­less and slovenly in them, tells God himself to his face that he hath mean and low thoughts of him.  The misbehaviour of a person in religious duties, ariseth from his misapprehensions of God whom he wor­ships.  What is engraven on the seal, you shall surely see printed on the wax.  And what thoughts the heart hath of God, are stamped on the duties the man per­forms.  Abel showed himself to be a holy man, and Cain appeared a wicked wretch, in their sacrifice. And how? but in this—that Abel aimed at that end which God intends in his worship—the sanctifying {of} his name—but which, Cain minded not at all.  This may appear by comparing Abel’s sacrifice with his, in two particulars.

           (1.) Abel is very choice in the matter of his sac­ri­fice—not any of the flock that comes first to hand, but ‘the firstlings;’ nor does he offer the lean of them to God, and save the fat for himself, but gives God the best of the best.  But of Cain’s offering no such care is recorded to be taken by him.  It is only said, that he, ‘brought of the fruit of the ground, an offering unto the Lord,’ but not a word that it was the first fruit or the best fruit, Gen. 4:3, 4.  Again,

           (2.) Abel did not put God off with a beast or two for a sacrifice; but with them give his heart also.  ‘By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain,’ Heb. 11:4.  He gave God the inward wor­ship of his soul; and this was it that God took so kindly at his hands, for which he obtained a testi­mony from God himself that he was ‘righteous.’ Whereas Cain thought it enough—if not too much —to give him a little of the fruit of the ground.  Had the wretch but considered who God was, and what was his end in requiring an offering at his hands, he could not have thought rationally that a handful or two of corn was that which he prized or looked at, any further than to be a sign of that inward and spiritual worship which he expected to come along with the outward ceremony.  But he showed what base and un­worthy thoughts he had of God, and accordingly he dealt with him.  O Christians! remember when you engage in any duty of religion, that you go to do your homage to God, who will be worshipped like himself.  ‘Cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen,’ Mal. 1:14.  This made David so curious about the temple which he had in his heart to build, ‘because this palace is not for man, but for the Lord God,’ I Chr. 29:1; therefore he saith, he ‘prepared with all my might for the house of his God,’ ver. 2.  Thus should the gracious soul say, when going to any duty of religion, ‘It is not man, but the Lord God, I am going to minister unto, and therefore I must be serious and solemn, holy and humble,’ &c.

The Power of Holiness is Expressed in the Duties of God’s Worship

Second Instance.  The Christian must exert the power of holiness in the duties of God’s worship.  The same light that shows us a God, convinceth us he is to be worshipped, and not only so, but that he will be worshipped in a holy manner also.  God was very choice in all that belonged to his worship under the law.  If he hath a tabernacle—the place of worship—it must be made of the choicest materials; the workmen employed to make it must be rarely gifted for the pur­pose; the sacrifices to be offered up, the best in every kind, the males of the flock, the best of the beasts, the fat of the inwards, not the offals.  The persons that at­tend upon the Lord, and minister unto him, they must be peculiarly holy.  What is the gospel of all this? but that God is very wonderful in his worship.  If in any action of our lives we be more holy than in others, sure it is to be, when we have to do with God immediately.  Now this holiness in duties of worship should appear in these particulars.

           First. In making conscience of one duty as well as another.  The Christian must encompass all within his religious walk.  It is dangerous to perform one duty, that we may dispense with ourselves in the neglect of another.  Partiality is hateful to God, espec­ially in the duties of religion—which have all a divine stamp upon them.  There is no ordinance of God’s appointment which he doth not bless to his people; and we must not reject what God owns.  Yea, God communicates himself with great variety to his saints, now in this, anon in that, on purpose to keep up the esteem of all in our hearts.  The spouse seeks her Beloved in secret duty at home, and finds him not; then she goes to the public, and meets ‘him whom her soul loveth,’ Song 3:4.  Daniel, no doubt, had often vis­ited the throne of grace, and been a long trader in that duty; but God reserved the fuller manifestation of his love, and the opening of some secrets to him, till he did, to ordinary prayer, join extraordinary fasting and prayer.  Then the commandment came forth, and a messenger from heaven was despatched to acquaint him with God's mind and heart, Dan. 9:3 compared with ver. 23.  There is no duty, but the saints, at one time or another, find the Spirit of God breath­ing sweetly in, and filling their souls from it, with more than ordinary refreshing. 

Sometimes the child sucks its milk from this breast, sometimes from that.  David, in meditation, while he was ‘musing,’ Ps. 39:3, finds a heavenly heat kindling in his bosom, till at last the fire breaks out.  To the eunuch in ‘reading’ of the word, Acts 8:27, 28, is sent Philip to join his chariot; to the apostles, Christ ‘makes known himself in breaking of bread,’ Luke 24:35; the disciples walking to Emmaus, and conferring together, presently have Christ fall in with them, Luke 24:15, who helps them to untie those knots which they were posed with; Cor­nelius, at duty in his house, has ‘a vision,’ Acts 10:3 from heaven, to direct him in the way he should walk. Take heed, Christian, therefore that thou neglectest not any one duty.  How knowest thou, but that is the door at which Christ stands waiting to enter at into thy soul?  The Spirit is free.  Do not bind him to this or that duty, but wait on him in all.  It is not wisdom to let any water run past thy mill, which may be useful to set thy soul a-going heavenward. 

May be, Chris­tian, thou findest little in those duties thou per­formest; they are empty breasts to thy soul.  It is worth thy inquiry, whether there be not some other thou neglectest?  Thou hearest the word with little profit, may be?  I pray, tell me, dost thou not neglect sacraments?  I am sure too many do, and that upon weak grounds, God knows.  And wilt thou have God meet thee in one ordinance, who dost not meet him in another?  Or, if thou frequentest all public ordin­ances, is not God a great stranger to thee at home, in thy house and closet?  What communion dost thou hold with him in private duties?  Here is a hole wide enough to lose all thou gettest in public, if not timely mended.  Samuel would not sit down to the feast with Jesse and his sons, till David, though the youngest son, was fetched, who was also the only son what was wanting, I Sam. 16:11.  If thou wouldst have God’s company in any ordinance, thou must wait on him in all; he will not have any willingly neglected.  Oh fetch back that duty which thou hast sent away; though least in thy eye, yet, it may be, it is that which God means to crown with his choicest blessing to thy soul.

INSTANCES WHEREIN the Christian is to Express the Power of Holiness 3/3

           Fourth Particular.  He must, as endeavour to mortify corruption, so to grow and advance in the contrary grace.  Every sin hath its opposite grace, as every poison hath its antidote.  He that will walk in the power of holiness, must not only labour to make avoidance of sin, but to get possession of the contrary grace.  We read of a house that stood ‘empty,’ Matt. 12:44.  ‘The unclean spirit went out,’ but the Holy Spirit came not in—that is, when a man is a mere negative Christian, he ceaseth to do evil in some ways he hath formerly walked in, but he learns not to do good.  This is to lose heaven with short-shooting.  God will not ask us what we were not, but what we were.  Not to swear and curse will not serve our turn; but thou wilt be asked, ‘Didst thou bless and sanctify God’s name?’  It will not suffice that thou didst not persecute Christ, but ‘Didst thou receive him?’  Thou didst not hate his saints, but didst thou love them?  Thou didst not drink and swill, but wert thou filled with the Spirit?  He is the skilful physician who, at the same time he evacuates the disease, doth also comfort and strengthen nature; and he the true Chris­tian, that doth not content himself with a bare laying aside of evil customs and practices, but labours to walk in that exercise of the corresponding graces.  Art thou discomposed with impatience?—haunted with a discontented spirit, under any affliction?  

Think it not enough to silence thy heart from quarreling with God; but leave not till thou canst bring it sweetly to rely on God.  Holy David drove it thus far—he did not only chide his soul for being disquieted, but he charges it to trust in God, Ps. 43:5. Hast thou any grudgings in thy heart against thy brother?  Think it not enough to quench these sparks of hell-fire; but labour to kindle a heavenly fire of love to him, so as to set thee a praying heartily for him.  I have known one who, when he had some envious, unkind thoughts stirring in him, against any one—as who so holy may not find such vermin sometimes creeping about him?—would not stay long from the throne of grace; but going there, that he might enter the stronger pro­test against them, would most earnestly pray for the increase of those good things in them, which he be­fore had seemed to grudge, [i.e. desiderate], and so revenged himself of those envious lustings which at any time rose in his heart against others.

           Fifth Particular.  He must have a public spirit against the sins of others.  A good subject doth not only labour to live quietly under his prince’s govern­ment himself, but is ready to serve his prince against those that will not.  True holiness, as true charity, be­gins at home, but it doth not confine itself within its own doors.  It hath a zeal against sin abroad.  He that is of a neutral spirit, and, Gallio-like, cares not what dishonour God hath from others, calls in question the zeal he expresseth against sin in his own bosom.  When David would know the temper of his own heart, the furthest discovery by all search that he could make of the sincerity of it, is his zeal against the sins of others.  ‘Do I not hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am I not grieved with those that rise up against thee?  I hate them with a perfect hatred; I count them mine enemies,’ Ps. 139:21, 22.  Having done this, he entreats God himself to ransack his heart; ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me,’ &c., ver. 23, 24; as if he had said, Lord, my line will not reach to fathom my heart any further, and therefore if it be possible that yet any evil may shroud itself under this, tell me, and ‘lead me in the way everlasting.’

           Sixth Particular.  The Christian, when he shows most zeal against sin, and hath greatest victory over it, even then must he renounce all fiduciary glorying in this.  The excellency of gospel holiness consists in self-denial.  ‘Though I wee perfect,’ saith Job, ‘yet would I not know my soul,’ Job 9:21; that is, I would not be conceited and proud of my innocence.  When a man is lift up with any excellency he hath, we say, ‘He knows it;’ ‘He hath excellent parts, but he knows it;’ that is, he reflects too much on himself, and sees his own face too oft in the glass of his own perfec­tions.  They who climb lofty mountains find it safest, the higher they ascend, the more to bow and stoop with their bodies; and so does the Spirit of Christ teach the saints, as they get higher in their victories over corruption, to bow lowest in self-denial.  The saints are bid to, ‘keep themselves in the love of God,’ and then to wait, ‘looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life,’ Jude 21.  And, ‘Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy,’ Hosea 10:12.  We sow on earth, we reap in heaven.  The seed we are to sow is righteousness and holiness, which when we have done, with greatest care and cost, we must not expect our reward from the hand of our righteousness, but from God’s mercy

INSTANCES WHEREIN the Christian is to Express the Power of Holiness 2/3

 

Second Particular.  Thou must not only endeav­our against all sin, but that, on noble principles.  Here lies the power of holiness.  Many forbear to sin upon such an unworthy account, that God will not thank them for it another day.  As it is in actions of piety and charity, God makes no account of them, except he be interested in them.  When we fast or pray, God asks, ‘Do you fast and pray to me, even to me?’ Zech. 7:5.  When we give alms, ‘a cup of cold water’ for his sake, given ‘in the name of a disciple,’ is more valued by him, Matt. 10:42, than a cup of gold, for private and low ends.  As in these, so it is in sin, God looks that his authority should conclude, and his love constrain us to renounce it; before the com­mandments—as princes, before their proclamations, prefix their arms and royal names—God sets his glor­ious name.  ‘God spake all these words,’ saying, &c., Ex. 20:1.  And why this, but that we should sanctify his name in all that we do?  A master may well think himself despised by that servant that still goes on, when he bids him leave off such a work, but has done presently at the entreaty of another.  O how many are there that go on to sin, for all that God says to the contrary!  But when their credit bids, for shame of the world, to give over such a practice, they can knock off presently.  

When their profit speaks, it is heard and obeyed.  O sirs! take heed of this; God expects his servants should not only do what he commands, but this, at his command, and his only.  And as in abstaining from evil, so in mourning for sins commit­ted by us, if we will be Christians indeed, we must take in, yea prefer, God’s concernments before our own.  Indeed, it were to be wished that some were kind to their own souls, as to mourn for themselves when they have sinned—that they would cry out with Lamech, ‘I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.’ Gen. 4:23.  Many have such brawny consciences, that they do not so much as com­plain they have hurt themselves by their sins.  But, little of the power of holiness appears in all this. There may be a great cry in the conscience, ‘I am damned! I have undone myself!’ and the dishonour that is cast upon God by him, not laid to heart.  You remember what Joab said to David, taking on heavily for Absalom’s death, ‘I perceive,’ said he, ‘if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well,’ II Sam. 19:6.  Thus we might say to such selfish mourners, ‘We perceive that if thou couldst but save the life of thy soul from eternal death and damnation, though the glory of God miscarried, thou couldst be pleased well enough.’ 

But know, that a gracious soul’s mourning runs in another channel.  ‘Against thee, thee only have I sinned,’ is holy David’s moan.  There is a great difference between a servant that works for another, and one that is his own man.  As we say, the latter puts all his losses upon his own head: ‘So much,’ saith he, ‘I have lost by such a ship—so much by such a bargain.’  But the servant that trades with his master’s stock—he, when any loss comes, he puts it on his master’s account: ‘So much have I lost of my master’s goods.’  O Chris­tian! think of this.  Thou art but a servant.  All the stock thou tradest with is not thine, but thy God’s; and therefore, when thou fallest into any sin, bewail it as a wrong to him.  ‘So much, alas! I have dishon­oured my God; his talents I have wasted; his name I have wounded; his Spirit I have grieved.’

           Third Particular.  He must not only abstain from acting a sin, but also labour to mortify it.  A wound may be hid when it is not healed—covered, and yet not cured.  Some men, they are like unskilful physi­cians, who rather drive in the disease, than drive out the cause of the disease.  Corruption thus left in the bosom, like lime unslaked, or a humour unpurged, is sure at one time or other to take fire and break out, though now it lies peaceably, as powder in the barrel, and makes no noise.  I have read that the opening of a chest where some cloths were laid up—not very well aired and cleared from the infection that had been in the house—was the cause of a great plague in Venice, after they had lain many years there, without doing any hurt.  I am sure we see, for want of true mortifica­tion, many who, after they have walked so long unblameably as to gain the reputation of being saints in the opinion of others, upon some occasion, like the opening of the chest, have fallen sadly into abomin­able practices; and therefore it behoves us not to satisfy ourselves with anything less than a work of mortification, and that followed on from day to day.  ‘I protest,’ saith Paul, ‘by my rejoicing in Christ, I die daily.’  Here was a man who walked in the power of holiness.  Sin is like the beast, Rev. 13:3, which seemed at one time as if it would presently die of its wounds, but by and by it was strangely healed so as to recover again. 

Many a saint, for want of keeping a tight rein, and that constantly, over some corruption which they have thought they had got the mastery of, have been thrown out the saddle, and by it dragged dangerously into temptation, unable to resist the fury of lust, when it has got head, till they have broken their bones with some sad fall into sin.  If thou wouldst, Chris­tian, show the power of holiness, never give over mortifying-work, no, not when thy corruptions play least in thy sight.  He that is inclined to a disease—gout, stone, or the like—must not only take physic when he hath a fit actually upon him, but ever and anon should be taking something good against it.  So should the Christian, not only when he finds his corruption stirring, but every day keep his soul in a course of spiritual physic, against the growing of it.  This is holiness in its power.  Many professors do with their souls in this respect, as deceitful chirur­geons with their patients—lay on a healing plaster one day, and a contrary the next day, that sets the cure more back than the other set it forward.  Take heed of this, except thou meanest not only to bring the power of holiness into danger, but the very life and truth of it into question in thy soul

INSTANCES WHEREIN the Christian is to Express the Power of Holiness 1/3

 The second particular, into which the point was branched, comes now to be taken into hand; and that was to mention several instances wherein especially every Christian is to express the power of a holy and righteous life.  Now this I shall do under several heads.

           First. The Christian must maintain the power of holiness in his contest with sin.  Second. The Christian must express the power of holiness in the duties of God’s worship.  Third. The Christian must express the power of holiness in his particular calling and worldly employments.

[The power of holiness is expressed in the saint’s behaviour towards sin.]

           First Instance. The Christian must maintain the power of holiness in his contest with sin; and that in the particulars following.

           Thou must not only refuse to commit broad sins, but shun the appearance of sin also; this is to walk in the power of holiness.  The dove doth not only fly from the hawk, but will not so much as smell a single feather that falls from it.  It should be enough to scare the holy soul from any enterprise, if it be but male coloratum—badly coloured.  We are command­ed to ‘hate even the garment spotted by the flesh,’ Jude 23.  A cleanly person will not only refuse to swallow the dung-hill (he [who would] is a beast indeed), but he is careful also that he doth not get so much as a spot on his clothes as he is eating his meat.  The Christian’s care should be to keep, as his conscience is pure, so his name pure; which is done by avoiding all appearance of evil.  Bernard’s three questions are worth the asking ourselves in any enterprise.  An liceat? an deceat? an expediat?—Is it lawful? may I do it and not sin?  Is it becoming me a Christian? may I do it, and not wrong my profession?  That work which would suit a mean man, would it become a prince?  ‘Should such a man as I flee?’ Neh. 6:11, said Nehemiah nobly.  Lastly, Is it expedient? may I do it, and not offend my weak brother?  There are some things we must deny ourselves of for the sake of others.  Though a man could sit his horse, and run him full speed without danger to himself; yet he should do very ill to come scouring through a town where children are in the way, that may be, before he is aware, rid over by him, and spoiled.  Thus some things thou mayest do, and without sin to thee, if there were no weak Christians in thy way to ride over, and so bruise their tender consciences and grieve their spirits. 

But alas! this is too narrow a path for many shaleing professors to walk in now-a-days; they must have more room and scope for their loose hearts, or else they and their profession must part.  Liberty is the Diana of our times.  O what apologies are made for some suspicious practices!—long hair, gaudy garish apparel, spotted faces, naked breasts.  These have been called to the bar in former times, and censured by sober and solid Christians, as things at least suspicious, and of no ‘good report;’ but now they have hit upon a more favourable jury, that find them ‘not guilty.’  Yea, many are so fond of them, that they think Christian liberty is wronged in their censure.  Professors are so far from a holy jealousy, that should make them watch their hearts, lest they go too far, that they stretch their consciences to come up to the full length of their tedder; as if he were the brave Christian that could come nearest the pit of sin, and not fall in; as in the Olympian games, he wore the garland away, that could drive his chariot nearest the mark, and not knock on it.  If this were so, Paul mistook when he bade Christians ‘abstain from all ap­pearance of evil,’ I Thes. 5:22.  He should rather, by these men’s divinity, have said ‘abstain’ not from ‘the appearance,’ only take heed of what is in itself grossly ‘evil.’  But he that can venture on ‘the appearance of evil,’ under the pretence of liberty, may, for aught I know, commit that which is more grossly evil, under some appearance of good.  It is not hard, if a man will be at the cost, to put a good colour on a rotten stuff, and practice also.

The Power of Holiness to be Maintained Because of ITS OWN EXCELLENCY 4/4

 

 Sixth.  Holiness and righteousness—they are the pillars of kingdoms and nations.  Who are they that keep the house from falling on a people’s head, but the righteous in a nation?  ‘Ten righteous men,’ could they have been found in Sodom, had blown over the storm of fire and brimstone that, in a few hours, en­tombed them in their own ashes; yea, the destroying angel’s hands were tied up, as it were, while but one righteous Lot was among them.  ‘Haste thee, escape hither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come hither,’ Gen. 19:22.  Rehoboam and his kingdom were strengthened for three years, and might have been for three and twenty, if he head not, by his unrighteous­ness, pulled it down upon himself and people; for his unhappiness is dated from the very time of his depar­ture from God, II Chr. 11:16-12:2. Josiah, when he came to the crown, found the kingdom of Judah tumbling apace to ruin; yet, because his heart was set for God, and prepared to walk before him, God took his bail (as I may so say) for that wretched people, even when they were under arrest from him, and almost at the prison door, so that their safety was, in a manner, bound up in his life; for soon after his decease all went to wreck among them.  It was a heroic speech of Luther, who foresaw a black cloud of God’s judg­ments coming over the head of Germany, but told some of his friends, ‘That he would do his best to keep it from falling in his days’—yea, he believed it should not come—‘and,’ said he, ‘when I am gone, let them that come after me look to it.’

           This poor nation of England hath, for many gen­erations in a succession, had a number of precious, righteous ones, who have, through God’s grace, walked close with God, and been kept in a great de­gree unspotted from the defilements of the ungodly times they lived in.  These were the Atlases of their several ages; these have oft found favour of God, to beg the life of this nation, when its neck hath been on the very block.  But they are gone, or wearing away apace, and a new generation coming in their room; unhappy would the day be called when you were born, if you should be the men and women that, by degenerating from the power of holiness, should cut the banks which was their chief care to keep up, and so let in a desolating judgment to overflow the land. That heir we count unworthy of his birth and patri­mony, who, by his debauched courses, prodigally makes away that estate, which, by the care and provi­dence of his ancestors, was through many descents at last transmitted to him; but which now, together with the honour of the family, unhappily ends in him.  If ever any age was like to do thus by the place of their nativity, this present is it, wherein our sad lot to live is cast.  How low is the power of holiness sunk among us, to what it was but in the last generation!  Religion, alas! runs low and dreggy  among professors.  God, we know, will not long suffer it.  If Egypt knows a dearth is coming by the low ebbing of Nilus, surely we may see a judgment to be coming by the low fall of the power of godliness.

           There are great complaints of what men have lost in these hurling times.  Some bemoan their lost places and estates, others the lost lives of their friends in the wars; but professors may claim justly the first place of all the mourners of the times, to lament their lost loves to the truths of Christ, worship of Christ, servants of Christ—yea, that universal decay which appears in their holy walking before God and man.  This is sad indeed, but that which adds a fearful ag­gravation to it is, that we degenerate and grow loose at a time when we are under the highest engagements for holiness that ever any people were.  We are a people redeemed from many deaths and dangers.  And when better might God expect us to be a righ­teous nation?  It is an ill time for a person to fall a stealing and pilfering again as soon as the rope is off his neck, and he let safely come down that ladder from which he was even now like to be turned off.  Surely it added to righteous Noah’s sin, to be drunk as soon almost as he was set on shore, when a little before he had seen a whole world sinking before his eyes, and he, privileged person, left by God to plant the world again with a godly seed.  O sirs, the earth hath hardly yet drunk in the rivers of blood that have been shed in our land.  The cities and towns have hardly got out of their ruins, which the miseries of war laid them in. 

 The moans of the fatherless and husbandless, whom the sword bereaved of their dear­est relations, are not yet silenced by their own death. Yea, can our own frights and scares, which we were amazed with, when we saw the nation—like a candle lighted at both ends—on flame, and every day the fire coming nearer and nearer to ourselves—can these be so soon forgotten?  Now, that at such a time as this, a nation, and that the professing part of it, should grow looser, more proud, covetous, contentious, wan­ton in their principles, and careless in their lives; this must be for a lamentation.  We have little cause to boast of our peace and plenty, when the result of our deliverance is to deliver us up to commit such abomi­nations.  This is as if one whose quartan ague is gone, but leaving him in a deep dropsy, should brag his ague hath left him, little thinking that when it went, it left him a worse guest in its place.  An unhap­py change, God knows it is; to have war, pestilence, and famine removed, and to be left swollen up with pride, error, and libertinism.

           Again, we are a people who have made more pre­tensions to righteousness and holiness than our fore­fathers ever did.  What else meant the many prayers to God, and petitions to man, for reformation?  What interpretations could a charitable heart make, of our putting ourselves under the bond of a covenant, to endeavour for personal reformation, and then na­tional, but that we meant in earnest to be a more righteous nation that ever before?  This made such a loud report in foreign parts, that our neighbour-churches were set a wondering to think what these glorious beginnings might ripen to; so that now—hav­ing put forth these leaves, and told both God and man, by them, what fruit was to be looked for from us—our present state must needs be nigh unto curs­ing, for disappointing the just expectations of both. Nothing can save the life of this our nation, or lengthen out its tranquility in mercy to it, but the re­covery of the much decayed power of holiness.  This, as  a spring of new blood to a weak body, would, though almost a dying, revive it, and procure more happy days—yea, more happy days to come over its head, than it hath yet seen; but alas! as we are degenerating from bad to worse, we do but die lingeringly—every day we fetch our breath shorter and shorter; if the sword should but be drawn again among us, we have hardly strength to hold out another fit.

The Power of Holiness to be Maintained Because of ITS OWN EXCELLENCY 3/4

           Fifth. Holiness has a mighty influence upon others.  When this appears with power in the lives of Christians, it works mightily upon the spirits of men; it stops the mouths of the ungodly, who are ready to reproach religion, and to throw the dirt of professors’ sins on the face of profession itself.  They say that frogs will cease croaking when a light is brought near unto them.  The light of a holy conversation hangs as it were a padlock on profane lips; yea, it forceth them to acknowledge God in them.  ‘Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven,’ Matt. 5:16.  Yea more, this would not only stop their mouths, but be a means to open their very hearts to the embracing of Christ and his grace.

           One reason why such shoals of souls came into the net of the gospel in primitive times was, because then the divinity of the gospel doctrine appeared in the divinity and holiness of Christians’ lives.  Justin Martyr, when converted, professed, ‘That the holiness that shined in Christians’ lives and patience, that triumphed over their enemies’ cruelty at their deaths, made him conclude the doctrine of the gospel was truth.’  Yea, Julian himself, vile wretch as he was, could say, that the Christian religion came to be propagated so much, ‘propter Christianorum erga omnes beneficia—because Christians were a people that did good to all, and hurt to none.’  I am sure we find, by woeful experience, that in these debauched times, wherein religion is so bespattered with frequent scandals, yea, a common looseness of professors, it is hard to get any that are out to come under the net of the gospel.  Some beasts there are, that if they have once blown upon a pasture, others will hardly eat of the grass for some while after.  Truly I have had some such sad thoughts as these concerning our unhappy times; that, till the ill favour, which the pride, conten­tions, errors, and looseness of professors now-a-days, have left upon the truths and ordinances of Christ be worn off, there is little hope of any great comings in of new converts.  The minister cannot be always preaching.  Two or three hours, may be, in a week, he spends among his people in the pulpit, holding the glass of the gospel before their faces; but the lives of professors, these preach all week long.  If they were but holy and exemplary, they would be as a repetition of the preacher's sermon to the families and neigh­bours among whom they converse, and would keep the sound of his doctrine continually ringing in their ears.  

This would give Christians an admirable advan­tage in doing good to their carnal neighbours, by counsel and reproof, which is now seldom done, and when done, it proves to little purpose, because not backed with their own exemplary walking.  ‘It behoves him,’ saith Tertullian, ‘that would counsel or reprove another, to guard his speech—autoritate propriæ conversationis, ne dicta factis deficientibus erubes­cant—with the authority of his own conversation, lest, wanting that, what he says may put himself to the blush.’  We do not love that one that hath the stink­ing breath should come very near us; and truly we count one comes very near us that reproves us.  Such therefore had need have a sweet-scented life.  Re­proofs are good physic, but they have an unpleasing farewell.  It is hard for men not to vomit them up on the face of him that gives them.  Now nothing is more powerful to keep a reproof from thus coming up, than the holiness of the person that reproves.  ‘Let the righteous smite me,’ saith David, ‘it shall be a kind­ness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head,’ Ps. 141:5.  See how well it is taken from such a hand, because of the authority that holiness carries with it.  None but a vile wretch will smite a righteous man with reproach, for smiting him with a reproof, especially if it be softly laid on, and like oil fomented, and wrought into him, as it should, with compassion and love to his soul. Thus we see how influential the power of holiness would be unto the wicked.  Neither would it be less upon our brethren and fellow-Christians.

           When one Christian sees holiness sparkle in the life of another he converses with, he shall find his own grace spring within him, as the babe in Elizabeth at the salutation of Mary.  Truly one eminently holy is enough to put life into a whole society; on the con­trary, the error or looseness of one professor, en­dangers the whole company that are acquainted with him.  Therefore we have so strict a charge—‘Follow peace with all men, and holiness;...looking dili­gently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you and thereby many be defiled,’ Heb. 12:14.  It is spoken to professors.  The heathen’s drunkenness, uncleanness, unrighteous walk­ing did not so much endanger them.  But, when ‘a root of bitterness springs up’ among professors themselves, this hazards the defiling of many.  A scab on the wolf’s back is not so dangerous to the sheep —because they will not be easily drawn among such company; but, when it gets into the flock, among professors that feed together, pray, hear, and walk in fellowship together, then is there fear it will spread.  A loose erroneous professor doth the devil more serv­ice in his kind, than a whole troop of such as pretend to no religion.  

The devil gets no credit by them.  There are many errors and sinful practices which have long lain upon his hands, and he could not put them off, till he found his way—viz. to employ some professors as his brokers to commend them to others, and to disperse them for him.  And if such do not en­snare and defile others by their unholy walking, to be sure they grieve their hearts, and put them to shame in the world.  O how Christians hang down their heads upon the scandal of any of their company!—as all the patriarchs were troubled, when the cup was found in one of their sacks.  And it is no small matter to make sad the hearts of God’s people.  In a word, he that keeps not up, in some measure, the power of a holy life, renders himself useless and unprofitable.  Wouldst thou pray for others?  A heathen could bid a wicked man hold his peace, and not let the gods know he was in a ship when a storm was on them.  Wouldst thou speak a word of comfort to any mourn­ful soul?  O how unsavoury are comforts dropping from such a mouth!  Wouldst thou counsel another? Thy friend will think thou dost but jest.  Whatever thou sayest in commendation of holiness, he will not believe that thou thyself dost think it good; for then thou wouldst take that thyself, which thou com­mendest to another.

The Power of Holiness to be Maintained Because of ITS OWN EXCELLENCY 2/4

           Fourth. Holiness in the power of it is necessary to the true peace and repose of the soul.  I do not say that our peace is bottomed on the righteousness of our nature or holiness of our lives, yet it is ever at­tended with these.  ‘There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.’  We may as soon make the sea always still, as an unholy heart truly quiet.  From whence come the intestine wars in men’s bosoms, that set them at variance with themselves, but from their own lusts? these break the peace, and keep the man in a continual tempest.  As the spirit of holiness comes into his heart, and the sceptre of Christ—which is ‘a sceptre of righteousness’—bears sway in the life; so the storm abates more and more, till it be quite down, which will not be while we are short of heaven.  There only is perfect rest, because perfect holiness.  Whence those frights and fears, which make them a magor missabib—a terror round about?—they wake and sleep with the scent of hell-fire about them continually.  O, it is their unholy course and unrigh­teous ways that walk in their thoughts, as John’s ghost in Herod’s.  This makes men discontented in every condition.  They neither can relish the sweetness of their enjoyments, nor bear the bitter taste of their afflictions.  I know there are ways to stupefy the con­science, and bind up for a time the senses of an un­holy heart, that it shall not feel its own misery; but the virtue of this opium is soon spent, and then the wretch is upon the rack again, and his horror returns upon him with a greater paroxysm.  

An example whereof I have heard.  A notorious drunkard, who used, when told of his ungodly life, to shake off, as easily as Paul did the viper from his hand, all the threatenings of the word that his friends would have fastened on his conscience—bearing himself upon a presumptuous hope of the mercy of God in Christ: it pleased God to lay him, some while after, on his back by sickness; which, for a time, scared his old com­panions—brethren with him in iniquity—from vis­iting him; but hearing he was cheery and pleasant in his sickness, they ventured again to see him; doing so, they found him very confident of the mercy of God (whereby their hands were much strengthened in their old ways); but before he died, this tune was changed to purpose; his vain hopes vanished, his guilty con­science awakened, and the poor wretch, roasted in the scorching flames of his former ungodly practices, and now ready to die, cries out despairingly, ‘O sirs!  I had prepared a plaster, and thought all was well, but now it will stick no longer.’  His guilty conscience rubbed it off as fast as he clapped it on.  And truly, friends, you will find that the blood of Christ himself will not cleave to a soul that is in league with any way of sin and unrighteousness. 

 God will pluck such from the horns of his altar, that flee to it, but not from their unrighteousness, and will slay them in the sight of the sanctuary they so boldly trust to.  You know the message Solomon sent to Adonijah, ‘If thou showest thyself a worthy man, not a hair of thy head shall fall; but if wickedness shall be found in thee, thou shalt surely die.’  In vain do men think to shroud them­selves under Christ’s wing from the hue and cry of their accusing conscience, while wickedness finds a sanctuary in them. Christ never was intended by God to secure men in their unrighteousness, but to save them from it.

The Power of Holiness to be Maintained Because of ITS OWN EXCELLENCY 1/4

    Third Reason. There is a reason in regard of holiness itself—the incomparable excellency whereof commands us to pursue it, and endeavour after it, with our utmost care and strength.

           First.  It is an excellency peculiar to the rational creature.  Inferior creatures have a goodness prosper to them; but intellectual beings only are capable of an inward holiness.  God saw every creature he made to be ‘good;’ only angels and man to be ‘holy.’  And if we part with holiness that is our crown, we become worse than the beasts themselves; yea, it is holiness and righteousness that makes one man differ from another in God’s account.  We go by a false rate, when we value men by their external advantages.  All stand on a level as to God, till holiness be super ­added.  Princes, in whom is seated the sovereign power, claim as their prerogative to set the just value on all coin—what every piece shall go for; this a penny, and that a pound.  Much more surely then doth it belong to God to rate his creatures.  And he tells us, ‘The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour,’ Prov. 12:26 ‘The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth,’ Prov. 10:20.  The Spirit of God compares the righteous to silver and gold, the most precious of metals, which above all other metals are of such account, that only money made of silver and gold is current in all coun­tries; holiness will go in both worlds; but external excellencies, such as worldly riches, honours, &c., like leather and brass money, are of no esteem, save in this beggarly lower world.

         

  Second.  It is holiness that is, though not our plea, yet our evidence for heaven.  ‘Without holiness no man shall see the Lord.’  Heaven is a city where righteousness dwells.  Though God suffer the earth to bear for a while unholy men—which it doth not with­out sweating under their weight, and groaning to be rid of the load—yet sure he will never pester heaven with such a crew.  Before Enoch was translated to heaven, he walked holily with God on earth; which made God desire his company so soon.  O friends! do we like an empty profession? such a religion as will leave us short of heaven? or can we reasonably expect a dispensation above others, that we should com­mence glorified creatures in heaven, without keeping our acts, and performing the exercises of godliness which God hath laid upon those that will stand candidates for that place?  Certainly, what God hath written in his word, as to this, shall stand.  He will not make a blot in his decrees for any; which he should, did he alter the method of salvation in the least.  Either, therefore, we must renounce our hopes of going thither, or resolve to walk in the path of holiness, that will lead us thither.  That is vain breath which sets not the sails of our affections a‑going, and our feet a‑travelling thither, where we would be at last.

          

 Third.  It is holiness, and that maintained in its power, that capacitates us for communion with God in this life.  Communion with God is so desirable, that many pretend to it, who know not what it means; like some that brag of their acquaintance with such a great man, who, may be, never saw his face, nor have been admitted into his company.  The Spirit of God gives the lie to that man who saith he hath any ac­quaintance with God, while he keeps his acquaintance with any unrighteousness: ‘If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie,’ I John 1:6.  The apostle is willing to pass for a loud liar himself, if he walks in darkness, and pretends to have fellowship with God.  How can they ‘walk together’ that are not ‘agreed?’  Communion is founded on union, and union upon likeness.  And how like are God and the devil, holiness and unrighteousness, one to the other?  There is a vast difference between conversing with ordinances, and having communion with God.  

A man may have great acquaintance with ordinances, and be a great stranger to God at the same time.  Every one that goes to court, and hangs about the palace, doth not speak with the prince. And what sorry things are ordinances without this com­munion with God?  Ordinances are as it were the ex­change, where holy souls trade with God by his Spirit for heavenly treasures, from which they come filled and enriched with grace and comfort.  Now, what does the unholy wretch? truly like some idle persons that come and walk among merchants on the ex­change, but have no business there, or commerce whereby they get any advantage.  An unholy heart hath no dealings with God; he takes no notice of God.  May be, to be sure, God takes no such notice of him, as to communicate himself graciously to him. Nay, suppose a person habitually holy, but under the power of some temptation for the present, whereby he defiles himself; he is in this case unfit to have any friendly communion with God.  ‘A righteous man falling down before the wicked is,’ saith Solomon, ‘as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring,’ Prov. 25:26; much more is he so when he falls down before the wicked one, and yields to his temptation—now his spirit is roil [i.e. turbid] and muddied.  And if we will not use the water of a spring, though in itself pure and wholesome, when it is troubled, or drink of that vessel that runs thick, but stay while [i.e. until] it be settled and comes clear; can we wonder if God refuseth to taste of those duties which a godly person performs, before the stream be cleared by the renewing of his repentance for his sin?

The Power of Holiness to be Maintained Because of SATAN’S DESIGN AGAINST IT

 Second Reason.  There is a reason in regard of Satan, whose design is as much against the saints’ holiness, as God is for it.  He hath ever a nay to God’s yea.  If God be for holiness, he must needs be against it.  And what should be our chief care to de­fend, but that which Satan's thoughts and plots are most laid to assault and storm?  There is no creature the devil delights to lodge and dwell in as man. When he enters into other creatures it is but on a design against man.  When he entered the ‘serpent,’ it was to deceive Eve.  The ‘swine,’ Matt. 8:32, he possessed on a design to dispossess the Gergesenes of the gospel. But, might he choose his own lodging, none pleaseth him but man.  And why?  Because man only is capable, by his rational soul, of sin and unrighteous­ness.  And as he prefers man to quarter in above all inferior creatures, so he had rather possess the souls of men than their bodies.  None but the best room in the house will serve this unclean spirit in which to vomit his blasphemies, and spit out his malice against God—and why? but because the soul is the proper seat of holiness and sin.  This, one gives as the reason why, amongst all the ways that Satan plagued Job, he did not choose to make a forcible entry into his body, and possess him corporally; for certainly he might —that being short of taking away his life—the only thing reserved by God out of his commission, and being in his power, sure it was not to spare Job that trouble.  No pity dwells in a devil’s heart.  But the very reason seems to be what an ancient hath noted.  The devil waited for a higher preferment; he hoped for to possess his soul, which he longed for a thou­sand times more.  He had rather hear Job himself blaspheme God, while he was compos mentis—his own man, than himself in Job to belch out blasphe­mies against God, which would have been the devil’s own sin, and not Job’s.

           Thus, you see, it is holiness and righteousness his spite is at.  No gain comes to the devil’s purse, no victory he counts got, except he can make the Chris­tian lose his holiness.  He can allow a man to have anything, or be anything, rather than be truly, power­fully, holy.  It is not your riches and worldly enjoy­ments he grudges, so much as your holiness.  Job, for aught we know, might have enjoyed his flocks and herds, his children, and servants, without any distur­bance from hell, if the devil had not seen him to be a godly man—‘one fearing God and eschewing evil.’ This angered the wicked spirit.  Now he tries a fall with Job, that, if possible, he may unsaint him, and despoil him of his breastplate of righteousness.  His plundering of his estate, butchering his children, carbonading, as I may say, his body with sores and boils—which were as so many deep slashes in his flesh—was but like some thieves’ cruel usage of men whom they would rob, on a design to make them con­fess and deliver up their treasure.  Would but Job have thrown the devil his purse—his integrity, I mean —and let Satan carry away his good conscience, Satan would have  soon unbound him, and not have cared if he had his estate and children again.  The wolf tears the fleece, that he may come to raven on the flesh, and suck the blood of the sheep.  The life-blood of holiness is that which this hellish murderer longs to suck out of the Christian’s heart.  It is not a form of godliness, or goodly shows of righteousness, the devil maligns, but the power.  Not the name, but the new nature itself, brings this lion fell out of his den.  Satan can live very peaceably as a quiet neighbour by the door of such as will content themselves with an empty name of profession, this alters not his property, nor toucheth his copy-hold^[7].  The profession made by Judas, Satan knew, did not put him a step out of his way to hell.  The devil can show a man a way to dam­nation, through duties and ordinances of God’s wor­ship.  That covetous traitorous heart which Judas carried with him to hear Christ’s sermon, and [to] preach his own, held him fast enough to the devil, and therefore he gives him line enough, liberty enough, to keep his credit awhile with his fellow-apostles.  He cares not though others think him a disciple of Christ, so he knows him to be his own slave.

           In a word, it is not a superstitious holiness which offends him.  How can it, when he is the instituter of it himself, and that on a subtle design to undermine the true genuine holiness in the hearts of men?  And by this time the church of Christ hath found how deep a contrivance it is.  This in all ages hath been to the power of holiness what the ivy is to the oak.  The wanton embraces of this mock holiness round about religion, hath killed the heart of scriptural holiness wherever it hath prevailed.  It is to the true holiness as the concubine is to the true wife, who is sure to draw the husband’s love from her.  This brat the devil hath long put out to nurse to the Romish church, which hath taken a great deal of pains to bring it up for him, and no wonder, when she is so well paid for its maintenance—it having brought her in so much worldly treasure and riches.  No, it is holiness in its naked simplicity, as it is founded on scripture-bottom, and guided by scripture-rule, that he is a sworn enemy against.  Indeed, this is the flag which the soul hangs out, and by which it gives defiance to the devil; no wonder if he strives to shoot it down. Now, and not till now, the creature really declares himself a friend to God, and an enemy to the king­dom of darkness; and here is the ground of that quar­rel, which will never cease so long as he continues an unclean spirit, and they to be the holy ones of God. ‘All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution,’ II Tim. 3:12.

           Mark, what it is that makes the devil and his in­struments take arms and breathe slaughter against Chris­tians—it is their godliness.  Many specious pretenses persecutors have to disguise their malice; but the Spirit of God, that looks through all their hypocritical mufflers, is privy to the cabinet-counsels of their hearts, and those instructions they have from the devil, which worketh so mightily in them.  He tells us, he that will live godly shall be persecuted.  Downright godliness is the butt they level their arrows at.

           Again, observe the kind of godliness at which their blood rises, ‘all that will live godly in Christ Jesus.’  There are more sorts of holiness and godli­ness than one.  But all may have fair quarter at the devil’s hands, except this godliness in Christ Jesus. The devil hath an implacable malice against Christ. He hates, as I may so say, every letter of his name. That godliness which is learned of him, and derived from him, he opposeth unto death.  Christian blood is sweeter to his tooth, but the blood of the Chris­tian’s godliness is far sweeter.  He had rather, if he could, kill that, than them—rather draw the Christian from his godliness, than butcher him for it; yet, that he may not stand out, he will play at small game, and express his cruelty upon their bodies, but it is only when he cannot come at their souls.  ‘They were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain,’ Heb. 11:37.  That which these bloody men principally desired, was to draw them into sin, and make apostates of them; and therefore they tempted them before they slew them.  The devil accounts that the complete victory—when he can despoil them of their armour, and bribe them from their steadfastness in their holy profession.  ‘Let her be defiled, and let her eye look upon Zion,’ Micah 4:11.  He had rather see saints defiled with unrigh­teousness and sin than defiled with their blood and gore.  Persecution, he hath learned, doth but mow the church, which afterward comes up thicker for it; it is unholiness that ruins it.  Persecutors do but plough God’s field for him, while he is sowing it with the blood that they let out; but profaneness—that roots it up, and lays it all waste, consciences and churches also.