2 Peter 3:11

THat which is commonly noted of our Prognosticators, that they are more diligent to make mention of foule weather, than of faire: stormes and thunders they much harpe upon; but calme and serene dayes passe them unobserved: The like may be said of mans corrupt Nature, to be more feelingly affected with paine, than with pleasure; his much good he little thinkes on; a small evill disquiets him. He is more troubled with an injurie, than pleased with a benefit; more mindfull to revenge the one than to requite the other. Hee regards not many yeeres health, so much as one dayes sicknesse; nor an age of libertie, like one houres restraint. The hope of that which is good, does not stirre him like the feare of that which is evill. Feare is the passion that most powerfully swayes him, and accordingly, the searcher of all hearts proceeds to worke upon him. Therefore the sacred Rolles doe more abound with the threatnings of Iudgement, than with the Promises of Favour. For howsoever Love be the more noble affection, yet Feare makes the first impression. For this cause doth God so frequently remember us of our owne death, of the last Iudgement, and hell torments: that seeing Love cannot winne us to doe good, yet the horrour of those endlesse paines may fright us from doing evill. We cannot seriously meditate on our last tryall, and admit such things as make us culpable. But alas, it is a death, we thinke, to thinke upon death; and wee cannot endure that dolefull bell, which summons us to Iudgement. Therefore are we dissolute, because we doe not thinke of our dissolution. But if we would deliberately consider the mutabilitie of our condition, the necessitie of our reckoning, and the dismall wages of sinne; though we were not wonne with the Love of Gods Goodnesse, and his blessed recompence; yet the terrour of unavoidable vengeance might drive us to repentance. Divers theeves have robbed Passengers within the fight of the gallowes: but if a sinner could see but one glimpse of hell, or be suffered to looke one moment into that firy lake; hee would rather chuse to die ten thousand deaths, than commit one sinne. Seeing then all these things, &c.

The Verse consists of a Contemplative part, and a Practicall: Seeing all these things shall be dissolved, that is for Contemplation: What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy Conversation and Godlinesse; that is for practice. How well do these two parts symbolize to a Christian the two maine offices of his Life; Speculation and Action? These be his Rev. 12.14. two wings, whereby he mounts up into Heaven: Ezek. 10.8. Yea, these be the Cherubins hands under their wings: a winged mind, that soares aloft in Meditation; and a working hand, busie about pious actions. Here is Contemplation, like devout Mary at the feet of Christ; hearing his Word: and Practice, like hospitable Martha, providing for his entertainement. Here is Moses at his Prayers on the Mount, and Ioshua fighting in the valley: Iacob studying at home, and Esau hunting in the field. The Papists place the chiefe Perfection in a contemplative Life; and understand it for that unum necessarium, of Christ to Martha, One thing is necessary: and that better part, which was chosen by Mary: Action (say they) may bee lame and defective through the imbecillitie of the Organ; but Contemplation is pure and defecate on earth, and shall be perfected in Heaven; a portion never to bee taken from us. I deny not the excellencie of Contemplation: it is as heavenly a businesse, as any belongs to man or Christian, and of unspeakeable Benefit to the Soule. For by this wee ransacke our deepe and false hearts, finde out our secret enemies, buckle with them, expell them, and fortifie our selves against their re-entrance. By this wee make use of all good meanes, fit our selves to all good duties: By this wee desery our owne weakenesse and obtaine redresse: wee prevent temptations, and store up Comforts: wee get more Light to our knowledge, more heat to our affections, more life to our devotion. By this, we learne how to contemne the world, and long for the fruition of invisible blessings. By this we see Christ with Stephen, we talke with God as Moses, and are rapt with Paul into Paradise. This is the remedy of our disconsolatenesse, the pastime of the Saints, the Ladder of Heaven, and the best improvement of Christianity. Yet albeit Maries part is the better, Martha’s is not disallowed for good. They are both sisters, and must goe hand in hand: for if wee suffer meditation to eate up all the duties of our life; God will give us little thankes, who rewards all men according to their workes. A publike good excells a private: contemplation may doe more good to our selves; but the workes of charity are more profitable to others. I had rather bee wise than rich; yet to releeve a poore mans hunger or necessity, my riches will doe more good than my wisedome. Three noble ends Divinity propounds to her followers: the first and chiefest is Gods glory; the next to that, mans owne solace here, and salvation hereafter: the last, is the edification and comfort of others; and in these consists a Christians perfection. Having therefore contemplated in our mindes this fatall and finall doome of the world, let us proceed to action: and seeing all these things shall he dissolved, God lookes that we should bee new persons in all holy conversation and godlinesse.

In the former part we have two circumstances; How much, and how farre: An extent, all these things: An extinct, shall be dissolved. First, for the Extent.

All these things.] The reason of this dissolution is the corruption of all things; therefore this future renovation hath the same latitude with the former corruption. Saint Paul tells us, that Rom. 8.20.22. The creature is made subject to vanity; and The whole creation groneth, or every creature; comprehending (with our Apostle here) All things. Origen would fetch the Angells within this compasse, alledging that they also are subject to vanity, in respect of their employment about the vaine affaires of men: that as they rejoyce at the repentance, so they grieve at the disobedience of sinners. Augustine refuseth this interpretation, yet not without a Quare; Aug. in Rom. num. 50. whether the Angels helping our infirmities, may not be said to be affected with us, and in that sense subject to vanity. But the Angels cannot be subject to vanity; for in the next world the Saints shall bee but like the Angels, and yet quite exempted from all such affections. Greg. mor. lib. 4. Gregory understands this Creature only of the righteous man, who against his will is subject to this mutable and corruptible estate, and groneth to be delivered. And Augustine by every Creature, understandeth man in generall, because he participateth the nature of every creature: hee hath understanding with Angells, sense with Beasts, and a vegetative life with Plants: But the sense reacheth a great deale further. Ambrose and Calvin fetch into this restitution, the brute Beasts; as if they also should bee no more than changed, of whom there will be no necessary use. But by Saint Pauls Every creature, and Saint Peters All these things; Chrys. Beza. we may best understand Inanimata or Insensata, things without life and sense, as the Heavens, Elements, and Earth with her workes. There shall be a dissolution of all these things.

Of all?] Shall nothing escape? what a mad man is the covetous, to seeke the ingrossing of all, when as all shall perish? I will enlarge my Barnes, (if it were possible according to the capacity of my desires) Luk. 12.1•. And there will I bestow all my goods. Where we may observe. First, his pride, Mea, my goods, as if no man were worthy to taste of his bread, or drinke of his cup. Avarus vult esse solus, the worldling would dwell alone: but hee shall have company: the rust will waite upon his gold, the moth upon his garment, the vermine on his garner; and, above all, the worme of conscience will not faile to be his associate: there is nothing else which he can so properly call his owne: this will sticke by him. Secondly his greedinesse, omnia, all: he would have all that is, hee will have all be can. All, without leaving so much as the tenth to the Levite, or the gleanings for the poore; All, if hee could possesse all the goods upon the Earth, yea and stretch his hand to the Firmament, to make the Sunne and Moone his, or reach a Starre from the Skie; yet he and all these must perish. The wise man, that sees he must lose all at last, wil part with something in time: Tonde [superflua], clip off thy superfluous riches, as Absolon did cut his haire; it will grow the thicker: he that covets all, shall bee left worth nothing. Thirdly, his presumption; I will build my Barnes, I will gather my goods: Wilt thou O foole? How art thou sure of that? Alas, Hesterni samus, saies Eliphaz we are of yesterday: not Crastini we cannot say, wee are of to morrow. To say peremptorily, I will doe this or that, is to robbe God of his prerogative royall. And what will hee doe? First place he downe his old Barnes: indeed barnes full of rapine deserve pulling downe: but if in stead of pulling downe old barnes, he had pulled downe veterem hominem, the old man, this had beene a farre better exercise. Then he will build up new: his goods are his God, and he builds a Barne as a Temple to it. His dropsie is so insatiate, that he would drinke up the whole world: but a dropsie is best cured by vomite: the worldlings vomite, is a charitable beneficence: If this bee not his Physicke now, he and all these things shall perish together. But happy are they that repose all in Christ; for when they that coveted all, shall lose all; these faithfull soules shall finde all, in Him that is All in all, our blessed Saviour Iesus Christ.

Shall be dissolved] This is the Extinct. Full grievous is the corruption, whereunto the creature is subject, Pet. Mart. by the sinne of man. This servitude appeares in three things. First, they are in continuall labour to serves mans necessity. The Sunne riseth and setteh, and runnes his diurnall course, to give man light. The Moone waxeth and waineth, and hastens about her Sphere, to solace him in the night-season. The Windes come out of their severall corners, to doe him good, both by land and sea. The Rivers are still in action, running like Lacquayes by his side, and emptying themselves into the the sea; from whence there is a reciprocall supply of springs and fountaines. The pregnant cloudes are in travell to be dedeliver’d of their fruitfull showers: Iob. 37.11. God wearieth the clouds in watering the earth. All the creatures are in a continuall labour to serve man; and this is one servitude.

2. They have a certaine Sympathy and fellow-feeling of mans misery; as the beasts of Niniveh were driven to fast with their masters: yea, they are not seldome destroyed in the destruction of man: the Cattell of Egypt were smitten, the ground of Sodome was cursed; and in the perishing of the old world, nothing, (save what was in the Arke) escaped. Hence it is, that the Heavens doe waxe old, like a long worne garment: The Sunne and Moone have their blemishes, their eclypses: the face of the skie is overcast with clouds: the starres infect the Aire with bad influences; the Aire doth annoy us with pestiferous vapors: the wombe of the Earth doth often afford nothing but barrennesse: and when her bowels are ript for our reliefe, shee seemeth to groane under that painefull passion. The Vine bleeds when it is cut, the Mulbery weepes at a breach, and diverse trees sweat out their gumme, as if our sinnes had made them sicke of a Fever. If any demand, whether some injury be not offered to the creature, for being thus subdued to vanity: I answere with Saint Chrysostome; Nequaquam; quia proptèr me facta est. No, for it was made for us, and therefore justly suffers with us. Some have too curiously observed, concerning this mutability of the Heavens; that the Sunne (in the beginning) was ordained to keepe his course in the Equinoctiall onely, without swerving: and then say they, there should have beene a perpetuall spring: neither pinching cold, nor parching heate should have offended the Earth, but the temper would have pleased all with an acceptable indifferencie. But now his course is not round, nor doth perfect a circle, nor doth he keepe his way directly; but where he rose to day, hee comes not to morrow; stealing by that point with a cosening line: Thus hee changeth his race, and runnes in the oblique circle of the Zodiacke, as it were hedged in by the two Tropickes. But all this is not so; for the Sunne and Moone in the Creation were appointed to distinguish the times and seasons of the yeere: which they could not doe, if the Sunne should not by a serpentine course, in the declining circle of the Zodiacke, both remove and approach, and so make both inequality of daies, and difference of seasons. But still there is vanity in all things under the Sunne; and that which is infected with mans corruption, shall suffer in mans dissolution.

3 They are constrained to minister their service to the wicked desires of sinfull men: and this is the sorest bondage of all, even to be a slave unto slaves. The Sunne was faine to lend his light unto those Pagan monsters, while they committed their most execrable rapes and murders. The Moone waites upon the theefe, whiles he acts, his robberies; upon the Goatish whoremonger in his foule adulteries. The Starres hide not their aspects from those at heisticall astrologers, nor deny their influence to their Heathenish Idolaters. The winds with prosperous gales, fill the sailes of Pyrates, and the Sea supports their unblest vessells. Vpon the grounds of oppressors, the Clouds let fall their fructifying burdens, and the heat of that glorious carbunckle ripens their fruites. Viands make fat the epicure, and Wine is ready for the unnaturall thirst of the drunkard. Herbes and Mineralls are medicinall to the unholiest bodies, and recover them from their diseases. Iewels and pretious stones are driven to adorne the proud; and gold is made to buy the Libertines pleasure. Hos. 2.8. The Vine yeelds her Grapes, the Kine their milke, the Sheepe their wooll, the ground her corne, the Medowes their grasse, and Gardens their flowers; even to those that sacrifice all these to their Idols. Birds are compelled to part with their feathers, to stuffe the bed of uncleannesse; and the mettalls of the Earth are made the instruments of homicide. The Fire warmes, and the Aire cooles, and the Water clenses, and the Earth beares the ungodly as well as the righteous. They are all forced to serve them, that doe not serue God. This is the bondage under which they grone, and from which they labour to bee delivered, longing for the time when all these things shall bee dissolved.

And yet they would be but dissolved, not destroyed: they desire a renovation not an annihilation; not a cessation of being, but of servitude. So Paul sayes, Rom. 8.21. The creature shall bee delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the Children of God. What shall they be delivered, onely by being utterly abolished? Shall they so cease to bee miserable, that they shall cease to be at all? No, that cannot be called a deliverance, but rather a punishment: for it is a lesse ill to be miserable, than not to bee at all: a corrupt estate is better than none. But they shall be delivered into a glorious liberty; both putting off their servile corruption, and putting on a happy freedome. As for our sakes they became corruptible, Chrys. so together with us they shall be restored to incorruption. I dare not (with Calvin) gather in the Beasts, Fowles, Fishes, that remaine at the last day, to this number; they are certainely within the compasse of this dissolution; but whether designed to such a restitution, it is doubtfull. Their services being done, in the ministration to our necessities, why should they bee restored to glory. Rev. 21.1. But there shall be a new Heaven, and a new Earth: the Heavens shall be decked with Starres; the Earth adorned with Trees and Plants: Esa. 30.26. Rev. 22 3. the Moone shall shine as the Sunne, and the light of the Sunne shall be seven fold: and for the end and use of all this Renovation, it shall then be revealed, when it is performed.

Seeing all these things must be dissolved, Why does not man herein read the Necessity of his owne dissolution? His body is not made of the same matter, with the Sunne, or starres, or heavens: and if it were, yet even these must bee dissolved. But Homo ab humo, and humus ex nihilo: hee is the sonne of the earth, and grandchild of nothing. There is nothing in life, more transient than life it selfe: in the middest of life, we be in death. It eats out it selfe, spends upon the owne stocke, and is consumed, by being peeced. Every day that is added to it, is so much as a day taken from it. Nativitas ex utero viventis & secundae matris, Nativitas in uterum mortuae & primae matris. From the morning of Infancy, wee come to the meridian of Youth; and presently it is evening; our sunne sets. Our life is like a candle in the winde, soone blowne out: like a sparke in the water, soone extinguished: like a thin aire, soone expired: like a little snow in the Sunne, soone melted: like a flower; What in the Spring is sweeter for smell, fairer for sight? Matth. 6.29. Salomon in all his royalty was not clothed like one of those: yet Psalm. 90.6. in the morning it flourisheth, in the evening withereth: if it last a day, that’s all. Deawes, vapours, shadowes, snow, dreames, dust, and ashes: A shippe, Post, meteor, aire; so mans life passeth. We are not debtours to the flesh, saith Paul: but wee are debtours to the death of the flesh. Let not this little world man, thinke that hee can hold out with the great: common experience confutes it: daily man dies, when as the world stands. There is but one thing appointed to dissolve the world; and that is the last Fire: but there are a thousand things to bring man to his end. Wee use to say, that a man may live of a little: but alas, Of how much lesse may a man die? There is scarce any thing, that hath not killed some body: an haire, a feather hath done it. Let us therefore be carefully prepared for our owne dissolution, and the dissolution of the world shall never trouble us. If we live well, we shall doe well: and if we die well, we shall doe better. The world shall be dissolved, but nothing shall separate us from Iesus Christ.

What manner of Persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse?] This is the practicall part. The wise man first lookes to the end which he desires, and then studies the way conducing to it. He does not say, This way will I take, because it is faire and pleasant, and I have store of company, whither soever it brings me. But because of the smoothnesse and frequency, hee rather mistrusts it; having heard that the rode to hell is very delightfull, populous, and numerous of passengers: and therefore resolves to chuse the surer way, though it be troublesome and solitary. Heaven is the place, to which wee would all arrive: Sinne is a pleasing way, but not the right: Piety is the right way, but not so pleasing: if we be wise, we will not minde the pleasantnesse, but the directnesse of the way; and suffer a little sorrow in our journey, for that inestimable joy at our journies end. Reveale to us this way O Lord, and see if we have followed it; that thou mayest have glory, if we have; and we pardon, if wee have not, and helpe that we may. Domine paratum est cor meum; metuo nè non sit: utinam esset paratum: hei mihi quod non est. Wee have here, for satisfaction of our good desires; 1. The Way directed to Felicity, which is Godlinesse. 2. Our Progresse in that happy Way; our Conversation. 3. The Sincerity of that Progresse; Holy, All-holy. 4. The Perfection of that Sincerity; What manner of Persons ought wee to be; How holy, how godly; how excellent in all grace and vertue?

Godlinesse is the way: and this, in the latitude of it, comprehends all those duties which God requireth of us. Indeede, it is a conformity of the whole creature, to the will of his Maker. To live a life as neere to the life of God, as possibly we can, is godlinesse. In the understanding, it is knowledge: in the will, it is readinesse: in the affections, it is simplicity: in the conscience, it is sincerity: in the heart, it is alacrity: in the hand and in all our actions, it is obedience. This is too large a field for us now to survey: wee will looke but upon one canton of it onely: the triall of godlinesse is obedience. First, it is auscultans, and hath an eare listening to the Word of God. That same, Ipsum audite, runnes continually in the minde of godlinesse. Heare not the world, which bids you seeke after transitory things; but heare him that sayes, Love not the world. Heare not the world, profering her honours: but heare him, that tels you, Humility is the way to glory.

2 It is Prompta: the guard, that watcheth at the chamber doore of Kings, sooner breake of their prattle at the voice of their master, and are ready to execute his commands. The godly heart forgets his owne businesse, when his Maker sets him on worke. The refractary are like a heavie laden vessell, not moved without strong winds: but the pious heart is like a sphericall body set on a plaine; the gentlest breath of Gods Spirit stirres it. No warre-horse is so guided by the hand of his rider, as the godly soule is by the will of his Maker. Those are paralyticke and stupified members of the body, which will not move at the impulsion of the head: If we be living members of our glorious Head, wee have a motion pliable to his direction. 2 Tim. 2.21. The vessell of honour is meet for the Masters use, and prepared unto every good worke. They are more stubborne than the windes and seas, that will not obey the voice of Christ. Thirdly, it is Integra: to serve God in some things lest repugnant to our corrupt natures; and in other duties to be recusants, is an heteroclyte and defective godlinesse. Miriam, for one contumely against her brother, became a Leper. Moses, for failing in one act of obedience, was not suffered to enter into the land of promise. Heli, otherwise godly, for a little indulgence to his ungratious sonnes, was severely punished. Basil. Hom. in Divites avaros. They that professe godlinesse in diverse things, and take liberty in one ungodly custome, are like a vaine traveller, whom the desire of seeing some famous city, after the tedious measure of many hundred leagues, hath brought to the gates: and there taking up his Inne, he is so well pleased, that his glasse being runne out, he dies without the sight of that happinesse for which he undertooke the journey. If a man have many faire roomes in the house of his heart, all which he reserves for God: and one little closset, which he lets out to Satan, by the tenure of one filthy lust or affection: will not God dislike all for that one? Will hee not for that one secret rivall, forsake the whole dwelling? Much honey cannot sweeten a little wormewood, but a little wormewood will embitter a great deale of honey. You have seene a mouse caught in the trappe, by the very tippe of her taile. A little sinne cherished, puts us out of the way of godlinesse. The word is plurall, In pietatibus, in all the duties of godlinesse. This then is the way, walke in it; and, God hath past his Word, you shall be saved by it.

The progresse in this way, is our Conversation. Man is a sociable creature, ordained to converse with his owne kinde. It is neither good, nor safe, to bee alone. Of conversation there is a necessity; all our care must be to make it holy. There be three objects of a Christians care; the devotion of his heart, the profession of his mouth, and the conversation of his life: The first and last of these are hard taskes; onely the middlemost is easie, with small difficultie wee can say well: but to meane well, and to doe well, be the points of labour. Our conversation is the Index of our estate: if that bee bad, the credit of our profession is lost; and wee are broken in our religion, as was Demas. The ungodly may bee hoisted aloft, like chimneyes; but we know by their smoke, that they are full of foote. The Poets talke of a wedding girdle; which, being tied about the Bride, would instantly breake, if she were not a Virgine. The name of Christian is an universall challenge among us: but if we be not Virgins, of a pure and holy conversation, this girdle will breake, and we shall be exposed to ignominy. In vaine doe men speake well of us, when God knowes no good by us. If he pronounce us dead, all the mouthes in the world cannot breath life into us: if hee pronounce us living, all the Divels in Hell cannot take life from us. A man is what his manners declare him to bee; as the Tree is judged by the fruites. There is nothing more honours or dishonours God, than our good or evill conversation. The thoughts of our hearts, whether they be fowle or cleane, are onely knowne to himselfe; and in the matter of his glory before men, they neither make nor marre: as the unknowne bowels of the Earth neither grace nor disgrace a countrey; but the words of our lippes, and workes of our lives; these either hinder, or advantage his glory. But doe our filthy aspersions below, sticke any spots upon the brow of Heaven? Doe we violate the Virgins there, by committing uncleannesse here? Doth it trouble the blood of Christ in Heaven, that wee sweare by it upon Earth? If we oppresse the poore, is this any wrong to God? Whatsoever evill we doe, is he ever the worse? Indeed his honour, in it owne nature, can no more bee depressed by our impiety, than it is heightned by our obedience: but in the regard of men, according to our conversation, it receives either encrease or dimunition. As the glory of the Sunne is still the same; but not so to our eyes, when it is obscured by the interposition of Clouds.

There is nothing so truely speakes a man, as his conversation: what hee does, I am sure hee is; not evermore what he sayes. Iudas was a traitor: why? He delivered up his innocent Master: this hee did, whatsoever hee said. Herod was a murderer. why? hee slew the Infants of Bethlem: Pilate was an unjust Iudge: why? hee condemned the innocent: the conversation is an evident and unanswerable proofe. Not that every bad act denominates a sinner: as to bee once overtaken with wine, makes not a man a drunkard: nor one oath a swearer: nor one falsehood a liar. That which justifies or condemnes a man, is his conversation; the accustomed course of his life. If his manners be lewd, hee shames his profession. It were better with Philosophers, to have honesty without religion, than with wicked Christians, to have religion without honesty. Yea, he shames himselfe. In the preparation of solemne nuptialls, the wedding clothes are sumptuous, the Bride-chamber is richly furnished, the Marriage-bed is adorned with silken curtaines and glorious ornaments, the Roomes are strawed with Roses and Violets, the presence is honoured with a great number of faire Virgins and noble friends, Chrys. Hom. 41. ad Pop. Antioch. great cheare is provided, the Bride-groome is decently accontred, the attendants waite, all things are in readinesse: yet after all this expectation, when the Bride is presented, if She appeare swarthy, evill favoured, and deformed, not to bee looked upon without contempt, all the Spectators hang downe their heads, and the whole honour of the nuptialls is quash’d. So though there be an affluence of riches, a concurrence of honours, and all that this world can aford, in abundance: yet if thy Soule, which is the Bride, ordained for the Prince of Heaven, Iesus Christ, be fowle and stigmaticall, besmeared with lusts, and polluted with an uncleane conversation; the Bride-groome will none of thee, and thou shalt be despised of Men and Angells. Be gratious therefore in thy conversation, that thou mayst not be rejected of that Heavenly Bride-groome.

The sincerity of this Progresse followes: Our conversation must not be sensuall, but holy: not in part, but All holy: even 1 Thes. 5.23. throughout sanctified.

1 Holy. Holinesse is Gods owne Image, a beame of that Divine light shining within us: a resultance, a resemblance of one property of the Divine nature: the Character of Christ, the Print of the Spirit, the cognisance of a Saint, and the Glory of Men and Angells: without which, all riches is poverty, all honour ignominy. For what is all the glory of the world, without holinesse? Aut nihil est, aut nihil prodest: It is all nothing, or nothing worth. God hath chosen us before the foundation of the World, that we should be holy: Holinesse is the end of our Election. He hath not called us to uncleannesse, but unto holinesse: Holinesse is the end of our Vocation, This is the Will of God, our sanctification: His holy Word doth command it. Be ye holy, for I am holy. His holy example doth commend it.

Yet alas how doth the universall practise of the world despise it? Bee Holy? It is the least of all their cares: nay they are ashamed to be holy, for feare of being contemptible: as if they had made a Stature, and sworne to observe it; In no man amongst us bee holy. Preach holinesse to them, and they reply; This is no age for Saints: They will not be so holy, as to goe to Heaven before their bones be cold: that holinesse is but a sullen quality, and makes men unfit for any good company. Thus doe they scoffe at the meanes to be saved, and make themselves merry with their owne damnation. But we must tell them againe, that whosoever will not bee a mortified Saint on Earth, shall never bee a glorified Saint in Heaven. He that will not be so sullen, as to be holy, for feare of displeasing the company of sinners, shall neuer bee so happy as to enjoy the society of God and his holy Angels. For Heb. 12.14. without holinesse, no man shall see the Lord. Holinesse is that Perspective, through which we must see God. It is as possible to see the Sunne without eyes, as to see God and be saved, without Holinesse. No sanctification in this life, no salvation in the world to come: no Holinesse here, no Happinesse hereafter. By living ill, thou art seene of God, but doest not see Him: August. by an holy Conversation, thou both seest Him, and art seene of Him. Our Holinesse beginnes our Blessednesse; and our Grace is the handsell of our Glory. 1 Pet. 1.4. The Kingdome of God is an undefiled Kingdome, because none that are defiled shall enter into that heavenly Mansion.

This is that spirituall circumcision of the heart, whereof the carnall circumcision was but a symbole. The differences are many. First, the circumcision of the flesh was wrought by the hand of man; this, by the finger of God; therefore Saint Paul calls it Col. 2.12. A circumcision made without hands. Secondly, The carnall circumcision was onely concerning one part of the body; the spirituall extends to both body and soule; to every part of the one, to every faculty of the other. Thirdly, that was onely done on the eight day, but we must bee spiritually circumcised every day. This is the Suburbes, through which we come to Heaven the City: Holinesse is that via regia to all honour; and they that decline this way, shall bee written in the infamous dust. Enoch walked with God, and was translated: but shall a man walke with the Divell, and speede so? Faine wee would be Saints, but we are loth to be holy: as if a man should desire to bee a Courtier, yet refuse to leave his rusticall behaviour, or to put off his sordid garments. O for a Religion that can make a man a Saint, though he were never holy! This is that Popish bait, which catcheth so many thousand Gudgeons: under the pretence of an holy faith, the toleration of an unholy and licentious life. It is their objection; If we be not in the right, it is a wonder that so many flocke unto us: few of our Religion turne to you, but abundance of yours come over to us. But wee answer, that for the corrupt nature of man to adhere unto a Doctrine, that promiseth carnall liberty, is no more wonder, than for stones to fall downeward. Philosophers of divers sects turned to the Epicures, but never did Epicure accept of any other sect of Philosophy: an easie proffer will winne us from a laborious life to a pleasant: But who will change a pleasant for a laborious? Callista the Whore thus bragged against Socrates: all thy Philosophy cannot alienate one of my Lovers from me: Aelian. Var. Hist. Li. 13. but my beauty can fetch many of thy Scholers from thee. But he answered her; This is no wonder: for thou temptest men to the pleasing way of perdition, but I perswade them to the troublesome way of vertue. We are all naturally disposed to be evill; to be holy and good is the difficulty. Wee are borne sinners, there is much adoe to make us Saints. Yet holy we must be, or we can never be happy. This is the onely way to ascend that mountaine where the Lord dwelleth: even that holy Hill, which none can come unto, but he that hath cleane hands; which none can have, but by that one and strong way of making them cleane, which is by washing them in the immaculate bloud of IESVS CHRIST.

2. All holy; our conversation must bee holy throughout; separating our selves from every knowne sinne, and sanctifying our hands to every good worke. Indeed many intercurrent infirmities will mingle themselves with our best actions: but still our desires must bee hearty, our endevours holy, and the constant purpose of our soules resolved in nothing to offend. Holy in all the parts of holinesse, in all the kindes of holinesse, in all the degrees, in all the meanes of holinesse.

1. In all the kindes of Holinesse. There is a Holinesse imputed; which is properly inherent in Christ, but made ours through faith by imputation. And if this holinesse bee imputed to us, wee are reputed as holy in the sight of God, as if it were inherent in us. There is an holinesse imparted to us; either Habituall, or Actuall: the former is a divine spirituall quality, wrought in us by the holy Spirit, 1 Ioh. 3.3. 2 Cor. 7.1. Iam. 4.8. who furnisheth us with all graces required in the Saints. The Actuall holinesse is that power of grace whereby wee sanctifie our selves; both in the affections of our heart, and operations of our life. There bee some that care onely to carry a faire shew of holinesse; flattering themselves, that their garments are of the holy fashion, their going is of the holy pace, their language is of the holy stile, their ruffes are of the holy set, their haire is of the holy cut: but their heart is all this while of an unholy metall: the invisible stuffe is meere rottennesse and dissimulation. Others thinke it enough to have a good heart to Godward, as they say, how lewd soever their life appeare to the world: and that Intùs si rectè, non laborandum, if all bee well within, they need care for no more. Some content themselves with fine linings, how course soever their outsides be: others will make shift for glorious outsides, though they have sluttish linings. Neither of them both is holy: to the former wee may say, as hee answered the Strumpet pretending her soundnesse of health; I will never beleeve that body to be found, whose face is broken out into blisters: if the life be spotted with a sinfull Leprosie, we cannot thinke that the heart is holy. To the other, that pretend sanctity at the root of the tree, when no fruit but wickednesse is seene on the branches; I remember what Paulinus answered to Severus, when he wrote unto him to send him his picture: Erubesco pingere quod sum, non audeo pingere quod non sum; modestly dispraising his owne feature: I must blush to picture my selfe as I am, and I scorne to picture my selfe as I am not. Of the two, it is better humbly to confesse the unholinesse we have, than arrogantly to boast the Holinesse we have not. But to be All-holy, is to be holy within and without: like the Kings Daughter, who as she was all Psalm. 45.13. glorious within, so her clothing also was of wrought Gold: her outside was comely, her inside lovely. Or like the Arke of God, which was overlaid with pure Gold, Exod. 37.2. both within and wiihout. A good conscience is the Gold within, and a good conversation is the Gold without. The holy soule provides for things honest, not onely before God, but also before men. 2 Cor. 8.21.

2. In all the parts of Holinesse. There is a Privative Holinesse, in the reforming that which is evill: and a Positive Holinesse, in performing that which is good. This consists Ephes. 4.22. in putting off the old man, corrupt with deceiveable lusts: and putting on the new man, created after God in Righteousnesse and true Holinesse. It is but a peece of Holinesse; to Tit. 2.11. deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts: the better halfe is to live godly, righteously, and soberly in this present world. We must be 1 Pet. 1.15. Holy in all maner of conversation. No exception may be admitted against the generall Rule of Holinesse: what servant conditions with his master, This worke I will doe; in that I will be excused? Sanctification is like Leaven, spreading the powerfull vertue of it selfe throughout the whole lumpe. He that hath a straight shooe, and a tender foot, is sensible of the least stone or rubbish got in; nor can he bee at ease till he hath taken it out: The holy Soule is troubled with the smallest errour he commits; and is so farre from favouring any sinne, that hee will not pardon himselfe for stumbling against his will. It was the saying of one, and it is the conceit of many; Alijs in rebus pietatem colas, sanctitatem serves; Lord, be mercifull to me in this infirmitie, and in other things I will bee holy. But Holinesse grants no such dispensation: he that makes not some Conscience of all sin, makes no true Conscience of any sinne: Hee that is not in some measure sanctified in every part, is truly sanctified in no part. In secular armies there be Emeriti milites: but in our holy warre against sin, neither young, nor old, nor weake, nor sicke are priviledged. There be some trespasses of so small a value, in their opinion, that they presume, neither will their faithfulnesse bee exacted, nor shall their unfaithfulnesse be noted. But will you not be fideles [in minimo] ? who then shall trust you in multo? If Holinesse must be in all our conversation, what sinne can hope for toleration?

3. In all the degrees of Holinesse: we must not content our selves with an Hac usque thus farre will I goe in Holinesse, and no farther: but we are charged to 2 Cor. 7.1. perfect Holinesse in the feare of God. How farre soever wee have proceeded, there is aliquid ultra, a geater measure and degree of Holinesse to be attained. Rev. 22.11. He that is righteous, let him be more righteous: and he that is holy, let him be more holy. It is a happy comfort to a mans life, when he shall find in himselfe the sweet experience of going on, and growing on to more holinesse; still encreasing with the encrease of God. This is a sound proofe to his conscience, that he is truly sanctified, because he desires and endevours to be more sanctified. Saint Bernard reports the saying of a Monke; Nec pejor fieri volo, nec melior cupio: I would be no worse, and I care not for being better. But we not sooner cease to be better than we begin to be worse: nay, we were never truely good, if we desire not to be better. The waters continually run forward, the winds doe not looke backe to their native home, the Sun is never weary of his course: and shall the Christian be weary of well-doing? Shall our Holinesse be at a stand? No, but let our daily progresse be from strength to strength, till every one appeare before the Lord in Sion.

4. In all the meanes of Holinesse; of which there are especially two, the Word and Prayer: for wee may say of men, as the Apostle doth of the Creatures for meat; that they are sanctified by the Word and Prayer. 1. The Word is that outward meanes which God hath sanctified, to sanctifie us. Ioh. 17.17. Father, sanctifie them with thy Truth: thy Word is Truth. And Ioh. 15.3. now are ye cleane through the word, which I have spoken to you. Therefore is it called Pure, not only Formaliter, because it is pure in it selfe, and contrary to all corruption: but also Effective, having the power to make us pure and holy. It is no more wonder to see a man profane, that neglects the Word preached; than to see his hands foule, that did never wash them. 2. The Word is Gods meanes to worke holinesse in us; and Prayer is our meanes to obtaine holinesse from God. The Luk. 11.13. Act. 2.1. Act. 4.31. holy Spirit himselfe is given to Prayer; and what Grace comes not with him? When the Disciples were at their Prayers, the holy Ghost did especially come upon them. As Prayer is the hooke to draw downe Holinesse from above: so the time of Supplication is the time of Sanctification. Though God doe grant us more than we begge, in his bountie: hee will not deny our holy suites, in his mercie. If we would be holy, let us bee devout: they that pray well, cannot live ill: the desire of Sanctification shall be granted.

Thus happy is it to be holy: nothing can make that man poore: he graceth all conditions, and honours all places. Though he be humbled with the lowest, and with the vile have a vile estimation; yet he is truly noble: the estate cannot dignifie him, he shall dignifie the estate. When a worthy person was set, by the ignorance of him that ordered the feast, at the lower end of the Table; and another demanded why he was placed there: It was answered, Honestare locum, to bring that place into credite and reputation: so it pleased the master of the feast to honour that end of the Table. Wheresoever the holy man is, he hath honourable company: the holy Church to pray for him, holy Creatures about him, holy comforts within him, holy Angels to attend on him; and above all, the Holy of Holies, even that Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God of Sabbath, everlastingly to blesse him.

The Perfection of this Sincerity shuts up all: What manner of persons ought ye to be? The forme of speech is interrogatory: there is Quastio apponens vel tentativa: Ioh. 6.6. Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eate? saith Christ to Philip, and it is added This he said to prove him, for he himselfe knew what he would doe. There is Quastio negationis; Is the Lords arme shortned? No, it is not. 1 Cor. 10.22. Do we provoke the Lord to jelousie? Are we stronger than he? No, we are not. And there is Quastio asseverationis: Ioh. 6.70. Have I not chosen you twelve, and one of you is a Devill? Are there not twelve houres in the day? Yes, there are. Of this nature is our question here, importing Excellentiā quandam: What maner of persons ought we to be? He meanes, very holy, very devout, very zealous. The word in the originall signifies rather quantos than quales: implying not so much the maner, as the measure of this required godlinesse: How great should we be?

There is great ambition in the world to be Great; but not to bee great in goodnesse. Who shall have the greatest honour, millions contend; not who shall have the greatest vertue or sanctimonie. Men presse in throngs to the doores of secular glory, and strive who shall be the formost; but for the way of pietie, we are very mannerly, and will give any man leave to goe before us. Wee would have no man richer than our selves, no man nobler than our selves, no man happier than our selves: but any man may be holier than our selves, without our envie. The sensuall man wisheth his life, as the Naturian chose his wife; He would have her well borne, faire, rich, kinde, with divers other fortunate qualities: but hee quite forgot to have her good and vertuous: so among all the desired priviledges of life, men commonly leave out Holinesse. But if a little Godlinesse will not serve the turne, what shall become of them that have none? If the righteous be scarcely saved, where shall the sinner appeare? Our Religion shall not only be examined by the Test, whether it be pure or no, but also by the ballance, whether it will hold weight or no: If it be found either too light, or too slight; refuse silver shall men call it, not able to endure this tryall of the universall fire.

What manner of persons we should be in our conversation, we have seene plainly expressed; Godly, holy, and all this in all things, whether thoughts, words, or deeds: Let me adde three cautions to the manner; How godly, how holy soever we are, let us together with these, be penitent, patient, vigilant.

1. Repentance must not be lest out: for as we have brought upon our selves a necessitie of sinning, so we must not exclude the necessitie of repenting. Every day we gather some spots, therfore must every day wash them off with our teares. This house of our soule is but mortall, made of brittle earth, subject to innumerable breaches, to let out the inhabitant: death will creepe in at a little hole: yea, the very soule hath her breaches too; every small sin is a flaw, every greater sin a fracture in this goodly building: Repentance is the only material, wherewith we stop all the leakes of our vessell, wherwith we mend all the rents of our garment, and repaire all the ruines of our edifice. It is one of the good mans Titles; Reparator ruinarum, Esai. 58.12. The repairer of the breaches. The Godliest life cannot scape errors; the eye will wander, the tongue will trip, the foot will tread awry, our thoughts wil ramble: therefore the heart must be alwaies ready to mend all with Repentance.

2. Patience hath her worke too; for the most godly conversation will be exercised with troubles. Either the good we would have, shall be deferred; or the evill we would not have, shall be imposed; we shall marre all, if we lose our patience. The same measure of trouble being laid upon two men, is farre lighter to him that beares it with patience. Of how pure wood soever an instrument is made; yet if it warpe with the Sun, or cracke with the weather, we dislike it. Let us not lose our credit of the Holinesse, by the least murmure of impatience.

3. Vigilancie guards all: our sanctitie, our pietie, our charitie, all will be stollen from us, if they be not kept by watchfulnesse. If all bee a-sleepe in the house, the theefe filcheth at his pleasure: but when the Master meetes him at the dore, he faines another errand, as if he came upon some businesse, and speakes to him with all reverence. If the Tempter find thy soule waking, he goes away sneaking: He is disapointed, and thou art preserved. Thy end may come upon thee, as the last day upon the World, like a theefe in the night: if it find thee sleeping, it will never give thee leave to waken: as Iael served Sisera, when he slept his last. One finding a souldier a-sleepe, killed him: and being charged with the fact, he made answer; that he only left him, as he found him. Should God almighty deale so with us, to take away our soules, when he findes them in a spirituall slumber, how desperately dangerous were our condition? They that lie perdue in campes, during that service never sleep: we are in a continuall warfare, beleaguer’d with enemies that will give neither truce nor quarter: if wee fall into a spirituall drowzinesse, and be taken napping, their rage will be cruell, their insultation unmercifull.

But alas, what will become of the swearer at this day? Can his loudest Oathes drowne the Archangels Trumpe? What will become of the drunkard? Can his floods of wine quench this universall fire? Where shall the worldling appeare: His bagges of gold will bee melted, his stately Mannors turned to Cinders, and all his lands shall lie fallow for ever. What will the adulterer and his strumpet doe? The mistresse of his affections shall then prove the mistresse of his afflictions: there is no appearing in this Court by proxey, no commuting the penance: they must answere the matter themselves. Two things will affright voluptuous sinners at the last day: the fight of the Creatures which they have abused, and the Presence of the poore, whom they have not refreshed. Such manner of persons shall perish with the world, from the world, worse than the world. But blessed are they that have kept faith in their hearts, holinesse in their lives, and sinceritie in their Consciences, for they shall scape both the last fire of Iudgement, and the everlasting fire of torment.