through their hypocritical mask, is privy to the cabinet councils of their hearts, and those instructions which they have from the devil, that 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 in the world than one ; but all may have fair quarter at the devil's hands except this godliness in Jesus Christ. The devil hath an implacable malice against Christ; lie bates, as I may so say, every letter of his name : that godliness, which is learned of him, and derived from him, he opposelh to death. Christian blood is sweet to his tooth ; but the blood of the Christian's godliness is far sweeter. lie 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 when he cannot come at their souls, Heb. xi. 37 : ' They were sawn asundei', were tempted, v/ere slain.' That which these bloody men principally desired was to draw them into sin, and make apostates of them, and therefore tliey 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 stedfastness in their holy profession : ' Let her be defiled, and let oiu- ej^e look upon Zion,' Micah iv. 11. He had rather see saintsdefiled with imrighteousness and sin, than defiled with their blood and gore. Persecution, he hath learnt, doth but mow the church, which afterward comes up the 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 all waste, consciences and churches also.
CHAPTER V.
THE THIRD REASON, TAKEN FROM THE EXCELLENCY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND
HOLINESS.
Thirdly, In regard of holiness itself, the incomparable excellency whereof commands us to pursue it, and endeavour it with our utmost care and strength.
First, It is an excellency peculiar to the rational creature. Inferior creatures have a goodness proper to them, but intellectual beings are only 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 be- come 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 heart, when we value men by their external advantages. All stand on a level as to God, till holiness be superadded. 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 doth it belong to God to rate his creatures ; and he tells us, ' Tlie righteous is more excellent than his neighbour,' Prov. xii. ; 'The tongue of the just is as choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is little worth,' Prov. x. 20. The Spirit of God compares the righteous to silver and gold, the most jirecious of metals, which above all other metals are of such account, that only money made of silver and gold is current in all countiies. Holiness will go in both worlds ; but external excellences, such as worldly riches, honours, &c., like leather and brass money, are of no esteem but in this beggarly lower world.
Secondly, It is holiness that is, though not our plea, yet our evidence for heaven: 'Without holiness none shall see God.' Heaven is a city where righteousness dwells. Though God snfl'ers the earth to bear for a while unholy men, wliich it doth not without sweating under their weight, and groaning to be rid of this load, yet sure he will never admit them into heaven. Before Enoch was translated to heaven he walked holily willi (iod 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 sliort of heaven ? or can we reason- ably expect a dispensation above others, that we should connnence glorified creatures in heaven, without keeping our acts, and performing the exercises of godliness, which God hath laid upon those tliat will stand candidates for that place ? Certainly what God hath written in his word as to this shall stand. He
302 ^^^ HAVING ON
will not make a blot in his decrees for any, which he should, did he alter the method of salvation in the least. Either we must therefore renounce our hopes of coming 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.