But now, where there is but the shows and appearances of holiness, there persons make no conscience of exercising righteousness towards men. Witness the Scribes and Pharisees, who, under a pretence ot praying, made a prey of widows' houses ; who, under a pretence of piety, exercised the greatest covetousness, unrighteousness, and cruelty, and that upon widows, who are usually the greatest objects of pity and charity ; they made no bones of robbing the widow, under pre- tence of honouring of God, Mat. xxiii. 14. So Judas, who was a Cato without, but a Nero within, who, under a pretence of laying up for the poor, robbed the poor, John xii. 6 ; he made use of counterfeit holiness, as a cloak to cover all his thievish villanies ; he pretended to lay up for the poor, but he intended only to lay up for himself, and to provide against a rainy day. It is like he had no great mind to stay long with his Lord, and therefore he was resolved to make the best market he could for himself; that so when he should lay down his stewardship, he might have something to live upon. Judas acted the part of a saint in his profession and discourses, that so he might be the less suspected to act the part of a thief in his more secret prac- tices. Judas had not been long in office, before he put conscience out of office, and conscience being put out of office, Judas sets up for him- self, and, under a cloak of holiness, he practises the greatest unfaith- fulness. Though the eagle soars high, yet still her eye is upon her prey ; so though Judas did soar high in profession, yet his eye was still upon his prey, upon his bags, and so he might have it, he cared not who went without it ; so he might be rich, he did not care though his Lord and his retinue grew never so poor. Judas had Jacob's voice, but Gehazi's heart and hands, and therefore he screws up his conscience tUl he makes all crack again. Under all his shows of sanctity, he had not so much as common honesty in him. Coun- terfeit holiness is often made a stalking-horse to the exercise of much unrighteousness. Certainly that man is as far from real holiness, as the devil himself is from true happiness, who lives not in the exercise of righteousness towards men, as well as in a profession of holiness to- wards God. Well, Christians, remember this, it were better with the philosopher to have honesty without religion, than to have religion without honesty. But,
9. Ninthly, He that is truly holy will labour and endeavour to make others holy. A holy heart loves not to go to heaven alone, it loves not to be happy and blessed alone. A man that hath experienced the power, excellency, and sweetness of holiness, will strive and study how
HeB. XII. 14.] AND BEAUTY OF HOLINESS. 125
to make others holy. When Samson had tasted honey, he gave his father and mother some with him, Judges xiv. 8, 9. Holiness is so sweet a morsel, that a soul cannot taste of it but he will be a-commend- ing of it to others.i As you may see in holy Moses, in Num. xi. 29, ' And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake ? Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them.' A holy soul will never make a monopoly of holiness. The prophets, you know, were men of greatest grace and holiness ; now holy Moses is very importunate and earnest with God that he would not only make the two that prophesied, but all the Lord's people eminent and excellent in grace and holiness. Such was Moses his holiness and humbleness, that he desires that all others might either equal him or excel him in gifts and grace. A heart eminently holy is so far from envying of the gracious excellencies of others, that it can rejoice in every sun that outshines his own ; and every light that burns more dim than his, he desires that it may be snuffed, not put out, that so it may give a clearer and a greater light to others. So holy Paul in Acts xxvi. 29, ' And Paul said, I would to God that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds,' True holiness is no churl ; nothing makes a man more noble in his spiritual desires, wishes, and actings for others, than hoHness. Keal hohness, like oil, is of a diffusive na- ture ; like light, it will spread itself over aU ; like Mary's box of oint- ment, it fills all the house with the sweet scent thereof. Art thou a holy father ? then thou wilt, with holy Abraham, labour to make thy children holy, Gen. xviii. 17-19. A holy heart knows that both by his first birth, but especially by his new birth, he stands obHged to promote holiness in all, but especially in those that are parts and pieces of himself. Art thou a holy master ? then thou wilt, with holy Joshua, labour to make all under thy charge holy : Josh. xxiv. 15, ' But as for me, and my house, we will serve the Lord.' True holiness cannot be concealed ; it will be a-stirring and a-provoking of others to be holy : as a holy man doth not love to be happy alone, so a holy man doth not love to be holy alone. A holy master loves to see a crown of holiness set upon every head in his family. Holiness is a very beautiful thing, and it makes those beautiful in whom it is. In a holy master's eye, there is no servant so lovely and beautiful as he that hath the beauty of hoHness upon him. A holy magistrate will labour to make both his servants and his subjects holy: as holy David, holy Asa, holy Isaiah, and holy Hezekiah did ; he knows that the souls of his servants and subjects are the choicest treasure that God hath committed to his care ; he knows that every soul is more worth than his crown and king- dom ; he knows that he must one day give up an account for more souls than his own, and therefore he improves his power and interest every way for the making of all holy under him ; 2 as Louis the Ninth, king of France, took pains to instruct his poor kitchen-boy in the way to heaven, and being asked the reason of it, he answered. The meanest
1 Lilmod le lammed, We therefore learn that we may teach, is a proverb among the Eabbins. The heathen could say, I do therefore lay in and lay up, that I may draw forth again for the good of many.
* George, prince of Anhalt, his family is said to have been ecclesia, academia, curia : A church, a university, and a court.
126 THE NECESSITY, EXCELLENCY, RAEITY, [HeB. XIL 14.