* I have read that the Isle of Arren in Ireland hath such a pure air that it was never yet infected with the plague, but such is not the nature of man.
HeB. XII. 14.] AND BEAUTY OF HOLINESS. 153
straw ; it is like the foolish satyr that made haste to kiss the fire ; it is like that unctuous matter which, the naturalists say, sucks and snatches the fire to it, with which it is consumed. All men are born sinners, and there is nothing but an infinite power that can make them saints. All men would be happy, and yet they naturally loathe to be holy. By all which you may clearly see that food is not more necessary for the preservation of natural life, than holiness is necessary for the preservation and salvation of the soul. If a man had the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Samson, the courage of Joshua, the policy of Ahithophel, the dignities of Haman, the power of Ahasuerus, and the eloquence of Apollos, yet aR these without holi- ness would never save him.
2. Secondly, Consider there is a possibility of obtaining holiness. Holiness is a golden mine that may be come at if you will but dig, and sweat, and take pains for it, Prov. ii. 2-7. It is a flower of para- dise that may be gathered ; it is a crown that may be put on ; it is a pearl of price that may be obtained, if you will but part with the wicked man's trinity — the world, the flesh, and the devil — to enjoy it, Rom. xiii. 12-14. Though some of the attributes of God be in- communicable, yet holiness is a communicable attribute; and this should mightily encourage you to look after holiness. Well ! sin- ners, remember this, it is possible that those proud hearts of yours may be humbled ; it is possible that those hard hearts of yours may be softened; it is possible that those unclean hearts of yours may be sanctified ; it is possible that those blind minds of yours may be enlightened ; it is possible that those stubborn wills of yours may be tamed; it is possible that those disordered affections of yours may be regulated ; it is possible that those drowsy and defiled consciences of yours may be awakened and purged; it is possible that those vile and polluted natures of yours may be changed and purified. There are several things that do witness that holiness is attainable ; as,
[1.] Witness God's promise to give his Holy Spirit to them that ask it.' Luke xi. 13, * If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children : how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?' The Holy Spirit is a gift more worth than a world, yea, than heaven itself, and yet, to make men holy, God is willing to give his Holy Spirit upon very easy terms — they shaU have it for asking. The Spirit is a spirit of holi- ness ; he is holy in himself, and the author of all that holiness that is in man.l It is he that most powerfully moves and persuades men to holiness ; it is he that presents holiness in its beauty and glory to the soul ; it is he that sows seeds of holiness in the soul ; and it is he that causes those seeds to grow up to maturity and ripeness. Nil nisi sanctum a sancto Spiritu prodire potest, Nothing can come from the Holy Spirit but that which is holy. The Holy Spirit is the great principle of aU the holiness that is in the world ; and this Holy Spirit God hath engaged himself to give to those that are unholy : Ezek. xxxvi. 25-27, ' I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean ; from all your filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanse ^ John Hi. 6 ; Titus iii. 5 ; 1 Cor. vi. 11.
154 THE NECESSITY, EXCELLENCY, RARITY, [HeB. XII. 14.
you. A new heart will I also give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh, and I will put my Spu'it within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judg- ments and do them.' The Holy Spirit is a gift, a free gift, a noble gift, a precious gift, a glorious gift, that God will bestow upon the miclean, upon the unsanctified, that they may be cleansed and sancti- fied, and so fitted for the Lord's service and use. It is possible that you may be holy, 2 Tim. ii. 21 ; witness,
[2.] His holy word, tlmt lie liath given on purpose to make men holy, and to keep men holy. His commandments are holy, just, and good ; his threatenings are holy, just, and good ; and all his promises are holy, just, and good.^ The Holy Scriptures were written with a finger of holi- ness, so as to move to holiness, and to work holiness ; the whole word of Grod is an entire love-letter to provoke to holiness, and to promote holi- ness. Holy commands should sweetly persuade us to holiness, and holy threatenings should divinely force us to holiness, and holy promises should effectually allure us to the love of holiness, to the embracing of holiness, and to the practice of holiness. The great design of God, in sending this sacred volume in golden letters from heaven, was to enamour men with the love and beauty of holiness. Again, it is possible that you may attain to true holiness ; witness,
[3.] Those holy ambassadors that he hath sent on purpose to turn men from ' darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to Jesus Christ;' their great business and work is to treat with you about holiness ; it is to woo you to match with holiness, and to follow after holiness ; it is to remove all lets and impediments that may anywise hinder your embracing of holiness ; and it is to propose all manner of encouragements that may win you over to make holiness your great all, Acts xxvi. 18, and 2 Cor. v. 18-20. Again, it is possible that you may be holy ; witness,
[4.] The holy examples of all the patriarclis, prophets, apostles, aTid saints that are left on record, on purpose to provoke you to an imita- tion of them in holiness. Their holy examples, as so many shining stars, are left upon record to influence us to holiness.^ In the holy examples of those that are now triumphant in heaven, you may run and read that holiness is attainable. In their holy examples, as in so many looking-glasses, you may see that holiness is a jewel that may be procured. By that holiness that others have reached to, sinners may see that it is possible that they may be made saints. Again, it is possible that you may be holy ; witness,
[5.] All those notorious sinners that the Scripture declares have been sanctified and made holy. To instance only in a few : Adam, you know, was created in an estate of innocency, integrity, and perfect holiness, Gen. i. 26 ; he being made in the image of God, and after the likeness and similitude of God. It was agreed upon in the parlia- ment of heaven that man should be made glorious in holiness ; and so he was, for he was made after God's own image. And this the apostle clearly and fuUy evidences in that famous scripture, Eph. iv.
1 Deut. iv. 6-9 ; Eom. vii. 12 ; Luke i. 70-76.
* Prsecepta decent, exempla movent. [As before.— G.]