ship, but let Baal plead for Baal ; and though all the world should wander after the beast, yet don't you wander ; and though every fore- head should have the mark of the beast upon it, yet do you abhor his mark, and whatever else it be that does but smell and savoiu- of the beast. It is observable that in kings' and princes' courts, children, fools, and the rude rabble, are much taken with fine pictures, and rich. shows, and glistering gaudy cloths, &c. ; but such as «,re wise, serious, grave statesmen, they mind not, they regard not such poor things, they look upon those things as things that are much below the noble- ness and the greatness of their spirits, who have honourable objects, and the great and weighty affairs of the state to busy themselves about: so, my brethren, though the children, the fools, and the rabble of the world are much affected and taken with such pollutions and mixtures as makes up a glorious pompous worship, yet you that have a spirit of holiness, and principles of holiness in you, oh, how should you slight such things, and pass by such things as things below you, as things not worthy of you, who have a holy God, a holy Christ, a holy gospel, and a holy worship to busy your thoughts, your minds, your heads, and your hearts about. But,
[5.] Fifthly, Evidence the truth and reality of your holiness, by he- wailing and lamenting the loss of holiness. Ah, how is this crown of holiness fallen from our heads ! Lam. v. 16. Oh the leanness of souls ! Oh the spiritual witherings and decays in grace and holiness that is to be found among many Christians this day ! Some complain of the loss of trade, and others complain of the loss of estate ; some complain of the loss of credit, and others complain of the loss of friends ; but what are all these losses to the loss of holiness ? And yet how few be there that complain of the loss of holiness. l Holiness is fallen in our hearts, in our families, in our streets, and in our churches ; and yet how few are there to be found that laments the fall of holiness.
0 sirs, will you lament such as are fallen from riches to poverty, from honour into disgrace, and from the highest pitch of prosperity to the lowest step of beggary and misery ; and will you not lament such who are fallen from the highest round to the lowest round in Jacob's lad- der ? 0 sirs, will you mourn over a decayed estate ? will you weep over decayed friends ? and will you sigh and sob over a decayed body? and will you not much more lament and mourn over decayed souls ? &c. Ah, how many have lost that love, that life, that heat, that zeal, that readiness, that forwardness, and that resoluteness that once they had for God and godliness ! Rev. ii. 4, 5. Some are fallen from their holiness by giving themselves elbow-room to sin against the checks and lashes of conscience, Ps. li. ; others are decayed in holiness by their secret resisting and smothering the gracious motions of the Spirit, Acts vii. 51 ; some are fallen from holiness, either by their neglect of precious means, or else by their heartless using of the means,
1 Thes. V. 20 ; others are fallen from their holiness, either by the allurements and enticements of a tempting world, or else by the frowns and threatenings of a persecuting world, 2 Tim. iv. 10; some are fallen from holiness by their non-exercise of grace; and others are
^ It is verj' uncomfortable to see the days grow slorter, and to sec friends grow be- hindhand in the world.
332 THE NECESSITY, EXCELLENCY, RARITY, [HeB. XII. 14.
fallen from holiness by not discerning their first decays in grace. So that, upon one account or another, multitudes in these days are fallen from that holiness which was once their glory. If you look into families, there you shall find masters complaining that their servants are so careless, foolish, frothy, light, slight, slothful, unfaithful, proud, and lofty, that they are not to be spoken to nor trusted ; and if you look again into the same families, there you shall find servants com- plaining that their masters and mistresses are so exceeding froward, peevish, passionate, worldly, neglective of duties, and careless of their souls, that it is even a hell to servants to live with them. Now, what speaks all these sad complaints, but either a total want of holiness, or else a very great decay of holiness ? And if you look among all other relations, as husbands and wives, parents and children, magistrates and people, ministers and Christians, oh, what sad divisions, what fiery contentions, and what fearful jars are there to be found ! oh, what slightings, what revilings, what under-valuings, what heart-risings, what heart-swellings, and what heart-burnings are to be found amongst them ! And what do all these things declare, but that the glory of God is departed from Israel, and that holiness is fallen to a very low ebb ? Ah friends, were there but more holiness among you, there would be more union among you, and more love among you, and more sweetness and tenderness among you, and more forbearance and patience among you. Oh, then you would never be snarling one at another, nor biting one of another, nor plotting one against another, nor devouring one of another any more. Again, if you look among men whose parts are great, whose gifts are high, whose profession is glorious, and whose expressions and notions are very seraphical, ah, what a little holiness will you find ! 0 sirs, shall the men of this world vex and fret, shall they weep and wail, and shall their lamentation and mourning be like that of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo, 2 Chron. xxxv, 24, 25, and that for the loss of a little wealth, or for a punctilio of honour, or a day of pleasure, or the smiles of a prince, &c. ? and will not you lament and mourn for the loss of holiness, which is the choicest jewel in a Christian's crown ? Tears, instead of gems, were the ornaments of David's bed when he was fallen from his holiness, Ps. li. And though the Persian kings would have no mourning nor mourning apparel worn in their presence, yet the King of kings loves to see his people a-mourning for the falls of holiness, as well as for the heights of wickedness. When news was brought to Xenophon of his son's death, he put off his crown from his head, and wept."i 0 my brethren, who can hear of the death of holiness, and behold the death of holi- ness in men's hearts, lives, and families, and not put off his crown, and weep, and not put ofi" his ornaments, and weep till he can weep no more ? &c. But,
[6.] Sixthly, Evidence the truth and reality of your holiness, by pursuing, pressing, and following after the highest degrees of holiness. Oh, sit not down satisfied with some drops or sips of holiness, but labour after the perfection of hohness.2 Oh, don't content yourselves with
^ Val. Max., lib. v. c. 10.
' Bernard, in Canticles, cries out, I would not upon the sudden attain to my highest pitch, but grow towards it by little and little.