I remember a notable sajdng of Ambrose, speaking of Samson, Vin- cula solvit Jiostium, &c.* Saith he, he brake the bonds of his enemies, but he could not break the bonds of his own lusts ; he choked the lion, but he could not choke his own wanton love ; he set on fire the harvest of strangers, and himself being set on fire with the spark of one strange woman, lost the harvest of his virtue. And this saying of Ambrose puts me in mind of a great Roman captain, who, as he was riding in his triumphant chariot through Rome, had his eyes never off a courtezan that walked along the street, which made one say, Behold how this goodly captain, that conquered such potent armies, is himself conquered by one silly woman. Oh, it is not pliilosophy, nor
^ Aug. Serm. iv., de verbis Domini.
* Heraclius's motto was, A Deo victoria — It is God that giveth victory. ' Eusebius of Emisa, to distinguish him from E. of Csesareia. — G.
* Ambrose Apol : David. Post., c. 3.
406 THE NECESSITY, EXCELLENCY, RARITY, [HeB. XII. 14.
morality, nor civility, &c., but holiness, but sanctity, that will make the soul victorious over iniquity ; and the more victories and conquests a man makes upon heart sins, upon spiritual sins, upon secret sins, the greater measures of holiness that person hath certainly attained to.
[7.] Seventhly, The more a man is exercised and busied in the most internal and spiritual duties of religion, the greater measures of holi- ness tlmt man hath attained to. You know there are external duties of religion, and there are internal duties of religion. There are ex- ternal duties of religion, as public preaching, hearing the word, reading the word, fasting, singing of psalms. Christian conference, communion of saints, and receiving the Lord's supper. Mat. vi. and xxiii. Now such Christians as have but small measures of grace and holiness, and hypocrites and formalists that have not the least measure of true grace and holiness, these are most commonly exercised and busied about the external duties and services of religion ; but very seldom, very rare, shall you find them in the more inward and spiritual duties of religion, Isa. i. 11-19, and Iviii. 1-5 ; Zech. vii. 4-7. But then, as there are external duties, so there are internal and spiritual duties, as self-examination, self-resignation to Grod, self-loathing, self-judging, divine meditation, praying in the Spirit, watchfulness over the heart, and making application of the blood of Christ, the death of Christ, the grace of Christ, the love of Christ, and the word of Christ to a man s own soul. Now the more any Christian is exercised and em- ployed in these internal, spiritual, and evangelical duties and services, the greater heights and degrees of holiness that Christian is grown to : Phil. iii. 3, ' For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.' These Philippians were eminent in grace and holiness, as you may see in chap. i. And they place no confidence in circumcision, nor in any such outward performances or services, but they were much in the exercise of grace, and in worshipping of God in the spirit, and in rejoicing in the person of Christ, the natures of Christ, the offices of Christ, the discoveries of Christ, the communications of Christ, the glorious operations of Christ, the precious promises of Christ, and in the heart-warming and heart-cheering blood of Christ.
Now to be much exercised in the most internal, spiritual, and evangelical duties of religion, argues a very great height of holiness. But,
[8.] Eighthly, The more spiritual,internal,and intrinsecal principles, wjotives, and considerations, carries a person on in religious duties and services, the more holy that person is. When a man is carried on in the duties of religion, from a sense of divine love, or from a sense of the special presence of Christ with his Spirit, or from a sense of the excellency and sweetness of coromunion and fellowship with God, or from a sense of the graciousness and goodness of God towards him, or from a sense of singular influences and incomes from God, or from a sense of the choice and precious discoveries of God, or from a sense of the beauty and glory of God, &c., this argues a very great measure of holiness, that such a person hath attained to.i The more the sweet ^ Ps. cxix. 1-3; 1 John i. 1-4 ; Isa. xxxviii. 16, 17, 19, 20; Pa. Ixiii. 1-3.
HeB. XII. 14.] AND BEAUTY OF HOLINESS. 407
looks of Christ, the secret visits of Christ, the private whispers of Christ, the divine joggings of Christ, the blessed love-tokens of Christ, and the holy kisses and glorious embraces of Christ doth incite and provoke a person to religious duties, the greater degrees of holiness that person hath reached to; but now it is an argument that the streams of holiness runs but low, when external motives and considera- tions have the greatest hand in carrying a person on in religious duties. The more bare custom, the eye of the creature, the favour of the creature, the example of the creature, the applause of the creature, the rewards of the creature, or the keeping up of a man's parts, or the keeping up of a man's name, esteem, and repute in the world doth influence a Christian's heart to religious duties, the less holiness that Christian hath. Yea, it is considerable, that outward motives and natural principles have carried many heathens to do many great and glorious things in the world. Did not Sisera do as great things as Gideon ? the difference did only lie here, that the great things that Gideon did, he did from more spiritual principles and raised considera- tions than any Sisera was acted by. And did not Diogenes trample under his feet the great and glorious things of this world as well as Moses ? the difference did only lie in this, that Moses trampled under his feet the gay and gallant things of this world from inward, holy principles, and from high and glorious considerations and motives, whereas Diogenes did only trample upon them from poor, low prin- ciples, and from carnal and external considerations.