CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

1. Our filthiness or uncleanness; this is the state of every man till sanctified by Christ, he is like an unclean leper, his riches, his honours, his greatness, his parts, his morality doth not free him from this impurity, so that he ought to abhor himself as a monster, as a toad. This is the foundation of all our misery, that ⟨p. 516⟩we do not look upon our selves as so many vile carcasses, as so many dead dogs. Till this be laid as the first principle, Christ is not prized, Sanctification is not sought after: Oh therefore stand like the leprous person afar off, and cry out, I am unclean, unclean? Thou wouldst be ashamed as Adam was to come with this nakedness and filthiness upon thee into Gods presence.

1. Our filthiness or uncleanness; this is the state of every man till sanctified by Christ, he is like an unclean leper, his riches, his honours, his greatness, his parts, his morality doth not free him from this impurity, so that he ought to abhor himself as a monster, as a toad. This is the foundation of all our misery, that ⟨p. 516⟩we doe not look upon our selves as so many vile carkasses, as so many dead dogs. Till this be laid as the first principle, Christ is not prized, Sanctification is not sought after: Oh therefore stand like the leprous person afarre off, and cry out, I am unclean, unclean? Thou wouldst be ashamed as Adam was to come with this nakednesse and filthinesse upon thee into Gods presence.

2. Being unsanctified, doth imply, That even the holy things we are employed about, do not sanctify us, but we rather pollute them. Hag. 2. He that was unclean, though he touched the holy things, though he ran to the Temple and the Altar, yet he was not thereby sanctified, but he rather polluted them, and thus while a man is unsanctified, those very duties, prayers and ordinances, he doth run unto, will condemn him, as appeareth