Ornamental piety

We will Enumerate the Principal Ornaments, that are found on any Ungodly People, and see how they are Eclipsed, Absorbed, even Destroyed by their Ungodliness.

We will Enumerate the Principal Ornaments, that are found on any Ʋngodly People, and see how they are Eclips'd, Absorb'd, even Destroy'd by their Ʋngodliness.

First. Some are Adorned with Wit, with Knowledge, with Learning; Their Natural Abilities are very Pregnant; Their Acquired Abilities are very shining. They have Sharp Understandings, Quick Inventions, Strong Memories. These are admirable Ornaments. These Ornaments may be found in some that yet are not Wise unto Salvation. But, Ah, Witty Sinner; What will become of thy Wit, when in thy Later End thou shalt be found a Fool, and thou wilt call thy self a Fool World without End? Count not thy self a Wise Man. Thou art One of those, of whom the Oracles of Wisdom declare, There is no Wisdom in them. An Unconverted Sinner is a Fool. He does nothing, but what calls for that Acknowledgement; 2 Sam. 24.•0. I have done very foolishly. The whole course of a Sinner is, To go astray in the greatness of his Folly. What Wisdom is there in a Sinner? There is not yet in him so much as the Beginning of Wisdom. Until a man has the Fear of God, he has not the Beginning of Wisdom. What Signify the brightest Accomplishments & Embellishments of Mind, in that Man, who is all the while a Mad-man? He that is not a Good Man is a Mad-man. We read, Eccl. 9.3. Madness is in their hearts. ⟨p. 13⟩Ah, Foolish Sinner! He has the Wit to do & Speak ingenious things without Number: But he has not the Wit, to Encounter the Devices of Satan against him. He may be a Knowing Person; But he Knows not the Things of his Everlasting Peace. He may be a Learned Person; But he has not Learned the skill of Living unto God. He may be reckoned a Wise Man; but he never did One Wise Act in all his Life. A Wise Man! Alas, he is a Madman! He Sells a Soul for a Song. He parts with Eternal Pleasures, for some Shadow of a Delight, which Expires in a Moment. He contends with an Almighty GOD, who can crush him in a Moment! Fool, Put off thy Ornaments. A Fools Coat belongs unto thee.

First. Some are Adorned with Wit, with Knowledge, with Learning; Their Natural Abilities are very Pregnant; Their Acquired Abilities are very shining. They have Sharp Ʋnderstandings, Quick Inventions, Strong Memories. These are admirable Ornaments. These Ornaments may be found in some that yet are not Wise unto Salvation. But, Ah, Witty Sinner; What will become of thy Wit, when in thy Later End thou shalt be found a Fool, and thou wilt call thy self a Fool World without End? Count not thy self a Wise Man. Thou art One of those, of whom the Oracles of Wisdom declare, There is no Wisdom in them. An Unconverted Sinner is a Fool. He does nothing, but what calls for that Acknowledgment;

Secondly: Some are Adorned with a Sweetness of Temper They are so Good-natured, so Good-humoured, so Obliging, that they may be styled, as One was, Delicium humani generis; The Delight of all that Converse with them. A Courteous▪ Officious, Condescending Temper, is an Ornament, which every body commends. It commands Commendation, Every bodies Commendation. But, Oh, Sweet tempered Child; If thou art yet in thy Sins, the greatest Baseness of Temper in the World, is to be charged upon thee. A Glorious CHRIST has dyed for thee; has Entreated thee, Requested thee, Importuned thee, long waited on thee, to become His. Thou takest no notice of Him. Nothing ⟨p. 14⟩will win upon thee. A Dying Saviour will not win upon thee. Base-tempered Wretch; All Heaven cries out upon thee. Thou art an Enemy to GOD; That is to be an Enemy to Infinite Goodness. Is this the Goodness of thy Temper? To Abuse Goodness it self! Thou art a most Unthankful Creature. The Complaint which the Blessed GOD makes over thee, is that; Isa. 1.2 I have nourished, and brought up Children and they have Rebelled against me. The Blessed GOD even courts thee, with His Blessings. Thy Heart beats not so many Pulses, as a Good GOD heaps Blessings of Goodness upon thee. All these Kindnesses will not persuade thee to Love Him. After all these Kindnesses, thou dost continue in Arms against Him. Verily, Every Person in a State of Nature, is a very ill-natured Person. Hard-hearted Sinner; Put off thy Ornaments. Dost thou thus Requite the Lord?

Secondly: Some are Adorned with a Sweetness of Temper They are so Good-natured, so Good-humoured, so Obliging, that they may be styled, as One was, Delicium humani generis; The Delight of all that Converse with them. A Courteous▪ Officious, Condescending Temper, is an Ornament, which every body commends. It commands Commendation, Every bodies Commendation. But, Oh, Sweet tempered Child; If thou art yet in thy Sins, the greatest Baseness of Temper in the World, is to be charg'd upon thee. A Glorious CHRIST has dyed for thee; has Entreated thee, Requested thee, Importuned thee, long waited on thee, to become His. Thou takest no notice of Him. Nothing ⟨p. 14⟩will win upon thee. A Dying Saviour will not win upon thee. Base-tempered Wretch; All Heaven cryes out upon thee. Thou art an Enemy to GOD; That is to be an Enemy to Infinite Goodness. Is this the Goodness of thy Temper? To Abuse Goodness it self! Thou art a most Ʋnthankful Creature. The Complaint which the Blessed GOD makes over thee, is that;

Fourthly. Some are Adorned with Good Breeding; They have been Well-bred; have had a Polite Education. They have a Civil, a Decent, in one Word, which comprehends all the Rules of Behaviour, A MODEST Behaviour; They Behave themselves Handsomely, that is to say, Modestly, on all occasions. A very taking Ornament! An Handsome Carriage. But what becomes of the Good Manners, where the People do nothing but Miscarry every day? They whose Manner it is, to do nothing but Sin, are guilty of Ill-Manners. The Manners of all Impious People, are the worst of Manners. They Corrupt Good Manners; they Cast off Good Manners, and the thing that is Good. It may be said unto them; Jer. 22 21. This hath been thy manner from thy Youth, that thou Obeyed not my Voice. Ah, Ill bred Sinner! A Sinner that Misbehaves himself in every Business; in every Company. A Sinner that goes about ⟨p. 16⟩every Good Thing, with a very Misbecoming Awkwardness. Oh! Thou Accustomed to do Evil; Put off thy Ornaments. Thou dost nothing Right!

Fifthly. There are Some Adorned with Riches in Abundance; Riches, which the Sons of Laban count their Glory. They have Silver and Gold enough to make them Glitter. They have Wealth enough to dazzle the Eyes of the Beholders. Riches are commonly Esteemed Ornaments. Men Esteem themselves for them; Expect Esteem from others; Reckon themselves Endowed with them. To little Purpose, if they are not Rich towards God. A Wealthy man, if he be a Wicked man, he is worth nothing. A Rich man, that has made no Provision for Eternity, may undergo a Laodicean Rebuke; Rev. 3.17. Thou sayest, I am Rich; & knowest not, that thou art Wretched & Miserable, and Poor, and Blind, and Naked. We may, unto such a Sinner, Invert the Words to the Angel of Smyrna; I know thy Riches, but thou art Poor. A Lazarus is Richer than the Richest Sinner in the World: A Rich Man, but a Rich Fool! A Rich Man, but one that has a Poor, Needy, Starving Soul within him; A Rich Man, but One that may Die this Night, and leave all, and he has laid up nothing for Eternity! Such a Croesus is but a Wretched Beggar. The Emperor Basilius with his two hundred thousand Talents of Gold, (according to Zonaras, which ⟨p. 17⟩Lipsius computes, at a thousand and two hundred Millions of Money) besides Numberless Heaps of Silver, and numerous chests of Jewels; while he was a Wicked Man, a Wise One has told us, He was Little Worth. Thou Fool, Put off thy Ornaments. Thy Poor, Poor, Poor Soul, is a Prisoner in a Dungeon!

Fifthly. There are Some Adorned with Riches in Abundance; Riches, which the Sons of Laban count their Glory. They have Silver and Gold enough to make them Glitter. They have Wealth enough to dazzle the Eyes of the Beholders. Riches are commonly Esteemed Ornaments. Men Esteem themselves for them; Expect Esteem from others; Reckon themselves Endowed with them. To little Purpose, if they are not Rich towards God. A Wealthy man, if he be a Wicked man, he is worth nothing. A Rich man, that has made no Provision for Eternity, may undergo a Laodicean Rebuke; Rev. 3.17. Thou sayest, I am Rich; & knowest not, that thou art Wretched & Miserable, and Poor, and Blind, and Naked. We may, unto such a Sinner, Invert the Words to the Angel of Smyrna; I know thy Riches, but thou art Poor. A Lazarus is Richer than the Richest Sinner in the World: A Rich Man, but a Rich Fool! A Rich Man, but one that has a Poor, Needy, Starving Soul within him; A Rich Man, but One that may Dy this Night, and leave all, and he has laid up nothing for Eternity! Such a Craesus is but a Wretched Beggar. The Emperour Basilius with his two hundred thousand Talents of Gold, (according to Zonaras, which

Sixthly. There are Some Adorned with Honourable Relations; They are well Related; They have Relatives of some Account. They are of Credible Families. Their Ancestors were Persons of Renown. They are Allied unto Persons of Considerable Interest. Such Escutcheons are Ornaments. But▪ my Friend; There is a desperate Blot in them, if thou art not a Child of God. It was a sad Word, Spoken to Some, that boasted what Family they were of; Joh. 8 44 Ye are of your Father the Devil. What Signifies a Mans being of a Good House; if he belong to the House of the Wicked! What Signifies the Generation a man is of, if he be One of the Generation of the Wrath of GOD? If thy Progenitors have been Eminent Persons, their Eminency will be but an Aggravation of thy Degeneracy. — At non ille Satum, quo te mentiris. — A Sinful Offspring of some gracious Progenitors, make themselves viler than a Spurious Offspring. Silly Trifler; Put off thy Ornaments. If Satan be thy Father, and all the Slaves of Satan be thy Brethren, tis no matter who else may be thy Relatives.

Seventhly. There are Some Adorned with Beauty: They are very Beautiful; Their Complexion, their Proportion, their Aspect, is very grateful. All that are not Blind, Look upon this as an Ornament. But I remember a most humbling Word; Prov. 11.22. As a Jewel of Gold in a Swines Snout, so is a fair Woman without Discretion. An Adorned Swine! What an Uncouth Sight is That? They that are not yet Renewed in the Spirit of their Mind, alas, they have Sinned away all their Beauty. Every thing is Irregular in them. Their Eyes are closed with Filthy Humours. They are so Lame, that they take none but Wrong Steps; they are ever Stumbling. They have a nasty Leprosy on them; from the Crown of the Head to the Sole of the Foot, nothing but Wounds, and Bruises, and Putrefying Sores▪ Crookedness is Looked on as an Unshapeliness. Many a Crooked Person, is highly to be valued, for being among the Upright in Heart. But a Well shaped Body will not cover thy Disgrace, Child, if thou art One of the Crooked, and Perverse Nation. Stammering, tis a very abasing Imperfection; a very uneasy Infirmity. Our Saviour Sighed, when he saw a man Troubled with it. A Learned Man has Written a Discourse to prove, That it was the Great Apostles, Thorn in the Flesh But the Sinner, who does not Keep his Tongue from Evil, is much worse than any Stammerer. Uncomely Sinner; Put ⟨p. 19⟩off thy Ornaments; Thy Sin puts all out of Shape.

Seventhly. There are Some Adorned with Beauty: They are very Beautiful; Their Complexion, their Proportion, their Aspect, is very grateful. All that are not Blind, Look upon this as an Ornament. But I remember a most humbling Word; Prov. 11.22. As a Jewel of Gold in a Swines Snout, so is a fair Woman without Discretion. An Adorned Swine! What an Ʋncouth Sight is That? They that are not yet Renewed in the Spirit of their Mind, alas, they have Sinned away all their Beauty. Every thing is Irregular in them. Their Eyes are closed with Filthy Humours. They are so Lame, that they take none but Wrong Steps; they are ever Stumbling. They have a nasty Leprosy on them; from the Crown of the Head to the Sole of the Foot, nothing but Wounds, and Bruises, and Putrifying Sores▪ Crookedness is Look'd on as an Ʋnshapeliness. Many a Crooked Person, is highly to be valued, for being among the Ʋpright in Heart. But a Well shaped Body will not cover thy Disgrace, Child, if thou art One of the Crooked, and Perverse Nation. Stammering, tis a very abasing Imperfection; a very uneasy Infirmity. Our Saviour Sigh'd, when he saw a man Troubled with it. A Learned Man has Written a Discourse to prove, That it was the Great Apostles, Thorn in the Flesh But the Sinner, who does not Keep his Tongue from Evil, is much worse than any Stammerer. Uncomely Sinner; Put

Lastly; I leave to the Last of all, that which is truly to all Judicious People the Least of all; There are Some Adorned with Splendid Apparel. Their Garments are their Ornaments. The Meanest of all Ornaments are perhaps their Only Ornaments. Perhaps they count some things to be Ornaments, which the Sober and the Virtuous in all Ages have decried, as not being the Spots of the Children of God. Particularly, The Spots which disfigure the Faces of so many Gentlewomen in our Days, have in all former Ages been decried by all Pious Persons, as Blemishes, and Vanities, altogether misbecoming the Children of God: altogether improper for Baptised Faces! Children, Wash them off, with the Tears of true Devotion. Those Tears would certainly do it. Perhaps the Costly Rigging of some at one time upon them, is more than they have laid out for the Special Service of God, in many years together. Alas, what is the Lady Bernice, in her Great Pomp, with all her Jewels upon her? A mere Shining piece of Rottenness. But the Word of God has told you of Better Ornaments; 1 Pet. 3 4, The Ornaments of the Interior, — the Spirit; which are of great price in the Sight of God. Children, If you are without those Ornaments, You are as bad as without all Ornaments. While you are ⟨p. 20⟩in your Sins, You are clothed with Filthy Rags. Till you have Put on the Lord JESUS CHRIST, you are without the only Garments that can Commend you to Heaven, or Defend you from the Wrath of Heaven. Art thou not yet Clothed with the Righteousness of the Lord JESUS CHRIST? Sinner, Put off thy Ornaments. Thy Soul is Naked, is Forlorn, has nothing upon it, but what proclaims thee Miserable.

Lastly; I leave to the Last of all, that which is truly to all Judicious People the Least of all; There are Some Adorned with Splendid Apparrel. Their Garments are their Ornaments. The Meanest of all Ornaments are perhaps their Only Ornaments. Perhaps they count some things to be Ornaments, which the Sober and the Vertuous in all Ages have decried, as not being the Spots of the Children of God. Particularly, The Spots which disfigure the Faces of so many Gentlewomen in our Days, have in all former Ages been decried by all Pious Persons, as Blemishes, and Vanities, altogether misbecoming the Children of God: altogether improper for Baptised Faces! Children, Wash them off, with the Tears of true Devotion. Those Tears would certainly do it. Perhaps the Costly Rigging of some at one time upon them, is more than they have laid out for the Special Service of God, in many years together. Alas, what is the Lady Bernice, in her Great Pomp, with all her Jewels upon her? A meer Shining piece of Rottenness. But the Word of God has told you of Better Ornaments;

APPLICATION.

AND now, Hear the Conclusion of the Matter. My Children, Be prevailed withal to Seek the Best Ornaments; The Ornaments without which, you Forfeit, and Confound, and Blemish, and for ever Nullify all your other Ornaments.

My Hearers, Will you mind what I say?

I say, First; That you must not value your selves on any Pretended Ornaments, while you are Yet in your Sins. No; See your selves; Loathe your selves; Be not Angry if Others cast much Contempt upon you. Make those Lamentations; Lam. 5 16. The Crown is fallen from our Head, woe unto us that we have Sinned. Retire, Ponder, Fall into Heart-breaking Soliloquies; Lord, what am I? Nothing but a Lump of Deformity; Nothing but an heap of Abomination!

I say, First; That you must not value your selves on any Pretended Ornaments, while you are Yet in your Sins. No; See your selves; Loathe your selves; Be not Angry if Others cast much Contempt upon you. Make those Lamentations; Lam. 5 16. The Crown is fallen from our Head, wo unto us that we have Sinned. Retire, Ponder, Fall into Heart-breaking Soliloquies; Lord, what am I? Nothing but a Lump of Deformity; Nothing but an heap of Abomination!

I say, Secondly: That if you make but a little Show of Other Ornaments, yet Serious Piety will make you Incomparable Creatures. Holiness, 'twill make you the Excellent of the Earth. So we are taught; Prov. 12.26. The Righteous is more Excellent than his Neighbour. Suppose a Person to be of the Common Rank, of no Secular Advantages; but One that betimes turns to God; an Example of Early Religion; One Devout, Watchful, Prayerful; Ready to every Good Work; One Humble, Honest, Industrious; full of all Goodness, and Kindness to all about him. Truly, the Ornaments of such an One, will bespeak an uncommon Respect for him among the People of God. Verily, Such Persons are themselves the Ornaments of the Societies whereto they belong; They are, (as a Good Man was once called, Monile Ecclesiae) the Jewels of the Church; they are the Stars of the World.

I say, Secondly: That if you make but a little Show of Other Ornaments, yet Serious Piety will make you Incomparable Creatures. Holiness, t'will make you the Excellent of the Earth. So we are taught; Prov. 12.26. The Righteous is more Excellent than his Neighbour. Suppose a Person to be of the Common Rank, of no Secular Advantages; but One that betimes turns to God; an Example of Early Religion; One Devout, Watchful, Prayerful; Ready to every Good Work; One Humble, Honest, Industrious; full of all Goodness, and Kindness to all about him. Truly, the Ornaments of such an One, will bespeak an uncommon Respect for him among the People of God. Verily, Such Persons are themselves the Ornaments of the Societies whereto they belong; They are, (as a Good Man was once called, Monile Ecclesiae) the Jewels of the Church; they are the Stars of the World.

I say, Lastly. Then, Children, make your Choice. We read, Psal. 45.13. Of, A Kings Daughter all glorious within. The Ornaments which will render you all glorious Within; Oh! make Choice of these; your Choice of them will render you the Adorned Children of God. Let the Ornaments that you will Choose and Seek, be, The Knowledge of a Glorious CHRIST: A Resemblance to that Glorious Lord; An Obedience to that ⟨p. 22⟩Glorious Lord; A Patience under all His Mortifying Dispensations; An Abhorrence of all Sin against Him; A Disposition to Do Good, and Know no Pleasure equal to That. You are called upon; Phil 4.8. Whatsoever Things are Lovely! Think on these things. Children, These things are Lovely, and will make you Lovely. Go to the Glorious LORD for such Ornaments. Ask them of Him, who gives them Liberally, to them that ask them. Ask His Holy Spirit, which He Gives to them that ask Him, and then you have them Liberally. Be importunate in your Supplications; Oh! my God, Let thy Holy Spirit, Possess me, Renew me, Incline me, and Adorn me wonderfully. My Child; The next Smile of Heaven upon thee, will be that; Isa. 60.1. Arise, and Shine; for thy Light is Come; and the Glory of the Lord is Risen upon thee: Thy Ornaments are Wonderful!

I say, Lastly. Then, Children, make your Choice. We read, Psal. 45.13. Of, A Kings Daughter all glorious within. The Ornaments which will render you all glorious Within; Oh! make Choice of these; your Choice of them will render you the Adorned Children of God. Let the Ornaments that you will Chuse and Seek, be, The Knowledge of a Glorious CHRIST: A Resemblance to that Glorious Lord; An Obedience to that ⟨p. 22⟩Glorious Lord; A Patience under all His Mortifying Dispensations; An Abhorrence of all Sin against Him; A Disposition to Do Good, and Know no Pleasure equal to That. You are called upon; Phil 4.8. Whatsoever Things are Lovely! Think on these things. Children, These things are Lovely, and will make you Lovely. Go to the Glorious LORD for such Ornaments. Ask them of Him, who gives them Liberally, to them that ask them. Ask His Holy Spirit, which He Gives to them that ask Him, and then you have them Liberally. Be importunate in your Supplications; Oh! my God, Let thy Holy Spirit, Possess me, Renew me, Incline me, and Adorn me wonderfully. My Child; The next Smile of Heaven upon thee, will be that;

A Young PERSON Putting on the Best Ornaments.