secondary helps of knowledge, they are mainly to bring their message from above, from the fountain, the head of this pure wisdom.

Pure. If it come from above it must needs be pure originally, yea it is formally pure too, being a main trait of God's renewed image in the soul. By this wisdom the understanding is both refined and strengthened to entertain right conceptions of God in his nature and works. And this is primarily necessary, that the mind be not infected with false opinions in religion; if the spring-head be polluted, the streams cannot be pure; it is more important than men usually think for a good life. But that which I suppose is here chiefly intended, is, that it is effectively and practically pure, it purifies the heart, Acts xv. 9, (said of faith which in some sense and acceptation differs not much from this wisdom,) and consequently the words and actions that flow from the heart.

This purity some render chastity. The wisdom from above is chaste, ay. The word is indeed often so taken and includes that here, but it is too narrow a sense to restrict it to that only. It is here an universal detestation of all impurity, both of flesh and spirit, as the apostle speaks, 2 Cor. vii. 1. Pride, selflove, profaneness of spirit and irreligion, though they do not so properly pollute the body as carnal uncleanness; yet they do no less defile the soul, and make it abominable in the sight of God. Those apostate angels called unclean spirits, are incapable of bodily defilement; (though indeed they tempt and inveigle men to it ;) their own inherent pollutions must needs be spiritual, for they are spirits. Idolatry in scripture goes often under the name of fornication and adultery, and indeed these sins may mutually borrow and lend their names the one to the other; idolatry may well be called spiritual unchastity; and unchaste love, carnal idolatry. Earthly-mindedness likewise is an impurity of the soul; in the apostle's phrase, covetousness is idolatry, and so a spiritual pollution; yet it may well share with idolatry in its borrowed name,

and be called adultery too; for it misbestows the soul's prime affection upon the creature, which by right is God's peculiar.

This purity that true wisdom works is contrary to all pollution. We know then in some measure what it is; it rests to inquire where it is, and there is the difficulty; it is far easier to design it in itself, than to find it among men. Who can say, I have made my heart clean? Prov. xx. 9. Look upon the greatest part of mankind, and you may know at first sight, that purity is not to be looked for among them; they suffer it not to come near them, much less to dwell with them and within them; they hate the very semblance of it in others, and themselves delight in intemperance and all manner of licentiousness, like foolish children striving who shall go furthest into the mire; these cannot say they have made clean their hearts, for all their words and actions will belie them. If you come to the mere moralist, the world's honest man, and ask him, it may be, he will tell you, he hath cleansed his heart; but believe him not. It will appear he is not yet cleansed, because he says he has done it himself, for (you know) there must be some other, besides man, at this work. Again he rising no higher than nature, hath none of this heavenly wisdom in him, and therefore is without this purity too. But if you chance to take notice of some well-skilled hypocrite, every thing you meet with makes you almost confident, that there is purity; yet if he be strictly put to it, he may make some good account of the pains he hath taken to refine his tongue and his public actions, but he dare not say he hath made clean his heart; it troubles his peace to be asked the question. He never intended to banish sin, but to retire it to his innermost and best room, that so it might dwell unseen within him; and where then should it lodge but in his heart? Yet possibly because what is outward is so fair, and man cannot look deeper to contradict him, he may embolden himself to say, he is inwardly suitable to his appearance; but there is a day at hand

that shall, to his endless shame, at once discover both his secret impurity and his impudence in denying it.

After these, there follows a few despised and melancholy persons (at least as to outward appearance) who are almost always hanging down their heads, and complaining of abundant sinfulness. And sure, purity cannot be expected in these who are so far from it by their own confession; yet the truth is, that such purity as is here below, will either be found to lodge among these, or no where. Be not deceived; think not that they who loathe, and (as they can) fly from the unholiness of the world, are therefore taken with the conceit of their own holiness; but as their perfect purity of justification is by Christ's imputed righteousness, so likewise they will know, and do always acknowledge, that their inherent holiness is from above too, from the same fountain, Jesus Christ. The wisdom from above is pure, this is their engagement to humility, for it excludes vaunting and boasting; and besides that, it is imperfect, troubled and stained with sin, which is enough to keep them humble. Their daily sad experience will not suffer them to be so mistaken; their many faults of infirmity, cannot but keep them from this presumptuous fault. There is a generation indeed that is pure in their own eyes, (Prov. xxx. 12,) but they are such as are not washed from their filthiness. They that are washed, are still bewailing, that they again contract so much defilement. The most purified Christians are they that are most sensible of their impurity. Therefore I called not this an universal freedom from pollution, but an universal detestation of it they that are thus pure are daily defiled with many sins, but they cannot be in love with any sin at all, nor do they willingly dispense with the smallest sins, which a natural man either sees not to be sin, (though his dim moon-light discovers grosser evils,) or if he does see them, yet he judges it too much niceness to choose a great inconvenience rather than a little sin. Again they differ in another particular; a natural man may be so far in love with virtue after

his manner, as to dislike his own faults and resolve to amend them, but yet he would think it a great weakness to sit down and mourn for sin, and to afflict his soul, as the Scripture speaks. The Christian's repentance goes not so lightly; there is a great deal more work in it, 2 Cor. vii. 11. There is not only indignation against impurity, but it proceeds to revenge. The saints, we read of in Scripture, were ashamed of their impurity, but never of their tears for it. Let the world enjoy their own thoughts, and account it folly; yet sure the Christian that delights in purity, seeing he cannot be free from daily sin, when he retires himself at night, is then best contented when his eyes serve him most plentifully to weep out the stains of the by-past day; yet he knows withal, that it is only his Redeemer's blood that takes away the guilt of them. This is the condition of those that are truly, though not yet fully cleansed from the pollutions of the world, by the spirit of wisdom and purity. What mean they then, that would argue themselves out of this number, because they find yet much dross left, and that they are not so defecated and refined as they would wish to be? On the contrary, this hatred of pollution testifies strongly that the contrary of it, purity, is there; and, though its beginnings be small, doubt not, it shall in the end be victorious; the smoking of this flax shews indeed that there is gross matter there, but it witnesseth likewise that there is fire in it too; and though it be little, we have Christ's own word for it, that it shall not be quenched; and if he favour it, no other power shall be able to quench it. You find not indeed absolute holiness in your persons, nor in your best performances; yet if you breathe and follow after it, if the pulse of the heart beats thus, if the main current of your affection be towards purity, if sin be in you as your disease and greatest grief, and not as your delight, then take courage, you are as pure as travellers can be; and notwithstanding that impure spirit, Satan, and the impurity of your own spirits vex you daily with temptations, and often foil you, yet in

despite of them all, you shall arrive safe at home where perfection dwells.

if

Wisdom from above is pure. Be ashamed then of your extreme folly, you that take pleasure in any kind. of uncleanness, especially seeing God hath reformed and purged his house amongst us: you that are, or should be his living temples, remain not unreformed; you do, church-reformation will be so far from profiting you, that, as a clearer light, it will but serve to make your impurity both more visible and more inexcusable. If you mean that the Holy Ghost should dwell with you, entertain him, avoiding both spiritual and fleshly pollutions. The word here used doth more particularly signify chastity; and certainly wherever this wisdom from above is, this comely grace is one of her attendants. Whatever any have been in times past, let all be persuaded henceforth to mortify all lustful and carnal affections; know that there is more true and lasting pleasure in the contempt of unlawful pleasures, than in the enjoyment of them. Grieve not, then, the good Spirit of God with actions or speeches, yea or with thoughts that are impure. The unholy soul, like the mystical Babylon, Apoc. xiii., makes itself a cage of unclean birds, and an habitation of filthy spirits; and if it continues to be such, it must when it dislodges, take up its habitation with cursed spirits for ever in utter darkness. But as for those that are sincerely and affectionately pure, that is, pure in heart, our Saviour hath pronounced their begun happiness-Blessed are they that are pure in heart; and assured them of full happiness, for they shall see God. This wisdom is sent from heaven on purpose to guide the elect thither by the way of purity. And mark how well their reward is suited to their labour; their frequent contemplating and beholding of God's purity as they could, while they were on their journey, and their labouring to be like him, shall bring them to sit down in glory, and to be for ever the pure beholders of that purest object: They shall see God. What this is we cannot tell you, nor can you conceive