wrought sound repentance in us for all that hath been done by us amiss, lest he give 'Jacob to the spoil, and Israel to the robbers;' for that they have sinned against him by not walking in his ways, and by not being obedient to his law. Is. xlii. 24. He that keepeth God's commandment, doth to his | our Lord. Yea, and that there may, by them, be brother what is right, for that is God's commandment. He that keeps God's commandment, doth to his brother even as he would be done unto himself, for that is God's commandment. He that keeps God's commandment, shutteth not up his bowels of compassion from him, for the contrary is his commandment. Further, he that keepeth God's commandment sheweth his brother what he must do to honour the Christ that he professeth, aright: therefore, he that keeps the commandment, loves his brother. Yea, the keeping of the commandment is loving the brethren. But if all love, which we pretend to have one to another, were tried by this one text, how much of that that we call so, would be found to be nothing less? Preposterous are our spirits in all things, nor can they be guided right, but by the word and Spirit of God; the which, the good Lord grant unto us plentifully, that we may do that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ Let me add, lest God doth not only punish us in the sight, and by the hand of the wicked; but embolden them to say, it was God that set them on; yea, lest they make these sins of ours, which we have not repented of, not only their bye-word against us to after generations, but the argument, one to another, of their justification for all the evil that they shall be suffered to do unto us: saying, when men shall ask them, Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger?' De. xxix. 24. 1 Ki. ix. 8. Je. xxii. 8. Even because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord God of their fathers, and walked not in his ways.' JOHN BUNYAN. A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTIANITY. AND, LET EVERY ONE THAT NAMETH THE NAME OF CHRIST DEPART FROM INIQUITY.'-2 TIM. ii. 19. TIMOTHY, unto whom this epistle was writ, was an evangelist, that is, inferior to apostles and extraordinary prophets, and above ordinary pastors and teachers. 2 Ti. iv. 5. Ep. iv. 1. And he with the rest of those under his circumstances was to go with the apostles hither and thither, to be disposed of by them as they saw need, for the further edification of those who by the apostolical ministry were converted to the faith: and hence it is, that Titus was left at Crete, and that this Timothy was left at Ephesus. 1 Ti. i. 8 For they were to do a work for Christ in the world, which the apostles were to begin, and leave upon their hands to finish. Now when the apostles departed from places, and had left these evangelists in their stead, usually there did arise some bad spirits among those people, where these were left for the furtherance of the faith. This is manifest by both the epistles to Timothy, and also by that to Titus: wherefore Paul, upon whom these two evangelists waited for the fulfilling of their ministry, writeth unto them while they abode where he left them, concerning those turbulent spirits which they met with, and to teach them how yet further they ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of truth. And to this purpose he gives them, severally, divers instructions, as the judicious reader may easily understand, by which he encourageth them to the prosecution of that service which for Christ they had to do for those people where he had left them, and also instructeth them how to carry it towards their disturbers, which last he doth, not only doctrinally, but also by shewing them, by his example and practice, what he would have them do. This done, he laboureth to comfort Timothy with the remembrance of the steadfastness of God's eternal decree of election, because grounded on his foreknowledge; saying, though Hymeneus and Philetus have erred from the faith, and, by their fall, have overthrown the faith of some, Yet the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his.' Now lest this last hint should still encourage some to be remiss and carnally secure, and foolish, as I suppose this doctrine abused, had encouraged them to be before; therefore the apostle immediately conjoineth to it this exhortation; And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.' Two truths strangely, but necessarily joined together, because so apt to be severed by the children of men; for many, under the pretence of their being elected, neglect to pursue holiness; and many of them again that pretend to be for holiness, quite exclude the doctrine and motives that election gives thereto. Wherefore the apostle, that he might set men's notions as to these things right, he joins these two together, signifying thereby, that as electing love doth instate a man in the blessing of eternal life; 5. It has made man odious in God's eyes, it has provoked the justice of God against him, and made him obnoxious to hell-fire. Eze. xvi. 5. so holiness is the path thereto; and, that he that | it, and wrought them over to an hearty delight in refuseth to depart from iniquity shall be damned; those things that naturally tend to drown it in pernotwithstanding he may think himself secured from dition and destruction. Col. i. 21. hell by the act of God's electing love. For election designeth men not only to eternal glory, but to holiness of life, a means, thereto. Ep. i. 4, 5. And the manner of this connection of truth is the more to be noted by us, because the apostle seems to conjoin them, in an holy heat of spirit, saying, The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his.' And, let every one that shall but so much as name the name of Christ, depart from iniquity;' or, as who would say, God will be revenged upon them for all, or, notwithstanding, they appropriate unto themselves the benefits of election. * 6. Yea, it so holds him, so binds him, so reserves him to this, that not he himself, nor yet all the angels of heaven, can deliver him from this deplorable condition. Pr. v. 22. 7. To say nothing of the pleasure and delight that it makes him take in that way to hell in which he walketh. Is. Lxvi. 3; Pr. vii. 22, 23. Never went fat ox so gamesomely to the shambles, nor fool so merrily to the correction of the stocks, nor silly bird so wantonly to the hidden net, as iniquity makes men In the text we have, FIRST, An exhortation. go down her steps to the pit of hell and damnation. SECOND, The extension of that exhortation. The O it is amazing, it is astonishing to consider exhortation is, That men depart from iniquity. what hurt sin hath done to man, and into how The extension of it is, to them, all of them, every many dangers it has brought him; but let these one of them that name the name of Christ. And few hints at this time suffice as to this. I will now let every one that nameth the name of Christ, speak a word to the other particular, namely, depart from iniquity.' [FIRST, THE EXHORTATION—THAT MEN DEPART FROM INIQUITY.] In the exhortation there are several things to be taken notice of, because insinuated by the apostle. The first is, that iniquity is a very dangerous and hurtful thing, as to the souls of sinners in general; so to them that name the name of Christ. First, Iniquity is a very dangerous and hurtful thing to men in general; for it is that which did captivate the world at the beginning, and that made it a bond-slave to the devil. It has also done great hurt to mankind ever since. To instance a few things: 1. It is that which hath stupified and besotted the powers of men's souls, and made them even next to a beast or brute in all matters supernatural and heavenly. 2 Pe. ii. 12. For as the beast minds nothing but his lusts and his belly, by nature, so man minds nothing but things earthly, sensual, and devilish, by reason of iniquity. 2. It has blinded and darkened the powers of the soul, so that it can neither see where it is, nor which is the way out of this besotted condition. Ep. iv. 18. 3. It has hardened the heart against God, and against all admonition and counsel in the things of the gospel of Christ. Ro. ii. 5. 4. It has alienated the will, the mind, and affections, from the choice of the things that should save * This is a solemn truth, which ought ever to be recollected when studying the mysteries of electing love. Election is as much to a holy life as it is to eternal glory.-ED. Second, That as iniquity is dangerous and hurtful to the souls of men in general, so it is to them that name the name of Christ. As to the so and so naming of him, to that I shall speak by and by, but at this time take it thus: That religiously name his name. And I say iniquity is hurtful to them. 1. It plucks many a one of them from Christ and the religious profession of him. I have even seen, that men who have devoutly and religiously professed Jesus Christ, have been prevailed withal, by iniquity, to cast him and the profession of his name quite off, and to turn their backs upon him. Israel,' saith the prophet, hath cast off the thing that is good.' Ho. viii. 3. But why? Of their silver and their gold have they made them idols.' The sin of idolatry drew their hearts from God; their love to that iniquity made them turn their backs upon him. Wherefore God complains, that of forwardness to their iniquity, and through the prevalence thereof, they had cast him behind their back. Eze. xxiii. 35. 2. As it plucks many a professor from Christ, so it keeps many a one from an effectual closing with him. How many are there that religiously profess and make mention of the name of Christ, that yet of love to, and by the interest that iniquity hath in their affections, never close with him unto salvation, but are like to them, of whom you read in Paul to Timothy, that they are ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 2 Ti. iii. 1—7. 3. And concerning those that have indeed come to him, and that have effectually closed with him, and that name his name to good purpose; yet how hath iniquity hurt and abused many of them. (1.) It has prevailed with God to hide his face from | Yea, he that would know the hurt that iniquity hath done to them that name the name of Christ, let him consider the cries, the sighs, the tears, the bemoanings, the bewailings, the lamentations, the sorrows, the confessions, the repentings and griefs wherewith they have been attended, while they have complained that they have been put in the stocks, laid in the dungeon, had their bones broken, suffered the terrors of God, been distressed almost to destruction, and have been fed with gravel, gall, wormwood, and with the wine of astonishment, for days, yea, years together. Job xiii. 27.. Ps. vi. 6; xxxi. 9, 10; xxxviii. 8; lx. 3; lxxxviii; cxvi. 3. Je. viii. 14; xxiii. 15; xxxi. By all which, and many more which might be mentioned, it appears that iniquity is a dangerous and hurtful thing. 18. La. iii. 4, 16. Eze. iv. 16. 2 Co. xii. 21. -TO [SECOND, THE EXTENSION OF THE EXHORTATIONEVERY ONE THAT NAMETH THE NAME OF CHRIST.] But I proceed, and come in the next place to the extension of the exhortation, namely, that it reacheth to all those that name the name of Christ. And let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.' To handle this a little, and to shew you what the apostle here means by naming of the name of Christ: he meaneth not an irreligious naming of that worthy name, nor those that name it irreligiously. This is evident, because he passed by their manner of naming of it without the least reproof, the which he would not have done had the fault been in their manner of naming of the name of Christ. Now I say, if he intendeth not those that name the name of Christ irreligiously, then, though the exhortation, let every one,' seems to extend itself to all, and all manner of persons, that any ways name the name of Christ, yet it is limited by this, to wit, that rightly, religiously, or according to the way of the professors of Christ, name his worthy name. And it must needs be so taken, and that for these reasons: · First, For that, as I said before, the apostle taketh no notice of their manner of naming of his VOL. II. name, so as to reprove any undecency or unseemliness in their naming of him; wherefore he alloweth of the manner of their naming of him. Second, Because the apostle's design in this exhortation was, and is, that the naming of the name of Christ might be accompanied with such a life of holiness as might put an additional lustre upon that name whenever named in a religious way; but this cannot be applied to every manner of naming the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. For if a man shall name the name of Christ unduly, or irreligiously, though he shall never so much therewithal depart from iniquity, and be circumspect to the utmost in all civility and morality, yet he answers not the apostle's end, which he seeks by this his exhortation. For, 1. Suppose a man should name the name of Christ vainly, idly, in vain mirth, wantonness, false or vain swearing, or the like, and shall back this, his manner of naming the name of Christ, with all manner of justness and uprightness of life, would this answer the apostle's end in this his exhortation? Verily no; for this manner of naming the name is worthy reprehension; Thou shalt not take my name in vain,' or vainly make use thereof: and moral goodness attending the sonaming of the name of Christ will do more hurt than good. Ex. xx. 2. There is a reproachful and scandalous naming of the name of Christ, such as the Jews and Pharisees did accustom themselves unto, as to call him Jesus, the deceiver; and Christ, in a way of scorn and contempt. Nor were these men quite destitute of that which put a lustre upon their opinions; for, said the Lord Christ himself unto them, Ye indeed appear beautiful outward.' Mat. xxiii. 27. 3. There is such a naming of the name of Christ as to make it a cloak for false and dangerous errors: that men, by the use of that name, and the putting of it upon such errors and delusions, may put off their errors to other the better. 'Many shall come in my name,' to wit, with their delusions, presenting them, in my name, to the world, and shall put them off, in my name, to the destruction of the soul. Mat. xxiv. 5. Now, can any imagine that the apostle should extend his exhortation to such, that they, thus continuing to name the name of Christ, should depart from iniquity. To what end should such be comprehended in this exhortation of his? to no purpose at all: for the more an errroneous person, or a deceiver of souls, shall back his errors with a life that is morally good, the more mischievous, dangerous, and damnable is that man and his delusions; wherefore such a one is not concerned in this exhortation. 4. There is a naming of the name of Christ magically, and after the manner of exorcism, or conjuration; as we read in the Acts of the apostles. 3 т The vagabond Jews, the exorcists, there say, 'We | partakers of the benefits that are in him. He adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preacheth.' Ac. xix. that saith he abideth in him, ought himself also 18-15. Thus they called over them that had evil to walk, even as he walked.' 1 Jn. ii. 6. And the spirits, the name of the Lord Jesus. But what if reason is, because Christ is a fruitful root, and a these should clothe this, their devilish art, and free conveyer of sap into the branches; hence it devilish way, of using or naming of the name of the is written, that 'the trees of the Lord are full of sap.' Lord Jesus, with departing from iniquity, so as to Ps. civ. 16. So then, he that nameth the name of commend their whole life to by-standers, for such Christ by way of applying to himself his benefits, as is morally good: what advantage would Christ, and as counting that he is found of God in him, or Paul, or the gospel, get thereby? verily none and so abideth, ought himself to walk even as at all; but rather damage and reproach, as will he walked, that he may give proof of what he saith soon appear to any man's reason, if it be considered to be true, by bearing forth before men that similithat goodness of life, joined to badness of principles tude of righteousness that is in his root and stem: is like the devil clothed in white, or Satan trans- for such as the stock or tree is, such let the formed into an angel of light. And Paul was branches be, but that cannot be known but by the grieved in his spirit, when the wench that had a fruit: ye shall know them by their fruit.' Mat. vii. 16. spirit of divination did acknowledge him to be the So then, he that thus shall name the name of servant of the most high God, for he knew it would Christ, let him depart from iniquity: yea, let every nothing further, or help forward, the Lord's design, such man do so. but be rather an hinderance thereto. For when witches and devils come once to commend, or make use of the name of Christ, Christ and Paul like it not; therefore Paul's exhortation, which here we are presented with by the text, is not extended to any of the four sorts aforenamed, but, Third, To those upon whom his name is called, they should depart from iniquity. I say those whom God has so far dignified, as to put the name of Christ upon them. Ac. xv. 17. And I will add, that apply that name to themselves. And the reason is, because God is now concerned. ch. xi. 26. God has changed thy name from Pagan to Christian, and thou choosest to call thyself by that name, saying, I belong to Christ.' Now thou must depart from iniquity, for that notice is taken of thee, both by heaven and earth, that thou art become a disciple, and let every one that' 30 'nameth the name of Christ,' or that nameth it, being himself by God and himself put under such circumstances as these, depart from iniquity.' 1 Pc. iv. 16. Fourth, It is spoken to those that name the name of Christ either in the public or private worship of God, being themselves professed worshippers of him; and the reason is, for that the ordinances, as well as the name of God, is holy, and he will be sanctified in them that come nigh him.' Le. x. 3. He therefore that approacheth the presence of Christ in prayer, or any other divine appointment, must take heed of regarding iniquity in his heart.' Ps. lxvi. 18. Else the Lord will stop his ears to his prayers, and will shut his eyes, and not take notice of such kind of worship or wor shippers. Fifth, Those that the apostle in this place exhorts to depart from iniquity are such as have taken unto themselves the boldness to say, that they are in him, abide in him, and consequently are made Sixth, This exhortation is spoken to them that name Christ as their Sovereign Lord and King: let them depart from iniquity.' 'The Lord is our judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King; he will save us.' Is. xxxiii. 22. [These] are great words; and as they cannot be spoken by every one, so they ought not to be spoken lightly by them that can. Nor may he that claims so high a privilege be but obedient, submissive, apt to learn, conscientiously to put in practice what he hath learnt of his Judge, his Lawgiver, and his King. Lest when some shall hear him say that Christ, by name, is his Lawgiver and his King, and shall yet observe him to do things evil, and to walk in ways that are not good, they shall think evil, and speak so of his King; saying, Learnt you this of Christ your King? or doth your King countenance you in ways that are so bad? or, do you by thus and thus doing submit to the laws of your king? yea, your King, his name and gospel shall bear the burden of the evil, together with the shame thereof, if thou that namest the name of Christ shalt not depart from iniquity. Lastly, Whatever man he be that by his naming of the name of Christ shall intimate that he hath any reverence of love to, or delight in that Christ, whose name he nameth, that man should depart from iniquity, not only for the reasons that are above mentioned, but for those that may be named afterwards. But having thus far opened the word, and shewed who and what manner of man the apostle had in his eye, in this his exhortation, I shall come, in the next place, to make some observations upon the text. As, [OBSERVATION FIRST.] That it is incident to men to name the name of Christ religiously, that is, rightly as to words and xv. 34. is and dwells; though the very Spirit of God and the utmost diligence of a Christian be also there to oppose it. Ro. vi. 12. Ga. v. 17. notions, AND NOT TO 'depart from iniquity.' This | Hence Paul says, it lusts, and will lust, where it was the occasion of this exhortation, for Paul saw that there were some that did so; to wit, that named the name of Christ well, as to words, but did not depart from iniquity. Some such he also found among them at Corinth, which made him say, 'Awake to righteousness, and sin not.' 1 Co. He found such at Ephesus, and cries out to them most earnestly, saying, 'Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead.' Ep. v. 14. For albeit they were professors of Christ, yet they lived too much like those that were dead in trespasses and sins. This he also found among the Hebrews, wherefore he saith to them, 'Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.' He. xii. 1. These professors were easily beset with sin, yea, it did hang upon them as weights to hinder them from making of that profession of Christ, whose name they named, so beautiful as did become both him and them. In my discourse upon this subject, I must endeavour to shew you two things. FIRST, What Paul means when he saith, depart from iniquity.' SECONDLY, Why some, that as to words, rightly name the name of Christ, do not 'depart from iniquity.' The first of those doth need some explanation, because in some sense even the best of saints cannot depart from sin, or iniquity. 4 1. Because as to the being of it, it is seated and rooted in their flesh, and hath its dwelling there. Yea, it hath, and so will have an abiding there, so long as man is on this side that state of perfection, which is not to be enjoyed while we are in the flesh for in me, that is, in my flesh,' sin dwells, Ro. vii. 18. nor doth any thing else but sin dwell there: for in me, that is, in my flesh,' said Paul, 'dwelleth no good thing:' therefore the apostle must not be understood as if he intended to insinuate that there was a possibility that the nature and being of sin could be plucked up by the roots, and so cast clean away from us, as to the very nature thereof. No, that will abide with us, for it hath its dwelling in us. 2. And as they cannot depart from the nature of it as such, that is, as they cannot be rid of the being of sin, so neither can they depart from the motions and stirrings of sin, no more than they can stir from the motions or stirrings of their natural senses, or of their natural reason: the motions of sin, which Paul also calls the lusts thereof, will be where the nature and being of sin is, because it is not dead; for that which liveth, what manner of life soever it hath, will have motion according to the manner of life which it hath; and sin being one of the most quick and brisk things that are, it will also have its motions and lusts accordingly. 3. Again, as the being and motions of sin will be with us, so also will it in its endeavours. It will endeavour to overcome us, and to make us captives to itself and to Satan; and these endeavours will be with us. Ep. vi. 11, 12. 2 Co. x. 5. He. xii. 4. Nor can we so depart from iniquity, as to be utterly rid of all sense and feeling of what endeavours there are in sin and iniquity to be master and lord, and reign. Sin will endeavour to defile the mind, to defile the conscience, to defile the life and conversation; and this endeavour, as endeavour, we cannot depart trom; that is, cause that it should not be in our flesh; for there it will be, since sin in its being is there. 4. As the being, motions, and endeavours of sin will still abide in our flesh, so consequently will its polluting times be upon us; nor doth the apostle mean, when he bids us depart from iniquity, that we should think that we can so be, or so do, in this life, as that our being or doing should not smell of the strong scent of sin. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.' Job xiv. 4. 'We are all as an unclean thing, and' therefore all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.' Is. Ixiv. 6. The scent, the smell, the rank and odious stink of sins abide upon, yea, and will abide upon us, when most spiritual here, and upon our most spiritual actions too, until they be taken away by Christ. Thus far, therefore, we cannot be concerned in the exhortation. For should Paul exhort us to depart from the being, motion, endeavour, and polluting fumes and scent of sin-I mean so to depart from them, as that there shall no such thing have place, or motion, or striving, or scent in, or upon us—he would exhort us to that which is altogether impossible for us to perform, yea, to perform through that working of the Spirit of God, which is to be with us and in us here. Yea, he must exhort us to that which he could not perform himself. But such exhortations did not stand with the wisdom of an apostle. Wherefore there is a certain meaning in this exhortation, from the which if we swerve, we shall both wrong the apostle and ourselves. FIRST-Let us inquire then what Paul should mean when he bids them that name the name of Christ depart from iniquity.' And for our better understanding of him, we must consider that there is an iniquity that is inherent in us, and an iniquity that is apart, and at a distance from us. Now if he means, as certainly he doth, that they that name the name of Christ should depart from that sin and iniquity that is in themselves; then, though he cannot mean that we should separate |