378 TheGodlyare WafhedandSanaifed. S e c T. VIII. Thewaihing hands, which is the cleansing ofus from all attions of Wickednefe ; as Inftt_ of our han s.ce, Oppreflïon, Uncleanneffer and all manner of unlawful and sinful de legs. Thus lames addeth , Cleanfe your hands , and Purifie your hearts s He faith, fiefs Cleanfe your hands, and then Purifie your hearts. Not chat the waft/. ing of the hands is tobe done before the washingof the heart ; but because our Aftions they aretaroft manifest and fenftble to the world ; and therefore we ought todeclare our felves clear in that refpeft. So then, no man may coo: fort himtelf, as if Regenerated or renewed, if fo be his Aftions are foul and hnEull : If thy hands be not clean, thou mad not take holdof any holy thing, Confider Davids Expreflion, I tillwaft ney kends in innocency, fo wi11Ieon. passe thy ei4ltar, Plat. 26.2. Davidwill not come to wort-hip God, till he bath . waffled hishands in innocency. Oh confider thisexcellent and holy patternwhich David huh left for you. Say, I will wath my life, my hands, my eyes, my bo: die from all its former wickedneffe, and fo will I pray, fo willI got to hear. Lay aside ailfilerfiaty of naughtineff ,faith the Apoftle,yerm.r. x r. He cals finpezarie, Sordes, filchand loathfome matter, and then hear the Word of God. As thofe that made the Garland of Rofes and other Flowers, for thofe that conquered in the Race, they weretohave clean and washed hands; fo all thofe who meddle in any holy duty, praying, or hearing, they mutt have cleansed lives : when God gave the Law, he would have the people of Ifrael cleanfe themselves three dayes before they heard it ; and the women who were to come into elhafuerue his pre- fence, were feveralldayes purifying, andduffing themfelves. How much more then, whenwe come into the prefence of anholy God, ought we to cleanfeour 5 felves, and to shake offallthat whichmay be difpleafng in hiseyes. What isrequi- Fifthly, To befinritually wafhedand elfanfedehere are theft thingsrequired: red to fpiritual Firft, a loathing andabhorringof oarfelves ; looking upon our felves as fo many washing. bruitifhbeaffs, and fomany abhominable Montlers, fit for nothing but to be call I. upon the Dung. bill, becaufe we have loft all our Savour. Thusyob abhorred him- fell in dull and aflíes, under the apprehenfion of Gods glorious Majeffy. Ezek.2,o, 43.7hePromife ofgrace made to the people ofIfrael is,That theyshouldremember their wicked doings, whereinthey have been defiled, and they thonld loath themfelves in their own fight. We blijl, faith Daniei and Ezra, and are ashamed. Thus the PubIrcan flood aloof off, as deeply lenfible of his uncleaneneffe. Oh then, how farcearemolt men from thiswashing in theText ; when did they ever loath them- felves? when were they abominable in their own eyes? when did they humble themfelves in the dull, cryingout they were noifome Dung"hills, and not men. They could not imiure their own felves s The very memory and thoughts of all their wayes were grievous and tedious to them. Till men come thus to be ashamed and confounded in themfelves, theycannot be fo much as in a preparation to be made clean. Oh tremble then, you whoapplaud your (elves, who love and pleafe your felves in your wicked wayes, likethe Horfe- Beetle, that delights to live in the Dung; like Vermine, that love to be inMuck-hds. Oh why are ye not ashamed that God lhould feeyou, that good Angelsand men should behold you. It will ne- ver bewell with thce,nor wilt thouever be put into anyhopes offalvation,till thou beginneft to be odious in thy,own eves, till thou cants not abideand indurechy fell. II, Secondly, To bewal bed, eereÿuiredgodly farrow, andmourning farfnne. `David Washedhas Bed vsith tears, and fo he did his foul alfo. Not that our tears or fur- rowcan walk away the guilt of fin. No, therecan be no remiffionwithout blond,. Heb. 9.2x. and the blond of Chrift ; but they may in somefenfe wash the filchand defilementsof thaneaway. Thereforethere is Gods wathing, which the Scrip- ture (peaks much of , and that is the remiffionof the guilt of finne; and there is our washing, which is the godly, forrow and mourning for the iniquities we havecommitted : fo then if thou wouldit bea man washed from thy finish' pollu- tions, confider, That thy head mull be like a fountainof tears, thy eyes malt be I.kcc the Pool of Bethefdain this fettle, that thy filthineffe may be walked away. How
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