in effect all one but we are Saints by calling and our calling is by the Gospel of Grace 2 Thes 2.14 and therefore our sanctification is from Grace also 5. We are sanctified by being in Christ whence are those expressions frequent in Scripture Saints in Christ Iesus sanctified in Christ and such like Now our implanting into Christ is onely from Grace and therefore so is our Sanctification also 6. Our sanctification is called a new Creation Create in me a cleane hearâ— O God saith David Psal 51. Psal 51. And in Ephes 2.10 Ephes 2.10 We are created unto good workes And in 2 Cor. 5. We become new Creatures in Christ Iesus And in Ephes 4.24 Ephes 4.24 The new man is created after God in holines c. All which imply that there must be a creating power put forth to the working of this new man in us We must therefore deifie the workes of the Law and make a God of them induing them with a creating power if we will ascribe such efficacy unto them as to worke true sanctification in us 7. We receive the Spirit by faith Gal. 3.14 therefore not by the workes of the law 8. Christ tells us plainly the world of unbelieveâ—s that are under the Law cannot receive the Spirit Ioh. 14.17 Iohn 14.17 whom the world cannot receâ—ve 9. Sanctification is purchased for us by the bloud of Christ He gave himselfe for us to purge us c. Tit. 2.14 T it 2.14 And so in Ephes 5.25 26 27. He gave himselfe for his Church that he night sanctifie it The third Part. THE BENEFITS and BLESSINGS this Covenant brings THE Covenant of Workes presupposeth our sanctification but it promiseth it not It presupposeth it I say because there could have bin no place for a Covenant of Works if God had not first given Adam a spirit of holinesse to enable him thereunto First therefore God creates man holy and then makes a Covenant with him requiring of him to work according to that holiness of his nature which he was endued with but if he violated and brake this Covenant this Covenant doth not promise to renew him to holinesse again this promise belongs to another Covenant But especially consider the proper and immediate worker of our sanctication which is the Holy Ghost Rom. 15.16 for which cause the spirit is called the spirit of Grace Zach. 12.10 and the spirit of holinesse Rom. 1. Election is the immediate work of the Father Redemption the work of the Sonne Sanctification the work of the Holy Ghost All the whole Trinity working together in the work of our salvation yet every one in his owne order First the Father elects then the Sonne redeems and lastly the Spirit sanctifies Concerning these severall works of the three Persons we are to consider 1. That they are all of equall extent 2. That they doe all issue from the same spring and fountaine of Grace First they are of the same extent none larger nor narrower then another Those that the Father hath chosen those doth the Sonne redeem Those that the Sonne hath redeemed those doth the Spirit sanctifie The Father chooseth none but whom hee gives to the Sonne to be redeemed by him the Sonne redeems none but those that were so given him by the Father and so it holds also in the third place that the Holy Ghost sanctifies none but whom the Father had chosen and the Sonne redeemed Secondly as it is thus in the extent so it is also in respect of the ground and cause from which they issue and spring Look then as our Election is of Grace and not of works Rom. 11.6 and our Redemption is of Grace Rom. 3.24 so is our Sanctification also Tit. 3.4 5. Not according to the works which we had done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Ghost so that the same grace favour and good will which moved the Father to set his love upon us in our Election and caused the Sonne to give himselfe for our Redemption the same Grace sends or brings the Spirit into our hearts to renew us unto holinesse And thence it is that sometimes we are said to be chosen that we might be holy as in Eph. 1.4 sometimes said to be redeemed that we might be holy Luke 1.74 75. to the end that we might know that our sanctification and renewing unto holinesse doth come from the same grace as doe our election and redemption and therefore as our election is not of works but of grace and our redemption is not of works but of grace so it is also concerning our sanctification I conclude therefore that by the works of the Law no man being under the Law or Covenant of works can attaine to true sanctification and holinesse And if sanctification be not by the Law or Covenant of works then it necessarily and invincibly followes that for a man to try his estate in Grace by his sanctification is no turning aside to a Covenant of works Thus much we do not unwillingly assent unto namely that there is a kinde of outward sanctification improperly so called or rather an outward reformation which a man under the Covenant of Works may attayn unto The Law hath a power not only to irritate and provoke the lust that is within by its contrariety thereunto Rom. 7.11 but also to curb and restrayn the breaking of it forth into outward acts by the terrour of it Gal. 3.19 Exod. 20. And by this reformation thus wrought by the work of restraynt the unclean Spirit may seem to be cast forth Math. 12. but whatsoever reformation is thus wrought is as farre from true sanctification as earth is from heaven For though this reformation doth and may come from some inward work of the Spirit of God upon the spirit and soule of man as namely to convince and terrifie the conscience to stirre the affections and to awe the will also so that a man dares not commit the things he would yet the minde and will is still unrenewed the frame and disposition of the heart is still the same as it was before and therefore this reformation is not true sanctification That may be by the Law this is only by the Gospel and from Grace Object But in Hebr. 10.29 it is said of some who in respect of their inward estate never went beyond a Covenant of works yet of them it is said that they were sanctified by the blood of the Covenant which is the blood of Christ therefore such as are under a Covenant of works may be sanctified Answ There is a twofold sanctification one reall another in profession only As some men are said to beleeve when the work of faith is really wrought in the heart who are therefore said to be found in the faith Tit. 1.13 and 2.2 so others are said to beleeve only because they make a profession of faith as Iohn 2.23 Acts 8.13
speak elswhere Vse 3. To teach us hereby to try our selves whether we have any part in that salvation which God promiseth in his Covenant when we heare the Lord say as he doth herein my Text As for thee also thou shalt bee saved by the blood of thy Covenant wee should search and see whether we have been made partakers of this salvation promised But how shall we know that even by our sanctification if the Lord hath renewed and sanctified our natures and made us new creatures in Christ At what time God saveth his people at the same time he sanctifieth them And thus he tells the Israelites Ezek. 36. when he promiseth them to bring them back into the Land which their Fathers dwelt in which was unto them a type of heaven and was therefore called the Lords Land Hos 9.3 2 Chron. 7.20 he tells them withall that when and at what time he would performe this unto them at the same time he would poure out his spirit upon them and would cleanse them from their iniquities vers 33. sutable to that of the Apostle Tit. 3.4 5. he hath saved us by the washing of the new birth and by the renewing of the Holy Ghost At what time God sanctifieth us at the same time he saveth us he gives us the one as a pledge of the other And therefore it is that when the Lord had converted and sanctified the heart of Zacheus and made him a new creature hee did withall thus testifie unto him This day is salvation come to thy soule c. Luke 19.9 Some do deny this way of triall as if no evidence could bee had from our sanctification till we first know our election and justification by immediate revelation of the Spirit This mediate witnesse of the spirit which is by habituall and inherent graces is not to be harkned unto untill the immediate witnesse hath spoken But if there be no triall and knowledge of our estate to be had by habituall grace then 1 What did Christ mean when he told his Disciples that hereby should all men know them to be his Disciples if they love one another Iohn 13. What did Paul mean when he bids us prove our selves whether we be in the faith or no 2 Cor. 13. David surely was deceived when he said hereby I know that I shall not be confounded when I have respect unto all thy Commandements if so be no knowledge of our good estate may be gathered hereby Yea to what end did Iohn lay down all those signes and tokens of a blessed estate which are scattered here and there through the whole first Epistle his scope in that Epistle being this even to give unto the faithfull some certaine evidence of their salvation as is manifest by Chap. 5.13 And this being his scope mark then how frequent and plentifull he is in bringing in evidences of this nature as now we speak of as we may see Chap. 1.7 If we walk in the light of holinesse as he is in the light then have we fellowship one with another that is God with us and we with him so Chap. 2.3 4. hereby we are sure that we know him so as to have eternall life by the knowledge of him John 17.3 if we keep his Commandements and in verse 29. Know yee that he which doth righteousnesse is borne of him and in Chap. 3.7 hee that doth righteousnesse walking in the righteousnesse of a good conscience and upright conversation is righteous namely by imputation even as Christ is righteous and in verse 9.10 he that is borne of God sinneth not In this are the children of God known from the children of the Devill even by righteousnesse and loving of our brethren and verse 14. hereby wee know that we are translated from dâ—ath to life because we love the brethren so also verse 18 19. and 24 and Chap. 4. verse 7 12 13 16. Surely these are no lying Testimonies these witnesses are true If in taking evidence from these things we be deceived we may herein say as Ieremiah said in another case O Lord I am deceived and thou hast deceived me Ier. 20.7 2. If there were no evidence to be taken hereby this were to leave the work of the Spirit in as much darknesse and obscurity as is the work of the Father and the Son But the work of the Spirit is to make known and manifest unto us the things that are given us of God 1 Cor. 2. So long as the Fathers work of election stands alone and is not accompanied with the work of redemption and sanctification his electing of us is so hidden in his own bosome that none can tell what he will doe with any of the sonnes of men whether he will save any or destroy all But when the sonne comes and layes down his life for mans redemption hee doth thereby bring to light the Fathers intention thus farre that it is now known that certainly there be some whom the Lord will save But yet who these some be that is counsell still that is unknown therefore in the third place the Spirit comes and sanctifies those that are so chosen and redeemed And now by this work of the Spirit it is known not onely that there be some that God will save but the very persons themselves are thereby singled out and marked these have the seale and marke of God upon them whereby they are known to bee the sheep for which Christ laid down his life according to the counsell and will of the Father Even as in Matth. 3.17 when the Spirit came down upon Christ then God witnessed This is my beloved Sonne So it is here concerning our selves hereby we have Gods witnesse testifying of us that we are his children even by his Spirit of sanctification which he hath sent down into our hearts By this we know that we are children redeemed and chosen If we be sanctified we are saved Our salvation is begun and shall be perfected in due time Object But when the Apostle saith we know that wee are translated from death c. his meaning is as if he should say we which have first received the seale and immediate witnesse of the Spirit we know c. but others cannot know it Answ This is not the meaning of the Apostle as is evident to any one that with attention doth observe the scope and manner of the Apostles writing The matter stands thus There were a number in the Apostles time such as Iames elsewhere speakes of which professed to know and believe in Christ and would say they had faith as it is in Iam. 2.14 and yet they had no works They would say they had fellowship with the Father 1 Ioh. 1.6 and yet they would walk in darknesse They would say they knew God 1 Ioh. 2.3 and yet would not keep his Commandements They would say they did abide in Christ and yet did not walk after the steps of Christ ver 6. They would say they were in the light and
saith Christ the holy Ghost will not come When Christ ascended then he gave plenitude of gifts to men Ephes 4.7.8 Eph. 4.7 8. Then the Spirit was shed down abundantly as Titus 3.6 It was given before more sparingly but now more fully And this we may see in some particulars 1. There was less power of faith in the Saints before Christ then since When the doctrine of faith was more fully revealed then was faith it selfe more revealed in the hearts and lives of the people of God Gal. 3.23 Gal. 3.23 Before faith came saith the Apostle implying there was a time when there was lesse faith in Gods people According to the measure of the manifestation of the doctrine of faith such is the apprehension of faith 2. The spirit of love was lesse in them then it is now in Gods people For according to the measure of our faith so is our love The lesse they knew the loving kindnesse of God towards them in Christ the lesse they loved Hence saith the Apostle Gal. 4.6.7 that God hath sent the spirit of his Sonne into our hearts crying Abba Father and therefore we are no more servants but sonnes c. It was a more servile spirit which wrought in them being drawn by the terrors of the law more then by the promises of grace but we have the spirit of adoption the spirit of love and of a sound mind as 2 Tim. 1.7 2 Tim. 1.7 Love reignes more under the dispensation of the covenant now then before 3. They had a lesse measure of comfort to support and carry them on against the discouragements and troubles that they met withall we have the comforts of the Spirit in a more full measure Luke 2. Luke 2. Christ is called the consolation of Israel therefore the more we have Christ imparted to us the more means of comfort have we Hence is that speech of our Saviour These things I say unto you that your joy may be full It 's a full joy which wee have now in comparison of what they received Therefore in these respects the dispensation of the covenant of grace is more powerfull now then it was then To stirre us up to walk in more power and fruitfulnesse Vse according to the seasons of grace wherein we live Where there is more given there will be more required As God committeth more to us then to the Saints formerly let us bring forth more fruit or else the greater will our account be It will not be enough for us to say These infirmities were in the people of God formerly David and Abraham and other Saints sinned thus and therefore though wee sin in the same kind wee may attaine life as they did The covenant offereth us more grace it is dispensed in more power and efficacie their slips are for our caution not for a warrant to us First Labour to bee filled with the spirit of power and of a sound mind Those that are weak and sensible of their owne infirmity should strive to grow in strength that they may bee able to say as Micah 3.8 Micah 3.8 I am full of power And as the Apostle Paul Phil. 4.12.13 Phil. 4.12.13 I can doe all things through the power of Christ Wee must not bee infants and babes but grow up to bee men in Christ that the power of Christ may appeare to dwell in us There is power enough in Christ and we have the promise of all the grace that is in Christ to supply our wants withall Every one that will may come and take freely he is a full conduit every one that hath an empty vessell may goe and fill it Doe therefore as those that have their vessels empty and would have them filled with water they set them under the conduit pipes and there they stand untill they be full Christ is a conduit full of grace every ordinance is as a pipe by which he powres into us some of his spirit Here therefore wee must come and stand under Christ that he may powre down upon us stâ—nd with our vessels open with open hearts that we may be filled as Zach. 4.3.12 Zach. 4.3.12 The bowles of the candlestick stand under the dropping of the Olive trees and so receive oyle continually to maintain their light so must we Christs divine power gives us all things that pertain to life and godlinesse 2 Pet. 1.3 2 Pet. 1.3 Let us but receive and we may be fulfilled Secondly as we should labour to be filled with the Spirit so should wee endeavour also to expresse the power of it in our conversation 1. In labouring to subdue our corruptions wrath impatieâ—cy emulation pride worldlinesse c. Let us set our feet upon the necks of these tyrants that have risen up against us and fought gainst our souls Labour to shew forth such power of the Spirit that we may become more then conquerours 2. In being filled with the power of Faith to bear afflictions wants and necessities if God call us thereunto Let us not then shrink and faile but rest upon the faithfull covenant of God who hath promised us all good things for this life and the life to come 2 Tim. 1.8 2 Tim. 1.8 Faith will help us in extremities 3. Labour to be fruitfull in all goodnesse endeavouring to doe good to every one according to the measure received Vessels that are full desire vent Job 32. And if we be vessels of mercy filled with mercy and grace from above we should also vent forth to others that grace and those blessings which we have received Be not like dry vessels that will vent nothing Be also patterns of goodnesse and holinesse unto others In these things grow up to the fulnesse of the stature of Christ Thirdly as we should thus grow in the power of grace so should we expresse more of the comfort of grace and joy of the holy Ghost which is powred forth now more abundantly then before Let us imitate that patterne Acts 9.31 They walked in the feare of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost We should not walk heavily and droopingly with faces cast down spirits discouraged but labour to expresse the heavenly joy of the Saints above rejoycing in Christ with joy unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1.8 1 Pet. 1.8 Rejoyce in the plenteous grace which is opened to us abundantly The Fountain is open we may come and take freely Look how it would joy a poore man if a rich friend should say unto him Come unto me in all your wants I will help you so should it be with us though we are poore and in wants yet we have a rich friend in heaven the Lord Jesus Christ and hee will open the rich treasure of his goodnesse to us if we goe unto him The fourth difference is in regard of the extent of it The covenant of grace in the old dispensation of it was revealed onely unto one people the nation of the
which he enters into covenant with he puts a kind of royalty and dignity upon them when it shall be seen they are a people in covenant with the most high God In Jer. 13.11 I have tied them to me that they might be my people and that they might have a name and a praise and a glory And in Deut. 26.18 19. the Lord hath avouched thee to be his people to make thee high above all people c. In Zech. 11. The first staffe which is interpreted to be the Covenant betwixt God and his people as is plainly expressed vers 10. is called by the name of Beauty because this is the beauty and glory of any people to be in covenanant with God these are the ends why God enters into covenant with his people and by vertue of it passeth over all the salvation which he intends to bestow upon them Before I come to the Use I will cleer one doubt which is made by some Object It is granted will some say that there is a covenant by which God conveys salvation unto his people but not such a covenant as hath been mentioned betwixt God and us but only between God and Christ and by vertue of that covenant betwixt God the Father and the Son we have life and salvation made good unto us Answ That there is a covenant passed betwixt the Father and the Son concerning our salvation I willingly grant and shall open and confirm by Scripture the whole businesse of our salvation was first transacted between the Father and Christ before it was revealed to us hence we are said to be given unto Christ Joh. 17.6.10 as if the Father should say to the Son These I take to be vessels of mercy and these thou shalt bring unto me for they will destroy themselves but thou shalt save them out of their lost estate and then the Son taketh them at his Fathers hand and looking at his Fathers will Joh. 6 37.39 he taketh care that none be lost of them which his Father hath given him This Covenant is expressed in Scripture First on the Fathers part and here 1. There is a designation and appointment of Christ the Son to the office of the Mediatorship to be a means of bringing us back to God and into a Covenant with him Hence Christ is said to be sealed by the Father Joh. 6.27 as marked out for such a purpose 1 Pet. 1.18 he was ordained in the counsell of the Father before the foundation of the world hence also said to be chosen of the Father Isai 42.1 noting out his designation to this work 2. There is a commandment from the Father to the Son which he must submit unto and obey thereby to effect the salvation of his people he had a commandment what to teach and instruct them in as the Prophet of the Church Joh. 12.49 He had a commandment to enlighten the elect with the knowledge of the truth Isa 42.6 7. to be a light to the Gentiles to open their eyes c. A commandment also he had to lay down his life for those that are given unto him Joh. 10.18 and to be tender over the Lambs carrying them in his bosome Isai 40.11 3. There is a promise from the Father to the Son the Father covenants with him First to give him the Spirit in an abundant measure Isai 42.1 Isai 11.1 2. the Spirit shall rest upon him Secondly he makes him a promise of assistance and help in this great work of our redemption Isai 42.6 I will hold thy hand what is the meaning of that see Isai 45.1 saith God of Cyrus whose right hand I have holden that is I have strengthened him to conquer the nations so God promiseth he will hold the hand of Christ that though he met with strong oppositions yet he would strengthen him with his power that he should not be discouraged Isai 42.4 Thirdly a promise of blessed successe that he shall not labour in vain Isai 53.10 he shall see his seed the sufferings of Christ were dolores parturientis as a woman with childe though she suffer many pains yet she sees her childe at last so shall Christ see many believing on his name so Isai 55.5 they are the words of promise made by the Father to the Son that nations that know him not should run unto him Fourthly a promise of rule and dominion that he shall have dominion over all those that are saved by him this soveraignty and rule is promised to him in Isaiah 40.10 The Lord Christ shall come with power and his arm shall rule for him and Isai 42.4 He shall set judgement in the earth and the Isles shall wait for his Law to submit themselves unto it and thence it 's said in Micah 4.3 that he shall judge among many nations c. that is rule order command and direct as a Judge and Ruler among his people the which promise is now accomplished all judgement being committed to the Son Joh. 5.22 Fiftly a promise of glory to follow and that first to Christ himself and then to the members of Christ To Christ himself Isai 55.5 A nation shall run to thee because I have glorified thee they are the words of God the Father to Christ the Son promising to him glory and such glory as should make the nations of the world run unto him So also to the members of Christ there is a promise of glory unto them which promise was made known to Christ from the beginning and Christ brings out that secret out of the bosome of the Father and reveals it to his Disciples It is saith he my Fathers pleasure to give you a kingdome Christ knew the Fathers will by the covenant passing between the Father and him and this will of the Father concerning the glory promised to them Christ doth bring forth to light Thus we see there is a covenant on the Fathers part now see it on Christs part where 1. There is an acceptation of the Office to which he was designed by the Father he did not take the Office of Mediatorship upon himself but first the Father calls him unto it and then the Son accepts it and saith Lo I come Hebr. 5.4 5. Psal 40.7 8 Hebr. 10.7 2. There is a promise on Christs part to depend and trust upon the Father for help according to the promise made by the Father thus Heb. 2.13 the Apostle brings in Christ promising confidence and affiance in the Father I will trust in him and Isaiah brings him in as looking for help from God The Lord will help me though I have many against me men and devils yet the Lord will help me Isai 50.7.9 he promises to wait upon his Father for support and strength whereto agrees also that in Isaiah 49.5 My God shall be my strength 3. A promise of submission to his Fathers will in bearing the reproaches and injuries that should be done unto him and to lay downe his life for those that were given
law yet here is the difference that they are commanded in another manner for another end then in the covenant of works not as the matter of our justification but as testimonies of our thankfulnesse for the great mercy of God in our free justification by grace Let us therefore keep these differences unconfounded for these two covenants are as different in their nature as heaven and earth 2. Having thus farre spoken of the differences between the covenant of works and of grace I now come to the revelation and dispensation of the covenant of grace to see how diversly it hath been administred in the severall times and ageâ— of the Church before and after the comming of Christ 1. And here I will first shew that the covenant of grace is the same in all ages of the Church 2. The different manner of the dispensation 1. For the first the Fathers before Christ were under the same covenant of grace as we be not they under one covenant and we under another and this we will shew in two things First that they had the same promise and hope of life and salvation as wee have Secondly they had it upon the same ground and in the same way scil by faith in the free grace of God by Christ 1. They had the same promise and hope of eternall salvation This is necessary to bee considered because of the Anabaptists which teach that they lived and died without hope of life eternall onely fed with temporall promises and fatted like swine with earthly blessings but without hope of a better life But the contrary is evident by the promises that were made to them Lâ—vit 26.12 Levit. 26.12 I will be your God and yee shall be my people but Christ saith that God is not the God of the dead but of the living Matth. 22.32 Mat. 22.31 But it is more plain Deut. 38.29 Happy art thou O Israel saved by the Lord. If they had had onely temporall promises they might have been called a miserable people according to that of Paul in 1 Cor. 15.19 1 Cor. 10.19 If in this life onely we had hope we were of all men the most miserable they could not have been called an happy people Isai 33.22 Isai 33.22 The Lord is our King and he will save us They did therefore look for and expect life and salvation And Christ speaking of Abraham and so of the rest of the Fathers before Christ saith That many shall come from the East and West and sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdome of God Therefore the old Patriarchs are in heaven Mat. 1.8.1 and therefore it is an hellish and diabolicall doctrine that they were fed onely with temporall promises In Heb. 11.10 it is plain they had not only the hope of an earthly inheritance in Canaan but the hope of an heavenly inheritance in the Kingdome of God And in reason what more absurd then to imagine that Abraham should be called the Father of the Faithfull and we to be called his children and yet we to have an eternall inheritance in heaven and Abraham the Father of us all to have only a temporal here upon earth Againe the Saints professed themselves pilgrims and strangers upon the earth Heb. 11.13 and David Psal 39.12 Psal 39.12 Which shewes that they had hopes of a better inheritance then that of Canaan Againe they had the same Spirit as we have Psal 51.12 Psal 51.12 Take not thy holy Spirit from me saith David Now the Spirit is the pledge of our inheritance Eph. 1.14 Ephes 1.14 And therefore if they had the same Spirit then the same inheritance 2. As they had the same promise and hope of life so they had it upon the same ground as we have even by faith in the free grace of God in Christ Jesus They had the same Gospel of grace that wee have Hence is that Rom. 1.2 Rom 1.2 the Gospel was promised before by the Prophets to the Fathers And Rom. 3.21 Rom 3.21 The righteousnesse of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets It is manifested without the Law that is without the workes of the Law yet hath witnesse of the Law that is of the writings of Moses who teacheth a man to looke for justification by Grace and not by workes Hence also saith Christ Joh. 8.56 Joh. 8.56 Abraham saw my day therefore he had Christ revealed to him See Camero tom 1. p. 127 128. c. Heb. 13.8 To the same purpose is that in Hebr. 13.8 Christ the same yesterday for the time past before his coming in the flesh to day while in the flesh and for ever after He is the same not onely in regard of essence but also in regard of the efficacy of his office from the beginning to the end of the world So also in the Songs of Mary and Zachary Luk. 1.54.72 Luk. 1.54.72 The revealing and fulfilling of our redemption by Christ is made to be the accomplishment of the promises made unto the Fathers What is now fulfilled was then promised hence also saith the Apostle Act. 15.10 11. Act. 15.10 11 We hope to be saved even as they And Heb. 4.2 Heb. 4.2 Unto us was the Gospel preached as unto them and to them as well as to us And the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 4.6 1 Pet. 4.6 saith that unto them that are now dead who lived in the dayes of Noah was the Gospel preached Hence Jude 3. it is called the common salvation common to all believers both before and after Christ This may teach us to abhorre that swinish opinion of the Anabaptists Vse 1 who make the Fathers before Christ to have lived onely under a temporall Covenant promising to them temporall things feeding their bellies and fatting them up with outward blessings but they had no hope of eternall life Whereas Christ who is the truth tells us that they are in the kingdome of God Mat. 8.11 Mat. 8.11 Hence the state of rest and immortalitie is called Abrahams bosome Luk. 16. Luke 16. Abraham is the Father of us all and therefore when we dye we are said to be carried thither as the childe runs to the bosome of the father or mother when any thing troubles it therefore if Abrahams bosome be the place of our rest it is then plaine that Abraham and the rest of the Fathers are entred into their rest as we hope to enter into our rest Vse 2 Let us looke unto the old Covenant made with the Fathers and hold to that doctrine of life which was of old given unto the Saints Let us stand to that and contend for it Jude 3. There is a generation in the Land that are altogether looking after new light and new truths and the old truths delivered to Abraham Isaac and Jacob are nothing with them But let us take heed lest while we gape after new
the later as the minor as thus If yee continue yee shall be saved here is the conditionall promise in the major then followes But yee shall continue yee shall never depart from me Here is the absolute promise in the Minor whence followes the conclusion of assurance in the conscience of the believer I shall be saved The inverting of this order breeds the disturbance and confusion when they set the conditionall after the absolute Object We grant saith the Jesuite we may be assured that God will hold his promise but no man can assure himselfe of the use of his particular will Answ Then belike the Grace of God and efficacy of it must depend wholly upon the will of man So that where the Apostle saith It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy we must now change the Text and say It is in man that willeth and not in God that sheweth mercy Object But to what end are those caveats and warnings given to take heed of falling away from the Grace of God if so be that those which are under Grace cannot fall from Grace Answ They serve to keep the Saints more watchfull by which watchfulnesse they are helped to stand more firmely They are thereby admonished of their owne infirmity and made more carefull to rest on Christ by whom they are preserved 2. They serve also to leave all Hypocrites and Apostates without excuse they being warned of the danger but they would not take heed Object But this Doctrine of Perseverance is a Doctrine of security tending to make men carelesse when they know they cannot fall nor perish Answ It doth indeed breed an holy security that knowing these promises which the Lord hath made unto us thus to keep us for ever unto himselfe now we may say as the holy Prophet I will even lay me down and sleep in peace for the Lord sustaineth me And though Legions of Divells beset me round about yet I will trust in this The Lord is my life and salvation of whom should I be afraid he will deliver me from every evill work and preserve me blamelesse to his heavenly Kingdome This holy peace and blessed security doth indeed flow from the doctrine delivered but not that sinfull and carnall security which these men meane Look into the Saints who have felt most assurance hereof in themselves and see whether it wrought any such effect in them David saith Thou wilt guide me by thy counsell and afterward wilt bring me to glory Psal 73. But did this his assurance make him carnally secure did he now conclude with himselfe I may now take mine own liberty and live as I list No such thought entred into his heart but the contrary it is good for me to draw nigh unto God It made him to love God more and to cleave unto him in his inward affection and to make God the portion of his soule for ever And so the Apostle who more assured then Paul Rom. 8. yet who ever more watchfull and more zealous for Christ Certainly they know not what this assurance is which think this to bee the fruit of it to make us carnally secure and carelesse of well doing Quest If the Lord will thus stablish and keep his Saints from falling how and by what meanes doth he effect it and bring it to passe Answ Here are two things concurring First an inward principle and work of faith wrought in us inherent and abiding within us Secondly an externall assisting power of God upholding and strengthening that weak faith which is in us and treading down our enemies under our feet Both these are joyned together in that one saying of the Apostle 1 Pet. 1.5 Wee are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation Here is saith within us and the power of God without us both united and working together to keep us unto salvation Faith makes us see wherein our strength lyeth not in our selves but in God through Christ being then sensible of our own infirmity and weaknesse faith flies unto this power of God to be kept by him Faith speaks in the heart of a Christian as Jehoshaphat did 2 Chron. 20. Lord I know not what to doe I am not able to stand against all this multitude of enemies which beset my soule on evey side but mine eyes are towards thee I rest on thee 2 Chron. 14. And then the soule thus looking unto God by the eye of faith and resting upon his power now the power of God comes in for our help so as faith stands still to see and behold the salvation of God And hereto agrees that of the Prophet Isai 26.3 The Lord keeps in perfect peace the minde which is staid on him We stay upon him by faith and he keeps us in peace and safety by his power And to the same purpose is that in Ephes 6. where we are exhorted to stand fast in the power of his might we must have recourse unto the power of his might by faith and then we shall stand fast and never be moved Now as wee have seen that the Lord will preserve his people in the state of Grace to which he hath called them so let us consider what grace is herein shewed unto us from God and what benefit comes thereby unto our selves Here is Grace from God For by Grace we stand were we left unto our selves we should soone doe as our first Father did There is naturally the same revoking Spirit in us as was in him an aptnesse and inclination of heart ready to depart away Jer. 5.23 Heb. 3.12 loving to wander Jer. 14.10 we have also the same Enemy the same Tempter to draw us with like temptations from our communion with God Luk. 22.41 And in those that are not preserved by Grace these things corruption within and temptation without doe prevaile so farre as to turn back many who seemed to begin in the Spirit to cause them to make an end in the flesh They turning back againe after their washing to the wallowing in the mire 2 Pet. 2.19 It s Grace therefore whereby we stand else we should fall as well as they And a singular benefit it is considering that without this one all the former blessings to have God to be a God in Covenant with us to have our sinnes forgiven to have our natures renewed and sanctified all these I say were evacuated and made as nothing if this one blessing of perseverance were wanting for then we might lose our interest in God againe we might come againe under the guilt of sinne c. and what benefit then of all this that sometime we had God for our God we had our sinne forgiven but now all this is disanulled we have lost God againe and are now ensnared againe in the snare of our sinnes It is therefore no lesse blessing to be kept in a state of Grace then to be brought into it And then consider also the
in us Secondly a power assisting and being with us By faith we get a power of grace inherent and abiding in us and that is in this manner and by these meanes 1. By faith we look at Christ as having all fulnesse of grace in himselfe Joh. 1.16 Col. 1.19 All others Angels or Saints have but their measure some more some lesse according to the measure of the gift of Christ Ephes 4.7 but Christ hath received the spirit not by measure but in the fulnesse of it John 3.34 Faith looks at this fulnesse of Christ 2. By faith we know that what ever fulnesse of grace is in Christ he hath received it not for himselfe only but for us that he might communicate unto us and we might receive from him In Psal 68.18 it is said He received gifts for men not for himself but for men that we might receive from him and thence it is that in Iohn 1.16 Of his fulnesse we receive grace for grace his wisedome is to make us wise his meeknesse and patience to make us meek and patient and so in the rest c. 3. By faith we look at Christ as faithfull to distribute unto us all such grace as he hath received for us he is faithfull in all the house of God Heb. 3. faithfull in dispensing all the treasure of grace committed unto him for his Churches good he keeps nothing backe his faithfulnesse will not suffer him to keep that to himselfe which he hath received for us but as he hath received all for us so in faithfulnesse he will communicate the same unto us according to our need and therefore it is that as in Psal 68. he is said to receive gifts for men so in Ephes 4. The Apostle alledging the same place of the Psalme he changeth the word received into giving and saith He gave gifts unto men as he receives so hee gives being faithfull in all that is committed to him and this faithfulnesse of Christ doth faith look at that we may receive grace from him 4. Faith looks at the promise of Christ promising to give us his spirit Ezek. 36. Prov. 1.23 upon him rests a spirit of strength Esay 11.2 and he hath promised that the holy Ghost shall take of his and shall give unto us Ioh. 16. and that the father shall give the holy Ghost unto those that desire him Luk. 11. these promses faith feeds upon and sucks life and spirit out of them begging performance of them according to our need Doe we want wisdome meeknesse patience or any other grace faith carries us by prayer to this fountaine and in this way waits for and expects to receive the grace we want as the childe by sucking the breast draws forth milk for its own nourishment and thereby grows in strength so doe we by the prayer of faith suck from the promise of grace and doe thereby derive strength to our inward man to enable us unto all wel-doing And thus it is that in Gal. 3.14 we are said to receive the promise of the spirit by faith which spirit being a spirit of power 2 Tim. 1.7 and being thus received by faith we see how faith enables us with all power to fulfill the Covenant which we have made with God c. 2. Faith gets an assisting strength from Christ Besides that which is inherent dwelling within us there is an assisting power of Christ by which he helps his servants that cast themselves upon his help In those great works which were done by the Apostles it was not any indwelling power within themselves by which they did them but a power of God without them assisting and working with them and so it is after a sort in the ordinary duties we take in hand 1 Chron. 15.26 In carrying the Ark God helped the Levites which were to beare it the Lord assisted them and this doth the Apostle also seeme to point unto in 1 Cor. 15.10 speaking of his aboundant labour in the Gospel hee saith yet it is not I but the grace of God which is with me he doth not say which is in me though there was such grace within him also but which is with me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as implying an assisting grace strengthening him to doe above that which any thing in himselfe could have reached unto Compare together 1 Pet. 5.9 with Rom. 16.20 in the one of these places the Apostle bids us to resist Sathan by faith but in the other place Paul tells us that it is God which treads Sathan under our feet both these Scriptures together imply thus much that the faith within us must bee working in resistng of Saâ—han but yet the power by which we overcome him is not by the power of faith or any grace in us alone but the assisting power of God without us is that which subdues Sathan to us and treads him under our feet This assisting power the Lord hath promised to his people Judg. 6.14 15 16. 2 Chro. 15.2 Act. 18.9 10. And faith rests upon these promises 2 Chron. 14.11 and this makes all things possible to a believer Mark 9.23 because faith sets Gods own power awork to work that by us which of our selves we could never doe he works all our works for us while we rest upon him for help Esay 26.12 Thus faith furnisheth us with all strength enabling us to walk with God in a holy conversation according to the tenour of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with us 6. As faith doth thus strengthen us c. so if at any time wee be by occasion over taken with any fault faith recovers us out of our falls and restores us againe to our former estate the true believer though he doth not deale falsely with God in his Covenant Psal 44.17 yet he may and sometimes doth walk weakly in the keeping of it because he doth not stirre up his faith in which his strength lyeth though his heart is not turned back yet his foot may sometimes goe out of the path many slips Gods own covenanted people are subject unto But though they fall and fall often yet they do not so fall but they rise againe they turn aside but yet they return again into the way of the Covenant faith brings us back to God in exercises of humiliation and renewing of our repentance before him It casts shame upon our faces that after all the grace which hath been shewed unto us we should so requite the Lord with such undutifull carriages Deut. 32. Ezrah 9.6 But yet it doth withall encourage us with hope speaking thus in the heart of a believer yet there is hope in Israel for all this Ezrah 10.3 It remindes us of those promises Return unto mee and I will return unto you Zach. 1. Ye have indeed sinned a great sinne ye have done all this wickednesse but yet depart not from following the Lord for the Lord will not forsake his people whom he hath pleased to make his people 1 Sam. 12.20 21
stands firme betwixt him and us he mediates with the Father for us when he sees him provoked by our sin he mediates with us also by his Spirit bringing us back to God in a way of repentance so renewing our Covenant towards him and helping us to take new hold of his Covenant towards us Christ is a Priest for ever to be Mediator of an everlasting Covenant Vse 1. Here is a spring of everlasting consolation to those that are in Covenant with God this fountaine of comfort will never be dryed up Let other things end or change as they will yet God is ours in an everlasting Covenant never to be broken off death may put an end to other Covenants betwixt man and man but this Covenant betwixt God and us stands fast for ever Though Abraham be dead yet God is Abrahams God still and by vertue of this Covenant betwixt God and him Abraham shall be raised up and live againe This may stay the minds of weak ones in time of desertion when they seem to be dead livelesse lost and cast off as if God would remember them no more yet then consider Gods Covenant is an everlasting Covenant so that if ever you gave up your selves to God by Covenant to be one of his this Covenant shall continue and abide for ever If ever you found your selves infolded in the bands of this Covenant know for certaine the Lord will not loose you he will remember his Covenant and promise and will return and love you again and that with an everlasting love what he hath been unto you the same he will be for ever and ever You will say perhaps you have sinned and now he is angry with you for your sin suppose it be so he may be angry with his dearest ones as he was with Moses Deut. 1.37 but he will not alwayes chide Psal 103.9 nor will he cast off for ever Lament 3.31 he will be pleased againe and will love you with an everlasting love see Psal 89.28 29. to 38. Here is a ground of everlasting consolation in this everlasting Covenant Vse 2. For exhortation First Let this stirre us up for ever to magnifie that riches of mercy which hath taken us into the bond of this everlasting Covenant There is no end of this mercy and goodnesse Oh that there might be endlesse prayses sounding from us with enlarged desires to publish this grace shewed on us If this Covenant had been for a little season it had been the lesse mercy but that we should have the High God to enter into an everlasting Covenant to be our God for ever who can sufficiently admire this goodnesse When God had made that large promise to David concerning his House and Kingdom for ever 2 Sam. 7.16 See how David was taken up with admiration Lord saith he who am I and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto namely to the Kingdom And yet this was but a smal thing in thy sight O Lord God and therefore thou hast spoken of thy servants house for a great while vers 19. This enlargement of Gods love to Davids house for a great while even to stablish it for ever this enlarged Davids heart and mouth towards God as not knowing how sufficiently to set forth the praise of his goodnesse Truly such is the mercy shewed us in making this Covenant with us that if we might live unto eternity we should think we never had day enough or time enough to magnifie this everlasting mercy shewed on us 2. Let it admonish us to be constant in our Covenants and in all duties of love according to what we have Covenanted and promised It s mentioned as one of the sinnes of the Gentiles that they were Covenant-breakers Rom 1.30 Let it rest with Gentiles let it never be said that it is the sinne of those that professe themselves the children of an everlasting Covenant 3. Let all those that are as yet without and have no part in this Covenant of God Let them seek to partake in it come within the bond of it it brings an everlasting blessing which failes not In the things of the world the more continuance any thing is of the more esteem it is of Inheritances are preferred before leases c. All the things of the world are but temporal the things of God which he passeth over to his by his Covenant are eternal â— Cor. 4.1 the things which are temporal please us so long as they last but when they are past the comfort of them is vanished with them and many times it irkes us that we had them and now have them not but the things of this Covenant are everlasting if we be once possessed of them we shall never grieve for the losse of them they shall never be taken away because they are given to us by an everlasting Covenant Come off therefore from the dying and perishing things of the world and seek the things of this everlasting Covenant in them is continuance and we shall be saved Esay 64. 4. The fourth property is that it is a holy Covenant Deut. 19.24 Luke 1.72 And it is so called an holy Covenant in these respects 1. In respect of the parties contracting and entering Covenant one with another which are the holy God and his holy Saints First the holy God that God to whom the Seraphins cry Holy Holy Holy Esay 6. he is one party that is confederate in this Covenant Secondly his holy Saints are the other party in it Psal 50.5 For God doth not take the wicked by the hand as Job speaks Iob 8.20 to enter into Covenant with them He doth not allow them so much as to take his Covenant into their mouths Psal 50.17 He is the God of the just of the righteous and holy people he is the King of Saints Apoc. 15. he will have no fellowship with the wicked 2. In regard of the parts of the Covenant whether we look at the promise on Gods part or at the condition on our part First the promise on Gods part is holy Psal 105.42 he remembers his holy promise he hath spoken it in his holinesse Psal 60.6 And the substance of his promise is holinesse which he hath promised to work in the soules of his people he hath promised to sanctifie us to take away the stony heart to poure clean water upon us to cleanse us from all our filthinesse and to make us holy Ezek. 36.25 26. Zach. 3.3.4 Secondly the condition on our part which iâ— faith by which we lay hold of the Covenant is holy also therefore called by the Apostle holy faith Iude 20. It is a most holy grace of the Spirit purifying both heart and hand not daring to touch or lay hold of the Covenant with unwashen hands 3. In respect of the Commandement it commands holinesse Be ye holy saith the Lord for I the Lord your God am holy Levit. 11.44 19.2 20.7 and therefore it is that Gods calling is termed
an holy calling 2 Tim. 1.9 and we called unto holinesse 1 Thes 4.7 and when God takes us into Covenant with him he chargeth us henceforth to touch no unclean thing 2 Cor. 6.17 4. In regard of the effect it works holinesse in those that are called It worketh effectually that which it promiseth and commandeth The promises of the Covenant have a sanctifying vertue in them to sanctifie those to whom they are made for God by them conveyes the Spirit of holinesse into our hearts as the Apostle implyes in 2 Pet. 1.4 and we are thereby encouraged and quickned to grow up â—n all holinesse according to the will of God as is evident by that in 2 Cor. 7.1 compared with chap. 6. end where God having made that sweet promise Come out from among them and touch no unclean thing and I will receive you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty from hence the Apostle inferres Having then such promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit and grow up unto full holinesse in his feare c. And in regard of this effect of the Covenant thus working holinesse in those that are the people of God they are called the holy people Dan. 12.7 and the people of Gods holinesse Esay 63.18 So in all these respects the Covenant may well be called an holy Covenant And it must needs be an holy Covenant First because the Lord himselfe is the author and ordainer of this Covenant the summe and substance of it was framed and set down in heaven in the counsels of eternity comming forth from the bosome of the Father and concluded by the assent of the Sonne and holy Ghost All the articles of it were first decreed and concluded there and therefore must needs be holy If they had been devised by men they would have been of an other quality savouring of the sinfull and licentious spirit that is in man but being a Covenant of the Lords own drawing he setting down all the articles and conditions of it it must needs be as himselfe is an holy Covenant proceeding from so pure and holy a God hence it is that in Psal 60.6 he hath spoken the words of his Covenant in his holinesse Look as grace and holinesse are united together in God so they are in his Covenant God can no more cease to be holy then he can to be gracious he is both gracious and holy so that his Covenant of Grace is also an holy Covenant as proceeding from him which is both gracious and holy 2. Because the end of this Covenant is to make us partakers of all the holy things of God from which all unholy and uncleane ones are excluded Levit. 12.2 3 6. Psal 50.16 but those that are sanctified enjoy them and use them as their own they are their portion their inheritance Deut. 33. their pearles Matth. 7.6 The Lord would have all his Ordinances to be used holily he cannot abide to have them prophaned and therefore it is that in Ezra 6.21 none but such as were separate from their uncleanesse might eat of the holy things and therefore the Lord will have his people to be an holy people that they may participate in all his holy things Nay more we are called not only to participation of these holy things of God but to fellowship with God himselfe 1 Ioh. 1.3 The Lord saith unto them ye are my people and they say unto him thou art our God Zach. 13. ult But without holinesse no man can have fellowship with God and therefore they must be an holy people that are taken into Covenant with God to enjoy followship and communion with him Quest But wherein stands that holinesse which the Covenant requires of all Gods covenanted people Answ There is a twofold holinesse 1. Relative 2. Positive First Relative in two things 1. In separation from common use 2. In dedication to God 1. There must be a separation from common use in this sence things holy are called separate things Deut. 19 2. Things common in Scripture are opposed to holy to shew that holy things must be separate from common use Hence Solomon speaking of Gods taking Israel to be his own he useth that expression Thou hast separated them unto thy selfe from all the people of the earth c. and thence was that exhortation of Ezra Separate your selves from the people of the lands Ezrah 10.11 and that of the Apostle Come out from among them and separate your selves 2 Cor. 6.17 If then we will be holy we must be separate from the common conversation of the world having no fellowship with the works thereof 2. There must be a dedication and devoting our selves unto God we must be offered up and given unto him Thus the holy dayes were dedicated unto the service of God they were not only separated from common and ordinary use but were dedicated to the Lords service thus were the first fruits called holy and thence the holy things and the dedicated things are taken for one and the same 1 Kings 15.15 as the Altar Numb 7. end the Temple 1 King 8.63 and thus must we be dedicate or given to the Lord as is said of the Macedonians that they gave themselves to the Lord 2 Cor. 8. we must resign up our selves unto him to be his and for him alone Secondly Positive and this is also twofold Habituall Actuall 1. Habituall qualifying and fitting us by graces infused for the service of God which we are devoted unto as all the things that were appointed for the service of God were anoynted with the holy oyl Exod. 30.26 27. so must we be anoynted with the sweet oyntments which are the graces of the spirit 2 Cor. 1.21 1 Ioh. 2.27 The oyntment of the holy Ghost which was poured upon the head of Christ Acts 10.38 must run down upon us that the savour of his oyntment may be found upon us Cant. 1. we must be sanctified throughout in soule in body and in spirit 1 Thes 5.23 2. Actuall it s not enough to have grace in us but there must be an holy use and exercise of those graces that are in us they are not given to us to be idle or that we should be slothfull in the possessing of them but that we should put them forth in our practice so as to be fruitfull in the improvement of them 2 Pet. 1.8 and thence it is that the Apostle speaking of the holinesse which the Lord requires to be in his people he doth not only require a holinesse of disposition by inherent graces but that we should be holy in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 16. and for this cause the way of Saints is called holy Esay 35.8 they are sanctified not only in their vessels as 1 Sam. 21. but their way is holy also and they are said to be undefiled in their way Psal 11 9. where the soule is sanctified by the spirit of Christ the life will be
falsifying God will not own he knowes the terms of his own Covenant and will hold to that which his own hand hath written he will acknowledge none of Sathans forgeries his Covenant is holy and either we must take the Covenant as Gods offers it or we can never partake oâ— the blessing of it Try we our selves therefore by the Spirit of holinesse and therby judge of our interest in the blessing of life which the Covenant promiseth Signes 1. True holinesse is conformable to the first pattern of holinesse which is the Lord himselfe as it is written Be ye holy for I the Lord your God am holy True holinesse stands not in conformity with this world nor doth it rest in imitating the best examples that be in the world but makes us strive to a conformity with God to be even as he is in this world 1 Ioh. 4. following the Lord till we come to be partakers of his own holinesse Heb. 12. 2. True holinesse towards God is ever accompanied with righteousnesse towards men It s but hypocriticall holinesse which is not attended with righteousnesse The new man which is created after God is said to be created in righteousness and true holinesse or holinesse of truth There is a true holinesse and there is a false lying and dessembling holinesse how is the one discerned from the other holinesse of truth hath righteousnesse going with it but false holinesse thinks it enough to seeme holy towards God neglecting duties of justice and righteousnesse towards men It was not so with the holy Apostle who speaking of his own conversation among the Saints appeales to their consciences how holily how justly how unblameably he had his conversation among them 1 Thes 2.10 these two which God hath so joyned together we must not put asunder if we will approve our selves to have attained that holinesse of truth 3. True holinesse works for holy ends the glory of God Pet. 4.11 the credit of the Gospel Tit. 2.10 and the salvation of men 1 Cor. 10. ult It abhors those Pharisaicall ends of hypocrites mentioned in Matth. 6. 4. There is in a sanctified Christian both light and life light in his minde life in his will and affection The light which is in him makes him to see both the loathsomnesse of sin and the excellency of grace and the life that is in him makes him to feel the burthen of his own corruptions and to long after the grace which is still wanting in him so that true holinesse makes us weary of the body of corruption that is in us groaning under it as under a misery not to be endured as Paul did Rom. 7.24 and makes us thirst after more grace that we might be enabled in every thing to please God Psal 119.5 Painted holinesse puffes up with conceit of our own goodnesse as Esay 65.5 but true holinesse humbles us by reason of the sight and sence we have of the corruption that is in us More such signs might be added but I hasten to an end By these try we our selves and see thereby what part we have in the blessing of the Covenant Vse 3. To stirre up all that have taken hold of this Covenant and doe professe themselves to be a people in Covenant with God Let them labour to expresse this holinesse in their lives and wayes that they may thereby approve themselves to be faithfull in their Covenant with God can two walk together except they be agreed Amos 3.3 certainly unlesse we agree to walk in holinesse with our God we cannot long walk together nor hold Covenant one with another let us then strive to be a holy people unto the Lord our God separate from the pollution of the world devoted to his service and honour Motives 1. This is Gods end in taking us into Covenant with him that he might be glorified Esay 43.21 44.23 In 1 Pet. 2.9 the Apostle tells us we are for this end taken to be a peculiar people unto God that we might shew forth the vertues of him that hath called us out of darknesse into his marvellous light he took us to himselfe when he saw us polluted in our bloud Ezek. 16. yet then he cloathed us with the beauty of his own vertues that his name may be glorified in us but without holinesse we pollute Gods name and make it vile we honour it not Ezek. 36. â—0 2. Sanctity and holinesse is the beauty and glory of any people by which they excell all other people of the world Deut. 26. ult In Exod. 15.11 God himselfe is said to be glorious in holinesse and the same is the Churches glory too which is then glorious when it is holy and without blame Ephes 5.27 we cannot honour our selves more then by growing up in true holinesse nor can we make our selves vile any way so much as by sinful impiety Psal 15.4 3. Our holinesse is that which must testifie to the world and to our own consciences that we are indeed the people of God as Christ by the Spirit of holinesse raising him up from the dead waâ— declared to be the Sonne of God so we are declared to be Gods saved ones by the same spirit of holinesse raising us up and quickning us unto newnesse of life This is Christs mark which he sets upon all his redeemed ones they are holy This is written in their foreheads Holinesse to the Lord and therefore they are said to be sealed with the holy spirit of promise Eph. 1.13 as men set on their seales to note their propriety in that thing that is sealed If then we will know or have the world to know that we are God's we must be sealed with the spirit of holinesse 4. Holinesse is the perfection of our Christian state this is that which we wish for even your perfection saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 13.9 and what perfection is that even the same that he mentions Chap 7.1 that they might perfect their holinesse in the feare oâ— God This was mans perfection in the beginning and the same shall be our perfection in heaven Heb. 12.23 Holinesse adds perfection to all other gifts and without this they are all of no worth Wisdome without holinesse is but fox-like craftinesse courage without holinesse is but lyon-like cruelty humblenesse without holinesse is but basenesse of spirit justnesse in dealing without holinesse is but heathenish harmlesnesse but let holiness be added to each of these and then are they perfect as a colour of a perfect die 5. Holinesse makes us live the life of God which all other unsanctified ones are strangers from Ephes 4. by holinesse the life of Christ is manifest to be in us 2 Cor. 4. so that we may say that now we live not our selves but Christ liveth in us Gal. 2.20 wickednesse makes a man live the life of Devils holinesse conformes us to the life of Christ 6. All those that are in Covenant with God are a people neare unto him and being neare unto him he