61.10 is imputed to them and put upon them by the Sun of righteousness their Elder Brother who wove this garment of Sun-beams for them out of his own Mediatorial holiness both in life and death Thus you have had some representation or Adumbration something shadowed out of the difference between Justification and Sanctification Our knowledge of these mysteries ought to be distinct and clear and not intricate and confused for the clearer our knowledge is the stronger and greater will our comfort be The great Apostle handles these two great Doctrines viz. Justification and Sanctification distinctly and in order First he begins with Justification and treats on that Argument throughout the 3 4 and 5th Chap. to the Romans Then he falls upon the Doctrine of Sanctification and insists on that necessary argument throughout the 6 7 and 8th Chap. to the Romans Pareus as a German Divine well observes And in this method since I have pitcht upon this Text I have endeavoured or made an Essay to handle them beginning with Justification first expressed by its Synonima in the Text righteousness and then proceeded to sanctification afterwards Let thus much suffice for the critical differences between Justification and Sanctification We now come in the next place to the next general propounded to be spoken to viz. to the excellency of Sanctification illustrated by the high and Honourable Encâ—miums wherewith we find it dignified in the Scriptures in which as in a glass 〈◊〉 Mirror you may behold the incomparable beauty and worth of holiness 1. Holiness is the N me of God Isa 57.15 Thus saith the High and lofty One that inhabiteth Eternity whose name is Holy I dwell in the high and holy place c. Gods Name is holy Psa 111.9 Holy and Reverend is his Name How often is he called Holy One and the Holy One of Israel in the Scriptures His holiness is himself when he swears by his Holiness as Psa 89.35 Once have I sworn by my holiness Quicquid est in Deo Deus est that I will not lie unto David he swears by himself for whatsoever is in God is God God is essentially infinitely and primitively holy the Saints only by participation of his holiness they are called godly from God Christians from Christ and Saints from the sanctification of the Holy Spirit The chosen Generation are an holy Nation 1 Pet. 2.9 they partake of Gods Name Holiness 2. It is called the Seed of God 1 Joh. 3.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peccatum non operatur or peccato non dat operam As Beza i. e. doth not make sin his work and business 1 Pet. 1.3 whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him c. And this seed viz. the Word of God i. e. of which we are begotten and born again is incorruptible or immortal 1 Pet. 1.23 Jam. 1.18 Sanctification by these Texts and elsewhere is held out by the Metaphor of Generation God the Father of Spirits is the Spiritual Father that begets a soul to himself in Christ the Word is the Seed of God of which the soul is begotten again â—he Ordinances are the Bed wherein the soul is begotten Can. 1.16 also our Bed is green viz. flourishing Ordinances Holiness is a Divine Seed 3. Holiness is the Will and Word of God or rather the Will of God revealed in his Word The word of God is the signification of his will and 't is the Royal Mandatory will of God that we should be holy 1 Thes 4.3 This is the will of God even your sanctification 1 Pet. 1.15 16. As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation for it is written be ye holy because I am holy 'T was the great Honour of King David that he served his Generation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faâ—â—et omnes volâ—â—tates meas according to the will of God Acts 13.22 yea he fulfilled all Gods wills for the Greek is plural So 't is the highest honour of any creature as well as duty whether of Angel or man to fulfill the wills of God the whole pleasure of his will especially his main design and great command in being holy 4. Holiness is the work of God All Gods works as in Creation and Providence are like himself honorable and glorious so the Psalmist cals them Ps 111.2 3. and 't is our bounden duty to consider and admire them But here that old rule holds good Operari sequitar esse the work is like unto the workeâ— next to the highest of all Gods works viz. the Incarnation of the Son of God the second person in the Trinity the work of sanctification without controversie is the most great and glorious as appears by these Scriptures 2 Cor. 5.5 He that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God This is called by way of eminency Gods workmanship Ephes 2.10 We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works c. Holiness is the special peculiar work of the holy God 5. Holiness is the very Image of God and this is more than all the former The s ul as a spirit may be said in a sense to bâ—thâ— mage of God but the soul as qualifie wi h grace or adorned with knowledge wisdome righteousness holiness Col 3.10 Eph 4.24 in which the Image of God omisteth is the most lively likeness and Image of God in the world By these graces we should shew forth Gods vertues 1 Pet. 2.9 'T is in the Greek vertues and not praiâ—es Now note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 virtutes An Image represents a thing in its highest excellency an image doth not represent the legs feet or inferiouâ— parts of a man but his countenance head face breast the most Noble parts So our sanctification or inherent righâ—eousness represents God in his chiefest â—xâ—elency as he is glorious in holiness Exod. 15.11 In the works of Creation and Providence we see the footsteps at most the back-parts of the Almighty but in the Saints we see his face or Image though not perfectly drawn and to the life An holy soul represents God in the most lively way Simile as the Image of a man in his child is more lively seen than in a piece of wood or stone so the Image of God is more lively seen and more gloriously drawn in the hearts of his Saints next to Christ Col. 1.15 Heb. 1.3 who is the Image of the Invisible God c. than in all the creatures in the world besides 6. Holiness is the life of God and this is m re a man may see his Image but no man can see his life Grace is called the life of God Ephes 4.18 Being alienated from the life of God N w w at is G ds â—iâ—e and wâ—at is a Saints life Go s life consists in this in willing himself thâ— chiefest and highâ—st good and in acting for his own glory as them â—mâ—te
we see as in a glass darkly Now the dust is in our eyes much blindness and darkness in the eyes of the most enlightned our understandings are partly light and partly darkness our wills are partly flesh and partly spirit we find do we not a contrary Principle working a contrary Law rebelling that when we would do good evil is present with us Rom. 7.21 There is a Law in the members Rom. 7.23 and a Law of the mind There is a double Enemy carrying on a double interest in one soul there is a Jacob and an Esau strugling and striving for Mastery in one heart there remains the being of sin concupiscence evil lusting and motions many sins of ignorance negligence and of invincible infirmity in the Saints for whilest they abide in earthly they abide in sinful Tabernacles The bitter moans groans complaints tears together with the sad lapses of the Saints do sadly evidence the truth of this 1 Kin. 8.46 Jam. 3.2 1 Ioh. 1.8 Eccl. 7.20 As a child as soon as born is a true man though not a perfect man he hath all the parts of a man not the strength and stature besides the ample testification of many Scriptures The Saints that are sanctified in Christ Jesus are in a sense perfect and in a sense imperfect they are perfect as to perfection of parts every part and faculty of soul and body is sanctified and yet they are in a sense imperfect i. e. as to perfection of degrees thus the word perfect is differently to be understood Phil. 3.12.15 In the 12th ver it notes the fullest measure or highest Achme of perfection attainable by a Christian In the 15th ver it notes sincerity o◠integrity which is a Christians Evangelical perfection God according to the tenour of the New Covenant accepting his person in Christ as perfect viz. in and through Christs perfect righteousness and intercession and thereupon a believers gracious desires and endeavours for performances his will for the deed and his sincerity for perfection Perfection of degrees being too great a priviledge for a Militant estate is reserved as one of the peculiar Flowers or Jewels of the Triumphant Crown for the Saints to wear in their Fathers Kingdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A precious jewel which nothing can defile or dull its shining so is the state above wherefore among the singular distinguishing Epithetes given by the Spirit of God to our inheritance this is one an inheritance undefiled 1 Pet. 1.4 By our Justification now we have peace with God Rom. 5.1 all our sins past and present are actually pardoned and this favour received is a pledge of assurance that for the future by applying our selves to Christ we shall receive remission of daily sins and that at the last day we shall be for ever free from all accusations and condemnation Our Justification is perfect now though the most solemn pronunciation of it in a magnificent manner is the work of the great day but our Sanctification is inchoate imperfect and progressive here by the supplies of the Spirit of Grace there must be a going on from faith to faith from strength to strength but it shall be most compleat and perfect at Christs appearing the Picture of Christ will be gloriously drawn even to the life then We know Phil. 1.6 that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 2. The righteousness of justification is equally perfect and equally imputed to all believers my meaning is all believers are alike justified one as well and as much as another the weak as much as the strong the new-born Babes so much as the old Fathers the feeblest Lambs as much as the Hee-goats of the Flock he that hath the least as well as he that hath the greatest measure of the Spirit Gemmam amplectitur Gigas puerulus licet Gigas fortiùs eam amplectitur quà m puerulus tamen manet gemma aequè preciosa Luther A Giant holdeth a jewel and so doth a Child the jewel is the same though the Giant holdeth it with a stronger hand So here the righteousness of justification is the same though the faith of believers is not the same some being weak and others strong in faith As to inherent righteousness there is much difference but as to imputed righteousness all the Saints are equal none have purer linnen than the rest A believer of the lowest form in Christs School of the meanest stature or growth in Christ of the weakest and dullest capacity in the mysteries of the Kingdome of Christ So M. Burroughs on the Beatitudes Matth. 5. is in point of justification equal with Abraham Isaac and Jacob Moses Samuel and David equal with all the most glorious Patriarchs Prophets Martyrs and eminent Saints that are Thou if a believer art as much acquitted from sin and as much accepted as righteous in the sight of God and as undoubted an Heir of and hast as true a title to the Inheritance of heaven as the most famous Saints that are But there is a great deal of difference among the Sain s themselves as to sanctification some Saints are children some are strong men 1 Cor. 15.41 some are fathers one star excelleth another star in glory There are stellae primae secundae magnitudinis c. Some Saints are more sluggish and dull of hearing more dull and dark in understanding others are more acute and quick some are younglings weaklings and have need of milk viz. the principles of the Oracles of God others are strong men and have need of meat can dive into and digest the deepest mysteries revealed in the Gospel Heb. 5.12 13 14. God having given them senses exercised to discern both good and evil Some are more dead to duty and in duty others are more vigorous more fervent in spirit and lively some walk more humbly with God more holily before God more exactly and venerably before the world than others do Some do much fully and stain their garments others comparatively walk in white and keep their garments clean and also keep themselves unspotted from the world Jam. 1. ult Thus great is the difference between Saint and Saint in sanctification Cant. 5.10 My beloved is white and ruddy white in the glory of his Deity ruddy in the preciousness of his Humanity and white in the beauty of his purity and ruddy in the blood of his Oblation Owens Communion p. 52 53. as great is the difference between man and man in growth and stature but in justification the infant of daies and man of grey hairs the shrub and the Cedar the smaller and greater stars the Saints of all dimensions and denominations of all ages and statures are equally perfect and shine equally bright and glorious because the glory of that righteousness is not inherent in them as the light is inherent in the body of the Sun but this robe of righteousness so 't is called Isai
and the Son have committed the Saints to the Spirits charge to this very end and purpose that they might be sanctified Sanctification is made the Spirits personal operation 2 Thes 2.14 1 Pet. 1.2 The Spirit is to shape and fashion all the Vessels of Mercy and prepare them for Glory he is to deck the Spouse of Christ with the jewels of the Covenant 'T is the great advantage the Saints have in the Oeconomy or dispensation of Grace that they have the Father to purpose it the Son to purchase it and the Spirit to work it the Father Word and Spirit are all one and agree in one for our sanctification Now 't is a great grief to the Spirit when the work of Grace doth not go on and prosper in the soul for 't is he that worketh us to this very thing and therefore is called the Spirit of holinesse 'T is not for the Spirits honour that Gods Nursery or Plantation committed to his care and charge should not thrive and flourish 'T is not for the Spirits honour to dwell in defiled Temples nor to let the people go naked without their Ornaments 'T is not for the Spirits honour that any committed by the Father and the Son to his charge should perish or miscarry should fall away either totally from all Grace finally for all time for ever to miss of heaven in the end The Father hath left the Son in charge to be the Captain of our salvation Heb. 2. and to bring many children to Glory The Son hath left the Spirit in charge with all his Fathers children to guâ—de them by his Counsel and to bring them to his Glory When Christ as man left earth and went to Heaven he comforts his Disciples by sending another Comforter and who he is Christ tels ye even the Spirit of truth to guide his people into all truth for he shall not speak from himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak and he will shew you things to come he shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you all things that the Father hath are mine therefore said I that he shall take of mine and shall shew it unto you John 16.13 14 15. The Spirit of Christ is Christs Pro-rex or Viceroy by Comm ssion from his Father and himself to rule and govern the affairs of his providential Kingdom Ezek. 1.20 21. The spirit of the living creature was in the wheels The Spirit acts the Angels called living Creatures and the living creatures or Angels act and move the wheels that is the Transactions of divine Providence in the world and Christ by the Spirit governs and guides his Subjects in his spiritual Kingdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aux viae vobis erit in omnem veritatem So Beza in John 16.13 the Spirit is Dux viae the Captain of the way to lead his people into all truth their Glorious Guest to dwell with them and to abide with them for ever John 14.16 17. and by his inhabitation and constant influence and operation to perfect his own work in them and ripen their souls for Heaven Thus our sanctification is absolutely necessary for the honour of the Father Son and Spirit 2. Our sanctification is absolutely and indispensibly needfull as for the honour of God so also for our attainment of true happiness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the masculine â—rticles must be refered to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holiâ— is Nâ—gat queâ—qâ—am poss videre Dâ—â—m sine sanctimon a â— moniam am 〈◊〉 oculis 〈◊〉 debâ—mus Deum quam qui reformati fuerint ad ejus imaginem Calv. Grace and Glory holiness and happiness sanctification and salvation individuo nexu cohaerent These are tyed and twisted together with a knot inseparable and indissoluble There is no going to Heaven without holiness no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 Some there are which ignorantly and fondly do restrein the word Saints to the Saints departed the Saints in Heaven but we must be Saints here or else can never expect to be Saints hereafter The Apostle denyes saith Calvin that any one can see God without holiness because he shall see God with no other eyes than those which shall be renewed according to his Image the Image of God is bâ— begun on earth 't is perfectly and compleatly drawn by the Vision of God in Heaven Be sure you are real Saints sanctified in Christ Jesus and not only nominal and notional as too many are your Saintship is all the evidence you have to shew for your inheritance be sure then you keep your evidence fair and clear without blots and blurs Unless ye are begotten again unto a lively hope what have ye to do with that inheritance gilded with so many glorious Epithets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Math. 5.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1.2 3. How can they see God that have not a pure heart nor a pure eye indeed the pure heart is the pure eye The Degree of Vision will be according to the degree of sanctification the more gracious we are in this the more glorious wee shall be in the other world The Apostle tels us Col. 1.12 we must be made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light What should a carnal heart do with Heaven that knows no other heaven but to eat drink and wallow in sensual delights as the Glutton at a feast cryed There 's no heaven like to this We must not look for a Turkish Paradise in Heaven but for a pure sin-less state not to bathe our souls in carnal pleasures but to be Consorts of the immaculate Lamb and Competitioners with the Angels Perfection of Grace As one saith Consortes Agni Angellorum Candidati and fulness of joy in the presence of Gods Glory is the Saints heaven Swine know not what to do with Pearls nor carnal creatures with the life and joyes above Suppose that which is not to be supposed were it possible an unsanctified person should go to heaven that holy place and holy Company would be an hell to him Coelum est altera Gehenna damnatorum he would be as weary of heaven as ever water was of running according to the Proverb If the faint Image of God in his Saints if the glympse of Gods presence in his Ordinances be so irksome and unpleasant to an unholy soul here Oh how terrible and contrary to his spirit would the most glorious Presence of God in heaven be where the Seraphims cry continually Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabaoth c. where God displayes his holiness in the greatest splendor and glory God is perfect light Isa 6.3 Revel 4 8. 1 Joh. 1.5 the man is darkness they could never agree together An unsanctified person indeed may desire Heaven as a disproportionate good as a place better to be tolerated than the torments of hell he may desire heaven as a privation of
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OR CHRIST OUR Sanctification Faithfully Explained fully Confirmed and Practically Applied for the special Benefit and Consolation of the truly sanctified as also for the discovery of the Formalist or Hypocrite And for the awakening of the secure Sinner who makes a mock at sin and either scorns or slights Holinesse Being the substance of several Lectures or Meditations By Tho. Pichard Preacher of the Gospel Heb. 13.12 Wherefore Jesus also that he might sanctifie the people with his own Blood suffered without the Gate John 37.19 And for their sakes I sanctifie my self that they also might be sanctified through the Truth Hebs 12.14 Follow peace with all men and holinesse without which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is without which Holiness no man shall see the Lord. Deu. dedit filium omnium Bonorum fontem Quidni cum eo omnia alia darer huc recurrendum est si desertio divina si Egestas inopia solicitet Pareus Fidelis non minus apprehendit Regenerationem in Christo quà m Peccatorum veniam Calvin London Printed for Tho. Passinger at the 〈…〉 upon London-Bridge 〈…〉 To all that are sanctified in Christ Jesus especially to my Christian Friends and Acquaintance in and near London The Authour wisheth all prosperity and true felicity the progress of Sanctification in this world with the perfection thereof in Glory Worthy and good Friends BY the wonderful over-ruling and sole-disposing hand of Providence which some call the Queen of the World Providentia Dei Regina mundi I had the honour and the happiness to be cast into your Acquaintance with whom at a leastwise with many of you I have had for years through mercy comfortable and sweet society in the things of God and from whom I have received so many real and ample manifestations of cordial respect and kindnesse for my support and succour in the crisis of my extremity For all which according to my bounden duty in all humility and sincerity I desire to blesse and Magnifie the Possessor of Heaven and Earth as also to thank you Begging the Father of mercies to reward your labour of love an hundred fold And to enrich you with the fulness of the Blessings of the Gospel of Christ 'T is I confess Rom. 15.29 a duty incumbent on me To render ye a due acknowledgment of hearty thanks for youâ— kindness to me not long since a perfect stranger to all your faces least otherwise I should câ—â—tract the stain Ingratum si dixeris omnia dixeris and Oâ—â—um of that monstrous and multipliâ—a sin Ingratitude debating in my thoughts not how to make Compensation or requital foâ— that as the case standâ— with me is impossible but how at most to make some small Testification of the unfeigâ—â—d honour and lâ—â—e I bear you not onely for your Gooâ—nesse to mee but primarâ—â—y and principâ—lly for the spiri ual worth and goodnesse the God of all Grace according to the riches of of his Grace hath I trust confer'd upon ye and infuâ—ed into ye I knew no better expedient than the dedication of this ensuing Treatise which is not presented to ye or any mortals for Patronage or pro ection but for Acceptance and perusal at your most serious hours I never loved to dawb with untempered mortar nor to sew Pillows under mens elbows since I knew any thing of the mind of God in truth If this small piece doth not cannot speaâ— for it selâ— though in weaknesse I will not speak a word for it neither do I desire Veritas non quaerit angulos Vâ—â—tas stat in aperto Campo that any should 'T is an old and true Maxim Truth needs to Patronage and Errour I am sure deserves none What by the Word and rule of truth ye finde consonant and conseâ—taneous to the mind and will of God the prime Truth that call God's and Christ's and therefore prize and practice it But whatsoever you finde of errour obliquity and deflexion from the Rule that call mans and mine and carefully eschew it imputing to it humane frailty and weaknesse for humanum est errare I remember I have read of Artaxerxes a most noble and munificent King of Persia Plutarch in the life of Artaxerxes that such was the Princely condescension and sweetnesse of his disposition as not onely to give great Gifts unto his Friends and Favourites but also kindly to accept of mean Presents from mean persons so hoping with the like candour you will please to receive this small Tract I have presumed to dedicate and commend it to your Christian consideration I modestly confesse I have been sollicited to print some of my former Meditations though I know Apologi s of this nature are little credited yet through sense of my own weaknesse I â—ave forborn as iudging none of my Grapes worth the Presse Besides the great numbers of profitable and practical Books of many famous men already extant But at length at the friendly desire of some sober Persons willing me to leave some Manifesto of my love or Legacies in their hands as they pleased to tearm it I have Adventured to make these Labours publick which I trust will not seem nauseous or unpleasant to a spirit truly sanctified I have long since thought that every faithfull labourer in the Lords Vineyard had principally a double work to do both tending unto and terminating themselves in holiness viz. 1. To convert Sinners 2. To confirm Saints 1. By the Spirit of Grace and word of Truth to beget holinesse in unholy souls to bring in them that are without Jam. 1.18 who belong to the election of Grace 2. By the same effectual means the Word and Spirit to nourish and nurse up the new Man begotten 1 Pet. 2.2 to breed up those that are within I hope through grace this holy and blessed work hath been the white the mark I have aimed at in the series of my Employment and particularly in this undertaking of Sanctification here offered to your Judgments which is a Doctrine most Necessary most Excellent most Comfortable 1. 'T is a Doctrine most needfull for the sons of men to learn and practice 't is the one thing needfull 't is the principal thing there is no seeing the face of God without it Luke 10.42 Pro. 4.7 Heb. 12.14 for without holinesse no man shall see the Lord. Consider the Decree of the Father the Mission of the Son the Office of the holy Spirit the publication of the Gospel the Jewels of the Covenant the nature of the great and precious Promises the Tendency of all Gods Dispensations Whether smiles or frownes mercies or afflictions do they not all respectively speak the same thing and mutually conspire yea meet and center in the same end viz. to make ye partakers of his Holiness nay Heb. 12.10 they all tell ye in plain tearms ye must be holy God will not alter his Decree for you nor send another Saviour nor chalk out
1.6 In Christo Jesu id est per Christum Jesum pâ—opter Christum Jesum nâ—m per Christum propter Christum accepti grati samus Patri in Christ Jesus that is by Christ Jesus and for Christ Jesus for indeed we can be no way amiable or acceptable to the Father but in the beloved We are said not only to be Elect in Christ Jesus but also to be sanctified in Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 1.2 For indeed all our good the Father hath laid up in him and daily dispenseth the same to us by him and through him Thus I have considered the former clause of the Text in haec verba But of him are ye in Christ Jesus Now the latter fall under an Analytical Examen in these words Who of God is made unto us wisdome righteousness sanctification and redemption For the better explaining whereof I shall briefly speak to these four 1. Quis. 2. Quid. 3. A Quo or unde 4. Quomodo 1. The Quis Who is made of God unto us Wisdome who or what is the Antecedent to this relative who why Christ Jesus Of him are ye in Christ Jesus who or which Christ Jesus is made of God unto us wisdome c. Valde observandus est hic locus in quo ad quatuor praecipua capita revocantur omnia quae in Christo adipiscimur beneficia Beza 2. The Quid What is Christ Jesus made to the Saints he is made indeed in effect all in all and all things to the Saints specifically in this Text these four wisdome righteousness sanctification and redemption to which four chief Heads all the benefits dignities and priviledges we obtain by Christ may be reduced as a learned Writer well observes Though the believing Corinthians and all other truly sanctified in Christ Jesus as men are as vile as the dung and as low as the dust Factus est nobis à Deo sapientia c. i. e. ut sapientes justi sancti liberi simus Theohylact in loc yet as Christians they shine as the stars and are exalted as high as heaven 1. Their understandings are enlightened by the Spirit of Wisdome and Revelation their darkness is scattered their ignorance healed by Jesus Christ their Wisdome and they in their measure like the Angels of God for wisdome though they are foolish both in the worlds matters and in the worlds accompt for commonly the children of this world are wiser in their Generation than the children of light yet they are wise with the wisdome of Christ the highest and purest wisdome they are wise for heaven wise for eternity wise unto salvation This is the first excellency 2. They are freed from the guilt and punishment of sin both from the dominion of sin and condemnation and reputed righteous in foro coeli in the Court of heaven justified acquitted and accepted as Heirs of eternal life and glory by Jesus Christ their righteousness The Lord their righteousness Jer. 23.6 3. They are delivered from the power of sin and cleansed from the filth of sin decked with grace endued with inward holiness beautified with this purest glory by Jesus Christ their Sanctification 4. They are delivered from the power of darkness from the bondage of corruption from all the pollutions of this world from the slavish fears of death and hell redeemed or â—t leastwise ere long actually shall be from all the sins sorrows sufferings and miseries attendant upon or contingent unto this mortal and frail life and lastly saved from all their enemies and from the hands of all that hate them Luke 1.71 by Jesus Christ their Redemption These are the special dignities the Saints are advanced to and the spiritual Royalties the Saints by Christ Jesus are invested with who of God is made unto us wisdome righteousness c. Here is Christ displayed in all his glory a Mine discovered in all its Treasures a Fountain opened in all its fulness our Mediator revealed in all his Offices our illumination or wisdome belongs to the Office of Christ as Prophet both our Justification and Sanctification belong to the Office of Christ as High-Priest and great Apostle of our profession Heb. 3.1 our Redemption externally from all Enemies and internally from all sins and sorrows respect the Office of Christ as Lord and King for our Saviour must be a Princely Saviour a Saviour and a Prince Acts 5.31 And the Father hath made him both Lord and Christ Lord over the dead and living 't is he that delivers us from the power of darkness and translates us into his own Kingdome Col. 1.13 3. A Quo or unde By whom is Christ made unto us wisdome righteousness c. I answer by God the Father who of God is made unto us c. Christ the Son in the Oeconomy or Dispensation of the Mediatorship must be considered as Gods servant he is so called Isa 42.1 Behold my servant whom I uphold The Father broke the business to him of our Salvation 't was the Father that sent him into the world and annointed him Isa 61.1 He had both his Mission and Commission from his Father him hath God the Father sealed 't was the Father that gave him the Spirit without measure that filled him with an overflowing fulness of all good to us and for us therefore we have this phrase here who of God is made unto us wisdome c. Neque enim Christus creatus aut factus est quoad essentiam divinam sed ordinatus donatus nobis ad haec bona conferenda ergo dicitur factus nobis Par. 4. Quomodo How is Jesus Christ or may Jesus Christ be said to be made unto us wisdome c. who is made to us non creatione sed ordinatione not by Creation but by appointment he is constituted ordained or appointed by the Father to be our Wisdome that is to be our Prophet to open our ears to Discipline and teach us wisdome to be our Righteousness that is to be our Justifier our High-Priest to reconcile us to God and make an attonement for us to be our Sanctification that is to be our Sanctifier for whom he justifies by his Merit them he sanctifies by his Spirit to restore our souls for us to renew us in the Spirit of our minds by the Spirit of holiness Postremo dicitur nobis factus Redemtio quod ita per cum justificati sanctificati certam Redemtionem tandem assequamur Beza to be our Redemption that is to be a perfect and compleat Redeemer to us by being all this before he will be Redemption in the abstract a glorious Redeemer or Saviour to the uttermost at the last Heb. 7.25 Factus est nobis à Deo c. id est qui datus est nobis à Deo who is made to us of God that is who is given to us of God c. to be our Wisdome c. Christ is not here given of the Father to us empty or scanty but he
comes to us laden and fully fraught with the blessings of heaven and treasures of the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christus fidelibus non est datus vacuus ed ad eos cum amplissimis thesauâ—is venit P. M Christ is not given as an ordinary but as a supereminent and transcendent gift Joh. 4.10 He is that gift of God he the Peerless Pearl and personal Gift came down from the Father of Lights and brought all other good and perfect gifts real spiritual divine immortal excellencies from heaven along with him Jam. 1.17 Joh. 1.16 17 18. Christ doth not give 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 giftless gifts as commonly the men of the world give but gifts of the highest nature and of the greatest moment As the Father gives the Son so the Son gives himself Tit. 2.16 He gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works And with himself he gives us the most suitable the most profitable the most permanent the most magnificent and noble gifts in a word all spiritual blessings in heavenly things and places Ephes 1.3 Thus have ye the Analysis of the Text the Propositions most obvious from the Text are these 1. That Christians are of a Divine Origination they are of God in Christ Jesus 2. That Christ Jesus is given of God the Father in all his fulness to true Christians 3. That Christ Jesus is given of God the Father for our wisdome for our illumination 4. That Christ Jesus is given of God the Father for our justification or righteousness 5. That Christ Jesus is given of God the Father for our sanctification or holiness 6. That Christ Jesus is given of God the Father for our redemption or for our deliverance from all our enemies and miseries To all these Propositions I have in some measure so far as I have received spoken But the Argument I intend God assisting at this time and in this Tract to dilate upon is contained in the fifth Proposition That Christ Jesus is made i. e. is ordained is given of God the Father for our sanctification Reserving the rest for another Treatise if these poor labours shall find acceptance with the Saints Who of God is made unto us Sanctification Doct. Christ Jesus is given of God the Father for our sanctification In the prosecution of this precious point I shall observe this method 1. I shall prove the point 2. Endeavour to shew how or in what sense Jesus Christ is our sanctification 3. Shew what sanctification is 4. The difference between justification and sanctification 5. The transcendent excellencies of sanctification 6. The blessed fruits of sanctification 7ly and lastly Make application of the whole 1. For the proof of the point this Text is plain and clear enough Christ is made of God unto us sanctification I need call in but two or three more Scriptures for farther confirmation That out of the mouth of two or three witâ—â—sses every word might be established The Testimonies I shall alledge are these Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people Hâ—â—â—ing Coâ— in loc zealous of good works concerning which Text we may say as one hath done before us Singula verba singularem emphasin habent every word hath a special emphasis The particulars herein may be reduced to these four Principals 1. The Donum or Donativum 2. The Donans 3. The Donati 4. Finis Donationis 1. The Donum or Donativum the gift here said to be given is the great God and that is here even our Saviour Jesus Christ The Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is not to be construed disjunctively but exegetically 2. The Donans the giver or restorer of that gift is also Christ himself who gave himself 3. The Donati the persons on whom this gift is bestowed i. e. us who gave himself for us 4. Finis Donationis the end wherefore this gift was given is here expressed to be two-fold For Redemption Purification 1. For Redemption That he might redeem us from all iniquity 2. For our Purification And purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Where Christ is a Redeemer he is also a Purifier whom he justifies by his Merit and Blood from the guilt and punishment of sin those he sanctifies by his Spirit and Word from the contagion and filth of sin And this he doth two wayes Sacramentally Really 1. Sacramentally By instituting divers kinds of offerings and washings and other ceremonial observances in the daies of old of these the Apostle tells us that they sanctified to the purifying of the flesh In soro Ecclesiae Heb. 9.13 making such as used them externally and Ecclesiastically pure and holy And thus Christians may be said to be purified in and by the Ordinances of Baptisme under the Gospel now 2. Really By inward real and spiritual washing and purifying of the inner man which consisteth in two things In washing away the Guilt and Filth of sin The one is done away in Justification the other in Sanctification 1. In Justification The blood of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 So Heb. 1.3 Christ by himself purged our sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having made a purgation or purification that is by making satisfaction to Divine Justice by the sacrifice of himself 2. In Sanctification Christ takes away the filth of sin sin is called but never out of its own name pollution uncleanness superfluity of raughtiness the scum of filthiness and in order to our purification from it the Blood and Spirit Word and Ordinances of our Lord Jesus are called and compared to water to cleanse us from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and as God hath given us many promises to act faith upon through Christ for our purification as Ezek. 36.25 F om all your filthiness and from all your Idols will I cleanse you and in v. 29. I will save you from all your uncleanness So Jesus Christ hath undertaken by Gods appointment to see these purifying promises performed in his Saints in whom they are all Yea and Amen and to bless and sanctifie his Word and Ordinances for his peoples purification according to the Commandment he hath received from his Father Again Ephes 5.25 26 27. Who loved his Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing that it should be holy and without blemish Christ gave himself that is to death by the will of God as 't is expressed Gal. 1.4 that he might sanctifie it that is say the Dutch Annotations that he might separate her from all worldly men and appropriate her to himself and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word
that is by his Blood and Spirit whereof the washing of water in Baptisme is a sign and seal and withall the means whereby the Spirit of Christ doth more and more strengthen this cleansing The sum whereof is this Christ by the will of God and our Father gave himself to death for his Church The Blood of Christ is the meritorious cause the Spirit of Christ is the efficient cause Instrumenta in divinis operantur acsâ—noâ— operantur the Word and Ordinances are as subservient causes they work as Instruments in the hands of Christ for the Churches sanctification all the vertue that is in them or flows out to the Saints from them they receive from the efficiency of Jesus Christ These Pipes receive the Golden Oyl from this Candlestick Lastly the end of all is this that he might present her to himself a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle c. Thus the Church must be prepared by the Bridegrooms grace and so fitted for the Bridegrooms glory As the Virgins in Esther were to be purified with Oyl of Myrrhe Esther 2.12 and sweet Odours before they entred into the Kings Palace or stood in the Kings presence So all the Virgins and followers of the Lamb are to be purified and refined by the Spirit and grace of the Lamb and perfectly sanctified compleatly glorified at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb Rev. 19.7.9 Christians your blessed Saviour is made of God both righteousness and sanctification to ye he hath both a glorious Robe of justification to impute and a glorious Robe of sanctification to impart to all believers and this without controversie is the white Linnen of the Saints which render them truly glorious which commends them to God to good men to the holy Angels which garment of glory and beauty they shall wear for ever in their Fathers presence The believing Corinthians called to be Saints are said to be sanctified in Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 1 2. The Church considered in her Inherent Grace is but fair as the Moon hath many spots in her but in her Relation to Christ so she is clear as the Sun c. Wherefore though the Church in her self may be said to be poor forlorn deformed needy yet by Union with Christ being implanted into him * Ecclesia omnem suam sanctitatem venustatem pulchritudinem omnia sua bona in genere à Christo Jesu sponso suo accipâ—re habere dicitur P. Mart. she is rich with her Husbands riches holy with his holiness comely with his comeliness illustrious with his glory replenisht with his fulness He that is in Christ is a new creature 2 Cor. 5.17 When by faith unfeigned we are united ingrafted into Christ the true Vine We really partake of spiritual life and sensation from him we are sanctified in him and by him Wherefore speaks a worthy †Sanctificamur ergo dum in Christi corpus inserimur extra quod non nisi pollutio est nec aliunde etitiam nobis confertur spiritus quam à Christo per quem Deo adhaeremus in quo simus nova creaturae Calv. Author we are then sanctified when we are ingrafted into Christs body out of which instead of sanctification there is nothing else but pollution and no other way but from and by Christ is the Spirit of Holiness conferr'd upon us c. Christ in his most heavenly prayer solemnly confesseth that his Father sent him into the world for the sake of true believers Joh. 17.18 and that for their sakes he did sanctifie himself i. e. dedicate and give up himself for an holy Sacrifice that they viz. believers might be sanctified by the truth that is as most render it might receive remission of sins and sanctification of the Spirit and in fine the salvation of their souls as evidently appears from Heb. 10.10 Through the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all And v. 14. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified All which Scriptures seem to a judicious ear to joyn in Consort and speak one voice and language with the Text and point in hand That Jesus Christ is given of God the Father for our Sanctification Thus much for the first thing promised viz. the proof of the point We come to the second general 2. How or in what sense Jesus Christ may be said to be our Sanctification or made ordained constituted or given of God to be our Sanctification I conceive Christ may be said to be our Sanctification in Scripture sense these four wayes 1. By Imputation 2. By Vnion 3. By Assimilation 4. By Influence and Communication 1. By Imputation 'T is the saying of a Reverend man now with God That the perfect purity of Christs Humane Nature is reckoned unto believers by free imputation of faith M. Wilson in his Christian Dictionary Christ is made unto us Sanctification this is saith he Sanctification imputed Jesus Christ being consecrated and set apart of God to be the Messiah and Mediator for mankind and having for that purpose all the bounty and fulness of the Father poured on him being truly God and truly Man and as Man being conceived of the Holy Ghost without sin ordained to be a Sacrifice for sin and to sanctifie and make his people holy is worthily in Scripture called That Holy One Psa 16.10 Act. 3 1â— Joh. 1.2.20 Also he is termed the Holy of Holies or most Holy Dan. 9.24 And to annoint the most Holy The poor imperfect Church of Christ notwithstanding all her blots and spots Uxor illuce scit radiis mariti Qui justificantur sanctificantur hae gratiae individuo nexu cohaerent Calv. blains and blemishes contracted by original and actual sins is reputed as a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing as she shines by the rayes of the Sun of righteousness through the sanctification or perfect holiness of her Bridegroom Jesus Christ Jesus Christ is a believers righteousness for Justification and his holiness for sanctification also These two are Twins inseparable The Lamb of God without spot was slain 1 Pet. 1.18 to purge us from the guilt of sin for without shedding of blood there could be no remission Heb. 9.22 And it must be a Lamb without spot and blemish and offered up to God by the Eternal Spirit This Lamb must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-man or else your pollutions had never been removed your Natures never sanctified your consciences never purged from dead works Heb. 9.14 But Christ by the Hypostatical union is eminently qualified to be both vertually and efficiently your sanctification As the benefits of Redemption accrue to us by the Kingly Office of Christ so the benefits of Justification and Sanctification do accrue to us by the Priestly Office of Christ as Pareus notes Such an High-Priest it became us who is holy harmless separate from sinners Heb. 7.26 And such an
have it restored in the second Adam Christ received the spirit above measure we have but some drops or drams of it Joh. 3 34. he was annointed with the Oyl of gladness above his fellows yet for his fellows whole Christ was given to us Isa 9.6 To us a Child is born to us a Son is given His sanctification also must needs be for us for our good and benefit For their sakes I sanctifie my self saith Christ that they might be sanctified by the truth Joh. 17.19 Holiness in Christ is as the light in the Sun ever shining and as water in a living fountain never sailing Sâ—â—ile ever running He is bâ—th an ever-flowing and an over-flowing fountain of grace to us as 't is endless and boundless in Christ so it is diffusive and communicative to h s members Jâ—s s Christ is the Candlestick from whence the Golden Pipes do empty the goldeâ— oyl through themselves Zech. 4.11 12. Christ is this Candlestick See the Dutch Annotat on the place the two Olive-trees signifie his Kingly and Priestly Offices the Golden Oyl signifieth the gifts and graces of the Spirit It must needs be so because it is the pleasure of the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Col. 1.19 What is this fulness It is all the fulness of the Godhead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bodily i. e. personally substantially for as the Hebrews put souls for persons as so many souls went down into Egypt c. so the Greeks put bodies for persons Our Lord Jesus is his Fathers Gazophylacium the great Magazine of infinite riches and treasures Note here a Climax yea three gradations the Godhead the fulness of the Godhead yea all the fulness of the Godhead dwells in Christ bodily Now our holiness is a stream derived from this Fountain a part or parcel of this fulness 4. 4 The formal cause What is the formal cause of our Sanctification I answer 'T is the infusion of the habits of grace into us as the School-men call them 't is the endowment of the soul with inward holiness So Mr. Perkins 'T is the infusion of or communion with the spirit So D. Reynolds 'T is the operation of the spirit dwelling in us as a spirit of sanctification Luke 11.13 Joh. 14.16 17. 'T is the deriving or drawing down the holiness that is in Christ our Head by the spirit of holiness who is the Bond of union and communion between him and us 't is the spirits transforming of us into the likeness of our Lord Jesus or the delineation of the Picture of Christ The spirit looks directly upon the glorious Image of Christ represented in the Gospel and draws exactly the picture thereof in a Saints heart Mr. Rich. Vines in Loc. Zech. 13.1 by the spirit of Christ in the soul of man 2 Cor. 3.18 It s Synonima's in Scripture are very emphatical 't is called a quickning Ephes 2.1 a birth Joh. 3.3 a forming of Christ Gal. 4.19 a Regeneration or begetting again 1 Pet. 1.3 a new heart and a new spirit Ezek. 36.26 a renewing of the mind Rom. 12.2 a new creature 2 Cor. 5.17 the new man Ephes 4.24 the renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3.5 And the Divine Nature and the Image or likeness of Christ in respect of its Divine original and transcendent excellency The Father sends the Son into the world to work out eternal Redemption for us and to that end to open a fountain in his side and heart for our purification he furnisht him with an instrumental fulness and fitness to be the Lord our righteousness and our Fountain of grace and holiness Joh. 17.4 Eph 4.8 the Son finisheth his work ascends up on high receiveth gifts for men sends the holy spirit the sanctifier and comforter as his Vice-Roy to dwell in us and abide with us for ever and not only to dwell in us as our heavenly companion and comforter Joh 14 16 17. but also to work in us as our Sanctifier and therefore called The Spirit of holiness Rom. 1.4 Joh. 16 14. He shall glorifie me saith Christ for he shal receive of mine He receives from the Son wisdome righteousness holiness all gifts and graces wherewith Christ was annointed and bestows them upon the Saints annoints them with this Unction implants in them these gifts and graces imprints vpon them the Divine Nature and therewith sanctifies them which very impression of the Divine Nature or likeness of Christ on the soul of man by the energy of the spirit I conceive to be the very formality of sanctification For the better explication and dilucidation of this Argument give me leave to shew what it is to sanctifie The word Sanctifie hath many acceptions the most famous are these two 1. To set apart 2. To cleanse In each of which we suppose something privative and something positive 1. When it signifies to set apart we must conceive not only a setting a thing or a person apart from a common or prophane use but also it s or his actual dedication to holy uses or setting apart for God which is the proper notion of it 2. When it signifies to cleanse you must not only conceive a purgation from filthiness but also a plantation of the seed of grace called the seed of God The abolition of natural corruption is the privative part the renovation of Gods Image is the positive part of Sanctification 1. To sanctifie is to set apart and dedicate Thus Gods people are set apart and dedicated by God and for God 1. Before time 2. In time 1. Before time Psa 1.4 They are set apart by Gods Decree to be an holy seed to himself in and by Chr st separate from the reprobate and perishing world to be Vessels of Honor whereas the Reprobates are called Vessels of wrath and dishonour M. Burroughs in his Saints Treasury Psa 1.4 Him that is godly God hath set apart for himself i. e. as a good man saith Not only actually set apart in vocation but vertually set apart by God from eternity in Election Ephes 1.4 Having chosen us in him before the foundation of the world c. 2. In time They are regenerated called or actually sanctified or set apart to be Vessels of Honour sanctified and meet for the Masters service Wollebius in his Body of Divinity 2 Tim. 2.21 Sanctification is an actual Election by which we are set apart from the miserable and vain world to act for God by Jesus Christ and to seek the things that make for his glory Thus by Regeneration we are called his First-fruits which under the Law were the Lords portion Jam. 1.18 Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth that we should be a kind of the first fruits of his new creatures Joh. 3.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they are born from above so they are born for above they have heavenly affections and heavenly conversations and shall have
there is an infusion of grace a new disposition and frame of soul called a new heart and a new spirit Ezek. 36.25 26 27. i. e. a new mind new apprehensions a new will new desires new affections from whence there follows newness of life and conversation 1. There is a new heart that is conformity to Gods Nature when the heart of man is like the heart of God as David is said to be a man after Gods own heart 2 Pet. 1.4 Conformity to the Divine Nature is this new heart The Nature of God is the pattern of that Sanctification which is wrought in the heart of man 2. There is a new life that is our conformity to Gods Law or revealed Will whose will is our Sanctification 1 Thes 4.3 An holy heart breathes and breaks out into an heavenly conversation Phil. 3.20 Our conversation is in heaven The first is our habitual holiness the second is our actual The sum is this our habitual conformity to the Nature or Image of God and our actual conformity to the Will of God thereon depending is formally our Sanctification Thus I have shewed what it is to sanctifie and have opened the more eminent acceptations of it We come now to the fifth thing propounded 5. The Spi it of Christ is the efficient cause of our Sanctification The work of Creation is commonly ascribed to God the Father the work of Redemption to God the Son and the work of Sanctification to God the Holy Spirit yet Sanctification being a work ad extra is common to all the persons 1. It is ascribed to God the Father Jude 1. to them which are called and sanctified of God the Father 1 Pet. 1.3 Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope c. 2. Christ is said to sanctifie us He is made of God to us Sanctification 1 Cor. 1.2 To the Church of God which is at Corinth to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus Heb. 13.12 Wherefore Jesus that he might sanctifie the people with his own blood suffered without the gate 3. The Spirit is said to sanctifie Hence these phrases the sanctification of the Spirit 1 Pet. 1.2 2 Thes 2.13 14. and the Spirit of holiness Rom. 1.4 The Sanctification of the Spirit is as necessary as the mercy of the Father or the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ by the redundancy of his Merit hath impetrated and obtained the Spirit of the Father to sanctifie those whom he means to save to purifie and make them meet for glory whom he died for and justified by his blood The Inchoation is from the Father the Dispensation is by the Son the Consummation by the Spirit 'T is from the love of the Father and by vertue of the Merit of the Son that we are sanctified but 't is properly the Office and the distinct personal operation of the spirit of holiness to sanctifie and it must be the mighty power of the eternal spirit that converts or sanctifies because 't is such a power as is commensurate and proportionate to the raising of the dead Ephes 1.19 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Supereminens magnitudo Montan. called the exceeding greatness of his power c. We are not sanctified or converted as the Papists and Arminians say by a moral suasion or by the bare improvement of our own free will nor by the accession of some additional help to Nature but by the most strong and yet most sweet efficacy of the Almighty Spirit Psa 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power or as some render it in the day of thy Armies 't is therefore called a Regeneration In die Copiarum So M. Ainsworth a begetting a soul again 't is a new Creation 't is a Vivification or quickning a man before dead in sins and trespasses not languishing and declining but in a moral sense stark dead nay 't is a Resurrection a rising out of the grave of sin and death All these works of wonder or rather this one mysterious work of Sanctification illustrated by these Metaphors bespeaks no less than the Almighty power of a God Phil. 3.21 who is able to subdue all things to himself 1. 'T is a Regeneration or a begetting again 1 Pet. 1.3 Jam. 1.18 2. 'T is a Creation Ephes 2.10 We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus to good works 2 Cor. 5.17 He that is in Christ is a new creature Behold saith Christ I make all things new 3. 'T is a vivification or quickning Eph. 2.1 You hath he quickned who were dead in sins and trespasses A natural man is both legally and morally dead till the Spirit of Life breaths upon him and quickens him Joh. 5.25 That promise is still in fulfilling now that the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live 4. 'T is a Resurrection Col. 3.1 If ye then be risen with Christ seek the things that are above yea 't is more a kind of con-session or sitting together with Christ Eph. 2.6 And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus If we live to God we l ve the life of heaven Now to regenerate to create to make all things new to revive a man dead to raise up a man out of the grave as Lazarus both dead and buried all these are the Acts of Omnipotency the works of a God and all those works are done in this one work by the invincible efficiency of the Spirit 6. The word and faith are the Ministring and Instrumental causes of our Sanctification The Spirit is called the Spirit of Faith Aristotle calls the hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the instrument of instruments Faith being the gift of God and wrought by the operation of the Spirit unites the soul to Christ the Fountain of Holiness and Head of Influence and having united the soul to him continually receives supplies from him 'T is the hand of the soul that useful instrument whereby we apprehend Christ and whereby we draw down vertue from Christ Hence as an Organ or Instrument it is said to purifie Acts 15.9 Having purified their hearts by faith As Faith hath the Noblest Objects so Faith for its use and office here is the Noblest grace Faith indeed infused and created in us by the Spirit See Dr. Owens death of death p. 126. Simile is commonly called the Mother grace and is it self formally a great part of our sanctification As the woman sick of the Bloody Issue put forth her hand and touching the Hem of Christs garment drew vertue from him and was healed So that soul to whom Christ hath given the hand of Faith doth put it forth make application of the Merits and mediation of Jesus Christ for his Purification and doth in truth draw in vertue by that application 1 Joh. 3.3 He that hath
this hope doth purifie himself even as he is pure Faith exerts the office of all the senses and if all the members 't is the eye the hand the mouth the foot of the Soul c. as might be proved easily if I should exspatiate As Christ is all in all to the soul in the sanctification of it so Fai h of all graces is all in all in the out-going of the soul to Christ and in the Incomes of grace from him 2. As Faith is the Instrumental Causa Administra Evangelium est medium ceâ— instrumentum quo Spiritus sanctus efficaciam suam exerit fidem conversionem operatur Syntag Polan so the Word is the ministring cause or medium of sanctification Psa 19.7 The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul the Law in all its Exhortations Commands Consolations Prohibitions Comminations and Promises is a perfect Law serving as a perfect means for conversion But the Promissory and Consolatory part â—h reof is pâ—incipally more purifying Having these promises let us cleanse our selves c. 2 Cor. 7.1 2 Pet. 1.4 The Gospel or Law of Faith is vehiculum spiritus the Chariot in which the spirit rides to give your souls a gracious visit Gal. 3.2 Received ye the spirit by the works of the Law Fides quae creditur He that makes the Clouds his Chariots makâ—s also his Word his Ordinances and his Ministers his Chariots wherein he â—â—des down into these lower parts to give the world a meeting Mr. Alâ—ens Heaven Opened p. 172. or by the hearing of faith i. e. by the hearing of the Gospel which is the doctrine of faith The sanctifying spirit accompanying the holy Word then the Word is sanctifying Joh. 17.17 Sanctifie them by thy truth thy Word is truth When the Gospel is spoken and heard in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit and of Power then is the Arm of the Lord revealed Isa 53.1 then the Word of God works and grows mightily for sanctification and salvation then the blind eyes are opened then are the captives released then are the dead raised then are the lepers cleansed then are the devils dispossessed then are filthy souls washed unholy souls sanctified 7. Causa Exemplaris The Exemplar or Pattern to which our Sanctification in the two parts of it viz. our mortification and vivification is conformable is the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ by vertue of the force and energy whereof through the operation and application of the spirit of faith our sanctification is effected The Apostle Paul holds forth a clear Analogy or proportion between our dying to sin and Christs dying for sin and between our newness of life or vivification and Christs Resurrection Rom. 6.4 5 6 7 8. where ye may see at large the parallel between them And the Apostle Peter tells us We are begotten again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 8ly and lastly The glory of Gods Grace in the Consecration and Salvation of a sinful creature is the supreme end or final cause of our Sanctification there is a mutual intimate coherence and relation of these three to oâ—e another 1. The glory of Gods Grace is the Supreme end as of our Election in Christ so of our Sanctification by him All the Acts of Gods love in Christ whether immanent or transient they are all for the praise of the glory of his grace both in this and in the other world Eph. 1.4.6 And specifically Sanctification hath a direct tendency unto and termination in the glory of God When we keep our bodies and spirits chaste and holy we are then said to glorifie God 1 Cor. 6.20 Glorifie God in your bodies and in your spirits which are Gods 2. Consecration This is finis qui the end for which quoad nos we are sanctified and necessary necessitate medii to our Salvation Jam. 1.18 We are begotten by the Will of God that we might be a kind of the first fruits of his creatures that is as Beza Polanus and others observe that we might be consecrated and devoted to the Lord separated from the common lump of mankind as an holy offering at the first fruits under the Law were presented to the Lord as an holy Offering as the Lords own portion 3. Salvation This is our ultimate end the Apostle Peter acquaints us 1 Pet. 1.3 We are begotten again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ c. What is that lively hope we are begotten and born to in Regeneration he tells ye in ver 4. Even to an inheritance incorruptible undâ—filed that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you This incomparable Inheritance See Dr. Owens Death of Death p. 119 120 121 122 c. dignified with all these transcendent Epithets is comprehended in one word Salvation 2 Thes 2.13 14. God hath from the beginning chosen us to Salvation that is the end through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth that is the way and means Thus having cleared our way now we come to the plain and full definition of Sanctification Sanctification in the sense of the Text and of this Tract is a new inward habitual frame of grace infused by the power of the Eternal Spirit into the heart of a justified person united to Christ whereby he is renewed after the Image of Christ in knowledge righteousness and true holiness and thereby enabled to die to sin and to live to God for the praise of Gods glorious grace in his Consecration and Salvation This definition is the sum of the former discourse every part and branch of this description hath been already proved in the aforegoing particulars therefore I shall not actum agere do over the same things again only give me leave to acquaint you Holiness is not any single grace alone but a Constellations conjunction of all graces together in the Soul our Sanctification or Inherent Holiness consists in these two things 1. In the infusing of holy principles divine qualities or supernatural graces into the soul such as the Apostle mentions in Gal. 5.22 23. But the fruit of the spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance against such there is no Law These habits of grace which are severally distinguished by the names of faith love hope meekness patience temperance c. are nothing else but the new nature the new creature the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Ephes 4.24 1 Joh. 3.9 2 Cor. 1.21 1 Joh. 2.27 These seeds of holiness these habits of grace are those sweet oyntments wherewith all must be annointed that ever expect to be glorified Though men may talk much of God and brag much of their Interest in heaven and happiness yet without these habits and seeds of holiness I am sure they shall never reap a crop of blessedness 2. Holiness lies in the use and lively exercise of those
end Vita est in se reflexio and in ordering all things to this blessed end this is the excellency of the life of God and a Saint through grace lives this life he propounds God to be his chiefest good and the glory of God as the utmost end of all his actings and the w ll of God revealed in the Word he makes his Rule and drives on all his designs to this end And this is the excellency of the life of Sanctification which a Saint in his measure lives he acts from right principles by a right line to a right end the perfection of which life the blessed spirits live in heaven 7. Sanctification or holiness is the Nature of God 2 Pet. 1.4 we are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partakers or Communicants of the Divine Nature a very high expression This place I have already opened and cleared it of absurdities By Divine Nature in a word is meant the Divine qualities c. Grace is nothing else but the reflexion or the sparkling forth of the Divine Nature that is in God himself 't is a ray from his glory a beam from his Sun every Saint is a Diamond of Christs own pointing shining with light and lustre in some measure like himself One spark of this Divine Nature is of greater worth and value than rubies than the Topaz of Ethiopia in a word than all the treasures of the earth nil to be compared to it 8. Sanctification is the Glory of God in the soul of man which is higher yet than all the former 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deficiuntur Rom. 3.23 all have sinned and are come short of the glory of God i. e. of the glorious estate of holiness in which we were created and also of the glorious estate of happiness Adam was planted in a glorious place Paradise adorned with a glorious Ornament viz. holiness the Image and Glory of God but through sin he fel from both Now holiness the glory of man and the glory of God as to man lieth in the dust but when in sanctification the Image of God is renewed in and restored to the soul the glory of God and man returns again Holiness is Gods great Title of Honour Exod. 15.11 Who is like unto thee among the Gods glorious in holiness c. God is said in Scripture to be rich in mercy plenteous in redemption Eph. 2.4 Psa 130.7 Psa 147.5 Exod 15.11 great in power infinite in understanding but glorious in holiness 'T is the glory of all his works Psal 145.17 The Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works his holiness shines forth in all his Providences 'T is the glory of all his Attributes his blessed Attributes are as it were enamelled with holiness else his Soveraignty would look like Tyranny else his patience would look like indulgence of sin else his Justice would look like cruelty else his special distinguishing mercy would look like respecting of persons or partiality All the Attributes of God run in the Channel of his holiness and partake of its tincture This glorious Attribute is the ground of the Songs of praise which are sung to his glory by the Seraphins Isa 6.2 3. Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole earth is full of his glory which is repeated Rev. 4.8 Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come Why is Gods day honourable but that 't is holy Why is Christs Spouse beautiful but that she is holy Why are the Angels of God such glorious creatures but that they are holy take away holiness and they would soon turn devils of darkness As sin is the basest filth dishonor and shame so è contrario holiness is the highest honour the greatest glory in or upon any rational soul Upon all these considerations how glorious is Holiness But to proceed 9. Sanctification exalts a Saint above his Neighbour it lifâ—s him up above the Sphere and Region of other men Prov. 12.26 The righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour Perhaps a Saint is a poâ—r mean man in the world and his Neighbour a rich man a great man a Knight or Lord worth several hundreds or thâ—usands a year but yâ—t the righteous a person vested with the righteousness of Sanctification is far more excellent in the esteem of God than the graceless great ones of the earth for all their Lands and Lordships for all their their Noble Parâ—ntage for all their Eschutcheons Ensigns Psa 16.3 and Titles of Honour the Saints are the excellent in the earth The Saints in regard of Sa ntship are Gods peculiar treasure his choice Jewels Mal. 3.17 all others God reckons but as Luggage and Lumber The vast difference between man and man lies in this one in all his glory is but a branch of the old stock and hath but the Image of the earthly but the other is transplanted into a new stock the tree of life 1 Cor. 15.49 and hath the Image of the heavenly engraven in his soul 10. Sanctification must needs be excellent because 't is one great end and precious attainment of the death of Christ Tit. 2.14 Christ gave himself for us not only to redeem us but also to purifie us Again Christ came into the world and was incarnate not only to save us from our enemies and from the hands of all that hate us wh ch implies Redemption but also that we miâ—hâ— serve him without fear in holiness and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life and this takes in Saâ—ctifiâ—â—â—â—on Further the Apostle John tels us that for this purpose the Sâ—n of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appeared that he might uâ—loose or dissolve the works of the Devil 1 Joh. 3.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dissolvere opera Diaboli Montan See the Dutch Annot on the place What are these works of the Devil which Christ came tâ— dissolve they are lusts and sins Christ dissolves these works two wayes 1. By suffering the punishment of them in his own person Heb 2.14.15 2. By regenerating his people by his Spirit and thereby delivering them from the dominion and slavery of sin The Apostle Paul tels us that Christ gave himself for his Church that he might sanctifie it and present it a glorious Chuâ—ch without spot or wrinkle c. Ephes 5.25 26. And without controversie Sanctification is as honourable and glorious Attainment Hâ—b 12.14 as any of the Benefits that accrue to the Saints by the death of Christ for in short there is no seeing â—he Face of God without it without holinesse no man shall see the Lord. 11. The excellency of Sanctification consists in this in that it is a principle of union and communion with God 1 Joh. 1.3 None but the sanctified in Christ â—esus câ—n have fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ Whilst a person is prophane unsanctified what communion can be between
serve for Tryals of your estate What are the precious Fruits that grow upon this Tree of Sanctification You may also call them the inseparable Concomitants and Adjuncts of Sanctification if you please 1. If you have received the spirit of Sanctification ye have also received the spirit of Supplication Zech. 12.10 The Spirit is entitled both the spirit of Grace and the spirit of Supplication where he is the former there he is the other also where he dwels as the spirit of holinesse there he dwels as the spirit of prayer Every sanctified heart is an Harp or Cymbal to sound forth Gods praises an habitation of God through the Spirit Ephes 2. ult and the Temple of the Holy Ghost The Temple of old was an holy place a place of relative and Typical holiness and an house of Prayer Every gracious heart like Gods Altar offers up to God the sweet sacrifice and incense of praises and Prayers Every new-born Babe for the most part comes into the world crying The word Abba signifieth Fa her in the Syriack tongue which the Apostle here reteineth which also young Children retein almost in all Languages Annotat. I am sure every spiritual new-born Babe cryes Abba Father Rom. 8.15 Gal. 4.6 And because ye are sons God hath sent the spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Now if ye are Prayer-less persons ye are graceless persons persons without Prayer 'T was the saying of an old Disciple A man of much prayer is a man of much Grace are persons without Holiness or though ye pray yet if ye pray not in the Spirit according to the caution Ephes 6.18 i. e. in Faith in fervency with the vigor and intension of the Spirit or inner-man if it be not Jam. 5.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If ye have no Communion ravishing have yee Communion sanctifying an inwrought prayer as the phrase is if yee wrestle not with God in the strength of God as Jacob did if ye have no holy boldness or Confidence at Gods Throne if ye never feel the sweet melting quickening warming moving breathings of the Spirit in your souls In a word if ye find no growing conformity in your hearts to the divine Nature by Duty no sweet sanctifying refreshing communion with God in Duty 't is an evident sign to me the Spirit of holiness dwels not in yee and consequently if ye have not the spirit of Christ ye are none of his Rom. 8.9 But as for such as pray in the Spirit as make conscience of this Duty and of the spiritual performance of it and find the rellish of God and Heaven in private prayer 't is one happy sign and symptome of their translation from death to life from a state of Nature to a state of Grace There are diversities of Gifts but the same Spirit 1 Cor. 1â— 4 Secondly If the spirit of Sanctification dwels in thee the same Spirit as a spirit of Illumination dwels in thee If Jesus Christ be thy sanctification he is thy wisdome also as thy holiness to sanctifie thee so thy wisdome to instruct thee It is the godly or holy man that feels the vertue and influence of that blessed Promise I will instruct then and teach thee in the way that thou shouldst go I will guide thee by mine eye Psalm 32.6 8. verses compared together That Text is famous for this purpose * Non acumine proprii sensus rectè sâ—pere homines sed illuminatione Spiritus Buling in loc What Unction is per unctionem Gratiam So. S. intelligit Beza in loc 1 Joh. 2.20 Ye have received an Unction from the Holy One and ye know all things By this Unction or annointing is meant the gracious operation of the holy Spiriâ— whereby they that are regenerate or sanctified are also enlightened with the saving Knowledge of Christ This is compared to the pâ—uring out of costly Ointment Psalm 45.8 and 137.2 Unction properly signifies the separation and consecration of a person to the Lord tog ther with the gifts of Wisdome Knowledge Faith Love c. Wherefore it must follow that a person annointed consecrated unto God is also illuminated by God if his person be sanctified his eyes are opened annointed with Eye-salve if annoâ—nted with Grace then instructed in Knowledge 2 Cor. 1.21 Rev. 3.18 if a V ssel full of Grace then a Vessel full of oyl a burning lamp and shining light For in Vnction sanctification and illumination are both together inseparably and indivisibly as light and heat in the Sun-beams The holy oyl of Grace casts a sweet perfume and splendid light in the hearts and lives of the annointed By vertue of this Unction Darkness is now in a great measure scattered and the man is made light in the Lord Ephes 5.8 An enlightned soul admires how foolish he was and ignorant even bruitish in his knowledge before Conversion he neither knew God nor himself he neither knew his present danger nor his future misery he neither saw sin as a vicious or as a Penal evil neither the evil in it nor the evil after it but went on like a Fool to the stocks like an Oxe to the slaughter and ran like a mad man toward the Gulf of Ruine Before sanctâ—fication he neither saw his want of Christ nor knew the worth of Christ The glory of Christs Person the beauty of his wayes the merits of his Blood the benefits of his Offices the comforts of his Spirit the sweetness of his Fellowship the savour of his Ointments the blessings of his Kingdome All these before Conversion were hid from his eyes for the God of this world had blinded him 2 Cor. 4.4 Besides the natural Veil of darkness he brought into the world with him he is blinded by another viz. a diabolical but in and by Conversion comes in illumination in turning from Satan to God his eyes are opened and his understanding turns from darknesse to light Acts 26.18 Now the eyes of his understanding being enlightned by the spirit of Wisdome and Revelation Ephes 1.17 18. He comes to know what is the hope of his Calling and the riches of the glory of his Inheritance in the Saints Every word is a word of weight 1 John 5.20 Phil. 1.9 10. he hath now a visive faculty an understanding given him to know things that are excellent he hath now a new spiritual clear affectionate knowledge of and a more distinct piercing knowledge in the Mysteries of the Gospel than ever he had before An enlightned head and a sanctified heart go both together This is the second effect or rather sweet Concomitant of Sanctification viz. Illumination 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est eandem fidem ex ejusdem spiritus afflâ—tu dono Beza 3. The third Effect or rather Concomitant or Adjunct of our Sanctification is Faith hee that hath the spirit of Holiness hath also the spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 wee having the same spirit of Faith the spirit of
your blessed Saviour in the armes of Faith vail your souls to him close with him cling and cleave to him glory and rejoice in him draw down vertue daily from him lay all your wants upon him the oftner you come to him the more welcome and the suller and richer you shal go from him As God hath made him your All in All Joh. 1.16 so believe in him and make use of him as your All in All. Now is this precious faith this faith unfeigned this faith of Gods Elect wrought in your souls yea or not Know assuredly if you are sanctified in Christ Jesus if you are Gods workmanship created in Christ Jesus c. Ephes 2.10 This precious grace is wrought in you called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the work of God * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 6.29 This is the work of God that you believe in him whom he hath sent Where this precious Faith is 't is alwayes found with these precious principal properties or vital operations 1. It Animates 2. It Purifies 3. It Fructifies 4. It Pacifies 5. It Operates 6. Amplifies 7. It Corroborates 8. It Exhilarates 1. Faith Animates enlivens and quickens the soul of man it is such a principle of spiritual Life that a Believer doth not so much live as Christ by faith lives in him The spirit of Faith I am certain if not faith it self which of all graces leads the Chorum is the forma informans whereby a man before both legally and morally dead is now enlivened and lives to God Gal. 2.20 Hab. 2.4 Rom. 1.17 Heb. 10.38 Our whole life here is a life of Faith our life hereafter is a life of Vision or Sight here we walk by faith and not by sight 2 Cor. 5.7 How sweet and heavenly is that Life which is derived from and maintained by the life of Christ himself 2. Faith purifies where there is life there is motion where faith is there is purification A Believer having a vital principle like a living Fountain labours to work out the mud of sin to cleanse and purge it self from inward filthinesse so as not to approve it allow it or mingle with it Acts 15.9 having purified their hearts by faith as sicknesse is poyson to the blood and spirits so is sin to the soul now as all the spirits in their natural motions tend to self-preservation so the spirit of faith or the spirit by faith musters together and stirs up all the powers of the Inner-man for self-purification without purification there can be no preservation and Faith is the principal grace that purifies 3. Faith fructifies a living faith is a working a fructifying or a fruit-bearing faith as the Apostle James demonstrates James 2.14 to the end They that are purified by faith in the blood of Christ are zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 How many Believers at large are there that look green and fair and make a brave flourish afar off but come near them and well observe them view their hearts and their lives or their hearts by their lives and works and you shall finde them like the barren Fig-tree which Jesus saw full of leaves but without fruit to relieve him in his hunger the Curse of barrenness will strike to the hearts of such Professors as it did to the heart of that Fig-tree Psal 36.9 Jer. 2.13 Joh. 15.1 Rev. 23.2 By Faith we have Union with Christ the fountain of Life the fountain of living waters the True Vine and Tree of Life that grows in the midst of the Paradise of God All these Metaphors bespeak abundant fruitfulness and that of the choicest fruit The grapes of Canaan the graces of the Spirit the works of Righteousness and Acts of charity and mercy to the praise and glory of God by Jesus Christ In a word have you faith in Christ Jesus and hope in Heaven why then yee bring forth fruit as they do all the world over that have recieved the grace of God in truth Consider well 1 Col. 4.5 6. 4. Faith pacifies as well as fructifies as it fructifies a barren Desart and makes the wilderness and solitary place to blossom as the Rose as Lebanon Psa 35.1 2 Sharon and Carmel so it pacifies a troubled Conscience it stils the rage and surges of this Sea As once Christ said to the Winds and Waves so faith in the name and power of Christ speaks to the perplexed soul peace and bee still and there is a great calm Christians would live more the life of peace if they lived more the life of Faith the more of faith the less of â—ervile fear being justified by faith we have peace with God c. Rom. 5.1 Phil. 4.7 And this peace of God passeth all understanding When the Clouds of Temptation and the winds and waves of passion are up a few thoughts of Faith will quiet all as Dr. Tho. Goodwin in his Vanity of Thoughts a worthy Man observes There is no peace saith my God to the wicked Isa 57.21 but a true Believer hath peace with God through Jesus Christ the Prince of peace he hath peace in Heaven and peace on Earth peace with God and peace with his own conscience for the Kingdome of God is righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 5. Faith operates it acts and works by love Gal. 5.6 for in Jesus Christ neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision Magnes amoris amor but faith which worketh by love Faith worketh love wee love God when by faith wee apprehend that God loveth us first 1 John 4.19 we love him because hee first loved us and as faith works love so it works by love Faith is the great Wheel the principal Grace that animates actuates moves influences love patience zeal and every other grace that sets all other wheels a going that quickens and strengthens all other graces in their proper respective motions and operations The words of Dr. Bates in his Sermon upon Heb. 11.6 In the 11 Chapter to the Hebrews Faith is represented as the principle of Obedience conveying vigor and strength to other graces whereby they become operative to several ends and Objects Hence those Acts which immediately spring from other graces as their proper stock are attributed to faith that being the principle of their heavenly working in this respect as the success of an Army redounds to the Generals Honor so the victory which is effected by other Christian qualities is here ascribed to Faith which animates them and leads them forth as their chief Captain 6. Faith Amplifies dilates enlargeth the heart to run the wayes of Gods Commandments 1 John 5.1 and 3. verses compared together whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God c. vers 1. For this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments c. verse 3. Faith is the ground of Love and Love the Author of Obedience holy obedience is the daughter of a lively Faith
special effect and evidence of thy spiritual Circumcision or Sanctification In Sanctification as the understanding is enlightned to know God so the will and affections are renewed changed rightly ordered and enclined to love God as his chiefest good and as his utmost End Corn and Wine and Oyl and all the world is then counted nothing to the light of Gods countenance Psalm 4.6 7. Caâ—t 5. â—0 All other Beloveds are no body to Jesus Christ the chiefest of ten thousands A sanctified soul exactly viewing and well weighing the glittering pomp and splendor of this world all natural and moral excellencies on the one hand and Jesus Christ on the other cryes out with the Martyr Lambert Foxes Acti and Monuments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propter eminentiam cognitionis Christi Iesu Mont. None but Christ none but Christ Counts all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dogs-meat garbage to the excellency of the Knowledge of Jesus Christ Phil. 3.8 A Christian loves himself his Relations and worldly comforts with a common love but God and Jesus Christ with a special love He loves his temporal Enjoiments secondarily and subordinately but he loves God and Christ primarily intensively and superlatively yea so highly intensive is his love to God his Father to Christ his Saviour to the holy Spirit his souls Comforter to Heaven and heavenly things his only Treasure that his love to other things comparatively may be called an Hatred i. e. a much inferiour a far more remiss love See Luke 14.26 more distinctly First Amore dâ—sideris A sanctified heart loves God with a love of desire The strength of the heart goeth out in love this is called the breathing thirsting and panting of the heart after God Psalm 42.1 2. The soul that loves God above all things desires God above all things both intensivè with the greatest vigor and Adequatè as its Adequate and compleat Object Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee 2. A sanctified heart loves God with a love of Union Amore unionis as the heart of Shechem clave to Dinah Gen. 34.3 So an holy soul cleaves unto God in Christ Barnabas exhorted the Disciples that with purpose of heart they would cleave to the Lord Acts 11.23 As the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David 1 Sam. 1.18 So this Love is as it were a knitting of the soul with God Faith makes a mystical union of Persons Love makes a moral union of affections This is the very essence of Gospel-love Amor non est nisi donum amantis in amatum God bestows himself on us and we freely surrender our selves to God Thirdly A sanctified heart loves God with a love of good will or Benevolence we wish and will Amore Benevolentiae give and ascribe all honour and praise all glory and dominion unto him This is the genuine product of his love in Christ to us as Revel 1.5 6. Vnto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen Lord saith an holy soul Cant 2.16 let all thine be mine and let all mine be thine and let thine be for thy glory let every person and creature and thing in Heaven above and in earth beneath be a shril Trumpet a loud Cymbal to sound forth thy praises Amore complacentiae acquiescentiae Fourthly A sanctified heart loves God with a love of Complacence and Rest Where we love the eye of the soul the mind is fixed with a delightful stay ubi amor ibi oculus the Object dwels in the eye we are still looking where we love Anima pluâ— est ubi amat quà m ubi animat When I awake saith the Psalmist I am still with thee in my contemplations and affections My meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord Psalm 104. 34. Love goeth forth upon the feet of Desire and rests in the bosome of Delight There is an holy acquiescence of the heart in God God saith of his Saints This is my Rest for ever here will I dwell the Saint saith of God Psal 132.14 Psal 116.7 Psal 91 9â— Ephes 2 ult Return to thy rest O my soul A Saint makes God the most High his Habitation and a Saints heart is the Habitation of God through the Spirit Here lyes the sweetness of holiness the marrow and fatness of Religion This World would be a Dungeon and Heaven it self a melancholly shade without the love of God 't is this that makes Heaven and Earth sweet unto the sanctified Heaven would be no Heaven God could not be the joy if he were not the love of Saints Psal 16. ult but there both love and joy shall be full But whilst the Saints are solacing themselves with Heaven and delighting themselves in God other men are following after other Lovers The covetous man makes Mammon his God the voluptuous man makes Pleasure his God the Ambitious man makes Honour his God the Formalist and Hypocrite makes Common grace self-righteousness a bare profession or the meer externals of Devotion his God and Saviour because every one of these make some of these their only Treasure and Happiness They dote upon them addict themselves to them trust to them and in them and love them more than God But a Saint that knows God makes Jehovah his God he hath but one the living and true God to honour love Psal 36.9 Psal 87.7 Col. 3.3 and serve who is the fountain of his life and blessedness in whom all his springs are in whom with Jesus Christ all his Comforts live and from whom by Jesus Christ all his felicity is conveyed to make him happy in both worlds The new creature hath a new heart according to that full and free Promise Ezek. 36.26 A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you which new heart I take to bee the Genus of all the following graces And where there is this new heart there will bee new Affections new longings and earnest breathings of soul after God Christ Heaven and Immortality for behold saith Christ I make all things new Rev. 21.5 Love of the Brethren an evidence of Regeneration Secondly As a sanctified person loves his God so also he loves his Brother this is made one great evidence of our happy and new Translation 1 John 3.14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the Brethren he that loveth not his Brother abideth in death Qui diligit fratrem magis novit d lectionem quâ diligit quam fratrem quem diligit Aug de Trinit Many a be-nighted soul I have read and heard upon the plank of this evidence have been kept from sinking down into the Whirl-pool of despair it
hath been a refreshing Cordial to many a doubting Christian upon their Death-beds 1 Joh. 4.7 Every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God and in v. 20. the Apostle draws down a negative inference from the Premises If a man say I love God and hateth his brother he is a lyar for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen That interrogation is a plain Negation if the amiable and visible workmanship of God be not loved 't is impossible the invisible Author of that woâ—kmanship should Query Who are the Brethren intended in this Epistle Answ 1. There are Brethren by Nation Acts 7.23.25 Rom. 9 3. 2. Brethren by Nature descended of the samâ— Parents Matth. 1.2 3. Brethren by Office 2 Pet. 3.15 2 Cor. 1.1 c. 4. Bre hren by Grace and super-natural Relation and so understand the Term here Query How shall we know whether we truly love the Brethren which is so great a sign of our new birth Answ I answer Affirmatively 1. When we love them as such The Brethren for their spiritual brotherhood Christians for their Christianity the Saints for their Sanctification 1 John 5.1 He that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him he that loves the Father loves the Image of the Father in the Childe Hee that loves the Person loves the picture for the Persons sake Grace must be the principal Load-stone of our affection not Beauty birth sweetness of disposition Breeding Learning Wealth Honour or any outward or carnal accomplishments whatsoever Secondly When we love and delight in them above all other people Psalm 16.2 3. David a King cals them the Excellent in whom was all his delight and Christ prefers his spiritual before his own natural Relations Mâ—t. 12.47 48 49 50. 3. When wee love those of the Brotherhood most that are most gracious if grace allures Love Caeteris paribus the more of the former the more of the latter Christ loved all his Disciples John 13.1 but John eminently gracious was eminently beloved wherefore called the beloved Disciple John 21.20 Noscitur ex Comâ—te qui noâ— digno â—itur ex se 4. When we singularly and peculiarly love their society above all other I am said David a Companion to all them that fear thee The sanctified can have no intimate contenting fellowship with the unholy Psalm 26.4 5. I have not sate with vain persons c. I have hated the Congregation of evil doers and will not sit with the wicked Again Psalm 15.4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. This is one Character of an Inhabitant in Gods holy Hill 5. When we are willing in some cases to lay down our lives for the Brethren A Christian is bound not only to lay down his life for Christ and for his Gospel when God cals him to it but also in some special Cases for the Brother-hood * Significat in eo â—â—obari nostram charitatem si amorem nostri in fratres transferimus ita ut sui quisque quodammodo oblitus aliis Câ—nsulat Calv. in loc 1 John 3.16 Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us and wee ought to lay down our lives for the Brethren If our love to the Brethren be singular and to the life as Christs was to us we shal lay down our lives for them 't is not a common or cold love of the Brethren that evinceth your Regeneration every new born babe doth with John desire to decrease so that Christ Mystical may encrease that the Kingdome of Christ be enlarged the generation of the Righteous multiplied amplified and preserved though it be that in the promoting of it he himself his Honour his Name his Liâ—e must lie in the dust of Death To these things I have spoken more fully from another Subject I pass on to the fifth particular 5. A sanctified or regenerate person overcomes the world 1 John 5.4 Hee that is born of God overcometh the world 1. Here we have two Adversaries the Regenerate and the World Secondly the Victor 1. The regenerate who are chiefly defensive as the whole Armor of God is chiefly defensive Ephes 6.14 to 19. verses 2. The world on the other part principally offensive John 15.18 19 20. Now what is the world 1. Partly the men of the world these lie in wickedness 1 Joh. 5.19 these hate the Saints because they are not of the world but chosen out of the world by Christ John 19.19 1. By the world understand wicked worldlings with their persecutions of the Saints 2. Partly the lusts of the world So Calv. Zanch in loc in Charms and Aâ—lurements 1 John 2.16 the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life i. e all the delights pleasures and Contentments which the flesh or body desires Thus the world with all its oppositions and insinuations frowns and flatteries sets upon the Saints Secondly The Victor he that is born of God overcometh the world he carrieth away the Conquest Whilst the Saints are in the world h ey are in an estate militant there is carried on a spiritual War between two Antagonists viz the Spirit of Regeneration in the Saints and the Spirit of the World with all his worldly lusts and allurements which Syren songs do draw in and drown which Cups of fornication do choak and poyson millions in the world Now hee that is born of God by the spirit of faith dwelling in him both as the Forma informans forma Assistens is empowred to subdue corruptions within and to vanquish temptations from without so that by partaking of the divine Nature he escapes the pollutions that is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1.4 as the Apostle speaks A sanctified man hath in him the spirit of sanctity and a spirit of magnanimity indeed his sanctity is his Magnanimity which makes him so high that the world cannot master him Inimicos dei jam hoc ipso quod non cessimus vicimus Cyprian and so holy that the VVorld cannot in some sence defile him Thus in his measure he keeps himself unspotted from the world James 1. ult by the world is here meant whatsoâ—ver resists the Commands of God Neither the worlds frowns nor favours neither â—s Comminatious nor its Invitations Quicquid mandatis Dei resistit Polan neither the â—ears of the world nor the flatteries of the world can turn a regenerate person from the fâ—ith of Christ nor from obedience to the Gospel nor bring hâ—m unto their Bow In the German Reformation when some perswaded Erasmus to write to Luther to bring him back to Popery or else at leastwise to write against his Doctrine Erasmus answers Luther was too great for him to write to or against A Gracious spirit is too great a spirit for the great Oâ—es of the world to force by power
or to bribe by favour into a base compliance with them against the honour of their God and the conscience of their Duty The Aegyptians were wont to paint their Judges without hands and eyes without hands they must not take bribes without eyes in judgment they must not be partial Thus a godly man that hath made God his portion is hand-lelss and eye-less he is hand-less the world doth not shall not bribe him he is eye-less he beholds none of the worlds Terrors so as to daunt him Thus a sanctified or regenerate person in the strength of Christ overcomes the world 6. A regenerate or sanctified person hath the honour of Sonship Sanctification layes the foundation of our Adoption when we are born again we are born Gods Children we bear the Image of Christ by grace as we have have borne the Image of Adam by nature when we are converted ipso facto we are adopted Regeneration is the root or stock from which and on which this Peer-less and never fading flower Adoption grows When a sinner becomes a Saint at that very moment a childe of wrath is made a son of God a member of the first is made a member of the second Adam a relative change is contemporary with a real Behold ye Saints this priviledge with admiration Behold What manner of love is this 1 Joh. 3.1 that we should be called the sons of God c. When Christ had converted the Paralytick he cals him Son Mat. 9 2. When Christ had converted the Menstruous woman which appears by her faith in touching him and drawing in vertue from him he cals her daughter Mark 5.34 daughter be of good chear c. The new creature hath both the white stone and the new name the white stone of Absolution the new name of Adoption There be some Honours a man can never attain to unless he be born of Nobles or descended of the blood of Princes Fortuitum est nasâ—i a principibus I cannot teach you to be Princes in this sense 't is a rare thing to be born of Princes but sure I am unless ye be born again not of bloods or of the will of maâ— but by the will and of the Spirit of God 1 John 13.3 John 3. ye shall not see the Kingdome of God much less become the sâ—ns of God or Kings and Priests to God Rev. 1 6. and least of all live and reign as Princes and Peers of state in Glory Now every sanctified soul to his great Comfort may draw up this Syllogisme He that hath the disposition and the Affections and doth the work of a childe of God is a childe of God But I have the disposition and the Affections and do the work of a childe of God Therefore I am a child of God If ye are right in the Assumption ye are thrice happy in the Conclusion 7th Eff ct of Sanctification Holinesse brings the soul to its right frame and Temper Psalm 23.3 He restoreth my soul c. Sanctification is the souls restauration not only to joy and comfort but also to its former soundness health and vigour which was impaired by the fall The health of the Bodie consists in the right and sound constitution of of it when all the members are in their due positure and all the humours in their right temperature then the body is in health so the health of the soul consists in the rectification or right Constitution of all the faculties So Dr. Sybs By the fall they all suffered deordination disorder deformity confusion by Regeneration they are set in joint again renewed rightly ordered and re-inclined to their proper and right objects Grace coming into the soul like Physick taken down into the body works out the peccant humours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heals the soul of its old distempers cleanseth it of its former filthiness and superfluity of naughtinesse repairs nature by restoring to it the divine Nature and so makes the soul hail and healthful in Gods service for indeed none but the vessel of Honour which is sanctified is meet for the Masters use Sin is the souls sickness what sickness is to the body that sin is to the soul Sin is compared to the worst of sicknesses to the plague of the heart the noysome pestilence the running Leprosie A sick person cannot walk nor work with comfort nor rellish the sweetness of meat and drink nor enjoy himself in any of his enjoyments Wherefore health is counted the greatest temporal blessing far greater than wealth honour beauty c. Now sin being a spiritual distemper like a disease Physicians call a Corruption of the whole substance of animals vitals Corruptio totius substantiae naturals an unholy sinner cannot walk in Heavens way nor work the works of God nor savour the things of the Spirit nor rellish the sweetness of Communion with God nor the pleasures of Piety his spirit is corrupted this internal Palate and appetite are vitiated the whole man is quite out of frame and order he loves like a Swine to rowt in the dung and filth and cannot delight in God nor in his holy Law Things that are in themselves most excellent the great and glorious Mysteries of the Gospel he looks upon as things contemptible and vile but sin in in its lusts and acts viler than the vilest filth he lives in as his Element and counts his greatest pleasure and Glory Phil. 3.11 19. he glories in his shame O Lord how sadly is man fallen But in sanctification the man is quite altered the minde is informed the will is reformed the affections are rightly ordered the conscience is purged the Inner-man is recovered to its right temper yea the members of the body which before were weapons of unrighteousness are now made sub-servient to the Spirits Dictates And the whole man body soul and spirit being sanctified Membra sunt Arma is now made ready for every good work to which before sanctification it was altogether reprobate Beloved Friends are your souls thus well and healthy are they recovered to their right temper are ye sound in the faith are ye sincere at heart is the habitual frame of your hearts right with God and for God or not deal impartially with your own souls 'T is true a man that is generally lively and healthy may now and then by accident get colds and surfets have fits of weakness and for some time labour under some infirmities but a strong Constitution will rub along wear off and cast out the disease at last so an holy a spiritually healthy man through humane frailty and strong temptation may for a time decay in grace yea languish very much hee may get cold his love to God his zeal for God may chil and cool his faith may weaken his hope may almost fail his patience may tire c. And through the immoderate cares of this liâ—e and inordinate affection to the Creature he may get a
precious life to spill his precious blood for you Gal. 2.20 Christ by the merit of his blood the price of your Sanctification hath impetrated and obtained of the Father the holy Spirit with all the gifts and graces of the same for your sanctification and salvation see John 16.7 13. John 14.16 17. 3. Consider the infinite power and efficacy of the Spirit The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead called the Spirit of Holiness Rom. 1.4 quickens the Saints to a new life and dwelleth in them Rom. 8.11 This new life of holiness which is in Christ Jesus is by the Spirit of life imparted to you Rom. 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. 2 hath made me free from the law of sin and death Holiness in us is the fruit of Christs Purchase the product of his merit the sprinkling of his Unction a parcel of his Fulness and a measure of his Spirit we have as great need of his Spirit to sanctifie us as of his blood to justifie us yea the Eternal Spirit was indispensibly needful to sanctifie and dignifie the blessed Sacrifice of Christs Humane Nature upon the Cross or else I must profess my Ignorance of that Text Heb. 9.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Supe eminens magnitudo virtutis ejus So Montanus 'T is not only the power but the exceeding greatness of the Spirits power to raise up a person morally dead to an estate of newness of life 't is a work proportionate to that power God wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the Heavenly places Eph. 1.19 20. Notwithstanding the Fathers Eâ—ection and the Sons Redemption yet without the Spirits Efficacy we had all at this day lain rotting â—ike stinking Carrion in the Grave of sin and death Gods Mercy Christs Merit and the â—pirits efficacy It is very observable that all the three Persons challenge an equal share in the working of holiness in the creature it being such a part of Gods Gâ—orie Mr. Burroughs Saints Treasury p. 16. must have their distinct glory The Father is said to sanctifie the Son to Sanctifie the Spirit to sanctifie but with their distinct Idioms or Characters our sanctification is from the Father in the Son and by the Spirit the Inchoation is from the Father he is the prime â—â—iâ—inal the Dispensation is by the Son he is the way of Communication the Application and Consummation is by the Spirit he receives of the Father and the Son and shows it unto us that is he works grace or holiness in us Thus all the persons work jointly and yet distinctly the love of the Father makes way for the Mediatorship of the Son and the Mediatorship of the Son for the Office of the Spirit The Sanctification of the Spir t is as necessary as the blood of Jesus you may see 1 Pet. 1.2 how all the persons have their distinct operations Communion with the Spirit is as sweet and choice a priviledge as the Grace of our Lord Jesus or the Love of God the Father 2 Cor. 13.14 Thus sanctifie the Name of God give Glory to the Father Son and Spirit to the Triuni Deo the three one God three in Persons one in Essence and Nature for your Sanctification Iâ— Jesus Christ be made of God Sanctification Use 2 to us the Procuring Meritorious and Moral cause of our Sanctification then primarily and principally let your thoughts ascend to God the Father as the supreme original of your Sanctification let not your thoughts stop or stay till they center in him 'T is the Father who of his own will hath begotten us by the Word of Truth Jam. 1.18 't is God the Father of our Lord Jesus who of his aboundant Mercy hath begotten us again c. 1 Pet. 1.3 Therefore we ought to bless and exalt his aboundant Mercy as the Apostle doth 'T is the Father the Heavenly Husbandman that purgeth the Branches John 15.1 2. that they might bring forth fruit As we ought to believe in Christ the Mediatour so in God as the first Fountain and Authour of Grace and as the ultimate end of our happiness 1. As the Fountain of all Grace John 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave c. Ephes 2.4 5. God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us when we were dead in sins Ephes 2.4 5. Rom. 4.24 hath quickened us together with Christ We must believe in him that raised our Lord Jesus from the dead He that believeth in me So Dr. M â—ton Expounds it in his Commentary on Jude believeth not in me but in him that sent me there not is not negative but corrective not only in me but his thoughts must ascend to the Father also who manifests himself in me for God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself c. 2 Cor. 5.19 2. You must believe in God as the ultimate end of your happiness Christ suffered for sins 1 Pet. 3.18 the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God When the Mediatour brings the Soul into peace with God by Justification and into the likeness and fellowship of God by Sanctification he hath attained the utmost end of his Mediatourship and the Soul hath attained its chiefest good and utmost happiness therefore is it said that the Saints by Christ do believe in God 1 Pet. 1.21 c. I would not wittingly or willingly speak a word for a world to detract any thing from the honour of my blessed Saviour or from the glory of the sacred Comforter but to rectifie your understandings and to heighten your apprehensions of the Fathers love because many Christians carry all things in the Name of Christ and of the Spirit being more apprehensive of the Sons love and of the Spirit 's grace than of the Fathers aboundant mercy Give me therefore leave to subjoin these four weighty Reasons Reas 1. Because all grace begins with the Father he is the first in order of Being and the first in order of Working the Fountain of the Trinity as we may conceive 't is the Father that floweth out to us in Christ by the Spirit he is the Father of lights Jam. 1.17 And the Text tells ye we are of God in Christ Jesus 't is true Christ as the second Person is coequal with the Father in power and glory but Christ as Mediatour must be considered as the Fathers Servant Isa 42.1 as his elect or chosen Instrument Reas 2. Glorifie the Father for whatsoever good Christ hath done for you or in you all is done with respect to the Fathers love and grant 2 Tim. 1.9 Joh. 17.2 God hath saved us according to his own Purpose and Grace given us in Christ Jesus God gave Christ power over all Flesh that he should give eternal life to those God had given him Righteousness Holiness Heaven
and Happiness is the Fathers free Grant or Donative Rev. 19.18 To her it was granted to be covered with fine Linnen the Righteousness of the Saints and fear not little Flock 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdome Luke 12.32 or that Kingdome 'T is very observable that in all Christs expressions of love to us he still expresseth obedience to his Fathers Will there is a double ground of hope as Stella speaks See Stella at large de amore Dei cap. 18. the Son loveth us because the Father requireth it and the Father loveth us because the Son asketh it Reas 3. It is a great support and comfort to a Believer in the act of believing to consider the Love of the Father as well as the Merit of the Son Two are better than one 1 Joh. 2.23 24. 2 Ep. Joh. 9. 't is often made a great priviledge to have both the Father and the Son The Fathers love the Sons Merit severally and apart considered will not yeild that full joy and peace in believing as both conjoyned There 's no coming to God but by Christ for God out of Christ is consuming fire Again Christ separated from the Father doth not yeild so firm a ground of confidence The Fathers Act with the Sons Merit gives us full security Christ and the Father also are a Believers Guardians John 10.28 29 30. a double cord is not broken easily this two-fold custody is the best security The Father is represented as the offended Party by mans sin Conscience quakes and trembles now for a soul to know that God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself and that Christ came from Heaven to do his Fathers Will and that the Father hath made him over to us in all his fulness as wisdome righteousness sanctification and redemption This settles the soul in peace Thou wilt keep him in peace peace so it is in the Hebrew whose minde is stayed on thee Isa 26.3 It pleasâ—d the Father that in him should all fulness dwell peace in perfect peace Isa 26.3 Reas 4. Because in the Fathers love there are many engaging Circumstances not to be found in the other Persons 1. In the Fathers Love and Acts of Grace there is an Original fulness Christs fulness as Mediatour is but drawn out of the Fathers plenty Col. 1.19 2. The fulness of the Son in the dispensing of it is limited by the Fathers will all that Christ dispensed was according to the charge and commandment of the Father Mat. 20.23 To sit on my right-hand left is not mine to give saith Christ save to those for whom it is prepared of my Father Christ as Mediatour was limited by the Fathers Will To what end did God give Christ power over all Flesh but to give eternal life to as many a God had given him to none other Joh. 17.2 Now it is sweet to think that the Father himself loveth us who is first in Order and whose Will is absolute and that he hath laid up an inexhaustible treasure in his Son for us 3. In the Fathers Acts you have the purest and freest apprehensions of love 'T was the Father that began and as we conceive broke the business of our Redemption and that sent his Son into the world to accomplish it The Son as Mediatour can have an higher motive than his own love viz. the Fathers Will but the Father can have no higher motive than his own Love After the Apostle had treated of Election Predestination to Adoption Remission of sins c. Eph. 1.11 12. he concludes all under the Will of God The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the good pleasure of the Fathers Will was the Well-head or Fountain Cause of all those acts of Grace that passed out unto the creature by the personal operations of the Son and Spirit The love of the Father was antecedent to the merit of Christ and to the operation of the Spirit therefore in the Fathers Acts of Grace ye have the apprehensions of the first and freest love you have great reason therefore from Spiritual Scriptural Considerations to glorifie and praise the Father as the original Authour of all your holiness and happiness Thus much for the second Use Use 3 If Jesus be given of God for our Sanctification then we may safely infer that Sanctification is neither an easie nor a common work 1. Sanctification is no easie work God takes it to be his prerogative I am the Lord that sanctifies you Levit. 21.8 Grace is his own proper immediate creature mans Will contributeth nothing to the worke but resistance and rebellion Domine errare per me potui redire non potui Aust Meditat. wherefore God makes the soul willing in the day of his power Psal 110.3 and outward means work not unless the mighty power of the Spirit works with them or else why should the same Word Preached by the same Minister mollifie some and harden others Zech. 13.1 Christ must come from Heaven and open a Fountain in his own side and heart for our purification Heb. 9.14 Nothing but the blood of Christ can purge your Consciences from dead works If any other means had been effectual Christ had never been made of God Sanctification to us 'T is observable Sanctification is not onely expressed by a Creation i. e. Luke 11.21 22. 1 Joh. 4.4 a making of things out of nothing but also by a victory or a powerful overcoming of opposition In Creation as there was nothing to help so there was nothing to resist or hinder but when God comes to sanctifie or convert a soul besides a Death in sin God finds a strength of resistance against Grace Therefore Sanctification is wrought by the power of the Almighty We deserve it not it comes from the Fathers Good-will and Christs Merit and we work it not 't is wrought in us by the power of the Holy Ghost 2. Sanctification is not a common work the making of man at first was not a Common but a special work Gen. 1.26 let us make man after our own likenesse the making of other creatures was by the word of power but the making of man was an act of counsel And sure I am the forming of Christ in the soul the new workmanship created in Christ Jesus Ephes 2.10 to good works is one of the greatest and most glorious works of God farre surpassing the Creation of Heaven and Earth Wherein God shews himself an Artist to the uttermost Sanctification is the decking of the soul with Christs Image a representation of God in his highest Excellency and this is not a common but a special Priviledge a divine Ornament which God bestows on none but upon his choice Favourites a special and peculiar people 1 Pet. 2.9 Let all such that are in some measure sanctified Use 4 or that truely desire to be sanctified wait on God till the work be
suffering and misery but not as a privation of all sin nor as the perfection of Grace and holiness nor as it is the nearest union of the soul with God and the highest fruition of the chiefe good Thus for him to desire or long for Heaven is against the very grain and hair of his spirit altogether inconsistent with and contrary to his old unrenewed nature Now on the contrary the Saints whose eyes are enlighted with the eye-salve and by the prospective of Faith Rev. 3.18 have had a view of this King and Kingdome Isa 33.17 these make a right Scheam or draught of Heaven 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature Gloria quam habebunt conformem Christi corpori incomprehensibilis est Calv. in Phil. 3.21 and their believing hopes of interest in this Kingdome and of communion with this Company that is above do engage them to purification 1 John 3.2 3. He that hopes and longs to see Christ as he is and to be like him both for constitution of soul and temper of body he must ever labour to be holy and he will be trying and practising here on earth to conform to Christ before-hand He that expects that his vile body shall be made like Christs Glorious body 1 in spirituality purity clarity strength splendor and Glory he will possess his Vessel in sanctification and honour hee dares not use his body meerly as a streiner for meats and drinks nor as an unclean channel for lusts to pass through but he will honour it as a Temple of the holy Ghost hâ—s mind that shall see God he will not fiâ—l with chaffe and vanity with worldly cares or unclean â—houghts his affections that should cleave to God intensively and inseparably he will not prostitute to every base object he will labour to keep his garments clean to walk without spot and blamelesse till the coming of the Lord. Thus with respect to the fruition of our hopes and the attainment of our happiness we are engaged and not engaged only but enclined and sweetly constrained also to habitual and actual holiness or as the Apostle excellently phraseth it to cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7 1. and perfect holiliness in the fear of the Lord. Use 7. In the seventh place This point informs us of the excellency of Sanctification or Holiness ye have heard already much of its absolute necessity now something of its transcendent Excellency Holiness is the Name of God the Will of God the Work of God the Seed of God the Nature of God the Image of God the life of God the Glory of God the lustre and splendor of the soul the health and vigour of the soul the soul of man is the Physical Image of God but the holiness of the soul is the Ethical or qualitative image of God 'T is the seed of Glory the beginning of Heaven the first fruits and fore-runners of eternal Life 'T is a known Maxim That which partakes of the nature of the whole Quicquid participat de naturâ totius est pars totius is a part of the whole the filings of Gold are Gold ramenta auri sunt preciosa Grace is very precious true sanctifying saving grace is Glory The holy people are the most precious honourable people in the world Isa 43.4 Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee c. Prov. 12.26 The righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour See how many honourable Titles God doth honour his Saints in Scripture with 1. They are his portion Deut. 32.9 2. They are his pleasant portion Jer. 12.10 3. They are his inheritance Isa 19.25 others are the works of his hands but the Saints are his inheritance 4. They are the dearly beloved of his soul Jer. 12.7 5. They are his Treasure his peculiar treasure Exod. 19.5 and his peculiar people 1 Pet. Segallah et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the same 2.9 Titus 2.14 6. They are the Apple of his Eye Zech. 2.8 whoso toucheth you toucheth the Apple of mine Eye 7. They are his Glory Isa 46.13 8. They are the house of Gods Glory Isa 60.7 9. They are a Crown of Glory Isa 62.3 10. They are the Throne of God Exod. 17.16 the words may be read thus because the hand upon the Throne of the Lord and so by many they are translated 11. The Throne of Glory Jer. 4.21 12. The Ornament of God Exek 7.20 13. The Beauty of his Ornament Exek 7.20 14. The Beauty of his Ornament set in Majesty Ezek. 7.20 15. A Crown of Glory Isa 62.3 16. A Royal Diadem Isa 62.3 17. Lastly The excellent in the Earth Psalm 16.3 the Saints that are in the earth are the excellent in the earth the Jewels of the world you may enlarge in your own Thoughts This then serves to inform the mistaken and blind world that Grace is no disgrace that holiness is no dis-enobling but a most generous princely and glorious thing Brave spirits as the world accounts them think preciseness an inglorious and the power of Godliness a base thing that taketh off from their Grandure and Generosity * Coguntur esse mali nè viles habeantur Salvian Salvian complains that in his time the Great Ones were deter'd from serious holiness because it was Contemptible It was Gentleman-like to be wicked but Peasant or Vassal-like to be Godly whereas the service of God is the noblest and sweetest liberty but the service of sin the vilest slavery Though your jolly spirits think they are the freest men on earth The Apostle nips their Courage with that Cooling-Card 2 Pet. 2.19 While they promise them liberty they themselves are the servants of Corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought in bondage They are the slaves of Satan in the bonds of lust I wish that all Prodigals and presumptuous sinners would seriously mind that Text But my Brethren I trust that ye have otherwise learned Christ If so be ye have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus then ye do put off concerning the former conversation the old man c. ye do put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in sanctitate veritatis vulg or holiness of Truth Ephes 4.22.23 24. I trust the Lord hath given ye an understanding to know things that are excellent and to approve them that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ as the Apostles prays for the Phillippians Phil. 1.9 10. Many excellent Gifts the Father of Lights bestows upon his Children indeed every good and perfect gift comes from him Jam. 1.17 Christ himself is the first Best Gift of God A Gift of Gifts and sanctification in or by Christ Jesus Joh. 1.10 I take to be the next Best
doth upon right Principles 1 John 2.20 Omat bonum fit ex integraÌ„ Causa by a right Rule and to a right End Civil men live plausibly but know not the ground nor end of their Actions Faith in God through Jesus Christ is not the Principle the word of God is not the Rule the Glory of God is not the End of their Actings They neither live to God nor for God not according to his Will revealed in his VVord nor for the honour and glory of his Name Ephes 1.17 18. The Spirit of Wisdome and Revelation hath not enlightned their understanding to see into the mysterie of his Will they do not act out of faith in Christ and pure love to God in what they do 2. Jesus Christ is little prized by civil men Note 2 they are satisfied with their own but do not hunger and thirst after Christs Righteousness The Law is more natural to men than the Gospel men naturally are more for doing than than for believing Therefore legal straines and moral M xims suit more with them than Gospel Doctrines and promises that breed Faith Men naturally desire to be under a Covenant of works because ignorant of the glory of the Covenant of Grace Meer civil men see not the merit of Christs blood they apprehend not the sweetness of his fellowship nor the efficacy of his Spirit but go on smoothly without rub and difficulty whereas to a true Christian Jesus Christ is All in All the Author Heb. 12.2 and maintainer of his life the Alpha and Omega of his happinesse the man doth not live so much as Christ lives in him and every day Gal. 2.20 he seeth an indispensible need of Christ and what abundant cause he hath to bless God for Christ who is made to him wisdome righteousness sanctification and redemption 3. Usually some reigning lust keeps company Note 3 with Civility Civility is but a freer slavery one way or other Satan holds them captive by one fetter of sin or other they are entangled I have observed commonly this sin is Covetousness The young man in the Gospel was a civil honest man a fair Dealer in the world and had kept all those sayings from his youth as to the letter of them but his possessions were a snare unto him at the narrow Bridge of self-denial Matth. 19.22 Christ and his soul parted There is some sweet morsel rolled under the Tongue some delicate Dalilah lying in the Bosome some reigning sin kept with greater allowance from Conscience Commonly this Viper is worldly-mindedness Note 4 4. Civil men take more care about their actions than about their lusts wrath pride concupiscence vain worldly unclean thoughts and affections are digested because the conversation seems to be smooth and fair these crawling Vermine swarm without controul Civilility is all for an outward carriage it minds not the frame of the heart nor the right tempering of the affections But holy Paul complaines of the law in his members and of the motions of lust within him which fall not under the cognizance of the light of Nature Rom. 7.7 23 24 25. the first risings of sin the least rebellion of Nature forbidden in the Tenth Commandment a true Saint is sensible of and deeply humbled for 1 King 6.8 But the affairs of the inward man the workings of the heart are not minded by meer civil men but the eyes of sound Christians like the windows of the Temple are broad inwards they look much within they mourn over the sins of their hearts as well as over the sins of their lives 2. Formality or pretended grace The Apostle speaks of true holiness Ephes 4.24 in opposition to that which is feigned and counterfeit Ye may discover it also by these four Marks 1. False grace is acted from forreign considerations Mark 1 The Hypocrites principles of motion are without him as popular applause carnal respects by-ends just as Puppets that want the natural motion of life within them and are artificially moved by an outward force He may be forma assistens to him but not forma informans in him The Spirit of God may assist an hypocrite in some duties but he is not in him as an informing quickning renewing principle But true Grace in the heart of the sanctified is like a living Fountain naturally bubling up and working towards God and heaven out of his belly shall flow forth Joh. 7.37.38 Rivers of living Waters True Grace hath an inward propensity a natural tendency to comply with the will of God The Law of God is written in his heart he delighteth in the Law in the inner-man Rom. 7.22 This is the peculiar Character of a Saint which no Formalist or hypocrite in the world can do 2. False grace is shy of Gods sight and Mark 2 presence Hypocrites neither can Hypocrita cupit videri justus Hypocrita in verbis sanctus in corde vanus intus Nero foris Cato c. nor do appeal to God for their sincerity nor do they live as in the eye of his Omniscience and Omnipresence but their chiefest care is to blind the world to seem and not to be just he converseth more with men than with God Yet the godly can appeal to God for their sincerity though they tremble at their defects and impurity like Peter John 20.17 He appeals to Christs Omnisciency Lord thou knowest all things and thou knowest that I love thee So holy Job expostulates the case thus Let me be weighed in an even ballance that God may know mine integrity Job 31.6 He could appeal to God the un-erring Rule of Righteousness in this matter he knew his integrity would hold weight And at another time he hath this self-abasing expression Mine eye seeth thee therefore I abhor my self in dust and ashes Job 42.5.6 As he could hold fast his integrity so he could also loath and abhor himself in dust and ashes at the sight of Gods glorious Majesty and purity and in the sense of his own defects and failings Mark 3 3. False grace grows not better and better but rather worse and worse pretences wither rather than thrive an hypocrite goes backward rather than forward every day Jer. 7.24 The Lord by the Prophet complains thâ—re that his people hearkned not nor enclined their ear but walked in the counsels and in the imaginations of their evil hearts and went backward and not forward False grace like bad salt grows worse and worse til it be cast out into the Dunghil but true grace from a grain groweth unto a Tree from a morning glympse to a perfect Noon Prov. 4.18 The path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect Day from smoaking flaxe it is blown up to fragrant flame Nicodemus that came to Christ at first by night for fear of the Jews afterwards openly declareth for him and bestowed much cost upon the dead body of our Lord. John 19.39 Grace gets