to the knowledge of that being satisfied with its Truth and that this is the only Way of Cleansing Sin appointed and blessed by God himself their Minds may be exercised about it and so be taken off from resting on those Vain Medicines and Remedies which having nothing else to fix upon their own Hearts and others blind Devotions would suggest unto them 5. But now the great Enquiry is How a sinfull Defiled Soul may come to have an interest in or be partaker of the purifying Vertue and Efficacy of the Blood of Christ Ans. 1 The purifying Vertue and Force of the Blood of Christ with the Administration of the Spirit for its Application to make it effectual unto our Souls and Consciences is proposed and exhibited unto us in the Promises of the Covenant 2 Pet. 1. 4. This all the Instances which need not be recited before produced do testifie unto 2 The only Way to be made partaker of the good things presented in the Promises is by Faith So Abraham is said to have received the Promises Heb. 11. 17. and so are we also and to receive Christ himself Now this is not from their being proposed unto us but from our Believing of that which is proposed as it is expressed of Abraham Rom. 4. 19 20 21. Chap. 10. 6 7 8 9. The whole use benefit and Advantage of the Promises depends absolutely on our mixing them with Faith as the Apostle declares Heb. 4. 1. Where they are mixed with Faith there they profit us there we really receive the thing promised Where they are not so mixed they are of no use but to aggravate our sins and Unbelief I know that by some men the whole Nature and Work of Faith is derided They say it is nothing but a strong fixing of the Imagination upon what is said However we know that if a man promise us any thing seriously and solemnly which is absolutely in his Power we trust unto his Word or believe him considering his Wisdom Honesty and Ability This we know is not a meer fixing of the Imagination but it is a real and usefull Confidence or Trust. And whereas God hath given unto us great and precious Promises and that under several Confirmations especially that of his Oath and Covenant if we do really believe their Accomplishment and that it shall be unto us according to his Word upon the Account of his Veracity Divine Power Righteousness and Holiness why shall this be esteemed a Fanatical fixing of the Imagination If it be so it was so in Abraham our Example Rom. 4. 19 20 21. But this Blasphemous Figment designed to the overthrow of the Way of Life and Salvation by Jesus Christ shall be elsewhere more fully examined God as was said gives unto us great and precious Promises that by them we might be made partakers of the Divine Nature These Promises he requireth us to receive and to mix them with Faith that is trusting to and resting on his Divine Power and Veracity ascribing unto him thereby the Glory of them to believe that the things promised unto us shall be accomplished which is the Means by Gods Appointment whereby we shall be really made partakers of them Such was the Faith of Abraham so celebrated by our Apostle and such was all the true and saving Faith that ever was in the World from the Foundation of it Wherefore 3 This is the only Way and Means to obtain an Interest in the Cleansing Vertue of the Blood of Christ. God hath given this Power and Efficacy unto it by the Covenant In the Promise of the Gospel it is proposed and tendred unto us Faith in that Promise is that alone which gives us an Interest in it makes us partakers of it and renders it actually Effectual unto us whereby we are really Cleansed from sin 4 There are Two things which concurre unto the Efficacy of Faith to this Purpose 1. The Excellency of the Grace or Duty it self Despise their Ignorance who tell you this is but a deceitfull fixing of the Imagination for they know not what they say When men come to the real Practice of this Duty they will find what it is to discard all other Wayes and pretences of Cleansing what it is sincerely and really to give unto God against all Difficulties and Oppositions the Glory of his Power Faithfulness Goodness and Grace what it is to approve of the Wisdom and Love of God in finding out this Way for us and the Infiniteness of his Grace in providing it when we were lost and under the Curse and to be filled with an holy Admiration of him on that Account all which belong unto the Faith mentioned neither is it nor can it be acted in a due manner without them and when you understand these things you will not think it so strange that God should appoint this Way of Believing only as the Means to interest us in the purifying Vertue of the Blood of Christ. 2. Hereby are we as hath been shewn united unto Christ from whom alone is our Cleansing He that declares another Way must make another Gospel 6. Faith in this Case will act it self in and by fervent Prayer When David had by Sin brought himself into that Condition wherein he stood in need of a new universal Purification how earnest is he in his Supplications that God would again purge and cleanse him Psal. 51. And when any Soul is really coming over to the Way of God for his washing in the Blood of Christ he will not be more earnest and fervent in any Supplication than in this and herein and hereby doth Christ communicate of the purging Efficacy of his Blood unto us And these things may in some measure suffice for the Direction and Guidance of those who are yet wholly under the Pollution of Corrupted Nature how they may proceed to get themselves cleansed according to the Mind of God Not that this Order or Method is prescribed unto any only these are the Heads of those things which in one Degree or other are wrought in the Souls of them whom Christ will and doth Cleanse from their Sins Sect. 14 Secondly Instruction also may be hence taken for them concerning whom our Apostle sayes Such were you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6. 9. Such as are freed from the generall Pollution of Nature by the Washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3. 5. Those I mean who have been made partakers of that cleansing purifying Work of the Holy Ghost which we have described several Duties are incumbent on them with respect hereunto As 1 Continual self-abasement in the Remembrance of that wofull defiled state and Condition from whence they have been delivered This Consideration is one of them which principally doth influence the Minds of Believers unto Humility and hideth Pride from them For what should Creatures of such
Understanding That Grace which proceeds from especial Love will carry along an holy quickening sence of it and thereby be excited unto its due Exercise And we do what we can to famish and starve our Graces when we do not endeavour their Supplyes by Faith on that Spring of Divine Love from whence they proceed Sect. 48 3 Seeing we are chosen in Christ and predestinated to be like unto him those Graces of Holiness have the most evident and legible Characters of Electing Love upon them which are most Effectual in working us unto a Conformity to him That Grace is certainly from an Eternal Spring which makes us like unto Jesus Christ. Of this sort are Meekness Humility Patience Self-denyal Contempt of the World Readiness to pass by Wrongs to Forgive Enemies to Love and doe Good unto all which indeed are despised by the most and duely regarded but by few But I return Sect. 49 Secondly The especial procuring Cause of this Holiness is the Mediation of Christ. We are not in this Matter concerned in any thing let men call it what they please Vertue or Godliness or Holiness that hath not an especial Relation unto the Lord Christ and his Mediation Evangelical Holiness is purchased for us by him according to the Tenour of the Everlasting Covenant is promised unto us on his Account actually impetrated for us by his Intercession and communicated unto us by his Spirit And hereby we do not only cast off all the Moral Vertues of the Heathens from having the least concernment herein but all the Principles and Dutyes of Persons professing Christianity who are not really and actually implanted into Christ. For he it is who of God is made unto us Sanctification 1 Cor. 1. 30. And this he is on several Accounts the Heads whereof may be called over Sect. 50 1 He is made unto us of God Sanctification with respect unto his sacerdotal Office because we are purified purged washed and cleansed from our Sins by his Blood in the Oblation of it and the Application of it unto our Souls as hath been at large declared Ephes. 5. 26 27. Tit. 2. 14. 1 Joh. 1. 7. Heb. 9. 14. All that we have Taught before concerning the Purification of our Minds and Consciences by the Blood of Christ is peculiar unto Gospel-Holiness and distinguisheth it Essentially from all Common Grace or Moral Vertues And they do but deceive themselves who rest in a Multitude of Duties it may be animated much with Zeal and set off with a Profession of the most rigid Mortification whose Hearts and Consciences are not thus purged by the Blood of Christ. Sect. 51 2 Because he prevails for the actual sanctification of our Natures in the Communication of Holiness unto us by his Intercession His Prayer Joh. 17. 17. is the blessed Spring of our Holiness Sanctifie them through thy Truth thy Word is Truth There is not any thing of this Grace wrought in us bestowed on us communicated unto us preserved in us but what is so in Answer unto and Complyance with the Intercession of Christ. From his Prayer for us is Holiness begun in us Sanctifie them saith he by thy Truth Thence is it kept alive and preserved in us I have saith he to Peter prayed for thee that thy Faith should not fail and through his Intercession are we saved to the uttermost Nothing belongs to this Holiness but what in the Actual Communication of it is a peculiar Fruit of Christs Intercession What is not so what men may be made partakers of upon any more general Account belongs not thereunto And if we really design Holiness or intend to be Holy it is our Duty constantly to improve the Intercession of Christ for the Encrease of it And this we may do by especial Applications to him for that Purpose So the Apostles prayed him to encrease their Faith Luke 17. 3. And we may do so for the Encrease of our Holiness But the Nature of this Application unto Christ for the Encrease of Holiness by vertue of his Intercession is duely to be considered We are not to pray unto him that he would intercede for us that we may be Sanctified For as he needs not our minding for the Discharge of his Office so he intercedes not Orally in Heaven at all and alwayes doth so Vertually by his Appearance in the Presence of God with the Vertue of his Oblation or Sacrifice But whereas the Lord Christ gives out no Supplyes of Grace unto us but what he receiveth from the Father for that End by vertue of his Intercession we apply our selves unto him under that Consideration namely as he who upon his Intercession with God for us hath all stores of Grace to give us supplyes from Sect. 52 3 He is so because the Rule and Measure of Holiness unto us the Instrument of working it in us is His Word and Doctrine which he taught the Church as the great Prophet of it The Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ. The in-bred dictates of the Light and Law of Nature in their greatest Purity are not the Rule or Measure of this Holiness much less are these Rules and Maxims which men deduce partly right and partly wrong from them of any such use Nor is the Written Law it self so It is the Rule of Original Holiness but not the adequate Rule of that Holiness whereunto we are restored by Christ. Neither are both these in Conjunction the Dictates of Nature and the Law written the Instrument of working Holiness in us But it is the Doctrine of the Gospel which is the Adequate Rule and immediate Instrument of it My meaning is That the Word the Gospel the Doctrine of Christ in the Preceptive part of it is so the Rule of all our Obedience and Holiness as that all which it requireth belongeth thereunto and nothing else but what it requireth doth so and the Formal Reason of our Holiness consists in Conformity thereunto under this Consideration that it is the Word and Doctrine of Christ. Nothing belongeth unto Holiness materially but what the Gospel requireth and nothing is so in us formally but what we doe because the Gospel requireth it And it is the Instrument of it because God maketh use of it alone as an external Means for the Communicating of it unto us or the Ingenerating of it in us Principles of Natural Light with the Guidances of an awakened Conscience do direct unto and exact the performance of many material Duties of Obedience The written Law requireth of us all Duties of Original Obedience and God doth use these things variously for the preparing of our Souls unto a right Receiving of the Gospel But there are some Graces some Duties belonging unto Evangelical Holiness which the Law knows nothing of Such are the Mortification of sin Godly Sorrow daily Cleansing of our Hearts and Minds not to mention the more sublime and spiritual Acts of Communion with God by Christ with all that
it will it cannot refuse to be comforted And hereby doth he shed abroad the Love of God in our Hearts Rom. 5. 5. whereby all Graces are cherished and encreased Thirdly He doth it by working immediately an Actual Encrease of these graces in us I have shewed that these are capable of improvement and of an Addition of Degrees unto them Now they are Originally the immediate Work and product of the Spirit of God in us as hath been abundantly evinced And as he first works and creates them so he encreaseth them Hereby they that are feeble become as David Zech. 12. 8. That is those whose Graces were weak whose Faith was infirm and whose Love was languid shall by the supplyes of the Spirit and the encrease given by him unto them become strong and vigorous To this purpose are Promises multiplyed in the Scripture which in our constant Supplications we principally respect This is that which the School-men after Austin call Gratiam corroborantem that is the working of the Holy Spirit in the encreasing and strengthening of Grace received See Ephes. 3. 16 17. Col. 1 10 11. Isa. 40. 29. And this is the principal Cause and Means of the gradual Encrease of Holiness in us or the carrying of the Work of Sanctification Psal. 138. 8. Sect. 5 2 There are Graces whose Exercise is more Occasional and not alwayes actually necessary as unto the Life of God That is it is not necessary that they be alwayes in actual Exercise as Faith and Love are to be With respect unto these Holiness is encreased by the Addition of one to another untill we are brought on several Occasions to the Practice and Exercise of them all For the Addition of the new Exercise of any Grace belongs unto the gradual carrying on of the Work of Sanctification And hereunto all things that befall us in this World all our Circumstances are laid in a subserviency by the Wisdom of God All our Relations all our Afflictions all our Temptations all our Mercies all our Enjoyments all Occurrences are suited to a continual adding of the Exercise of one Grace to another wherein Holiness is encreased And if we make not use of them to that purpose we miss of all the Benefit and Advantage we might have of them and disappoint what lyes in us the Design of Divine Love and Wisdom in them This is given us in Charge 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7. Besides all this giving all diligence adde to your Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledge and to Knowledge Temperance and to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godliness and to Godliness Brotherly-kindness and to Brotherly-kindness Charity The end why this Injunction is given us is that we may escape the Corruption that is in the World through Lust v. 3. that is have all our Corruptions throughly subdued and our Souls throughly sanctified To this end are the Promises given us and a Divine spiritual Nature is bestowed upon us But will that suffice or is there no more required of us unto that End Yes saith the Apostle this great Work will not be effected unless you use your utmost Diligence and Endeavour to adde the Exercise of all the Graces of the Spirit One to Another as Occasion shall require There is a Method in this Concatenation of Graces from first to last and an especial Reason for each particular or why the Apostle requires that such a Grace should be added unto such a one in the Order laid down which at present I shall not enquire into But in general he intends that every Grace is to be exercised according to its proper season and especial Occasion Hereby also is the Work of Sanctification gradually carryed on and Holiness encreased And this Addition of one Grace unto another with the Progress of Holiness thereby is also from the Holy Ghost And three wayes there are whereby he accomplisheth his Work herein 1 By Ordering things so towards us and bringing of us into such Conditions as wherein the Exercise of these Graces shall be required and necessary All the Afflictions of Tryals which he bringeth the Church into have no other End or Design So the Apostle James expresseth it Chap. 1. 2 3 4. My Brethren count it all Joy when ye fall into divers Temptations knowing this that the triall of your Faith worketh Patience But let Patience have its perfect Work that you may be perfect and entire wanting Nothing These Temptations are Trials upon Afflictions Troubles Persecutions and the like But take them in any other sense it is the same unto our purpose These are all guided unto us by Christ and his Spirit for it is he who rebukes and chastens us But what is his End therein It is that Faith may be exercised and Patience employed and one Grace added unto another that they may carry us on towards Perfection So he bringeth us into that Condition as wherein we shall assuredly miscarry if we adde not the Exercise of one Grace unto another 2 In this state of things he effectually minds us of our Duty and what Graces ought to be put upon their Exercise We may dispute whether it be better to Act Faith or to Despond to adde Patience under the Continuance of our Tryals or to trust unto our selves and irregularly to seek after Deliverance or divert unto other satisfactions Then doth he cause us to hear a Word behind us saying this is the way walk in it when we turn to the right hand and when we turn to the left Isa. 30. 21. When we are at a loss and know not what to doe and are ready it may be to consult with flesh and blood and to divert to irregular courses he speaks effectually to us saying No that is not your way but this is it namely to Act Faith Patience Submission to God adding one Grace to another binding our Hearts thereby to our Duty 3 He actually excites and sets all needfull Graces at work in the Way and Manner before spoken unto This then is to be fixed that all this Encrease of Holiness is immediately the Work of the Holy Ghost who therein gradually carryes on his Design of sanctifying us throughout in our whole Spirit Souls and Bodies There is in our Regeneration and Habitual Grace received a Nature bestowed on us capable of Growth and Encrease and that is all if it be left unto its self it will not thrive it will decay and dye The actual supplyes of the Spirit are the waterings that are the immediate Cause of its encrease It wholly depends on continual Influences from God He cherisheth and improves the work he hath begun with new and fresh supplyes of Grace every moment Isa. 27. 3. I the Lord water it every moment And it is the Spirit which is this Water as the Scripture every where declares God the Father takes on him the Care in this matter he watcheth over his Vineyard to keep it The Lord Christ is the Head Fountain and Treasure of all
actual supplyes And the Spirit is the Efficient Cause communicating them unto us from him From hence it is that any Grace in us is kept alive one Moment that it is ever acted in one single Duty that ever it receives the least measure of Encrease or strengthening With respect unto all these it is that our Apostle saith Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Gal. 2. 20. Spiritual Life and living by it in all the Acts of it are immediately from Christ. I concern not my self much how Moral Vertue that is no more is preserved and sustained in the Minds and Lives of men though I am not ignorant of the Precepts Directions and Instructions which are given unto that End by some of old and some of late But for Grace and Holiness we have infallible Assurance that the Being Life Continuance and all the Actings of it in any of the Sons of men depend meerly and only upon their Relation unto that Spring and Fountain of all Grace which is in Christ and the continual Supplyes of it by the Holy Spirit whose Work it is to communicate them Col. 3. 3. John 15. 5. Col 2. 19. There is no man who hath any Grace that is true and saving that hath any seed any beginning of Sanctification or Holiness but that the Holy Spirit by his watchful Care over it and Supplyes of it is able to preserve it to extricate it from Difficulties to free it from Opposition and to encrease it unto its full measure and perfection Wherefore let the hands that hang down be lifted up and the feeble knees be strengthened we have to do with him who will not quench the smoking flax not break the bruised reed And on the other side there is none who hath received Grace in such a Measure nor hath so confirmed it by constant uninterrupted Exercise as that he can preserve it one Moment or Act it in any one Instance or Duty without the continual Supplyes of new Actual Grace and Help from him who worketh in us to will and to doe For saith our Lord Christ unto his Apostles and in them to all Believes the best and strongest of them without me ye can do nothing Joh. 15. 5. And they who of themselves can do nothing that is in a way of living unto God cannot of themselves preserve Grace act it and encrease it which are the greatest things we doe or are wrought in us in this World Wherefore God hath in infinite Wisdom so ordered the Dispensation of his Love and Grace unto Believers that all of them living upon the continual supplyes of his Spirit none may have cause on the one hand to faint or despond nor Occasion on the other unto self-confidence or Elation of mind that so no flesh may glory in its self but he that gloryeth may glory in the Lord. And therefore as he greatly encourageth the weak the fearful the faint the disconsolate and dejected and that by the Engagement of all the holy Properties of his Nature in and unto their Assistance Isa. 35. 3 4 5 6. Chap. 40. 27 28 29 30 31. So he warns them who suppose themselves strong steadfast and immovable not to be high-minded but fear Rom. 11. 20. because the whole issue of things depends on his Soveraign Supplyes of Grace And seeing he hath promised in the Covenant to continue faithfully these Supplyes unto us there is ground of Faith given unto all and Occasion of Presumption administred unto none Sect. 7 But it will be said that if not only the Beginning of Grace Sanctification and Holiness be from God but the carrying of it on and the Encrease of it also be from him and not only so in general but that all the Actings of Grace and every Act of it be an immediate Effect of the Holy Spirit then what need is there that we should take any pains in this thing our selves or use our own Endeavours to grow in Grace or Holiness as we are commanded If God worketh all himself in us and without his effectual Operation in us we can do nothing there is no place left for our Diligence Duty or Obedience Ans. 1. This Objection we must expect to meet withall at every turn Men will not believe there is a consistency between Gods effectual Grace and our diligent Obedience that is they will not believe what is plainly clearly distinctly revealed in the Scripture and which is suited unto the Experience of all that truly believe because they cannot it may be comprehend it within the compass of Carnal Reason 2. Let the Apostle answer this Objection for this once 2 Pet. 1. 3. His Divine Power hath given unto us all things that pertain to Life and to Godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us to Glory and Vertue whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these ye might be partakers of the Divine Nature having escaped the Corruption that is in the World through lust If all things that pertain unto Life and Godliness among which doubtless is the Preservation and Encrease of Grace be given unto us by the power of God if from him we receive that Divine Nature by vertue whereof our Corruptions are subdued then I pray what need is there of any Endeavours of our own The whole work of Sanctification is wrought in us it seems and that by the Power of God We therefore may let it alone and leave it unto him whose it is whilest we are negligent secure and at ease Nay saith the Apostle this is not the use which the Grace of God is to be put unto The Consideration of it is or ought to be the principal Motive and Encouragement unto all Diligence for the Encrease of Holiness in us For so he addes immediately v. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also for this cause or because of the gracious Operations of the Divine Power in us giving all Diligence adde to your Faith Vertue as before These Objectors and this Apostle were very diversly minded in these matters what they make an insuperable discouragement unto Diligence in Obedience that he makes the greatest Motive and Encouragement thereunto 3. I say from this Consideration it will unavoidably follow that we ought continually to wait and depend on God for supplyes of his Spirit and Grace without which we can do nothing That God is more the Author by his Grace of the good we do than we are our selves not I but the Grace of God that was with me that we ought to be carefull that by our Negligences and sins we provoke not the Holy Spirit to with-hold his Aids and Assistances and so to leave us to our selves in which condition we can do nothing that is spiritually Good These things I say will unavoidably follow on the Doctrine before declared and if any one be offended at them it is not in our power to tender them Relief Sect. 8 I shall close the
Eternal Spirit unto God to make Attonement for Sin and procure Eternal Redemption 2 As it is sprinkled by the same Spirit on the Consciences of Believers to purge them from Dead works as v. 12 13 14. And hence it is called with respect unto our Sanctification the Blood of Sprinkling Heb. 12. 24. For we have the Sanctification of the Spirit unto Obedience through the sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus 1 Pet. 1. 2. 2. The Blood of Christ in his Sacrifice is still alwayes and continually in the same Condition of the same Force and Efficacy as it was in that hour wherein it was shed The Blood of other Sacrifices was alwayes to be used immediately upon its Effusion for if it were Cold and congealed it was of no Use to be offered or to be sprinkled Levit. 17. 11. Blood was appointed to make Attonement as the Life or Animal Spirits were in it But the Blood of the Sacrifice of Christ is alwayes hot and warm having the same Spirits of Life and Sanctification still moving in it Hence the Way of approach which we have to God thereby is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10. 20 alwayes Living and yet alwayes as Newly slain Every one therefore who at any Time hath an especial actual Interest in the Blood of Christ as Sacrificed hath as real a Purification from the Defilement of sin as he had Typically who stood by the Priest and had Blood or Water sprinkled on him For the Holy Ghost diligently declares that whatever was done Legally Carnally or Typically by any of the Sacrifices of Old at any time as to the Expiation or Purification of sin that was all done really and Spiritually by that one Sacrifice that is the Offering and Sprinkling of the Blood of Christ and abideth to be so done continually To this Purpose is the Substance of our Apostles Discourse in the Ninth and Tenth Chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrews And they had Various sorts of Sacrifices wherein to this End the Blood of them was sprinkled they being Propitiatory in their Offering As 1 There was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or continual Burnt-Offering of a Lamb or Kid for the whole Congregation Morning and Evening whose Blood was sprinkled as at other Times And hereby the Habitual Purification of the Congregation that they might be Holy to the Lord and their Cleansing from the daily incursions of secret and unknown sins was signified and carryed on 2 On the Sabbath-day this Juge Sacrificium was doubled Morning and Evening denoting a Peculiar and abounding Communication of Mercy and purging Grace through the Administration of Instituted Ordinances on that Day 3 There was the Great Annual Sacrifice at the Feast of Expiation when by the Sacrifice of the Sin-Offering and the Scape-Goat the whole Congregation were purged from all their known and great sins and recovered into a state of Legal Holiness And other stated Sacrifices there were 4 There were Occasional Sacrifices for every one according as he found his Condition to require For those who were Clean one Day yea one Hour might by some Miscarriage or surprizal be Unclean the next but there was a Way continually ready for any Man's Purification by his Offering unto that Purpose Now the Blood of Christ must continually and upon all Occasions answer unto all these and accomplish Spiritually what they did Legally effect and Typically represent This our Apostle asserts and proves Heb. 1. v. 9 10 11 12 13 14. Thereby is the gradual carrying on of our Sanctification habitually effected which was signified by the continual Daily Sacrifice From thence is especial Cleansing Vertue communicated unto us by the Ordinances of the Gospel as is expressly affirmed Ephes. 5. 25 26. denoted by the doubling of the Daily Sacrifice on the Sabbath By it are we purged from all our sins whatever great or small as was typified in the Great Sacrifice on the Day of Expiation And unto him have we continual recourse upon all Occassions of our spiritual Defilements whatever So was his Blood as to its purifying Vertue to answer and accomplish all Legal Institutions Especially it doth so that of the Ashes of the red Heyfer Numb 19. which was a standing Ordinance whereby every one who was any way defiled might immediately be cleansed And he who would not make Application thereunto was to be cut off from the People v. 20. And it is no otherwise with respect unto the Blood of Christ in our Spiritual Defilements Thence is it called a Fountain opened for sin and uncleanness Zech. 13. 1. And he who neglects to make Application thereunto shall perish in his Uncleanness and that Eternally Sect. 5 Father to clear this whole Matter two things are to be enquired into 1 How doth the Blood of Christ thus Cleanse us from our sins or what it is that is done thereby 2 How we come to be made Partakers of the Benefit thereof or come to be interested therein As to the First it must be observed what hath been declared before that the Vncleanness we Treat of is not Physical or Corporeal but Moral and Spiritual only It is the Inconformity of Sin unto the Holiness of God as represented in the Law whence it is Loathsome to God and attended with Shame in us Now wherever there is an Interest obtained in the Purifying Vertue of the Blood of Christ it doth by the Will Law Appointment of God do these two Things 1. It takes away all loathsomeness in the sight of God not from sin in the Abstract but from the Sinner so that he shall be as one absolutely washed and purified before him See Isa. 1. 16 18. Psal. 51. 7. Ephes. 5. 25 26 27. 2. It taketh away shame out of the Conscience and gives the Soul Boldness in the presence of God Heb. 10. 19 20 21 22. When these things are done then is sin purged and our Souls are cleansed 2 ly It may be enquired How we are to apply our selves unto the Blood of Christ for our Purification or how we may come continually to partake of the Vertue of it as it is sprinkled unto that Purpose Now because what we do herein is wrought in us by the Spirit of God my Principal Design being to declare his Work in our Sanctification I shall at once declare both his Work and our Duty in the following Instances 1. It is he who discovereth unto us and spiritually convinceth us of the Pollution of Sin and of our Defilements thereby Something indeed of this Kind will be wrought by the Power of Natural Conscience awakened and excited by Ordinary outward Means of Conviction For wherever there is a sence of Guilt there will be in some kind a sence of Filth as Fear and Shame are inseparable But this sence alone will never guide us to the Blood of Christ for Cleansing Such a sight and Conviction of it as fill us with self-Abhorrency and Abasement as may cause us to loath our selves
thereof Such a Spiritual Heavenly Supernatural Life so denominated from its Nature Causes Acts and Ends we must be partakers of in this World if ever we mind to attain Eternal Life in another Sect. 7 And herein we shall take what View we are able of the Nature Glory and Beauty of Holiness and do confess it is but little of them which I can comprehend It is a matter indeed often spoken unto but the Essence and true Nature of it are much hidden from the Eyes of all living men The sence of what the Scripture proposeth what I believe and what I desire an Experience of that I shall endeavour to declare But as we are not in this Life perfect in the Duties of Holiness no more are we in the Knowledge of its Nature First therefore I say it is a gracious supernatural Habit or a Principle of spiritual Life And with respect hereunto I shall briefly do these three things 1. Shew what I mean by such an Habit. 2. Prove that there is such an Habit required unto Holiness yea that the Nature of Holiness consists therein 3. Declare in general the Properties of it Sect. 8 1. Our First Enquiry is after the Essence and form of Holiness that from which any one is truely and really made and denominated Holy or what is the formal Reason of that Holiness which our Nature is partaker of in this World This must be something peculiar something excellent and sacred as that which constitutes the great and only Difference that is between Mankind on their own part in the sight of God with respect unto Eternity Every one that hath this Holiness pleaseth God is accepted with him and shall come to the Enjoyment of him And every one that hath it not is rejected of him here and hereafter And this Holiness in the first place doth not consist in any single Acts of Obedience unto God though good in their own Nature and acceptable unto him For such Acts may be performed yea many of them by unholy persons with Examples whereof the Scripture aboundeth Cain's Sacrifice and Ahab's Repentance were signal single Acts of Obedience materially yet no Acts of Holiness formally nor did either make or denominate them Holy And our Apostle tells us that men may give all their Goods to the Poor and their Bodies to be burned and yet be nothing 1 Cor. 13. yet in single Acts who can go further Such Fruits may spring from Seed that hath no Root Single Acts may evidence Holiness as Abraham's Obedience in sacrificing his Son but they constitute none Holy nor will a series a Course a Multiplication of Acts and Duties of Obedience either constitute or denominate any one so Isa. 1. 11 12 13 14 15. All the Duties a series and Multiplication whereof are there rejected for want of Holiness were good in themselves and appointed of God Nor doth it consist in an Habitual Disposition of Mind unto any outward Duties of Piety Devotion or Obedience however obtained or acquired Such Habits there are both Intellectual and Morall Intellectual Habits are Arts and Sciences When men by Custom Usuage and frequent Acts in the Exercise of any Science Art or Mystery do get a ready Facility in and unto all the Parts and Duties of it they have an Intellectual Habit therein It is so in things Morall as to Vertues and Vices There are some seeds and sparks of Moral Vertues remaining in the Ruines of depraved Nature as of Justice Temperance Fortitude and the like Hence God calls on profligate Sinners to remember and shew themselves Men or not to act contrary to the Principles and Light of Nature which are inseparable from us as we are Men Isa. 46. 8. These Principles may be so excited in the Exercise of Natural Light and improved by Education Instruction and Example untill persons by an assiduous diligent performance of the Acts and Duties of them may attain such a Readiness unto them and Facility in them as is not by any outward Means easily changed or diverted and this is a Moral Habit in like manner in the Duties of Piety and Religion in Acts of outward Obedience unto God men by the same Means may so accustom themselves unto them as to have an habitual Disposition unto their Exercise I doubt not but that it is so unto an high Degree with many superstitious Persons But in all these things the Acts do still precede the Habits of the same nature and kind which are produced by them and not otherwise But this Holiness is such an Habit or Principle as is antecedent unto all Acts of the same kind as we shall prove There never was by any nor ever can be any Act or Duty of true Holiness performed where there was not in Order of Nature antecedently an Habit of Holiness in the Persons by whom they are performed Many Acts and Duties for the substance of them good and approveable may be performed without it but no one that hath the proper Form and Nature of Holiness can be so And the Reason is because every Act of true Holiness must have something supernatural in it from an internal renewed Principle of Grace and that which hath not so be it otherwise what it will is no Act or Duty of true Holiness Sect. 9 And I call this Principle of Holiness an HABIT not as though it were absolutely of the same kind with acquired Habits and would in all things answer to our Conceptions and Descriptions of them But we only call it so because in its Effects and Manner of Operation it agreeth in sundry things with acquired intellectual or moral Habits But it hath much more Conformity unto a natural unchangeable Instict than unto any acquired Habit. Wherefore God chargeth it on men that in their Obedience unto him they did not answer that instinct which is in other Creatures towards their Lords and Benefactors Isa. 1. 3. and which they cordially observe Jerem. 8. 7. But herein God teacheth us more than the Beasts of the Earth and maketh us wiser than the Fowls of Heaven Job 35. 11. This therefore is that which I intend A Vertue a Power a Principle of Spiritual Life and Grace wrought created infused into our Souls and in-laid in all the Faculties of them constantly abiding and unchangeably residing in them which is antecedent unto and the next Cause of all Acts of true Holiness whatever And this is that as was said wherein the nature of Holiness doth consist and from which in those that are Adult the actual Discharge of all Duties and Works of Holiness is inseparable This abideth alwayes in and with all that are sanctified whence they are alwayes Holy and not only so when they are actually exercised in the Duties of Holiness Hereby are they prepared disposed and enabled unto all Duties of Obedience as we shall shew immediately and by the Influence hereof into their Acts and Duties do they become Holy and no otherwise Sect. 10 For the further