eyes and yet are not washed from their filthiness So Matth 23.25,26 Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter but within they are full of extortion and excess Secondly It reprehends those yet more secretly who rely upon the promise of God and look to have their share therein and yet wittingly and willingly continue in the filthiness both of flesh and spirit See Jere. 7.8,9,13 also 27. To these it may be said as Peter spake to Simon Magus Acts 8.21,22 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter for thy heart is not right in the sight of the Lord. This yet more condemns their folly who knowing that they must repent and be cleansed ere they can be saved yet not onely protract the time for so great a work but daily pollute and defile themselves contracting more filthiness then that which they had before and making their stains and spots of a deeper dye and harder to be washed out Finally This may serve for the horror or terror of those who having for a time begun to reform themselves and put away their sins yet return again with the Dog to the vomit and with the Sow to her wallowing in the mire see 2 Pet. ◠18,19,20 Ezek. 24.13 In thy filthiness is leudness because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more until I have caused my fury to rest upon thee The fourth Use of this Doctrine is for Exhortation First To all seriously to consider this first condition of the promises so clearly set down Verse 17. of the former Chapter and here in the Text and what is required thereby Secondly To examine how far we have proceeded in fulfilling the same Prov. 20.9 Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sins I fear very few Thirdly To those that have begun the work that they go on forward to finish it Rev. 22.11 He that is unjust let him be unjust still and he that is filthy let him be filthy still but he that is righteous let him be righteous still that is more and more 1 John 3.2,3 Beloved now are we the children of God yet it doth not appear what we shall be but we know That when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is For every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as he is pure Lastly To those that have not begun this great important and most necessary work to fall upon it forthwith O wash you make you clean saith Isai 1.16,17,18 otherwise you cannot have your sins forgiven you yea Wash your hearts that ye may be saved Jere. 4.14 Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double minded be afflicted and mourn and weep for your laughter shall be turned into mourning and your joy into heaviness Humble your selves in the sight of God and he shall lift you up Jam 4.8,9,10 Ye say that ye relie upon Christ but what part hath Christ with Belial 2 Cor. 6.15 Therefore let every one that nameth the Lord Jesus Christ depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 See what the Psalmist saith Psal 24.3,4,5 Who shall ascend into the Hill of the Lord And who shall stand in his holy place He that hath clean hands and a pure heart who hath not lift up his soul to vanity nor sworn deceitfully He and he onely shall receive the blessing from the Lord even righteousness from the God of his salvation Therefore mortifie your members upon earth fornication uncleanness inordinate affection evil-concupiscence and covetousness which is idolatry for which things sake the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience see Gal. 5.19,20,21 Eph. 4.21 Take to you the Water the Water of the Word Psal 119.9 Wherewith shall a yong man cleanse his way by taking heed thereunto according to thy Word Seek Sope of Christ yea Fullers sope to be baptised with the Holy Ghost and with fire Mal 3.2 Walk in the Light as Christ is in the Light and the Blood of Jesus Christ shall purge you from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 Let us follow the practice of Hezekiah 2 Chro. 29. who caused all the filth of the Temple to be carried out and that house to be purged and sanctified that the holy Service of God might be renewed therein Thus of the first duty or Christian course required in the Condition or Proviso of the Promises now follows the other in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Perfecting holiness in the fear of God In which by way of Analysis we have two parts first a work of renovation or perfection perfecting holiness The second is the kinde of holiness the posture or principle in which and out of which it must be done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the fear of God For the former of these in it are these particulars to be explained ere we come to the Doctrine or Proposition it self First The object or subject thing to be perfected holiness The second is the act required at our hands in relation thereunto perfecting Thirdly The persons to be engaged in that act likewise let us For the first of these It is not here the Sanctification of flesh and blood which is proud of its self and contemptuous of others Isai 65.5 Which say Stand by thy self come not near me for I am holier then thou Which how specious soever it may seem it is but hypocrisie before the Lord and an abomination in his sight Prov. 14.12 also 16.25 Luke 16.15 For that which is esteemed highly among men is an abomination before the Lord for this holiness may be changed for a better but cannot any way be perfected Nor is this holiness a ceremonial holiness which was but a figure of the true but in short it is that which is called Gods own holiness Isai 65.18 Heb. 12.10 Not onely because he commands it but it is that way wherein he walketh the holiness which he communicateth and whereby the Saints are denominated holy ones of which Isaiah speaketh Chap. 35.8 And an high-way shall be there and a way and it shall be called the way of holiness the unclean shall not pass over it but it shall be for those the wayfaring-men though fools shall not erre therein This is that holiness that becomes the House of God for ever Psal 93.5 Which holiness is either a way and race to wit an holy course of obedience in fulfilling the Will of God Rom. 6.22 But now ye have your fruits unto holiness and the end everlasting life Heb. 10.36 Or else it is the inward holiness of Gods Image and Kingdom from whence that obedience proceedeth Eph. 4.34 And that ye put on the new man which is created after God in righteousness and holiness of truth Both which if they be not coincident yet concur to one effect the purging out of all iniquity So that
holiness and love hath predestinated us to be made conformable unto the Image of his Son Rom. 8.29 Who is the brightness of his glory and the express Image of his person Heb. 1.3 And the genuine Son of the Father in Truth and Love 2 Epist John 3. Secondly He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Eph. 1.4 Thirdly This holiness in love is that whereunto we are called 1 Thes 4.7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness but unto holiness Col. 3.14 1 Pet. 4.8 Fourthly Holy love to God and men is that which we ow to him for his love unto us in Christ Psal 31.23 116.1 I love the Lord c. 2 Cor. 5.14 For the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judg that if one died for all then were all dead 1 John 3. to 16. Fifthly It is through holiness and love that all sin must be overcome and buried in us Rom. 12.21 Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good 1 Pet. 4.8 And above all things have fervent love among your selves for love shall cover the multitude of sins yea all sins whatsoever as Solomon testifieth in these words Prov. 10.12 Hatred stirreth up strife but love covereth all sin and that in a burying way first or in mortification Sixthly The Law of God whose fulfiling and accomplishment standeth in love is established in Heaven for ever Psal 78.5,6,7,8 119.89 insomuch That Heaven and Earth shall sooner pass away then one jot or tittle of the Law shall go unfulfilled Matth. 5.18 Which fulfilling must be accomplished not onely by Christ for us but by him and us joyntly Also Matth. 3.15 For he saith unto John Thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness Seventhly There is no other way left unto us in Christ that leadeth to life but the keeping of the Commandments through his grace and help Matth. 7.21 Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven Matth. 19,17 But if thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments Rev. 22.14 Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have right to the Tree of Life and enter through the Gates into the City Eightly God hath not left us destitute either of outward or inward means for the fulfilling and accomplishment of the Law and the love holiness and righteousness which it requireth For first as to outward means the Apostle speaks thus 2 Tim. 3.16,17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for redargution for correction and for instruction in righteousness That the man of God may be perfected and throughly furnished unto all good works Eph. 4.11,12,13 And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry and for the edifying of the Body of Christ Till we all come in the unity of the Faith and the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ And for inward means Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness sake to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 And that as otherwife so that through his Grace and Spirit the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8,4 Ninthly God hath not onely promised to put his Law into our inward parts and to write it in our hearts Jere. 31.33,34 Ezek 36.25,26,27 but hath expresly engaged himself to work so much love in us as the Law any where requireth Deut. 30.6 And the Lord thy God shall circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy Seed to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul that thou maist live Tenthly God is willing and ready to perfect his work unto the end Phil. 1.6,7 Eleventhly Christ hath not onely taught us to pray for a perfect obedience to Gods will in this Petition Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven but he himself who in all things was heard of his Father hath prayed for our perfection in love John 17.20,21,22,23 Neither pray I for these alone but for them also that shall believe on me through their word That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us That the world may believe that thou hast sent me and the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me Lastly The work which God hath given us to do must be perfected and finished in this life See Eccles 9.10 Tit. 2.12 That we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for the blessed Hope c. Much more might be alleadged upon this accompt Sed Vivitur exigno si quis bene noverit uti Come we then to the Transposition and Application of this Proposition where first by way of Information we may learn these Consequents 1. That as the Spiritual Promises aforesaid are precious and sweet-conditioned Covenants so they are to flesh and blood without assisting Grace difficult and hard-conditioned Promises But our blessed Saviour told us aforehand Matth. 7.14 That strait is the way and narrow is the Gate which leadeth unto life and that there be few that enter in thereat as did also his Apostle Peter who saith 1 Pet. 4.18 That the righteous shall scarcely that is with much difficulty be saved where then shall the ungodly and sinner appear 2. We may observe what need we have of a Saviour that should be God as well as Man and that as in other regards so to redeem us from all iniquity and purifie or renew us unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 See also the end for which he gave himself not onely to sanctifie and wash us with water through the Word but also that he might present us to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrincle but that we should be holy and without blemish Eph. 5.27 Hence it is that Moses speaks thus Deut. 33.29 Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O people saved by the Lord the sheild of thine help and who is the sword of thine excellency Secondly By way of Redargution this first serves to controul their mistake who conceive that it is sufficient unto Salvation for us to be holy and religious with any kinde or in any degree of holiness For Paul speaks thus Gal. 3.3 Are ye so foolish having begun in the spirit are ye made perfect in