Book 5

CHAP. I. Necessity of Holiness from the Consideration of the Nature of God.

(1) The Necessity of Evangelical Holiness owned by all Christians: Doctrines falsely charged with an Inconsistency with it. (2) Though owned by all, yet practised by few, and disadvantageously pleaded for by many; the true Nature of it briefly expressed. (3) First Argument for the Necessity of Holiness from the Nature of God; frequently proposed to our Consideration for that End. (4) This Argument Cogent and unavoidable; pressed with its Limitation. (5) Not the Nature of God absolutely, but as he is in Christ, the Foundation of this Necessity, and a most Effectual Motive to the same End; the Nature and Efficacy of that Motive declared. (10) The Argument enforced, from the Consideration of our Conformity to God by Holiness; with that Communion and Likeness with him which depend thereon; (13) With our future everlasting Enjoyment of him. (14) True force of that Consideration vindicated; Merit rejected, (15) And the Substitution of Morality in the Room of Gospel Holiness. (16) False Accusations of the Doctrine of Grace, discarded; and (17) The Neglect of the true Means of promoting Gospel Obedience, charged. (18, 19.) The principal Argument farther enforced, from the Preeminence of our Natures and Persons by this Conformity to God; (21) And our Accesses to God thereby, in order to our eternal Enjoyment of him: (22) As it also alone renders us usefull in this World to others. (23) Two sorts of Graces, by whose Exercise we grow into Conformity with God; (24) Those that are Assimulating, as Faith, and (26) Love; And (28) those which are Declarative of that Assimulation; as Goodness or Benignity, and (31) Truth. (32) An Objection against the Necessity of Holiness from the Freedom and Efficacy of Grace, answered.

Sect. 1 THat wherewith I shall close this Discourse is, the Consideration of the Necessity of that Holiness which we have thus far described, to all Persons who make Profession of the Gospel, with the Reasons of that Necessity, and principal Motives to it. And for our Encouragement in this part of our Work, this Necessity is such, as that it is by all sorts of Christians allowed, pleaded for, and the thing it self pretended to. For, whereas the Gospel is eminently,[[original in non-Latin script]], or [[original in non-Latin script]], 1 Tim. 6. 3. Tit. 1. 1. The Truth or Doctrine which is according to Godliness, or that which is designed and every way suited to the attaining, furtherance and practice of it, no men can with Modesty refuse the Tryal of their Doctrines by their Tendency thereunto. But what is of that Nature, or what is an Hinderance thereunto, that many are not yet agreed about. The Socinians contend, that the Doctrine of the Satisfaction of Christ does overthrow the Necessity of an Holy Life. The Papists say the same, concerning the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ to our Justification. The same Charge is laid by others against the Doctrine of the gratuitous Election of God, the almighty Efficacy of his Grace in the Conversion of Sinners, and of his Faithfulness in the Preservation of true Believers in their state of Grace to the End: On the other hand, the Scripture does so place the Foundations of all true and real Holiness in these things, that without the Faith of them, and an Influence on our Minds from them, it will not allow of any thing to be so called.

Sect. 2 To examine the pretences of others concerning the suitableness of their Doctrines to the Promotion of Holiness, is not my present Business. It is well that it has alwayes maintained a Conviction of its Necessity, and carryed it through all different Perswasions in Christianity. In this one thing alone almost, do all Christian agree; and yet notwithstanding, the want of it, is, if not the onely yet the principal thing, whereby the most who are so called, are ruined. So ordinary a thing is it, for men to agree for the Necessity of Holiness, and live in the Neglect of it, when they have so done. Conviction comes in at an easie rate, as it were whether men will or no, but Practice will stand them in pains, cost and trouble. Wherefore, to the due handling of this matter, some few things must be premised. As,

(First,) It is disadvantageous to the Interest of the Gospel, to have men plead for Holiness with weak incogent Arguments, and such as are not taken out of the Stores of its Truth, and so really affect not the Consciences of men. And it is pernicious to all the Concerns of Holiness it self, to have that defended and pleaded for, under its Name and Title, which indeed is not so, but an Vsurper of its Crown and Dignity; which we shall afterwards enquire into.

(Secondly,) It is uncomely and unworthy, to hear men contending for Holiness, as the whole of our Religion, and in the mean time on all Occasions, express in themselves an Habit and Frame of Mind utterly inconsistent with what the Scripture so calls, and so esteems. There is certainly no readier way on sundry Accounts to unteach men all the Principles of Religion, all Respect to God and common Honesty. And if some men did this only, as being at variance with themselves, without Reflections on others, it might the more easily be borne. But to see or hear men proclaiming themselves in their whole Course, to be Proud, Revengefull, Worldly, Sensual, Neglecters of Holy Dutyes, Scoffers at Religion, and the Power of it, pleading for an Holy Life, against the Doctrine and Practice of those who walked unblameably before the Lord in all his Wayes, yea upon whose Breasts and Foreheads was written Holiness to the Lord, such as were most of the first Reformed Divines, whom they reflect upon, is a thing which all sober men do justly nauseate, and which God abhorres. But the further Consideration here of I shal at present omit, and pursue what I have proposed.

(Thirdly,) In my Discourse concerning the Necessity of Holiness, with the Grounds and Reasons of it, and Arguments for it, I shall confine my self to these two Things.

(1) That the Reasons, Arguments and Motives which I shall insist on, being such as are taken out of the Gospel, or the Scripture, are not only consistent and compliant with the great Doctrines of the Grace of God in our free Election, Conversion, Justification, and Salvation by Jesus Christ, but such as naturally flow from them, discover what is their true Nature and Tendency in this matter.

The holiness of God absolutely considered is not the immediate ground and motive unto holiness in us — under that consideration we can make no conclusion but that of Joshua: he is an holy God, a jealous God, he will not forgive their iniquities nor spare; no creature is capable of the perfection in holiness that would absolutely answer the infinite purity of the divine nature; it is the holiness of God as he is in Christ that gives us both the necessity and the motive unto ours.

The holiness of God manifested in Christ is more conspicuous, resplendent, alluring, and attractive than as absolutely considered — 'God gives us the light of the knowledge of his glory in the face of Jesus Christ' (2 Corinthians 4:6); beholding the glory of the Lord in this glass we are changed into the same image from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18); this beholding is not only directive unto holiness but effective of it.

In and by Christ, a revelation is made of what holiness in us God requires and will accept — as God is in Christ, through his mediation he accepts such holiness as we are capable of, which no man has any discouragement from endeavoring to attain; and there is declared and administered a spiritual power of grace that shall work this holiness in us and conformity unto the holiness of God which he requires.

Sect. 5 But we must yet further observe some things to evidence the Force of this Argument. As (First,) That to us, in our present State and Condition, the Holiness of God as absolutely considered, merely as an Infinite Eternal Property of the Divine Nature, is not the immediate Ground of, and Motive to Holiness, but it is the Holiness of God as manifested and revealed to us in Christ Jesus. Under the first Consideration, we who are sinners can make on Conclusion from it, but that of Joshua, He is an Holy God, a Jealous God, he will not forgive their Iniquities, nor spare. This we may learn indeed from from there, that nothing which is unholy can possibly subsist before him, or find Acceptance with him. But a Motive and Encouragment to any Holiness that is not absolutely Perfect, no Creature can take from the Consideration thereof. And we doe not, we ought not to urge any such Argument for the Necessity of Holiness, as cannot be answered and complyed wit by the Grace of God as to the Substance, though we come short in the Degrees of it. My meaning is, that no Argument can be rationally and usefully pleaded for the Necessity of Holiness, which does not contain in its self an Encouraging Motive to it. To declare it necessary for us, and at the same time impossible to us, is not to promote its Interest. They understand neither the Holiness of God nor man, who suppose that they are absolutely and immediately suited to one another, or that under that Notion of it, we can take any encouraging Motive to our Duty herein. Nay no Creature is capable of such a Perfection in Holiness, as absolutely to Answer the Infinite Purity of the Divine Nature, without a Covenant-Condescention, Job 4. 18. chap. 15. 15. But it is the Holiness of God as he is in Christ, and as in Christ represented to us, that gives us both the Necessity and Motive to ours.

Sect. 6 Wherefore, God in dealing with his people of Old in this matter, did not propose to them to this End the Absolute Perfection of his own Nature, but his being Holy, as he dwelt among them, and was their God, that is in Covenant, both which had respect to Jesus Christ. In him all the glorious Perfections of God are so represented to us, as we may not from there onely learn our Duty, but also be incouraged to it. For,

(1) All the Properties of God as so represented to us, are more Conspicuous, Resplendent, Alluring and Attractive, than as Absolutely considered. I know not what Light into, and Knowledge of the Divine Perfections, Adam had in his state of Innocency, when God had declared himself onely in the Works of Nature; Sufficient no doubt it was to guide him in his Love and Obedience, or that Life which he was to live to him. But I know that now, all our knowledge of God and his Properties, unless it be that which we have in and by Jesus Christ, is insufficient to lead or conduct us in that Life of Faith and Obedience, which is necessary to us. He therefore gives us the Light of the knowledge of his Glory in the face of Jesus Christ, 2 Cor. 4. 6. That is, clear Manifestations of his Glorious Excellencies. The light of the knowledge hereof is a clear, useful, saving Perception and understanding of them. And this is not onely Directive to Holiness, but also Effective of it. For thus beholding the Glory of the Lord, we are changed into the same Image, from Glory to Glory, Chap. 3. 18.

(2) In particular. The Fiery Holiness of God, is represented to us in Christ, so, as that although it lose nothing of declaring the indispensable Necessity of Holiness in all that draw nigh to him, yet under such a Contemperation with Goodnesse, Grace, Love, Mercy, Condescension, as may invite and encourage us to endeavour after a Conformity thereunto.

Sect. 7 (3) Together with a Representation of the Holiness of God in Christ, there is a Revelation made of what Holiness in us he does require, and will accept. As was observed before, the Consideration of it absolutely neither requires nor admitts of any but that which is absolutely perfect, and where there is any one failing, the whole of what we doe is condemned, Jam. 2. 10. This therefore can only perplex and torture the Soul of a sinner, by pressing on him at the same time the Necessity and Impossibility of Holiness, Isa. 33. 14. But now as God is in Christ, through his Interposition and Meditation, he accepts of such an Holiness in us, as we are capable of, and which no man has any discouragement from endeavouring to attain.

Sect. 8 (4) There is in and by Christ declared and administred a spiritual Power of Grace, which shall work this Holiness in us, or that Conformity to the Holiness of God which he does require. From this Fountain therefore we draw immediately as the Reasons of the Necessity, so prevalent Motives to Holiness in our Souls. Hence some things may be inferenced. As (First,) That the Mediation of Christ, and in particular his Satisfaction, is so farre from being an Hinderance of, or a Discouragement to Holiness, as some blasphemously pretend, that the great fundamental Reason of it in us, namely, the Holiness of God himself, can have no influence upon us, without the supposition of it and Faith in it; unless Faith be built hereon, no sinner upon a view of Gods Holiness as absolutely considered, can have any other thoughts but those of Cain, My sin is great it cannot be pardoned. God is an Holy God, I cannot serve him, and therefore will depart out of his presence. But the Holiness of God as manifested in Jesus Christ, including a supposition of Satisfaction made to what is required by its absolute Purity, and a condescention thereon to accept in him, that Holiness of Truth and Sincerity which we are capable of, does equally maintain the indispensible necessity of it, and encourage us to it. And we may see what contrary Conclusions will be made on these different Considerations of it: Those who view it only in the first way, can come to no other issue in their thoughts but that which they express in the Prophet, Isa. 33. 14. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire, who among us shall inhabit with everlasting burnings. God fiery Holiness serves towards them to no other End but to fill them with terror and despair. But other Inferences are natural from the Consideration of the same Holiness, in the latter way. Our God, saith the Apostle, is a consuming fire; what then, what follows as our Duty thereon? Let us have Grace whereby we may serve him acceptably with Reverence and Godly fear, Heb. 12. 28, 29. There is no such forcible Reason for, no such powerful Motive to our Adherence to him in Holy Obedience. Such different Conclusions will men make from these different Considerations of the Holiness of God, when once they come to be serious and in good earnest about them.

Sect. 9 (Secondly,) It follows from hence also, that our Holiness under the New Covenant, although it have the same general Nature and one principal End with that which was required in the Covenant of Works, yet as it has an especial Spring and Fountain which that had not, and relates to sundry Causes which the other had no concernment in, so it is not of the same especial use therewith. The immediate End and Use of that Holiness in us, was to answer the Holiness of God absolutely as expressed in the Law, whereon we should have been Justified. This is now done for us by Christ alone, and the Holiness which God requires of us, respects onely those Ends which God has proposed to us, in Compliance with his own Holiness, as he will Glorifie it in Jesus Christ; which must be afterwards declared.

(Secondly,) We may consider in what particular Instances the Force of this Argument is conveyed to us, or what are the especial Reasons why we ought to be Holy because God is so. And they are three.

Sect. 10 (1) Because herein consists all that Conformity to God, whereof in this World we are capable, which is our Priviledge, Preeminence, Glory and Honour. We were Originally Created in the Image and Likeness of God. Herein consisted the Priviledge, Preeminence, Order, and Blessedness of our first state; and that for the Substance of it, it was no other but our Holiness, is by all confessed. Wherefore, without this Conformity to God, without the Impress of his Image and Likeness upon us, we do not, we cannot stand in that Relation to God which was designed us in our Creation. This we lost by the Entrance of sin. And if there be not a way for us to acquire it again, if we do not so, we shall alwaies come short of the Glory of God, and of the End of our Creation. Now this is done in and by Holiness alone, for therein consists the Renovation of the Image of God in us, as our Apostle expressely declares, Ephes. 4. 22, 23, 24. with Col. 3. 10. It is therefore to no purpose for any man to expect an Interest in God, or any thing that will prove Eternally to his Advantage, who does not endeavour after Conformity to him. For such a man despises all the Glory that God designed to himself in our Creation, and all that was Eminent and peculiarly bestowed upon our selves.

Sect. 11 He therefore whose Design is not to be like to God, according to his Measure, and the Capacity of a Creature, alwayes misses both of his End, his Rule, and his Way. Our Saviour would have his Disciples to do all things so, as that they may be the Children of their Heavenly Father, Matth. 5. 45. that is, like him, representing him, as Children do their Father. And the truth is, if this Necessity of Conformity to God be once out of our View and Consideration, we are easily turned aside by the meanest Temptation we meet withall. In brief, without that Likeness and Conformity to God, which consists in Holiness, as we do under his Eye bear the Image of his great Adversary the Devil, so we can have no especial Interest in him, nor has he any in us.

(2) The Force of the Argument arises from the Respect it bears to our Actual Entercourse and Communion with God: This we are called to, and this in all our Duties of Obedience we must endeavour to attain. If there be not in them a real Entercourse between God and our Souls, they are all but uncertain beatings of the Ayre. When we are Accepted in them, when God is Glorified by them, then have we in them this Entercourse and Communion with God. Now whereas God is Holy, if we are not in our Measure holy according to his Mind, this cannot be. For God neither accepts of any Duties from unholy Persons, nor is he glorified by them; and therefore as to these Ends does he expreslely reject and condemn them. It is a good Duty to Preach the Word; But to the Wicked God saith, What hast you to doe to declare my Statutes, or that you shouldest take my Covenant in your mouth, seeing you hatest Instruction, and castest my Words behind you, Psal. 50. 16, 17. Seeing you art unholy. To pray is a good Duty; But to them that are not washed and made clean, and put not away the evil of their Doings from before his Eyes, saith God, When ye spread forth your hands I will hide mine Eyes from you, and when ye make many Prayers, I will not hear, Isa. 1. 15, 16. And the like may be said of all other Duties whatever.

Sect. 12 It is certain therefore, that whereas God is Holy, if we are not so, all the Duties which we design or intend to perform towards him, are everlastingly lost, as to their proper Ends. For there is no Entercourse nor Communion between Light and Darkness: God is Light, and in him is no Darkness at all; and if we say, we have Fellowship with him, and walk in Darkness, as all unholy Persons doe, we lye, and doe not the truth; but if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light, we have Fellowship one with another; and truely our Fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Christ Jesus, 1 Joh. 1. 6, 7. v. 3. Now what man that shall consider this, unless he be infatuated, would for the Love of any one sin, or out of Conformity to the World, or any other thing, whereby the Essence and Truth of Holiness is impeached, utterly lose and forfeit all the Benefit and Fruit of all those Duties wherein perhaps he has laboured, and which he has, it may be, been at no small charge withall. But yet this is the Condition of all men, who come short in any thing that is essentially necessary to universal Holiness. All they doe, all they suffer, all the Pains they take in and about Religious Duties, all their complyance with Convictions, and what they do therein within doors and without, is all lost, as to the great Ends of the Glory of God, and their own Eternal Blessedness, as sure as God is Holy.

Sect. 13 (3) It arises from a Respect to our future everlasting Enjoyment of him. This is out utmost End, which if we come short of, (Life it self is the greatest Loss) better ten thousand times we had never been. For without it, a Continuance in Everlasting Miseries is inseparable from our State and Condition. Now this is never attainable by any unholy Person. Follow Holiness, saith our Apostle, without which no man shall see God. For it is the pure in Heart only that shall see God, Matth. 5. 8. It is hereby that we are made meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light, Col. 1. 12. Neither can we attain it before we are thus made meet for it. No unclean thing, nothing that defiles or is defiled, shall ever be brought into the glorious Presence of this Holy God. There is no Imagination wherewith Mankind is besotted, more foolish, none so pernicious as this, That Persons not purified, not sanctified, not made holy in this Life, should afterwards be taken into that state of Blessedness which consists in the Enjoyment of God. There can be no Thought more Reproachfull to his Glory, nor more inconsistent with the Nature of the things themselves. For neither can such Persons enjoy him, nor would God himself be a Reward to them. They can have nothing whereby they should adhere to him as their chiefest Good, nor can see any thing in him that should give them Rest or Satisfaction; nor can there be any Medium whereby God should Communicate himself to them, supposing them to contue thus unholy, as all must doe who depart out of this Life in that Condition. Holiness indeed is perfected in Heaven, but the Beginning of it is inviolably and unalterably confined to this World; and where this fails, no hand shall be put to that Work to Eternity. All unholy persons therefore who seed and refresh themselves with Hopes of Heaven and Eternity, doe it meerly on false Notions of God and Blessedness, whereby they deceive themselves. Heaven is a place where as well they would not be, as they cannot be; in it self it is neither desired by them, nor fit for them. He that has this Hope indeed, that he shall see God, purifies himself even as he is pure, 1 Joh. 3. 2. 3. There is therefore a manifold Necessity of Holiness impressed on us, from the Consideration of the Nature of that God whom we serve and hope to enjoy, which is Holy.

Sect. 14 I cannot pass over this Consideration, without making some especial Improvement of it. We have seen how all our Concernment and Interest in God both here and hereafter, do depend on our being Holy. They invented a very effectual Means for the Prejudicing, yea indeed a fatal Engine for the Ruine of true Holiness in the World, who built it on no other bottome, nor pressed it on any other motive, but that the Acts and Fruits of it were Meritorious in the sight of God. For whether this be Believed and complyed withall or not, true Holiness is ruined, if no other more effectual Reason be substituted in its room. Reject this Motive, and there is no need of it; which I am perswaded has really taken place in many, who being taught that good Deeds are not meritorious, have concluded them useless. Comply with it, and you destroy he Nature of true Holiness, and turn all the pretended Duties of it into Fruits and Effects of spiritual Pride and blind Superstition. But we see the Necessity of it with respect to God, has other Foundations suited to, and consistent with the Grace and Love and Mercy of the Gospel. And we shall fully shew in our Progress, that there is not one Motive to it, that is of any real Force or Efficacy, but perfectly complyes with the whole Doctrine of the free undeserved Grace of God towards us by Jesus Christ; nor is there any of them which gives the least Countenance to any thing of worth in our selves, as from our selves, or that should take us off from an absolute and universal Dependance on Christ for Life and Salvation. But yet such they are, as render it as necessary to us to be Holy, that is, to be sanctified, as to be Justified. He that thinks to please God, and to come to the Enjoyment of him without Holiness, makes him an unholy God, putting the highest Indignity and Dishonour imaginable upon him. God deliver poor Sinners from this Deceit. There is no Remedy, you must leave your Sins, or your God. You may as easily reconcile Heaven and Hell, the one remaining Heaven and the other Hell, as easily take away all Difference between Light and Darkness, Good and Evil, as procure Acceptance for unholy Persons with our God. Some live without God in the World; whether they have any Notion of his Being or no, is not material: They live without any Regard to him, either as to his present Rule over them, or his future Disposal of them. It is no wonder if Holiness, both Name and Thing, be universally despised by these Persons; their Design being to serve their Lusts to the utmost, and immerse themselves in the Pleasures of the World, without once taking God into their Thoughts, they can do no otherwise. But for Men who live under some constant sense of God, and an eternal Accountableness to him, and thereon do many things he requires, and abstain from many Sins that their Inclinations and Opportunities would suggest and prompt them to, not to endeavour after that universal Holiness which alone will be accepted with him, is a deplorable Folly. Such men seem to Worship an Idol all their dayes. For he that does not endeavour to be like to God, does contrarily think wickedly that God is like to himself. It is true, our Interest in God is not built upon our Holiness, but it is as true, that we have none without it. Were this Principle once well fixed in the Minds of men, that without Holiness no man shall see God, and that enforced from the Consideration of the Nature of God himself, it could not but influence them to a greater Diligence about it, than the most seem to be engaged in.

Those who plead for moral virtue must answer what they intend by it — if they intend the renovation of the image of God by grace, conformity to God in his holiness, the acting of the soul in all duties from a principle of faith and love whereby we have communion with God here and are led toward his enjoyment, then why do they refuse the words and expressions which the Holy Ghost himself teaches? Men never dislike the words of God but when they dislike the things of God.

The claims of those who charge the doctrines of satisfaction and imputed righteousness with being inconsistent with holiness rest on a false foundation — they are wholly mistaken in their thoughts concerning that God whom we serve; God in Christ has so revealed his own holiness and what is necessary on its account, that it is a foolish, wicked, and blasphemous thing to think to please him, be accepted with him, or come to his enjoyment without the holiness he requires and from his own nature cannot but require.

We must charge ourselves with blame for our sloth and negligence in growing into the image and likeness of God — we may have the image of God in our hearts yet come short of that likeness in its degrees and improvement which we ought to aim at; this happens when our graces are weak, withering, and unthrifty, or when by the power of our corruptions we contract a deformity resembling the old crooked serpent; in both cases the glory of God in this world and the evidence of his image in us are diminished.

In our likeness unto God consists the excellency and preeminence of our nature above all other creatures in the world, and of our persons above those of other men who are not partakers of his image — this is the first motive to diligence in holiness; perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord is the only way whereby we may be like unto him in this world.

The image of God in which mankind was created gave us a preeminence above all other creatures, and hence dominion over them ensued — not being content to be like God in holiness and righteousness, we would be as God in wisdom and sovereignty, and not attaining what we aimed at, we lost what we had (Genesis 3:5); the restoration of this image in us by the grace of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10) is the recovery of that preeminence and privilege of our nature which we had foolishly lost. The restoration of God's image in human nature was the ground on which God renewed his covenant with Noah and restored mankind's dominion over creation (Genesis 9:1-2) — had God not designed to renew his image in our nature by Jesus Christ, and as the foundation thereof to take our nature into union with himself in the person of his Son and make him the first-born of creation, he would not have continued any right or title therein; God exalting our natures by union with himself requires of us to preserve its dignity above others.

Likeness unto God gives privilege and preeminence unto persons above others — 'The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour' (Proverbs 12:26); this is established not by civil wisdom, wealth, greatness, or power, but by conformity and likeness to God; hence holy persons are called the saints and the excellent in the earth (Psalm 16:3), and wicked men by contrast are called vile — trifling vilenesses — while the righteous are said to be precious and valuable.

Holiness is the whole of that dignity which our nature was made for and is capable of — sin is the sole debasement of it; the dignity of believers does not consist in worldly advantages (not many wise, mighty, or noble are called, 1 Corinthians 1:26), nor in spiritual gifts (many who cast out devils in Christ's name shall be told 'I never knew you,' Matthew 7:22), nor in profession or outward religious performances; it consists alone in that likeness unto God which we have in and by holiness.

Sect. 21 Secondly, According to our Growth and Improvement in this likeness to God, are our Accesses and Approaches towards Glory. We are drawing every day towards our Natural End whether we will or no; and if we doe not therewithall draw nearer towards our Supernatural End in Glory, we are most miserable. Now men doe but deceive themselves, if they suppose that they are approaching towards Glory in time, if they are not at the same time making nearer to it in Grace; It is some Representation of future Glory, that therein we shall be [[original in non-Latin script]], Luk. 20. 36. like, or equal to Angels. But that respects one particular only of that state. It is a far more excellent Description of it, that we shall be like to God, when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is, 1 John 3. 2. Our glory as subjectively considered, will be our Likeness to God according to the capacity of Creatures. And it is the highest folly for any to think that they shall love that hereafter, which now they hate; that that will be their Glory which they now abhorre; such sottish Contradictions are the Minds of men filled withall. There is nothing in this World which they more despise, than to be like to God, and they hate every one that is so; yet pretend a Desire and Expectation of that Estate wherein they shall be so, which is a being so for ever. But this will be our Glory; to behold the Face of God in Righteousness, and to be satisfied with his Likeness, Psal. 17. 15. How then shall we make Approaches towards this Glory spiritually, which at least may answer the Approaches we make towards our Ends naturally, seeing not to do so, is folly and intolerable negligence? We have no other way, but Thriving and Growing in that Likeness of God which we have here in Holiness. Hereby alone are we transformed into the Image of God, from Glory to Glory; 2 Cor. 3. 18. From one glorious Degree of Grace to another, untill one great Change shall issue all Grace and Holiness in Eternal Glory: And in our Desires for Heaven, if they are regular, we consider not so much our Freedom from Trouble as from Sin; nor in our Aym in the first place so much at compleat Happiness, as perfect Holiness. And they who desire Heaven, as that which would only ease them of their Troubles, and not as that which will perfectly free them of Sin; will fall into a state wherein Sin and Trouble shall be Eternally inseperable. As therefore we would continually tend towards our Rest and Blessedness, as we would have assured and evident Pledges of it in our own Souls, as we would have Fore-tastes of it, and an experimental Acquaintance with it, (as who would not know as much as is possible of his Eternal Blessedness) this is the Design which we ought to pursue. It is to be feared, that the most of us know not how much of Glory may be in present Grace, nor how much of Heaven may be attained in Holiness on the Earth. We have a Generation among us, that would fain be Boasting of Perfection, whilest in their Minds they are evidently under the Power of Darkness, corrupt in their Affections, and worldly in their Lives. But our Duty it is, to be alwayes perfecting Holiness in the fear of the Lord. This pursued in a due Manner, is continually transforming the Soul into the Likeness of God. Much of the Glory of Heaven may dwell in a simple Cottage. And poor Persons, even under Ragges, may be very like to God.

Sect. 22 Thirdly, It is from our Likeness and Conformity to God alone, that we are or may be usefull in the World in a due Manner and Order. I shall have Occasion to speak more to this afterwards, and shall therefore here only touch upon it, with respect to one Concernment or Circumstance. God is the great Preserver and Benefactor of the whole Creation: He is good and does Good, the sole Cause and Fountain of all Good, that in any kind, any Creature is made partaker of. And there is no Property of God more celebrated in the Scripture than this of his Goodness, and his giving out of the Fruits of it to all his Creatures. And he is so only Good, that there is nothing so in any sence but by a participation of it, and a Likeness to him therein. They therefore who are like to God, and they only, are usefull in this World. There is indeed, or at least there has been, much Good, usefull good done by others, on various Convictions, and for various Ends: But there is one flaw or other in all they doe. Either Superstition, or Vain-glory, or Selfishness, or Merit, or one thing or other, gets into all the Good that is done by unholy Persons, and brings Death into the Pot, so that although it may be of some use in particulars, to individual Persons, in some Seasons, it is of none to the general Good of the whole. He that bears the Likeness of God, and in all that he does, acts from that Principle, he alone is truely usefull, represents God in what he does, and spoyls it not by false Ends of his own. If therefore we would keep up the Priviledge and Preeminence of our Nature and Persons, if we would make due and daily Accessions towards Glory and Blessedness, if we would be of any real use in this World, our great Endeavour ought to be, to grow up more and more into this Likeness of God, which consists in our Holiness.

Sect. 23 It will, therefore, or it may be justly here enquired, How or what we may doe, that we may thrive and grow up more and more into this Likeness to God. To remit other Considerations to their proper place, at present I answer, that there are some Graces of Holiness that are effectually Assimulating, and others that are Declarative, and Expressive of this Likeness of God in us.

(First.) Those of the first sort, which have a peculiar Efficacy to promote the likeness of God in our Souls, are Faith and Love, in whose constant Exercise we ought to abide and abound, if we intend to grow in Likeness and Conformity to God.

Sect. 24 (1) Faith is a part of our Holiness, as it is a Grace of the sanctifying Spirit, and it is a Principle of Holiness as it purifies the Heart, and is effectual by Love. The more Faith is in its due and proper Exercise, the more holy we shall be, and consequently the more like to God. This were a large Theme, I shall confine it to one Instance. The glorious Properties of God, as we have shewed before, are manifested and revealed in Jesus Christ, in his Face do they shine forth. The only way whereby we behold them, whereby we have an intuition into them, is by Faith. In Christ are the glorious Excellencies of God represented to us, and by Faith do we behold them. And what is the Effect hereof? we are changed into the same Image and Likeness, from Glory to Glory, 2 Cor. 3. 18. This is the great Mystery of Growing in Holiness, and Thriving in the Image of God, which the World being ignorant of, have laboured in vain by other Means to satisfie their Notions and Convictions. But this is the great Way and Means of it, appointed and blessed of God to that Purpose; namely, constantly by Faith, in a way of Believing the Revelation made in the Gospel, to view, behold, and contemplate on the Excellencies of God, his Goodness, Holiness, Righteousness, Love and Grace, as manifested in Jesus Christ; and that so as to make use of, and apply to our selves and our Condition the Effects and Fruits of them, according to the Promise of the Gospel. This is the great Arcanum of growing up into the likeness of God; without which, however men may multiply Duties in a Complyance with their Convictions, they will have never the more Conformity to God. And all Professors who come short in this matter, do or may know, that it arises from their want of a constant Exercise of Faith on God in Christ. If therefore we have a real Design, of being yet more like to God, which is our Priviledge, Safety, Glory, Blessedness, this is the way we must take for its Accomplishment. Abound in Actings of Faith, and we shall thrive in Holiness. And they are but Acts of Presumption under the Name of Faith, which do not infallibly produce this Effect.

Sect. 25 (2) Love has the same Tendency and Efficacy. I mean, the Love of God. He that would be like to God must be sure to love him, or all other Endeavours to that Purpose will be in vain. And he that loves God sincerely, will be like him. Under the Old Testament none in his general Course so like to God as David, called therefore the man after Gods own Heart; and none ever made greater Expressions of Love to him, which occurre continually in the Psalms. And let men take what pains they can in Acts and Duties of Obedience, if they proceed not from a Principle of Divine Love, their Likeness to God will not be encreased by them. All Love in general has an assimulating Efficacy, it casts the Mind into the Mould of the thing beloved. So Love of this World makes men Earthly minded; their Minds and Affections grow Earthy, carnal and sensual. But of all Kinds Divine Love is most effectual to this purpose, as having the best, the most noble, proper and attractive Object. It is our Adherence to God with Delight, for what he is in himself, as manifested in Jesus Christ. By it we cleave to God, and so keep near him, and thereby derive transforming Vertue from him. Every Approach to God by ardent Love and Delight is Transfiguring. And it acts it self continually by (1) Contemplation; (2) Admiration, and (3) Delight in Obedience.

1. Love acts it self by Contemplation. It is in the Nature of it to be meditating and Contemplating on the Excellencies of God in Christ. Yea, this is the Life of it, and where this is not, there is no Love. An heart filled with the Love of God, will Night and Day be exercising it self in and with Thoughts of Gods glorious Excellencies, rejoycing in them. This the Psalmist exhorts us to, Psal. 30. 4. Sing to the Lord, O ye Saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his Holiness. And Love will do the same with respect to all his other Properties. See to this purpose, Psal. 63. throughout. And this will further our Likeness to him; our Minds by it will be changed into the Image of what we Contemplate, and we shall endeavour, that our Lives be conformed thereunto.

Sect. 26 2. It works by Admiration also. That is the voyce of Love; How great is his Goodness! how great is his Beauty! Zech. 9. 17. the Soul being as it were ravished with that View which it has of the glorious Excellencies of God in Christ, has no way to express its Affections but by Admiration. How great is his Goodness! how great is his Beauty! And this Beauty of God is that sweetness and holy symmetry of Glory, (if I may be allowed to speak so improperly) in all the Perfections of God, being all in a sweet Correspondency exalted in Christ, which is the proper Object of our Love. To see infinite Holiness, Purity and Righteousness, with infinite Love, Goodness, Grace and Mercy, all equally Glorified in and towards the same Things and Persons, one Glimpse whereof is not to be attained in the World out of Christ; is that Beauty of God which attracts the Love of a Believing Soul, and fills it with an holy Admiration of him. And this also is a most effectual Furtherance of our Conformity to him, which without these steps we shall labour in vain after.

Sect. 27 3. Again, Love gives Delight in Obedience, and all the Duties of it. The common Instance of Jacob is known, of whom it is said, that his seven Years Service seemed short, and so easie to him, for the Love he bare to Rachel. He did that with Delight, which he would not afterwards undergoe for the greatest Wages. But we have a greater Instance: Our Lord Jesus Christ sayes concerning all the Obedience that was required of him; Your Law O God is in my heart, I delight to do your Will. And yet we know how terrible to Nature were the things he did and suffered in Obedience to that Law. But his unspeakable Love to God and the Souls of men, rendred it all his Delight. Hence follows Intension and Frequency in all the Duties of it. And where these two are, Intension of mind and spirit, with a Frequency of holy Duties, both proceeding from Delight, there Holiness will thrive, and consequently we shall do so in our Conformity to God. In brief, Love and Likeness to God are inseperable, and proportionate to one another. And without this, no Duties of Obedience are any part of his Image.

Sect. 28 (Secondly.) There are Graces which are Declarative of this Assimulation, or which evidence and manifest our Likeness to God. I shall instance only in two of them.

(1) And the first is such, as I shall give many Names to it is its Description, as the Scripture does also, but the thing intended is one and the same. This is Goodness, Kindness, Benignity, Love, with Readiness to do good, to forgive, to help and relieve, and this towards all Men, on all Occasions. And this also is to be considered in Opposition to an evil Habit of Mind exerting it self in many Vices, which yet agree in the same general Nature; such are Anger, Wrath, Envy, Malice, Revenge, Frowardness, Selfishness; all which are directly opposite to the Grace of Holiness, at present instanced in and pleaded for. And this I fear, is not so considered as it ought to be: For if it were, it would not be so common a thing as it may be it is, for men to plead highly for the Imitation of God, and almost in all they doe, give us a full Representation of the Devil. For as this universal Benignity and Love to all, is the greatest Representation of the Nature of God on the Earth; so is Fierceness, Envy, Wrath and Revenge, of that of the Devil. Would we then be like to our Heavenly Father, would we manifest that we are so to his Glory, would we represent him in and to the World, it must be by this frame of spirit, and Actings constantly suited thereunto. This our Blessed Saviour instructs us in and to, Matth. 5. 44, 45. A Man, I say, thus Good, his Nature being cured and rectified by Grace, from there usefull, and helpfull, free from Guile, Envy and Selfishness, Pride and Elation of Mind, is the best Representation we can have of God on the Earth, since the Humane Nature of Christ was removed from us.

Sect. 29 This therefore we are to labour after, if we intend to be like God, or to manifest his Glory in our Persons and Lives to the World. And no small part of our Holiness consists herein. Many Lusts, Corruptions, and distempered Passions are to be subdued by Grace, if we design to be Eminent. Strong Bents and Inclinations of Mind to comply with innumerable Provocations and Exasperations that will befall us, must be corrected and discarded. Many Duties be constantly attended to, and sundry Graces kept up to their Exercise. The whole drove of Temptations, all whose force consists in a pretence of care for Self, must be scattered or resisted. And hence it is, that in the Scripture a Good man, a Merciful man, an usefull, liberal man, is frequently spoken of by way of Eminency and Distinction, as one whom God has an especial regard to, and concerning whom there are peculiar Promises. When men live to themselves, and are satisfied that they doe no hurt, though they doe no good; are secure, selfish, wrathfull, angry, peevish, or have their kindness confined to their Relations, or otherwise are little usefull but in what they are prest to, and therein come off with Difficulty in their own minds, who esteem all lost that is done for the Relief of others, and the greatest part of Wisdom to be cautious, and disbelieve the necessities of men; in a word, that make Self and its concernments the End of their lives; whatever otherwise their profession be, or their Diligence in Religious duties, they doe very little either Represent or Glorifie God in the world. If we therefore Design to be Holy, let us constantly in our Families, towards our Relations, in Churches, in our Conversations in the world, and dealings with all men, towards our Enemies and Persecutors, the worst of them, so far as they are ours only, towards all Mankind as we have Opportunity, labour after conformity to God, and to express our likeness to him, in this Philanthropy, Goodness, Benignity, Condescention, readiness to forgive, to help and relieve, without which we neither are, nor can be the Children of our Father which is in Heaven.

The objection that the infinite grace, mercy, and love of God toward sinners makes any argument for holiness from his nature ineffective must be answered — the objection is natural to carnal and unbelieving minds who think they may live in sin because grace has abounded; but God himself has obviated it by declaring his mercy and at the same time affirming that he 'will by no means clear the guilty' (Exodus 34:6-7) who go on in their sins without regard to obedience and holiness.

The second declarative grace is truth — speaking the truth in love in all things (Ephesians 4:15); our apostasy from God was eminently from him as the God of Truth, and sin entered the world by and with a train of lies; truth and sincerity in words is an effect of the renovation of the image of God in us and a representation of him to the world; where truth is not universally observed with the utmost watchfulness of sincerity and love, all other marks of God's image are not only sullied but defaced.

Sect. 32 Having dispatched this first Argument, and added to it some especial Improvements with respect to its Influence into our Practice, it remains only, that we free it from one Objection which it seems exposed to. Now this arises from the Consideration of the Infinite Grace, Mercy, and Love of God, as they are proposed in the Dispensation of the Word. For it may be said to us, and like enough it will, considering the frame of mens Minds in the Dayes wherein we live, Doe not you your selves, who thus press to Holiness, and the Necessity of it from the Consideration of the Nature of God, preach to us every day the Greatness of his Mercy towards all sorts of Sinners, his Readiness to receive them, his Willingness to pardon them, and that freely in Christ, without the Consideration of any Worth, Merit, or Righteousness of their own? And do you not herein invite all sorts of Sinners, the worst and the greatest, to come to him by Christ, that they may be pardoned and accepted? Whence then can arise any Argument for the Necessity of Holiness, from the Consideration of the Nature of this God, whose Inestimable Treasures of Grace, and the freedom of whose Love and Mercy towards Sinners, no Tongue, as you say, can express.

Sect. 33 An. (1) This Objection is very natural to carnal and unbelieving Minds, and therefore we shall meet with it at every turn. There is nothing seems more reasonable to them, than that we may live in sin because Grace has abounded. If men must yet be Holy, they can see no need nor use of Grace. And they cannot see that God is Gracious to any Purpose, if notwithstanding men may perish because they are not Holy. But this Objection is raised, rejected and condemned by our Apostle, in whose Judgement we may acquiesce; Rom. 6. 1. And in the same place he subjoyns the Reasons, why notwithstanding the superabounding Grace of God in Christ, there is an indispensible Necessity that all Believers should be Holy.

(2) God himself has obviated this Objection. He proclaims his Name, Exod. 34. 6, 7. The Lord, the Lord God, gracious and mercifull, abundant in Goodness and Truth, keeping Mercy for thousands, forgiving Iniquity, Transgressions and Sin. Had he stood here, and neither in this nor in any other place of Scripture, further declared his Nature and unchangeable Purposes concerning Sinners, some Colour might have been laid on this Objection. But he addes immediately, and that will by no means clear the Guilty; that is, as it is explained in places of Scripture innumerable, such as go on in their Sins, without regard to Obedience and Holiness, springing from the Attonement made for their guilty Souls in the Blood of Christ.

(3) We doe, we ought to declare, the rich and free Love, Grace, Mercy, and Bounty of God to Sinners in and by Jesus Christ; and Woe to us, if we should not be found in that Work all our Dayes; and thereby Encourage all sorts of Sinners to come to him for the free Pardon of their Sins, without Money or Price, without Merit or Desert on their part; For this is the Gospel. But notwithstanding all this Grace and Condescension, we declare, that he does not dethrone himself, nor deny himself, nor change his Nature, nor become unholy, that we may be saved. He is God still, Naturally and Essentially holy; Holy as he is in Christ, reconciling the sinfull World to himself; and therefore indispensibly requires, that those whom he pardons, receives, accepts into his Love, and Communion with himself, should be Holy also. And these things are not only consistent, but inseperable. Without the Consideration of this Grace in God, we can have no Encouragement to be Holy; and without the Necessity of Holiness in us, that Grace can neither be glorified nor usefull.

CHAP. II. Eternal Election a Cause of, and Motive to Holinesse.

Other Arguments for the Necessity of Holiness, from Gods Eternal Election. The Argument from from there explained, improved, vindicated.

Sect. 1 WE have seen upon the whole Matter, what Conclusions (as to our own Duty) we ought to draw from that Revelation of the Nature of God in Christ, which is made to us, and our Relation to him: If we are not thereby prevailed on, alwayes, in all Instances of Obedience, to endeavour to be Holy, universally, in all manner of Holy Conversation, we neither can enjoy his Favour here, nor be brought to the Enjoyment of him in Glory hereafter.

Sect. 2 That Consideration which usually we take of God, next after his Nature and the Properties of it, is of the Eternal free Acts of his Will, or his Decrees and Purposes. And we shall now enquire, what Respect they have to Holiness in us, what Arguments and Motives may be taken from them, to evince the Necessity of it to us, and to press us thereunto; especially from the Decree of Election, which in an especial Manner is by some traduced, as no Friend to this Design. I say then, that,

Sect. 3 It is the Eternal and Immutable Purpose of God, that all who are his in a peculiar manner, all whom he designs to bring to Blessedness in the Everlasting Enjoyment of himself; shall antecedently thereunto be made Holy. This Purpose of his, God has declared to us, that we may take no wrong Measures of our Estate and Condition, nor build Hopes or Expectations of future Glory, on sandy Foundations that will fail us. Whatever we are else, in Parts, Abilities, Profession, Moral Honesty, Usefulness to others, Reputation in the Church, if we are not personally, spiritually, Evangelically Holy, we have no Interest in that Purpose or Decree of God, whereby any Persons are designed to Salvation and Glory. And this we shall briefly confirm.

Ephes. 1. 4. He has chosen us in Christ, before the Foundation of the World, that we should be holy, and unblameable before him in Love. But is this that which firstly and principally we are ordained to, and that for its own sake, namely, Holiness, and Unblameableness in the Obedience of Love? No; we are firstly Ordained to eternal life, Acts 13. 48. we are chosen from the Beginning to Salvation, 2 Thess. 2. 13. That which God in the first place intends as his End in the Decree of Election, is our Eternal Salvation, to the prayse of the Glory of his Grace; Ephes. 1. 5, 6, 11. How then is he said to Choose us that we should be Holy? in what sence is our Holiness proposed as the Design of God in Election? It is as the indispensible Means for the attaining of the End of Salvation and Glory. I doe, saith God, choose these poor lost Sinners, to be mine in an especial manner, to save them by my Son, and bring them through his Mediation to Eternal Glory; But in order hereunto, I do purpose and decree, that they shall be holy and unblameable in the Obedience of Love, without which as a Means none shall ever attain that End. Wherefore, the Expectation and Hope of any man, for Life and Immortality and Glory, without previous Holiness, can be built on no other Foundation but this, that God will Rescind his Eternal Decrees, and change his Purposes, that is, cease to be God, meerly to comply with them in ther Sins. And who knowes not what will be the End of such a cursed Hope and Expectation? The contrary is seconded by that of the Apostle, Rom. 8. 36. Whom he did Predestinate, them he also Called. Wherever Predestination to Glory goes before, concerning any Person, there Effectual Vocation to Faith and Holiness infallibly ensues: And where these never were, the other never was. So 2 Thess. 2. 13. God has chosen you from the Beginning to Salvation, through the Sanctification of the Spirit. Chosen we are to Salvation, by the free Soveraign Grace of God: But how may this Salvation be actually obtained? how may we be brought into the actual possession of it? Through the Sanctification of the Spirit, and no otherwise. Whom God does not sanctifie and make Holy by his Spirit, he never chose to Salvation from the Beginning. The Councels of God therefore concerning us, do not depend on our Holiness; but upon our Holiness our future Happiness depends in the Councels of God.

Sect. 4 Hence we may see, wherein lyes the Force of the Argument for the Necessity of Holiness, from Gods Decree of Election; and it consists in these two things:

(1) That such is the Nature of the unalterable Decree of God in this Matter, that no Person living, can ever attain the End of Glory and Happiness, without the Means of Grace and Holiness. The same Eternal Purpose respectes both. I shall afterwards shew, how the infallible and indissolvible Connexion of these things is established by the Law of God. Our present Argument is from hence, that it is fixed by Gods Eternal Decree. He has ordained none to Salvation, but he has ordained them Antecedently to be Holy. Not the least Infant that goes out of this World, shall come to Eternal Rest, unless it be sanctified, and so made habitually and radically Holy. He chooses none to Salvation but through the sanctification of the Spirit. As therefore whatever else we have or may seem to have, it is contrary to the Nature of God, that we should come to the Enjoyment of him, if we are not holy, so it is contrary to his Eternal and unchangeable Decree also.

Sect. 5 (2) It arises from hence, that we can have no Evidence of our Interest in Gods Decree of Election, whereby we are designed to Life and Glory, without Holiness effectually wrought in us. Wherefore, as our Life depends upon it, so do all our Comforts. To this Purpose speaks our Apostle, 2 Tim. 2. 19. The Foundation of God standes sure, having this Seal, The Lord knowes who are his. It is the Decree of Election which he intends, and he proposes it as that alone which will give security against Apostasie in a time of great Temptations and Trials; As our Saviour does likewise, Matth. 24. 24. Every thing else will fail, but what is an especial Fruit and Effect of this Decree. What therefore is incumbent on us with respect thereunto, that we may know we have an Interest in this single Security against final Apostasie? saith the Apostle, And let every one that names the Name of Christ, depart from Iniquity. There is no other way to come to an Evidence thereof, but by a Departure from all Iniquity, by universal Holiness. So the Apostle Peter directs us, to give all diligence to make our Election sure, 2 Pet. 1. 10. Sure it is in it self, from all Eternity. The Foundation of God standes sure. But our Duty it is to make it sure, and certain to ourselves. And this is a thing of the highest Importance and Concernment to us, from where we are required to give all Diligence to that End. How then may this be done or effected? This he declares in the foregoing Verses, and it is only by finding in our selves, and duely Exercising that Train of Gospel Graces and Duties which he there enumerates, Vers. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.

Sect. 6 It is evident therefore and necessary from Gods Decree of Election, that if we intend either Eternal Glory hereafter, or any Consolation or Assurance here, that we must endeavour to be holy, and unblameable before him in Love. For whomever God purposes to save, he purposes first to sanctifie; neither have we any ground to suppose, that we are built on that Foundation of God which standes sure, unless we depart from all Iniquity. What further Motives may be taken from the especial Nature of this Decree, shall be considered when we have removed one Objection out of our way.

Sect. 7 Some there are, who apprehend that these things are quite otherwise. For they say, that a Supposition of Gods Decree of personal Election is a Discouragement to all Endeavours for Holiness, and an effectual Obstruction thereof in the Lives of Men. And under this pretense chiefly, is the Doctrine concerning it blasphemed and evil spoken of. For, say they, if God have freely from Eternity chosen men to Salvation, what need is there that they should be Holy? They may live securely in the pursuit of their Lusts, and be sure not to fail of Heaven at the last. For Gods Decree cannot be frustrated, nor his Will resisted. And if men be not elected, whatever they endeavour in the Wayes of Holy Obedience, it will be utterly lost, for eternally saved they cannot, they shall not be. This therefore is so far from being a Conviction of the Necessity of Holiness, and a Motive to it, as that indeed it renders it unnecessary and useless; yea defeats the Power and Efficacy of all other Arguments for it, and Motives to it.

Now this Objection, if not for the sake of those who make use of it as a Cavil against the Truth, yet of those who may feel the force of it in the way of a Temptation, must be removed out of our way: To this End, I answer two Things:

1. In general; that this Perswasion is not of him that calles us. This way of arguing is not taught in the Scripture, nor can from there be learned. The Doctrine of Gods free Electing Love and Grace is fully declared therein. And withall, it is proposed as the Fountain of all Holiness, and made a great Motive thereunto. Is it not safer now for us to adhere to the plain Testimonies of Scripture, confirmed by the Experience of the Generality of Believers, captivating our Understandings to the Obedience of Faith, than hearken to such perverse Cavils as would possess our Minds with a Dislike of God and his Wayes? Those who hate Gospel Holiness, or would substitute something else in the room of it, will never want Exceptions against all its Concernments. An Holiness they lay claim to, and plead an Interest in. For, as I said formerly, a Confession in general of the Necessity hereof, is almost the onely thing wherein all that are called Christians do agree. But such an Holiness they would have, as does not spring from Eternal Divine Election, as is not wrought in us Originally by the Almighty Efficacy of Grace in our Conversion, as is not promoted by free Justification, through the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ. Now this is such an Holiness as the Scripture knowes nothing of, unless it be to reject and condemn it. Wherefore, this Objection proceeding onely from the Craft of Sathan, opposing the Wayes and Methods of Gods Grace, when he deares not openly oppose the thing it self, it is safer for a Believer to rest quietly in clear Scripture Revelation, than to attend to such proud, perverse and froward Cavillings.

Sect. 9 2. In particular; we are not onely obliged to believe all Divine Revelations, but also in the Way, Order and Method wherein by the Will of God they are proposed to us, and which is required by the Nature of the things themselves. For Instance, The Belief of Eternal Life is required in the Gospel: But yet no man is obliged to Believe, that he shall be eternally saved whilest he lives in his Sins, but rather the contrary. On this Supposition, which is plain and evident, I shall in the ensuing Propositions, utterly cast this Objection out of Consideration.

Sect. 10 (1) The Decree of Election considered absolutely in it self, without respect to its Effects, is no part of Gods revealed Will. That is, it is not Revealed, that this or that man, is, or is not elected. This therefore can be made neither Argument nor Objection, about any thing wherein Faith or Obedience are concerned; For we know it not, we cannot know it, it is not our Duty to know it, the Knowledge of it is not proposed as of any use to us, yea it it is our sin to enquire into it. It may seem to some, to be like the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil to Eve; good for Food, pleasant to the Eyes, and much to be desired to make one wise, as all secret Forbidden things seem to carnal Minds. But men can gather no Fruit from it but Death. See Deut. 29. 29. Whatever Exceptions therefore are laid against this Decree as it is in it self, whatever Inferences are made, on supposition of this or that mans being or not being elected, they are all unjust and unreasonable, yea proved contending with God, who has appointed another Way for the Discovery hereof, as we shall see afterwards.

Sect. 11 (2) God sends the Gospel to men in pursuit of his Decree of Election, and in order to its effectual Accomplishment. I dispute not what other End it has or may have, in its indefinite proposal to all. But this is the first Regulating, principal End of it. Wherefore, in the preaching of it, our Apostle affirms, that he endured all things for the Elects sake, that they might obtain the Salvation which is in Jesus Christ, with eternal Glory, 2 Tim. 2. 10. So God before-hand commanded him to stay and preach the Gospel at Corinth, because he had much People in that City, namely, in his Purpose of Grace, Acts 18. 10. See Chap. 2. 47. Chap. 13. 48.

Sect. 12 (3) Wherever this Gospel comes, it proposes Life and Salvation by Jesus Christ, to all that shall believe, repent, and yield Obedience to him. It plainly makes known to men their Duty, and plainly proposes to them their Reward. In this state of things, no man without the highest Pride and utmost Effect of Vnbelief, can oppose the secret Decree of God to our known Duty. Saith such a one, I will neither repent, nor believe, nor obey, unless I may first know whether I am Elected or no, for all at last will depend thereon. If this be the Resolution of any man, he may go about his other Occasions, the Gospel has nothing to say or offer to him. If he will admit of it on no other terms, but that he may set up his own Will and Wisdom and Methods, in Opposition to and Exclusion of those of God, he must, for ought I know, take his own Course, whereof he may Repent when it is too late.

Sect. 13 (4) The sole Way of God's Appointment, whereby we may come to an Apprehension of an Interest in Election, is by the Fruits of it in our own Souls: Nor is it Lawfull for us to enquire into it or after it any other way. The Obligation which the Gospel puts upon us to believe any thing, respects the Order of the Things themselves to be Believed, and the Order of our Obedience, as was before observed. For instance; when it is declared, that Christ dyed for Sinners, no man is immediately obliged to believe, that Christ dyed for him in particular, but only that he dyed to save Sinners, to procure a Way of Salvation for them, among whom he finds himself to be. Hereon the Gospel requires of men Faith and Obedience: This are they obliged to comply withall. Untill this be done, no man is under an Obligation to believe, that Christ dyed for him in particular. So is it in this matter of Election: A man is obliged to believe the Doctrine of it upon the first Promulgation of the Gospel, because it is therein plainly declared. But as for his own personal Election, he cannot believe it, nor is obliged to believe it any otherwise, but as God reveals it by its Effects. No man ought, no man can justly Question his own Election, doubt of it, or disbelieve it, untill he be in such a Condition as wherein it is impossible that the Effects of Election should ever be wrought in him; if such a Condition there be in this World. For as a man whilest he is unholy can have no Evidence that he is elected, so he can have none that he is not elected, whilest it is possible that ever he may be Holy. Wherefore, whether men are Elected or no, is not that which God calls any immediately to be conversant about. Faith, Obedience, Holiness, are the inseperable Fruits, Effects, and Consequents of Election; as has been proved before. See Ephes. 1. 4. 2 Thess. 2. 13. Tit. 1. 1. Acts 13. 48. In whomever these things are wrought, he is obliged according to the Method of God and the Gospel, to believe his own Election: And any Believer may have the same Assurance of it as he has of his Calling, Sanctification or Justification; for these things are inseperable. And by the Exercise of Grace are we obliged to secure our Interest in Election, 2 Pet. 1. 11. But as for those who are as yet Vnbelievers and unholy, they can draw no Conclusion that they are not elected, but from this Supposition, that they are in a state and Condition wherein it is impossible that ever they should have either Grace or Holiness; which cannot be supposed concerning any man but he that knowes himself to have sinned against the Holy Ghost.

Wherefore, all the supposed strength of the Objection mentioned, lies onely in the Pride of mens Minds and Wills, refusing to submit themselves to the Order and Method of God in the Dispensation of his Grace, and his Prescription of their Duty, where we must leave it.

Sect. 14 To return to our designed Discourse. The Doctrine of Gods Eternal Election is every where in the Scripture proposed for the Encouragement and Consolation of Believers, and to further them in their Course of Obedience and Holiness. See Ephes. 1. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Rom. 8. 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33. As to Mens present Concernment therein, it is infallibly assured to them by its Effects; and being so, it is filled with Motives to Holiness, as we shall now further declare in particular.

First, The Soveraign and ever to be Adored Grace and Love of God herein, is a powerfull Motive hereunto. For we have no way to express our Resentment of this Grace, our Acknowledgement of it, our Thankfulness for it, but by an holy fruitfull Course of Obedience; nor does God on the Account hereof require any thing else of us. Let us therefore enquire what Sence and Obligation this puts upon us; That God from all Eternity, out of his meer Soveraign Grace, not moved by any thing in our selves, should first choose us to Life and Salvation by Jesus Christ, decreeing immutably to save us out of the perishing multitude of Mankind, from whom we neither then did in his Eye or Consideration, nor by any thing in our selves ever would differ in the least? What Impression does this make upon our Souls? What Conclusion as to our Practice and Obedience do we hence educe? Why saith one, If God has thus chosen me, I may then live in sin as I please, all will be well and safe in the latter End, which is all I need care for: But this is the Language of a Devil, and not of a Man. Suggestions possibly of this nature, by the Craft of Sathan, in Conjunction with the Deceitfulness of Sin, may be injected into the Minds of Believers; as what may not so be? But he that shall foment, embrace, and act practically according to this Inference, is such a monster of Impiety and presumptuous Ingratitude, as Hell it self cannot parallel, in [[original in non-Latin script]][[original in non-Latin script]] many Instances. I shall use some Boldness in this Matter. He that does not understand, who is not sensible, that an Apprehension by Faith of Gods Electing Love in Christ, has a Natural, immediate, powerfull Influence upon the Souls of Believers, to the Love of God and Holy Obedience, is utterly unacquainted with the Nature of Faith, and its whole Work and Actings towards God, in the Hearts of them that believe. Is it possible, that any one who knowes these things, can suppose, that those in whom they are in Sincerity and Power, can be such stupid, impious and ungratefull Monsters, so devoid of all Holy Ingenuity, and filial Affections towards God, as meerly out of despight to him, to cast Poyson into the Spring of all their own Mercies? Many have I known complain, that they could not arrive at a comfortable Perswasion of their own Election; never any, who when they had received it in a due Way and Manner, that it proved a Snare to them, that it tended to ingenerate loosness of Life, Vnholiness, or a Contempt of God in them. Besides, in the Scripture it is still proposed and made use of to other Ends. And those who know any thing of the Nature of Faith, or of the Love of God, any thing of Entercourse or Communion with him by Jesus Christ, any thing of Thankefulness, Obedience or Holiness, will not be easily perswaded, but that Gods Electing Love and Grace, is a mighty constraining Motive to the due Exercise of them all.

Sect. 15 God himself knowes this to be so, and therefore he makes the Consideration of his electing Love, as free and undeserved, his principal Argument to stirre up the People to holy Obedience, Deut. 7. 6, 7, 8, 11. And a Supposition hereof, lyes at the bottom of that blessed Exhortation of our Apostle, Col. 3. 12. Put on therefore as the Elect of God, holy and beloved, Bowels of Mercy, Kindness, Humbleness of Mind, Meekness, Long-suffering, forbearing one another, forgiving one another. These things which are so great a part of our Holiness, become the Elect of God; these are required of them on the Account of their Interest in Electing Love and Grace. Men may frame an Holiness to themselves, and be stirred up to it by Motives of their own (as there is a Religion in the World, that runs in a parallel Line by that of Evangelical Truth, but touches it not, nor will do so to Eternity) but that which the Gospel requires, is promoted on the grounds and by the Motives that are peculiar to it, whereof this of Gods free electing Love and Grace is among the principal. Farther to confirm this Truth, I shall instance in some especial Graces, Duties, and parts of Holiness, that this Consideration is suited to promote.

Sect. 16 (1) Humility in all things, is a necessary Consequent of a due Consideration of this Decree of God. For what were we when he thus set his Heart upon us, to choose us, and to do us good for ever? Poor lost undone Creatures, that lay perishing under the Guilt of our Apostasie from him? What did he see in us, to move him so to choose us, nothing but Sin and Misery? What did he foresee that we would doe of our selves more than others, if he wrought not in us by his effectual Grace? nothing but a Continuance in Sin and Rebellion against him, and that for ever. How should the Thoughts hereof, keep our Souls in all Humility and continual self-abasement. For what have we in or from our selves, on the Account whereof we should be lifted up? Wherefore, as the Elect of God, let us put on Humility in all things. And let me adde, that there is no Grace whereby at this Day we may more glorifie God and the Gospel, now the World is sinking into Ruine under the weight of its own Pride.

The Spirits of men, the Looks of men, the Tongues of men, the Lives of men, are lifted up by their Pride to their Destruction. The Good Lord keep Professors from a share in the Pride of these Dayes. Spiritual Pride in foolish self-exalting Opinions, and the Pride of Life in the Fashions of the World, are the Poyson of this Age.

Sect. 17 (2) Submission to the Soveraign Will and Pleasure of God, in the Disposal of all our Concerns in this World: That this is an excellent Fruit of Faith, an eminent part of Holiness, or Duty of Obedience, is acknowledged; and never was it more signally called for than it is at this day. He that cannot live in an Actual Resignation of himself and all his Concerns to the Soveraign Pleasure of God, can neither glorifie him in any thing, nor have one hours solid Peace in his own Mind. This public Calamities, this private Dangers and Losses, this the uncertainty of all things here below, call for at present in an especial Manner. God has taken all Pretences of security from the Earth, by what some men feel, and some men fear. None knowes how soon it may be his Portion, to be brought to the utmost Extremity of Earthly Calamities. There is none so old, none so young, none so wise, none so rich, as from there to expect Relief from such things. Where then shall we in this Condition cast Anchor? whither shall we betake our selves for Quietness and Repose? It is no way to be obtained, but in a Resignation of our selves and all our Concernments into the Soveraign Pleasure of God: And what greater Motive can we have thereunto than this? The first Act of Divine Soveraign Pleasure concerning us, was the choosing of us from all Eternity to Holiness and Happiness. This was done when we were not, when we had no Contrivances of our own. And shall we not now put all our Temporary Concerns into the same Hand? Can the same Fountain send out sweet and bitter water? Can the same Soveraign Pleasure of God, be the free only Cause of all our Blessedness, and can it do that which is really Evil to us? Our Souls, our Persons, were secure and blessedly provided for, as to Grace and Glory, in the Soveraign Will of God; and what a Prodigious Impiety is it, not to trust all other things in the same Hand, to be disposed of freely and absolutely? If we will not forgoe our Interest in meer Absolute Free Soveraign Grace for ten thousand Worlds, as no Believer will, how ready should we be to resign up thereunto that little Portion which we have in this World among perishing things?

Sect. 18 (3) Love, Kindness, Compassion, Forbearance towards all Believers, all the Saints of God, however differenced among themselves, are made indispensibly necessary to us, and pressed on us from the same Consideration. And herein also does no small part of our Holiness consist. To this purpose is the Exhortation of the Apostle before mentioned, Col. 3. 12. For, if God have chosen them all from Eternity, and made them the Objects of his Love and Grace, as he has done so concerning all sincere Believers, do we not think it necessary, does not God require of us, that we should love them also? How dare any of us entertain unkind severe Thoughts, how dare we maintain Animosities and Enmities against any of them whom God has Eternally chosen to Grace and Glory? Such things, it may be, upon Provocations, and Surprizals, and clashings of Secular Interests, have fallen out, and will fall out among us; But they are all opposite and contrary to that Influence which the Consideration of Gods Electing Love ought to have upon us. The Apostles Rule is, That as to our Communion in Love, we ought to receive him whom God has received, and because God has received him, against which no other thing can be laid in barr, Rom. 14. 1, 3. And the Rule is no less certain, yea is subject to less Exceptions, that we ought to choose, embrace and love, all those whoever they be, whom God has chosen and loved from Eternity. There is no greater Evidence of low, weak, selfish Christians, than to prescribe any other Rules or Bounds to their spiritual Evangelical Affections, than the Decree of Gods Election, as manifesting it self in its Effects. I endure all things, saith our Apostle, not for the Jews or Gentiles, not for the weak or strong in the Faith, not for those of this of that Way, but fo[•] the Elects sake. This should regulate our Love, and mightily stirre it up to all Actings of Kindness, Mercy, Compassion, Forbearance, and Forgiveness.

Sect. 19 (4) Contempt of the World, and all that belongs to it, will hence also be ingenerated in us. Did God set his Heart upon some from Eternity? did he choose them to be his own peculiar, to distinguish them as his from all the residue of Mankind? Does he design to give them the highest, greatest, best Fruits and Effects of his Love, and Glorifie himself in their Prayses for ever? What then will he do for them? Will he make them all Kings or Emperours in the World? Or at least, will he have them to be Rich, and Noble, and Honourable among men, that it may be known and proclaimed, Thus shall it be done to the Man whom the King of Heaven delightes to honour; however, that they should be kept from Streights, and Difficulties, and Trials, from Poverty, and Shame, and Reproach in the World? Alas! none of these things were in the least in the Heart of God concerning them. They deserve not to be named on the same day, as we use to speak, with the least of those things which God has chosen his to. Were there any real substantial Good in them on their own Account, he would not have cast them out of the Councels of his Love. But on the contrary, You see your Calling, Brethren, which is the infallible fruit and consequent of Election, how that not many Wise men after the Flesh, not many Noble, not many Mighty are called, but God has chosen the Poor of the World, the Base and the Contemptible, for the most part. Yea, he has designed the Generality of his Elect to a poor, low, and afflicted Condition in this World. And shall we set our Hearts on those things that God has so manifestly put an under-valuation upon, in Comparison of the least Concernment of Grace and Holiness? Wherefore, let them that are poor and despised in the World, learn to be satisfied with their State and Condition: Had God seen it to have been good for you to have been otherwise, he would not have passed it by, when he was acting Eternal Love towards you. And let them that are Rich, not set their Hearts upon uncertain Riches. Alas! they are things which God had no regard to, when he prepared Grace and Glory for his own. Let the Remembrance hereof suit your esteem and valuation of them, and let it cool your spirits in your eager pursuit after them. Do but think with your selves, that these are not the Things that God had any Regard to, when he chosen us to Grace and Glory, and it will abate or your Cares about them, cool your love towards them, and take off your Hearts from them, which is your Holiness.

Sect. 20 Secondly, Electing Love is a Motive and Encouragement to Holiness, because of the enabling Supplyes of Grace which we may and ought from there to expect by Jesus Christ. The Difficulties we meet withall in a Course of Holiness, are great and many. Here Sathan, the World, and Sin, do put forth and try their utmost strength; oft-times the Best are foyled, oft-times discouraged, sometimes weary and ready to give over: It requires a good spiritual Courage, to take a Prospect of the Lyons, Serpents and Snares, that lye in the Way of a constant persevering Course in Gospel Obedience. Hereon our knees are ready to grow feeble, and our hands to hang down. It is no small Relief herein, no small Encouragement to continue in our Progress, that the Fountain of Electing Grace, will never fail us, but continually give out Supplyes of spiritual Strength and Refreshment. Hence may we take heart and courage, to rise again when we have been foyled, to abide when the shock of Temptation is violent, and to persevere in those Duties which are most wearisome to the Flesh. And they are unacquainted with a Course of Holy Obedience, who know not how needfull this Consideration is to a comfortable Continuance therein.

Sect. 21 Thirdly, It has the same Tendency and Effect in the Assurance we have from from there, that notwithstanding all the Oppositions we meet withall, we shall not utterly and finally miscarry. Gods Election will at last obtain; Rom. 11. 7. and His Foundation standes sure, 2 Tim. 1. 19. His Purpose which is according to Election, is unchangeable; and therefore the final Perseverance and Salvation of those concerned in it, are everlastingly secured. This is the Design of the Apostles Discourse, Rom. 8. from v. 28. to the end. Because of the immutability of Gods Eternal Purpose in our Predestination, and his effectual gracious Operations, in the Pursuit, and for the Execution thereof, the Elect of God shall infallibly be carryed through all, even the most dreadfull Oppositions that are made against them, and be at length safely Landed in Glory. And there is no greater Encouragement to grow and persist in Holiness, then what is administred by this Assurance of a blessed End and Issue of it.

Sect. 22 Those have had Experience of that spiritual slumber and sloath which Vnbelief will cast us under, of those Weaknesses, Discouragements and Despondencies, which Vncertainties, Doubts, Fears and Perplexities of what will be the Issue of things at last with them, doe cast upon the Souls of men, how Duties are discouraged, spiritual Endeavours and Diligence are impaired, Delight in God weakened, and Love cooled by them, will be able to make a right Judgement of the Truth of this Assertion. Some think that this Apprehension of the immutability of Gods Purpose of Election, and the Infallibility of the Salvation of Believers on that Account, tends only to Carelesness and Security in sin; and that to be alwayes in Fear, Dread, and Uncertainty of the End, is the only Means to make us Watchfull to Duties of Holiness. It is very sad, that any man should so far proclaim his inexperience and unacquaintedness with the Nature of Gospel Grace, and Genius and Inclination of the New Creature, and the proper workings of Faith, as to be able thus to argue, without a Check put upon him by himself and from his own Experience. It is true, were there no Difference between Faith and Presumption, no Difference between the Spirit of Liberty under the Covenant of Grace, and that of Bondage under the Old Covenant; no Spirit of Adoption given to Believers, no Filial genuine Delight in and Adherence to God, ingenerated in them thereby, there might be something in this Objection: But if the Nature of Faith, and of the New Creature, the Operations of the one and Disposition of the other, are such as they are declared to be in the Gospel, and as Believers have Experience of them in their own Hearts; men do but bewray their Ignorance, whilest they contend, that the Assurance of Gods unchangeable Love in Christ, flowing from the Immutability of his Councel in Election, does any way impeach, or does not effectually promote the Industry of Believers in all Duties of Obedience.

Sect. 23 Suppose a Man that is on his Journey, knowes himself to be in his right Way, and that passing on therein, he shall certainly and infallibly come to his Journeys End, especially if he will a little quicken his speed, as Occasion shall require; will you say, that this is enough to make such a man Careless and Negligent, and that it would be much more to his Advantage to be lost and bewildred in uncertain Paths and Wayes, not knowing whither he goes, nor whether he shall ever arrive at his Journeys End? Common Experience declares the contrary, as also how momentary and useless are those violent Fits and Gusts of Endeavours, which proceed from Fear and Vncertainty, both in things Spiritual and Temporal, or Civil. Whilest men are under the Power of Actual Impressions from such Fears, they will convert to God, yea that they will Momento turbinis, and perfect Holiness in an instant: But so soon as that Impression wears off, (as it will doe on every Occasion, and upon none at all) such Persons are as dead and cold towards God, as the Lead or Iron, which ran but now in a fiery stream, is when the Heat is departed from it. It is that Soul alone ordinarily, which has a comfortable Assurance of Gods Eternal Immutable Electing Love, and from there of the blessed End of its own Course of Obedience, who goes on constantly and evenly in a Course of Holiness, quickening his Course, and doubling his speed as he has Occasion from Trials or Opportunities. And this is the very Design of our Apostle, to explain and confirm, Heb. 6. from the tenth Verse to the end of the Chapter, as is declared elsewhere.

Sect. 24 It appears from what has been discoursed, that the Electing Love of God, is a powerfull constraining Motive to Holiness, and that which proves invincibly, the Necessity of it in all who intend the Eternal Enjoyment of God. But it will be said, That if it be supposed or granted, that those who are Actually Believers, and have a sence of their Interest herein, may make the use of it that is pleaded; yet as for those who are unconverted, or are otherwise uncertain of their spiritual State and Condition, nothing can be so discouraging to them as this Doctrine of Eternal Election. Can they make any other Conclusion from it, but that, If they are not Elected, all Care and Pains in and about Duties of Obedience are Vain; if they are, they are Needless. The Removal of this Objection shall put a Close to our Discourse on this Subject. And I Answer:

Sect. 25 (1) That we have shewed already, that this Doctrine is revealed and proposed in the Scripture, principally to acquaint Believers with their Priviledge, Safety, and Fountain of their Comforts. Having therefore proved its Vsefulness to them, I have discharged all that is absolutely needfull to my present Purpose. But I shall shew moreover, that it has its proper Benefit and Advantage towards others also.

Suppose the doctrine of personal election is preached to men, together with the other sacred truths of the gospel — two conclusions, it is possible, may by various persons be made from it: first, that since this is a matter of great and eternal moment to our souls, and there is no way to secure our interest in it but by possessing its fruits and effects, which are saving faith and holiness, we will, we must, it is our duty, to use our utmost endeavors, by attaining them and growing in them, to make our election sure; and second, that if it is so indeed that those who shall be saved are chosen for this before the foundation of the world, then it is to no purpose to go about to believe or obey, seeing all things must fall out at last according as they were foreordained. The first conclusion is the right one — he who sincerely and diligently pursues the ways of faith and obedience, which are the fruits of election, shall obtain everlasting blessedness; and ordinarily shall have in this world a comfortable evidence of his own personal election — making this an invincible argument of the necessity of holiness and a mighty motive to it, since without holiness no one shall see God.

Holiness Necessary from the Commands of God.

The necessity of holiness is proved from the commands of God in the law and the gospel.

Section 1. Having established the necessity of holiness from the nature and decrees of God, the next argument is taken from his word, or commands, as the nature and order of these things require — it is needless to produce instances of God's commands that we should be holy, since it is the concurrent voice of the law and gospel; the Apostle sums up the whole matter in 1 Thessalonians 4:1-3: 'We exhort you, that as you have received of us how you ought to walk and please God, so you would abound more and more; for you know what commandment we gave you by the Lord Jesus; for this is the will of God, even your sanctification' — this is the sum of the whole commanding will of God.

Section 2. Our inquiry must be what force there is in this argument, or how we conclude to a necessity of holiness from the command of God — the nature and proper attributes of these commands are to be considered, that is, we are to get our minds and consciences affected with them so as to endeavor after holiness with respect to them; for whatever we may do that seems to have the matter of holiness in it, if we do it not with respect to God's command it does not have the nature of holiness in it, since our holiness is our conformity and obedience to the will of God, and it is a respect to a command that makes any thing to be obedience and gives it its formal nature.

Section 3. God's commands for holiness may be considered two ways: first, as they belong to and are parts of the covenant of works; second, as they belong to and are inseparably annexed to the covenant of grace — in both respects they are materially and formally the same, that is, the same things are required in them and the same person requires them, and so their obligation is joint and equal; but there is a great difference in the manner and ends of these commands as considered so distinctly.

The commands of God under the old covenant require universal holiness so strictly that upon the least failure they determine us transgressors of the whole law (James 2:10) — yet although an obligation to holiness arises from this, no encouraging argument for it can be drawn from the command of the law alone, since compliance with it is in our lapsed condition absolutely impossible, and no man influenced only by the commands of the law absolutely considered ever sincerely aimed at universal holiness.

Section 4. Men may be subdued by the power of the law and compelled to a strict course of duty, and advantaged by a sedate natural constitution, desire of applause, self-righteousness, or superstition may make a great appearance of holiness — but if the principle of what they do is only the commands of the law, they never tread one true step in the paths of it.

Section 5. The end for which these commands require all duties of holiness of us under the old covenant is that they may be our righteousness before God, or that we may be justified thereby (Romans 10:5) — but by the deeds of the law no man can be justified (Psalm 130:3; Psalm 143:2; Romans 3:20; Galatians 2:16), and whoever presses men to holiness merely on the commands of the law and for the ends of it, does but put them on tormenting disquietments and deceives their souls.

Section 6. It is otherwise on both these accounts with the commands of God for holiness under the new covenant, or in the gospel.

Although God in the new covenant requires universal holiness of us, he does not do it in the same strict and rigorous way as by the law — he does it with a moderation of grace and mercy, so that if there is universal sincerity in respect to all his commands, he both pardons many sins and accepts what we do though it falls short of legal perfection, both on the account of the mediation of Christ; yet this does not hinder the commands of the gospel from requiring universal holiness and a perfection which we are to do our utmost endeavor to attain, though we have relief provided in sincerity on one hand and mercy on the other.

Section 7. The commands of the gospel do not require holiness and duties of righteousness to the same end as the commands of the law, namely that thereby we might be justified in the sight of God — for since God now accepts from us a holiness short of what the law required, if he did it still for the same end, it would reflect dishonor on his own righteousness and on the holiness of the gospel.

If God can accept of a righteousness for justification inferior to what he required by the law, it would seem great severity to have bound his creatures to such exact obedience at first — but this must be rejected, for God has not changed his mind, and the answer is that God has provided in Christ a righteousness that fully and perfectly answers all that the law requires, which is the righteousness of Christ imputed to us (Romans 10:4), so that God has now appointed other ends to our holiness under the gospel, all offering new encouragements as well as enforcements to our endeavors after it.

Section 8. What shall become of the honor and holiness of the gospel if it admitted imperfect obedience to the same end as the law required perfect and sinless holiness? — this would make Christ the minister of sin, which the Apostle rejects with great detestation (Galatians 2:17), and both Christ and the gospel, in whom God designed to declare the holiness of his own nature more gloriously than ever, would on this supposition be the means to darken and obscure them.

Section 9. It must be granted therefore that the end of gospel commands requiring holiness is not that thereby we should be justified — God has provided another righteousness for that end which is the righteousness of Christ imputed to us (Romans 10:4); but God has appointed other ends to our holiness under the gospel, all consistent with the nature of the obedience he will accept and such as we may attain through the power of grace, offering new encouragements and enforcements: (1) God has no design for his own glory in us in this world or unto eternity, and there is no communion we can have with him by Jesus Christ, without holiness as a means to its end; (2) these present ends under the gospel are such that God no less indispensably requires it of us now than he did when our justification was proposed as its end.

Section 10. The first considerable thing in God's command to this purpose is the authority with which it is accompanied — it is indispensably necessary that we should be holy on account of the authority of God's command; God himself uses this argument (Malachi 1:6), and there are two things that enforce the obligation from the command on this consideration — the right to command and the power to execute — both comprised in what the Apostle James says (James 4:12): 'There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy.'

He who commands us to be holy is our sovereign Lawgiver with absolute power to prescribe whatever laws he pleases, so that where his command is not complied with, the whole authority of God — and in it God himself — is despised, as God in many places calls sinning against his commands the despising of him (Numbers 11:20; 1 Samuel 2:30) and the despising of his commandment (2 Samuel 12:10).

Section 11. Not to endeavor always and in all things to be holy, being under the command of God to be so, is to despise God and live in defiance of him — yet propose to men the true nature of evangelical holiness, press them to its duties, convince them with clear evidence that certain sins are absolutely inconsistent with it, and for the most part they will little heed; tell the same persons they are rebels against God and despisers of him, and they will defy and perhaps revile you — yet these things are inseparable, and here in the first place we found the necessity of holiness on the command of God.

Section 12. This evidences to the consciences of men that the obligation to holiness is indispensable — nothing would be more prevalent with us to watchfulness in holiness, and nothing makes what we do more properly obedience, than carrying always in our minds the formal consideration of the commandment; forgetfulness of it is the great reason of our loose and careless walking and our defect in making progress in grace and holiness.

Section 13. The Apostle also tells us that as God is a sovereign Lawgiver in his commands, so he is able to kill and keep alive — that is, his commanding authority is accompanied with power whereby he is able absolutely and eternally to reward the obedient and to return to the disobedient a just recompense of punishment, with eternal rewards and punishments being principally intended.

Even supposing this power has respect to temporal things also, it carries a great enforcement — God commands us to be holy, and in doing so we may meet with opposition, difficulties, and perhaps death, as multitudes have made profession at no cheaper rate; but he who commands us to be holy is the only sovereign Lord of life and death who alone can kill in a way of punishment and keep alive in a way of merciful preservation, and this the companions of Daniel committed themselves to when threatened with death for remaining in holiness (Daniel 3:17-18).

Section 14. Be of good courage all you who trust in the Lord — you may and ought, without fear or faintness of spirit, to engage in the pursuit of universal holiness, for he who has commanded it will bear you out in it; nothing truly evil or finally disadvantageous shall befall you on that account, for to God the Lord belong the issues from death, and he alone can kill and make alive.

The killing spoken of by the Apostle is that opposed to all temporal evil and death itself (Matthew 10:28) — fear not those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell; this keeping alive is a deliverance from the wrath to come in everlasting life, and this gives unavoidable efficacy to the command since all the properties of God's nature are immutably engaged in it, so that it is as certain as God is holy and powerful that those who are not holy shall eternally perish.

Section 15. There are two reasons why rewards and punishments annexed to commands generally do little influence the minds of men inclined to transgress them: first, that men judge they may justly prefer their own satisfaction in transgression before the rewards and punishments declared; and second, a secret apprehension that the makers of the laws neither will nor are able to execute those penalties in the case of transgression — but things are quite otherwise with respect to the law and commands of God that we should be holy, since the rewards and punishments, being eternal in the highest capacities of blessedness or misery, cannot be balanced by any consideration of this world without the highest folly, nor can there be any reserve about mutability, ignorance, or impotency that they shall not be executed.

Section 16. The prophet distinguishes two sorts of incorrigible sinners and gives the different grounds of their impenitency: the poor, whose impenitency arises from ignorance, blindness, and folly (Jeremiah 5:3-4); and the great men, who have known the way of the Lord and the judgment of their God, yet have altogether broken the yoke and burst the bonds (Jeremiah 5:5) — this breaking of the yoke is the neglecting and despising of the authority of God in his command, which is the special temptation of the great and mighty in the world, and they who have any sincere desire after holiness should watch diligently to keep always a due sense of God's authority in his commands on their minds and consciences.

Section 17. In general, let us all carry a constant regard to the authority of God in his commands into all those seasons, places, societies, and occasions wherein we are apt to be surprised in any sin or neglect of duty — particularly: (1) carry it into your secret retirements and enjoyments, since neglect here is the next cause of those secret actual provoking sins which the world swarms with; (2) carry it into your businesses and the exercise of your trades or callings, calling to mind the greatness, power, and authority of him who has commanded you in all things to be holy; (3) carry it into your companies and societies, for many have frequent occasions of engaging in societies wherein the least forgetfulness of the sovereign authority of God will betray them to profuseness in vanity and corrupt communication.

Section 18. The command of God that we should be holy is not to be considered only as an effect of power and authority which we must submit to, but as a fruit of infinite wisdom and goodness also, which it is our highest advantage and interest to comply with — where nothing can be discerned in commands but mere authority, will, and pleasure, they are looked on as respecting only the good of those who command; but God proposes his law as an effect of infinite wisdom, love, and goodness, declaring that all his commands are just and equal in themselves, good and useful to us, and that our compliance with them is our present as well as future happiness.

Section 19. Look upon the command formally as a law prescribed to us, and it is equal because the obedience in holiness it requires is proportioned to the strength and power we have to obey — under the old covenant, the strength of grace God originally gave us under the law of creation was sufficient to enable us to all the holy obedience required, and our not doing so was from willful rebellion; and under the new covenant, there is by virtue of that covenant a supply of spiritual strength given in by the promise enabling all who are taken into it to answer the commands for holiness, as God according to his divine power gives to us all things pertaining to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).

Section 20. This grace or strength is administered by certain ways and means, and in their careful, diligent, sedulous use none who belong to the covenant of grace shall ever fail of that power and ability which renders the commands of the gospel easy and not burdensome — Christ himself tells us his yoke is easy and his burden light (Matthew 11:30), and his Apostle that his commands are not burdensome (1 John 5:3); and the Apostle Paul expressly affirms he could do all things through Christ who strengthened him.

Section 21. God at first made a covenant with mankind, the covenant of works, giving commands for holy obedience that were possible, easy, and pleasant by virtue of the strength and power given with creation — when by the fall this covenant was broken, we lost all power and ability to comply with its commands; the law continued holy and the commandment holy, just, and good (Romans 7:12), but it became impossible to us since we had lost the strength by which alone we were enabled to observe it, so that the commandment which was ordained for life we find to be death (Romans 7:10); God then brings in the covenant of grace by Christ and renews therein the commands for holy obedience.

Section 22. We do not say that any one has this power and ability in himself or from himself — God has not in the new covenant brought down his command to the power of man, but by his grace he raises the power of man to his command; it is not men's strength in themselves that we intend, but the grace administered in the covenant; the difference between the first work of grace upon us, which is merely upon us (renewing the image of God), and the second work of grace in us and by us (which gives us strength truly our own as Adam's was his) is key — the strength or ability we thereby have is as truly our own as Adam's was, though he had his immediately from God and we have ours through the covenant.

Section 23. There is no such provision of spiritual strength enabling anyone to comply with God's command for holiness as to countenance them in the least carnal security or neglect of the diligent use of all means appointed for the communication of that grace — as the Apostle Peter makes plain (2 Peter 1:3-11), God creating in us a new spiritual nature and giving us all things pertaining to life and godliness, we are obliged to use all means in the continual exercise of all grace, which will assure to us our eternal election with our effectual calling, upon which we shall obtain an assured joyful entrance into the kingdom of glory.

Section 24. This administration of grace and spiritual strength is not equally effectual at all times — there are seasons in which God is pleased to withhold the powerful influences of his grace and leave us to ourselves, to correct our negligences in giving place to our corruptions and temptations, or to discover our frailty and impotency; in such instances we shall assuredly come short of answering the command for universal holiness one way or another (Psalm 30:6-7).

Section 25. We do not say that there is in the covenant of grace spiritual strength administered so as that by virtue of it we should yield sinless and absolutely perfect obedience to God — this alone we say: there is grace administered by the promises of the gospel enabling us to perform the obedience of it in that way and manner as God will accept; and where we signally come short of the best rules and examples, it is principally from our neglect of those supplies of grace tendered in the promises.

Section 26. There is a twofold gracious power necessary to render the command for holiness and obedience to it easy and pleasant.

The first is that which is habitually resident in the hearts and souls of believers, constantly inclining and disposing them to all fruits of holiness — without this principle of new life, whatever arguments you press men with to be holy, you do but offer violence to them, setting up a dam against a stream that will not be permanent; and want of this habitual principle is what renders obedience so grievous and burdensome to many who endure it for a season but at length cast off its yoke, because having no principle enabling or inclining them to it, all they do is against the grain, and they find it difficult, uneasy, and wearisome.

Section 27. The second is an actual assistance of effectual grace required for every holy act and duty — we are not put into a condition by the covenant where we should be able to do anything of ourselves without actual divine assistance, for the root still bears us and the springs of our spiritual life are in another; and where both these are, the command is equal not only in itself but to us, and obedience to it as easy as it is just.

Section 28. And both these sorts of grace are administered in the new covenant, suited to the holy obedience it requires.

For the first sort of grace, God has frequently and expressly promised to take away the heart of stone and give a heart of flesh, to write his laws in our hearts and put his fear in our inward parts, that we shall fear him and never depart from him — by these promises we are made partakers of the divine nature and endowed with a constant habitual disposition and inclination to all acts and duties of holiness; for our power follows our love and inclinations, as impotency is a consequence of their decay.

Section 29. Upon the supply of this grace that gives both strength for and a constant inclination to holy obedience, the command becomes equal and just, meet and easy to comply with — for none can refuse compliance with it in any instance without acting contrary to that disposition and inclination of the new nature God has implanted in themselves, so that in them to sin is not only contrary to the law without them and the light of their minds, but also to their own inclination and disposition; and this is confirmed by Paul's argument in Romans 7:20-22.

Section 30. Grace of the second sort — actual grace for every holy act and duty — is also administered to us according to the promise of the gospel, as God told Paul that his grace was sufficient for him, and as he works in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure (Philippians 2:13) — and where it is sought in a due manner by faith and prayer, it is never so restrained from any believer but that it shall be effectual in him to the whole of that obedience which is required of him and as it will be accepted from him.

Section 31. If this is the condition of the command of holiness, how just and equal must it be confessed to be, and how highly reasonable that we should comply with it, and how great is the sin and folly of those by whom it is neglected — to neglect or despise this command is to neglect or despise God in that way he has chosen to manifest all the holy properties of his nature.

Section 32. The command is equal and so to be esteemed from the matter of it, or the things it requires — things true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report (Philippians 4:8); the more we abound in them the better it will be for our relations, families, neighbors, the whole nation, and the world, but best of all for ourselves; 'godliness is profitable for all things' (1 Timothy 4:8).

Section 33. It is incumbent on us in the first place to endeavor after holiness with respect to the command of God that we should be holy, and because of it — some have had vain imaginations that they have no need of respect to the command and need only obey from the power and guidance of an inward principle; but a respect to the command gives the formal nature of obedience to what we do, and without due regard to it there is nothing of holiness in us.

Section 34. God has multiplied his commands to this purpose — not a single command that we should be holy, but line upon line, precept upon precept, and not a particular duty of holiness but it falls under some especial command of God — and he has done this to testify not only his own infinite care and love toward us but also our eternal concernment in what he requires.

Section 35. God does not remit us merely to the authority of his commands but applies all other ways and means to make them effectual — hence they are accompanied with exhortations, entreaties, reasonings, expostulations, promises, and threatenings; and regarding the promises that enforce the command: 'godliness has the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come' (1 Timothy 4:8), and there is in all the promises an especial respect to it.

Section 36. This is as it were the text Christ preached his first sermon on — all the blessings he pronounces consist in giving particular instances of some parts of holiness with an especial promise annexed to each: 'Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God'; and holiness also has the promises of this life — as the Psalmist shows at length (Psalm 41:1-3) with many especial promises in the most important concerns of this life annexed to the single duty of considering the poor; and together with the command of God requiring us to be holy, we should consider the promises with which it is accompanied as an encouragement to the cheerful performance of the obedience the command makes necessary.

Section 37. God has in this matter positively declared his will, interposing his sovereign authority commanding us to be holy on the penalty of his utmost displeasure, and has given redoubled assurance that unless we are sincerely holy, be we else what we will — whatever our gifts, parts, abilities, places, dignities, usefulness in the world, profession, or outward duties — he will neither own us nor have any dealings with us.

Section 38. The Holy Spirit is careful to prevent a deceit whereby men think that if they have faith it will be well enough with them although they are not holy — we are plainly told that faith without holiness, without works, without fruits, is vain and not that faith which will save our souls.

Necessity of Holiness from God's sending Jesus Christ.

The necessity of holiness proved from the design of God in sending Jesus Christ, with the ends of his mediation.

Section 1. One principal end of God's design in sending his Son into the world was to recover us into a state of holiness which we had lost — for this purpose was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8), the principal of which was the infecting of our natures with a principle of sin and enmity against God; and the renovation of the image of God in us was one principal design of Christ in his coming, without which there is no new creation, no restoration of all things, and no end of the mediation of Christ fully accomplished.

Section 2. The exercise of the mediation of Christ is confined to the limits of his threefold office — whatever he does for the church he does as a priest, king, or prophet; the proper immediate object of the priestly office is God himself, since a priest is taken from among men and ordained for men in things pertaining to God (Hebrews 5:1); the acts of the priestly office are oblation and intercession, of both of which God is the immediate object; but the immediate objects of Christ's kingly and prophetical offices are men, or the church.

Section 3. We may consider how each of these offices of Christ has an influence on holiness and makes it necessary to us.

As to the priestly office, the mediate effects of Christ's sacerdotal acting that respect us are: (1) moral, as our justification and pardon of sin; and (2) real, in our sanctification and holiness — though the immediate actings of that office respect God alone, the virtue and efficacy of them extend to our sanctification and holiness.

He gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works (Titus 2:14) — his blood as through the eternal Spirit he offered himself to God purges our consciences from dead works to serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14); and where he is said to wash us from our sins in his own blood (Revelation 1:5), it is not only the expiation of guilt but the purification of filth that is intended.

Section 4. Holiness being one especial end for which Christ gave himself for us and offered himself to God, without participating in it we cannot have the least evidence of an interest in his oblation as to any other end — as for those who are never made holy, Christ never died or offered himself for them; and it evacuates the force of the motive to holiness from Christ's oblation to teach that he offered himself for those who are never made holy.

Section 5. The intercession of Christ, his second sacerdotal act, has the same end and is effectual to the same purpose — he intercedes with God for the pardon of sin by virtue of his oblation, being our advocate with God (1 John 2:1-2); but he also intercedes for grace and supplies of the Spirit that we may be made and kept holy (John 17:15, 17).

Section 6. As to the prophetical office of Christ, the church or men alone are its immediate object — there are two parts of his work in this office: (1) the revelation of God in his name and love, in the mystery of his grace and truth by his promises, that we may believe in him (John 1:18; John 17:6); and (2) the revelation of God in his will and commands, that we may obey him; the revelation of the preceptive will of God made by Jesus Christ may be considered with respect to his ministry to the house of Israel (Romans 15:8) and with respect to the whole church of all ages.

The first, which took up much of his personal ministry in the flesh, consisted in the declarations, exposition, and vindication of divine precepts for obedience — the church had grown corrupted, with solemn expositions of God's commands received among them whose sole design was to accommodate them to the lusts and sins of men; our blessed Savior applied himself to both these in the discharge of his prophetical office with respect to the end of the command, which is our holy obedience.

Section 7. Christ declared the inward spiritual nature of the law with respect to the most secret frames of our hearts and minds, and declared the true sense of its commands, vindicating them from all the corrupt and false glosses current in the church — they had by traditional interpretation restricted the sixth commandment to actual murder and the seventh to actual uncleanness, and how in his doctrine he took off these corruptions we may see in Matthew 5:21-22, 27-28.

Section 8. Thus he restored the law to its pristine crown, opened, unveiled, explained, and vindicated the preceptive part of the will of God before revealed, to the end that by compliance with it we should be holy — the full revelation of the mind and will of God in the perfection and spirituality of the command was reserved for Christ in the discharge of his office, and he gave it to us that we might have a perfect and complete rule of holiness.

Section 9. The second part of Christ's prophetical office, with respect to the church of all ages, consisted in the revelation of those duties of holiness which could never have been known to be duties in their especial nature but by his teachings — hence are they called old and new commandments in distinct senses: such as faith in God through himself, brotherly love, denial of ourselves in taking up the cross, doing good for evil; and besides, he teaches all those ordinances of worship wherein our obedience to him belongs to our holiness; this is the nature and end of the prophetical office of Christ, as it is summarily represented in Titus 2:10-12.

Section 10. There are three things considerable in the doctrine of obedience that Christ teaches: (1) it reaches the heart itself with all its inmost and secret actings in the first place, requiring the renovation of our whole souls in all their faculties, motions, and actings into the image of God (1 John 3:1; Ephesians 4:23-25); (2) it is extensive, requiring nothing in any kind pleasing to God without exception and forbidding everything crooked or displeasing to God — it is therefore a perfect rule of holiness and obedience; (3) clearness, perspicuity, and evidence of divine truth and authority in all.

Section 11. Hereby the doctrine of Christ for universal obedience in all its duties becomes absolute, every way complete and perfect — it is a notable effect of the atheistical pride of men that, pretending to design obedience to God, they betake themselves to other rules than those of the gospel which are the teachings of Christ himself as the great prophet sent of God; some go to the light of nature and the use of right reason as their guide, and some add the additional documents of the philosophers, thinking a saying of Epictetus, Seneca, or Arrianus to have more life and power than any precepts of the gospel — such a contempt have men risen to of Jesus Christ the wisdom of God.

Section 12. Let us suppose our whole obedience consists in morality or the duties of it — from whom shall we learn it or to whom shall we go for teaching? — certainly where the instruction or system of precepts is most plain, full, perfect, and free from mistakes; where the manner of teaching is most powerful and efficacious; and where the authority of the teacher is greatest and most unquestionable, there we ought to apply ourselves; and in all these respects we may say of Christ as Job said of God, 'Who teaches like him?' (Job 36:22).

Section 13. The utmost imaginations of men never reached that wherein the life and soul of holiness consists, namely the renovation of our lapsed natures into the image and likeness of God — without this, whatever precepts are given about the moderation of affections and duties of moral holiness, they are lifeless; by all the documents given by philosophers of old, the nature of no individual person was ever renewed, whatever change was wrought on their conversation; but this is plainly and directly required in the doctrine of obedience taught by Jesus Christ as the great prophet of the church.

Very few of the precepts of natural morality are certain so as to serve as an undoubted and infallible rule — there are some general commands so clear in the light of nature that no question can be made about them, such as that God is to be loved, that others are not to be injured, and that everyone's right is to be rendered to him; but go a little further and you find all the great moralists at endless uncertain disputes about the nature of virtue in general and the offices and duties of it.

Section 14. What is commanded us by Jesus Christ has no such room for hesitation — every precept of his about the meanest duty is equally certain and infallibly declarative of the nature and necessity of that duty as those of the greatest; and this rule of duties from natural light, setting aside those that are purely evangelical which some despise, is obscure and partial compared to the revelation made by Christ, which is commensurate to universal obedience.

I challenge the greatest and most learned moralists in the world to give an instance of any duty of morality confirmed by the rules of the highest moralist that I will not show is more plainly and clearly required by the Lord Christ in the gospel, and pressed on us by far more effectual motives — it is therefore the highest folly as well as wickedness for men to design to learn duties of obedience from others rather than from Christ the prophet of the church.

Section 15. The manner of teaching as to power and efficacy is also considerable — and of this too we may say, 'Who teaches like him?' — he taught with authority and not as the scribes (Matthew 7:29); the people wondered at the gracious words he uttered (Luke 4:22); even the officers sent to apprehend him came back astonished, saying, 'Never man spoke like this man' (John 7:46); and he gives such power and efficacy to his word that by its effects every day it demonstrates itself to be from God, as the experiences, consciences, and lives of multitudes bear witness.

Section 16. What is in the manner of teaching by the greatest moralist, and what are the effects? — enticing words, smoothness and elegancy of speech are the grace and life of their way of teaching; and temporary resolutions for some slight change of life, and fading satisfactions, are the best effects of all such discourses.

As to the authority of those whose instructions we should choose to give up ourselves to, that must be left to the consciences of all men, whether they have the highest esteem for the authority of Christ the Son of God or of those others whom they admire.

Section 17. Since the great end of the prophetical office of Christ in the revelation he made of the will of God is our holiness and obedience to God, I could not but remark on the atheism, pride, and folly of those modern heathens who, really or in pretence, betake themselves to the light of nature and philosophical maxims for their guidance rather than to him who is designed of God to be the great teacher of the church — the sayings of ancient moralists may be of use for illustration of truth infallibly learned another way, but taken alone they will sooner delight the minds and fancies of men than benefit them as to the true ends of morality.

Section 18. One great end of the kingly power of Christ is also the sanctification of his people — as a king he subdues our enemies, which are principally our lusts, our sins, and our temptations, by quickening and strengthening in us all principles of holy obedience; the work of Christ as a king may be reduced to these heads: (1) to make his subjects free; (2) to preserve them in safety; (3) to give them prosperity and increase their wealth; (4) to establish assured peace for them; (5) to give them love among themselves; (6) to place the interest and welfare of his kingdom in all their affections; (7) to eternally reward their obedience — and all these he does principally by working grace and holiness in them.

It remains that we improve these considerations to confirm our present argument concerning the necessity of holiness.

Section 19. It is hence evident how vain it is for anyone continuing in an unholy condition to imagine they have any interest in Christ or shall have any benefit by him — this is the great deceit whereby Satan has ruined the generality of mankind who profess the Christian religion; they do not consider that there are certain ways and means whereby the virtue and benefit of all that the Lord Christ has done for us are conveyed to the souls of men; if we expect to be saved by Christ it must be by what he does as priest, prophet, and king, but one of the principal ends of what he does in all these is to make us holy, and if this effect is not wrought in us we can have no eternal benefit by anything Christ has done.

Section 20. Hence the miserable condition of those called Christians who live in sin and yet hope to be saved by the gospel is greatly to be bewailed — they wofully deceive and ruin their own souls; for men to live in covetousness, sensuality, pride, ambition, pleasures, and hatred of the power of godliness, and yet to hope for salvation by the gospel, is the most infallible way to hasten and secure their own eternal ruin. They also cast the greatest dishonor on Christ and the gospel — by professing to own them while continuing to live in an unholy condition, they endeavor to represent the Lord Christ as a minister of sin and the gospel as a doctrine of licentiousness; this has reflected all kinds of dishonor on Christian religion and put a stop to its progress in the world — these are they of whom Paul makes his bitter complaint (Philippians 3:18-19): 'Many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly.'

Section 21. Let more serious professors be most serious in this matter — the Apostle having given assurance of the certain salvation of all true believers from the immutable purpose of God, presently adds, 'Let everyone that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity' (2 Timothy 2:19); plainly intimating that without holiness, without an universal departure from iniquity, we cannot have the least evidence that we are interested in that assured condition. Examine from which of Christ's offices you expect advantage — if it is from his sacerdotal office, has his blood purged your conscience from dead works that you should serve the living God? are you cleansed, sanctified, and made holy thereby? are you redeemed out of the world by it and dedicated to God? if you find not these effects of the blood-shedding of Christ in your souls and consciences, in vain will you expect atonement, peace, reconciliation with God, mercy, pardon, justification, and salvation.

Section 22. Is it from his actings as the great prophet of the church that you expect help? — has he effectually taught you to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, to live righteously, soberly, and godly in this present world? has he taught you to be humble, meek, patient, to hate the garment spotted with the flesh? above all has he taught you to purify and cleanse your hearts by faith, to subdue your inward spiritual and fleshly lusts, to endeavor after universal conformity to his image and likeness? if so, your interest in him by his prophetical office is secured — but if you hear his voice and have attained much knowledge yet cannot say these effects are wrought in you by his word and Spirit, you lose the second expectation of any advantage by Christ as mediator.

Section 23. Will you betake yourselves to the kingly office of Christ for expectations? — examine how he rules in you and over you; has he subdued your lusts, those enemies of his kingdom which fight against your souls? has he strengthened, aided, and supported you by his grace to all holy obedience? and have you given up yourselves to be ruled by his word and Spirit, to obey him in all things? if so, you have cause to rejoice; but if your proud rebellious lusts still bear sway in you, if sin has dominion over you, if you continue fulfilling the lusts of the mind and of the flesh and walking after the fashions of this world — deceive yourselves no longer, Christ will be of no advantage to you.

Necessity of Holiness from our Condition in this World.

The necessity of holiness further argued from our own state and condition in this world, with what is required of us with respect to giving glory to Jesus Christ.

Section 1. Another argument for the necessity of holiness may be taken from the consideration of our present state and condition — by holiness alone is the vicious distemper of our natures cured; our nature being fearfully and universally depraved by the entrance of sin, the mind is possessed with darkness, vanity, folly, and instability; the will is under the power of spiritual death, stubborn and obstinate; all the affections are carnal, sensual, and selfish; and the whole soul hurried off from God and out of its way is perpetually filled with confusion and perplexing disorder — this is what Solomon discovered as the sum of vanity: 'God made men upright, but they have found out many inventions' (Ecclesiastes 7:29), casting themselves into endless entanglements and confusions.

Section 2. The original depravation of our nature has filled the whole soul with darkness, disorder, and confusion — the mind begins to act something suitable to the small remainders of light in it but is immediately controlled by impetuous lusts and affections which darken its directions and silence its commands; the whole soul is filled with fierce contradictions and conflicts; vanity, instability, folly, sensual irrational appetites, inordinate desires, and self-tormenting passions act continually in our depraved natures (Romans 3:10-18); and all evils proceed from thence as our Savior declares (Matthew 15:18-19), so that wicked men under the power of depraved nature are like a troubled sea that cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and dirt (Isaiah 57:20-21).

Section 3. Hence the life of man is full of vanity, trouble, disappointments, vexations, and endless self-dissatisfactions — true peace, rest, and tranquility of mind are strangers to such souls; the perishing profits, pleasures, and satisfactions the world can afford are unable to provide rest and peace; they quickly satiate and suffocate in their enjoyment, and become to have no relish in their varieties, which only heightens present vanity and treasures up provision for future vexation.

Section 4. Some are naturally of a more sedate and quiet temper than others — they do not fall into such outrages of outward sins, nor are their minds capable of such turbulent passions; these comparatively are peaceable and useful; but yet their minds and hearts are full of darkness and disorder, and the less troublesome waves they have on the surface, the more mire and dirt they often have at the bottom.

Section 5. Education, convictions, afflictions, illuminations, hope of a righteousness of their own, love of reputation, engagements into the society of good men, resolutions for secular ends, and other means of the like kind do often put great restraints on the actings and ebullitions of the evil imaginations and turbulent affections of the minds of men, and the frame of the mind and the course of life may be much changed by them.

Section 6. Notwithstanding all that may be effected by these means, the disease is uncured and the soul continues still in its disorder and inward confusions — our original order and harmony consisted in the powers and inclinations of our minds, wills, and affections to regular actings toward God as our end and reward; while we continued in due order toward God it was impossible that we should be otherwise in ourselves; but being by sin fallen off from God and having lost our conformity and likeness to him, we fell into all the confusion and disorder described.

Section 7. The only cure and remedy of this evil condition is by holiness — it must and can be no otherwise but by the renovation of the image of God in us, from the loss of which all the evil mentioned springs; by holiness our souls are in some measure restored to their primitive order and rectitude; the deliverance from the power of corrupt and deceitful lusts which are the spring and cause of all the confusion mentioned is by the renovation of the image of God in us and no otherwise (Ephesians 4:22-24).

Sect. 8 First, That we doe admit and maintain, that in all sanctified Persons there are yet certain Remainders of our Original Depravation and Disorder; that Sin still abides in Believers; yea that it works powerfully and effectually in them, leading them Captive to the Law of Sin. Hence ensue great and mighty Warrs and Conflicts in the Souls of Regenerate Persons, that are truely sanctified. Herein they suffer so far, as to groan, complain, and cry out for Deliverance. The Flesh lustes against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the Flesh, and these are contrary. Wherefore it does not appear, that this Holiness does so heal and cure the sinfull Distempers of our Minds. On the other side, men supposed as yet under the Power of Sin, who have not that Grace and Holiness in the Renovation of the Image of God which is pleaded for, seem to have more peace and Quietness in their Minds. They have not that inward Conflict which others complain of, nor those Groans for Deliverance. Yea they find satisfaction in their Lusts and Pleasures, relieving themselves by them against any thing that occasiones their Trouble.

Sect. 9 Ans. (1) For that Peace and Order which is pretended to be in the Minds of Men under the Power of Sin, and not sanctified, it is like that which is in Hell and the Kingdom of Darkness. Sathan is not divided against himself, nor is there such a Confusion and Disorder in his Kingdom as to destroy it; but it has a Consistency from the common End of all that is in it, which is an Opposition to God and all that is good. Such a Peace and Order there may be in an unsanctified Mind. There being no Active Principle in it for God and that which is spiritually Good, all works one way, and all its troubled streams have the same Course. But yet they continually cast up mire and dirt. There is onely that Peace in such Minds which the strong man armed, that is Sathan, keeps his Goods in, untill a stronger than he comes to bind him. And if any one think that Peace and Order to be sufficient for him, wherein his Mind in all its Faculties acts uniformly against God, or for Self, Sin and the World, without any Opposition or Contradiction, he may find as much in Hell when he comes there.

Sect. 10 (2) There is a Difference between a Confusion and a Rebellion. Where a Confusion is in a State, all Rule or Government is dissolved, and every thing is let loose to the utmost Disorder and Evil. But where the Rule is firm and stable, there may be Rebellions that may give some parts and places Disturbances and Damage, but yet the whole State is not disordered thereby. So is it in the Condition of a sanctified Soul on the Account of the Remainders of Sin; there may be Rebellion in it, but there is no Confusion. Grace keeps the Rule in the Mind and Heart firm and stable, so that there is Peace and Assurance to the whole state of the Person, though Lusts and Corruptions will be rebelling and warring against it. The Divine Order therefore of the Soul consisting in the Rule of Grace, subordinating all to God in Christ, is never overthrown by the Rebellion of Sin at any time, be it never so vigorous or prevalent. But in the state of unsanctified Persons though there be no Rebellion, yet is there nothing but Confusion. Sin has the Rule and Dominion in them; And however men may be pleased with it for a season, yet is it nothing but perfect Disorder, because it is a continual Opposition to God. It is a Tyranny that overthrowes all Law and Rule and Order with respect to our last and chiefest End.

Sect. 11 (3) The Soul of a Believer has that Satisfaction in this Conflict, as that its Peace is not ordinarily disturbed, and is never quite overthrown by it. Such a Person knowes Sin to be his Enemy, knowes its Design, with the Aids and Assistances which are prepared for him against its Deceit and Violence; and considering the Nature and End of this Contest, is satisfied with it. Yea the greatest hardships that Sin can reduce a Believer to, do but put him to the Exercise of those Graces and Duties wherein he receives great spiritual Satisfaction. Such are Repentance, Humiliation, godly Sorrow, self-Abasement and Abhorrency, with fervent Outcryes for Deliverance. Now although these things seem to have that which is grievous and dolorous prevailing in them, yet the Graces of the Spirit of God being acted in them, they are so suited to the Nature of the New Creature, and so belong to the spiritual Order of the Soul, that it finds secret Satisfaction in them all. But the Trouble others meet withall in their own Hearts and Minds on the Account of Sin, is from the severe Reflexions of their Consciences only, and they receive them no otherwise but as certain Presages and Predictions of future and eternal Misery.

Sect. 12 (4) A sanctified Person is secured of success in this Conflict, which keeps blessed Peace and Order in his Soul during its Continuance. There is a two-fold success against the Rebellious Actings of the Remainders of Indwelling Sin. (1) In particular Instances; (2) In the whole Cause. And in both these have we sufficient Assurance of Success, if we be not wanting to our selves.

1. For suppose the Contest be considered with respect to any particular Lust and Corruption, and that in Conjunction with some powerfull Temptation, we have sufficient and blessed Assurance that abiding in the diligent Use of the Wayes and Means assigned to us, and the Improvement of the Assistance provided in the Covenant of Grace, we shall not so fail of actual Success, as that Lust should conceive, bring forth and finish Sin, 2 Cor. 2. 12. But if we be wanting to our selves, negligent in our known Duties and principal Concerns, it is no wonder if we are sometimes cast into Disorder, and foyled by the Powers of Sin. But,

2. As to the general Success in the whole Cause, namely, that Sin shall not utterly deface the Image of God in us, nor absolutely or finally ruine our Souls, which is its End and Tendency, we have the Covenant Faithfulness of God (which will not fail us) for our security, Rom. 6. 12. Wherefore, notwithstanding this Opposition and all that is ascribed to it, there is Peace and Order preserved by the Power of Holiness in a sanctified Mind and Soul.

Sect. 13 Secondly, But it will be further Objected, That many Professors who pretend highly to Sanctification and Holiness, and whom you judge to be partakers of them, are yet peevish, froward, morose, unquiet in their Minds, among their Relations, and in the World; yea, much outward Vanity and Disorder (which you make Tokens of the internal Confusion of the Minds of Men, and the Power of Sin) do either proceed from them, or are carryed on by them. And where then is the Advantage pretended, that should render Holiness so indispensibly necessary to us?

Ans. If there are any such, the more shame for them, and they must bear their own Judgement. These things are diametrically opposite to the Work of Holiness, and the Fruits of the Spirit, Gal. 5. 22. And therefore I say, (1) That many (it may be) are esteemed Holy and Sanctified, who indeed are not so. Though I will judge no man in particular, yet I had rather pass this Judgement on any man, that he has no Grace, than that on the other hand, Grace does not change our Natures, and renew the Image of God in us. (2) Many who are really holy, may have the double Disadvantage; first to be under such Circumstances as will frequently draw out their natural Infirmities, and then to have them greatned and heightned in the Apprehension of them with whom they have to doe, which was Actually the Case of David all his Dayes, and of Hannah, 1 Sam. 1. 6, 7. I would be far from giving Countenance to th[•]sinfull Distempers of any; but yet I doubt not, but that the Infirmities of many are represented by Envy and Hatred of Profession to an undeserved Disadvantage. (3) Whereever there is the seed of Grace and Holiness, there an Entrance is made on the Cure of all these sinfull Distempers, yea not only of the corrupt Lusts of the Flesh, that are absolutely evil and Vitious in their whole Nature; but even of those natural Infirmities and Distempers of peevishness, moroseness, inclination to Anger and Passion, Vnsteadiness in Resolution. which Lusts is apt to possess, and use to evil and disorderly Ends. And I am pressing the Necessity of Holiness, that is, of the Encrease and Growth of it, that this Work may be carried on to perfection, and that so through the Power of the Grace of the Gospel, that great Promise may be accomplished which is recorded Isa. 11. 6, 7, 8, 9. And as when a wandring jugling Impostor, who pretended to judge of mens Lives and Manners by their Physiognomy, beholding Socrates, pronounced him from his Countenance a Person of a flagitious sensual Life, the People derided his Folly, who knew his sober vertuous Conversation; but Socrates excused him, affirming that such he had been, had he not bridled his Nature by Philosophy; how much more truely may it be said of Multitudes, that they had been eminent in nothing but untoward Distempers of Mind, had not their Souls been rectified and cured by the Power of Grace and Holiness.

Sect. 14 I find there is no End of Arguments that offer their service to the Purpose in hand; I shall therefore wave many, and those of great importance, attended with an unavoidable Cogency, and shut up this Discourse with one which must not be omitted. In our Holiness consists the principal part of that Revenue of Glory and Honour which the Lord Christ requires and expectes from his Disciples in this World. That he does require this indispensibly of us, is I suppose out of Question among us; although the most who are called Christians, live as if they had no other Design but to cast all Obloquies, Reproach and Shame, on him and his Doctrine. But if we are indeed his Disciples, he has bought us with a Price, and we are not our own, but his, and that to glorifie him in Soul and Body, becuase they are his, 1 Cor. 6. 19, 20. He dyed for us, that we should not live to our selves, but to him that so dyed for us, and by vertue of whose Death we live, Rom. 14. 7, 8, 9. He gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all Iniquity, and purifie to himself a peculiar People, zealous of good Works, Tit. 2. 14. But we need not to insist hereon. To deny that we ought to glorifie and honour Christ in the World, is to renounce him and the Gospel. The sole Enquiry is, How we may do so, and what he requires of us to that purpose?

Sect. 15 Now the summe of all that the Lord Christ expects from us in this World, may be reduced to two Heads: (1) That we should live holily to him. (2) That we should suffer patiently for him. And in these things alone is he glorified by us. The first he expectes at all times, and in all things; the latter on particular Occasions, as we are called by him thereunto. Where these things are, where this Revenue of Glory is payd in and returned to him, he repents not of his Purchase, nor of the unvaluable Price he has payd for us; yea sayes, The Lines are fallen to me in pleasant places, I have a goodly Heritage; which are the words of Christ concerning the Church, which is his Lot, and the Portion of his Inheritance, Psal. 16. 6. Now among many others we shall consider but one way whereby we glorifie the Lord Christ by our Holy Obedience, and from where also it will appear how much we dishonour and reproach him when we come short thereof.

Section 16. The Lord Christ coming into the world as mediator wrought and accomplished a mighty work, which may be referred to three heads: (1) the life which he led; (2) the doctrine which he taught; and (3) the death which he underwent — some have openly traduced his life as unholy, his doctrine as foolish, and his death as justly deserved; others allow them to pass with some approbation yet in fact and practice deny any power and efficacy in them, which is the way of carnal gospellers and all idolatrous superstitious worshippers among Christians; and lately there has risen a generation who esteem all spoken concerning him to be a mere fable. In opposition to all this, the Lord Christ calls all his true disciples to bear witness and testimony to the holiness of his life, the wisdom and purity of his doctrine, the efficacy of his death to expiate sin and make peace with God, and the power of his whole mediation to renew the image of God in us — and all this is done only by obedience to him in holiness as it is visible and fruitful.

Section 17. We are obliged to profess that the life of Christ is our example — every Christian by taking that holy name upon him signifies that he makes the life of Christ his pattern which it is his duty to express in his own; the only way to bear testimony to the holiness of his life against the blasphemies of the world is by holiness of heart and life and conformity to God in our souls; for men to live in sin while professing that the life of Christ is their example is to bear witness with the world against him, suggesting that indeed his life was unholy.

Section 18. We can give Christ no glory unless we bear testimony to his doctrine as holy, heavenly, and filled with divine wisdom and grace — and there is no other way to do this but by holy obedience expressing the nature, end, and usefulness of it (Titus 2:11-12); multitudes in all ages have been won over to the obedience of the gospel and faith in Christ Jesus by the holy, fruitful, useful conversation of those who have expressed the power and purity of his doctrine.

Section 19. The power and efficacy of the death of Christ to purify us from all iniquity and purge our consciences from dead works that we may serve the living God is also required — the Lord Christ requires no more of his disciples to his glory in this matter than that they profess that his blood cleanses them from their sins and evidence the truth of it by the ways and means the gospel has appointed to that end.

Section 20. Without the holiness prescribed in the gospel we give nothing of that glory to Jesus Christ which he indispensably requires — he saves us freely by his grace, but he requires that we should express a sense of it by ascribing to him the glory that is his due; and this is no otherwise effected but by the power of a holy conversation, showing forth the praises of him who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. If any one professes himself to be a Christian — a disciple of Jesus Christ, following the example of his life, obeying his doctrine, expressing the efficacy of his death — and continues in an unholy life, he is a false traitor to him and gives in his testimony on the side of the world against him and all he has done for us. It is the flagitious lives of professed Christians that have brought the life, doctrine, and person of our Lord Jesus Christ into contempt in the world — God teach us all to consider duly that all the glory and honor of Jesus Christ in the world, with respect to us, depends on our holiness and not on any other thing that we are, have, or may do; if therefore we have any love to him, any spark of gratitude for his unspeakable love, grace, condescension, and sufferings, any care about or desire of his glory in the world, any expectation of grace from him here or hereafter, let us labor to be holy in all manner of conversation, that we may adorn his doctrine, express his virtues and praises, and grow up in conformity and likeness to him who is the firstborn and image of the invisible God.

The End.