Fifth sign, a well-ordered life, 1 Pet, i. 15., " Be ye holy in all manner of conver- sation :" Where the l)eart is sanctified, the life will be so too: the temple had gold without as well as within. As in a piece of coin, there is not only the king's image within the ring, hut his superscrij)tion too without ; so where there is sanctification, there is not only God's image in the heart, but a superscription of holiness written in the life. Some say they have good hearts, but their lives are vicious, Prov. xxx. 12., '' There is a generation that are })ure in their own eyes, yet is not washed from their filtliiness." If the water he foul in the bucket, it cannot be clean in the well, Ps. xlv. 13., " The king's daughter is all glo- rious within," — there is holiness of heart: '* Her clothing is of wrought gold," — holi- ness of life. Grace is most beautiful when its light doth so shine, that others may see it ; this adorns religion, and makes prose- lytes to the faith.
Sixth sign, steadfast resolution. He is resolved never to part with his holiness ; let others reproach it, he loves it the more ; let water be sprinkled on the fire, it burns the more. He saith, as David, when Michal reproached him for dancing before the ark,
2 Sam. vi. 22., If this he to the vile, " I will yet be more vile." Let others ])ersecute him for his holiness, he saith as Paul, Acts XX, 24,, " None of those things move me \' he prefers sanctity before safety ; and had rather keep his conscience pure than his skin whole. He saith as Job, " my righte-
OF SANCTIFICATION.
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ousncss I liold Hist, and will not let it go," than gold, Prov. iv. 13., " Keep her, for she ch. xxvii. 6. He will rather part with his is thy life."
life than ins conseiencc.
Use 1st. See what is the main thiiijT a Cliristian should look after, viz. sanctifica- tion ; this is the U7ium nccessoriuin, — the one thing needful. Sanctifieation is our purest complexion, — it makes us as the heaven, bespangled with stars, — it is our nobility, by it we are born of God, and partake of the divine nature, — it is our riches, there- fore compared to rows of jewels, and chains of gold, Cant. i. 10. It is our best certifi- cate for heaven : what evidence have we else to show? Have we knowledge? so hath the devil Do we profess religion ? Satan of- ten appears in Samuel's mantle, and trans- forms himself into an angel of light. But here is our certificate to show for heaven, sanctifieation. Sanctifieation is the first fruits of the Spirit, — the only coin that will pass current in the other world. Sanctifi- eation is the evidence of God's love ; we cannot guess of God's love by gi\'ing us health, riches, success, but by drawing his image of sanctifieation on us by the pencil of the Holy Ghost.
Branch 2. It shows the misery of such as are destitute of a principle of sanctifiea- tion ; they are spiritually dead, Ejdi. ii. 1. Though they breathe, yet they do not live. The greatest part of the world remain un- sanctified, 1 John v. 19., " The world lies in wickedness," that is, the major part of the world. Many call themselves Chris- tians, yet blot out the word saints ; you may as well call him a man who wants reason, as him a Christian who wants grace ; nay, which is worse, some are buoyed uj) to such a height of wickedness, that they hate and deride sanctifieation: 1. Tliey hate it; it is bad to want it, it is worse to hate it : they embrace the form of religion, but hate the power. The vulture hates sweet smells, so do they the perfumes of holiness. 2. Deride it : ' These are your holy ones !' To deride sanctifieation, argues an high degree of a- theism, and is a black brand of re|)rol>alion : fccofling I^shniael was cjist out of Abraham's family. Gen. xxi. 9., such as scoft' at holi- ness shall be cast out of heaven.
Use 2d. Of exhortation, Alxtve all things
QuKsr. U'lutt are the chief inducements to saticti/ica/ion ?
Ans. I.s7, It is the will of God that we should be holy : in the text, " This is the will of God, your sanctifieation." As God's word must be the rule, so his will, the rea- son of our actions : this is the will of God, our sanctifieation. Perhaps it is not the will of God we should be rich, but it is his will that we should be holy. God's will is our warrant.
2dhj, Jesus Christ hath died for our sanetificati(m. Christ shed his blood to wash off* our impurity. The cross was both an altar and a laver, Tit. ii. 14., " Wlio gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all inicpiity." If we could be saved without holiness, Christ needed not have died. Christ died, not only to save us from wrath, but from sin.