[1.] Fleshly lusts. Some run into excess of riot, polluting them- selves with gluttony, drunkenness, uncleanness, and do not keep their xressels in sanctification and honour. Now these that are all for sensual satisfactions, or fulfilling the lusts of the flesh, are wholly strangers to such a hope. Is that soul clarified for the sight and likeness of God that is only employed to cater for the body ? or is that body fit to be
478 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR. IV.
made like Christ's glorious body which is only used as a strainer for meat and drink to pass through, or as a channel for lusts to run in, that is not kept in sanctification and honour ? 1 Thes. iv. 4, 5. Surely these wallow in the mire, and bid defiance to this pure hope.
[2.] Worldly lusts. It is ' pure religion to keep ourselves unspotted from the world,' James i. 27. Then a man's heart is pure when it is firmly fixed upon and principally aimeth at the chief good and last end, which is eternal happiness in the enjoying of God ; when it desires and intends it so as to be able to command and control all other desires. Any inordinate adhering to the creature, so as to rejoice in it apart from God, is a defilement to the immortal and high-born soul, that was made for God and blessedness to come. Alas ! to many a poor despi- cable wretch worldly vanity is more than the sight of God.
5. This purity is described by the pattern of it, ' As he is pure.' Christ is our pattern in the glorious state, and therefore also in the sanctified and renewed state : Kom. viii. 29, ' That we might be con- formed to the image of his Son, that he might have the pre-eminence in all things.' First in grace, then in glory. Hereafter ' we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.' Therefore now we must purify ourselves as he is pure. Besides, he is the perfect pattern and example of all purity ; all other patterns of godly men will fail us in something or other, but Christ will fail us in nothing, when we set his pattern before our eyes ; 1 Cor. xi. 1, ' Be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ.' Besides, there should be no disproportion in the mystical body ; the head and members should be all of a piece : 1 Peter i. 15, ' Be ye holy, as he that hath called you is holy, in all manner of con- versation.' You would take it as a great dishonour if your face should be pictured, and set to the body of a swine or any filthy beast ; a monstrous disproportion in Nebuchadnezzar's image, where the head was gold, the breast silver, the thighs brass, and the feet part iron and part clay. The world should know from us that we have a pure and holy saviour ; but alas ! we represent a strange Christ to them.
III. I now come to the connection between both these.
1. You may take notice of the suitableness of our heart to the object, or the things believed and hoped for. That which we hope for is con- formity to Christ, a pure immaculate state of bliss. Men are as their hopes are ; if they pitch on carnal things, they are carnal ; if upon worldly things, they are worldly. Our affections assimilate us into the objects they fix upon. Thus the psalmist saith of idols, Ps. cxv. 8, ' They that make them are like unto them, so are all they that put their trust in them ; ' brutish, senseless, a sort of stocks and stones, as the idols themselves are. A Turkish paradise might breed a brutish spirit in us ; but if we look for a pure estate, to love God with all the heart, and to serve him without spot and blemish, the temper of our souls and hearts will be answerable ; such a meetness and worthiness will be found in us, Col. i. 12. If it be good to be pure and holy and without sin, why do not we set about it ?
2. It is the condition indispensably required of us ; it is not an indifferent thing whether we will be holy, yea or no, but absolutely necessary. Heaven is the portion of the sanctified, Acts xxvi. 18. Many things are ornamental that are not absolutely necessary; as, for instance,
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wealth, and wisdom with an inheritance, which make us helpful and useful ; so for gifts of learning, knowledge, and utterance. Many have gone to heaven that were not learned, but never any went to heaven without holiness. No ; it will not be had at a cheaper rate. As to the wicked, that will not submit to these terms, nor leave their sins, the Spirit says of them, Kev. xxii. 11, ' He that is filthy, let him be filthy still.' It is not a permission or persuasion, but a dreadful commina- tion, and denunciation of as sad a judgment as can light upon a poor creature.
3. It is the beginning of our blessedness ; it is begun here, or it will never be perfected there. And how is it begun ? Why, in such a sight of God as produceth an endeavour after purity and holiness. A man ' that sinneth hath not seen God, nor known him,' 1 John ii. 11 ; and ' he that doeth evil hath not seen God,' 3 John 11. And it is carried by the renewing and purifying the inner man : 2 Cor. iv. 16, ' The inner man is renewed day by day.' A present gradual participa- tion of the divine likeness is the surest pledge of everlasting blessedness, and the greatest justification of your hopes you possibly can have.