[3.] If you look to God the Spirit, still the argument returneth upon you with the more force and efficacy ; the Spirit is to make up the match between us and our Redeemer, and to bring us to Christ, as Christ to bring us to God. Now the Spirit is a holy Spirit : Eph. i. 13, 'Ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.' The sanctifying of our natures, and the purifying the heart by grace is his great work. If you look into the scriptures, you shall find that the soul is purified by the Spirit and for the Spirit.
(1.) By the Spirit ; and therefore he is called ' the Spirit of sanctifica- tion,' Rom. i. 4. And sanctification is called ' the sanctification of the Spirit,' 2 Thes. ii. 13, because he is the great agent sent into our hearts, to begin and promote this work. He converteth us as a Spirit of holi- ness; he quickeneth us as a Spirit of holiness; he comforteth and sealeth us, and marketh us out for God, as a Spirit of holiness ; so that if we purify not ourselves, wre obstruct and hinder his special work. Indeed, the main business of a christian is to obey his sanctifying motions: 1 Peter i. 22, ' Ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth, through the Spirit.' The Spirit is always counselling, directing, persuading us to purify ourselves by some notable truth or other ; and as we yield to these motions, this work is carried on and prevaileth more and more.
(2.) As our souls are purified by the Spirit, so they are purified for the Spirit, that they may be made temples for the Holy Ghost to dwell in ; the place of his abode and residence must be kept pure and clean : 1 Cor. hi. 16, ' Know ye not that ye are the temples of the Holy Ghost,
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and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you ? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy ; for the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.' The temple of old was consecrated to God, and there was his symbolical presence. Whoever did bring in any unclean thing, he did pollute it, and was to be punished. So it is a known truth, which none ought to be ignorant of, that the soul of a christian is God's spiritual temple, wherein he manifests his spiritual presence ; to defile it is to dishonour God, and contract a great guilt upon ourselves. Surely every dirty lodging is not fit for so noble a guest ; he will not dwell in an impure, an unclean heart. Where he dwelleth, he must dwell commodiously and according to his own liking. Now this con- sideration should the rather prevail upon us, because the dwelling of the Spirit in our hearts is the earnest and pledge of our dwelling for ever with God, and beginneth that vision and fruition of God which is perfected in heaven : 2 Cor. i. 22, ' Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit into our hearts.' Thus with respect to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
2. With respect to the ordinances.
[1.] The word of God which is given to us to purify and cleanse us : Ps. cxix. 140, ' Thy word is very pure, therefore thy servant loveth it.' He that looketh upon an axe will soon see that this is an instrument made to cut ; so upon the word ; it is fitted to cleanse and purify the souls of men from their sinful spots and stains. The precepts require this purity, the promises and threats enforce it, and the Spirit blesseth this means as appointed and chosen by Christ. The precepts call upon ns everywhere : Jer. iv. 14, ' Wash thy heart from wickedness ; how long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee ? ' and in many other places : ' Wash you, make you clean,' Isa. i. 4. The promises enforce it. There are promises of purity, and promises to purity. Promises of purity : Ezek. xxxvi. 25, 26, ' Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean ;from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you : anew heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you ; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and will give you a heart of flesh.' And promises made to purity : Ps. cxix. 1, ' Blessed are the undefiled in the way.' The pure are blessed, and shall be blessed : 2 Cor. vii. 1, ' Having these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.' The threatenings enforce it also, tor the impure are cut off from this happiness : Eev. xxi. 27, ' There shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth.' The Holy Ghost blesseth this means : John xvii. 17, 19, ' Sanctify them through thy truth ; thy word is truth. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they may be sanctified through the truth.' He doth not join the power- ful operations of his Spirit with any other doctrine, that it may be known to be his word ; he will honour and own it by the concomitant operation of his Spirit : Gal. iii. 2, ' Eeceived ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith ? ' Now they that profess to believe this word, and do accept of it for the cure and health of their souls, are highly obliged to purify themselves yet more and more.