376 THE NATURE OF SAXCTIFICATION [BOOK IV.
souls in the enjoyment of God. And this also mauifesteth of how much concernment it is unto us to be acquainted with the doctrine of it, and of how much more to be really interested in it. Yea, —
5. There is spiritual and heavenly glory in it in this world. From hence is the church, the " King's daughter," said to be " all glorious within," Ps. xlv. 13. Her inward adorning with the graces of the Spirit, making her beautiful in holiness, is called " glory ; " and is so. So also the progress and increase of believers herein is called by our apostle their being " changed from glory to glory," 2 Cor. iii. 18, — from one degree of glorious grace unto another. As this, next unto the comeliness of the righteousness of Christ, put upon us by the free grace of God, is our only beauty in his sight, so it is such as hath a real spiritual glory in it. It is the first-fruits of heaven. And as the apostle argueth concerning the Jews, that if the " first-fruits" were holy, then is the whole lump holy, so may we on the other side, if the whole " weight," as he calls it, and fulness of our future enjoj^ment be glory, then are the first-fruits in their measure so also. There is in this holiness, as we shall see farther afterward, a ray of eternal light, a principle of eternal life, and the entire nature of that love whereby we shall eternally adhere unto God. The divine nature, the new immortal creature, the life of God, the life of Christ, are all comprised in it. It represents unto God the glory of his own image renewed in us; and unto the Lord Christ the fruits of his Spirit and effect of his mediation, wherein he sees of the travail of his soul, and is satisfied. There is, therefore, nothing more to be abhorred than those carnal, low, and unworthy thoughts which some men vent of this glorious work of the Holy Spirit, who would have it wholly to consist in a legal righteousness or moral virtue.
6. This is that which God indispensably requircth of us. The full prosecution of this consideration we must put off unto our arguments for the necessity of it, which will ensue in their proper place. At present I shall show that not only God requireth holiness indispen- sably in all believers, but also that this is all which he requireth of them or expecteth from them; for it compriseth the whole duty of man. And this surely rendereth it needful for us both to know what it is, and diligently to apply ourselves unto the obtaining an assured participation of it ; for what servant who hath any sense of his rela- tion and duty, if he be satisfied that his master requireth but one thing of him, will not endeavour an acquaintance with it and the performance of it? Some, indeed, say that their holiness (such as it is) is the chief or only design of the gospel. If they intend that it is the first, principal design of God in and by the gospel, and that not only as to the preceptive part of it, but also as unto its doctrinal and promissory parts, whence it is principally and emphatically de-
CHAP. I.] AND GOSPEL HOLINESS EXPLAINED. 877
nominated, it is a fond imagination. God's great and first design, in and by the gospel, is eternally to glorify himself, his wisdom, good- ness, love, grace, righteousness, and holiness, by Jesus Christ, Eph. i. 5, 6. And in order to this his great and supreme end, he hath designed the gospel ; and designs by the gospel (which gives the gos- pel its design), — (1.) To reveal that love and grace of his unto lost sinndrs, with the way of its communication through the mediation of his Son incarnate, as the only means whereby he will be glorified and whereby they may be saved, Acts xxvi. 18. (2.) To prevail with men, in and by the dispensation of its truth, and encouragement of its promises, to renounce their sins and all other expectations of re- lief or satisfaction, and to betake themselves by faith unto that way of life and salvation which is therein declared unto them, 2 Cor. V. 18-21; Col. i. 25-28. (3.) To be the means and instrument of conveying over unto them, and giving them a title unto and a right in, that grace and mercy, that life and righteousness, which is re- vealed and tendered unto them thereby, Mark xvi. 16. (4.) To be the way and means of communicating the Spirit of Christ with grace and strength unto the elect, enabling them to believe and receive the atonement, Gal. iii. 2. (5.) Hereby to give them union with Christ as their spiritual and mystical head ; as also to fix their hearts and souls in their choicest actings, in their faith, trust, confidence, and love, immediately on the Son of God, as incarnate, and their media- tor, John xiv. 1. Wherefore, the first and principal end of the gos- pel towards us is, to invite and encourage lost sinners unto the faith and approbation of the way of grace, life, and salvation, by Jesus Christ; without a compliance wherewith, in the first place, the gospel hath no more to do with sinners, but leaves them to justice, the law, and themselves. But now, upon a supposition of these things, and of our giving glory to God by faith in them, the whole that God re- quireth of us in the gospel in a way of duty iij, that we should be holy, and abide in the use of those means whereby holiness may be attained and improved in us; for if he require any other thing of us, it must be on one of these four accounts: — (1.) To make atone- ment for our sins; or, (2.) To be our righteousness before him ; or, (3.) To merit life and salvation by; or, (4.) To supererogate in the behalf of others. No other end can be thought of, besides what are the true ends of holiness, whereon God should require any thing of us ; and all the false religion that is in the world leans on a supposition that God doth require somewhat of us with respect unto these ends. But, — (1.) He requires nothing of us (which we had all the reason in the world to expect that he would) to make atonement or satis- faction for our sins, that might compensate the injuries v/e have done him by our apostasy and rebellion; for whereas we had multiplied