is influenced thereby; so this principle of holiness in us, the renova- tion of our natures, is called "The new man," because it possesseth the whole person with respect unto its proper operations and ends. And it extends itself as large as the old man, or the depravation of our natures, which takes in the whole person, soul and body, with all their faculties and powers.
2. The heart, in the Scripture, is taken for the wliole soul, and ^ all the faculties of it, as they are one common principle of all moral operations, as I have proved before; whatever, therefore, is wrought
in and upon the heart, under this consideration, is wrought upon the whole soul. Now, this is not only said to be affected with this work of sanctification, or to have holiness wrought in it, but the principal description that is given us of this work consists in this, that therein and thereby a " new heart" is given unto us, or created in us, as it is expressed in the promise of the covenant. This, therefore, can be nothing but the possessing of all the powers and faculties of our souls with a new principle of holiness and obedience unto God.
3. There is especial mention made of the effecting of this work on our souls and bodies, with their powers and faculties distinctly. This I have already proved in the declaration of the work of our re- generation, or conversion to God ; which is only preserved, cherished, improved, and carried on to its proper end, in our sanctification. The nature, also, of that spiritual light which is communicated unto our minds, of life unto our wills, of love unto our affections, hath been declared. Therefore doth it follow thence unavoidably, that
420 BELIEVERS THE OBJECT OF SANCTIFICATION, [BOOK IV.
the whole person is the subject of this work, and that holiness hath its residence in the whole soul entirely.
4. We need go no farther for the proof hereof than unto that prayer of the apostle for the Thessalonians which we insisted on at the beginning of this discourse : 1 Thess. v. 23, " The God of peace himself sanctify you oXor0.i7g, throughout," — that is, " in your whole natures or persons, in all that you are and do, that you may not in this or that part, but be every whit clean and holy throughout." And to make this the more evident, that we may know what it is which he prays may be sanctified, and thereby preserved blameless to the coming of Christ, he distributes our whole nature into the two essential parts of soul and body. And in the former he considereth two things: — (1.) The spirit; (2.) The soul, peculiarly so called. And this distinction frequently occurs in the Scripture; wherein that by the " spirit" the mind or intellectual faculty is understood, and by the " soul" the affections, is generally acknowledged, and may evi- dently be proved. These, therefore, the apostle prays may be sanc- tified and preserved holy throughout and entirely,^ and that by the infusion of a habit of holiness into them, with its preservation and improvement; whereof more afterward. But this is not all. Our bodies are an essential part of our natures, and by their union with our souls are we constituted individual persons. Now, we are the principles of all our operations as we are persons; every moral act we do is the act of the whole person. The body, therefore, is con- cerned in the good and evil of it. It became a subject of the de- jsravation of our nature by concomitancy and participation, and is considered as one entire principle with the soul of communicating original defilement from parents unto children. Besides, it is now subject, in that corruption of its constitution which it is fallen under as a punishment of sin, mi to many disorderly motions, that are in- centives and provocations unto sin. Hence sin is said to " reign in our mortal bodies," and our " members to be servants unto unright- eousness," Rom. vi. 12, 19. Moreover, by its participation in the defilement and punishment of sin, the body is disposed and made obnoxious unto corruption and destruction; for death entered by sin, and no otherwise. On all these accounts, therefore, it is necessary, on the other hand, that the body should be interested in this work and privilege of sanctification and holiness; and so it is, — (1.) By participation : for it is our persons that are sanctified and made holy (" Sanctify them throughout"); and although our souls are the first proper subject of the infused habit or principle of holiness, yet our bodies, as essential parts of our natures, are partakers thereof. (2.)
1 " Fieri non potest ut sanctificato Spiritu iioii sit sanctum etiam corpus, quo sancti- fi^jatua utitur Spiritus." — August. Lib. de Bono Viduitat.
CHAP. ITI.] AND SUBJECT OF GOSPEL HOLINESS. 421
By a peculiar influence of the grace of God upon them also, as far as they have any influence into moral operations; for the apostle tells us that " our bodies are members of Christ," 1 Cor. vi. 1 5, and so, consequently, have influences of grace from him as our head. (3.) In the work of sanctification the Holy Ghost comes and dwells in us ; and hereon " our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in us;" and " the temple of God is holy," 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17, — although, I confess, this rather belongs unto the holiness of peculiar dedication unto God, whereof we shall treat afterward. And, [1.] Hereby are the parts and members of the body made instruments and " servants to righteousness unto holiness," Rom. vi. 19, — do become meet and fit for to be used in the acts and duties of holiness, as being made clean and sanctified unto God. [2.] Hereby are they disposed and prej^ared unto a blessed resurrection at the last day; which shall be wrought by the Spirit of Christ, which dwelt in them and sanctified them in this Hfe, Rom. viii. 10, 11; Phil. iii. 20, 21; 2 Cor. iv. 14, 16, 17.