Our whole persons, therefore, and in them our whole natures, are the subject of this work, and true holiness invests the whole of it. Now, whether this universal investiture of our nature, in all the faculties and powers of it, by a new principle of holiness and obedi- ence unto God, whereby it is renewed into his image, do belong unto that moral virtue which some so plead for as to substitute it in the room of gospel holiness, they may do well to consider who are the patrons of that cause; for if it do not, then doth not itself belong unto that holiness which the gospel teacheth, requireth, promiseth, and communicates, whatever else it be. And, moreover, it is practi- cally worthy consideration that men deceive not themselves with a partial work in conviction only, or change of the affections also, in- stead of this evangelical sanctification. It is often and truly spoken unto, how men may have their minds enlightened, their affections wrought upon, and their lives much changed, and yet come short of real holiness. The best trial of this work is by its universality with respect unto its subject. If any thing remain unsanctified in us, sin may there set up its throne and maintain its sovereignty. But where this work is true and real, however weak and imperfect it may be as unto its degrees, yet it possesseth the whole person, and leaveth not the least hold unto sin, wherein it doth not continually combat and conflict with it. There is saving light in the mind, and life in the will, and love in the affections, and gi'ace in the conscience, suited to its nature ; there is nothing in us whereunto the power of holiness doth not reach according to its measure. Men may, therefore, if they please, deceive themselves by taking up with some notions in their minds, some devotions in their affections, or some good and virtuous deeds in their conversations, but holiness doth not consist therein.
422 THE DEFILEMENT OF SIN, WHEREIN IT CONSISTS, [BOOK IV.
And, lastly, men may hence see liow vainly they excuse themselves in their sins, their passions, intemperances, and the like disorders of mind, from their constitutions and inclinations ; for true sanctij&cation reacheth unto the body also. It is true, grace doth not so change the natural constitution as to make him that was sickly to be healthy and strong, nor so as to make him who was melancholy to be sanguine, or the like ; it altereth"not the course of the blood, and the animal spirits, with the impressions they make on our minds. But consider these things morally, and as the whole person is a principle of spiritual and moral o^Derations, and so it doth work such change and alteration on the whole person as to cure morally sinful distempers, as of passion, elation of mind, and intemperances, which men were before more than ordinarily inclined unto by their tempers and constitutions; yea, from the efficacy of it upon our whole persons, in the curing of such habitual inordinate and sinful distempers, lies the principal dis- covery of its truth and reality. Let no men, therefore, pretend that grace and holiness do not change men's constitutions, thereby to ex- cuse and palliate their disorderly passions before men, and to keep themselves from being humbled for them before God ; for although it do not so naturally and physically, yet it doth so morally, so that the constitution itself shall be no more such afomes and incentive unto disorderly passions as it hath been. If grace hath not cured that passion, pride, causeless anger, inveterate wrath, intemperance, Avhich men's constitutions peculiarly incline unto, I know not, for my part, what it hath done, nor what a number of outward duties do signify. The Spirit and grace of Christ cause " the wolf to dwell with the lamb, and the leopard to lie down with the kid," Isa. xi. 6. It will change the most wild and savage nature into meekness, gentleness, and kindness ; examples whereof have been multiplied in the world.
CHAPTEE IV.
THE DEFILEMENT OF SIN, WHEREIN IT CONSISTS, WITH ITS PURIFICATION.
Purification the first proper notion of sanctification — Institution of baptism con- firming the same apprehension — A spiritual defilement and pollution in sin — The nature of that defilement, or wherein it doth consist — Depravations of nature and acts with respect unto God's holiness, hoAV and why called " filth" and " pollution" — Twofold pravity and defilement of sin — Its aggravations — We cannot purge it of ourselves, nor could it be done by the law, nor by any ways invented by men for that end.
These things being premised, we proceed to the consideration of sanctification itself, in a farther explication of the description before
CHAP. IV.] WITH ITS rURIFICATION. 423
given ; and the first thing we ascribe unto the Spirit of God herein, \ which constitutes the first part of it, is the 'purifying and cleansing \ of our nature from the ijollution of sin. Purification is tlie first proper notion of internal real sanctification ; and although, in order of time, it doth not precede the other acts and parts of this work, yet in order of nature it is first proposed and apprehended. Q'o be un- clean absolutely and to be holy are universally opposed. Not to be purged from sin is an expression of an unholy person, as to be cleansed is of him that is holy. And this purification, or the effect- ing of this work of cleansing, is ascribed unto all the causes and means of sanctification; as, — 1. Unto the Spirit, who is the principal efiicient of the whole. Not that sanctification consists wholly herein, but firstly and necessarily it is required thereunto, Prov. xxx. 12; Ezek. xxxvi. 25, " I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean : from all your filthiness, and from all j^our idols, will I cleanse you." That this sprinkling of clean water upon us is the communication of the Spirit unto us for the end designed, I have before evinced. It hath also been declared wherefore he is called " water," or compiired thereunto. And the 27th verse shows ex- pressly that it is the Spirit of God which is intended : " I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes." And that which he is thus in the first place promised for is the cleansing of us from the pollution of sin ; which, in order of nature, is proposed unto his enabling us to walk in God's statutes, or to yield holy obe- dience unto him.