4, The institutions of the law for this end, to purge uncleanness, VOL. III. 28
434 THE DEFILEMENT OF SIN, WHEREIN IT CONSISTS, [BOOK IV.
could not of themselves reach thereunto. They did, indeed, purify the unclean legally, and sanctified persons as to the "purifying of the flesh," Heb. ix. 13, so that they should not on their account be sepa- rated from their privileges in the congregation and the worship of God ; but of themselves they could go no farther, chap. x. 1-4, only they did typify and signify that whereby sin was really cleansed. But the real stain is too deep to be taken away by any outward or- dinances or institutions; and therefore God, as it were, rejecting them all, promiseth to open another fountain to that purpose, Zech, xiii. 1. Wherefore, —
5. There is a great emptiness and vanity in all those aids and reliefs which the papal church hath invented in this case. Sensible they are of the spot and stain that accompanies sin, of its pollution and defilement, which none can avoid whose consciences are not utterly hardened and blinded; but they are ignorant of the true and only means and remedy thereof And, therefore, as in the work of justification, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and going about to establish their own righteousness, they submit not them- selves to the righteousness of God, as the apostle spake of their pre- decessors; so in the work of sanctification, being ignorant of the ways of the working of the Spirit of grace and efficacy of the blood of Christ, they go about to set up their own imaginations, and sub- mit not themselves unto a compliance with the grace of God. Thus, in the first place, they would (at least the most of them would) have the whole uncleanness of our natures to be washed away by baptism, "virtute operis operati." The ordinance being administered, without any more to do, or any previous qualifications of the person, internal or external, the filth of original sin is washed away; though it fell not out so with Simon Magus, who, notwithstanding he was bap- tized by Philip the evangelist, and that upon his visible profession and confession, yet continued "in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity," and was therefore certainly not cleansed from his sins. But there is a cleansing in profession and signification, and there is a cleansing in the reality of sanctification. The former doth accom- pany baptism when it is rightly administered. With respect here- unto are men said to be "purged from their old sins," — that is, to have made a profession, and have had a fair representation thereof in being made partakers of the outward sign of it, — 2 Pet. i. 9; as also to escape the " pollutions of the world" and the " lusts of the flesh," chap. ii. 18, 20. But all this may be, and yet sin not be really purged ; for not only the " outward washing of regeneration" in the pledge of it, but the " internal renovation of the Holy Ghost," is required there- unto, Tit. iii. 5. But having thus shifted themselves of the filth of original sin, as easily as a man may put off his clothes when they are
CHAP. IV.] WITH ITS PURIFICATION". 435
foul, they have found out many w&fs whereby the ensuing defile- ments that attend actual sins may be purged or done away. There is the sprinkling of holy water, confession to a priest, penances, in fasting and some other abstinences, that are supposed to be of won- derful virtue to this end and purpose. And I do acknowledge that the one art of confession is really the greatest invention to accom- modate the inclinations of all flesh that ever this world was acquainted withal: for as nothing is so suited unto all the carnal interests of the priests, be they what they will, nor so secures them a veneration in the midst of their looseness and worthless conversa- tion; so for the people, who, for the most part, have other business to do than long to trouble themselves about their sins, or find it uneasy to be conversant about their guilt and the consequences of it in their minds, it is such an expedite course of absolute exonera- tion, that they may be free for other sins or businesses, to deposit them wholly and safely with a priest, that nothing equal unto it could ever have been invented; — for the real way of dealing with God by Jesus Christ in these things, with endeavours of a participa- tion in the sanctifymg, cleansing work of the Holy Ghost, is long, and very irksome to flesh and blood, besides that it is intricate and foolish unto natural darkness and unbelief But yet it so falls out that, after all these inventions, they can come to no perfect rest or satisfaction in their own minds. They cannot but find by experience that their sores sometimes break forth through all these sorry cover- ings, unto their annoyance ; and their defilements yet fill them with shame, as well as the guilt of sin doth with fear. Wherefore they betake themselves to their sheet-anchor in this storm, — in the relief which they have provided in another world, when, let men find themselves never so much mistaken, they cannot complain of their disappointments. This is in their purgatory, whereunto they must tnist at last for the cancelling of all their odd scores, and purging away that filth of sin which they have been unwilling to part withal in this world. But as this whole business of purgatory is a ground- less fable, an invention set up in competition with and opposition unto the sanctification of the Spirit and cleansing virtue of the blood of Christ, as a matter of unspeakably more profit and secular advantage unto those who have its management committed unto them; so it is as great an encouragement unto unholiness and a continuance in sin for those who believe it, and at the same time love the pleasures of sin (which are the generality of their church), as ever was or can be found out or made use of: for, to come with a plain, downright dissuasure from holiness and encouragement unto sin is a design that would absolutely defeat itself, nor is capa- ble of making impression on them who retain the notion of a dif-