Secondly, It will appear from hence whence it is that men pro- pose and steer such various courses with respect unto holiness. All men who profess themselves to be Christians are agreed, in words at least, that holiness is absolutely necessary unto them that would be saved by Jesus Christ. To deny it is all one as openly to renounce the gospel. But when they should come to the practice of it, some take one false way, some another, and some actually despise and re- ject it. Now, all this ariseth from ignorance of the true nature of evangelical holiness on the one hand, and love of sin on the other. There is nothing wherein we are spiritually and eternally concerned that is more frequently insisted on than is the true nature of sancti- fication and holiness. But the thing itself, as hath been declared, is deep and mysterious, not to be understood without the aid of spiri- tual light in our minds. Hence some would have moral virtue to be holiness, which, as they suppose, they can understand by their own reason and practise in their own strength; and I heartily wish that we could see more of the fruits of it from them. But real
CHAP. VI.] IN THE SANCTIFICATION OF BELIEVERS. 481
moral virtue ■will hardly be abused into an opposition unto grace ; the pretence of it will be so easily, and is so every day. Some, on the other hand, place all holiness in superstitious devotions, in the strict observance of religious duties, which men, and not God, have appointed ; and there is no end of their multiplication of them, nor measure of the strictness of some in them. The reason why men give up themselves unto such soul-deceiving imaginations is, their ignorance and hatred of that only true, real principle of evange- lical holiness of which we have discoursed ; for what the world know- eth not in these things it always hateth. And they cannot discern it clearly, or in its own light and evidence; for it must be spiritually discerned. This the natural man cannot do; and in that false light of corrupted reason wherein they discern and judge it, they esteem it foolislmess or fancy, 1 Cor. ii. 14. There is not a more foolish and fanatical thing in the world, with many, than that internal, ha- bitual holiness which we are in the consideration of; and hence are they led to despise and to hate it. But here the love of sin secretly takes place, and influenceth their minds. This universal change of the soul in all its principles of operation into the image and likeness of God, tending to the extirpation of all sins and vicious habits, is that which men fear and abhor. This makes them take up wath morality and superstitious devotion, — any thing that will pacify a natural conscience, and please themselves or others with a reputation of religion. It is, therefore, highly incumbent on all that would not wilfully deceive their own souls unto their eternal ruin to inquire dihgently into the true nature of evangelical holiness; and, above all, to take care that they miss it not in the foundation, in the true root and principle of it, wherein a mistake will be pernicious.
Thii'dly, It is, moreover, evident from hence that it is a greater matter to be truly and really holy than most persons are aware of We may learn eminently how great and excellent a work this of sanctification and hohness is from the causes of it. How emphati- cally doth our apostle ascribe it unto God, even the Father: 1 Thess. V. 23, " Even the God of peace himself sanctify you.'' It is so great a work as that it cannot be wrought by any but the God of peace liimself What is the immediate work of the Spirit therein, what the influence of the mediation and blood of Christ into it, hath been already in part declared, and we have yet much more to add in our account of it. And these things do sufliciently manifest how great, how excellent and glorious a work it is; for it doth not become di- vine and infinite wisdom to engage the immediate power and efficacy of such glorious causes and means for the producing of any ordinary or common effect. It must be somewhat, as of great importance xmto the glory of God, so of an eminent nature in itself And that little
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482 THE POSITIVE WORK OF THE SPIRIT [bOOK IV.
entrance which we have made into an inquiry after its nature mani- fests how great and excellent it is. Let us not, therefore, deceive om'selves with the shadows and appearances of things in a few duties of piety or righteousness; no, nor yet with many of them, if we find not this great work at least begun m us. It is sad to see what trifling there is in these things amongst men. None, indeed, is contented to be without a religion, and veiy few are willing to admit it in its power.
Fourthly, Have we received this principle of holiness and of spiri- tual life by the gracious operation of the Holy Ghost? — there are, among many others, three duties incumbent on us, whereof we ought to be as careful as of our souls. And the first is, carefully and dili- gently by all means to cherish and preserve it in our hearts. This sacred depositum of the new creature, of the divine nature, is intrusted with us to take care of, to cherish and improve. If we willingly, or through our neglect, suffer it to be wounded by temptations, weak- ened by corruptions, or not exercised in all known duties of obedi- ence, our guilt is great, and our trouble will not be small. And then, secondly, it is equally incumbent on us to evince and manifest it by its fruits, in the mortification of corrupt lusts and affections, in all duties of holiness, righteousness, charity, and piety, in the world : for that God may be glorified hereby is one of the ends why he en- dues our natures with it; and without these visible fruits, we expose our entire profession of holiness to reproach. And in like manner is it required that we be thankfid for what we have received.