Wherefore, notwithstanding this opposition and all that is ascribed unto it, there is peace and order preserved by the power of holiness in a sanctified mind and soul.
Secondly, But it will* be farther objected, " That many professors who pretend highly unto sanctification and holiness, and whom you judge to be partakers of them, are yet peevish, froward, morose, un- quiet in their minds, among their relations and in the world ; yea, much outward vanity and disorder (which you make tokens of the internal confusion of the minds of men and of the power of sm) do either proceed from them or are carried on by them. And where, then, is the advantage pretended, that should render holiness so in- dispensably necessary unto us?"
Ans. If there are any such, the more shame for them, and they must bear their own judgment. These things are diametrically opposite to the work of holiness and the " fruit of the Spirit," Gal. V. 22; and, therefore, I say, — 1. That many, it may be, are esteemed holy and sanctified, who indeed are not so. Though I will judge no man in particular, yet I had rather pass this judgment on any man, that he hath no grace, than thatj on the other hand, grace doth
CHAP, v.] OUR CONDITION IN THIS WORLD. 647
not change our nature and renew the image of God in us. 2. Many who are really holy may have the double disadvantage, first, to be under such circumstances as will frequently draw out their natural infirmities, and then to have them greatened and heightened in the apprehension of them with whom they have to do ; which was actu- ally the case of David all his days, and of Hannah, 1 Sam. i. 6, 7. I would be far from giving countenance unto the sinful distempers of any, but yet I doubt not but that the infirmities of many are re- presented, by envy and hatred of profession, unto an undeserved dis- advantage. 8. Wherever there is the seed of grace and holiness, there an entrance is made on the cure of all those sinful distempers, yea, not only of the corrupt lusts of the flesh, that are absolutely evil and vicious in their whole nature, but even of those natural infirmi- ties and distempers of peevishness, moroseness, inclination to anger and passion, unsteadiness in resolution, which lust is apt to possess, and use unto evil and disorderly ends. And I am pressing the necessity of holiness, — that is, of the increase and growth of it, — that this work may be carried on to perfection, and that so, through the power of the grace of the gospel, that great promise may be accom- plished which is recorded, Isa. xi. 6-9. And as, when a wander- ing, juggling impostor, who pretended to judge of men's lives and manners by their physiognomy, beholding Socrates, pronounced him, from his countenance, a person of a flagitious, sensual life, the people derided his folly, who knew his sober, virtuous conversation, but Socrates excused him, affirming that such he had been had he not bridled his nature by philosophy; how much more truly may it be said of multitudes, that they had been eminent in nothing but unto- ward distempers of mind, had not their souls been rectified and cured by the power of grace and holiness !
I find there is no end of arguments that offer their service to the purpose in hand ; I shall, therefore, waive many, and those of great importance, attended with an unavoidable cogency, and shut up this discourse with one which must not be omitted : — In our holiness consists the principal part of that revenue of glory and honour which the Lord Christ requireth and expecteth from his disciples in this world. That he doth require this indispensably of us is, I suppose, out of question amongst us, although the most who are called Christians live as if they had no other design but to cast all obloquies, reproach, and shame on him and his doctrine. But if we are indeed his disciples, he hath bought us with a price, and we are not our own, but his, and that to glorify him in soul and body, because they are his, 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20. He died for us, that we should not live unto ourselves, but unto him that so died for us, and by virtue of whose death we live, 2 Cor. v. 15 ; Rom. xiv. 7-9. " He gave himself
6-18 NECESSITY OF HOLINESS FROM [BOOK! V.
for US, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works," Titus ii. 14. But we need not to insist hereon. To deny that we ought to glorify and honour Christ in the world, is to renounce him and the gospel. The sole inquiry is, how we may do so, and what he requireth of us to that purpose?
Now, the sum of all that the Lord Christ expects from us in this world may be reduced unto these two heads: — 1. That we should live liolily to him ; 2. That we should suffer patiently for him. And in these things alone is he glorified by us. The first he expecteth at all times and in all things; the latter on particular occasions, as we are called by him thereunto. Where these things are, where this revenue of glory is paid in and returned unto him, he repents not of his purchase, nor of the invaluable price he hath paid for us,' yea, says, " The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage;" which are the words of Christ concerning the church, which is his lot, and the " portion of his inheritance," Ps. xvi. 6. Now, amongst many others, we shall consider but one way whereby we glorify the Lord Christ by our holy obedience, and whence also it will appear how much we dishonour and reproach him when we come short thereof