Sect. X. from these generals I shall proceed unto more particular
582 THE CHAMBER OF IMAGERY.
instances; .and those, for the most part, in important principles of religion, wherein Christian faith and practice are most concerned: and I shall begin with that which is of signal advantage unto the framers of these images, — as the other also are in their degree, for by this craft they have their livelihood and wealth, — and most per- nicious to the souls of other men.
It is a principle of tiiith, and that such as wherein the whole course of Christian obedience is concerned, that there is a spiritual defilement in sin.
This the Scripture everywhere declares, representing the very nature of it by spiritual uncleanness. And this uncleanness is its contrariety unto the holiness of the divine nature, as represented unto us in the law. This defilement is in all men equally by nature; — all are alike bom in sin, and the pollution of it: " Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean V And it is in all personally, in various degrees; some are more polluted with actual sins than others, but all are so in their degree and measure. This pollution of sin must be purged and taken away, before our entrance into heaven; for no unclean thing shall enter into the kingdom of God. Sin must be destroyed in its nature, practice, power, and effects, or we are not saved from it. This purification of sin is wrought in us, initially and gradually, in this life, and accomplished in death, when the spirits of just men are made perfect. In a compliance with this work of God's grace towards them, whereby tliey purify themselves, consists one principal part of the obedience of believers in this world, and of the exercise of their faith. The principal, internal, immediate, efficient cause of this purification of sins, is the blood of Christ. The blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, cleanseth us from all our sins, 1 John i. 7. The blood of Jesus purgeth our consciences from dead works, Heb. ix. 14. He washeth us in his own blood, Rev. i. 5. And there is an external helping cause thereof; which is trials and afflic- tions, made effectual by the word, and accomplished in death.
But this way of purging sins by the blood of Christ is mysterious. There is no discerning of its glory but by spiritual light, — no experi- ence of its power but by faith. Hence it is despised and neglected by the most, that yet outwardly profess the doctrine of the gospel. Men generally think there are a thousand better ways for the purging of sin than this by the blood of Christ, which they cannot understand. See Mic. vi. 6, 7. It is mysterious in the application of it unto the souls and consciences of believers by the Holy Ghost. It is so, ui the s|.tring of its efficacy, which is the oblation of it for a propitiation ; and in its relation unto the new covenant, which first it establisheth, and then makes effectual unto this end. The work of it is gradual and imperceptible unto any thing but tlic eyes of faitli, and diligent spiritual experience.
THE CHAMBER OF IMAGERY. 583
Again ; it is so ordered ty divine wisdom, as strictly to require, to begin, excite, and encourage the utmost diligence of believers in a compliance with its efficacy unto the same end. What Christ did for us, he did without us, without our aid or concurrence. As God made us "without ourselves, so Christ redeemed us ; but what he doth in us, he doth also by us; what he works in a way of grace, we work in a way of dut}/. And our duty herein consists, as in the continual ex- ercise of all gTacious habits, renewing, changing, and transforming the soul into the likeness of Christ (for he who hopes to see him, " purifieth himself, as he is pure") ; so also in universal, permanent, uninterrupted mortification unto the end; — whereof we shall speak afterward. This also renders the work both mysterious and difficult. The improvement of afflictions unto the same end is a principal part of the Avisdom of faith ; without which they can be of no spiritual use imto the souls of men.
This notion of the defilement of sin, and that of the necessity of its purification, were retained in the Church of Rome ; for they could not be lost, without not only a rejection of the Scripture, but the stifling of natural conceptions about them, which are indelibly fixed in the consciences of men. But spiritual light into the glory of the thing itself, or the mystical purification of sin, Avith an experience of the power and efficacy of the blood of Christ, as applied unto the consciences of believers unto that end by the Holy Ghost, were lost amongst them. In vain shall we seek for any tiling of this nature, either in their doctrine or their practice. Wherefore, having lost the substance of this truth, and all experience of its power, to retain the use of its name, they have made sundry Httle images of it, — creeping things, — whereunto they ascribe the power of purging sin ; such as holy water, pilgiimages, disciplines, masses, and various commuta- tions. But they quickly found, by experience, that these things would neither purify the heart, nor pacify the consciences of sinners, any more than the blood of bulls and of goats could do it under the law ; yea, any more than the lustrations and expiations of sin amongst the heathen could effect it. Wherefore they have at length foiTued a more stated and specious image of it, to serve all the turns of con- vinced sinners. And this is a purgatory after this life ; that is, a subterraneous place and various means, where and whereby the souls of men are purged from all their sins and made meet for heaven, when the Lord Christ thinks meet to send for them, or the pope judges it fit to send them to him. Hereunto, let them pretend what tliey please, the j^^ople under their conduct do trust a thousand times more for the purging of their sins than unto the blood of Christ ; but it is only a cursed image of the virtue of it, set up to draw off the minds of poor sinners from seeking an interest in a participation of