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are to contemplate with so much diligence, attention and devotion, as to be ourselves transformed according to that, 1 Pet. i. 15, 16. "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation: because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy." Virtue or holinefs may be confidered in different refpects. As it agrees with the prescription of the law, it is called righteoufnefs; but as it is a conformity to God, and an expreffion of his purity, it is termed holiness. And it is chiefly in this fenfe, that we shall now speak concerning holinefs.

XI. Having thus previously explained these things, it will not be hard to infer, what we mean by SANCTIFICATION; namely that real work of God, by which they, who are chofen, regenerated and juftified, are continually more and more transformed from the turpitude of fin, to the purity of the divine image.

XII. We diftinguith this work of God from the first regeneration, and firft effectual calling to Chrift. For, the immediate term, or effect of regeneration, is a principle of fpiritual life, which, in a moment, is put into the foul, by the immediate energy of the Holy Spirit. The term, or effect of effectual calling is the myftical union, and communion with Chrift. But the term or effect of SANCTIFICATION are the habits of fpiritual virtues or graces, and their lively exercise: and thus fanctification follows upon regeneration and effectual calling, at least in the order of nature, and supposes those actions of God as going before it.

XIII. There is ftill a further difference between fanctification and justification; for juftification is a judicial act, terminating in a relative change of ftate; namely, a freedom from punishment and a right to life: fanctification a real work, which is performed by a fupernatural influence,, and which terminates in a change of ftate as to the quality both of habits and actions.

XIV. Yet we are to take notice, that the term fanctification is not always taken by divines in this strict sense; sometimes they comprehend under it regeneration and the first infufion of a new life, and take fanctification, renovation of the fpirit, regeneration, the new creature, the first resurrection, for fynonymous terms; as the Leyden profeffors, Synops. Difput. 33. §. 2. Sometimes also they include juftification under the fame term. "It is well known," fays the abridger of Chamierus, p. 860, "that the terms juftification and fanctification are put one for the other." Gomarus in like manner, on 1 Pet. 1. 2. "Sanctification, taken in a general fenfe, comprifes regeneration and juftification." Nay fometimes the word fanctification is taken fo largely, as to include the

whole

whole of man's falvation. Polanus in Syntagm. lib. 6. c. 37. Sometimes both appellations, viz. "regeneration and fanctification, are taken in a larger fenfe, for the whole of our falvation, or beatification, if I may fo fpeak, as Heb. x. 10. But yet the accuracy of thofe is more commendable, who diftinguish thofe terms in the manner I have explained: especially as the Scripture often diftinctly mentions those benefits, and defcribes fanctification, as a continued work of God, leading the elect gradually on to perfection, and as I do not remember to have obferved it fpeak fo of regeneration.

XV. Nor are we to omit, that fanctification is fometimes held forth as a bleffing from God to man, I Theff. v. 23. "And the very God of peace fanctify you wholly;" fometimes as man's duty towards God, 1 Theff. iv. 3. " For this is the will of God, even your fanctification." The former God powerfully works in us, according to the purpose of his gracious decree; the latter he justly requires of us, by the will of his holy command. When fanctification denotes the first implantation of spiritual habits, it is a mere blefling from God, in procuring what we do not co-operate with him, but receive it from him. As it fignifies the activity, or lively exercise of infused habits, and their corroboration and progress, so far we are active; but then it is as we are acted upon under God, and dependently on him: for these things can never be separated.

XVI. The term from which, in fanctification, is the pollution of fin. Adam in departing from the prescribed rule, forfeited the ornament of the image of God, in which he was formed, for himself and and all his pofterity. And whilft he wickedly affected a forbidden equality with God, came moft to refemble the devil, and, like that evil spirit, deformed himself by his own crime; than which we can imagine nothing more hideous or bafe. The foul of the finner is a horrid monfter, misfhappen, huge and devoid of light; mere darkness, mere confufion, every thing disjointed and out of order there; nothing properly placed; the things we should despise are esteemed, and what we fhould value moft are neglected. Was any to take a clear view of his inward difpofition in a faithful mirror, he would certainly, with the utmost horror fly from himself as from a most terrible fpectacle. And indeed, if holiness is the most beautiful ornament of the divine perfections, that thing must needs be the most deformed, which is not only the most unlike, but diametrically oppofite to that ornamental beauty. This is that ρυπαρία και περισσεία κακίας mentioned Jam. i. 21. Filthinefs and fuperfluity of naughtiness, to this it is owing, that

man

man is become abominable in the fight of God, who cannot but turn away the radiant eyes of his unfpotted holinefs, Hab. i. 13.

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XVII. Moreover, Adam propogated this vile refemblance of the devil to his pofterity, not excepting those whom grace has fanctified. For he alfo begat Seth in his own likeness, after his image, Gen. v. 3. I do not chiefly apply this to the likeness of the human nature, much lefs to the likenefs of that holiness which God gracioufly restored to Adam, as Chryfoftom, Lyranus and Clarius contend for. For, 1ft. Holinefs and righteoufness are not the image of any man, but of God. 2dly, Adam is never propofed in Scripture as the pattern or author of holinefs, but as the perfon by whom fin entered into the world," Rom. v. 12. 3dly, The image of holiness, reftored in the parent by grace, is never propagated to the fon by natural generation. Things natural are propagated, but things fupernatural are alone of God that fheweth mercy, Rom. ix. 16. But by this likenefs of Adam, I understand the vicious corruption of his nature. Ift. Because the image of Adam, after Seth was begotten, is fet in oppofition to the image of God, after which Adam was created. 2dly, Becaufe the Apoftle, in like manner, opposes 1 Cor. xv. 49. the image of the earthy Adam, as confifting of fin and pollution, to the image of the heavenly Adam, which confifts in holinefs and glory. 3dly, Because the whole analogy of Scripture evinces, that a clean thing cannot be brought out of an unclean, and that what is born of the flesh is flesh, Job xiv. 4.-John iii. 6.

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XVIII. This turpitude of fin is by Paul called the old man, Eph. iv. 22.—Col. iii. 9. Man, becaufe it overspreads the whole man, and defiles both foul and body; in the foul it has poffeffion of the understanding, will and affections.

XIX. It has involved the understanding in horrid darkness, whereby it is grofsly ignorant of divine things, Eph. iv. 18. So that the goss the natural or animal man, or he that has no other spirit but his foul, and deftitute of the Spirit of God, Jud. v. 29. receiveth not the things of God, neither can he - know them, 1 Cor. ii. 14. And as he difcerns no wisdom in divine things worthy of God, fo, with intolerable prefumption, he reprefents them under thofe difagreeable notions, which his own foolish, and felf-conceited wifdom hath devised; and while he attempts to correct the wifdom of God which he cannot understand, he transfigures it as much as he can to downright folly, and this is that which is faid, Rom. i. 22, 23. Profeffing themfelves to be wife, they became fools: and changed the glory of the incorruptible God, &c.

XX. But

XX. But the finner is not only under blindnefs, but is in love with his blindness. He glories that he really fees, even when he is most blind, John ix. 40, 41. And when, to the utmost of his power, he refifts the true light, though discovering itself in a most pleasing manner, by the works of divine providence, by the word of God, and by fome sparkling rays of the Spirit; he loves darkness rather than light; hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, John iii. 19, 20. Of fuch Job witneffeth, that they are of thofe that rebel against the light, Job xxiv. 13. They have an averfion to all light, both that which is natural, which hinders them from perpetrating their crimes in the fight of the world, and that which is moral, which convinces them of the duty they ought certainly to perform, but which they wickedly neglect. They endeavour to stifle it by difputing both against the word of God and their own conscience. Hence those impious expreflions of fome, who wish that this or the other truth that opposes their lufts, was not to be found in the word of God.

XXI. And yet thofe very perfons that are fo foolish in that which is good, are most subtle and crafty in that which is evil, Jer. iv. 22. They commit evil by that art which is exactly conformable to the pattern of the infernal spirits. Emphatical is that of Micah on this head, Chap. vii. 3. b o`pɔ wit by, * both hands are upon evil, that they may do it well. They are not flothful in evil, but apply both hands, exert all their strength. And they take care to do it well, according to the rules of that fatanical art, carefully obferving all the contrivances of wickednefs nay, they have learned to frame and contrive it with fo much art as to impofe it on the incautious under the appearance of good.

XXII. Nor is the will lefs corrupt; for, 1ft, It is averse to all that is truly good, Job xxi. 14. "Therefore they say unto God, depart from us, for we defire not the knowledge of thy ways. And when the great things of the law are written to them, they are counted as a strange thing;" as of no very great moment, and what they have no concern with, Hof. viii. 12. And how can it be otherwife? For fince by reafon of their blindness, they do not difcern the excellency of true virtue, but on the contrary find many things in the practice of it which are oppofite to their unruly lufts, their mind is averfe to it: "they hate the good," Micah. iii. 2.

XXIII. Secondly, It is driven on to evil with great impetuofity: "They love the evil," Micah iii. 2. to a degree indeed that not fome, but every imagination of the heart of man; not at fome,

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* Our version renders that text, that they may do evil with both hands earnestly,

fome, but at all times; not in fome, but in every measure, "is only evil," Gen. vi. 5. Now this is to be understood, not only of the giants in the first ages, as appears by comparing this place with chap. viii. 21. where almoft the fame words. are used concerning men in future periods of time. I will not again, fays God, curfe the ground any more, becaufe, or though the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth. Whereby it is intimated, that evil imagination is the common blemish of all mankind. To this alfo may be referred, what Paul writes, Rom. viii. 7. To gornua ons ougxos, the carnal mind the wisdom of the flesh, that which it willingly imagines, lufts after as wisdom, or that action, which the carnal mind contrives, is enmity against God; for it is not fubject to the law of God, neither indeed

can be.

XXIV. Nay, 3dly, The defire of evil is fo great, that it is irritated by that very law of God which forbids it, and is more impetuously hurried on to things forbidden only because they are prohibited. Without the driving or impelling force of the law fin lies dormant and lifelefs; but when the commandment comes it revives and is put in motion, and taking occafion by the commandment, works all manner of concupifcence to a pitch, that every check being hurtful," by the commandment fin might become exceeding finful," Rom. vii. 8, 9, 11, 13. Chryfoftom beautifully fays, όταν τινὸς ἐπιθυμᾶμεν, ενα κωλυώμεθα, αιρετα μᾶλλον της επιθυμίας ή φλόξ. When we luf after any thing and are afterwards reftrained, this only blows up the flame of luft to a higher degree.

XXV. Surprifing and lamentable is the depravity in the affections. For, firft, when the understanding does not lead them on to things holy, fpiritual, heavenly and eternal, they are bafely and madly bent upon things corporal, carnal, fading and finful, and mispend all their vigour on things beneath and unworthy a man. 2dly, In all their emotions they are furioufly toffed, and not waiting for the direction of the understanding, but throwing off the reins of reason, and having no restraint, they rufh headlong with a blind and wicked violence, and bafely rack and wound the foul, never allowing them any reft, nor that calmnefs, which would otherwife be her peculiar happiness, but continually crying, " like the daughters of the horfe-leach, give give," Prov. xxx. 15. Hence God elegantly compares "the wicked to the troubled fea which cannot reft, whofe waters caft up mire and dirt," Ifa. Ivii. 20. 3dly, They are obftinately bold and luftful, both against the will of God's decree and of his command, ever lufting after

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