and includeth Evangelical Obedience, Gal. v. 6° and vi. 15. And the Works which St. James requires as neceffary to our Juftification are not legal unfinning Obedience, nor Judaical Obfervances, but only Obedience to the Gospel. So that in the Judgment of both these Apostles, 'tis true that we are justified by Faith without the Deeds of the Law: But yet we are not juftified by Faith only, whether that be taken for an Affent to the Truth of the Gofpel, or for relying on Chrift's Merits: But the Works of the Gofpel proceeding from Faith in Chrift do also justifie, as part of the Condition of the New Covenant.

CHAP. XXII.

Of SANCTIFICATION.

HE third Benefit, which Chrift hath Tpurchased for us, is Sanctification; which is a Work of God's Grace in us, whereby

we are made inherently holy, and enabled to forfake Sin, and to walk in Newness of Life. As God of his free Mercy in Chrift calleth us unto Holinefs, and juftifieth us upon our fincere Converfion and Amendment; fo he affordeth us Grace fufficient to enable us to turn from our Sins unto him, and to serve him în Righteousness and true Holiness. And by the Affiftance of his Grace we muft reform our Ways and become holy, before God will juftifie us. The beginning of U 2

Sancti

L

Sanctification goes in order of Nature before the firft Act of Juftification. And we must continue the Work of our Sanctification, or else God will not continue to juftifie us. For Juftification depends on Sanctification, and is commenfurate to it, though in refpect of Time there is no Priority between them.

Now Sanctification confifteth in mortifying finful Lufts, and in leading a new Life according to the Rule of the Gofpel. And then are we fanctified, when we are really reformed and changed from evil to good, both in the whole Bent of our Will and Affections, and in the whole Courfe of our Converfation. For fuch as are regenerate, and made Members of Chrift, have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lufts, and are become new Creatures. And they are new Creatures who have caft off all their old Inclinations to Sin, and their vicious Habits, and are renewed by the Spirit after the Image of God in Purity and Holiness. For all that are regenerated do ceafe from Sin, and endeavour in all things to obey the Will of God. Though a regenerate State be reconcileable with Sins of Ignorance and Infirmity, and Sins of Inadvertency and fudden Surreption, if they be speedily repented of; yet it cannot confift with wilful Acts of known Sins, nor with any Cuftom of finning. For whofoever is born of God doth not commit fin: for his feed remaineth in him, and he cannot fin, because he is born of God, 1 Joh. iii. 9. Whofoever is truly regenerated doth not commit wilful deliberate Sins, or doth not continue in a Courfe of Sin. For there is fuch a Principle of Grace in him, as moves and enables him to avoid and hate fuch Sins: And while he remains re

generate,

generate, he cannot fin in such a grofs Manner: Or if he doth, he ceafeth to be regenerate. For if a Man wilfully neglects the Good which he knows, and doth the Evil which he diflikes, he fins against his own Knowledge and Confcience. And fuch finning denominates a Man wicked, and puts him into an unregenerate State.

BUT though the Regenerate be fo fanctified, that they keep the Commands of God in an Evangelical Manner, and do not allow themselves in any known Sin; yet they are by Nature prone to Evil, and often difturbed with the Flesh abiding in them. And though they do not fulfil the Lufts of the Flesh, yet the carnal Appetite continues in them, and lufteth against the Spirit, or Seed of Grace planted in their Hearts. For there is fome Reluctancy between the Flesh and Spirit, while we are in this World. And our greatest Task is to restrain our natural Concupifcence, and keep it under, that it may not prevail against the regenerate Part, and entangle us in Sin. But that Propensity to Evil, which remains in the Regenerate, is not actual Sin until it be confented to. For if they refift their Inclination to fin, 'tis an A&t of Virtue.

INDEED fome Saints in Scripture are faid to be perfect, and to have walked in all the Commands and Ordinances of the Lord blameless, Job. i. 1. Luk. i. 6. Yet that Perfection, which they attained, was only a Perfection of Parts, and and not of Degrees; that is, they were perfect in the Gofpel-fenfe, because they obeyed all the Commands of God in Sincerity of Heart; but they were not perfect according to the Law: For Legal Perfection, excluding the leaft Sin and Defect, cannot be attained by any Man in

U 3

this

this Life. Though we have Ability by Grace, to keep the Gofpel, and to do all that God commands in fuch a manner, as he will accept and reward; yet we are not able to do all which the Law requires, and to obey the Will of God without any Imperfection. For there is not a juft man upon earth, that doth good, and finneth not, Ecclef. vii. 20. But in many things we offend all, Jam. iii. 2. And if we fay that we have no fin, we deceive our felves, and the truth is not in us, 1 Joh. i. 8.

AND if the Regenerate cannot perfectly keep the Law of God, but need pardon, then they cannot be faved by their own Merits; and much lefs can they merit Happiness for others. Though Life eternal be promifed as a Reward of good Works; yet it is a Reward of Grace, and not of Merit. For good Works cannot properly deferve Salvation, unlefs they were equal in Worth and Value to it. But what Equality can there be between our Righteousness which is imperfect, and heavenly Happiness which is infinite? Nay, if we could do all which God commands us, yet we ought not to glory in our own Performances. For when we have done all thofe things, which are commanded us, we must acknowledge that we are unprofitable fervants, and have done that which was our duty to do, Luk. xvii. ro. And how then can we merit by our Deeds, when in many things we fail of doing what God commands? The Angels in Heaven, who are free from Sin, can do no more than their Duty. And fure the beft of Men on Earth are fo far from doing more, that they do lefs good than they are bound to do, and need pardon. And what a Degree of Pride and Impiety then must it needs be, to

hold

hold that a Man can do Works of Supererogation, and thereby not only merit Heaven for himself, but for others too?

T

CHAP. XXIII.

Of CHRISTIAN LIBERTY,

HE fourth Benefit, which Chrift hath purchased for us, is Chriftian Liberty; which is that State of Grace, wherein we are freed from Spiritual Bondage, and have Right to the Privileges of God's Children. There are two things in this Liberty to be confidered.. I. The Parts of it. II. The Properties of it.

I. THE Parts of Chriftian Liberty are two.
1. A Freedom from all fpiritual Bondage.
2. A Right to the Privileges of God's Children.

THE first Part of Chriftian Liberty is, A Freedom from all Spiritual Bondage: And there are feveral Degrees of Liberty anfwerable to the feveral Kinds of Bondage, from which we are freed.

THE.firft Degree of our Liberty is, A Freedom from Blindness of Judgment, and Perverfness of Will. Whereas naturally we are ignorant of the things of God, and averfe from good, God by his preventing Grace illuminateth our Understanding to know that which is good, and moveth our Will