an holy calling 2 Tim. 1.9 and we called unto holinesse 1 Thes 4.7 and when God takes us into Covenant with him he chargeth us henceforth to touch no unclean thing 2 Cor. 6.17 4. In regard of the effect it works holinesse in those that are called It worketh effectually that which it promiseth and commandeth The promises of the Covenant have a sanctifying vertue in them to sanctifie those to whom they are made for God by them conveyes the Spirit of holinesse into our hearts as the Apostle implyes in 2 Pet. 1.4 and we are thereby encouraged and quickned to grow up â—n all holinesse according to the will of God as is evident by that in 2 Cor. 7.1 compared with chap. 6. end where God having made that sweet promise Come out from among them and touch no unclean thing and I will receive you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty from hence the Apostle inferres Having then such promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit and grow up unto full holinesse in his feare c. And in regard of this effect of the Covenant thus working holinesse in those that are the people of God they are called the holy people Dan. 12.7 and the people of Gods holinesse Esay 63.18 So in all these respects the Covenant may well be called an holy Covenant And it must needs be an holy Covenant First because the Lord himselfe is the author and ordainer of this Covenant the summe and substance of it was framed and set down in heaven in the counsels of eternity comming forth from the bosome of the Father and concluded by the assent of the Sonne and holy Ghost All the articles of it were first decreed and concluded there and therefore must needs be holy If they had been devised by men they would have been of an other quality savouring of the sinfull and licentious spirit that is in man but being a Covenant of the Lords own drawing he setting down all the articles and conditions of it it must needs be as himselfe is an holy Covenant proceeding from so pure and holy a God hence it is that in Psal 60.6 he hath spoken the words of his Covenant in his holinesse Look as grace and holinesse are united together in God so they are in his Covenant God can no more cease to be holy then he can to be gracious he is both gracious and holy so that his Covenant of Grace is also an holy Covenant as proceeding from him which is both gracious and holy 2. Because the end of this Covenant is to make us partakers of all the holy things of God from which all unholy and uncleane ones are excluded Levit. 12.2 3 6. Psal 50.16 but those that are sanctified enjoy them and use them as their own they are their portion their inheritance Deut. 33. their pearles Matth. 7.6 The Lord would have all his Ordinances to be used holily he cannot abide to have them prophaned and therefore it is that in Ezra 6.21 none but such as were separate from their uncleanesse might eat of the holy things and therefore the Lord will have his people to be an holy people that they may participate in all his holy things Nay more we are called not only to participation of these holy things of God but to fellowship with God himselfe 1 Ioh. 1.3 The Lord saith unto them ye are my people and they say unto him thou art our God Zach. 13. ult But without holinesse no man can have fellowship with God and therefore they must be an holy people that are taken into Covenant with God to enjoy followship and communion with him Quest But wherein stands that holinesse which the Covenant requires of all Gods covenanted people Answ There is a twofold holinesse 1. Relative 2. Positive First Relative in two things 1. In separation from common use 2. In dedication to God 1. There must be a separation from common use in this sence things holy are called separate things Deut. 19 2. Things common in Scripture are opposed to holy to shew that holy things must be separate from common use Hence Solomon speaking of Gods taking Israel to be his own he useth that expression Thou hast separated them unto thy selfe from all the people of the earth c. and thence was that exhortation of Ezra Separate your selves from the people of the lands Ezrah 10.11 and that of the Apostle Come out from among them and separate your selves 2 Cor. 6.17 If then we will be holy we must be separate from the common conversation of the world having no fellowship with the works thereof 2. There must be a dedication and devoting our selves unto God we must be offered up and given unto him Thus the holy dayes were dedicated unto the service of God they were not only separated from common and ordinary use but were dedicated to the Lords service thus were the first fruits called holy and thence the holy things and the dedicated things are taken for one and the same 1 Kings 15.15 as the Altar Numb 7. end the Temple 1 King 8.63 and thus must we be dedicate or given to the Lord as is said of the Macedonians that they gave themselves to the Lord 2 Cor. 8. we must resign up our selves unto him to be his and for him alone Secondly Positive and this is also twofold Habituall Actuall 1. Habituall qualifying and fitting us by graces infused for the service of God which we are devoted unto as all the things that were appointed for the service of God were anoynted with the holy oyl Exod. 30.26 27. so must we be anoynted with the sweet oyntments which are the graces of the spirit 2 Cor. 1.21 1 Ioh. 2.27 The oyntment of the holy Ghost which was poured upon the head of Christ Acts 10.38 must run down upon us that the savour of his oyntment may be found upon us Cant. 1. we must be sanctified throughout in soule in body and in spirit 1 Thes 5.23 2. Actuall it s not enough to have grace in us but there must be an holy use and exercise of those graces that are in us they are not given to us to be idle or that we should be slothfull in the possessing of them but that we should put them forth in our practice so as to be fruitfull in the improvement of them 2 Pet. 1.8 and thence it is that the Apostle speaking of the holinesse which the Lord requires to be in his people he doth not only require a holinesse of disposition by inherent graces but that we should be holy in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 16. and for this cause the way of Saints is called holy Esay 35.8 they are sanctified not only in their vessels as 1 Sam. 21. but their way is holy also and they are said to be undefiled in their way Psal 11 9. where the soule is sanctified by the spirit of Christ the life will be
with open violence in our streets he that rideth upon the Red horse having power given him to take peace from the earth and that men should kill one another Apoc. 6. In these times so full of perplexitie and trouble it cannot but be welcome newes to heare of Conditions of peace and when death comes to our dores and we are at deaths-dore then to be offered a Covenant of life This Covenant here spoken of is a Covenant of life and peace and therefore seasonable It is also the more sutable in regard of that holy and gracious practise begun by our renowned Parliament going before the body of the Kingdome in entring into an holy Covenant with the God of heaven to become the Lords people the onely way to a blessed peace Till we be at one with God it will be in vaine by humane policies to devise wayes of peace with men but peace being once made in heaven will bring peace on earth and good will amongst men If otherwise man still rage yet shall his rage be restrained and turne to Gods praise the Lord on high hath a bridle for his lips and an hooke for his nostrills he will subdue the oppressour and will still the enemy and the avenger Blessed be they whose care it hath been to draw the Land into this holy covenanting with God let mercy and peace be upon them as upon all the Israel of God And blessed be that God who hath put this care into their hearts as being the onely way to obtaine an assured blessing This Covenant so happily begun is the principall subject of this booke in which thou mayst see both the necessitie for every soule to enter into a Covenant with God and how it is to be done as also how those that have made a Covenant with God are to walke in it and what blessings doe belong unto those that so walke When these things were first preached in New-England there was little thought of publishing them in such a time But he which inhabiteth eternitie with whom all things are present fits things past to those that are present and to come that his wisdome might be knowne to order all beyond what we conceive or thinke It is now some five or six yeares since I first began to handle this doctrine now published a time then full of trouble in these American Churches through the inordinate activeness and impetuous violence of some busie spirits of whom the Country is now well rid through the Lords great goodnes deeming all others except themselves to be wholly ignorant of the Covenant of grace and to be shut up under a Covenant of workes All the Preachers in the Land were legall Preachers the Christians legall Christians as having onely the letter of the Gospel but not understanding the mystery or spirituall meaning of it as it was revealed unto themselves by the spirit The disputes about the two Covenants did then exceedingly trouble the minds of many amongst whom there was little speech but about the covenant of grace and of workes and of being under a Covenant of workes I having then in the course of my Ministery propounded to my self this order to follow namely on one part of the Lords day to handle one part of the body of Divinitie concerning God Creation Man his first pure estate and so on concluding that part with his lapsed and falne estate and on the other part of the day to speak of the means of Gods restoring man againe to the state of salvation I could not then passe by the handling of the Covenant of grace without a purposed declining from that which both the agitations of the Countrey and mine own proposed method did lead me unto Hereupon I entred upon the handling of this subject in the ordinary course of my Ministry endeavouring my self so far as the Lord enabled me to settle the minds of those amongst whom I lived in the knowledge of the truth concerning which some were wavering by reason of those spirits of error which were gone abroad deceiving the minds of some This was the occasion of handling this doctrine When I had finished it it pleased God to give it such acceptance in the hearts of the hearers that many of the chiefe amongst them came to me with a solemn request desiring me to publish what I had delivered that so they might have it continue with them which request of theirs as it was unexpected by me so was I both unwilling and unable to satisfie their desire unwilling as being conscious to my self of mine own infirmities unfit to publish any thing in this learned age and unable as not having so penned any part of it as to make it fit for publick use But the earnestnesse of their desire on the one side and the rawnesse of the draught which I had written for the help of my self on the other side so far crossing one another gave occasion of a second revising of what was before done which also caused some further additions thereunto and hath at last brought forth that such as it is which is now presented to thy view And thus thou understandest gentle Reader the occasion both of the preaching and publishing of the doctrine of the Covenant which now comes forth Which notwithstanding the former inducements I should hardly have adventured to have published had I not been encouraged thereto by some others of better note It is not any confidence I have in my self which hath drawne me forth into publick view I thank God I do in some measure know mine own weaknes But if the Lord will use his weakest instruments to perfect his own praise who am I that I should let God I wish this had been undertaken by some other of greater strength but none hitherto appearing in this kinde being desired to what I have done I have been content to yeeld to the desires of those that have perswaded me hereunto There is a Treatise of the New Covenant published some yeares ago by a precious light in the Church of God whose worke is come almost into all mens hands If that worthy servant of Christ had lived to see these dayes we now live in or then were when these things were delivered I doubt not but he would with much more accuratenesse have handled these things then my weaknesse is able to attaine unto But God having carried him to his resting place before these questions brake forth which have since troubled and doe still trouble the world it is not to be marvelled that some one coming after him inferior unto him may adde something to that which hath been before delivered The opinions formerly stirring in New-England and now in old if fame be not a lyer have given occasion to touch some things not of ordinary occurrence As namely 1. Whether the Covenant of grace be made betwixt God and man or onely betwixt God the Father and Christ 2. Where also by occasion of the former question is handled that place in
speak elswhere Vse 3. To teach us hereby to try our selves whether we have any part in that salvation which God promiseth in his Covenant when we heare the Lord say as he doth herein my Text As for thee also thou shalt bee saved by the blood of thy Covenant wee should search and see whether we have been made partakers of this salvation promised But how shall we know that even by our sanctification if the Lord hath renewed and sanctified our natures and made us new creatures in Christ At what time God saveth his people at the same time he sanctifieth them And thus he tells the Israelites Ezek. 36. when he promiseth them to bring them back into the Land which their Fathers dwelt in which was unto them a type of heaven and was therefore called the Lords Land Hos 9.3 2 Chron. 7.20 he tells them withall that when and at what time he would performe this unto them at the same time he would poure out his spirit upon them and would cleanse them from their iniquities vers 33. sutable to that of the Apostle Tit. 3.4 5. he hath saved us by the washing of the new birth and by the renewing of the Holy Ghost At what time God sanctifieth us at the same time he saveth us he gives us the one as a pledge of the other And therefore it is that when the Lord had converted and sanctified the heart of Zacheus and made him a new creature hee did withall thus testifie unto him This day is salvation come to thy soule c. Luke 19.9 Some do deny this way of triall as if no evidence could bee had from our sanctification till we first know our election and justification by immediate revelation of the Spirit This mediate witnesse of the spirit which is by habituall and inherent graces is not to be harkned unto untill the immediate witnesse hath spoken But if there be no triall and knowledge of our estate to be had by habituall grace then 1 What did Christ mean when he told his Disciples that hereby should all men know them to be his Disciples if they love one another Iohn 13. What did Paul mean when he bids us prove our selves whether we be in the faith or no 2 Cor. 13. David surely was deceived when he said hereby I know that I shall not be confounded when I have respect unto all thy Commandements if so be no knowledge of our good estate may be gathered hereby Yea to what end did Iohn lay down all those signes and tokens of a blessed estate which are scattered here and there through the whole first Epistle his scope in that Epistle being this even to give unto the faithfull some certaine evidence of their salvation as is manifest by Chap. 5.13 And this being his scope mark then how frequent and plentifull he is in bringing in evidences of this nature as now we speak of as we may see Chap. 1.7 If we walk in the light of holinesse as he is in the light then have we fellowship one with another that is God with us and we with him so Chap. 2.3 4. hereby we are sure that we know him so as to have eternall life by the knowledge of him John 17.3 if we keep his Commandements and in verse 29. Know yee that he which doth righteousnesse is borne of him and in Chap. 3.7 hee that doth righteousnesse walking in the righteousnesse of a good conscience and upright conversation is righteous namely by imputation even as Christ is righteous and in verse 9.10 he that is borne of God sinneth not In this are the children of God known from the children of the Devill even by righteousnesse and loving of our brethren and verse 14. hereby wee know that we are translated from dâ—ath to life because we love the brethren so also verse 18 19. and 24 and Chap. 4. verse 7 12 13 16. Surely these are no lying Testimonies these witnesses are true If in taking evidence from these things we be deceived we may herein say as Ieremiah said in another case O Lord I am deceived and thou hast deceived me Ier. 20.7 2. If there were no evidence to be taken hereby this were to leave the work of the Spirit in as much darknesse and obscurity as is the work of the Father and the Son But the work of the Spirit is to make known and manifest unto us the things that are given us of God 1 Cor. 2. So long as the Fathers work of election stands alone and is not accompanied with the work of redemption and sanctification his electing of us is so hidden in his own bosome that none can tell what he will doe with any of the sonnes of men whether he will save any or destroy all But when the sonne comes and layes down his life for mans redemption hee doth thereby bring to light the Fathers intention thus farre that it is now known that certainly there be some whom the Lord will save But yet who these some be that is counsell still that is unknown therefore in the third place the Spirit comes and sanctifies those that are so chosen and redeemed And now by this work of the Spirit it is known not onely that there be some that God will save but the very persons themselves are thereby singled out and marked these have the seale and marke of God upon them whereby they are known to bee the sheep for which Christ laid down his life according to the counsell and will of the Father Even as in Matth. 3.17 when the Spirit came down upon Christ then God witnessed This is my beloved Sonne So it is here concerning our selves hereby we have Gods witnesse testifying of us that we are his children even by his Spirit of sanctification which he hath sent down into our hearts By this we know that we are children redeemed and chosen If we be sanctified we are saved Our salvation is begun and shall be perfected in due time Object But when the Apostle saith we know that wee are translated from death c. his meaning is as if he should say we which have first received the seale and immediate witnesse of the Spirit we know c. but others cannot know it Answ This is not the meaning of the Apostle as is evident to any one that with attention doth observe the scope and manner of the Apostles writing The matter stands thus There were a number in the Apostles time such as Iames elsewhere speakes of which professed to know and believe in Christ and would say they had faith as it is in Iam. 2.14 and yet they had no works They would say they had fellowship with the Father 1 Ioh. 1.6 and yet they would walk in darknesse They would say they knew God 1 Ioh. 2.3 and yet would not keep his Commandements They would say they did abide in Christ and yet did not walk after the steps of Christ ver 6. They would say they were in the light and
stony heart from us and give us an heart of flesh soft and pliable to his will Fourthly As we could not renew sanctifie our selves so neither could any other help us and restore us againe to the holines we had lost In Ezek. 16.5 Ezek. 16.5 the Lord tells his people there how little helpe they had from any other when they lay in their misery there was no eye that pitied them to doe any thing to them or to have compassion on them The Priest and the Levite they come and look on but they passe by on the other side there is nothing done to heale the wound which Satan by sin had given to our soules but they are let alone to putrifie and corrupt the whole man more and more so as from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot there is nothing but sores and swelling and wounds full of corruption Isai 1. But when the Lord saw that there was none to helpe then he himselfe like the good Samaritan comes washeth our wounds powring in wine and oyle to cleanse and to heale us Such was our pollution so deeply set that all the water of the Sea all the bloud of bulls and goats could not cleanse us yea though we should wash in Nitre and take us much sope yet our iniquity would still stand undone away before the face of God Jer. 2.22 Onely that spirit of life that spirit of holines that spirit of power which is in Christ Jesus that spirit being shed down upon us that cleanseth us washeth us sanctifies us without this all helps under heaven had been in vaine without this spirit neither Word Sacrament Commandements promises or being trained up in the Communion of the Church and Christian families neither any nor all these could availe to renew us to the grace from which we are fallen 1 Cor. 6.11 1 Cor. 6.11 Fiftly Let me adde this one thing more If we should look at God himselfe onely as just and not as gracious we could never have hoped to have obtained this blessing from him Justice could have said no other unto us then as Ezek. 20.39 Seeing you would not obey me goe therefore serve every man his Idoll serve your sin When we had turned the glory of God into a lye and had worshipped the creature above the Creator who is blessed for ever Justice would then have given us up unto vile affections and to our owne hearts lusts and to a reprobate mind to doe the things that are not convenient so receiving in our selves such a recompence of our errour as was meet Rom. 1. Rom. 1. This would have been the reward of Justice upon us for our sin But here Grace comes in and powres downe upon us a spirit of grace and of sanctification Zach. 12.10 Zach. 12.10 to wash us from our uncleannes that we might be an holy people unto God And hence it is that in 1 Pet. 5.10 when the Apostle prayes for the perfecting of our sanctification in us he looks at God as a God of all Grace The God of all Grace saith he which hath called us unto his eternall glory by Jesus Christ confirme strengthen and stablish you c. As thereby shewing from what fountain the benefit of sanctification comes namely from Grace from the God of all grace He is a God of all grace towards us in sanctifying of us This may helpe to settle us and confirme us in the truth namely Vse 1 that seeing Sanctification is a blessing of the Covenant of grace even as forgivenes is therefore it is a warrantable and safe way for a man by and from his sanctification to take an evidence of his justification and of his estate in Grace before God Forgivenes of sinnes and sanctification are both of them blessings of the same Covenant As is the one so is the other the one is of grace so is the other of grace also Here therefore to take an evidence of our justification standing in the forgivenes of our sinnes from our sanctification is not a turning aside from the Covenant of grace to a Covenant of workes but it is to prove one benefit of the Covenant of Grace by another benefit of the same Covenant This argument is unanswerable I reason thus If justification and sanctification be both of them bâ—nefits of the Covenâ—â—t of Grace then to evidence the one by the other is no turning aside to a Covenant of works But they are both of them benefits of the Covenant of Grace Ergo. If so be the forgivenes of our sinnes were promised in the Covenant of Grace and Sanctification were a blessing of the Covenant of workes then might it well be said that to evidence one by the other were a turning aside from the Covenant of grace to that other of workes But when they are both promised both communicated to us by the same Covenant there is no colour to charge this way of evidencing our estate with turning aside to another Covenant Object But may not a man that is under the Covenant of workes by giving himselfe to holy duties and actions and exercising himselfe in them come to attaine an habite of holines and be truly sanctified Answ Some have not doubted to affirme as much but falsely and the falsity of this opinion may be made evident by these Considerations following 1. This opinion imports thus much That one under the covenant of workes may performe acts that are holy which is false he may indeed doe such things as are materially holy as being commanded of God whose word and Covenant doth sanctifie them make the things holy in themselves but they are not formally holy but coming from their impure hearts thereby they are polluted and defiled Tit. 1. And therefore can have no such power to worke sanctitie in the subject whence they come 2. If true sanctification may be in one that is under the Covenant of workes then must we of necessity change the articles or promises of the Covenant of Grace make the promise of sanctification no part of it we must blot out those promises of writing the law in our hearts and putting a new spirit within us and all other promises of the like nature must be rased out of the covenant of grace if one under the Covenant of workes may attaine to this sanctification by his owne workes 3. This opinion is directly crosse and contrary to the Apostle in Gal. 3.2 where he tells us that we receive the spirit of Sanctification not by the workes of the law but by hearing of faith preached It is the doctrine of grace not of workes which makes us partakers of this spirit And hence it is that in 2 Cor. 3.6 he tells us that it is the new Testament which is the ministration of the Spirit by which the Spirit is ministred and conveyed uto us The law or the workes of the law doe not 4. Our being sanctified and our being Saints is
in effect all one but we are Saints by calling and our calling is by the Gospel of Grace 2 Thes 2.14 and therefore our sanctification is from Grace also 5. We are sanctified by being in Christ whence are those expressions frequent in Scripture Saints in Christ Iesus sanctified in Christ and such like Now our implanting into Christ is onely from Grace and therefore so is our Sanctification also 6. Our sanctification is called a new Creation Create in me a cleane hearâ— O God saith David Psal 51. Psal 51. And in Ephes 2.10 Ephes 2.10 We are created unto good workes And in 2 Cor. 5. We become new Creatures in Christ Iesus And in Ephes 4.24 Ephes 4.24 The new man is created after God in holines c. All which imply that there must be a creating power put forth to the working of this new man in us We must therefore deifie the workes of the Law and make a God of them induing them with a creating power if we will ascribe such efficacy unto them as to worke true sanctification in us 7. We receive the Spirit by faith Gal. 3.14 therefore not by the workes of the law 8. Christ tells us plainly the world of unbelieveâ—s that are under the Law cannot receive the Spirit Ioh. 14.17 Iohn 14.17 whom the world cannot receâ—ve 9. Sanctification is purchased for us by the bloud of Christ He gave himselfe for us to purge us c. Tit. 2.14 T it 2.14 And so in Ephes 5.25 26 27. He gave himselfe for his Church that he night sanctifie it The third Part. THE BENEFITS and BLESSINGS this Covenant brings THE Covenant of Workes presupposeth our sanctification but it promiseth it not It presupposeth it I say because there could have bin no place for a Covenant of Works if God had not first given Adam a spirit of holinesse to enable him thereunto First therefore God creates man holy and then makes a Covenant with him requiring of him to work according to that holiness of his nature which he was endued with but if he violated and brake this Covenant this Covenant doth not promise to renew him to holinesse again this promise belongs to another Covenant But especially consider the proper and immediate worker of our sanctication which is the Holy Ghost Rom. 15.16 for which cause the spirit is called the spirit of Grace Zach. 12.10 and the spirit of holinesse Rom. 1. Election is the immediate work of the Father Redemption the work of the Sonne Sanctification the work of the Holy Ghost All the whole Trinity working together in the work of our salvation yet every one in his owne order First the Father elects then the Sonne redeems and lastly the Spirit sanctifies Concerning these severall works of the three Persons we are to consider 1. That they are all of equall extent 2. That they doe all issue from the same spring and fountaine of Grace First they are of the same extent none larger nor narrower then another Those that the Father hath chosen those doth the Sonne redeem Those that the Sonne hath redeemed those doth the Spirit sanctifie The Father chooseth none but whom hee gives to the Sonne to be redeemed by him the Sonne redeems none but those that were so given him by the Father and so it holds also in the third place that the Holy Ghost sanctifies none but whom the Father had chosen and the Sonne redeemed Secondly as it is thus in the extent so it is also in respect of the ground and cause from which they issue and spring Look then as our Election is of Grace and not of works Rom. 11.6 and our Redemption is of Grace Rom. 3.24 so is our Sanctification also Tit. 3.4 5. Not according to the works which we had done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Ghost so that the same grace favour and good will which moved the Father to set his love upon us in our Election and caused the Sonne to give himselfe for our Redemption the same Grace sends or brings the Spirit into our hearts to renew us unto holinesse And thence it is that sometimes we are said to be chosen that we might be holy as in Eph. 1.4 sometimes said to be redeemed that we might be holy Luke 1.74 75. to the end that we might know that our sanctification and renewing unto holinesse doth come from the same grace as doe our election and redemption and therefore as our election is not of works but of grace and our redemption is not of works but of grace so it is also concerning our sanctification I conclude therefore that by the works of the Law no man being under the Law or Covenant of works can attaine to true sanctification and holinesse And if sanctification be not by the Law or Covenant of works then it necessarily and invincibly followes that for a man to try his estate in Grace by his sanctification is no turning aside to a Covenant of works Thus much we do not unwillingly assent unto namely that there is a kinde of outward sanctification improperly so called or rather an outward reformation which a man under the Covenant of Works may attayn unto The Law hath a power not only to irritate and provoke the lust that is within by its contrariety thereunto Rom. 7.11 but also to curb and restrayn the breaking of it forth into outward acts by the terrour of it Gal. 3.19 Exod. 20. And by this reformation thus wrought by the work of restraynt the unclean Spirit may seem to be cast forth Math. 12. but whatsoever reformation is thus wrought is as farre from true sanctification as earth is from heaven For though this reformation doth and may come from some inward work of the Spirit of God upon the spirit and soule of man as namely to convince and terrifie the conscience to stirre the affections and to awe the will also so that a man dares not commit the things he would yet the minde and will is still unrenewed the frame and disposition of the heart is still the same as it was before and therefore this reformation is not true sanctification That may be by the Law this is only by the Gospel and from Grace Object But in Hebr. 10.29 it is said of some who in respect of their inward estate never went beyond a Covenant of works yet of them it is said that they were sanctified by the blood of the Covenant which is the blood of Christ therefore such as are under a Covenant of works may be sanctified Answ There is a twofold sanctification one reall another in profession only As some men are said to beleeve when the work of faith is really wrought in the heart who are therefore said to be found in the faith Tit. 1.13 and 2.2 so others are said to beleeve only because they make a profession of faith as Iohn 2.23 Acts 8.13
towards both Acts 24.16 It is but false sanctification which neglects either of these duties or any part of them when we put on a forme of Religion and yet deale unrighteously with men this is cursed hypocrisie And when we deale squarely with men but are carelesse Gallio's in the things of God this is but a kinde of civill profanesse there is no true sanctification in one or other of them True sanctification cleaves to the whole law and to all the Commandements of it seeking to doe and fulfill all such an heart the Lord requires Deut. 5.29 and such he works where he works Grace in truth 2 King 23.25 3. True sanctification will never suffer the soule to finde rest and peace but only in the way which is called holy A sanctified soule may step aside into the way which is not good but it can finde no rest there Holinesse stands in a conformity with God It will not agree with any thing which is contrary to God or to his will a godly heart can finde no peace there As on the one side a sinfull heart may do the thing that is good but it takes no pleasure in such things so contrà the sanctified heart may by occasion and by strength of temptation and prevailing power of inward corruption be drawn to act amisse but when hee hath done so he finds no rest in his spirit till he be returned againe into the way of holinesse which he had turned from Thus David stept aside but what peace found he Peter fell into shamefull denyall but how grieved was he afterward Thus Paul he confessed he did the evill that he would not but how was he pained at the very heart till he was rid of that body of sinne It was his continuall vexation As the needle in the compasse may by shaking be turned from the right point and from the pole but it will finde no rest till it be turned to it againe So here When therefore the heart sinnes and finds rest in it and is not labouring to work out the corruption which is within this is an evill sign and dangerous this argues a carnall disposition and an unsanctified Spirit But when we are grieved for the evill which is in us when our sinne is counted our misery making us lament with Paul and say O miserable man that I am c. and that not only as it troubles the conscience but as it cloggs the Spirit hindring us in well doing this is a sign of a sanctified estate and springs from a Spirit of grace 4. True sanctification will make us most wary and watchfull against those sinnes which doe most staine our holy profession and blemish the glory of Christ and make us most studious of those things in which God is most glorified As Paul said of himselfe I can doe nothing against the truth but for the truth so indeed a sanctified soule can doe nothing against Gods glory but all things for his glory Sanctity devotes a man unto God he is for God not for himselfe not for the world he accounts himselfe that he is Gods If we live we live for God whether we eat or drink or labour or rest we doe them for God 1 Cor. 10.31 If we get riches we grow rich for God to honour God with our riches Prov. 3.9 Our whole life is for God Rom. 14.6 This is a sanctified disposition when it is thus with us And when otherwise we eat for our selves as Zachary speaks chap. 7.6 we labour for our selves get riches for our selves not caring how our profession is blemished and God dishonoured by our worldly and coveteous conversation this is from the flesh which loves its own and minds its own things and not the things of Christ 5. True sanctification makes a man affect society with those that are holy It s a good signe when the heart doth inwardly cleave to those that excell in grace especially when it is for Grace sake and because of the Grace that is in them There may be an outward complying with them and some externall society had with them also when yet the heart is not with them there may be some sutablenesse of disposition some morall qualifications in a godly soule which may give content unto a carnall heart but to love them inwardly and that not for any other respect but for the grace which is in them this is from a sutable Spirit of grace working in our selves Thus it was with David Psal 16.3 and Psal 119. Come unto mee all yee that feare God c. and away from me ye wicked c. 6. True sanctification makes us aspire after communion and fellowship with God himselfe it loves fellowship with the Saints but rests not in them but aspires higher nothing will satisfie a sanctified soule but God yea it is God which he loves and seeks in his Saints So it is also in the use of Ordinances they are all empty things without God unlesse the Lord be there The Word Prayer Sacraments are but leane and empty things unlesse hee enjoy God in them He is the fat the marrow and sweetnesse of them all when God meets the soule in any of these it is then satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse but when he withdrawes and absents himselfe it findes no satiety no rellish in any thing The soule is empty still till he fill it who is the fulnesse of all things God only doth fill and satisfie the soule that is sanctified See Ier. 50.4 There you shall see the children of Israel and children of Iudah together comming to Ierusalem the place of Gods worship but is that all they goe for No saith the Prophet they goe seeking the Lord their God they goe to Ierusalem to worship there but there is a further thing they seek for even God himselfe without whom Ierusalem and Temple and all would be but as a solitary cave in a wildernesse if God were not found there This Gods servants finde in frequent experience Sometimes they finde God sweetly present with them in prayer Sacrament or the like and then they goe away as a man refreshed with new wine Sometimes they seek him but find him not as Cant. 5. and then they are like men that faine would eat to the satisfying of their hungry soule but they want their appointed food or like those in the Prophet they doe eat but they are not satisfied they have not enough Whom have I in heaven but thee saith David Psal 73.25 Whom there are Angels there are Saints the Spirits of just and perfect men Hebr. 12. Are all these nothing with David These were in heaven and are also in earth yet saith David Whom have I in heaven or earth but thee These are good with God but not able to satisfie a sanctified soule without God If it were possible for such a soule to be in heaven it selfe there to enjoy all the glory of it and communion with all the company of Saints and Angels there yet
indued with such truth of Grace as may assure us of our abiding in it for ever True Grace is of an abiding nature It is a treasure that will never faile It s that part which can never be taken from us Luk. 10. All the things of the world are fading and perishing Riches take their wings as an Eagle and flye away Prov. 23. or else they are made a prey and spoyle by the enemy as the Sabaeans and Caldaeans did of the goods of Job Had we Solomons Treasures who made silver as stones in Ierusalem yet we must goe naked out of the world and take nothing away with us But Grace is a durable and an everlasting possession It never failes if we live it lives with us if we die it will not leave us nor forsake us One graine of true sanctifying Grace though it be but as a graine of mustard seed is more worth then the riches and treasures of a Kingdome you that want it â—eek it as your life you that have it keep it as you would keep your soule Let both take heed of being deceived with shews and shadows of Grace in stead of truth All is not gold that glisters every one which makes a shew and carries out in his profession a forme of godlinesse hath not the truth and power of it in his heart These shadows will vanish and come to nothing it is the substance only which remaines Let us take heed we be not deceived in nothing is a mistake so dangerous as in this matter in hand Seeming shews and shadows of Grace will end in reall misery whereas truth and soundnesse of Grace will bring to a weight of glory We here in these parts where Religion hath a name and profanesse is discountenanced by all we I say had most need to look to our selves It is to be feared that many an one which now makes a good profession before men yet if the state of things and times should change would quickly be turned into other men Those that now seeme to live and to bee for Christ for Religion for Gospel and for Ordinances would then turn to be either enemies or Neuters and shew themselves to be hollow-hearted and double-minded unstable in the way which now they walk in And there be divers sorts of these As 1. Some rest in outward Reformation of grosse sins they make cleane the outside of the cup that they may seeme cleane before men but they harbour many corrupt lusts within which they doe not seek to cast forth Into such the unclean Spirit though he seem to be dispossed will return again 2. Some take up a profession of Religion for carnall ends following Christ for loaves Joh. 6.26 becomming Disciples because they look to rise and come to preferment by Christ Iudas would never have cleaved to Christ but that he hoped for some advantage by him and what came of it in the end when he saw that his hope failed him then he falls off and takes part with the High-Priest against Christ When men doe thus take up a profession of Religion for gaine for credit for outward respects in the world a crosse day will come which will blast their hopes in these things God will on purpose crosse the hopes of such men that they might thereby be discovered made known He will have both approved and not approved to be known 1 Cor. 11. and when this unlooked-for-event falls out then as they see their hopes to faile them so other men shall see their Religion and profession to faile with them This assumed body of Religion not being animated and quickned with life and vigour of Spirit within will at length be laid down when they have made use of it for a season to serve their turn 3. Some professe the feare of God and yet carry in them an heart estranged from such as are most faithfull and upright in their walking before God like Cain that would come and sacrifice as well as Abel and yet nourish grudge in heart against Abel one Altar shall serve them both to sacrifice on but they have not one heart in them nor one way to walk in There will be a day which will declare and make manifest what is in them 4. Some will doe as those in Isai 58.2 and in Ezek. 33. They will come as Gods people use to come as if they would seek after Ordinances of righteousnesse and would know the way of truth but yet when the Word toucheth their sore and comes to the quick to meddle with that which they have hid under their tongue then they begin to mislike and to murmure against Moses and to finde fault with him that rebuketh them So long as the word speaks pleasing things they like it well but when like salt it begins to bite then they put it from them Such as these often have the word in their eares they will heare it and in their tongue they will talke of it and in their fore-heads make a profession of it and it shall be written on the posts of their doors they keeping a course of family duties that all men may think the best of them but it is not in their heart to love it it is not written in the inward parts and not being there there is nothing within to maintaine the life of Grace The oyle that should feed the lamp is wanting and therefore the light of such will at length goe out and end in darknesse 5. Some attaine unto great gifts in knowledge utterance ability in prayer c. but withall they grow high-minded and conceited by meanes of them and are pufft up thinking themselves more excellent then their neighbours that they are not as other men These swelling walls will not stand long these that are so pufft up with a fleshly minde the Apostle saith of them that they hold not the head Christ Colos 2.18 19. And if they hold not the head they are but unsound members of the body if they receive not life and quickning from the head they will die and wither Let us look to our selves that we be none of these These may be written in Jerusalem Isai 4.3 they may subscribe with their hand and name themselves by the name of Israel Isai 44.5 but they are not written in heaven nor shall they enter into the land of Israel Ezeck 13.9 These want that Grace which accompanies salvation Rest we not in these things but seek after truth of heart labour for that Grace which will last and hold out Get an humble meek upright frame of Spirit Let our hearts be knit unto Christ more then the rewards of Christ Instead of that fulnesse with our own gifts get a sence and feeling of our own wants and weaknesses and come to him that hath all fulnesse dwelling in him that out of his fulnesse we may receive Such an humble thirsting and impotent creature sensible of its own unsufficiency yet lying daily at the beautifull gate of mercy to
heaven looking for grace and mercy according to Iehoshaphats speech Our eyes are towards thee 2 Chron. 20. It hungers and thirsts after grace but feares it shall never be satisfied it feeles a need and faine would have but sence of unworthinesse consciousnesse of manifold sinnes the sentence of the Law like the thundering and lightning at Mount Sinai all of them being sharpned by Satans working in them and with them doe strike such a fear into the heart as was in Israel then that though desires be stirring and working yet hope is very feeble causing us to doe as Israel did there who though they heard the Lord say I am the Lord your God yet the terror of the thunder made them to stand afar off and so we we hear the Lord offering to be our God in covenant with us but such are the discouragements that we dare not come near to seek after the grace which is revealed Hitherto therefore the mind of the poor sinner desiring to bee in Covenant with God is unquiet within it selfe hurried too and fro finding no rest it heares of peace with God but feels it not but in stead of peace finds trouble feare doubtings discouragements to keep it off from the way of peace faith being yet yong and faint hath much adoe to sustain the heart in any hope that it sink not down in discouragement But yet though it bee weak it will be doing what it is able setting the minde to consider the promises and encouragements which God hath given us in his word how hee invites all to come unto him even every one that thirsts Esay 55. telling us That whosoever comes unto him he will not cast away Joh. 6.37 And hence while the minde is possessed with these things because so great a businesse as making a Covenant of peace with the high God and about so great an affaire as the life and salvation of our soule cannot be transacted in a tumult Therefore 4. In the fourth place faith takes the soule aside and carries it into some solitary place that there it may be alone with it selfe and with God with whom it hath to doe This businesse and multitude of other occasions cannot be done together and therefore the soule must be alone that it may the more fully commune with it selfe and utter it selfe fully before the Lord Thus the poore Church in the time of her affliction when the Lord seemed to hide himselfe from her shee sate alone as she speaks Lament 3.28 29. and Jer. 15.17 I sate alone because of thy plague The way of the Lord is prepared in the Desert Esay 40.3 when the Lord will come to the soule and draw it into communion with himselfe he will have his way hereto prepared in the Desert not in the throng of a City but in a solitary Desert place he will allure us and draw us into the Wildernesse from the company of men when he will speak to our heart and when he prepares our heart to speak unto him Hoseah 2. Not that such a one doth despise or neglect the fellowship of Gods people but he now sees and knows full well that his help is not in man and therefore waits not upon the sonnes of Adam Mich. 5.7 He is glad to hear of any hope and how others have beene succoured and pulled out of the like distresse c. but though he hath an eare open unto these and the like helps yet the soule cannot rest in them but must retire it selfe and get alone where it may think its full and satisfie it self e in thoughts of its own estate and of the offers and promises of Grace which God hath made to such lost sinners And whiles the soule is thus alone with it selfe and with God sometimes thinking of its own misery and sinne sometimes of the Lords mercy now presented in such and such promises sometimes calling to minde how others have found favour with God notwithstanding their sinnes sometimes thinking what should move the Lord thus to invite us and call us unto him and to give us these desires after him why thinks the soule should the Lord doe thus if there were no hope that he would receive me whiles I say the soule being alone is thus exercised in these thoughts at length the fire kindles so as the soule can now rest no longer but a spirit of faith being within like fire in the bones the heart hitherto having beene as a Wine-vessell which hath had no vent yet now the spirit within compels him to open his lips and to utter before the Lord the meditations of his heart And therefore 5. In the fifth place the soule resolves now to go to the throne of Grace suing for Grace proving whether the Lord will bee gracious and mercifull to accept of a reconciliation faith speaks within as they did in Jonah 3.9 who can tell whether the Lord will return c. and as Amos 5.15 It may be the Lord may yet be mercifull such an one cannot yet say that he will yet knowes not but he may be gracious and therefore doth as those lepers in 2 King 7.3 who knowing that they were sure to perish if they sate still resolved to try what might befall them in going into the Camp of the Aramites and as Esther who would try whether the King would hold out his golden Sceper towards her yea or no so the poore sinner knowing how it is with him and thinking hee must perish if he thus continue and hearing also such gracious invitations c. thereupon resolves to goe and seek the Lord begging Grace and acceptance before him Doth the Lord say seek yee my face the heart answers within Lord I will seek thy face Doth the Lord say Come unto me the heart answereth Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God Ier. 3.22 And now the soule betakes it selfe unto God sending up complaints against it selfe with lamentations for its own sinfull rebellions accompanyed with strong cryes to heaven with sighes and groanes of Spirit which cannot be expressed it confesseth with grief and bitter mourning all former iniquities smites upon the thigh with repenting Epharim lies down at Gods foot-stoole putting its mouth in the dust acknowledging Gods righteousnesse if he should condemn and cast off for ever and yet withall pleads for Grace that it may be accepted as one of his It sayes unto God Lord I have nothing to plead why thou maist not condemn me but if thou wilt receive me thy mercy shall appeare in me thou maist shew forth all thy goodnesse take away therefore all mine iniquities and receive mee graciously Hoseah 14.3 It pleads Gods promise Lord thou hast said thou wilt be gracious Lord make good this word to the soule of thy servant be my God my mercifull God and make me thy servant thus the soule lies at the throne of Grace and pleads for Grace 6. As faith is thus earnest in suing to God for Grace and
should have said unto us you have once broken my Covenant and yet if you will at last fulfill my Law which I gave unto you I will yet accept you as just unto life yet we could not have done it the condition was too hard for us to perform If we had been held close to this condition of fulfilling the Law we should have missed of life for ever The Lord therefore seeing and pittying of our infirmity was pleased to propound unto us another condition saying unto us only beleive Beleive on my son trust on my grace and thou shalt be saved herein the Lord hath condescended to our weaknesse taking compassion of our infirmities laying upon us no other burthen but this Beleeve my promise accept my grace and rest upon it and this thy faith shall save thee Thou shalt never perish 3. It serves for comfort to all Gods faithfull ones that have beleived through grace if you have received this first gift if it be given you to beleeve you shall not fail of a second gift even the gift of eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord Though your repentance be lesse then to equall the measure of your sins though your obedience be imperfect yea though your faith it selfe be weak also yet if it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unfained syncere and sound this your faith is accepted of God and is imputed to you for righteousnesse Those that are of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham saith the Apostle Gal. 3.9 Blessed is shee that beleeveth saith the Angell Luke 1.45 and the Son of God comes in as a third witnesse testifying that whosoever beleeveth in him shall not perish but is passed from death to life Iohn 3. Here are three witnesses from heaven and earth all witnessing the blessed estate of such as do beleive Faith is well termed precious faith 1 Pet. 1.2 Pet. 1.1 because it makes us partakers of all the precious blessings of grace which are contained in the Covenant The faithfull are inheritours of all the priviledges which God hath promised to his chosen and therefore it is that they are called heires of promise Heb. 6.17 and heires of blessing 1 Pet. 3.9 You beleevers be exhorted to see and owne your blessednesse take notice of the great things the Lord hath done for you he hath made a covenant with you even a Covenant of peace and blessing and life for ever God is become your God he will be all things unto you and when all helpes under heaven fail you yet from himselfe he will do you good all your sins are forgiven you his spirit is yours to lead you to sanctifie you and to heal the evils that be in you he will uphold you in that state wherein you stand and will keep you that you shall never perish and will at last bring you to a full injoyment of himselfe in his heavenly Kingdome where you shall for ever blesse him and be made blessed by him and shall rejoyce before him with joy unspeakable and glorious pluck up your hearts therefore and be glad lift up your heads strengthen the weak hands and the feeble knees serve the Lord with gladnesse and joyfulnesse of spirit considering the day of our salvation draweth neer though now for a time you may be in heavinesse through manifold temptations and afflictions in this evill world yet faint not you being partakers of that precious faith you have the holy and faithfull God in Covenant with you to love you to blesse you and to save you and yet a little while and he that shall come will come and receive you to himselfe and then you shall fully know what it is to have beleived and to have been in Covenant with God what it is to have God to be your God when you shall see him and enjoy him as he is Only nourish your faith and live by faith make much of this precious grace cherish it by thinking often on the promises and of that grace which hath been shewed upon you from on high study to walke worthy of that mercy received and in so doing wait for the end of your faith the salvation of your soule 4. If faith be the condition of the Covenant then woe to all unbeleevers that go on in their impenitency and unbeleife Their unbeleife deprives them of that good which the Lord hath by his Covenant promised to his people they have no part nor portion in God they are without God without Christ without Covenant without promise without mercy their sins are unpardoned they are under the curse the wrath of God abides upon them there is nothing to take it away from them but if they abide in unbeleif wrath abides upon them for ever There is a wrath wherby God is angry with his own people but that anger lasts but for a little season it is but for a moment Isai 4.7 8. it passeth away and abides not upon them but the unbeleiver hath wrath abiding on him for ever John 3.36 In Iude 5. it is said that God afterwards destroyed those Israelites that beleived not when once they had had the means of grace made known then not beleiving God afterwards destroyed them you that tread in the steps of their unbeleif you are little troubled to thinke what misery is comming upon you as not knowing that you are in danger but you are under wrath your judgement hastneth and your damnation sleepeth not be awakened therefore be thinke your selves and consider what your end will be by your unbeleif you put a bar to exclude your selves from the blessing of life promised to Gods people you thus continuing the Lord neither will nor can save you You will thinke this an hard saying but you will finde it too true God cannot lye Titus 1.2 much lesse can he forswear but God hath sworne this that such shall never enter into his rest Psal 95. and Hebr. 3. ult In Mat. 13. ult It s said Christ did not many great works in his owne country for their unbeleifes sake But in Marke 6.5 it s said hee could not doe them he neither did them nor could do them unbeleif stops the course and diverts the stream of Gods goodnesse from comming unto us Christs usuall speech to those that expected any blessing from him was this According to your faith be it unto you faith makes all things possible Marke 6.23 It will reverse the sentence of death which is passed upon us and bring us back unto life but unbeleife makes it impossible so that we cannot be saved The Lord can do nothing against his own counsell and will and he hath concluded this with himselfe to save none but such as beleive and that whosoever beleeveth not shall perish all you unbeleevers consider this your unbeleefe will bee your destruction Secondly Is there such a work of faith in bringing us into Covenant with God and in enabling us to walk in Covenant with him 1. This serves to direct all the people of God
falsifying God will not own he knowes the terms of his own Covenant and will hold to that which his own hand hath written he will acknowledge none of Sathans forgeries his Covenant is holy and either we must take the Covenant as Gods offers it or we can never partake oâ— the blessing of it Try we our selves therefore by the Spirit of holinesse and therby judge of our interest in the blessing of life which the Covenant promiseth Signes 1. True holinesse is conformable to the first pattern of holinesse which is the Lord himselfe as it is written Be ye holy for I the Lord your God am holy True holinesse stands not in conformity with this world nor doth it rest in imitating the best examples that be in the world but makes us strive to a conformity with God to be even as he is in this world 1 Ioh. 4. following the Lord till we come to be partakers of his own holinesse Heb. 12. 2. True holinesse towards God is ever accompanied with righteousnesse towards men It s but hypocriticall holinesse which is not attended with righteousnesse The new man which is created after God is said to be created in righteousness and true holinesse or holinesse of truth There is a true holinesse and there is a false lying and dessembling holinesse how is the one discerned from the other holinesse of truth hath righteousnesse going with it but false holinesse thinks it enough to seeme holy towards God neglecting duties of justice and righteousnesse towards men It was not so with the holy Apostle who speaking of his own conversation among the Saints appeales to their consciences how holily how justly how unblameably he had his conversation among them 1 Thes 2.10 these two which God hath so joyned together we must not put asunder if we will approve our selves to have attained that holinesse of truth 3. True holinesse works for holy ends the glory of God Pet. 4.11 the credit of the Gospel Tit. 2.10 and the salvation of men 1 Cor. 10. ult It abhors those Pharisaicall ends of hypocrites mentioned in Matth. 6. 4. There is in a sanctified Christian both light and life light in his minde life in his will and affection The light which is in him makes him to see both the loathsomnesse of sin and the excellency of grace and the life that is in him makes him to feel the burthen of his own corruptions and to long after the grace which is still wanting in him so that true holinesse makes us weary of the body of corruption that is in us groaning under it as under a misery not to be endured as Paul did Rom. 7.24 and makes us thirst after more grace that we might be enabled in every thing to please God Psal 119.5 Painted holinesse puffes up with conceit of our own goodnesse as Esay 65.5 but true holinesse humbles us by reason of the sight and sence we have of the corruption that is in us More such signs might be added but I hasten to an end By these try we our selves and see thereby what part we have in the blessing of the Covenant Vse 3. To stirre up all that have taken hold of this Covenant and doe professe themselves to be a people in Covenant with God Let them labour to expresse this holinesse in their lives and wayes that they may thereby approve themselves to be faithfull in their Covenant with God can two walk together except they be agreed Amos 3.3 certainly unlesse we agree to walk in holinesse with our God we cannot long walk together nor hold Covenant one with another let us then strive to be a holy people unto the Lord our God separate from the pollution of the world devoted to his service and honour Motives 1. This is Gods end in taking us into Covenant with him that he might be glorified Esay 43.21 44.23 In 1 Pet. 2.9 the Apostle tells us we are for this end taken to be a peculiar people unto God that we might shew forth the vertues of him that hath called us out of darknesse into his marvellous light he took us to himselfe when he saw us polluted in our bloud Ezek. 16. yet then he cloathed us with the beauty of his own vertues that his name may be glorified in us but without holinesse we pollute Gods name and make it vile we honour it not Ezek. 36. â—0 2. Sanctity and holinesse is the beauty and glory of any people by which they excell all other people of the world Deut. 26. ult In Exod. 15.11 God himselfe is said to be glorious in holinesse and the same is the Churches glory too which is then glorious when it is holy and without blame Ephes 5.27 we cannot honour our selves more then by growing up in true holinesse nor can we make our selves vile any way so much as by sinful impiety Psal 15.4 3. Our holinesse is that which must testifie to the world and to our own consciences that we are indeed the people of God as Christ by the Spirit of holinesse raising him up from the dead waâ— declared to be the Sonne of God so we are declared to be Gods saved ones by the same spirit of holinesse raising us up and quickning us unto newnesse of life This is Christs mark which he sets upon all his redeemed ones they are holy This is written in their foreheads Holinesse to the Lord and therefore they are said to be sealed with the holy spirit of promise Eph. 1.13 as men set on their seales to note their propriety in that thing that is sealed If then we will know or have the world to know that we are God's we must be sealed with the spirit of holinesse 4. Holinesse is the perfection of our Christian state this is that which we wish for even your perfection saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 13.9 and what perfection is that even the same that he mentions Chap 7.1 that they might perfect their holinesse in the feare oâ— God This was mans perfection in the beginning and the same shall be our perfection in heaven Heb. 12.23 Holinesse adds perfection to all other gifts and without this they are all of no worth Wisdome without holinesse is but fox-like craftinesse courage without holinesse is but lyon-like cruelty humblenesse without holinesse is but basenesse of spirit justnesse in dealing without holinesse is but heathenish harmlesnesse but let holiness be added to each of these and then are they perfect as a colour of a perfect die 5. Holinesse makes us live the life of God which all other unsanctified ones are strangers from Ephes 4. by holinesse the life of Christ is manifest to be in us 2 Cor. 4. so that we may say that now we live not our selves but Christ liveth in us Gal. 2.20 wickednesse makes a man live the life of Devils holinesse conformes us to the life of Christ 6. All those that are in Covenant with God are a people neare unto him and being neare unto him he