26. Chapter VI.

Chapter VI. The positive work of the Spirit in the sanctification of believers.

Differences in the acts of sanctification as to their order — The manner of the communication of holiness by the Spirit — The rule and measure of this is the revealed will of God, just as the rule of its acceptance is the covenant of grace — The nature of holiness is inward — Righteousness, habitual and actual — False notions of holiness removed — The nature of a spiritual habit — applied to holiness, with its rules and limitations — proved and confirmed — illustrated and practically improved — The properties of holiness as a spiritual habit declared — 1. Spiritual dispositions to suitable acts; how they are expressed in the Scripture; with their effects — Contrary dispositions to sin and holiness; how consistent — 2. Power; the nature of it; or what power is required in believers for holy obedience; with its properties and effects in readiness and facility — Objections to this answered; and an inquiry on these principles of true holiness directed in ourselves— Gospel grace as distinct from morality, and all other habits of the mind; proved by many arguments, especially its relation to the mediation of Christ — The principal difference between evangelical holiness and all other habits of the mind, proved by the manner and way of its communication from the person of Christ as the head of the church, and the unique efficiency of the Spirit in this — Moral honesty is not gospel holiness. The distinction we make between the acts of the Holy Ghost in the work of sanctification concerns the order of teaching and instruction more than any order of precedence that exists between the acts themselves. For what we have passed through concerning the cleansing of our natures and our persons, does not precede in order of time those other acts which leave a real and positive effect upon the soul (which is what we are about to describe); nor does it absolutely precede them in order of nature. Yes, many of the means by which the Holy Ghost purifies us, consist in this other work of his, which now lies before us. Thus we only distinguish them and put them into this order, as the Scripture does, to guide our understanding of them, and further our apprehension of them.

We therefore now proceed to that part of the work of the Holy Spirit by which he communicates the great, permanent, positive effect of holiness to the souls of believers, and by which he guides and assists them in all acts, works, and duties of holiness whatsoever. Without this guidance and assistance, whatever we do is not holy, nor does it in any way belong to holiness. We will reduce this part of His work to two heads, which we will first propose, and afterward clarify and vindicate. Our first assertion is this: That in the sanctification of believers, the Holy Ghost works in them, in their whole soul — their mind, will, and affections — a gracious, supernatural habit, principle, and disposition of living to God; in which the substance or essence, the life and being, of holiness consists. This is that spirit which is born of the Spirit, that new creature, that new and divine nature which is worked in them, and of which they are made partakers. In this consists that image of God to which our natures are repaired by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by which we are made conformable to God, firmly and steadfastly adhering to him through faith and love. It has been fully proved in our assertion and description of the work of regeneration, that there is such a divine principle — such a gracious, supernatural habit — worked in all those who are born again,. It is therefore acknowledged that the first supernatural infusion or communication of this principle of spiritual light and life — preparing, fitting, and enabling all the faculties of our souls for the duties of holiness, according to the mind of God — belongs to the work of our first conversion. But the preservation, cherishing, and increase of this principle, belong to our sanctification, because both its infusion and preservation are necessarily required for holiness. Hereby the tree is made good, so that its fruit may be good, and without which it will not be good.934 This is our new nature. It does not arise from precedent actions of holiness; rather it is the root of them all. Habits acquired by a multitude of acts, whether in moral or artificial things, are not a "new nature," nor can they be called that; such habits are a readiness to act only from use and custom. But this new nature is from God, its parent; it is what is born in us of God. And it is common to or the same in all believers as to its kind and being, even if not as to its degrees and exercise. It is that which we cannot learn, and which cannot be taught to us except by God, just as he teaches other creatures in whom he plants a natural instinct. We have said something before about the beauty and glory of this nature, as being absolutely inexpressible. Conformity to God, likeness to Christ, compliance with the Holy Spirit, interest in the family of God, fellowship with angels, separation from darkness and the world, all consist in this.

Secondly, The matter of our holiness consists in our actual obedience to God, according to the tenor of the covenant of grace; for God promises to write his law in our hearts, so that we may fear him and walk in his statutes. And concerning this, in general, we may observe two things:

1. There is a certain fixed rule and measure of this obedience, in conformity and correspondence to what it consists of. This is the revealed will of God in the Scripture, Mic. 6.8.935 God’s will, I say, as revealed to us in the word, is the rule of our obedience.

Obedience must have a rule, which nothing else can pretend to be. The secret will or the hidden purposes of God are not the rule of our obedience, Deu 29.29;936 much less are our own imaginations, inclinations, or reason. Nor does anything belong to this rule, that we do in compliance with these things, or by their direction, however plausible they may be, Col 2.18-23.937 But the word of God is the adequate rule of all holy obedience:

(1.) It is so materially. All that is commanded in the word of God belongs to our obedience, and nothing else does. Hence we are strictly required neither to add to it, nor to diminish or take anything away from it, Deuteronomy 4:2; Deuteronomy 12:32; Joshua 1:7; Proverbs 30:6; Revelation 22:18-19.

(2.) It is so formally; that is, not only are we to do what is commanded, and all that is commanded, and nothing else — but whatever we do, we are to do it because it is commanded, or else it is no part of our obedience or holiness, Deuteronomy 6:24-25; Deuteronomy 29:29; Psa 119.9.938

I know there is an inbred light of nature yet remaining in us, which gives great direction as to moral good and evil, commanding the one and forbidding the other, Rom 2.14-15.939 But this light, however it may be made subservient and subordinate to the word of God, is not the rule of gospel holiness as such, nor is it any part of it. The law which God writes in our hearts by his grace, corresponds to the law that is written in the word which is given to us. And just as the first is the only principle of our evangelical obedience, so the latter is the only rule or it. For this end, God has promised that his Spirit and his word will always accompany one another — the one to quicken our souls, and the other to guide our lives, Isa 59.21.940 The word of God may be considered as our rule in a threefold respect:

(1.) As it requires the image of God in us. The habitual rectitude of our nature with respect to God and our living to him, is enjoined of us in the word; yes, and it is worked in us by the word. The whole renovation of our nature, the whole principle of holiness described before, is nothing but the word changed into grace in our hearts; for we are born again by the incorruptible seed of the word of God. The Spirit works nothing in us except what the word first requires of us. The word is therefore the rule of the inward principle of spiritual life. And the growth of this principle is nothing but its increase in conformity to that word.

(2.) With respect to all the actual frames, designs, and purposes of the heart. All the internal actings of our minds, all the volitions of the will, all the motions of our affections, are to be regulated by that word which requires us to love the Lord our God with all our minds, all our souls, and all our strength. Their regularity or irregularity is to be tested by it. All that holiness which is in them, consists in their conformity to the revealed will of God.

(3.) With respect to all our outward actions and duties, both private and public, of piety and of righteousness, towards ourselves or others, Tit 2.12.941 This is the rule of our holiness. We are holy only so far as what we are, and what we do, correspond to the word of God. Whatever acts of devotion or duties of morality may be performed without respect to this rule, do not belong to our sanctification.

2. Just as there is a rule for our performance of this obedience, so there is a rule for the acceptance of our obedience with God; and this is the tenor of the new covenant, Gen 17.1.942 What corresponds to this rule is accepted, and what does not correspond is rejected, both as to the universality of the whole, and the sincerity that accompanies each particular duty in it. These two things, universality and sincerity, correspond now (as to some certain ends of it) to the legal perfection required of us at the beginning. In the estate of original righteousness, the rule of our acceptance with God in our obedience was the law and the covenant of works. And this required that our obedience should be absolutely perfect in its parts and degrees, without the least intermixture of sin with our good, nor interposition in the least instance, of anything that was inconsistent with that covenant. But now, even though we are renewed again by grace into the image of God really and truly (yet not absolutely nor perfectly, but only in part), we still have remaining in us a contrary principle of ignorance and sin, which we must always conflict with, Gal 5.16-17.943 This is why God, in the covenant of grace, is pleased to accept that holy obedience which is universal in all its parts in all known instances of duty, and sincere as to the manner of its performance. It is not our present work to declare what in particular is required for this; I only aim to fix in general the rule of the acceptance of this holy obedience.

Now, the reason for this acceptance is not that a lower and more imperfect kind of righteousness, holiness, and obedience, will meet all the ends of God and his glory now, under the new covenant, than they would have met under the old. Nothing can be imagined that is more distant from the truth, nor more dishonorable to the gospel, or that seems nearer to making Christ the minister of sin. For what else would he be, if he had procured God’s acceptance of a weak and imperfect obedience — accompanied with many failings, infirmities, and sins, being complete in nothing — in the place and stead of what he first required of us, which was complete, perfect, and absolutely sinless? Indeed, God determined to exalt and glorify the holy properties of his nature in a more eminent and glorious manner under the new covenant, than he did under the old. It is for this reason and end alone that it is so exalted and preferred above it. Thus it was necessary that there should be a righteousness and obedience required in this new covenant, that is far more complete, eminent, and glorious than what was required in the old. But the reason for this difference lies solely in this: that our evangelical obedience, which is accepted by God according to the tenor of the new covenant, does not hold the same place which our obedience held under the covenant of works. For in that covenant, it would have been our righteousness absolutely before God, by which we would have been justified in his sight — namely, the works of the law — and for which, in a due proportion of justice, we would have been eternally rewarded. But this place is now filled by the righteousness and obedience of Christ, our mediator. Being the obedience of the Son of God, it is far more eminent and glorious, or it tends more to manifest the properties of God’s nature, and to exalt his glory in this, than all that we could have done if we had abided steadfast in the covenant of works. "What, then," some may ask, "does our holiness and obedience serve, and what is the necessity of them?" I must defer answering this inquiry to its proper place, where I will prove at large the necessity of this holiness, and demonstrate it from its proper principles and ends. In the meantime I will only say in general, that as God requires it of us, so he has appointed it as the only means by which we may express our subjection to him, our dependence on him, our fruitfulness, and our thankfulness; it is the only way of our communion and intercourse with him, of using and improving the effects of his love, and the benefits of the mediation of Christ, by which we may glorify him in this world; and it is the only orderly way by which we may be made fit for the inheritance of the saints in light. This is sufficient, in general, to manifest both its necessity and its use. These things being premised in general then, I will comprise what I further have to offer in the declaration and vindication of gospel sanctification and holiness, in the two ensuing assertions:

I. There is worked and preserved in the minds and souls of all believers, by the Spirit of God, a supernatural principle or habit of grace and holiness, by which they are made fit for and enabled to live to God, and perform that obedience which he requires and accepts through Christ in the covenant of grace. It is essentially or specifically distinct from all natural habits, both intellectual and moral, however or by whatever means they are acquired or improved.

II. There is an immediate work or effectual operation of the Holy Spirit by his grace required for every act of holy obedience, whether it is only internal in faith and love, or external also — that is, for all the holy actings of our understandings, wills, and affections, and for all our duties of obedience in walking before God.

I. I affirm that the first of these assertions is not only true, but of so great a weight and importance that our hope of life and salvation depends on it; it is the second great principle constituting our Christian profession. There are four things that are to be confirmed concerning it:

1. That there is such a supernatural habit or principle infused or created in believers by the Holy Ghost, and always abiding in them.

2. That, according to the nature of all habits, it inclines and disposes the mind, will, and affections, to acts of holiness suitable to its own nature, and with regard to its proper end, and to make us fit to live to God.

3. That it not only inclines and disposes the mind, but it gives it power, and enables it to live to God in all holy obedience.

4. That it differs specifically from all other habits, intellectual or moral, that we may acquire or attain by any means, or spiritual gifts that may be conferred on any persons whatsoever. In handling these things, I will manifest the difference between a spiritual, supernatural life of evangelical holiness, and a course of moral virtue — which some, to the rejection of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, endeavor to substitute in its place. We must partake of such a spiritual, heavenly, supernatural life in this world (so designated from its nature, causes, acts, and ends), if we ever intend to attain eternal life in another. And in this we will take whatever view we are able to, of the nature, glory, and beauty of holiness; and I confess that I can comprehend but little of them. It is a matter, indeed, often spoken to; but the essence and true nature of it are greatly hidden from the eyes of all living men. It is the sense of what the Scripture proposes, what I believe, and what I desire to experience, that I will endeavor to declare. But just as we are not perfect in the duties of holiness in this life, so we are no more perfect in the knowledge of its nature.

First, therefore, I say, it is a gracious, supernatural habit, or a principle of spiritual life. And with respect to this, I will briefly do these three things:

1. Show what I mean by such a habit.

2. Prove that such a habit is required for holiness, indeed, the nature of holiness consists in it.

3. Declare in general its properties.

1. Our first inquiry is after the essence and form of holiness, from which anyone is truly and really made and designated holy; or what the formal reason is for that holiness which our nature partakes of in this world. This must be something special, something excellent and sacred, which constitutes the great and only difference between men, on their own part, in the sight of God, with respect to eternity. Everyone who has this holiness pleases God, and is accepted by him, and will come to enjoy him; and everyone who does not have it, is rejected by him, here and hereafter. In the first place, this holiness does not consist in any single acts of obedience to God, even though they are good in their own nature, and acceptable to him. For indeed, many such acts may be performed by unholy persons, of which the Scripture abounds with examples.

Cain’s sacrifice and Ahab’s repentance were signal, single acts of obedience materially; and yet they were not acts of holiness formally, nor did either make or designate these men holy. Our apostle tells us that men may "give all their goods to feed the poor, and their bodies to be burned, and yet be nothing," 1 Corinthians 13:3; yet who can go further in single acts? Such fruits may spring from seed that has no root. Single acts may evidence holiness, as Abraham’s obedience did in sacrificing his son; but none is constituted holy by them; nor will a series, a course, or a multiplication of acts and duties of obedience, either constitute or designate anyone holy, Isa 1.11-15.944 All the duties — a series and multiplication of which, in that passage, were rejected for lack of holiness — were good in themselves, and appointed by God. Nor does it consist in a habitual disposition of mind toward any outward duties of piety, devotion, or obedience, however obtained or acquired. There are such habits, both intellectual and moral. Intellectual habits are arts and sciences. When men, by custom, usage, and frequent acts in the exercise of any science, art, or mystery, get a ready facility in and for all its parts and duties, they have gained an intellectual habit in this. It is this way in moral things too, as to virtues and vices. There are some seeds and sparks of moral virtue remaining in the ruins of depraved nature, such as justice, temperance, fortitude, and the like. Hence God calls on profligate sinners to remember and "show themselves men," or not to act contrary to the principles and light of nature, which are inseparable from us as men, Isaiah 46:8. These principles may be excited in the exercise of natural light, or improved by education, instruction, and example, or by an assiduous and diligent performance of their related acts and duties. Some may thereby attain such a readiness for them, and such a facility in them, that it is not easily changed or diverted by any outward means — and this is a moral habit. In like manner, in the duties of piety and religion — in acts of outward obedience to God — men may so accustom themselves to these duties by these same means, that they have a habitual disposition to their exercise. I do not doubt it is so, to a high degree, with many superstitious persons. But in all these things, the acts still precede the habits of the same nature and kind which are produced by them, and not otherwise. But this holiness is such a habit or principle, that it is antecedent to all acts of the same kind, as we will prove. There never was, nor ever can be, any act or duty of true holiness performed by anyone, where there was not antecedently, in order of nature, a habit of holiness in the persons by whom they were performed. Many acts and duties that are good and approvable as to their substance, may be performed without this habit of holiness; but no one that has the proper form and nature of holiness can be without this habit. And the reason is because every act of true holiness must have something supernatural in it from an internal renewed principle of grace; and what does not have it, whatever else it may be, is not an act or duty of true holiness.

I call this principle of holiness a habit. It is not as though it were absolutely the same as acquired habits, and would correspond in all things to our conceptions and descriptions of them. But we only call it a habit because, in its effects and manner of operation, it agrees in various things with acquired intellectual or moral habits. But it much more conforms to a natural, unchangeable instinct than to any acquired habit. That is why God charges men, that in their obedience to him, they did not act according to that instinct which other creatures have towards their lords and benefactors, Isa 1.3;945 and which those creatures cordially observe, Jer 8.7.946 But in this God "teaches us more than the beasts of the earth, and makes us wiser than the fowls of heaven," Job 35:11.

Therefore, this is what I mean by it: a virtue, a power, a principle of spiritual life and grace, worked, created, infused into our souls, and inlaid in all our faculties, constantly abiding and unchangeably residing in them, which is antecedent to, and the next cause of, all acts of true holiness whatsoever. And as was said, this is what the nature of holiness consists in, and from which, in those who are adult, the actual discharge of all duties and works of holiness is inseparable. This always abides in and with all who are sanctified. This is why they are always holy, and not holy only when they are actually exercised in the duties of holiness. By this principle, they are prepared, disposed, and enabled to all duties of obedience, as we will show immediately; and it is by its influence in their acts and duties, that they become holy, and not otherwise. To further explain this, I will only add three things:

(1.) That this habit or principle, thus worked and abiding in us, does not, if I may say so, firm its own station,947 or abide and continue in us by its own natural efficacy, in adhering to the faculties of our souls. Habits that are acquired by many actions have a natural efficacy to preserve themselves, until some opposition that is too hard for them, prevails against them — which is frequently (though not easily) done. But this principle is preserved in us by the constant powerful actings and influence of the Holy Ghost. He that works it in us, also preserves it in us. And the reason for this is because the spring of it is in Christ Jesus, our Head; it is only an emanation of virtue and power from him to us, by the Holy Ghost. If this is not actually and always continued, whatever is in us would die and wither of itself. See Ephesians 4:15-16; Colossians 3:3; John 4.14.948 It is in us like the fructifying sap is in a branch of the vine or olive. It is there really and formally, and it is the next cause of the fruit-bearing of the branch.

Yet it does not live and abide by itself, but only by a continual emanation and communication from the root; let that communication be intercepted, and the branch quickly withers. So it is with this principle in us with respect to its root, Christ Jesus.

(2.) Though this principle or habit of holiness is of the same kind or nature in all believers, in all who are sanctified, yet there are very distinct degrees of it in them. In some it is stronger, livelier, more vigorous and flourishing; in others it is weaker, feebler, and less active; this is in such great variety, and on so many occasions, that it cannot be spoken to here.

(3.) Even though this habit and principle is not acquired by any or many acts of duty or obedience, yet it is preserved, increased, strengthened, and improved by way of duty. God has appointed that we should live in the exercise of this habit. And in and by the multiplication of its acts and duties, it is kept alive and stirred up, without which it will be weakened and decay.

2. This being what I intend as to its substance, we must next show that there is such a spiritual habit or principle of spiritual life worked in believers, and in which their holiness consists. A few of many testimonies will suffice to quickly confirm it. Its work is expressed in Deuteronomy 30:6, "The Lord your God will circumcise your heart, to love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, that you may live." The end of holiness is that we may "live;" and the principal work of holiness is to "love the Lord our God with all our heart and soul." This is the effect of God’s "circumcising our hearts," without which it will not occur. Every act of love and fear, and consequently every duty of holiness whatsoever, is consequential to God’s circumcising of our hearts. But it would seem that this work of God is "only a removal of hindrances," and it does not express the conferring of the principle which we assert. I answer that, even though it would be easy to demonstrate that this work of circumcising our hearts cannot be effected without implanting in them the principle pleaded for, yet it will suffice at present to evince from this that this effectual work of God upon our hearts is antecedently necessary for all acts of holiness in us. To this end, God writes his law in our hearts: Jeremiah 31:33, "I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts." The habit or principle which we have described, is nothing but a transcript of the law of God implanted and abiding in our hearts, by which we comply with and respond to the whole will of God in this. This is holiness in the habit and principle of it. This is more fully expressed in Ezekiel 36:26-27, "A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you will keep my judgments, and do them." The whole of all that actual obedience and all those duties of holiness which God requires of us, is contained in these expressions: "You will walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments to do them." Antecedent to this, and as the principle and cause of this, God gives a "new heart" and a "new spirit." This new heart is a heart with the law of God written in it, as mentioned before; and this new spirit is the habitual inclination of that heart to the life of God, or all duties of obedience. And in this, the whole of what we have asserted is confirmed — namely, that antecedent to all duties and acts of holiness whatsoever, and as the next cause of them, there is by the Holy Ghost a new spiritual principle or habit of grace communicated to us and abiding in us, from which we are made and designated holy.

It is yet more expressly revealed and declared in the New Testament, John 3:6. There is a work of the Spirit of God upon us in our regeneration: we are "born again of the Spirit." And there is the product of this work of the Spirit of God in us, which is born in this new birth, and that is "spirit" also. It is something existing in us that is of a spiritual nature and spiritual efficacy. It is something abiding in us, acting in continual opposition against the flesh or sin (Galatians 5:17), and toward all duties of obedience to God.949 And until this spirit is formed in us — that is, until our whole soul has been furnished with spiritual power and ability — we cannot perform any one act that is spiritually good, nor any one act of vital obedience. This spirit, or spiritual nature, which is born of the Spirit, and by which alone we are enabled to live to God, is that habit of grace or principle of holiness which we intend. And so it is also called a new creature: "If any man is in Christ he is a new creature," 2 Corinthians 5:17. It is something that, by an almighty creating act of the power of God by his Spirit, has the nature of a living creature, produced in the souls of all who are in Christ Jesus. And just as it is called the "new creature," so it is also called a "divine nature," 2 Peter 1:4 — and a nature is the principle of all operations. This is what we plead for: The Spirit of God creates a new nature in us, which is the principle and next cause of all acts of the life of God. Where this is not found, whatever else there may be, there is no evangelical holiness. This is that by which we are enabled to live to God, to fear him, to walk in his ways, and to yield obedience according to his mind and will. See Ephesians 4:23-24; Col 3.10.950 The Scripture plentifully testifies to this; but I must add that, as to the proper nature or essence of it, no mind can apprehend it, no tongue can express it, and none can perfectly understand its glory. A few things may be added to illustrate it.

(1.) This is that by which we have union with Jesus Christ, the head of the church. Originally and efficiently the Holy Spirit dwelling in him and us, is the cause of this union; but formally this new principle of grace is the cause. It is that by which we become "members of his flesh and of his bones," Ephesians 5:30. Eve was of Adam — she was one with him, because she had the same nature with him, and that derived from him, which the apostle alludes to. So too, we are of Christ, partakers of the same divine nature with him. Thus, the one who is "joined to the Lord is one spirit," 1 Corinthians 6:17; that is, he is of one and the same spiritual nature with him, Hebrews 2:11; Hebrews 2:14. How excellent is this grace, which gives us our interest in and continuity unto the body of Christ, and to his person as our head! It is the same grace in its kind, which is in the holy nature of Christ, and it renders us one with him.

(2.) Our likeness and conformity to God consists in this; for it is the reparation of his image in us, Ephesians 4:23-24; Colossians 3:10. I hope that I apprehend something concerning this image of God in believers, and of their likeness to him — how great a privilege it is, what honor, safety, and security depend on it, what duties are required of us on account of it — but to perfectly conceive or express the nature and glory of it, we cannot attain to. Yet we should learn to adore the grace from which it proceeds and is bestowed on us, to admire the love of Christ and the efficacy of his mediation by which it is renewed in us — but the thing itself is ineffable.

(3.) It is our life, our spiritual life, by which we live to God. This life is the foundation and sum of all excellencies; without it, we are dead in trespasses and sins; and it has been declared how we are quickened by the Holy Ghost. But this is the internal principle of life, from which all vital acts in the life of God proceed. And just as we do not well know what the true form and essence of natural life is, and we only find it, discern it, and judge it by its effects, much less do we know the form and essence of spiritual life, which is far more excellent and glorious. This is that life which is "hidden with Christ in God," Colossians 3:3; in these words, the apostle draws a veil over it, knowing that we are unable to steadfastly behold its glory and beauty. But before I proceed to a further description of this principle of holiness in its effects, as laid down before, it may not be amiss practically to recall these general considerations of its nature. And our own concern in this truth, which is no empty notion, will be declared in this. —

First, We may learn from this not to satisfy ourselves, or not to rest, in any acts or duties of obedience, in any good works, however good and useful in themselves, or however multiplied by us, unless there is a vital principle of holiness in our hearts. A few honest actions, a few useful duties, satisfy some persons that they are as holy as they should be, or as they need to be. And some men’s religion has consisted in multiplying outward duties, so that they might be meritorious for themselves and others. But God expressly rejects not only such duties, but the greatest multitude of them, and their most frequent reiteration, if the heart is not antecedently purified and sanctified, if it is not possessed with the principle of grace and holiness asserted in Isa 1.11-15.951 Such acts and duties may be the effects of other causes, and the fruits of other principles. Mere legal convictions will produce them, and put men on a course to do them. Fears, afflictions, terrors of conscience, dictates of reason, improved by education and confirmed by custom, will direct, and indeed compel, men to observe them. But all is lost — men only labor in the fire about them Habakkuk 2:13 — if the soul is not prepared with this spiritual principle of habitual holiness, worked in it immediately by the Holy Ghost. Yet we must observe these two things here:

(1.) That in so far as these duties, whether of morality or religion, of piety or divine worship, are good in themselves, they ought to be approved, and men ought to be encouraged in them. There are various ways by which the best duties may be abused and misapplied, as when men rest in them as if they were meritorious, or as if they were the matter of their justification before God. For this is known to be an effectual means to divert the souls of sinners from faith in Christ for life and salvation, Rom 9.31-32, 10.3-4.952 And there are reasons and causes that render them unacceptable before God with respect to the persons by whom they are performed — such as when they are not done in faith, for which Cain’s sacrifice was rejected; and when the heart is not previously sanctified and prepared with a spiritual principle of obedience. Yet on neither of these grounds or pretenses can we, or should we, condemn or undervalue the duties themselves, which are good in their own nature; nor should we take men away from performing them. Indeed, it would be greatly desired if we were to see more of the fruits of moral virtues and duties of religious piety among unsanctified persons than we do. The world is not in a condition to spare the good acts of bad men. But we may do this, and as we are called, we should do this: When men are engaged in a course of duties and good works, on principles that will not abide and endure the trial, or for ends that will spoil and corrupt all that they do, we may tell them (as our Savior told the young man who gave that great account of his diligence in all legal duties), "One thing is still lacking for you;" — "You lack faith, or you lack Christ, or you lack a spiritual principle of evangelical holiness; without this, all that you do will be lost and come to no account at the last day." The due assertion of grace never was, nor ever can be, an obstruction to any duty of obedience. However, when some dedicate themselves to those works or actings under the name of "duties" and "obedience to God," which (although they make a plausible show and appearance in the world) are evil in themselves, or which God does not require of men, we may speak against them, deny them, and take men away from them. So persecution has been looked on as a "good work." Men supposed they did God good service when they slayed the disciples of Christ;953 and men gave their goods to "pious uses," as they were called (indeed, impious abuses), to have others pray for their souls and expiate their sins when they had left this world. These and countless other similar, pretended duties may be judged, condemned, and exploded,954 without the least fear of deterring men from obedience.

(2.) That wherever there is this principle of holiness in the heart of those who are adult, there will be the fruits and effects of it in the life, in all duties of righteousness, godliness, and holiness; for the main work and end of this principle is to enable us to comply with that "grace of God which teaches us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world," Titus 2:11-12. What we press for is the great direction of our Savior, "Make the tree good, and the fruit will be good also." There can be no more vile and sordid hypocrisy than for anyone to pretend to an inward, habitual sanctification, while their lives are barren in the fruits of righteousness and duties of obedience. Wherever this root is found, it will assuredly bear fruit.

Secondly, It will appear from this why men propose and steer such various courses with respect to holiness. All men who profess themselves to be Christians are agreed, in words at least, that holiness is absolutely necessary for those who would be saved by Jesus Christ. To deny it is the same as openly renouncing the gospel. But when they should come to practice it, some take one false way, some another, and some actually despise and reject it. Now, all this arises from ignorance of the true nature of evangelical holiness on the one hand, and love of sin on the other. There is nothing in which we are spiritually and eternally concerned that is more frequently asserted than the true nature of sanctification and holiness. But the thing itself, as it has been declared, is deep and mysterious; it is not to be understood without the aid of spiritual light in our minds. Hence some would equate moral virtue with holiness; this (they suppose) they can understand by their own reason, and practice in their own strength; and I heartily wish that we could see more of the fruits of it from them.

Real moral virtue will hardly be abused into an opposition to grace; but the pretense of it is so easily, and so commonly abused. Some, on the other hand, place all holiness in superstitious devotions, in the strict observance of religious duties which men, and not God, have appointed. And there is no end of their multiplication of them, nor any measure of the strictness of some in observing them. The reason why men give themselves to such soul-deceiving imaginations is their ignorance and hatred of that only true, real principle of evangelical holiness which we have discussed. For what the world does not know in these things, it always hates. They cannot discern it clearly, or in its own light and evidence; for it must be spiritually discerned. This the natural man cannot do; and in that false light of corrupted reason in which they discern and judge it, they esteem it foolishness or fancy, 1 Corinthians 2:14. There is not a more foolish and fanatical thing in the world, for many, than this internal, habitual holiness which we are considering; hence they are led to despise and hate it. But here the love of sin secretly takes place, and influences their minds. This universal change of the soul in all its principles of operation, into the image and likeness of God, tending to extirpate all sins and vicious habits, is what men fear and abhor. This makes them take up morality and superstitious devotion — anything that will pacify a natural conscience, and please themselves or others with a reputation of religion. It is therefore highly incumbent on all who would not willfully deceive their own souls to their eternal ruin, to inquire diligently into the true nature of evangelical holiness; and above all, to take care that they do not miss the foundation of it, in the true root and principle of it, in which a mistake would be pernicious.

Thirdly, It is, moreover, evident from this that it is a greater matter to be truly and really holy than most persons are aware of. We may eminently learn how great and excellent a work this is, of sanctification and holiness, from the causes of it. How emphatically our apostle ascribes it to God, specifically the Father: 1 Thessalonians 5:23, "Even the God of peace himself sanctify you." It is so great a work that it cannot be worked by anyone but the God of peace himself. What the immediate work of the Spirit is in this, what influence the mediation and blood of Christ has in it, has already been declared in part; and we still have much more to add in our account of it. These things sufficiently manifest how great, how excellent and glorious a work it is. For it does not become divine and infinite wisdom, to engage the immediate power and efficacy of such glorious causes and means, in order to produce an ordinary or common effect.

It must be something of great importance to the glory of God, and of an eminent nature in itself. That little introduction which we made into an inquiry after its nature, manifests how great and excellent it is. Therefore, let us not deceive ourselves with the shadows and appearances of things in a few duties of piety or righteousness, nor even with many of them, if we do not find this great work at least begun in us. It is sad to see what trifling there is in these things among men. None, indeed, is content to be without a religion, and very few are willing to admit it in its power.

Fourthly, Have we received this principle of holiness and of spiritual life by the gracious operation of the Holy Ghost? There are, among many others, three duties incumbent on us, of which we ought to be as careful as we are of our souls.

(1) And the first is to carefully and diligently, by all means, cherish and preserve it in our hearts. This sacred deposit of the new creature, of the divine nature, is entrusted to us to take care of, to cherish, and to improve.2 Timothy 1:14 If we willingly, or through our neglect, allow it to be wounded by temptations, weakened by corruptions, or not exercised in all the known duties of obedience, then our guilt is great, and our trouble will not be small.

(2) And then, secondly, it is equally incumbent on us to evince and manifest it by its fruits, in the mortification of corrupt lusts and affections, in all duties of holiness, righteousness, charity, and piety in the world. That God may be glorified by this, is one of the ends for which he endues our natures with it. Without these visible fruits, we expose our entire profession of holiness to reproach.

(3) And in like manner, it is required that we be thankful for what we have received.

3. Just as this principle of inherent grace or holiness has the nature of a habit, so also it has the properties of a habit. And the first property of a habit is that it inclines and disposes its subject to acts of its own kind, or that are suitable to it. It is directed to a certain end, and it inclines the person to acts or actions which tend to this end; and it does that with evenness and constancy. Indeed, moral habits are nothing but strong and firm dispositions and inclinations to moral acts and duties of their own kind, such as righteousness, or temperance, or meekness. There must be such a disposition and inclination, therefore, in this new spiritual nature or principle of holiness which we have described, with which the souls of believers are inlaid and furnished by the Holy Ghost in their sanctification; for —

(1.) It has a certain end, and it is bestowed on us to enable us to that end. Although it is a great work in itself, one in which the renovation of the image of God in us consists, yet it is not worked in anyone except with respect to a further end in this world; and this end is that we may live to God. We are made like God, that we may live to God. By the depravation of our natures, we are "alienated from this life of God," this divine, spiritual life, Ephesians 4:18. We do not like this life; instead, we have an aversion to it. Indeed, we are under the power of a death that is universally opposed to that life; for "to be carnally minded is death," Romans 8:6 — that is, it is opposed with respect to the life of God, and all the acts that belong to it. This life of God has two parts: [1.] The outward duties of it; [2.] The inward frame and actings of it. For the first, persons under the power of corrupted nature may perform them, and they do so; but it is without delight, constancy, or permanence. The language of that principle by which they are moved is, "Behold, what a weariness it is!" Malachi 1:13; and such hypocrites will not pray always. But as to the second, or the internal actings of faith and love, by which all outward duties will be quickened and animated, they are utter strangers to them, utterly alienated from them. With respect to this life of God, a life of spiritual obedience to God, our natures are thus spiritually renewed, or furnished with this spiritual habit and principle of grace. It is worked in us, so that by virtue of it, we may "live to God." And without it, we cannot do so in any one single act or duty whatsoever; for "those who are in the flesh cannot please God," Romans 8:8. That is why the first property and inseparable adjunct of this habit, is that it inclines and disposes the soul in which it is found, to all acts and duties that belong to the life of God, or to all the duties of holy obedience, so that it will attend to them — not from conviction or external impression only, but from an internal genuine principle that so inclines and disposes it to this. These things may be illustrated by what is contrary to them: in the state of nature, there is a "carnal mind," which is the principle of all moral and spiritual operations in those in whom it is found. And this carnal mind has an enmity, or it is "enmity against God," — "it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can it be," Romans 8:7. That is, its bent and inclination lies directly against spiritual things, or against the mind and will of God in all things which concern a life of obedience to Him. Now, just as this principle of holiness is that which is introduced into our souls in opposition to, and to the exclusion of, the carnal mind, so this disposition and inclination of this principle is opposite to, and contrary to, the enmity of the carnal mind, tending always toward actions that are spiritually good, according to the mind of God.

(2.) This disposition of heart and soul, which I place as the first property or effect of the principle of holiness, as declared and explained before, is what the Scripture calls fear, love, delight, and such other affections that express a constant regard and inclination toward their objects. For these things do not denote the principle of holiness itself (which is seated in the mind, or understanding and will), because they are only the names of our affections; but they signify the first way by which that principle acts itself, in a holy inclination of the heart to spiritual obedience. So when the people of Israel had engaged themselves by solemn covenant to hear and do whatever God commanded, God adds concerning it, "O that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always!" Deuteronomy 5:29 — that is, that the bent and inclination of their hearts would always be to obedience. This is what is intended in the promise of the covenant: Jeremiah 32:39, "I will give them one heart, that they may fear me;" this is the same as the "new spirit," Ezekiel 11:19. The new heart, as previously declared, is the new nature, the new creature, the new, spiritual, supernatural principle of holiness. The first effect, the first fruit of this is the fear of God always, or a new spiritual bent and inclination of soul to all the will and commands of God. And this new spirit, this fear of God, is still expressed as the inseparable consequence of the new heart, or the writing of the law of God in our hearts, which are the same. So it is called, "fearing the Lord and his goodness," Hosea 3:5. In like manner, it is expressed by "love," which is the inclination of the soul to all acts of obedience to God, and to communion with him, with delight and contentment. It is a regard for God and his will, with a due reverence for his nature and a delight in him, that is suited to that covenant-relation in which he stands to us.

(3.) It is, moreover, expressed by being spiritually minded: "To be spiritually minded is life and peace," Romans 8:6; — that is, the bent and inclination of the mind to spiritual things, is that by which we live to God and enjoy peace with him; it is "life and peace." By nature we savor only the things of the flesh, and we "mind earthly things," Php 3:19; our minds or hearts are set upon them, disposed towards them, and ready for all things that lead us to the enjoyment of them and satisfaction in them. But by this new nature, we mind the things that are above, or set our affections on them, Colossians 3:1-2. By virtue of this, David professes that his "soul followed hard after God," Psalms 63:8, or inclined earnestly to all those ways by which he might live to God, and come to the enjoyment of him. It is like the earnestness in someone in pursuit of something that is continually in his eye, as our apostle expresses it, Php 3:13-14. It is compared by the apostle Peter to that natural inclination which is in those who are hungry for food: 1 Peter 2:2, "As new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby;" which is a constant unalterable inclination.

This, therefore, is what I intend: Every nature has its disposition to actings that are suitable to it. The principle of holiness is such a nature, a new or divine nature; wherever it is, it constantly inclines the soul to duties and acts of holiness; it produces a constant disposition to them. And by the principle itself, the contrary principle of sin and flesh is impaired and subdued. So too, by this gracious disposition, the inclination to sin which is in us, is weakened, impaired, and gradually taken away. This is why, wherever this principle of holiness is, it disposes or inclines the whole soul to acts and duties of holiness. And it does that — (1.) Universally, or comprehensively; (2.) Constantly, or evenly; and (3.) Permanently, to the end. And where these things do not exist, no multiplication of duties will either make or designate any person holy.

(1.) There is no duty of holiness whatsoever, without a disposition to it in a sanctified heart. There is a respect to all God’s commands. Some of them may be more contrary to our natural inclinations than others, some more at odds to our present secular interests, some attended with more difficulties and disadvantages than others, and some may be rendered very hazardous by the circumstances of times and seasons. But however so, if there is a gracious principle in our hearts, it will equally incline and dispose us to every one of them in its proper place and season. And the reason for this is because, being a new nature, it equally inclines to all that belongs to that nature, just as all acts of holy obedience do. For every nature has an equal propensity toward all its natural operations, in their times and seasons.

Hence our Savior tested the rich young man, who gave an account of his duties and righteousness, with a duty that lay close to his secular interests and worldly satisfactions. This immediately drove him away, and evidenced that all he had done besides, was not from an internal principle of spiritual life. Any other principle or cause of our duties and obedience will, upon solicitation, give way to a habitual reserve of one thing or another that is contrary to this. It will allow either the omission of some duties, or the commission of some sin, or the retaining of some lust. So Naaman, who vowed obedience upon his conviction of the power of the God of Israel, would nevertheless, upon the solicitation of his worldly interest, reserve to bow in the house of Rimmon. Thus the omission of duties that are dangerous in the way of profession, or the reserving of some corrupt affections, love of the world, pride of life, will be allowed on any other principle of obedience, and will do so habitually. For even those who have this real spiritual principle of holiness may be surprised955 into actual omission of duties, commission of sins, and a temporary indulgence of corrupt affections. But habitually they cannot be so. A habitual reserving of anything that is sinful or morally evil, is eternally inconsistent with this principle of holiness — light and darkness, fire and water, may as soon be reconciled in one, as for this to be so. And hereby it is distinguished from all other principles, reasons, or causes on which men may perform any duties of obedience towards God.

(2.) It thus disposes the heart to duties of holiness constantly and evenly. The one in whom it is found, fears always, or he is in the fear of the Lord all day long. In all instances, on all occasions, it equally disposes the mind to acts of holy obedience. It is true that the actings of grace which proceed from it are sometimes more intense and vigorous in us than at other times. It is also true that we are sometimes more watchful and diligently intent on all occasions of acting grace — whether in solemn duties, or in our general course, or on particular occasions — than we are at some other times. Moreover, there are special seasons in which we meet with greater difficulties and obstructions from our lusts and temptations than ordinarily, by which this holy disposition is intercepted and impeded. But notwithstanding all these things which are contrary to it, and which obstruct its operations, in itself and of its own nature, it constantly and evenly inclines the soul, at all times and on all occasions, to duties of holiness. Whatever happens otherwise, is incidental to it. This disposition is like a stream that arises equally from a living fountain, as our Savior expresses it: John 4:14, "A well of water springing up into everlasting life." As this stream follows its course, it may meet with oppositions that either stop or divert it for a season; but its waters still press forward continually.

Hereby too, the soul sets God always before it, and walks continually as in his sight. Men may perform duties of obedience to God — indeed, many of them are engaged in a constant course of duties as to their outward performance — but this is done on other grounds, from other principles, and by virtue of other motives. But whatever they are, they are not a new nature in and to the soul; and so they do not dispose men constantly and evenly toward what they lead to. Sometimes their impressions on the mind are strong and violent; there is no withstanding them; the duties they require must instantly be complied with. So it is when convictions are excited by dangers or afflictions, strong desires, or the like. And again, they leave the soul to its own formality and course, without the least impression from them towards any duties whatsoever. There is no cause, or principle, or reason for obedience, besides this one that is asserted, that will evenly and constantly incline us toward the acts of holiness. Men proceeding only upon the power of convictions are like men at sea who sometimes meet with storms or vehement winds; these fit them for their course, and would seem to immediately and violently drive them into their port or harbor, as it were. But suddenly, when they have an utter calm, there is no breath of air that stirs to help them forward. Then perhaps, after awhile, another gust of wind befalls them, which again they suppose will dispatch their voyage, but that also quickly fails them. Where this principle of holiness is, however, persons have a natural current which carries them on quickly, evenly, and constantly. And although they may sometimes meet with storms, tempests, and crosswinds, yet the stream, the current, which is natural, at length works its way, and holds its course, through all external occasional impediments.

(3.) It is also permanent in this, and it abides forever. It will never cease inclining and disposing the whole soul to acts and duties of obedience, until it comes to the end of them all in the enjoyment of God. It is "living water;" and whoever drinks of it will never thirst anymore — that is, with a total indigence of supplies of grace. Rather, it is "a well of water springing up into everlasting life," John 4:14. It springs up always, without intermission, because it is living water, from which vital acts are inseparable. And so, permanently and without ceasing, it springs up into everlasting life. It does not fail until those in whom it is inlaid, are safely lodged in the enjoyment of it. This is expressly promised in the covenant, "I will put my fear in their hearts, and they will not depart from me," Jeremiah 32:40. Those in whom this fear exists, which is permanent and endless, will never do so. It is true that it is our duty — with all care and diligence in the use of all means — to preserve, cherish, and improve both the principle itself, and its actings in these holy dispositions. We are to "show all diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end," Hebrews 6:11. And it is in the use of means, and the exercise of grace, that this principle is infallibly kept and preserved, Isa 40.31956 — and it is also true that sometimes, in some persons, upon the fierce interposition of temptations, with the violent and deceitful working of lusts, the principle itself may seem to be utterly stifled for a season, and this property of it to be destroyed, as it seems to have been with David under his sad fall and decay. Yet such is the nature of it that it is immortal, everlasting, and it will never absolutely die. Such is the relation of it to the covenant-faithfulness of God, and mediation of Christ, that it will never utterly cease or be extinguished. It abides, disposing and inclining the heart to all duties of holy obedience, to the grave. Indeed, ordinarily, and where its genuine work and tendency is not interrupted by cursed negligence or the love of the world, it thrives and grows continually to the end. Hence, some are not only fruitful, but they are sumptuous and flourishing in their old age; as their outward man decays, so in them the inward man is daily renewed in strength and power.2 Corinthians 4:16 But as for all other principles of obedience whatsoever, it is in their nature to decay and wither; all their actings insensibly grow weaker and less efficacious. So too, for the most part, either the increase of carnal wisdom, or the love of the world, or some powerful temptation, at one time or other puts an utter end to them, and they are of no use at all.

Hence there is not a more secure generation of sinners in the world than those who have been moved by the power of conviction, to a course of obedience in the performance of many duties. Those of them who do not openly fall into profaneness, or lasciviousness, or neglect of all duties of religion, will continue in their course from what they have been habituated to. They find it is compliant with their present circumstances and conditions in the world, having been preserved from those ways and practices which are inconsistent with their present course, by the power of their former convictions. But the power of these principles of conviction, education, impressions from afflictions, dangers, fears, all in one, dies before men. And if their eyes were open, they might see the outcome of them all. In this manner, therefore, the new, divine nature that is in believers, disposes and inclines them — impartially, evenly, and permanently — to all acts and duties of holy obedience.

One thing yet remains to be clarified, so that there may be no mistake in this matter: that in those who are thus constantly inclined and disposed to all the acts of a heavenly, spiritual life, there still remain contrary dispositions and inclinations also. There are still inclinations and dispositions to sin, proceeding from the remainders of a contrary habitual principle. The Scripture calls this the "flesh," "lust," the "sin that dwells in us," or the "body of death." This is what still remains in believers, of that vicious, corrupted depravation of our nature which came upon us by the loss of the image of God, and which disposes the whole soul to all that is evil. This still continues in believers, inclining them to evil, and to all that is evil, according to the power and efficacy which remains of it, in various degrees. Various things are observable here; such as —

(1.) This is that which is singular in this life of God: there are, in the same mind, will, and affections of a regenerate person, contrary habits and inclinations that continually oppose one another, and that act adversely concerning the same objects and ends. And this is not from any jarrings or disorder that exists between the distinct faculties of the soul itself. In natural men, on the one hand, there are adverse actings between their wills and affections which are bent toward sin; and on the other, the light of their minds and consciences prohibit committing that sin, and condemn its commission. This disorder is discernible in the light of nature, and it is sufficiently canvassed by the old philosophers. But these contrary habits, inclinations, and actings, are at work within the same faculties.957

(2.) This cannot be apprehended except by virtue of a previous conviction and acknowledgment both of the total corruption of our nature by the fall, and the initial renovation of our nature by Jesus Christ, in which these contrary habits and dispositions consist. So too, this cannot be denied without an open rejection of the gospel, and a contradiction of the experience of all those who believe or know anything of what it means to live to God. We intend no more than what the apostle so plainly asserts in Galatians 5:17 : "The flesh lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh;" that is, in the mind, will, and affections of believers: "and these are contrary one to another;" they are contrary principles, attended with contrary inclinations and actings: "so that you cannot do the things that you would."

(3.) There cannot be contrary habits, merely natural or moral, in the same subject, with respect to the same object, at the same time — at least they cannot be contrary in any high degree, so as to incline and act contrary to one another with urgency or efficacy. For a violent inclination to sin, and a conscience that fiercely condemns that sin, and by which sinners are sometimes torn and even distracted, are not contrary habits in the same subject. Rather, conscience brings in from without, the judgment of God against what the will and affections are bent upon within.

But, as was said, it is otherwise in the contrary principles or habits of spirit and flesh, of grace and sin, with their adverse inclinations and actings; only they cannot be contrary in the highest degree at the same time, nor be actually prevalent or predominant in the same instances — that is, sin and grace cannot bear rule in the same heart at the same time, so that the heart should be equally under the conduct of them both. Nor can they have contrary inclinations in the same soul, that are equally efficacious; for then they would absolutely obstruct all sorts of operations whatsoever. Nor can they have the same influence into particular actions, or those actions could not be justly designated either gracious or sinful from one or the other of them. Rather, by nature, the vicious, depraved habit of sin, or the flesh, is wholly predominant and universally prevalent, constantly disposing and inclining the soul to sin. Hence "all the imaginations of men’s hearts are evil, and that continually," Genesis 6:5 and "those who are in the flesh cannot please God." Romans 8:8 No good thing dwells in them,Romans 7:18 nor can they do anything that is good — the flesh is generally able to subdue the rebellions of light, convictions, and conscience, that are made against it. But upon the introduction of the new principle of grace and holiness in our sanctification, this habit of sin is weakened, impaired, and so disenabled, that it cannot nor will it incline to sin with that constancy and prevalence which it did formerly; nor ordinarily will it press with the same urgency and force. Hence the Scripture says it is dethroned by grace, so that it will not reign or lord it over us, by hurrying us into the pursuit of its uncontrollable inclinations, Rom 6.12.958 Concerning these things, the reader may consult my treatises about the "Remainder of Indwelling Sin," and the "Mortification of Sin in Believers."959 But this flesh, this principle of sin, is such that however it may be dethroned, corrected, impaired, and disenabled, it is still never wholly and absolutely dispossessed and cast out of the soul in this life. There it will remain, and there it will work, seduce, and tempt, more or less, according to its remaining strength and advantages. Because of this, and the opposition that arises from it, the principle of grace and holiness cannot, nor does it perfectly and absolutely incline the heart and soul to the life of God and its acts, such that those with this principle of holiness should not be sensible of any opposition made to it, nor of any contrary motions and inclinations to sin. For the flesh will lust against the spirit, as well as the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary. This is the analogy that is made between these two states: in the state of nature, the principle of sin, or the flesh, is predominant and it bears rule in the soul; but there is a light remaining in the mind, and a judgment in the conscience which, being heightened with instructions and convictions, continually opposes and condemns sin both before and after its commission. In those who are regenerate, it is the principle of grace and holiness that is predominant and bears rule. But there is still a principle of lust and sin in them, which rebels against the rule of grace, much as that light and those convictions which rebel against the rule of sin in the unregenerate. For just as they hinder men from doing many evils which their ruling principle of sin strongly inclines them to, and push them to do many duties that sin does not like, they do the same on the other side, in those who are regenerate: they hinder them from doing many good things which their ruling principle of holiness inclines them to; and they carry men into many evils which it abhors.960 But this inseparably and necessarily belongs to the principle of holiness: that it inclines and disposes the soul in which it abides universally, to all acts of holy obedience. And these inclinations are predominant to any other, and they keep the soul pointed to holiness continually; this belongs to its nature. And where there is a cessation or an interruption in these inclinations, it is from the prevailing reaction of the principle of sin which may be advantaged by outward temptations and incentives, which a holy soul will constantly contend against. Where this is not so, there is no holiness. The performance of duties — whether of religious worship or of morality, however frequently, sedulously, and usefully they are done — will not designate a man as holy, unless his whole soul is disposed and possessed with prevalent inclinations to all that is spiritually good, proceeding from the principle of the image of God that has been renewed in him. Outward duties of whatever sort, may still be multiplied upon light and conviction, even when they do not spring from a root of grace in the heart; but what rises up in this way, will quickly wither, Matthew 13:20-21. And this free, genuine, unforced inclination of the mind and soul, evenly and universally, to all that is spiritually good, to all acts and duties of holiness, with an inward laboring to break through and quit all opposition, is the first fruit and most pregnant evidence of the renovation of our natures by the Holy Ghost.

If the habit or inherent principle of holiness so constantly inclines the soul to all duties of holiness and obedience, it may be asked, Why does David pray that God would incline his heart to his testimonies, Psalms 119:36? For it would seem from this, that a new act of grace is required for it, and it does not spring from the habit mentioned — which was then eminent in the psalmist.

Ans. 1. I will show afterward that, notwithstanding all the power and efficacy of habitual grace, there is yet required a new act of the Holy Spirit by his grace for its actual exercise in particular instances.

Ans. 2. God inclines our hearts to duties and obedience principally by strengthening, increasing, and exciting the grace we have received, and which is inherent in us; but we neither have nor ever will have in this world, such a stock of spiritual strength as to do anything as we should, without renewed co-operations of grace.

Ans. 3. There is power accompanying this habit of grace, as well as propensity or inclinations. It does not merely dispose the soul to holy obedience, but it enables it to acts and duties of holiness. Our living to God, our walking in his ways and statutes, keeping his judgments —things which express our whole actual obedience — are the effects of the new heart that is given to us, and by which we are enabled to do them, Ezekiel 36:26-27. But this must be somewhat further and distinctly declared. (1.) I will show that there is a power of holy obedience in all those who have the principle of holiness worked in them by the sanctification of the Holy Spirit, which is inseparable from it; and (2.) I will show what that power is, or what it consists in.

It has been sufficiently proved before that by nature we have no power to or for anything that is spiritually good, nor to any acts or duties of evangelical holiness: "When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly," Romans 5:6. Until we are made partakers of the benefits of the death of Christ, in and by his sanctifying grace, we are "ungodly," and so we are "without strength" — we have no power to live to God. But, as was said, this has been fully and largely confirmed previously in our declaration about the impotency of our nature because of its death in sin; and so it does not need to be further asserted here.

(1.) The present assertion which we are to prove is that, in and by the grace of regeneration and sanctification, there is a power and ability given to us of living to God, or performing all the duties of acceptable obedience. This is the first act of that spiritual habit, arising out of it and inseparable from it. It is called "strength" or "power": Isaiah 40:31, "Those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength;" that is, strength for obedience or walking with God without weariness. They have strength, and it is renewed or increased in their walking with God. By the same grace, we are "strengthened with all might, according to the glorious power of God," Colossians 1:11; or, "strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man," Ephesians 3:16; by which "we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us," Php 4:13. In our calling or conversion to God, "all things are given to" us by his "divine power," which "pertain to life and godliness," 2 Peter 1:3 — everything that is needed to enable us to live a holy life. The habit and principle of grace that is worked in believers gives them new power and spiritual strength for all duties of obedience. The water of the Spirit in this habit is not only a "well of water" abiding in them, but it "springs up into everlasting life," John 4:14; i.e., it continually enables us to gracious actings that have a tendency to obedience. There is a sufficiency in the grace of God bestowed on those who believe, to enable them to the obedience that is required of them — so God told our apostle when he was ready to faint under his temptation, that "His grace was sufficient for him," 2 Corinthians 12:9 — or there is a power in all those who are sanctified, by which they are able to yield all holy obedience to God. They are alive to God, alive to righteousness and holiness. They have a principle of spiritual life; and where there is life, there is power in its kind, and for its end. This is why there is not only a principle or inherent habit of grace bestowed on us in our sanctification, by which we really and habitually differ from all unregenerate persons as to our state and condition — but moreover, there belongs to it an active power, or an ability for spiritual, holy obedience, which none are partakers of except those who are so sanctified. And this power is in respect to all the commands or precepts of obedience that belong to the new covenant. The commands of each covenant respect the power given in and by it. Whatever God required or does require of anyone, by virtue of the old covenant or its precepts, was on account of and proportionate to the strength given under and by that covenant. And the fact that we have lost that strength by the entrance of sin, does not exempt us from the authority of the command. This is why we are justly obliged to do what we have no power to perform. So also, the command of God under the new covenant, as to all that obedience which he requires of us, respects that power which is given and communicated to us by that covenant. And this is that power which belongs to the new creature: the habit and principle of grace and holiness which, as we have proved, is worked by the Holy Ghost in all believers.

(2.) We may now, therefore, inquire into the nature of this spiritual power: what it is, and what it consists in. This cannot be clearly understood without a due consideration of that impotency to all spiritual good, which is in us by nature, and which this power cures and takes away. We have declared this at large before, and the reader is referred there.961 When we know what it means to be without power or strength in spiritual things, we may learn from this what it is to have them. To this purpose, we may consider that there are three things or faculties in our souls which are the subject of all power or impotency in spiritual things — namely, our understandings, wills, and affections. It was proved earlier that our spiritual impotency arises from the depravation of these faculties. And thus, whatever power we have for holy, spiritual obedience, must consist in some special ability that is communicated distinctly to all these faculties. Our inquiry is threefold: [1] What is this power in the mind? [2] What is it in the will? and [3] What is it in the affections? —

[1.] This power in the mind consists in a spiritual light and ability to discern spiritual things in a spiritual manner; which men in the state of nature are utterly devoid of, 1 Corinthians 2:13-14. The Holy Spirit, in the first communication of the principle of spiritual life and holiness, "shines in our hearts, to give us the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ," 2 Corinthians 4:6. Indeed, this strengthening of the mind by saving illumination, is the most eminent act of our sanctification. Without this, there is such a veil of fear and bondage upon us, that we cannot see in spiritual things. But "where the Spirit of the Lord is," where he comes with his sanctifying grace, "there is liberty;" and thereby "we all, with open face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory," 2 Corinthians 3:17-18. See Eph 1.17-18.962 For this reason, all sanctified believers have an ability and power in the renewed mind and understanding, to see, know, discern, and receive spiritual things, the mysteries of the gospel and the mind of Christ, in a due and spiritual manner. It is true, not all believes have this power and ability in the same degree; but every one of them has sufficient power to discern what necessarily concerns themselves and their duties. Some of them seem, indeed, to be very low in knowledge; and in comparison to others, they seem very ignorant; for there are different degrees in these things, Ephesians 4:7. Some of them are kept in that condition by their own negligence and sloth; they do not use or improve, as they should, those means of growing in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ which God prescribes to them, as in Heb 6.1-6.963 But everyone who is truly sanctified, and who has received the least degree of saving grace by it, has enough light to understand the spiritual things of the gospel in a spiritual manner. When the mysteries of the gospel are preached to believers, some of them may be declared in such a way that those of lesser capacities and abilities may not be able to rightly comprehend the doctrine of these things. Yet it is still necessary to be proposed this way for the edification of those who are more grown in knowledge. Nevertheless, there is no one, not the least of them, who does not have a spiritual insight into the things themselves that are intended, so far as they are necessary to their faith and obedience in their present condition. The Scripture so abundantly testifies to this as to render it unquestionable. For "we have received the Spirit which is of God, that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God," 1 Corinthians 2:12. By virtue of what we have received, we know or discern spiritual things; thus we "know the mind of Christ," verse 16. This is the substance of that double testimony in 1 John 2.20, 27.964 This abiding unction is none other than that habitual inherent grace which we plead for. And by that grace, because it is a holy light in our mind, we "know all things;" it is the understanding that is given to us, to "know him that is true," 1 John 5:20. Only, it is their duty to continually endeavor to improve and enlarge the light they have, in the daily exercise of the spiritual power they have received, and in the use of means, Heb 5.14.965

[2.] This power in the will consists in its liberty, freedom, and ability to consent to, choose, and embrace spiritual things. Believers have free will to do what is spiritually good; for they are freed from that bondage and slavery to sin which they were under in the state of nature. Some may say, concerning the nature of free-will, that it consists in an indifference toward good or evil,966 to one thing or another, with a power to apply itself to all its operations, whatever their objects may be. But as the Scripture knows nothing of this power, it is what we cannot have. And if we could, it would be of no advantage to us at all; truly, we would be much better without it. Indeed, we cannot have it; for supposing we could, it includes a rejection of all our dependence on God, making all the springs of our actions absolutely and formally in ourselves. Considering the prejudices, temptations, and corruptions we are possessed by and exercised with, rather than such a flexibility of will being of any use or advantage to us, it would instead certainly give us up to the power of sin and Satan.

All that the Scripture knows about free-will is that, in the state of nature, antecedent to the converting, sanctifying work of the Spirit, all men whatsoever are in bondage to sin; and that bondage is in all the faculties of their souls. They are "sold under sin;" they are "not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be;" — they can neither think, nor will, nor do, nor desire, nor love anything that is spiritually good, according to the mind of God. But as for what is evil, perverse, and unclean, they are free and open to it — they are ready for, prone to, and inclined to it, and they are in every way able to do it. On the other side, in those who are renewed by the Holy Ghost and sanctified, it acknowledges and teaches a freedom of will, not in an indifference and flexibility toward good and evil, but in a power and ability to like, love, choose, and cling to God and his will in all things. The will is now freed from its bondage to sin; and being enlarged by light and love, it freely wills and chooses the things of God, having received spiritual power and ability to do so. It is the truth — that is, faith in the gospel, which is the doctrine of the truth — which is the means of this freedom; it is the "truth that makes us free," John 8:32. And it is the Son of God by his Spirit who is the principal and efficient cause of it: for "if the Son makes us free, then we are free indeed," verse 36; otherwise we are not free, whatever we may pretend. And we do not have this freedom to spiritual good of ourselves, in the state of nature; for if we did, then we are free indeed, and there would be no need for the Son to make us free. The difference, therefore, about free-will is reduced to these three heads:

1st. Whether there is a power in man to indifferently determine for himself his choice and all his actings, to this or that, good or evil, one thing or another, independent of the will, power, and providence of God, and of His disposal of all future events? This we deny, as inconsistent with the prescience, authority, decrees, and dominion of God, and as that which would prove certainly ruinous and destructive to ourselves.

2dly. Whether there is in unregenerate men, those not renewed by the Holy Ghost, a freedom, power, and ability to do what is spiritually good, or to believe and obey according to the mind and will of God? This we also deny, as contrary to countless testimonies of Scripture, and absolutely destructive of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

3dly. Whether the freedom of will that is in believers, consists only in an indifference and freedom from any pre-determination, with a power that is equally ready for good or evil, as the will determines for itself? Or whether it consists in a gracious freedom and ability to choose, will, and do what is spiritually good, in opposition to the bondage and slavery to sin in which we were previously detained? This last one is that liberty and power of the will which we assert, as does the Scripture, in persons who are sanctified. This is a liberty that is consistent in every way with all the operations of God, as the sovereign first cause of all things; it is in every way compliant with and an effect of the special grace of God, and the operations of the Holy Ghost; it is a liberty by which our obedience and salvation are secured, in answer to the promises of the covenant. Who, that understands himself,967 would exchange this real, useful, gracious free-will, given by Jesus Christ the Son of God when he makes us free — and an effect of God’s writing his law in our hearts to cause us to walk in his statutes — that property of the new heart by which it is able to consent to, choose, and freely embrace the things of God — who would exchange these for a fictitious, imaginary freedom, yes (if it were real), for an indifference to all things, and an equal power to do everything, whether good or evil? I say then, that by the habit of grace and holiness infused into us by the Spirit of sanctification, the will is freed, enlarged, and enabled to comply with the commands of God for obedience, according to the tenor of the new covenant. This is that freedom, that power of the will, which the Scripture reveals and regards, and which (by all its promises and precepts) we are obliged to use and exercise, and no other.

[3.] The affections, which naturally are the principal servants and instruments of sin, are hereby engaged to God, Deu 30.6.968 From what has been thus far discussed, the sense of our former assertion is evident, and the nature of the principle of holiness is also asserted. In our sanctification, the Holy Ghost works, effects, and creates in us a new, holy, spiritual, vital principle of grace. This principle resides in all the faculties of our souls, according to what their special nature is capable of. And it does so, in the manner of a permanent and prevalent habit which the Spirit cherishes, preserves, increases, and strengthens continually using effectual supplies of grace from Jesus Christ. These supplies dispose, incline, and enable the whole soul to all the ways, acts, and duties of holiness by which we live to God; and they oppose, resist, and finally conquer whatever is opposite and contrary to the principle of holiness. This belongs essentially to evangelical holiness — indeed, the nature of holiness formally and radically consists in this. It is from this that believers are designated holy; and without this, none are holy, nor can they be called holy. The properties of this power are readiness and facility. Wherever it is, it renders the soul ready for all duties of holy obedience, and it renders all duties of holy obedience easy to the soul.

(1.) It gives readiness by removing and taking away all those encumbrances which the mind is apt to be clogged with and hindered by: sin, the world, spiritual sloth, and unbelief. This is what we are exhorted to as our duty, Hebrews 12:1; Luke 12:35; 1 Peter 1:13; 1 Peter 4:1; Ephesians 6:14. In this removal, the spirit is ready, though the flesh is weak, Mark 14:38. And those encumbrances which make us unready for obedience to God, may be considered in two ways:

[1.] As they are in their full power and efficacy in unregenerate persons, for which reason they are "reprobate to every good work," Titus 1:16. From this proceed all those prevalent excuses which bear sway in such persons, against complying with the will of God and their own convictions. "Yet a little slumber, a little sleep, a little folding of the hands to sleep," Proverbs 6:10. By these, men so often postpone the calls of God, and perniciously procrastinate from time to time in fully complying with their convictions. Whatever particular duties such persons actually perform, their hearts and minds are never prepared or ready for them. Instead, the encumbrances mentioned influence them into spiritual disorders in all they do.

[2.] These principles of sloth and unreadiness often partially influence the minds of believers themselves toward great indispositions to spiritual duties. So the spouse states her case, Song 5.2-3.969 Because of her circumstances in the world, she was unready for that converse and communion with Christ which she was called to. And not infrequently, it is this way with the best of men in this world. A spiritual unreadiness for holy duties, arising from the power of sloth or the occasions of life, is no small part of their sin and trouble. Both these are removed by this spiritual power of the principle of life and holiness in believers. The total prevailing power of sloth and circumstance, as it is in unregenerate persons, is broken by the first infusion of spiritual power into the soul, which gives it a habitual fitness and preparation of heart for all duties of obedience to God. And by various degrees, it frees believers from the remainders of the encumbrances which they have yet to contest with. It does this three ways:

1st. It weakens and removes the bent of the soul from earthly things, so they will not possess the mind as they did formerly, Colossians 3:2. How it does this, was declared before. And when this is done, the mind is greatly eased of its burden, and in some way it is ready for its duty.

2dly. It gives an insight into the beauty, excellence, and glory of holiness, and all our duties of obedience. Those who are unsanctified, are under the power of their natural darkness; they see nothing of this. They can see no beauty in holiness, no form or attractiveness which make it desirable. It is no wonder they are unfree to perform its duties, and are compelled to them, as it were. But the spiritual light with which this principle of grace is accompanied, reveals an excellence in holiness and its duties, and in the communion with God which we have by it, that greatly inclines the mind to them, and prepares it for them.

3dly. It causes the affections to cling and adhere to them with delight. "How I love your law!" says David; "my delight is in your statutes; they are sweeter to me than the honey-comb." Where these three things concur — where the mind is freed from the powerful influences of carnal lusts and love of this world; where the beauty and excellence of holiness and the duties of obedience lie clear in the eyes of the soul; and where the affections cling to spiritual things as commanded — then that readiness in obedience which we inquire after, will be found.

(2.) It gives facility or easiness in the performance of all duties of obedience. Whatever men do from a habit, they do with some kind of easiness. It is easy for those who are accustomed to it, even though it is hard and difficult in itself. And what is done from nature is done with facility. The principle of grace, as we have shown, is a new nature, an infused habit with respect to the life of God, or all duties of holy obedience. I grant that there will be opposition to them even in the mind and heart itself — opposition from sin, and Satan, and temptations of all sorts. Indeed, they may sometimes rise so high as either to defeat our purposes and intentions with regard to our duties, or to bog us down in them — to remove our chariot-wheels and make us drive heavily. But it is still in the nature of the principle of holiness to make the whole course of obedience and all its duties easy for us, and to give us a facility in their performance: for —

[1.] It introduces a suitableness between our minds and the duties we are to perform. By this principle, the law is written in our hearts; that is, there is an accountability in them to all that the law of God requires. In the state of nature, the great things of the law of God are a strange thing to us, Hosea 8:12; there is enmity in our minds against them, Romans 8:7; there is no suitableness between our minds and them — but this is taken away by the principle of grace. Thereby the mind and duty answer one another, as the eye to an illumined body. Hence the "commands of Christ are not grievous" to those in whom it abides, 1 John 5:3. They do not appear to contain anything uncouth,970 unreasonable, burdensome, or in any way unsuited to that new nature by which the soul is influenced and moved. Hence "all the ways of wisdom are" to believers, as they are in themselves, "pleasantness, and all her paths are peace," Proverbs 3:17. The great notion of some in these days is about the suitableness of Christian religion to reason. To make good their assertion in its principal mysteries, and because reason will not come to them, they bring them by force to their reason. But it is with respect to this renewed principle, that there is a suitableness in all the things of God to our minds and affections.

[2.] It keeps the heart or whole person frequent in all holy acts and duties; and frequency gives facility in every kind. It pushes the soul to reiterated actings of faith and love, or renewed holy thoughts and meditations. It is a spring that continually bubbles up in them upon the frequent repetition of the daily duties of prayer, reading, and holy discourse; as it does upon making use of all opportunities and occasions for mercy, benignity,971 charity, and bounty among men. Hereby the heart becomes so accustomed to the yoke of the Lord, and it is made so conversant in his ways, that it is natural and easy for it to bear them and to be engaged in them. It will be found by experience that the more intermissions of duties of any sort we fall under, the more difficulty we find in their performance.

[3.] It engages the assistance of Christ and his Spirit. It is the divine nature, the new creature, which the Lord Christ cares for. It is in and by its actings in all duties of obedience, that its life consists; in this, also, it is strengthened and improved. For this reason, the Lord Christ continually comes to the new creature’s assistance by supplies of his Spirit. And when the strength of Christ is engaged, then and there his yoke is easy and his burden is light.Matthew 11:30

Some, perhaps, will say that they do not find this facility or easiness in the course of obedience and in its duties. They encounter secret unwillingnesses in themselves, and great oppositions on other accounts. Because of these, they are apt to be faint and weary — indeed, they are almost ready to give up. It is hard for them to pray continually, and not to faint; to stand their watch night and day against the inroads of their spiritual adversaries; to keep themselves from the insinuations of the world, and to keep up those sacrifices of charity and bounty that are so well-pleasing to God. Many weights and burdens are upon them in their course, many difficulties press them, and they expect to be beset every moment. This is why they think that the principle of grace and holiness does not give the facility and easiness mentioned, or that they were never made partakers of it.

I answer —

1st. Let these persons examine themselves, and duly consider where those obstructions and difficulties which they complain about, arise from. If they are from the inward inclinations of their souls, and their unwillingness to bear the yoke of Christ, and they are only sustained in it by their convictions, which they cannot cast off, then their condition is to be bewailed. But if they are sensible and convinced that these arise from principles within themselves, which they hate and abhor and from which they long to be freed — and if they are from without, and they are looking at them as their enemies, and watch against them — then what they complain of is no more than what all believers experience in one degree or other.1Cor And if their impediments arise from what they know they oppose, and from that principle by which they are moved, then notwithstanding this objection, it may be in the nature of the principle of holiness, to give facility in all the duties of holiness.

2dly. Let them inquire whether they have been constant and assiduous in performing all those duties which they now complain they have so much difficulty in. The principle of grace and holiness gives facility in all duties of obedience; but it does so in the proper way and order. It first gives constancy and assiduity, and then it gives easiness. If men do not comply with its guidance and inclination in the former, then it is in vain for them to expect the latter. If we are not constant in all acts of obedience, none of them will ever be easy for us. There are those who omit proper and due seasons of meditation, prayer, hearing, charity, moderation in all things, patience, meekness, and the like; and do so at their pleasure, on the least occasions, excuses, or diversions. Let them never think or hope to have the ways of obedience smooth, its paths pleasant, or its duties easy. Let that person never think to attain any readiness, delight, or facility in any art or science, who is always beginning at it, dabbling in it occasionally. This is the way it is in all sorts of natural and spiritual things — to always be learning, and never come to the knowledge of the truth 2 Timothy 3:7 — so it is in the practice of holy obedience. If men are always beginning holiness, as it were — one time performing its duties, another time ceasing them; fearing or being unwilling to engage in a constant, equal, assiduous discharge of those duties — then they will always be striving after, but never come to any readiness or facility in them.

3dly. The difficulty and burdensomeness complained of, may proceed from the interposition of perplexing temptations, which weary, disquiet, and distract the mind. This may be and frequently is the case; and yet our assertion is not impeached. We only say that if we set aside extraordinary occasions and sinful neglects, this principle of grace and holiness gives that suitableness to the mind toward all duties of obedience, that constancy in them, that love for them, that makes them both easy and pleasant. By these indicators, we may inquire about the habit or principle of holiness in our own minds, so that we are not deceived by anything that falsely pretends to it; such as —

First, Let us take heed not to deceive ourselves, as though it would suffice for gospel holiness that we occasionally have good purposes of leaving sin and living to God — except when something out of the ordinary presses upon us with the effects which such good purposes will produce. Afflictions, sicknesses, troubles, a sense of great guilt, fear of death, and the like, usually produce this frame of mind. And although it is most remote from any pretense to evangelical obedience, I could not help but give a caution against it, because it is that by which most men delude themselves into eternal ruin.

It is rare to find any who are so stubbornly profligate, that at one time or another they do not project and design, indeed, promise and engage, a change of course and an amendment of their life — doing various things maybe, in the pursuit of those designs and purposes. For upon that, they abstain from their old sins which haunt and perplex them, and take to performing those duties from which they expect the most relief for their consciences, and whose neglect most poorly reflects on them. They will especially do so when the hand of God is upon them in afflictions and dangers, Psa 78.34-37.972 And this produces in them that kind of goodness which God says "is like the morning cloud or the early dew" (Hosea 6:4) — things that look good, but immediately vanish away.

Certainly it would not take much pains to convince any man how unspeakably this comes short of that evangelical holiness which is a fruit of the sanctification of the Spirit. It has neither its root, nor any fruit that so much as resembles it. But it is to be lamented that such multitudes of rational creatures, living under the means of light and grace, should so vainly and woefully delude their own souls. What they aim at and intend, is to have in them what may make them accepted by God. Now, not to insist on what will absolutely frustrate all the designs of such persons — namely, their lack of faith in Christ, and an interest in his righteousness by it (which they disregard) — all that they project and design is as far beneath that holiness which God requires of them, and which they think to obtain by it, as the earth is beneath the heavens. All that they do in this way is utterly lost; it will never be a righteousness to them or a holiness in them. Rather, this deceit is frequently rebuked. Only God, by his grace, can remove and take it away from the minds of men.

Secondly, We may learn from this not to be imposed on by gifts, however useful, with a plausible profession based on that. These things go a great way in the world, and many deceive both themselves and others by them. Gifts, in a special manner, are from the Holy Ghost; and therefore they are greatly to be esteemed. They are also frequently useful in and to the church; for "the manifestation of the Spirit is given to men to profit with." 1 Corinthians 12:7 They put men upon such duties as will have a great show and appearance of holiness. Only by the help of these gifts, may men pray, and preach, and maintain spiritual communication among those with whom they converse. And as circumstances may allow, these gifts put various persons in a position to frequently perform these duties; and so they sustain an eminence in profession.

Yet, when all is done, they are not holiness; nor are the duties performed in their strength alone, duties of evangelical obedience, accepted by God in those by whom they are performed. They may be found even where there is nothing of holiness at all. Indeed, these duties are not only consistent with holiness, but they are subservient to it; they are exceeding promoters of holiness in souls who are really gracious. Yet they may exist alone, without grace. And then they are apt to deceive the mind with a pretense of being and doing what they are not, nor can do. Let them be called to account by the nature and properties of that habit and principle of grace which is found in all true holiness, as explained before, and it will quickly appear how short they come of it. For to the extent that their subject and residence is in the mind only, and not in the will or affections as influenced or restrained by light, these duties do not renew or change the mind itself so as to transform it into the image of God. Nor do they give the soul a general inclination toward all acts and duties of obedience, but only a readiness for that duty which their exercise particularly consists of. Therefore they correspond to no one property of true holiness; and we have not seldom seen this revealed.

Morality or a course of moral duties alone cannot in the least maintain any pretense to holiness. There have been attempts to prove that there is no specific difference between common and saving grace, except that they are both of the same kind, differing only in degrees. But some, as though this ground had already been gained, and needed no more contending about, add — without any consideration of these "petty distinctions of common and saving grace" — that "morality is grace and grace is morality, and nothing else." To be a gracious, holy man, according to the gospel, and to be a moral man, is all the same thing with them. And it has not been declared as yet, whether there is any difference between evangelical holiness and philosophical morality. This is why I will proceed to the fourth thing proposed —

4. And this is to further prove that this habit or gracious principle of holiness is specifically distinct from all other habits of the mind whatsoever, whether intellectual or moral, connate973 or acquired; and it is also distinct from all that common grace and its effects, which persons who are not really sanctified may be made partakers of. The truth of this assertion is sufficiently evident from the description we have given of this spiritual habit, its nature and properties. But because there are also other respects giving further confirmation of that same truth, I will recall the most important of them, after a few things have been premised: such as —

(1.) A habit, of whatever sort, qualifies the subject in which it is exercised, so that it may be identified by it; and it makes the actions proceeding from that habit, suited to it, or to be of its same nature.974 As Aristotle says, "Virtue is a habit which makes the one who has it good or virtuous, and his actions good." Now, all moral habits are seated in the will. Intellectual habits are not immediately effective from good or evil, but only as the will is influenced by them. These habits incline, dispose, and enable the will to act according to their nature. And in all the acts of our wills, and in all the external works which proceed from them, two things are considered: first, The act itself, or the work done; and, secondly, The end for which the act is done. Both these things are related to the habit itself, if not immediately, then by virtue of its acts. Moreover, it is necessary and natural that every act of the will — every work of a man — be for a certain end.

Two things, therefore, are to be considered in all of our obedience: first, the duty itself that we do; and secondly, the end for which we do it. If any habit, therefore, does not incline and dispose the will to the proper end of duty, as well as to the duty itself, then it is not of that kind from which true gospel obedience proceeds. For the end of every act of gospel obedience — which is the glory of God in Jesus Christ — is essential to it. Let us then, take all the habits of moral virtue, and we will find that however they may incline and dispose the will to such acts of virtue that materially are duties of obedience, they are not done with respect to this end. If it is said that such moral habits do incline the will to duties of obedience with respect to this end, then there is no need for the grace of Jesus Christ or the gospel, to enable men to live to God according to the tenor of the covenant of grace. This is what some seem to aim at.

(2.) Because it is the end that gives all our duties their special nature, this end is twofold: the next end; and the ultimate end — that is, the end is either particular or general.975 And these ends may be different in the same action. Just as a man may give alms to the poor, his next and particular end may be to relieve and cherish the poor — this end is good, and so far the work or duty itself is also good. But the ultimate and general end of this action may be self, merit, reputation, praise, compensation for sin committed, and not the glory of God in Christ; which vitiates the whole.

Now, moral habits that are acquired by endeavors in accord with our light and convictions, or by the dictates of enlightened reason, with resolve and perseverance, may incline and dispose the will to actions and works that, for their substance, are duties; and they are capable of having particular ends that are good. But a lack of respect to the general end (the glory of God), does not allow them to be any part of gospel obedience. And this is applicable to all moral habits and duties whatsoever. But the difference asserted is further manifested in these —

(1.) From the special fountain and spring of holiness, which makes its nature of another kind than any which common grace or morality can pretend to. And this fountain is electing love, or God’s purpose of election: Ephesians 1:4, "He has chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love." God chooses us from eternity to be holy; that is, with a design and purpose to make us holy. He sets some men apart in his eternal purpose, as those to whom he will communicate holiness. Holiness is therefore a special work of God, in the pursuit of a special and eternal purpose. This gives it its special nature and makes it, as said, of another kind than any effect of common grace whatsoever. Holiness is what God works in men by his Spirit because he has chosen them, and nothing else is so; for he "chooses us to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit," 2 Thessalonians 2:13. Salvation is the end that God aims at in choosing us, in subordination to his own glory — which is, and must be, the ultimate end of all his purposes and decrees, or of all the free acts of his wisdom and love. The means which he has ordained, and by which we will be brought to salvation, and which he designed in his eternal purpose, is the "sanctification of the Spirit." Gospel holiness, therefore, is the effect of that sanctification of the Spirit, which God has designed as the special way and means, on their part, of bringing the elect to salvation. And choosing them is the cause and reason why he sanctifies the elect by his Spirit. Where our sanctification is comprised under our vocation976 — because therein and thereby we are sanctified — by the sanctifying principle of holiness that is communicated to us, holiness is not only reckoned as an effect and consequence of our predestination, but it is so conjoined to it, as to declare that no others are partakers of it except those who are predestined, Rom 8.29-30.977 This consideration, of itself, is sufficient to evince that this holiness differs essentially from all other habits of the mind, and all actions proceeding from them, as having a special nature of its own. Whatever there may be in any men of virtue and piety, or whatever their endeavors may be in ways of honesty and duty towards God and men, if the power and principle of it in them is not a fruit of electing love, of the Spirit of sanctification, given by God for this certain end: — that we may attain the salvation to which we are chosen — then it does not belong to this holiness. This is why the apostle Peter, charging us to use "all diligence," by which we may make "our calling and election sure" — that is, sure to our souls, and in our own minds — prescribes as its means, the exercise and increase of those graces which are its proper effects, 2Pet 1.5-7, 10.978 And the reason why we see so many glorious professions of faith and obedience utterly fail as we do, is because the faith professed was not "the faith of God’s elect," Titus 1:1. And its obedience was not the fruit of that Spirit of sanctification which God gives to man to make his purpose of election infallibly effectual, so that the "purpose of God which is according to election might stand," Romans 9:11, and that "the election" ("those elected"), might obtain the grace and glory designed for them, Rom 11.5, 7.979 It is evidence of great spiritual sloth in us, or worse, evidence that our graces and obedience are not genuine and of the true heavenly race, if we do not endeavor to satisfy ourselves that they are real effects of electing love.

If anyone inquires how we may know whether the graces of holiness (which we hope are in us), and the duties that proceed from them, are fruits and effects of election — seeing that only such fruits are genuine and durable — I answer that it may be done three ways:

[1.] By their growth and increase. In ordinary cases, setting aside the seasons of prevalent temptations and desertions, this is the best evidence of it. Waters that proceed from a living fountain increase in their progress, because of the continual supplies which they have from their spring. While those which have only occasional beginnings, from showers of rain or the like, continually decay until they are dried up. The graces that come from this eternal spring have continual supplies from it, so that, if they meet with no violent obstructions (as they may sometimes do for a season), they constantly increase and thrive. And therefore, no man can secure his spiritual comforts for even one moment, under a tangible decay of grace; for such a decay is a very sufficient reason why he should call the truth of all his grace into question. Where the Spirit of sanctification is present, as given in pursuit of the purpose of election, it is "a well of water springing up into everlasting life," John 4:14. The quietness and satisfaction of professors of Christ, under a decay of grace, is a soul-ruining security; and it has nothing in it of spiritual peace.

[2.] We may discern it when we are greatly stirred up to diligent acting and exercise of grace, out of a sense of that electing love from which all grace proceeds. It is the nature of that grace which is the fruit of election, to greatly affect the heart and mind with a sense of the love that is in this grace. So the apostle expressly says that one grace excites and stirs up another, from a sense of the love of God, which sets them all to work, Rom 5.2-5.980 So God is said to "draw us with loving-kindness," because "he has loved us with an everlasting love," Jeremiah 31:3. That is, He gives us such a sense of his everlasting love, as thereby to draw us after him in faith and obedience. Those principles of duties in us which are excited only by fear, awe, hope, and the jealous observances of an awakened conscience, will scarcely at any time evince this heavenly extract, unto a spiritual understanding. That grace which proceeds from especial love, will carry along with it a holy quickening sense of that love, and thereby be excited to its due exercise. We do what we can to famish and starve our graces, when we do not endeavor to supply them by faith, from that spring of divine love from which they proceed.

[3.] Seeing that we are chosen in Christ, and predestined to be like him, those graces of holiness which are most effectual in working us toward conformity to Him, will have the most evident and legible characters of electing love upon them. That grace which makes us like Jesus Christ is certainly from an eternal spring. Of this sort are meekness, humility, self-denial, contempt of the world, readiness to ignore wrongs, to forgive enemies, to love and do good to all — things which indeed are despised by most, and duly regarded by only a few. But I must return.

(2.) The special procuring cause of this holiness is the mediation of Christ. We are not concerned with anything in this matter — whatever men may call it, whether virtue, godliness, or holiness — that does not have a special relation to the Lord Christ and his mediation. Evangelical holiness is purchased for us by him according to the tenor of the everlasting covenant; it is promised to us on his account; it is actually impetrated981 for us by his intercession; and it is communicated to us by his Spirit. Hereby we not only remove all the moral virtues of the heathens from having the least concern in this, but also all the principles and duties of persons who profess Christianity, who are not really and actually implanted into Christ. For "of God he is made sanctification to us," 1 Corinthians 1:30. And he is made this on several accounts, the heads of which are recalled here:

[1.] He is made sanctification to us of God with respect to his priestly office, because we are purified, purged, washed, and cleansed from our sins by his blood, in the oblation of it, and the application of it to our souls,982 as declared at large earlier, Ephesians 5:25-27; Titus 2:14, 1 John 1:7; Heb 9.14.983 All that we have taught concerning the purification of our minds and consciences by the blood of Christ, is unique to gospel holiness, and distinguishes it essentially from all common grace or moral virtues. Those who rest in a multitude of duties — though animated with zeal, and set off with a profession of the most rigid mortification — only deceive themselves, if their hearts and consciences are not thus purged by the blood of Christ.

[2.] Because he prevails for the actual sanctification of our natures, in the communication of holiness to us by his intercession. His prayer in John 17:17, is the blessed spring of our holiness: "Sanctify them through your truth; your word is truth."

There is nothing of this grace worked in us, bestowed on us, communicated to us, preserved in us, except what is in answer to and in compliance with the intercession of Christ. From his prayer for us, holiness is begun in us: "Sanctify them," he says, "by your truth." From this, it is kept alive and preserved in us. He says to Peter, "I have prayed for you, that your faith not fail." Luke 22:32 Through his intercession we are saved to the uttermost.Hebrews 7:25 Nothing belongs to this holiness except what is a unique fruit of Christ’s intercession, in its actual communication; what is not so — what men may be made partakers of upon any more general account — does not belong to this. If we really design holiness or intend to be holy, it is our duty to constantly improve984 the intercession of Christ for the increase of it. We may do this by special applications to him for that purpose. So the apostles prayed him to "increase their faith," Luke 17:5; and we may do so for the increase of our holiness. But the nature of this application to Christ for the increase of holiness, by virtue of his intercession, is to be duly considered. We are not to pray that he would intercede for us so that we may be sanctified, for he does not need our minding for the discharge of his office. Indeed, he does not intercede for us orally in heaven at all; he always does so virtually,985 by his appearance in the presence of God with the virtue of his oblation or sacrifice. But because the Lord Christ gives no supplies of grace to us except what he receives from the Father for that end, and by virtue of his intercession, we apply to him under that consideration — namely, as the one who, upon his intercession with God for us, has all stores of grace from which to give us supplies.

[3.] He is sanctification to us, because the rule and measure of holiness for us, the instrument of working it in us, is his word and doctrine, which he taught the church as its great prophet: "The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." John 1:17 The inbred dictates of the light and law of nature, in their greatest purity, are not the rule or measure of this holiness; much less are those rules and maxims which men deduce from them, partly right and partly wrong, of any such use. Nor is the written law itself the rule of holiness. It is the rule of original holiness, but it is not the adequate rule of that holiness to which we are restored by Christ. Nor are both of these in conjunction (the dictates of nature and the written law) the instruments of working holiness in us. Rather, it is the doctrine of the gospel which is the adequate rule and immediate instrument of holiness. My meaning is that the word, the gospel, the doctrine of Christ, in its preceptive part, is so the rule of all our obedience and holiness, that all which it requires belongs to this holiness, and nothing except what it requires, does so. The formal reason of our holiness consists in conformity to this rule, under this consideration: that it is the word and doctrine of Christ. Nothing belongs to holiness materially except what the gospel requires; and nothing is holy in us formally, except what we do because the gospel requires it. The gospel is the instrument of holiness, because God makes use of it alone as an external means for communicating it to us, or ingenerating it in us. Principles of natural light, with the guidance of an awakened conscience, direct us to, and exact the performance of many material duties of obedience. The written law requires all duties of original obedience from us; and God uses these things variously to prepare our souls for a right receiving of the gospel. But there are some graces, some duties, belonging to evangelical holiness, which the law knows nothing of — such as the mortification of sin, godly sorrow, daily cleansing of our hearts and minds — not to mention the more sublime and spiritual acts of communion with God by Christ, along with all that faith and love which are required in us towards him. For although these things may be contained in the law radically, as it requires universal obedience to God, yet are they not contained in it formally. The law is not used as the means to generate faith and holiness in us; this is the effect of the gospel only. Hence it is said to be "the power of God unto salvation," Romans 1:16; or that by which God exerts the greatness of his power for that purpose; "the word of his grace, which is able to build us up, and to give us an inheritance among all those who are sanctified," Acts 20:32. By the preaching of the word, faith comes, Romans 10:17; and by hearing it, we receive the Spirit, Galatians 3:2. It is that by which we are born again in Christ Jesus, 1 Corinthians 4:15; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23-25. All that is required of us in the way of external obedience, is that our conduct be such, that it becomes the gospel. And this is a proper touchstone for our holiness: to test whether it is genuine, and of the right kind or not. If it is, it is nothing but the seed of the gospel quickened in our hearts, and bearing fruit in our lives. It is the delivering up of our souls into the mold of its doctrine, so that our minds and the word reflect one another, as a face in reflected in water. And we may know whether it is so with us or not, in two ways; for —

1st. If it is so, none of the commands of the gospel will be grievous to us, but easy and pleasant. A principle suited to them all, inclining to them all, connatural986 to them, as proceeding from them, being implanted in our minds and hearts, renders the commands themselves so suited to us, so useful, and their matter so desirable, that obedience is made pleasant thereby. From this comes that satisfaction of mind, with rest and joy, which believers have in gospel duties, even in the most difficult of them; and also that trouble and sorrow which ensue upon their neglect or omission, or upon being deprived of opportunities for them. But in the strictest course of duties that proceed from any other principle, the precepts of the gospel (or at least some of them), on account of their spirituality or simplicity, are either esteemed grievous, or they are despised.

2dly. None of the truths of the gospel will seem strange to us. This makes up the evidence of a genuine principle of gospel holiness: when its commands are not grievous, nor its truths strange or uncouth.987 The mind that is so prepared, will receive every truth as the eye receives every increase of light — naturally and pleasantly, until it comes to its proper measure. There is a measure of light which is suited to our visual faculty. And what exceeds it, will dazzle and amaze rather than enlighten. But every degree of light which tends to increase, is connatural and pleasant to the eye. So it is with the sanctified mind and spiritual truth. There is a measure of light issuing from spiritual truths, that our minds are capable of receiving: what is beyond this measure belongs to glory, and gazing after it will dazzle rather than enlighten us — such is the issue of overstrained speculations, when the mind endeavors to excess in its measure. But all light from truth, which tends to fill up that measure, is pleasant and natural to the sanctified mind. It sees wisdom, glory, beauty, and usefulness in the most spiritual, sublime, and mysterious truths that are revealed in and by the word — laboring more and more to comprehend them because of their excellence. For lack of this light, we know how the truths of the gospel are despised, reproached, and scorned by many; its truths are no less foolishness to be believed by them, than its precepts are grievous to be obeyed by them.

[4.] Christ is sanctification to us as he is the exemplary cause of our holiness. The design of God in working grace and holiness in us is that "we may be conformed to the image of his Son, that he may be the firstborn among many brethren," Romans 8:29. And our design in attaining holiness is, first that we may be like him, and then that we may express or "show forth the virtues of him who has called us out of darkness into his marvellous light," to his glory and honor, 1 Peter 2:9. He is proposed to this very end — in the purity of his natures, the holiness of his person, the glory of his graces, the innocence and usefulness of his conduct in the world — as the great idea and exemplar, which we ought to conform ourselves to in all things. Because the nature of evangelical holiness consists in this — namely, in a universal conformity to him as he is the image of the invisible God — the proposal of his example to us, is an effectual means to ingenerate and increase evangelical holiness in us.

It is confessed by all, that examples are the most effectual ways of instruction. And if they are proposed in a timely way, they secretly solicit the mind to imitation, and almost unavoidably incline it to this. But their force and efficacy are increased when — added to this power which examples naturally and morally have to instruct and affect our minds — things are particularly designed and instituted by God to be our examples. He requires that we should learn from them both what to do, and what to avoid. The apostle instructs us in this at large in 1Cor 10.6-11.988 Now, these both concur in the example of holiness given to us in the person of Christ; for —

1st. In himself, morally considered, He is not only the most perfect, absolute, glorious pattern of all grace, holiness, virtue, and obedience, to be chosen and preferred above all others, but he alone is so; there is no other complete example of it. As for those examples of heroic virtue or stoic apathy which are boasted about among the heathens, it would be an easy matter to find such flaws and tumors in them that it would render them not only unattractive, but deformed and monstrous. And in the lives of the best of the saints, there is declared what we should expressly avoid, as well as what we should follow. In some things, we are left at a loss whether it is safe to conform to them or not, seeing that we are not to be followers of anyone further than they were followers of Jesus Christ.989 Nor in what they were or did, are they absolutely our rule and example, but only in so far as they conformed to Christ in this. The best of their graces, the highest of their attainments, and the most perfect of their duties, have their spots and imperfections. So that, even though they may have exceeded what we can attain to, and are therefore fit to be proposed for our imitation, they come short of what we aim at, which is to be holy as God is holy.1 Peter 1:16 But in Christ, our great exemplar, there was never the least shadow of variableness from the perfection of holiness (for "he did no sin, nor was guile found in his mouth;" indeed, "in him was light, and no darkness at all"). So too, all his graces, all his actings of them, all his duties, were so absolute and complete, that we ought to aim no higher, nor propose any other pattern for ourselves. And who is it that, aiming at any excellence, would not desire the most absolute and perfect example? This example of holiness, therefore, is to be found in Christ, and in him alone. And,

2dly. He is appointed by God for this purpose. One end why God sent his Son to take our nature upon him, and to conduct himself in the world in this holiness, was that he might set us an example in our own nature. He was like us in all things, except sin. He was an example of that renovation of God’s image in us, of that return to him from sin and apostasy, and of that holy obedience, which God requires of us.

Such an example was needed, that we might never be at a loss about the will of God in his commands, having a glorious representation of it before our eyes; and this could be given to us only in our own nature. The angelical nature was not suited to set us an example of holiness and obedience, especially as to the exercise of those graces which we principally stand in need of in this world; for what examples could angels set for us of patience in afflictions, of quietness in sufferings, seeing that their nature is incapable of such things? Nor could we have had an example that was perfect and complete in our own nature, but only in the one who was "holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners." Hebrews 7:26 Therefore, to this end among others, God sent his own Son to take our nature on him, and in this to represent to us the perfect idea of that holiness and obedience which he requires of us. It is evident, therefore, that these two considerations of an instructive example — that it has a moral aptitude to incite the mind to imitation, and that it is instituted by God for that purpose — are both found eminently in this example of Christ. But there is yet more in this matter: for —

1st. Just as God appointed the consideration of Christ as a special ordinance for the increase of holiness in us, so Christ’s holy obedience, as proposed to us, has a particular efficacy to that purpose, beyond all other instituted examples; for —

(1st.) We are often called to behold Christ, and to look on him, or it is promised that we will do so, Isaiah 45:22; Zec 12.10.990 Now, this beholding of Christ, or looking on him, is considering him by faith for the ends for which he is exhibited, proposed, and set forth by God in the gospel and its promises. Therefore, this is a special ordinance of God, made effectual by his Spirit. And there are two ends: [1st.] Justification; [2dly.] Salvation, or deliverance from sin and punishment. "Look to me," he says, "and be saved." This was him on the cross, and he is still so in the preaching of the gospel, in which he is "evidently crucified before our eyes," Galatians 3:1; lifted up like the bronze serpent in the wilderness, John 3:14-15. So that in looking on him by faith, as "bearing our sins in his own body on the tree," 1 Peter 2:24, and "receiving the atonement" made thereby, Romans 5:11, we may be justified from all our sins through faith in him, and saved from the wrath to come. But this is not what we intend; for,

(2dly.) He is proposed by God to us in the gospel, as the great pattern and exemplar of holiness; so that, by God’s appointment, our beholding and looking on him, in the way mentioned, is a means of the increase and growth of holiness in us. So our apostle declares: 2 Corinthians 3:18, "We all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."

What is proposed to us is the "glory of God," or the "glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ," 2 Corinthians 4:6 — that is, God gloriously manifests himself in the person of Christ. We are said to "behold with unveiled face." 2 Corinthians 3:18 The veil of types and shadows being taken off and removed, faith now clearly and distinctly views and considers Jesus Christ as represented to us in the mirror of the gospel — that is, faith considers the evidences of the presence of God in him and with him, in his work, purity, and holiness. And the effect of this is that we are, through the operation of the Spirit of God, "changed into the same image," or made holy; and in this, we are like him.

2dly. There is particular force and efficacy in the example of Christ, by way of motive to incline us to imitate him, that is not to be found in any other example, on any occasion whatsoever; because,

(1st.) Whatever is proposed to us as our pattern and example, in what he was or what he did, he was it, and he did it, not for his own sake, but merely out of free love for us. That pure nature of his, which we ought to labor to be conformed to, 1 John 3:3, and which he will at length bring us to, Php 3:21, he took upon himself, by an infinite condescension, merely out of love for us, Hebrews 2:14-15; Php 2:5-8. And all the actings of grace in him, all the duties of obedience which he performed, all that glorious compliance with the will of God in his sufferings which he manifested, proceed from his love for us, John 17:19; Galatians 2:20. These things are in themselves truly honorable and excellent — indeed, they are entirely that. The holiness and obedience which God requires of us consists in these; and by the appointment of God, it is proposed for our imitation in the example of Jesus Christ. How it must therefore necessarily influence and prevail on gracious souls to endeavor to conform to him in this, to be as he was, to do as he did, seeing that he was what he was, and he did what he did, merely out of love for us, and for no other end! And,

(2dly.) Everything which we are to imitate in Christ is also beneficial to us in other ways; for we are, in a way, saved by it. By his obedience we are made righteous, Romans 5:19. There is no grace or duty of Christ which he performed, that we do not have the advantage and benefit of it. And this increases the efficacy of his example. For who would not strive to obtain those things in himself, when being in Christ has so great an advantage?

Therefore, in this regard also, the Lord Christ is made sanctification to us, and he is the cause of evangelical holiness in us; and certainly we are, most of us, much to blame that we do not abound more in the use of this means for the end mentioned.

If we abided more constantly in beholding or contemplating the person of Christ, the glory and beauty of his holiness, as the pattern and great example proposed to us, then we would be more transformed into his image and likeness. But it so happens that many who are called Christians delight to talk about, and greatly admire, the virtuous sayings and actions of the heathen. They are ready to make them the object of their imitation, while they have no thoughts of the grace that was in our Lord Jesus Christ, nor do they endeavor to conform to it. And the reason is this: because the virtue which they seek and desire is the same kind of virtue that was in the heathen, and not the grace and holiness that was in Christ Jesus. And it is also from this that some who — not out of love for it, but to decry other important mysteries of the gospel — place all Christianity in the imitation of Christ. Yet in their practice, they despise those qualities and duties in which he principally manifested the glory of his grace. They have no regard for His meekness, patience, self-denial, quietness in bearing reproaches, contempt of the world, zeal for the glory of God, compassion for the souls of men, or condescension to the weaknesses of all. But there is no greater evidence that whatever we seem to have of anything that is good in us, is no part of evangelical holiness, than that it does not render us conformable to Christ. And we should always consider how we ought to act faith in Christ with respect to this end. Let none be guilty in practice, of what some are falsely charged with as to their doctrine — let none divide the work of faith, and exercise themselves in only one half of it. To believe in Christ for redemption, justification, and sanctification, is only one half of the duty of faith. It respects Christ only as he died and suffered for us; as he made atonement for our sins; as he obtained peace with God, and reconciliation for us; as his righteousness is imputed to us for justification. It is to these ends, indeed, that he is first and principally proposed to us in the gospel; and with respect to them, we are exhorted to receive him and believe in him. But this is not all that is required of us. Christ is proposed to us in the gospel as our pattern and example of holiness. Just as it is a cursed imagination that this was the whole end of his life and death — namely, to exemplify and confirm the doctrine of holiness which he taught — so it is evil and pernicious to neglect his being our example, to not consider him by faith to that end, nor labor after conformity to him. Therefore let us deeply contemplate what he was, what he did, how he carried himself in all instances of duties and trials, until an image or idea of his perfect holiness is implanted in our minds, and we are thereby made like him.

[5.] That which principally differentiates evangelical holiness with respect to the Lord Christ, from all natural or moral habits or duties, and by which he is made sanctification to us, is that the principle of spiritual life and holiness in believers is derived from him, from his person as our head. And by virtue of believers’ union with him, real supplies of spiritual strength and grace are constantly communicated to them, by which their holiness is preserved, maintained, and increased. The whole difference about grace and morality depends on and will issue from the statement and proof of this. For if what men call morality is derived from the Lord Christ by virtue of our union with him, then it is evangelical grace; if it is not, then it is either nothing, or else it is something of another nature and kind — for it is not grace not, nor is it holiness. And all that I have to prove in this is that the Lord Jesus Christ is a head of influence. He is the spring or fountain of spiritual life to his church. I know that in this I have the consent of the church of God in all ages; and so I will confine the proof of my assertion to the ensuing positions, with their confirmation:

1st. Whatever grace God promises to anyone, or bestows on them, or works in them, all of it is bestowed on and worked in, by, and through Jesus Christ as the mediator or middle person between God and them. This the very notion and nature of his office of mediator, and it requires his interposition between God and us. To affirm that any good thing, any grace, any virtue, is not immediately given to us, or bestowed on us, or worked in us by God through Christ; or to affirm that we believe in God, and yield obedience and praise with glory to him, and it is not directly by Christ — is to utterly overthrow his mediation. Moses, indeed, is called a mediator between God and the people, Galatians 3:19, as he was an intermediary: a messenger to declare the mind of God to them, and to return their answers to God. But to limit the mediatory work of Christ to such an interposition, is to leave him but one office (that of a prophet), and to destroy the principal uses and effects of his mediation towards the church. In like manner, because Moses is metaphorically called a savior or redeemer (Acts 7:35) with respect to his use and employment in that mighty work of delivering the people out of Egypt, some will not allow that the Lord Christ is a redeemer in any other sense. This subverts the whole gospel with the faith and souls of men. But in particular, what there is of this nature in the mediation of Christ — in his being the middle person between God and us — may be declared in the ensuing assertions:

(1st.) God himself is the absolute infinite fountain, the supreme efficient cause, of all grace and holiness; for he alone is originally and essentially holy, as he alone is good; and so he is the first cause of holiness and goodness to others.

Hence he is called "The God of all grace," 1 Peter 5:10; the author, possessor, and bestower of it. "He has life in himself," and quickens whom he pleases, John 5:26; "With him is the fountain of life," Psalms 36:9; as declared before. This, I suppose, needs no further confirmation with those who really acknowledge any such thing as grace and holiness. These things, if any, are among those "perfect gifts" which are "from above," coming down "from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning," James 1:17.

(2dly.) God from his own fullness communicates to his creatures, either by way of nature or by way of grace. In our first creation, God implanted his image on us, in uprightness and holiness, in and by making or creating our nature. And if we had continued in that state, the same image of God would have been communicated by natural propagation. But since the fall and entrance of sin, God no longer communicates holiness to anyone by way of nature or natural propagation. For if he did so, there would be no necessity for everyone born to be born again before he can enter into the kingdom of God, as our Savior affirms, John 3:3 — for he might have grace and holiness from his first nativity. Nor could it be said of believers that they are "born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God," John 1:13, for grace might be propagated to them by those natural means. It was the old Pelagian figment that what we have by nature, we have by grace, because God is the author of nature. So Adam was as his nature was, pure; but it is our nature as it is, corrupt; and what we have thereby, we have of ourselves, in contradiction to the grace of God. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh;" and we have nothing else by natural propagation.

(3dly.) God communicates nothing in a way of grace to anyone except in and by the person of Christ, as the mediator and head of the church, John 1:18. In the old creation, all things were made by the eternal Word, the person of the Son, as the Wisdom of God, John 1:3; Colossians 1:16. There was no immediate emanation of divine power from the person of the Father for the production of all or any created beings, except in and by the person of the Son — their wisdom and power were one and the same as acted in him. And the support of all things in the course of divine providence, is also his immediate work — which is why he is said to "uphold all things by the word of his power," Hebrews 1:3. And so it is in the new creation with respect to him as mediator. In this, he was the "image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature, having the pre-eminence in all things; and he is before all things, and by him all things consist," Colossians 1:15; Colossians 1:17-18. In raising the whole new creation — which is by a new spiritual life, and holiness communicated to all its parts — the work is carried on immediately by the person of Christ the mediator; and none has any share in this except what is received and derived from him. This is plainly asserted in Ephesians 2:10. So the apostle disposes of this matter: "The head of every man is Christ, and the head of Christ is God," 1 Corinthians 11:3; this is true in respect to his influence as well as his rule. Because God does not immediately govern the church except in and by the person of Christ, whom he gave to be head over all things to this end, neither does he administer any grace or holiness to anyone except in the same order: for "the head of every man is Christ, and the head of Christ is God."

(4thly.) God works real, effectual, sanctifying grace, spiritual strength and holiness, in believers — indeed, it is that grace by which they are enabled to believe and are made holy. And it really sanctifies them more and more, so that they may be preserved "blameless to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." This has been so fully confirmed in the whole of what has been discussed both concerning regeneration and sanctification, that it must not be asserted here again.

Therefore, all this grace, according to the former assertion, is communicated to us through and by Christ, and not otherwise.

2dly. Whatever is worked in believers by the Spirit of Christ, it is in their union to the person of Christ, and by virtue of this union. I have already sufficiently proved to those to whom anything of this kind will be sufficient, that the Holy Spirit is the immediate and efficient cause of all grace and holiness. Now, the end for which the Holy Spirit is sent, and consequently of all that he does in being sent, is to glorify Christ; and he does this by receiving from Christ, and communicating it to others, John 16:13-15. He effects two works of this kind: first, To unite us to Christ; and, secondly, To communicate all grace to us from Christ, by virtue of that union.

(1st.) By the Spirit we are united to Christ; — that is, united to his person, and not as a light within us, as some think; nor is it united to the doctrine of the gospel, as others with equal folly seem to imagine. It is by the doctrine and grace of the gospel that we are united, but it is the person of Christ to which we are united. For "he that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit," 1 Corinthians 6:17, because it is by that one Spirit that he is joined to him; for "by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body," chap. 12.13 — implanted into the body, and united to the head. And therefore, "if we do not have the Spirit of Christ, we are none of his," Romans 8:9. We are therefore his — that is, we are united to him — by a participation in his Spirit. And by this union, Christ himself is in us; for "Jesus Christ is in us, unless we are reprobates," 2 Corinthians 13:5 — that is, he is in us "by his Spirit that dwells in us," Romans 8:9; Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 6:19.

It may therefore be inquired whether we receive the Spirit of the gospel from the person of Christ or not? This is an inquiry which nothing but the extreme ignorance or impudence of some could render seasonable991 or tolerable, seeing that formerly no Christian ever doubted it; nor is someone a Christian now, who disbelieves it. It is true, we receive Christ by the "preaching of the gospel," Galatians 3:2; but it is no less true that we receive him immediately from the person of Christ. For no other reason is he so frequently called "The Spirit of Christ;" that is, the Spirit which he gives, sends, bestows, or communicates. Christ receives from the Father the "promise of the Holy Ghost," and he pours him out, Acts 2:33. But it may be said that,

"If we are united to Christ hereby — namely, by his Spirit — then we must be holy and obedient before we receive him, for our union consists in that. Certainly Christ does not unite ungodly and impure sinners to himself, which would be the greatest dishonor to him imaginable. We must therefore be holy, obedient, and like Christ, before we can be united to him; and consequently, we must be so before we receive his Spirit, if thereby we are united to him."

Ans. 1. If this were so, then indeed we are not indebted in the least to the Spirit of Christ for being holy, and obedient, and like Christ; for he that has the Spirit of Christ is united to Christ, and the one who is united to him has his Spirit, and no one else. Whatever therefore is of holiness, righteousness, or obedience in any man, antecedent to union with Christ, would not be a special effect of his Spirit. In such a case, we would therefore need to purify ourselves without any application of the blood of Christ to our souls, and sanctify ourselves without any special work of the Spirit of God on our nature. Let those who can, satisfy themselves with these things. For my part, I have no esteem for or valuation of that holiness, as holiness, which is not the immediate effect of the Spirit of sanctification in us.

Ans. 2. It is granted that, ordinarily, the Lord Christ prepares the souls of men in some measure for the inhabitation of his Spirit, by the dispensation of his word — by light and by convictions ensuing from it. The way and manner of this has been fully declared before.

Ans. 3. It is denied that, on this supposition, the Lord Christ unites impure or ungodly sinners to himself, such that they would be united and yet continue impure and ungodly. For in the same instant in which anyone is united to Christ, and by the same act by which he is united, the believer is really and habitually purified and sanctified; for where the Spirit of God is, there is liberty, and purity, and holiness.2 Corinthians 3:17

All acts and duties of holiness are consequential to this union, in order of nature; but the person himself is quickened, purified, and sanctified at the union.

Therefore, because the Spirit of Christ — communicated from Christ for our union with him — is the cause and author of all grace and evangelical holiness in us, it is evidence that we receive the Spirit directly from Christ himself. This is what gives evangelical holiness its difference from all other moral habits and acts that are pleaded for.992

(2dly.) The second work of the Spirit is to communicate all grace to us from Christ by virtue of that union. I will take it for granted that the Spirit is the author of all grace and holiness, until everything that was said before about the work of the Holy Spirit in our regeneration and sanctification, is disproved. And if that is disproved, then we may also part with our Bibles, as books that openly and palpably mislead us. Whatever the Spirit so works in us, it is in pursuit of his first communication to us by which we are united to Christ — namely, for the edification, preservation, and further sanctification of the mystical body. He makes every member of that body fit for the "inheritance of the saints in light." All the holiness which I desire any acquaintance with, or participation in, consists in those supplies of grace which he gives — acted by us in all duties of obedience.

(3dly.) There is a mystical, spiritual body of which Christ is the head, and those of his church are its members. There is therefore a union between them in spiritual things, like that which exists between the head and members of the body of a man in natural things. And because of the weight and importance of it, with its singular use for the faith of believers, the Scripture frequently speaks of this body. "God has given him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that fills all in all," Ephesians 1:22-23. "For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of that body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ," 1 Corinthians 12:12. "Christ is the head, from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body to the edifying of itself in love," Ephesians 4:15-16. And the apostle speaks again to the same purpose, Colossians 2:19, "Not holding the Head, from which all the body, having nourishment ministered, and knit together by joints and bands, increases with the increase of God." Now, it has been always granted by all those who acknowledge the divine person of the Son of God, or the union of the human nature to the divine nature in his person, that the Lord Jesus is the head of his church, in the double sense of that word. For he is the political head of it by way of rule and government; and he is the real spiritual head, as to any vital influences of grace, to all his members. The Romanists, indeed, create some disturbance on his political headship by interposing another immediate, ruling, governing head, between Christ and the catholic church; yet they do not deny that the Lord Christ, in his own person, is the absolute, supreme king, head, and ruler of the church. And the Socinians cannot grant his spiritual headship; for in denying his divine person, it is impossible to conceive how his human nature, subsisting alone by itself, could be such an immense fountain of grace that an emanation of that grace could proceed from it into all the members of the mystical body. But up to now, this has been acknowledged by all other Christians.

And, therefore, there is nothing that belongs to gospel grace or holiness, except what is originally derived from the person of Christ, as he is the head of the church. And this is most evidently expressed in the passages cited before. In 1 Corinthians 12:12, it is plainly affirmed that as it is between Christ and the church, so it is between the head and the members of the same natural body. Now, not only does the whole body have guidance and direction in the disposal of itself from the head, but every member in particular actually has influences of life and strength from there, without which it can neither act, move, nor discharge its position or duty in the body. "So also is Christ," says the apostle. Not only does the whole mystical body of the church have guidance and direction from him — in his laws, rules, doctrine, and precepts — but it has spiritual life and motion also; and so does every member of this body. They all receive from him grace for holiness and obedience, without which they would be but withered and dead members in the body. But he has told us that "because he lives, we shall live also," John 14:19. For the Father having given him to have "life in himself," John 5:26, "he quickens" with spiritual life "whom he will," 5.21, from that fountain of spiritual life which is in him; supplies of that same life are given to the church. And therefore, because he lives, we also live— that is, we live a spiritual life here, without which we will never live eternally hereafter. And in Ephesians 4:15-16, the relation of believers to Christ is stated to exactly correspond to the relation and union of the members of the body to the head. It is expressly affirmed that, just as there are supplies of nourishment and natural spirits in the natural body — communicated from the head to the members by the subservience of all the parts of the body, designed for that purpose, to the growth and increase of the whole in every part — so from Christ, the head of the church (which he is in his divine person as God and man), a supply of spiritual life, strength, and nourishment is made to every member of the body for its increase, growth, and edification. For "we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones," Ephesians 5:30.

We are made out of Christ as Eve was made out of Adam, yet so continuing in him as to have all our supplies from him; "we in him, and he in us," as the apostle says in John 14:20. And in Colossians 2:19, it is expressly affirmed that from him, the head, there is nourishment ministered to the body, for its increase with the increase of God. And none has yet undertaken to declare what this spiritual nourishment can be that is supplied to the souls of believers for their increase and growth from Christ their head, if it is not the emanation from his person, and the communication to them, of that grace which is the principle and spring of all holiness and duties of evangelical obedience. And if any deny this, they do what they can to destroy the life and overthrow the faith of the whole church of God. Yes, upon such a blasphemous imagination — that there could be a severing for one moment, of the influences of spiritual life and grace from the person of Christ to the church — the whole must be supposed to die and perish, and do so eternally.

(4thly.) The whole of what we assert is plainly and evidently proposed in various instructive allusions, which are made use of to this purpose. The primary one is laid down and declared by our Savior in John 15:1; John 15:4-5 : "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine; no more can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine, and you are the branches: he that abides in me, and I in him, will bring forth much fruit: for without me" (or, severed from me, apart from me) "you can do nothing." The natural in-being of the vine and branches in each other is known to all, along with the reason for it; and so is the way by which the in-being of the branches in the vine is the cause and means of their fruit-bearing. It is only by the communication and derivation of that succus, that is, juice and nourishment, which alone is the preservative of vegetative life, and the next cause of fruit-bearing. All fruit lives virtually in this juice and nourishment; indeed, it is the first matter and substance of it; it is only formed into its proper kind and perfection in and by the branch. Let anything be done to intercept this communication from the vine to any branch, and it not only immediately loses all its fruit-bearing power and virtue, but it also withers and dies away itself. There is a mutual acting of the vine and branches in this matter. For the vine itself, it is natural to communicate nourishment to the branches from its own fullness — it does it from the principle of its nature. And it is also natural for the branches to draw and derive their nourishment from the vine. "This is how it is between me and you," says the Lord Christ to his disciples. "I am the vine," he says, "and you are the branches."

"And there is a mutual in-being between us: I am in you, and you are in me, by virtue of our union. What is now expected from you is that you bring forth fruit — that is, that you live in holiness and obedience, to the glory of God. Unless you do so, you are not true, real branches in me, whatever outward profession you may make of being so." But how will this be effected? How will they be able to bring forth fruit? This cannot be done in any other way than by abiding in Christ, and thereby continually deriving spiritual nourishment — that is, grace and supplies of holiness — from him. "For," he says, "separate," or apart, "from me, you can do nothing of this kind." And that is because nothing becomes fruit in the branch that was not nourishment from the vine. Nothing is duty, nothing is obedience in believers, except what is grace from Christ, communicated to them. The preparation of all fructifying grace is in Christ, just as the fruit of the branches is naturally in the vine. And the Lord Christ spiritually and voluntarily communicates this grace to all believers, just as the vine communicates its juice to the branches naturally; and it is in the new nature of believers to derive it from him by faith. This being done, it is turned into particular duties of holiness and obedience in them. Therefore, it is evident that there is nothing of evangelical holiness in anyone, except what is (in the virtue, power, and grace of it) derived immediately from Jesus Christ by virtue of our relation to him, and our union with him. It may be asked whether this is true with moral virtue or not. This same necessity of union is taught by our apostle under the similitude of an olive-tree and its branches, Romans 11:16-24; and also where Christ is said to be a living stone; and believers, as living stones, are built on him into a spiritual house, 1 Peter 2:4-5.

Particular testimonies so abound in this case, that I will only name a few of them: John 1:14; John 1:16, He is "full of grace and truth. And of his fullness we have all received, and grace for grace." It is about the person of Christ, or the "Word made flesh," the Son of God incarnate, that the Holy Ghost speaks. He was made flesh, and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. It is not the fullness of the Deity that is intended here, as it dwelt in him personally, but what was in him as he was made flesh — that is, in his human nature, as inseparably united to the divine — an all-fullness that he received by the good pleasure or voluntary disposing of the Father, Colossians 1:19. And therefore, it does not belong to the essential fullness of the Godhead. As to the nature of this fullness, it is said to consist in "grace and truth," that is, in the perfection of holiness — and in the knowledge of the whole mind, counsel, and mystery of the will of God. Of this fullness we "receive grace for grace," — all the grace, in every kind, of which we are made partakers in this world. This fullness in Christ expresses the inconceivable fullness of his human nature, by virtue of his indissolvable personal union (with all graces in their perfection) in which he did not receive the Spirit by measure, John 3:34. I suppose this is acknowledged by all Christians; and I am sure this cannot be denied without the highest impiety and blasphemy. Therefore, the Holy Ghost being witness, we derive and receive all our grace from this union, every believer according to his measure, Ephesians 4:7. Therefore, grace is given to the Lord Christ in immeasurable perfection by virtue of his personal union, Colossians 2:9; from him it is derived to us by the gracious inhabitation of his Spirit in us, 1 Corinthians 6:19, Ephesians 4:7, according to the degree of participation allotted to us.993 This, in its substance, is contained in this testimony. There was and is in Jesus Christ a fullness and perfection of all grace. There is none at all in us, of ourselves or by anything that we have by nature or natural generation — whether by blood, or the flesh, or the will of man, John 1:13. Whatever we have is received and derived to us from the fullness of Christ, which is an inexhaustible fountain of this grace, by reason of his personal union. To the same purpose, Christ is said to be "our life," and "our life is hidden with him in God," Colossians 3:3-4. Life is the principle of all power and operation. And the life intended here, is that life by which we live to God, the life of grace and holiness. For its actings consist in setting our affections on heavenly things, and mortifying our members that are on the earth.Colossians 3:5 Christ is this life. He is not this life formally; for if he were, it would not be our life, but only his. He is therefore our life efficiently, as he is the immediate cause and author of it; and he is that cause, as he is now with God in glory. Hence it is said that we live this life of God; and yet we do not live it of ourselves, but "Christ lives in us," Galatians 2:20. And he does not live in us any other way than by the communication of vital principles and power for vital acts — that is, by grace and holiness from himself to us. If he is our life, then we have nothing that belongs to it — nothing of grace or holiness — except what is derived to us from him. To conclude, we either have all grace and holiness from Christ, or we have it of ourselves. The old Pelagian fiction, that we have them from Christ because we have them by yielding obedience to his doctrine, makes us their only spring and author. And on that account, it was very justly condemned by the church of old, not only as false, but as blasphemous. Therefore, whatever is not derived from Christ and thus conveyed to us, does not belong to our sanctification or holiness, nor is it of the same nature or kind as holiness.

Whatever ability of mind or will may be supposed in us — whatever application of means may be made for exciting and exercising that ability; whatever effects in virtues and duties in all offices of humanity and honesty, or religious observances that may thereby be produced from them, and worked by us — if it is not all derived from Christ as the head and principle of spiritual life to us, then it is something of another nature than evangelical holiness.

(3.) The immediate efficient cause of all gospel holiness is the Spirit of God. We have sufficiently proved this already. And although many quibbles have been raised against the manner of his operation in this, none has been so hardy as to openly deny that this is indeed his work; for to do so is to expressly renounce the gospel on the matter. This is why in our foregoing discourses, we have at large vindicated the manner of his operations in this, and proved that he does not educe grace by moral applications to the natural faculties of our minds; but he creates grace in us by an immediate efficiency of almighty power. And what is so worked and produced, differs essentially from any natural or moral habits of our minds, however acquired or improved.

(4.) This evangelical holiness is a fruit and effect of the covenant of grace. We have asserted on other occasions before, the promises of the covenant to this purpose. In these promises, God declares that he will cleanse and purify our natures — that he will write his law in our hearts, put his fear in our inward parts, and cause us to walk in his statutes. Our holiness consists in these things. Therefore, whoever has anything of holiness, he receives it in the accomplishment of these promises of the covenant. For there are not two ways by which men may become holy, one by the sanctification of the Spirit according to the promise of the covenant, and the other by their own endeavors without it. Although, indeed, Cassianus,994 with some of the semi-Pelagians, dreamed something to that purpose. This is why that which is thus a fruit and effect of the promise of the covenant, has a special nature of its own, distinct from whatever does not have a relation to that covenant. No man can ever be made a partaker of the least degree of that grace or holiness which is promised in the covenant, unless it is by virtue and as a fruit of that covenant. For if men might do so, then the covenant of God would be of no effect — for on this supposition, what it seems to promise in a unique manner, may be attained without it, which renders it an empty name.

(5.) In this consists the image of God, to which we are to be renewed. I have proved this before, and I will afterward have occasion to insist on it. Nothing less than the entire renovation of the image of God in our souls will constitute us evangelically holy. No series of obediential actings, no observance of religious duties, no attendance to actions among men as morally virtuous and useful, however exact they may be, or however constant we may be to them, will ever render us lovely or holy in the sight of God, unless they all proceed from the renovation of the image of God in us, or that habitual principle of spiritual life and power which renders us conformable to him. From what has thus been briefly discussed, we may take a look at that horrible mixture of ignorance and impudence with which some contend that the practice of moral virtue is all the holiness which is required of us in the gospel. They neither understand what they say nor what they affirm. Yet they do this with so great a confidence as to despise and scoff at anything that is pleaded otherwise. But this pretense, notwithstanding all the swelling words of vanity with which it is set off and vended, will easily be discovered to be weak and frivolous; for —

1. The name or expression "moral virtue" is foreign to the Scripture — it is not once used by the Holy Ghost to denote that obedience which God requires of us in and according to the covenant of grace. Nor is there any sense of it agreed upon by those who so magisterially impose it on others. Indeed, there are many express arguments about the meaning of these words, and what is intended by them, which those who contend about them are not ignorant of. Yet they have not endeavored to attach the sense they intend, to any expression used in the gospel concerning the same matter. But they say that all men must necessarily submit to this: that at least the main part, if not the whole of religion, consists in moral virtue — even though it is altogether uncertain what they mean by one term or the other! These are men who scarcely think anything is intelligible when declared in the words of the Scripture; one of them has openly maligned it as "ridiculous jargon." They do not like — they seem to abhor — speaking of spiritual things in the words which the Holy Ghost teaches. The only reason for this, is because they do not understand the things themselves; and when these things are "foolishness" to anyone, it is no wonder that the terms by which they are declared also seem to be foolishness to them. But those who have received the Spirit of Christ, and know the mind of Christ (which profane scoffers are removed from), best receive the truth and apprehend it when it is not declared in "the words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which are taught by the Holy Ghost." It is granted to some, to have the wisdom and skill to further explain and declare the truths that are taught in the gospel, by sound and wholesome words of their own. Yet all these words, as to their propriety and significance, are to be tried and measured by the Scripture itself. But we have a new way of teaching spiritual things that has sprung up among some. Being ignorant of the whole mystery of the gospel, and therefore despising it, they would debase all its glorious truths, and the declaration made of them, into dry, barren, sapless, philosophical notions and terms. And those terms are the most common, obvious, and vulgar that ever obtained among the heathen of old.

"Virtuous living," they tell us, "is the way to heaven." But they have added as little in the declaration of what this virtue is, or what a life of virtue is, as any persons who ever made such a noise about them.

2. That ambiguous term moral has, by usage, obtained a double meaning with respect to its opposition to other things, which are either not so moral, or are more so. Sometimes it is applied to the worship of God, and so it is opposed to instituted worship. That religious worship which is prescribed in the Decalogue, or required by the law of creation, is commonly called "moral." And that is opposed to those rites and ordinances which are superadded, or arbitrarily instituted; again, it is opposed to things that are more than merely moral — namely, spiritual, theological, or divine things. Take the graces of the Spirit, such as faith, love, and hope, in all their exercise. Whatever they may have of morality in them, or however they may be exercised in and about moral things and duties, yet because of various respects in which they exceed the sphere of morality, they are called graces and duties that are theological, spiritual, supernatural, evangelical, or divine. And these are opposed to all those habits of the mind, and all those duties, which are required by the law of nature; and because they are required by nature, they are merely moral. In neither sense can it be said that moral virtue is our holiness, especially not the whole of it, not with any tolerable congruity of speech. But because most duties of holiness have morality in them — as moral is opposed to instituted — some would have nothing else in them, because "moral" is opposed to supernatural and theological. But it has been sufficiently declared that the principle and acts of holiness are of another special nature.

3. As intimated before, it is somewhat uncertain what the great pleaders for moral virtue intend by it. Many seem to design no more than that honesty and integrity of life which was found among some of the heathens in their virtuous lives and actions. And, indeed, it would be heartily wished that we might see more of it among some who are called Christians, for many things the heathen did were materially good and useful to mankind. But no matter how exacting it is, and however diligently its course is attended to, I deny it is the holiness required of us in the gospel, according to the terms of the covenant of grace. That is because it has none of those qualifications which we have proved essentially belong to this holiness. And I defy all the men in the world to prove that this moral virtue is the sum of our obedience to God, while the gospel is owned for a declaration of His will and our duty.

It is true that all the duties of this moral virtue are required of us. But in the exercise of every one of them, there is more required of us than belongs to their morality — namely, that they be done in faith and love to God through Jesus Christ. Many things are required of us, as necessary parts of our obedience, which do not belong to this moral virtue at all.

4. Some give a description of morality that "it should be of the same extent with the light and law of nature, or the dictates of it as rectified and declared to us in the Scripture." And I confess, this requires of us the obedience which is due to God by the law of our creation, and according to the covenant of works, both materially and formally. But what has this to do with evangelical holiness and obedience? Why, it is alleged that "religion before the entrance of sin, and religion under the gospel, are one and the same; and therefore there is no difference between the duties of obedience required in the one and in the other." It is true that they are the same so far as they have the same Author, the same object, and the same end; and so far as they had the same religion under the law. But it is a vain imagination to think that they are the same as to all the acts of our obedience, and the manner of their performance. Was there no alteration made in religion by the interposition of the incarnate person and mediation of Christ? Was there no augmentation of the object of faith? Was there no change in abolishing the old covenant and establishing the new — the covenant between God and man being what gives the special form and kind to religion, the measure and designation of it? Was there no alteration in the principles, aids, assistances, and whole nature of our obedience to God? The whole mystery of godliness must be renounced if we intend to give way to such imaginations. Even if this moral virtue and its practice contained and expressed all that obedience, materially considered, which was required by the law of nature in the covenant of works, I deny that it is our holiness or evangelical obedience. And among many other reasons, that is principally because it does not have any respect to Jesus Christ, which our sanctification has.

5. If it is said that they do not intend to exclude Jesus Christ by this moral virtue, but to include a respect to him, then I desire only to ask this: whether what they mean by it is such a habit of mind, and such acts proceeding from it, that they have the properties described before as to their causes, rise, effects, use, and relation to Christ and the covenant — those which are expressly and plainly assigned to evangelical holiness in the Scripture? Is this moral virtue that which God predestined or chose us for, before the foundation of the world? Is it that which he works in us in pursuit of electing love? Is it that which gives us a new heart, with the law of God written in it? Is it a principle of spiritual life that disposes, inclines, and enables us to live to God according to the gospel — a principle which is produced in us by the effectual operation of the Holy Ghost, and is not educed out of the natural powers of our own souls by the mere application of external means? Is it that which is purchased and procured for us by Jesus Christ, whose increase in us he continues to intercede for? Is it the image of God in us, and does our conformity to the Lord Christ consist in this? If it is so, if moral virtue corresponds to all these properties and adjuncts of holiness, then the whole contest in this matter is whether it is the Holy Spirit or these men that is wisest, and knows best how to express the things of God rationally and significantly. But if the moral virtue they speak of is unconcerned in these things, if none of them belongs to it, if it may and does consist without them, then as to our acceptance before God, it will appear at length to be no more than what one of the greatest moralists in the world complained of. When he was dying, he found such moral virtue to be "a mere empty name."

Upon examination, this repugnant Pelagian figment of holiness or evangelical righteousness, will not create any great trouble for those who look at the Scripture as a revelation of the mind of God in these things. Pelagians would have its principle be natural reason, and its rule be the law of nature as explained in the Scripture. But its use and end is acceptance with God and justification before him — by which most of those who plead for it, seem to understand no more than outward acts of honesty; nor do they practice it so much. Yet it is absolutely opposite to and destructive of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, being the mere doctrine of the Quakers,995 by whom it is better and more intelligibly expressed than by some new patrons of it among us.