30. Chapter I.

Chapter I.

Necessity of holiness from the consideration of the nature of God. The necessity of evangelical holiness owned by all Christians — Doctrines falsely charged with being inconsistent with it — Though owned by all, it is practiced by few, and disadvantageously pleaded for by many — The true nature of it briefly expressed — The first argument for the necessity of holiness from the nature of God; frequently proposed to our consideration for that end — This argument is cogent and unavoidable; it is pressed, with its limitation — Not the nature of God absolutely, but as he is in Christ; the foundation of this necessity, and a most effectual motive to the same end — The nature and efficacy of that motive declared — The argument enforced from the consideration of our conformity to God by holiness, with that communion and likeness with him which depend on that, with our future everlasting enjoyment of him — The true force of that consideration vindicated — Merit rejected, and also the substitution of morality in the place of gospel holiness — False accusations of the doctrine of grace discarded; and the neglect of the true means of promoting gospel obedience charged — The principal argument further enforced, from the pre-eminence of our natures and persons by this conformity to God, and our accesses to God thereby, in order for our eternal enjoyment of him; as it also alone renders us useful in this world to others — Two sorts of graces by whose exercise we grow into conformity with God: those that are assimilating, such as faith and love; and those which are declarative of that assimilation, such as goodness or benignity, and truth — An objection against the necessity of holiness, from the freedom and efficacy of grace; answered.

What I will close this discourse with, is the consideration of the necessity of that holiness which we have thus far described, to all persons who make profession of the gospel, with the reasons for that necessity, and the principal motives for it. And for our encouragement in this part of our work, this necessity is such that it is allowed, pleaded for, and the thing itself is pretended to, by all sorts of Christians. No men can with modesty refuse the testing of their doctrines by their tendency to godliness, because the gospel is eminently "the truth" or "doctrine which is according to godliness," 1 Timothy 6:3, Titus 1:1. It is designed and in every way suited for attaining, furthering, and practicing it. But many are not yet agreed about what is of that nature, or what is a hindrance to it. The Socinians contend that the doctrine of the satisfaction of Christ overthrows the necessity for a holy life; the Papists say the same thing concerning the imputation of the righteousness of Christ for our justification; the same charge is laid by others against the doctrine of the gratuitous election of God, the almighty efficacy of his grace in the conversion of sinners, and his faithfulness in preserving true believers in their state of grace to the end. On the other hand, the Scripture so places the foundations of all true and real holiness in these things, that without faith in them, and an influence on our minds from them, it will not allow anything to be called holy.

It is not my present business to examine the pretenses of others concerning the suitableness of their doctrines for the promotion of holiness. It is good that a conviction of its necessity has always been maintained, and it carries through all different persuasions in Christianity. In this one thing alone almost all Christians agree. And yet, notwithstanding this, the lack of holiness is the principal, if not the only thing, by which most who are called Christians are ruined. It is so ordinary a thing for men to agree on the necessity of holiness, and yet live in the neglect of it once they have done so! Conviction comes at an easy price, whether men would have it or not; but practice will stand them in pains, cost, and trouble. Therefore, to duly handle this matter, a few things must be premised, such as —

First, It is disadvantageous to the interest of the gospel to have men plead for holiness with weak, incogent arguments which are not taken from the stores of gospel truth, and so do not really affect the consciences of men. And it is pernicious to all the concerns of holiness itself, to have something defended and pleaded for under its name and title, which indeed is not holiness, but a usurper of its crown and dignity. We will inquire into this afterward.

Secondly, It is unattractive and unworthy to hear men contending for holiness as the whole of our religion, and in the meantime, on all occasions, expressing in themselves a habit and frame of mind that is utterly inconsistent with what the Scripture calls and esteems holiness. There is certainly no readier way than this, on various accounts, to unteach men all the principles of religion, and all respect for God and common honesty. If some men did this, being only at variance with themselves, without reflecting on others, it might be more easily borne. But we see and hear men proclaiming themselves, by their whole course of life, to be proud, revengeful, worldly, sensual, neglecters of holy duties, scoffers at religion and its power. These are men who plead for a holy life, against the doctrine and practice of those who actually walked unblamably before the Lord in all His ways — those on whose breasts and foreheads was written, "Holiness to the Lord." Exodus 39:30 Such were most of the first reformed divines, whom the lives of these other men reflect badly on. This is a thing which justly nauseates all sober men, and which God abhors. But I will omit further consideration of this at present, and pursue what I have proposed.

Thirdly, In my discourse concerning the necessity of holiness, with the grounds, reasons, and arguments for it, I will confine myself to these two things:

1. That the reasons, arguments, and motives which I will emphasize, being those taken out of the Gospel or the Scripture, are not only consistent and compliant with the great doctrines of the grace of God in our free election, conversion, justification, and salvation by Jesus Christ, but those which naturally flow from them, and reveal what their true nature and tendency is in this matter.

2. That I will suppose all along what that holiness is which I intend. Now, this is not that outward show and pretense of it which some plead for. It is not an attendance to or observation of some or all moral virtues only; it is not a readiness for some acts of piety and charity, from a superstitious, proud conceit that they merit grace or glory. But I intend that holiness which I have described before; which may be reduced to these three heads:

(1.) An internal change or renovation of our souls (our minds, wills, and affections) by grace;

(2.) A universal compliance with the will of God in all duties of obedience, and abstinence from sin, done out of a principle of faith and love;

(3.) A designation of all the actions of life to the glory of God by Jesus Christ, according to the gospel. This is holiness — so to be, and so to do, is to be holy. And I will divide my arguments into two sorts: 1. Those which prove the necessity of holiness as to its essence — holiness in our hearts and natures; 2. Those which prove the necessity of holiness as to its degrees — holiness in our lives and conversations.

I. First then,1031 The nature of God as revealed to us, with our dependence on him, our obligation to live for him, with the nature of our blessedness in the enjoyment of him, indispensably require that we should be holy. Everywhere in the Scripture, the holiness of God’s nature is made the fundamental principle and reason for the necessity of holiness in us. God Himself makes it the ground of his command for holiness: Leviticus 11:44, "I am the Lord your God: you will therefore sanctify yourselves, and you will be holy; for I am holy." So also Leviticus 19:2; Leviticus 20:7. And to show the everlasting equity and force of this reason, it is transferred over to the gospel: 1 Peter 1:15-16, "As he that has called you is holy, so you be holy in all manner of conduct; because it is written, Be holy; for I am holy." God lets them know that his nature is such that, unless they are sanctified and holy, there can be no such intercourse between him and them as ought to exist between a God and his people. So he declares that the sense of the enforcement of that precept is this: Leviticus 11:45, "I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: you will therefore be holy, for I am holy;" — In other words, "Without this, the relation designed cannot be maintained: that I should be your God and you should be my people." The description given to us about his nature has this same purpose: Psalms 5:4-6, "You are not a God who has pleasure in wickedness: nor will evil dwell with you. The foolish will not stand in your sight: you hate all workers of iniquity. You shall destroy those who speak lies; the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man." This corresponds to what the prophet says, "You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on iniquity," Habakkuk 1:13. He is such a God — that is, such is his nature, so pure, so holy — that prior to the consideration of any free acts of his will, it is evident that he can take no pleasure in fools, liars, or workers of iniquity. Therefore Joshua told the people that if they continued in their sins, they could not serve the Lord, "for he is a holy God," Joshua 24:19. All the service of unholy persons towards this God is utterly lost and cast away, because it is inconsistent with His own holiness, to accept it. Our apostle argues in the same way in Hebrews 12:28-29 : "Let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire." He lays his argument for the necessity of grace and holiness in the worship of God, from the consideration of the holiness of his nature which, as a consuming fire, will devour what is unsuited to it, inconsistent with it. There would be no end of pursuing this reason for the necessity of holiness in all places where it is expressly proposed in the Scripture. I will only add in general, that of old, God strictly required that no unholy, no unclean, no defiling thing should be in the camp of His people. This is because of his presence among them, for He is himself holy. And so, without an exact observance of this, he declares that he will depart and leave them.

It would be abundantly sufficient for our purpose if we had no other argument to prove the necessity of holiness — that it is indispensably required of us — except this: that the God whom we serve and worship is absolutely holy; that his being and nature is such as that He can have no delightful intercourse with any who are unholy. The one who resolves not to be holy had best seek another god to worship and serve; he will never find acceptance with our God. And therefore the heathen, who gave themselves to all filthiness with delight and greediness, stifled the notions of a divine Being. They did not want these notions to control them in their sins and pleasures. So they fancied gods for themselves that were wicked and unclean, that they might freely conform to them and serve them with satisfaction. And God himself lets us know that men of wicked and flagitious1032 lives have some secret thoughts that he is not holy, but is like themselves, Psa 50.21.1033 For if they did not, they could not avoid it, but must either think of leaving Him, or leaving their sins. But we must still further observe some things to evidence the force of this argument; such as —

First, That to us in our present state and condition, the holiness of God as absolutely considered, merely as an infinite eternal property of the divine nature, is not the immediate ground of and motive for holiness. But it is the holiness of God as manifested and revealed to us in Christ Jesus. Under the first consideration, we who are sinners can draw no conclusion from it except that of Joshua: "He is a holy God, a jealous God; he will not forgive your iniquities, nor spare." Joshua 24:19 We may indeed learn this from it: that nothing which is unholy can possibly subsist before him or find acceptance with him. No creature can take from its consideration, a motive and encouragement for any holiness that is not absolutely perfect. And we do not, we ought not urge any such argument for the necessity of a holiness, that cannot be responded to and complied with by the grace of God, as to its substance, even though we come short in the degrees of our holiness. My meaning is that no argument can be rationally and usefully pleaded for the necessity of holiness, which does not contain in itself an encouraging motive for it. To declare that it is necessary for us, and at the same time declare that it is impossible for us, is not to promote its interest. Those who suppose that these two things are absolutely and immediately suited to one another, or that under such a notion of holiness, we can take any encouraging motive for our duty in this, understand neither the holiness of God nor man. Indeed, no creature is capable of such perfection in holiness as to absolutely answer the infinite purity of the divine nature, without a covenant condescension, Job 4.18, 15.15.1034 But it is the holiness of God as he is in Christ, and as represented to us in Christ, that gives us both the necessity and the motive for our holiness. This is why God, in dealing with his people of old in this matter, did not propose to them the absolute perfection of his own nature to this end, but his being holy as he dwelt among them and was their God — that is, in covenant with them — both of which respected Jesus Christ. In him all the glorious perfections of God are so represented to us, that we may not only learn our duty from it, but also be encouraged toward it; for —

1. All the properties of God so represented to us in Christ, are more conspicuous, resplendent, alluring, and attractive, than as they are, absolutely considered. I do not know what light into and knowledge of the divine perfections Adam had in his state of innocency, when God had declared himself only in the works of nature.

It was no doubt sufficient to guide Adam in his love and obedience, or in that life which he was to live for God. But I know that now, all our knowledge of God and his properties, unless it is that knowledge which we have in and by Jesus Christ, is insufficient to lead or conduct us in that life of faith and obedience which is necessary for us. God therefore gives us the "light of the knowledge of His glory in the face of Jesus Christ," 2 Corinthians 4:6 — that is, clear manifestations of his glorious excellencies. The light of the knowledge of this, is a clear, useful, saving perception and understanding of them. And this is not only a directive to holiness, but it is also effective for it. For thus "beholding the glory of the Lord," we are "changed into the same image from glory to glory," 2 Corinthians 3:18.

2. In particular, the fiery holiness of God is represented to us in Christ, so that although it loses nothing of declaring the indispensable necessity of holiness in all who draw near to him, yet it is under such a contemperation 1035 with his goodness, grace, love, mercy, and condescension, that it may invite and encourage us to endeavor to be conformed to it.

3. Together with a representation of the holiness of God in Christ, there is a revelation made of what holiness he requires in us and will accept. As observed before, considering it absolutely, it neither requires nor allows anything except what is absolutely perfect; and where there is any single failing, the whole of what we do is condemned, James 2:10. This therefore can only perplex and torture the soul of a sinner, by pressing on him at the same time, both the necessity and the impossibility of holiness, Isa 33.14.1036 But now, as God is in Christ, through his interposition and mediation, he accepts only such a holiness in us that we are capable of, and which no man has any discouragement from endeavoring to attain.

4. In and by Christ there is declared and administered a spiritual power of grace which will work this holiness in us, or work that conformity to the holiness of God which he requires. Therefore, just as we draw directly from this fountain the reasons for the necessity of holiness in our souls, so we draw the prevalent motives for it. Some things may be inferred from this, such as —

(1.) The mediation of Christ, and in particular his satisfaction, is so far from being a hindrance or discouragement to holiness, as some blasphemously pretend, that the great and fundamental reason for holiness in us — namely, the holiness of God himself — can have no influence on us without supposing and having faith in that mediation. Unless faith is built on this, no sinner upon viewing God’s holiness, as absolutely considered, can have any other thoughts but those of Cain: "My sin is great; it cannot be pardoned. God is a holy God; I cannot serve him, and therefore I will depart out of his presence." But the holiness of God as manifested in Jesus Christ — including a supposition of satisfaction made for what is required by its absolute purity; and a condescension made upon that to accept in Christ that holiness of truth and sincerity which we are capable of — maintains the indispensable necessity of holiness, and equally encourages us to attain it. We may see what contrary conclusions will be reached based on these different considerations of it. Those who view it only in the first way, can come to no other conclusion in their thoughts than what is expressed in the prophet: Isaiah 33:14, "Who among us will dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us will dwell with everlasting burnings?" God’s fiery holiness serves no other end for them than to fill them with terror and despair. But other inferences are natural from the consideration of the same holiness in the second way. "Our God," says the apostle, "is a consuming fire." What then? What follows as our duty upon that? "Let us have grace, by which we may serve him acceptably with reverence and godly fear," Hebrews 12:28-29. There is no more forcible reason than this, no more powerful motive for adherence to him in holy obedience. Men draw such different conclusions from these different considerations of the holiness of God, once they come to be serious and in good earnest about them!

(2.) It also follows from this, that our holiness under the new covenant, even though it has the same general nature and principal end as that which was required in the covenant of works, yet it has a special spring and fountain which that covenant did not have. And so, as it relates to various causes which the other had no concern in, it does not have the same special use. The immediate end and use of that former holiness in us was to answer the holiness of God absolutely, as expressed in the law, upon which we would have been justified. This is now done for us by Christ alone; and the holiness which God requires of us respects only those ends which God has proposed to us in compliance with his own holiness, as he glorifies it in Jesus Christ. This must be declared afterward.

Secondly, We may consider in what particular instances the force of this argument is conveyed to us, or the special reasons why we ought to be holy because God is so. There are three:

1. Because in this holiness consists all that conformity to God which we are capable of in this world; this is our privilege, pre-eminence, glory, and honor. We were originally created in the image and likeness of God. The privilege, pre-eminence, order, and blessedness of our first state consisted in this. And it is confessed by all that the substance of it was none other than our holiness.

Therefore, without this conformity to God, without the impress of his image and likeness upon us, we do not, we cannot, stand in that relation to God which was designed for us in our creation. We lost this by the entrance of sin. And if there is no way for us to acquire it again, if we do not acquire it again, we will always come short of the glory of God, and of the end of our creation. Now, this is done in and by holiness alone. For the renovation of the image of God in us consists in this holiness, as our apostle expressly declares: Ephesians 4:22-24 with Colossians 3:10. It is therefore to no purpose for any man to expect an interest in God, or anything that will prove to his advantage eternally, who does not endeavor after conformity to him. For such a man despises all the glory that God designed for himself in our creation, and all that was eminent and particularly bestowed on us.

Therefore, someone whose design is not to be like God, according to his measure and the capacity of a creature, always misses his end, his rule, and his way. Our Savior would have his disciples do all things, that they may be the "children of their Father which is in heaven," Matthew 5:45; that is, that they may be like him, representing him as children represent their father. The truth is, once the necessity of conformity to God is out of our view and consideration, we are easily turned aside by the least temptation we meet with. In brief, without that likeness and conformity to God which consists in holiness, as we bear the image under His eye of his great adversary the devil, so we can have no especial interest in God, nor can he have any in us.

2. The force of the argument arises from the respect it bears to our actual intercourse and communion with God. We are called to this; and in all our duties of obedience, we must endeavor to attain this. If there is not a real intercourse between God and our souls in these duties, they are all but uncertain beatings of the air. When we are accepted in them, when God is glorified by them, then we have in them this intercourse and communion with God. Now, because God is holy, if we are not holy in our measure, according to His mind, this cannot be. For God neither accepts any duties from unholy persons, nor is he glorified by them; and therefore he expressly rejects and condemns them as to these ends. It is a good duty to preach the word; but "to the wicked God says, What right have you to declare my statutes, or take my covenant in your mouth? Seeing that you hate instruction, and cast my words behind you," Psalms 50:16-17 — i.e., "seeing you are unholy." To pray is a good duty; but to those who are not "washed" nor made "clean," and who "do not put away the evil of their doings from before his eyes," says God, "When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear," Isaiah 1:15-16. And the same may be said of all other duties whatsoever.

It is certain, therefore, that because God is holy, if we are not so, all the duties which we design or intend to perform towards him are everlastingly lost as to their proper ends; for there is no intercourse or communion between light and darkness: "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all;" and "if we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness," as all unholy persons do, "we lie, and do not practice the truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another; and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ," 1 John 1:5-8. Now, what man that considers this (unless he is infatuated), would for the love of any one sin, or out of conformity to the world, or any other thing by which the essence and truth of holiness is impeached, utterly lose and forfeit all the benefit and fruit of all those duties in which perhaps he has labored, and for which he may have been charged no small cost? Yet this is the condition of all men who come short in anything that is essentially necessary to universal holiness. All they do, all they suffer, all the pains they take in and about religious duties, all their compliance with convictions, and what they do in those duties, indoors and out, is all lost as to the great ends of the glory of God and their own eternal blessedness, as sure as God is holy.

3. It arises from a respect toward our future everlasting enjoyment of him. This is our utmost end. If we come short of that (life itself is the greatest loss), it would be ten thousand times better if we had never been. For without it, a continuance in everlasting miseries is inseparable from our state and condition. Now, this enjoyment is never attainable by any unholy person. "Follow holiness," says our apostle, "without which no man will see the Lord;" for it is only the "pure in heart" who "will see God," Matthew 5:8. It is by holiness that we are "made fit for the inheritance of the saints in light," Colossians 1:12. Nor can we attain it before we are thus made fit for it. No unclean thing, nothing that defiles or is defiled, will ever be brought into the glorious presence of this holy God. There is no imagination with which mankind is more foolishly besotted, none so pernicious as this: that persons who are not purified, not sanctified, not made holy in this life, should afterward be taken into that state of blessedness which consists in the enjoyment of God. There can be no thought more reproachful to his glory, or more inconsistent with the nature of the things themselves — for such persons can neither enjoy him, nor would God himself be a reward to them.

They can have nothing by which they can adhere to him as their highest good, nor can they see anything in him that would give them rest or satisfaction; nor can there be any medium by which God could communicate himself to them, assuming they remain unholy, as all must do who depart from this life in that condition. Holiness is indeed perfected in heaven, but its beginning is invariably and unalterably confined to this world. And where this fails, no hand will be put to that work unto eternity. All unholy persons, therefore, who feed and refresh themselves with hopes of heaven and eternity, do it merely on false notions of God and blessedness, by which they deceive themselves. Heaven is a place where they would not be, as well as they cannot be — for in itself it is neither desired by them, nor fit for them. "He that has this hope" indeed, that he would see God, "purifies himself, even as he is pure," 1 John 3:2-3. There is therefore a manifold necessity for holiness that is impressed on us from considering the nature of that God whom we serve and hope to enjoy, who is holy.

I cannot pass over this consideration without making some special improvement of it. We have seen how all our concern and interest in God, both here and hereafter, depend on our being holy. Those who build holiness on no other base, nor press it on any other motive, than that its acts and fruits are meritorious in the sight of God, have invented a very effectual means for prejudicing, indeed, a fatal engine for the ruin, of true holiness in the world. For whether this is believed and complied with or not, true holiness is ruined if no more effectual reason is substituted in its place. Reject this motive, and it may be thought there is no need for holiness. I am persuaded that this has really taken place in many who, being taught that good deeds are not meritorious, have concluded they are useless. Comply with this motive, and you destroy the nature of true holiness, and turn all its pretended duties into fruits and effects of spiritual pride and blind superstition. But we see that the necessity of it with respect to God, has other foundations that are suited to and consistent with the grace, love, and mercy of the gospel. And we will fully show in our progress, that there is not one motive for it that is of any real force or efficacy, that does not perfectly comply with the whole doctrine of the free, undeserved grace of God towards us by Jesus Christ. Nor is there any motive which gives the least countenance to anything of merit in or from ourselves, or that would take us away from an absolute and universal dependence on Christ for life and salvation. Rather, they are such that they render it as necessary for us to be holy — that is, to be sanctified — as to be justified. The one who thinks to please God and come to enjoy him, without holiness, makes him an unholy God; he puts the highest indignity and dishonor imaginable upon Him.

God deliver poor sinners from this deceit! There is no remedy; you must leave your sins or your God. You may as easily reconcile heaven and hell, the one remaining heaven and the other hell, or take away all differences between light and darkness, good and evil, as to procure acceptance for unholy persons with our God. Some live without God in the world — whether they have any notion of his being or not is immaterial. They live without any regard to him, either as to his present rule over them, or his future disposal of them. It is no wonder if holiness, in both name and thing, is universally despised by these persons. Their design is to serve their lusts to the utmost, and to immerse themselves in the pleasures of the world, without once taking God into their thoughts — they cannot do otherwise. But other men live under some constant sense of God, and an eternal accountability to him, and thereby they do many things that he requires, and abstain from many sins that their inclinations and opportunities suggest and prompt them to. For them, it is a deplorable folly not to endeavor after that universal holiness which alone will be accepted with Him. Such men seem to worship an idol all their days; for he that does not endeavor to be like God, contrarily and wickedly thinks that God is like himself. It is true, our interest in God is not built upon our holiness; but it is just as true that we have no interest in God without it. If this principle was well fixed in the minds of men — that without holiness no man will see God — and if that were enforced from the consideration of the nature of God himself, it could but influence them to a greater diligence about holiness than most seem to be engaged in.

There is indeed a great plea for morality, or for moral virtue among us. I wish it was more out of love for virtue itself, and a conviction of its usefulness, than out of a design to cast contempt on the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the gospel — as its faithful dispensers declare it to be. However, we are bound to believe the best of all men. Where we see those who plead for moral virtue in themselves and in their lives — being modest, sober, humble, patient, self-denying, charitable, and useful towards all — we are obliged to believe that their pleas for moral virtue proceed from a love and liking of virtue. But where men are proud, furious, worldly, revengeful, profane, intemperate, covetous, and ambitious, I cannot much understand their declamations about virtue. Only, I would for the present inquire what it is that they intend by their morality. Is it the renovation of the image of God in us by grace? Is it our conformity from that to him in his holiness? Is it being holy in all manner of holiness, because God is holy? Is it the acting of our souls in all duties of obedience, from a principle of faith and love, according to the will of God, by which we have communion with him here, and are led towards the enjoyment of him?

If these are the things which they intend, then what is the matter with them? Why are they so afraid of the words and expressions of the Scripture? Why will they not speak of the things of God in words that the Holy Ghost teaches? Men never dislike the words of God except when they dislike the things of God. Is it because these expressions are not intelligible — people do not know what they mean, but they understand this phrase moral virtue well enough? We appeal to the experience of all who truly fear God in the world, to the contrary. None but the Scripture expressions of the causes, nature, work, and effects of holiness, convey a clear, experiential apprehension of them to their minds. This is because they nor anyone else knows what is intended by "moral virtue," since they would have to reject the common received notion of it, which is simply honesty among men. Therefore, if by that term they intend that holiness which is required of us in the Scripture, and particularly on account of the holiness of that God whom we serve, they fall into a high contempt of the wisdom of God. For they despise those notices and expressions of it which, being used by the Holy Ghost, are suited to the spiritual light and understanding of believers; and they substitute their own arbitrary, doubtful, uncertain sentiments and words in their place. But if it is something else which they intend (as indeed it evidently is — nor does anyone understand it to mean anything more than sobriety and usefulness1037 in the world — things that are singularly good in their proper place), then it is not to be looked at other than as a design of Satan to undermine the true holiness of the gospel, and to substitute a deceitful and deceiving cloud or shadow in its place.

Moreover, what we have already discussed, abundantly evinces the folly and falsehood of those clamorous accusations in which the most important truths of the gospel are charged as inconsistent with and repugnant to holiness. "The doctrine," say the Socinians, "of the satisfaction of Christ, ruins all care and endeavors for a holy life. For when men believe that Christ has satisfied the justice of God for their sins, they will be inclined to be careless about them — indeed, to live in them." But because this supposition transforms believers into monsters of ingratitude and folly, so it is built on no other foundation than this: that if Christ takes away the guilt of sin, there is no reason in the nature of these things, nor mentioned in the Scripture, why we should need to be holy, and keep ourselves from the power, filth, and dominion of sin, or in any way glorify God in this world. This is an inference that is weak, false, and ridiculous. The Papists, and others with them, lay the same charge on the doctrine of justification through the imputation of the righteousness of Christ to us. And it is a wonderment to consider with what virulent railing this charge is managed by the Papists; so too, with what scorn and scoffing, with what stories and tales some among ourselves endeavor to expose this sacred truth to contempt — as though all those by whom it is believed must consequently be negligent of holiness and good works. Now, though I do not deny that such men may find a strong connection between these things in their own minds, seeing that there is a principle in the corrupt heart of men to "turn the grace of God into lasciviousness." Yet (as will be proved in due time) this sacred truth, both doctrinally and practically, is the great constraining principle for holiness and fruitfulness in obedience. For the present, I will give no other answer to those objections except that the objectors are wholly mistaken in our thoughts and apprehensions concerning that God whom we serve. God in Christ, whom we worship, has so revealed his own holiness to us, and what is necessary for us on account of this, that we know it to be a foolish, wicked, and blasphemous thing for anyone to think to please him, to be accepted by him, to come to enjoy him, without that holiness which he requires, and because of his own nature, must require. It is a monstrous imagination to think that the grace, mercy, or love of this God, who is our God, would encourage those to sin who truly know Him, or would countenance their neglect of holy obedience to him. There are, as I will show afterward, other invincible reasons and motives for it. But for those who believe the grace of the gospel, owning this one consideration alone is sufficient to secure them from the reproach of this objection.

Moreover, from what has been discussed, we may all blame ourselves for our sloth and negligence in this matter. It is to be feared that none of us have endeavored as we should to grow up into this image and likeness of God. And although for the main, as to our duty in this, our hearts may not condemn us, no doubt there are various things that belong to it in which we have all failed. Our likeness to God is our holiness (it is that in which we bear his image), as declared. Wherever there is the holiness of truth described before, in its essence, there is a radical conformity and likeness to God. In the first communication of it to us through the promises of the gospel, we are "made partakers of the1038 divine nature," 2 Peter 1:4 — it is such a new spiritual nature that it represents that of God himself. Being begotten by him, we are made partakers of his nature. But though all children partake of the nature of their parents, yet they may be, and some of them are, very deformed; they bear very little of their likeness. So it is in this matter. We may have the image of God in our hearts, and yet come short of that likeness to him in its degrees and improvement, which we ought to aim at. And this happens two ways:

(1.) When our graces are weak, withering, and unthrifty — for our likeness to God is evidenced in their flourishing and fruit-bearing, and the glory of God in this world consists in them.

(2.) When, by the power of our corruptions or our temptations, we contract a deformity — something that has the likeness of the old crooked serpent. Where either of these befall us, so that our graces are low and wasted, or our corruptions are high and active, they frequently reveal themselves. Even though the image of God may be in us, there is not much of his likeness upon us. And so we come short of this great and fundamental duty of our faith and profession. So far as this is the way with us, may we not (should we not) greatly blame ourselves? Why are we so slow, so negligent, in the pursuit of our principal interest and happiness? Why do we allow everything, why do we allow anything, to divert our minds from this design, or to retard our endeavors in it? Therefore, that I may contribute something to the awakening of our diligence in this, I will add a few motives and some directions for it, so that we may be found "perfecting holiness in the fear of God." 2 Corinthians 7:1 This is the only way by which we may be like him in this world:

First, our likeness to God consists in the excellence and preeminence of our nature above that of all other creatures in the world, and of our persons above those of other men who are not partakers of his image. For —

1. With reference to other things, this is the highest excellence that a created nature is capable of. Other things had external impressions of the greatness, power, and goodness of God upon them; but man alone, in this lower world, was capable of having the image of God in him. The perfection, the glory, the pre-eminence of our nature at the creation, was expressed only by this: that we were made in the image and likeness of God, Genesis 1:26-27. This gave us a pre-eminence above all other creatures, and hence dominion over them ensued. For although God made a distinct grant of it to us, that we might better understand and be thankful for our privilege, yet it was a necessary consequence of his image in us. This is what James refers to where he tells us that "every nature," the nature of all things in their several kinds, "is tamed," that is, subjected to the nature of man, James 3:7. He renders the Hebrew kabash, Genesis 1:28 (OT:03533, subdue), by the Greek damazo (NT:1150, tame), which the LXX renders katakurieuoo, "subdue it." But not being content to be like God, that is, in holiness and righteousness, we would be as God in wisdom and sovereignty; and not attaining what we aimed at, we lost what we had, Gen 3.5-6.1039 Being "in honor, we did not remain, but became like the beasts that perish," Psalms 49:12. We were first like God, and then like beasts, 2 Peter 2:12. By the loss of the image of God, our nature lost its preeminence, and we were reduced to the order of perishing beasts. For notwithstanding some feeble relics of this image that still abide with us with respect to our proper end, in our lapsed condition, we really have more of the bestial nature in us than of the divine. This is why the restoration of this image in us by the grace of Jesus Christ, Ephesians 4:24, Colossians 3:10, is the recovery of that pre-eminence and privilege of our nature which we foolishly lost. By this, an impression is again made upon our nature, by the authority of God, which gives us pre-eminence above other creatures, and rule over them. Indeed, that whole dominion over the residue of the creation which mankind scrambles for with craft and violence, depends on this renovation of the image of God in some of them. It is not that I judge that men’s right and title to their portion and interests in this world depend on their own personal grace or holiness; but if God had not designed to renew his image in our nature by Jesus Christ, He would not have continued anything by right or title in this. And as the foundation of it, he took our nature into union with Himself in the person of his Son; and thereby He gathered all things under a new head in him;Ephesians 1:22 and made him the first-born of the creation Colossians 1:15 — the head and heir of all.Hebrews 1:2 It was upon the promise and the establishment of the new covenant that this right was restored to us. So it is expressed in the renovation of the covenant with Noah and his children:

Genesis 9:1-2, "God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. And the fear of you and the dread of you will be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, and upon all that moves upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered." This is an express renovation of the grant made to us at our first creation, Genesis 1:28 — the right to which we lost in our loss of the image of God. And therefore, in that service in which the creature continues for mankind, it is made "subject to vanity" and put into "bondage." It must continue in this state — even though it groans and looks out, as it were, for deliverance — until God has accomplished the whole design of the "glorious liberty of his children," Romans 8:20-21. Whatever they may pride themselves in, their parts or enjoyments — however they may sport themselves in the use or abuse of other creatures — if this image of God is not renewed in them, they have really no great preeminence above the things which perish under their hands, 2Pet 2.12.1040 Having exalted our nature by union with himself in the person of his Son, God requires us to preserve its dignity above others.

2. Again, this is what gives privilege and pre-eminence to some persons above others. The wise man says,"The righteous is more excellent than his neighbor," Proverbs 12:26. It is seldom that this is so on account of civil wisdom, wealth, greatness, or power. There is nothing that can establish this general rule but their conformity and likeness to God. Hence such persons are called "the saints in the earth," and "the excellent," Psalms 16:3. Both Hebrew terms, qadowsh (OT:06918) and addiyr (OT:0117), first and properly belong to God. He above all is absolutely "holy," and he is "excellent," Psalms 8:9. They are ascribed to men upon their likeness to God in holiness. This makes them the "saints and excellent in the earth;" it gives pre-eminence in office and authority to some above others. And this dignity of office reflects a dignity of person on those who are vested in it, and it communicates pre-eminence to them. For their office and authority is from God, which gives both it and them a real privilege and honor above others. But what is originally in and from persons themselves, is solely from the renovation of the image of God in them. And it is heightened and increased according to the degrees they attain in their participation in it: the more holy, the more honorable. Hence, wicked men in the Scripture are said to be "vile," Psalms 12:8, "quisquiliæ hominum," — "trifling vilenesses;" and the righteous are said to be "precious" and valuable.1041 Hence, awe has often been put on the spirits of vile and outrageous sinners from the appearances of God in holy persons. Indeed, whenever men eminently conform to God in holiness, wicked men may oppose, revile, reproach, and persecute them — exasperated by their own secular interests, prejudices, and an unconquerable adherence to their lusts. But secretly, in their hearts, they are awed by the likeness of God in these men, for which they sometimes dread them, sometimes flatter them, and sometimes wish they did not exist, which is how they deal with God himself. Why do we weary ourselves about other things? Why do we "spend our labor in vain, and our strength for that which is not bread?" Isaiah 55:2 This is how, in time, all endeavors after any other excellence will appear. In this lies the whole of that dignity which our nature was made for, and is capable of. Sin is the sole debasement of it — it is that alone by which we render ourselves base and contemptible. The self-pleasing of men, in the ways and fruits of it, or in worldly advantages, and their mutual applause for one another, will suddenly vanish into smoke. It is holiness alone that is honorable; and that is because the image and representation of God is in it. I think we are satisfied that the dignity of professors above others does not consist in worldly or secular advantages, for very few have them: "Not many wise men according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called," 1 Corinthians 1:26. Nor does this image consist in spiritual gifts. Many who have excelled us, not only in degree but in kind — those who have had extraordinary gifts of the Spirit — will be shut out of heaven with the worst of the world. Matthew 7:22-23, "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, and cast out devils in your name, and worked many miraculous works in your name?" — which is more than any of us can say. And yet Christ will "profess to them, ’I never knew you: depart from me, you who work iniquity,’ you unholy persons." Nor is it in our profession itself. Many make it to be in rigid austerities, renunciation of the world, and outward works of charity, beyond most of us; and yet they perish in their superstitions. Nor is it in the purity of worship, excluding those mixtures of human inventions which others defile the service of God with. For multitudes may partake of this worship in the "great house" of God, and yet be "vessels of wood and stone." Not being "purged from sin," they are not "vessels unto honor, sanctified, and fit for the Master’s use," 2 Timothy 2:20-21.

Therefore it consists solely in that likeness to God which we have in and by holiness, with what attends it and is inseparable from it. Where this is not so, nothing else will exempt us from the common herd of perishing mankind.

Secondly, our access and approach to glory are according to our growth and improvement in this likeness to God. We are drawing towards our natural end every day, whether we want to or not; and if we do not draw nearer towards our supernatural end in glory with this likeness, we are most miserable. Now, men only deceive themselves if they suppose that they are approaching glory in time, if they are not at the same time getting nearer to it in grace. It is some representation of future glory, that we will be like or "equal to the angels" in this, Luke 20:36. But that only respects one particular aspect of that state. It is a far more excellent description of it, that we will be like God: "When he will appear, we will be like him; for we will see him as he is," John 3:2. Our glory, subjectively considered, will be our likeness to God, according to the capacity of creatures. And it is the highest folly for any to think that they will love hereafter what they now hate; that their glory will be what they now abhor. The minds of men are filled with such foolish contradictions! There is nothing in this world which they more despise than to be like God; and they hate everyone who is so; yet they pretend to have a desire and expectation of that estate in which they will be like God, and be so forever! But this will be our glory: to "behold the face of God in righteousness," and be "satisfied with his likeness," Psalms 17:15.

How then will we make our approaches towards this glory spiritually, which may correspond to the approaches we make towards our end naturally, seeing that not to do so is folly and intolerable negligence? We have no other way but thriving and growing in that likeness of God which we have here in holiness. By this alone we are "changed into the image of God from glory to glory," 2 Corinthians 3:18 — from one glorious degree of grace to another, until one great change will issue all grace and holiness in eternal glory. In our desires for heaven, if they are regular, we do not consider so much our freedom from trouble, as from sin — nor is our aim complete happiness, so much as perfect holiness. Those who desire heaven only to ease their troubles, and not to perfectly free them of sin, will fall into a state in which sin and trouble will be eternally inseparable. Therefore, we should continually tend towards our rest and blessedness, if we would have assured and evident pledges of it in our own souls, if we would have foretastes of it and an experiential acquaintance with it. And who would not know as much as possible of his eternal blessedness? This is the design which we ought to pursue. It is to be feared that most of us do not know how much of glory may exist in present grace, nor how much of heaven may be attained in holiness on the earth. We have a generation among us that would happily boast of perfection, while in their minds they are obviously under the power of darkness — corrupt in their affections and worldly in their lives. But our duty is to always be "perfecting holiness in the fear of God." 2 Corinthians 7:1 Pursued in the right way, it will continually transform the soul into the likeness of God. Much of the glory of heaven may dwell in a simple cottage; and poor persons, even in rags, may be very like God.

Thirdly, It is only from our likeness and conformity to God that we are or may be useful in the world, in a due manner and order. I will have occasion to speak more of this afterward. Therefore I will only touch on it here, with respect to one concern or circumstance. God is the great preserver and benefactor of the whole creation; "He is good, and does good." He is the sole cause and fountain of all good of any kind, that any creature is made a partaker of. And there is no property of God more celebrated in the Scripture than his goodness, and his giving the fruits of it to all his creatures. He is so only good, that there is nothing so good in any other sense, than by participating in it, and being like him in this. Therefore, those who are like God, and them only, are useful in this world. There is indeed (at least there has been) much good, useful good, done by others, on various convictions and for various ends. But there is one flaw or other in all they do.

Either superstition, or vain-glory, or selfishness, or merit, or one thing or another, gets into all the good that is done by unholy persons, and it brings death into the pot. So that, even though it may be of some use to individual persons in particulars, in some seasons, it is of no use to the general good of the whole. The one who bears the likeness of God, and who acts from that principle in all that he does, he alone is truly useful. He represents God in what he does, and does not spoil it by false ends of his own. If we would therefore keep up the privilege and pre-eminence of our nature and persons; if we would make due and daily accessions towards glory and blessedness; if we would be of any real use in this world — our great endeavor ought to be to grow up more and more into this likeness of God, which consists in our holiness.

It will or may, therefore, be justly inquired here, how or what we may do so that we may thrive and grow up more and more into this likeness to God. To remit other considerations to their proper places, I answer at present that there are some graces of holiness that are effectively assimilating;1042 and there are others that are declarative and expressive of this likeness of God in us:

First, those of the first sort have a particular efficacy to promote the likeness of God in our souls, such as faith and love; we ought to abide and abound in their constant exercise if we intend to grow in likeness and conformity to God:

1. Faith is a part of our holiness as it is a grace of the sanctifying Spirit; and it is a principle of holiness as it purifies the heart and is made effectual by love. The more faith is duly and properly exercised, the more holy we will be, and consequently the more like God. This would be a large theme; I will confine it to one instance. The glorious properties of God, as we have shown before, are manifested and revealed in Jesus Christ; "in his face they shine forth." The only way by which we behold them, by which we have an intuition into them, is by faith. In Christ, the glorious excellencies of God are represented to us, and by faith we behold them. And what is the effect of this? "We are changed into the same image" and likeness "from glory to glory," 2 Corinthians 3:18. This is the great mystery of growing in holiness and thriving in the image of God. And because the world is ignorant of this, they labor in vain by other means to satisfy their notions and convictions. But this is the great way and means of it, appointed and blessed by God for that purpose — namely, constantly by faith (in a way of believing the revelation made in the gospel), to view, behold, and contemplate the excellencies of God, his goodness, holiness, righteousness, love, and grace, as manifested in Jesus Christ. And that is so as to make use of, and apply to ourselves and our condition, the effects and fruits of these excellencies according to the promise of the gospel. This is the great arcanum 1043 of growing up into the likeness of God. Without it, however men may multiply their duties in compliance with their convictions, they will never have greater conformity to God. All professors who come short in this matter do or may know that it arises from their lack of a constant exercise of faith on God in Christ. Therefore, if we have a real design for being still more like God — which is our privilege, safety, glory, and blessedness — then this is the way we must take for its accomplishment. Abound in actings of faith, and we will thrive in holiness; and those which do not infallibly produce this effect, are but acts of presumption, under the name of faith.

2. Love has the same tendency and efficacy; I mean, the love of God. One who would be like God, must be sure to love him, or all other endeavors to that purpose will be in vain. And one who loves God sincerely, will be like him. Under the Old Testament, none in his general course was so like God as David. He was therefore called "the man after God’s own heart;" and none ever made greater expressions of love to Him, which occur continually in the Psalms. Let men take whatever pains they can in acts and duties of obedience, if they do not proceed from a principle of divine love, their likeness to God will not be increased by them. All love, in general, has an assimilating efficacy; it casts the mind into the mold of the thing that is beloved. Thus love of this world makes men earthly minded; their minds and affections grow earthly, carnal, and sensual. But of all kinds, divine love is the most effectual to this purpose, having the best, most noble, proper, and attractive object. It is our adherence to God with delight for what He is in himself, as manifested in Jesus Christ. By this love we cling to God, and so we keep near him, and thereby we derive transforming virtue from him. Every approach to God by ardent love and delight is transfiguring. And it acts itself continually by — (1.) Contemplation; (2.) Admiration; and, (3.) Delight in obedience.

(1.) Love acts itself by contemplation. It is in its nature to meditate on and contemplate the excellencies of God in Christ. Indeed, this is the life of it; and where this is not so, there is no love. A heart filled with the love of God will exercise itself night and day in and with thoughts of God’s glorious excellencies, rejoicing in them. The psalmist exhorts us to this: Psalms 30:4, "Sing to the Lord, O you saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness." And love will do the same with respect to all his other properties. To this purpose, see Psalms 63 throughout. And this will further our likeness to God. Our minds will be changed by it into the image of what we contemplate, and we will endeavor to have our lives conformed to it.

(2.) Love works by admiration also. This is the voice of love, "How great is his goodness! How great is his beauty!" Zechariah 9:17. The soul being (as it were) ravished with that view which it has of the glorious excellencies of God in Christ, it has no way to express its affections except by admiration. "How great is his goodness! How great is his beauty!" And this beauty of God is that sweetness and holy symmetry of glory (if I may be allowed to speak so improperly) in all the perfections of God being exalted in Christ, all in a sweet correspondence, which is the proper object of our love. To see infinite holiness, purity, and righteousness, with infinite love, goodness, grace, and mercy, all equally glorified in and towards the same things and persons, one glimpse of which is not to be attained in this world apart from Christ, is that beauty of God which attracts the love of a believing soul, and fills it with a holy admiration of him. This also is a most effectual furtherance of our conformity to him, toward which we will labor in vain without these steps.

(3.) Again, love gives delight in obedience and all the duties of it. The common instance of Jacob is known, of whom it is said that his seven years’ service seemed short and easy to him for the love he bore to Rachel. He did with delight, what he would not afterward undergo for the highest wages. But we have a greater instance. Our Lord Jesus Christ says concerning all the obedience that was required of him, "Your law, O God, is in my heart; I delight to do your will." And yet we know how terrible to his nature were the things he did and suffered in obedience to that law. But his unspeakable love to God, and to the souls of men, rendered it all his delight. From this follow our intention and frequency in all the duties of love. And where these two are found — intention of mind and spirit, with a frequency of holy duties, both proceeding from delight — holiness will thrive; and consequently we will thrive in our conformity to God. In brief, love and likeness to God are inseparable, and they are proportionate to one another; without this, no duties of obedience are any part of his image.

Secondly, There are graces which are declarative of this assimilation, or which evidence and manifest our likeness to God. I will instance only two of them —

1. The first is such that I will give it many names in its description, as the Scripture also does; but the thing intended is one and the same. This is goodness, kindness, benignity, love, with readiness to do good, to forgive, to help and relieve, and this is towards all men, on all occasions. And this is also to be considered in opposition to an evil habit of mind exerting itself in many vices, which still agree in the same general nature: such as anger, wrath, envy, malice, revenge, frowardness, and selfishness; all of which are directly opposite to the grace of holiness that is instanced and pleaded for at present. And this, I fear, is not so considered as it ought to be. For if it were, it would not be so common a thing as maybe it is, for men to plead highly for the imitation of God, and yet they give us a full representation of the devil in almost all they do. For just as this universal benignity and love to all, is the greatest representation of the nature of God on earth, so fierceness, envy, wrath, and revenge, are the greatest representations of the devil. If then, we would be like our heavenly Father, if we would manifest that we are like him to his glory, if we would represent him in and to the world, then it must be by this frame of spirit, and by actings that are constantly suited to it. Our blessed Savior instructs us in and to this likeness, in Mat 5.44-45.1044 I say, a man who is thus good — his nature being cured and rectified by grace, and thereby being useful and helpful, free from guile, envy and selfishness, from pride and elation of mind — is the best representation we can have of God on the earth, since the human nature of Christ was removed from us.

Therefore, we are to labor after this if we intend to be like God, or to manifest to the world his glory in our persons and lives; and no small part of our holiness consists in this. Many lusts, corruptions, and distempered passions, are to be subdued by grace if we design to be eminent in this. Strong bents and inclinations of mind to react to countless provocations and exasperations that befall us, must be corrected and discarded. Many duties must be constantly attended to, and various graces kept up in their exercise. The whole drove of temptations, whose force consists entirely in a pretense of care for self, must be scattered or resisted. And this is why in the Scripture a good man, a merciful man, a useful, liberal man, is frequently spoken of with eminence and distinction, as one whom God has a special regard for, and concerning whom there are particular promises. When men live to themselves, and are satisfied that they do no harm, even though they do no good, they are secure, selfish, wrathful, angry, peevish, or have their kindness confined to their relations. Or they are little useful other than in what they are pressed to, and in this they come away with difficulty in their own minds. They esteem that all is lost which is done for the relief of others, and the greatest part of wisdom is to be cautious, and to disbelieve the necessities of men; in a word, they make self and its concerns the end of their lives — whatever their profession may be otherwise, or their diligence in religious duties, they do very little to either represent or glorify God in the world. If we therefore design to be holy, let us constantly labor after conformity to God in our families, towards our relations, in churches, in our conduct in the world, and our dealings with all men; towards our enemies and persecutors, the worst of them, so far as they are ours only; towards all mankind as we have opportunity.

Let us express our likeness to him in this philanthropy, goodness, benignity, condescension; in this readiness to forgive, to help, and to relieve; without which we neither are nor can we be the children of our Father which is in heaven. This frame of heart, and actings that are suitable to it, are especially required with respect to the saints of God, to believers. Even God himself, whom we are bound to imitate, and press to conform to, exercises his benignity and kindness in a special manner towards them: 1 Timothy 4:10, "He is the savior of all men," but "specially of those that believe." There is a speciality in the exercise of his saving goodness towards believers. And corresponding to this, we are likewise commanded to "do good to all men," but "especially to those who are of the household of faith," Galatians 6:10. Although we are obliged to exercise the goodness described before, to all men "as we have opportunity," yet we are allowed (indeed, we are enjoined) to have a particular regard in this to the household of faith. If this were more exercised — if we considered ourselves obliged to express this benignity, kindness, goodness, forbearance, and love towards all believers in a special manner (notwithstanding the provocations and exasperations which we meet with, or suppose we meet with, when perhaps none are given or intended to us), it would prevent or remove many of those scandalous offenses and animosities that are among us. But if in common we love those who love us, and do good to those who do good to us, and delight in those who are of our company and go the same way with us, it may advance us in the condition of Pharisees and publicans — for they did this also.1045 But if we take this course among believers, and love them only, delight in them only, and are open and free in all the effects of genuine kindness towards those who go our way, or are of our party, or are kind and friendly to us, or who never gave us provocations really or in our own surmises, then we are far worse in this than either the Pharisees or publicans. For we are to endeavor after conformity and likeness to God, not only as he is the God of nature, and good to all the works of his hands, but as he is our heavenly Father; and as He is good, kind, benign, and merciful in a special manner to the whole family of his children, however differenced they may be among themselves — or indeed, when they are unkind or provoking to him. I confess that when I see men apt to remain sensitive about old provocations and differences; ready to receive impressions of new ones; or ready to apprehend them where there are none; incredulous of the sincerity of others who profess a readiness for love and peace; ready to take things in the worst sense; to be morose and severe towards this or that sort of believer; unready to help them, scarcely desiring their prosperity, or maybe their safety — I cannot help but look at it as a very great stain on their profession of faith, whatever else it is: and I would have my own ways examined by this rule.

2. Truth is another grace, another part of holiness, of the same import and nature. Truth is used in the Scripture for uprightness and integrity — "You require truth in the inward parts," Psalms 51:6 — and it is frequently used for the doctrine of truth, as revealed by God and believed by us. But what I intend is only what is enjoined of us by the apostle — namely, in all things to "speak the truth in love," Ephesians 4:15. Our apostasy from God was eminently from him as the God of truth; by opposition to this attribute, we sought to dethrone Him from his glory. We would not believe that his word was truth. Sin entered into the world by and with a long train of lies; and ever since, the whole world and everything in it is filled with lies; they represent Satan and his nature, who is the father of lies and liars. Hereby this apostasy from the God of truth, visibly and openly continues. I could willingly stay here to manifest how the whole world is corrupted, depraved, and sullied by lies of all sorts, but I must not divert to this. This is why truth and sincerity in words — for I must confine myself to this at present— is an effect of the renovation of the image of God in us, and a representation of Him to the world. No duty is more frequently pressed upon us: "Put away false speaking;" "Do not lie to one another;" "Speak the truth in love." And consideration of this is exceedingly necessary for all those who by their course of life are engaged in business and trade. That is because of the disreputation which is cast on that course of life by the evil practices of some — of many (I am not saying most). And also because failures in truth are apt to insinuate themselves in a thousand ways into the practices of such persons — even when they are not aware of it. "It is nothing, it is nothing, says the buyer, but when he goes away, he boasts;" Proverbs 20:14 and "It is good, it is good, says the seller, but when he has sold it, he boasts," or he is well pleased with the advantage which he has made by his words. But these things have the image of Satan upon them, and they are most opposite to the God of truth.

Another occasion must be taken to further press this necessary duty. But at present, I will only intimate that where truth is not universally observed, according to the utmost watchfulness of sincerity and love, all other marks and tokens of the image of God in a believer are not only sullied, but defaced; and the representation of Satan is most prevalent. I could not help but add these things, as naturally consequential to that first and principal argument for the necessity of holiness which we proposed and asserted.

Having dispatched this first argument, and added some special improvements to it with respect to its influence on our practice, it remains only that we free it from one objection which it seems exposed to. Now, this arises from the consideration of the infinite grace, mercy, and love of God, as they are proposed in the dispensation of the word. For considering the frame of men’s minds in the days in which we live, it may be said to us, and likely enough it will be said,

"You who thus press for holiness and its necessity from the consideration of the nature of God, do you not preach to us every day of the greatness of his mercy towards all sorts of sinners, his readiness to receive them, and his willingness to pardon them? This is done freely in Christ, you say, without the consideration of any worth, merit, or righteousness of their own. But in doing this, do you not invite all sorts of sinners, the worst and the greatest, to come to God by Christ, that they may be pardoned and accepted? From where, then, can any argument arise for the necessity of holiness from the consideration of the nature of this God, whose inestimable treasures of grace, and the freedom of whose love and mercy towards sinners, as you say, no tongue can express?"

Ans. 1. This objection is very natural for carnal and unbelieving minds, and therefore we will meet with it at every turn. Nothing seems more reasonable to them than that we may live in sin because grace has abounded. If men must still be holy, they can see no need or use for grace. They cannot see that God is gracious to any purpose, if notwithstanding that grace, men may still perish because they are not holy. But this objection is raised, rejected, and condemned by our apostle, in whose judgment we may acquiesce. In the same place, Romans 6:1, he subjoins the reasons why, notwithstanding the superabounding grace of God in Christ, there is an indispensable necessity that all believers should be holy.1046

Ans. 2. God himself has obviated this objection. He proclaims his name: Exodus 34:6-7, "The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin." Had He stopped here, and not further declared his nature and unchangeable purposes concerning sinners, either in this or any other place of Scripture, then some support might have been given to this objection. But He adds immediately, "and that will by no means clear the guilty," — that is, as it is explained in countless places in Scripture, "the guilty" are those who continue in their sins, without regard to obedience and holiness springing from the atonement made for their guilty souls in the blood of Christ.

Ans. 3. We do and we ought to declare the rich and free love, grace, mercy, and bounty of God to sinners in and by Jesus Christ. And woe to us if we are not found in that work all our days, and thereby encourage all sorts of sinners to come to him for the free pardon of their sins, "without money or price," without merit or deserving on their part! For this is the gospel. But notwithstanding all this grace and condescension, we declare that he does not dethrone himself, nor deny himself, nor change his nature, nor become unholy, so that we may be saved. He is God still: naturally and essentially holy — holy as he is in Christ, reconciling the sinful world to himself. And therefore he indispensably requires that those whom he pardons, receives, and accepts into his love and into communion with himself, should be holy also. These things are not only consistent, but inseparable. Without the consideration of this grace in God, we can have no encouragement to be holy; and without the necessity of holiness in us, that grace can neither be glorified nor useful.