now is, and of that which is to come," chap. iv. 8. - It hath the promise of all things annexed to it: not as a promife of life that was made to works and doing, in the covenant of works; beware of that thought; for now, in the covenant of grace, all the promiles are thus annexed only to Chrift, and his obedience to the death, his perfect righteoufnefs, and to the believer only, in and through him, and through this obedience of his. The annexing of the promife to our works and obedience, as in themfelves confi.lèred, as it is to turn the covenant of grace into a covenant of works; fo, it is like to be the ruining error of many in our day, and even of tal cedars in our Lebanon, that are like to fall into the horrible pit of an old-covenant-religion, notwithfianding of a new-covenant-profeffion: but the promife is annexed to godliness, thus, viz. as it is an evidence of union to Christ, and participation of his righteoufnefs, in whom, and through which righteoufnefs, "All the promises are Yea and Amen." And now, what gain, what profit is here? It hath thus the promife of all things, temporal and eternal, Prov. xxii. 4. Profit is a bait that all bite at; it is the great god of the world, that competes with the true God, for a place in the heart and affections of men, in oppofition to the first and great command, "Thou fhalt have no other god before me." But here is profit, infinitely beyond the world: it is prefent gain; it is the beft, the true gain.

8. It is excellent, in regard of its pleafantnefs; here is pleasure, as well as honour and profit; which three are ufually called the world's trinity. What pleasure is there to be had in the way of purity? Why, "Wisdom's ways are pleafantnefs, and all her paths are peace," Prov. H. 17. This made David chufe rather to be a door. keeper in the houfe of God, than to dwell in the tents of wickednefs; and to value a day in his courts better than a thousand elsewhere, Pfal. lxxxiv. 10. It is true, many never tafted the fweetnefs that is in God's way; and hence they weary of means and ordinances: but they that tale the fame, they find that the work of righteoufnefs is peace; and the effect of righteoufnefs, quietnefs and affurance for ever, Ifa. xxxii. 17. And it is not only pleaf

pleasant to all that know it, but hath fuch a perfume. and favour, that it is moft pleafant and delightful to all that come near it. We have a bright example of this in the primitive Chriftians, Acts ii. 46, 47. "And they continued daily with one accord in the temple; and breaking bread from houfe to houfe, did eat their bread with gladness and singleness of heart, praifing God, and having favour with all the people." What was it that recommended them to the favour of all the people? It was the exercife of their graces, by reason of the Lord's prefence with them. A pure converfation is a gaining thing; hence the apoftle fpe ks of being win by a holy. converfation, 1 Pet. iii. 1. We read of a pure virgin, Cicilia, by her holy deportment at her martyrdom, that he was the mean of converting four hundred to Chrift.

9. It is excellent, in regard of its antiquity. Purity was the firft fuit that ever was upon man's back; he being created after the image of God. Sin is of a later edition than fanctity: it is but an upftart. Sanctity is the first-born; "Afk for the old path," Jer. vi. 16. Many boast of antiquity for the defence of their cere monies and fuperftition: Where was your religion, fay the Papifts, before Luther and Calvin? Why, it was even in the Bible, as well as among the church vifible. But, what though men fhould pretend to the greatest antiquity that it is poffible for finful and fuperftitious cuftoms to pretend to, let us hold by Scripture antiquity. It will not justify fin, that it is as old as the devil: but purity and holiness is of an older date than the devil himself; he was a holy angel, before he was an unholy angel.

10. It is excellent, in regard that it is the excellency of all other excellencies: it is the excellency of all the divine perfections, that they are holy. The angels that knew well what is the top of their excellency, discover this in their threefold repetition, "Holy, holy, holy," Ifa. vi. 3. It is the excellency of all accomplishments among men. Let a man have never fo much excellency, birth and breeding, wit and wealth, honour and grandeur, learning and literature, if this be want

Z 2

ing,

ing, there is no true excellency therein. In a word, "Without holine's no man fhall fee God, Heb. xii. 14. Bleffed are the pure in heart : for they fhall fee God,' Matth. v. 8. So much for a fhort hint at the excellency of this purity.

JOOXKTEGA KOOOX KOOOX YOOX LOC) (

SERMON X.

PROV. XXX. 12.

There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.

[The third Sermon on this Text.]

T is a fad fentence, when God paffes it upon any,

unjust, let him be unjust still, Rev. xii. 11. Ephraim is joined to his idols, let him alone," Hof. iv. 17. O how fad is it, when God says, concerning fuch a perfon, "Let him alone!" Minifters and ordinances, Let him alone; Word and Spirit, Let him alone: Let no word that is preached do him good: Let no threatening of the word awaken him: Let no promife of the word allure him: Let no precept of the word draw him: Let him continue hardened againft all that can be faid from the word: Let him alone; let him live and die under the power and guilt of fin, under the wrath and curfe of God: he is a filthy man, and fhe is a filthy woman, and let them be filthy ftill. Oh! dreadful fentence! And yet it seems to be paffed against the generality of people in our day; and yet few or none touched with it: let us think on it in fad earneft; for, as my text faith, "There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthinefs."

We have finifhed what we defigned on the doctrinal part of the fecond obfervation we deduced from the words, by enquiring into the nature, mentioning fome

of

of the qualities, evincing the neceffity, and pointing out the excellency of purity. We now proceed,

V. To the Fif h thing propofed, viz. The application of the fubject. This we hall effay in feveral ufes.

Ift, Let us improve this doctrine for information. Is it fo, as has been faid, That purity is an excellent thing, and of abfolute neceffity to denominate a true faint? Then,

1. Hence fee the difference between juftification and fanctification. Sanctification, or purity, is neceflary and excellent, in all the refpects that I have formerly named: but yet it is not neceflary for juftification, fo as to be the ground thereof. It is neceflary to be the evidence of juftification; but not the ground thereof: the ground of juftification is only Chrift's righteoufaels. Many are utterly bemisted in this point; they confound juftification with fanctification. Though, indeed, they be as infeparable as head and body to a living man, yet there can be nothing more different. They are moft diftinct. (1.) Juftification comes from the merit of Chrift; fanctification comes from the Spirit of Chrift. (2.) Juftification makes a relative change, by bringing us from enemies to friends, from condemnation to abfolution; fanctification makes a real change, by healing our inward maladies and plagues. (3.) Juftification gives us a title to heaven; fanctification gives us a meetness for heaven. (4) Juftification takes away the guilt of fin; fanctification takes away the filth, and power, and pollution of fin. (5) Juftification is by a righteoufnefs without`us; fanctification is by a righteousness within us. (6.) In juftification there is the imputation of Chrift's righteoufnefs and fanctification; but in fanctification there is the implantation of grace, and fomething fubjectively imparted; not imputed to us, but wrought in us by the Holy Ghoft. (7) Juftification is but one act and once acted; fanctification is a continual action, or a progreffive, work. (8.) Juftification is perfect and abfolute; fanctification is imperfect, and but begun. And hence, (9) Juftification is equal, and alike in all believers; no man is more juftified than another: fanctification is unequal, in fome more, and in fome lefs,

according to the meafure of the gift of Chrift: juftifi cation is perfect the firit moment; fanctification is never perfect till a man die. (10.) In juftification we are paffive, and do nothing; but in fanctification we are active; for, being acted, we act; being moved, we move and do work, being fet on work by the Spirit of God: Is there any thing more diftinct than these two? (11.) Juftification anfwers the law, as a covenant; fanctification anfwers it as a rule. (12.) Juftification makes a man accepted; fanctification makes a man acceptable; as we formerly obferved on the third general head of the doctrine *.

2. Hence fee, that there is no juftification by the deeds of the law. Why? becaufe, though this purity and conformity to the law, be thus neceffary and excellent for denominating a faint, and evidencing of juftification; yet it is imperfect in time, and fo cannot be the matter and ground of juftification: no righteousness, but a perfect one, can justify us before God. Do any of the faints reckon their purity and piety to be their righteousness before God? No, by no means; David trembles at the thoughts of this; and he deprecates it with abhorrence; “O Lord, enter not into judgment with thy fervant; for in thy fight fhall no man living be juftified," Pfal. cxliii. 2, Purity may juftify us before men; but we cannot appear before an infinitely holy God, without a perfect holinefs; nor before an infinitely juft God, without a complete fatiffaction; and these are only to be had in Chrift. For, when our purity and righteousness is laid in the balance of God's holy law, MENE TEKEL is written on it; it is found wanting; we are but unprofitable fervants; and our righteoufnefs is as filthy rags, a monftrous cloath. If any poor deluded foul be expecting that God will justify him, and accept of him, and fhew favour to him, becaufe he does as well as he can, and because he perform eth this and the other good duty, and hath a good heart to God, meaneth well, and the like; it is evident the

man

*The reader may fee this point of doctrine, viz. the difference between juftification and fanctification, further illuftrated, Vol. II. and their difference till more copiously held forth, and their harmony pointed out in a great many inftances, Gofpel Sonnets, Part VI. Chap. iii. Sect. 1, 2.