like obedience is that which is consonant to our Father's revealed will. 2. It must be done from a right principle, i. e. the noble principle of faith, Rom. xvi. 26, est ex fide proficiscitur, AUG. A crab-tree may bear fruit fair to the eye, but it is sour because it doth not come from a good root. A moral person may give God outward obedience, and to the eyes of others it seems glorious, but his obedience is sour because it comes not from that sweet and pleasant root of faith. A child of God gives him the obedience of faith, and that meliorates and sweetens his services, and makes them come off with a better relish, Heb. xi. 4, "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain." two ranks, either the sons of God, or the heirs of hell: John i. 12, “To them he gave power to become the sons of God." Let us put ourselves on a trial. It is no sign we are adopted sons, because we are sons of godlyThe obedience of faith.' Quicquid decorum parents. The Jews boasted that they were of Abraham's seed, John viii. 33, they thought they must needs be good, because they came of such a holy line. But adoption doth not come by blood; we see many godly parents have wicked sons; Abraham had an Ishmael, -Isaac an Esau. The corn that is sown pure yet brings forth grain with a husk; he who himself is holy, yet the child that springs from his loins is unholy. So that, as Hierom, non nascimur filii,—we are not God's sons as we are born of godly parents, but by adoption and grace. Well, then, let us try if we are the adopted sons and daughters of God. 1st. First sign of adoption, obedience. son obeys his Father, Jer. xxxv. 5, "I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites, pots full of wine, and cups, and said unto them, drink ye wine. But they said, we will drink no wine: for Jonadab, the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying, ye shall drink no wine." So, when God saith, "drink not in sin's enchanted cup;" an adopted child saith, "my heavenly Father hath commanded me, I dare not drink." A gracious soul doth not only believe God's promise, but obey his command. And true childlike obedience must be regular, which implies three things: A 3. It must be done to a right end: Finis specificat actionem,—the end of obedience is glorifying God. That which hath spoiled many glorious services, is, when the end hath been wrong, Matt. vi. 2, "When thou dost thine alms, do not sound a trumpet, as the hypocrites do, that they may have glory of men." Good works should shine, but not blaze. "If I give my body to be burnt, and have not charity, it profits me nothing," 1 Cor. xiii. 3. The same I may say of a sincere aim; if I obey never so much, and have not a sincere aim, it profits me nothing. True obedience looks at God in all, Phil. i. 20, "Christ shall be magnified." Though a child of God shoots short, yet he takes a right aim. True childlike obedience is uniform. A child of God makes conscience of one command as well as another. Quicquid propter Deum fit, æqualiter fit. All God's commands have the same stamp of divine authority upon them; and if I obey one precept because my heavenly Father commands me, then by the same rule I must obey all; as the blood runs through all the veins of the body, and the sun in the firmament runs through all the signs of the zodiac, so true childlike obedience runs through the first and second table, Ps. cxix. 1. It must be done by a right rule. Obedience must have the word for its rule,Lydius lapis, Isa. viii. 20, "To the law and to the testimony." If our obedience be not according to the word, it is offering up strange fire; it is will-worship, and God will say, who hath required this at your hand? The apostle condemns worshipping of angels which had a show of humility, Col. ii. 18. The Jews might say that they were loath to be so bold as to go to God in their own persons; they would be more humble, and prostrate themselves before the angels, desiring them to be their media-6, "When I have respect unto all thy tors to God. Here was a show of humility in commandments." To obey God in some their angel-worship; but it was abominable, because they had no word of God to warrant it: it was not obedience, but idolatry. Child things of religion, and not in others, shows an unsound heart; like Esau, who obeyed his father in bringing him venison, but not in a greater matter, viz. the choice of his wife. Childlike obedience moves towards every command of God, as the needle points that way which the loadstone draws. If God call to duties which are cross to flesh and blood, if we are children, we obey our Father. QUEST. But who can obey God in all Hos. xi. 3, "I taught Ephraim also to go, things? duct of God's Spirit, Rom. viii. 14, “As many as are led by the Spirit of God, are the sons of God." It is not enough that the child have life, but it must be led every step by the nurse: so the adopted child must not only be born of God, but have the manuduction of the Spirit to lead him in a course of holiness, ANS. An adopted heir of heaven, though he cannot obey every precept perfectly, yet he doth evangelically: 1. He approves of every command, Rom. vii. 16, "I consent to the law, that it is good."-2. A child of God delights in every command, Ps. cxix. 97, "O how love I thy law!"-3. His desire is to obey every command, Ps. cxix. 5, "O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!"-4. Wherein he comes short, he looks up to Christ's blood to make supply for his defects. This is evangelical obedience; which, though it be not to satisfaction, it is to acceptation. taking them by their arms." As Israel was led by the pillar of fire, so God's children are led by the conduct of his Spirit; the adopted ones need God's Spirit to lead them, they are apt to go wrong. The fleshly part inclines to sin; the understanding and conscience are to guide the will, but the will is imperious and rebels; therefore God's children need the Spirit to check corruption, and lead them in the right way. As wicked men are led by the evil spirit; the spirit of Satan led Herod to incest, Ahab to murder, Judas to treason: so the good Spirit leads God's children into virtuous actions. Овл. But enthusiasts pretend to be led by True childlike obedience is constant, Ps. the Spirit, when it is an ignis fatuus,-a decvi. 3. Blessed is he that doth righteous-lusion. ness at all times. Childlike obedience is not A. The Spirit's conduct is agreeable to like a high colour in a fit which is soon over; but like a right sanguine complexion, it abides; it is like the fire on the altar, which was kept always burning, Lev. vi. 13. Second sign of adoption, to love to be in our Father's presence. The child who Fourth sign, if we are adopted, we have loves his father, is never so well as when an entire love to all God's children, 1 Pet. he is near his father. Are we children? ii. 17, "Love the brotherhood." We bear we love the presence of God in his ordi- affection to God's children, though they have nances. In prayer we speak to God, in the some infirmities, there are the spots of God's preaching of his word he speaks to us; children, Deut. xxxii. 5. But we must love and how doth every child of God delight the beautiful face of holiness, though it hath to hear his Father's voice! Ps. lxiii. 1, 2, a scar in it. If we are adopted, we love the "My soul thirsteth for thee, to see thy good we see in God's children, we admire power and glory so as I have seen thee in their graces, we pass by their imprudencies; the sanctuary." Such as disregard ordi- if we cannot love them because they have nances, are not God's children, because some failings, how do we think God can love they care not to be in God's presence: us? Can we plead exemption? By these Gen. iv. 16, "Cain went out from the pre-signs we know our adoption. the word; enthusiasts leave the word, "The word is truth," John xvi. 13; and, "The Spirit guides into all truth," John xvi. 13. The word's teaching and the Spirit's leading agree together. sence of the Lord." Not that he could go QUEST. What are the benefits which acout of God's sight, but the meaning is, crue to God's children? "Cain went out from the church and people of God, where the Lord gave visible tokens of his presence." Third sign of adoption, to have the con- children are privileged persons, they are pri ANS. They have great immunities. Kings' children have great privileges and freedoms; they do not pay custom, Matt. xviii. 6. God's vileged from the hurt of every thing, Luke x. sertion, God hath promised to be a sun; in 19,"Nothing shall by any means hurt you." temptation, to tread down Satan, Rom. xvi. Hit you it may, not hurt you, Ps. xci. 10, 20. Doth sin prevail? he hath promised to "There shall no evil befall thee." God saith take away its kingly power, Rom. vi. 14. O not, No affliction shall befall his children, but, the heavenly comforts which are distilled No evil; the hurt and poison of it is taken from the limbeck of the promises! But who away. Affliction to a wicked man hath evil hath a right to these? Believers only are in it, it makes him worse; it makes him curse heirs of the promise. There is never a proand blaspheme, Rev. xvi. 9, "Men were mise in the Bible, but a believer may say, scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the this is mine. name of God." But no evil befalls a child of Use ult. Extol and magnify God's mercy, God, he is bettered by affliction, Heb. xii. 10. who hath adopted you into his family; who, The furnace makes gold purer. Again, no of slaves, hath made you sons; of heirs of evil befalls the adopted, because no condemna- hell, heirs of the promise. Adoption is a tion, Rom. viii, 33, "It is God that justifieth, free gift. He gave them power, or dignity, who is he that condemneth?" What a bless-to become the sons of God. As a thread of ed privilege is this to be freed from the sting silver runs through the whole piece of work, of affliction, and the curse of the law! To so free grace runs through this whole privibe in such a condition, that nothing can hurt one! When the dragon hath poisoned the water, the unicorn with his horn doth extract and draw out the poison: so Jesus Christ hath drawn out the poison of every affliction, that it cannot prejudice the saints. Second benefit, if we are adopted, then we have an interest in all the promises: the promises are children's bread, "Believers are heirs of the promises," Heb. vi. 17. The promises are sure: God's truth, which is the brightest pearl in his crown, is laid to pawn in a promise. The promises are suitable like a physic-garden, there is no disease but there is some herb in the physicgarden to cure it. In the dark night of de lege of adoption. Adoption is a greater mercy than Adam had in paradise; he was a son by creation, but here is a further sonship by adoption. To make us thankful, consider, in civil adoption there is some worth and excellency in the person to be adopted; but there was no worth in us, neither beauty, nor parentage, nor virtue; nothing in us to move God to bestow the prerogative of sonship upon us. We have enough in us to move God to correct us, but nothing to move him to adopt us, therefore exalt free grace, begin the work of angels here; bless him with your praises who hath blessed you in making you his sons and daughters! OF SANCTIFICATION. 1 THESS. iv. 3. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification. "the old leaven," 1 Cor. v. 7. Though it takes not away the life, yet it takes away the love of sin. THE notion of the word sanctification | which defiles; sanctification doth purge out signifies to consecrate and set apart to a holy use thus they are sanctified persons, who are separated from the world, and set apart for God's service. Sanctification hath a privative and a positive part. 2. A positive part, vivification, which is the spiritual refining of the soul, which in 1. A privative part, mortification, which Scripture is called a "renewing of your lies in the purging out of sin. Sin is com- mind," Rom. xii. 2, and a "partaking pared to leaven which sours; and to leprosy of the divine nature," 2 Pet. i. 4. The priests in the law not only were washed in the great laver, but adorned with glorious apparel, Exod. xxviii. 2, so sanctification not only washes from sin, but adorns with purity. QUEST. What is sanctification? ANs. It is a principle of grace savingly | Col. iii. 10, not a new eye or a new tongue, wrought, whereby the heart becomes holy, 66 new man." A good Christian, and is made after God's own heart. A sanc- though he be sanctified but in part, yet in tified person bears not only God's name, but every part. image. For the opening the nature of sanctification, I shall lay down these seven positions. tion: it goes over the whole soul," the God of peace sanctify you wholly." He is not a sanctified person who is good only in some part, but who is all over sanctified, therefore in scripture grace is called "a new man," but a 4. Sanctification is an intense ardent thing, Qualitates sunt in subjecto intensive, Rom. xii. 11, "Fervent in spirit." Sancti1. Sanctification is a supernatural thing: fication is not a dead form, but it is inflamed it is divinely infused. We are naturally pol-into zeal. We call water hot, when it is so luted; and to cleanse, God takes to be his in the third or fourth degree: he is holy, prerogative; Lev. xxi. 8, "I the Lord which whose religion is heated to some degree, and sanctifieth you." Weeds grow of themselves. his heart boils over in love to God. Flowers are planted. Sanctification is a flower of the Spirit's planting, therefore it is called, "The sanctification of the Spirit," 1 Pet. i. 2. 2. Sanctification is an intrinsical thing; 'it lies chiefly in the heart.' It is called the adorning "the hidden man of the heart," 1 Pet. iii. 4. The dew wets the leaf, the sap is hid in the root: the religion of some consists only in externals, but sanctification is deeply rooted in the soul, Ps. li. 6, “In the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom." 5. Sanctification is a beautiful thing; it makes God and angels fall in love with us, Ps. cx. 3, "The beauties of holiness." As the sun is to the world, so is sanctification to the soul, beautifying and bespangling it in God's eyes. That which makes God glorious, must needs make us so. Holiness is the most sparkling jewel in the Godhead, Exod. xv. 11, "Glorious in holiness." Sanctification is the first fruit of the Spirit; it is heaven begun in the soul; sanctification and glory differ only in degree,-sanctification is glory in the seed, and glory is sanctification in the flower. Holiness is the quintessence of happiness. 3. Sanctification is an extensive thing: it spreads into the whole man, 1 Thess. v. 23, "The very God of peace sanctify you wholly." As original corruption hath depraved all the faculties, the whole head is sick, the whole heart faint,' no part sound, as if the whole mass of blood were corrupted, so sanctification goes over the whole soul. After the fall, there was ignorance in the mind; now in sanctification, we are 'light in the Lord,' Eph. v. 8. After the fall, the will was depraved; there was not only impotency to good, but obstinacy; now, in sanctification, there is a blessed pliableness in the will, it doth symbolize and comport with the will of 7. Sanctification is a progressive thing, it God. After the fall, the affections were mis-is growing; it is compared to seed which placed on wrong objects; in sanctification, grows,-first the blade springs up,—then the they are turned into a sweet order and har-ear, then the ripe corn in the ear; such as mony, the grief placed on sin, the love on are already sanctified, may be more sanctiGod, the joy on heaven. Thus sanctifica- fied, 2 Cor. vii. 1. Justification doth not tion spreads itself as far as original corrup-admit of degrees: a believer cannot be more 6. Sanctification is an abiding thing, 1 John iii. 9, "His seed remaineth in him." He who is truly sanctified, cannot fall from that state. Indeed seeming holiness may be lost, colours may wash off, sanctification may suffer an eclipse, Rev. ii. 4, "Thou hast left thy first love:" but true sanctification is a blossom of eternity, 1 John ii. 27, " The anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you." He who is truly sanctified, can no more fall away, than the angels which are fixed in their heavenly orbs. legal purifications and washings, which were of God's own appointing, did not make them that used them more holy, (the priests, who ed on them, were never the more holy, elected or justified than he is, but he may be more sanctified than he is; sanctification is still increasing, like the morning sun, which grows brighter to the full meridian. Know-wore holy garments, and had holy oil pourledge is said to increase, Col. i. 10, and faith to increase, 2 Cor. x. 15. A Christian is continually adding a cubit to his spiritual stature. It is not with us as it was with Christ, who received the Spirit without measure; Christ could not be more holy than he was. But we have the Spirit only in measure, and may be still augmenting our grace; as Apelles, when he had drawn a picture, he would be still mending it with his pencil. The image of God is drawn but imperfectly in us, therefore we must be still mending it, and drawing it in more lively colours; sanctification is progressive; if it doth not grow, 3. The third counterfeit of sanctification it is because it doth not live. Thus you see is hypocrisy; when men make a pretence the nature of sanctification. of that holiness which they have not. A QUEST. What are the counterfeits of comet may shine like a star; such a lustre sanctification? shines from their profession, as dazzleth the ANS. There is something looks like sanc-eyes of the beholders, 2 Tim. iii. 5, "Havtification, which is not. ing a form of godliness, but denying the power." These are lamps without oil; whited sepulchres, like the Egyptian tem 1. The first counterfeit of sanctification is moral virtue. To be just, temperate, to be of a fair deportment, not having one's scut-ples, which had fair outsides, but within spicheon blotted with ignominious scandal, this is good, but not enough: this is not sanctification. A field-flower differs from a gardenflower. 1. Heathens have attained to morality; Cato, Socrates, Aristides. Civility is but nature refined; there is nothing of Christ there; the heart may be foul and impure, under these fair leaves of civility, the worm of unbelief may be hid. 2. A moral person hath a secret antipathy against grace; he hates vice, and he hates grace as much as vice. The snake hath a fine colour, but a sting. A person adorned and cultivated with moral virtue hath a secret spleen against sanctity: those Stoics, which were the chief of the moralized heathens, were the bitterest enemies St Paul had, Acts xvii. 18. 2. The second counterfeit of sanctification is superstitious devotion: this abounds in popery; adorations, images, altars, vestments, holy water, which I look upon as a religious frenzy: this is far from sanctification. 1. It doth not put any intrinsical goodness into a man, it doth not make a man better. If the He ders and apes. The apostle speaks of true |
