Secondly, Well then, it may easily be granted, That such petty ridiculous sanctities that are by mens commandments, may be no more then dung, yea, an abomination unto the Lord. But what shall be thought of those holy Duties which God hath appointed: there is holy praying, holy hearing. These holy serevies which God himself hath Commanded, Doth not the constant, and diligent use of these sanctifie a Man? No, these are not barely to be relied6 upon.
For 1. These duties do not sanctifie, except thou be first sanctified inwardly. Prayer doth not make thee holy, but an holy prayer proceeds from holiness. These duties do then onely encrease, and adde to our Grace, when they are the exercises and effects of a sanctified life within us. A wicked man who is spiritually dead in his sins, can no more pray after a spiritual gracious manner, then a dead man can speak or breath. Do not then mistake in this businesse: these religious Duties are called holy, not because they sanctifie every one that appeareth near to God in them; but because God, who is the object of them, and on whom they are terminated, is an holy God, and because they encrease holinesse in those who are endued with a supernatural life.
- God in the Old Testament doth severely rebuke all those that draw nigh to Him7 in those duties he commanded, and yet refuse to be washed from their sins. This is the main scope of all the Prophets in all their Sermons, upbraiding, and complaining that they would approach to him, as if they were his people, in a very solemn manner: They would hear, yet do nothing, Ezek. 33. 32. And thereupon God disdaineth their Duties; God accounts of them no more then as heathens, and the vilest of men: And do we not need such Prophets again, to awaken our people? May not we say? The burthen of the Lord? the burthen of the Lord. To what purpose are those multitude of Duties? Wash ye, and make ye clean, and so will God accept you. What a ridiculous thing is it to comfort thy self with an holy prayer, as thou thinkest, when thou hast so many unholy words, and unholy actions? will God take notice of thy duties, when thy sins cry so loud in his ears? but we have spoken heretofore of this.
We come to the Third thing intended, And that is the holinesse of the Covenant8 under which all passe that outwardly professe God to be their God, and accept of Jesus Christ to be their Lord. This is the highest holinesse next to that of Sanctification, and true Godlinesse: Now because this is a controverted point, and many who confesse an outward Covenant-holinesse that was Typical among the Jews, yet deny any such federal holinesse in the New Testament, and therefore say all the holinesse in the Gospel, is a Moral real holinesse; we must be the more tender what we deliver herein.
And 1. Consider, That God who is the supreme Lord and Governour of all, that9 might deal with man onely in an absolute way, as a Lawgiver, man being his Creature; yet such is his gracious goodnesse, that he enters into a familiar Covenant-way with us. God might have commanded us to do such and such things, but never have entered into a Covenant to promise and engage himself to be thus and thus, and to do thus and thus for us. This Covenaut of Grace is that which the Scripture doth so often speak of and admire; the substance of it being to become our God, and to make us his people. Now what tongue can expresse the priviledge, and great glory of this condition, to own God for our God; so that thereby his wisdome, his power, his goodnesse, all is for our advantage; and we come in all duties unto God, not upon absolute terms, but Covenant terms, and that of Grace: Where by God doth as it were lay aside the glory of his Majesty, and his terrible severe justice and becomes like one of us, condescending to us?
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This Covenant is dispensed in an external, and visible administration, by10 the Word and Sacraments. The preaching of the Gospel is the solemn promulgation of this Covenant, and invitation to enter therein: The Sacraments are seals to ratifie and confirm this holy and sacred agreement. Now because all know not the work of Grace, to whom this Covenant is externally administred, hence ariseth that necessary distinction of an external Covenant, and an internall. The external Covenant is that whereby in an outward visible manner God doth own a people, and they externally professe their owning of him; but yet in their hearts and souls they do not stedfastly cleave unto God, and faithfully keep this Covenant in the Conditions thereof. The internal, or inward Covenant, i[…] that whereby God doth in a Spiritual powerful manner take a people to him, working in their hearts all those gifts and graces promised in the Covenant, as regeneration, remission of sinne, adoption, and the like: And in this sense onely the truely godly are in the Covenant, and they are onely Gods people, and he their God. This distinction of a Covenant into outward and inward, is not a distinction of a Genus into it’s Species, so much as a distinction of a thing into the severall administrations and dispensations of it. If Adam had stood firm in that state of integrity, there had not been this distinction of an externall and internall Covenant: for all then would have been godly; and the outward dispensation of Gods love would have been to none, but those that were indeed his. But since the fall, even in Gods own garden, there are weeds as well as flowers, there is Chaff as well as Wheat in his Floor: and therefore some are partakers of the Covenant only externally, some both externally and internally also.
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By reason of this externall and visible participation of the Covenant. All (III) those who live under it, and do not apostatize, or absolutely revolt from it, have a kinde of externall Covenant-holiness, and in opposition to Heathens and Pagans or Apostates may be called holy. This is indeed greatly doubted of by some; but if we consider the Scripture, God doth own a people for his, though not inwardly godly, as long as they externally own him, and doe not plainly renounce his Worship and Service. It is true indeed, if we speak of spirituall and gracious Communion with an enjoyment of God, so they are none of his; but we now relate to an externall society onely: Thus the Jews, though they were false and hypocrital in their hearts, yea full of many abominable impieties, yet God owned them as his people, till the conjugall bond at last was wilfully and perfidiously violated by them. Hence in that they were Circumcised, and solemnly worshipped the true God, God owned them as his people, though he did also at the same time reproove them severely for their sinnes. Hence the Heathens, Ephes. 2. are said to be strangers from the Covenant and common-wealth of Israel; Implying, that all the Israelites by Birth and Education, till they made a manifest revolt, were under the Covenant. Therefore consider what the Apostle saith of all the Jews Rom. 9. 4. Who are Israelites to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, i. e. The Ark and outward testimony of Gods presence, and the Covenants, and Adoption. They were all in Covenant, and so outwardly the sonnes of God; and therefore God by the Propht complaineth that they had taken his sonnes, and his daoghters, which they had brought forth […]o him, and offered them up to Moloch. Thus you see in the old Testament, that even unregenerate men were in some sense under the Covenant, and so had an externall holinesse; and therefore somtimes they areall called Saints, Deut, 33. 3. in opposition to the world, that was destitute of the knowledge and true worship of God; and some again, that were the children of the Kingdome, should yet be cast forth, M[…]t[…]. 12. Under the New Testament, that such an external, visible enjoying of the Ordinances doth also bring a kind of external holinesse, which Heathens and Pagans have not is apparent first by that place, 1 Cor. […]. Else were your children unclean, but now they are holy. What holinesse can this be?
First, it cannot be a civil holinesse, as some would expound it. That is, they are legitimate Children, and not Bastards: for in that sense the children of heathens are holy, i. e. they are not Bastards, because marriages are lawfull and valid amongst them.
The[…] secondly, Holinesse cannot be understood of true inherent holinesse, for so all the children of Believing Parents are not holy. How many godly Parents have wicked and ungodly children?
Therefore thirdly, it must be meant of an external Covenant-holinesse, whereby Believers were in outward manner owned by God, and by that their children also had a right to Baptism, and so are not born as Children of Heathens in the outward power of Satan and wrath: For although by nature they are children of wrath, yet being born within the Covenant, they have an holinesse; that is, a right to such Ordinances they are capable of, which the Children of Pagans have not. Thus Heb. 10. 29. the Apostle speaks there of an Apostate who never had true inward grace and sanctification in him; yet he is said to be sanctified by the bloud of the Covenant. How was that? not really and in truth; for then he could never fall into that unpardonable sin: but externally and in respect of the outward injoyment of the Gospel, with their profession of obedience thereunto. And hence it is, that the Apostle writing to all Believers, to all Churches which he had planted, he giveth them the title of Saints: especially we are to take notice of that expression, 1 Cor. 1. 2. To them that are sanctified, called to be Saints. The Corinthians (you know) were many of them taxed for grievous and dangerous crimes, both in Doctrine and manners; yet he stileth them Sanctified, and Saints. As for the exception that some make, he speaks thus in respect of the better part. I grant that to be true in part; yet because the other did not wilfully renounce Christ, they might in some sense be said to be sanctified; for they voluntarily owned that holy profession and name of Christ, though in works they denyed him. Besides, those titles shewed what they ought to be, and what Obligations were on them to walk holily: But this requireth a more large and exact handling. Some reject the Translation called to be Saints; because in the Greek it is […], called Saints, but this is needlesse; for in the first Verse Paul is said to be […], called an Apostle; which necessarily denoteth his Apostleship to be the end of his Calling; as Saintship is the end of ours.
- The offer and tendring of this Covenant is not enough to make a people outwardly holy, but there must be an outward and visible accepting of it. The Gospel11 hath been preached to many people, who yet rejected it; and therefore not taking the Covenant, continued still in their naturall pollution and uncleannesse; and this is necessarily to be pressed upon you: for most Christians know not, or attend not to what they do. There is none of you who are Baptized, and own the title of Christians, but ye have entred into a Covenant with God, you have promised to be his, you have resigned up your selves unto him, as your Lord, whose Laws you will obey. Thus as many as are baptized, are said, To put on Christ Jesus, Gal. 3. 27 That is, their external profession, and Sacramentall obligation, 1 Pet. 3. 21. That Answer of a good Conscience is an allusive expression to Covenants and Contracts which are mutually made between parties. Oh then, that all you who glory in your Baptism and Christianity, and thereby in a kind of holinesse, would remember what those stipulations were? Were not those ingagements to […]enounce the devil, to forsake all wicked ways, and to cleave only to him? Because you entred into such an agreement, and made such an external profession, therefore thou art in a sense under the Covenant, and so hast a Covenant-Sanctification. But all this will not avail without true, reall, and practicall holinesse, and amendment of thy life.
First, This holinesse is but titular and nominal; and although it be of some dignity12 and priviledge, as it was to the Jewes, to have the Oracles and promises belonging to them; Yet it is not advantagious to the chiefest and most necessary good, which is the enjoyment of God, and eternal happinesse. Now as in all other things the name doth not satisfie without the reality, the name of riches without riches; the name of health without health; so neither may the name of Sanctification, without the thing it self. Put not then any confidence in this, that thou art under Gods Covenant, thou hast given up thy self to him in Baptism, thou wearest this Badge and Mark; for all this is but a shadow and no substance, till thy affections and conversations be made really holy.
Secondly, This Covenant-holinesse will not serve, because it doth but aggravate13 and heighten the wickeanesse of those who being under this bond, yet walk contrary to God. God will proceed against thee as a perfidious violator of that holy Covenant thou madest with him, for thee who hast thus entred into Covenant with God, and brought all thy Children under this relation, to perform no Covenant-duties; how unpardonable is it? Therefore God doth greatly complain when his people are no better, and walk no more holily, then those that never knew him, or drew nigh to him. Hos. 6. 7. But they like men, have dealt treacherously. Some expound it thus, They like Adam transgressed the Covenant; That as Adam placed in Paradise continued not faithfull to God, so the Israelites brought into a rich and plentifull land, flowing with Milk and Honey, brake those holy bonds they were tyed in to God. But we rather take it as Rivet, They, like men, that is, as if they were none of my people, as if they had never covenanted with me, but were, like the common men of the world, that live without the knowledge of God, so opposite and rebellious are they against me. Oh how truely may this Text be verified of too many Christians: Like men they transgresse Gods Law.
Use 1. Use of Instruction. How prone men are, though it is very vain, to have hopes in a false counterfeit Sanctification. In Poperie the greatest part of their religion is placed in holy Images, holy Temples, holy Ceremonies; as if these things did sanctifie them. And although Protestants are generally delivered from this blindnesse, yet how do they lean upon external Signs or Badges of holinesse, because they partake of an holy Baptism, have a Covenant-holinesse, which also is communicated to their Children, how ready to be puffed up with it! Oh but none of these holinesses or sanctifications, is meant in that place. Without Sanctification no man shall see God: And, Be ye holy as I am holy. Attend therefore to that which is true Sanctification, that to which the promise of grace and glorie is made.
Use 2. Use 2. To rebuke sharply all prophane and ungodly persons, that yet are under the names and Titles of Christians, and sanctified persons, Oh the Justice of God will fetch thee from these very Altars and condemn thee. How can the patience of God any longer bear with thee, in the profession of holinesse, (for so thy Christianity is) to be wicked and unholy. Many times hast thou been admonished herein; tremble at it, and know, the seasons and opportunities of getting holinesse will not continue alwayes.