q>76 4heGodlyart ìYafhedand Sanll4fied: S B e.r. titIII. Author of our Sanftification. Thusthe Text is opened. I begin with the fidt, 7e are waded; and obferve, obf. That Regenrratioa,or the renewingof(inners ie atbaJhixdor eleanftxgof them. Sin 'bath two thingsm it, Filthand Pollution, and fo Sanftification cureth it; Emit and merit of condemnation, fo juftification taketh it away. We are upon the firlt work of grace, that which takes away the noifomnes, and pollution of fin, with the do. minion andpower of it,which is here called Waffling and Sanctifying. The Corin. thiaxs like Swine had been wallowing in their Mire,and grace did not onely wafh theirour fides, but their in-fides, their very natures away, and make them Iheep. Thus God fpeakethof 'a clear Fountain he will let open for 7udab and fern¡alem towafh in. Zach, 13.1. For the difcovery of thispoint, confider, Firlt, That the Title of Regeneration,Bader the notion ofwafting, doth rappers Sin of a deft- that finse is of adefiling pollutingnature, making the perlonsxneleax and leathpome, lingnature. where it ie. Its therefore compared toSpots, Deut, 3z. 5. and Blemifhes, Ephef5. 27, to Mire, to Vomit, z Pet. z. 2 2. Such names Both the Scripturegive fr,ne : to teach men, How they fhould look upon themfelves, when inners?Eee... 16. you have there the Próphet excellently defcribingevery mans natural! condition, by an infant new born , tumbling in itsblood, not wafhed, or cleanfed. Men make fm the matter of their boaft, and their glory ; but it is indeed matter of flume and loathing. Thou art afhamed of thy rags, and thy (potted garments : Satoh What blufhing fhould be at thy wicked and ungodly a8.om. Thou thouldef Gt down like a lob upon his Deng-hill, abhorring thy felf ; like a Laaarus full of forts; like an unclean Leaper, cryingout, Thom art unclean, unclean. The Scrip- ture fpeaking ofwicked men, faith,'They arebecomefilthy andal,bominable in their doings,Pfalme 14. and it calls them Pile perlons, Pfal. 15.4. Whacfoever diem and glory ungodlymenmay have in this world,yet they arewith God vile petfens, and therefore called by the nameof filch Beafts as areodious to men. Whereas on the contrary, Graceis the life, the beauty, thehonour and glory of a man, com- pared toexcellent andprecious ornaments. 2. Secondly, This apprehenfion thatflown makes men unclean anddefiled, bath been Snperftitious fa ingravenin tbe heartsof all'meábyna.are , that therefore they bave tired frper. bodily-watt- flitinafly manyexternal bodily teafbings : as if that would take away theirpolluti- ìag. on, and make them more acceptabletoGod. Thus the Heathens ufed to wafh themfelves,before they entred into their Temples, to facrifice to their Gods, and they had water pots, or thanes of water food at theentrance into the Temple, wherein thy purified themfelves; confelfinghrreby,thac fin made them fo beafly and unclean, that they were no wayes fit or decent to perform anyReligions alb. on : and thus the Imes they brought in many fuperfitiousWafhings : When they came fromMarket, when they had been about any imployment, they would come home and walk themfelves, yea they walh'd their Beds, their Pots, their D:- (bes, L t ark7, 4 left they fhould get any defilement. Thus Pilatedid wash his hands, to denotethereby his Innocency; andTertdliasi fpeaksofthe fuperttiri- on of fomeChriltians inhis dayes, That they would never goe roprayer, till they had wafhed themfelves. Now our Saviours Dolhrine is a good Antidote to all fachfuperftitious thoughts : Not that which goeth into a man doth defile hm, but Mar. 7. "t 6. that which comes ant. Its not a bodily filthineffe, or unclean efie, buta foul- filthineffe, which is fo dilpleafang to God, The Papifis theyaanbu a much to their Holy.waeer , as if the (prinkling of that would cleanfe away the finne of the foul, bar this is the peculiar effeet of Chrifis blondonely. Thirdly, Thar wemight be fully convinced of oar nativeftlthineffe,and the nature The úeofex- of Gods Spirit in renewingus, God appointed'externail Ordinances and Rites of be- ternallOrdi- dil w Jling;herebyto makeui anderflandprimed things. Than in the Old 're- m i and (lament, God commanded feverali wafflings of the body : The Prieft was to Ritta. wafhhimfelf before helacrificed; and ¡emailother cleanfpgs there were; by all which God did inform themof their vileneffe and loathfoinneffe; as alto there- by
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