Owen - BX9315 O81

21$ THE NATURE OF SANCTIFICATION alone is that truth which makes us free, John viii. 12. instructions are given concerning it, what expressions that is from sin and the law, unto righteousness and are made of its excellency, what encomiums of ha use holiness. It belongs neither tomature nor the law, so and beauty by learned contemplative men among the as , proceed from them, or to be effected by them. heathen, the wisest of whom did acknowledge, that there Nature is wholly corrupted, and contrary unto it. The was yet something in it which they could only admire law indeed, for certain ends, was given by Moses, but and not comprehend. And very eminent instances of all grace and truth came byJesus Christ. Thereneither the practice of it were given in the lives and conversa- is, nor ever was in the world, nor ever shall be, the tions of some of them. And as the examples of their least dram of holiness, but what, flowing from Jesus righteousness, moderation, temperance, equanimity in Christ, is communicated by the Spirit, according to the all conditions, rise up at present unto the shame and truth and promise of the gospel. 'There may be some- reproach of many that are called Christians; so they will . thing like it, as to its outward acts and effects, at least be called over at the last day, as an aggravation of their some of them, something that may wear its livery in the condemnation. But, to suppose that this moral virtue, world, that is but the fruit of men's own endeavours in whatever it be really in its own nature, or however ad-. compliance with their convictions, but holiness it is not, vanced in the imaginations of men, is that holiness of nor of the same kind or nature with it. And thus men truth which believers receive by the Spirit of Christ, is . are very apt to deceive themselves withal. It is the de- to debase it, to overthrow it, and to drive the souls of sign of corrupted reason to debase all the glorious mys- men from seeking an interest in it. And hence it is, teries of the gospel, and all the concernments of them. that some pretending highly a friendship and respect. There is nothing in the whole mystery of godliness; unto it, do yet hate, despise, and reproach what is from the highest crown of it, which is the. Person of really so, pleasing themselves with the empty name or Christ, God manifested in theflesh, unto the lowest and withered carcase of virtue, every way inferior, as inter nearest effect of his grace, but it labours to deprave, preted in their practice, to the righteousness of hea- dishonour, and debase. The Lord Christ, it would thens. And this, in the first place, should stir up our have in his whole person to be, but a mere man; in his diligence in our inquiries after its true and real nature;, obedience and suffering to be but an example; in his that wedeceive not ourselves with a false appearance of doctrine to be confined unto the capacity and rompre- it, and that unto our ruin. hension of carnal reason, and the holiness which he Sect. 9. -2. It is our duty to inquireinto the natureof communicates by the sanctification of his Spirit, to be evangelical holiness, as it is a fruit or effect in us of the but that moral virtue which is common among men, as Spirit of sanctification, because it is abstruse and mys- the fruit of their own eudeavourst Herein.' some will terious, and (be it spoken with the good leave of somq,, acknowledge that men are guided and directed to a great or whether they will or not) undiscernable unto the,eye advantage by the doctrine of the gospel, and thereunto of carnal reason. We may say of it, in some sense a, excited by motions of the Holy Ghost himself put iamb Job of wisdom: Whence corneal wisdom, and where is, in the dispensation of that truth; but any thing else in "the place of understanding, seeing it is hid from the, it, more excellent, more mysterious, they will not al- eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of low, But these low and carnal imaginations are ex- " heaven; destruction and death say, we have heard' ceedingly unworthy of the grace of Christ, the glory of " the fame thereof with our ears;, God uuderstandeth, the gospel, the mystery of the recovery of our nature, " the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thx'reof and healing of the wound it received by the entrance of " And unto man he said, behold the fear of the Lord, . sin, with the whole design of God in our restoration " that is wisdom, and to depart from evil, is wider- into a state of communion with himself. Moral virtue is " standing, chap. xxviii. 20, -21, 22, 23, 28. This is: indeed the best thing amongst men that is of them. It that wisdom, whose ways, residence, and paths, are so, far exceeds in worth, use, and satisfaction; all that the hidden from the natural reason and understandings of honours, powers, profits, and pleasures of the world men. No man, I say, by their mere sight and conduct, scan extend unto. And it is admirable to consider what can know and understand aright thetrue natureofevaá

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