246 I]ELIEVEItS THE ONLY 0 led holy under the Old Testament, nor any transient act, nor any series or course ofactions, that we plead about; but that which hath, as a real being and exis- tance, so a constant abiding or residence in us. Hence be that is holy is always so, whether he be in the actu- al exercise of the duties of holiness or no; though an o- mission of any of them, in their proper season, is con- traryunto, and an impeachment of holiness, as to its degrees. Now, this subject of sanctification is the en- tire nature, or whole person of a believer. It is not any one facultyof the soul, or affection of the mind, or part of the body that is sanctified, bat the whole soul and body, or the entire nature of every believing person. And hereby is the work of sanctification really distinguished from any other mere common work which may represent it, or pretend unto it. For all such works are partial; either they are in the mind only by light and notions of truth, or on the affections only in zeal and devotion, or on the mind and conscience in the convictions of sin and duty, but further they pro- ceed not. But true holiness consists in the renovation of our whole persons, which must be demonstrated, (1.) That our entire nature was originally created in the image of God I have proved before, and it is by all " knowledged. Our whole souls in the rectitude of all their faculties and powers, in order unto the life of God and his enjoyment, did bear this image. Nor was it con- fined unto the soul only. The body also, not as to its shape, figure, or natural use, but as an essential part of our natures, was interested in the imageof God by a par- ticipation of original righteousness. Hence, the whole person was a meet principle for the communication of this image ofGod unto others, by the means of natural propagation, which is an act of the entireperson. For a person created, and abiding in the image of God, be- getting another in his own image and likeness, had, by virtue of the covenant of creation, begotten him in the image of God also; that is, had communicated unto him a nature upright and pure. (2.) By the entrance of sin, this image of God, so far as it was our righteousness and holinessbefore him, was utterly defaced and lost. This also 1 have sufficiently evidenced before. It did not depart from any onepow- er, part, or faculty of our souls, but from our whole nature. Accordingly the scripture describes: (I.) The depravation of our natures distinctly in all the powers DUCT OF SANCTIFICATION of it. In particular, the corruption that ensued on our minds, wills, and affections, upon the loss of the image of God, I have before declared and vindicated. And, (2.) In reference unto the first actings of all these fa. cul ties in things moral and spiritual, the scripture adds, that all the thoughts and imaginations of our hearts are evil, and that continual y, Gen. vi. 5. All the original first actings of the powers of our souls in or about things rational and moral, are always evil. For an evil tree cannot bringforth goodfiueit. That which is lame and distorted, can act nothing that is straight and re- gular. Hence, (3.) All the outward actions of persons in this state and condition are evil, unfruitful works of darkness. And not only so, but the scripture, (4.) In the description of the effects of this depravation of our nature, calls in the body and the members of it unto a partnership in all this obliquity and sin. The mem- bers ofthebody are servants to uncleanness and iniquity, Rom. vi. 19, And the engagement of them all in the course and actings of depraved nature is particularly declared by our apostle out of the Psalmist, Rom. iii. 12, 13, 14, 15. " They are all gone out of the way, " they are together become unprofitable, there is none " that doeth good, no not one. Their throatis an open " sepulchre, with their tongues they have used deceit, " the poison of asps is under their lips, whose mouth is " full of cursing and bitterness, their feet are swift to " shed blood," in all ways of evil. This being the state of our whole nature, in its de- pravation, our sanctification, wherein alone its repara- tion in this life doth consist, must equally respect the whole. Some suppose that it is our affections only, in their deliverance from corrupt lusts and prejudices, with their direction unto heavenly objects, that are the.sub- ject of this work. For the mind or rational intellectual power of the soul, is in itself, they say, pure, noble, untainted, and needs no other aid, but to be delivered from the prejudices and obstructions of its operations, which are cast upon it by the engagements and inclina- tions of corrupt affections, and a vicious course of con- versation in the world, received by uninterrupted tra- ditions from our fathers; from whence it is not able to extricate or deliver itself, without the aid of grace. But they have placed their instance very unhappily. For among all things that belong to our nature, there is not any one which the scripture so chargeth this de;
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