248 BELIEVERS THE ONLY OBJECT OF SANCTIFICATION, said to reign in our mortal bodies, and our members to be servants unto unrighteousness, Rom. vi. 12, 19. More- over, by its participation in the defilement and punish- ment of sin, the body is disposed and made obnoxious urhto corruption and destruction. For death entered by sin, and no otherwise. On all these accbunts, there- fore, it is necessary, on the other hand, that the body should be interested in this work and privilege of sanc- tification and holiness. And so it is, (1.) By partici- pation: for it is our persons that are sanctified and made holy, sanctify them throughout;) and although our souls are the first proper subject of the infused habit or principle of holiness, yet our bodies as essential parts of our natures, are partakers thereof. (2.) By a peculiar influence of the grace of God upon them also, as far as they have any influence unto moral operations. For the apostle tells us, that our bodies are members of Christ, 1 Cor. iii. 15. and so consequently have influ- ences of grace from him as our head. (3.) In the work of sanctification, the Holy Ghost comes and dwells in us. And hereon our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in us, 1 Cor. iii. 19. And the temple of God is holy; although, I confess, this rather be- longs unto the holiness of peculiar dedication unto God, whereof we shall treat afterwards. And hereby, (I.) Are the parts and members of the body made instru- ments and servants of righteousness unto holiness, Rom. vi. 19. do become meet and fit for to be used in the acts and duties of holiness, as being made clean and sanctified unto God. (2.) Hereby are they disposed and prepared unto a blessed resurrection at the last day, which shall be wrought by the Spirit of Christ, which dwelt in them, and sanctified them in this life, Rom. viii. 10, 11. Phil. iii. 20, 21..2 Cor. iv. 14, 16, 17. Our whole persons; therefore, and in them our whole natures, are the subject of this work, and true holiness invests the whole of it. Now, whether this universal in- vestiture of our nature, in all the faculties and powers of it, by a newprinciple of holiness and obedience unto God, whereby it is renewed unto his image, do belong unto that moral virtue which some so plead for, as to substitute it in the room of gospel-holiness, they may do well to consider who are the patrons of that cause: for, if it doth not, then doth not itself belong unto that holiness which the gospel teacheth, required), promis- eth, and communicates, whatever else it be. And, moreover, it is practically worthy consideration, that men deceive not themselves with a partial work in con- viction only, or change of the affections also, instead of this evangelical sanctification. It is often and truly spoken unto, how men may have their minds enlighten. ed, their affections wrought upon, and their lives much changed and yet come short of real holiness. The best trial of this work is by its universality with respect unto its subject. If any thing remain unsanctifled in us, sin may there set up its throne, and maintain its sovereign- ty. But where this work is true and real, however weak and imperfect it may be as unto its degrees, yet it possesseth the whole person, and leaveth not the least hold unto sin, wherein it doth not continually combat and conflict with it. There is saving light in the mind, and life in the will, and love in the affections, and grace in the conscience, suited to its nature; there is-nothing in us whereunto the power of holiness doth not reach according unto its measure. Men may therefore, if they please, deceive themselves, by taking up with some notions in their minds, some devotions in their affec- dons, or some good and virtuous deeds in their conver- sations, but holiness doth not consist therein. And, Lastly, men may hence see how vainly they excuse themselves in their sins, their passions, intem- perances, and the like disorders of mind, from, their constitutions and inclinations; for true sanctification reacheth unto the body also. It is true, grace doth °not so change the natural constitution, as to make him that was sickly, healthy and strong, nor so as to make him who was melancholy, to be sanguine, or the like; it altereth not the course of the blood, the animal spirits, with the impressions they make on our minds. But consider these things morally, and as the whole person is a principle of spiritual and moral operations, and so it doth work that change and alteration on the whole person, as to cure morally sinful distempers, as of passion, elation of mind, and intemperances, which men were before more than ordinarily inclined unto -by their tempers and constitutions. Yea, from the efficacy of it upon our whole persons, in the curing of such habitual inordinate and sinful distempers lies the principal discovery of its, truth and reality. Let no man therefore pretend that grace and holiness do not change mens constitutions, thereby to excuse and palliate their disorderly passions before men, and to
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