WITH ITS PITAIFICATION. 251 how far these expressions are metaphorical, or wherein the metaphordoth consist, must be afterwards declared. Besides, there is no notion of sinand holiness where- of believers have a more sensible spiritual experience. For, although they maynot, or do not comprehend the metaphysical notion or nature of this pollution and de- filement ofsin, yet they are sensible of the effects it pro- duceth in their minds and consciences. They find, that in sin, which is attended with shame and self-abhor- rency, and requires deep abasement of soul. Theydis- cern in it, or in themselves on the account ofit, anun- suitableness unto the holiness of God, and an unfitness thereon for communion with him. Nothing do they more earnestly labour after in their prayers and suppli- cations, than a cleansing from it by the blood of Christ ; nor are any promises more precious unto them, than those which express their purification and purging from it. For these are they, which, next unto their interest in the atonement made by the sacrifice of Christ, give them boldness in their approaches unto God. So our apostle fully expresseth it, Heb. x. 19, 20, 21, 22. " Having therefore boldness to enter into the holiest by " the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which " hebath consecrated for us through the vail, that is to say, his flesh, and having an High Priest over the 5, house ofGod, let us draw near with a true heart, in " full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled a from an evil conscience, and our bodieswashed with sa purewater." The foundation of all our confidence, in our access unto God, the right and title we have to approach unto him, is laid in the blood of Christ, the sacrifice he offered, the atonement he made, and the remission of sins which he obtained thereby, which ef- fect of it he declares, ver. 19. Having boldness by the blood ofJesus. The way of our access, is by pleading an interest in his death and sufferings, whereby an ad- mission and acceptance is consecrated for us, ver. 20. -by a new and living waywhich he kath consecrated. And our encouragement to make use ofthis foundation, and to engagein this way, is taken from his discharge of the office of an High Priest in our behalf. Andhaving an High Priest over the house ofGod, let us draw near. But, besides all this, when we come to an actual ad- dress unto God, that we may make use of the boldness given us, in the full assurance of faith, it is moreover, required, that our hearts be 'sprinkled, and our bodies 3 a washed; that is, that our whole persons be purified from the defilement of sin by the sanctification of the Spirit. And this experience of believers we cannot only oppose unto, and plead against the stupidity of such persons by whom these things are derided, but conclude from it, that those who are unacquainted with it in some degree ofsincerity, are wholly uninterested in that evangelical holiness which we inquire after. We need not therefore further labour in the confirmation of that, concerning which the testimonies of scriptureare so multiplied, and whereof we have such undoubted experience. Sect. 4. Secondly, Thenature ofthis defilement of sin must be inquired into. Answ. (1.) By some it is reckoned unto guilt. For, whereas the inseparable ef- fects of guilt, are shame and fear, whereby it immedi- ately evidenced itself in our first parents, and shame in particular is from this filthof sin, it may be esteemed an adjunct thereof. Hence sin was said to be purged by sacrifices when its guilt was expiated: And Christ is said to purge our sins by himself, that is, when he offered himself a sacrifice for us, Heb. i. 3. And therefore it is granted, that so far as the filth ofsin was taken away, not by actual purification, but by legal expiation, it is sin, with its guilt, that was intended. But the scrip- ture, as we have shewed, intendeth more hereby, even such an internal inherent defilement as is taken away by real actual sanctification, and no otherwise. (2.) There,are some especial sins which have a peculiar pol- lution and defilement attending them, and which there- on are usually called uncleanness in a peculiar manner. The ground hereof is in that of the apostle, 1 Cor. vi. 18. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doth is "without the body: but he that committeth fornication « sinneth against his own body." All sins of that na- turehavea peculiardefilement and filth accompanying them. And holiness is sometimes mentioned in an op, position unto this especial pollution, 1 Thess. iv. 3. But yet this is not that which we inquire after, although it be included in it, as one especial kind of it. That we now consider always inseparably attends every sin, as sin, and is an adjunct or effect of it. , It is the un- cleanness of all sin, and not the sin of uncleanness, which we intend. And, for the discovery of its proper nature, we may observe: (1.) That the pollution of sin is that propertyof it, whereby it is directly opposed unto the holiness of God, 27
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