WITH- ITS P it, Goddesigned to instruct us further in them both, with the ways whereby wemay be freed from them. In the doctrine of the law, with the sanction and curse of it, and the institution of sacrifices to make atonement for sin, God declared the nature of guilt, and its re- medy. By the same law, and by the institution of sun- dry ordinances for purification and cleansing, as also by determining sundry ceremonial defilements, hemakes known the nature of this filth, and its remedy. To what end were so many meats and drinks, so many dis- easesand natural distempers, so manyexternal fortuitous accidents, as touching the dead, and the like, made re- ligiously unclean by the law? It was to no other, but to teach us the nature of the spiritual defilement of sin. And, to the same end, together with a demonstration of the relief and remedy thereof, were the ordinances of purification instituted, which, as they were outward and carnal, purged those uncleannesses, as they also were outward and carnal, made so by the law. But in- ternal and spiritual things were taught and prefigured hereby, yea, wrought and effected by virtue of their typical relation to Christ, as the apostle teacheth, Heb. ix. 13, 14. "For if the blood of bulls and of goats, f{ and the ashes of an heifer, sprinkling the unclean, « sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how much " more shall the blood of Christ purge our consciences K from dead works to serve the living God?" And, hence, the whole work of sanctification is expressed, by opening a fountainfor sin, andfor uncleanness; that is, the purgingof them away, Zech. xiii. I. So is it in the gospel, where the blood of Christ is said to purge our sins with respect to guilt, and to wash our souls with respect to filth. Yea, so inseparable is this filth from sin, and shame from filth, that wherever abides a sense of sin, there is a sense of this filth with shame. The very heathen, who had only the workings of their own minds and consciences for their guide, were never able to quit themselves from a sense of this pollution of sin. And thence proceededall those ways of lustration, purgation, and cleansing, by washings, sacrifices, and mysterious ceremonious observances which they had in- vented. It remains therefore only that we inquire a little into the reasons and causeswhy this pravity of sin, and discrepancyfrom the holiness of God, is such a de. filament of our natures, and so inseparably attended with shame. For without the considerationhereof, we UrtIP1CATI0N. . 253 can never understand the true nature of sanctification and holiness. And it will also then yet further appear, how openly they betray their prodigious ignorance of these things, who contend that all grace consists in the practice of moral virtues. And we may, to this pur- pose, observe, Sect. 5. (l.) That the spiritual beauty and come- liness of the soul consists in. its conformity unto God. Grace gives beauty. Hence it is said of the Lord Christ, that he isfairer or morebeautful than the chil- dren ofmen, and that because grace was poured into his lips, Psal. xlv. 2. And when the church is furnished or adorned with his graces, he affirms her to be fair and comely, Cant. i..5. chap. vi. 4. chap. vii. e. Christ, by washing of it takes away its spots and wrinkles, ren- dering it beautiful, that is holy, and without blemish, Eph. v. 27. And this beauty originally consisted in the image ofGod in us, which contained the whole or- der, harmony, and symmetry of our natures in all their faculties and actions with respect unto God, and our utmost end. That therefore which is contrary hereun- to, as is all and every sin, bath a deformity in it, or brings spots, stains and wrinkles on the soul. There is in sin all that is contrary to spiritual beauty and come- liness, to inward order and glory, and this is the filth and pollution of it. (2.) Holiness and conformity to God is the honour of our souls. It is that alone which makes them truly noble. For all honour consists in an accession unto him who is the only spring and absolutepossessor of all that is so, in whom alone is originally and perfectly all being and substance. Now, this we have alone by ho- liness, or that image of God wherein we were created. Whatever is contrary hereunto, is base, vile, and un- worthy. This is sin, which is therefore the only base thing in nature. Hence it is said of some great sinners, that they had debased themselves to hell, Isa. lvii. 9. This belongs to the pollution of sin; that it is base, vile, unworthy, dishonouring the soul, filling it with shame in itself and contempt from God. And there are no persons who are not absolutely hardened, but are in their ownminds and consciences sensibleof this base- ness of sin, as they are also of the deformity that is in it. When mens eyes are opened tosee their nakedness, how vile and base they have made themselves by sin, they will have a sense of this pollution not easily to be
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