BY THE SPIRIT AND physical or corporeal, but moral and spiritual only. It is the inconformity of sinunto the holiness of God, as re- presented in the law, whence it is loathsome to God, and attended with shame in us. Now, wherever there is an interest obtained in the purifying virtue of the blood of Christ, it doth (by the will, law, and appoint- ment of God) do these two things: 1. It takes away all loathsomeness in the sight of God, not from sin in the abstract, but from the sinner; so that he shall be as one absolutely washed and purified before him. See Isa. i. 16, 18. Psal. li. 7. Eph. v. 25, 26, 27. 2. It taketh away shame out of the conscience, and gives the soul boldness in the presence of God, Heb. x. 19, 20, 21, 22. When these things are done, then is sin purged, and our souls are cleansed. (2dly,) It may be inquired, how weare to apply our- selves unto the blood of Christ for our purification, or how we may come continually to partake of the virtue of it, as it is sprinkled unto that purpose? Now, be- cause what we do herein, is wrought in us by the Spi- rit of God, my principal design being to declare his work in our sanctification, I shall, at once, declare both his work and our duty, in the following instances: I. It is he who discovereth unto us, and spiritually convincethus of the pollution of sin, and of our defile- ments thereby. Something indeed of this kind will be wrought by the power of natural conscience awakened and excited by ordinary outward means of conviction. For, wherever there is a sense of guilt, there will be in some kind a sense of filth, as fear and shame are in- separable. But this sensealone will never guideus to the blood 'of Christ for cleansing. Such a sight and conviction óf it as may fill us with self-abhorrency and abasement, as may cause us to loathe ourselves for the abominationthat is in it, is required of us. And this is the work of the Holy Ghost belonging to that pecu- liar conviction of sin which is from him alone, John xvi. 8. I mean that self-abhorrency, shame, and confusion of face, with respect unto the filth of sin, which is so often mentioned in the scripture as a gracious duty, as nothing is an higher aggravation of sin, than formen to carry themselves with a carnal boldness with God and inhis worship, whilst they are unpurged from their de- filements. Ina sense hereof, the publican stood afar off as one ashamed, and destitute of any confidence for a nearer approach. So the holy menof old professed BLOOD OF CHRIST. 261 to God, that they blushed and were ashamed to lift up their faces unto him. Without this preparation, where- by we come to know the plague of our own hearts, the infection of our leprosy, the defilement of our souls, we shall never make application unto the blood of Christ for cleansing in a (hie manner. This therefore, in the first place, is required of us, as the first part of our duty, and first work of the Holy Ghost herein. 2. The Holy Ghost proposeth, declareth, and pre- sents unto us the only true remedy, the only means of purification. « When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judahhis wound, thenwent Ephraim to theAssyrian, n and sent to king Jamb, yet would he not heal you, <, nor cureyou of your wound," Hos. v. 13. When men begin to discern their defilements, they are apt to think of many ways for their purging. What false ways have been invented to this purpose bath been be- fore declared; and everyone is ready to find out a way of his own; every one will apply his own soap and his own nitre. Though the only fountain for cleansing be nigh unto us, yet we cannot see it until the Holy Ghost open our eyes, ashe did the eyes of Hagar; he it is who shews it untous, and leads us unto it. This is an eminent part of his office and work. The principal end of his sending, and consequently of his whole work, was to glorify the Son; as the end and work of the Son was to glorify the Father. And the great way whereby he glorifieth Christ, is by sheaving such things unto us, John xvi. 14. And without his dis- covery we can know nothing of Christ, nor of the things of Christ; for he is not sent in vain to shew us the things that we can see of ourselves. And what is more so of Christ, than his blood and its efficacy for the purging of our sins? We never therefore discern it spi- ritually and in a due manner but by him. To have a true spiritual sense of the defilement of sin, and a gra- cious view of the cleansing virtue of the blood of Christ, is an eminent effect of the Spirit of grace. Something like it there may be in the workings of an awakenedna- tural conscience, with some beams of outward gospel- light falling on it; but there is nothing in it of thework of the Spirit. This therefore, Secondly, We must en- deavour after, if we intend to be cleansed by the blood of Christ. S. It is he who worketh faith in us, whereby we are actually interested in the purifying virtue of the blood of
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