272 THE FILTH OF SIN PURGED, the love from whence it was given for us, and is ap- that fear which keeps from sin, and excites the soul to plied unto us? And because this valuation and admira- tion are acts of faith, the very work itself also of clean- sing our souls is carried on by them. For, by the ex- ercise of faith, do we continually derive virtue from Christ to this purpose, as the woman did by touching of his garment for the stopping of her issue of blood. (2.) Inward joy and satisfaction in our freedom from that shame, which deprived us of all boldness and con- fidence in God. This internal joy belongs unto the duty of thankfulness: For therein is God glorified, when we are graciously sensibleof the effects of his love and kindness towards us. Every grace then glorifies God, and expresseth our thankfulness for his love, when a soul finds itself really affected with a sense of its being washed from all its loathsome defilements in the blood of Christ, and, being thereby freed from discouraging oppressing shame, to have filial boldness in the presence of God. (3.) Acknowledgment in a way of actual praise. Sect. 15.Again, We have declared, not only that there is in our natural frame and spiritual constitution a discrepancy to the holiness of God, and consequently an universal defilement, but that there is, from its pra- vity and disorder, a pollution attending every actual sin, whether internal of the heart and mind only, or exter- nal in sin perpetrated, averse to holiness, and contrary to the carrying on of the work of sanctification in us. And sundry things, believers, whose concernment alone this is, may learn from hence also: As, (1.) How they ought to watch against sin and all the motions of it, though never so secret. They all of them defile the conscience; and it is an evidenceof a gracious soul to be watchful against sin on this account. Con- victions will make men wary where they are prevalent, by continual representations of the danger and punish- ment of sin: and these are an allowable motive to be- lievers themselves to abstain from it in all known in- stances. The consideration of the terror of the Lord, the use of the threatenings both of the law and gospel, declare this to be our duty. Neither let any say, that this is servile fear; that denomination is taken from the frame of our minds, and not from the object feared. When men so fear, as thereon to be discouraged, and to incline unto a relinquishment of God, duty, and hope, that fear is servile, whatever be the object of it. And cleave more firmly to God, be the object of it what it will, is no servile fear, but an holy fear of due reverence unto God, and his word. But this is the most genu- inely gracious fear of sin, when we dread the defilement of it, and that contrariety which is in it to the holiness of God. This is a natural fruit of faithand love. And this consideration should always greatly possess our minds; and the truth is, if it do not so, there is no as- sured preservative against sin. For, together with an apprehension of that spiritual pollution wherewith sin is accompanied, thoughts of the holiness of God, of the care and concernment of the sanctifying Spirit, of the blood of Christ, will continually abide in our minds, which are all efficaciously preservative against sin: I think that there is no more forceable argument unto watchfulness against all sin unto believers, in the whole book of God, than that which is managed by ourapostle, with especial respect unto one kind of sin, but may in proportion be extended unto all, 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17 chap. vi. 15, 19. Moreover, where this is not, where the soul hath no respect to the defilement of sin, but only considers how it may shift with the guilt of it, innumerable things will interpose, partly arising from the abuseof grace, partly from carnal hopes and foolish resolutions for after- times, as will set it at liberty from that watchful diligence in universal obedience which is required of us. The truth is, 1 do not believe that any one that is awed only with respect to the guilt of sin, and its consequents, doth keep up a firm integrity with regard to inward and outward actings of his heart and life in all things. But where the fear of the Lord and ofsin is influenced by a deep apprehension of theholiness of the one, and the pollution that inseparably attends the other, there is the soul kept always upon its best guard and defence. (2.) How we ought to walk humbly before the Lord all our days. Notwithstanding our utmost watchfulness and diligence against sin, there is yet no nzan thatlivet!,, and sinneth not. Those who pretend unto a perfection here, as they manifest themselves to be utterly ignorant of God and themselves, and despise the blood of Christ, so, for the most part, they are left visibly, and in the sight of men, to confute their own pride and folly. But to what purpose is it to hide ourselves from ourselves, when we have to do with God? God knows, and our ,.a
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