812 OF THE AC CS AND DUTIES OF HOLINESS. OF THE ACTS AND DUTIES OF HOLINESS. CHAP. VII. (1.) Actual inherent righteousness in duties of holiness and obedience, explained. The work of the Holy Spirit with respect thereunto.(2.) Distributionof the positive duties ofholiness.(3.) Internal duties of holiness. ' (4.) External duties, and their d rence. (5.) Effectual operationof the Holy Spirit necessary unto every act ofholiness. (6.) Dependence on providence with respect unto things natural; and(7.) Ongrace with respect unto things supernatural, compared. (8.) Arguments to prove the necessity of actual grace unto every duty ofholiness.(15.) Contrary designs and expressions ofthe scripture, and some men, about duties of ho- liness. THE second part of the work of the Spirit of God, in our sanctification, respects the acts and duties of holy obedience: for what we have before treated of, chiefly concerns the principle of it, ashabitually resident inour souls, and that both as unto its first infusion into us, as also its preservation and increase inus, But weare not indued with such a principle or power, to act it at our pleasure, or as we see good; but God, moreover, work - eth in us to will and to do, of his own good pleasure. And all these acts and duties of holiness or gospel-obe- dience, are of two sorts, or may be referred unto two heads: (1.) Such as have the will of God in positive commands for their object, which they respect in du- ties internal and external, wherein we do what God re- quireth. (2.) Such as respect divineprohibitions, which consist in the actings of grace or holiness, in an op- position unto or the mortification of sin. And what is the work of the Holy Spirit, what is the aid which he affords us in both these sorts of duties, must bede- clared. Sect. 2. The acts and duties of the first sort re- specting positive divine commands, fall under a double distinction: For, 1. They are, in their own nature, ei- ther internalonly. Or, 2. External also. There may be internal acts of holiness, that have noexternal effects: but no external acts or duties are any part of holiness, whichare only so, and no more; for it is required there- unto, that they be quickened and sanctified by internal actings of grace. Two persons may therefore, at the same time, perform the same commanded duties, and in the same outward manner, yet may it be the duty of evangelical holiness in the one, and not in the other; as it was with Cain and Abel, with the other apostles and Judas: for iffaith and love be not acted in either of them, what they do, is duty but equivocally, properly it is not so. Sect. 3. -1. By the duties of holiness, that are inter- nal only, 1 intend all acts of faith, love, trust, hope, fear, reverence, delight, that have God for their imme- diate object, but go not forth, nor exert themselves in any external duties; and in these doth our spiritual life unto God principally consist: for they are as the first acts of life, which principally evidence the strength or decays of it. And from these we may take the best measure of our spiritual health, and interest in holiness: for we may abound in outward duties, and yet ourhearts be very much alienated from the life of God. Yea, sometimes men may endeavour to make up what is want- ing with them, by a multitude of outward duties, and so have a name to live, when they are dead, wherein the true nature of hypocrisy and superstition doth consist, Ise. i. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. But when the internal act- ings of faith, fear, trust, and love, abound, and are constant in us, they evidence a vigorous and healthy condition of soul. Sect. 4. -2. Duties that are external also are of two
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