CONSIDERATION OF TH express in the prophet, Isa. xxxiii. I4. Who among us shall dwell with the devouringfire? who among us shall inhabit with everlasting burnings? God's fiery holiness serves towards tliem unto no other end, but to fill them with terror and despair. But other inferences are na- tural from the consideration of the same holiness, in the latter way. Our God, saith the apostle, is a con- suming fire; what then, what follows as our duty there- on? Let us have grace, whereby we may serve him ac- ceptably wills reverenceandgodlyfear, Hob.. xii. 28, 29. There is no such forcible reason for, no such powerful motive unto, our adherence unto him in holy obedience. Such different conclusions will men make from these dif- ferent considerations of the holiness.of God, when once they Come to be serious and in good earnest about them. Sect. 9.(Secondly,) It follows from hencealso, that ourholiness under the new covenant, altho' it have the same general nature and one principal end with that which was required in the covenant of works, yet, as it bath an especial spring and fountainwhich that had not, and relates unto sundry causes which the other had no concernment in, so it is not of the same special use therewith. The immediate end and use of that holiness in us, was to answer the holiness of God absolutely as expressed in the law, whereon we should have been justified. This is now done for us by Christ alone, and the holiness which God requireth of us, respects only those ends which God bath proposed unto us, in com- pliance with his own holiness, as he will glorify it in Jesus Christ; which must be afterwards declared. (Secondly,) We may consider in what particular in- stances the force of this argument is conveyed unto us, or what are the especial reasons why we ought to be holy because God is so. And they are three: Sect. 10. (1.) Because herein consists all that con- formity unto God, whereof in thisworld weare capable, which is our privilege, pre- eminence, glory, and honour. We were originally created in the image and likenessof God. Herein consisted the privilege, pre-eminence, order, and blessedness of our firststate; and that, for the substance of it, it was no other but our holiness, is by all confessed. Wherefore, without this conformity unto God, without the impress ofhis image and likeness up- on us, we ¬, we cannot stand in that relation unto God which was designed us in our creation. This we lost by the entrance of sin. And if there be not a way 4 Q E NATURE OF GOD. 33e9 for us to acquire it again, if we do not so, we shall al- ways come short of the glory of God, andof the end of our creation. Now, this is done in and by holiness alone; for thereinconsists the renovation of the image, of God in us, as our apostle expressly declares, Eph. iv. 22, 23, 28. with Col. iii. 10. It is therefore to no purpose for any man to expect an interest in God, or any thing that will prove eternally to his advantage, who doth not endeavour after conformity unto him; for such a man despiseth all the glory that God designed unto himself in our creation, and all that was eminent and peculiarly bestowed upon ourselves. Sect. 11. He therefore, whose design is not to be like unto God, according to his measure, and the capa- city of acreature, always misseth both of his end, his rule, and his way. Our Saviour would have his disci- ples to do all things so, as that they may be the children of their heavenly Father, Matth. v. 45. that is, like him, representing him, as children do their Father. And the truth is, ifthis necessity of conformity unto God be once out of our view and consideration, we are easily turned aside by the meanest temptation we meet withal. In brief, without that likeness and conformity unto God, which consists in holiness, as we do, under his eye bear the image of his great adversary the devil, so we can have no especial interest in him, nor hath he any in us. (2.) The force of the argument ariseth from the re- spectit bears unto our actualintercourse and communion with God; this we are called unto, and this, in all our duties ofobedience, we must endeavour to attain. If there be not in them a real intercourse between God and our souls, they are all but uncertainbeatings of the air. When we are accepted in them, when God is glorified by them, then have we in them this intercourse and communion with God. Now, whereas God is holy, if we are not in our measure holy according to his mind, this cannot be: for God neither accepts of any'duties from unholy persons, nor is he glorified by them; and therefore, as unto these ends doth he express- ly reject and condemn them. It is a good duty to preach the word; " but unto the wicked God saith, " what hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that " thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth, see- ing theta hatest instruction, and fastest my words be- ".bind thee?" Pon]. 1. 1.7. seeing thcu art unholy? Tq 32
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=