Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BT768 .O9 1654

Holineffe in its feverall Acceptations. C np. I. 4: 14, i g. ingofmany Sophifticall Reafons and pretended Arguments are obvious to 9 every one that (hall but perufe his enfuing difcourfe. Although the Subfiance ofthis Do&rine hath been by, fundry delivered,- 4 14. yet leaft the termes,wherein it is ufuallydone, may feeme tobe fomewhat too General], and fame advantages ofthe Truth, which in it felfe it hath, tohave been omitted, I thall breifely ftate the whole matter under thofe Termes, wherein it isufually received. The titleofitis,thePERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS;A(port §. is. difcoveryof whom we meane by Saints, theSubjeEI,whereof we fpeake, and what by Perfeverance, which isAffirmed ofthem, will ftate the whole for the Judgementof the Reader. God only is effentially holy, and on that ac- count,the only holy One. In his Holyneffe as in his Beeing, and all his Glorious '11,1'01;1610 .24 Iq. Attributes, there is an a&uall permanencyor fameneffè. Heb. 1.1o,I I,I2. No- Rvcl. tg. 4, thing in him is fubje& to the leaft (haddow of change : not his Truth, dá14 not his Faithfullnefhe, not his Holineffe 5 all principles, caufes, and Infá °4' 3.3284 reafons of alteration ftand at no leffe infinite diftance from him, then not ch.41.4 being.His Properties are the fame with himfelfe and are fpoken ofone ano- `,11;4434.7: ther, as well asofhis nature. His Eternall Power is mentioned by the Apoftle ch.48, r 2. Rori. I: So is his Holineffe Eternall, Immutable. Of thiswemayhave ufe Reval. 3c.r4,17 M6, afterwards, for the prefent I treat not ofit. The Holineffe of all Creatures Ian is Accidentali and Created; to fome itis innate or Originali, as to the Angels, I Sam i 5. the firft man, our saviour Chrift as to his humanenatùre; of whom we treat ¿;,,,,26. not. Adam had originali holineffe and loft it; fo had many Angells,whokept Month. 9.17. not theirfirf habitation: It is hence argued by Mr Goodwin, that Spiritual/ Hb1 .9 gifts ofGod being beffowed,may be taken away,nowithftanding the Teeming con- Ezek.36.26, trary engagement ofRom. s s.29.From what proportion orAnalogy this Argu- 27 ,2gá,4 ment doth flow,is not intimated: Thegrace Adam was endowed with, was Rom.6.4,g.6 intruledwith himfelfe, and his own keeping,ina covenant ofWorkes: that of Ephef.4.22, theSaints fence the fall, is purchafed for them, laid up in their head, difpen- 23,24,25. fed in a covenant of grace; whofe eminent diftin&ion from the former,con- fifts in thepermanency andabidingnefs ofthe fruits ofit. But of this after- wards. To others, adventitiousand added, as to all that havecontrafted any qualities contrary to thatOriginallHolineffe,wherewithat firft they wereiindu- ed, as have done allthe fonnes ofmen, who havefinned and conefhort of the glory ofGod.Now theHolinefs ofthefe is either compleate,as it is with the fpi- rits ofjuft men made perfe&:or inchoate, andbegunne only , as with the ref due ofSan&ifiedones, in this life. The certain Perfeverance of the former in their prefent condition being not dire&ly oppofed by any , though the foundation of it beattemptedbyforce, we have no need as yet to engage in the defence ofit. Thefe latter arePaid tobefanEtifiedor holy two waies:upon the twofold account ofthe ufeofthe word in the Scripture. I. For(firft)fome Perfons,as well as Things,are laid to beholy,efpecially in the old Teftament, and in the Epifile to the Hebreroes,almoft conftantly ding the termes ofsanEfifyingand sanelifyed in a legalior Temple fignification,in refe- renceunto their being feparated from the reldue of men, with relation to Eod.28.36, God and his worfhip; orbeing confecrated, and dedicated peculiarly to' the 38. performance ofanypart ofhis will, or diftin& injoyment ofany portion of Lev,r.5.I s.. Ezek.2x.8. hismercy: thus the Arne was faidtobeholy, and the Altar holy, theTemple was Heb.2.I,. holy and all the utenfils of it, with the veftments of its officers. So the ch. Imo. whole people ofthe Temes, werePaid to be holy: the particular refpe&s ofco- Tob. 17.19. venant, Worfhip, Separation,Law,Mercy,& the like, uponwhich this denomi- nation ofHolineffe and Saintfhip was given unto them, &did depend, are known toall : yea perfonsInherently uncleane, and perfonally notorioufly C wicked

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=