flow from love to God; nor are they any thing else, but the neceffary expreffions of that divine principle. Though juftification and fanctification are both of them bleffings of grace, and though they are abfolutely infeparable; yet they are fo manifeftly diftinct, that there is in various refpects a wide difference between them. This diftinction may be thus expreiled. Juftification refpects the perfon in a legal fenfe, is a fingle act of grace, and terminates in a relative change; that is, a freedom from punishment, and a right to life. Sanctification regards him in a physical fenfe, is a conti nued work of grace, and terminates in a real change, as to the quality both of habits and actions. The former is by a righteoufnefs without us; the latter is by holiness wrought in us. That precedes, as a caufe; this follows, as an effect. Juftification is by Chrift as a priest, and has regard to the guilt of fin; fanctification is by him as a king, and refers to its dominion. The former annuls its damning power; the latter its reigning power. Juftification is inftantaneous and complete, in all its real fubjects; but fanctification is progreffive, and perfecting by degrees. The perfons on whom the bleffing of fanctification is bestowed, are thofe that are juftified, and in a ftate of acceptance with God. For concerning them it is written,and it is the language of reigning grace; I will put my laavs into their mind, and write them in their hearts. The blefling here defigned, and the fayour here promised, are, that love to God, and that delight in his law and ways, which are implanted in the hearts of all the regenerate; conftantly inclining them to obey the whole revealed will of God, fo far as they are acquainted with it. Sanctification Sanctification is a new covenant bleffing; and in that gracious conftitution it is promifed as a choice. privilege, not required as an entitling condition... Thofe happy fouls who poffefs the invaluable bleffing, and are delivered from the dominion of fin, are not under the law; neither feeking juftification by it, nor obnoxious to its curfe: but under grace; are completely justified by the free favour of God, and live under its powerful influence. This text ftrongly implies, that all who are under the law, as a covenant, or are seeking acceptance with the eternal Judge by their own duties, are under the domi nion of fin; whatever their character may be among men,or however high their pretences may be to holinefs. And as thofe that are under the law have no holiness, they can perform no acceptable obedience. For they that are in the flefb, in their carnal, unregenerate ftate, cannot pleafe God. Every one that is under the law, is condemned by it; and while his perfon is accurfed, his duties cannot be accepted. A man's perfon must be accepted with God, before his works can be pleafing to him. To fet the fubject in a clearer light, it may be of ufe to confider, that to constitute a work truly good, it must be done from a right principle, performed by a right rule, and intended for a right end. It must be done from a right principle. This is the love of God. The great command of the unchange➡ able law is, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God. Whatever work is done from any other principle, however it may be applauded by men, it is not acceptable in the fight of Him who searches the heart. For by Him principles, as well as actions, are weighed.It must be performed by a right rule. This is the revealed will of God. His will is the rule of righte T oufnefs oufnefs. The moral law, in particular, is the rule of our obedience*. It is a complete fyftem of du, ty; and confidered as moral, is immutably the rule of our conduct. However chargeable therefore any work may be to him that performs it; or however diligent he may be in its performance; yet, if it be no where commanded by the authority of Heaven, it ftands condemned by that divine query; Who hath required this at your hands? And though it be pretended, that the love of God is the principle, and the glory of God the end, as the dupes of fuperftition, both ancient and modern, have generally done; yet, being no where enjoined in our only rule of faith and practice, it is no better than reprobate filver, and will certainly be rejected of God. So that however highly the performer may please himself, or gratify his own pride by the deed, he cannot be commended for his obedience. where there is no command, explicit or implied, there can be no obedience; confequently, no good work. It must be intended for a right end. That is, the glory of the fupreme Being. Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God, is the peremptory command of the Most High. And as this is the end for which Jehovah himself acts, in all his works both of providence and grace; so it is the highest end at which we can poffibly aim. No man, however, can act for fo fublime an end, but he that is taught of God, and fully perfuaded that juftifica tion is entirely by grace; in such a sense by grace, as to be detached from all works, dependent on no conditions, to be performed by him." For till then -- For *See my Death of Legal Hope, the Life of Evangelical Obe dience, Sect. VII. where this fubject is professedly difcuffed, in opposition to the Antinomians, he he cannot but refer his fuppofed good actions prin cipally to felf, and his own acceptance with God. This is the highest end for which such a person can poffibly act, though other and bafer ends are often propofed by him. But thofe works that are truly good, and which the holy Spirit calls the fruits of righteousness; are, in the design of their performer, as well as in the iffue, to the glory and praife of God, Now though an unregenerate man may do those things which are materially good, and by a right rule; yet none that are ignorant of the gofpel of divine grace, can act from that generous principle and for that exalted end, which are absolutely neceffary to constitute a good work. To confirm the argument, and to illuftrate the point, I would obferve; That man is a fallen creature; entirely deftitute of the holy image and love of God. So far from loving his Maker, or delighting in his ways, he is an enemy to him. The language of an unregenerate man's heart and conduct, is that of those profane wretches in the book of Job, who fay to God, Depart from us; for we defire not the knowledge of thy ways. What is the Almighty that we should ferve him? And what profit fhould we have if we pray unto him*? Neither * Job xxi. 14, 15. I humbly conceive, that the unregenerate man's habitual forgetfulness of God, the uneafinefs he feels when the thoughts of his Maker and Judge dart into his mind, and his endeavours to exclude them as unwelcome intrudershis paffion for finful pleafures, and his love to prefent enjoyments -The enmity he has to the people of God, and his averfion to ferious, religious, heavenly converfation-and, finally, the treatment with which the gofpel meets in his breast; even the GOSPEL of faving grace, that brightest mirror of the divine perfections; are evidences of this humbling truth, and fully prove the opprobrious charge. Is not this a ftriking proof, that a divine power, an invincible agency, is neceffary to regenerate the foul and convert the heart? the commands of the divine law, though the ftricteft and pureft imaginable; nor all the vengeance® threatened against disobedience to thofe commands, can work in our hearts the leaft degree of love to God the lawgiver: nor, confidering ourselves as apoftate creatures and under the curfe, is it in the nature of things poffible. For the more pure its precepts are, fo much the more contrary to the bias of corrupted nature and it is evident, that its aw ful fanction cannot be approved by a perfon obnoxious to its condemning power. Confequently, the divine Lawgiver can have no fhare in our affections, while we continue in this deplorable condition. Fallen man therefore cannot love God, but as he is revealed in a Mediator. He must behold his Maker's glory in the face of Jefus Chrift, before he can love him, or have the leaft defire to promote his glory. Now, as there is no revelation of the glory of God in Chrift, but by the gofpel; and as we cannot behold it but by faith; it neceffarily follows, that no man can unfeignedly love God, or fincerely desire to glorify him, while ignorant of the truth. But as there is the brighteft difplay of all the divine perfections in Jefus Chrift, and as the gofpel reveals him in his glory and beauty; fo,. through the facred influence of the holy Spirit, finners behold the infinite amiableness and transcendent glory of God, in the perfon and work of Immanuel. The gofpel being a declaration of that perfect forgivenefs which is with God, and of that wonderful falvation which is by Chrift, which are full, free and everlafting; by whom foever the gofpel is believed, peace of confcience, and the love of God are in fome degree enjoyed. While, in proportion to the believer's views of the divine glory, revealed |