(3.) Another motive hereunto is our relation to God, as his children, and our professed subjection to him; as we gave up ourselves to him, when first we believed, avouched him to be our God, and, since then, have experienced many instances of his condescending goodness and faithfulness; as he has been pleased to grant us some degrees of communion with him, through Christ; and as he has given us many great and precious promises, and in various instances, made them good to us; and has reserved an inheritance for all that are sanctified in that better world, to which they shall be brought at last: this should induce us to lead a life of holiness, as the apostle says, Having these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, chap. vii. 1.
From what has been said in explaining the doctrine of sanctification, we may infer,
[1.] The difference that there is between moral virtue, so far as it may be attained by the light of nature, and the improvement of human reason; and that holiness of heart and life, which contains in it all Christian virtues, and is inseparably connected with salvation. All who are conversant in the writings of some of the Heathen moralists will find a great many things that tend to regulate the conduct of life; and those precepts laid down, which, if followed, carry in them a great resemblance of the grace of sanctification; and herein some, who have been destitute of the light of the gospel, have very much excelled many who bear the Christian name: when we find a lively representation of the universal corruption and degeneracy of human nature, the disorder and irregularity of the affections, and man’s natural propensity to vice, rules laid down for the attaining of virtue, by which means men are directed how to free themselves from that slavery which they are under to their lusts, and advice given to press after a resemblance and conformity to God; this carried in it a great shew of holiness.
A late writer[[70]] has collected together several passages out of their writings, with a design to prove, that though they were destitute of gospel light, yet they might attain salvation; inasmuch as they use many expressions that very much resemble the grace of sanctification: as for instance, when one of them speaking concerning contentment in the station of life in which providence had fixed him, says, “A servant of God should not be solicitous for the morrow. Can any good man fear that he should want food? Doth God so neglect his servants, and his witnesses, as that they should be destitute of his care and providence? And he adds, Did I ever, Lord, accuse thee, or complain of thy government? Was I not always willing to be sick when it was thy pleasure that I should be so? Did I ever, desire to be what thou wouldest not have me to be? Am I not always ready to do what thou commandest? Wilt thou have me to continue here, I will freely do as thou willest? Or, wouldest thou have me depart hence, I will freely do it at thy command? I have always had my will subject to that of God; deal with me according to thy pleasure; I am always of the same mind with thee; I refuse nothing which thou art pleased to lay upon me; lead me whither thou wilt; clothe me as thou pleasest; I will be a magistrate or private person; continue me in my country, or in exile, I will not only submit to, but defend thy proceedings in all things.” We might also produce quotations out of other writings whereby it appears that some of the heathen excelled many Christians in the consistency of their sentiments about religious matters, with the divine perfections; as when they say, Whatever endowment of the mind has a tendency to make a man truly great and excellent; this is owing to an internal divine influence.[[71]] Others, speaking of the natural propensity which there is in man to vice, have maintained, that to fence against it, there is a necessity of their having assistance from God, in order to their leading a virtuous life; and that virtue is not attained by instruction, that is, not only by that means, but that it is from God; and that this is to be sought for at his hands, by faith and prayer: much to this purpose may be seen in the writings of Plato, Maximus Tyrius, Hierocles, and several others.[[72]]
The principal use that I would make hereof is, to observe that this should humble many Christians, who are far from coming up to the Heathen in the practice of moral virtue. And, as for the sentiments of those who deny the necessity of our having the divine influence in order to our performing the duties which God requires of us, in a right manner; these fall very short of what the light of nature has suggested to those who have duly attended to it, though destitute of divine revelation. When I meet with such expressions, and many other divine things, in the writings of Plato; and what he says of the conversation of his master Socrates, both in his life and death: I cannot but apply in this case, what our Saviour says to the scribe in the gospel, who answered him discreetly, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God, Mark xii. 34. These things, it is true, very much resemble the grace of sanctification; yet in many respects, they fall short of it; inasmuch as they had no acts of faith, in a Mediator, whom they were altogether strangers to, as being destitute of divine revelation.
It is not my design, at present, to enquire, whether they had any hope of salvation? this having been considered under a foregoing answer[[73]]. All that I shall here observe is, that some of the best of them were charged with notorious crimes, which a Christian would hardly reckon consistent with the truth of grace; as Plato, with flattering of tyrants, and too much indulging pride and luxury[[74]]; Socrates, with pleading for fornication and incest, and practising sodomy, if what some have reported concerning them be true[[75]]. But, without laying any stress on the character of particular persons, who, in other respects, have said and done many excellent things; it is evident, that whatever appearance of holiness there may be in the writings or conversation of those that are strangers to Christ and his gospel, this falls short of the grace of sanctification.[[76]]
There is a vast difference between recommending or practising moral virtues, as agreeable to the nature of man, and the dictates of reason; and a person’s being led in that way of holiness, which our Saviour has prescribed in the gospel. This takes its rise from a change of nature, wrought in regeneration, is excited by gospel-motives, encouraged by the promises thereof, and proceeds from the grace of faith, without which, all pretensions to holiness are vain and defective. What advances soever these may have made in endeavouring to free themselves from the slavery of sin, they have been very deficient, as to the mortification thereof; for being ignorant of that great atonement which is made by Christ, as the only expedient to take away the guilt of sin, they could not, by any method, arrive to a conscience void of offence, or any degree of hope concerning the forgiveness thereof, and the way of acceptance in the sight of God: and their using endeavours to stop the current of vice, and to subdue their inordinate affections, could not be effectual to answer that end, inasmuch as they were destitute of the Spirit of God, who affords his divine assistance, in order thereunto, in no other way than what is prescribed in the gospel; so that as without holiness no one shall see the Lord, this grace is to be expected in that way which God has prescribed; and every one that is holy is made so by the Spirit, who glorifies himself in rendering men fruitful in every good work, being raised by him, from the death of sin, to the life of faith in Christ; which is a blessing peculiar to the gospel.
[2.] Since holiness is required of all persons, as what is absolutely necessary to salvation, and is also recommended as that which God works, in those in whom the gospel is made effectual thereunto; we may infer, that no gospel-doctrine has the least tendency to lead to licentiousness. The grace of God may indeed be abused; and men, who are strangers to it, take occasion from the abounding thereof, to continue in sin, as some did in the apostle’s days, Rom. vi. 1. but this is not the genuine tendency of the gospel, which is to lead men to holiness. Whatever duties it engages to, they are all designed to answer this end; and whatever privileges are contained therein, they are all of them inducements thereunto: are we delivered out of the hands of our spiritual enemies? it is, that we should serve him in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our lives, Luke i. 74, 75. As for the promises, they are an inducement to us, as the apostle expresses it, to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, 2 Cor. vii. 1. and every ordinance and providence should be improved by us, to promote the work of sanctification.
[3.] Let us examine ourselves, whether this work be begun, and the grace of God wrought in us, in truth? and if so, whether it be increasing or declining in our souls?
1st, As to the truth of grace, let us take heed that we do not think that we are something when we are nothing, deceiving our own souls, or rest in a form of godliness, while denying the power thereof, or a name to live, while we are dead; let us think that it is not enough to abstain from grosser enormities, or engage in some external duties of religion, with wrong ends. And if, upon enquiry into ourselves, we find that we are destitute of a principle of spiritual life and grace, let us not think, that because we have escaped some of the pollutions that are in the world, or do not run with others in all excess of riot, that therefore we lead holy lives; but rather let us enquire, Whether the life we live in the flesh, be by the faith of the Son of God, under the influence of his Spirit, with great diffidence of our own righteousness and strength, and firm dependence upon Christ? and as the result hereof, whether we are found in the practice of universal holiness, and hate and avoid all appearance of evil, using all those endeavours that are prescribed in the gospel, to glorify him in our spirits, souls, and bodies, which are his?