The Christian Warfare Part 1, Book 3 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Of the effects, ſubiect, obiect, and time of our ſanctification.
§. Sect. 1 THe principall effects of our ſanctification,Of the effects of our ſanctification. are a deteſtation of our former ſinnes in which wee hauehave taken our pleaſure and delight, and an hartie louelove of righteouſneſſe and holineſſe, which before our regeneration were loathſome and vnpleaſant vntounto vsus; when notwithſtanding our infirmities and often falles wee can ſay with the Apoſtle Paul, that wee would faine doe that good we cannot, and hate that euill which we doe, and howſoeuer wee cannot performe perfect obedience to all Gods commandements, yet we delight in the law of God in the inner man, Rom. 7.15.19.22.Rom. 7.15.19.22. Secondly, from theſe affections of louing good and hating euill, there ariſeth an earneſt deſire to embrace the one and flee the other, and from this deſire proceedeth a ſetled purpoſe of heart, and a carefull endeuour to mortifie our fleſh with the corruptions thereof, and for the time to come to frame our liues according to the rule of Gods word, the which purpoſe and endeuour is ioyned with the diligent vſe of all good meanes, wherby we may attaine vntounto our deſire. Thirdly, when as this deſire and endeuour to leade a godly life is hindred by our ſpiritual enemies, the fleſh, the world and the diuell, there followeth in the man regenerate a ſpirituall combat, wherein hee ſtrugleth and ſtriueth to withſtand their temptations, and to goe forward in his courſe of holy obedience. And if hee preuaile and foyle his ſpirituall enemies, then there followeth peace of conſcience and ioy in the holy Ghoſt; but if hee bee ouercome and led captiue vntounto ſinne, through the violence of their temptations, then doth hee not lie ſtill and ſuffer ſinne to raigne in him, but hee ſeeketh to riſe againe by vnfained repentance, which is accompanied with theſe ſeuen fruites: Firſt, a care to leaue that ſin into which he is fallen. Secondly,2. Cor. 7.11. an vtter condemning of himſelfe for it. Thirdly, an holy anger againſt himſelfe for his fall. Fourthly, a feare leaſt againe he ſhould fall into the ſame ſinne. Fiftly, a deſire euer after to pleaſe God. Sixtly, a zeale of the ſame. Seuenthly, reuenge vponupon himſelfe for his former offence. And theſe are the effects of true ſanctification, which whoſoeuer can finde in himſelfe, he may be aſſured that he is ſanctified and ſhall be ſaued.
§. Sect. 2 The ſubiect in which this worke of ſanctification is wrought, is all and eueryevery one of Gods elect, and them only:Of the ſubiect of our ſanctification. neither is there any ſanctified but thoſe onelyonly that are elected and ſhall be ſaued, as appeareth Epheſ. 1.4. Neither is this worke begun in any one part of them alone, but in all the parts, powers, and faculties of ſoule and bodie, as appeareth 1. Theſ. 5.23. The God of peace ſanctifie you throughout: The minde is inlightned with the true knowledge of Gods will reuealed in his word,Pſal. 119.18. Col. 1.9. Pſal. 119.11. Rom. 7.18. which before was blinded with ignorance. The memorie is inabled to retaine thoſe holy things which the vnderſtanding conceiueth. The will fleeth that which is euill, and imbraceth that which is good. The affections are purged from their corruptions, and made ſeruiceable to holy reaſon. The body alſo is ſanctified,1. Cor. 3.16. and made a fit temple for the holy Ghoſt: ſo that whereas heretofore the members thereof were the readie ſeruants of vnrighteouſneſſe vntounto ſinne, Rom. 6.19.they are now become the ſeruants of righteouſneſſe vntounto holineſſe. Laſtly, the actions and outward conuerſation which heretofore were ſinfull and ſcandalous, are now holy and righteous, ſeruing both for the aduancement of Gods glorie, and the edification of our chriſtian brethren. In a word, whoſoeuer are truely ſanctified, they are alſo wholy ſanctified, that is, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, ſanctified throughout, in eueryevery part and facultie of bodie and ſoule. And therefore whoſoeuer would bee aſſured that he hath attained true ſanctification, he is to labour to compoſe and frame the whole man, his minde and imagination, his will and affections, his outward actions, life and conuerſation, according to the exact rule of Gods law: in all of them mortifying the old man, and his inbred corruption, and imbracing the contrarie duties of holineſſe and righteouſneſſe. Otherwiſe if our ſanctification be not of the whole man, and eueryevery part in their ſeuerall meaſure, it will in the end be vaine and fruitleſſe; for as it is to no purpoſe for citizens being beſieged, to fortifie one place of the wall, and leaue another part vnfortified, or to keepe ſtrait watch at ſome of the gates and leaue others open; ſo it will not auaile vsus to fortifie ſome parts againſt the power of ſinne, and to leaue others weake and naked, nor to garde ſome of the outward paſſages of the ſenſes, and neglecting ſome other, ſuffer them to lie as an open entrance to let in our ſpirituall enemies, for ſo they will eaſily ſurpriſe vsus, and leade vsus captiue vntounto ſinne; but if we would be in any ſafetie in this ſtrait ſiege, we muſt ſet a ſtrong garde, and a carefull watch, ouer eueryevery part and facultie of our bodies and ſoules.
§. Sect. 3 The obiect of our ſanctification about which it is exerciſed,Of the obiect and time of our ſanctification. is ſinne and corruption, and holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, that we may flie the one and imbrace the other, mortifie the fleſh and the luſts thereof, and be quickned in the ſpirit that we may be conformable in all holy obedience vntounto the law of God, auoyding that which he hath forbidden, and labouring to performe that which hee hath commaunded.
The time when ſanctification is wrought in vsus, is preſently after we are effectually called and iuſtified; for as ſoone as the vertue and power of Chriſts obedience, death, and reſurrection, is applied vntounto vsus by a liuely faith, it doth not onelyonly free vsus from the guilt and puniſhment of ſinne, but alſo mortifie the fleſh with the corruptions thereof, and quickneth vsus in the inner man, enabling vsus to forſake our former ſinnes, and to ſerue the Lord in holineſſe and newneſſe of life. But howſoeuer our ſanctification bee begun preſently after our conuerſion, yet it is not ſo ſoone finiſhed; but as the ſeede being caſt into the ground, doth firſt take roote, and then is ſcarcely diſcorned, afterwards ſhooteth forth into a blade, and ſo ſpringeth vp by little and little, till it bringeth forth an eare, and laſtly it ripeneth and yeeldeth to the ſower plentifull increaſe: ſo when firſt the ſeedes of ſanctification are ſowne in vsus, by vertue of Gods ſpirit, they hauehave a time to take rooting, when as they make little or no ſhew to our ſelues or others, but afterwards they ſend forth as it were a blade of a holy profeſſion, and the ripe fruites of godlineſſe. Notwithſtanding theſe fruites in this life are not purely cleane, and without mixture; but as in the faireſt field there is amongſt the cleaneſt wheate ſome tares and cockell: ſo in thoſe that are moſt ſanctified, there are many corruptions of the fleſh, mixed with the good fruites of the ſpirit,Apoc. 22.11. the which the chriſtian is ſtill in weeding and plucking vp by the rootes ſo long as he liueth, but yet can neuer ouercome this great worke, till the winter of death wholy nippeth and killeth theſe weedes of ſinne. We muſt not therefore preſently after our conuerſion, dreame of a perfection in ſanctification; no nor yet at the firſt, eſtimate the trueneſſe thereof by the greatneſſe of the meaſure: for as it is in the naturall generation and growth of the body, ſo alſo in ſpirituall regeneration; all is not finiſhed at the firſt, but perfected by degrees. As ſoone as we are conuerted, we are but babes in Chriſt,Heb. 5.14. and, in reſpect of our infancie in knowledge faith and other graces, ſuch as hauehave neede rather of milke than of ſtrong meate: Rom. 8.29.in the reſt of our life we grow vp from ſtrength to ſtrength, till we come to mans eſtate, vntounto which age we cannot properly be ſaid to hauehave attained, till by death we wholy lay aſide the old man, and the corruptions thereof: and laſtly we attaine to our conſummation and full perfection, when at the latter day wee ſhall riſe againe, and both in body and ſoule bee indued with perfect holineſſe, whereby we ſhall be enabled to performe obedience to Gods will, in that degree which his iuſtice requireth.