The Divine Life, Treatise 1 · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII.
17. ANother of Gods Attributes is his Holiness. He is called Holy. 1. As he is Transcendently above and separated from all the Creatures, in comparison of whom the He… vens are not clean; and from whom all things stand at an Infinite distance. 2. As the Perfection of his nature is the Fountain of all Moral Good. 1. In the Holiness of his Law, the Rule of Holiness. 2. In the Holiness of the soul: and, 3. In his holy Judgements. And consequently as this Perfect Nature is contrary to all the Moral Pollution of the Creature, loathing iniquity, forbiding and condemning it. That Perfect Goodness of the will of God, from whence floweth holy Laws, and motions, and the Holiness of the soul of man, is it that Scripture meaneth usually by Gods Holiness; rather then the foresaid distance from the Creatures. And therefore his Holiness is usually given as the Reason of his Laws and Judgements, and of his enmity to sin: And our Holiness is called his Image (who imitate not his Transcendency) and we are commanded to be Holy as he is Holy, 1 Pet. 1. 16. The nature of the Image will best tell us what Holiness is in God. Holiness in us is called The Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1. 4. and therefore is radically a right inclination and disposition of the soul; which hath its rise from a Transcendent Holiness in God, even as our Wisdome from his Transcendent Wisdome, and our Being from his Being. Holiness therefore being indeed the same with the Transcendently Moral Goodness of God, which I have spoken of before, I shall say but little of it now. Thus must the Holiness of God be known.
1. It must cause us to have a most high and honourable esteem of Holiness in the Creature, because it is the Image of the Holiness of God. Three sorts of Creatures have a Derivative Holiness: The first is The Law; which is the meer signification of the Wise and Holy Will of God concerning mans Duty with Rewards and Penalties, for the Holy Governing of the world! This is the nearest Image of God, engraven upon that Seal which must be the Instrument of imprinting it on our souls. Now the Holiness of the Word is not the meer product of the Will of God, considered as a Will; but of the Will of God considered as Holy, that is, as the Infinite Transcendent Moral Goodness in the Architype or Original. For all events that proceed from God, are the products of his Will which is Holy, but not as Holy (as the creating, preserving, disposing of every fly, or fish in the sea, or worm in the earth, &c.) There is somewhat therefore in the Nature of God, which is the Perfection of his Will, and is called Holiness, which …he Holiness of the Law doth flow from and express.
This Holy Word is the Immortal seed that begetteth Holiness in the soul, which is the second subject of derived Holiness; And this our Holiness is a conformity of the soul to the Law, as the Product of the Holy Will of God, and not a meer conformity to his predictions, and decreeing Will as such. It is a separation to God, but not every separation: Pharaoh was set apart to be the Passive monument of the Honour of Gods Name: and Cyrus was his servant to restore his people, and yet not thus Holy: But it is a separation from common and unclean uses; and a Purgation from polluting vice, and a renovation by reception of the Image of Gods Holiness, whose Nature is to encline the soul to God, and devote it wholly to him; both in Justice, because we are his own, and in Love, because he is most Holy and perfectly Good.
The third subject of Holiness is those creatures that are but separated to Holy uses, and these have but a Relative Holiness, and secundum quid: As the Temple, the holy utensils, the Bible as to the materials, the Minister, as an Officer, the people as visible members, &c.
All these must be reverenced and honoured by us, according to the proportion of their Holiness. 1. Our principal Reverence must be to the Holy Word of God: For Holiness is more perfect there then in our souls. The Holiness of the Word, which is it that the ungodly hate or quarrel at, is the Glory of it in the eyes of Holy men. We may much discern a Holy and an unholy soul, by their Loving or not loving a Holy Law; especially as it is a Rule to themselves. A distast of the Holiness of Scripture, and of the Holiness of the writings of Divines, and of the Holiness of their preaching or conference, discovereth an unholy soul. A Love to holy Doctrine sheweth that there is somewhat suitable to it in the soul that Loveth it. It is the elogy of the Scriptures, the Promises, the Covenant, the Prophets and Apostles, that they are all Holy, Rom. 1. 2. Psal. 105. 42. Luk. 1. 70, 72. Rev. 18. 20. 2 Tim. 3. 15. Rom. 7. 12. The Holiness of the Scripture doth make it as suitable and savoury to a Holy soul, as Light is suitable to the eye-sight, and sweetness to the tast: and therefore it is to them as the hony comb. But to the unholy it is a mystery, and as foolishness, and that which is contrary to their disposition, and they have an enmity to it: which makes a wonderful difference in their judging of the evidences of Scripture Verity, and much facilitateth the work of Faith in one sort, and strengtheneth unbelief in the other. Holy doctrine is the Glass that sheweth us the Holy face of God himself, and therefore must needs be most excellent to the Saints.
2. And we must honour and love also the Holiness of the Saints: For they also bear the Image of the Lord. Their Holy Affections, Prayers, Discourses, and Conversations must be beautiful in our eyes: And we must take heed of those temptations, that either from personal injuries received from any, or from their blots or imperfections, or from their meanness in the world, or from the contempt and reproach and slanders of the ungodly, would draw us to think dishononrably of their Holiness. He that honoureth the Holy God, will honour his Image in his Holy people. In his eyes a vile person will be contemned, but he will honour them that fear the Lord, Psal. 15. 4. The Saints on earth are the excellent in his eyes, and his delight is in them, Psal. 16. 2, 3. The breathings of Divine Love in the holy Prayers, Praises and Speeches of the Saints, and their Reverent and Holy mention of his Name, are things that a holy soul doth sweetly relish, and take pleasure in, as we would do to hear an Angel speak of the Holy things of the invisible Glory.
3 And Relative Holiness it self, though the lowest must be H…ured by us. Holy offices and persons in them must be Re…d for their Relative Holiness. Holy dayes must be holily …rved. Holy Ordinances (which also participate of the … of the Law, as significative) must be reverently used. Due reverence must be given even to that which is lawfully by men …voted to a Holy use, as are Temples, and Utensils of worship, and the maintenance dedicated to the service of God. That which is Holy, must not be devoured, Prov. 20. 25. nor used as we do things common and unclean.
…. Gods Holiness must make us Holy: we must fall in Love with it, and wholly conform our selves unto it. Every part of Sanctifying grace must be entertained, and cherished, and excited, and used by us. Sin must be loathsome to us because it is contrary to the Holiness of God. No Toad or Snake should seem to us so ugly. A dead carkass is an unpleasant sight, because it sheweth us a privation of natural life: But an unholy soul is incomparably a more loathsome ghastly sight, because it sheweth us the privation of the life of Holiness. No man can well know the odiousness of sin, and the misery and loathsomeness of the unholy soul, that knoweth not the Holiness of God. [Speak unto all the Congregation of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be Holy: for I the Lord your God am Holy] Lev. 19. 2. [Sanctifie your selves therefore and be ye Holy, for I am the Lord your God] Lev. 20. 7, 8. [As be that hath called us is Holy, so must we be holy in all manner of Conversation, 1 Pet. 1. 25. It is [an holy calling wherewith we are called] 2 T…. 1. 9. We are sanctified to be a peculiar people to Christ, Tit. 2. 14. [That denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world] ver. 12. We are made [an Holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifice, acceptable to God, by Jesus Christ] 1 Pet. 2. 5. Rom. 12. 1, 2. We must therefore present our bodies a living sacrifice, Holy, acceptable to God, our reasonable service] For we are [chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be Holy, and without blame] Ephes. 1. 4. and are Redeemed and Sanctified by Christ, that we may be presented Glorious, Holy, and without blemish] Ephes. 5. 26, 27. See therefore that you follow Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. Heb. 12. 14. For Blessed are the Pure in heart, for they shall see him, Mat. 5. 8.
3. The Holiness of God, must be to us a standing unanswerable Argument to shun all temptations that would draw us to be unholy, and to confound all the words of wicded men that are spoken against Holiness. Remember but that God is Holy, and if thou like that which is spoken against God, thou art his Enemy. Think on the Prophesie of Henoch, Jude 14. 15. Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints to execute Judgement upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches, which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.] God will not hold him guiltless that taketh his holy Name in vain; much less that blasphemeth Holiness, which is the perfection of his blessed nature.
4. The Holiness of God must possess us with a sense of our Uncleanness, and further our Humiliation. When Isaiah heard the Seraphims cry, [Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts, the whole Earth is full of his Glory] Isa. 6. 3▪ He said [Woe is mee, for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts.] v. 5.
5. The Holiness of God must cause us to walk continually in his Fear, and to take heed to all the affections of our souls, and even to the manner of our behaviour, when we come near to him in his Holy Worship. What suffered the Be…shemi…es for unreverent looking into the Holy Ark, 1 Sam, 6. 19. and Uzzah but for touching it? And what a dreadful example is that of the two Sons of Aaron, that were slain by a devou…ing fire from the Lord, for offering strange fire which he commanded not, Lev. 10. 1, 2. And Aaron was awed into silence by this account from God. [I will be sanctified in them that come nigh mee, and before all the people I will be glorified] v. 3. Take heed lest unreverence, or deadness, or customary heartless wordy services, should be brought before a Holy God. Take heed of hypocritical carnal worship. The Holy God will not be mocked with complements and shews.