Sermons, Sermon 14
SERMON, XIV.
2 Cor. VII. 1. Having therefore these promises (dearly beloved) Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
IT is a thing both of unspeakable sweetness and usefulness for a Christian, often to consider the excellency of that estate to which he is called. It cannot fail to put him upon very high resolutions, and carry him on in the divine ambition of being daily more suitable to his high calling, and hopes; Therefore, these are often set before Christians in the Scripture, and are prest here by the Apostle upon a particular occasion of the avoidance of near Combinements with Unbelievers. He mentions some choice promises that God makes to his own people, and of their near Relatition to, and communion with himself. And upon these he enlarges and raises the exhortation to the universal indeavour of all holiness, and that as … hi…
In the words are. 1. The Thing to which he would perswade. 2. The Motive. The Thing, Holiness in its full extension and intension, Purging our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, and perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
The purging out of filthiness and perfecting of holiness exp…est, (as usually they are distinguisht) those two parts of renewing grace, Mortification and Vivification. But I conceive they are not so truely different parts as a different notion of the same thing, the decrease of sin, and increase of grace being truely one thing, as the dispelling of darkness, and augmenting of Light: So here the one rendred, as the necessary result, yea, as the equivalent of the other; the same thing indeed, purging from filthiness, and in so doing perfecting holiness; perfecting holiness, and in so doing purging from filthiness. That Perfection, by which is meant a growing progressive advance towards perfection.
The words without straining gives us as it were the several dimensions of Holiness. The breadth purging all filthiness; the length parallel to Mans composure, running all along through his Soul and Body, purging filthiness of the flesh and spirit; the highth perfecting holiness; the depth, that which is the bottom whence it rises up, a deep impress of the fear of God. Perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Cleanse our selves] It is the Lord that is the sanctifier of his people, he purges away their dross and tin, he pours clean water, according to his promises, yet doth he call to us to cleanse our selves, even having such promises, Let us cleanse our selves. He puts a new life into us, and causes us to act, and excites us to excite it, and call it up to act in the progress of sanctification. Men are strangely inclined to a perverse construction of things, tell them that we are to act, and work, and give diligence, then they would fancy a doing in their own strength, and be their own Saviours: Again, tell them that God works all our works in us, and for us, then they would take the ease of doing nothing; if they cannot have the praise of doing all, they will sit still with folded hands and use no diligence at all. But this is the corrupt logick of the flesh, its base sophistry. The Apostle reasons just contrary, Phil. 2. 12. It is God that worketh in us, both to will and to do; Therefore would a carnal heart say, we need not work, or at least, may work very carelesly. But he infers, Therefore let us work out our Salvation with fear and trembling, in the more humble obedience to God, and dependance on him, not obstructing the influences of his Grace, and by sloth, and negligence provoking him to withdraw or abate it. Certainly many in whom there is truth of grace, are kept low in the growth of it, by their own slothfulness, sitting still▪ and not bestirring themselves, and exercising the proper actions of that spiritual Life, by which it is entertained and advanced.
From all filthiness.] All kind of sinful pollutions; not as Men commonly do reform some things, and take to themselves dispensations in others, at least in some one peculiar sin, their Mistress and their Herodias, their Dalilah. No parting with that, yea, they rather forego many other things, as a kind of composition for the retaining of that.
Of flesh and spirit.] The whole Man must be purified and consecrated to God, not only refined from the gross outward acts of sin, but from the inward affection to it, and motions of it, that so the heart go not after it, Psal. 131. Which under restraints of outward committing sin, it may do, and very often does, as the Israelites lusted after the flesh pots, their hearts remained in Egypt still, though their bodies were brought out. This is then to be done, affection to sin to be purged out, that is to cleanse the ground, not only to lop off the branches, but to dig about, and loosen and pluck up the root, though still fibers of it will stick, yet we ought still to be finding them out, and plucking them up.
Further, These not only of the inner part of all sins, but of some sins that are most or wholly inward, that hang not much on the body, nor are acted by it, those filthinesses of the Spirit that are less discerned then those of the Flesh, and as more hardly discerned, so when discerned, more hardly purged out▪ Pride. Selflove, Unbeleif, Curiosity, &c. Which though more retired and refined sins, yet are pollutions and defilements, yea of the worst sort, as being more spiritual, are filthinesses of the Spirit. Fleshly pollutions are things of which the Devil's not capable in themselves, though they excite Men to them, and so they are called unclean Spirits, but the highest rank of sins, are those that are properly Spiritual wickednesses. These in Men are the chief strengths of Satan, the inner works of these forts and strongholds, 2 Cor. 10. 4.
Many that are not much tempted to the common gross sensualities, have possibly (though an inclination to them) yet a kind of disdain; and, (through education, and morality, and strength of reason, with somewhat of natural conscience) are carried above them; who yet have many of these heights, those lofty imaginations that rise against God, and the obedience of Christ, all which must be demolisht.
Perfecting holiness.] Not content with low measures so much as keeps from Hell. But aspiring towards perfection, aiming high at self victory, self denial, and the love of God, purer and hotter, as a fire growing and flaming up, and consuming the Earth. Though Men fall short of their aim, yet it is good to aim high, they shall shoot so much the higher, though not full so high as they aim, thus we ought to be setting the state of perfection in our eye, resolving not to rest content below that, and to come as near it as we can, even before we come at it, Phil. 3. 11. 12. This, to act as one that hath such a Hope, such a State in view, and is still advancing towards it.
In the fear of God] No working but on firm ground, no solid endeavours in holiness where it is not founded in a deep heart, a reverence of God, a desire to please him and to be like him, which springs from Love.
This most Men are either strangers to wholly, or are but slight and shallow in it, and therefore make so little true progress in holiness.
Then there is the motive, having these Promises.] Being called to so fair an estate, so excellent a condition to be the people, yea, the Sons and Daughters of God, therefore they are called to the coming forth from Babel, and the separating themselves from sin, and purging it out, holiness is his Image in his Children, the more of it the more suitable to that blessed Relation, and Dignity, and the firmer are the hopes of the inheritance of Glory.
Consider Sin as a filthiness, hate it. Oh, how ugly, and vile is lust, how deformed is swelling Pride, and all sin is an aversion from God, a casting the noble Soul into the mire, the defacing all its beauty. Turning to present things it pollutes it self with them, that he who was clad in scarlet embraces the dunghil, as Jeremy in another sense laments.
Purity of things is an unmixture and simplicity corresponding with their own being, and so is the Soul when elevated above the Earth, and Sense, and united unto God, contemplating him, and delighting in him, all inordinate bent to the Creatures, or to it self, (which is the first and main disorder) doth defile and debase it. And the more it is sublim'd and freed from it self the purer, and more heavenly it grows, and partakes the more of God, and resembles him the more.
This then to be our main study, first to search out our iniquities, the particular defilements of our Nature, not only gross filthinesses, Drunkenness, Lasciviousness, &c. But our love of this Earth, or of Air, or Vanity of mind, our Self will and Self-seeking. Most, even of Christians, are short sighted in their own secret evils, the filthinesses of Spirit especially; and use little diligence in this enquiry, they do not seek Light from God, to go in before him, and to lead them into themselves, as the Prophet had in the discovery of Idolatries at Jerusalem. Oh, that we could once see what heaps of abominations lie hid in us, one behind another.
Then having searcht out, we must follow on, to purge out, not to pass over, nor spare any, but to delight most in casting out the best beloved sin, the choicest Idol, that hath had most of our service and sacrifices, to make room for Jesus Christ.
And never cease in this work, for still there is …eed of more purging, one dayes work in this, disposes for, and engages to a further, to the next; for as sin is purged out Light comes in, and more clear discoveries are made of remaining pollutions. So then still, there must be progress, less of the World, and more of God in the heart every day. Oh, this is a sweet course of Life, what gain, what preferment, to be compared to it?
And in this 'tis good to have our ambition growing, the higher we rise, to aspire still the higher, looking farther than before, even toward the perfection of holiness; it is not much we can here attain to, but sure, 'tis commonly far less than we might, we improve not our condition, and advantages as we might do, the world is busie driving forewards their designs, Men of spirit are animated, both by better, and worse success; if any thing miscarry, it sets them on the more eagerly to make it up in the right management of some other design, and when they prosper in one thing, that enables and incourages them to attempt further, shall all things seem worth our pains? are only Grace and Glory so cheap in our account, that the least diligence of all goes that way? Oh! strange delusion!
Now our cleansing is, to be managed by all holy means: Word and Sacrament more wisely and spiritually used than commonly with us; and private Prayer, that purifies and elevates the Soul, takes it up into the Mount, and makes it shine; and particularly supplicating for the Spirit of holiness, and victory over sin, is not in vain, it obtains its desires of God, the Soul becoming that which it is fixedly set upon, Holy resolution; Christians much wanting in this, faint and loose in their purposes: The consideration of Divine Truths, the mysteries of the Kingdom, the hope of Christians, yea rich and great Promises, that is particularly here the motive, these are all the means, holy means; they are as their end is the perfection of holiness.
Having these Promises.] Now consider whether it is better to be the Slaves of Satan, or the Sons of God, measure delight in God, with the low base pleasures of sense. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God; these gradually go on together, and are perfected together.
Why then is there such an invincible love of sin in the hearts of Men, at least why so little love of holiness, and endeavour after it, so mean thoughts of it, as a thing either indecent or unpleasant, when 'tis the only noble, and the only delightful thing in the World, the Soul by other things is drawn below it self, but by holiness it is raised above it self, and made Divine. Pleasures of sin for a season, the pleasure of a moment exchanged for those of Eternity: But even in the mean time, in this season, the Soul is fed with Communion with God, one hour of which is more worth than the longest Life of the highest of the Worlds delights.