་ and the people; for having refused to conduct the people, he now consents to lead them, and postpone the visitation of their iniquities. "And the Lord said unto Moses, whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken. to thee. Behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.". Exod. xxxii. 31-35. Job said, "though he slay me, yet will I trust in him." Job. xiii. 15. Hence it is inferred, that Job was willing to be damned for the glory of God. It is denied that Job intended damnation by being slain. Let those who affirm it prove it if they can. He declares, that his great afflictions have not destroyed his confidence in God; and then resolves to continue his trust in Jehovah, even should his sorrows and pains terminate in death. Verily, he trusted in God that he should not be finally rejected. It is granted to Dr. Emmons, as an unquestionable fact, that most "dramatic writers" have attempted to form "their amiable characters upon the principle of disinterested benevolence." It is believed, however, that these writers, instead of using a privative particle, compound the Greek A with the word interested, so as to read Air-interested; that is, twice-interested; for the characters which they commonly exhibit for imitation are either enthusiastically or selfishly interested in their exploits. At any rate it is to be hoped, that neither Cicero, nor a dramatist, nor a writer of romance, will give a decided cast to theological expression. Every child of God will be benevolent; and even when he doubts of his own good estate, will desire to promote the glory of God. He will say, "if I perish, let others be saved: if I belong to the kingdom of Satan, (and possibly I may deceive my. self,) my present prayer is, "thy kingdom come." Would to God that such benevolence as this pervaded every heart! 29 1. Regeneration, by the gift of the saving grace of faith, is the commencement of sanctifi cation. Inst. passim. 2. Believers in this life are sanctified but in part. Inst. B. 3. ch. 2. sec. 20, &c. 3. Sanctification is a progressive work. Inst. B. 3. ch. 2. pas. 4. Of the nature of the believer's imperfection; and of the manner in which this holiness is increased. In order to be perfect, the christian must have restored to him the whole of the image of God, which was lost by the fall. This is not restored at once, and never perfectly in this life. By faith, which increases, and causes all the christian graces to flourish, we become gradually, after regeneration, more like God. By beholding the glory of the OTHERS. 1. In effectual calling, or regeneration, is commenced the process of making the elect holy. Con. C. Scot. Con. P. C. U. S. and Say. Plat.ch. 13. sec. 1. et passim. 2. In this life sanctification is not perfect in any. Con. C. Scot. Con. P. C. U. S. Say. Plat. ch. 13. sec. 2. Larger Cat. Q. 77. Canons R. D. C. Head 5. Art. 1. 3. All the above quoted confessions teach the same. 4. On the same subjects. "Sanctification is that real work of God, by which they who are chosen, regenerated and justified, are continually more and more transformed from the turpitude of sin, to the purity of the divine image. We distinguish this work of God from the first regeneration, and first effectual calling to Christ. For the immediate effect of regeneration is a principle of spiritual life, which in a moment is put into the soul, Syst. Vol. 1. p. 540. et pas liams, passim. sim. 2. Dr. Hopkins said the same. Part. 2. ch. 4. sec. 13. 3. Where a work of sanctification has been commenced, the promise God renders it certain that it will be carried on. Vol. 2. f. 131. et passim. 4. On the same subjects. All sin consists in self-love, or selfishness, and consequently the remaining sinfulness of a believer consists entirely in his remaining selfish exercises. So far as any man possesses disinterested benevolence of feeling and action he is holy and so far as he has opposite volitions he is unsanctified. 2. And the same say all his followers. 3. All Hopkinsians say, that God who has begun the work of holiness in the hearts of his peopie, will not utterly abandon it; but finally make them constantly holy. 4. On the same subjects. "The want of love cannot be a transgression of the law of love." Emmons, p. 260. "Whosoever loves God, loves him with all his heart, and to the extent of his natural capacity. Hence every saint is conscious, that he feels perfectly right, so long as he is. conscious, that he loves God Syst. Part 2. ch. 4. sec. 4, for his real excellence. And 10 and 13. he cannot tell, nor can he be CALVIN, Lord more and more, the transformation into his image becomes more perfect. "So we see that the mind enlightened with the knowledge of God, is first holden wrapped in much ignorance, which by little and little is wiped away." by the immediate energy of the Holy Spirit. The effect of the effectual calling is the mystical union and communion with Christ. But the effects of sanctification are the habits of spiritual graces and their lively exercise; and thus sanctifica Inst. B. 3. ch. 2. sec. 19. et tion follows upon regeneration passim. "Therefore we affirm again that which we have above spoken, that the root of faith is never plucked out of a godly heart, but sticketh so fast in the bottom, that howsoever it be shaken and seem to bend this way or that way, the light ther of is never so quenched or choaked up, but that it lieth at least hidden under some embers: and by this token is plainly shewed, that the word which is an incor ruptible seed, bringing forth seed like itself, the spring whereof doth never wither and perish." B. 3. ch. 2. sec. 21. The same means which were of use effectually to call the and effectual calling, at least in the order of nature, and supposes those actions of God as going before it." Witsius' Econ. B. 3. ch. 12, sec. 11, 12. "They who are effectually called and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them, are farther sanctified really and personally, through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection, by his word and spirit dwelling in them; the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed, and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified, and they more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving graces, to the practice of true holiness." HOPKINS, The work of sanctification is carried on, as it was commenced; by the divine efficiency in producing benevolent volitions; in which holiness entirely consists. AND OTHERS. told, wherein he is to blame for not feeling a higher or stronger affection towards God, than he actually feels." Emmons, p. 440. The imperfect obedience of Vol. 1. p. 205. and the last believers consists, not in low, quoted places. "He conducts all things, external and internal, with respect to every christian; and so orders the degree and manner and time of his influence and assistance, as to keep them from falling totally and finally." "It requires infinite skill and wis dom, to sanctify a corrupt "That believers will never totally and finally fall away, so as to perish, is not owing to the nature of true grace, or any power or sufficiency in themselves to persevere unto the end; but this depends wholly on the will, and constant influence and energy of God, working in them to will and to do. They are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation." weak, or languid affections, or in affections partly holy and partly sinful, arising from mixed principles in the human heart; but in their having, by an unequal alternation, perfectly holy and perfectly sinful volitions, which are of the creative energy of the Holy Ghost: so that saints are at different moments, according to the nature of their exercises, entirely holy, or entirely sinful. Emmons' 18th and 19th Ser mons. God neither gives nor implants any bias, taste, or habit, or gracious principle, or principle of grace, in any of the renewed, nor do men ever act from any thing but an immediate, divine impulse. Emmons, f. 283, 454, 462. Sanctification consists in God's continuing to create holy exercises. He creates good and bad actions of the heart; but when he creates good volitions more frequently than formerly, and more frequently than bad ones, then sanctificaVol. 2. p. 131. tion is progressive. |