The saving light of faith is a beam of the Sun of Righteousness himself, that he sends into the soul, by which he makes it discern his incomparable beauties, and by that sight alienates it from all those lusts and desires that do then appear to be what indeed they are, vileness and filthiness itself, makes the soul wonder at itself, how it could love such base trash so long, and so fully resolves it now on the choice of Jesus Christ, the chief among ten thousandsTM, yea, the fairest of the children of men", for that he is withal the only begotten Son of God, the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person.

The soul once acquainted with him, can with disdain turn off all the base solicitations and importunities of sin, and command them away that formerly had command over it, though they plead former familiarities, and the interest they once had in the heart of a christian before it was enlightened and renewed. He can well tell them after his sight of Christ, that it is true: while he knew no better than they were, he thought them lovely and pleasing, but that one glance of the face of Jesus Christ hath turned them all into extreme blackness and deformity; that so soon as ever Christ appeared to him, they straightway lost all their credit and esteem in his heart, and have lost it for ever, they need never look to recover it any more.

And it is from this that the Apostle enforceth this dehortation. It is true the lusts and vanities that are in request in the world were so with you, but it was when you were blind, they were the lusts of your ignorance; but now you know how ill they will suit with the light of that gospel which you profess, and that inward light of faith, which is in the souls of such as be really believers.

Therefore seeing you have renounced them, keep them still at that distance, never admit them more to lodge within you, that sure you cannot do; but do not so much as for custom sake, and compliance

m Cant. v. 10.

Psal. xlv. 2.

• Heb. i. 3.

with the world about you, outwardly conform yourselves to any of them, or make semblance to partake of them, as St. Paul says, Have no more fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them, reprove them by your carriage, and let the light of your holy lives discover their foulness.

II. We have the positive part of the Apostle's exhortation, Be ye holy. This includes the former, the renouncing of the lusts and pollutions of the world, both in heart and life; and adds farther, filling of their room, being cast out, with the beautifying graces of the Spirit of God, and the acting of those in their whole conversation in private and abroad, in conversing with themselves, and conversing with others, whether good or bad, in a constant even course, still like themselves, and like him who hath called them for it is a most unseemly and unpleasant thing to see a man's life full of ups and downs, one step like a christian, and another like a worldling, it cannot chuse but both pain himself and mar the edification of others.

But as he which hath called you is holy.] Consider whose you are, and you cannot deny that it becomes you to be holy. Consider your near relation to the holy God, this is expressed two ways, namely, as children, and as he which hath called you; which is all one as if he had said, hath begotten you again. The very outward vocation of those that profess Christ, presseth holiness upou them, but the inward far more. You were running to destruction in the way of sin, and there was a voice, together with the gospel preached to your ear, that spake into your heart, and called you back from that path of death to the way of holiness, which is the only way of life. He hath severed you from the mass of the profane world, and picked you out to be jewels for himself; he hath set you apart for this end, that you may be holy to him, as the Hebrew word that signifies holiness, Eph. v. 11.

imports setting apart, or fitting for a peculiar use; be not then untrue to his design, He hath not called you to uncleanness, but unto holiness. Therefore be ye holy. It is sacrilege for you to dispose of yourselves after the impure manner of the world, and to apply yourselves to any profane use, whom God hath consecrated to himself.

As children.] This is no doubt relative to that which he spoke, verse 3, by way of thanksgiving; and that wherefore of the 13th verse draws it down hither by way of exhortation. Seeing you are by a spiritual and new birth the children of so great and good a Father, he commands you holiness; be obedient children, in being holy; and seeing he himself is most holy, be like him as his children, Be yé holy as he is holy.

As obedient children.] Opposite to that', Sons of disobedience, or unbelief, as the word may be rendered, and that is always the spring of disobedience. Sons of mispersuasibleness, that will not be drawn and persuaded by the tenderest mercies of God. Now, though this Hebrew manner of speech, Sons of obedience or disobedience, signify no more but obedient or disobedient persons, yet it doth signify them most emphatically, and means a high degree of obedience or disobedience; these sons of disobedience, verse 2, are likewise sons of wrath,

verse 3

Of all children, the children of God are most obliged to obedience, for he is both the wisest and the most loving of Fathers. And the sum of all his commands is that which is their glory and happiness, that they endeavour to be like him, to resemble their heavenly Father, Be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect, says our Saviour. And here the Apostle citing out of the law, Be ye holy, for I am holy'. Law and gospel agree in this. And as children that resemble their fathers, as they grow up in years they grow the liker to them; thus the children of God do increase in their resemMatth. v. 48.

Thes. iv. 7.

Eph. ii. 2.

t Levit. xi. 44.

blance, and are daily more and more renewed after his image. There is in them an innate likeness by his image impressed on them in their first renovation, and his Spirit dwelling within them; and there is a continuing increase of it, by their pious imitation and study of conformity, which is here exhorted to.

The imitation of vicious men and the corrupt world is here forbid; the imitation of men's indifferent customs is base and servile; the imitation of the virtues of good men is commendable: but the imitation of this highest pattern, this primitive goodness, the most holy God, is the top of excellency. And it is well said, Summa religionis est imitari quem colis. All of us offer him some kind of worship, but few seriously study and endeavour this blessed conformity.

There is (no question) among those that profess themselves the people of God, a select number, that are indeed his children, and bear his image both in their hearts and in their lives; this impression of holiness is on themselves and their conversation: but with the most, a name and a form of godliness is all they have for religion. Alas! we speak of holiness, and we hear of it, and it may be we commend it, but we act it not; or if we do, it is but acting of it, in that sense the word is taken, for a personated acting, as on a stage in the sight of men, not as in the sight of our lovely God, lodging it in our hearts, and from thence diffusing it into all our actions. A child is then truly like his father, when not only his visage resembles him, but more his mind and inward disposition: thus are the true children of God like their heavenly Father in their words and in their actions, but most of all in heart.

It is no matter though the profane world (that so hate God that it cannot endure his image) do mock and revile it is thy honour, as David said", to be thus more vile, in growing still more like unto him

"2 Sam. vi. 22.

in holiness; and though the civil man count thy fashion a little odd and too precise, it is because he knows nothing above that model of goodness he hath set himself, and therefore approves of nothing beyond it he knows not God, and therefore doth not discern and esteem what is likest him. When courtiers come down into the country, the common home-bred people possibly think their habit strange, but they care not for that, it is the fashion at court. What need then the godly be so tender fore-headed, as to be out of countenance because the world looks on holiness as a singularity, it is the only fashion in the highest court, yea, of the King of Kings himself.

For I am holy.] As it will raise our endeavour high, to look on the highest pattern, so it will lay our thoughts low concerning ourselves. Men compare themselves with men, and readily with the worst, and flatter themselves with that comparative betterness: this is not the way to see our spots, to look into the muddy streams of profane mens lives; but look into the clear fountain of the word, and there we may both discern and wash them; and consider the infinite holiness of God, and this will humble us to the dust. When Isaiah saw the glory of the Lord, and heard the Seraphims cry, Holy, holy, holy, he cried out of his own and the people's unholiness, Woe is me, for I am undone, for 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..

Ver. 17. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.

THE temptations that meet a christian in the world to turn him aside from the straight way of obedience and holiness, are either such as present the hope of some apparent good, to draw him from that way; or the fear of some evil, to drive and affright * Chap. vi. 3, 4.