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of fin, but also a reckoning of Righteousness. Now this we have, in the Obedience of the life of Chrift. This alfo was discovered in the laft Chapter. The obedience of the life of Chrift was for us, is imputed to us, and is our righteoufnefs before God; by his obedience are we made righteous, Rom. 5.18. On what fcore the obedience of Faith takes place, fhall be afterwards declared.

§. 6. These two things then, compleat our Grace of Acceptation; fin being removed, and righteoufnefs bestowed, we have peace with God, are continually accepted before him. There is not any thing to charge us withal; that which was, is taken out of the way by Chrift, and nailed to his Crofs, made faft there; yea publickly and legally cancelled, that it can never be admitted again as an evidence. What Court among men would admit of an Evidence that hath been publickly cancelled, and nailed up for all to fee it? So hath Chrift dealt with that which was against us; and not only fo, but he also, puts that upon us for which we are received into favour; He makes us comely through his beauty; gives us white Raiment to stand before the Lord. This is the first part of purchased Grace wherein the Saints have Communion with Jefus Chrift. In Remillion of Sin, and Imputation of Righteoufnefs doth it confift; From the Death of Chrift as a Price, Sacrifice, and a Punishment; From the Life of Chrift spent in obedience to the Law doth it arife. The great Product it is of, is the Father's Righteoufnefs, Wifdom, Love and Grace; The great and astonishable Fruit of the Love and Condefcenfion of the Son; The great Difcovery of the Holy Ghoft, in the Revelation of the Mystery of the Gofpel. §. 7. The Second is, Grace of Sanctification; He makes us not only accepted, but also acceptable. He doth not only purchafe Love for his Saints, but makes them lovely. He came not by blood only, but by water and blood. He doth not only juftifie his Saints from the guilt of fin, but alfo fanctifie and wash them from the filth of fin; the first is from his. Life and Death as a Sacrifice of a

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Propitiaton, this from his death as a purchase, and his life as an example. So the Apostle Heb. 9. 14. as alfo Eph. 5. 26. 27. Two things are eminent in this Iflue of Purchased Grace, 1. The removal of defilement; 2. The bestowing of cleannefs, in Actual Grace.

§. 8. For the firft, it is also threefold; 1. The babitual cleansing of our nature. We are naturally unclean, defiled, babitualy fo. For who can bring a clean thing, from that which is unclean, Job. 14. 4. That which is born of the flesh is flesh Job. 3.6. It is in the pollution of our blood that we are born, Ezek. 16. wholly defiled and polluted. The Grace of Sanctification purchased by the blood of Chrift removes this defilement of our nature. 1 Cor. 6.11. Such were some of you, but ye are washed, ye are Sanctifyed. So alfo Tit. 3. 3,4, 5. He bath faved us by the washing of Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghoft. How far this original, habitual pollution is removed, need not be disputed. It is certain the foul is made fair and beautiful in the fight of God. Though the fin that doth defile remains; yet its habitual defilement, is taken away. But the handling of this lies not in my aim.

2. Taking away the Pollutions of all our actual tranfgreffions: There is a defilement attending every actual fin. Our own cloaths make us to be abhorred, Job 9. 31. A fpot, a ftain, raft, wrihkle, filth, blood attends every fin. Now I Joh. 1.7. the blood of fefus Christ cleanfeth us from all fin. Besides the defilment of our natures which he purgeth, Tit. 1. 15. he takes away the defilement of bur Perfons by actual follies: by one offering He Perfected for ever them that are Sanctifyed: By himfelf He purged our fins before He fat down at the right hand of Majesty on bigb, Heb. 1.3.

3. In our beft dutys we have defilement. Ifa. 64. 6. Self, Unbelief, Form, drop themselvefs into all that we do. We may be ashamed of our choiceft performances: God hath promised that the Saints good works fhall follow them truly were they to be measured by the Rule

as

as they come from us, and weighed in the balance of the Sanctuary, it might be well for us that they might be buried for ever: but the Lord Chrift, first as our High Priest bears the iniquity, the guilt and provocation which in fevere Juftice doth attend them, Exod. 28. 37. 38. and not only fo but he washes away all their filth and defilements.. He is as a Refiners fire, to purge both the Sons of Levi and their offerings: adding moreover Sweet incense to them that they may be accepted. Whatever is of the Spirit, of Himfelf, of Grace, that remains; whatever is of felf, flesh, unbelief that is hay, ftubble, that he confumes, wafts, takes away. So that the Saints good works fhall meet them one day, with a changed countenance, that they fhall scarce know them; that which feemed to them to be black, deformed, defiled, fhall appear beautiful and glorious: they shall not be afraid of them, but rejoyce to fee them follow them.

§. 9. And this cleansing of our Natures, Perfons, and dutys, hath its whole foundation in the death of Chrift. Hence our washing and purifying, our cleanfing and purging is afcribed to his blood and the fprinkling thereof. Meritoriously this work is done by the fhedding of the blood of Christ, efficiently by its fprinkling.The fprinkling of the blood of Chrift proceedeth from the Communication of the Holy Ghoft; which he promiseth to us, as, purchased by him for us. He is the pure water, wherewith we are fprinkled from our fins. That fpirit of Judgment and Burning that takes away the filth and blood of the daughters of Sion. This is the first thing in the Grace of Sanctification.

S. 10. 2. By beftowing cleannefs, as to actual Grace, The blood of Chrift in this purchased Grace doth not only take away defilement, but also it gives purity and and that alfo in a threefold gradation.

I. It gives the Spirit of Holiness to dwell in us; He is made unto us Sanctification, 2 Cor. 1. 31. by procuring for us the Spirit of Sanctification: our renewing is of the Holy Ghoft, who is shed on us through Chrift alone, Tit.3.6.

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this the Apostle mainly infifts on, Rom. 8. to wit, that the prime and principal gift of Sanctification that we receive from Chrift, is the indwelling of the Spirit, and our following after the guidance thereof. But what concern's the Spirit in any kind, must be referred to that which I have to offer concerning our Communion with him. 30m S. 11. 2. He gives us Habitual Grace: a principle of Grace oppofed to the principle of Luft that is in us by naThis is the Grace that dwells in us; makes its abode with us, which according to the diftinct faculties of our fouls wherein it is, or the distinct objects about which it is exercifed, receiveth various Appellations, being indeed all but one new principle of life. In the underftanding it is light, in the will obedience, in the Affections love, in all Faith. So alfo it is differenced in refpect of its operations when it carries out the foul to reft on Chrift, it is faith; when to delight in him, it is Love; but still one and the fame habit of Grace. And this is the fecond thing.

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S. 12. 3. Actual influence for the performance of every spiritual duty whatever. After the Saints have both the former, yet Chrift tells them that without him they can do nothing, John 15. 5. They are ftill in dependance upon him, for new influences of Grace, or fupplys of the fpirit, they cannot live and fpend upon the old ftock: for every new act they must have new Grace. He must work in us to will and to do of his good pleasure, Phil 2, 13. And in these three thus briefly named, confifts that purchafed Grace in the point of Sanctification, as to the collating of purity and cleanness wherein we have Communion with Chrift.

S. 13. Thirdly, this purchafed Grace confifts, in priviledges to ftand before God, and thefe are of two forts: 1. Primary. 2. Confequential Primary is Adoption: The Spirit of Adoption: Confequential, are all the favours of the Gospel, which the Saints alone have right unto. But of this I fhall speak when I come to the last branch

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of our Communion with the HOLY GHOST. These are the things wherein we have Communion with Christ, as to purchafed Grace in this life. Drive them up to Perfection, and you have that which we call Everlafting Glory, perfect Acceptance, perfect Holiness, perfect Adoption, or Inheritance of Sons, that's GLORY.

S. 14. Our Process now in the next place is to what I mainly intend, even, The Manner how we hold Communion with Chrift in these things; And that in the Order laid down, as

1. How we hold Communion with him in the Obedience of his Life, and Merit of his Death, as to acceptance with God the Father,

2. How we hold Communion with Chrift in his Blood, as to the Spirit of Sanctification, the Habits and Acts of Grace.

3. How we hold Communion with bim, as to the Priviledges we enjoy. Of all which in the enfuing Chap

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CHAP. VIII,

How the Saint's bold Communion with Chrift, as to their Acceptation with God. What is required on the part of Chrift bereunto, in bis Intention; In the declaration thereof. The Sum of our Acceptation with God; wherein it confifts. What is required on the part of Believers to this Communion And how they hold it with Chrift. Some Objelions propofed to Confideration, Why the Elect are not accepted immediately on the Undertaking and Death of Chrift; Inn bat fenfe they are fo. Chrift a Common or Public Perfon. How he came to be fo. The way of our acceptation with God on that account. The Second Objection. The neceffity of our obedience ftated, Ephef. 2.8,9,10. The Grounds, Causes and Ends of it manifefted. Its proper place in the New Covenant. How the Saints in particular hold Communion with Christ in this purchafed Grace. They approve of this Righteousness; the

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