A Model of the Gospel Sanctification
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/B17699.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
A MODEL OF THE Gospel-Sanctification IN THESE FOLLOWING GENERALS,
Drawn especially according to Rom. Chap. 6. Chap. 7. Chap. 8. following that Great Discourse, Rom. 5.12. to the end, by way of compare betwixt the First, and the Second Adam, and showing the infinite surmount of Grace, Righteousness, and the Reign of Life flowing from the Second Adam, above the Sin, the Judgment, the Condemnation, the Reign of Death, flowing from the First Adam, and notwithstanding the Law coming in after it, that the Offence might abound.
I give the Scheme or Model of this Doctrine together for two Reasons;
1. That the Beauty and Proportion of the whole Portraicture being seen together as in the Picture of a Man, not in several parts, may strike us deeper.
2. Because I would not be prevented at least in giving a Scheme, and therefore take the first Opportunity.
I therefore lay down these Generals.
THE Foundation of all True Sanctification, [General 1] as of Justification is in the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ; For seeing Christ did in Dying, not only die for Sin, but to Sin; Sin, viz. not in Himself, but as a Common Head for Believers, and sanctified Himself, that they might be sanctified through the Truth of it preached to them, John 17.19. ( and so proportionably in his Resurrection) It thence follows, That sooner may the Beams be clip'd off from the Sun, then Sanctification be cut off from the Justifying Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. And to pretend to benefit from thence without dying to Sin, and living to Righteousness must enforce either, that such have no benefit by Christ, or that He must come down to die again to Sin for them, and Rise again for them to newness of Life, seeing what he hath done hath not avail'd to what must so necessarily be done; which is to bring him down from Heaven, and up again from the Dead, contrary to Rom. 10.6.7.
The Spirit of God in the Sanctification of the Soul becomes a mighty inward, [Gen. 2] intellestual Advocate with the Soul for Holiness, according to all which Christ hath done: He shall take of mine, viz. My Death, Resurrection, Redemption, and shall show it to you by real effectual Communications of Truth and Holiness.
Hereby the bighest Rational, [Gen. 3] Intellectual, Immaterial, Immortal Spirit in the Regenerate man is perfectly and entirely sanctified, and in itself made Partaker of the Divine Nature, as it is considered I say in and by itself.
But as it dwells in the finer and most spirituous parts of the Matter, or Body join'd to it; which is called, Soul and Spirits, James 3.17. &c. And as it dwells and resides in the yet lower Earthly parts of that Matter, called more properly Body, and Flesh, and enlivens and acts them, It is not so throughout sanctified; so that it cannot Rise to the Heights of Spirituality, it would; nor restrain the Motions to Evil, it hates.
Its Wisdom therefore comes down from above, and is neither Earthly, as of the lowest Body, nor Animal, as of the Soul in the spirituous parts of Body; nor least of all devilish, as in the higher Soul or Spirit, a Seed of which Diabolickness is in all unsanctified Spirits now, and will be absolutely and to the Height so in Eternity.
By this entire perfect sanctification of the Higher Soul, [Gen. 4] it becomes impossible to live in the Course of any actual, known Sin, or the Omission of any absolutely necessary Holy Duty, according to that of the Apostle, Let not Sin Reign in your Mortal Bodies, that you should obey it in the Lusts thereof; Neither yield you your Members as Instruments of Unrighteousness, &c. But yield your Members as Instruments of Righteousness, &c. By all which the Apostle shows, that although the lower Soul, and Body are not to be countermanded wholly in their Motions, and Stirrings to Evil, nor in their Reluctancies and unwillingness to Good; yet that higher sanctified Soul hath a Despotic, that is an absolute Command to prevent the actual Commission of Evil, or the Omission of Good; not to yield, or to yield the Members according to the Direction of this higher Spirit, Led and Acted by the Spirit of God; which is the Difference betwixt Natural Conscience resisting Evil, and the Soul Acted by the Spirit of God. One is able to Command, the other not: Natural Conscience cannot overcome; the Soul renewed shall overcome throughout, as to the Resistance of Actual Sin, and the Actual performance of Duty, except by surprise, or in some violence of Temptation, and Desertion; so that the Walk, and Conversation of all True Believers is not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit.
In Regard of these Remainders of Sin in the Spirit, or higher Soul, [Gen. 5] as it resides in, Animates, and Acts the lower Soul and Body, and also in regard of the Falls by Temptation and Desertion; there is a continual Application to Jesus Christ, as the Husband of the Soul, and to the perfect Holiness, and Purity of his Human Nature, by Reason of which, It is not under the Law, but under Grace; It serves in newness of Spirit, or according to the Covenant of Grace, and not in the oldness of the Letter, or according to the Law, and so brings forth Fruit unto God, and not unto Death; For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus sets it free from the Law of Sin, and Death; so that the Righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in them, who thus walk not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit.
The Witness of the Counsel and Transaction of the Father, of the word, [Gen. 6] and of the Spirit in the whole Work of Redemption, of which they keep the Record in Heaven, is sealed, ratified, and confirmed in the Witness of the Spirit, viz. of the Word, of the Gospel in the Power, and Love of the Truth; of the Spirit of Prayer, Crying Abba Father, in the Witness of the Power of Baptism, enabling to make the Answer of a Good, that is of a Justified and Sanctified Conscience by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, and in the Power of the Blood, of the Lord's Supper, Given for the Life of the World, and making perfect in every good Work All Those in Him.
Superior and yet join'd with all This, is the Witness of the Spirit, [Gen. 7] that we are the Sons of God, making our Calling and Election sure, For whom He Calls and Justifies, those he hath predestinated, so that there is a Joy in hope of the Glory of God, and assurance of his Love, from which nothing can separate; There is a drawing near with a true Heart, in full Assurance of Faith, &c. And to this State not the Spirit of Bondage to Fear, but of Adoption is always justly due, and belonging, however by Darkness, Fears, and Doubts It may be clouded.
From all this Arises a Holy Readiness to suffer for Christ so necessary to the Sanctification of the Gospel, [Gen. 8] that no one can be the Disciple of Christ without it. And It is established in that Great Principle, The Sufferings of the present Time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory, that shall be revealed in the Day of the Restitution of the whole Creation ( for which It Grones) and in the Day of the Adoption of our Bodies.
In Death, [Gen. 9] All the Remainders of Sin vanish, For the Spirit being entirely Sanctified, except in the Powers of Animating the Soul, and the Body, which are wholly useless in the separated State; It must needs as the Apostle speaks, be Life, because of Righteousness, and that immediately.
When the Body is Rais'd a Spiritual Body by the Lord from Heaven, [Gen. 10] the Quickening Spirit; It becomes a Body of a new Constitution, and Regeneration, and not under the Old Covenant of the Apostate Adam, and so inherits Incorruption; For the Holy Spirit dwelling in its most substantial parts, dedicated to God by the sanctified Spirit, Raises it in Conformity to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The General Application of these General Points of Sanctification may be thus Given.
1. We may Appeal to our own, and to all the Light of Natural Conscience in the World, whether the Doctrine of the Gospel having such a Frame, and Doctrine of Sanctification essential to it, can be either a Licentious, or a Trivial Doctrine, and whether It be not the most awful and weighty in the whole World.
2. Let us All Consider, whether these Things are True in us, as They are in Christ; For so the Apostle John Remarks to us concerning the Laws, and Truths of the Gospel; That They are True in Him, and True in us.
3. We should always Remember, that though All the Morality, and Goodness that ever was requisite to the Nature of Man is Adopted by the Gospel of Christ; yet It is of a much higher and more exalted Vein, and Spirit of Goodness, in Christ the Second Adam, then ever was given to the First Adam, and much more then can possibly be found in the best Remains of that Human Nature now in the World.