of his flesh, and bone of his bone, he taking part of the children's flesh and blood; and he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit; this comes to us by regeneration. To be short, Christ's flesh is called a part of the children's, his obedience is called ours, his life is called ours, his redemption is ours, and his holy nature as man is ours; and, being united to him, made one with him, and standing fast in him, we have righteousness and sanctification in him; and, if this be granted, then those unaccountable passages of scripture may be accounted for: such as, "God hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, nor perverseness in Israel." And, "Ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power," Col. ii. 10. And again, "For they are without fault before the throne of God," Rev. xiv. 5. And this also, "Thou art all fair, my love, there is no spot in thee." I am in this matter hunting after truth. The law does require a holy nature, a holy body, and a holy soul, as Adam had. Now the indwelling of the Holy Ghost in us does not destroy either the life or the motions of sin in us, neither in our body nor in our soul; there is a carnal mind which is enmity, and a body of flesh in which is nothing good, and yet we stand complete before a holy God and a holy law; and I cannot account for this, but by our having perfect holiness in the Head, or the holiness of the Saviour's human nature being considered as ours by imputation; and, as he was made in the likeness of his brethren by incarnation, and appeared

in the likeness of sinful flesh by imputation, so his grace and the holiness of his human nature became ours in the same way. God sanctified Christ, and sent him into the world in a holy human nature, to fulfil all the righteousness of a holy law; and Paul says, "For both he that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified, are all of one; for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren." And this is called sanctification in Jesus; "To them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, and called to be saints." 1 Cor. i. 2. I know that this is an unfrequented path in our days; but whether it be a way that is not cast up in the word of God, I shall leave to the saints to judge, and proceed to my next head,

which is

2. To treat of true holiness by the indwelling of the Holy Ghost. And do you observe: all the hints that are mentioned about the image of God are built upon the formation of Adam, who was created in that similitude, James iii. 9. And the apostle intimates that righteousness and true holiness were two eminent qualities of God's image in him; which holiness was a most holy influence, that the Holy Ghost spread throughout all the powers of his soul: and this holiness, the Holy Spirit kept up in Adam, by a continual influence, as long as he lived obedient. And the holiness of the saints now is nothing else but the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who at every believing and renewing view of Christ, by faith, spreads his most sacred and sanctifying influences throughout all the powers of the

soul; as the most glorious cloud of holiness attended the appearance of God, in the most holy place of the tabernacle and temple, when God came down to sanctify and consecrate them with his presence: when it was said the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord. After which it was called the most holy place, or the holy of holies; so God, calling the temple of Jerusalem Lebanon, because it was built of cedar, says, The glory of Lebanon shall be given to the church, Isa. XXXV. 2. That is, he will dwell with them that are of the household of faith, and make Zion his resting place for ever; and his influence shall be their holiness. And this God intimates when he prefaces the following passage: "Thus saith the high and lofty One, that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit," Isa. lvii. 15. Hence it is plain that the heavenly glory of the old temple is now in the church, for he that is holy, and dwells in the high and holy place, dwells also with the contrite and humble spirit: "Know ye not," says Paul, "that we are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are," 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17. Nor do I believe that the glorious appearance of God, at the dedication of the temple, had more majesty in it than that which attends him when he visits the humble and con

trite; for the poor soul rises and shines like the sun; and well he may when the glory of God is risen upon him. More might have been seen in the temple, but not more felt: for, when God by his spirit comes with his glorious train, and sets Christ crucified before us, he spreads his beams of light and love, glory and beauty, holiness and immortality throughout, and we appear, during that time, quite perfect and complete. All is changed, all is renewed; "Old things are passed away, and all things become new." But when this heaven upon earth withdraws, and all that is in our heart appears, and all our inbred corruptions and deceitful lusts are stirred up, to set our vain imaginations to work, how polluted does that once holy place appear, and how soon are we defiled! for, "The thought of foolishness is sin," Prov. xxiv. 9. And here we lie, sick of sin and sick of self, groaning, "Who shall deliver us from the body of this death?" And now Satan works with his artful suggestions, and piercing accusations. But the Spirit of the Lord lifts up a standard against him; and this is done generally under the word preached; he testifies afresh of Christ, sets him forth evidently crucified before us; and away goes Satan, and down off with all his infernal entertainments: and Satan shuns the light; for the devil cannot exist, being an unclean spirit, but in filth; nor can he feed, but upon the lusts of the flesh; these are his element, and these are his food; "Dust shall be the serpent's meat;" but, "They shall not hurt nor

goes the old man; he is put

destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord." The old man is never put off, but by putting the new man on; nor is the new man ever put on, but when the Holy Spirit presents Christ afresh to our view; at which time the enlightened mind, susceptive of the rays of Christ's countenance, by faith discovers him; and faith, hope, and love, go forth, and solace themselves in him; and, "While we [thus] look, as through a glass darkly, we are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord." Thus doth God savė us, not only by the washing of the regeneration, but by the renewing of the Holy Ghost; and it is by this continual renovating work, reviving and transforming of us, that the temple of God is holy. And where this Spirit dwells not, and where regeneration never takes place, and where no glimpse of the Saviour is discovered, there is none of the Holy Spirit's renewing work, and, of course, there is no true holiness. It is the indwelling of God, and nothing else, that can make a soul holy. Christ's transfiguration on mount Tabor is the reason that Peter calls that a holy hill, when he says, "And this voice we heard when we were with him on the holy mount," 2 Peter i. 18. And the church goes by the same name: " They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea," Isai. xi. 9. But there is none of this knowledge of the Lord but by the Spirit, for it is he that testifies of Christ; nor can we know the things of God but by the Spirit of