the chariot, if Chrift be not therein. "O, fays he, "it is not a frame only, but Chrift, that I am seeking; "and Chrift that I mufl have! Give me Chrift, or "elfe I die !" To be content with any enjoyment, temporal, or fpiritual, without Chrift, is felfith, and derogating from the glory of Chrift, which is the ultimate end.

6. This gofpel-purity tends to the honour of Chrift, in as much as the ftudents of holinefs wrap up all their holy duties in the robe of his perfect righteou!nefs.They fee and are perfuaded, that their molt holy duties cannot jullify them before a holy God; and therefore they caft all their tears, prayers, and duties, into the ocean of Chrift's infinite merit; and there they dye them red in the precious blood of the Lamb, that they may fly up to heaven with acceptance, in pillars of fmoke, perfumed with the fweet odour of his facrifice unto the death.

Many other things might here be added to inforce this motive; fuch as, the predeftinated conformity of the fubjects of this fanctity to Chrift, Rom. viii. 29.; the famenefs of mind in them that was in Chrilt, Phil. ii. 5.; with other particulars: but we infilt not.-Let this motive have weight with you to fiudy purity, that it tends fo much to the honour of Chrift.

[3. Confider, by way of motive, that as purity greatly tends to the glory of God, and the honour of Chrift; fo alfo to the credit of the gospel. Impurity brings a reproach on religion: and an unholy profeffor is a difcredit to the Chriftian name. Nothing can bring a greater reproach upon the gofpel of Chrift, than the immoral lives of its profeffors. The very end and defign of the gofpel is to promote holiness and fanctification; and when purity and holinefs does not take place, it is an evidence the golpel is doing little good; and these who profefs it are a difcredit unto it. The gofpel-revelation of the grace of God, was defigned to teach men to deny ungodlinefs and worldly lufts, and to live foberly, righteously, and godly. And it ought to be the ftudy of all who hear it, to evidence, by their holy deportment, that it hath come to them, not in word only, but in

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demonstration of the Spirit, and with power. Hereby the profeffors of the gofpel will be a credit thereto.

Further, That purity will tend to the credit of the gofpel, will be evident, if it is confidered, that this evangelical purity is, 1. The purity of fuch as are in a gofpel-ftate. 2. Purity that flows from gospel-principles. 3. Purity that is influenced by gofpel-motives. 4. Purity that is directed to a gofpel-end.

1. This holiness and purity is for the credit of the gospel, in as much as it is the purity of fuch only as are in a gofpel-ftate. For, as it is only a good tree that brings forth good fruit; fo, none but the true believer, that is in a good state, can bring forth the fruits of true holiness. By a gofpel-ftate, I understand a fpiritual ftate, a ftate of union to Chrift, a juftified ftate, an adopted flate, a renewed ftate: without this, no right fanctity, no evangelical purity.

2. It is purity that flows from gofpel-principles. The proud legalift's fanctity flows from legal principles, the principles of his own inherent frength, felf-fufficiency, and the like: but gofpel-purity flows from gofpel principles. The believer's holy duties are performed in the ftrength of gofpel-grace, promifed grace; the ftrength of Chrift laid hold on by faith: "Having thefe promites, dearly beloved, let us cleanfe ourfelves from all filthinefs of the flesh and spirit," 2 Cor. vii. 1.

3. This purity is influenced by gofpel-motives. The greatest gospel-motive of the believer's holine's, is the will of God in Chrift, and the love of God in Christ.― The will of God in Chrift, through whom the will of God is conveyed, he being the channel of divine authority: whereas, the legalift's motive to holiness, is the will of an abfolute God, God confidered as Creator, out of Chrift as Redeemer. The love of God in Christ,' and the believer's love to a God in Chrift, is alfo the great gofpel-motive to holinefs; and not flavish fear of the threatenings, and of hell, nor the mercenary hopes of heaven and happinefs, which are the motives that legalifts are acted by.

4. This golpel purity is directed to a gofpel-end. The believer's end in this purity is not to obtain life, to proEe a

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cure pardon, and merit the enjoyment of God; but to evidence his gratitude to that God who hath provided all thefe valuable bleflings freely to him. The end of this purity is not to fatisfy confcience, appease wrath, or the like; but to glorify a God in Chrift, and express our thankfulness to him for Chrift, his unfpeakable gift, and all fpiritual bleffings in and with him.

From thefe, and the like confiderations, it is evident, that this purity is for the credit of the golpel. Let them, therefore, have their proper weight with you, to excite you to prefs after holinefs, and to be actual ftudents of gofpel-purity.

[4] In order to excite to the ftudy of holiness and purity, let it be confidered, that it greatly tends both to our own good, and that of others.

1. Confider how much this purity and holiness tends to your own good and advantage, in order to influence you to be students of it. A variety of particulars might here be taken notice of; but we fhall fludy brevity.Confider, that the more of this evangelical purity you have, the more will God give to you; for, "The Lord will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly," Pfal. lxxxiv.11. The more of this purity, the more joy and comfort will you have. It will make you walk to heaven comfortably. In the path of holiness you will ftill fee more and more of the love of God; which will make your fouls to rejoice, and you to walk in the ways of the Lord with chearfulnefs: For, they that walk in the fear of the Lord, walk in the comfort of the Holy Ghoft, Acts ix. 31.-The more golpel-purity, the more intimate acquaintance with God's fecrets; for, "The fecret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will thew them his covenant," Pfal. xxv. 14.—The more evangelical-purity, the more pleasure and delight will you take in the duties of religion, and the more acceptable will your fervices be to God:

He will purify the fons of Levi; then fhall the offering of Judah and Jerufalem be pleasant to the Lord," Mal. iii. 3, 4.-The more of purity, the more boldness and courage will you have in the work and caufe of God; for, the righteous is bold as a lion. It will inflame your

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zeal against fin, and for God. It will make you trample on temptations to fin; faying, with Jofeph, "How fhall "I do this great wickednefs, and in againft God ?"— It will contemn and defpife all dangers, rather than ftain your purity by finful compliances; as Ezra, Nehemiah, Daniel, the three children, and many others did.In a word, the more of this gofpel-purity you have, the more fellowship with God here, and the meeter for the enjoyment of him hereafter; for, Bleffed are the pure in heart, and life; for they fhall fee God," Mat. v.8. Let thefe particulars have their proper influence upon you, to prefs you on to further and higher degrees of this evangelical purity and holinefs.

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2. In order to excite you to the ftudy of purity, con. fider likewife the tendency it hath to the good and advantage of others. - Why, the more gospel-purity, the greater flock you have; and the richer of this grace you are, the more will it tend to the benefit of your friends and acquaintances, and to your neighbours around you; as your holy work may induce them to the practice of it. The more holy you are, and the richer of gofpel-purity, the greater influence will your holiness have, in making the wicked ftand in awe to fin, and keeping them back from difhonouring God; nay, exciting them to a profeffion of religion, and something of the practice of duty. You fee what influence this way the fanctity of holinefs of godly Joshua, and his co-temporary elders, had upon the children of Ifrael, Judges ii. 7. And what influence Jehoiadah's fanctity had upon Joafh, king of Judah, 2 Chron. xxiv. 2.-Nay, further, confider that eminency of purity is fometimes a bleffed mean to recommend the ways of God and religion to fuch as are strangers thereto "For, what knoweft thou, O wife, whether thou fhalt fave thy hufband? Or, how knowell thou, O man, whether thou fhalt fave thy wife?" I Cor. vii. 16. See 1 Pet. iii. 1, 2.-Besides, eminency in gospel-purity tends to ward off judgments, or protract them from falling on perfons and places where the godly live: accordingly the Lord declares to Abraham, that if there was found in Sodom but ten righteous perfons, he would not destroy it for their fake, Gen. xxxviii. 32. Nay, the amaz

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ples, already in a state of grace, that without him ye can do nothing; much more may it be faid of all the unconverted. Be fenfible of this then, that you cannot be lieve, you cannot repent, you cannot pray, you cannot mortify fin of yourselves. And this impotency is not only a mere want of power, but a want of will: it is a curfed moral impotency, a wilful impotency.

2. Seek regeneration. If you be not good trees, you cannot bring forth good fruit: if you be not converted, if you be not united to Chrift, if you be not born again, if you have not the habit of grace, you cannot bring forth good fruit: you must be united to the Son of God, and derive ftrength from him. The foundation of gofpel-purity must be laid in union to Christ, and a new nature; for, they that are in the flesh cannot please God. It is true, that one that knows himfelf to be in a state of nature, is not to neglect duty and means; fuch as, reading, praying, hearing the word preached, and the like, which God calls all unto: but let none content themfelves with thefe performances, without a new nature; for, as fure as God lives, this way of doing will never bring you to heaven: " Except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God," John iii. 3. Therefore cry, "Lord, create in me a clean heart; and renew a right spirit within me," Pfalm li. 10.

3. Make and keep friendship with the Holy Ghost, if you would attain this gofpel purity: he is not only called Holy, because of his effential holiness; for thus the Father is the Holy Spirit, and the Son is the Holy Spirit: but he is called Holy alfo for his office; becaufe it is his fpecial work to make people holy. Be at friendfhip with the Holy Ghoft: do not quench him; do not grieve him; do not refift him; do not rebel against him; do not withstand him in his motions, &c. Beware, left by these or any fuch means, the Holy Ghoft and you be fet at odds. O Sirs, fhould you not live near him who can make you holy?

[2] The particular directions I would offer, efpecially with refpect to the maintaining of this goipei-purity, I fhall fum up in thefe two generals: 1. Rightly to ufe the

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