The divine life in three treatises

CHAP. XVIII.

17. Another of Gods Attributes is his Holiness. He is called Holy. 1. As he is Transcendently above and separated from all the Creatures, in comparison of whom the He• vens are not clean; and from whom all things stand at an Infinite distance. 2. As the Perfection of his nature is the Fountain of all Moral Good. 1. In the Holiness of his Law, the Rule of Holiness. 2. In the Holiness of the soul: and, 3. In his holy Judgements. And consequently as this Perfect Nature is contrary to all the Moral Pollution of the Creature, loathing iniquity, forbidding and condemning it. That Perfect Goodness of the will of God, from whence floweth holy Laws, and motions, and the Holiness of the soul of man, is it that Scripture meaneth usually by Gods Holiness; rather then the foresaid distance from the Creatures. And therefore his Holiness is usually given as the Reason of his Laws and Judgements, and of his enmity to sin: And our Holiness is called his Image (who imitate not his Transcendency) and we are commanded to be Holy as he is Holy, 1 Pet. 1. 16. The nature of the Image will best tell us what Holiness is in God. Holiness in us is called The Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1. 4. and therefore is radically a right inclination and disposition of the soul; which hath its rise from a Transcendent Holiness in God, even as our Wisdom from his Transcendent Wisdom, and our Being from his Being. Holiness therefore being indeed the same ⟨p. 134⟩with the Transcendently Moral Goodness of God, which I have spoken of before, I shall say but little of it now. Thus must the Holiness of God be known.

17. ANother of Gods Attributes is his Holiness. He is called Holy. 1. As he is Transcendently above and separated from all the Creatures, in comparison of whom the He• vens are not clean; and from whom all things stand at an Infinite distance. 2. As the Perfection of his nature is the Fountain of all Moral Good. 1. In the Holiness of his Law, the Rule of Holiness. 2. In the Holiness of the soul: and, 3. In his holy Judgements. And consequently as this Perfect Nature is contrary to all the Moral Pollution of the Creature, loathing iniquity, forbiding and condemning it. That Perfect Goodness of the will of God, from whence floweth holy Laws, and motions, and the Holiness of the soul of man, is it that Scripture meaneth usually by Gods Holiness; rather then the foresaid distance from the Creatures. And therefore his Holiness is usually given as the Reason of his Laws and Judgements, and of his enmity to sin: And our Holiness is called his Image (who imitate not his Transcendency) and we are commanded to be Holy as he is Holy,