the sins of his people: so speaks the apostle expressly, Eph. v. 25, 26. " Christ gave himself for the church, that he might sanctify " and cleanse it." And so he tells us himself, John xvii. 29. " And for their sakes I sanctify myself,11 i. e. consecrate or devote myself to death, " That they also might be sanctified through the " truth."" Upon the account of this benefit received by the blood of Christ, is that Doxology, which, in a lower strain, is now sound- ed in the churches, but will be matter of the Lamb's song in hea- ven, Rev. i. 5, 6. " To him that loved us, and washed us from " our sins, in his own blood, — be glory and honour for ever." Now, there is a twofold evil in sin, the guilt of it, and the polity tion of it Justification properly cures the former, sanctification the latter ; but both justification and sanctification flow unto sin- ners out of the death of Christ. And though it is proper to say the Spirit sanctifies, yet, it is certain, it was the blood of Christ that procured for us the Spirit of sanctification. Had not Christ died, the Spirit had never come down from heaven upon any such design.
The pouring forth of Christ's blood for us, obtained the pour- ing forth of the spirit of holiness upon us. Therefore the Spirit is said to come in his name, and to take of his, and shew it unto us. Hence it is said, 1 John v. 6. " He came both by blood and by " water ;" by blood, washing away the guilt ; by water, purifying from the filth of sin. Now this fruit of Christ's death, even our sanctification, is a most incomparable mercy. For, do but consi- der a few particular excellencies of holiness.
First, Holiness is the image and glory of God. His image, Col. iii. 10. and his glory, Exod. xv. 11. •< Who is like unto thee, O " Lord, glorious in holiness." Now, when the guilt and filth of sin are washed off, and the beauty of God put upon the soul in sanctification, O what a beautiful creature is the soul now ! So lovely in the eyes of Christ, even in its imperfect holiness, that he saith, Cant. vi. 5. " Turn away thine eyes from me, for they M have overcome me." So we render it, but the Hebrew * word signifies, " they have made me proud, or puffed me up." It is a beam of divine glory upon the creature, enamouring the very heart of Christ.
Secondly, As it is the soul's highest beauty, so it is the soul's best evidence for heaven. " Blessed are the pure in heart, for they " shall see God," Matt. v. 8. " And without holiness no man " shall see God," Heb. xii. 14. No gifts, no duties, no natural endowments will evidence a right in heaven, but the least measure of true holiness will secure heaven to the soul.
480 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. SEIIM. XXXVIIT-
Thirdly, As holiness is the soul's best evidence for heaven, so it is a continual sjiring of comfort to it in the way thither. The purest and sweetest pleasures in this world are the results of holiness, 'Till we come to live holy, we never live comfortably. Heaven is epitomized in holiness.
Fourthly, And to say no more ; it is the peculiar mark by which God hath visibly distinguished his own from other men, Psal. iv. 3. " The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself,'" q. d. this is the man, and that the woman, to whom I intend to do good for ever. This is a man for me. O holiness, how surpassingly glorious art thou !
Inference 1. Did Christ die to sanctify his people, how deep then is the pollution of sin, that nothing but the blood of Christ can cleanse it ! All the tears of a penitent sinner, should he shed as many as there have fallen drops of rain since the creation to this day, cannot wash away one sin. The everlasting burnings in hell cannot purify the naming conscience from the least sin. O guess at the wound by the largeness and length of this tent that follows the mortal weapon, Sin.
Inf. 2. Did Christ die to sanctify his people ? Behold then the love of a Saviour. " He loved us, and washed us from our sins " in his own blood." He did not shed the blood of beasts, as the priests of old did, but his own blood, Heb. ix. 12. And that not common, but precious blood, 1 Pet. i. 1, 19. The blood of God; one drop of which out-values the blood that runs in the veins of all Adam's posterity. And not some of that blood, but all ; to the last drop. He bled every vein dry for us: and what remained lodged about the heart of a dead Jesus, was let out by that bloody spear which pierced the Pericardium : so that he bestowed the whole treasure of his blood upon us. And thus liberal was he of his blood to us when we were enemies. This then is that heavenly Pelican that feeds his young with his own blood. O what manner of love is this ! But I must hasten.
End 4. As Christ died to sanctify his people ; so he died also to confirm the New Testament to all those sanctified o?ies. So it was in the type, Exod. xxiv. 8. and so it is in the text. " This is the New w Testament in my blood," Mat. xxvi. 28. i. e. ratified and con- firmed by my blood. For, where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator, Heb. ix. 16. So that now all the blessings and benefits bequeathed to believers in the last will and testament of Christ, are abundantly confirmed and secured to them by his death. Yea, he died on purpose to make that testa- ment of force to them. Men make their wills and testaments, and Christ makes his. What they bequeath, and give in their wills, is a free and voluntary act, they cannot be compelled to do it.
SERM. XXXVIII. THE FOUNTAIN Oh' LIFE. 481
And what is bequeathed to us in this testament of Christ, is alto- gether a free and voluntary donation*. Other testators use to bequeath their estates to their wives and children, and near rela- tions ; so doth this testator ; all is settled upon his spouse, the church, upon believers, his children. A stranger intermeddles not with these mercies. They give all their goods and estates, that can that way be conveyed, to their friends that survive them. Christ giveth to his church, in the New Testament, three sorts of goods.
First, All temporal good things, 1 Tim. vi. 1. Matt. vi. 33. i. e. the comfort and blessing of all, though not the possession of much. " As having nothing, and yet possessing all things,'1 2 Cor. vi. 10.
Secondly, All spiritual good things are bequeathed to them in this testament, as remission of sin, and acceptation with God, which are contained in their justification, Rom. iii. 24, 25, 26. Sanctification of their natures, both initial and progressive, 1 Cor. i. 30. Adoption into the family of God, Gal. iii. 26. The ministry of angels, Heb. i. 14. Interest in all the promises, 2 Pet. i. 4. Thus all spiritual good things are in Christ's testament conveyed to them. And as all temporal and spiritual, so,