YeR. 1.] UPON THE EPISTLE OF JUDE. 33
in the church to be conveyed to us by the use of these oixiinances. So John xvii. 19, 'I sanctify myself for their sakes, that they may be sanctified through the truth.' Wlienever we come to the word, or enjoy the use of the seals, we may expect to reap the fruits of Christ's purchase. Celsus objected against Christianity that it was a sanctuary for villaius and men of a licentious life. Origen answered him, that it was not a sanctuary to nourish thera in their evil practices, but an hospital to cure them. As under the law all the cities of refuge were cities of Levites and schools of instruction, so Christ hath made the church a school whereiu to learn the ti-ade of holiness ; and the word and the seals, and all the ordinances, look that way. Lastly, it is for the honour of God the Spirit that the called people should be holy, because they are his charge, in pupilage to the Holy Ghost, for this end and reason, that they may be sanctified. Sanctification is made his personal operation : ' The sanctification of the Spirit,' 2 Thes. ii. 14, and 1 Peter i. 2. He is to shape and fashion all the vessels of glory, to deck the spouse of Christ with the jewels of the covenant. This is the great advantage that we have in the economy and dispen- sation of grace, that we have God to purpose it, God to purchase it, and God to work it ; the Father, Word, and Spirit, who agree in one, to sanctify the creature and make it holy. Now it is a great grief to the Spirit when the work doth not go on and prosper in the soul ; for he ' worketh us to this very thing,' and is therefore called ' the Spuit of holiness.' It is not for his honour to dwell in defiled temples, and to let the called people go naked and without their ornament. Well, then, you see, God, for his honour's sake, will have his purposes accom- plished for which he chose us, and Christ his purchase made good, and the Spirit who is left in charge to see all accomplished, he goeth on with the work.
2. Another reason why we must be sanctified is, because of the hopes to which we are called and the happiness which we expect. Now we cannot have it unless we be holy : Heb. xii. 14, ' Without holiness no man shall see God.' We are bidden in that verse to ' follow peace,' but chiefly ' holiness ;' for it is not said that without peace no man shall see God.^ Peace may be often broken in tlie quarrel of truth and holiness, and so God's children may be passively men of contention. Ay ! but for all that they shall see God : but those that are not holy he cannot endure their presence, and therefore they shall never see his face, and enjoy him hereafter. Usually by a fond abuse we restrain the word saints to the saints departed. Ay ! but we must be saints here, or else we shall never be saints hereafter. I mean true saints ; for by another abuse the v^ord sahits is made matter of pretence in some, and matter of scorn by others ; but to be saints indeed, that is all the evidence you have to show for your interest in your glorious hopes. What should others do with heaven that ai'e not saints ? How can they see God that have not a pure eye ? A dusky glass cannot represent the image : the degree of vision is accord- ing to the degree of sanctification.- And what should a carnal heart, that knoweth no other heaven but to eat, drink, and sleep, and wallow
^ Xa'pts ov ; the masculine article slioweth that it is to be referred to ayiafffioi. - Kara Ti]v dya\o-iiov Ka6ap6~r]Tos. YOL. V. C
34 AN EXPOSITION, WITH NOTES, [VeR. i.
in sensual delights, do with 'the inheritance of the saints in light?' The apostle saith, we must be ' made meet' for such a state, Col. i. 12. The vessels of glory are first seasoned with grace. Alas ! otherwise carnal men can no more tell what to do with heaven than swine with pearls. We do not look for a Turkish paradise, but a sinless state ; not to bathe our souls in carnal pleasures, but to be consorts of the immaculate Lamb. Our hopes engage us to holiness : 1 John iii. 3, ' He that hath this hope purifieth himself, as Christ is pure.' If his heart be fastened upon such a hope as to see Christ as he is, and to be lilvC him both for temper of soul and state of body, certainly he must needs be a holy man ; he will be practising and trying here upon earth how he can conform to Christ, and begin liis happiness as well as he can. Certainly he that expecteth that his body shall be ' like to Christ's glorious body,' he will ' possess his vessel in sanctification and in honour.' He cannot use his body, that is under so great hopes, merely as a strainer for meats and drinks, and a channel for lust to pass through ; his mind, that shall see God, he cannot fill it with chaff, or suffer it to be occupied with vanity, toying thoughts, and vile cares and unworthy projects; and his affections, that should cleave to God inseparably, to be prostituted to every base object. Thus, with respect to our hopes, we must be sanctified ; the foundation and seed of glory is laid in grace, and that life begun which we must live for ever.