3. ' For us,' whom he after calleth into a church : Rom. v. 6-8,. ' For when we were without strength, in due time Christ died for us. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die ; yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But herein God commended his love to us, in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us.' Oh, let us be blessing God for this love, and show our thankfulness both in word and deed.
[1.] In word : Rev. v. 9, ' And they sang a new song, saying. Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof ; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, tongue, and peo})le, and nation.' The angels, who are th& spectators, ever blessed God for it ; and shall not we, who be the parties interested ?
[2.] In deed, by giving up ourselves to him : Rom. xii. 1, 'I
VeR. 26.] SERMONS UPON EPKESIANS V. 477
beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service ; ' and Kev. xii. 11, ' They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and loved not their lives to the death.' Let us not grudge at the loss of any of our interests, so we may promote his glory.
SERMON XXXL
Tliat he might sanctify and cleanse it hy the luashing of water through the ivord. — Eph. v. 26.
In the words we have — (1.) The end of Christ's sacrifice ; (2.) The means and instruments by which he doth accomplish his end, which are two, word and sacraments.
1. The end is expressed by two words, * That he might sanctify and cleanse it.' To sanctify implieth dedication to God ; to be cleansed, to be purified from sin. A thing is then said to be sanctified when it is separated from a common to a holy use : Heb. xiii. 12, ' Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.' And it is purified and cleansed when it is washed from filthiness. Now that filthiness that maketh us odious to God is either the guilt or the stain of sin ; and so this cleansing noteth both the renovation of our natures and the justification of our persons: 1 Cor. vi. 11, 'And such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.' We are renewed by his Spirit, and we have remission of sins through his blood. So Titus iii. 5-7, ' Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost ; which he hath shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour ; that, being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life ; ' Heb. x. 22, ' Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.'
2. The means, ' By the washing of water through the word ; ' wherein the apostle showeth how the virtue of Christ's death is applied to us, by the ordinary means of grace. He instanceth in two ordinances — baptism and the word. By the washing of water is meant baptism : Titus iii, 5, ' By the washing of regeneration ; ' John iii. 5, ' Except a man be born of water, and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God ; ' Acts xxii. 16, 'Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.' By the word is not meant verhum consecratorium, but concionale ; not the words of institution, or the sermon that may accompany baptism, but the whole doctrine of the new covenant revealed in the gospel, which
478 SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. [SeR. XXXI.
is a powerful means to promote sanctification. The word hath the relation of a charter, and baptism of a seal or sign of the grace offered and exhibited.
Now from these words I might observe —
First, The causes and means from which, and by which, the salva- tion of a sinner is brought about.
1. At the bottom of all there is the love of God and of Christ, which is the first mover of all that which is done for our recovery. Christ loved the church ; now this love should ever be admired and adored by us.
2. The procuring cause is the merit and satisfaction of Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us as a ransom and propitiatory sacrifice, which is the next ground of our comfort and confidence : 1 John i. 7, ' And the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.'
3. After salvation is impetrated, it must be applied by fit means, internal and external. Internal, which on God's part is the Holy Spirit sanctifying and cleansing us from sin, and by his powerful operation working in us those things which are necessary to the appli- cation of the love of God and the participation of the satisfaction and merits of Christ : Titus iii. 5, ' But according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost/ On our part faith : Acts xv. 9, ' Purifying their hearts by faith.' We, believing the word of God revealing salvation by Christ, are cleansed from sin.