[2.] Taking away the pollutions of all our actual transgressions. There is a defilement attending every actual sin. Our own clothes make us to be abhorred, Job ix. 31. A spot, a stain, rust, wrinkle, filth, blood, attends every sm. Now, 1 John i. 7, " The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin." Besides the defilement of our na- tures which he purgeth. Tit. iii. 5, he takes away the defilement of our persons by actual follies. " By one offering he perfected for ever them that are sanctified;" by himself he " purged our sins," before he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, Heb. i. 8.
[3.] In our best duties we have defilement, Isa. Ixiv. 6. Self, un- belief, form, drop themselves into all that we do. We may be ashamed of our choicest performances. God hath promised that the saints' good works shall follow them. Truly, were they to be measured by the rule as they come from us, and weighed in the balance of the sanctuary, it might be well for us that they might be buried for ever. But tlie Lord Christ first, as our high priest, bears the iniquity, the guilt, and provocation, which in severe justice doth attend them, Exod. xxviii. 38 ; and not only so, but he washes away all their filth and defilements. He is as a refiner's fire, to purge both the sons of Levi and their offerings; adding, moreover, sweet incense to them, that they may be accepted. Whatever is of the Spirit, of himself, of grace,— i\\dX remains ; whatever is of self flesh, unbelief (that is, hay and stubble), — that he consumes, wastes, takes away. So that the saints' good works shall meet them one day with a changed countenance, that they shall scarce know them : that which seemed to them to be black, defomied, defiled, shall appear beautiful and glorious; they shall not be afraid of them, but rejoice to see and follow them.
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And this cleansing of our natures, persons, and duties, hath its whole foundation in the death of Christ. Hence our washing and purifying, our cleansing and purging, is ascribed to his blood and the sprinkling thereof. Meritoriously, this work is done, by the shedding of the blood of Christ ; efficiently, by its sprinkling. The sprinkling of the blood of Christ proceedeth firom the communication of the Holy Ghost ; which he promiseth to us, as purchased by him for ua He is the pure water, wherewith we are sprinkled from all our sins, — that spirit of judgment and burning that takes away the filth and blood of the daughters of Zion. And this is the first thing in the grace of sanctification ; of which more afterward.
(2.) By bestowing cleanness as to actual gxace. The blood of Christ in this purchased grace doth not only take away defilement, but also it gives purity; and that also in a threefold gTadatiou: —
[1.] It gives the Spirit of holiness to dwell in us. " He is made unto us sanctification," 1 Cor. i. 30, by procuring for us the Spirit of sanctification. Our renewing is of the Holy Ghost, who is shed on us through Christ alone, Tit. iii. 6. This the apostle mainly insists on, Rom. viii., — to wit, that the prime and principal gift of sanctification that we receive from Christ, is the indwelling of the Spirit, and our following after the guidance hereof. But what concerns the Spirit in any kind, must be referred to that which I have to offer concern- ing our communion with him.
[2.] He gives us habitual grace; — a principle of grace, opposed to the principle of lust that is in us by nature. This is the grace that dwells in us, makes its abode with us; which, according to the dis- tinct faculties of our souls wherein it is, or the distinct objects about which it is exercised, receiveth various appellations, being indeed all but one new principle of life. In the understanding, it is light; in the will, obedience; in the affections, love; in all, faith. So, also, it is differenced in respect of its operations. When it cames out the soul to rest on Christ, it is faith ; Avhen to delight in him, it is love ; but still one and the same habit of grace. And this is the second thing.
[3.] Actual influence for the performance of every spiritual duty whatever. After the saints have both the former, yet Christ tells them that Avithout him " they can do nothing," John xv. 5. They are still in dependence upon him for new influences of grace, or sup- plies of the Spirit. They cannot live and spend upon the old stock; for every new act they must have new grace. He must " work in us to "vvill and to do of his good pleasure," Phil. ii. 13. And in these three, thus briefly named, consists that purchased gi-ace in the jioint of sanctification, as to the collating of purity and cleanness, wherein we have communion with Christ.
3. This purchased grace consists in privileges to stand before God,
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and these are of two sorts, — primary and consequential. Primary, is adoption,— \\iQ Spirit of adoption ; consequential, are all the fa- vours of the gospel, which the saints alone have right unto. But of this I shall speak when I come to the last branch, — of communion with the Holy Ghost.