414 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [omar. 11
out in the open field, to the loathing of thy person.” Thus we were, saith the apostle ; even we, who are now sanctified and cleansed by tho means which he afterwards relates. The like description he gives of this estate, 1 Cor. vi. 11, with an assertion of the same delivery from it. We are naturally very proud,—apt to please our- selves in ourselves; to think of nothing less than of being polluted or defiled, or at least not so far but that we can wash ourselves, What a hard thing is it to persuade the great men of the world, in the midst of their ornaments, paintings, and perfumes, that they are all over vile, leprous, loathsome, and defiled! Are they not ready to wash themselves in the blood of them who intimate any such thing unto them? But whether men will hear or forbear, this is the con- dition of all men, even of the sons of God themselves, before they are washed and sanctified by Christ Jesus. And as this sets out the infinite love of God in taking notice of such vile creatures as we are, and the unspeakable condescension of the Lord Christ, with the efficacy of his grace in cleansing us by his blood, so it is sufficient to keep us humble in ourselves, and thankful unto God all our days.
II. That the Lord Christ is the great sanctifier of the church, Tis title is 6 ayidéZov, “the sanctifier;” of which more afterwards. The Lord Christ, the captain of our salvation, sanctifies every son whom he brings unto glory.
He will never glorify an unsanctified person. The world, indeed, is full of an expectation of glory by Christ; but of that which ‘is indispensably previous thereunto they have no regard. But this the Scripture gives us as a principal effect of the whole mediation of Christ;—of his death, Eph. v. 26; Titus ii, 14;—of his communi- cation of his word and Spirit, John xvii. 19; ‘Titus iit, 5, 6;—of his blood-shedding in an especial manner, 1 John i. 7; Rom. vi. 5, 63 Rev. i. 5;—of his life in heaven and intercession for us, Col. iii, 1-3. This he creates his people unto by his grace, Eph. ii. 8, excites them unto by his promises and commands, 2 Cor, vii. 1, John xv. 16, 17. So that no end of the mediation of Christ is accomplished in them who are not sanctified and made holy. And this was necessary for him to do, on the part,—l. Of God; 2. Of himself; 8. Of them- selves. . 1. Of God, unto whom they are to be brought in glory. He is holy, “of purer eyes than to behold evil,”’—no unclean thing can stand in his presence; holy in his nature, “glorious in holiness;” holy in his commands, and “ will be sanctified in all that draw nigh unto him.” And this Peter urgeth as that which requires holiness in us, 1 Epist. i. 15, 16, “As he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy, for Tam holy.” And thence it is said that “holiness becometh his house,”
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VER. 11-13.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 415
—that is, all that draw nigh unto him; and the apostle sets it down as an uncontrollable maxim, that “without holiness no man shall see the Lord.” Ifthe Lord Christ, then, will bring the children unto God, he must make them holy, or they can have no admittance into his presence, no acceptance with him; for no unclean thing, nothing that, defileth, can enter into the new Jerusalem, the place where his holiness dwelleth. It is utterly impossible that any soul not washed with the blood of Christ, not sanctified by his Spirit and grace, should stand in the sight of God. And this was expressed in all the typical institutions about cleansing which God appointed unto his people of old. He did it to teach them that unless they were sanctified, washed, and cleansed from their sins, they could be admitted unto no communion with him nor enjoyment of him. Neither can any serve him here unless their consciences be purged by the blood of Christ from dead works; nor can they come to him hereafter, unless they are washed from all their defilements. Their services here he rejects as an unclean and polluted thing; and their confidences for the future he despiseth as a presumptuous abomination. God will not divest himself of his holiness, that he may receive or be enjoyed by unholy creatures. And the day is coming wherein poor unsancti- fied creatures, who think they may miss holiness in the way to glory, shall ery out, “ Who amongst us shall inhabit with those everlasting burnings?” for so will he appear unto all unsanctified persons.
2. Of himself, and the relation whereinto he takes these sons with himself. He is their head, and they are to be members of his body. Now, he is holy, and so must they be also, or this relation will be very unsuitable and uncomely. A living head and dead mem- bers, a beautiful head and rotten members,—how uncomely would it be! Such a monstrous body Christ will never own. Nay, it would overthrow the whole nature of that relation, and take away the life and power of that union that Christ and his are brought into as head and members; for whereas it consists in this, that the whole head and members are animated, quickened, and acted by one and the self-same Spirit of life——nor doth any thing else give union be- tween head and members,—if they be not sanctified by that Spirit, there can be no such relation between them. Again, he takes them unto himself to be his bride and spouse. Now, you know that it was appointed of old, that if any one would take up a captive maid to be his wife, she was to shave her head, and pare her nails, and wash herself, that she might be meet for him. And the Lord Christ taking this bride unto himself, by the conquest he hath made of her, must by sanctification make them meet for this relation with him- self, And therefore he doth it: Eph, v. 25-27, “Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it