And what a privilege is here! Well might the angels at the birth of CHRIST, say to the humble shepherds, “Behold, I bring you glad tidings of great joy;” unto you that believe in CHRIST, “a Saviour is born.” And well may angels rejoice at the conversion of poor sinners: for the LORD is their righteousness; they have peace with GOD, through faith in CHRIST’s blood, and shall never enter into condemnation. O believers! (for this discourse is intended in a special manner for you) lift up your heads; “Rejoice in the LORD always; again I say, rejoice.” CHRIST is made to you of GOD righteousness, what then should you fear? you are made the righteousness of GOD in him; you may be called, “The LORD our righteousness.” Of what then should you be afraid? what shall separate you henceforward, from the love of CHRIST? “shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? No, I am persuaded, neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate you from the love of GOD, which is in CHRIST JESUS our LORD,” who of GOD is made unto you righteousness.
This is a glorious privilege, but this is only the beginning of the happiness of believers: For
3. _Thirdly_, CHRIST is not only made to them righteousness, but _sanctification_; by sanctification, I do not mean a bare hypocritical attendance on outward ordinances, though rightly-informed christians will think it their duty and privilege constantly to attend on all outward ordinances. Nor do I mean by sanctification, a bare outward reformation, and a few transient convictions, or a little legal sorrow; for all this an unsanctified man may have; but, by sanctification, I mean a total renovation of the whole man; by the righteousness of CHRIST, believers become legally, by sanctification they are made spiritually, alive; by one they are entitled to, by the other they are made meet for, glory. They are sanctified, therefore, throughout, in spirit, soul and body.
Their understandings, which were before dark, now become light in the LORD; and their wills, before contrary to, now become one with, the will of GOD: their affections are now set on things above; their memory is now filled with divine things; their natural consciences are now enlightened; their members, which were before instruments of uncleanness, and of iniquity unto iniquity, are now instruments of righteousness and true holiness; in short, they are new creatures; “old things are passed away, all things are become new,” in their hearts; sin has now no longer dominion over them; they are freed from the power, though not the indwelling and being, of it; they are holy both in heart and life, in all manner of conversation; they are made partakers of a divine nature; and from JESUS CHRIST, they receive grace for grace; and every grace that is in CHRIST, is copied and transcribed into their souls; they are transformed into his likeness; he is formed within them; they dwell in him, and he in them; they are led by the Spirit, and bring forth the fruits thereof; they know that CHRIST is their _Emmanuel_, GOD with and in them; they are living temples of the Holy Ghost. And therefore, being a holy habitation unto the LORD, the whole trinity dwells and walks in them; even here, they sit together with CHRIST in heavenly places, and are vitally united to him, their head, by a living faith; their Redeemer, their Maker, is their husband; they are flesh of his flesh, bone of his bone; they talk, they walk with him, as a man talketh and walketh with his friend; in short, they are one with CHRIST, even as JESUS CHRIST and the Father are one.