blessedness to which a glorified soul is exalted before the throne of God. Eternity will be too short to count the in- estimable worth of the exceeding great and precious promises which are contained in the Gospel of Christ.]
Let us pass on to consider, II. Their sanctifying efficacy —
We must not imagine that any sinner can so " par- take of the Divine nature" as really to be united to the Divine essence. Thai is impossible. But to par- take of all the communicable perfections of the Deity, is the privilege of all who believe in Christ —
We are exalted to bear a strict resemblance to the
Deity—
[In mind, in will, in our whole character, we may resemble God: for, in conversion, we "are renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created usc;" so that we view every thing no longer according to the apprehensions of our corrupt nature, but as taught of God, and enlightened by his Holy Spirit. "With a renovated understanding we receive also a new heart ; so that, instead of finding our will opposed to the will of God, " we delight in the law of God after our inward manf," and desire to do his will even as it is done in heaven. I say not too much, if I add, that the very character of God is imparted to his saints, even as the impression of a seal to the melted wax ; so that, through the operation of his grace upon them, they become " holy, even as he is holy," and " perfect, even as their Father which is in heaven is perfect." As for " the corruptions that are in the world through lust and inordinate desire, the true believer escapes from them :" he re- nounces the world and all its vanities: he " becomes crucified to it by the cross of Christ5':" he rises above it, " keeps him- self unspotted from ith," and has his " conversation altogether in heaven '."_
And by what is all this effected, but by the promises of God ?
[" Bg these we become partakers of the Divine nature, and escape the corruption that is in the world through lust." St. Paul is particularly careful in marking this important truth. He traces not any of these benefits to mere human efforts, but simply to faith in the Lord Jesus, which alone can " overcome the worldk," and " purify the heart1." Hear his words; and
e Col. iii. 10. f Rom. vii. 22. e Gal. vi. 14.
h Jam. i. 27. Rev. iii. 4. * Phil. iii. 20.
k 1 John v. 4. ' Acts xv. 9.
2418.] PRECIOUSNESS OF THE PROMISES. 2 Jo
mark especially the order which he prescribes for the attain- ment of these blessings : " Having these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of Godm." Here, at the same time that he specifies the extent to which the promises will effect this change, he shews us, that we are not to attain the change first, and then lay hold on the pro- mises; but first to lay hold on the promises, and by them to attain the change. Now, this is a point of extreme importance ; and it was marked with singular precision in the Jewish law. In the ordinance for the cleansing of the leper, it was appointed that the blood of his sacrifice should be put upon the tip of his right ear, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the great toe of his right foot"; which was to shew, that, in all his faculties, whereby he either received or executed the will of God, even from head to foot, he needed an application of the blood of atonement, to cleanse him from his guilt: and then oil was not only to be applied by the priest to the same places, but to be " put upon the very place of the blood of the trespass-offering." And what was this intended to shew? I hesitate not to say, it was intended to declare the very same thing which is intimated in my text ; namely, that our justifi- cation by the blood of atonement must be first sought, and then our sanctification by the Holy Spirit ; that the blood of atonement must be the foundation of our sanctification ; and that, though the two are never to be separated, they must be sought in their due order, and be put each in its appointed and appropriate place. In a word, we must first go to God as sinners, to obtain mercy through the blood of Christ ; and then shall we be made saints, by the operation of the Spirit of Christ upon our souls.]