`.ER ú,íi,13. EpfiIe tothe HEàn.Ews. communicated untous by. vertue of the bloodthedding and'fuffexiugs of Chrift, as the Apoltle declares, Tit. 3. 4, 5, 6. And they who place this fantlihcation meerly on the Doctrine and Example of Chrill, ( as Grotius on this place ) befides that they confider not at allthe defign and fcope ofthe place, fo they rejec} the principal End, and the molt blelTed Effect of the death and bloodtheddingof the Lord Jefus. Now in this Defcription of the Captainof Salvation, and of the Sons, the Apottle inti- mates a farther neceJTty of his fifr rings, becaufe theywere to be fandifted by him, which couldno otherwifebedone butby hisdeath and bloodfbedding. Having many things to obferve from theft Verfes, we !hall take them úp as they offer themfelves un- to.us in our procedure : As here. I. That all the children which are to be brought unto glory, antecedently unto their R: - lotion unto the Lord Chrifi, arepolluted, defiled, feparate from God. They are all to be fantlified by him, both as to their real Purification and. Confecration to be Gods ballowedPortion. This for many bleffed Ends the Scripture abundantly itntruás us in, Tit. 3.3. We ourfelves alfa were fometimes foolifle, and difibedient, deceived, fnving divers ¡afta and pleafures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating of one another. A molt wretched, defiled and loathfomecondition, that which jufily might be an Ab- horrency to God, andall his holy Angels : and fuch indeed God dcfcribes it to be by hisProphet,Ezek 16. 5, 6. Thou waft polluted in thy blood, and call out in the field, to the loathing of thyPerlin ; Thus we were faith the Apofile; evenw', who arenow fänt'tified and cleanfedby the meanswhich he afterwards relates. The likedefcription he gives.of thiseftate, 1 Cor. 6. 1 r, 12. with an Atfertion of the fame deliveryfrom it. We are naturally veryproud, apt-to pleafe our felves in our felves; to think of no- thing lefs thanof beingpolluted or defiled, or at leafi not fo far, but that we can walb our(elver. What a hardthing is it toperfwade the great men of the world, in the midlt of theirOrnaments, Paintings and Perfumes, that they are all over vile, leprous, loathfomeanddefiled ? Are they not ready to wall/ themfelves in the blood of them who intimate any fuels thing untothem ? But whether men will heat or forbear, this is the condition of allmen, even ofthe Sons ofGod themfelves before they are wafhed and fanétifiedby Chrift Jefus. Andas this feesout the Infinite Loveof God, in taking noticeof fuch vile creatures as we are, and the unfpeakable Condefeenfion of the Lord Chrift , with theEfficacy of his Grace in cleanting us by his blood, fo it is fufficient to keep us humble in our felves , and thankful unto God all our dayes., I I. That the LordChrifi is the great fanilifier of the Church. Hit Title is i elytgar, the Santaifter; of which more afterwards. Thirdly, The LordChrift the Captain of our Salvation, fantlifies every. Son whom he brings unto glory. Hewill never glorifie an unfantlifiedperfon. The world indeedis full of an Expectationof Glory by Chrift ; but ofthat which is indifpenfibly previ- ous thereunto, theyhave no regard. But this the Scripture gives us as a principal Effect of the whole Mediation ofChrift. Of his. death, Ephef.5.26. Titus 2.14. Of his communicationof hisWord and Spirit, John 17. 19. Titus 3. 5, 6. Of his blood- fhedding in an efpecial manner; 1 John 1. 7. ¡tom. 6.5, 6. Rev. 5.5. Ofhis Life in Heaven and tntercelfion for us; Col. 3. 1, 2, 3. This he creates bis people unto by his .Grace, Ephef- a. 8. excites them unto by his Promifes, zCor. 7. a. and commands ; 74:115. 16, 17. So that noEnd ofthe Mediationof Chrift is accomplilhed in, them who are notfan hified and made holy ; And this was neceffary for him to do, on the part (1.) OfGod: (2. ) Of himfelf: (3.) Ofthemfelves. t. OfGod, unto whom theyare tobe brought in glory. Fie is hay ; ofpurer eyes than to behold iniquity: No unclean thing canRand inhis pretence. Holy in his na- ture, glorious inHolinefi; . holy in his Commands, and will befinliified in ,all that draw nighunto him. And this Peter urgeth as that which requiresHolinefs in us, r Epifl, t. a 5, 16. As bethat bath called thorn is holy, fo be ye holy in all manner ofCsnverfation, becaufe it iswritten, be ye holy,for I am holy ; and thence it is faid, that Holinefs be- cometh his houfe; that is, all that draw nighunto him ; and the Apofile fins it down as anuncontrollable Maxime, thatwithout Holinefino man (hall fee God. If the Lord Chrift then will bring the childrenunto God, hemull make them Holy, or they can have no admittance into hisprefnce, no acceptance. with him; for no unclean thing, nothing that defileth, canenter into the New 3erufalem, the place where his Holinefs dwelled/. 249
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