Meditation upon Christ's Being Made of God to Us Sanctification
Of his own infinite grace, God formed a perfectly holy manhood to his eternal Son, and in it a seed of holiness to millions unnumbered of the human race. In him he re-planted humanity, a choice vine, wholly a right seed, that could never become a degenerate plant of a strange vine; he made the root holy, that so also might be the branches. Thrice marvellous work! Sacrifices and offerings God would not, but a body he prepared for his Son. The branch out of Jesse’s root was formed, excellent and comely; that holy thing, a Sanctifier; one with the sanctified! The Spirit of the Lord rested on, and was given him without measure.
God made his Son in our own nature, under the law, the immutable standard of holiness in heart or life. He exacted of him the whole requirements thereof, as it is a broken covenant; and held him under it, till by enduring its whole penalty, and fulfilling its precepts, he had magnified it and made it honourable. This law was in his heart; he took delight to do thy will, O God! It became him to fulfil all righteousness, and to suffer ere he entered into glory. Thrice noble and efficacious foundation of true holiness in us! 1. Hereby the curse of the law, which is the strength of sin, which, as with almighty force, consigns over the subjected transgressors to spiritual death in trespasses and sins, to the dominion of sin, as a leading part of just punishment, is removed. Thus the gulph fixed between God and us is rendered passable. Being redeemed from the curse, dead to the law by the body of Christ, sin cannot have dominion over us; but, being made free from the law of sin and death, we bring forth fruit unto God. 2. Hereby the legal favour of God was procured, his real favour vented, and established upon a legal footing. God being well-pleased for his righteousnes’ sake, which magnified the law and made it honourable, we are reconciled unto God by his death, that we may be saved by his life. Though once we were without God and without hope, and far off, we are brought nigh by his blood, that our enmity may be slain. God, who reconciled the world to himself, must be the Lord our God that sanctifieth us. Being our friend, our God of peace, he must rid us of sin, our principal plague, and bestow upon us holiness, our chief happiness; must sanctify us wholly, soul, body, and spirit. Being our reconciled God of peace, his wisdom must devise how to keep
and deliver us from temptation; his power must be perfected in our weakness, must subdue our iniquities, and work in us to will and to do of his good pleasure; his holiness must make us after its own image, its own likeness; his justice must bestow upon us the spiritual life purchased for us by Christ our surety; his goodness must do us good, make all things in us very good, and supply all our wants; his truth must fulfil every exceeding great and precious promise, whereby we are made partakers of the divine nature, having- escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. If this reconciled God of peace be our father, we must be begotten again into a conformity with him, and be made to perfect holiness in his fear. If he is our husband, he must adorn us for the eternal feast. If he is our portion, he must fill all things. If he is our master, he must command us of his household to walk in the way of the Lord, he must provide for and rule well his family. If he is our physician, he must heal our diseases, see our froward ways, and heal them. 3. Hereby enough of communicable grace was purchased; redemption from all iniquity; zeal of good works; redemption from a vain conversation; cleansing till one become without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; possession of life, and that more abundantly; sanctification of the people. 4. Hereby the broken law which gender eth to bondage, the galling yoke, which neither wo nor our fathers could bear, is deprived of all its wrathful sanction; and nothing is left for those under the law to Christ, but kind chastisements for their profit, to make them partakers of God’s holiness. It is transformed into a perfect law of liberty, obedience to which founds no proper title to eternal happiness. It saith not, The man that doeth these things shall live in them; but, being delivered out of the hands of your enemies, serve God in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of your life. Having these promises, dearly beloved, cleanse yourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit. Having these hopes of the heavenly kingdom, as heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, purify yourselves as God is pure. Since he is the Lord your God, have no other gods before him, &c. Walk in love, as Christ hath loved you. Be perfect, as your Father who is in heaven is perfect. In this new form it doth not revive sin, nor is the strength of it; but, inlaid in the promise, and impressed on the heart, it enstamps holiness on the soul, and creates purity and truth in the inward part. 5. In Jesus’ fulfilment of the law is exhibited the most suitable, the most perfect and engaging pattern of universal holiness. He therein left us an example, that we should walk in his steps; that we might learn of him and follow him. How honourable this! Being in the form of God, he took upon him the form of a servant, and was obedient unto death. How perfect! He did always the things that pleased his Father. How suitable! He was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. How engaging! We love him because he first LIFE AND REMAINS OF
loved us. We walk in love, as Christ hath loved us, and given himself for us. It is at once the pattern of our brother, our husband, our Saviour, and our God. 6. In his fulfilment of the law, the motives of holiness are rendered infinitely numerous, plain, and determining. The inexpressible importance of holiness is marked in the service, the death of God, The purity and authority of the moral law is manifested in his magnifying and making it honourable. In his being made sin for us, the horrid nature of sin, as the murder of a God of infinite grace, — the murder of a God in our nature, — is displayed, more than is done in either, law, hell, or human heart. How constraining to gratitude is the giving, the dying love of God! in it we have strength and reward secured. We shall be strengthened in the Lord, and walk up and down in his name. Our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord.
The foundation of holiness thus laid, all the infinite stores of purchased grace were lodged in Christ, that they might be near, and sure, and sweet, to polluted men. He received gifts for men. In him it pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell; that so, holding the head, the whole members might grow up with the increase of God. He is full of grace and truth, that out of his fulness we may receive grace for grace; and that God may supply all our wants out of his riches; and wash off all our stains in him, who is the fountain opened — the fountain of gardens — well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon. Faithful to God that appointed him, he must bestow these gifts, this grace, upon men; himself and his holy angels have no use for it.
In respect of meditorial person, office, and relation, Christ is so fashioned, that there can be no spiritual connexion with him which is not of a sanctifying nature. If he is a Redeemer, it is from all iniquity. If he comes to us, it is to turn away ungodliness. If he is a Saviour, it is from sins; he is manifested to destroy the works of the devil. If he is a prophet, it is to teach to profit; to teach to deny ungodliness and worldly ’ lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. If he is a sacrifice, it is to purge our conscience from dead works to serve the living God; it is to finish transgressions and make an end of sin, and sanctify the people. If he is an advocate, it is to plead their sanctification, and to send down the Holy Spirit — to cause us to walk in his statutes, and to keep his judgments. If he is a king, it is to command deliverances for Jacob; slay our enmity, and subdue our iniquity; and make his grace sufficient for us, and his strength perfect in our weakness. If he is our Father, it is to beget us again to a lively and purifying hope, and to make his daughter all glorious within. If he is a head, it is to make us grow with the increase of God — to make us grow in peace. If he is a husband, he makes perfect through his comeliness put upon us. If he is a shepherd, he must lead in paths of righteousness. If he is a leader, he must
guide in a path that is right. If he is a way, it is a way of holiness. If he is a captain, we must be strong in the Lord to wrestle with spiritual wickedness, and abstain from fleshly lusts that war against the soul: they that are his soldiers are new creatures, who have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts. If he is God’s unspeakable gift, he must make room for God in our soul. If he is heard, we are made clean through his word, sanctified through his truth. If he is beheld, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, we are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord. If he is touched, healing virtue proceeds from him.
In the manifestation of Christ in the gospel, God c?a’ries the external means of sanctification to the highest. An attention to the facts and mysteries relative to him discovers the law, the covenants, the nature of God, the evil and danger of sin, the beauty, necessity, and usefulness of holiness to the highest; and, in fine, exhibits the strongest motives and most excellent means of holiness.
By the introduction of Christ into our heart, and his continued inhabitation and agency therein, our sanctification is begun, increased, and perfected. By his entrance into our understanding as the light of life, sinful blindness and ignorance are expelled, and we are made light in the Lord, have the spirit of wisdom and understanding in the knowledge of him. By his application of himself to our conscience, as Jehovah our righteousness, it is made good — is purged from dead works to serve the living God, and disposed to promote the end of the commandment, and to avoid offence towards God and towards men. By his entrance into our will and affections, as the infinitely amiable and gracious gift of God, he opens our soul for God, and draws out our heart towards him; — inflames our soul with love, which is the fulfilling of the law.
In these respects let him be made of God sanctification to me. Detested be all the schemes of digging holiness out of myself. Let others, with the horrors of damnation attending every false step, or joys of heaven earned in the servile mode, promote their outside, their bastard piety; let my life of holiness be by the faith of the Son of God! Thus, my soul, exercise thyself unto godliness, that in grace, as well as in glory, Christ may be all and in all.