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Judge; sanctification is a work of God as a merciful Physician; David
joins them both together。 (Ps。 ciii。 3。) Who forgiveth all thine
inqiuities; who healeth all thy diseases。' It is promised; That
iniquity shall not be your ruin (Ezek。 xviii。 30); in the guilt of it;
that is justification: and it shall not be your ruin; in the power of
it; there lies sanctification。
〃2ndly。 Justification is an act of God's grace upon the account of the
righteousness of another; but sanctification is a work of God; infusing
a righteousness into us。 Now there is a great difference between these
two: for the one is by imputation; the other by infusion。
〃In justification; the sentence of God proceeds this way: the
righteousness that Christ wrought out by His life and death; and the
obedience that He paid to the law of God; is reckoned to the guilty
sinner for his absolution; so that when a sinner es to stand at
God's bar; when the question is asked; Hath not this man broken the law
of God? Yes; saith God; yes; saith the conscience of the poor sinner; I
have broken it in innumerable ways。 And doth not the law condemn thee
to die for thy transgression? Yes; saith the man; yes; saith the law of
God; the law knows nothing more but this; the soul that sinneth must
die。' Well; then; but Is there no hope in this case? Yes; and Gospel
grace reveals this hope。 There is One that took sin on Him; and died
for our sins; and His righteousness is reckoned for the poor sinner's
justification; and thus we are absolved。 We are absolved in
justification by God's reckoning on our account; on our behalf; and for
our advantage; what Christ hath done and suffered for us。
〃In sanctification the Spirit of God infuses a holiness into the soul。
I do not say He infuses a righteousness; for I would fain have these
words; righteousness and holiness; better distinguished than generally
they are。 Righteousness and holiness are; in this case; to be kept
vastly asunder。 Our righteousness is without us; our holiness is within
us; it is our own; the Apostle plainly makes that distinction。 Not
having mine own righteousness。' (Phil。 iii。 9。) It is our own; not
originally; but our own inherently; not our own so us to be of our own
working; but our own because it is indwelling in us。 But our
righteousness is neither our own originally nor inherently; it is
neither wrought out by us; nor doth it dwell in us; but it is wrought
out by Jesus Christ; and it eternally dwells in Him; and is only to be
pleaded by faith; by a poor creature。 But our holiness; though it be
not our own originally; yet it is our own inherently; it dwells in us:
this is the distinction that the Apostle makes。 That I may be found in
Him; not having my own righteousness; which is of the law; but that
which is through the faith of Christ; the righteousness which is of God
by faith。' (Phil。 iii。 9。)
〃3rdly。 Justification is perfect; but sanctification is imperfect; and
here lies a great difference between them。 Justification; I say; is
perfect; and admits of no degrees; admits of no decays; admits of no
intermission; nor of any interruption: but sanctification admits of all
these。 When I say justification is perfect; I mean; that every
justified man is equally and perfectly justified。 The poorest believer
that is this day in the world; is justified as much as ever the Apostle
Paul was; and every true believer is as much justified now as he will
be a thousand years hence。 Justification is perfect in all them that
are partakers of it; and to all eternity; it admits of no degrees。 And
the plain reason of it is thisthe ground of it is the perfect
righteousness of Jesus Christ; and the entitling us to it is by an act
of God the gracious Judge; and that act stands for ever; and if God
justifies; who is he that shall condemn? (Rom。 viii。 33。) But
sanctification is an imperfect; inplete; changeable thing。 One
believer is more sanctified than another。 I am apt to believe that the
Apostle Paul was more sanctified the first hour of his conversion; than
any man this day in the world。
〃Sanctification differs greatly as to the persons that are partakers of
it; and it differs greatly too as to the same man; for a true believer;
a truly sanctified man; may be more holy and sanctified at one time
than at another。 There is a work required of usto be perfecting
holiness in the fear of God (2 Cor。 vii。 1)。 But we are nowhere
required to be perfecting righteousness in the sight of God; for God
hath brought in a perfect righteousness; in which we stand; but we are
to take care; and to give diligence to perfect holiness in the fear of
God。 A saint in glory is more sanctified than ever he was; for he is
perfectly so; but he is not more justified than he was。 Nay; a saint in
heaven is not more justified than a believer on earth is: only they
know it better; and the glory of that light in which they see it;
discovers it more brightly and more clearly to them。〃
From Traill's Sermons; upon 1 Pet。 i。 1…3; vol。 4; p。 71。 Edinburgh
edition of Traill's Works。 1810。
(2。) Rev。 Thomas Brooks; Rector of St。 Margaret; Fish Street Hill;
London。 1662。
〃Consider the necessity of holiness。 It is impossible that ever you
should be happy; except you are holy。 No holiness here; no happiness
hereafter。 The Scripture speaks of three bodily inhabitants of
heavenEnoch; before the law; Elijah; under the law; and Jesus Christ;
under the Gospel: all three eminent in holiness; to teach us; that even
in an ordinary course there is no going to heaven without holiness。
There are many thousand thousands now in heaven; but not one unholy one
among them all; there is not one sinner among all those saints; not one
goat among all those sheep; not one weed among all those flowers; not
one thorn or prickle among all those roses; not one pebble among all
those glistering diamonds。 There is not one Cain among all tho