in Christ, and warrant to make use of him for every part of sanctification; for this longing desire after conformity to God’s law, and panting after this spiritual life, to the end God may be exalted, Christ glorified, and others edified, will not be readily found in one that is yet in nature.  It is true, I grant, some who design to establish their own righteousness, and to be justified by their own works and inherent holiness, may wish that they may be more holy and less guilty; and for some other corrupt ends, they may desire to be free of the power of some lust, which they find noxious and troublesome; and yet retain with love and desire, some other beloved lusts, and so have a heart still cleaving to the heart of some detestable thing or other.  But gracious souls, as they have respect to all the commands of God, so they have not that design of being justified before God by their works; nor do they study mortification, and sanctification for any such end; nay, they no sooner discover any bias of their false deceitful hearts unto any such end, but as soon they disown it, and abhor it.  So that hence believers may get some discovery of the reality of their faith and interest in Christ, and of their warrant, yea, and duty to make use of Christ for sanctification.

This premised, we come to speak something, in the general, of believer’s use-making of Christ, as made of God to us sanctification.  And for this end, we shall only speak a little to two things. First, We shall show upon what account it is that Christ is called our sanctification, or, “made of God to us sanctification,” as the apostle’s phrase is, 1 Cor. i. 30; or, what Christ hath done as Mediator, to begin, and carry on to perfection the work of sanctification in the soul.  And, secondly, How the soul is to demean itself in this matter, or how the soul is to make use of, and improve what Christ hath done, for this end, that it may grow in grace, and perfect holiness in the fear of God.

As to the first, we would know, that though the work of sanctification be formally ours, yet it is wrought by another hand, as the principal efficient cause, even by the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.  The Father is said to purge the branches, that they may bring forth more fruit, John xv. 1.  Hence we are said to be sanctified by God the Father, Jude 1.  The Son is also called the Sanctifier, Heb. ii. 21.  He sanctifieth and cleanseth the Church with the washing of water by the word, Eph. v. 26.  The Spirit is also said to sanctify, 2 Thes. ii. 13. 1 Pet. i. 2.  Rom. xv. 16.  Hence we are said to be washed and sanctified by the Spirit of God, 1 Cor. vi. 11.

But more particularly, we are said to be sanctified in Christ, 1 Cor. i. 2; and “he is made of God to us sanctification,” 1 Cor. i. 30.  Let us then see in what sense this may be true.  And,