§. 73. Of Christs justifying and sanctifying persons.
THe Apostle referreth this sprinkling both to blood, and to ashes also: meaning by ashes the purifying water, which was made of the ashes of the heifer, and of running water, Numb. 19. 17. Hereby was typified that by Christ we are both ju∣stified and sanctified: for blood pointeth at our justification, water at our sanctifica∣tion; justified by his blood, saith the Apostle, Rom. 5. 9. And again, Christ gave him∣self for the Church, that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water, Eph. 5. 26. In this sense is this phrase, the washing of regeneration, used Tit. 3. 5. See Domest. Duties. Treat. 1. on Eph. 5. 26. §. 39.
There is in the obedience of Christ, whether active, or passive, both a merit and a vertue.
By the merit, divine justice is satisfied, wrath pacified, and favour procured. Thus is a sinner justified by the vertue of what Christ did and endured. There is also infused into us a kind of conformity to Christ: whereby we are brought to dye to sin, (which is mortification) as he died for sin: and to live in holiness and righte∣ousness (which is vivification) as Christ being dead, and raised, liveth unto God▪ Rom. 6. 9, &c.
In the spiritual application, sprinkling with blood, and sprinkling with water are never severed. He that is justified, is also sanctified. This latter is the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the former.
Our justification is upon that which Christ himself had done and endured: even out of us. It is made ours by imputation.
Our sanctification is wrought in us, and upon us by the Spirit of God: so as we may the more sensibly discern the working thereof. Yet upon evidence of our san∣ctification, we may assuredly infer our justification; and from the concurrence of them both, rest upon eternal salvation.