e forementioned
book. I shall only say this here, That if the soul have an earnest
desire to be sanctified wholly, and to have on the image of God, that he
may glorify him, and panteth after holiness as for life, that he may
look like him that is holy, and maketh this his work and study;
sorrowing at nothing more than at his shortcoming; crying out and
longing for the day when he shall be delivered from a body of death, and
have the old man wholly crucified; he needeth not question his interest
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