Bruising Unto Sanctification

“…we must not pass too harsh judgment upon ourselves or others when God doth exercise us with bruising upon bruising; there must be a conformity to our head, Christ, who ‘was bruised for us’ Isa. 53:5, that we may know how much we are bound unto him. Profane spirits, ignorant of God’s ways in bringing his children to heaven censure broken-hearted Christians for desperate persons, when as God is about a gracious good work with them. It is no easy matter to bring a man from nature to grace, and from grace to glory, so unyielding and untractable are our hearts.”

-Richard Sibbes, from The Bruised Reed; volume 1, pages 44-45

Christ Baptized With Sufferings For Us

“Those last sufferings of Christ, were in some respect like a fire to refine the gold. For though the furnace purged away no dross or filthiness, yet it increased the preciousness of the gold; it added to the finite holiness of the human nature of Christ. Hence Christ calls his offering himself up, his sanctifying himself; John 17:19 ‘And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified through the truth.’ Hence he calls those last sufferings a baptism that he was to be baptized with. It was a baptism to him in two respects, as it purged him from imputed guilt, and as it increased his holiness by the Spirit of God, that gave him those terrible but sanctifying views. And so this is one way in which the Captain of our salvation is made perfect by sufferings; Heb. 2:10, 5:9, and Luke 13:22. Thus Christ, before he was glorified, was prepared for that high degree of glory and joy he was to be exalted to, by being first sanctified in the furnace.”

- Jonathan Edwards, Miscellaneous Remarks of Satisfaction For Sin, found in Works, volume 2, page 575