God hath no love there the Sinner must dye eternally You have in the Text the Law of sin and the Law of death coupled together ô what a dangerous thing is the Law of sin where Sin hath its full power over the creature to make him wicked Death upon this will have its full power also to make him miserable So Rom. 6.16 Know you not that to whom you yield your selves servants to obey his servants you are to whom you obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righreousness V. 21. For the end of these things is death V. 23. the wages of sin is death And is it so who then would be Sins servant who would serve that master who pays no better wages than death you that are Servants would you enter into the service of One that would pay you such wages such a master sin is and such wages it doth pay ô therefore quit its service be wise for your Souls be sensible of the danger of continuing under the Law of sin otherwise this Law of sin will soon be turned into the Law of death And indeed it is this which ends in death 't is not barely sin which condemns but 't is the Law of sin which condemns when it hath the Supream and Soveraign commanding power in the Soul and reigns there as Lord paramount then 't is killing and damning And now Sirs may not that which hath been spoken be sufficient to convince you of the evil of that bondage that miserable hereditary bondage which you all lie under so long as you are in the natural and unregenerate state and will you not be prevailed with to endeavour speedily to get out of it by the Law of the Spirit to be made free from the Law of Sin You may be freed from this bondage if you will Christ is come as for other ends so for this to give liberty to the captives and to open the prison to them who are bound Isa 61.1 to knock off Sinners bolts and chains and to make them free indeed Joh. 8.36 in his name I do this day tender freedom to you and deliverance from Sins vassalage will you not accept of it And here 's the Law of the Spirit too to make you free from the Law of Sin why then shall not this be done Will you still like Sins yoke I assure you Christ's is not so easie but Sins is as uneafie will you have its dominion yet kept up in you are you loath to part with your old Master then your ears must be boared for Sin and Sathan * Exod. 21.5 6. as the Servant under the Law was to be served who might have been set at liberty from his Master but he had no mind to it If it be thus I can say nothing more onely pray that the Lord will convince you what the reign and power of Sin is what a miserable bondage attends it that you may with the greatest earnestness press after Conversion and the Law of the Spirit of Life in order to freedom from it So much for the First Branch of this Vse of Information 2. Branch of Information concerning the Necessity c. of restraining and renewing Grace Secondly it informs us further of the Necessity Power and Efficacy of restraining and renewing Grace I 'le speak to them apart 1. For restraining Grace By which I mean that grace whereby God keeps in mens corruptions and sets bounds and limits to them in Sin so as not to suffer them to be as vile and wicked as otherwise they would be That such a thing is done by God all grant he that bounds the Sea that it doth not break forth and overflow all 't is most elegantly set out Job 38.8 10 11. Who shut up the Sea with doors when it brake forth as if it had issued out of the womb And brake up for it my decreed place and set bars and doors And said hitherto shalt-thou come but no further and here shall thy proud waves be stayed as also Jer. 5.22 which have placed the sand for the bound of the Sea by a perpetual decree that it cannot pass it and though the waves thereof toss themselves yet can they not prevail though they roar yet can they not pass over it I say he that thus bounds the Sea that unruly body doth also bound the wickedness of mans heart a far more unruly thing than the Sea it self this God keeps in or lets out as seems good unto him You see it in the case of Abimilech whose Lust did strongly work in him towards Sarah but saith God Gen. 20.6 I withheld thee from sinning against me therefore I suffered thee not to touch her the like you have in several other instances Now this Law of Sin proves both the necessity and also the mighty power and efficacy of this restraining Grace for the making out of which be pleased to take notice of the following Particulars 1. That the most of men are under the Law of Sin All are born under it and the most continue under it for the most are in the state of Nature and in that state the Law of Sin carries it Here and there you have a Soul brought in to God converted savingly wrought upon * Jer. 3.14 one of a city and two of a family but the generality of men are strangers to this work and therefore they are under the full power and dominion of a cursed nature It being so how necessary is restraining grace for the less there is of regenerating grace the more need there is of restraining grace 2. Men naturally being under this Law it doth vehemently and impetuously put them upon sin for herein lies its being a Law and a Principle as you have heard The depraved Nature doth not barely dispose men to sin or faintly persuade them to sin but it doth powerfully and efficaciously incline urge impell nay necessitate them to sin they cannot cease from sin 2 Pet. 2.14 3. It is not this or that sin which this Law urges men to but if it be left to it self it urges to every sin yea to the very worst of sins This indwelling sin contains all sin in it the corrupt Nature is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Seminary or Seed-plot of all wickedness in that one sinful habit all sinful acts do lie seminally and radically and Sin where it is a Law is for all Sin it will excite instigate provoke not onely to lesser evils such as the world puts a fairer interpretation upon but also to those which are most enormous hideous and horrid as Atheism Blasphemy Murther Theft Adultery c. 4. This Law of Sin hath great advantages in and over men for 't is a Law that is in them an innate ingenit inbred Law 't is written and engraven in their very nature Sin is now connatural to them yea 't is as natural in some respects for apostatized man to sin as 't is for the fire to burn
be in it I tremble to think of that distress that you will be in at the Great day though now you are quiet and unconcerned * Undique erunt tibi angustiae hinc erunt accusantia peccata tremeda justitia subter patens horridum Chaos desuper iratus Judex intùs Vermis Conscientiae foris ardens mundus Beâ—n de Consc when your sins shall fly in your faces and accuse you when the tremendous justice of God shall affright you when if you look downwards there 's an Hell ready to receive you if upwards there 's an angry Judge if inwards there 's the Worm of Conscience if about you there 's a World all in flames O what a time will this be what would you then give to be in Christ take heed I beseech you of an after-wisdom VSE 2. To exhort all to make sure of exemption from Condemnation Secondly I would exhort you to make sure of this exemption from Condemnation to labour to be in the number of those to whom there is no Condemnation 'T is infinite mercy that such a thing is attainable surely he must be strangely besotted and utterly void of all sense of eternity who doth not with the greatest care and diligence put in for a share in this happiness No Condemnation Justification here and Salvation hererfter what can be so worthy of our utmost pains and endeavours as these what pitiful trifles and very Nothings are all other things in comparison of these 'T is no great matter how things go at present if the future everlasting state may be secured O that all your thoughts desires pursuits might be swallowed up in this You dread such and such Evils here alas what are these to the eternal Evils which have been set before you you are set upon the worlds good and what is that to an endless blessedness in the Vision and Fruition of God in Heaven think of Hell and nothing here will be very evil and of Heaven and nothing here will be very good Should you come to a condemned man and talk to him of the riches honours crowns and scepters of this world Ah! saith he what 's this to me I am a poor condemned man can you tell me how I may get out of the condemnation that I lye under then you 'l say something which will suit my condition Why Sirs you trouble your selves about the getting of wealth the greatning of your selves in the world but you do not consider you are condemned men such you were as you came into the world * Rom. 5.18 By the offenos of one judgment came upon all to Condemnation and there 's a worser Condemnation for you when you shall go out of the world O what have you to do but to get out of this Condemnation 'T is to be feared that the greatest part of men not out of any want of mercy in God or from any thing to be charged upon God but meerly through their own sin and folly will perish therein you read of the condemning of the world 1 Cor. 11.32 Now therefore what are you or what do you do that you may be exempted from the general misery Certainly if you lye in the common State and live in the common Course you must perish in the common Condemnation think of it and make some timely provision against it Your Judge deals very graciously with you he warns you before hand tells you how his terrible Sentence may be prevented nay he offers Life and Pardon to you if you will but accept of it and after all this will you force him to condemn you then 't will be Condemnation with a witness I would upon this Consideration be the more earnest with you in the present advice because though this Condemnation will be sad enough to all yet to you it will be superlatively sad you living under the Gospel where the way of Salvation is set before you where tenders of Grace are made to you if you be not wise and serious in securing the main this will not only make your Condemnation more unavoidable * Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation but also more intolerable 't will be Condemnation with an Accent or Emphasis to you * Joh. 3.19 This is the Condemnation that light is come into the world c. The Scripture speaks of * Matth. 23.14 greater damnation 't will be great damnation to Pagans and Infidels but greater damnation to Christians According to the different measures of that Gospel-light and Gospel-grace which men live under so will the different measures of their future misery be if they live and dye in impenitency and unbelief O how will these aggravate your Condemnation if there be one place in Hell hotter than another that very place shall be yours whilst others shall mitiùs ardere * Matth. 12.23 24. Thou Capernaum which art exalted unto heaven c. but I say unto you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you What persons are to do that it may be No-Condemnation You will ask me What are we to do that it may be to us No-Condemnation For answer to this several Directions might be given and much enlarg'd upon but I will give you only five or six and be but short upon them First 1. Dir. Let sin be condemned in you and by you For thus the case stands sin must either be condemned by you or you for it a condemnatory Sentence must pass either upon the Sin or upon the Sinner and is it not better it should pass upon the Sin rather than upon the Sinner that it should dye rather than you should dye O let not Sin live in you nor do you live in it for if it be so it will be Condemnation This sin is the condemning thing had there been No Sin there had been No Condemnation 't is that and that only which makes the Creature liable to eternal Death * Rom. 6.23 the wages of sin is death Did not the Malefactor break the Law by stealing murdering c. he would not be obnoxious to the Laws penalties and so 't is here We violate Gods Law upon that violation there is guilt upon that guilt there is obnoxiousness to punishment and to a Sentence of Death O take heed of sin here lies the evil of it it exposes to and ends in eternal Condemnation it pleases the Sinner for a * Heb. 11.25 season and then entails everlasting wrath upon him Was it not for this a Life in sin would be a fine Life I must recall my self a Life in sin a fine Life no was there no Hell hereafter yet such a Life would be and is a base sordid cursed Life but Hell and Wrath and Condemnation and all follow upon it and this spoils the pleasures and delights of a sinful Life Who would not fear and shun Sin a Child of
Spirit O stupendious folly most woful infatuation The Apostle describing the natural state saith For we our selves also were sometimes foolish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without any understanding or intellective faculty wherein serving divers lusts and pleasures O that is to be foolish indeed And he elsewhere speaking of lusts themselves calls them too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foolish and hurtful 1 Tim. 6.9 Flesh-followers are apt to admire their own wisdome but they fall under that sad character Rom. 1.20 Professing themselves to be wise they became fool◠3. 'T is groundless and unreasonable walking Bate but the Sinners pleasing himself which is a pitiful reason and what reason hath he to serve or gratifie the Flesh what can it plead for any subjection or obedience to it This our Apostle here takes notice of v. 12. we are debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh We are debtors indeed to God every way to him we owe our Love Obedience c. our All but what do we owe the flesh what hath it done or suffered for us hath it redeemed us was it crucified for us surely no! Justice and gratitude call upon us to live to God and Christ but for the Flesh we are under no obligation at all to live to it rather the quite contrary Why should we pay where we owe nothing and not pay where we owe our-all were we but so just and honest as to pay our debts sure I am we should walk after the Spirit and not after the Flesh 4. 'T is uncomfortable walking Isa 57.20 21. The wicked are like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt There is no peace saith my God to the wicked Isa 59.8 They have made them crooked paths whosoever goeth therein shall not have peace Sin and Comfort cannot go together he loses the one who closes with the other A wicked life saith (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat◠de Leg. lib. 2. p. 663. Plato is not onely a sordid but a more unpleasant life than that which is vertuous the bare light of Nature led divers of the ancient (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Plutarch 101. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem in Tract Ne suaviter quidem c. p. 1087. Moralists to assert this over and over And Sinners may put the best face upon it but they find this to be true by their own sad experience they feel it their Consciences plainly tell them of it every day that there is little true joy in a sinful sensual course O the sad gripes of Conscience which they meet with in the way of sin which though they endeavour to smother yet they pursue and vex them from time to time But suppose the way of the Flesh at present be not uncomfortable to be sure in the final issue it will be so when the Sensualist and ungodly wretch shall see death making its near approaches to him when Conscience shall force him to take a review of his ill-spent life when he shall be called to stand before the tribunal of his Judge I say how will it be then will it be joy and comfort no but instead thereof inexpressible anguish and horrour of spirit O let not the Flesh deceive you its (c) Heb. 11.25 pleasures are but for a season its (d) Delectatio occidit praeteriit volneravit transivit miserum fecit abiit infaelicem reddidit reliquit August de Temp. Serm. 3. delights are soon over and gone and then that which was hony in the mouth turns into gall and wormewood in the belly Poor deluded creatures think to take their fill of it but in a little time God finds them out sets home their sin and folly gives them the prospect of a dreadful eternity and what follows first Hell is in their Souls and then in a little time their Souls are in Hell And therefore as you desire to be kept from this misery and to have peace and comfort in Life and Death see that you abandon the Flesh so as not to walk after it 5. 'T is walking which ends in eternal perdition O that this might be believed before it be felt Sirs whom will you believe Sin and the Flesh which are made up of lyes and do their business by lyes or the God of truth and the Word of truth He tells you therein (e) Rom. 8.6 To be carnally minded is death (f) Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the Flesh ye shall dye (g) Gal. 6.8 He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption There is no condemnation to them which walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit then there is condemnation to them who walk after the Flesh c. (h) Jam. 2.15 Sin when it is finished it brings forth death with many such Scriptures Now shall not this deter you from a fleshly conversation if this will not what will Salomon speaking of the strange Woman tells us * Prov. ◠18 her house inclineth unto death and her paths to the dead just so it is with fleshly Walking Nothing more certain than that every mans end shall be according to his course as he sowes so shall he reap Gal. 6.7 now there are two very different ends and two very different courses there is Heaven and Hell two very different ends and there is walking after the flesh and after the spirit two very different courses If you fall in with the Former that will most certainly lead you to Hell if with the Latter that will as certainly lead you to Heaven which of these Courses now will you chuse Condemnation is as sure to them who walk after the Flesh as No-Condemnation is to them who walk after the Spirit So much for the third Motive 4. Fourthly let me add but one Disuasive more and that is the Death of Christ What a consideration is this to take men off from a carnal life O when this flesh begins to stir and pirk up it self you will do well in order to the suppressing of it to fix your thoughts upon your dying Redeemer Say when my Saviour hath died for Sin shall I live in Sin when he was * 1 Joh. 3.8 manifested on purpose to destroy the works of the Flesh and of the Devil shall I yet walk after them was the sinless Flesh in Christ crucified and shall the sinful Flesh in me be cherished You read of the crucifiion of the Flesh Gal. 5.24 we should be for nothing short of that for no better usage doth it deserve from us When Pilate ask'd the enraged Jews against our blessed Lord What shall I then do with Jesus which is called Christ they all said unto him Let him be crucified and when he a little hung off from this cruelty What evil hath he done they cryed out the more saying Let him be crucified Matth. 27.22 23. This was not so much their sin in being so cruel
Spiritus serviunt Orig. Origen makes it to be the Law of God in general which saith he is also the Law of the Spirit (b) Lex Spiritus perinde sonat q. d. Legem Spiritualem juxa proprietatem sermonis Hebraici Erasm Erasmus opens it by the Spiritual Law (c) Est periphrasis Legis Gratiae quam Spiritus Sanctus renovator vivificator mentis humanae scribit in cordibus quae inhabitat Perer. Legem Spiritus vocat Gratiam Christi quâ Lex Dei per Spiritum Sanctum scribitur in cordibus nostris Estius Pererius and Estius by that grace of Christ or of the Spirit by which he writes the Law in the Heart (d) Lex Spiritus vitae i.e. certa indubitata in Christum fides c. Per Antithesin Legi peceati fidem in Deum per Christum Legem appellat abutens vocabulo Legis Zuinglius Zuinglius by the grace of Faith several such Glosses are put upon it which I shall not further make recital of That explication which I have laid down is most (e) Cum Puulus utitur Voce Legis loquitur Metaphoricè nam per Legem intelligit Vim efficaciam Pet. Martyr Lex Spiritus Metaphorioè vis quasi imperans dominans Gomor usual and common and so to be brief all comes to this The Spirit of Life is the Holy Spirit of God which is a living Spirit in himself and which also as a regenerating Spirit works the divine and spiritual Life in the Soul and The Law of the Spirit of life is the power and commanding efficacy of the Sanctifying Spirit in his gracious operations upon the Hearts of such and such persons by which they are made free from the Law of Sin and Death that is from the absolute domination tyranny and full power of Sin and Death Before I go off from this One thing must be added viz. that though Law be here joyned with the Spirit of life yet 't is to be taken not as ultimately referring to the life but rather to that which follows hath made me free from the Law of sin c. I mean this Great is that power which the Spirit puts forth in renewing and thereby quick'ning the Soul yet his power as terminating in that effect is not here mainly intended but 't is the power of the Spirit terminating in the deliverance of the Sinner from Sins dominion which is here intended that I say is the proper terminus of the Spirits power in this place and whatever power the Spirit puts forth in the life or Regeneration that is here mentioned but as the way or medium of the Spirit in his making free from the Law of Sin and Death This Interpretation of the Words I judge most agreeable to the Apostles Scope in them and therefore I shall handle them according to it and then the Connexion will lie thus There is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus c. because by the mighty power of the regenerating and enlivening Spirit Such are freed from the command and rule of Sin so that it doth not reign over them as formerly it did and they being thus freed from the power of Sin consequently they are also freed from the power of Death especially of eternal Death so that most certainly there is no Condemnation to them But now against the truth of what is here asserted a Question or Objection may be raised How doth Paul here say that he was made free from the Law of sin when in the preceding Chapter he had so much complained of it you have him there bewailing it over and over therefore how is that consistent with what he here lays down I will not at present stay to answer this Objection but in the handling of one of the Observations it shall be answered What is it which is in Christ Jesus Upon the review of the Words I find one thing in them which as yet hath scarce been touch'd upon that therefore must be a little opened and then I shall have done with the Explication of them 'T is here said the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus now it may be ask'd what doth this in Christ Jesus refer to or what is that in special which is in Christ Jesus is it the Life or the Spirit or the Law of the Spirit for all of these go before I answer Each and all of them in different respects may be said to be in Christ Jesus but I conceive 't is spoken chiefly with respect to the Spirit it self 1. The Life wrought in the Soul at and by regeneration that is in Christ Jesus partly as he by the Spirit doth work that Life and partly as he preserves and keeps up that Life when it is wrought The spiritual life here as well as the eternal life hereafter is in Christ that of the Apostle though it be spoken of the latter yet is applicable to both 1 Joh. 5.11 And this life is in his Son Beza with * Lex Spiritus Vitae est vis Spiritus quae vitam eam inspirat quae est in Christo quaeque vivitur ejus Spiritu Bucer Illius inquam Spiritus qui ad vitam aeternam ducit quam Christus daturus est Grot. Others some of whom do a little differ in their notion of the life it self carries it in this reference according to his explication of the Spirit of life and to make the thing more express he would have an Article inserted and added to the Words thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The Spirit is in Christ Jesus And it may be said to be so upon a fourfold account 1. As it was at first poured out upon him in his Humane Nature and doth yet reside in him in a very high and eminent manner For God gave not the Spirit by measure to him as he doth to us Joh. 3.34 he was full of the Holy Ghost Luk. 4.1 anointed with the Holy Ghost Acts 10.38 't was prophesied of him that the Spirit of the Lord should rest upon him Isa 11.2 Christ as man hath the special residence of the Spirit in him and the special communication of the Spirit to him 't is in all the Saints but eminently 't is in Christ Jesus 2. 'T is the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus not onely in respect of the great acts and operations of this Spirit in and upon Christ himself but also in respect of the Order of the Spirit in its operations for it (a) See of this Dr. Sibbs in The Spiritual Jubille p. 36 c. first wrought in and upon Christ in the sanctifying of his Humane Nature in the fitting of him for his Sufferings in the supporting of him under his Sufferings c. and then subsequently it works in and upon Believers according to their capacity 3. The Spirit may be said to be in Christ Jesus as he doth convey and give this Spirit where he pleases Then the in Christ
Duty as the Soul is quickned so proportionably 't is comforted In order therefore to this how doth it concern you to improve the Spirit of God as the Spirit of Life who can thus animate and enliven you but he he who freed you from the Law of Sin and Death must also free you from all that dulness and deadness of Spirit which sometimes possesses you therefore when David was desiring this mercy he puts the Spirit before it Thy Spirit is good c. Quicken me O Lord for thy names sake Psal 143.10 11. Indeed as none can cleanse the filthy heart but the purifying Spirit nor soften the hard heart but the mollifying Spirit so none can enliven the dead heart but the quicking Spirit When the Child was dead the Prophet sent his staff but that would not do the work the Child did not revive till the Prophet came himself so you may have quickning Means and quickning Ordinances and quickning Providences but if this quickning Spirit doth not come himself you will be dead still O therefore whenever you find the Heart under inward deadness presently carry it to this quickning Spirit for quickning Grace I would not have any here mistake me to put a wrong interpretation or make bad inferences from what hath been spoken so as to slight neglect cast off External Means Ordinances Duties because they are but dead things of themselves and 't is the Spirit onely which gives life Some infer such a practise from the premises but they do it very unwarrantably For 't is true that the Spirit of Life onely quickens but then he doth this for men when they are in the use of and in attendance upon the Means he first quickens to duty and then in duty and by duty his way and method is to give out his enlivening influences when the Soul is waiting in holy Ordinances And therefore these must be highly valued and duely attended upon though it be the Spirit onely which works in them effectually upon the heart 'T was the the Angel moving the Waters that did the Cure yet the poor Cripples were to lie by the Pool side so 't is here 'T is a good Caveat therefore that of Musculus upon the Words Ista Spiritus Dei efficacia c. that efficacy of the Spirit saith he is always to be pray'd for yet we must take heed that we have a due respect for those outward Means which the Spirit will have us to make use of But no more of this ROM 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death CHAP. V. Of the Law or Power of Sin under which all Men are by Nature The whole Matter in the Words drawn into several Observations The main Observation broken into Three The First of which is spoken to viz. That every unregenerate person is under the Law of Sin That Law of Sin is opened in the twofold notion of it Two Questions stated 1. How doth Sin act as a Law in the Unregenerate 2. How it may be known when 't is the Law of Sin or wherein doth the difference lie betwixt the Power of Sin in the Regenerate and in the Unregenerate The Point applied by way of Information to inform us 1. of the bondage of the Natural State The Evil and Misery of that set forth in some Particulars 2. To inform us of the necessity power and efficacy of restraining and renewing Grace Both spoken to HHaving opened the Words and fixed upon that Interpretation of them which I judge most proper and genuine The Observations raised from the Words which was my work the last time I come now to fall upon those Observations which are grounded upon and do best therewith It hath been already observed First that the Holy Spirit of God is the Spirit of Life this I have given some short account of and will add nothing further upon it I might Secondly observe That this Spirit of Life is in Christ Jesus the regenerating Spirit is in Christ though not as the regenerating Spirit according to our common notion of Regeneration This was also cleared up in some Particulars when I was upon the Explication of the Words and in the following Verses I shall have occasion to handle it fully therefore here I 'le pass it over There 's a Third Observation which takes in the principal matter in the Text that therefore I shall onely insist upon namely That all regenerate persons by the Law of the Spirit of Life are made free from the Law of Sin and Death For this is that which Paul here affirms concerning himself and he speaking here not as an Apostle but as One regenerate quatenus regenerate that which he saith of himself is applicable to all such they all are made free from c. The General Observation broken into Three This being more generally laid down just as it lies in the Words of the Text and it being very comprehensive I will therefore more particularly branch it out into three Observations 1. That every man in the world as he is in the natural and unconverted state 1. Obs before the Spirit of Life or the regenerating Spirit takes hold of him is under the Law of Sin and Death 2. That such who are truly regenerate are made free from the Law of Sin and Death 2. Obs 3. That 't is by the Law of the Spirit of Life that these are made free from the Law of Sin and Death 3. Obs Each of these Points are of great weight and importance therefore I shall distinctly and largely speak to them First Observ handled I begin with the First which you may shorten thus Every unregenerate man is under the Law of Sin and Death In the handling both of this and also of the two other I shall mainly direct my Discourse to the Law of Sin as to the Law of Death that I shall onely speak to in the close of all This first Doctrinal Proposition is not so express in the letter of the Words as the two following but 't is strongly implied and very naturally deducible from them Paul himself that * Acts 9.15 chosen vessel who was so eminent in the Love of God the Graces of the Spirit the work and priviledges of the Gospel till it pleas'd the Lord savingly to work upon him was under the Law of Sin for he says here he was made free from it implying there was a time when he was enslaved under it As to the civil freedom of a Roman he tells us he was born to that Acts 22.28 but as to Evangelical freedom from the command and bondage of Sin he doth not say he was born free but made free this was not the result of Nature Birth or any such thing but the meer effect of divine grace Further he saith the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free whence it follows that till
Ministers Christians reprove him yet hee 'l sin let him resolve purpose vow promise covenant yet hee 'l sin tell him of Heaven or Hell that hee 'l waste his Estate impair his Health undoe his Family ruin his Body nay his precious Soul 't is all one yet hee 'l sin come Plague Pestilence War Fire yet hee 'l sin set the Law of Scripture before him yet hee 'l sin nay as to some acts set the very Law of Nature before him yet hee 'l sin here 's the Law of Sin to some purpose the power and strength of Sin in their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet all graceless and Christless Souls are under this though not all in the same way or in the same degree But Sin never rises thus high in Gods people they are more easily stopt and kept off from sinning against God you know the stream in a Flood runs very fiercely and will not be stopt by any opposition it teares and breaks the banks which would give a check to it but let the Flood be but over and then it comes to it self again and its motion is not so boisterous and impetuous so 't is with the true Christian possibly in some single act under some strong temptation upon some fit of passion he may break thorough all that lies in his way as a let or hinderance to him in sin but when the sudden gush of Corruption and the power of the temptation are a little over he comes to himself again and then the Word and Spirit do easily stop him in what is evil 4. When 't is sinning and no sense of sin no after-repentance for it then 't is the Law of Sin and that power of it which is onely in the unconverted Sin always rules most where 't is least felt but it never arrives at the highest pitch of dominion where the Soul groans under it as its burden As it was with Paul the corrupt Nature was too powerful in him but he was very sensible of it he cry'd out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Thus too it is with all gracious Souls they may have much of sin in them yea it may be so strong in them as that in some particular acts they may be overcome by it yet 't is but peccatum vincens non regnans Sin conquering not commanding because they are greatly humbled in the sense of this and because they ever recover themselves again by true repentance ô how do they mourn and grieve over Corruption especially when it hath been too hard for them if you read of Davids sins you shall also read of Davids tears Now when 't is thus 't is never the Law of Sin Sin bewailed is never Sin reigning but when a man sins insensibly and impenitently there 's no after-shame or after-grief in him for sin no rising again after falling verily in this man 't is the Law of Sin But so much for the answering of this Question and also for the Explication of the Point in hand VSE For Information In the applying of it there is but one Vse which I shall insist upon and that shall be for Information Is it thus that every person before regeneration is under the Law of Sin it informs us of two things 1. Of the bondage of the Natural state 2. Of the power efficacy necessity of restraining and renewing Grace 1. Branch of Information concerning the bondage of the Vnregenerate 1. Here 's a sad demonstration of that bondage which attends the Natural State and those who are in it Such being under the Law of Sin and that importing what you have heard it doth hence it follows that they are under bondage the very worst bondage and thraldom that is imaginable This Sinners will not believe nor lay it to heart but so it is they being Sins Subjects and governed by its Laws they are no better than Slaves and Vassals for so all its Subjects are We pity those who live under Tyrants Vsurpers hard Masters c. and judge their bondage to be very great but alas what is that if compar'd with this of graceless Souls living under the tyranny usurpation dominion of Sin O poor Creature art thou out of Christ unsanctified and unregenerate and consequently acted ruled governed by Sin know thy self thou art in a spiritual sense no better than a slave yea there 's no servitude or vassalage in the world comparable to thine the poor Christians who are Captives and Bondmen under the barbarous Turks or such who are condemn'd to Mines and Galleys are in a better condition than thou who art under the power of thy base Lusts The state of Nature is a quite other thing than what men imagin it to be they think there 's nothing but freedom and liberty in it such who are in it fancy none live so free and happy a Life as themselves but God knows 't is quite otherwise while they promise themselves liberty they are the servants of corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought into bondage as the Apostle speaks 2 Pet. 2.19 There are very many sad attendants upon Vnregeneracy as blindness darkness death enmity distance and alienation from God c. but none worse than the spiritual bondage which accompanies it I add too there 's none of all these which Sinners are with more difficulty convinced of and more hardly brought to believe than that which I am upon We see it in the Jews Joh. 8.33 We be Abraham 's seed and never were in bondage to any man how saist thou we shall be made free never in bondage to any man that was false were they not once in bondage in Egypt which therefore was called the house of bondage Exod. 20.2 where they were under hard bondage Exod. 1.14 were they not again in bondage in Babylon yea were they not now in bondage under the Romans but this not being the bondage which Christ aimed at he passed by this their vaunting of their exemption from it and fell upon their spiritual bondage whith respect to which he told them whasoever commits sin is the servant of sin So go to many now and tell them they are under servitude they will not believe it what they in such a condition no they are so and so descended such and such is their birth and parentage they have such noble blood running in their veins they live in the enjoyment of such priviledges have so many under them at their beck whilst they themselves are commanded by none they can go and come and do as they * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch Mor. p. 35. list being free from that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein the Stoicks placed bondage and yet are they Slaves Yes notwithstanding all this they may be so and are so if Sin hath the rule and regency over them they have all liberty but that which is the best and are exempted from
tell us that some of our Kings who had the worst Titles made the best Laws and indeed they had need use their power well who get it ill But now Sin doth not only usurp that power which of right belongs not to it but it also manages its power very wickedly particularly with respect to the Laws which it makes and imposes upon its Subjects ô 't is sad living under its government The Philosopher tells us that the intention of the Legislator is to make his Subjects good certainly 't is either so or it should be so but when Sin gets upon the throne and assumes a legislative Authority to it self its intention is only to make its Subjects bad for the worse they are the better they suit with it 'T is a blessed thing to live under the Rule of Christ because of the holiness purity goodness of his Laws but 't is a woful thing to live under the Rule of Sin because its Laws are quite contrary hellish and wicked for here it holds true like Lord like Law Nay the Laws of Men I do not say all have real goodness in them so far as they are founded upon * Lex est nihil aliud nisi recta à Numine Deorum Ratio imperans honesta prohi◠ens contraria profectò ita se res habet ut quoniain vitiorum emendatricem Legem esse oportet commendatricemque virtutum ab eâ vivendi doctrina petatur Cicero de Legib. l. 1. Reason and designed for good Ends viz. to excite persons to what is good and to restrain them from what is evil and so far 't is the happiness of any to live under them and their duty readily and cheerfully to comply with them But 't is not thus with the Laws of Sin inasmuch as they are always contrary to right and sound Reason and always tend to what is evil which therefore so far as any man is subject to he must needs be miserable 'T is commonly said Ex malis moribus bonae Leges bad manners sometimes produce good Laws but bad Laws especially when they are written in the heart and are the principle of action as the Laws of Sin are can never produce good manners if Sin make the Law I know what will be the Life Further this Sin is not onely out of measure sinful in the exercise of its power where it is uppermost but 't is also out of measure tyrannical There have been too many Tyrants in the World but never was there such an one as Sin all the Nero's Caligula's Domitians c. that ever lived were nothing to it this first acted the part of a Tyrant in them before they acted the part of Tyrants over others The tyranny of Sin appears in many things I 'le instance in a Few 1. Its Commands are innumerable there 's no end of its Laws and * In corruptissimâ Republicâ plurimae Leges Tacit. multiplicity of Laws always speaks either a bad people or a bad Prince 2. Its Commands are contrary one Law thwarts another the poor Sinner under its dominion is haled contrary ways that he scarce knows whether to go or what to do Lust clashes with Lust one draws one way and another another so that the poor inslaved Soul is at a loss and knows not how to please all Tit. 3.3 serving divers Lusts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divers for their Number and divers for their Nature and Kind also O quam multos habet Dominos qui unum non habet how many Lords and Masters hath he who hath not Christ onely for his Lord 3. 'T is very rigorous in its demands it must have full Obedience or none at all Eph. 2.3 fulfilling the Lusts of the flesh partial and half-Obedience will neither satisfie an holy God nor an unholy Nature and as God for whom the All is too little so Sin too for which the least is too much is for the doing of all it requires 4. Its Commands are never at an end Let the poor bondman sin to day he must sin again to morrow and so on in infinitum yea the more he doth in obedience to it the more it grows upon him in its Commands just as Tyrants and hard Masters use to do 5. When Sin once gets upon the throne 't is so imperious and cruel that its Vassals must stick at nothing Be the thing never so base the costs and hazards never so great yet if Sin calls for the doing of it it must be done Sinners you must waste you Estates blast your Credit impair your Health destroy your Bodies damn your Souls you must part with God peace of Conscience Heaven it self you must quit all that is good and venture all that is bad in its service and in compliance with its Edicts ô what an imperious insolent insatiable thing is Sin here 's the Tyrant indeed both in Titulo and also in Exercitio And now is not the poor unregenerate Sinner very miserable who lives under such a Tyrant is not his bondage exceeding great who that is not highly besotted would be willing to continue under Sins power that may be brought under the holy gracious excellent government of the Lord Jesus 3. Thirdly the Evil of this bondage arising from the Law of sin appears from its principal Subject 't is a Soul-bondage Of all Evils Soul evils are the worst Soul-famin is the worst famin soul-Soul-death the worst death Soul-plagues the worst plagues and so here Soul-bondage is the worst bondage The bondage of Israel in Egypt was very evil yet not comparable to this which I am upon because that was but corporal and external but this is spiritual and internal when the best part is inslav'd that must needs be the worst slavery There may be a servile condition without and yet a free and generous Soul within as * Errat siquis existimat servitutem in totum hominem descendere pars melior ejus excepta est corpora obnoxia sunt adscripta Dominis mens sui juris est c. Sen. de Benef. l. 3. c. 20. Seneca observes of Servants but if the Soul it self be under servitude then the whole man the very top of man all is in servitude Sin is of so proud and aspiring a nature that no place will serve it for its pallace or principal Seat but the very Soul ô there it delights to have its residence and to exercise its dominion And this is its subtilty as well as its pride for it knows if it can but rule the Soul that then the Soul will easily rule the Body as the main Fort within the Town being gained that will with ease command all the outward Forts And 't is the whole Soul too that Sin must have God who made it will have the whole Heart and Sin which designs to enslave it will have the whole Heart too 't is not satisfied with this or that Faculty but all must be subject to it it must reign in the Vnderstanding
who shall deliver me from the body of this death I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord Titus 3.3 4 5. For we our selves also were sometimes foolish c. but after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost he lays it upon the kindness and love of God which indeed are admirable in the freeing of a Soul from the Law of Sin by the regenerating Spirit this kindness of God should draw out the thankefulness of every gracious heart So much for this Vse of Counsel VSE 4. Comfort to regenerate persons upon their being made free from the Law of Sin A word in the fourth place for Comfort I would have every truly gracious person upon this Truth to be even filled with joy what glad tidings doth it bring to thee whoever thou art upon whom regenerating Grace hath taken hold it tells thee thou art made free from the Law of Sin Sin may and doth trouble thee but it doth not rule thee it lorded it over thee too long but now its dominion is gone from the very first moment of thy Conversion thou hast been made free believe it and take the comfort of it What think you had not Paul great joy in himself when he uttered these words the Law of the Spirit c. thou maist say the same concerning thy self the new birth having pass'd upon thee why therefore shouldst not thou be brimful of joy also This is so great a thing that the sense and comfort of it should revive and cheer thy Spirit under all outward evils the Laws of Men possibly may be somewhat heavy upon thee thou maist groan under such and such external pressures there may be much of bondage in thy outward condition but the Law of Sin is abolish'd thy Soul is made free the spiritual bondage is taken off is not this well very well Under the Law how were the poor Servants overjoy'd when the year of Jubilee came which gave them a release from all their servitude ô Christian thou hast liv'd to see a glorious Jubilee wilt not thou rejoyce So also when oppressed Subjects are freed from cruel Vsurpers 't is a time of great rejoycing mens joy then runs over and will be kept in no bounds or limits what a full tide of joy should be in their Souls whom God hath graciously delivered from Sins tyranny and usurpation ' True Sin never had any right to rule yet de facto rule it did therefore triumph over it as though its authority had been just as the * Hoc illi in malis suis indulgente fortunâ ut de eo populus Romanus quasi de vero Rege triumpharet Florus lib. 2. cap. 14. people of Rome once did with a mean person That Sin which once had you under is now brought under it self and 't is subdued therefore cannot much hurt you Adonibezek himself when in chains Bajazet when in an Iron Cage the fiercest Enemies when broken in their power cannot do much mischief God be blessed so 't is with Sin and therefore as to the main state fear it not I know you lie under many discouragements you feel such cursed inclinations to evil Sin doth so often prevail over you repeated back-slidings afflict you greatly your corruptions daily pursue you c. Well! I would have you to be very sensible of these things and mourn over them but yet know the reigning commanding power of Sin is gone notwithstanding all these yet 't is not the Law of Sin How much good may an unregenerate person do and yet Sin reign in him and how much evil may a regenerate person do and yet Sin not reign in him Under the Law every scab did not make one a Leper neither doth every prevalency of Sin make one a slave to it The Spirit of Life hath freed you from its dominion that being duely stated and that too in such a manner as that you shall never again be brought under it Sin shall not have dominion over you c. Rom. 6.14 Is all this nothing or but little in your thoughts is not here sufficient matter of great joy ô know what God hath done for you and make the best of it Being freed from the Law of Sin you are freed from Guilt Wrath Hell eternal condemnation for the Apostle having said there 's no condemnation c. he proves his assertion by this for the Law of the Spirit of Life c. And where 't is not the Law of Sin there 't is not the Law of Death these two Laws are link'd and fast'ned each to the other therefore he that is delivered from the one is delivered from the other also Believers there is but one thing remaining to be done for you which in due time shall most certainly be done too and that is to free you from the very being of Sin and from all those remainders of power which yet it hath in you do but wait and a little time will put an end to these also be of good comfort Sin is dying and weakening and wearing out every day shortly 't will dye indeed so as never to molest you more As you are justified its guilt is gone as you are sanctified its power is gone it will not be long before you will be glorified and then it s very being shall be gone too here in Grace Pharaoh's yoke is broken but above in Glory Sin shall be like Pharaoh drowned in the bottom of the Sea ô let every regenerate Soul greatly rejoice in these things So much for the Second Observation ROM 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death CHAP. VII Of the power of the Holy Spirit in the making of persons free from the Law of Sin The Third Observation viz. that 't is the Law of the Spirit of Life which frees the Regenerate from the Law of Sin How this is brought about by the Spirit by the Spirit of Life by the Law of the Spirit c. what this imports Of the necessity sufficiency efficacy of the Spirits power for and in the production of this Effect The particular ways and methods of the Spirit in it opened Of its workings at the first Conversion Of its subsequent regency in the renewed Soul Vse 1. Of the greatness and glory of the Spirit his Godhead inferr'd from hence Vse 2. To show the true and proper Cause of freedome from the Law of Sin where men are exhorted 1. To apply themselves to the Spirit for this freedome 2. In case it be wrought in them to ascribe and attribute the glory of it only to the Spirit Saints exhorted 1. To love and honour the Spirit 2. To live continually under the Law of it 3. To set Law against Law The third Observation handled
dye Rom. 5.12 Wherefore as by one man Sin entred into the world and Death by Sin even so Death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Ver. 17. For if by one mans offence Death reigned by one c. here 's Death and the Law of Death too by Sin it hath got a power over men so as to reign over them Had there been no Sin there had been no Death if man had continued in his sinless and innocent state he might have been * Vide Grot. de Sat. c. 1. p. 18. mortal i. e. under a posse mori he being but a Creature and made up of contrary principles but he had not actually dyed much less had he been under a necessity of dying if he had not sinn'd Death did not come into the world upon Gods meer dominion and Soveraignty or meerly upon the frailty of the humane Nature as Pelagians of old and (a) Mors non erat poena vel effectus transgressionis Adami sed conditionis naturalis consequens Socin de Statu primi hominis Vide Praelect Cap. 1. contra Paccium Cap. 5. Socinians of late assert but as the (b) Calov Soc. Prost p. 250. Hoorn Soc. conf vol. 1 l. 3. c. 4. p. 583 c. Franz Scho Sacr. Disp 1. p. 7. fruit and punnishment of Sin Immortality was a part of (c) Molin Enod Grav Qu. de statu Innoc. Tract 3. p. 62. Gerhard Loc. Com. de Imag c. t. 1. c. 4. p. 199. Zâ—â—em de Imag. c. c. 8. Art 2. Moretâ—n's threefold state of man p. 1. c. 2. p. 35. Gods Image at first imprinted upon man that image being defac'd mortality took place You know in Gods dealing with our first Parents how he back'd his Command or Prohibition with the threatning of death Gen. 2.17 Of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye they disobeyed this most equitable Commandment and thereby brought death both upon themselves Gen. 3.19 and also upon all their posterity Besides the guilt of this Sin made over to all mankind by imputation there is mens personal sin habitual and actual which renders them yet more obnoxious unto death and that too not onely to temporal but also to eternal death Rom. 6.21 the end of those things is death v. 23. the wages of sin is death The Apostle in James 1.14.15 treats of the first and last of Sin shows where it begins and where it ends sets down its rise progress and final issue But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed Then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished it bringeth forth death Sin is the issue of Lust and Death is the issue of Sin So that our Apostle here in the Text might upon very good grounds link and couple Sin and Death Where 't is the Law of Sin there 't is the Law of Death 2. Observe that 't is the Law of Sin and the Law of Death which is here coupled together so that where 't is the Law of Sin there and there only 't is the Law of Death When Sin is reigning and commanding then 't is ruining and condemning 't is the power of Sin that exposes to the power of death Rom. 6.16 Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness 'T is true every sin in its own nature deserves death the Scripture knows no such thing as venial sin it being judge all and every sin is mortal indeed as to event the Apostle saith there is a Sin not unto death 1 Joh. 5.17 but as to merit every Sin be it what it will deserves death Yet God is so gracious as that Sin shall not condemn and end in death where it doth not command 'Pray mark it how in the words the Law of the Spirit is join'd with Life and the Law of Sin with Death as where the power of the Spirit is there is Life so where the power of Sin is there is Death I know the Death in the latter Clause doth not carry a direct opposition to the Life in the former for the Life there referring to Grace and Regeneration and not to Glory hereafter the Death which refers to eternal Condemnation and the misery of the future state cannot be look'd upon as directly opposite to that Life yet there is a truth in the Parallel As upon the Law of the Spirit there is Life spiritual and eternal so upon the Law of Sin there is ' Death spiritual and eternal too Further I know there is a great disparity betwixt the Spirits working Life and Sins working Death the Law of the Spirit works Life in the way of proper Efficiency and Causality the Law of Sin works Death only in a final consequential meritorious way yet here also we may speak by way of Parallel as the power of the Spirit works Life in its way so the power of Sin works Death too in its way That which I drive at is very plain if I be so happy as to express my self clearly about it Regenerate persons are made free from the Law of Death 3. Observe that such who are brought under the power of the regenerating Spirit they are made free from the Law of Death This was Paul's happiness here laid down and 't is the same to all that are regenerate the proof of which I need not insist upon for this deliverance undeniably follows from the former they who are made free from the Law of Sin by that Grace are also made free from the Law of Death it being the Law of Sin which subjects the Creature to the Law of Death The power or right of Death stands or falls by the power of Sin so that if the person be freed from the latter as you have heard every regenerate person is it certainly follows in the course and methods of Gods Grace that every such person shall be freed from the former too for the Law of Death is penal or the effect of the Law of Sin now take away the Cause and the Effect ceases Quest How is this to be understood But a little explication will be necessary How may Regenerate Persons be said to be made free from the Law of Death For answer to this Answ you know Death is either temporal or eternal I do not instance in spiritual Death because though 't is very true that the Saints upon the Law of the Spirit are made free from this Death yet I conceive that is not so much intended here the former lies in the separation of the Soul from the Body for a time the latter in the everlasting separation of both Soul and Body from the love and favour and presence of God This separation from God is
be told there 's poyson in it and that if he drinks it he 's a dead man ô the stupendious folly nay madness of men we tell them from Gods own mouth there 's death at the bottom of sinful practises and yet because these suit with and please their sensual part they will venture upon them The fear of temporal death to be inflicted by the Magistrate keeps off many from those enormous acts which otherwise they would commit they dare not thus and thus transgress the Law by stealing killing c. though they have a good mind to it why because they know if they so do they must dye Ah Sinner God backs his Laws with the penalty of eternal death to which thou makest thy self liable by the violation of them and yet wilt thou dare to do it shall the fear of this not at all restrain thee from what is evil Here 's the Devils cunning in his temptations he presents the bait but hides the hook he tempts from and by the pleasure delight contentment that is in sin but conceals the death that will follow upon it nay he doth not onely conceal the evil threatned but either in thesi or in hypothesi he flatly denies it This lying Spirit will tell the Sinner he may sin without danger what dye for it no there 's no such thing thou shalt not dye Thus he began in his first assault upon our first Parents Gen. 3.4 And the serpent said to the woman ye shall not surely dye and thus he doth with Sinners to this very day He always sharpens his temptations by blunting the edge of the Laws threatning assuring the poor besotted Creature that he may sin and yet not dye Now I beseech you do not hearken to him or believe him for he is what he always was a lyar and so a murderer Joh. 8.44 Let the temptation be never so inviting and alluring yet 'pray consider * 2 Kings 4.40 death is in the pot and therefore there is no meddling with it let the enticements of Sin be never so specious and plausible yet know nothing less than eternal death will inevitably follow upon it and doth not the evil of that infinitely weigh down all the good which Sin promises Sin is the falsest thing in all the world its promises are very fair but its performances are quite contrary it pretends to this and that which takes with the Sinner exceedingly but the very upshot and end of all is everlasting destruction Suppose it be as good as its word as to some temporal concerns yet alas its good is soon over and gone but its bad abides forever the pleasant taste of its hony in the mouth is but short but its gall lies fretting in the bowels to all eternity now what madness is it for a man for a few minutes delight to run himself into everlasting and endless torments 'T is one of the saddest things that is imaginable that men do and cannot but know that 't is Sin and Death and yet in a stâ—â—nge defiance of God and in a bold contemning of all that he threatens yea even of eternal death it self they will venture upon Sin Rom. 1.32 Who knowing the judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death not onely do the same but have pleasure in them that do them But surely did they but know and consider what this death is they would not carry it thus I cannot now enter upon any particular description of it onely let me tell them what there is in it the absence of all good the presence of all evil is not this enough that in short 't is the summary and abridgment of all that misery which the Humane Nature is capable of and should not such a thing make a poor Creature tremble As to this death the Sinner would fain dye but cannot he must live though he be dead even whilst he lives at the * Mors prima pellit animam nolentem de corpore mors secunda detinet animam nolentem in corpore Aug. de Civit. Dei l. 21. c. 3. first death the Body and Soul are loth to part but in the second death they would fain part if they might but the just God will keep them together that as they sinn'd together so they shall suffer together What a sad meeting will there be 'twixt these two at the general Resurrection when they shall be reunited onely in order to their being eternally miserable Now do not Sinners tremble at this do they not dread that which will bring all this upon them if not what can we further say or do As to you dearly Beloved I hope you are not given up to a reprobate mind to this desperate hardness of heart to make nothing of dying eternally 'pray therefore * Psal 4.4 stand in awe and sin not do not dare to live in that for which you must dye and perish forever let Sin dye that you may never dye for it must be either its death or yours If you live sin you love death and is death a thing to be lov'd Prov. 8.36 He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own Soul all they that hate me love death Methinks that 's a very sad description of the carriage of the poor amorous Wanton under the enchantments of the whorish Woman Prov. 7.21 22 23. With much fair speech she caused him to yield with the flattering of her lips she forced him He goeth after her straightway as an oxe goeth to the slaughter or as a fool to the correction of the stocks Till a dart strike thorow his liver as a bird hasteth to the snare and knoweth not that it is for his life Sirs will you carry it thus under Sins enchantments not considering that it aims at your life and exposes you to eternal death A fool sees but a little way but a wise man looks to the issues and consequences of things you know what I mean Simply to dye is not so much but to dye eternally ô that 's a formidable thing as you would shun that shun sin for itâ— house is the way to Hell going down to the chambers of death Proverbs 7.27 VSE 2. Comfort to all Regenerate Persons 2. Let the people of God see their happiness and take the comfort of it You that by the power of the regenerating Spirit are made free from the Law of Sin know that upon this you are also made free from the Law of death ô precious and admirable mercy what a cordial is this to revive you under all your faintings As to temporal death you are not wholly exempted from it that 's common to you as well as to others yet 't is a quite other thing to you than what it is to others ô whenever it shall come bid it welcome and do not * Non est formidandum quod liberat nos ab omni formidando Tertull. Ejus est mortem timere qui ad Christum nollet
Pray look into the Text and see what pressing motives there are in it for this 1. Here 's Christ dying as a Sacrifice making his Soul an offering for sin Now Sinners shall that live in you or will you live in that which made your Saviour to die shall he die for sin and will you yet live in sin shall his death as to you be in * Ergo tu dignum te gere tali pretio ne veniat Christus qui te mundavit qui te redemit si te in peccato invenerit dicat tibi Quae utilitas in sanguine meo quid profeci tibi dum descerdo in corruptionem c. Ambros de Virgi vain will you continue sin upon the Throne when Christ was upon the Cross do you desire to have him there again crucified afresh as the Apostle speaks Heb. 6.6 would you renew his wounds and cause them to bleed again was it not enough for such a person to be once sacrific'd can you made even through his precious blood to the gratifying of your base lusts O dreadful I remember that passage of DAVID 2 Sam. 23.15 c. where you find him longing for the waters of Bethlehem Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the Well of Bethlehem which is by the gate upon this his earnest desire three of his mighty men brake through the Host of the Philistines and brought him some of this water but saith the story he would not drink thereof but poured it out unto the Lord why so O saith he be it far from me that I should do this is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives So here sometimes your desires and inclinations are strongly carried out to such and such sins but pray consider there 's blood in the case those sins cost Jesus Christ his blood he did not only jeopard but actually lose his life will you then meddle with them be they never so sweet or pleasing to the flesh I hope you will not I 'm sure you should not To strengthen this further pray consider what Christ's end or ends were in his being thus a Sacrifice they refer either to God or to you to God as he design'd to satisfie his Justice appease his Wrath vindicate his Honour c. to you as he design'd your Sanctification Holiness the abolition of Sins power c. I say the abolition of sins power for though the primary end and the most immediate effect of Christ's Sacrifice was the expiation of its guilt yet in subordination to this however in conjunction with it the breaking of its power and freedom from its evil acts were by him also aimed at therein Gal. 1.4 Who gave himself for our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil world according to the will of God and our Father Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we being dead to sin should live unto righteousness by whose stripes ye were healed Now was this one of Christ's great Ends in his sacrificing of himself and shall he not have it hath he accomplished his ends with respect to God and shall he not accomplish his ends with respect to you would you divide and compound with him to let him have half of what he design'd and purchas'd but no more would you separate between Justification and Sanctification that will not be allowed How smartly doth the Apostle argue for the death of sin from the death of Christ Rom. 6.3 to the 11. Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin For be that is dead is freed from sin Now if we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him For in that he died he died unto sin oâ—e but in that he liveth he liveth unto God Sirs was Christ sacrific'd for sin I 'le tell you what we should now do let us sacrifice our sins for Christ there 's a great difference in the sense of the one and of the other yet take but that aright and both are true Christ was a blessed Person and he was sacrific'd out of love but Sin is a cursed thing which therefore must be sacrific'd out of hatred 't was pity that Christ should die 't is pity that sin should live He was sacrific'd for our sin that he might take that away which was injurious to us we must sacrifice our sins for him that we may take that away which is so injurious and offensive to him But to go on in the Text 2. God condemned sin there 's very much in this also to set us against sin in whatever notion the word condemning be taken did God condemn it and shall we approve of it hath he pass'd a sentence of death upon it and shall we yet be for the life of it as if we would reverse or contradict his sentence or hinder the execution of it did he look upon it as a traitor rebel capital offender and shall we look upon it as an harmless and innocent thing hath he in the death of his Son given out such a declaration of his hatred of it and shall we yet love it and like it and live in it Yea 3. God condemned sin in the flesh of Christ now shall it be judged punished abolished in Christ's Flesh and yet * Rom. 6.12 reign in ours shall he in his flesh suffer for it and we in ours commit it what an absurd incongruous thing would this be Upon the whole matter therefore how do we all stand engaged by the strongest obligations that are possible to be holy and not to sin let it be condemned in our flesh as in a different respect it was condemn'd in Christ's as God hath condemn'd it so as that we shall not die for it so let us condemn it so as not to live in it And in special whenever it shall come to tempt you to what is evil pray remember that Christ was made a Sacrifice for it and let it appear by your holy and circumspect walking that you have a due sense thereof and that you do not from thence fetch any encouragement to sin against God which was one of
place our whole confidence in Christ's meritorious death for if we rely partly upon that and partly upon something else we spoyl all Gospel-Conditions to be per formed on the Sinners part notwithstanding Christ's Sacrifice 5. Fifthly you must so confide and relie upon Christ's one most perfect and all-sufficient Sacrifice as yet withal to be careful that you on your part do perform those Gospel-conditions which God enjoyns and requires of you in order to remission justification glorification this word of advice is so necessary that 't is by no means to be passed over Christians 't is a thing of very high importance for you rightly to understand your selves in this matter therefore take it thus All your trust and relyance is solely to be bottomed upon the Death and Sacrifice of the Lord Jesus but yet you canâ—ot regularly and warrantably act this trust and relyance upon this â—nly ground or foundation unless in your own persons you perform those conditions which God prescribes in his Word The whole business of merit and satisfaction lies upon Christ that is wholly out of your hands and only in his but as to believing and repenting the two grand Gospel-conditions they lie upon your selves I speak with respect to the act not to the power and must be done by your selves yea and the doing of these is as necessary on your part under the notion of Conditions as suffering and dying was on Christ's part under the notion of merit And 't is most certain that the latter without the former will not profit you because Christ never design'd to impute or make over his merit to any further than as they should make good these Conditions of Faith and Repentance We have here two dangerous rocks before us and it must be our care and skill to shun both of them the one is the setting of inherent grace or duty too high as when we make it to share with Christ in merit and trust the other is the setting of inherent grace or duty too low as when upon the pretence of Christ's alone merit and full satisfaction we quite throw it off and are altogether careless about it as supposing it now to be a thing wholly unnecessary Now we are exceedingly prone to dash upon the one or the other of these rocks either we run our selves upon POPERY in the former or upon ANTINOMISM and LIBERTINISM in the latter O what need have all to beg the guidance of the unerring Spirit that thereby they may eavenly steere betwixt both and avoid each extreams which they shall most happily do if Christ and his Sacrifice be only eyed by them in the way of relyance and yet Holiness Obedience Faith Repentance have also that respect which is due to them as means and conditions Much hath been said concerning the perfection and sufficiency of Christ's Sacrifice that he hath thereby put away all sin fully expiated its guilt perfected for ever them that are sanctified c. shall any now from hence infer that all is done by Christ that the Creature hath nothing to do but only to receive the benefits prepared and purchased God forbid True Christ's Sacrifice was perfect in suo genere but not in omni genere 't was perfect as to what was meritorious and satisfactory so as to exclude all other Sacrifices and supplements whatsoever upon that account but not so as to exclude all Conditions which God will have the Creature to perform which though they can add nothing to the perfecting of the believers great Sacrifice yet they do prepare and fit Sinners for the participation of the benefits merited thereby To instance in all these Conditions or to enlarge upon any one of them would be a long work briefly therefore as ever you desire to be the better for a dying Saviour to share in the great and blessed effects of his Sacrifice look to it that you repent and believe O if you be found at last in the number of the impenitent and unbelieving all that Christ hath done or suffered will be a very nothing to you notwithstanding all that you will eternally perish Here is indeed an expiatory Sacrifice I but yet as to you no repentance no expiation here is Sin condemned by Christ's oblation of himself I but yet if the Sinner doth not penitentially condemn â—n in himself and himself for sin for all this hee 'l be judicially condemned at the great day The Scripture every where makes repentance the way to and condition of remission of sin Acts 2.38 Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins with very many other places to this purpose The Apostle having said 1 Joh. 1.7 The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin presently subjoyns Vers 9. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness great is the efficacy of Christ's blood but 't is upon condition of the Sinners Repentance if we confess our sins c. At the JEWISH anniversary Expiation all the sins of the people were by the Sacrifices done away yet God would have them then to afflict their Souls Levit. 16.29 and the High Priest was in their stead to confess their iniquities and all their transgressions in all their sins Vers 21. we under the Gospel have our great expiation by the death of Christ but this also must be attended with penitential abasement and humilation So likewise as to Faith this too is a grace or condition indispensably necessary to the partaking of the benefits of Christ's propitiatory Sacrifice Therefore the Apostle speaking of propitiation brings in our Faith as well as Christ's blood it having an instrumental as well as that a meritorious influence thereupon Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood c. To the blessings of the new Covenant as the blood of Christ was necessary that thereby there might be * Grotius de Sat. p. 141. impetration so Faith also is necessary that thereby there may be application Our Lord's Sacrifice is every way sufficient for atonement yet he that believeth not the wrath of God abideth on him Joh. 3.36 so also 't is sufficient for expiation yet 't is only whosoever believeth on him shall receive remission of sins Acts 10.43 Under the Law the blood of the Sacrifice was to be so and so * Exod. 12.22 Heb. 9.19 sprinkled with a bunch of hyssope to which custom David alludes Psal 51.7 Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean now answerably to this Paul speaks of the blood of sprinkling Heb. 12.24 't was not enough for Christ only to shed his blood but that must be sprinkled upon the Sinner how why by Faith which under
shall it be condemn'd and you too shall Christ suffer the penalty due to it and you too O no! as God was just to punish it once so he is gracious and just too not to punish it twice What this condemning of sin is you have heard if you follow the word the comfort lies thus a condemnatory Sentence is by God upon Christ's account pass'd upon it he hath adjudg'd it to die for all the mischiefes done by it both against himself and against you too this cursed Tyrant this heinous Malefactor is under a sentence to be cut off that it may no longer either dishonour God or hurt you and should not you rejoyce in this who fears a condemn'd person what do the accusations of a condemn'd man signifie sin is a condemned thing fear it not If you leave the Word and come to the main import of it then the comfort lies thus the guilt of all your sins is fully done away and expiated by Christ's Sacrifice this Lamb of God as offered hath taken it all away his blood hath cleansed you from all sin your Scape-goat hath carried all your iniquities into the land of forgetfulness Oh your guilt was charg'd upon Christ and it shall not be charg'd upon you too you are to mourn over it but yet know he hath fully satisfied for it what would you have more You have in the former Verse the power of sin abolish'd by the Law of the Spirit in this the guilt of sin abolished by the Sacrifice of Christ O how compleat is your redemption the plaister is every way as large as the sore What holy triumphs may you now make over all which may seem to endanger you Rom. 8.34 Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that * Mortuum Caesarem quis metuat sed morte Christi quid efficacius Cyprian de dupl Martyrio died c. 4. Observe 't is Sin that was condemn'd The Apostle speaks of it in the lump and mass and so he saith 't is expiated Our Lord's Sacrifice did not take off the guilt of this or that particular sin but of all sin his expiation was totall and universal Under the Law-Sacrifices the blood was to be sprinkled * Levit. 16.19 seven times thereby to prefigure the thoroughness and perfection of the expiation of sin by Christ's Sacrifice 5. This is brought in as God's act God sent his own Son and for sin condemned sin He that was the persona laesa the injur'd person the just Judge against whom sin was committed and who therefore was to punish it he who is the supream and authoritative Agent in and about the great concerns of Souls he appointed Christ to be a Sacrifice owned and accepted his sacrifice and upon that acquits Sinners from all guilt Oh there 's much in this to encourage the drooping Christian Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect it is God that justifieth The Father cannot but be well-pleased with Christ's propitiatory Sacrifice since this was of himself Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation c. 6. This was done too in Christ's Flesh which also hath great sweetness in it 'T is added saith * Deodat inloc One for our further assurance to the end that we may not doubt of the forgiveness of our sins which are destroy'd in our proper Nature which the Son of God took upon him Had Christ done and suffered what he did in the Nature of Angels we might have question'd whether any good would thereby have accrued to us but all being done in * Addit Paulus in came quo certior sit nostra fiducia dum videmus peccatum in ipsâ Naturâ nostrâ fuisse devictum abolitum sic enim sequitur naturam nostram vere fieri participem ejus victoriae Calvin our Nature surely he did it for us and we shall reap the benefit thereof 7. To all this let me add one thing further and 't is a great one namely That by this Sacrifice of Christ you have not only the bare condemnation or expiation of sin but with that you also have a right and title unto and collation of all Gospel-blessings and priviledges whatsoever Was it only the taking off of guilt and the appeasing of divine wrath that would be very much but over and beyond these there is Christ's active fulfilling the Law being taken in a positive righteousness made over to you an interest in God's fatherly love the purchase of Heaven and in this sense we are for a redundancy of Christ's merit The benefits of Christ's Sacrifice to Believers are not only those which are privative such wherein they are freed from all evil but there are also those which are positive such wherein they are intitled to and instated in the possession of all good yea even of the heavenly blessedness it self Heb. 5.9 And being made perfect he became the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him Heb. 9.12 having obtained eternal redemption for us it comes in as the effect of Christ's blood and Sacrifice In his great undertaking to redeem and save Sinners we may suppose him to have two things in his eye the one was that he should have a people in the world the other was that through him this people should partake of all blessings requisite to their happiness now both of these were effected and secured by his Sacrifice As to the first that was made sure by this according to that promise or prediction Isa 53.10 11. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed c. He shall see of the travel of his soul and shall be satisfied in relyance upon which he himself said And I if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto me Joh. 12.32 and that upon his death and Sacrifice he had a people and a numerous people too the Evangelical History doth abundantly testifie Then as to the second that also was promoted and secured by his Sacrifice inasmuch as thereby the Covenant of Grace the summary of all blessings was ratify'd and confirmed 'T was an * Et caesâ jungebant foedera portâ Virgil. See Mr. Medo on Mal. 1.11 ancient custom used amongst men at the sanction and ratification of their Covenants to make use of Sacrifices as we find Gen. 21.22 23 24 c. Jer. 34.18 Exod. 34.7 8. in allusion to which custom 't is said Psal 50.5 Gather my Saints together unto me those that have made a Covenant with me by Sacrifice Answerably now to this Christ by his Sacrifice confirm'd and ratify'd the Covenant of Grace 'twixt God and Believers wherefore he said This cup is the new Testament in my blood i.e. the seal and ratification of the new-Covenant Matth. 26.28 1 Cor. 11.25 and the Apostle doth in special insist upon this in Heb. 9.15 16 c. Well then by Christ's Sacrifice the blood of the Covenant as
firm and fixed upon these Gospel Foundations That I might therefore heighten the knowledge and confirm the Faith of such I have been somewhat large upon these things in the managing whereof if I have done too much for the Unlearned and too little for the Learned I am sorry for it § 11. Of all the Controversies with which the Church is pestred I have as the Texts did lead me most concerned my self in those wherein we have to do with Papists and Socinians but principally with the Latter These not that I in other things acquit the Former are the great impugners of the Christian Faith in their denying Christs Godhead eternal Sonship Pre-existence before his Nativity of the Virgin wherein they are worse than the old Arrians Satisfaction his being a proper Sacrifice for Sin the main Ends of his Death c. Against whom therefore I have endeavoured to assert and maintain these high and glorious Truths which are indeed Truths of the first magnitude What thoughts others may have of Socinianism I know not I know my own And might I presume so far as to give advice to my Reverend Brethren in the Ministry I would humbly advise them to set themselves to their utmost against it For it doth not only strike at the whole platform of the Gospel but of all other Opinions it gets nearest to the very Vitals thereof this cursed worm grows in the Gospels best fruit 't is for the poysoning of those Fountains from which the streams of Life do most immediately flow whilst many other Errours endanger but the remoter parts this endangers the very heart of Christianity can we say or do too much to secure Souls from it and to defend the Gospel against it God prevent the growth of it in all the Churches of Christ § 12. If in the discussing of these Points I have said nothing but what the Learned in their Treatises about them have said before yet however two things I have done 1. According to my duty I have given my Testimony to the great Truths of God let it signifie what he pleases 2. I hope I have I am sure it hath been my endeavour made some things in themselves dark and intricate to be somewhat more plain and intelligible to weaker Capacities and if I have done but that though I have brought no new matter my pains have not been ill spent My Souls desire is that the Professors of this Age may be well grounded in the Articles of the Christian Faith and that they may attain to a clearer insight into Gospel Mysteries than what as yet they have attained to and if what is here done shall conduce to the promoting of these most desirable things it will be a sufficient recompence to me for all the labour that I have been at § 13. I observe that many private Christians will read over those Controversies in a Sermon which they care not to read in Treatises professedly penn'd about them the Reason of which I suppose is this they meet with that in a Sermon which they do not in a Treatise viz. when the Argumentative part is over they come to something that is practical the bone being broken they have marrow and sweetness to feed upon It hath been my care all along in this work to answer herein the expectation and desire of good Souls for at the close of every knotty Subject I have always made thereof some plain and useful Application that so I might reach both the Head and the Heart too § 14. So long as the strife lay between an Israelite and an Egyptian the matter was not very sad but when the Israelite and the Israelite strove one against the other then 't was sad indeed So here so long as the contention was 'twixt Romanists and Socinians on one hand and Protestants on the other 't was well enought but when Protestants divide and differ among themselves that 's matter of great sadness In the Body of this Work I have had occasion only to contend with the Former and there I had nothing but comfort but in the End I was necessitated to take notice of and to interest my self in a difference between the Latter concerning the imputation of Christs Active Obedience which * Amongst whom in its proper place had not my memory fail'd me I should have cited that truly eminent Person Bishop Reynolds on Psal 110. pag. 440. c. some are for and some against and that afflicted me more than all that went before For though in my own judgment I am very well satisfied for the Affirmative yet it troubles me that I should therein dissent from those whose Names as to the dead I highly honour and whose Persons as to the living I dearly love Well! these differences will be till Heaven unite us all and blessed be God in this point we may differ salvo Fidei fundamento I hope we shall make it to appear to the world that we can dissent and yet love that whereunto we have attained we shall walk by the same rule and if in any thing we be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto us according to that excellent decision of the Apostle in cases of this nature § 15. But Reader I must not detain thee longer in giving thee any further account of the Particulars treated of in these Sermons do but thy self read over the Contents of the several Chapters and they will in short give thee a prospect of the Matter and Method of the whole Thou seest already a great part of my Way hitherto hath been somewhat rough and craggy I hope in what follows it will be more smooth and easie bating those passages which some Expositors conceive Peter referr'd unto when he spake of some things in Pauls Epistles hard to be understood however I must take it as it falls § 16. Two things as to the whole will be objected against me the One is over much prolivity As to which all that I can say for my self is 1. The Subjects insisted upon are so various lying so near the very heart of Religion bearing so high a place in Evangelical Faith so necessary to be understood by all and so desperately struck at by Opposers that truly for my part I thought pardon me if I was mistasten I could hardly be too full in the Explication Confirmation and Application of them Good Reader please to read over the bare Heads I go upon as they will occur by and by and then tell me whether so many and such fundamental Truths could well have been crowded into a lesser room But 2. if this will not satisfie such as are most judicious it shall be mended in what is to follow § 17. The Other is the unnecessariness of this Undertaking so many already having wrote upon this Chapter Answ So many who or where are those so many I wish I could see them I deny not but that many both Ancients and Moderns have written Commentaries upon it for
r. were born P. 249. l. 10. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 254. Marg. r. Legi P. 278. l. 24. r. fain P. 307. l. 24. r. init P. 325. l. c. r. speak P. 347. l. 8. r. other P. 349. Marg. r. sciri P. 354. l. 1. r. is not P. 374. l. 3. r. on P. 403. Marg. r. desiisset P. 405. Marg. r. Lombard P. 408. Marg. r. immortalem P. 423. l. 3. r. where Pa 540. Marg. r. primis P. 560. l. 23. dele do P. 580. l. 3. r. formally P. 606. Marg. r. Lucium P. 608. l. 14. r. quoad hoc The HEADS treated upon in the several CHAPTERS Ver. I. There is therefore now no Condemnation Of the Exemption of Believers from Condemnation Chap. 1. p. 1. c. to them which are in Christ Jesus Of the Saints Vnion with Christ Chap. 2. p. 41. c. who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Of the Holy and Spiritual Life in opposition to the Sinful and Carnal Life Chap. 3. p. 87. c. Ver. II. For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death Of the Sinners being made free by the Power of the Spirit from the Power of Sin and Death Chap. 4. p. 142. c. Of the Law or Power of Sin under which all men are by Nature Chap. 5. p. 168. c. Of Regenerate Persons being made free from the Law of Sin Chap. 6. p. 202. c. Of the power of the Holy Spirit in the making of persons free from the Law of Sin Chap. 7. p. 227. c. Of the Law of Death Chap. 8. p. 249. c. Ver. III. For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh Of the Laws inability to justifie and save Chap. 9. p. 251. c. God sending his own Son Of Christs Mission and Gods sending him Ch. 10. p. 281. c. Of Christs being the Natural and Eternal Son of God Ch. 11. p. 318. c. in the likeness of sinful flesh Of Christs Incarnation and abasement in Flesh Chap. 12. p. 371. c. and for sin condemned Sin in the flesh Of Christs being a Sacrifice and expiating Sin thereby Chap. 13. p. 456. c. Ver. IV. That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us Of the Fulfilling the Laws righteousness in Believers Chap. 14. p. 565. c. who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Spiritual Walkers the Subjects of the foregoing Priviledge Ch. 15. p. 619. c. THE Grand Charter OF BELIEVERS OPENED ROM 8.1 There is therefore now no Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit CHAP. I. Of Believers Exemption from Condemnation The Introduction to the Work The Excellency of the Chapt. Its main Scope and Parts How this first Verse comes in Paul in the preceding Chapt. compared with himself in this The Proposition divided into its Parts The Praedicate in it No Condemnation first opened Two Observations raised from the Words The first spoken to Seven things premised by way of Explication As 1. 'T is not no Affliction or no Correction but no Condemnation 2. 'T is not no Matter of Condemnation onely no Condemnation de Facto this enlarg'd upon against the Romanists 3. 'T is Gods Condemnation onely which is here excluded not the Condemnation of Man oâ— of Conscience or of Satan 4. Of the â—mpoâ—t and significâ—ncy of the Pâ—râ—iâ—le Now in his placeâ— 5. No Condemnation may be rendred Not one Condemnation 6. Of the Indefiniteness of the Proposition with respect to the Subject 7. That the Positive is included in the Negative The Observation it self more closely handled Condemnation opened is to the Quid Nomâ—nâ—â— and the Quid Rei It relates to Guilt and Punishment to the Sentence and State 'T is either Virtual or Actual The Point confirmed by Parallel Scriptures by a double Argument in the Text. The First is couch'd in the Illative Therefore which points to Justification and Sanctification both of which prove no Condemnation The Second is grounded upon Vnion with Christ. Use 1. To show the Misery of such who are not in Christ Jesus The dreadfulness of Condemnation set forth in five Particulars Use 2. To exhort all to make sure of No Condemnation Six Directions touch'd upon about it Use 3. To excite such as are in Christ to be very thankeful Use 4. Comfort to Believers I Purpose with Gods leave and gracious assistance in the revolution of my Ministerial Labours to go over this whole Chapter 'T is a very great undertaking and I am very sensible how much it is above me I have only this encouragement I serve a good Master one who both can and I trust will help me in it and carry me through it for he uses to give strength where he calls to work And 't is no matter what the Instrument is if he will be pleased to use it the mighty God by weak means can effect great things * Math. 21.16 out of the mouths of Babes and Sucklings he can perfect praise to himself Here is indeed a rich and precious Cabinet full of Grace to be opened yet a Key of small value may open it if God please to direct the hand Therefore in all humble yet steddy relyance upon him whose Grace alone is * 2 Cor. 12.9 sufficient for me I shall now enter upon this work though it be vast and difficult Of the Excellency of this Chapter And in the midst of all my discouragements which are very many God knows yet I find my self under a strong inclination to engage in it when I consider the transcendent excellency preciousness usefulness of that matter which the Spirit of God lays before us in this Chapter Who would not be willing to take pains in a Mine that hath such treasures hid in it where the breast is so full who would not be drawing from it I think I should not hyperbolize should I say of it Search all the Scriptures I 'le except none turn over the whole Word of God from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelation you will not find any one Chapter into which more excellent sublime Evangelical Truths are crowded than this which I am entring upon The Holy Bible is the Book of Books in some though not in equal respects this Chapter may be stiled the Chapter of Chapters From first to last 't is high Gospel 't is all Gospel its Matter being entirely Evangelical and 't is all the Gospel either directly or reductively in having in it the very sum marrow pith of all Gospel-revelation 'T is indeed the Epitome Abridgement Storehouse of all the Saints Priviledges and Duties You have in it the Love of God and of Christ displaid to the utmost and shining forth in its greatest splendor Would any take a view of the Magnalia Dei with respect to his glorious
sin is there is matter of condemnation There 's not a man to be found on earth who upon this account and in this sense is not obnoxious and liable to a sentence and state of Condemnation for * 1 Kings 8.46 there is no man that sinneth not * Jam. 3.2 in many things we offend all * 1 Joh. 1.8 if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Besides those actual sins which break forth in external acts which are committed upon deliberation and with consent of which all are more or less guilty I say besides these there is in all a corrupt wicked depraved Nature which Nature puts forth it self in evil motions sinful propensions strong inclinations to what is evil O that Fomes Peccati those Motus Primo-primi as the Schoolmen call them those inward ebullitions of indwelling sin in impure and filthy desires set forth in Scripture by Concupiscence what shall we say to these are not they sinful is there not in them matter of Condemnation if God should enter into judgment and proceed according to the rigour of his Justice and the purity of his Law surely yes If it be prov'd that they are sinful unquestionably then it follows that they expose a person to Condemnation now how full are our Divines in the proof of that Concupiscence the first risings and stirrings of Corrupt Nature even in renewed and regenerate persons are properly and formally sinful whether they consent or not for Consent is not so of the Essence of sin but that there may be sin without it that may have some influence upon the degree but not upon the nature of the thing it self Those evil thoughts and motions in the Heart with which the best are so much pestred are not meer infirmities attending the present state of imperfection but they are plain iniquities there is sin in them The Apostle speaking of them sets the black brand of sin upon them Rom. 7.7 What shall we say then is the Law sin God forbid nay I had not known sin but by the Law for I had not known Lust except the Law had said thou shalt not covet The holy Law forbids these inward workings of the sinful Nature as well as the exterior acts of sin therefore they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a breach of that Law and being so therefore they are sinful They flow from sin they tend to sin and yet are they not sin when Lust hath conceiv'd it bringeth forth sin Jam. 1.13 This is the Doctrine of our (a) Art 9. Church of the ancient (b) August lib. 1. contra duas Pelag. Ep. cap. 13. lib. 3. contra Julian cap. 3. with several others cited in Chamier tom 3. lib. 10. c. 10. Fathers of the Body of (c) Vide Cham. tom 3. lib. 10. c. 4. c. Chemn Exam. Decr. 5 Sess p. 93. c. Calv. Instit lib. 3. c. 3. Daven Det. Qu. 1. Ward Determ Theol. p. 136. c. Protestants and they make it good by several Arguments of great strength The (d) The Council of Trent anathematizeth all who hold Concupiscence in renewed persons and after Baptism to be sin Sess 5. Bellarm. de Amiss Grat. lib. 5. cap. 7. Valentia de Pec. Orig. cap. 7 8. Perer. Quaest ad Cap. 7. in Ep. ad Rom. Disput 7 8 9. Papists are wholly of another mind And whereas 't is said here in the Text There is no Condemnation c. they carry it so high as to affirm that in reference to Original Sin the depravation of Nature Concupiscence the inward motions and inclinations of the Heart to sin after Baptism Faith Regeneration there is no matter of Condemnation or nothing damnable in them who are in Christ He that will please to cast his eye upon the (e) Non tam significat nullam esse Condemnationem justificatis in Christo ob Concupiscentiam quà m nihil esse in eis condemnatione dignum Bellarm. de Am. Gr. lib. 5. cap. 7. Tollitur damnatio quantum ad Culpam quantum ad poenam Primus Motus habet quod non sit Peccatum Mortale ex eo quod rationem non attingit in quâ completur ratio Peccati c. Aquin. in loc c. Et consistit differentia in hoc quod inillis justificatis nempe in Christo nihil committitur damnabile propter donum Christi tam externum quam internum Intendit itaque per nullam damnationem nullum actum quo meremur damnari Et dixit hoc ad diffetentiam Primorum Motuum qui sunt etiam apud justificatos in Christo ut intelligamus illos non esle materiam damnationis Primi enim Motus non reddunt Sanctos damnabiles tum ob eorum imperfectionem tum quia absorbentur a copiâ Sanctarum actionum continuarum Cajet in loc Hinc patet nec concupiscentiam nec aliud quippiam in renatis esse peccatum damnatione dignum A-Lap Non quod volo ago c. ex iis sequitur involuntarios esse Concupiscentiae motus in renatis ac justis quibus proinde ad poenam imputari non possint Est Quamvis Caro contra Spiritum insultans molestias exhibeat iis qui sunt in Christo Jesu nihil tamen est in iis damnatiois quia dum non consentiunt non ipsi operantur illud sed peccatum quod per Concupiscentiam habitat in Corde Soto Citations here set down which are taken especially out of their Expositors upon the Text may see that this is the Interpretation which they put upon it What no matter of Condemnation nothing damnable in them who are in Christ this is much too high Our Adversaries I suppose though they deny any merit of Condemnation upon the forementioned things yet surely they will not deny but that sin in its full Act merits Condemnation if they will be so absurd the Apostle plainly determines it Sin when it is finished brings forth death Jam. 1.15 Now is there not too much of this to be found even in Saints in Christ and therefore are not they worthy of Condemnation True indeed Sin whether in the conception or in the finishing is not * Ad haec respondetur dimitti Concupiscentiam Carnis in Baptismo non ut non sit sed ut in peccatum non imputetur Aug. de Nup. Conc. lib. 1. cap. 25. imputed or charged upon them and so there is no Condemnation but yet as considered in its own Nature it merits Condemnation it doth so ex Naturâ rei exjudicio Legis onely 't is not so in point of Fact and in Event ex indultu Gratiae as one expresses it Sin is sin in the Children of God and it merits Condemnation in them as well as in others whence is it then that there is no Condemnation to them meerly from the Grace of God who doth not impute this sin to them As Solomon told Abiathar he was worthy of death yet he
50.20 In those days the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for and there shall be none 'T is an allusion to one that turns over all his Bonds searches into all his Debt-books to see if he can find any debt due to him from such or such a person but upon all his searching he cannot find so much as one debt to charge upon him So 't is with the pardoned justified sinner imagine that God should be inquisitive to find out some guilt as lying upon him he might indeed find out enough as he is in himself but as he is in Christ as he is pardoned and justified through Christ so there is nothing to be found against him and therefore not one Condemnation How doth this tend to the comfort and encouragement of Gods people this makes the Proposition to be very emphatical and highly consolatory there is not one Condemnation for them who are in Christ Oecumenius opens the words with this emphasis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. Sixthly The Apostle speaks indefinitely with respect to the subject there is no Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus He takes all such into the priviledge for the Indefinite here is equipollent to an Vniversal Paul doth not narrow or confine or impropriate this Non-condemnation to himself 't is not there is now no Condemnation to me but he extends it to all who have an interest in Christ And herein he discovers much of wisdom as * Mirabilis sanè est Apostoli prudentia qui cum de vi peccati scriberet eam expressit in personâ suâ ut intelligeremus c. Posteà verò cum agitur de auxilio spiritus Christi inducit personam aliorum ne cuiquam in mentem veniret non quoslibet Christianos frui hoc auxilio Dei sed tantum primarios quosdam eximios quales fuerunt Apostoli Pet. Martyr Peter Martyr observes for had he spoken in the Singular number to me many poor weak Christians would have been afraid to have applyed this blessedness to themselves they would have been ready to object Ah blessed Paul thou art high in Faith eminent in Grace therefore thou maist say there is no Condemnation to thee but 't is not so with us we are but poor shrubs meer dwarfs in Grace 't is not for us to lay hold upon so high a priviledge To obviate this discouragement saith the Apostle I tell you there is no Condemnation to any who are in Christ let them be who they will this belongs to all such to you as well as to my self True I am an Apostle you are not so but then I am a Believer and so are you true I may have more of grace than you but yet you are in Christ as well as I and the Vnion being common the Non-condemnation is common too for that is the ground of this 'T is the same righteousness to all and upon all that believe Rom. 3.22 't is the same faith for substance in the highest and in the lowest to them that have obtained like precious faith with us 2 Pet. 1.1 't is the same head and the same union with this head in all and therefore it must be the same exemption from Condemnation The difference in Pauls expressing himself according to the difference of the subject he was upon is very observable take him in the former Chapter where he is bewailing sin there he speaks altogether in the First person Singular and goes no further than himself read from the 7 verse to the end and you 'll find I and me in every verse But now in this Eighth Chapter where he 's treating of Priviledges there he speaks altogether in the Plural number as taking in the whole body of Believers Run over it all and except but one Verse in which 't is true he particularizes himself The Law of the spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death I say do but except this one Verse and in all the rest you will find the observation to be true but this will be further cleared up hereafter And elsewhere too you find him very careful not to engross or confine happiness to himself but to extend it to all who belonged to God as well as he himself did As take but that one instance 2 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day thus far he himself is concerned but doth he stop here and not take in others No 't is not enough to him to be sure of this happiness himself but he 'll let others know it shall be just so with them too therefore he adds and not to me onely but unto all them also that love his appearing In the great blessings of the Gospel Justification Adoption eternal Life all the Saints shall fare alike they are all Gods Children and therefore all shall have their portion and the same portion too Jude calls it common Salvation V. 3 and the same may be said of all other Blessings 't is common Justification common Adoption c. 7. Seventhly The Positive is included in the Negative There 's no Condemnation c. is this all that the Apostle drives at or hath in his eye viz. to hold forth that such who are in Christ shall not be condemned no! he aims at something more namely at this that such are fully justified and shall be most certainly saved they shall not only upon their being in Christ be looked upon as not guilty or barely kept out of Hell but they shall be judged compleatly righteous and they shall also be admitted into Heaven and eternally glorified There is a Meiosis in the words more is to be understood than what is expressed the Privative and the Positive part of the blessedness are to be linked together and blessed be God for both Had it been only freedom from Condemnation that would have been rich and glorious mercy but when it is not only that but Justification and Salvation too O here is mercy in the very height and Zenith of it Some enquire why the Apostle expresseth it in the Negative rather than in the Positive they answer because Men generally are more sensible of the Goodness of God in the freeing of them from evil than in the collating or bestowing of good No Condemnation more affects than positive Justification or Salvation It may be further added the Apostle thus expresses it because Negatives usually intend and highten the thing spoken of as in the Commandements such as are Negative carry an higher obligation in them than those which are Positive for they oblige both semper and ad semper too and as in the Promises when they are Negatively expressed this makes them to rise the higher in the matter contained in them as take that Promise which is made up of so many Negative Heb. 13.5 I will never leave thee nor for sake thee this is more
than if God had said I will always be with thee So here as to Propositions when they are laid down in the Negative this form of expression doth add both greatness and certainty at least wise as to us to the matter of them And therefore Paul designing here to set forth the safety and happiness of Believers with the greatest advantage he chuses to express it in the Negative rather than in the Positive The Observat more strictly spoken to These things being premis'd I come now to the more close handling of the Point There is no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus Here I 'll shew 1. What this Condemnation is which the persons spoken of are secured from 2. I 'll make out the truth of the Assertion and give you the Grounds of it Condemnation opened 1. First 't is requisite I should a little open the Condemnation here mentioned The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here in this Verse 't is the Substantive you have the Verb v. 3. and for sin condemned c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Participle v. 34. who is he that condemneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sometimes 't is set forth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Math. 23.14 1 Tim. 3.6 2 Pet. 2.3 Rom. 3.8 sometimes by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Joh. 3.19 Joh. 5.24 sometimes by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 2 Cor. 3.9 These several words are promiscuously used to signifie one and the same thing That here in the Text commonly carries a very black and dreadful sense with it I do not deny but that sometimes 't is used to set forth temporal evils and punnishments as condemnation to a temporal death so Math. 20.18 Math. 27.3 but usually it as the Verb in this Composition is expressive of spiritual and eternal evils of everlasting death so Rom. 5.16.18 Mark 16.16 1 Cor. 11.32 As to its direct and proper notation it signifies judgment against one that 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is a forensick word relating to what is in use amongst men in their Courts of Judicature To condemn Propriè judicis est cùm mulctam reo vel poenam per sententiam erogat 't is the Sentence of a Judge decreeing a mulct or penalty to be inflicted upon the guilty person Amongst men for the parallel will illustrate that which I am upon the Malefactor or guilty person is indicted arraigned before the Judge judicial process is form'd against him his offence is proved upon this the Judge passes sentence upon him that he is guilty of that which is charg'd upon him and then that he must undergo the penalty or penalties which are answerable to the nature and quality of his crime if that be Capital he must dye for it So here the impenitent unbelieving sinner is indicted arraigned at Gods Bar process is made against him he is found guilty of the violation of the holy Law and which is worse of the contempt of the Gospel too whereupon God judges him to be guilty and upon that guilt adjudges him to everlasting death this is Gods condemning or condemnation in allusion to that condemnation which is amongst men Pareus makes it to be the damnatory sentence of the Law that * Gal. 3.10 Curse which it denounceth upon all and against all because of sin Grotius makes it to be that eternal death spoken of Rom. 6 ult several such Glosses there are upon it but all tend to one and the same thing Condemnation refers to Guilt and Punnishment Condemnation is either respectu Culpae Reatus or Poenae in respect of Guilt or Punnishment for both of these are included in it God condemns the sinner how why first he judges him to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 guilty of that which the Law charges him with O saith the Law Sinner thus and thus thou hast offended such Duties have been omitted such sins have been committed such Sabbaths have been profaned such mercies have been abused such tenders of grace have been slighted here the Gospel Law comes in as an accuser too c. Well now saith God Sinner what dost thou say to this charge is it true or false canst thou deny it what defence or plea canst thou make for thy self Alas he is * Math. 22.12 speechless hath not one word to say for himself he can neither deny nor excuse or extenuate what is charged upon him Why then saith God the righteous Judge I must pronounce and I do here pronounce thee to be guilty And is this all no upon this guilt the Law pleads for a further Sentence for the decreeing and inflicting of the penalty threatned by God himself and incurred by the sinner Ah saith God and I cannot deny it I must be just and righteous and therefore Sinner I here adjudge thee to dye eternally This is Condemnation in the extensive notion of it if you consider it with respect to Guilt so 't is opposed to justification if you consider it with respect to Punishment so 't is opposed to Salvation In the former notion you have it Rom. 5.16 18. And not as it was by one that sinned so is the gift for the judgment was by one to condemnation but the free gift is of many offences to Justification Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life In the second notion you have it Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be condemned These are the two things which make up the Condemnation in the Text Guilt and Death from both of which such as are in Christ are secured they shall neither be judged Guilty their Guilt being done away by Christ and the Sentence proceeding according to what they are in Christ and not according to what they are in themselves nor shall a Sentence of eternal Death pass upon them for guilt being taken off that would not be righteous there is therefore none of this Condemnation to Believers Of the Sentence and State of Condemnation There is the Sentence of Condemnation and the State of Condemnation the former actively considered refers to God and is his Act the latter refers to the Sinner and is consequential upon the former The Sentence hath been already opened the State of Condemnation is the Sinners undergoing of the utmost of Vindictive Justice in his eternal separation from God and enduring of everlasting torments in Hell of which you will hear more in what follows Neither of these do belong to them who are in Christ Jesus not the former they being now justified not the latter they being sure to be glorified I shall take in both yet mainly freedom from the State of Condemnation the Apostle I conceive had this chiefly in his eye when he here said There is now no Condemnation
the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe ch 3.22 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood c. v. 24 25 26 Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness ch 4.3 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him that raised up the Lord Jesus from the dead who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification v. 23 24 25 Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God thorough our Lord Jesus Christ ch 5.1 Especially read what the Apostle writes in drawing up the Parallel betwixt the two Adams ch 5.15 to the end of the Ch. I say read and consider what is before asserted over and over concerning Justification and then tell me whether the Apostle might not well thus infer There is therefore c. and whether there be not strength enough in these premises to bear the weight of the Conclusion There is therefore now no Condemnation c. for unquestionably the Illative therefore upon which the Proposition is bottom'd like the Handle in the Dial points to all that the Apostle had been speaking of concerning justifying Grace 2. The Priviledge is farther sure upon Sanctification From their Sanctification Such as are in Christ are always sanctified wherever the Union is with the Son there is Sanctification by the Spirit now such as are sanctified shall never be condemned Rev. 20.6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second death or Condemnation hath no power Sanctification doth not carry in it such a direct and intrinsick opposition to Condemnation as Justification doth nor is it any meritorious ground of Non-condemnation Yet where there is Sanctification there shall be no Condemnation for upon this the power and dominion of sin is taken away * Dum non essent in Christo consentirent concupiscentiae erat illis damnatio Nunc autem cum sint in Christo repugnent concupiscentiae nihil damnationis est illis quamquam ex carne concupiscant quia non pugnatores sed victi damnantur nec est damnabile si existant desideria â—â—rnalia sed si eis ad peccatum obediatur Anselm This must be understood of Condemnation in Event and that too as grounded upon the meer Grace of God vigorous resistance is made against it the bent of the heart is for God there 's the participation of the Divine Nature the Image of God is renewed in the Soul the Creature in part is restored to that original rectitude which was before the Fall with many such like considerations upon all which the sanctified person is secured from Condemnation God hath such a love to Grace it being the work of his own Spirit and to gracious persons they in sanctification being made after himself as 't is exprest Eph. 4.24 that he will never suffer such to perish eternally Grace merits nothing yet it secures from the greatest evils and entitles to the greatest good Nothing shall save where Grace is not nothing shall damn where Grace is The Sinner shall not live the Saint shall not dye O this Sanctification though it be imperfect yet how great good doth result from it Paul had sad remainders of sin in him but withall Grace was in him he had his double self as the Moralist expresses it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his renewed self and his unrenewed self the Law was spiritual but he was carnal sold under sin what he would not that he did what he would that he did not he was led captive by the Law of sin and death here was his unrenewed self Yet where he complains most of Sin even there he discovers much if not most of Grace he had a sinning Nature but he allow'd not himself in sin he consented to the Law that it was good it was not he that did so and so but sin that dwelt in him to will was present with him though how to perform he did not find he delighted in the Law of God in the inward man with his mind he served the Law of God c. here was his renewed self Do not these things evidence Grace was all this spoken in personâ irregeniti as some tell us No doubtless the Apostle here speaks as a * With my mind I serve the Law of God Ego qui in me significo quemlibet justum sub gratiâ constitutum Anselm Quod meo judicio tantam vim tantam emphasin habet ut illi planè humanae naturae corruptionem ignorare videantur si qui sint qui eam cum tali animi constitutione consistere posse putant nisi aliundè sit aliquatenus immutata Amyral Consid cap. sept Ep. ad Rom. p. 16. He might have gone higher â—haâ—â— aliquatenus immutata gracious man and in the person of gracious men And what doth he infer from all this There is therefore now no Condemnation c. Oh saith Paul I have sin enough to humble me but yet sin shall not damn me there 's too much of it in me but yet it hath not my heart with my mind I serve the Law of God the main bent of my heart is for holiness the corrupt Nature is very strong in me but yet it hath not its full strength its entire unbroken power and dominion over me that through Grace I am freed from I am though but imperfectly yet truly sanctified and hereupon though I may lie under much trouble here yet I am safe as to my eternal state there is therefore now no Condemnation to me I desire it may be observed that he doth not only infer Non-condemnation from the work of Grace in him spoken of in the closure of the former Chapter but as soon as he had laid down in common this great happiness of persons in Christ he presently confirms it as to himself from his sanctification and the dethroning of sin in him by the regenerating Spirit For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death And with respect to others he much enlarges upon it Rom. 6.5 6 7 8 21 22 23. Well then persons in Christ they being justified and sanctified are above the danger of Condemnation and these are the two great Pillars upon which the Therefore in the words is built From their union with Christ The Text affords us another Argument or Ground of Non-condemnation and that lies in the Subject it self There is no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus why so because they are in Christ Jesus for these words are not only descriptive of the persons to whom the priviledge belongs but they are also argumentative and contain a
was willing to be condemned in you there is very much to deserve condemnation and yet you shall never be condemned here 's the admirable boundless infinite love of Christ VSE 4. Comfort to all in Christ Lastly The main tendency and drift of this Truth is Comfort to Believers and what a full breast of Consolation is here for such as are in Christ No condemnation to them this no condemnation is the ground of all Consolation what a word is here for Faith and Hope O magnae spei verbum as he crys out what a * Ut frustra sibi blanditur homo carnalis si de emendandâ vitâ nihil sollicitus huâ—us gratiae praetextu impunitatem sibi promittat Ita habent trepidae piorum conscientiae invictum propugnaculum quòd dum in Christo manent sciunt se esse extra omne damnationis periculum Calv. in loc mighty support is here for poor doubting and dejected Souls The great thing that such are afraid of is Condemnation but here 's that which secures them from it the assertion is very express and full and 't is grounded too upon a sure foundation there is now no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus O you that are in Christ as your thankfulness should be high so your joy should be high also and what will raise your joy if this will not 'Pray improve it upon all occasions and be chearful Set this against all the present evils you meet with God afflicts you but he will not condemn you why should you be troubled affliction becomes very tolerable upon No-condemnation what though it be sickness pain loss of Relations a low estate so long as the soul is safe and the main state secured there may be * 1 Pet. 4.12 fiery tryals here but there 's no * Mark 9.43 unquenchable fire to burn in hereafter O there 's comfort What are the comforts of this world if we shall be kept out of Heaven and what are the crosses of this world if we shall be kept out of Hell Take the wicked there 's condemnation at the bottom of all their good take the Saints there 's Salvation at the bottom of all their evil Again men condemn you ah but God will not condemn you this is but * 1 Cor. 4.3 mans day where you may have the worst of it but Gods day is coming and then all will go on your side O let it be a very little thing to you to be judged of man so long as God doth and will acquit You have Sin in you too much God knows yet 't is no condemnation and if sin it self it being pardoned and * Rev. 1.5 washed away by the blood of Christ if this I say shall not condemn you what then shall After Pauls sad complaints of sin yet he here says there 's no condemnation Condemn your selves for sin you do and so you should do provided this self-condemnation flow from Repentance not from Vnbelief but the great God by whose judicial Sentence your everlasting state shall be ordered will not condemn you for it 'T will be so far from this that as some * Hinc fidelium peccata non prodibunt in judicium Quum enim in istâc vitâ per sententiam justificationis tecta sunt ablata ultimum illud judicium confirmatio erit manifestatio ejusdem sententiae non esset consentaneum ut in lucem denuo tum temporis proferantur Ames Med. lib. 1. cap. 41. Divines hold the sins of Believers shall not be so much as mentioned at the great day The Law is a condemning thing 't is so indeed in it self but 't is not so to you who are in Christ You must dye and be judged but welcome death welcome judgment so long as there is no condemnation why should you be afraid of these which will only let you see the accomplishment of what is here affirmed This is the happiness of you who are in Christ will you act faith upon it and take the comfort of it I would have you live and dye with this Cordial always by you there is therefore now no condemnation c. And let me add 't is not only your priviledge but your duty to rejoyce because of this 't is not only you may but you ought to be cheerful you cannot be otherwise unless you either distrust or disparage what is here spoken of The Sinner hath no reason to be jocund and merry for he is liable every moment to Condemnation the Saint hath no reason to be dejected and pensive for he is out of all danger of Condemnation The Sinner is secure as though there was no Hell and the Saint is sad and cast down as though there was no Heaven the good Lord convince the one and comfort the other I 'le close all with two words of advice 1. Get assurance in your own Souls that there is to you No Condemnation 'T is a sad thing to live under peradventures about this may be God will save and may be too God will damn to hang in doubtfulness 'twixt Heaven and Hell is a very uncomfortable state Were you but clear in your evidences about this Priviledge you could not but rejoyce Now in order to this do but make sure of your Vnion with Christ and that will assure you of No Condemnation 2. Let this Happiness be a great incentive to Holiness 'T is good to infer Duty from Mercy Are you secured from Condemnation what manner of persons should you be How should you differ from others here who shall so differ from others hereafter Though Sin shall not condemn you yet do you condemn it I 'le end with an allusion to that of our Saviour to the Woman taken in Adultery * Joh. 8.10 11. Woman saith Christ where are those thine accusers hath none condemned thee she said No man Lord. And Jesus said unto her Neither do I condemn thee go and Sin no more ROM 8.1 There is therefore now no Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus c. CHAP. II. Of the Saints Vnion with Christ The Subject of the Proposition next opened What it is to be in Christ Jesus The difference betwixt Christs being in Believers and their being in Christ Vnion with Christ a great Mystery A threefold Vnion The Vnion of Three Persons in one Nature the Vnion of two Natures in one Person the Vnion of Persons where Persons and Natures are distinct This is Mystical Legal or Moral Scripture Resemblances by which the Mystical Union is shadowed out Its Properties 'T is a Sublime Real Spiritual Intimous Total Immediate Indissoluble Vnion Use 1. For Tryal whether we be in Christ A double distinction concerning this Vnion with Christ is either Material and Natural or Spiritual and Supernatural Either External and Visible or Internal and Invisible How it may be known whether we be really and savingly in Christ. Some Scriptures insisted upon for the Evidence of this Use 2.
in Christ and how may that be known thus by our being New Creatures The Apostle sets it down indefinitely that he may reach every person if any man be in Christ c. This New Creature is one of the greatest riddles of Christianity to men that have it not 'T is that new creation which the Soul passes under in the work of Conversion or that great and universal change which follows upon Conversion a converted man is a changed man a quite other person than what he was before he may say with Austine I am not I all old things are pass'd away and all things are become new as it follows in the place alledged Upon Conversion understanding judgment thoughts will affections Conscience heart tongue life all is new when the Sinner is turned from Sin to God he hath new Principles from which he acts new Ends for which he acts new Guides and Rules by which he acts is not here a wonderful change Now are you acquainted with this New Creature what do you find of it in your selves it converns you to make sure of it for all is nothing without it * Gal. 6.15 In Christ Jesus and so in reference to the proof of being in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new Creature O this is all in all this must be the sure and infallible witness of your Union with Christ Therefore examine your selves about it I beseech you look back compare your selves with your selves hath any thorough change been wrought in you are you not the same you ever were just such as you came into the world Can any that hears me say O blessed be God! 't is not with me as it hath been Time was when I was blind as ignorant a Creature as any but I hope now in some measure I am enlightened God hath shined into me and set up such a Light in me that I see what I never saw before and I see it in another manner than I did before Time was when I could swear curse be drunk take Gods name in vain profane Sabbaths c. but I dare not now give way to such impieties Time was when Sin and I agreed very well but now my heart rises at it * Psal 119.104 I hate every false way Time was when I had no love for Duty I liv'd in the total omission of it but now I love Prayer I love the Word and all the Ordinances of Christ are precious to me Time was when I was all for the world my whole heart was taken up in it but now * Phil. 3.8 I count all but loss that I may gain Christ now None but Christ none but Christ Can any of you thus speak here 's a change indeed upon that the New Creature indeed and upon that Being in Christ indeed There 's a double change which evermore accompanies the Mystical Vnion 1. The State of the Person is changed He who before he was in Christ was a Child of wrath is now upon his being in Christ an heir of Grace he that before the Union was in a state of Condemnation is now after the Union in a state of Salvation 2. The Nature is changed there 's a new Nature a new Soul not physically yet morally infus'd into the regenerate person the * 2 Pet. 1.4 divine Nature it self is now communicated to him whereupon he doth not think speak or act as he did before he doth not love or live as before he walks in newness of life as 't is Rom. 6.4 This is the change which we are to make sure of for assuredly the Lord Jesus will put none into his bosome or make them a part of himself but first the New Creature shall pass upon them to prepare and make them fit for so near and so close an Union 'T is not consistent with his honour to take a Sinner just as he finds him and without any more adoe to own him as a member of himself There out any more adoe to own him as a member of himself There cannot be a passage-from one Head to another but there must be some not able alteration Christ will not break off a branch from the first root and ingraft it into himself but he will first alter the very nature and property of it 'T is not in the power of Creatures to change those whom they take into Union with them the Husband may take the Wife into his bosome but he cannot change her Nature temper disposition As Bernard saith of Moses Aethiopissam-duxit sed non potuit Aethiopissae mutare colorem he married an Aethiopian but he could not alter her Aethiopian complexion much less could he alter her inward temper But Christ can and doth thus work upon those whom he takes into near Union and relation if he joyns the black swarthy Soul to himself he puts a new complexion upon it he makes it comely with his own comeliness as God promises Ezek. 16.14 So then by this you may know whether you be truly really savingly in Christ viz if you be new Creatures without the new Creation there 's no Mystical Vnion 2. Another trying Scripture is that Gal. 5.24 They that are Christ's who are in him have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts This also is a very close Word and it speaks this No Crucifixion no Vnion The crucified Head will have crucified Members he that is planted in Christs person shall * Rom. 6.4 be planted in the likeness of Christs death O is Sin crucified in you did you ever set that upon the Cross which brought the Son of God to the Cross is there in you that death to sin which carries some analogy to Christs death for sin is the Flesh with all its cursed retinue the affections and lusts thereof mortified in you is the corrupt Nature dead as to its former power and soveraignty in the Soul for that 's the crucifixion here spoken of Assure your Selves Christ will not have a member in him to be under a foreign power the Flesh shall not be the Ruler where He is the Head where he brings about the Vnion he will have the Dominion My Text too speaks of this Flesh and it tells you that they who are in Christ Jesus do not walk after the Flesh but after the Spirit Paul here seems to rise and to go on step by step would you know who are exempted from Condemnation he tells you such who are in Christ would you further know who are in Christ he tells you such who walk not c. Here then is the Characteristical Note of all who are in Christ they live not the fleshly carnal sensual Life but the spiritual heavenly holy Life Sirs what is your walking 't is the Conversation that must discover the Vnion do but reflect upon your course of Life and that will plainly tell you to what Head you belong 1 Joh. 2.6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself
the Apostle in these words contrary as to their propensions tendencies workings lustings in the Subject Oh they put men upon different courses so different as that in their proper acceptation they cannot consist insomuch that he who walks after the flesh cannot walk after the spirit neither can he who walks after the spirit walk after the flesh A man cannot move to two contrary points as East and West North and South at the same time no more can a man walk heaven-ward and hell-ward at the same time now the Flesh draws hell-ward and the Spirit draws heaven-ward so that it is impossible in sensu composito to follow both These are the two opposite Masters which none can serve together Matth 6.24 Friendship with the Flesh is enmity to the Spirit whoever therefore will be a friend of the Flesh he must be an enemy to the Spirit I allude to James 4.4 6. The Order of the things here spoken of is to be observed First 'tis being in Christ Jesus and then 't is walking not after the Flesh but after the Spirit this I may briefly take notice of though it be not the thing here directly intended There must be union with Christ before there can be spiritual walking for walking is an act or operation of life dead things do not move there can be no motion where there is no life Especially spiritual and holy walking depends upon life but now there is no such life in the soul till being united to Christ it be quickened by him He who is out of Christ cannot live the holy life for 't is union with him that lays the foundation of all holiness in us The branch must first be ingrafted into the stock and then it bears fruit so here Therefore saith Christ Joh 15.4 5. Abide in me and I in you As the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me I am the Vine ye are the branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing Holiness is the evidence of Vnion so it comes in in the Text and Vnion is the ground of Holiness so it comes in in this Head Holy walking is an infallible consequent upon being in Christ and that is a necessary antecedent to holy walking 7. 'T is imply'd That there were in the Apostles time and so will be to the end of the world different Walkers some will walk after the Spirit and some after the Flesh As 't was said with respect to persecution * Gal. 4.27 As then he that was born after the Flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so it is now So it may be said with respect to the different conversations of men as then in Paul's days some walked after the Spirit and some after the Flesh even so it is now So long as the world stands some will be carnal as well as some spiritual the distinction of Saints and Sinners of godly and ungodly of good and bad will abide whilst this world shall abide There is the broad way of the flesh there is the strait way of the spirit in both of which some or other will always be walking And the misery is * Mat. 7.13 14. many walk in the broad way of the Flesh when but few walk in the strait way of the Spirit this may have its thousands but that hath its ten thousands 8. The Apostle expresses it in the general onely by not walking after the Flesh but after the Spirit He doth not instance in those particulars which are proper either to the one or to the other as he doth Gal. 5.17 c. onely he speaks in the gross But all the several Particulars are included in the General and run into that as all waters do into the Sea Be it pride coveteousness uncleanness c. all center in the Flesh so be it humility heavenly-mindedness holy love c. all center in the Spirit and derive their being operation efficacy from the Spirit Therefore the Apostle sets it down thus generally under the Flesh comprehending all Evil and under the Spirit all Good he sums up all the several Sins under the former and all the several Graces under the latter These things being premis'd I come now to the main Point Such as are in Christ Jesus this is their property or course they walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit This I will 1. explain 2. prove 3. apply For Explication The Observ opened I must speak to the parts of the Description severally and show 1. What is meant by Flesh and by walking or not walking after it 2. What is meant by Spirit and by walking after it And as I go along I will take in the Doctrine and particularly bring down to it the several explications of the Description Negative and Affirmative What is meant by Flesh and by not walking after the Flesh I begin with the First Which that I may the better cleer up observe that there is a being in the Flesh and a walking in or after the Flesh which two though they be never parted yet they are distinct the First refers to a man's State the Second to his Course There is a being in the Flesh of which you read Rom. 7.5 For when we were in the Flesh the motions of sin which were by the Law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death Rom. 8.8 9. So then they that are in the Flesh cannot please God but ye are not in the Flesh but in the Spirit c. Then there is a walking after the Flesh this inevitably follows upon and suits with the former They who are in the Flesh will certainly walk after the Flesh for the Conversation always agrees with the State Now 't is this walking which the Text speaks of You have the same expression 2 Pet. 2.10 But chiefly them that walk after the Flesh c. 't is also set forth by living after the Flesh v. 12 13. of this Chapter If you turn to one Scripture you 'l find the phrase there used in a quite other sense than that in which 't is here used 2 Cor. 10.3 explained 'T is 2 Cor. 10.3 Though we walk in the Flesh we do not war after the Flesh what may be the meaning of walking in the Flesh in this place I conceive it notes the Apostles living the * Porrò hoc loco Paulus alitèr dicit ambulare secundum carnem quam alibi cum dixit In carne ambulantes non secundum carnem militamus ibi enim in Carne ambulare est mortalem adhuc viâ—am ducere hic autem secundum Carnem ambulare idem est quod militare secundum Carnem h. e Genio ac voluptatibus indulgere pravis cupiditatibus morem gâ—râ—re Justin same nà tural life with other men and also the meanness of his external appearance
to the Lord of Glory but 't is as much your duty to deal thus revengefully with the Flesh O let all cry out in the height of their hatred against it Let it be crucified why but what evil hath it done nay rather ask what evil hath it not done therefore cry out the more let it be crucified And indeed the crucifixion of our Natural Flesh in Christ without the crucifixion of moral and sinful Flesh in our selves will not profit us Paul saith he was crucified with Christ Gal. 2.20 how why in a spiritual and mystical sense so as to be dead to the Flesh and so as to live the spiritual life And the Apostle lays it upon this 1 Pet. 4.1 2 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh arm your selves likewise with the same mind For he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God 'T is a Scripture somewhat dark but the strength of it lies thus Christ hath suffered for us and we in an analogical sense must be ready to suffer too this is the same mind here spoken of and Christ having suffered hath ceased from sin h. e. so as to dye for sin no more so saith the Apostle you too in your own persons must so dye to sin as no longer to live in it This is the being planted into the likeness of Christ's death Rom. 6.5 and you find the Apostle there in that Chapter from this very Topick the Death of Christ earnestly disuading persons from walking after the flesh I have done with the Motives to inforce the Dehortation What men are to do that they may not walk after the Flesh Before I go off from this Head something must be hinted by way of Direction What is to be done some may say that we may no longer walk after the Flesh I answer 1. Get out of the Flesh For being in the flesh is always attended with walking after the flesh as the State is always according to the Course so the Course is always according to the State if you be in the fleshly state your conversation will be a fleshly conversation Such as the man is such are the principles and such as the principles are such will the practises be also Therefore get out of the state of Nature in which the Flesh rules and carries a man whither it pleases and get into Christ persons out of Christ are all Flesh and thereupon will be wholly followers of the Flesh Spiritual walking discovers the Vnion but first the Union is the ground of spiritual walking that will certainly follow upon being in Christ but being in Christ must necessarily antecede it Till thou beest ingrafted into Christ no good fruit can grow upon thee he that is flesh must needs live and act flesh 2. Get the Spirit and walk after the Spirit 'T is the divine Spirit and the divine Nature from that Spirit which must dethrone and break the power of sinning and sinful Nature Till the Holy Spirit and grace come into the heart the Flesh lords and domineers in the life as you will hear more fully when I come to the second Verse The Apostle joins together Sensual and not having the Spirit Jud. 19. where the latter clause is not onely a further description of the persons spoken of but 't is also the assignation of the cause or reason of their being sensual viz. because they had not the Spirit Till the mighty Spirit of God comes into the Soul by saving illumination and overpowering influences to say efficaciously to a man * Isa 30.21 This is the way walk therein there may be convictions purposes resolutions to the contrary yet still there will be one way or other walking after the Flesh And so for Grace no sooner doth this take possession but the Walking is altered which it never is before to any purpose Prov. 2.10 When wisdom entereth into the heart c. discretion shall preserve thee c. to deliver thee from the way of the evil man c. who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness who rejoice to do evil c. Your way to be rid of the Flesh is to get the Spirit set a thousand Arguments the most effectual Considerations imaginable before the Sinner to draw him off from this fleshly walking till the regenerating sanctifying Spirit take hold of him they are all weak and ineffective I add Walk after the Spirit Every man will be walking there 's no standing still all will be in motion so long as they are in viâ and every mans Walking will be in one of these two ways either after the Flesh or after the Spirit for non datur tertium And these being contrary do mutually exclude each the other he that walks after the flesh cannot in sensu composito walk after the spirit and he that walks after the spirit cannot walk after the flesh therefore Gal. 5.16 Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh the Reason then upon which this Direction is grounded is strong and evident And let me tell you Principles you will and must have some or other which if they be not good they will be bad and so as to Guides Affections Propensions Ends these will be in every reasonable Soul from one cause or another So that if you be not spiritual you will be carnal for one of these two you must be as both you cannot be O let it be the Former that it may not be the Latter 3. Take heed of particular allowed fleshly acts for they make way for that general course which you are to shun Acts produce Habits as well as Habits do produce Acts particular acts of sin especially if allowed and repeated end in a course of sin If you gratifie the flesh in some things it will grow upon you as sad experience proves the Gangrene or Leprosie at the first begins with some particular member but if it be let alone in a little time it diffuses it self over the whole body and so 't is here as to sin A little leaven leavens the whole lump 'T is true as hath been observ'd the Apostle here fixes his Character upon the Course and not upon single acts but he that allows himself in them will not stay there in time hee 'l fall into a wicked and fleshly Course 4. Timely suppress the first risings of the flesh it gains by delays O as soon as the corrupt Nature begins to stir and show it self see that you fall upon it presently make speedy and vigorous resistance to it if you give the Enemy time hee 'l grow stronger and the Conquest will be the more difficult You read Jam. 1.15 of the conceiving of Lust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Vide Stobaeum in Eclog. Serm. 3. p. 9. when Lust hath conceived
to God daily for help against it well God will not lay particular failings thus circumstantiated to your charge The Damsel under the Law that was ravished if she cry'd out for help and did not consent to the fact was to be acquitted Deut. 22.25 so you do to God under the assaults of the Flesh and so God will do to you True sin is sin though it hath not full and deliberate consent but God is so gracious that where that is not he will not impute it I have also told you that you must distinguish betwixt (c) Non dicitur vivere secâ—ndum Carnem qui Spiritum ducem sequitur etiamsi aliquando extra viam vestigium ponat Justin lapses into sin and walking in sin thou sometimes fallest by the Flesh but yet thou doest not walk after the Flesh where the fleshly act especially if it be gross is not repeated where the Soul resists it where there is a rising again by repentance deep humiliation for for what is past and all diligent circumspection and stedfast resolation in God's strength for the time to come there 't is but a lapse and not a walking This I hope is your case and if so then what you alledge against your selves will not amount to make you walkers after the Flesh And as to the positive part the walking after the Spirit though you come short as to degrees and are not so rais'd in the spiritual life as you ought yet in such a measure which God accepts you do live it The Spirit is your Principle your Guide spiritual objects have your affections the Heart inclines and bends chiefly to that which is good your great end is to enjoy and glorifie God O be of good comfort this is walking after the Spirit You are imperfect in it yet sincere you aim at more than what you can as yet arrive at God accepts of you and will deal with you as persons really ingrafted into Christ your holy walking discovers your Vnion and your Vnion secures your Non-condemnation What have you to do but to beg of God that he will yet guide you and more and more fix and stablish you in this your spiritual walking He that knows the goodness of your Way knows also the weakness of your Graces O pray much for strengthening Grace that you may stedfastly continue in your holy course to the end Psal 17.5 Hold up my goings in thy paths that my footsteps slip not Psal 119.117 Hold thou me up and I shall be safe and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually So much for the Application of this Point Two things should therein have been further spoken to but now must be omitted namely 1. To vindicate the true Notion of the Spiritual Life against all the false MONASTICK glosses and interpretations which Some do put upon it 2. To answer those usual and common Objections which too many do raise against it But the due handling of these two Heads would take me up some considerable time and they will in the following Verses again offer themselves and I fear I have already been too long upon this Verse therefore at present I shall not meddle with them I have done with the First Verse There is therefore now no Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit ROM 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death CHAP. IV. Of the Sinners being made free by the power of the Spirit from the power of Sin and Death Of the Connexion of this Verse with the Former Some bring in the Words by way of Prolepsis The proper import of the Particle For cleared and made good against the Papists In the Words something imply'd something express'd All reduc'd to three Heads A gracious Deliverance the Subject the Author of that deliverance What Sin is here mainly intended How far the being made free from it doth reach Whether it points to the Guilt or Power of Sin What is meant by the Law of Sin Of deliverance from the Law of Sin and Death Paul instances in himself as the Subject of it How that is to be taken Why he speaks in the Singular Number The Law of the Spirit c. opened A Fourfold Exposition of the Words What that is which is in Christ Jesus is it the Life or the Spirit or the Law of the Spirit In the close one Truth briefly handled That the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Life How or in what respects he is so Some short Application made thereof The Connexion of this Verse with the Former THe Apostle having in the former Verse more succinctly laid down that great Truth upon which he designed to build his following discourse he here in this Verse falls upon the amplifying and enlarging of himself about it and all that he says from this Verse to the Seventeenth is but by way of amplification upon what he had more concisely said in the First 'T is obvious at the first view that this Verse doth not onely immediately follow but that in its Matter it is link'd and imbodied with the Former the particle For plainly shows that 't is brought in to prove or to explain something there asserred For the Law of the Spirit c. Now the Apostle having there 1. propounded the happy state of persons in Christ and 2. having describ'd and characteriz'd those persons a Question here doth arise Which of these Two doth he in this Verse design to prove or open I say to prove or open for the Words may come in by way of illustration as well as by way of proof or argumentation For answer to which I see nothing of reason why * Hinc utrumque depender quod Versu praecedenti statuit Prius c. Lud. de Dieâ— both may not be taken in the Words will bear a fair reference both to the One and to the Other too 1. First as to the Priviledge He had said there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus now this being the great prop or pillar of the Believers faith and hope he will therefore fasten it sure he is not satisfied barely to affirm it but hee 'l confirm and make it good and also show how 't is brought about For the Proof of it he first brings this Argument They who are freed from the Law of Sin and Death to them there is no condemnation But such who are in Christ are thus freed from the Law of Sin and Death Ergo c. All the difficulty lying in the Minor Proposition he shewes how this freedom from the Law of Sin and Death is effected and as to that he saith 't is by the Law of the Spirit of Life Which being done in this method in and for Believers they are in no danger of condemnation For the explication of it if you take the Words in that notion the Apostle
sets down the Way and Manner how this Non condemnation is carried on That is done two ways partly by the Spirit of Christ partly by the Merit of Christ In order to the Sinners Justification and Salvation two things are necessary 1. he must be freed from the tyranny usurpation and dominion of sin 2. he must be freed too from the guilt of Sin and the Justice of God must be satisfied Now saith the Apostle Both of these are accordingly done the Former by the Spirit of Christ which is spoken to in this Second Verse the Latter by the Merit or Satisfactory Obedience of Christ in his own Person which is spoken to in the Third and Fourth Verses Thus the Apostle clears up the way and method of God in the bringing about of the Non-condemnation of Believers and this in the double reference which the Words will bear with respect to the Priviledge 2. Then Secondly they way refer too to the Character or Description who walk not after c. It might be ask'd How doth the truth of this appear viz. that persons in Christ do thus walk or rather How comes it about that Such do arrive at this spiritual course The Apostle answers The Law of the Spirit of Life hath freed Such from the Law of Sin q. d. I have spoken of the holy and heavenly course of Believers and do not wonder at it you may believe me in what I have asserted for the mighty power of the Spirit of God having subdued Sin and broke its strength and dominion in these persons upon this they are brought to holy walking or therefore they do so walk In this reference several * Lex spiritus vitae quae pertinet ad gratiam liberat à lege peccati mortis facit ut non concupiscamus impleamus jussa legis c. August Octoginr Quaest p. 575. t. 4. Verius certius est quod hoc versiculo rationem reddere Apostolus voluerit non illorum verborum nihil nunc damnationis sed cur hanc quasi conditionem illis verbis adjecerit iis qui non secundum carnem ambulant Stapl. Antidot p. 625. The Apostle proves the Spiritual walking à causa procreante quae est Spiritus Sanctus Piscat He gives a reason why the true members of Christ do walk according to the Spirit Deod Expositers carry the Words but this for their Connexion Some Divines make them to be in part Proleptical as if the Apostle foreseeing some Objections which might be made against what he had laid down did here design to prevent and anticipate those Objections For as to both the forementioned Things doubts and discouragements might arise in some who were in Christ They might object thus Blessed Paul thou saist there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ but how can this be what so much Sin and Guilt and yet no Condemnation can we who are nothing but a very mass of Sin be thus safe and secure as to our eternal state O this we scarce know how to believe And again thou speakest of Walking not after the Flesh but after the Spirit alas who do thus walk when we have so much of Flesh in us and that doth so often draw us to carnal acts c. how is this qualification practicable To obviate this double Objection or Discouragement the Apostle brings in these Words in which he renders both the Priviledge and the Property of persons interested in it real and credible viz by their being freed from the Law of Sin and Death through the Law of the Spirit 'T is as if he had said 't is too true that even such who are in Christ will have Sin in them and sin will too often be committed by them yet for all this I say that such shall not be condemned why because they are freed from the Law of Sin and so consequently from the Law of Death Sin I grant is in them but 't is not a Law in them or to them it still keeps its residence in them but its reign its commanding power is gone now where it is not commanding it shall not be condemning So then this notwithstanding the foundation of a Believers Safety and Comfort stands firm and unshaken And for the Other discouragement here is a kind of tacit and implicit Concession that the people of God are Flesh as well as Spirit and that as to some particular acts through infirmity they may follow the guidance and motions of the Flesh but yet they are not under the Law and command of the Flesh why because they are freed from the Law of Sin there is another Law which hath thrust out that Law of Sin viz. the Law of the Spirit Indeed time was when they were at the beck and command of the Flesh when they walked after it but the Law of the Spirit having taken hold of them now for the main they do not they cannot walk after the Flesh The force of the is Particle FOR opened I come more strictly and narrowly to look into the Words For the Law of the Spirit of Life c. 'T is a Scripture that either is dark in it self or else 't is made so by the various and different interpretations put upon it Which before I can well speak to the first word For must be a little considered and the rather because 't is made use of and insisted upon in some matters of Controversie That which unites Verse and Verse divides party and party this little Word is made to bear its part in some sharp Contests and though to us at the first view it may seem but inconsiderable yet 't is not so to the ROMANISTS who in their arguings against PROTESTANTS make no small use of it They tell us that 't is here to be taken * Subscribit causam praedictae liberationis Soto Apostolus hanc libertatem à lege peccati per Spiritum Dei ponit ut causam ejus quod prius dixerat Stapl. Antid p. 625. With many Others causally as containing in it the Ground of Justification that it points to inherent Righteousness as the Cause of the Non-condemnation before spoken of and by this they attempt to prove that the Believer is not justified by the imputed righteousness of Christ but by his own personal inherent righteousness For say they the Apostle having said that there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ he proves it from inherent righteousness as the proper and formal cause of it there is no Condemnation For the Law of the Spirit c. And that the Argument may be the more pressing and concluding to us PROTESTANTS they urge that Calvin and Beza themselves do make this Law of the Spirit of Life to point to grace regeneration inherent righteousness To whom I reply 1. That 't is not safe either for Them or Vs in matters of great moment to lay too great a stress upon little Words which onely joyn Verse and Verse
Popish Objection closes with another interpretation of the Words but there 's no necessity for that as I conceive In short as was said in the handling of the foregoing Verse we are for inherent righteousness as well as our Opposers though they are pleased very freely to * Becanus Opuse de Justif Calvinist c. 2. Costeri Enchir. c. 6. p. 220. Campian Rat. 8. Against which Calumny vide Chamier tom 3. lib. 1. cap. 2. calumniate us as if we denied the Thing because we deny it to be the Cause or Ground of Justification We are for infallibilis nexus an inseparable connexion betwixt Justification and Sanctification where there is the blood there is the water also for Christ came by both 1 Joh. 5.6 We further hold that Regeneration Habitual and Actual Righteousness are the indispensible Conditions of eternal life and absolutely necessary thereunto Nay some worthy * Pareus in Respons ad Dub. 2. pag. 773. With some eminent Divines of our own Divines go so far as to make them Causa sine quâ non even with respect to Justification But all this is nothing unless we make them the proper formal cause of Justification which we cannot do that being a thing so diametrically opposite to Gospel-revelation This block being removed out of my way now I proceed The Law of the Spirit of Life c. In the Former Verse you had contrary Principles Flesh and Spirit in this you have contrary Laws here is Law in opposition to Law the Law of the Spirit set against the Law of Sin the Law of the Spirit of Life against the Law of Death the Law of Sin inslaving us against the Law of the Spirit freeing us from that slavery In the Words something is imply'd and something is express'd That which is imply'd is this That all Men the very best of them for a time viz. till they be converted are under the Law of Sin and Death That which is express'd is this that Believers by the Law of the Spirit of Life are made free from the Law of Sin and Death The Opening of these things will be my present business for I cannot well pitch upon the Doctrinal Observations till I have cleared up the Sense of the Words and the Apostles main Scope and design in them The Words summ'd up under three General Heads First General Opened viz. the Gracious Deliverance In order to which I will reduce the whole Matter contained in them to these Three Heads A Gracious Deliverance the Subject the Author or Efficient of that Deliverance 1. Here 's a gracious Deliverance hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death As to the First of these if you consider them as distinct the being made free from the Law of Sin for the better understanding thereof I desire you to take notice of the following Particulars 1. That by Sin the Apostle chiefly aims at the Root Sin the Sin of Nature or the sinful depraved Nature which is in falt'n Man 'T is the same with the Flesh spoken of before as also with the indwelling Sin the Law in the members c. in the foregoing Chapter This is that Sin which hath the greatest power in and over the Soul Particular and Actual Sins do but derive their power from this all that dominion and strength which they have is but delegated the Supream Sovereign Original dominion of Sin is seated in the corrupt Nature there chiefly is that Law of Sin which Believers are freed from yet in subordination to this the power of particular sins and deliverance from that is here also to be taken in 2. The Apostle doth not say that Believers are simply and absolutely made free from Sin onely that they are made free from the Law of Sin There 's a * Non sunt idem Peccatum Lex peccati Peccatum est vitium inhabitans in Carne Lex Peccati dominium peccati quod in Carne non regenitorum plenè exercet Ab hoc peccati inhabitantis dominio efficacia Spiritus regenerantis liberat fideles fraenando illud non vero penit ùs tollendo Pareus Attendendum quod non dicit Non enim Gratia hominem impeccabilem reddit sed fomitis vim minuit c. Corn. Muss Nos it a à morte peccato liberati fumus ut tamen horum malorum non parum adhuc supersit Pet. Mart. great difference betwixt Sin and the Law of Sin a total freedome from the Former none have in this life no not they who are most under the Law of the Spirit The dearest of Gods Children must wait for that till they come to Heaven the onely place and State of Perfection there they shall be perfectly compleatly freed from sin yea from the very Being of it but here the utmost that they can arrive at is to be freed from its power in Regeneration and from its guilt in Justification The Text therefore doth not speak of absolute freedom from Sin for that being unattainable here below is yet to come and so it falls under the glorious liberty of the Sons of God mentioned Verse 21 but the being made free in the Text is spoken of as a thing that is past hath made me free c. and therefore it must be limited to freedom from the Law of Sin onely 3. There is in this life a Twofold Freedom from Sin the One respects its Guilt the Other its Power 'T is a Law in both respects in reference to Guilt as it binds the Creature over to answer at Gods Barr for what he hath done and makes him obnoxious to punnishment in reference to Power as it rules commands and exercises a strange kind of Tyranny and Dominion over the Sinner Now Believers are freed from Sin in both of these respects namely as was said but just now in Justification from the guilt in Regeneration from the power of it But here a Question must be resolved viz. Which doth the Apostle here speak of which of these two parts of the Saints Freedome from Sin is here primarily and principally intended For Answer to which Divines do somewhat differ about it (a) Non damnatur nisi qui Concupiscentiae Carnis consentit ad malum Lex enim Spiritus vitae in Christo Jesu liberavit te à Lege peccati mortis ne scil consensionem tuam concupiscentia Carnis sibi vindicet August contra duas Pelag. Ep. lib. 1. cap. 10. Liberavit quomodo nisi quia ejus reatum peccatorum omnium remissione dissolvit Lex Spiritus vitae in Chrislo ut quamvis adhuc maneret in peccatum tamen non imputetur Idem de Nup. Concup lib. 1. cap. 32. Austine took in Both and therefore he sometimes opens it by the One sometimes by the Other Amongst Modern Expositors (b) A jure peceati i. e. à reatn c. Pet. Martyr Liberatio haec non est Regeneratio quâ liberamur ex parte à peccato inhaerente sed est
peccatorum remissio quâ liberamur non ex parte sed plenè perfecteque à peccatorum quorumcunque remissione Rolloc Paulò post satis patebit de absolutione gratuitâ loqui c. Calvin Some interpret the Words of Freedome from the guilt of sin they making them chiefly to point to that grace which is given out in Justification (c) Liberavit regenerando ad novam vitam Baza Ut intelligamus Legem Spiritus non solum hoc in nobis agere quòd non condemnemur propter imputationem justitiae sed vim peccati in nobis extinguere ut jam non regnet in nobis peccatum sed Gratia virtus Christi Muscul Others interpret them of Freedome from the power of sin they referring them to that grace which is proper to Regeneration The Opinion of the Latter I prefer and shall follow in the insuing Discourse I conceive the Law of Sin mainly refers to the power of Sin and therefore the freedome from the Law of Sin must also mainly refer to the being freed from the power of Sin As to the taking away of its Guilt that the Apostle speaks to in the following Verse for that 's the condemning of it there mentioned in this Verse the taking away of its dominion was chiefly in his eye You have him Chap. 7. sadly complaining of the Law in his Members of the Law of Sin now nothing more evident than that he thereby designs to set forth not Sins guilt but that great though not full power and strength which Sin had in him and if that be the proper notion of the Law of Sin there then why not here And besides the Word here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath made free both in Scripture and also in Common Authors usually notes the freeing of One who is under bondage and slavery it doth not so properly note the freeing of a Malefactor from his Guilt and from that condemnatory sentence which he deserves as the freeing of a Slave or Captive who is under the Tyranny and Dominion of another and so it falls in exactly with that notion of freedome which I am upon Therefore the Arabick Translator well renders it by Emancipavit me à lege peccati mortis and * Tertull. de Resur Carn cap. 46. legit manumisit me Fuimus enim quasi mancipia peccati mortis sed à Christo manumissi libertate donati sumus A-Lapide Tertullian by Manumisit me in allusion to the Manumission of the Romans when they set their Servants or Slaves at liberty O when a man is once regenerated he hath a blessed manumission he being made free from that cursed servitude wherein he liv'd before under this cruel Master Sin I say this is the strict and proper notion of the word which though 't is true it be here applied to Death as well as to Sin yet that is either in a more large and improper Sense for the Apostle having first spoken of freedome from sin and set it forth by that term which was proper to it he was not sollicitous to be so accurate as to vary his expression for the Other but would make the same to serve for both or else because there is a bondage in Death as well as in Sin and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will agree with it as well as with sin And I desire that this may be considered which I lay a great stress upon the Apostle in this Verse speaks of the Spirit personally considered as in the next Verse of the Son personally considered also it being so we must then interpret their several making free from sin according to that which is proper to them in their personal consideration Now 't is the Spirits personal act to free by regeneration from Sins power as 't is the Sons personal act by satisfaction to free from Sins guilt therefore the First is meant in this Verse where the Spirit is mentioned as the Second is meant it the next Verse where the Son is mentioned 4. The Law of Sin 'T is a Metaphor which our Apostle often uses and in which he seems much to delight you have it often Rom. 7. V. 21. I find a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me V. 23. But I see another Law warring against the Law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin which is in my members V. 25. With my mind I my self serve the Law of God but with the flesh the Law of sin What this Law of sin is and in what respects it passes under this Appellation hereafter shall be opened at present onely in General observe that this metaphorical expression notes the (a) Ex adverso Legem peccati mortis appellat Carnis imperium quae inde consequitur mortis tyrannidem Calv. A peccato inhabitante quod instar Legis mihi imperabat malas actiones ad eas me impellebat Piscat Est Lex peccati quia ad peccatum movet incitatque velut Lex quaedam Estius A Lege peccati i. e. à Lege fomitis quae inclinat ad peccandum vel à Lege peccati i. e. à consensu operatione peccati quod hominem tenet ligatum per modum Legis Aquin. Dum absolvuntur à Dominio peccati super ipsos ab obligatione conformandi voluntarias suas operationes Legi peccaâ—i à quo vinculo non absolvebat Lex Cajetan A Lege peccati h. e. à dictamine jure dominatu reatu concupiscentiae A-Lap Power Dominion Tyranny of sin Some make the Law of sin to be no more than barely sin it self but I think it carries a special reference to and super adds the Adjunct of Sin the power of it And (b) Elegantiùs vertisset à jure peccati Erasin Some would have us read it the Right of sin rather than the Law of sin the matter comes much to one So much for the being made free from the Law of Sin In the opening of which as yet I have not taken any notice of the O pinion of Some who make the Law of Sin to be the Old Mosaical Law but by and by I will It follows and Death Now this is either one and the same with sin as being onely an Epethite for it so (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecum Apostolus conjunctionem interposuit codem tamen sensu ac si peccatum mortiferum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dixisset Piscat Several expound it Sin and Death that is deadly Sin or Sin which is of a deadly nature As the Spirit of life is the living spirit so Sin and Death is no more than deadly sin 't is an expression like that of the Poet Pateris libavit auro i. e. aureis pateris Or else you may take it as distinct from sin and so there is a double Deliverance held forth in the Words One from the Law of Sin an Other from the Law of Death thus the most
of (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoret. Confer supra cap. 7.23 24. ubi utriusque Legis neinpe Legis Peccati Mortis mentio facta est Quare non videtur hic esse Figura 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vorstius in Schol. Interpreters open it The Law of Sin is always attended with the Law of Death and freedome from the Law of Sin is always attended with freedome from the Law of Death the power and dominion of Death stands or falls by the power and dominion of Sin But what is this Law of Death * August contra Fortunat. Disput 2. Austine answers the Law of sin is Whoever sins shall dye the Law of Death is Dust thou art and to dust shalt thou return * Lex mortis est mortuum perseverare mortuum est de morte non esse reditum ad vitam Cajes Cajetan makes it to be permanentia in morte the abiding or continuance in the state of Death So Believers are freed from it for though they may for a time be subjected under it yet it shad not always have power over them so as to hold them forever as the Word is used concerning Christ Acts 2.24 they shall arise and live again they are not under the Law i. e. the everlasting evercontinuing full power and strength of Death You have Ver. 10 11. the matter of this Explication If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life because of righteousness But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you But to pass these by as the Law of Sin is the power of sin so the Law of Death is that power and right which it hath over Men by reason of sin for it hath its empire and dominion as well as sin Therefore as you read of the reigning of sin so also you read of the reigning of Death Rom. 5.14 But death reigned from Adam to Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it reigned as a King as the word imports Death is either Temporal or Eternal both of which carry that in them which may give them the Title or Denomination of a Law but regenerate persons upon the Law of the Spirit of Life are freed from both From the first not simply and absolutely but onely in a restrained sense viz. as 't is strictly a Curse or the fruit and product of that primitive Curse Gen. 2.17 From the second as it notes eternal condemnation for these two are all * Ut sibi respondeant Mors damnatio Estius one they are absolutely freed This Death they being in Christ and by the sanctifying Spirit delivered from the Law of sin hath no power or authority over them I say no authority for 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 20.6 on such the second death hath no power This is the First General in the Words that Gracious Deliverance from the Law of Sin and Death which they hold forth Second General The Second is the Subject of this deliverance This the Apostle puts down in his own Person The Law of the Spirit c. hath made me free from the Law of sin and death Here is Enallage Personae the change of the Person 't was them in the foregoing Verse 't is me in this I have already observed and I would now more fully open it that our apostle throughout this whole Chapter wherein he mainly treats of the Saints Priviledges speaks altogether in the Plural Number excepting onely this one Verse 'T is true where he is speaking of some high act of Grace as performed by himself there he purs it in the Singular Number as Ver. 18. I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us And so too where he is speaking of some high Assurance a thing not so common there also he expresses it in the Singular Number as Ver. 38. For I am persunded that neither c. But wherever the great and fundamental priviledges of Believers are before him there he always expresses himself in the Plural Number then 't is us altogether And 't is observable that oven where he speaks of himself as to some special act or enjoyment yet even there as to the main Priviledge he takes in all the people of God You may see this made good in the two fore-mentioned places 't is I reckon but 't is the glory that shall be revealed in us and 't is I am persuaded but 't is shall separate us from the love of God Well! here he puts in himself as the Subject of the Priviledge but 't is not to exclade or shut out Others onely he propounds himself as one great Instance of freedome from the Law of sin by the Law of the Spirit here is application and appropriation as to himself but no impropriation or exclusion with respect to Others He that had so much of Faith and Experience as to be able to apply this to himself had withall so much of Knowledge and Wisdom as to know that it was with Others yea with all regenerate persons just as it was with himself And therefore 't is in the * Observandum est in causâ Gratiae nullum esse inter Apostolum quemvis Christianum duntaxat verum discrimen Non est quod dicamus Paulus suit Apostolus nos non item ex eo quod sibi contigit per gratiam Christi probat hoc quod tribuit omnibus Christianis Muscul Continet Argumentum á Testimonio viz. experientia Apostoli ita fimul Argumentum á Pari quod enim Apostolus in se expertus fuerat id pari ratione omnes credentes in se experiuntur nempe operationem illam Spiritus Sancti regenerantis Piseas Non ego solus sed omnes quotquot in Jesu Christo sunt c. Zuingl Me fidelem quemvis Gomar i. e. quemvis verè Chriftianum Grot. Pronomen me demonstrat ipsum in Christo ambulantem c. personam fiquidem talium induit Cajes In corum personâ de se Apostolus loquitur haec verba Estius Soto will be sure to extend it far though for be glosses upon it Me i. e. Gonus humanum persons of all these that he here thus speaks and this me is inclusive not exclusive every Child of God in the world may say as here Paul doth the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death and indeed every Believer should be so well acquainted with the workings of the Spirit of God upon his own heart as to be able to apply this to himself But why doth Paul here particularize himself and speak thus in the Singular Number in this place rather than in Others I ansiver 1. Because he looked upon himself
as a pattern And indeed God all along dealt with him as so in reference to pardoning grace he was a pattern 1 Tim. 1.16 that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a pattern c. So in reference to renewing grace he shall be a pattern too God would and did so effectually work upon him in the miraculous changing of him in the mighty rescuing of him from the power of ignorance carnal confidence prejudices against Christ enmity to the Gospel and the Professors thereof that he should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a pattern to all that should be converted of the freeness and efficacy of converting Grace And therefore if He was thus freed from the Law of sin it should then be so with Others also for what was done to him was not done to him as a meer single or private person but as to One that was to be an instance or pattern of the Grace of God towards many 2. Because he was the Complainer therefore he shall be the Triumpher because he was the Combater therefore he shall be the Conqueror And as you have him in the * Ponit se pro Exemplo ut prius infirmitatum Luctae ita nunc fiduciae Imo verbis quasi praeit quibus singuli hanc consolationem nobis applicemus Pareus foregoing Chapter in the person of Believers complaining of the Law of sin so here you shall have him in the person of Believers too triumphing over the Law of sin he being made free from it by another and an higher Law But to close this Head be thou who thou wilt if thou beest a gracious person and one upon whom the Spirit hath put forth his efficacious power thou as well as Paul art made free from the Law of sin Therefore to make this the more indefinite and universal the Syriac not without an Emphasis saith * Et quidem non sine Emphasi quasi admonente Paulo ut singuli credentes hoc sibi beneficium applicent Beza Beza reads it not me but thee the Law of the Spirit of Life hath made thee free from the Law c. The Third General in the Words is the Author or Efficient of this freedome from the Law of Sin and Death and the way or manner how 't is effected 't is by the Spirit of Life and 't is by the Law of the Spirit c. Now here lies the greatest difficulty and that wherein Expositors do most differ I find no less than Four several Interpretations put upon these Words 1. First Some would have them to refer to the sanctity and perfect holiness of Christ's Humane Nature This say they is the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus and the Law of the Spirit of Life is the power and virtue of Christ's unspotted holiness and purity to acquit and make free the Believer from the Law of Sin and Death h. e. from the guilt of sin and Condemnation So that they bring the matter to this the Habitual righteousness of Christ as Man being imputed and made over to the Believer upon this he is discharged from all guilt and look'd upon by God in Christ as perfectly righteous This Interpretation is that which * Cùm adeò imbecilla sit vis Spiritus in nobis quomodo inde possumus colligere nullam esse condemnationem c. quoniam inquit vis ista Spiritus vivificantis quae tà m imbecilla est in nobis perfectissima potentissima est in Christo nobis credentibus imputata facit ut perinde censeamur ac si nullae prorsus reliquiae corruptionis mortis in nobis inhaererent Nunc autem de perfectâ sanctitatis humanae naturae Christi imputatione disterit c. Beza in Paraphr Distinguit Legem Spiritus vitae quae est in ipso Christo Jesu ab eâ quae in nobis est ab co effecta i e. perfectam naturae nostrae in Christo sanctificationem ab eâ quae in nobis est duntaxat inchoata Nam illa quidem nobis imputata cum perfecta sit nos liberavit c. Explicandum est igitur istud de tertiâ Justificationis nostrae gratuitae parte quae consistit in Sanctificatione ipsâ Jesu Christi nobis communicata Idem in Notis Et porro Vis illa Spiritus vivifici cujus fons est in Christi carne facit ut peccatum seu vitiositas illa cu us reliquiae adhuc in me supersunt quae me alioqui condemnationi adjudicarent efficere nequeat ut conde â—ner quoniaru quod est in me duntaxat inchoatum in Christo perfectissimum est cui sum insitus This way goes Hemingius Elton Parr Streso c. Thâ—s Downham interprets it Of Justific Book 1. Chap. 3. Several Expositors some of Whom are of great Eminency do pitch upon Yet with submission I shall crave leave to prefer another before it For 't is very well known though I shall not in the least concern my self therein that some very worthy Persons do question the truth of the Thing viz. the formal imputation of Christ's Habitual and Original righteousness they making the sanctity of his Humane Nature to belong to his Justitia Personae rather than to his Justitia Meriti or Justitia Fidejussoria and they looking upon it onely as the necessary qualification of his Person to fit him to be a Mediator and also as that which was necessary in order to the meritoriousness of his Obedience but denying that it is directly and formally made over by imputation to the Believer But as to this which is the Veritas Rei as I said before I will not at all concern my self about that I am onely to enquire whether this Interpretation be proper to the Text and rightly grounded upon it which is the Veritas Loci And truly that I question very much and must say with the learned De Dicu Nescio an id spectaverit Apostolus c. I know not whether that was the thing which the Apostle here had in his eye I humbly conceive the Words without great straining cannot be brought to this Sense their main scope and intendment looking to a quite Other thing And that branch of them in Christ Jesus upon which they who close with the Exposition before us lay so great a stress will bear another explication much more easie and genuine as you will hear by and by 2. Secondly Others understand by the Law of the Spirit of Life and the Law of Sin and Death the Law of Faith and the Law of Works or the Evangelical and the Masaical Law You read Rom. 3.27 of the Law of Faith and of Works two very opposite and contrary Laws now by that twofold Law Some open the Law of the Spirit and the Law of Sin and Death Thus * I ex ergo Spiritur vitae est Lex Fidei Nam Moysi Lex est Spiritualis quia prohibet peccare non tamen viâ—ae c. 'T is too
large to be written out Ambrose expounds it The Law saith he of the Spirit of Life it is the very Law of Faith * Chrysostome distinguishes much to the same purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in loc The Law of Moses was a Spiritual Law because it forbad Sin but it was not the Law of the Spirit of Life because it could not remit Sin and so quicken the dead But this Law of Faith is the Law of the Spirit of Life because it doth not onely restrain Sin but it also restores from death c. This Law in Christ Jesus that is by Faith doth free the Believer from the Law of Sin and Death The Law of Sin is that which dwells in the members which persuades to that which is contrary to the Will of God the Law of Death is the Law of Moses because it kills Sinners And no wonder that this Law should be the Law of Death when the Gospel is to some the savour of death unto death and so he goes on in the further explication of it Amongst modern Interpreters Pareus follows this Exposition making the Law of the Spirit of life to be the Doctrine of the Gospel and the Law of sin and death to be the Law of Moses The Gospel saith he is the Law of the Spirit because 't is attended with the conveyance of the Spirit the Law of Moses was spiritual but not the Law of the Spirit because it did not convey the Spirit And that was the Law of Sin because it discovered sin irritated sin made sin to be sin and of Death too because it had a killing virtue in it 2 Cor. 3.6 The letter killeth but the spirit giveth life Thus Pareus who after he had laid down and opened his Opinion thus concludes With submission to other mens judgments I judge this to be the most plain and genuine meaning of this place This way very many * Lex Spirituâ— c. est doctrina Evangehi fide apprehensa Osiand Fortasse legem Mose intelligit per legem peccati mortis à quâ etiam lege liberati sumus in vulgato Jesu Christi Evangelio Massus Utraque est Spiritus Sancti ut actoris utraqne est Spiritus nostri directivaâ— sed haec est Spiritus Sancti quatenus est vivificator noster in Jesu Christo c. Cajetan Legem peccati vocat literam Legis quae peccatum excitare solet damnationem revelare Vatabl. Opponitur haec Lex Spiritus Legi Mosaicae Crell Posset etiam per Legem peccati mortis intelligi Lex Mosis c. Perer. Vide Lud. de Dieu in loc Baldwin Dr. Hammond in Paraphr Others go either as to the whole or as to the most considerable part of it But neither shall I close with this Interpretation and that for two Reasons I. Because though the Gospel may very well be stiled the Law of the Spirit of life yet it sounds somewhat harsh to call the Mosaical Law God's own Law the Law of sin and death There is I grant something of truth in it and it may admit of a very fair and sound explication but then there must be a great deal of stating and limitation and cautioning before you can come at it And therefore many * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost Legem peccati mortis non ausim cum quibusdam accipere pro Lege Dei c. Quamvis enim peccatum augendo mortem generet Paulus tamen ab hâc invidiâ consultò supra deflexit Calvin His verbis non significatur Lex Mosaica c. Pet. Mart. Expositors do not approve of the application of this title to the Mosaical Law Nay our Apostle himself warns us against it whose way and custome it was whenever he had touch'd upon any thing which might seem to reflect any disparagement upon the Law presently to subjoin something for the vindication of its honour Rom. 7.7 What shall we say then is the law sin God forbid when the commandment came sin reviv'd and I dy'd and the commandment which was ordained to life I found to be unto death c. yet saith he the law is holy and the commandment holy and just and good was then that which was good made death to me God forbid but sin that it might appear sin working death in me by that which is good that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful No man did ever depress the Law more than Paul did in the matter of Justification yet in other respects none did ever more vindicate and exalt it Well! this is one Reason why I shall not fall in with this Sense A Second is this because the Apostle here is not treating of the Law-state or Gospel-state or of the Covenant-aà ministration proper to either but he is more closely treating of the State of Nature and of Grace of freedome from Condemnation by the taking away of sins power and guilt in pursuance of which he pitches upon Sanctification by the Spirit and Satisfaction by the Son And therefore though the Former Notion may be taken in yet certainly that which directly falls in with the Latter as that Sense will which I shall presently give must be most agreeable to the Apostles Scope in this place 3. Thirdly by the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus Some understand nothing but the very Spirit of Christ Jesus They make the Law of the Spirit to be the very Spirit it self and nothing more thus * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Theophyl Oâ—cumen Theodor. say the same Lex Spiritus i. e. Lex quae est Spiritus Aquin. Chrysostome and his Followers This is a very good foundation to build upon but yet without some further addition it will not so fully reach that special matter in the Words which hath a great weight and emphasis in it 4. Fourthly therefore Others do interpret them not onely as pointing to Gods Spirit but to make it the more express they consider the Spirit of God as renewing as regenerating as working the new and heavenly life in the Soul with great power and efficacy The Spirit is stiled the Spirit of life both as he is a living Spirit himself and also as he is a quickening Spirit to the Creature as he makes Sinners who were * Eph. 2.1 dead in trespasses and sins to live by working Grace and Regeneration in them and so life thereby But what is the Law of the Spirit of Life why 't is the mighty power of the regenerating Spirit put forth upon men in order to the freeing of them from the power and dominion of sin There are I know sundry other explications given of it (a) Lex-Spiritus vitae una eademque est quae Lex Dei sicut una eademque est Lex peccati mortis Nihil damnationis erit his qui Lege peccati quae est Lex mortis liberantur Legi Dei quae est Lex
Jesus is as much as (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Occumenius Lex Spiritus vitae i. e. gubernatio Spiritus vitalis quem suppeditat Christus non solum admonens nos exemplo mortis suae ad charitatis opera perficienda sed etiam operans illam in cordibus nostris Oecolamp by Christ Jesus the Spirit is given and doth work as a regenerating Spirit or the Spirit of life according to the will and good pleasure of Christ 4. (c) In Christo Jesu quia non datur nisi his qui sunt in Christo Jesu Aquin. As this Spirit is given onely to those who are in Christ Men out of Christ have nothing to do with it his Members are onely its Temples without the Spirit there 's no Vnion and without the Vnion there 's no Spirit As the Member doth not participate of the Animal Spirit but as 't is united to the Head so a man doth not participate of the blessed quickening Spirit of God but as he is united to Christ but these things will be more largely insisted upon when I come to the ninth and tenth Verses Now the Words which I am opening mainly point to this what is it which is in Christ Jesus why 't is the Spirit it self therefore (d) Placet supplementum qui ut referatur ad Spiritum in Graeco subaudiatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi scriptum sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Piscat So Erasm Some also would have an Article inserted here to make the reference to the Spirit more clear thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. Then as to the Third and Last thing the Law of the Spirit that too is in Christ Jesus Thus that mighty power which the Spirit at any time doth exert in the work of Regeneration it is conveyed to a person and doth take hold of him in Christ Jesus that is in and through Christ viz. as this effectual Operation of the Spirit is grounded upon Christ's purchase and is put forth in pursuance of Christ's redeeming love This is a truth which might be largely opened but I fear I have been too long already upon the clearing up of this Branch of the Text And yet I cannot omit to tell you that there 's One reference more which * Quamquam nihil vetat quin illa verba 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 construantur cum verba sequente 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Piscat in Schol. Some do mention as this in Christ Jesus may refer to and be joyned with the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath made free Then the Sense would be this 't is by Christ that Saints are made free from Sin and Death whatever spiritual freedome Believers have they owe it all to Christ he hath the great hand in it as the Efficient and meritorious Cause thereof But this I 'le pass by because though it be a thing unquestionably true yet the generally received pointing of the Words will not admit it to be here intended I have now finished the Explicatory part the difficulty of the Words and the different Expositions put upon them all of which may be useful though all are not so pertinent and proper must be my Excuse for my being so redious and prolix upon it Having given you their proper sense and monning I should next draw out those Doctrinal Truths which are contained in them but that I shall not do at present Onely there 's One of them which I shall mention and briefly close with How the Spirit of God is the Spirit of Life 't is this The Holy and Blessed Spirit is the Spirit of Life so he is here expresly stiled the Law of the Spirit of Life Which Words are applied to the Witnesses Rev. 11.11 where 't is said of them that the Spirit of Life from God entred upon them but yet know though 't is the same words yet 't is not the same sense For by the Spirit of Life as applied to the Witnesses nothing is meant but their civil living again in their restunration to their former Power Office Liberties of Service c. but when 't is applied to the Great Spirit of God it carries a quite other and much higher sense in it What 's that why it notes his living in himself and also his being the Cause of Life to the Creature He 's the Spirit of Life 1. Formally 2. Effectively or Causally A few words to each 1. First as to the Formal Notion The Spirit of God is the Spirit of Life as he is a living Spirit as he lives in himself or hath life in himself For as the Father hath life in himself and hath given to the Son to have life in himself Joh 5.26 so the Spirit hath life in himself also And 't is not an ordinary or common life which the Spirit lives but 't is the self same life which the Father and the Son do live he being truly God lives the same increated infinite independent blessed life which the two Other Persons do * Genitivus Hebraico more pro Epitheto ponitur Calvin Est Genitivus Epitheti loco Estius Expositors generally observe that Life when 't is here joyned with the Spirit is not to be taken Substantive but Adjective 't is according to the Hebrew I diome where when two Substantives are put together the Latter of which is in the Genitive Case that is to be rendred as an Adjective or as an Epithete of the Former as the Bread of life is living bread the Water of life is living water the Glory of Grace is glorious Grace c. so here the Spirit of life is the living Spirit Theophylact joyning this Life with the Law going before saith this is spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if the Law of Life was set in opposition to the Law of Sin and Death but Life is not to be joyned with the Law but with the Spirit himself 2. Secondly the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of life Effectively or Causally He is a quickening a life-bestowing or life-working Spirit in the Creature he makes Sinners to live and is the spring of that heavenly and supernatural life which is in the gracious Soul As he hath life in Himself so he communicates it to Others he is not onely a living Spirit but he is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a quickening Spirit And this is One of his great acts namely to quicken he 's the Spirit of * 2 Cor. 3.17 liberty and he 's also the Spirit of life he 's a teaching inlightning convincing strengthening comforting purifying Spirit and he 's also an enlivening and quickening Spirit And as the Father and the Son live in themselves and quicken * Joh. 5.21 whom they will so the Holy Ghost too hath life in himself and quickens whom he will as he is said to divide gifts to every one severally even as he will 1 Cor. 12.11 The Spirit is * Oecumen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the
Law of Sin and that which is peculiar to the graceless Some there are who set themselves to sin 't is the thing they aim at which they deliberate contrive muse how to bring about their serious thoughts from time to time are at work in order to it like to that person whom David describes Psal 36.4 He deviseth mischief on his bed he setteth himself in a way that is not good like to the wickedness of men before the Deluge Gen. 6.5 c. Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was onely evil continually 't is meant not onely of imaginations which had Sin in them materially and subjectively but also of those which were for Sin and in order to Sin intentionally and finally The Apostle sets it forth by making provision for the flesh Rom. 13.14 when the Sinner hath his forecasts and projects for Sin Now * When the Flesh hath the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 providenâ—ial projecting and forecasting ability at command and at her service it is certain her supremacy is in the full Mr. Rich. Bifeild The Gospels glory c. p. 235. where 't is thus unquestionably 't is the Law of Sin this doth most certainly discover the absolute unbroken full power and dominion of Sin Joh. 8.34 Whoever commits Sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who makes it or frames it as an Artist doth a thing which is proper to his trade or art who sins de industriâ datâ operâ what of him why he is the servant of sin that is he is fully under its Command and is a perfect slave and vassal to it 'T is never thus with regenerate persons this * Deut. 32.5 spot is not the spot of Gods Children 1 Joh. 3.9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin he doth not frame sin or contrive how to sin in the sense named but now It cannot be denied but that even a Child of God may sin after deliberation nay as to some particular sinful act he may deliberate in order to the doing of it there was a great deal of deliberation in Davids killing Vriah 't was a plotted contrived sin that which was brought about by many deliberate thoughts ô but in such an One this is very rare and seldome 't is but in this or that particular act 't is not a thing that he holds on in God forbid it should be so And therefore though this be a great aggravation of sin when it is committed deliberately and a sad evidence that it hath too much power and strength in the heart yet every deliberate sin is not enough to prove a man to be under the Law of sin when the designing and contriving is customary and that too as to a Course in sin ô then 't is the Law of sin 2. When the Temptation easily prevails and there is little or no resistance and opposition made to sin then 't is the Law of sin and that which is proper to the unregenerate If the Town be surrendred and yields upon the first Summons 't is a sign the Assailers are very strong and the Defendants very weak if the tinder takes fire upon the first little spark that falls into it surely 't is very dry so here when Satan doth no sooner lay the temptation before the Sinner but he immediately closes with it and falls before it and yields to it this argues that Sin and Satan have a full power in and over him But I lay the main stress of this Head upon little or no resistance to the motions suggestions commands of sin Possibly it no sooner commands but the Sinner readily obeys if he chance to make some some opposition 't is as bad as none at all 't is not lively vigorous resolute but cold dull faint and languid ô this is a sad demonstration of Sins heighth and regency in the Soul The bare Commands of Sin as hath been said do not make it to be a Law but when there is a ready willing subjection to those Commands then 't is a Law Rom. 6.16 Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness 'T is a brand upon Ephraim that he was * Hos 5.11 willingly walked after the Commandment may not this be charged upon men before renovation with respect to the Commands of Sin We read of Satan that he takes some captive at his will 2 Tim. 6.26 and truly so it is with the sinful Nature too it doth with the unregenerate what it will it commands governs orders them even as it will it meets with little or no resistance upon all occasions it doth but speak the word and the thing is done The true Convert stands upon his guard fights it out to the last hee 'l dye rather than yield Sin doth not so easily do his work in him he may sometimes â—e a Captive to it as being overborn with its strength but he will not be a Subject to it so as to give willing obedience to it which shows that he is not under the Law of Sin When 't is willingness in the way of duty then 't is the day of * Psal 110.3 God's power when 't is willingness in the way of sin then 't is the day of Sins power There may be some resistance made to Sin and yet its dominion may be high but when 't is no resistance then its dominion is high indeed A Sinner sometimes from the stirrings of Conscience may make a little opposition but Sin having his Will in its entire consent that opposition soon goes off and so Sins Sover aignty is as absolute as ever it was 3. When Sin carries it in spight of all opposition then 't is the Law of Sin and that power of Sin which only suits with the unregenerate state when 't is committed with little opposition ab intra and in spight of all opposition ab extra I assure you then it hath a great power Many there are who are so much under the strength and dominion of the hellish Nature that nothing shall hinder them from what is evil As the sincere Christian set never so many hinderances and discouragements before him yet being under the Law of the Spirit he will be and do good so è contrà the man that is destitute of Grace set what hinderances or discouragements you will before him yet being under the Law of Sin he will be and do evil Let the threatnings of the Law of God stand in his way like the Angel with a drawn sword in his hand yet hee 'l sin let the Scepter of the Gospel be held out to him yet hee 'l sin set the Love Grace Mercy of God before him yet hee 'l sin set the Wrath Justice Severity of God before him yet hee 'l sin set the Death Sufferings Agonies Wounds Blood of the Lord Jesus before him yet hee 'l sin let Conscience smite him let Word
Silas Acts 16.23 they were thrown into prison the Jaylor charged to keep them safely he throws them into the inner prison made their feet fast in the stocks yet for all this they were delivered how Suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken and immediately all the doors were opened and every ones bonds were loosed what could have brought these persons under these circumstances out of prison but the miraculous interposures of the mighty power of God and that did it effectually Thus 't is with men in their Natural State Sin and Satan have them fast bound secur'd in chains and fetters they cannot stir hand or foot to help themselves are fully under the power of their enemies how are these now released why God comes and the Spirit comes by renewing grace and therein he opens the doors of their hearts though shut up very fast knocks off their fetters conquers the Guard that is set upon them breaks all the power and force of Sin and so rescues them from that thraldom and bondage which they were under ô the power of renewing grace well might Paul say Eph. 3 20. according to the power that worketh in us The truth is in the freeing of a Soul from the Law of Sin no less power is put forth than that very power of God put forth in the raising up of the Lord Jesus from the dead so the Apostle makes the parallel Eph. 1.19 20. and that was much above that power which was exerted in the rescuing of the forementioned persons out of their confinement It had been morally impossible that ever the Children of Israel should have been freed from the power of Pharaoh and that woful bondage they were under if God himself had not made bare his arm and brought them out with a strong and mighty hand as 't is Deut. 6.21 Psal 136.12 but 't is a much harder thing to free the Sinner from his spiritual bondage he being under a sadder captivity and held therein by a far greater strength than what Pharaoh had ô surely no deliverance could be expected from Sins dominion unless infinite power was engag'd in the bringing of it about therefore how necessary as well as efficacious is renewing Grace but more of this when I come to the third Observation One Use I have finished several Others should have been made of the Point in hand as to shew you yet further how you may find out your particular Cases whether you be under the Law of Sin or not how you may be freed from this Law if as yet you be not so why you should labour after this freedom c. But these things will as well fall in under the next Observation and therefore I will there insist upon them ROM 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death CHAP. VI. Of Regenerate Persons being made free from the Law of Sin The Second Observation spoken to viz. That persons truly regenerate are made free from the Law of Sin This is 1. cleared and stated where 't is shown that the freedom is not to be carried further than the Law of Sin How Sin is in the best yea and hath a great power in them and yet they are not under the Law of Sin when persons may be said to be so or what that is which constitutes the Law of Sin That not to be found in those who belong to God The Observation 2. confirmed by Scriptures and Reasons 'T is 3. applied First by way of Examination Mistakes about things which look like freedom from the Law of Sin and yet are not so Five Particulars instanc'd in Secondly all are exhorted to make out after this freedom One Direction in order to it Thirdly suth as are made free c. are exhorted 1. To be humble 2. To stand fast in their Liberty and also to walk suitably thereunto 3. To bless God Fourthly Gracious persons are comforted from hence THe Sum of these Words after the giving their proper sense and meaning hath been drawn into three Observations The 2. Observ spoken to the First of which hath been spoken to the Second now follows and 't is this That persons truly regenerate are made free from the Law of Sin this is the priviledge of all such and that which always accompanies the State of Grace or Regeneration viz. freedom from the Law of Sin Paul being such a person here saith he was made free from the Law of Sin For the better opening and stating of this Truth the first thing to be done The opening and stating of it I must necessarily inmind you of some things which in the explication of the Words and elsewhere too I have had occasion to insist upon As 1. Though the Apostle here speaks in his own person the Law of the Spirit of Life hath made me free c. yet the thing spoken of is not to be limited to him individually considered but to be extended to all who are regenerated and sanctified his knowledge of it might be somewhat special but the thing it self is common and general in all Saints 2. That the freedom mentioned in the Text refers to the being made free from the commanding reigning power of Sin rather than to the being made free from the condemning power of Sin 3. The Apostle speaks of it as an act that is past hath made me free c. therefore that freedom from Sin which the Saints shall have hereafter in their glorified estate is not here primarily intended but rather that which they have already upon their sanctification 4. This especially must be observed which I must more enlarge upon that the thing which the Saints are freed from is but the Law of Sin So the Apostle here states it Saints freed from Sin only in the Notion of its being a Law and therefore the Words are to be carried no further than to deliverance from that in Sin which doth properly denominate it to be a Law or which doth belong to it in the notion and appellation of a Law so far the Saints in this Life are made free from it but no farther For the preventing of mistakes and the due bounding of the Point two things must be laid down and made good As 1. That this freedom is not to be taken simply and absolutely for perfect deliverance from the very being and inhesion of Sin but only for deliverance from Sin in the notion of a Law The highest Saints God knows and they themselves know too well in their present state are far from being wholly compleatly perfectly made free from Sin in this respect yet the very lowest Saints are truly and really made free from the Law of Sin There 's a great difference 'twixt the inbeing and the Law of sin 'twixt the residence and the reign of sin betwixt Sins mansion and Sins dominion Sin will have a being in Gods people
though it be not a Law to them a residence in them though it doth not reign over them a mansion though it be cast out of dominion There are none on this side of Heaven so pure but that there is some mixture in them they have corruption as well as grace as the best grain hath its chaff and the brightest marble its spots and flaws the Regenerate themselves whilst here on earth are but like gold in the ore which hath much of baser matter mingled with it O this Sin cleaves fast to us it will live as long as we live and will not dye till we dye 't will be in the Soul so long as the Soul is in the Body upon Conversion 't is cast down but not wholly cast out and therefore all that we can safely ground upon from the Text or that is designed in the present Truth is deliverance onely from the Law of sin 'T is here according to what you read of * Dan. 7.12 Daniel's Beasts they had their dominion taken away yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time Sins dominion at the the first moment of the Sinners Conversion is taken away yet for some time it lives and hath a being in the Soul Or as you read of the Canaanites they were to be be divested of all their power yet God for some reasons would have them to * Exod. 23.28 c. continue in the Holy Land and not cut them off all at once just so he orders it with his people in reference to Sin You have in the Words according to some a double freedom one from Sin and another from Death now we are not absolutely freed from Death but only from the Law of it that is from the tyranny and curse of it so neither are we absolutely freed from Sin but only from the Law of it that is the power and tyranny of it Nay 2. Even the deliverance of regenerate persons from the power of Sin must be taken but in a limited and qualified sense Not as if they were wholly freed even from that so as that Sin should have no power in them for as to that too in this life they come short Alas 't is the affliction of true Converts not only to have Sin Habitual and Actual but which is much worse that Sin hath a great power and strength in them and over them True indeed it hath not such a power in them as it hath in the Vnregenerate for its power is very much broken and is not so entire and absolute in them as it is in the other yet it hath too much of power even in them also By which I do not mean only Sins * Of these things and of Sins Dominion as to the whole read Sedgwick's Anatomy of Sin ch 4. molesting power as it can and doth here greatly mobest disturb disquiet trouble vex the deerest of Gods Children nor onely Sins assaulting power as it can and doth often invade and set upon the Saints wherever they are or'whatever they are about in order to the overcoming of them nor onely Sins tempting and provoking power as it doth strongly excite urge provoke sollicit them to what is evil we may go higher than so it hath a worser power than all these namely a prevailing power now at some times and in some cases Gods own people may be brought even under that O Sin may carry the day and be victorious over them it may with great efficacy and success prevail even in them both in the keeping of them from what is good and also in the drawing of them to what is evil Is this a thing to be questioned though the truth of it is much to be lamented do we not see it by sad experience made good in our selves and others did not Paul himself who here saith he was made free from the Law of Sin yet which hath often come in my way a little before when he was in the same state in which here he was make sad complaints about it I find saith he a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me as if he had said others may dream of perfection and please themselves with the thoughts of their high attainments but as to my self I cannot pretend to any such thing for my part I find a Law c. there is such a Law such a corrupt cursed nature in me which hath too much strength and power over me and saith he this Law I find I plainly perceive it and cannot but take notice of it I do not onely hear of it but I find and feel it in my self in the sad fruits and effects of it yea saith he this is no weak or languid thing but that which hath a great power in me for it wars against the law of my mind and leads me captive c. thus this great Saint did groan under Sins power And if a Paul thus complains how may others complain if Sin had such a power in him what hath it in poor Christians of a far lower size and sâ—â—â—â—re We have too many Instances not onely of the having and bare inbeing of Sin but of the prevailing power of Sin even in truly yea eminently gracious persons David commits adultery plots the death of Vriah numbers the people c. Noah is drunk Lot incestuous Hezekiah proud Job impatient Peter denies Christ c. ô the strength and efficncy of Sin even in the Regenerate themselves It may and it doth sometimes prevail in the strongest though it never rules in the weakest yet you must know that these partial successes of Sin do not amount to the Law of Sin it may conquer and yet not command its prevalency doth not evince its regency the Invader may win the field in some barrels and yet for all that not be upon the throne But I say Sin pro his nunc may have a prevailing power even over the best notwithstanding their being made free from the Law of Sin All then that we can warrantably and truly fix upon in this matter is this that such who are in the state of grace in whom the Spirit hath wrought as the Spirit of Life they are made free from the Law of Sin that Law being taken in its strict and proper notion according to the explication which hath been given of it and as noting something more than the bare power of Sin with respect to some particular acts In some sense Sin may be said to be a Law in the regenerate namely in regard of that power and strength which it hath in them but yet 't is not a Law to the regenerate because they do not own it or submit to it as to that which hath the authority or dominion over them You have heard there are two things which make Sin to be a Law One is authoritative commanding on its part the Other is full and free resignation on the Sinners part to its Commands and impulsions now the
thy fetters love thy dungeon be fond of thy bondage and prefer it before liberty what is this but madness not to be parallel'd what ingratitude is this to thy Saviour what cruelty to thy self as to thee I may well alter Tiberius's ô gentem c. into ô animam ad servitutem natam Further I pray you think of this if Sin rule you will Christ save you you cannot but know the contrary you know that he rules wherever he saves that he will be the Governour Where he is the Saviour that Sins yoke must be taken off and * Matth. 11.29 his yoke taken up or no salvation and yet shall Sin be obey'd and be thy Lord and Sovereign rather than Christ The business comes to a narrow issue let Christ rule thee and hee 'l save the but let Sin command thee and 't will condemn thee the Law of Christ and of the Spirit is the Law of Life but the Law of Sin is the Law of Death but these things have been insisted upon O that this Spirit which frees from the Law of Sin would shew you what there is in the Law of Sin men do not endeavour to get out of it because they are not convinc'd of the evil that is in it did they but know what it is they would choose to dye rather than to live under it And as for you let me ask you how you carry it in other respects you hate the Tyrant without will you love the Tyrant within you groan under the Laws of men when they are a little heavy shall there be no groanings under the far heavier Laws of Sin you will not be called slaves to any will you be content to be indeed slaves to Sin is a barbarous Turk cry'd out of when a Devil and a cursed Nature are never regarded But one Consideration more as God made you at the first you had nothing to do with this Law of Sin no he made you for his own government to be subject to himself his Law was written within you to command and act you in your whole course how then came Sin by this power how did it get up thus into the throne why onely by the first Apostacy from God Adams Fall was Sins Rise its reign commenc'd from mans rebellion 't is a meer upstart and intruder God never design'd this power to it will you now by your liking of it and continuance under it give an after-ratification or approbation of its power It hath depriv'd you of your primitive liberty and will you not endeavour to regain it when Sardis was taken by the Grecians Xerxes commanded that every day when he was at dinner one should cry aloud Sardis is lost Sardis is lost that hereby he might be inminded of what he had lost and stirr'd up to endeavour the regaining of it ô Sirs your Original Liberty is lost Sin hath got it out of your hands this we proclaim in your ears from time to time that you may never be quiet till you have recovered it and yet will you do nothing in order thereunto will you e'ne sit still under this inexpressible loss ô that 's sad All this hath been spoken to set you against Sins dominion to excite you to the most earnest endeavours to be rid of its soveraignty to cause you to fly to the Spirit of Life that you may be made free from the Law of Sin to work holy purposes in you that Sin shall no longer reign over you that you may say with the Church Isa 26.13 O Lord our God other Lords besides thee have had dominion over us but by thee onely will we make mention of thy name O that I might prevail with some Soul to say with respect to Sin Ah Lord other Lords have had dominion over me lust pride passion covetuousness sensuality have ruled me just as they pleas'd but I desire it may be so no longer I am resolved now onely to be subject to thy self ô do thou dethrone Sin and inthrone thy self in me let me be brought under universal hearty ready subjection to thy Laws and let not the Law of Sin carry it in me any longer c. One Direction given for the Sinners being freed from Sins power In what ways and by what means a poor enslaved Sinner may be made free from the Law of Sin is a very weighty enquiry and I would hope that some Sinners being convinc'd by what hath been spoken have it in their thoughts For answer to it there 's one Direction only which I shall at present give 't is this Get into the regenerate state regenerate persons are the adequate Subjects of this freedom they and none but they are freed from Sin as a Law Paul so long as he was unconverted was as much under this Law as any person whatsoever but as soon as it pleased God to convert him he was made free from it This deliverance depends upon the state it must be the state of regeneracy till which Sin will keep up its regency and soveraignty in the Soul ô as you have heard when Grace once comes into the heart the kingdom of Sin goes down and the kingdom of Christ goes up therein but never before All your strivings endeavours convictions purposes promises will never make Sins throne to shake and fall till you be renewed and sanctified Therefore pray much for the regenerating Spirit and attend much upon the regenerating Word in order to this great work Joh. 3.5 Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God Jam. 1.18 Of his own will begat he us by the Word of truth c. 1 Cor. 4.15 In Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel 't is this Spirit and this Word which must renew and bring about the new birth in you and so deliver you from the power of darkness and translate you into the kingdom of Gods dear Son as the Apostle speaks Col. 1.13 But this will be more properly enlarg'd upon when I shall come to the third Observation therefore here I 'le say no more about it VSE 3. To such who are made free from the Law of Sin first by way of Counsel 3. I will direct my self to those who by the Spirit of Life are made free from the Law of Sin something to them 1. by way of Counsell 2. by way of Comfort By way of Counsel I 'le urge three duties upon them 1. The first is hearty and deep humiliation and this is incumbent upon such partly upon what is past and partly upon what is present Regenerate persons to be deeply humbled though they be made free from the Law of Sin First hath the Lord been so gracious to any of you as to bring you out of the Natural bondage to dethrone and bring down this Sin which did at such a rate domineer over you ô you must be deeply humbled upon your taking a view of what is past
You are now God be blessed for it made free but how long was it before this was done how many years did you pass over in the unregenerate state in which you were as much under the command and at the beck of Sin as any how great a part of your life hath been spent in its drudgery and vassalage for how long a time did you tamely submit to its yoke when you would by no means be brought to submit to the yoke of Christ do you not remember how it was with you a few days or years ago when the Scepter was in Sins hands and it rul'd and acted you even as it pleased should not this now be thought of with the greatest grief and sorrow ô the bondage rebellion enmity of the natural state should even by converted ones often be remembred and bitterly bewailed That 's a Soul-humbling Heart-melting word * Eph. 2.3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts c. who can read that sad description of a Sinner before Conversion Ezek. 16.3 4 5 c. and not be affected Secondly you must be humbled upon the consideration of what is present 'T is better than it hath been yet not so well as it might and should be Sin hath lost its absolute full entire power but yet it lives nay yet it hath a great strength and power in and over you I and against you too so as that 't is still able to do you much hurt notwithstanding its being weakened as Sampson though he was much debilitated when his locks were cut yet he had strength enough left to do mischief to the Philistins Do not you to this very day find the corrupt Nature very strong and powerful Sin rising and stirring in you with great vigour many very evil inclinations assaulting you with such vehemency that you scarce know how to resist doth not Corruption this and that Lust too often foil you and triumph over you as its Captives Now though these things are not enough to evince Sins dominion yet surely they call for deep humiliation it doth not rule you here it shall not damn you hereafter but it defiles you often separates 'twixt you and your God draws you off from him prevailingly hinders you from what is good and prevailingly also excites you to what is evil is not this sad is there nothing to afflict a gracious heart but only the unbroken power of Sin ô why are you not more in crying out ô wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death He that gloried here in his deliverance from the Law of Sin in one sense was as much abased before because of the Law of Sin of which he felt so much in another sense The wise God orders it thus that Sin shall not only have a being in his people but also a considerable power over them in this life amongst other ends for this that he may keep them humble and draw out and heighten their godly sorrow and indeed there 's more in the relicks of Sin to humble the true Christian than in all the outward Evils that either do or can befall him O never think how it hath been how yet it is without great self-abasement and humiliation when you begin to be * 2 Cor. 12.7 exalted above measure remember what you were consider what you are To stand fast in their liberty 2. Are you made free from the Law of Sin let me say to you what Paul once said to the Galatians in reference to their being made free from the Ceremonial Law * Galat. 5.1 Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage Is Sin brought down be sure you keep it down 't is pity it should get up again or ever recover its pristine power When a people have once got the Vsurper off from the throne it concerns them to look to it that he doth not regain it for should he so do their condition then would be much worse than before Saints just so should you carry it toward Sin That 's brought under at present I but it watches all opportunities for the regaining of that power which it hath lost for 't is of a proud nature and cannot bear the loss of superiority you must therefore always be upon your guard with your weapons in your hands ready to make resistance against it in all its attempts or else it will soon rally its forces and make head again upon you and endanger all I know all its attempts are in vain as to the recovery of its former dominion God will not suffer it again to lord it over you as before it did yet if you be careless especially if you in the least side with it 't will strangely get ground and grow upon you Therefore as Christ once charged the healed man Joh. 5.14 Thou art made whole sin no more so would I charge you you are made free ô sin no more that you may never come under its bondage again Though God had so miraculously brought Israel out of Egypt and out of that miserable servitude that there they were in yet upon all occasions how desirous were they to be in Egypt again shall it be thus with you shall your gracious deliverance be so undervalued have you such low thoughts of Sins servitude as that you can be willing to come under it again 'Pray learn how to put a due value upon your liberty prize it at an high rate and so prize it as to continue in it and to maintain it to your utmost Amongst other Conditions which were anciently impos'd upon those who were set at liberty this was one that they should not servitutis jugum iterum sponte suscipere willingly submit to the yoke of bondage again and is not this obligation laid upon Souls in their being made free by Christ and the Spirit The * Libertatem nemo bonus nisi cum animâ simul amittit Salust in Conjur Cat. Historian tells us a good man will lose his life as soon as his liberty ô how should you defend that spiritual liberty which you have by Christ and by Grace I beseech you take heed lest by your carelesness and little compliances with Sin you provoke God to permit its former power and tyranny in a great measure to return upon you that he may thereby let you see the difference 'twixt His and Sins government read and apply Deut. 28.47 48. 'T would be sad it God should deal with any of you as once that Master in Athens did with his Servant whom he had formerly made free but upon some unworthy carriage he reversed and retracted that freedom saying to him * Superse deo te habere civem tanti muneris impium aestimatorem c. Abi igitur esto servus quoniam liber esse nescisti Val. Max. l. 2. cap. 6. The City shall never have one
the Spirit He 's the great agent in your Regeneration deliverance from Sins Soveraignty illumination conviction turning to God believing mortification c. from him your light life strength liberty joy peace do all proceed why do you not more love and honour the Spirit O love the Son for what hath been done without but love the Spirit also for what he hath done within the whole management of Soul-work within in order to salvation now lies upon the hands of the Spirit let him be adored and honoured by all Saints 2 To live under the Law of the Spirit As you have found the Law of the Spirit in your first Conversion so you should live under the Law of the Spirit in your whole Conversation There is the power of the Spirit at the first saving work that is here spoken of and there is in what sense you have heard the continuation of it in the whole life now this you are to labour after I mean two things 1. you are to live under the constant influences 2. under the constant government and rule of the Spirit Blessed is the man that hath it always working in him and ruling of him what a life doth he live who ever lives under the Spirits authoritative guidance Col. 3.15 Let the peace of God rule in your hearts c. I and let the Spirit of peace rule in your hearts 'T is a great motive to men to come under the rule of Christ to consider that where he rules there he saves and 't is also a great motive to sanctified persons to live under the rule of the Spirit to consider where he rules there he comforts his governing and his comforting go together he that is acted by the Spirits command and yields up himself to the Spirits guidance shall neither want peace here nor come short of Heaven hereafter 3 To set Law against Law Set Law against Law the Law of the Spirit against the Law of Sin You yet find too much of this latter Law and it goes to the heart of you that Sin should yet have so great a power over you well what have you to do in this case why set Law against Law power against power the power of the Spirit against the power of Sin this should humble you that should support you That power which could baffle Sin when in its full strength can it not subdue it in the remainders thereof that power which could bring you in to God in spite of all opposition is it not sufficient to keep you now you are brought in to God 1 Pet. 1.5 We are kept by the power of God through Faith unto salvation that very power is put forth for your establishment now which was put forth for your Conversion at the first ô fear not the Law of Sin against you so long as the Law of the Spirit is for you When you are beset and enemies press hard upon you see that you improve both for duty and comfort this power of Gods own Spirit Thus I have finish'd the three Observations which take in the summe of this Verse Rom. 8.2 Reader the Contents of this Chapter were insisted upon only in the close of a Sermon I having under the former Head the Law of Sin exceeded the bounds allowed by the Press cannot upon this Head the Law of Death make any considerable enlargement From the Law of Sin and Death CHAP. VIII Of the Law of Death The connexion 'twixt Sin and Death Where 't is the Law of Sin there 't is the Law of Death Regenerate persons are made free from this Law that opened with respect to Death temporal and Death eternal Vse 1. Men persuaded to believe that Sin and Death go together dehorted from thence not to sin Vse 2. Of the happiness of Gods people Of the Law of Death THe Apostle here sets a twofold Law before us the Law of Sin and the Law of Death the former I have been large upon the latter I must dispatch in a few words And Death The word Law is not repeated but according to that interpretation which some put upon the Words 't is to be * Ut Lex ad utrumque ex aequo referatur Erasm Of the twofold Sense of the Words repeated 't is the Law of Sin and 't is the Law of Death too as if the Apostle had said The Law c. hath made me free both from the Law of Sin and also from the Law of Death In the * See pag. 152. opening of them I told you there is a twofold Sense given of them 1. Some tell us there is in them the Figure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein one thing is set forth by two words therefore they render this and Death as being onely an Adjective or Epethite of Sin thus the Law c. from the Law of Sin and Death that is from deadly Sin or from the Law of Sin which is of a deadly nature 2. Others take the word substantivè making the Law of Death to be a Law by it self as well as the Law of Sin as if this Death was not to be melted into Sin and the deliverance from it into the deliverance from Sin but that they are distinct things and point to distinct deliverances Now both of these Senses are very true and good and indeed I know not which to prefer From the First The Matter contained in them one single point offers it self to us viz. That Sin is a deadly thing From the Second these three which mutatis mutandis perfectly answer to the three former under the Law of Sin 1. That men by Nature and before Regeneration are under the Law of Death 2. That upon Regeneration or such as are Regenerate are made free from the Law of Death 3. That 't is the Law of the Spirit of Life which frees from the Law of Death The due handling of these Heads would take up a great deal of time but I having already staid too long upon this Verse and upon some other Considerations I am necessitated to contract and therefore for the better shortning of the work I must pitch upon another method wherein I may draw all into a narrow compass Three things abserv'd in the Words That Sin and Death go together Three things onely shall be observ'd 1. That Sin and Death go hand in hand together There 's an inseperable connexion or conjunction betwixt them they come here in the Text very near each to the other there 's but an and betwixt them and that too is copulative the Law of Sin and Death And well might the Apostle put them together when God himself in the methods of his Justice and in the threatning of his Law hath so put them together and surely what he hath so joyn'd no man can put asunder When Sin came into the world Death came along with it the one trod upon the heels of the other if man will sin he shall
the death of this Death or that wherein it mainly consists hence though it doth not carry in it any annihilation yea though it be attended with a kind of Life both Soul and Body retaining their physical being existence and union yet 't is called Death because there is in it a separation from the fountain of true Life and of all blessedness upon which account 't is not only Death but the worst Death and this too is the worst part of this worst Death for though there be more included in it than the loss of Gods presence viz. the punnishment of sense eternal torment in Hell-fire yet it might easily be prov'd that herein lies its greatest evil the Mat. 25.41 departing from God is worse than the going into everlasting fire But to apply this distinction to the business in hand How Believers are made free from the Law of temporal death 1. The Law of the Spirit of Life frees the Regenerate from death temporal Not simply and absolutely from death considered abstractly and in it-self for so all must dye Believers themselves are within the compass of the general Statute Heb. 9.27 It is appointed unto men once to dye Psal 89.48 What man is he that liveth and shall not see death shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave but it frees from death as so qualified and so circumstantiated in the language of the Text it frees from the Law of Death How 's that why take a gracious man Death hath not a full right or an absolute power over him so as to keep him under its dominion forever for so I show'd you some open this Law of Death Such an one may dye but he shall live again the grave shall not always hold him he may be thrown into prison for a time but Christ will fetch him out and then death shall never again exercise its power over him after he hath died once he shall dye no more as 't is said of Christ Rom. 6.9 Again Grace frees from the Law of this Death that is from the hurtfulness sting and curse of it Death carries much of a curse in it 't is the result and fruit of the primitive * Gen. 2.17 curse now in this notion sanctified persons are freed from it The nature and property of death is altered to a godly man to him 't is now but the paying of that debt or tribute which is due to Nature but a (a) 1. Thes 4.14 sleep but a (b) Job 14.14 change but a (c) Luk. 2.29 departure or going out of prison but a (d) If. 57.2 going to bed but an (e) 2 Cor. 5.4 uncloathing but a passage into an endless and everlasting life an inlet into the immediate fruition of God O set but sense aside what an harmless innocent thing is this death to such a person the Lion being slain by Christ there 's hony now in the belly of it I allude to that of Sampson Judg. 14.8 1 Cor. 15.55 O death where is thy sting ô grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law but thanks be to God which give thus the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Christ by death hath overcome death unstung it and taken off its hurtful quality by dying himself he hath expiated Sin vanquished Satan atoned God satisfied the Law secured from Hell purchased eternal life and these things being done where is now the Law of Death Heb 2.14 15 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil And deliver them who through fear of dâ—ath were all their life time subject to bondage How from the Law of eternal death 2. There is that death which is much worse than this viz. eternal death that which indeed is the death incomparably surpassing any other as no life like to eternal life so no death like to eternal death To have the Body separated for a while from the Soul is a thing to Nature very dreadful but what is that to the separation both of Body and Soul from God forever This is sometimes set forth by Death without the addition of any Epethite as Joh. 8.51 If a man keep my sayings he shall never see death Rom. 6.23 8.6 passim Sometimes by the second death and 't is so stiled because it succeeds upon and doth not commence till after the first death Rev. 2.11 He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death Rev 20.6 21.4 This is that death which the * Sicut is qui liberatur a Lege Spiritus vitae permanet in Christo qui est vita ita qui servit Lege peccati permanet in morte quae venit ex damnatione peccati Orig. unconverted and impenitent are obnoxious unto but such as turn to God by true repentance and live and holy life they are freed from it And this deliverance is absolute the former was but in such a qualified sense but this I say is absolute Even such may and shall dye the first death but they shall never dye this second death Rom. 20.6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power You read of the abolishing of this death by Christ 2 Tim. 1.10 eternal death is quite abolished to all regenerate persons But this very much falls in with the No-condemnation in the foregoing Verse of which having there said enough I 'le add nothing more VSE 1. Men exhorted to live in the belief of this that 't is Sin and Death By way of Vse 1. I would exhort you all to live in the steady belief of this and often to revive it upon your thoughts that 't is Sin and Death Especially when at any time Satan and your own hearts sollicit and tempt you to sin be sure then you think of this so as to retort it upon the temptation speedily what shall I sin and dye shall I for the pleasures delights satisfaction of sin which are but * Heb. 11.25 for a season expose my self to death yea to eternal death no that I dare not that I must not do 'T is good to break the force of a temptation by such reasonings as these for though 't is true the great restraints from sin should be taken from the love of God the fear of offending God c. yet it 's good and God allows it to take in the advantage of self-love too and the fear of self-destroying Surely if men did indeed believe or did nor strangely smother and suppress all serious convictions about this that 't is sin and death they durst not sin as they do Where 's the man let him be never so thirsty or let the draught be never so alluring that would venture upon it should he
ire Cypr. fear it For to you 't will come without a sting and you know the Serpent that hath lost its sting may hiss but cannot hurt 't is in it self an enemy and the * 1 Cor. 15.26 last enemy but to you 't is an harmless because a conquer'd enemy it may seem to threaten the greatest evil but in truth it shall do you the greatest good But here lies your main happiness you are wholly exempted from eternal death the second death you shall dye but once and then live with God forever 'T is this second death that makes the first to be so formidable for a man to dye that he may live that 's not at all dreadful but to dye here in order to a worser death hereafter there 's the thing which is only dreadful When death is but an inlet to eternal life a departure to be * Phill. 1.23 with Christ when there 's no condemnation to follow after it you may and you should meet it with joy and holy triumph And know that to you it shall not be bare freedome from eternal death but it shall also be the possession of eternal life there 's very much in the privative part of the mercy but when the positive part too is joined with it how high doth it rise ô admire and adore the Grace of God! The least of your sins deserves death the best of your duties doth not deserve life and yet you are freed from that which you so much deserve and shall be put into the possession of that which you so little deserve here 's the riches of the grace of God towards you Sin and Death are the two * Peccatum mors sunt duae partes adaequatae humanae miseriae nam in culpâ poenâ tota miseria hominis consistit Streso comprehensive evils all evil is summ'd up in and under them but you are freed from both what reason have you to rejoice and to admire the Lords boundless goodness ô the damned in hell who are under this death and feel it what would they give to be freed from it You through the merit of Christ and the power of the Spirit are made free from it therefore you should first be very thankeful and then very chearful What great things hath the gracious God done for you he hath delivered you from the Rule of sin whilst you live from the hurt of death when you dye have not you abundant cause of blessing and rejoicing 'T will not be long before this Death will look you in the face and lay its cold hands upon you 't is every minute making its nearer approaches to you by every breath you draw it gets ground upon you well be not troubled at this you know the worst on 't 't is death but not damnation 't is the parting of the Soul from the Body but no parting of the Soul from God 't is but dying temporally that you may live eternally how great is your happiness proportionable to which how great should your thankefulness and holy joy be So much for this Verse ROM 8.3 4. For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit CHAP. IX Of the Laws inability to justify save High and glorious Matter contained in these two Verses Of their Coherence with what went before The difference amongst Expositors about that The General sense and meaning of the Words The various Readings and Explications of them They are divided into Five Parts There 's a Complication in them of the several Causes of the Sinners Justification and Salvation The First Branch of the Text insisted upon What the Law c. Four things observed in it Of its Literal Exposition What is here meant by Law What that was which the Law could not do How 't is said to be weak What the Flesh is by which 't is weakened The whole matter drawn into one Observation Of the Special matter of the Laws impotency as it refers to Justification and Salvation Three Grounds or Demonstrations of its impotency 1. It requires more than what the fal'n Creature can perform 2. It doth not give what the fal'n Creature needs 3. It cannot make reparation for what the fal'n Creature bath done Use 1. To humble us because we have a Nature in us by which Gods own Law is thus weakened where some thing is said against the Power of Nature Use 2. First To vindicate the Honor of the Law notwithstanding the Weakness charg'd upon it Secondly The Laws Obligation not to be cast off because of this Thirdly Nor yet is it to be look'd upon as altogether weak or useless Use 3. To take men off from expecting Righteousness and Life from and by the Law Use 4. To stir up Believers to adore the Love and Mercy of God in sending his Son when the Law was under an utter inability to justifie and save High and glorious things contained in these Verses OUr Apostle here Eagle-like soar's aloft and rises up in his discourse to the most sublime truths of the Gospel These two Verses set things before us so high and glorious as may fill Heaven and Earth Angels and Men with amazement and astonishment Here 's the whole Gospel sum'd up in a few words contracted and brought into a narrow compass here 's in one view Man undone and Man recover'd the depths of the Creatures misery and the heights of Gods Mercy in a short abridgement Here 's Gods sending his Son which surely was the greatest thing that ever he did it being the highest contrivance of his infinite Wisdom and the highest product of his infinite Love Here 's this Son sent in our flesh the first and the great Mystery of the Gospel for it comes in the front of the Gospel-Mysteries 1 Tim. 3.16 Here 's sin condemn'd and the Sinner acquitted the Law represented as impossible for us to keep yet fulfilled for us in a most strange and wonderful manner as Christ hath done and suffered that for us which we were utterly unable to do and suffer our selves O the * Eph. 3.18 bredths lengths depths heights of the Wisdom Mercy Justice Holiness of God! for all these several Attributes in what is here set forth do concur and shine forth in their greatest lustre Who can hear or read these two Verses with due consideration and not be in a divine transport and extasie for the truth is whatever is short of the most raised workings in the Soul is too low for the glorious things here spoken of The Coherence of them with what goes before We must first enquire into their Coherence or Connexion with what goes before They are a further proof or confirmation of the main Proposition laid down in the first
Verse there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus That which might endanger as to Condemnation was Sin and there are two things in Sin to endanger about it its Power and Guilt therefore the Apostle shews how such who are in Christ are freed from both of these As to the taking away its Power that is spoken to in the second Verse The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin c. As to the taking away its Guilt that he speaks to in these two Verses What the Law could not do c. As if the Apostle had said If any thing could condemn God's people it would be Sin but that cannot for t is condemn'd it self Christ or God by him hath condemned Sin and so the Sinner himself shall not be condemned by it or for it The guilt of Sin being expiated and the Sinner made righteous upon the imputation of Christs Obedience and Satisfaction which are the two things here asserted surely there is there can be no condemnation to those who have an interest in this Grace And this I judge to be the chief scope and proper reference of the Words which I will endeavour to clear up a little further The Coherence further cleered The Believers Non-condemnation as you have heard is brought about partly by Sanctification in which the strength and dominion of Sin is broken and partly by Justification in which the guilt of Sin is done away and not imputed The First of these is done by the Spirit in the heart within in the putting forth of his mighty power in the work of Regeneration the Law of the Spirit of Life c. The Second is done by the Son for the person without in that Propitiatory Sacrifice which he offered up to God upon which God is atoned reconciled satisfied and so doth acquit the Sinner Now the Apostle having spoken to that act which is proper to the Spirit Vers 2. he here expresly speaks to that which was proper to and to be effected by the Son God sending his Son in the c. And he speaks of condemning sin for sin that is for Christ's being a Sacrifice for Sin and therefore this must properly and strictly refer to Justification rather than to Sanctification Yet I would not be too nice for as in a large sense the Law of sin in the foregoing Verse may point to the guilt as well as to the power of sin so here in a large sense too the condemning of sin may point to the abolishing of the power as well as to the expiating of the guilt of sin Expositors take in both and I would not straighten the Words more than needs though yet I conceive in their main and primary intendment they refer to what is done in Justification The Apostles Argument then stands thus To them for whom God sent his Son all other ways being impossible for sin to condemn sin and in their stead to fulfil the righteousness of the Law to them there is no Condemnation But for Believers and such who are in Christ God upon these terms sent his Son therefore to them there is no Condemnation I shall follow those * Nunc sequitur expolitio vel illustratio probationis qùod scilicet Dominus gratuitâ suâ misericordiâ nos in Christo justificavit id quod Legi erat impossibile Calvin Duobus argumentis consolationem de indemnitate piis confirmavit quorum prius fuit quod Lex Spiritus c. Alterum quod Deus misso filio suo c. Pareus Jam accedit ad probationem sententiae prioris quae fuit de justificatione nempe credentes in Christum esse justificatos seu nullam esse eis condemnationem Piscat in Paraphr Observandum sententiam hanc non cohaerere cum proximè praecedente sed cum priore membro versiculi primi Id. in Schol Vide Cajet in locum Quorum causâ Deus Pater misit Filium suum coaeternum in carne conspicuum fieri iis nulla est condemnatio at qui nostrâ causâ c. Gryn See Dutch Annot. Interpreters who make the main Scope and drift of the words to lie in this I know there are * Firmamentum est in hoc versu superioris conclusionis c. Beza Pertinent ista declarationis vice ad id quod dixit se per legem Spiritus c. et transfert totius hujus negotii causam meritum in gratiam Dei Muscul He proves the foresaid making free because that God being reconciled by Christs death he hath taken away from sin that power which he had granted it over man for a punishment of his first transgression Deod Hic affertur ratio quâ ostenditur istum Dei Spiritum liberatorem nobis donatum esse c. Pet Mart. Ratio superioris sententiae quâ explicat Apostolus quomodo Lex Spiritus c. Justin Hic Versus continet aetiologiam itemque exegesin eorum quae versu secundo dicta fuerunt Vorst So Staplet Streso Râ—lloc c. Several who go another way they making the Words to be rather the further explication or continuation of that Matter which is laid down in the Second Verse The Saints are made free from the law of sin and death how is that brought about why thus God sent his Son into the World by whom he is reconciled to them being reconcil'd upon this he hath taken away from Sin that commanding power that it had before abolished its strength devested it of its former dominion and regency and this they make to be the condemning of sin in the Text. Well! I will not now object any thing against this Interpetation hereafter I shall speak more to it when I come to the more particular opening of the Clause And for sin condemned sin only at present give me leave to prefer the former The words consider'd in themselves Their general sense and meaning Let us now consider the Words in themselves As to their general Sense and Meaning 't is plainly this though somewhat more darkly express'd * Quod impossibile erat logi Deus in Christo fecit Anselm Mens Apostoli hoc loco est etsi verbis obscurioribus expressa id nobis praestitum per gratiam quod Lex praestare non potuit Estius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophyl What the Law it standing in such circumstances could not do for the guilty undone Sinner that God through Christ hath fully done for him this is that plain Truth which they resolve themselves into The various Readings of them I find some considerable difference amongst Expositors in the Reading of them * Mihi locum hunc pro virili meâ perpendenti videtur aliquid verborum deesse ad explendam sententiam veluti si sic legamus Nam quod Lex Mosaica non potuit juxta partem carnalem secundum quam imbecillis erat inefficax hoc Deus praestitit misso Filio
in it of the Covenant of Grace For Matter and Substance they were both but one and the same Law the Terms and Conditions of both were the same * Rom. 10.5 Do and Live but there were certain appendixes of Grace to the Moral Law which were not in that made with Adam in the state of innocency as is fully made out by several * Camero de tripl Foedere Coceius de Foedere Bulkely on the Covenant p. 57. Writers upon the Covenant so that it was a mixt thing there being something in it of the Covenant of Works and something also of the Covenant of Grace Now the Law considered as first given to Adam and then as renewed to the people of Israel so far as in both it was the Covenant of Works is the Law here spoken of as being concluded under an impossibility of doing what was requisite to be done 'T was not the Ceremonial Law which the Apostle here had in his eye but the * Legem dicit non praecepta Sacrificicrum et caetera quae erant umbra usque ad tempus Christi data sed illam quam c. Hieron Quare nihil est quod quisquam cavilletur illud quod Paulus ait Impossibile fuisse Legi non ad Moralem sed ad Ceremonias referri P. Martyr Moral Law it self which if it was necessary might be evinc'd by several Considerations but this one is enough he speaks of that Law the righteousness of which was to be fulfilled in Believers For Law in the 3 verse must be expounded by Law in the 4 verse now 't is the righteousness of the Moral Law which is fulfilled in us Ergo. 'T is very true Paul insisting upon the Laws weakness doth sometimes direct his discourse to the Ceremonial and sometimes to the Moral Law and it would be of great use to us to understand his Epistles if we could exactly hit upon the true notion of that Law of which he occasionally speaks but undoubtedly here 't was the Moral Law as the Covenant of Works of which he affirmeth that it could not do c. Let this suffice for answer to the First Question The Second is 2d Quest What is the thing which the Law could not do What doth this impossible of the Law refer to or what is the thing in Special which the Law could not do To this 't is answered several wayes You read vers 1. of exemption from condemnation now this the Law could not do the Law in separation from Christ and especially in opposition to Christ can condemn millions but it cannot save one person from condemnation thus * c. nempe condemnationem ab homine auferre Piscat Some do open it You read vers 2. of being made free from the Law of sin and death herein too was the Law impotent it might lay some restraints upon sin but it could never bring down the power of Sin †Aptissimus mihi sensus videtur ut illa verba non modo sequentia sed multo magis praecedentia respiciant c. ut in carnis contumaciam domandam vires non haberet Contz Some apply it to this There is the blessed empire or regency of the Spirit over the Flesh as also the full and perfect obeying of the Laws commands neither of these could the Law effect so ‖ Duo quantum ad propositum spectar subordinata sunt quae Lex nequit efficere Alterum est Dominium Spiritus super carnem alterum hinc consequens est perfecta praeceptorum Legis executio Cajet Cajetaine opens it There is the amendment and reformation of the life and manners this the Law could not do this explication †Dr. Hammond Some six upon The Text speaks of the condemning of sin this the Law could not do it can condemn the Sinner but it cannot in a way of expiation condemn sin it self So * Quae erat impossibilitas Legis nempe id facere quod Deus deinde fecit in Carne Filii sui condemnare peccatum Lud. De Dieu De Dieu paraphraseth upon it ‖ Quid est illud quod legi erat praestitu impossibile Abolere peccatum reddere justos liberare à jure peccati mortis dare ut justitia quam docebat exigebat in nobis impleretur Muscul Musculus puts many things together What is it saith he that was impossible to the Law he answers to abolish sin to make righteous to free from the Law of Sin and Death to give that the righteousness which it taught and exacted should be fulfilled in us All these several explications are very true but further there 's the reconciling of God and the Sinner the atoning and propitiating of an incensed God the satisfying of infinite justice the paying of vast debts contracted the justifying of the guilty the giving of a right and title to Heaven with many other such-like great things Now the Law was under an impossibility of doing or effecting any of these insomuch that God must send his Son or no * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athan. Significat Legem fuisse imbecillem invalidam ad justificandom hominem Peter Disp 3. in c. 8. ad Rom. justification no reconciliation no atonement no satisfaction no paiment no pardon no righteousness no salvation which will be by and by particularly made out in the two most eminent branches of the Laws impotency I must mind you that I am in all this speaking of the Moral Law The inability of the Ceremonial Law abstracted from Christ who was the pith and marrow and who put energy and efficacy into all the types rites shadows of that Law I say its inability to do any thing further than to point or direct and lead to Christ is easily granted 'T is the very thing which the Apostle largely insists upon the proof of in his excellent Epistle to the Hebrews Chap. 7.18 19. For there is verily a disannulling of the Commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof for the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did by the which we draw nigh unto God Heb. 9.9 Which was a figure for the time then present in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices that could not make him that did the service perfect as pertaining to the conscience So Heb. 10.1 For the Law having a shadow of good things to come and not the very image of the things can never with those Sacrifices which they offered year by year continualy make the commers thereunto perfect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here 's a total negation of the power of the Ceremonial Law And that Law had its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also for the Apostle adds vers 4. it is not possible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sins thus it was with that Law of which 't is very clear Paul speaks in these places And it was
legis impotentiam aliò ut Legem absolvat à culpá quam dat carni viz. nostrae i. e. corruptae nostrae naturae Muscul Ne quis parum honorificè Legem impotentÃae argui putaret vel hoc restringeret ad Ceremonias expressit nominatim Paulus defectum illum non à Legis esse vitio sed Carnis nostrae corruptelâ Calvin through our Flesh 't is not so in and from it self but only through our depraved nature 't is meerly by accident et aliundè that it lies under this impotency The Law is not to be blamed but we had not we finn'd the Law would have been still as able and mighty in its operations as ever it was did it but meet with the same subject it would soon appear that it hath the same power which it had before Adam fell So that I say the Law is not at all in the fault but only we because of the Flesh Observe here the wisdom and care of our Apostle where-ever he seems to tax the Law there he will be sure to vindicate it As where he speaks of its irritating of corruption he there layes the blame upon his own wicked nature not at all upon the holy Law Rom. 7.8 9 10 11. Sin taking occasion by the commandment wrought in me all manner of concupiscence for without the Law sin was dead For I was alive without the Law once but when the commandment came Sin revived and I died And the commandment which was ordained to life I found to be unto death For Sin taking occasion by the commandment deceived me and by it slew me Yet vers 12 13 14. The Law is holy and the commandment holy and just and good Was then that which is good made death unto me God forbid But Sin that it might appear Sin working death in me by that which is good that Sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful For we know that the Law is spiritual but I am carnal sold under sin And thus we should carry it with respect to the Laws weakness O in it self 't is mighty and powerful but there is sin in us by which only the Law is made weak there therefore the blame must lye Could we but get rid of this Sin we should soon find what a mighty thing the Law is so mighty that nothing would be too high or too hard for it 2 Secondly Take heed that you do not cast off the Law upon this pretence 'T is indeed weak as to such ends but yet 't is a Law and that which is obligatory to all even to Believers themselves under the Gospel State and Covenant Shall we because of this weakness especially it being occasioned by our selves cast off the Law and pretend that we are not under the obligation of it we must not so argue Observe it in the Apostle even when he was proving the weakness of the Law as to Justification and shewing that God had found out another way for that viz. the way of Faith yet foreseeing that some might run themselves upon this rock and infer from hence that they had nothing to do with the Law he therefore adds * Rom. 3.31 Do we then make void the Law through Faith God forbid yea we establish the Law in its proper place and Sphere The Creature as a creature is under a natural and therefore indispensable obligation to this Law so as that nothing can exempt him from that obligation It commands to love fear serve honour obey God wherein it obliges so strongly that God himself with reverence be it spoken cannot free the creature from its obligation to these duties True indeed Believers are not under the curse rigor or bondage of this Law or under it as it is the condition of life but they are and it cannot be otherwise under the obligation of its commands as to an holy life There may be and blessed be God there is a great change as to circumstances a great relaxation as to the Laws rigors severitys and penaltys but for the main duties of Obedience and Holiness it is eternally obligatory and never to be abrogated O therefore do not look upon your selves as made free from this Law though it be weak and unable to justifie and save you it can damne upon the breaking of it though it cannot save by the keeping of it 3 Thirdly Neither must you upon this look upon the Law as altogether weak or useless I say not as altogether weak for though as to some things it be under a total impotency yet as to other things it still retains its pristine power It cannot take away sin or make righteous or give life which it promis'd at first and for which it was appointed for the commandment was ordained to life Rom. 7.10 here 's the weak side of the Law as to these 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But as to the commanding of duty the directing and regulating of the life the threatning of punishment upon the violation of it here it can do whatever it did before The Laws preceptive and punitive part where 't is not taken off by Christ are yet in their full strength only as to the promissory part of it viz. its promising life upon the condition of perfect Obedience there 't is at a loss In a word its authority to oblige to duty or punishment is the same that ever it was but its ability to give righteousness or life in which respects only the Apostle here speaks of it is not the same If God open this Law to you and set it home upon your Consciences you will find it hath yet a very great strength and efficacy in it let it not therefore be altogether weak in your eye Nor altogether useless For Some will be ready to say if the Law be thus weak then what use is there of it to what end doth it serve what is to be looked for from that which can do so little for us But do not you thus reason For though the Law be not of use to you as to Justification I mean in a way of immediate influence upon the Act or State a remoter influence it may have yet in other respects 't is of great and admirable use viz. as a Monitor to excite to duty as a Rule to direct and guide you in your course as a Glass to discover sin as a Bridle to restrain sin as an Hatchet to break the hard heart as a * Gal. 3.24 Schoole-master to whip you to Christ The Lord Jesus indeed hath taken Sin-pardoning God-atoning Justice-satisfying Soul-saving work into his own hands he would not trust this in the hands of the Law any longer because he knew the weakness of it but for other work the awakening and convincing of a Sinner the terrifying of the secure the humbling of the proud the preparing of the Soul to close with Christ though this last act be only eventual and accidental as to the Law all this work I
no satisfaction without flesh no suffering therefore Christ must be incarnate Look as he must be * Suscipitur à virtute infirmitas a majestate humilitas â—ut quod nostris remediis congruebat unus atque idem Dei hominum Mediator mori ex uno resurgere possit ex altero Nisi enim esset verus Deus non adferret remedium nisi esset verus Homo non praeberet exemplum Leo de Nativ Quum mortem nec solus Deus sentire nec solus Homo superareposset Humanam Naturam cum Divinâ sociavit ut alterius imbecillitatem morti subjiceret ad expianda peccata alterius virtute luctam cum morte suscipiens nobis victoriam acquireret Calvin Instit l. 2. cap. 12. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. vide Epiphan adv Haer. l. 2. t. 2. p. 748. more than Man that he may be able so to suffer that his Sufferings may be meritorious that he may go through with his Work and conquer all enemies difficulties discouragements whatsoever all which could not have been done by a meet man so he must be Man that he may be in a capacity to suffer die and obey for these are no work for one who is only God A God only cannot suffer a Man only cannot merit God cannot obey Man is bound to obey whereupon his Obedience will be but matter of debt and therefore not meritorious wherefore Christ that he might obey and suffer he was Man and that he might merit by his Obedience and Suffering he was God-man just such a Person did the work of Redemption call for The 3d Reason why Christ was sent in Flesh because this was the best and fittest way in order to the carrying on of God's designs 3. Christ must be made Flesh because as was said before concerning his sending this was the best the fittest the most convenient way that God could pitch upon in order to the bringing about of his great designs To make it the * De Necessitate si quaeritur non simplex quidem absoluta fuit sed manavit ex coelesti decreto unde pendebat hominum salus caeterum quod nobis optimum erat statuit clementissimus Pater Calvin Instit lib. 2. cap. 12. Licet Deus solo nutu voluntatis abolere potuisset peccatum convenientius tamen ei visum fuit si hâc justitiae viâ procederet ad destruendum regnum peccati Estius in loc Poterat Deus suam incomprehensibitem misericordiae largitatem patefacere condonando noxam humano generi absque ullo actu perfectae satisfactionis c. Vide Soto in Rom. 8.3 Aquin. Sum. 3. P. Qu. 1. Art 2. necessary way especially with respect to satisfaction that to some possibly may seem too high but surely none will deny but that this was the fittest and most convenient way and had it not been so the wise God would have taken some other way rather than it But did he design to advance his own glory and the Sinners good to give out the highest manifestation and utmost advancement of all his Attributes to promote and ascertain Pardon Justification Salvation all Grace to Believers what way could have been thought of so proper so effectual as this of Christ's coming in our Flesh If God will punish sin was it not meet that he should punish it in that Nature in which it had been committed what more congruous than since Man had been the sinner that Man should be the sufferer By man we fell God will therefore in wisdom so order it that by man too we shall rise again that in the same Nature wherein the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wound had been given the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the cure and remedy shall be provided also as * Cyrill Alexandr Comment in Joh. P. 95. one expresses it 1 Cor. 15.21 For since by man came death by man came also the resurrection of the dead Rom. 5.12 As by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned The Humane Nature was to be redeem'd therefore 't was fit that that Nature should be assum'd that was * Nascitur ut ipsam quam prius homo vitiaverat Naturam melioraret August de temp Serm. 20. p. 613. c. Et quia ea natura pro nobis plecti debuit quae peccaverat quaeque erat redimenda Thes Salmur de Christo Mediat p. 244. Quoniam justitia Lex Dei ita flagitabant ut Caro humana quae peccaverat eadem pro peccato lueret Pareus in loc Homo qui debuit Homo qui solvit c. Bern. Ep. ad Innocent corrupted and spoyl'd in us therefore it was expedient that Christ to heal this Nature should take it upon himself pure unstained and uncorrupted in short Satan had foil'd and baffled the first Adam in this Nature wherefore in it Christ the second Adam will foil and baffle him to Man was the Law given by Man was the Law broken therefore by Man also shall the Law be fulfilled So much for the Grounds and Reasons of Christ's Incarnation Hitherto I have insisted upon what is more plain and easte and have only in a more general way spoken to some things that concern the Incarnation and Manhood of Christ Seven Propositions for the due stating and opening of Christ's Incarnation I must now endeavour more particularly to open some other things about them which are of a more mysterious and abstruse Nature I 'le reduce all to these Seven Propositions 1. Prop. Christ who did exist as the Son of God before was incarnate 1. That the Lord Jesus who antecedently to his incarnation was the Son of God and as such had a praevious existence even he was incarnate and made Flesh Here the †Socin in Explic. cap. 1. Joh. in Disput de Nat. Christi Smalcius Homil. in 1. Joh. Hom. 8. Refut thes Grawer in refut thes Franzii Crellius de uno Deo Patre lib. 2. sect 2. cap. 5. p. 562. Ostorod Instit cap. 17. Catech. Racov. p. 89. SOCINIANS again make their opposition for though they acknowledge Christ's Flesh and Manhood they had not need to deny him that it being all they grant him yet that he as praeexisting in the Essence of God and in the relation of God's Natural Son did assume the Humane Nature and unite it to the Divine in one Person this they will by no means acknowledge nay this they fiercely and vehemently oppose With what vile reflections and opprobrious speeches do they load this great Article of our Faith as thus stated * Disp de Nat. Christi p. 10. Humanationem merum humani ingenii suisse commentum p. 3. stupenda Dei metamorphosis Socinus is pleas'd to call it merum humani ingenii commentum a meer fiction of the wit of man †Smalcius refut thes Franziu de Person Christi p. 67. quod
several other Texts in order to the more undeniable proving of the Proposition before us as also to answer the various replyes evasions misinterpretations about them by such who dissent and yet I could most willingly engage therein did I think such an undertaking would be proper in such a Discourse as this or tend to the advantage of any but the truth is I fear I should but perplex private Christians with things that possibly would be too high for them and I 'm sure I should do that which is needless for Others who know where this is * Arnold Catech. Racov. major p. 27◠Galov Socin proflig p. 285. Cocceius against Socin in cap. 1. Joh. cap. 15. Bisterf against Crellius p. 564. Jacob. ad Portum against Ostorod p. 166. Owen against Biddle ch 13. p. 289. c. done already And indeed the whole matter in this Controversie is by Crellius himself brought into a narrow compass wherein we are very willing to joyn issue with him for he grants if Christ did praeexist before he was incarnate that then his incarnation must needs be believ'd and own'd according to our stating of it but I have * See p. 284. c. already proved and Others do it much more fully that he did so praeexist therefore upon that Concession the thing is clear and I need say no more upon it Only let me leave this one word with our Opposers their Homo Deus factus is the greatest falshood but our Deus Homo factus is the greatest truth 2. Prop. Christ the Second Person only was incarnate The second Proposition is this that Christ the Son of God the second Person in the ineffable Trinity he only was incarnate 'T is here said God sending his own Son in the likeness c. the taking then of flesh was that personal act which was proper to the Son alone and in that so often alledged Text 't is said * Joh. 1.14 the Word was made flesh which Title the Word is never attributed to the Father or to the Spirit but alwayes to the Son and you see he 's the person who was made flesh 'T is true Incarnation was the act of the whole Trinity approbativè but 't was only the Son's act terminativè all the Persons approved of it and * Sola persona Filii incarnata est operante tamen eandem incarnationem totâ Sanctâ Trinitate cujus opera sunt inseparabilia August Quest de Trinit tom 3. p. 1040. Vid. Anselm de Incam Verbi cap. 3. 4. concurred to it but it was terminated only in Christ the second Person The Schoolmen compare Christ's Flesh to a garment made by three Virgin-sisters which yet but One of them only wears A †See Lombard lib. 3. Dist 1. Dr. Jackson on the Creed 7th Book p. 255. Question is commonly here started why the second Person rather than the first or the third was thus incarnate which Some do venture to answer by assigning the Reasons of it I humbly conceive there is too much of curiosity in the Question and too much of boldness in the Answer why Christ was incarnate I can give several Reasons but why he rather than the other Persons there I must be silent 'T is also query'd * Of this see Zanchy de tribus Elohim l. 5. c. 6. p. 546. c. Tilen de Incarn Filii Dei Disp 1. Sect. 20. Aug. Serm. 3. de Temp. there being such an oneness betwixt all the Persons how the Son can be said to assume the Humane Nature and yet the Father and Spirit not assume it to which the Answer is obvious this difference might very well be upon that personal distinction which is betwixt them for this assumption of flesh being not the act of the Nature which is common but of the Person which is limited the second Person might so assume and yet the other Persons not 3. Prop. Christ not incarnate till the fulness of time Thirdly Christ's incarnation was in time and not till the fulness of time He was alwayes God for he that is not alwayes God is never God the Divine Essence admitting neither of beginning nor end but he was not * Neque enim Caro issa quae ex came Virginis nata est semper fuit sea Deus qui semper fuit ex carne Virginis in carne Hominis advenit Cassian de Incar Dom. Lib. 6. alwayes man there never was a time in which he was not God but there was a time in which he was not Man His Generation as the Son of God was eternal but his Generation as the Son of Man was but temporal In the fulness of time God sent his Son made of a woman c. Gal. 4.4 The Evangelist sets him forth in his two Natures Joh. 1. with respect to his Divine Nature he shews that he was from everlasting In the beginning was the Word c. the same was in the beginning with God c. then he comes to his Humane Nature and that he shews was in time the Word was made Flesh he was not so ab aeterno but he was made so in time In such a sense Christ may be said to be incarnate from all eternity viz. in regard of God's eternal parpose and decree as in reference to that he is said to be the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world Rev. 13.8 but as to the actuality of his Incarnation that was but 1600 and odd years ago A double enquiry here will be made As 1. if this was deferr'd so long what then became of those who lib'd and dy'd before Christ was inearnate The efficacy and benefit of Christ's Incarnation to those who lived before it if that was so necessary as hath been shown what became of the Patriarchs of all who liv'd under the Law before that was in being I answer they had the merit virine benefit of the thing though they had not the thing it self for God having decreed it and Christ having covenanted and ingaged to the Father that in the fulness of time he would take flesh the Father all-along look'd upon it as actually done and accordingly dealt with Believers under the Law as though it had been actually done insomuch that they had the same benefit by a Christ in Flesh which we now have Therefore 't is said Rom. 3.25 Whom God set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God Heb. 9.15 For this cause he is the Mediatour of the New Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the trrnsgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance Whatever our Lord is now since the actual exhibition of him he was the same before effectively and virtually for 't is Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13.8
himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity Matth. 18.11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost as soon as Man fell Christ was * Gen. 3.15 promis'd as incarnate but not before The truth is had we not been Captives what need would there have been of a Redeemer * Venit Filius hominis quaerere salvare quod perierat si homo non periisset filius hominis non venisset Aug. Serm. 8. de Verbis Apost Nulla causa fuit veniendi Christo Domino nisi peccatores salvos facere tolle vulâ—era tolle morbos nulla est medicinae causa Idem Serm. 9. had we not been sick and wounded what need of a Physician had there been no breach 'twixt God and us what need of a Mediatour in the way of reconciliation As to that which †Smalcius disp 12. contra Franzium See Franzius's answer to him de Sacrif Disp 15. Th. 75. c. Some alledge that Christ might have come though there had been no sin for this end that he might have secured man though in innocency from death that is grounded upon a meer falsehood for had there been no sinning there would have been no danger of dying and consequently no need of one to secure from death in a sinless state I have done with the First thing observed in the Words Christ was sent in Flesh in the opening of which I have been somewhat large but if that be all I hope none will blame me for it for the Incarnation and Manhood of the Son of God being the great foundation of our happiness a thing wherein we have the very pith and marrow of the Gospel the highest demonstation of the love of God surely I could not stay too long upon it 't is an Argument which very * As Athanasâ— de Incarn Verbi Dei tom 1. p. 53. c. p 591 c. de Hum. Nat. susc 595. c. Cyril Alex. tem 5. p. 678. c. Tertull. de Carne Christi contra Marcion Cassian Petav. Theol. Dogm tom 4. Ragusa in 3 part Aquin. with Vasquez c. Zanâ—h Oper. Theolog. tom 8. Gerhard Loc. Com. tom 1. de Pers Officio Christi p. 312. c. et in Uber. Exeg Artic. tom ult lib 4 â—p 424. c. Calvin Instit lib. 2. cap. 12. 13. with inâ—numerable others many have wrote upon and Some very fully but that which I have said as 't was necessary because the Text led me to it so 't is sufficient with respect to my design in this Work Of the Second Head Before I fall upon the application of this Head I must speak something to the Second namely that Christ was sent in the likeness of sinful flesh the Apostle doth not say only God sent him in flesh but he adds in the likeness of sinful flesh In the handling of this I have two things to open 1. Christ was sent in the likeness of sinful Flesh 2. It was but in the likeness of sinful Flesh How Christ was sent in the likeness of sinful Flesh Of the first the Apostle again uses his former Hebraism for in the Greek 't is in the likeness of the flesh of sin which is as much as according to our rendring of it in the likeness of sinful flesh The meaning of it is this as Christ had true Flesh so he was under some appearance of having sinful flesh there was some outward shew as if his Humane Nature had been tainted with sin he externally appeared like a sinner yea as like a sinner as one could do who yet indeed and in truth was none such as look'd upon him and saw how it was with him in his external condition might be apt to conceive of him as they once did Joh. 9.24 We know this man is a sinner There was something about Christ that had some resemblance of sin otherwise Paul would not have called it the likeness of sinful flesh he saith Heb. 9.28 Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation implying that Christ at his first coming was not without some appearance of sin when he shall come the second time there shall not be the least shew or appearance of it in him nothing then but Majesty and Sanctity but Greatness and Goodness shall be seen in him but at his first coming it was otherwise But wherein was it the likeness of sinful flesh I answer if you take it in the restrained notion of the flesh or body of Christ that was like to sinful flesh how why in as much as it was so far like to our flesh which is really sinful as to be * Camem peccatrici similem in paenâ non in culpâ Habet tamen similitudinem carnis peccatâ—icis per passibilitatem mortalitatem August In carnem suam non pecâ—atum transtulit tanquam venenum Serpentis sed tamen transâ—â—lit mortem ut esset in similitudine carnis Peccati paena siue culpâ unde in carne peccati culpa solveretur paena Idem See him lib. 14. c. 5. contra Faustum Manich. Similem carni peccatrici in hoc quod erat passibilis nam caro hominis ante peccatum passioni subjecta non erat Aquin. Si peccatum cum carne accepisset dictus esset missus in Carnem peccati si etiam Carnem immotalem impassibilem sumpsisset qualem modo habet non diceretui missus in similitudinem carnis peccati at qula carnem accepit sine peccato passibilem tamen mortalem qualis est peccatorum caro propter peccatum talis effecta ideo dicitur missus in similitudinem carnis peccati Tolet. passible and mortal passibility and mortality the suffering of pain anguish c. and dying are shrâ—wd signs and tokens of sin Had man continued in his innocent and sinless state his body had not been lyable to either of these but he sinning it became lyable to both and it being so too with Christ's own body here was the likeness of sinful flesh If you take it in the large notion of the whole Humane Nature or Person of Christ as Man so 't was the likeness of sinful flesh in several respects He was truly man and in appearance and likeness he was sinful man for he was * Ut tractaretur quo modo nocentes tractari solent Grot. in Loc. dealt with handled used just as guilty and sinful persons are and that both by God and by Men. By God he charg'd upon Christ the sin of all the Elect †Isa 53.6 the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all ‖ 2 Cor. 5.21 he made him to be sin for us who knew no sin c. He then let out his wrath upon him demanded satisfaction of him would have him to suffer did * Rom. 8.32 not spare
stand before him as in our flesh dying and suffering for it if God will become Man the guilt of meer man shall not be so able to damn as the merit of God-man to save O thou true penitent be thy sins never so many never so great yet do not give way to despairing thoughts Bring out thy sins * Dr. Sibbs on 1 Tim. 3.16 p. 59. saith one weigh them to the utmost aggravation of them and set but this in the other scale God manifested in the flesh to take away sin now will all thine iniquities seem lighter than vanity yea be as nothing in comparison of that which is laid down as a propitiation for them And again saith he What temptation will not vanish as a cloud before the wind when we see God's Love in sending his Son and Christ's Love in taking our Nature upon him to reconcile us by the Sacrifice of his blood But some may object 't is a great while since Christ took flesh and in that flesh made satisfaction to God is not the efficacy and merit thereof impaired by that no not in the least Christ's merits are as fresh and have as great an efficacy now as they had at the first moment of his Incarnation and Passion may not that of the Apostle Heb. 2.16 have some reference to this where he speaks of Christ's taking flesh in the Present Tense as if 't was done but now for 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he taketh not on him the nature of Angels but he taketh on him the seed of Abraham I speak this for the comfort of Christians but not so as to give advantage to the Socinian who because the words run in this Tense would therefore have them to be no proof of Christ's Incarnation Do your many defects the imperfections in your Graces and Duties trouble you you have Christ's perfect Manhood his perfect Holiness and Obedience in that Nature to fly unto The Apostle Col. 2. sets down the Hypostatical Vnion Vers 9. In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily well suppose it doth so what 's this to Believers why it follows immediately V. 10. And ye are compleat in him Christ being such a Person so full and perfect a Mediator in him every believer is and must be compleat So that though the sense of imperfections in your selves must humble you yet it must not overwhelm you because in Christ you are perfect Are you afraid notwithstanding all the Calls Invitations Promises of the Gospel yet to close with Christ O do not give way to such fears If you come to him cast your selves upon him will he cast you off he hath assur'd you he will not Joh. 6.37 Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast off Besides his word you have this to secure you he in his Person came from heaven to you and if you by Faith shall go to him do you think he will not give you kind reception I am sure and I will venture my Soul upon it that the gracious promises and encouragements of the Gospel to draw sinners to Christ shall all be made good for since he was pleas'd to take my flesh I have not the least reason to doubt but fully to be assur'd that he is real hearty in good earnest in all of them Many things of this nature might here be spoken unto but 't is full time to put an end to this subject ROM 8.3 4. And for sin condemned sin in the Flesh That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us CHAP. XIII Of Christ's being a Sacrifice and expiating Sin thereby A Fifth Head in the Words discussed viz. the End of God in sending his own c. or the Effect thereof How the Wisdom of God is secured by this End Of the placing of the Words for sin The whole a little descanted upon What the condemning of sin is opened more generally more particularly in three things The condemning of sin for sin opened a twofold interpretation given of it Of the Flesh in which sin is said to be condemned The Observation raised from the Words where 1. Of Christ's being a Sacrifice for Sin How he excels the Old Law-Sacrifices and of their reference to him Six things in those Sacrifices which are all to be found in Christ the true Sacrifice 'T is enquired 1. What a kind of Sacrifice he was proved that he was an expiatory Sacrifice Of the difference and distinction of the Jewish Sacrifices Four Heads insisted upon for the confirming of the main Truth As 1. that our sins were the meritorious Cause of Christ's Sufferings 2. that he did substitute himself in the Sinners stead where two Questions are briefly answered 1 Whether he underwent the same punishment that was due to the Sinner or only that which was equivalent thereunto 2 Whether he took the guilt of sin upon himself or only submitted to the punishment thereof 3. that he was killed and slain and his blood shed in correspondency with the Levitical expiatory Sacrifices 4. this is prov'd from the Ends and Effects of his Death viz. Atonement and Expiation both of which are opened Of the concurrence of the Heathens in their notions about Sacrifices 'T is enquir'd 2. When and where Christ was an expiatory Sacrifice 't is answered when he dy'd upon the Cross 2. Of the Effect of his Sacrifice the condemning of Sin Parallel expressions cited Of the nature of the expiation of Sin Of the extent of it with respect to the Subject and Object Whether were all Sins expiated by the Law-Sacrifices Use 1. I infer from the premises 1. The verity of Christ's Satisfaction 2. The true Nature and principal Ends of his Death 3. The vanity and falshood of all humane satisfactions 4. The true notion of the Lord's Supper 5. The happiness of Believers under the Gospel above theirs who liv'd under the Law 6. The excellency of Christ's Priesthood and Sacrifice 7. The Evil of Sin 8. The severity of God's Justice Use 2. Several Dutys urged from hence as Holiness the Love of Christ c. Use 3. This improved several ways for the Comfort of Believers A Fifth Head viz. the End of God in sending his Son c. or the Effects thereof IN the preceding Words God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh Four things have been observed and opened in these now read a Fifth Head offers it self to our consideration and that is the Effect of Christ's mission incarnation and of what followed thereupon or God's End in all this Did he pitch upon so admirable a Way and Method surely some high and glorious Effect must be produced thereby and so there was for thereby sin was condemned and surely too therein the Wise God must propound to himself some great and very considerable End to be accomplished and so he did for he aim'd at nothing lower than that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in Believers In the Words then
we have both the Effect what God did by his own Son as first assuming then suffering in flesh and also the End of God in his taking this strange and wonderful course for these two though they be distinct in themselves and carry in them notions somewhat different yet here in this place they both are alike applicable to the matter spoken of and it to them If it be considered with respect to God's intention so it falls under the nature of an End if with respect to his execution of what he intended so it falls under the nature of an Effect Therefore upon the oneness and coalition of these two and the equal applicableness of the matter to each whereas there are two branches in the Text each of which contains distinct matter in it in the former the thing is express'd under the notion of an Effect and for sin condemned sin in the flesh in the latter under the notion of an End that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us The Wisdom of God secur'd by the proportioning of his End to the medium which he pitch'd upon It pleasing God to send his own Son c. his Wisdom would have been lyable to impeachment if 1. he had not effected some great thing thereby if 2. which indeed should have been first mentioned he had not designed some great thing therein For the Wisdom of an Agent lies not only in his having an end in what he doth but in his having such an end as shall be proportionable to the means which he pitches upon if they be high and the end but low this speaks a defect in point of Wisdom for that ever shews it self as in the fitting of the means to the end so in the proportioning of the end to the means If therefore the blessed God will single out such a medium as the sending of his own Son c. he then stands engag'd upon the account of his Wisdom to propound to himself such an end as may be answerable to that medium which therefore accordingly he did in asmuch as in that great act he had this great End or Ends the satisfying of his Justice the expiating of Sin the fulfilling of the Law c. these were Ends worthy of such Means as the Coming Incarnation Death of his own Son Now all these are set down in the Words before us in which therefore you have that which is a full vindication nay the highest manifestation of God's infinite Wisdom Of the plaâ—ing of the Words for Sin I begin with the first Effect or End here specify'd and for Sin condemned Sin in the Flesh At my first entrance upon the whole Paragraph I touch'd upon the reading of this Clause there being some difference amongst Expositors about it therefore that I will not again insist upon only let me take notice of another difference among them which was not there mentioned That refers to the placing of the Words for whereas we take in for sin into this Branch * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pertinet ad Participium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza Omnino referendum puto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad Participium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justin So Cyril reads them in Joh. l. 9. c. 47. Some would have it placed in the former thus God sending for sin his own Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh condemned sin in the Flesh But though this ranking of them may possibly seem to some to make the words run more smoothly yet if it be admitted of the conjunctive particle and must be quite expung'd which I should be loth to submit unto because of its special significancy emphasis in this place partly as it heightens the thing spoken of and intimates the wonderfulness of the way in which it was brought about and partly as it notes the †Appositam siquidem intelligimus Conjunctionem ad significandam sequelam alterius beneficii ut scil notemus Deum non tantum misisse Filium suum in similitudine carnis peccati sed de peccato damnasse peccatum in carne Cajetan joyning together of that here mentioned with that which went before God did not only send his own Son in our Flesh but which is to be superadded to that as an Effect or Consequent thereof he also in that flesh for sin condemned sin I will therefore keep to our methodizing of the Words and if you take them as here they lie there will be no necessity either of putting in or putting out yet if you will go by their sense then you may reade them with this addition And by a Sacrifice for sin condemned sin in the Flesh The Words a little descanted upon And for sin condemned sin in the flesh good and blessed Words No condemnation to them who are in Christ Vers 1. Sin it self condemned Vers 3. what could be spoken higher to raise the thankfulness encourage the faith heighten the joy of sincere Christians The word condemned is not so terrible when apply'd to the Sinner but 't is as comfortable when apply'd to sin it self that which had been the condemning is now the condemned thing how may a gracious Soul rejoyce at this The non-condemnation of persons spoken of in the first Verse is secured by and grounded upon the condemnation of sin in this for both must not be condemn'd if sin be condemn'd the sinner shall not Observe here sin was the thing which God fell upon and dealt thus severely with the Apostle had told us the Law was weak unable to help poor fal'n man whereupon he saith God sent his own Son but wherefore did he so do was it that he might fall upon this Law and condemn the condemning Law O no! 't was so far from that that he would rather have it fulfilled for so it follows Vers 4. he had no evil eye at all upon his Law for that was good upon what when why upon sin for that was evil and very evil Christ was sent that sin only might be condemn'd And no wonder that God was so set against it and resolv'd upon this severe process against it it being the principal Offender the arch Traytor and Rebel against himself the only object of his hatred the bold opposer of his glory the great obstructer of his Grace the cursed fomenter of breaches 'twixt himself and his creatures the murderer of Souls c. did not such a malefactor highly deserve to be condemn'd yes surely and therefore so it shall be O saith God I must take a course with this sin I must and I will dispatch it out of the way and then my work is done all my gracious designs will then be carried on without any let or impediment then the happiness of my people will be sure and full neither my own Wrath nor the Curse of my Law nor the sting of Death shall then be able to hurt them Upon such grounds as these God would have sin condemn'd and he
was so set upon it that in order thereunto he will on purpose send his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh yea in that flesh to offer up himself as a Sacrifice and so to bring about sins condemnation The Explication of the Words But to come to the close handling of the Words They being somewhat obscure my first work must be to open them that I may the better make way for the main Observation which they resolve themselves into There are three things in them to be explain'd 1. The condemning of Sin 2. The condemning of Sin for sin 3. The condemning of Sin in the Flesh What is meant by the condemning of Sin epened more generally 1. What doth the Apostle mean by the condemning of sin and for sin condemned sin c The word in its usual acceptation is apply'd to Persons rather than to Things yet in such a sense 't is properly enough applicable to them also viz. as it signifies the disallowing disapproving sentencing or judging of them to be so and so evil according to which signification sin may as truly be said to be condemn'd as the sinner himself in any other notion But this will not reach the full scope and emphasis of the Word in this place for unquestionably there 's a great deal more intended in God's condemning sin than barely his sentencing or judging it to be a very evil thing though Christ had never come in flesh nor suffered in Flesh yet God would thus have condemned Sin its condemnation is here brought in as a singular effect of the Grace of God to Sinners but according to this stating of it it would only be an effect of his Holiness not at all of his Grace he may thus judge of Sin and yet the Sinner perish by it 'T is very true that God in the Death of his Son did in this respect signally condemn Sin O in that he made it to appear what thoughts he had of Sin what an evil thing he judg'd it to be how he was set against it c. but yet this is not the only thing no nor the main thing held forth in this expression of God's condemning Sin Well! for the right understanding of that I conceive we must borrow our light from Condemnation amongst Men for though sin be not a person yet its being condemned will best be known by what is proper to condemned persons Amongst us malefactors are seiz'd upon brought to tryal arraign'd prov'd guilty sentene'd to die if their Offence be capital then the Sentence is executed upon them to cut them off that they may do no more mischief and this is their being condemn'd just so so far as the nature of the thing would admit of virtually and analogically all this was done by God in Christ's Death against Sin It had been an heinous malefactor guilty of high and notorious crimes had done inexpressible mischiefs for all which God will arraign judge sentence cut it off that it also may do no more mischief to his people and this is its condemnation Divers Expositors in their opening of the Words conceive of Sin here as a Person and accordingly they open its being condemn'd by this allusive and analogical notion whatever is commonly done amongst Men in their judicial processes against great Offenders all that in effect was done by God through Christ's death against sin and so he condemn'd it More particularly in three things In the abolitiof its power But not to take up with Generals this may be more particularly open'd in three things 1. God by Christ condemn'd Sin as he abolished its power Sin 's condemnation is its * Secundum Phrasin Hebraicam positum est damnavit pro abolevit extinxit sustulit Deus Perer. abolition wherein doth that lie why partly in the taking away of its power in the divesting it of that Rule and Command which it had over Sinners for a long time thus God condemn'd or abolished sin he put an end to its reign and dominion pull'd it off from the throne turn'd it out of Office and authority yea adjudged it to die for all the Evils of which it had been guilty Thus 't is with condemned men upon the passing of the condemnatory Sentence upon them they are ipso facto dispossess'd of all their power and authority and further than this too they must suffer the penalty of death for what they have done so answerably it was with Sin in God's dealings with it It had acted the Tyrants part in and over the world a great while had domineer'd and lorded it over its poor Subjects at a strange rate did with men what it pleas'd O but in the Flesh of Christ God condemn'd it that is he broke it in its power brought it down to some purpose stripp'd it of that absolute illimited dominion which it had before Christ's cross was the ruine of sins throne And not only so but there 's a sentence of death too pass'd upon it it shall not only lose its power but its life also God will have it kill'd slain put to death in all who have an interest in Christ's Merits he would not suffer such a malefactor to live hee 'l rid the world of it This condemnatory sentence was pass'd upon it long ago which though it be but gradually and in part executed whilst the Saints are here below yet when they shall once ascend to God then it shall be fully executed insomuch that then sin shall quite be taken out of the way and shall not have so much as a being in them in the glorify'd state Thus many * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Damnavit peccatum i.e. dominio suo mulctavit ne regnaret in carne Staplet Ut ejus dominium robur auferret Tolet. Damnavit interfecit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est interficere sicut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro morte quia damnati interfici solent Interfecit vero i.e. interficiendi vires nobis praestitit Interficere est efficientiam adimere Grot. See Melanch Bucer P. Mart. De dieu Deodat Interpreters do open the condemning of sin and †Who renders it by exauctoravit extinxit abolevit c. De Servat part 2. cap. 23. Socinus likes this interpretation so well that he contends for it but fiercely opposes those which follow In the abolition of Sins guilt 2. Sins Condemnation lies in the abolition or expiation of its guilt It here properly notes the taking away of that which was the hurtful destructive mischievous part of Sin Condemned men can do no hurt let them be never so hurtful before yet when once the sentence of Condemnation is pass'd upon them they can be so no longer Sin had been a very huriful thing and would have been so still to precious Souls but God in the flesh of his Son as suffering and satisfying put a stop to it took it out of the way condemn'd it that is disabled it from doing the
as the One is to be filled up so is the Other also The Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying of or for accordingly 't is rendred both wayes Some reading it of Sin as the Old Version Anselme the Greek Interpreters generally c. they making the Words to run thus Of Sin God condemned Sin Parallel to which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is elsewhere so rendred as Joh. 8.46 Which of you convinceth me of sin Joh. 16.8 9. He will convince the world of sin c. Of sin because they believe not on me in all 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 just as it is in the Text They who follow this Reading make the sense of the Words to be this God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh in that flesh of his Son as suffering and dying he condemned sin of sin in as much as by that strange and wonderfull course he made it to appear to the world that sin was full of sin highly guilty and criminal * Rom. 7.13 exceeding sinful as the Apostle speaks upon another account Now though I shall not follow this Exposition yet it containing nothing in at but what is true for the matter of it and it being given by some Authors of great repute I will so far insist upon it as to give a double illustration of it 1. As 't is applicable to Sin in the general Take the whole body of Sin or Sin in its utmost extent 't was all condemn'd of sin in Christ's flesh as first assum'd and then crucify'd how why by that it was prov'd and judg'd to be a thing out of measure evil and faulty thereby God let the world see what sin is what an excess of poyson and malignity there is in its nature Did he send his own Son to be incarnate yea to appear in the likeness of sinful Flesh so to be abased suffer and die and was Sin the meritorious Cause of all this was all this done and suffered for the making of satisfaction for the mischiefs and injuries which Sin had been guilty of O what a condemnation was here of Sin Never was there such a demonstration of Sins Evil what an heinous and capital Offender it is as in Christ's being made Man and dying upon the Cross the strangeness of the remedy shows the malignity of the disease the high terms of satisfaction the greatness of the crime God's severity laid upon the Flesh of his own Son in such unparallell'd sufferings made it apparent to the world that sin is a quite other thing than what men generally take it to be had it not been evil desperately evil God had never dealt with Christ as he did therefore in his flesh sin was condemned of sin 2. This may more particularly be apply'd to that sin of killing and murdering the Lord Jesus God did not only condemn sin of sin in the gross but in special that sin which was committed against and upon the Flesh of Christ in the crucifixion of him here 't was the Sin of Sin here Sin was sinful indeed That it should so boldly so injuriously so wickedly fasten upon a Person so near and dear to God so inoffensive and innocent so holy and gracious what an aggregation of Sins and what an aggravation of Sins guilt was there in this Sin never was more sin than in this act here 't was in its highest stature and fullest dimensions this was its master-piece the vilest thing that ever it did all its other crimes were but dwarfish things in comparison of this gigantick and over-grown crime Well! according to its acting and carriage herein so God judg'd it to be very guilty and sinful and accordingly pass'd Sentence upon it And as to those that had an hand in this horrid fact whether Satan to whom some (a) Damnavit peccatum i. e. Satanam de peccato quòd nempe Christum innocentem in Cruce interfeciset Ambros So also Hilarius in Psal 67. apply the Words or the Jews O 't was in all sin full of sin their offence was superlatively great in doing what they did to the flesh of God's own Son Sin in this act did rise exceeding high Now the (b) Vide Chrysost in loc very largely insisting upon this Greek Expositors are very large upon this notion of sin God condemned sin c. that is say they God judged the sin of the Jews according to what it was in its own nature to be very (c) c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecum great it or rather they were guilty of a most unparallell'd offence (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoret. high injustice prodigious cruelty inexpressible ingratitude strange impudency upon their crucifying of the Holy Jesus the Lord of Glory And in the pursuance of this Explication these Expositors bring in Sin as a Person as a person arraign'd by God for this particular crime after tryal and process sentenc'd to be highly guilty and accordingly to be dealt with And they also insist upon God's way and method in his dealing with Sin which was not in the way of Power but of Justice he did not down-right subdue it by plain force but he condemn'd it after the hearing of that plea it could make for it self as also upon God's order (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost first he condemn'd it and then he punish'd it This Interpretation some (f) Haec Chrysostomi Expositio convenientissima inter omnes accommodatissima videtur Tolet. Haec Graecorum Expositio ita placet ut eam caeteris anteponâ—ndam cum Toleto censeam Estius Vid. Alap Catharin c. latter Writers do fall in with and much applaud Bneer himself at first was taken with it but aftâ—wards he altered his thoughts (g) Haec Expositio nihil aliud est quam subtilis argutia Beza Beza passes a severe censure upon it The truth is the Apostle in the Words seems to look at another thing this was not the condemnation of Sin which he had mainly in his eye viz. the heightening or aggravating or proving of its guilt and then passing sentence upon it according to that no but there was another condemnation which he drove at viz. the abolition and expiation of its guilt God so condemned sin as that it might never condemn the Sinner that 's the Apostles proper and principal scope as I humbly conceive (h) In loco prius citato Austine though he reades it too de peccato condemnavit c. yet he opens it in a different sense he making this of sin to be as much as by sin and so he thus glosses upon it By the sin of the Jews in their putting of Christ to death God abolished and took out of the way all the sin of all the Elect he so over-ruled the matter that even by sin sin was destroy'd by the greatest sin that ever was committed sin it self was condemned had not the blood of Christ been spilt though that in it self was a most wicked act there had been to believers no remission no expiation as Death was
Senses are included in this and do most naturally incorporate with it as you will perceive in the following discourse What is meant by in the flesh 3. There is a Third thing to be opened which in a very few words shall be dispatch'd 't is said here For Sin God condemned Sin in the Flesh now this being indefinitely propounded it may be ask'd of what or of whose Flesh doth the Apostle speak I answer of the Flesh of Christ God sent him in the likeness of sinful Flesh and in that very flesh sin was condemn'd I know * Augustinus exponit de nostra Carne in quâ peccatum tyrannidem possidet extra Christum Muscal Sed melius est ur dicamus debilitavit fomitem peccati in carne nostrâ Aquin Some interpre it of our flesh but the most apply it to Christ's Flesh there is in dafferent respecis a truth in both for in our flesh sin is condemn'd as to the effect and benefit thereof but in Christ's Flesh it was condemn'd meritoriously and causally The Syriack therefore to make this the more express turns it and for sin condemned sin in his Flesh Sin shall be punished and expiated in that Nature wherein it had been committed Man in the flesh had committed sin and God in the flesh of him who was Man will condemn Sin ut caro humana quae peccaverat eadem pro peccato lueret Our Saviours being †Sacerdos noster à nobis accepit quod pro nobis offerret accepit enim a nobis carnem in ipsa Carne victima factus est August in Psal 129. a Sacrifice pointed to his Flesh 't was the Humane Nature wherein he offered up himself and therefore in that God is said to condemn sin And as Sin shall be expiated in that Nature wherein it had been committed so Satan too shall be bafled in that Nature over which he had been victiorious Christ will beat him upon his own ground he had overcome Man and Man shall overcome him O the Wisdom Mercy Power of God! but these things were under the former Head much enlarg'd upon I will only further take notice of two things 1. This condemning of sin is here brought in as God's act God sent his own Son c. and for sin condemned c. But is not this applicable to Christ also yes if you consider him as * Quamvis de Christo ut est Filius Dei posset verè dici eum expiare authoritativè judicialitèr quatenus ipse cum Patre potestatem habet remittendi peccata quia tamen hic consideratur non ut Deus sed ut Mediator ut Sacerdos victima non potest aliter expiatio fieri quam per poenae lationem succedaneam vicariam mortem explicari Turret de Sat. Christi pars 6. p. 204. God and as the eternal Son of God so 't was and is his act as well as the Fathers to abolish acquit and absolve from Sins guilt in an authoritative way but in the Clause which I am opening Christ is not spoken of in that notion as he was God only as he was Man and as a victime and Sacrifice for sin and so he acquits from Sin not authoritatively but as the Way and Means which God made use of for the bringing about of this mercy for Sinners 2. The Flesh of Christ here is not to be considered simply absolutely but under this restriction or special consideration * Hoc factum est per carnem i. e. per mortem quam in carne juxta humanam Naturam passus est Zwingl In Carne i. e. per Carnem Filii sui suspensam mortificatam in Cruce Estius as dying and thereby satisfying divine Justice I would take in his whole humiliation but this being the highest degree thereof therefore eminently by it sin was condemned O when this Flesh of Christ hung upon the Cross then sin received its condemnatory Sentence its mortal wound then when Christ was condemn'd Sin in another sense was condemn'd also This I say was brought about in his flesh as suffering the penalty of Death so the Apostle puts it in Col. 1.22 In the body of his flesh through death I 'le add nothing farther upon this The Observation raised The Words being thus explain'd 't is high time that I come to that Doctrinal Truth which they mainly hold forth that 's this The Lord Jesus submitting to be a Sacrifice for sin and offering up himself as such to God he did thereby take away abolish explate all sin in all its guilt so as that it shall never be charged upon Believers to their eternal ruine In the language of the Text 't is in short For Sin Sin was condemned You heard but now in the opening of the condemning of Sin that that admits of more senses than that one which I now instance in in the Observation yet however this being most agreeable to the nature of a Sacrifice in reference to which Christ is here set forth I therefore only mention it In the handling of this Point which carries me again into the very midst of the Socinians Camp where I should not choose to be but I must follow the Word whithersoever it leads me there are two things to be spoken to 1. To Christ's being a Sacrifice for Sin 2. To the blessed Effect of that blessed Sacrifice viz. the condemnation or expiation of Sin Of Christ's being à Sacrifies for Sin I begin with the first Christ was a Sacrifice for sin Which though in the General none deny yet when we come to particulars about it as namely the true notion of his being so the efficacy ends effects of his Sacrifice the time when and the place where it was offered with several other things which are incident about it there many differences do arise Certainly there are none who believe the Scriptures but in some sense or other they must grant Christ to be a Sacrifice because they are so plain and express about it Isa 53.10 When thou shalt make his Soul an Offering for Sin 1 Cor. 5.7 For even Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us 2 Cor. 5.21 He that knew no sin was made sin a Sacrifice for Sin c. Eph. 5.2 Walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour where the Apostle seems to allude 1. to the * Cloppenh Schola Sacrif p. 3. Franzius Disp 13. thes 2 3. Mincah and Zebach amongst the Jews the Former of which did refer to their oblations of the Fruits of the Earth set forth here by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latter to the Sacrificing and offering of living Creatures set forth here by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. He alludes to the pleasinguess and gratefulness of the primitive Sà crifices to God Gen. 8.21 And the Lord smelled a sweet savour c. Noah's Sacrifices spoken of Vers 20. were highly
nobis est umbraculum Sacrificio suo apud Deum nos reconciliavit Zarnov de Sat. Christi p. 38. accomplishment of them 2. That he is also a true and real Sacrifice for was there reality in the Type and shall there not be the same with advantage in the Anti-type or shall they be shadows of a shadow shall there be such a shell and no kernel such a bone and no marrow in it But to go on In the old Sacrifices there were these Six things Six things in the Old Sacrifices all of which are to be found in Christs Sacrifice 1. The Person who did institute ordain and appoint the use of them who was God himself whose institution of them though it be not express'd in the Scriptures yet it may very strongly be inferr'd from them 2. The Person unto whom they were offered and he also was God himself 3. The Persons offering viz. the Priests to whom by divine appointment this work was committed and it was a great part of their work and one great end of their Office For every high Priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things partaining to God that he may offer both Gifts and Sacrifices for sins Heb. 5.1 4. The Matter of the Sacrifice or the thing offered which was very various according to what God was pleas'd to specifie and appoint Oxen Bulls Heifers Sheep Rams Goats c. 5. The Oblation it self when the Beast was slain it was to be offered up and then part of the blood thereof was to be carried into the Holy of Holy's there to be presented before the Lord and the main stress of the * See Dr. Stillingfl against Crellius ch 5. p. 451. expiation lay not upon the representation which followed after but upon the mactation and solemn oblation of the Sacrifice 6. The Altar upon which all was to be offer'd Now answerably and in correspondency to all these 1. God instituted appointed ordained Christ to be the Sacrifice it was his will and ordination that his Son should offer up himself a propitiatory or expiatory Sacrifice Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself c. 1 Pet. 1.20 Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world c. It was as much the appointment of God that Christ the true Sacrifice should die be slain offered up as that under the Law any of those Sacrifices should be so used and as from all eternity he decreed and appointed Christ to be the Sacrifice so in time he fitted and prepared him for his being so therefore saith Christ * Heb. 10.5 But a body hast thou prepared me without which he could not have been a Sacrifice 2. Christ offered up himself to God He had to do * Grot. de Sat. Christi c. 10. p. 121. with God as he stood in the quality and respect of a Sacrifice for this was a part of his Priestly Office which primarily refers to God as King and Prophet he hath to do with us but as Priest he had to do with God that he might propitiate and atone him So 't was with the Aaronical Priests they were ordained for men in things pertaining to God Heb. 5.1 and surely so it must be too with the great Priest whom they did typifie Heb. 2.17 that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God The Apostle speaks it expresly and hath given himself for us an offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour 3. Here was the Person offering and that was Christ himself he as Mediator as God-Man was the Priest to offer up himself They under the Law had variety of Sacrifices and variety of Priests we under the Gospel have but one Sacrifice and one Priest who first offered up himself and now continues in another way to offer up our duties and services to God 4. As Christ was the Priest offering so he was the Sacrifice offered for he was both which was unusual and extraordinary The Levitical Priests and the Sacrifices which they offered were distinct they were not bound to offer themselves but our Lord Jesus was * Ut quoniam quatuor considerantur in omni Sacrificio cui offeratur à quo offeratur quid offeratur pro quibus offeratur idem ipse unus verúsque Mediator per Sacrificium pacis reconcilians nos unum cum illo maneret cui offerebatur unum in se faceret pro quibus offerebatur unus ipse esset qui offerebat quod offerebat August de Trinit Utrum Christus simul fâ—erit Sacerdos Hostia Aquin. in 3. p. Qu. 22. Art 2. Priest and Sacrifice too in his Person he was the Offerer in his humane Nature he was the thing offered 'T was necessary that he should offer something For every high Priest is ordained to offer gifts and Sacrifices wherefore it is of necessity that this man have also somewhat to offer Heb. 8.3 what then did he offer such things as had been offered before the blood of bulls and goats no he offered his own blood Heb. 9.12 his own body Heb. 10. 4 5 6 7 10. through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all that very body which was so miraculously framed with which he liv'd here on earth which he carried up with him afterwards to heaven that very body I say he freely offered up upon the Cross as a Sacrifice to God His Soul comes in too but that 's himself Isa 53.10 When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin His whole self in his whole Humane Nature was the matter of this Sacrifice Eph. 5.2 and hath given himself for us an offering c. Heb. 1.3 when he had by himself purged our sins Heb. 9.14 who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God So Heb. 7.27 The Text saith for sin God condemned sin in the flesh by which flesh the Apostle understands the whole Manhood of Christ and that was the Sacrifice for sin by which Sin was condemned 5. There was Christ's formal and proper oblation performed upon the Cross by and upon which the sins of Believers were to be expiated That there was in Christ an oblation none deny but that this was done at his Death or here on earth and was expiatory in that sense which we put upon it both of these are vehemently deny'd by the SOCINIANS but I shall have occasion to vindicate both by and by 6. In Christ's Sacrifice there was an Altar too namely his Godhead The Altar sanctify'd the gift Matth. 23.19 so 't was here the Deity of Christ did not only sustain and strengthen his Humane Nature in his being a Sacrifice therein but it also gave merit and efficacy to his Sacrifice for how did that come to be so meritorious and effectual for the good of Sinners but from this
kinds or Species of them there were the Burnt-offerings about which Rules are set down Lev. 1. Meat-offerings of which Levit. 2. Peace-offerings Levit. 3. the Sin-offering Levit. 4. the Trespass-offering Levit. 5. and 6. * Philo Jud. de Vict. p. 648. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some reduce all to three the Burnt-offering the Peace-offering the Sin-offering †Joseph Ant. l. 3. c. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Some to two the Holoucast and the Thank-offering but of such different apprehensions there 's no end Now though these Sacrifices were thus diversify'd amongst themselves yet the most if not all of them agreed in this that they were in their Vse End and Effects of an expiatory nature I say all for unquestionably it belong'd not only to the Sacrifices us'd at the anniversary Expiation nor only to the Sin-offering and Trespass-offering to expiate sin but all the rest more or or less were designed for this end and accordingly did produce this effect Agreeably to which Christ the true and great Sacrifice in the offering up of himself to God did truly properly expiate sin for if they did so he then much more because they in their expiation were types of him in his expiation now whatever is in the type must needs be in the thing typified as also because their expiation was done in the strength and virtue of Christs Sacrifice now surely that which gives expiatory virtue to other things must needs have such virtue in it self Four things propounded for the opening proving of Christ's being an Expiatory Socrifice For the better opening and proving of Christ's being an expiatory Sacrifice by making a collation or parallel between him and the expiatory Sacrifices under the Law there are these Four things which I shall endeavour to make good 1. That in those expiatory Sacrifices whatever was laid upon them is was for the sin of the People as the impulsive and meritorious Cause thereof and that so it was with Christ in his Sufferings 2. That those Sacrifices were substituted in the place and stead of the Offenders themselves bearing their punishment and that so it was with Christ in reference to Sinners 3. That those Sacrifices were to be offered up killed slain consumed and in that way they became expiatory and that so it was with Christ 4. That by those Sacrifices God was actually atoned and propitiated the expiation and remission of Sin procured and that so it was by Christ These things being cleared and proved it will be evident that Christ was a true expiatory Sacrifice I 'le go over them as briefly as the nature of the thing will admit of Of the First whatever befel the Expiatory Sacrifices was for the Peoples Sin and so it was with Christ in his Sufferings 1. First I say in those expiatory Sacrifices whatever was laid upon them it was for the Sin of the people as the impulsive and meritorious Cause thereof For wherefore were the poor innocent Beasts and living Creatures killed and slain as they were what had they done that so many of them must be put to death from day to day did God delight in making his Temple a slaughter-house was it his pleasure to have it thus that he might shew his dominion and soveraignty over the Creature surely that was not the great thing which he design'd therein he had other ways which might seem more suitable to his goodness and pity to his Creatures wherein he might have made known his dominion over them And besides if this was the thing only aimed at why must the people lay their hands upon the Cattel when they were sacrificed why must they confess their sins over them as you 'l see under the next Head they were to do these rites evidently declare that God did not here proceed in the way of absolute dominion but that there was sin in the case as the procuring Cause of all this and if so they having no sin of their own for which they could thus suffer their suffering must be resolved into the sin of the people as that which brought it upon them So it was with Christ our Sacrifice his Sufferings were exceeding sharp his precious life was taken from him he dy'd upon the Cross indured hard usage indeed whence did all this befal him was there not some special Cause why it should be thus with God's own Son yes what was that why Sin Sin was that cause but whose sin not his own for he was perfectly free from all sin he knew no sin 2 Cor. 5.21 he was holy harmless undefiled separate from Sinners Heb. 7.26 a Lamb without blemish and without spot 1 Pet. 1.19 it must be our sin then that was the meritorious Cause of all Christ's sufferings Dan. 9.26 After threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off but not for himself Isa 53.4 5 6. Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted But he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed All we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all Rom. 3.25 Who was delivered for our offences 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and raised again for our justification 't is the same Preposition in both branches but its sense is different which difference rises from the different nature of the matter spoken of for when 't is joyned with sins or offences it imports that they were the meritorious Cause of Christ's Sufferings but when 't is joyn'd with Christ's resurrection and the Sinners justification there its signification and import is final yet too in such a sense the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be taken meritoriously in the latter as well as in the former branch * De Servat p. 3. c. 7. p. 3. c. 7. SOCINVS tells us that this with some other parallel expressions only notes our sins to be the occasion but not the impulsive Cause of Christ's Sufferings as also that the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is both here and else where alwayes taken in a final never in any meritorious sense But most * Ubi est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum Accusativo quae apud Graecae Linguae Authores Sacros Profanos usitatissima est nota Causae impulsivae Ut cum dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propter haec venit ira Dei in filios contumaciae Eph. 5.6 Grot. de Sat. Christi c. 1. in Rom. 4.25 untruly for 't is said Eph. 5.6 because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for these things as those which merit and bring down the Wrath of God upon Sinners But I will not stay upon the refuting of the usual Cavils and false assertions about this
because I conceive this Head may not be so proper to that which I am upon for I am not now speaking to the Sufferings or Death of Christ under the consideration of a punishment to which a meritorious Cause doth point but of a Sacrifice The expiatory Sacrifices 't is very true were punished for the Sins of men but yet that wherein they were expiatory and as they were expiatory more immediately pointed to something else namely to that which will follow in the succeeding Particulars and so 't is here too with respect to Christ Whose Death as is usually observed falls under a threefold consideration 't was a Punishment a Sacrifice a Ransom with respect to the First the effect thereof was Satisfaction to the Second the effect thereof was Atonement to the Third the effect thereof was Redemption now I at present considering it in the Second notion as 't is a Sacrifice have not so much to do with that which refers to it in the notion of a punishment therefore this first particular I pass over Of the Second the Sacrifices were substituted in the place of the Offenders so it was with Christ 2. Secondly in the Levitical Expiatory Sacrifices there was the substitution of them in the place and stead of the Offenders themselves the Peoples sin and the punishment due to them thereupon was laid upon the thing sacrificed insomuch that whereas they should have dy'd by surrogation and commutation the poor Beasts dy'd for them This was the great thing * Nequaquam Sacra Scriptura admittit alium finem Sacrificiorum quam hunc ipsum quod nimirum vice hominum sunt passa pecora Sacrificialia Franzius in Praefat. ad Schol. Sacrif Patriarch intended and designed in those Sacrifices and that it was really so done in them the Scripture is very clear Take that one place Levit. 17.11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood and I have given it to you upon the Altar to make an atonement for your Souls for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the Soul In all the four Books of Moses which treat so much upon Sacrifices there is not a more pithy and plain account given of their Vse and End than here in this place the Lord in the 10th Vers severely prohibits the eating of blood in this Vers he backs his prohibition with a double Argument 1. because the life of the flesh was in the blood 2. because he had set that apart for an high and sacred Vse viz. to be used in Sacrifices in order to atonement and I have given it you upon the Altar to make atonement c. for this great effect mainly lay upon the blood it is the blood that maketh atonement for the Soul Now mark it 't is to make atonement for your Souls and it makes atonement for the Soul that is in the * So 't is rendred in several Versions of the Words set down in Franz p. 446. See this Text improv'd and vindicated in Dr. Stillingst against Crell p. 429. c. stead of your Soul he speaking to the people of Israel so that in the blood Sacrific'd there was Soul for Soul Life for Life the Soul and Life of the Sacrifice for the more precious Soul and Life of the Sinner was not here substitution of the one in the room of the other Hence it is that the Sacrifices were said to bear the iniquities of the people because of the transferring of the guilt and punishment of sin over to them so you read Levit. 16.22 Levit. 10.17 Hence also was the laying on of hands upon the Sacrifice sometimes by the Priests sometimes by the People you have it prescrib'd in the Burnt-offering Levit. 1.4 in the Peace-offering Levit. 3.2 8 13. in the Sin-offering Levit. 4.15 24 29 33. at the great Expiation AARON was to lay both his hands upon the head of the live-Goat and to confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel c. Levit. 16.21 Now what might be the meaning of this rite was it to signifie that the thing offered was now Deo sacrum as being set apart for God and consecrated for his use upon which account imposition of hands was us'd in other Cases or was it expressive of obtestation to hold forth the peoples praying to God Quicquid à nobis peccatum est sit in hujus victimae caput wherein-soever we have offended let all be laid upon the head of this Victime or did they by this testifie the sense of their deserts to die themselves these things I grant may very well be taken in but the main thing held forth in it was the translation of the Sinners guilt to the Sacrifice and the substitution of it in his stead Whenever the people thus laid their hands upon the Sacrifice they did in effect say * Hoc ritu quil offerebat significabat se scelera sua conjicere in caput bovis qui propterea mactabatur Drusius in Levit. 1.4 upon this Beast we lay all our sins and this was the primary intendment of that rite And had there not been a strange conveyance or imputation of something of this nature to the things sacrific'd I would fain know a reason why the messenger that only went with the Scape-Goat into the Wilderness as also why he who only burnt the residue of the bullock whose blood had been carried into the Holy of Holy's I say why both of these should be accounted unclean so unclean as that before they had been purify'd and wash'd they were not to be admitted into the Congregation for so God enjoyn'd Levit. 16.26 27 28. And now after all this when the great Lord and Soveraign was pleas'd to have it thus hath given out so full a declaration of himself about it when Scripture is so clear yea when Nature too as you will hear hath given such a confirmation of it I say after and notwithstanding all this for any yet to deny it to bring their little Objections against it as that because there was * That Objection answered in Grotius de Sat. c. 10. p. 123. Essenius Tri. Crucis p. 218. Turretin de Sat. p. 246. no communion of Nature and Species betwixt Men Beasts therefore there could be no substitution c. this must needs discover excess of pride and folly The thing possibly in some respects may seem somewhat strange but it becomes us to acquiesce in what God himself was pleas'd to determine upon and then to order and reveal in his Law From these Sacrifices I proceed to the much higher Sacrifice Christ himself where we shall find an exact correspondency between the type and the antitype the one fully answering to the other Did they carry substitution in them that eminently was in Christ he indeed substituted himself in the Sinners room took our guilt upon him and put himself in our place dy'd not only for our good but in our stead did undergo what
Creature now he designing Life for Life therefore he pitch'd upon blood wherein the life did lye The Apostle tells us Heb. 9.22 And almost all things are by the Law purged with blood and without shedding of blood is no remission and if you look into the Levitical Sacrifices you 'l find what he saith to be true In the Burnt-offering for private Persons there was killing and blood Levit. 1.5 the same in the Peace-offerings Levit. 3.2 8 13. the same in the Sin-offerings Levit. 4.7 16 17 18. and so in the rest And the observation of these commands which run so much upon blood was so necessary that should any of the Priests have dared to have entred into God's presence in any other way than by Sacrifices and the blood thereof he would not have taken it well at their hands yea should they have brought into the Temple never so many Bullocks Rams Goats c. and not have slain them or having slain them had not presented their blood before him according to his Institution they would have done no good either to themselves or others for God to shew his Justice Hatred of Sin c stood upon blood and blood he would have From all this we may infer that those old Sacrifices did not expiate as bare Antecedents or Conditions without which God would not pardon or as the offering of them carried in it some Obedience to God's Commands both of which were common to many other things as well as to them surely there was more in it than so Dr. Stillingfl against Crell p. 516 c. for can we reasonably think that God would have been so positive and so express in his Injunctions about somany Sacrifices so severe in the punishing the neglect of them have ordered the taking away the lives of so many Creatures and have so much insisted upon their death and blood in order to expiation had he look'd upon them only as pre-requisite and remoter Conditions of pardon or common acts of Obedience and that as such only they should be expiatory Certainly had there been nothing in them more than this the merciful Creator would have spar'd the blood of the poor Creatures and would have pitch'd upon some other course which might have seem'd at least more consistent with his Wisdom and Goodness We may conclude them therefore to be Means instituted by God in order to atonement and expiation to the effecting of which by virtue of his own institution and the mevit of the great Sacrifice to come they had a direct and effectual tendency This foundation I have laid for the better understanding of the destroying killing shedding of blood that was in the typical Sacrifices I come now to build upon it with respect to the real Sacrifice Christ Jesus In conformity to them therefore Christ was slain died upon the Cross his body broken his blood spilt c. all which speaks him to be a true expiatony Sacrifice Had he not died and suffer'd he could not have been such but upon that he is not only such a Sacrifice really but eminently the dignity of his Person putting a superlative worth and â—fficacy upon his Death and Sacrifice O what was the death of Greatures to the death of God's Son what was the blood of Beasts to the blood of him who was God Acts. 20.28 for such aâ—person to die to shed his blood for the expiation of Sin here was a Sacrifice indeed And surely one great end of God in ordering the death of the old Sacrifices was to convince the World of the necessity of the death of this far greater Sacrifice by them he designed in ways best known to himself to lead men to a dying and bleeding Christ How much doth the Scripture spake of his blood and though his whole humiliation must be taken in as making up his Sacrifice yet in special what a stress and emphasis doth it put upon his Death and Blood wherein his greatest humiliation lay with respect to their influence upon the good of Sinners Eph. 1.7 In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins Rom. 3.25 whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood c. Rom. 5.9 Much more then being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him 1. Joh. 1.7 and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin Rev. 1.5 Vnto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood 1 Pet. 1.19 but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot Mat. 26.28 This is my blood of the New-Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Heb. 9.12 c. Neither by the blood of Goats and Calves but by his own Blood he entred in once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us For if the blood of Bulls and of Goats c. Col. 1.14 having made peace through the blood of his Cross Surely there must be some special reason why this blood of Christ is so often mention'd and why the great benefits which Sinners receive by him are in such a way of eminency ascrib'd to it of which some account will be given in the following particular O the severity of God's Justice which nothing could satisfie but the blood of his own Son O the love of Christ who thought not the best blood in his veins too good for Sinners O the truth of his Satisfaction for what could such blood be spilt for but for that what end could be proportionable to such a medium but Satisfaction O the admirable harmony between type and antitype the shadow and the substance Sacrifice and Sacrifice under the Law 't was blood under the Gospel ' t was blood too only that was common blood but this excellent and precious The Fourth Head of the Ends Effects of the old expiatory Sacrifices and how they are applicable to Christ 4. Fourthly if we compare Christ with the Jewish Sacrifices in their Ends and Effects that will further demonstrate him to be a true expiatory Sacrifice What were they atonement and expiation by them God was to be atoned and Sin to be expiated now both of these were designed and admirably effected in and by Christ therefore he was what I am proving That those Sacrifices were of an atoning nature and appointed for that end what can be more plain Here the so often cited Text which indeed is the key to the whole body of the Levitical-Sacrifices doth recur Levit. 17.11 I have given it to you upon the Altar for what end to make an atonement for your Souls where the word used as in very many other places is Caphar which signifies to * This sense of the word justify'd by all Anti-Socinian Writers Franz Disp 15. th 38. Turretin de Satisf p. 208. Grot. de Sat. p. 39. Hoorneb Socin Confut. p. 607. Dr. Stillingfl p. 509. c. pacify
what could there be in them to pacisie an angry God or to to purifie a guilty Sinner what was the blood of a Beast as considered in it self to expiate the sin of a Man The Apostle plainly tells us Heb. 10.4 It is not possible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sin therefore he sayes there was no perfection by the Levitical Priesthood Heb. 7.11 and the Law made nothing perfect Heb. 7.19 in which were offered gifts and Sacrifices that could not make him that did the service perfect as pertaining to the Conscience Heb. 9.9 So that whatever virtue those Sacrifices had further than the taking away of civil guilt ritual uncleanness securing from Church and State-penalties it wholly depended upon the institution of God and the merit of Christ The brazen Serpent heal'd such as were stung yet not from any intrinsick power in it self but only as God was pleas'd to give that power and efficacy to it and so 't was here in the case of the old Sacrifices These four things I have laid down both to clear up the Sacrifices themselves and also because they are of great use to set us right in our conceptions about Christ the great Sacrifice which must be opened by them Answerably now to these two great Ends and Effects of the Mosaical Sacrifices the same were designed to be done and were actually done by the Lord Jesus when he offered up himself to God upon the Cross whereby he also 1. atoned God 2. expiated the sin of the Elect. As God was angry and offended with the Sinner so Christ by his death procur'd atonement pacification reconciliation as the Sinner lay under guilt so Christ brought about the purgation or expiation of his guilt both of these were done by him and that too not only really but in a much higher way than what was done by the old Sacrifices therefore he was a true proper expiatory Sacrifice yea the most eminent expiatory Sacrifice Of atonement and reconciliation by Christs Sacrifice 1. For atonement or reconciliation By Adams Fall a sad breach had been made 'twixt God and Man Sin had greatly incens'd the holy God against his sinful Creatures nay there was a mutual and reciprocal enmity contracted between them Things being in this dismal state the blessed Jesus interpos'd himself in order to the appeasing of an offended God and the reconciling of him and the Sinner the two parties that were at variance For the effecting of which he did not only as a bare Internuntius treat with both or only offer up prayers to the one in which respect Moses atoned God Exod. 34.10 11 12 13 14. and intreaties to the other 2 Cor. 5.20 and so proceed by some verbal interposures but when nothing else would do it he was willing even to lay down his own Life to die as a Sacrifice upon the Cross by this means to bring God and Man together again in amity and love By which death of Christ the offended God was perfectly atoned and reconciled to the Sinner so as that now upon the satisfaction made to him therein he could without any injury to his Justice and Holiness receive the Sinner into his favour and not inflict upon him that wrath and punishment which he had made himself obnoxious unto this is the true notion of atonement and reconciliation by Christ and all that we * Non statuimus Deum irato propriè factum esse propitium sed Christi Satisfactione causas irae divinae obliteratas esse ut salvâ justistiâ suâ possit gratiam exhibere Essenïus p. 253. mean by it But that this was thus done by him what one thing is there in all the matters of Faith wherein the Gospel is more clear and full 1 Joh. 2.2 And he is the propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 4.10 Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his blood c. Rom. 5.10 11. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life And not only so but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the atonement 2 Cor. 5.18 19. All things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself Col. 1.20 21. And having made peace through the blood of his Cross by him to reconcile all things unto himself c. And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works yet now hath be reconciled in the body of his flesh through death So Eph. 2.13 14 c. Isa 53.6 the chastisement of our peace was upon him i. e. by his penal sufferings our peace was made with God 'T is true which our * Socin de Serv◠p. 1. c. 8. Adversanies would fain improve to their purpose that all along in these Scriptures the reconciliation is said to be on Mans part as if Sinners were reconcil'd to God not God to them but there 's a special reason for that viz. * Baxters Life of Faith p. 189. because they were the first in the breach they fell out with God before he fell out with them as also because the averseness to reconciliation is on their part wherefore if they be willing to be reconcil'd to God and are actually reconciled to him there 's no question of it but that he is willing to be reconciled to them and is so actually Some would have the reconciliation as on God's part to be spoken of Heb. 2.17 that he might be a merciful and faithful high Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is according to the Hebrew Enallage as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as * De Satisf p. 93. Grotius well observes Howerver supposing that this Text doth not so expresly hold forth the thing yet there is enough in those convincing Reasons Arguments and Consequences which the Word elsewhere affords to prove the reconciliation to be mutual as is fully proved by divers Which reconciliation you see was accomplished by Jesus Christ yea by his death and blood so that he exactly answers to the first effect of the Jewish Sacrifices Of the Expiation of Sin by Christ's Sacrifice 2. The for the Second the expiation of sin that also was done with great advantage by Christ his death carried indeed a Sin-expiating virtue in it and was most truly of an expiatory nature Let us a little look into the Scripture see what it saith about this and that we shall find not only to assert the thing but so to assert it as withal to set down and determine the nature and true notion of it I mean this
the Scripture doth not only in general speak of Christ's taking away or expiating of Sin but it shews in what manner he did it and wherein the nature of that expiation did consist as namely that he did expiate it in that way which was agreeable to what was done in and by the old Sacrifices and that according to the notion proper to their expiation so his must be understood For in speaking thereof it uses those expressions which point to those Sacrifices and to their expiation thereby noting 1. that Christ did expiate in that very way wherein they did and 2. that therefore his expiation in the nature of it must run parallel with theirs Take a few Instances Heb. 9.13 14. For if the blood of Bulls and Goats and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purge your Conscience from dead works to serve the living God Vers 22 23. And almost all things are by the Law purged with blood and without shedding blood is no remission It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the Heavens should be ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purified with these but the Heavenly things themselves with better Sacrifices than these Heb. 1.3 When he had by himself * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purged our sins or as 't is in the Greek he having by himself made purgation or expiation of our sins 1 Joh. 1.7 and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cleanseth us from all sin by which cleansing the Apostle meant the expiation or remission of sin for Vers 9. he puts them together he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Heb. 10.22 having our bearts * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our bodies †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 washed with pure water Revel 1.5 Vnto him that loved us and ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 washed us from our sins in his own blood Now pray observe from these Scriptures 1. That the expiating of sin under the terms of purifying purging cleansing washing sprinkling is expresly attributed to Christ 2. That he as being a Sacrifice by dying and shedding his blood so did expiate sin 3. That the proper and primary effect of his death and blood was the expiation of sins guilt and as a consequent thereof its remission Matth. 26.28 This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Eph. 1.7 In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins So Rom. 3.25 4. That as the Jewish Sacrifices were truly expiatory they in their way taking off sins guilt and the punishment due thereupon wherein the formal nature of their expiation did consist so answerably Christ Jesus was a true expiatory Sacrifice he in his way too taking off sins guilt c. wherein the formal nature of his expiation did and must consist also This I ground upon a twofold consideration 1. Because by those very Words which were proper to those Sacrifices and by which their expiation of sin was seth forth I say by those very Words the Sacrifice of Christ and the efficasy thereof is described therefore it must be as truly expiatory of sin as they were this is sufficiently proved in the places that have been cited And I might further add that the words there used are the very same with those which the Greek prophane Authors do always use when they are speaking of their expiatory Sacrifices and of the effect of them of which many instances are given by the * Stuck de Sacrif fol. 148. Grot. de Sat. p. 128 129. with many Others Learned 2. Because the Apostle who most uses these words and in the place too where he most uses them I mean in his Epistle to the Hebrews doth professedly draw a parallel 'twixt Christ and the Law-Sacrifices shewing there was a great analogie and resemblance betwixt them True he asserts a greater excellency and efficacy in the one than in the other and as to the manner of working he shews there was a vast difference between them but yet as to the great effect of a Sacrifice expiation of sin in that so far as the nature of the things would admit of they did agree Well then if they did purifie and expiate so must Christ and as they did purifie and expiate in taking away guilt by death and blood so must Christ otherwise where would the analogie be between them was it not thus there would be expiation in the type and none in the antitype and one way of expiation in the type and another in the antitype both of which are directly contrary to the Apostles scope and design in the forenamed Epistl◠Some possibly will ask why I multiply so many words and stay so long upon this point I 'le tell them I do it to vindicate both the reality and also the true notion of our Saviours expiatory Sacrifice For the SOCINIANS who have not left us one fountain of Evangelical Comfort un-poyson'd herein deal with their usual subtilty very fair words are spoken by them as though they were for and did own Christ's * Socin de Serv. p. 2. c. 11.13 14 16 17. Crellius contra Grot. cap. 10. sect 2. expiation of sin but when they come to open it and to shew what they mean by it they make it a quite other thing than what indeed it is they keep the Word but quit the Scripture-sense thereof Christ say they did expiate sin but how why by begetting Faith in the Sinner by working repentance in him by turning and drawing him off from sin by delivering from the effects of it by declaring the Will of God about remission and the way thereunto as his death was an antecedent to his exaltation in Heaven where say they he only expiates sin c. in such things as these but not in Christ's undergoing the punishment due to the Sinner and dying in his stead they make his expiation of Sin to lie Now though much might be and * Grot. de Sat. p. 136. Hoorneb p. 581. c. Franz p. 207. 450. Dr. Stillingst against Crell c. 6. p. 507. c. Turret p. 202. c. Jacob. ad Portum p. 464. c. is said against each of these particularly yet that which I have in the general insisted upon is a sufficient confutation of them all viz. Christ must expiate sin in that way and sense wherein the Sacrifices under the Law did now did they expiate any other way than as they were substituted in the Offenders room and as they dy'd in his stead therefore that must be the way wherein Christ our Sacrifice doth expiate also
occur in Scripture 2 King 3.27 2 King 17.31 2 King 23.10 2 Chron. 28.3 Jer. 7.31 Jer. 19.5 Jer. 32.35 Psal 106.37 38. Levit. 18.21 Levit. 20.2 In other things the Heathens borrowed from the Jews in this the Jews from the Heathens Upon the whole then it appears that Scripture and Nature do both concur in that notion of expiatory Sacrifices which I have insisted upon and surely in the applying of it to Christ the grand expiatory Sacrifice the Gospel is exceeding clear So that when we assert his substitution in the stead of Sinners his dying for them his atoning God and expiating Sin by his death and blood we say nothing but what Jews and Heathens in their expiatory Sacrifices apprehended believed and acted upon They then who differ in these things as to the general nature use and end of such Sacrifices they differ not only from us but from all mankind of whom it might be expected they would better agree with Heathens since they do so ill agree with Christians Of the Second Enquiry when and where Christ was this expiatory Sacrifice I have dispatch'd the First Enquiry What a kind of Sacrifice Christ was the Second follows when and where he was such a Sacrifice To which I answer when he was here on earth and especially when he died upon the Cross then and there he was this expiatory Sacrifice All are not of my mind herein the Enemy who way-lays me in every step I take in these great Truths is upon me again and forces me to defend my self or rather the Truth I have laid down * Socin de Serv. p. 2. c. 12 15. Smale de Divin Christi c. 23. Gatech Racov. de Mun. Christi Sacerd. Quaest 2. He saith Christ's being thus a Sacrifice points to his being in Heaven and to what he there doth that his death here was but a preparation to his Sacrifice as there to be made or but an antecedent Condition to his having of power there to expiate sin with much more to that purpose Here then lies the difference between us and S we say Christ's being the expiatory Sacrifice belongs to that part of his Priestly-Office which he executed here upon earth they make it to refer to that part of his Priestly-Office which he now executes in Heaven we time it in Christ's dying upon the Cross they in his sitting upon the Throne Now that I may at once prove what is true and also confute what is false I argue thus 1. It appears that here Christ's Sacrifice was exhibited or that here he made his expiatory Offering because the Scripture speaks of it as a thing that is past and antecedent to his exaltation and glory and therefore it must be done here on earth and not in Heaven Eph. 5.2 and hath given himself for us an Offering a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Heb. 1.3 when he had by himself purged our sins he sate down on the right hand of the Majesty on high mark it the Sacrifice-purgation or expiation of sin was over and done and then Christ's exaltation in Heaven followed after Heb. 9.12 Neither by the blood of Goats and Calves but by his own blood he entred in once into the holy place having obtained not to obtain eternal redemption for us Heb. 10.12 But this man after he had offered one Sacrifice for sins for ever sate down on the right hand of God he did not first sit down on the right hand of God and then offer up his Sacrifice for sins but he first offered and then he sat down on the right hand of God 2. When the Scripture speaks of Christ's expiation of sin by the Sacrifice of himself it speaks of it as a thing done but once therefore it must refer to his death which was but once not to his intercession or any other act in Heaven which is a * Heb. 7.25 continued repeated and reiterated act Heb. 9.26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself Vers 28. Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many Heb. 7.27 this he did once when he offered up himself Heb. 10.10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all Doth this once agree with any thing that he now doth in Heaven 3. If Christ had not dispatch'd his expiatory work at his death why did he then say * Joh. 19.30 It is finished if his expiating of sin was yet to come and to be done in Heaven how could he with truth have spoken these words that all was finished when the great thing was yet undone 4. That of the Apostle is pertinent to our purpose Heb. 10.5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world he saith Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not but a body hast thou prepared me c. wherefore did Christ come into the world why to be a Sacrifice and to do that which the old Sacrifices could not God was e'ene weary of them could no longer * Heb. 10.8 take pleasure in them he will have Christ the better Sacrifice to come into the world which accordingly he did I but what was the world into which he came surely it must be this lower world for it must be understood of that world into which he came to do the Will of God as appears Vers 7.9 now that was this World below rather than that above for where do we reade that Christ ascended into the upper World to do the Will of God especially this Will of God referring to his assuming a body and offering up that body Vers 5.10 these were things to be done only on this lower stage of earth whence then it follows that here his Sacrifice was made 5. There was as hath been observ'd to be an analogie and resemblance 'twixt Christ's Sacrifice and the Levitical Sacrifices and he was to expiate in that way wherein they did expiate but if you do not place his Sacrifice in his death where will that analogie be or how will he expiate in that way wherein they did What is there in Christ as in Heaven that carries any resemblance to the killing slaying shedding the blood offering of the Levitical Sacrifices There he sits in great glory puts forth his Regal power is Head of Church c. but what 's all this to suffering dying pouring out his blood wherein he was to answer to those Sacrifices Doth the Scripture lay so much upon his death and blood for expiation and yet shall that be done where there is none of these 'T will be said there 's this in Christ in Heaven to carry resemblance to the old Sacrifices their blood was carried by the High-Priest into the Holy of Holy's and there sprinkled by him towards the Mercy-seat upon which expiation and atonement followed now parallel to this Christ
of which you reade Gen. 15.16 1. Thes 2.16 neither is it the compleating or perfecting of it as we commonly take the word in which respect Christ is said to be the author and finisher of our faith Heb. 12.2 and to finish what he had to do and suffer Joh. 17.4 19.30 but 't is as follows the making an end of sin such a finishing as is destructive not perfective by Christ's Sacrifice sin was destroy'd he thereby made an end of it or seal'd it up as the word signifies so as that it should never be seen or come forth again to the hurt of God's people Again 't is set forth by the putting away of sin Heb. 9.26 but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself the word is rendred by disannulling Heb. 7.18 by making void or abrogating Mark 7.9 set it as high as you will the virtue and efficacy of Christ's Sacrifice will reach it by the oblation of himself he hath quite disannull'd or abrogated and put away the guilt of sin Put all together here 's purging cleansing washing taking away putting away finishing making an end of sin all of which are the same with the condemning of sin in the Text do not all prove the real expiation of the Sin of Believers as the result and issue of the Sacrifice of Christ I having in what goes before said enough for the opening of the true notion of our Saviours expiating of sin under the present Head I have but two things further to speak unto the one referring to the nature of the act the other to the extent of the act Of the nature of the expiation of Sin by Christ 1. As to the nature of the act know that Christ hath so expiated sins guilt as that it shall never be imputed to the believing Sinner in order to the inflicting of eternal punishment upon him this must be rightly apprehended or else we shall run our selves upon great mistakes When you read of the expiating condemning taking away of sin and so on in the other expressions named but now you are not only to understand them as pointing to the removal of sins guilt in their proper and primary intention but also as holding forth no more about that removal of guilt than the non-imputation thereof to punishment Christ indeed by the Sacrifice of himself hath done all that which I am speaking of but how not but that believers have yet guilt upon them that that guilt as consider'd in it self makes them lyable to the penalty threatned that the formal intrinsick nature of guilt viz. obligation to punishment doth yet remain and is the same in them which it is in others all therefore which it amounts unto is only this that this guilt shall not be charged upon such or imputed to them for eternal condemnation Sin is Sin in the godly as well as in the ungodly thereupon there 's guilt on them as well as on the other upon this guilt they are equally obnoxious to the Laws sentence but now here comes in the expiation by the Obedience Death Satisfaction of Christ by which things are brought to this happy issue that though this be so yet these persons shall be exempted from wrath and Hell and the punishment deserved shall not be inflicted Thus far we may safely go but beyond this we cannot we may for the encouraging of Faith the heightning of Comfort set this Sin-expiatory act of Christ very high but we must not set it so high as to assert Contradictions But these things will be more fully stated when I shall come to the handling of the main Doctrine of Justification Of the extent of this act with respect to the Subject and Object 2. For the extent of the act that must be consider'd two wayes either as it respects the Subject for which this expiation was wrought or as it respects the Object the thing expiated 1. As to its extent in reference to the Subject And so Christ's expiatory Sacrifice reaches 1. both to Jew and Gentile not to the one or to the other exclusively but to both 1 Joh. 2.2 And he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world 2. To those who liv'd under the Law as well as to those who now live under the Gospel the former had the benefit of Christ's expiation of sin as well as the latter Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God where by Sins past you are to understand those that were committed under the first Testament before Christ's coming in flesh so the Apostle opens it Heb. 9.15 And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance Nay 3. there is a a sufficiency of virtue and merit in Christ's Sacrifice to expiate the sins of all men in the world Yet 4. in point of efficacy it extends no farther than to true believers others may receive some benefits by a dying Christ but this of the full and actual expiation of Sin belongs only to those who have saving faith wrought in them As this which I here assert is matter of Controversie I have no mind to engage in it as it is practically to be improv'd and enlarg'd upon so I shall speak to it in the Vse therefore at present I 'le say no more to it All Sins whatsoever expiated by Christ's Sacrifice 2. As to its extent in reference to the Object or the thing expiated it reaches to all and every sin Christ is such a Sin-offering as doth take off from those who believe in him all guilt whatsoever by his Sacrifice for sin he condemned sin that is all sins whatsoever 't is indefinitely express'd to be understood universally Take sin collectively in the whole heap or mass of it or take it distributively for this or that particular sin all is expiated and done away by Christ's blood the expiation is so full and compleat that there is not the guilt of any one sin little or great left unremov'd 1 Joh. 1.7 the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin Acts 13.39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses Whether the Jewish Sacrifices did expiate all Sins Whether the Levitical Sacrifices did thus universally expiate sin is a controverted point wherein the Socinians hold the Negative the Orthodox the Affirmative The * Socin de Servat p. 2. c. 11 12 18. former say those Sacrifices did free from the guilt of lesser sins such as were sins
of ignorance committed through incogitancy inadvertency humane infirmity but for great and grievous sins such as were committed against knowledge or willingly and willfully they did not free from their guilt the * Vid. Calov Socin proflig p. 625. Lubbert contra Socin Hoorneb Socin confut p. 602. Turretin de Sat. Christi p. 226. Stegm Photin p. 282. O. against B. p. 474. p 469. latter assert and defend the contrary And not without very good and weighty reasons for if we look into the annual expiatory Sacrifice we find that all sins were expiated by it Levit. 16.21 Aaron shall lay his hands upon the head of the live Goat and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel and all their transgressions in all their sins putting them upon the head of the Goat c. And the Goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited 30. On that day shall the Priest make and atonement for you to cleanse you that ye may be clean from all your sin before the Lord. 34. And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year And as it was thus in the publick Sacrifices for all the people so also in the private Sacrifices for particular persons therefore as you reade of the * Of the difference of these two Chataath and Asham much is written Fagius makes the one to refer to sins of Omission the other to sins of Commission In Levit. 4 2 Others make the Asham to point to sins particularly enumerated Chataath to sins in the general See Dr. O. Exerc. 24. on the Heb. p. 317. Dr. Stillingst against Crellius p. 474. But the most distinguish them as one was for Sins of Ignorance the other for Sins knowingly and willingly committed Vid. Petit. Var. Lect. l. 2. c. 8. Saubert de Sacrif c. 3. p. 65. Chataath the Sin-offering which was appointed for Sins of Ignorance Levit. 4.2 13. 22. 27. so of the Asham the Trespass-offering which was appointed for sins committed knowingly and willingly such as were of a more high and hainous nature as falshood in the detaining of what was deposited lying violence perjury c. Levit. 6.2 3 c. were not these great and horrid sins and yet God appointed Sacrifices for the expiation of them Numb 5.6 When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit to do a trespass against the Lord and that person be guilty Then they shall confess their sin c. The Priest is said Heb. 5.1 to be ordained in things pertaining to God that he may offer both gifts and Sacrifices for sins 't is set down without any exception or limitation so Heb. 7.27 'T is true which the Adversaries make great use of the Apostle sets it forth by the errors of the people Heb. 9.7 Into the Second went the High Priest alone once every year not without blood which be offered for himself and for the errors of the people But then you must know that by these errors he means not only smaller sins but all whatsoever even such as were of a very crimson die And the Greek word * Acts 3.17 13.27 1 Tim. 1 13. 2 Pet. 2.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here rendred by errors with the Hebrew word †1 Sam. 26.21 Job 6.24 Psal 119.21 See Franz Schol. Sacrif Disp 6. th 60. Scagag do often point to great and grievous sins therefore why should we limit it to sins of a lower size and stature especially if we consider that in that Sacrifice to which the Apostle here plainly refers the expiation was general of all sins as you heard but now out of Levit. 16. And 't is very true too that for Sins which were committed with an high hand contumaciously in open defiance of God c. there he would not admit of a Sacrifice for the expiating of sins so circumstantiated Numb 15.27 c. If any Soul sin through ignorance then he shall bring a She-goat And the Priest shall make an atonement for the Soul that sinneth ignorantly when he sinneth by ignorance before the Lord to make an atonement for him c. But the Soul that doth ought presumptuously the same reproacheth the Lord and that soul shall be cut off from among his people because he hath despised the Word of the Lord that Soul shall utterly be cut off his iniquity shall be upon him Heb. 10.26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sins But a certain fearful looking for of Judgment c. But this doth not weaken the truth of what I have said viz. that even great offences were expiated by Sacrifices because they might be such and yet not come up to this sinning with an high hand and wilfully against the Lord and thereupon might be expiable Were there no sins of a middle nature 'twixt such as were of meer infirmity and such as were committed perversly and obstinately out of open contempt and defiance of God surely there were you have had instances of such and was there no expiation for such the contrary hath been prov'd To clear up this whole matter I would lay down three things 1. When we say that the Law-Sacrifices did take off the guilt of all sins yea of great sins we alwayes except such as God himself did except where he was pleas'd to make a limitation there we must do the same but not otherwise 2. 'T is evident that as to some sins God did make an exception For the case stood thus * See Grotius de Sat. Christi p. 122. it pleased the Lord to give excellent Laws to the people of Israel those Laws he back'd with a severe penalty that penalty was death which was due upon every violation of the Law it being so yet out of his great compassion he who being the Law-giver might therefore relax and alter his Laws and the penalties annexed to them as seem'd good to him would not proceed in the utmost rigour but he would graciously moderate and mitigate his threatnings And therefore though death was incur'd by every sin yet it shall not accordingly be inflicted but a substitution shall be admitted of the Beast shall die but the Sinner himself shall live Upon this God appointed Sacrifices wherein the punishment due to the Offender should be laid upon the thing sacrific'd and thereby his Sin expiated Well! but though he will be so gracious as thus to admit of the expiation of sin yet partly out of respect to his own honour and partly out of respect to the Jewish politie Civil and Ecclesiastical he will do this with some kind of restriction that is he will admit of Sacrifices for the expiating of some sins but not of all The Murderer was to die and no Sacrifice to be accepted of on his behalf Numb 35.30 31 32. with reference to
which some understand that of David Psal 51.16 Thou desirest not Sacrifice else would I give it c. so the Adulterer Levit. 20.10 the Idolater and so in several other cases Here now was a limitation set by God himself and therefore here could be no expiation in the external and ordinary way indeed upon repentance there might be the doing away of the moral guilt which made the offender lyable to God and to eternal death but as to political guilt which made the offender lyable to temporal death that if publick and known could not by Sacrifices be taken off when therefore you hear so much spoken of the virtue and efficacy of the old Sacrifices as expiatory you must alwayes understand it according to this stating of it 3. Those Sacrifices may be considered absolutely or relatively Absolutely and in themselves and so their expiation reached only to some sins and to the removal of some guilt viz. that which was ritual and ceremonial Relatively with respect to Christ who was typified by them and so by virtue of his great Sacrifice to come which they prefigur'd to persons duly qualified their expiation was general of all sins and of all guilt I mean of all moral guilt before God though not of all political guilt before Men But though there be this difficuly as to the type as to the antitype there 's none by Christ's offering up of himself to be sure all sins are expiated even the greatest are wash'd away by his blood none can stand before his infinite merit and satisfaction former Sacrifices were weak but Christ the grand Sacrifice he is strong * Heb. 7.25 able to save to the utmost all that come to God through him He is not only a Sin-offering to remove the guilt of lesser sins but a Trespass-offering to remove the guilt of the greatest sins therefore as he is set forth by the former in the Text so by the latter in Isa 53.10 Where final impenitency and unbelief do not hinder the death of Christ is sufficient to acquit from all guilt by it all who perform the Gospel-conditions have a full and universal discharge Application I have now gone through the several things necessary to be spoken unto for the explaining and confirming of the Point the Vse follows Vse 1. Of Information Was Christ a Sacrifice for sin and did he thereby condemn sin I shall from hence infer something 1. by way of Information 2. of Exhortation 3. of Consolation 1. Of the truth of Christ's Satisfaction First for Information and so this great Truth may be useful in the informing of our judgements in sundry particulars As 1. We learn from it the truth of Christ's satisfaction Here amongst many others is a very considerable Argument to prove that Christ did really satisfie Gods Justice for Mans sin which therefore all who write upon and for the verity of his Satisfaction do in special insist upon with great evidence and advantage to the Cause which they defend And indeed it carry's such light and conviction in it as that the grand Opposer of this Satisfaction was more troubled to get off from it than from any other Argument whatsoever for when he came to answer COVETVS arguing for it from the legal Sacrifices as prefiguring Christ he was forc'd to say c * Socin de Servat p. 2. c. 9. in quo major vis esse videtur in which head of Testimonies there seems to be greater strength than in any of the former And the annual great Expiation being urg'd as to that he saith ‖ Ibid. c. 12. difficilis sanè nodus solvendus restat one hard knot remains to be untyed 't was an hard knot indeed which he might endeavour to loose but could not The word Satisfaction 't is very true we have not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expressly * De Servat p. 3. c. 6. Ego quidem etiamsi non semel sed saepe id in sacris monumentis Scriptum extaret non idcirco tamen ita rem prorsus se habere crederem ut vos opinamini in so many letters and syllables in the whole Bible but the thing we have yea as to that the Scripture is so copious and full that 't is not in any one other thing more copious and full But suppose we had there the Word as well as the Thing what would that signifie to those with whom I have now to do when SOCINVS is so bold as to say For my part although I should find that meaning Christ's Satisfaction asserted in Scripture not once but often yet I should not therefore believe the thing to be as Dissenters do hold wherein he comes but little short of what his friend SMALCIUS dared to speak concerning the Incarnation of the Son of God of which you had an account before 'T is not for me here to launch out into that vast Controversie of Christ's satisfaction in the opening stating proving defending of which so many Volumes have been written I must confine my self to that one thing which lies before me And there 's enough in it to stablish you in the belief of what we contend for for was Christ truly and properly a Sacrifice for sin were our sins the meritorious cause of his sufferings did he put himself into the Sinners stead taking his guilt upon him and undergoing that punishment which he should have undergone did he die shed his blood that he might thereby atone God and expiate sin all of which have been proved out of the unerring Word and doth not all this amount to a demonstration of the truth of Christ's satisfying the Justice of God for Sin do we mean any thing by his Satisfaction but these things and are not they clear enough from Scripture-light The truth is all the other Arguments brought for the proof of Christ's Satisfaction I say all of them do either run into or fall under this one of his being a Sacrifice for sin If God would pardon sin be appeased towards the Creature c. absolutely and without the intervention of any Satisfaction why did he appoint Sacrifices under the Law why must so many Creatures die why must so much blood be spilt quorsum perditio haec he whose * Psal 145.9 tender mercies are over all his works who hath pity and goodness for all that he hath made would he unnecessarily or meerly to shew his absolute dominion have ordered so many Creatures to be killed slaughtered destroyed from day to day why did he so peremptorily stand upon this that †Heb. 9.22 without shedding of blood there should be no remission But I go higher if God had not required satisfaction why must * Si non fuisset peccatum non necesse fuerat Filium Dei agnum fieri necâ—opus fuerat â—um in carne positum jugulari sed mansisset hoc quod erat in principio Deus Verbum Verum quoniam introiit pecatum in mundum peccati autem
death he might give a further proof or evidence thereof Besides if this was the main thing designed and effected thereby then in the remission of sin reconciliation with God c. we should owe as much to Christ's Miracles as to his Death than which nothing can be more repugnant to the whole tenour of the Word 2. This would take away the peculiarity or speciality of Christ's death For if there was nothing in it more than bearing witness to the truth or confirmation of the Gospel-doctrine then all the Apostles and Martyrs who ever died did the same in as much as they by dying bore witness also to the truth and confirmed the Gospel-Doctrine then as he saith to us * Matth. 5.47 What do ye more than others we may say the same to him What blessed Jesus dost thou more than others and would not this be a fine question Certainly the death of the Mediator and the death of the Martyr are two different things not only quoad gradum but quoad speciem but if it was as this sort of Men would have it there might be a gradual difference betwixt them but nothing more Must Christ's dying for us amount only to his dying as a Martyr for the truth here 's the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but where 's the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paul laid down his life upon this account and yet saith he * 1 Cor. 1.13 Was Paul crucified for you 3. Nay thirdly if Christ had dy'd only upon this ground and for this end then several of the Martyrs had gone beyond him How readily and chearfully did many of them die how desirous were they of laying down their lives for the Gospel they did not fear death all their fear was that God would not so far honour them as to call them out to suffer it for his sake And when they came to die what abundance of inward peace and comfort had they how were their Souls brim-full of heavenly consolation they had as much thereof as ever heart could hold so much that all their outward torments were nothing to them But was it thus with Christ true he was very ready and willing to die yet there was a time when he pray'd again and again that the Cup might pass from him * Matth. 26.39 42 44. Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me and he had an innocent sinless fear of death for be was heard in what he feared Heb. 5.7 And had he such raptures and extasies of joy at his death as several of the Martyrs had O no! his Soul was * Matth. 26.38 exceeding sorrowful he was under bitter †Luk. 22.44 agonies and conflicts had great terrors in his Spirit c. Now had he dy'd only as they did meerly to have borne his testimony to the truth and for the confirmation of the Doctrine of the Gospel would it have been thus what Saints so full of joy and God's own Son so full of sorrow Saints in their sufferings to have such a mighty presence of God with them and God's own Son to cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Surely there must be something special and extraordinary in his death above theirs and so there was for he had the guilt of all Believers upon him lay under the wrath of God bare the punishment due to Sinners was under the curse of the Law c. these were the sad ingredients in his death which put such a bitterness into it Had there been nothing more in it than bare Martyrdom or what is proper to that how would he have been said to be * Gal. 3.13 a curse for us what singular thing would there have been in his †Phil. 3.8 being obedient to death even the death of the Cross 2. Secondly 't is said Christ dy'd for this end that he might set before men an example of obedience patience submission to God's Will zeal and the like I answer that this was one end is very true but that this was the only end is very false Christ did not design his death to be only exemplary to us but that it should also be satisfactory to God he had in his eye the expiation of our sin as well as our imitation of his example Christ saith the Apostle also suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2.21 but was that all no Vers 24. who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree here was substitution in our stead susception of our guilt as well as the propounding of an example If Christ should further the happiness of Sinners only in this exemplary way what then would become of the Fathers and of all those who liv'd before he came and dy'd in the flesh who therefore could reap no benefit by his example And this would make the effects of his death to terminate wholly in us and not at all to reach to God whereas he is a Priest in things pertaining to God Heb. 2.17 3. They say Christ dy'd for this end that by his death he might strengthen and encourage faith and thereby raise up men to the assurance of the remission of sin freedom from eternal death the possessing of eternal life c. Answ We grant that Faith receives eminent support and encouragement from this that it gives the highest satisfaction that is possible as to the certainty of Gospel-blessings yet this must not be look'd upon as the primary much less as the only end of Christ's death For 1. the blessing must be procur'd before there can be any assurance of it the thing must be suppos'd to be before persons can be sure of it now how was that brought about but by the death of Christ and if so then the only end thereof was not assurance but there must be another antecedent end viz. the purchasing or effecting of the thing which was to be the matter of that assurance And by that the Scripture mainly represents Christ's death Matth. 26.28 This is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins mark it 't was shed for the procuring of this great blessing not for the assuring persons of it 2. This assurance is as much if not more the effect of Christ's resurrection as of his death Indeed for him to die that contributes very much but 't is his dying and rising again that hath the greatest influence upon it 1 Pet. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by what by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead As to purchase and impetration we owe more to Christ's death than to his resurrection but as to assurance and subjective certainty we owe more to his resurrection than to his death therefore the Apostle brings this in with a rather Rom. 8.34 It is Christ
that died yea rather that is risen again He is said to be delivered for our offences and to be raised again for our justification Rom. 4.25 the Sinners justification was merited by his death but it was manifested by his resurrection thence therefore Faith in its being assured of that priviledge must fetch its main encouragement so that this cannot be the only thing aimed at in his death since it more properly belongs to another Head 3. The old-Testament Saints were high in their assurance and yet they liv'd before the death of Christ 4. His death simply considered gives no such encouragement to faith or ground of assurance consider it indeed as we state it that is as he dy'd in our stead to satisfie God's Justice appease his Father's wrath expiate our sin c. and so 't is highly strengthning to Faith but if you take it in it-self and as our Adversaries state it so there 's but little in it for Faith's advantage What inducement or encouragement would this be to Sinners to believe to set before them the death of Christ unless those Ends and Considerations about it be taken in which our Antagonists oppose without which it would rather draw out mens fear than their faith rather drive them from God than to God for so more of his justice and severity would therein appear to deterre them than of his Mercy to allure and encourage them O did God deal so with his own Son who too was innocent and blameless what then will he do to such vile wretched guilty creatures as we are must Christ so die would not God spare him in the least what then will become of such as we Upon the whole matter the Soc. say Christ's death was not at all intended to be satisfactory to God I 'me sure according to their stating of it 't is not at all consolatory to Sinners 4. They say Christ dy'd for this end that he might have a right and power after his death when he should be in heaven to forgive sin Answ Whilst he was here on earth before his death he had that right or power therefore that could not be any end thereof Matth. 9.2 Son be of good cheer thy sins be forgiven thee and when some murmured at this see how he stood upon the asserting of it Vers 6. That ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins c. 5. 'T is said Christ dy'd for this end that he might procure for himself such and such power dignity and glory But to this we say it was so far from being the main end that it was indeed no end at all it being but the Coâ—â—â—â—â—ent not the End of his death see Phil. 2.8 9. These defective Causes and Ends being remov'd it remains that I set down those which were the chief and principal And they were such as these Christ dy'd to be a Sacrifice for Sin Heb. 9.26 10.12 a Ransom 1 Tim. 2.6 Matth. 20.28 a Propitiation 1 Joh. 2.2 to reconcile God to us and us to God Rom. 5.10 2 Cor. 5.19 Eph. 2.13 14. Col. 1.20 c. to deliver us from the curse of the Law by his being made a curse for us Gal. 3 13. to save from wrath to come 2 Thes 1.10 to justifie and make righteous 2 Cor. 5.21 Rom. 5.9 to procure remission of sin by his blood 1 Joh. 1.7 Eph. 1.7 Matth. 26.28 to overcome death by death Heb. 2.14 to purchase eternal life Joh. 6.51 Heb. 9.12 As he dy'd in our place and stead taking our guilt and bearing our punishment so he died for these ends that he might restore us to God's love and favour and expiate all our sins by his making satisfaction for them these were not only Ends but the supream and primary ends of his Death I do not exclude the former provided that 1. they be taken in conjunction with these nay 2. in subordination to them Christ in his dying might intend this and that as his bearing witness c. but his main and principal intendments were satisfaction reconciliation forgiveness of sin c. in the revealing of which the Holy Scriptures are so express and plain that to me 't is very strange that any opposition much more that so vehement opposition should be made against it Good Lord how are Opposers faine to strain their wit to summon in all their invention subtilty for the finding out of some forc'd and pitiful interpretations of the Texts alledged thereby to evade the true sense and meaning of them how do they set these Scriptures and themselves too upon the rack that they may seem to reconcile them with their hypotheses's but all in vain as is abundantly prov'd The vanity falshood of humane Satisfactions 3. Thirdly from hence I infer the vanity and falshood of all humane Satisfactions Was the Lord Jesus himself a Sacrifice for sin and did he thereby condemn abolish expiate all sin for his members then what needs to be done or can be done further by any Creatures in the way of Satisfactions * Eccles 2.12 What can the man do that cometh after the King I cannot but take notice how whoever will engage in these weighty Points he must tread upon thorns and bryars every step he takes no sooner shall he have got off from one Enemy but there will be some other at hand with whom he must encounter also I find it I 'me sure to be so for no sooner have I quit my self of the SOCINIANS but the PAPISTS in a full body make head against me The former would wholly take away Christ's Satisfaction the latter would add Mans to it the One denies the verity the Other the perfection of it For they tell us 't is very true that Christ did fully satisfie the Justice of God by his being a Sacrifice for sin and fully expiate the sins of Believers in respect of their guilt and of the eternal punishment due thereupon but not in respect of temporal punishments these they say they are yet lyable unto notwithstanding all that Christ hath done and suffered and that too not only in the present but for some time in the future state for the preventing or removing of which satisfaction must be made to God either by themselves or by others this is the ROMISH-Doctrine In which so far as I have gone we have falsities enough but should we go farther to their particular explication and stating of the latter branch mens satisfying by themselves or by others what a mass and heap of ungrounded unscriptural absur'd Opinions should we there meet with for there come in their penances fastings pilgrimages corporal punishments voluntary poverty masses and prayers for them who are in Purgatory Indulgences c. O what a big-bellied Error is this of humane Satisfactions what a numerous train of falsities is it attended with Contrary to this we hold that * See the 31 Article of our Church Christ by the once
the Apostle opposes Christ's Sacrifice Vers 5 6 c. and of that he saith Vers 10. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all Vers 11 12. And every Priest standeth daily ministring and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices which can never take away sins But this man after he had offered one Sacrifice for sins for ever sat down on the right hand of God Vers 14. For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified The HEATHENS had their Sacrifices which they call'd * Succidaneae dictae si permis hostiis litatum non erat aliae post easdem ductae hostiae caedebantur quae quasi prioribus jam caesis luendi piaculi gratia subdebantur succedebant Gyrald Synt. 17. p. 465. Saubert de Sacrif c. 19. p. 477. Hostiae succedaneae which they offered up to their GODS in case those which they had offered before did not succeed the Lord Jesus by his one Sacrifice did so effectually do what he designed and the Sinner needed as that there is no room for or need of any hostia succedanea 4. The Apostle makes it out from the sanctity of Christ's Person and the perfection of his Sacrifice The Law-Priests offered first for their own sins and then for the sins of the people Heb. 7.27 they ought as for the people so also for themselves to offer for sins Heb. 5.3 the High Priest went once every year into the second Tabernacle not without blood which he offered for * Levit. 16.11 himself and for the errors of the people Heb. 9.7 But now as to Christ he was holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners Heb. 7.26 he had no sin of his own to expiate by his Sacrifice he was made sin but yet he knew no sin 2 Cor. 5.21 Under the Law both Priest and Sacrifice were to be perfect i. e. without any open and external blemish as to the first reade Levit. 21.17 to the end as to the second God gave several precepts about it the Paschal Lamb was to be without blemish Exod. 12.5 the oblation for Vows and for Free-will-offerings the Sacrifice of Peace-offerings were to be without blemish perfect otherwise they should not be accepted Levit. 22.18 to 25. so the red Heifer was to be without spot and wherein there was no blemish Numb 19.2 so the Firstlings of the Cattle Deut. 15.21 and all Sacrifices whatsoever Deut 17.1 And this the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athen. Deipn l. 15. c. 5. c. quas cum immolabant nisi purae integraeque fuissent minus proficere putabant Gyrald p. 491. HEATHENS themselves made conscience of in their Sacrifices In correspondency to all this in a moral and spiritual sense our Lord's Sacrifice was perfect without the least blemish he offered himself without spot to God Heb. 9.14 he was a Lamb without blemish and without spot 1 Pet. 1.19 5. The excellency of Christ's Sacrifice appears from the great effects of it he put away sin by the sacrifice of himself Heb. 9.26 so that there is no more offering for sin Heb. 10.18 being made perfect he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him Heb. 5.9 by this Sacrifice sin was condemned abolished expiated God appeased the Law satisfied †Heb. 9.12 eternal redemption obtained O what an excellent Sacrifice was Christ's Sacrifice and consequently what an excellent Priesthood was Christ's Priesthood Of the Evil of Sin 7. Seventhly was Christ a Sacrifice for sin in order to the condemning of it and could it be condemn'd by nothing short of that hence we are informed that Sin is a very evil thing and of a very heinous nature Had it not been a notorious and capital Offender would God have condemn'd and thus condemn'd it would he so severely have punished it in the flesh of his own Son must even this Son be offered up upon the Cross as a Sacrifice for the expiation of it O what a cursed heinous thing is sin that had made such a breach between God and his Creatures that Christ must die or else no reconciliation that had so highly struck at the Honour of the great God that nothing below the sharpest sufferings of his dearest Son could make Satisfaction for it its poison and venom was such that there was no cure for the Sinner into whom that poyson had got but only the precious blood of Christ himself God had such an hatred and abhorring of it as that for the * Grot. de Sat. Christi p. 67. testifying thereof even he whom he lov'd from all eternity must be made a †Gal. 3.13 Curse what a demonstration was this of the transcendency of the evil of Sin Would you take a full view thereof pray look upon it in and through this glass a sacrific'd Christ gives the clearest the fullest representation of sins hainousness True we may see much of that in Sins own Nature as 't is the transgression of God's most holy and most excellent Law as also in the threatnings which are denounc'd against it and further in the dreadful Effects of it both here and hereafter the loss of God's image and favour and eternal damnation is it not a very evil thing What a mischievous thing hath this sin been it cast the falling Angels out of Heaven into Hell and turn'd them into Devils it thrust Adam out of Paradise made God to be an enemy to him who but now was his favourite cut off the entail of happiness and instead thereof entail'd misery and a curse upon all his posterity it made God at once to drown a whole world it laid Sodom in ashes levell'd Jerusalem it-self to the ground caused God to forsake his own people the Jews c. 't would be endless to enumerate all the sad mischiefs of Sin Now I say in these things we may see much of the evil of it but not so much as what we see in the Death and Sufferings of the Lord Christ there there is the highest discovery and fullest representation of it He to be * Isa 53.3 a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief he to be bruised and broken yea and his Father to be †Isa 53.10 pleased in the bruising of him he in his own person to undergo the Laws penalty to tread the ‖ Isa 63.3 winepress of the wrath of God he to be * Phil. 2.8 obedient to death even the death of the Cross he to cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me he to be kill'd and slain and †Acts 5.30 hang'd upon a tree and all this for sin O what an excess of evil doth this hold forth to be in it Indeed that the poor Creatures should be so destroy'd in the Law-Sacrifices that so many millions of them they in themselves being harmless and innocent should die and be sacrific'd for mans sin this represents very much of
its cursed nature but yet that comes infinitely short of that representation thereof which we have in a dying crucify'd sacrific'd Christ the death of all those Sacrifices was nothing to the death of this one Sacrifice whereby Sin eminently appears in its own colours What a sad thing is it that men generally make so little a thing of it as though there was not much evil either in it or by it but in so doing how do their thoughts differ from God's thoughts for surely if he had not judg'd it to be very heinous he had never carried it towards his Son as he did I would desire Sinners to take their prospect of it through this medium of Christ's being a Sacrifice for it if any thing in the world will bring them to the sight of its malignity this will do it It pleases God to look upon believers through a dying Christ and so he loves them but could we but look upon Sin a thing never to be lov'd through a dying Christ how should we hate it Of the severity of God's Justice 8. Eightly this demonstrates also the severity impartiality terribleness of God's Justice By Christ's death and Sacrifice we have not only a declaration of the Justice of God in it-self in that he would not remit sin without blood for satisfaction Rom. 3.25 but a declaration also of the adjuncts and properties of his Justice viz. that 't is very severe impartial and terrible He was inflexibly set upon the punishment of sin such was his hatred of it and his respect to the honour of his Law that Sin shall not by any means escape his punishing hand and every punishment too shall not suffice but if shall be such as may fully answer the heinousness of the offence I and if his own Son shall interpose in the Sinners stead and take his guilt upon him and become his Surety even he be he never so dear to God must undergo the utmost punishment that ever he was capable of both for matter and degree God will fall upon him and * Rom. 8.32 not spare him no not in the least O how severe and impartial is his Justice Never was there such an instance or demonstration of these as in the sufferings of the Lord Jesus For pray consider what it was that he suffered besides all the sufferings of his Life at last he suffered death and that not a common or ordinary death but the very worst of deaths a death that had all ingredients into it to make it bitter wherein was all that bitterness which either the wrath of man or which was much worfe of God himself could sqeeze into it And though Christ foreseeing what this death was pray'd again and again that he might be * Joh. 12.27 saved from it that this †Mat. 26.39 42 44. cup might pass from him yet his Father was inexorable and would not hear him but die he must and so die too surely here was divine Justice under the highest severity and impartiality yet without the least mixture of injustice And when the thoughts and sense of this were upon Christ they made his ‖ Mat. 26.38 Soul exceeding sorrowful cast him into most bitter agonies insomuch that * Luk. 22.44 he sweat as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground how dreadful and terrible is punitive Justice what a * Heb. 10.31 fearful thing is it to fall into the hands of the living God! this we see and know in our Saviours case O that we may never know and feel it in our own experience I might further infer from the premises 9. the unsearchable Wisdom of God 10. also his unconceiveable Love and Grave 11. the preciousness of Souls 12. the costliness of Salvation 13. the great dignity of Christ's person from which his Sacrifice deriv'd all its virâ—ue efficacy but I must not speak to all that this vast Subject would lead me to So much for the Inferences drawn from the main Point 2. The next Vse shall be Exhortation Vse 2. Of Exhortation in which I would press some of those Duties which do best suit with the Truth before us hitherto I have chiefly been upon the informing of the judgment I now come to matters of practice Christ as a Sacrifice to be much studied and meditated upon 1. And first as Christ's Sonship and Incarnation of which before so his being a Sacrifice and thereby condemning sin should be very much the object of your study and meditation This you are to study that you may know more of it to meditate upon that you may draw out and improve what you already know about it for so I would at present distinguish betwixt these two supposing the one to be like the filling of the vessel the other like the drawing out of that vessel As to the first I would be earnest with you to be much in studying a sacrific'd crucify'd Christ if the knowledge of him as taking flesh is to be laboured after as you have heard it is surely the knowledge of him as dying in flesh and as condemning sin in his flesh is also to be laboured after In this Sacrifice of Christ you have the very mirror of the Grace of God the master-piece and highest elevation of his Love the glorious product of his infinite Wisdom the great basis and foundation of mans happiness should it not therefore with the greatest diligence be look'd into Our excellent Apostle determin'd to know nothing save Jesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 the preaching of this was the great matter of his Ministry 1 Cor. 1.23 We preach Christ crucified and he makes the Gospel in its revelation mainly to point to this which therefore he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word of the Cross 1 Cor. 1.18 it being so how should the consideration hereof heighten our endeavours after a full and distinct knowledge of it God's own Son to be offered up as a Sacrifice for the sin of man O admirable and wonderful dispensation what a mystery is this how should all be prying into it Here we have Christ at his worst now the knowledge of him as at the worst is the best knowledge for Christians for they having their best by his worst the knowledge of him under that notion must needs be the best knowledge for them If Christ as a Sacrifice in the full import thereof was but better understood by Sinners O what benefit and advantage would thereby accrue to them how steddily would they believe how ardently would they love how patiently would they suffer how thankfully would they adore how chearfully would they walk should not these be prevailing inducements to such to labour after a fuller knowledge of him as so considered But in the enforcing of this duty let me not be mistaken 't is not a notional historical knowledge only of Christ as sacrific'd that I would have you to pursue after but I would state it
as practical as operative and powerful this this is that knowledge which is to be desired When Paul had spoken so high of the knowledge of Christ * Phil. 3.8 Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord see how he opens that knowledge of him which he look'd upon as so excellent Vers 10. That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death 'T is a poor thing to have light about this in the head if that light be not attended with power and efficacy upon the heart and life the clearest notions concerning Christ's death without suitable impressions within and that which in the Sinner himself may bear some analogie and conformity thereunto do not profit O therefore so study a crucified Saviour as to be * Gal. 2.20 crucified with him †Rom. 6.8 dead with him so as to feel the energie of his death in the heavenliness of your affections and holiness of your conversations this is the knowledge which we should study and pray for and aspire after For the Second Christ as a Sacrifice is also much to be meditated upon O how frequent how serious and fixed should our thoughts be upon this how should we be often reviving this upon our minds never suffering it to decay or wither in our memories This is so great and necessary a duty that we have an Ordinance instituted by Christ on purpose and for this very end often to inminde us of his dying as our Sacrifice and to keep it fresh upon our memories for ever * 1 Cor. 11.24 26. Do this in remembrance of me As oft as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do shew the Lord's death till he come But 't is not enough to think of this just before or at the Sacrament but we should live in daily frequent meditation upon it I say we should do so but alas 't is to be feared we do not so O how little is a dying crucified Christ thought of the dying Friend or Relation is remembred but the dying Saviour is forgotten this proclaims to the world that we have but a low sense of his great love that we see but little in his oblation for surely if we did we should think oftner of it and after another manner than now we do Christians pray be sensible of former neglects and let it be better for the future let not a day pass over you wherein some time shall not be spent in remembring and considering what Christ your Sacrifice upon the Cross suffered for you Upon this also you would reap great advantages for certainly was Christ's death but duly thought of and improved Oh 't would highly imbitter sin effectually wean from the world and the sensual delights thereof mightily encourage and strengthen Hope and Faith strongly engage the Soul to Obedience c. therefore pray be persuaded to think less of other things and more of this And do not barely think of it but think what there 's in it yea labour to go to the very bottom of it and by serious meditation to press out all that juyce and sweetness which is in it the believer should be alwayes sitting upon this flower and sucking comfort from it What 's the full breast to the child that doth not draw it Christ as a Sacrifice for sin is a full breast but yet if Sinners by Faith Prayer and Meditation do not draw from this breast they will be little the better for it He was indeed but once offered but that one oblation is often to be remembred and continually to be improved with respect both to Duty and Comfort how that is to be done the following particulars will shew The Heart in the sense of this to be broken for sin and from sin 2. This should have a very powerful influence upon you to break your hearts for sin and from sin First for sin was Christ indeed made a Sacrifice as such was his body broken and his precious blood poured forth did he undergo such sufferings in his life and then compleat all in his dying on the Cross and all for sin how can this be thought of with any seriousness and the heart not be kindly and thoroughly broken what will cause the hard heart to melt and thaw into godly sorrow for sin if the consideration of Christ's Sacrifice and death will not do it Oh me thinks his blood as shed for Sinners should soften the most Adamantine heart that is Did we but consider our Saviours passion in the matter and quality of it in its bitter ingredients and heightning circumstances and then also consider that our sins were the meritorious cause of it that they brought him to the Cross and laid the foundation of all his sorrows did we I say but consider this certainly we should be more deeply afflicted for Sin than now we are What that I should be accessary to the death of the Son of God that I should bring the nails and spears which should pierce him that I should be the occasion of all his sufferings in Soul and Body what a cutting heart-breaking consideration is this Zech. 12. 10. they shall look upon me whom they have pierced what follows and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only Son and shall be in bitterness for him as one that is in bitterness for his first-born the true penitent cannot look upon a crucified Saviour especially when he considers what he hath done to further his Saviours crucifixion without the highest degree of holy grief But especially this heart-brokenness should be in us when we are at the Sacrament where we have such a sensible and lively representation of Christ's Death and Sacrifice Oh shall we there see his broken body and yet our hearts be unbroken shall we view him there shedding his blood and we shed no penitential tears shall we there behold what he endured and felt for Sin and we yet have no pain no contrition for it how unsuitable is such a frame to such an object under such a representation What was the temper think you of the Women who were * Mat. 27.55 spectators of Christ when he was hanging upon the Cross unquestionably they were filled with inexpressible sorrow why Sirs when you are at the Lord's Table in a spiritual way you see him also as dying upon the Cross he is there before your eyes evidently set forth and crucified among you Gal. 3.1 Oh how should your * Lam. 3.51 eye affect your heart even to fill you with Evangelical sorrow Three things in the Text to set men against Sin But this is not enough therefore 2. there must be brokenness from sin as well as for sin surely after such a thing as Christ's death Sin must be lov'd and liv'd no more the heart must eternally be broken off from it
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 2. p. 97. PORPHYRY's Objections against Sacrifices in general viz. they would encourage men to be wicked All to labour after an interest in Christ's Sacrifice and in the benefits thereby procured 3. Thirdly I would excite you to labour after and to make sure of a personal interest in this great Sacrifice and in the benefits resulting from it For 't is a thing to be resented with the greatest sadness imaginable that where â—ere is such a Sacrifice so at first offered up to God and now so revealed to men that yet so many millions of Souls should perish and as to their spiritual and eternal state be little the better for it because they regard not as to themselves either the thing or the good that flows from it My Brethren I beseech you if you have any love for your Souls let it not be so with you but let it be your greatest care to secure an interest in this Sacrifice and to partake of the blessings procured by it be often considering and questioning with your selves here 's a Sacrifice for expiation and atonement but what 's this to us here 's a dying Christ but did he die for us shall we be ever the better for his death if this propitiatory oblation be not ours what will become of us Under the Law the Gentile-strangers were to offer Sacrifices as well as the born-Jews see Numb 15.14 15. Lev. 17.8 and amongst the Jews the poor as well as the rich with respect to which difference in mens outward condition God accordingly appointed different Sacrifices Lev. 14.21 but yet something or other both were to Sacrifice and in their offerings for the ransome of their Souls all were to give alike Exod. 30.15 The rich shall not give more the poor shall not give less than half a Shekel Now all this was to shadow out two things about Christ's Sacrifice 1. its equal extent to all men notwithstanding all national or civil differences be they Jews or Gentiles rich or poor 't is the same Christ to all if they believe for there is no difference Rom. 3.22 2. the equal obligation lying upon all men to look after make sure of and rest in this one and the same all-sufficient Sacrifice none in order to remission justification atonement eternal life need to carry more to God by Faith and Prayers and none must carry less Sirs let us all put in for a share in Christ's offering and in the benefits purchased thereby for if we should come short of that we are lost eternally Are not reconciliation with God the expiation of sin eternal redemption c. things most necessary and most desireable if so where can we hope to have them but in a sacrific'd Redeemer but in the imputation of the merit of his death and Sacrifice And I add do not only make sure of the thing objectively considered but labour also after the subjective assurance of it Oh when a Christian can say Christ dy'd for me * Gal. 2.20 gave himself for me his body was broken and his blood shed for me he took my guilt and bare my punishment how is he filled with †1 Pet. 1.8 joy unspeakable with | Phil. 4.7 peace that passes all understanding what a full-tyde of comfort is there in his Soul This is the receiving of the atonement as some open it and that is very sweet Rom. 5.11 And not only so but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the atonement This is to be ey'd and only rely'd upon 4. In the actings of Faith eye Christ as a Sacrifice for sin and there let all your hope and confidence be bottom'd I say in the actings of Faith eye Christ as a Sacrifice for indeed this grace hath to do with him mainly and principally as dying and sacrific'd the Apostle speaks of Faith in his blood Rom. 3.25 't is a bleeding crucified Saviour that is the great and most proper object of Faith true it takes in a whole Christ all of Christ his Nativity holy Life Resurrection Ascension Intercession c. but that which it primarily and chiefly fixes upon is his death and passion When a Soul is brought into Christ to close with him in the way of believing what of him is first in its eye in that act is it a Christ as ascending as sitting at the right hand of God as interceding no thus it beholds him for the after-encouragement and support of Faith but that which it first considers is a Christ as dying upon the Cross and so it layes hold upon him And no wonder that 't is so since all the great blessings of the Gospel do mainly flow from Christ's death they are assur'd and apply'd by his Resurrection Ascension and Intercession but they were procur'd and purchas'd by his death as the Scriptures abundantly shew Rom. 5.9 10. Eph. 1.7 et passim now tnat which hath the most causal and most immediate influence upon these that deserves to be first and most eyed by Faith Here 's the difference 'twixt Faith and Love this chiefly looks to the excellencies of Christ's Person but that to the merit and efficacy of his Sacrifice When the Apostle Gal. 2.20 had spoken so high of his Faith in the Son of God he tells you in what notion he did therein consider him by adding who loved me and gave himself for me The stung Israelite was to look upon the brazen Serpent as lifted up and so he was healed do you desire to find healing redemption salvation by Christ O look upon him as lifted up upon the Cross so all good shall come to you Further I say let all your hope and confidence be bottom'd here this is that firm rock which you must only build upon for pardon peace with God salvation for all Oh take heed of relying upon any thing besides this Sacrifice Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ he that glory 's or trusts in any thing besides that his glorying is vain The forlorn undone Sinner should be alwayes clasping and clinging about this Cross resting upon the merit of Christ thereon and upon that only for all that hope will be but dying hope which is not solely bottom'd upon a dying Saviour The * Quum sis ipse nocens moritur cur victima pro te Stultitia est morte alterius sperare salutem Heathens could not believe that ever the death of Sacrifices should do the guilty person good they look'd upon it as folly to hope for life by anothers death but blessed be God we see that which they did not we firmly believe and steadily hope for expiation and Salvation by Christ's one offering of himself and lay the sole stress of our Faith and happiness upon that which they counted folly But let us be sure we do not mistake here I mean let us indeed
loved us He that * 2 Cor. 5.21 knew no sin was willing to be made sin †1 Pet. 2.24 to bear our sins in his own body vpon the tree to put himself in our stead yea to die in our stead for our sakes to be ‖ Phil. 2.8 obedient to death even the death of the Cross to let out his precious blood for the expiation of sin when nothing else would do it and when all Mosaical Sacrifices were weak he by a far higher Sacrifice undertook the work * Heb. 10.7 Lo I come to do thy will O God was not here love even love †Eph. 3.19 passing knowledge such high affection on his part should draw out high admiration on our part Let me here add we should so admire God and Christ as to love them and to be thankful Have they ‖ Joh. 3.16 so loved us and shall not we return love for love what monsters and prodigies shall we be if after such a manifestation of their love to us there be not reciprocation of our love to them God design'd and prepar'd the Sacrifice therefore he must have our love Christ was the Sacrifice therefore he must have our love too both deserve it both must have it Joh. 10.17 Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life now doth the Father love him for this and shall not we much more did we but think of this Sacrifice and hold our hearts close to it in holy meditation surely it would cause them to love Christ Then I say be thankful yea let your whole Soul upon this go out in thankfulness be ever praising magnifying God for his unspeakable mercy in Christ your Sacrifice your Redeemer your Saviour often call upon your sluggish hearts and say Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his holy name Did God * Rom. 3.25 set forth Christ to be a propitiation did he †Isa 53.5 6. lay upon him the iniquities of you all was the chastisement of your peace upon him and by his stripes are you healed that guilt and wrath which would have ruin'd you for ever are they now both done away so as that they shall never hurt you did Christ die * Mediator noster puniri pro seipso non debuit quia nullum culpae contagium perpetravit Sed si ipse indebitam mortem non susciperet nunquam nos à debitâ morte liberaret Gregor l. 3. moral c. 13. that you might not die but live for ever did you sin and he suffer was the †innocent person punished that the guilty might be acquitted was sin condemned for you who deserv'd to be condemn'd for it what praise and admiration can be high enough for such things as these The JEWS in the day of atonement were to make the trumpet sound throughout their land Lev. 25.9 So we having received the atonement by Christ's Sacrifice should evermore be sounding forth the praises of the most high You reade of the Elders Rev. 5.8 c. they fell down before the Lamb having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of Saints And they sang a new son saying Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood c. * Peccat iniquus punitur justus delinquit reus vapulat innocens offendit impius damnatur pius quod meretur malus patitur bonus c. Quò Nate Dei quò tua descendit humilitas quo tua flagravit charitas c. Ego iniquè egi tu poenâ mulctaris ego facinus admisi tu ultione plecteris c. Me ad illicitam concupiscentiam rapuit arbor te perfecta charitas duxit ad crucem ego praesumsi vetitum tu subiisti aculeum c. August in Quest in V. N. Testam Qu. 55. Christians why are not your harps alwayes in your hands why are not your Souls alwayes full of holy affections as the golden Vials full of odours in the remembrance of him who was slain and sacrific'd for you Christ having offered his Sacrifice we are to offer ours 8. Lastly Do you offer to God the Sacrifices proper to you as Christ offered to God the Sacrifice proper to him For expiatory Sacrifices as you need them not Christ's one Sacrifice being every way sufficient for that end so you are not able to come up to them for you can present nothing to God properly and formally expiatory yet there are other Sacrifices which you may offer up to him And though the external and fleshly Sacrifices of the Law are out of date yet there are the internal and spiritual Sacrifices of the Gospel which you now are as much oblig'd to observe and offer as ever the JEWS were the former What are they why you are to present your selves your bodies Souls the whole man a living Sacrifice holy and acceptable to God Rom. 12.1 you are to dedicate your persons to Christ so as to live to him who dy'd for you 2 Cor. 5.15 yea so as to be ready to be offered in sacrifice by dying for him to allude to that Phil. 2.17 You are as an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 which spiritual Sacrifices are spiritual Dutys and Evangelical Worship prophesy'd of Mal. 1.11 in every place incense shall be offered unto my name and a pure offering Here come in * Oratio purè directa de corde fideli tanquam de arâ Sanctâ surgit incensum August in Psal 141. Prayer and Praise those two eminent Sacrifices under the Gospel Psal 141.2 Let my Prayer be set forth before thee as Incense and the lifting up of my hands as the evening Sacrifice Psal 116.17 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call upon the name of the Lord so Psal 107.22 Psal 54.6 Heb. 13.15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name this is set forth as here by the fruit of the lips so elsewhere by the free-will-offerings of the mouth Psal 119.108 by rendring the calves of our lips Hos 14.2 And for the pleasingness of this to God above all the Levitical Sacrifices see Psal 50.13 14. Psal 69.30 31. O this is a Sacrifice which we should often be offering up to God through Christ Jesus Another Evangelical Sacrifice is a broken Spirit than which next to a broken Christ nothing more acceptable to God Psal 51.16 17. For thou desirest not sacrifice else would I give it thou delightest not in burnt-offering The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise So also bounty to the poor distressed Saints this is an odour of sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable well
pleasing to God Phil. 4.18 But to do good and to communicate forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleas'd Heb. 13.16 And to summe up all holiness of heart and life that 's an excellent Sacrifice excelling all the old Law Sacrifices whatsoever 1 Sam. 15.22 Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord Behold to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of rams Micah 6.6 7 8. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the high God shall I come before him with burnt-offerings with calves of a year old Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams or with ten thousands of rivers of oyl shall I give my first-born for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God The * Vis Deos propitiare bonus esto Satis illos coluit quisquis imitatus est Senec. Ep. 9.5 Non immolationibus sanguine multo colendus est Deus sed mente purâ bono honestóque proposito Idem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Porphyr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 2. p. 62. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet. l. 3. with many more in Stuck de Sacrif p. 153. col 2. Saubert de Sac. c. 1. p. 4. HEATHENS themselves upon the light of Nature look'd upon moral goodness as the best and most acceptable Sacrifice I 'me sure Evangelical Holiness is so The wickedness of the Jews made God even to abhorre and slight the Sacrifices which were instituted by himself as we find Isa 1.11 c. Isa 66.3 Jer. 6.20 7.21 c. Amos 5.21 22. if we live in sin we may offer this and that to God but 't is all nothing nay that makes all our Sacrifices an abomination to him Prov. 15.8 Oh live the holy life keep the heart pure mortifie whatever is evil do good shun all excesses be heavenly in your affections in all things act in complyance with God's Nature and Will c. this will please him more than the most costly oblations which you can bring to him These are the Sacrifices which now under the Gospel we are to offer and surely we should offer them with all readiness and faithfulness our Lord having submitted to the bloody Sacrifice of himself on the Cross and left us none but these easie and delightful Sacrifices how reareadily should we close with them But so much for this Vse A third shall put an end to this Subject and that is of Comfort Was Christ a Sacrifice for sin Vse 3. For Comfort to Believers did he thereby condemn sin what doth this Truth drop but honey and sweetness to them who are in Christ I say to them who are in Christ for they are the persons only who can lay hold upon the grace contain'd in it as the non-condemnation of the person in the first verse so the condemnation of sin in this belongs only to such You that are in the number of these to you I bring glad tydings matter of great joy out of the bitter comes sweet for Christ to do die as a Sacrifice this was bitter to him but 't is sweet to you his death passion and whole humilation speak nothing to you but consolation Oh did Believers especially such as are under a troubled spirit but better understand and better improve this sin-condemning Sacrifice they would certainly have more of inward peace and comfort than now they have I must not in fist upon the particular and full drawing out of that consolatory matter which it affords therefore shall conclude with a brief review only of what the Text offers And so 1. here 's a Sacrifice for sin All men in ADAM having sinned wilfully after that they had receiv'd the knowledge of the truth there might have been no Sacrifice for their sin to allude to that Heb. 10.26 but the gracious God notwithstanding all this was pleas'd to admit of a Sacrifice yea himself to find out and ordain that Sacrifice here 's matter of comfort 2. Christ himself was this Sacrifice And if so how pleasing must it needs be to God! Eph. 5.2 and hath given himself for us an offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour I tell you there was infinitely more in this one Sacrifice to please God than there is in all your sins put them all together to displease God If Christ be the Sacrifice there must be an infinite efficacy and merit in it from the dignity of his person an infiniteness of merit must needs result if he will die and shed his blood what can be too high for you surely too there 's more in his Offering to save you than there is in Sin to damn you If he be the Sacrifice no question but the Father did accept of it and indeed of this he hath given sufficient evidence to the world not only by his carriage towards the Saints but also and chiefly by his carriage towards Christ himself for whereas of old he was wont to testifie his acceptation of the Sacrifices by consuming them by fire from heaven Gen. 15.17 Levit. 9.24 Judg. 6.21 2 Chron. 7.1 here with respect to Christ's Sacrifice he testify'd his acceptance in an higher way viz. by raising him from the dead taking him up to heaven re-admiting him into his presence and setting him at his Son had he not been well-pleased with his person and oblation Oh there 's a convincing evidence of this in his going to the Father Joh. 16.8 10. By this Sacrifice thus accepted you are made perfect as you have often heard out of Heb. 10.14 18. there 's nothing now to be done by Christ or by you but only to apply and improve what he hath already done is not this ground of strong consolation And know further for your comfort that the vertue of Christ's Offering is as great now as it was at the first his blood is as effectual with God for your good now as it was when it was just running warm from his veins and * Adeò magnum est hoc Sacrificium ut quamvis unum sit semel oblatum sufficiat ad aeternitatem Anselm so it shall be to the end of the world And that he may make the best of it he is entred into the holy place where 't is his business to present and plead the merit thereof he back 's his oblation on earth with his intercession in heaven and what can be spoken higher for your support comfort he that was the Sacrifice here is the Advocate there 3. By this Sacrifice Sin was condemn'd Sin condemn'd what a word is that that which would have condemned you and which only can condemn you that is by Christ condemn'd it-self condemning sin is condemn'd by a condemned Saviour And
the Law perfectly conforming to it in all its holy commands now this his most perfect obedience to the Law is made over reckoned imputed to his members as if they themselves in their own persons had perform'd it The Laws righteousness is not fulfilled in them formally subjectively inherently or personally but legally they being in Christ as their Head and Surety and imputatively so it is This is the fulfilling which suits with the words for 't is said that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us not by us but in us in us that is not only for our sake and for our good but as Christ's Obedience is ours by imputation If the former senses be rejected this must be received for since the Laws righteousness must be fulfilled in the Saints otherwise what the Apostle here affirms would not be true and since there are but two wayes wherein it can be fulfilled either by themselves or by some other it necessarily follows if they do not fulfil it the first way that the second must take place and so it must be fulfilled by Christ for them and his obedience be imputed to them And this is that Exposition of the words which our * c. Obedientia Christi quae in carne nostrâ exhibita nobis imputatur ut eo beneficio pro justis censeamur Calvin Quomodo justitia Christi in nobis impleta est per Christum Duplici nomine 1. imputative aliena justitia quae Christi est adeoque nostra c. 2. Quod per Spiritum Christi regenerati pro mensurâ Gratiae Dei vitam justitiam eam exprimimus quam Lex Dei exigit Magis placet prior Sententia hoc loco Muscul Vide Bezam in loc Vorstium in loc Justificatio legis quae requirit vel opera vel poenam impleta est in Christo per se ut sic dicam inhaesivè quia ipse praeterquam quod passus est etiam operatus est perfectissime in nobis vero impleta est per fidem ut sic dicam applicative nam per fidem fit ut Christi justitia nostra quodamodo evadat Rolloc See Fulke and Cartwright against the Rhemists Elton upon Rom. 8. p. 97. c. PROTESTANT Divines so far as imputation in general is concern'd do commonly give but about it many things are necessary to be spoken unto both for the explaining and also for the vindicating of it which therefore shall be done by and by Fourth Interpretation The Law is fulfilled in us as Sin is remitted 4. Fourthly the fulfilling of the Laws righteousness say some is no more than the remission of sin He that hath his sins pardoned is a fulfiller of the Law Christ by his death having procured for us the remission of all our sins upon that we are look'd upon by God as if we had done or kept the whole Law thus * Christus suâ morte nobis acquisivit remissionem omnium peccatorum ac proinde effecit ut habeamur pro iis qui perfectam Legi obedientiam praestiterint In Paraphr The righteousness c. quatenus Christus suâ morte eis acquisivit omnium peccatorum remissionem quod perinde est ac si perfectam legi obedientiam praestitissent aequipollent enim haec Nihil peccavisse perfectam legi obedientiam praestitisse In Observ Piscator opens the words And before him Ambrose speaks the same Quomodo impletur in nobis justificatio Legis nisi cum datur remissio omnium peccatorum how is the righteousness of the Law fulfilled in us unless it be in the remission of all our sins To which we may add that of †Retract l. 1. c. 19. Austine Omnia mandata Dei facta deputantur quando quicquid non fit ignoscitur all the commands of God are deemed to be done when that is pardoned which is not done if it be good or which should not have been done if it be evil Two things I would say against this Interpretation 1. It sounds very harsh to say We fulfil the Law when God is pleased to pardon the violation of it nay the thing is not true God's remitting the breach of the Law and our actual fulfilling of the duty 's of the Law are not aequipollent but distinct and different things Upon remission the Sinner is exempted from the Laws penalty but he cannot upon that alone be said to fulfil it If the Prince be pleas'd to pardon the breaker of the Laws will that amount to the making such an one to be a keeper of the Laws there 's enough upon his pardon for non-punition but nothing more 2. In the justification of Sinners there is not only the remission of sin but also the imputation of Christ's righteousness these are the two parts of justification and which take in the whole nature of it 't is not compleat in the one or in the other apart but in both conjunct I know some very * Wotton de reconc pec part 1. l. 2. c. 3. c. learned persons make remission of sin to be the whole of justification I humbly differ from them When God justifies he doth not only pardon and so look upon the Sinner as not guilty but he doth also †Vide Zanch. ad Eph. c. 5. p. 249. quam plures alios Uti Christus nobis factus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ita ad salutem atque justificationem requiritur praeter remissionem peccatorum etiam justitiae Christi imputatio quâ vitae jus nobis addicitur c. Hoorneb Socin confut l. 3. p. 658. impute Christ's righteousness upon which he looks upon him as positively righteous this will hereafter be made out more fully if God give leave Thus it is in the justification or righteousness of the Law to the making up of which 't is not enough only to be pardoned and so not to be judg'd a breaker of the Law but there must be the doing of what the Law enjoyns otherwise its righteousness is not fulfilled 'T is one thing to be ‖ Justus dicatur cui peccata omnia remittuntur justitiâ innocentiae quia positâ hâc remissione innocens censetur c. sed non justitiâ obedientiae cui praemium vitae debetur c. Turretin de Sat. Christi p. 273. innocent in the taking off of guilt and another thing to be righteous in the way of positive obedience both are necessary as to that which I am upon and included in it Not guilty is not a sufficient plea or answer to the Laws demands there must be something either in the Sinner himself or in his Surety which may be look'd upon as a formal and actual obeying of it Thus I have given a fourfold explication of the fulfilling of the Laws righteousness in the Saints The third is that which seems to me to be the best viz. this righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in the Saints as Christ for them in his own person
Cor. 1.30 to be the Lord our righteousness Jerem. 23.6 and we are said to be the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 to be accepted in him Ephes 1.6 to be presented to God as not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing Eph. 5.27 by his Obedience to be made righteous Rom. 5.19 Many other Scriptures might be cited which hold forth this great Evangelical Truth and also these that I have cited might be much enlarged upon but the difficulty lying not so much in the general as in the particular stating and explication of it where indeed there is enough of difficulty therefore I shall rather direct my self to that Two Questions raised and answered And here two weighty Questions must be discussed 1. Whether Christ's active fulfilling the Law or his active as well as his passive Obedience be imputed to Believers 2. In what sense may it be said to be imputed to them My Text and the Subject which I am upon from it lay a necessity upon me of speaking something to these Points otherwise I should most gladly have passed them by 'T is much against my spirit God knows to revive and keep up those Controversies which I could wish with all my soul had never been started but being started that they might now be buried And further it grieves me exceedingly to meddle in those matters wherein I must unavoidably differ from some or other of those who for their Piety and Learning are of great eminency and repute in the Church of God and for whose names and persons I have a very high veneration Yet for all this I dare not to please my self and to avoid what is ingrateful to me go out of my way 'T is meerly sense of duty as I apprehend it which makes me to engage in this unwelcome province These Controversies as they are manag'd by some in their utmost latitude are grown to a great vastness but it would be highly inconvenient for me now I am upon the close of this work which is already grown above its due proportion to be prolixe about them I shall contract my self therefore and only in short speak to that which I conceive is absolutely necessary for the clearing up of the things in question Of the First Whether Christs active fulfilling the Law or his Active Obedience be imputed to Believers As to the first question Whether Christ's active fulfilling the Law or whether his active as well as his passive Obedience be imputed to Believers I shall not spend any time about the Terms in enquiring whether they be proper or not or whether the things be rightly distinguished or not since there was action in Christ's passive Obedience and passion in his active all understand the thing which we intend in the use of the words therefore without any further debate I 'le take them as they are commonly used and understood In answer to this Question I find Four Opinious about it 1. That neither the active nor the passive Obedience of Christ are properly and really imputed to Believers 2. That the passive Obedience of Christ only is imputed 3. That both active and passive are imputed 4. That the active Obedience of Christ is imputed as well as the passive but not in the same way not quatenus active but as it was a part of Christ's Satisfaction and Merit For those who espouse the first Opinion SOCINIANS and PAPISTS I will not at present meddle with them One of their great Arguments against the imputation of Christ's Obedience particularly his Active Obedience about which only I would contend viz. that he being a Creature was under an Obligation to obey that he obeying for himself his Obedience could not be imputed to others this Argument I say hath been already answered And as to the other Arguments which they use they will fall in with those which shall be presently spoken unto as they are urged by others who yet are far from being Socinians or Papists against the imputation of Christ's active Obedience Of the Second Opinion Christ's passive Obedience only imputed Secondly there are Others much more orthodox and sound in the Faith than the former who though they hold the imputation of Christ's Obedience yet they limit that imputation to his passive Obedience asserting that that only is imputed to Believers They deny not but that his active Obedience was necessary for his Person and Office for the qualifying of him for his Mediatorship but that it is formally imputed to them who believe that they deny They say God did accept of the Death and Sufferings of his Son as a full satisfaction for his violated Law that the righteousness thereof is fulfilled by his bearing its penalty that upon the alone bearing of that penalty Sin is remitted and the Sinner compleatly justified that this passive Obedience is sufficient to all intents and purposes for Satisfaction and Merit too without any further imputation of his active Obedience so that if the Sinner do but perform the Conditions on his part of believing and repenting in Christ's death alone there 's every way enough for him The Grounds they go upon in the defence of this Opinion are many One is that when the Scripture speaks of reconciliation with God remission of sin justification c. still it lays the stress of all upon Christ's passive Obedience or upon his death and blood so Matth. 20.28 Matth. 26.28 Joh. 6.51 c. Acts 20.28 Rom. 3.25 5.9 Gal. 3.13 Eph. 1.7 2.13 c. Col. 1.20 21 22. 1 Pet. 1.19 Heb. 9.12 Heb. 10.14 Besides this they prove it by several Reasons which are chiefly drawn from the sufficiency of Christ's passive Obedience for the Sinners relief in his lost condition and also from the great difficulties if not absurdities as they judge which attend the other Opinion for the imputation of his active Obedience This Opinion hath the more prevailed since the first broaching of it which was not very long ago for 't was not made matter of Controversie till these latter Ages of the Church not only from the strength and weightiness of the Arguments with which 't is back'd which cannot be deny'd but also from the Assertors of it they being many and some of them persons deservedly of very great reputation in the Church of Christ such as PISCATOR PAREVS SCVLTETVS CAPELLVS CAMERO FORBES with divers others Of the third Opinion both active and passive Obedience imputed The third Opinion is that Christ's whole Obedience active as well as passive is imputed to us his obeying the Law to the full perfect conforming to its commands his doing as well as his dying Obedience is say these made over and reckoned to Believers in order to their Justification and Salvation This also is asserted by several * Cum Christus descenderit de Coelis omniaque egerit passus sit propter nos homines propter nostram salutem nobis enim natus est nobis vixit pro
These in short are the Arguments which incline yea command me to believe the high and strict imputation of Christ's active Obedience or fulfilling the Law But I have as yet done but half of my work the Objections which are made against what hath been asserted must be answered It hath been affirm'd that Christ's active as well as passive Obedience is imputed to Believers now that is objected against It hath been affirm'd also that the imputation of Christ's obedience is to be taken as hath been stated that too is objected against both therefore must be defended The Objectors do not all concur in their Opinions about these two Heads yet in their main Objections about them in a great measure they do wherefore I shall take them as they lie before me promiscuously and in common and so endeavour to answer them Obj. First 't is objected 1. Object that in the Scripture remission of sin justification reconciliation with God eternal life are wholly and solely ascribed to Christ's passive Obedience to his death on the Cross under which yet is included the whole humiliation and abasement of Christ The particular Scriptures cited for the proof of this have been already set down Answ They who are for the active Obedience as a part of Christ's humiliation Answ and as such do hold the imputation of it making it and the passive to be but one and the same Obedience only diversified in its acts all of which do yet meet and concur in his humiliation these I say are not at all concerned in this Argument And they who take them as distinct parts of his Obedience and as such hold the imputation of them are very little pinched by it for the answer is easie and obvious these great effects are attributed to Christ's death and blood not exclusively and solely as to justle out the influence of his holy life and active obedience but eminently only In his dying there was the highest piece the consummation of all his Obedience therefore the main stress is laid upon that the chiefest part being by an usual Synecdoche put for the whole but yet the obedience of his life is to be taken in in conjunction with the obedience of his death and so the Sinners happiness is compleated 'T is not only here said that God for sin condemned sin which refers to Christ's death but also that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us which refers to his life as we reade of our being justified by his blood and the like so we reade of his being made under the Law to redeem them who were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons and of his being the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth Obj. If Christ's active Obedience be imputed 2. Object and in such a manner too so that in his obeying and fulfilling the Law Believers did obey and fulfil it thence it will follow that his passive Obedience his Death it-self was in vain and needless for this being so the Saints must be perfectly righteous as having done what the Law required and so there would be no need of Christ's Suffering or Satisfaction for that supposes guilt and the non-performance of the Law Answ This Objection is very considerable yet I conceive the Consequence is not so pressing Answ the reason is because though upon the imputation of Christ's active Obedience one part of the Law is satisfied yet there being another part of the Law to be satisfied also for that his passive obedience was necessary Suppose that Believers upon the former might be look'd upon as now fulfilling the Laws commands yet guilt being before contracted the penalty of death thereupon iucurred that the one might be expiated by the undergoing of the other it was necessary that Christ should die and suffer The Law requiring both of these in both it must be satisfied insomuch saith * Mr. Burg. of Justif 2. part pag. 411. one that if we could have had a perfect righteousness conformable to the Law de novo and not have satisfied the punishment our debt would not have been discharged we had still been in our sins The twofold Obedience or double righteousness of Christ do not destroy or undermine each the other 't was necessary that he should obey actively for the doing of what the Law enjoyned 't was necessary also that he should obey passively for the suffering of what the Law threatned for both of these were necessary to reach the Laws righteousness and so to lay the foundation of a compleat righteousness for the Creature in order to which therefore both must be imputed to him I know what is objected against this but all cannot be spoke unto at once For the better answering of the Objection in hand 't is said by some that the imputation of Christ's passive Obedience must be supposed to antecede in order of nature though not of time the imputation of his active for in the justifying of Believers God dealing with them as Sinners we must suppose him first to take off guilt and punishment due for what was past before he makes over a positive righteousness to them for the time to come If this be so we shall easily get off from what is objected wherein Dissenters go upon this that a person being judg'd righteous upon his imputative active fulfilling the Law to him no further or subsequent imputation is necessary We say so too but then we suppose an antecedent imputation of that Obedience which was proper to free from guilt and wrath viz. Christ's passive Obedience So that the matter comes to this though Christ's active Obedience being imputed a child of God is righteous and a fulfiller of the Law and so nothing further is necessary for him yet it doth not hence follow that Christ's passive Obedience was in vain or needless because in the methods of divine grace that is first imputed for freedom from guilt and Hell before the active is imputed in order to righteousness and Heaven Very large discourses there are abroad in the world about these things I only design to set down in short what is satisfactory to my self but how far it may be so to others that I must leave with God Obj. Christ's passive Obedience was sufficient 3. Object for thereby the justice of God was fully satisfied the Sinners guilt fully expiated ful payment made of all that he owed c. what need therefore is there of any imputation of his active obedience to be superadded to the imputation of the former Answ If the passive Obedience be taken in conjunction with the active Answ we grant the sufficiency of it to all intents and purposes but if it be taken disjunctly from the active then we grant its sufficiency for such and such ends or effects but not for all For the removal of guilt the satisfying of the penal part of the Law the freeing from Hell and death
not the Apostle instance in that rather than in spiritual walking Answ * Etsi fides principalis conditio sit quia tamen interna est c. ideo addit illam externam de quâ nemo gloriari possit nisi se liabere foris demonstret Parâ—us because he is not here so much shewing how Christ's righteousness is imputed as who they are or how they carry it to whom 't is so imputed He that would have Christ's righteousness to be his must believe for that is the proper act in order thereunto but he that would know himself or would manifest to others that he is righteous in Christ's righteousness that must be brought about by the heavenliness of his conversation The Observation which lies plainly before us from these words is this That all such who have Christ's righteousness imputed to them they are not fleshly but spiritual walkers they do not live the carnal and sinful but the holy and the heavenly life Or thus None can warrantably pretend to an interest in Christ's Obedience active or passive but only such who in their course are acted by the Spirit and not by the Flesh But I shall not say any thing upon this Point both because this walking not after the flesh but after the Spirit hath been already fully opened and also because as to the inseparable connexion bewixt this imputation and this conversation I may hereafter have occasion to speak more conveniently to it when I shall have more room for it than here I have I will close all with a brief Survey of the Verses which I have gone over that we may the better understand the Apostle's method in them and also what progress we have made in the thing which he is upon He first layes down his main foundation in this Proposition There is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus Vers 1. Then he amplifies himself about this Proposition where 1. He characterises the proper Subject of the priviledge viz. of non-condemnation who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit this only he names in the general Vers 1. and 4 but then Vers 5. he falls upon a more full and particular illustration of it which he continues in several Verses The Second thing he doth about the Proposition is to prove the truth of the Praedicate that there is no condemnation c. And this he doth by these mediums They who are freed by the regenerating Spirit from the power of Sin and by Christ's death and Sacrifice from the guilt of Sin as also who have Christ's full Obedience and Satisfaction of the Law imputed to them to them there is no condemnation But thus it is with all in Christ Jesus by the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ they are freed from the Law of sin and death there 's deliverance from the power of Sin God by Christ's being a Sacrifice hath condemned Sin there 's deliverance from the guilt of Sin and the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in them there 's Christ's Obedience imputed to them upon all this it must needs follow that to them there is no condemnation which was the thing to be proved Now these being things of great weight and importance wherein the very vitals and Spirit of the Gospel do lie the due and distinct opening of them with other Truths interwoven in the words hath made this Volume grow to a far greater bigness than what I expected Wherein I have been unnecessarily prolix I humbly begge the Readers pardon but truly in speaking to the Saints exemption from Condemnation the mystical Vnion of Believers with Christ the Spiritual Life the Spirits agency in freeing Souls from the bondage of Sin the Laws inability to justifie and save Christ's Mission eternal Sonship Sacrifice active fulfilling the Law c. I say in these weighty and fundamental points so little understood by the most so much oppugned by Some I thought I could scarce say too much Yet if such who are judicious shall tell me this is a fault I 'le endeavour to mend it in what shall follow wishing that I could as easily mend other faults as that Well! I have begun and having so done I purpose with God's grace and leave to go on till I shall come to the end of this excellent Chapter with this proviso if I may have some encouragement that these past labours may in some measure be useful and profitable without that why should I proceed to trouble others and my self too The good Lord give a blessing to what is done and assist in what is yet further to be done FINIS The Index Directing to the principal Things insisted upon in this Book A. SVch as are in Christ must abide in him Page 73 Of Christ's Active Obedience Vide Obedience Particular Acts do not evidence the State but the general Course Page 92 Of Spiritual Affections Page 109 There is no Condemnation yet much Affliction to Believers Page 7 'T is Antichristianism directly or by Consequence to deny Christ's coming in Flesh Page 422 Of Atonement by Christ Page 498 B. Baptism alone not sufficient to prove Vnion with Christ Page 62 Fleshly Walking contrary to Baptismal Dedication Page 122 Being in Christ opened Page 42 Christ being sent by God that is a great engagement and encouragement also to Sinners to believe on him Page 310 c. How Sin exerts its power in and by the Body Page 183 The miserableness of the Sinners Bondage under Sin opened set forth Page 189 c. The proper and only Cause of Deliverance from Sins Bondage Page 242 c. C. Great Changes in the Godly with respect to their inward Comfort or Sorrow Page 5 The weakness of the Ceremonial-Law Page 262 Of Vnion with Christ Vide Vnion Of Christ's being sent by God the Father Vide Sending Of Christ's Sonship to God Vide Son Of Christ's Incarnation Vide Incarnation Of Christ's being a Sacrifice V. Sacrifice Of Christ's Obedience V. Obedience Christ's praeexistence before he was born of the Virgin proved Page 284. Christ is a Person Page 287 His Personal distinction from his Father proved Page 287 Christ's Godhead proved Page 349 His Manhood Vide Man The excellency of Christ's Priesthood and Sacrifice Page 539 Christ's fitness to be a Redeemer and to be sent by God opened in some particulars Page 299 Communion depends upon Vnion and follows upon it Page 69 84 Communion with God and Communications from him are made credible by Christ's Incarnation Page 444. Christ being Man must be compassionate Page 452 Concupiscence is Sin Page 8 No Condemnation to such as are in Christ Page 7 proved Page 20 Condemnation opened as to Word and Thing Page 17 It refers to Guilt and Punishment Page 18 There 's the Sentence and State of Condemnation Page 19 'T is Virtual or Actual ibid. There is matter of Condemnation in the Best Page 8 Condemnation by Men by Conscience by Satan Page 10 Condemnation under the
Gospel as well as under the Law Page 13 'T is not only No Condemnation to Believers but positive Salvation Page 16 Of the dreadfulness of Condemnation Page 25 How it may be avoided Page 32 Persons exempted from it are to be thankful and chearful Page 37 c. What the Condemning of Sin is Page 460 There may be troubles in the Conscience after Sin and yet Sin may reign Page 212 The Contrariety of the two Walkings Page 95 The Corrupt Nature set forth by Flesh Vide Flesh The Covenant of Redemption touched upon Page 298 Of the New Creature Page 65 Of the crucifying the Flesh Page 66 D. The Law of Death opened Page 152 249 Sin and Death go together especially when 't is the Law of Sin Page 250 How the Regenerate are freed from the Law of Death Page 253 c. Comfort from hence to such against the Fear of Death Page 257 In temptations to Sin 't is good to consider that 't is Sin and Death Page 254 Comfort to Believers as to Death from their Vnion with Christ Page 81 Christ's Death a strong Dissuasive from walking after the Flesh Page 128 The main Ends of Christ's Death made good against the Socinians Page 518 c. Man had not died if he had not sinned Page 250 Of the Saints Dignity from their Vnion with Christ Page 96 Of the Dominion of Sin See the Law of Sin E. The converting Spirit works efficaciously and irresistibly Page 234 Of the spiritualness of a mans Ends. Page 111 Expiation of sin by Christ's Sacrifice Page 449 That finished on Earth not done in Heaven Page 505 The Nature of this Expiation Page 510 The Extent of it Page 511 Vide Sacrifice F. God the Father's Love to be admired in his sending of Christ Page 303 Saints are to think well of God the Father as well as of God the Son Page 305 Faith the Bond in the Mystical Vnion Page 49 Faith to be repeated in fresh applications to Christ Page 553 There are but few in Christ Page 118 Flesh is in the Best Page 91 All particular Sins comprehended in Flesh Page 97 Of being in the Flesh and walking after the Flesh ibid. Flesh taken for corrupt Nature Page 99 Why that is set forth by Flesh Page 100 Flesh considered more Generally Page 99 Particularly Page 101 The Philosophical notion of Flesh and Spirit Page 105 What it is to walk after the Flesh Vide Walking What the Flesh is by which the Law is made weak Page 263 Of Christ's being sent in Flesh that opened Page 375 He did not bring his Flesh from Heaven Page 376 Of the verity of his Flesh against the antient Hereticks Page 377 379 380 That proved ibid. How he was sent in the likeness of sinful Flesh Page 406 c. And but in the likeness of sinful Flesh Page 410 c. Of the excellency of Christ's Flesh Page 417 He as sent in Flesh is to be believed on Page 424 Of Freedom from the Law of Sin Vide the Law of Sin Freedom from its Guilt and from its Power Page 150 Of Christ's Fulfilling the Law Vide Law G. The eternal Generation of Christ the Son of God proved Page 324 c. The difference between that and common Generation Page 356 Its mysteriousness Page 354 Of the excellency of the Gospel and Christian Religion Page 415 The Priviledges of Believers under the Gospel above those under the Law Page 450 Grace set forth by Spirit and the Reasons why 't is so Page 104 c. There should be in Saints a Growth in Spiritualness Page 137 Of the Spirits being a Guide Page 108 Whether Christ took our very Guilt upon him Affirmed Page 490 H. Heaven made credible upon Christ's Incarnation Page 447 Holiness press'd from Vnion with Christ Page 75 From being made free from the Law of Sin Page 225 From the Incarnation of Christ Page 437 The Holiness and sinlesness of Christ's Humane Nature Page 411 The necessity thereof Page 414 The difference of the Humane Nature as in Christ and as in us Page 386 Of the advancement of the Humane Nature by Christ's assuming it Page 451 Christ to be highly Honoured 'T is shewn wherein Page 363 Humiliation the way to Consolation Page 5 6 Saints to be humbled that they were so long under the Law of sin and that sin still hath such a power in them Page 217 c. As also that there should be that Flesh in them by which God 's own Law is made weak Page 271 Humility press'd from Christ's taking our Nature Page 437 Of the HypostaticalVnion Vide Vnion I. About the Idem and the Tantundem With respect to Christ's Sufferings Page 489 To his Active Obedience Page 608 c. Of the Imputation of Christ's Active Obedience Vide Obedience How the imputation thereof is to be stated Vide ibid. The Incarnation of Christ largely discoursed of Page 372 c. His Mission and his Incarnation two distinct things Page 376 The Latter not impossible not incredible Page 386 The Grounds laid down why Christ was Incarnate Page 387 c. Prophesies and Types of it ibid. Seven Propositions insisted upon for the explication of it Page 393 c. What benefit had they by Christ who lived before his Incarnation Page 397 Why he was Incarnate just at that time when he was incarnate Page 398 A firm Assent is to be given to the Verity of Christ's Incarnation as also a firm Adherence to him as incarnate Page 420 c. Many other Duties urged from this Incarnation Page 426 c. As also the Comfort of it to Believers is set forth in several Particulars Page 441 c. Whether if Man had not sinned Christ had been incarnate Neg. Page 406 Of Inclinations Good or Evil and their difference in the Godly and Others Page 110 The severity of God's Justice in Christ's being a Sacrifice Page 543 The Law unable to Justifie Page 266 Whether there be two distinct integral parts of Justification Page 602 In the Justifying of Sinners God proceeds upon the fulfilling of the Laws righteousness Page 610 As to Christ we are justified by Works as to our selves by Faith Page 610 L. Law of Sin what it is Page 151 What the Law of the Spirit is Page 159 All Vnregenerate persons under the Law of Sin Page 169 c. How Sin is a Law opened in the proper improper notion of a Law Page 172 c. Wherein Sin acts as a Law Page 177 How it may be known when it is the Law of sin That particularly opened Page 179 c. All the Regenerate are freed from the Law of Sin Page 154 203 c. They are freed from Sin only as 't is a Law Page 149 203 206 Their freedom from the Law of Sin proved from Scripture and Argument Page 207 c. How fâ—r men may go and yet not be freed from the Law of Sin Page 210 A serious Exhortation to all to get free from it
What this sending of Christ was not Page 289 What it was opened in Five things Page 290 How this was consistent with his equality with his Father explained Page 294 The Grounds of Christ's being sent Page 296 The Love of Father and Son to be adored upon this Page 302 c. All are to go when they are sent not before Page 307 None to rest in the external sending of Christ Page 309 Christ as sent to be believed on Page 310 Comforts from Christ's being sent Page 313 None free from Sin here Page 8 Sin a vile and base thing Page 190 The Tyranny of it Page 192 Its advantages against us Page 232 It hath not barely a Being but too great a power even in the Regenerate Page 203 The special and most prevailing Sin must be most resisted Page 222 Christ's Death the highest Demonstration of the Evil of Sin Page 541 What the Condemning of Sin is Page 460 Of the breaking of the Heart for and from Sin upon Christ's being a Sacrifice Page 546 SOCINIANS dealt with and these great Truths made good against them 1. That Christ did praeexist before he was born of the Virgin Page 284 2. That Christ was the Son of God not in respect of the things which they alledge Seven of which are instanc'd in and largely refuted but in respect of his eternal Generation Page 323 c. 3. That he who was antecedently the Son of God was in time made the Son of Man or was incarnate Page 393 c. 4. That Christ was a true and proper Expiatory Sacrifice and the true notion of his Expiation is made good gainst them Page 481 c. 5. That he made Satisfaction to the Justice of God Page 515 6. The principal Ends of Christ's Death are asserted and their Ends thereof proved not to be the principal Page 517 c. 7. That Christ is truly and Essentially God Page 349 Sons of God by Creation by Grace by Nature Page 321 Christ God's Son Page 319 Scripture attestations of it Page 319 c. Christ God's own Son Page 321 That opened Comparatively and Absolutely ibid. His bâ—ing the Natural Son of God Co-equal Co-essential Co-eternal with the Father begotten of him by eternal Generation is explained proved and largely vindicated against Opposers Page 323 c. He is not God's own Son partly in respect of eternal Generation and partly in respect of his miraculous Conception c. Page 345 c. Of the different communications of the Divine Essence from the Father to the Son and to the Spirit Page 348 Christ's Godhead inferr'd from his Sonship Page 349 How Christ's Sonship is to be studyed Page 354 c. All are to believe Christ to be the Son of God and to believe on him as such Page 358 How he is to be Honoured as the Son of God Page 363 What Comfort doth arise from Christ's Sonship Page 368 How the Spirit is the Spirit of Life Page 162 How 't is said to be in Christ Jesus Page 161 He is the Spirit of Life Formally Page 162 Effectively Page 163 c. What is meant by the Law of the Spirit Page 158 His making free from the Law of Sin opened Page 228 Of the Necessity Sufficiency Efficacy of the Spirits Power and Operation in that Page 230 c. The Spirit the sole Efficient therein Page 243 How he secures against the Law of Sin after Conversion Page 240 Deliverance from Sins power is to be expected from this Spirit and to be ascribed to him Page 244 c. Of the Spirits greatness and glory Page 241 He is greatly to be honoured Page 247 How the Spirit may be obtain'd Page 70 The Spirit taken Personally and Habitually Page 104 What it is to Walk after the Spirit Vide Walking Of Christ's Substituting himself in the Sinners stead Page 483 The true Nature and Ends of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper Page 528 c. Christ sympathizes with his Members Page 80 T. The Tabernacle a Type of Christ's Body Page 389 Of the Distinction of the Persons in the Sacred Trinity Page â—87 Great relief under Troubles of Coâ—â—ence from Christ's Incarnation Page 513 U. How Sin reigns in the Understanding Page 181 How the Spirit works on the Understanding in order to freeing from the Law of Sin Page 236 Of the Union Of Three Persons in one Nature Of two Natures in one Person Of Persons where yet both Natures and Persons are distinct Page 44 Of the Hypostatical Union Page 399 Of the Sublimeness and Mysteriousness of it Page 400 Opened in Four things Page 401 c. The Mystical Union opened Page 42 c. That also is a great Mystery Page 43 Of the threefold Union 'twixt Christ and Believers Mystical Page 48 Legal Page 48 Moral Page 48 The Bonds of the former the Spirit and Faith Page 49 Several Scripture-Resemblances by which 't is set forth Page 52 c. Six Properties of it Page 54 c. How Persons may know whether they be under it Page 60 Of Natural and Spiritual Union with Christ ibid. Of External or Common and Internal or Special Union Page 61 Sinners exhorted to labour after this Union Page 68 How it may be attained Page 70 Without Union no Communion Page 69 Several Duties urged upon such who are united to Christ Page 72 c. Several Comforts directed to such Page 78 c. The Mystical Union made credible by Christ's Incarnation Page 444 W. Of Walking not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Page 88 Why the Apostle pitches upon this Evidence Page 90 Spiritual Walking not the Cause of the Priviledge but the Property of the Person to whom it belongs Page 93 The contrariety of the Two Walkings Page 95 Men must be in Christ before they can live the Spiritual Life Page 96 There alwayes was and alwayes will be different Walkers ibid. What it is to Walk after the Flesh opened Page 97 103 c. Walking in the Flesh taken in a good sense Page 98 Of the more gross and the more close Walking after the Flesh Page 120 Men dehorted from Fleshly Walking Page 121 c. The Dehortation enforced with diverse Motives Page 122 c. Directions in order to it page 129 c. What it is to Walk after the Spirit Page 104 106 Opened by the Spiritualness of the Principle Page 106 c. Guide Page 106 c. Affections Page 106 c. Propensions Page 106 c. Ends Page 106 c. All in Christ thus Walk Proved Page 112 This Walking Excellent Page 132 c. Pleasant Page 132 c. Saving Page 132 c. Spiritual Walkers are To be very thankful Page 136 To be yet more Spiritual Page 137 To take the Comfort of it Some Discouragements about it removed Page 139 The Will is the principal Seat of Sins Power Page 181 How the Spirit works upon the Will efficaciously yet without the infringing of its Liberty Page 238 Reader In the drawing up of this Index many things occasionally spoken unto have slipped me but thou wilt find them under those main Heads which I chiefly insist upon to each of which thou art here directed FINIS
by Darkness Ignorance false Conceipts of God prejudices against the good ways of God c. it must reign in the Will by Perverseness Obstinacy and Rebellion against God it must reign in the Affections by disorder earthiness and sensuality it must reign in the Conscience by insensibleness and searedness ô how great is Sins ambition nothing will serve it but an Vniversal Empire so as that all Men and all in Men may be under its dominion Now what a dreadful thing is this that the Soul the whole Soul should be thus under the Law of Sin who can express the greatness the sadness of this bondage that the best in man should serve the worst in man for the Soul is the best and Sin is the worst in him that that which was immediately created by God and for God which did at first participate of the image of God and was designed for the fruition of God here and hereafter that so glorious so excellent a Being should be subjugated enslaved to such a cursed thing as Sin ô the misery and evil of this is inexpressible and yet thus it is with all who are unregenerate 4. Fourthly Of all bondage this is the most unprofitable As to other bondage there may be some profit in that but there 's none in this the Master may be cruel enough to his poor Servant and hold him to very hard and slavish work but then he makes him some amends by giving him good wages but here 's the Sinners unhappiness he serves that Master which pays him no wages at all death excepted what doth he get by all his service drudging and toyling for sin ev'n nothing but what he may put into his eye I mean to mourn and weep over what fruit had you then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed Rom. 6.21 O this Sin is the basest Master that any can serve God is the best there 's enough to be gained under him but Sin the worst for there 's nothing to be got in its service but broken bones terrours of Conscience the loss of Gods favour and Hell at last You must drudge for it from morning to night be at its Call and beck upon all occasions grind in its mill run upon its errands carry its burdens c. and what recompence shall you have for all this I 'le tell you the loss of all that is truly good and the bearing of all that is truly evil you shall have shame before men trouble in your own Souls and the eternal wrath of the great God these are the rewards and recompences of Sin Now are not they miserable who serve such a Master and yet so it is with all men before Conversion 5. Fifthly Sins bondage is the worse because they who lie under it are altogether insensible of it Where 't is external and civil bondage men are sensible enough of that ô they groan under it would fain be rid of it all their thoughts are imploy'd to contrive how they may get out of it The people of Israel sigh'd and groaned and cryed to God because of their bondage Exod 2.23 and you read in this Chapter how the poor irrational Creatures being under the bondage of corruption do groan after deliverance Ver. 21 22 the poor Christians in slavery under Infidels what a sense have they of their thraldom how would they rejoice might they be but set free But here 's the evil of spiritual bondage men do not feel it nay they will not believe it they have other thoughts of themselves than that they are under any such thing who thinks himself so free as he that is a vassal to Sin The poor deluded Sinner like some distracted persons plays with his chains sports himself with his fetters and looks upon them as if they were his crown ô how doth Sin where 't is in its full command and power besot its Subjects and make them carry it as though they were in a plain frenzy Have you not sometimes been in Bedlam 't is mercy you have been there onely as spectators of the misery of others where you saw poor creatures in a very dismal and deplorable condition chained beaten almost starved lodg'd in straw sadly used and yet how do these carry it why they laugh sing are merry behave themselves as if they were the happiest persons in the world who so jovial as they is not this a dreadful sight Ah my Brethren the World in a spiritual sense is little better than a large Bedlam where Sin hath men in its chains and fetters doth with them what it pleases keeps them under cruel bondage and yet they eat drink feast game live a merry life and feel nothing ô how insensible how stupid are Sinners in the Natural state Nay they are so far from lamenting and groaning under this bondage as their infelicity that they affect it and make it the matter of their choice they love to have it so and refuse to have it otherwise they refuse the Olive the Vine and chuse rather the Bramble to reign over them I allude to that parable Judg. 9.7 c. they had rather swear Allegiance and Fealty to sin than to God Christ's government and dominion is rejected and sin 's is preferred they rather hold their bondage than their bondage them according to that of the * Senec. Ep. 22. Moralist Paucos servitus plures servitutem tenent In a word they are slaves and it pleases them exceedingly to be so Now here 's a twofold aggravation of the evil of this bondage partly that it is voluntary for of all servitude that 's the worst which is voluntary * Senec. Ep. 47. Nulla servitus turpior quam voluntaria and partly that 't is not laid to heart I know God hath a judicial hand in this as also in the power it self which Sin hath over the Sinner but yet the Sinners own Will is as free full and intire in his closing with it and submitting to it as though God was not at all concerned in it 6. Lastly this bondage is the most hurtful and most dangerous bondage for it is deadly yea it makes way for and most certainly ends in Eternal Death Death puts an end to other bondage the slave when he is dead is a slave no more There the prisoners rest together they hear not the voice of the oppressor the small and great are there and the servant is free from his Master Job 3.18 19. but the worst of spiritual bondage follows after death this ends in death but it doth not end with death And other bondage doth not make any liable to eternal death for that simply considered is nothing either to Heaven or to Hell God may love and save the true penitent though in chains and condemn the impenitent though never so free und flourishing in the world the everlasting Concerns of the Soul do not at all depend upon civil liberty or civil servitude but where this spiritual servitude is there