have been; it is not now their conftant fo are dead to the former; and so they canexercife, trade and occupation, to be work- not do as you fuppofe they may or will. ing the works of Satan, and fulfilling the IV. Juftification by faith in Chrift Jefus lufts of the flesh, and to follow its motion; thro' the righteousness of Chrift imputed, they do not commit fin, as wholly fold and is fo far from being an enemy unto holidevoted thereto, 1 John iii. 9.: Therefore nefs and fanctification, that, on the contrary, the apostle fays, fuch cannot live into fin. it is always accompanied therewith; those But fuch as are in black nature can do no- two, juftification and fanctification go in. thing else but fin, it is their life and lik- others hands: for fuch are faid to be dead ing to be occupied in fin, they live in it, unto fin, and cannot live thereunto, and aland have no other life, whatever flourishes fo are faid to walk in newness of life. and outward shows of piety and godliness they have. II. The reason why believers in Chrift cannot now follow fuch a trade of life as formerly they did, is, because they are put into a new state, and have a new nature given them, the feed of God, and of grace, whereby they are now brought out of the territory, and from under the jurisdiction of fin and corruption, as a dead wife is no more under the command of her former husband: Therefore they are faid to be dead unto fin, while as before they were dead in fins, Eph. ii. 1. III. Such as imagine that juftification by the impured righteoufnefs of another, is a doctrine tending to open a door for licentioufnefs, do grofly bewray their ignorance of the state and condition of fuch as are justified by faith, and know not how that they have changed mafters, when once they have fled in to Chrift, and have now a new nature, and a new principle of life in them, fo as they do not walk fo licentioully as before: for this is his anfwer unto their objection, who thought, that then we might fin, that grace might abound, How can they who are dead unto fin, live any longer therein? as if he had faid, you know not what is the condition of fuch as are juftified, and towards whom grace has abounded; you think they are the fame. they were, but they are not fo, they are now dead unto fin, it is no more their husband and commander, but they are refcued from that mafter by a stronger, and V. This fanctification, renovation, or regeneration, includeth both the rooting out, mortifying and killing of the old man of fin and corruption, and the reviving, quickening and growth of the new man of grace: therefore we hear of their being dead and buried with Chrift, and alfo of their rifing to newness of life. VI. Tho' corruption in the regenerate be not quite extinct and killed out of hand, but there is ftill fomething of it remaining in the best, to their continual exercife; yet it has gotten deadly wounds, and, as it were, is in the dead throws, and is ftill upon the dying hand, and shall never be able to recover its former ftrength and vivacity, but like a dead man in his grave, that will not come back: upon this fcore we are faid to be baptized into his death, that is to fay, our corruption is dying, having gotten its dead ftroke; and not only fo, but also, we are buried with him, and fo corruption is roting away, and shall never revive, and return to its former ftate and ftrength. VII. Tho' we are commanded to mortify our corruptions; yet it is not from any influence from, or strength or efficacy in ourselves, whereby this is brought about, but all allenarly from Chrift: therefore we are baptized into his death, and buried with him into death. VIII. There is no partaking of any fap of influences from the Lord Jefus, whereby to get corruptions mortified, and the new man fet a-growing, till we become .Cc united united unto Chrift, and made one with him by faith; for all our communion floweth from union therefore before we can be baptized into his death, and buried with him by baptifin, we must first be baptized into himself; As many of us as are baptized into Chrift, are baptized into his death. IX. As believers are really united unto Christ, as members to the head, Eph. iv. 15. the wife to the husband, Eph. v. 32. as branches to the ftock, John xv. 4.; fo from this union there doth neceffarily flow communion of life, ftrength, fap, and a partaking of the fruits and effects of his mediation, both in his eftate of humiliation and exaltation, both of his death, Burial, and refurrection, fo that none who ever have fled in to Christ, and are united to him by faith, fhall want of thefe for their neceffity and behoof: as many of us, as are baptized into Chrift, are baptized and is a fign reprefenting the fpiritual. thing fignified to all; yet it is not a feal of confirmation to all, but only to fuch as believe and lay hold on Chrift; to thofe, and thofe only, it fealeth their ingrafting into Chrift, and intereft in his death and refurrection, for their mortification and vivification: for the apoftle is fpeaking only of fuch as are juftified by fleeing in to Chrift,. among whom he reckoneth himself one, faying, As many of us as have been baptifed into him, &c. into his death.. X. Baptifm is a facrament appointed of God, to fignify and feal the ingrafting of all believers into Chrift, and the certainty of their partaking of the fruits and effects of his mediation, both for the mortifying of corruption, and ftrengthening the new man of grace; it feals and confirms to all who will believe the promife, and lay hold upon him in whom all the promifes are yea and amen, the certainty and undoubt ed accomplishment of all which is promif ed in the new covenant: therefore we are faid to be baptized in him, and baptized in his death, and buried with him in baptifm, that as he was raised from the dead, we might walk, &c. See Col. ii. 12. And in particular, baptifm doth reprefent, fignify and feal our regeneration in both its parts, both our mortification and vivification; our being under the water represents our mortification, and our coming up again, as it were, our vivification. XI. Tho' baptifm being a feal of the covenant of grace, which is held forth to all within the vifible church, be applied to all that are members of the visible church, XII. As Christ was given of the Father to us and for us, fo in all his deportment,. both in his eftate of humiliation and exaltation, he was feeking to promote our good: therefore there is here mention made of: his death, burial, and refurrection, and good accruing to us from all of them: we are baptized in his death, and buried with him, and that as he rofe from the dead, fo: we should walk, &c: XIII. As the refurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift hath influence in the pardoning of our fins, and juftification; fo hath it influence alfo in the killing of fin, and delivering of his own from the power of it in fanctification, he being a common perfon in all he did: therefore it it faid, that like as he was raised from the dead, fo we might walk in newness of life. XIV. Tho' Chrift did really die, being in our ftead, and undergoing in our name, the death we were lying under, and therefore was buried; yet could he not fee corruption, nor be holden down by the bars of death, Pfal. xvi. 10. Acts ii. 24. 31. and xiii. 34. 35. 36. but rofe again': for we hear of his death, burial, and of his refurrection; like as he was raised. XV. The refurrection of Chrift being caufed by the mighty power of Jehovah, did much tend to the glory of God in his attributes, power, juftice, goodness, and mercy: he was raifed from the dead by the glory of the Father, or, to the glory of the Father. XVI. All that have fled in to Chrift by fruits and effects of his refurrection, are brought out of the old state of death, under fin's tyranny and dominion, and are renewed, having a new life, new principles, new operatio», new defigns, and new fruits, all things are now new, 2 Cor. V. 17. As Christ was raifed from the dead, fo they walk in newness of life. faith, being thereby made partakers of the | when the stock reviveth. If we have been planted together, or fo joined with Chrift, as a fcion to the ftock, in the likeness of his death, as to partake of the fruits of his death to our mortification, (which is the only death he is fpeaking of here, as to us, and therefore calls it a likeness with Chrift's death) fo alfo in the likeness of his refurrection; that is, fo alfo being imped in him, we shall be made partakers of his refurrection, and of the fruits thereof to our vivification; for he is only fpeaking of our regeneration, and not refurrection after this life, and therefore useth again, likenefs of his refurrection. XVII. This life which believers in Chrift have gotten through quickening influence from him, is not an idle, fruitless life, without fruits of holiness, but an active ftiring principle, feting folk on work conftantly, and in this life believers can never win to perfection, but are still advancing and growing in grace: therefore they walk in newness of life, and fo all their doings now, after grace is living at their heart roots, fmell of life, and flow from life, except when temptation and corruption is fwaying them downward, and God's reftraining and ftrengthening grace is withdrawn. VERSE 5. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death: we fhall be alfo in the likeness of his refur rection. OBSERVATIONS. I. Though naturally we be branches of a wild olive, and of a dead rotten ftock; yet Chrift is content to have us united unto him, that we may partake of his fap and furniture, and fo grow up in him; for we are planted with him and imped in him. See John xv. 5. II. Sinners having now laid hold on Chrift by faith, are nearly joined unto him, and made one plant (as it were) with him: to point forth this clofe and wonderful union, this and feveral other fimilitudes are used by the Spirit of the Lord, we are planted with him, or imped in him. IN N this verse the apoftle confirmeth what he had faid laft, to wit, that from his III. Until this marriage-knot be made refurrection we receive virtue and ftrength by faith, we cannot partake of any fap, to live unto holiness, and to walk in new-virtue and life of Jefus Chrift; as a branch nefs of life; faying, For if we have been can partake nothing of the fap and greenplanted together, &c. His reafon is this, If nefs of the ftock, till it be united to it by we have been fo nearly united unto Chrift, imping: we are planted with him in his as that we have been planted with him in death and refurrection. the likeness of his death, we must also be planted with him in the likeness of his refurrection; that is, (to fpeak it more plainly thus) if believers be fo closely united unto Christ, as that they have been imped into him, (like an imp joined to an old stock, fo as to die in the winter-time with the ftock) and fo made partakers of his death; fo we thall alfo be made partakers of his life, as an imp or scion revives again in the Spring IV. When once a foul closeth with Chrift by faith, and depends upon him with finglenefs of heart, then they live in him, and by virtue of his refurrection, are enabled to bring forth fruits of holiness unto God, and to grow in grace; thus are they planted in the likeness of his refurrection. V. The participating of the fruits of Chrift's death thro' faith in him, to the taking away of the conde raing power of Cc 2 fin, fin, and also to the mortifying of the deeds of the body, and weakening of corruption, may affure us that likewife thro' faith in him, we shall be enabled to advance in conformity to God's image, and to rife more unto holiness and fanétification of the Spirit. If we partake of fap from Chrift for one end, we fhall alfo partake of fap for another end, till we be compleated in him, and bring forth fruit abundantly: For if we have been planted together, in the likenefs of his death, we shall be alfo in the likeness of his refurrection. VERSES 6. 7. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of fin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not ferve fin. For he that is dead, is freed from fin.: A Nother argument is here laid down to prove that fuch as are juftified, having now fled in to Chrift by faith, are not let loose unto profanity and wickedness, but that their state of juftification fpeaks them to be in another condition now, and greater friends to holinefs, for it is a known and certain principle and axiom in religion; Knowing, fays he, this, that our old man is crucified with Chrift; that is, that when Chrift our cautioner, head, and common perfon was nailed to the crofs, not only was justice satisfied as to our guiltinefs, but our old man, as to its power and efficacy, got its deaths wounds; when Chrift a common perfon, in our name, was crucified, in him, our natural corruption (which is that which we got of old Adam, and which is old in regard of the new man of grace) was crucified with him, and fo the body of fin (the fame with the old man, but fo called to point forth the combination of corruption in us, even corruption in its strength, having all its members as a complete entire body) was utterly destroyed, broken, and undone, in that he did meritoriously procure the fame, yea, and engage for the fame, and did more as our head and cauti oner, and all to this end, that we should no longer be flaves to fin, and ferve this finful body and corruption within us. In fhort, his argument is this, If that old vicious, corrupted nature of believers is killed and utterly abolished in Christ's being crucified; then believers are no more in fuch a condition, as to be fervants and flaves to corruption: But the former is a known (or at least fhould be a known) axiom. The connection of the major he confirmeth in the next words, verfe 7. Fur he that is dead, is freed from fin: In faying,, be that is dead, it is as much as if he had faid, He that has the body of fin and corruption crucified in him, it is dead to him; and that is all one as if he were dead to it: (the living woman is loofed from the law of her dead husband, as well as the dead woman is loofed from the power of the living husband :) and fo he that is dead is freed from fin.. In the original it is, He is justified from fin; that is, loofed from any obligation which fin can have on him; the accufation of fin is loofed, and its power alfo is loft; and fo he is every way free from it, being abfolved by the fentence of the Judge... OBSERVATIONS.. I. Albeit the natural corruption and original fin with which we are bound, be not a fubftance, as fome do falfely gather from thefe expreffions, viz. that it is called a body, and a man, which are but metaphorical, and not properly to be understood: yet it is ftrong, vigorous, and weighty, and, as it were, complete and full: It is, as it were, a man, to fhew its ftrength and a body, to fhew its completenefs, having members and parts making up the whole: fo it is called the old man, and the body of fin. II. This corruption and contagion where with all are infected, was had thro' Adam and is that which we all are born with,, and which, in the godly, is wearing to its grave for these caufes it is called the old man. III. As this natural and original corruption is complete and full, wanting nothing to make it moft vile and abominable; fo it is the fountain and well-fpring of all wickedness and mifchief: it is the feed of all fin, and caufeth every thing which is evil, and nothing but what is evil. It is a body of fin, wanting no member, and having every member finful, working nothing but fin and iniquity; it is a body of fin. VII. Albeit this deftruction which abideth the body of fin be not had fo long as we are on this fide of time, but only expected, and certainly looked for in end; yet it is fo far attained, that tho' this body of fin ftill abide, to keep the godly in exercife, it is fo får broken in the justified, as that it has not full power and dominion over them, as fometime it has had; they are now no more fervants thereto, its motions and defires are not fo readily obeyed and yielded unto as formerly: That henceforth we should not ferve fin. VIII. All unrenewed and unregenerate perfons, however, and from whatsoever principle, they abstain from many exter IV. While Jefus Chrift, Mediator between God and man, flood in the room of all the elect ones, and having their iniquities imputed to him, and met together on his back, offered up himself upon the cross a facrifice to fatisfy the juftice of God, this natural guilt of ours, this bo-nal acts of iniquity; yet till they be united dy of fin got a deadly blow; for juftice be ing fatisfied, it was made powerlefs and unable to condemn fuch as he reprefented, or was a public perfon for, or to in flave them still; it was crucified with him, and fo loft both its condemning power, and its domineering power. V. Howbeit this natural corruption of ours was imputed to Chrift, (who was in himfelf without all fin) and he fully fatisfied juftice for it, and others; yet was it not actually and completely taken away, fo as it should be no more, but only meri. toriously, and in our Head and Husband, or common perfon: for howbeit it was crucified with Chrift, yet it was to be deftroyed afterward; therefore fays he, that the body of fin might be destroyed. to Chrift by faith, and have gotten a new nature and difpofition, they are but mere flaves unto a body of death and fin within them: therefore fays he, That henceforth we should not ferve fin; which fuppofeth that before they did ferve fin. IX. This begun deliverance from, and deftruction of the power and tyranny of the body of fin. is a fruit and effect of Chrift's death; then did he procure the fame by his meri s: The old man was crucified with him, that henceforth we should not ferve bim. X. The ignorance of this relation betwixt Chrift and believers, and how Chrift has undertaken for them, and how, in him as their Head and Cautioner, the body of fin has been crucified,' and gotten a deadly VI. Believers, who have gotten an uni- ftroke, makes many think that a justified on made up with Chrift, may reft affured, ftate is a ftate of licentioufnefs, and giving that, feeing Chrift was a public perfon way to a willing and chearful fervice unwhile hanging on the crois, acting for them, der the command of fin: the knowledge and in their name fatisfying juftice for of this axiom, that the old man is crucified their guiltinefs, and undertaking for their with him, that the body of fin might be dethorough fanctification, and meriting theirftroyed, that henceforth we should not ferve full and final redemption, their natural corruption, for as ftrong and powerful as it is in its members and parts, fhall at length in due time, be utterly deftroyed and broken: Our old man is crucified with him, that the body of death might be destroyed, fin, would clear how believers cannot give way to fin as before; therefore fays he, Knowing, &c. XI. Believers fhould look upon themfelves, being united to Chrift by faith, when they fee Chrift crucified, and him who |