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who is their Head and Cautioner giving | death's wounds unto their old mafter, as dead, therefore they are faid to be dead, be that is dead; there is not fuch an union, tye, and obligation betwixt corruption and them; that obligation is gone and broken. XII. Believers being thus legally dead unto their old tyrannous mafter, they are freed from any command and authority which fin had, and from any power and tyranny which before corruption did, or could exerce over them: He that is dead is free from fin.

VERSES 8. 9. 10. Now if we be dead with Chrift, we believe that we shall alfo live with him:

Knowing that Chrift being raised from the dead, dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

For in that he died, he died unto fin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

HERE ERE is another argument, fhewing, that the ftate of the juftified is fuch as fuiteth well with holinefs; yea, fuch as are juftified fhall advance in holiness, and grow up in grace, and the work of vivification fhall not go back: And thus he proveth it; If believers, or fuch as are juftified by faith in Chrift, do and will live with Chrift, and partake of the fruits of his refurrection and life, they fhall promove and grow up in the work of holinefs and fanctification, and that work fhall not utterly decay and go back again: But fo it is that the juftified do and fhall live with Chrift, &c. Therefore, &c. The affumption he confirmeth in these words, If we be dead with Chrift, we believe we fhall live with him; that is, it is a truth firmly to be believed, that as Chrift was our Head when he died, and we in a manner died in him, and are now made partakers of the fruits of his death, to the mortifying of fin; fo was he our Head when he arose, and we, in a manner, rofe with him, and fo fhall be made partakers

in due time of the fruits of his refurrection, to growth in grace, and to partake of glory at length; for as he was our Head in the one, fo in the other; and there is as clofe an union betwixt Chrift and us in the one as in the other. The propofition he confirmeth, verfe 9. where he fays, Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead, dieth no more; death hath no more power over him. The proof may be conceived thus; If Chrift, being now raised from the dead, fhall never die again, but live for ever, and fo the fruits of his refurrection and life never decay, but be still fresh and green; then fuch as live with him muft advance in holinefs till they come to glory But fo it is, Chrift dieth no more, death hath no more power over him; therefore he is now freed from the ftate of death and humiliation, which he willingly underwent for the behoof of the elect, and is no more under the bondage thereof. And this he further confirmeth, verfe 10. faying, For in that he died, he died unto fin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. As if he had faid, death can no more have dominion over him, for, 1. He died unto fin once; that is, being cautioner in our room, he freed himfelf of that obligation he lay under, and fatisfying juftice, he cancelled the bond, and fo took the life of fin away, that it fhould no more kill, and that once for all; and therefore having done the bufinefs, death can have no more power over him. And, 2. He liveth unto God; that is, he is now freed from the state of humiliation, and is living a glorious and heavenly life, free from Satan's temptations, and the miferies he underwent as our Cautioner, before.

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fweet inferences, full of confolation; there- | railed, and not as if he did not raife him

fore he mentions believers being dead with Chrift over a rain, and hence infereth their union with him in his refurrection, faying, If we be dead with Chrift, we believe, &c. II. Confidering our intereft in Chrift's refurrection, and how he arose as our Head, and for our advantage, we may be perfuaded that believers fhall live in newnefs of life, and fhall have influences coming from him, whereby they fhall be quickened and advanced in grace; for this is the apostle's argument, We believe that we shall alfo live with him.

III. However we are not made partakers of all the fruits of Chrift's Mediatorfhip at once; yet whoever are partakers of one, fhall be partakers of all, in due time; for whomfoever he did one piece of his mediatory office, for thefe he did all of it; and particularly, for whomfoever he died, for thefe allenarly he rofe again; fo that whoever can claim any intereft in his death, may lay claim alfo to his life, and whoever finds the good of the one, fhall find the good of the other in due time; for the apostle would have them concluding, and certainly perfuading themfelves of the truth of the one, from the other, faying, If we be dead with him, we believe that we shall alfo live with him.

IV. Chrift Jefus having taken on our debt, was brought to a low pafs, and made to undergo the miseries of this life, yea, and to be under the command of death for a time, as a prisoner in his goal: thus it is supposed, when it is faid, Death bath no more dominion over him, that fays, it had once dominion over him; and all this was not against his will, but voluntarily; he fubjected himself to this ftate, for our behoof.

V. Chrift by his death did fo far fatisfy juftice, and pay for all which he undertook, that the Father, who was the creditor, (to fpeak fo) came and took him out of prison, as having no more to require of him; therefore he is faid to be

felf, he being God equal in power withthe Father, but to fhew, that God received fatisfaction, and, in teftimony thereof came, as.it were, and brought him out of prifon: Chrift being raised from the dead.

VI. When Chritt Jefus was raised from the dead, his ftate of humiliation was fo fully at a period, and juftice fo fully fatisfied, as he was never to undergo the leaft degree of humiliation again: He dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over him.

VII. The confideration of this, that Chrift is now exalted for ever, and shall never tafte of death again, may abundantly afcertain believers, that feeing they live with him, and he liveth for ever, and is continually fending out fweet ftreams of ftrength and influences, for the upholding and carrying on of his members, they fhall never fall away, and lofe the life of God altogether, and turn dead again; but fhall fill advance forward towards glory: for, fays he, We shall alfo live with him; knowing this, that Chrift being raised from the dead, dieth no more; death bath no more dominion over him.

VIII. Our Mediator Chrift being fo excellent a perfop, his death was fo full a price, and to fatisfactory unto juftice, for all thefe ones for which it was offered up, that it needeth not to be repeated, but once for all this facrifice was offered: He died once. See Heb. vii. 27. 1 Pet. iii. 18.

IX. Whatever victory believers get over corruption, it is in and thro' the death of Chrift, by which their final victory, in the Lord's own time, was purchased; he, as our Head and Cautioner, conquered fin, and killed that ftrong one: He died unto. fin once.

X. Chrift having conquered death, and fatisfied juftice, was advanced to great honour and dignity, having a name above every name, Phil. ii. 9. and now liveth a glorious life: He liveth unto God.

XI. Chrift, in his death, killing fin the arch

arch-enemy, and that as our Head, and in¡ Lord and Governor; their Head and comour name taking poffeffion of glory, and mon perfon: Through Jefus Christ our a life with God, may perfuade believers, Lord. who are his members, that certainly fin fhall not be their death, or utterly overcome them, but fhall fo decay, as at length it, fhall utterly be deftroyed, and grace fhall fo grow, as at length it fhall certain ly end in glory, and they fhall live unto God as their Head doth now; for to this purpose doth the apoftle ufe this expreffion, In that he died, he died unto fin: and in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

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'His is the conclufion of the whole preceding difcourfe; he would have believers cafting up their accounts, and concluding, that feeing Chrift their Head and Lord is dead unto fin, and alive unto God; fo they who are his members, and who were represented by him as a common perfon, are wholly dead unto fin; that is, freed from the power and fwing thereof, and alive unto God; that is, perfectly fanctified. This is not to be understood, as if believers were thoroughly mortified, and perfectly fanctified; this is not to be understood; but thus, That though, in themselves confidered, the work be but imperfect, yet it is complete in their Head, even in Jefus Chrift their Lord, who as a common perfon reprefented them, and in that respect they may by faith reckon it fo with themselves.

OBSERVATIONS.

I. Believers being married to Christ through faith, may by faith lay claim unto Chrift dying and rifing, and may conclude their right unto the fruits of his mediation: Likewife reckon ye alfo, &c.

II. Jefus Chrift hath a fpecial relation to believers, and they to him; he is their

III. By virtue of this union betwixt Christ, as a Lord and Head, and believers, as his members, believers may perfuade themfelves of a full victory over fin, and of a thorough fanctification, having a right thereto in Chrift their Head, though they win but to the poffeffion of it in part, while they are on this fide of time; they may conclude themfelves dead unto fia, and alive unto God, tho' at present they be mastered with corruption, and a body of death: Likewife reckon ye alfo your felves dead indeed unto fin, but alive unto God through Jefus Christ our Lord.

IV. The life of holiness is a life tending much to God's glory and honour, being wholly spent for him, as eyeing his advantage mainly; and a life tending to the everlafting poffeffion of glory, and communion with God there: They are alive unto God

VERSES 12. 13. Let not fin therefore reig in your mortal body, that ye fhould obe it in the lufts thereof.

Neither yield ye your members as inftru ments of unrighteousness unto fin: bu yield your felves unto God, as thofe the are alive from the dead; and your men bers as inftruments of righteousness un God.

IN this fecond part of the chapter, th

apoftle having now cleared how fan tification and juftification go together, does now prefs all believers, who thr faith are put into a state of juftificatio to mind holiness, and a life of fanctificatio

The duty is fet down in two par to wit, in mortification and vivificatio First, Let not fin reign in your mortal bos Thus he, 1. fets it down in general, th they would look on that mafter-fin, a natural corruption, which always abide and is the root of all other fins, as their verfary, and as a tyrant whofe tyranny th

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fhould labour to diminish, and oppofe all they can. 2. He fets it down more clearly, in two branches; (1.) That ye fhould obey it in the lufts thereof; that is, beware that you become not a fupple fervant to fin and corruption; do not fo much as yield obedience to the very first motions and rifings of fin in you; ftrive against the very first orders of that tyrant: And, (2.) Neither yield ye your members as intruments of unrighteousness unto fin; that is, as you would not obey this tyrant, fo be not a foldier under his command, to advance his intereft; bear not arms under him; let not your members of body, or faculties of foul, be at his fervice, as devoted unto unrighteoufnefs, to work nothing but fin. Secondly, The other part of the duty is in thefe words, But yield yourfelves unto God, as thofe that are alive from the dead, &c. That is, give yourfelves wholly away to God, as your Lord and Mafter; yea, and dedicate all that is in you; your faculties and members give them away to God, as inftruments for working righteousness, and what is well-pleafing in his eyes.

is a fhame for you, who have been rescued from the bondage of fin already, and brought out from its black quarters, O be fhacking hauds with that cruel tyrant. OBSERVATIONS.

I. Believers, fo long as they are on this fide of eternity, will never be free of an indwelling body of death; but, do their beft, that arch-enemy of their falvation will be keeping houfe-room within them ; This is fuppofed when they are defired, not to fuffer it to reign, it fays there it will abide.

II. Even believers, who have smarted fore by the dominion of fin in them already, are in hazard to be again captivated, and to look on fin as their king, by complying therewith, yielding obedience thereunto, and promoting the intereft and defigns thereof: This is alfo fuppofed here, for if they were not in hazard of this, there needed not fuch directions and motives.

III. It is the duty of all believers to be conftantly exercifing themfelves in oppofition to the domineering tyranny of a body Moreover, in the words there are fome of death within them, which is ftill feekarguments couched, the more to prefsing to have the throne, and the fwaying home this duty; as, 1. in the word there- | power of all; and it will take up a believfore, which has reference to what he was er all his days, even to get this much done, faying before, as if he had faid, Since you to get corruption kept out of the throne are now in a juftified, ftate, united unto and from tyrannizing over, and mastering Chrift, and have ground to expect from and flattering them: Let not fin reign. him virtue to fubdue fin, and to live unto God, therefore look like fuch, and let not corruption have full fwing and fway. 2. In your mortal body; that is, in your body, which will shortly return to diffolution; your battle will not laft always, and therefore ftrive the more courageoufly: Or thus, Your body is but weak and fecklefs, it is mortal, and tending to diffolution, therefore you have fo much the more need to take heed that corruption get not the upperhand there. 3. A third argument is in thefe words, As thofe that are wive from the dead: As if he had faid, It

IV. The ftate in which believers now ftand, being juftified through faith in Chrift, by which they have near access to him, yea, have an union with him, and by virtue thereof have a good warrant to make use of the great flock of ftrength which is in Chrift, fhould animate and encourage believers to fet against this tyrant, and oppofe him all they can. an argument in the particle therefore, Let not fin reign therefore in your mortal body.

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V. The confideration, of the fhortnefs of the time of fighting, of our mortality, and of the weakness of the mortal body

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VI. This tyrant fin, and a body of fin which is within us, has a number of conftant attendants, as fo many ready fervants, feeking to fubdue the poor man: It has lufts, thefe are the firft rifings and motions of the foul towards finful objects; thefe acts of concupifcence are the lufts and first brood of this mother fin; the lufts thereof. VII. Though the believer cannot be keeped free from thofe motions of a body of fin and corruption within, but they still attend that tyrant, and are fins before God, being lufts of fin; yet it is a believer's duty, who would not willingly betray him lf into the hands of this deadly adverfary, to be oppofing the very firft motions and incurfions of this adverfary; and to be confenting unto these first finful motions of this body of fin, is a way to help this tyrant to the throne, and therefore the believer fhould refufe all confenting thereunto: That ye should obey it in the lufts thereof.

VIII. When this body of death has goten its motions yielded unto, it will not reft till it have the outward man fet on work to act what is conceived; as it has goten the mind and will mastered, fo will it labour to have the members on foot for promoting of fin, and bringing it to perfection; thus, When luft conceiveth, it bringeth forth fin, James i. 15. Therefore he must farther advise them, not to yield their members unto fin.

IX. When a believer is fo far overfwayed with corruption, as that not only its first motions are confented unto, and entertained with delight and complacency, but also the outward man is actively carrying on corruptions, defigning and bringing out fin into act, then has this mafter fin goten the throne, and is fwaying all in

the foul, for that time; and the refifting of corruption here is a good mean to bear down this tyrant: Neither yield ye your members as inftruments of unrighteousness unto fin.

X. Howbeit finners may put fair faces on their actions, and have good thoughts of much that they do; yet there is nothing which this body of death within them prompts them to, and which they do in obedience unto that tyrant, that is any thing but unrighteoufnefs; the very mem bers that acteth fin are called members and inftruments of unrighteousness.

XI. Whoever makes no refiftance unto this body of fin within them, but yields obedience, and acteth what the commands they carry themfelves as if they were de voted to fin, and as if their members ha no other office, and were for no othe ufe; and fo are called inftruments of un righteoufnejs.

XII. Believers fhould look upon them felves as given up and furrendered to th Lord, and fhould daily be yielding u themfelyes unto the Lord, offering then felves and their fervices unto him, wit willingness, chearfulness, and faithfulnef yield your felves unto God.

XIII. As believers, by their profeffic do declare themfelves devoted unto G and his fervice; fo fhould they make it m nifeft by their daily walk and carriage, a fhow, that all the parts of their bodies a given up to him, and at his command, being employed in his fervice, and he ing forward his intereft, and work of ì linefs in themselves and others; we yield ourselves, and our members aljo, inftruments of righteoufnefs.

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XIV. However many have a prejud at the way of God, and of godlinefs, weary of his yoke; yet the truth is, Lord puts his people to noble ferv they do nothing in his service but w the works of righteousness; our mem are inftruments of righteousness.

XV. Whoever are not walking as

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