The strength of sin is the laiu. How is that to be understood? The law giveth strength to sin, ratione cognitionis, ohligationis et aurjmen- tationis ; they are the words of a German diviue,i and will yield us a fit method wherein to open this matter.
[1.] The law discovereth sin, and maketh it appear in its own colours; the more light and knowledge of the law, the more sense of sin, as in ti-ansparent vessels dregs are soon discerned : Kom. vii. 9, ' I was alive without the law, but when the law came, sin revived, and I died.' When by a sound conviction disguises are taken off from the con- science, we find sin to be sin indeed. Paul was alive before, that is, in his own hopes, as many a stupid soul maketh full account he shall go to heaven, till conscience be opened, and then they find themselves in the mouth of death and hell.
[2.] The law givetli strength to sin in regard of the obligation of it; it bindeth over a sinner to the curse and wrath of God. God hath made a righteous law, which must have satisfaction, and till the law be satisfied, we hear no news but of a curse, and that maketh death to be full of horrors: Heb. x. 27, 'There remaineth nothing but a fear- ful expectation of the fiery indignation of the Lord.'
[3.] It augmenteth and increaseth sin hy forbidding it ; lusts are ex- asj)erated and rage upon a restraint, as the yoke maketh the young bullock more unruly. Now, put all together, and you will understand the force of the expression, ' The strength of sin is the law.' The dis- covery of the law stoi)peth the sinner's mouth, and the curse of the law shutteth him uj), and holdeth him fast unto the judgment of the great day, by which restraint sin groweth the more raging and furious; all which put together make death terrible ; not an end of misery, but u door to open into hell.
Now, this being tlie case of every man, what shall we do? and how shall we extricate our souls from such a labyrinth of endless horror ? You have an answer to that in the next verse in the apostle's thanks- giving, where he acquainteth you not only with grounds of hope, but lriumi)h : ' Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.'
In this thanksgiving you may observe : —
^ Pareus in locum.
1 Coil. XV. 57.] THE saint's tiuumph over death. 443
1. The author of the mercy : God, by Jesus Christ.
2. The manner how we come to be interested in it : ' He ji^iveth us victory.' Or rather, you may observe : — (1.) The act of the Father as to Jesus Christ, in that he appointed him to get tlie victory. (2.) The act of the Father as to us, in that he applieth this victory to our souls. Christ's victory, and the application of it, are the two grounds of this thanksf^iving.
1. Christ's victory over sin, death, and the law, for it must be ex- tended to all the things mentioned in the context ; they are enemies by combination, and knit together in a fast league. The law giveth strength to sin, and sin giveth a sting to death ; as long as the law hath power, sin will be strong, and as long as sin hath strength, death will be terrible. But Christ hath overcome death ; he foiled it in his own per- son, as I shall show you anon fully ; and for sin, he hath taken away the guilt of it by his own merit, and will destroy it more and more by the power of the Holy Ghost. When he stood before the tribunal of God, he stood there as a surety and undertaker: Heb. vii. 22, 'A surety of a better testament.' Now, he was a surety, mutually God's and our's, to work God's work in us, and our work for us. Among other things which he undertook there, he undertook the abolition of sin : on God's part, he obliged himself that it should be performed by his Spirit ; on our part, he obliged us to endeavours of mortification. Now, because Christ is an able surety, the work is as good as done already: Rom. vi. 6, ' Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might bo destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.' Mark, it 'is crucified with him,' as imi)lying his undertaking upon the cross, that 'the body of death might be destroyed ;' as noting the work of God's Spirit, which was engaged and made sure by Christ's death upon the cross, 'that we should not serve sin ;' as noting the concurrence of our endeavours, to Avhich we are obliged by the same sponsory act of Christ. Thus much Christ hath done for the abolition of sin ; now for the law. That was an enemy that could not be over- come, but must be satisfied, and so it was by Christ, who both per- formed the duty and sustained the penalty of it, chiefly the latter ; and therefore it is said, ' He was made a curse for us,' Gal. iii. 13. The sting is lost in Christ, and the honey left for us. Lut this is matter of another respect and cognisance.