Vers. 1, 2.] sermons upon romans v^r. 161
2. They prevent the highest institution in the world for the recovery of men to God : Jude 4, ixeraridevTe^, ' turning the grace of God into wantonness.' The gospel is the only way of taking away sin ; you make it the only way to countenance sin. Grace is there taken for objective grace, viz., grace held forth to us in the doctrine of the gospel. The doctrine of the gospel doth not tend to make men sinners, nor encourage them to lay aside all care of holiness or good works.
Use 1. Caution against this abuse.
1. Be not prejudiced against the doctrine of grace, as if it yielded these conclusions. It is a misunderstood and misapplied gospel ; the world hath not a right understanding in this mystery. Christ came into the world to save sinners, but not to reconcile God to our sins, to make him less holy, or his law less strict, or sin less odious ; and his free pardon is not to encourage us to go on in our sins ; but a wicked teart, like a spider, will suck poison from those flowers from whence a bee sucketh honey.
2. Let us not give occasion to others to think so, either — (1.) By entertaining opinions that may countenance this abuse, as the setting up a naked dependence on Christ without a care of holiness, or Christ's merit against his Spirit ; relying on his reconciling, and neglecting his renewing grace ; that we are justified before we repent or believe ; that all sins past, present, or to come are pardoned at once ; that we need not trouble ourselves with scruples about offending God ; that the greatest confidence of our own good estate is the strongest and best faith. (2.) Nor by practices. Christians must be most averse from sin, and all enormous practices, else you dishonour Christ in the world ; but let the blame and shame lie on us, and not on the gospel.
3. Let us not harbour this mistake in our own bosoms. We are marvellous apt to do so ; but hereby we forfeit the comfort and privilege of christians, and it concerneth God to avenge the quarrel of his grace against us. Now harbour it we do, if we grow more careless and negligent in duties, less circumspect in our conversations, less humble for sins, and venture upon them with greater boldness and security. If you think you need to be less troubled for sin, less earnest and watchful against it, as if since Christ died for the expiation of it, it were a smaller matter than before to sin against God, you are guilty of this abuse.
Use 2. To exhort you to tbree things.
1. To carry yourselves as those that are dead to sin ; be sure that its dominion and reign be broken, and its strength and power every day more weakened ; you subdue it thoroughly root and branch, and let your minds be more intent on this, that you may not sin : 1 John iii. 9, ' Whoso is born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in hira ; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.' See how this is fulfilled in you, and what conscience you make of your baptismal vow every day.
2. Honour grace. You should not only esteem it, and advance it in your minds, but set forth the glory of it in word and deed : Eph. i. 5, 12, ' Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, — that we should be to the praise of his glory.' The whole strain of your life
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162 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VI. [SeR. II.
and conversation should be to the praise of grace, that our actions might speak for it, though we be silent. To this end consider, Grod hath trusted you with the honour of his grace, therefore you should be eminently much better than other men : Mat. v. 16, ' Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven,' 1 Peter iii. 9, and set forth the genuine and kindly workings of it.
3. Fortify your minds against this abuse, which is so natural to us.
[1.] God's principal will is that we should obey his laws rather than need his pardon. The precept is before the sanction, before sin came into the world ; he pardoneth, that we may return to our duty, Heb. ix. 14 ; Luke i. 74; Eev. v. 9, 10 ; therefore to make wounds for Christ to cure is not the part of a good christian.
[2.] Kemember what was Christ's main design : 1 John iii. 5, ' To take away sin,' not to take away obedience. Many think, though they sin never so much, their pardon will be ready and easy. Oh no ! not so lightly, when you wilfully and presumptuously run into sin.
[3.] Loose, carnal, and careless christians, that wallow in all filthi- ness, and hope to be saved, are rather of the faction of christians than of the religion of christians : 2 Tim. ii. 19, 'Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity ;' 1 Peter i. 17, 18, ' Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear, forasmuch as you are not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversations, received by tradition from your fathers ; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.'