[2.] It cannot give us sanctification. It calleth for duty, and puts in mind of it, but giveth no strength to perform it ; for, being corrupted within, we are little wrought upon by a law without, to which our hearts stand in such enmity and contrariety. But let me prove it by two arguments.
VeR. 3.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. 423
(1.) They that did not keep themselves ia innocency, cannot recover their integrity, now it is lost. It is easier to preserve life, than to restore it when once dead. Any fool may open the flood-gates, but when once the waters are broken in, who can recall them ? Job. xiv. 4. * Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean ? not one ;' that is, who oan purify his heart when it is once defiled with sin ? This is an evil ■not to be remedied by instruction, but inclination.
(2.) Suppose they could recover themselves, they would soon lose it ■again. As Adam gave out at the first assault, so we would be every moment breaking with God*; the sure estate, and the everlasting covenant is provided for us by Christ, and our condition by grace is more stable. God by Christ hath engaged his faithfulness, to give us necessary and effectual grace to preserve the new life : 1 Cor. i. 9, ' God is faithful, by whom ye were called.' Austin compareth the state of Job and Adam : Job was more happy in his misery than Adam in innocency ; he was victorious on the dunghill, when the other was defeated on the throne ; he received no evil counsel from his wife, when the first woman seduced Adam ; he by grace despised the assaults of .Satan, when the other suffered himself to be worsted at the first tempta- tion ; he preserved his righteousness in the midst of his sorrows, when the other lost his innocency in paradise. So much better is it to stand by' the grace of Christ, than our own free will ; the broken vessel being cemented again, is strongest in the crack.
Well then, you see that our misery is such, that God only can help us by some new treaty of relief, and therefore let us see what God hath done for us : —
Secondly, the means of our deliverance ; they are two, his incarnation and passion.
First, His incarnation,
* He sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh.' Let me, first, open the words ; secondly, show what benefit we have thereby.
[1.] Christ's coming in the likeness of sinful flesh, implieth that it •was the nature of sinful men ; that he had a true human nature as other men have, but not a sinful nature. In some places it is said he was made in the likeness of men : Phil. ii. 7, and Heb. ii 17, ' Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren ; ' in other places sin is expected ; ' tempted in all points like us, except sin : ' Heb. iv. 15 : and Heb. vii. 26. He assumed the true and real nature of man, with all the same essential properties, which other men have, only sin is excepted ; that infection was stopped by his supernatural conception through the power of the Holy Ghost. In short, he came not in sinful flesh, but in the likeness of sinful flesh ; he took not our nature as in innocency, but when our blood was tainted, and we were rebels to God.
[2.] He took not the human nature as it shall be in glory, fully with- out sin. Tliere will a time come, when the human nature shall be perfectly glorified ; but Christ took our nature as it was clothed with all natural, sinless infirmities, even such as are in us. The punishment of sin as he assumed a mortal body ; and death to us is the fruit of sin : Rom. vi. 23, and v. 12; he was hungry, weary, pained, as we are.
[3.] He was counted a sinner, condemned as a sinner, exposed lo many afflictions, such as sinners endure ; yea, bore the punishment
424 SERMONS UPON ROMANS Vlll. [SeR. IV.
of our sin. Tlie Jews accused hira of sedition and blasphemy, two of the highest crimes against either table ; the standers-by looked on him as one ' stricken and smitten of Grod : ' Isa. liii. 4, yea, God made him to be sin: 2 Cor. v. 21. 'He was made sin for us, that we mig-ht be made the righteousness of God in him :' and Heb. ix. 28, ' So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many.' Let us next consider, —
2. What benefit have we thereby. Because Christ's flesh is meat indeed, to feed hungry souls. I shall a little insist upon that ; it being so useful to us when we are sacramentally to eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of God.
[1.] He came in our flesh, that thereby he might be under the law which was given to the whole race of mankind : Gal. iv. 4. ' Made of a woman, made under the law.' His human nature was a creature, and bound to be in subjection to the creator ; but then you will say, if Christ obeyed the law for himself, what merit could there be in his obedience ? Much every way, because he voluntarily put himself into this condition ; as a man that was free before, if he remove his dwelling into another country and dominion, merely for his friends' sake, is bouncl to the laws of that country, how hard soever they be ; and the merit of his love is no way lessened, because he did it voluntarily and for friendship's sake. Well then, there is much in this, that Christ who ■was a sovereign would become a subject, and obey the same laws that we are bound to keep, not only to be a pattern and example to us, but by his obedience to recover what by our disobedience was lost, and be a fountain of grace and holiness in our nature.