Use 1. Is information. To show us —
1. The misery of wicked men. They are not justified by God ; and therefore the charge of God's broken law lieth lieavy upon them, and the weight of it will sink them to the nethermost hell. It may be the world may flatter and applaud them, and they may absolve and acquit themselves at an easier rate ; but ' there is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked,' Isa. Ivii. 20. It is not our security, delighting ourselves to sing lullabies to our own souls ; for we are never upon sure terms till God justifieth us. Many absolve themselves upon easy terms, either because they sit still, and cry God mercy, or upon the account of their superficial righteousness, as the pharisees justified themselves. No, we must judge ourselves, but it is God must justify us; till we have our discharge from him, we are never safe ; therefore it con- cerneth us to consider upon what terms we stand. Are wc troubled in mind ? or at peace ? If troubled in mind, take God's remedy. If we be at peace, whence cometh it ? Is it warranted by the covenant of God ? That granteth no pardon, no justification, but to those that repent and believe.
2. The happiness of the godly. It is in vain to accuse those whom God acquitteth ; you need not fear an accuser, not because innocent, but because justified. Though the world revileth you, the devil would stir up legal fears, revive your old bondage. When your hearts con- demn you for many defects, you must stick to this, God justifieth. For the reproaches of the world, you need not be troubled at them ; when they accuse you falsely of pride, hypocrisy, covetousness, you may say as Job : chap. xvi. 19, ' My witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.' He that is the judge of all men is a witness and observer of their ways, and. will acquit those whose hearts are upright with him from the censures of the world. God will not ask their vote and sufi'rage. When Satan would revive our bondage by the thoughts of
VeR. 33.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. 357
death, and the consequences of it, consider wherefore did Christ come into the world, and die for sinners, but to free us from those torment- ing fears? Heb. ii. U, 15, ' Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil ; and deliver them who, through fear of death, were all their life- time subject to bondage.' But when our hearts condemn us, especially for some wounding sin, the case is otherwise. God by conscience writeth bitter things against you, Job xiii. 26. We must not smother our sin, nor deny our guiltiness, but appeal from court to court : Ps. cxxx. 3, 4, ' If thou. Lord, shouldest mark our iniquities, 0 Lord, who shall stand ? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared ; ' and Ps. cxliii. 2, ' Enter not into judgment with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.' If it be from the general view of sin, or the remembrance of some special sin, sue out your pardon in Christ ; your justification is not nullified ; you are still under a pardoning covenant, and the actual pardon on repentance is granted to you.
Use 2. Is to press us to get into this blessed condition, that you may say. It is God that justifieth. Consider the weight of the case ; it con- cerneth damnation or salvation, whether you are under the curse, or heirs of promise. And all this is depending before God. To justify is God's act ; but man must fulfil the condition. Well then, let us sup- pose a judiciary process ; there will be such at the last day certainly — ' For we must all stand before the tribunal seat of Christ,' Kom. xiv. 10. Our cause lieth before God now, and our qualification must be tried and judged now, in order to our reconciliation with God, as here- after in order to our everlasting fruition of him in glory. Well then, the judge is God : Gen. xviii. 23 ; and Ps. xciv. 2, ' Lift up thyself, 0 thou judge of the earth ! ' The j udge accepteth the godly while they are in the body : 2 Cor. v. 9, ' That whether we are present or absent, we may be accepted with him ; ' but ' he is angry with the wicked every day,' Ps. vii. 11. The witnesses are Satan and conscience ; the plea in traverse is about our guiltiness, according to a double rule, the law of works or grace. If according to the law of works, alas ! none of us can stand in the judgment. There we plead, not innocent, but guilty ; Christ could say, John viii. 46, ' Which of you convinceth me of sin ? ' ' but here it is otherwise : Kom. iii. 19, 'All the world is become guilty before God.' Here is no denial, no extenuation, all are become cor- rupt ; ' none doth good, no, not one.' Now Christ was made sin, and underwent the curse for us. To the second, the law of grace, there must be, first a hearty acceptance of an offered Saviour, and a consent, both of subjection and dependence. Secondly, sincere obedience : Eom. viii. 1, ' They walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.' He liveth as one turned from the world and the flesh to God. The more sensible we are of our own vileness, the more we see the necessity of a redeemer.