Ans. They are comprised in Christ's act done in their name, as if they were actually in being, and consent ing to what he did — in short, they are dead mystically in Christ, becaui^e he undertook it ; sacra- mentally in themselves, because by submitting to baptism they bind themselves and profess themselves engaged to mortify sin : actually they are dead, because the work at first conversion is begun, which will be carried on by degrees, till sin be utterly extinguished.
Doct. That when Christ died, all believers were dead in him to sin and to the world.
It is the apostle's inference, ' then were all dead.' The expression should not seem strange to us, for there are like passages scattered everywhere throughout the word. Therefore I shall show you, —
1. That this truth is asserted in scripture.
2. How all can be said to be dead, since all were not then born, and had no actual existence in the world.
3. How they can be said to be dead to sin and the world, since after conversion they feel so many carnal motions.
^ 4. What use the death of Christ hath to this effect, to make us die to sin and the world.
190 SEKMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeR. XXVIII.
First, That this truth is asserted in scripture. To this end I shall propound and explain some places. The first is: Rom. vi. 6, ' Know- ing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should no longer serve sin,' In that place observe —
1. The notions by which sin is set forth. It is called by the names of the old man, and the body of sin, and simply and nakedly. Possibly by the old man natural corruption may be intended ; by the body of sin, the whole mass of our acquired evil customs ; by sin actual trans- gressions ; or, take them for one and the same thing, diversely expressed, indwelling sin is called an old man. A man it is, because it spreadeth itself throughout the whole man. The soul ; for Gen. vi. 5, it is said, ' Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart is only evil continually.' The body : Eom. vi. 19, ' As you have yielded up your members servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity ;' and it is called an old man, as grace is called a new man and a new creature, and it is so called because it is of long standing ; it had its rise at Adam's fall : Rom. v. 12, ' Whereas by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin ; so that death passed upon all, because all had sinned.' And it hath ever been conveyed since from father to son, unto all descending from Adam : Ps. li. 5, ' Behold I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me ; ' so that it is born and bred w^ith us. And partly, because in the godly it is upon the declining hand, and draweth towards its final ruin and expiration. Bejure, it is an old antiquated thing, not to be cherished but subdued ; de facto, it is upon declining and weakening more and more. And this old man is afterwards called the body of sin — the whole mass of habitual sins, composed of divers evil qualities, as the body of divers members ; this is our enemy.
2. Observe in the place, the privilege that we have by Christ's death, ' That our old man was crucified with him ; ' — that is, M'hen Christ was crucified ; and the apostle would have us know this, and lay it up as a sure principle in our hearts. The meaning is then, there was a foundation laid for the destruction of sin when Christ died ; namely, as there was a merit and a price paid, and if ever our old man be crucified, it must be by virtue of Christ's death.
3. Observe the way how this merit cometh to be applied to us. Something there must be done on God's part, in that expression that ' the body of sin may be destroyed,' which intimateth the communicating of the Spirit of grace, for weakening the power, love, and life of sin ; and something done on our part, ' that henceforth we should not serve sin.' There was a time when we served sin ; but, being converted we changed masters, as the apostle saith, Rom. vi. 18, ' Being made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.' Now he that hath been servant to a hard and cruel master is the better trained up to be diligent and faithful in the service of a gentle, loving, and bountiful master. Before regeneration every one of us pleased the flesh ; but when our eyes are opened by grace we see the folly, mischief, and unprofitableness of such a course, and therefore can the better brook another service which will be more comfortable and profitable to us. And in this new estate we do as little service for sin as formerly we
VeR. 14.] BERMONS IJT0N^2 CORINTHIANS V. 191
did for righteousness : Eom. vi. 20, ' When you were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness ; ' when righteousness had n j power, and dominion over you, had no share in your time, strength, thoughts, affections, endeavours, you took no care, made no conscience of doing that which was truly good. You must now as strictly ahstain from sin as then you did from righteousness; yea, you must do as much for grace as formerly you did for sin ; ver. 19, ' As you have yielded yoiu' members servants unto uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity ; so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness ; ' as watchful, as earnest, as industrious to perfect holiness.