The next place is that, 1 Peter iv. 1, 'Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind ; for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin.' In that place there are three things notable —
(1.) The ground and foundation of the apostle's argument ; (2.) The exhortation built thereon ; (3.) The reason connecting and joining both.
1. The foundation of his argument is, that Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, — that is, hath in our name and nature suffered the wrath due to us for sin.
2. The inference of duty built thereon, as that we should 'arm yourselves with the same mind,' — that is, we must follow and imitate Christ also in sufiering in the flesh ; or, which is all one, a dying unto sin. This shovdd be armour of proof to us against all temptations. If we had the same mind that he had, or coidd put on the same resolution, — to wit, to sufier in the flesh, or crucify oiu' carnal nature, lusts and passions. Strongly resolve to desist from sin, for which Christ hath suffered, how pleasant soever it be to oiu: flesh.
3. The reason which joineth both the argument and inference of duty together, — ' For he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin.' This last clause cannot be understood of Christ, who never sinned, but of the believer. How shall we understand it of him ? how hath he suflered in the flesh, and so ceased from sin ? There are two expositions of it: —
[1.] Thus, one ' that hath suffered in the flesh,' — that is, is crucified in his carnal nature, hath mortified his flesh ; it hath not respect to suffering afflictions, but mortifying of sin, TreTravrat dfiaprla'; ' hath ceased from sin,' no more to serve it henceforward ; that ' he should no longer live the rest of his time in the lusts of the flesh, but accord- ing to the will of God.' This exposition inferreth it from Christ's sufferings for us, that our mortification is in correspondence and con- formity to Christ's death, and as necessarOy flowing from the virtue of his cross, and the obligation left thereby on all behevers ; but the second exposition maketh it clearer ; thus —
[2.] The believer is reckoned a sufferer in Christ : he hath ' suffered in the flesh ' when Christ suffered judicially, in his surety. "Whatever sufterings were inflicted on Christ, the same are reckoned as inflicted on believers ; and so to have ceased from sin, in regard of Christ's undertaking to make him cease from it, and the obligation wliich Christ sufl^ering in his room, putteth upon him to mortify it, the matter is as certain as if it were already done.
192 SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeR. XXVIII.
Another place is that, Gal. ii. 20, ' I am crucified with Christ.' There are three propositions included in that short speech: that Christ is cruci- fied; that we are crucified ; that we are crucified with Christ. It doth not imply any fellowship with him in the act of his mediation : there he was only taken, but we are spared, as Isaac was dismissed when the ram was taken for an ofi^ering, Gen. xxii. ; and God saith, Job. xxxiii. 24, 'Deliver him from going down to the pit, for I have found a ransom ; ' or, as Christ told his persecutors, John xviii. 8, ' If there- fore ye seek me, let these go their way.' His offering himself in that sort was a pledge of his offering himself to the curse of the law and punishment due to sin, to exempt us from it. What then, doth our being crucified with Christ signify ? It implieth our participation of the benefits of his mediation, as if we were crucified in our own persons.
Four considerations will clear it to you.
[1.] That Christ in dying did not stand as a private, but public person, in the place and room of all the elect ; for he is their surety;
[2.] That the benefits which are purchased in his cross and passion are thereby made ours, as if we had been crucified in our own persons. We are really made partakers of the fruits of Christ's death.
[3.] The great benefit of his cross or sacrifice of himself was to put away sin, Heb. ix. 26.
[4.] Sin is put away, either as to the removal of the guilt of it : Mat. xxvi. 28, ' This is the blood of the new testament, which was shed for many, for the remission of sins ; ' or for subduing the strength of it : 1 Peter ii. 24, ' He bore our sins in his own body upon the tree, that We, being dead unto sin, might live unto righteousness.' He died not only to obtain forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God, but that we might die unto sin ; so that his redeemed ones are strictly urged to mortify sin, because the old man of indwelling corrup- tion did receive the stroke of death by his death ; so that either in point of justification, when justice challengeth us for sins, we may send it to Christ, \vho died one for all, and may plead, I am crucified in Cln-ist, he hath satisfied for me ; or, in point of sanctification, we may, in the way which God hath appointed, expect the subduing of sin, as if we had merited this grace ourselves. It is a great advantage when we can say, ' I am crucified with Christ.'