[1.] It is actually given when we are converted: Rom. vi. 13, 'As those that are alive from the dead, yield yourselves to God, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God ; ' oTrXa, weapons ; we then give up ourselves to work, and first as to do his work, so to war in his warfare against the devil, the world, and the flesh. Till the merit of Christ's death be applied by faith to the hearts of sinners, they are alive to sin, but dead to righteousness ; but then they are dead to sin, and alive to righteousness, and as alive from the dead, and then yield up themselves to serve and please God in all things.
[2.] That this is solemnly done or implied in l)aptism ; for when we were baptized into Christ we were baptized into his death, Eom. vi. 3-5. In baptism we did, by solemn vow and profession, bind ourselves to look after the effects of Christ's death, to mortify the deeds of the body, or, which is all one, renounce the devil, the world, and the flesh ; the devil, as the great architect and principle of all wickedness ; the world, as the great bait and snare ; the flesh, as the rebelling principle. Our baptism is certainly an avowed death to sin ; it implieth a renun- ciation by way of vow, for it is the answer of a good conscience towards God : and the ancient covenants were made by way of question and answer, 1 Peter iii. 21. The very washing implieth it ; washing is a purifying, and after purifying we must not return to this mire again ; 2 Peter i. 19, ' He hath forgotten he was purged from his old sins.' We promised to give over our old sins ; or as it is our first engrafting and implanting into Christ and his death, if when we are baptized, we are reckoned to be dead. The death of Christ was mainly to put away sin, and to take away sin, 1 John iii. 5 ; and Heb. ix. 26. Now sins were not taken away, that men may resume and take them up again. The great condemnation of the christian world is, that when Christ would take away their sins, they will not part with their sins,
[3.] How they can be dead to sin and the world, since after conver- sion they feel so many carnal motions.
A71S. 1. By consenting to Christ's engagement they have bound themselves to die unto sin. When we gave up our names to Christ, we promised to cast off sin, and therefore we are to reckon ourselves as dead to sin by our own vow and obligation, and accordingly to behave ourselves ; Eom. vi. 2, ' How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein ?' It is an argument not so much ab impossibili as ah incongruo ; ' and ye are dead, therefore mortify your members that are upon earth,' Col. iii. 3-5. If dead already, why should they mortify ? Dead, that is, bound to be dead. So a sinner, when he giveth up him- self to God, doth honestly resolve and firmly bind himself to subdue corruption, root and branch, and to depart from all known sin.
2. When the work is begun, corruption is wounded to the very heart. And the dominion and reign of sin being shaken off, Rom. vi. 14, ' Sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the law, but under grace.' Sin is dead where it doth not extinguish the life of grace, but the life of grace doth more and more extinguish sin ; there its dominion is taken away, though its life be prolonged fur a season.
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[3.] The work is carried on by degrees, and the strength of sin is weakened by the power of grace, though not totally subdued : Gal. v. 17, ' Ye cannot do the things ye would.' They are not so active in sin, nor delighted in it ; sin dieth when the love of it dieth, and the pleasure of it is gone. Now the love of sin is weakened in their hearts ; they hate it, though sometimes they fall into it : Kom. vii. 15, ' What I hate that I do ; ' it is enabling a christian to die to sin and the world every day.
[4.] Christ hath undertaken to subdue it wholly in them ; and at length the soul shall be without spot, blemish, or wrinkle, Eph. v. 27. We and corruption die together ; when Christ removeth the veil of the flesh, and taketh home the soul to heaven, it is without spot ; the glorified saints have not one fleshly thought or carnal motion, but are wholly swallowed up in the love of God. Therefore let Christ alone with his work ; he will not cease till sin be wholly abolished. The foolish builder began, but was not able to make an end. It cannot be said so of our Kedeemer ; ' He that hath begun a good work will per- fect it,' Phil. i. 6 ; and 1 Thes. v. 23, 24, ' The very God of peace sanctify you wholly : and I pray God your whole spirit, and soul, and body, be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.' When we come to heaven we shall not complain of hard hearts, or carnal afiections, or unruly desires ; as Naomi said to Euth, ' Sit still, my daughter ; the man will not rest till he have finished.' This thing, God's work, now is but half done; continue with patience in well- doing, and in time it will come to perfection ; Christ will not cease till all be done.