4. What use the death of Christ hath to this effect, to make us die unto sin and the world.
[1.] This was Christ's end. He died not only to expiate the guilt of sin, but also to take away its strength and power, 1 John iii. 8, that the interest of the devil may be destroyed in us, and the interest of God set up with more glory and triumph. Now shall we make void the end of Christ's death, and go about to frustrate his intention, Avhich was to oppose, weaken, and resist sin ? shall we cherish that which he came to destroy ? God forbid. There are some that abuse the death and merits of Christ for a quite contrary end than he intended, namely, to feed lusts, not to suppress them ; Christ died for sinners, they say, and they resolve to be sinners still ; these crucify Christ afresh, Heb. vi. 6 ; they are not crucified with him, that was his end. Nothing maketh the devil such a triumph, as when he supposeth God is beaten with his own weapon ; and that which should prove the destruction of sin proveth the great promotion of it, and the great hindrance of Christ and the gospel, when poison is conveyed by this perfume. The apostle never mentioneth this abuse of grace without abhorrence : Rom. vi. 1, ' Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? tirj r^/evoiTo ;' and, Eom. vi. 15, ' Shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace ? ijurj rikvoiTo : ' and Gal. ii. 17, ' Shall I make Christ the minister of sin? ixr) ^/evotro ;' absit a vohis licec cogitatio, Calvin. Christians should abominate the thought of it, as blasphemy and absurd. But again others reflect upon Christ's death only for the comfort of it; that is but half the
196 SERMO^:S UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [Ser. XXVIII.
end ; you should prize the virtue, as well as the comfort. Paul desired not his righteousness only, but his power, Phil. iii. 9, 10. Lusts trouble us as much as guilty fears. This being Christ's end, we should comply with it. Paul gloried in the cross, as by it crucified to the world. Gal. vi. 14.
[2] By way of representation, the death and agonies of Christ do set forth the heinousness and hatefulness of sin. It is the best glass to discover it to us ; in its own colours it smileth upon the soul with a pleasing aspect ; but if you would know the right complexion of it, go to Golgotha, and as you like the agonies of the garden, and the sorrows of his cross, so you may continue your dalliance with sin, and indul- gence to carnal pleasures. It is a sport to us to do evil, but it was no sport to Christ to suffer for it, it made his soul heavy unto death. Never believe the enticing blandishments whereby it would inveigle you ; think of the droi)s of blood, the tears and fears and strong cries of Jesus Christ, the rending of the rocks, the darkening of the sun, the frowns of an angry God, Christ's desertion, the burden he felt when he bore our sins. Cluist was the Son of God, knew his sufferings short, and a prospect of the glory which was to ensue, had no inherent guilt, knew not what it was to commit sin. ' He knew no sin,' 2 Cor. iv. 21, though he knew what it was to suffer for sin. Cast in the dear affection that was between God and Christ, and it will make you tremble, to consider vdiat he endured ; ' it pleased the Father to bruise him.' Oh ! know what an evil and bitter thing it is, what it will bring upon you, if you allow it.
[3.] It worketh on love. It should make sin hateful, to consider what it did to Christ, our dearest Lord and Eedeemer. Surely we should not think it fit to go on in that course which brought such sufferings upon Christ. By his love manifested in his sufferings, he hath powerfully constrained us, not to take pleasure in what put him to such pain and grief. AVe gush at the sight of one that hath murdered a friend of ours. When the prophet saw Hazael, he wept, and said, Thou art the murderer. We hate the Jews, and detest the memory of Judas ; the worst enemy is in our own bosoms ; it is sin hath slain the Lord of glory ; the Jews were the instruments, but sin was the meritorious cause. In this sense we made him serve with our sins, Isa. xliii. 24.
[4.] By way of merit. Christ shed his blood not only to redeem us from the displeasure of God and the rigour of the law, but from all iniquity, Titus ii. 14 ; from a vain conversation, 1 Peter i. 18 ; from this present evil world. Gal. i. 4. Our dying to sin is a part of Christ's purchase, as well as pardon ; he purchased a virtue and a power to mortify sin, bought sanctification as well as other privileges, paid down a full price to provoked justice, to deliver us from the slavery of sin, and that the word and sacraments might be sanctified to convey and apply this grace to us, Eph. v. 26, that we might be encouraged.