5. Christ, having borne the burden and weight of our sins, hath undertaken to take away all that may be called sin ; he hath taken away the guilt, and he hath taken away the stain, the obligation to punishment, and the power of corruption ; or, in short, he hath pro- cured both justification and sanctification for us.
[1.] Justification is a fruit of his bearing sin : Isa. liii. 11, * By his-
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knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities.' To bear the sin is to bear the punishment, the wrath due to if. Now God will not exact it twice, of Christ and of us too. Christ doth so bear it for us that he takes it away from us, that we are discharged from the guilt, and * delivered from wrath to come,' 2 Thes. i. 10, and are brought into a justifiable condition before God ; 2 Cor. V. 21, ' He was made sin for us, that knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.'
[2.] Sanctification, that is one taking away of sin, and a fruit of Christ's bearing our iniquities : 1 Peter ii. 24, ' He bore our sins in his own body upon the tree, that we, being dead unto sin, might be alive unto righteousness.' Naturally we are alive to sin, love it, delight in it, and are active in it, but we are dead to righteousness ; not only sick and wounded, but dead to it. But Christ came to purchase grace, to subdue our love and delight in sin, and to turn our hearts towards God. We need a saviour to help us to repentance as well as to pardon. The loss of God's image was part of our punishment, and the renova- tion of our nature is a part, yea, a principal part, of our deliverance by Jesus Christ.
6. This work of taking away sin is not done all at an instant, but accomplished by degrees. 'O a'lpwv ; the participle noteth a con- tinued act ; it is a thing Christ is always a-doing till sin be no more. Here we must distinguish between impetration and application. As to purchase and impetration, Christ hath done it once for all ; there needed no repeating of this act : Heb. x, 14, ' For by one offering he hath for ever perfected them that are sanctified.' As to the merit, nothing is wanting ; no other oblation and sacrifice needeth to be offered to God. But as to application, so he is every day taking away sin. What is his business now in heaven but to sit at the right hand of God, and to see the fruits of his mediation accomplished ? yea, and as to the same persons, Christ doth not destroy sin all at once. Narrow-mouthed vessels cannot be filled in an instant, though cast into an ocean. There- fore taking away sin is a continual act, which Christ is ever a-doing. Some blessings are dispensed presently, upon the first day of our enter- ing into the state of grace and favour with God, as adoption into God's family, pardon of sins past, a renewing of the image of God in us, re- demption or exemption from the curse of the law ; which things increase more and more unto their final perfection in eternal glory. Adoption then shall be complete: Kom. viii. 23, ' Waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our bodies.' When we shall know more fully what honour and blessedness belongeth to tlie children of God ; now it doth not appear what we shall be. So pardon of sin shall be then complete : Acts iii. 19, 'Eepent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.' All pardoned sins shall never be remembered more ; our absolu- tion shall be solemnly pronounced by the Judge upon the bench ; that is the great regeneration : Mat. xix. 28, ' You that have followed me in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.' So for redemption : Eph. iv. 30, * Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption ; ' when
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all the effects of sin shall cease, for death remaineth on the body till that day.
7. This work of taking away sin is carried on with respect to Christ's threefold office of king, priest, and prophet.
[1.] As a priest ; so he taketh away sin by his merit, having pur- chased a power and a virtue whereby our natures may be healed and cleansed, and our peace made with God. In this sense it is said, 1 John i. 7, 'The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.'
[2.] As a prophet ; so he taketh away sin by his doctrine, which is fit for such a purpose, as it commandeth and requireth purity and holiness, and inviteth us to it by notable promises, and encourageth us by blessed examples, especially of Jesus Christ himself, and the perfect pattern of his holy obedience and heavenly life : John xvii. 17, ' Sanctify them through thy truth ; thy word is truth.'