2. As to the application, it is usually said that he taketh away the guilt of sin by his blood, and the filth of sin by his Spirit. But this is not so truly and accurately said ; for his blood cleanseth us both from the guilt and stain of sin: 1 John i. 7, 'And the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin : and Rev. i. 5, ' Who hath loved us, and
6 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR. VIII.
washed us in his blood ; ' which relateth to the double washing mentioned, 1 Cor. vi. 11. Both are the fruit of his death, by which lie merited both remission and sanctification for us ; and in the phrase of the text, 'he beareth it away.' This double benefit is made the fruit of both. Justification is a fruit of his bearing sin : Isa. liii. 11, 'By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities.' To bear the sin is to bear the punishment, the curse or wrath due to it. Now Christ beareth it so that it is taken from us. So sanctification is a fruit also of his bearing our iniquities : 1 Peter i. 24, ' He bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead unto sin, may be alive unto righteousness.* Christ came to heal our souls, to kill this lovo unto sin and delight in it. Therefore sanctification is the fruit of his cross as well as justifica- tion, and we must not so sever these benefits as that one should be given us by Christ, and the other by the Spirit. No ; both are given us by Christ, but differently applied ; first the pardon of sins by his word and new covenant, which is an act of oblivion, charter, or grant, whereby, upon certain terms, he maketh over this benefit to those who accept of it, ' even to as many as repent and believe in his name.' They are constituted just by the new covenant, which Christ will ratify and confirm by his own sentence at the day of judgment: Acts iii. 19, 'Kepent and be baptized, that j^our sins may be blotted out, when the days of refreshment shall come from the presence of the Lord.' When our pardon shall be pronounced by the judge's own mouth, then is the solemn condemning and justifying time. But for the present, by the gospel charter, sin is taken away as to the guilt as soon as we repent and believe : Acts x. 43, ' Through his name, who- soever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins;' and Acts xix. 39, ' By him all that believe are justified from all things, from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses.' Secondly, sanctification is wrought in us by the Spirit of Christ more and more, taking away sin, and weakening the love of it in our hearts ; for the inner man is renewed day by day, and the cleansing and sanctifying work is perfected by degrees: 2 Cor. vii. 1, 'Having therefore these precious promises, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God ; ' even until sin be wholly gone ; and this the Spirit efi'ecteth by the duties and ordinances appointed to this very end. But the deadly blow is already given : Rom. vi. 6, ' Knowing this, that oui' old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.'
Thirdly, Now I must come to the force of the argument. If Christ came to take away sin, then we should take care we do not live in sin.
1. This is expressly to contradict and frustrate the designed end of our Redeemer, and so to put him to shame, and to make his coming into the world in vain ; for you seek to cherish that which he came to destroy. He would dissolve, untie, and loose those cords, and you knit them the faster, and so make void his undertaking. That this was the great end and scope of Christ's coming into the world, or being manifested in the flesh, is evident everywhere in scripture : John i. 29, ' Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins
VeR. 5.] SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. 7
of the world.' . All the lambs which were offered to God ia sacrifice were to take away sin ; and this is the Lamb of God, that is, the true and real substance of all these figures. Now whether the allusion is to the lamb of the daily sacrifice, or the passover lamb, it is all one ; the use for which he serveth is to expiate sin and abolish sin, and to bind men to God in a firmer tie of obedience. So Mat. i. 21, ' His name shall be called Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.' Not to ease them of their troubles only, but chiefly to destroy sin, with the mischievous effects of it. Not to save them in their sins, but to save them from their sins : Titus ii. 14, * He hath redeemed us fiom all iniquity.' Not only from the curse of the law, but from iniquity: Acts iii. 26, .'God hath raised up his Son Jesus, and sent liim to bless you, in turning every one of you from your iniquities.' Not from the Roman yoke, but from sin, which was a worse thraldom and captivity : Eom. xi. 26, ' There shall come out of Zion the Deli- verer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.' Well, then, this being Christ's end, to sanctify us and free us from sin, we should not go about to disappoint him, for this is to set ourselves directly against him.