Use 2. Secondly, If we have lost our feeling, like the church, Cant. iii. 1, let us seek it again night by night, that is, constantly, diligently, and earnestly ; as Isa. Ixii. 7, let us give God no rest until he return ; l6t us, with David, entreat him to 'restore unto us his Spirit again,' Ps. li. 12. Now, restoring argueth a former having, so he will return and have com- passion, according to the multitude of his mercies.
Having thus at length propounded and spoken of the first benefit God promiseth, of justification, now he cometh unto the second, of
Santification, 1. In this life; 2. In the life to come.
First, then, /or this life. After he hath spoken of justification, now he cometh to santification, as a necessary, inseparable fruit thereof; and sheweth, that whensoever God cometh to have mercy upon us, then he also subdueth our sins, and bringeth them in subjection. ' He will subdue,' saith he, ' our iniquities.' Whence learn that,
Doct 7. Where God forgiveth sin, there he also subdueth sin ; as unto Paul, look how soon God was merciful unto him in effectual calling, so soon did he begin to subdue sin in him. So we see of Mary Magdalene, how peni- tent she was after forgivenness of sins ; and so Peter, weeping bitterly after the same ; so of Manasseh, that great sinner, who, when his sins were once pardoned, did leave off his sins ; — they were subdued also.
Reason 1. The reasons are, first. Because the virtue of Christ's death can never be separated from the merit of the same. Now the merit of his death being the purchase of our free pardon by what he hath done for us imputed for forgiveness of sins, the virtue of his death, which is to kill and wound sin by degrees, to subdue and bring it under, to mortify the affections, can never be separated from the same.
Reason 2. Secondly, Because without this subduing of sin upon forgive- ness, neither should we have comfort from him, nor he glory from us ; for, so long as we groan under the burden and dominion of sin, we cannot rejoice in God heartily, we cannot serve him. Now, because God would
VOL. VII. L
162 THE MATCHLESS MERCY.
have his servants to rejoice and serve him here full}', therefore upon accepta- tion of our persons, he will also loose our hands, and make us able to serve him.
Use 1. The use is, (1.) reproof and terror unto such who say they hope their sins are forgiven, ^Yhen indeed they are not subdued ; for it is certain that with forgiveness of sins God also healeth the nature in such, that the like be committed no more, at least there is a resolution, and a total, con- stant endeavour and striving, to leave all sin.
Use 2. Secondly, This serveth unto us for strong consolation, to see that this is not a death of sin here meant, but that it shall not assail so often, come so strong, act with such delight, and be so violent. No ; the child of God in this life shall never have sin so subdued, as to find a death of it, only it shall be subdued. Therefore, this is a stronghold unto us, that if God have abated the force of sins in us, this is a sure sign of our justifica- tion.
Use 3. Thirdly, It is matter of instruction for us all, that whensoever we find our sins too strong for us, let us then fly out of ourselves unto him, who is stronger than all, and hath sworn to subdue them.
Obj. Some object, and say, Oh ! I would come if I could but subdue this sin.
Ans. No, I say, because thou canst not overcome this or that sin, yet come. God, he bids thee come because thou art not able to subdue it, that he may come against it with his mighty power and subdue it ; otherwise, if it were in our power to subdue our sins, we should be like unto so many gods. Now, I mean, we must go unto God in all his means, to prayer, to the word also, which is mighty to cast down holds, all strong mountains of sin. Again, we must go unto the sacraments, which, we must think, are as able to feed us to life, by eating and drinking of a little bread and wine, as the eating of a little unholy food was at first to bring upon us destruc- tion. This is a stronghold to rest upon. Again, for subduing of our sins, let us bind them up in fetters and chains, let us bind one another by reproofs and holy admonitions. I deny not, for all this, God's children have, and may have, many vexing sins, but with humiliation let them be humbled for them. This is a death of sin, even this weakening and sub- duing of it.
Now foUoweth the second part of this santifieation, after this life, in these words, 'He will cast all our sins in the depth of the sea,' meaning that he will drown all our enemies, dealing with our spiritual enemies, as some- times- he did with the temporal enemies of his church. Pharaoh and all his army he drowned in the bottom of the sea ; so he says, at length he will drown and destroy all our spiritual enemies. After subduing of sins shall come drowning of them. Whence the doctrine is, that,