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twofold dying of sin : — as to the exercise of it in our mortal members ; and as to tlie root, principle, and power of it in our souls. The first, indeed, may be learned in part out of Christ. Christless men may have sin dying in them, as to the outward exercise of it. Men's bodies may be disabled for the service of their lusts, or the practice of them may not consist with their interest. Sin is never more alive^ than when it is thus dying. But there is a dying of it as to the root, the principle of it, — the daily decaying of the strength, power, and life of it; and this is to be had alone in Christ. Sin is a thing that of itself is not apt to die or to decay, but to get ground, and strength, and life, in the subject wherein it is, to eternity; prevent all its actual eruptions, yet its original enmity against God will still grow. In believers it is stiil dying and decaying, imtil it be utterly abolished. The opening of this treasury [mystery?] you have, Rom. vi. 8-6, etc. " Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were bajDtized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection ; knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." This is the design of the apostle in the beginning of that chapter, not only to manifest whence is the principle and rise of our mortification and the death of sin, even from the death and blood of Christ ; but also the manner of sin's continuance and dying in us, from the manner of Christ's dying for sin. He was crucified for us, and thereby sin was crucified in us; he died for us, and the body of sin is destroyed, that we should not serve sin; and as he was raised from the dead, that death should not have dominion over him, so also are we raised from sin, that it should not have dominion over us. This wisdom is hid in Christ only. Moses at his dying day had all his strength and vigour; so have sin and the law to all out of Jesus: at their dpng day, sin is no way decayed. Now, next to the receiving of the right- . eousness prepared for us, to know this is the chiefest part of our wis- dom. To be truly acquainted with the p7'inciple of the dying of sin, to feel virtue and power flowing from the cross of Christ to that pur- pose, to find sin crucified in us, as Christ Avas cnicified for us, — this is wisdom indeed, that is in him alone.
(4.) There is a glorious end whereunto sin is appointed and or- dained, and discovered in Chiist, that others are unacquainted withal. Sin in its own nature tends merely to the dishonour of God, the de- basement of his majesty, and the ruin of the creature in whom it is; ' See Treatise of Mortification. [Works, vol. vi.]
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hell itself is but tlie filling of wretched creatures with the^ fruit of their own devices. The comminations and threats of God in the law do manifest one other end of it, even the demonstration of the vin- dictive justice of God, in measuring out unto it a meet^ recompense of reward. But here the law stays (and with it all other light) and discovers no other use or end of it at all. In the Lord Jesus there is the manifestation of another and more glorious end ; to Avit, the praise of God's glorious^ grace in the pardon and forgiveness of it ; — God having taken order in Christ that that thing which tended merely to his dishonour should be managed to his infinite glory, and that which of all things he desireth to exalt, — even that he may be known and believed to be a* " God pardoning iniquity, transgression and sin." To return, then, to this part of our demonstration : —
In the knowledge of ourselves, in reference to our eternal condition, doth much of our wisdom consist. There is not any thing wherein, in this depraved condition of nature, we are more concerned than sin ; without a knowledge of that, we know not ourselves. " Fools make a mock of sin."' A true saving knowledge of sin is to be had only in the Lord Christ: in him may we see the desert of our ini- quities, and their pollution, which could not be borne or expiated but by his blood ; neither is there any wholesome view of these but in Christ. In him and his cross is discovered our universal impotency, either of atoning God's justice or living up to his will. The death of sin is procured by, and discovered in, the death of Christ; as also the manifestation of the riches of God's grace in the pardoning thereof A real and experimental acquaintance, as to ourselves, with all which, is our wisdom; and it is that which is of more value than all the Avisdom of the world.