nd therefore, he that comes to redeem us from the curse of the
law, hath also this commission to redeem from sin and all transgressions
of the law, Rom. xi. 26, and Gal. iii. 13. He that turns away the wrath of
God from men, turns also ungodliness from them which provoked his wrath;
and so he is a complete redeemer, and a complete redeemer he had not been
otherwise. If he had removed wrath only, and left us under the bondage of
sin, it had not been half redemption; "he that commits sin, is the servant
of sin." But this is perfect freedom and liberty, to be made free from
sin, for it was sin that subjected us to wrath, and so was the first
tyrant and the greatest. The gospel then comes with a joyful sound unto
you, but many of you mistake it, and apprehend it to be a doctrine of
liberty and peace, and that unto sin; but if it were so, it were no joyful
sound. If there were proclaimed a liberty to all men to do as they list,
no punishment, no wrath to be feared, I would think that doctrine no glad
news, it were but the perpetuating of the bondage of a reasonable soul.
But this is glad news,--a delivery and freedom proclaimed in the gospel.
From what? Not unto sin, but from sin; and this is to be free indeed. We
owe more to Jesus Christ for this, than for redemption from wrath, because
sin is a greater evil than wrath; yea, wrath were not so, if sin were not.
Therefore he exhorts to wash, and wash so that they may make clean. Take
Jesus Christ for justification and sanctification,--employ both the water
and the blood that he hath come with. But because all men pretend a
willingness to have Christ their Saviour, and their sins pardoned through
his blood, who, notwithstanding, hate to be reformed, and would seek no
more of Christ: therefore, he branches out that part of the exhortation in
several particulars. All men have a general liking of remission of sins,
but renouncing of it is to many a hard doctrine. They would be glad that
God put their evils out of his sight, by passing them by, and forgetting
them; but they will not be at the pains of putting away their evils from
his sight; and therefore, the gospel which comprehends these two united,
is not really received by many, who pretend to be followers of it. This is
his command, that ye believe. Some pretend to obey this, and yet have no
regard of that other part of his will, even their sanctification; and
therefore their faith is dead, it is a fancy. If ye did indeed bel