ominion over
them, as before their conversion it might have done, and did; for the
law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth, but no longer.
Wherefore believing brethren "becoming dead to the law by the body of
Christ, are married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead,
that they should bring forth fruit unto God," Rom. vii. 1-4.
3. Hence it followeth, that our "old man is crucified with Christ, that
the body of sin might be destroyed," Rom. vi. 6. So that this old tyrant
that oppresseth the people of God, hath got his death wounds, in the
crucifixion of Christ, and shall never recover his former vigour and
activity, to oppress and bear down the people of God, as he did. He is
now virtually, through the death of Jesus, killed and crucified, being
in Christ nailed to the cross.
4. His resurrection is a pawn and pledge of this sanctification. For as
he died as a public person, so he rose again as a public person. "We are
buried with him by baptism, that like as Christ was raised up from the
dead, by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness
of life," Rom. vi. 4; and believers are said to be "planted together
with him, in the likeness of his resurrection," verse 5; "and they shall
live with him," verse 8; "and therefore they are to reckon themselves
alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord," verse 11. "We are raised
up together," Eph. ii. 6.
5. This sanctification is an article of the covenant of redemption
betwixt the Father and the Son, Isa. lii. 15, "So shall he sprinkle many
nations." Chap. liii. 10, "He shall see his seed, and the pleasure of
the Lord shall prosper in his hand." Christ, then, having this promised
to him, must see to the accomplishment thereof, and will have it granted
to him; seeing he hath fulfilled all that was engaged to by him--having
made his soul an offering for sin.
6. This sanctification is promised in the covenant of grace, Jer.
xxxiii. 8. "And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity." Ezek.
xxxvii. 23, "And I will cleanse them." So chap. xxxvi. 25, "Then will I
sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your
filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanse you." Now all the
promises of the covenant of grace are confirmed to us in the Mediator.
For, "in him all the promises of the covenant are yea and amen," 2 Cor.
i. 20.
7. He hath purchased and made sure to his own, the new nature, and the
heart of flesh, w
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