The sinners sanctuary, or, A discovery made of those glorious priviledges offered unto the penitent and faithful under the Gospel unfolding their freedom from death, condemnation, and the law, in fourty sermons upon Romans, Chap. 8 / by that eminent preacher of the Gospel, Mr. Hugh Binning ...

SERMON IX.

Vers. 2.

For the Law of the Spirit of life, in Christ Iesus, hath made me free, &c.

THat which makes the delivery of men from the tyranny of sin, and death, most di••••icult, and utterly impossible unto na∣ture, is, that sinners have given up themselves unto it, as if it were true liberty, that the will and affections of men are conque∣red, and sin hath its impe••ial throne seated there: Other con∣querours invade men against their will, and so they rule against their will; they contain men in subjection by fear, and not by love; and so when ever any occasion offers, they are glad to cast off the yoke of unwilling obedience. But, sin hath first conquered mens judge∣ment, by blinding it, putting out the eye of the understanding, and then invaded the affections of men, drawn them over to its side, and by these, it keeps all in a most willing obedience. Now, what hopes are there then of delivery, when the prisoner accounts his bondage liberty, and his prison a palace; what expectation of freedom, when all that is within us conspires to the upholding that tyrranous dominion of sin, against all that would cast it out of its usurpation, as if they were mortal enemies?

Yet there is a delivery possible, but such as would not have en∣tered in the heart of man to imagine, and it is here expressed, the Law of the Spirit of Life, &c. this declares how, and by what means we may be made free: Not indeed by any power within us, not by any created power without us, sin is stronger then all these, because its imperial seat is within, far without the reach of all created pow∣er; there may be some means used by men, to beat it out of the out-works of the outward man, to chase it out of the external members; some means to restrain it from such gross out-break∣ing••, but ther•• is none can lay ••iedge to the soul wi••hin, or s••orm the unde••standing and will, where it hath its p••incipal residence, its inaccessible, and impregnable by any humane power: no intreaties or perswasions, no terrors or threatnings can prevail, it can neither be stormed by violence, nor undermined by skill, because it is with∣in

the spirit of the mind: Untill at length some other spirit strong∣er then our spirit come; till the Spirit of life which is in Christ, come and bind the strong man, and so make the poor soul free. You heard that we were under a law of death, and under the power of sin; now there is another Law, answering this law, and a power to over∣come this power. You may indeed ask, by what law of authority can a sinner that is bound over by Gods Justice, unto death and condemna∣tion be released? Is there any law above Gods Law, and the sentence of his Justice? The Apostle answers, that there is a Law above it, a Law after it, the Law of the Spirit of Life. Jesus Christ opposes Law unto law, the Law of life unto the law of death; the Gospel unto the Law, the second Covenant unto the first. Thus it is then, Iesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, full of grace and truth, did come in mans stead, when the law and sentence of death was past upon all mankind, and there was no expectation from the terms of the first Covenant, that there should be any dispensation or mitigation of the rigour of it, he obtains this, that so many as God had chosen unto life, their sins and their punishment might be laid on him, and so he took part of our flesh, for this end, that he might be made a curse for us, and so redeem us from the curse: Thus having satisfi∣ed Justice, and fulfilled the sentence of death, by suffering death, him hath God exalted to be a Prince and Saviour, and the head of all things. In compensation of this great and weighty work given him by his Father, all judgment is committed to him, and so he sends out and proclaims another Law in Sion; another sentence, even of life and absolution unto all, and upon all them that shall believe in his Name. Thus you see the law of death abrogated by a new Law of life, because our Lord and Saviour was made under the law of death, and suffered under it, and satisfied it, that all his seed might be freed from it, and might come under a life-giving law; so that it appears to be true, that was said at first, there is no condemnati∣on to them that are in Christ, there is no Law, no Justice against them.

But then another difficulty as great as the former, is in the way, though such a law and sentence of life and absolution be pronounced in the Gospel, in Christs Name, yet we are dead in sins and trespas∣ses, we neither know nor feel our misery, nor can we come to a Re∣deemer: as there was a law of death above our head, so there is a law of sin within our hearts, which rules and commands us; and there

is neither will nor ability to escape from under it. It is true, life and freedom is preached in Christ, to all that come to him for life, to all that renounce sins dominion, is remission of sin preached: But here is the greatest difficulty, how can a dead soul stir, rise, and walk? how can a slave to sin, and a willing captive renounce it, when he hath neither to will nor to do? Indeed if all had been pur∣chased for us, if eternal life, and forgiveness of sins, had been brought near us, and all the business done to our con••ent, and that only wanting; if these had been the terms, I have purchased life, now rise and embrace it of your selves; truly, it had been an unsuccess∣ful bu••ine••••, Christ had lost all that was given him, if the moment and weight of our salvation had been hung upon o••r acceptation: T••erefore, it is well provided fo•• this al••o, that there should be a power to overcome this power, a spirit of life in Christ to quic∣ken dead sinner••, and ••aise them ••p, and draw them to him. And so, the second Adam ••ath this prerogative beyond the fi••st, that he is only a living soul in himself, but a quickening spirit to all that a••e given him of the Father, 1 Cor. 15.45. So then, as Christ Jesus hath law and right on his side, to free us from death, so he hath vertue and power in him to accomplish our delivery from sin, as he hath fair law to loose the chains of condemnation, and to re∣peal the sentence past against us, without prejudice to Gods justice, he having fully satisfied the same in our name; so he hath suffici∣ent power given him, to loose the fetters o•• sin from off us. When he hath pay'd the price, and satisfied the Father, so that justice can crave nothing: Yet, he hath one adversary to deal with, Satan hath sinners bound with the cords of their own lusts, in a prison of darkness, and unbelief; Jesus Christ therefore comes out to con∣quer this enemy, and to redeem his elect Ones, from that unjust usurpation of sin, to bring them out of the prison by the strong hand; and therefore, he is one mighty, and able to save to the ut∣termost, he hath might to do it, as well as right to it.

Consider then, my beloved, these two things, which are the breasts of our consolation, and the foundation of our hope; we are once lost and utterly undone, both in regard of Gods justice, and our own utter inability to help our selves, which is strengthned by our unwillingness, and thus made a more desperat busine••s: now God hath provided a suitable remedy, he hath laid help on one that is mighty indeed, who hath almighty power, and by his power he

fi••st conflicted with the punishment of our sins, and with his Fa∣thers wrath, and hath overcome, discharged and satisfied that, and so hath purchased a right unto us, to give salvation to whom he will, be conquered, and by his power obtain this supream autho∣••y of life and death.

Now, having his authority established in hi•• person, the next work is to apply this purchase, act••ally to con••er this li••e; and therefore, he hath almighty power to raise up dead sinners, to cre∣at us again to good works, to redeem us from the ty••anny o•• sin and satan, whose slaves we are. He hath a spirit of li••e, which he communicats to his seed, he breaths it into these souls that he died for, and dispossesseth that powerful corruption that dwells in us. Hence it comes to passe, that they walk after the Spirit, though they be in the flesh; because the powerful Spirit of Christ hath en∣tered, and taken possession of their spirits, Isa. 59.20, 21.

Let us not be discouraged in our apprehensions of Christ, when we look on our ruinous and desperat•• estate, let us not conclude, it is past hope, and past his help too. We do proclaim in the name of Jesus Christ, that there is no sinner, howsoever justly un∣der a sentence of death and damnation, but they may in him find a relaxation from that sentence, and that without the impairing of Gods justice, and this is a marvelous ground of comfort, that may establish our souls, 1 Iohn 1.9. even this, that law and justice is upon Christs side, and nothing to accuse, or plead against a sinner, that imploys him for his Advocat. But, know this also, that you are not delivered from death, that you may live under sin; nay, you are redeemed from death, that you may be freed from the law of sin, but that must be done by his almighty Spirit, and can∣not be otherwayes done.

I know not whether of these is matter of greatest comfort, that there is in Christ, a redemption from the wrath of God, and from hell, and that there is a redemption too, from sin, and corruption which dwells within us; but sure I am, both of them will be most sweet and comfortable to a believer, and without both, Christ were not a compleat Redeemer, nor we compleatly redeemed. N••ithe•• would a believing soul, in which there is any measure of this new law, and divine life, be satisfied without both these. Many are miserably deluded in their apprehensions of the Gospel, they take it up thus, as if it were nothing but a proclamation of freedom

from misery, from death and damnation, and so the most part catch at nothing else in it, and from thence takes liberty to walk after their former lusts and courses; this is the woful practical u••e, that the generality of hearers, make of the free intimation of par∣don, and forgiveness of sin, and delivery from wrath; they admit some general notion of that, and stops there, and examines not what further is in the Gospel, and so you will see the slaves of sin, professing a kind of hope of freedom from death, the servants and vassals of corruption, who walk after the course of this world, and fulfill the lusts, and desires of their mind and flesh, yet fancying a freedom and immunity from condemnation, men living in sin, yet thinking of escaping wrath, which dreams could not be entertain∣ed in men, if they did drink in all the truth, and open both their ears to the Gospel, if our spirits were not narrow and limited, and so excluded the one half of the Gospel, that is, our redemption from sin. There is too much of this, even among the children of God, a strange narrowness of spirit, which admits not whole and intire truth; it falls out often, that when we think of delivery from death and wrath, we forget in the mean time the end and purpose of that, which is, that we may be freed from sin, and serve the living God without fear. And if at any time we consider, and busie our thoughts about freedom from the law of sin, and victory over corruption; such is the scantness of room and capacity in our spirits, that we loss the remembrance of delivery from death, and condemnation, in Christ Jesus; thus we are tossed between two ex∣treams, the quick-sands of presumption and wantonness, and the rocks of unbelief and despair, or discouragement, both of which, do kill the Christians life, and make all to fade and wither. But this were the way, and only way, to preserve the soul in good case, even to keep these two continually in our ••ight, that we are redeemed from death and misery in Christ, and that not to serve our selves, or to con∣tinue in our sins, but that we may be redeemed from that sin, that dwells in us, and that both these are purchased by Jesus Christ, and done by his power; the one in his own person, the other by his Spirit within us. I would have you correcting your misapprehen∣sions of the Gospel: do not so much look on victory and freedom from sin, as a duty and task, though we be infinitly bound to it; but rather as a priviledge and dignity conferred upon us by Christ▪ Look not upon it, I say, only as your duty, as many do; and by this

means are discouraged from the sight of their own infirmity and weakness, as being too weak for such a strong party: but look upon it as the one half, and greater half of the benefite conferred by Christs death, as the greater hall of the redempti••n which the Redeemer by his office is bound to accomplish: He will redeem Is∣rael from all his iniquities; with him is plenteous red••mp••ion, P••al. 130.7, 8. This is the plenty, this is the sufficiency of i••, that he redeems not only from misery, but from iniquity, and that, all iniqui∣ties. I would not desire a believers soul to be in a better posture here-away, then this, to be looking upon sin in••dwelling, a•• his bon∣dage, and redemption ••rom it, as freedom; to account ••im••elf in so far free, as t••e free Spirit of Christ enters and w••ites that ••••ee Law of love and obedience in his heart, and blots out these base characters of the law of sin. It were a good temper to be groaning for the redemption of the soul; and why doth a believer groan for the redemption of the body, but because he shall then be freed wholly from the law o•• sin, and from the presence of sin? I know not a greater argument, to a gracious heart, to subdue his corru∣ption, and strive for freedom from the law of sin, then the freedom obtained from the law of death; nor is there any clearer a••gument and evidence of a soul delivered from death, then to strive for the freedom of the Spirit from the law of sin, there jointly help one another; freedom from death, will raise up a Christians heart to aspire to a freedom and liberty from sin: And again, freedom from sin will wi••ness and evidence that such a one is delivered from death. When freedom from death is an inducement to seek after freedom from sin, and freedom from sin a declaration of freedom from death, then all is well; and indeed thus it will be in some mea••u••e with every soul that is quickned by this new Law of the Spirit of Life, for its the entry of this that expells its contrary, the Law o•• sin. And indeed the Law must enter, the command and the p••omise must enter into the soul, and the affections of the soul be enlivened thereby, or rather the soul changed into the similitude of that mould, or else the having of it in a book, or in ones memory and understanding, will never make him the richer or freer. A Ch••isti∣an looks to the patern of the Law, and the word of the Go••pel without; but he must be changed into the image of it, by behol∣ding it, and so he becomes a living Law to himself. The Spirit writes these precepts and practices o•• Christs, in which he com∣mands

imitation, upon the fleshly tables of the heart: And now the Law is not a rod above his head, as above a slave, but its turned in∣to a Law o•• love within his heart, and hath something like a natu∣ral instinct in it: all that men can do, either to themselves, or o∣thers, will not purchase the least measure of ••••eedom from predo∣minant corruptions, cannot deliver you from your sins, till this free Spirit that blows where he pleases, come. Its our part to hoise up sails, and wait for the wind; to ••••e means, and wait on him in his way and o••der: but all will be in vain, till this stronger one come, and cast out the strong man, till this arbitrary and free wind blow from heaven, and fill the sails.