Sermons Preached on Romans 8

CHAP. I. Of Believers Exemption from Condemnation.

I Purpose (with God's leave and gracious assistance) in the revolution of my Ministerial Labors, to go over this whole Chapter. 'It is a very great undertaking! and I am very sensible how much it is above me; I have only this encouragement I serve a good Master, one who both can and (I trust) will help me in it and carry me through it, (for he uses to give strength where he calls to work ). And 'tis no matter what the Instrument is if he will be pleased to use it: the mighty God by weak means can effect great things; out of the mouths of Babes and Sucklings he can perfect praise to himself. Here is indeed a rich and precious Cabinet (full of Grace) to be opened, yet a Key of small value may open it (if God please to direct the hand). Therefore in all humble (yet steady) reliance upon him whose Grace alone is sufficient for me, I shall now enter upon this work (though it be vast and difficult).

And in the midst of all my discouragements (which are very many God knows), yet I find myself under a strong inclination to engage in it, when I consider the transcendent excellency, preciousness, usefulness of that matter which the Spirit of God lays before us in this Chapter. Who would not be willing to take pains in a Mine that hath such treasures hid in it? where the breast is so full who would not be drawing from it? I think I should not hyperbolize should I say of it, Search all the Scriptures (I will except none), turn over the whole Word of God from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelation, you will not find any one Chapter into which more excellent, sublime, Evangelical Truths are crowded, than this (which I am entering upon). The Holy Bible is the Book of Books, in some (though not in equal) respects this Chapter may be styled the Chapter of Chapters. From first to last 'tis high Gospel, 'tis all Gospel (its Matter being entirely Evangelical), and 'tis all the Gospel (either directly or reductively), in having in it the very sum, marrow, pith of all Gospel-revelation. 'It is indeed the Epitome, Abridgement, Storehouse of all the Saints Privileges and Duties: You have in it the Love of God and of Christ displayed to the utmost, and shining forth in its greatest splendor. Would any take a view of the Magnalia Dei (with respect to his glorious Grace)? here they lie open before them. Paul in it speaks much of the blessed Spirit, and surely he was (more than ordinarily) full of this Spirit in the penning of it. Blessed be God for every part and parcel of Holy Writ! and (in special) blessed be God for this Eighth Chapter to the Romans! O 'tis pity that it is not better understood through the dimness of our light, nor better improved through the weakness of our Faith. May I in my poor endeavors be instrumental (but in the least) to further these two in any, I hope I shall own it as an abundant recompense for all my pains.

As to the Scope and principal Matter of it, 'tis Consolatory: there's a vein of heavenly Comfort running through the whole Body of it; with this it begins, with this it ends, (for it begins with No Condemnation v. 1. and ends with No Separation from the Love of God v. 38, 39); and all the intermediate parts do exactly correspond with these extremes. The truth is, the sincere Christian here treads upon nothing but Roses and Violets, there's nothing but Honey to be found in this Hive, here's Balm in every Line for the healing of the wounded Spirit. Let such as are in Christ (for that's the foundation of all) study, weigh, digest, believe, apply, what is laid down in this Chapter; and let them walk dejectedly if they can.

Divines (who write upon it) commonly divide it into Three Parts: The First contains in it excellent supports and comforts for the people of God; as burdened under the relics and remainders of Sin; (and this reaches from the 1 v. to the 17). The Second contains in it further supports and comforts in reference to the Sufferings, Afflictions which here are incident to the Godly; (this reaches from the 17 v. to the 31). The Third contains in it those high and holy Triumphs which the Apostle (in his own person and in the person of all Believers) makes over both Sin and Suffering; (which reaches from the 31 v. to the end ). In this threefold channel the Comforts of the whole Chapter run: (this Division of it I shall follow, and accordingly divide my ensuing Discourse into Three Parts. )

For the First (the supporting and comforting the Saints as burdened under the relics of sin), the Apostle begins with that, because he very well knew that sin (to such) is their greatest burden. O nothing lies so sad and heavy upon their Spirits as this! It was so with Paul himself (as you see Chapt. 7.) and it is so too with all that are gracious (they having the same Spirit which he had). All Paul's afflictions without, (though they were very many and very sharp, see his Catalogue of them 2 Cor. 11.23. &c. ), were nothing to his Corruptions within: the former never made him cry out O wretched man that I am as the latter did! O this Sin went to the heart of him and almost overwhelmed him! And so (proportionably) it is with all who belong to God. For this reason therefore, when the Apostle would comfort himself and others, he first applies his Discourse to that which might give ease as to what was and is most burdensome.

In order to which, he First lays down a notable Faith-supporting and Soul-reviving Proposition: then Secondly he amplifies and enlarges upon that Proposition, (which he doth chiefly with respect to the description of the Subject of it). And all that is contained in this First Part of the Chapter will fall either under the one or the other of these two Heads.

The Proposition itself is this, There is therefore now no Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, &c. In which the Illative [Therefore] shows, that the Words are an Inference (or Conclusion) drawn from what went before. Take but that away (though we must not so easily part with it), and they fall into a Formal Thesis or Categorical Proposition, There is no Condemnation, &c. I will by and by give you the force and strength of the Illation and show what 'tis grounded upon: but at present we are only to consider the Position itself. No Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus? O great and blessed words! How appositely, fully, and convincingly doth Paul speak to the thing in hand! What a Basis and Foundation doth he here lay for Faith to build upon! Is the gracious heart burd'ned under the remainders of Sin? what could be spoken more proper, more effectual for its relief, then to assure it that (though there may be much Corruption yet) there is no Condemnation? No Condemnation to them which are in Christ? what a magnificent Conclusion, what a Faith-strengthening and heart-cheering consideration is this! Here's Dainties and Cordials at the very first; no sooner doth the Apostle launch out, but immediately he is in the great deeps of the Grace of God and of the happiness of Believers.

By the way, I cannot but observe how the case is altered and mended with him: View him in the foregoing Chapter, there you find him pensive, sad, cast down under the sense of sin, making sad complaints that he carnal sold under sin, that in him (viz. in his Flesh) there dwelt no good thing; that the good he would, he did not; the evil he would not, that he did; (many such indictments he there draws up against himself); and thus it was with him in that Chapter. But now follow him to this here he's another man, he speaks at another rate, now you have him rejoicing yea triumphing over sin and all: From the depth of sorrow he's got up to the highest pinnacle of divine joy; that eye which but just now was fixed upon his own vileness, is now fixed upon his great blessedness in and through Christ. And indeed usually 'tis so with others too; after Conviction comes Consolation; a deep sense of sin attended with brokenness of heart for it doth (commonly) usher in the highest peace and comfort to the Soul. After the dark night the day dawns; when the true Poenitent hath been most abased and cast down then comes exalting and lifting up: (see Job 22.29.) There is (in this respect)— post nubila Phoebus, a bright Sun after the thick Cloud, or a reaping in joy after a sowing in Tears. Penitential sorrow is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (as Chrysost. expresses it) the Mother (the Precursor) of inward joy. God will heal where he thus wound, he healeth the broken in heart ); such as thus mourn shall be comforted; these waters Christ will turn into wine: As joy in sin will end in sorrow so sorrow for sin will end in joy. But to return to our Apostle! He had (as to his outward state ) his abasements and his advancements too, (and he knew how to carry himself under both, I know how to be abased and I know how to abound ): So (as to his inward state ) he also had his abasements and his advancements. Sometimes tis O wretched man that I am, &c. (there 'twas abasement ); then presently 'tis There is no Condemnation, &c. (there 'twas advancement. ) And let me add, that Paul's comfort in this Chapter had never been so high, so full (as to himself ), so encouraging (as to others ), if he had not in the former Chapter first smarted under the cutting and piercing Conviction of Sin. O to have one (who but even now was almost pressed down under Soul-burdens), now saying yet there is no Condemnation to them, &c. how may this animate and strengthen the Faith of a poor Christian, when ever troubles of Conscience (by reason of sin) shall be upon him!

This being the Proposition I will consider it in its Parts: And so you have in it

First The Praedicate or the Privilege asserted ( viz. exemption from Condemnation); There is therefore now no Condemnation, &c.

Secondly The Subject or the Persons described to whom (and to whom only) the Privilege belongs: And (to take the most easy division of the words at present), they are described

• 1. By their Union with Christ (in reference to their State ); they are such who are in Christ Jesus.
• 2. By their Qualification or Property (in reference to their Course ); they walk not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit. I conceive, this Clause doth more immediately refer to the persons who are in Christ, and is properly descriptive of them; yet mediately they may refer to, and be descriptive of the persons to whom there is no Condemnation, (as I shall hereafter show).

If you take the words in the body of them, there is some (yet no very great) difference in the reading of them. The latter branch [but after the Spirit] is wholly left out by the Vulgar Translation, (and by those Expositors who follow it): I know not why unless it be because the Syriac Version did the same, (which Version in the reading of the Words is not only defective (as to this), but very harsh in the misplacing of them, There is therefore no Condemnation to those who walk not after the flesh in Christ Jesus. ) Some other such Variations might be taken notice of, but I will pass them by.

The General Proposition (being taken in pieces) will afford us these two Observations:

• 1. That there is no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus.
• 2. That such who are in Christ Jesus (and so secured from Condemnation), this is their Property or Course, they walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit.

The discussing of these two Points will take me up some time. I begin with the First; in the handling of which I will

• 1. chiefly speak to the Privilege, and only in a general way join the description of the Subject with it.
• 2. I will then more particularly speak to that and show what it is to be in Christ Jesus, or how persons may be said to be in Christ Jesus.

For the better opening of which I must premise these seven things:

1. First the Apostle doth not say, There is now no Affliction or no Correction to them who are in Christ, but there is no Condemnation to them who are in Christ. 'It is one thing to be afflicted, another thing to be condemned; God may (and will) afflict his Children but he will never condemn them; it may be much affliction yet 'tis no Condemnation. Indeed God afflicts here that he may not condemn hereafter: 1 Cor. 31.32. When we are judged we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the World. God is so gracious that he will not condemn, yet withal so wise, so just, so holy that he will afflict. Grace in the Heart secures from eternal not from temporal Evils. God cannot condemn and yet love, but he can chasten and yet love; nay, therefore he chastens because he loves: As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. And it may be (even to them who are in Christ) not only bare Affliction, but there may be something of the nature of Punnishment in that affliction, (though not in a vindictive way, or upon the account of satisfaction ). The nearer a person is to Christ and the dearer he is to God, the surer he is to be punished (if he sin); Tou only have I know of all the Families of the Earth, therefore I will punish you for your iniquities, Amos 3.2. God may pardon and yet punish; temporal punishment is very consistent with pardoning Mercy. Psal. 99.8. Thou answeredst them O Lord our God; thou wast a God that forgavest them; though thoù tookest vengeance of them for their iniquities: God had put away David's sin yet he shall smart for it; his own Soul shall live but his Child shall die as a punishment for his sin: (See 2 Sam. 12.13, 14.) The Malefactor may not be condemned to die, (as to his Life he may be acquitted), yet he may be judged to be whipped or burnt in the hand for his offense; so 'tis here. You must distinguish therefore betwixt no Condemnation and no Affliction or no Correction; Saints are exempted from the former but not from the latter.

2. Secondly, The Apostle doth not say there is no Matter of Condemnation in them who are in Christ, only (as to Fact) he saith, there is no (actual) Condemnation to such. There is a vast difference betwixt what is deserved and what is actually inflicted; betwixt what is de Jure and ex Merito and what is de Facto. Take the very best of Saints there is enough and enough in them which deserves eternal Condemnation; and (if God should proceed according to their merit) it would be Condemnation over and over again: for (even they) have sin and commit sin, and wherever sin is there is matter of condemnation. There's not a man to be found on earth who (upon this account and in this sense) is not obnoxious and liable to a sentence and state of Condemnation; for there is no man that sinneth not; in many things we offend all; if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. Besides those actual sins which break forth in external acts, which are committed upon deliberation and with consent (of which all are more or less guilty), I say (besides these) there is in all a corrupt, wicked, depraved Nature, which Nature puts forth itself in evil motions, sinful propensions, strong inclinations to what is evil. O that Fomes Peccati, those Motus Primo-primi (as the Schoolmen call them), those inward ebullitions of indwelling sin in impure and filthy desires (set forth in Scripture by Concupiscence )! what shall we say to these? are not they sinful? is there not in them matter of Condemnation (if God should enter into judgment and proceed according to the rigor of his Justice and the purity of his Law)? surely yes! If it be proved that they are sinful, unquestionably then it follows that they expose a person to Condemnation: now how full are our Divines in the proof of that! Concupiscence, the first risings and stirrings of Corrupt Nature even in renewed and regenerate persons are properly and formally sinful, (whether they consent or not, for Consent is not so of the Essence of sin but that there may be sin without it; that may have some influence upon the degree but not upon the nature of the thing itself). Those evil thoughts and motions in the Heart (with which the best are so much pestered), are not mere infirmities (attending the present state of imperfection), but they are plain iniquities; there is sin in them. The Apostle speaking of them sets the black brand of sin upon them Rom. 7.7. What shall we say then? is the Law sin? God forbid! nay, I had not known [sin] but by the Law, for I had not known [Lust] except the Law had said, thou shalt not covet. The holy Law forbids these inward workings of the sinful Nature as well as the exterior acts of sin, therefore they are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a breach of that Law, and being so therefore they are sinful. They flow from sin, they tend to sin, and yet are they not sin? when Lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin, Jam. 1.13. This is the Doctrine of our Church, of the ancient Fathers, of the Body of Protestants; (and they make it good by several Arguments of great strength).

The Papists are wholly of another mind: And whereas 'tis said here in the Text [There is no Condemnation, &c.], they carry it so high as to affirm that (in reference to Original Sin, the depravation of Nature, Concupiscence, the inward motions and inclinations of the Heart to sin, after Baptism, Faith, Regeneration ), there is no matter of Condemnation or nothing damnable in them who are in Christ. He that will please to cast his eye upon the Citations here set down (which are taken especially out of their Expositors upon the Text), may see that this is the Interpretation which they put upon it.

What? no matter of Condemnation? nothing damnable in them who are in Christ? this is much too high. Our Adversaries (I suppose) though they deny any merit of Condemnation upon the forementioned things, yet surely they will not deny but that sin in its full Act merits Condemnation; if they will be so absurd, the Apostle plainly determines it, Sin when it is finished brings forth death, Jam. 1.15. Now is there not too much of this to be found even in Saints in Christ? and therefore are not they worthy of Condemnation? True indeed, Sin whether in the conception or in the finishing is not imputed or charged upon them, and so there is no Condemnation; but yet as considered in its own Nature it merits Condemnation: it doth so ex Naturâ rei, exjudicio Legis, only 'tis not so in point of Fact and in Event ex indultu Gratiae (as one expresses it). Sin is sin in the Children of God, and it merits Condemnation in them as well as in others; whence is it then that there is no Condemnation to them? merely from the Grace of God who doth not impute this sin to them. As Solomon told Abiathar he was worthy of death yet he would not (for some considerations) put him to death, 1 Kings 2.26. so here, the highest in Grace have that in them which renders them worthy of Condemnation, but yet (they being in Christ, and thereupon sin not being imputed), they shall not actually be condemned. This is the true and genuine sense of the words [There is therefore now no Condemnation to them &c.]; and thus our Protestant Expositors open them, wherein their Opinions are so far from being ex Orco excitatae fetched from Hell, (as Pererius with virulency and malice truly ex Orco excitata is pleased to say), that they are from Heaven, from the God of truth, and fully consonant to the Word of truth.

3. I premise Thirdly That 'tis God's Condemnation only from which such as are in Christ are exempted: the Universal Negative [No Condemnation] reaches no further than the supreme, final, irreversible condemnatory Sentence of the great God. As to this all in Christ are safe; but there is other Condemnation which they do lie under: Take a threefold instance of this.

1. Men condemn them: I mean the wicked, who are and always have been condemners of the righteous. The Saints (as assessors with Christ) shall judge the world hereafter, and the world will be judging the Saints here: the Saints condemn Sinners by their holy conversation (as 'tis said of Noah, He prepared an Ark by which he condemned the World ); and they will be condemning the Saints in that false judgment, those sharp censures which they are pleased to pass upon them. What more common than for the Godly to have their persons, practices, strict walking, condemned by a mistaken and malicious World! O they are Hypocrites, factious, seditious, turbulent, troublers of Kingdoms, unnecessarily scrupulous, proud, selfish, false, covetous, and indeed what not! Sometimes the Condemnation is only Verbal going no further than bitter words, wherein their names are aspersed, the innocence of their persons sullied, the goodness of their Cause blackened: Sometimes it rises higher, men condemn God's people even to the taking away of their Lives, (as Jam. 5.6. You have condemned and killed the just &c. this is the condemning of the soul of the poor, Psal. 109. ult. ): though possibly there may be something more in this expression than striking at the bare natural Life; for such is the inveterate malice of the wicked against the godly, that they will be condemning of them even as to their final and everlasting state; they condemn the Soul of the poor even to Hell itself: thus the condemned world is a condemning world. But yet God condemns not (neither here nor hereafter ): all this is but man's day and man's judgment; the righteous God judges otherwise of his people. He's so far from condemning them, that he will openly vindicate them against all the groundless accusations and condemnations of their enemies. 'Twas David's Prayer to God Let my sentence come forth from thy presence, Psal. 17.2. (q. d.) Lord! man doth thus and thus pass sentence upon my person, cause, actions; but Lord do thou thyself pass sentence upon me, that I am sure will be as just and righteous as the sentence of my enemies is false and malicious; and do not keep thy Sentence about me to thyself, but let it come forth from thy presence that the world may see and know what I am, and what thoughts thou hast of me. 'It is a very gracious promise that in Psal. 37.32.33. The wicked watcheth the righteous and seeketh to slay him, the Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged; ( i. e. though man condemn God will not). He will not always let such as are upright with him lie under the worlds Condemnation, he will clear up their innocence as the light of the noon-day; probably he may do this for them here, but certainly he will do it at the Great day: and certainly too (which is more close to my business), though men are very free in their condemning of them as to their present concerns, yet God will not condemn them as to their State for eternity.

2. Sometimes Conscience condemns them: For this Conscience bears the place and office of a Judge in the Soul, and therefore it will be passing Sentence with respect to men's state and actions; and its Sentence often is in a condemnatory way; If our heart condemn us not; then have we confidence towards God 1 Joh. 3.21. I, and 'tis so even with God's own Children (upon the commission of some great sin, or under some great darkness of spirit in time of conviction or desertion); O how forward is Conscience then to condemn and to give in sad judgment upon them! And truly a condemning Conscience is a very dreadful thing! be they Saints or Sinners who lie under it they will all find it to be bad enough; 'tis a little Hell or an anticipation of Hell; there's no pain in the body comparable to the torment of a condemning Conscience; a man had better be condemned of all the World than of his own Conscience. Yet the people of God have this to comfort them, though Conscience condemns below yet God doth not condemn above: To the wicked, 'tis a condemning Conscience and a condemning God too, (O there's the very height of misery)! to the Godly, 'tis sometimes a condemning Conscience but never a condemning God; even when that speaks nothing but Guilt and wrath then God designs nothing but Grace and mercy. The inferior Judge condemns in the Court below, but the supreme Judge acquits and justifies in the Court above.

3. Satan too he will be condemning such as are in Christ. He's a proud Creature, and loves to be upon the Bench and to assume that Authority and judicial Power which doth not belong to him: O it greatly pleases him to be judging of the spiritual and eternal state of Believers! he that is but God's Executioner he will take upon him to be a Judge. And as his Pride puts him upon judging, so his malice puts him upon condemning: there's not an upright person in the world, upon whom he either doth not or would not pronounce a black Sentence of Condemnation. He's condemned himself, and he's altogether for the condemning of others too. Especially when he meets with a poor troubled Soul, how doth he bestir himself with his dreadful judgings to discourage and overwhelm that Soul! What? thou a Child of God? no, thou art a Child of Wrath: what, thou look for Salvation? no, Hell and Damnation shall be thy portion forever: what, thou pretend to Grace? no, there's not one dram of true Grace in thee: thou art an Hypocrite, a Cast-away, one that must perish forever. The word [Condemn] in Classical Authors ( Greek and Latin ) signifies to accuse also: the Devil is a great accuser, he accused Job to God; he is styled the Accuser of the Brethren, Rev. 12.10. but this will not satisfy him, he must condemn too (in the higher and stricter notion of the word), he is for absolute, decisive, irrepealable judgment upon and against the repenting sinner, (but God will not let him proceed so far, this is his own Prerogative and he will keep it to himself). Well! condemn he doth; and very busy he is (in special) to condemn those who belong to Christ, where God condemns least there Satan condemns most; but his condemnation signifies nothing for God condemns not. Who will regard the condemnatory Sentence of the Jailor if he stand acquitted by the Judge? so here. But I am too long uon this Head! You see here is a great deal of Condemnation yet the No Condemnation in the Text is true; for though Men and Conscience and Satan condemn, yet God condemns not; and 'tis his Condemnation only which is here denied.

4. Fourthly, The Particle [Now] is to be taken notice of: there is therefore [Now] no Condemnation, &c. Beza looks upon this as so emphatical, that he blames the Syriac Translation for the omitting it: what then is the import and significancy of it in this place? Answ. I suppose the Apostle doth not intend by it to point to any Circumstance of Time, as namely the present time of Life, or the present time of the Gospel. Cajetan applies it to the present time of Life; the Apostle (saith he) says [Now], that we may understand that he speaks of the present Life, and that we may not think that he excludes all Condemnation only in respect of the state of the future blessedness. Then the meaning must be this, that the Saints are secure against Condemnation not only when they shall actually be instated in the Heavenly Blessedness, or only upon the account of that blessed estate, but even here whilst they are but in the way and with respect to the present state of Grace, now there is no Condemnation to them. There is a truth in this interpretation, yet I shall not close with it.

Others apply it to the Time of the Gospel: Now (that is) when Christ is come, Now when the Gospel-Dispensation takes place, and the Gospel-Grace is advanced, Now there is no Condemnation. A great truth! but it must be taken with some caution or else it may be the occasion of a great and dangerous Error. What? is there no Condemnation now in the times of the Gospel? yes surely there is! yea, the highest and sorest Condemnation is now under the Gospel: This is the Condemnation, &c. (by way of Eminency ). No Condemnation like to Gospel Condemnation; this is double Condemnation (as the Prophet imprecates double destruction Jer. 17.18.). And again, was there no exemption from this till the time of the Gospel? doth the Apostle by this Particle confine and limit this Privilege to those only who now live under the Gospel? God forbid! Believers under the Law were justified and saved as well as Believers now under the Gospel; (the Scriptures are exceeding clear in this matter). 'It is therefore a false and venomous Gloss which a great Socinian gives upon the words: he brings in Paul a • set • ing the times of the Gospel against the times of the Law, under which (he saith) all speaking of them in common were liable to damnation; but now (under the Gospel) to many there's no damnation, and (if all would) there should be none to any. Here's a complication of Errors, but I must not engage in the refuting of them: To many now there's no Damnation? and was it not so even under the Law? O let us neither make the time of the Law worse than indeed it was, nor the time of the Gospel better than indeed it is! there was salvation then, and there is damnation now.

In short, with Pareus I make this [Now] to be only particula 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a Causal Particle; 'tis as much as cùm haec ita sint, since things are so (as the Apostle had made out in his preceding Discourse), there is now (or upon all this) no Condemnation, &c. 'It is the very basis or foundation upon which all is bottomed; the [therefore] in the Text points to this [now], and derives all its strength from it; the Apostle crowds the force of all that he had said by way of Argument into this little word, and lays the whole stress of his Conclusion upon it; There is [Now] no Condemnation, &c.

5. Fifthly, we read it [No Condemnation], the Original will bear it if we read it [Not one Condemnation]: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is as much as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; such is the Grace of God to Believers and such is their safety in their justified estate, that there is no Condemnation, no not so much as one Condemnation to be passed upon them. Suppose a condemnatory Sentence for every sin, (I am sure every sin deserves such a Sentence, and in point of merit 'tis so many sins so many condemnations ); yet the Pardon being plenary and full, every way adequate to the sinners guilt, the exemption of the pardoned person from condemnation must be plenary and full too; so that if there be not one sin unpardoned there is not one condemnation to be feared. Jer. 50.20. In those days the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none. 'It is an allusion to one that turns over all his Bonds, searches into all his Debt-books, to see if he can find any debt due to him from such or such a person; but upon all his searching he cannot find so much as one debt to charge upon him: So 'tis with the pardoned, justified sinner; imagine that God should be inquisitive to find out some guilt as lying upon him, he might indeed find out enough (as he is in himself), but as he is in Christ, as he is pardoned and justified through Christ, so there is nothing to be found against him; and therefore not one Condemnation. How doth this tend to the comfort and encouragement of God's people! this makes the Proposition to be very emphatical and highly consolatory; there is not one Condemnation for them who are in Christ: Oecumenius opens the words with this emphasis, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

6. Sixthly, The Apostle speaks indefinitely with respect to the subject: there is no Condemnation [to them] which are in Christ Jesus. He takes all such into the privilege, (for the Indefinite here is equipollent to an Universal ). Paul doth not narrow or confine or impropriate this Non-condemnation to himself; 'tis not there is now no Condemnation [to me], but he extends it to all who have an interest in Christ. And herein he discovers much of wisdom (as Peter Martyr observes); for had he spoken in the Singular number (to me), many poor weak Christians would have been afraid to have applied this blessedness to themselves; they would have been ready to object, Ah blessed Paul thou art high in Faith, eminent in Grace, therefore thou mayest say there is no Condemnation to thee: but 'tis not so with us, we are but poor shrubs, mere dwarfs in Grace, 'tis not for us to lay hold upon so high a privilege. To obviate this discouragement, (saith the Apostle) I tell you there is no Condemnation to any who are in Christ (let them be who they will); this belongs to all such, to you as well as to myself. True, I am an Apostle you are not so, but then I am a Believer and so are you: true, I may have more of grace than you, but yet you are in Christ as well as I, and the Union being common the Non-condemnation is common too, for that is the ground of this. 'It is the same righteousness to all and upon all that believe, Rom. 3.22. 'tis the same faith (for substance) in the highest and in the lowest, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us, 2 Pet. 1.1. 'tis the same head, and the same union with this head in all; and therefore it must be the same exemption from Condemnation.

The difference in Paul's expressing himself (according to the difference of the subject he was upon) is very observable: take him in the former Chapter where he is bewailing sin, there he speaks altogether in the First person Singular, and goes no further than himself; (read from the 7 verse to the end and you will find I and me in every verse ): But now in this Eighth Chapter where he's treating of Privileges, there he speaks altogether in the Plural number (as taking in the whole body of Believers). Run over it all and except but one Verse (in which 'tis true he particularizes himself, The Law of the spirit of Life in Christ Jesus, hath made [me] free from the Law of sin and death ), I say do but except this one Verse, and in all the rest you will find the observation to be true; (but this will be further cleared up hereafter). And elsewhere too you find him very careful not to engross or confine happiness to himself, but to extend it to all who belonged to God as well as he himself did: As take but that one instance 2 Tim. 4.8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day, (thus far he himself is concerned, but doth he stop here and not take in others? No, 'tis not enough to him to be sure of this happiness himself, but he will let others know it shall be just so with them too, therefore he adds) and not to me only, but unto [all] them also that love his appearing. In the great blessings of the Gospel (Justification, Adoption, eternal Life), all the Saints shall fare alike; they are all God's Children and therefore all shall have their portion, and the same portion too: Jude calls it common Salvation ( V. 3); and the same may be said of all other Blessings, 'tis common Justification, common Adoption, &c.

7. Seventhly, The Positive is included in the Negative: There's no Condemnation, &c. is this all that the Apostle drives at or hath in his eye? (viz.) to hold forth that such who are in Christ shall not be condemned? no! he aims at something more, namely at this that such are fully justified and shall be most certainly saved: they shall not only (upon their being in Christ) be looked upon as not guilty, or barely kept out of Hell, but they shall be judged completely righteous, and they shall also be admitted into Heaven and eternally glorified. There is a Meiosis in the words, more is to be understood than what is expressed; the Privative and the Positive part of the blessedness are to be linked together, (and blessed be God for both)! Had it been only freedom from Condemnation that would have been rich and glorious mercy; but when it is not only that but Justification and Salvation too, O here is mercy in the very height and Zenith of it! Some inquire why the Apostle expresseth it in the Negative rather than in the Positive? they answer, because Men (generally) are more sensible of the Goodness of God, in the freeing of them from evil than in the collating or bestowing of good: No Condemnation more affects than positive Justification or Salvation. It may be further added, the Apostle thus expresses it because Negatives usually intend and heighten the thing spoken of: as in the Commandments, such as are Negative carry an higher obligation in them than those which are Positive, (for they oblige both semper and ad semper too): and as in the Promises, when they are Negatively expressed, this makes them to rise the higher in the matter contained in them; as take that Promise (which is made up of so many Negative ) Heb. 13.5. I will never leave thee nor for sake thee; this is more than if God had said I will always be with thee: So here as to Propositions, when they are laid down in the Negative, this form of expression doth add both greatness and certainty (at least wise as to us ) to the matter of them. And therefore Paul designing here to set forth the safety and happiness of Believers with the greatest advantage, he chooses to express it in the Negative rather than in the Positive.

These things being premised, I come now to the more close handling of the Point; There is no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus.

Here I will show

• 1. What this Condemnation is (which the persons spoken of are secured from):
• 2. I will make out the truth of the Assertion and give you the Grounds of it.

1. First 'tis requisite I should a little open the Condemnation here mentioned. The word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : here in this Verse 'tis the Substantive; you have the Verb ( v. 3.) and for sin condemned, &c. ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ); and the Participle ( v. 34.) who is he that condemneth ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 )? Sometimes 'tis set forth by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (as Math. 23.14. 1 Tim. 3.6. 2 Pet. 2.3. Rom. 3.8): sometimes by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (as Joh. 3.19. Joh. 5.24): sometimes by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (as 2 Cor. 3.9.) These several words are promiscuously used to signify one and the same thing. That here in the Text (commonly) carries a very black and dreadful sense with it: I do not deny, but that sometimes 'tis used to set forth temporal evils and punnishments (as condemnation to a temporal death, so Math. 20.18. Math. 27.3); but usually it (as the Verb in this Composition ) is expressive of spiritual and eternal evils, of everlasting death: (so Rom. 5.16.18. Mark 16.16. 1 Cor. 11.32). As to its direct and proper notation it signifies judgment against one, (that's 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ): 'tis a forensick word relating to what is in use amongst men in their Courts of Judicature. To condemn, Proprie judicis est cùm mulctam reo vel poenam per sententiam erogat; 'tis the Sentence of a Judge decreeing a mulct or penalty to be inflicted upon the guilty person. Amongst men (for the parallel will illustrate that which I am upon) the Malefactor or guilty person is indicted, arraigned before the Judge, judicial process is formed against him, his offense is proved, upon this the Judge passes sentence upon him, that he is guilty of that which is charged upon him, and then that he must undergo the penalty or penalties which are answerable to the nature and quality of his crime, (if that be Capital he must die for it): So here, the impenitent, unbelieving sinner is indicted, arraigned at God's Bar, process is made against him, he is found guilty of the violation of the holy Law, and (which is worse) of the contempt of the Gospel too; whereupon God judges him to be guilty, and upon that guilt adjudges him to everlasting death: this is God's condemning or condemnation in allusion to that condemnation which is amongst men. Pareus makes it to be the damnatory sentence of the Law, (that Curse which it denounceth upon all and against all because of sin): Grotius makes it to be that eternal death spoken of Rom. 6 ult. (several such Glosses there are upon it, but all tend to one and the same thing).

Condemnation is either [ respectu Culpae & Reatus, or Poenae ] in respect of Guilt or Punnishment (for both of these are included in it). God condemns the sinner, how? why, first he judges him to be [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] guilty of that which the Law charges him with; O (saith the Law) Sinner! thus and thus thou hast offended, such Duties have been omitted, such sins have been committed, such Sabbaths have been profaned, such mercies have been abused, such tenders of grace have been slighted, (here the Gospel Law comes in as an accuser too) &c. Well now (saith God) Sinner! what dost thou say to this charge? is it true or false? canst thou deny it? what defense or plea canst thou make for thyself? Alas! he is speechless, hath not one word to say for himself, he can neither deny nor excuse or extenuate what is charged upon him: Why then (saith God the righteous Judge) I must pronounce (and I do here pronounce) thee to be guilty. And is this all? no, upon this guilt the Law pleads for a further Sentence, for the decreeing and inflicting of the penalty (threatened by God himself, and incurred by the sinner): Ah (saith God) and I cannot deny it, I must be just and righteous, and therefore (Sinner) I here adjudge thee to die eternally. This is Condemnation in the extensive notion of it: if you consider it with respect to Guilt, so 'tis opposed to justification; if you consider it with respect to Punishment, so 'tis opposed to Salvation. In the former notion you have it Rom. 5.16, 18. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift, for the judgment was by one [to condemnation], but the free gift is of many offenses [to Justification]; Therefore as by the offense of one, judgment came upon all men [to condemnation], even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men [unto justification of life]. In the second notion you have it Mark 16.16. He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be [saved], but he that believeth not ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) shall be [condemned]. These are the two things which make up the Condemnation in the Text, Guilt and Death: from both of which such as are in Christ are secured; they shall neither be judged Guilty (their Guilt being done away by Christ, and the Sentence proceeding according to what they are in Christ, and not according to what they are in themselves); nor shall a Sentence of eternal Death pass upon them, (for guilt being taken off that would not be righteous): there is therefore none of this Condemnation to Believers.

There is the Sentence of Condemnation and the State of Condemnation: the former (actively considered) refers to God and is his Act, the latter refers to the Sinner and is consequential upon the former. The Sentence hath been already opened: the State of Condemnation is the Sinners undergoing of the utmost of Vindictive Justice, in his eternal separation from God and enduring of everlasting torments in Hell; (of which you will hear more in what follows). Neither of these do belong to them who are in Christ Jesus: not the former (they being now justified ), not the latter (they being sure to be glorified ). I shall take in both, yet mainly freedom from the State of Condemnation; the Apostle (I conceive) had this chiefly in his eye when he here said There is now no Condemnation, &c. Justification and no Condemnation with respect to the Sentence are all one, only the one notes what is Positive, the other what is Negative: now the Apostle in the words inferring No Condemnation from Justification (as you will see he doth by and by), it appears that his eye was upon something distinct from and consequential upon Justification; and that must be exemption from the state of Condemnation. There is no Condemnation, &c. 'tis as if he had said, such shall not be condemned hereafter, or lie under that damnation in Hell which will be the portion of Unbelievers: (to this therefore I shall chiefly speak).

Further, as some distinguish of Justification, 'tis either Virtual or Actual; either in Title as to the Sentence of the Word here, or full and complete in the Sentence which shall solemnly be pronounced by God at the Great day: So we may also distinguish of Condemnation, 'tis either Virtual, that which is now (in the Sentence of the Law or Gospel); or Actual, that which is to come, when God by Christ will in a public and solemn way pass a condemnatory Sentence upon men according to the Word; and this shall be at the Last and Great Judment. You read of the First, Joh. 3.18. He that believeth on him is not condemned, he that believeth not ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) is condemned already: so v. 26. of that Chapt. Of the Second Mark 16.16. (and in divers other places). In both of these senses also God's people are exempted from Condemnation; take it Virtually or Actually, in Titlo here or in the Final Sentence of the Judge hereafter, it belongs not to them. And this I am now to make good, which was the Second Head that I propounded to speak to.

The Negation in the Text is so express, so absolute and peremptory, that there cannot be the least doubt of the truth of it: Indeed as to the application of this to a man's self (in Hypothesi ), so there may be many doubts arising in the Soul concerning it; but as to the Thing itself (in Thesi ), nothing more sure and certain than it is. You have it asserted not only in this single Scripture, but in divers others also: Joh. 3.18. He that believeth on him is not condemned, (neither is nor ever shall be ). Joh. 5.24. Verily, verily, I say unto you (Christ would have Believers fully settled in the belief of this precious Truth, and therefore he premises asseveration upon asseveration; and gives you his own Authority for it), he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death to life. Read Joh. 3.16.36. Mark 16.16. 1 Thess. 1.10.

If you look into the Text (for I will go no further), you will find a double Argument (or Ground ) for the Non-condemnation of Believers.

1. The First lies couched in the Illative Particle, There is [therefore] now no Condemnation, &c. What doth this [therefore] point to? when that is found out we must then inquire, what there is of strength in it to prove and bottom Non condemnation upon.

For Answer to this, Expositors do somewhat differ about it: Some make it to refer to all that goes before from the 16 v. of the 1 Chapt. Est conclusio totius superioris disputationis à v. 16. primi Capitis, (Beza): 'It is a Conclusion; drawn from all that hath been taught hitherto; (Deodate). Others limit it to some special part of the Apostles foregoing Discourse in this Epistle: And so some apply it to what he had laid down in the 3, 4, 5 Chapt. (where he insists upon Justification and proves at large that Believers are justified, and that through the Righteousness of Christ); which being so, from this their blessed state and this gracious act of God upon them, he here infers There is therefore now no Condemnation, &c. Others again make the Spring-head of the Inference to lie in the 7 Chapt. (especially in the close of it): Paul there thanks God who had delivered him from the body of sin through Christ; he says with his mind (his renewed and sanctified part) he served the Law of God, though with the flesh (the carnal and unregenerate part) he served the law of sin. Now from this he draws the Conclusion, There is therefore now no Condemnation, &c.

I (for my part) will not limit the Inference to the One or to the Other, but I will take in All; (yet I will consider the whole in its main Parts, viz. Justification and Sanctification ). The Non-condemnation then of persons in Christ may be proved by, or is grounded upon,

1. Their Justification: He that is a justified man cannot be a condemned man, for these two are contrary and incompatible: If it be justifying it cannot be condemning, if it be condemning it cannot be justifying. There being in justification an acquitting, absolving, discharging from Guilt, how can this consist with the condemning of one as guilty, or because guilty? this would be a plain contradiction, oppositum in apposito. 'It is with Law-contraries as 'tis with Physicalcontraries, upon the position of the one there needs must be the exclusion or negation of the other; now Justification and Condemnation are Law-contraries, ergo, &c. The Apostle argues upon this ( v. 33.) Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's Elect? (and surely there must be charging before there can be condemning; but there can be none of that, why? because) it is God that justifieth. The Believer being justified (and justified by God too) he must needs be exempted from Condemnation: He that will not acquit the guilty will not condemn the righteous, for both are equally an abomination to the Lord: Now the justified person is a righteous person (for else what doth his justification signify)? and will the righteous Judge condemn a righteous person?

'Pray (that you may the better perceive how the deduction in the Text is grounded ) look back a little into the Epistle, and see what the Apostle there lays down concerning Justification. He says (and this is the main Position upon which he doth but enlarge in all his following discourse), Therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith ( ch. 1.16); Even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe ( ch. 3.22): Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ; whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, &c. ( v. 24, 25, 26): Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness ( ch. 4.3): Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him that raised up the Lord Jesus from the dead; who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification ( v. 23, 24, 25): Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God thorough our Lord Jesus Christ ( ch. 5.1): Especially read what the Apostle writes in drawing up the Parallel betwixt the two Adams ( ch. 5.15. to the end of the Ch. ) I say, read and consider what is before asserted over and over concerning Justification, and then tell me whether the Apostle might not well thus infer, There is therefore, &c. and whether there be not strength enough in these premises to bear the weight of the Conclusion There is therefore now no Condemnation, &c. (for unquestionably the Illative [therefore] upon which the Proposition is bottomed, like the Handle in the Dial points to all that the Apostle had been speaking of concerning justifying Grace).

2. The Privilege is farther sure upon Sanctification: Such as are in Christ are always sanctified, wherever the Union is with the Son there is Sanctification by the Spirit: now such as are sanctified shall never be condemned. Rev. 20.6. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection, on such the second death (or Condemnation) hath no power. Sanctification doth not carry in it such a direct and intrinsic opposition to Condemnation as Justification doth, nor is it any meritorious ground of Non-condemnation: Yet where there is Sanctification there shall be no Condemnation: for upon this, the power and dominion of sin is taken away, vigorous resistance is made against it, the bent of the heart is for God, there's the participation of the Divine Nature; the Image of God is renewed in the Soul, the Creature (in part) is restored to that original rectitude which was before the Fall, (with many such like considerations); upon all which the sanctified person is secured from Condemnation. God hath such a love to Grace (it being the work of his own Spirit), and to gracious persons (they in sanctification being made after himself, as 'tis expressed Eph. 4.24.) that he will never suffer such to perish eternally. Grace merits nothing, yet it secures from the greatest evils and entitles to the greatest good. Nothing shall save where Grace is not, nothing shall damn where Grace is, The Sinner shall not live, the Saint shall not die. O this Sanctification though it be imperfect yet how great good doth result from it! Paul had sad remainders of sin in him, but withal Grace was in him; he had his double self, (as the Moralist expresses it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ), his renewed self and his unrenewed self: the Law was spiritual, but he was carnal, sold under sin, what he would not that he did, what he would that he did not; he was led captive by the Law of sin and death; (here was his unrenewed self). Yet where he complains most of Sin, even there he discovers much (if not most) of Grace; he had a sinning Nature but he allowed not himself in sin, he consented to the Law that it was good, it was not he that did so and so but sin that dwelt in him, to will was present with him though how to perform he did not find, he delighted in the Law of God in the inward man, with his mind he served the Law of God, &c. (here was his renewed self). Do not these things evidence Grace? was all this spoken in personâ irregeniti (as some tell us)? No, doubtless the Apostle here speaks as a gracious man, and in the person of gracious men. And what doth he infer from all this? There is therefore now no Condemnation, &c. Oh (saith Paul ) I have sin enough to humble me, but yet sin shall not damn me; there's too much of it in me, but yet it hath not my heart, with my mind I serve the Law of God, the main bent of my heart is for holiness; the corrupt Nature is very strong in me, but yet it hath not its full strength, its entire, unbroken power and dominion over me, that (through Grace) I am freed from: I am though but imperfectly yet truly sanctified; and hereupon though I may lie under much trouble here, yet I am safe as to my eternal state, there is therefore now no Condemnation to me. I desire it may be observed, that he doth not only infer Non-condemnation from the work of Grace in him (spoken of in the closure of the former Chapter); but as soon as he had laid down in common this great happiness of persons in Christ, he presently confirms it (as to himself ) from his sanctification, and the dethroning of sin in him by the regenerating Spirit; For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death. And with respect to others he much enlarges upon it, Rom. 6.5, 6, 7, 8, 21, 22, 23. Well then! persons in Christ they being justified and sanctified are above the danger of Condemnation: and these are the two great Pillars upon which the [Therefore] in the words is built.

The Text affords us another Argument or Ground of Non-condemnation, and that lies in the Subject itself: There is no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus, why so? because they are in Christ Jesus; for these words are not only descriptive of the persons to whom the privilege belongs, but they are also argumentative, and contain a reason or proof of the Thing spoken of. The Expression (as shall be hereafter opened) notes that near and intimate union which is betwixt Christ and Believers. Now shall there be Condemnation where there is such an Union? what? in Christ and yet under Condemnation? those that are so near to Christ here, shall they be set at an eternal distance from him hereafter? will the head be so severed from his members? when Christ is in Heaven shall a part of him lie in Hell? O no! a limb of Christ shall not perish. Besides, upon this union there is interest in all that Christ hath done and suffered; he that is in Christ hath a right to all of Christ; the Obedience, Righteousness, Merits, Satisfaction, the Life, Death, Resurrection, Intercession of Christ, all are his who is in Christ: It being so how can this person miscarry? The Apostle upon this triumphs over Condemnation ( v. 34); Who is he that condemneth? it is Christ that died, yea rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us: What there is in each of these Heads (the Death, Resurrection, Exaltation, Intercession of Christ) to secure those who are in him from Condemnation, shall in due time (if God please) be fully made out; but that is not now to be done. Only (for the further confirming of the Truth in hand) let me a little descant upon the Question which the Apostle here doth so triumphantly propound, Who is he that condemneth? He seems to challenge all inferior Accusers, and bid them do their worst; he hangs out a Flag of Defiance to all; who (saith he) will attempt, or (in case they should attempt) would be able to carry on such a thing as the condemning of those who are in Christ? For God himself (who must be spoken of with all reverence) he will not, for he justifies, and he cannot justify and condemn too; his justice is satisfied, he hath declared that he hath accepted of Christ's satisfaction made in the sinners stead; and he will not be satisfied and yet condemn. Then (to be sure) Christ will not, for his great design was to prevent and keep off this Condemnation; this was the very thing which he had in his eye in his great and most blessed undertaking; he's so far from doing this himself, that he will not suffer it to be done by any other. Come to sin, that shall not; for that is pardoned, expiated by the blood of Christ; that is condemned itself ( Rom. 8.3), and a condemned thing shall never be a condemning thing. The Law cannot, for that is fulfilled by the Surety, and that is appealed from as not a proper judge, and Believers are not under it ( i. e. as to its vis damnatrix ) but under Grace. Rom. 6.14. The Gospel too will not; because its conditions are performed (though imperfectly, yet sincerely which it accepts of). It appears then by this Induction, that there is, there shall be, no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus. So much for the Proofs or Grounds of the Truth in hand. Observe, that I have only instanced in those which the Text leads me to, for divers others might have been produced, as God's eternal electing Love, the Covenant of Grace, the earnest of the Spirit, &c. but these I pass by. Nothing remains but the Application.

And First, This proclaims the misery of all who are not in Christ Jesus: The Cloud is not so bright towards Israel but 'tis as dark towards the Egyptians; the Point is not so full of Comfort to Believers but 'tis as full of Terror to Unbelievers. Here's the very marrow and sweetness of the Gospel for the one, and yet withal here's the bitterest Gall and Wormwood of the Law for the other. There's no Condemnation to them who are in Christ, what more sweet? but there's nothing but Condemnation to them who are out of Christ, what more dreadful? Art thou a Christless, graceless, unbelieving, impenitent person? do not deceive thyself, this exemption from Condemnation belongs not to thee. The Apostle doth not say there is no Condemnation and so break off; but (that none may flatter themselves, and presumptuously apply that to themselves which belongs not to them) he puts down the Subject which only is concerned in the Privilege. Oh! you who are out of Christ, know it and be assured of it, there is Condemnation to you; you are condemned already in the Sentence of the Law, and it will not be long before you be actually, solemnly condemned by the Sentence of the Judge; so many Unbelievers, so many condemned persons. And if so, is it nothing to you to be condemned? what a dreadful word is Condemnation? how should we all fear and tremble at the hearing of it! All the evils of the present life are a mere nothing, mere trifles to this; put all afflictions, calamities, miseries together, one Condemnation out-weighs them all: Sickness, pain, poverty, sufferings, all are light, inconsiderable things in comparison of this. I cannot but stand and wonder, and be filled even with amazement at the woeful stupidity and security of Sinners out of Christ; the Condemnation of God hangs over them, wherever they are or go they are no better than condemned men; and yet how merry, jovial, unconcerned are they! Good God what shall we say to this! Amongst us, what a sad spectacle is it to see a poor Malefactor that is condemned by man and to be executed within a few days, altogether unaffected with his condition? he spends that span of time which he hath to live in feasting, drinking, trimming and dressing of himself, and considers not that he is a condemned man, and must die within a day or two. Ah Sinners this is your State! nay, yours is much worse, for you are under a far worser Condemnation, even the Condemnation of the great God, and that too to die eternally. And yet how do you carry it? you please the flesh, take your fill of sensual pleasures, you chant to the sound of the Viol, drink wine in bowls, live a merry life, nothing troubles you; no though the dreadful Sentence of God be passed upon you, and is ready to be executed every moment, yet all is well in your thoughts; what prodigious security is this! Belshazzar in his cups and height of mirth, when he saw the hand writing upon the wall, this made him tremble. Sinner! thou art at ease, sporting thyself in thy worldly delights, look but into the Word there's a dreadful hand-writing against thee, there's Condemnation written over and over in broad and legible characters as thy portion, wilt not thou fear? Surely 'tis sad dancing over the mouth of Hell; there's but a breath betwixt thee and everlasting flames, and yet art thou secure? is eternal misery a thing to be dallied with or slighted? If men were not down-right Atheists, this Condemnation would affright and startle them. Now do I speak to any here of you as being under this woeful security? if it be possible to reach your Consciences and to stir up fear in you, I would desire you to consider these four or five things.

1. 'It is God himself who will be your Judge, and who will pass the condemnatory Sentence upon you. 'It is somewhat terrible to be arraigned and condemned at the Bar of man, but how much more terrible will it be to be arraigned and condemned at the Bar of God? what a vast disproportion is here betwixt the Crimes, the Judge, the Sentence, the Execution, &c. O Sinners when you must stand before such a Judge, in order to the receiving of such a Sentence, for Crimes so high and heinous, will you not tremble? Methinks the Majesty, Omnisciency, Omnipotency, Righteousness of this Judge should strike us all with fear and dread. There's no standing before him such is his Majesty, no hiding of anything from him such is his Omnisciency, no resisting of him such is his Omnipotency, no corrupting of him such is his infinite Righteousness. What then will become of you who are in your sins, but out of Christ? at the Tribunal of this God you must hold up you hands, be tried and so condemned: is this nothing to you? And because he will not himself immediately judge the world, but mediately by Christ ( that man whom he hath ordained to this Office), therefore Christ in his own person shall appear and ride his great Circuit as the Universal Judge, and everyone of you shall be summoned before him to be judged by him: 2 Cor. 5.10. We must all appear before the judgment of Christ, that everyone, &c. And may not the consideration of this very much heighten your fear? you not being in Christ how will you be able to stand before Christ? where he is not a gracious Head will he not be a severe Judge? You must be judged by him whom you so often, so scornfully have rejected; he will be your Judge whom you would not have to be your King and Savior; what favor can you expect from him whom you have so basely used? In what glory will this Judge appear when you shall stand before him? now you know the glory and solemnity of the Bench adds to the terror of the Malefactour at the Bar. Matth. 25.31. When the Son of Man shall come in his glory, and all the Holy Angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory. O to be tried, cast, and sentenced by so glorious a Judge, in so solemn a manner, this must needs be terrible to Sinners when they see it and hear it, though now they make nothing of it. Rev. 6.15, 16, 17. And the Kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bond man, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?

2. Think with yourselves what this Condemnation is: Men are fearless because they are thoughtless; did they but weigh and ponder what the things of another world are, what it is to be everlastingly condemned, they would not be so secure as they are. Condemnation? what is it? 'tis (in short) to be adjudged to eternal death. Men condemn their guilty persons to die a temporal death, and that's as high as they can go; but God (being an higher Judge, and greater offenses being committed against him than what are committed by man against man), he inflicts a greater penalty, and his Sentence is to die eternally: he doth not condemn to a Prison, to an Axe or Gallows, (just to die and then there's an end of all), O no! he sentences to Death and eternal Death too. And this is no less, than the loss of God's love and favor and presence, (which is the poena damni ), and the undergoing of endless, easeless, remediless torments in Hell (which is the poena sensus ), Both are very sad, but Divines generally give the preeminence to the first: The Hell of Hell is the loss of Heaven and of God's Love. But both put together must needs make the Sinner extremely miserable, and he that is out of Christ shall feel both of them. Would you know what this Condemnation is? you have a sad draught or description of it Matth. 25.41. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels: Every word here (if I could speak to it) is thunder and lightning; to be thrust from Christ, and thrown into sire, into everlasting fire, into that very fire which is prepared for the Devil and his Angels; O here is misery indeed! Hear me therefore you who are out of Christ, if you so live and so die you shall never see God; and this is not all, for you shall also feel those torments in comparison of which Stone, Gout, Strangury, Racking by men, the most exquisite pains here, are in a manner perfect ease, or at least very inconsiderable pain. And this too you must lie under to • all eternity; O this is worst of all! this puts an accent indeed upon this Condemnation, 'tis eternal Condemnation! This eternity fills up the measure of the Unbelievers misery, and makes it to run over; in Heaven 'tis eternity of joy, in Hell 'tis eternity of woe. To be miserable as long as god shall be blessed, to be always dying and yet always to live, to be always drinking and yet the cup still to continue full, to launch out into a boundless Ocean of eternal wrath, to lie under evils and to see no end of them, that when millions of millions of years are over all is (as it were) to begin again, and the poor creature is but after the efflux of so much time just where he was at the first, to pass from dying comforts to never dying sorrows; what tongue can express, what heart can conceive the greatness of this misery! 'It is everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord 2 Thess. 1.9. 'tis everlasting punishment Math. 25.46. 'tis everlasting fire Matth. 25.41. 'tis the worm that never dies Mark 9.44. 'tis everlasting chains Jude 6. the blackness of darkness forever Jude 13. Now (Sirs) what do you think of this? are you able to bear it? Alas! who among us shall dwell with devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? this made the Sinners in Zion afraid and filled Hypocrites with fearfulness, and will it not (sooner or later) have the same effect upon you who are out of Christ? If this Condemnation or eternal Death was total abolition or annihilation (as some Socinians make it to be) it would not be so bad; this would be a great allay to it, for surely (whatever some learned men may say to the contrary) no being would be more desirable than such a being; but 'tis not so.

3. The Condemnatory Sentence being once past it will be irreversible and irresistible. When 'tis once out of the Judges mouth there's no reversing of it; as the Penalty is intolerable so the Sentence is irreversible. The poor condemned Sinner will presently fall upon his knees and most earnestly beg mercy, but all in vain; all his entreaties, beseechings, tears, wringing of hands, will avail nothing; time was when he would not hear Christ, and now Christ will not hear him. Now (to be sure) the season of Grace is over, once condemned and ever condemned; there's neither appealing from the Judge nor repealing of the Sentence. And then too (I say) 'tis irresistible; as soon as 'tis past, Christ will have his Officers by him who shall see it put into execution: his Guard and retinue of Angels shall be ready for this service, these Reapers shall gather the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, and who shall be able to resist? The Judge amongst the Jews was to see the Offender punished before his face, Deut. 25.2. Christ will not only pass sentence but he himself will see execution done: Luke 19.27. Those mine enemies which would not that I should reign over them, bring them hither and slay them [before me]. And as there will be no turning of him, so neither will there be either flying from him or making resistance to him. When man condemns God can save, but who can save when God condemns? If the Three Children be thrown into the fire God can take them out, but when the Unbeliever is thrown into Hell-fire, or to be thrown into Hell-fire, who then can either hinder or deliver? O come to Christ and get into Christ betimes! if you defer till the Sentence be past, you must suffer it and there is no remedy. As God says I will work, and who shall lett? So when he condemns and will have his Sentence executed, who shall lett? what can man do to defend himself, or to hinder God! Job. 31.14 What shall I then do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth what shall I answer him?

4. The Unbeliever and Christless person will not only be condemned by God, but he will also be condemned by himself: Self-condemnation will accompany God's condemnation (and that is very miserable). Next to being condemned by God, nothing so sad as to be ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) condemned by ones self. When the poor Sinner shall be upon his Trial, Conscience will accuse as well as the Law, and condemn as well as the Judge. And as soon as ever the Judge shall have passed Sentence, Conscience will fall upon the guilty condemned person and say, is not this just and righteous? hast not thou procured this to thyself? must not such a course have such an end? is not this the fruit of thy sin? This will highly justify God (for the more the Sinner condemns himself the more he acquits God), but greatly heighten his own misery. You read how at the great day there shall be the opening of the books, Rev. 20.12. these books are mainly two, the book of Scripture and the book of Conscience. As to the latter, men keep it shut here, but God will open it to some purpose then; and Sinners shall be forced to look into it, and read over the sins of their lives written there in very legible characters. And what a sad time will it then be, when as God condemns without and above, so Conscience shall condemn below and within? Such as are out of Christ will feel all this to be true, to their inexpressible grief and torment, if it be not prevented by timely repentance.

5. I might add (which indeed will be but a more particular explication of the former Head), this condemnation will be the sadder, (especially to such who live under the Gospel), because they will lie under the sense and conviction of this, that they have foolishly and willfully brought all this misery upon themselves. For (and their hearts will tell them of it) Christ offered himself to them from time to time, but they refused to close with him; he tendered pardon to them but they slighted it, (and who will pity the Traitor that dies for his Treason, when his Prince offered him a pardon and he scorned to accept of it)? they might have been saved as well as others, would they but have hearkened to the free, gracious, hearty, often repeated invitations which in the Gospel were made to them; how often would Christ have gathered them as the Hen gathers her Chickens, but they would not; and therefore now their Souls are lost forever. O Sinner! thy destruction is of thyself; and the consideration of this will sadly gnaw upon thy Conscience forever; this is the worm that never dies. The Jews when they had adjudged a Malefactor to die, the Judge and the Witnesses used to lay their hands upon him, and to say thy blood be upon thy own head; (in imitation of which the Murderers of our Savior said His blood be on us and our children ): Thus Christ when he shall have passed the dreadful Sentence of eternal Death upon the impenitent and unbelieving, he will say Your blood be upon your own heads.

Now is not here enough (if the Lord would please to set it home upon the Conscience), to awaken and terrify secure Christless Sinners? You who are out of Christ pray believe me, as sure as God is, and is a just and righteous God, as sure as his Word is true, so sure are you (if you go out of the world before you have got into Christ) to be condemned forever. And will you not lay this to heart before it be too late? is it not high time for you to think of these things? will nothing awaken you but only the feeling of everlasting flames? will you not mind the damned state till you be in it? I tremble to think of that distress that you will be in at the Great day, though now you are quiet and unconcerned; when your sins shall fly in your faces and accuse you, when the tremendous justice of God shall affright you, when if you look downwards there's an Hell ready to receive you, if upwards there's an angry Judge, if inwards there's the Worm of Conscience, if about you there's a World all in flames: O what a time will this be? what would you then give to be in Christ? take heed I beseech you of an after-wisdom.

Secondly, I would exhort you to make sure of this exemption from Condemnation, to labor to be in the number of those to whom there is no Condemnation: 'It is infinite mercy that such a thing is attainable; surely he must be strangely besotted and utterly void of all sense of eternity, who doth not with the greatest care and diligence put in for a share in this happiness. No Condemnation? Justification here and Salvation hererfter? what can be so worthy of our utmost pains and endeavors as these! what pitiful trifles and very Nothings are all other things in comparison of these! 'It is no great matter how things go at present, if the future everlasting state may be secured! O that all your thoughts, desires, pursuits, might be swallowed up in this! You dread such and such Evils here, alas! what are these to the eternal Evils which have been set before you? you are set upon the worlds good, and what is that to an endless blessedness in the Vision and Fruition of God in Heaven? think of Hell and nothing here will be very evil, and of Heaven and nothing here will be very good. Should you come to a condemned man, and talk to him of the riches honors, crowns and scepters of this world, Ah! (saith he) what's this to me? I am a poor condemned man; can you tell me how I may get out of the condemnation that I lie under? then you will say something which will suit my condition: Why (Sirs!) you trouble yourselves about the getting of wealth, the greatening of yourselves in the world, but you do not consider you are condemned men: such you were as you came into the world, By the offenos of one, judgment came upon all to Condemnation; and there's a worser Condemnation: for you when you shall go out of the world: O what have you to do but to get out of this Condemnation? 'It is to be feared that the greatest part of men (not out of any want of mercy in God, or from anything to be charged upon God, but merely through their own sin and folly) will perish therein: you read of the condemning of the world 1 Cor. 11.32. Now therefore what are you? or what do you do? that you may be exempted from the general misery. Certainly if you lie in the common State and live in the common Course, you must perish in the common Condemnation; think of it and make some timely provision against it. Your Judge deals very graciously with you, he warns you before hand, tells you how his terrible Sentence may be prevented, nay, he offers Life and Pardon to you if you will but accept of it; and after all this will you force him to condemn you? then 'twill be Condemnation with a witness. I would upon this Consideration be the more earnest with you in the present advice, because though this Condemnation will be sad enough to all, yet to you it will be superlatively sad: you living under the Gospel, where the way of Salvation is set before you, where tenders of Grace are made to you, if you be not wise and serious in securing the main, this will not only make your Condemnation more unavoidable, How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation? ) but also more intolerable: 'twill be Condemnation with an Accent or Emphasis to you, This is the Condemnation, that light is come into the world, &c. The Scripture speaks of greater damnation; 'twill be great damnation to Pagans and Infidels, but greater damnation to Christians. According to the different measures of that Gospel-light and Gospel-grace which men live under, so will the different measures of their future misery be (if they live and die in impenitency and unbelief). O how will these aggravate your Condemnation! if there be one place in Hell hotter than another, that very place shall be yours, (whilst others shall mitiùs ardere ). Thou Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, &c. but I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom, in the day of judgment, than for you.

You will ask me, What are we to do that it may be to us No-Condemnation? For answer to this several Directions might be given and much enlarged upon; but I will give you only five or six, and be but short upon them.

First, Let sin be condemned in you, and by you. For thus the case stands, sin must either be condemned by you, or you for it; a condemnatory Sentence must pass either upon the Sin or upon the Sinner: and is it not better, it should pass upon the Sin rather than upon the Sinner? that it should die rather than you should die? O let not Sin live in you, nor do you live in it! for if it be so, it will be Condemnation. This sin is the condemning thing; had there been No Sin there had been No Condemnation; 'tis that and that only, which makes the Creature liable to eternal Death; the wages of sin is death. Did not the Malefactor break the Law, by stealing, murdering, &c. he would not be obnoxious to the Laws penalties; and so 'tis here. We violate God's Law, upon that violation there is guilt, upon that guilt there is obnoxiousness to punishment and to a Sentence of Death. O take heed of sin! here lies the evil of it, it exposes to, and ends in eternal Condemnation; it pleases the Sinner for a season, and then entails everlasting wrath upon him. Was it not for this, a Life in sin would be a fine Life, (I must recall myself, a Life in sin a fine Life? no, was there no Hell hereafter, yet such a Life would be, and is a base, sordid, cursed Life); but Hell and Wrath and Condemnation and all follow upon it, and this spoils the pleasures and delights of a sinful Life. Who would not fear and shun Sin? a Child of God dreads it for the Hell that is in it; me thinks all should dread it for the Hell that is procured by it. Now therefore what's your Course? every man's Sentence shall be according to his Course; where 'tis an holy course, it shall be the Sentence of Life; where 'tis the opposite course, it shall be the Sentence of Death. Bring it down to yourselves, do not you live in sin? may be you are not Drunkards, Swearers, &c. but is there not some other, some secret way of wickedness in which you walk? some bosom Lust hid and cherished? do you endeavor after Universal Holiness? these things must be inquired into, for the No-Condemnation depends upon them. Mistake me not, I do not say if No Sin then No Condemnation, (as if to be Sinless was the condition of, or way to the future blessedness, God forbid I should go so high! for then I should condemn every man in the World); but this I say, no allowed sin, no reigning sin, no presumptuous sin, no course in sin; and then 'tis No-Condemnation. That God who is just to punish for known and presumptuous sins, is gracious also to pardon sins of infirmity. So that upon the whole, as ever you desire to see the Face of God with comfort, to lift up your heads before your Judge at the Great day with joy, to be freed from the Sentence of Condemnation; I say as ever you desire these blessed things, be holy, live a godly life, keep sin at a great distance, do not allow yourselves in it, but rather condemn it that it may not condemn you. If any think that the present good of sin preponderates the future evil of Condemnation, or that they may live in sin and yet rely upon God's mercy, (as if he would not condemn them for it), I heartily beg of God that he will convince them of these soul-destroying mistakes, that they may not persist in them till Condemnation itself will be a sad confutation to them.

Secondly, Condemn yourselves and God will not condemn you. Self-condemnation prevents God's Condemnation: There is a Self-condemnation which is judicial and penal, which pains and torments but yet doth no good, (such was that of Cain and Judas ); O there is in some that condemnation from their own Consciences, which is but a Prolepsis to the condemnation of God at the great day! But then there is gracious and penitential self-condemnation, (such as that of David upon his numbering of the people, and also upon his commission of other sins): now this is that which I would urge upon you. Where the Sinner (upon the sense of the heinousness of sin) condemns himself, God will not condemn him too. If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged of the Lord: (and so here as to Condemnation.) The penitent self judger is safe; the self condemning Publican went away justified: when the Sinner justifies, God condemns, but when he condemns then God justifies. This signifies but little in the Courts of Men; let the criminal person repent and judge himself never so much, that's nothing, for all this the Law must be executed upon him; but this always carries it in the Court of God. O (saith God) there's a Sinner, but he is a penitent Sinner; he hath sinned but he is angry with himself for it, he arraigns and condemns himself for it, well, upon this I will acquit him; he condemns below, and therefore I will absolve above.

Thirdly, As you desire No-Condemnation, speedily get your peace made with God through Christ Jesus. A pacified God is never a condemning God: First our Apostle saith, Being justified by faith we have peace with God; and then he infers, There is now no Condemnation, &c. Your first work is to look after the atoning of God through the blood of Christ; if it be not reconciliation it will be Condemnation. Are God and you reconciled? is your peace made with him? you have a reprieve for some time, but have you sued out your pardon? is the breach (which sin hath made) healed and made up betwixt God and you? O (as Christ speaks) Agree with thine adversary quickly whilst thou art in the way with him, lest at any time thy adversary deliver thee to the Judge, &c. this is a thing which admits of no procrastination.

Fourthly, Pray that it may be to you exemption from Condemnation. You would have Others, your Selves, delivered from it, but are you often with God, and earnest with God about this matter? Of all evils deprecate this as the greatest evil; tell God, you are willing he should do anything with you, burn, cut, lance, modo in aeternum parcat, if he will but save you from eternal misery. This is the thing you should every day with the greatest ardency be begging of God; Ah Lord! do with us what thou pleasest, but for thy mercy sake do not condemn us. You are to pray daily that you may not enter into temptation, surely much more that you may not enter into condemnation. O be often upon your knees pleading with God, and saying, Lord! what profit will there be in our blood? why should such souls be lost forever? what will follow upon our Condemnation, but cursing and blaspheming of thy sacred name? whereas if thou wilt pardon and save, we shall bless, adore and magnify thy name forever. If God give you an heart thus to pray for this mercy (the mercy of mercies), 'tis to be hoped he will not with-hold if from your. 'It is good to pray now whilst prayer will do you good; when the Sentence is once passed, it will then do you no good at all. Is it not much to be lamented, that there are so few who go to God to plead with him about the everlasting concerns of their immortal souls? many go from day today, from week to week, nay from year to year without prayer; let it be Salvation or Damnation, 'tis all one to them: O this dreadful! How seldom are the most of men at the throne of Grace, beseeching the Lord for Christ Jesus his sake to deliver them from wrath will be very sad? the end of the prayerless cannot be good. Nay, I have too just occasion to go higher; there is a sort of persons amongst us, who (instead of humble, serious calling upon God to free them from condemnation) in their hellish imprecations they dare to call God to damn them: O prodigious, amazing, astonishing profaneness! I tremble to speak of it; but O that it was not too common in our ears! What? do men defy God, and even bid him do his worst? is damnation a thing to be desired or wished for? do they know what they say? what if God should take them at their word, and do that in his greatest wrath which they seem to wish for with the greatest wickedness? O let such take heed lest God hear them in a dreadful manner! I hope I speak to none of these; you (I trust) have a dread of God and of the things of eternity upon your spirits; let exempt on from Condemnation be the matter of your prayer: and do but join the right manner with the right matter, and this will secure your Souls forever. God never yet condemned a praying man: he that fears and prays, shall never feel what he fears and prays against.

Fifthly, Make sure of Faith, I mean true, saving, justifying Faith: where that is (yea but the least dram of it) there shall be no Condemnation. It secures from this, both as 'tis the Grace which unites to Christ, and also as 'tis the great condition of the Gospel upon which it promises life and salvation. Unbelief is the damning Sin, and Faith is the saving Grace. If thou beest a sincere Believer, 'tis not only, thou shalt not be condemned, but thou shalt most certainly be saved: both are sure from the frequent, often repeated declarations, attestations, promises of the word: the whole Gospel-revelation centers in this. God is as gracious to acquit, justify, save the Believer, as he is righteous to charge, punish, condemn the Unbeliever. He may set down what condition (or conditions) he pleases, in order to the giving out of his grace; which when they are performed, he is engaged to make good what he promises upon them. O therefore get faith! for this is the grand Gospel-condition; if you believe not, the Gospel itself cannot save you; if you believe, the Law itself cannot condemn you.

I do not enlarge upon these things, because that Direction which is proper to the Text, is this, As you desire No-condemnation get into Christ: so as to be in Christ Jesus. For they (and they only) are the persons who are out of the danger of Condemnation. The Privilege and the Subject are of the same extent and latitude; just so many as are in Christ are safe, and no more. If thou beest one of these, do not fear; if otherwise, do not flatter thyself with false, presumptuous, and ungrounded hopes. All that were not in the Ark perished in the common Deluge; all out of Christ are lost. When 'tis a Christ 'tis no Condemnation, when 'tis no Christ 'tis nothing but Condemnation. When the guilty pursued Malefactor had got into the City of Refuge, then he was secure: O thou poor awakened Sinner fly to Christ ('tis for the life of thy precious Soul), and get into Christ (the alone City of Refuge for the poor guilty Creature)! then Guilt many pursue thee, but it shall never hurt thee. And here I would admonish all to take up with nothing short of Union with Christ: You are members of the Church, but are you members of Christ? you are joined to the Church upon Baptism, but are you joined to Christ by a true and lively faith? here lies your security from Condemnation. The first Adam hath brought Guilt upon us (and consequently Death), how? we being united to him: So the second Adam frees us from this and makes over righteousness to us, how? in the same way and upon the same ground (viz) we being united to him: without this, all that Christ is, hath done or suffered, will avail us nothing. (But I shall more fully insist upon this in that which will follow).

Thirdly I would speak to those who are in Christ, to excite them to be very thankful and highly to admire the Grace of God: What? No condemnation? not one condemnation? O the riches, the heighths, bredths, depths, lengths of the love of God! How should such be even astonished because of this inexpressible mercy! They who deserve millions of condemnations, that yet there is not one condemnation belonging to them; they that have in them matter enough to condemn them over and over, that yet they shall never be condemned; how should God be admired by those to whom this blessedness belongs! Such as are not in this state, how should they be filled with self-awakening thoughts! such as are in this state, how should they be filled with God-admiring thoughts! O you that are in Christ, what will you think of this happiness when you shall see it accomplished? the truth is, as Sinners will never know, nor ever be suitably affected with their misery, till they feel it in Hell; so the Saints will never know, or be suitably affected with their happiness, till that day shall come wherein they shall be put into the possession of it in Heaven. When God shall pick and single you out of the common crowd, and shall say I here acquit you before all the world from all your guilt, I here pronounce you to be righteous persons, and I will by no means pass a condemnatory sentence upon you; (though I know what I might have done to you, and what I will do to others): I say, when it shall come to this, how will your Souls be drawn out (and if you had a thousand more Souls, how would they all be drawn out), in the adoring and magnifying of the Grace of God! But something should be done now whilst you are here, (though but in the hopes and expectation of this felicity). Where there is no condemnation there should be much thankfulness: How doth the Traitor admire the grace and clemency of his Prince, who sends him a pardon when he expected his trial and sentence to die?

And as you must be thankful to God the Father, so (in special) to Jesus Christ: 'tis he who hath saved you from wrath to come; 'tis he who was willing to be condemned himself, that he might free you from condemnation; judgment passed upon him [ he was taken from prison and from judgment ] that it might not pass upon you; he was made a curse that he might deliver you from the curse: when Adam had entailed guilt and wrath upon you, Christ came and cut off this sad entail, and procured justification for you. As by the offense of one, judgment came upon all to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all to justification of life. 'It is upon Union with him that there is no condemnation to you; O let your whole Soul go out in thankfulness to Christ! He as your Surety paid your debt, else you had been arrested and thrown into prison forever: in him there was nothing to deserve condemnation, and yet he was willing to be condemned; in you there is very much to deserve condemnation, and yet you shall never be condemned; here's the admirable, boundless, infinite love of Christ!

Lastly, The main tendency and drift of this Truth is Comfort to Believers: and what a full breast of Consolation is here for such as are in Christ! No condemnation to them? this no condemnation is the ground of all Consolation: what a word is here for Faith and Hope! O magnae spei verbum (as he cries out)! what a mighty support is here for poor doubting and dejected Souls! The great thing that such are afraid of, is Condemnation; but here's that which secures them from it: the assertion is very express and full, and 'tis grounded too upon a sure foundation, there is now no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus. O you that are in Christ, as your thankfulness should be high, so your joy should be high also! and what will raise your joy if this will not? 'Pray improve it upon all occasions and be cheerful. Set this against all the present evils you meet with: God afflicts you, but he will not condemn you; why should you be troubled? affliction becomes very tolerable upon No-condemnation; what though it be sickness, pain, loss of Relations, a low estate, so long as the soul is safe and the main state secured? there may be fiery trials here, but there's no unquenchable fire to burn in hereafter; O there's comfort. What are the comforts of this world if we shall be kept out of Heaven, and what are the crosses of this world if we shall be kept out of Hell? Take the wicked, there's condemnation at the bottom of all their good; take the Saints, there's Salvation at the bottom of all their evil. Again, men condemn you; ah but God will not condemn you: this is but man's day (where you may have the worst of it), but God's day is coming and then all will go on your side. O let it be a very little thing to you to be judged of man, so long as God doth and will acquit. You have Sin in you (too much God knows), yet 'tis no condemnation; and if sin itself (it being pardoned and washed away by the blood of Christ ), if this (I say) shall not condemn you, what then shall? After Paul's sad complaints of sin, yet he here says there's no condemnation: Condemn yourselves for sin you do, (and so you should do, provided this self-condemnation flow from Repentance, not from Unbelief ), but the great God (by whose judicial Sentence your everlasting state shall be ordered) will not condemn you for it. 'Twill be so far from this, that (as some Divines hold) the sins of Believers shall not be so much as mentioned at the great day. The Law is a condemning thing; 'tis so indeed (in itself), but 'tis not so to you who are in Christ. You must die and be judged; but welcome death, welcome judgment so long as there is no condemnation; why should you be afraid of these which will only let you see the accomplishment of what is here affirmed? This is the happiness of you who are in Christ, will you act faith upon it and take the comfort of it? I would have you live and die with this Cordial always by you, there is therefore now no condemnation, &c. And let me add, 'tis not only your privilege but your duty to rejoice because of this; 'tis not only you may, but you ought to be cheerful: you cannot be otherwise, unless you either distrust or disparage what is here spoken of. The Sinner hath no reason to be jocund and merry, for he is liable every moment to Condemnation; the Saint hath no reason to be dejected and pensive, for he is out of all danger of Condemnation. The Sinner is secure as though there was no Hell, and the Saint is sad and cast down as though there was no Heaven: the good Lord convince the one, and comfort the other.

I will close all with two words of advice: 1. Get assurance in your own Souls, that there is to you No Condemnation. 'It is a sad thing to live under peradventures about this; may be God will save, and may be too God will damn: to hang in doubtfulness 'twixt Heaven and Hell, is a very uncomfortable state. Were you but clear in your evidences about this Privilege, you could not but rejoice. Now in order to this, do but make sure of your Union with Christ, and that will assure you of No Condemnation.

2. Let this Happiness be a great incentive to Holiness: 'It is good to infer Duty from Mercy: Are you secured from Condemnation? what manner of persons should you be! How should you differ from others here, who shall so differ from others hereafter! Though Sin shall not condemn you, yet do you condemn it. I will end with an allusion to that of our Savior to the Woman taken in Adultery, Woman (saith Christ) where are those thine accusers? hath none condemned thee? she said. No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee, go, and Sin no more.

CHAP. II. Of the Saints Union with Christ.

TWo things have been observed in these Words, the Privilege, and the Subjects of that Privilege: I have done with the First, and go on now to the Second. Here is no Condemnation, (a very high and glorious Privilege); who 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 are the Persons to whom it belongs? Such as are in Christ Jesus. This I have hitherto but touched upon in the General; but am now to fall upon the more particular opening of it.

[To them which are in Christ Jesus]: Here are the two great Names or Titles of our blessed Lord, Christ with respect to God, Jesus with respect to us; he is God's Christ and our Jesus, God's Anointed and our Savior. But I do not intend in the least to stay upon these Titles; I will only speak to that one thing which here lies before me, (viz.) being in Christ Jesus.

To them [which are] in Christ Jesus: So we fill it up, but in the Original 'tis only to them in Christ Jesus. The Words are descriptive; the Apostle doth not design in them, to set down the Meritorious Cause of Non-condemnation, (no, not with respect to Christ himself ); but only to describe the Persons who have an interest therein: for he doth not say, there is no Condemnation because of Christ, or through Christ, (though that be very true); but there is no Condemnation to them who are in Christ. I grant that something argumentative may be fetched out of them, but in their first and main scope, they are descriptive.

Qu. What is it to be in Christ Jesus?

Answ. 'It is generally opened by that mystical Union which is betwixt Christ and Believers through the Spirit and Faith: To be in Christ, 'tis to be engrafted, incorporated, mystically united unto Christ. This Union in Scripture is set forth, sometimes by the Saints being in Christ, sometimes by Christ's being in them: Sometimes (I say) by their being in Christ; So here in the Text, and so in several other places. 1 Joh. 5.20. We are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. 2 Cor. 5.17. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature. 1 Cor. 1.30. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, &c. Then 'tis also set forth by Christ's being in them; 2 Cor. 13.5. Know ye not that Christ is in you except you be Reprobates? Col. 1.27. Christ in you, the hope of glory. Rom. 8.10. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, &c.

Now I conceive these two Expressions do both point to one and the same thing, ( viz. to the Spiritual and Mystical Union betwixt Christ and Believers): Yet possibly (as to some Modes and Circumstances ), there may be some difference betwixt them: Which a Reverend Person in a late Treatise thus sets forth:

Further, this Union in Scripture is set forth, sometimes by the Saints abiding in Christ, and Christ's abiding in them: Joh. 15.4. Abide in me, and I in you. 1 Joh. 3.24. Hereby we know, that he abideth in us, &c. Sometimes, by their dwelling in Christ, and Christ's dwelling in them: 1 Joh. 4.13. Hereby know we, that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. Joh. 6.56. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. Eph. 3.17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith. Sometimes by Christ's living in them, Gal 2.20. &c Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. Sometimes by that Oneness that is betwixt Christ and them, Joh. 17.21, 22. And some make that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that gathering together in one all things in Christ Eph. 1.10. to point to this Union. I dispute not about that, but certainly this is that which is here held forth, when the Apostle saith there is no Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.

It being so, my business then will be (as God shall assist), to discourse of that admirable and glorious Union which is betwixt Christ and Believers. 'It is a very high, and noble, and excellent Argument; O that I may (in some measure) reach the greatness, spiritualness, and glory of it! I will not at all insist upon the proving of the Thing, viz. that some persons are in Christ, or that there is this blessed Union 'twixt Christ and Saints; for the Scriptures 'forementioned sufficiently prove it, and I do not meet with any who deny it. Though there are some different Notions about it, and some different Explications of it, yet all grant there is such a thing: So that my only work will be, first to open and then to apply it.

And indeed there's great need of the former, because this Union is a very profound and abstruse point; 'tis a mystery (a very great mystery), a truth which lies very deep, and is not easily to be understood. All believe it, but few understand it; all grant the quod sit, but for the quid sit how much are the most knowing persons in the dark about it! The Apostle speaking of it calls it a great mystery, Eph. 5.32. and Col. 1.27. he sets it forth by the riches of the glory of this mystery (what's that? why) Christ in you the hope of glory. Indeed 'tis such a mystery, as that we shall never fully understand it till we come to Heaven, (where all mysteries shall be unfolded, and particularly this of the mystical Union ). Joh. 14.20. At [that day] ye shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you: that day refers either to the time when the Spirit should be given, (which is promised v. 16, 17), or to the glorified state (spoken of v. 19): upon the effusion of the Spirit men may come to know something of this Union, but it will never be fully understood by them, till they be in Glory. In the opening of it (so far as the present state and the height of the mystery will admit of), I must look into the Word, and keep to that, and fetch all from that; for 'tis Revelation and not Reason which here must give us Light. The Word having revealed it, Reason may be useful (as an Handmaid ) to shadow it out by such and such Resemblances, (thereby to help us the better to conceive of it); but that which must be our first and main Guide about it; is Scripture Revelation.

Now the Scripture speaks of a threefold Union:

• 1. There is the Union of three Persons in one Nature.
• 2. There is the Union of two Natures in one Person.
• 3. There is the Union of Persons, where yet Persons and Natures are distinct.

1. There is the Union of three Persons in one Nature. This is in the Trin-Unity, where you have three Persons united in the Godhead, the Trinity in Unity and the Unity in Trinity; One in Three (in respect of Nature and Essence ), and Three in One (in respect of Personality ). This is that ineffable, incomprehensible Union, which is between the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in the same common Nature of the Godhead. Of which the Apostle speaks 1 Joh. 5.7. There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one. Here are Three, and yet One; Three as to their distinct Personal Subsistences, and yet One as to their common Nature. This a Mystery to be adored, not to be fathomed; a Mystery much too deep for the Plummet of Reason to reach; he that by Reason would go about to grasp it, is as foolish as he that would attempt to put the Ocean into a bucket, or to grasp the Universe in the hollow of his hand.

2. There is the Union of two Natures in one Person: This is that which we commonly call the Hypostatical Union, or the Union of the two Natures in Christ (his Godhead and his Manhood ), both making up but one Person. You may thus conceive of it;