Sermons Preached on Romans 8, Chapter 1

Sermons Preached on Romans 8 · Chapter 1

p. 1ROM. 8.1.

There is therefore now no Condemnation to them which are in Chriſt Jeſus, who walk not after the Fleſh, but after the Spirit.

CHAP. I. Of Believers Exemption from Condemnation.

The Introduction to the Work. The Excellency of the Chapt. Its main Scope and Parts. How this firſt Verſe comes in. Paul in the preceding Chapt. compared with himſelf in this. The Propoſition divided into its Parts. The Praedicate in it [No Condemnation] firſt opened. Two Obſervations raiſed from the Words. The firſt ſpoken p. 2to. Seven things premiſed by way of Explication: As 1. 'Tis not no Affliction or no Correction, but no Condemnation: 2. 'Tis not no Matter of Condemnation, onelyonly no Condemnation de Facto: (this enlarg'd upon against the Romaniſts:) 3. 'Tis Gods Condemnation onelyonly which is here excluded, not the Condemnation of Man, o… of Conſcience, or of Satan: 4. Of the …mpo…t and ſignific…ncy of the P…r…i…le [Now] in his place…: 5. No Condemnation may be rendred Not one Condemnation: 6. Of the Indefiniteneſs of the Propoſition with reſpect to the Subject: 7. That the Poſitive is included in the Negative.—The Obſervation it ſelf more cloſely handled. Condemnation opened is to the Quid Nom…n… and the Quid Rei. It relates to Guilt, and Puniſhment; to the Sentence and State. 'Tis either Virtual or Actual. The Point confirmed by Parallel Scriptures; by a double Argument in the Text. The Firſt is couch'd in the Illative [Therefore], which points to Juſtification and Sanctification (both of which prove no Condemnation). The Second is grounded upon Ʋnion with Christ. Uſe 1. To ſhow the Miſery of ſuch who are not in Chriſt Jeſus. The dreadfulneſs of Condemnation ſet forth in five Particulars. Uſe 2. To exhort all to make ſure of No Condemnation. Six Directions touch'd upon about it. Uſe 3. To excite ſuch as are in Chriſt to be very thankeful. Uſe 4. Comfort to Believers.

I Purpoſe (with Gods leave and gracious aſſiſtance) in the revolution of my Miniſterial Labours, to go over this whole Chapter. 'Tis 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;**Math. 21.16.Matt 21:16 out of the p. 3mouths 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 ſteddy) relyance upon him whoſe Grace alone is**2 Cor. 12.9.2 Cor 12:9 ſufficient for me, I ſhall now enter upon this work (though it be vaſt and difficult).

Of the Excellency of this Chapter.And in the midſt of all my diſcouragements (which are very many God knows), yet I find my ſelf 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'le 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 entring upon). The Holy Bible is the Book of Books, in ſome (though not in equal) reſpects this Chapter may be ſtiled 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. 'Tis indeed the Epitome, Abridgement, Storehouſe of all the Saints Priviledges and Duties: You have in it the Love of God and of Chriſt diſplaid 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 lye open before them. Paul in it ſpeaks much of the bleſſed Spirit, and ſurely he was (more than ordinarily)**Eſt Caput aureum & inter omnia hujus Epiſtolae illuſtriſſimum; in quo cum de Spirtûs muneribus diſſerere ſtatuiſſet Apoſtolus, Spiritus ipſe Divinus pleno numine in ejus pectus illapſus videtur; cujus ideo ſuavitate & fragrantiâ ſingulis Verbis redolet, chariſmatibuſ que diffluit & exundat. Soto. 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 pitty that it is not better underſtood through the dimneſs of our light, nor better improv'd through the weakneſs of our Faith. May I in my poor endeavours be inſtrumental (but in the leaſt) to further theſe two in any, I hope I ſhall own it as an abundant recompence 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;Of its main Scope. 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 p. 4extreams. The truth is, the ſincere Chriſtian here treads upon nothing but Roſes and Violets, there's nothing but Hony 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.

The Diviſion of it into its Parts.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 reliques 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 reliques 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 Pauls 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**Rom. 7.24.Rom 7:24 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: The main 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 contain'd in this Firſt Part of the Chapter will fall either under the one or the other of theſe two Heads.

The Propoſition it ſelf is this, There is therefore now no Condemnation p. 5to 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 it ſelf. 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-chearing 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.

A great change in Paul.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**Rom. 7.14, 18, 15.Rom 7:14Rom 7:18Rom 7:15 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 rejoycing yea triumphing over ſin and all: From the depth of ſorrow he's got up to the higheſt pinacle 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**Pſal. 126.5.Ps 126:5 reaping in joy after a ſowing in Tears. Penitential ſorrow is foreign (as Chryſoſt. expreſſes it) the Mother (the Precurſor) of inward joy. God will heal where he thus wound, **Pſal. 147.3.Ps 147:3he healeth the broken in heart); ſuch p. 6as thus**Math. 5.4.Matt 5:4 mourn ſhall be comforted; theſe**Joh. 2.9.John 2:9 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,**Philip. 4.12.Phil 4:12 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 Pauls 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!

The Prop. conſidered in its parts.This being the Propoſition I will conſider it in its Parts: And ſo you have in it

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

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

1. By their Ʋnion 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).

Of the different readings of the words.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**Proinde nulla eſt Condemnatio iis qui non ambulant ſecundum carnem in Jeſu Chriſto. Verſ. Syr. 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'le paſs them by.

p. 7The 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.The Obſ. raiſed.

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.Of the firſt Obſervation. I begin with the Firſt; in the handling of which I will

1. chiefly ſpeak to the Priviledge, and only in a general way joyn 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.

Of the Firſt at this time.

For the better opening of which I muſt premiſe theſe ſeven things:Seven things premiſed for explications.

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. 'Tis one thing to be afflicted, another thing to be condemned; God may (and will) afflict his Children but he'le 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 withall 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**Quamvis Deus abſo…vit verè poenitentes ab omni poenâ ſatisfactoriâ propter Chriſti mortem, non tamen illos liberat abomni poenâ medicinali & caſtigatoriâ. Davenant. in Col 1.24. See of this Burg. of Juſtif. Lect. 4.5.10. Eaxt. Aphor. p. 68. &c. Boltons Bounds &c. p. 163. &c. Rutherf…. Survay, pa…, ch. 31.Col 1:24 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 Davids ſin yet he ſhall ſmart for it; his own Soul ſhall live but his Child ſhall dye as a puniſhment for his ſin: (See 2 Sam. 12.13, 14.) The Malefactor may not be condemn'd to dye, (as to his Life he may be acquitted), yet he may be judged to be whipp'd or p. 8burnt in the hand for his offence; 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**1 Kings 8.46.1 Kgs 8:46 there is no man that ſinneth not; **Jam. 3.2.Jas 3:2in many things we offend all; **1 Joh. 1.8.1 John 1:8if we ſay we have no ſin, we deceive our ſelves 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 it ſelf 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 rigour of his Juſtice and the purity of his Law)? ſurely yes! If it be prov'd 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 it ſelf). Thoſe evil thoughts and motions in the Heart (with which the beſt are ſo much peſtred), are not meer 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? p. 9God 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 foreign 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 conceiv'd it bringeth forth ſin, Jam. 1.13. This is the Doctrine of our(a)(a)Art. 9. Church, of the ancient(b)(b)Auguſt. lib. 1. contra duas Pelag. Ep. cap. 13. & lib. 3. contra Julian. cap. 3. (with ſeveral others cited in Chamier tom. 3. lib. 10. c. 10.) Fathers, of the Body of(c)(c)Vide Cham. tom. 3. lib. 10. c. 4. &c. Chemn. Exam. Decr. 5 Seſſ. p. 93. &c. Calv. Inſtit. lib. 3. c. 3. Daven. Det. Qu. 1. Ward. Determ. Theol. p. 136. &c. Proteſtants; (and they make it good by ſeveral Arguments of great ſtrength).

The(d)(d)The Council of Trent anathematizeth all who hold Concupiſcence (in renewed perſons and after Baptiſm) to be ſin. Seſſ. 5. Bellarm. de Amiſſ. Grat. lib. 5. cap. 7. Valentia de Pec. Orig. cap. 7 & 8. Perer. Quaeſt. ad Cap. 7. in Ep. ad Rom. Diſput. 7, 8, 9. 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(e)(e)Non tam ſignificat nullam eſſe Condemnationem juſtificatis in Chriſto ob Concupiſcentiam, quàm nihil eſſe in eis condemnatione dignum. Bellarm. de Am. Gr. lib. 5. cap. 7. Tollitur damnatio quantum ad Culpam & quantum ad poenam: Primus Motus habet quod non ſit Peccatum Mortale, ex eo quod rationem non attingit, in quâ completur ratio Peccati, &c. Aquin. in loc.—&c. Et conſiſtit differentia in hoc, quod inillis (juſtificatis nempe in Chriſto) nihil committitur damnabile, propter donum Chriſti tam externum quam internum; Intendit ita que per nullam damnationem nullum actum quo meremur damnari—Et dixit hoc ad diffetentiam Primorum Motuum, qui ſunt etiam apud juſtificatos in Chriſto, ut intelligamus illos non eſle materiam damnationis—Primi enim Motus non reddunt Sanctos damnabiles tum ob eorum imperfectionem, tum quia abſorbentur a copiâ Sanctarum actionum continuarum. Cajet. in loc.—Hinc patet nec concupiſcentiam, nec aliud quippiam in renatis eſſe peccatum damnatione dignum. A-Lap.—Non quod volo, ago &c. ex iis ſequitur involuntarios eſſe Concupiſcentiae motus in renatis ac juſtis, quibus proinde ad poenam imputari non poſſint. Eſt.—Quamvis Caro contra Spiritum inſultans moleſtias exhibeat iis qui ſunt in Chriſto Jeſu, nihil tamen eſt in iis damnatiois, quia dum non conſentiunt, non ipſi operantur illud, ſed peccatum quod per Concupiſcentiam habitat in Corde. Soto. 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 p. 10things, 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**Ad haec reſpondetur, dimitti Concupiſcentiam Carnis in Baptiſmo, non ut non ſit, ſed ut in peccatum non imputetur. Aug. de Nup. & Conc. lib. 1. cap. 25. 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, onelyonly '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? meerly 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(a)(a)Non dicit non eſſe pec…atum &c. ſed remitti propter Eidem in Chriſtum. Melanct. in Diſpoſ. Orat. ad Ep. ad Rom. p. 18. Credentibus nulla eſt Condemnatio, non per ſe quidem ſed ex accidenti, (h. e.) ex Dei miſericordiâ non imputantis eis peccata ad condemnationem. Parens in Reſp. ad Dub. 1.—Notandum eſt quod non dicit, Nihil condemnabile, aut foreign ſed foreign: Non dicit in Chriſtianis nihil eſſe amplius peccatorum, &c. ſed eſſe illos condemnationi quae peccato competit exemptos: Habent quidem & Sancti reliquias peccati verù extra condemnationem ſunt, proptet Gratiam Chriſti &c. Muſeul. Proteſtant Expoſitors open them, wherein their Opinions are ſo far from being ex Orco excitatae fetch'd from Hell, (as(b)(b)Diſput. 1. in Cap. 8. ad Rom. 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 Gods Condemnation onelyonly from which ſuch as are in Chriſt are exempted: the Univerſal Negative [No Condemnation] reaches no further than the ſupream, final, irreverſible condemnatory Sentence of the great God. As to this all in Chriſt are ſafe; but there is other Condemnation which they do lye 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**1 Cor. 6.2.1 Cor 6:2 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, **Heb. 11.7.Heb 11:7He prepared an Ark by which he p. 11condemned the World); and they will be condemning the Saints in that falſe judgement, thoſe ſharp cenſures which they are pleaſed to paſs upon them. What more common than for the Godly to have their perſons, practiſes, ſtrict walking, condemned by a miſtaken and malicious World! O they are Hypocrites, factious,**Ezra 4.15.Ezra 4:15 ſeditious, turbulent,**1 Kings 18.17.1 Kgs 18:17 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 innocency of their perſons ſullied, the goodneſs of their Cauſe blackened: Sometimes it riſes higher, men condemn Gods 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 it ſelf: thus the condemned world is a condemning world. But yet God condemns not (neither here nor hereafter): all this is but mans day and**1 Cor. 4.3.1 Cor 4:3 mans 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 Davids 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 thy ſelf 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 thy ſelf, 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. 'Tis 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 innocency 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 p. 12paſſing Sentence with reſpect to mens 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 Gods 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 ſupream 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 Gods Executioner he'le 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**Ex enditur interdum Condemnandi verbum etiam ad Accuſatorem ut idem ſit quod reum peragere, vel efficere ut quis damnetur. Calepin. Ego hoc uno crimine illum condemnem neceſſe eſt. Cic. in Ver. foreign. Plutarch. in Vit. Caeſ. 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 ſtiled the Accuſer of the Brethren, Rev. 12.10. but this will not ſatisfie him, he muſt condemn too (in the higher and ſtricter notion of the word), he is for abſolute, deciſive, p. 13irrepealable 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 buſie 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 Jaylor 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 onelyonly which is here denied.

4. Fourthly, The Particle [Now] is to be taken notice of: there is therefore [Now] no Condemnation, &c. **Magnum eſt pondus particulae Univerſalitèr negantis, & Adverbii praeſentis Temporis, à Syro interprete malè praetermiſſi.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. **Dicit nunc ut intelligamus quod de praeſentis vitae ſtatu loquitur, ne intelligeres quod ratione ſtatus futurae beatitudinis excludit omnem damnationem.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:**Joh. 3.19.John 3:19 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 Priviledge to p. 14thoſe 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). 'Tis therefore a falſe and venomous Gloſs which a great**Nunc (i. e.) his temporibus; opponit haec tempora allati & publicati Evangelii anteactis temportibus, praeſertim ſub Lege, quibus omnes in Commune loquendo damnationi ſubjecti erant; Nunc autem multis hominibus nulla eſt damnatio, & (ſi omnes vellent) nulla eſſet omnibus. Slichting. in loc. 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 lyable 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 Errours, 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 foreign 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. 'Tis 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]: foreign is as much as foreign; 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'm 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. 'Tis 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 p. 15is 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 Gods 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, foreign.

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 priviledge, (for the Indefinite here is equipollent to an Ʋniverſal). 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**Mirabilis ſanè eſt Apoſtoli prudentia, qui cum de vi peccati ſcriberet, eam expreſſit in perſonâ ſuâ, ut intelligeremus &c. Poſteà verò cum agitur de auxilio ſpiritus Chriſti, inducit perſonam aliorum, ne cuiquam in mentem veniret, non quoſlibet Chriſtianos frui hoc auxilio Dei, ſed tantum primarios quoſdam & eximios, quales fuerunt Apoſtoli. Pet. Martyr. Peter Martyr obſerves); for had he ſpoken in the Singular number (to me), many poor weak Chriſtians would have been afraid to have applyed this bleſſedneſs to themſelves; they would have been ready to object, Ah bleſſed Paul thou art high in Faith, eminent in Grace, therefore thou maiſt ſay there is no Condemnation to thee: but 'tis not ſo with us, we are but poor ſhrubs, meer dwarfs in Grace, 'tis not for us to lay hold upon ſo high a priviledge. 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 my ſelf. 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 Ʋnion being common the Non-condemnation is common too, for that is the ground of this. 'Tis 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 Pauls 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'll find I and me in every verſe): But now in this Eighth Chapter where he's treating of Priviledges, 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 p. 16ſpirit 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'll let others know it ſhall be juſt ſo with them too, therefore he adds) and not to me onelyonly, 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 Gods 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 compleatly 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 enquire 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 highten the thing ſpoken of: as in the Commandements, ſuch as are Negative carry an higher obligation in them than thoſe which are Poſitive, (for they oblige both ſemper and ad p. 17ſemper 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 chuſes to expreſs it in the Negative rather than in the Poſitive.

The Obſervat. more ſtrictly ſpoken to.Theſe things being premis'd, I come now to the more cloſe handling of the Point; There is no Condemnation to them who are in Chriſt Jeſus.

Here I'll ſhew

1. What this Condemnation is (which the perſons ſpoken of are ſecured from):

2. I'll make out the truth of the Aſſertion and give you the Grounds of it.

Condemnation opened.1. Firſt 'tis requiſite I ſhould a little open the Condemnation here mentioned. The word is foreign: here in this Verſe 'tis the Subſtantive; you have the Verb (v. 3.) and for ſin condemned, &c. (foreign); and the Participle (v. 34.) who is he that condemneth (foreign)? Sometimes 'tis ſet forth by foreign (as Math. 23.14. 1 Tim. 3.6. 2 Pet. 2.3. Rom. 3.8): ſometimes by foreign (as Joh. 3.19. Joh. 5.24): ſometimes by foreign (as 2 Cor. 3.9.) Theſe ſeveral words are promiſcuouſly uſed to ſignifie 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 foreign): 'tis a forenſick word relating to what is in uſe amongſt men in their Courts of Judicature. To condemn, Propriè 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 form'd againſt him, his offence is proved, upon this the Judge paſſes ſentence upon him, that he is guilty of that which is charg'd upon him, and then that he p. 18muſt undergo the penalty or penalties which are anſwerable to the nature and quality of his crime, (if that be Capital he muſt dye for it): So here, the impenitent, unbelieving ſinner is indicted, arraigned at Gods 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 Gods condemning or condemnation in alluſion to that condemnation which is amongſt men. Pareus makes it to be the damnatory ſentence of the Law, (that**Gal. 3.10.Gal 3:10 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 refers to Guilt and Punniſhment.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 [foreign] 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 defence or plea canſt thou make for thy ſelf? Alas! he is**Math. 22.12.Matt 22:12 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 (threatned 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 dye 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 offences [to Juſtification]; Therefore as by the offence 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 p. 19believeth, and is baptized, ſhall be [ſaved], but he that believeth not (foreign) 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.

Of the Sentence and State of Condemnation.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, onelyonly 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).

Condemnation Virtual or Actual.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 compleat 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 publick 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 p. 20not condemned, he that believeth not (foreign)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 Gods 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 Obſerv. proved.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 mans ſelf (in Hypotheſi), ſo there may be many doubts ariſing in the Soul concerning it; but as to the Thing it ſelf (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'le go no further), you will find a double Argument (or Ground) for the Non-condemnation of Believers.

The ſtrength and import the Illative [therefore] opened.1. The Firſt lies couch'd 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 enquire, 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): 'Tis 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 p. 21ſanctified part) he ſerved the Law of God, though with the fleſh (the carnal and unregenerate part) he ſerved the law of ſin. Now**Thus Bucer, Inſert ad illud in proximâ ſectione Gratias ago &c. Thus Pareus, Illatio eſt valdè vehemens ex praecedenti querelâ & Gratulatione. Thus Muſculus, Nulla Condemnatio &c. Quare? referendum eſt iſtud exordium ad Gratiarum actionem capitis praecedentis, quà dixit Gratias ago &c. Thus Tolet, Connexa eſt haec ſententia ultimis praecedentis capitis verbis, & ex ipſis deducitur. Pendet initium hoc tam ſauſtum & faelix, ex hoc quod ultimò dictum eſt in fine praecedentis. (Corn. Muſſus.) 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'le take in All; (yet I'le 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,

Non condemnation of Believers proved from their Juſtification.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. 'Tis 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 any thing to the charge of Gods 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, **Prov. 17.15.Prov 17:15for both are equally an abomination to the Lord: Now the juſtified perſon is a righteous perſon (for elſe what doth his juſtification ſignifie)? 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 p. 22faith 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 offences, 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 bottom'd, like the Handle in the Dial points to all that the Apoſtle had been ſpeaking of concerning juſtifying Grace).

2. The Priviledge is farther ſure upon Sanctification: From their 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 intrinſick 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,**Dum non eſſent in Chriſto & conſentirent concupiſcentiae, erat illis damnatio; Nunc autem cum ſint in Chriſto, & repugnent concupiſcentiae, nihil damnationis eſt illis, quamquam ex carne concupiſcant; quia non pugnatores ſed victi damnantur; nec eſt damnabile ſi exiſtant deſideria …rnalia, ſed ſi eis ad peccatum obediatur. Anſelm. (This muſt be underſtood of Condemnation in Event, and that too as grounded upon the meer Grace of God). 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 expreſt 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 p. 23where Grace is not, nothing ſhall damn where Grace is, The Sinner ſhall not live, the Saint ſhall not dye. O this Sanctification though it be imperfect yet how great good doth reſult from it! Paul had ſad remainders of ſin in him, but withall Grace was in him; he had his double ſelf, (as the Moraliſt expreſſes it foreign), 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 allow'd 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**With my mind I ſerve the Law of God. Ego, qui in me ſignifico quemlibet juſtum ſub gratiâ conſtitutum. Anſelm. Quod meo judicio tantam vim, tantam emphaſin habet, ut illi planè humanae naturae corruptionem ignorare videantur, ſi qui ſint, qui eam cum tali animi conſtitutione conſiſtere poſſe putant, niſi aliundè ſit aliquatenus immutata. Amyral. Conſid. cap. ſept. Ep. ad Rom. p. 16. (He might have gone higher …ha… aliquatenus immutata). 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: p. 24and theſe are the two great Pillars upon which the [Therefore] in the words is built.

From their union with Chriſt.The Text affords us another Argument or Ground of Non-condemnation, and that lies in the Subject it ſelf: 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 priviledge 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 Ʋnion? 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 inferiour 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 juſtifie and condemn too; his juſtice is ſatiſfied, he hath declared that he hath accepted of Chriſts 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 p. 25other. Come to ſin, that ſhall not; for that is pardoned, expiated by the blood of Chriſt; that is condemned it ſelf (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 onelyonly inſtanced in thoſe which the Text leads me to, for divers others might have been produced, as Gods eternal electing Love, the Covenant of Grace, the earneſt of the Spirit, &c. but theſe I paſs by. Nothing remains but the Application.

ƲSE 1. The miſery of all out of Chriſt.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 Aegyptians; the Point is not ſo full of Comfort to Believers but 'tis as full of Terrour to Unbelievers. Here's the very marrow and ſweetneſs of the Goſpel for the one, and yet withall 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 thy ſelf, 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 onelyonly is concerned in the Priviledge. Oh! you who are out of Chriſt, know it and be aſſured of it, there is Condemnation to you; you are condemned**Joh. 3.18.John 3:18 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 meer nothing, meer 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 p. 26Condemnation 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 dye 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 dye eternally. And yet how do you carry it? you pleaſe the fleſh, take your fill of ſenſual pleaſures, you**Amos 6.5, 6.Amos 6:5Amos 6:6 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 paſs'd upon you, and is ready to be executed every moment, yet all is well in your thoughts; what prodigious ſecurity is this!**Dan. 5.5, 6.Dan 5:5Dan 5:6 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 thy ſelf 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 **Haec cura omnes non omnino Atheos neceſſariò excruciat, & eſt triſtis conſcientiarum tortura. Pareus in loc. The dreadfulneſs of Condemnation ſet forth.Atheiſts, this Condemnation would affright and ſtartle them. Now do I ſpeak to any here of you as being under this woful 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. 'Tis God himſelf who will be your Judge, and who will paſs the condemnatory Sentence upon you. 'Tis ſomewhat terrible to be arraign'd and condemn'd at the Bar of man, but how much more terrible will it be to be arraign'd and condemn'd 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 hainous, 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 any thing from him ſuch is his Omniſciency, no reſiſting of him ſuch is his Omnipotency, no corrupting p. 27of 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 try'd and ſo condemn'd: is this nothing to you? And becauſe he will not himſelf immediately judge the world, but mediately by Chriſt (**Acts 17.31.Acts 17:31 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 every one 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 every one, &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 Saviour; what favour 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 terrour 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 tryed, 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 your ſelves 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 condemn'd, 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 dye a temporal death, and that's as high as they can go; but God (being an higher Judge, and greater offences being committed againſt him than what are committed by man againſt man), he inflicts a greater penalty, and his Sentence is to dye eternally: he doth not condemn to a Priſon, to an Axe or Gallows, (juſt to dye and then there's an end of all), O no! he ſentences to Death and p. 28eternal Death too. And this is no leſs, than the loſs of Gods love and favour 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 preheminence to the**Omnia Gehennae ſupplicia ſuperabit, Deum non videre, & bonis carere. Bernard de inter domo. cap. 38. See Bolton of the four laſt things, p. 95. &c. firſt: The Hell of Hell is the loſs of Heaven and of Gods Love. But both put together muſt needs make the Sinner extreamly 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 dye you ſhall never ſee God; and this is not all, for you ſhall alſo feel thoſe torments in**Vide Chryſ. ad pop. Antioch. Hom. 49. very full upon this, 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 lye 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 lye 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! 'Tis 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 dyes 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!**Iſ. 33.14.Isa 33:14 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 p. 29**See Calov. Socin. proflig. de morte aeternà, Contr. tertia, p. 11 13. Cloppenb. Compend. Socinian. cap. 8 p. 134. &c. (With many others).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 intreaties, 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**Matth. 13.30.Matt 13:30 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**Iſ. 43.13.Isa 43:13 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 Ʋnbeliever and Chriſtleſs perſon will not only be condemned by God, but he will alſo be condemned by himſelf: Self-condemnation will accompany Gods condemnation (and that is very miſerable). Next to being condemned by God, nothing ſo ſad as to be (foreign) 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 p. 30as 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**Jer. 2.17.Jer 2:17 procured this to thy ſelf? muſt not ſuch a courſe have ſuch an end? is not this the fruit of thy ſin? This will highly juſtifie 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**Per apertionem librorum ſignificatur, ut unicuique conſcientia ſua (nec enim opus erit teſtibus externis) ſuggeſtura ſit omnem ſuam vitam. Voſſ. de Extr. Judicio. 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 lye under the ſenſe and conviction of this, that they have fooliſhly and wilfully 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 pitty the Traitor that dyes 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**Matth. 23.37.Matt 23:37 have gathered them as the Hen gathers her Chickens, but they would not; and therefore now their Souls are loſt forever. O Sinner!**Hoſ. 13.9.Hos 13:9 thy deſtruction is of thy ſelf; and the conſideration of this will ſadly gnaw upon thy Conſcience forever; this is the worm that never dyes. The Jews when they had adjudged a Malefactor to dye, 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 Saviour ſaid**Matth. 27.25.Matt 27:25 His blood be on us and our children): Thus Chriſt when he ſhall have paſs'd the dreadful Sentence of eternal Death upon the impenitent and unbelieving, he'll 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 terrifie ſecure Chriſtleſs Sinners? p. 31You 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;**Undique erunt tibi anguſtiae: hinc erunt accuſantia peccata, tremeda juſtitia, ſubter patens horridum Chaos, deſuper iratus Judex, intùs Vermis Conſcientiae, foris ardens mundus. Be…n. de Conſc. 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.

ƲSE 2. To exhort all to make ſure of exemption from Condemnation.Secondly, I would exhort you to make ſure of this exemption from Condemnation, to labour to be in the number of thoſe to whom there is no Condemnation: 'Tis 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 endeavours as theſe! what pitiful trifles and very Nothings are all other things in compariſon of theſe! 'Tis 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 honours, 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 lye under? then you'l ſay ſomething which will ſuit my condition: Why (Sirs!) you trouble your ſelves about the getting of wealth, the greatning of your ſelves in the world, but you do not conſider you are condemned men: ſuch you were as you came into the world, **Rom. 5.18.Rom 5:18By 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 p. 32you to do but to get out of this Condemnation? 'Tis to be feared that the greateſt part of men (not out of any want of mercy in God, or from any thing to be charged upon God, but meerly 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 lye 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, **Heb. 2.3.Heb 2:3How ſhall we eſcape if we neglect ſo great Salvation?) but alſo more intolerable: 'twill be Condemnation with an Accent or Emphaſis to you,**Joh. 3.19.John 3:19 This is the Condemnation, that light is come into the world, &c. The Scripture ſpeaks of**Matth. 23.14.Matt 23:14 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 dye 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).**Matth. 12.23, 24.Matt 12:23Matt 12:24 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.

What perſons are to do, that it may be No-Condemnation.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 enlarg'd upon; but I will give you only five or ſix, and be but ſhort upon them.

Firſt,1. Dir. 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? p. 33that it ſhould dye rather than you ſhould dye? 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;**Rom. 6.23.Rom 6:23 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 Gods 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**Heb. 11.25.Heb 11:25 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 my ſelf, 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 mans 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 your ſelves, 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 endeavour after Ʋniverſal Holineſs? theſe things muſt be enquired 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 your ſelves 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 p. 34they may live in ſin and yet relye upon Gods 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 it ſelf will be a ſad confutation to them.

Secondly,2. Dir. Condemn your ſelves and God will not condemn you. Self-condemnation prevents Gods 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 numbring 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 hainouſneſs of ſin) condemns himſelf, God will not condemn him too.**1 Cor. 11.31.1 Cor 11:31 If we would judge our ſelves, we ſhould not be judged of the Lord: (and ſo here as to Condemnation.) The penitent ſelf judger is ſafe; the**Luk. 18.14.Luke 18:14 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'le acquit him; he condemns below, and therefore I'le abſolve above.

Thirdly,3 Dir. 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,**Rom. 5.1.Rom 5:1 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 reconcil'd? 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)**Math. 5.25, 26.Matt 5:25Matt 5:26 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,4 Dir. Pray that it may be to you exemption from Condemnation. You would have Others, your Selves, delivered from it, p. 35but 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 any thing with you, burn, cut, lance, modò 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**Luk. 22.40.Luke 22:40 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!Pſal. 30.9.Ps 30:9 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 magnifie thy name forever. If God give you an heart thus to pray for this mercy (the mercy of mercies), 'tis to be hop'd he will not with-hold if from your. 'Tis good to pray now whilſt prayer will do you good; when the Sentence is once paſs'd, 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 to day, 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 defie 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 joyn 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.

p. 36Fifthly,5 Dir. 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 be'ſt 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, juſtifie, ſave the Believer, as he is righteous to charge, puniſh, condemn the Unbeliever. He**Gratia Dei ſperanda eſt & acceptanda ad normam & propoſitum miſerentis Dei, (reque enim convenit, or qui…condemnationis reuseſt, formulas Gratiae praeſcribat ei à quo juſtè poteſt condemnari), ſed requiritur, ut praeſcriptum Gratiae ab allo accipiat & grato animo amplectatur. (Muſcul. in praefat. ad Ep. ad Rom.) 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 it ſelf cannot ſave you; if you believe, the Law it ſelf cannot condemn you.

I do not enlarge upon theſe things,6 Dir. 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 Priviledge 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 thy ſelf 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 Ʋnion with Chriſt: You are members of the Church, but are you members of Chriſt? you are joyned to the Church upon Baptiſm, but are you joyned 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: p. 37So 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).

ƲSE 3. Believers are to admire God for exemption from Condemnation.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 tryal and ſentence to dye?

And as you muſt be thankful to God the Father, ſo (in ſpecial) to Jeſus Chriſt: 'tis he**1 Theſ. 1.10.1 Thess 1:10 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 [**Iſ. 53.8.Isa 53:8 he was taken from priſon and from judgment] that it might not paſs upon you; he was**Gal. 3.13.Gal 3:13 made a curſe that he might deliver you from the curſe: when Adam p. 38had entail'd guilt and wrath upon you, Chriſt came and cut off this ſad entail, and procur'd juſtification for you.**Rom. 5.18.Rom 5:18 As by the offence 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. 'Tis upon Ʋnion 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!

ƲSE 4. Comfort to all in 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 crys out)! what a**Ut fruſtra ſibi blanditur homo carnalis, ſi de emendandâ vitâ nihil ſollicitus, hu…us gratiae praetextu impunitatem ſibi promittat: Ita habent trepidae piorum conſcientiae invictum propugnaculum, quòd dum in Chriſto manent, ſciunt ſe eſſe extra omne damnationis periculum. (Calv. in loc.) 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 chearful. 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**1 Pet. 4.12.1 Pet 4:12 fiery tryals here, but there's no**Mark 9.43.Mark 9:43 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**1 Cor. 4.3.1 Cor 4:3 mans day (where you may have the worſt of it), but Gods 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 p. 39it ſelf (it being pardoned and**Rev. 1.5.Rev 1:5 waſhed away by the blood of Chriſt), if this (I ſay) ſhall not condemn you, what then ſhall? After Pauls ſad complaints of ſin, yet he here ſays there's no condemnation: Condemn your ſelves for ſin you do, (and ſo you ſhould do, provided this ſelf-condemnation flow from Repentance, not from Ʋnbelief), 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**Hinc fidelium peccata non prodibunt in judicium. Quum enim in iſtâc vitâ per ſententiam juſtificationis tecta ſunt & ablata, & ultimum illud judicium confirmatio erit & manifeſtatio ejuſdem ſententiae, non eſſet conſentaneum ut in lucem denuo tum temporis proferantur. (Ameſ. Med. lib. 1. cap. 41.) 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 it ſelf), but 'tis not ſo to you who are in Chriſt. You muſt dye 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 dye with this Cordial always by you, there is therefore now no condemnation, &c. And let me add, 'tis not only your priviledge but your duty to rejoyce 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'le cloſe all with two words of advice: 1. Get aſſurance in your own Souls, that there is to you No Condemnation. 'Tis 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 Priviledge, you could not but rejoyce. Now in order to this, do but make ſure of your Ʋnion with Chriſt, and that will aſſure you of No Condemnation.

2. Let this Happineſs be a great incentive to Holineſs: 'Tis 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 p. 40ſhall not condemn you, yet do you condemn it. I'le end with an alluſion to that of our Saviour to the Woman taken in Adultery,**Joh. 8.10, 11.John 8:10John 8:11 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.