Of Communion with God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

what need we his Spirit of life to quicken us, but that we are dead in trespasses and in sins?

what need we his Spirit of life to quicken us, but that we are dead in trespasses and in sinnes?

3. The Death of sin; sin dying in us, now in some §. 29 measure whilst we are alive. This is a third Concernment of sin, which it is our wisdom to be acquainted with, and it is hid only in Christ. There is a two fold dying of sin. 1. As to the exercise of it in our mortal members. 2. As to the root, principle, and power of it in our souls. The first indeed may be learned in part, out of Christ. Christless men, may have sin dying in them, as to the outward exercise of it. Mens bodies may be disabled for the service of their lusts, or the practice of them may not consist with their interest. Sin is never more alive, ^athen when it is thus dying. But there is a dying of it as to the root, the principle of it, the daily decaying of the strength, power and life of it, and this is to be had alone in Christ. Sin is a thing that of it self, is not apt to dye, or to decay, but to get ground, and strength, and life in the subject wherein it is, to eternity: prevent all its actual eruptions, yet its Original enmity against God will still grow. In Believers it is still dying and decaying, until it be utterly abolished. The opening of this treasury you have Rom. 6. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. &c Know you not, that as many of us, as were baptized in Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the Glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life; for if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his Resurrection; knowing this that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that hence forth we should not serve sin. This is the design of the Apostle in the beginning of that Chap. not only to manifest whence is the principle & rise of our Mortification & the death of sin, even from the death & blood of Christ, but also the manner of sins continuance & dying in us, from the manner of Christs dying for sin: he was crucified for us, & thereby sin was crucified in us: he dyed for us, and the body of sin is destroyed that we should not serve sin: that as he was raised from the dead that death should not have dominion over him, so also are we raised from sin, that it should not have dominion over us. This wisdom is hid in Christ only.