Thirdly, Sin is slain Naturally, as well as Civilly; Christ hath given it its deaths wound, by his death, and resurrection. He hath given sin such a wound, that it cannot be long lived, though it may linger a while in a Saint, (as a Tree that's cut at the root with a sore gash, or two, must dye within a year, perhaps a month, nay, it may be within a week, though for a time it may flourish, it may have leaves and fruit, yet it secretly dies, and will very shortly wither and perish.) The Lord Jesus hath given sin such a mortal wound, by his death and Spirit, and by the communication of his favour and grace to the soul, that sin shall never recover its strength more, but dye a lingering death, in the souls of the Saints. Christ did not dye all at once upon the Cross, but by little and little. To show us, that his death should extend to the slaying of sin gradually, in the souls of the Saints. When our Enemy hath a mortal wound, we say, he is a dead man, his wound is mortal: So when Jesus Christ hath given sin such a deadly wound such a mortal blow, that it shall never recover its strength and power more; we may truly say, 'Tis dead, 'tis slain: Therefore cheer up, Oh weak souls, for certainly sin that is thus slain, can never provoke Jesus Christ to give you a Bill of Divorce. Ah that all weak Christians would (like the Bee) abide upon these sweet flowers, and gather Honey out of them, &c.
Thirdly, Sin is slaine Naturally, as well as Civilly; Christ hath given it its deaths wound, by his death, and resurrection. He hath given sin such a wound, that it cannot be long liv'd, though it may linger a while in a Saint, (as a Tree that's cut at the root with a sore gash, or two, must dye within a year, perhaps a month, nay, it may be within a week, though for a time it may flourish, it may have leaves and fruit, yet it secretly dies, and will very shortly wither and perish.) The Lord Jesus hath given sin such a mortall wound, by his death and Spirit, and by the communication of his favour and grace to the soule, that sin shall never recover its strength more, but dye a lingring death, in the soules of the Saints. Christ did not dye all at once upon the Crosse, but by little and little. To shew us, that his death should extend to the slaying of sin gradically, in the soules of the Saints. When our Enemy hath a mortall wound, we say, he is a dead man, his wound is mortall: So when Jesus Christ hath given sin such a deadly wound such a mortall blow, that it shall never recover its strength and power more; we may truly say, 'Tis dead, 'tis slaine: Therefore cheere up, Oh weak soules, for certainly sin that is thus slaine, can never provoke Jesus Christ to give you a Bill of Divorce. Ah that all weak Christians would (like the Bee) abide upon these sweet flowers, and gather Honey out of them, &c.
