Accordingly he fays, in another place, if fo be that we fuffer with him. How fuffer with him? He means, in his caufe, and by affiftance derived from him. This is a part of conformity to Chrift, as well as that he makes their fufferings his own, by tenderly sympathizing with them, ftrengthening and rewarding them.-There is implied in being crucified with Chrift,

First, A refufing obedience to the ceremonial law, as being no longer neceffary to falvation. It was only temporary. The defign being fulfilled, it ceafed to be of farther ufe. The law, fays the Apostle, was our fchoolmafter, to bring us unto Chrift, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a fchoolmaster. Though certain erroneous teachers held that it was ftill obligatory, yet he declares, that he was crucified with Chrift; that his death put an end to this legal fervice. When he said, It is finished, this law was abolished, and a new difpenfation introduced.

Secondly, There is implied a chearfulness in undergoing all that scorn and contempt with which a firm adherence to the doctrine of the cross was attended. Chrift crucified was unto the Jews a ftumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness. Notwithstanding the offence of the cross, the oppofition to it, and the reproach to which the promoters of it were expofed, the Apoftle was not afbamed of the Gospel of Chrift. While his enemies in the church constrained their profelytes to be circumcised, and gloried in it, he rejected, with deteftation, the thought of glorying, fave in the cross of our Lord Jefus Chrift.

Suffice it juft to mention thefe, as what may be implied when we confider the scope of the epistle, and the circumftances of Chriftians in the primitive ftate of the church.

Thirdly,

Thirdly, There is implied in this expreffion, a partaking of the merits of the death of Chrift, and the being dead to the moral law, in the manner mentioned in the preceding verse. As in this and other places, the ceremonial law is to be understood, fo the moral law is evidently to be included.

The believer is juftified on account of the perfect obe-. dience and meritorious death of Chrift; the one answering to the precept of the law, and the other to the violation of it. Neither of these can be performed in his own perfon, the law admitting of no less than a perfect obedience, and the fatisfaction it requires being infinite. This inability does not arife from any infufficiency in the law, but from that weakness in man which has taken place fince the fall. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God fending his own Son in the likeness of finful flesh, and for fin condemned fin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us. Jefus Chrift, being every way equal to the work of redemption, hath obeyed and fuffered as the reprefentative of all his fpiritual feed. This righteoufness is imputed to the believer. He is crucified with Chrift. The demands of the law are anfwered for him by Chrift, and accepted by God. In the plan of redemption, it is accounted the fame as if the believer had done it perfonally.

In the first covenant, Adam, reprefenting his pofterity, by his failure, involved them in fin and mifery: In the second covenant, Chrift, reprefenting his chosen, restores them to the favour of God. For as by one man's disobedience many were made finners; fo by the obedience of one, fball many be made righteous. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Chrift Jefus. The believer renounces his own righteoufnefs as the ground of confidence

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confidence before God. Any thing he does or fuffers is neither whole nor part of the righteousness which faves him. The Apostle, in the third chapter of his epiftle to the Philippians, sets this matter in a clear point of light. If any other man, says he, thinketh that he bath whereof be might trust in the flesh, I more. Then having fummed his privileges, and told us, that touching the righteousnefs which is in the law, he was blameless, he adds, But what things were gain to me, those I counted lofs for Chrift., Yea doubtless, and I count all things but lofs, for the excellency of the knowledge of Chrift Jefus my Lord: for whom I have fuffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung that I maywin Chrift, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Chrift, the righteousness which is of God by faith.-This righteoufnefs, which is imputed to the believer, as the only foundation of his acceptance with God, and title to eternal life, does not fuperfede the neceffity of an inherent righteousness. The pardon of fin and the deftruction of it in the foul, are infeparable; and therefore,

In the fourth place, There is implied, in being crucified with Chrift, an experience of the efficacy of his death. This is no doubt an important, if not the principal idea in the words, and which we find plainly expreffed in the following paffages: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of fin might be deftroyed, that henceforth we should not ferve fin. And they that are Chrift's have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lufts. By the body of fin in the one place, and the flesh in the other, is meant that corrupt nature which mankind inherit fince their apoftacy; that evil propenfity and oppofition to holiness which is in us. It has been called the

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power or dominion of fin, and confifts in want of conformity to God, and a difpofition to offend.

The person who is crucified with Chrift is, in fome measure, brought to this conformity, the power of fin being fubdued. The obedience and death of Chrift produce this, as in confequence of thefe, the Holy Spirit creates anew the heart, and cherishes holy defires and refolutions. Under the influence of this bleffed agent, the believer is fanctified and prepared for the enjoyment of God. The great means of carrying on this work, are the truths of the everlasting Golpel, especially thofe which refpect the fufferings and death of the Saviour.

The contemplation of this amazing object crucifies fin in the foul. Here is a display of the holiness and justice of God. He is fo holy, that he will manifeft his abhorrence of fin; and so juft, that he will by no means clear the guilty. These perfections of Deity, fhining in the sufferings of Chrift, burn up the drofs of fin, and infpire with the ftrongest deteftation against it. Here is a display of love and mercy fufficient to melt the foul, and stir up every grateful feeling. Holiness, justice and mercy are fweetly blended. Sin is punished, and the finner faved. Pardon is free and unbounded, and yet fin discountenanced, nay effectually deftroyed, expires on the crofs. Every view the believer takes of his bleeding Saviour, fin receives a wound. He looks upon Him whom he has pierced, and mourns. He fuffers real agony, in that his fins were the occafion of his bitter death; his fins, the nails and spear that pierced his facred body, and opened those wounds which streamed falvation to the children of men. Thus is the believer crucified with Chrift; and the death of fin in him refembles a crucifixion. It was a painful, fhameful, lingering and accurfed death; and fo is the death of fin.

It is painful. The first entrance upon a religious courfe is difficult; and the more, where fin has long had the dominion. Converfion is a ftrait gate through which we must pass, and holiness a narrow way, in which we must walk to eternal life. The finner's return to God is likened by our Saviour to a fecond birth, and, among other reasons, because it is painful. The Chriftian life is compared to a race, to a fight, and fuch things in which vigorous exertions are required. There are many lufts, dear as a right eye and a right hand, which must be plucked out and cut off. If any man will come after me, fays Christ, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. We must be denied to ourselves and to the world; difficulties are to be furmounted, temptations refifted, injuries forgiven, and reproaches endured. This is a painful work; often like to be overcome, and still renewing the combat. The Apostle, groaning under the weight of corruption, cried, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death!

Again, It is fhameful. When iniquities prevail, the believer is covered with fhame and confufion of face. This may rife to fuch a degree, that he will be tempted to cease from seeking God. After a base and ungrateful conduct, he is afraid to appear in the Divine presence; when he does, he abbors himself and repents in duft and afbes. The Pfalmift, convinced of his error, made this acknowledgment, So foolish was I and ignorant: I was as a beaft before thee. When the Saviour, after an unkind and untender walk, condefeends to give us tokens of his love, and fhew us, as he did unbelieving Thomas, his hands and his fide, how is fin crucified with fhame!

Again, The death of fin is very lingering. It is dying from the moment Chrift is formed in the foul, till glory commences. To what end are the means of grace? To

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