Chapter V: Part 5

7. If to this lively conviction of thy inward and outward sins, of thy utter guiltiness and helplessness, there be added suitable affections sorrow of heart, for having despised thy own mercies, remorse and self-condemnation, having the mouth stop’d, shame to lift up thine eyes to heaven; fear of the wrath of God abiding on thee, of his curse hanging over thy head, and of the fiery indignation ready to devour those who forget God, and obey not our Lord Jesus Christ: earnest desire to escape from that indignation, to cease from evil and learn to do well: then I say unto thee, in the name of the Lord, _thou art not far from the kingdom of God_. One step more and thou shalt enter in. Thou dost _repent_. Now, _believe the gospel_.

8. _The gospel_ (that is, good tidings, good news for guilty, helpless sinners) in the largest sense of the word, means, the whole revelation made to men by Jesus Christ: and sometimes the whole account of what our Lord did and suffered, while he tabernacled among men. The substance of all is, _Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners_. Or, _God so loved the world, that, he gave his only begotten Son, to the end we might not perish, but have everlasting life_. Or, _he was bruised for our transgressions, he was wounded for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed_.

9. Believe this and the kingdom of God is thine. By faith thou attainest the promise. “He pardoneth and absolveth all that truly repent and unfeignedly believe his holy gospel.” As soon as ever God hath spoken to thy heart “Be of good chear, thy sins are forgiven thee,” his kingdom comes; thou hast righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

10. Only beware thou do not deceive thy own soul, with regard to the nature of this faith. It is not (as some have fondly conceived) a bare assent to the truth of the bible, of the articles of our creed, or of all that is contained in the old and new testament. The devils believe this, as well as I or thou, and yet they are devils still. But it is, over and above this, a sure trust in the mercy of God through Christ Jesus. It is a confidence in a pardoning God. It is a divine evidence or conviction, that _God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing to them their former trespasses_: and in particular, that the Son of God hath loved _me_ and given himself for _me_: and that I, even I, am now reconciled to God by the blood of the cross.

11. Dost thou thus believe? Then the peace of God is in thy heart, and sorrow and sighing flee away. Thou art no longer in doubt of the love of God: it is clear as the noon-day sun. Thou cryest out, _My song shall be always of the loving kindness of the Lord: with my mouth will I ever be telling of thy truth, from one generation to another_. Thou art no longer afraid of hell, or death, or him that had once the power of death, the devil: no, nor painfully afraid of God himself; only thou hast a tender, filial fear of offending him. Dost thou believe? Then thy _soul doth magnify the Lord, and thy spirit rejoiceth in God thy Saviour_. Thou rejoicest in that thou hast _redemption thro’ his blood, even the forgiveness of sins_. Thou rejoicest in that _Spirit of adoption, which crieth in thy heart, Abba, Father!_ Thou rejoicest in a _hope full of immortality_, in reaching forth unto the _mark of the prize of thy high calling_; in an earnest expectation of all the good things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

12. Dost thou now believe? Then _the love of God_ is now _shed abroad in thy heart_. Thou lovest him, because he first loved us. And because thou lovest God, thou lovest thy brother also. And being filled with _love_, _peace_, _joy_, thou art also filled with _long-suffering_, _gentleness_, _fidelity_, _goodness_, _meekness_, _temperance_, and all the other fruits of the same Spirit: in a word, with whatever dispositions are holy, are heavenly or divine. For while thou _beholdest with open_, uncovered _face_, (the veil now being taken away) _the glory of the Lord_, his glorious love, and the glorious image wherein thou wast created, _thou art changed into the same image, from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord_.

13. This repentance, this faith, this peace, joy, love; this change from glory to glory, is what the wisdom of the world has voted to be madness, mere enthusiasm, utter distraction. But thou, O man of _God_, regard them not: be thou moved by none of these things. Thou knowest in whom thou hast believed. See that no man take thy crown. Whereunto thou hast already attained hold fast; and follow, till thou attain all the great and precious promises. And thou who hast not yet known him, let not vain men make thee ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Be thou in nothing terrified by those who speak evil of the things which they know not. God will soon turn thy heaviness into joy. O let not thy hands hang down. Yet a little longer, and he will take away thy fears, and give thee the spirit of a sound mind. _He is nigh that justifieth: who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died; yea rather that rose again; who is even now at the right-hand of God, making intercession for thee._ Now cast thyself on the Lamb of God, with all thy sins, how many soever they be; and _an entrance shall_ now _be ministred unto_ thee, _into the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ_!

SERMON VIII.

THE FIRST-FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT.

ROM. viii. 1.

_There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in
Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the
Spirit._

1. BY _them which are in Christ Jesus_, St. _Paul_ evidently means, those who truly believe in him: those who _being justified by faith, have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ_. They who thus believe do no longer _walk after the flesh_, no longer follow the motions of corrupt nature: but _after the Spirit_: both their thoughts, words and works, are under the direction of the blessed Spirit of God.

2. _There is therefore now no condemnation to_ these. There is no condemnation to them from God: for he hath _justified_ them _freely by his grace, thro’ the redemption that is in Jesus_. He hath forgiven all their iniquities, and blotted out all their sins. And there is no condemnation to them from within: for they _have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that they might know the things which are freely given to them of God:[23] Which Spirit beareth witness with their spirits, that they are the children of God_. And to this is added, _the testimony of_ their _conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God_, they _have had_ their _conversation in the world_.[24]

3. But because this scripture has been so frequently misunderstood, and that in so dangerous a manner, because such multitudes of _unlearned and unstable men_, (οἱ ἀμαθεῖς καὶ ἀστήρικτοι, men untaught of God, and consequently unestablished in _the truth which is after godliness_) have _wrested_ it _to their own destruction_. I propose to shew as clearly as I can, first, who those are _which are in Christ Jesus, and walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit_; and secondly, how _there is no condemnation to_ these. I shall conclude with some practical inferences.

I. 1. First, I am to shew, who those are that _are in Christ Jesus_. And are they not, those who believe in his name? Those who are _found in him, not having_ their _own righteousness, but the righteousness which is of God by faith_? These, who _have redemption through his blood_, are properly said, to be _in him_. For _they dwell in Christ and Christ in them_. They are _joined unto the Lord in one Spirit_. They are ingrafted into him as branches into the vine. They are united, as members to their head; in a manner which words cannot express, nor could it before enter into their hearts to conceive.

2. Now _whosoever abideth in him, sinneth not; walketh not after the flesh_. The flesh, in the usual language of St. _Paul_, signifies corrupt nature. In this sense, he uses the word, writing to the _Galatians_. _The works of the flesh are manifest_, Gal. v. 19. And a little before, _Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust_ (or desire) _of the flesh_ (_v._ 16.) To prove which, namely, that those who _walk by the Spirit, do not fulfil the lust of the flesh_, he immediately adds, _for the flesh lusteth against the Spirit; but the Spirit lusteth against the flesh (for these are contrary to each other) that ye may not do the things which ye would_. So the words are literally translated, (ἵνα μὴ ἃ ἂν θέλητε, ταῦτα ποιῆτε) Not, _so that ye cannot do the things that ye would_, as if the flesh overcame the Spirit: a translation which hath not only nothing to do with the original text of the apostle, but likewise makes his whole argument nothing worth, yea, asserts just the reverse of what he is proving.

3. _They who are of Christ_, who _abide in him have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts_. They abstain from all those works of the flesh; from _adultery and fornication_, from _uncleanness and lasciviousness_; from _idolatry_, _witchcraft_, _hatred_, _variance_; from _emulations_, _wrath_, _strife_, _sedition_, _heresies_, _envyings_, _murders_, _drunkenness_, _revellings_: from every design, and word and work, to which the corruption of nature leads. Altho’ they feel the root of bitterness in themselves, yet are they endued with power from on high, to trample it continually under foot, so that it cannot _spring up to trouble them_: insomuch that every fresh assault which they undergo, only gives them fresh occasion of praise, of crying out, _Thanks be unto God, who giveth us the victory, thro’ Jesus Christ our Lord_.

4. They now _walk after the Spirit_, both in their hearts and lives. They are taught of him to love God and their neighbour, with a love which is _as a well of water, springing up into everlasting life_. And by him they are led into every holy desire, into every divine and heavenly temper, till every thought which arises in their heart, is holiness unto the Lord.

5. They who _walk after the Spirit_, are also led by him, into all holiness of conversation. Their speech is _always in grace, seasoned with salt_, with the love and fear of God. _No corrupt communication comes out of their mouth, but_ only _that which is good_; that which is _to the use of edifying_, which is _meet to minister grace to the hearers_. And herein likewise do they exercise themselves day and night, to do only the things which please God: in all their outward behaviour to follow him, _who left us an example that we might tread in his steps_: in all their intercourse with their neighbour to walk in justice, mercy and truth; and _whatsoever they do_, in every circumstance of life, to _do all to the glory of God_.

6. These are they who indeed _walk after the Spirit_. Being filled with faith and with the Holy Ghost, they possess in their hearts, and shew forth in their lives, in the whole course of their words and actions, the genuine fruits of the Spirit of God, namely, _love_, _joy_, _peace_, _long-suffering_, _gentleness_, _goodness_, _fidelity_, _meekness_, _temperance_, and whatsoever else is lovely or praise-worthy. They _adorn in all things the gospel of God our Saviour_; and give full proof to all mankind, that they are indeed actuated by the same Spirit, _which raised up Jesus from the dead_.

II. 1. I proposed to shew, in the second place, How _there is no condemnation to them, which are_ thus _in Christ Jesus_, and thus _walk, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit_.

And, first, To believers in Christ, walking thus, _there is no condemnation_ on account of their past sins. God condemneth them not for any of these: they are as tho’ they had never been. They are _cast as a stone into the depth of the sea_, and he remembreth them no more. God having _set forth his Son to be a propitiation for them, thro’ faith in his blood, hath declared_ unto them _his righteousness, for the remission of the sins that are past_. He layeth therefore none of these to their charge; their memorial is perished with them.

2. And there is no condemnation in their own breast; no sense of guilt, or dread of the wrath of God. They _have the witness in themselves_; they are conscious of their interest in the blood of sprinkling. _They have not received again the spirit of bondage unto fear_, unto doubt and racking uncertainty; but they _have received the Spirit of adoption, crying in their hearts, Abba, Father_. Thus being _justified by faith, they have_ the _peace_ of God ruling in their hearts: flowing from a continual sense of his pardoning mercy, and _the answer of a good conscience toward God_.

3. If it be said, But sometimes a believer in Christ, may lose his sight of the mercy of God; sometimes such darkness may fall upon him, that he no longer sees him that is invisible, no longer feels that witness in himself of his part in the atoning blood; and then he is inwardly condemned, he hath again _the sentence of death in himself_: I answer, supposing it so to be, supposing him not to see the mercy of God, then he is not a believer; for faith implies light; the light of God shining upon the soul. So far therefore as any one loses this light, he for the time loses his faith. And no doubt a true believer in Christ, may lose the light of faith. And so far as this is lost, he may for a time fall again into condemnation. But this is not the case of them who now _are in Christ Jesus_, who now believe in his name. For so long as they believe and walk after the Spirit, neither God condemns them nor their own heart.

♦5. They are not condemned, Secondly, for any present sins, for now transgressing the commandments of God. For they do not transgress them? They do not _walk after the flesh but after the Spirit_. This is the continual proof of their _love of God, that they keep his commandments_: even as St. _John_ bears witness, _Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin. For his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God_: he cannot, so long as that seed of God, that loving, holy faith remaineth in him. So long as _he keepeth himself_ herein, _that wicked one toucheth him not_. Now it is evident, he is not condemned for the sins which he doth not commit at all. They therefore who are thus _led by the Spirit, are not under the law_, (_Gal._ v. 18.) Not under the curse or condemnation of it; for it condemns none but those who break it. Thus, that law of God, _Thou shalt not steal_, condemns none but those who do steal. Thus, _Remember the sabbath-day to keep it holy_, condemns those only who do not keep it holy. But _against_ the fruits of the Spirit, _there is no law_; (_v._ 23.) as the apostle more largely declares, in those memorable words of his former epistle to _Timothy_. _We know, that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; knowing this_, (if while he uses the law of God, in order either to convince or direct, he know and remember this) ὅτι δικαίω νόμος οὐ κεῖται. (Not, that the law is not made for a righteous man; but) _that the law does not lie against a righteous man_: (it has no force against him, no power to condemn him) _but against the lawless and disobedient, against the ungodly and sinners, against the unholy and profane――according to the glorious gospel, of the blessed God_. _1 Tim._ i. 8, 9, 11.

6. They are not condemned, thirdly, for inward sin, even tho’ it does now remain. That the corruption of nature does still remain, even in those who are the children of God by faith, that they have in them the seeds of pride and vanity, of anger, lust and evil desire, yea, sin of every kind, is too plain to be denied, being matter of daily experience. And on this account it is, that St. _Paul_ speaking to those, whom he had just before witness’d to be _in Christ Jesus_[25], to have been _called of God into the fellowship_ (or participation) _of his Son Jesus Christ_[26], yet declares, _Brethren, I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal; even as unto babes in Christ_ (_1 Cor._ iii. 1.) _Babes in Christ_――So we see they were _in Christ_; they were believers in a low degree. And yet how much of sin remained in them? Of that _carnal mind_, which _is not subject to the law of God_?

7. And yet, for all this, they are not condemned. Although they feel the flesh, the evil nature in them, although they are more sensible day by day, that their _heart is deceitful and desperately wicked_: yet so long as they do not yield thereto, so long as they give no place to the devil, so long as they maintain a continual war, with all sin, with pride, anger, desire, so that the flesh hath no dominion over them, but they still _walk after the Spirit_: there is _no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus_. God is well-pleased with their sincere, tho’ imperfect obedience: and they _have confidence toward God_, knowing _they are his, by the Spirit which he hath given them_. _1 John_ iii. 24.

8. Nay, fourthly, altho’ they are continually convinced of sin cleaving to all they do; altho’ they are conscious of not fulfilling the perfect law, either in their thoughts, or words, or works; altho’ they know they do not love the Lord their God, with all their heart, and mind, and soul and strength; altho’ they feel more or less of pride or self-will, stealing in and mixing with their best duties; altho’ even in their more immediate intercourse with God, when they assemble themselves with the great congregation, and when they pour out their souls in secret to him, who seeth all the thoughts and intents of the heart, they are continually ashamed of their wandring thoughts, or of the deadness and dulness of their affections; yet there is no condemnation to them still, either from God or from their own heart. The consideration of these manifold defects only gives them a deeper sense, that they have always need of that blood of sprinkling, which speaks for them in the ears of God, and that Advocate with the Father _who ever liveth, to make intercession for them_. So far are these from driving them away from him, in whom they have believed, that they rather drive them the closer to him, whom they feel the want of every moment. And at the same time, the deeper sense they have of this want, the more earnest desire do they feel, and the more diligent they are, as they _have received the Lord Jesus, so_ to _walk in him_.

9. They are not condemned, fifthly, for _sins of infirmity_, as they are usually called. (Perhaps it were adviseable rather to call them _infirmities_, that we may not seem to give any countenance to sin, or to extenuate it in any degree, by thus coupling it with infirmity. But if we must retain so ambiguous and dangerous an expression) by _sins of infirmity_ I would mean, such involuntary failings, as the saying a thing we believe true, tho’ in fact it prove to be false; or the hurting our neighbour, without knowing or designing it; perhaps when we design’d to do him good. Tho’ these are deviations from the holy and acceptable and perfect will of God, yet they are not properly sins, nor do they bring any guilt on the conscience of _them which are in Christ Jesus_. They separate not between God and them, neither intercept the light of his countenance; as being no ways inconsistent with their general character, of _walking not after the flesh but after the Spirit_.

10. Lastly, _There is no condemnation_ to them for any thing whatever which it is not in their power to help; whether it be of an inward or outward nature, and whether it be doing something, or leaving something undone. For instance: the Lord’s supper is to be administered. But you do not partake thereof. Why do you not; you are confined by sickness. Therefore you cannot help omitting it: and for the same reason, you are not condemned. There is no guilt; because there is no choice. As there _is a willing mind, it is accepted, according to that a man hath, not according to that he hath not_.

11. A believer indeed may sometimes be _grieved_, because he cannot do what his soul longs for. He may cry out, when he is detain’d from worshipping God in the great congregation, _Like as the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul is athirst for God, yea even for the living God: when shall I come to appear in the presence of God?_ He may earnestly desire (only still saying in his heart, not as I will, but as thou wilt) to _go again with the multitude and bring them forth into the house of God_. But still, if he cannot go, he feels no condemnation, no guilt, no sense of God’s displeasure: but can chearfully yield up those desires, with, _O my soul, put thy trust in God: for I will yet give him thanks, who is the help of my countenance and my God_.

12. It is more difficult to determine concerning those which are usually stiled, _sins of surprize_: as when one who commonly in patience possesses his soul, on a sudden and violent temptation, speaks or acts in a manner not consistent with the royal law, _Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself_. Perhaps it is not easy to fix a general rule, concerning transgressions of this nature. We cannot say, either that men are, or that they are not condemned, for sins of surprize in general. But it seems, whenever a believer is by surprize over-taken in a fault, there is more or less condemnation, as there is more or less concurrence of his will. In proportion as a sinful desire or word or action is more or less voluntary, so we may conceive, God is more or less displeased, and there is more or less guilt upon the soul.

13. But if so, then there may be some sins of surprize, which bring much guilt and condemnation. For in some instances, our being surprized is owing to some wilful and culpable neglect; or to a sleepiness of soul which might have been prevented, or shaken off before the temptation came. A man may be previously warned either of God or man, that trials and danger are at hand: and yet may say in his heart, _A little more slumber, a little more folding of the hands to rest_. Now if such an one afterwards fall, tho’ unawares, into the snare which he might have avoided; that he fell unawares is no excuse: he might have foreseen, and have shuned the danger. The falling even by surprize, in such an instance as this, is, in effect, a wilful sin; and as such must expose the sinner to condemnation, both from God and his own conscience.

14. On the other hand, there may be sudden assaults, either from the world, or the God of this world, and frequently from our own evil hearts, which we did not, and hardly could foresee. And by these even a believer, while weak in faith, may possibly be borne down, suppose into a degree of anger, or thinking evil of another, with scarce any concurrence of his will. Now in such a case, the jealous God would undoubtedly shew him that he had done foolishly. He would be convinced of having swerved from the perfect law, from the mind which was in Christ, and consequently _grieved_ with a godly sorrow, and lovingly _ashamed_ before God. Yet need he not come into condemnation. God layeth not folly to his charge, but hath compassion upon him, _even as a Father pitieth his own children_. And his heart condemneth him not; in the midst of that sorrow and shame, he can still say, _I will trust and not be afraid. For the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he is also become my salvation._

III. 1. It remains only, to draw some practical inferences from the preceding considerations. And, first, If there be _no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, and walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit_, on account of their past sin: then why art thou fearful, O thou of little faith? Tho’ thy sins were once more in number than the sand, what is that to thee now thou art in Christ Jesus? _Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth: who is he that condemneth?_ All the sins thou hast committed from thy youth up, until the hour when thou wast _accepted in the Beloved_, are driven away as chaff, are gone, are lost, swallowed up, remembered no more. Thou art now _born of the Spirit_: wilt thou be troubled or afraid for what is done before thou wert born? Away with thy fears! Thou art not called to fear; but to the _Spirit of love and of a sound mind_. Know thy calling. Rejoice in God thy Saviour, and give thanks to God thy Father through him.

2. Wilt thou say, “But I have again committed sin, since I had redemption through his blood? And therefore it is, that _I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes_.” It is meet thou shouldst abhor thyself; and it is God who hath wrought thee to this self-same thing. But dost thou now believe? Hath he again enabled thee to say, _I know that my Redeemer liveth: and the life which I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God_? Then that faith again cancels all that is past, and there is no condemnation to thee. At whatsoever time thou truly believest in the name of the Son of God, all thy sins antecedent to that hour, vanish away as the morning dew. Now then, _Stand thou fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made thee free_. He hath once more made thee free from the power of sin, as well as from the guilt and punishment of it. _O be not intangled again with the yoke of bondage!_ Neither the vile, devilish bondage of sin; of evil desires, evil tempers, or words, or works, the most grievous yoke on this side hell: nor the bondage of slavish, tormenting fear, of guilt and self-condemnation.

3. But, secondly: Do all they which abide _in Christ Jesus, walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit_? Then we cannot but infer, that whosoever now committeth sin, hath no part or lot in this matter. He is even now condemned by his own heart. But _if our heart condemn us_, if our own conscience beareth witness that we are guilty, undoubtedly God doth: for _he is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things_; so that we cannot deceive him, if we can ourselves. And think not to say, “I was justified once; my sins were once forgiven me.” I know not that: neither will I dispute whether they were or no. Perhaps, at this distance of time, ’tis next to impossible to know with any tolerable degree of certainty, whether that was a true, genuine work of God, or whether thou didst only deceive thy own soul. But this I know with the utmost degree of certainty, _He that committeth sin is of the devil_. Therefore thou art of thy father the devil. It cannot be denied: for the works of thy father thou dost. O flatter not thyself with vain hopes. Say not to thy soul, Peace, peace! For there is no peace. Cry aloud! Cry unto God out of the deep; if haply he may hear thy voice. Come unto him as at first, as wretched and poor, as sinful, miserable, blind and naked. And beware thou suffer thy soul to take no rest, till his pardoning love be again revealed, till he _heal thy backslidings_, and fill thee again with the _faith that worketh by love_.

4. Thirdly, Is there no condemnation to them which _walk after the Spirit_, by reason of _inward sin_ still remaining, so long as they do not give way thereto; nor by reason of _sin cleaving_ to all they do? Then fret not thyself because of ungodliness, tho’ it still remain in thy heart. Repine not, because thou still comest short of the glorious image of God: nor yet, because pride, self-will, or unbelief, cleave to all thy words and works. And be not afraid to know all the evil of thy heart, to know thyself as also thou art known. Yea, desire of God, that thou mayst not think of thyself more highly than thou oughtest to think. Let thy continual prayer be,

“Shew me, as my soul can bear,
The depth of inbred sin:
All the unbelief declare,
The pride that lurks within!”

But when he heareth thy prayer, and unveils thy heart, when he shews thee throughly what spirit thou art of: then beware that thy faith fail thee not, that thou suffer not thy shield to be torn from thee. Be abased. Be humbled in the dust. See thyself nothing, less than nothing and vanity. But still, _let not thy heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid_. Still hold fast, “_I_, even I, _have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous_. And as the heavens are higher than the earth, so is his love higher than even my sins.”――Therefore God is merciful to thee a sinner! Such a sinner as thou art! God is love; and Christ hath died. Therefore the Father himself loveth thee. Thou art his child. Therefore he will with-hold from thee no manner of thing that is good. Is it good, that the whole body of sin, which is now crucified in thee, should be destroyed? It shall be done. Thou shalt be _cleansed from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit_. Is it good that nothing should remain in thy heart, but the pure love of God alone? Be of good chear! _Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart and mind and soul and strength. Faithful is he that hath promised, who also will do it._ It is thy part, patiently to continue in the work of faith, and in the labour of love: and in chearful peace, in humble confidence, with calm and resigned, and yet earnest expectation, to wait till _the zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall perform this_.

5. Fourthly, If they that _are in Christ, and walk after the Spirit_, are not condemned for _sins of infirmity_, as neither for _involuntary failings_, nor for any thing whatever which they are not able to help: then beware, O thou that hast faith in his blood, that Satan herein _gain no advantage over thee_. Thou art still foolish and weak, blind and ignorant: more weak than any words can express, more foolish than it can yet enter into thy heart to conceive, knowing nothing yet as thou oughtest to know. Yet let not all thy weakness and folly, or any fruit thereof, which thou art not yet able to avoid, shake thy faith, thy filial trust in God, or disturb thy peace or joy in the Lord. The rule which some give as to wilful sins, and which in that case, may perhaps be dangerous, is undoubtedly wise and safe, if it be applied only to the case of weakness and infirmities. Art thou fallen, O man of God? Yet do not lie there, fretting thyself and bemoaning thy weakness: But meekly say, Lord, I shall fall thus every moment, unless thou uphold me with thy hand. And then arise! Leap and walk. Go on thy way. _Run with patience the race set before thee._

6. Lastly, since a believer need not come into condemnation, even tho’ he be _surprized_ into what his soul abhors, (suppose his being surprized is not owing to any carelessness or wilful neglect of his own:) if thou who believest, art thus over-taken in a fault, then grieve unto the Lord; it shall be a precious balm: pour out thy heart before him, and shew him of thy trouble. And pray with all thy might to him who is _touched with the feeling of_ thy _infirmities_, that he would stablish and strengthen and settle thy soul, and suffer thee to fall no more. But still he condemneth thee not. Wherefore shouldst thou fear? Thou hast no need of any _fear that hath torment_. Thou shalt love him that lovest thee, and it sufficeth: more love will bring more strength. And as soon as thou lovest him with all thy heart, thou shall be _perfect and entire, lacking nothing_. Wait in peace for that hour, when _the God of peace_ shall _sanctify thee wholly, so that thy whole spirit, and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ_!

SERMON IX.

THE SPIRIT OF BONDAGE AND OF ADOPTION.

ROMANS viii. 15.

_Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again unto fear: but
ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba,
Father._

1. ST. _Paul_ here speaks to those who are the children of God by faith. Ye, saith he, who are indeed his children, have drank into his Spirit. _Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again unto fear._ But _because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts. Ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father._

2. The spirit of bondage and fear is widely distant from this loving Spirit of adoption. Those who are influenced only by slavish fear, cannot be termed, the sons of God. Yet some of them may be stiled his servants, and are _not far from the kingdom of heaven_.

3. But it is to be feared, the bulk of mankind, yea, of what is call’d _The Christian world_, have not attain’d even this; but are still afar off, _neither is God in all their thoughts_. A few names may be found of those who love God: a few more there are that fear him. But the greater part have neither the fear of God before their eyes, nor the love of God in their hearts.

4. Perhaps most of you, who by the mercy of God, now partake of a better spirit, may remember the time, when ye were as they, when ye were under the same condemnation. But at first ye knew it not, tho’ ye were wallowing daily in your sins and in your blood: till in due time ye _received the spirit of fear_ (_ye received_; for this also is the gift of God:) and afterwards, fear vanished away, and the Spirit of love filled your hearts.

5. One who is in the first state of mind, without fear or love, is in scripture term’d _a natural man_. One who is under the spirit of bondage and fear is sometimes said to be _under the law_: (altho’ that expression more frequently signifies one, who is under the _Jewish_ dispensation, or who thinks himself obliged to observe all the rites and ceremonies of the _Jewish law_.) But one who has exchanged the spirit of fear for the Spirit of love, is properly said, to be _under grace_.

Now because it highly imports us, to know what spirit we are of, I shall endeavour to point out distinctly, first, The state of a _natural man_, secondly, That of one who is _under the law_, and thirdly, of one who is _under grace_.

I. 1. And, first, the state of a _natural man_. This the scripture represents as a state of sleep. The voice of God to him is, _Awake, thou that sleepest_. For his soul is in a deep sleep. His spiritual senses are not awake: they discern neither spiritual good nor evil. The eyes of his understanding are closed; they are sealed together, and see not. Clouds and darkness continually rest upon them; for he lies in the valley of the shadow of death. Hence having no inlets for the knowledge of spiritual things, all the avenues of his soul being shut up, he is in gross, stupid ignorance of whatever he is most concerned to know. He is utterly ignorant of God, knowing nothing concerning him as he ought to know. He is totally a stranger to the law of God, as to its true, inward, spiritual meaning. He has no conception of that evangelical holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord; nor of the happiness, which they only find, whose _life is hid with Christ in God_.

2. * And for this very reason, because he is fast _asleep_, he is, in some sense, at _rest_. Because he is _blind_, he is also _secure_: he saith, _Tush, there shall no harm happen unto me_. The darkness which covers him on every side, keeps him in a kind of peace: (so far as peace can consist with the works of the devil, and with an earthly, devilish mind.) He _sees_ not that he stands on the edge of the pit; therefore he _fears_ it not. He cannot _tremble_ at the danger he does not _know_. He has not understanding enough to fear. Why is it that he is in no dread of God? Because he is totally ignorant of him: if not _saying in his heart, there is no God_, or, that he _sitteth on the circle of the heavens, and humbleth_ not _himself to behold the things_ which are done on earth; yet satisfying himself as well, to all _Epicurean_ intents and purposes, by saying, “God is merciful:” confounding and swallowing up at once, in that unweildy idea of mercy, all his holiness and essential hatred of sin, all his justice, wisdom and truth. He is in no dread of the vengeance denounced against those who obey not the blessed law of God, because he understands it not. He imagines the main point is, to _do thus_, to be _outwardly_ blameless: and sees not that it extends to every temper, desire, thought, motion of the heart. Or he fancies, that the obligation hereto is ceas’d; that Christ came to _destroy the law and the prophets_; to save his people _in_, not _from_ their sins: to bring them to heaven, without holiness. Notwithstanding his own words, _Not one jot or tittle of the law shall pass away, till all things are fulfilled_: and, _Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord! shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven_.

3. He is secure, because he is utterly ignorant of himself. Hence he talks of “repenting by and by;” he does not indeed exactly know when; but some time or other before he dies: taking it for granted, that this is quite in his own power. For what should hinder his doing it, if he will? If he does but once set a resolution, no fear but he will make it good.

4. But this ignorance never so strongly glares, as in those who are term’d, _men of learning_. If a natural man be one of these, he can talk at large of his rational faculties: of the freedom of his will, and the absolute necessity of such freedom, in order to constitute man a moral agent. He reads and argues, and proves to a demonstration, that every man may do as he will; may dispose his own heart to evil or good, as it seems best in his own eyes. Thus the God of this world spreads a double veil of blindness over his heart, lest by any means _the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should shine_ upon it.

5. From the same ignorance of himself and God there may sometimes arise in the natural man a kind of _joy_, in congratulating himself, upon his own wisdom and goodness. And what the world calls joy, he may often possess. He may have pleasure in various kinds; either in gratifying the desires of the flesh, or the desire of the eye, or the pride of life: particularly if he has large possessions; if he enjoy an affluent fortune. Then he may _cloath_ himself _in purple and fine linen, and fare sumptuously every day_. And _so long as_ he thus _doth well unto himself, men will_ doubtless _speak good of_ him. They will say, he is a happy man: for indeed this is the sum of worldly happiness: to dress, and visit, and talk, and eat, and drink, and rise up to play.

6. It is not surprizing, if one in such circumstances as these, dozed with the opiates of flattery and sin, should imagine; among his other waking dreams, that he walks in great _liberty_. How easily may he persuade himself, that he is at liberty from all _vulgar errors_, and from the _prejudice_ of education, judging exactly right, and keeping clear of all extremes. “I am free (may he say) from all the _enthusiasm_ of weak and narrow souls: from _superstition_, the disease of fools and cowards, always righteous over much; and from _bigotry_, continually incident to those who have not a free and generous way of thinking.” And too sure it is, that he is altogether free, from the _wisdom which cometh from above_, from holiness, from the religion of the heart, from the whole mind which was in Christ.

7. For all this time, he is the servant of sin. He commits sin, more or less, day by day. Yet he is not troubled: He “is in no bondage;” (as some speak) he feels no condemnation. He contents himself, (even tho’ he should profess to believe that the Christian revelation is of God) with, “Man is frail. We are all weak. Every man has his infirmity.” Perhaps he quotes scripture: “Why, does not _Solomon_ say, ‘The righteous man falls into sin seven times a day?’ And doubtless, they are all hypocrites or enthusiasts who pretend to be better than their neighbours.” If at any time a serious thought fix upon him, he stifles it as soon as possible, with, “Why should I fear, since God is merciful, and Christ died for sinners?” Thus he remains a willing servant of sin, content with the bondage of corruption; inwardly and outwardly unholy, and satisfied therewith; not only not conquering sin, but not striving to conquer, particularly that sin, which doth so easily beset him.

8. Such is the state of every _natural man_; whether he be a gross, scandalous transgressor, or a more reputable and decent sinner, having the form, tho’ not the power of godliness. But how can such an one be _convinced of sin_? How is he brought to _repent_? To be _under the law_? To receive the _spirit of bondage unto fear_? This is the point which is next to be consider’d.

II. 1. By some awful providence, or by his word applied with the demonstration of his Spirit, God touches the heart of him that lay asleep in darkness and in the shadow of death. He is terribly shaken out of his sleep, and awakes into a consciousness of his danger. Perhaps in a moment, perhaps by degrees, the eyes of his understanding are opened, and now first (the veil being in part removed) discern the real state he is in. Horrid light breaks in upon his soul; such light, as may be conceived to gleam from the bottomless pit, from the lowest deep, from a lake of fire, burning with brimstone. He at last sees the loving, the merciful God, is also _a consuming fire_; that he is a just God and a terrible, rendering to every man according to his works, entering into judgment with the ungodly for every idle word, yea, and for the imaginations of the heart. He now clearly perceives, that the great and holy God is _of purer eyes than to behold iniquity_: that he is an avenger of every one who rebelleth against him, and repayeth the wicked to his face; and that _it is a fearful thing, to fall into the hands of the living God_.

♦3. The inward, spiritual meaning of the law of God now begins to glare upon him. He perceives the _commandment is exceeding broad_, and _there is nothing hid from the light thereof_. He is convinced, that every part of it relates not barely to outward sin or obedience, but to what passes in the secret recesses of the soul, which no eye but God’s can penetrate. If he now hears, _Thou shalt not kill_, God speaks in thunder, _He that hateth his brother is a murtherer_. He that saith unto his brother, _Thou fool, is obnoxious to hell-fire_. If the law say, _Thou shalt not commit adultery_, the voice of the Lord sounds in his ears, _He that looketh on a woman, to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart_. And thus in every point, he feels the word of God _quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword_. It pierces even _to the dividing asunder of_ his _soul and spirit_, his _joints and marrow_. And so much the more, because he is conscious to _himself_ of having neglected so great salvation; of having _trodden under foot the Son of God_, who would have saved him from his sins, and _counted the blood of the covenant an unholy_, a common, unsanctifying _thing_.

4. And as he knows _all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do_, so he sees himself, naked, stript of all the fig-leaves which he had sewed together, of all his poor pretences to religion or virtue, and his wretched excuses for sinning against God. He now sees himself, like the ancient sacrifices, τετραχηλισμένον, cleft in sunder, as it were, from the neck downward, so that all within him stands confest. His heart is bare, and he sees it is all sin, _deceitful above all things, desperately wicked_; that it is altogether corrupt and abominable, more than it is possible for tongue to express: that there dwelleth therein no good thing, but unrighteousness and ungodliness only; every motion thereof, every temper and thought, being only evil continually.

5. And he not only sees, but feels in himself, by an emotion of soul which he cannot describe, that for the sins of his heart, were his life without blame, (which yet it is not, and cannot be: seeing _an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit_) he deserves to be cast into _the fire that never shall be quenched_. He feels, that the _wages_, the just reward _of sin_, of his sin above all, _is death_; even the second death, the death which dieth not, the destruction of body and soul in hell.

6. * Here ends his pleasing dream, his delusive rest, his false peace, his vain security. His joy now vanishes as a cloud: pleasures, once loved delight no more. They pall upon the taste; he loaths the nauseous sweet; he is weary to bear them. The shadows of happiness flee away, and sink into oblivion. So that he is stript of all, and wanders to and fro, seeking rest, but finding none.

7. The fumes of those opiates being now dispelled, he feels the anguish of a wounded spirit. He finds that sin let loose upon the soul (whether it be pride, anger, or evil desire, whether self-will, malice, envy, revenge, or any other) is perfect misery. He feels sorrow of heart for the blessings he has lost, and the curse which is come upon him; remorse for having thus destroyed himself, and despised his own mercies; fear, from a lively sense of the wrath of God, and of the consequences of his wrath; of the punishment which he has justly deserved, and which he sees hanging over his head; fear of death, as being to him the gate of hell, the entrance of death eternal; fear of the devil, the executioner of the wrath and righteous vengeance of God; fear of men, who if they were able to kill his body, would thereby plunge both body and soul into hell; fear, sometimes arising to such a height, that the poor, sinful, guilty soul, is terrified with every thing, with nothing, with shades, with a leaf shaken of the wind. Yea sometimes it may even border upon distraction, making a man _drunken, tho’ not with wine_, suspending the exercise of the memory, of the understanding, of all the natural faculties. Sometimes it may approach to the very brink of despair: so that he who trembles at the name of death, may yet be ready to plunge into it every moment, to _chuse strangling rather than life_. Well may such a man _roar_, like him of old, _for the very disquietness of_ his _heart_. Well may he cry out, _The spirit of a man may sustain his infirmities; but a wounded spirit who can bear_?

8. Now he truly desires to break loose from sin, and begins to struggle with it. But tho’ he strive with all his might, he cannot conquer; sin is mightier than he. He would fain escape; but he is so fast in prison, that he cannot get forth. He resolves against sin, but yet sins on: he sees the snare, and abhors, and runs into it. So much does his boasted reason avail! Only to inhance his guilt, and increase his misery. Such is the freedom of his will! Free only to evil; free to _drink in iniquity like water_; to wander farther and farther from the living God, and do more _despight to the Spirit of grace_!

9. The more he strives, wishes, labours to be free, the more does he feel his chains, the grievous chains of sin, wherewith Satan binds and _leads him captive at his will_: his servant he is, tho’ he repine ever so much; tho’ he rebel, he cannot prevail. He is still in bondage and fear, by reason of sin: generally, of some outward sin to which he is peculiarly disposed, either by nature, custom or outward circumstances; but always, of some inward sin, some evil temper or unholy affection. And the more he frets against it, the more it prevails; he may bite, but cannot break his chain. Thus he toils without end, repenting and sinning, and repenting and sinning again, till at length the poor sinful, helpless wretch is even at his wit’s end, and can barely groan, _O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death_?