(2.) These are adopted into God's family, and have the privileges and right of children ; for adoption followeth regeneration : John i, 12, 13, 'But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.'
(3.) These have communion with the Father, by the Son, through the Spirit: 1 John i. 7, ' But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another.' For God's children have
236 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VL [SeR. X.
the Spirit of atloptiou : Gal. iv. 6, ' Because j'e are sons, God bath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your liearts, crying, Abba, Father.'
(4.) That Spirit dwelling in us Avorketh us to further holiness and joy ; for he is both a sanctifier and a comforter. As a sanctifier, he doth further enable us to die to sin, and ' mortify the deeds of the body,' Rom. viii. 13 ; and to live to God : Gal. v. 25, ' If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit ; ' and so the duty is a reward in itself. As a comforter, he doth assure us of our interest in God's love : Rom. viii. 16, ' The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God ; ' and it causeth us to live in the foresight of everlasting happiness : 2 Cor. v. 5, ' Now he that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.'
(5.) Entrance and actual admission into glory : John iii. 3, ' Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God,' compared with ver. 5, ' Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he can- not enter into the kingdom of God ; ' Mat. v. 8, ' Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God ; ' Heb. xii. 12, ' Without holiness no man shall see God.'
2. Own the grace of Christ, without whom we can do nothing acceptable to God. Lapsed man is unable not only to redeem himself, but unable to live unto God without the grace of the Redeemer ; he doth sanctify us by his Spirit, and change our hearts, and is a Saviour to us, not only by merit, but efficacy. To be a sanctifier is his office, which he hath undertaken ; and it is his glory to perform it ; we only work under him. Which teacheth us —
[1.] Humility. Whatever good things believers have which con- cern spiritual and heavenly life, they are beholden only to Christ for it. We can never die to sin, nor live to God, but only through Christ, and Christ not only enlightening, but sanctifying. A speculative error vanisheth as soon as truth appeareth ; but lust is a brutish inclination, bare reason cannot master it.
[2.] Thankfulness and love to Christ, by whom we have all our grace and look for all our glory.
[3.] Dependence ; he is ready to give us grace : Phil. iv. 19, ' But my God shall supply all your need, according to his riches in glory, by Christ Jesus.'
SERMOI^ X.
Let not sin tlierefore reign in your mortal hoch/, that ye sliould obey it in the lusts thereof, — Rom. VI. 12.
The apostle having undeniably proved that the justified are dead to sin, he now beginneth h's exhortation that we should not obey sin by indulging bodily lusts. The exhortation is short, but of great weight, * Let not sin therefore reign,' &c.
In the words take notice —
1. Of the illative particle, there/ore, which leadeth us to the prin-
YeR. 12.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VI. 237
ciples from whence the duty is inferred, namely, the tenor of Chris- tianity, which is considered — (1.) As professed by them, for they have submitted to baptism, and so are obliged to die unto sin and live unto God ; (2.) As having obtained its effect in them, as in charity he pre- sumeth them to be regenerated or real believers, and therefore chargeth them with this duty ; for Christ's grace must not lie idle in the soul.
2. The duty to which they are exhorted is to take care to prevent the reign of sin, which is described and represented —
1. By the seat of it, ' In your mortal body.'
2. The nature of it, ' That you should obey it in the lusts thereof.' To obey bodily lusts is the reign of sin.
Doct. That christians are strictly obliged to take care that sin get not dominion over them by the desires and interests of the mortal body.
1, Let me explain this point.
2. Give you the reasons of it.
First, In explaining this doctrine, I shall handle three questions —
1. Why is sin said to reign in our bodies rather than our souls ?
2. Why doth the apostle call it our mortal body ? the use of this term; and —