VeR. 2.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. 411
Use 1 is, to convince the rabble of carnal christians, liow little they have gained by that Christianity they have. Alas ! in what a case are those poor souls who have not the Spirit of Cln-ist: Rom. viii. 9, 'If any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.' They do not belong to Christ, have no interest in the fruits of his redemption ; and then how will ye stand before -God in the judgment, and make answer to all that may be alleged against you — the accusations of the law, or Satan, or your own consciences? Certainly the guilt of sin remaineth, where the power of it is not broken. There are christians in name, and christians in power ; in profession, and in deed and in truth ; christians in the letter, and christians in spirit : these are such as are sanctified by the Spirit unto obedience ; and none but such have interest in the comfortable promises of mercy of the new covenant : Gal. vi. 16, ' As many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them.' And none other shall be saved at last : Heb. v. 9, 'He is the author of salvation to them that obey him : ' Heb. xii. 14, ' Without holiness no man shall see the Lord.'
Use 2 is, to humble the better sort of christians, that they have gotten so little of the Spirit, that the effects of it in their souls are so imperfect, clouded with a mixture of remaining infirmities. All that are godly have this spirit, are guided by it, walk after it ; but all have it not in a like measure. Some are weak ; it doth not subdue their lusts and fears, nor breed such mortification and courage as should be found in the disciples of Christ ; these want comfort, if possibly they should be sincere ; for their evidences are not clear by which they should be tried. Mortification : Gal. v. 24, ' They that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts thereof.' Courage : 1 Pet. iv. 14, ' If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye.'
Use 3 is of directions to all sorts of christians.
1. Do all your duties, as those that are under the law of the spirit of life. Not in the oldness of the letter, but the newness of the spirit ; not customarily, formally, but seriously, with a life and a power. Be- lieve in the spiiit: 1 Cor. ii. 5, ' That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.' Love in the spirit : Col. i. 8, ' "Who also declared to us your love in the spirit,' Hope in the spiiit : Gal. v. 5, ' For we through the spirit wait for the hope of righteousness of faith.' Plear in the spirit, pray in the spirit, and obey in the spirit: 1 Pet. i. 22, 'Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit.' Let there be a spirit and life in all that you do.
2. Beg of your Redeemer to pour out a fuller measure of his Spirit in your souls ; he hath promised it: Zech. xii. 10, 'I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and supplication : ' Isa. xliv. 3, ' For I will pour water upon him that is tliirsty, and floods upon the dry ground ; and I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring.' The saints have begged it earnestly : Ps. cxliii. 10, ' Teach mo to do thy will, for thou art my God, thy Spirit is good : lead me into the land of uprightness:' and Luke xi. 13, They that ask, shall have. None lack this grace, but those that forfeit it by neglect and contempt, and resistance of the motions of his Holy Spirit.
412 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SeR. III.
3. Use ordinances to this end. All these are helps and means to oLtain it. The gospel worketh morally and powerfully. It is the ' divine power giveth us all things to life and godliness,' therefore in the use of means you must wait for it : 2 Pet. i. 3 ' According to his divine power he hath given us all things.'
4. Let us examine often, and see if we are partakers of his spirit. Two evidences there be of it, and they are both in the text, life and liberty. First, life, for this spirit is- called 'the spirit of life in Christ Jesus ; ' by it we are enabled to live the life of faith and holiness : Gal, ii. 20, ' I live by the faith of the Son of God.' Doth it rule the main course of your lives ? Denying the pleasures and profits and honours of the world, we must live in Christ and to Christ ; we must not only seek truth in the gospel, but life in the gospel. Secondly, liberty : 2 Cor. iii. 17, ' Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.' There is more alacrity, readiness and cheerfulness in obedience : Ps. cxix. 32, * I will run the ways of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.' It is a liberty not to do what we list, but what we ought, and that upon gracious and free motives, with a large heart that can deny God nothing, but is sweetly and strongly inclined to him.