3. This liberty is assured and established by the covenant. The conscience of sin, and the fears of condemnation, are not easily done away ; and we are so wedded to our lusts, that the power of reigning^ sin is not easily broken ; therefore we had need of a sure firm covenant to ratify these privileges to us, because our fears are justified by a former law, made by God himself. Therefore God would not deal with us by naked promise, but put his grace into a covenant-form, that we may have as good to show for our salvation, as we had for our condem- nation ; yea, and more ; and God hath added his oath, ' That the con- solation of the heirs of promise might be more strong,' Heb. vi. 18. And it being a latter grant, former transactions cannot disannul it ; so that the covenant doth its part also to free believers from the power of sin, and the fears of condemnation.
4. The Spirit applieth this grace, both as to the effects and the sense ; [1.] As to the effects, he applieth it in effectual calling ; as this
quickening Spirit doth regenerate us, and convert us to God, and break the power and tyranny of sin, the wages whereof is death. The gospel is the means, but the blessing is from the Spirit : John viii. 32, ' Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free ; ' that is, ye shall know it savingly, so as to feel the power and efficacy of it. To be set free to know, love, serve, and delight in God, is that liberty that we have by the free Spirit: Ps. li. 12, 'Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free Spirit.'
[2.] The Spirit sealeth it as to the sense, when we come to discern
VeR. 2.] SEJIMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. 419
our freedom by the effects of it in our own souls : Eph. i. 13, ' After ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise ; ' and in the fruit of Christ's purchase, Gal. iv. 4, 5, 6, ' But when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying Abba, Father.' The Spirit's seal is God's impress upon our souls ; left there, not to make us known to God (for he knoweth who are his, from all eternity) , but for the increase of our joy and comfort ; not by guess, but some kind of certainty: 1 John iv. 13, ' Hereby we know that we dwell in God, and God dwelleth in us, by his Spirit that he hath given us.' By the Spirit dwelling and working in us, we know our interest ; this is not so abso- lutely necessary as the former to our safety, but very comfortable. There is a spirit that attendeth the law, reviving fears in men, and a sense of God's wrath ; and there is a spirit attending the gospel, inclin- ing us to come to God as a father : Rom. viii, ] 5. The one is called the spirit of bondage, the other the spirit of adoption. Now, because the law is so natural to us, we the more need this liberty.
Use 1. Since there is a liberty by Christ, and that wrought in us by the Spirit, but dispensed by the gospel ; let us seek it in this way.
Therefore consider : —
1. Your need, since every man is under the power of sin naturally, and so under a sentence of condemnation to death. If you be not sensible of the evil and burden of sin, yet surely you should flee from wrath to come. Is that a slight matter to you .'' Our first and quickest sense is of wrath ; when our hearts are made more tender, we feel the burden of sin ; fear worketh before shame and sorrow ; therefore surely he that considereth his deep necessity, should cry out, * 0 wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death ? ' Rom. vii. 24.
2. Consider the possibility of your delivery from this bondage by the law of the spirit of Hfe in Christ Jesus. Surely the blood of Jesus can * purge your consciences from dead works, that you may serve the living God : ' Heb. ix. 14. There is a covenant, all the promises of which in Christ are, ' Yea, and Amen : ' 2 Cor. i. 20. The covenant of night and day may sooner be dissolved, than this covenant broken or repealed. There is the Spirit also, who can subdue your strongest lusts, and is ready to help you to mortify the deeds of the body, and to re- claim you from your vain pleasures.
3. How comfortable it will be for you when once this work is in pro- gress, and you begin to pass from death to life ; every step will be sweet to you ; and as you grow in grace, you do apace advance to heaven : Prov. iil 17, ' All her ways are pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.'