458 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SeR. VII,
will never thoroughly engage yourselves to God. Determine not only that you must, but you will walk in the way which God hath set forth for you. All will choose happiness before misery, but they are out in the means ; they do not choose the good of holiness before the pleasures of sin, nor the life of faith before the life of sense. If you have more mind to keep sin than to let it go, you are still charmed and enchanted with the delights of the flesh, your will and resolution are not fixed.
3. To this add an industrious pursuit and seeking after these things ; for our choice is known by our pursuit, and our bent by our work. These things must be diligently sought after, that we may behave ourselves like men that are desirous to have what they seek : Heb. xi. 6, ' God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.' Ever- lasting joys will not drop into the mouth of the lazy soul; these things are not trifles, they will cost us diligence and seriousness : Phil, ii, 12, ' Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.' It is a weighty work, and it must be followed close ; if you miscarry in it, you are undone for ever ; but if you happily get through it, you are in a blessed state indeed.
4. You must seek after the privileges of the gospel in God's way. You cannot have spiritual life, and adoption, and justification by Christ, till you are united to him by faith : 1 John v. 12, ' He that hath the Son, hath life ; and he that hath not the Son, hath not life.' You cannot have heaven and glory, but by patient continuance in well-doing : Kom. ii. 3, ' To them that by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory, and honour, and immortality, eternal life.' You cannot have the end, but in the use of means, and you do not like the end if you do not like the means. Till you come to God by Christ, you cannot live the life of grace ; and till you live the life of grace you are not capable of glory. Therefore you must ask your souls often. What have I to show for my title to salvation more than most of the world have ?
5. It is not enough that you seek after them in God's way, but you must seek after them above other things. A feeble desire cannot maintain itself against fleshly lusts and temptations. If you have a mind to these things, and a greater mind to other things, your resolu- tion will be soon shaken, carnal things will intercept the vigour and life of your souls. These things must be sought first, and most ; all must be sold for the pearl of price : Mat. xiii. 45, 46,
6. You must beg of God to give you a new mind, and a new heart, both to discern and relish spiritual things ; for your old corrupt minds and hearts will never do it : 1 Cor. ii. 14, ' The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him ; neither can he receive them, because they are spiritually discerned.' He cannot accept, nor savingly understand, these things so as to believe them with a sound belief, and a large affection. Exhortations are in vain, for inclination here doth more than persuasion ; all things are of God: 2 Cor. v. 17, 18. God must give both, and therefore ask them of him.
VeR. 6.] SERMONS UPON" ROMANS VIIL 459
SERMON VIII.
For to he carnally minded is death ; but to he spiritually minded is life and peace. — Rom. viii. 6.
The apostle is giving reasons, why the comforts of justificatioa do only belong to the sanctified. He only takes notice of two. First, the difference between the sanctified and unsanctified as to their disposition ; secondly, the difference that is between them as to the event and issue. There is a contrary disposition, and a contrary end and issue : first, how they are aftected, or what they mind ; secondly, what will come of it, according to God's ordination and appointment.
1. He reasoneth from the contrary disposition of the unsanctified. They, being after the flesh, do only mind and savour carnal things. They study to please the flesh, value all things by the interest of the flesh ; therefore, are justly excluded from the privileges of the spiritual life ; for it is not fit men should be happy against their wills, or be possessed of privileges they do not care for. God will not cast pearls before swine that trample on them, nor bestow these precious comforts where they are not valued. This argument you have, ver. 5, ' They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, and they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit.' Because they mind them not, they have them not.
2. He reasoneth from the consequent issue and event, by the ordina- tion and appointment of God. Thus in the text, ' For to be carnally minded is death.' Death belongeth to the carnally minded, and life and peace to the spiritually minded.