Secondly. As to their scope, when the matter is pleasing both to God and men, but you regard man's eye most : Eph. vi. 6, ' Not with eye- Kcrvice on men-pleasers ; but as the servant of God, doing the will of God from the heart ; ' and Col. iii. 22, ' Not with eye-service as men- pleasers, but with singleness of heart, fearing God.' As your happiness iieth not in man's approbation, so this is the only constant motive of pure and sincere obedience.
[2.] Positively. Pleasing God is your great duty and business in the world ; this is uprightness, and this will be your safety and
484 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SeR. XI.
liappiness ; for if you study to please God, then God is ever with you. Christ hath given you an instance of that : John viii. 29, * And he that sent me is with me, the Father hath not left me alone: for I do always those things that please him.' And then it is no matter who is dis- pleased and angry with us : Prov. xvi. 7, ' When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh his enemies to be at peace with him.' God will hear your prayers : 1 John iii. 22, ' And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments. He will give you ever- lasting happiness and glory : Heb. iv. 5, and truly he is not hard to be pleased : Mai. iii. 17. Man-pleasing is a more difficult and unpro- fitable task ; God is pleased with nothing that hurts yourselves or others. 3. Let me exhort you, to beg more of the spirit : for whilst we are in the flesh, we cannot please God ; and therefore you must beg more plentiful grace to change your natures, and to fix your intention right that you may please God in all things. Your natures are never changed till your love be altered, nor till God direct your love : 2 Thes. iii. 5, ' And the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God.'
SERMON XL
But ye are not in the flesh, hut in the spirit ; if so he the Spirit of God dtuell in you. — Eom. viii. 9.
In these words the Apostle applieth the property of the justified, unto the -Romans. In this application you may observe both his charity and liis prudence ; —
l.His charity, but you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit.
2. His prudence, if so be the Spirit of God dwell in you.
L For that clause which expresseth his charity. The phrases of being ' in the flesh,' or ' in the spirit,' are the same with being ' after the flesh,' and ' after the spirit,' ver. 5, or ' walking,' or ' living after the flesh,' or ' after the spirit,' used in other verses of this chapter.
2. In the other clause which expresseth his prudence. The word is either causal or conditional, and signifieth either for so much, or if so be ; our translation preferreth the latter rendering ; and the sense is, if it were not so, I would not judge you to belong to Christ. As to the latter, observe two things. (1.) To be in the spirit, or to have the spirit dwelling in us, is the same, for the inhabitation is mutual ; we are in the spirit, and the spirit in us. (2.) That the Spirit of God and of Christ are all one, witness the proof here subjoined, for he that hath not the Spirit of Christ, is none of his.
Doct. That they in whom the Spirit of God dwelleth, though they live in the flesh, they do not live after the flesh.
1. The terms must be explained.
2. The connection proved.
1. The terms must be explained. Two terms there are : — [L] What is the indwelling of the spirit; [2.] What it is to live in the flesh.
VeR. 9. SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. 485
[1.] What the Spirit dwelling in us meaneth. Three things are implied, — intimacy, constancy, Kovereignty ; intimacy with us, constancy of operation in us, and sovereignty over us.
(1.) Intin*acy, or familiar presence. As the inhabitant in his own house, he is more there than elsewhere. God is every where essentially ; his essence and being is no where included, and no where excluded : Ps. cxxxix. 7, 'Whither shall I go from the Spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence ? ' He is said more especially to be there where he most manifests his power and presence, so his dwelling is known by his operation, he is in us virtute insignis altciijus effecfus, by some notable and eminent effect which he produceth in us. As to the effects of common providence, it is said : Eph. iv. 6, ' That God is above all, and through all, and in all,' But he dwelleth in believers, not by the effects of common providence, but by the special influence of his grace, as Christ's agent begetting and maintaining a new spiritual life in their souls. So he is in them as he is no where else, by his gracious opera- tions performed there : Acts xxvi. 18, ' Opening their hearts : ' Acts xvi. 14, comforting and guiding them upon all occasions. This is his gracious and familiar presence, which the woi-ld is not capable of : John xiv. 17, 'I_ will send unto you the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him : but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.' The world of natural men are great strangers to the Spirit of Christ ; they were never acquainted with his gracious and saving operations ; but he in- timately discovereth his presence to those that enjoy him in the exercise of grace ; they feel and discern his motions, and have that comfort and peace which others are strarigers to. This then is the intimate and familiar presence of the Spirit in the hearts of believers. Some have raised questions, whether the person of the Holy Ghost be in believers, or only his gifts and graces. The person questionless. We have not only the fruit but the tree, the stream but the fountain ; but he doth not dwell in us personally. The Spirit was in Christ cTa>ixaTLKM<;, bodily or personally, for his soul dwelt with God in a personal union ; in all creatures he is 7rvevfxaTLK(o<;, by the common effects of his power and providence ; but in believers ivep^eriKW'i spiritually by gracious effects, which is all the conception we can have of it.