(2.) When the heart is thus prepared, the Spirit of God cometh to dwell in them, to take possession of them for God's use : 2 Cor. vi. 10, ' I will dwell in them, and walk in them ; for I will be their God, and they shall be my people.' They have given up themselves to God, and God owneth the dedication, and sendeth his Spirit into their hearts, first, to take possession of them, and then to maintain and keep afoot his interest in their souls against all the assaults of the devil : ' For stronger is he that is in us, than he that is in the world : ' 1 John iv. 4. The world is governed by the evil spirit, but they that are regener- ated and enlightened by the Spirit of God, have the knowledge of his will, which is more mighty to establish the saints in truth and holiness, than the spirit of error and persecution to draw and drive them from it. So against the world: 2 Cor. ii. 12, 'We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit of God, that we might know the things that are freely given us of God.' He showeth us better things, and so causeth us to believe them, and to live above all the glory, riches, and pleasures of the world. For the fl&sh, as he hath set up a contrary opposite principle against it, so his constant working in the heart is to maintain it in predominancy, bringing us more and more to abhor all licentiousness and sensuality, and warning us of our snares and dangers, that we may not make provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. Indeed this doth not exclude our duty : we are to be led by the Spirit, or else we aio not what we do pretend to be. We are not to grieve the Spirit, or else we carry it unthankfully towards him, and resist and forfeit his grace ; nor do we fulfil our covenant-vow made with the Holy Ghost, if we disobey his sanctifying motions ; but it is a great advantage, that we have not only an opposite principle, but an opposite
Vp:R. 9.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. 489
power, -which is an enemy to the flesh, and is still contending against it in our hearts.
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1. How much this is for the glory of God, that he can maintain" grace in the hearts of his people ; that whilst they live in the flesh, they do not live after the flesh. Take living in the flesh in the softest sense, for the natural life, it is a state of great frailty and weakness. The natural life only seeketh what is good for itself. Christians have the same bodies, and the same affections that other men have, yet they live quite after another manner ; their natural inclination is overruled ; while they are in the flesh, they are humbled with many wants, afflic- tions, and weaknesses, but God's power is made perfect in our weakness : 2 Cor. xii. 9. The word made perfect is notable ; excellent things suffer a kind of imperfection till there be an occasion to discover them. Now our many infirmities give an occasion to show forth the perfection that is in the power of grace, which can maintain us in life and comfort, notwithstanding reproaches, pain, sufferings. Were it not for the animal life, there would be no place for temptations and the exercise of grace ; but all that are in the flesh have all these things accomplished in them : 1 Pet. v. 19. During our worldly state, we must expect hardships ; there goeth more grace to preserve a man in his duty, than goeth to preserve the good angels in their estate ; they are out of gun- shot and harm's way. To glorify God upon earth is the greater difficulty : John xvii. 4, 5, 'I have glorified thee on earth, and now, 0 Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory I had with thee before the world was.' Christ pleadeth that now for the saints, in the midst of so many afflictions ; to maintain their integrity and delight in God is the great glory of grace ; for surely we stand not by our own strength. But besides the natural life which exposeth us to these difficulties, the carnal life is not wholly extinguished ; there is flesh in us, though we be not in the flesh : Gal. v. 17, ' For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other.' Now not only to maintain the combat, but to obtain conquest and victory, is the great wonder of grace, when there are not only temptations without, but mixed principles within. Surely not only in this frail, but this mixed estate, it is as great a wonder to maintain grace in the soul as to maintain a spark of fire in wet wood. The world hath usually an advantage of us in matter of principle ; but we have the advantage of them in matter of motive and assisting power, to whom the glory of the conquest alone is to be ascribed. We have, indeed, a principle which directeth and inclineth us to higher ends than the children of this world look after ; but their principles are more entire and unbroken, for they are altogether flesh : Gen. vi. 5, ' And God saw that the wickedness of man was great upon earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.' But ours are mixed, flesh and spirit. They pour out their whole heart in their sinful and worldly courses : Jude 11, ' They run greedily after the error of Balaam for reward ; i^exvdrjo'av,' they were ])0ured Ibrth, as water out of an open vessel ; and Luke xvi. 8, 'The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light.' The reasen is manifest ; grace, though it be.forcible,