2. Obey him thoroughly. Many will yield to him in some things, but reserve others. He must be obeyed in all things, even in renouncing
VeB. 9.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIH. 493
our sweetest and dearest lusts : Mat. v. 29, 30. Nothing must be spared ; every way of pleasing the flesh must be renounced ; a partial ©bedience is rather a following our own humour and inclination than an obeying the Spirit, for he is contrary to all sin ; and one sin let alone and allowed, is Satan's nest-egg in our hearts, that he may come thither again and lay more.
3. Obey him constantly, for he is still your guide and monitor, to put you in remembrance of your snares and duties : Eph. iv. 30. ' Grieve not the Holy Spirit, whereby you are sealed to the day of redemption.' When he hath sealed you, and stamped God's image and impress upon your hearts, he must not be grieved by your folly and disobedience. The children of God, that are first regenerated by the Spirit, are still guided and led by him : Kom. viii. 14, ' For as many as are led by the Spirit, are the sons of God.' You are not only to obey at first, but obey still. Jesus Christ, that was at first conceived by the Holy Ghost, was led by him : Luke i. 4, 14. So christians are always under his conduct. You interrupt the course of his love when you are deaf to his motions.
Use 3 is to put us upon serious reflections. Are we in the flesh, or in the spirit ? We are never christians indeed, till we are in the spirit ; you will have flesh in you, but which principle is the most pre- dominant ? Surely, that principle is predominant whose object is our chiefest good, or esteemed as our felicity. Objects of the flesh, are contentments of the present world ; the objects of the spirit are God and heaven ; what do you count your happiness ? Ps. cxliv. 15, ' Happy is the people that is in such a case, ' Many judge them happy that have much of the world ; ' Yea, happy is the people whose God is the Lord.' There is the natural happiness, and the spiritual happiness ; which is most valuable, or most prized by you? Secondly, That principle is most predominant, which doth most employ us. What do we most industriously pursue ? the pleasure and prosperity of the body, or the happiness of the soul ? All the care of some is about the body and the bodily life, but their neglected soul may complain of hard usage ; what have you done to get the soul furnished and adorned with grace, or established in the comfort and hope of the gospel ? Mat. vi. 33, ' First seek the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added ; ' John vi. 27, ' Labour not for the meat that perisheth, but the meat that endureth to everlasting life.' Thirdly, When, to the hurt of the soul and displeasure of God, you frequently gratify the flesh, this is such a constant disobedience to the Spirit's discipline that you cannot be said to be influenced by him.
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