(4.) The sanctifying Spirit is the surest note of our reconciliation with God, as that which will not deceive us ; when he sanctifieth, he is pacified towards us: Heb. xlii. 20, 21, 'Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight ; ' and 1 Thes. v. 23, ' The very God of pejice sanctify you wholly in body, soul, and spirit ; ' 2 Cor. v. 17, 18, ' If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature ; old things are passed away, behold all things are become new ; and all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ.' A man lieth open to delusions by other evidences, and may be long enough without true and solid comfort.
[4.] From God's constant government. But there is a twofold way of providence by which he governeth the world, or else conducteth souls to glory ; there is an external sort of government, by prosperities, and adversities, and afflictions, and worldly blessings. Now these have their use, to invite us to obedience, and to caution us against sin ; but these things are not dispensed as sure evidences of God's love and hatred, Eccles. ix. 2. Worldly good things may be given in anger, lest men should be marked out by their outward condition, rather than the disposition of their souls. God would not distinguish the good by the blessings of his common providence, nor brand and mark out the bad by their afflictions. Therefore these mercies that run in the channel of common providence, are dispensed promiscuously. But God hath another way of internal government, carried on within the soul by troubles of conscience for sin, and the comforts of a good conscience as the reward of obedience. Now in this sort of government, the influence of the Spirit is mainly seen ; God showeth his anger or his love, his pleasure or displeasure, by giving and withholding the Spirit ; when he is pleased, we have the testimony of it in our consciences by the presence and comforts of the Spirit; when displeased, he with- draweth the Spiiit ; this is reward and puni.shment, the accesses and recesses of the Spirit, if we have sinned : Ps. li. 10, ' Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not away thy Holy Spirit from me.' The
VeR. 9.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. 9
retaining and witliolding the Spirit is one of the greatest calamities in the world ; ver. 2, ' Renew a right spirit in me ; ' ver. 12, ' And uphold me by thy free Spirit. On the contrary the reward of obedience is the increase of the Spirit : Eom. xiv. 17, ' For the kingdom of God is not in meats and drinks, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.' Now this being God's constant way of internal government, whereby he manifesteth his pleasure or displeasure by witholding, or withdrawing, or giving out his Spirit ; and this is a surer way than the effects of his external providence. I cannot say God hateth me, because he denieth earthly blessings, or blasteth them when bestowed ; this may be for other reasons than to manifest his anger or hatred : I cannot say God loveth me because I enjoy outward prosperity; but if I have the Spirit, that is never given in anger.
Use 1 is to persuade us to seek after the presence of the Spirit in our hearts. It is not enough to be baptized, to have the common faith and profession of christians, no, we must also have the Spirit of Christ ; for, while we are carnal, we are christians only in the letter. Two things I will press you to — to receive and retain him ; to get him and keep him.
[1.] Get him. See that he be entered into your hearts to recover your souls to God, John iii 5, see that you 'be born again of water, and of the Spirit ; ' and not only so, but get an increase and supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ: Phil. i. 17, 'Through your prayers, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.' Seek more of the Spirit, and lose him not in part, nor in whole : ' Quench not the Spirit,' Eph. iv. 30. To encourage you, consider, —
God is ready to give the Holy Spirit, Luke xi. 13, and Christ bath purchased it, that it might not be shed on us in a sparing manner, Tit. iii. 5. 6. It is applied to us by the word, or gospel-dispensation, 2 Cor. iii. 18. Baptism hath its use. Tit. iii. 5 ; it doth not signify so much the blood of Christ, as the sanctifying, cleansing Spirit purchased thereby. The promise of the Spirit is sometimes made absolutely : as Zech. xii. 10, ' I will pour out a spirit of grace and supplication.' As implying the first grace, you must take your lot ; if you miss of it, it is long of yourselves ; you resisted former warnings, motions, and strivings of the Spirit ; wait in the use of means. Sometimes, con- ditionally, to faith : John vii. 39, ' This he spake of the Spirit, which they that believe on him, should receive.' Sometimes to repentance : Acts ii. 38, ' Repent, and thou shalt receive the gift of the Holy Ghost,' Prov. i. 38. Now these must be often renewed, if we would get more of the Spirit into our hearts, for the Spirit is continued and increased to us by the same acts by which it is gotten at first, by faith and repentance; faith assenting, or consenting, or denying. (1.) Assenting with admiration of the infinite goodness and love of God shining forth to us in our redemption by Christ. The assent must be strong, that it may more effectually lead on other parts of faith, and because the actions of the three persons are a great mystery : 1 Pet. i. 2, ' Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus.' Here is the eternal love of the Father, the infinite merit of Christ, and the j,ll -powerful operation of the Spirit. An assent with wonder and