VeR. 11] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. 25
of practical religion is to bring us to love the pleasures that are proper to the immortal soul, above the sottish and brutish pleasures of the body. Well then, was religion intended only to make a great part of us miserable, which part yet is the workmanship of God's hands, when there is so much hardship put upon the body, such labours and pains, such care and watchfulness? His very self-denial is an argument, that the Spirit in us thus commanding and governing us, is a pledge of glory.
[7.] There is in the soul a desire of the happiness of the body ; not only a natural desire to live with it, as its loving mate and companion, which maketh us loath to part with it ; and if the will of God were so, the saints would 'not be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mor- tality might be swallowed up of life: ' 2 Cor. v. 4. They would desire not to put off these bodies, at least not to part with them finally. But a epiritual desire is kindled in us by the Holy Ghost that now dwelleth in us ; for the apostle addeth, ver. 5, ' He that wrought us for the self- same tiling is God.' God hath framed us to desire this impassible, eternal, and immutable life in our bodies as well as our souls. More plainly elsewhere : Rom. viii. 23, ' We that have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, the redemp- tion of our bodies.' That is, the resurrection of the body ; to be redeemed from the hands of the grave. Mark, these groans are stirred up in them by the first fruits of the Spirit ; now, would the Holy Ghost stir up these groans and desires, if he never meant to satisfy them ? That were to mock us, and vex us, which cannot be imagined of the Holy Spirit. Well then, since these desires are of God's own framing, raised up in us by his Spirit, they will not be disappointed, but will in time be fulfilled.
[8.] From the nature of deatL Death is that power which God hath given the devil over men by reason of sin: Heb. ii. 14, 'That he might destroy him that had the power of death, even the Devil ; ' the power of separating soul and body, and keeping us from eternal life, God inflicteth it as a judge, but the devil as an executioner ; he is not dominus mortis, sid minister mortis. The devil enticeth them to sin, by which they deserve death, and the sting of death is sin : 1 Cor. xv. 56. The devil hath the power of death ; as carnal men are taken captive in his snares: 2 Tim. ii. 26 ; and when they die, he may have a hand in their torments. While men live, they are in the house of God, are under the protection of God, and have the offers of grace ; but if they harden their hearts, and despise these oSers, they are cast forth with the devil and his angels ; the judge giveth them over to the jailor, and the jailor casts them into prison, from whence they come not forth, till they have paid the utmost farthing : Luke xii. 58. But Christ came to deliver us from this ; and all that embrace his salvation, the Spirit puts them into a state of freedom and liberty of the children of God. And as to them, Satan is put out of office, he cannot keep them from entering into eternal life ; the power of death is taken from him, and therefore, though their bodies be kept for a while under the state of death, yet at length the Spirit freeth them from the bondage of corruption, and bringeth them into the glorious liberty of the children of God. They shall at length rejoice and triumph in God ; ' O death,
26 SEUMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SeR. XIV.
where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory ? ' 1 Cor. xv. .55, Sfi, .57. Tliey die as well as other.s, but death is not the power of the devil over them, but one of tliose saving means by wliich God worketh their life and happiness ; it is the beginning of immortality, and the gate and entrance into life ; they are not in the custody and power of the devil, as the spirits in prison and the bodies of the wicked are ; but in the hand and custody of the Holy Ghost, ' Thy dead men shall live ; with my body shall they arise,' Isa. xxvi. 19. The key of the grave is in Christ's hand ; he is the guardian of their dust, keepeth their bones. Well then, if the Spirit of Christ hath freed you from the snares of sin, he hath freed you also from the bands of death ; or as it is said in the Kevelations, if you have part in the first resurrection, the second death hath no ]iower over you : Rev. x. 6 ; that is, you shall not be cast into the lake that burnetii with fire and brimstone ; the good Spirit hath prevailed over the evil spirit, and therefore your resurrection will be joyful.