34 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SeR. XV.
are debtors to the flesh, or to the spirit. If you spend your time iu making provision for the flesh, to fulfil the hists thereof, Eom. xiii. 14, you are debtors to the flesh. If you check the flesh, and tame it, cut off its provisions, though now and then it will break out, you are not debtors to the flesh, but the Spirit. The flesh may rebel for a time, but the grace of the Spirit reigneth. Some are wholly governed by their fancies and humours, or the passions, appetites, and desires of the flesh ; are carried on headlong by their own carnal and corrupt inclinations to every sense-pleasing object, are not masters of themselves in anything, but serve divers lusts aud pleasures, against the dictates of tlieir own reason and conscience. Now, it is easy to pronounce sentence concerning them. Others are led by the Spirit of God to tlie earnest pursuit of heavenly things. Now these, though so often fomented to self-pleasing and compliance with their lusts and corrupt inclinations, yet the heavenly mind hath the mastery ; they complain of this tyranny, are grieved for it, troubled, and do by degrees overcome it.
[3.] It informeth us what answer we should make when we are tempted to please the flesh. Say, ' We are not debtors.' When Satan tempteth, or sin enticeth, say, ' I owe thee nothing, I have all from God ; ' if the flesh tempteth to neglect your callings, to mis-spend your time, say, ' This time is the Lord's ; ' as the Apostle : 1 Cor. vi. 15, ' Shall I take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot ? ' Lutlier speaketh of a virgin that would answer all tempt- ations with this, ' Baptizata sum, I am baptized.' So the faithful hath but this to answer to every tempter and temptation, I am dedicated to God; or, I am the Lord's. This soul, this body, this time, this strength is his; my business is not to please the flesh, but to please the Lord. Nothing will be such a help in defeating temptations, as to consider his full right and interest in us, and how justly he may expect fidelity from us, from whom we receive and expect all things.
The second Use is, to exhort us to pay the debt of obedience. Common honesty requireth that eVery man pay his debts. Now we are debtors unto God.
[1.] Consider how reasonable this debt is, that creatures should serve their creator ; that those that cannot live of themselves, should not live to themselves ; and not do what they please, but what they ought. If God should put us to preserve ourselves, or keep ourselves but for one day, how soon should we disappear, and return into our original nothing ! As God sendeth his people to their idols for deliverance : Judges x. 14, ' Go and cry to the gods which you have chosen, let them deliver you in the time of tribulation.' This would make the case sensible ; if you can keep yourselves, please yourselves. As protection draweth allegiance, so doth dependence enforce subjection. Since therefore in him we live, and move, and have our being, let us live to him and for him.
[2.] Consider how unavoidable it is. You are the Lord's whether you will or no. No creature is free from this debt. Not the angels, who have many immunities above us ; yet Ps. ciii. 20, 21, ' Bless the Lord, ye his angels that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening to the voice of his word ; bless ye the Lord all ye his hosts, ye ministers of his that do his pleasure.' Not the human nature of
VeR. 12.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. 35
Christ, Gal. iv. 4. The devil and wicked men are, but it is against their wills ; but his people are a voluntary people : Ps. ex. 3. They own Grod's right in them ; his they are, and him they will serve : Acts xxvii. 23.
[3.] How comfortable the debt is made by God's new title of redemption. The former ceased not, but will continue whilst there is a relation between the creature and the creator. But this is a power cumulative, not destructive, but superadded to the former ; and it is more comfortable and beneficial to us, that Christ would set us in joint again, and restore the creature to a capacity of serving and pleasing God. 0 what a blessed thing is it to take a law of duty out of the hand of a mediator ! A double advantage both to assistance and acceptance ; now God will help us, and will accept of it, as we cau perform it ; from the Mediator we have his Spirit and his righteous- ness. First, his Spirit to help us, and give us grace to serve God acceptably, to break the bondage of sin : Kom. viii. 2 ; to help us against it all along, ver. 13, And by his Spirit of grace we are enabled to love him, and serve him : ' Whom I serve in the Spirit ; ' and the more we use this grace, the more it is increased upon us ; and the more we pay this debt, the more we are enabled to pay : Prov. x. 29, ' The way of the Lord is strength to the upright.' We grow the richer for paying, for we pay God out of his own exchequer : 1 Chron. xxix. 14, ' Of thine own have we given thee.' 1 Cor. xv. 10, ' But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain ; but I laboured more abundantly than they all ; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. ' The laborious, diligent soul hath more abundance of his Spirit. Secondly, As we have his righteousness. God accepts of our imperfect endeavours : Eph. i. 6, ' He hath made us accepted in the beloved : ' Mai. iii. 17, ' I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.' This double comfort we have by the Mediator.