3. The impression left upon the heart of man, et? (f>ol3ov, unto fear. There is a twofold fear, filial and servile, child-like and slavish. The one is a lawful and necessary fear, which doth quicken us to our duty : Phil. ii. 12, ' Work out yoiir salvation with fear and trembling ; ' and is either the fear of reverence, or the fear of caution. The fear of reverence is nothing but that awe which we, as creatures, are to have of tiie divine majesty, or an humble sense of the condition, place, and duty of a creature towards its creator. The tku- of caution is a due sense of the importance and weight of the business we are engaged in, in order to our salvation. Certainly none can consider the danger we are to escape, and the blessedness we aim at, but will see a need to be serious ; and therefore this fear is good and holy. Secondly, There is besides this, a slavish fear, which doth not further, but extremely hinder our work ; for though we are to fear God, yet we are not to be afraid of God. This servile fear may be interpreted either with respect to the precept or the sanction of the law. First, with respect to the precept ; and so it showeth us how men stand naturally affected to the duty of the law ;
102 SERMONS UrON ROMANS Vlll. [SkU. XXII.
whatever they do is merely for fear of being punished. Secondly, to the sanction, penalty, and curse. The fear of evil is more powerful upon us than the hope of o;ood ; the greater the evil, the greater the feai-, and the more tormenting.
Doct. That men under the law-covenant are under a spirit of bondage.
Here I shall enquire,
1. What is the spirit of bondage ?
2. How is it the fruit of the law-covenant ?
3. Whether it is good or bad ?
1. What is the Spirit of Bondage ? To open it, we must explain three things,— (1.) The nature of the object ; (2.) The work of the Spirit ; (3.) The disposition of man.
[1.] The nature of the object, the law requiring duty of the fallen creature, and threatening punishment in case of disobedience. For the law hath a twofold office ; to convince of sin, Eom. iii. 20, ' Now by the law only coraeth the knowledge of sin ; ' and to bind over to punishment ; therefore it is said, 'The law worketh wrath,' Eoni. iv, 15. In both respects the old covenant is called the law of sin and death, Kom. viii. 2. The law as a covenant of works is called a law of sin, because it only showeth our sin ; and a law of death, because it bindeth us over to death.
[2.] The work of the S})irit. Every truth is quickened by the Spirit, and made more powerful upon our hearts. The comfort which we have from the truth of the gospel is by the Spirit, and therefore it is called joy in the Holy Ghost. So law-truths are applied to the conscience by the Spirit: Jer. xxxi. 19, 'After I was instructed, I smote upon the thigh ; ' and ' when the commandment came,' — that is, in the light and power of the Spirit, — 'sin revived, and I died,' Kom. vii. 9, that is, was made sensible of his sinful and lost condition. And indeed the usual work wherewith the Spirit beginneth with men, is to show them their sin and misery, their alienation from God, and enmity to him, and insufficiency to help themselves.
[3.] The disposition of man, which is corrupted, under the workings of the spirit of bondage. And so this spirit of bondage, or servile fear, worketh several ways, according to the temper of men.
(1.) In the profane it giveth occasion of further sinning, as conscience being awakened by the Spirit, urgeth either the precept or the curse. '\!\xe precept, as a bullock at first yoking groweth more unruly, or a river swelleth when it meeteth with a dam and restraint : Eom. vii. 5, ' For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sin, which were by the law, did work in our members, to bring forth fruit unto death.' Sinful practices were more irritated by the prohibition ; and so our obligation to death increased. Or else by urging the curse, which produceth the sottish despair ; Jer. xviii. 12, ' And they said, there is no hope ; we will walk after our devices.' There is a double despair of pleasing, or being accepted ; there is a lazy, sottish despair, as well as a raging and tormenting despair, by which men cast off all care of the soul's welfare : ' There is no hope.' (2.) In a middle sort of men, that have a legal conscience, it puts them upon some duty and course of service to God ; but it is not done comfortablJ^ or
Ver. 15.] SEraiONS upon komans viii. 103
upon any noble motives. That ■\vlnch is defective in it is this : J?irst, it is constrained service. This bondage, which is a fruit of the law, doth force and compel men to some unpleasing task. A christian surveth God out of love, but one under the spirit of bond- age servetli God out of fear ; a love to God and true holiness prevaileth with the one, more than the fear of wrath and punishment ; for tlie spirit of adoption disposeth and inclineth him to God as a lather ; but one under the spirit of bondage is forced to submit to some kind of religiousness, for fear of being damned. Indeed both are constrained, the one by love, the other by fear, 2 Cor. v. 14 ; only the constraint of love is durable, and kindly, and sweet ; the other, his task is grievous and wearisome, Mai. i. 11, and holdeth most in a fit ; when danger is nigh, they are frighted into some devotion, Ps. Ixxviii. 34-38. Secondly, That service which they are forced and compelled to yield to God, is outward service and obedience, Isa. Iviii. 7 ; hanging the liead for a day, like a bulrush ; and as they do, Mic. vi. 7, offer thousands of rams and ten thousands of rivers of oil, or the firstborn of their body, for tlie sin of their souls. It is a sin-oft'ering rather than a thank-oftering ; more to appease conscience, than to please God ; con- sists in rituals rather than substantials ; and those invented by men, rather than commaudeil by God. Whereas the true christian is other- wise described : Phil. iii. 3, ' For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.' But the false christian is one (Mat. xv. 8) that drawetli nigh to God with the mouth, but their lieart is far from him ; their heart is averse from God, though they must have an outward religion to rest in ; and so they serve God not as children do a father, but as slaves serve a hard and cruel master.