[1.] Within there is an enmity to the divine and heavenly life: Gal. V. 17, ' For tlie flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.' So blind are our minds, so depraved are our hearts, so strong are our lusts, which evils remain in such a measure in the regenerate, that there is but a cold resistance of sin, a faint and dull desire, and a sluggish pursuit after spiritual and heavenly things, that unless the Lord by his Spirit do still open the eyes of our minds, and strengthen the inclination of our hearts, and reconcile our alienated and estranged affections to himself, our faith will be dead, our love to him will soon grow cold, and our obedience- fail. In short, there is still within us such addictedness to sin, such a love to the present world, such indulgence to the flesh, that no less agent can keep alive the work of God in our hearts.
[2.] Without there is the world, which presents tempting objects : 2 Tim. iv. 10, ' For Deraas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world.' Or assaults us with violence for our love to God, and loyalty to Christ : 2 Tim. iii. 12, ' Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution.' And the devil earnestly joineth his suggestions with both sort of temptations : 1 Peter v. 8, 9, ' Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour ; whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.' By this the flesh is strangely stirred, and we should soon be overcome, were we not assisted by the powerful and all-conquering Spirit of Christ: 1 John iv. 4, 'Ye are of God, little children, and' have overcome them ; because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.'
2. The word ' spirit ' signifieth also the new new nature, or that gracious frame of heart which is produced in us by the Holy Ghost. This may be considered as working towards God or towards men.
[1.] As the new nature standeth affected to God, so the spirit of the gospel is described by the apostle : 2 Tim. i. 7, ' God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and a sound mind.' Nega- tively, ' not a spirit of fear ; ' it is a spirit above the hopes and fears of
400 SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. [SeR. XXIII.
the world : 1 Cor. ii. 12, * Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.' One part is put for both. They that look for no great matters in the world have not much either to fear or hope for, and are not greatly moved with anything that doth befall them in the present life. But then positively it is called ' a spirit of love, power, and a sound mind ; ' where (1.) by ' a spirit of a sound mind ' is meant a true knowledge of God in Christ, and a firm belief of the life to come, or a being sound in the faith : 2 Tim. i. 13, 'Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.' Two things the gospel discovereth — God in Christ, and the life to come. God in Christ : John xvii. 3, ' And this is life eternal, to know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent ; ' 2 Cor. iv. 6, ' For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath sinned in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.' The other great discovery of the gospel is the life to come : 2 Tim. i. 10, ' And hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.' Now the Spirit revealeth both ; both the truth of our redemption by Christ : 1 Cor. xii. 3, ' No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost ; ' that is, own Christ for the true Messiah ; and then a clear and firm persuasion of the world to come is wrought in us by the Spirit also : Eph. i. 17, 18, ' That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him : the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that 3'e may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.' Now this giveth us a sound mind. (2.) A ' spirit of love ' is a pure and fervent love to God, which doth incline us to seek after him, and delight in him as our portion and happiness. The seeking after God is made the great duty of man ; we lost him by the fall, and they that love him cannot live without him : Prov. viii. 17, ' I love them that love me, and they that seek me early shall find me,' An early and earnest seeking after God is made there an act of love ; and so delighting in God is our great duty also ; as Ps. xxxvii. 4, * Delight thyself also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desire of thy heart; ' Phil. iv. 4, ' Rejoice in the Lord alwa)% and again I say, Kejoice.' Now this is wrought in us by the Holy Spirit, for love is of God : 1 John iv. 7, ' Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God ; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.' Love is of God, not only as the original pattern, but the original cause : 2 Thes. iii. 5, ' The Lord direct 5^our hearts into the love of God,' The Spirit keepeth our hearts fixed towards God, and in a readiness and willingness to do what is pleasing to him. (3.) A ' spirit of power,' and that is hope, and doth enable us to carry on our duty, whatever temptations we have to the contrary. Surely it is a mighty power which doth enable us to deny present delights, and overcome the terrors of sense, that we may be more at liberty for God and heavenly things ; for this hope produces two effects —