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TORONTO
SHERATON
MEMORIAL LIBRARY
EASTER. 1906
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fAOCS
Shell No.
ter No.
THE
WORKS OF THOMAS MANTON, D.D.
VOL. XII.
COUNCIL OF PUBLICATION.
W. LINDSAY ALEXANDER, D.D., Professor of Theology, Congregational
Union, Edinburgh.
JAMES BEGG, D.D., Minister of Newington Free Church, Edinburgh,
THOMAS J. CRAWFORD, D.D., S.T.P., Professor of Divinity, University,
Edinburgh.
D. T. K. DRUMMOND, M.A., Minister of St Thomas's Episcopal Church,
Edinburgh.
WILLIAM H. GOOLD, D.D., Professor of Biblical Literature and Church
History, Reformed Presbyterian Church, Edinburgh.
ANDREW THOMSON, D.D., Minister of Broughtou Place United Presby
terian Church, Edinburgh.
General tf&itor.
REV. THOMAS SMITH, D.D., EDINBURGH.
THE COMPLETE WORKS
THOMAS MANTON, D.D.
, VOLUME XII.
CONTAINING
SEVERAL SERMONS UPON THE EIGHTH CHAPTER OF
ROMANS ;
ALSO
SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V.
LONDON:
JAMES NISBET & CO., 21 BEKNEBS STBEET.
1873.
PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE AND COMPANY
EDINBURGH AND LONDON
CONTENTS.
SERMONS UPON EOMANS vm. continued.
PAOB
SERMON XII. " Now if any Have not the Spirit of Christ, he is
none of his," ver. 9, ... 1
XIII. " And if Christ be -in you, the body is dead be
cause of sin," &c., ver. 10, . . . 11
XIV. " If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from
the dead dwell in you," &c., ver. 11, . 18
XV. " Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the
flesh, to live after the flesh," ver. 12, . 27
XVI. "If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die/ 1
ver. 13, . . . .36
XVII. " If ye live after the flesh," &c., ver. 13, . , 45
XVIII. " If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of
the body, ye shall live," ver. 13, . 54
XIX. " If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of
the body," ver. 13, . . , . 72
XX. "Ye shall live," ver. 13, ... 82
XXI. " For as many as are led by the Spirit of God
are the sons of God," ver. 14, . 91
XXII. " For ye have not received the spirit of bondage
again to fear," &c., ver. 15, . . . 101
XXIII. " But ye have received the Spirit of adoption,
whereby we cry, Abba, Father," ver. 15, . Ill
XXIV. " The Spirit itself witnesseth to our spirit, that
we are the children of God," ver. 16, . 121
CONTENTS.
PAGE
SERMON XXV. " If children, then heirs ; heirs of God, and
joint heirs with Christ," &c., ver. 17, . 130
XXVI. "For I reckon that the sufferings of this
present time," &c., ver. 18, . . 139
XXVII. " For the earnest expectation of the creature
waiteth for," &c., ver. 19, . . 148
" For the creature was made subject to vanity,
not willingly," &c., ver. 20, . .157
XXVIII. "Because the creature itself also shall be
delivered," &c., ver. 21, . , . 166
XXIX. " For we know that the whole creation groaneth
and travaileth," &c., ver. 22, . . 177
XXX. " And not only they, but ourselves also, who
have the first-fruits," &c., ver. 23, . 186
XXXI. " For we are saved by hope : but hope that is
seen is not hope," &c., ver. 24, . . 196
XXXII. " For we are saved by hope," &c., ver. 24, . 205
XXXIII. " But if we hope for that we see not, then do
we with patience wait," &c., ver. 25, . 216
XXXIV. "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our in
firmities," &c., ver. 26, . . .225
XXXV. "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our in
firmities," &c., ver. 26, . . . 233
XXXVI. "And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth
what is the mind," &c., ver. 27, . . 243
XXXVII. "And we know that all things work together
for good to them," &c., ver. 28, . . 258
XXXVIII. " To them that love God," ver. 28, . . 276
XXXIX. "For whom he did foreknow, he also did
predestinate," &c., ver. 29, . . 301
XL. " Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them
he also called," &c., ver. 30, . . 310
CONTENTS. Vll
PAGE
SERMON XLI. "What shall we then say to these things?
if God be for us," &c., ver. 31, . . 319
XLII. " He that spared not his own Son, but delivered
him up for us all," &c., ver. 32, . . 336
XLIII. "Who shall lay anything to the charge of
God's elect ? " &c., ver. 33, . . 348
XLIV. "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ
that died," ver. 34, . . 358
XLV. "Who shall separate us from the love of
Christ? shall tribulation," &c., ver. 35, . 374
XLVI. " As it is written, For thy sake we are killed
all the day long," &c., vers. 36, 37, . 384
XLVJI. " For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor
life, nor angels," &c., vers. 38, 39, . 410
SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS v.
SERMON I. " For we know, that if our earthly house of this
tabernacle were dissolved," ver. 1, . , . 423
II. " For we know, that if our earthly house of this
tabernacle were dissolved/' &c., ver. 1, . 431
III. " For we know, that if our earthly house of this
tabernacle were dissolved," &c., ver. 1, . 442
IV. " For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be
clothed upon with our house," &c., ver. 2, . 451
V. "If so be that being clothed we shall not be
found naked," ver. 3, . . .459
VI. "For we that are in this tabernacle do groan,
being burdened," &c., ver. 4, . .467
VII. " Now he that hath wrought us for this self-same
thing is God," &c., ver. 5, . . . 476
VIII. "Therefore we are always confident, knowing
that while we are at home," &c., ver. 6, . 486
SERMONS
UPON THE
EIGHTH CHAPTER OF THE ROMANS,
SERMON XII.
Now if any have not the Spirit of Christ, lie is none of his.
KOM. VIII. 9.
IN the context, we have an assertion of a general truth, ' There is no
condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the
flesh, but after the spirit/ We have this application in the beginning
of this verse, lest any should raise up a vain confidence that they were
in Christ, and therefore freed from condemnation, without regarding
what he had before said, expounding himself : ver. 1, * Who walk not
after the flesh, but after the spirit' He here further adds as an
application of the proposition, ' he who hath not the Spirit of Christ,
is none of his ; ' which, because they were Christians in profession, was
more accommodate to them. Here observe
Doct. That all true Christians have the spirit of Christ.
1. I suppose there are Christians, or Christ's disciples in name, and
disciples indeed : John viii. 31. As an Israelite indeed : John i. 47 ;
Rom. ii. 29. The apostle distinguished of a Jew in the letter, and a
Jew in the spirit. So, by just analogy and proportion, there are
Christians in the letter, that have the outside of Christians, but not the
life and power. We are only Christians in name and profession till
we have the Spirit.
2. I assert, that which discriminateth the one from the other, is the
having the Spirit. It is a mark both exclusive and inclusive ; some
marks are exclusive, but not inclusive : John i. 47, ' He that is of God,
heareth God's word : ye, therefore, hear them not, because ye are not
of God ; ' that is exclusive. Acts xiii. 46, ' But seeing ye put away the
word of God from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life ;'
that is also exclusive. But if we depend upon these marks, we put a
false reasoning upon our souls : James i. 22, ' But be ye doers of the
word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own souls,' 7rapa\oy^6fievoi,.
There are inclusive marks, but not exclusive, as : Rom. ix. 1, 2, 3, ' I
say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me
witness in the Holy Ghost, that I have great heaviness and continual
sorrow in my heart ; for I could wish that myself were accursed from
Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh/ They that
VOL. xn; A
2 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XII.
can prefer a public good, before their own personal eternal interest,
have an undoubted evidence of their love to Christ ; but we cannot say
that none love Christ, but those which arrive at that height and degree :
but this is both exclusive and inclusive. The text showeth it to be
exclusive ; he that hath not the Spirit, is none of his ; that is, not
grafted as a living member into Christ's mystical body for the present,
nor will he be accepted or approved as a true Christian at last, at the
day of Christ's appearing ; to be none of Christ's, is to be disowned and
disclaimed by Christ , ' Depart from me, I know you not.' How
grievous is the thought of it to any good Christian ! Secondly, It is
inclusive : 1 John ii. 13, ' Hereby we know that we dwell in God, and
he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.' These are magnificent
words, and such as^we should not have used, if God had not used them
before us. It is much nearness to dwell one with another, it is more
nearness to dwell one in another ; this is mutual and reciprocal between
God and a believer ; if we have his Spirit we may safely conclude it.
To prove this, let us see,
1. What it is to have the Spirit.
2. Why this is the evidence that we are true Christians.
First. For the first question take these explanations :
1. By the Spirit of Christ is not meant any created habit and gift
For the new nature is sometimes called the spirit : John iii. 6. But
the third person in the Trinity, called the Holy Ghost, is here meant ;
for he is spoken of as a person that dwelleth in believers, in the former
part of the verse ; and dwelleth in them as in his temple, as one that
leadeth, guideth, and sanctifieth them ; yea, as one that will at length
quicken their mortal bodies, ver. 11, which no created habit and quality
can do. Yea, he is called the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of Christ :
* If so be the Spirit of God dwell in you ; ' and in the words of the
text, ' If any man have not the Spirit of Christ.' Because he proceedeth
from the Father and the Son : John xv. 26, ' When the comforter is
come, whom I will send you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth,
which proceedeth from the Father.' This is the Spirit which is
spoken of in this place.
2. This Spirit is had, or said to be in us. We have not only the
fruit, but the tree. But how have we him ? We have a right to his
person, he is given to us in the covenant of grace, as our sanctifier ;
as God is ours by covenant, so is the Spirit ours, as well as the Father
and the Son ; and he is present in our hearts, as the immediate agent
of Christ, and worker of all grace. It is true, in respect of his essence,
and some kind of operation, he is present in all creatures : Ps. cxxxix.
7, ' Whither shall I go from thy Spirit ? Whither shall I fly from
thy presence ? ' God filleth all things with his Spirit and presence.
And therefore when some are said to have him, and others not to have
him, it is understood of his peculiar presence, with respect to those
eminent operations and effects which he produceth in the hearts of the
faithful, and nowhere else ; for he is such an agent nowhere, as he is
in their hearts. Therefore, they are called temples of the Holy Ghost
1 Cor. iii. 16 and 1 Cor. vi. 19 because he buildeth them up for a holy
use, and also dwelleth and reside th there, maintaining God's interest
in their souls.
VER. 9.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS viu. 3
3. These eminent operations of the Holy Ghost are either in a way
of common gifts, or special graces ; as to common gifts, reprobates and
hypocrites may be said to be partakers of the Holy Ghost, Heb. vi. 4,
Balaam had the gift of prophecy, and Judas the gift of miracles, as
well as the rest of the apostles : 1 Cor. xii., the apostle discourseth at
large of the gifts of the Spirit, and concludeth ; ' but I shew you a
more excellent /way/ verse 31 ; and then taketh it up again : 1 Cor.
xiii. 1, 2, ' Though I speak with the tongue of men and angels, and
have not charity, I am become as a sounding brass, or a tinkling
cymbal ; and, though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all
mysteries and all knowledge ; and though I have all faith, so that I
could remove mountains, and have no charity, I am nothing.'
There are dona ministrantia, gifts for the service of the church ; such
as profound knowledge, utterance in preaching, or praying, or any other
ministerial acts ; and dona sanctificantia, such as faith, hope, and love ;
the former may render us useful to the church, but not acceptable to
the Lord. The superficial Christianity is rewarded with common gifts,
but the real Christianity with special graces ; all that profess the faith
are visibly adopted by God into his family, and under a visible admini
stration of the covenant of grace ; so far as they are adopted into
God's family, so far are they made partakers of the Spirit. Christ
giveth to common Christians those common gifts of the Spirit, which
he giveth not to the heathen world ; as, knowledge of the mysteries of
godliness, abilities of utterance and speech about heavenly things ;
some affection also to spiritual and heavenly things, called a tasting of
the good word ; the heavenly gift, and the powers of the world to
come ; these will not prove us true Christians, or really in God's special
favour, but only visible, professed Christians.
4. The Spirit, as to sanctifying and saving effects, may be considered
as spiritus assistens aut informans ; either as moving, warning, or excit
ing, by transient motions ; so the wicked may be wrought upon by him,
as to be convinced, warned, excited ; how else can they be said to resist
the Holy Ghost? Acts vii. -51. And the Lord telleth the old world,
Gen. vi. 3, that his Spirit should not always strive with them. Surely,
besides the counsels and exhortations of the word, the Spirit doth
rebuke, warn, and excite them, and moveth, and stirreth, and striveth
in the hearts of all carnal creatures, or else these expressions could not
be used.
5. There are such effects of his sanctifying grace, as are wrought in
us, per modum Jiabitus permanentis, to renew and change us, so as a
man from carnal, doth become spiritual, the Spirit of God doth so
dwell in us as to frame heart and life into holiness ; this work is some
times called the new creature, 2 Cor. v. 17, and sometimes the divine
nature, 2 Pet. i. 4. It differeth from gifts, because they are for out
ward service ; but this conduceth to change the heart : it differeth from
actual motions and inspirations, because they may vanish and die away,
without any saving impression left upon the heart : it differeth from
those slighter dispositions to godliness, which are many times in tem
poraries ; because they are but a light tincture, soon worn off, and have
no power and mastery over sensual affections ; if they restrain them a
little, they do not mortify and subdue them. Good motions are as a
4 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [$ER. XII.
dash of rain ; and those weak inclinations and good dispositions which
are in temporaries, are as a pond, or pool, which may be dried up ; hut
this saving and sanctifying work is as a spring: John iv. 14. Two
things are considerable in it : 1. Its continuance and indication. 2.
Its efficacy and predominancy.
[1.] The radication is set forth by the notions of the Spirit's dwelling
in us: John xiv. 17, 'He shall be in you, and dwell in you.' Its
resting upon us : 1 Pet. iv. 14, ' The Spirit of God and of glory rest
upon you/ He taketh up his abode with us : John xiv. 23, ' We will
come to him, and make our abode with him/ It is not a visit and
away, or a lodging for a night, but a constant residence ; he taketh up
his mansion in our hearts. Some have fits and qualms of religion,
motions of conviction and joy, but not a settled bent of heart towards
God and heaven.
[2.] Its pre valency and predominancy ; for where the Spirit dwelleth,
there he must rule, and have the command of the house ; he dwelleth
in the soul ; he dwelleth so as to govern, directing and inclining us
so as to do things pleasing unto God, weaning us from the. world : 1
Cor. ii. 12. This is called the receiving, not the spirit of the world,
but that which is of God. Mastering and taming the flesh, both its
gust and savour : Rom. viii. 5, ' For they that are after the flesh, do
mind the things of the flesh/ Its deeds and motions : Rom. viii. 13,
' If ye mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live/ The flesh will
rebel, but the Spirit gets the upper hand, for the dominion and
sovereignty of the flesh are not consistent with the having of the Spirit ;
the flesh is subdued more and more ; where the Spirit cometh, he
cometh to govern, to suit the heart to the will of God, and to give us
greater liberty towards him : 2 Cor. iii. 17, ' Where the Spirit of the
Lord is, there is liberty/ The objects of sense which feed the flesh
make less impression upon us ; and the love of sin is more arid more
conquered. Now take it thus explained, you may know what it is to
have the Spirit, namely, the dwelling and working of the Spirit in our
souls, mortifying the flesh, and causing us to live unto God.
Secondly. Why is this an evidence that we are true Christians ?
Here I shall prove two things.
1. That all true Christians have this sanctifying Spirit.
2. That it is the certain evidence and proof of their being Christians,
or having an interest in Christ.
1. That all that are true Christians have it. I prove it
[1.] From the promise of God, who hath promised it to them ; and
surely his love and faithfulness will see it made good : Zech. xii. 10,
4 1 will pour upon them the Spirit of grace and supplications ; ' and Prov.
i. 23, ' Turn unto me, and I will pour out an abundance of Spirit unto
you ;' and Rev. xxii. 17,' Whosoever will, let him drink of the water of
life freely/ By Hie water of life is meant the Spirit ; as appeareth,
John vii. 38, 39 ; so in many other places. Now surely God's word
will not fall to the ground, but must be accomplished.
[2.] From the merit of Christ. Two things Christ purchased and
bestowed upon all his people, his righteousness and his Spirit : 2 Cor.
v. 21, ' He was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteous
ness of God in him ' : Gal. iii. 14, ' That we might receive the promise
VER. 9.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vnr. 5
of the Spirit through faith ; the rock was smitten by the rod of Moses
twice,' 1 Cor. x. 4. And these two gifts are inseparable ; where he
giveth the one, he giveth the other ; we have both, or none : 1 Cor. vi.
11. ' But ye are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus, and by the
Spirit of our God : ' and Tit. iii. 5, 6, 7, ' But according to his mercy he
saved us by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy
Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our
Saviour, that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs
according to the hope of eternal life.' He freeth us at the same time
a malo morali, which is sin ; and a malo naturali, which is punishment.
S3.] When we enter into the covenant of grace, we enter into covenant
i Father, Son, and Holy Ghost ; with God, and with the Kedeemer,
and with the Sanctifier : Mat. xxviii. 19, * We are baptized in the
name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.' What is our covenant
with the Holy Ghost ? It implieth both our duty and our benefit ;
our benefit is that we expect that the Holy Ghost should regenerate
us, and renew us to the image of God, and plant us into Christ by
faith, and then dwell in us, and maintain God's interest in our souls,
and so make us saints and believers : and our duty is to consent to give
up ourselves to him as our sanctifier, and to obey his powerful motions,
before we are made partakers of the Holy Ghost.
[4.] The necessity of having the Spirit appeareth, in that without
him we can do nothing in Christianity from first to last ; it is the Spirit
uniteth us to Christ, and planteth us into his mystical body : 1 Cor.
xii. 13, ' By one Spirit we are baptized into one body ; ' it is by the Spirit
we give up ourselves to God as our God and reconciled Father in Christ,
and to Christ as our Redeemer and Saviour and so are planted into
his mystical body : 1 Cor. vi. 17, * But he that is joined to the Lord is
one spirit/ As a man and a harlot are one flesh, so we are one spirit ;
the union is spiritual for kind, and the Spirit is the author of it. So
for further sanctification, and consolation, and mortification ; take it
either for the purging out lusts or suppressing the acts of sin ; for the
purging out of lusts: 1 Pet. i. 22, * Seeing ye have purified your souls
in obeying the truth through the Spirit.' Pride, worldliness, and
sensuality, these are purged out more and more by the Spirit. Or
suppressing the acts of sin : Rom. viii. 13, ' If ye through the Spirit do
mortify the deeds of the body.' So for vivification, he infuseth life, and
quickeneth and maintaineth it in our souls : Gal. v. 25, * If we live in
the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.' Strengthening it: Eph. iii.
16, ' That he would grant you according to the riches of his grace to be
strengthened with might, by his Spirit.' He maketh it fruitful and
excitethit: Ezek. xxxvi. 27, 'I will put my Spirit into you, and
cause you to walk in my ways.' For consolation, to uphold our hearts
in the midst of all trials and difficulties ; then we may go on cheerfully,
and in a course of holiness : Acts ix. 31, ' They walked in the fear of
God, and the comforts of the Holy Ghost.' To comfort us with the
sense of God's love in all our tribulations : Rom. v. 5, * Because the love
of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given
unto us.' To wait for eternal life : Gal. v. 5, ' But we through the Spirit
do wait for the hope of righteousness by faith,' that is, which is built
upon it.
6 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XII.
2. This Spirit is the evidence of men being true Christians, the only
sure and proper evidence : this will appear,
[1.] By the metaphors and terms by which the Spirit is set forth ;
he is called a seal, a witness, and an earnest : ' Who hath sealed us, and
given us the earnest of his Spirit in our hearts : ' 2 Cor. i. 22 ; and
Eph. i. 13, 14, 'After ye believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit
of promise.' Men used to set their mark and stamp upon their wares,
that they might own them for theirs. God sealeth by his Spirit ; his
stamp is his image: 2 Cor. iii. 18, 'We are changed into his image
from glory to glory.' So he is also set forth under the notion of a
witness : Rom. viii. 16, ' The Spirit itself beareth witness/ What is
the witness of the Spirit ? Not an immediate revelation or oracle in
your bosoms, to tell you that you are God's children, but the renovation
of the soul, and the constant operation of the Holy Spirit, dwelling
and working in you ; this testifieth to our consciences or spirits, that
God hath adopted us into his family ; thus the Spirit is a witness to
the scriptures. So he is set forth as an earnest : 2 Cor. v. 5, ' Now he
that hath wrought us to this self-same thing is God, who hath also
given us the earnest of his Spirit.' An earnest is part of the sum ; we
have somewhat of the life, and peace, and joy of the Spirit now. which
enableth us to wait with the more comfort and assurance for our future
blessedness.
[2.] From the congruity of this evidence.
(1.) The coming down of the Holy Ghost upon him as the evidence
of God's love to Christ, and the visible dempnstration of his affiliation
and sonship to the world. The evidence of God's love: John. iii. 34,
1 The Father loved the Son, and gave him the Spirit without measure/
Now Christ prayed : John xvii. 26 ; ' That the love wherewith thou
hast loved me may be in them ; ' and v. 23, ' That the world may know
that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me/
None will think in degree, therefore in kind, that God would
manifest his love to us, as he did to him, by the gift of the
Holy Spirit, or his filiation. John knew Christ to be the Son
of God, by the Spirit descending and abiding on him : John. i.
32, * I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it abode on
him ; ' yea, God himself owned this as a demonstration of his sonship :
Mat. iii. 17, ' This is my well-beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased/
So do we know ourselves to be the children of God, by the Spirit's
inhabitation and sanctifying work upon our souls.
(2.) The pouring out of the Spirit was the visible evidence given to
the church of the sufficiency of Christ's satisfaction. When God was
reconciled, then he shed forth the Spirit: Acts ii. 33, ' Therefore being
at the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father
the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this which ye now
see and hear ; ' so John vii. 38, 39, ' He that believeth in me, (as the
scripture saith) out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water : this
he spake of the Spirit, which they that believed on him should receive ;
for the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet
glorified/ Now this is true of God's love and reconciliation to us in
particular ; when he is pacified, he giveth the Spirit, because the part
followeth the reason of the whole ; and the atonement made, and the
VER. 9.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vin. 7
atonement received, Kom. v. 11, are evidenced the same way, even by
this fountain of living water, which is given to all believers.
(3.) This is the witness of the truth of the gospel, and therefore the
best pledge of the love of God we can have in our hearts ; for the
believer's hopes are confirmed in the same way the gospel is confirmed ;
that which confirmeth Christianity, confirmeth the Christian ; the
extract and original charter are confirmed by the same stamp and
impression ; the Spirit confirmeth the love of God to sinners, and
therefore the love of God to me : Act. v. 32, ' And we are witnesses of
these things, and so is the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them
that obey him.' The word was confirmed by the great wonders wrought
by the Holy Ghost : Heb. iii. 4, ' God bearing them witness, with signs
and wonders, and divers gifts of the Holy Ghost.' The sanctifying
Spirit: John xvii. 17, * Sanctify them through the truth, thy word is
truth : ' 1 John v. 10, ' He that believeth on the Son, hath the witness
in himself.' The Spirit comforting the conscience by the blood of Christ,
and sanctifying the heart, and cleansing it as with pure water, this
also is our evidence.
[3.] From the qualities of this evidence, and so it is most apt to
satisfy the doubting conscience concerning its interest in Christ and
his benefits.
(1.) It is a great benefit, becoming the love of God, to give us his
Holy Spirit ; it is more than if he had given us all the world. Persons
that have been at variance will not believe one another, unless their
reconciliation be verified by some remarkable good turn and visible
testimony of love. A great offender reconciled to Augustus, yet would
not believe it, unless he put some notable mark of his favour upon him ;
as David to Amasa, making him general of his army. Surely the
breach hath been so great between us and God, that we shall have no
peace and joy in believing, till we have some gift that may be a perfect
demonstration that he is at peace with us : Kom. v. 11, ' We joy in God,
as those that have received the atonement ; ' the pledge of it is in the
gift of the Spirit. Most men's patience cometh from their stupidness,
their confidence from their security, their quiet from their mindlessness
of heavenly things ; but the soul that is in good earnest must have a
witness of God's love, or a sufficient proof that he is reconciled and
taken into God's family, made an heir according to the hope of eternal
life, which is the spirit of adoption : Gal. iv. 6, ' And because ye are
sons, God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba,
Father/
(2.) It is most sensible, as being within our own hearts : the death
of Christ was a demonstration of God's love, but that was done without
us on the cross, and before we were born. Justification is a blessed
privilege, but either that is God's act in heaven accepting us in Christ,
or else, in the sentence of the law, by which we are constituted just ;
but this cometh into our hearts ; Gal. iv. 6, ' God hath sent the Spirit
of his Son into our hearts ; ' so 2 Cor. i. 22, ' He hath given us the
earnest of the Spirit in our hearts ; ' so 1 John v. 11, ' He that believeth
hath the witness in himself ; ' compare the eighth verse.
(3.) It is a permanent and abiding testimony. By his constant opera
tion we are acquainted with him, and know him ; what moveth and
8 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XII
etirreth in us but now and then we understand not, but the Holy
Ghost is familiar with us, resideth and dwelleth in our hearts ; we feel
his pulse and motions : John xiv. 17, ' I will send you the Spirit of
truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither
knoweth him ; but ye know him, for he dwelleth in you, and shall be in
you : ' therefore they know, QTI Trap vfuv pevet,. They that constantly
feel his operations in comforting, quickening, instructing them, they
may see how they are beloved of God, and minded by him upon all
occasions. The effects of the Spirit are life, holiness, faith, strength, joy,
comfort, and peace ; he enlighteneth our understanding, confirmeth our
faith, and assures us of salvation ; exciteth us to prayer, stirreth up
holy desires and motions, comforteth us in crosses, awakeneth us in
groans after heaven. Now those that have such constant experience of
the illuminating, sanctifying, quickening work of the Spirit on their
souls, cannot but know what kind of spirit dwelleth and worketh in
them.
(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. xiii. 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 peace
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 Spirit ; this is reward and punishment, 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 vm. 9
retaining and witholding the Spirit is one of the greatest calamities in
the world ; ver. 2, * Kenew 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 : Kom. 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 hath
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, ' Kepent, 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
all-powerful operation of the Spirit. An assent with wonder and
10 SERMONS UPON EOMANS VIII. [SER. XII.
astonishment, because so much wisdom, love, and grace was discovered
in it, Eph. iii. 17-19. (2.) Consent must be often renewed to that
covenant by which the Spirit is dispensed. Often enter into a resolution
to take God for your God, for your sovereign lord, your portion and
happiness; and Christ for your redeemer and saviour ; and the Holy
Ghost for your guide, sanctifier and comforter. Every solemn consent
renewed doth both confirm you in the benefit of the Spirit, and bind
you and excite you to the duties required by God in all these relations.
Your constant work is to love and seek after God as your happiness, and
Jesus Christ as your saviour, and the Spirit for your guide and direc
tion. (3.) Dependence upon the love of God, and the merits of Christ,
and the power of the Spirit, that you may use Christ's appointed
means with the mqre confidence. That soul that thus sets itself to
believe, findeth a wonderful increase of the Spirit in this renewed
exercise of faith, assenting, consenting, and depending : Kom. xv. 13,
' The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you
may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost/
[2.] Your repentance must be renewed by a hearty grief for sin, and
resolutions and endeavours against it. The more sin is made odious,
the more the Spirit hath obtained his effect in you ; and the more
heartily you study to please God in the work of love and obedience,
the more you are acquainted with the Spirit and his qtiickenings, the
Spirit and his comforts : Acts ix. 31, ' They walked in the fear of the
Lord, and the comforts of the Holy Ghost.' His business is to make
you holy ; the more you obey his motions and follow his directions,
the more he delighteth to dwell in your hearts.
Use 2 is self-reflection. Let me put that question to you : Acts xix.
3, ' Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed ? ' Is the first
great change wrought ? are you called from darkness to light ? from
sin to holiness ? turned from Satan to God ? Are you made partakers
of the divine nature ? 2 Pet. i. 4. The change must be perfected more
and more by the Spirit: 2 Cor. iii. 18, ' Beholding as in a glass the
glory of the Lord, we are changed into his image from glory to glory,
by the Spirit of the Lord/ Do you obey his sanctifying motions ?
Rom. viii. 14, ' For as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the
sons of God/ His motions all tend to quicken us to the heavenly life,
inclining our hearts to things above : 2 Thes. ii. 13, ' But we are
bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the
Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation
through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth,'
VER. 10.J SERMONS UPON ROMANS vin. 11
SERMON XIII.
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, and the
Spirit is life because of righteousness. ROM. VIII. 10.
THE text is manifestly a prolepsis, or a preoccupation of a secret
objection against our redemption by Christ. If believers die as well as
others, how are they freed from death ? Questionless, Christ was sent
into the world to abolish the misery brought in by Adam's sin ; now
death was the primary punishment of sin : Gen. ii. 17, * In the day
thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die;' and this remaineth on
believers. The apostle answereth in the words read,
First, By supposition, ' if Christ be in you ; ' that he might fix the
privilege on the persons to whom it properly belongeth.
Secondly, By concession, ' The body is dead because of sin.'
Thirdly, By" correction, 'And the Spirit is life because of righteous
ness.'
First, The supposition showeth that the comfort of the privilege is
drawn from the spiritual union which believers have with Christ : 'If
Christ be in you .' Secondly, the concession granteth what must be
granted, that death befalleth believers ; their bodies return to the dust
as others do. But, thirdly, the correction is, that they are certain to
live for ever with Christ both in body and soul ; a-nd this upon a two
fold ground; first, there is a life begun, which shall not be quenched,
but perfected. ' The Spirit is life ; ' the ground and procuring cause is
Christ's righteousness. Sin deprived them of the life of grace, and
forfeited the life of glory ; but here the righteousness of Christ hath
purchased this life for us, and the Spirit applieth it to us.
Doct. That Christ in believers, notwithstanding death, is a sure
pledge a-nd earnest to them of eternal life both in body and soul.
This point will be best discussed with respect to the several clauses
in the text the supposition, the concession, the correction, or contrary
assertion.
1. The supposition * If Christ be in you.' Here I will prove to
you, that a true Christian is one that doth not only profess Christ, but
hath Christ in him : 2 Cor. xiii. 5, ' Know ye not that Jesus Christ is
in you, except ye are reprobates ? ' that is senseless, stupid wretches, not
accepted of God: so Col. i. 27, * Christ in you the hope of glory.' Now
Christ is in us two ways, objectively and effectively: objectively, as
the object is in the faculty, or the things we think of and love are in
our hearts and minds ; so Christ is in us, as he is apprehended and
embraced by faith and love ; so he is said, Eph. iii. 17, * To dwelt in
our hearts by faith ; ' and again, ' He that dwelleth in love, dwelleth
in God, and God in him/ 1 John iv. 18. Which is not to be under
stood of the acts only, but the habitual temper and dispositions of our
souls ; for else by the ceasing of the acts, the union at least in our
hearts would be broken off. Secondly, effectively, so Christ is in us by
his Spirit and gracious influence. Now, the effects of his Spirit are
first, life, he is become the principle of a new life in us : Gal. ii. 20,
1 Christ liveth in me ; and the life that I live in the flesh, I live by
12 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SEE. XIII.
the faith of the Son of God.' Where he is, he maketh us to live ;
and we have another principle of our lives than ourselves or our own
natural or renewed spirit. Secondly, Likeness or renovation of our
natures : Gal. iv. 19, ' Until Christ be formed in you.' The image of
Christ is impressed on the soul : 2 Cor. v. 17, ' if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature.' It is all to the same effect, our being in Christ,
or Christ's being in us, for both imply union, and the effect of it a
near conformity to Christ in holiness. Thirdly, Strength by the con
tinued influence of his grace to overcome temptation : 1 John iv. 4,
' Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome him, because greater
is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.' The Spirit keepeth
afoot God's interest in. the soul against all the assaults of the devil ; so
for the variety of conditions we pass through : Phil. iv. 12, ' I know
both how to be abased and how to abound ; everywhere, and in all
things I am instructed both to be full, and to be hungry ; both to
abound, and to suffer need ; ' so for all duties that we are called unto :
1 Cor. xv. 10 : '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, and yet not I, but the grace of God which
was in me ; ' and Heb. xiii. 21, 'Working in you that which is pleas
ing in his sight through Jesus Christ/ Now, you see what it is to
have Christ in us ; none but these are real Christians.
(1.) Because we must first be partakers of Christ before we can be
partakers of any saving benefit purchased by him, as members are
united to the head before they receive sense and motion from it.
Christ giveth nothing of his purchase to any but to whom he giveth
himself first, 1 John v. 12 k And to whom he giveth himself, to them
he giveth all things needful to their salvation.
(2.) Where Christ once entereth, there he taketh up his abode and
lodging, not to depart thence ; dwelling noteth his constant and fami
liar presence ; he doth not sojourn for a while, but dwelleth as a man
in his own house and castle. There is a continued presence and influ
ence, whereby they are supported in their Christianity ; ' He dwelleth
in us, and we in him, and we know that he abideth in us by his
Spirit : ' 1 John iii. 24, and John xiv. 23, ' If a man love me he will keep
my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him,
and take up our abode with him/ Not a visit and away, but a con
stant residence : John xv. 5, ' He that abideth in me, and I in him, the
same bringeth forth much fruit/
(3.) Where Christ is, he ruleth and reigneth ; for we receive him as
our Lord and Saviour : Col. ii. 6. ' As ye received Christ Jesus the
Lord, so walk in him/ We received him, that he may perform the
office of a mediator in our hearts, and teach us, and rule us, and guide
us by his Spirit. All others know him by hearsay, but these know
him by experience; the testimony of Christ is confirmed in them.
Others talk of Christ, but these feel him ; others have him in their
ears and tongues, but not in their hearts ; or if the heart be warm and
heavenly for a fit, it quickly falleth to the earth again. Then here
doth our true happiness begin, to find Christ within us ; this is
that which giveth the seal to Christ without us, and all the mysteries
of redemption by him; for you have experienced the power and
VER, 10.]
SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII.
13
comfort of it in your own souls ; you find his image in your hearts, and
his Spirit conforming you to what he commandeth in the word, and
have a suitableness to the gospel in your souls ; you may look with an
holy confidence for help to him in all your necessities, when others
look at him with strange and doubtful thoughts, because nearness
breedeth familiarity, and the sense of his continual love and presence
begets a holy confidence to come to him for mercy and grace to help ;
in short, when others have but the common offer, you have a propriety
and interest in Christ. Christ without us is a perfect Saviour, but not
to you ; the appropriation is by union ; he came down from heaven,
took our nature, died for sinners, ascended up into heaven again to
make intercession at the right hand of the Father ; all this is without
us. Do not say only there is a Saviour in heaven ; is there one in thy
heart ? There is an intercessor in heaven, is there one in thy heart ?
Kom. viii. 26, ' But the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with
groanings which cannot be uttered.' He was born of the virgin, is
he formed in thee ? Gal. iv. 19. He died, are you planted into the
likeness of his death ? Kom. vi. 5. He is risen from the dead ; do you
know the power of his resurrection ? Phil. iii. 10. Are you raised with
him ? Col. iii. 1. He is ascended, are you ascended with him ? Eph, ii.
6. Christ without us established the merit, but Christ within us assureth
the application.
Secondly, I come now to the concession, ' The body is dead, because
of sin.' Here observe the emphasis of the expression, 'the body is
dead ; ' not only shall die, or must die, but is dead. He expresseth
himself thus for two reasons, first, because the sentence is passed : Gen.
ii. 17, Heb. ix. 27, ' It is appointed for all men once to die.' Therefore, as
we say of a condemned man, he is a dead man, by reason of the sentence
passed upon him ; so by reason of this sentence, our body is a mortal
body, liable to death, sentenced, doomed to death, and must one day
undergo it. The union between it and the soul after a certain time
shall be dissolved, a-nd our bodies corrupted. The execution is begun ;
mortality hath already seized upon our bodies, by the many infirmities
tending to, and ending in, the dissolution of nature. We now bear
about the marks of sin in our bodies, the harbingers of death are already
come, a-nd have taken up their lodging aforehand. The apostle saith,
'in deaths often.' How many deaths do we suffer, before death cometh
to relieve us, by several diseases, as colics, meagrims, catarrhs, gout,
stone, a-nd the like ? All these prepare for it ; and therefore this body,
though glorious in its structure, as it is the workmanship of God, is
called a vile body, as it is the subject of so many diseases ; yea, and
itself is continually dying : Heb. xi. 12, ' Therefore sprang there even
of one, and him as good as dead.' We express it, a man hath one foot
in the grave.
[2.] The reason is assigned, ' Because of sin/ Death is the most
ordinary thing in the world, but its cause and end are little thought of.
This expression will give us occasion to speak of both its meritorious
cause, and its use and end ; both are implied in the clause, ' Because
of sin.'
(1.) It implieth the meritorious cause. Death is not a natural
accident, but a punishment ; we die not as the beasts die, or as the
14 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIIL [SER. XIII.
plants decay ; no, the scripture telleth us by what gate it entered into
the world, namely, that it is an effect of the justice of God for man's
sin : Horn. v. 12, 'By one man sin entered into the world, and death
by sin.' And it is also by covenant, therefore called wages, Rom.
vi. 23. Sin procured it, and the law ratifies it. Ay, but doth it so
come upon the faithful? I answer, though their sins be forgiven,
yet God would leave this mark of his displeasure on all mankind, that
all Adam's children shall die, for a warning to the world. Well then,
sin carries death in its bosom, and to some this death is but a step to
hell, or death to come ; it is not so to the godly ; yet in their instance,
God would teach the world the sure connexion between death and sin ;
whosoever hath been once a sinner, must die.
(2.) Its end and use, ' The body is dead because of sin : ' that is,
the relics of sin are not abolished but by death ; there is a twofold end
and use of death to them that are in Christ.
First, To finish transgression and make an end of sin. We groan
under the burden of it, while we are in our mortal bodies, Rom. vii.
21. But when the believer dieth, death is the destruction of sin, rather
than of the penitent sinner ; the veil of the sinful flesh is rent, and by
the sight of God we are purified all in an instant ; and then sin shall
gasp its last, and our physician will perfect the cure which he hath
be:un in us, and we shall be presented faultless before the presence
of God.
Secondly, To free us from the natural infirmities which render us
incapable of that happy life in heaven which is intended for us. The
state of Adam in innocency was blessed, but terrene and earthly, a
state that needed meat, drink, and sleep. If Christ would have restored
us to this life, it may be death had not been necessary, and the present
state of our bodies needed not to be destroyed, but only purified ; but
our Lord Jesus had a higher aim : Eph. i. 3, ' Who hath blessed us
with spiritual blessings in Christ.' Adam enjoyed God among the
beasts in paradise ; we enjoy God among the angels in heaven ; it is a
divine and heavenly life that he promiseth, a life like that of the
blessed angels, where meat, and drink, and sleep hath no use. Now
this nature that we now have, is not fitted for this life ; therefore Paul
telleth us : 1 Cor. xv. 50. ' That flesh and blood cannot inherit the king
dom of God ; that is. that animal life which we derived from Adam
cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Therefore we need to bear the
image of the heavenly, which cannot be till this terrene and animal
life be abolished. To this end God useth death. So that which was
in itself a punishment, becometh a means of entrance into glory ; the
corn is not quickened unless it die: 1 Cor. xv. 36, 37, 38. The
believers that are alive at Christ's coming must be changed, ver. 51, 52.
Christ himself by death entered into glory; therefore whatever is
animal, vile, and earthly, and weak, must be put off, before we are
capable of this blessed estate.
(3.) The cause of this mortality is, ' Because of sin.' Had it not
been for sin, we had never had cause to fear dissolution ; there had
been no use for coffins and winding sheets ; nor had we been beholden
to a grave, to hide our carcase from the sight and smell of the living ;
there was a posse mom in innocency, else death could not be threatened
VER. 10.] BERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. 15
as a penalty ; but there was a posse non mori, or else immortality
could not be propounded as the reward of obedience ; therefore man
is mortal, conditione corporis ; but immortal, beneficio conditori ; God
could have supported him. Well then, death must make sin odious ;
or else sin allowed will make death terrible.
3. We come to the assertion or correction, ' The Spirit is life because
of righteousness.' In which observe,
[1.] That believers have a life, notwithstanding death. Though
death be appointed by God, and inflicted upon believers as well as
others, yet they live, notwithstanding this death : John xi. 25, ' He that
belie veth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.' The fountain
of life can raise him when he will ; no bands of death can hinder his
quickening virtue. Though the union between body and soul be
dissolved, yet not their union with God.
[2.] This life is to be understood of body and soul. It is only indeed
here said life, but he explaineth himself in the 2d ver. ' If the Spirit of
him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up
Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit
that dwelleth in you/ Man is compounded of a body and soul ; death
deprives him of his body for a time, only the body shall at last be
reunited to partake of the happiness of the soul.
(1) The soul, being the noblest part, is presently, and most happily
provided for, being sanctified and purified from all her imperfections,
and is brought into the sight and presence of God: Luke xx. 38,
' They all live to God.' And they are gathered to the great council and
assembly of souls, Heb. xii. 23. There they serve God day and night,
and are under a happy necessity of never wandering from their duty,
and no longer busied to maintain a war against sin, but we are always
employed in lauding, praising, and blessing God, and delighting in him.
Well then, this is the happiness of the faithful , that though they put
off the body for a time, yet the soul hath an eternal house, to which it
retireth, and remains not only in the hand of God, but enjoy eth the
sight and love of God : 2 Cor. v. 1, ' For we know that if our earthly
house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an
house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.'
(2.) For the body. At the resurrection the soul shall assume its body
again. We cannot easily believe that part shall be placed in heaven,
which we see committed to the grave to rot there ; but there is no
impediment to God's almighty power: Phil. iii. 21, 'Who shall
change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious
body, according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things
unto himself.' This place doth prove that God hath provided for the
happy estate of the body as well as the soul. The dead are God's
subjects, put into the hands of Christ ; he must give an account of
them : John vi. 40, ' And this is the will of him that sent me, that
every one that seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have ever
lasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day.' They are likewise
members of Christ, 1 Cor. vi. 15. Now this mystical body will not be
maimed ; they are temples of the Holy Ghost : 1 Cor. vi. 15 temples
wherein we offer up to God reasonable service. Now since the Spirit
possesseth both body and soul, he will repair his own dwelling-place
16 SERMONS UPON EOMANS VIII. [SEE. XHL
which he hath once honoured with his presence, and not let corruption
always abide on it. And we have the pattern of Christ; he is the
first fruits of them that slept : 1 Cor. xv. 20. The soul hath an inclin
ation to the body still ; therefore that our happiness may be complete,
a glorified soul shall animate an immortal body.
[3.] The grounds are, first, the Spirit's renewing ; secondly, Christ's
purchase.
(1.) The Spirit is life. He doth not draw his argument from the
immortality of the soul, for that is common to good and bad ; the
wicked have a soul that will survive the body, but little to their com
fort ; their immortality is not a happy immortality ; but he taketh
his argument from the new life wrought in us by the Spirit, which is
the beginning, pledge, and earnest of a blessed immortality. The soul
is an immortal being, but the new life is an eternal principle of happi
ness ; as soon as Christ beginneth to dwell in us, eternal life is begun
in our souls, 1 John iii. 15 ; the immortal seed, 1 Pet. i. 23.
(2.) The meritorious cause is the righteousness of Christ ; or the
pardon of our sins, and the justification of our persons by the blood
and merits of Jesus Christ. When once forgiven, we are out of the
reach of the second death : 1 Cor. xv. 56, ' The sting of death is sin.'
We are freed from the damning stroke, not the killing stroke, of death ;
Christ having freed us from the curse of the law, and merited and
purchased for us a blessed resurrection, Heb. ii. 14, 15.
Use. Is to enforce the great things of Christianity.
There are but two things we need to regard, to live holily and die
comfortably. These two have a mutual respect one to another ; those
that live holily take the next course to die comfortably : ' the end of
that man is peace ; ' and to know how to die well, is the best way to
live well ; both are enforced by this place.
1. To live holily ; there are several arguments from the text.
[1.] The comforts of Christianity are not promiscuously dispensed,
j>r common to all indifferently, but suspended on this condition, 'if
Christ be in you,' by his sanctifying Spirit. If you be deceived in your
foundation, all your life, hope, and comfort, are but delusive things ;
but when quickened by the renewing grace of the Spirit of Christ, and
made partakers of the divine nature, you have then the earnest of your
inheritance: Eph. i. 4, 2 Cor. v. 5, ' He who hath wrought us to' this
same thing is God, who hath given us the earnest of his Spirit/
Others die uncertain of comfort, or, it may be, most certain of con
demnation.
[2.] From the concession, the body is dead ; sentence is passed, and in
part executed ; this awakeneth us to think of another world, and to
make serious preparation ; when the walls of the house are shaken and
are ready to drop down, is it not time to think of a removal ? The
body is frail and mortal, and that is enough to check sin : Kom. vi. 12,
1 Let not sin reign therefore in your mortal bodies, that ye should obey
it in the lusts thereof.' But it is made more frail by actual sin : Gal.
vi. 8, ' If we sow to the flesh, of the flesh we shall reap corruption/
Shall we sow to the flesh and pamper the flesh, which must soon be
turned into stench and rottenness ? Man consulting with present sense
carrieth himself as if he were a body only, not a soul ; and therefore out
VER. 10.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vnr. 17
of love to sensual pleasures, he maketh no account of anything but
sensual pleasures and satisfactions ; but shall we bestow all our time
and care upon a body that was dust in its composition, and will shortly
again be dust in its dissolution ? The body is not only dying, but dead ;
you think not of it now, but this death cometh before it is looked for.
Saul trembled when the spirit answered him : 1 Sam. xxviii. 19, 20,
' To-morrow thou and thy sons shall be with me.' Would you sport
and riot away your time, if you should receive such a message ? Surely
the dust, and stench, and rottenness of the grave, if we thought of it,
would take down our pride and check our voluptuousness, for we do
but pamper worms' meat ; it would prevent our worldliness. All a
man's labour is for the body, and usually in a body overcared for there
dwelleth a neglected soul. The body is not only the instrument, but the
incitement of it ; the soul is wholly taken up about the body, but doth
the dead body deserve so much care ? Death doth disgrace all the
seducing pleasures of the flesh, and the profits and honours of the world.
Who is so mad as wilfully to sin with death in his eye ? Alas ! all the
pleasures and honours of the world will be vanity and vexation of spirit
to us when we come to die.
[3.] We come now to the corrective assertion, and there is the life
promised for body and soul; this breedeth the true spirit of faith : 2
Cor. iv. 13, 14, ' We having the same spirit of faith, (according as it
is written, I believed, therefore have I spoken), we also believe,
therefore speak, knowing that he that raised up the Lord Jesus shall
raise us up also.' The true diligence and godliness : 1 Cor. xv. 58.
'Be stedfast and unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the
Lord, for your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord/ And patience :
Rom. ii. 7, ' Who by patient continuing in well doing, seek for glory,
immortality, eternal life/ Christians ! we that have souls to save or
lose, and have an offer of happiness, shall we come short of it for want
of diligence, and spend our time in eating and drinking, and sporting,
or in the service of God ?
[4.] It is the effect both of the Spirit's renewing, and the righteous
ness of Christ. Beth call for holiness at our hands, as the effect of the
renovation of the Spirit, and our title to the righteousness of Christ ;
so that this life doth not belong to us unless we are in Christ, and walk
not after the flesh, but after the Spirit : Rom. viii. 1. Which begun
this discourse the double principle and ground of hope enforceth it.
2. To die comfortably. Christianity affordeth the proper comfort
against death, as it is a natural and penal evil ; a natural evil it is, as
it puts an end to present comforts ; it is a penal evil too, as it maketh
way for the final judgment, Heb. ix. 27. Heathens could only teach
them to submit to it out of necessity, or as a debt they owed to nature,
or an end of the present miseries ; but Christianity, as the sting of it is
gone, 1 Cor. xv. 56. As the property is altered : 1 Cor. iii. 22,
' Death is yours,' and that upon solid grounds ; as the life of grace is
introduced and sin is forgiven, and the conclusions drawn from thence.
First, The life of grace introduced. How bitter is the remembrance of
death to the carnal man, much more the enduring of it. A dying
body and a startling conscience maketh them afraid of everlasting
death ; and so much sin as you bring to your death-bed, so much
VOL. XIL B
18 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XIV.
bitterness you will have ; so much holiness so far you have eternal life
in you ; and the more it is acted in the fruits of holiness, the more
comfort : Isa. xxxii. 17. A little without is grievous, when all is amiss
within. Secondly, Sin is forgiven upon the account of the righteousness
of Christ, for we shall then be soiled if found in no other righteousness
than our own : Phil. iii. 8, 9, ' That I may be found in him, not having
my own righteousness/ In short, the worst that can befal believers is,
that it is the death but of a part, the worst and basest part, and that
but for a season. The bodies of the saints shall not always lie in the
grave : nor can it be imagined they shall perish as the beasts ; no, but
be raised up from the grave, and their vile bodies be changed like unto
the glorious body of their Redeemer.
SERMON XIV.
If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you,
he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your
mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. ROM. VIII. 11.
The Apostle is answering a doubt, How there is no condemnation to
them that are in Christ, since death, which is the fruit of sin, yet
remaineth on the godly ? Answer
1. By concession, that sin is indeed the seed and original of mortality :
' the body is dead because of sin/ Not only the carnal undergo it, but
the justified; though the guilt of sin be taken away by a pardon, and
the dominion and power of it be broken by the Spirit of Christ, yet the
being of it is not quite abolished ; and as long as sin remaineth in us
in the least degree, it rnaketh us subject to the power of death.
2. By way of correction he opposeth a double comfort against it.
Destruction by sin is neither total nor final. First, not total ; it is but
a half death : ver. 10. * The Spirit is life because of righteousness/
Secondly, nor final ; it hath a limit of time set, which when it is expired,
the body shall have a happy resurrection, and that by virtue of the
same Spirit by which the soul is now quickened. So that mark both
parts receive their happiness by the Spirit the soul and the body ; the
soul though it be immortal, in itself, yet the blessed immortality it hath
from the Spirit ; the * Spirit is life because of righteousness ; ' and the
dead body shall not finally perish, but be sure to be raised again by the
same Spirit : ' If the Spirit of him/
In the words we have
1. The condition upon which the resurrection is promised, ' If the
Spirit/
2. The certainty of performance set forth. [1.] By the author or
efficient cause, ' He that raised up Jesus from the dead/ [2.] ' By his
Spirit that dwelleth in you,' the way and manner of working.
1. The condition. A resurrection is necessary, but a happy resurrec
tion is limited by a condition: Phil. iii. 11, ' If by any means/
11.] SERMONS UFON ROMANS VIII. 19
2. The certainty of performance.
[1.] From the author God, described by his eminent and powerful
work, ' He that raised up Jesus from the dead.' This is mentioned,
partly as an instance of his power, and partly as an assurance of his
will. First, An instance of his power : Eph. i. 18, 19, ' According to
the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ when he
raised him from the dead/ Our resurrection is a work of the same
omnipoteucy with that which he first evidenced in raising Christ from
the dead ; the same power is still employed to bring us to a glorious
eternity. Secondly, It is an assurance of his will, for Christ's resurrec
tion is a pattern of ours : 1 Cor. vi. 14, * God hath both raised the Lord,
and will also raise up us by his own power ; ' 2 Cor. iv. 14, ' Knowing
that he hath raised up Jesus, shall also raise us up by Jesus.'
[2.] For the way and manner of bringing it about. ' By his Spirit
that dwelleth in us.' Where take notice, first, of the relation of the
Holy Spirit to God ; secondly, his interest in, and nearness to us.
(1.) His relation to God. He is called his Spirit, and the Spirit of
him that raised Jesus from the dead, that is, of God the Father.
The Holy Spirit is sometimes called the Father's Spirit, and some
times Christ's Spirit, because he proceedeth both from the Father and
the Son ; the Father's Spirit, John xv. 26, ' When the Comforter is
come, whom I will send to you from the Father ; even the Spirit of
truth.' He is also called, Acts xi. 4, ' The promise of the Father ;' and
Christ's Spirit, Rom. viii. 9, ' If any man have not the Spirit of Christ,
he is none of his ; ' and Gal. iv. 6, ' God hath sent forth the Spirit of
his Son into our hearts.' Now the Spirit being one in essence, and
undivided in will and essence with the Father and the Son, surely the
Father will by, or because of the Spirit dwelling in us, raise us again ;
for Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one and the same God.
(2.) His interest in, and nearness to us ; ' He dwelleth in us/ All
dependeth upon that mark ; he doth not say he worketh in us per
modum actionis transeuntis; so he worketh in those that resist his work,
and shall perish for ever ; but per modum liabittis permanentis, as we
are regenerated and sanctified. And the effects of his powerful resurrec
tion remain in those habits which contribute the new nature ; so the
Spirit is said to dwell in us ; and in the former verse, Christ to be in
us : 'If Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin/ verse 10.
Doct. That the bodies of believers shall be raised at the last day by
the Spirit of holiness which now dwelleth in them.
1. I shall a little open this inhabitation of the Spirit.
2. Show you why it is the ground and cause of our happy resurrection.
1. For the first, The inhabitation of the Spirit. Dwelling may relate
to a double metaphor, either to the dwelling of a man in his house, or
of God in his temple. Of a man in his house : 1 John iii. 24, ' And he
that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him;' so
it noteth his constant familiar presence. Or of God in his temple : 1
Cor. vi. 16, ' Know ye not that you are the temple of God, and the Spirit
of God dwelleth in you ? ' Which noteth a sacred presence, that pre
sence as a God to bless and sanctify ; the Spirit buildeth us up for so
holy a use, and then dwelleth in us as our sanctifier, guide, and com
forter. The one uiaketh way for the other ; first a sanctifier, and then
20 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiB. XIV.
a guide ; as a ship is first well rigged, and then a pilot ; and by both
he comforts us. He hath regenerated and guided us in the way of
holiness. First, he sanctifieth and reneweth us : Tit. iii. 5, ' But according
to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and the renew
ing of the Holy Ghost;' and John iii. 6, ' That which is born of the
Spirit is spirit/ First he buildeth his house or temple, and then cometh
and dwelleth in it. Secondly, he guideth and leadeth us in the ways
of holiness : Eom. xv. 14, ' And myself also am persuaded of you, my
brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge;'
' If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit : Gal. v. 25.
Before, we were influenced by Satan : Eph. ii. 2. ' Wherein in times
past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the
prince of the power; of the air, that now worketh in the children of
disobedience.' He put us upon anger, malice, envy, unclean lusts, and
noisome and filthy ways, and we readily obeyed. 2 Tim. ii. 28. ' And
that they may recover themselves out of the snares of the devil, who
are taken captive at his will.' But the old inmate is cast out, and now
we are guided and influenced by another lord. Thirdly, He comforts
us with the sense of God's fatherly love, and our eternal inheritance :
Kom. viii. 16. ' The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that
we are the children of God.' 2 Cor. ii. 22, 'Who hath also sealed
us, and given us the earnest of the Spirit into our hearts.' By both he
leaveth upon the soul a sweet taste and relish of spiritual and heavenly
things.
2. Why this inhabitation is the ground of a blessed resurrection.
[1.] To preserve the order of the personal operations. To make
this evident, consider
(1.) That rising from the dead is a work of divine power ; for to him
it belongeth to restore life, who gave life at first : 2 Cor. i. 10. ' Who
hath delivered us from so great a death,' etc., and is verified in plain
experience.
(2.) That this divine power belongeth in common to Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost, who being one and the same God, concurred in the
same work ; and whatever is done by the Father or Son, is done by
the Spirit also ; and whatever is done by the Spirit, is done by the
Father and Son also. As for instance, apply it to the resurrection of
Christ, or our resurrection. To the resurrection of Christ, it is ascribed
to the Father, ' and God the Father, who raised him from the dead/
To God the Son in other places ; Christ is said to rise again by his own
virtue and power : Rom. iv. 25, ' He died for our offences, and rose
again for our justification ;' not raised only, but rose again. So the
Spirit is said to raise Christ : Rom. i. 4, ' And declared to be the Son
of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrec
tion from the dead. So 1 Pet. iii. 18, ' Crucified in the flesh, and
quickened in the Spirit.' So our resurrection ; we are raised by the
Father ; for in the text it is said, we are raised by the Spirit of him
that raised Jesus from the dead. We are raised by Christ : John v.
21, ' For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them,
even so the Sou quickeneth whom he will.' So by the Spirit we are
raised, as in the text, ' He shall quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit
that dwelleth in you.'
11.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. 21
(3.) They all concur in a way proper to them. In all their personal
operations it is ascribed to the Father as the first fountain of working,
and spring and well-head of all grace, who doth all things from himself;
and by the Son and Holy Ghost, as it refers to Christ's resurrection,
and ours also. So Christ's resurrection ; it is ascribed to God the
Father, who in the mystery of redemption hath the relation of
supreme judge: Acts ii. 32, 'This Jesus hath God raised up;' and
Acts x. 40, 'Him hath God raised up the third day.' And there is
a special reason why it should be ascribed to God, as the Apostles
when they stood upon their privilege, * Let them come and fetch us out/
Acts xii. 39 ; so, ' The God of peace that brought again from the dead
the great shepherd,' etc., as referring it to his judicial power : Heb.
xiii. 26. Though Christ had power to rise, yet no authority ; our
surety was fetched out of prison by the judge. And then it is ascribed
to Christ himself: John ii. 19, 'Destroy this temple, and in three
days I will raise it up : which he spake of the temple of his body.' To
prove the divinity of his person, it was necessary that he should thus
speak ; or to prove himself to be God : John x. 18, * I have power to
lay down my life, and to take it up again/ He could put a period to
his sufferings when he pleased. So for the Holy Ghost, he raised
Christ, because the Spirit sanctified his humanity, and by him the
human nature of Christ was made partaker of created holiness, and so
qualified to rise again when he had done his work. All the created
gifts came from the Spirit, and therefore they are called the anointing
of the Holy Ghost, with which he was anointed. So to our resurrection,
God raiseth the dead, as it is usually said in scripture ; and Christ
raiseth the dead, ' Every one that believeth on the Son hath everlasting
life, and I will raise him up at the last day/ John vi. 40. The Spirit
raiseth, and still in a way proper to each person ; to understand which,
we must observe that there are three ways of subsistence in the divine
nature, which carry a great correspondence with the prime attributes
in God, which are power, wisdom, and goodness. Power we conceive
eminently in God the Father, it being the most obvious by which the
Godhead is apprehended, and so proper to him who is the beginning
of being and working : Kom. i. 20, ' His eternal power and Godhead
are seen by the things which are made.' Wisdom is appropriated to
Christ, who is often represented in scripture as the wisdom of the
Father : especially, Prov. viii. And goodness to the Spirit, therefore
often called the good spirit : Neh. ix. 20 ; and Ps. cxliii. 10. Not but
that all these agree to each person, for the Father is powerful, wise,
and good ; so the Son, and so the Holy Ghost ; and love is sometimes
appropriated to the Father ; namely, the fountain and original love ;
but the evangelical, operative, and communicative love of God is more
distinctly ascribed to the Spirit, because all benefits come to the creature
this way ; we have our natural being from him : Job. xxxiii. 4, ' The
Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath
given me life.' ' The first clause relateth to the body, the Spirit of the
Lord hath made me ; ' that is, framed the body ; the second to the soul,
that spirit of life that God breathed into man when his body was
framed and organised to receive it: The Spirit created and formed in
man the reasonable soul ; so the new being which is communicated to
22 SERMONS UPON ROMANS Vlir. [SER. XIV.
us by the Kedeemer through the covenant of, grace : Tit. iii. 5, 6. Our
glorious being, which is considered either as to soul or body ; as to
soul, 'the Spirit is life because of righteousness;' as to body, the
words of the text. Well then, the Holy Ghost is the operative love
of God, working from the power of the Father, a-nd grace of the Son ;
and whatever the Father or Son doth, you must still suppose it to be
communicated to us by the Spirit.
[2.J Because the Holy Ghost is vinculum unionis, the bond of union
between us and Christ. We are united to him, because we have the
same spirit which Christ had ; there is the same spirit in head and
members, and therefore he will work like effects in you and him ; if
the head rise, the members will follow after ; for this mystical body was
appointed to be conformed to their head, as in obedience and suffering,
so in happiness and glory : Rom. viii. 29, * Predestinated to be con
formed to the image of his Son.' Christ was raised, therefore they
shall be raised ; Christ was raised by the Spirit of holiness, so you are
raised by the same power of the Holy Ghost. Christ is as tender of
his mystical body as of his natural body, therefore will not lose one
member or joint of it : John vi. 39, * I must lose nothing ; ' and the
Spirit doth his office in you, as in him, for you are to be raised up with
him, and as he was raised. We feel the power of our resurrection in
our regeneration, and we feel the comfort of it in our being raised to
glory ; head and members do not rise by a different power. How then,
you will say, are the wicked raised by Christ ? They are raised ex
qfficio judicis, but not beneficio mediatoris by him as a judge, not by
him as a Redeemer. There will be a resurrection both of the wicked
and the godly, the one by the power of Christ as judge, the other by
the power of his Spirit as redeemer ; the one are forced to appear, the
other go joyfully to meet the bridegroom ; the one, by Christ's power
as judge, shall have the sentence of condemnation executed upon them ;
the other, by virtue of Christ's life and resurrection, shall enter into the
possession of the blessed ; a state of bliss and eternal life, wherein they
shall enjoy God and Christ, and the company of saints and angels, and
sing hallelujahs for ever.
[3.] Because the Spirit of sanctification worketh in us that grace
which giveth us a right and title to this glorious estate ; for by regener
ation we are made children of God, and so children of the resurrection :
Luke xx. 35, 36, 'But they which shall be counted worthy to obtain
that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are
given in marriage ; neither can they die any more, for they are equal
to the angels, and are the children of God, being the children of the
resurrection/ Being admitted into his family here, we may expect to
be admitted into his presence hereafter. And then actual holiness, if
we live to years of discretion, is necessarily required to a blessed and
glorious resurrection : Gal. vi. 8. * If we sow to the flesh, we shall of
our own flesh reap corruption ; but if we sow to the Spirit, we shall of
the Spirit reap life everlasting.' There is no harvest without sowing ;
and as the seed is, so will the harvest be ; they that lavish out their
time, and care, and estates, in feeding their own carnal desires, must
expect a crop accordingly, which is death and destruction ; but they
VER. 11.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS viii. 23
that obey the Spirit, and sow to righteousness, shall obtain eternal life ;
for till the cause of death be taken away, which is sin, we may fear a
resurrection, but cannot expect a resurrection to our comfort.
[4.] The Spirit doth not only regenerate and convert us, which
giveth us a right, but abideth in us as an earnest : Eph. i. 14, ' We
were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of
our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession.'
Where observe three things. First, How the heirs of promise are
distinguished from others ; Secondly, The use of this mark and distinc
tion ; Thirdly, The time how long this abideth with us ; and all this
will fully prove the point in hand.
(1.) The mark of all those whom God adrnitteth into the gospel
state. They are sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise; that is,
secured, set apart, as those that have interest in the new covenant, by
that Spirit of holiness which is promised to believers ; for the Spirit is
called the promise of the Father ; the renewing and sanctifying work
of the Spirit, or the image of Christ impressed upon the soul, is this seal ;
and the comfort and joy that floweth thence, is an appendage to it. As
the work of sanctification is more and more carried on, and is fruitful
in holiness of life ; so we are more and more distinguished as a people
set apart to serve, and please, and enjoy the holy and blessed God.
Now you that are exercised with so many doubts and scruples about
your interest in the promise, would it not be exceeding comfortable to
you, if you had your seal and warrant for a secure claim to the
privileges of the gospel, by the saving graces of the Spirit, or the
impression of the image of Christ upon your hearts ? You may be
abundantly satisfied ; for where these saving graces and fruits of
holiness are found, your right and interest in the promise of eternal life
is clear and manifest ; for this is the mark of the Holy Spirit, and the
seed of life eternal.
(2.) The use for which the Holy Spirit and saving graces bestowed
on them serveth, is to be the earnest of the inheritance. An earnest is
a pledge, or first part of a payment, which is an assurance or security
that the rest of the whole price shall not fail to follow ; so the Spirit
and his graces is the earnest given by God to confirm and assure the
bargain, that at last he will bestow upon us our full portion, or salvation
and eternal life itself. The presence and working of the Spirit in
our hearts is this earnest ; as soon as you give up yourselves to God in
covenant, you have a right ; but the possession is delayed for a season ;
therefore he giveth us part in hand, to assure us he will bestow the
whole in due time ; for we need to be satisfied, not only as to our pre
sent right, but our future possession. The Spirit and his work of grace
received here is glory begun ; a part it is, though but a small part in
regard of what is to ensue.
(3.) The time how long the use of this earnest is to continue :
' until the redemption of the purchased possession/ The words
are somewhat obscure. What is the purchased possession ? It is
taken for the persons acquitted and purchased, that is to say, the
church and people of God, holy and sincere Christians ; for they are
Christ's possession whom he hath dearly bought, 1 Cor. vi. 10, and
recovered out of the hands of Satan their old possessor and master :
24 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XIV.
Col. i. 13. The redemption of them is^ till their full and final
deliverance : Eph. iv. 30. ' Whereby ye are sealed to the day of
redemption.' Their deliverance is but begun now, and their bonds but
in part loosed ; but they are fully freed from the effects of sin at the
last day, when death itself is abolished, and their bodies raised up in
glory. The earnest is given ; the Holy Spirit with his graces to abide
with us till then ; at that time there is no further use of an earnest,
for there is no place left for doubts and fears. Till this day comes,
God's earnest abideth with us, that is, in our souls, till our bodies be
reunited to them ; and this fully proveth the matter in hand.
[5.] His respect to his old dwelling place ; he once dwelt in cm-
bodies as well as in our souls: 1 Cor. vi. 19, ' Know ye not that your
bodies are temples of the Holy Ghost ? ' Our bodies were his temple,
and honoured by his presence ; he sanctified our bodies as well as our
souls: 1 Thes. v. 23. 'I pray God sanctify you wholly, your whole
spirit, soul, and body.' He sanctifieth the body, as he maketh it
obedient to his motions, and a ready instrument to the soul. Now
when the body was given up to the Spirit to be sanctified, it was con
secrated to immortality ; it is by the Spirit's sanctifying the soul that
it was made capable of seeing and loving God ; so the body of serving
the soul in our duties to God. Now shall a temple of God be utterly
demolished? that body that was kept clean for the Holy Ghost to
dwell in, and to be presented immaculate at the day of Christ, come to
nothing ? Indeed for a while it rotteth in the grave, but his interest
in it is not made void by death, and his affection ceaseth not ; this
body was once his house and temple, and he had a property in it ;
therefore he hath a love to our dust, and a care of our dust, and will
raise it up again.
[6.] Because the great work of the Spirit is to retrench our bodily
pleasures, and to bring us to resolve by all means to save the soul,
whatever becometh of the body in this world, and to use the body for
the service of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now the Spirit would not put
us upon the labours of the body, and take no care for the happiness of
the body; these two always go together: 1 Cor. vi. 13, 'The body is
for the Lord, and the Lord for the body ; ' Christ expecteth service
from the body, and gave up himself for the redemption of it, as well
as the soul : 1 Cor. vi. 20. The body is his in a way of duty, and his
in a way of charge ; this reason should the more sink into you, because
spirit and flesh are so opposed in scripture. Flesh signifieth our incli
nations to the bodily life, as spirit doth the bent and inclination of soul
to God and heaven ; the great work of the Holy Spirit is to subdue the
lusts of the flesh: Kom. viii. 13, 'If ye through the Spirit do mortify
the deeds of the body, ye shall live ; ' if we obey him in his strivings
against the flesh : Gal. v. 16, * Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not
fulfil the lusts of the flesh/ Christ giveth us his Spirit to draw us off
from bodily pleasures, that tasting manna, the diet of Egypt may have
no more relish with us. So Gal. v. 24, ' They that are Christ's, have
crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts thereof ; ' they hold a
severe hand over all the appetites and passions of the flesh : Kom. xiii.
14, ' Make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.' Do
not addict yourselves to pamper and please the body. One great part
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
spiritual 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 thing 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 death. 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, sx 1 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 offers, 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 ; ' death,
26 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIIT. [&ER. XIV.
where is thy sting ? O grave, where is thy victory ? ' 1 Cor. xv. 55, 56,
67. They die as well as others, but death is not the power of the
devil over them, but one of those saving means by which 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 Eevelations, if you have part in the first resurrection,
the second death <hath no power over you : Rev. x. 6 ; that is, you
shall not be cast into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone ;
the good Spirit hath prevailed over the evil spirit, and therefore your
resurrection will be joyful.
Use 1 . Let us give up ourselves to the Holy Spirit as our sanctifier ;
set open your hearts, that he may come into them as his habitation;
do not receive him guest- wise in a pang, or for a turn, or in some solemn
duty ; but see that he dwelleth in you as an inhabitant in his house.
A man is not said to dwell in an inn, where as a stranger or wayfaring
man, he goeth aside to tarry for a night ; or in the house of a friend,
where he resorteth ; no, use all Christ's holy means that he may fix his
abode in your hearts ; that he may dwell there, as at home in his own
house ; that he may be reverenced there as a God in his temple.
Motives. 1. He richly requiteth us ; he keepeth up the house and
temple where he dwelleth ; the Spirit is our seal and earnest : * The
Spirit of God and of glory resteth upon you/ 1 Pet. iv. 14.
2. The heart of man is not a waste ; you will have a worse guest
there, if not the Holy Spirit ; Satan dwelleth and worketh in the
children of disobedience : 1 Sam. xvi. 14, ' But the Spirit of the Lord
departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him ;'
and Eph. ii. 2, ' The spirit that now worketh in the children of
disobedience ; ' and Eph. iv. 27, ' Neither give place to the devil/ That
cursed inmate will enter, if we give place to him and hearken to his
motions ; so that then he will make the body a sink of sin, and a dung
hill of corruption ; he tempts you to scandalous sins, which do not only
waste the body for the present, but are a pledge of eternal damnation.
3. Consider how many deceive themselves with the hopes of a glorious
resurrection. Alas ! they are strangers to the Spirit ; it may be not to
his transient motions they resist the Holy Ghost, which will be their
greater condemnation but to his constant residence ; for where he
dwelleth, he maketh them more heavenly, acquainting them with God,
Col. i. 6 ; more holy, that is his office to sanctify, 1 Pet. i. 22 ; to
love God more, for he is the operative love of God, Rom. v. 5 ; 1 John
iv. 8 ; to hate sin more, that bringeth death ; and his business is to
come as a pledge of life. Alas ! in most, the spirit that dwelleth in
them lusteth to envy; they are ruled by an unclean spirit, by the spirit
of the world : 1 Cor. ii. 12 ; have no love to God, no real hatred of sin.
Use 2. Live in obedience to his sanctifying motions : Rom. viii.
14, 'As many as are led by the Spirit are' the sons of God/ The
VJER. 12.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 27
Spirit of God by which you are guided and led, is that divine and potent
Spirit that raised up Christ's dead body out of the grave ; and if you
be led and governed by him, you shall be raised by the power of the
same Spirit that raised Christ's body ; his power is the cause, but your
right is by his sanctification.
Use 3. Use your bodies well ; possess your vessel in sanctification
and honour : 1 Thes. iv. 4.
[1.] Offer up yourselves to God. For every temple must be dedi
cated : Kom. xii. 1, 'I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies
of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable
unto God, which is your reasonable service;' Rom. vi. 13, 'Neither
yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but
yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead. '
[2.] When devoted to God, take heed you do not use them to
sensuality and filthiness ; which wrong the body here and hereafter ;
the pleasures of the body cannot recompense the pains of your surfeit
or intemperance, much less eternal torments ; for what will be the
issue ? * If you live after the flesh (Rom. viii. 13), you must die ; ' there
fore you should daily keep the flesh in a subordination to the spirit :
1 Pet. ii. 11, ' I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, that ye abstain
from fleshly lusts/ To please and gratify the flesh, is to wrong
the soul.
[3.] We should deny ourselves even lawful pleasures, when they
begin to exercise a dominion over us : 1 Cor. vi. 12, ' All things are
lawful forme, but I will not be brought under the power" of any.' It
is a miserable servitude to be brought under the power of any pleasure,
either in meat, drink, or recreations ; enchanted with the witchery of
gaming, though it grieve the Spirit, wrong the soul, defraud God of his
time, rob the poor of what should feed charity, yet they are enslaved.
SERMON XV.
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
Ron. VIII. 12.
IN the words we have,
1. A note of inference.
2. The truth inferred. In this latter we find,
!!.] A compellation Brethren.
2.] An assertion that we are debtors.
[3.] An instance or exemplification, to whom we are debtors. The
negative is expressed, 'not to the flesh, to live after the flesh;' and
the affirmative is implied, and must be supplied out of the context,
' to the Spirit/ to live in obedience to the Holy Spirit.
1. The inference, ' therefore' he reasoneth from their privileges ; the
privilege is asserted ver. 1, ' There is no condemnation to them that are
in Christ, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.' It is
28 SERMONS UPON ROMANS V11I. [SEE. XV.
applied to the Christian : Rom. v. 9, ' But ye are not in the flesh, but
in the Spirit/ These reasonings are pertinent and insinuative from
the privilege asserted; exhortation must follow doctrine, for then it
pierceth deeper, and sticketh longer. On the other side, doctrine
becometh more lively, when there is an edge set upon it by exhortation,
from the privilege implied ; certainly privileges infer duty, and there
fore, having comforted them with the remembrance of their condition,
he doth also mind them of their obligation, ' Ye are not in the flesh,
but in the spirit ; ' * therefore we are not debtors to the flesh, to walk
after the flesh ; ' but to walk after the Spirit.
[1.] The truth inferred. Where first, observe the compellation,
' Brethren/ a word of love and equality ; of love, to sweeten the exhor
tation ; for men ar$ unwilling to displease the flesh ; of equality, for he
taketh the same obligation upon himself ; this debt bindeth all, high
and low, learned or unlearned, ministers or people ; greatness doth not
exempt from this bond, nor meanness exclude it.
[2.] The assertion, that we are debtors. Man would fain be sui juris,
at his own disposal ; affecteth a supremacy and dominion over his own
actions : Ps. xii. 4, ' Our tongues are our own, who is lord over us ? '
But this can never be; we were made by another, and for another,
therefore we are debtors, ofaiXerai, eo-pev.
[3.] The exemplification, to whom. (1.) Negatively, not to the flesh ;
this is expressly denied for two reasons, because the flesh maketh a
claim upon us. It hath a double claim, one by usurpation ; when God
is laid aside, self interposeth as the next heir ; and that which we count
ourself, is the flesh, which doth all in all with men. The other is in
pretence ; it seemeth to challenge a right by God's allowance ; some
thing is due to the body, and no man ever yet hated his own flesh.
But we must distinguish of flesh, as it is taken for the body and natural
substance ; so we are debtors to the body by necessity of nature, for
we owe it food, and physic, and raiment. As it is taken for corrupt
nature, which inclineth us to seek the happiness of the body and bodily
life without God, and apart from God ; so we owe nothing to the flesh,
so as to obey its lusts, or frame our lives according to the desires of it ;
we owe it hatred, but not obedience ; the motions of corrupt nature
tend to feed the habits of sin, sensuality, pride, worldliness ; thence
come ignorance, unbelief. (2.) Positively, we are debtors to the Spirit,
to be led by the Spirit, ver. 14. The Spirit mindeth us of our duty,
externally, by the word ; internally, by his sacred motions and inspira
tions, restraining us from sin : Rom. viii. 13, 'If ye through the Spirit
do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live ; ' quickening us to
holiness : Gal. v. 25, * If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the
Spirit.'
Doct. That believers are debtors, not to the flesh, but to the Spirit.
I shall prove it by considering them in a double capacity.
1. With respect to the order of nature.
2. Or the condition of their spiritual being. Take them as men or
Christians. If you look upon them as men, they are debtors to God
for all they have ; if you look upon them as Christians that have
received the faith of Christ, they are much more debtors not to the
flesh, but to the Spirit
VER. 12.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vnr. 29
1. With respect to the order of nature ; man is a debtor, for he is a
dependent creature ; not an owner or a lord, but a steward. I prove
it by two arguments. We depend upon God for being and preserva
tion, and therefore we are debtors to God for all that we have.
Secondly, depending upon God, we are accountable to him. Or thus :
God that is a creator and preserver, is therefore an owner ; and being
an owner, is therefore a governor and ruler, and, by consequence, a
judge; his being a creator goeth before his being an owner; and his
being an owner goeth before his being; a ruler, and is the foundation of
it ; for his absolute propriety in us giveth him a power and dominion
over us ; and there are two parts of his governing power, legislation
and execution, or judgment.
[1.] His being a creator maketh him an owner. We have nothing
but what we have from God ; nothing that we ourselves can keep one
moment without God ; and therefore we have nothing but what is for
God ; for we hold it at his will and pleasure : Ezek. xviii. 4. ' All
souls are mine ; ' and Prov. xvi. 4, ' God hath made all things for
himself ; ' and Kom. xi. 36, ' For of him, and to him, and through him
are all things.' Among men, whosoever maketh anything by his
own proper art and labour, and that of his own stuff, must needs have
a full right to it, and a full power to dispose of it. No man ever made
anything but of matter pre-existing, but God made all things out of
nothing ; and therefore if he that planteth a vineyard hath right to
eat of the fruit thereof, certainly he that gave us life and being, and
made us after his own image to serve and worship him, hath a full
right in man, to dispose of man and all the rest of his creatures, as
being the work of his hands. He that gave them their being when
they were not, and still supporteth them new they are, hath an un
doubted just right to order them according to his own will and pleasure.
[2.] His being an owner qualifieth him for being a ruler. For the
dominion of jurisdiction is founded in the dominion of property ; we
are his own, therefore we are his subjects : Mat. xx. 15, 'Is it not lawful
for me to do what I will with my own ? ' Surely he that possesseth
all things, hath full right to govern all things ; as parents have an
authority over their children, who are a means under God to give them
life and education. The most barbarous nations have acknowledged the
authority of parents ; how much greater then is the authority of God,
who hath given us life and breath, being and well-being, and all
things ? He created us out of nothing ; and being created, he pre
serve th us, and giveth us all the good things which we enjoy, and
therefore we are obliged to him to be subject to him, and to obey all
his holy laws, and to be accountable to him for the breach thereof.
The supereminent excellency of his nature giveth him a sufficiency for
the government of mankind ; and creation and preservation give him
a full right to make what laws he pleaseth, and to call man to an
account whether he hath kept them, yea or nay. The right of God is
greater than the right of parents ; for in natural generation they are
but instruments of his providence, acting only by the power which God
giveth them ; and the parents propagate to the children nothing but
the matter of the body, and such things as belong to the body, called
therefore the ' fathers of our flesh : ' Heb, xii. 9. Yea, in framing the
30 SERMONS UFON ROMANS VIII. [SEE. XV.
body, God hath a greater hand than they, for they cannot tell whether
the child will be male or female, beautiful or deformed ; know not the
number and posture of the bones, and nerves, and arteries and sinews ;
God formeth these things in the womb: Zech. xii. 1, ' And formed
the spirit of man within him.' All that they can do, cometh to nothing
without God's blessing ; so that God is the governor of all creatures,
visible and invisible, from whose empire and jurisdiction they neither
can nor ought to exempt themselves.
[3.] There are two parts of government or jurisdiction legislation
and judgment as the Lord is called, Isa. xxxiii. 22, 'Our king, our
lawgiver, our judge/ First, as the lawgiver, he by his precepts showeth
what is due from man to God: Micah vi. 8, ' He hath showed thee,
man, what is goocj, and what the Lord thy God requireth of thee.'
The way of pleasing God is clearly revealed. Many things the light
of natural conscience calleth for (Rom. ii. 14) ; but the light of the holy
scripture much more : Ps. cxlvii. 19, 20, ' He hath showed his word to
Jacob, his statutes and judgments to Israel ; he hath not dealt so with
any nation.' " If we are contentious and obey not the truth, and against
the light of scripture and reason gratify our brutish lusts, we disclaim
God's authority, and do not carry ourselves as debtors to the Spirit, but
the flesh. Secondly, judgment or execution. God's laws are not a vain
scare-crow ; we are accountable for our obedience or disobedience to
them. Two things come into the judgment ; the laws, the benefits and
advantages given us to keep them. First, the laws : 2 Thes. i. 8,
* In flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and
obey not the gospel ; ' and Rom. ii. 12, ' For as many as have sinned
without law, shall also perish without law ; and as many as have sinned
in the law, shall be judged by the law.' Secondly, benefits and abilities
given us to keep them : Luke xix. 23, ' Wherefore then gavest not
thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required
my own with usury ? ' Every benefit we receive from God, increaseth
the debt ; we are accountable for all these gifts of grace we have
received from God ; they are bona, things good in their own nature ;
they are dona, things freely given and delivered to us ; and talenta, a
trust for which we are to be accountable ; not as money is given to a
beggar, but as an estate put into the hands of a factor. As bona, we
must esteem them according to their just value ; as dona, with thank
fulness ; as talenta, with faithfulness. Well then, since we have received
our whole being from God, with all the appendant benefits, and since
we have it for his use and service, we have all that we have upon these
terms, to use it for his glory ; it clearly followeth that we are debtors
not to the flesh, which inclineth us to please ourselves, but to the Spirit,
which inclineth us to please God.
[4.] I shall add one proposition more, that this debt and obligation
cannot be dissolved ; for as long as we depend upon God in being and
operation, so long we are bound to God. Man \\3iihprmcipium elfinem,
a principle upon which he dependeth, and an end to which he is
appointed ; a superior to whom he is subject, and to whom he must
give an account.
(1.) This power and right cannot be alienated by us, or vacated and
made void by our sin ; we indeed sold ourselves for nought, but that
VER. 12.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vnr. 31
was to our own loss, not to God's : Isa. lii. 3. He hath a full right to
command us to keep the law, whether we be faulty or innocent. A
drunken servant is a servant, though disabled to do his master's work ;
no man's right can be vacated without his consent ; for the default of
another doth not make void our right, especially if inferiors ; as the
rebellion of the subject doth not exempt him from the power of his
prince.
(I.) God doth not make it away by bestowing his gifts on the
creature ; for he hath given us only dispensationem, the employment
of these things ; not dominium, the sovereign power over them ; man
hath nothing that is his own, but as he hath it from God, so for God ;
as to life, man is not dominus vitce, but citstos ; this is true not only of
life, but of time, wealth, strength, parts, yea, of all that we have and
are. There is a higher lord, to whom by the law of our creation we
owe the debt of duty, love, and obedience ; and to whom we are account
able for the mercies of his daily providence ; and who hath an absolute
and uncontrollable right in all that we have and are ; all our owning
is but a stewardship : Luke xvi. 2. We have a right to prevent the
encroachment of our fellow creatures, but not a right to exclude our
accountableness and obligation to God ; we have a right by way of
charge and trust, as a steward in things committed to him, or a factor
in the estate consigned to his hands, or a workman in his tools and
instruments, which the master giveth him to do his work withal ; but
not an absolute independent right ; they are not ours to use as we think
meet. When God disposed his gifts, he did not dispossess himself;
as the husbandman doth not intend to throw away his seed, when he
scattereth it in the furrows of the earth, but soweth it to receive it
again with increase.
(3.) This right in us is so inherent in God, and proper to him, that
God himself cannot communicate it to another ; for he hath told us
that he will not give his glory to another; to make the creature
independent, is to make it no creature. God is God still, and the
creature is the creature still, obnoxious to the law of its creator, or else
to his punishment for the breach of it. It implieth a contradiction
that he should cut off the creature from dependence upon himself, and
therefore from subjection to himself; while God is God, and we are
creatures, there will be a debt due from us to him, because we depend
upon him for our being and preservation ; our petty interests may be
alienated, as a lord may make his vassal absolutely free, or a prince his
subject ; as Saul proclaimed, that whosoever encountered Goliah, he
would make his house free in Israel, 1 Sam. xvii. 25 ; that is, free
from taxes, imposts, services in war, but not free from being a subject ;
but no creature can be exempted from duty to God, or made free from
his debt ; for dependence upon God, and our subjection to him, are so
twisted together, that the one cannot be without the other ; we wholly
depend upon him for being and all things else, and therefore we must
be wholly subject to him. Well then, consider man in the order of
creation, and he is a debtor to God, not to his own flesh ; bound to
refer his service, strength, time, care, life, and love to him from whom
he received them ; these are sound reasonings not to be reproved.
32 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIIL [$ER. XV.
2. By the condition of their spiritual being, so they are much more
debtors to God : and therein consider,
Jl.] The foundation on which this new estate is built, and that is our
emption by Christ. This doth infer the debt mentioned in the text,
whether we respect the state from whence we were redeemed, the price
paid for us, or the end why we were redeemed. The state from whence
we were redeemed, was a state of woful captivity ; from God's debtors
we became Satan's slaves. Now if a captive were ransomed by another
man's money, his life, service, and strength did belong to the buyer,
' for he is his money : ' Exod. xxi. 21. Christ hath bought us from a
worse slavery, therefore all that we have belongeth to him ; we are
debtors. So for the price that was paid for our ransom ; as from the worst
slavery, so with the greatest price : 1 Pet. i. 18, * We are not redeemed
with corruptible tnings, such as silver and gold, but with the precious
blood of Christ/ Now this maketh us debtors, and destroyeth all right
and property in ourselves : 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20, ' Ye are not your own,
ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God with your bodies and
souls, which are God's.' Take in the end, and the argument is the
more conclusive ; he hath redeemed us ' to God : ' Kev. v. S ; Kom.
xiv. 4, * For to this end Christ both died, and rose again, and revived ;
that he might be Lord both of dead and living/ Well then, we are
not to live as we list, but to live unto God ; not debtors to the flesh, to
live after the flesh, but debtors to the Spirit, to be led by the Spirit of
God ; ex ordine justicice, justice requireth this, we are the Lord's.
[2.] The benefit of this spiritual new being itself, or our regeneration,
inferreth it ; for we are justified and sanctified, and by both obliged,
and also inclined to live unto God. Obliged, for these benefits of
Christ's righteousness and Spirit given to us, are such excellent benefits,
that for them we owe our whole selves to God. If Paul could tell
Philemon, ' thou owest thyself to me : ' Phil. i. 9, because he had
been an instrument in converting him to God ; how much more is our
obligation to Christ, who is the principal author and proper efficient
cause of this grace ! Surely we owe our whole selves, and strength, and
time, and service to him, jure beneficiario, as God's beneficiaries. We
are in debt to him as our benefactor ; and not only obliged but inclined
by the gift of Christ's righteousness and Spirit ; he hath formed us for
this very thing, and fitted us to perform the more easily what we owe to
God. Everything is fitted for its use, so we are prepared and fitted
for the new life, and all the duties that belong thereunto : Eph. ii. 10,
' We are his workmanship in Christ Jesus, created unto good works/
The new creature is put by its proper use, if we live after the flesh ;
for all this cost and workmanship is bestowed upon us in vain, if it
doth not fit us to live unto God.
[3.] Our own vow and covenant sworn and entered into by baptism.
Baptism doth infer this debt, for there we renounced the flesh, and
gave up ourselves to God as our proper lord. Baptism is a vowed
death to sin, and a solemn obligation to live unto God ; therefore every
Christian must reckon himself dead to sin : Bom. vi. 11, ' Likewise
reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God : '
and Col. iii. 3, 5, ' Ye are dead, therefore mortify your members ; ' and
VER. 12.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIIL 33
Korn. vi. 2, ' How shall ye that are dead unto sin, live any longer
therein ? ' He argueth not ab impossibili, but ah incongruo ; for
a baptized person, or one that is entered into the oath of God. And
.being made servants of God, we are bound to live in all new obedience :
1 Pet. iii. 21, ' The like figure whereunto, even baptism doth now save
us ; not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a
good conscience towards God/ The answer of a good conscience saveth.
[4.] In regard of the benefits we do hereafter expect from Christ ;
our resurrection and glorious estate in heaven. That is mentioned
ver. 2, as binding us to the spiritual life. Certainly where we have
received good, and expect more good things, we are the more obliged
to obedience. From the flesh we can look for nothing but shame and
death ; but from the spirit, life and peace. Therefore in prudence we
are bound to make the best choice for ourselves, and to live not carnally,
but spiritually. Sin never did us any good office ; nor can you expect
anything from it for the future ; it hath never done you good, and will
<lo you eternal hurt ; and are you so much in love with sin, as to
displease your God, and lose your souls for it, which might otherwise
be saved in a way of obedience to the Spirit's sanctifying motions ?
This argument is again repeated in the 13th. ver, ' If ye live after the
flesh, ye shall die,' that we might seriously consider it. Can the flesh
give you a sufficient reward to recompense the pains you incur by
satisfying it ?
The first Use is information. It informeth us of divers truths.
[1.] If your obedience be a debt, then there can be no merit in it ;
for what is debitum is not meritorium : Luke xvii. 10, ' When ye have
<lone all that is commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants ; we
have done that which was our duty to do/ We owe ourselves, and all
that we have, are, and possibly can do, to God, by whom we live and
are ; and therefore deserve no further benefit at his hands. Put case
we should do all, yet in how many things are we come short ? There
fore, surely God is not bound to reward us by any right or justice arising
from the merit of the action itself, but only he is inclined so to do by
his own goodness and bound so to do by his free promise. The
creature oweth itself wholly to God, who made it ; and God standeth
in such a degree of eminency, so far above us, that we can lay no obli
gation upon him. Aristotle said well, 'That children could never
merit of their parents ; ' and all their kindness and duty they perform
towards them, is but a just recompence to them from whom they
received their being. If no merit between children and parents, surely
not between God and men.
[2.] When a believer gratifieth the flesh, it is not of right, but
tyrannous usurpation. For he is not a debtor to the flesh, he oweth it
no obedience. * Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies : ' Kom. vi.
11,14. Sin shall not reign; it may play the tyrant. Chrysostom
saith, that a child of God may be overtaken through inadvertency, or
overborne by the impetuous desires of the flesh, and do something which
his heart alioweth not ; his sins are sins of passion rather than design ;
and though the reign of sin be disturbed, yet it is not cast off. Our
lives should declare whose servants and debtors we are ; for whom do
you do most? Your lives must give sentence for you, whether you
VOL. xn. c
34 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SEE. XV.
are debtors to the flesh, or to the spirit. If you spend your time io
making provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof, Horn. 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 and pleasures, against the dictates
of their own reason and conscience. Now, it is easy to pronounce
sentence concerning them. Others are led by the Spirit of God
to the 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,
1 Shall I take the members of Christ, and make them the members of
an harlot ? ' Luther 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 vm. 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 God'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. 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 can
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.
[4.] The debt is increased by every benefit which we receive from
God : Luke xii. 48, 'To whom much is given, of him shall much be
required ; and to whom men have committed much, of him will they
ask more/ As our gifts increase, so doth our debt ; as our debt, so
doth our account ; they that have received most, are bound to love him
more, and serve him better, because they are more in debt than others.
[5.] How necessary it is for us to be debtors to God. If not debtors
to God, we are debtors to the flesh ; there is no medium ; and if debtors
to the flesh, servants to every base lust : Tit. iii. 3, ' Serving divers
lusts ; ' quam multos habet dominos qui unum Jiabere nevult ! We are
slaves to everything, if not debtors to God, and behave ourselves as
such. Every fancy and humour captivateth us.
[6.] By paying this debt, we receive more than we pay, in present
comfort and peace, but certainly in future glory and blessedness : Kom.
vi. 22. ' Ye have your fruit to holiness, and the end everlasting life/
The fruit of holiness for the present is peace ; no greater comfort than
in the discharge of our duty : Gal. vi. 16, 'As many as walk according
to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them.
7. If we pay not the debt of obedience, we incur the debt of punish
ment : Mat. vi. 11, 'And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our
36 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [$ER. XVL
debtors ; ' and Kom. vi. 23, ' The wages of sin is death.' A man by
pleasing the flesh runneth himself further into debt than all the gain
he gets by sin doth amount unto, be it ever so pleasing and profitable ;
he runneth in debt to God's justice, which at length will take him by
the throat, and say, Pay what thou owest ; it will cast you into the
prison of hell, and you shall not depart thence till you have paid the
utmost mite : Luke xii. 59. For the present it bringeth you trembling
of conscience, and hereafter eternal vengeance ; these things should be
minded ; because the devil gets into our hearts by the back-door of
sensual affections ; he doth not bring the temptation to our reason. To
consider it as a remedy,
(1.) Own the debt by directing yourselves to God. Every one should
have his own ; give unto Csesar the things that are Caesar's, and to
God the things that are God's : Mat. xxii. 21. Nothing more reasonable
than that God should have his own: 2 Cor. viii. 5, 'They first gave
themselves to the Lord/
(2.) Keep a constant reckoning how you lay out yourselves for God :
Phil. i. 21. ' To me to live is Christ/ Neh. i. 11 : ' The Lord show me
favour in the sight of this man, for I have been the king's cupbearer.'
(3.) Pray God to bless you, and ever keep in remembrance the
former debt : 1 Cor. vi. 15, * Know ye not that your bodies are the
members of Christ ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and
make them the members of an harlot ? God forbid.'
SERMON XVI.
If ye live after the flesli ye shall die. BOM. VIII. 13.
Here is another reason rendered why Christians should not live after
the flesh ; before, a debito ; now a damno ; or if you will take the
whole verse, you have the danger of the carnal life, and the benefit of
the spiritual ; both propositions are hypothetical or conditional, both
include perseverance in either course. The apostle saith not, ' If you
have lived after the flesh, ye shall die.' All have lived after the flesh
before they lived after the Spirit ; and in the other part, if ye go on
to mortify in the one branch, the doom is heavy death, not only tem
poral, but eternal ; in the other, the boon or benefit is as much as we
can desire, and far more than we can ever deserve or requite ; both
have their use, for man is apt to be moved by hope or fear ; if honesty
and duty will not persuade us, yet danger and benefit may have an
influence upon us.
Let us now consider the first clause, where death is propounded as
the necessary consequent of carnal living ; we need not only milk, but
salt ; as milk to nourish the new creature, so salt to fret out the cor
ruption of the old man. A sore penalty is threatened to them that
fulfil the desires and inclinations of the flesh ; we buy carnal delights
at too dear a rate, when we must die eternally to enjoy them.
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vrn. 37
Doct. That God threateneth those that live after the flesh, with
eternal death and destruction.
I shall speak to this point.
First. By way of explication.
Second. By way of confirmation.
In the explication I shall show you. 1. What is meant by flesh.
2. What by living after the flesh. 3. What is the death threatened.
By way of confirmation. 1. That this threatening is every way
consistent with the wisdom, and goodness of God. 2. The certainty
of its being accomplished and fulfilled.
First. By way of explication.
1. What is meant by flesh.
[1.] The flesh is sometimes taken for the natural bodily substance,
that corporal mass we carry about us : so it is said, ' No man ever
hated his own flesh, but nourisheth it, and cherisheth it : ' Eph. v. 29.
The body is a part of us, and deserveth due care, that it might be an
holy temple for the Spirit to dwell in, and sanctify, and make use of
it for God.
[2.] For corruption of nature, which inclineth us wholly to things
grateful to the body and bodily life, with the neglect of God and our
precious immortal souls : John iii. 6, ' That which is born of flesh is
flesh.' Now flesh in this latter sense is taken,
(1.) Largely, For the whole dunghill of corruption, in whatever
faculty it is seated, in the understanding, will, or rational appetite : so
Gal. v. 17, ' The flesh lusteth against the spirit ; ' that is, corrupt
nature.
(2.) Strictly, or in a limited sense, for the corruption of the sensual
appetite : 1 John ii. 16, * All that is in the world is either the lust of
the flesh, the lust of the eye, or pride of life.' Sensuality is expressed
by the lust of the flesh ; and Eph. ii. 3, ' Fulfilling the wills of the
flesh and of the mind.' As it is taken more generally for natural cor
ruption, both in will, mind, and affections; so more particularly for
the disorder of the sensual appetite, which carrieth us to meats, drinks,
riches, pleasures, honours ; therefore there are two branches, Oekrujuara
T?;? 0-aprcbs teal TWV Biavoiwv. Flesh must not be confined to this
latter sense, but taken in the latitude of the former ; we read of (f>pov7]^a
7-775 cra/3/co?, ' The wisdom of the flesh/ Eom. viii. 7 ; and of a * fleshly
mind,' Col. ii. 18. Man is a corrupt, carnal creature in all the faculties of
the soul, even those which are more noble, the understanding and will ;
and when the apostle reckoneth up the works of the flesh (Gal.
v. 19), he doth not only reckon up fornication and adultery, unclean-
ness, wantonness, which belong to the sensual appetite ; but idolatry
and heresy, which are the fruits of blind and corrupt reason ; and
witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, sedition, envy-
ings, murder, which belong to the depraved will ; we must take flesh
then in the largest sense.
2. What it is to live after the flesh. Living doth not note
one single action, but the trade, course, and strain of our conversa
tions ; they are said to live after the flesh, where the flesh is their
principle, their work, and their scope.
[1.] Where it is the governing principle, or that spring which sets
38 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XVI.
all the wheels a-going. Once it was thus with us all ; we were wholly
actuated by the inclinations and desires of the flesh, and did nothing
but what the flesh moved us unto, and therefore natural men are said
to be in the flesh : Kom. viii. 8 ; and after the flesh, v. 5 ; and to serve
divers lusts and pleasures : Tit. iii. 3. But when our cure is wrought,
we are actuated by another principle, the spirit or new nature : Rom.
viii. 1. ; and Gal. v. 16, Not that the old principle is quite abolished,
it is in us still : Gal. v. 17, ' The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and
the spirit lusteth against the flesh.' And it is in us not as dead, but
as working and operative, and there is a mixture of the respective influ
ence and efficacy of these two principles in every action ; yea, in some
actions a prevalency of the one above the other. The worse part in a
particular conflict may get the upper hand ; yet there is a sensible
difference between the people of God and others ; the better principle
is habitual and constant, and in predominancy, and doth not only check
and thwart the other, but overcome it; and the interest of the flesh
decreaseth, and that of the spirit prevaileth, and keepeth the carnal
part in subjection; but when the flesh is the chief principle that
beareth rule in our hearts, and we are actuated and guided by it in our
course of life, we live after the flesh.
[2.] Their work and trade, or the business of their lives. Men are
said to live after the flesh, that wholly mind the things of the flesh :
Eom. viii. 5 ; that take no other care, but to spend their time, wit, and
estate upon the service of their own fleshly lusts ; their whole life,
study, and labour is to please the flesh, and satisfy the flesh. If God
gets any thing from them, it is but for fashion's sake, and it is only the
flesh's leavings : so Gal. v. 8, ' To sow to the flesh ; ' there is their
business, to ' make provision for the flesh : ' Eom. xiii. 14. Neglecting
God, and the eternal welfare of their precious and immortal souls, be it
in the way of sensuality, or be it in the way worldliness, all their
toiling, and excessive care and pains, are for the worldly life ; in short,
they follow after earthly things with greatest earnestness, and spiritual
things in an overly, formal, and careless manner. A carnal man may
do many things in religion, which are good and worthy. Man that
hath an appetite, hath also a conscience ; though the flesh is importu
nate to be pleased, and unwilling to be crossed, yet it giveth way to a
little superficial duty, that conscience may be pacified, and so itself
may be pleased with the less disturbance. Religion is but taken on as
a matter by the by, as you give way to a servant to go upon his own
errand. Nay, sometimes the flesh doth not only give leave, but it sets
them a- work, to hide a lust, or feed a lust ; to hide a lust from the
world, as in hypocrites ; as the Pharisees made their worship serve their
rapine : Mat. xxiii. 14 ; or from their own consciences. Every man must
have some religion ; therefore the flesh alloweth a few services, that it
may the more securely possess the heart ; it is not for the interest of
the flesh to have too much religion, or none at all ; the carnal life
must have some devotion to cover it, that men may take courage in sin
the more freely. Or feed a lust ; pride or vain-glory may put men on
preaching or praying before others : Phil. i. 16. 17, ' The one preacheth
Christ out of contention.' Or give alms: Mat. vi. 1, ' Take heed that
you do not your alms before men, to be seen of men ; ' and a sacrifice
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIIL 39
may be brought with an evil mind : Prov. xxi. 27. The devil careth
not what means we use, so he may have his ends ; that is, to keep men
in a carnal condition.
[3.] That make it their scope, end, and happiness. That is our
scope and end that solaceth our minds, and sweeteneth our labours ;
that which they aim at is to be rich and great in the world, or enjoy
their pleasure without remorse: Phil. iii. 19, * Whose end is destruc
tion, whose God is their belly, who mind earthly things.' That is our
god which lieth next our hearts, to which we offer our actions, and
from which we fetch our inward complacency, be it the pleasing of the
flesh, or being accepted with God. All their delight and contentment
is to have the flesh pleased in some worldly thing; this giveth them a
joy and rest of mind, and quencheth all sentiments of religion and
delight in God. They that aim at pardon, grace, and glory, no worldly
thing will satisfy them ; God and heaven are preferred above all the
pleasures, honours, and profits they can enjoy here : Psal. iv. 7, * Thou
hast put gladness into my heart, more than at the time when their
corn and wine increased.' But it is otherwise with the carnal ; for
their hearts run out more pleasingly after some worldly thing ; and
when they obtain it, it keepeth them quiet under the guilt of wilful
sin, and all their soul-dangers ; and they forget eternity, because they
have their heart's desire already : Luke xii. 19, 20, ' And I will say to
my soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years ; take thine
ease, eat, drink, and be merry ; but God said unto him, thou fool,
this night thy soul shall be required of thee ; then whose Shall these
things be thou hast provided ? ' And the peace and pleasure which they
daily live upon, is fetched more from the world than from God, and
Christ, and heaven ; the flesh is at ease, and hath nothing to disturb
it; and they design the conveniences of the flesh in their whole
lives ; this is their principle, their chief scope and aim ; whatsoever
he doth, he still designeth the contentment of the flesh, or some temporal
good that shall accrue to him. Thus you see who live after the flesh :
where no contrary principle is set up to check it ; where it is our daily
work to please the flesh, and our. great scope and solace to have it
pleased.
3. What is this death that is here threatened : ' ye shall die/ Surely
the natural death is not intended, for that is common to all, both to
those that please the flesh, and those that crucify the flesh : Heb. ix. 27,
' It is appointed for all men once to die .' And besides to the godly it
is matter of comfort, a thing which they should rather desire than fear,
1 Cor. iii. 22, death is theirs ; therefore death is but a softer word for
eternal damnation, yet used with good reason. The apostle saith,
' Ye shall die,' rather than 'ye shall be damned.'
[1.] Because death to the wicked is an inlet to their final and eternal
misery ; it is dreadful to them, not only as a natural evil, as it puts an
end to their worldly comforts, but as a penal evil: Heb. ii. 14, 15,
' Who are all their life -time subject to bondage through fear of death/
because of the consequences of it ; then their torment beginneth.
J2.] Because it is more liable to sense. We know hell by faith,
death by sense ; now that notion that is more known, affects
us more ; all abhor death as a fearful thing. Briefly, then, this death
40 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [&ER. XVL
consists not in an extinction and abolition of the creature, but
in a deprivation of the favour and presence of the blessed God,
who is the fountain of all comfort; and in the everlasting pains
and torments which the soul and body being cast out of God's
presence feeleth in hell ; all that weeping and gnashing of teeth,
that bitter remembrance of what is past, that acute sense of what
is present, that despair and fearful looking for of the fiery indigna
tion of the Lord ; what the scripture speaketh of, it is all included in
this word, * ye shall die.' It is, in short, to be separated from God and
Christ, and the saints and angels, and to have eternal fellowship with
devils and damned spirits, together with those unknown pains inflicted
on us by the wrath of God in the other world.
[3.] It would not be sufficient to restrain men from sin, if God
should only threaten temporal death, and not eternal. Every murderer
would venture to execute his malice, every adulterer follow his lusts,
and voluptuous man his swinish and brutish pleasure, if it were only
to endure a short pain at death, and then be free from misery ever after.
We see how offenders venture on man's punishment, and how many
shorten their days for their vain pleasure ; therefore unless the death
were everlasting, the world would be little awed by it, unless the
bitterness be greater than the present sinful pleasure ; therefore eternal
torment is that which God threateneth, and will surely execute on the-
sensual and carnal ; so that the sinner hath no hope to escape, except
by repentance, and breaking this course of living after the flesh.
Secondly. Now, by way of confirmation, we must show the fit connec
tion between these two things, the carnal living, and this terrible death ;
and there we must show you, [1.] That this threatening is everyway
consistent with the justice, and wisdom, and goodness of God. [2. J
Since it is threatened, the certainty of its accomplishment.
[1.] Its consistency with the justice, wisdom, and goodness of God.
(1.) His justice : First, because those that live in the flesh, continue
in the defection and apostasy of mankind ; and so the old sentence is
in force against them, 'in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die: *
Gen. ii. 17. To shew you this, let me tell you, that by the creation
man was to be subject to God, and by his own make and constitution
was composed of a body and soul, which two parts were to be regarded
according to the worth and dignity of each ; the body was subordinated
to the soul, and both body and soul to God ; the flesh was a servant to
the spirit, and both flesh and spirit unto the Lord. But sin entering,
defaced the beauty, and disturbed the order and harmony of the creation,,
for man withdrew his subordination and obedience unto God his maker,
and set up himself instead of God, and the flesh is preferred before the
soul ; reason and conscience are enslaved to sense and appetite ; and
the beast doth ride the man, the flesh becoming our principle, rule, and
end. Now it is horrible wickedness, if you consider either of these
disorders ; our contempt of God, for it is great depreciation, and
disesteem of his holy and blessed majesty, which is neglected and
slighted for a little carnal satisfaction, and every perishing vanity is
preferred before his favour. The heinousness of the sin is to be
measured by the greatness of him who is offended by it : 1 Sam. ii.
25. ' If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him ; but
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vin. 41
if a man sin against the Lord, who shall entreat for him ? ' Now for
creatures to seek their happiness without God, and apart from God, in
such base things, deserveth the greater punishment. The other disorder
is, we love the happiness of the body above that of the soul ; man
carrieth it as if he had not an immortal spirit in him : Ps. xlix. 12,
' is as the beast that perisheth ; ' and is altogether flesh, his wisdom
and spirit is sunk into flesh, and sin hath transformed him into a
brutish nature. Well now, if men will continue in this apostasy, what
then more just, than that God should stand to his old sentence, and
deprive them of that happiness which they despise ; that those who
dishonour their own souls, should never be acquainted with a blessed
immortality ; and those that contemn their God, and banish him out
their thoughts, and do in effect say to the Almighty, Job. xxi. 14,
' Depart from us, we desire not the knowledge tby ways,' that they
may spend their days in mirth that God should banish them out of
his presence with a curse never to be reversed ? They do in effect bid
God be gone, the very thoughts of him are an interruption to that sort
of life they have chosen, that he should bid them ' depart ye cursed,'
who bid him depart first ? In short, that the carnal life, which is but
a spiritual death, should be punished with eternal death: 1 Tim. iii.
6, ' She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth,' a kind of
carcase, or rather a living creature dead, estranged from the life of
God, and then deprived of eternal life ?
Secondly. They refuse the remedy. The great business of the
Christian religion, is to dispossess us of the brutish nature which is
gotten into us. I say, this is the drift and tenure of Christianity, to
recover us from the flesh to God ; to turn man into man again, that
was become a beast ; to draw him off from the animal life, to life
spiritual and eternal ; to drive out the spirit of the world, and intro
duce a divine and heavenly Spirit purchased by Jesus Christ, and
offered to us in the promises of the gospel. The world is mad and
brutish, enslaved to lower things ; but this healing institution of Christ
is to make us wise and heavenly ; to recover the immortal soul, that
was embondaged to earthly things, and depressed and tainted by the
objects of sense, into its former liberty and perfection, thaj; the spirit
might command the flesh, and man might seek his happiness and
blessedness in some higher and more transcending good, than the beasts
are capable of. In short, as sin was the transforming of a man into a
beast ; so Christianity is the transforming of beasts into man again ; to
restore humanity, and elevate it from the state of subjection to the
flesh. John iii. 6, * That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that
which is born of the Spirit is spirit.' 2 Pet. i. 4, ' Whereby are given
us great and precious promises, that by these you might be partakers
of the divine nature; having escaped the corruption that is in the
world through lust/ 1 Cor. ii. 12, 'Now we have received, not the
spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we may know
the things that are freely given us of God.' Now, after this is done
with such cost and care, if men will love their bondage, despise their
remedy, surely they are worthy of the severest punishment : John iii.
19, * And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world,
and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil/
42 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XVI.
If we refuse this Spirit that is offered to change our natures, arid lift
us up from earth to heaven, and we will not be changed and healed,
but wallow in this filth and puddle still, we are doubly culpable for
not doing our duty, and refusing our remedy.
But you will say, the punishment is eternal ; how will that stand
with the justice of God, to inflict it for temporal offences ?
(1.) Answer. Till the carnal life ceaseth, the full punishment doth
not begin or take place ; as when men have done their work they receive
their wages. It is not inflicted till after death, and in the other world
there is no change of state ; our trial is over, our sentence is passed, the
gulf is fixed between hell and heaven, that the inhabitants of the one
cannot come into the other place, Luke xvi. 26.
(2.) There was eternal life in the offer. Now if men will part with
this for one morsel of meat, this is profaneness indeed : Heb. xii. 15, 16.
The things propounded to their choice are eternal happiness and eternal
misery; if they refuse the one, they in justice deserve the other.
(3.) If they be Christians, they do not pay their great debt, or fulfil
their covenant-vow; and so make the forfeiture. The apostle here
inferreth the great danger out of the debt : ' Ye are debtors ; ' that if
we live after the flesh, we shall die ; they are entered into the bond of
the holy oath. So elsewhere : Gal. v. 24, ' They that are Christ's,
have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts thereof.' How
are we Christ's ? As dedicated to him in baptism, they have renounced
the devil, the world, and the flesh ; they are Christ's not only dejure,
they ought to do so ; but de facto, they have crucified the flesh. It is
hypocrisy and perjury that the carnal and brutish nature should reign
in us. Baptism implieth a vow, we are ' baptized into the likeness of
his death,' Kom. vi. 3. Christ bound himself to communicate the
virtue of his death ; and we bind ourselves to die unto sin, and to use
all Christ's instituted means to that end and purpose. Now, if after
that we are washed, we still wallow in the mire, and affect that life
which we have renounced, and gratify what we should crucify ; cherish
the flesh, rather than use Christ's healing means to subdue it and
purge it out, our very baptism will solicit the more severe vengeance,
and be a swift witness against us. It were better scalding oil had been
poured upon us, than the water of baptism ; and if there be any place
in hell hotter than others, it is for hypocrites and perjured persons that
have broken the vow of their God which is upon them ; this should
the more sink into us, because every covenant hath a curse included in
it, implicite, or explicite : Tra? opicy Oel&a /cardpa re\vrd rfjs eVtop/a'a?,
as Plutarch. A consecration implieth an execration or imprecation of
vengeance if we do contrary ; the scripture abhorreth not this notion ;
it is said, Neh. x. 29, they entered into a curse and an oath to walk
in God's law. So it is in the new covenant, for all Christians do con
sent to the threats and punishments of the gospel in case of failing in
their duty ; as the Israelites were to give their amen, Deut. xxvii. 15,
to the curses of the law ; so we profess to submit to the law of grace,
and tenor of it : in Mark xvi. 16, * He that believeth not, shall be
damned.' We profess our consent to this law, not to a part only, but
to the whole. Now whatever faith and baptism calleth for, that must
be done; or if it be wilfully left undone, we approve the penalty as
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 43
/
just, and that God may rightly inflict it upon us. Thus for the justice
of God.
[2.] Now for the wisdom. The punishment is the greater, to check
the greatness of the temptation. Much of the fleshly life is pleasant,
like the Eden of God, to the besotted soul; therefore God hath
guarded it with a flaming sword, that fear may counterbalance our
delight. It is a hard thing to bring a man to strive against his own
flesh ; it is born and bred with us, and is importunate to be pleased,
but the end is death. There must be a separation between the soul and
sin, or between the soul and God; milder motives would do us no
good against boisterous lusts, and are not powerful enough to wean us
from accustomed delights ; therefore is the punishment threatened the
more dreadful, and the sinful fear is checked by the severity of the
intermination ; though sense-pleasing and flesh-pleasing be sweet to a
carnal heart, it will cost him dear. The wisdom of God is seen in
three things,
(1.) In "punishing sin, which is a moral evil, with death and misery,
which is a natural evil ; in appointing that it should be ill with them
that do evil. These are fitly sorted : Deut. xxx. 15, ' See, I have set
before thee life and good, death and evil.' The evil of sin is against
our duty, and the evil of punishment against our interest and happi
ness ; now if men will willingly do what they should not, it is equal
they should suffer what they would not, what is against their wills ;
these two are natural relatives, sin and misery, good and happiness ;
we find some of this in ourselves, we have compassion of a miserable
man, whom we esteem not deserving his misery; we think it* is ill
placed there ; and we are also moved with indignation against one that
is fortunate and successful, but unworthy the happiness he enjoys ;
which showeth man hath an apprehension of a natural harmony and
order between these things, sin and misery, goodness and felicity.
(2.) The wisdom of God lieth in this, that the love of pleasure,
which is the root of all sin, should end in a sense of pain. Man is a
very slave to pleasure : Tit. iii. 3, ' Serving divers lusts and pleasures.'
It is engrained in our natures ; therefore to check it, the Lord hath
threatened the pains of the second death ; and this method our Lord
upproveth as most useful to draw us from our beloved sin: Mat. v. 29,
30, ' Better one member suffer, than the whole body to be cast into hell.'
In short, God hath so proportioned the dispensation of joy and sorrow,
pleasure and pain, that it is left to our choice, whether we will have it
here or hereafter, whether we will have pleasure as the fruit of sin, or
as the reward of well-doing ; both we cannot have, you must not expect
to enjoy the pleasures of earth and heaven too, and think to pass from
Delilah's lap into Abraham's bosom : Luke xvi. 25, ' Son, in thy life
time thou receivedst thy good things ; ' and Jam. v. 5, ' Ye have lived
in pleasure upon earth ; ' you have been merry and jocund ; but your
time of howling and lamenting then cometh, i'ar beyond the degree of
I your former rejoicing.
(3.) By setting eternal pains against momentary pleasures, that ye
may the better escape the temptation ; momentaneum est quod delectat,
eternum quod crucial. ' The pleasures of sin are but for a season/
Heb. xi. 25 ; but the pains of sin are for evermore ; if the fearful end
44 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XVI,
of this delightful course were soundly believed or seriously considered,
it would not so easily prevail upon us. It is the wisdom of our law
giver that things to come should have some advantage in the proposal
above things present ; that the joy and pain of the other world should
be greater than the comfort and pleasure of this world, which is a
matter of sense ; for things at hand would certainly prevail with us, if
things to come were not considerably greater ; therefore here the pain
is short, and so is the pleasure, but there it is eternal. Those that will
have their pleasure here, they shall have it, but to their bitter cost ;
but those that will work out their salvation with fear and trembling,
will by the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body, will pass through the
difficulties of religion, shall have pleasure at his right hand for ever
more, Ps. xvi. 11.
[3.] It is consistent with his love and goodness. This is necessary
to be considered,
(1.) Because we are apt to think hardly of God for his threatenings.
It is for our profit to give warning, and to bring us to repentance, and
that we may take heed and escape these things ; he threateneth that
he may not punish ; and he punisheth in part, that he may not punish
for ever. The first awakening is by fear, afterwards shame, sorrow, and
indignation ; the curse driveth us to the promise ; first, we look upon
sin as damning, then as defiling ; first, as it fits us for hell ; then, as it
unfits us for heaven.
(2.) It is a benefit to the world* Punishment among men, because
of the degeneracy of the world, is a more powerful engine of government
than reward ; we owe much of our safety to prisons and executions ; so
in God's government, though love be the mighty gospel motive, yet
fear hath its use, at least for those who will not serve God out of love ;
slavish fear tieth their hands from mischief.
(3.) For the converted, they find all help in this part of the Spirit's
discipline, to guard their love. When their minds are in danger of
being enchanted by carnal delights, or perverted by the terrors of sense ;
when the flesh presents the bait, faith shows the hook, Mat. x. 28 ; or
are apt to abuse their power, because none in the world can call them
to an account : Job xxxi. 23, ' Destruction from God was a terror to me.'
He stood in awe of God, who is a party against the oppressor, and will
right the weak against the powerful.
2. Since it is threatened, we may conclude the certainty of its
accomplishment. The world will not easily believe that none shall be
saved but the regenerate, and those that live not after the flesh but the
Spirit, and love God in Christ above all the world, even their own
lives ; that besides these few, all the rest shall be tormented in hell for
ever ; flesh and blood cannot easily go down with this doctrine ; but
God's threatenings are as sure as executions.
[1.] Because of the holiness of his nature: Ps. xi. 6, 7, 'Upon the
wicked he will rain snares, fire and brimstone, and horrible tempest ;
this shall be the portion of their cup, for the righteous Lord loveth
righteousness.' But men feign God as they would have him to be,
and judge of God's holiness by their own interest : Ps. 1. 21, ' Thou
thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself.' As if God
were less mindful because he is so holy ; and will not be so indulgent
VER. 13.]
SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII.
45
to their flesh and sin, as they are themselves, and would have him to be.
[2.1 His unalterable truth. ' God cannot lie/ Tit. i. 2. Though
the threatening in the present judgment doth not always show the
event, but merit, yet it follows afterwards ; for the scripture must be
fulfilled, or else all religion will fall to the ground. He cannot endure
any should question it, it is not a vain scare-crow : Deut. xxx. 19, 20,
* I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have
set before you life and death, blessing and cursing ; therefore choose
life, that thou and thy seed may live ; that thou mayest love the Lord
thy God, that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave
unto him, for he is thy life, and the length of thy days/
[3.] His all-sufficient power : 2 Thes. i. 9, ' Who shall be punished
\vith everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the
glory of his power ; ' and Kom. ix. 22, ' What if God, willing to show
his wrath, and to make his power known, endureth with much long-
suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction ? ' If God will do
so, surely he can, there is no let there: Heb. x. 29, 30, 'Vengeance
belongeth to me, and I will recompense, saith the Lord ; and again, the
Lord shall judge his people.' He liveth for ever to see vengeance
executed ; if it seem to be so terrible to you, God knoweth it is with a
resign of love, to awaken those that are carnal. What a case am I in
then ! And to make the converted more cautious that they do not
border on the carnal life. God maketh no great difference here
between the righteous and the wicked ; hereafter he will.
SERMON XVII.
If ye live after the flesli ye shall die. ROM. VIII. 13.
THE first Use is information.
1. To show the lawful use of threatenings. 2. The folly of two sorts
of people. [1.] Of those that will rather venture this death, than leave
their sinful peasures. [2.] Those that would reconcile God and flesh,
God and the world.
1. The lawful use of threatenings.
Threatenings are necessary during the law of grace. Two argu
ments I shall give for the proof thereof: (1.) If threatenings were
needful to Adam in the state of innocency and perfection, much more
are they useful now, when there is such a corrupt inclination within,
and so many temptations without ; in the best there is a double prin
ciple and many inordinate lusts, that we need the strongest bridle and
curb to suppress them. (2.) If Christ came to verify God's threatenings,
surely God hath some use of them now ; but so it is, the devil would
represent God as a liar in his comminations : Gen. iii. 4, ' Ye shall not
surely die.' Christ came to confute the tempter, and would die rather
than the devil's reproach of God's threatenings should be found true ;
surely this is to check thoughts of iniquity.
46 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SEH. XVII.
[1 1 The folly of two sorts of people. [1.] Of those that will rather
venture this death than leave their sinful pleasures, and live a holy life.
Carnal men think no life so happy as theirs, being escaped out ot f
of religion and bonds of conscience, in the apostle's expression, '.bree
from righteousness,' Kom. vi. 20. Whereas the truth is, none are more
miserable ; for they carry it so, as if they were in love with their own
death- Prov. viii. 36, 'He that sinneth against me, wrongeth his own
soul - and they that hate me, l6ve death.' You hazard soul and body,
and all that is near and dear to you, for a little carnal satisfaction ; for
the present you get nothing but the guilt of conscience, hardness of
heart, and the displeasure of the eternal God ; and for the future, ever-
lastin'o- destruction from the presence of the Lord, when the body
and soul shall be cast into hell-fire. Consider this before it be too
late ; there is no man goeth to hell or heaven, but with violence to
conscience or lusts; those that go to hell offer violence to their
conscience
[2.] Those that would reconcile God and flesh, God and the
world, and secure their interest in both ; that hope to please the flesh,
and yet to be happy hereafter for all that ; would keep up a profession of
godliness, while they live in secret league with their lusts. God will
not halve it with the world, nor part stakes with the flesh ; you cannot
please the flesh, and enjoy God too ; for you have but one happiness ;
if you place it in contenting the flesh, you cannot have it in the fruition
of God : ' Their end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and who
mind earthly things,' Phil. iii. 19. Worldly pleasures will end in
eternal torments ; and so much delight, so much more will your torments
be, for contraries are punished with contraries : Kev. viii. 7, ' How
much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much sorrow
give her.' Therefore, so much as you gratify the flesh, so much you
endanger the soul. Will you, for a little temporal satisfaction, run the
hazard of God's eternal wrath ?
The second Use is to dissuade you from this course. To this end
I shall lay down some motives, and some means.
1. Motives are these.
[1.] You think the flesh is your friend, do all that you can to please
it ; whereas indeed it is your greatest enemy. That it is one of your
enemies is clear, by that place where all our enemies appear abreast,
Eph. ii. 2, 3. There is ' the course of this world, the prince of the power
of the air,' and our own flesh. If there were never a devil to tempt,
or example to follow, yet, * out of the heart proceed (Mat. xv. 19,)
murder, adultery, theft, blasphemy.' Among other things he reckoneth
up murder, which striketh at the life of man ; and blasphemy, which
striketh at the being of God. If the devil should stand by and say
nothing, there is enough within us to put us upon all manner of evil ;
other enemies would do us no harm, without our own flesh. Corrup
tion may be irritated by God's law, Rom. vii. 9 ; we may be tempted
to sin by Satan, 1 Cor. vii. 5 ; encouraged to sin by the exam pie and
the evil conversations of others, Isa. ix. 16 ; enticed to sin by the baits
of the world, 2 Pet. i. 4 ; but only inclined to sin by our own flesh ;
and at length no man is a sinner but by his own consent : Jam. i. 14,
'He is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.' In vain do temptations
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS viii. 47
knock at the door, if there were nothing within to make answer and
admit them ; if we could keep ourselves from ourselves, there were no
danger from what is without ; as Balaam hy all his curses and charms
could do nothing against the Israelites till he found out a way to
corrupt them by whoredom, and by whoredom to draw them to
idolatry ; and so found a means to destroy them by themselves. So it
is the domestic enemy, the flesh within us, which maketh us a prey to
Satan, and doth us mischief upon all occasions ; it is the flesh distracts
us in holy duties with vain thoughts, and abateth our fervours ; that
maketh us idle in our callings ; that tempts to sensuality and inordinate
delight when we are repairing nature ; and turneth our table into a
snare, so that nature is rather oppressed than refreshed for God's
service. It is the flesh maketh us forget our great end, and the eternal
interests of our immortal souls.
[2.] The more you indulge the flesh, the more it is your enemy, and
the more your slavery and bondage is increased ; so that still you grow
more brutish, forgetful of God, and unapt for any spiritual use. By
using to please the flesh, you do increase its desires, and know not at
length how to deny it, and displease it ; by being made a wanton, it
groweth stubborn and contumacious. The more you gratify the flesh,
the more inordinate it groweth, and the more unreasonable things it
craveth at your hands ; therefore you must hold a hard hand upon it
at first. Through too much indulgence the reins are loosened to sin,
and the enemy is heartened, and our liberty is every day more and
more lost. Solomon was fearfully corrupted when he withheld not his
heart from any joy : Eccles. ii. 10. This brought him to a lawless
excess, and to fall so foully as he did ; if you give corrupt nature its
full scope, and use pleasures with too free a license, the heart is insen
sibly corrupted, and our very diseases and distempers become our
necessities. Solomon saith (Prov. xx-ix. 21), 'He that delicately
bringeth up a servant, shall have him become a son at length ; ' he
will no more know his condition, but grow bold and troublesome.
We are all the worse for license ; therefore unless natural desires feel
fetters and prudent restraints, they grow unruly ; therefore that the
flesh may not grow masterly, it is good to bridle it. To deny ourselves
nothing, bringeth a greater snare upon the soul, and distempers are
more rooted : 1 Cor. vi. 12, ' I will not be brought under the power of
any creature.' A man is brought into vassalage and bondage, and
cannot help it.
[3.] The engagement that is upon Christians to abhor carnal living.
By their solemn baptismal vow, which obligeth us to take this yoke of
Christ upon ourselves, even to tame and subdue the flesh: Col. iii. 3,
5, ' Mortify your members which are upon earth.' All are strictly
bound to mortify the deeds of the body, under pain of damnation ;
kings as well as subjects, nobles and base ; for God is no accepter of
persons ; no man of what degree soever can presume of an exemption
from the duty, or hope for a dispensation. We are all debtors, and
this duty taketh place as soon as we come to the use of reason ; we
all then begin to feel the corruption and imperfection of nature ; and
we are bound to look after the cure of it, and to use all Christ's healing
means that it may be effected. Then we begin to perceive the
48 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SEE. XVII.
enemies against whom we are to fight, and a necessity laid upon
us of killing them, or being killed by them. It is our great fault
that we made conscience of our solemn vow no sooner; surely we
Bbould no longer dispute it now: 1 Pet. iv. 3 'For the time past of
our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when
we lived in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revelling, banquetmgs,
and abominable idolatries.' But set about the work, and undertake the
battle against the devil, the world, and the flesh. Your first enemy is
the oldman; and it is the last, for it is not extinguished in us till
death ; therefore as soon as we pass out of infancy into youth, we must
look upon ourselves under this obligation, not to live after the flesh,
but after the Spirit ; to weaken the corruption of nature more and
more. There was but one man and no more, who was first good and
afterwards bad ; and that was the first Adam. Another there is, who
was never bad, but always good'; and that was Christ Jesus, the second
Adam, our Lord, blessed for ever. Of all the rest, none proved good
that was not sometimes bad ; the apostle saith, ' first that which was
natural, and afterwards that which is spiritual.' It is true, here first
we put off a corrupt nature before we are renewed ; the duty lieth
upon us by our baptismal engagement, though Christ supplieth the
<T " ?"!('(' *
[4.J The qualities of a Christian, or his condition in the world,
engageth him not to live after the flesh. I shall mention two : as they
are strangers and pilgrims, or as they are racers and wrestlers. First,
Sometimes it is pressed upon them as they are strangers and pilgrims,
who have no continued abode: 1 Pet. ii. 11, 'I beseech you ?> as pil
grims and strangers, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the
soul.' You are, or should be, travelling into another country, where
are the spirits of just men made perfect, and where even this body of
ours will become a spiritual body ; and for you to please the flesh is
contrary to your Christian hopes. Nothing so unsuitable for them that
ure going to Canaan as to hanker after the flesh-pots of Egypt ; nothing
is so contrary to our profession, and breedeth such an unreadiness to
depart out of the world, as these vain delights ; therefore if you be
strangers and pilgrims, you should not lust after worldly things, lest
you forget or forfeit your great hopes. Secondly, you are racers or
wrestlers : 1 Cor. ix. 24, ' Know you not that they which run in a race
run all, but one receiveth the prize ? so run that you may obtain.'
They that exercised in the Isthmian games had a prescribed set diet
both for quality and quantity, and had their rule chalked out to them ;
they knew their work and their reward ; so v. 27, ' But I keep under
my body, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means, when I
have preached to others, I myself should be a cast-away ; ' that is,
denied himself those liberties which otherwise he might enjoy, having
prescribed to others the way of striving and getting the victory. They
for an oaken or olive crown dieted themselves, kept themselves from
all things which should hurt them, or disable them in the race or
combat; and should we cocker every appetite, that have an eternal
crown of glory in view and pursuit ? Our danger is greater if we should
miscarry and miss of it ; theirs, the loss of a little vain glory ; ours, of
eternal glory; therefore we should strive that we be not found
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vnr. 49
unworthy to receive it. There the victory was uncertain ; here all that
are runners may be sure of the crown.
[5.] Consider the malignant influence of the flesh, and how pernici
ous it is to the soul. If it were a small thing we spake to you about,
you might refuse to give ear ; but it is in a case of life and death, and
that not temporal but eternal. We can tell you of many present and
temporal inconveniences that come by the flesh. The body, the part
gratified, is in many oppressed by it : Prov. v. 11, ' Thou shalt mourn
.at last, when thy flesh and body is consumed.' It betrayeth you to such
sins as suck your bones and devour your strength, and give your years
to the cruel ; to such enormities and scandalous practices as bring
infamy and a blot upon your name. Pleasing the flesh maketh one turn
a drunkard, and the very sin carrieth its own punishment with it ; a
second, a wanton ; a third, a glutton ; a fourth, a hard-hearted world
ling ; and all these sins waste the conscience, and debase the body, and
spend our wit, time, strength, and estates. But we have a more
powerful argument to present to you ; it will be the eternal loss and
ruin of your souls. There will a day come when you shall be called
to an account for all your vain delights and pleasures : Eccles. xi. 9,
* Eejoice, young man, in thy youth, and let thine heart cheer thee in
the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine own heart, and
in the sight of thine own eyes ; but know that for all these things God
will bring thee to judgment.' The young man is cited before the
tribunal of God, and we think somewhat must be allowed to that age,
before men have learned by experience to contemn pleasures, and the
young man is spoken to in his own dialect. Let his wanton and wander
ing eye inflame the lusts of his heart, and smother his conscience by
all manner of sensual delight ; yet at length he will know the folly of
this to his bitter cost. These things whiuh are now so pleasing to the
senses shall gnaw and sting his conscience, when God, whom he now
forgetteth, shall bring him to the judgment, and he shall have nothing
to plead for his brutish folly.
[6.] What vile unthankfulness it is, and a great abuse of that liberty
which we have by Christ : Gal. v. 13, ' Ye are called to liberty, only
use it not as an occasion to the flesh/ We have a great liberty to use
our worldly comforts, with a respect to God's glory, and as encourage
ments of God's service, and for the sweetening of our pilgrimage ; but
it is strangely perverted when we use these things to please the flesh ;
you turn it into a bondage, and offer a great abuse to Jesus Christ.
Surely he never died to promote the power of sin, or gave us these
comforts to defeat the ends of his death. Was he a man of sorrows
that we might live in pleasure ? Did he suffer in the flesh to purchase
us liberty to please the flesh ? or die for sin, to give sin the mastery ?
Did the Lord vouchsafe these comforts that we might dishonour his
name, or undo our own souls ?
2. Means to come out of this estate and course of sin. I shall give
you a few directions :
[1.] To those that never pretended to the spiritual and heavenly life,
and are as yet to be drawn out of the common apostasy and defection
of mankind to God. All that I shall say to them is to observe checks
VOL. XII. D
50 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XVIL
of conscience and motions of the Spirit, and what help is given ta
weaken the flesh.
(1.) Checks of conscience, however occasioned, either by a lapse into
some sin, which is wont to scourge the soul with some remorse:
Mat. xxvii. 4, saying ' I have sinned in betraying innocent blood/
Conscience, working after the fact or by the conviction of the word :
Acts xxiv. 25, ' And as he reasoned of righteousness, and temperance,
and judgment to conic, Felix trembled.' I)o not smother these checks ;
that breedeth atheism and hardness of heart. Suppose one, dissolutely
bent, yet upon some loathsome concomitants which follow his riot and
intemperance, beginneth to be troubled; God's providence is to be-
observed as well as his own sin. This is a kind of softening his heart ;
if he revert to his old frame, the man is the worse. No iron so hard
as that which hath befcn often heated. Water, after it hath been heated
by the fire, congealeth the sooner after it is taken off. If he doth not
take notice of God's warnings, his soul is more unapt to be wrought
to repentance ; yea, God injustice may deprive him of those common
helps : Hos. iv. 17, ' Let him alone ; ' or give him up to his own heart's
counsels. It is dangerous not to make use of those intervals of reason
and sober thoughts which arise in our minds.
(2.) The motions of the Holy Spirit, when he cometh to recover you
from the flesh to God ; and you are troubled not only with remorse for
actual and heinous sins, but about your eternal estate ; and are haunted
with thoughts of the other world, -and urged to resolve upon the
heavenly life. Surely, when the waters are stirred, we should put in for
a cure, John v ; when he draweth, we should run, Cant. i. 4 ; when
he knocketh, we should open, Rev. iii. 20, and not obstruct the work
of godliness, but seriously employ our thoughts about it : Acts xvi. 14,
' Whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things that
were spoken by Paul.' We should not rebel against the motions of the
Spirit, lest we grieve our sanctifier, and he forsake us, because we for
sook him first, and so our hearts be hardened in a carnal course.
Briefly, God doth all in our first conversion ; yet these three things lie
upon us ; first, to observe the touches of God's punishing and chastising
hand reclaiming us from our wanderings : Ps. cxix. 59. ' Before I was
afflicted I went astray/ Secondly, To reflect upon the motions of his
Spirit to draw us out of this estate, that we may not resist the Holy
Ghost, Acts vii. 51. Thirdly, To examine every day what advantage
the Spirit hath gotten against the flesh ; how the interests of it are
weakened, its lusts checked, its acts restrained, Gal. v. 16. Every
one that doth seriously mind the business of his salvation cannot but
see these things of great advantage to his spiritual estate ; and there is no
great difficulty in them to the serious soul that hath a mind to be saved.
[2.J To those that seem to be recovered, and to have a care of the
spiritual life, that they may not revert to this bondage, and that the
work may be more thoroughly wrought in them.
(1.) Look to the mind ; take heed there be not flesh there, for the
fleshly mind is a great enemy to godliness : Rom. viii. 7, ' The carnal
mind is enmity to God ; ' and it is a low poor mind, blinded with the
love of present things : James iil 15, ' The wisdom that descendeth not
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vin. 51
from above is earthly, sensual, devilish ;' it hindereth us from discern
ing the reality of our hopes, and from having a true sense of our duty
impressed upon our hearts : 1 Cor. ii. 14, ' But the natural man
receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness
to him ; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually dis
cerned;' and also from applying our rule to particular cases, either in
judging of our estate or in guiding of our actions. It is strange to see
how the world, or the delusion of the flesh, do blind very knowing
men, and how unacquainted they are with their own hearts, or unable
to discern their duty in plain cases, when the performance of it is likely
to be displeasing to the flesh. What strange disguises it puts upon
temptation, and how they wriggle and distinguish themselves out of
their duty, when either God must be disobeyed or the flesh displeased.
The flesh is always partial for itself ; therefore get a sound mind and
this spiritual discerning.
(2.) Look to the heart, that there be no flesh there. Sinful inclina
tions must be observed and mortified. Satan doth observe them, and
shall not we ? He seeth which way the tree leaneth, and what kind of
diet their soul-distempers crave, and suiteth his temptations accordingly.
As the skilful angler suiteth his bait as the fishes will take it, every
month : 1 Cor. vii. 5, ' Lest Satan tempt you for your incontinency.'
He hath a bait of preferment for Absalom, for he is ambitious ; a bait
of pleasure for Samson, for he is voluptuous; a bait of money for
Judas, for he is covetous. Thus will he furnish them with temptations
answerable to their inclinations. A man by temper voluptuous esteems
not profit much, nor an earth-worm pleasure, nor an ambitious man
much either of them, but honour, and reputation, and great place.
Now, it is sad that our enemy should know our temper better than our
selves. Your uprightness and faithfulness to God is seen in weakening
your particular inclination to sin : Ps. xviii. 23, ' I was also upright
before him, and kept myself from mine iniquity.' Observe the decay
of your master-sin, and other things will come on the more easily ;
fight not against small or great, but the king lust, the domineering sin.
Satan is the more discouraged when we can deny our domineering lusts.
As Samson's strength lay in his locks, so doth the strength of sin in
one lust more than another. Every man knoweth his darling com
monly ; but that which is our great care is to wean our hearts from it.
Herod raged when John the Baptist touched his Herodias ; Felix
trembled when Paul touched his bribery and intemperance ; and the
young man goeth away sad when Christ discovereth his worldliness,
Mark x. 22. We have all our tender parts, which we cannot endure
should be touched. But now, when you are willing to part with this
sin, pray, strive, and watch against it ; grow in the contrary grace ; it
sheweth your self-denial and sincerity ; you will not spare your Isaac.
Well then, see that no worldly thing be too near and dear to you, and
that God hath a greater interest in your heart than the flesh, or any
thing that belongeth to it.
(3.) Let not the senses cast off the government of reason, and be
the ruling power in your souls. They were not made to govern, but
to be governed, and to be subjected to God and reason. Man by the
fall is inverted : Tit. iii. 3, ' hateful and hating one another.' Man in
52 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XVII
his right constitution should be thus governed. The understanding
and conscience prescribe to the will, the will according to right reason
and conscience moveth the affections, the affections move the bodily
spirits and the members of the body. But by corruption all is inverted
and changed ; pleasure affects the senses, the senses corrupt the fancy,
the fancy the bodily spirits ; they the affections ; and the affections by
their violence and impetuous inclination to forbidden things, move the
will ; and the will yielding, blindeth the mind ; and so man is carried
headlong to his own destruction ; the feet are where the head should
be, e contra. Well then, you must guide the senses, as Job made a
covenant with his eyes : Job xxxi. 1. and David prayeth : Psal. cxix.
37, ' Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity.' They let in objects,
and objects stir up thoughts, and thoughts affections, Mat. v. 28.
Now take heed the/ do not grow masterly ; if they transmit temptations
and stir up evil motions crush the scorpion on the wound.
(4.) Keep up a readiness for your work, which is to obey the will
of God. It argueth some prevalency of the flesh, when our duty
beginneth to grow troublesome and uneasy ; therefore the spirit or
the better part cannot so readily produce its operation. The soul in
the right temper doth willingly and cheerfully obey God : I .John v. 3,
' This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and his
commandments are not grievous.' Psal. xl. 8, 'I delight to do thy will,
my God : thy law is in my heart ; ' and Psal. cxii. 1, ' Blessed is the
man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his command
ments.' Therefore it is time for you to check the flesh, and overcome
it, lest further mischief increase upon you.
(5.) Refer all things to your ultimate end ; and consider whether
what you do doth hinder or further you therein ; for all things are to
be regarded and valued as they conduce to God's service and your
salvation : Eccles. ii. 2, ' What doth it ? ' 1 Cor. x. 31, ' Whether ye
cat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, let all be done to the glory of God/
Be true to your scope.
(6.) Take heed of the servitude and bondage which the flesh is wont
to bring upon the soul where it reigneth. It maketh men very slaves ;
the heart groweth weak, and lust strong, Ezek. xvi. 30. They are not
under the government of the Spirit, but under the tyranny of their
fleshly lusts, doing whatever it commandeth, be it never so base, foolish,
and hurtful. If anger provoke them to revenge, they must fight, kill,
and slay, and hazard their worldly interest for anger's sake, or at least
cannot forgive injuries for God's sake ; if filthy lusts send them to the
lewd woman, away they go like a fool to the correction of the stocks ;
and though they dishonour God, ruin their estates, stain their fame,
hazard their lives, yet lust will have it so, and they must obey. If
covetousness say they must be rich, however they get it ; they rise early,
go to bed late, eat the bread of sorrow, and pierce through themselves
with many cares : yea, make no question of right or wrong, trample
conscience under foot, cast the fear of God behind their backs, and all
because their imperious mistress, ambition, urgeth them to it. If envy
and malice bid Cain kill his brother, he will break all bonds of nature
to do it ; if ambition bid Absalom rebel against his father, and kill
him too, it shall be done, or he shall want his will. If covetousness
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vin. 53
bid Achan take a wedge of gold, he will do it, though he know it to be
a cursed thing ; if it bid Judas betray his Lord and Master, though he
knew if he should do it, it had been better he had never been born,
yet he will do it. Thus they are not at their own command, to do
what reason and conscience inclineth them to do. If, sensible of their
bondage, they would think of God and the world to come, and the state
of their souls, lust will not permit it ; if to break off this sensual
course, they are not able ; they are servants of corruption. Some, God
hangeth up in chains of darkness for a warning to the rest of the world
of the power of drunkenness, gluttony, avarice and wretched world-
liness ; yea, of every carnal man it is true : (John viii. 34,) ' Whoso
ever committeth sin, is the servant of sin.' Therefore if the slavery
and imperious disease begin to grow upon you, the flesh hath prevailed
very far, and you need more to look to it, and that betimes.
Third Use. Here is ground of trying your estate before God. It is
a question you ought often seriously to put : * Shall I be saved, shall
I be damned ? ' If you have any spark of conscience left you, when
you are sick or dying, you will put it with anxiousness and trembling
of heart : ' Poor soul, whither art thou now a-going ? ' It is better put
it now, while you have opportunity to correct your error, if hitherto
you have gone wrong. We see in worldly things, men would fain
know their destiny ; the king of Babylon stood upon the head of the
ways to make divination ; we would fain know what God hath hidden
in the womb of futurity. No destiny deserves to be known so much
as this ; not whether I shall be poor or rich, good success in this enter
prise, or bad; it is not of so great moment; these distinctions do not
outlive time, but cease at the grave's mouth ; but it is a question of
greater moment, Whether eternally miserable, or eternally happy?
It is foolish curiosity to enquire into other things, when we have a
good God to trust to ; but it chiefly importeth us to consider whether
we are in the way to salvation or damnation. Nothing will sooner
determine this great question, than this text, ' If ye live after the flesh,
ye shall die ; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the
body, ye shall live.' The latter branch we shall examine afterwards ;
now for the firbt clause.
1. Some live in defiance of the Spirit; cherish the flesh, fulfil the
works of the flesh : Gal. v. 19. It is no subtile matter to find them
out ; they declare their sin as Sodom, while they are drinking, whoring,
sporting, quarrelling, scoffing at godliness.
2. Others please the flesh in a more cleanly manner ; but have no
due regard to that spiritual and eternal happiness, which lieth in the
enjoyment of God. Though their carriage be blameless and separated
from the gross pollutions of the world, they care not whether God be
pleased or displeased, honoured or dishonoured, angry or reconciled.
And besides, the works of the flesh are not always interpreted in the
gross sense, but according to the scale of the sanctuary. When he
saith, adultery, fornication, murder, are works of the flesh; we must
not only think of the gross acts, but the very first seeds of these sins,
the secret inclinations and desires of the flesh in this kind, Mat. v. 27,
28. So lasciviousness ; not the sinful attempt only, but every motion
of tongue, heart, senses, by which the eyes and ears, the soul and con-
54 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XVIII.
sciences of ourselves and others may be polluted to idolatry, anger,
inordinate affection of the heart to any creature, Eph. v. 5. So by
murder, not only when it proceedeth to blood, but hatred, variance,
strife, heresies, Mat. v. 21, 22. So in shoit, emulation, and affectation
of applause, Gal. v. 26.
3. The prevalence of the divine or carnal principle must determine
our condition. Now its reign is known :
[1.] By our savour, relish and taste, Rom. viii. 5. For every man's
gust is according to his constitution, which breedeth oblectation, or
pleasure of mind. Now when we savour only the things of the flesh,
that if it be pleased, quiets us in the want of other things, contents us
in the neglect of God and his service ; that we have no appetite after,
or savour or relish any sweetness but in fleshly things ; this is an
ill sign.
[2.] By our course of walking ; which is often insisted on in this
chapter. There may be some blemishes in God's children, some
unevenness of obedience through the relics of the flesh ; but their main,
constant course, for which they labour and strive, is to approve them
selves to God, and to be accepted with God, and to live in obedience
to the motions of his sanctifying Spirit. But where there is a care
lessness in the heavenly life, the influence of the fleshly life is most
discovered in all our actions.
[3.] By our tendency and scope. When the heart is turned to, or
alienated from God. The flesh reigneth if the world turn our hearts
from him, and the flesh be pleased before him, and we mind our own
things ; we are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.
SERMON XVIIL
If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body. ye shall live.
ROM. VIII. 13.
WE come now to the second clause, wherein we have two things :
(1.) The condition to be performed. (2.) The blessedness promised.
First, In the condition we have,
1. The parties interested.
2. The duty required.
1. The parties interested are justified believers, who are not in the
flesh, or after the flesh. Yet two persons are mentioned : the principal
author, and the subordinate agent. We are the principal parties in
the obligation ; but in the operation, the Spirit is the principal. The
particle through is usually the note of an instrument, yet the Spirit is
not our instrument, but we are his ; he first worketh on us as objects
then by us as instruments ; and therefore though the duty falleth upon
us, and we are said to dp it by the Spirit ; yet it must be thus under
stood : we are the principal parties as to obligation of duty ; but as to
operation and influence of grace, the Spirit is the principal.
VER. 13.]
SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII.
2. In the duty there is the act, ' mortify ; ' the object, ' the deeds of
the body/
[1.] The act, 'mortify.' I shall open it more fully by and by ; only
note for the present,
(1.) Sin is alive in some degree in the justified; otherwise what
need it to be mortified ? The exhortation were superfluous if sin were
wholly dead.
(2.) It noteth a continued act. We must not rest in a mortification
.already wrought in us. He saith not, ' If ye have mortified/ but, ' If
ye do mortify ; ' this must be our daily practice, not done now and then,
or by fits ; if we always sincerely labour to mortify the deeds of the
body, we are in the way of life.
(3.) It showeth that this work must not be attended slightly, or by the
by, but carried on to such a degree, that corruption may be weakened,
or lie a-dying, or be upon the declining hand. The success and event
is considerable, as well as the endeavour. Where the event- dependeth
upon outward and foreign causes, a man hath comfort in doing his
duty whatever the success be, but here where the event falleth within
the compass of our duty itself, there it must be regarded. We must so
oppose sin, that in some sort we may kill it or extinguish it, not only '
scratch the face of it, but seek to root it out ; at least that must be
our aim.
(4.) Mortifying noteth some pain or trouble. For nothing that hath
life, will be put to death without some struggling ; and the flesh cannot
be subdued without some trouble to ourselves, or violence offered to
our carnal affections. Only let me tell you, if it be painful to mortify
sin, you make it more painful by dealing negligently in the business,
and drawing out your vexation to a greater length ; the longer you "
suffer this Canaanite to live with you, the more will it prove as a thorn
or goad in your sides. Here, if ever, it is true our affection procureth
our affliction ; sin dieth when our love to it dieth ; your trouble endeth,
your delight in it ceaseth, as you can bring your souls to a resolution
to quit these things. Quam suave miki subito factum est, carere
Quavitatibua iniquorum. No delight so sincere as the contempt of vain
delights.
[1] The object, ' the deeds of the body/ that is, our sins. So called,
(1.) Because sin is compared to a body: Kom. vii. 24, 'Who shall
deliver me from this body of death?' and Col. ii. 11, 'In putting off
the body of the sins of the flesh.' There is besides the natural body,
a body of corruption, which doth wholly compass about the soul ; there
is the head of wicked desires, the hands and feet of wicked executions,
the eye of sinful lusts, the tongue of vain and evil words ; therefore it
is said, (Col. iii. 5), 'Mortify your members which are upon earth; 1
not of the natural body, but of the mass of corruption ; particular
sinful lusts are as members of this body. (2.) Sins are called the deeds
of the body, because they are executed by the body : Eom. vi. 22, ' Let
not sin reign in your mortal bodies, that ye should fulfil the lusts
thereof ; ' and Kom. vi. 19, 'As ye have yielded up your members
servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity/ All the mem
bers of the body are employed as instruments to serve our sin ; now
affections are manifested in action ; therefore by the deeds of the body,
56 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XVIIL
he meaneth not outward acts only, but lusts also. Well then, fight we
must, but not with our own shadows ; sin is gotten within us ; by the
soul it hath taken possession of the body ; the gates of the senses are
always open to let in such objects and temptations as take part with
the flesh ; and the flesh is ready to accomplish whatever the corrupt
heart doth suggest arid require.
Secondly, The life that is promised to them that mortify sm, Ye
shall live/ a spiritual life of grace here, and an eternal life of glory
hereafter. Heaven is worth the having, and therefore the reward should
sweeten the duty. From this clause the points are three :
1. That justified persons are bound to mortify sin.
2. That in the mortifying of sin, we and the Spirit concur. The
Spirit will not without us, and we cannot without the Spirit.
3. That eternal life* is promised to them who seriously improve the
assistance of the Holy Ghost for the mortifying of sin.
1. Doct. That justified persons should mortify sin. It is their duty
so to do.
First. What is the mortification that lieth upon us ?
1. Negatively, What it is not; we must distinguish between the
mock mortification, the counterfeit resemblances of this duty, and
the duty itself.
[1.] There is a pagan mortification. I call it so, because such a
thing was among the heathens, which is nothing else but a suppressing
such sins as nature discovereth, upon such reasons and arguments as
nature suggesteth : Rom. ii. 14, ' The Gentiles do by nature the things
contained in the law : ' namely, as they abstained from gross sins and
performed outward acts of duty. This was a kind of resemblance of
mortification, and but a resemblance. We read of this in history ; the
answer of Socrates to the physiognomist, olpai Trcu&epao-Tijv, when
his scholars enraged at his character ilcu&epao-Trjs, eraipoi, elfju
<t>va-i, dXV eVe^o). So of Palsemon, who coming in a drunken fit to
scoff at the lecture of Xenocrates, with his head crowned with
a garland of rosebuds, was by his grave and moral discourse,
reduced from his riot and licentiousness, which was a kind of moral
conversion ; but this we fault, because it is but a half turn from
sins of the second table, or lower hemisphere of duty ; and because
these sins were suppressed and hidden, rather than mortified and
subdued ; Sapientia eorum abscondit vitia, non dbscindit. Lact. As
Haman refrained himself, when his heart boiled with rancour and
malice, Esther v. 10, their wisdom tended to hide sin, rather than to
mortify it. And besides this kind of conversion was not a recovery of
the soul from the flesh and the world to God ; but only an acquiring
a fitness to live more plausibly, and with less scandal among men.
[2.] There is a popish and superstitious mortification; which
standeth in a mere neglect of the body , and in some outward absti
nences and austerities, and such observances as are prescribed by men
without any warrant from God ; as in abstaining from marriage, and
some sort of meats or apparel, as unlawful ; yea, from the necessary
functions of human life ; the apostle telleth us that these things have
nva \6yuv cro^a?, Col. ii. 23. ' A show of wisdom/ have a specious
show, and are highly cried up by the carnal world ; but have no real
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 57
worth to commend us to God, as being not commanded by God, or
warranted by the best example of the most holy and mortified men.
Suppose abstinence from marriage : * Enoch (Gen. v. 22.) walked with
God, and begat sons and daughters.' And we have more instances of
true piety in married folks, than in monkery and cloistral devotions.
Jesus Christ sanctified a free life, using all sorts of diet and company,
not abstaining from feasts themselves : Mat. xi. 19, ' The Son of man
came eating and drinking.' So when the vow of voluntary poverty is
recommended by the papists as an estate of perfection. Certainly
beggary, which is threatened as a punishment, is not to be wished or
desired ; much less to be chosen or wilfully incurred ; least of all to be
made the matter of a vow. Surely it is greater self-denial entirely to
devote and faithfully to use our riches for God, than to cast them away
and rid our hands of them ; as he is a better steward that improveth
his master's stock, than he that casts off the employment, and lazily
refuseth to meddle with it. So for penance and self-discipline ; they
look more like the rites of Baal's priests, who gashed and lanced them
selves to commend them to their idol, than the practices of Christ's
votaries and believing penitents ; who hath indeed commanded us to
mortify our lusts, but not to mangle our bodies ; to retrench the food
and fuel of the flesh when need requireth ; but not to bind ourselves
to a course of rigorous observances, which gratify the flesh in one way,
as much as it seems to contradict it in another ; namely, as they breed
in us pride and presumption of merit above other Christians. In short,
these external rigours, though they are greatly admired by the world,
which is wholly governed by sensual desires, yet they are not acceptable
to God, as having more in them of ridiculous pageantry and theatrical
stage-holiness, rather than serious devotion.
[3.] There is the mortification of the hypocrite, which is an outward
forbearing evil, though they do not inwardly hate it ; which proceedeth
from divers causes :
(1.) Because they have no inclination to some sins ; or rather, a
greater inclination to other sins, which intercept the nourishment by
which these sins should be fed. Though we are all gone astray from
God, yet every one hath his way : Isa. liii. 6, ' All we like sheep have
gone astray ; we have turned every one to his own way/ So Eccles.
vii. 29, ' God made man upright, but he hath found out many inven
tions.' As the channel is cut, corrupt nature in us findeth a vent and
issue; some are sensual, but not greedy of worldly gain; shall we
therefore call them mortified ? Some that are greedy of gain, are not
proud and aspiring, or given to carnal pleasures ; do you think there
fore sin is dead in them ? No, their corruption breaketh out another
way, more suitable to their temper and constitution, or custom and
course of life ; in some, nature is more sullen and rigid ; in others,
more facile, and obvious to the grosser temptations.
(2.) Sometimes it is because we make one lust give way to another.
For certain weeds destroy one another, as wild beasts also prey upon
one another. So when men abstain from pomp and pleasure, because
of the cost, their covetousness starveth their riot ; so on the contrary,
when men check their sensual inclination by their sparing humour.
But mostly it is seen in those that run into extremes, and bend the
58 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XVIII.
crooked stick too far the other way, as the lunatic in the Gospel fell
sometimes into the water, and sometimes into the fire, Mat. xvii. 15.
Or as our ancestors to drive out the Picts or wild Britons, called in the
Saxons, a worse enemy ; or as if there were no better physic for a dead
palsy, than a burning fever. Sins take the throne by turns ; as the
voluptuous in youth prove the most worldly and covetous in age ; but
this is not to quit sin, but to exchange it.
(3.) Sometimes because men have not strength and opportunity to
act sin. They may seem weaned and mortified, when they are but
spent and tired out with executing their lusts ; and it is not hatred of
sin, but indisposition of nature to fulfil it : Job xxxiii. 20, ' His soul
abhorreth dainty food.' No thanks to the glutton, but to his disease.
Old age is described as ' days that have no pleasure in them/ Eccles.
xii. 1. It is not th weakness of sin, but nature in them ; their lusts
leave them, rather than they leave their lusts ; sin goeth out rather
than is put out, rather dieth to us than we to it.
(4.) It may come to pass through outward respects, of carnal fear
and shame. A debauched creature, that walloweth in all filthy lusts,
is an abhorring to all that wear the heart of a man ; therefore credit
may keep some from running into excess of riot, for lewdness is odious
and disgraceful ; their iniquities are found hateful, as the Psalmist
saith. Mere shame and men-pleasing may restrain many within the
compass of their duty. Joash was good all the days of Jehoiada, but
afterwards hearkened to the lewd princes, 2 Chron. xxiv. 17. In such
cases there is no true hatred of sin, no true gracious principle set up
against it ; this abstinence is but for a while ; take away the restraint,
and they soon return to their own bent and bias ; and besides, this
keepeth them but from a few sins.
(5.) Kestraining grace. God may restrain and bridle men by the
power of his word on their consciences, when yet their hearts are not
renewed ; or by common instincts of natural modesty and ingenuous
ness ; or by the power of his providence, as God withheld Abimelech,
Gen. xx. 6. Though the sin be not subdued, yet the act and exercise
may be suspended. Balaam had a mind to curse Israel, but God
suffered him not, though he strove by all means to please Balak.
(6.) Terrors of conscience. A man that is under them, non proponit
peccare ; a renewed man, proponit non peccare ; the one hath for the
tune no actual will or purpose to sin ; the other a purpose not to sin ;
no will to sin, yet have a great deal of sin in the will. Thus negatively
I have showed you what is not mortification.
2. Positively, What it is. Here again we must distinguish. Morti
fication is twofold, passive and active ; passive, whereby we are morti
fied ; and active, whereby we mortify ourselves ; the one is God's work,
the other our own.
[1.] Mortification passive, whereby God mortifieth sin in us ; which
he doth either, (1.) At conversion, when a principle of grace, con
trary to sin and destructive of it, is planted in our hearts :Ezek. xi. 19,
' I will put a new spirit into them, and I will take away the heart of
stone, and I will give them an heart of flesh, that they may walk in
my statutes.' So Ezek. xxxvi. 26, ' I will put a new spirit into
them/ In the work of regeneration God doth give a deadly wound to
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 59
sin ; the reign of it is broken, that it cannot with such strength bring
forth the deeds of the body. (2.) By the continual and renewed
influence of his grace. He doth more and more weaken the power of
sin : Mic. vii. 19, ' He will have compassion on us, and subdue our
iniquities.' It is God's work ; alas ! without this, if we be left to
ourselves, the more we resist sin, the more it is irritated and increased
in us. (3.) God doth it by his word, which is the great instrument
which he useth to convey the power of his grace, John xvii. 17.
There we see the evil of sin, and the danger of it ; are stirred up to
resolve, cry, and pray against it, and are told of the great remedy,
which is Christ's death. (4.) He mortifieth us by his providence, as
he taketh away the fuel and provision of our lusts, and awakeneth us
to a more earnest conflict with sin. Out of love to our souls he crosseth
our humours : John xv. 2, ' Every branch that beareth fruit, he
purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit/ The vine-dresser
cutteth and pareth off the luxuriant and superfluous branches : Isa.
xxvii. 9, 'By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged ;
and this is all the fruit, to take away his sin.' Now all this is passive
mortification, necessary to be observed by us, that we may submit
to God's work, and improve the impressions of his word, Spirit, and
providence.
[2.] Active mortification is the constant endeavour of a renewed soul
to subdue sin dwelling in us, that we may be more at liberty to serve,
please, and glorify God. It is a constant endeavour ; for in a leaking
ship there is a continual use of the pump. Sin is a continual burden
and clog to the new nature, and it is every day's business to get rid of
it ; we groan under it, Kom. vii. 24 ; and we must strive as well as
groan. The spirit or new nature lusteth against the flesh, Gal. v. 17,
not only by a disliking thought which may check actual motions of the
flesh, but also by a constant use of all holy means, that we may get the
rtfastery of it. They are bound to die unto sin, therefore will not let
it reign, Kom. vi. 11, 12 ; and the end of mortification is vivification,
or liberty towards God, which the soul aspireth after, more and more ;
for we grow dead to sin, that we may be alive to righteousness. In
short, this work must be continued till we have gotten some power
against our corruption, and it be weakened, though not subdued totally.
There is a general and particular mortification. The general morti
fication is, ' The putting off the whole body of the sins of the flesh/
Col. ii. 11. The particular mortification is, when we subdue or weaken
this or that particular lust : Ps. xviii. 23, ' I was also upright before
him, and kept myself from mine iniquity/ Now the rule is, that the
general mortification must go before the particular ; otherwise all that
we do, is but stopping a hole in a ruinous fabric that is ready to drop
down upon our heads ; or to make much ado about a cut finger, when
we have a mortal disease upon us. Besides, particular mortification
dependeth on the general ; for till we be renewed by God, how can we
mortify sin ? Col. iii. 8, ' Put off all these, anger, wrath, malice, blas
phemy, filthy communication out of your mouths, seeing ye have put
off the old man with his deeds.' Seeing you have put off all corruption,
allow yourselves to live in no one sin. Alas, to set against a particular
sin, before we set upon the whole body of sin, it is but to put a new
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62 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XVI11.
[2.] Our relation to him, both by external profession, and real
implantation, both bind us to mortify sin.
(1.) External profession obligeth us to die unto sin ; it was a part
of our baptismal vow, and we quite nullify and frustrate the intent
of that ordinance, unless we mortify the deeds of the body. The flesh
was renounced in our answer to God's covenant-questions : 1 Pet. iii.
21, Baptism is called ' the answer of a good conscience towards God/
It is an answer to the Lord's offers propounded in the gospel when
we were first consecrated to this warfare ; and that dedication must
never be forgottem : 2 Pet. i. 19, ' And hath forgotten that he was
purged from his old sins.' To neglect, is to forget ; as * to distribute and
communicate, forget not ; ' that is, neglect not. So here, ' hath forgotten
that he was purged from his old sins.' While they please the flesh,
they neglect their baptismal vow, and so make that ordinance of none
effect to them. We are said (Col. ii. 13), to 'put off the body of the
sins of the flesh.' That is, in vow and obligation, being buried with
him in baptism. Now if we do not stand to our vow, our solemn
admission into Christ's family was in vain.
(2.) By real implantation. Surely they that are united to Christ
cannot live in the servitude and slavery of sin ; for by this union with
him they are assimilated and conformed to him : Gal. ii. 20, ' I am
crucified with Christ ; ' and it was not his privilege alone, but all the
justified : Gal. v. 24, 'And they that are Christ's have crucified the
flesh, with the affections and lusts thereof.' This conformity is called
by the apostle, a being 'planted into the likeness of his death/ Horn,
vi. 5. Christ was crucified in his human nature, and we in our corrupt
nature ; we crucified him by our sins, and we are crucified with him by
the Spirit ; Christ died for sin, and a Christian dies unto sin.
2. With respect to sin, which remaineth in us after we are justified.
Here are three considerations demonstrating why we should mortify
sin.
[1.] That sin still abideth in us after we are taken into the justified
estate. While we dwell in flesh, this woful and sad companion dwelleth.
with us ; we cannot get rid of this cursed inmate, till the house itself
be pulled down ; we die struggling with it ; and when one of our feet
is within the borders of eternity, yet it departeth not. As hair groweth
after shaving, as long as the roots remain ; so is corruption sprouting ;
therefore must be always mortifying ; always cleansing: 2 Cor. vii. 1,
' Having these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of
flesh and spirit ; ' always purifying, 1 John iii. 3, ' He that hath this
hope in him, purifieth himself as Christ is pure ; ' always ' laying aside
the weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset us/ Heb. xii. 1. Since
sin is not nullified, it therefore must be mortified ; the war must last
as long as the enemy liveth, and hath any strength and force.
[2.] It still worketh in us, is very active and restless, not as other
things, which as they grow in age, grow more quiet and tame : James
iv. 5, ' The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy.' The flesh is
not a sleepy habit, but a working stirring principle : Rom. vii. 8, ' Sin
wrought in me all manner of concupiscence ; ' that is, sinning nature ;
it is always inclining us to evil, or hindering that which is good. (1.)
Inclining us to that which is evil. It doth not only make us flexible
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 63
and yielding to temptations; but doth urge us, and impel us thereunto :
Rom. vii. 23, ' But I set) another law in my members, warring against
the law of my mind.' We think and speak too gently of sin, when we
think it a tame thing, that worketh not till it be irritated by the
suggestions of Satan. No, it is like a living fountain that poureth out
its waters, though nobody come to drink of them ; it is irritated by the
law of God many times, and the motions of the Spirit ; these corrupt
humours within us, are in a continual fermentation : Gen. vi. 5, ' And
God saw that the wickedness of man was great upon earth, and that
every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continu
ally.' Temptations only make them more violent. (2.) Hindering us
from that which is good. Either it draweth away the heart from duty,
or distracteth the heart in duty. It draweth away the heart from duty :
Rom. vii. 21, 'I find then a law, that- when I would do good, evil is
present with me.' It abateth the edge of our affections, discourageth
us by many unbelieving carnal thoughts, and so the heart is drawn
away from God, that sin may the more domineer ; or distracting our
minds in duty : Ezek. xxxiii. 31, ' Their hearts go after their covet-
ousness ; ' filling our minds with thoughts of the world, vain pleasures ;
revenge turneth our duties into sins.
[3.] The sad consequence of letting sin alone. When sin is not
mortified, it groweth outrageous, and never ceaseth acting till it hath
exposed us to shame before God, men, and angels ; or hardeneth us in
a carnal, careless course. Lusts let alone end in gross sins, and gross
sins in a casting off all religion. Love of pleasures let alone, will end
in drunkenness and uncleanness ; envy, in murder and violence. Judas
allowed his covetousness, and that brought him to betray his master ;
Gehazi was first blasted with covetousness, then with asking a bribe to
God's dishonour, then with leprosy, and so became a shame and burden
to himself; Ananias and Sapphira were taken off by a sudden judg
ment. The devil loveth by lust to draw us into sin ; and by sin to
shame ; and by shame to horror and despair. Sin is no tame thing.
But do the people of God run into such notable excesses and disorders ?
Yes, when they let sin alone, and discontinue the exercise of mortifica
tion; witness David, that run into lust and blood; and Peter into
curses and execrations; Solomon into sensuality and idolatry. Old
sins long laid asleep may awaken again, and hurry us strangely into
mischief and inconvenience.
3. In regard of grace received.
[1.] The grace of justification. Reliance upon the'righteousness of
Christ for justification doth not shut out the work of mortification, but
conduceth much towards it ; it doth not exclude it, for the justified
must be mortified ; it pleadeth for it, ' Grace teacheth us to deny
ungodliness/ Tit. ii. 11. That sin may be mortified and put to death
for Christ's sake, Christ was crucified and put to death for our sakes.
God doth not require it in point of sovereignty, but pleadeth with us
upon terms of grace. Grace hath denied us nothing, it hath given us
Christ and all things with him, and shall we stick at our lusts ? Grace
thought nothing too good for us, not the blood of Christ, nor the favour
of God, nor the joys of heaven ; and shall we count anything too dear
to part with, for grace's sake? Mortification is an unpleasing task;
G4 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XVIII.
but grace commands and calls for it, and that with such powerful
oratory as cannot be withstood.
[2.] In regard of the grace of sanctification : To exercise it, preserve
it, and increase it.
(1.) That we may exercise it to that end for which it was given to
us. It was given to us to avoid sin : 1 John iii. 9, ' Whosoever is
born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him, and
he cannot sin, because he is born of God ; ' and 1 John v. 18, ' We
know that whosoever is born of God, sinneth not ; but he that is begotten
of God, keepeth himself, and the wicked one toucheth him not/ There
is a seed and principle within us, to curb and restrain sin too, and keep
us from falling into the power of the devil, or being brought back into
our old bondage. This other principle was set up in us, on purpose to
excite us unto what is good, so also to abate the power of sin ; as the
way to destroy weeds is to plant the ground with good seed ; and it is
given us as a bridle actually to restrain the exorbitances, and hold it
in, when it flieth out. Now this grace of God will be in vain, unless
it be used to such purpose ; and one of God's most precious gifts would
lie idle ; therefore we should act it, or walk in the spirit, that we may
not fulfil the lusts of the flesh.
(2.) Preserve it in power and vigour. For the life of grace dependeth
very much upon the dying of sin ; as health and strength in the body
cometh on as the disease abateth : 1 Pet. ii. 24, ' That we being dead
unto sin, might be alive unto righteousness.' But as the life of sin
increaseth, grace languisheth and wither eth, and is ready to die, Kev.
iii. 2. The flesh and the spirit are contrary, and always are encroaching
upon one another ; and there is this advantage on the flesh's side, that
it is a native, not a foreigner. Home-bred plants, which the soil yieldeth
naturally without any tillage, as nettles, will sooner preserve them
selves, and get ground upon better plants, because the earth bringeth
them forth of its own accord ; or as water heated, the cold is natural
to it, and will prevail against the heat, unless it be driven out by a
constant fire. Whether the prevalency of sin doth weaken grace
effective or meritorie, by its malignant influence, or as deserving such
a punishment from God, I will not now dispute ; but weaken it, it doth ;
that is clear by experience ; for though grace be planted in us by God,
it is not settled in such an indivisible point, as that it cannot be more
or less ; there is a remission of degrees : Mat. xxiv. 12, * The love of
many shall wax cold.' Faith may grow sick and weak ; there are soul-
distempers as well as bodily ; and then a man is altogether unfit for
action, and performeth duties in a very heartless and uncomfortable
fashion ; therefore still we must be mortifying sin.
(3.) That we may increase it. Grace is not only donum, a gift to
be preserved ; but tolentum, a talent to be improved and increased upon
our hands, that we may be the more fit to glorify God. This appeareth
by the many excitations in scripture to growth : 2 Pet. iii. 18, ' But
grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ.' It is not enough to maintain that measure of grace which we
have already received, but we must get more ; always look after the
growth of it in ourselves ; and indeed the one cannot be done without
the other ; there is no possibility to keep what we have, unless it be
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 65
improved ; he that roweth against the stream, had need ply the oar ;
and he that goeth up a sandy hill, must never stand still. And it is
our own fault, if it doth not grow ; God loveth to multiply and increase
his gifts ; * Grace be multiplied/ 2 Pet. ii. 2. There is more to be had,
and more will be given, unless our sins obstruct the effusion of it ; if
we get it not, we may blame ourselves, for God doth nothing to hinder
the increase ; and indeed when grace is in any life and vigor, it will be
growing : Prov. iv 18, ' The way of justice is as a shining light, which
shineth more and more unto the perfect day.' The morning light
increaseth ; a wicked man groweth worse and worse ; he sinneth away
the light of his conscience, rejecteth the light of the word, till he
stumbleth into utter darkness. It is like the coming on of the night ;
the other like the coming on of the day. Now mortification of sin is
the great means of growing in grace, removet qucd proliibet ; it inaketh
room for grace in the soul, as it taketh away that which letteth, that
it may diffuse its influence more plentifully. In heaven we are perfect,
because there is no sin ; opposite principles are wholly gone ; so here,
the more you weaken sin, the more is grace introduced with power and
success : 1 Pet. ii. 1,2,' Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all
guile, and hypocrisy, and envy, and evil-speaking, as new-born babes,
desire the sincere milk of the world, that ye may grow thereby.' There
is no way of growth, till evil frames of spirit be laid aside.
The First use, is to enforce this duty upon all those that are called
unto, or look for any hopes by Jesus Christ, to mortify the deeds of the
body : ! do not think you are past mortification, because you are in.
a state of grace ; there is need of it still ; yea, it concerneth you more
than others.
1. There is still need of it, if you consider the abundance of sin of all
kinds that yet remaineth with us, and the marvellous activity of it in
our souls, and the cursed influences of it ; or the mischief that will
accrue to us, if it be let alone. Let me a little press you by all these
considerations.
[1.] The abundance of sin of all kinds that remaineth with the
regenerate, or those that are called to grace. I shall evidence that by
some scriptures : 1 Pet. ii. 1, ' Wherefore laying aside all malice, and
all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and evil speaking ; ' to whom is
this spoken ? The word ivherefore biddeth us look back ; when we
look back, we find it was spoken to those that were called, effectually
called, and born again ; yea, those that had made some progress in
mortification, that had purified their hearts to the obedience of the
truth, 1 Pet. i. 22. Who would think that the seeds of so much evil
should lurk in their hearts ? but alas ! it is so. They are in part
envious, malicious, hypocritical to the last ; and unless they shall keep
mortifying, these sins will get the mastery of them, and bewray them
selves to their loss and prejudice, and God's dishonour. See another
place : Col. iii. 5, ' Mortify therefore your members which are upon
earth ; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence,
and covetousness, which is idolatry.' You would think all this were
spoken to loose and ungoverned men, that have not the least tincture
and show of religion. No ; it is spoken of those whose life was hidden
with God in Christ, men acquainted with spiritual things, and brought
VOL. XII.
6G SERMONS UPON BOMANS ViJL [SfiR. XVIIL
under the power of the life of Christ. We foolishly imagine that such
should only be told of the remainders of unbelief, or spiritual pride, or
such like evils as are very remote from public infamy and scandal ; but
the Spirit of God is wiser than we ; and knoweth our hearts, and the
secret workings of them, better than we do ourselves ; and it is better
these sins should be laid open in the warnings of the word, and dis
covered to us, rather than in us, by the prevalency of a temptation. An
over-spiritual preaching, hath not refined but destroyed religion ; God
thought it fit it should be said to them that are taken into the communion
of the life of Christ, ' mortify ' what ? your spiritual pride ? no ; but
fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection ; the root of the foulest
sin is in our nature, and if we do not keep a severe hand over them,
will sprout out in our practice : so Gal. v. 19, 20, ' Now the works of
the flesh are manifest, which are these ; adultery, fornication, unclean-
ness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulation,
wrath, strife, sedition, heresy/ The apostle thought good to warn pro
fessing Christians, who had given up themselves to the leading of the
Spirit, of the works of the flesh ; he giveth a black catalogue of them,
and he concludeth all, * of which I told you before, as I have also told
you in times past, that they that do such things shall not inherit the
kingdom of God.' The apostles, that were divinely inspired, and full of
the wisdom of God, did not soar aloft in airy speculative strains, or
refined spiritual notions ; but thought meet to condescend to these
particulars, not only when they spake to Gentiles, but churches, and
professing Christians, to give warning against fornication, and drunk
enness, and other such gross sins ; and that not once, but often ; for they
knew the nature of man, and that nice speculations are too fine to do
the work of the gospel ; all that have corruption in them had need stand
upon their guard to prevent sins of the blackest hue, and foulest note
among them. I will give but one instance more, and that is of our Saviour
Christ, who thought meet to warn his own disciples, who surely were
good men : Luke xxi. 34, ' Take heed lest at any time your hearts be
overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life,
and so that day come upon you unawares/ This is a lesson for Christ's
own disciples ; a man would think it more proper for haunters of taverns,
and boon companions, whose souls are sunk and lost in luxury and
excess ; but Christ Jesus thought this caution needful for those that
were taken into his own company, and bosom friends. Let not all this
be interpreted as any excuse to them that swallow the greatest sins
without fear, live in them without sense, and commit them without
remorse. Cautions should not be turned into excuses ; there is some
inclination in our nature to these things ; but these are not the practices
of God's people ; it is spoken that they may not at any time be so.
[2.] As there is abundance of sin, so it is active and stirring even
after some progress in mortification. It is enticing, vexing the new
nature, urging to evil, opposing that which is good ; it is warring,
working, always present with us, that the best Christians grow weary of
themselves : Korn. vii. 24. * Oh wretched man that I am, who shall
deliver me from this body of death ? ' Was Paul an underling in
grace ? Is not sin the same in all hearts ? Have not we as much need
to keep humble and watchful, and make use of Christ's mercy and power,
VJEK. 13.] SERMONS UPON KOMANS vin. 67
as he had ? Is sin grown more tame and quiet ? Or are we more
fool-hardy and secure ? Surely we need to mortify corruption as much
as others ; and whatever degree of grace we have attained unto, this
must be our daily task and exercise. If sin be stirring, we must be
stirring against it ; and when the enemy is active and warring against
the soul, it is a folly for us to hold our hands. Especially since corruption
is ever ready to renew the assault there, to return after it hath been
foiled, and by several ways and kinds venteth itself ; when one branch
of it is cut off, and one way of it stopped up, it breaketh out in
another.
One sin hath several ways of manifesting itself. Worldliness, take
it off from greedy getting, showeth itself in sparing, or withholding
more than is meet ; the folly of that sin is seen in its delight and carnal
complacency : ' Soul, take thine ease, thou hast goods laid up for many
years.' He had enough, now takes his fill of pleasure. So pride, if
kept from vain conceit of ourselves, bewrays itself by detracting from
others ; so envy, or vain ostentation, as some venomous humour in the
body ; heal up one sore, and it breaketh out in another place ; there is
' all malice, all guile/ etc. All sorts of it.
[3.] The pestilent and mischievous influence of sin, if it be let alone.
Sins prove mortal, if they be not mortified. Either sin must die, or
the sinner. There is an evil in sin, and the evil after sin ; the evil in
sin is the avo^'ia, or the violation of God's righteous law; the evil
after sin is the just punishment of it ; eternal death and damnation.
Now those that are not sensible of the evil in sin, shall feel the evil
that cometh after sin ; all God's dispensations towards his people are
to save the person, and destroy the sin : 1 Cor. xi. 32, * But when we
are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be con
demned with the world.' God took vengeance on the sin, to spare the
sinner ; but the unmortified spareth the sin, and his life goeth for it ;
the sin liveth, and he dieth ; as the apostle Paul speaketh of himself,
when the power of the word came first upon him : Rom. vii. 9, ' Sin
revived, and I died.' Sin exasperated, and he felt nothing but sin
and condemnation. ! consider with yourselves, it is better sin should
be condemned, than that you should be condemned ; sin should die,
than that you should die ; his life shall go for its life, in the prophet's
parable, 1 Kings xx. 39.
Ay, but what is this to the justified person ? / There is no con
demnation to them that are in Christ.'
I answer, you must take in all ; because they are supposed to live
not after the flesh but after the Spirit. But if it can be supposed that
ye can live after the flesh, then ye die, as in the text; that is, ye
justified persons. Pcena potest dupliciter timeri, ut est in constitutions
Dei, vel ut malum nostrum, as Bernard. Eternal death may be con
sidered as an evil which God hath appointed to be the fruit of sin, or
as an evil that will certainly befal us. A justified person, one that is
not so putatively only, but really so ; not in his own conceit only, but
in deed and in truth, may fear it in the first sense. There is such
a connection between continuance in sin, and eternal destruction, that
he ought to reflect upon it, so as to represent to his soul the danger
of yielding tamely to his sins ; and to fear it, so as to eschew it. For
G8 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [$ER. XVIII.
this is nothing but to make an holy use of threatenings, and to see the
merit of our doings ; but as to the event, so not to allow perplexing
doubts, but to quicken us to break off our sins, and to look up to God
in Christ for pardon.
Now to direct you,
1. Strike at the root of all sin : ' they that are Christ's, have crucified
the flesh, with the affections and lusts thereof,' Gal. v. 24. The
prophet, to cure the brackishness of the waters, did cast salt into the
spring, 2 Kings ii. 21. We must begin with the heart, and then go
on unto the life ; if the root of bitterness be not deadened, it will
easily sprout forth and trouble us ; as inbred corruption is weakened, so
actual sins flowing thence are weakened also. The root of corruption
is carnal self-love, for it is at the bottom of other sins ; because men
love themselves, and their flesh as themselves, more than God. Now
this is weakened by the prevalency of the opposite principle, the love
of God ; and the more we strengthen the love of God, the more is
original sin weakened, and we get again into a good constitution and
state of soul. Carnal men are self-lovers, and self-pleasers ; but spirit
ual men love God, and please God, and seek to honour God. Love is
the great principle that draweth us off from self to God ; such as a
man's love, nature, and inclination is, such will the drift of his life be.
Now men will not be frightened from self-love ; it must be another
more powerful love which draweth them from it, as one nail driveth
out another. Now what can be more powerful than the love of God,
which is as strong as death, and will never be quenched or bribed ?
Cant. viii. 7. This overcometh our self-love ; and then time, strength,
care, and all is devoted to God; yea, life itself: Kev. xii. 11, 'They
loved not their lives to the death.' Self-love is deeply rooted in us,
especially love of life, so that it must be something very strong and
powerful, which must overcome it ; for what is nearer and dearer to
ns than ourselves ? Now the great means to overcome it, is Christ's
love; when the soul is possessed with this, that nothmg deserveth its
love so much as Christ, the natural inclination is altered. This is done
by sound belief and deep consideration, as the means : 1 John iv. 19,
' We love him because he loved us first ; ' 2 Cor. v. 14, 15, ' For the
love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died
for all, then were all dead ; and that he died for all, that they which
live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which
died for them, and rose again/ By the Spirit as the author of grace :
Rom. v. 5, ' Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by
the Holy Ghost given unto us/ Then the soul knoweth no happiness
but to enjoy his love and favour,and so it prevaileth over their natural
inclination, they live not to themselves but to God; not according to
the wills of the flesh, but the will of, God.
2. Consider the several ways how this root sprouteth forth. Two
are mentioned by the apostle in the fore-cited place : Gal. v. 24, 'With
the affections and lusts,' Tradtj/jLaai,, passions ; liriOvfiuu^ affections ;
the first word noteth vexing passions, the next desirable lusts. There
are two dispositions in the soul of man, of aversation and prosecution ;
by the one we eschew evil, by the other we pursue good. Corruption
hath invaded both, and therefore grace is necessary to rectify and
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vin. 69
govern both : 2 Cor. vi. 7, ' By the armour of righteousness both on
the right hand, and on the left.'
[1.] We must crucify our passions, which have to do with evil
vexations to the flesh ; and we must subdue our lusts or affections,
which have to do with those good things which are pleasing to the
flesh. There are vexing evils in which the mind suffereth a kind of
affliction ; but it is a disorder arising from self-love, and therefore it
must be mortified ; as envy, which corrodeth and f retteth the heart of
him that is surprised by it ; but yet self-love is the cause of it, for we
are troubled that any water should pass by our mill ; or that others
should enjoy any honour, or esteem, or trade, or profit which we covet
for ourselves. So anger at anything done by man, which is displeasing
to us, if given way to, is a short fury and madness ; and hindereth a
clear discovering of what is right and equal, Jam. i. 20. So worldly-
sorrow at any thing done by God displeasing to the flesh: 2 Cor. vii,
* Worldly sorrow works death.' So inordinate fear, which betrayeth
the succours which reason and grace oftereth to fortify us upon any
sudden incursion of evil : ' The fear of man bringeth a snare/ Prov.
xxix. 25. So worldly cares, which divert us from God and dependence
on his providence , Phil. iv. 6, 7 ; yea, set up an anti-providence in
our own hearts. The like may be said of malice and revenge, all
which bring a torture with them ; and if allowed or indulged, would
soon destroy our love to God or men ; as, if God withholdeth from
us any good that we desire, or sendeth that which we desire not, but
crosseth our humour; as sickness, want, reproach, or disrespect, or
whatever the heart is carried to eschew ; or if men enjoy anything
more than we would have them, or do anything contrary to the con-
veniency of our flesh, we storm and fret, and justify our passions, think
we do well to be angry. Though these are a sort of sins which are a
punishment to themselves, and do destroy not only our duty, but our
peace ; and disquiet and torment the soul that harbours them ; yea,
will soon destroy that love we owe to God or man ; therefore they must
be mortified.
[2.] Not only our passions, but our affections must be mortified,
our more pleasant lusts, to which we are carried by a sweeter inclination
of nature ; such as are stirred up by carnal baits and pleasures, as to
instance, in sins of the more sordid and brutish part of mankind, motions
to intemperance, luxury, uncleanness, and brutish satisfactions ; or to
instance, in the more refined part of the world, to worldly greatness,
honour, and vain delights, to be distinguished from others by estate,
rank, and outward dignity ; as every man is apt to be carried away by
some inordinate lust or other. Now whatever the distemper be, it
must be purged out of the heart, if we would have Christ have any
interest there. And here we must not only restrain the act, but mortify
the habits ; for otherwise we cannot be safe ; for every temptation falleth
in with some or other of these sins, and giveth a new life to it;
unless the lusts are weakened, the conversation cannot be Christian :
1 Pet. ii. 4, 'Abstain from fleshy lusts; having your conversation honest;'
and Jam. iv. 1, 'From whence come wars and fightings?' Come
they not hence, even from your lusts that war in your members ? ; All
their strifes and contentions come from their carnal hearts, or sensual
70 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [$ER. XVIII.
inclinations, which first rebelled against the upper part of the soul, or
the dictates of grace and reason, and then broke out into outrageous or
misbecoming practices. And our Saviour telleth us that murders,
thefts, adulteries, come first out of the heart, Mat. xv. 19. From the
polluted fountain of the heart, floweth all the pollution of the life ; and
if the act should be restrained, yet unless the heart be cleansed, all is
loathsome to God, Mat. xxiii. 27. Therefore kill the lusts in your
heart, and ye shall more easily curb the sins of the outward man, that
they may not break out to God's dishonour. Many think to fashion
the life, but neglect the heart ; and if they keep from scandal, yet they
do not advance the authority and power of grace in the heart, but
self-love securely beareth rule in the soul. Many die by inward bleed
ing as well as by outward wounds ; therefore unless our irascible or
concupiscible faculty be bridled, and made pliable to the conduct of the
heavenly mind, we shall do nothing in Christianity to any good effect.
3. As to actual temptations, when they stir indwelling sin, complain
of the violence to God : Rom. vii. 24, ' Oh wretched man that I am !
Who shall deliver me from this body of death ? ' Bemoan yourselves
to him who alone can help you, and is ready to do so, when you are
afraid of doing anything contrary to your duty ; and an humble sense
of your impotency is not only a good preparative to receive his graces,
but also to defy and rebuke the temptation : Mat. iv. 10, 'Get thee
behind me, Satan ; ' and Gen. xxxix. 9, * How shall I do this great
wickedness and sin against God ? ' These are best smothered in the birth.
4. Take heed of those sins which the people of God are most in
danger of. It is hard to say what they are ; for all sins when they are
near, and importune the flesh, by the easy and profitable practice of
them without danger, or discovery, may tempt an unwary heart.
Therefore we must have always our eyes in our head, and stand upon
our guard ; the secure are next to a fall ; there is no cessation of arms
in this warfare, or treaty and conclusion of peace to be made with our
lusts. Sin is a bosom-friend, but yet the sorest enemy ; and if we be
not resolute and vigilant, our appetites and senses, or our passions may
betray us ; and if you be not daily deadening worldly inclinations, self-
esteem, and conceit, you cannot stand out against the smallest tempta
tion. But they are most in danger of those sins which the temperature
of body and constitution do incline them unto ; though we must watch
against all sins, for all are hateful to God, and contrary to his law, and
incident to us ; yet we are inclined to one sin more than to another ;
there is something that is our privy sore, and may be called the plague
of our own hearts, 1 Kings viii. 38 Now this must be watched and
striven against ; and here the victory is never cheap or easy. Many
a groan, many a prayer, many a serious thought, many a hearty
endeavour it will cost us ; these master-lusts (they never go alone, like
great diseases that have petty ones attending them), must be chiefly
attended by us, and we must not discontinue the work, till we have
gotten some power against them, and they be considerably weakened.
Be it lust or passion, or sloth and dulness, or worldliness, or pride, we
must pray, and pray again, as Paul prayed. thrice; grace must watch
over it and keep it under, and abate it by contrary actions, that we
may the better govern this inclination, and reduce it to reason.
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS YIII. 71
5. Take heed of an unraortified frame of spirit. There are certain
dispositions of heart which argue much unmortifiedness, and do loudly
call for this remedy and cure, even the grace of the Spirit whereby we
may be healed.
[1.] As impotency of mind, whereby temptations to sin are very
catching, and do easily make impression upon us. The heart, like tinder,
soon taketh fire from every spark ; certainly there is great life in our
lusts, when a little occasion awakeneth them. As it is said of the
young fool in the Proverbs, ' he goeth after her suddenly/ Pro. vii. 22,
that is, as soon as enticed. Upon the least provocation, we grow
passionate ; the temptation findeth some prepared matter to work upon,
as straw is more easily kindled than wood. Now this calleth upon us
to weaken the inclination.
[2.] When the temptation is small ; a little adversity puts us out of
all courage and patience : Pro. xxiv. 10, * If thou faint in the day of
adversity, thy strength is small.' If we be so touchy that we cannot
bear the common accidents of the world, how shall we bear the most
grievous persecutions, which we are to endure for Christ's sake ? For
the other sort of corruptions, for handfuls of barley, or a piece of bread,
will that man transgress. So ' selling the righteous for a pair of shoes/
' selling the birthright for one morsel of meat/ She is a common
prostitute that will take any hire. A little thing makes a stone run
down hill. Certainly the heart must be looked after ; the bias and
inclination of it to God and heaven, more fixed.
[3.] When lusts are touchy, storm at a reproof. If the word break
in upon the heart with any evidence, carnal men cannot endure it : 1
Kings, xxii. 8, ' He doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.'
It is a bad crisis, and state of soul, when men would be soothed in their
lusts, cannot endure close and searching truths ; but either affect
general discourses, that they may creep away in the crowd without
being attacked ; or loose garish strains that please the fancy, but do not
reach the heart ; or must be honeyed and oiled with grace ; scarce can
endure the doctrine of mortification ; none need it so much as they ;
or love flattery more than reproof ; it is a sign sin and they are agreed,
and they would sleep securely. Not only did Herod put John in prison,
but an Asa put the prophet in the stocks, 2 Chron. xvi. 10.
[4.] In case of great spiritual deadness. The heart hath too freely
conversed with sin, and so groweth less apt for God: Ps. cxix. 37,
* Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, and quicken me in thy
ways;' and Heb. ix. 14, ' How much more shall the blood of Christ
purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God ? '
Our vivification is according to the degree of our mortification, and
therefore great deadness argueth the prevalency of some carnal dis
temper.
6. Live much in doing good. The intermitting of the exercise of
our love to God maketh concupiscence, or the carnal love, to gather
strength ; and when men are not taken up with doing good, they are
at leisure for temptations to entice them to evil ; our lusts have power
indeed to disturb in holy duties, but it is when we are remiss and
careless ; and usually it is the idle and negligent who are surprised by
sin ; as David walking on the terrace, 2 Sam. xi. 2. Diabolus quern
72 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XIX.
non invenit occupatum, etc. I will close all with these two remarks.
1. That it is more sweet and pleasant to mortify your lusts than
to gratify them. ' Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret
is pleasant; but the dead are there :' Prov. ix. 16, 17. So Job. xx.
12, 13, 14, 'Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though
he hide it under his tongue, though he spare it, and forsake
it not, but keep it still within his mouth, yet his meat is turned
in his bowels, it is the gall of asps within him.' Sin is but
a poisoned morsel; mortification is not pleasant in itself, yet in
its fruits and effects it is rewarded with joy. And more occasions
of thanksgivings we shall have : Rom. vii. 24, 25, ' Oh wretched man
that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death ? I thank
God through Jesus Christ our Lord.'
2. If you enter not into a war with sin, you enter into a war with
God. Shall sin be* your enemy, or God? The eternal living God?
Ezek. xxii. 14, ' Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong,
in the days that I shall deal with thee ? I the Lord have spoken it,
and will do it.'
SERMON XIX.
If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body.
ROM. VIII. 13.
DOCT. That in mortifying of sin, we and the Spfrit must concur.
Here I shall handle,
1. The manner of this co-operation.
2. The necessity of it.
First, To state the manner of this co-operation.
1. We must know what is meant by the Spirit; it is put either for
the person of the Holy Ghost, or for his gifts and graces, the new
creature, or the divine nature wrought in us. The person of the Holy
Ghost : Mat. xxviii. 19, ' Baptize all nations in the name of the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost.' The new nature : John iii. 6, ' That which is
born of the Spirit is spirit/ The former is here intended, the uncreated
Spirit or author of grace, called the ' Spirit of Christ,' ver. 11. Which
leadeth and guideth us in all our ways, ver. 14, which witnesseth to
US, ver. 16. 'Avrb TO Trvevpa.
2. The Spirit is the author or principal agent in this work ; for he
doth renew and sanctify us. We are merely passive in the first infusion
of grace : Ezek. xxxv. 25, 'I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and
you shall be clean from all your filthiness.' Eph. ii. 1, 'You that
were dead in trespasses and sins, yet now hath he quickened ; ' but after
wards we cleanse ourselves; 1 Pet. i. 22, 'Seeing ye have purified
your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit/ First he worketh
upon us as objects ; then by us as instruments ; so that we concur not
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 73
as co-ordinate causes, but as subordinate agents ; being first purified
and sanctified by him, we purge out sin yet more and more.
3. Though the Spirit be the principal author, yet we must charge
ourselves with the duty. It is our work ; they destroy all human
industry and endeavour, that make mortification to be nothing else but
an apprehension that sin is already slain by Christ ; no, it is charged
on us : Col. iii. 5, ' Mortify therefore your members which are upon
earth/ And it is our act, or else we can have no comfort in it. Gal.
v. 24, * They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affec
tions and lusts thereof ; ' and 2 Cor. vii. 1 , ' Let us cleanse ourselves
from all filthiness of flesh and spirit/ Under the law, the leper was
first to be cleansed by the priest, and afterwards to wash himself in
running water, and shave his hair, Levit. xiv. 8. After being sprinkled
by the priest, the necessary ceremony, he himself was to wash. The
ceremonies which the priest used are considerable, therefore I shall
explain them a little. Two sparrows were to be taken, and one of
them killed in an earthen vessel over running water ; the other after
he was dipped in the blood of the sparrow that was killed, let loose in
the open field, to fly up in the air as it were in the sight of God.
There was a notable mystery couched under this type ; for the bird
killed over the running water signified the death of Christ, accompanied
with the sanctification of the Spirit, typed by the running water, the
only means to cleanse us from our leprosy ; and the bird that was let
go alive, having his wings sprinkled with blood, signifieth the inter
cession of Christ, who is gone with blood to the mercy-seat ; and we
are told that Christ came not by water only, but by water and blood.
No other bath for spiritual leprosy but water and blood, the merit of
Christ's sacrifice and intercession ; and the Spirit of grace to heal our
natures. But after all this, the man was to wash himself ; which figured
endeavours that God's people should use to cleanse themselves from all
filthiness of flesh and spirit.
4. It being our duty, we must use the means which tend to morti
fication. For to dream of a mortification which shall be wrought in
us without our consent or endeavours, as well whilst we are sleeping,
as whilst we are waking, is to delude ourselves with a vain fancy. No,
we must set a careful watch over our thoughts, affections, and works.
The Spirit's operation doth license no man to be idle ; we must join
with him, and obey him in his strivings against the flesh-; for the
Spirit worketh not on a man as a dead thing, which hath no principle
of activity in himself. Therefore those that, upon the Spirit's
doing all, will lie idle, abuse the Spirit, who both urgeth us to the
duty, and quickeneth us to the use of means, or stirreth us up to use
our endeavours, that the end may be obtained. Otherwise we neither
obey the Spirit, nor desire the benefit. We do not obey the Spirit ;
for he doth first sanctify us, then quicken us to use the means, and
blesseth the means so used ; and we do not desire the benefit ; it is but
a wish, not a desire ; a velleity, not a volition : as Prov. xiii. 4, * The
soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing, because his hands
refuse to labour.' Many a man hath wishes that he could leave his
sins, especially when he thinketh of the shame and punishment ; as
many an incontinent person, adulterer, glutton, or drunkard, hath a
74 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [$ER. XIX.
wish to part with his sin, but not a will ; for he doth not seriously
strive against it, his love to it remaineth unconquered and unbroken.
Well then, let us see how far we have gained the point in hand: First,
every Christian must determine that the flesh must be mortified ;
secondly, mortified it must be by us, every man must mortify his own
flesh ; thirdly, that mortified it cannot be by us without the Spirit ;
the Spirit will not without us, and we cannot without the Spirit,
neither when we are first to begin this work, nor can we carry it on
without his assistance.
5. The Spirit mortifieth sin in us, as a Spirit of light, life, and
love.
[1.] As a Spirit of light, affecting the soul with a sight and sense of
sin, so as we groan under the burden of it. Nothing cometh to the
heart but by the understanding ; conviction maketh way for compunc
tion, and compunction for a detestation and hatred of sin ; and detes
tation and hatred, for the destruction and expulsion of it. Sin is
always loathsome, but we have not always eyes to see it. When we
look upon it through Satan's spectacles, or the cloud of our own
passions and corrupt affections, we make nothing of it ; it seemeth
lovely, rather than loathsome to us. But when the Spirit anointeth
our eyes with his eye-salve, it is the most hateful thing to the soul,
that can be imagined. Jer. xxxi 18, ' After I was instructed, I smote
upon the thigh, yea, I was ashamed, and confounded.' We see sin to
be another manner of thing than ever we thought it before. Ps. cxix.
108, ' Through thy precepts I get understanding, therefore I hate every
false way/ When the heart is thoroughly possessed of the evil of sin,
we dare not dandle and indulge, or pass it over as a thing of
nought. Fear of punishment may suspend the act of sin, but the
sight of the evil of it doth help to mortify the root.
[2.] As a Spirit of life ; for Jesus Christ to all his seed is a quicken
ing Spirit, 1 Cor. xv. 45. We have life natural from Adam, but life
spiritual and eternal from Christ, and that by the Spirit ; for we are
said to be born again of the Spirit, John iii. 5. The Spirit reneweth
us, and maketh us partakers of the life and likeness of God, Titus, iii.
5. Now when this life is infused, there is an opposite principle set
up in us to subdue the lusts of the flesh, and also to prevent the power
of the objects of sense, which serve and feed them ; for the flesh doth
obstruct the operations of this new life, and cross the tendency of it.
The operations of this new life are obstructed by the flesh ; ' for (Gal.
v. 17.) the flesh lusteth against the Spirit;' and life is sensible of
what annoyeth it. The operations of it are the serving and pleasing
of God: Gal. v. 25, 'If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the
Spirit.' And we see a weight hanging upon us, and sin doth easily
beset us, that we cannot serve God with that liberty, purity, and delight,
that we desire. And therefore this is an heavy grievance and burden
to the new nature, that we desire to get rid of it by all means, and
labour, and strive in it, and that with good effect A new life also
hath a tendency; as soon as it is infused it discovereth itself by
its tendency to its end and rest, which is God and heaven; so
the objects of sense have the less force and power upon us. Well
then, the flesh is an enemy to this new life, and this new life an enemy
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vnr. 75
to it, as having contrary operations and tendencies. Now how doth
this new life discover its enmity ? Partly by complaining of it, as a
sore burden and annoyance: Rom. vii. 24, ' wretched man that I
am ! who shall deliver me from this body of death ? ' Paul was
whipped, scourged, imprisoned, exercised with many vexations and
sorrows ; but the relics of the corruption were his greatest burden.
Not, When shall I come out of these afflictions ? but, Who shall deliver
me from this body of death? Partly, by endeavours and skiving
against it. There may be some dislike of sin in a natural heart, for
conscience will sometimes take God's part, and quarrel against our lusts ;
otherwise a wicked man could not be self-condemned, and hold the
truth in unrighteousness ; but checks of conscience are distinct things
from the repugnancies of a renewed heart ; a wicked man's conscience
telleth him he should do otherwise, when his heart inclineth him to do
so still. But a renewed heart hateth sin, and therefore there is a con
stant earnest endeavour to get it subdued ; and doth watch, pray, plead
for God ; use means ; dare not rest in sin, or live in sin. Yea, algo
prevail against it so far, that the heart is never turned away from
God to sin: 1 John iii 9, 'Whosoever is born of God, doth not
commit sin ; for his seed remaineth in him ; and he cannot sin, because
he is born of God.' His heart cannot easily be brought to it ; he looketh
upon it as a monstrous incongruity : Gen. xxxix. 9, ' How can I do
this great wickedness, and sin against God ? ' 2 Cor. xiii. 8, ' For we
can do nothing against the truth ; ' and Acts iv. 20, ' For we cannot
but speak the things which we have seen and heard/ There is a
natural cannot, and a moral cannot ; the natural cannot is an utter
impossibility ; the moral cannot is a great absurdity ; the new life
breedeth such an aversion of heart and mind from sin, such constant
rebukes and dislikes of the new nature. A child of God is never in a
right posture, till he doth look upon sin not only as contrary to his
duty, but his nature ; they have no satisfaction in themselves till it be
utterly destroyed.
[3.] As a Spirit of love. The great work of the Spirit is to reveal
the love of God to us, and to recover our love to God ; for the Spirit
cometh to us as the Spirit of Christ, by virtue of his redemption. Now
the infinite goodness and love of God doth shine most brightly to us
in the face of our Redeemer ; in the great things which he hath done
and purchased for us, and offered to us, we have the fullest expression
and demonstration of the love of God, which we are capable of, and
which is most apt to kindle love in us to God again : Rom. v. 8, ' God
commendeth his love to us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died
for us;' and 1 John ii. 1, 2, 'My little children, these things write I
unto you, that ye sin not ; and if any man sin, we have an advocate
with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And he is the propitia
tion for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the
whole world.' And Eph iii. 18, 19, ' That you may be rooted and
grounded in love, and comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth,
and length, and depth, and height ; and may know the love of Christ
which passeth all knowledge.' Now the Spirit attending this dispen
sation, surely his great work and office is to shed abroad the love of
God in our hearts, Rom. v. 5 ; and Gal. iv. 6, ' Because ye are sons,
76 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XIX.
God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying,
Abba, Father ; ' that being persuaded of God's fatherly love, we may
love him again, and study to please him. Therefore nothing doth stir
us up against sin, so much as the sense of God's love in Christ. Shall
sin live, which is so contrary to God ? Shall I take delight in that
which is a grief to his Holy" Spirit? cherish that which Christ came
to destroy ? live to myself, who am so many ways obliged to God ?
Displease my Father to gratify the flesh ? Alas ! how many read and
hear of this, who are no way moved into an indignation against sin !
It is not the love of God called to mind by a few cold thoughts of ours,
that worketh so, but the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the
Spirit. That melts the heart, maketh us ashamed of our unkindness
to God, and stirreth up an hatred against sin.
6. After conversion, and the Spirit's becoming a spirit of light, life,
and love to us ; after grace is put into our hearts to weaken sin, still
we need the help of the Spirit. Partly, because habitual grace is a
created thing; and the same grace that made us new creatures, is
necessary to continue us so. For no creature can be good independ
ently, without the influence of the prime good ; all things depend in
esse, conserves, operari, on him that made them. ' In him we live, and
move, and have our being,' Acts xvii. 28. If God suspend his influence,
natural agents cannot work, as the fire cannot burn, as in the case of
the three children ; much less voluntary. And if there be this depend
ence in natural things, much more in supernatural, Phil ii. 12, 13.
Will and deed are from God ; first principles of operation, and final
accomplishment. Partly, because in the very heart there is great
opposition against it ; there is flesh still, the warring law, Kom. vii.
23, Gratia non totaliter satiat ; the cure is not total as yet, but partial ;
therefore they need the Spirit to guide, and quicken, and strengthen
them. Partly, as it meeteth with much opposition within, so it is
exposed to temptations without. Satan watcheth all advantages against
us ; and the soul is strangely deluded by the treachery of the senses,
and the revolt of the passions, and our corrupt inclinations, when
temptations assault us ; so that unless we have seasonable relief, how
soon are we overtaken or overborne ! Adam had habitual grace, but
gave out at the first assault. A city besieged, unless it be relieved,
compoundeth and yieldeth ; so without the supply of the Spirit, we
cannot stand out in the hour of trial: Eph. iii. 16, 'That he would
grant you according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with
might by his Spirit in the inner man.'
Secondly. The necessity of this concurrence and co-operation, 1.
Of the Spirit with us. 2. We by the Spirit.
1. Of the Spirit's work. We cannot, without the Spirit, mortify the
deeds of the body.
[1.] From the state of the person who is to be renewed and healed.
A Dinner lying in a state of defection from God, one that hath lost
original righteousness, averse from God ; yea, an enemy to him, prone
to all evil, weak, and dead to all spiritual good ; how can such an one
renew and convert himself ? There is no sound part left in us to mend
the rest. It is true he hath reason left, and some confused notions and
apprehensions of good and evil ; but the very apprehensions are maimed
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 77
and imperfect ; and we often call evil good, and put good for evil, Isa.
v. 20. However to choose the one and leave the other, that is not in
our power. We may have some loose desires of spiritual favours,
especially as apprehended under the quality of a felicity or natural
good, and as separated from the means : Numb xxiii. 10, '0 that I
might die the death of the righteous ! and my last end be like his.'
They may long for the death of the righteous, though loath to live
their life ; but these desires are neither truly spiritual, nor serious, nor
constant, nor laborious; so that if we consider what man is in his
natural estate, blind in his mind, perverse in his will, rebellious in his
affections ; this work can only be wrought by the Spirit of God. Will
a nature that is wholly carnal, ever resist and overcome the flesh ?
But so we are by nature, John iii. 6. Can flesh destroy itself ? Can
a man of himself be brought to abhor what he dearly loveth ; and he
that drinketh in iniquity like water, be brought to loathe sin, and expel,
and drive it from him ? On the other side, will he be brought to love
what he abhorreth ? There is enmity to the law of God in a carnal
heart, till grace remove it, Kom. viii. 7. Can we that are worldly,
and wholly governed by sense, look for all our happiness in an unseen
world, till we receive another spirit ? The scripture will tell you, No :
1 Cor. ii. 12, 14, ' Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but
the Spirit which is of God, that we may know the things that are freely
given us of God ; but the natural man receiveth not the things of the
Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him ; neither can he know
them, because they are spiritually discerned/ And 2 Pet. i. 9, * He that
lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off.' What man of
his own accord will deny present things, and lay up his hopes in heaven ?
Can a stony heart of itself become tender, or a dead heart quicken
itself, or a filthy heart cleanse itself, bring a clean thing out of an
unclean ? It cannot be.
[2.] The honour of our Eedeemer requireth that our whole and entire
recovery to God should be ascribed to him. Not part only, as our
freedom from guilt, while the power of sin is subdued and broken by
ourselves. Kenewing grace is his gift, as well as reconciling grace ;
and we can no more convert ourselves to God, than we can reconcile
ourselves to him ; both go together ; both are obtained by the same
merit ; and both are received from the same hand: Act v. 31, * Him hath
God exalted with his right hand to be a prince and a saviour, for to
give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins ; ' and 1 Cor. vi. 11,
' And such were some of you ; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified,
but ye are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit
of our God/ As by the virtue of his blood and sufferings he reconciled
us to God ; so by the almighty power of his grace, he doth cure and
heal our natures, and imprint God's image upon our souls. The work
of redemption would have ceased for ever if Christ had not paid our
ransom for us, Ps. xlix. 8. So the work of renovation : Job. xiv. 4,
1 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean ? Not one/ Surely
Christ hath purchased this grace, and purchased it into his own hands,
not into another's ; and sendeth forth his conquering and prevailing
Spirit to bring back the souls of men to God. This work must not be
disparaged, or looked upon as a low, natural, common thing ; for this
78 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XIX.
is to lessen the benefit of the new creation, which is so much magnified
in scripture.
2. The necessity of our co-operation, ' If we by the Spirit.' [1.] We
may : [2.] We must.
[1.] We may. God hath given us gifts which are not in vain, the
Christ is pure/ Love, which looketh backward or forward, ' teacheth
us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts.' Tit. ii. 11-14. So
that we may, or can, if we be not wanting to ourselves, do something
to the crucifying of the flesh. Certainly after regeneration, we are or
may be active ; otherwise there would be no difference between the
renewed and the carnal, and some of God's best gifts would be in
vain. You are to improve the death of Christ to embitter sin to you
by his sufferings; to improve the grace received; to pray for the
supply of the Spirit ; to retrench the provisions of the flesh ; to walk
as in the sight of God, and prepare for a better world ; to maintain a
constant conflict with sin, and watch over all your ways. There are
means of grace appointed to weaken sin ; as the word, and sacraments,
and many providences, which might be of great use to you if you did
improve them.
J.] We must. For two reasons,
..) That God may apply himself to us in our way.
(2.) That we may apply ourselves to God, and meet him in his way.
(1.) That God may apply himself to us in our way. God being
our creator, doth preserve the liberty of his workmanship ; he applieth
himself to every creature according to the nature of it, so as to improve
it, not destroy it ; he offereth no violence to our natural faculties, but
super- addeth grace ; draweth, that we may run, Cant i. 4 ; not hoisteth
up, as dead things by pulleys and engines. The will is not compelled,
but overcome by the sweet efficacy of grace ; being actuated by God, we
act under God ; that is, by our own voluntary motion, and in a way of
operation proper to us. I say, God influenceth all things according to
their natural inclination ; he enlighteneth by and with the sun, burneth
by and with the fire ; reasoneth with man ; acts necessarily with
necessary causes, and freely with free causes; draweth us with the
cords of a man, Hos. xi. 4. Now we pervert this order, if we lie
upon the bed of ease, and cry, ' Christ must do all.' Christ that doth
all for you, doth all in you, and by you ; he propoundeth reasons which
we must consider, and so betake ourselves to a godly course ; he show-
eth^us our lost estate, the possibility of salvation by Christ, sweetly
inviting us to accept of grace, that he may pardon our sins, sanctify
our natures, and lead us in the way of holiness to eternal life.
(2.) That we may meet with God in his way. He hath appointed
certain duties to convey and apply this grace ; we are to lie at the
pool, till the waters be stirred ; to continue our attendance upon God
with all diligence and seriousness, till he giveth grace. Mar. iv. 24,
' And he said unto them, Take heed what you hear ; with what measure
ye mete, it shall be measured to you ; and unto you that hear, shall
more be given.' God will have believers bestir and put forth them-
YER. 13.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 79
selves, and lie will help them in and by their own endeavours. We
must not idly think that grace will drop to us out of the clouds ; he
was an evil and a slothful servant that did not improve his talent.
To neglect duty is to resist grace, and to run away from our strength.
God hath promised to be with us, while we are doing ; therefore we
are to wait for this power in the use of all holy means, that our corrup
tion may be subdued and mortified.
The Use. Is to exhort, with all diligence, to set about the mortify
ing the deeds of the body, by the Spirit.
Two things I shall press you to ;
1. Improve the deatn of Christ.
2. A right carriage towards the Spirit.
1. Improve the death of Christ. For the term, mortify, or crucify,
often used in this matter, respects Christ's death ; and everywhere
the scripture showeth that the death of Christ is of excellent use for
the mortifying of sin. I shall single out a few places : Gal. ii. 20, ' I
am crucified with Christ/ Three propositions included : 1. Christ
crucified. 2. Paul crucified. 3. With Christ. It doth not imply any
fellowship with him in the acts of his mediation ; there Christ was
alone ; only that the effects of his death were accomplished in him, a
participation of the benefits of his mediation. So Rom. vi. 6, ' Know
ing this, that our old man is crucified with Christ, that the body of sin
may be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin/ Then was
there a foundation laid for the destruction of sin, when Christ died ; then
was the merit interposed, or price paid, and the obligation laid upon us
to mortify it. Something there was to be done on God's part ; the
body of sin was to be destroyed, which intimateth the communicating
of his Spirit of grace to weaken the power and life of sin ; and something
done on our part, that henceforth we should not serve sin. There was
a time when we served sin ; but being converted, we must change
masters, and betake ourselves to another service, which will be more
comfortable and profitable to us. One place more : 1 Pet. iv. 1, ' For
asmuch as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves
likewise with the same mind ; for he that hath suffered in the flesh,
hath ceased from sin/ That is, since Christ hath suffered for you, you
must follow and imitate him in suffering also, or dying with him,
namely, in dying to sin, as he died for sin ; or mortifying our lusts and
passions. For 6 7ra6a)v eV cap/cl, l one that hath suffered in the flesh/
or is crucified in his carnal nature, it hath not respect to suffering
afflictions, but mortifying sins ; for it is presently added, * He hath
ceased from sin,' given over that course of life ; so * that he should no
longer live the rest of his life in the flesh to the lusts of men, but the
will of God/ He inferreth the obligation of this correspondence and
conformity from Christ's dying. From all these places we collect :
[L] It is an obligation. This was Christ's end, and we must not put
our Redeemer to shame : 1 John iii. 8, ' For this purpose the Son of
God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil ; '
that the interest of the devil might be destroyed in us, and the interest
of God set up with glory and triumph. Shall I go about to frustrate
his intention, or make void the end of his death ? cherish that which
Christ came to destroy ? tie those cords the faster, which he came to
80 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XIX.
unloose? By professing his name, we bind ourselves to die to sin:
Kom. vi. 2, ' How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein ? '
not ab impossibili, but ab incongruo.
[2.] That the death of Christ was a lively and effectual pattern of
our dying to sin. For the glory of God, and our salvation, Christ died
a painful, shameful, accursed death. Now we must crucify sin, Gal.
v. 24 ; be crucified to the world, Gal. vi. 14. That is to say, Christ
denied himself for us, and we must deny ourselves for him ; he suffered
pain for us, that we should willingly digest the trouble of mortification,
and suffer in the flesh, in our carnal nature, as he did in the human
nature.
(1.) The death of Christ was an act of self-denial ; he pleased not
himself, Eom. xv. 3 ; minded not the interest of that nature he had
assumed ; parted with his life in the flower of his age, when he had
most cause to love it. And will you part with nothing, make it your
business to please the flesh, and gratify the flesh ? He loved you, and
gave himself for you, and will not you give up your lusts ?
(2.) The death of Christ was an act of pain and sorrow. Of all
deaths, crucifixion is the most painful and shameful. Sinful nature is
not extinguished in us without trouble ; as sin is rooted in self-love,
self-denial is a check to it ; as this self-love is mainly a love of pleasure,
or the delight we take in sin, so the pains of Christ's death check it.
Shall we wallow in fleshly delights, when Christ was a man of sorrows ?
Christ's sufferings are the best glass wherein to view sin. Will you
take pleasure in that which cost him so dear ? He was mocked, spit
upon, buffeted ; he bare the shame due to our vain conversation ; a
malefactor was preferred before him. Therefore when you remember
Christ's death, you learn how to deal with sin. The Jews would not
hear of Christ's being king : * Away with him ; ' ' we have no king but
Cresar/ Such an holy indignation should there be in a renewed soul :
Kom. vi. 12, ' Let not sin reign therefore in your mortal bodies, that
ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.' Let it not king it ; we have no
king but Christ.
(3.) It was a price paid, that we might have grace. Every true
Christian is a partaker of the fruits of Christ's death ; and one fruit is,
that we might die unto sin : 1 Pet. ii. 24, ' Who his own self, bare our
sins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead unto sin should
live unto righteousness/ This is communicated to us by the Spirit ;
he bought sanctification as well as other privileges : Eph. v. 25, 2,
* As Christ also loved the Church, and gave himself for it, that he
might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word/
And Tit. ii. 14, ' Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us
from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of
good works.' 1 Pet. i. 18, * Kedeemed us from our vain conversations/
We are ready to say, ' I shall never get rid of this naughty heart,
renounce these sensual and worldly affections ; ' our hearts are so wedded
to the interests of the flesh ; but, Mat. xix. 26, ' With God all things
are possible/
2. Carry it well to the Spirit.
[1.] Believe that the Holy Ghost is your sanctifier, and resign up
yourselves to him as such, that he may recover your souls to God.
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 81
This is but fulfilling our baptismal vow : Mat. xxviii. 19, 'Go baptize
all nations, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost/ To God
the Father as your lord and happiness ; to Christ as your redeemer
and saviour ; to the Holy Ghost as your guide, comforter, and sanctifier.
We renew this consent in the Lord's Supper, that we may bind our
selves the faster to him, to submit to his spiritual discipline, that our
cure may be wrought in us.
[2.] You must obey his sanctifying motions, for otherwise this
resignation was in vain ; therefore we must faithfully endeavour, by
the power and help which he giveth us, to mortify sin. We must
strive against sin, and we must strive with them. To strive against him
and resist him, argueth great profaneness, Gen. vi. 3 ; Acts vii. 51 ; not
to strive with him, much neglect and laziness. You must strive with
your hearts, when the Spirit is striving with you ; and take the season
of his special help. It is not at our command, for 'the wind bloweth
as it listeth ; ' take it when you have it. It is an offence to the Spirit,
when the flesh is obeyed before him ; men are easily entreated by sin,
but deaf to his motions.
[3.] Use the appointed means by which the Spirit worketh. There
are means of obtaining the Spirit at first, by the word and prayer.
The Spirit is conveyed by some doctrine ; for God's operative power is
applied to man as a reasonable creature, not for necessity. For the
word : Gal. iii. 2, ' Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or
the hearing of faith ? ' So for prayer : If not for friendship's sake, Luke
xi. 8, 13, yet because of his importunity. 'If ye, being evil, know
how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your
heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask it ? ' Beg it of
God, upon the account of Christ, Titus iii. 5, 6. But we speak now of
another thing, not the gift of the Spirit at first, but the supply of the
Spirit. It is gotten the same way ; the Spirit joineth his power and
efficacy with the proper instituted means, the word, which is the
sword of the Spirit, Eph. vi. 17. This sword was made by the Spirit :
* Holy men spake as moved by the Holy Ghost/ Used by the Spirit
to vanquish Satan : 1 John ii. 14, ' And the word of God abideth in
you, and ye have overcome the wicked one/ It is used for the defence
of the better part ; the sword of the flesh is the excessive love of
pleasures, some carnal bait. And by it the power of the Holy Ghost
came upon us : Acts x. 44, ' While Peter yet spake these words, the
Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word ; ' a spirit of sobriety,
godliness, meekness, and the fear of the Lord. We cannot make use
of this sword, without the Spirit : 1 Pet. i. 22, * Seeing ye have purified
your souls, in obeying the truth through the Spirit/ So sacraments :
1 Cor. xii. 13, 'And have been all made to drink into one Spirit/
Prayer ; looking up to God who helpeth us in our conflicts ; openeth
their ears to discipline ; and commandeth that they return from
iniquity, Job xxxvi. 10; and breaketh the yokeless disposition and
opposition in our hearts.
[4.] To forbear those wilful sins, which grieve the Spirit : Eph. iv.
30, * Grieve not the Spirit;' 1 Thes. v. 19, 'Quench not the Spirit;'
do not provoke him to withdraw his assistance from us ; as David was
sensible of his misery : Ps. li. 10, 11, 12, ' Create in me a clean heart,
VOL. xii. F
82 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XX.
God, and renew a right spirit within mo ; cast me not away from
thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me ; restore unto me
the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me by thy free Spirit.'
SERMON XX.
Ye shall live. EON. VIII. 13.
WE come now to the" promise, * ye shall live/
Doct. That life is promised to those that seriously improve the assist
ances of the Spirit, for the mortifying of sin.
First. What is the life here promised, the life of grace, or the life
of glory ? I shall give my answer in three considerations.
1. The more we die unto sin, the more fit we are to live that new
life which becometh Christians, or new creatures ; for mortification and
vivification do mutually help one another. So much sin as remaineth
in us, so far is the spiritual life clogged and obstructed ; therefore it
is called a weight that hangeth upon us, and retardeth and hindereth
us in all our heavenly flights and motions, Heb. xii. 1. That weight
is there explained to be sin, that doth easily beset us ; it is the great
impediment to the heavenly life, and maketh our progress therein slow
and .troublesome. Well then, the more these inordinate inclinations
are broken and mortified, the more we are alive unto righteousness,
as the scripture every where witnesseth ; and the more we tame and
subdue the flesh, the more doth the spirit or better part thrive and
prosper ; therefore it may be truly said, ' If ye through the Spirit do
mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live/ that is, spiritually.
2. The spiritual life is the pledge and beginning of the life of glory.
Here it is begun by the Spirit, and there perfected ; the spirit of holi
ness is the surest pledge of a resurrection to eternal life, as I proved,
ver. 10. 11. The reasonable nature inferreth immortality, and the
new nature a blessed immortality ; everywhere the new birth is made
the seed of eternity, called therefore the immortal seed, 1 Pet. i. 23.
And he that is born of God is said to have eternal life abiding in him ;
he hath the pledge, and earnest, and first-fruits of it; the spiritual
life consists in the knowledge, love, and contemplation of God, and
perfect love and subjection to him ; so that if it were meant of the life
of grace, the life of glory cannot be excluded.
3. As it cannot be excluded, so it is principally intended; as is
evident, partly, because it is put in opposition to death, which is the
fruit of the carnal life ; ' if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die ; ' such a
life is intended as is directly opposite to that death. And partly,
because it is propounded by way of motive, and motives are seldom
taken from things co-ordinate, such as are vivification and mortifica
tion, a dying to sin ; but from things of a superior rank and order, as
the glorious reward is to duty. And partly, because this suite th with
VER. 13.] ' SERMONS UPON ROMANS VITI. 83
the apostle's scope, that justified persons shall not tie condemned, but
glorified, because of the life of the Spirit in them.
Secondly. To confirm the point ;
1. By Scripture. The offer of eternal life is every where propounded
in scripture, as the great encouragement of all our endeavours, either
in subduing sin, or perfecting holiness : as Prov. xii. 28, ' The way of
righteousness is life, and in the path thereof is no death.' There is
the hope of life asserted, and the fear of death removed. Death else
where is propounded as the reward of sin, and life as the great motive
to keep us in the true love and obedience of God : Gal. vi. 8, ' He that
BOwetn to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting ; ' so Ezek.
xviii. 18, 'Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his
transgressions which he hath committed, he shall live and not die/
The one is removed, the other asserted ; the one is the wages of sin,
the other the fruit of God's mercy and free gift ; death we naturally
abhor ; and life we naturally love ; therefore the one is threatened, the
other promised.
2. To prove it by reasons.
[1.] If we partake with Christ in one act, we shall share with him
in all ; if dead with him, we shall live with him : Rom. vi. 8, ' If we
be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall live with him/ That is,
if we imitate Christ in his death, then we have sure grounds of believing
that after his example we shall have a joyful resurrection to eternal
life. He had said before, ver. 5, ' If we be planted in the likeness of his
death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection ; ' that is, be
first raised from the death of sin to the life of grace ; and then the
life of grace shall be swallowed up in the life of glory.
[2.] The mortified soul is prepared to enjoy the heavenly life ; as
being weaned from worldly and sensual delights : Col. i. 12, ' Who hath
made us meet to be partakers of the saints in light/ There is a double
meetness ; first, a meetness in point of right ; secondly, a meetness in
point of congruity and preparation of heart; the one respects God's
appointment, those who are qualified according to the covenant ; the
other, the suitableness of our affections.
(1) They are in respect of God deemed meet and worthy, whom God
vouchsafe th to account worthy. Thus he doth the mortified, as we
proved before ; he then that would live when he is dead, must die when
he is alive.
(2.) Preparation of heart. Heaven would be a burden to a carnal
heart, that hath no delight in communion with God, or the company of
the saints, or an holy life. What would he do with heaven ? A
Turkish paradise would suit better with such sensual and brutish souls
Now those who are dead to the flesh and the world, do the better relish
those things which are heavenly; it is not their trouble, but their
happiness ; they have the consummation of their hopes and aims.
[3.] They desire this life, and groan and wait for it ; which desires,
groans, and longings, being stirred up in them by God's Spirit, will
not be in vain. They cannot be satisfied with the wealth, pleasures,
and honours of the world ; they must enjoy something beyond all these
things, and that is God ; and here they enjoy him but imperfectly. The
more the flesh is mortified, our desires to love, know, and enjoy God.
84 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XX.
are more kindled in us. Now by this these are marked out as heirs
of promise ; for God infuseth the desire, that they may be satisfied ;
and where they are laborious, they will certainly be satisfied ; for
otherwise God would entice us to the pursuit of a happiness, which he
never meaneth to give.
[4.] God promiseth it to the mortified, the more to sweeten the
duty. Those that think it is easy to forsake sin, never .tried it.
Mortification is of a harsh sound in a carnal ear ; to contradict our
carnal desires, and displease the flesh, which is so near and dear to us,
will not easily down with us. God might exact it out of sovereignty,
but he propoundeth rewards ; if we must pass through a strait gate
and narrow way, it leadeth unto life, Mat. 7. 14. Sin is such a disorderly
thing, and doth so invert the course of a rational nature, that we should
part with it by any 'means ; but especially when the case is so stated,
that we must live or die for ever. This motive should work upon us,
because of our desires and fears.
(1.) Our desires. Corrupt nature will teach us to love ourselves, and
so to desire happiness, which we cannot enjoy, if we live not ; for the.
dead are neither capable of happiness nor misery. Though we are
unwilling to deny the flesh, or renounce the credit, profit, or pleasure
of sin, or grow dead to the world, or worldly things, yet we are willing
enough for life and happiness ; therefore God promiseth that we desire,
that we may submit to those things which we are against ; :as we
sweeten bitter pills to children that they may swallow them down the
better ; they love the sugar, though they loathe the aloes. So God
would invite us to our duty by our interest ; if mortification be an
unpleasing task, it conduceth to our life : Prov. viii. 35, 36, ' He that
findeth rne, findeth life/ saith wisdom, c and he that sinneth against me,
wrongeth his own soul ; and he that hateth me, loveth death.' Who
would be so unnatural as to wrong his own soul ? to murder himself,
to court his own death and destruction ? It is not only against the
dictates of grace, but the desires of nature. There is nothing can be
supposed to enfeeble this argument, but these two things, (1st.)
Men's vehement addictedness to their carnal courses, that they will
rather die than part with them. (2nd.) That this life, which the
promises of the gospel offer, is an unknown thing, it being to be enjoyed
in the other world. Both are truths, yet the motive is still forcible.
(1st.) How addicted soever men are to any outward thing, yet to
preserve life, they will deny themselves : Job. ii. 4, ' Skin for skin, and
all that a man hath will he give for his life/ It was a truth, though
it came out of the devil's mouth. Nothing is so dear to a man as his
own life ; men will spend all that they have upon the physician to
recover their health, Luke viii. 43. Yea, they will hazard the members
of their own body, cut off a leg or an arm, for preserving life ; and
shall not we part with a lust to get life ? Who would sell his precious
life at such a cheap rate, as the pleasing of a vain and wanton humour ?
(2d.) But this life, which is not a matter of sense, but of faith, is not
likely to be much valued.
Answer. There is some inclination in the heart of man to eternal
life ; nature gropeth and feeleth about for an eternal good, and an
eternal good in the enjoyment of God, (Acts. xvii. 27), as blind men
VER. 13.] SEKMOKS UPON JIOMANS vm. 85
do in the dark. Though man by nature lieth in gross ignorance of the
true God, as our lord and happiness ; yet the sense of an immortality
is not altogether a stranger to nature. Such a conceit hath been rooted
in the minds of all nations and religions, not only Greeks and Komans,
but barbarians, and people least civilized ; they have thought so, and
been solicitous of a life after this life. Herodotus telleth us that the
ancient Goths thought their souls perished not, but went to Zamblaxis,
the captain of their colony, or founder of their nation ; and Diodorus
Siculus, of the Egyptians, that their parents and friends when they died,
went to some eternal habitation. Modern heathens, when they are
asked about eternal life, and judgment to come, as to judgment to
come, they know it not ; but this thing they know, that the condition
of men and beasts is different ; but what their condition after this life
is, they cannot tell ; whether they live above or below the earth, but
that they subsist and have a being, is their firm persuasion ; and there
fore are wont to assign to the dead part of the goods which they
possessed ; if they lose anything, they think some of their friends in
another world have taken it to supply their wants there. The Chinese
are fully persuaded of a state of happiness and torment after this world.
Acosta telleth us, in Peru they were wont to kill some of their slaves,
to attend the dead in the world to come ; and so Mexico, and other
places. It is enough for us that it is an inbred notion or tradition,
received from hand to hand by their ancestors ; such a conception is
not a stranger to human nature ; and the nearer any lived to the first
original of mankind, the more clear and pressing hath been the opinion
hereof; lapse of time, which ordinarily decayeth all things, hath not
been able to deface it out of the minds of men ; who though they have
been gradually depraved and degenerated, according to the distance by
which they have been removed from their first originals, yet they could
never wholly blot out the sense of an immortal condition after this life ;
nor could any solid and undubitable reasons be brought against it, to
convince it of falsity. Well then, this persuasion being spread through
the universe, and with extreme forwardness received by all nations, has
borne up against all encounters of time, and constantly maintained itself
in the midst of so many revolutions of human affairs, even among them
with whom other truths are lost, and who in a great degree have for
gotten humanity itself. Certainly this motive hath its use, for the
reducing of man to God, especially of those who have been bred in the
bosom of the church.
(2.) The argument is of great force in regard of our fears. We
desire life, but guilt maketh us fear death. Sin impresseth this torment
upon the consciences even of those who little know what sin meaneth :
Rom. i. 32, ' They know the judgment of God, and that those who
commit such things as they do, are worthy of death.' Natural con
science looketh upon sin as mortal and baneful, and knows not how to
be delivered from this fear. Nature owneth a distinction between good
and evil ; and for evil, feareth a punishment ; because of those natural
sentiments which we have of God, as a holy and just God. Therefore
now this tender of life is made to them that not only desire happiness,
but are in bondage through fear of death, and by the Christian doctrine
involved in the curse of the law, and obnoxious to the flames of hell.
86 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XX.
Therefore for sinners to hear of life, must needs be an inviting motive.
Mortify sin, and it shall not hurt you ; you shall live. The sting of sin,
which so torments you, shall be plucked out : Ezek. xviii. 13, ' Repent,
and iniquity shall not be your ruin.' We are all sinners ; but how
shall we do that sin may not be baneful to us ? Deal gently with it,
and it stingeth you to the death ; deal severely with it, and it shall do
you no harm. When we are dead to sin, we shall not die by sin ; you
have deserved death ; but life is offered, if you will use God's healing
methods to get rid of so great a mischief.
Thirdly, I will show you the expediency of the promise ; and that
we may make use of such a motive as is drawn from the consequence,
the death which followeth the carnal life, and that eternal life which
by the merciful grant of God is the fruit of mortification. For many
question whether it be a true mortification which looketh to the reward ;
they say we must work from life, but not for life.
I answer, 1. To be over-spiritual and nice above the word, which is
the true instrument of sanctification, doth not cherish religion, but
quench it. We may make use of God's motives, without sin ; why
doth God plead with us so often upon the terms of life and death, but
that we may plead with ourselves ? I know no reason to press men to
a holiness abstracted from all respect to the reward. I confess it is a
base self-seeking, to eye outward advantages in religious endeavours ;
for then the end is far beneath the work, and the spirit is made to serve
the flesh, not the flesh the spirit i and by-ends taint us, but do not
refine us.
2. The doubt proceedeth upon a mistake of the reward. What is
this life propounded, but the seeing, loving, and enjoyment of God, and
the adoring and praising of God ? And can it be -a fault to aim at
these things ? Doth not the tendency of the new nature directly carry
us to them, as the perfection of that estate unto which we are called by
Christ, as naturally as the seed cast into the earth works through the
clods to get up into stalk and flower ? Indeed the objection is fit for
them that look for a carnal heaven, as the Jews did for a carnal Messiah,
a heaven that consists in ease and fleshly delights. However, to deal
throughly in this argument : In the life and happiness which we expect,
two things may be considered :
[l.J The nature of that life and happiness.
[2.J The personal benefit and comfort that hence results to us.
[1.] The nature of that happiness consisteth in seeing God, and being
like him: 1 John iii. 2, ' When he shall appear, we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is.' To aim at this is a fruit of the new
nature, which aimeth at a perfect fruition of God, and conformity to
him. Surely this cannot be in any reason questioned or scrupled at,
as our great end. For it is a pure motive, and doth engage the soul
to the greatest and best tempered strictness that is imaginable : 1 John
iii. 3, * He that hath this hope,' the hope spoken of in the former
verse, ' purifieth himself as Christ is pure ; ' is every day growing
up into a nearer conformity to Christ, whom he hopeth to see, and to
be more perfectly like him hereafter. He whose heart is set upon the
vision of God, and that pure and sinless estate which he shall enjoy in
heaven, that man hath not a light tincture of religion, but is deeply
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 87
dyed into the spirit of it ; for such things cannot be seriously and really
minded without grace ; yea, no act we do is religious, unless it be
directed and influenced by this aim and end. It is a rooted thought ;
or the impression of a powerful habit.
[2.] There is a personal benefit and happiness which resulteth to us
from the fruition of God ; as we are freed from the pain and sorrows
of this life, in which respect it is often called a rest ; especially as we
are freed from the misery of those that die in their sins, in which
respect it is often called salvation ; and most especially, as the soul,
fully sanctified, dwelleth in a glorified and immortal body, enjoying all
the content and happiness belonging to such an estate. Now of this
the objection may be supposed to speak ; namely, as we are without
misery, in an endless state of blessedness both as to our souls and*,
bodies. Now this is a matter of faith, and therefore cannot be the fuel
of hypocrisy ; temporal convenience may be such ; as credit, reputation,
and respect in the world are ; and therefore this we labour for, and
aim at.
3. We must distinguish between ratio formalis and ratio motiva ;
our first motions and inducements, and the formal and proper reasons of
our love to God ; we first love God for his benefits, and they are still
motives to quicken and increase our love ; but afterwards we love and
delight in him for his excellences, both essential and moral, the per
fection of his being and holiness. That which first draweth our hearts
to God, is his benignity and bounty, his offers of pardon and life ; and
we must look at those, or we shall never begin with God ; but after
wards we love him upon other reasons ; and holiness itself hath our
heart and love.
To bring it to the case in hands. That hatred is most pure, which
is carried out against sin, as sin ; because of the contrariety that is in
it against the pure and holy nature and law of God : Ps cxix. 140,
* Thy word is very pure, therefore thy servant loveth it.' And so by
consequence to hate sin as it is avo^la a transgression of this pure and
righteous law ; but this is not our first, or only motive of obedience and
thankfulness to God. Surely what things were necessary to preserve
man in his natural frame, are necessary to reduce and bring him back
again into it, and to preserve him in it when once reduced ; such were
penalties and rewards, life and death ; yea, much more now the enemy
hath invaded us. Therefore besides the inclination of the new nature,
which carrieth us to God, and holiness, and heaven, our happiness,
well-being, and personal benefit, are good and powerful motives.
4. There is a threefold use of the reward of life in this work of
mortification.
[1.] To quicken a backward heart, which hangeth off because we are
loath to come under so severe a discipline. Sorrow for sin is trouble
some to the flesh, but the reward sweeteneth it. A carnal man thinketh
that if he should give up himself to this course, he shall never see a
merry day more, but grow mopish and melancholy. Now when the
flesh paints out the spiritual life in such a black and dark lineaments,
it is good to reflect upon the glorious life that shall ensue. There is
some difficulty at first, though not so much as the flesh imagineth ;
but it will turn to eternal life and peace. Christ keepeth the best
88 SKIIMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XX,
at last; Satan may set out his best commodities at first, but the
worst come after. Christ may begin with you roughly; but the
longer you are acquainted with him the better. When you come
to die, you will not repent that you have not pleased the flesh, and
satisfied your carnal desires. It is good to consider what things
will be at the end, either of the carnal or spiritual life. The devil
seeketh to glut men in their best days with the sweetest pleasures and
contentments ; but at last, the misery, the shame, the horror t
Therefore it is good to reflect upon the issue of things, that we may
not stand off from God. Consider not what they are now, but what
they will be hereafter : 2 Cor. vii. 10, * For godly sorrow worketh
repentance to salvation, not to be repented of.' Many have repented
of their carnal mirth ; never any of their godly sorrow.
[2.] In your conflict, to baffle a temptation. Heaven and hell should
always be before the eyes of a watchful Christian, but especially in<
actual conflicts, that you may declare your higher esteem of your hopes,
than all the baits that are presented to you in the temptation. God
hath promised better things. Moses counterbalanced the pleasures of
sin, with the recompence of reward, Heb. xi. 25, 26. The devil offer-
eth you to your loss ; the glory set before you doth outweigh all.
[3.] To put us upon a conformity, and greater suitableness to our
hopes : 1 John iii. 3, ' He that hath this hope in him, purifieth him
self as Christ himself is pure.' I hope for such a pure estate ; shall I
allow either stains in my soul, or spots and blemishes in my conversa
tion ? 2 Pet. iii. 14, ' Seeing ye look for such things, be diligent that
you may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless/
They do not look for such things, that are not careful to clarify and
refine their souls for the present.
Fourthly. I shall show the sufficiency and powerfulness of this
motive. 1. Because of the certainty of this life promised. Surely
there is a life after this life is ended ; nature guesseth at it, but Christ
hath brought it to light, 2 Tim. i. 10. The Scripture revealeth it as
the great benefit promised by Christ : 1 John ii. 25, ' And this is the
promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life ; ' it argueth for
it : 1 Cor. xv. 19, 'If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are
of all men most miserable.' God would not proselyte us to a religion
that should be our undoing, and make us more miserable than other
men, by a voluntary denying of the pleasures of the flesh, and exposing
us to sufferings from others. It giveth us a visible demonstration of
it, by Christ's resurrection and ascension ; he is gone into that glory
which he spake of : 1 Pet i. 2, ' Who by him do believe in God, that
raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory.' God's expressions
about it are strong and clear, but our persuasions of it are too weak,
or else a small contentment would not so often persuade us from our
duty. Surely we doubt of the reality of the world to come, or else we
would be sooner persuaded to curb the flesh, and restrain its desires,
and wean ourselves from a vain world, that we may be prepared for
a better.
2. The excellency of this life above all other lives that may be com
pared with it.
[1.] With life natural ; so it is a glorious life, and it is eternal.
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 89
First, a glorious life ; for we live immediately upon God, who is all in
all to us ; not only the soul, but the body, is incorruptible and spiritual.
The contentments of the present life are base and low ; it is called
' the life of our hands ; ' because with much labour we get the provisions
necessary to supply it. It is a life patched up by the creatures ; we
have our clothing from the sheep, and silk-worm ; our food out of the
earth, or things nourished by the earth. We are forced to ransack all
the store-houses of nature, that we may keep up a ruinous fabric,
which is ready to drop down upon all occasions : 1 Cor. vi. 13, ' Meats
for the belly, and the belly for meats, but God shall destroy both it
and them.' But there the contentments are high and noble, and
our faculties are more enlarged. Then, if ever, it is our meat
and drink to do our Father's will. Secondly. The life is eternal ;
we are never weary of it, and never deprived of it. The pre
sent life is a kind of death; like a stream it floweth from us as
fast as it cometh to us. It is called a vapour (Jam. iv. 14,)
that appeareth, and disappeareth ; a flying shadow, Job. xiv. 2. We
die as fast as we live ; it is no permanent thing ; but there our years
shall have no end ; the pain and trouble of duty is short, but the
reward is eternal.
[2.] Compare it with life spiritual ; this is like it but differeth from
it ; it is a blessed and perfect life. First, it is a blessed life, free from
all miseries ; all tears are wiped from our eyes, and sorrow and pain
shall be no more ; we shall always be before the throne ot God, and
behold the glory of Christ, and live in the company of saints and angels ;
but the spiritual life doth not exempt us from miseries, rather it exposeth
us to them. To outward troubles it doth : 2 Tim. iii. 12, ' Yea, and
all that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution.' And
as to inward troubles, we are not freed from all doubts of God's love ;
though the wounds are cured, the scars remain ; Absalom when
pardoned, was not to see the king's face. Secondly, it is a perfect life.
There is a perfect freedom, not only from misery, but from sin.
There is no spot or wrinkle on the face of the glorified saints, Eph. v.
27. Here the spiritual life is clogged with so many infirmities and
corruptions, that the comfort of it is little perceived ; as a child in
infancy, for all his reason, knoweth little of the delights of a man.
Here we only get so much grace as will keep us alive, in the midst
of defects and failings, and have much ado to mortify and master
corruption ; but then it is nullified and quite abolished, that we shall
never be in danger of sinning again. Oh, think then of this blessed
estate ! believe it, for God hath revealed it ; hope for it, because Christ
hath promised it ; and if you submit to the discipline of the Spirit,
you shall be sure to find it,. Christ, when he went to heaven, sent the
Spirit to lead us thither where he is ; and the great preparation he
worketh in us, to make us capable of this blessed estate, is by mortifying
the deeds of the body ; the sooner that is done, the more meet and
ready you are.
Use. Let all this that hath been spoken, quicken you to mortification.
Many things are required of us but the blessing of all cometh from
the Spirit. The two great means we have already handled ; but now
some more.
90 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SEE. XX.
1. The heart must thoroughly be possessed of the evil of siri ; we
think it no great matter, and so give way to it, and pass it over as a
matter of nought. Oh, let it not seem a light thing to you ; do not
dandle it, or indulge it, or stroke it with a gentle censure ; it is the
creature's disobedience and rebellion against the absolute and universal
sovereign : 1 Johu iii 4, ' He that commit teth sin, transgresseth also
the law ; for sin is a transgression of the law.' It is a depreciation and
contempt of God's authority : 2 Sam. xii. 9, ' Wherefore hast thou
despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight ? '
It is the deformity of the noblest creature upon* earth, Rom. iii. 24.
We have sinned, and are come short of the glory of God. A stain
so deep, that nothing could wash it away but the blood of Christ, Heb.
ix. 14 ; a flood that drowned a world of sinners, but did not wash
away their sin : 2 Pet ii. 5, Bringing in the flood upon the world of
the ungodly/ Hell itself can never end and purge it out ; therefore
it hath no end. God loathed the creature for sin, and nothing else
but sin ; his own people, Deut. xxxii. 19, 'he abhorred them because of
the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters/ God doth not make
little reckoning of sin ; he doth not overlook it ; why should we ?
2. Watchfulness not only against less acts, but lusts ; not only lusts,
but tendencies ; especially an ill habit of soul, pride, worldliness, or
sensuality : Mark. iii. 37, ' What I say unto you, I say unto all,
watch/
3. With watching must go prayer : Mat. xxvi. 41, ' Watch and
pray, that ye enter not into temptation ; the spirit indeed is willing,
but the flesh is weak/ For God is our preserver ; we watch, that we
may not be careless ; and we pray, that we may not be self-confident.
4. Keep up heart government : Prov. xxv. 28, ' He that ruleth not
his spirit is like a city whose wall is broken down,' a thoroughfare for
temptations, open to every comer. Unbridled passions and affections
will soon betray us to evil, if anger, envy, grief, (ear, be not under
restraints. As in a town that is broken down and without walls, the
inhabitants may go and come at pleasure, night and day; there is
nothing to hinder, no gates, no bars, friend or foe ; there is nothing to
hinder egress or regress ; so it is with an ungoverned soul.
5. Live always as in the sight of God : 1 John iii. 6 ; Eph. v. 11, 'He
that doth evil, hath not seen God/ Job xxxi. 4, ' Doth not he see my
ways, and count all my steps ? ' A serious sight of God is a great
check and awe to sin ; ' Will he force the queen before my face ? '
Shall we sin, when God looketh on ?
6. Serious covenanting with God, or devoting ourselves to him :
1 Pet. iv. 12, ' Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the
flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind ; for he that hath
suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin ; that he should no longer
live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will
of God ; ' and Rom. vi. 13, ' Neither yield ye your members as instru
ments of unrighteousness unto sin ; but yield yourselves unto God, as
those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments
of righteousness unto God.
7. ( Humiliation for sin. This checketh the pleasure we take in it ;
this is begun in fear, continued in shame, and carried on further by
VER. 14.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vin. 91
sorrow, and ended in indignation ; we fear it as damning ; we are
ashamed of it as defiling ; we sorrow for it, as it is an act of unkind-
ness against God ; and we have indignation against it, as unsuitable to
our glorious hopes, and present interest : Isa. xxx. 22, ' And thou shalt
cast them away as a menstruous cloth ; thou shalt say unto it, get ye
hence/ Hos. xiv. 8, ' Ephraim shall say, what have I any more to do
with idols ? ' This is the soul's expulsive faculty.
8. Thankfulness for the grace received : 1 Sam. xxv. 32, 33, ' Blessed
be God, that kept me from shedding of innocent blood ; ' Gen. xx. 6,
' I withheld thee from sinning against me.' Disappointments of provi
dence, restraints of grace, the power of saving grace : Kom. vii. 25,
' I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.'
9. Diligence in God's work. Standing pools are apt to putrify ;
when men are not taken up for God, they are at leisure for evil :
2 Sam. xi. 2, ' And it came to pass in the evening tide, that David arose
from his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house, and from
the roof he saw a woman washing herself ; and the woman was very
beautiful to look upon, and the king sent for her/ etc.
10. The remembrance of the other world, whither you are hastening :
1 Pet. ii. 11, 'I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from
fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.' "You need not long for the
flesh-pots of Egypt, when you are going to a land that floweth with
milk and honey.
SERMON XXT.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.
EOM. VIII. 14.
THESE words are given as a reason of what went before ; that which
immediately went before is a promise of eternal life to those who
by the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body. The reason may
be supposed to relate to the promise, or the qualification : first, to
the reward promised. Thus ; they shall live in eternal happ iness
and glory, for they are the sons of God; if we be children, God
will deal with us as children, bestow the inheritance upon us, and therefore
we shall live. Secondly, the qualification. They do by the Spirit
mortify the deeds of the body ; the Spirit of God sustaineth a double
relation, as our sanctifier, and our comforter. The former is proper to
this place ; he is our sanctifier, either with respect to the first infusion
of grace, or the continual direction and ordering of grace so infused.
Now this must be interpreted with respect to the twofold work of a
Christian, the mortifying of sin, or the perfecting of holiness ; his
restraining or inviting motions. The first belongeth to the one, the
second to the other ; if we obey the Spirit's motions in the curbing
and restraining evil, and subduing our proneness thereunto, then we
shall live; 'for as many as are led/ etc. He proveth it a signo
92 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XXI.
notificativo ; this being led and guided by the Holy Ghost is an in
fallible proof of our adoption, or being taken into God's family : ' for
as many as are led by the Spirit of God/ etc.
Observe here,
1. A sure note and qualification, ' as many as are led by the Spirit/
2. A blessed privilege, * are the sons of God.' In the former,
[1.1 The note itself, or the duty which evidences our claim, ' being
led/ "
[2.] The universality of it, 'as many/ It is to be understood
inclusive and exclusive ; they, and none but they. There is in the
proposition that which they call simplex conversio, all that are led are
the sons of God ; and backward, all that are the sons of God are led
by the Spirit of God.
Doct. That all that are led by the Spirit of God may know and
conclude themselves to be children of God.
I shall first explain, (1.) The qualification ; (2.) The privilege.
First, The qualification ; We are said to be led by the Spirit.
It must be understood actively, with respect to his direction ; and
passively on our parts, as we submit to that direction. The Spirit is
our guide, and we must obey his motions.
1. The Spirit performeth the office of a guide and leader to the godly.
The Spirit giveth us life, motion, and direction these three things
are inseparable in nature and grace ; life, motion, and conduct. The
same causes which make us live, make us act. The creature dependeth
upon God in his motion, as well as his being, Acts xvii. 28 ; and the
regulation of our motions belongeth to the same power. It is so in
nature, and it is much more so in grace, and they succeed in this
order ; it is a work that followeth regeneration ; first, we are born of
the Spirit, before we are moved and guided by the Spirit. The Spirit
first infuseth the gracious habits : Ezek. xxxvi. 26, ' A new heart will
I give you, and a new spirit will I put into you/ Secondly, He exciteth
the soul to act, and assisteth the new creature in acting according to
these habits and principles : Phil. ii. 13, ' He worketh in us both to
will and to do according to his own pleasure ;' Gal. v. 25, * If we live
in the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit/ Thirdly, He directeth our
actions by enlightening our understandings, and governing and guiding
our inclinations, to do that which is pleasing to God. This is that
which I am to speak of ; and here I shall show you, that.
[1.] This direction is promised : Isa. xxx. 21, ' And thine ears shall
hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk in it, when ye
turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.' God guideth
his people in ^ all their ways to heaven and happiness ; not only by
general directions, but particular motions and excitations : Ps. xxv. 9,
4 The meek will he guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his
way.' This is the privilege of poor, meek, and humble souls, that they
shall not want a guide to direct them in the way to heaven ; so ver. 12,
' What man is he that feareth God ? him will he teach in the way
that he shall choose.' An humble believer, that would not displease
God for all the world, and counts the least sin a greater evil than the
greatest temporal loss, may be encouraged to expect light and direction
from God, to order all his actions so as he may best please God :
VER. 14.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vnr. 93
Isa. xlviii. 17, ' Thus saitli the Lord, thy Kedeemer, the Holy One of
Israel, I am the Lord thy God, which teacheth thee to profit, that
leadeth thee by the way thou shouldest go.'
[2.] So it is begged by the saints, as a great and necessary blessing :
Ps. xxv. 4, 5, ' Show me thy ways, God, teach me thy paths ;
lead me in thy truth, and teach me ; for thou art the God of my
salvation ; on thee do I wait all the day long.' Mark how earnest
he is show me, teach me, lead me ; as if he could never enough express
his desire and value of this benefit. Mark his argument, ' Thou art
the God of my salvation/ in covenant with us, and the God of our
salvation ; so he hath undertaken in the covenant to save us ; as God
is our God, so he hath undertaken to be our guide, to teach and lead
us ; and doth not lay aside this relation till our salvation be accom
plished. And mark his continual necessity, ' on thee do I wait all the
day long ; ' as if he would not be left for a moment in the hand of his
own counsel. So, Ps. cxix. 33, ' Teach me, God, the way of thy
statutes, and I shall keep it unto the end.' The way to heaven is a
narrow way, hard to be found, hardly to be kept, and easily mistaken,
except God teach us daily by his Spirit. There are innumerable by
paths from terrors and allurements without, and we of ourselves are
weak, and subject to errors within : so Ps. cxliii. 10, * Teach me to do
thy will, for thou art my God ; thy Spirit is good, lead me into the land
of uprightness/ They that would walk circumspectly, and incur no
blame from God, and hazard to their souls, need ever to seek direction
from God according to his covenant. We need such teaching, as hath
with it leading ; and such direction, as hath with 'it strengthening unto
obedience ; such as will not only help us to understand the general
rule, but also how to apply it to particular actions, that no part of our
duty may be left upon ourselves ; and this only can we have from the
Spirit of God, who directeth and leadeth us in all our choices and
actions. Well then, whosoever would walk in a regular course of life,
in an exact obedience to all the commands of God, and do nothing but
what is all perfectly good and acceptable in God's sight, must thus beg
for the leading of his gracious and sanctifying Spirit, who is the only
fountain of all goodness and holiness, to direct him and assist him in
every turn and motion of his life.
[3.] The necessity of it ; because we are unable to guide ourselves :
'the way of man is not in himself/ Jer. x. 23 ; ' it is not in man that
walketh to direct his steps.' The metaphor of leading is taken from
the blind or the weak; the blind who cannot see their way, must
have one to lead them ; and the lame, who though they can see, yet
cannot walk of themselves, but must have one to help them. The
ignorant traveller needs a guide, and the weak child a nurse to
attend upon him. It is true, the children of God are light in the
Lord ; besides their natural reason, they have some understanding of
the way of godliness ; but yet to a steady, constant course of obedience,
strict and righteous living, we need to be directed by the good Spirit,
to make that light which we have both directive and persuasive.
(1.) Directive : Though we have a general understanding of our duty,
yet to make use of it in all particular cases needeth new grace from
God. The heathens were wise in generals, Rom. i. 20 ; they became vain
94 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XXI.
ev SiaXoyio-fjLols in their imaginations, and their practical inferences from
these general truths ; their foolish heart was darkened, and professing
themselves to be wise, they became fools. And though the people of
God have greater advantages by that knowledge they have from the
scripture, whereby they are made wise unto salvation, and get mor^
by God's putting his laws into their minds in regeneration, whereby they
become light in the Lord ; yet being not impeccable, and having many
mixtures of sin yet remaining in every faculty, in particular cases are
apt to err, and turn out of the way, being in part ignorant and heedless,
and too often blinded by their own rebellious lusts and passions ;
therefore they desire that God would not leave them to themselves, but
warn them of their snares and dangers, that they may still keep the
path of life without defection or turning aside : Ps. cxix. 133, ' Order
my steps in thy word ; and let not any one iniquity have dominion
over me.' They would not only have their path right, but their steps
ordered ; as not their general course wrong, as those who walk in
the way of everlasting perdition, so not a step awry ; they would not
miss the way to heaven, either in whole or in part. Men that have such
a tenderness upon them, see a continual need of God's counsel, which
careless and slight spirits do not; they would not be corrupted by
their covetousness, or sensuality, or ambition ; these things blind them in
particular cases, though they see their way, or know their duty in the
general. Therefore they need the constant assistance of the Spirit, to
rescue them from the power of every known sin, and to keep them in
exact obedience. For all our general light, pride or passion, or sensual
and worldly inclinations may make us err.
(2.) That our light may be persuasive, and overcome temptations
and inclinations to sin. Alas ! how weak are our arguings, and how
easily are our considerations of our duty overborne, when a temptation
set's our lusts to work, and comes on upon us with fresh strength ! We
see what we should do, but, yet we are carried away by our rebellious
affections to do the contrary ; or through sloth and negligence omit to
do that which conscience calleth for at our hands. Poor truth is taken
captive, and held prisoner, detained in unrighteousness, Kom. i. 18 ;
it may talk, like a man in chains, but hath no power, can do nothing
to break the force of the temptation. But now the Spirit's leading is
lively and effectual ; to be led is to be excited, moved, stirred forward,
yea, effectually inclined to do those things which please God ; he leadeth
us not only monendo, by warning us of our duty, or enlightening our
minds ; but movendo, by inclining our hearts. The Holy Ghost doth
enlighten our minds, and warm our affections, and purge away their
impurities ; we are moved, that we may move ; and we receive the
impression of his grace, that we may act, and do the things he inclineth
us unto. This powerful leading the saints beg : Ps. cxix. 34, 35,
1 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law ; yea, I shall observe
it with my whole heart. Make me to go in the path of thy com
mandments, for therein do I delight.' God's teaching begets obedience ;
he showeth us the path of life, and he maketh us to go in it It is such
direction that giveth strength, that exciteth the sluggish will, and
breaketh the force of corrupt inclinations; it removeth the darkness
which corruption and sin have brought upon the mind, and maketh us
VER. 14.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vnr. 95
pliable and ready to obey ; yea, it giveth not only the will, but the
deed; in short, it engageth us in a watchful, careful, uniform, and
constant obedience.
[4.] The nature or manner how the Spirit performeth the office of
a guide, or a leader to us. He guide thus, partly by his word ; and
partly by his inspirations and motions, or the light of internal grace.
By his word, that containeth the matter of his guidance and direction :
Ps. cxix. 105, ' Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my
path.' Mark, there is path, sand, feet; not only direction for our general
choice and course, but our particular actions ; and mark also the notions
by which the word is expressed, lamp, and light. We have the light
of the sun by day, and we make use of a lamp or candle by night ;
whether it be day or night, in all conditions, as well as in all actions,
here is a sure direction ; therefore the word is called the sword of the
Spirit ; now this is the light the Spirit maketh use of. Partly, the
inward inspirations and motions of his grace, that we may have a
spiritual discerning, 1 Cor. ii. 14. Besides the outward letter, there
must be an inward light, that the understanding be opened, as well as
the Scriptures ; as it is said of Christ, Luke xxiv. 45, that he first
opened the scriptures, and then opened their understandings. Other
wise our light is only literal and speculative, not operative and
efficacious.
[5.] The parts and branches of this leading are two ; First, His
restraining motions for the mortifying of sin, and his inviting motions
for the perfecting of holiness. He teacheth us, as he leadeth us into
all truth, what we are to reject, what to believe in religion. Again,
what is to be left undone in the practice of our lives ; and he backeth
both with what we ought to hope and fear after death in the other
world.
(1.) His leading consisteth in his restraining motions, for the mortify
ing of sin, or the avoiding of sin. When we are running into the
snare, he mindeth us of our danger ; as when any evil habit, or spiritual
disease is growing upon our spirits, or when we are about to do some
thing unseemly and offensive to God, the Spirit in effect saith, ' do
not this abominable thing which I hate ! but cast out pride, worldliness,
and sensuality ; do not give way to such and such lusts.' The Holy
Ghost is in a singular manner familiar with God's people, taking up a
place of abode in their hearts, and furnishing them with sweet and
necessary counsel and advice from time to time ; therefore he is said to
strive with us, when he opposeth himself to our corrupt inclinations :
Gen, vi. 3, 'My Spirit shall not always strive with man.' He striveth
by inward motions and checks of conscience, by which he seeketh to
humble us for sin, and to reclaim us from sin ; if we struggle against
these, we lose our advantage : Neh. ix. 20-30, ' Thou gavest them
also thy good Spirit to instruct them. Thou testifiedst against them
by the Spirit to bring them back to thy law/ In these and many
places, we read of the Spirit's guidance : ' If ye through the Spirit
mortify the deeds of the body.' We must avoid those things he
dissuadeth us from.
(2.) There are his inviting and quickening motions, to bring us on
in a way of holiness, and to perfect the work of grace in us, and fit us
96 BERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [$ER. XXI.
more for God's use and service. He doth not only close us at first with.
Christ, but is the agent and worker of the life of Christ within us, to
do his work, and maintain his interest, and sanctify us throughout, as
we have experience of his restraining motions, that we may be more
and more conformed to God's blessed will, and seek our delight and
happiness in communion with his blessed self: Ps. xxvii. 8, ' The Lord
said, Seek ye my face : and my heart said, thy face, Lord, will I seek.'
God speaketh to us by the injection of holy thoughts, and the secret
inspirations of his grace, and we speak to God by the inclinations and
resolutions of our own souls. This dialogue is carried on in soul
language ; there need no audible words between God and the soul ; so
in other places, how often doth he solicit us by his holy motions and
inspirations ! The Spirit inclineth and presseth us to that which is
good.
2. As the office of the Spirit is to guide and lead, so it is our duty
to submit to his direction; to be led by him. That maketh the
evidence in the passive sense, if we suffer ourselves to be led and guided
by him in all things ; for otherwise the Spirit worketh on many, but
they will not hear ; they either neglect or resist his motions. There
is a double voice within us, the flesh and the Spirit ; and men's spiritual
estate is determined by submission and compliance with either : Rom.
viii. 1, ' That walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. ' The flesh
is near and dear to us, and very imperious and importunate to be
pleased. Now some men live in. a perfect obedience to the flesh,
according to the fancies and appetites of corrupt nature, and deny it
nothing which it craveth at their hands ; but there is another voice
within us, saying, This is the way, walk in it ; thus you must do, if
you mean to be happy. Now let us not hear and pass by, as if you
heard not ; no, you must suffer yourselves to be led and governed by
this voice, or this blessed Spirit in all ; you must improve his assist
ance, wait for his approaches, obey his sanctifying motions, direct ali
the actions of your lives according to his guidance and counsel ; that is
your evidence.
[1.] I shall urge it in conformity to Christ. There is a perfect like
ness between Christians and Christ ; all the privileges which Christ had,
are conveyed to us by the Spirit. If Jesus be the natural Son of the
Father, the Christian is his adopted son, John xx. 17 ; if Jesus be the
heir of all things, a Christian is a co-heir with Christ, Rom. viii. 17 ;
if Jesus be innocent, the Christian is justified ; if Jesus be born of the
Spirit, or framed by the Holy Ghost, the Christian is regenerated, born
also of water, and the Holy Ghost, John iii. 5 ; if Jesus be evidenced
to be the Son of God by the coming down of the Holy Ghost upon
him, the Spirit beareth witness with our spirits, that we are the sons
of God. Jesus was led by the Spirit continually, so we ; if he retire
into the desert, if he come back again into Galilee, he is still led by
tfce Spirit : Mat. iv., ' Jesus was led up of the Spirit into the wilderness/
the Holy Ghost aiding him in that conflict ; when it was ended,
Luke iv. 14, ' Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee,'
that is, to preach, or to execute his prophetical office ; if he cast out
devils, Mat. xii. 14, ' I cast out devils by the Spirit of God.' Thus it
was with Christ; certainly therefore whatever design we conceive,
VER. 14.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vnr. 97
whatever resolution we take, whatever enterprize we would bring to
pass, we are always bound to depend upon the Holy Ghost ; the Spirit
must still lead us and move us in all our operations.
[2.] The great mischief which will ensue, if we obey not his sanctify
ing motions and inspirations. You will resist the Spirit and vex him :
Isa. Ixiii. 10, * They rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit ; and therefore
he turned to be their enemy.' The other expression, Eph. iv. 30, 'Grieve
not the holy Spirit.' He is grieved when the flesh is obeyed before
him ; the Spirit sustaineth a double relation, our sanctifier, and our
comforter ; let us not resist our sanctifier, nor grieve our comforter.
Surely we should not be ungrateful to this Holy Spirit; if we be
holy, he sanctifieth us; if free, it ig he sets us at liberty; if wise, he
enlighteneth us. If gratitude cannot prevail, yet our interest should ;
he is our comforter, and we blot our evidence, darken his seal, and so
deprive ourselves of that joy and peace which we might have in our
souls, if he were obeyed. There is one great mischief above this, which
God sets up as a dreadful warning for our caution, despiting the Spirit
of grace, Heb. x. 29. To resist the Spirit is dangerous. To resist the
Father speaking in the law ; to resist the Son speaking in the gospel,
offering our remedy ; but to resist the Holy Ghost, who would help
us to accept this remedy, there is no other relief for us, no other divine
person to give it us. The mission of the Holy Ghost is the last offer
for the recovery of mankind ; there is nothing more to be expected ;
if we submit not to his inspirations, and wilfully refuse to give ear to
his counsel, our salvation is hopeless.
Secondly, let me now open the privilege, they are the sons of God.
This privilege may be considered,
1. As to the real grant on God's part.
2. As to their own sense of their adoption on the believers' part.
1. As to the real, grant on God's part. It was intended to the elect
from all eternity : Eph. i. 5, ' Being predestinated to the adoption of
children ; ' in time it is brought about by Christ's death, or the work
of redemption, Gal. iv. 4, 5 ; But actually instated upon us, when we
are regenerated, and do believe : John i. 12, 13, ' To as many as
received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even
to them that believe in his name ; which were born, not of blood, nor
of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.' They are
born of God, and so made the sons of God. Being called out of nature
to grace, in their effectual calling, they are made sons and daughters
to the most High God ; first he doth renew their natures, and make
them holy, then reconciled to God as their Father in Christ ; this is
the first grant.
2. As to their own sense of their adoption, that is spoken of heres
they show themselves to be God's children, and so may know themselve ;
to be God's children.
[1.] Because they have the certain evidence that they are received
for children by God, through faith in Christ ; and that is holiness. If
our carriage be suitable to our estate and privileges, why should we
doubt ? Eph. i. 4, 5, ' Elected to be holy, without blame before him in
love, having predestinated us to the adoption of children.' They have
VOL. xii. G
98 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SflR. XXL
the true pledge of God's love, and that is the Spirit ; and they show the
true fruit of their love to God, and that is obedience to his sanctifying
motions ; they are led by the Spirit, and so without blame before him
in love ; as they have a greater measure of the fruits, so it is every day
more clear to them.
[2.] The same Spirit that leadeth them, doth assure and ascertain
them ; for our sanctifier is our comforter. And the more a sanctifier,
the more a comforter; first in a darker way, leaving a child-like
impression upon them, inclining them to go to God as a father ; though
their adoption be not so explicit and clear: ver. 15, 'Ye have not
received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but the spirit of adoption,
whereby we cry, Abba, Father ; ' and Gal. iv. 6, ' And because ye are
sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying
Abba, Father.' The*children of God deal with God as a father, cry to
him as a father, cannot keep away from him, when they dare not so
expressly entitle themselves his children. Secondly, in a clearer way,
when he manifests his presence by a supernatural and powerful change
wrought in the heart, and discovered ; whereby they conclude their
own gracious estate : ver. 1 6, ' The Spirit itself beareth witness with
our spirits that we are the children of God/ The Spirit helps to
discern his own work, or the image of Christ stamped upon them, in
a fair and bright character.
[3.] This is a great privilege ; that will appear if we consider our
present relation to God, or our future inheritance.
(1.) Our present relation to God: 1 John iii. 1, * Behold what love
1he Father hath showed us, that we should be called the children of
God.' We are his children ; and God is, as our father, pleased to own
us as his children ; we are not born sons, but made so by grace ; by
nature we are children of wrath, Eph. ii. 3 ; the very term adoption
implieth it. A child by adoption is opposed to a child by nature ; for
men are not said to adopt their own children, but strangers ; now
that strangers and enemies should not only be reconciled, but also be
called the sons of God, O what unspeakable mercy is it ! To have
the blessed God, whom we had so often offended, to become our recon
ciled father in Christ ! It is not an empty title that he assumeth ; but
hath more abundant love and tenderness to our welfare than any title
can make us understand.
(2.) Our future inheritance. Our right floweth from our sonship :
Rom. viii. 17, ' And if children, then heirs ; heirs of God, and joint
heirs with Christ ; ' Titus iii. 5, 6, 7, ' Not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the
washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, which
he hath shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour ;
That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according
to the hope of eternal life.' 1 Pet. i. 3, 4, ' Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which, according to his abundant
mercy, hath begotten us again to a lively hope, by the resurrection of
Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and unde-
filed, that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.' Luke xii.
32, ' Fear not, little flock, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you
VER. 14.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vn r. 99
a kingdom.' What may we 'not expect from the bounty of such a
father ? Surely he that would pardon his enemies, will bless his
children, and that for evermore.
Use 1. Is to inform us,
1. Of the nature of the Spirit's conduct. It is sweet, but powerful :
it accomplished its effect without offering violence to the liberty of
man ; we are not drawn, taken, or driven as beasts, but led, guided to
happiness ; not forced thither against our wills, or without our consent.
The inclinations of man are free ; there is not a violent impulsion,
but a sweet guidance and direction ; yet he is subject to the leading,
government, and drawing of the Spirit.
2. It informeth us of the great condescension of God to new creatures.
[1.] In his care over them. They are led by the Spirit during their
pilgrimage ; well guided, and well guarded : Heb. i. 14, * Are they not
all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be
heirs of salvation ? ' They have the Spirit for direction, and the angels
for defence ; their charge is not cura animarum, but custodia corporis.
[2.] In the great honour he puts upon them, and reserveth for them.
Now these are the children of God ; hereafter they shall have the
inheritance ; then is adoption complete : Kom. viii. 23, ' Even we our
selves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, the redemption
of our bodies.' If annihilated after death, or their life drawn out to
all eternity upon earth, allowing them so tolerable contentment, there
had been a favour, comparing their estate with damned reprobates ;
but he hath done better for them ; having after a short time of trial
and service here, appointed endless joys and pleasures for them at his
right hand for evermore. Now he taketh them into his family, then
into his bosom.
Use 2. Is to press us to put ourselves under the conduct and govern
ment of the Holy Spirit. It is implied in our baptism : Mat. xxviii.
19, 'Go therefore, teach and baptise all nations in the name of the
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost/ By our express consent, we take God
for our lord and portion, and Christ for our redeemer and saviour ;
and the Spirit for our guide, sanctifier, and comforter. There is all
the reason to press us to it : First, From his excellency. He cannot
deceive us, because he is the Spirit of truth ; he cannot engage us in
evil, because he is the Spirit of holiness. From his readiness to do
good : Ps. xxv. 9, ' Good and upright is the Lord, therefore he will
teach sinners in the way,' the poor sinner that is weary of his wander
ing, that is truly humble for his failings and wanderings, and comes
to him for pardon and grace. Secondly, From our necessity. Our
heedless headlong spirit will soon transport us to some inconveniency :
Prov. iii. 5, 6, ' Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not on
thine own understanding ; in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he
shall direct thy path/ It is the greatest judgment to be given up to
our own hearts' counsels. Thirdly, From the effects, the peace and
comfort which followeth his guidance: Jer.. vi. 16, 'Stand ye on the
ways and see, and ask for the good old paths, where is the good way,
and walk therein, and you shall find rest to your souls; ' and Ps. cxliii.,
10, ' Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God ; thy Spirit is good,
lead me into the land of uprightness.' But what must we do ?
100 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIIF. [SfiR. XXL
Answer, 1. Continually desire his assistance and powerful conduct :
Luke xi. 13, ' If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy
Spirit to them that ask him ? ' It is pleasing to God : 1 Kings iii. 9,
10, ' Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart, to judge thy
people, that I may discern between good and bad ; and the speech
pleased the Lord.'
2. Let us co-operate with his motions, mortifying the wisdom and the
desires of the flesh ; avoiding all those things he dissuadeth us from.
You grieve him, when you disturb his comforting work, or disobey his
sanctifying motions : Eph. iv. 30, ' And grieve not the Holy Spirit,
whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption.' Do not break through
when he would restrain you, or refuse or draw back when he would
impel and invite ydu to good. The Spirit of God will not forsake
you, unless you forsake him first; he is grieved when the wisdom
of the flesh is obeyed before his counsel, and his holy inclinations
smothered, and we yield easily to the requests of sin, but are deaf to
his motions.
3. Let us humble ourselves when we sin through frailty, and leave
the directions of the Holy Ghost ; let us ever be more wary afterwards :
Ps. li. 6, ' In the inward parts shalt thou make me to know wisdom.'
We catch many a fall when we leave our guide ; as the child when
without his nurse he will take to his own feet.
Use 3. Is trial ; for it is propounded as a mark of the children of
God. Now by whose counsel are you guided? Some follow their
own spirit, not the Spirit of God ; are guided by the wisdom of the
flesh, and their own. carnal affections; led away from God by the lusts
of their own heart, and the temptations of the devil ; taken captive by
him at his will and pleasure, 2 Tim. ii. 26. Our conversations will
declare that which is prevalent. Principiata respondent suis principiis,
the constant effects declare the prevailing principle.
1. The effects of the Spirit's leading are an heavenly life : 1 Cor. ii.
12, ' Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit
of God, that we might know the things that are freely given us of
God ; ' and 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 understandings
being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling,
and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints/ The
Spirit leadeth us to those tilings that are above ; the flesh leadeth us
to those things here below ; to flesh-pleasing vanities, vain perishing
delights, grateful only to sense.
2. The Spirit leadeth to an holy life, and obedience to God : Eph.
iv. 24, ' And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created
in righteousness and true holiness/
3. To spiritual things : Kom. viii. 5, c They that are after the flesh,
do mind the things of the flesh ; but they that are after the Spirit, the
things of the Spirit ; ' and Gal. vi. 8, ' He that soweth to the flesh, shall
of the flesh reap corruption ; but he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of
the Spirit reap life everlasting,' to excel in these things, though with
the loss of carnal pleasures.
V.ER. 15.] SKRMONS UPON ROMANS VII J. 101
4. To all duties to our neighbour : Eph. v. 9, ' For the fruit of the
Spirit is in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth ; ' Gal. v. 22, 23,
' But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness, temperance ; against such there is no law.'
SERMON XXII.
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear ; but ye
have received the spirit of adoption, ivhereby we cry, Abba,
Father. ROM. VIII. 15.
THE words contain a reason why those who are led by the Spirit are
the children of God. The reason is, because they have received the
covenant of grace ; and the spirit which accompanieth the new covenant
is not the spirit of bondage, but adoption. It is propounded, 1.
? Negatively ; 2. Affirmatively.
1. Negatively. They were freed from the servile fear of condemna
tion, which the legal covenant wrought in them.
2. Affirmatively. They were endowed with the spirit of adoption,
or a persuasion of their Father's love, or of God's admitting them into
his family, and the right of inheritance ; and so were drawn to obedi
ence by noble motives, suitable to the covenant they were under.
For the first clause in the text, ye have not received the spirit of
bondage again to fear.
In which words observe,
1. The state of men under the law-covenant it is a state of bondage.
2. The operation of the Spirit during that dispensation, it made
men sensible of their bondage : * Ye have not received the spirit of
bondage/ There is the Spirit mentioned, and, irdkiv, again, implying
that during that dispensation they had it.
3. The impression left upon the heart of man, et9 <o/3oy, 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 your 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
the divine majesty, or an humble sense of the condition, place, and duty
of a creature towards its creator. The fear 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 out
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 SKKMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiK. 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 good ; the greater the evil, the greater the fear,
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 othe 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, Kom. iii. 20, ' Now by the
law only cometh the knowledge of sin ; ' and to bind over to punishment ;
therefore it is said, ' The law worketh wrath/ Kom. iv, 15. In both
respects the old covenant is called the law of sin and death, Rom. 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 Spirit. 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/ Bom. 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, arid 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.
The 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 ti
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
;ml course of service to God ; but it is not done comfortably, or
VER. 15.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 103
upon any noble motives. That which is defective in it is this :
First, it is constrained service. This bondage, which is a fruit
of the law, doth force and compel men to some unpleasing task. A
Christian serveth God out of love, but one under the spirit of bond
age serveth God out of fear ; a love to God and true holiness prevaileth
with the one, more than the fear of wrath and punishment ; for the
spirit of adoption disposeth and inclineth him to God as a father ; 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 head
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 the sin of their souls. It is a sin-offering rather than a
thank-offering ; more to appease conscience, than to please God ; con
sists in rituals rather than substantiate ; and those invented by men,
rather than commanded 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 draweth
nigh to God with the mouth, but their heart 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.
(3.) In some the Lord may make use of it to bring on conversion ;
for according to our sense of sin and misery, so is a saviour and redeemer
welcome to us, and prized by us. There must be a sensible awakening
knowledge of our great necessity, before we will make use of Christ for our
cure and remedy. None but the sick will care for the physician, Mat. ix.
12 ; the burdened for ease, Mat. xi. 28, 29 ; the pursued for a sanctuary
and refuge, Heb. vi. 18 ; none but the condemned, to be justified and
acquitted, Kom. viii. 33, 34 ; the lost and miserable to be saved, Luke
xix. 10.
2. How is it the fruit of the law-covenant ? The law-covenant is
double : either the covenant of nature, which concerned both Jevy and
Gentile ; or the first administration of the covenant of grace, made
with the Jews only. [1.] The covenant of nature, which we are all
under naturally, breedeth bondage and shyness of God ; we are sensible
that we are his creatures, and so owe him duty and subjection ; that
we have failed in our duty to him, and therefore lie obnoxious to his
wrath and punishment. Heathens, that had but some obscure notions
of God, felt somewhat of this bondage, Kom. i. 32 ; they ' knew the
judgment of God, and that they which commit such things are worthy
of death.' They stood in dread of angry justice ; and not only they,
but all mankind are under it, Kom. ii. 15. According to that natural
sense which men have of religion, so is their bondage more or less ;
still under fear of death, and the consequence thereof. This sense or
104 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER, XXIL
conscience of sin and wrath, which the breach of God's law hath made
our due, is so engrained in the nature of man that he cannot dispossess
himself of it. The apostle compareth it to the bond of marriage,
which is indissoluble till one of the parties die, Kom. vii. 1-3. The
conscience of man is either married to the law as its husband, or Christ
as its husband ; not to the latter, till it be dead to the former : ver.
4, ' Ye are become dead to the law by the body of Christ, that ye might
be married to another, even to him that was raised from the dead/
Well then, this bondage is the effect of the law, or covenant of nature,
impressed upon the heart of man, and ariseth from a consciousness of
ilt, and obnoxiousness to God's wrath and displeasure, because of
d's broken covenant.
[2.] The first administration of the covenant of grace. That bred
a spirit of bondage ; witness that allegory, Gal. iv. 22-26. Abraham's
two wives did represent the two covenants ; the first and second admini
stration of the covenant of grace. The first gendered to bondage, men
of a servile spirit, doing what they did, not out of love, but slavish fear :
2 Cor. iii. 9, * But if the ministration of death, written and engraven
in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not sted-
fastly behold the face of Moses, for the glory of his countenance, which
glory was to be done away ; ' 'for if the ministration of condemnation
be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness excel in
glory.' AidKovia KaraKpiaecos, their gospel was dark, and had little
efficacy to change the heart of man ; it did little allay and vanquish
this shyness of God ; rather increased it, as it conduced to revive the
knowledge of God in their minds, and held forth the ransom and way
of appeasing God's angry justice obscurely and darkly ; rather showed
our distance from God. Israel was God's first-born, and so his heir,
but an heir in non-age, Gal. iv. 1, 2 ; their ordinances were a bond,
ours an acquittance ; but what is this to us? Answer. Much every
way:
(1.) That we may bless God for the greater advantages that we
have to breed a child-like spirit in us by the new covenant ; where the
Lord who is offended by sin, is propitiated by the death of Christ, and
willing to admit man into his presence ; and bless him, that God as a
judge driveth us by the spirit of bondage to Christ as mediator ; that
Christ as mediator by the spirit of adoption may bring us back again
to God as a father ; and then having God for our father, we may have
Christ for our advocate, and the Spirit for our comforter and sanctifier,
to enable us to observe the gospel precepts of repentance towards God,
and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ ; and so be made capable of the
promises of pardon and life. One covenant maketh us sensible of the
grace of the other ; Christ dealeth with us as children of the family,
requiring duty from us upon reasonable and comfortable terms.
(2.) Because those that live under the gospel dispensation, and have
not received the power of it, may be yet under a spirit of bondage,
and cherish a legal way of religion. In every one that entertaineth
thoughts of religion, law and gospel are at conflict in his heart, as well
as flesh and corruption ; this is clear by Gal. v. 17, 18 ; ' For the 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
VER. 15.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 105
ye would ; but if ye be led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law.'
As spirit and flesh do lust against, and constantly oppose one another,
and labour to suppress and diminish each other, so do law and grace.
Those that are slaves to their sinful lusts, and are not enabled by the
spirit of the new testament to do in some measure what the rule
enjoin eth, have their comforts obstructed ; and while sin reigneth, the
law reigneth : Eom. vi. 14, ' For sin shall not have dominion over you,
for ye are not under the law, but grace.' Partly, by its irritating power ;
and partly, by its condemning power ; leaving them under a fear of
condemnation, and urging them to do what they cannot do.
(3.) The children of God by regeneration and adoption, while sin
remaineth, may have somewhat of bondage remaining in them. Look :
as under the old testament, when the ingenuous and noble motives of
the gospel were in a great measure unknown, there was somewhat of a
free spirit in the eminent saints, Ps. li. 12, though but sparingly
dispensed ; so under the gospel dispensation, there are many sad and
drooping Christians who do not improve the comforts provided for
them, and when they are called upon to rejoice in the Lord always,
Phil, iv, 4, rather go mourning all the day long ; but it is their fault.
The people under the law -dispensation were either the godly, or the
wicked, or the middle sort ; the eminently godly then had a free spirit ;
the wicked were either terrified, or stupified ; the middle sort, who
were touching the righteousness of the law blameless, Phil. iii. 6, had
a zeal for outward observances, but not according to knowledge, Kom.
x. 2 ; were merely actuated by a legal spirit. So under the gospel
there are the eminently godly, who evermore rejoice, 1 Thes. v. 16, or at
least are swayed more with love, than fear ; the weak godly, who have
much of their ancient fears, and the love of God in them is yet too weak
to produce its effects ; though this love to God do prevail over sin, yet
not ordinarily over fear of punishment ; but much of that influences
their duties, more than their love to God. There is too great averse-
ness in their hearts from God and holiness, and they seek to break it
by the terrors of the Lord. Not sin, but fear is predominant.
3. Is this spirit of bondage good, or bad ? I answer,
[1.] We musi distinguish of the three agents in it. This bondage
cometh partly from a good cause,' the Spirit of God breeding in us a
knowledge of our duty, and a belief of the threatenings of God, from
whence ariseth a sense of our sinful and miserable condition ; so far it
is good and useful. Partly from an ill cause, the devil, who delighteth
to vex us with unreasonable terrors : 1 Sam. xvi. 14, ' The Spirit of the
Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord vexed him ; '
the devil both tempteth and troubleth ; as the huntsman hideth himself
till the poor beast be gotten into the toils, then he appeareth with shouts
and cries. Partly from the corruption of man's heart, which either
turneth this work to an utter aversation from God, or some perfunctory
and unwilling way of serving him. Some know the right use of the
covenant, others not ; and therefore we must consider not only how it
is wrought by the Spirit, but how it is entertained by man through our
corruption ; our conviction of sin and misery by the Spirit turneth into
bondage and servitude.
[2.] The spirit of bondage is better than a profane spirit. Some
106 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VII L [SfiR. XXII.
cast off all thoughts of God and the world to come, and are not so
serious and mindful of religion as to be much troubled with any
fears about their eternal condition ; it were happy for them if they were
come so far as a spirit of bondage ; they that are under it have a con
science of their duty, but such as perplexeth them, and lasheth, and
stingeth them with the dread and horror of that God whom they serve.
Now this is better than the profane spirit that wholly forgets God : Ps.
x. 4, ' God is not in all their thoughts ; ' whether he be pleased or dis
pleased, honoured or dishonoured. This may tend to good ; the gradus
ad rem, gradus in re; yea, it may in some degree be consistent with
sincerity ; for though to have no love to God is inconsistent with a state
of grace, or to have less love to God than sin ; yet to have more fear
than love is consistent with some weak degree of grace, especially if
the case be so, that ki act, love is less felt than fear ; and therefore,
though men are conscious to much backwardness, yet keep up a serious
ness ; though to their feeling it is more fear than love which moveth
them, yet we dare not pronounce them graceless ; for there may be a
love to God, and a complacency in his ways, though it be oppressed by
fear, that the spirit of adoption is not so much discovered for the time.
[3.] That it is an ill frame of spirit to be cherished or rested in.
For while men are under the sole and predominant influence of it, they
are never converted to God ; fear doth begin the work of conversion, but
love maketh it sincere. The Spirit by fear doth awaken men to make
them see their condition, terrifying them by the belief of God's threat
ening, and the sense of his indignation, that they may flee from wrath
to come, Mat. iii. 7 ; or cry out, ' What shall I do to be saved ? ' Acts
ii. 37. But yet, though they have a sensible work, they have not a
saving work. Some by these fears are but troubled and restrained a
little, and so settle again in their sensual course, but to their great loss ;
for God may never give them like advantages again. Others betake
themselves to a kind of religiousness, and forsake the practice of those
grosser sins which breed their fears ; and so resting here, continue in a
state of hypocrisy and self-deceiving religiousness.
Use 1. Is information and instruction, to teach^us how to carry it
as to the spirit of bondage.
[1.] It is not to be slighted ; partly, from the matter which breedeth
the fear and bondage, which is the law of God, the supreme rule and
reason of our duty, by which all debates of conscience are to be
decided ; partly, from the author ; this sense of sin and misery is
stirred up in us, and made more active by the operation of the Spirit
of God ; partly, from the faculty wherein" it is seated, the conscience
of a reasonable creature, the most lively and sensible power of man's
soul, which cannot be pacified, but upon solid grounds and reasons ;
partly, from the effect, the fear of eternal death, the greatest misery
that can befall us ; for surely ' it is a dreadful thing to fall into the
hands of the living God/ Heb. x. 31. To smother and stifle checks of
conscience doth increase our misery, not remove it ; and produceth
hardness of heart, and contempt of God ; therefore when our souls are
at this pass, that we see we are in bondage to sin, and know not how
to help it ; in bondage to wrath, and know not how to quench these
fears which are awakened in us by the Spirit ; surely we should look
VER. 15.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 107
after solid satisfaction and peace of soul, settled on us upon gospel
terms ; run to the blood of sprinkling, Heb. x. 22.
[2.] Yet it is not a thing to be chosen, prayed for, or rested in.
Partly, because it is a judiciary impression, a spark of hell kindled in
the conscience. A tender conscience we may and must pray for, but
not a stormy conscience ; when we ask legal terrors, we know not what
we ask ; a belief of the threatenings belongs to our duty, as well as a
belief of the promises ; but we must not so reflect upon terrors, as to
exclude the comfort and hope of the gospel. When under a spirit of
bondage, we are in a most servile condition, far from all solid comfort,
courage, and boldness. But is it not an help to conversion ? Answer,
Let God take his own way ; we are not to look after the deepness of
the wound, but the soundness of the cure ; not terrible representations
of sin and wrath, but such an anxiousness as will make us serious and
solicitous. Partly, because the law-covenant is an antiquated dispen
sation, the law of nature bindeth not as a covenant ; for the promise
of life ceased upon the incapacity of the subjects, when under a natural
impossibility of keeping it ; the threatening and penalty lieth upon us
indeed, till we flee to another court and covenant. The Jewish cove
nant was abolished when Christ repealed the law of Moses ; that cove
nant dealt with us a.s servants, the gospel dealeth with us as sons, in a
more ingenuous way, and inviting us to God upon nobler motives.
And partly, from the nature of that fear that doth accompany it ; it
driveth us from God, not to God, Gen. iii. 8. Adam hid himself among
the bushes ; and he gives us this reason, because he was afraid ; and
still we all fly from a condemning God ; but to a pardoning God we
are encouraged to come nigh : Ps. cxxx. 4,' There is forgiveness with
thee, that thou mayest be feared.' In the wicked, the fear of God's
wrath once begun, it increaseth daily, till it come to the desperate
fear of the damned ; and the fault is not in the law, or in the Spirit,
but in man, who runneth from his own happiness, and rnaketh an ill
use of God's warnings.
Use 2. Is to put us upon trial, and self-reflection. All that attend
upon ordinances, receive some spirit or other a spirit of bondage, or a
spirit of adoptk/n ; now what kind of spirit are we actuated withal ?
God's children, who are adopted into his family, may have some degree
of the spirit of bondage, great mixtures of fears and discouragements ;
for only ' perfect love casteth out fear/ 1 John iv. 18 ; but these fears
are overbalanced by the spirit of adoption ; they have some filial bold
ness, a better spirit than a slave ; do not wholly sin away the love of
a father, though the delight and comfort be much obstructed. It was
n sad word for a child of God to speak : Ps. Ixxvii. 3, ' I thought of God,
and I was troubled.' The remembrance of God may augment their
grief, when conscience representeth his abused favours as the cause of
his present wrath and displeasure with them ; but this is not their con
stant temper, but only in great desertions. For a constancy, while sin
remaineth, somewhat of bondage remaineth ; but there is a partial and a
predominant legality. The partial maybe found in the regenerate,
who do by degrees overcome the servile fear of condemnation, and
grow up more and more into a gospel spirit; certainly where that
prevaileth, there will be liberty: 2 Cor. iii. 17. Though for a while
108 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXII.
the heir differeth nothing, or nothing to speak of, from a servant, yet
in time he hehaveth himself as a son, and is treated as a son ; and
they get more comfort and joy in the service of God. But the pre
dominant legality is in the carnal ; it may be known by the governing
principle, fear or love; the inseparable companion of the spirit of
bondage is fear; and love and sonship, the spirit of adoption, go
together. Where slavish fear prevaileth and influenceth our religion,
it may be known by these two things :
[1.] By their unwillingness and reluctancy to what they do for God.
The good they do, they would not ; and the evil they do not, they
would do ; that is, they would fain live in a sinful life if they durst,
and be excused from religious duties, except that little outward part
which their custom and credit engages them to perform ; like birds that
in a sunshine day sing in the cage, though they had rather be in the
woods. They live not an holy life, though some of the duties which
belong to it they observe, out of a fear to be damned ; if they had their
freest choice, they had rather live in the love of the creature than in
the love of God ; and the pleasures of the flesh than the heavenly life.
But now they that have the spirit of adoption, and are inclined to the
love of God and holiness, have hearts suited to their work : Ps. xl. 8,
' Thy law is in my heart ; ' and Heb. viii. 10, ' I will put my law into
their minds, and write them upon their hearts.' They obey, not from
the urgings of the law from without, but from the poise and inclina
tion of the new nature ; not barely as enjoined, but as inclined. They
do not say, that this were no duty, or this sinful course lawful ! but,
how I love thy law ! Ps. cxix. 97. ' that my ways were directed ! '
Ps. cxix. 5. They do not groan and complain of the strictness of the
law, but of the remainders of corruption, Rom. vii. 24. Not, who will
free me from the law ? but who will free me from this body of death ?
Their will is to serve God more and better, not to be excused from the
duties of holiness, or serving him at all.
[2.] By the cause of their trouble about what they have done, or left
undone. They are not troubled for the offence done to God, but their
own danger ; not for sin, but merely the punishment ; as Esau sought
the blessing with tears, when he had lost it, Heb. xii. 17. He was
troubled, but why ? Non quia vendiderat, sed quia perdiderat. Not
because he sold it, which was his sin ; but lost the privileges of the
birthright, which was his misery. So many carnal men, whose hearts
are in a secret love and league with their lusts, yet are troubled about
their condition, not because they are afraid to sin, but afraid to be
damned ; it is not God's displeasure they care for, but their own safety.
The young man went away sad and grieved, Mark x. 22, because he
had great possessions; because he could not reconcile his covetous
mind with Christ's counsel and direction. Felix trembled, being con
vinced of sins, which he was loath to discontinue and break off. Slavish
fear, though it doth not divorce the heart from its lusts, yet it raiseth
trouble about them.
Use 3. Is to press you to get rid of this spirit of bondage, and to
prevail upon it more and more. For motives,
[1.] It is dishonourable to God, and supposeth strange prejudices
and misrepresentations of God ; as if his government were a kind of
VER. 15.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vin. 109
tyranny, grievous and hurtful to man ; and we think him a hard master
whom it is impossible to please ; as the evil and slothful servant, Mat.
xxv. 24, 25, '1 knew that thou wert an hard man, reaping where thou
hast not sowed, and gathering where thou hast not strawed ; and I was
afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth.' His fear was the
cause of his negligence and unfathfulness ; which fear is begotten in us
by a false opinion of God, which rendereth him dreadful, rigorous, and
terrible to the soul. While we look upon God through the glass of our
guilty fears, we draw a strange picture of him in our minds, as if he
were a rigid lawgiver, and a severe avenger, harsh, and hard to be
pleased, and we are therefore unwilling to submit to him.
[2.] It is prejudicial to us, in many regards.
(1.) It hindereth our free and delightful converse with God. The
legal spirit hath no boldness in his presence, but is filled with torment
ing fear and horror at the thoughts of him; the spirit of adoption
giveth us confidence and boldness in prayer, Heb. iv 16 ; and Eph. iii.
1 2 ; but on the contrary, the spirit of bondage maketh us hang off from
God. As Adam was afraid, and ran to the bushes, Gen. iii. 8 ; and
David had a dark and uncomfortable spirit, and grew shy of God after
his sin, Ps. xxxii. 3, 4, fain to issue forth an injunction or practical de
cree in the soul to bring his backward heart into his presence, ver. 5.
' And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord of Hosts/ Gen. iv.
16, as unable to abide there, where the frequent ordinances of God
might put him in remembrance of him. And Jam. ii. 19, ' The devils
believe, and tremble ; ' they abhor their own thoughts of God, as reviv
ing terror in them. The Papists think it boldness to go to God without
the mediation and intercession of the saints ; the original of that prac
tice was slavish fear, when God had opened a door of access to him
self.
[2.] It breaketh our courage in owning the ways of God, and truths
of God. The apostle when he presseth Timothy not to be ashamed of
the testimony of the Lord, nor his servants, and to be partakers of the
afflictions of the gospel, urgeth this argument, 2 Tim. i. 7, 8,
' For we have not received the spirit of fear, but the spirit of love, and
power, and of a sound mind : irvevfia &ov\tas is Trvevpa Set/uW, a poor,
cowardly, dastardly spirit, mated or overcome with every difficulty;
but now a spirit confirmed in the love of God, and the faith and hope
of the gospel, is a spiit of power and fortitude. ' The righteous is as
bold as a lion/ Pro. xxviii. 1. Dan. iii. 17, 18, ' If it be so, our God
whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and
he will deliver us out of thine hand, king ! but if not, be it known
unto thee, king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the
golden image which thou hast set up.' And Kom. viii. 37, 38, ' I am
persuaded, that neither life, nor death, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor
depth, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in
Christ Jesus our Lord.'
[3.] It hindereth the readiness and cheerfulness of our service, and
crippleth our endeavours. The slothful servant was afraid, Luke xix.
21, 22. When we do not know whether we shall please or be accepted
or no, it is a very discouraging thing ; and we drive on heavily, when
110 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VJII. [SER, XXII.
nothing appears to us but fear ; but love maketh a willing people :
1 John v. 3, * For this is the love of God, that we keep his command
ments ; and his commandments are not grievous.
[4.] It resisteth sin unwillingly ; we had rather let it alone than go
about it ; the mortifying of lust is like the cuting off of an arm with
a rusty saw ; rather let go anything than sin ; but grace furnisheth us
with the most powerful arguments.
For means,
1. -Cherish good thoughts of God. The spirit of bondage is increased
upon us by unreasonable fears and jealousies of God ; ' The Lord is
good, and doth good/ Ps. cxix. 68. His commands are not grievous :
Mat. xi. 30, ' My yoke is easy and my burden is light.' The trials sent
us by him are not above measure, nor beyond strength : 1 Cor. x. 13,
' Who will not sufifer you to be tempted above what you are able ; '
nor his punishments above deserving : Neh. ix. 13, * Thou hast punished
us less than we deserved.' He is not hard to be pleased, nor inexor
able upon our infirmities: Mai. iii. 17, 'And I will spare them as
a man spareth his own son that serveth him.' ' He is a rewarder of
them that diligently seek him/ Heb. xi. 6.
2. Study the nature and constitution of the gospel, which maketh
rich preparation of grace, help, and comfort for you. This is God's
act of oblivion, which easeth you of your troubles ; for here God pro-
miseth to blot out your transgressions, and remember your sins no
more ; this is a sanctuary and refuge for your distressed souls to fly
unto, when pursued by the law's curse ; the charter of your hopes, or
the word of salvation which secureth you against the law's curse, or
the fears of the damnation of hell. The law is good, as a rule of duty,
but the gospel is glorious, 1 Tim. i. 8, 11. In short, your souls will
never sit easily within you, till you resolve not to seek for that in the
law which is only to be found in the gospel, peace of conscience, and
reconciliation with God ; the law can save only the innocent ; but the
gospel pardoneth the penitent sinner. Look not for that in self, which
is only to be found in Christ, a perfect righteousness and merit to
appease God's justice, and propitiate him to us ; this is only by the
blood and obedience of Christ ; never look for that on earth which is
only to be had in heaven, which is exact and unspotted holiness, Jude
21. ' Then we are presented faultless in his presence.'
3. A hearty and sincere love to God : 1 John iv. 18, ' There is no
fear in love, for perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath torment,
and he that feareth is not made perfect in love/ He speaketh not of
a child-like reverence of the divine majesty, or a carefulness not to
displease him ; but of slavish fear of condemnation, which is the life
and soul of many men's religion ; but they are never soundly converted
till God hath their hearts, that is, their love. Now this strong and
fervent love, arising from faith in Christ, driveth and forceth this
tormenting fear out of the heart. Men will never be afraid of him
whom they love ; and on the other side, will not love him whom they
look upon as ready to condemn them, and cast them into hell. Surely
God will never damn the soul that loveth him ; therefore if we would
get rid of the fear of wrath or hell, let us love God with our highest
and best affections. We have reason to love him, if we consider the
15.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VJJJ. Ill
wonder of his love and good will to sinners, manifested to us in and by
Jesus Christ.
4. Live holily, and obey the motions of the sanctifying Spirit. We
deprive ourselves of comfort by falling into sin ; the more the Spirit
is a sanctifier, the more a comforter. Holiness breedeth a generous
confidence : 1 John iii. 2, ' Behold, now we are the sons of God/
Gal. v. 18, ' But if ye be led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law/
If we are not watchful against sin, our bondage returneth ; therefore
David saith, Ps. li. 12, * Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and
uphold me by thy free Spirit/ The Holy Spirit withdraweth and
suspendeth his comforts, when we walk vainly and loosely ; then we
cannot serve God with any delight and readiness of mind ; it is not a
free spirit, but a servile, that then governeth us, and influenceth our
actions.
SERMON XXIII.
But ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba,
Father. ROM. VIII. 15.
IN the words we have,
First, A privilege, ' Ye have received the spirit of adoption/
Second. One special fruit and effect of it, ' Whereby we cry, Abba,
Father/
In setting down the effect, the change is emphatical ; ye received ;
we cry ; he includeth himself, and puts in his own name together with
theirs, to show that it is a privilege common to all that receive the new
testament ; the meanest and least of God's children have an affectionate
and child-like way of praying unto God.
Doct. That the spirit which we receive under the new covenant dis
pensation, is a spirit of adoption.
I shall explain these five things :
1. The state of adoption which we obtain under the new testament.
2. The spirit of adoption consequent thereupon.
3. Whether all that live under the new testament dispensation have
the spirit of adoption.
4. Whether all that have it, know it.
5. The reasons why this is the fruit of the new covenant. dispensation.
1. What is the state of adoption ? Our admission into God's family,
that he will be a father to us, and we shall be his children : 2 Cor. vi.
18, ' I will be a father unto you., and ye shall be my sons and daughters,
saith the Lord Almighty/ Which is a great privilege, if we consider
three things, (1.) His relation to mankind in the general ; (2.) His
relation to the ancient church under the legal covenant ; (3.) The estate
wherein his grace found us, when he was pleased to take us into his
family.
[1.] His relation to mankind in general. So he is the father of all
112 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXIII.
the world, as he created them ; and Adam is called the son of God,
Luke iii. 38. He is a father to any, who giveth them being, and hath
a right to govern them ; so is God to us ; he made us, and is the sole
cause of our being and not being, and so hath a right in us to dispose
of us at his own pleasure. But the relation that we have to God by
adoption is distinct from the natural being ; this is our new being, which
we have from him as his redeemed ones ; our natural being flowed from
his benignity and common bounty, but our spiritual being from his
special grace and love to us in Christ. By creation we are his children,
as he formed us in the womb, and created the soul within us ; called
therefore the Father of spirits, Heb. xii. 9, in opposition to the fathers
of our flesh ; but he is our father by adoption, as we are regenerated
by the Holy Ghost : John i. 12, 13, ' To as many as received him, to
them gave he powei; to become the sons of God ; being born not of
blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.'
Our new birth and spiritual being in Christ, is the next ground of our
adoption, and so we come into a nearer relation to him, that we may be
capable of receiving the fruits of his special love ; it is the benefit of
our redemption applied by his sanctifying Spirit to all them that shall
be heirs of life. By the common relation, God hath a title to our
dearest love, but we have no title to his highest benefits ; and therefore
he is our father in a more comfortable sense, as we are his workman
ship in Christ.
[2.] His relation to the ancient church through the legal covenant.
So God was a father to them, and they were his children ; for Israel
was called his first-born, Exod. iv. 22, in opposition to other nations,
who were left to perish in their own ways ; and their descendants are
called ' the children of the kingdom/ Mat. viii. 12, because they had the
ordinances and means of grace. But the gospel-church is properly ' the
church of the first-born/ Heb. xii. 23, as they have a clearer knowledge
of the privileges belonging to God's children, and a larger participation,
and more comfortable use of them ; and so are freed from that rigour
and servitude which belonged to the first administration of the covenant
of grace. They have that which answereth the privilege of primo
geniture, jus sacerdotis, etjus licereditatis. The right of priesthood,
as they are ' a royal priesthood/ 1 Pet. ii. 9 ; ' made kings and priests
unto God/ Rev. i. 5, because they ' offer up spiritual sacrifices accept
able to God by Jesus Christ/ 1 Pet. ii. 5. They are separated by the
election of God from the rest of the world, and have an unction from
his Holy Spirit, 1 John ii. 20 ; and so are qualified to offer up them
selves, Rom. xii. 1, and prayers and praises, and alms unto God, Heb.
xiii. 15, 16. The other privilege of the birth-right is, jus hcereditatis ;
the first-born had a double portion, not only of possessions, but of
dignity and honour, above their brethren. All God's children are heirs,
and heirs of the heavenly inheritance ; the multitude of co-heirs doth
not lessen the inheritance, nor make the privilege less glorious ; they
are ' heirs of salvation/ Heb. i. 14.
[3.] The estate wherein his grace found us, when he was pleased to
take us into his family. We were by nature children of wrath, wretched
children, Eph. ii. 3, that had deprived ourselves of the inheritance,
wasted our patrimony, forfeited our right to the promises ; but our
VER. 15.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vin. 113
inheritance is redeemed, and the forfeiture taken off by Christ ; we are
brought back again into the family, dignified with the privileges of the
first-born, made priests unto God ; and above all his other creatures,
do become his special portion : Jam. i. 18, 'Of his own will begat he
us, to be a kind of first fruits of his creatures ; ' and made heirs of the
kingdom, James ii. 5. Now for us to have the blessed God, whom we
had so often offended, to become our reconciled father in Christ,
what wonderful love is this ! That we should be admitted into the
church of the first-born, have free liberty to worship God, and have a
right to such a blessed and glorious inheritance !
2. What is the spirit of adoption ? First, We are made sons, and
then we have the Spirit of his Son, Gal. iv. 6 ; being adopted into
God's family, we have a spirit suitable. They that use to adopt children
give them some kind of token to express their love ; so here is a gift
answerable to the dignity of our estate, and the love of a father, and
that is the gift of the Spirit ; the dignity is inward and spiritual ; and
the gift answereth it : * He hath sent the Spirit of his Son into your
hearts.' God would not distinguish the good from the bad, the heirs
of promise from the children of wrath, by the blessings of his common
providence ; but with what suiteth better with that intimate communion
that we have with him as a father : 1 John iii. 24, ' Hereby we know
that we dwell in God, and God dwelleth in us, by his Spirit that he
hath given us.' Spiritual things are best manifested and discovered
to us in a spiritual manner, and by the effects proper to them.
Secondly, it is the highest demonstration of God's love to us. In giving
us worldly things, he giveth something without himself; but in giving
us the Spirit he giveth us himself ; for the Godhead is undivided, and
God hath no greater thing to give us than himself ; as the apostle saith,
Heb. vi. 13, that when God had no greater thing to swear by, he
sware by himself, so we may say here, it was the evidence of God's
love to Christ as mediator : John iii. 34, ' He loved him, and gave him.
the Spirit without measure ; ' so those that are Christ's, because God
loveth them, he giveth them the Spirit. Other things may be given
in anger, but not the Spirit : Prov. iii. 32, * The f reward is an abomi
nation to the Lord, but his secret is with the righteous ; ' implying, that
those that are an abomination to the Lord may have other things, and
perish for ever ; but if his secret be with us, his illuminating, sanctifying,
comforting Spirit, we have a sure pledge of his love. The context
showeth wicked men may have worldly felicity, even to envy, but they
have not his secret, which the righteous have. Though their. condition
be very mean and base in the world, he dealeth with them as with
friends, yea, as children ; the one hath the visible blessings, the other
hath his secret, the inward comforts and operations of his Spirit.
But yet the business is not dispatched. The text speaketh not only
of the gift of the Spirit, but of the spirit of adoption. What is that ?
Answer. We must distinguish between the spirit of regeneration, and
the spirit of adoption ; they are two acts of the same Spirit, and the
one maketh way for the other ; yet the consideration of them is different.
The Holy Ghost, as a Spirit of regeneration, doth close us first with
Christ; and afterwards, as a Spirit of adoption, maketh his abode in
our hearts. As a Spirit of regeneration, he worketh in us the first
VOL. xn. n
SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SEE. XXIII.
grace, and causeth us to believe unto justification and adoption r and
having made his entry into our souls after believing, he is given to us
in a more eminent manner than before, and doth possess us in the name
of Christ, as his agent, and keepeth a-foot his interest in our souls.
The spirit of regeneration is tied^ to no condition, but is dispensed
according to the good pleasure of God ; only we are to use the means ;
to attend" upon the word and pray, and our heavenly Father will give
the Holy Spirit to them that ask him, Luke xi. 13. If any miss the
gift, it is of themselves; if they have it, it is the mere grace of God.
But the Spirit of adoption is tied to conditions, and is promised to those
that with true faith and repentance do seek after the grace of God in
Jesus Christ : Eph. i. 13, ' After ye believed, ye received the Holy Spirit
of promise ; ' and Gal. iii. 14, ' Receive the promise of the Spirit by
faith ; ' and Acts ii. 38, ' Repent, and be baptized for the remission of
sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost ; ' and Prov.
i. 23, ' Turn you at my reproof, and I will pour out my Spirit upon
you ;' Acts xix. 2, ' Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed ? '
John vii. 39, ' This he spake of the Spirit, which they that believe on
him should receive ; ' Acts v. 32, ' The Holy Ghost, which he hath
given to them that obey him.' In these and many more places, the
Spirit of adoption and further sanctification is spoken of. As a Spirit
of regeneration, he buildeth an house for himself ; and then, as a Spirit
of adoption, he dwelleth in the house so built and furnished ; as bees
first make their cells, and then dwell in them. By repentance and
faith there is a fit mansion prepared for him, and then he taketh up-
his residence and abode in us. The first grace is given that we may
believe ; the second upon believing ; the first is the Spirit's renewing ;
the second is the Spirit's inhabiting.
But yet the business is not finished. The Spirit is called the Spirit
of adoption, from his use and effect ; and implieth that work of the
Holy Spirit whereby the souls of believers are framed to a son-like
disposition. One effect is mentioned in the text, his inclining us to
have recourse to God as a Father : 'The spirit of adoption, whereby
we cry, Abba, Father ; ' but other things are intended. They may be
reduced to these three heads : 1. Child-like love. 2. Child-like obedi
ence. And 3. Child-like hope and dependence.
[1.] A child-like love to God. The design of the gospel is the
revelation of God's love to us, and the recovery of our love to God ;
therefore the work of the Spirit is to reveal the love and mercy of God
to sinners^or the way of reconciliation to God by Christ; not God's
love to us in particular at first. For we do not as yet see our own
particular interest, but come afterward, when we are reconciled to God,
and live in obedience to him. Then he becometh a witness to us, verse
16 ; but at first he openeth a door of hope to us, by revealing God's
love to sinners on gracious terms ; it is revealed in the gospel ; but it
is 'shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Ghost/ Horn. v. 5.
That love spoken of there respects the offer of pardon and life founded
on the death of Christ ; therefore a spirit of love bred in us by the
wonderful grace discovered in the gospel, is the first effect of the spirit
of adoption. It is great love that God will so freely pass by our many
offences, and adopt and take us into his family ; that we do no longer
VER. 15.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vnr. 115
fly from him as a condemning God, but have recourse to him as a
pardoning God. This love is manifested by our desires after him,
delight in him, and frequent recourse to him in prayer, representing
all our grievances and wants to him. This crying to him as a father
mentioned in the text, through the hope we have by Christ, is the
instinct of the spirit of adoption.
[2.] A child-like obedience. The great duty of children is to love,
please, and honour their father ; and God standing in this relation to
us, expecteth it from us : Mai. i. 6, ' If I be a father, where is mine
honour ? If I be a master, where is my fear ? ' He will do all that
can be expected from a father, a-nd therefore we must do all that
belongeth to children : So 1 Pet. i. 14, ' As dear children, not fashioning
yourselves to the former lusts of your ignorance ;' and verse 17, ' If ye
call on the Father/ etc. ' Be ye followers of God, as dear children,'
Eph. v. 1. Now the Spirit enableth and inclineth us to an affectionate
and child-like way of serving God ; partly, as he reueweth and healeth
our natures, and sanctifieth us unto God : ' I will put my Spirit into
them, and they shall walk in my ways/ Ezek. xxxvi. 27 ; and partly,
by gratitude and filial love he possesseth us with a desire and care to
please him. For as the benefits we have from God's fatherly love are
the best, and greatest, and surest ; so it calleth for the best returns of
our thankfulness and obedience ; the privileges of our adoption being
the sweetest and strongest bonds and obligations to duty that can be
laid upon us ; therefore it must be done in. a free and child-like
way.
[3.] A child-like hope and dependence, not only for what we want
in this world, but chiefly for the happiness of another and better
world. What may we not expect from a father, and from an almighty
father ? If God be your father, you can want no good thing, either
for soul or body. Our Lord dissuaded anxiety and carefulness of mind
upon this ground, because we have a father, and a father that careth
for us, Mat. vi. 25, 32. But chiefly, he doth incline us to the blessed
inheritance; being made children, we begin to look after a child's
portion. He revealeth the truth and worth of it, Eph. i. 17, 18 ; and
farther confirmeth us of the certainty of it, as a pledge and earnest, by
working and dwelling in our hearts : 2 Cor. i. 22, ' Who hath sealed
us, and given us the earnest of the Spirit ; ' prepareth us, fits us for it :
2 Cor. v. 5, * He that hath wrought us to this selfsame thing, is God ; '
raised our hearts to long after it, and comforts our hearts with the
hopes of it: Kom. viii. 23, 'And not only they, but ourselves also,
which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan
within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of
our bodies ;' and so begetteth that free, noble, and princely spirit
which upholdeth us with courage in the midst of all trials and difficul
ties, and maketh us go on cheerfully in the work of holiness, waiting
for the end of our faith, the salvation of our souls. This in short, is
the spirit of adoption, a spirit of love, holiness, and heavenly-minded-
ness. Love inclineth us to God ; holiness suiteth us to our work, that
we may have a complacency in it ; heavenliness giveth us a confidence,
and a princely noble spirit, that is gotten above the hopes and fears
of the world.
116 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XXIII.
3. Whether all that live under the new testament dispensation, have
the spirit of adoption ?
Answer. No ; Bat take these considerations :
[1.] This showeth what the doctrine of the gospel can do, and
should do : But it doth not always do it, because many come under
the profession of the gospel, but not under the power of it. But this
is the Spirit that came down to accompany the gospel, and the ministry
of it ; and if it be not received and entertained by men, they may blame
themselves. The gospel is serviceable to this end and purpose, to
produce such a spirit. If men carry it as if they knew not whether
there be a Spirit of adoption, yea or no, there is no fault or defect in
the gospel, but they are wanting to themselves, strangers to the grace
of the covenant under which they live, by their own negligence and
folly. If manna faH about the tents of Israel, and the people will
not go to gather it to fill their omer, they may starve, though the
bread of heaven be dispensed by such a liberal provision. The Spirit
is ready, but they are lazy ; the Spirit, by accident, is a cause of servile
fear ; but these motions are his proper effects.
[2.] A superficial Christianity is rewarded with common gifts, but
the real Christianity with special graces. All that profess the faith,
and are baptized into Christ, Gal. iii. 26, 27, are visibly adopted by
God into his family, and are under a visible administration of the
covenant of grace. So far as they are adopted into God's family, so far
they are made partakers of the Spirit. Christ giveth to common
Christians those common gifts which he giveth not to the heathen world ;
knowledge of the mysteries of godliness; abilities of utterance and
speech about spiritual and heavenly things ; some affection also to them,
called ' tasting of the good word, the heavenly gift, and the powers of
the world to come/ Heb. vi. These will not prove us true Christians,
or really in God's special favour, but only visible professed Christians.
[3.] Among the sincere, some have not the spirit of adoption at so
full a rate as others have ; neither so pure and fervent a love to God ;
nor such a respectful obedience and submission to him ; nor such an
holy confidence and boldness, becoming that great happiness which they
are called unto, who have the right and hope of the blessed inheritance ;
and so not so much of that son-like disposition, which the Spirit worketh
by revealing the love and mercy of God, contained in the gospel, in
the hearts of his people. Some do more improve their privileges than
others do ; now they cannot rationally expect the best and richest fruits
of this gift, and to be enabled and enlarged by the Spirit, who do not
give such ready entertainment and obedience to his motions, as the
more serious and fruitful Christian doth.
4. But do all that have it, know that they have it ? I answer,
[1.] The spirit of adoption is in some weak, and therefore not so
perceptible as it is in others; for 'small and weak things are hardly
discerned. All God's children have the spirit of adoption in the
effects, though not in the sense and feeling of it. They have the spirit
of comfort, though not the comfort of it ; for ' if any have not the Spirit
of Christ, they are none of his/ Kom. viii. 9. The witness of his Spirit
is spoken of, as distinct from receiving the Spirit, ver. 16 ; there is a
child-like inclination and impression left upon them, though they know
VKR. 15.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vni. 117
it not, own it not. There is n difference between the thing itself, and
the degree ; we cannot say we have not the spirit of adoption, because
we have not so much of this spirit, calming our hearts, rebuking our
['ears, and filling us with joy and peace in believing. The Spirit was
given to Christ without measure, but to Christians in a different measure
and proportion, as they yield up themselves more or less to the conduct
of his grace, and overcome the enemies of their peace, the devil, the
world, and the flesh. The impression is left upon some in a smaller,
upon some in a larger character ; all are not of a growth and size ;
some are more real Christians, others only eu ovofjiarl : eminent grace
will more discover itself, than a little grace under a heap of imper
fections ; a fervent love will be felt, and a lively hope of heaven demon
strate itself, and an exact obedience less liable to dispute, as we increase
in love, and heavenly mindedness ; so the Spirit discovereth his presence
in us.
[2.] Where the Spirit of adoption acteth at the lowest rate, there
is something to difference it from the spirit of bondage.
(1.) They are carried on to wait upon God upon gospel grounds,
though they cannot apply the comforts, and enter themselves heirs to
the privileges thereof ; some know they are of the truth, and can make
out their title with clearness and satisfaction : 1 John iii. 14, * And
hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts
before him ; ' others depend on God's general offer, while their claim
and sincerity is as yet questionable. God offereth to be a father in
Christ to all penitent believers, and so we are encouraged to come
to him by Christ ; the apostle telleth us, Heb. vii. 19, that the gospel
brought in a better hope, by virtue of which we draw nigh to God.
There is a child-like inclination, when there is not a child-like fami
liarity and boldness ; the soul cannot keep away from God, but will
come to him that he may pardon our sins, and heal our souls, and save
our persons. Now this is the spirit of adoption in the lower, or more
obscure way of addressing ourselves to God as a father.
(2.) There are child-like groans, as well as child-like comforts ; com
pare Kom. viii. 26, ' The Spirit itself maketh intercession for us, with
sighs and groans, which cannot be uttered ; ' with 1 Pet. i. 8, 'In whom,
though now yon see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeak
able, and full of glory.' In some the Spirit only discovereth himself
by hungering and thirsting after righteousness ; in others he worketh
peace which passeth all understanding, and joy unspeakable and full
of .glory.
(3.) There is a child-like reverence, when there is not a child-like
confidence. They are afraid to offend their heavenly Father, though
they cannot challenge all the fruits and effects of his fatherly love as
belonging to them ; when they cannot own him as a father with delight
ful confidence, yet they dare not offend him ; for all God's children
have a child-like love to him, when they have not a full sense and as
surance of his paternal love to them ; for he hath a title to our dearest
love, before we can make out a title to his benefits. Now they that love
God, hate evil, Ps. xcvii. 10 ; are tender of omitting any duty, or com
mitting any offence. Where there is this holy awe, there is a spirit of
adoption; it is an owning of God as a father: 1 Pet. i. 17, 'If ve
118 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SEIl. XXIII.
call on the Father,' &c., and therefore this reverence we call filial
fear.
(4.) The heart is carried out to heavenly things, though we cannot
call them ours ; all that are children,, do look after a child's portion.
There is a twofold hope, First, a hope which is the effect of regeneration,
1 Pet. i. 3 ; and a hope which is the effect of experience, Kom. v. 4.
Now this puts a difference between the spirit of bondage, and the ser
vile mercenary spirit, when the current of thine affections is carried
out after the eternal inheritance ; servants and mercenaries must havo
pay in hand ; they covenant with you from day to day, or from quarter
to quarter, or from year to year ; a child in the family tarrieth for a
child's portion: Mat. vi. 4, 'When thou dost thine alms, do not
sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogue,
and in the street ; they have their reward ; ' Aire-^ovai, TOV fiicrOov avr&v.
Present wages they look for, discharge God from other things ; if he
will give them the honour and pleasure of the world, they are satisfied,
and look for no more.
5. Why this is the fruit of the new covenant dispensation ? There
are three things which must not be severed, [1.] The object. [2.] A
powerful agent. [3.] The disposition of the subject thence resulting.
[1.] There is an object, and that is the gospel, offering pardon and
life, reconciliation with God, and the everlasting fruition of him in
glory. In the gospel or new covenant, we have the highest discovery
of God's fatherly goodness, that he might be more amiable and lovely
to us, and be loved by us. The great end of reconciling and saving
lost man by Christ, his wonderful condescension in his incarnation, life,
sufferings and death, was to commend his love to us : Kom. v. 8,
' Herein God commended his love to us, in that when we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us/ To this end also tend his merciful cove
nant and promises, that we might not look upon God as a condemning
judge, but as a gracious and reconciled father, offering to be so to all
that will accept Christ, and submit to him. God would not immedi
ately beget this persuasion in our minds by his own secret power, but
use this objective means, work upon our love by love, because he will
work on man agreeably to the nature of man ; his covenant shall speak
him a father, that we may apprehend him as a father.
[2.] There is an internal powerful agent, and that is the Spirit.
Besides the external objective means, there must be an internal effec
tive cause ; for though God's fatherly love doth shine resplendently
without us, in the person of the mediator, and the riches of the gospel ;
yet the dead and dark heart of man is not affected with it : John i. 5,
' And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it
not/ till God shine into our hearts : 2 Cor. iv. 6, ' For God, who com
manded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts,
to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of
Jesus Christ ; ' unless this doctrine of God's fatherly love and grace
be accompanied with his illuminating, sanctifying, comforting Spirit,
who sheds abroad this love in our hearts which is revealed in the
gospel.
[3.] The disposition thence resulting from the application of this
object to us by the Spirit. Such as the object is, such are the affec-
VER. 15.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS yur. 119
tions stirred up in us ; as by law-truths the Spirit worketh conviction
terrors of conscience, legal contrition, Acts ii. 37, and thence, bondage
ariseth ; so by the gospel, where God is represented as the Father of
mercies, and the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in him
our God and Father, the impression must be suitable. This Spirit that
worketh by the gospel, must needs be the spirit of adoption, or such a
spirit as worketh a child-like disposition in us, for the impression must
always be according to the stamp.
Use 1. To persuade us to look after the spirit of adoption. We
never do seriously and closely christianize, till we get it ; but either
have a literal Christianity, a form of knowledge in the gospel, without
the life and power ; or a legal, old-testament spirit. To quicken you,
consider these motives or privileges which you will have by it,
[1.] Peace of conscience, a rest from those troubled and unquiet
thoughts which otherwise would perplex us : Kom. xiv. 17, ' For the
kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace,
and joy in the Holy Ghost ; ' and Kom. xv. 13, ' Now the God of hope
fill you with all joy and peace in believing.' This calm of mind dif-
fereth from the deadness and benumbedness of a stupid conscience ;
that is a thing we never laboured for, groweth upon us we know not
how ; it is maintained by idleness, rather than by watchfulness and
diligence ; and is inconsistent with serious thoughts of God and our
eternal condition ; but this is the fruit of our reconciliation with God,
and those blessed privileges we enjoy in his family; it stirreth up
admiration and thankfulness.
[2.] Liberty in prayer. For the great help we have in prayer is
from the spirit of adoption : Zech. xii. 10, ' I will pour out upon you
the spirit of grace and supplication.' That Spirit which cometh from
the grace and free favour of God, stirring up child-like addresses to
God, Rom. viii. 26; Jude. 21, ' Building up yourselves on your most
holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.' Without this, our prayers are
but a vain babbling.
[3.] Readiness in duty : 2 Cor. iii. 17, ' Where the Spirit of the Lord
is, there is liberty.' They serve God with a free spirit ; the holy life is
carried on with more sweetness and success ; riot by compulsion, but
with ready mind : Ps. li. 12, ' Uphold me with thy free Spirit ; ' John
viii. 32, ' If the truth shall make you free, then are you free indeed/
Men are under shackles and bondage if they have not the spirit of
adoption ; they drive on heavily, have not largeness of heart, and love
to God, heaven, and holiness : Ps. cxix. 32, ' I will run the ways of thy
commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.' When the heart
is suited to the work, there needs no other urgings ; but if we force a
course of religion upon ourselves, contrary to our own inclination, all
is harsh, and ingrate, and cannot hold long.
[4.] Comfort in afflictions. Their true consolation and support in
afflictions is the spirit of adoption : Heb. xii. 5, ' Have you forgotten
the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children ? ' and
therefore he pursueth it all along. They that enjoy the privileges of
the family, must submit to the discipline of the family ; God will take
his own course in bringing up his children ; ' he scourgeth every son
whom he receiveth,' Heb. xii. 6, 7, 8. While we have flesh in us,
120 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [$ER. XXIII.
there is use for the rod ; if God should suffer us to go on in our sins,
we were not legitimate, but degenerate children ; children take it
patiently if beaten by their parents for their faults. Parents may err
through want of wisdom ; their chastisement is arbitrary and irregular ;
there is more of compassion than passion in God. God's rod is regu
lated with perfect wisdom, ordered by the highest love, and tends to the
greatest end, our holiness here, and happiness for ever ; and we have
Christ's example, John xviii. 11, ' The cup which my Father hath-
given me, shall I not drink it ? ' The bitterest potions come not from
God as a judge, but as a father ; are tempered by a father's hand.
[5.] Hope of the benefits of the new covenant, pardon and life.
First, Pardon. We often forget the duty of children, but God doth
not forget the bowels of a father ; our adoption giveth us hope that he-
will not deal severely with us, Mai. iii. 17 ; Ps. ciii. 13. The relation
of a child is more durable, not so easily broken off, as that of a servant ;
a child is a child still, and therefore allowed to remain in the famHy,
when a servant must be gone. Secondly, For life everlasting and
glory : Rom. viii. 17, ' And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and
joint heirs with Christ ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may
also be glorified with him.' 1 John iii. 1, 2, The spirit of adoption
doth both encourage, and incline us to wait for it, Eom. viii. 25. But
what shall we do to get this spirit of adoption ?
(1.) It is certain that the gift of the Spirit is the fruit of our recon
ciliation with God. The general reconciliation with mankind, was
evidenced by pouring out the Spirit ; personal and particular reconcili
ation with God, is the ground of giving the spirit of adoption to us :
Rom. v. 11, ' We joy in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom
we have received the atonement.' Therefore do what God requireth in
order to reconciliation; enter into conditions of peace; enter into
covenant with God ; abhor your former disobedience ; cast away the
weapons of defiance ; and love God, and delight in him.
(2.) Steep your minds in frequent thoughts of God's fatherly good
ness : 1 John iii. 1, ' Behold what manner of love is this, that we should
be called the sons of God ! ' Consider it, and admire it !
Use 2. Reflection. Have we the spirit of adoption ? It is known,
[1.] By a kind of naturalness to come to God, and open our hearts
to him ; in all our wants to go and cry, Abba, Father. The spirit of
adoption much worketh and discovereth itself in prayer ; to cry to our
Father is an act becoming the sons of God ; the manner is fervent,
affectionate ; this cry is not by the tongue, but by the heart ; the Lord
needeth no interpreter between him and the hearts of his children ; he
that heareth without ears can interpret our desires, though not uttered
by the tongue ; desires are strong cries : Ps. x. 17, ' Thou hast heard
the desires of the humble ; Ps. xxxviii. 9, ' Lord ! all my desire is-
before thee, and my groaning is not hid from thee.' This crying is
opposite to that careless formality and deadness, which is in other
men's prayers ; this crying to God, as one that is able and ready to
help us, is a great fruit of the spirit of adoption ; it is a childlike
boldness.
[2.] A childlike ingenuousness in the course of obedience to him ;
both in our abstaining from sin, as the Rechabites are an emblem:
VER. 16.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 121
Jer. xxxv. 6, ' We dare not break the commands of our father/ and
in a ready diligence in our obedience : 2 Cor. v. 14, ' The love of God
constraineth us; for we thus judge, if one died for all, then were all
dead/ &c. The will of our Father is instead of all reasons ; Christ ever
urged this, ' This is the will of my Father/ John vi. 26, 38. So to
Christians, 1 Thes. v. 18, ' This is the will of God in Christ concerning
you : ' 1 Thes. iv. 3, ' This is the will of God, even your sanctification.'
That is enough, beyond all enforcements.
[3.] As to the inheritance, they are very chary of it, and will not
hazard the hope and comfort of it upon easy terms : Heb. xii. 16, 'Let
there not be found a profane person, as Esau, who sold his birth-right
for a mess of pottage ; ' 1 Kings xxi. 3, * And Naboth said to Ahab,
the Lord forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my father
to thee.'
Use 3. Is direction to us in the Lord's supper. This is the seal of
the new covenant ; the table which God keepeth for the entertainment
of his family ; the feast for souls ; God's children are sure of welcome ;
it is children's bread we eat ; we come hither both to remember the
grounds of our adoption, and to receive the comfort of it ; we come to
meditate on the fatherly love of God, and to get a new taste and
experience of it in our own souls. Here we have special communion
with him as children with a father ; we come for a further participation
of the Spirit, 'for we all drink into one Spirit/ 1 Cor. xii. 13. Here
we look up unto God, and in our hearts cry, Abba, Father. We bind
ourselves also to perform the duty of children ; with new resolution to
submit to his fatherly government, both in his laws and providences,
to his commanding and disposing will ; and we lift up our hope for the
eternal inheritance.
SERMON XXIV.
The Spirit itself witnesseth to our spirits, that we are the children
. ROM. VIIL16.
IN the words we have, 1. The privilege assured : That we are the
children of God. 2. The double testimony by which it is confirmed,
The Spirit itself beareth witness to our spirits ; or if you will, here are
testes, et testimonium ; the thing witnessed, that we are the children
of God ; and the witnesses, they are two, the Spirit itself, and our
spirits ; and in the mouth of two or three witnesses every thing is
established. The Spirit itself is the Holy Ghost, and our spirits are
our renewed consciences.
Doct. That our adoption into God's family is evidenced by the
testimony of the Spirit to our spirits.
First, I shall show you the worth and value of the privilege ;
Secondly, Speak something of this double testimony by which it is
assured to us.
122 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXIY.
First, It is certainly a great privilege, for we are excited to consider
it with wonder and reverence : 1 John iii. 1, ' Behold what manner of
love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the
sons of God ! ' It is a blessed privilege, questionless, to have God for
our father, and Christ for our elder brother, and heaven for our portion ;
what can we desire more? And this will appear to you, if you
consider,
1. The person adopting : the great and glorious God, who is so
far above us, so happy within himself, and needeth not us, nor our
choicest love and service ; who had a Son of his own, Jesus Christ the
only begotten of the Father, who thought it no robbery to be equal
with him in power and glory, Phil. ii. 6 ; a son that was ' the express
image of his person,' Heb. i. 3 ; ' the son of his love,' Col. i. 13 ; in
whom his soul founei full complacency : Prov. viii. 30, 'I was daily his
delight, rejoicing always before him/ If men adopt, it is in orbitatis
solatium, a remedy found out for the comfort of them that have no
children. Seldom was it heard that a father who had a son should
adopt a son ; therefore it heightens the privilege, that God should
vouchsafe to poor creatures such a dear and honourable relation to
himself.
2. The persons who were adopted ; miserable sinners, who were once
strangers and enemies, Col. i. 21 ; ' children of wrath, even as others/
Eph. ii. 3 ; who had cast away the mercies of their creation, and involved
themselves in the curse. Now that strangers should be taken into the
family, and put in the place of children, and dealt with as children ;
that enemies should riot only be reconciled, but have liberty to own
the blessed God as their father in Christ ; that children of wrath should
be called to inherit a blessing ; that those who had so often offended
God, and were become slaves to Satan, should be called into the liberty
of the children of God ; this is that which we may wonder at, and say,
Behold what manner of love is this !
3. The dignity itself; compared,
[1.] With the honours of the world. David saith, 1 Sam. xviii. 23,
' Seemeth it a light thing to you to be a king's son-in-law ? ' We may
with better reason say, Is it nothing to be taken into God's family, and
to become sons and daughters of the Most High God ? All relations
may blush and hide their faces in comparison of this ; all the splendid
titles which are so ambitiously affected by the world, are but empty
shows and gilded vanities, and do much come short of this privilege,
both in honour and profit. Therefore it is a greater instance of the
love of God, than if he had made us monarchs of the world ; or if a
man could deduce his pedigree from an uninterrupted line of nobles
and princes. Alas ! how much better is it to be born of the Spirit,
than of the froth of the blood ? and to have a title that will be our
honour and interest to all eternity, than to be distinguished from others
by a title that will cease at the grave's mouth ?
[2.] Compared with God's relation to other creatures. There is a
relation between God and all his creatures; as he gave being to all, so
he hath an interest and propriety in all. Sun, and moon, and stars are
called his servants, Ps. cxix. 91 ; all creatures are subject to the law
of his over-ruling providence ; but man is under his proper government.
VER. 1C.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 123
Adam, by the covenant of works, was rather God's subject, and hired
servant, than his son. The people of Israel were his children ; but as
children in their non-age; for 'an heir as long as he is a child ouSev
Sta^spei, SovXov (Gal. iv. 1), differeth little from a servant, though he be
lord of all' A servile spirit was upmost in that dispensation. With
respect to the covenant of grace, we are most strictly said to be children
of God ; Gal. iii. 26, ' For ye are all children of God by faith in Christ
Jesus/ Some live only under the visible administration of the new
covenant, but not under the efficacy and power ; and by the ordinances
of the gospel have the badges of liberty, but they are not free indeed,
sons indeed. There are among them others whom God hath begotten
by his Spirit, and adopted and taken into his family ; he hath a paternal
affection towards them, and they a filial disposition towards him ; he
hath a paternal care and providence over them, and they have a filial
confidence and dependence on him ; he expects the honour of a father,
and they may expect the privileges of children. His special relation is
distinct from his common relation to other men, for it proceedeth not
from 'his common goodness, but his special and peculiar love. The
whole commerce and communion that is between us and him, is on
God's part, fatherly ; on our part, child-like ; he giveth us his choicest
benefits, and we perform to him the best service we can.
4. The manner how it is brought about.
[1.] The first foundation of it was laid in the election of God. He
is the bottom-stone in this building : Eph. i. 5, ' Predestinated to the
adoption of children, according to the good pleasure of his will/ Now
what are we, that the thoughts of God should be taken up about us,
so long ago ?
[2.] Before God's eternal purposes could be executed, and conveniently
raade^known to the world, redemption by Christ was necessary. There
fore it is said, Gal. iv. 4, 5, that he was ' made of a woman, made
under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children.' Sin
needed to be expiated by the Son of God in our nature, before God
would bestow his honour upon us ; Christ was to be our brother, before
God could be our father ; to take a mother upon earth, that we might
have a father in heaven ; and to endure the law's curse, before we could
be instated in the blessing.
[3.] It is necessary that we should be regenerated and born of God,
before it can be applied to us. For this new relation dependeth upon
the new birth ; and none are adopted but those that are regenerated,
and renewed to the image arid likeness of God. Nominal Christians
are bastards, and not sons ; not illegitimate, but degenerate children.
The relative change goeth before the real: John i. .12, 13, 'To as
many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of
God ; which are born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the
will of man, but of God.' And the next foundation of this relation is not
our being, which we have from God as a creator, but our new. being,
which we have from him as our father in Christ. As we are men, God
is a governor to us, and we are his subjects; as we are new men, God
is a father to us, and we are his children.
[4.] The immediate issue of 'regeneration is faith : John i. 12, * To
as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of
124 SKKMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [$ER. XXIV.
God, even to as many as believe in his name.' Receiving Christ is an
hearty consent to take Christ to the ends for which God offereth him :
namely, that he may be our lord and saviour, that we depending upon
the merit of his obedience and sacrifice, and assurance of his covenant
and promises, may obey his laws, and wait for our final reward.
5. The benefits occurring to us thereby. I shall instance in three :
[1] The gift of the Spirit, to be our sanctifier, guide, and comforter.
This is a gift which he giveth to none but his children, and which he
giveth to all his children ; a gift which suiteth with the greatness and
love of our Father ; and is absolutely necessary for us as children. God
as a creator giveth us our natural endowments ; but as a father in
Christ he giveth us his Spirit : Gal. iv. 6, ' And because ye are sons,
God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts/ If we have
this high privilege of adoption, we have also the Spirit of adoption, to
reside and dwell in our hearts as our sanctifier, guide, and comforter.
As a sanctifier he doth first change our hearts, and transform us into
the image of God in Christ : 2 Cor. iii. 18, ' But we all with open face,
beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into his
image from glory to glory ; ' And Titus iii. 5, 6, * Not by works of
righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved
us, by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy
Ghost, which he hath shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our
Saviour ; ' and so he maketh us children. But as bees first frame their
cells, and then dwell in them ; so he doth dwell in us, that he may
further sanctify us, restraining us from sin : Rom. viii. 13, ' If ye live
after the flesh, ye shall die ; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify
the deeds of the body, ye shall live.' And quickening us to holiness :
Gal. v. 25, ' If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.' As
a guide, leading us into all truth : John xvi. 13, ' When the Spirit
of truth is come, he shall guide us into all truth.' And regulating all
the motions of the spiritual life : Rom. viii. 14, ' As many as are led
by the Spirit ; ' especially our prayers : Jude 20, ' Praying in the Holy
Ghost ; ' Rom. viii. 26,' ' We know not what we should pray for as we
ought, but the Spirit maketh intercession for us/ As a comforter,
confirming our present interest and future hopes : 2 Cor. v. 5, ' Now
he that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God, who also hath
given us the earnest of his Spirit/ Indeed, the Spirit is not so necess
arily a comforter as a sanctifier ; yet a comforter he is ; and if not so
explicitly and manifestly, we may blame ourselves. This is God's
allowance, and we deprive ourselves of the benefit of it by our own folly.
[2.] Such an allowance of temporal mercies as is convenient for us :
Mat, vi. 32, ' For your heavenly Fatner knoweth that ye have need of
all these things/ A Christian hath two things to relieve him against
all his distrustful fears and cares, adoption, and particular providence.
He hath a father in heaven, and his father is not ignorant of his con
dition, nor mindless of it ; and therefore though he hath little or nothing
in hand, it is enough that his father keepeth the purse for him, whose
care extendeth to all things, and all persons, and hath the hearts of
men in his own hands, and performeth all things according to his own
will. He knoweth their persons, necessities, and temptations ; and if
we trust him for our heavenly inheritance, we may trust him for our
VER. 16.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vin. 125
daily maintenance, which he vouchsafeth to the fowls of the air, and
beasts of the field ; yea, to his enemies, while they are sinning against
him, dishonouring his name, oppressing his servants, opposing his
interest in the world. He that feedeth a kite, will he not feed a
child ? He that supplieth his enemies, will he not take care of his
friends ? those of his own family ? Indeed, he chooseth rather to
profit us, than please us, in his dispensations ; but it is your duty to
refer all to his wisdom and love.
[3.] Eternal blessedness is also the fruit of this adoption : Kom. viii.
17, ' If sons, then heirs, co-heirs with Christ/ As soon as we are taken
into God's family, we have a right to the blessed inheritance ; and the
right and hope that we have now, is -enough to counterbalance all
temptations. Alas, what are all the carnal pleasures and delights of
sin, which tempt us to disobey our Father, to those blessed things
which he hath provided for us in heaven ! It was Esau's profaneness
to sell his birth-right : Heb. xii. 16. So all the fears and sorrows of
the present life : Luke xii 32, ' Fear not, little flock, it is your Father's
good pleasure to give you a kingdom ; ' if we have the kingdom at the
last, it is no great matter what we suffer by the way ; but hereafter
we shall fully receive the fruits of our obedience : Rom. viii. 23, ' We
ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the
redemption of our bodies/ In heaven we have the fullest and largest
demonstration of God's love and favour. It is love now, and grace
now, that he will take us into his family, and employ us in his service ;
but then it is another manner of love, when taken not only into his
family, but presence and palace ; where we have not only a right, but
possession ; not only some remote service and ministration, but ever
lastingly enjoying, delighting, and praisifig God.
Secondly. We now come to the proof and testimony of our interest
in this privilege, ' The Spirit beareth witness with our spirit.' Here
let us,
1. Open the double testimony.
2. What the one superaddeth above the other.
3. The necessity of their conjunction to our full comfort.
1. The nature of this double testimony ; and there,
[I.] Let us begin with that which is more known to us, and under
stood by us, and that is the testimony of a renewed conscience. Let
us consider it, as conscience, and as renewed.
(1.) As conscience. There is a secret spy within us, that observeth
all that we think, or speak, or do, Rom. ii. 15, ' Their conscience bearing
them witness, and their thoughts in the mean time accusing or excus
ing/ Now this conscience must not be slighted. Partly, in respect
of ourselves, because it is so intimate to us; it is a spy in our
bosoms, and can give a better judgment of us and our actions, than
anything else can. The judgment of the world by way of applause
or censure, is foreign, and grounded upon appearance; therefore
not so much to be valued : 1 Cor. ii. 11, ' The spirit of a man which
is in him, knoweth the things of a man/ Who knoweth more of us
than we do ourselves ? and this witness cannot be suspected of partia
lity and ill will; for what is dearer to 'ourselves than ourselves?
therefore if our hearts condemn us, what shall be said for us ? 1 John
12G SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXIV.
iii. 20, 21, 'For if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our
hearts, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our hearts condemn us not,
then have we confidence towards God.' And partly, because of its
relation to God ; it is called ' the candle of the Lord/ Prov. xx. 27 ;
it is God's deputy judge, and in the place of God to us ; and therefore
if it doth accuse or excuse, it is to be regarded, for it is before God's
tribunal that it doth condemn or acquit us. It is his sentence that we
are to stand in fear and dread of ; to whom doth it accuse us, but to
God ? Whose wrath doth it fear, but God's, even then when there is
no outward cause of dread and fear ? Conscience is the vicegerent of
the supreme judge; partly, because of the rule it goeth by, which is
the will of God, by which good and evil are distinguished ; which is
either revealed by the light of nature, or the light of Scripture. The
light of nature ; Horn. ii. 14, 15, ' For when the Gentiles, who have
not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law ; these having
not the law, are a law to themselves, which show the work of the law
upon their hearts; their consciences also bearing witness, and their
thoughts the meanwhile accusing, or else excusing one another.' The
apostle proveth the heathen had a law, because they had a conscience ;
for conscience ever inferreth some rule and law by which good and evil
are distinguished. The light of Scripture comprehendeth either the
covenant of works, or the covenant of grace. Works, and so con
science condemneth all the world as ' guilty before God/ Kom. iii. 19 ;
and there is no escape from this sentence, but a regular appeal, and
passage from court to court : Ps. cxxx. 3, 4, ' If thou shouldest mark
iniquities, Lord, who shall stand ? But there is forgiveness with
thee, that thou mayest be feared;' Ps. cxliii. 2, 'Enter not into judg
ment with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified/
where poor condemned sinners may take sanctuary of the Lord's grace,
and humbly claim the benefit of the new covenant. Grace wherein
the penitent believer, and those that sincerely obey the gospel, are
accepted. The legal conscience condemneth all the world; but the
evangelical conscience acquitteth \is if we sincerely and thankfully
accept the new covenant ; that is, if we take the privileges offered for
our happiness ; and the duties required for our work. Therefore it is
said, 1 Pet. iii. 21, ' Baptism saveth, not the putting away of the filthi-
ness of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God ;'
not the bare ordinance, but the covenant which is sealed by it. And
what doth the covenant require? Accepting the Lord's offers, and
resolving to obey his commands.
(2.) As renewed. By nature conscience is blind, partial, stupid ; but
by grace it is made pure, tender, pliant, and more able to do its office.
The Spirit is not said here to witness to our heart, but to our spirit ;
that is, to conscience as renewed and sanctified. Now such a conscience
implieth these things, First, Some knowledge of and consent to the
new covenant ; for without knowledge the heart is not good, Prov. xix.
2. It erreth in point of law and rule, and therefore cannot well witness
in the case. And, secondly, consent there must be ; for we cannot claim
privileges by a charter which we never accepted. Therefore, Isa. Ivi.
4, ' And choose the things that please me, and take hold of my cove
nant.' They thankfully accept the offered benefits, and resolve by the
VER. 16.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS viii. 127
strength of the Lord's grace to perform the required duties. Thirdly,
That our hearts be set to fulfil our covenant vow ; for otherwise we
double, and deal insincerely with God : Heb. xiii. 18, ' We trust we
have a good conscience, willing in all things to live honestly.' The
habit and bent of the heart is for God, and obedience to him. Fourthly,
That there be some answerable endeavours, and pursuance of this
resolution and care to please God in all things: Acts xxiv. 16, 'And
herein do I .exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence
towards God and towards men.' Fifthly, That these endeavour s be
uniformly carried on, that our sincerity maybe evidenced to conscience.
For then it is matter of rejoicing and assurance to us : 2 Cor. i. 12,
' This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience, that in simpli
city and godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the world ; '
1 John iii. 19, ' And hereby we know we are of the truth, and shall
assure our hearts before him.' Grace, constantly and self-denyingly
exercised, hath an evidence in the conscience, and conduceth also to
give liberty and boldness before God.
[2.] The witness of the Spirit. Because this is often mistaken, I
shall the more distinctly lay it before you.
(1.) The Spirit layeth down marks in scripture which may decide
this question, whether ye are the children of God, yea or no. As for
instance : 1 John iii. 10, ' In this the children, of God are manifested,
and the children of the devil ; whosoever doth not righteousness is not
of God ; neither he that loveth not his brother/ And again, Horn. viii.
14, ' As many as are led by the Spirit, are the sons of God.' So every
where in the Scripture God expressly telleth us who shall go to heaven,
and who shall go to hell ; and that there is no neutral and middle
estate between the holy and carnal ; all are of one sort or other. Now
if we should go no further, the text would bear a good sense. The
Spirit beareth witness with our spirit, when our conscience can witness
our sincerity in a course of obedience unto God. The Spirit's witness
in Scripture, that this is a sound, so a true evidence; and the testimony
of conscience confirmed by Scripture ; for whatever is spoken in scrip
ture, is supposed to be the very voice and testimony of the Spirit : as
Acts xxviii. 25, ' Well spake the Holy Ghost by Isaiah the prophet
unto our fathers ; ' so Heb. iii. 7, ' Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith,
to-day if ye will hear his voice.' So the Spirit speaketh or witnesseth
to our spirits, namely, in the word ; supposing what is to be supposed,
this must not be slighted. Yet this is not all ; for the context speaketh
not of a witness without, but motion within, whereby we are restrained
from sin, and inclined to cry, Abba, Father.
(2.) He worketh such graces in us, as are peculiar to God's children,
and evidences of our interest in the favour of God ; as when he doth
renew and sanctify the soul. And so many oi the choicest divines take
the word witness for evidence, or the objective testimony ; namely, that
the presence, and dwelling, and working of the sanctifying Spirit in us
is the argument and matter of the proof, upon which the whole cause
or traverse dependeth. That it is so to be taken, is clear in that exclu
sive mark : Kom. viii. 9, ' But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit,
if so be the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the
Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.' And in that positive mark: 1
128 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXIV.
John iii. 24, ' And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him,
and he in him ; and hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit
which he hath given us ; ' and again, 1 John iv. 13, ' Hereby know we
that we dwell in him, and ho in us, because he hath given us his Spirit.'
That holy and charitable spirit ; the gracious operations of his presence,
are the argument whence we conclude.
(3.) He helpeth us to discern this work in our souls more clearly.
Conscience doth its part to discover it ; and the Spirit of God doth his
part ; namely, as he helpeth us to know and see that grace which he
giveth and actuateth in us ; for he revealeth ' the things given us of
God/ 1 Cor. ii. 12, not only in the gospel, though chiefly ; but also in
our hearts. The workman that made a thing can best warrant it to
the buyer. First he sanctifieth, and then he certifieth ; sometimes we
overlook our evidences, through the darkness and confusion that is in
our hearts. Hagar saw not the fountain that was near her, till God
opened her eyes, Gen. xxi. 19. There is a misgiving in the conscience ;
we cannot see grace in the midst of weakness and imperfections. Mary
wept for the absence of Christ, when yet he stood by her, John xx. 14,
15. The Spirit dwelleth and worketh in their hearts, but they know it
not.
(4.) He helpeth us not only to see grace, but to judge of the sincerity
of grace. It is more easy to prove that we believe, than to know
that our faith is saving; to love Christ, than to know that we
love him in sincerity ; because of the deceitfulness of the heart, and
the mixtures of unbelief, self-love, and other sins ; and some degrees
may be in hypocrites, as temporary faith, tastes, imperfect love, partial
obedience. And besides, grace where it is weak, is hardly perceived ;
the air will show itself in a windy season ; the fire when it is blown up
into a flame, it is no more hidden. Grace strengthened, increased,
acted, is more evident to conscience ; habits are discerned by acts and
exercise, and God is wont to reward the faithful soul with his assuring
seal of light and comfort: 1 John iii. 18, 'Love not in word, or in
tongue only, but in deed and in truth.' The less we are Christians in
show, and the more in sincerity, the more joy and peace.
(5.) He helpeth us with boldness to conclude from these evidences.
Many times when the premises are clear, the conclusion is suspended.
We find in case of condemnation, it is suspended out of self-love ; many
know that they that live after the flesh shall die, yet they will not judge
themselves ; and the same may be done in case of self-approbation, out
of legal fear or jealousy ; for persons of great fancy, and large affections,
are always full of scruples, or loathness to apply the comforts due to
them. The Spirit concludeth for them, that they are the children of
God: 1 John iii. 14, 'We know that we have passed from death to
life ; ' 1 John ii. 3, * And hereby we know that we know him.'
(6.) He causeth us to feel the comfort of this conclusion : Kom. xv.
13, ' Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing ; '
it is an impression of the comforting Spirit ; and Acts ix. 31, ' They
walked^in the comfort of the Holy Ghost.' The Spirit is necessary to this
actual joy ; for it is possible a man may be persuaded of his sincerity,
or have no doubting of it, and have too much deadness and dulness of
soul; not so comforted. Well then, it is not an oracle, as to Christ.
VER. 16.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 129
Mat. iii. 17 ; nor an internal suggestion, Thou art a child of God ; we
have no warrant for that from scripture. It is not only to, but with
conscience. Now conscience goeth upon rational evidence; and we
reason and argue from what we feel, or find in ourselves ; and it is
according to the covenant, where privileges are assigned the believer :
John i. 12, ' To as many as received him, to them gave he power to
become the sons of God ; ' to the penitent : Acts ii. 38, ' Kepent, and
you shall receive the Holy Ghost ; ' to the obedient : ' He is become
the author of salvation to all that obey him/
2. The one superaddeth to the other. Not the privilege without the
qualification ; that is sufficiently done by the word ; not the conscience
by discourse, and the Spirit immediately ; no, they concur to produce
the same conclusion. The Spirit's testimony superaddeth certainty,
authority, and overpowering light : 1 Cor. iv. 4, ' For I know nothing
by myself, yet am I not hereby justified ; but he that judge th me is
the Lord ;' and Kom. ix. 1, 'I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my
conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost.' As the influ
ences of the heavens work strongly, but imperceptibly, while they
mingle themselves with the motions of the creatures ; so doth the Spirit
with our spirit ; it fortifieth and strengthened the testimony of a man's
own heart ; and so doth with more authority and power persuade us
that we are the children of God.
3. The necessity of this to our full comfort.
[1.] We cannot pray without it. For the text is brought to prove
that they have a spirit within them, which inclineth them to cry, Abba,
Father. Surely it is a great advantage in prayer, to be able to say,
Isa. Ixiii. 16, 'Doubtless thou art our father ;' and again, Isa. Ixiv. 8,
' But now, Lord, thou art our father.' But how will you do, unless you
be God's children ? And how will you know you be God's children,
but by the Spirit bearing witness to, and with your spirits ? I know
all God's children have not the comfort of the Spirit, but they have the
Spirit of comfort, and in some measure can come to God as a father.
[2] We cannot apply the promises without it, for the promises are
children's bread. Unless we be the children of God, what comfort can
we take in the promises, unless we have an interest in them ? Privileges
have their conditions annexed : the right is suspended till the condition
be performed ; that is, till we know ourselves to be true believers, the
promises are in vain and of no effect. If to all, you deceive the most ;
for though some are of God's family, the whole world lieth in wicked
ness ; the most are the children of the devil. If to some, they have
their characters, which occasioneth the restraint; and you are told
here, this is known by the Spirit's bearing witness to our spirits.
But what shall poor creatures do, that have not yet this clear testi
mony?
(1.) Disclaim all other confidence. When you cannot, apply Hos. xiv.
3, ' Asshur shall not save us, we will not ride upon horses : neither will
we say any more to the works of our hands, ye are our gods : for in
thee the fatherless findeth mercy/
(2.) Own God in the humbling way ; creep in at the back door of
the promise, 1 Tim, i. 15, ' Jesus Christ came into the world to save
sinners.' If Christ came to save sinners, I am sinner enough for Christ
VOL. XII. I
130 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XXV.
to save. Luke xv. 18, 19, ' I will arise and go to my father, and wilt
say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee ;
and am no more worthy to be called thy son ; make me as one of thy
hired servants/
(3.) Come to him, as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ :
Eph. iii. 14, ' For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ.' Certainly God will love and accept all those that
come to him by Christ.
(4.) There is a child-like inclination, when there is not a child-like
familiarity and boldness. The soul cannot keep away from God, and
that is an implicit owning of him as a father : Jer. iii. 19, ' Thou shalt
call me father, and shalt not turn away from me/ We call him father,
optando si non affirmando; unspeakable groans discover the spirit of
adoption, as well aS unutterable joys ; we own him by way of option
and choice, though not by actual assurance of our special relation to
him, and interest in his fatherly love ; there may be a child-like love
to God, when we have no assurance of his paternal love to us.
(5.) There is a child-like reverence and awe, when not a child-like con
fidence. Their heart standeth in awe of (as the Kechabites), their
father's command, dare not displease him for all the world ; these in
time will overcome. In short, God hath a title to our dearest love,
when we cannot make out a title to the highest benefit.
SERMON XXV.
If children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ; if
so be that we suffer ivith him, that we may also be glorified
together. Ron. VIII. 17.
THE Apostle had showed, ver. 13. That if we through the Spirit do
mortify the deeds of the body, we shall live. He proveth it by this
medium and argument ; that as many as obey the sanctifying motions
of the Spirit, are children of God ; and children may look for a child's
portion. He proveth they are children, because the Spirit accompanieth
the dispensation of the new covenant, whereby we are adopted into
God's family ; and this Spirit acts suitably, as is evident by his
impression, ver. 15, by his testimopy and witness, ver. 16. Now he
goeth on further, and proveth, that if we be children, we are heirs ;
and that we shall live, if we mortify the deeds of the body, is more
abundantly proved, for our inheritance is eternal life and glory, * And
if children then heirs/ &c.
In the words observe,
1. A dignity, inferred from our adoption.
2. The amplification of it, from the excellent nature of this inherit
ance, 'Heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ.'
3. It is applied as a comfort against adversities ; ' If so be that we
suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together/
17.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. 131
promises ; that is, the thing promised, spiritual and eternal blessings
and rewards.
1. The dignity inferred is, that we are heirs. The inheritance
belonging to children, jure nascendi, all children are not necessarily
heirs, but only males, and among them the first born ; but jure adop-
tionis, they that are adopted, are adopted to some inheritance. So here,
' if children, then heirs ; ' be they sons or daughters, begotten to God
sooner or later, male or female ; are all one in Christ : Gal. iii. 18 ;
they are not debarred from the inheritance.
2. The amplification of it, or the greatness and excellency of this
inheritance , in two expressions, ' Heirs of God, and joint heirs with
Christ.' The first expression heightens the privilege in our thoughts ;
as the party adopting is, so is the privilege more or less glorious in our
thoughts. Adoption is in all free, and in some, glorious. If a mean
man adopt another's child, it is an act of free favour ; but if adopted
to a great inheritance, suppose many lordships, or to the succession of
a crown, it doth enhance the benefit. So here, this giveth a right to
the everlasting goods of the heavenly father. Secondly, The other
expression, 'joint heirs with Christ/ This heritage giveth us a com
munion with the only begotten Son of God ; what the Son of God by
nature enjoyeth, that the children of God by adoption enjoy also, so
far as they are capable ; we together with Christ enjoy God for ever
more. He is his God and Father, and our God a,-nd Father : John xx.
17 ; he is glorified, and we are glorified together with him.
3. It is applied as a comfort against adversities and afflictions : ' If
so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.'
The latter clause we may look upon as propounded, 1. As a concession,
2. As a condition, accordingly as we translate the particle elirep seeing
that, or if so ~be.
[1.] A concession; seeing that we suffer with him, that we may be
glorified together. Though we shall hereafter have communion with
hrist in glory, yet for the present we may have communion with him
in afflictions. This doth not infringe our privilege, but confirm it
rather : I Pet. iv. 13, ' Kejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's
sufferings ; that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad with
exceeding joy. Those that suffer for Christ, do also suffer with Christ ;
they are brought into a nearer conformity to him in his state of humili
ation, that afterwards they may be conformed to him in glory.
[2.] In the way of condition. We must submit to the condition of
afflictions as necessary to obtain glory ; for there must be striving before
crowning : 2 Tim. ii. 5, ' If a man strive for masteries, yet he is not
crowned except he strive lawfully ; ' that is, if any man would enter
into the lists in any of the Olympic games, he must observe the rules
in running, cutting, 1 wrestling, &c. ; he must submit to the laws of the
game, or exercise. He applieth this similitude, ver. 12, ' If we suffer
with him, we shall reign with him ; ' that is, we must suffer for Christ,
and we shall be rewarded with the participation of his glory ; so here,
we would all have our privileges ; but before we enjoy the full of them,
we must be conformed to him, suffer for him, and with him ; that in
1 Qu. ' quoiting ' ? ED.
132 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [$ER. XXV.
imitation of our head and chief, we may come to glory the same way
that Christ did, by sufferings : Heb. ii. 10. ' For it became him, for
whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many
sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through
suffering.' But you will say, all are not called to the afflictions of the
gospel ; is this condition indispensable ? Then none but martyrs are
glorified.
Answer, (1) All have not Abel's cross, do not run the hazard of their
lives ; but usually they will have Isaac's cross : Gal. iv. 29, ' He that
was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit ; '
meaning thereby those cruel mockings and scoffings which Isaac
endured from Ishmael, Gen. xxi. The children of God living upon
an unseen God, and an unseen world, sensual men mock at their interest
in God, and labour te shame them from their confidence in promises
yet to come.
(2.) Though all suffer not, yet all must be prepared and contented to
suffer : Mat. xvi. 24, * Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man
will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and
follow me/ God knoweth at what rate our sincerity must be tried ;
yet every one should make Christ a good allowance ; and our alienation
from the world must be so great, and our resignation to God so full,
that nothing we enjoy here, not life itself, may be an impediment to
our fidelity to Christ.
(3.) When God seeth it fit, we must actually suffer the loss of all
tilings and obey God at the dearest rates : 1 Pet. iii. 17, ' If the will
of God be so, that ye shall suffer for well doing ; ' affirmatwa prcecepta
non ligant ad semper, affirmative precepts do not bind at all times, as
negatives do. We must never do anything against the truth, but we
are not always tied to suffering ; but when we come to a necessity of
either suffering or sinning, then God manifesteth his will to his people,
that they should suffer ; and then if we suffer with him, we shall also
be glorified together. No creature could have brought us to this
necessity, without God ; it is plainly God's will that we should suffer ;
and remember it is his will that we should also reign with him.
Doct. That all God's children are heirs of a blessed and glorious
inheritance. I shall show you,
1. The agreement between common heirs and them.
2. The difference.
3. Those properties which show the greatness of the inheritance.
First, The agreement ; in these things :
1. There is an inheritance provided. We have a right to all the
good things God hath promised, especially eternal life ; therefore the
people of God are called ' heirs of salvation,' Heb. i. 14 ; ' heirs of the
kingdom,' Jam. ii. 5 ; and the heavenly estate is called ' the inheritance
of the saints in light/ Col. i. 12. Those excellent things which are to
be enjoyed by us in the other world are in the nature of an inheritance.
2. The conveyance is by promise and covenant ; as other heritages
are conveyed by formalities of law, so is this. The covenant is so
offered by God, and so it must be accepted by us : Pe. cxix. Ill, ' Thy
testimonies I have taken as an heritage for ever/ As we say a man's
estate lieth in bills and bonds, so are God's testimonies our heritage ;
VER. 17.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vin. 133
not the promises, but the things promised. And so it is said, Heb. vi.
12, that God's holy ones did through faith and patience inherit the
3. Our tenure is by sonship. [1.] It is free ; for the inheritance is
not purchased by us, but freely bestowed upon us. A child's tenure
differeth from a servant's ; the one earneth his wages, and the other
hath his estate from his father's bounty and free gift ; so is ours the
gift of God, Kom. vi. 23, in opposition to works ; called therefore ' the
reward of inheritance,' Col. iii. 24. Though servants earn what they
receive from men, yet from the Lord Christ, whatever they receive for
faithfulness in their calling, it is a free retribution ; though they are
servants to men, yet they are sons to God, for all are children and heirs
in heaven ; there is no distinction of servants and sons there. In short,
whatever is promised to any work of ours, it is not from any worth in
the work, but from God's free grace. [2.] It is full ; for the inherit
ance is more than a legacy. God showeth his goodness to all his
creatures, but to his children he giveth the inheritance. As Isaac had
the inheritance from Abraham, but to his sons that he had by con
cubines he gave gifts, and sent them away, Gen. xxv. 5, 6. All men
taste of his common bounty, but his saints have their inheritance
reserved for them ; which showeth that we should put a distinction
between our heavenly inheritance, and those earthly enjoyments
which flow in the channel of common providence. Alas ! That far
exceedeth anything we enjoy here ; all things here are but mean and
fading in themselves, and liable to spoil and devastation from others ;
but this is our eternal and durable estate, which the wicked shall not
partake of, whatever gifts God bestoweth on them now.
4. There is a time between right and possession ; and in the mean
time the heirs live by hope, till the inheritance fairly descendeth to
them ; so here : Titus iii. 7, c Being justified by faith, we are made
heirs according to the hope of eternal life/ We are heirs, but it is
little that we enjoy now ; God's sons and heirs make no fair show in
the flesh ; to outward appearance there is little difference between their
condition, and the condition of the men of the world. For God will
not distinguish the heirs of promise from others by their outward
condition, but internally. There is hope of a better estate, and surely
to expect such great things, and not be affected with them, argueth a
dead and stupid heart. Is a right nothing before possession ? Or is
the expectation so grounded, a vain fancy ? Surely a Christian is or
will be a great man. Is the heir nothing better than a slave, because
he doth not as yet come to the enjoyment of what is provided for him ?
A right and a hope should give us more joy than usually we find in
ourselves; if it were a vain expectation, and not grounded upon a
right, it were less; but being it is so, we should be more affected
with it.
5. As an heir hath not only assurance of the inheritance, but present
supply and maintenance, and other demonstrations of love to support
his expectation from him that adopted him, that all the estate falleth
to him ; so in the meantime God's children have the pledges of his
love, the possession of the heavenly inheritance is begun here in the
kingdom of grace ; and is afterwards completed in the kingdom of
glory. The Spirit now with his comforts and graces is set forth under
134 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XXV.
a double notion of earnest, and first fruits, Eph. i. 14, ' The earnest of
inheritance/ ' First fruits,' Bom. viii. 23. There are two acts of a
Christian, to look, and long for this estate : look for it, because it is
sure ; and long for it, because it is good. God giveth us a pledge and
earnest, to show how sure ; a taste, to show how good ; thus far they
agree.
Secondly. Wherein they disagree.
L It is an inheritance not lessened by the multitude of co-heirs :
God is an infinite portion, that cannot be divided, and sufficeth the
whole world. In other heritages many a fair stream is drawn dry, by
being dispersed into several channels ; but here the more company, the
greater the privilege ; what a happiness is it to enjoy God among all
the saints ! The company is ever propounded as a blessing : Mat. viii.
11, 'Ye shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the king
dom of heaven ; ' and^Heb. xii. 22, 23, ' Ye are come to an innumerable
company of angels,' &c. When God is all in all, he will fill up every
vessel. As when the s&me light is seen by all, the same speech is
heard by all, the one doth not see less, nor the other hears less,
because another seeth and heareth with him. In the world we straiten
others, the more we are enlarged ourselves ; but not then.
2. In other inheritances the father must die, before the son can
inherit. Hcereditas est successio in totumjus defuncti ; death taketh
away the father, that the son may succeed him. God hath heirs, but
no successors ; we do not possess after our Father's death, but with our
Father ; he liveth for ever, and we live for ever with him ; we die that
we may go to the living God ; * When strength faileth, and heart
faileth, thou art my portion for ever/ Ps. Ixxiii. 26. When others
must leave their inheritance, we go to ours, then it beginneth.
3. In other heritages, the heirs are designed by name, but here by
character. Men are contentious ; every one would say, he is meant in
the description ; but here the heirs are not named, but described by
certain qualifications, which must be tried by ourselves, warranted by
the Spirit, judged and examined by Christ at the last day. Some
times they are termed the called : Heb. ix. 15, ' That they that are
called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance;' by which is
meant those which are effectually called, and converted unto God.
Sometimes this privilege is settled upon believers, John i. 12, such as
do heartily and thankfully accept of Christ, and his grace ; and some
times the sanctified, as Col. i. 12 ; arid Acts xx. 18 ; such as are
dedicated to God, and live as a people set apart for him. All these are
sons ; therefore made heirs, qualified, and made capable of this blessed
inheritance.
Thirdly, The properties of this inheritance, which set forth the
greatness of it.
1. It is a glorious inheritance : Eph. i. 18, ' That ye may know what
is the riches of the glory of the inheritance in the saints.' That
inheritance which is appointed for those who are renewed by the Spirit
of God, is a glorious inheritance. There is nothing in heaven but what
is glorious ; the object of it is the glorious God, whom we shall see, as
we are seen : 1 Cor. xiii. 12, especially as he shineth forth in the
glorious person of our Redeemer : John xvii. 24, ' Father, I will that
YER. 17.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vnr. 135
those whom thou hast given me may be where I am, that they may
behold my glory.' The state of our bodies and souls shall be glorious,
Phil. iii. 21 ; the place shall be glorious, the upper paradise, 2 Cor.
xii. 4 ; the company glorious, all the glorified saints and angels ; our
employment glorious, Eev. vii. 12, blessing, and praising, and glorifying
of God, for ever and ever.
2. It is an eternal and undefiled inheritance : 1 Pet. i. 4, c To an
inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, that fadeth not away, reserved
in heaven for you.' I gather from that place, that it is a celestial and
incorruptible inheritance, and so doth exceed all worldly possessions
which come from fathers to their children. The things of this world
are both defiling and perishing ; they pollute us, omnis turpitudo est a
mixtura ; when our hearts cleave to the things of this world, they are
debased by them to something beneath themselves. But this celestial
inheritance doth not corrupt, but purify affections ; these things below
make us worse, but cannot make us better ; they are perishing as well
as fading : for they decay in our hands ; like flowers they wither in
our hands while we smell at them ; but this endureth for ever ; we
shall not fail, and to be sure the ever-living God will not fail us.
3. It is a blessed inheritance, the expression in the text, ' heirs of
God, and joint heirs with Christ.' First, heirs of God. The inheri
tance is the Lord himself, blessed for ever, to be enjoyed by the saints
to all eternity. He is the inheritance of his people now : Ps. xvi. 5, 6,
4 The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, the lines are fallen to
me in a pleasant place ; ' Ps. cxix. 57, * Thou art my portion, Lord ; '
and Lam. iii. 24, ' The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, therefore
will I hope in him ; ' see what conclusions are drawn thence, duty,
and hope. Much more then will God be our all-sufficient portion : Kev.
xxi. 7, ' He that overcometh shall inherit all things ; and I will be his
God, and he shall be my son ; ' all things equivalently, all things
immediately in God ; God is instead of all, infinitely supplying and
filling up the room of all, riches, honours, contentment, and comforts.
If we have God, nothing shall be missed, nothing wanted to make the
state of those that enjoy it completely happy. God is all immediately
from himself : 1 Cor. xv. 28 ; God shall be all in all, who filleth all the
desires, and perfecteth all the powers of our souls, of himself, without
the intervention of means. Secondly, joint heirs with Christ, we enjoy
it by him, and we enjoy it with him.
[1.] By him, for Christ is the heir of all things ; and we can have no
title but by and through him. He hath the whole inheritance in his
power, and the absolute disposing of all the good things which belong
to it : John xvii. 2, ' Thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he
should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given to him.' He
hath power of condemning and absolving ; unless we sincerely and
cordially come to him, and accept him upon God's offer, and obey him,
we have no right.
[2.] We enjoy it with him. Christ as mediator hath a double
inheritance. (1.) Of life and glory. (2) Of dominion and power.
(1.) Of life and glory. For we read, 1 Tim. iii. 16, that he is
1 received up into glory/ and there he liveth for ever at the right hand
of God. Now Christ will not be there alone ; he cannot satisfy himself
136 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VII f. [SER. XXV.
unless he have his people with him ; for we do with Christ enjoy God,
and live with him for evermore. Christ will have his people sharers
in the same life and glory : John xii. 26, ' If any man will serve me, let
him follow me, and where I am, there shall my servant be : if any man
serve me, him will my Father honour.' His people shall fare as he
doth, if they will serve him and follow him ; that is, not take it ill to
be no better used than he was. He will be with them in trouble, and
they shall be with him in glory ; in their eternal estate they shall have
constant, intimate, and nearer fellowship with him.
(2.) An inheritance of dominion and power: Eph. i. 21, ' God raised
him far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion,
and every name that is named, not only in this world, but in that
which is to come.' Christ as mediator was exalted to the highest
degree of glory, next to God in heaven ; far above that fading power
of rulers and potentates by whom he was put to death; yea, above the
highest degree of angelical power. But doth any of this fall to our
share ? See what Christ saith : Kev. iii. 21, 'To him that overcometh,
I will grant to sit with me on my throne, even as I also overcame, and
am sat down with my Father in his throne.' He that perse vereth in
spite of all temptations, shall partake of that honour to which my
Father hath exalted me unto, after my sufferings. He shall reign
with Christ, and sit down with Christ on the right hand of the majesty
of God ; not the same methods used towards him, to bring him 'to a
glorious eternity ; but invested in the same power as Christ the head :
Ps. xlix. 14, 'The upright shall have dominion in the morning.'
Use 1 . Is information of several truths.
1. That our heavenly inheritance cometh to us not by our own
purchase and procurement, or merit; but by virtue of our sonship.
For so the apostle reasoneth, ' If sons, then heirs.' It is given by the
mercy of God, or the bounty of our Father : Luke xii. 32, 'Fear not,
little flock, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you a kingdom.'
It is purchased by Christ ; indeed the Scripture doth not expressly say
in termims, that Christ purchased it for us, but the merit of his death
reached that effect ; the immediate end of Christ's death was to expiate
our transgressions ; Heb. ix. 15, ' For this cause is Christ the mediator
of the new covenant, that by means of death, for the redemption of
the transgressions under the first covenant, they which are called might
receive the promise of eternal inheritance/ His death removed sin,
and the eternal penalties due to it ; and the new covenant, which is so
full of heavenly promises, is thereby introduced ; none but such whose
sins are expiated, can be heirs ; and yours could not be expiated without
the death of the mediator. Therefore take away this death, and there
can be no new covenant, no inheritance ; this death satisfied the justice
of God, and merited his favour. Again, we are purchased ; though it
be not said heaven is purchased, Eph. ii. 14. Once more, it is said he
gave himself, Eph. v. 25, 26, 27 ; all the benefits depend on the blood
of Christ; and 1 Thes. v. 9, 10, 'For God hath not appointed us to
wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for
us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.'
The price of this purchase then is Christ, is Christ's death and blood.
Christ having purchased it, hath left it in legacy: John xvii. 24,
VER. 17. j SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 137
* Father, I will that those thou hast given me may be where I am ; '
Luke xxii. 22, ' This is the new testament in my blood, which is shed
for you/ What are the legacies ? Pardon and life, Mat. xxvi. 28, 29 ;
and Christ liveth for ever to be executor of his own testament, Heb.
vii. 25. We then adopted believers, are designed heirs of salvation
and eternal glory, out of mere grace, not out of any merit of ours.
2. It informeth us that it is a safe way upon the observation of the
saving effects of God's Spirit in ourselves, to conclude that we are in
an estate of grace, even the adopted children of God. For so doth the
apostle reason in this place : They are children of God ; how is it
known ? By the work and witness of the Spirit within us ; thence
we conclude, ' if sons, then heirs; ' the like : Gal. iv. 6, ' Because ye are
sons, he hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son, crying, Abba, Father.
Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son ; and if a son, then an
heir of God through Christ/ Which teacheth us how to come to a
conclusion in soul debates. Have I a child-like inclination, and sense
and confidence that God hath adopted me into his favour, and have I the
sanctifying of the Spirit upon my heart ? I may be bold then to enter
my claim.
3. It informeth us that the privileges of believers are so linked
together, that where one of them is, there are all the rest. Therefore
if we enjoy one, then we must collect and infer that the rest do belong
to us also ; if sons, we must not rest there ; ' then heirs, heirs of God,
and joint heirs with Christ/ One link of the golden chain draweth on
another ; there is a great deal of profit in these collections and infer
ences ; our minds are usually taken up with trifles and childish toys ;
surely the privileges of a Christian are not so much considered as they
should be. The benefit of it is this : partly, it keepeth our hearts in a
way of praising God, and constant rejoicing in God ; if we did more
consider the excellency of our inheritance : 1 Pet. i. 3, 4, ' Blessed be
God, who hath begotten us to a lively hope, to an inheritance incor
ruptible, undefiled.' Our thoughts are too dead and cold till we revive
the memory of our excellent privileges by Christ. Partly, as it keepeth
us in a constant and cheerful adherence to the truth, whatever it cost
us ; we slight all temporal things, how grievous or troublesome soever
they be : Kom. viii. 18, ' For I reckon that the sufferings of the present
life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed
in us/ Eom. v. 3, * We glory in tribulation, as knowing that tribula
tion worketh patience/ Partly, To help us to despise the pleasures of
sin which are but for a season, while eternal things are in view : 2 Cor.
iv. 18, 'While we look not to the things which are seen, but to the
things which are not seen ; for the things which are seen are temporal ;
but the things which are not seen are eternal/ And partly, To digest
the labours of duty and obedience, all the pains of the holy life, 2 Cor.
v. 9. ' Wherefore we labour, whether present or absent, that we may
be accepted of the Lord/ What shall we not do for such a father,
that hath provided such an inheritance for us, that we may enjoy him
and be accepted with him ? Therefore we should stock our minds with
these thoughts.
4. That we should not question our estate, because we are under
grievous pressures and afflictions. For the words are an anticipation
138 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [$ER. XXV.
of an objection If sons of God, and heirs of glory, why are we then so
afflicted ? He inverteth the argument, You are so afflicted, that you
may have the inheritance. It is rather an evidence of our right than
an infringement of it, especially if patiently endured for God's sake,
seeing thereby you are conformed to the Son by nature : Kom. viii. 29,
* He hath predestinated us to be conformed to the image of his Son/
We have communion with Christ and his sufferings ; and if we be like
him in his estate of humiliation, we shall be like him in his estate of
exaltation also.
Use 2. Is exhortation.
1. To believe this blessed inheritance which is reserved for the
children of God. It is a great happiness, but let not us therefore
suspect the truth of it ; for it is founded in the infinite mercy of the
eternal God, and tlje everlasting merit of a blessed Redeemer ; and we
are prepared and qualified for it by the almighty operation of the con
quering Spirit ; it is an happiness that lieth in another world, and we
cannot come at it but by death. But is there no life beyond this ?
Where then shall the good be rewarded, and the wicked punished ?
It is unseen, but it is set before us in the promises of the gospel, which
God hath confirmed by miracles, and sanctified to the conversion and
consolation of many souls throughout all successions of ages. And
were the best and wisest of men that ever the world saw, deceived with
a vain fancy ? Or can a lie or delusion be sanctified to such high and
holy ends ? Therefore do you believe it ? John xi. 26, ' Whosoever
liveth and believeth in me shall never die ; believest thou this ? ' If
you believe your reconciliation with God by the death of Christ, why
not your salvation by his life? If your adoption into his family,
why not the inheritance ? Both privileges stand by the same
grace.
2. Let us live always in the desire of it ; that desire that will quicken
you to look after it, Phil. iii. 14, and to seek after it in the first place,
Mat. vi. 33 ; that desire that will quicken you to long for the enjoyment
of it, Phil. i. 23.
3. To comfort yourselves with the hope of it: Rom. v. 2, 'And
rejoice in hope of the glory of God/ It is the glory of God ; God
giveth it, God is the solid part of it ; and can we expect shortly to live
with God, and upon God, and not rejoice in the hope of it ? Is a deed
of gift from God, the security of infallible promises, nothing ? Is the
title nothing before possession ? When this estate is so sure and near,
we should more lift up our heads, and revive our drooping spirits.
4. Let us walk worthy of it :
[1.] Despising Satan's offers, Heb. xii. 16. Be not a profane person,
as was Esau ; 1 Kings xxi. 3, ' The Lord forbid that I should part
with the inheritance of my father.' Be chary of your inheritance;
keep the hopes clear, fresh, and lively.
[2.] Wean your hearts from the world : Col. iii. 1,2. If ye be
risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, set your affections
above, and not on the earth.' There is your Father, your head, your
Christ, your patrimony ; it is reserved for you in the heavens.
[3.] Live in all holy conversation and godliness, 1 Pet. iii. 7 ; living
heirs of the grace of life, in all duties to God, love to one another,
as
VER. 18.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vin. 139
fidelity in all our relations. We that shall live in the clear vision and
full fruition of God in Christ, should be other manner of persons.
[4.] In an heavenly manner : Phil. iii. 20, ' But our conversation is
in heaven ; ' either acting for it, or living upon it, or solacing ourselves
with it. With delightful thoughts of heaven sweeten your pilgrimage
here ; be willing to suffer afflictions, if God call us thereunto, patiently.
You suffer with Christ ; Christ takes it as done to himself : Acts ix.
' Why persecutest thou me ? ' Fill up your share of the sufferings
providence hath appointed for Christ mystical: Col. i. 24, 'Who now
rejoice in my afflictions for you, and fill up that which is behind of the
afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for his body's sake, which is the church ; '
2 Cor. i. 6, ' And whether we be afflicted it is for your consolation and
salvation ; ' and Phil. iii. 10, * That I may know him, and the power
of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made
conformable unto his death.'
SERMON XXVI.
For I reckon that tlie sufferings of this present time are not ivorthy to
be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us. ROM.
VIII. 18.
IN this chapter the apostle speaketh first of bridling lusts, and then of
bearing afflictions ; both are tedious to flesh and blood. The necessity
of taming the flesh is deduced throughout that whole discourse, which
is continued from ver. 1. to the end of ver. 17, where he maketh patient
enduring afflictions a condition of our glory ; * if we suffer with him,
we shall also be glorified together.' He now showeth us a reason, why
we should not dislike this condition ; because the good which is promised
is far greater than the evil which we fear. Two things nature teacheth
all men ; the first is to submit to a lesser evil, to avoid a greater ; as
men will cut off an arm or a leg to save the whole body ; the other is,
to undergo a lesser evil to obtain a greater good than that evil depriveth
us of. If this principle were not allowed, it would destroy all the
industry in the world ; for good is not to be obtained unless we venture
somewhat to get it ; upon this principle the apostle worketh in this
place, ' For I reckon/ &c.
In the words take notice of
1. The things compared; The sufferings of the present life and the
glory to be revealed in us.
2. The inequality that is in them ; They are not worthy.
3. The conclusion or judgment of the apostle upon the case; /
reckon.
1. The things compared. On the one side, ' the sufferings of the
present time.'
[1.] Mark that, sufferings plurally, to comprise all of the kind,
reproaches, strifes, fines, spoiling of goods, imprisonment, banishment,
140 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXVI.
death. Again of the present time, to distinguish them from the torments
of hell, which maketh up a part of the argument ; for if to avoid tem
poral evils we forsake Christ, we shall endure eternal torments ; but
the apostle speaketh of temporal evils.
[2.] On the other side, * The glory that shall be revealed in us.'
Every word is emphatical. (1.) Our reward is called glory ; in our
calamity we are depressed and put to shame ; but whatever honour we
lose in this mortal life, shall be abundantly supplied and recompensed
to us in heaven : ' If any man serve me, him shall my Father honour/
John xii. 26. An afflicted, persecuted people are usually misrepresented
and scandalized in the world ; but there is a life and state of glory
prepared for them in heaven ; men cannot put so much disgrace upon
them, as God will put marks of honour and favour. (2.) It shall be
revealed. This glory doth not appear for the present, it is not seen ; it
is not conspicuous to the eyes of men ; therefore some believe it not,
others regard it not ; ' it doth not yet appear what we shall be ; the
world knoweth us not, as it knew him not : ' 1 John iii. 1,2,' Therefore
the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Behold, now we
are the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be ; but
we know, that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, and see him
as he is.' But it shall be seen, because of God's decree and promise ;
for the glory is prepared, though it be not revealed. (3.) In us, or
upon us, 6*9 ^yu-a? when we shall be raised immortal, incorruptible,
and we shall be so highly favoured and honoured by Christ, as we shall
be at the day of judgment, then this glory is revealed upon us ; that
is, we shall be possessors of it ; we have the right now, but then the
possession.
2. The inequality between them : * They are not worthy to be com
pared/ OVK afya Trpbs rrjv pe\\ovaav Sofai/ ; not worthy to future
glory, not worthy to be set the one against the other, as bearing no
proportion.
3. The conclusion or judgment of the apostle in this case. The word
AoyifyfjLcu is emphatical, and implieth, that he had weighed these
things in his mind; after the case was well traversed, he did conclude
and determine upon the whole debate ; rationibus bene subductis colligo
et statuo. The apostle speaketh like a man that had cast up his
accounts, well weighed the matter he speaketh of ; and then concludeth,
resolveth, and determineth, that the sufferings which are to be under
gone for Christ are nothing, considering the glory and blessedness
which shall ensue.
Dock That every good Christian, or considerate believer, should
determine that the happiness of his glorified estate doth infinitely out
weigh and exceed the misery of his present afflictions. I shall open
the point by these considerations :
1. That counterbalancing temporal things with eternal, is the way
to clear our mistakes, or prevent the delusions of the flesh. The apostle
observeth this method here and elsewhere : 2 Cor. iv. 17, ' This light
affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceed
ing and eternal weight of glory ; ' and it is necessary ; for all our
mistakes come by reckoning by time, and not by eternity ; but looking
to eternity sets us right again : 2 Cor. iv. 18, ' Looking not to the
VER. 18] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vin. 141
things which are temporal, but to the things which are eternal.' The
flesh is importunate to be pleased with present satisfactions ; it must
have something seen and at hand ; and this tainteth our minds, so that
present things bear a big bulk in our eye, but things to come are as a
vain fancy; therefore nothing will scatter this mist and cloud upon
our understandings, but a due sight of eternal things, how real they
are, and how much they exceed for greatness and duration. Then we
shall find that time to eternity, is but as a drop lost or spilt in the
ocean ; as a point to the circumference ; and that the honours and
dignities of the world, which dazzle men's eyes, are vain and slippery ;
that riches, which captivate their hearts, are uncertain and perishing ;
that pleasures, which enchant their minds, are sordid and base, and
pass away as the wind ; that nothing is great but what is eternal. If
wicked men did but consider the shortness of their pleasures, and the
length of their sorrows, they would not be so besotted as they are ; and
if holy men did but consider the shortness of their afflictions, and the
length of their joy and glory, it would animate and encourage them to
carry it more patiently and cheerfully in all their tribulations.
2. This may be done four ways :
[1.] Comparing temporal good things with eternal good things, that
we may wean and draw off our hearts from the one to the other, and
so check the delights of sense ; as wealth with heavenly riches : Heb.
x. 34, ' Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, as knowing in your
selves that ye have in heaven a better and a more enduring substance.'
Eternal bliss in heaven is the most valuable and durable kind of wealth ;
all other treasure cometh more infinitely short of it, than wampompeage,
or the shells which the Indians use for money, doth of our coin and
treasure. So to wean us from our sensual delights, the scripture pro-
poundethto our consideration that eternal and solid joy which resulteth
from the immediate fruition of God, Ps. xvi. 11. So to wean us from
vain glory, and that we may be contented with the glory that comes
from God only, it telleth us of the honour and glory of the saints, John
v. 44. All the sensual good things we dote upon are but a may-game
or painted show in comparison of what we shall enjoy there.
[2.] Temporal bad things with eternal bad things ; so to defeat the
terrors of sense. All the sufferings of the world are but as the scratch
of a pin or a flea-biting, to that woe, wrath, and tribulation that abideth
for every soul that doth evil ; no fire like the fire of hell, nor pains like
the pains of the worm that never dieth : Luke xii. 4, 5, ' Fear not them
that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do ; but
I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear ; fear him, which after he hath
killed, hath power to cast into hell/ Men threaten prisons, God
threateneth hell ; they can mangle the body, but when they have cut
it all in pieces, they cannot reach the soul ; if we sin to avoid trouble
in the world, we escape at a dear rate. As a nail driveth out a nail,
so doth one fear drive out another ; temporal sufferings are nothing
to eternal : Heb. xi. 35. ' They accepted not deliverance, looking for
a better resurrection ; ' the general resurrection is better than present
remission of torments
[3.] Temporal good with eternal evil. Many succeed well in a way
of sinning here, live without any remarkable blast and stroke of God's
142 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXVL
judgment; but how is it with them in the other world? Momentum
est quod delectat, eternum quod crucial Heb. xi. 25, ' The pleasures
of sin are but for a season ; ' but the punishment of sin is for ever ; if
we compare the pleasures of sin with the pains of hell, it may be a
means to reclaim us from the sensual life. This short pleasure is dearly
bought.
[4.] Temporal bad things, with eternal good things. This here, and
2 Cor. iv. 17, ' For our light afflictions, which are but for a moment,
worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.' A
due sight of eternity will soon show us the smallness of all that we can
suffer here ; and so our afflictions are not matters much to be stood
upon, or accounted of; the comparison must be rightly stated, and
weighed, and improved by proper considerations.
3. In this last comparison these things are considerable
[1.] Our sufferings come from men, but our glory cometh from God ;
now as the agent is, so is the effect ; man afflicts as a finite creature,
but God rewardeth us as an infinite and eternal being ; man showeth
himself in his wrath, and God in his love ; man in his anger : Isa. li.
12, 'Who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall
die, and of the son of man who shall be as grass ? ' Men soon perish
and are gone, and the effects of their anger cease with them ; they can
do no more than God pleaseth, and their time is limited ; they can
rage no longer than God pleaseth. But as man showeth himself as
man, God showeth himself as God. It is intimated in the genera]
expression of the covenant, ' I will be your God,' be such a benefactor
as a God should be ; do us good so as becometh an infinite eternal
power ; thence are those reasonings : Mat. xxii. 32, ' I am the God of
Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob ; God is not
the God of the dead, but of the living ; ' Heb. xi. 16, ' But now they
desire a better country, that is an heavenly; wherefore God is not
ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a city/
He will give us somewhat like himself ; now what comparison between
the wrath of man and the bounty of God ?
[2.] Our sufferings are earthly, but our glory is heavenly. As the
place is, so is the estate ; here both the good and evil is partial, but
there both are complete ; for here we are in the way, there in termino,
in our final estate ; here a believer's spiritual condition will counter
balance all his outward troubles ; his consolation exceed his afflictions :
2 Cor i. 5, ' For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consola
tion doth abound by Christ ; ' much more his eternal estate. For now
we are but in part acquainted with God, but there he is all in all,
1 Cor. x. 28 ; here we see him in a glass,, but there face to face, 1 Cor.
xiii. 12. Here we have the earnest, there the whole bargain ; here a
taste, there a full feast ; here the beginning, there the consummation.
[3.] Our sufferings are but short, but our glory eternal : 1 Pet. i. 6,
' For a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold tempta
tions ; ' the trouble is but of short continuance ; so 1 Pet. v. 10. ' He
hath called you to eternal glory by Jesus Christ, after you have suffered
a while.' It is but a little time that we suffer ; for God knoweth our
spirits are soon apt to fail ; he considereth we are but dust. Indeed
the Lord useth a difference with his children ; some have shorter trials,
VER. 18.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vui. 143
some longer ; but they are all but for a season. If they should last
for our whole lives, they are but momentary, if compared with eternity.
But it is not credible that our lives should be altogether calamitous ;
there is no instance either in scripture, or the records of time ; there
are intervals of rest, and our enemies cannot trouble us, but when it is
permitted of God. But if there were no intermission, yet this life itself
is but for a moment, compared with eternity. If you consider that
which in these afflictions we most dread, and beyond which the power
of the most cruel adversaries cannot reach, death itself ; it is but for a
moment ; in the twinkling of an eye we are in eternity ; death cometh
in a moment, and it is gone in a moment ; after that, we enjoy eternal
rest and peace. Therefore though in our way to heaven we should
endure the most grievous calamities, yet since they are but short and
momentary, we should submit to them, that we may enjoy so great a
good as the vision and fruition of God. Toleramus brevia, expectamus
eterna ; the sufferings are temporal, the glory is eternal, because it
dependeth upon the will of an immutable God, and the everlasting
merit of a glorious Kedeemer : when either of these foundations fail,
your blessedness will be at an end. But these can never fail ; and
therefore our glory will be everlasting. Well then, the pain and
suffering will be short ; within a little while you will feel it no more
than if it had never been ; if the pain be remembered, it will be but to
increase your joy.
[4.] As they are short, so they are light. Leves et breves. The scripture
often joineth them together : 2 Cor. iv. 17, ' This light affliction which
is but for a moment.' They are light, just so they are short in compari
son of eternal glory ; as of short continuance if compared with eternity,
so of small weight if compared with the reward ; eternity maketh them
short ; and the greatness of the reward maketh them easy. There are
degrees in our troubles ; some of the saints get to heaven at a cheaper
rate than others do ; but yet the afflictions of all are light, if we consider
the unspeakable glory of the world to come. Indeed we do but prattle
when we presume fully to describe it ; for it doth not appear what we
shall be, and it hath not entered into the heart of man to conceive the
great things which he hath prepared for them that love him. But the
scripture expressions everywhere show it shall be exceeding great, and
also by the beginnings of it. The world is ignorant and incredulous of
futurity, therefore God giveth us the beginnings of heaven and hell in
this world, in a wounded spirit and the comforts of a good conscience ;
these things we have experience of ; we know not exactly what our
future condition will be, but the hopes and fears of that estate are very
affective ; the fears and horrors of eternal torment, which are found in
a guilty conscience, do in part show what hell will be, or the nature of
that woe and anguish which abideth for the impenitent : Prov. xviii. 14,
The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity ; but a wounded spirit
who can bear ? ' The salve for this sore must come from heaven only.
So the joys of a good conscience, which are unspeakalle and glorious,
1 Pet. i. 8, show that the happiness appointed for the saints will be
exceeding great ; for if the foretaste be so sweet, the hope and expecta
tion be so ravishing, what will the enjoyment be ? Besides, God mod-
erateth our sufferings, that they may not be over-long, or over-grievous :
144 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XXVI
1 Cor. x. 13, 'But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be
tempted above that you are able ; but will with the temptation also
make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.' If the trial be
heavy, he fortifieth us by the comfort and support of the Spirit, and so
maketh it light and easy to us. To a strong back that burden is light
which would crush the weak and faint, and cause them to shrink under
it ; but though God moderateth our afflictions, he doth not abate our
glory, that is given without measure : ' A far more exceeding weight
of glory/
[5.] The sufferings are in our mortal bodies, but the glory is both
in soul and body. It is but the flesh which is troubled and grieved by
affliction ; the flesh which, if delicately used, soon becometh our enemy ;
the soul is free, and not liable to the power of man. Now it becometh
a man, much more a believer, to look after the soul : Heb. x. 39, * We
are not of them who" draw back to perdition, but of them that believe
to the saving of the soul ; ' OVK eo-jiev v7roarTO\r)s ei? aTreoXemz/, a\\a
Trtcrreo)? ek TrepiTroirjo-iv ^1^*79, implying, that they that are tender of
flesh are apostates in heart ; if not actually and indeed so, yet in the
practice ; but those which will purchase the saving of the soul at any
rates, are the true and sound believers. The world, which gratifieth
the bodily life, may be bought at too dear a rate ; but not so the salvation
of the soul ; they that are so thirsty of the comforts and interests of
the bodily life, will certainly be prodigal of their salvation. But a
believer is all for the saving of his soul ; that is the end of his faith,
and labours, and sufferings, and his self-denial. The end of his faith
is to save his soul, 1 Pet. i. 9. So much as God is to be preferred
before the creature, heaven before the world, eternity before time, the
soul before the body ; so much doth it concern us to have the better
part safe. But yet this is not all ; that which is lost for a while, is
preserved to us for ever ; if the body be lost temporally, it is secured
to all eternity. If we lose it by the way, we are sure to have it at the
end of the journey, when the body shall have many privileges bestowed
upon it ; but this above all the rest, that it shall be united to a soul
fully sanctified, from which it shall never any more be separated, but
both together shall be the eternal temple of the Holy Ghost.
[6.] Sufferings do mostly deprive us of those things which are without
a man ; but this is a glory which shall be revealed in us. By sufferings
we lose estate, liberty, comfortable abode in the world among our friends
and relations. If life itself, which is within us, it is only as to its
capacity of outward enjoyments; for as to the fruition of God and
Christ, so it is true he that loseth his life shall save it, Mat. x. 39,
and shall live though he die, John xi. 25 ; it is but deposited in Christ's
hands. But this glory is revealed in us, in our bodies in their immor
tality, agility, clarity, and brightness ; in our souls by the beatifical
vision, the ardent love of God, the unconceivable joy and everlasting
peace and rest which we shall have when we shall attain our end. Now
if we be deprived of things without us; if we be denied to live in
dependence on the creature, that we may immediately enjoy God, should
we grudge and murmur ?
[7.] Our sufferings dishonour us in the sight of the world, but this
glory maketh us amiable in the sight of God. For having such a near
VER. 18.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 145
relation to God, and being made like him, we are qualified for a perfect
reception of his love to us ; we love God more in the glorified estate,
and God loveth us more, as appeareth by the effects ; for he communi-
cateth himself to us in a greater latitude than we are capable of here.
Now is the hatred of the world worthy to be compared with the love
of the Father ? Or should their frowns be a temptation to us, to divert
us from that estate wherein we shall be presented ' holy, and unblamable,
and irreprovable in his sight ? ' Col. i. 22. When perfectly sanctified,
we love God more, and are more beloved by him.
[8.] The order is to be considered. For look ; as to the wicked,
God will turn their glory into shame ; so as to the godly, he will turn
their shame into glory. It is good to have the best at last ; for it is a
miserable thing to have been happy, and to have had experience of a
better condition, and to become miserable : Luke vi. 24. ' Woe to you
rich, for you have received your consolation ; ' and Luke xvi. 25, ' Son,
in thy life time thou receivedst thy good things, and Lazarus evil
things ; but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.' The beggar
had first temporal evils, and then eternal good things ; but the rich
man had first temporal good things, and then eternal evil things ; as
many that do well here in the world, fare ill in the world to come.
But now it is otherwise with the godly : John xvi. 20, ' Your sorrow
shall be turned into joy.' Our last and final portion is most to be
regarded ; the Christian by temporal trouble goeth to eternal joy ; the
worldling by temporal glory to eternal shame ; a Christian's end is
better than his beginning, he is best at last ; a man would not have
evil after experience of good.
4. The comparison, though it be rightly stated and weighed by us,
yet it will have no efficacy unless we have faith, or a deep sense of the
world to come. For unless we believe these things, they seem too
uncertain, and too far off to work upon us. It is easy to reason down
our bodily and worldly choice, and to show how much eternal things
exceed temporal ; but this taketh no hold of the heart, till there be a
firm belief of the glory reserved for God's people : Heb. xi. 1, ' Faith
is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not
seen ;' and 2 Pet. i. 9, 'He that lacketh these things is blind, and can
not see afar off.' To draw us from things that we see and feel, we need
a clear light about things we see not ; men are sharp sighted enough
in things that concern the present world, but beyond it we can see
nothing, but by the perspective of faith ; and therefore reason as long
as we will, yet the consideration of the other world doth nothing prevail
with us, without a lively faith.
5. This faith must be often exercised by serious meditations, or deep
and ponderous thoughts. For the greatest truths work not, if we do
not think of them. Faith showeth us a truth, but consideration is the
means to improve it, that we may make a good choice, and our hearts
may be fortified against all temptations ; we must often sit down, and
count the charges with ourselves, what it will cost us, what we shall
lose, and what we shall get : Luke xiv. 28, 29, 30. The Spirit of God
will not help us without our thoughts ; for he dealeth not with us as
birds do in feeding their young, bringing meat to them, and putting
it into their mouths, while they lie still in their nest, and only gape to
VOL. XII.
146 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXVI.
receive it ; but as God giveth corn while we plough, sow, weed, dress,
and with patience expect his blessing. No, here the apostle was reason
ing and weighing the case within himself.
6. There is, besides sound belief and serious consideration, need of
the influence and assistance of the holy Spirit. For besides his
giving faith, and exciting and blessing meditation, to dispose and
frame our hearts to bide by this conclusion, the influence of the Holy
Ghost is necessary. For God is the chief disposer of hearts ; it is not
enough notionally to know this, but we must be practically resolved,
and the heart inclined ; it is a new enlightened mind and a renewed
heart that is only capable of determining thus, that we may live by
it ; and that is by another spirit than the spirit of the world, which
naturally possesseth us, even the Spirit of God, 1 Cor. ii. 12, which is
promised to his children, and inclineth us to place our happiness, not
in worldly things, "but in Christ and his benefits. In short, sense is
too strong for reason without faith ; and faith cannot do its office
without the Spirit ; the flesh seeketh not reason, but ease ; unless the
heart be changed, and otherwise biassed and bent, all is lost.
Use. Now I must show you the use of this doctrine.
first. Certainly it is useful for the afflicted in any sort, whatever
their troubles and afflictions be.
1. For common evils :
[1.] Are you pained with sickness, and roll to and fro in your bed,
like a door on the hinges, for the weariness of your flesh ? In heaven
you shall have everlasting ease, for that is a state of rest, Heb. iv. 9.
We are apprehensive of present pain, but not of the greatness of the
ease, peace, and glory that shall succeed ; though the pains be acute,
the sickness lingering, and hangeth long upon you, yet present time is
quickly past ; but eternity shall have no end.
[2.] Must you die, and the guest be turned out of the old house ?
' You have a building with God, eternal in the heavens/ 2 Cor. v. 1,
You do but leave a shed to live in a palace, and forsake an unquiet
world for a place of everlasting repose.
2. It is especially to be applied to those that suffer for righteousness'
sake. Shall we shrink at sufferings for Christ, when we shall be in
glory with him for evermore ? How short is the suffering ? how long
the reward ? For a greater good, we should endure a lesser evil. A
traveller endureth all the difficulties of the way, for the sake of the
place where he is going unto; so should we. What is the evil
threatened ? Are you cast out by man as unworthy to live in any civil
society? You shall be received by the Lord into an everlasting abode
with him : 1 Thes. v. 17, ' And so shall we be ever with the Lord/
Have you lost the love of all men, for your sincerity and faithfulness ?
You shall everlastingly enjoy the love of God, Eom. viii. 39. Are you
reproached, calumniated in the world? Then you shall be justified
by Christ, and your faith found to honour, praise, and glory, 2 Pet. i. 7.
Are you cast into prison ? you shall shortly be in your Father's house,
where there are many mansions, John xiv. 2. Are you reduced to
sordid poverty ? You may read in the scripture of the ' riches of the
glory of the inheritance of the saints/ Eph. i. 18. In short, are you
tempted, opposed, persecuted ? Consider, much of your journey is past
VER. 18.] 6ERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. 147
away ; you are nearer eternity than you were when you first believed,
Kom. xiii. 11. They that both tempt and persecute cannot give so
much to you, or take so much from you, as is worthy to be compared
with your great hopes. Immortal happiness is, most desirable, and end
less misery most terrible ; therefore be you faithful to the death, and
you shall have the crown of life, Kev. ii. 10. Is life itself likely to be
forced out by the violence of man ? The sword is but the key to open
heaven's door for you ; surely this hope will make the greatest suffer
ings to become light, turn pain into pleasure, yea, and death itself into
life.
Secondly. It is useful for all, if only for the afflicted. None is
exempted, and you must hear for the time to come ; but every good
Christian should be of this temper and spirit, and wholly fetch his
solaces from the world to come, else he is not possessed with a true
spirit of Christianity, which warneth us all to prepare for sufferings,
and calleth for self-denial. Besides, this is a great means to mortify
worldly affections, which are the great impediment of the heavenly
life. When we once learn to despise the afflictions of the world, our
affections to the delights thereof die by consent ; both are rooted in the
same disposition and frame of heart ; such a dead and mortified temper,
as hath learned to contemn earthly things ; and they are both fed and
maintained by the same considerations, a looking to the end of things,
which maketh us wise, Deut. xxxii. 29. If our hearts be often in
heaven, it will lessen all worldly things in our eyes ; and it will make
us not only patient and contented in sufferings, but diligent in holy
duties, fearful of sinning. For all those pleasures which tempt us to
neglect duty, or to make bold with sin, are no more worthy to be com
pared with the glory which shall be revealed in us, than our sufferings
are ; yea, the argument holdeth stronger against them ; if the greater
sufferings should not deter us from our duty, certainly vain pleasures
should not. They that cast off" the profession and practice of godliness
out of indulgence to carnal delights or some worldly hope, are less to
be pitied, because they involve themselves in a more heinous sin than
they that shrink from it out of some great fear. For torment and
death, which are the chiefest things we fear, are destructive of our
nature ; therefore we have a natural shunning and abhorrence of them ;
but those other things are such things as nature may easily, and with
out greater inconveniency, want ; such as preferment, splendor of life,
sottish pleasures. They are enticed by their mere lust, which is not
so pressing as fear.
148 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SEE. XXVII.
SERMON XXVII.
For the earnest expectation of the creature ivaitethfor the manifestation
of the sons of God. ROM. VIII. 19.
THE apostle's intent in this paragraph is to set forth the excellency of
that glory which shall be revealed in the children of God. The argu
ment is, because when this is brought to pass, there shall be a general
renovation of all things. It is figuratively expressed ; all things are
by a natural inclination carried to their most perfect estate ; so are the
creatures to this renovation and restoration, as if they did wait and
long for it ; ' for the earnest expectation/ &c.
In the wordsr-(L) Who waiteth? The creature. (2.) How it
waiteth ? With earnest expectation ; as it were looking attentively
for the time. (3.) For what, or the term of its waiting ? For the
manifestation of the sons of God :
First. Let us explain these circumstances. Secondly. Consider how
much they suit with the apostle's scope.
First, For explication.
1. Who waiteth? The creature : but what creature ? Some under
stand man, designed elsewhere by this appellation, creature : Mark
xvi. 15, ' Preach the gospel to every creature,' that is, to all mankind ;
so here they understand man, because there are affections and disposi
tions atributed to the creature here spoken of, which are only proper
to such a creature as is reasonable ; but they are metaphorically to be
understood ; they do, as it were, long for and expect. Well then, let us
see what creature is intended. Not the good angels ; for they are not
subject to vanity, and they are in possession of this glory: Mat. xviii.
10, ' They always behold the face of our heavenly Father/ Not devils
or evil angels ; they do not earnestly expect these things, but tremble
at them : Mat viii. 29. Not men, not the wicked, the reprobate world,
for they care not for these things, yea, they scoff at them : 2 Pet. iii.
3, ' There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own
lusts, saying, Where is the promise of his coming ? ' Not the saints
and believers ; for they are distinctly spoken of by themselves, ver. 23,
and are opposed to this expecting, groaning creature, ' And not only
they, but we ourselves also/ Not the beasts, for they are incapable of
a prospect of futurity, and are made to be taken and destroyed.
Therefore it is meant of the whole frame of the universe, heaven, and
earth, and the creatures in them ; they do, as it were, expect the time
when they shall be restored to the primitive state of their creation.
The whole frame of the universe was first made in a beautiful state
for the glory of God, and the use of man ; it is subject to many
changes, and at length to destruction. The earth and the elementary
bodies shall be burnt up as a scroll, but they shall be renewed and
restored when the children of God come to their glorious estate ; the
deformation of the creature began with man's sin, and the reformation
with his complete happiness.
2. How it earnestly expecteth and waiteth? The word signifieth,
it expecteth with head lifted up, and stretched out. The same word
VER. 19.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 149
is used, Phil. i. 20, ' According to my earnest expectation.' When a
man longingly expecteth anything, he lifts up the head, sendeth his
eyes after it, that he may see it afar off : As Judges v. 28, * The mother
of Sisera looked out of a window, and cried through the lattice, Why
is his chariot so long a-coming ? ' But how can this be applied to the
creature, which is without reason and sense ? I answer, By a metaphor
it is translated from man to them ; because there is something ana
logous, as they are directed and inclined to such an end ; as in the
scripture the floods are said to clap their hands for joy, and the moun
tains and hills leaping and skipping like rams. And in the desolation,
the city of Jerusalem is said to ' weep sore in the nights ; her tears are
on her cheeks ; ' and again, Lam. ii. 18, 19. The wall is said to ' cry
in the night.' Yea, our Lord himself speaketh to the sea, as if it had
ears : Mark iv. 39, 'He said to the sea, Peace be still ! ' So the apostle
speaketh of the creature as if it had will, desire, hope, sorrow, and
groaning.
3. For what ? The manifestation of the sons of God. Manifesta
tion is the discovery of something which before was obscure and
hidden ; and by sons, the subject for the adjunct, is meant the
right and privileges of God's children. That is, that the glory prepared
for them may visibly appear, when they shall be set forth with
splendour and majesty, becoming the sons of God ; for * the righteous
shall shine like the sun in the kingdom of the Father,' Mat. xiii. 43.
And it is said ' sons,' comprehending all of that sort ; Christ is not
excluded, and all believers are included ; your happiness dependeth on
the glory of Christ : Col. iii. 4, * When Christ, who is our life, shall
appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory ; ' 1 John iii. 2,
* But we know, that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we
shall see him as he is.' And the creature is said to expect it, because
their perfect estate dependeth on our happiness : Acts iii. 21, ' Whom
the heavens must receive until the time of the restitution of all things/
* We look for new heavens, and new earth, 2 Pet. iii. 12, 13, wherein
dwelleth righteousness/
Secondly. How it suiteth with the apostle's scope ? I answer : The
apostle intendeth. three things, 1. To set forth the excellency of our
hopes. 2. To raise up expectation. 3. To persuade the necessity of
patience in the meantime. The present argument is serviceable to all
these uses.
1. It showeth that there is an excellent state of happiness, far beyond
what we do now enjoy, provided for the people of God. This is seen,
partly because all things tend to it, as to their great end and state of
perfection ; there is a tendency in the inanimate creatures. And
partly, because the glory is so great that there must be a dissolution of
the present world, and a pure estate of things, before we can have our
happiness. We admire the splendour of the present world ; are taken
with earthly things ; too apt to place our happiness in them ; but this
world must be purged and refined by fire before it can be capable to
suit with that blessed estate of things which God hath appointed for
hi? people. God denieth not the splendour of the world, as too good
for his people, but as too bad and base to be their portion ; the delights
of wicked men shall be burnt up before their eyes, when he bestoweth
150 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXVII.
their true happiness upon them. There would not be else a harmony
in all the parts of the world to come, if there were not new heavens
and a new earth. This polluted state is not consistent with that hap
piness ; therefore when the saints are perfected, the world is restored.
2. To quicken earnest expectation. All things are carried to their
end ; the little seed will work through the dry clods, that it may come
into stalk and flower. The whole universe is directed and inclined to
a more happy estate ; so should we look after our most perfect state ;
the creatures by inclination wait for it, and shall not we who are to
have the chief part therein ?
3. To persuade the necessity of patience, during our sufferings in the
meantime. We live in a groaning world, and such as shall be first
destroyed, and then restored. As the frame of the sublunary world
being now in disorder, and at length to be dissolved, groaneth after a
restoration ; so, though we be harassed with afflictions, and must at
length die, and this animated body be turned into a rotten carcase, yet
at length shall be raised up in glory.
The points are three. (1.) 'That the glorious privileges of God's
children are manifested at the last day. (2.) That the state of the
creatures is renewed, when God's children come to be manifested in
their glory. (3.) That this estate of things Bought earnestly to be
desired and expected by us.
For the first point, That the glorious privileges of God's children
are manifested at the last day. It suppose th
First, That their estate and happiness is hidden for the present
but
Secondly. Then manifested.
First. Here we must enquire. 1. How they are hidden? 2.
From whom ? 3. Why they are hidden ? Secondly. How they are
manifested then ; and so we shall the better understand how the word
is used in opposition to the present estate.
[1.] They are hidden as to their persons. [2.] Their life is hidden.
[3.] As to their privileges and glorious estate.
[1.] Hidden as .to their persons. Now, it is little known who are
God's children ; Christ himself was not known in the world : 1 John
iii. 1, ' The world knbweth us not, because it knew him not ;' much
less are his people known ; for he did more to distinguish himself than
they possibly can do. But it shall be in time manifested who are God's
children : Mai. iii. 18, ' Then shall ye return, and discern between the
righteous and the wicked ; between him that serveth God, and him
that serveth him not.' Some pretend to be his children and servants ;
others really are so. It is not exactly known in the winter, when
the roots lie in the earth we cannot tell what will appear in the
spring ; but when the sun shineth in its strength and warmth, the
bosom of the earth, things hidden, then discover themselves. As
Moses told the rebels in Num. xvi. 6, * To-morrow the Lord will show
who are his;' so in the morning of the resurrection, the natural and
only begotten Son is known ; Christ will appear in all his royalty and
glory as the great God and Saviour of the world, Titus ii. 13. So all
the children of God are known ; they now lie hid among multitudes
and swarms of sinful men ; but then Christ shall ' gather all nations
VER. 19.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vnr. 151
and he shall separate the one from the other, as a shepherd divideth
his sheep from the goats/ Mat. xxv. 32. There shall be an eminent
and sensible distinction of the one from the other, beyond all power of
mistaking.
[2.] Their life is hidden : Col. iii 3, ' Our life is hidden with Christ
in God/ Hidden not only in point of security, as maintained by an
invisible power ; but in point of obscurity ; there is a veil upon it. How
so ? Partly, because the spiritual life is hidden under the veil of the
natural life ; it is a life within a life ; the spiritual life is nothing else
but the natural life sublimated, and overruled to higher and nobler
ends : Gal. ii. 20, * I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me ; and the
life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of
God.' They live in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. The
children of God eat, and drink, and sleep, and marry, and give in mar
riage, as others do ; for when they are converted they do not divest
themselves of the interests and concernments of flesh and blood ; but
all these things are governed by grace, and carried on to eternal ends ;
the grace now, or vital principle that ruleth this life is not seen, though
the effects appear. Partly, Because of the veil of afflictions, outward
meanness, and abasement, Heb. xi. 37, 38. The world was not worthy
of them ; yet they wandered about in sheep-skins and goat-skins, and
the dens and caves of the earth. Who would think that so much
worth should lie hid under a base outside? Would any judge that
these lived in the highest favour of God, and constant communion with
him, who had so little of his protection and common bounty ? That
they should have so near a relation to God, and yet be so miserably
poor and destitute ? That those that want bread should be heirs of a
kingdom ? Jam. ii. 5. That they that feel the hand of God upon them
so heavy and smart sometimes, should have so much of his heart?
Partly under the veil of reproaches and calumnies : 1 Pet. iv. 6, ' They
are judged according to men in the flesh, yet live to God in the spirit.'
They are presented in the world as a company of dissemblers and
hypocrites, and yet in the meanwhile are the sincere servants and
children of God : 2 Cor. vi. 8, ' As deceivers, and yet true ; ' the world
counteth them deceivers, but God counteth them faithful. By the
reproach of the world, as husbandmen by soil and dung, God maketh
his heritage the more fruitful ; those that have a mind to hate will take
Tip every prejudice against the people of God, and will not easily be dis
possessed of it. And partly, because there is another veil upon good
Christians, and that is the veil of infirmities, by which they often
quench the vigour arid obscure the glory of that life which they have,
whilst they show forth too much of Adam and too little of Jesus.
And so the spiritual life is carried on darkly, and in a riddle : Jam.
iii. 2, ' In many things we offend all.' Certainly if our privileges be
hidden, yet our graces should appear in their fruits and effects. Little
of our happiness will be seen in this world, yet our holiness should be
apparent and visible: 2 Thes. i. 11, 12, 'Wherefore also we pray
always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling,
and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith
with power ; that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified
in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God, and the Lord
152 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [$ER. XXVII.
Jesus Christ. 5 If your condition be obscured and darkened by afflic
tions, it should not be obscured and darkened by sins ; a perpetual
tenor of happiness we cannot expect in a changeable world ; yet by a
constant course of holiness, we should plainly distinguish ourselves
from those that will perish in the common apostasy and defection of
mankind. But alas ! God's children are not so cautious but that they
border too near the world ; and though there should be such a broad
difference that the children of God may be manifestly distinguished
from the children of the devil, 1 John iii. 10, yet too much of the
influence of the evil spirit remaineth with us, and is bewrayed by us
upon all occasions. Yet there is a generation of men that row against
the stream of flesh and blood: 1 Pet. iv. 4, 'Wherein they think
it strange that you run not with them into the same excess of
riot.'
[3.] Hidden as to their privileges, and the glory of their estate.
Many of God's children being mean, and low, and indigent, oppressed
by the world, harassed with sundry calamities and afflictions, it doth
not appear that we have such a great and glorious Father. Now we
are stained with sin, blackened with sufferings, there is no visible
appearance of our great dignity and prerogative. There must be a dis
tinction between earth and heaven ; our filiation in the world to come
is another thing to what it is in this world ; for then their glory shall
be manifest : Col. iii. 4, * When Christ, who is our life, shall appear,
then shall ye also appear with him in glory/ For the present, our
glory is spiritual and future : First, it is spiritual, and maketh no fair
show in the flesh, as the image of God is an internal thing; as 'the
king's daughter is glorious within,' Ps. xlv. 13. It lieth not in great
revenues and pomp of living, but a plentiful participation of gifts and
graces ; their comforts are spiritual, known by feeling rather than by
report : Phil. iv. 7, * The peace of God, which passeth all understand
ing,' Rev. ii. 17, ' To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the
hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new
name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.'
God's children are not utterly abandoned and left to the will of men ;
the protection of God's providence is a mystery and riddle to the world,
that must have all things under the view of sense : Ps. xxxi. 20, ' Thou
shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man ;
thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues ;'
and Ps. xci. 1, ' He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High,
shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty ; ' Job. xxix. 4, * As I
was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my
tabernacle.' God keepeth them, and maintaineth them, nobody
knoweth how ; there is a secret and visible blessing goes along with
them ; as others are blasted by an invisible curse. And secondly, it is
future. The time of our perfection and blessedness is not yet come, and
we cannot for the present judge of it, nor the world imagine what it
shall be ; they do not consider the end of things, but look all to the
present ; for the present they find the saints miserable ; and those
that are dead, the world taketh them for lost: 1 Cor. xv. 19, 'If in
this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable/
They that are worse used by other men, have little advantage by Christ
VER. 19.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIIT. 153
now ; their sonship entitleth them to a miserable portion in the
world's estimation, who know not, consider not things to come.
2. From whom they are hidden. Not from God, who 'knoweth
those that are his,' 2 Tim. ii. 19 ; not from Christ, who died for them,
and hath their names graven upon his breast and shoulders, and is
mindful of them upon every turn : John x. 14, 'I am the good
shepherd, who know my sheep, and am known of mine.' Christ hath
a particular and exact knowledge of all the elect, their individual per
sons, who they are, where they are, and what they are, that* shall be
saved ; he taketh special notice of them, that he may suitably apply
himself to them. They are not altogether unknown to the good
angels, for they are their charge : Heb. i. 14, ' Are they not all minister
ing spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salva
tion? ' And they shall gather them from the four winds at the last
day, Mat. xxiv. 31. From whom then are they hidden ?
[I:] From the world. The world knoweth us not, as they knew him
not ; they are hid from the world, as colours from a blind man ; they
have no eyes to see ; they are blinded by the delusions of the flesh, and
cannot judge of spiritual things, because they are to be spiritually dis
cerned, 1 Cor. ii. 14 ; as a beast cannot judge of the affairs of a man.
It is a life above them ; these things are out of their sphere, for they
value all things according to the interest of the flesh; and being
blinded with malice and prejudice, they censure this estate perversely,
and so malign and oppose it : 1 Pet. iv. 4, 5, * They think it strange
you do not run with them into the same excess of riot, speaking evil
of you ; who shall give an account to him who is ready to judge the
quick and the dead.' They are unwilling any should put a disgrace
upon their fleshly course of life ; therefore if they cannot draw others
into a fellowship of their sins, they labour to blacken them with cen
sures, or root them out with furious oppositions and persecutions.
But their perverse judgment should be no discouragement to us ; let
us rather pity their ignorance, than be troubled at their malice ; it is
enough for us that we have the favour of God, and our hopes lie else
where.
[2.] In a great measure from ourselves. What with corruptions
within, and temptations without, we have much ado to be persuaded
that God is our father, and we his children ; our condition being so
unsuitable, and our conversations so much beneath our rights and
privileges ; so that it needeth to be cleared by the Spirit of adop
tion ; no less agent or witness will serve the turn : Kom. viii. 16,
* The Spirit itself beareth witness to our spirits that we are the
children of God/ When that is done, yet the glory intended to be
revealed in us is not sufficiently known; we have not now an
heart to conceive of it, 1 Cor. ii. 9 ; and prophecy is but in part,
1 Cor. xiii. 9 ; and the apostle when rapt up in paradise, heard
appr)Ta pr}fj,ara, 2 Cor. xii. 4. Heavenly joys cannot be told us in an
earthly dialect ; the scripture is fain to lisp to us, and to speak some
thing of it, as we can understand and conceive of things to come by
things present ; therefore our glory is in a great measure unknown, and
will be till the day of manifestation ; and then there shall be a crown
of glory prepared for us.
154 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXVII.
3. Why this glory is hidden ?
[1.] Because now is the time of trial, hereafter of recompense. There
fore now is the hiding time ; hereafter is the day of the manifestation
of the^sons of God ; if the glory were too sensible, there were no trial,
neither of the world, nor of the people of God. Christ himself might
be discerned by those who had a mind to see him ; yet there was
obscurity enough in his person to harden those that were resolved to
continue in their prejudices; therefore it is said, Luke ii. 39, 'This
child was set for the rise and fall of many in Israel.' So if the whole
excellency of a Christian's estate were laid open to the view of sense,
there would be no trial ; Christ had his bright side and dark side ; a
glory to be seen by those whose eyes were anointed with spiritual eye-
salve : John i. 14, ' And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,
and we beheld his glory, as the glory of the only begotten of the Father ; '
and affliction and meanness enough to harden those who had no mind
to see. So God hath his chosen ones in the world, who keep up his
honour and interest ; and he hath his ways to express his love to them,
but not openly ; they are called his c hidden ones/ Ps. Ixxxiii. 3. They
are under his secret blessing and protection, but not visibly owned, but
in such a way as may be best for their trial, and the trial of the world.
The Lord Jesus came not with external appearance ; his divine nature
was hidden under the veil of his flesh ; and his dignity and excellency
under a base and mean outside ; in the outward estate there was nothing
lovely to be seen by a carnal eye : Isa. liii. 2, ' He hath no form and
comeliness ; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we
should desire him ; yet in himself, he was ' the brightness of the divine
glory, and the express image of his person,' Heb. i. 3.
[2.] God hath chosen this way to advance his glory, that he may
perfect his power in our weakness, 2 Cor. xii, 9. By wants and weak
nesses his fatherly love appeareth to us, more than in an absolute and
total exemption from them. God would not so often hear from us, nor
would we have such renewed experiences to revive the sense of his
fatherly love and grace, which would otherwise be dead and cold in
our hearts, were it not for these wants and afflictions during our
minority and nonage.
[3.] To wean and draw us off from things present to things to come ;
that we may be contented to be hidden from, and hated by the world,
if the course of our service expose us to it. For we must not look upon
things as' they are, or seem to be now, but what they will be hereafter.
Now is the trouble, then the reward ; present time is quickly passed ; and
therefore we should be dead to present profits, and present pleasures,
and present honours ; and look to eternity, that is to come : 2 Cor. iv.
18, ' While we look not to the things which are seen, but at the things
which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but
the things which are not seen are eternal.' how glorious will the
derided, vilified believer be then ! It should be our ambition to look
after this honour ; it is the day of the manifestation of the sons of God.
Though the wicked have a larger allowance by the bounty of God's
common providence, yet you have his special love. We think God
doth not place his hands aright; no! God doth not misplace his
hands ; as Joseph thought of his father, Gen. xlviii, when he preferred
VER. 19.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vnr. 155
Ephraim before Manasseh. What a poor condition was the only be
gotten Son of God in when he lived in the world ! When you are
poorer than Christ, then complain ; though you do not enjoy pleasures,
honours, riches, esteem, yet if you enjoy the favour of God, it is enough ;
though mean, yet if heirs of glory, Jam. ii. 5. God doth not esteem
persons according to their outward lustre : 1 Sana. xvi. 7, * Look not
on his countenance, or the height of his stature ; for the Lord seeth
not as man seeth ; for man looketh upon the outward appearance, but
the Lord looketh on the heart.'
Secondly. How manifested? Their persons shall be known and
owned : Rev. iii. 5, ' But I will confess his name before my Father,
and before his angels/ It is no litigious debate then ; no more doubt
when owned, not by character, but by name ; they shall be manifested
to themselves, and their glory also revealed to the world by the visible
marks of favour Christ will put upon them, when others are rejected :
Isa. Ixvi. 5, ' But he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed/
Yea, the world shall stand wondering: 2 Thes. i. 10, ' When he shall
come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that
believe/
Doct. 2. That the state of the creatures shall be renewed, when God's
children come to be manifested in their glory ; for he saith, ' the whole
creation groaneth and waiteth/
1. This is clear, that heaven and earth, that is, the lower heavens
and the elementary bodies, as well as the earth, shall suffer some kind
of change at the last day ; for it is said : Ps. cii. 26, ' As a vesture shalt
thou change them, and they shall be changed/ He will change them,
quite from the condition wherein they now are.
2. That this change of the world and the heavenly and elementary
bodies shall be by fire : 2 Pet. iii. 7, * The heavens and the earth which
are now are reserved unto fire against the day of judgment, and the
perdition of ungodly men.'
3. That notwithstanding this fire and universal destruction, rational
creatures shall subsist to all eternity, in their proper place assigned to
each of them ; the godly in heaven, the wicked in hell : Mat. xxv. 46,
1 These shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous
into eternal life/
4. It is probable that the brutes and plants, and all such corruptible
bodies as are necessary to the animal life, but superfluous to life ever
lasting, shall be utterly destroyed.
5. That the world and elementary bodies shall be refined and purged
by this fire, and not utterly destroyed. This is the design of the
scripture, and therefore this general conflagration seemeth not to turn
all things into nothing in regard of their substance, but change of
qualities ; and to change them with a perfective, not a destructive
change; to change the matter, not reduce it into nothing; for that
which is made matter of desire or hope, cannot be simple and total
destruction or annihilation, as it is by the apostle here ; and it is
compared with the deluge, where the form of the world was destroyed,
not the substance : 2 Pet. ii. 6, As the world that was overflowed by
water, perished; so shall the world perish, which is consumed with
156 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SEE. XXVII.
fire ; not by annihilation, but a change of qualities ; only for the better,
as that was for the worse.
6. What use this restored world serveth for, we need not anxiously
enquire ; whether to be a perpetual monument of the wisdom, power,
and goodness of the creator (the creating of the world served for
this end, so may the renewing of it) ; or whether it shall be an habita
tion for the just during the judgment, which is by some conceived to
last for a thousand years ; and at first consumed by a purging fire, and
afterwards utterly destroyed by a consuming fire ; we shall enquire in
the following verses.
Doct. 3. That this estate of things ought earnestly to be desired and
expected by us. For to this end the apostle mentioneth the earnest
expectation of the creature, and the day principally concerneth us ; and
therefore it is the duty of God's children to look for this day. There
are two choice scriptures that describe the communion of the church
with Christ, and the dispensations of Christ to the church ; and they
both conclude with a desire of his coming. One is Cant. viii. 14 ; the
other is Eev. xxii. 20. The first place, ' Make haste my beloved, and
be like a young hart or roe upon the mountains of spices/ Christ is
not slack, but the church's affections are strong ; "make haste," my be
loved ; that is the bride's last and great suit to the bridegroom, his
coming in glory to judge the world. The wanton prostitute would have
her husband defer his coming ; but the chaste spouse thinketh he can
never come soon enough; they that go a-whoring after the world, and
are wholly taken up with the world, neither desire his coming, nor
love his appearing : but the spouse would have all things hastened, that
he may return ; either come down to them, or take them up to himself;
it is that day only can perfect a believer's consolation; they do what
they can to have the blessed and longed-for meeting hastened. In the
other place Christ saith, ' Surely I come quickly ; ' and the church like
a quick echo, saith, ' Even so, come Lord Jesus, come quickly.' It
taketh the word out of Christ's mouth. There is the same Spirit in
Christ and the church ; for it is Christ's Spirit which resideth in the
church ; and therefore Chrst speaketh in a way proper to him, ' Behold
I come quickly/ in a way of promise ; and the church, in a way proper
to her, ' Even so come.' And Christ's voice and the Church's voice are
unisons ; our acclamation answereth to his proclamation : Christ saith,
' I come/ as desiring to meet with us ; ' even so come/ as desiring his
fellowship and company. The saints look for his coming, Titus ii. 13,
by faith and hope ; and long for his coming, love his appearing, 2 Tim.
iv. 8, in a way of love.
Now his coming must be desired by us :
[1.] With earnestness and hearty groans : 2 Cor. v. 2, ' For this we
groan earnestly/
[2.] With constancy, not for a fit. The Spirit in the bride saith,
' Come/ Rev. xxii. 17. The new nature stirreth up these desires in us ;
as soon and as long as he worketh in us, there is a bent this way ; we
should always stand ready to meet him.
[3.] With patience. Here is earnest desire and waiting in the text :
1 Thes. i. 10, 'We wait for his Son from heaven/
VER. 20.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vnr. 157
Use 1. Is to reprove those that never look after this estate.
[1.] That have nothing to incline them to look higher than the world ;
that are under the power of a carnal nature, that wholly bendeth them
to earthly things, Phil. iii. 19 ; that are well enough satisfied with the
happiness of beasts, to enjoy pleasures without remorse ; have not sense
and care of the world to come. Those whose happiness is terminated
on things of the present life are so far from Christians, that they are
scarce men.
J2.] That have much to divert them from it ; namely, unpardoned
unmodified sin. If thieves and malefactors might have liberty
to choose whether there should be an assizes, would they give their vote
that way ? Would they look and long for the time ? They are not
fire-proof, or such as may abide the day of refining: 2 Pet. iii. 11,
' Seeing all these things must be dissolved, what manner of persons
ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness ? ' They are riot
at peace with God, ver. 14.
Use 2. To press believers to live in the constant expectation of
this glorious day ; to make us heavenly : Phil. iii. 20, ' But our conver
sation is in heaven, from whence we look for the Saviour.' Live as if it
were always present, which by faith we look for ; this will make us
faithful, 2 Tim. iv. 7 ; persevere to the end, 1 John ii. 24 ; make us
press forward, and make us long to be at home : 2 Cor. v. 8, ' For we
are confident, I say, willing rather to be absent from the body, and to
be present with the Lord.
SEKMON XXVII.
For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, lut "by
reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope. BOM. VIII.
20.
HERE is the reason why the creature waiteth with earnest expectation
for the consummate state of the faithful : because it is for the present
in a disordered estate, subject to vanity.
In the words three things :
1. The present state of the creature.
2. The manner how it came into that estate.
3. The hope of getting out of it.
Doct. The creature is made subject to vanity for man's sin.
Here I shall enquire,
First, In what sense the creature is made subject to vanity.
Secondly, The manner how it came into it.
Thirdly, The reason why the innocent creature is punished for man's
sin.
First. In what sense the creature is made subject to vanity. In
several respects :
358 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XXVII.
1. It is put by the order of its natural estate, or much of that har
monious and perfect condition wherein God disposed it. The perfection
and harmony of the world is often now disturbed by tempests, inun
dations, distempered weather, pestilential airs, and noxious fogs and
vapours ; whence come plagues, and famine, and murrains, and other
diseases. The world is a theatre whereon much sin and many changes
have been acted for thousands of years ; not only among men, but much
destructive enmity is to be found among elements themselves, and a
mutual invasion of one another ; for the confederacies of nature tire in
a great measure loosened, though not altogether dissettled. This is
the vanity of disorder. It is very observable, that when God cometh
to punish a people or a nation for their sins, the prophets express it as
if the whole creation were to be put into a rout and disorder ; as when
Babylon's destruction is threatened : Isa. xiii. 13, 14, 'I will shake the
heavens, and the earth shall remove out of its place in the day of his
fierce anger ; and it shall be as a chased roe, and a sheep whom no
man taketh up ; ' so Isa. xxxiii. 9, ' The earth mourneth and lan-
guisheth ; Lebanon is ashamed and hewed down ; Sharon is like a
wilderness ; Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits ; ' so Isa. xxxiv.
4, when God threateneth the Idumeans and other enemies of the
church, it is said, ' All the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the
heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll, and all their host shall
fall down as a leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling leaf from
the fig-tree ; for my sword shall be bathed in heaven ; it shall come
down upon Idumea, and upon the 'people of my curse, to judgment.
It was but a particular judgment, yet the expressions carry it as if
the whole universe were to be put into a disorder ; for by the sin of
man came all those mutations which we see in the world. On the
contrary, you shall see in the promises the scripture speak as if the
whole creation were to be restored when man is reduced to God. I
shall only instance in that : Isa. li. 16, ' I have put my words in thy
mouth, that I may cover thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may
plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto
Zion, Thou art my people ; ' implying, that if mankind were better,
the marks and prints of the curse would cease and be quite extinguished ;
there would not be such disorder in the creature as now appeareth ; but
it would seem to be planted again ; man's re-establishment in a state
of obedience to the creator would be a re-establishment of the order
of the world.
2. There is the vanity of corruption. It is put into a corruptible
condition ; the creature is now frail and fleeting, and still decaying :
Eccles. i. 2, ' Vanity of vanities, all is vanity ; ' not only vain, but vanity
itself ; and vanity of vanities, is extreme vanity ; thus not only some
things, but all things are thus fluid and vain, because of their incon
stancy and mutability: so Ps. xxxix. 5, 6, 'Verily every man in his
best estate is altogether vanity ; surely every man walketh in a vain
show ; surely they are disquieted in vain/ The uncertainty, weakness,
and emptiness of all earthly things is soon discovered, and within a
little while the most shining glory is burnt to a snuff. We vain
creatures trouble ourselves about these transitory nothings, as if they
would continue with us to all eternity, and had some solid, durable
VER. 20.] SERMONS UPON KOMANS vin. 159
enjoyment and satisfaction in them ; whereas they wither like flowers
while we smell at them.
3. Vain in regard of its final dissolution and last change, when ' the
heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt
with fervent heat, and all the works that are therein shall be burnt up/
2 Pet. iii. 10. ' As a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall
be changed/ Ps. cii. 26. Though this change be not an abolition, an
annihilation, yet a great waste it will be, and an utter destruction of
many things in the world.
4. Vain in regard of its end and use. There is a double end and use :
[1.] Nextly and immediately. This sublunary world was made to
be a commodious habitation for man : Ps. cxv. 16, * The heaven, even
the heavens, are the Lord's ; but the earth hath he given to the children
of men.' By an original grant, God gave the use of all his creatures
upon earth unto man ; indeed all things here below were either sub
ject to our dominion, or created for our use. Some things are not
subject to our dominion, as sun, moon, and stars, with their influences,
yet created for our use ; therefore David in his night-meditation, Ps.
viii. 3, 4, ' When I consider the heavens, the work of thy fingers, the
moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained ; what is man, that thou
art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?'
That all this should be made for the comfort of man, it is God's great
goodness to us : but other things were not only created for man's use, but
also subject to man's dominion : Gen. i. 26, ' Let them have dominion
over the fish of the sea, and over the fowls of the air, and over the
cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that
creepeth upon the earth ; ' this was God's charter to man as a deputy-
god and vice-king in this lower world. Man enjoy eth the benefit of
those things which are not under his command, as sun, moon, stars,
clouds, winds ; all in their course do us service, to give us light, heat,
and influence, and rain, by which they drop down fatness on the earth ;
but the other creatures we have a dominion over them, and they are
to be subdued by us ; the earth by habitation and culture ; the sea by
navigation and fishing ; but above all the rest, the cattle are most at
our command, to afford us food and clothing, and do us a voluntary
kind of homage, in their labours submitting to our direction and govern
ment. Well then, the inferior globe of earth, and air, and sea, to have
the dominion and use of the creatures that are therein, were all made
and given for man's use and comfort. As God hath provided the
highest heavens for his own place and court of residence, so he hath
made the earth for a commodious habitation for man. But when was
this given to man ? In innocency ; for by rebellion against God we
forfeited this lordship of ours ; and till it be restored by Christ, we
have no comfortable right to exercise it (as by and by). And in part,
this was manifested in renewing this patent to Noah, saved out of the
waters in the ark, which was a type of Christ : Gen. ix. 1, 2, ' God
blessed Noah, and said unto him, The fear of you, and the dread of
you, shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the
air, and upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes
of the sea ; into your hand they are delivered.' This was the next end
for which the creature was made.
160 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIIL [SfiR. XXVII.
[2.] Ultimately and terrain atively they were made for God. For
God ' made all things for himself,' Prov. xvi. 4 ; and the creatures are
called his servants: Ps. cxix. 91, ' They continue to this day according
to thy ordinance ; for all are thy servants/ Man was but a fellow-
creature with the rest of the world, and could not challenge a lordship
over them by his own right, without God's free gift. We could not
claim a dominion over that which had no dependence on us, either by
creation, or by present sustentation ; for dependence is the foundation
of all subjection and sovereignty. Now that which necessarily de-
pendeth upon the gift of another, must be used to the ends for which
it is given ; God never gave the creatures so to man as to dispossess
himself. The supreme right still remaineth in him ; and our grant
was not a total alienation from God ; for that is impossible, unless the
creature were put into an absolute state of independency. No, God
reserved an interest still, that all these things should be used for his
glory. To pass over this right any other way, is inconsistent with the
wisdom of God, and the nature of the creature : Rom. xi. 36. * All
things are of him, and through him, and to him ; to whom be glory
for ever and ever.' This quit-rent God reserveth to himself for all his
bounty, that we should honour him and acknowledge him in all that
we are, have, and do : 1 Cor. x. 31, ' Whether ye eat and drink, or
whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.' Well then, these things
being premised, we shall the better state the vanity to which the
creature is made subject for man's sin.: vanum est quod excidit fine suo ;
that is vain which faileth in its use. Now the use is to serve man
innocent, and to promote God's glory ; therefore the creatures, if they
had reason, it would be a grief to serve God's enemies, and to such vile
uses as they abuse them.
(1.) It is a part of their vanity that they are made to serve man in a
state of corruption, and the most wicked of the kind, that refuse to
come out of the apostasy and defection from God. The creatures natu
rally take the part of the creator, are to be accounted friends or
enemies to us, as God is ; for the scripture speaketh of them as
involved in his league and covenant ; yet they are forced to serve those
whom they are appointed to punish. God causeth his sun to shine on
the good and the evil ; and causeth his rain to fall upon the just and
unjust ; to serve wicked men's turns with whom they are at no peace.
It is an old and a vexed question, What right and interest wicked men
have in the creatures ? As much as needeth to be now spoken to it
may be comprised in these propositions :
First, Man never had the right of an absolute and supreme lord, but
only of a steward and a servant. The supreme original right was in
the creator, but the subordinate and limited right was in man, who
had nothing absolutely his own, but was to use all for God, to whom he
was accountable. All things are ours for God ; nothing is properly and
ultimately our own.
Secondly, Upon the fall, man lost the right of a servant ; for when
the first charter was broken, the rights that accrued thereby were lost,
and by lapse forfeited into the hands of the true owner again.
Thirdly, Though the right of a servant was forfeited and lost, yet
God was pleased out of his patience and indulgence to continue fallen
VER. 20.]
SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII.
161
man the use and benefit of the creature, and some kind of right to
them, a civil right and providential right. First, acivil right ; as
Nabal's sheep were said to be his sheep, 1 Sam. xxv n 4, and he is a
thief that should have stolen them from him. A man is a thief before
God and man that robbeth a wicked man ; still we have such a right
to the creatures that our fellow-servants may not take from us without
our Lord's consent. Secondly, a providential right ; as God puts them
into our hands by the fair allowance and disposure of his providence :
Ps. xvii. 14, ' They have their portion in this life : thou fillest their
bellies with thy hid treasure.' So Jer. xxvii. 5, ' I have given it to
whom it seemeth meet unto me ; ' corn, houses, lands, goods, cattle.
He that hath an absolute right and interest in the creature may dispose
it at his pleasure.
Fourthly, Though they have a civil and providential right, yet they
have not a filial and evangelical right ; for that is by Christ. In him
all things are ours : 1 Cor. iii. 22, ' All things are yours, and you are
Christ's, and Christ is God's;' and with him he hath given us all
things, Kom. viii. 32 ; and it is said, 1 Tim. iv. 3, 4, that ( every
creature of God is good,' and created c to be received with thanksgiving
of them that believe, and know the truth/ These are heirs of promise
who have right by Christ.
Fifthly. The evangelical right is that which* sanctifieth the creature
to us ; and so thereby the creature may more comfortably serve us, our
right being restored by Christ : 1 Tim. iv. 4, ' The creature is sanctified
by the word and prayer/ The more we believe and acknowledge God
in Christ, the more comfortable use of the creature ; whereas unre-
generate men, who have forfeited the right of a steward, use the
creature as if they had the right of a lord ; use goods, lands, moneys,
us their own, and given to them for themselves, and not for God ; and
this is a part of the vanity the creature is subject unto.
(2.) The creatures are often employed as instruments to fulfil our
lusts, which in their original use were intended for God's glory ; and
so God is dishonoured rather than glorified by them. Some abuse the
creatures to pride in apparel, some to gluttony and drunkenness, some
to base sparing ; whereas those that would be good stewards for God
should use wholly what God hath put into their hands for God's glory ;
that the creature may not be turned from the end and use for which it
was first made, as it is when the provisions of this life are used, not for
strength, but for surfeiting and drunkenness; our clothes not for
warmth, but for pride and wantonness; and the remainder and overplus
of our estates employed in pomp, not in charity. But now, when this
is little minded, the creature is abused to our vain ends.
Secondly. The manner how it came into this state of vanity. It is
expressed negatively and positively.
1. Negatively ; ou% e/covcra, not willingly, that is, by its own
natural propension. Voluntariness is attributed to the senseless crea
ture by translation from man ; and what is against the natural in
clination of the creature, or the use for which it was ordained by
God, it is said to be done unwillingly. The first institution of the
creature was for God's glory and the benefit of man ; and all crea
tures were fitted for the use for which they were made ; and if
VOL. XIT, L
162 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXVII.
it be put by its natural use, it hath a resemblance of violence. There
fore if you take vanity for the disorder or perishing of the creature ; you
may say, not wittingly; for all things tend naturally to their own pre
servation ; and so what tendeth to its destruction cannot be said to be
done willingly. Or if you take it for falling from its end and use, as
the service of wicked men in their lusts ; the creature is not subject to
this bondage willingly, but forced to submit to it, as the world is now
constituted.
2. Positively ; Sia rov vTrordgavra. God by his judgment hath sub
jected the creature to this curse for man's sin ; man as the meritorious,
a.nd God the efficient cause of this vanity which is brought upon the
creature ; so that it is brought upon them by man as a sinner, by God
as a judge.
[1.] First, by manias a sinner ; that brought the hereditary and old
curse. As the lower Vorld was created for man's sake, so by the just
judgment of God the curse came upon the whole earth for man's sake :
Gen iii. 17, 18, ' Cursed is the ground for thy sake ; in sorrow shalt
thou eat of it all the days of thy life ; thorns and thistles also shall it
bring forth unto thee/ This was the original curse. So for the actual
curse : Ps. cvii. 33, 34, ' He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the
water springs into dry ground ; a fruitful land into barrenness, for the
wickedness of them that dwell therein.' Barrenness or fertility is not
a natural accident, but ordered by God for the punishment of man's sin.
Therefore we should lift up our eyes above all natural causes, and fix
them upon God, who chastiseth men for their unfruitfulness towards
him, and punisheth countries whose plenty hath been infamously
abused, and spent upon their lusts.
[2.] Secondly, by the will and power of the creator ; he it is who
hath the sovereign disposal of the creature, and to order it as he
pleaseth with respect to his own glory.
(1.) Herein we see God's justice, who by the vanity of the creature
would give us a standing monument of his displeasure against sin.
Creatures are not as they were made in their primitive institution ; the
enmities and destructive influences of the several creatures had never
been known, if we had not rebelled against God ; we should never
have been acquainted with droughts, and famines, and pestilences, and
earthquakes ; these are fruits of the fall, and introduced by our sin ;
and by these God would show us what an evil thing sin is : Jer. ii. 19,
' Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall
reprove thee ; know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter,
that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in
thee, saith the Lord of Hosts/ We being in a lower sphere of under
standing, can only know causes by the effects ; here is an effect ; it hath
brought misery upon us and upon the whole creation. When God
looked upon the whole creation, all the creatures were good, Gen. i. 31,
' very good ; ' but when Solomon had considered them, all was vanity,
very vain. What is the reason of this alteration ? Sin had interposed.
(2.) The power and sovereignty of God. All the creatures are sub
ject to the will of God, even in those things which are contrary to their
natural use and inclination ; for therefore he employeth them to destroy
one another, and man who hath brought this disorder upon them. If
VJSB. 20.]
SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIIT.
163
God bid the fire burn, however kindled, what can withstand its flames ?
If he bid the earth cleave and swallow up those who had made a cleft
in the congregation of the Lord, the earth presently obeyeth : Num.
xvi. 31, 'As he had spoken these words, the ground clave asunder that
was under them, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them
up.' So if God bid the sea stand up like a mountain and wall of con
gealed ice, it will do so, and afford passage for his people ; and return
again to its wonted course and fluidness and drown the Egyptians, it
will do it: Exod. xiv. 28, ' The waters returned, and covered the chariots.'
So for other things : Job xxxvii. 6, ' He saith to the snow, Be thou
upon the earth ; and likewise to the great rain, Be thou upon the
earth.' Not a drop of rain falleth from the clouds but by God's per
mission ; so verse the 12, ' The clouds are turned about by his counsels,
to do whatever he commandeth them upon the face of the earth/
Nothing seemeth to be more casual than the motion of the clouds, or at
least to arise from mere natural causes ; yet still are at the direction of
God ; for it followeth, ver. 13, ' He causeth it to rain for the correction
of a land, or for mercy/ Sometimes it is sent in mercy, and sometimes
in judgment ; this bridle God keepeth upon the world, to check their
licentiousness, and awe them into obedience to himself.
(3.) His mercy during the day of his patience. In the midst of judg
ment he remembereth mercy. Though there be much vanity in the
creatures, yet there is still a usefulness in them to mankind. Though
the air might poison us, and the earth swallow us up, and the mouth
of the great deep vomit forth an inundation of waters, and the fire scorch
up the earth, yet it is great mercy that God hath so bound up the
creatures by a law and decree, that the earth is still a commodious
habitation to man ; that many of the changes and commotions in the
elementary and lower world conduce to our benefit, but especially the
stated course of nature ; that the earth doth bring forth its fruits in
due season, and the sun rejoiceth to run its course ; all this is goodness
to poor creatures, while God offereth pardon of sin and restitution by
Christ ; we still enjoy the blessings we have forfeited ; though with some
diminution and abatement, we are restored to the use of the creatures ;
but these arc subject to vanity. We have our lives, but not that
perfect constitution of body which Adam enjoyed before his fall.
Creatures are not so useful and serviceable to us as they were in their
first creation. In the inward righteousness and holiness restored to
man, there is a mixture of corruption. It was needful there should
be some continual remembrance of sin, that we might be the more
abased in ourselves, and more sensible of God's mercy ; and yet for
the honour of God some monument should be left of his benignity
and bounty to his creature.
Thirdly, The reasons why the innocent creature is punished for
man's sin.
1. To destroy the image of jealousy, or the great idol that was set up
against God. Man's great sin was his forsaking the creator, and
seeking his happiness in the creature: Jer. ii. 13, ' For my people have
committed two evils ; they have forsaken me the fountain of living
water, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that will hold no
water.' He forsook God by distrust, and betook himself to the
1G4 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SEB. XXVII.
creature out of necessity ; for man cannot subsist of himself, but
must have somewhat to lean unto. The first temptation did entice
man from God to some inferior good more pleasing to his fleshly
mind. Man was made for God, to serve him, love him, and de
light in him, and to use all the creatures in order to God, for his
service and glory ; he was to use nothing but with this intention. But
by sin, all that man was capable of using was abused to please his
flesh. Now as Satan, the tempter, aimed at this, that by depending
on the creature we might have no cause to look back upon God any
more, as when they break off a treaty of marriage, they set another
match a-foot ; or rather, as those that endeavour to draw away a man's
heart from his own wife, entangle him in the love of a strange woman ;
so God, to counterwork Satan, blasts the creature, and much of the beauty
and virtue of it is losj}, that we may think of returning to him : Hos.
ii. 7, ' I will return to my first husband ; for then it was better with
me than now.' Disappointment in the creature sendeth many to God,
who otherwise would never think of him ; for they are made the more
sensible of their disadvantage in forsaking him.
2. The creature is still made an instrument of sin, and therefore is
involved in God's curse, as to the disorder, ruin, and destruction of
many of the parts of it. For if we use these creatures contrary to
their nature and end, and to the wrong of their proper lord and owner,
no wonder if he blasted what is so abused. The creatures are some
times abused as objects of worship and trust, to the alienating men's
hearts from God, as in gross idolatry : ' They worshipped the. queen
of heaven,' meaning the sun, whom they made a female, Jer. xliv. 18.
And the Lord complaineth, Ezek. xvi. 16, 17, 18, 19, that they decked
their high places with gold and silver, and did set oil and incense be
fore them. So still we set up the creature for our end and happiness,
as if it were more attractive and amiable than God, and fitter to con
tent and delight the soul ; use so much of the world as is within our
grasp and reach, against God and our true happiness. Besides brutish
wickedness, how many sacrilegious morsels do men offer to an intem
perate appetite, and abuse other things by their sinful desires, meat
to surfeiting, drink to excess, apparel to pride ; wealth, power, and in
terest to serve their revengful minds ?
3. In the curse on the creature, man is punished. His blessings
cursed, Mai. ii. 2. Those things which were made for our use and
service, become first instruments of our sin, and then of our punish
ment. It is just with God not only to punish us in our persons, but
in the things belonging us ; as demolishing the houses and castles of
a rebel is taken to be a part of his punishment among men. Pharaoh's
house was smitten for Sarah's sake: Gen. xii. 17, 'And the Lord
plagued Pharaoh and his house for Sarah's sake ; ' and Num. xvi. 32,
* The earth swallowed them up, and their houses, and their goods/
So God brought vanity on the creature for man's sake ; murrain on
the beasts and cattle ; blasts upon corn and vines, and other fruits of
the earth. We have interest in them, and our subsistence is by them ;
yea, the king himself is served by the field ; their destruction is our
loss ; as mercy to the earth is mercy to men.
Use 1. To teach us the evil of sin. Man by sin brought a curse upon
VER. 20.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vur. 1G5
himself, upon his posterity, and upon all the creatures ; that is it we
are upon ; sin disordered the whole world ; therefore let us work our
hearts to a detestation and abhorrence of it. We see how highly God
is displeased with it ; the creator, who out of his overflowing bounty
created all things, and delighted in them when he had made them, yet
was provoked to curse what he had created, when once man had
sinned ; and so sin hath made a great change in the world. But be
cause these are ancient things, and do little move us, see the judgments
of every age and time, which are the fruit of this vanity, which is
brought upon the creature. If a nation sin : Deut. xxviii. 22, 23,
* The Lord thy God shall smite thee with fevers, and with the sword,
and with blasting, and mildew, and consume thee until thou perish.
The heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth under
thee, iron ; the Lord shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust ;
from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed.'
So ver. 38, 39, 40, ' Thou shalt carry much seed into the field, and
shalt gather but little in, for the locusts shall consume it ; thou shalt
plant vineyards and dress them, but shalt neither drink of the wine
nor gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them; have olive
trees, but the olive shall cast its fruits.' These are things often ful
filled before our eyes ; so Isa. xxiv. 4, 5, 6, 'The earth mourneth and
fadeth away ; the world languisheth and fadeth away ; the earth also
is defiled under the inhabitants thereof ; they have transgressed the
laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. There
fore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are
desolate ; therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few
men left.' So for our persons, it is our sin that bringeth the curse of
God on all that we enjoy. Thus God by the vanity and perishing of
the creature, would show how angry he is with man for sin.
Use 2. Do not cast a greater burden upon the creature ; you have
already brought in too much disorder and confusion upon the world.
But how do we cast a greater burden upon the creature ? When you
sin with and by the creature ; as by injustice, unmercifulness, oppres
sion, because you have much filthy excess ; by these and such-like you
make the creature the object and occasion of sin ; especially opposition
to God, oppressing his servants, dealing cruelly and unmercifully with
men, hoping your greatness should bear you out in any of these cases.
1. Consider how the creature will cry to God for revenge : Hab. ii. 11,
' For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the
timber shall answer it ; ' the very materials of their buildings and
unjust acquisitions shall witness against them ; James v. 3, ' The
canker and rust of your gold and silver shall witness against you.'
2. Those that put a burden upon the creature shall have the crea
ture's burden put on them. By your sin they are subjected to vanity,
and by their vanity you are subjected to wrath ; they are ready to
revenge God's quarrel, if he do but hiss for them, Isa. vii. 18 ; he can
make ' thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle for barley,' in herit
ages gotten by oppression, Job xxxi. 40.
3. The creature shall be delivered ; but those that abuse the crea
ture shall not. It is subjected in hope, but their worm dieth not, their
firo goeth not out.
166 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XXVIil.
Use 3. Is to persuade us to turn our hearts from the creature to
God ; for the creature is made subject to vanity. They change, but
he changeth not. 1 John ii. 17, ' The world passeth away, and the
lusts thereof.' There is no true happiness to be found under the sun.
Surely they that can see no vanity, nothing but glory and goodness in
outward things, Satan hath bewitched them, Mat. iv. 8. Shall we
fix our minds on a reeling world, ever subject to changes ? Ps. Ixxxiii.
13, ' my God, make them like a wheel, as the stubble before the
wind ; ' those things are continually rolled and turned upside down,
as a wheel is turned and turned, never standeth still in a declivity.
The creature is vain, and made more vain by our confidence: Ps.
xxx. 6, Mn my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved ;' therefore
if we love the creature, let it be after God, and for God ; not in
comparison with God* If the heart be set uponworldly things, it is
stolen from better : Ps. Ixii. 10, ' Trust not in oppression, become
not vain in robbery ; if riches increase, set not your heart upon them/
God is impatient of a corrival ; ' I am married to you/ Jer. iii. 14.
Not in exclusion of God ; as when we rejoice in the creature apart
from God, an heart divided from him, Luke xii. 19. Not in opposition
to God ; as if by the creature we were able to make our party against
him.
Use 4. Let us seek after restitution by Christ. The covenant made
with God in Christ doth secure us against the hurt of the creature :
Job v. 23, ' For thou shalt be in a league with the stones of the field,
and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee ; ' and Hosea
ii. 18, ' And in that day I will make a covenant for them, with the
beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creep
ing things of the ground/ They are included in God's covenant, who
concerneth himself in all our affairs ; the new creature suiteth with
the new world : Rev. xxi. 5, ' And he that sat upon the throne said,
Behold, I make all things new/ 2 Cor. v. 17, ' Whosoever is in Christ,
is a new creature ; ' their mercies are sweet ; come not in anger, but
purchased ; we have a covenant-right restored.
Use 5. Is hope. If inanimate creatures are delivered from vanity,
much more saints. Let us bear our burden with patience ; the crea
ture was subject to vanity, but it was not their fault, but ours ;
obedientially God subjected them ; but God would not leave the world
under a perpetual curse.
SERMON XXVIIL
Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the 'bondage cf
corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
ROM. VIII. 21.
IN this verse the apostle showeth what hope was appointed by God
for the creature, which for a while was subject to vanity ; ' Because
the creature,' <fec.
VEU. 21.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. 167
In the words observe
1. The deliverance asserted : ' Because the creature itself also shall
be delivered.'
2. The terms of this deliverance explained : (1.) Terminus a quo.
From the bondage of corruption. (2 ) Ad quern, Into the glorious
liberty of the children of God.
1. Asserted, 'On may be taken causally, as giving a reason of the
hope mentioned ; so we render it because ; or specificative. as showing
what kind of hope they have : * subjected the same in hope that the
creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption ; '
for the word eXevdepcodija-erai, asserted into freedom; for it is now in
bondage, as the following words declare.
2. Explained. First, the terminus a quo ; that which he called vanity
before, he now calleth ' bondage of corruption ; ; therefore this SovXeta
<j)9opas must be explained as the vanity was, that signifieth either
disorder or alteration, and corruption or dissolution, or perversion from
its use, as it serveth wicked men, especially as it is abused by them to
the fulfilling of their lusts ; all this vanity, and all this bondage is an
heavy yoke to the creature, and from all this it shall be freed. The
term to which : ' Into the glorious liberty of the children of God.'
But here a doubt ariseth. Shall the senseless creatures be made par
takers of the same glory with God's children ? That is absurd to be
conceived. To solve this, Chrysostom thinketh els is put for Sta, as these
particles are often exchanged; so els rrjv eKevOewav should be
rendered ~by the glorious liberty. Others, to prevent this absurdity,
make it not the term of the change, but the term of expectation, when
the children of God are advanced into their glory ; then, and not till
then, shall the creatures be freed from the bondage of corruption.
But the apostle's words do signify not only time, but estate ; not at,
but into ; it is no such absurdity to say that the creature shall in its
kind and manner partake of the glorious estate of the saints ; for there
is somewhat common to them both, and that is incorruption, 1 Cor. xv.
42. So the meaning is, it shall be translated from a state of corruption
to a state of incorruption, and such a measure of beauty and glory doth
agree thereunto.
Two points I shall observe from this verse :
Doct. 1. That the creatures shall be freed from corruption, and be
made partakers of a better estate than now they have.
Doct. 2. That the liberty to which God's children are reserved is a
glorious liberty.
First, let me speak of the restoration of the creature, and then of the
glorious liberty of the saints.
Doct. 1. For the first, Let me state it, how far the creatures shall be
delivered from the present vanity and misery, and for what reasons.
We must keep to scripture generals, lest we run into curiosities ; that
rule of Augustine is good, Melius dubitare de occultis, quam litigare
de incertis; it is better to doubt of what is hidden, than to contend about
what is uncertain. We may define things with danger, but we may
be ignorant of them without danger; therefore as to creatures that
shall be restored, and not restored, we must not be too nice and in
quisitive. Possibly this is one of those difficulties mentioned by St.
168 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXVIII.
Peter, 2 Pet. iii. 16, that in his beloved brother Paul's epistles, there
are Svcri/oTjra TWO,. I am sure these concern the matter there treated oL
First, For things that are not to be restored.
1. Whatever came in by sin, will be utterly destroyed ; as thorns,
thistles, poisonous weeds : Gen. iii. 17, 18, * Cursed is the ground for
thy sake, thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee.' The reason
is, when the cause is taken away the effect ceaseth. If the curse of
God upon the earth be a part of man's punishment ; then upon man's
deliverance the creature is delivered also. Now it continueth for a
mark of God's displeasure, and our humiliation, because man is restored
but in part ; but upon our full deliverance, no more of this is found.
2. All creatures that arise out of corruption and putrefaction ; as
toads, mice, flies, bats. As they were not in the first creation, so they
shall not appear in thjs restitution of all things at the coming of the
Lord.
3. All living creatures which perish before, or at the end of the
world. It is probable these shall not be renewed and restored again ;
Partly, because these serve only for the use and the sustenance of the
earthly life ; but in glory freed from this necessity : 1 Cor. vi. 13,
' Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats ; but God shall destroy
both it and them/ In this life the body hath an absolute necessity of
them ; but in the next life the meat itself, as well as the eating or
desiring of meat, shall be taken away. Partly, because, if these should
be restored, there must be a resurrection of them, which is only
promised to men. And the apostles when they speak, restrain it to
mankind, who have reasonable souls living to God, while their bodies
are rotting in the grave ; but the soul of the beasts goeth downward,
Eccl. iii. 21 ; that is, perish with their bodies, which are buried in the-
ground.
4. All artificial works done by the hand of man, as cities, castles,
houses, gardens. They shall all be burnt up, and be extant no more ;
for though these things are useful during the earthly life, yet then
they are all consumed, as being defiled by the inhabitants thereof : 2
Pet. iii. 10, ' The earth also, and the works which are therein, shall be
burnt up ; ' that is, which men have made, and built thereupon ; which
should turn our hearts from our affecting those things, or fixing upon
the creature which is passing away, whilst we neglect God, who is the
same, that passeth not.
Secondly. That which shall be restored is the fabric of heaven
and earth ; not the highest heavens ; they need no purifying fire, no
unclean things entering there ; but the lower heavens and this earth ;
the state of things after the dissolution is often called a ' world to come.'
Now ivorld, in the sacred dialect, comprehendeth the Visible heavens
and earth; meaning by heavens, the airy and starry heaven ; and by
earth, dry land and waters. Well then, heaven and earth, sun, moon,
and stars, which had a being in the creation, and undergo the purging-
fire at the dissolution, shall be restored as gold that hath been melted
and refined in the fire. If you ask for what use ? We must refer that
to the event ; the scripture in the general, 2 Pet. iii. 13, "We expect,
according to his promise, new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth
righteousness ; ' wherein righteous men shall have a firm place, and
VER. 21. J SERMONS UPON ROMANS vnr. 169
always dwell therein, and exercise righteousness ; whereas this earth is
full of wicked and unrighteous men, which then shall be all in hell.
But the difficulty is about the use of this lower world.
1. What if God restore it as a monument of his wisdom, goodness
and power? an object wherein by the great beauty of the creature,
the just shall see God by reflection ?
2. What if for the exercise of our delight and gratitude ? To
delight the eyes and minds of the saints, the creatures having a glory
and brightness put upon them, somewhat proportionable to their own
glorious estate ? God will make a proportion between the heir and the
inheritance, the lord and the servants, the habitation and the inhabi
tant ; as the church is altered, so must her dwelling ; there shall be
nothing in nature displeasing to the eyes of God's children, but all
delightful to all eternity.
3. What if to be a trophy of the final abolition of death, the last
enemy that shall be destroyed ? The world is now a monument of sin,
and then of our redemption, that all the fruit of sin is done away
both in us and the world.
4. What if to complete the first grant of dominion to man over the
creatures ? This grant must some time or other take place : Ps. viii.
6, ' Thou madest him to have dominion over the work of thine hands ;
thou hast put all things under his feet/ It is not done here ; therefore
in the world to come, as the apostle speaketh : Heb. ii. 5, c For unto
the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come ; ' which
world to come concerneth the state of the church under Christ, and the
state of glory after the resurrection. Now we have the right, then
the possession ; an eternal kingdom over all creatures. For it is said
of the saints, that they shall have dominion in the morning, and that
they ' shall reign with Christ for ever and ever,' Rev. xxii. 5 ; and of
the new heavens and the new earth, Rev. xxi. 7, ' He that overcometh
shall inherit all things,' which beareth some sense.
Use. It showeth us three things :
1. The certainty of our hopes. There is hope that the creature at
length shall be delivered into a state agreeing with the future glory of
God's children. Therefore much more is their deliverance to be hoped
for by the children of God themselves. For if these dumb insensible
things be made partakers of a better estate than they have now, will
not God take care for the recompence of his people ?
2. The excellency of our hopes. It appeareth hence, what excel
lency of glory is reserved for the children of God, since all the world
shall be refined and restored for their sakes ; and seeing the glory of
that state requireth the creature should be -changed before it can suit
with it.
3. It showeth us the manner of entering into our hopes. As the
creature must be freed from the state of corruption, before it can par
take with God's children in any degree of their glorious liberty, so
must we be changed before we are capable of it. How changed ?
First, By grace. Secondly, By death. We must be changed by grace,
and freed from the corruption of sin : Eph. v. 5, ' For this we know,
that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man who is an
idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God/
170 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SEK. XXVIII.
Common knowledge will easily show us, that those that impenitently
persist in gross sins, are incapable of any right unto, and never shall
come to the possession of that blessed estateof eternal glory. We have
a larger catalogue, Gal. v. 20, 21 ; and the apostle concludeth, that
they that do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God ; there
is no mixture of godly and ungodly in the kingdom of heaven. Nay,
we may go further, not only exclude them who live in gross sin ; but
every unregenerate person : John iii. 3, * Except a man be born again,
he cannot see the kingdom of God ; ' and in the 5th verse it is ex-
Elained, ' he cannot enter into it.' Every man in his natural estate, be
e to appearance better or worse, is unmeet for glory ; and there must
be a change wrought in him ; he must be delivered from the bondage
of sinful corruption, or he cannot enjoy the glorious liberty of the
children of God. Noj; only an epicure, or drunkard, or whoremonger
is excluded ; but a painted pharisee, as long as his heart is corrupt
and unrenewed, hath no right, and never shall have possession ; he
must be changed from a state of corruption to a state of holiness ; and
the image of God, in which he was created, must be restored in him.
2. Changed by death. The saints being mortal, must be changed
before they can inherit eternal life. All that we derived from old
Adam must be laid and left in the grave : 1 Cor xv. 50, ' Flesh and
blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption
inherit incorruption.' These earthly frail bodies of ours cannot be
received into heaven, till they be changed and immortalized : ver. 53,
* This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put
on immortality.' As a man to build his house better, razeth it to the
very bottom ; so God will have the body resolved into dust, before he will
set it forth in this new fair edition. As the creature is dissolved, that
is, delivered from the bondage of corruption ; first the creature is set
free, and discharged from being obnoxious to change and alteration ;
so we must first die, then be raised in incorruption ; which should
make us the more ready and willing to submit to the appointed
course, and not only even dare to die, but to be willing to die, since
death puts an end to sin, and all our calamities, and is the gate and
entrance by which we pass into glory.
Dpct. 2. That the liberty to which God's people are reserved is a
glorious liberty.
Here I shall first speak of the liberty of God's children in this life ;
secondly, the glorious liberty in the world to come. For the one is a
step to the other. For it is called, ' a glorious liberty,' to distinguish
it from the liberty of God's children here in this world, which is not
glorious, but gracious, to show how it exceedeth this estate in glory.
Therefore I must show
First, What is the liberty of God's children in this world.
Secondly, What in the world to come.
First, What is the liberty of God's children in this world. There
are three practical notions in which man is greatly mistaken, misery
and happiness ; wisdom and folly ; liberty and bondage. Misery
and happiness : men count none miserable but the afflicted ; none
happy but the prosperous ; because they judge by the present ease
and commodity of the flesh. Wisdom and folly : We all affect
VER. 21] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 171
the repute of wisdom, Job xi. 12; please ourselves with a false
show of wisdom, neglecting what is true and solid, which is to
be wise to salvation. Liberty and bondage : man accepteth of a
false liberty rather than none ; every man would be at his own dispose,
] ive as he list ; whereas the true liberty must be determined by our
condition as creatures ; by our end, as creatures that are in pursuit of
true happiness. To think the only true liberty is to be at the com
mand and control of none above ourselves, or to live at large according
to our hearts' desire, is to affect a thraldom and bondage instead of
liberty ; therefore it concerneth us to state exactly what is the liberty
of God's children now. It either relateth to our duty, or to our
felicity.
1. To our duty ; and so our liberty must be stated by these four
things.
[1.] It must be such a liberty as becometh a creature who is in
subjection to God. It is not a power to live as we list, but a power to
live as we ought. To affect a power to live as we list, and to be
accountable to none, is to revive the arrogancy of Adam, and to sup
up again the poison of the old temptation, ' ye shall be as gods/
Gen. iii. 5. It was man's original ambition to be at his own dispose,
and lord of his own actions ; to think, and speak, and do as he
pleaseth : Ps. xii. 4, ' Our tongues are our own, who is lord over us ? '
And the rebellion of the libertine world is set forth by casting off the
yokes and cords of duty : Ps. ii. 3, * Let us break their bands asunder,
and cast away their cords from us,' meaning there, the laws of God
and Christ, who are impatient of any restraint. 'But this is a liberty
cannot be justified ; for since man hath principium et finem, a
principle upon which he dependeth in his being and operations, and
an end unto which he is appointed, he must wholly give up himself to
the will of another, and his liberty lieth in a readiness to comply with
God's commands, who is his proper lord, to whom he is to subject
himself, and to give an account of all his actions. So that man's true
liberty is God's service : Ps. cxix. 45, ' I will walk at liberty, for I seek
thy precepts.' To will and do things pleasing to our creator is the
only liberty pioper to us.
[2.] It must be such a liberty as will leave us in a capacity to pursue
our chief good, and last end. For all creatures are by natural instinct
carried to their last end ; and, the more fettered and restrained from this,
the more they are in bondage ; the less, the more free ; which holdeth
good in all creatures ; but principally in the reasonable. Certainly the
reasonable nature is dishonoured, and debased, and under a defect, as
it is disabled from the fruition of God , or seeldng after it ; we are in
bondage as we are captivated and entangled with the love of inferior
things, and so perverted and diverted from the pursuit of true happi
ness. The restraining of our irregular desires is not bondage, but the
gratifying of them, for that is a snare to us. Men live in sin with as
much delight as fishes in their own element ; yet they are in bonds still,
as they are detained from God, and turned aside from him ; our
liberty is our power over inferior things ; and our bondage is their power
over us. 1 Cor. vi. 12. When we love God with all our hearts, and
serve him with all our minds, we are free. Liberty in the root
172 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XXVIII
iruplieth an inclination to God, as the supreme object of our love. In
the first act, in a power of choosing the means whereby we may enjoy
him ; in the second act, in an exercise of this power, or in an actual
pursuing the end by these means. The elective power, and a govern
ing our actions in order to our great end, is our liberty ; the angels
that immutably and indeclinably adhere to their last end are freer than
us, who may err from it. Well then, none are such slaves as they
that cannot use the means which should make them happy ; but
employ their whole time in seeking after pleasures, and honours, and
profits ; like dissolute servants, who being sent by their masters to a
mart or fair to buy commodities, spend their time and money in some
inn or house of entertainment by the way, and neglect their fair or
mart, to which they were sent to employ their money to the best advan
tage. So we are enslaved by the way, and neglect our main business.
[3.] It must be such a liberty as will suit with the dignity of a
rational creature, as man is. For that is the liberty of a man, when
he acteth with a condecency to the reasonable nature. Man was at
first made to be happy ; his happiness consisted in the fruition of God ;
and his subjection to him was no captivity and restraint, but rather a
part of that blessedness. But we became bondmen, not only by break
ing the law of God, but by disordering the constitution of our souls ;
by submitting conscience and reason to our lusts ; so suffering the beast
to ride the man ; for the rule of the apostle is of immutable equity,
Rom. vi. 11, ' His servants you are, to whom ye yield yourselves to
obey.' Now man giving up reason to appetite becometh a very slave ;
as a country is enthralled when the base prevail above the honourable,
and beggars get on horseback, but the princes are on foot. Such a
deordination there is, when reason is put out of dominion, and lusts
prevail ; our bondage is described by the apostle, Tit. iii. 3, ' Serving
divers lusts and pleasures.' Our lusts urge us to an eager pursuit of
inferior things ; reason or the leading part of the soul reclaimeth, but it
hath no force ; besides our dependence upon God, which cannot be shaken
off. If since our apostasy from him, we had a perfect understanding to
guide us, the danger would not be so great ; but in this corrupt estate,
the mind is blinded by our passions and appetites ; and therefore to be
left to the dispose of our brutish affections is the greatest judgment
that can be : Ps. Ixxxi. 12, ' So I gave them up to their own hearts'
lusts, and they walked in their own counsels.' This is the greatest
thraldom that can befal such a creature as manis ; it leaveth us no power
to dispose of ourselves ; men often see what they should do, but cannot
dp it, being drawn away by their own lusts ; and though we have some
kind of remorse from the remainders of reason, especially being assisted
by the Holy Spirit, as to some common help ; yet we foully miscarry
still, till it hath brought us to misery, as it did Samson the strongest,
Solomon the wisest of men. Then therefore is a man at liberty, when
reason and conscience are again put into dominion, and a man is
fitted to please God, and seek after his true happiness, with the con
tempt of all worldly things.
[4.] It must be such a liberty as bringeth us nearest to the state of
innocency, which is man's first estate ; and the state of glory, which is
his last and most perfect state. Now this doth consist in a freedom
YER. 21.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 173
from the power of sin ; the liberty of innocency was posse non peccare ;
Adam might not have sinned ; the liberty of glory will be non
posse peccare, they cannot sin ; as not with a moral cannot, it
is absurd, that may be obtained here : 1 John iii. 9, ' He can
not sin, because he is born of God;' but with a natural can
not; it is impossible ; the soul doth indeclinably adhere to God as the
chiefest good ; therefore now the nearer we come to this, the will of
man is best disposed, and the more to be accounted as free. Divines
usually consider man in a fourfold estate : In statu institute, in a state
of integrity, and so man might not have sinned. In statu destitute,
in a state of corruption, so he can do nothing else but sin ; that every
imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually,
Gen. vi. 5. In statu restituto; and so he hath an inclination partly to
good by the Spirit of grace dwelling in him ; partly to evil, by reason
of the relics of sin ; and is only so far freed from the bondage of cor
ruption, as that it shall not reign in him, Kom. vi. 14. In statu prce-
stituto, in the state to which he is appointed ; in the state of glory, in
which he can will nothing but what is good ; a blessed necessity it is,
and our highest liberty ; for liberty is not opposite to necessity, but
obligation or impulsion ; we are never more free than when we are
past all possibility of sinning.
2. As it relateth to our felicity ; and so it implieth two things : (1.)
Our immunities and privileges; (2.) Our rights and prerogatives.
[1.] The immunities and privileges of God's children. We are de
livered from much misery by Christ. First, From the slavery of sin :
Bom. vi. 18, ' Being made free from sin, ye became the servants of right
eousness.' Though sin still dwelleth in us, yet the guilt is remitted,
the damning power gone : Rom. viii. 1, * There is no condemnation to
them that are in Christ ; ' the reigning power broken : Rom. vi. 14,
1 For sin shall not have dominion over you/ and so it is more and
more mortified in us, by the grace of regeneration, till at length it be
abolished by death. And so the being is gone, and our enthralled
spirits are in some measure set free, to know, serve, and love God, and
delight in him as our lord, and life, and end, and all. Secondly, From
death, as the curse of the law ; and so from those everlasting torments
which the wicked must endure. The second death hath no power over
such ; and though we are obnoxious to the first death, yet the venom
-and sting of it is gone : 1 Cor. xv. 56, 57, ' death, where is thy
sting ? grave, where is thy victory ? ' And of an enemy it is
made a friend : 1 Cor. iii. 22, ' Death is yours ; ' it is made the gate
and entrance into eternal rest. Thirdly, From the bondage that did
arise in us from the fear of eternal death. Where sin is entertained,
it bringeth another inmate along with it, and that is the fear and
terror of death and damnation, which arise th from the consciousness
of sin. Now to be free from the accusations of a guilty conscience,
and those self-tormentings which in the wicked are the foretastes of
hell, is surely a great mercy ; and this is the privilege of God's people :
Heb. ii. 14, 15, ' To deliver them who through fear of death are all
their life-time subject to bondage/ And sinners are such bond-men,
that they dare not call themselves to an account for the expense of
their time, and course of their employments, which all wise men should
174 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIIL [SER. XXVIII.
do ; and think seriously of God, and the day of judgment, and the
world to come ; therefore it is a great mercy to have a quiet well
settled conscience. Fourthly, From the tyranny and power of Satan,
as a deceiver, and enemy, and executioner of the wrath of God ; who
thereby taketh wicked men captive at his will and pleasure. He can
not totally prevail against the elect : Mat. xvi. 18, ' Upon this rock I
build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it ; '
though he vex and tempt them continually. He hath a kind of right
to apostate souls : Eph. vi. 12, ' Ruler of the darkness of this world ; '
but his power is much broken as to the elect ; they are daily exercised
by him, but they overcome, and stand stedfast in the faith. Fifthly,
They are freed from the law and covenant of works, which requireth
that which to us is become impossible ; and also from the burdensome
task of useless ceremonies imposed on the church in the times of
infancy and darkness. And the apostle biddeth us stand fast
in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, Gal. v. 1. Tho.
ceremonial law was a bondage, by reason of the great trouble,
expense, and pain to the flesh which did attend the observation of it,
especially in its use, a bond confessing the debt; and Christ hath
purchased this freedom and liberty to the church, and we should stand
to the defence of it. Sixthly, An immunity from such temporal judg
ments as might hinder our salvation, and the service of God : 1 Cor. x.
13, ' There hath no temptation taken hold of you, but such as is common
to man. But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted
above that you are able, but will with the temptation also make a way
to escape, that ye may be able to bear it;' and Rom. viii. 28, 'All
things shall work together for good to them that love God/ No ab
solute immunity from troubles; God hath reserved a liberty to his
wisdom and justice to afflict us as he shall see cause: Ps. Ixxxix. 32,
* Then will I visit their transgressions with the rod, and their iniquity
with stripes/ but will preserve us to his heavenly kingdom, 2 Tim.
iv. 17, 18.
[2.] Their rights and prerogatives. First, They have a right to
serve God with a ready and free will, and on comfortable terms : Luke
i. 74, 75, * That being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we
might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him,
all the days of our lives;' Ps. li. 12, 'Restore unto me the joy of thy
salvation, and uphold me by thy free Spirit ; ' and Rom. viii. 15, ' For
we have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but we have
received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father/ Second
ly, A liberty of access to God. A large door is opened to us, for
communion with him : Eph. iii. 12, ' To whom we have boldness and
access with confidence;' Heb. iv. 16, 'Let us come with boldness to
the throne of grace, that we may have grace, and find mercy in a time
of need ; ' and Heb. x. 19, ' Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter
into the holiest by the blood of Jesus ; ' 1 John iii. 21, ' Beloved, if our
hearts condemn us not, then have we boldness toward God/ Thirdly,
A free use of all the creatures which fall to our share and allowance
by God's fatherly providence : 1 Tim. iv. 3, 4, ' Forbidding to marry,
and commanding to abstain from meat, which God hath created to bo
received with thanksgiving of them that believe and obey the truth.
VEIL 21.]
SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII.
175
For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it bo
received with thanksgiving;' 1 Cor. iii. 22, 23, 'Whether Paul, or
Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or
things to come ; all are yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's.'
With good conscience we may use the creatures, and get them sancti
fied to us by the word and prayer. Fourthly, A right to eternal life :
Tit. iii. 7, ' That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs
according to the hope of eternal life ; ' Rom. viii. 17, ' If children, then
heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ ; if so be we suffer with
him, that we may be also glorified together.' Though we have not the
possession, yet a title sure and indefeasible ; so that you see (and yet
I have told you little of it) it is valuable. But it is a glorious liberty
we are to speak of :
Secondly. Our glorious liberty in the world to come. That is a
liberty which implieth the removal of all evil, and the affluence of all
good ; and may be considered either as to the soul, or to the body.
1. As to the soul. We are admitted into the blessed sight of God ;
and the perfect fruition, a-nd pleasing of him in perfect love, joy, and
praise, to all eternity : 1 Cor. xiii. 12, ' For now we see through a glass
darkly, but then face to face ; now I know in part, but then shall I
know even also as I am known ; ' 1 John iii. 2, ' But we know that
when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he
is;' Ps. xvi. 11, 'Thou wilt show me the path of life; for in thy
presence is fulness of joy, and at thy right hand pleasures for ever
more; ' Ps. xvii. 15, ' As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness,
I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness.'
2. As to the body, it is in a state of immortality and incorruption,
wholly freed from death, and all the frailties introduced by sin ; and
because the body remaineth behind when the soul is in glory, our
deliverance and redemption is said to be yet behind : Eph. i. 14,
' Which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the
purchased possession ; ' Eph. iv. 30, ' And grieve not the Holy Spirit,
whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption ; ' and that in respect
of the body : Rom. viii. 23, ' Waiting for the adoption, to wit, the
redemption of our body.' In short, this glorious liberty may be some
what understood by the liberty which we have now.
[1.] Our liberty now is imperfect and incomplete, but then it is full
and perfect. It is but begun now, and our bonds loosed in part ; but
our complete deliverance is to come from sin at death, from all misery
when our bodies are raised up in glory. Sin dwelleth in the saints now,
but in death it will be utterly abolished ; therefore they groan and
long for it : Rom. vii. 24, ' wretched man that I am, who shall deliver
me from the body of death ? ' Yet with hope, ver. 25/ 1 thank God,
through Jesus Christ our Lord ; so then, with the mind I myself serve
the law of God ; but with the flesh the law of sin/ Our bodies now
are subject to corruption and diseases, as others are ; but Phil. iii. 21 ;
God will then perfectly glorify his children in body and soul.
[2.] Spiritual liberty is consistent enough with corporal bondage.
Paul was in prison when Nero was emperor of the world ; many that
are taken into the liberty of God's children are not freed from outward
servitude : 1 Cor. vii. 21, 22, ' Art thou called being a servant ? Care
176
SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXVIII.
not for it ; but if thou canst be made free, use it rather/ The condi
tion of a slave is not incompetent with Christianity ; Joseph was a slave
in Egypt, but his mistress was the captive, as she was oyercome by her
own lusts; servants may be the. Lord's freemen, and freemen may be
Satan's slaves.
[3.] All the parts of liberty are quite other than now.
(1.) First, as to duty, we are not so free from the power of sin as to
be able to govern our own actions in order to eternal happiness : Kom.
vii. 25, ' With rny mind I serve the law of God, with my flesh the law
of sin/ There is law against law, mutual conflicts and mutual opposi
tion ; though grace gets the mastery, not absolute freedom. Our present
estate is but a convalescency, a recovery out of sickness by degrees.
(2.) As to felicity:
1st. Immunity: First, from the curse of the law, and the wrath
of God. We have alright, but the solemn and actual judgment
is not passed, nor the case adjudged ; but at the last day, when
the condemning sentence is passed upon the wicked, our sins shall
be blotted out, Acts iii. 19. Secondly, death remaineth on the
body, but then the last enemy shall be quite destroyed, 1 Cor. xv.
26. Thirdly, Satan doth still trouble us, and vex us, winnow us as
wheat ; but then he shall be trodden under our feet, Kom. xvi. 20.
Fourthly, From the afflictions of the world ; they do not now endanger
salvation, but then wholly gone : Rev. xxi. 4, ' Then God shall wipe all
tears from our eyes ; then no more sorrow and crying ; ' that is, be
cause of oppression and violence.
2nd. For rights and prerogatives. Now we serve God at a distance by
some service, then immediately minister before the throne ; here we
come to God now and then, but then we shsll be ever with him ; we
have now a right to use creatures, then we shall need none ; now a
title to heaven, but then possession, made actual partakers of eternal
blessedness ; therefore there cannot be a greater liberty than the children
of God have at the last day.
Use 1. Is to admire the goodness of God to poor afflicted creatures.
We have this glorious liberty from God's bounty, Mat. xxv. 34 ; Christ's
love, he purchased it ; it is the Son of God hath made us free, John viii.
36 ; it is applied to us by the Spirit : Rom. viii. 2, ' The Spirit of life
in Christ Jesus hath made us free from the law of sin and death/ The
Roman captain said, ' With a great sum obtained I this freedom/ Acts
xxii. 28 ; to us it cometh on mere favour.
Use 2. Have you interest in this blessedness ? Is the liberty begun ?
Hath he sealed you to the day of redemption ? Eph. iv. 30. You will
find the comfort and benefit of his sealing. On that day God will own
those whom he hath stamped and marked with his own seal ; that is,
whom the Spirit hath formed for God, by impressing his image upon
them in righteousness and true holiness. After that day no more
place will be left for doubts and fears; but till that day this is our
warrant and assurance, till full possession ; the seal of the Spirit is an
holy frame of heart, fitted to serve, please, and enjoy God.
VER. 22.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vin. 177
SERMON XXIX.
For we, know that tlie ivliole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain
together until now. ROM. VIII. 22.
THE apostle had showed how the creature waiteth for its future perfect
estate ; now, what sense it hath of its present condition. In the words
we have,
1. The certainty, ' We know.'
2. The agony of the creature, ' It groanetli and travaileth in pain.'
3. Their consort and agreement in this groaning, 'The whole crea
tion groaneth,' etc.
4. The duration and continuance, ' Until now/
1. The certainty of what is asserted, ' We know.' But how do we
know ? First, We see by our sense, that the whole creation is under
vanity and corruption. Secondly, We know by faith that it came by
sin ; so that partly from sense, and partly by faith, we conclude that
the creature is under a burden.
2. The great agony of the creature ; it * groaneth and travaileth in
pain ; ' groaneth as a man under an heavy burden ; travaileth in pain,
as -a woman in child-bearing ; the creature would fain be disburdened
of this estate. Some think that this last metaphor implieth that the
issue will be comfortable, for the pain of travail ends in joy : John xvi.
21, 'A woman when she is is in travail hath sorrow, for her hour is
come ; but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth
no more the anguish, for joy that a man-child is born into the world.'
It may be so here ; only I find this metaphor used for bitter pangs and
sorrows, without any respect to the end and issue; as Mat. xxiv. 8,
' All these are the beginning of sorrows/
3. The consort and harmonious agreement that is between all the
parts of the world ; iraa-a 97 KTIO-IS ' the whole creation' collectively, or
every creature distributively ; they all groan together, and travail in
pain together.
4. The duration and continuance, * until now ; ' that is, from the
time that sin entered into the world unto this present time.
Doct. That the whole creation groaneth under the burden of our
sins.
First. What is this groaning of the creature ; or in what sense the
creature is said to groan.
Secondly. How we are concerned in these groans.
Thirdly. How we know it; for who ever heard the groaning of the
whole creation?
First. What is this groaning of the creature ? Or how can that be
ascribed to things without reason, sense, and life ? There are two
causes of groaning in sensitive creatures, labour and pain ; that which
answereth to labour is unwearied motion ; that which answereth to
pain is corruption and decay.
1. Labour and motion. So we may say the creature is worn out with
hard labour to serve the uses of man ; because it is in continual motion.
The sun moveth from east to west in the day, and in the night from
VOL. XII. M
178 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VJII. [SER. XXIX.
west to east again : Eccles. i. 5, ' The sun also ariseth, and the sun
goeth down, and hasteth to his place, where he arose;' the Hebrew,
panteth, as pressing forward to be at his appointed place ; to give man
light to go about his labour. How many thousands of miles hath it-
travelled to come to us again, since we went to bed ? So Job xxxvii. 11,
' ' By watering he wearieth the thick cloud, and scattereth the bright
clouds ; it is turned about by his counsels/ He speaketh of the clouds
as things that could be wearied, being hurried hither and thither, to
serve the earth in divers places, and spendeth itself in that service.
The earth is digged, and rent, and torn with the plough, seldom
suffered to enjoy its sabbaths, that it may bring forth fruit to man ;
the rivers flow, and the sea hath its ebbs and tides ; all things in the
lower world are full of labour ; and so the creature is wearied and worn
out to serve even rebel man, to whom God continueth this favour.
2. That which answereth to pain, is their passing away by corrup
tion; the four elements being contrary one to another, are still wasting
one another, till all fail ; heat against cold, and moisture against dry-
ness ; all things being compounded of these four elements do ia
the end return to them again by dissolution and corruption. And
besides, by God's judgment the creature is often blasted in its greatest
glory and beauty. Look, as in a fruitful season the valleys are
said to laugh with fatness, Ps. Ixv. 12, 13 ; and the flourishing of
the spring is as it were nature's smile ; it is a pleasant sight to
behold when the earth is blessed of God with increase and variety
of fruits; the creatures do as it were rejoice in God's bounty, and
invite us to rejoice with them ; so on the other side, when these
things are taken away, it doth as it were mourn, and look sorrowful-
like under the judgment ; as they laugh in their kind, so they mourn
and groan in their kind : as Jer. xii. 4, ' How long shall the land mourn,
and the herbs of the field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell
therein ? ' Isa. xxiv. 4, ' The earth mourneth and fadeth away ; the
world languisheth and fadeth away ; ' Isa. xxxiii. 9, ' The earth mourneth
and languisheth, Lebanon is ashamed ; ' Jer. xxiii. 10, ' Because of swear
ing the land mourneth;' Joel i. 10, ' The field is wasted, the land
mourneth, for the corn is wasted, the new wine is dried up, the oil
languisheth.' In all these places, and many more, the earth is said to
mourn when it lieth waste, stripped and despoiled of its wonted verdure
and bravery in grass, corn, plants, fruits, wherewith it was once clad
and adorned. Now this may come to pass, partly, by external drought,
as when the grass was burnt up, that there was no fodder for the beast,
1 Kings xviii. 5. Partly, by storm and tempest, which maketh spoil
and havoc of it : Prov. xxviii. 3, ' A sweeping rain leaveth no food.'
Partly, by vermin : Joel i. 4, ' That which the palmer-worm hath left>
the locust hath eaten ; that which the locust hath left, the canker-worm
hath eaten ; that which the canker-worm hath left, the caterpillar hath
eaten.' Sometimes by the irruption and invasion of an enemy : Isa. i.
7, * Your country is desolate ; your cities are burnt with fire ; your
land, strangers devour it in your presence ; and it is desolate, as over
thrown by strangers.' Sometimes by murrains and pestilential diseases,
which hinder all cultivation and tillage : Amos iv. 10, ' I have sent
among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt ; your young men
VER. 22.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 179
have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses ; I have
made the stink of your camp to come up into your nostrils.' God hath
variety of ways to punish man in blasting the creature ; and on all the
occasions the land appeareth as in a mourning weed ; and the barren
parched ground and withered fruits of the earth are, as it were, the
groaning of the creature under man's sin. These things premised, we
may see in what sense the creature is said to groan.
[1.] In a way of supposition. If they had any life, sense, or reason,
they would groan, or be thus affected; being wearied with labour, liable
to destruction, and perverted from their natural use ; often blasted by
God's judgment. If God should open the mouth of the creature, as he
did that of Balaam's ass, it would rebuke our madness, groan under
their hard servitude : 2 Pet. ii. 16, ' Balaam wa.s rebuked for his iniquity ;
the dumb ass, speaking with man's voice, rebuked the madness of the
prophet.' So if the creature could speak with man's voice, and had
man's affections, they would loudly groan in the ears of the Lord of
Hosts, and blame us for our disobedience and unthankfulness to God.
[2.] By analogy. There is some proportion and suitableness between
our affections, and the inclinations of the creature ; there is something
in them which is as it were sense and reason, that is, a shadow and
resemblance of it. The grass groweth as if it grew by art, and knew
how to grow ; and the corn sprouteth forth as regularly as if it were
under direction ; every creature acteth by a rule from which it swerveth
not ; a stone in descending, falleth by a straight line as if it had reason
to pick it out ; all the art of man cannot draw a straighter line, than
that by which a stone falleth down, when it is thrown up into the air.
Every creature hath an obediential instinct to glorify God, as if it obeyed
by reason. The creation did. as it were, mourn at the crucifying of
Christ ; for nature seemed to be routed into a disorder ; the rocks were
rent, the earth quaked, the sun was struck blind with astonishment.
There is an intellective assistance, which runneth along with the creature ;
that is, the wise and powerful providence of God leadeth them, and
governeth them, and directeth them to a better estate ; so that they do
in their kind groan under their present burden, till they be delivered
from it.
Secondly. How are we concerned in these groans ? Very much.
1. They are upbraiding groans, as they upbraid us of our security
and unthankfulness. We that have reason are more senseless than the
creatures ; the creature groaneth, and we are stupid, neither affected
with our sin or misery : Jer. xii. 14, ' The land mourneth ; yet they
say, he shall not see our last end ; ' that is, no evil shall come unto us ;
they thought all would be well enough. So, ' For swearing, and lying,
and stealing, and adultery, the land mourneth,' Hos. iv. 2, 3 ; but doth
the swearer mourn, the adulterer mourn ? ' The vines howl, and the
fig tree languisheth/ Isa. xxiv. 7; but doth the drunkard mourn, be
cause God is provoked by his filthy excess ? It is very observable that
the prophets do often turn from men, and speak to creatures ; as Lam.
ii. 18, * wall of the daughter of Zion, let thy tears run clown as a river
day and night ; let not the apple of thine eye cease.' He calls on the
wall, either because no men left to mourn, or no men had an heart to
mourn, or for both reasons. So Micah vi. 1, 2, 'Hear, ye mountains,
180 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [$ER. XXIX.
the Lord's controversy, and the strong foundations of the earth, hear
the word of the Lord ;' so Jer. xxii. 29, ' earth, earth ! ' as if it were
in vain to speak to men. Insensible creatures are more fit to be spoken
to, than an incredulous, and self-willed, and obdurate people ; they keep
still their obediential subjection to their creator, and do tremble when
he threateneth, and groan when he afflicteth ; and therefore the creature
is brought in groaning here, as in our stead ; the earth groaneth, which
hath not sinned, but only suffercth for sin, to upbraid the hardness of
our hearts, because we who are the criminal parties groan not.
2. They are awakening groans. It is spoken hyperbolically to quicken
our consideration, and to represent the more emphatically the great
misery the creatures are in while they serve sinful man, especially in
fulfilling his lusts. Carnal men do not think of these things, and so have
no ear to hear these^groatis ; the creatures speak by our thoughts, and
they groan by our affections ; namely, as they excite and stir us up to
sigh and long for a better estate than is to be had in this reeling and un
certain world, where sin hath introduced so many changes. Job saith,
chap. xii. 7, 8, ' Ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee ; the
fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee ; or speak unto the earth, and
it shall teach thee ; and the fishes of the sea, and they shall declare
unto thee.' What was the point he had then in hand? That by the
providence of God wicked men may prosper ; not only as these things
do most serve the wicked, but the strong keep under the weak, and
the great devour the less. But how do the creatures speak, or tell,
or declare ? even the mute fishes, that scarce make any sound or noise ?
We ask them by our study and meditation, and they answer us by
our own thoughts, Iby the convictions and conclusions we draw from
them ; there is a great deal of morality in the bosom of nature, and
much wisdom to be learned from the . creature, if we would pick it
out, and seriously employ our thoughts that way. This is one lesson
among the rest ; the creature hath something to say to us concern
ing the vanity and decay of all things, and a better estate to come ;
we hear the creature groaning, as it offereth matter to us to sigh,
and groan, and long for a better estate, that we may be at home with
God, and free from the miseries of the present world.
3. They are instructive groans ; for they teach us many good lessons.
[1.] They teach us the vanity of the creature, which is now often
changed, and must at length be dissolved. To a common eye this
world seemeth to be in its highest splendour and beauty, because
worldly men judge of things by their carnal affections: Ps. xlix. 11,
' Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and
their dwelling places to all generations/ They think their heritages
and honours shall for ever continue in their name and family, and
carry themselves accordingly ; their carnal complacency possesseth them
with vain conceits ; and when their posterity are swept away and shifted,
new comers that are established in their room are as vain as they.
But now, if we bring the word to the creature, and God by his Spirit
giveth us an heart to observe these things, we shall see that all is
passing and perishing, that the whole world hath a great evil that
burdens it, and will at length prove its destruction ; namely, sin ; that
the groaning universe doth in effect say to us, ' Arise, depart, this is
VER. 22.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 181
not your rest/ Micah ii. 10. It is spoken to the Jews ; the land of
Canaan was given for a rest at first, but by their sin it had lost much
of that use ; the frequent changes of estate they met with there for
their sins was a summons to remove and look higher. It is true of all
the world, it is not our resting-place, since it was defiled by sin ; there
fore the groaning creature should wean us from the world, and inflame
us with a desire of heaven, where is perfect and eternal happiness.
[2.] It teacheth us the evil of sin ; it is the burden of the whole
creation, of which it would fain be eased. All the vanity that is upon
the creature, and all annoyance which we have from the creature, is
the fruit of our rebellion against God ; which should make us more
humble for sin past, and more cautious for the time to come. So
much sin as you introduce, so much you disturb the harmony of the
creation, and are accessary to the many destructive changes wrought in
the world.
[3.] It readeth us a lecture of patience. We live in a groaning
world, and must expect to bear our share in the common concert ; the
world is a valley of tears. Now to seek for joy in a valley of tears, to
affect an exemption from groaning, it is to be singular, and be out of
tune from the rest of the creation. What is in Ps. Ixxxiv. 6, c the
valley of JBacha* the Septuagint renders ' the valley of weeping ; ' it
means the scorched weeping ground they passed through ; and because
their going to Jerusalem to worship was a figure of our progress or
journey towards heaven, therefore many apply it to the world, resembled
by a valley, as heaven is by a mountain, like Mount Sion ; and a valley
of tears, because we frequently meet with mourning occasions. Now
it should not trouble us to be put upon groaning in a groaning world.
We have company with us in our mourning ; . not only our fellow
saints ; the apostle urgeth, 1 Pet. v. 9, ' These things are accomplished
in your brethren which are in the world.' Every one of God's children
have their share of hardships in the world ; we think no sorrow like
to our sorrow, and that none are so hardly dealt with as we are ; others
have their sorrows and hardships ; the measure and weight of others'
sorrows we know by guess, but our own by feeling. All things con
sidered, you will find j^our lot no harder than the saints of God who
went to heaven before you. But here is more company offered ; the
whole creation groaning for a burden brought upon them, not by their
fault but ours ; yet submitting to that appointed service till it be the
will of God to ease them.
[4.] A lecture of long suffering ; which is patience extended. When
we are oppressed with many persecutions and afflictions, and these
continue long, and we see no end, we despond : ' The creature groaneth
and travaileth in pain until now ; ' that is, from the time sin entered
into the world until the whole be dissolved. The continuance of the
universe is much longer than the continuance of our lives ; therefore
let us not repine at so short a time, for the creature hath been in a
groaning condition these six thousands years, or thereabout. Surely
the softness and delicacy of our flesh is too great, if we must see the
end of our troubles as soon as we enter into them. If the creature is
obedient to the creator in bearing the burden he lays on it, though it
182 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XXIX.
groan under it, then surely we should submit to his disposing will, so
long as he will have us in a suffering condition : Jam. i. 4, ' Let
patience have its perfect work/
[5.] A lecture of repentance and solemn humiliation. If the creature
groan under original vanity and corruption, brought upon it by the
first sin, sin being wonderfully increased, the world is ready to sink
under the weight of it ; therefore when sin increaseth, it is a groaning
time ; the multitude of the wicked are a burden to the countries where
they live. The heathens would call a wicked man, ' the burden of the
earth ; ' the word of God showeth it more plainly ; therefore when the
wicked increase and walk on every side, and they increase in wickedness,
it is time to look about us, and seriously and heartily humble ourselves
before God : Lev. xviii. 25, ' And the land is defiled, therefore I do
visit the iniquities thereof upon it ; and the land itself vomiteth out
her inhabitants ; ' Micah ii. 10, ' Because it is polluted, it shall destroy
you with a sore destruction ; t and Jer. ix. 19, 'Our dwellings have
cast us out.' The land doth as it were loathe to bear and feed them
that so grossly dishonour God.
[6.] A lesson of hope in long sorrow. We should keep up hope and
expectation ; the creature groaneth till now ; yea, but still it expecteth
its final deliverance. It is an expression of great rebellion, distrust,
and contempt, to say, ' Why should I wait on the Lord any longer ? '
2 Kings vi. 33. God can bring the bitterest condition to a most comfort
able issue. Consider how he dealeth with other creatures ; the creature
groaneth and travaileth in pain, but the birth will ensue ; the groaning
of the creature is like a travailing in birth, and so the calamities of
the saints: John xvi. 21, 22, 'A woman when she is in travail hath
sorrow, because her hour is come ; but as soon as she is delivered of
the child, she is no more in anguish, for joy a man is born into the world ;
and ye now are in sorrow, but I will see you again, and your hearts
shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.' The throes of
our sorrow may be very sharp and bitter ; but the birth will occasion
joy enough to countervail the tediousness of it.
4. They are complaining, accusing groans. The apostle saith,
Jam. v. 4, ' Grudge not one against another ; ' groan not one
against another ; that is, give not occasion to one another to com
plain against you to God. It is sad when one Christian com-
plaineth against another for his froward, and perverse, and unbrotherly
carriage; much more of near relations, husbands and wives, minis
ters and people. The apostle saith it is not profitable when they
give their account with grief and not with joy, Heb. xiii. 17. This
groaning of the creature must be interpreted by the standard of this
notion : the creature groaneth not with us, but groaneth against us ;
because of the slavery we put them unto they groan for vengeance
and destruction ; not in fellow-feeling with thee, but in indignation
against thee, if thou be a wicked man. There is a groaning by way
of sympathy and compassion, as we are bidden, Horn. xii. 15, to
1 rejoice with them that rejoice, and weep with them that weep ; ' and
there is a groaning by way of accusation and appeal, for revenge against
those that have wronged us. We have abused the creature ; the groan
VER. 22.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 183
of a worm in the ear of the Lord of Hosts will be heard ; so James v.
2, 3, * Your riches are corrupted, your garments are moth-eaten, your
gold and silver is cankered, and the rust of them shall be a witness
against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire ; you have heaped
up treasure together for the last days.' In the day of judgment, the
groans of the creature and the circumstances of our sinful actions shall
be brought forth as witnesses against us ; the moth-eaten garments, the
cankered silver shall be produced. So Hab. ii. 11, ' The stone shall cry
out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it;' that
is, the materials of the house built by oppression shall come as witnesses.
There is a kind of antipathy between them therein represented. The
stones of the wall shall cry, Lord we were built up by rapine and violence;
and the beam shall answer. True, Lord, even so it is. The stones shall
cry, Vengeance, Lord, upon our ungodly ones ; and the beam shall answer,
Woe to him, because he built his house with blood ! Conscience is a
terrible remembrancer ; the very creatures which sinners abused will
be brought in testimony against them to their conviction and condem
nation. You will say, What is this to the restoration of the universe,
or those elementary bodies in this lower world, to which you seem to
confine this restoration? These creatures shall be consumed in the
last fire ; how then brought into the judgment?
Answer,
(1.) The elementary bodies do concur to the increase and preservation
of these things. Lands gotten by violence are made fruitful by sun,
air, and rain j the sun now shineth upon these wicked men, and the
rain falleth upon their fields ; the creatures abused to excess come from
both the sunshine and the earth's fertility, which is the mother of all
wealth.
(2.) Though many of these creatures shall be consumed in this last
fire, yet they shall have an esse cognitum, in the memory and conscience
of the sinner, though not an esse rei, an actual existence. And thus
the wine abused to drunkenness may witness against the drunkard ;
the sacrilegious morsels which the glutton alienated from the poor,
and devoted to lust and appetite, shall witness against the glutton.
Memoria prceteritorum is one of the punishments in hell : Luke xvi.
25, 'Son, remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good
things/ The very clothing by which they did manifest their pride,
shall witness against the proud ; the lands, goods, and houses of
worldlings, Isa. v. 8, shall witness against the worldling; the gold
and silver which they preferred before everlasting riches, shall wit
ness against the carnal ; the place, the room, the bed wherein men
committed filthiness and lewdness, shall witness against the unclean ;
when conscience shall be forced to the review, all these things shall
come into his mind. To this also may be referred that passage j
Josh. xxiv. 27, 'And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold this
stone shall be a witness unto us, for it hath heard all the words of
the Lord, which he spake unto us ; it shall be there for a witness
to you, lest you deny your God.' How could the stone which he
had placed under a great oak, which was very near the sanctuary
of the Lord, hear or give witness ? Partly by God's appeal, and partly
i>y their memory and conscience. It was a monument to put them in
184 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXIX.
mind of this solemn covenant ; and so might serve to convince them of
their sin. Thus hearing is ascribed to a senseless stone, because it was
a circumstance that might be produced in the judgment.
Thirdly, How we know it ? For who ever heard the groaning of
the whole creation ?
1. By sensible experience we know the vanity of the creature. Ocular
demonstration is enough to tell us all that things are frail and perish
ing : Ps. cxix. 96, 'I have seen an end of all perfection.'
2. The word affirmeth, First, That this came in by man's sin ; and
the common apprehension of mankind attesteth it, that wicked men
are unprofitable burdens of the earth, and bring a judgment on the
place where they live. Secondly, That God having repaired the woild
by Christ, there is a better estate appointed for man ; and so by con
sequence for the creatures, which are an appendage to him : Isa. xi. 6,
7, 8, 9. The enmity of the creature shall cease there, as in Noah's
ark.
3. The Spirit improveth it, both the vanity of the creature, and our
mortality, and the hopes of restoration. God must teach us the plainest
lessons: Ps. xc. 12, ' Lord, teach us to number our days, that we may
apply our hearts unto wisdom.' Deut. xxix. 2, 3, 4, ' Ye have seen all
that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt, unto Pharoah,
and unto all his servants, and unto all his land; the great temptations
which thine eyes have seen, the signs and the great miracles , yet the
Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears
to hear, unto this day/ And the hopes of restoration: faith is his
mere gift and production: Eph. ii. 8, 'For by grace ye are saved,
through faith ; and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God.'
From the whole take these corollaries :
1. That sinful man is an enemy to all the creatures, as well as to
himself. He hath brought misery upon himself, and all the world
which was his place to dwell in. The creation was a well-tuned instru
ment, upon which man might make music to the praise and honour of
God; but the strings of the harp are 'broken; and there is nothing
but jarring instead of harmony, and groans for praise. Yea, man him
self, who is the mouth of the creation, is very dumb and tongue-tied
in the praises of God.
2. That every particular land fareth the worse for wicked men. Man
hath brought a burden on the creation, and the increase of wicked
men showeth the ruin of any people or country : Prov. xi. 10, 11, ' When
it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth ; and when the wicked
perish, there is shouting. By the blessing of the upright the city is
exalted : but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.' The mean
ing of these two proverbs is, that the godly bring on a blessing on the
land where they live, and the wicked a curse. The godly bring on a
blessing by their prayers and holy example, God's providence, and respect
thereunto ; but the wicked a curse by their abuse of the creatures.
The corrupt world think otherwise, that all their dishonour, their judg
ments, come from suffering the godly to live amongst them. ' It is not
for the king's profit to suffer them to live,' Esth. iii. 8.
3. That we must not ascribe the alterations and changes of the creature
to chance or fortune, but to God's providence punishing man's sin. Some
VER. 22."] SERMONS UPON ROMANS viu. 185
do not see the hand of God ; as ignorant, stupid, and careless persons :
Ps. xxviii. 5, ' They regard not the work of the Lord, nor the operation
of his hand/ And some care not to see : Isa. xxvi. 11, ' When thy
hand is lifted up, they will not see ; ' they put all judgments upon the
ordinary course of second causes ; either a chance, 1 Sam. xiv. 9 ; or
attribute it to some natural thing : John xii. 29, they said it thundered,
when God spake from heaven to own Christ. Some see, but are in
part blinded with malice and prejudice ; which is to be seen by their
making perverse interpretations of providence : 2 Sam. xvi. 8, ' The Lord
hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul.'
4. You see a reason why a righteous man should be merciful to his
beast : Prov. xii. 10, ' A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast ;
but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.' There is burden enough
already upon the creature, under which he groaneth ; he would bring
on no more than needeth ; he will not use them unmercifully, nor wear
them out with too great and continual labours ; but giveth them that
food, rest, and refection which is necessary. In the destruction of
Nineveh God had respect to the beasts: Jonah iv. 11, 'There was
much cattle in that city/
5. The wonderful dulness and dead-heartedness of man in case of
sin and misery ; so that the creatures are fain to supply our room.
Few are sensible of this burden ; we should all groan, but do not.
Surely we ought to be excited to groan for sin and misery, and long for
the happiness of the saints ; so ver. 23, 'And not only they, but we our
selves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves
groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption
of our bodies.'
6. The great need there is to draw off our hearts from the inordinate
love of the creature, and to lay up treasure in heaven. What can we
expect from a groaning creature, which will soon come to an end, but
that only we wholly trust sense, and judge according to present appear
ance ? Otherwise we would say with the apostle, We know and look
further than the compass of this world, to that place where all is firm
and stable ; but we seldom improve these thoughts.
7. How unsuitable sensual rejoicing is unto the state which we are
now in. It is a groaning world, and here we seek all our pleasures
and contentments. It is a charge against sensualists, Jam. v. 5,
' Ye have lived in pleasure upon earth/ the place of our exile, the
place defiled with man's sin, the place subjected to a curse for man's
sake. Moderate contentment is allowed us during our pilgrimage, as
appears both by the dispensation of God's providence and covenant ;
but our full joy is reserved for hereafter ; his providence alloweth many
natural comforts ; and his covenant many perpetual blessings.
186 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXX.
SERMON XXX.
And not only they, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the
Spirit, even tue ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the
adoption, the redemption of our bodies. ROM. VIII. 23.
IN these words the apostle pursueth his main scope, which is to direct
believers patiently to wait for their final happiness. He doth it by
comparing the disposition of the children of God with the inclination
of the creatures, spoken of in the former verses: 'and not only they,'
&c.
There is a comparison,
1. Between persons and persons.
2. Between actions and actions.
1. Between persons and persons ; the whole creation, and those that
have the first fruits of the Spirit. The one is a feigned, the other a
real person ; therefore this groaning and expectation is attributed to
the children of God, with greater propriety of speech. The creatures
are said to groan and wait, upon supposition if they had sense and
reason they would groan and wait ; we, by certain knowledge and true
desire ; the creatures groan as they are assisted and directed by God
to a better state ; we, by voluntary inclination; the creatures groan by
others, as they excite our thoughts to consider their vanity and vicissi
tudes ; the saints by themselves, and in themselves ; others cannot
perform it for them ; they expect by God's direction, and groan by
our meditation ; but we properly, and without a figure.
2. Actions and actions. There are two ascribed to the creature :
waiting, ver. 10, groaning, ver. 22. They groan, and we groan ; they
wait, and we wait ; the groaning is amplified by the manner, and the
waiting by the object.
[1.] The groaning is amplified by the manner. It may be rendered,
among ourselves ; the whole church of God groaneth, as well as the
whole creation ; or rather, in ourselves, ex imo corde ; these groans came
from the bottom of the heart.
[2.] The waiting is amplified by the object or matter which they
wait for : ' For the adoption, the redemption of our bodies/ The last
expression explaineth the former, our full adoption and redemption,
which shall be accomplished at the general resurrection.
Doct. That those that have received the first fruits of the Spirit, do
groan and wait for a better estate than they now enjoy. I shall speak
of this point, First, By way of explication ; Secondly, By way of con
firmation.
First, For explication.
1. The description of the persons, 'We that have the first fruits
of the Spirit.' The expression alludeth to the customs of the law,
where the offering of the first fruits sanctified the whole heap : Rom.
xi. 16, : For if the first fruits be holy, the lump also is holy/ Thence
it is applied to any such beginnings as are a pledge of more to ensue ;
as here, the first fruits of the Spirit are the pledges and beginnings of
eternal life. What are they ? The graces and comforts of the Spirit :
VER. 23.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vnr. 187
First, the graces. Salvation is begun in our new birth : Titus iii. 5,
' But according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regenera
tion, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost;' and sanctifying grace is
called an immortal and incorruptible seed, 1 Pet. i. 23 ; and they that
are made partakers of it are implied to have eternal life abiding in
them, 1 John iii. 13, because the life is now begun, which shall be per
fected in heaven. For the present there is an eternal principle in them
which carries them to eternal ends. Secondly, The comforts which are
consequent upon the graces. For the Spirit is first a sanctifier, and then
a comforter ; he worketh holiness ; and by holiness, peace, joy, and
comfort, which are some foretastes of that sweetness which is in heaven.
This peace and joy is raised in us, partly, by the life and exercise of
faith and love ; 1 Pet. i. 8, ' Whom having not seen ye love ; in whom,
though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeak
able, and full of glory ;' and Kom. xv. 13, 'Now the God of hope fill
you with all joy and peace in believing.' And partly, by the apprehen
sion of God's love and favour to us: Ps. iv. 6, 7, ' Lord, lift up the light
of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness into my heart,
more than in the time when their corn and wine increased/ And also,
by our approaches to him in the word and prayer, where God doth
most familiarly manifest himself to his people : Isa. Ivi. 7, 'I will bring
them into my holy mountain, and make them joyful in the house of
prayer/ These comforts of the Spirit they meet with in God's sacred
ordinances : Ps. Ixxxiv. 10, * For a day in thy courts is better than a
thousand elsewhere.' Thus I have shown you what they are ; now for
to what use they serve ? Answer, They are an earnest and a foretaste ;
an earnest, to show how sure: Eph i. 13, 14, 'In whom also, after ye
believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the
earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased posses
sion ; ' 2 Cor. v. 5, ' Now he that hath wrought us to the self-same thing
is God, who also hath given us the earnest of the Spirit,' a begun,
possession. Secondly, a foretaste, to show how good : 1 Pet ii. 3, ' If
so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious/ As the clusters of
Canaan grapes were carried before them to animate the Israelites, and
the Italian grapes the Gauls ; so the graces are pledges of our future
perfection ; and the comforts, tastes of our future happiness.
2. The acts mentioned are two, groan, and wait ; the one doth more
directly respect our present, the other our future estate. We groan
because of present miseries ; we wait because of our future happiness.
Or rather both acts respect both estates compounded; as groaning, our
present and future happiness ; for there are groans that come from
sorrows ; and groans which come from hope and desire : 2 Cor. v. 2,
'In this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house
which is from heaven ; ' and ver 4, * We groan being burdened/ Grief
at our present state, the burden of sin and misery, and desire of future
deliverance : Prov. xiii. 12, ' Hope deferred maketh the heart sick, but
when the desire cometh, it is as a tree of life/ On the other side,
waiting importeth two things, an earnest and desirous expectation of
what is to come, and a patient submission to God for the present.
[1.] An earnest and desirous expectation of what is to come ; there
fore said to look and long for it : Tit. ii. 13, ' Looking for the blessed
]<S8 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXX.
hope;' and Heb. ix. 28,'<To them that look for him;' 2 Tim. iv. 8,
' And to them also that love his appearing/
[2.] A patient submission to God for what is present. 'Patience
of hope/ 1 Thes. i. 3 ; and Ps. xxxvii. 7, ' Best on the Lord, and wait
patiently for him/ Our happiness is delayed, and in the meantime we
have many trials ; our estate to come is excellent and glorious, and our
present estate is miserable and despicable. It is offered to us upon
sure and gracious terms, therefore we wait ; but in the meantime we
conflict with difficulties, and therefore we groan. So that as these two
duties respect our different estate, so they chiefly express our apprehen
sion and respect to our sinful estate : it is earnest, it is patient and
submissive. First, It is earnest ; for we groan, as a woman with child
doth exactly count her time ; or the Israelites in bondage did wait for
the year of jubilee ; or the hireling when his covenanted time will
expire. Secondly, With patience and submission to God's pleasure
and leisure, possessing their souls in meekness. And observe the
motive ; this waiting is earnest and desirous ; for the godly have not
only a sense and feeling of the miseries and calamities of this life, but
a fervent desire of the joys of heaven. The miseries and troubles of
the present world are matters of sense ; we need not scripture to tell
us that we are burdened, and pained, and conflict with diverse evils ;
our flesh feeleth it ; and we know it to our grief, that here is little
else but disquiet and vexation. Sense can discover what should drive
us from the world ; but sense cannot discover what should draw our
desires after a better estate ; that we learn by faith ; the joy is set
before us in the promises of the gospel : Heb. vi. 18, ' That we might
have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the
hope that is set before us ; ' and Heb. xii. 2, ' Looking unto Jesus, the
author and finisher of our faith, who endured the cross, despised the
shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God/ The
promises set it in our view, that we may eye it much, that we may
often look upon it, press earnestly towards it. Groaning is stirred up
by sense, waiting by faith.
3. This better estate is called adoption, and the redemption of our
bodies.
[1/1 It is called adoption. We are now taken into God's family;
but our present adoption is imperfect, and inconspicuous. First, It is
imperfect, as all our privileges by Christ are. We have not yet our
full liberty from the bondage of corruption, nor possession of our
blessed inheritance ; then we shall be coheirs with Christ^ ver. 17 ;
brought into 'the glorious liberty of the children of God/ ver. 21.
Secondly, It is inconspicuous : 1 Joh. iii. 1,2,' Therefore the world
knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Behold, now we are the
sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be ; but we
know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him ; ' and Eom.
viii. 19, ' waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God/ It then
appeareth to all the world who are the children of God, and what
happiness is provided for them.
[2.] The redemption of our bodies. By redemption is meant our
full and final deliverance ; and it is applied to the body, because death
remaineth upon that part until God redeemeth us from the hand of
VER. 23.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vnr. 189
the grave, Ps. xlix. 15. But more distinctly, redemption is taken either
for the impetration, or application. First, The impetration is by the
merit of Christ, and so we were redeemed when the ransom and price
was paid for us, Heb. ix. 12 ; not for the soul only, but for the body
also, as appeareth, 1 Cor. vi. 20, ' For ye are bought with a price,
therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are
God's.' Secondly, The application is our actual deliverance and freedom
by virtue of that price, which is either begun or perfected. Begun,
when our bonds are in part loosed : Eph. i. 7, ' In whom we have
redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins ; ' and perfected
in the other world. Therefore the day of judgment is called ' the day
of our redemption/ Eph. iv. 30 ; when the last enemy is destroyed,
namely, death, and our bodies are raised up in glory ; then we are
actually free from all evil. And because this is done by virtue of that
price and ransom which Christ paid for us, it is called redemption ;
and the redemption of our bodies, because the body, which was sown
in corruption, is raised in incorruption ; and that which was sown in
dishonour is raised in glory ; and that which was sown in weakness
is raised in power, 1 Cor. xv. 42, 43. Though the price was paid
long ago, the full fruit is not enjoyed till then ; for then we have our
final and complete deliverance from all sin and misery, vanity and
corruption. In this life we are not free from those things which lead
to corruption, that is, from sin, misery, and afflictions ; at death, the
soul is made perfect, but the body is in the power of the grave ; but
then the body enjoy eth a glorious resurrection.
Secondly. By way of confirmation : Why we should groan and long
for this estate. The reasons concern either this life, or the next.
1. For this life: I shall prove, [1.] That there is cause or matter
for groaning, and desiring a better estate. [2.] That those that have
the first fruits of the Spirit are more apprehensive of this misery than
others are or can be.
[1.] The pressures and miseries of this life call for this groaning ;
'being burdened/ saith the apcstle, 'we groan/ We have an heavy
burden upon us, both of sin and misery.
(1.) Of sin. To a gracious heart and waking conscience it is one of
the heaviest burdens that can be felt : Kom. vii. 24, ' wretched man
that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of death ? ' Paul was
whipped, imprisoned, stoned, in perils by land and sea, persecuted by
enemies, undermined by false brethren ; but afflictions did not sit so
close to him as sins ; the body of death was his sorest burden, there
fore did he long for deliverance. A beast will leave the place where
he findeth neither food nor rest ; it is not the troubles of the world
only, which set the saints a-groaning, but indwelling corruption ; this
grieveth them, that they are not yet rid of sin ; that they serve God
with such apparent weakness and manifold defects ; that they are so
often distracted and oppressed with sensual and worldly affections;
they cannot get rid of this cursed inmate, and therefore desire a change
of states. By the grace of God they have got rid of the guilt of sin
and reigning power of sin ; but the being of it is a trouble to them,
which will still remain till this tabernacle be dissolved ; then sin shall
gasp its last ; and the saints are groaning and longing for the parting
190 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XXX.
day, when by putting off flesh they shall put off sin, and come and
dwell with God.
(2.) Of misery. This burden is a partial cause of the saints' groan
ing, ' for they have not divested themselves of the feelings of nature,
nor grown senseless as stocks and stones ; they are of like passions with
others, and love their natural comforts as others do ; human nature is
the same thing in all that are made of flesh and blood : Job vi. 12, ' Is
my strength the strength of stones, or is my flesh of brass ? ' They
feel pain as every one doth, which will extort complaints from them.
Now a Christian's misery may be reckoned from three things : 1. Temp
tations from Satan. 2. Grievous persecutions from the world. 3. Sharp
afflictions from God himself. All these concur to wean a Christian from
the world.
1st. Temptations from Satan ; who seeketh all advantages, either to
withdraw us from God, or to distract us in his service, and make it
tedious and wearisome to us : 1 Pet. v. 8, 9, * Your adversary the devil
goeth about, seeking whom he may devour.' All these things are
accomplished in your brethren in the flesh ; they are all haunted with
a busy tempter, who is restless in his endeavours to ensnare their souls ;
this world is Satan's walk, the devil's circuit, who goeth up and down
to destroy unwary creatures ; and therefore his assiduous temptations
are one of the Christian's burdens.
2ndly. Bitter and grievous persecutions ; which sometimes make
them weary of their lives, that they may be freed from their hard
task- masters. As Elijah was weary of the trouble he had by Jezebel's
pursuits, that he durst not trust himself in the land of Israel and
Judea, but goeth a day's journey into the wilderness, and sat down
under a juniper tree, and requested for himself that he might die;
' for,' saith he, ' I am not better than my father's house,' 1 Kings xix.
4, 5. Surely the troubled will long for rest.
3dly. Sharp afflictions from God himself, who is jealous of our hearts,
because we are not watchful over them. We are too apt to take up
with a worldly happiness, and to root here ; looking no further, whilst
we have all our comforts about us ; our hearts saying, it is best to be
here, till God by his smart rod awaken us out of our drowsy fits.
We are so pleased with our entertainment by the way, that we forget
home ; therefore the Lord is fain to embitter our worldly portion, that
we may think of a remove to some better place and state, where all
tears shall be wiped from our eyes. We would sleep and rest here, if
we did not sometimes meet with thorns in our bed ; ' All the days of
my pilgrimage,' saith holy Jacob, Gen. xlvii. 7, 'are -few and evil.'
Our days are evil, and it is well they are but few ; that in this ship
wreck of man's felicity we can see banks and shores, and a landing
place, where we may be safe at length. Here most of our days are
sorrow, grief, and travail ; but there is our repose ; our heart would
fail, were there not some hopes mingled with our tears.
[2.] That those who have the first fruits of the Spirit are more appre
hensive of this misery than others are or can be.
(1.) Of misery and afflictions. Partly, because grace intendereth the
heart ; they look upon afflictions with another eye than the stupid
world doth ; they look upon them as coming from God, and as the fruit
VER. 23.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 191
of sin, and they dare not slight any of God's corrective dispensations.
There are two extremes, slighting, and fainting, Heb. xii. 5. Affliction
cannot be improved if we have not a sense of it ; we owe so much rever
ence to God, as to tremble at his anger, Num. xii. 14 ; when he crosseth
and disappointeth us, it must not be slightly passed over. Look as in
the flood, Gen vii. 11 ; when the windows of heaven were opened from
above, and the fountains of the great deep were broken open from below,
the flood increased ; so when nature and grace concur to heighten the
afflictions, the children of God must needs have a greater and more
tender sense of it than others have. As those that are of a delicate
constitution are more capable of pain than the stubborn and robustious ;
and the tender flesh of a child will sooner feel the lash than the thick
skin of a slave ; so the children of God, who have a more serious appre
hension of things, and a more tender spirit, soonest feel the burden of
their Father's displeasure, and do more lay it to heart, than careless
spirits, who laugh out their cross, and drink away their sorrows. And
partly, because they are more exercised with afflictions ; the world hateth
them because they are so good, and God chastens them because they
are no better : ' Many are the troubles of the righteous,' Ps. xxxiv. 19.
There is more squaring, and hewing, and cutting used about stones,
which are to be set in a stately palace, than those which are placed in
an ordinary building ; the vine is pruned, when the bramble in the
hedge is not looked after ; the child is put under discipline when the
bastard liveth more at large. God meaneth to destroy those, whom by
a just judgment he permitteth to go on in their sins, to their eternal
undoing.
(2.) They are more sensible of sin as a burden : Ps. xxxviii. 4, * Mine
iniquities are gone over my head ; they are a burden too heavy for me.'
That sins are a burden to a wounded conscience is evident by their
complaints ; if a millstone fall upon them, it is not so heavy and bruising,
as one spark of God's wrath lighting upon the conscience for sin ; but
they are also a burden to a tender conscience. And partly, because
they have more light than others, and see more into the heinous nature
and evil of sin: Jer. xviii. 31, 'After I was instructed, I smote upon
the thigh ; ' and Kom. vii. 9, ' When the commandment came, sin revived,
and I died.' And partly, because they have more love than others
have ; and they that love much, will mourn most for sin, Luke vii. 47 ;
she wept much, because she loved much. The more holy any are, the
more they are troubled about offending 'God than others are, or them
selves were before. What is the reason ? It is not from the increase
of sin, but the increase of light and love ; they see more and more into
sin than formerly they did, or could do ; as in a glass of pure water
the least mote is soon espied. And partly, because they have more
heartily renounced sin ; therefore the relics of it are a greater burden
to them. Elements burden not in their own place ; wicked men are
in their own element ; it is a sport to them to do evil ; for ' fools make
a mock of sin.' But it is otherwise with the children of God ; sin is
that they hate, and pray down, and strive against ; they are aspiring
after a better estate ; and it is a trouble to them, they find so little of
it while they are in the body.
2. The other sort of reasons concern the other life. A Christian
192 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXX.
here is unsatisfied, and waiteth for a better and purer estate, a state
of constant felicity, and exact conformity to God ; and that for four
reasons.
[1.] By the first fruits of the Spirit he is confirmed in the belief of
the certainty of this estate ; for the Holy Ghost openeth his eyes to see
the reality of the world to come : 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 ye may know what is the hope
of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of the inheritance of
the saints in light.' 1 Cor. ii. 12, ' Now we have not received the
spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that ye may know
the things that are freely given us of God.' Faith is the eye of the
soul, Heb. xi. 1 ; andean eagle-eye it is, that helpeth us to look above
the mists and clouds of the lower world, and see eternity at the back
of time, and glory following shame, and rest labour. Now affections
follow persuasion : Heb. xi. 13, ' Being persuaded of these things, they
embraced them/ They that see there is another world, a life infinitely
more desirable than that which we now enjoy, will find their affections
stirred towards it ; an estate so blessed, if it were soundly believed it
would be earnestly desired ; and certainly men do not believe this
blessedness, if they be coldly affected towards it.
[2.] By the first fruits of the Spirit, they do in part know the excel
lency of it. Surely it is no slight and vain thing which is so desired,
groaned after, and waited for by all the saints. They find somewhat
in themselves which makes them to value and esteem it ; if the first
fruits be rich and glorious, what will the whole harvest be ? If the
taste be so ravishing, what will the whole feast prove? Surely it will
wholly swallow us up with joy. The joys of the Spirit are unspeak
able things, 1 Pet. i. 8 ; but ' at his right hand there is fulness of joy
for evermore/ Ps. xvi. 11. The refreshings we meet with by the way
doth mightily support us ; what comfort shall we have when we come
to our journey's end, and enjoy what we have heard of? And what
we have heard is little to the enjoyment. The saints would not part
with their communion with Christ here for all the world ; what will it
be when our union and communion is full and perfect ? To get a
glimpse of Christ, as he showeth himself through the lattice, doth much
revive the drooping soul ; but there we shall see him with open face ;
here we get a little from him in his ordinances, and that little is as
much as we can hold ; but there he is all in all, and we are filled up
with the fulness of God. Christ in us now is the hope of glory, Col. i.
27 ; but Christ in us then is glory itself; the Spirit in us now is a well
springing up, but then the water groweth not only into a stream, but
into ocean ; holiness here is called the seed of God, but then it is the
life of God ; grace tendeth to the place whence it cometh, as a spark
of fire tendeth to the element of fire ; there it is in its perfect estate.
In short, look what difference there is between the spring-head and
the out-fall of the water into the sea ; such difference there is between
our enjoyment of God now, and hereafter.
[3.] By the first fruits of the Spirit, we are prepared and fitted for that
blessed estate. We read in the scripture, that as heaven is prepared
VER. 23.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vin. 193
for the saints, so the saints are prepared for heaven : Kom. ix. 23,
' Vessels of mercy, which he hath aforehand prepared unto glory ; Col.
i. 12, ' Who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of
the saints in light.' Now we are prepared by the Spirit's sanctifying
body and soul, and fitting us for the heavenly estate ; it is said, 2 Cor.
iii. 18, ' We are changed into his image from glory to glory.' As grace
increaseth, glory hasteneth on ; every degree is a step nearer ; we grow
more meet to dwell with God, as we grow more like God. Now this
argument holdeth good on God's part and ours. When God hath formed
us and fitted us for any estate, he will bring us to it ; as the apostle
telleth us, 2 Cor. v. 6, ' Now he that hath wrought us to this self
same thing is God. who hath given us the earnest of the Spirit'
This piece of workmanship was never designed to be left always here
in the world, but suited to a better place, to which it shall be trans
lated. It is the wisdom of God to bestow all things in apt places ;
every creature hath its element, and a peculiar nature, which carrieth
it thither ; as fishes desire to live in the water, and fowls in the air ;.
it is answerable to the nature which God hath put into them. The
new creature hath a suitableness to the glorious estate to come here
after; therefore the New Jerusalem is the only convenient place to
the new creature ; and they that have a divine nature, must live in the
immediate presence of God. On their part, God's word telleth them
of a better life than this, and their hearts incline them to it, they being
formed and fitted for it ; for the more a thing is formed for the end,
the more vehemently it tendeth towards it. God will not carry us to
heaven against our will ; therefore there is not only a preparation, but
an earnest expectation, which is the fruit of it ; they long to enjoy
their God, to see their Eedeemer, to enter upon that blessed estate for
which God hath prepared them, whereof in part he hath assured them.
No man is unwilling to be happy, and to attain his end. Certainly a
Christian out of heaven is out of his proper place ; we are like fish in
a paddle-trunk, or small vessel of water, which will only keep us alive ;
we would fain be in the ocean.
[4.] By the first fruits of the Spirit our title and right is assured.
For it is compared to a seal, to warrant our present interest: Eph. iv.
3, ' Ye are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise ; ' to an earnest, to
secure our future enjoyment : 2 Cor. iv. 22, ' Who hath also sealed us,
and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.' This blessed state
belongeth only to those who have the first fruits of the Spirit ; their
title is clear ; for God will own his seal and impress, will never take
back his earnest, but it remaineth with us till there be no place
left for doubts and fears. Now who, being secured of a better estate,
and for the present burdened with sorrow and temptations, would not
groan and long after it ?
Use. [1.] Is information. It informeth us of the certainty of blessed
ness to come. If there were any perfect estate in this life nothing
would sooner bring us to it than a participation of the Spirit ; but this
doth not ; for they that are partakers of the Spirit groan, wait, and are
not satisfied with their present estate, but long for a better, breathe
after something greater, and beyond what they here enjoy. Therefore
certainly God hath reserved for them a better estate in another world.
VOL. XII. N
194 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXX.
We prove another life by the disposition and instinct of nature towards
happiness in the general, yea, eternal happiness ; all would be happy ;
they grope and feel about after eternal good, Acts xvii. 26. This being
the universal desire of all mankind, it is an argument that there is such
a thing as eternal good, for natural desires are not frustrate ; for nature
doth nothing in vain. But the desires of the sanctified do much more
prove it ; for these act more regularly, direct their desires and groans
to a certain scope and end ; and those are excited by the Holy Spirit
of God ; he imprinteth the firm persuasion of this happiness in them,
and stirreth up these groans after it, and that usually in our gravest
and severest moods, when we are solemnly conversing with God in his
holy worship ; then he doth raise up these affections towards heavenly
things, by the word, prayer, and sacraments, and leaveth this heavenly
relish upon our hearty as the present reward of our duties. And the more
serious and holy any are, the more do they feel of this. Now this is a
greater argument ; for holiness was never designed for our torment ; and
these desires being of God's own planting, they will not be disappointed.
[2.] That none but those who have the first fruits of the Spirit
will groan and hope for eternal life. Others have no warrant, for they
have not God's earnest ; and God never giveth the whole bargain, but
he first giveth earnest ; for * without holiness no man shall see God.'
Others have no inclination ; for most men's thoughts are not busied
about this, but rather go after worldly things ; they are for serving
their lusts, and pleasing their fleshly appetites and fancies ; whereas
the apostle biddeth us be sober, and truss up the loins of our minds,
1 Pet. i. 13, if we would hope to the end, for the grace that is to be
brought unto us at the revelation of Jesus Christ. It is true, death is
the ordinary refuge for embittered spirits, and the back-door we seek
to get out at in our discontent. In passion men will desire to die ;
when beaten out of the world, heaven is their retreat ; but no serious
groans, and desires of heaven.
[3.] That we must so groan under the present misery, that we may
wait for deliverance with patience. Hope is not only made up of look
ing and longing, but waiting also : Heb. vi. 12, ' Be ye followers of
them who through faith and patience inherit the promise/
[4.] That one great means to support our faith and patience is the
hope of the redemption of our bodies. (1.) Because the man cannot
be happy till the body be raised again ; for the soul alone doth not
consummate the man, neither was it made to live eternally apart from
the body, but is in a state of widowhood till it be united to it again,
and live with its old mate and companion. The man is not happy till
then. (2.) It is the body is most pained in obedience, and endured all
the troubles and labours of Christianity; there it hath part in the
reward as well as the work ; Heb. xi. 35, ' Not accepting deliverance,
that they might obtain a better resurrection.' (3.) It is the body which
peemed to be lost. Some of the bodies of the faithful were devoured
by wild beasts, others consumed in the fire ; some swallowed up in
the sea ; all resolved in dust. Therefore because here the temptation
lays the smart or destruction and torture of the body, the cordial is
suited ; Christians do not only desire the blessed immortality of the soul,
but the resurrection of the body. The body is weak, frail, subject to
VER. 23.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vnr. 195
aches and diseases, stone, gout, strangury, death itself, tumbled up and
down, and tossed from prison to prison ; but then redeemed from all
evil and misery.
Use 2. Is exhortation. To rouse up our languid and cold affections,
that we may more earnestly groan and long for heavenly things. If we
look to this world, the pleasures of it are dreams and shadows ; the
miseries of it many and real ; we find corruption within, temptations
without, grievous afflictions, oppressing the bodily life ; but above all,
we do too often displease and dishonour God. If to the other world,
the pleasures of it are full, glorious, and eternal. God is fain to drive
us out of this world, as he did Lot out of Sodom, yet loath to depart.
Have we not smarted enough for our love to a vain world ? sinned
enough to make us weary of the present state ? If heaven be not worth
our desires and groans, it is little worth. There is the best estate, the
best work, and the best company.
Question. But how shall we do to get up our hearts from this world
to a better ? These things are necessary :
[1.] The illumination of the Spirit, that the mind be soundly per
suaded : 2. Cor. v. 1, ' For we know that if our earthly house of this
tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not
made with hands, eternal in the heavens.'
[2.] Strong inclination, or an heart fixed on heavenly things : Mat.
vi. 21, ' For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.' Col.
iii. 1, 'If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above,
where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Set your affections upon
things above, and not upon the earth.'
[3.] Love to Christ : Phil. i. 23, ' For to me to live is Christ, and to
die is gain.' They that love Christ will desire to be with him ; they
delight in his presence, count it their honour to be miserable with him,
rather than happy without him.
[4.] Some competent assurance of our own interest : 2. Tim. iv. 8,
* Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which
the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me at that day, and not unto
me only, but unto all that love his appearing.'
[5.] Some mortification, that the heart should be dead to the world,
weaned from the pleasures and honour thereof : Gal. vi. 14, ' God for
bid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by
whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.' While
our hearts are set upon worldly profits and pleasures, and gratify the
vices and lusts of .the body, we are loath to depart : c They have their
portion in this life/ Ps. xvii. 14.
Use 3. Do we groan and wait ? If so
[1.] There will be serious waiting, and diligent preparing : 2 Pet.
iii. 14, ' Wherefore, beloved, if ye look for such things, be diligent that
you may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.'
[2.] It will frame our lives : Phil. iii. 20, * For our conversation is in
heaven.'
[3.] It will put us upon self-denial. That maketh the Christian
labour and suffer trouble and reproach ; desire is the vigorous part of
the soul : 1 Tim. iv. 10, ' For therefore we labour and suffer reproach,
because we trust in the living God.'
196 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [$ER. XXXI.
SERMON XXXI.
For ive are saved "by hope, but hope that is seen is not hope : for ivhat
a man seeth, ivhy doth he yet hope for ? ROM. VIII. 24.
IN this verse the apostle giveth a reason why believers do groaningly
expect the adoption, the redemption of their bodies, and so, by conse
quence, salvation because yet they had it not. And in this reason there
is secretly couched a prolepsis, or an anticipation of an objection ; as
if the apostle had said, If any shall object, We are adopted already,
redeemed already, saved already, this I would answer him : We are
not actually saved, but in right and expectation only ; salvation indeed
is begun in the new <birth ; but is not complete till body and soul shall
be glorified in the day of judgment ; then we are redeemed or saved
from all evils, and then do presently enter into the actual possession
of the supreme happiness or glory which we expect. He proveth it
by the nature of hope, because hope is of a future thing : ' For we are
saved by hope ; but hope,' &c.
In the words two things : 1. An account of the present state of
a believer; ' For we are saved by hope/
2. The proof of it by two reasons. The first is taken from the nature
of hope : ' For hope that is seen is not hope.' The second from the
absurdity of the contrary ; ' For what a man seeth, why doth he yet
hope for?'
1. An account of the present state of a believer, * We are saved by
hope/ A Christian is already saved ; but he is only now saved by hope,
spe, non re ; he hath complete salvation, not in actual possession, but
earnest expectation ; that is the apostle's drift here. He doth not
show for what we are accepted at the last day, but how saved now ; he
doth not say we shall be saved by hope, but we are saved by hope,
which expecteth the fulfilling of God's promises in our salvation.
2. The proof.
[1.] By a reason taken from the nature of hope ; it is conversant
about things unseen : * Hope that is seen is not hope ; ' eXirk
^\7rofjLvr] is the thing hoped for ; the act is put for the object ; as
also Col. i. 5, ' The hope which is laid up for you in heaven/ Hope is
wrought in our hearts, but the thing hoped for is reserved in heaven
for us. ' Is not hope ; ' there it is taken for the act of hoping is not
hoped for. The meaning is, things liable to hope are not visible and
present, but future and unseen ; for vision and possession do exclude
hope.
[2.] From the absurdity of the contrary supposition ; ' for what a
man seeth, why doth he yet hope for it ; ' that is, things enjoyed are
no longer looked for. To see is to enjoy ; as also 2 Cor. v. 7, * We
walk by faith, and not by sight ; ' that is, we believe now, but do not
enjoy. So here, where the thing hoped for is possessed already, it is
said to be seen. Otherwise if you take seeing properly, a man may
hope for that which he seeth, as the wrestler or racer hath the crown
in view; but whilst he is wrestling and racing he hopeth to have it, but
hath not yet obtained it. Well then, the apostle's meaning is, who
VER. 24.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vin. 197
would look for that which he hath in his hands ? It is foolish to say
he hopeth for it, or looketh for it, when he doth already enjoy it.
Dock Hope is one of the graces necessary to obtain the great salva
tion promised by Christ.
First. For explication :
1. Hope is a desirous expectation of some promised good. The act
is a desirous expectation ; the object is some promised good. Of the
act I shall speak afterwards ; the object I shall consider now. It is
some good ; for evil is not hoped for, but feared. And a good promised ;
for hope, the grace, is grounded upon the word of God : Ps. cxxx. 5,
' I have hoped in thy word/ And the apostle telleth us that the heirs
of promise being secured by two immutable things, God's word and
God's oath, do fly for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before them :
Heb. vi. 18. The promise doth both declare and assure ; declare what
we may hope for ; the apostle saith it is set before us ; not before our
senses, or the eyes of the body, but before our faith, the eyes of our
minds, in the gospel ; and withal doth assure us in hoping ; for we
have the word of God, who is the supreme verity, that neither can
deceive nor be deceived ; and the promises of the gospel are ratified
by the solemnity of an oath ; the more to excite our drowsy minds to
consider upon what sure grounds we go upon. Well then, there is
some word of promise assented unto by faith, before we expect the
good promised. Promises are the holdfast we have upon God, and
the sure grounds of raising hope in ourselves, or pleading with God
in prayer. We may plead them to ourselves if we would have strong
and solid consolation : Ps. Ivi. 4, ' In God I will praise his word ; in
God have I put my trust ; I will not fear what man can do unto me.'
Thus did David rebuke his fears. The fidelity of God in his promises
is matter of firm confidence and hope to us. Only we must not make
promises to ourselves, lest we become false prophets to ourselves, and
build up our own dreams. So in pleading with God we have free
leave to challenge God upon his word : Ps. cxix. 45, ' Remember the
word unto thy servant, wherein thou hast caused me to hope.' Our
necessities lead us to the promises, and the promises to Christ, in
whom they are yea and amen ; and Christ to God, as the fountain
of grace ; there we put these bonds in suit, and turn promises into
prayers.
2. The promises do concern either this life or that which is to come :
1 Tim. iv. 8, ' Godliness is profitable to all things, having the promise
of the life that now is, and that which is come.' There are supplies
necessary for us during our pilgrimage ; therefore God hath undertaken
not only to give us heaven and happiness in the next world, but to carry
us thither in a way best pleasing to himself, and conducible to our
good ; that we may serve him with comfort and peace all the days of
our lives. Therefore there is an hope in God's promises for what we
stand in need of by the way ; and God delighteth to train us up in a
way of faith and hope in expecting our present supplies, that by often
trying and trusting him for these things, we may the better hope for
the great salvation ; as men practise swimming in the shallow brooks
before they venture in the deep ocean. But temporal things are only
promised so far as it may be for God's glory and our good ; we must
198 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XXXI.
not set God a task to provide meat for our lusts, or imagine that his
providence will lacquey upon our humours and vain fancies. It is the
ordinary practice of his free grace and fatherly love to provide things
comfortable and necessary for his children : Mat. vi. 3, ' For your heavenly
Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.' There is a
common bounty and goodness which reacheth to all his creatures, even
to the preservation of the smallest worm ; how much more will he
provide for us whom he hath adopted into his family, and to whom he
hath made promises that he will never leave us to insupportable diffi
culties ? You would count him an unnatural father that feedeth his
dogs and hawks and lets his children die of hunger. Certainly we
may hope in God that he will do what is best, all things considered.
3. The great promise, and so the principal object of our hope, is
salvation by Christ, or eternal life : 1 John ii. 25, * This is the promise/
and so the principal object, which he hath promised us, eternal life.'
Christ hath promised other things too, but this is the promise. It is
the great end of Christ's mediation to bring us to God : 1 Pet. iii. 18,
1 For Christ also hath once suffered, the just for the unjust, that he
might bring us to God ; ' and that is not fully done till we live with
him in heaven ; this is the end of our faith, 1 Pet. i. 9 ; this is the
prime benefit offered to us in the gospel, to which all others tend. By
justification our incapacity is removed ; by sanctification eternal life
is begun ; by the mercies of daily providence we are preserved in our
duty and motion towards this happy estate ; ' Kept blameless to the
heavenly kingdom,' 2 Tim. iv. 8. From hence we fetch our comfort
during the whole course of our pilgrimage, this we look upon as the
recompense of all our pains and losses ; and upon the hopes of it the
life of grace is carried on, and the temptations of sense defeated ; and
therefore hope is described in scripture by this object more than any
other thing. Called thence, ' The hope of salvation ; ' and all other
hopes are in order to this : Rom. xv. 4, ' Whatever things were written
aforetime, were written for our learning, that we through the patience
and comfort of the scriptures might have hope ; ' that is, by submit
ting and waiting upon him in variety of providences here in the world
we might still keep up the hope of eternal life.
4. Eternal life must be expected in the way God promiseth it.
We must not take that absolutely which God promiseth conditionally ;
God promiseth it to them that believe in Christ : John vi. 40, ' This
is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son,
and belieVeth on him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him
up at the last day/ Those that saw him with the eyes of the body,
and were not offended at his despicable appearance, but could own him
as the Messias, as Lord and Saviour : those that see him with the eyes
of the mind, see such worth and excellency in him, as to be content
to run all hazards with him, and count all things but dung and dross,
that they may be found in him, that they may venture their souls and
all their interests in his hands. Sometimes to the obedient, Heb. v. 8 ;
sometimes to them that persevere notwithstanding temptations, Rom.
ii. 7 ; sometimes to the mortified, Rom. viii. 13. No ; you must consider
not only the grant or the benefit contained in the promise, but the
precept, the condition required. The benefit or privilege offered,
YER. 24.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 199
expresseth God's grace ; the condition required points out your duty,
and by consequence your right ; for we are not duly qualified according
to promise, and the gift is suspended till we fulfil the condition. But
when you have done that which the promise requireth, then your title
to heaven is incomparably more sure than any man's title to his posses
sions, and the inheritance to which he was born ; and you will find the
saints, in fixing and raising their hopes, do not only look upon what is
promised, but their own qualification: Ps. cxix. 166, ' Lord, I have
hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments ; ' so Ps. xxxiii.
18, ' The eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, that hope in his
mercy ; ' so Ps. cxlvii. 13, ' The Lord taketh pleasure in them that
fear him, that hope in his mercy.' They so believe in God, as they
fear to offend him ; and the hope of salvation goeth hand in hand
with a care of keeping the commandments; we must not look to
one side of the covenant only, the privileges and benefits ; but also
to the duties and qualifications of those that shall be saved the
penitent believer, the mortified saint, the heavenly-minded, self-deny
ing Christian. All this is shown, that it is not enough to expect
eternal life, but it must be expected in God's way.
5. The expectation is certain and desirous. It is certain ; for it
goeth upon the promise of the eternal God ; it is desirous, because
the thing promised is our chief happiness ; all the pomp and glory of
the world is but a May-game to it. With respect to these two proper
ties different effects are ascribed to hope :
[1.] It is patient and earnest. Patient : 1 Thes. i. 3, ' Eemembering
without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of
hope ; ' and in the verse next the text : ' And if we hope for it, then
do we with patience wait for it ; ' and earnest : ver. 39,' For the earnest
expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of
God/ The emblem in the resemblance of it is the earnest expectation
of the creature ; and 2 Pet. iii. 12, ' Looking for and hasting unto the
coming of the Lord.' It is patient, because it is sure ; it is earnest,
because it is good. When the soul therefore is possessed with the
truth and worth of these things which we hope for, it looketh and
longeth, because they are such glorious blessings ; but tarrieth God's
leisure, because his word is sure, though he doth delay our happiness,
and how smart and heavy soever his hand be upon us for the present.
[2.] There is another pair, rejoicing and groaning. Kejoicing : Kom.
v. 2, ' Kejoicing in the hope of the glory of God ; ' and groaning :
2 Cor. v. 2, * In this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon
with our house which is from heaven.' We groan because of present
burdens, and our desire is delayed ; but we rejoice that our affection
may be somewhat answerable to the greatness of the thing hoped for,
which is the vision and fruition of the ever-blessed God. When
we seriously consider what we shall have to do hereafter, how can a
Christian choose but rejoice ? It must needs possess his mind with a
delight. It is, questionless, a comfortable thing to him to think that
he shall see the glory of God, and be filled with his love, and be
exercised in loving, lauding, and praising him for evermore. Where
this is soundly believed and earnestly hoped for, it will breed such a
joy as supports us under all discouragements, fears, cares, and sorrows ;
200 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XXXI.
and on the other side, weigheth down all the pleasures and riches of
the world ; in short, sweeteneth our lives and maketh religion our
chiefest delight.
Secondly, Keasons to prove that hope is a necessary grace, I shall
prove,
1. For the state of a believer in this world. We are not so saved by
Christ as presently to be introduced into the heavenly inheritance, but
are kept a while here upon earth to be exercised and tried. Now while
we want our blessedness, and there is such a distance between us and
it, in the meantime we encounter with many difficulties ; there is need
of hope, since the believer's portion is not given him in hand ; he hath
it only in hope ; things invisible and future cannot else be sought after.
As our understandings are cleared by faith to see things to come, other
wise invisible, our wifls are warmed by love, that we may be earnestly
carried out after the supreme good ; so our resolutions and inclinations
must be fortified by hope, that we may seek after it, and not be diverted
either by the comfortable or troublesome things we meet with in the
world. This is the difference between the children of God in their war
fare and in their triumph ; in their way and in their home ; they that
are at home are rejoicing in what we expect and are in possession of
that supreme good which we hope for, they are entered into the joy
of their Lord, and have neither miseries to fear nor blessings to desire
beyond what they do enjoy ; they see what they love and possess what
they see ; but the time of our advancement to these is not yet come, and
therefore we can only look and long for it ; the glorified are distinguished
from us by fruition, and we are distinguished from all others by hope.
We are distinguished from pagans who have no hope : Eph. ii. 12.
'Having mo hope and without God in the world ; ' 1 Thes. iv. 13, 'Sorrow
not -as -others which have no hope.' We are distinguished from tem
poraries : Heb. iii. 16, 'If we hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of
jiope firm to the end.' The temporary loseth his taste and comfort,
and so either casteth off the profession of godliness or neglecteth the
power and practice -of it ; the other is diligent, serious, patient, morti
fied, heavenly, holy, because he keepeth the rejoicing of his hope ; the
end sweeteneth his work.
2. From the new nature, which is not entire without hope. This is
one of the constitutive graces which are essential to a Christian : 1 Cor.
xiii. 13, 'And now abideth faith, hope, and charity, these three; but
the greatest of these is charity ; ' he opposeth the abiding things, the
necessary graces, to the arbitrary gifts, and among these he reckoneth
hope. It is the immediate fruit of the new birth : 1 Pet. i. 3, ' Begotten
to a lively hope/ The new nature presently discovereth itself by a
tendency to its end and rest ; which is the fruition of God in heaven ;
now the new creature cannot be maimed and imperfect because it is
the immediate production of God.
3. From the use for which it serveth.
[1.] It is necessary to quicken our duties. Hope sets the whole world
a-work ; the husbandman plougheth in hope, and the soldier fighteth in
hope, and the merchant tradeth in hope ; so doth the Christian labour
and serve God in hope : Acts xxvi. 7, ' Unto which promise, our twelve
tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come.' Certainly
VER. 24.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vin. 201
a man that hopeth for anything will be engaged in the earnest pursuit
of it, and follow his work close day and night ; but where they hope for
no great matter they are sluggish and indisposed. The principle of
obedience is love, but the life of it is hope : Acts xxiv. 15, 16, ' I have
hope towards God, that there shall be a resurrection of the just and
unjust ; ' 'Ev TOVTCO da/ca), ' and herein/ or thereupon, or in the meantime,
' do I exercise myself to keep a conscience void of offence towards God
and towards men/
[2.] To vanquish temptations, which are either on the right hand or
on the left, but both are defeated by hope. On the right hand when
some present delight is ready to invite us to sin ; on the left hand
when some present bitterness is likely to draw us from the ways of
God ; in both cases the hopes of future joys outweigh that pleasure
and allay that bitterness. If the temptation be the comforts of the
world, or the delights of sin, he that sincerely hopeth for heaven, dareth
not think so slightly of it as to lose it, or put it to hazard for a little
carnal satisfaction ; it is noted high profaneness in Esau to sell the
birthright for a morsel of meat, Heb. xii. 16. Sin cannot offer him
things so good, but he must forego better, and so the heart riseth in
indignation against the temptation : ' Shall I leave iny fatness, my
sweetness, to rule over the trees ? ' If the temptation be some grievous
inconvenience or affliction : Eom. viii. 18, ' For I reckon that the suffer
ings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory
that shall be revealed in us ; ' and 2 Cor. iv. 17, ' For our light affliction,
which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and
eternal weight of glory/ This is the language of one that hopes for
salvation ; all is but a flea-biting to him that hath his heart in heaven.
[3.] To comfort us in all our tribulations. There are many difficul
ties that intervene and fall out between hope and having ; between our
first right to eternal life and our full possession of it. In our journey
to heaven, we meet with trials and sufferings by the way ; now it is
hope carrieth us through, and therefore it is compared to an anchor,
Heb. vi. 19 ; to an helmet, 1 Thes. v. 8. As we would not go to sea
without an anchor, nor to war without an helmet ; so neither must we
think of carrying on the spiritual life without hope. Nothing else will
compose the mind or keep it stable in the floods of temptation ; there
fore it is an anchor. Nothing else will cause us to hold up head
in our daily conflicts and encounters with afflictions but this helmet.
Without this anchor we are in danger of spiritual shipwreck ; without
this helmet our heads are exposed to deadly blows from sin, Satan,
and worldly discouragements.
[4.] That we may die peaceably, and with comfort. We need hope
while we live, but we most need it when we come to die, and shoot the
gulf of death. They that are destitute of the hope of salvation are
then in a dangerous, woful, and most lamentable case : Job xxvii. 8,
'What is the hope of the hypocrite, if he hath gained, when God
taketh away his soul ? ' They may be full of presumption and blind
confidence while they live, but what hope have they when they come
to die ? All their worldly advantages will then yield them no solid com
fort. We live in a presumptuous dream that all shall be well ; but
then they die stupid and senseless, or else despairing ; and their hopes
202 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXXI.
fail when they have most need of them. But then a lively hope of
eternal life sustaineth the hearts of the faithful; they are going to
possess what they expected ; and when they resign their souls to Christ
they can commit their bodies to the grave in hope : Ps. xvi. 9, 10, ' My
flesh shall rest in hope, for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, nor
suffer thine holy one to see corruption ; ' God will not utterly forsake
that dust that is in covenant with him, nor suffer his servants totally
to be extinguished, or finally to perish.
Use 1 is Information.
1. That the great reward of a Christian lieth not in things seen, but
unseen ; not in the good of this world, but of another ; because hope
is one of the graces requisite to his constitution, and hope is about future
things. Much to blame then are they who place all their happiness
in present things wbich are so transitory. God hath reserved us to a
future estate, because he bestoweth graces that suit with it, and nothing
so opposite to it as the spirit of the world : 1 Cor. ii. 12, ' For we have
not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God.'
2. The cognation and kin that is between faith and hope. The one
is the evidence of things not seen, Heb. xi. 1 ; the other is the earnest
desire and expectation of things not seen ; the one is an assent, the other
an appetition. Faith differeth from hope
[1.] In the order of nature. Faith goeth before, as the cause is be
fore the effect ; first there is a firm persuasion of good things to come,
and then a certain expectation of them in the way which God hath ap
pointed. Faith assents to the truth of the promise, and hope looketh
for the accomplishment of it.
[2.] In the object there is some difference. First, In the latitude
of the object. The object of faith is larger ; faith is of things past,
present, and to come ; as by faith we believe the creation of the
world, Heb. xi. 4 ; the present existence of God, Heb. xi. 6 ; and the
truth of heavenly joys, Heb. xi. 1 ; hope is only of things to come.
So again, we believe some things that we hope not for, as the tor
ments of the damned; for hope is an expectation of good to come,
and the pains of hell are matter of fear, not of hope. Secondly, In
the formal consideration of the object. Faith looketh to the word
promising, verbum rei, hope to the thing promised, rem verbi. Faith
considereth the veracity or truth of God in making the promise ; hope
the benignity and goodness of God in making so great a promise as
eternal life and salvation by Christ. Faith respects the person giving,
his fidelity ; hope, the persons receiving, their benefit. Faith per-
suadeth us there is salvation ; hope, that we shall, or at least may,
obtain it.
[3.] There is a difference in the subject. Faith, as it is an assent, is
in the mind ; hope is in the affections, as reflecting upon the goodness
of the thing promised ; so that though there be some difference be
tween faith and hope, yet they are much of a like nature.
3. It informeth us of the excellency of hope. Faith saveth, Eph.
ii. 8 ; and hope saveth, as in the text ; which is to be regarded, be
cause our thoughts run so much upon faith that we overlook hope ;
and we do so altogether regard our present reconciliation with God
through the merits of Christ, that we forget our eternal fruition of him
VER. 24.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 203
in glory, and what is necessary thereunto, as if the whole drift of the
new covenant were only to comfort us against the guilt of sin. Now
a Christian should mind both, not only his peace with God, but his
going off from the world ; and must believe, not only to the pardon
of sins, but also to eternal life: 1 Tim. i. 16, 'For this cause I ob
tained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-
suffering, for a pattern to them that should afterwards believe on him
to everlasting life/ There is the final and ultimate object of faith,
which must be first thought of; for all things are influenced by the
last end. When we are invited to Christ, we are invited by this
motive, that sinners shall not only be pardoned, but glorified. There
fore a true and well-grounded hope of eternal life is a more weighty point
than we usually think of ; and a great part of religion lieth in drawing
off the heart from things visible and temporal to those that are in
visible and eternal. The great effects of faith, which are love to God
and victory over the world, are more easily produced when faith hath
the assistance of hope, or this lively expectation of the world to come.
Therefore we must not only consider the death of Christ as it hath
procured for us the pardon of sin, or the promise of pardon ; but as he
died for us, that we might live for ever with him, 1 Thes. v. 9 ; that so
the soul may more directly and expressly be carried to God and heaven.
It informeth us that none can be saved without hope of salvation.
A Christian, as soon as he is made a Christian, hath not the good things
promised by Christ ; but as soon as he is made a Christian he expecteth
them ; as an heir is rich in hope, though he hath little in possession.
Take any notion of applying grace. As soon as we are justified, we are
' made heirs according to the hope of eternal life/ Tit. iii. 7 ; as soon as
we are converted and regenerated we are ' begotten to a lively hope/
1 Peter i. 3 ; and as soon as we are united to Christ : Col. i. 27, ' Christ
in you the hope of glory.' And without hope how can a man act as a
Christian ? Since the whole business of the world is done by hope,
certainly the whole spiritual life is quickened by this grace : Tit. ii.
12, 13, ' For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared
unto all men, teaching us that, denying all ungodliness and worldly
lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, godly, in the present world ;
looking for the blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great
God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;' and Phil. iii. 20, 21, 'For our
conversation* is in heaven, from whence we look for the Saviour, the
Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be
fashioned like unto his glorious body/
But then here ariseth a great doubt, how far every man is bound to
hope for salvation ? For those that have no assurance of their own
sincerity, and cannot unquestionably make out their propriety and
interest, how can they hope for salvation ?
Answer, To solve this doubt, we must consider a little the several
states of men as they stand concerned in everlasting life. Some have
but a bare possibility ; others have a probability ; a third are gotten
so far as a conditional certainty; others have an actual certainty, or
firm persuasion of their own right and interest.
(1.) To some the hope of heaven is but a bare possibility, as to the
careless Christian who is yet entangled in his lusts ; but God con-
204 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XXXI.
tinueth to them the offer of salvation by Christ ; they may be saved if
they will accept this offer ; it is brought home to their doors, and left
to their choice. It is impossible indeed in the state in which they
are, but their hearts may be changed by the Lord's grace : Mark x.
27, ' With men it is impossible, but not with God ; for with God all
things are possible ; ' he can make the filthy heart to become clean
and holy, the sensual heart to become spiritual and heavenly ; there
are many bars in the way, but grace can break through and remove
them. This possibility checketh scruples, and aggravateth their evil
choice ; for they ' forsake their own mercies/ Jonah ii. 8 ; by their
vain course of life they deprive themselves of happiness which might
be theirs. It is their own by offer, for God did not exclude them ;
but not their own by choice, for they excluded themselves, judge
themselves 'unworthy of eternal life,' Acts xiii. 46. This possibility
is an encouragement to use the means : Acts viii. 22, ' Pray, if per
haps,' or, if it be possible, * the thought of thine heart may be forgiven
thee.'
(2.) Others have a probability, or a probable hope of eternal life ;
as when men begin to be serious, or in some measure to mind the
things of God, but are conscious to some notorious defect in their
duty, or have not such a soundness of heart as may warrant their
claim to everlasting blessedness ; as we read of ' almost Christians/
Acts xxvi. 28 ; and * not far from the kingdom of heaven/ Mark x.
24. And such are all those which have only the grace of the second
or third ground ; they receive the word with joy, but know not what
trials may do; they have good sentiments of religion, but they are
much choked and obstructed by voluptuous living, or ' the cares of the
world/ Luke viii. 14. Yea, some such thing may befall weak believers ;
they dare not quit their hopes of heaven for all the world, but cannot
actually lay claim to it, and say it is theirs. Now probabilities must
encourage us till we get a greater certainty ; for we must not despise
the day of small things; and it is better to be a seeker than a
wanderer.
(3.) A conditional certainty, which is more than possible or probable.
That is, when we adhere to God's covenant, and set ourselves in good
earnest to perform the conditions required in the promises of the
gospel, expecting this way the blessings offered. As for instance, the
hope is described by Paul, Acts xxiv. 15, 16. ' And have hope to
wards God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a
resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust ; and herein
do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence to
wards God and towards men.' There is such a dependence upon the
promise as breedeth an hope, and this hope puts upon strict and exact
walking ; such a conditional certainty is described in Kom. ii. 7, ' Who
by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory, honour, immor
tality, and eternal life.' I am sure to find salvation and eternal life,
if I self- deny ingly and patiently continue this way, and by the grace
of God I am resolved so to continue. Now there is much of hope in
this ; partly because this is the hope which is the immediate effect of
regeneration, the hope that is the fruit of experience, and belougeth
to the seasoned and tried Christian who hath approved himself;
YER. 24.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vin. 205
hearsay is another thing, Kom. v. 4. And partly because this suitetli
with God's covenant, or the conditional offer of eternal life, according
to the terms of the gospel, where the benefits are offered to invite us
to walk in the way of life. Now here is faith believing, hope expect
ing, and resolution to take God's way ; even to deny ourselves, sacrifice
our interests, and heartily to exercise ourselves unto godliness. And
partly because much of the life of Christianity lieth much in this
conditional hope and certainty, it being absolutely necessary to all
acts of grace. And partly that we may have much comfort by it, for
we are making out our claim. I do not doubt, or considerably doubt,
of the reward of godliness ex parte Dei; no, I know they are sure and
steadfast by the promise ; but my own qualification is not so sensible
and clear that I can positively determine my own right ; but I have
support and comfort in this way : 1 Cor. ix. 26, ' Kun not as one
uncertain ; ' for I have reward in my eye.
(4.) There is actual certainty of our interest, as being qualified.
Which admits of a latitude ; for it may be full or not full, firm or
not firm : Heb. vi. 14, ' And we desire that every one of you do show
the same diligence, to the full assurance of hope to the end ; ' it may
be interrupted or continued ; the full hope removeth all doubts and
fears ; that which is not full hath some doubts accompanying it ; but
the certainty prevaileth, and is more than the doubting. This is
comfortable, to sail to heaven with full sails, rather than make an
hard shift to get thither by many doubts and fears ; and it is a blessed
thing when we can say, 2 Cor. v. 1 , ' For we know that if our earthly
house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an
house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens ; ' 2 Tim. iv. 8,
'Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness.' In
short, the more we address ourselves to our duty, the more we put
ourselves in the way to receive the promise.
SEKMON XXXII.
For ive are saved ly hope ; but hope that is seen is not hope ; for
what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for ? KOM. viii. 24.
2. WE must distinguish of hope. There are several kinds of hope.
(1.) There is an hope in the creature, and (2.) an hope in God.
First, All things besides God are false confidences. Carnal men
hope for that in the creature which is only to be found in God ; dream
of an uninterrupted tenor of worldly felicity in present enjoyments;
therefore their hopes are compared to a spider's web, which is gone with
the turn of a besom, Job xiii. 13, 14. They lay their designs in their
minds as curiously as the spider's web is woven; but the besom of
providence cometh, and spider and web are both swept away, and trodden
under foot. By the prophet Isaiah it is compared to a dream : Isa.
xxix. 8, ' As when an hungry man dreameth, and behold he eateth ;
206 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SflB. XXXII.
but he awaketh, and his soul is empty ; or as a thirsty man dreameth,
and behold he drinketh ; but he awaketh, and behold he is faint, and
his soul hath appetite/ A false hope is but a waking dream, which
faileth in extremity, and giveth but an imaginary refreshment and
satisfaction. This may befall God's children who fall asleep in the midst
of worldly prosperity : Ps. xxx. 6, ' In my prosperity, I said, I shall never
be moved/ It is hard to keep from sleep when we lean our heads upon
a soft carnal pillow, and in our sleep we have many fantasies and dreams ;
this is hope in the creature.
Secondly, But then there is an hope in God, whose immutable mercy
and truth maketh him a fit object for hope : Ps. cxxx. 7, ' Let Israel
hope in the Lord ; ' so Ps. xlii. 5, ' Hope thou in God, for I shall yet
praise him.' He hath the sovereign command of all things ; and in
vain do we look for good apart from him ; if the creature say yea, and
God no, all the promises of the creature prove but a lie. Hope in God
is that which we press as our respect to him as God ; for faith, hope,
and love are duties of the first commandment ; negatives include their
positives ; if no other god is before him, then we own the true God for
our God. The positive duties of the first commandment are cultus
naturalis, non institutes, such as are our duty to God as God, though
he give no direction about them ; if God be our God, then hope in him :
Lam. iii. 24, ' The Lord is my portion, saith my soul ; therefore will I
hope in him ; ' that is, expect all my happiness from him.
Hope in God is twofold, either irrational and groundless, or a rational
hope that is built upon solid grounds.
1. There is a vain and groundless hope, which is irrational, such as
is in carnal and careless sinners, who say they hope well ; but their hope
will one day leave them ashamed, Kom. v. 5. For it is not an hope built
on the word of God ; though they live in their sins, yet they hope they
shall do well, enough, though they be not so strict and nice as others are.
Like condemned men in bolts and irons, that dream of crowns and
sceptres when they are near unto, and ready for their execution ; so they
hope for heaven with as much confidence as the holiest of them all,
though God hath told them, Heb. xii. 14, that ' without holiness, no
man shall see the Lord. ' This hope is but a vain dream, and an awaken
ing time will come; this hope is not only without faith, but against
faith ; this hope is nothing else but a confidence that God will prove a
liar ; so that it is a blasphemy, rather than an act of worship ; a believ
ing Satan rather than God ; or hoping in God, who hath declared the
flat contrary in his word : 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10, * Know ye not that the
unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God ? Be not deceived ;
neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor
abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor
drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of
heaven/
2. There is a rational hope, which is built upon solid grounds, pro
babilities, or certainties.
[1.] There is a rational probable hope. For hope is sometimes taken
for a probable expectation : 1 Cor. xi. 7, ' Hopeth all things. ' It mean-
eth there, not a divine, but a charitable, prudential hope ; we hope well
of others whose hearts we know not, as long as nothing appeareth to
VER. 24.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 207
the contrary; charity goeth upon probabilities, therefore hopeth all
things : 2 Cor. i. 7, ' Our hope of you is steadfast, that as you have been
partakers of the sufferings of the gospel, so shall ye be also of the con
solation ; ' so towards God : 1 Cor. ix. 10, ' He that plougheth, plough-
eth in hope ; ' a man hath no promise of a good crop ; but the ordinary
providence of God giveth him a probable hope of success. In temporal
things, when we know not what the event will be, such a kind of hope
we have. There is no express promise ; but such is the Lord's power and
goodness commonly exercised in his providential government, that we
have no reason to despair, and say it shall not be ; yea, much reason to
believe that God will give success to our endeavours, for his glory in
the world, considering what hath usually befallen his servants in like
cases ; though we cannot draw a firm and certain argument from thence,
yet it is probable, for the most part it is so. But in matters that con
cern eternal life, somewhat of this hope may be observed ; as before
conversion, when we begin to be serious and seek after God, we cannot
say certainly God will give us converting and saving grace ; we must
follow God, though we know not what will come of it, as Abraham did,
Heb. xi. 8. There the rule in such cases is, I must do what he hath
commanded ; God may do what he pleaseth ; yet it is some comfort
that we are in a probable way. Nay, after conversion, such hope men
may have as to their own interest in eternal salvation ; they cannot say
heaven is theirs, or that God will certainly keep them to his heavenly
kingdom ; yet they dare not quit their hopes of heaven for all the world,
nor cease to walk in the way of salvation ; it is probable they are God's
children.
[2.] There is a firm and certain hope, when we have assurance of things
hoped for, by the promises and offers of the gospel : as Acts xxiv. 15,
' I have hope towards God that there shall be a resurrection both of
the just and unjust.' Without this hope a man cannot be a Christian.
We must certainly expect the promised blessing to be given to those
that are capable and duly qualified ; and all that are enlightened by
the Spirit do see it and expect it, and positively conclude, that ' verily
there is a reward for the righteous/ Ps. Iviii. This hope is the life of
religion, and doth excite us to look after it by due and fit means ; their
eyes are enlightened with spiritual eye-salve, that they get a sight of
the world to come : Eph. i. 18, ' The eyes of your understanding being
enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and the
riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints ; ' and if they believe
the gospel, it cannot be otherwise. I am certain there is such a thing :
Col. i. 5, ' For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye
heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel.' There this truth
is made known ; all that close with the gospel receive it, and by it is
this blessed hope of glory wrought in us.
3. There is a twofold certain hope ; one sort necessary, the other
very profitable, but not absolutely necessary to the life and being of a
Christian ; the first sort is the fruit of faith, the second the consequent
of assurance. The first grounded merely upon the offers of the gospel,
propounding the chiefest good to men, to excite their desires and
endeavours ; the other is grounded on the sight of our own qualification,
as well as the offers of the gospel ; the one is antecedent to all acts of
208 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXXII.
holiness, the other followeth after it. An antecedent hope there must
needs be, before the effect of the holy life can be produced ; for since
hope encourageth and animateth all human endeavours, no man will
engage in a strict course displeasing to flesh and blood, but he must
have some hope ; and this hope the conditional offers of the gospel doth
beget in us, and all serious creatures have it that mind their proper
happiness. Kejoicing in hope is the same with ap-^rjv viroa-rdcrew^
Heb. iii. 6, 14 ; it is the first taste we have of the pleasures of the
world to come. Keep up this gust and taste, and you are safe.
But then there is another hope, that is grounded upon the evidence
of our sincerity, and is the fruit of assurance, when we can make out our
own claim and title to eternal life, which is not usually done without (1.)
Much diligence: Heb. vi. 11, 'And we desire that every one of you do
show forth the same diligence, to the full assurance of hope, unto the
end/ (2.) Much sobriety, and weanedness from the world, 1 Peter i. 13.
(3.) Much watchfulness, that we be not moved away from the hope of
the gospel, Col. i. 23 ; that our hopes of eternal life begotten in us by
the gospel be not weakened and deadened in us; it is not enough
thankfully at first to embrace the conditional offer, but we must keep
up this hope in life and vigour. (4.) Much resolution in our conflicts
with the devil, world, and flesh, 1 Thes. v. 8. Lastly, some experience,
Kom. v. 4, of God's favour and help in troubles, and our sincerity
therein. When we are seasoned and tried, our confidence increaseth ;
the frequent experience of God's being nigh to us, and honouring us in
sundry trials, is a ground for hope to rest upon, that he will not leave
us till all be accomplished : Phil. i. 20, ' According to my earnest expec
tation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed ; but that with
all boldness, as always, so now also, Christ shall be magnified in my
body, whether it be by life or death.' Paul gathereth his confidence
for the future from former experience. Now these two sorts of hope
must be distinguished ; for the first hope may be accompanied with
some doubts of our own salvation, or the rewards of godliness ex parte
nostri, at least ; not ex parte Dei, for there all is sure and steadfast, and
to doubt there is a sin ; it would detract from the goodness, power, and
truth of God ; but when our qualification is not evident, this doubting
may do us good, as it may quicken us to more diligence to make our
title more clear and explicate ; especially when we are conscious to
ourselves of some notorious defect in our duty, and have a blot upon our
evidences ; indeed the rather, when more godliness might be expected
from us, as having more knowledge or helps, or obliged by calling
and profession to greater integrity and holiness of life. Doubting is
right when it ariseth from a right and true judgment of our actions
according to the new covenant ; and we cannot truly say who hath the
greatest interest in us, God or the world, sin or holiness. Would you
have men muffle their consciences, and think that they have more grace
than -they have, or judge their condition to be better than it is, abso
lutely safe, when they are not persuaded of their sincerity ? Indeed,
when conscience judgeth erroneously, and a man thinketh he hath not
that godliness which is necessary to salvation, which indeed he hath,
he overlooketh God's work, his judgment of himself is erroneous, and
therefore culpable ; though it be not unbelief, or a distrust of Christ.
VER. 24.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 209
Well then, as to these two hopes
(1.) That hope which ariseth from faith must every day be more
strengthened ; for though there be no fallibility in God's promise, yet
our faith may be weak or strong according to our growth and improve
ment ; and in some temptations God's children for a while may question
articles of religion of great importance, and the eternal recompenses,
not their own interest only; as David: Ps. Ixxiii. 13, 'Verily I have
cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.' As if
he had said, What reward is there of holiness, mortification, patience,
arid self-denial? In the lower world, where God is unseen, our great
hopes yet to come,' the flesh being importunate to be pleased, and the
things of the world necessary for our use, and present to our embraces,
Christians are not certain and past all doubts of the truth of their ever
lasting hopes, else there would be no weak faith nor faint hope. Did
not the disciples in a great temptation doubt of an article of faith ?
Luke xxiv. 21, ' But we trusted that it had been he which should have
redeemed Israel ; ' and ver. 25, ' ye fools, and slow of heart to believe
all that the prophets have spoken ! ' To doubt of what the prophets
spake was not to doubt of their own salvation, but of the constant
state of their souls. All the godly are persuaded of the truth of the
gospel, that ordinarily they have no considerable doubts about it, but
that still they resolve to cleave to God and Christ, looking for their
reward in another world, whatever it cost them here, and in some
measure can sell all for the pearl of price.
(2.) As to the hope which ariseth from your assurance.
First, Make your sincerity more clear and unquestionable, and every
day your hope and your confidence will increase upon you. To believe
and hope that you yourselves shall be saved is very desirable and comfort
able ; but then you must do that which assurance calleth for 'give dili
gence to make your calling and election sure/ abound in the love and work
of the Lord, grow more indifferent to temporal things, venture all in
Christ's hands ; for while your faith and repentance is obscure, you will
not have such full comfort, though you are confident of the truth of
God's promise to all penitent believers.
Secondly, This latter or consequent hope, which dependeth on the
assurance of our interest, admits of a latitude it may be full or not
full : Heb. vi. 11, ' To the full assurance of hope/ Th#t is full which
casteth out all fear ; that is not full which is accompanied with doubts ;
but the certainty prevaileth : Mark ix. 24, ' Lord, I believe, help thou
mine unbelief ; ' Cant. v. 2, ' I sleep, but my heart waketh/ Now we
should labour to go to heaven with full sails, or 'abound in hope/
Eoni. xv. 13 ; and 2 Peter i. 11, ' For so an entrance shall be ministered
unto you abundantly, into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ/ with hearts full of comfort.
Thirdly, When it is full, it may be interrupted, or continued to the
end ; or at some times it may be full, or not full at another : 1 Peter i. 13,
1 Hope to the end.' If we continue in our duty with diligence, affec
tion, and zeal, our full hope may be continued ; if we abate our fervour,
grow remiss and cold in the spiritual life, we lose much of the comfort
of our hopes.
Fourthly, The hope which followeth after experience and much
VOL. XII.
210 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII, [SER. XXXII.
exercise in the spiritual life may result from an act of ours, and from an
impression of the comforting Spirit. (1st.) From an act of ours. From
our considering the truth of God's promises, or his wonderful mercy in
Christ, and his grace enabling us in some measure to fulfil the condi
tions of the new covenant, when thereupon we put forth hope : Phil,
iii. 20, 21, ' For our conversation is in heaven, from whence we look
for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body,
that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body. (2d.) Or some
impression of the comforting Spirit supporting and relieving us in our
distresses, or rewarding our self-denial and obedience ; as Rom. v. 5,
* Hope leaveth not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in
our hearts by the Holy Ghost given unto us.' The one is an act of
godliness, the other one of God's internal rewards ; the one is a duty,
the other a felicity. *
Use 2. Is to press us to get, and act hope. Hope implieth two
things
First, Certain persuasion. Secondly, An earnest expectation. The
certainty is seen in the quiet and pleasure of the mind for the present ;
the earnestness in the diligent pursuit after the thing hoped for by all
holy means. Now we must look to both acts of hope.
First, To strengthen the certain expectation. There we must often
revive the grounds of hope, which are these
1. The mercy of God, which hath made such rich preparation for
our comfort in the gospel. T? he first ground of hope to the fallen
creature is the undeserved grace, mercy, and goodness of God : 2 Thes.
ii. 16, 'He hath given us everlasting consolation, and good hope through
grace.' And therefore it is our great invitation to hope : Ps. cxxx. 7,
' Let Israel hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is mercy and plenteous
redemption.' Apply yourselves to God as a God of mercy ; otherwise,
such were our undeservings and our ill deservings, there were no hope
for us ; so Ps. xiii. 5, ' I have trusted in thy mercy ; my soul shall
rejoice in thy salvation ; ' let others trust in what they will, I will
trust in thy mercy. The serious remembrance of God's mercy maketh
hope lift up the head ; so Jude 21, ' Looking for the mercy of the
Lord Jesus unto eternal life ; ' there is our best and strongest plea to
the very last. Therefore the heirs of promise are called, Rom. ix. 23,
' vessels of mercy ; ' because from first to last they are filled up with
mercy.
2. The promise of God, which cannot fail : Tit. i. 2, ' The hope of
eternal life, which God that cannot lie hath promised before the world
began.' He promised it to Christ in the covenant of redemption, and
he hath promised it to us in the covenant of grace ; that before time,
this in time. Now God will not fail to do what he hath promised ;
when he made the promise, he meant to perform it. For what need
had God to court his creature into a false hope, or to flatter him into
a fool's paradise ? to tell them of a happiness he never meant to give
them? And if he meant it, is he not able to perform it? Men break
their word out of weakness ; they cannot do all that they would ; their
will exceedeth their power : or out of imprudence ; they cannot foresee
what may happen : or out of levity and inconstancy, for all men are
liars ; but none of these things can be imagined of God. We have
VER. 24.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 211
God's word and oath, Heb. vi. 18 ; we have his seal, the Spirit, who
hath wrought miracles without, to confirm this hope and assure the
world : Heb. ii. 4, ' God also bearing them witness, with signs arid
wonders, and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost ; '
within, preparing the hearts of the faithful for this blessed estate : Eph.
iv. 30, ' And grieve not the Holy Spirit, whereby ye are sealed to the
day of redemption ; ' and giving them some beginnings of it, as an
earnest : 2 Cor. i. 22, ' Who hath sealed us, and given us the earnest
of the Spirit.' Now since we go not upon guesses, but sure grounds,
the promise of the eternal God thus sealed and confirmed, should not
we hope?
3. Our relation to God. He is our God and Father : John xx. 17,
' I ascend to my Father and your Father, and to my God and your
God/ As our God, he will give us something like to himself ; some
thing better than the world yieldeth, something fit for a God to give ;
or else he could not with honour take that title upon him : Heb. xi. .
16, ' Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath
prepared for them a city.' As our Father, he will give us the heavenly
inheritance : Luke xii. 32, * Fear not, little flock, it is your Father's
pleasure to give you the kingdom.' If God were a judge only, we
might fear how it would go with us in the day of trial ; but if he will
dignify us with the title of children, we may expect a child's portion :
Rom. viii. 17, 'And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-
heirs with Christ ; if so be we suffer with him, that we may be also
glorified together.' Be sure that you be adopted, justified, taken into
the family.
4. Christ's merit and passion : Kom. v. 10, ' For if, when we were
enemies, we were reconciled by the death of his Son, much more, being
reconciled, we shall be saved by his life/ Surely the blood of God
was given for some other thing than that little happiness and .sorry
pittance of comfort which we enjoy here. Do men that understand
themselves give vast sums for trifles? When wise men lay a broad and
large foundation, we expect a building suitable; if Christ be abased, we
may be exalted ; if he was apparelled with our flesh, we may be clothed
with his glory. That which keepeth hope alive is the consideration
of that ransom which Christ paid to reconcile us to God, that we
might be capable of the highest fruits of Christ's death, an assurance
of his love, even eternal life.
5. His resurrection and ascension : 1 Peter i. 21, 'God hath raised
him from the dead, and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might
be in God/ Christ confirmed his mediatorship, and herein he is a
pattern to us ; taken possession of heaven in our name and nature ; he
did in our nature rise from the dead and ascend into heaven, to give us
a real and visible demonstration of a resurrection and a life to come,
that we might look and long for it, whilst we follow him in obedience
and sufferings. Christ is entered into his glory, and shall we be kept
out ? Some saw him after he was risen, and some saw him ascending ;
we have certain testimony of it, that he is gone to heaven before us ;
he that came to be an example of duty is also a pattern of felicity.
6. His potent intercession. He is sat down on the right hand of
majesty, that he may apply his purchase, and bring us into possession of
212 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXXII.
that happiness which he hath procured for us. We have a friend at
God's right hand, who cannot satisfy himself to be there without us :
John xvii. 24, * Father, I will that they whom thou hast given me may
be where I am, and may behold my glory.' He is gone to heaven as
our forerunner : Heb. vi. 19, 20, ' Which hope we have as an anchor
of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within
the veil, whither the forerunner is for us entered ; even Jesus, made an
high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec ; ' gone ashore,
whither we seek to land : Micah ii. 13, ' The breaker is come up before
them.' He hath taken all impediments out of the way, and prepared a
safe landing-place for us.
7. All our former experience of God. He hath ever borne us gcod
will, never discovered any backwardness to our good ; he purposed it
in Christ before the world was ; sent his Son to die for us before we
were born or had a being in the world ; called us when we were
unworthy ; warned us of our danger when we did not fear it ; offered
this happiness to us when we had no thought of it ; and lest we should
turn our backs upon it, followed us with an earnest and incessant impor
tunity, till we came to have anxious thoughts about it, till we began to
make it our business to seek after it ; by the secret drawings of his
Spirit, inclined us to choose him for our portion. How many contra
dictions and strugglings of heart were there ere we were brought to
this. Ever since he hath been tender of us in the whole conduct of his
providence, afflicted us when we needed it, delivered us when we were
ready to sink ; he pardoned our failings, visited us in ordinances, sup
ported us in troubles, helped us in temptations, and is still mindful of
us at every turn, as if he would not lose our hearts. And shall we not
hope in him to the last? Hath he forgotten to be gracious? As they
said, Judges xiii. 23, ' If the Lord were pleased to kill us, he would not
have received a burnt-offering and a meat offering at our hand, neither
would he have showed us these things ; ' so if God had no mind to save
us, he would not use such methods of grace about us.
8. The greatness of the gospel covenant. For that allayeth a great
many fears, to remember that we are to interpret our qualification
according to the covenant of grace and the sweet terms thereof ; and
though there be many failings, we may be accepted with the Lord, who
will not impute to his people their frailties and sins of infirmity. Not
perfection, but sincerity, is our claim ; we have indeed a faith too weak,
and mingled with doubtings, too little love to God, and self-love too
prevalent ; our desires of grace too cold, our thoughts often distracted ;
but yet where the heart is set to seek the Lord, he will accept us, and
our infirmities shall be forgiven us for Christ's sake. When he justi-
fieth, who shall condemn? Rom. viii. 23. He will answer for the
imperfection of our holy things ; every sin is not a sign of death, some
are consistent with a state of grace and hopes of glory. There are
some sins which every one that truly repenteth ceaseth to commit them :
Prov. xxviii. 13, ' He that covereth his sins shall not prosper ; but
whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy;' there are
other sins which they that repent do hate, but they too frequently
return : Rom. vii. 15, ' What I hate, that do I ; ' as, the imperfection
of our graces, many vain thoughts and inordinate passions, too much
VER. 24.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vnr. 213
deadness and coldness in holy duties; these are forgiven, and^ consist
with life ; these are causes of child-like humiliation, but not of judging
ourselves ungodly, or cast out of the favour of God.
Secondly, To breed earnestness, and this desirous expectation.
1. Think often of the sinfulness and misery of the present evil world,
even the better part of it, that which is incident to the people of God,
which are to be considered either singly or collectively. Singly ; each
saint and servant of God findeth enough to drive him off from the
world, and to make him long for heaven, a great deal of sin to make
him long for his perfect estate. Here in many things we offend, all
of us, and the best of us, James iii. 2 ; but above, there are the spirits
of just men made perfect. A great deal of misery, unless we are in
love with distress, and prefer vanity and vexation of spirit before our
rest and quiet repose. Why should we not desire to be at home with
the Lord, which is much better for us ? Phil. i. 23. We had been
more in danger to forget heaven if all things had suited to our desires,
and our way had been strewed with worldly flowers and delights ; but
God hath more wisely ordered it, that our temptation to abide here
should not be too strong; or when the world appears to us in too
tempting a garb and posture, a valley of tears and snares, a world full
of sins, crosses, and pains, should make us look out after a better estate.
Consider them collectively as a church, here it is quite different from
what it will be hereafter. Alas ! how often is it like a ship in the
hands of a foolish guide, who knoweth not the right art of steering;
spotted with calumnies of adversaries, or the stains and scandals of its
own children ; sometimes rent and torn with sad divisions, every party
impaling and enclosing the common salvation, and confining it to their
own bounds, unchristianing and unministering all the rest, and many
times, in the pursuit of these contentions, unmanning themselves, while
they seek to bear down all that stand in their way, Though it is
better to dwell in the courts of the Lord than in the tents of wicked
ness, yet truly a tender spirit will groan under these disorders, and
long to come to the great council of souls, to the spirits of just men
made perfect, who with perfect harmony are lauding and praising God
for evermore.
2. Kemove impediments, which are sensuality and addictedness to
worldly things. Some seek all their delights and happiness in the
things of this world, and so set more by earth than heaven, and will do
more for it. Certainly when we fall into the snare of worldly hopes,
and are laying designs for greatness here, it is a troublesome interrup
tion to think of a remove, and their great change cometh upon them
unawares, unthought of and unlocked for : Luke xxi. 34, ' Take heed to
yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting
and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and so that day come
upon you unawares/ See also Luke xii. 17-20, ' And he thought
within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room to
bestow all my fruits and goods? And he said, This I will do, I will pull
down my barns, and build bigger ; and say to my soul, Thou hast
much goods laid up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be
merry. But God said unto him, This night thy soul shall be required of
thee ; ' Ps. cxlvi. 4, ' His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth,
214 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SEE. XXXII.
in that very day his thoughts perish.' Certainly the cares and pleasures
of this world steal away the heart from the life to come ; worldly
delights make us unwilling to remove.
3. Meditate often on the worth of this blessedness : Col. iii. 1, ' If ye
be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ
sitteth at the right hand of God.' Are you unwilling to come to God,
the object of your everlasting joy and love ? to Christ, your blessed
redeemer and saviour, who hath done so much for you, to bring you
home to himself? to the innumerable company of saints and holy
angels, and those peaceful regions that are above ? Surely if you
hold your eye open upon the mark, you will press on with the more
diligence, Phil. iii. 14.
4. The more earnestly you look for these things, the more doth
heaven come to yoiubefore you come to it: Phil. iii. 20, 'But our
conversation is in heaven ; ' living for heaven, or upon heaven here, by
earnest hope, the joy of the Lord entereth into you ; Rom. xv. 13,
* Now the God of hope fill you will all joy in believing ; ' the more
our hearts are exalted to look after it ; but usually we are taken up
with toys and trifles.
Usft 3. Have we this hope ? You may be contented with a pre
sumptuous conceit or idle expectation, and call it hope ; it is not a
slight thinking of heaven ; no, but a certain and desired expectation
of the promised blessedness, according to the terms of the new
covenant ; the true hope is neither groundless nor fruitless.
1. A groundless hope is a false hope, which buildeth on false pro
mises; you cannot render \oybv or an account of it, 2 Peter iii. 5.
As David asked the reason of his doubts, so we of our hopes : Ps. xlii.
15, 'Hope thou in God.' They think if they have confidence, though
without holiness, they shall see God ; they hope to be saved without
regeneration, and so hope for that which God never promised ; think
to be saved while unsanctified ; these build on false evidences ; James
i. 21 ; build on the sand, Mat. vii. 24 ; build on false experiences,
God's patience, the blessings of this life, deliverance only : their cry
from imminent danger, Ps. Ixxviii. 38 ; vanishing tastes, Heb. vi. 5.
2. It is not fruitless.
Use 4. Is direction in the Lord's Supper. This duty was appointed to
raise and confirm our hope, for it is a seal of the covenant, and the
principal covenant blessing is eternal life. Three things are consider
able: the acting of hope, the receiving new pledges of God's love,
the binding ourselves to pursue everlasting life.
1. The acting of hope. We come to take Christ and all his
benefits, which are pardon and life. He is drinking ' new wine in his
Father's kingdom,' Mat. xxvi. 29. We come to think of the happiness
of the blessed ; some are gotten to heaven already ; we are of the
same family: Eph. iii. 15, 'Of whom the whole family of heaven and
earth is named.' It is but one household ; some live in the upper,
some in the lower room : those on earth are of the same society and
community with them in heaven : Heb. xii. 23, ' To the general
assembly and the church of the firstborn, which are written in
heaven/ They have gotten the start of us, and are made perfect
before us, that we may follow after ; we are reconciled to the same
VER. 24.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 215
God, by the same Christ, Col. i. 20 ; we expect our portion from the
bounty of the same Father, Luke xii. 32. He that hath been so good
to that part of the family which is now in heaven, will he not be as
good to the other part also that remain here upon earth ? Therefore
they that are working out their salvation with fear and trembling may
and should encourage themselves, and look upon this felicity as pre
pared for them, though not enjoyed by them, and will one day be
their portion, as well as of those others who have passed the pikes,
and are now triumphing with God. The apostle telleth us, 1 Cor. xi.
26, ' As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye show forth
the Lord's death till he come ; ' and he cometh to bring us up to those
blessed mansions which are in his Father's house. When we show
forth the Lord's death, we are to think of those that are in our
Father's house : John xiv. 3, ' I will come again, and receive you to
myself, that where I am, there you may be also.' To keep afoot
this promise in the church, and to keep it alive in our hearts, we
come to the Lord's table.
2. Our business is to receive new pledges of God's fatherly love
and our blessed inheritance, which are represented under a double
notion : as an earnest, to show how sure ; as first-fruits, to show how
good.
[1.] Earnest. Hope is not built upon promises alone, but we have
earnest also ; the promise is given us in the word, the earnest is given
in our hearts, 2 Cor. i. 22. Though God be truth itself, and pro-
miseth nothing but what he meaneth to perform, yet he will give us
earnest of his promises. The outward pledges are the elements ; the
inward pledge is the earnest of the Spirit ; his comfort and graces are
a part of the promised felicity. He would not weary and burden us
altogether with expectation, but giveth us somewhat in hand, light,
life, grace, joy, peace ; one drachm of these is more precious than all the
world, yet these are but an earnest. This is the confirmation that we
have in the midst of our doubts and fears ; they expect the full sum.
[2.] First-fruits. We come to get a taste of these things to deaden
our taste of other things, which would divert us from these hopes,
which are vain delights of the flesh, 1 Peter i. 13. Bodily pleasures
are put out of relish by these choice and chaste delights ; these are
our songs in the house of our pilgrimage.
3. To bind ourselves to the more earnest pursuit of these hopes.
Our journey is not ended, nor our warfare and conflicts ; therefore
here we bind ourselves to continue our race, and finish the good fight
of faith ; as the Israelites in their first passover had their loins girt
and their staves in their hands, as resolving on a journey to Canaan,
the land of rest ; so we profess ourselves strangers and pilgrims ; let
us therefore resolve on our journey towards heaven, and bind ourselves
to the performance of it.
21 6 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XXXIII.
SERMON XXXIII.
But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for
it. EOM. viii. 25.
IN this verse the former doctrine is improved to the main end of
this discourse, which is to persuade to a patient waiting for glory to
come, in the midst of the sufferings and troubles of this life. The
apostle goeth to work by way of supposition and inference.
First, The supposition, ' If we hope for that we see not/
Secondly, The inference thence deduced, 'Then do we with
patience wait for it/
From the first, observe that hope is conversant about what we see
not. Hope may be taken for a natural affection, or for a spiritual
grace ; the one will help to explain the other.
1. The object of hope as it is a natural affection. It is a good,
future, possible, and hard to be obtained. [1.] A good it must be,
for hope is one of the affections of prosecution, not aversation ; man
hath an irascible and concupiscible faculty, called by the apostle
passions and lusts,; a desiring or eschewing faculty ; the one is con
versant about good, the other about evil ; for evil is not hoped for,
but feared ; herein the affections and the grace agree ; they both aim
at good, but the object of the Christian hope is summum bonum, the
best and chiefest good, which is the vision and fruition of God, in
comparison of which all the good things of the earth are but trifles,
and poor, inconsiderable vanities. [2.] A good future ; for when any
thing is possessed, it ceaseth to be hoped for ; when the thing desired
is seen and enjoyed, hope hath no more to do ; herein also the two
hopes agree; the object of Christian hope is something future, not yet
received or enjoyed. In this lower world our God is unseen, our
blessedness is yet to come, and lieth in another world, which we
cannot come at till we shoot the gulf of death; therefore the
Christian hope needeth to be more strong and fixed. [3.] It is
possible ; for the serious and regular desires of nature can never be
carried to that which is impossible. A man may wish for mountains
of gold, and please his fancy with chimeras of strange things ; but
his reason and will is only affected with things feasible, and such as
probably may be obtained, and lie within his grasp and reach ; the
industrious hope is only of things possible. [4.] It is not only
possible, but difficult, not to be procured without some industry and
labour ; for things easy to be compassed are as if they were already
enjoyed. These two last qualifications of the object of hope show that
it is a middle thing between despair and presumption ; despair only
looketh at the difficulty, and leaveth out the possibility, and so taketh
off all endeavours; as Paul's companions (Acts xxvii. 20, 'When all
hope they should be saved was taken away") ceased striving, and let
the ship go whither it would. Men will not labour for that which
they despair to obtain ; it holdeth good in spirituals ; when men de
spair of mending their condition, they give over all care about it ; as
those wretches, Jer. xviii. 12, ' And they said, There is no hope, but
VER. 25.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vnr. 217
we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the
imagination of his evil heart.' We have a saying, ' Past cure, past
care.' On the other side, presumption never considereth the difficulty,
but only pleaseth itself with a loose and slight reflection upon the
possibility ; and therefore do unreasonably imagine to obtain their end
without setting themselves to use the means, or bestowing that cost
and pains by which all worldly good is obtained. Now presumption
is most incident to young men, who are not acquainted with the world,
and promise themselves great things without considering what may
be said to the contrary, or what is needful to obtain them ; difficulty
there is in every business ; if only considered, it breedeth despair ; if
overlooked, it breedeth presumption ; but hope between both appre-
hendeth such difficulty as calleth for diligence, and such possibility as
every cross accident may not make us give over the attempt. It
holdeth good in religion ; the difficulties must be sufficiently under
stood, for Christ will have us sit down and count the charges ; and yet
not so regarded as to discourage us in our duty ; we must stand all
hardships as good soldiers of Jesus Christ ; and press towards the
mark of our high calling in Jesus Christ, whatever it costs us.
2. As it is a spiritual grace. There the object of hope is some good,
future and unseen. But other qualifications are necessary beyond
these already mentioned.
[1.] It must be something promised by God. [2.] Believed by us,
before we can hope for it.
[1.] Such future things as God hath promised to bestow upon us.
These are the matter and object of our faith and hope ; the promise
giveth us notice, and the promise giveth us assurance. (1.) Notice.
We can have no other certain knowledge of their futurity but by God's
promise. The light of nature or reason giveth a shrewd guess at a
future estate, but the certain knowledge we have by God's word ; there
life and immortality is brought to light : 2 Tim. i. 10, ' He brought
life and immortality to light through the gospel.' There we have the
clear prospect of it. The heathen had nothing but the light of
nature to guide them, spake doubtfully of a future estate ; like men
travelling on the hills, and see the spire of a steeple at a distance,
sometimes they have a sight of it, and presently they lose it, and so
cannot certainly tell whether they saw it, yea or no ; but all is clear,
full, and open in God's promise. (2.) Certainty and assurance ; for it
conveyeth a right to us upon certain terms ; for he that believeth on
the Son of God hath everlasting life, John iii. 36 ; hath it in the
offer and promise of God, if he will fulfil the condition required ; not
only shall have it at the close of their days, but they have the grant
already, and therefore wait for the fruition. As we are fulfilling the
conditions, we gain more security and confidence that we shall have
it : 1 Tim. vi. 12, ' Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal
life;' ver. 19, 'Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation,
that they may lay hold on eternal life;' the meaning is, challenge it
for theirs. In short, our expectation must be grounded on some
promise, or else it is but a fancy and presumption.
[2.] The thing hoped for must be believed by us, for there can be
no expectation of things not seen till there be faith, which is 'the
218 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXXIII.
evidence of things not seen/ Heb. xi. 1. First, there is a firm assent
by faith ; we are as confident in some measure of those things, as if
we saw them with our eyes, or as we are of those things which we
daily see. Then after this assent there followeth earnest expectation ;
for hope maketh the assent practical. Though God promise never so
much, yet if we believe him not, we expect nothing ; therefore faith is
necessary. Look as to bodily sight, there needeth an object to be
seen, and an eye by which we see ; so in spiritual sight, the promise
sets the object before us : Heb. xii. 2, ' Looking unto Jesus ; ' and
Heb. vi. 18, 'Lay hold of the hope set before us/ But the eye is
faith, which, though it cannot give us sight, itgiveth us foresight ; we
have heard of it, though yet we have not seen it, and see it by the eyes
of the mind as it is contained in the promise of the everlasting God,
though we do not, aad cannot see it with the eyes of the body. Com
pare it with reason. By reason we apprehend more than we see, for we
see effects in their causes, but that is but probable foresight, for many
things intervene between the cause and the effect. By faith we foresee
the blessing in the promise ; by reason we see things beyond sense, so
far as natural probabilities will carry us ; by faith we see things
beyond reason, so far as the promises of good invite us to a better
hope.
But how can we surely hope for that we see not, which neither
sense nor reason can inform us of?
Anstver 1. This glory is not a fancy ; it is seen by many in our
nature that now possess it, and by the word of God you are invited to
follow them in the same course of holiness and godliness, that you
may in time see it also : Heb. vi. 12, ' Be ye followers of them who
through faith and patience have inherited the promises ; ' propound
the same noble end and the same holy course, and matters of faith
will in time become matters of sense. Now, though the end be
unknown, the way is so good and holy and justifiable by reason,
that we should venture the imitation of them, not their holiness only,
but their faith, Heb. xi. 13 ; they lived and died in this faith ; their
life was holy, and their death was happy, that are gone into the other
world. But you will say, If we could talk with any of these that are
gone into the other world: Luke xvi. 30, 31, 'And he said, Nay,
Father Abraham, but if one went unto them from the dead, they
would repent : and he said unto him, They have Moses and the
prophets, and if they will not hear them, neither will they be per
suaded if one should come from the dead.' They are out of the
sphere of our commerce; their testimony is not convenient for the
government of God, who will not govern the world by sense, but by
faith ; and besides, you have better hopes, Moses and the prophets ;
there is more reason to persuade a man the scriptures are true, than
to believe a message brought him from one among the dead.
2. One that hath seen, and is an infallible witness, hath testified to
us of the truth of these things we hope for : John i. 18, ' No man
hath seen God at any time; the only-begotten Son, which is in the
bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.' Christ perfectly saw
and knew all that he hath told us of God and the world to come :
John iii. 11, ' Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that which we
VER. 25.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vin. 219
know, and testify that we have seen, and ye receive not our witness ;'
so that our faith and hope goeth on sure grounds ; so yer. 32/ What
he hath seen and heard he testifieth, and no man receiveth his testi
mony.' A good man, whose testimony is valuable, that hath been in
a strange country, and testifieth what he hath seen there of it, would
not we believe him ? Christ, that came from the other world, and told
us of the blessedness of it, deserveth the credit of a good man ; he used
a faithful plainness : John xiv. 2, ' If it were not so, I would have told
you.' But more of a teacher sent from God, who confirmed his mes
sage by miracles, and laid down a doctrine holy and good ; and shall
not we receive his testimony concerning these things he had perfect
knowledge of, assured us of the truth of them ? shall we not receive
his testimony ?
3. Those that saw him and conversed with him were not only
authorised by him to show us the way to eternal life, but saw so much
of it themselves as the mortal state is capable of, yet enough to prove
the reality of the thing : 1 John i. 1-3, * That which was from the
beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes,
which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the word
of life (for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear wit
ness, and show unto you that eternal life which was with the Father,
and manifested unto us) ; that which we have seen and heard declare
we unto you ; ' Acts iv. 20, ' For we cannot but speak the things
which we have seen and heard ;' they had it not by hearsay, but some
kind of sight. There being fidelity in the witnesses, there should be
faith in those that hear and read. The apostles had sensible confir
mation of what they did declare. If they say that they heard, saw,
and handled that which they never did, then they were deceivers ; if
they only imagined they did see and hear those things, then they were
deceived ; if what they saw and heard will not amount to a proof of eternal
life, then their testimony is not sufficient. But their downright simple
honesty and great holiness showeth that they had no mind to deceive,
and the nature of the things they relate showeth that they could not
be deceived ; for they were eye-witnesses and ear-witnesses, and always
conversing with Christ : the proof is sufficient. If such miracles,
such resurrection, ascension, such a voice from the excellent glory, will
not prove another world, what will ?
4. There is care taken that we also may have a sight of these
things so far as is necessary to a lively and quickening hope ; for the
Spirit is given to refine our reason and elevate our minds, and raise
them above sensible things, that we may believe these supernatural
truths, and hope to enjoy this blessedness in the way of Christianity :
Gal. v. 5, c For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteous
ness by faith.' Interpret it not only of the righteousness of faith, but
the hope built thereupon ; it doth assure us of bliss and glory for all
that are obedient to the faith, and believe those endless joys which are
prepared for Christians, John i. 17, 18.
5. If we see not these things by faith, it is because we are blinded
by lusts and brutish affections, which misbecome the human nature :
2 Cor. iv. 3, 4, ' If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost,
whose eyes the God of this world hath blinded/ It is because worldly
220 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXXIII.
advantages Lave seduced and perverted their affections, which enchain
their minds, that these sublime truths make no impression upon them,
nor have any influence upon their hearts ; so 2 Peter i. 9, * He that
lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off.' They have not
that purity of heart which should enable them to believe this doctrine,
or see things that should contradict or check their lusts ; and being
wedded to present things, have no prospect of things to come.
Use 1. For confutation of those that will not believe or hope for any
thing which they see not. They think Christians a company of
credulous fools; that nothing is sure that is invisible; that the
promises of the gospel are but like a dream of mountains of gold, or
pearls dropt from the sky ; and all the comforts thence deduced are
but fanatical illusions ; that nothing so ridiculous as to depend upon
unseen hopes that4ie in another world ; they make the life of faith a
matter of sport and jesting: Ps. xxii. 7, 8, 'All they that see me
laugh me to scorn ; they shoot out the lip and shake the head, saying,
He trusted in God that he would deliver him ; let him deliver* him,
seeing he delighted in him ; ' 1 Tim. iv. 10, * We therefore labour and
suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God.' Christians
thought their reward sure, and endured all things; atheists and
infidels therefore scoff at them, persecute them. To these I shall
propose two things.
1. Is nothing to be believed and hoped for that is not seen?
Keason will show you the contrary. Country people obey a king
whom they never saw, but only know his power by the effects in his
laws and officers of justice; and doth not sense teach us the same
concerning God ? If we transgress his laws by omitting a duty or
committing a sin, we hear from him though we see him not : Horn. i.
18, ' For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodli
ness and unrighteousness of men ; ' and Heb. ii. 2, ' For if the word
spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience
received a just recompense of reward.' And for hope ; do not men
venture their estates in foreign countries in the hands of persons whom
they never saw nor knew? And shall we venture nothing on the
promises of God ? It is true, God liveth in another world, and our
hopes lie there also ; but doth he not manifest himself from thence,
to be concerned in our actions, whether they be good or evil ? And
if he be concerned in them, will he not punish the evil and reward
the good ? Hath not natural conscience a sense of these things ?
And therefore it is unreasonable to question these things.
2. They think good people are credulous and easy of belief ; their
own experience of these good people evidenceth the contrary, that
they are too slow of heart to believe what God hath revealed con
cerning the other world, and that by the use of all holy means it is
with difficulty accomplished. But what if we prove that none so
credulous as the atheist or infidel ?
[1.] You are not sure there is no such life ; it is impossible they
should ever know or prove the contrary ; it may be, questionless, the
Lord that made this world can make a world to come, and the same
persons to exist there in ignominy, contempt, and shame, that lived
wicked here, and bestow honour on the godly and holy. The ques-
VEB. 25.] SERMONS upotf ROMANS vm. 221
tion between the downright infidel and the Christian is not so much
whether there be a world to come, but whether we can prove there is
none. The belief of the positive, that there is a God, that there is
everlasting life, is necessary to our hope ; but to their conviction let
them infallibly prove there is none ; they can never do that ; you
cannot disprove the reality of the Christian hope, or by any sound
argument evince that there is no heaven or hell. For aught you can
say or know, there are both ; and if we should go on no further,
it were best to take the surer side ; especially when you part with no
more than a few base pleasures and carnal satisfactions that are not
worth the keeping. In a lottery, where there is but a loose possibility
of gaining, men will venture a shilling, or a small matter, for a prize
of a hundred pounds ; so, be there no heaven or hell, or be there one,
you part with no more than the vain pleasures of a fading life ; but if
it should prove true, in what a woeful case are you then, when, to
gratify a brutish mind, you run so great an hazard ? The heathens
granted it an hypothesis conducing to virtue and goodness.
[2.] To the atheist and infidel, bating all scripture, it may be
proved that it is a thousand to one but it is so. Natural reason will
persuade us of the immortality of the soul, and the fears of guilty
conscience are shrewd presages of eternal punishment ; the tradition
and consent of barbarous nations, as well as the civilised, doth attest
it, desires of happiness are so natural. So that these bravadoes, that
would outface the religion they are bred in, showeth; none so credulous
as they that will hearken to every fond suggestion of their own carnal
hearts or atheistical companions, and prefer the brutish conceits of
their own frothy wit before the common reason of mankind, or that
rational evidence wherewith the doctrine of eternal life is accompanied.
Use 2. Is to reprove the sensual part of mankind, who are altogether
for the present world : 2 Tim. iv. 10, ' Demas hath forsaken us, and
embraced the present world/ They must have present delights,
present fruition ; a little thing in hand is more than the promises of
those great things which are to come. The worldling's comfort wholly
lieth in those things that are seen ; they live by sense, as the Christian
liveth by faith; tLey must have something in the view of sense, or have
nothing to live upon lands, honours, pleasures ; when these are out of
sight, they are in darkness ; but a Christian looketh to things future and
unseen, secured to him by the promise of God.
Use 2. is to exhort us to seek after the happiness we never saw.
We shall see it in time, but now we hope for it ; and it is no vain and
uncertain hope ; the things we hope for are sure and near. [1.] They
are sure. God's truth is as certain as truth itself can be, and believers
so account it in the holy word : Job xix. 25, 26, ' I know that my
Kedeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the
earth ; and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my
flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall
behold, and not another, though my reins be consumed within me ; ' 2
Cor. v. 1, * For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle
were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with
hands, eternal in the heavens/ To a believer it should not be a con
jecture, but a point of faith and certainty. [2.] It is near. Things at
222 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXXIII.
a distance move us not, though they be never so great ; it will not be
long ere our great change come about, and therefore we should have
more effectual thoughts about the world wherein we shall shortly live,
and make what preparations are necessary thereunto ; as 2 Tim. iv. 6,
* The time of my departure is at hand ; ' therefore we should watch,
and be always ready ; we must be gone hence ere long ; therefore do
not set objects of faith at a greater distance than God hath set them,
lest your time be stolen from you, and you step into the other world
before you thought of it, or prepared for it.
Use 3. Do we hope for that which we see not ? [1 .] It may be known
by the victory and overruling influence of these hopes, if they govern
the design and business of our lives. If they do, then these things
will take up more of our time and hearts and care than things sen
sible and visible : 2- Cor. iv. 18, * While we look not at the things which
are seen, but at the things which are not seen ; for the things which are
seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal/ If
your hope be not powerful and effectual to overcome your inclinations
to things seen, and break the force of them, it is but a slight hope. [2.]
If we hope for things unseen, they will be the life and joy and solace
of our actions. Some have no other joys and sorrows than what are
fetched from fleshly and sensible things, and speak of nothing so com
fortably and so seriously as of this worldly life ; the pleasures of the
flesh revive them, but they take little comfort in the joys of the other
world. But where the eye of the soul is opened to behold the glory
of the world to come, it lets in an abundance of heavenly pleasure : Rom.
v. 2, ' And rejoice in the hope of the glory of God/ [3.] More eager desires
and diligent seeking after this blessedness. For hope is an industrious
affection : Col. iii. 1, ' If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which
are above ; ' Mat. vi. 33, ' First seek the kingdom of God and his right
eousness/ His great business is to get what he hopeth for ; his endea
vours are serious and constant, and the course of his life is for heaven.
Secondly, The inference thence deduced, ' Then do we with patience
wait for it/
Doct. They only hope for eternal life who continue in the pursuit of
it with patience. As hope is bred by faith, so is patience bred by
hope. It is sometimes made the fruit of faith, or a steadfast reliance on
God's promises ; as Heb. vi. 12, ' But followers of them who through
faith and patience inherit the promises ; ' sometimes of hope : Horn. xii.
12, ' Kejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation/ The great work of hope
is to provide us patience to endure the hardships which at present lie
upon us.
1. Let me speak of the kinds of patience. There is a threefold sort
of patience.
[1.] The bearing patience, which is a constancy in adversity, and
worketh constancy and perseverance, notwithstanding the difficulties and
trials that we meet with in our passage to heaven : Heb. x. 36, ' Ye have
need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye may receive
the promise/ A child of God cannot be without patience, because he
cannot be without troubles and molestations in the flesh ; a man would
think that he that hath done the will of God, and been careful in all
things to keep a good conscience, should have nothing else to do but go
YER. 25.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vin. 223
and take possession of his blessed hopes ; but it is not enough to do good,
but before we can go to heaven we must suffer evil ; God hath some
thing to do by us, and something to do with us. Now we must be pre
pared to do all things rather than fail of our duty, nor desert a good
way because it is difficult to follow it ; but suffer the greatest evils, and
suffer long and constantly, even to death, and that readily and willingly.
And this is patience.
[2.] There is the waiting patience, to tarry God's leisure. Evil is
present, and good is absent, and to come ; a trouble may arise from the
absence of the good we hope for, and the long delay of it, as well as from
the evil that we endure ; in the meantime, therefore, the scriptures recom
mend to us ' the patience of hope,' 1 Thes. i. 3, or waiting the good
pleasure of God, till our final deliverance be accomplished: Lam. iii.
36, 'It is good to hope and quietly wait for the salvation of God.'
Time is certainly determined in God's purpose, and it will not be long
ere it come about ; and it is not only decreed and determined, but pro
mised. We must undergo death before we can have life ; and we are not
lords of our own lives, but guardians to keep them for God, and he will
in time deliver the soul into a state of light, life, and glory. This wait
ing patience is delivered to us under the similitude of an husbandman,
James v. 7, who ' waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long
patience for it, till he receive the early and latter rain.' The husbandman
cannot look for a present harvest ; but the seed that is cast into the
ground must endure all weathers before it can spring up into a blade
and ear ; so must we expect our season.
[3.] The working patience, which is going on with our self-denying
obedience, how tedious soever it be to the flesh. Thus we are told that
the good ground ' bringeth forth fruit with patience,' Luke viii. 15.
The others are hasty, must have present satisfaction, or else grow weary
of religion. All evils come from impatiency ; they could not tarry till
God gave crowns and pleasures, therefore they miscarried by their inclin
ations to vain delight. So the heirs of promise are described to be those
that continue with patience in well doing, Bom ii. 7. And to the church
of Ephesus, God saith, Kev. ii. 2, ' I know thy works, and thy labour,
and thy patience.' The business of religion is carried on with great
diligence and painf ulness ; it is not an idle and sluggish profession ; lusts
are not easily mortified, neither do graces produce their perfect work
with a little perfunctory care ; no, but much labour is required. Now,
to abound in the work of the Lord requireth a fervent hope to sweeten it.
2. The qualification of that hope which produceth this patience : it
is well grounded, and it is lively. [1.] It is a serious and well grounded
hope. When we first gave up ourselves to Christ, we reckoned and
allowed for labours and troubles ; the Lord telleth us aforehand, Mat.
vii. 14, ' Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life,
and few there be that find it.' The entrance and the progress is dis
pleasing to the flesh, or the carnal nature in us ; so Mat. xvi. 24, ' Then
said Jesus unto his disciples, if any man will come after me, let him
deny himself and follow me ; ' and Luke xiv ; if we will make war with
the old serpent, build for heaven. Your hope is groundless if you hope
for eternal life and are unwilling to undertake any difficulty for Christ's
sake ; you must reckon upon displeasing the flesh, offending the world,
224 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIIL [$ER. XXXIII.
if you would enter into life. [2.] It is lively ; it is not the cold and
superficial, but the earnest and effectual hope. The desires of a lively
hope are vehement ; we long for enjoyment, and would fain attain the
end ; but they are also submissive, and we will quietly wait GkxJ's leisure ;
as Paul had a desire to depart, yet was willing to abide in the flesh if
he might do God any service, Phil. i. 23, 24. Though the way be long,
the difficulties great and many, yet we must be content to be without
our reward till our work is finished, and without our crown till our war
fare is ended, and suffer evil things, and not forsake good things, which
are the way also to obtain better ; as long as God will prolong life,
though it be to endure more troubles, we must submit.
3. How this hope produceth patience ; with respect to the object, and
the subject
[1.] With respect to the object. This patience ariseth from the cer
tainty and goodness of the things hoped for ; it is a sure and great
reward. First, The certainty ; it is not a vain hope, such as is built upon
the promise of a deceitful man, but the word of the ever-living God :
Job xiii. 15, ' Though he slay me, yet I will trust in him.' The holy
obstinacy of hope cometh from the certainty of the promise. Secondly,
The greatness of the things promised. They are rare and excellent,
worth the waiting for. It promiseth rest for labour, Kev. xiv. 13; your
troublesome work will not last long, but be over in a little time, and you
shall have joy and delight for pain and sorrow and all the sad things
of the present life: 1 Peter iv. 13, 'But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are par
takers of Christ's sufferings, that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye
may be glad with exceeding joy.' And glory for shame : Heb. xii. 2,
* Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the
joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame.'
[2.] The subject. First, It breedeth courage and fortitude, and strength-
eneth our resolutions for God and heaven ; the spirit of power is hope,
2 Tim. i. 7. Secondly, It breedeth joy and comfort. All the pleasures
of the world doth not give that quiet content and rest to the soul,
which the hope of glory doth to a believer: Mat. v. 12, 'Kejoice, and
be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven/
Use 1. To persuade us to this patience of hope. The things hoped
for are to come, at a great distance ; many things must be done, many
things suffered, and we must make our way through the midst of dread
ful enemies, if we would attain our end. It is with us as with David,
he was promised a kingdom, and at length he had it, but in the mean
time liable to many troubles. Kemember, David had his troubles ; so
it is with you, many are the troubles of the righteous, but you must do
nothing unworthy of our great hopes ; we expect great things, therefore
we should contemn low things and endure hard things ; all the pleasures
of the world are mean and low, and the hardships carry no comparison
or proportion with our hopes. What great evils will men endure to
obtain worldly gain, rise early go to bed late, eat the bread of sorrows,
run from one end of the world to the other! Our hope is not sound
unless it breedeth this patient waiting. If we have a true hope, we
not only ought in point of duty, but shall; it is the property of hope so
to do, to submit with patience to all things which God sendeth in the
meantime, and comfort ourselves with the glory that shall ensue.
VER. 26.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vin. 225
SERMON XXXIV.
Likewise the Spirit also lielpetli our infirmities ; for we know not
what toe should pray for as we ought ; but the Spirit itself maJceth
intercession for us with groanings ivhich cannot be lettered.
BOM. viii. 26.
IN the context you have several arguments to persuade to patience
under affliction ; those two that are of chief consideration are, the hope
of glory to come, and the help of the Spirit for the present. This latter
is in the text.
In this verse, 1. The help of the Spirit is generally asserted.
2. The reason evidencing the necessity of that help.
1. The Author. 2. The manner of the Spirit's assistance. 3. The
particular assistance, where we have
1. The help of the Spirit is generally asserted * Likewise the Spirit
also helpeth our infirmities/ By infirmities he meaneth afflictions, and
the perturbations occasioned thereby, as fretting or fainting ; or more
generally any sinful infirmities, as ignorance, distrust, &c. For afflic
tions, see 2 Cor. xii. 9, 10, ' And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient
for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness ; most gladly
therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of
Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities,
in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's
sake ; for when I am weak, then am I strong. 'For sins, see Heb. v. 2, 3,
1 Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out
of the way, for that he himself also is compassed with infirmities ; and
by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer
for sins/ The word for help is notable, (rwavTikappdveTcu, helpeth our
infirmities (a Mark ix. 24, ' Lord, I believe, help my unbelief/ help me
against it) ; which we render, * he helpeth also/ joineth in relieving,
helpeth us under our infirmities, goeth to the other end of the staff, and
beareth a part of the burden with us ; the word signifieth to lift up
a burden with another. In afflictions we are not alone, but we have
the Holy Ghost as our auxiliary comforter, who strengtheneth and
beareth us up when we are weak and ready to sink under our burden.
2. The reason evincing the necessity of that help ; ' for we know not
what we should pray for as we ought/ In which there is
[1.] Something intimated and implied; that prayer is a great stay
in afflictions. James v. 13, ' If any among you be afflicted, let them pray/
God doth afflict us not that we may swallow our griefs, but vent them in
prayer. We have no other way to relieve ourselves in any distress, but
by serious addresses to God ; this is the means appointed by God to
procure comfort to the distressed mind, safety to those that are in
danger, relief to them that are in want, strength to them that are in
weakness ; in short, the only means for obtaining good and removing
evil, whether temptations, dangers, enemies, sin, sorrows, fears, cares,
poverty, shame, sickness. God is our only help against all these, and
prayer is the means to obtain relief from him ; yea, all grace and strength,
and the greatest mercies that we desire and stand in need of.
VOL. xii. p
226 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [&EB. XXXIV.
[2.] That which is expressed, that we know not how to conceive our
prayers aright, either as to matter or manner. It is said of Zebedee's
children, ' Ye know not what ye ask/ Mat. xx. 22 ; and it is true of all
others also ; we often beg a mischief to ourselves instead of a blessing.
In those times they were subject to great persecutions, and therefore
prayed for an exemption from them ; which not happening according
to desire, they were troubled. Therefore the apostle telleth them, ' We
know not what we should pray for as we ought ; ' we know not what is
absolutely best for us tiU the Spirit enlighten and direct us. There is a
darkness and confusion in our minds ; we consult with the flesh, and
ask what is most easy, and what is most advantageous. The Spirit of
God knoweth what we most stand in need of, and is best for our turn,,
health, wealth, honour ; or sickness, poverty, and disgrace. There is need
of great consideration when we pray, more than good men commonly
think of ; that we may neither ask things unlawful, nor lawful things
amiss, James iv. 3. We know not what spirit we are of, Luke ix.
55 ; we count revenge, zeal ; therefore the Holy Ghost doth instruct
and direct our motions in prayer, 2 Cor. xii. 8, 9.
[3.] The particular assistance ve have from him is mentioned ' But
the Spirit maketh intercession for us with groans which cannot be
uttered.' Where observe
(1.) The author of this help and assistance ; ' The Spirit itself maketh
intercession for us ; ' not that the Spirit prayeth, but sets us a-praying.
As here the Spirit is said to pray in us, so elsewhere we are said to
* pray in the Holy Ghost/ Jude 20. He prayeth, as Solomon is said to
build the temple ; he did not do the carpenter's or mason's work, but
he directed how to build, found out workmen, and furnished them with
money and materials. Neither doth the Spirit make intercession for us
as Christ doth, Kom. viii. 34, 'Who is at the right hand of God, and
maketh intercession for us ; ' presenting himself to God for us. The
drawing up of a petition is one thing, the presenting it in court is
another ; the Spirit as a notary inditeth our requests, and, as an advo
cate, presenteth them, and pleadeth them in court.
(2.) The manner of his help and assistance. He stirreth up in us
ardent groans in prayer, or worketh up our hearts to God with desires
expressed by sighs and groans. ^rewpy/tofc aXaX^rofr, may be rendered
unuttered groans, as well as unutterable, and so some take it here ; and
indeed that way it beareth a good sense. That the virtue of true prayer
doth not consist in the number and artifice of words, as those that
thought they should be heard for their vain babblings and much speak
ing, Mat. vi. 7. Alas ! the greatest command and flow of words is but
babbling, without these secret sighs and groans which the lively motions
of the Spirit stirreth up in us. There may be this without words ; as
Moses cried unto the Lord though he uttered no words, Exod. xiv. 15.
Or unutterable ; whatsoever proceedeth from a supernatural motion of
the Spirit, its fervour and efficacy and force cannot be apprehended or
expressed: 1 Peter i. 8, 'Ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of
glory/ and Phil. iv. 7, ' The peace of God which passeth all understand
ing shall keep your hearts and minds/ In short, the sum of all is this : \v&
have no reason to faint under afflictions, since there is help in prayer;
and these prayers are not in vain, being excited by the Spirit dwelling
VER. 26.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vni. 227
in us ; we are ignorant, and he teach eth us what to pray for, and assisteth
us by his holy inspirations ; we are cold and backward, and he inflameth
us, and exciteth us to pray with fervour, and holy sighs and groans.
The points from this verse are three
1. That the Holy Spirit doth strengthen and bear us up in our
weaknesses and troubles, that we may not faint under them.
2. That prayer is one special means by which God's Holy Spirit
helps God's children in their troubles and afflictions.
3. That the prayers of the godly come from God's Spirit.
Doct. For the first point, that the Holy Spirit doth strengthen and
bear us up in our weaknesses and troubles, that we may not faint under
them.
The sense of this doctrine I shall give you in these four considera
tions
1. That it is a great infirmity and weakness if a Christian should
faint in the day of trouble. The two extremes are slighting and faint
ing : Heb. xii. 5, ' My son, despise riot the chastening of the Lord, nor
faint under it ; ' so Prov. xxiv. 10, * If thou faintest in the day of trouble,
thy strength is small/ Partly because there is so little reason for a
Christian's fainting. Who should be more undisturbed in the world
than he who hath God for his God, Christ for his saviour, and the Spirit
for his comforter, and heaven for his portion ? Partly because there is so
much help from God. Either he hath already obtained strength from
God which he doth not improve, or may obtain strength from God which
he doth not seek after. God, prayed unto, giveth deliverance or support :
Ps. cxxxviii. ; . 3, ' In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and
strengthenedst me with strength in my soul/ And partly because of
the mischiefs which follow this fainting. There is a twofold fainting
[1.] There is a fainting which cause th great trouble, perplexity, and
dejection of spirit : Heb. xii. 3, ' Lest ye wax weary, and faint in your
minds/ Weariness is a lesser, fainting an higher degree of deficiency ;
in weariness the body requireth some rest or refreshment, when the
active power is weakened, and the vital spirits and principles of motion
dulled ; but in fainting the vital power is contracted, and retireth, and
leaveth the oujjward parts lifeless and senseless. When a man is wearied,
his strength is abated ; but when he fainteth, he is quite spent. These
things, by a metaphor, are applied to the soul or mind. A man is
wearied when the fortitude of his mind or his spiritual strength is
broken or beginneth to abate, or his soul sits uneasy under sufferings ;
but when he sinketh under the burden of grievous, tedious, and long
afflictions, then he is said to faint; the reasons or grounds of his com
fort are quite spent. Now this is a great evil in a child of God ; for
the spirit of a man, or that natural courage that is in a reasonable
creature, will go far as to the sustaining of foreign evils : Prov. xviii.
14, ' The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity/ And it is supposed
of a Christian that his spirit is sound and whole, being possessed of the
love of God ; and therefore, though his natural courage be spent, which
goeth on probabilities, yet his faith and hope should not be spent, which
goeth on certainties, nor be overmuch perplexed about worldly troubles,
as if his mercy were clean gone, or his promise would fail. Therefore
a Christian should strive against this : Ps. Ixxvii. 7-10, ' Will the Lord
228 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXXIV.
cast off for ever ? Will he be favourable no more ? Is his mercy clean
gone for ever ? Doth his promise fail for evermore ? Hath God forgotten
to be gracious ? Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies ? And I
said, This is my infirmity ; but I will remember the years of the right
hand of the Most High.'
[2.] There is a fainting which causeth dejection and falling off from
God. Surely this worse becometh the children of God : Kev. ii. 3, ' Thou
hast borne and hast patience, and hast laboured and hast not fainted.'
This maketh us cast off our profession and practice of godliness, and so
cuts us- off from all hope of reward : Gal. vi. 9, ' Ye shall reap in due
time, if ye faint not.' It is not taken there for some weariness, or remiss-
ness, or perplexity, which may befall God's children, but a total defec
tion. When troubles discourage us in our duty, it is a step towards it,
and tendeth to apostasy, which Christians should prevent in time : Heb.
xii. 12, 13, ' Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the
feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is
lame be turned out of the way.' We often begin to faint, and lag in
heaven's way, being wearied and vexed with the oppositions of the car
nal world, reproaching, threatening, and persecuting us ; but when we
begin to waver, we should look to it betimes, and rouse up ourselves,
that we may resolve to go on and finish our race, and not lose the
benefit of our former labours and sufferings.
2. Consideration, That in this weakness, if be we left to ourselves,
we cannot support ourselves. This appeareth, partly because they that
have but a light tincture of the Spirit give up at the first assault :
Mat. xiii. 21, * When tribulation ariseth because of the word, by and
by he is offended.' Offers of pardon of sins and eternal life affect them
for a while, and engage them in the profession of godliness ; but when
once it cometh to prove a costly business, they give it over presently.
And partly because the most resolved, if not duly possessed with a
sense of their own weakness, soon miscarry, if not in whole, yet in part ;
witness Peter, Mat. xxvi. 33-35. Christ had warned them that such
afflictions should come, as the stoutest should stumble at them, and fall
for a time ; but Peter, being conscious to himself of his own sincerity,
could not believe such weakness to be in him ; but God will soon con
fute confidence in our own strength, as the event of his fearful fall did
evidently declare. Partly because they that seem to be most fortified,
not only by resolution, but strong reasons, may yet overlook them in a
time of temptation. As Eliphaz told Job, chap. iv. 3-5, * Behold,
thou hast instructed many, and hast strengthened the weak hands ; thy
words have upholden him that was falling ; and thou hast strengthened
the feeble knees. But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest ; it
toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.' It is one thing to give counsel,
and another to practise it; and there is a great deal of difference
between trial apprehended by our judgment and felt by our sense :
John xii. 27, ' Now is my soul troubled ; and what shall I say ? Father,
save me from this hour ; but for this cause came I to this hour.' When
well, we easily give counsel to the sick ; they that stand on shore may
direct others when struggling with a tempest. And besides, we know
many things habitually which we cannot actually bring to remem
brance, being overcome with the sense of present evils ; and grace that
VER. 26.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 229
seemeth strong out of trial is found weak in trial, and faileth when we
should most act it. And partly because those that do not wholly de
spond, but are yet wrestling, are plainly convinced that they cannot con
quer by their own strength: Jer. viii. 18, 'When I would comfort
myself against my sorrow, my heart fainteth within me.' The tedious-
ness of present pressures doth so invade their spirits, that they find
themselves much too weak to grapple with their troubles ; they essay
to do it, but find it too hard for them. Now after all these experiences
of the saints, where is the man that will venture in his own strength to
compose his spirit and overcome his own infirmities ?
3. That when we cannot support ourselves through our weakness,
the Spirit helpeth us. We speak not of the necessity of the Holy Spirit
to our regeneration, but confirmation. After grace received, worldly
things set near and close to us, and the love of them is not so quite
extinct in us but that they have too great a command over our inclina
tions and affections, that we cannot overcome our infirmities without
the assistance of grace, which Christ dispenseth by his Spirit. And it
is not enough for us to stand upon our guard and defend ourselves,
but we must implore the divine assistance, which is engaged for us :
Eph. iii. 16, ' That he would grant unto you, according to the riches of
his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner
man ; ' 1 Peter i. 5, ' Who are kept by the power of God through faith
to salvation ;' 1 Cor. x. 13, * There hath no temptation taken you but
such as is common to man ; but God is faithful, who will not suffer
you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the tempta
tion also make a way to escape/ The Spirit that enlighteneth a Christian
fortifieth him, and the same grace which he sheddeth abroad in the
soul filleth us both with light and strength, and as a spirit of strength
and counsel doth enable us to bear all the afflictions which otherwise
would shake and weaken our resolutions for God and heaven.
4. They that rouse up themselves, and use all means, are in a nearer
capacity to receive influences from the Spirit than others. For the
apostle's word is, ' He helpeth also ; ' we have been at the work, reason
ing and pleading, but he maketh our thoughts effectual : Ps. xxvii.
14, ' Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen
thy heart ; wait, I say, on the Lord.' If we do not exercise faith and
hope, how can we look for the assistance of the Holy Ghost ? If we
give way to discouragement, we quit our own comfort ; but when we
strive to take courage from the grounds of faith, it is followed with
strength from God to undergo the trouble ; so Ps. xxxi. 24, ' Be of
good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in
the Lord.' When we arm ourselves with constancy and fortitude, there
is no doubt of God's seasonable relief ; but if you, out of love of the
ease and contentment of the flesh, give way to difficulties, and despond,
how can you expect God's assistance ? You banish it from you.
Use 1. Is comfort to the children of God. For the Lord is not a
spectator only of our troubles, but an helper in our conflicts We are
set forth as a spectacle to God, men, and angels, 1 Cor. iv. 9 ; therefore
we should see how we acquit ourselves. But our comfort is that he is
the strength of our souls, that we are engaged in his cause, and by his
power and strength. God will not desert us, or deny to support us,
230 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [$ER. XXXIY.
unless we give him cause by our negligence and grievous sins ; no, if
you wait upon him, strength will be renewed to you : Isa. xl. 31, ' They
that wait on the Lord shall not faint, but renew their strength.' In our
weakness he maketh his strength and power to appear, and can enable
his servants to do and endure anything rather than quit his cause ; they
shall have a new supply of strength, when they seem to be clean spent,
and overcome all difficulties in the way to heaven.
Use 2. Is direction. To ascribe our standing to the Spirit. We are
weak creatures of ourselves, able to do nothing ; but through the Spirit
of Christ, all things, Phil. iv. 13 ; that is, go through all conditions.
We owe all that we are and all that we do to the Holy Spirit ; we live
by his presence, understand by his light, act by his power, suffer by the
courage he inspireth into us. We are ungrateful to the Holy Spirit if
we ascribe that to ourselves as authors, whereof we are scarce servants
and ministers. Paul more humbly acknowledges, 1 Cor. xv. 10, ' But
by the grace of God I am what I am.'
Use 3. Is exhortation. Let us not faint under our troubles. There
are many considerations.
1. Sinners are not discouraged by every inconvenience occasioned by
their sins, but can deny themselves for their lusts' sake. And shall we
be discouraged in God's service ? Every lesser inconvenience that be-
falleth us in the way of our duty is taken notice of, but the great evils
of sin are not regarded. When you see sin's martyrs walk about the
streets, or carried to their execution, it should be a shame to Christians.
Some whose flesh is mangled by their sin, impoverished by their sin,
brought to public shame by their sin, die for their sin ; and are we so
weak when we suffer for Christ ?
2. Others have borne far heavier burdens, and yet do not sink under
them. The Lord Christ, Heb. xii. 3, 'endured the contradiction of
sinners,' and many of his precious servants : Heb. xi. 35, ' They accepted
not deliverance, looking for a better resurrection.' They might, upon
certain conditions, have been free from their cruel pains and tortures,
but these conditions were contrary to the law of God, therefore would
not by indirect means get off their trouble. Now, shall we praise their
courage and not imitate it? That is to be Christians in speculation.
3. God promiseth to moderate the afflictions and sweeten the bitter
ness of them, lest we should faint : Isa. Ivii. 16, ' I will not be wroth for
ever, and contend always ; for so the spirit should faint, and the soul
which I have made.' God hath great consideration of man's infirmity
and weakness, and how unable they are to hold out under long and
grievous troubles ; therefore he stayeth his hand, will not utterly dis
hearten and discourage his people. A good man will not overburden
his beast. If you be satisfied in the wisdom and faithfulness of
God's providential government, you have no reason to faint, but keep
up your dependence upon him.
4. When reason is tired, faith should supply its place, and we should
hope against hope, Horn. iv. 18. Faith can fetch water not only out of
the fountain, but out of the rock ; when other helps fail, then is a time
for God to work.
5. Give vent to the ardour of your desires in prayer : Luke xviii. 1,
Christ taught men to ' pray always, and not to faint.' Keep up the
VER. 26.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vin. 231
suit, and it will come to an hearing-day ere it be long : Jonah ii. 7,
' When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord, and my
prayer came unto thee into thy holy temple/ When our infirmity
cometh to a degree of faintness, then it is a time to be earnestly deal
ing with God.
6. What will you .get by your fainting, but the creature for God?
Heb. iii. 12, ' Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil
heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.' Murmuring for
praver ? Lam. iii. 39, 40, ' Wherefore doth a living man complain,, a
man for the punishment of his sins ? let us search and try our ways,
and turn to the Lord.' Unlawful shifts for duty? Isa. xxviii. 15, ' For
we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid our
selves.' This is overmuch haste ; will you choose God for your enemy
to escape the enmity of man ? and perdition for salvation ? Heb. x. 39,
' But be not of them who draw back unto perdition, but of them that
believe to the saving of the soul/ Will you run into hell for fear of
burning ?
7. The Holy Spirit blesseth these considerations, and doth further
comfort the saints, partly by shedding abroad the love of God in th'eir
hearts, Kom. v. 3-5 ; God's smiles are infinitely able to counterbalance
the world's frowns ; and partly by a clearer sight of their blessedness
to come. Kemember your eternal blessings, and how far your afflic
tions prepare you for them : 2 Cor. iv. 16, 17, 'For this cause we faint
not ; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed
day by day. For our light affliction, which id but for a moment, worketh
f<?r us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory/ The greatest
trouble cannot make void this hope ; yea, it doth prepare you for it ;
your spiritual estate is bettered by them.
Doct. 2. That prayer is one special means by which the Holy Spirit
helpeth God's children in their troubles and afflictions.
1. Troubles are sent for this end, not to drive us from God, butta
draw us to him: Ps. 1. 15, 'And call upon me in the day of trouble,
I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. Trouble in itself id a
part of the curse introduced by sin. When God seemeth angry, We
have a liberty tu apply ourselves to him. In trouble we are apt 'to
think God an enemy, and that he putteth the old covenant in suit
against us, but then God expects most to hear from us.
2. Prayer is a special means to ease the heart of our burdensome
caves and fears : Phil. iv. 6, ' Be careful for nothing, but in everything
by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known unto God/
When the wind is got into the caverns of the earth, it causeth earth
quakes and terrible convulsions till it get a vent ; we give vent to our
troublesome and unquiet thoughts by prayer, when we lay our burden
at God's feet.
3. It is a special means of acknowledging God as the fountain of our
strength and the author of our blessings. First, As the fountain of our
strength and support ; we have it not in ourselves, and therefore we seek
it from God ; he is able to keep us from falling, therefore we pray to
him : 1 Peter v. 10, ' But the God of all grace, who hath called us to his
eternal glory by Jesus Christ, after that ye have suffered a while,
make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you/ Secondly, As the
232 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XXXIV.
author of our deliverance : 2 Tim. iv. 18, ' He shall deliver me from
every evil work/
Use 1. Is to exhort us to prayer. First, He delights to give out
blessings this way : Jer. xxix. 11, 12, ' For I know the thoughts that I
think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil,
to give you an expected end. Then shall you call upon me, and ye
shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you;' and Ezek.
xxxvi. 37, ' Thus saith the Lord God, I will yet for this be inquired of
by the house of Israel, to do them good.' And our Lord Christ, as
mediator, was to ask of the Father : Ps. ii. 8, * Ask of me, and I will
give thee the heathen for an inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the
earth for a possession/ Secondly, All mercies come the sweeter to us
as they increase our love to God and trust in him : Ps. cxvi. 1, 2, ' I
love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplication ;
because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon
him as long as I live/
Use 2. Is information. If we would have the Spirit's help, let u
pray. There we have most sensible feeling of his assistance ; our strength
lieth most in asking ; and when we are at a loss what to do, your hearts
are more eased in prayer than in any other work. Every condition is
sanctified when it bringeth you nearer to God ; if crosses bring us to
the throne of grace, they have done their work ; your trouble is eased.
Doct. 3. That the prayers of the godly come from God's Spirit.
That the Spirit hath a great stroke in the prayers of the saints, is
evident by many other scriptures besides the text ; as Jude 20, ' Pray
ing in the Holy Ghost ; ' that is, by his motion and inspiration. Look,
as we breathe out that air which we first suck in, so the prayer is first
breathed into us before breathed out by us; first inspired, before
uttered ; so Zech. xii. 10, ' I will pour upon them a spirit of grace and
supplications ; ' a spirit of grace will become a spirit of supplications.
Where he dwelleth in the heart, he discovereth himself mostly in prayer ;
so Gal. iv 6, ' Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his
Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father/ The Spirit's gracious
operations are manifested especially in fitting us for, and assisting us
in, the duty of prayer. Affectionate and believing prayers are, ascribed
unto him 'God hath put forth the Spirit of his Son, crying,' &c.
Here I shall inquire
First, In what manner the Spirit concurreth to the prayers of the
faithful.
Secondly, What necessity there is of this help and assistance.
Thirdly, Caution against some abuses and mistakes of this doc
trine.
For the first, these three things concur in prayer, as different causes
of the same effect the spirit of a man, the new nature, and the Spirit
of God. First, There is the spirit of a man, for the Holy Ghost makes
use of our understandings for the actuating of our will and affections ;
the Spirit bloweth up the fire, though it be our hearts that burn within
us. Secondly, The new nature in a Christian is more immediately and
vigorously operative in prayer than in most other duties; and the
exercise of faith, love, and hope in prayer doth flow from the renewed
soul, as the proper inward and vital principle of these actions ; so that
VER. 26.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 233
we, and not the [Spirit of God, are said to repent, believe, and pray.
Well then, there is the heart of man, and the heart renewed and sanc
tified ; for the Spirit, as to his actual motions, doth not blow upon a
dead coal. But then there is the Spirit of God, who createth and pre-
serveth these gracious habits in the soul, and doth excite the soul to
act, and doth assist it in acting according to them ; as, for instance, the
natural spirit of man out of self-love willeth and desireth its own good,
and its own felicity in general, and is unwilling of destruction and
apparent misery, or whatever may occasion it. But then, as we are
renewed, this will to good is sanctified, that God is chosen as our por
tion and felicity, or as the principal good to be desired by us. Faith
seeth that the favour and fruition of God in a blessed immortality is
our true happiness, and love desireth it above all things, and on the
contrary, shunneth damnation and the wrath of God, and sin as sin,
and all the apparent dangers of the soul. Hope waiteth and expecteth
the fruition of God, and the good things which leadeth to him. Accord
ingly, we address ourselves to God, and put forth and act this faith,
love, and hope in prayer this our renewed spirit doth ; but the Holy
Ghost himself is the principal cause of all, who doth create this faith,
love, and hope, and still preserve it, and order and actuate it. The
soul worketh powerfully and sweetly by an earnest motion and inclina
tion towards God.
SEKMON XXXV.
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities ; for we know not
what ive should pray for as we ought ; but the Spirit itself
maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be
uttered. KOM. viii. 26.
WE now come more distinctly to show what the Holy Ghost doth in
prayer.
1. He directeth and ordereth our requests so as they may suit with
our great end, which is the enjoyment of God. l?or of ourselves we
should pray only after a natural and human affection, which sets up
itself instead of God, and self considered as a body rather than a soul,
and so asketh bodily things rather than spiritual, and the conveniences
of the natural life rather than the enjoyment of the world to come.
Let a man alone, and he will sooner ask baits and snares and temp
tations, than graces and helps, a scorpion instead of fish, and a stone
rather than bread. We take counsel of our lusts and interests when
we are left to our own private spirit, and so would make God to serve
with our sins, and employ him as a minister of our carnal desires ; as
it is said of them in the wilderness, Ps. Ixxviii. 18, ' They tempted
God in their hearts by asking meat for their lusts ; ' our natural will
and carnal affections will make us pray ourselves into a snare. In the
text it is said, ' We know not what to pray for as we ought ; ' and in
234 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXXV.
ver. 27, 'He maketh intercession for the saints according to the
will of God.' Kara &ebv, according to God; not only with respect to
Lis will, but his glory and our eternal good ; so that human and carnal
affection shall neither prescribe the matter nor fix the end. To pray
in a holy manner is the product of the Spirit, and the fruit of his oper
ation in us. Faith and love and hope are more at work in a serious
prayer than human and carnal affection, which referreth all its desires
and inclinations to the bodily life.
2. He quickeneth and enliveneth our desires in prayer. There is a
holy vehemency and fervour required in prayer, opposite to that care
less formality and deadness which otherwise is found in us ; these are
the ' groanings which cannot be uttered/ spoken of in the text. Groan
ing noteth the strength and ardency of desire, when there is a warmth
and a life and a Tgour in prayer. Oh I how flat and dead are our
hearts oftentimes, when we want these quickening motions ! A flow of
words may come from our natural temper, but these lively motions and
strong desires from the Spirit of God. It is notable that the prayer
which is produced in us by the Spirit is represented by the notion of
a cry ; twice it is said, teaching us to cry, Abba, Father ; not with
respect to the loudness of the voice, but the earnestness of affection.
Crying for help is the most vehement way of asking, used only by
persons in great necessity and danger. A prayer without life is as
incense without fire, which sendeth forth no perfume or sweet savour.
The firing of the sacrifices was a token of God's acceptance ; so when
warmth of heart cometh from heaven, God testifieth of his gifts.
3. He encourageth and emboldeneth us to come to God as a father.
This is one main thing twice mentioned in scripture : Kom. viii.
] 5, ' We have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba,
Father ; ' and Gal. iv. 6, ' Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the
Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.' A great
part of the life and comfort of prayer consisteth in coming to God as
a reconciled father. Now this is seen in two things (1.) Child-like con
fidence ; (2.) Child-like reverence.
[1.] Child-like confidence, or a familiar owning of God in prayer,
when we come to him as little children to their father, for help in their
dangers and necessities. Christ hath taught us to say, ' Our Father,' and
in every prayer we must be able to say so in one fashion or another ;
not with our lips, but with our hearts ; by option and choice, if not by
direct affirmation: Luke xi. 13, 'If ye, then, being evil, know how to
give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly
Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask it ?' We forget the duty of
children, but God doth not forget the mercies of a father. Let it be the
voice of our trust and hope rather than of our lips.
[2.] With child-like reverence, in an humble and aweful way. God,
that hath the title of a father, will have the honour and respect of a
father, Mai. i. 6. If this should breed fear and reverence in us at
other times, it should much more when we immediately converse with
him : 1 Peter i. 17, ' If ye call on the Father, who without respect of
persons judgeth every man/ God will be sanctified in all that draw
nigh unto him, Heb. x. ; so Phil. iii. 11, ' Serve the Lord with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.' Our familiarity with God must not mar
VEB. 26.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIIL 235
our reverence, nor confidence and delight in him our humility ; and
serious dealing with God in prayer is wrought in us by the Spirit, in
whose light we see both God and ourselves, his majesty and our vile-
ness, his purity and our sinfulness, his greatness and our nothingness.
Secondly, The necessity of this help and assistance.
1. The order and economy of the divine persons showeth it. In the
mystery of redemption God is represented as our reconciled God and
Father, to whom we come; Christ as the mediator, through whom
we have liberty and access to God as our own God ; and the Spirit as
our guide, sanctifier, and comforter, by whom we come to him. God is
represented as the great prince and universal king, into whose presence-
chamber poor petitioners are admitted ; Christ openeth the door by the
merit of his sacrifice, and keepeth it open by his constant intercession,
that wrath may be no hindrance on God's part, nor guilt on ours ; for
otherwise, ' God is a consuming fire/ Heb. xii. 29, and sin divides, and
separates between God and us, Isa. lix. 2. Then the Spirit doth create,
preserve, and quicken and actuate these graces, in the exercise of which
this access is managed and carried on ; otherwise, such is our impotency
and averseness, that we should not make use of this offered benefit :
Eph ii. 18, ' For through him we both have an access by one Spirit unto
the Father/ The enjoyment of the fatherly love of God is the highest
happiness, in which the soul doth rest content. Christ is the way by
which we come to the Father, and the Spirit our guide, which causeth
us to enter in this way, and goeth along with us in it. We cannot look
aright to the blessed Father, but we mast look to him through the
blessed Son, and we cannot look upon the Son but through the blessed
Spirit, and so we come aright to God.
2. That prayer may carry proportion with other duties. All the
children of God are led by the Spirit of God, Kom. viii. 14 ; as in their
whole conversation, so especially in this act of prayer. Look, as in com
mon providence, no creature is exempted from the influence of it ; for in
him they all live, move, and have their being. Exempt any creature
from the dominion of providence, and then that creature would live of
itself ; so as to gracious and special providence, you cannot exempt one
action from the Spirit's influence ; for ' we live in the Spirit and walk in
the Spirit/ Gal. v. 25 ; we sing with the Spirit, and hear in the Spirit, and
serve God in the Spirit ; so we pray in the Spirit only. There is a
special regard to this duty, because here we have experience of the
motions of the renewed soul directly towards God, and so of the comforts
and graces of the Spirit, more than in other duties.
3. Because of our impotency. We cannot speak of God without the
Spirit, much less to God : 1 Cor. xii. 3, ' No man can say that Jesus is the
Lord, but by the Holy Ghost ; ' that is, believe on him as the Messiah
and redeemer of the world. It was a deadly state the Redeemer found
us in. To lessen man's misery was to lessen the grace of Christ ; so we
must not extenuate the honour of our sanctifier ; we can neither live,
nor work, nor walk, nor pray, without the Spirit. The help is not need
less, if we consider what we are, and what prayer is ; what we are, who
are enemies to our own happiness and holiness; and prayer, which
requireth such serious work. Surely the setting of our hearts and all
our hopes upon an invisible glory, and measuring all things thereunto,
236 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VHL [SER. XXXV
is a work too hard for a carnal, sensual creature that is wedded to
present satisfactions. And without this there is no praying in a spiritual
manner. They that love sin will never heartily pray against it ;
and they that hate a holy, spiritual, heavenly life, can never seek
the advancement of it. Now this is our case : we may babble and speak
things by rote, or we may have a natural fervency when we pray for
corn, wine, and oil, and justification and sanctification in order there
unto ; we may have a wish, but not a serious volition of spiritual and
heavenly things, which is the life and soul of prayer.
4. With respect to acceptance: Ps. x. 17, 'When thou preparest
the heart, thou bendest the ear ; ' Eom. viii. 27, ' He knoweth the mind
of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to
the will of God/ Qod knoweth what is a belch of the flesh, and what is
a groan of the Spirit; every voice but that of his Spirit is strange
and barbarous to him. He puts us upon holy and just requests ; he
hath stirred them up in us, as a father teacheth a child to ask what
he hath a mind to give him.
Thirdly, Cautions against some abuses and mistakes in prayer.
1. This is not so to be understood as if the matter and words of prayer
were immediately to be inspired by the Holy Ghost, as he inspired the
holy men of God in their prophesying and penning the holy scripture.
We read, 2 Peter i. 21, that ' holy men spake as they were moved by the
Holy Ghost ;' and we may say, holy men pray as they are moved by
the Holy Ghost But yet there is a great deal of difference between
both these ; partly because they were immediately moved and infallibly
assisted by the Spirit, so moved and extraordinarily borne through,
that they could not err and miscarry ; they were free from any fault,
failing, or corruption in the matter, form, or words wherein this was
expressed ; all was purely divine. But in our prayers we find the con
trary by sad experience. Partly because it had been a sin in the
prophets not to have delivered the same message which they received
of the Lord, both for matter, manner, and method ; but it is no sin in
a child of God against the guidance and governance of God's Spirit,
to use another method than he used ; to contract and shorten, or to
lengthen and enlarge his prayers, as opportunity serveth. And yet the
prayer is the prayer of the Spirit, that that is directed, ordered, and
quickened by the Spirit.
2. This is not to be understood as if we should never pray till the Spirit
moveth us. The prophets were not to prophesy till moved by an extra
ordinary impulse ; for they were not bound by the common law of God's
servants or children to see visions, or to prophesy. But we are not to
stay from our duty till we see the Spirit moving ; but to make use of
the power we have as reasonable creatures : Eccles. ix. 10, ' Whatever
thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might ; ' and to stir up the
gifts and graces that we have as believers : Isa. Ixiv. 7, ' And there is none
that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of
thee ; ' 2 Tim. i. 6, ' Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou
stir up the gift of God which is in thee ;' and in the way of duty to
wait and cry for the necessary influences of the Lord's Spirit : Cant.
iv. 16, ' Awake, north wind ! and come, thou south wind ! blow upon
my garden, that the spices thereof may flow forth ; let my beloved
VER. 26.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vur. 237
come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.' And to obey his
sanctifying motions : Ps. xxvii. 8, ' When thou saidst, Seek ye my face,
my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek/
3. We cannot say we have not the spirit of prayer, because we have
not such freedom of words as may give vent to spiritual affections.
If there be a sense of such things as we mainly want, that is, Christ
and his graces, and an affectionate desire after them, and we address
ourselves to God with these desires in the best fashion we can, that we
may have help and relief from him, and you are resolved not to give
him over till you have it, you have the spirit of grace and supplica
tions, though it may be you cannot enlarge upon these things with
such copiousness of expression as others do. Therefore let us consider
what is the spirit of prayer, and how far doth he make use of our
natural faculties. I conceive it thus. A man is convinced that his
happiness lieth in the enjoyment of God; that there is no enjoy
ment of God but by Christ, till he be justified and sanctified, and
walk in holy obedience to him. The Spirit of God upon this
changeth his heart, and it is set within him to seek after God
in this way: 1 Chron. xxii. 19, 'Now set your heart and your
soul to seek the Lord your God;' and Ps. cxix. 36, 'Incline my
heart unto thy testimonies/ Now, because the will without the
affections doth not work strongly, but is like a ship without sails
affections are the vigorous and forcible motions of the will, without
which it would lie sluggish and idle, or like a chariot without wheels
and horses, or a bird when her wings are clipped therefore the Holy
Ghost stirreth up these affections, and our heart within us makes us
willing, and this bringeth the soul to God. For no other can give us
satisfaction, but he alone ; and the difficulties of salvation are so many
that we cannot overcome them but in his power and strength. Now
sense of wants, and an earnest desire of a supply, will ordinarily put
words into a man's mouth, and affections beget expressions ; yet
because many accidental reasons may hinder it, the weight of prayer
is not to be laid so much upon the expression as the affection. If there
be a strong and an earnest desire after grace, it will make us express
ourselves to God in the best manner that we can. As long as you
pray for necessary graces, and other things in subordination thereunto,
and can heartily groan and sigh to God for what you want with respect
to your great end, the prayer is well performed. There may be a great
petulancy and extravagance of words where there is not a good and an
honest heart vain babblings, without faith, or feeling, or spiritual
affections.
^ 4. It is not to be understood as if all that pray graciously had the
Spirit in a like measure, or the same persons always in the same measure.
No, the wind bloweth where it listeth, John iii. 7, and he giveth us to
will and to do. We cannot find the assistance at our own pleasure ;
somejhave it in a more plentiful, others in a scanty measure, though all
have it. Jesus Christ himself, though he had not the Spirit by measure,
yet he exercised and acted the spirit of prayer more at one time : Luke
xxii. 44, 'And being in an agony, he prayed, e/creveo-repov, more earnestly ;'
his love to God was always the same, but the expression of it different.
So God's children seek heavenly things with a weaker degree of desire,
238 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [$ER. XXXV.
and sometimes with a stronger ; at some times we have the directing work
of the Spirit, and are not sensible of those earnest and unexpressible
groans ; that is to say, we put up our requests for things lawful and use
ful, and most necessary for us at the time, but not with that ardour and
fervency that we do desire. We cannot say that the Holy Ghost doth
not assist these prayers, as sometimes the assistance is given us
more largely as to the groaning part, and men are all in a flame.
Strong and passionate affections do most bewray themselves, some
times as a spirit of confidence and holy liberty with our Father, and
faith is clearly predominant in prayer; at other times repentance and
child-like reverence and fear are altogether in action in the prayer,
and there is a great seriousness, though not such life and vigour or
strength of faith as grief for sin, bemoaning our failings.
5. Gifts are more necessary when we join with others, and are their
mouth to God ; but the spirit of prayer is of most use when we are
alone, and we have nothing to do but to set ourselves before the
searcher of hearts, and draw forth our desires after him ; when, with
out taking in the necessities of others, we present our personal requests
to God, and lament the defects of our own hearts and the plague of
our own souls. When we pray alone, it is good to observe the work
ings of our own hearts ; surely whatever prayer we make to God, we
should find it in our hearts : 2 Sam. vii. 27, * Therefore hath thy
servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.' Having
a deep sense of our wants, a real desire of the blessing, we ask exer
cising grace rather than memory and invention; pouring out our
very souls to God, with sighs and groans rather than words ; we are
at liberty there to use or not use the voice, to continue speech and
break it off, and lift up the heart by strong desires to God.
Use 1. It informeth us
First, What kind of help we have from the Spirit of God in
prayer ; his work is to guide and quicken you.
First, to guide you in prayer, that you may pray to God in a
holy manner ; we know not what to pray for as we ought, on a four
fold reason; [1.] As blinded with self-love ; [2.] As discomposed by
trouble ; [3.] As struck dumb by guilt ; [4.] As straitened by barren
ness and leanness of soul.
[1.] As blinded by self-love. Oh ! what strange prayers will men
put up to God, if they take counsel of their lusts and interests ! as
the disciples that called for fire from heaven; Christ told them, 'Ye
know not of what manner of spirit ye are of/ Luke ix. 55. Self-love
so blindeth us that if we be led by it, we shall rather beg our ruin
than our salvation ; for we know not what is either profitable or
prejudicial to us; so that it would be an argument of God's anger
to grant our requests. The ambitious, if he should pray from the
passion that possesseth him, would only ask honour and worldly
greatness; the covetous, only that God would double his worldly
portion, and enlarge his estate according to his vast desires; the
sensual, the ability and opportunity of glutting his brutish inclina
tions ; the vindictive, that he may interest God in his quarrels ; all
sinners would serve him only to serve their carnal turns. Whatever
words we use to God in. prayer, if we serve him to these ends, and
VER. 26.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vin. 239
hope that by praying they shall be the better gratified, our prayer is
turned into sin ; but he that is guided by the Spirit entreateth nothing
of God but what is pleasing to him, and suiteth with his glory. We
come to our Father which is in heaven when we pray ; and our wel
fare in the world must be subordinated to our eternal and heavenly
estate. And we come in the name of Christ ; now to ask honours in
his name who was born in a stable and died on a cross, pleasures in
his name who was a man of sorrows, is utterly incongruous. No;
God's glory, kingdom, will, must be preferred before our inclinations ;
other things asked with reservation and submission.
[2.] Our minds are discomposed by trouble, that we scarce know
what to do or say : 2 Chron. xx. 12, ' Lord, we know not what to do,
but our eyes are unto thee/ Our Lord Christ: John xii. 27, 'My
soul is troubled, what shall I say ? ' In great grief, Christ himself
was at a loss ; the great teacher of the church, who hath so much to
say for our comfort and counsel in such cases, yet was amazed, and at
a nonplus ; and David, Ps. Ixxvii. 4, ' I am sore troubled, I cannot
speak.' Our words stoppeth the mouth. Now when our thoughts
are thus confounded, we scarce know what to pray for; the Spirit
teacheth us what to say. Look, as in the case of the fear of men :
Luke xii. 12, ' For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour
what you shall say ; ' so in our perplexities, when we are scarce able
to open our mouths to God.
[3.] When struck dumb by some newly contracted guilt, as David
kept silence and grew shy of God, Ps. xxxii. 3. The Spirit urgeth
us to penitent confession and humble suing out our pardon, ver. 5,
with that brokenness of heart which becometh a sinner.
[4.] When straitened by barrenness, and leanness of soul ; would
fain pray, but are dry and barren of matter. It is because we use not
meditation and serious recollection: Ps. xlv. 1, 'My heart is inditing
a good matter, my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.' One that is
well acquainted with God and himself cannot want matter. First,
the Holy Ghost puts us upon the serious consideration of these things ;
and then when we come to speak to God, a man will copiously enough
be supplied out of the abundance of his heart : Mat. xii. 34, ' Out of
the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.' If the mind be
stocked and furnished with holy thoughts and meditation, it will
break out in the lips.
2. His next office is to quicken you, or raise your affections and
holy desires, which are the life of prayer. The prayer continueth no
longer than the desires do ; therefore groans are more prayer than
words. Weeping hath a voice : Ps. vi. 8, ' The Lord hath heard the
voice of my weeping.' Tears have a tongue, and a language which
God well enough understandeth. Look, as babes have no other voice
but crying for the mother's breast, that is intelligible enough to the
tender parent; so when there are earnest and serious desires after
grace, God knoweth our meaning.
Secondly, It informeth us that the motions of the Spirit are a help
in prayer, not the rule and reason of prayer. Many will say they will
pray only when the Spirit moveth them ; now he helpeth in the per
formance, not in the neglect of the duty. We are to make conscience
240 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [$ER. XXXV.
of it. God giveth out influences of grace according to his will or good
pleasure ; but we must pray according to his will of precept. The
influence of grace is not the warrant of duty, but the help ; we are to
do all acts in obedience to God's command, whatever cometh of it,
Luke v. 5. God is sovereign ; disposed or indisposed, you are bound.
Our impotency is our sin. Now our sin cannot excuse us from our
duty, for then the creature were not culpable for his sinful defects and
omissions. The outward act of a duty is commanded as well as the
inward ; though we cannot come up to the nature of a perfect duty,
yet we should do as we can. Tota actio, and totum actionis, falleth
under the command of God : Hosea xiv. 2, ' Take with you words ; '
ay, and also take with you affections. Though I cannot do all, I
must do as much as I can, bring such desires as I have. God's Spirit
is more likely to help you in duty, than in the neglect of it. You
quench the Spirit* that must assist you by neglecting the means;
when the door is bolted, knocking is the only way to get it open.
Present yourselves before God, and see what he will do for you. By
tacking about, men get the wind, not by lying still ; there is many
times a supply cometh ere we are aware : Cant. vi. 11, 12, " Or ever
I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib.'
We begin with much deadness and straitness ; by striving against it,
rather than yielding to it, we get enlargement afterwards ; God assists
those that will be doing what he commandeth ; when we stir up our
selves, he is the more ready to help us.
Use 2. Is caution. See that your prayers come from the Spirit ;
there are some prayers it is a reproach to the Holy Spirit to father
them upon him.
1. An idle and foolish loquacity. When men take a liberty to prattle
anything in God's hearing, tind pour out raw, tumultuous, and in
digested thoughts before him : Eccles. v. 2, ' Be not hasty to utter
anything before God ; ' it is a great irreverence and contempt of his
majesty. Surely the Spirit is not the author of ignorant, senseless,
and dull praying ; nothing disorderly cometh from him. The heathen
are charged with vain babbling and heartless repetitions : Mat. vi. 7,
'They think to be heard for their much speaking.' Shortness or
length are both culpable, according to the causes from whence they
come ; shortness out of barrenness and straitness, or length out of
affectation, or ingeminating the same thing, without savour or wisdom,
or a mere filling up the time with words.
2. A frothy eloquence and affected language ; as if the prayer were
the more grateful to God, and he did accept men for their words
rather than their graces, and were to be worshipped with fine
phrases and quaint speeches. No, it is the humble exercise of faith,
hope, and love, which he regardeth; and such art and curiosity is
against God's sovereignty, and doth not suit with the gravity and
seriousness of worship. If we would speak to God, we must speak
with our hearts to him rather than our words ; and the more plain
and bare they are, the better they suit with the nature of duty. Moses
was bid to put off his shoes in holy ground, to teach us to lay aside
our ornaments when we humble ourselves before God. It is not words,
but spirit and life ; not a work of oratory, but filial affection. Too
VER. 26.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 241
much care of verbal eloquence showeth our hearts are more conversant
with signs than things, words than matter ; and it hath a smack of
the man, and smelleth of the man, but savoureth not of the Spirit :
Ps. cxix. 26, ' I declared my ways, and thou heardest me/
3. Outward vehemency and. loud speech. The heat which ariseth
from the agitation of bodily spirits, and vehemency of speech, dif-
fereth from an inward affection, which is accompanied with reverence
and child-like dependence upon God. It is not the loud noise of
words which is best heard in heaven ; the fervent affectionate cries of
the saints are those of the heart, not of the tongue : Ps. x. 17, ' Lord,
thou hast heard the desire of the humble;' and Ps. xxxviii. 9, 'O
Lord, all my ways are before thee, and my groaning is not hid from thee/
The vehemency of the affection may sometimes cause the extension of
the voice ; but without it, we are but as tinkling cymbals.
4. Natural fervency, when instant and earnest for some kind of bless
ings, especially when we are oppressed with grievous evils, and would
fain get rid of them ; yet they cannot be looked upon as a motion of
the Spirit ; partly because it is the temporal inconvenience they mind
more than the removal of sin ; and cry more to get ease of their troubles
than repentance for their sins which procured them ; and the supply of
their necessities which they mind, and not the favour of God ; and
therefore the Holy Ghost calleth it howling, Hos. vii. 14, like the moans
of the beasts for ease. Partly because they have no more to do with
God when their turns are served, and they are delivered from their
troubles : Jer. ii. 27, ' In the time of their trouble they will say, Arise,
and save us ; ' Exod. x. 17, ' Entreat the Lord, that he may take away
this death only ; ' so that all cometh from mere self-love. Partly
because those relentings which they have for sin go not deep enough to
divorce their hearts from it : Ps. Ixxviii. 36, 37, ' Nevertheless, they did
flatter with their mouth, and they lied to him with their tongues ; for
their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his
covenant.' Even then, when they sought God right early, and remem
bered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer,
the judgments of God had some slight effect upon them, reduced
them to some degree of repentance and good behaviour and temper
for a while ; but all this while they were but like ice in yielding weather,
thawed above, and hard at bottom. Partly because, if they pray for
spiritual things, it is but a dictate of conscience awakened for the
time, not the desires of a renewed heart, seconded with constant en
deavours to obtain what we ask of God; and so, 'The soul of the
sluggard desireth and hath nothing/ Prov. xiii. 4 ; they are not urging
desires that quicken to diligence.
But what prayers, then, come from the Spirit ?
[1.] When there is something divine in them, such as are suited to
the object to whom we pray, and looketh like worship relating to God ;
when it hath the stamp of his nature upon it. We apprehend in God
two sort of attributes, some that belong to his mercy and goodness,
some to his majesty and greatness. Now his mercy and goodness is
seen in the joy of our faith and confidence, his majesty and greatness
in our humility and reverence ; both prompt us to serious worship
ping.
VOL. XII. Q
242 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [$ER. XXXV.
[2.] When there is something beyond the work of our natural
faculties ; and prayer is not the fruit of memory and invention, but
of faith, hope, and love. A man, by the help of memory and inven
tion, may frame and utter a prayer which his heart disliketh.
[3.] Whatever prayers are according to the will of God : ver. 27,
' And he that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the
Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the
will of God/
Use 3. Is to exhort you to get this spirit of prayer and supplication.
1. Beg the Spirit of God from his fatherly love : Luke xi. 13, 'If ye
then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how
much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them
that ask him ?
2. Beg it as purchased by Christ; as one of his disciples, as one
that hath consented to the covenant of grace, which is a dutiful and
obediential acceptance of Christ Jesus as our alone remedy. So doth
Paul pray for it : 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 understand
ing being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling,
and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.' So
doth God offer it.
3. Obey the Spirit in other things, and then he will help you in
prayer : Kom. viii. 14, ' For as many as are led by the Spirit of God
are the sons of God.' That implieth that he not only directs, but we
follow his direction ; therefore make it your business to obey his
motions when he would restrain you from sin : Kom. viii. 13, 'If ye
through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.' When
he inviteth and leadeth you into communion with God, which is called
by the apostle walking in the Spirit, Gal. v. 25, obey him speedily, for
delay is a plausible denial ; thoroughly doing all that he requireth of
you constantly, not sometimes only, when generally you neglect him.
The Spirit is a stranger to you in prayer, when you neglect his other
motions. There is a grieving the Spirit : Eph. iv. 30, ' And grieve
not the Holy Spirit, whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption ; '
a resisting the Spirit : Acts vii. 51, ' Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised
in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost ; ' and there is a
quenching the Spirit : 1 Thes. v. 19, ' Quench not the Spirit.'
4. Do not pride thyself with the assistance he giveth : Ps. xci. 15, ' He
shall call upon me, and I will answer him, and will be with him in
trouble, and I will deliver him.' Simon Magus would fain have the
power to work miracles : Acts viii. 19, * And when Simon saw that
through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was
given, he offered them money, saying, Give me also this power, that on,
whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. 1
VEB. 27.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vra. 243
SEBMON XXXVI.
And lie that searcheth the hearts Icnoiueth what is the mind of the
Spirit, because he maJceth intercession for the saints according
to the luill of God. KOM. viii. 27.
IN these words the former privilege is amplified. He had spoken of
the assistance we have from the Spirit ; now, acceptance. Those sighs
and groans which are stirred up in us by the Spirit are not without
fruit and success, for they are taken notice of and accepted by the
Lord. If they were confused and unintelligible groans or hasty sighs,
that die away and are gone like a puff of wind, the privilege were not
so much ; no, they are of greater regard than so ; they are observed and
rewarded by God ' And he that searcheth,' &c.
In the words we have
First > A property of God mentioned, that he searcheth the hearts.
Secondly, An inference thence, or an application to the matter in
hand He knoweth the mind of the Spirit.
Thirdly, A reason why those groans are not unprofitable Because
he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
God knoweth the meaning of them, and accepteth what is agreeable to
his will.
First, Let us consider the property of God which is here mentioned
' He that searcheth the hearts/ God needeth no search, but knoweth
all things by simple intuition ; but it is spoken after the manner of
men, who inquire and search into those things which they would know
more accurately and exactly ; and so it sets forth the infinite know
ledge of God.
Doct. They that come to worship God had need have their hearts
deeply possessed with a sense of his omnisciency.
I shall prove two things
1. That God is omniscient, and in particular doth know the hearts
of men.
2. That those that would worship before the Lord must soundly
believe and seriously consider this.
1. That the hearts of men lie open to the view of God is a truth
often inculcated in scripture, as in that speech of God to Samuel the
prophet, 1 Sam. xvi. 7. When Eliab, Jesse's eldest son, was brought
before Samuel, surely the. Lord's anointed is before him ; 'And the
Lord said, Look not on his countenance, nor on the height of his stature,
for I have refused him. The Lord seeth not as man seeth ; for man
looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.'
Man seeth things slightly and superficially, and judges of all things
according to the show and outside, for his sight can pierce no deeper ;
but God searcheth the heart and reins, knoweth who is, and will con
tinue to be, a faithful instrument of his glory : 1 Chron. xxviii. 9, 'And
thou, Solomon, my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him
with a perfect heart and a willing mind : for the Lord searcheth all
hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts.' A man
cannot sincerely frame himself to the service of God unless he doth
244 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [&ER. XXXVI.
first believe him to know all things, even our very thoughts, yea the
imaginations of the thoughts ; the first motions of the soul which set on
men to do what they do ; so Prov. xv. 11, ' Hell and destruction are
before the Lord, how much more the hearts of the children of men ? '
He compareth two things which are most unknown to us, the state of
the dead, and the hearts of men. God knoweth all those that are in
Sheol, the state of the dead, though they are unknown or forgotten by
the most of men. We know not what is become of the bodies or souls
of men, the number of the damned or the blessed ; but God keepeth
an exact account of all, he knoweth where their souls are, and their
bodies also, what is become of their dust, and how to restore to every
one their own flesh. And as he knoweth who are in the state ofthe
dead, so what are the thoughts and hearts of men now alive. The
thoughts of the heart are hidden from us till they be revealed by word
or action. Who can know our thoughts? What more swift and
sudden ? What more various, what more hidden, than our thoughts ?
Yet he knoweth them, not by guess or interpretation, but by immediate
inspection ; he seeth them before they are manifested by any overt act ;
he knoweth with what hopes and confidences and aims we are carried
on, in whose name we act, and upon what principles and ends. Again,
Jer. xvii. 9, 10, ' The heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked ;
who can know it ? I the Lord search the heart, and try the reins, even
to give every man according to his ways, and according to his doings/
The heart of man is altogether unknown to others, and very hard and
difficult to be discovered by ourselves ; there are so many sleights and
shifts and circuits and turnings to conceal and colour our actions. But
there is no beguiling of God, who hath an eye to discover the most
secret motions and inward intentions, and will accordingly deal with
men according to their deserts. But the scripture doth not only assert,
but argue this point
[1.] From the immensity and greatness of God ; God is in all, and
above all, and beyond all ; nowhere included, nowhere excluded. And
so his omnipresence doth establish the belief of his ommsciency :
Jer. xxiii. 23, 24, ' Am I a God at hand, and not a God afar off ? do not
I fill heaven and earth ? can any hide himself where I shall not see
him ? ' God is everywhere, here where you are ; nearer and more
intrinsic to us than our very souls. Therefore all we think, speak, or
do, is better known to him than it is to ourselves ; we do all as in his
sight, speak all as in his hearing, think all as in his presence ; that
which can be absent is not God ; you may be far from him, but he
is not far from every one of you.
[2.] From creation. He hath made our hearts, and therefore knoweth
our hearts : Ps. xciv. 9, 10, ' He that planted the ear, shall not he hear ?
He that formed the eye, shall not he see ? ' Surely he that made man
knoweth what is in man, and observeth what they do. The same argu
ment is urged, Ps. cxxxix. 13, ' Thou hast possessed my reins, for thoa
hast covered me in my mother's womb ; ' and again, Ps. xxxiii. 15, 'He
fashioneth their hearts alike, he considereth all their thoughts/ He
that hath so much wisdom to give you the power to think, knoweth the
acts ; if he hath given knowledge to the creatures, he himself hath it
in a more eminent degree. Nothing can be concealed from him who
VER. 27.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 245
hath creating power ; as he hath created all alike, he is able to discern
them severally one by one, and to understand all the operations of their
very hearts.
[3.] From God's government, which is twofold. First, powerful,
by his effectual providence, as he governeth all creatures ; secondly,
moral, by his laws, as he governeth the reasonable creature. Both infer
the point in hand.
(1.) The government of his effectual providence, which is necessary
to all our actions ; ' for in him we live, move, and have our being,' Acts
xvii. 28. All things move as he rnoveth them, in their natural
agency ; the creature can do nothing without him, and actually doth
all things by him ; his wisdom guideth, his will intendeth, his power
moveth and disposeth all. This is urged, Ps. cxxxix. 10, his hand leadeth
us, his right hand holdeth us up wherever we go ; that is, we are still
supported by his providential influence, and therefore we cannot be
hidden from him. Doth God support a creature whom he knoweth not,
in an action he understandeth not ? Therefore he is not regardless
of thy thoughts, words, and ways.
(2.) His moral government. He hath given a law to the reasonable
creature, and he will take an account whether it be kept or broken.
And therefore, since all persons and causes are to be judged by him, he
doth perfectly understand them, and every one of us is clearly and fully
known to God, both as to our hearts and actions, or else he were in
capable to judge us. This is often urged : Ps. xciv. 10, ' He that chastiseth
the nations, shall not he correct ? He that teacheth men knowledge, shall
not he know ? ' He that giveth laws to men demandeth exact obedience
to these precepts, and will chastise and punish men's disobedience.' So
Heb. iv. 13, ' All things are naked to the eyes of him with whom we
have to do ; ' that is, in the judgment.
2. That they that would worship God aright had need be deeply
possessed with this.
[1.] From the nature of worship in general, which is a converse with
God, or a setting ourselves immediately before the Lord. In solemn
duties we come to act the part of angels, and to behold the face of our
heavenly Father ; as in prayer we come to speak to God, and in the
word we come to hear God speak to us, in the Lord's supper to be feasted
at his table. God is everywhere with us, but we are not always and
everywhere with God ; we profess to be with him when we come to
worship, to turn back upon all other things, that we may stand before
the throne of God. Prayer is the most familiar converse with God
that we are capable of while we dwell in flesh, called therefore a visiting
of God, and an acquainting ourselves with him, a drawing nigh to him,
a calling upon God. It is unnecessary to cite places. Now none of
this can be done unless we believe him to be present and conscious to
all that we do or say, for all else is but an empty formality ; therefore,
when we pray, we must remember that we converse with him that
searcheth the heart, and knoweth what and how we ask ; as 1 Kings
viii. 39, ' Hear thou in thy dwelling-place, and forgive, and do to every
man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest ; for thou, even
thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men.' All the faith,
the seriousness, the comfort of prayer, dependeth upon the belief of this ;
246
SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXXVI.
for who would call upon him of whom he is not persuaded that he
heareth him, or be serious in a duty, that knoweth not whether God
regardeth, yea or no ? Or what comfort can be taken in having prayed
and made known his desires to God, unless he be persuaded those
prayers come unto the ears of the Lord of Hosts. So for hearing the
word, that which bindeth us to reverence is that we are in the sight
of God : Acts x. 33, ' We are all here present before the Lord, to hear
all things which are commanded thee of God ; ' otherwise men will
come to see and be seen rather than to be taught and instructed.
God is everywhere, but he is especially there where his ordinances are.
And we are to be so seriously attentive as if God himself did speak to
us by oracles, when his message is brought to us ; otherwise it will
have no effect upon us : 1 Thes. ii. 13, ' Ye received it not as the word
of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh
also in you that belieVe ; ' 2 Cor. v. 20, ' As though God did beseech you
by us.' We lift up our hearts to him, and set him before cur eyes, as
having to do with God himself ; this only begets seriousness in hearing.
So for the Lord's supper, which is a middle duty between the word and
prayer, and compounded of both ; we hear God tendering his covenant,
assuring us of his blessings promised, and commanding us to fulfil the
requisite duties, that we may be capable of them. We, promising and
praying, by resolving and promising testify our consent to the covenant
thus stated ; by prayers and groans, our dependence. Now there is no
covenanting with one that is absent. You will say he is present in his
institution ; he is so, and that is a help to faith ; therefore visible signs
are appointed to be an instance of God's presence with us, but all his
internal work is immediately transacted between our souls and God
himself. We look on him as present that seeth and heareth all, Deut.
x. 12. It is to the soul God speaketh, I am thy God : Ps. xxxv. 3, ' Say
unto my soul, I am thy salvation ; ' and the soul spake unto God, * Thou
art my portion, saith my soul.' Either as to promise of obedience, Ps.
cxix. ,57, or dependence, Lam. iii. 24. Two outward witnesses are
conscious to what is done between God and our souls ; so Ps. xvi. 2,
* my soul, thou hast said unto God, Thou art my God/ Upon this
inward soul-covenanting do all our privileges depend; and if God
knoweth not all things, nor engageth his heart to draw nigh unto him,
how can this be ?
[2.] From the danger of dissembling with God in acts of worship,
or putting him off with feigned pretences. The scripture sets forth
three phrases a mocking of God, a lying to God, and a tempting of God.
A mocking of God : Gal. vi. 7, ' Be not deceived, God is not mocked ;'
that is, impune, there is no escaping the accurate search of the all-seeing
ra/wl Ananias and Sapphira's sin was hypocrisy in keeping back part
God.
of what was devoted ; they would seem liberal and pious as others who
were joined to the church, and so, by a part of godliness, seek to be ex
cused from the whole. And whilst they observe externals, neglect inter
nals, own religion when profession is not costly, put on a garb of devotion
at times, but lay it aside ordinarily ; do what is plausible to men, but
neglect what is acceptable to God ; now this is called a lying to the
Holy Ghost, Acts v. 3. Why to the Holy Ghost, rather than the
Father and the Son ? Because of his special precedency and inspec-
VER. 27.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vin. 247
tion over church affairs: Acts xx. 28, 'Take heed therefore unto
yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made
you overseers ; ' Acts xv. 28, ' For it seemed good unto the Holy Ghost,
and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things.'
They pretended to do it hy his instinct ; as all Christians that pray,
profess or pretend to pray by the Holy Ghost. Oh ! observe this. Many
make a false confession of faith, or promise of obedience ; this is called
a lying, not to men, but to God, Acts v. 4. Oh ! then, we should be
exceedingly fortified against hypocrisy in worship ; it is to think to
deceive God, whom we profess to be omniscient ; nay, it is a tempting
of the Spirit of the Lord : ver. 9, ' How is it that ye have agreed together
to tempt the spirit of the Lord ? ' a putting it to the proof whether he
will discover us or no. Now, rather than run this hazard, it con-
cerneth us greatly and thoroughly to be possessed of this truth, that
God searcheth the heart.
[3.] There can be no true worship unless we be deeply possessed
with a thorough sense of the infinite knowledge of God.
(1.) There can be no faith unless the worship be performed and
tendered to God as an all-seeing spirit : Heb. xi. 6, * Without faith it
is impossible to please God ; for he that cometh to God must believe
that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him/
If God know me not, nor in what manner I serve him, it is all one
whether I serve him religiously, or with a cold, faint, formal worship ;
for he seeth not with what heart I go about it. If we pray, and think
to be never the better for praying, there can be no life in prayer ; for
a persuasion to be heard and accepted must be at the bottom of all
duties ; therefore all that would serve him diligently must believe that
he is omniscient, and knoweth all things.
(2.) There can be no reverence ; for it is all one to pray to an idol,
and to a God that heareth not and seeth not ; yea, it is worse, for they
were persuaded of a virtue or a divine power belonging to their idols ;
therefore all your worship will be but a conformity to the common
custom and fashion : Ezek. xxxiii. 31, ' They come before thee as thy
people cometh, and sit before thee as thy people ; and they hear thy
words, but they will not do them ; for with their mouth they show
much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness ;' it is but a
show of devotion.
Use 1. Is comfort to sincere worshippers.
1. God knoweth their persons ; that there is such a man in the world,
the desires of whose soul are to the remembrance of his name. It is
an usual temptation which haunteth the children of God, that in the
throng of his creatures he forgetteth us : Isa. xl. 27, ' My way is hid
from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over by my God ;' God
looketh not after me, taketh no notice of those things which concern
me, or regardeth not my cause and complaint. How doth God know
all things, and not know you ? All things are under a providence, but
his people are under a special providence. Christ saith of the sparrows,
Luke xii. 6, ' Not one of them is forgotten before God ;' and are his
children forgotten ? No, * Christ knoweth his sheep by name/ John x.
3 ; and to Moses, Exod. xxxiii. 12, ' I know thee by name/ A father
248 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [$ER. XXXVI.
cannot forget how many children he hath, though his family be never
so large and numerous.
2. He knoweth their condition, and wants, and weaknesses : Mat. vi.
32, ' Your heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of these things; 7
and ver. 8, 'Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of
before you ask him/ Yet asking is necessary, solemnly to act your
faith and dependence ; but he will not neglect or forget us ; his ornni-
sciency giveth all that have interest in him that hope.
3. Our prayers are heard, though never so secret : Mat. vi. 6, ' Thy
Father which seeth thee in secret shall reward thee openly/ though
confined within the closet of the heart : Acts ix. 11, ' And the Lord
said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Strait, and
inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold,
he prayeth.'
4. Our prayers sfiall be rightly understood. There are many good
motions known to God which we either will not or cannot take notice
of in ourselves ; as many times large affection to God overlooketh that
little good which is in us, but God doth not overlook it. It is well
when we can say as Peter, John xxi. 17, ' And he said unto him,
Lord thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee.' But he
owneth sincerity where we can scarce own it ; and many a serious soul
hath his condition safe before God, when he cannot count it so himself.
This is implied in this place.
Use 2. Caution. Let us take heed of all hypocrisy in prayer, or
putting ourselves into a garb of devotion when the temper of our hearts
suiteth not ; let not your lips pray without or against your hearts.
[1.] Without } 7 our hearts. That may be done two ways
(1.) When you pray words by rote, and all that while the tongue is
an utter stranger to the heart ; as some birds will counterfeit the
voice of a man, so many men do that of a saint, saying words pre
scribed by others or invented by themselves, without life and affection;
this is to personate and act a part before God, complaining of burdens
we feel not, and expressing desires we have not. In these is verified
that of our Saviour : Mat. xv. 8, ' This people draweth nigh unto me
with their mouth, and honoureth 'me with their lips, but their heart
is far from me ;' or that of the prophet : Jer. xii. 2, ' Thou art near in
their mouth, and far from their reins ; ' they do but compliment God
with empty formalities.
(2.) When we pray cursorily, or use a few general words that serve
all turns and persons alike, but are not suited and fitted to our case.
Unless all your confessions and desires be particular, they do not affect
the heart ; for generals are but notions, and pierce not very deep : 1
Kings viii. 38, * What prayer and supplication shall be made for any
man, or by all the people, which shall know every man the plague of
his own heart ; ' that is the sin whereby his own conscience and heart
is smitten, and thereby moved to pray. It is easy to spend invectives
against sin in the general ; this doth not come close enough to stir up
deep compunction and holy desires. We pray of course, but do not
bemoan ourselves, and draw forth our earnest requests for the things
we stand in need of. Names are prized when we hate the thing, and
names are hated when we love the thing.
VER. 27.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vin. 249
[2.] Against the heart ; when you are loath to leave the sin which
you seem to pray against ; or ask that grace which you have no mind
to have : Ps. Ixvi. 18, ' If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will
not hear me/ He that asketh for that grace he would not have, doth
but lie to God.
Now, to quicken you to this caution, take these considerations
(1.) No wandering thought in prayer is hidden from God: Job xlii.
2, ' No thought can be withh olden from thee ;' from his notice and
knowledge : Ps. cxxxix. 2, ' Thou knowest my thoughts afar off;' your
thoughts are as visible to God as your words are audible to men.
(2.) God most abhorreth our prayers when we pray with an idol in
our hearts : Ezek. xiv. 3, 'These men have set up idols in their hearts,
should I be inquired of them ? saith the Lord/ They were resolved
what to do, yet would ask counsel of God ; as many now would keep
their lusts, yet pray against them ; as if the very complaining were a
discharge of their duty, without detesting, without endeavouring.
(3.) Above all things, God looketh to the spirit, what the poise and
bent of the heart is: Prov. xvi. 2, 'God weigheth the spirit/ The
Spirit puts us in the balance of the sanctuary ; therefore look to prin
ciples, ends, and aims.
(4.) That in covenanting with God there may be a moral sincerity
where there is not a supernatural sincerity : Deut. v. 28, 29, ' I have
heard the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee;
they have well said all that they have spoken. Oh that there were
such an heart in them that they would fear me, and keep all my com
mandments always ! ' They dissembled not for the time, which may
happen in two cases by some impendent or incumbent judgment, as
when people are frightened into a little religiousness, or in a pang of
devotion or solemn worship. Now this should make us cautelous.
Bring to God the best desires and purposes that you have, but rest
not in them, but get them strengthened yet more and more, that our
sincerity may be verified and evidenced.
Secondly, I come now to the second thing God 'knoweth the mind
of the Spirit/
Doct. That it is a comfort to God's children that the Lord knoweth
what kind of spirit is working in prayer.
Here I shall do three things
1. Show the different spirit that worketh in prayer.
2. In what sense God is said to know the mind of the Spirit.
3. Why this is such a comfort to God's children.
1. The different spirit that may work in prayer. I shall take notice
of a fourfold spirit
[1.] The natural spirit of a man, seeking its own welfare, which is
not a sin ; for God put it into us ; and such an inclination there was
in Christ himself : Mat. xxvi. 39, ' my Father ! if it be possible, let
this cup pass from me ; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt ; '
and John xii. 27, 28, ' Father, save me from this hour ; but for this
cause came I to this hour/ There was the innocent desire of his
human nature to be freed from the burden ; but his greater respect to
God's glory and the public benefit of mankind made him submit to it.
His human nature was to show a reasonable aversation from what was
250 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXXVI.
destructive to it; but his resolved will was to submit to God, and
overcome all impediments. Take the instance lower. Nature
prompted Paul to ask freedom from the thorn in the flesh; but
grace taught him to submit to God's will. Paul sinned not in
having or giving vent to the natural inclination; but the spiritual
instinct must guide and overrule it. So when we ask natural con
veniences we sin not, but yet this is not the spirit which God
heareth in prayer. 'Christ was heard, in that he feared/ Heb. v.
7 ; yet the cup did not pass away, but he was supported ; so Paul was
heard, not for the removal of the thorn in the flesh, but for sufficient
grace : 2 Cor. xii. 9, 'And he said unto me, my grace is sufficient for
thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.'
[2.] There is a carnal, sinful spirit, which may be working in prayer ;
as when the disciples called for fire from heaven, Christ telleth them,
Luke ix. 55, ' Ye know not of what spirit ye are of.' Men often mis
carry in prayer, being blinded either by an erring judgment, or their
carnal passions.
(1.) By an erring judgment. They put their false conceits and opinions
ink) their prayers, and so would engage God, as Balaam sought by
building altars, against his own people. This kind of praying, it is
a begging of God to do the devil's work, to destroy his own kingdom,
and suppress his most serious worshippers to gratify the faction that
opposeth them. Nothing is so cruel and bloody but false and partial
zeal will put men upon, if their judgments be once tainted ; they think
the killing of others is doing God good service, John xvi. 2. Their
devotions will be soon tainted also ; for men that follow a blind con
science will hallow and consecrate their rage and cruelty by prayer
and solemn worship : Isa. Ixvi. 5, ' Your brethren that hate you, that
cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified ; ' thence
the old by- word, In nomine Domini incipit omne malum ; prayer is
made a preface to cruelty. Now it is a comfort to the faithful that
God will not hear these prayers ; he knows what is the mind of the
Spirit.
(2.) By carnal passions and desires. Fleshly interest breedeth par
tiality ; and men think God should hear them in their worldly requests.
The motions of the flesh are very earnest, for corrupt nature would fain
be pleased : James iv. 3, c Ye ask and have not, because ye ask amiss,
that ye may consume it upon your lusts ; ' it is the flesh prayeth, and
not the spirit ' You ask meat for your lusts,' Ps. Ixxviii. 18. When
their wants were abundantly supplied, yet they remained querulous and
unsatisfied ; they must have dainties as well as necessaries, as if God's
providence must serve their carnal appetites. In these and such like
cases the flesh prayeth, and not the spirit ; but Christ will not put
this dross into his golden censer, nor perfume our lusts with his sweet
incense.
J3.] The new nature, called also spirit, which inclineth us to God
heaven : Zech, xii. 10, ' I will pour upon them the spirit of grace
and supplication.' This prompteth and urgeth us to ask spiritual and
heavenly things ; and such kind of requests are most pleasing to God,
1 Kings iii. 10 ; those things which are necessary to God's glory and
our salvation. There is what the flesh savoureth and what the spirit
VER. 27.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 251
savoureth. The wisdom of the flesh perverteth and diverteth hearts/
from God and heaven to base, low things, such as the good things of
this world pleasures, riches, honours. But the spirit, or the renewed
part, savoureth other things. What is the savouring of the spirit?
What the new nature would be at, or chiefly desireth. And it is a
truth that the same spirit which is predominant at other times will
work in prayer ; for the desires follow the constitution and frame of
the heart : Kom. viii. 5, ' For they that are after the flesh do mind the
things of the flesh ; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the
spirit.' As their constitution is, so will their gust be ; and this taste
and relish will show itself in all things, even in their prayers and
devotions ; and whatever their words be, the working of their hearts
are according to their universal bent and temper.
[4.] The Holy Spirit of God : Jude 20, ' Praying in the Holy Ghost/
His assistance is necessary to prayer, not only to sanctify our hearts,
but to excite our desires and direct our addresses to God ; so that we
are enabled and raised to perform this duty with more ardency and
regularity than we of ourselves could attain unto. A Christian hath
both flesh and spirit in him, and they remain in him as active prin
ciples, always lusting against each other, Gal. v. 17. In prayer we feel
it ; for the saints speak sometimes in a mixed dialect, half the language
of Ashdod and half of Canaan, both of the flesh and of the spirit, only
the one overruleth the other by the power of the Holy Ghost. Take
it in either property of prayer confidence, or fervency of desire.
(1.) For confidence: Jonah ii. 4, 'I said, I am cast out of thy
sight ; yet I will look again to thy holy temple.' There is a plain
conflict between faith and unbelief ; unbelief's words are first out, as if
we were utterly rejected out of God's care and favour ; yet faith will
not suffer us to keep off from God, and therefore corrects and unsaith
again what unbelief had said before ; ' Yet I will look again to thy
holy temple,' try what God will do for me. So Ps. xciv. 18, ' When
I said, My foot slippeth ; thy mercy, Lord, held me up ; ' yet there
is relief in God when all their own confidence and courage faileth
them.
(2.) In point of fervency. The flesh valueth, esteemeth, earnestly
craveth temporal mercies ; fancieth a condition of health, wealth,
liberty, and worldly conveniencies, as best for us. We admire carnal
happiness, Ps. cxliv; but the spirit corrects the judgment of the flesh.
There is a higher and better happiness ; and that we should mainly
seek after, and all our worldly interests should be subordinated there
unto. Now it is not merely the spirit or new nature in us which doth
hold out in these conflicts, but the new nature assisted by the Spirit of
God, who helpeth us in all our infirmities, and to whom religious
manners showeth we must ascribe all that we have and do. All our
faith and fervency cometh from him ; and without his assistance we
should either sink under the difficulties, or be cold and careless in our
requests.
2. In what sense God is said to know the mind of the Spirit.
1. By way of distinction.
2. By way of approbation.
[1.] By way of distinction. God perfectly knoweth the mind and
252 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXXVI.
intention of those groans which the Spirit exciteth in his own children ;
he knoweth what cometh from the natural, what from the carnal, what
from the divine Spirit ; to what principles these motions belong. For
he ' weigheth the spirits,' Prov. xvi. 2 ; that is, he doth so exactly know
them, as if they were put into a balance ; what principles, motives, and
aims we are acted by ; and observe th not only the matter of the prayer,
but the disposition of the petitioner ; whether the frame of his heart
be Christian and gospel-like ; humble, holy, and heavenly ; or else it
hath a carnal bias upon it.
[2.] He knoweth by way of approbation, that he doth regard and
accept the groans of the spirit ; for words of knowledge imply allow
ance, respect, approbation ; as Ps. i. 6, ' God knoweth the way of the
righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish ; ' approveth, favoureth,
prospereth, as the opposite clause manifesteth. As Christ's not know
ing the wicked implieth their rejection, Mat. vii. 23 : so he knoweth
the mind of the Spirit, he doth regard and accept of what is of the
Spirit in prayer. The groans of believers are more than the pompous
petitions of hypocrites ; it is not luscious eloquence which God regardeth,
but serious devotion ; if there be holy breathings after communion with
him ; if your prayers be not senseless, without a due feeling of your
necessities and wants ; nor heartless, without a desire of the graces and
mercies you stand in need of, God will accept you.
3. Why this is such a comfort and benefit to the children of God.
[1.] God's knowledge by way of distinction between the moans of
nature and the groans of the Spirit.
(1.) Because sometimes they do not speak in prayer, but join with
others ; you make it your prayer if you accompany it with your sighs
and groans ; it is not the speaker only, but all that consent by the
serious motions of their hearts. When the gifted prayed in the
primitive church, the ZSwr???, the private person we translate it ' the
unlearned * was to say amen, 1 Cor. xiv. 16 ; and then it was his prayer
as much as the prayer of him that spake ; their hearty amen was
signaculum fidei, et votum desiderii, a hearty assent to the prayer,
or a hearty expression of their earnest desire.
(2.) Sometimes they cannot speak and put their desires into a lan
guage, as oppressed with troubles. God knoweth the secret groans of our
hearts, when you cannot give them the vent of expression : Ps. xxxviii.
9, ' Lord, all my desire is before thee ; my groaning is not hid from thee.'
The soul is so confounded that we cannot put our desires into distinct
thoughts and words ; but yet they are as formal speech before God, for
he can interpret the most secret motions of our hearts : Exod. ii. 24 r
' God heard their groans, and remembered his covenant ; ' Ps. xii. 5,
f For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will
I arise, saith the Lord ; ' Ps. vi. 8. * For the Lord hath heard the voice
of my weeping. ' Such sighs, groans, tears, have an intelligible language
in heaven. .
(3.) Sometimes they dare not speak. For the prophet telleth us of
an evil time when 'the prudent will keep silence/ Amos v. 13 ; and
another prophet speaketh when a man cannot ' trust in a friend/ and
must ' keep the door of his mouth from her that lieth in his bosom/
Micah vii. 5 ; when they dare not speak against that which they cannot
VER. 27.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 253
mend, scarce dare peep or mutter or bemoan themselves, or plead with
God. Such is the iniquity of the times, the guard is put upon them ;
then God knoweth the desires of their hearts, and smothered griefs
and concealed complaints.
(4.) Sometimes they are slandered when they speak ^by the scoffing
atheist or carnal world, who know not the Spirit and his holy motions,
because their heart is wholly devoted to sensual and earthly things ;
the best strains of devotion are mocked at, and all that suiteth not
with their carnal way is counted folly : 1 Peter iv. 4, ' Speaking evil of
you ; ' and ver. 14, ' On their part the Spirit is evil spoken of.' The
world, when they hear of believers praying in the Spirit, they scoff at
it ; as those, Acts ii. 13, when the Holy Ghost came upon the apostles,
some ' mocked, saying, These men are full of new wine ; ' so when any
thing of God more than ordinary appeareth in them, they deride it.
They are not skilled in the motions of the Spirit when they are earnest. '
Festus thought Paul mad, and beside himself, Acts xxvi. 24. _ The wis
dom of the flesh is emnity against God, and cannot judge aright of his
ways and motions. But now it is a comfort that God will put 1 another
kind of construction upon the Spirit's working than the world doth ;
they call evil good, and good evil ; but God can distinguish ; they are
incompetent judges, having no savour and relish of these things. Many
things suit not with the corrupt sense of men, that are yet agreeable to
God's holy will ; and that which is slandered in the world is owned by
God ; and how much soever they are contradicted and scoffed at, yet
they enjoy sweet and real communion with him. Though the world
knoweth not this Spirit, yet God knoweth and owneth it, as the event
declareth.
(5.) Sometimes they themselves find it hard to interpret their duty,
and judge what is flesh and what is spirit, but yet God knoweth the
mind of the Spirit ; and when they set themselves to converse with God
in the best fashion they can, the Lord granteth the desires of their hearts :
Ps. Ixvi. 19, * Verily God hath heard, he hath attended to the voice of
my prayer/ We find our prayers are not rejected by God ; he hath
some doubt of it, as appeareth in the verses before and after ; and so
took it as a token of his sincerity. God, who cannot patronise any sin,
had been pleased to give him his approbation.
(6.) The saints that are little satisfied in their work plead their
desires: Nehem. i. 11, ' Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be
attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy ser
vants who desire to fear thy name ; ' and Isa. xxvi. 9, ' With my soul
have I desired thee in the night ; yea, with my spirit will I seek thee
right early.'
(7.) The children of God may be the better satisfied in his provi
dence and favours to them ; for God will hear so much of the prayer as
cometh from the Spirit. We ask natural conveniences to a certain
end; God will not always give the means, but the end shall be pro
moted ; he knoweth whether the means will prove a mercy, yea or no,
or the end be promoted by these means or other. Now they desire
the spirit may be heard, not the flesh. Abraham would have the pro
mise fulfilled, and pitcheth on Ishmael : Gen. xvii. 18, ' Oh that Ishmael
might live before thee ! ' But God intended a better way by Isaac. If
254 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [$ER. XXXVI.
he give us our will, it is in anger ; that is our prayer ; but the Spirit's
prayer is to glorify God, and according to the will of God. God's
answer is according to the mind of the Spirit.
[2.] God's knowing by way of approbation, that he will accept and
regard the prayer stirred up in us by his Spirit. The reason is given
in the text, ' because he maketh requests for the saints according to
the will of God/ In which clause we have
1. The work ' he maketh intercession/
2. The persons for whom * for the saints.'
3. The rule, nature, or kind of intercession Kara Sebv, ' according
to the will of God.'
Let us, 1st, Open these things, 2dly, Consider why the prayer so
made must needs be acceptable and pleasing to God.
1. The work of ..the Spirit ' he maketh intercession ; * that is,
exciteth and directeth us to pray ; he employeth and maketh use of our
faculties, mind and heart and tongue ; yea, of our graces, faith, hope,
and love. Of faith to believe God's being and providence, both as to his
present government, internal or external, or as to the future and eternal
recompenses. This faith is the life of prayer ; for ' how shall they call
on him in whom they have not believed ? ' Eom. x. 14, and Heb. xi. 6
Of our hope ; looking for these things, we ask of him according to his
will ; otherwise prayer is but a wearisome, fruitless task : Mai. iii. 14,
' It is in vain to serve God ; what profit is it to call upon him ? ' When
we expect what we ask, there is more life in asking : Ps. cxxx. 5, * I
wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope ; ' that
is the posture of the soul in prayer. And for love ; for here we come
to show our hearty groans after everything which will bring us nearer
to God. Surely they that call upon God aright are they which ' delight
themselves in the Almighty/ Job xxvii. 10. The duty is an act of
love ; and the life of the duty cometh from the fervency of our love, for
it is a solemn expression of our desires. If God be our portion, we will
thirst after him, and express our desires after what conduceth to com
munion with him. Thus the Spirit maketh use of our faculties and
graces ; he strengtheneth our faith, quickeneth our love, and stirreth
up our hope ; so that, as it is said, Mat. x. 20, c It is not ye speak, but
the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you ; ' when he doth enable
us to speak what is fit and proper before the tribunals of men. So he
maketh intercession when he enableth understanding creatures to speak
what is fit and proper before the throne of grace, what will become
faith, hope, and love.
2. The persons for whom he prayeth 'for the saints/ for two-
reasons
[1.] Because the saints only are acquainted with these operations :
1 Cor. ii. 14, ' The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit ; '
and John xiv. 17, | Whom the world cannot receive, because they know
him not and see him not/ They do not regard his motions and opera
tions, but have their eyes fixed upon this world, and the sins and
vanities thereof ; they have no mind to employ him, though he offereth
himself to them, but the saints cannot live without him.
[2.] These are only fit to converse with God in prayer. The persons
are qualified for audience and acceptance with God, and may obtain
VEE. 27.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 255
whatsoever in reason and righteousness we can ask of him : 1 John iii.
22, ' And whatsoever we ask we receive, because we keep his command
ments, and do what is pleasing in his sight.' None else are in grace
and favour with God, and in a receiving posture, according to the terms
of the promise ; none but such as are justified, sanctified, and live in
obedience to him : Prov. xv. 8, ' The sacrifice of the wicked is an
abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is his delight ; '
John ix. 31, ' God heareth not sinners ; but if any man be a worshipper
of God, and doth his will, him he heareth ; ' and James v. 16, ' The
fervent effectual prayer of a righteous man availeth much ;' and Ps. Ixvi.
18, ' If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me ; ' so
Prov. xxviii. 9, ' He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law,
even his prayer is an abomination ; ' these, and many more places, show
who are they who have God's ear. The saints, and none but they ;
who are careful to avoid all known sin, and make conscience of per
forming all known duty. Then you will have a large share in his
heart and love ; and he will be near you when you call upon him, to
counsel, quicken, and direct you, and, give you answers of grace upon
all occasions.
3. The rule, nature, or kind of this intercession he puts us upon ;
Kara Qebv is the same with /caOb Bel, ver. 26, ' according to the
will of God,' for matter and manner, and ask lawful things, to a holy
and lawful end.
[!.] The matter of the prayer : 1 John v. 14, 15, 'And this is the
confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to
his will, he heareth us.'
What is the meaning of that, ' According to his will ' ?
Answer (1.) With conformity to his revealed will. (2.) With due
submission to and reservation of his secret will.
(1.) With conformity to his revealed and commanding will : that we
ask nothing unjust and unholy, as if we would have God to bless us in
some unlawful purpose, or, being biassed by envy, revenge, or any corrupt
and carnal affection, ask anything contrary to piety, justice, charity, or
that holy, meek spirit which should be in Christians. Unlawful desires
vented in prayer are a double evil, as they are contrary to God's com
manding will, and as they are presented to him in prayer to accomplish
what we desire by his help, as we would have him accommodate his
providence to fulfil our lusts.
(2.) With a due reservation of and submission to his secret and de
creeing will. The things we ask of God are of three sorts First, Barely
lawful ; so is every indifferent thing, as when Moses would fain enter
into Canaan. We cannot say God will give us such things ; God
denied it to Moses ; ' Let it suffice thee, speak no more of this matter,
Deut. iii. 22. God would only give him a Pisgah sight. Secondly, Not
only lawful, but commanded, such a thing as may fall within the com
pass of our duty ; as when parents ask the conversion of their children,
or children beg the continuance of their parents' life, it is not only law
ful, but commanded ; yet God disposeth of the event as it pleaseth him.
Thirdly, Some things are absolutely good and necessary for us, as the
gift of the Holy Spirit, Luke xi. 13. Such God will give. But in the two
former things we must use the means, but refer the event to God, who
256 SfcRMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXXVI.
can best dispose of us to his own glory ; for though the thing be lawful,
though it be good, yet it beareth these exceptions First, If it be not
contrary to any decree of God, and cross not the harmony of his pro
vidence. Would we have God rescind and disorder his wise counsels
for our sake ? Secondly, If it be not inconvenient and hurtful for us ;
but of that God will be judge. Some present temporal good may be a
cause of future inconvenience ; and something bitter now, may be after
ward found wholesome. God knbweth whether life or death be best, a
present riddance of troubles or a continuance of them ; therefore it
followeth, ver. 28, 'All things shall work together for good to them that
love God.' That which is apprehended as evil may turn to good;
therefore these things should not be peremptorily asked, but with limi
tation and exception of God's will ; as our Lord Christ, Mat. xxvi.
39, ' And he went a little farther, and fell on his face and prayed, saying,
my Father ! if it be possible, let this cup pass from me ; nevertheless,
not as I will, but as thou wilt.' It is one thing to believe for certain that
God will grant our petition with this condition, if the grant be for his
glory and our good, and another thing to believe absolutely that he
will not deny the particular thing we ask of him, without such exception
and reservation. It is not for us to determine what is most conducing
to God's glory and desirable for us; we must commit and submit to
God, to our heavenly Father, who is never backward to our good, and
will certainly guide all things for the best.
[2.] The manner.
(1.) With faith. What faith have we in prayer ? With respect to
God, that he is able and willing to help his people ; that we need not
run to other shifts, and be divided between God and carnal means,
James i. 6-8. As to the acceptance of our persons, we must pray
that we do not weaken our confidence by any allowed sin : 1 John iii.
20, 21, 'For if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts,
and knoweth all things ; if our hearts condemn us not, then have we
confidence towards God ; ' we sin away our peace, and then cannot
come cheerfully to God. As to the particular blessings asked, necessary,
that are absolutely promised, must be absolutely expected. But the
promise of the common blessings of this life is not absolute ; these
things are dispensed as shall be for God's glory and our good. The
saints themselves express themselves with some hesitancy about these
things, though inclined to hope the best ; as David, 2 Sam. xii. 22,
* Who can tell whether the Lord will not be gracious to me, that the
child may live ? ' God knoweth what we most really want, and what
is most agreeable to our desires, being able to choose for us better
than we can for ourselves : Joel ii. 14, * Who knoweth if he will return
and leave a blessing ? '
(2.) With fervency, or that life and seriousness which will become
addresses to God : Mat. vii. 7, 'Ask, seek, knock ; ' we are not in good
earnest unless we set ourselves to seek the Lord, Dan. ix. 3. Christ
taught us to pray in two parables; one for the Spirit, Luke xi., by a
man coming to his friend for loaves at midnight ; for right done to the
church, Luke xviii. 1, in the parable of the widow and unjust judge.
Persevere till prayer be answered, Mat. xv. 26, 27 ; keep wrestling and
striving with God : Bom. xv. 30, < Now I beseech you, brethren, for
VER. 27.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 257
the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye
strive together with me in your prayers to God for me.'
(3.) With humility ; we must come as 'less than the least of his
mercies,' Gen. xxxii. 10; Ezra ix. 6, '0 my God, I am ashamed, and
blush to lift up my face to thee my God ; ' as the publican, Luke xviii.
13, 'God be merciful to me a sinner ;' as Abraham, Gen. xviii. 27,
4 Behold now I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, who am
but dust and ashes.'
(4.) With holy ends, that God may be glorified : John xiv. 13,
' And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the
Father may be glorified in the Son ;' in the Spirit, John xvi. 14, ' He
vshall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto
you ;' Ps. cxv. 1, * Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy
name give glory ;' Joel ii. 14, 'Who knoweth if he will return and
repent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meat offering and a
drink offering unto the Lord our God ? '
2dly, The reasons why the prayers so made must be acceptable
to God.
1. Because here all the divine persons concur. We pray according to
God's will, in Christ's name and mediation, by the motion and instinct
of the Spirit. Every one is a ground of hope ; therefore it will not be
lost labour, or breath poured out into the air : 2 Sam. xiv. 1, ' When
Joab perceived that the king's heart was towards Absalom, ' he makes
use of the advantage. Christ's merit breeds confidence : Heb. x. 19,
' Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the
blood of Jesus.' And then the Spirit's motion ; God accepteth what
cometh from himself : Ps. x. 17, ' Lord, thou hast heard the desire of
the humble, thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to
hear/ what is excited and stirred up in us by his Spirit.
2. On man's part, the person is qualified, the petition just, the end
right, and the heart excited.
Use. Is to show us what prayers are heard ; such as (1.) cometh
from God, and (2.) are made to God. Certainly such shall be dealt
with as friends ; God will bestow marks of abundant favour upon
them, and reward their love and obedience by hearing their prayers ; he
delights to do great things for their sakes, and will have it known that
their supplication is acceptable to him. Oh ! pray thus by the Spirit.
1. Is your prayer such a prayer as cometh from God? such a prayer
as is inspired by the Spirit, holy and fervent ? Holy, for he is a holy
and heavenly spirit, and puts us mainly upon holy and heavenly things ;
things that always make us better, not worse ; and in other things
referring our choices to God, what he liketh and thinketh best for us,
not what we do for ourselves : * not my will, but thine be done.' Then
fervent, Se^o-t? evepyovfievq : James v. 16, ' The fervent effectual prayer
of a righteous man,' when it looketh like wrestling with God.
2. To God. Like worship relating to God, it hath the stamp of his
nature upon it. Some of his attributes relate to his mercy and goodness,
some to his majesty and greatness; the one is seen in the joy of our
faith and confidence, by our delight to converse with him ; the other
in our humility and deep reverence of God, when we come to him as
poor undone creatures without his grace.
VOL. XII. H
258 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIIL [SER. XXXVII.
SERMON XXXVII.
And toe know that all things work together for good to them that love
God, to them ivho are the called according to his purpose. ROM.
viii. 28.
IN the former verse the apostle telleth us how the Spirit maketh.
intercession for the saints, what God liketh and thinketh best for them,
not what they like themselves most profitable, though not most pleasing.
Green fruit is most pleasing to the appetite of the child, but the parent
knoweth it is not so wholesome ; on the other side, medicinal potions are
bitter, but they tend to health ; therefore, though the afflictions continue,
God may hear ourr prayers, for we find this best for us in the issue,
' And we know/ &c.
In the words
First, A privilege. Secondly, The persons qualified.
In the privilege, observe First, The certainty of it And ive know.
Secondly, The nature of it ; and there
[1.] The extent of it All things; prosperity, adversity, all the
varieties of conditions we pass through.
[2.] The manner of working Work together, with the Spirit say
some, cooperantur, nonper se operantur. This is a truth, but not of this
place. The poisonous ingredients which are used in a medicine do good,
not of themselves, but as ordered and tempered by the skill of the
physician. Rather ' work together/ omnia semel adjumenta sunt, as
Beza paraphrastically rendereth it ; singly they are against us, if we look
upon providences by pieces, as there is no beauty in the scattered pieces
that are framed for a building till they are all set together ; so men look
upon God's work by halves.
[3.] The end and issue ; for good. Sometimes for good temporal, for
our greater preservation ; but rather for good spiritual, the increase of
grace ; chiefly for eternal good, to fit us and prepare us for the blessedness
of the everlasting estate : this is the privilege.
Secondly, A description of the persons who enjoy it.
1. By their act towards God To them that love God, believing his
mercy and goodness in Christ. They love him above all things, and are
willing to hazard and venture all things for him.
2. God's act or work upon them ; they are effectually called To them
ivho are the called according to purpose. There is a distinctive term
by which God's purpose is intended ; they are called ; not obiter, by the
by, as they live within the hearing and sound of the gospel, but accord
ing to God's eternal purpose, and the good pleasure of his grace.
I begin with the privilege.
Doct. That all things that befall God's children in this life are directed
by his providence to their eternal happiness.
First, I shall explain this point with respect to the circumstances of
the text. Secondly, Give a more general state of the case. The first
will be done
1. By opening the nature of the privilege.
2. The certainty of it.
VER. 28.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIIL 259
1. The nature of it ; and there we begin with
[1.] The extent ' All things.' It must be limited by the context,
which speaketh of the afflictions of the saints.
(1.) All manner of sufferings and trials for righteousness' sake, such
as reproaches, stripes, spoiling of goods, imprisonment, banishment,
death, all such kind of things. Keproaches are as dung cast upon the
grass, which seemeth to stain it for a while, but afterwards it springeth
up with a fresher verdure. Stripes are painful to the flesh, but occasion
greater joy to the soul ; as Paul and Silas after they were scourged
sung at midnight in the stocks, Acts xvi. Spoiling of goods stirreth
up serious reflections on a more enduring substance ; the hopes whereof
we have in ourselves, Heb. x. 34. Imprisonment doth but shut us up
from temptations, that we may be at liberty for a more free converse
with God ; as Tertullian telleth his martyrs ' You went out of prison
when you went into prison, and were but sequestered from the world
for more intimacy with the Holy Ghost.' So b.anishment ; every place
is alike near to heaven, and the whole earth is the Lord's, and the ful
ness thereof. They know no banishment that know no home here in
the world ; but because we have an affection to our natural comforts,
especially to the place of our service, God is wont to recompense his
exiles with an increase of spiritual blessings ; as John had his revelations
when banished to Patmos, Kev. i. 9. Death doth but hasten our glory ;
if the guest be turned out of the old house, you ' have a building of
God, eternal in the heavens,' 2 Cor. v. 1, and so do but leave a shed
to live in a palace. Though your life be forced out by the violence of
men, the sword is but the key to open heaven's doors for you, and you
are freed from hard task-masters to go home to your gracious Lord.
(2.) Ordinary afflictions incident to men. Are you pained with sick
ness, and roll to and fro on your bed, like a door on the hinges, through
the restless weariness of the flesh ? Many times we are best when we
are weakest, and the pains of the body help to the invigorating and re
newing the inward man, 2 Cor iv. 16. In heaven you shall have ever
lasting ease, for that is a state of rest. Have you lost children ? If
God give you a better name than sons and daughters, you have no cause
to complain, Isa. Ivi. 5. It is honour enough to you that you are chil
dren of God ; if poor and destitute, yet if rich in the gifts and graces of
the Spirit, it is made up to you : Eev. ii. 9, ' I know thy poverty, but
thou art rich/ But it is not expedient to name all cases ; whatever the
calamity and affliction be, God knoweth how to turn it to good, so that
though we restrain ' all things ' to the context, it is large enough for
our consolation.
But is there not more in it? for men are always given to over-
gospeling and enlarging their privileges doth it not comprehend sin ?
Answer, No, not in the intention of the apostle. God hath not made a
promise that all the sins of believers shall work for their good. It is
true God made advantage of the sins of the world for the honouring
of the grace in Christ, Kom v. 16, 17. It should be our care that Satan
may be a loser, and Christ have more honour by every sin we commit.
True repentance can draw good out of sin itself, to be a means of our
hatred and mortification of it ; so love and gratitude to our Redeemer :
Luke vii. 47, ' Her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved
260 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXXVII.
much ; but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little/ Sin doth
not do good as sin, but as repented of ; it is not the sin, but the repent
ance. But for the proof of this 1. Then it would destroy the qualifi
cation mentioned in the text ' Those that love God.' Our love is a love
of duty ; none love God but those that obey him and keep his com
mandments. 2. To assure us aforehand that our sins would turn to our
good would open a gap to looseness, and is contrary to the usual
methods of God in his word, who commands obedience, with a promise
of increase of grace, and threateneth disobedience, and punisheth it
also, by hardness of heart, and a tradition, or giving us up to vile
affections. Now there would be no reconciling these passages if God
assured us by promise that our sins should turn to good, and yet
sins be punished with blindness of mind and hardness of heart.
3. If any should object, they mean infirmities, not grievous and heinous
sins ; yet even then they see a reason to limit this universal particle,
irdvTa, and so have lost the advantage. But whether they limit it
enough, let us see. It is one thing to say they shall not hurt us ; it is
another to say they shall conduce to our good, or are means appointed
to that end. 4. If God make use of our infirmities for our
good, it is to be ascribed to his grace, who bringeth good out of so
great an evil ; as David by his fall got wisdom, Ps. li. 6 ; it was the
Lord's mercy that made him thereby more sensible of his duty, watch
ful over a naughty heart. But this is no natural effect of sin ; and to
say God hath promised it, it would tempt us to omit our caution, and
so we should lose this benefit. God, of his wonderful grace, may
do many things which he does not think fit to assure us of by
promise. 5. We see many Christians fall from some degrees of grace
which they never afterwards recover again, though preserved in the
state of grace for the main. God will not vouchsafe to them such a
liberal portion of his Spirit as they had before. Jehoshaphat is said,
2 Chron. xvii. 3, to have ' walked in the first ways of his father
David ; ' his first ways were his best ways, when he kept himself free
from those scandalous crimes he fell into in his latter time.
But doth it not imply that our prosperity shall turn to good, as well
as adversity?
Answer, Though it be not formally expressed in this place, which
speaketh only of sufferings and afflictions, yet it is virtually included.
For, 1. God keepeth off, or bringeth on the cross as it worketh for our
good ; and all providences wherein the elect are concerned are over
ruled by his grace for their good: Cant. iv. 16, ' Awake, north wind,
and come, thou south, blow upon my garden, that the spices therein
may flow out.' Out of what corner soever the wind bloweth, it blow-
eth good to the saints, the sharp north wind or the sultry south wind.
2. It is a threatening to them that do not love God, that their pros
perity tendeth to their hurt: Ps. Ixix. 22, 'Let their table become
a snare, and that which should be for their welfare become a trap/
Their worldly comforts serve to harden their hearts in sin. 3. The
sanctifying of their prosperity is included in a Christian's charter : 1
Cor. iii. 21-23, ' All things are yours , life or death, the present
world and the future world, because you are Christ's, and Christ is
God's ; ' their prosperity cometh from the love of God, and tendeth to
VER. 28.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vni. 261
their good. Therefore let this be included, though afflictions are
chiefly spoken of in the context.
[2.] The manner of bringing it about ' They work together/ Take
anything single and apart, and it seemeth to be against us. We must
distinguish between a part of God's work and the end of it. We
cannot understand God's providence till he hath done his work ; he
is an impatient spectator that cannot tarry till the last act, wherein
all errors are reconciled ; as Christ told Peter, John xiii. 6, 7, ' What
I dothou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter.' We are
much in the dark ; we look only to present sense and appearance ; his
purposes are hidden from us ; for the agent is ' wise in counsel and
excellent in working.' His way of working is under a veil of con
traries, and unperceivable to an ordinary eye ; he bringeth something
out of nothing, light out of darkness, meat out of the eater. His
end is not to satisfy our sense and curiosity, but try our faith, John vi.
6, to exercise our submission and patience, as in the case of Job, and
our dependence and prayer. God knoweth what he is a-doing with
you, when you know not: Jer. xxix. 11, 'For I know the thoughts
that I think towards you, saith the Lord ; thoughts of peace, and not
of evil, to give you an expected end/ When we view providence by
pieces, and see God rending and tearing all things in pieces, we are
perplexed ; therefore we must not judge of God's providence by the be
ginnings, till all work together. When we apprehend nothing but ruin,
God may be designing to us the choicest mercies: Ps. xxxi. 22,
' For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes ; never
theless, thou heardest the voice- of my supplication;' so Ps. cxvi. 11,
* I said in my haste, All men are liars/ Samuel, and all that had told
him he should enjoy the kingdom. Haste never speaketh well of God
and his promises, nor maketh any good comment on his dealings ; we
must stay till all causes work.
[3.] The end and issue ' For good/
1. Sometimes to good temporal, or our better preservation during
our service : Gen. 1. 20, " But as for you, ye thought evil against me,
but God meant it unto good, to bring it to pass as it is at this day, and
to save much people alive/ Both the Egyptians and themselves had
wanted a preserver, if he had not been sold and sent into Egypt. We
often find by experience that God ordereth our disappointments for
good. Suppose a man's heart were much set upon a voyage to sea, but
he is hindered by many impediments, and before he cometh the ship
is gone ; and afterwards he heareth that all that were in the vessel
were drowned : this disappointment is for good. Crassus's rival in
the Persian war, when he heard how that army was intercepted and
cut off by the craft of the barbarians, had no reason to stomach his
being refused. Many of us, whose hearts are set upon some worldly
thing, have cause to say we had perished if we had not perished, and
suffered more if we had suffered less. In the story of Joseph there is a
notable scheme and draught of providence ; he is cast into a pit, there
to perish ; thence, upon second thoughts, drawn forth to be sold to the
Ishmaelites ; by them brought into Egypt ; sold for a slave again.
What doth God mean to do with poor Joseph ? While a slave, he is
tempted to adultery ; refusing the temptation, he is falsely accused, kept
262 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXXVII.
a long time in ward and duress ; all this is against him. Who would
have thought that in the issue all should have turned to his good ?
Who would have thought that the prison had been the way to pre
ferment ? that by the pit he should come to the palace of the king of
Egypt ? that he should exchange his party-coloured coat for the royal
robes of a king's court ? Thus in temporal things we gain by our losses ;
and God chooseth better for us than we could have chosen for ourselves.
(2.) Spiritual good. So all affliction is made up and recompensed
to the soul ; it afflicts the body, but bettereth the heart : Ps. cxix.
71, ' It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn
thy statutes.' There is more to be learned in affliction than in the
vastest libraries ; no book will teach us so much as experience under
God's discipline. Madmen are kept in the dark, and under hardship,
to bring them to their wits again ; so God is forced to use us a little
hardly to cure us of our spiritual frenzy. Thou darest not pray, Lord,
let me have my worldly comforts, though they damn me ; let me not
be afflicted, though it do me good ; and if thou darest not pray so, wilt
thou murmur when God ordereth it so ? If a man break an arm or a
leg in pulling us out of the water, wherein otherwise we should cer
tainly be drowned, would we be angry with him ? And shall we fret
against the Lord when he takes away the fuel of our lusts, which will
certainly drown us in perdition and everlasting destruction ? Is it not
a good exchange to part with outward comforts for inward holiness ?
Certainly that will be of more gain to us than all the affliction, pain, and
loss which we suffer will do us hurt. Certainly we lose nothing but
our rust by scouring. If God will take away our peace, and give us
peace of conscience our worldly goods, and give us true riches, have
we any cause to complain ? If outward wants may be recompensed by
an abundance of inward grace, and we have the less of the world that
we may have more of God, and be kept poor and destitute that we
may be rich in faith, James ii. 5, who is the loser ? If we have a
healthy soul in a sick body, as Gaius had, 3 John 2, and an aching
head maketh way for a better heart, doth not God deal graciously and
lovingly with us? In short, afflictions are compared to fire, that
purgeth away the dross, 1 Peter i. 7 ; to the fan that driveth away the
chaff, Mat. iii. 12 ; to pruning, that cuts off the luxuriant branches, and
maketh the other that remain the more fruitful, John xv. 2 ; to physic,
that purgeth away the sick matter, Isa. xxvii. 9 ; to ploughing and
harrowing the ground, that fitteth it to receive the good seed, Jer. iv. 3.
And shall we be troubled when God cometh to make use of this fire to
purge out our dross? this fan to winnow away our chaff? this prun
ing to lop off the luxuriances of our souls ? this plough to break up
our fallow ground, to destroy the weeds that are in our hearts ? this
sharp medicine to cure our sick souls ? Should we not rather rejoice
that he will not let us alone in our corruption, but refine us as metal is
by tho fire ? and fan and winnow us, that we may be pure grain ? and
prune us, that we may be fruitful in holiness ? and use medicine, to cure
those distempers which otherwise would destroy us ? and suffer the
ploughers to make long furrows upon our backs, that we may enjoy the
richer crop ? This is for good.
(3.) For our eternal good. Heaven will make us complete amends
VER. 28.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vin. 263
for all that we suffer here : 2 Cor. iv. 17, { Those light afflictions which
are but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal
weight of glory ; ' these afflictions are so far from infringing our
happiness, that they do promote it. How promote ? and how work ?
Partly as the patient enduring doth secure our interest. God will
not fail to reward them that patiently suffer for his sake, or submit to
his discipline ; for these transitory light afflictions and sufferings are
so accepted by him, that they are sure to be rewarded by him : Mat.
v. 12, ' Great is your reward in heaven ;' and James i. 12, ' Blessed
is the man that endureth temptations, for when he is tried he shall
receive the crown of life, which God hath promised to them that love
him/ Partly as they are a means which God useth to draw us off
from the love and esteem of the world, and to awaken in us an earnest
desire and serious pursuit after heavenly things, Gal. vi. 14. They
conduce to mortification, and kill the gust of the flesh ; so that our title
is not only more secured, but our hearts prepared. Partly because
here is the full recompense, the good that answers all objections ;
if cast out by men, you are received by the Lord ; if calumniated by
the world, approved by God ; if you have lost the love of all men for
your faithfulness and sincerity, you shall enjoy the love of God ; if im
prisoned, you shall shortly be in your Father's house. There all your
fears and sorrows will be at an end, your desires accomplished, and
your expectations satisfied ; it is heaven that turneth pain into pleasure,
death into life. And partly because, though we fail in particular con
flicts, yet God secureth our everlasting estate. Jftomani prcelio scepe
victi, bello nusquam. So Christians. We cannot say that always
there is such sensible benefits by afflictions ; but this is the sense of the
place, as the following verses show, that the general issue of things is
determined and put out of controversy by it. The infallibility of God's
conduct cannot be discerned by every particular event ; for a Christian
may not gain by every trouble he falleth into, but by all together his
eternal estate is promoted ; they all are means to preserve us till we
come to heaven. Thus you see how he that could turn stones into
bread, water into wine, can extract a blessing out of our saddest
miseries and afflictions, and make the bitterest herbs to yield honey to
the saints.
2. The certainty of this ' We know.' Not by an uncertain and
fallible conjecture, but upon sure grounds. What are they ?
[1.] The promise of God, by which he hath secured the salvation of
his people, notwithstanding their troubles : Heb. vi. 17, 18, ' Wherein
God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the
immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two
immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might
have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the
hope set before us.' God's resolved purpose declared in his covenant
cannot be altered ; his promises in time are his eternal purpose before
time ; he hath undertaken by promise and oath to be their God, the
God of their salvation.
[2.] By the experiences of the saints, who have found it so : Ps.
cxix. 67, ' Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I learn thy
statutes;' they have been persuaded of it: Phil. i. 19, 'I know that
264 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXXVII.
this shall turn to my salvation/ All the troubles he endured should
be so ordered by God, as they at length turn to his eternal happiness.
[3.] From the nature of the thing.: Two considerations enforce it
(1.) All things are at God's disposal, and forced to serve him.
Men, devils, crosses, and comforts, nothing can fall out against or with
out his will. Angels, devils, men, have no power to null and frustrate
his decrees, for he is the supreme and universal lord : Ps. xxxiii. 11,
' The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever ; the thought of his heart to-
all generations ;' and therefore he blasts and frustrateth all the devices-
of the wicked, and what he decreeth shall immutably come to pass.
(2.) His special care over his people. He hath carried them in the
womb of his decrees before the foundation of the world ; he loveth
them more than a mother loveth her tender infant : Isa. xlix. 15, ' Can
a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion
on the son of her womb ? yea, they may forget, but I will not forget
thee.' If the mother be so tenderly affected to the child whom she
carried in her womb for some few months, will not God much more ?
He is as tender of them as the apple of his eye, Zech. ii. 8. He hath
secured his covenant-love by promise : 1 Cor. x. 13, * But God is-
faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are
able ;' he will never leave you to insupportable difficulties.
Secondly, To give a more general state of the case.
1. This good is not to be determined by our fancies and conceits,
but by the wisdom of God ; for God knoweth what is better for us
than we do for ourselves. We judge according to present appearance,,
but he hath a sight or inspection of our hearts, and a prospect or fore
sight of all future events ; and therefore his divine choices are to be
preferred before our foolish fancies ; what he sendeth or permitteth to
fall out is fitter for our turn than anything else. Could we once be
persuaded of this, a Christian would be prepared for a cheerful enter
tainment of all that should come upon him. Besides, he is a God of
bowels, and loveth us more dearly than we do ourselves ; therefore we
should be satisfied with his dispensations, whatever they are. Should
the shepherd or the sheep choose his pastures ? the child be governed by
his own fancy or the father's discretion ? the sick man by his own
appetite or the physician's skill ? It is necessary sometimes that God
should displease his people for their advantage : John xvi. 6, 7,.
' Because I have said these things to you, sorrow hath filled your heart ;
nevertheless, I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away/
We are too much addicted to our own conceits ; Christ's dealing is
expedient and useful, yet very unsatisfactory to his people. He is
to be judge of what is good for us, his going or tarrying, not we
ourselves, who are short-sighted, distempered with passions, whose
requests many times are but ravings, and ask of God we know not
what. Peter said, Mat. xvii. 4, ' Master, it is good for us to be here ;'
he was well pleased to be upon Mount Tabor, but little thought what
work God had to do by him elsewhere. So Jer. xxiv. 5, the basket-
of good iigs was sent * into the land of the Chaldeans for their good/
What good in a dispersion ! but God foresaw worse evil would befall
the place where they then lived. The selling of Joseph for a slave
was to appearance evil, but God meant it for good, Gen. 1. 20. God
VER. 28.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIIL 265
may keep us low and bare, expose us to difficulties, prejudices,
reproaches, bitter sufferings, yet all is for good.
2. Good is to be determined by its respect to the chief good or true
happiness. Now what is our chief happiness but the vision and frui
tion of God ? It consists not in outward comforts riches, liberty,
health, honour, or comfortable relations, but our acceptance with God ;
other things are but appendages to our felicity : Mat. vi. 33, Trpoo-reOrjore-
rai, ' But first seek the kingdom of God, and these things shall be
added unto you.' Affliction taketh nothing from our solid and essential
happiness, rather helpeth us to the enjoyment of it as we increase in
grace and holiness. That is evil that separateth us from God, that is
good which bringeth us nearer to him ; sin separateth us from God,
therefore always evil, Isa. lix. 2. But afflictions are not always evil,
but make us more earnestly to seek after him, Hos. v. 15 ; and so to be
trained up under the cross, in a constant course of obedience and sub
jection to God, is good: Lam. iii. 27, ' It is good that a man bear the
yoke from his youth/ because it keepeth him modest, humble, and sober.
3. This good is not always the good of the body, or of outward
prosperity ; and therefore our condition is not to be determined by the
interest of the flesh, but the welfare of our soul. If we had the world
at will, we cannot be said to be in a good condition if the Lord should
deny us spiritual blessings ; we are more concerned as a soul than a
body : Heb. xii. 10, ' He verily for our profit, that we may be par
takers of his holiness.' He doth not call the good things of this world,
that pelf which all desire, profit, but the participation of the divine
nature. Affliction is good if it be sanctified ; holiness wrought by
affliction should be more to us than all our outward comforts.
4. It is not good presently enjoyed and felt, but waited for ; and
therefore our condition must not be determined by sense, but faith,
H&b. xii. 11. Affliction for the present is not pleasing to natural
sense, nor is the fruit for the present evident to spiritual sense ; but it
is good because in the issue it turneth to spiritual good. While
under the affliction, we feel the smart, but do not presently find the
benefit ; physic must have time to work ; that which is not good may
be good ; though it be not good in its nature, it is good in its use ;
faith should determine so, though we feel it not : Ps. Ixxiii. 1, ' Yet
God is good to Israel.'
5. A particular good must give way to a general good, and our
personal benefit to the glory of God and the advancement of Christ's
kingdom. It was good, yea, much better, for Paul to be in heaven ;
yet if it was needful for the saints to continue in the flesh, he submitteth,
Phil. i. 24. We must not so desire good to ourselves as to hinder the
good of others ; all elements will act contrary to their particular nature
for the conservation of the universe ; that may be good for the glory
of God which is not good for our personal contentment and ease:
John xii. 27, 28. The sense of our duty, and the desire of glorifying
God, should overcome our natural inclination.
6. In bringing about this good we must not be idle spectators, but
assist under God. When we are diligent to exercise ourselves unto
godliness, then evil is turned into good, and all crosses and afflictions
into means of salvation. Besides the elective love of God at the bot-
266 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XXXVII.
torn of all, there is the actual power and influence of the Spirit, and
prayer on our part : Phil. i. 19, ' Through your prayer, and the supply
of the Spirit of Christ Jesus ;' and Heb. xii. 11, ' Now no chastening
for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous ; nevertheless, after
wards it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them that
are exercised thereby/ It is not the bare nature of the cross doth it ;
we must labour for that we look for ; the saints are not only passive
objects, but active instruments, of providence ; there is an exercise on
our parts ; we are to make use of all things, then God will bless us.
7. If it be true of particular persons, it is much more true of the
church ; all is for good : Ps. Ixxvi. 10, ' Surely the wrath of man shall
praise thee, and the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain/ Christ
many times gets up on the devil's shoulders ; all providence is for the
elect's sake : 2 Tim. ii. 10, ' Therefore I endure all things for the
elect's sake, that they may obtain salvation by Christ, with eternal
glory/ The sufferings of the apostles conduced to the good of true
Christians ; God considered the good of the whole church.
Use 1. Is information.
1. That the exception against God's providence from the evils that
abound in the world is vain and frivolous. It was an old doubting
question, If there be a God, how are there evils ? If there were not a
God, how is there good? One part answereth the other; the text
more fully ; he turneth evil unto good. That there are devils : God
knoweth how to make use of them, to punish the wicked and exercise
the godly. That there is sin : if there had been no sin, no Christ. That
there are miseries : if no miseries, many graces would be lost ; there
would be no fortitude, no patience, no earnestness in prayer. That
there are wicked men : it showeth God's distinguishing mercy, that
when so many are drowned in the common shipwreck of mankind, it
is the greater mercy that we escape ; if others are bad, let us bless
God that made us better. Lastly, that there is death, that there might
be a passage out of this world, and a period to our labours and sorrows.
2. It teacheth us how to interpret prayers. We have prayed for the
continuance of a blessing, and lost it ; for the riddance of a trouble, yet
it continueth upon us. This is the very case here ; if God heareth them,
how come they to suffer such hard things ? The Spirit teacheth us to
pray. Now the denial of either suit turneth to good. We often come
to God with carnal requests, which being interpreted, sound but
thus, Give me that wherewith I may offend thee, or have my flesh
pleased, or lusts fed. God findeth us doting on the creature, and we
take it ill to be interrupted in our whoredoms. We must distinguish
between what is really best for us and what we judge best ; other diet
is more wholesome for our souls than what our sick appetites craveth ;
we are best many times when weakest, worst when strongest.
3. It giveth us a reason of waiting. Though we do not presently
know why everything is done, let us wait. Providence doth not work
without a cause ; we see it not now, but we shall see it when God
turneth it to good. We must not judge of God's work by the begin
ning ; God seemeth an adversary for a while to them that indeed
enjoy his eternal love. Let patience have its perfect work, and when
providence is come to a period, you will know more.
VER. 28.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vui. 267
4. What reason to trust God with events. Some things fall under
our duty, others are a mere event. Our care is about events rather than
duty, and so we take God's work out of his hands ; and so it is not
care, so much as carking ; we inquire what shall become of us, rather
than what we shall do. Do lyou do your duty, and God knoweth how
to turn all things for good, Phil. iv. 6, 7. Nothing can go amiss to
him that is found in the way of duty.
5. It informeth us of the happiness of God's children. We may put
in for a share; when we are sanctified to God, all things are sanctified
to us ; and things that otherwise would be snares prove helps, and dis
couragements prove furtherances. The creature is as if it were another
thing to the saints ; if they are advanced, their hearts are enlarged to
God : 2 Sam. vii. 2, ' And the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See,
now I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within cur
tains; ' Nehem. i. 11, '0 Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be atten
tive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants who
desire to fear thy name ; and prosper, I pray thee, this day thy servant,
and grant him mercy in the sight of this man ; for I was the king's cup
bearer ; ' meaning he had improved this place for God. When they
are afflicted, they do not fret or faint, but humble themselves under the
mighty hand of God, and so meet him at every turn. Oh ! what a
blessed thing is it to be under the special care of God, and to have all
things about us ordered with respect to our eternal welfare ! It is not
so with the wicked ; if God make Saul a king, Judas an apostle,
Balaam a prophet, their preferment will be their ruin; Haman's
honour, Achitophel's wit, Herod's applause, turned to their hurt. If
in prosperity they contemn God, in adversity they deny and blaspheme
God ' This evil is from the Lord, why should I wait on him any
longer ? ' As the salt sea turneth all into salt water, so a man is as
the constitution of his heart is.
Use 2. Is caution. 1. Against misconstruction of providence ; 2.
Against non-improvement.
1. Against misconstruction of providence. There may be a seeming
harshness in some of God's dealings, but, all things considered, you will
find them full of mercy and truth, Ps. xxv. 10. If there be a seeming
contradiction between his word and providence, you must not always in
terpret the word by providence, but providence by the word : Ps. Ixxiii.
17, ' Until I went into the sanctuary of God, then I understood their
end."
2. Against non-improvement. Let us not lose the benefit by our
negligence and folly ; let us observe how we may profit of everything ;
God would not send this affliction, did he not know how it would be
good for me. Therefore to this end
[1.] Take these motives.
[2.] Consider what profit is to be gotten by afflictions.
[l.J Motives.
(1.) It is not enough to be good in the affliction, but we must get good
by the affliction. Carnal men are somewhat good in the affliction ; more
modest when God's hand is heavy upon them, and they are somewhat
disabled or discouraged from following their lusts ; yea, and may make
great promises of reformation when God hath them under ; but as soon
268 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIH. [SER. XXXVII.
as they are delivered, they encourage themselves in the practice of their
old sins ; as metals are melted while they are in the furnace, but as soon
as they are taken out they return to their natural hardness again. But
the godly are the better afterwards ; they cannot forget their old smart
by sin : Josh. xxii. 17, 'Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from
which we are not cleansed unto this day ? ' They remember what was- .
the great burden in their troubles, and what was the great comfort
and support under them, and are the better all their lives. But others
are of another temper : Ps. Ixxviii. 34, ' When he slew them, then
they sought him, and inquired early after God/ The sense of pre
sent smart, and the terror of an angry God, may frighten them into a
little religiousness for the present, or drive them into a temporary
repentance and seeking friendship and favour with God, and they
leave off their sins for a time ; but as soon as they are delivered, are
as bad as ever. When^affliction produceth temporary repentance, we
are good in it ; but when it produceth constancy of obedience, then we
get good by it ; it hath but some weak effect on us when we are good
in it, but a saving effect when good by it.
(2.) The affliction cometh as a blessing where it is improved to
good. It is a great advantage to observe whether our afflictions come
as a cross only, or as a curse. Where they leave us worse rather than
better, they are the beginnings of sorrows either in this life or the next ;
sometimes in this life, the cross goeth with a mind to return, or else
some worse thing cometh in its place : John v. 14, ' Sin no more, lest
a worse thing come unto thee.' God, that letteth a sinner escape one
trouble, can easily reach him again, if he neglect God and his soul's
good. If when the smart of the rod is gone, we return again to our old
vanity, the Lord can easily put us into a worse condition than before ;
he can heat the furnace seven times hotter, and that which cometh
after is the most grievous. But especially in the next world, when
God sendeth eternal punishments instead of temporal ; as sometimes
God breaketh up the course of his medicinal discipline, letteth a people
go uncorrected and unreclaimed for their greater condemnation : Isa.
i. 5, ' Why should you be stricken any more ? ye will revolt more and
more ;' that is, it is in vain to seek to amend you by chastise
ments. When men wax the worse for all their afflictions, and will
riot be brought home to God, they are given over as incorrigible ; a
brand is put upon Ahaz : 2 Chron. xxviii. 22, * In the time of his dis
tress did he trespass yet more against the Lord; this is that king
Ahaz ' mark him for an obstinate and obdurate sinner. Now such
God leaveth to themselves : Hosea iv. 17, ' Ephraim is joined to idols,
let him alone.' They are desperate and irrecoverable, and reserved
for eternal torments ; this is the sorest judgment, to be given up to
our own ways, without any check from divine providence. On the
other side, God doth correct us in love, not in anger, when he doth
bring good out of it and by it ; if it produce a thorough repentance and
change, it is a pledge of God's love, and our eternal glory. God's faith
fulness may be then observed : Ps. cxix. 75, * I know, Lord, that thy
judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me ; *
that he is pursuing his covenant-love, and carrying on your salvation,
though by a way not so pleasing to the flesh.
VER. 28.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 269
(3.) That it is your part to get benefit by the affliction, but God's
to remove it. For the getting benefit by the affliction falleth within
the compass of our duty, but the removing the affliction is a bare
event belonging to God's providence. We must do what is our part,
and then God will do what is his ; not but that God helpeth us in the
improvement, for we obtain this grace by prayer, and the supply of the
Spirit of Christ ; but the removal is wholly God's work, and must be
referred to him. Therefore your inquiry should be, What am I obliged
unto in such a condition ? and charge yourselves with you own proper
work. Elihu telleth you what reflections you should have : Job xxxiv.
31, 32, ' Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastise
ment, I will not offend any more ; that which I see not teach thou
me : if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.' This is work proper
for us : what sins will God have to be mortified ? what vanities left ?
what duties more effectually performed ? what graces strengthened ?
and then let God alone to take off the trouble when it hath done its
errand ; for surely he delights not to grieve and displease his people
further than is for their profit, and he would not continue the afflic
tion if he had not more work to do ; his pity moveth him to spare the
wicked when they relent under his strokes, much more to deliver the
godly when they seriously profit by it.
(4.) If the constitution of our hearts were right, we would desire
to profit by the affliction rather than to get rid of it. This is every
where represented as the temper of the godly: 2 Cor. iv. 16, 'For
which cause we faint not ; but though our outward man perish, yet
the inward man is renewed day by day ;' 2 Cor. xii. 10, * I will rejoice
in infirmities.' Surely spiritual and heavenly things should be valued
above earthly and carnal, not by a bare speculative approbation, but
by a practical esteem. Now a practical esteem is manifested by three
solid effects : by our caring or seeking for the one rather than the
other : Mat. vi. 33, ' But first seek the kingdom of God and his right
eousness, and all these things shall be added unto you ;' by quit
ting the one for the other when necessity so requireth : Mat. xiii. 45,
46, ' Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant-man seek
ing goodly pearls , who, when he hath found one pearl of great price,
he went and sold all that he had and bought it ; ' by our submission
to God's dispensation, when he blasteth and taketh away the one, to
promote the other. We should be glad that it goeth well with the
inward man, by the loss and decay of the outward ; the lowest degree
of sincerity is that the loss of outward concernments should trouble us
the less ; but surely if grace be in any good degree of strength, we
should rejoice and be abundantly satisfied that God thinketh fit to
take away earthly things, that thereby he may make us more mindful
of that which is heavenly, and doth lessen us in the world, that he
may thereby excite us to a more lively exercise of grace, and retrench
the interests of the flesh, that the spirit may be enlarged and kept in
good plight. Therefore to a child of God an exemption from troubles
is not so good as an improvement of them. Our Lord, when he taught
us to pray, would have us indeed deprecate the temptation ; but our
chief request by way of reserve : Mat. vi. 13, ' And lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil ;' so in his prayer : John xvii. 15,
270 . SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXXVII.
' I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that
thou shouldest keep them from the evil ;' teaching us our desires should
be not so much to be delivered from the world as the evil of the
world, from sins rather than afflictions, and that we should seek
grace rather than deliverance. The deliverance is a common mercy,
the improvement a special mercy ; carnal men may escape out of
affliction, but carnal men have no experience of grace in sanctifying
afflictions ; and bare deliverance is no sign of special love, but improve
ment is. Paul rejoiced in this, that God would deliver him from every
evil work, 2 Tim. iv. 18. Therefore we should submit to endure the
evil of chastisement that we may escape the evil of the sin ; it is
worse to be sinful than miserable, to be unclean than to be sick, to
be voluptuous than to be poor ; and so the affliction bringeth greater
good than it taketl} from you. Therefore Christians should be careful
that they murmur not against God's dispensations, for there are two
evils that we bewray thereby (1.) A despising of God ; (2.) A despis
ing of holiness ; and a Christian should be tender of either.
First, A despising of God, as if he knew not what was fittest and
best for you, and would send any trouble upon you that he knoweth
not how to turn to good : Job xxxiv. 33, ' Should it be according to
thy mind ? He will recompense it, whether thou refuse or whether
thou choose/ Should our condition be at our own disposal ? and should
God ask of us whether we like it or no ? Is it not better to be satisfied
in his will, and say, Surely God would not send this affliction if he did
not know how it should be good for me ? We would carve out our own
condition, and have our will in everything ; but is this wise or just ?
must God be subject to our passions and affections ? No, whether we
will or no, he will take his own way.
Secondly, It is a lessening the value of holiness, as if this profit did
not countervail our loss. We profess we esteem grace more than
wealth, and spiritual things more than carnal ; but when we are put
to the trial, we little regard holiness, but only mind the ease of the
flesh, and therefore are so hardly reconciled to the cross. Surely that
which doth us good should not be entertained with such impatient
resentment ; it is worse in Christians, who are more obliged to count
all things dung and dross : Phil. iii. 7-10, * But what things were
gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I
count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ
Jesus my Lord : for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and
do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him,
not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that
which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of
God by faith ; that I may know him, and the power of his resurrec
tion, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to
his death.' But we may say as Moses to God, 'Behold, the chil
dren of Israel have not hearkened unto me, how then shall Pharaoh
hear me ? ' We cannot hope to convince a worldly man of this, that
loss of estate or poverty is good ; the ambitious man, that it is good
to be despised and contemned ; and the voluptuous man, that pain is
sometimes better than ease, and sickness, that checketh the desires
of the flesh, is better than health, that gratifieth them. Alas ! the
VEB. 28.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 271
children of God are hardly convinced that mortifying affliction is
better than carnal prosperity ; how then will the world believe it ?
[2.] What profit is there to be gotten by afflictions ? It is hard to
instance in all particulars, because God hath several ends in our afflic
tions, according to the distempers that need cure ; but the usual profit
of afflictions is seen in these things
(1.) That the time of affliction is a serious thinking time : 1 Kings
viii. 47, ' If they shall bethink themselves in the land of their captivity.'
We have more liberty to retire into ourselves, being freed from the
attractive allurements of worldly vanities ; and for the present there
is some restraint on the delights of the flesh, which use to besot the
mind, and hinder better thoughts. Adversity maketh men serious;
the prodigal came to himself when he began to be in want, Luke xv.
17. Sad objects make a deeper impression on our souls than delight
ful do ; they help us to consider our ways, and God's righteous dealings,
that we may behave ourselves wisely, and suitable to the dispensation
we are under : Eccles. vii. 14, ' In the day of adversity consider/ See
from what hand it cometh, to what issue it tendeth, what is thy duty
under it, how little thou canst mend thyself without submitting to
God, that to hope to escape by ill means is but like an attempt to break
prison. It is better to make supplications to our judge ; these provi
dences are not to be lightly passed over ; the author of them is God,
the occasion sin, the end repentance.
(2.) It is an awakening, quickening time. Some are awakened out
of the sleep of death, and are first wrought upon by afflictions. This is
one powerful means to bring in souls to God, and opening their ears to
discipline, Job xxxvi. 10 ; they had still slept in their sins if God had
not awakened them by the smart discipline of the cross. But others
are quickened and awakened to more carefulness of their duty, more
watchfulness against sin ; and the graces of the Spirit, which lay
dormant in us through neglect, are more set a-work. Sense-pleasing
objects deaden the heart ; God's best children sleep when they have
a carnal pillow under their heads : Ps. xxx. 6, ' And in my prosperity
I said, I shall never be moved.' But now, because they do not stir
up themselves, God stirreth them up by a smart rod, that faith may be
working, love fervent, hope lively, prayers carried on with warmth and
zeal ; prayers otherwise are dead, thoughts of heaven cold, or none ;
wherein all these graces are acted : Isa. xxvi. 16, ' Lord, in trouble they
have visited thee ; they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was
upon them;' and Hos. v. 15, ' I will go and return to my place till
they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face ; in their affliction
they will seek me early.' When our gust and taste of spiritual and
heavenly things is recovered, then we are awakened and in good earnest.
(3.) It is a learning time. This the scripture witnesseth everywhere :
Ps. cxix. 71, * It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might
learn thy statutes ; ' Ps. xciv. 12, ' Blessed is the man whom thou
chastenest, Lord, and teachest him out of thy law/ God teacheth
us, though he teach us as Gideon did the men of Succoth, with briars
and thorns ; and we read of Christ Jesus himself, Heb. v. 8, ' He
learned obedience from the things which he suffered ; ' he did experi
mentally understand what obedience was in hard and difficult cases,
272
SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XXXVII.
and so could the better pity and help sinners when they ohey God at a
dear rate. In affliction we have an experimental knowledge of that of
which but a notional knowledge before. We come by experience to see
how false and changeable the world is, what a burden sin is, what
sweetness there is in the promises, what a reality in the world to come,
how comfortable an interest in God is. Luther said, Qui tribulantur
sacras scripturas melius intelligunt securi et fortunati eas legunt
sicut Ovidii carmen ' The afflicted see more in the scriptures than
others do ; the secure and fortunate read them as they do Ovid's verses.'
Certainly, when the soul is humble, and we are refined and purified from
the dregs of sense, we are more tractable and teachable, our understand
ings are clearer, and our affections more melting. Now spiritual learn
ing is a blessing that cannot be valued enough. If God write his law
on our hearts by his stripes on our backs, we have no reason to complain.
(4.) It is a repenting time, to stir up the hatred of sin by the bitter
effects of it : Jer. ii. 19, ' Now know what an evil and bitter thing it is
that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in
thee.' Weigh with thyself what hath brought all these evils upon thee.
Experience teacheth fools : so Lam. iii. 39, ' Wherefore doth a living
man complain, a man for the punishment of his sin?' He hath no
reason to murmur against God, when he considereth his own deserts,
and that he suffereth nothing but what he hath produced to himself by
his sins ; and therefore we ought to have deep shame and sorrow for
our former miscarriages. It conduceth to breed true remorse to con
sider our folly, and the misery brought upon us thereby : Jer. xxxi. 18,
' Surely I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus, Thou hast chas
tised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke :
turn thou me, and I shall be turned ; thou art the Lord my God. Surely
after that I was turned, I repented ; and after that I was instructed, I
smote upon my thigh ; I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because
I did bear the reproach of my youth.'
(5.) It is a .weaning time, from the pleasures and conveniences of
the present world. First, The pleasures of the world. Pleasure is the
great sorceress that hath enchanted all mankind ; they all court plea
sure, though in different shapes ; it is deeply engrained in our nature,
and the cause of our many miscarriages : Titus iii. 3, ' Serving divers
lusts and pleasures ; ' and because we have divers pleasures, God sendeth
divers afflictions. The soul is almost so sunk in flesh that it ceaseth
to be spirit, John iii. 6. Pleasure is that which draweth us off from
God, and engageth us in the creature : James i. 14, ' But every man is
tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed/ Now,
among the divers afflictions, diseases are natural penances which God
hath put upon us to reclaim us from vain pleasures. The gust of the
flesh would be too strong, if God did not check it by embittering our
portion in the world. Secondly, The conveniences of the present life-
riches, honours, friendships. Afflictions are sent to cure our carnal
complacency, and increase the heavenly mind. Kiches : Heb. x. 34,
' And took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves
that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.' Kelations,
possessions: 1 Cor. vii. 29-31, 'The time is short; it remaineth
that both they that have wives be as though they had none, and they
VER. 28.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 273
that weep as though they wept not, and they that rejoice as though
they rejoiced not, and they that buy as though they possessed not,
and they that use this world as not abusing it ; for the fashion of this
world passeth away.' Friendship, John xvi. 32. Doting on the
creature is spiritual adultery : James iv. 4, ' Ye adulterers and adul
teresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with
God ? Whoever, therefore, will be a friend of the world is the enemy
of God/ If an image of jealousy be set up, God will blast it ; he turn-
eth the world loose upon us, so that friends prove as broken reeds.
It is easy for God to prosper his people in the world, and suit all things
to their own desires ; but he knoweth our proneness to carnal love, and
how easily our heart is enticed from himself. Our temptations would
be too strong if the world did appear in an over-amiable, tempting dress ;
therefore he doth exercise us sometimes with the malicious, envious
world ; sometimes with the cares, griefs, pains, disappointments, which
are incident to the present life ; and will show us what a restless, empty
world we have here, that we may the more earnestly look after those
peaceful regions which are above.
(6.) It is a time of increasing our love to God, upon a twofold
account.
First, Affliction showeth us that nothing is worthy of our love but
God ; whatsoever robbeth God of it soon proveth matter of trouble and
distress to us. Our hearts are the more averse from God because tLey
are inclined to the creature:. Jer. ii. 13, 'For my people have com
mitted two evils : they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water,
and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns that will hold no water.'
Men bestow their hearts on something beneath the chief good, which
becometh an idol and false god to them, and which they respect and love
more than God. Now the love of God cannot reign in that soul where
the love of the world and fleshly lusts reigneth : 1 John ii. 15, ' If any
man loveth the world, how dwelleth the love of the Father in him ? '
It is not in him. Now the great work of grace is to cast out the usurper,
and to give God the possession of what is his own ; and therefore the
heart must be circumcised before it be true to God : Deut. xxx. 6, 'The
Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love
the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, that thou
mayest live.' First the foreskin and fleshliness that sticketh so close to
us must be taken off, before we can adhere to God as our proper and
chief happiness. Now this is God's own work by his internal grace ;
but yet he useth external means, and amongst the rest sharp afflictions,
to wean us from the creature, and to show us that we do but court our
own trouble and infelicity when we bestow our affections elsewhere ;
for hereby God plainly demonstrateth that he is our all-sufficient and
indeficient God. All-sufficient, as answering all our necessities and de
sires ; indeficient, our never-failing good, when all things fail about us :
Hab. iii. 18, ' Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God of my
salvation/ And thus, by desolating the creature, doth he drive our
foolish hearts to himself, that we may have the solid delights of his love.
Secondly, This love of God is the comfort by which we are supported
in all our distresses. The servants of God have never so much of the
joy in the Holy Ghost as in their great sufferings; their delight in God is
VOL. XII. S
274 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SEB. XXXVII.
then purest and unmixed. God comforteth them when they have noth
ing else to take comfort in : Job. xvi. 20, ' My friends scorn me, but
mine eye poureth out tears to God.' When all friends forsake us but
one, that one is sweeter to us than ever. Humble moans to God giveth
us ease and comfort, notwithstanding the neglect and contempt of man ;
and when the world undervalueth, it is enough that God approveth.
Our delights in God are often corrupted by a mixture of sensual delights,
so that we cannot tell what supporteth us, God or the creature, our
remaining comforts, the help or pity of friends, or God alone. There
fore, that the affliction may pierce the spirit, the Lord causeth it to be
sharpened and pointed by the scorn and neglect of men, and their
strange carriage towards us, that we may fetch our supports from him
alone. That still we are not barred from access to the throne of grace,
there is our cordiaj. ; that we have a God to go to, to whom we may
make our moan, and from whose love we may derive all our comforts ;
so David speaketh feelingly in deep afflictions : Ps. Ixiii. 3, ' Thy loving-
kindness^is better than life/ This supplieth all his wants, and sweeteneth
all his troubles, and giveth more comfort than what is most precious
and desirable in the creature. I will show you how it helpeth to raise
our love to God. There are two acts of love desire after him, and de
light in him ; for we love a thing when we desire to enjoy it, and find
contentment in it, being enjoyed.
1st. Desire is the pursuit of the soul after God, desiderium unionis.
The great act of love is an affecting of union with the thing beloved.
Now, because of our imperfect fruition of him in this life, love mainly
bewrayeth itself by desires of the nearest conjunction with God that
we are capable of; and the motions of grace tend to this end, to
conjoin us to God, or to bring God and us together ; and to this end
tend faith and hope, and ordinances and means, the word and prayer ;
and so sacraments, that we may get more of God. When a house is
a-building, there are scaffolds and poles and instruments of architec
ture used ; but when the house is finished, all these are taken away.
So here are many means to bring us to God there is faith and hope
and ordinances ; but when we come to the vision and fruition of him,
all these cease, and love only remaineth. In the heavenly Jerusalem
love is perfect, because there God is all in all. But while the distance
pontinueth, see how the hearts of the saints worketh : Ps. Ixiii. 8, ' My
soul followeth hard after thee ! ' All acts of the spiritual life are a
further pursuit after God, that we may meet him here and there, and
.we may find more of him in every duty, and be united to him in the
nearest way of communion that we are capable of : Ps. xxvii. 4, ' One
thing have I desired of the Lord, and that will I seek after ; that I may
dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the
beauty of the Lord, and inquire in his temple.' This was David's
great desire, above all earthly desires whatsoever. But have the saints
always this ardent and burning desire ? No, it is mightily quenched by
the prosperity of the flesh ; when they have something on this side God
to detain their hearts, they forget him, suck on the breasts of worldly
consolation. You will find their desires are most earnest in affliction ;
as David, when in a wandering condition : Ps. xlii. 1, 2, ' As the hart
panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, God ;
VER. 28.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 275
my soul thirsteth for God, yea for the living God ; when shall I come
and appear before thee ? ; Naturalists tell us that the hart is a thirsty
creature, especially when it hath eaten vipers ; they are inflamed thereby,
and vehemently desire water. This emblem David chooseth to express
his affection thereby, and his longings after God, and the means to enjoy
God when he was in his troubles ; so the prophet Isaiah, Isa. xxvi. 9,
* With my soul have I desired thee in the night ; yea, with my spirit
will I seek thee right early.' He speaketh this in the person of the
church during the time of their troubles. When God's judgments are
abroad in the earth, then they had continual thoughts of God, and
their endeavours were early and earnest. At other times you will find
the church flat, cold, and more indifferent as to the testimonies of his
favour : Jer. ii. 31, 32, 1 generation, see ye the word of the Lord ;
have I been a wilderness unto Israel ? a land of darkness ? Wherefore
say my people, We are lords, we will come no more unto thee ? Can a
maid forget her ornaments ? or a bride her attire ? yet my people have
forgotten me days without number/ They had something whereon to
live apart from God ; therefore afflictions are necessary to quicken these
desires.
2ndly. The other affection whereby love bewrayeth itself is by a
delight in God ; the cream of it is reserved for heaven, but now it is
pleasing to think of God, if the soul be in good plight : Ps. civ. 34,
* My meditation of him shall be sweet, I will be glad in the Lord.'
It is the solace of their hearts to entertain thoughts of God ; to speak
of him and his gracious and wondrous works, is the contentment and
pleasure of their souls : Eph. v. 4, ' Neither filthiness, nor foolish talk
ing, nor jesting, which are not convenient, but rather giving of thanks/
There is their jesting, to draw nigh to him : Ps. cxxii. 1, ' I was glad
when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord ! ' This
is their heaven upon earth, to obey him and serve him: Ps. cxii.
1, 'Praise ye the Lord: blessed is the man that feareth the Lord>
that delighteth greatly in his commandments ! ' Now this delight
is flagged, and we even grow weary of God and weary of well
doing. We dote upon the world, and grow estranged from God
and cold in his service, till we are quickened by sharp afflictions ;
then we begin to mind God again, and a serious religiousness is
revived in us. The hypocrites never mind God but in their troubles ;
Job xxvii. 10, ' Will he always call upon God ? ' But the best saints
need this help, and would grow dead and careless of God were it
not for sharp corrosives. Well now, seeking after God and delighting
in God being our great duties, we should observe how these are pro
moted by all the troubles that befall us.
276 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIIL [SER. XXXVIIL
SEKMON XXXVIIL
To them that love God. ROM. viii. 28.
Now we come to the character and notification of the persons to whom
this great privilege doth belong. First, Their carriage towards God
To them that love God.
Doct. The elect are specified by this character, that they love God.
Here I shall show you
First, What is love to God.
Secondly, Why this is made the evidence of our interest.
1. What is love to God ? Love in the general is the complacency of
the will in that whifch is apprehended to be good. The object is good,
and love is a complacency in it. The object must be good, for evil is
the object of our displicency and aversation. And apprehended as
good, for otherwise we may turn from good, as evil to us. Now love
to God is the complacency of the will in God, as apprehended to be
good. And therefore we must consider
~1.] The object.
2.] The act.
3.] The properties.
jl.] The object. We consider God as good. There is a double
motive in the object to excite us to love God : because he is good, and
doth good, Ps. cxix. 68, from his nature, and from his work.
1st. The excellency of his nature he is good. There is a threefold
goodness in God
[1st.] His essential goodness, which is the infinite perfection of his
nature.
[2dly.] His moral goodness and holiness, which is the infinite per
fection of his will.
[3dly.] His beneficial goodness, which is the infinite propension
that is in him to do good to the creature. All these are the object of
our love.
[1st.] His essential goodness should make him amiable to us ; partly
because the glorious perfections of his nature are the object of our
esteem, and esteem is the ground of love we affect what we prize and
value, or else we do not really esteem, prize, and value it ; and partly
because they are the object of our praise now we praise God for his
excellences, to increase our love to him and delight in him; other
wise our praise is but an empty compliment ; and partly because the
angels and blessed spirits do admire and adore God for the excellences
of his nature, not only for the benefits they have received by him, but
as he is an infinite and eternal being, of glorious and incomprehensible
majesty ; they are represented as crying out, Isa. vi. 3, ' Holy ! holy !
holy I Lord God of Hosts ! ' Now God must in some measure be served
on earth as he is in heaven. Surely we should not speak, or think,
or worship the infinite eternal God, without some act of love, holy
delight, and pleasure : Ps. cxlvii. 1, ' Praise ye the Lord ; for it is good
to sing praises to our God, for it is pleasant, and praise is comely ; ' so
Ps. xcv. 1, ' Come let us sing unto the Lord, let us make a joyful noise
VER. 28.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vui. 277
to the rock of our salvation ' (and all this is the acting of love), ' for
the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods ' (there are
the motives) ; Ps. v. 10, ' Let them that love thy name be joyful in
thee/ So that you see it is a great duty to delight ourselves in God's
essential perfections.
[2dly.] His moral goodness, or his righteousness and holiness. Surely
this is an amiable thing, and therefore the object of our delectation. I
prove it thus First, If holiness be lovely and pleasant in the creature,
why not in God ? In the saints holiness doth attract our love : Ps.
xvi. 3, ' My delight is in the saints, the excellent ones of the earth ; '
and Ps. xv. 4, ' In whose eyes a vile person is contemned ; but he
honoureth them that fear the Lord/ We are to love saints as saints,
reduplicative ; why not God as holy and righteous ? We are to love
the law of God as it is pure, Ps. cxix. 140 ; therefore we are to love
God, a copy of whose holiness the law is ; the same reason that doth
enforce the one doth enforce the other. Secondly, I argue, We are to
imitate his holiness and righteousness, therefore we are to love and
delight in it : Eph. v. 1 , ' Be ye followers of God, as dear children ;' and
2 Cor. iii. 18, ' But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the
glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory.'
Now love begetteth likeness ; it is the greatest demonstration of God's
love to us to make us like himself, and the greatest expression of
our love to God to desire it, to endeavour after it, to value and prize
it as our happiness ; see Ps. xvii. 15, ' As for me, I will behold thy
face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy
likeness/
[3dly.] His beneficial goodness or benignity : Ps. c. 5, ' For the Lord
is good ; for his mercy is everlasting ; ' therefore all his saints should
love him. We are first led to the Lord by our own interest, and the
benefits we have, or may have, by him : Ps. Ixxxvi. 5, ' Thou, Lord, art
good, ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy unto all that call upon
thee/ This doth first attract the heart of guilty sinners to seek after
God, but afterwards we look upon him as a lovely object in himself.
While we look upon benignity as a moral perfection in God, without
the fruits which flow thence to us, it is an engaging thing ; as it was
observed heretofore that Caesar's virtues were more amiable than Cato's
virtues. Ceesar's virtues were clemency, affability, liberality ; Cato's
virtues, rigid justice and fidelity in his dealings : both were amiable,
but the one more taking than the other. There is somewhat a like
observation, Kom. v. 7, ' Scarcely for a righteous man would one die,
but for a good man one would even dare to die/ By the righteous man
is meant one of a severe and rigid innocency ; by a good man, a man
bountiful and useful. To apply it : God's benignity is a thing amiable,
though it be considered but as an attribute in God, not exercised and
acted on us. Because this most suiteth the necessities of the indigent
and fallen creature, therefore the scripture doth much insist upon it,
to move us to return and seek reconciliation with him.
2dly. He doth good, or hath been good to us.
[1st] As in creation ; he made us out of nothing, after his own image,
we must remember him as a creator, so as to consider the obligations
which lie upon us to love, please, and serve him : Eccles. xii. 1, ' Ee-
278 SERMONS UPON BOMANS VIII. [SflR. XXXVIII.
member thy creator in the days of thy youth.' All that we are and have,
we have it from God and for God.
[2dly.] In redemption, where we have the greatest representation of
the goodness of God ; 1 John iv. 10, ' Herein is love, not that we loved
God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be a propitiation for our
sins ; ' it is the signal instance ; and Kom. v. 8, ' Herein God commended
his love, that while we were yet sinners Christ died for the ungodly ;'
the fullest discovery.
[3dly.] In the mercies of daily providence : Deut. xxx. 10, ' Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God ; for he is thy life, and the length of thy
days/ Especially in his tender care about his people : Ps. xxxi. 33,
' Oh ! love the Lord, all ye his saints, for the Lord preserveth his saints,
and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer/ His hearing prayer is one
instance : Ps. cxvi. 1, 'I will love the Lord, because he hath heard my
voice and my supplications/
[4thly.] In the rewards of the other world, which are provided
especially for them that love him : 1 Cor. ii. 9, ' Eye hath not seen, nor
ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man, the things which
God hath prepared for them that love him ; ' and 1 John iii. 1, 2,
' Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that
we should be called the sons of God. Behold now we are the sons of
God, and it doth not appear what we shall be ; but we know that when
he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is/
Thus God is an object of our love.
[2.] The act. It is the complacency and well-pleasedness of the soul
in God as an all-sufficient portion. This implieth
(1.) A desire or earnest seeking after God in the highest way of
enjoyment we are capable of here ; and so those mercies are most
valued which are nearest to himself, and show us most of God, and do
least detain us from him, his favour, and image ; or to mention but one,
his sanctifying grace and Spirit ; and therefore his saints are described
to be those that hunger and thirst after righteousness, Mat. v. 6 ; they
earnestly desire to be like God in purity and holiness. And his sanctify
ing Spirit is the surest pledge of God's love : Kom. v. 5, ' Because the love
of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit given us ; ' and
doth most help us to love him again : Kom. viii. 15, ' And have received
the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father/ Other gifts, that
conduce to please the flesh may keep us from him, as wealth, honour,
and pleasures ; but saving grace, as it cometh from God, so it carrieth
us to him.
(2.) A delight in him. So far as they enjoy God, they delight in him :
Ps. iv. 6, 7, ' Lord, lift up the light of thy countenance upon us ; thou
hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time when their corn
and wine increased/ His favour is life, his displeasure as death to
their soul c Thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled/ Ps. xxx. 7.
They look upon God reconciled as the best friend, and God displeased
as the most dreadful adversary.
(3.) It is their comfort and solace that they shall more perfectly see
him and be like him in the other world to which they are tending,
when they shall behold their glorified Kedeemer, and their own nature
united to the Godhead, and their persons admitted into the nearest
YER. 28.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vin. 279
intuition and fruition of God they are capable of, and live in the fullest
love to him and delight in him : Kom. v. 2, ' We rejoice in hope of the
glory of God.'
(4.) They are so satisfied with this that their great business is to please
God and be accepted with him : 2 Cor. v. 9, ' Wherefore we labour,
that whether present or absent, we may be accepted with him.'
[3.] The properties of this love.
(1.) It is not a speculative, but a practical love. Some please them
selves with fancies and airy religion, that consist in lofty strains of devo
tion, and fellow-like familiarity with God ; but the true love is seen in
obedience : John xiv. 15, ' If ye love me, keep my commandments ; '
and 1 John v. 3, ' For this is the love of God, that we keep his com
mandments.' Our love is a love of duty ; we have such a deep sense
of the majesty of God, such an esteem of his favour, that we dare not
hazard it by doing anything which may be a breach of our duty, or a
grief to his Spirit, or a dishonour to his name.
(2.) It is not a transient, but a fixed love ; not a pang of zeal for
the present, but a radicated inclination towards God, or a deep impres
sion left upon the heart, which disposeth it to seek his glory and do
his will ; the bent of the mind is to God and heaven. They do not
choose him for their portion only, but cleave to him ; all their desire
and endeavour is to please, glorify, and enjoy God. Some have good
inclinations, but they are as unstable as water, being divided between
God and the world, James i. 8 ; but these allow no rival and com
petitor with God in the soul : Ps. Ixxiii. 25, ' Whom have I in heaven
but thee ? and there is none on earth that I desire besides thee/
(3.) It is not a cold, but a fervent love. We are not to love God after
any sort, remissly, coldly, but with the greatest vigour and intension
of affection ; so it runneth, Mat. xxii. 37, ' Thou shalt love the Lord
thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy
might/ Many words are heaped together to increase the sense that our
love may be a growing love, quickened and heightened to a further
degree.
1st It is God that is loved, not the creature. Thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself, but God with all thy heart. In a moral considera
tion there are three beings God, neighbour, self. There is a law
that you should love God, and a law that you should love your neigh
bour ; but where is the positive law that you should love yourselves ?
Turn over the scriptures, and you will find nothing of this. There
are laws to restrain self-love, none to excite it ; in this we need no
teacher ; there is something in our bosoms to prompt us to love our
selves, therefore it is rather supposed than enforced. Paul's adverbs
are emphatical, Titus ii. 12, ' that we should live soberly, righteously,
and godly.' What is it to live godly, but to esteem, love, reverence, and
serve God with all our heart and all our strength ? And to live justly
as to our neighbour, what is it but to love our neighbour as ourself ?
* What ye would that men should do unto you, do ye the same to them/
What is it to live soberly as to ourselves, but that our self-love should
be moderated, that we should abstain from all unlawful and superfluous
pleasures, and use the lawful ones sparingly, as meat, drink, clothing,
recreation, unless we would have our souls choked or snared ? Self-
280
SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [$ER. XXXVIII.
love hath so filled the hearts of men that there is no room, or little
room, left for the love of God or our neighbour ; but yet there is a
measure set how we should love our neighbour, but we cannot over-love
God ; there all the heart, all the soul, all the might ; it is modus sine
modo, mensura sine mensura, et terminus sine termino ; here no excess
or hyperbole hath any place.
Idly. The nature of the object loved. God is infinitely and eternally
good, therefore we must love God without any exceptions and restric
tions. As the object of love is goodness, so the measure of the
goodness is the measure of the love : a greater good must be loved
more, and a lesser good must be loved less. Somewhat besides God
may be good, but it is finite and limited ; the creature is a particular
good, and our love to it is a particular limited love. God only is a sea
of goodness without banks and without bottom ; therefore our love to
God is not limited 'by the object, but the narrowness of the faculty.
God in this life is seen darkly, and so also loved, for our love doth
not exceed our knowledge. That is our defect : God deserveth more.
3c%. God is loved ut finis, as the last end, and all other things ut
media ad finem. Now common reason will tell us that the end is
desired without measure, and the means in a certain respect and
proportion to the end. As, for instance, when you are sick you send
for the physician, the end is health ; the medicaments and prescrip
tions are the means ; the end you intend absolutely, but the means
you would have used in a just measure, and with respect to the end.
Fasting is prescribed in measure, and blood-letting in measure ; the
potions neither too bitter nor too strong, nor in too great quantity.
You do not fear to be made too well, or too healthy, or too strong ; this
is your end. A man that giveth up himself to a scholar's life, his end
is learning, he doth not fear to be too learned ; yet too much reading
is a weariness to the flesh, and dulleth the mind. There is a greater
largeness about the end than about the means. Now God is the chief
good, and so the last end ; therefore all the heart and all the soul and
all the mind. Surely not a cold, but a high and strong love is due
to him.
Stilly. Because of the wonders of his love towards us. The highest
angel doth not love God with such a love as he loveth the meanest
saints ; and shall we love him coldly and faintly who hath loved us at
eo high a rate ? I will not speak of his love which he showed us in
creation, when as yet we had no being: he made us after his own
image, and lords of the visible world, with bodies so exactly contrived,
and souls endowed with such excellent faculties ; but I will speak of
the wonders of his love in our redemption, that when we were enemies
he sent his Son to die for us. I urge this, I press this ; this is enough
for my purpose : God so loved the world, so much above the concep
tion or thought of men and angels, that his Son came in the similitude
of sinful flesh, and died for us. Now, as one fire kindleth another, so
should this love beget a like love in us ' We love him, because he
loved us first/ 1 John iv. 19.
(4.) I need scarce add that it must be a superlative love that God
must be loved above all other things ; above the creature, above our
selves ; not to be respected as an inferior good, nor merely as equal
VER. 28.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIIL 281
unto any, but above all, or else we do not at all love him. We cannot
love him so much as he deserveth to be loved, for so God only loveth
himself ; we cannot love him so much as the glorified saints and
angels love him, for we are not yet perfect ; we do not love him as
some eminent saints in flesh, because we, it may be, are novices, or
because of our negligence ; but we must love him more than any other
thing is loved ; we must love him above all, and all in and for God,
or else we are not sincere: Mat. x. 37, 'He that loveth father or
mother more than me is not worthy of me.' Some have a partial
half-love to God when they have a greater love to other things ; then
religion will be an underling, and God's interest least minded. If
anything be nearer and dearer to us than God, and the advantages we
expect from men are preferred before the conscience of our duty to
him, we cannot be upright and faithful to Christ.
Secondly, Why is this made the evidence of our interest in this
privilege ? Why those that love God, rather than those that believe
in him, especially since faith is the immediate fruit of effectual
calling ?
I answer, 1. The apostle speaketh of the children of God, and
children will love their father. What more natural ? what more
kindly ? They are regenerated and sanctified by the Spirit for this
end : Gal. iv. 6, ' Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit
of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.' An heart inclined
to God cannot keep away from him.
2. Of children that belong to the gospel dispensation. Now they
that love God are the only gospel Christians, being deeply possessed
with that love which God hath showed to us in Christ : 1 John iv.
19, 'We love him because he loved us first/ Now we see greater
reasons of loving God, and are taught a more perfect way of loving
God. We know God more, and feel more and taste more of his
love : Luke vii. 47, ' Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are
many, are forgiven, for she loved much ; but to whom little is forgiven,
the same loveth little/
3. This gospel estate we enter into by faith. Now faith is such a
believing of God's love to us in Christ as giveth us a lively sense of it
in our souls. It is not a bare apprehension, a hearsay-knowledge, but
a taste that we have by faith: 1 John iv. 16, 'And we have known
and believed the love that God hath to us ; ' and 1 Peter ii. 3, ' If so be
ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.' Whatever of the love of
God faith apprehendeth and feeleth, begetteth love again, Gal. v. 6.
Knowledge and faith and hope are but the bellows to keep in this
holy fire, to work our hearts to love God.
4. This faith is the fruit of effectual calling, which is a great expres
sion of God's love to us who were so unworthy, 2 Tim. i. 9, and
passing by thousands and ten thousands who were all as good as we,
and we as deep in the common pollution as they, and in outward
respects were far better and more considerable, great, wise, and learned :
1 Cor. i. 26, ' Ye see your calling, brethren, that not many wise men
after the flesh, not many noble, are called.' And called us to such
dignity and honour and blessedness : 1 Peter iii. 9, ' Knowing that ye
are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing;' 1 Thes.ii. 12,
282 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXXVIII.
' That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called us to his king
dom and glory/ It was not our will nor our worth that moved him,
but his own love. Now this love calleth for love again: God loveth
first, best, and most ; but yet we should love as we can, love to our
utmost ; that which was begun in love on God's part should be accom
panied with love on ours.
5. This effectual calling is the fruit of God's eternal purpose, which
he purposed in himself, to save us by Christ. Vocation is actual
election, the first eruption and breaking out of his eternal purpose.
For as God distinguished us from others who lay in the same polluted
mass of mankind by the purpose of his grace before time, so he
actually calleth us out from others in time, to be a people to himself ;
therefore vocation is called election, John xv. 19. Now in God's free
election we have the* clearest view of his love and our great obligations
to God. And therefore what should more excite our love and grati
tude ? This was ancient love before we or the world had a being ; it
was the design God travailed with from all eternity. And who are we,
that the thoughts of God should be taken up about us so long ago ? It
is love purposed and designed ; his heart is set upon it to do us good ;
it was not a thing of chance, but forelied and fore-ordained. If one
doth us a kindness that lieth in his way, and when opportunity doth
fairfy invite him, he is friendly to us ; but when he studieth to do us
good, it is more obliging. This is a feast long in preparing, to make
all things ready for our acceptance, therefore this calleth for love.
6. This purpose is followed with his watchful and powerful provi
dence, guiding and ordering all things, that it may not miscarry and
lose its effect, which is as great and sensible an argument of the love
of God as can be propounded to us : Job vii. 17, 18, ' What is man,
that thou shouldest magnify him ? and that thou shouldest set thine
heart upon him ? and that thou shouldest visit him every morning,
and try him every moment ? ' If a prince should form the manners
of a beggar's child, and watch him at every turn, it would be a great
condescension. When others are spilt on the great common of the
world by a looser providence, they are a peculiar people, who have a
special interest in his love and care, and his charge. Now the scrip
ture delighteth to suit qualifications and privileges : Ps. xxxi. 14, * I
trusted in thee, Lord ; I said, Thou art my God ; ' Isa. Iviii. 13, 14,
' If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure
on my holy day, and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord,
honourable, and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, not
finding thine own pleasure, not speaking thine own words ; then shalt
thou delight thyself in the Lord, and I will cause thee to ride upon
the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob
thy father, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it ; ' Ps. xci. 1,
* He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide
under the shadow of the Almighty.' So here, God's love, expressed in
his mindfulness and vigilancy over our affairs, should excite our love
to him again, and our love will be highly recompensed by his care and
mindfulness of us.
^ 7. These believers and called ones are considered as afflicted, and
his purpose is to arm them against the bitterness of the cross. Nothing
VER. 28.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 283
so fit for this use as love ; if we did love God, the burden of afflictions
would be light and easy to be borne, because it is from God it cometh,
John xviii. 11. Love is the fittest grace to bring the heart to submit to
God. Love God once, and nothing that he saith or doth will be
unacceptable to you ; his commands will not be grievous, nor his pro
vidences grievous ; our desires will be after him when his hand is most
smart and heavy upon us ; and when sense representeth him as an
enemy, yet we cannot keep off from him : Isa. xxvi. 8, 'In the way of
thy judgments, Lord, we have waited for thee : the desire of our
soul is unto thee, and to the remembrance of thy name.'
8. Not only with ordinary afflictions, but troubles for their fidelity
to Christ ; love will endure much for God, as well as receive much
from him: James i. 12, 'Blessed is the man that endureth temptations;
for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which he hath
promised to them that love him.' Mark, it is not said to them that
fear him or trust in him, but them that love him ; because it is love
that maketh us hold out in temptations, love that engageth us to zeal
and constancy, that overcometh all difficulties and oppositions for God's
sake. Nihil est quod non tolerat, qui perfecte diligit ; he that loveth
much, will suffer much. He cordially adhereth to God with courage
and resolution of mind, and is not daunted with sufferings : Cant. viii.
7, ' Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it ;
if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would
utterly be contemned/ Love is not bribed nor quenched. Where love
prevaileth upon the heart, we shall esteem nothing too much or too
dear to be parted with for God's sake. As in these troubles God's love
is best known and discovered to us, so our love to God is best known
and discovered also ; the more we love God, the more sensible do we
find it, and are persuaded that all things shall work together for good;
your title is clearer, experience greater : 1 Cor. viii. 3, ' If any man
love God, the same is known of him ; ' that is, owned by him in the
course of his providence. If we are sanctified to God, all things would
be sanctified to us. It is otherwise with hypocrites : if God endow
them with gifts, they prove a snare to them ; but if you love God
above all, count his favour your happiness, and make pleasing of God
your constant work, and resolve to obey him at the dearest rates, you
will soon find this testimony of God's love ; then all the influences of
his eternal love and grace shall be made out to you, and his external
providence doth help you on in the way to heaven ; for a man that
loveth God as his chief good shall never be a loser by him.
9. This is a sure and sensible note of effectual calling; for as sincere
faith is the immediate fruit of it, so true faith cannot be severed from
love. This is that which maketh us saints indeed ; but without it, what
ever gifts and parts we have, whatever knowledge and utterance, we are
nothing, 1 Cor. xiii. 1-3. There may be many convictions, and pur
poses, and wishes, and good meanings in those who are yet but under
a common work; but till there be a thorough fixed bent of heart
towards God, as our last end and chief good, we have not a sure
evidence of grace, or that our calling home to God is accomplished.
Many a thought there is of the goodness of God, the necessity of a saviour,
the love of Christ, and the joys of heaven ; yet after all this, the heart
284 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXXVIII.
may be unrenewed and unsanctified till this addictedness and devoted-
ness to God ; for it is not every wish or minding of Christ, but a
hearty, sincere affection, which is required of us as to our title : Eph.
vi. 24, * Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in
sincerity ; ' not for a time, not with an ineffectual love, or upon some
foreign motives, but have this habitual love which constituteth the
new heart. Well then, this is a sure mark of one that hath interest
in the love of God, and one of those marks which is best known to the
person that hath it ; for love to Christ cannot be well hidden, but will
be easily discerned.
Use, To inform us that these are for the present excepted out of this
privilege that do not sincerely love God, and love him above all.
They are of two sorts
1. Some have a weak and imperfect motion of their wills a wish, a
faint desire to please God in all, and above all things ; but being over
come by their own lusts, they do not simply and absolutely desire it, '
and had rather please their fleshly lusts than please God ; at least the
event doth so declare it. You give God nothing, if you do not give
him all the heart. We are so to love God and seek his glory and do his
will when it is cross to our carnal interest ; his favour must be valued
as our happiness, and the pleasing of him made our greatest work ;
and for his sake we must be content to suffer anything, though nover
BO hard and difficult and contrary to our nature. Let not such say
they love God that cannot deny a lust for him, nor will not for his sake
venture the loss of anything that is dear to them, either goods, or
liberty, or favour of men, or preferment, or credit. Pilate was loth
to venture the Jews' displeasure ; the Gadarenes would part with Christ
rather than their swine ; surely if we put the love of God to hazard upon
light occasions, we do not love him, nor count his favour our supreme-
happiness.
2. Others have a deliberate resolution, and seem for the present
absolutely and seriously to please God in all things, and keep his com
mandments ; but they do not verify it in their conversations. Their
purposes and resolutions are not dissembled for the present, but yet
soon changed ; they neither keep the commandments of God nor study
to please him ; there is a moral sincerity in them, but not a super
natural sincerity. Wherein differ they ? The moral sincerity is a
dictate of conscience, but the supernatural sincerity is a fruit of heart-
changing grace. What shall we do, then ? Beg such a heart of God :
Deut. v. 29, ' Oh that there were such a heart within them, that they
would fear me, and keep my commandments always/ God showeth
what we should do ; convinced conscience showeth what purposes and
resolutions we should make, but a converted heart is only able to keep-
them. That must be sought of God, and all good means must be used
that these purposes that we conceive to be sincere may be found to be
so. And God will not fail the striving and endeavouring soul, that
seeketh to persevere in its holy will and purpose to obey and please
God ; but by internal grace and external providence will help us onward
in our course to heaven. But if we depend upon our purposes and
resolutions made in solemn duties, with a clear conscience, and with
a deliberate and seemingly resolved will, without those subsequent
VEE. 28.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 285
endeavours which evidence they come from a renewed heart, alas ! they
will soon come to nothing.
Use 2. To exhort us to the love of God. The more you love him
your title is the clearer, experience greater, hopes of eternal life stronger.
1. Consider these two things God is lovely in himself, and hath
loved us.
[1.] That God is lovely in himself, because of his wisdom and great
ness, as well as because of his benignity. We are, or may be, soon per
suaded that we ought to love him as the fountain of all goodness ; but the
other attributes should attract and draw our hearts also. I shall add this
argument to all the rest : Whatever engageth us to adhere to God as an
all-sufficient portion, that is certainly a motive of our love ; for love is
nothing else but a delightful adhesion to God. Now his infinitely glorious
essence, dominion, and power, engage us to adhere to him ; therefore we
must press you to consider the excellency of his nature, evidenced in
the absolute dominion of his providence and holiness of his laws. We
would have you consider neither with the exclusion of the other ; not his
greatness without his goodness, nor his benignity and goodness without
his greatness, neither of both without his holiness ; all maketh our love
more strong and regular.
[2.] He hath loved us in what he hath done already, in what he hath
prepared for us.
(1.) In what he hath done already in Christ, which showeth that
God is love : John iii. 16, ' God so loved the world, that he gave his
only-begotten Son ; ' 1 John iv. 10, ' Herein is love, not that we loved
God, but he loved us, and sent his Son to be a propitiation for our
sins/
(2.) In what he will do. He hath greater benefits to give us than
what he hath already given : James ii. 5, ' God hath chosen the poor
of the world, rich in faith, and heirs of a kingdom which he hath pro
mised to them that love him ; ' not to learned, rich benefactors, but to
them that love him, and are willing to do and suffer anything for his
sake : 1 Peter ii. 9, * But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, a peculiar people ; that you should show forth the praise
of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light/
2. That love runneth a- wasting on the creature. That is ruinous and
destructive, this conduces to our good ; if we suffer loss here, it will
be recompensed by a greater benefit.
I come now to the last clause Who are called according to purpose.
Doct. The effectually called are those that love God, and are
beloved by him.
Let me speak
1. Of the several kinds of calling.
2. The properties of effectual calling-
3. The ends of it.
First, Let us distinguish the several kinds of calling
1. There is a twofold calling proper and improper.
[1.] The improper call is the general and common invitation of all
men in the world, by the works of creation and providence, by all
which God inviteth men to seek after him. The work of creation,
Acts xvii. 27. All God's works have a tongue, and a voice proclaiming
286 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXXVIII.
and crying up an infinite and eternal power, who is the fountain of
our being and happiness ; so Bom. i. 20, ' The invisible things of
God, from the creation of the world, are clearly seen, being understood
from the things which are made; ' Ps. xix. 1, 'The heavens declare
the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork.' !NV
man can look seriously upon the works of creation, but this thought
will arise in his mind, that all this was made by a powerful, wise, and
good God. He telleth us, ver. 3, ' There is no speech and language
where their voice is not heard ; ' though it be not an articulate, yet it
is a very intelligible voice. They in effect speak to every nation in
their own language, that there is an eternal God, who must be sought
after and worshipped and served. And as the works of creation, so
the works of providence, whether for good or evil. Good : Acts xiv. 17,
' Nevertheless, he left not himself without witness, in that he did good/
The comfortable passages of providence are a pregnant, full, and clear
testimony that the government of the world is in the hands of a good
God. So afflictive providences ; some of God's works have a louder
and more distinct voice than others : Micah vi. 9, ' The Lord's voice
crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name ; hear
ye the rod, and who hath appointed it ; ' or if you suppose that con-
cerneth the church, take Rom. i. 18, 'For the wrath of God is
revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of
men.' God doth discipline and instruct the world by his judgments,
that he is holy, just, and true. God's works speak to us, only we must
take heed of a deaf ear ; non-attentiveness to God's providence made
way for the prevalency of atheism and idolatry in the world. There
are two propositions, that, if well minded and improved, would preserve
a lively remembrance of God in the hearts of men that all good
cometh from God : James i. 17, ' Every good and perfect gift is from
above, and cometh down from the Father of lights ; ' and all evil
from God : Amos iii. 6, ' Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord
hath not done it ? ' and that any notable effect in either kind is a
sign and witness of an invisible power. If men would not look upon
all things that befall them as mere chances, they could not sleep so
securely in their sins ; but God would have a greater testimony in
every man's bosom that he hath a care of human affairs, and is a
rewarder of such as please him, and an avenger of such as do offend
him. The question about this improper calling is, What is the use of
it ? or whether it be sufficient to salvation ?
(1.) Though the works of creation and providence reveal a God,
yet these natural apostles, sun, moon, and stars, say nothing of Christ,
and there is salvation in no other, Acts iv. 12. They did teach the
world that there is a God, and that this God must be served, and will
be terrible to those that serve him not ; and possibly that God was
placable, or willing to be appeased, because of the continuance of the
creation, and the manifold mercies we lost or forfeited by our apostasy
and defection from htm. The apostle saith it is an invitation to
repentance, Rom. ii. 4. Yet the knowledge of Jesus Christ the Son of
God, and of redemption purchased to lost sinners through him, is a
mystery which the greatest wits in the world could not understand
but by God's reveahng it in his word.
VEB. 28.J SERMONS UPON ROMANS vni. 287
(2.) The use of this call to those that have no other, but barely it,
is to leave men without excuse, Kom. i. 20 ; and that it might pre
vail to work some restraint of sin, and to promote some external
reformation in the world, for the good of mankind, Rom. ii. 14.
(3.) Those who have a louder call in the word are the more obliged
to regard this call and invitation by the works of God's creation and
providence. The call by the word is more perfect and more pressing,
and suited more to work upon our thoughts, the object being more
clearly and fully propounded to us. Yet this latter call is not privative,
but accumulative; it doth not null the duty of the former call, or
make it wholly useless to us, but helps us to interpret it the better,
and we need all helps. Faith doth not withdraw itself from natural
knowledge, and make it useless to us. Though we are to exercise
ourselves in the law of God day and night, yet we must not overlook
the works of creation and providence, and whilst we study his word,
neglect God's works ; for they are a confirmation of our faith, and a
great occasional help to our love, as appeareth by the instructions
which the holy men of God gather thence ; witness David's night medi
tation, Ps. viii., ' Thy moon and thy stars ; ' and his morning meditation,
Ps. xix., ' The heavens declare the glory of God/ The glories of God
which we read of in the word are visible in the creation ; and though
David preferreth the book of scripture, yet he doth not lay aside the
book of nature. We must use the world as a glass, wherein to see the
glory of God. He hath not the heart of a man in him who is not
stricken with admiration at the sight of these things the glory of the
heavenly bodies, and the wonderful variety of all creatures; and
besides, there is none so good, but he needeth the mercy and direction
of God to invite him to a more frequent remembrance of him. How
happy are they that have such a God for their God 1 How miserable
they that make him their judge and avenger !
[2.] The proper calling is the voice of God in the word of his grace
inviting sinners to Christ. This is called distinctly his calling : Eph.
i. 18, ' That ye may know what is the hope of his calling ; ' and the
' high calling of God in Jesus Christ/ Phil. iii. 14 ; and again, c That
our God would count you worthy of his calling/ 2 Thes. i. 11 ; and
explained, 1 Cor. i. 9, ' Faithful is he which hath called you into the
fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord/ Now this is a more
close and full discovery of God than is to be found elsewhere ; God
calleth and inviteth some by the creatures only, others by his grace in
Christ.
But this being calling most properly taken, why is it not vouchsafed
to all ? I answer-
(1.) God is not obliged to send the gospel to any; it is his free
dispensation : Eom. xi. 35, ( Or who hath first given to him, and it
shall be recompensed to him again ? ' God doth not send the gospel
by necessity of nature, or any pre-obligation on the creature's part, but
merely of his own grace, which worketh most freely, and sendeth it
where it pleaseth him.
(2.) All have more knowledge of God by nature than they make
good use of: Rom. i, 21, 'When they knew God, they glorified him
not as God/ And till men improve a lower dispensation, why should
288 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXXVIII.
they be trusted with a higher ? If a vessel will not hold water, you
will not trust wine, or any more precious liquor in it.
2. God's gracious invitation of lost sinners to Christ, which properly
is his calling them, is either external or internal ; external by the word,
internal by his Spirit.
[1.] External, by the commands and promises of the word, requiring
euch duties from them, and assuring them of such blessings upon
obedience. Thus Wisdom's maidens are sent forth to invite guests to
her palace, Prov. iv. 2 ; and the king's servants to call them to the
marriage-feast, Mat. xxii. 9 ; and so far they prevail in their message,
that many present themselves. God would not leave us to a book,
but hath appointed a living ministry, 2 Cor. vi. 10.
[2.] Internal, not only by the word, but by his Spirit, and the
checks of their ownxonscience, which is a nearer approach of his grace
and power to us. By the motions of his Spirit ; how else could it be
said, Gen. vi. 3, ' My Spirit shall not always strive with man ' ? and
Acts vii. 51, ' Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost ' ? And also by their
consciences soliciting them to the performance of their duty, and
challenging them for the neglect of it. It is natural duty : Kom. ii.
14, 15, * The Gentiles do by nature the things contained in the law ;
these, having not the law, are a law to themselves, which show the
works of the law written in their hearts ; their consciences also bearing
witness, and their thoughts in the meanwhile accusing or excusing
one another.' And for acceptance of the gospel-covenant : 1 John iii.
20, 21, ' If our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart and
knoweth all things ; if our heart condemn us not, then have we con
fidence towards God/
3. This external and internal calling may be ineffectual or effectual.
[1.] The ineffectual call consists in the bare tender and offer of
grace, but is not entertained. God may knock at the door of the heart
that doth not open to him ; knock by the word, knock by the motions
of the Spirit and checks of conscience ; so, c many are called, but few
are chosen/ Mat. xxii. 14. There is not the fruit of election, nor are
these the called according to purpose.
[2.] The effectual call is when God changeth the heart, and bringeth
it home to himself by Jesus Christ. We are not only invited to Christ,
but come to him by the strength and power of his own grace : John
vi. 44, * No man can come to me, except the Father, which hath sent
me, draw him/ When we yield to the call ; as Paul, who was extra
ordinarily called, saith, Acts xxvi. 19, ' I was not disobedient to the
heavenly vision;' we have his .consent and resignation recorded : Acts
ix. 6, 'Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?' He yieldeth up the
keys of his heart, that Christ may come and take possession. In an
ordinary call : 2 Cor. viii. 5, ' They first gave themselves to the Lord ;'
it is in other places expressed by our receiving or embracing Christ,
John i. 12, both are implied our thankful accepting of Christ, and
our giving up ourselves to him ; they both go together, and where the
one is, the other is also. In every covenant there is ratio dati, et ac-
cepti, something given and something required : Christ and his bene
fits, and what we have, are, and do, both are an answer to God's call.
Secondly, The properties of effectual calling.
VER. 28.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS viu. 289
1. It is a holy calling : 2 Tim. i. 9, ' Who hath called us with an
holy calling ;' and it is also a heavenly calling : Heb. iii. 1, ' Partakers
of the heavenly calling:' because we are called to duties and privileges,
these must not be severed ; some are forward to the privileges of the
calling, but backward to the duties thereof. A good Christian must
mind both, the privileges to take him off from the false happiness, and
the duties that he may return to his obedience to God ; the one is the
way and means to come to the other ; for it is said, he hath ' called us
to glory and virtue,' 2 Peter i. 3 ; meaning by glory, eternal life, and by
virtue, grace and holiness. In the way that God offereth it we embrace
it ; we heartily consent to seek after eternal glory in the way of faith
and holiness ; and so by it the heart is turned by Christ from the
creature to God, from sin to holiness.
Thirdly, The ends of effectual calling, both on God's part and the
creature's.
1. On God's part, that God may show his wisdom, power, and
goodness.
[1.] His wisdom is seen partly in the way and means that God
taketh to convert sinners to himself. There is a sweet contemperation
and mixture of wisdom and power ; there is no violence offered to the
will of the creatures, nor the liberty of second causes taken away, and
yet the effect is obtained. The proposal of good to the understanding
and will, by the secret power of the Lord's grace, is made effectual ;
and at the same time we are taught and drawn : John vi. 44, 45, ' No
man can come to me, except the Father, which hath sent me, draw
him; as it is written in the prophets, They shall all be taught of
God ; every man therefore that hath heard, and learned of the Father,
cometh to me.' There is opening blind eyes, and turning a hard
heart, Acts xxvi. 18. He worketh strongly like himself, sweetly with
respect to us, that he may not oppress the liberty of our faculties ; and
the convert, at the same time, is made willing by his own choice, and
effectually cured by God's grace ; so that Christ cometh conqueringly
into the heart, and yet not by force, but by consent. We are trans
formed, but so as we prove what the good and acceptable will of the
Lord is, Kom. xii. 2. The power of God and the liberty of man do
sweetly consist together ; and we have at the same time a new heart
and a free spirit, and the powerful efficacy of his grace doth not destroy
the consent and good liking of the sinner. The will is moved, and
also changed and renewed. In the persuasive and moral way of
working, God taketh the most likely course to gain the heart of man,
discovering himself to us as a God of kindness and mercy, ready to
pardon and forgive : Ps. cxxx. 4, ' But there is forgiveness with thee,
that thou mayest be feared ;' for guilty creatures would stand aloof
off from a condemning God. No, God hath laid the foundation of the
offer of his grace in the highest demonstration of his love and good
ness that ever could come into the ears of man to hear, or could enter
into the heart of man to conceive viz., in giving his Son to die for a
sinful world : 2 Cor. v. 19, 20, ' To wit, that God was in Christ, recon
ciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them,
and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we
are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us ; we
VOL. XII. T
290
SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXXVIII.
pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God/ And not only in
the offers of pardon, but eternal life and blessedness, eo infinitely be
yond the false happiness that our carnal self-love inclineth us unto,
that it is a shame and disgrace to our reason to think that these things
are worthy to be compared in any serious debate, or that all the plea
sures and honours and profits we dote upon should come in competition
with that blessed immortality and life which is brought to light in the
gospel, 2 Tim. i. 10. And powerful grace goeth along with all this,
to make it effectual, partly in the time of conversion, taking us in our
month, and that season which is fittest for the glory of his grace.
Some are called in the morning, some at noon, some in the evening of
their age ; as Mat. xx. 3-6, &c., some were hired to go into the vine
yard at the third, some the ninth, some the eleventh hour. That any
believe in Christ at all is mercy ; that some believe in him sooner,
some later, is the Lord's wise ordering. He that is called betimes may
consider God's goodness, which broke out so early, before he longer
provoked him, and contracted a habit of evil customs, and that God
instructed him betimes to take heed of sin, and spending his fresh and
flowery youth in the service of the devil ; whereas, otherwise, lost days
and months and years would have been a perpetual grief to him. He
that is called at the latter end of his days, having so many sins upon
him, may be quickened to glorify God, that he would not refuse him
at last, nor despise him for all his rebellions, nor remember against
him the sins of his youth, that a long and an old enemy should be
taken into favour. God knoweth how best to gain upon every heart.
And partly in the means and occasions which God useth to convert us.
It is many times dispensed in a contrary way to human expectation :
Paul when pursuing the people of God, some when scoffing and mock
ing, at least when they dreamt of no such matter. But of that here
after.
[2.] In this effectual calling God showeth forth his love and grace.
(1.) That the rise of all was his elective love. None are in time
effectually called but those that before all time were chosen to life ;
for it is said here, * called according to purpose/ From all eternity he
had a purpose to be thus gracious to us. Those that were in the cor
rupt mass of mankind are distinguished from others in his eternal
purpose before the foundations of the world, and were in time called
out from others ; and vocation is but election broken out, therefore
called election. Trace the stream till you find the well-head, and you
will discern that you can ascribe your calling to nothing else, but
1 even so, Father, because it pleased thee,' Mat. xi. 26. God before
time elected us; in the fulness of time Christ gave a ransom to provoked
justice for us ; and in due time the effects of God's eternal love and
Christ's purchase are applied, and so we come to have a right to the
blessedness we were chosen unto and was purchased for us. Oh!
admire this grace !
(2.) God needed us not ; he had an only Son to delight in, Prov.
viii. 31 ; millions of angels to serve him, Dan. vii. 10. What loss
would it be to him if the world of mankind had been destroyed ? Acts
xvii. 25, ' God is not worshipped with men's hands, as if he needed
anything/ No, to the fulness of his happiness nothing can be added.
VER. 28.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIIL 291
(3.) He was highly provoked and offended by us, for we had cast
off the mercies of our creation, and from his creatures were become
his rebels. And then, ' in due time Christ died for the ungodly/ Rom.
v. 6 ; and upon his death and propitiation is the offer grounded.
Sinners are called to repentance, Mat. ix. 13.
(4.) Great was our misery we fell into by reason of sin : Eph. ii. 3,
' Children of wrath/ Indeed we were senseless of our misery, careless
of our remedy, loth to come out of that wretched estate into which
we had plunged ourselves : John iii. 19, ' And this is the condemna
tion, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather
than light, because their deeds were evil/ Oh ! what mercy was this !
that God had such pityvand compassion upon us, when we had none
upon ourselves. How freely then did he love us ! How powerful did
he work upon us ! calling and conquering, ruling and overruling all
matters wherein we were concerned, that he might convert us to
himself.
(5.) That he should call us who were so inconsiderable, when others
were left to perish in sins : 1 Cor. i. 26, * Ye see your calling, brethren,
how that not many wise men after the flesh are called/ When so
many were passed by who are before us in outward respects, learned,
great, and wise, and God showed mercy to us, we were as deep in the
common pollution as they, and for many natural abilities and perfec
tions came far short of them, surely this is merely the love and good
pleasure of God.
(6.) This calling bringeth us into such an estate as intituleth us to
the peculiar and special protection of God. We are his charge, that
he may guide all things about us for his own glory and our good.
This is intimated in the text. When once you believe God's offers,
and yield hearty obedience to them, you are a peculiar people. Why ?
Because called out of darkness into his marvellous light, 1 Peter ii. 9.
All his creatures are the work of his hands, and under the disposal
of his providence; but you have -a special propriety and peculiar
interest in his love and care, whom he will maintain, and never
forsake.
(7.) By this calling you are interested in his kingdom and glory to
be had hereafter ; for it is said, 1 Peter iii. 9, ' You are called to inherit
a blessing ;' that is, a blessedness, which consists in the clear vision
and full fruition of God. Surely they that were naturally under the
curse should be more apprehensive of this great privilege.
[3.] It is an act of power : Rom. iv. 17, ' Even God, who quickeneth
the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were/
God only can work so great a change by his creating power, which
spake all things out of nothing. Certainly, he that can do what he
will both in heaven and in earth, Ps. cxxxv. 3, can subdue the heart
of man when he pleaseth. The will of man, though never so deeply
engaged in a course of sin and wickedness, cannot resist it, but yieldeth
to it : Ps. ex. 3, ' They shall be a willing people in the day of thy
power ;' of graceless they become gracious, of unwilling, willing. And
God showeth more power in this than in his other works, for here is a
principle of resistance ; as to break a skittish horse is more than to roll
a stone.
292 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [$ER. XXXVIII.
2. The ends with respect to man. It is a great mercy, this external,
internal, and effectual calling, take it all together.
[1.] It giveth us notice of the remedy provided for us by the pro
pitiation of Christ, and the covenant founded thereupon. Light is come
into the world, John iii. 19 a sure way to direct us to true happi
ness ; without it the world had been a dark dungeon, wherein guilty
malefactors are for a while permitted to live.
[2.] This calling bringeth home this grace to us, and layeth it at
our doors, and leaves it upon our choice ; if we will accept it, well and
good : Acts xiii. 26, ' To you is the word of salvation sent.' What say
you to it ? God hath sent a gracious message to you in particular,
will you accept or refuse ? And Acts iii. 20; ' And he shall send
Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you.' It doth excite us
in particular to look after the remedy of our lapsed estate.
[3.] This calling is our warrant, plea, and claim, which giveth us
leave to apply these privileges, if we consent to the duties required ; as
the apostle saith of an office, so it is true of the dignity of being chris-
tians, which is a spiritual priesthood : Heb. v. 4, ' And no man taketh
this honour upon himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron/
For a man to take or receive to himself honour and privilege which
doth not belong to him, is usurpation, which will succeed ill with him ;
but by calling we have God's consent ; or as those, Mat. xx. 7, ' Why
stand ye here idle all the day ? No man hath hired us.' Before we
can with any tolerable satisfaction to conscience assume such great
privileges, we must produce our warrant. It was encouragement to
the blind man to come near to Christ, ' Arise, the Master calleth thee/
Mark x. 49. The same hath the trembling sinner : the Master calleth
thee, and wilt thou draw back ?
[4.] The internal effectual call giveth us a heart to come to Christ ;
for the power of God disposeth us to accept of his offer, and not only
encourageth, but inclineth us to come to him, for his calling is sancti
fying and changing the heart: Kom. ix. 25, 'I will call them my
people which were not my people ; ' that is, make them to be so.
Use 1. Hearken to this calling.
1. From the benefit. Doth God call thee to thy loss ? or do thee
any wrong when he disturbeth thy sleep in sin, and invites thee to
partake of the riches of his grace in Christ ? No, he calls thee to the
greatest happiness thou art capable of : 2 Thes. ii. 14, ' He hath called
you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus
Christ.' God seeketh to advance you to the greatest honour can be
put upon mankind ; it is a blessed estate : 1 Peter v. 10, ' He hath
called you to his eternal glory by Jesus Christ ; ' that glorious happi
ness for ever.
2. The great misery, if we refuse this call. ' None of those that
were bidden shall taste of my supper/ Luke xiv. 24. They are not
only excluded from happiness, but are under extreme wrath and
misery : Prov. i. 24-26, * Because I have called, and ye refused, I have
stretched out my hand, and no man regarded, but ye have set at nought
all my counsel, and would none of my reproof, I will also laugh at your
calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh/
Use 2. Is to press you to make your calling and election sure, 2 Peter
VER. 28.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 293
i. 10. It cannot be more sure than it is in itself, but it may be more
sure to us. This may be known by these signs
1. Doth the word of God come to you with power, so as to produce
its effect ? It is a sign of election when the gospel cometh to us not
in word only, 2 Thes. i. 4, 5. The Spirit accompanieth it, that this
calling may have its effect, and convert you to God.
2. By your obedience to this call ; attendancy, choice, and pursuit.
[1.] A deliberate weighing, in order to choice : Acts xvi. 14, * The
Lord opened the heart of Lydia, so that she attended unto the things
which were spoken of Paul/ A deep and serious consideration of the
offers of pardon and life by Christ, this maketh way for other things :
Mat. xiii. 19, ' When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and
understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away
that which was sown in his heart/ &c. ; Mat. xxii. 5, ' But they made
light of it,' &c. Non-attendancy is the bane of the far greatest part
of the world ; a flash of lightning cometh into their minds, and is soon
gone. [2.] A thorough choice ; as Lydia is commended for attending,
so Mary for choosing : Luke x. 42, ' But one thing is needful, and
Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from
her.' [3.] A constant and earnest pursuit. A choice made in a sudden
pang and humour may be as soon retracted : Phil. iii. 12, * Not as
though I had already attained, or were already perfect ; but I follow
after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended
of Christ Jesus.' Seeking these things in the first place, Mat. vi. 33.
That pursuit which is the fruit of calling must be speedy : Gal. i. 15,
16, ' But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's
womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I
might preach him among the heathen, immediately I conferred not
with flesh and blood/ &c. The call of God must be obeyed without
delay : Heb. iii. 7, 8, ' Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith, To-day, if
ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in
the day of temptation in the wilderness/ The case is uncertain, we
know not whether we shall ever get again such an offer; and our
indisposition is the greater. And then it must be earnest : Phil. iii.
14, ' I press towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God
in Christ Jesus.' It must be our scope and business, and accompanied
with self-denial and dependence on God: Heb. xi. 8, 'By faith
Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should
after receive for an inheritance, obeyed, and he went out, not knowing
whither he went. [4.] By walking worthy of it : Eph. iv. 1, c I, there
fore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of
the vocation wherewith ye are called ;' 1 Thes. ii. 12, ' That ye walk
worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.'
That ye behave yourselves so as may beseem the duties and hopes of
Christians more holy, more heavenly. God is a holy God, and the
happiness he hath called you unto a glorious estate ; labour to get the
heavenly mind and holy conversation ; be deeply possessed with God's
love in calling you, that you may love him again ; it is not our will
nor our worth, therefore it could not begin with us. (1.) Not our will.
Besides a simple want of good-will, there is in us a carelessness yea, an'
averseness, in closing with his gracious offers, Mat. xxiii. 37. If it did
294 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXXVIII.
depend on the choice of our will, we would refuse to be gathered, and
would live and die estranged from God ; when all things are ready, we
are not ready. (2.) Not our worth. There is nothing in the elect more
than in the reprobate to move God to bestow this blessing on us yea,
much why he should abhor us, Ezek. xvi. 6. Only, where sin abounded
grace did much more abound, Kom. v. 20. The worthiest have no claim
but grace.
We come now to the last clause To them who are the called accord
ing to his purpose. The limiting term of this calling must be now
considered ' According to purpose/ Surely it is not meant of our good
purpose and resolution to turn to God, which is none at all, till God
work it in us ; and calling is God's act, and therefore it is meant of
his purpose. And presently his foreknowledge and predestination is
spoken of: nothing^plainer can be said to signify God's purpose, which
he purposed in himself. But if God's purpose be meant, some think
it is only his purpose concerning the way of salvation, or the saving of
mankind by Christ, or the gospel-way : Eph. i. 9, ' Having made known
the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he pur
posed in himself ;' and Eph. iii. 11, ' According to the eternal purpose
which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.' The gospel was firmly
resolved upon by God according to his eternal purpose. But this is not
all, the word relateth to a degree concerning those persons in particular
whom he intended to save by Christ. His revealed will holdeth forth
the way of our duty, or the course agreed upon and purposed by him ;
but there are some persons whom he determineth to call to grace and
glory. The word is often elsewhere applied to persons : 2 Tim. i. 9,
1 Who hath called us with an holy calling, not according to our works,
but according to his own purpose and grace ;' and Kom. ix. 11, ' That
the purpose of God according to election might stand ;' and Eph. i. 11,
' In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated
according to the counsel of his own will ; ' and so it suiteth with the text,
which applieth this to persons. Three words are here used purpose,
foreknowledge, and predestination. Because there is wisdom in this
decree, therefore it is called foreknowledge ; because there is an ordi
nation of means to a certain end, therefore it is called predestination ;
because it is fixed and unchangeable, therefore it is called purpose.
Many notes might be observed in this clause.
1. We are beholding to God's eternal election and purpose for all
the good that we get by affliction and other providences ; for God's
purpose is the supreme reason assigned in the description of the per
sons who have an interest in this privilege. We love God because we
believe his goodness in Christ; we believe his goodness in Christ
because he hath called us ; and he hath called us because of his eternal
purpose ; and thence it is that all this good cometh to us.
2. The purpose of God concerning our eternal salvation is mani
fested in our being called : that is the first eruption of God's elective
love ; we are in the dark before.
3. Those that continue in their final unbelief and impenitency are
called only by the bye ; the elect, with a purpose to save them. God
raineth on the rocks as well as on the new-mown grass.
But I will content myself with one point
VER. 28.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vm. 295
That there are certain persons before all time elected of God accord
ing to his mere good pleasure and grace, that in time they may be
effectually called and saved.
For some persons here are said to be the called according to pur
pose. Let me explain, and then confirm it.
1. The object of this purpose are certain definite and individual
persons ; Jacob, not Esau ; Peter, not Judas ; man by man, or by head
and poll they are known to God, 2 Tim. ii. 19. Put into the hands
of Christ, that he may redeem them, and give an account of them at
the last day : John xvii. 6, ' I have manifested thy name unto the
men which thou gavest me out of the world ; thine they were, and
thou gavest them me, and they have kept thy word ; ' John vi. 40,
* And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one that seeth the
Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise
him up at the last day/ And they do all believe, and are infallibly
converted : John vi. 37, ' All that the Father giveth me shall come to
me ; and him that cometh to me I will in nowise cast off.'
2. The reason of this purpose is only the Lord's grace and good
pleasure. Christ, debating the matter, giveth no other account of the
gospel's being hid from the wise and prudent, and revealed unto babes,
but this only : Mat xi. 25, ' Even so, Father, for so it seemeth good
in thy sight.' The cause is only God's pleasure ; the reason of this can
be found nowhere else, but only in the bosom of God himself. There
is nothing before, or above, or without his purpose, as the first cause
of all that good which cometh to us ; he doth not foresee any merit or
motive in us ; as Christ telleth his disciples, John xv. 10, ' I have
chosen you, you have not chosen me ; ' his choice is antecedent to
ours. The persons that are singled out to be objects of this special
grace were a part of lost mankind, by nature the same that others are,
some of the world that lay in wickedness ; but when God had all
Adam's posterity under the prospect of his all-seeing eye, he chose
some, and passed by others ; he found all guilty, but doth not punish
all, but spare some ; and found nothing in the creature to cast the
balance of his choice, or to determine it to one more than to another.
Others were as eligible as they, God created them all ; all were alike
obnoxious to him. The prophet argueth, Mai. i. 2, ' Was not Esau
Jacob's brother ? ' It was grace alone did put the difference.
3. This purpose noteth the sure and powerful efficacy of this grace.
God will not be disappointed in his purpose, for there is nothing that
can be imagined that should occasion the alteration of it. Men are
forced to alter their purposes, either out of a natural levity that is in
them, or some impediment falleth out which they foresaw not, or
through defect of power they cannot do what they intend to do ; but
none of these things are in God, no levity and unstability, for he is
Jehovah that changeth not, Mai. iii. 6. And the apostle speaketh of
the immutability of his counsel. God's purpose is both an act of his
understanding, and therefore called counsel, and also his will, there
fore called his decree ; and therefore being once set, it cannot be altered
or revoked ; no cause of revocation can be imagined either in God or
out of God ; not in God, nothing can fall out but what God foresaw at
first ; nor can be frustrated for any defect of power, for he is almighty,
296 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XXXVIII.
angels, devils, and men being subject to him as the supreme and uni
versal Lord.
4. This grace is brought about in a way most convenient for the
honour of God and the good of the creature : in a way of faith and
holiness. Faith : John iii. 16, ' God so loved the world, that he gave
his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not
perish, but have everlasting life/ Holiness : Eph. i. 4, c According as
he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we
should be holy and without blame before him in love/ Now faith is
his gift : Eph. ii. 8, ' We are saved by grace through faith ; and that
not of ourselves, it is the gift of God/ And holiness is wrought in us
by the Spirit of sanctification, and that with a respect to his election :
2 Thes. ii. 13, 'He hath chosen you to salvation through the sanctifi
cation of the Spirit, and belief of the truth/ God did not choose us
because he did foresee that we should be believers, or would be holy,,
but that we might believe, and might be holy ; he could not foresee
any faith or holiness in us but what was the fruit of his own grace-
and elective love to us ; all is still according to his purpose and grace,
which was given us in Christ before the world began. Faith and
holiness is the way and means of bringing about his purpose, not the
foreseen cause and reason, or the end ; the fruit of it, not the motive
to induce God to show us mercy.
5. To promote this faith and holiness, and to preserve them till
their glorified estate, God's providence about them is very remark
able.
[1.] He contriveth means to bring them into the world. Many of
their parents may be wicked, and deserve to be cut off for their sins,
but because there is a blessing in some of the clusters, they are not
destroyed. Many times a slip may be taken from an ill stock, and
grafted into the tree of life ; though the grace of the covenant runneth
most kindly in the channel of the covenant ' How much more shall
these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive-
tree ? ' Horn. xi. 24. But yet God will show the liberty of his counsels,
and choose some out of families very opposite to his ways ; and there
fore many wicked men are spared, that they may be a means to bring
into the world those that afterwards shall believe : Ahaz is let alone
to beget Hezekiah, and a wicked Ammon Josiah ; and there was one
in the house of Jeroboam who made Israel to sin, one child only, in
whom was found some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel,
1 Kings xiv. 13, a godly young man, that had in his heart the true-
seeds of religion.
[2.] When they are born, God hath a special care of them, that they
may not die in their unregenerate condition ; from the womb the-
decree beginneth to take place and be put in act : Gal. i. 15, ' It
pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called
me by his grace ;' Jer. i. 5, ' When thou earnest out of the womb, I
knew thee/ He took special notice that that child was a vessel of
mercy, and to be employed for his glory, and used for such and such
purposes as he had designed themselves unto ; to fit them with such a
constitution of body and mind, as might best serve for that use. If a
man would trace the progress of providence, he would plainly see that
VER. 28. j SERMONS UPON ROMANS vnr. 297
God still hath been pursuing his choice ; and that that antecedent love,
which is the fountain of all our mercies, is it which rocked you in your
cradles, suckled you at your mother's breast, trained you up, and took
care of your non-age, visited you with his early mercies, disposed of
several providences for your safety and preservation. It is said in
heaven * We shall know as we are known/ 1 Cor. xiii. 12 ; compare
Gal. iv. 9, * But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known
of God.' Then we shall understand how many several circumstances
concurred to bring us home to God, and how the goodness of God hath
gone along with you from time to time, to preserve you till the time of
grace was come, rescued you in imminent dangers, when the thread of
your life was likely to be fretted asunder.
[3.] The dispensation of means, and the directing of means to such a
place and people, where, and among whom, the course of your life fell.
Not only the doctrine, but the journeys of the apostles were ordered by
the Spirit : Acts xvi. 7, ' They assayed to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit
suffered them not ; ' Acts xiii. 26, ' To you is this word of salvation sent;'
not brought by us, but sent by God ; not only in regard of his institution,
but providential direction. Certainly there is a special providence goeth
along with ordinances, and they are ordered and directed with respect
to God's elective love ; he sendeth, furnisheth, continueth able instru
ments : Acts xviii. 10, ' I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee
to hurt thee, for I have much people in this city/ Wherever God
lighteth a candle, he hath some lost groat to seek. He had much
people belonging to his election in Corinth. God doth not say, Because
there are much people (though it is good casting out the net where
there is store of fish), but, / have much people. He understandeth not
the Corinthians which were converted already ; so there were few or
none at that time in Corinth, but to be converted. They were God's
people, elected and redeemed by him, though as yet wallowing in their
sins. Therefore the first moving-cause of all this business was the
election of God, or his purpose to call them ; the persons never thought
of seeking means for themselves, and have not a heart to entertain
them for a long time ; but God is at work for their good, when they
intended no good to themselves. We read of saints in Nero's house
hold, Phil. iv. 22. Who would look for saints in the family of so
bloody a persecutor ? yet the gospel could find its way thither, and
seize on some of his menial servants ; for God had strange ways and
methods to convert those that belong to his grace. I cannot say to
them, but to some others, Christ was made known to them by Paul's
defence : 2 Tim. iv. 17, ' Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me,
and strengthened me, that by me the preaching might be fully known,
and that all the Gentiles might hear.'
[4.] In blessing the means, quite besides the purpose and intention
of the parties that receive benefit by them, as appeareth by the circum
stances of their conversion and first acceptance of Christ ; many times
they come where they may hear of God and Christ, with careless and
slight spirits, or drop in by chance, as Paul's infidel : 1 Cor. xv. 24, 25,
' There cometh in one that believeth not/ How many do thus stumble
upon grace unawares to themselves, not minding or desiring any such
matter ; but God directeth a serious word that pierceth into their very
298 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SER. XXXVIII.
hearts. Sometimes God calleth them, when opposing and persecuting, as
Paul, Acts ix., Vergerius. Many, when they came to scoff, have felt the
mighty power and majesty of God in his ordinances ; and what begun
with scoffing ended in a more serious work : Isa. Ivii. 18, ' He went on
f rowardly in the way of his own heart : I have seen his ways, and I
will heal him/ The officers that came to attack Christ, John vii. 46,
said, ' Never man spake like this man/ Sometimes men have been
loth to come, drawn with much importunity against their inclination
and prejudices : John i. 46, ' Can any good come out of Nazareth ? ' saith
Nathanael to Philip. ' Come and see ; ' and there he met with Christ.
The Galileans were a ruder part of the Jews, a gross and blockish
sort of people. It was generally conceived no prophet was of that
country where Jonah was ; thus Nathanael held off out of a prejudicate
opinion. Many of these things which come as it were by chance to
us, and without ouf foresight, are well foreseen and wisely ordered by
God ; as Augustine was carried besides his purpose, that God's purpose
might come to pass in the conversion of Firmus a Manichee.
[5.] In suiting all his dealings with them, so after conversion, that
they may be kept blameless to his heavenly kingdom, John x. 3. Christ
calleth his sheep by name ; knoweth all his flock particularly ; taketh
notice of all their persons and conditions ; hath a special affection to
them and care of them ; so Ps. i. 6, ' The Lord knoweth the way of
the righteous ; ' knoweth their necessities, straits, hopes, burdens, and
temptations. His business in heaven is to order his providence for
their good, 2 Chron. xvi. 9 ; sometimes giveth seasonable correction:
Ps. cxix. 75, ' I know, Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that
thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me ; ' 1 Peter i. 6, ' Now for a season,
if need be, ye are in heaviness ; ' sometimes to lessen the affliction or
remove it : Ps. cxxv. 3, ' For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon
the lot of the righteous, lest the righteous put forth their hands to
iniquity ; ' and 1 Cor. x. 13, ' But God is faithful, who will not suffer
you to be tempted above that you are able, but will also with the tempta
tion make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it/ God con-
sidereth who needeth chastening, and who needeth protection and
deliverance : thus I have stated it.
Secondly, I shall give you an argument or two to confirm it
1. That there is a difference between man and man is plain and
obvious to sense ; some are good and holy, others are naught and
wicked ; some understand the gospel, others are ignorant of it ; some
scoff, others believe ; some have a dead faith, others a lively and deep
sense of the world to come, and make preparation accordingly. Ask
the reason of this difference, whence is it ? You will say their choice
and inclination : some choose the better part, others abandon them
selves to their lusts and brutish satisfactions. True ; but whence cometh
this different choice and inclination ? Experience showeth us that man
from his infancy and childhood is very corrupt, and more inclinable to
evil than to good, to things earthly than heavenly, carnal than spiritual ;
and you may as well expect to gather grapes from thorns, and figs from
thistles, as that man of his own accord should become good and holy,
and that we should be able to bring our own hearts to love God and
delight in God : Job xiv. 4, * Who can bring a clean thing out of an
YER. 28.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS viu. 299
unclean ? not one.' Well, then, since all are not good, but some are,
whence cometh the difference ? Is it from a better temper and consti
tution of body ? that is a benefit and gift of God ; but this is not the
whole cause. Many besot brave wits, and spoil an excellent temper and
constitution of body, by their intemperance and incontinency ; and, on
the other side, many of crabbed and depraved tempers master their
natural inclination by grace ; and God doth often choose beams and
rafters for the sanctuary of the most crooked timber. Is it education,
and setting their inclinations right from their infancy ? It is, I confess,
a great advantage to be brought up in the nurture and information of
the Lord, in a course of virtue and religion : Prov. xxii. 6, ' Train up
a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not
depart from it.' The first infusions stick by us, and conduce, if not to
conversion, yet to conviction ; but many wrest themselves out of the
arms of the best education, and turn the back upon all those godly
counsels and instructions which are instilled into them. Is it the ordi
nances and means of grace ? These certainly have great force and efficacy
this way. God knoweth what keys will fit the wards of the lock ; if any
thing, the doctrine of the gospel will do it. But they have not all
believed : Eom. x. 16, ' For Isaiah saith, Who hath believed our report ?'
We see the same seed that thriveth in the good and honest heart is lost
in highway, stony, thorny ground ; the difference is not in seed, but
soil ; whatever means and helps you can imagine, all is nothing till
God puts a new heart into us. Is it a good temper and disposition of
mind, so that grace is represented to us congruously, so that it findeth
us fitly prepared ? Certainly seasons should not be over-slipped, but
yet this is not the adequate cause of conversion, that some believe, others
not, because we are so happy to find them in a disposition of mind to
obey the word. We see that many that come with an ill disposition and
temper of soul to hear the word of God, yet God taketh them by the
heart. People should bring a prepared mind, free from distractions
and prejudices. But that is not all that is necessary : we are to use the
means, but the success is from God, who will take his own time. Chris
tians, when they think themselves best prepared, find not that efficacy
in the word they could desire.
2. All good is of God : 1 Cor. iv. 7, ' Who maketh thee to differ ?
and what hast thou, that thou hast not received ? ' and Jer. xxiv. 7, ' I
will give them a heart to know me.' It is his grace maketh the differ
ence : Mat. xiii. 11, * It is given you to know the mystery of the kingdom
of heaven, but to them it is not given.' The cause of putting a difference
between the one and the other is in the will of God the giver ; the
advantages in the means of better temper, better ministry, somewhat
there is in that : Acts xiv. 1, ' They so spake, that a great multitude of
Jews and Greeks believed.' All this is to be imputed to God's external
providence. One way of preaching may be more apt to convert souls
than another ; a dart, headed and feathered, and sent out of a strong
bow will pierce deeper than falling of its own weight ; pure solid doc
trine, rationally enforced, is more likely to do the deed ; but yet the
thorough cause of the difference is internal grace changing the heart,
and powerfully inclining it to God : Acts xi. 21, ' The hand of the Lord
300 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SfiR. XXXVIIL
was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.'
It is God's mighty power maketh the difference.
3. Whatever God doth in time, he purposed to do before all time ;
for God doth nothing rashly and by chance, but all by counsel and
predestination. It is according to his purpose, especially in man's
salvation ; nothing is done but what he decreed to be done ; even the
least circumstance, time, means, and occasion, it is all according to
purpose, not of yesterday, but from all eternity : Acts ix. 11, God's
sending Ananias to Paul, and was not that foreknown and deter
mined ?
Use. Is to press us to admire grace. Nothing moved God to let put
his love upon us but his free, eternal, distinguishing love ; nothing
keepeth the heart so right with God as a due sense of his free grace
and love ; for the gjpry of his grace was the great thing God. aimed at
in all his dealings with us : Eph. i. 6, 12, ' To the praise of the glory
of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved ; that
we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ ; '
Kom. ix. 23, 'And that he might make known the riches of his glory
on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory.' This
is the study of the saints : Eph. iii. 18, 19, ' May be able with all saints
to comprehend what is the breadth and length, and depth and height,
and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.' It is the
great excitement to duty : 2 Cor. v. 14, ' The love of Christ constraineth
us ; ' Eom. xii. 1, ' I beseech you by the mercies of God ; ' 1 John iv.
19 ; Titus ii. 11, 12. It breedeth a good spirit if love is at the bottom
of all our duties.
2. We have the truest view of our obligations to God in his elec
tive love ; dulcius est ipso fonte. Nothing will so much excite our
love and gratitude as to consider
1. That God all-sufficient, who needeth nothing, should choose us.
He might have possessed himself if he had never created anything
without himself. If you remove all creatures from him, you detract
nothing from God ; if you add all to him, you increase nothing in God.
It is the creature's indigent condition that maketh him go without his
own compass for the happiness of his being. Man cannot be happy in
loving himself, nor be satisfied in his own intrinsic perfections, there
fore seeketh supplies from abroad ; but God's happiness is to love him
self and delight in himself.
2. That when God would look abroad among the creatures, he would
choose us whom he found in the polluted mass of mankind, and make
us objects of his grace, and when he came to call us, found us entangled
in other sins, as Abraham, the father of the faithful, an idolater,
Joshua xxiv. 2 ; every one that looketh into himself will find they
were in temper to choose anything rather than Christ, unless the Lord
had prevented us by his goodness, and turned our crooked wills. And
if we consider why we taken and others left : Jer. iii. 14, ' I will take
you one of a city, and^two of a family.' And lastly, if we consider
this powerful prosecution of his eternal purpose, this certainly will
excite our love and gratitude.
\
VER. 29.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIIL 301
SERMON XXXIX.
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed
to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among
many brethren. BOM. viii. 29.
HERE is a reason why all afflictions work together for good to the
called according to purpose, because they were predestinated to be
like Christ in all manner of likeness in sufferings, holiness, felicity.
In sufferings ; they must be afflicted as Christ was ; he had his share,
and they have their share : Col. i. 24, ' I rejoice in my sufferings, that
I may fill up what is behind of the sufferings of Christ in my flesh/
Christ mystical is to suffer so much ; he was appointed, and they are
appointed : 1 Thes. iii. 3, ' That no man should be moved by these
afflictions ; for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto/
Holiness : we are to be holy as he is holy, as well as afflicted as he was
afflicted, 1 Peter i. 15. And again for felicity : his sufferings had a good
end, so shall ours ; he bore afflictions, and passed through them to eternal
glory ' The captain of our salvation was made perfect by sufferings,'
Heb. ii. 20 ; so in us, the cross maketh way to the crown ; we can go
no other way to heaven than Christ did. Therefore the conclusion
out of all is, that afflictions work for good ; they do not infringe our
holiness, but promote it rather, if we be humble, meek, and patient as
Christ was ; they do not infringe our happiness, for still it fareth with
us as it did with Christ. As he was a pattern in bearing afflictions
holily and courageously, so in the crown of glory to be obtained
after the victory ; he was the leader of a patient and obedient people
to everlasting happiness. So that here is a double argument why all
afflictions must turn to good : because our afflictions fall not out
besides the purpose of God ; as not in Christ, so not in us ; the head
was to bear his share, and the members their share : and because the
cross and sufferings are a means conducing to conformity to Christ
in holiness and happiness c For whom he did foreknow/ &c.
In the words observe
1. The way God took in bringing his children unto glory, by con
formity to Christ, in these words To be]conformed to the image of
his Son.
2. The grounds of this conformity, set forth by two words, fore
knowledge and predestination Whom he did foreknow, he also did
predestinate.
3. The reason of this conformity to Christ That he might be the
first-born among many brethren ; that is, that he might have the pri
vilege of the elder son, or the true and proper heir. The elder son was
to be the head of the family, and lord of all the rest of the brethren.
Let us explain these things.
[1.] The way and end aimed at : to conform us to the image of his
son ; that is, in resemblance to Christ, that we might enter into glory
the way by which Christ entered, by a life of sufferings and hardness.
[2.] The grounds of this conformity God's foreknowledge and pre
destination. The first of these terms implieth his gracious purpose
302 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SflR. XXXIX.
to save us ; foreknowing here is choosing, or taking them for his own
from all eternity : 1 Peter i. 2, ' Elect according to the foreknowledge
of God ;' that is, according to the eternal purpose of his love to them.
For having all Adam's posterity in his eye and view, he freely chose
them ; they were in a sort present to God, and in his eye, before the
foundation of the world ; so that his foreknowledge is his purpose to
do them good. The other word, predestination, is his appointing them
to come to glory by the way of faith and holiness ; for to destinate is
to appoint, or order means to a certain end, and to predestinate is to
appoint aforehand. And this predestinating is used of God's act,
because when man willeth, or chooseth, or ordereth anything, it pre-
supposeth an antecedent goodness in the things which he willeth or
chooseth, or an antecedent conveniency in the thing ordered to the
end to which it is appointed, which is prudent destination ; but when
God chooseth, or willeth, or ordereth anything, he causeth this good
ness or conveniency to be in it ; and therefore it is properly called pre
destination. Well then, observe, not things but persons are here spoken
of ' Whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate.' His foreknow
ledge implieth his favour and his choice : John x. 14, ' I am the good
shepherd, that know my sheep, and am known of mine ; ' and ver. 27,
' I know them, and they follow me.' And his predestination is his
appointing them to come to such an end by convenient means ; some
times it is applied to privileges, sometimes to duties. To privileges ;
because of the conveniency of antecedent and subsequent privileges,
so Eph. i. 5, ' He hath predestinated us to the adoption of children.'
It is fit we should be made children before we have a right to a child's
portion ; therefore God, by predestinating us to the adoption of children,
maketh us fit to obtain the inheritance. Sometimes to duties ; as to-
faith : Acts xiii. 48, ' As many as were ordained to eternal life believed ;'
and in the text, to holiness ' He did predestinate us to be conformed to
the image of his Son ; ' that is, by predestination he bringeth it to pass
that in time they do resemble Christ. The order and course of God's
saving the elect must not be broken ; he hath decreed, and forecasted
by what means he will bring them to glory. In short, foreknowledge
and predestination agree in that both are eternal, but they differ in
the formality of the notion; foreknowledge noteth his choice, or the
purpose of his love, predestination his decree to bring things to a cer
tain end by certain appointed means ; and so he did fore-ordain and
design them, by conformity to Christ in life and suffering, to come
to celestial glory ; and thus by foreknowing he did predestinate, and
by predestinating he did foreknow.
[3.] The reason of this conformity to Christ 'That he might be the first
born among many brethren ;' that is, that he might have the honour due
to the first-born. The first-born was lord of the rest of the family: Gen.
xxviL 31, ' I have made him thy lord, and the rest of his brethren have
I given to him for servants.' The first-born gave to the rest of his
brethren a share of his father's goods, reserving to himself a double
portion, Deut. xxi. 17. Now this is applied to Christ, who is Lord of
the church, or head of the body, Col. i. 18, 'and heir of all things/
Heb. L 2. And by virtue of this relation to the church, he must
7rpa)Tvei,v, first it in all things ; or, as we translate it, he must in all-
VER. 29.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vra. 303
things have the pre-eminence, Col. i. 18 ; in our conflicts and trials he
is the captain of our salvation, Heb. ii. 10 ; in ho 
