Part 10

♦5. They are not condemned, Secondly, for any present sins, for now transgressing the commandments of God. For they do not transgress them? They do not _walk after the flesh but after the Spirit_. This is the continual proof of their _love of God, that they keep his commandments_: even as St. _John_ bears witness, _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_: he cannot, so long as that seed of God, that loving, holy faith remaineth in him. So long as _he keepeth himself_ herein, _that wicked one toucheth him not_. Now it is evident, he is not condemned for the sins which he doth not commit at all. They therefore who are thus _led by the Spirit, are not under the law_, (_Gal._ v. 18.) Not under the curse or condemnation of it; for it condemns none but those who break it. Thus, that law of God, _Thou shalt not steal_, condemns none but those who do steal. Thus, _Remember the sabbath-day to keep it holy_, condemns those only who do not keep it holy. But _against_ the fruits of the Spirit, _there is no law_; (_v._ 23.) as the apostle more largely declares, in those memorable words of his former epistle to _Timothy_. _We know, that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; knowing this_, (if while he uses the law of God, in order either to convince or direct, he know and remember this) ὅτι δικαίω νόμος οὐ κεῖται. (Not, that the law is not made for a righteous man; but) _that the law does not lie against a righteous man_: (it has no force against him, no power to condemn him) _but against the lawless and disobedient, against the ungodly and sinners, against the unholy and profane――according to the glorious gospel, of the blessed God_. _1 Tim._ i. 8, 9, 11.

6. They are not condemned, thirdly, for inward sin, even tho’ it does now remain. That the corruption of nature does still remain, even in those who are the children of God by faith, that they have in them the seeds of pride and vanity, of anger, lust and evil desire, yea, sin of every kind, is too plain to be denied, being matter of daily experience. And on this account it is, that St. _Paul_ speaking to those, whom he had just before witness’d to be _in Christ Jesus_[25], to have been _called of God into the fellowship_ (or participation) _of his Son Jesus Christ_[26], yet declares, _Brethren, I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal; even as unto babes in Christ_ (_1 Cor._ iii. 1.) _Babes in Christ_――So we see they were _in Christ_; they were believers in a low degree. And yet how much of sin remained in them? Of that _carnal mind_, which _is not subject to the law of God_?

7. And yet, for all this, they are not condemned. Although they feel the flesh, the evil nature in them, although they are more sensible day by day, that their _heart is deceitful and desperately wicked_: yet so long as they do not yield thereto, so long as they give no place to the devil, so long as they maintain a continual war, with all sin, with pride, anger, desire, so that the flesh hath no dominion over them, but they still _walk after the Spirit_: there is _no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus_. God is well-pleased with their sincere, tho’ imperfect obedience: and they _have confidence toward God_, knowing _they are his, by the Spirit which he hath given them_. _1 John_ iii. 24.

8. Nay, fourthly, altho’ they are continually convinced of sin cleaving to all they do; altho’ they are conscious of not fulfilling the perfect law, either in their thoughts, or words, or works; altho’ they know they do not love the Lord their God, with all their heart, and mind, and soul and strength; altho’ they feel more or less of pride or self-will, stealing in and mixing with their best duties; altho’ even in their more immediate intercourse with God, when they assemble themselves with the great congregation, and when they pour out their souls in secret to him, who seeth all the thoughts and intents of the heart, they are continually ashamed of their wandring thoughts, or of the deadness and dulness of their affections; yet there is no condemnation to them still, either from God or from their own heart. The consideration of these manifold defects only gives them a deeper sense, that they have always need of that blood of sprinkling, which speaks for them in the ears of God, and that Advocate with the Father _who ever liveth, to make intercession for them_. So far are these from driving them away from him, in whom they have believed, that they rather drive them the closer to him, whom they feel the want of every moment. And at the same time, the deeper sense they have of this want, the more earnest desire do they feel, and the more diligent they are, as they _have received the Lord Jesus, so_ to _walk in him_.

9. They are not condemned, fifthly, for _sins of infirmity_, as they are usually called. (Perhaps it were adviseable rather to call them _infirmities_, that we may not seem to give any countenance to sin, or to extenuate it in any degree, by thus coupling it with infirmity. But if we must retain so ambiguous and dangerous an expression) by _sins of infirmity_ I would mean, such involuntary failings, as the saying a thing we believe true, tho’ in fact it prove to be false; or the hurting our neighbour, without knowing or designing it; perhaps when we design’d to do him good. Tho’ these are deviations from the holy and acceptable and perfect will of God, yet they are not properly sins, nor do they bring any guilt on the conscience of _them which are in Christ Jesus_. They separate not between God and them, neither intercept the light of his countenance; as being no ways inconsistent with their general character, of _walking not after the flesh but after the Spirit_.

10. Lastly, _There is no condemnation_ to them for any thing whatever which it is not in their power to help; whether it be of an inward or outward nature, and whether it be doing something, or leaving something undone. For instance: the Lord’s supper is to be administered. But you do not partake thereof. Why do you not; you are confined by sickness. Therefore you cannot help omitting it: and for the same reason, you are not condemned. There is no guilt; because there is no choice. As there _is a willing mind, it is accepted, according to that a man hath, not according to that he hath not_.

11. A believer indeed may sometimes be _grieved_, because he cannot do what his soul longs for. He may cry out, when he is detain’d from worshipping God in the great congregation, _Like as the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul is athirst for God, yea even for the living God: when shall I come to appear in the presence of God?_ He may earnestly desire (only still saying in his heart, not as I will, but as thou wilt) to _go again with the multitude and bring them forth into the house of God_. But still, if he cannot go, he feels no condemnation, no guilt, no sense of God’s displeasure: but can chearfully yield up those desires, with, _O my soul, put thy trust in God: for I will yet give him thanks, who is the help of my countenance and my God_.

12. It is more difficult to determine concerning those which are usually stiled, _sins of surprize_: as when one who commonly in patience possesses his soul, on a sudden and violent temptation, speaks or acts in a manner not consistent with the royal law, _Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself_. Perhaps it is not easy to fix a general rule, concerning transgressions of this nature. We cannot say, either that men are, or that they are not condemned, for sins of surprize in general. But it seems, whenever a believer is by surprize over-taken in a fault, there is more or less condemnation, as there is more or less concurrence of his will. In proportion as a sinful desire or word or action is more or less voluntary, so we may conceive, God is more or less displeased, and there is more or less guilt upon the soul.

13. But if so, then there may be some sins of surprize, which bring much guilt and condemnation. For in some instances, our being surprized is owing to some wilful and culpable neglect; or to a sleepiness of soul which might have been prevented, or shaken off before the temptation came. A man may be previously warned either of God or man, that trials and danger are at hand: and yet may say in his heart, _A little more slumber, a little more folding of the hands to rest_. Now if such an one afterwards fall, tho’ unawares, into the snare which he might have avoided; that he fell unawares is no excuse: he might have foreseen, and have shuned the danger. The falling even by surprize, in such an instance as this, is, in effect, a wilful sin; and as such must expose the sinner to condemnation, both from God and his own conscience.

14. On the other hand, there may be sudden assaults, either from the world, or the God of this world, and frequently from our own evil hearts, which we did not, and hardly could foresee. And by these even a believer, while weak in faith, may possibly be borne down, suppose into a degree of anger, or thinking evil of another, with scarce any concurrence of his will. Now in such a case, the jealous God would undoubtedly shew him that he had done foolishly. He would be convinced of having swerved from the perfect law, from the mind which was in Christ, and consequently _grieved_ with a godly sorrow, and lovingly _ashamed_ before God. Yet need he not come into condemnation. God layeth not folly to his charge, but hath compassion upon him, _even as a Father pitieth his own children_. And his heart condemneth him not; in the midst of that sorrow and shame, he can still say, _I will trust and not be afraid. For the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he is also become my salvation._

III. 1. It remains only, to draw some practical inferences from the preceding considerations. And, first, If there be _no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, and walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit_, on account of their past sin: then why art thou fearful, O thou of little faith? Tho’ thy sins were once more in number than the sand, what is that to thee now thou art in Christ Jesus? _Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth: who is he that condemneth?_ All the sins thou hast committed from thy youth up, until the hour when thou wast _accepted in the Beloved_, are driven away as chaff, are gone, are lost, swallowed up, remembered no more. Thou art now _born of the Spirit_: wilt thou be troubled or afraid for what is done before thou wert born? Away with thy fears! Thou art not called to fear; but to the _Spirit of love and of a sound mind_. Know thy calling. Rejoice in God thy Saviour, and give thanks to God thy Father through him.

2. Wilt thou say, “But I have again committed sin, since I had redemption through his blood? And therefore it is, that _I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes_.” It is meet thou shouldst abhor thyself; and it is God who hath wrought thee to this self-same thing. But dost thou now believe? Hath he again enabled thee to say, _I know that my Redeemer liveth: and the life which I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God_? Then that faith again cancels all that is past, and there is no condemnation to thee. At whatsoever time thou truly believest in the name of the Son of God, all thy sins antecedent to that hour, vanish away as the morning dew. Now then, _Stand thou fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made thee free_. He hath once more made thee free from the power of sin, as well as from the guilt and punishment of it. _O be not intangled again with the yoke of bondage!_ Neither the vile, devilish bondage of sin; of evil desires, evil tempers, or words, or works, the most grievous yoke on this side hell: nor the bondage of slavish, tormenting fear, of guilt and self-condemnation.

3. But, secondly: Do all they which abide _in Christ Jesus, walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit_? Then we cannot but infer, that whosoever now committeth sin, hath no part or lot in this matter. He is even now condemned by his own heart. But _if our heart condemn us_, if our own conscience beareth witness that we are guilty, undoubtedly God doth: for _he is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things_; so that we cannot deceive him, if we can ourselves. And think not to say, “I was justified once; my sins were once forgiven me.” I know not that: neither will I dispute whether they were or no. Perhaps, at this distance of time, ’tis next to impossible to know with any tolerable degree of certainty, whether that was a true, genuine work of God, or whether thou didst only deceive thy own soul. But this I know with the utmost degree of certainty, _He that committeth sin is of the devil_. Therefore thou art of thy father the devil. It cannot be denied: for the works of thy father thou dost. O flatter not thyself with vain hopes. Say not to thy soul, Peace, peace! For there is no peace. Cry aloud! Cry unto God out of the deep; if haply he may hear thy voice. Come unto him as at first, as wretched and poor, as sinful, miserable, blind and naked. And beware thou suffer thy soul to take no rest, till his pardoning love be again revealed, till he _heal thy backslidings_, and fill thee again with the _faith that worketh by love_.

4. Thirdly, Is there no condemnation to them which _walk after the Spirit_, by reason of _inward sin_ still remaining, so long as they do not give way thereto; nor by reason of _sin cleaving_ to all they do? Then fret not thyself because of ungodliness, tho’ it still remain in thy heart. Repine not, because thou still comest short of the glorious image of God: nor yet, because pride, self-will, or unbelief, cleave to all thy words and works. And be not afraid to know all the evil of thy heart, to know thyself as also thou art known. Yea, desire of God, that thou mayst not think of thyself more highly than thou oughtest to think. Let thy continual prayer be,

“Shew me, as my soul can bear, The depth of inbred sin: All the unbelief declare, The pride that lurks within!”

But when he heareth thy prayer, and unveils thy heart, when he shews thee throughly what spirit thou art of: then beware that thy faith fail thee not, that thou suffer not thy shield to be torn from thee. Be abased. Be humbled in the dust. See thyself nothing, less than nothing and vanity. But still, _let not thy heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid_. Still hold fast, “_I_, even I, _have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous_. And as the heavens are higher than the earth, so is his love higher than even my sins.”――Therefore God is merciful to thee a sinner! Such a sinner as thou art! God is love; and Christ hath died. Therefore the Father himself loveth thee. Thou art his child. Therefore he will with-hold from thee no manner of thing that is good. Is it good, that the whole body of sin, which is now crucified in thee, should be destroyed? It shall be done. Thou shalt be _cleansed from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit_. Is it good that nothing should remain in thy heart, but the pure love of God alone? Be of good chear! _Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart and mind and soul and strength. Faithful is he that hath promised, who also will do it._ It is thy part, patiently to continue in the work of faith, and in the labour of love: and in chearful peace, in humble confidence, with calm and resigned, and yet earnest expectation, to wait till _the zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall perform this_.

5. Fourthly, If they that _are in Christ, and walk after the Spirit_, are not condemned for _sins of infirmity_, as neither for _involuntary failings_, nor for any thing whatever which they are not able to help: then beware, O thou that hast faith in his blood, that Satan herein _gain no advantage over thee_. Thou art still foolish and weak, blind and ignorant: more weak than any words can express, more foolish than it can yet enter into thy heart to conceive, knowing nothing yet as thou oughtest to know. Yet let not all thy weakness and folly, or any fruit thereof, which thou art not yet able to avoid, shake thy faith, thy filial trust in God, or disturb thy peace or joy in the Lord. The rule which some give as to wilful sins, and which in that case, may perhaps be dangerous, is undoubtedly wise and safe, if it be applied only to the case of weakness and infirmities. Art thou fallen, O man of God? Yet do not lie there, fretting thyself and bemoaning thy weakness: But meekly say, Lord, I shall fall thus every moment, unless thou uphold me with thy hand. And then arise! Leap and walk. Go on thy way. _Run with patience the race set before thee._

6. Lastly, since a believer need not come into condemnation, even tho’ he be _surprized_ into what his soul abhors, (suppose his being surprized is not owing to any carelessness or wilful neglect of his own:) if thou who believest, art thus over-taken in a fault, then grieve unto the Lord; it shall be a precious balm: pour out thy heart before him, and shew him of thy trouble. And pray with all thy might to him who is _touched with the feeling of_ thy _infirmities_, that he would stablish and strengthen and settle thy soul, and suffer thee to fall no more. But still he condemneth thee not. Wherefore shouldst thou fear? Thou hast no need of any _fear that hath torment_. Thou shalt love him that lovest thee, and it sufficeth: more love will bring more strength. And as soon as thou lovest him with all thy heart, thou shall be _perfect and entire, lacking nothing_. Wait in peace for that hour, when _the God of peace_ shall _sanctify thee wholly, so that thy whole spirit, and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ_!

SERMON IX.

THE SPIRIT OF BONDAGE AND OF ADOPTION.

ROMANS viii. 15.

_Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again unto fear: but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father._

1. ST. _Paul_ here speaks to those who are the children of God by faith. Ye, saith he, who are indeed his children, have drank into his Spirit. _Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again unto fear._ But _because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts. Ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father._

2. The spirit of bondage and fear is widely distant from this loving Spirit of adoption. Those who are influenced only by slavish fear, cannot be termed, the sons of God. Yet some of them may be stiled his servants, and are _not far from the kingdom of heaven_.

3. But it is to be feared, the bulk of mankind, yea, of what is call’d _The Christian world_, have not attain’d even this; but are still afar off, _neither is God in all their thoughts_. A few names may be found of those who love God: a few more there are that fear him. But the greater part have neither the fear of God before their eyes, nor the love of God in their hearts.

4. Perhaps most of you, who by the mercy of God, now partake of a better spirit, may remember the time, when ye were as they, when ye were under the same condemnation. But at first ye knew it not, tho’ ye were wallowing daily in your sins and in your blood: till in due time ye _received the spirit of fear_ (_ye received_; for this also is the gift of God:) and afterwards, fear vanished away, and the Spirit of love filled your hearts.

5. One who is in the first state of mind, without fear or love, is in scripture term’d _a natural man_. One who is under the spirit of bondage and fear is sometimes said to be _under the law_: (altho’ that expression more frequently signifies one, who is under the _Jewish_ dispensation, or who thinks himself obliged to observe all the rites and ceremonies of the _Jewish law_.) But one who has exchanged the spirit of fear for the Spirit of love, is properly said, to be _under grace_.

Now because it highly imports us, to know what spirit we are of, I shall endeavour to point out distinctly, first, The state of a _natural man_, secondly, That of one who is _under the law_, and thirdly, of one who is _under grace_.

I. 1. And, first, the state of a _natural man_. This the scripture represents as a state of sleep. The voice of God to him is, _Awake, thou that sleepest_. For his soul is in a deep sleep. His spiritual senses are not awake: they discern neither spiritual good nor evil. The eyes of his understanding are closed; they are sealed together, and see not. Clouds and darkness continually rest upon them; for he lies in the valley of the shadow of death. Hence having no inlets for the knowledge of spiritual things, all the avenues of his soul being shut up, he is in gross, stupid ignorance of whatever he is most concerned to know. He is utterly ignorant of God, knowing nothing concerning him as he ought to know. He is totally a stranger to the law of God, as to its true, inward, spiritual meaning. He has no conception of that evangelical holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord; nor of the happiness, which they only find, whose _life is hid with Christ in God_.

2. * And for this very reason, because he is fast _asleep_, he is, in some sense, at _rest_. Because he is _blind_, he is also _secure_: he saith, _Tush, there shall no harm happen unto me_. The darkness which covers him on every side, keeps him in a kind of peace: (so far as peace can consist with the works of the devil, and with an earthly, devilish mind.) He _sees_ not that he stands on the edge of the pit; therefore he _fears_ it not. He cannot _tremble_ at the danger he does not _know_. He has not understanding enough to fear. Why is it that he is in no dread of God? Because he is totally ignorant of him: if not _saying in his heart, there is no God_, or, that he _sitteth on the circle of the heavens, and humbleth_ not _himself to behold the things_ which are done on earth; yet satisfying himself as well, to all _Epicurean_ intents and purposes, by saying, “God is merciful:” confounding and swallowing up at once, in that unweildy idea of mercy, all his holiness and essential hatred of sin, all his justice, wisdom and truth. He is in no dread of the vengeance denounced against those who obey not the blessed law of God, because he understands it not. He imagines the main point is, to _do thus_, to be _outwardly_ blameless: and sees not that it extends to every temper, desire, thought, motion of the heart. Or he fancies, that the obligation hereto is ceas’d; that Christ came to _destroy the law and the prophets_; to save his people _in_, not _from_ their sins: to bring them to heaven, without holiness. Notwithstanding his own words, _Not one jot or tittle of the law shall pass away, till all things are fulfilled_: and, _Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord! shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven_.

3. He is secure, because he is utterly ignorant of himself. Hence he talks of “repenting by and by;” he does not indeed exactly know when; but some time or other before he dies: taking it for granted, that this is quite in his own power. For what should hinder his doing it, if he will? If he does but once set a resolution, no fear but he will make it good.