SERMON NINE
The Spirit
of Bondage and of Adoption
"Ye
have not received the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but
ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba,
Father." Romans 8:15.
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 styled 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 called the Christian world, have not attained 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, though 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 of love,
is in Scripture termed a "natural man:" One who is
under the spirit of bondage and fear, is sometimes said to be
"under the law:" (Although 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 all at once in that unwieldy 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 ceased; 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 doeth 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!
4. But this ignorance never so strongly glares, as in those
who are termed, men of learning. If a natural man be
one of these, he can talk at large of his rational faculties,
of the freedom of his will, and the absolute necessity of such
freedom, in order to constitute man a moral agent. He reads,
and argues, and proves to a demonstration, that every man may
do as he will; may dispose his own heart to evil or good, as
it seems best in his own eyes. Thus the god of this world spreads
a double veil of blindness over his heart, lest, by any means,
"the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should shine"
upon it.
5. From the same ignorance of himself and God, there may sometimes
arise, in the natural man, a kind of joy, in congratulating
himself upon his own wisdom and goodness: And what the world
calls joy, he may often possess. He may have pleasure in various
kinds; either in gratifying the desires of the flesh, or the
desire of the eye, or the pride of life; particularly if he
has large possessions; if he enjoy an affluent fortune; then
he may "clothe" himself "in purple and fine linen,
and fare sumptuously every day." And so long as he thus
doeth well unto himself, men will doubtless speak good of him.
They will say, "He is a happy man." For, indeed, this
is the sum of worldly happiness; to dress, and visit, and talk,
and eat, and drink, and rise up to play.
6. It in not surprising, if one in such circumstances as these,
dosed with the opiates of flattery and sin, should imagine,
among his other waking dreams, that he walks in great liberty.
How easily may he persuade himself, that he is at liberty from
all vulgar errors, and from the prejudice of education;
judging exactly right, and keeping clear of all extremes. "I
am free," may he say, "from all the enthusiasm
of weak and narrow souls; from superstition, the disease
of fools and cowards, always righteous over much; and from bigotry,
continually incident to those who have not a free and generous
way of thinking." And too sure it is, that he is altogether
free from the "wisdom which cometh from above," from
holiness, from the religion of the heart, from the whole mind
which was in Christ.
7. For all this time he is the servant of sin. He commits sin,
more or less, day by day. Yet he is not troubled: He "is
in no bondage," as some speak; he feels no condemnation.
He contents himself (even though he should profess to believe
that the Christian Revelation is of God) with, "Man is
frail. We are all weak. Every man has his infirmity." Perhaps
he quotes Scripture: "Why, does not Solomon say, -- The
righteous man falls into sin seven times a day! -- And, doubtless,
they are all hypocrites or enthusiasts who pretend to be better
than their neighbours." If, at any time, a serious thought
fix upon him, he stifles it as soon as possible, with, "Why
should I fear, since God is merciful, and Christ died for sinners?"
Thus, he remains a willing servant of sin, content with the
bondage of corruption; inwardly and outwardly unholy, and satisfied
therewith; not only not conquering sin, but not striving to
conquer, particularly that sin which doth so easily beset him.
8. Such is the state of every natural man; whether he
be a gross, scandalous transgressor, or a more reputable and
decent sinner, having the form, though not the power of godliness.
But how can such an one be convinced of sin? How is he
brought to repent? To be under the law? To receive the
spirit of bondage unto fear? This is the point which
in next to be considered.
II. 1. By some awful providence, or by his word applied with
the demonstration of his Spirit, God touches the heart of him
that lay asleep in darkness and in the shadow of death. He is
terribly shaken out of his sleep, and awakes into a consciousness
of his danger. Perhaps in a moment, perhaps by degrees, the
eyes of his understanding are opened, and now first (the veil
being in part removed) discern the real state he is in. Horrid
light breaks in upon his soul; such light, as may be conceived
to gleam from the bottomless pit, from the lowest deep, from
a lake of fire burning with brimstone. He at last sees the loving,
the merciful God is also "a consuming fire;" that
he is a just God and a terrible, rendering to every man according
to his words, entering into judgment with the ungodly for every
idle word, yea, and for the imaginations of the heart. He now
clearly perceives, that the great and holy God is "of purer
eyes than to behold iniquity;" that he is an avenger of
every one who rebelleth against him, and repayeth the wicked
to his face; and that "it is a fearful thing to fall into
the hands of the living God."
2. The inward, spiritual meaning of the law of God now begins
to glare upon him. He perceives "the commandment is exceeding
broad," and there is "nothing hid from the light thereof."
He is convinced, that every part of it relates, not barely to
outward sin or obedience, but to what passes in the secret recesses
of the soul, which no eye but God's can penetrate. If he now
hears, "Thou shalt not kill," God speaks in thunder,
"He that hateth his brother is a murderer;" "he
that saith unto his brother, Thou fool, is obnoxious to hell-fire."
If the law say, "Thou shalt not commit adultery,"
the voice of the Lord sounds in his ears, "He that looketh
on a woman to lust after he hath committed adultery with her
already in his heart." And thus, in every point, he feels
the word of God "quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged
sword." It "pierces even to the dividing asunder of
his soul and spirit, his joints and marrow." And so much
the more, because he is conscious to himself of having neglected
so great salvation; of having "trodden under foot the son
of God," who would have saved him from his sins, and "counted
the blood of the covenant an unholy," a common, unsanctifying
thing.
3. And as he knows, "all things are naked and open unto
the eyes of him with whom we have to do," so he sees himself
naked, stripped of all the fig-leaves which he had sewed together,
of all his poor pretenses to religion or virtue, and his wretched
excuses for sinning against God. He now sets himself like the
ancient sacrifices, cleft in sunder, as it were, from the neck
downward, so that all within him stands confessed. His heart
is bare, and he sees it is all sin, "deceitful above all
things, desperately wicked;" that it is altogether corrupt
and abominable, more than it is possible for tongue to express;
that there dwelleth therein no good thing, but unrighteousness
and ungodliness only; every motion thereof, every temper and
thought, being only evil continually.
4. And he not only sees, but feels in himself, by an emotion
of soul which he cannot describe, that for the sins of his heart
were his life without blame, (which yet it is not, and cannot
be; seeing "an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit,")
he deserves to be cast into the fire that never shall be quenched.
He feels that "the wages," the just reward "of
sin," of his sin above all, "is death;" even
the second death; the death which dieth not; the destruction
of body and soul in hell.
5. Here ends his pleasing dream, his delusive rest, his false
peace, his vain security. His joy now vanishes as a cloud; pleasures,
once loved, delight no more. They pall upon the taste: He loathes
the nauseous sweet; he is weary to bear them. The shadows of
happiness flee away, and sink into oblivion: So that he is stripped
of all, and wanders to and fro, seeking rest, but finding none.
6. The fumes of those opiates being now dispelled, he feels
the anguish of a wounded spirit. He finds that sin let loose
upon the soul (whether it be pride, anger, or evil desire, whether
self-will, malice, envy, revenge, or any other) is perfect misery:
He feels sorrow of heart for the blessings he has lost, and
the curse which is come upon him: remorse for having thus destroyed
himself, and despised his own mercies; fear, from a lively sense
of the wrath of God, and of the consequences of his wrath, of
the punishment which he has justly deserved, and which he sees
hanging over is head; -- fear of death, as being to him the
gate of hell, the entrance of death eternal; -- fear of the
devil, the executioner of the wrath and righteous vengeance
of God; -- fear of men, who, if they were able to kill his body,
would thereby plunge both body and soul into hell; fear, sometimes
arising to such a height, that the poor, sinful, guilty soul,
is terrified with everything, with nothing, with shades, with
a leaf shaken of the wind. Yea, sometimes it may even border
upon distraction, making a man "drunken though not with
wine," suspending the exercise of the memory, of the understanding,
of all the natural faculties. Sometimes it may approach to the
very brink of despair; so that he who trembles at the name of
death, may yet be ready to plunge into it every moment, to "choose
strangling rather than life." Well may such a man roar,
like him of old, for the very disquietness of his heart. Well
may he cry out, "The spirit of a man may sustain his infirmities;
but a wounded spirit who can bear?"
7. Now he truly desires to break loose from sin, and begins
to struggle with it. But though he strive with all his might,
he cannot conquer: Sin is mightier than he. He would fain escape;
but he is so fast in prison, that he cannot get forth. He resolved
against sin, but yet sins on: He sees the snare, and abhors,
and runs into it. So much does his boasted reason avail, --
only to enhance his guilt, and increase his misery! Such is
the freedom of his will; free only to evil; free to "drink
in iniquity like water;" to wander farther and farther
from the living God, and do more "despite to the Spirit
of grace!"
8. The more he strive, wishes, labours to be free, the more
does he feel his chains, the grievous chains of sin, wherewith
Satan binds and "leads him captive at his will;" his
servant he is, though he repine ever so much; though he rebel,
he cannot prevail. He is still in bondage and fear, by reason
of sin: Generally, of some outward sin, to which he is peculiarly
disposed, either, by nature, custom, or outward circumstance;
but always, of some inward sin, some evil temper or unholy affection.
And the more he frets against it, the more it prevails; he may
bite but cannot break his chain. Thus he toils without end,
repenting and sinning, and repenting and sinning again, till
at length the poor, sinful, helpless wretch is even at his wit's
end and can barely groan, "O wretched man that I am! who
shall deliver me from the body of this death?"
9. This whole struggle of one who is "under the law,"
under the "spirit of fear and bondage," is beautifully
described by the Apostle in the foregoing chapter, speaking
in the person of an awakened man. "I," saith he, "was
alive without the law once:" (Verse 9:) I had much life,
wisdom, strength, and virtue; so I thought: "But, when
the commandment came, sin revived, and I died:" When the
commandment, in its spiritual meaning, came to my heart, with
the power of God, my inbred sin was stirred up, fretted, inflamed,
and all my virtue died away. "And the commandment, which
was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin taking
occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me:"
(Verses 10,11:) It came upon me unaware; slew all my hopes;
and plainly showed, in the midst of life I was in death. "Wherefore
the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good:"
(Verse 12:) I no longer lay the blame on this, but on the corruption
of my own heart. I acknowledge that "the law is spiritual;
but I am carnal, sold under sin:" (Verse 14:) I now see
both the spiritual nature of the law; and my own carnal, devilish
heart "sold under sin," totally enslaved: (Like slave
bought with money, who were absolutely at their master's disposal:)
"For that which I do, I allow not; for what I would, I
do not, but what I hate, that I do:" (Verse 15:) Such is
the bondage under which I groan; such the tyranny of my hard
master. "To will is present with me, but how to perform
that which is good I find not. For the good that I would, I
do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do:" (Verses
18, 19:) "I find a law," an inward constraining power,
"that when I would do good, evil is present with me. For
I delight in "or consent to "the law of God, after
the inward man:" (Verses 21, 22:) In my "mind:"
(So the Apostle explains himself in the words that immediately
follow; and so, o esv anqrvpos, the inward man,
is understood in all other Greek writers:) "But I see another
law in my members," another constraining power, "warring
against the law of my mind," or inward man, "and bringing
me into captivity to the law" or power "of sin:"
(Verse 23:) Dragging me, as it were, at my conqueror's chariot-wheels,
into the very thing which my soul abhors. "O wretched man
that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"
(Verse 24.) Who shall deliver me from this helpless, dying life,
from this bondage of sin and misery? Till this is done, "I
myself" (or rather, that I, autos egv, that
man I am now personating) "with the mind," or inward
man, "serve the law of God;" my mind, my conscience
is on God's side; "but with my flesh," with my body,
"the law of sin," (verse 25,) being hurried away by
a force I cannot resist.
10. How lively a portraiture is this of one "under the
law;" one who feels the burden he cannot shake off; who
pants after liberty, power, and love, but is in fear and bondage
still! until the time that God answers the wretched man, crying
out, "Who shall deliver me" from this bondage of sin,
from this body of death? -- "The grace of God, through
Jesus Christ thy Lord."
III. 1. Them it is that this miserable bondage ends, and he
is no more "under the law, but under grace." This
state we are, Thirdly, to consider; the state of one who has
found grace or favour in the sight of God, even the Father,
and who has the grace or power of the Holy Ghost, reigning
in his heart; who has received, in the language of the Apostle,
the "Spirit of adoption, whereby" he now cries, "Abba,
Father!"
2. "He cried unto the Lord in his trouble, and God delivers
him out of his distress." His eyes are opened in quite
another manner than before, even to see a loving, gracious God.
While he is calling, "I beseech thee, show me thy glory!"
-- he hears a voice in the inmost soul, "I will make all
my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of
the Lord: I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and
I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy." And, it is
not long before "the Lord" descends in the cloud,
and proclaims the name of the Lord." Then he sees, but
not with eyes of flesh and blood, "The Lord, the Lord God,
merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness
and truth; keeping mercy for thousands, and forgiving iniquities,
and transgressions and sin."
3. Heavenly, healing light now breaks in upon his soul. He
"looks on him whom he had pierced;" and "God,
who out of darkness commanded light to shine, shineth in his
heart." He sees the light of the glorious love of God,
in the face of Jesus Christ. He hath a divine "evidence
of things not seen" by sense, even of the "deep things
of God;" more particularly of the love of God, of his pardoning
love to him that believes in Jesus. Overpowered with the sight,
his whole soul cried out, "My Lord and my God;" For
he sees all his iniquities laid on Him, who "bare them
in his own body on the tree;" he beholds the Lamb of God
taking away his sins. How clearly now does he discern, that
"God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself;
making him sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made
the righteousness of God through him;" -- and that he himself
is reconciled to God, by that blood of the covenant!
4. Here end both the guilt and power of sin. He can now say,
"I am crucified with Christ: Nevertheless I live; yet not
I but Christ liveth in me: And the life which I now live in
the flesh," (even in this mortal body,) "I live by
faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for
me." Here end remorse, and sorrow of heart, and the anguish
of a wounded spirit. "God turneth his heaviness into joy."
He made sore, and now his hands bind up. Here ends also that
bondage unto fear; for "his heart standeth fast, believing
in the Lord." He cannot fear any longer the wrath of God;
for he knows it is now turned away from him, and looks upon
Him no more as an angry Judge, but as a loving Father. He cannot
fear the devil, knowing he has "no power, except it be
given him from above." He fears not hell; being an heir
of the kingdom of heaven: Consequently, he has no fear of death;
by reason whereof he was in time past, for so many years, "subject
to bondage." Rather, knowing that "if the earthly
house of this tabernacle be dissolved, he hath a building of
God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens; he
groaneth earnestly, desiring to be clothed upon with that house
which is from heaven." He groans to shake off this house
of earth, that "mortality" may be "swallowed
up of life;" knowing that God "hath wrought him for
the self-same thing; who hath also given him the earnest of
his Spirit."
5. And "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty;"
liberty, not only from guilt and fear, but from sin, from that
heaviest of all yokes, that basest of all bondage. His labour
is not now in vain. The snare is broken, and he is delivered.
He not only strives, but likewise prevails; he not only fights,
but conquers also. "Henceforth he does not serve sin."
(Chap. 6:6 &c.) He is "dead unto sin, and alive unto
God;" "sin doth not now reign," even "in
his mortal body," nor doth he "obey it in the desires
thereof." He does not "yield his members as instruments
of unrighteousness unto sin, but as instruments of righteousness
unto God." For "being now made free from sin, he is
become the servant of righteousness."
6. Thus, "having peace with God, through our Lord Jesus
Christ," "rejoicing in hope of the glory of God,"
and having power over all sin, over every evil desire, and temper,
and word, and work, he is a living witness of the "glorious
liberty of the sons of God;" all of whom, being partakers
of like precious faith, bear record with one voice, "We
have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba,
Father!"
7. It is this spirit which continually, "worketh in them,
both to will and to do of his good pleasure." It is he
that sheds the love of God abroad in their hears, and the love
of all mankind; thereby purifying their hearts from the love
of world, from the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and
the pride of life. It is by him they are delivered from anger
and pride, from all vile and inordinate affections. In consequence,
they are delivered from evil words and works, from all unholiness
of conversation; doing no evil to any child of man, and being
zealous of all good works.
8. To sum up all: the natural man neither fears nor
loves God; one under the law, fears, -- one under
grace, loves him. The first has no light in the things of
God, but walks in utter darkness; the second sees the painful
light of hell; the third, the joyous light of heaven. He that
sleeps in death, has a false peace; he that is awakened, has
no peace at all; he that believes, has true peace, -- the peace
of God filling and ruling his heart. The Heathen, baptized or
unbaptized, hath a fancied liberty, which is indeed licentiousness;
the Jew, or one under the Jewish dispensation, is in heavy,
grievous bondage; the Christian enjoys the true glorious liberty
of the sons of God. An unawakened child of the devil sins willingly,
one that is awakened sins unwillingly; a child of God "sinneth
not," but "keepeth himself, and the wicked one toucheth
him not." To conclude: the natural man neither conquers
nor fights; the man under the law fights with sin, but cannot
conquer; the man under grace fights and conquers, yea, is "more
than conqueror, through him that loveth him."
IV. 1. From this plain account of the three-fold state of man,
the natural, the legal, and the evangelical,
it appears that it is not sufficient to divide mankind into
sincere and insincere. A man may be sincere in any of these
states; not only when he has the "Spirit of adoption,"
but while he has the "spirit of bondage unto fear;"
yea, while he has neither this fear, nor love. For undoubtedly
there may be sincere Heathens, as well as sincere Jews, or Christians.
This circumstance, them does by no means prove, that, a man
is in a state of acceptance with God.
"Examine yourselves, therefore," not only whether
ye are sincere, but "whether ye be in the faith."
Examine narrowly, (for it imports you much,) what is the ruling
principle in your soul! Is it the love of God? Is it the fear
of God? Or is it neither one nor the other? Is it not rather
the love of the world? the love of pleasure, or gain? of ease,
or reputation? If so, you are not come so far as a Jew. You
are but a Heathen still. Have you heaven in your heart? Have
you the Spirit of adoption, ever crying, Abba, Father? Or do
you cry unto God, as "out of the belly of hell," overwhelmed
with sorrow and fear? Or are you a stranger to this whole affair,
and cannot imagine what I mean? Heathen, pull off the mask!
Thou hast never put on Christ! Stand barefaced! Look up to heaven;
and own before Him that liveth for ever and ever, thou hast
no part, either among the sons of servants of God!
Whosoever thou art: Dost thou commit sin, or dost thou not?
If thou dost, is it willingly, or unwillingly? In either case,
God hath told thee whose thou art: "He that committeth
sin is of the devil." If thou committest it willingly,
thou art his faithful servant: He will not fail to reward thy
labour. If unwillingly, still thou art his servant. God deliver
thee out of his hands!
Art thou daily fighting against all sin? And daily more than
conqueror? I acknowledge thee for a child of God. O stand fast
in thy glorious liberty! Art thou fighting, but not conquering?
striving for the mastery, but not able to attain? Then thou
art not yet a believer in Christ; but follow on, and thou shalt
know the Lord. Art thou not fighting at all, but leading an
easy, indolent, fashionable life! O how hast thou dared to name
the name of Christ, only to make it a reproach among the Heathen?
Awake, thou sleeper! Call upon thy God before the deep swallow
thee up!
2. Perhaps one reason why so many think of themselves more
highly than they ought to think, why they do not discern what
state they are in, is because these several states of soul are
often mingled together, and in some measure meet in one and
the same person. Thus experience shows, that the legal state,
or state of fear, is frequently mixed with the natural; for
few men are so fast asleep in sin, but they are sometimes more
or less awakened. As the Spirit of God does not "wait for
the call of man," so, at some times he will be heard.
He puts them in fear, so that, for a season at least, the Heathen
"know themselves to be but men." They feel the burden
of sin, and earnestly desire to flee from the wrath to come.
But not long: They seldom suffer the arrows of conviction to
go deep into their souls; but quickly stifle the grace of God,
and return to their wallowing in the mire.
In like manner, the evangelical state, or state of love, is
frequently mixed with the legal. For few of those who have the
spirit of bondage and fear, remain always without hope. The
wise and gracious God rarely suffers this; "for he remembereth
that we are but dust;" and he willeth not that "the
flesh should fail before him, or the spirit which he hath made."
Therefore, at such times as he seeth good, he gives a dawning
of light unto them that sit in darkness. He cause a part of
his goodness to pass before them, and shows he is a "God
that heareth the prayer." They see the promise, which is
by faith in Christ Jesus, though it be yet afar off; and hereby
they are encouraged to "run with patience the race which
is set before them."
3. Another reason why many deceive themselves, is, because
they do not consider how far a man may go, and yet be in a natural,
or, at best, a legal state. A man may be of a compassionate
and a benevolent temper; he may be affable, courteous, generous,
friendly; he may have some degree of meekness, patience, temperance,
and of many other moral virtues. He may feel many desires of
shaking off all vice, and of attaining higher degrees of virtue.
He may abstain from much evil; perhaps from all that is grossly
contrary to justice, mercy, or truth. He may do much good, may
feed the hungry, clothe the naked, relieve the widow and fatherless.
He may attend public worship, use prayer in private, read many
books of devotion; and yet, for all this, he may be a mere natural
man, knowing neither himself nor God; equally a stranger to
the spirit of fear and to that of love; having neither repented,
nor believed the gospel.
But suppose there were added to all this a deep conviction
of sin, with much fear of the wrath of God; vehement desires
to cast off every sin, and to fulfill all righteousness; frequent
rejoicing in hope, and touches of love often glancing upon the
soul; yet neither do these prove a man to be under grace;
to have true, living, Christian faith, unless the Spirit of
adoption abide in his heart, unless he can continually cry,
"Abba, Father!"
4. Beware, then, thou
who art called by the name of Christ, that thou come not short
of the mark of thy high calling. Beware thou rest, not, either
in a natural state with too many that are accounted good
Christians; or in a legal state, wherein those who are highly
esteemed of men are generally content to live and die. Nay,
but God hath prepared better things for thee, if thou follow
on till thou attain. Thou art not called to fear and tremble
like devils; but to rejoice and love, like the angels of God.
"Thou shalt love the lord thy God will all thy heart, and
with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength."
Thou shalt "rejoice evermore;" thou shalt "pray
without ceasing:" thou shalt "in everything give thanks."
Thou shalt do the will of God on earth as it is done in heaven.
O prove thou "what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect
will of God!" Now present thyself "a living sacrifice,
holy, acceptable to God." "Whereunto thou hast already
attained, hold fast," by "reaching forth unto those
things which are before:" until "the God of peace
make thee perfect in every good work, working in thee that which
is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ: To whom
be glory for ever and ever! Amen!"
Edited
by Brent Peterson with corrections by Ryan Danker and George
Lyons of Northwest Nazarene University for the Wesley Center
for Applied Theology.
© Copyright
1999 by the Wesley Center for Applied Theology. Text may be
freely used for personal or scholarly purposes or mirrored on
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at Northwest Nazarene University, Nampa, ID 83686. Contact the
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