V er. 2. the 8tb Chatter of the ROMANS. 25 God, and God dmelleth in us by his fprit that he hath given us ;by the Spirit d welling and working in us, we know our intereft 5 this is not fo abfolutely neceflàry as the former to our fafety, but very comfortable: There is a Spirit that attendeth the Law, reviving fears in men, and a fenfe of Gods Wrath; and there is a Spirit attending the Gofpel, in- clining us to come to God as a Father, Rom. 8.15. The one is called the fpirit of bondage, the other the fpirit of Adoption. Now, becaule thé kw is fo natural to us, we the more need this liberty. Y1fe r. Since there is a Liberty by Chrift, and that wrought in us by the Spirit, but difpenled by the Gofpel ; let us leek it in this way. Therefore, confider, a. Your need, fince every man is under the power of Sin naturally, and fo under a fentence of condemnation to Death ; if you be not fenfible of the evil and burden of Sin, yet furely you Ihould flee from wrath to come! Is that a flight matter to you ? our firft and quickeft feule is of wrath; when our hearts are made more tender, we feel the bhr- denoffin; fear workethbeforejhame and forrom: Therefore furely he that confidereth his deep neceffty, fltould cry our, Oh wretched man that fans, who Ball deliver me from this body of death? Rom, 7. 24. 2. Confider the po /fbility ofyour delivery from this bondage by the lam of the Spirit of Life inChrifllefus. Surely the Blood of Jelus can purge your confcienos from dead works, that you may ferve the living God, Heb. 9. 14. There is a Covena -r, all the promifes of which in Chrift are, Yea and Amen, 2 Cor. 1. 23. The Covenant of night and day may fooner bediffolved, than this Covenant broken or repealed. There is the Spirit alto, who can fubdue your ffrongefl lefts, and is ready to help you to mortifie the deeds of the bo- dy, and to reclaim you from your vainplealures. 3. Ham comfortable it will be for you when once this work is in progrels , and you he' gin to pals from Death to Life ; every fiep will be tweet to you; and as you grow in grace, you do apace advance to Heaven, Prov. 3. 17. Allher ways are pleafantnefi, and all her paths are peace. 2 Z.N. Let us examine whether we have received this regenerating grace, to free us from the reign of fin. Some are free in Phew, but others are free indeed, John 8. 36. Some have the outward badges of Liberty, are Chriftians in name, receive Sacramente, and enjoy the Ordinances, but not the grace in and by the Ordinances. You may know the (hate of your fervice by the courte of your life ; are you as ready to do any thing for God, as before for fin e Rom. 6.18, 3d Z./ft. If we be free, let us not return to our old Jlaver), again, Gal. 5. r. Stand frfl in the liberty wherein Chri(l bath mode you free, and be not intrngled again in the yoke of bandage. Efpecially that chiefpart of freedom from the dominion of (n. Rom.6.12. Let not fn reign in your mortal bodies, that ye fhould obey it in the hilis thereof And the 14 verle ; For fin¡hall not have dominion over yon, far ye are not under the law, but under grace. &D S E R-
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