Ver.iS. the 8th Chapter to the R. OMANS. 15" SERMON XX[T. ROM. VIII. 15. For ye have not received the fpirit of bondage, again to fear ; but ye have received the fpirit of Adoption, whereby we cry, Abba Father. H E Words contain a Reafon, why thole who are led by the Spirit, are the children of God : The Reafon is, becaufe they have received the Covenant' of Grace; and the'Spirit ivhich accompanieth the New' Covenant; is not the Spirit of Bondage, but Adoption. 'Tis pro= pounded, I. Negatively. 2. Affirmatively. I. Negatively : They were freed from the fervile fear of condemnation, which t ie1e gal Covenant wrought in them. 2, Affirmatively : They were endowed with the Spirit of Adoption, or a perfwafiors of their Father's Love, or of God's admitting them into his Family, and the right of in heritance ; and fo were drawn to obedience by noble motives fuitable to the Covenant they were under. For the Firti Glaufe in the Text, Te have not received the fßirit of bondage again to fear. In which words obferve, n. The State of men under the Law-Covenant : 'Ti, a State of Bondage. 2. The operation of the Spirit, during that Difpenfation, it made men fenftble of their Bon- dage : Te have not received the fpirit of bondage : There is the 8_pirit mentioned, and, 'Mar, again, implying, That during that Difpenfation they had it. 3. The impreffion left upon the heart of man, ds ottw fear. There h a Twofold Fear, filial and fervile, child -like and ffavifh: The one is a lawful and neceff'ary Fear, which doth quicken us to our Duty, Phil. 2. 12. Work out your falvation with fear and trem- bling., and is either the fear of Reverence, or the fear of Caution. The fear of Reve- rence is nothing but that awe which we, as Creatures, are to have of the Divine Maje- fly, or an humble fenfe of the condition, place, and duty of a Creature towards its Creator : The fear of Caution is a due fenfe of the importance and weight of the bufi- nefs we are ingaged in, in order to our falvation. Certainly none can confider the dan- ger we are to efcape, and the ble(Tednefs we aim at, but will fee a need to be ferious 5 and therefore this fear is good and holy. Secondly, There is befides this, a flavifli fear, which doth not further, but extreamly hinder our Work: For tho we are to fear God, yet we are not to be afraid of God. This fervile fear may be interpreted either with re- fpett to the Precept, or the Santlion of the Law : Fill, with refpett to the Precept and fo it (heweth us how men (bud naturally affelled to theduty of the Law: Whatever they do, is meerly for fear of being puni(hed. Secondly, to the Sanítion, Penalty and Curfe: 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. Dail. That men under the Law.Covenanr, are under a Spirit of Bondage, fi If ITexn
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