156 S E R 1Ví O N S upon Serm. XXII, and labour to fupprefs and diminish each other ; fo do Law and Grace ; those that are (laves to their finful lufs, and are not inabled by the fpirit cf the new Tefiament ro do in Come meafure what the rule ìnjoyneth, have their comforts obffru &ed 5 and while fin reigneth, the law reigneth, Rom. 6. ri{.. Faqirs /hall not haze dominion over lox, for ye are not under the law, but grace. Partly, by its iritating power; and Partly, by its con- demning power, leaving them under a fear of condemnation, and urging them tò do what they cannot do. 3. The Children of God by regeneration and adoption, while fin remaineth, may have f me_ what of bondage remaining in them. Look as under the Old Teftment, when the in- genuous and noble motives of the Gofpel were in a great meafure unknown, there was fomewhat ofa free fpirit in the Eminent Saints,Pfal.51.12. though but fparingly difpen- ced : fo under the Gofpel difpenfation,there are many fad and drooping Chriffians who do not improve the comforts provided for them, and when they are called upon to re- joyce in the Lord always, Phil. 4.4. rather go mourning all the day long, but'tis their fault. The people under the law - difpenfation were either the Godly, or the wicked, or the middle fort ; the eminently Godly then had a free fpirit ; the wicked were either terrified, or flupified : the middle fort, who were touching the righteoufnels of the law blamelefs, Phil. 3. 6. had a zeal for outward obfervances, but not according to knowledg, Rom. 10 2. were meerly ailed by a legal fpirit: fo under the Gofpel there are the eminently Godly who evermore rejoyce, r Thef 5. 16. or at leali are fwayed 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 effeet; though this love to God do prevail over fin, yet not ordinarily over fear of punishment ; but much of that influences their duties, more than their love to God. There is too great averi. nets in their hearts from God and Holiness, and they feek to break it by the terrors of the Lord. Not fin, but fear is predominant. Thirdly, Is this fpirit of Bondage good, or bad ? I answer. r. We mutt di(tinguifh of the three Agents in it. This Bondage cometh, partly from a good caufe, the fpirit of God breeding in us a knowledg of our Duty, and a Belief of the threatnings of God, from whence arifeth a fenfe of our finful and miferable condi- tion ; fo far 'Lis good and ufeful 5 Partly, from an ill caufe, the Devil, who delighteth to vex us with unreafonable terrors, 1 Si. ar 16, 14. The fpirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil fpirit from the Lord vexed him; The Devil, both tempteth, and troubleth: as the Huntsman hideth himfelftill the poor Beall be gotten into thetoile, then he appeareth with (bouts and cryes ; Partly, from the corruption of mans heart, which either turneth this work to an utter averfation from God, or fome perfunetory and unwilling way of ferving him ; force know the right use of the Covenant, others not ; and therefore we mull confider not only how 'tis wrought by the fpirit, but how 'cis entertained by man through our corruption ; our convi&ion of fin and misery by the fpirit turneth into Bondage and fervitude. 2. The fpirit of bondage is better than a profane fpirit. Some call off all thoughts of God, and the World to come, and are not fo 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 fo far as a fpirit of Bondage ; they that areunder it , have á confci- ence of their duty, but fuch as perplexeth them, and lafheth, and (tingeth them with the dread and horror of that God whom they ferve. Now this is better than the pro - phane fpirit that wholly forgets God, Pfa. io. 4. God is not in alltheir thoughts; whether he be pleafed, or difpleafed, honoured, or difhonoured; this may tend to goods the gradas ad rem, gradas in re. Yea it may in Come degree be conGffent with fincerity 5 for though to have no love to God, is inconfiffent with a (fate of grace ; or to have lets love to God than fin ; yet to have more fear than love, is conGffent with force weak de- gree of grace, efpecially if the cafe be fo, that love is lets felt in a &, than fear : and there- fore though men are confcious to much backwardnefs, l et keep up a ferioufoefs, though to their feeling 'cis more fear than love which moveth them; yet we dare not pro- nounce them gracelefs 5 for there may be a love to God, and a complacency in his ways, though it be opprefl'ed by fear, that the fpirit of adoption is not fo much difcovered for the time. 3. That 'cis an ill frame of fpirit , to be cherished or relied in. For while men are un- der the Cole and predominant influence of ir, they are rever converted to God ; fear doth begin the work of converfion, but love maketh it uncere: the fpirit by fear dot h
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