THE NATURE AND guilt in their surprizals, yet they need not despond, or be utterly cast down; there is a stable ground of con- solation provided for them, in that there is no condemna- tion unto then that are in Christ Jesus. (3.)'That none may abuse this consolation of the gos. pel, to countenance themselves unto a continuance in the service of sin, he gives a limitation of the subjects unto whom it doth belong, namely, all them, and only them, who track not after theflesh, but after the Spirit, ver. I. As for those who give up themselves unto the conduct of this principle of indwelling sin, who com- ply with its motions and inclinations, being actuated wholly by its power, let them neither flatter nor de- ceive themselves, there is nothing in Christ nor the gos- pel to free them front condemnation. It is they only who give up themselves to the conduct of the Spirit of sanctification and holiness, that have an interest in this privilege. (4.) As to the other conclusion, taken from the con- siderationof the power and prevalency of this principle of sin, he prevents or removes it, by a full discovery how and by what means that power of it shall be no broken, its strength abated, its prevalency disappointed, and it- selfdestroyed, as that we need not fear the consequents of it before- mentioned; but rather may secure ourselves; that we shall be the death thereof, and not that the death of our souls. Now this is, saith he, by the law or power of the Spirit of life, which is in Christ Jesus, ver. 2. And thereon he proceeds to declare, that it is by the effectual meriting of this Spirit in us alone, that we are enabled to overcome this spiritual adversary. This being sufficientlyevident, it remaineth only, that we declare the way and manner how he produceth this effect of his grace. Sect. 18. (1.) The foundation of all mortification of sin, is from the inhabitation of the Spirit in us, He dwells in the persons of believersas in his temple, and so he prepares it for himself. Those defilements or pollu- tions, which render the souls of men unmeet habitations for the Spirit of God, do all of them consist in sin inhe- rent and its effects. These therefore he will remove and subdue, that he may dwell in us suitably unto his holi- ness, Rom. viii. 11. " If the Spirit of him that raised t' up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised to up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mor- " tal bodies, by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." Our CAUSES OF IT. 925 mortal bodies, are our bodies as obnoxious unto death by reason of sin, as ver. to. And the quickening of these mortal bodies, is their being freed from the princi- ple of sin, or death and its power, by a contrary prin- ciple of life and righteousness. It is the freeing of us Mom.being in the ,flesh, that we may be in the Spirit, ver. 9. And by what means is this effected? It is by the Spirit ofhim that raised Jesusfrom the dead, that is, of the Father, which is also called the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, ver. 9. For he is equally the Spi- rit of the Father and the Son. And he is described by this periphrasis, both because there is a similitude be- tween that work, as to its greatness and power, which. God wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and what he worketh in believers in their sancti- fication, Eph. i. 19, 20. and because this work is wrought in us by virtue of the resurrection of Christ. But under what especial consideration doth he effect this work of mortifying sin in us? It is as he dwelleth in tes. God doth it by his Spirit, as he dwelleth in us. As it is a work of grace, it is said to be wrought by the Spirit; and, as it is our duty, we are said to work it through the Spirit, ver. 13. And let men pretend what they please, if they have not the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them, they have not mortified any sin, but do yet walk after the flesh, and, continuing so to do, shall die. Sect. 19.Moreover, as this is the only spring of mortification in us, as it is a grace, so the consideration of it is the principal motive unto it, as it is a duty. So our apostle, pressing unto it, Both it by this arguments a $now ye not that your body is the temple of the. Ho- ., ly Ghost, which is inyou, which you have of God," ,1 Cor. vi. 19. To which wemay acid that weighty cau- tion which he gives us to the same purpose, 1 Cor. iii. 16. " Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, 5' and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any '5 man defile the temple of God, him shall God de- " stroy, for the temple of God is holy, which temple " ye are." Whereas, therefore, in every duty, two things are principally considered: First, The life andspring of it, as it is wrought in us by grace. Sedondly, The prin- cipal reason for it, and motive unto it, as it is to be per- formed in ourselves lay the way ofduty.. Both these, as to this matter of mortification, do centre in this inhabi- tation ofthe Spirits For, (1,) It is he who mortifies. and
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