DISCOURSE X. The First Fruits of the Spirit ; or the Foretaste of Heaven r Rom. viii. 23. And not only they, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, wait.., ang for the adoption,, that is, the redemption of our body. SECTION I. IT is by a beautiful figure of speech the apostle had been describing in the foregoing verses, the unnatural abuse which the creatures suffer through the sins of men, when they are em- ployed to sinful purposes and the dishonour of God their Cre- ator. Permit me to read the words and represent the sense of them in a short paraphrase ; Verse 22. We know that the whole reation groaneth and traivaileth in pain together until now. 'The earth itself may be represented' as groaning to bear such loads of iniquity, such a multitude of wicked men who abuse the creatures of God to the dishonour of him that made them : The air may be said to groan to give breath to those vile wretches who abuse it in filthiness and foolish talking, to the dishonour of God, and to the scandal of their neighbours ; it groans to furnish men with breath that is abused in idolatry by the false worship of the true God, or the worship of creatures which is abominable in his sight : The sun itself may be said to groan to give light to those sinners who abuse both day -light and darkness in riot- ing and wantonness, in doing mischief among men and commit- ting fresh iniquities against their Maker : The moon and stars. are abused by adulterers and thieves, and other midnight sinners, when they any way afford light enough to them to guide them in their pursuit of wicked ways and practices. The beasts of burden may be said also to groan and be abused, when they bear the wicked sons and daughters of Adam to the accomplish- ment of their iniquities : And even all the parts of the brutal world, as well as of the inanimate creation, are some way or other made to serve the destable and wicked purposes of the sin. ful children of men, and may be figuratively said to groan on this account. And if we have tatted of the fruits of the spirit of grace, we cannot but in some measure groan with the rest of the creation in expectation of the blessed day, when the creatures shall be delivered from this bondage of corruption, to which the providence of God has suffered them to be subjected in this de- generate state of things. We hope there is a time coming, when the creatures them- selves shall be used according to the original appointment, of their Maker, agreeable to their own first design, and for the
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