unto them; and by remaining in his faints for ever, he will, at the refurrection morn, and throughout eternity, fill them with all the fulness of God. O that we may learn to love, worship, and glorify the Holy Spirit, for his work, gifts, and grace; and be led to view with increafing joy the Almighty Jefus, who continues to bestow his bleffed Spirit on us. Amen.

SERMON VIII.

ON THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION.

For

ROMANS, Chap. viii. Ver. 15.

ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear; but ye bave received the Spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

'HIS chapter affords ftrong confolation, and con

THE

tains a great variety of cordials, for the strengthening and encouraging the people of God, in running the heavenly race which is marked out and fet before them in the word of God. The apoftle is here writing to fuch as had been brought, by the grace and power of the Holy Spirit, to know and believe on the Lord Jefus; and who, through the fellowship and communion they had with him, were brought to fet their affections on high and heavenly things. He obferves to them the dreadful effects which proceed from being carnally minded, and the bleffings which proceed from being fpiritually minded. At the 8th verse he faith, So then they that are in the flesh (that is, in a natural, carnal, unregenerate state) cannot pleafe God: and adds in the next verse, But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit; they having paffed in regeneration, from a

ftate of death to a ftate of fpiritual life. This was their cafe, and it appeared to be so, inasmuch as, or because, the Spirit of God dwelt in them The if immediately following is not to be confidered as an if of doubting; for a man either has, or has not the Spirit of Christ. If he has not, he cannot be in any other state than that of unregeneracy; and dying in that state, he cannot fee the kingdom of God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be (or, inasmuch as, or because) that the Spirit of God, or the Spirit of Chrift, dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Chrift, he is none of his. Then the apoftle proceeds to fpeak of the bleffed effects of Chrift's dwelling by his Spirit in his people. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead, because of fin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raifed up Jefus from the dead dwell in you; he that raised up Chrift from the dead, skall alfo quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Then he goes on to inform fuch, of the obligations they were under to walk becoming their highrank and dignity. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye fall die. Believers, when they give way to their carnal frames, and indulge their carnal defires, they die to fpiritual joys and comforts, a death being thereby brought upon their graces. But if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the fons of God. For ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Fatker.

Some very

There is a diverfity of judgments amongst the people of God, refpecting the meaning of the words which I have now read unto you for my text. great and worthy perfons have thought, that the Holy Spirit is fpoken of in the words as the Spirit of bondage, as well as the Spirit of adoption; and becaufe in his firft work upon the foul, which confifts of convincing of fin, fhewing the nature of it, and fetting before the convinced finner the wrath of God due unto it; rattling the keys of hell and damnation about the ears of finners, and fhutting them up in unbelief, by fhewing and proving to them, that they are in this ftate by nature, through their fall from God; that hence the Holy Spirit may be confidered as, and styled, the Spirit of bondage; efpecially as this precedes his moft bleffed work of acting the part of a comforter, and performing the office of the Spirit of adoption. To which others reply, that though fouls under the convincing and enlightening efficacy and energy of the Holy Spirit, are filled with terrors, dread, and confternation, and are brought thereby under a spirit of bondage: yet that these effects do not prove the Holy Spirit to be the author of their terrors; nor does the title of the Spirit of bondage belong to him, it being quite oppofite and contrary to his blessed office, work, and title, who is the Comforter. And which they argue to be given him, as expreffive of what he is to the people of God.

I thought it meet and right to take notice of this, feeing there is express mention made in my text of the Spirit of bondage, and the Spirit of adoption, and

that it is implied, that those persons who were now favoured with the Spirit of adoption, had prior to this received the Spirit of bondage, which inclined and fubjected them to fear. My own thoughts are, that the genuine meaning of the words may be known by the following confiderations. This church at Rome confifted, in a great measure, of believing Jews; who during the former difpenfation were under a fpirit of bondage, because their legal facrifices could never take away fin; and the commands and precepts of the ceremonial law being so many, various, and burdenfome, they were kept in perpetual bondage: under that dispensation they were more inclinable to a legal fpirit, than believers are under the gospel; who are favoured with a clearer, fuller, and more glorious dif covery and revelation of our Lord Jefus Chrift, in all the ends and defigns of his wonderful death.

In attempting to open and explain the paffage before us, in a dependance upon our Lord Jefus Chrift for his unction, bleffing, and prefence, I will endeavour to divide our text into the following heads:

First, there is exprefs mention made, of a Spirit of bondage and of a Spirit of adoption.

Secondly, the effects of these are to be confidered. The Spirit of bondage inclines to fear, the Spirit of adoption to liberty. By the one we are subjected to fear; by the other we are brought into liberty, being enabled to cry Abba, Father: and then,

Thirdly, it deferves notice, that both the Spirit of bondage, and the Spirit of adoption, are said to be received.