firmed to each of you individually, by your own experience? I would say to each individual in this congregation, Are you born again in the Spirit, and do you live the life of Christ in the Spirit? Are you dead to sin in the Spirit, and are you raised up again to the life of righteousness in the Spirit? Are these so many facts of real existence evidenced to yourselves by your own experience? Have you this witness in yourselves?-Do not deceive yourselves, my brethren; do not think it possible you can believe those doctrines, and yet remain strangers to their practical effects. He that believeth in the Son of God hath the witness in himself. He hath arenewed spirit dwelling in his heart, and evidencing the truth of those several doctrines by those several matters of fact corresponding to those doctrines. They are not matters of speculation to him; they are matters of experience, matters of fact; as clearly evidenced to his mind, as the fact of his own existence. He does not seek of men to prove to him the truth of his own existence; for any proof that they could offer must fall infinitely below that internal evidence of the fact he enjoys within himself: and, in like manner, he does not go to other men to furnish him with the proofs of the truth of those doctrines; for he has within himself an internal evidence, founded upon

facts-an evidence of their truth infinitely surpassing the testimony of men. Do not think that you can believe in Christ, my brethren, and be destitute of this internal evidence it is impossible; and every living man is himself a proof, an undeniable proof, that this is impossible. We individually enjoy natural life: it is a fact we exist. Now what is the evidence of this our existence? It is consciousness: this is the witness in ourselves. He who gives us natural life, hath annexed this internal evidence to its enjoyment. Now the Author and Giver of our natural life is the Author and Giver of our spiritual life: natural life is the gift of the Son of God, who created us; spiritual life is the gift of the Son of God, who redeemed us— I, thy Creator, am thy Redeemer-And he hath annexed the same internal evidence to its enjoyment: He that believeth hath the witness in himself: he hath the consciousness of the renewed mind; and this consciousness is confirmed by the witness of God: for the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together.

45

SERMON IV.

ROMANS viii. 1.

There is, therefore, now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus; who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

THE words of the text form the conclusion at which the Apostle arrives in the course of his argument, and which he derives from the former part of his Epistle. He first proves, from real matter of fact, confirming the testimony of God recorded in Holy Scripture, that all the world, both Jews and Gentiles, without a single exception, are guilty before God, and therefore justly exposed to everlasting condemnation. He then proves, in the same manner, from fact and Scripture, confirmed by examples, first in the instance of Abraham, and then from his own individual experience, that justification before God is by faith alone, without the deeds of the law. From which two positions he draws this conclusion (marked

by the word therefore), There is now, therefore, no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.

There are no points so particularly and repeatedly insisted on by the Apostle as these two. In the eleventh chapter of this same Epistle, in which he contrasts the dealings of God with Jews and Gentiles in the most particular and emphatical manner, what does he make the foundation of all, in accounting for those dealings? Hear his own words: For God hath concluded THEM ALL in unbelief-he hath shut them all up: God hath brought all mankind to this conclusion, unbelief. And no man can bring us out of it; but God alone. And therefore it was, saith the Apostle, that he brought us to this conclusion: For God hath concluded them all in unbelief-why ?-for this reason, that he might have mercy upon all. And in like manner, in the Epistle to the Galatians (not to mention any others), enforcing these same points, he declares (iii. 22), But the Scripture HATH CONCLUDED ALL under sinwhy?-for this reason, saith the Apostle, that the promise, by faith of Jesus Christ, might be given to them that believe.

From these few passages we must at once perceive the force and the necessity of his conclusion in the words of the text, "There is therefore, now, no condemnation to them

which are in Christ Jesus." But here arises the question, Who are they which are in Christ Jesus?-a question which the Apostle is careful to anticipate, by adding, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. He leaves no room for doubt upon the subject. He does not even allow us the opportunity of asking this question, for he joins the answer with the conclusion: "There is therefore, now, no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." This great change, which has been made in the condition of man before God by Jesus Christ, together with the effects and proofs of its reality and truth in the sight of men, are most particularly insisted upon by the Apostle Paul. He constantly reminds the several churches throughout the world, what they were by nature, and what they are by grace. By nature, they were the children of wrath: by grace, they are made the children of promise. By nature, they were heirs of everlasting damnation by grace, they are made heirs of everlasting life. By nature, they walk after the flesh by grace, they are made to walk after the Spirit. Remember, saith the Apostle to the Ephesians, Remember, that ye, being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh