EXPECTATION OF THE CREATURE,

AND ITS

CERTAIN DELIVERANCE.

For the earneft expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifeftation of the fons of God. For the crea ture was made fubject to vanity, not willingly, but by reafon of him who hath fubjected the fame in hope; because the creature itself alfo fhall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. Rom. viii. 19-21.

THE apoftle, in the beginning of this chapter,

afferts that there is no condemnation to them who are interested in the falvation of Christ, who are led, not by the carnal luft of the flesh, but by the love, comfort, and life-giving power, of the holy Spirit of God: verfe 1.

The reafon affigned for this is, because the law of faith, which is written on the mind by the Spirit, and the law of love put into the heart, make us free from the deftroying power of the law of

fin, which is in our members; and from the damning power of the law of death, which was engraven on tables of ftone: verse 2.

For, as the law could neither remove guilt, destroy fin, justify the finner, nor give life, God fent his own Son in our nature, that, by his facrifice for fin, our fins, being imputed to him, might be condemned in his flesh, when he bore our fins in his own body on the tree, and by his blood put away our fins: verse 3.

From the first verse down to my text he is defcribing a child of God in diftinction from them who are in the flesh, and who are carnally minded, in enmity, living after the flesh, and deftitute of the Spirit of Chrift: but the great question is, Who this creature is which is in fuch earnest expectation of the manifeftation of the fons of God? Some have conceived that the brute creation is at least included, if not chiefly intended; and they tell us that this paffage " is a large field for a philofophic mind." So Mr. Toplady conceived; and bishop Jewell, I have been informed, hath fometimes pleased himself with the thoughts of feeing an old favourite mare of his in fome large field, in the millenium, when this wonderful manifeftation fhall be made; and which they found upon thefe words-" for we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." But this cannot be the fenfe of the apoftle, becaufe God's voice in

the gospel is to the fons of men, not beafts; nor are irrational creatures capable of hope, confequently utterly incapable of an earnest expectation of this manifeftation of the fons of God; for a creature can never expect what it knows nothing about.

Nor can fallen angels be either intended or included; for there is no mediator in their nature, nor offer of mercy made to them, and of course there is for them no place of repentance: and, as no promife of life and falvation is held forth to them, there can be no ground of hope for it, and therefore no expectation of this manifestation of the fons of God is, or can be, found in them.

Nor are all the human race intended by this creature, for there are thousands of them upon earth who are without God, without the fcriptures, without Chrift, and having no hope in the world. And how fhall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how fhall they hope in him whom they have not known? There can be no real hope or expectation of such a manifestation, where the Almighty hath made no revelation of it.

No, nor are all men that hear the gospel intended; for the gofpel is to fome "á favour of death unto death," and is preached for a witness against them. And, if such have a hope, it is only "the hope of the hypocrite," which God fays fhall perish. Job viii. 13. So that, if fuch fin

ners are in expectation of this manifestation of the fons of God, it is all in vain, for fuch will have no part in it, for "the expectation of the wicked fhall perish." Prov. x. 28. Nor do the wicked expect it, for "the expectation of the wicked is wrath." Prov. xi. 23. Whereas the expectation (of this creature) fhall not be cut off, for it fhall be delivered from the bondage of corruption.

Nor can it be faid of all who are in a profeffion, no, nor of very few of them, that they are in earnest expectation of this manifeftation of the fons of God; too, too many" put far away the evil day;" fuch expect not a deliverance, but an evil day, instead of a deliverance from the bondage of corruption. The foolish virgins who flept, and the hypocrites in Zion who were afraid and feized with fearfulnefs, were in no carneft expectation of this glorious manifeftation.

Some are inclined to think that the Gentiles excluding the Jews is this creature who is in this earneft expectation; but that cannot be, because the great apoftle includes himfelf in the context, who was a Jew. "But we have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father; the Spirit itfelf beareth witnefs with our fpirit, that we are the children of God; and, if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Chrift: if fo be that we fuffer with him, that we may alfo be glorified together. For I reckon

I reckon that the fufferings of this, present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which fhall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestations of the fons of God." Verfes 15-19. Hence it is plain that Paul does not mean the Gentiles only by this creature, because himself was a Jew; nor doth he mean the Jews only, be cause he is writing to the Gentiles.

Once more. Whoever or, whatever this creature may be, fure I am that three things muft be found in it. First, it must have a promise of deliverance from the bondage of corruption, as a ground for its hope, and a warrant for his expectation; for hope ftands on a promife, "Remember thy word unto thy fervant, upon which thou haft caufed me to hope;" but none but believers are heirs of promife.

2. This creature muft have a good hope through grace, for the hope of unjust men perifheth; whereas this "creature fhall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God;" hence Chrift must be in this creature the hope of glory, because this creature hath hope in his death, and "fhall be delivered," faith my text, therefore he fhall not be disappointed of his hope.

Moreover, the expectation of this creature is a grace of the Spirit, which is never found in a wicked man, but the contrary, for "the expee