being the Second Adam, and fo is called, the first-born, Pfalm lxxxix. 26. 27. Heb. ii. 11. 13. fee Rom viii. 28. 29. 30. we are made fons and daughters to God, 2 Cor. vi. 18. is brought about by the Spirit of God, for by him we are united to Chrift, and fo are faid to be born of him, John iii. 6. &c. therefore he is called, the fpirit of adoption; as alfo because he witneffeth our intereft in Chrift and adoption, as we fhall hear in the next verse. I XII. Believers being now brought into a ftate of adoption, may have much boldnefs in their addreffes to God, having liberty to go to God at any time, and in any place, and upon any occafion, Pfalm ci. 2. x. 1. and cxxxix. 8. and lay forth all their mind and cares before him, 1 Pet. v. 7. beging every thing they want, John xv. 7. Pfalm xxxviii. 9. and that without complementing, in downright language, though they could but groan, Pfalm xxxviii. 9. or chatter, Ifa. xxx. 14. yea, and ufe importunity, Gen. xxxii. 26. being confident cf an answer, Heb. x. 22. upon the ground of a promise, Pfalm cxix. 25. 28. 58. 65. 76. 116. 169. and God's juftice, truth, and faithfulness, Pfalm xxxi. 1. xxxv. 24. cxix. 40. and cxliii. 1. And fo, tho' fometimes they be under deadness and indifpofedness, thro' being in darkness, and not beholding the promises, which are the spirit and life prayer, nor their intereft in God as theirs, and through their negligence in acting their graces, and through neglect of prayer, and other efcapes; yet fome win to this holy. boldnefs, and all may win to it, to cry boldly, Abba, Father: We cry, Abba, Father. of XIII. This holy and fpiritual boldnefs in the faints their approachings to God, always ought to be accompanied with a holy fear, making the foul watchful left he afk any thing which is not according to God's mind, or carry himself any ways unbefeeming the great and glorious God, confidering how great a Majefty he is, and how mean they are and unworthy; and fo they must ftill look upon God as their Father with a reverent fear; and tho' they cry, yet it is, Abba, Father: We cry, Abba, Father. XIV. This freedom and liveliness in prayer, is a fruit and effect of that Holy Spirit whereby believers are united to Chrift, feting them on work to the duty, upholding and loofing them from bonds which are upon their fpirits, and fo enlarging their hearts, Pfalm li. 11. 12. removing fin, and every other thing which prove difcouragements; and, withal, clearing the grounds whereupon they may hope to come fpeed; for, fays he, We have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. See Gal. iv. 6. XV. Albeit graceless and unrenewed people may pray and feem to have much life in prayer, by reafon of abundance of expreffions, and fuch like; and may feem to exprefs much zeal and boldness: yet this freedom and boldness in approaching to God is peculiar only to fuch as are his, and have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we whereby we (fays he) cry, Abba, Father. XVI. This fpirit of adoption doth not work life and vigour, and boldness in holy addreffing ourfelves to God, in all alike, in the fame manner and measure, so that even the fame believer may have much more deadnefs, and far lefs boldness at one time than at another; but is a free agent, and works thus in whom and after what measure he feeth fit; therefore he is faid to be received: Ye received the Spirit,--whereby we cry, Abba, Father. XVII. This holy, humble boldness in coming to God as a Father, in our prayer, is a good evidence of our adoption, and union with Chrift; for this is one of the effects which is wrought in fuch as are brought home to Chrift by the spirit of adoption, it makes them cry, Abba; whereby we cry, Abba, Father. XVIII. This privilege of having free and full accefs to God, by prayer and fupplication, is not proper to fome few be 002 lievers lievers only, but is common to all without any diftinction, be they Jews or Gentiles, Greeks or Barbarians; if now they have received the fpirit of adoption, they may cry to God in their own language, Abba, or Father. XiX. A backlook unto our former condition, while under the fears occafioned by the Spirit's bearing home convictions of our guilt and danger upon our hearts, and fatening us into the ftocks, fo as we could no way escape, will ferve much to illuftrate and commend God's grace in bringing us out of prifon, wherein we were in bondage, lying in fetters of iron; and put us into a ftate of freedom and fons, whereby we have accefs with boldnefs unto the throne of grace; therefore he fays, Ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the fpirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.. From Verfe 16th OBSERVE, I. As it is the Spirit of God which uniteth fouls to Chrift, by working faith in them; fo it is the fame Spirit which cleareth unto believers their intereft in him; and among other of his works in the fouls of believers, this is one, to affure and perfuade fouls of their union with, and intereft in Chrift, and fo prove a Comforter, John xvi. 14. and an earnest or feal, Eph. i. 13. 2 Cor. i. 22. The Spirit beareth witness. II. Altho' many that are true believers in Chrift have not fuch affurance of God's love towards them, and of their intereft in Chrift, as others have, fo that fome may be labouring diligently in the use of the means for affurance; and yet (there being no fcripture excluding fuch as want affurance from the kingdom of heaven, nor requiring thefe reflex acts of faith, as of the fame neceffity with the direct acts, relying and refting on Christ,) feeing this teftimo ny of the Spirit may be received as a part of our reward, and fo God is free to let it out when and on whom he thinks good; an elect child of God may die without this. particular act of affurance; yet any do win to this, 1 John ii. 3. and iii. 14. 19.24. it being Chrift's work to bring it about, John xvi. 10. 11. 12. Ifa. lxi. 1. 2. 3. and that in the depth of the Lord's wildom, that he may hereby wean them from the world, Luke ii. 29. Pfalm lxxiii. 25. 26. 27. 28. encourage them in their ap proaches, fupport them under pertecution and afflictions; yea, and all being jullified and in part fanctified,. have just title unto this grace of adoption, and win to fo much perfuafion of God's love, as encourageth them to flee in to Chrift, and rely u; on him; and if they want affurance it is their own fault, through yielding to temptation and corruption; whence it cometh to pais, that as many mifs it long, fo fome who have had it mifs it again, and cannot keep it, nor improve it, Palm li. 11. 12. The Lord holds this forth in many promifes, and here he fays, 1 he Spirit beareth wit nefs with our fpirits, that we are the children of God. III. This affurance which fome of God's children do fometimes meet with, is not a a conjectural knowledge, grounded on probabilities, and a fallible hope, but certain and infallible, fure and fledfaft, Heb. vi 19. and fo a full affurance, Heb. vi. 11. at other times it may be short of this, and an affurance mixed with fome doubting, and yet certain, founded on the promites of God, Heb. vi. 17. 18. It is an affurance founded upon a fure witness of the Spirit of truth, who cannot lie; The Spirit beareth witness, &c. IV. Tho' fometimes when the foul is under great temptations, and under muchdarknefs, and as it were between lofing and wining, the Spirit of the Lord will, by a fecret irradiation, and clear illumination, break in upon the foul, and banish all doubis and mifts, fo as the foul fhall fee clear y its intereft in Chrift, but yet according to the word; and fometimes bear in a pro mife fo forcibly upon the foul, as doth | V. It is no cafy mat er for fuch as are indeed he children of God to know that they are fo; fo fubtle a fophifter is Satan, and well experienced in the art of brangling the grounds of people's evidences, and fo falfe and deceitful is the heart, and ready to affent to Satan's fuggeftions, and fo to mifcal and caft at all the graces of God's Spirit in their own fouls, as counterfeits; yea, no lefs will hufh thefe doubts, and put an end to thefe comfortlefs difputes, than the Spirit of God: The Spirit beareth witness with our spirits.. VI. Tho' hypocrites may vainly deceive themselves, and imagine they have an intereft in Chrift, when there is no fuch matter; yet it is only true believers who win to this affurance and well grounded perfuafion therefore, fays he, The Spirit beareth witnefs with our spirits, that we are the children of God. VERSE 17. And if children, then heirs ; beirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ: if fo be that we fuffer with him, that We may be alfo glified together. N the first part of this verfe, the apoftle fets down the affumption of the argument fet down in the last words of the 13th verfe, whereby he was preffing them to mortification; and addeth fomewhat for confirmation, whereby he pointeth forth the tranfcendent excellency of this life which they fhall get. And 1. he points forth the juft right and title they have to it, which floweth from their adoption and fouthip, If children, then heirs. 2. He points forth the riches of this mheritance, or the nature of it, it is no less than God himfelf; fo that it must be a happy and a heavenly, complete, and` every way fatisfactory inheritance, a bleffed heirship; heirs of God. And 3. he points forth the certainty of it, it is an inheritance furely kept, that fhall not be plundered, and whereof the rights fhall never be brangled;- Chrift and we are in one and the fame charter, and, to fpeak fo, co-partners, co-heirs with Chrift. In the latter part of the verfe, he points forth the ordinary way of wining to the poffeffion of this excellent inheritance, fo as we might not grow fecure and lazy; and fo forewarneth God's children of the worft, left when they meet with fad difpentations and perfecurion, they fhould queftion their fonfhip and their right to the crown which is coming; and withal he fpeaks of this, fo as he might encourage them to a chriftian, fubmiffive carriage under the crofs. by adding motives and fpeakin arguments, If we fuffer with him; that is, if we be consent to follow the fame freps, which our Mafter and Forerunner trode, and fuffer for him and righteouf. nefs fake, then fhall we win to the pof... feffion: for this is the ordinary way, 2 Tim. iii. 12. and the argument which he addeth, is, that we may also be glorified together; our fuffering here fhall not mar our poffeffion of glory; yea, fo much the more we may reft affured, that if we fuffer with we fuffer with him, we fhall be glorified with him; as alfo there may be an argument in thefe words, with him, the Captain of our falvation has trode that fame path, and therefore we may be content to be like our Mafter, and to meet with the fame meafure which he had, which may be fufficient for fervants. OBSERVATIONS. I. Believers having received the fpirit of adoption, and being made partakers of that privilege, have an undoubted right and title unto glory, jure hereditario, they may lay claim to the fame, all of them being not only fons, but firft-born fons, Heb. xii. 23. and it is the privilege of the firftbern to inherit, and thus are they conform to the image of his Son, verfe 29. therefore fays he, If children, then heirs; this hereditary right followeth upon, and floweth from their adoption: See Gal. iii. 29. Eph. iii. 6. Tit. iii. 7. II. This heritage which believers have unquestionable right unto, is incomparably excellent, and inexpreffibly glorious, they are heirs unto no mean one, heirs of God, and God and all that is in him is their heritage and portion; a moft maffy, rich, and comprehenfive portion; falvation, Heb. i. 14. all the promifes, Heb. vi. 17. a kingdom, James ii. 5. and the grace of life, 1 Pet. iii. 7. yea, grace and glory, and every good thing; yea, God himfelf the fountain of all goodness, he is their portion, Pfal. xvi. 5. and lxxiii. 26. and cxix. 57. and cxliii. 5. Jer. x. 16. and li. 19. Lam. iii. 24. and they fhall be bleffed in full enjoying of him, John iii. 2. 1 Thef. iv. 17.: They are heirs of God. III. As this inheritance of believers is tranfcendently excellent, fpiritual and glorious; fo it is fure, permanent, and unchangeable, a crown laid up, 2 Tim. iv. 8. and incorruptible in itfelf, i Pet. i. 4. and an inheritance which they fhall certainly poffefs, and in due time enjoy: Chrift the head and they the members are comprehended in one and the fame charter and infeftment; they shall be with him, John xvii. 24. and fit on his throne, Rev. iii. 21. and fo fhall not only partake of his glory, but also be fure of it, feeing he cannot be put out of poffeffion; they are joint heirs with Christ. 4. IV. There being a neceffity that all the heirs of the crown muft pafs thro' tribulation and affliction, by reafon of God's wife appointment, and the malice of Satan and his adherents, who cannot be content to fee the heirs of the crown living in peace, Acts xiv. 22. 2 Tim. iii. 12. 1 Thef, iii. all that look for and do expect the promifed inheritance, must resolve to pass thro tribulation and adverfity, and to fuffer not as evil-doers, 1 Pet. iv. 15. but for welldoing, 1 Pet. iv. 17. and for righteousness, verfe 14. and for being the children of God, Heb. xi. 25. and fo for Chrift's fake, Phil. i. 29. Acts ix. 16. and that rejoicingly, Acts v. 41. and chriftianly, i Pet. iv. 16. feeing thus the way is carved out, and hereby faith is tried, i Pet. i. 7. James i. 3. patience, experience, and hope helped, Rom. v. 3. 4. their affections loofed off the earth, their defires of heaven inflamed, and their prayers fharpened: therefore it is added, If we fuffer with him. See 1 Tim. iv. 10. 2 Tim. i. 12. V. As Jefus Chrift, taking on our nature, that he might fuffer for us, and fatisfy for our debt, lay under fome neceffity to endure tribulation and perfecution, Acts iii. 18. and xxvi. 23. Luke xxiv. 46. and being the captain of our falvation, was made perfect through fuffering, Heb. ii. 10. and being our brother, Heb. ii. 11.. caft a copy to us, to follow him patiently thro all tribulations whatfoever, Heb. xii. 2. 1 Pet. iii. 18.; fo it may be a great encouragement to us, to go thro' the fadeft difpenfations we can meet with chearfully, knowing that Chrift has fanctified that road to us, by his going the fame way, and that, iv. 17. which though now it be hardly known, but hid from the most part, yet it fhall be revealed, in us, toward, or upon us, and it is fo great and exceedingly excellent, that tho' the fufferings of thisworld fhould laft long, (which yet are but. for a short moment, 2 Cor. iv. 17. and therefore called, the fufferings of this prefent time) yet are they nothing in comparison of that glory which is to be manifefted,. tho' now hid with Chrift in God, Col. iij. 3. they are not worthy to be compared, or laid in the balance with (or if compared, yet they are far fhort of) that glory which fufferers for Chrift fhall partake of; Therefore afflictions fhould not be feared at, nor fhuned. And this the apostle concludes, after mature deliberation, and pondering reafons on both hands; and fo lay he is our master, and fo his lot may fatisfy us, Matth. x. 24. 25.; knowing alfo that he has left the lightest end of the tree to us to carry; if we fuffer, we but fuffer with him: If we fuffer with him. VI. Tho' the wicked, who are strangers to God, and to the faving knowledge of his name and ways, do think outward afflictions in a world, a token of God's hatred; yea, the godly themfelves are ready 10 queftion God's love upon that account, and to think they hall never enjoy the promifed inheritance, because they have fuch a life of afflictions; yet afflictions and tribulations need not darken believers fight of heaven; yea, they may the rather conelude, that they fhall certainly enjoy the crown, if they endure to the end, Rev. iii. 2. Matth. x. 22. and that if they fuffering his accounts, he now reckoneth, that with him, they fhall alfo be glorified toge ther; and therefore they ought to fuffer with more patience and good-will, and quietly and heartily fubmit unto tribulation and perfecution. VERSE 18. For I reckon, that the fufferings of this prefent time, are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. TH HE apoftle having made mention of croffes and tribulation, as the ordinary way to the actual poffeffion of the crown of glory, he infifts on it, and because he knew it was hard to get them brought to a willing fubmiffion under it, and to a chearful way of undergoing the fame: therefore, befide the ftrong motive. the fufferings of this prefent time, are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.. OBSERVATIONS. I. It is good for minifters to be duly pondering and exactly weighing and confidering every truth which they bring forth unto people, that fo they may be the more confident and perfuaded of the truth of them when they deliver them; and they ought fo to hold them forth as truths whereof they are perfuaded: therefore fays Paul, I reckon, or (as the word imports) after reafoning and debating to and fro, and cafting up all accounts, I find this to be truth. II. Tho' God hath thought fit that his children fhall have an afflicted and fufferand inducements he mentioned in the lafting life of it in a world; yet in the depths verfe, he goeth on in profecution of the of his wifdom and goodness, he hath fo fame purpose, and heapeth up many ftrong contrived the matter, as that their fufferarguments to perfuade them to fuffer afflicti-ings thall not be of any long endurance; on chearfully and willingly, unto the end of the chapter. In this 18th verfe is the third argument, which may be conceived thus; There is a great and exceeding weight of glory, 2 Cor. fo that if they be in heavinefs, neceffity fo requiring, for the trial of their faith, 1 Pet. i. 6. 7. it is but for a feafon, ibid. or for ten days, Rev. ii. 10. or a moment, 2 Cor. iv. 17. or a night, Pfalm xxx. 5. fo |