Part II.' 4re the everlafting ~rms,and that we have fo ft!lll fecurity for ·our falntion, as the promife and Oath of the immutable God what .a jl~ty ,~what a Plelljure is this to the Believer? The troubles of the godly are moft from the remnants of their unbelief : The more they believe, the more they are comforted and cRablifhed : The life of f~ith is a Pleafant life. Faith could not conq1:1er fo ~any enemtes, 1111~ carry us through f? much fuffering and dtfhefs, as you find m that cloud of tdbmonies, Heb. I 1. if it .were not a very comfortable work. · Even we that fee not the falvation ready to be revealed, m~y yet greatly rejoyce, for all the manifold temptations, that for afeafon make us flllhjed to fome heavynefs, I Pet. r. S, 6. And we: th~tt fee not le/mChrift, yet Believing c~tn love him 11nd rejoyce 'With joy unfpea!(ab!e and full ofglory, v. 8. The God of Hope doth fometirnes fill hu fer– •z;,mts ,with all roy P~nd putce in believing, and makfs them e?Jtn abound .in Hepe through the Power of tbe Holy Gh~fl, Rom~ Ij. I 3· _ 6. Yea {oy is it felf a part of tile Holy qualification of the Saints, and of £he renewed fiate that grace bath brought them i.tUto. For the Kingdemof Gud confiftah llJ i~t~ R.ightesufnefs, f~ in Peace and{oy i?J t·heHoly Ghoft, Rom. 14. 17. Believers receive .net the fpirit of b~ndage flgAin to feAr, that is, theyare not under . the b-ondage of rhe Law, nor have the JPirit or ftate of mind which is fuited to thofe l..e_ga.l impofitions and terrible comrnina– -~ions : but theyhave receivea the fPirit of .Adoptionhy Which tbtJ cry Al;h~~, f~ther, ~hat is, As they are brought: unde~ a mote gracious dtfpenfauon, and a better Covenant and promtfes, and God is revealed to them in the Gofpel as a Rec0n€iled Father through his fon, fo doth fue treat them more gently as reconci– led children , and the fpirit which anfwereth this graeious Cove– nant, and is given us rheretipon, doth qualif.ie us with achild-like difpofitipn,and caufe us with boldnefs, Love and confidence, to call God Father, and fly to him for fuccour and fupply, in all our dangers and neceffities_. ~~dhow Plea~ant it ~ufi ~e ~o a be– lieving foul, to have thts fpmt of .Adop~wn, rh1s £hddl!ke Love an.d confidence, and. freedom With the Lord , metbmks you might conjed:ure, though its fenfibly known by them only that .enjoy it, Gal. 5. 22. The fruit fJf the j}irit u L~ve, [oy, !'eAcc, &c. J when the word is fidl receivedby Belieyers, though tt may be in much fljfii{fifn, through the per[ecuuons and crofs, that · anend • ~ ·
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=