GeelConverfttsan. fore, and therefore the Lord expects a Converfation futable to the fpirit of adoption. As now, take one that is a child and hath a fervile fpirit and is afraid to come into the prefence of his father, it may be he will do fome works in obedience to his father, but in a heavy & dull way, but afterwards whenhis fa- ther is fully reconcil'd to him, & comes & fpeaks kindly to him & there comes a fpirit ofadoption upon the Child, Oh then he goes lively on in duty to his father, thenhe rejöyces in the pre- fence of his father,& to do any thing that may pleafe his father ; when he is acted by a fpirit ofadoption,theres more fervice done according to the mind and wil of Chrift than there was before. So (my Brethren) we should exceed all under the Law with a more filial obedience, than ever there was in that time, or elfe our Converfation it is not fuch as becomes the Gofpel : Therefore when you open the old Teftament and reade of thofe excellent gracious fpirits that were there, efpecially in the Pfalms, what holy breathings and pantings after God there are, and in the Prophets, what exemplary holinefs then liv'd and íhined in the world : Be afhamed ofyour felves if you do not rife to as high a degree as they, and higher too. Obj. Why youwill fay, But they were eminent men, they were the Prophets ofGod and fo were extraordinary ; and can ordinary Chriftians rife as high as they did, and be fuch bur- ning and fhining lamps as they were ? Anf. I'le give you one Scripture about that, in Zach. i 2. S. it is a cleer Prophefie of the times ofthe Gofpel, In that day jball the Lorddefend the inhabitants of 7ernfalem, andhe that isfee- ble among themat that dayfball be as David ; and the hoofe ofDavid Jhall be as God, as the Angel ofthe Lord before them. Mark, he that ùfeeble among them Jhall be as David, who was a man according toGods own heart. Oh reade Davids Pfalms, particularly the 19. Pfalrñ, and fee the holy breathings of David, and obferve that there is a Prophefie,that thole that are feeble(hall be as David, and thofe that are as David, that is the eminent Chriftiant the Lords Champions, and the haufe ofDavid fball be as God, as the Angels of the Lord. Chriftians in the timeof the Gofpelthat are eminent fhoald live as Angels, Angelical lives, and the weaken ofall lhouldbe as David : Indeed confideringwhat we I z have SI
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=