Ver.2 3. . the 8th Chapter to the ROMANS. 2 I t. The groaning is amplified by the manner.lt may be rendred,among our felves;the whole Church of God groaneth, as well as the whole Creation; or rather, in our(elves, ex imo corde, thefegroans came from the bottom of the heart. 2. The waiting is amplified by the objeft or matter which they wait for ; Fer the adoption, the redemption of our bodies : The lao expreflion explained' the former, our full Adoption and Redemption, which thall be accomplilhed at the general Refurrefti- on. Doft. That thofe that have received the firs, fruitsof the fpirit, do groan and wait for j better eflate than they now enjoy. t. By way of Explication. I (ball speak of this Point, 2. By way of °Confirmation. For Explication. t. The defcription of the Perfons, We that have the frrfl fruits of the fpirit : The ex- prefion allùdeth to the cuftoms of the law, where the offering of the firfl fruits fanfti- fied the whole heap,Rom. t s. 6.For if the frrfi fruit: be holy, the lump alfois holy. Thence 'cis applied to any such beginnings as are a pledg cf more to en fue ; as here the fir{( fruits of the fpirit are the pledges and beginnings of eternal life ; W1'tat'are they ? The :,.`f = graces and comforts of the fpirit : First, the graces ; falvation is begun in our new birth, Titus 3.5. But according to'his mercy he fared us, by the wallitng of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghofl. And fanftifying grace is called an immortal and incorrup- tible feed, 't Pet. t. 13. And they that are made partakers of ir, are implyed to have eternal life abiding in them, t John g. 13. Because the life is now begun, which {hall be perfefted in Heaven. For the prefent there is an eternal principle in them, whichcar- ries them to eternal ends. Secondly, The comforts which are confequent upon the gra- ces ; flambe fpirit is fief( a Sanetifier} and then a Comforter : He worketh Holiness, and by Holiness, Peace, Joy, and Comfort, which are tome foretafts of that fweetnefs which is in Heaven : This Peace and Joy is railed in us -; partly, by the life a td exercife of .faith and love, t Pet. t. 8. Whom having not feenye love ; in whom, tho now ye fie hini not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unfpeakable, and full of glory, and Rom. 15. 13. Now the God of hope ftllyou with all joy and peace in believing. And partly,- by the apprehen- bon of Gods love and favour to us, Pfal. 4. 6, 7. Lord lift up the light of shy countenance upon us. Thou hail putgladnef into my heart, more than in the time, when their corn and 3! -' wineincreafed. And allo by our approaches to him in the Word and Prayer, where *r' God doth molt familiarly manifelt himfelf to his people, Ifa. 56. 7. I will bring them in- to nay holy mountain, and make themjoyfisl in the houfe of prayer. Thefe comfòrts of the fpirit they meet with in Gods facred Ordinances, Kai. 84. r o. For a day in thy courts is better than a thoufand elf where. Thus I have (hewed you what they are; now for to what nie they serve ? Anfwer, They are an earnelt and a foretalt ; an carnal., to (hew how lure, Eph. 1. 13, 14. In whom al o, after ye believed, ye werefealed with the holy fpirit of promise, which is the earnefi of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchafed pof Jon, 2 Cor. 5. 5. Now he that-bath wrought us to the fell-fame thing is God,who alfa bath given us the earne/I of the fpirit A begun pof etlion. Secondly, A fòretaft, to (hew how good, t Pet. á. 3. If fo be ye have tailed that the Lord is gracious. As the Clutters of Canaan Grapes was carried before them to animate the Ifraelites, and the Italian Grapes the Gauls : So the graces are pledges of our future perfeftion; and the comforts, tarts of our future happinels. 2. The ails mentioned are two, groan,and wait 5 The one doth more direflly refpeft oui prefene, the other our future estate ; we groan because of present miferies; we wait be- caufeof our future happinels, or rather both alts refpeQ both Oates compounded; as groaning, our prefent and future happinels ; for there are groans that come from farrows; and groans which come from hope and defire, 2 Cor. 5. 2. In this we groan, earneily de- firing to be cloathed upon without, houfe, which it from heaven ; and v. 4. we groan being burthened. Grief at our present (fate, the burden of fin and misery, and defrre of future deliverance, Prov. 13. 12. Hope deferred malteth the heart rich¿, but when the defire cometh, it is as a tree of life: On the other fide, waiting importeth two things, an carnal and de- Ikons expeiation of what is to come, and a pariSt fubmilfion to God for the prefenr; t. Ari
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