6z SERMO11lS.upon Serm.XXIII. from the bad, the heirs of promife from the children of wrath, by the Blefings of his common Providence, but with what fuiteth better with that intimate. Communion that we have with him as a Father, r John. 3. 24. Hereby we know that tee dwell in God, and God dwelleth in us, by his fpirit that he htth given us. Spiritual things are belt manifeft- ed and difcovered to us in a fpiritual manner, and by the effelts proper to them. Second- ly, Tis the higheft demonftration of Gods -love to us : In giving us worldly things, he giveth fomething without himfelf ; but in giving us the Spirit he giveth us himfelf ; for the Godhead is undivided ; and God hath no greater thing to give us, than himfelf, as the Apoflle faith, Heb. 6. 13. That when God had no greater thing to fwear by, he (ware by Himfelf: So we may fay here,'Twas the evidence of Gods love to Chrift as Mediator, John 3.34. He loved him, and gave him the fpirit without meafore; fo thofe that are Chrifts, bec au fe God loveth them, he giveth them the fpirit ; other things may be given in anger, but not the fpirit, Prov. 3. 32. The froward is an abomi- nation to the Lord, but his fecret is with the righteous ; implying, that thofe that are an abomination to the Lord, may have other things, and penfh for ever ; but if his fecret be with us, his illuminating, fan&ifying, comforting fpirit, we have a lure pledg of his love : The Context (heweth, wicked men may have worldly felicity, even to en- vy, but they have not his fecret, which the righteous have : Tho their condition be ve -. ry mean and bate in the world, he dealeth with them, as with friends ; yea, as chil- dren ; the one hath the vifible Bleffings, the other hath his fecret , the inward com- forts and operations of hisfpirit. But yet the bufnefs is not difpatched : The Text fpeaketh not only of the gift of the fpirit, but of the Spirit of Adoption. What is that ? Anfwer. We mutt diRinguith be- tween the Spirit of Regeneration, and the Spirit of Adoption : They are Two Ads of the fame Spirit, and the one maketh way for the other; yet the Confideration of them is different ; the Holy Ghofi, as a Spirit of Regeneration, doth dole us firft with Chrift ; and afterwards, asa Spirit of Adoption, maketh his abode in our hearts. As a fpirit of Regeneration,. he worketh in us the firft Grace, and caufeth us to believe unto Juftification and Adoption; and having made his entry into our fouls, after believing, he is given to us in a more eminent manner than before, and doth poffefs us in the Name of Chrift, as his Agent, and keepeth a -foot his Intereft in our fouls. The Spirit of Re- generation is tied to no Condition, but is difpenfed according to the good pleafure of God; only we are to ufe the means to attend upon the Word, and Pray, and our hea- venly Father will give the holy Spirit to them that ask him, Luker r. 13. If any mils the gift, 'cis long of themfelves ; if they have it, 'cis the. meet Grace of God : But the Spi- rit of Adoption is tied to Conditions, and is promifed to chofe that with true Faith and Repentance do leek after the Grace of God in Jelus Chrift, Eph. 1. 13. After ye beliei ved ye received the holy fpirit of promife: and Gal. 3. 14. Receive the promife of the fps -. rit by faith: and Alts 2. 38. Repent and be baptized for the remiffion of fins, and you fha11 receive the gift of the HolyGhofl: and Prov.I.23. Turn you at my reproof, and I will pour out my fpirit upon you: Ads 19.2. Have ye'received the Holy Ghofi fine ye believed ?Jan 7. 39. This be fpake of the fpirit, which they that believe on him fhould receive: Ads 5.32. The Holy Ghofi which he bath given to them that obey him. In thefe, and many more places, the Spirit of Adoption, and further Sanctification, is fpoken of. As a Spirit of Rege- neration, he buildeth an Houfe for himfelf; and then, as a Spirit of Adoption, he dwelleth in the Houle fo built and furnifhed ; as Bees firft make their Cells, and then dwell in them. By Repentance and Faith, there is a fit Manfion prepared for him, and then he taketh up his refidence and abode inns. The firft Grace is given, that we may be- lieve ; the fecond upon believing : The firft is the Spirit's renewing, the fecond is the Spi- rit's inhabiting. But yet the bufinefs is not finifhed : The Spirit is called, the Spirit of Adoption, from his ufe and effe&, and implieth that Work of the Holy Spirit whereby the Souls of Belie- vers are framed to a Son-like difpofition. One effe& is mentioned in the Text, his in- clining us to have recourfe to God as a Father: The Spirit of Adoption, wherebywecry Abba Father: But other things are intended : They may be reduced to thefe Three Heads: 1. Childlike Love. 2. Child like Obedience. And 3. Child-like Hope and Depen- dance. . r. A Child-lily Love to God. The defign of the Gofpel is the Revelation of God's Love to us,and the recovery of our Love to God : Therefore the Work of the Spirit is to reveal the Love and Mercy. of. God to (inners, or the way of reconciliation to God by Chrift; not God's Love to us in particular at Cult; For we do not as yet fee qwn particular
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