276 An Expofition upon Chap. 8 degrees, or feverall workes of grace. Firlt, after the Confcience is humbled and terrified by the Law, being brought to fee and feele an extreame need of Chrift crucified, there is engendred an earnelt delire and longing after him and his merits,fuch as is in hungry men af- ter meat,and thirfty men after drink, or wearied men after refl,or in the ficke af- ter health. Secondly, this delire is ac- companied with an unfaigned confefli- on of particular finnes, fo farre as bee knowne to us, and hearty bewayling of the deepmifery due unto them.Thirdly, there is wrought a perfwafion, that all their finnes how great and many foever, be pardonable,being farce inferiour to the infinite mercies olGod, and merits ofChrilt. Fourthly, there followes an earnell and confiant craving of the for- giveneffe of them all. Laflly,therecom- meth the gift of a lively faith, affuring the confcience that all are forgiven, and they fully reconciled unto God:whence arifeth great peace and tell with liber- ty and freedome to the Come. And this faith in Gods promifèis the teftimony of the Spirit,all which is fhadowed out by the Parable of the loft child,who felt a great need of his Fathers reconciliati- on, much de fired it, confeffed himfelfe . unworthy of it,defpaired not to finde it, earnelily begged it with perfwafion of it. ,T t m.This fpirit of Adoption whichia here fee at contrary to the fpirit of feare, cloth it expel al feare where it is given ? S e L. It doth expell all fervile feare (though not utterly) as it is written, FerfeEl love cafieout feare,t.loh.4 -1 8. but itengendreth filial] feare,as it is written, There is mercy with thee, that thou maifi be feared,Pfal. t 30,4, The adopted children ofGod have then a mixt feare, as they are not wholly free from feare of hell fire ; which ferves them as a bridle and curbetoawe them and reflraine them from finne: yet they chiefly feare him, becaufe they would not offend his infi- nite goodneffe. This feare is often com- manded, and they are often exhorted unto it, and it bath many promifes made to it in the word. T t M. How may the children of God per- ceive that they are endowed with thin fpiris of Adoption? S r L. Efpecially by that effe& of cal- ling upon God ; for whereas the ele& before they had this fpirit of Adoption, were afraide of God,and did flye from him, as from a molt terrible fudge, ( ex- ample whereof, we have in Adam and Eve, after their fall, Gen.3.) being now Adopted by grace, the Spirit of God doth open their mouths to pray unto God as children unto a father, with ho- ly boldneffe, Gal. 44. The reafon here- of is, becaufe they being certaine that their finnes be forgiven them, and that God who was their enemie is reconci- led, therefore they may freely fpeak un- to him,as one friend unto another, and God is as ready to Beare them,as a father is to heare his owns deare child. Y ca, farre more ready to heare,then his chil- dren are to aske, preventing their pray- ers oftentimes, and alwayes granting them. T a w. What ufe if to be made ofihir point? S t L. Firft, it confuteth filch as teach that we ought alwayes to doubt of Gods goodwill,and of our owne A- doption.Secondly,it comforteth fach as have the gift and willingnelfe to práy, becaufe this :is a certain note unto them, that God is their Father. TIM. Yet wicked men and hipocritet, ato Idolatrous and f::perffitieus men do pray? S t t. Trite : yet Gods children a- lone can in truth fay; Abba F ather,atid in their prayers cry to God. Thefe two things,godly confidence and fervency, fever the prayers ofGods children from all other,who call upon God,either for falhion fake,or for belly fake,and there- fore coldly and without confidence. Te u. But from whence doth strife tbir confidence and fervency, wbicbthe faithfuls exerci fe in their prajere ? S it L. Their confidence doth fpring, Firfl,from the mercies of God, he being pacified towards them in his Sonne. Se condly,froni the truth of God, promi- fing to heare them for his Sonnes fake. the merit of Chrifts in- terceflion,to whom the Father will de- ny nothing.Their fervency allo doth a- rife, _------- T
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