And by the spirit of Adoption is meant, 1. That spirit, or those qualifications and workings in their souls, which by the Gospel God giveth only to his sons: 2. And which raise in us some child-like affections to God, inclining us in all our wants to run to him in Prayer as to a Father, and to make our moan ⟨p. 70⟩to him, and open our griefs, and cry for redress, and look to him and depend on him as a child on the father. This spirit of Adoption you may have, and yet not be certain of Gods special Love to you. The knowledge only of his general Goodness and Mercy, may be a means to raise in you true childlike affections. You may know God to have fatherly inclinations to you, and yet doubt whether he will use you as a child, for want of Assurance of your own sincerity. And you may hope God is your father, when yet you may apprehend him to be a displeased angry father, and so he may be more your terror then your comfort. Are not you ready in most of your fears, and doubts, and troubles, to go to God before all other for relief? and doth not your heart sigh and groan to him when you can scarcely speak? Doth not your troubled spirit there find its first vent? and say, Lord, kill me not: forsake me not: my life is in thy hands: O soften this hard heart, make this carnal mind more spiritual! O be not such a stranger to my soul▪ Woe to me that I am so ignorant of thee! so disaffected to thee! so backward and disinclined to holy communion with thee! Woe to me that I can take no more pleasure in thee! and am s• mindless and disregardful of thee! O that thou wouldst stir up in me more lively desires, and ⟨p. 73⟩workings of my soul toward thee! and suffer me not to lye at such a distance from thee. Are not such as these the breathings of your spirit▪ why these are child-like breathings after God! this is crying Abba, Father. This is the work of the spirit of Adoption, even when you fear God will cast you off. You much mistake (and those that tell you so,) if you think that the spirit of Adoption lieth only in a persuasion that you are Gods child, or that you may not have the spirit of Adoption without such a persuasion of Gods Adopting you. For God may Adopt you, and give you that spirit which he gives only to his children, and possess you with true filial affections towards him, before ever you know your self to be Adopted;
And by the spirit of Adoption is meant, 1. That spirit, or those qualifications and workings in their souls, which by the Gospel God giveth only to his sons: 2. And which raise in us some child-like affections to God, enclining us in all our wants to run to him in Prayer as to a Father, and to make our moan ⟨p. 70⟩to him, and open our griefs, and cry for redress, and look to him and depend on him as a childe on the father. This spirit of Adoption you may have, and yet not be certain of Gods special Love to you. The knowledge only of his general Goodness and Mercy, may be a means to raise in you true childlike affections. You may know God to have fatherly inclinations to you, and yet doubt whether he will use you as a childe, for want of Assurance of your own sincerity. And you may hope God is your father, when yet you may apprehend him to be a displeased angry father, and so he may be more your terror then your comfort. Are not you ready in most of your fears, and doubts, and troubles, to go to God before all other for relief? and doth not your heart sigh and groan to him when you can scarcely speak? Doth not your troubled spirit there finde its first vent? and say, Lord, kill me not: forsake me not: my life is in thy hands: O soften this hard heart, make this carnal minde more spiritual! O be not such a stranger to my soul▪ Woe to me that I am so ignorant of thee! so disaffected to thee! so backward and disinclined to holy communion with thee! Woe to me that I can take no more pleasure in thee! and am s• mindless and disregardfull of thee! O that thou wouldst stir up in me more lively desires, and ⟨p. 73⟩workings of my soul toward thee! and suffer me not to lye at such a distance from thee. Are not such as these the breathings of your spirit▪ why these are child-like breathings after God! this is crying Abba, Father. This is the work of the spirit of Adoption, even when you fear God will cast you off. You much mistake (and those that tell you so,) if you think that the spirit of Adoption lieth only in a perswasion that you are Gods childe, or that you may not have the spirit of Adoption without such a perswasion of Gods Adopting you. For God may Adopt you, and give you that spirit which he gives only to his children, and possess you with true filial affections towards him, before ever you know your self to be Adopted;
