If Sons, then we have, and shall ever have the Spirit of Sons; Rom. 8.15, 16. and what are we the better for this Spirit? truly hereby, First, we cry unto him, we are enabled to pray who could not pray before, because guilt stopped our mouths. Secondly, We cry Abba Father, and this Spirit witnesseth that we are Sons of this Father: it is not said that it witnesseth to our spirits, but [Greek or Hebrew], it witnesseth with our spirits; i. our renewed conscience, thus; All believers called and justified of God are Sons, but I am such a believer, therefore I am a Son; now the Spirit bears witness with us in every part, both premises and conclusion only, it being the clearest and strongest witness, it testifies the same thing our consciences do, but yet more clearly, more certainly, more comfortably and sweetly, ravishing the soul with most unspeakable peace and joy, especially in the conclusion. I know there is a Noetic testimony, but it is lastly resolved into this; Isle not now dispute it, only this is certain; that this testimony all the Sons of God have by means of their Adoption. ⟨p. 287⟩They may not indeed sometime hear it; if they do, they may object against it through the unbelief in part remaining in them; or if it be sometimes suspended, what you want in the witness and comfort of it, you have it in the holiness of it; and therefore the Spirit sealing is called the holy Spirit: Eph. 4.30. 1 Pet. 1.6, 7, 8. & is not this a great privilege? Thirdly, hereby you are led and guided, and that continually toward your last end.1 For as if Adam had stood, he should have had the Spirit of God, this very Spirit to have kept him and all his posterity from falling at any time from God, so Christ having stood for us, justified us before God; sends the immutable constant assistance of the Spirit in Adoption, which though it doth not alway quicken us, nor comfort us, nor assure us, &c. yet it is every moment guiding and leading of us unto our utmost end. From hence it is, that the same sins which harden others, at last humble us, the same temptations by which others fall and perish, serve at last to purify us; hence our decay in grace leads us to growth at last, hence our fears and doubts serve to stablish us at last, hence ou• wildrings from God, for a time, make us esteem more of the presence and ways of God at last;
If Sons, then we have, and shall ever have the Spirit of Sons; Rom. 8.15, 16. and what are we the better for this Spirit? truly hereby, First, we cry unto him, we are enabled to pray who could not pray before, because guilt stopt our mouths. Secondly, We cry Abba Father, and this Spirit witnesseth that we are Sons of this Father: it is not said that it witnesseth to our spirits, but 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, it witnesseth with our spirits; i. our renewed conscience, thus; All beleevers called and justified of God are Sons, but I am such a beleever, therefore I am a Son; now the Spirit beares witnesse with us in every part, both premises and conclusion only, it being the clearest and strongest witnesse, it testifies the same thing our consciences doe, but yet more clearly, more certainly, more comfortably and sweetly, ravishing the soule with most unspeakable peace and joy, especially in the conclusion. I know there is a Noetick testimony, but it is lastly resolved into this; Ile not now dispute it, only this is certaine; that this testimony all the Sonnes of God have by meanes of their Adoption. ⟨p. 287⟩They may not indeed sometime heare it; if they doe, they may object against it through the unbeleef in part remaining in them; or if it be sometimes suspended, what you want in the witnesse and comfort of it, you have it in the holinesse of it; and therefore the Spirit sealing is called the holy Spirit: Eph. 4.30. 1 Pet. 1.6, 7, 8. & is not this a great priviledge? Thirdly, hereby you are led and guided, and that continually toward your last end.1 For as if Adam had stood, he should have had the Spirit of God, this very Spirit to have kept him and all his posterity from falling at any time from God, so Christ having stood for us, justified us before God; sends the immutable constant assistance of the Spirit in Adoption, which though it doth not alway quicken us, nor comfort us, nor assure us, &c. yet it is every moment guiding and leading of us unto our utmost end. From hence it is, that the same sins which harden others, at last humble us, the same temptations by which others fall and perish, serve at last to purify us; hence our decay in grace leads us to growth at last, hence our feares and doubts serve to stablish us at last, hence ou• wildrings from God, for a time, make us esteem more of the presence and wayes of God at last;
- 1Rom. 8.14
