A treatise of the covenant of grace, as it is dispensed to the elect…

2. Secondly, there is a further work of God, when he giveth the spirit of adoption, which reacheth beyond all the former work: he hath cut us off from our selves, and now we stand in a state quite contrary to nature; and if any saving-work be wrought in us, it is quite contrary to nature; if any thing fall upon the heart and soul of a man, to bring his will to this pass, to lie down at Gods feet, that he knoweth not what to do; and yet whatsoever the Lord calleth him unto, he is willing if it were possible to be done; he would run through fire and water to do it: but he findeth himself unable to do any thing; and now he will tell you, that to believe is as impossible for him, as to build a world. Why then bid him wait: wait? saith he; I but I cannot wait; and if I seek the Lord, I cannot find him: and I see others of the servants of God wrought upon graciously; but dead hearted I, nothing will work upon me. Now in such a case as this, the Spirit of adoption cometh into the heart of a Christian, and taketh possession of the soul for Jesus Christ, and so draweth the soul unto Jesus Christ, and maketh it there to stay, and there to lie down, and to be willing to be drawn yet nearer and nearer to Jesus Christ, and to be carried an end by him, to take all from him, and to give all the glory to him. This spirit of Adoption doth give a man a son-like frame, to lie prostrate at his Fathers will: like unto the Prodigal son, Luk. 15.17, 18, 19. who when he came unto himself, and saw how unable he was to provide for himself, ⟨p. 136⟩and how unworthy he was that his father should do any thing for him; he came and lay down as it were at the feet of his father; for he is unable, and unworthy of any mercy: now this stooping of the heart unto God, and yielding unto him to do with us as seemeth good in his own eyes, is such a prostration of the heart wherein the Lord hath taken possession of the soul, that now a man is led unto fellowship with Jesus Christ, that there is none in heaven but him, none in the earth in comparison of him, that the soul desireth after: and now a man waiteth upon Christ, to see what he will do for him; and though he cannot tell you that he waiteth, yet he doth wait that he may be helped of God to depend upon him: thus he receiveth all from Christ, and giveth all unto Christ.

2. Secondly, there is a further work of God, when he giveth the spirit of adoption, which reacheth beyond all the former work: he hath cut us off from our selves, and now we stand in a state quite contrary to nature; and if any saving-work be wrought in us, it is quite contrary to nature; if any thing fall upon the heart and soul of a man, to bring his will to this passe, to lie down at Gods feet, that he knoweth not what to do; and yet whatsoever the Lord calleth him unto, he is willing if it were possible to be done; he would run through fire and water to do it: but he findeth himself unable to do any thing; and now he will tell you, that to believe is as impossible for him, as to build a world. Why then bid him wait: wait? saith he; I but I cannot wait; and if I seek the Lord, I cannot find him: and I see others of the servants of God wrought upon graciously; but dead hearted I, nothing will work upon me. Now in such a case as this, the Spirit of adoption cometh into the heart of a Christian, and taketh possession of the soul for Jesus Christ, and so draweth the soul unto Jesus Christ, and maketh it there to stay, and there to lie down, and to be willing to be drawn yet neerer and neerer to Jesus Christ, and to be carried an end by him, to take all from him, and to give all the glory to him. This spirit of Adoption doth give a man a son-like frame, to lie prostrate at his Fathers will: like unto the Prodigal son,