the Visible Church who because of their being strangers to the Operations of the Spirit in the Hearts of true Believers look upon Assurance as an unattainable thing As to the second Observation The way to win to this Assurance it is set down in the Text and it is by getting a two fold Testimony for our Sonship The one from the Spirit and the other from our Conscience The Spirit Testifies to our Sonship 1st By giving an External Revelation in the Scriptures that penitent Believers are the Sons of God John 1.12 2ly The Spirit concurrs with this Testimony by illuminating the Mind and Understanding and perswading it of the truth of this External Revelation 1 Cor. 2.12 3ly The Spirit concurrs to this Testimony by being an evidence of our Sonship by reason of his Gracious sanctifying presence in us Therefore the Scripture calls him the Earnest of our Inheritance Eph. 1 13 and Gods Seal on us Eph 4.30 4ly The Spirit testifies our Sonship by giving us this Internal Objective Revelation viz. That we are Sons and that we have these true Graces in us that are the true Marks of our Adopted state and albeit we cannot discern a true difference between a suggestion of the Spirit of God injecting this thought in us That we are â—onâ— differing I say from the Act of our Conscience concluding our Sonship from reflecting on the truth of our Graces yet there may be a difference between these Two the thought and persuasion injected by the Spirit being attended with a total expulsion of all Fears Whereas the Act of the Conscience may have some mixture of fears attending it And if we consider this Text which asserts the Spirit to be a Co-witness with Conscience testifieing Sonship it supposeth that the Spirit doth give this Internal Objective Revelation to the Mind as a distinct Testimony from that of the Conscience For to say that all that the Spirit works in this affair is to assist the Conscience concluding Sonship from the discerning of the true Marks of a renewed state To say this does not seem to be the whole of his Text for in that case the Spirit helps only the Conscience to be a Witness but he cannot properly be called a Testator himself yea also and another Testator besides the Conscience which the Text does here assert neither doeth tâ— is Assertion of the Spirits giving this Internal Objective Revelation anent the Son ship of the Saints take off Believers from the written word as a Rule of their Life and expose Believers to delusions by leading them to wait upon Internal Revelations differing from the Revelations made in Scripture And that 1st Because this Internal Revelation is agreeable to Scripture-Revelation because it is the Revelacion of Sonship to a particular Membeâ— of the Church who hath all the Scripture-marks of an Adopted state neither is this internal Revelation of Sonship to a particular Believer a new Revelation of a new Article of Faith not contained in the Scriptures added to the Creed of other Believers obliedging them to believe the same it is only the Revelation of a Truth consonant to the Scriptures made to a particular Believer to his comfort And if it be said the asserting of such an Revelation leaves men at great uncertainty because they may take Satans Suggestion for the Testimony of the Spirit It is Answered The Testimony of the Spirit is attended with the Testimony of Conscience concluding upon rational Grounds their Sonship he is said here to be a Co-witness with our Spirits 2ly Where it is it brings with it a disposition and promptitude for Prayer It is the Testimony of the Spirit of Adoption whereby we Cry Abba Father 3ly It disposes the Soul for Holiness it is the holy Spirit of Promise that gives this Testimony Eph. 1.13 There are these Three or Four Ways whereby we may win to this Spirits Testimony As. 1st By exact walking God gives it as a Reward to his Obedient Children 2ly By being of a Gospel-frame of Spirit he is the holy Spirit of Promise and we receive the Spirit as well in his comforting Testimony as in his Sanctifying Vertue by improving the Gospel We receive the Spirit by the hearing of Faith Gal. 3.2 That is by the acceptance and improving of the Object of Faith Viz. the Promise of the Gospel A 3d. Way we receive the Spirit is to be devout much given to Prayer the Spirit of Adoption prompting us to pray is attended with this Testimony as we see by thir two Verses joined together A 4th Way to win at it is Labour for the constant witnessing of our own Conscience testifying to our Son ship and this is win at by studying singleness and sincerity 2 Cor. 1.12 See Jobâ— Experience 2ly We would labour for the grouth of Grace for when Grace is growen it is better seen than when it is in a mean measure 3ly We would labour to have all the Graces of the Spirit for our shortcoming in some makes us jealous we want all 4ly When God calls us to self-denying Acts of Obedience we would readily answer Gods Call For if God take self-denying Acts of Obedience for Evidences of the Truth of Grace a mans own Conscience may safely take them for a sure Evidence of the same for God says Gen. 22. That by Abrahams offering up of Isaac he knew that he feared God Verse 17. And if Children then Heirs Heirs of God and Joint-Heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorifyed together HERE the Apostle infers a certainty of the Children of Gods possessing the Inheritance If Children then Hears and he commends that Inheritance from these two Grounds As 1st It is an Inheritance suitable to the Giver they are Heirs of God 2d Ground is it is the same Inheritance possest by the Lord Christ they are Co-heirs with him The Apostle here also prevents an Objection that might be made against this Doctrine which might be taken from the suffering Lot of the Saints and he turns the Objection to a Confirmation of this Truth See 1 Pet. 1.14 If so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorifyed together Observe 1st From the Text that God's Children shall certainly possess the Inheritance The 1st Ground of this Objective Certainty is the Oath and Promise of the Covenant See Heb. 6. 2d Ground is the two Priviledges of the Saints whereby they have Right to this Inheritance And these are 1st Justification Tit. 3.6 2ly Adoption See the Text. 3d. Ground are the Seals whereby God confirms the Promise of this Inheritance to his People 1st Seal is the internal Seal of the Spirit Eph. 1.13 2d Seal is the external Seal of the Sacrament of the Supper which is a Seal of the Communion of his Body and Blood the Bread which we break is the Communion of his Body and the Cup which we drink is the Communion of his Blood 2 Cor. 10. And we know
sure to all the seed 3ly Consider the Antiquity of the Promise Tit. 1 3. That Promise Gen. 3.16 That the seed of the Woman should Trample down the head of the Serpent it was an promise of Life to the Spiritual Seed of Christ because it is said Christ should destroy the Works of the Devil and therefore he must abolish Death which followed upon Sin which was brought in by Satan 4ly Consider the Repetition and confirmation of it by Oath to Abraham For by the Covenant made with him there was a Right to the Heavenly Inheritance conveyed to him and all his Spiritual Seed Gal. 3. which Covenant God ratifyed by Oath Heb. 6. 5ly Consider the Internal Seal of this Promise to wit the presence of the Spirit Gal. 4.30 Eph. 4.30 Now for the strengthening our Hope He has placed our Eternal Life in Christ he hath given to us Eternal Life and that Life is in his Son 1 John 5. our Life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 He is said to be our Life ibid. He calls himself to Mary John 11. The Resurrection and the Life and he is called Eternal Life And first He is the Meritorious cause of this Life 1 John 4.10 He sent his Son to dye that we might live through him 2ly He is the exemplary cause of this Life Rom. 6.10 1 Thess 4. It is said that if God raised up Christ from the Dead them that sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 3ly He is the dispensing cause of it he hath power to confer it Phil. 3. last And he has Commission to confer it John 17.3 4 and 6.37 I add for the strengthening of Believers Hope he has appointed the Sacrament of the Communion for the frequent renewing the Believers Right to the person of the Redeemer and therefore the eaten Bread is said to be Communion of his Body as the drinking of the Wine is said to be the Communion of his Blood because by Gods appointment it conveys a sure Right to his Humane Nature as Crucified for us and we know that he saith John 6. He that eateth his Flesh and drinketh his Blood hath Eternal Life And in the first of Johns Epistles Chap. 5. It is said he that hath the Son hath Life As also I add for the strengthening of their Hope he gives them the first Fruits the beginning of Glory in the World See the Text. The next thing that is in this waiting is Patience which imports an continuation of hope without freting or fainting under sore and continuing Crosses And this may be win to by considering what our deservings are and how short a thing Time is compared with Eternity 2 Cor. 4. last Now for the description of the Happiness of the other World It is called first Adoption to shew us that our right to it flows from Adoption Rom 8.17 Use of this is first To Exhort us to receive Christ aright that we may be Adopted Jo. 1.12 2d Use is an use of Tryal to try our Right to Heaven by trying our Adoption the best way to try that is to try if we have the Spirit of Adoption which appears in procuring access to God in a study of Imitation of him and subjection to his Corrections Heb. 12. 2ly Heaven is called Adoption because till we come to Heaven Adoption is not fully manifested 1 Jo. 3.1 2. And thefore in the preceeding verse the happiness of Heaven is called the manifestation of the Sons of God And this tells you how you may win to a due esteem of Adoption by considering it with this consequent The possession of Glory fully manifests the worth of this priviledge and withal this teaches Believers to be content with the Worlds contempt seing in this World their Adoption is not fully manifested 3ly Heaven is called Adoption Because it is an Inheritance suiteable to the dignity of the Son 's of God and therefore we should abound in the Work of the Lord knowing that our Labour will not be in vain in the Lord. Verse 24. For we are saved by hope But hope that is seen is not hope For what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for Verse 25 But if we hope for that we see not then do we with patience wait for it AS the Apostle in the other Verses had comforted the Romans by proving the excellency and certainty of the Future Glory from the Creatures desire after it and the Believers desire after it so now he Comforts them under their Cross by letting them see that their future Happiness is very consistent with their present Misery And this he does by telling them they are saved by hope which he clears by these two things 1st That the object of hope is neither presenty enjoyed nor sensibly certain Hope is not seen that is the object of Hope is not seen 2ly He clears it by describing the Affection of hope he says it is a Patient expecting of a distant good The 24 Verse holds out the Advantagiousness of it The other two Verses hold out the nature of the Object and affection of hope When it is said we are saved by hope As it supposes that our felicity is at a distance so it says that all the good that we can get of that distant felicity for the present time is obtained by hopeing for it and therefore if we cannot hope for it we loss all the Encouragement we have by it Next When the Text says we are saved by Hope it imports that if we can hope for Heaven it will save us from the Ill of the Cross for here he is labouring to comfort crossed Christians it will save for it keeps the Cross from being crushing because it expells the apprehensions of Wrath in a Cross 2ly It keeps the Cross from being ensnaring it cannot drive us from our Duty through fear for where this Hope is it lets us see that we have more gain by our duty nor loss by it Use of this is to exhort us to hope For 1st This Hope is suitable to the Revelation of the Gospel which hath brought to the Church a clearer discovery of Heaven than was brought under the Law 2ly It is suitable to Gods Name which he hath taken under the Gospel he is called the God of Hope Rom. 15.13 3ly It is suitable to Gods Works in raising Christ from the Dead and communicating the first Fruits of the Spirit to us it is an obeying of the Gospel-Precepts and imitation of Gospel Examples We should not be deterred from the Hopâ— of Heaven because we are under afflictions for ouâ— Sin 1 Pet 4. compare the 13. verse with the 17. Neither should we cast away our Hope for being guilty of upsiting in the Way of God compare Heb 5.12 with 10.35 Neither should we quite ouâ— Hope of Heaven because of our great sins before Conversion for so did not Paul Use of this is that we should labour for Hope 1st By making Grace the ground of it 2 Thess
that the Communion of his Body and Blood secures Eternal Life to the Believer according to his Doctrine John 6. The 4th Ground of Certainty is the Enjoyment of the first Fruits of the Spirit Viz. Peace and Joy which are the Beginnings of Heaven They that wait for the first Fruits they wait for the Adoption and Redemption of their Body see the Verses subsequent to this Text. The 5th Ground of Certainty is the performance of that Good to the Children of Israel that was Typical of this God possest the natural Seed of Abraham of the earthly Canaan which was a Type that he would possess the Spiritual Seed of Abraham of the Heavenly Canaan Vse This Exhorts the Godly to be content with their Lot and to make nothing their Treasure and Felicity which is upon Earth 2â—y It Exhorts the Godly to attain a subjective certainty of this Inheritance and to found that subjective certainty on the former Grounds which clear the objective certainty of the same 3ly This lets the World see that Godliness is no folly because the Godly have sufficient Grounds for the certain Possession of their Salvation Observe 2ly That the Inheritance is such as becomes God to give It is clear because it is a suitable Expression of his infinite Love 1 John 3.1 1st It is a manifestation of the reality of the Grant of Adoption when Gods People shall enjoy it there will be no room left for doubting that God did really reckon them his Children when he favoured them with Adoption the day when they possess that Inheritance is called a day of the manifestation of the Sons of God 2ly God is an all sufficient God this is an all-sufficient Inheritance God is all in all 1 Cor. 15. The Godly inherite all things Rev. 2â— 3ly God is an Eternal and Unchangeable God and therefore it is an Eternal Inheritance it cannot be wasted away It is an Inheritance incorruptible that fades not away 1 Pet. 1.3 4ly We cannot be dispossessed of this Inheritance not by Power or Violence for the Omnipotence of our God secures us against all opposition the Inhabitants of the New Jerusalem are within a City highly walled We cannot be dispossest by Law-Quirks or Cheats for we have the ultimate Decision of the great Judge Mat. 25. see the Process of Judgement our God is an holy God and therefore this Inheritance is undefiled 1 Pet. 1.3 Created Enjoyments are subject to be abused by men through their Corruption it is a piece of the vanity of the Creature to which it is subjected that it may be made Fewel to Lust but this is a Land wherein dwelleth Righteousness there is nothing enters that defiles This is to reprove those that have low and carnal Conceptions of this Inheritance 2ly It reproves such who have mean Expectations from God in this World and are content with mean Measures of Spiritual Good seing God designs to possess them of such an Excellent Inheritance Observe 3ly That the Inheritance to be possest by Gods Children for the nature of it is the same possest by the man Christ the Glory the Father gives to him he gives to them John 17. â—4 They participate of the same Spirit with him they that have not the Spirit of Christ are none of his that same Spiritual Life that he has is conferred on them because he lives they live John 14. And as the living Father sent him and he lives by the Father so they that eat him shall live by him John 6.57 The Glory of their Body is of the same kind with his Phil. 3. last That same Love that the Father hath to him vents it self in suitable Expressions towards them John 17. last They are admitted to the same glorious Place with him John 14.3 That same light of Glory whereby they see him as he is brings them to a conformity with him 1 John 3.2 The Reason of this is their Adoption which calls for this Participation of Glory if Children then Co-heirs with Christ and this Adoption is granted to give them a Title to this Inheritance 1 John 3.2 There must be conformity betwixt the Head and the Members but Christ must have the Preéminence in respect of Degrees Col. 1.18 He is the First born amongst many Brethren This speaks the great Love of the Redeemer that is content to communicate his Inheritance with us 2ly It calls on Believers to make their Right unquestionable to this excellent Inheritance 3ly It exhorts Believers to be content with their suffering Lot seing they are to share in his Glory 4ly It exhorts them to imitate him in his Obedience it was universal he did always what pleased the Father it was conscientious out of respect to the Fathers Command As the Father gave him Commandment even so he did John 15. last It was single done with respect to the Fathers Glory he glorified his Father on Earth he sought not his own Glory but the Glory of him that sent him It was a self-denying Obedience he humbled himself and became obedient to death Observe 4ly Christ behooved to suffer before he was glorified Luke 24. Christ behooved to suffer and so to enter into his Glory the Reason is because he behooved to satisfie Justice fully as the Soverty of his People before Justice could admit him into the Possession of his Glory 2ly He behooved to go through the Course of his Obedience before the possession of his Reward 3ly The Father gives a full instance of the consistence of his Love with a suffering Lot 4ly By this the Father would make a discovery what should be the course of his Providence towards his Adopted Children viz. That they should be brought through many sufferings to the possession of their Glory And this tells us 1st That we should not stumble at the sufferings of Gods People as tho that Lot signified Gods want of Love to them or the want of a purpose to Glorifie them 2ly It reproves the Discontentment of Gods Children with their suffering Lot It is an arrogant presumption in them to expect that God will use more tenderness in his dealing towards them then he hath used towards his own only begotten Son 3ly It may contribute towards the strengthening the Faith of the Saints in their Extremity of Sufferings seing Christs Sufferings did not marr his Glory they may expect that their Sufferings will not marr theirs 4ly It reproves those that are impatiently desirous of Glory and would shift a suffering Lot 5ly It bids us lay our Compt with a suffering Lot in this World And this is a 5th Observation from the Text And this is done for the Tryal of their Faith 1 Pet. 1.5 For the Exercise of their Patience Ja. 1.3 For Mortification of their Sin and their preparation for Heaven 2 Cor 4. last As also That they may have occasion for many Experiences of Gods Love for Patience in Tribulation works Experience Rom. 5. And that they may have opportunity to prove the sincerity of