Greek, as Paul wrote in that language. The observation of the celebrated Light-Foot, on Mark 14. 36, is worth mentioning; that tho' ' Abbi may, indeed, denote, not only a natural, but also a civil father, as an elder, a lord, or mafter, a teacher, a magiftrate: yet NN, Abba, only a natural, or adopting father. For the proof of this he gives us a great number of examples. Thus therefore, Chrift calls God, Abba, in the strongest sense: and believers alfo according to their condition. XXII. Unless we rather fay, that this repetition of the word is an evidence that the appellation was pleafant and familiar. For ana, Appa, which differs not much from Abba, was not in that fenfe unknown even to the Greeks, Thus Callimachus, in his hymn to Diana, brings her in as a little girl playing in the bofom and arms, of her father Jupiter, and calling him in a familiar and enticing manner Appa. Hence alfo Abare, which in Aufonius ftands for adexpice, and fignifies to addrefs one in a kind manner, as one brother does another. See, what Ludov. Capellus has learnedly collected to this purpofe in his Spicilegium on Mark 14. 36. not con fifting in affurance XXIII. Nor does this appellation confift in bare This apwords, as if we flattered God only with our lips: but pellation if we are really partakers of adoption, it fhews, that there is faith, and the full affurance of it, in the heart. bare and by making a profeffion of it, we honour God, words, and celebrate the glory of his grace, whereby he but in full hath raised us, the molt unworthy of mortals, to fuch of faith. a high pitch of honour. We alfo profefs, that we pray in faith, and expect from him, what children ought to expect from a most indulgent father. And, at the fame time, by calling him father, we bind ourselves to an obedience, a reverence and a love becoming fuch a father. And therefore, when the Apostle fays, that, by the spirit, we cry Abba, father, he thereby teacheth us, that this fpirit is the author of faith, boldnefs, confeffion, piety and fincere obedience. XXIV. But Witneffeth alfo with our Spirit, XXIV. But let us now confider the other effect of the Spirit, which, according to the Apostle, confifts in this that he beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God Here we have two witneffes, agreeing in one teftimony: the one of a lower rank, our spirit; the other of the highest, the Spirit of adoption, who is the Spirit of the Son of God, Gal. 4. 6. Both may be well qualified for this, but each in his own measure, degree and order. That is, XXV. By our fpirit is understood, the mind and our con- confcience of every believer, whereby he may be science, conscious of what paffes in his own heart. In this Repre US Our ftate. L fense the Apostle faid, what man knoweth the things of a man, fave the fpirit of man which is in him? 1 Cor. 2. 11. It is otherwife called the heart of man, condemning or acquitting him, i John, 3. 20, 21; 2ori συνείδησις συμμαρτυρᾶσα confcience joining to hear witnes, and thoughts the mean while accufing, or elfe excufing one another, Rom. 2. 15. XXVI. The teftimony of our fpirit confifts in an fenting to exact reprefentation of our ftate by certain marks, and a full affurance of faith, which is followed by a moft quiet tranquillity of foul, and a joy unspeakable. For as the fpirit, which beareth witnefs, and the man, to whom he does fo, are in effect all one, no other teftimony needs here be thought of, than the composure of the foul which, by infallible marks, is confcious of its own happiness. Accordingly our Apoftle, when he would tell us, that he was fully perfuaded, that he fpoke in fincerity, affirms, that his confcience bears him witness, Rom. 9. 1: whofe witness can be no other than a reprefentation of the truth plainly perceived by it. To which is requi 1 XXVII. It is, indeed, very requifite, that this witness of teftimony, which is given of an affair of the greatest our Spirit We are moment, be folid and well grounded. therefore above all, to attend to two things. First, it is neceffary, that our fpirit be very exactly inftructed from the word of God, about the marks, by which red. a child 1. know a child of God may be known and diftinguished. The word of God alone is the filver, feven times purified and refined. By this rule we are both to think and fpeak of the things that relate to falvation: ledge of all the dictates of our fpirit are to be tried by it,neither the figns. muft we admit any thing, as worthy of credit in the matters of falvation, which does not, in the exacteft manner, agree therewith. Then, a most careful 2. Selffelf-examination fhould be added, whether we have tion. the marks, which God has given of his children in the fcripture. examina ren of God XXVIII. The marks of the children of God are Marks of of two kinds. First, a certain good habit or dif. the childpofition of foul, with a confiftent tenour of a pious life: then, peculiar acts of God towards his beloved people, which he vouchfafes only to thofe, whom he loves as a father. are, XXIX. The marks of the former kind are fuch as 1. A conthefe. ft. The impreffion and expreffion of the formity divine image, with a holy conformity to our father with God. and elder brother. For, what is more natural, than for a fon to refemble his father, and one brother be like another? As therefore the natural Son of God is the brightness of the father's glory, Heb. 1. 3; it is fit alfo, that we, in our order and measure, be fo too. As corrupt Adam begat a fon in his own likeness, after bis image, Gen. 5. 3: fo likewife when God begets children, he forms them in his own likeness, in righteousness and true holiness, Eph. 4. 24. And indeed, this likeness of God, is gradually perfected. by familiar intercourfe with him; till, having obtained that adoption, of which the Apostle fpeaks Rom. 8. 23, we are become perfectly like him, 1 John 3.2. XXX. 2dly. A new life, that is worthy of God, 2. A life and the effect of the spirit of adoption, who is worthy of the fpirit of life, Rom. 8. 2. As is the spirit of the creatures, fo is their life. The natural man has not a more noble spirit, nor a more excellent principle of God. 3 The love of God. 4. Fear dience. life than his foul: confequently he only lives an XXXI. 3dly. A true and fincere love of God. Even nature teacheth this. For what genuine for does not love his father? This law is not only written, but born with us. And this love arifes, partly from the confideration of the most amiable perfections of God, which his children are admitted, to contemplate" in a familiar way, feeing the king in his beauty, Ifa. 33. 17, Pf63. 2. Partly, from the rays of the divine love reflected upon them, whereby they cannot but be inflamed, John, 4. 19. They never attentively reflect on this love, but they look upon the whole capacity of their foul, as infufficient to make due returns of love. XXXII. 4thly. A filial fear and obedience Mal. and obe- 1. 6. 1 Pet. 1. 17, flowing from the forefaid love, which forbids them to do any thing, that may displease God, and cannot bear to fee his honour impaired by any other, Pf. 42. 3. 10. On the contrary, it makes the perfon chearful and ready in all the duties of religion, John 14. 21, does not fuffer him to be at reft, if haply by any ill advised conduct he should provoke God, and be deprived of the fight of his bleffed and gracious face as formerly. In fine, this constrains him to fall down, in profound reverence, at the feet of his father, and, with forrow and tears, plead for the pardon of his offences, and promife promise a more careful obfervance for the future, Luke 7.38. love. XXXIII. 5thly. Unfeigned brotherly love, which 5. Brohe entertains for all thofe, in whom he obferves the therly image of God, and a participation of the fame grace with himself. As that natural affection of Joseph, for his brother Benjamin,discovered itself by the most evident tokens, Gen. 45. 14, 15; fo likewife, while other marks are often indifcernable, this brotherly love gives to the doubting foul an evidence of its ftate, 1 John 3. 14. For the love of the brethren cannot be separated from the love of God. Who ever love's the original will alfo love the copy: whoever loves God, will alfo love him, who belongs to God, and in whom he obferves the virtues of God, and whom he believes to be loved by God, 1 John 4. 20, Our spirit ought to be well affured of thefe things, before it can teftify any thing about our ftate; and likewise to know, that all these things are to be found with the Sons of God, and with them only, as the effects of the regenerating spir towards it. XXXIV. But befides, there are some special acts Special of divine love, which God vouchfafes only to his acts of diown children. The Lord, indeed, is good to all: vine love and his tender mercies are over all his works, Pf. 145. them. 9. But he referves a certain peculiar and unparalleled goodness for his elect; of which the Pfalmift fays Pf. 73. 1. Truely God is good to Ifrael even to fuch as are of a clean heart. Hence it is, that, while they are fometimes ravished on high by his fpirit, he furrounds them with the beams of his fupercelestial light, gives them a view of his face fhining with the brightest love, kiffes them with the kiffes of his mouth, admits them to the most endearing, mutual intercourfe of mystical love with himfelf, and, while he plentifully fheds abroad his love in their hearts, he gives them to drink of rivers of honey and butter, and that often in the greatest drought of the parched foul |