But yet the business is not finished. The Spirit is called the Spirit of adojition, from his use aud efi'ect ; and implieth that work of the Holy Spirit whereby the souls of believers are framed to a son-like disposition. One effect is mentioned in the text, his inclining us to have recourse to God as a Father : ' The spirit of adoption, wliereby we cry, Abba, Father ; ' but other things are intended. They may be reduced to these three heads : 1. Child-like love. 2. Child-like obedi- ence. And 3. Child-like hojie and dependence.
[1.] A child-like love to God. The design of the gospel is the revelation of God's love to us, and the recovery of our love to God ; tlierefore the work of the Spirit is to reveal the love and mercy of God to sinners, or the way of reconciliation to God by Christ ; not God's love to us in particular at first. For we do not as yet see our own particular interest, but come afterward, when we are reconciled to God, and live in obedience to him. Then he becometh a witness to us, verse 16 ; but at first he openeth a door of hope to us, by revealing God's love to sinners on gracious terms ; it is revealed in the gospel ; but it is 'shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Ghost,' Eom. v. 5. That love spoken of there respects the ofi"er of pardon and life founded on the death of Christ ; therefore a spiiit of love bred in us by the wonderful grace discovered in the gospel, is the first effect of the spirit of adoption. It is great love that God will so freely pass by our many offences, and adopt and take us into his fiimily ; that we do no longer
Ver. 15.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vnr. 115
fly from liim as a condemning God, but have recourse to him as a pardoning God. This love is manifested by our desires after him, delight in him, and frequent recourse to him in prayer, representing all our grievances and wants to him. This crying to him as a father mentioned in the text, through the hope we have by Clirist, is the instinct of the spirit of adoption.
[2.] A child-like obedience. Tlie great duty of children is to love, please, and honour their father ; and God standing in this relation to us, expecteth it from us : Mai. i. 6, ' If I be a father, where is mine honour? If I be a master, where is my fear?' He will do all that can be expected from a father, and therefore we must do all that belongeth to children : 8o 1 Pet. i. 14, ' As dear children, not fashioning yourselves to the former lusts of your ignorance ;' and verse 17, ' If ye call on the Father,' etc. ' Be ye followers of God, as dear childrep,' Eph. v. 1. Now the Spirit enableth and inclineth us to an affectionate and child-like way of serving God ; partly, as he renewetli and healetli our natures, and sanctifieth us unto God : ' I will put my Spirit into them, and they shall walk in my ways,' Ezek. xxxvi. 27 ; and partly, by gratitude and filial love he possesseth us with a desire and care to please him. For as the benefits we have from God's fatherly love are the best, and greatest, and surest ; so it calleth for the best returns of our thankfulness and obedience ; the privileges of our adoption being the sweetest and strongest bonds and obligations to duty that can be laid upon us ; therefore it must be done in a free and child-like way.
[3.] A child-like hope and dependence, not only for what we want in this world, but chiefly for the happiness of another and better world. What may we not expect from a father, and from an almighty father? If God be your father, you can want no good thing, either for soul or body. Our Lord dissuaded anxiety and carefulness of mind upon this ground, because we have a father, and a father that caretli for us, Mat. vi. 25, 32. But chiefly, he doth incline us to the blessed inheritance ; being made children, we begin to look after a child's portion. He revealeth the truth and worth of it, Eph. i. 17, 18 ; and farther confirmeth us of the certainty of it, as a pledge and earnest, by working and dwelling in om' hearts : 2 Cor. i. 22, ' Who hath sealed us, and given us the earnest of the Spirit ; ' prepareth us, fits us for it : 2 Cor. V. 5, ' He that hath wrought us to this selfsame thing, is God ; ' raised our hearts to long after it, and comforts our hearts with the hopes of it: Eom. viii. 23, 'And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our bodies;' — and so begettetli that free, noble, and princely spirit which upholdeth us with courage in the midst of all trials and difficul- ties, and maketh us go on cheerfully in the work of holiness, waiting for the end of our faith, the salvation of our souls. This in short, is the spirit of adoption, a spirit of love, holiness, and heavenly-minded- ness. Love inclineth us to God ; holiness suiteth us to our work, that we may have a complacency in it ; heavenliness giveth us a confidence, and a princely noble spirit, that is gotten above the hopes and fears of the world.