highly concerns us to confider what the Event of Unbelief muft be. Many would perhaps content themselves without the Hopes of Glory and future Happiness, if that was all. But that is not all: For the Dead fhall be raised, whether you like it, or like it not; all who are in the Grave fhall come forth, fome to Life, fome to Condemnation, according to the Things done in the Body. Nothing can fecure to us more effectually an happy State in Futurity, than a conftant and steady Belief and Expectation of the Resurrection of the Dead. This will convince us that what we are now doing are not fuch trifling Things as to be foon forgotten, or attended with Confequences only for to-day or to-morrow; but they are Things long to be remembered, Things noted down in God's Book, and will be exposed to View at the great Day in the Prefence of Men and of Angels, and be attended with Confequences through all the Ages of Eternity, to ur great Honour and Happiness, or to our great Confufion and Mifery.

VOL. I.

е

DISCOURSE

DISCOURSE VIII.

ROMANS viii. 16.

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our Spirit, that we are the Children of God.

T

O be the Children of God is the greatest Privilege under the Gofpel, and, confequently, implies in it all the Advantages that

belong to, and all the Qualities neceffary to make, a good Christian. Thus our Apostle argues: If Children, then Heirs; Heirs of God, and Joint-heirs with Chrift. As this is a new State, which belongs not to us by Nature, fo our Entrance into it is Atyled a new Birth; and we are faid to be born again, and to be begotten again, to these Hopes: He, from whom we receive these Hopes, is the Father that begets us, and his Q3 Children

Children we are: And therefore, as we receive our spiritual Life from the Gift and Mercy of God, he is our Father, and we are his Children. Thus St. Peter tells us, that we are born again, not of corruptible Seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever, 1 Pet. i. 23This new Life we receive by the Ministration of the Spirit: The Powers which belong to this Life, and in which it confifts, depend upon the Influences of the Spirit: And therefore we are faid to be born of the Spirit. He is the Earneft of our Inheritance, the Pledge and Security which we receive from God of our future Immortality: Our Right of Inheritance depends upon the Relation we bear to God of Sons and Children: And therefore the Spirit of Adoption, by which we are born to God, is the Pledge and Security of our Inheritance, as he is ftyled by our Apostle.

But the Difficulty is, how to make the first Step, and to know affuredly that we are the Children of God. When once we are fure of this, it will not be hard to believe that God will provide for his own Children, and secure to them an Inheritance that fadeth And here the Apostle tells us,

not away.

that

that the Spirit itself, that is, the fame Spirit by which we are made Children, beareth witnefs with our Spirit, that we are the Children of God. 'Tis Matter of great Difpute, what fort of Evidence the Apoftle here means, and what kind of Certainty arises from it. Some have placed this Evidence among the Gifts of the Spirit, and supposed it to be given on purpose to affure the Elect of the Certainty of their Salvation. Others maintain, That no Man, unless it be specially revealed to him by God, can ever know that he is in a State of Security in this Life: And this Opinion was received and confirmed by the Council of Trent, as may be seen at large in the fixth Seffion. It will not be worth my Pains or your Patience to enter into the Niceties of this Controverfy: And therefore I fhall confine myself to St. Paul, and endeavour to fhew you his Meaning in the Text, which will go a great way towards giving us right Notions and Apprehensions in this Matter. In order to this, I propose three Things to be confidered:

First, How many Witneffes St. Paul points out to us in the Text, and who they are. Secondly, What kind of Evidence each of them gives in this Cafe.