Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 8 · Verse 15
VERSE 15. For yee hauehave not receiued the ſpirit of bondage againe to feare; but yee hauehave receiued the Spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father.
IN this verſe the Apoſtle prooues, that thoſe which are led by the Spirit, are the children of God; by an effect of the Spirit in them, which is to call God, Father. Which is amplified by an oppoſition of their former eſtate, which was an eſtate of ſeruile feare. As if he ſhould ſay by an Occupation: It may bee, you feare in regard of ſinne inhabiting. But the profiting you hauehave made, is not in the addition of ſuch ſlauiſh feare, wherwith formerly you were poſſeſſed: but that which you hauehave now receiued is a more excellent effect of the ſame Spirit, which is the Grace of Adoption.
Heere two effects of the Holy Ghoſt are oppoſed: for in ſome the Spirit workes feare, in other, louelove and aſſurance; and firſt, feare; then, aſſurance, that we may, ſtirred vp to ſeek aſſurance: Feare; the ſigne of the ſpirit of bondage: Confidence and aſſurance in God as a Father, the proper effect of the Spirit of Adoption.
You hauehave not receiued the ſpirit of bondage; Paraeus.Not the Diuell, nor the Law, as ſome hauehave interpreted, but the Holy Ghoſt.
To feare: Seruilely; Againe, that is, yet, ſtill, or more, as if he ſhould ſay; the Holy Ghoſt doth not ſtill lead you as ſeruants to feare, by the preaching of the Law, for not obeying it. For the preaching of the Law, is the true cauſe of ſeruile, not filiall feare. And here the Apoſtle alludes (I take it) to the time of the Law and the giuing of the ſame.
But you hauehave receiued the Spirit of Adoption: He ſhould hauehave ſaid, of Liberty; but hee ſaith more, of Adoption: for Children are free. Children are either Naturall or Adopted: Naturall; ſo the holy Child Ieſus is the onelyonly Sonne of God. Adopted; ſo are we the ſonnes of God.
Adoption is a lawfull Act, imitating nature, found out for the comfort of them which hauehave no children: Adoption and Arrogation (which are Termes of the Ciuill Law) differ. Adoption is of thoſe which are vnderunder the rule of others: Arrogation is of them which are ſui iuris. The Holy Ghoſt is called the Spirit of Adoption, becauſe it works both it, and the ſenſe of it in vsus.
In whom: That is, by whom, whereby. We cry: not ſay; for ſo may a Reprobate: but Crying notes affection. Abba Father. Abba, is an Hebrew or Syrian word, which ſignifies, Father. Father, is added in Greeke, either to note the Sanctification of all LanguagesaChryſoſt.: or of all people, Iewes and GentilesbAnſelm., or a double paternity, of all by Creation: of the Elect, by GracecLyra.: or earneſtneſſe in calling vponupon GoddMartyr., or an Expoſition; as Abba, that is to ſay, FathereBeza..
The ſenſe. The Regenerate might obiect: Wee feele the Spirit working feare in vsus: But, ſaith the Apoſtle, you hauehave alſo the Aſſurance of Adoption, They which hauehave onelyonly the Spirit of bondage, are driuen by feare: you by the Spirit of Adoption, are led by louelove.
doctrine The Regenerate hauehave the Spirit of Adoption, whereby their feare is moderated, and they enabled, to cry Abba Father, Gal. 4.6.
Vſe 1.In all the Elect, which are of yeeres of diſcretion, the ſpirit doth worke the Slauiſh Feare, before the filiall aſſurance, as appeares in that example of the Iewes, in the Acts, Act, 2.37.who firſt are terrified, and after comforted, in aſſurance of forgiueneſſe. All are brought to this exigent, more or leſſe, that they may acknowledge they ſtand in neede of Chriſt, and be ſtirred vp to ſeeke him. Such as were neuer afrayd, were neuer aſſured. Didſt thou neuer feele the ſting of an accuſing Conſcience terrifying thee, though thou haſt beene a lewd wretch? Surely Iudas was neerer Heauen then thou; and to this thou muſt come, before thou canſt hauehave the Comfort of a Sonne. For as the needle makes way for the thread; ſo feare for comfort, the ſpirit of bondage, for the Spirit of Adoption.
Vſe 2.The preaching of the Law without the Spirit, hath no power to ſtrike feare into vsus: when thou art terrified; it is the Spirit that ſo applies the Law, either to bring thee to Chriſt, or to deſpayre and euerlaſting Confuſion.
Ʋſe 3.As none hauehave the Spirit of Adoption, which hauehave not had the ſpirit of bondage: So many hauehave the ſpirit of bondage, which hauehave not the Spirit of Adoption. Note this.Many doe diligently reſort to the hearing of the Word; and are afraide to doe otherwaies; they deale Iuſtly, liue temperately, &c. and dare not deale falſely, or riotouſly, &c. and yet are not Regenerate. Why? What is it makes them doe thus? Only Feare. They hauehave the ſpirit of bondage; they are afraid of Hell; and hence comes this obedience, which is onelyonly ſlauiſh. But if they doe not theſe things, for the louelove of Iuſtice alſo, they cannot be ſaued, neither their obedience accepted.
The Children of GOD feare hell: but their obedience comes more from LoueLove, then from Feare: Yea though there were no Diuell, Hell, Iudge to be feared, yet would they obey the commandements of their God: and their feare is alſo moderated by Faith: whereby they beleeue the pardon of their ſinnes, and obtaine this priuiledge to be the Sonnes of God.
The eſtate of a Sonne is diſcerned by Confidence in Prayer. Such a one is able (notwithſtanding feare) to cry Abba Father. He that can (I ſay not, ſpeake the words with a lowd voice, for ſo may a Parrat, or Hypocrite, Mat. 7.21.but) cry with intention of heart, as well as contention of voice; and can come into the preſence of God, as a child into the preſence of the Father, hath the Spirit of Adoption.
This is wonderfull hard to doe: As for Inſtance. Thou feeleſt Corruption rebelling, thou remembreſt, how thou haſt actually tranſgreſſed aboue number: thou heareſt the threatnings of the Law: thou knoweſt that God is of pure eyes, and moſt iuſt: hence thou feareſt, and art almoſt confounded. Canſt thou in this Conflict, turne thy ſelfe to God, as to thy gracious Father, and that with confidence of his merciemercy? Thou haſt a certaine ſigne of thy Adoption: For in ſuch eſtate, our Nature is to flye from God, as Adam: but to embrace God euen then when wee are ſo terrified, is the worke of the Spirit, by Faith.
Canſt thou with a childes affection cry Abba Father? I dare vndertake, that God cannot but ſhew himſelfe as a Father, in hauing compaſſion. What earthly Father could deſpiſe the voice of his Child falne into danger? Much more will our Heauenly Father regard the cry of his children. In a fearfull eſtate then are they which neuer pray, or as Hypocrites onelyonly with the mouth, and not with the heart.
Thou calleſt vponupon God with Abba Father: Remember that wicked children are a diſhonour to their Parents: Degenerate not thou from the Nobility of thy Father, whoſe honour it is to hauehave godly children. If thou calleſt God Father; 1. Pet. 1.17.then paſſe thy time with feare and care to obey him.
Vſe 5.This ouerthrowes the Popiſh manner of Praying: as, Bleſſed Virgin, Holy Mother of God help vsus. Saint Peter helpe vsus, &c. From what Spirit ſhould wee thinke theſe prayers come? Luke 15.18.Not from Gods; for that teacheth to cry Abba Father. The Prodigall Sonne ſaith, I'le goe to my Father, and ſay to my Father: and his Father meetes him. Hee had an Elder brother, and knew many ſeruants; but he ſeeks onelyonly to his Father.