The Spirit of Bondage and Adoption, Treatise 2 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Concerning the Worke of The Spirit of Adoption, which is explained in foure Particulars.
Qu. 2. BUt what is the work of the Spirit of Adoption?
His worke is fourfold: Hee is,
1. Vinculum unionis.
2. Teſtis & ſigillum relationis.
3. Advocatus cauſae.
4. Dux juventae.
that is,
1. The bond of our union to Chriſt and God by Chriſt.
2. The witneſſe of our relation reſulting from union.
3. The Advocate of our cauſe.
4. Tutor of our lives.
The firſt of theſe is the moſt noble, as the ſource of all the reſt. All which depend on it, and in their proper order and ſeaſon flow from it.
1. Hee is the bond of our union to Chriſt. Whence the Apoſtle argues, that if any man have not the Spirit of Chriſt, hee is none of his, Rom 8. 9. Thence wee are ſaid to bee juſtified by the ſpirit of God. 1 Cor. 6. 11. i. e. by his uniting us unto Chriſt our righteouſneſſe; and ſanctified alſo, being made an habitation of God through the ſpirit, Eph. 2. 22. And thence alſo is our regeneration, which accompanies, confirmes, and evidencheth our adoption, expreſſed by our being horne of the ſpirit, Joh. 3. 6. &c. This Spirit it is, in his bleſſed operations, which is the ſeed of God in us, we have received of his ſpirit, 1 Joh. 4. 13. So then in the firſt place he beſtowes upon us the right of Adoption, as the moſt properworker of this union. And as our Faith is the inſtrument of union, ſo hee is the giver of faith, 1 Cor. 12. 9. Faith indeed, Divines ordinarily call an Inſtrument, but 'tis but an improper inſtrument; for as all its efficacy depends upon the relation which it hath to Chriſt, as an hand is the inſtrument to make rich, when it receives a treaſure, or layes hold on it when freely offered; ſo it doth nothing at all on Gods part. But the Spirit is (in a ſenſe) a proper inſtrument on both parts, applying both Chriſt to us, and us to Chriſt: Chriſt to us, by reaching us a promiſe to lay hold on, and us to Chriſt, by giving us an hand to lay hold on it, and reſt our ſouls upon it.
2. Hee is the witneſſe of our Relation. And this work is principally ſet out to us in the verſe preceding that which is the ground of our diſcourſe. The Spirit alſo witneſſeth Rom. 8. 14.with our ſpirits, that we are the Children of God, Concerning the manner of the Spirits teſtifying, I ſhall ſay ſomewhat hereafter; onelyonly take notice now, that he is ſaid to witneſſe with our ſpirits, i. e. to ſay the ſame thing with our conſciences rightly informed of their condition. Thus he is a ſeal and an earneſt, not to confirm on Gods part, but to aſſure our legal title on our part, Eph. 1. 13. 2 Cor. 1. 22.
In the diſcharge of this work, he is the comforter, who takes of Chriſts and ſhews unto John 6. 14.his people, i. e. not only ſaving truth in illumination, and ſaving grace in regeneration and juſtification, but alſo ſpeciall light and comfort in manifeſtation of our intereſt in God through Chriſt; he takes the Deed by which Chriſt is made the adopted head of his family, and all the territories of heaven and earth are given to him, and his ſeed for ever, and ſhews it to the Saints, and bids them cheer up, for though they be now poor and perſecuted, wandring in ſheep-skins and goat▪skins, hiding among wild beaſts in dens and holes of the earth; yet they are heirs to all that heaven and earth contains, and the time will come when this great eſtate ſhall come in hand; and therefore they ſhould lay out liberally upon their hopes at preſent, and throw away all theſe things in a kind of holy prodigality, when God calls for them, being aſſured that their future inheritance will make amends for all.
This is the aſſuring act of the Spirit, and differs from the former thus: there, hee barely diſcovers to us a promiſe, and ſtirres us up to adventure upon it upon general invitations: here he gives us an evidence, that that promiſe is ours, and enables us to make uſe of it by particular intereſt:
3. He is the Advocate of our Cauſe. And thus he is ſaid alſo in this Chapter to make interceſſion for us. When our title at any time comes under diſpute, or when any thing is detained from us which our relation and the evidences which confirm it entitles us unto, he enables us to ſue out our intereſt; or if any thing befal us unworthy the children of God, he helps us to write letters to our Father to complain of, and bemoan our condition, Rom. 8. 26, 27. And this is that that is principally intended in the Text, together with the former, which is the ground of this, the Spirit helps us to cry Abba, Father, by aſſuring us that God is our Father, and putting us upon earneſt and importunate requeſts to him, as the requeſts of children uſe to be to a tender and compaſſionate Father. And this work of the Spirit is ſo frequent and conſtant in the Saints, that it is (in effect) attributed wholly to the Spirit; God hath ſent the Spirit of his Son into our heart, foreign crying, (as if he meerly acted our tongues) Abba Father. Gal. 4. 6.
4. He is the great guide of our way. Pſ. 143. 10 He is the T…tour of our youth, we are not adulti, till we be ripe for glory, Epheſ. 4. 13. So we are ſaid to Walk after, and to be led by the Spirit. verſe 1, 4, 14. of this Chap. Therefore new obedience is call'd the Law of the Spirit of life. v. 3. And the Spirit of the Lord, is ſaid to give liberty, 2 Cor. 3. 17. Cameron. in locum.And ſo divers interpret the words of my Text, with an oppoſition of ſervile obedience, and filial obedience.