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SERMON XI.

ROM. viii. 16.

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

WH

HOEVER believes Religion to be true, and thinks with any Seriousness concerning it, muft needs be earnestly defirous to find out, whether the State of his Mind, and the Course of his Life be fuch, as God expects and will reward, or forbids and will punish. Now this depends on two Things: an Acquaintance with ourselves, and with the Difpofitions of our Maker. The Spirit of Man, which is in him, knoweth the Things of a Man3: and may also clearly fee from the Creation of the World the invifible Things of the Author of it, even his eternal Power and Godhead'; those At

a 1 Cor. ii. II.

Rom. i. 20.

tributes,

tributes of his Nature, by which his Proceedings towards his Creatures will be directed. But ftill the Holy Scripture teaches, that the Spirit of God likewife bears a Part, highly neceffary, in the great Work of discovering, what Title we have to the Mercy and Favour of Heaven. It will therefore be requifite to confider this important Subject, in the Manner which St. Paul hath pointed out to us in the Text and for this End I fhall endeavour to fhew you,

I. What is implied in being the Children of God.

II. How far our own Spirit is capable of bearing Witness that we are fuch.

III. What additional Witness to it the Divine Spirit may bear.

I. What is implied in being the Children of God.

All Beings, indued with moral Qualifications, and the Ability of looking up to the Fountain of Perfection, are in a large Senfe of the Word, the Children of Him, who is the Father of Spirits: being made in his Image.

c Heb. xii. 9.

d Gen. i. 26.

But

But as the Capacity of resembling him is the very Foundation of Their Guilt, who, instead of improving, wear out, the Traces of this Divine Similitude: fo they alone are, to any beneficial Purpose, the Children of their Father in Heaven, who by imitating his Holiness and Goodness continue Objects of his paternal Affection. For that all pious and virtuous Perfons are thus related to him, our common Reafon perceives in general: but the more distinct Apprehenfion of the Nature and Duties and Benefits of this Relation we owe to Scripture.

There we learn, that God created Man after his Likeness', not only in respect of Righteousness and true Holiness*, but also of Happinefs and Immortality: that the lamentable. Tranfgreffion of our firft Parents forfeited, for themselves and us, the Privileges, which depended on their Innocence: and that being allbecome by Their Fault prone to Sin, we become by our own, more or less actually guilty of it that the Bulk of Mankind, forsaking God entirely, made themselves Aliens and Strangers to him, and Children of that Wicked One", whose Suggestions they chofe to obey, and

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e Matth. v. 45.
* Eph. ii. 12.

f Gen. i. 26.

* Eph. iv. 24.

Matth. xiii. 38.

whofe

whose Temper to copy. But our gracious Maker, pitying even those, who were Enemies to him and their own Souls by wicked Works'; and having formed from the Beginning a Scheme of myfterious Wisdom for recovering them again to their Duty, and receiving them back into his Family; gave them, from Time to Time, both fuch Admonitions and fuch Promifes, for that Intent, as he faw their Condition required, and the State of their Minds would bear: manifesting to them various Degrees and Proportions of Goodness in this refpect; as he doth in all others, both to Man, and the rest of his Creatures, for unfearchable Reafons.

To thofe, whom in the Courfe of his Providence he left to be directed merely by the Light of their own Confciences, he certainly did no Injury. For as many, as in any Part of their Conduct followed that, and did by Nature the Things contained in the Law*, were so far Followers of God as dear Children'. And fo many as, having departed from the right Way, penitently returned to it, had always fome Ground to hope for Pardon from our merciful Father, who knoweth whereof we are made". i Col. i. 21. * Rom. ii. 14. Eph. v. 1. m Pfm. cui. 14.

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But

But They, who preferved but the faintest Beam of outward Revelation alfo, which at firft was univerfal, to guide their Steps and brighten the Profpect before them, had much fuller Proofs of his parental Kindness. And the Jews being favoured with his miraculous Protection, and a written Law delivered by him, and prophetic Inftructions fuperadded, in fome Measure for the Benefit of the Gentile World, as well as their own; he faith of Them, in Terms of great Diftinction, Ifrael is my Son, even my Firstborn". Yet ftill, as that Nation, though wife and good in Comparison of others round them, was both in the Knowledge and Practice of Religion very imperfect, and far from Maturity: God thought it needful, while he treated them on that Account with Indulgence on fome Points, to exercise in many fo ftrict and severe a Government over them, that he rather appeared in the Character of a Master, than a Father; trying to influence them more by the Terror of present Punishment, than the Hope of a future Inheritance. And therefore St. Paul expreffes their Cafe, with much Accuracy, thus: Now I fay, that the Heir, fo long as he is a Child, differeth nothing from a Ser

VOL, VII.

n Exod. iv. 22.
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