A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 129 (Question 34 cont.)
SERMON CXXIX.
2. IT follows that we conſider of the Special Nature of this Benefit, in which we ſhall have a further diſplay of the wonderfully Free Grace of God eminently appearing in it. For the clearing of this there are three Things that lie before us to be inquired into.
1. The State that we are admitted into by Adoption, viz. of the Children of God.
2. The Way in which we are admitted into this State, we are received into the Number.
3. The Glorious Advantage that accrues to us by it, we have a Right to all the Priviledges of ſuch.
The… things may be briefly laid open before us.
1. THE State that we are admitted into by Adoption, viz. of the Children of God. And what greater dignity or honour can be put apon a Creature? The Apoſtle look'd upon this way title conferred on us by God, to be a diſplay of his unparallel'd Love, 1 Joh. 3.1 BEHOLD, what manner of love the Father hath be…d upon us, that we ſhould be called the ſome of God. And this is one manifeſt difference between Juſtification & Adoption, in that the… is a peculiar honour contained in it, … from that of the former, though the … jects be the ſame; and he that is owner of the one, is owner of the other too, and bush of them come in upon believing. Juſtification indeed confers a Righteouſneſs upon …, which makes us happy, but Adoption … to bestow a Sonſhip on us; and this … needs conſtitute a new Relation between God and us, which the other did not, and ſuch a Relation as is aſtoniſhing to think of. If we ſhould confider no more, but the honour that is put upon us in it, it is tranſcendent; … we ſhall afterwards ſee that there is … than that. Honour is one of the Woulds Id…ls: How ambitious are men of it? And what pains will they be at to compaſs it! And, tho' the World's honours are of … tle worth, yet there is an Honour that … from God, that is worthy our ambition. Hence that reflection on them, Joh. 5.44. How can ye believe, which receive honour … of another, and ſeek not the honor that … from God only? The higheſt Honour in … Kingdom, is to be Monarch of it, to be King or Supream, and next to that is to be S…n and Heir, and the greater Potentate this Monarch is, the more elevated is the … of being ſo related to him. Well, God is the only Potentate, He is an everlaſting …, and Believers are by this Adoption, mode his Sons & Heirs. Hence called Heirs of God, Rom. 8.17. The dignity of this is, that God is pleaſed to put his own Name upon them, and is not aſhamed to own the relation. There is therefore emphaſis in that of being called the Sons of God, 1 Joh. 3.1. There is more in it then meetly being ſo, viz. that God openly owns and acknowledgeth this Relation. Hence we have that remark, in Heb. 11.16. Wherefore God is not aſhamed … be called their God. When therefore God … Moſes to Phar…ch, he had him to uſe that plea, Exod. 4.22, 23. And thou ſhalt ſay … Phar…ch, Thus ſaith the Lord, Iſrael is my ſon, even my firſt-born. And I ſay unto thee, in my ſon go, that he may ſerve me: and if … refuſe to let him go, behold, I will ſtay thy …, even thy firſt-born. And how rich Grace is it, for God to beſtow ſuch a Priviledge upon us? But that which greatly enhauncheth it, … to conſider, who we were, on whom he … conferred it: Not only ſtrangers, and on the account could lay no claim to it by any i… tural right, any more than thoſe who is left to go without it: but we were his … mies, and might have rather expected, … he would have deſtroyed us. We were became ignoble; Sin had made us vile; we had l…t all the Honour that was put upon … our primitive ſtate of integrity, and …ted all the ignominy to ourſelves that … imaginable. We were become Sinners, and a worſe thing cannot be ſaid; unpro…a…e, …ood for nothing, but for Hell's …ames: We were become Fools and Mad men, and … …or nothing but a Bedlam. We had made …ſelves Slaves of Satan, and Vaſſals of eve… Juſt. We were men guilty of Death, under a Sentence o… Conde…nat on in our …es, and going to Execution; and that ſ… our Danghill and Dungeon, and Scatſ…e, God ſhould take us into his favour, and give …s a name among his Soas and Daugh…: This honour have all His Saints.
2. THE Way in which we are admitted to this S…e, we are received into this number …d herein more eſpecially doth the nature of this Adoption appear and the forecited difference between it and Juſtification is farther m…iſe…ed. And here let us in general obſerve,
1. THAT Adoption is not limited to one, but it extends to a Multitude. Their is a number of them, and their number is incompotable by as. Men uſually beſtow this favour but …, or at moſt but a very few. And the … is, becauſe they have but a little in …poriſon to beſtow, and their Grandeur would be loft, if it ſhould be crumbled into …spand… parcels. But the Glory and lake…e that God hath to beſtow, is ſufficient … a World, and hereupon he extends it to … many. It is certain, every Believer i… dignified with this Privilege, John 1.12. In as many as received him, to them gave be … to … the ſons of God, even to them … believe … his Name. All that are entituled … Chriſt by Faith. Gal. 3.26. And they …spand… uncountable Number, Rev. 7.9. After this i…beheld, and …o, a great …ltitude, which to … could number, of all nations, and kind…, and people, and …ngues, ſtood before the …, and before the l… …thed with white … and …alms in their …nds. All that belong … the General Aſ…e…bly, Heb. 12.23. …ce they have that title put on them.
2. THAT every one of this number is ſeve… …ted to this Privilege. When and … this is, will preſently be conſidered; … it is certain, that all do not receive it at …, it being as was before obſerved, a tranſ… Act. I…s true, all were at once appoin… in the Eternal Counſel of God to this; and hence they are known unto God from …ity, but they are introduced into it by …er Act, in which they are made to re… it, as, Gal. 4.5. To r…d…em them that … under the law, that we might receive the … of Sons.
3. THAT this Privilege is equally extended … one that is made partaker in it. One … …ch a Child of God as another, and …ght is as good; the whole Inheritance belongs to every one, not hath one the leſs, becauſe the other hath all, becauſe there is an infinite fulneſs in it. For, though poſſibly there be different degrees in Glory, yet that is not from a greater title that one hath then another, but from the different capacity put into the Subject to receive it. But every Child of God is alſo a … b…. …eb. 12.2…. But for a more particular c… fider… tion of this, we may e…quire, 1. … it is that receives them … this Number? 2. When they are thus received? 3. …fter what m…ner this … is ce…ſrred. A Word to each of theſe.
1. WHO it is that receives them into this Number?
A…ſw. THIS can be an other b…t God himſelf, it being his Prerogative. Who ſhould impoſe upon the owner of a Name and Eſtate whom he ſhall adopt to it. As therefore it is God t…at; juſtif…th, ſo it is be that adopreth It is true, becauſe in the order of Divide Works, this belongs to Application, it is proper to the Spirits manner of working. As the Father choſe us to it, and the Son redeemed us for it; ſo the Spirit inveſts us with it, Adoption is a Privilege connected with, and that comes in upon believing, and muſt therefore have the ſame Author, which can be …o other than God. He is therefore ſaid to give it, Job. 1.12.
WHEN they are thus received?
Anſ IN general; though they were appointed to it from …er…ity, yet it is …rſ…rred upon us in believing. We were choſen to be made partakers of it before the World was: but it was that we might be ad…pted, Eph. 1.6. Chriſt in fulneſs of time redeemed us for this purpoſe. But it was that we might receive it, Gal. 4.5. To rede…m them that were under the l…, that we might receive the Adoption of ſons. So that it was to be an effect or fruit of the former. But that we might have fellowſhip with Chriſt in this Priviledge we muſt alſo be Called. The conveyance of what he hath purchaſed for us, is in this order, Rom. 8.30. Al…re…ver, wh… he did pr…d…ſ…a…, them be alſo called: and whom he called, them he alſo juſtified; and whom he juſtified, them …e alſo glor…fied. God's Election is an immanent act in him, and of it ſelf makes no cha…ge in the ſtate of the Creature. Indeed it lays a ſure foundation for what paſſeth a…terwards, and makes it future, ſo that it ſhall without fail be accompliſhed in fulneſs of time. But for all this, God's Elect have in their natural ſtate, a proper relation to the Covenant made with Adam, and remain under the te…or of it, till the Spirit of God comes and works Converſion in them, in which they paſs from death to life; unto which life this Adoption belongs. The Apoſtle therefore tells us, what we all were before this, Eph. 2.3. And were by nature the children of wrath, even … others. And applies it diſtinctly to his Eph…ſians, telling them alſo, when the change of ſtate was beſtowed on them, ver 12, 13. And as this Priviledge is not received before, ſo neither is it deferted any longer, but is compleatly applied in our believing, Gal. 3.26. They that make Adoption gradual, inchoated in our Converſion, and perfected in our entring into, and taking full poſſeſſion of the Kingdom, confound it with Glorification. When God puts us among Children, and beſtows on us a title to the eternal Inheritance, we are as much adopted as ever we ſhall be, and have as ſure a title, as thoſe now in Glory.
3. AFTER what manner this Adoption is conſerred?
Anſ. WE may make ſome gueſs at this Myſtery, in the following Concluſions,
1. THAT Adoption is a Priviledge purchaſed by Chriſt for his Redeemed. God, in the Covenant of Redemption, promiſed him, not only that he ſhould deliver us from wrath, but that we ſhould be his Seed, & Generation, Pſal. 22.30. Iſai. 53.10. It b…n thou ſhal… make his ſoul an offering for ſin, he ſhall ſee his ſeed, be ſhall prolong his days, and the pleaſure of the Lord ſhall p…ſper in his hand. He therefore, having accompliſhed this Work, hath a claim to them; they are given him; He hath bought them with his Blood, Act. 20.28. And he did it for this very end. Gal. 4.5.
2. HENCE, it is a Priviledge belonging to the promiſe of the New Covenant. It is therefore exhibited and offered in the treaty of that Covenant. The Covenant of Grace hath its rooting in, and derives from the Covenant of Suretiſhip: God therefore having promiſed to Chriſt, that he ſhall have ſuch a Seed, invites ſinful men to come to him, and cloſe with the terms of the Covenant, with ſuch an encouragement as this, that if they ſo do, they ſhall be dignified with this Priviledge, 2 Cor. 6.17, 18. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye ſeperate, ſaith the Lord, and teach not the unclean thing; and I will receive you: And will be a Father unto you, and ye ſhall be my ſons & daughters, ſaith the Lord Almighty.
3. HENCE the Conveyance of it is, in the Ratification of the Covenant, between God & us. All Covenant Promiſes are connected with the terms on which they are made: And hence the claim to them comes in upon the performance of thoſe terms. God, in the Covenant exhibition tells us how we may come to be his Children, and engageth that in this way, he will own us as ſuch. Now, all theſe terms be performed, the Covenant is in ſuſpenſe, but when they are ſo, it is now ratified. Whatſoever was engaged on condition, is ſecured by the performance of it: And that which before, was ours only hypothetically, is now ſo abſolutely. Such therefore are ſaid to be beirs of promiſe, as have fled &c. Heb. 6.17, 18. Wherein God willing more abundanily to ſhew unto the beirs of promiſe the immutability of his counſel, confirmed it by an bath. That by two immutable things, in which it was impoſ…ble for God to lie, we might have a ſtrong conſolation, who have fled for refuge, to lay hold upon the hope ſet before us.
4. THIS Covenant is a Covenant of Eſp…ſ… between Chriſt and us. Of all compa…iſ… the Scripture moſt frequently makes uſe of this to ſet it forth by. We have it path… cally expreſt in the whole Song of S…l…. Chriſt therefore ſpeaks of his being … to his People, Jer. 3.14. Turn, O back … children, ſaith the Lord, for I am married … you: and I will take you one of a city. & … of a family, and I willi bring you to Z…. And he calls the Covenant a Covenant of Eſ… ſals, Hof. 2.19, 20. And I will betroth … unto me for ever, yea, I will betroth thee … me in righteouſneſs, and in judgment, and … having kindneſs and in mercies. I will … betroth thee unto me in faithfulneſs, and th… ſhalt know the Lord. And Paul tells us the great deſign of his Miniſtry, 2 Cor. 11.2. … I am jealous over you with godly jealouſy, … I have eſpouſed you to one husband, thus I … preſent you as a chaſte virgin to Chriſt. Here alſo, the breach of Covenant is in Scripute frequently repreſented by Adultery, … violation of the bonds of Wediock.
5. HENCE this Convenant is ratified in …l upon our Union to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. It is Chriſt who upon the opening of the N…-Covenant, comes and makes love to p… Sinners. It is his Son whom God the… offers to them, and invites them to accepted him in this near relation. It is the P… of Chriſt that is offered, with whom all … Benents are conveyed inſeperably. If w… in Chriſt, we have then the Condition … on which the Promiſe depends: And … all that is in it belongs to us. This … Faul ſo deſirous to be found in him, P…. ….
6. THIS Union is made on our part, by … believing in him. In Marriage Union … the conſent of both Parties neceſſary. Ch… invites us, and declares his willingneſs, … by his Spirit, he makes us willing alſo, … gaining our free conſent to his offer, we … an abſolute choice of him, and take him … he is held forth in the Goſpel. Th… … and we are made one. And this is the …y thing that is done in believing: We …e our ſelves up to him, everlaſtingly to … and take him to be our Lord and S…. He therefore is ſaid to dwell in our … by Faith, Eph. 3.17.
7. ON this Union, we are made joy… with Him who is the Heir of all things. Chirſt as God, is Lord Proprietor of all things … as Mediator, he is conſtituted Heir of …. They are made over to Him as his … So that his Heirſhip is rooted in him, … all that are introduced into it, are ſo by … heirſhip. Hence that, Rom. 8.17. … children, then heirs, heirs of God, and … heirs with Chriſt. It is his right that … ours, and it derives as the right in all … is her Husband's belongs to the Wife. … therefore is ſaid, to give every thing …lſ… … him, Rom 8.22. This then is the … which we come to be received into the … ber of God's Children.
3. THE glorious Advantage that accrues … by this Adoption; is, that we Love a … to all the Privileges of the children of …. And herein Adoption differs from Glo…ion, in as much as that puts us in poſſ… of them, whenas this give us the … to them. And there are two things … to be obſerved, vis 1. That there are … Privileges belong to the Children of …. 2. That Adoption gives them a right to … all.
1. THAT there are precious Privileges that … to the Children of God. When God … us to be his Children, he doth not only … as an empty title, which hath nothing … a noiſe and name in it, but there are … realities annexed to this relation, … are enough to make them happy now … …ever. And the very reaſon why God …s us his Children, is that he may let … and experience the Love of a Father, … doth accordingly conter upon us the things that are worthy of ſuch a Father. It would be endleſs particularly to enumerate … thing that belongs to this title; for ſo … recount every Promiſe that is made …dievers in the new Covenant, which … have a liberty to claim in right of Son… and no other can make a challenge of. However, we may as in a Lantskip take no… of the principal heads, to which theſe l…ges do refer. And here.
1. ONE main & compechenſive Privilege is, … it of Adoption, which God beſt…s on all …. Compare, Rom. 8.15. with …. 6. It is indeed the ſame Spirit who … Author of the whole work of Appli… from the beginning to the end, but … is a peculiar reſpect in which He is … the Spirit of Adoption, and that refers … effects which he produceth in us, … to us. As ſuch a Spirit then, he ſea's … the certain enjoyment of all the good … us in the new Covenant. Eph. 4.30. … …ve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby … ſ…led unto the day of redemption. He … our Sonſhip to be immutable, and … our title to all the Promiſes irrever…. As ſuch as Spirit, he gives his teſtimo… us, to ratify all our evidences, and ful… us of our Sonſhip and Heirſhip, ….16, 17. The Spirit it ſelf beareth wit… …th our ſpirit, that we are the children of …. And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, … heirs with Chriſt. For though the …e itſelf belongs to Glorification, yet …neſs of it in us is from the Spirit of …. As ſuch a Spirit, he frees us … ſpirit of Bondage, and helps us ſo to … to God, and preſent our requeſts to … a Father, Rom. 8.35. And by this … we have acceſs with boldneſs to the … of Grace. Eph. 2.18. For through him … have an acceſs by one Spirit unto the … it was he that helped them to that, … 17. As ſuch a Spirit, he upholds … …ith in us unto Perſeverance, not withſtanding all the infirmities of our fleſh, and ſhocks of temptations, that aſſ… us from our enemies. 1 Pet. 1.5. Who are kept by the power of God through ſaith unto ſalvations, ready to be revealed in the Laſt t…e. But for which, we ſhould eaſily be drawn away and fall from Grace. As ſuch a Spirit, he no… riſheth Grace in us, and helps us in the exercite of it. Hence ſaid to help our infirmities, Rom. 8.26. He takes and leads us by the hand, and ſtays our ſteps for us, that we may not fall, and lifts us up, if at any time we are down. Finally, as ſuch a Spirit, he irradiates us with the light of God's Love, whereby we are erabled to rejoyce in it, and in the midſt of all the trials, that we meet with in our Pilgrimage, Rom 5.3, 5. And what a glorious Privilege is this?
2. ANOTHER Privilege, full of marrow and ſweetneſs, is, that God, having aſſured this Relation of a Father to us, ſtands ſ…emly engaged to be, and to carry to us in all things, as a Father. And how much is there wrapt up in this? Here is a Field of Contemplation, in which we may well loſe ourſelves; and we may ſurely draw from it, all Soulſolacing Concluſions. Is he their Father? then he will certainly provide for them, and they may without anxiety rely upon him for it. Hence that, Mat. 6.31, 32. Is he their Father? then he will ſurely be to them … ſafe Protection from all that would offer them any injury. He will ſee that none ſhall hurt them, and they need not be afraid of any ſuch thing, Heb. 13.5, 6. For he hath ſaid, I will never leave thee, nor forſake thee. So that we may boldly ſay. The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man ſhall do unto …. If any offer them injury, he will be preve…ed, Jer. 2.3. All that devour him. … all … evil ſhall come upon them, ſaith the Lord. Is he their Father? He will uphold them in their way, ſo that they ſhall not ſo hurt themſelves, as to undo them. It may be ſaid of them all, as, Deat. 32.27. And that Promiſe belongs to them, Pſal. 91.11, 12. And hence the Miniſtry of Angels belongs to them as Children and Heirs. Heb. 1.14. Is he their Father? He will give them all ſeaſonable inſtruction, to guide them in their way, he will counſel them in their duty, and warn them of their danger. This he prefumed of, Pſal. 73.24. And on this account is that precious Promiſe, Iſal. 20 21. Is he their Father? He will help them in, an give them ſtrength to do their work, that it ſhall not fail in their hands, ſo that ſenſe of their own inſufficiency need not diſcourage them. He hath therefore promiſed to give them Grace, Pſal. 84.11. and Strength, Iſal. 41.10. Is he their Father? He will ſeaſonably and profitably chaſten them when they need it, Heb. 12.6, 9, 11. And he will ſanctify theſe Chaſtiſements to them, 1 Cor. 11.32. They ſhall be able to ſay as. Pſal. 119.71. It is good for me that I have been aff…led: that I might learn thy ſtatutes. And that is no ſmall Privilege; What ſ…ith he, Pſal. 94.12. Bleſſed is the man whom than chiſteneſt, O Lord, and teacheſt him … of thy law. Is he their Father? He will accept of and commend their ſincere Service, and overlook their infirmities. He accepted I…eid's very deſire to build him a… Houſe, 1 Kings 8.18. And what a commendation gives he to Abrah…m, Gen. 22.16, 1…. And for his pity ſee, Pſal. 103.13, 14. And what precious Priviledges are theſe?
3. ANOTHER Priviledge, is a Glorious Liberty. There is ſuch an one belongs to them, Rom. 8.21. And this is oppoſed to that bondage in which we are before, from which we are now delivered; both from the ſervitude of the Law, as a Covenant, ſo as that we are no more under the curſe of it, Rom. 6.12. God. 3.13. Nor are we to ſeek … ne…s, by the perfect perſonal Obed … required in it, but by Faith in Chriſt, Rom. 2.20. And from …he ſervitude of Sin, Rom, 6.7. For he that is dead, is freed from ſin It ſhall no more reign in us, though it may moleſt us Rom. 6.12. Let not ſin therefore reign in your mortal holy, that ye ſhould obey it in the laſt …e…f. Nor will God impate it to us, 2 Cor. 5.10. God was in Chriſt reconciling the wor'd unto himſelf, not imputing their treſpaſſes unto them. Nor ſhall we ever be …enſe…d for it, Rom. 8.1. There is therefore was … condemnation to them which are in Chriſt Jeſus, who walk not after the fleſh, but after the Spirit. In a word, there is a full and perfect freedom beſtowed upon them through Chriſt, according to, Joh. 8.36. If the Son therefore make you free, ye ſhall be free indeed. Satan's lordſhip & tyranny is deſtroyed, and the Kingdom of Chriſt, which is a Kingdom of liberty is ſet up. And this moſt needs be a very excellent Benefit.
4. THE laſt Priviledge I ſhall mention, is that of Heirſhip. And this naturally flows from it, Rom. 8.17. And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joynt heirs with Chriſt. And who can tell what is the Inheritance they are intitled to by it. All is theirs, 1 Cor. 3.22, 23. All the Creation is made to ſerve them. The holy Angels are a Safe guard to them. Pſal. 34.7. The angel of the Lord encompe… round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. Bring meſſages to them, Dart. 9.23. And when they die are a convoy to them, Luk. 16.22. And it came to paſs that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abrahams boſom. Wicked men & Devils ſhall do them ſervice, tho' againſt their will. Yea, every thing ſhall turn to their account. Rom. 8.28. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpoſe. And there are all the Glories of the Eternal Kingdom reſerved for them, and ſhall certainly be in due time beſtowed on them; becauſe they are not Servants, but Sons, Joh. 8.35. And the ſervant abideth not in the houſe for ever: but the ſon abideth ever. But the beſt deſcription we can take of this, … drawing the Vail over it, 1 Cor. 2 4. … it is written, bye hath not ſeen, nor … neither have entred into the heart of m…n, … things which God hath prepared for them … love him.
2. THEIR Adoption gives them a Righ… all th…ſe Pr…viledges. It doth not indeed … them into actual poſſeſſion; they are at preſent under Age, and muſt, for that, … the ſtature of a perfect ma… in Chriſt. … makes them all theirs. This introduceth … into this right, they could make no … any of theſe before, but upon this they … call all their own: And this is their … plea, or the reaſon of their claim; … becauſe they were better than others, or … natural claim to them, or have done … thing to purchaſe them, but becauſe … hath made them his Sons freely, Roc… … This Adoption alſo brings with it thoſe thi… which eſtabliſh and confirm this right … them; they have in it, the Sealing of … Spirit, as we have already obſerved; and … have the Earneſt of the Spirit, which is … to be the ſame, Eph. 1.13, 14. In whom … after that ye believed, ye w…re ſealed with … holy Spirit of promiſe, Which is the … our inheritance, until the redemption of the … chaſed poſſeſſion unto the praiſe of his glory … yet there is a difference alſo obſerved, 2 … 1.22. Who alſo hath ſealed us, and gi… … earneſt of the Spirit in our hearts. The … it ſelf of one Earneſt, but there are alſo … it, the firſt fruits of the Spirit, which … give us the aſſurance of the Harveſt … low. For which reaſon we have the … ſo arguing, Phil. 1.6. Being conſilent … very thing, that he which hath begun a go… … in you, will perform it until the day of … Chriſt. So that a Child of God may … from his Adoption, argue to the certains, … his future participation in all the good … is purchaſed by Chriſt, and laid up … Promiſe.
USE. LET the Conſideration of theſe … call on us all, and Children in particu… … labour to make ſure of this Adoption. L… … be your great Ambition, to be the Chriſt … of God: And that, not by an outward … tion in the Goſpel Covenant only, but by … which is introduced by Faith in Chriſt, … whom only you can obtain Sonſhip & He… … to this incorruptible and never fading … ritance. Your Earthly Parents m… … ſhortly, if they are not gone already, … is a poor Portion, which they can bo… … you, which can never make you happy: … if God once be your Father in Chriſt, y… … happy indeed: He will be your Fath… … Heaven. He lives for ever, He will … care of you, He will never fail nor … you; He will keep you ſafe through … World, and bring you without fail … Heavenly Kingdom: He will do more … you, then you can ask or think. He … this to you, and begs of you to accept … Receive Chriſt for your Spouſe, and his … will be your Father, his God your God, and nothing ſhall ever ſeperate you from his Love.
[FEBRUARY 14. 1698.]