§. 12. 3. They look upon him, as in his own Spirit he is the only Difpenfer of the Spirit, and of all Grace of Sanctification and Holiness. They confider that upon his Interceffion it is granted to him, that he fhail make effe&tual all the fruits of his Purchase, to the Sanctification, the purifying and making glorious in Holiness of his whole people. They know that this is actually to be accomplished by the Spirit, according to the innumerable Promifes given to that Purpose. He is to fprinkle that blood upon their fouls, He is to create that Holiness in them that they long after, He is to be himself in them a Well of Water Springing up to everlasting life. In this ftate they look to Jefus, here Faith fixes it felf in expectation of his giving out the Spirit for all thefe ends and purposes; mixing the Promises with Faith, and fo becoming actu al partaker of all this Grace. This is their way, this is their Communion with Chrift; This is the life of Faith as to Grace and Holiness. Bleffed is the foul that is exercised therein; He fhall be as a tree planted by the waters, that Spreadeth forth her roots by the River, and shall not fee when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green, and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither fhall ceafe from yielding fruit, Ferem.17.18. Convinced perfons who know not Chrift, nor the fellowship of his fufferings, would fpin an Holiness out of their own Bowels; they would work it out in their own ftrength. They begin it with tyring endeavours, and follow it with Vows, Duties, Refolutions, Ingagements, fweating at it all the day long. Thus they continue for a feafon; their Hypocrifie for the most part ending in Apoftacy. The Saints of God do in the very entrance of their walking with him, reckon upon it, that they have a Threefold want. 1. Of the Spirit of Holinefs, to dwell in them. 2. Of an Habit of Holiness, to be infused into them. 3. Of actual Affiftance, to work all their works for them; and that if these fhould continue to be wanting, they can never with all their might, power and endeavours, per perform any one act of Holiness before the Lord.. They know that of themselves they have no fufficiency; that without Cbrift, they can do nothing, therefore they look to him who is intrufted with a fulnefs of all thefe in their behalf, and thereupon by Faith derive from him an Increase of that, whereof they ftand in need. Thus I fay, have the Saints communion with Chrift, as to their fanctification and holinefs. From him do they receive the fpirit to dwell in them; from him the new principle of Life, which is the root of all their obedience, from him have they actual Affiftance for every duty they are called unto. In waiting for, expectation and receiving of these bleffings on the accounts before mentioned, do they fpend their Lives and time with him. In vain is help looked for from other mountains. In vain do men spend their ftrength in following after Righteousness, if this be wanting. Fix thy foul here! thou fhalt not tarfy until thou be ashamed. This is the way, the only way, to obtain full effectual manifeftations of the fpirits dwelling in us; to have our hearts purified, our confciences purged, our fins mortified, our graces increased, our fouls made humble, holy, zealous, believing; like to him; to have our lives fruitful, our deaths comfortable; Let us herein abide, eying Chrift by Faith, to attain that measure of conformity to him, which is allotted unto us in this world, that when we fhall fee him as he is, we may be like unto him. CHA P. X. Of Communion with Chrift in priviledges: of Adoption: the nature of it the confequences of it peculiar priviledges attending it Liberty, Title, Boldness, Affliction, Communion with Christ hereby. TH HE third thing wherein we have communion with as as the third bead of purchafed Grace. The priviledges we enjoy by Christ, are great and innumerable. To infift on them in particular, were work for a mans whole life, not a design to be wrapped up in a few fheets. I fhall take a view of them only in the Head, the spring and Fountain whence they all arife and flow. This is our Adoption. Beloved, now we are the Sons of God, 1 Job. 3. 2. This is our great and fountain priviledge. Whence is it that we are fo? it is from the Love of the Father, v. 1. Behold, what love the Father bath given unto us, that we should be called the fons of God. But by whom immediately do we receive this honour? As many as believe on Chrift, he gives them this power to become the Sons of God, Joh.1.12.Himself was appointed to be the first born among many brethren, Rom. 8. 29. and his taking us to be brethren, Heb. 2. 11. make us become the Children of God, Now that God is our Father, by being the Father of Chrift, and we his children, by being the brethren of Chrift, being the head and fum of all the honour, priviledge, right, and Title we have, let us confider the nature of that act, whereby we are invested with this ftate and title; namely our Adoption. §. 2. Now Adoption is the Authoritative tranflation of a Believer by Jefus Chrift from the family of the world and Satan, into the family of God, with his inveftiture in all the priviledges, and advantages of that Family. §. 3. To the compleat Adoption of any perfon, thefe five things are required. 1. That he be actually, and of his own right, of another family, then that whereunto he is adopted. He muft be the fan of one family or other in his own right, as all perfons are. ་ 2. That there be a Family unto which of himself he hath no right, whereinto he is to be grafted. If a man comes into a family upon a perfonal right, though originally at never fo great a distance, that man is not adopted. If a man of a moft remote confanguinity, do come come into the inheritance of any family by the death of the nearer heirs, though his right before were little better than nothing, yet he is a born Son of that Family, he is not adopted. He is not to have the plea of the most remote poffibility of fucceffion. 3. That there be an Authoritative legal Tranflation of him, by fome that have power thereunto, from one family into another. It was not by the Law of old, in the power of particular perfons, to adopt when, and whom they would. It was to be done by the Authority of the Sovereign Power. 4. That the adopted Perfon be freed from all the obligations that be upon the Family, from whence he is tranflated: otherwife he can be no way ufeful, or ferviceable unto the family, whereinto he is engrafted: He cannot ferve two Masters, much lefs two Fathers. 5. That by vertue of this Adoption, he be invested in all the Rights, Priviledges, Advantages, and Title to the whole inheritance of the family into which he is adopted, in as full and and ample manner, as if he had been born a Son therein. Now all thefe Things and Circumftances do concur, and are found in the Adoption of Believers. S. 4. 1. They are by their own original Right, of another family, than that whereinto they are adopted. They are by Nature the children of wrath, Eph. 2. 3. Sons of wrath of that family whofe inheritance is wrath; called the power of darkness, Col. 1. 13. For from thence doth God tranflate them into the Kingdom of his dear Son. This is the Family of the World and of Satan, of which by Nature believers are. What ever is to be inherited in that family, as Wrath, Curfe, Death, Hell, they have a right thereunto. Neither can they of themfelves, or by themfelves get free of this family: a ftrong Man armed, keeps them in fubjection. Their natural eftate is a family Condition, and attended with all circumstances of fa mily; family Duties and Services; Rights and Titles; Relations, and Obfervances. They are of the black Family of Sin, and Satan.` §. 5. 2. There is another family wherein they are to be tranflated, and whereunto of themselves, they have neither right nor title. That is that family in heaven and earth, which is called after the name of Chrift, Epb. 3. v. 15. The great family of God: God hath an houfe, and family for his Children, of whom, fome he maintains on the riches of his Grace, and fome he entertains with the fulnels of his Glory. This is that house whereof the Lord Chrift is the great dispenser, it having pleased the Father to gather in one all things in him, both which are in heaven, and which are in earth, even in him, Epbef. 1. v. 10. Herein live all the Sons and Daughters of God, fpending largely on the Riches of his Grace. Unto this family of themselves they have no Right,nor Title: they are wholly alienated from it,Eph. 2. 12. and can lay no claim to any thing in it. God driving fallen Adam out of the Garden, and shutting up all ways of Return with a flaming Sword ready to cut him off, if he should attempt it; a bundantly declares that he, and all in him, had loft all right of approaching unto God, in any family relation. Corrupted, curfed Nature is not vefted with the leaft right to any thing of God: therefore, §. 6. They have an Authoritative Tranflation from one of these families to another. It is not done in a private underhand-way, but in the way of Authority. To as many as received him, he gave power to become the fons of God. Power, or Authority. This investing them with the power, excellency, and right of the Sons of God, is a forenfical act, and hath legal procceding in it. It is called the making us meet for the inheritance of the Saints in light, Col. 1. V. 12. A judicial exalting us into memberhip in that family, where God is the Father, Christ the elder Brother, all Saints and Angels Brethren and fellow Children, and the inheritance a Crown immortal and incorruptible, that fades not away. Y §. 6 |