2. There is another family whereinto they are to be tranflated, and whereunto of themfelves, they have neither right nor title. This is that family in heaven and earth, which is called after the name of Chrift, Eph. iii. 15. the great family of God: God hath an house, and family for his children, of whom, fome he maintains on the riches of his grace, and fome he entertains with the fulness of his glory. This is that houfe whereof the Lord Chrift is the great Difpenfer; it having pleafed the Father to gather in one all things in him, both which are in heaven, and which are in earth, even in him, Eph. i. 10. herein live all the fons and daughters of God, fpending largely on the riches of his grace. Unto this family of themfelves they have no right, nor title: they are wholly alienated from it, Eph. ii. 12. and can lay no claim to any thing in it. God driving fallen Adam out of the garden, and fhutting up all ways of return with a flaming fword ready to cut: hiin off, if he fhould attempt it; abundantly 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 least right to any thing of God. Therefore,

3 They have an authorative translation from one of thefe families to another. It is not done in a private underhand-way, but in the way of authority, John i. 12. to as many as received him, he gave: power to become the fons of God; power or autho-rity. This invefting them with the power, excel-lency, and right of the fons of God, is a forenfice act, and hath a legal proceeding in it. It is called: the making us meet for the inheritance of the faint in light, Col. i. 12.. a judicial exalting us into inem berfhip in that family, where God is the Father

Chrift the elder Brother, all faints and angels brethren and fellow children, and the inheritance a crown immortal and incorruptible, that fades not away.

Now this authoritative tranflation of believers from one family into another, confifteth of these two parts.

1. An effectual proclamation and declaration of fuch a perfon's immunity from all obligations to the former family, to which by nature he was related, and this declaration hath a threefold object.

1. Angels. It is declared unto them, they are the fons of God. They are the fons of God, and fo of the family whereunto the adopted perfon is to be admitted, and therefore it concerns them to know, who are invefted with the rights of that family, that they may difcharge their duty towards them; unto them then it is declared, that believers are freed from the family of fin, and hell, to become fellow fons, and fervants with them: and this is done two ways.

1. Generally by the doctrine of the gofpel, Eph. iii. 10. Unto the principalities, and powers in heavenly places is made known by the church, the manifold wifdem of God.

1. By the church is this wifdom made known to the angels: either as the doctrine of the gospel is delivered unto it, or as it is gathered thereby. And what is this wifdom of God, that is thus made known to principalities and powers? It is that the Gentiles fhould be fellow-heirs, and of the fame body with us, ver. 6. The mystery of adopting finners of the Gentiles, taking them from their flavery in the fa mily of the world, that they might have a right of heirship, becoming fons in the family of God, is

this wisdom thus made known. And how was it primitively made known? It was revealed by the Spirit unto the prophets and apostles, ver. 5.

2. In particular by immediate revelation. When any particular foul is freed from the family of this world, it is revealed to the angels. There is joy in the prefence of the angels of God (that is among the angels, and by them) over one finner that repenteth, Luke xv. 10. Now the angels cannot of themfelves abfolutely know the true repentance of a finner in itself. It is a work wrought in that cabi net, which none hath a key unto but Jefus Chrift; by him it is revealed to the angels, when the peculiar care, and charge of fuch an one is committed to them. These things have their tranfactions before the angels, Luke xii. 8, 9. Chrift owns the names of his brethren before the angels, Rev. ii. 5. when he gives them admittance into the family where they are, Heb. xii. 22. he declares to them that they are fons, that they may discharge their duty towards them, Heb. i. 14.

3. It is denounced in a judicial way unto Satan, the great master of the family whereunto they were in fubjection. When the Lord Chrift delivers a foul from under the power of that strong armed one, he binds him, tyes him from the exercise of that power and dominion which before he had over him. And by this means doth he know that fuch an one is delivered from his family; and all his future attempts upon him, are encroachings upon the poffeffions, and inheritance of the Lord Chrift.

4. Unto the confcience of the perfon adopted. The Spirit of Chrift teftifies to the heart and confcience of a believer, that he is freed from all en gagements unto the family of Satan, and is becom

th

the fon of God, Rom. viii. 14, 15. and enables him to cry Abba Father, Gal. iv. 6. Of the particulars of this teftification of the Spirit, and of its abfolving the foul from its old alliance, I fhall speak afterward. And herein confists the first thing mentioned.

2. There is an authorative engrafting of a beliver actually into the family of God, and invefting him with the whole right of fonfhip. Now this, as unto us, hath fundry acts.

1. The giving a beliver a new name in a white ftone, Rev. i. 17. they that are adopted are to take new names; they change their names they had in their old families, to take the names of the families whereunto they are tranflated. This new name is, A child of God: that is the new name given in adoption: and no man knoweth what is in that name, but only he that doth receive it. And: this new name is given, and written in a white stone; that is the teffera of our admiffion into the house of God. It is a stone of judicial acquitment. Our adoption by the Spirit is bottomed on our abfolution in the blood of Jefus and therefore is the new name, in the white ftone privilege, grounded on difcharge. The white ftone quits the claim of the old family; the new name gives entrance to the other.

2. An enrolling of his name in the catalogue of the houfhold of God. Admitting him thereby, into fellowship therein. This is calling the writing of the houfe of Ifrael, Ezek. xiii. 9.. that is the roll, wherein all the names of the Ifrael, the family of God are written, God hath a catalogue of his houfhold; Chrift knows his fheep by name. When God writeth up the people, he counts that

this

this man was born in Sion, Pfal. lxxxvii. 6. This is an extract of the Lamb's book of life.

3ly, Teftifying to his confcience, his acceptation with God, enabling him to behave himself as a child, Rom. viii. 15. Gal. iv. 5, 6. Paga 352

The two laft things required to adoption are, that the adopted perfon be freed from all obligations to the family from whence he is tranflated, and invested with the rights and privileges of that whereunto he is tranflated. Now because thefe two comprise the whole iffue of adoption, wherein the faints have communion with Chrift. I fhall handle them together, referring the concernments of them unto thefe four heads.

1. Liberty, 2. Title, or right, 3. Boldnefs, 4. Correction. Thefe are the four things in reference to the family of the adopted perfon, that he doth receive by his adoption, wherein he holds communion with the Lord Jefus..

1. Liberty. The Spirit of the Lord, that was upon the Lord Jefus did anoint him to proclaim liberty to the captive, Ifa. lxvi. I. and where the Spirit of God is, (that is the Spirit of Christ given to us by him becaufe we are fons) there is liberty, 2 Cor. iii. 17. all fpiritual liberty is from the Spirit of adoption. Whatever elfe is pretended is licentioufnefs. So the apostle argues, Gal. iv. 6, 7. He hath fent forth his fpirit into their hearts crying Abba Father, wherefore ye are no more fervants, no more in bondage, but have the liberty of fons; and this liberty refpects in the first place, the family from whence the adopted perfon is tranflated; it is his fetting free from all the obligations of that family.

Now in this fenfe, the liberty which the faints have by adoption, is either from that which is real,

or