for advantages of walking with God, pant after more ability, and this is a great fhare of their fonlike freedom in obedience; it gives them joy in it, 1 John iv. 18. there is no fear in love, but perfect love cafteth out fear; when their foul is acted to obedience by love, it expels that fear which is the iffue of bondage upon the Spirit. Now when there is a concurrence of thefe two, life, and love, there is freedom, liberty, largenefs of heart, exceedingly distanced from that ftreight and bondaged frame, which many walk in all their days, that know not the adoption of fons.

2. The object of their obedience is reprefented to them as defireable, when to others as it is terrible. In all their approaches to God, they eye him as a Father; they call him Father, Gal. iv. 6. not in a form of words, but in the fpirit of fons. God in Chrift is continually before them, not only as one deferving all the honour and obedience which he requires, but also as one exceedingly to be delighted in, as being all-fufficient to fatisfy and fatiate all the defires of the foul; when others napkin their talents, as having to deal with an auftere mafter, they draw out their strength to the uttermoft, as drawing nigh to a gracious Rewarder. They go from the principle of life and love, to the bosom of a living and loving Father; they do but return the ftrength they do receive unto the Fountain, unto the Ocean.

3. Their motive unto obedience is love, 2 Cor. v. 15. from an apprehenfion of love they are effectually carried out by love, to give up themselves unto him who is love. What a freedom is this what a largeness of spirit is in them who walk a cordin

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cording to this rule? Darkness, fear, bondage, conviction, hopes of righteousness, accompany others in their ways; the fons by the Spirit of adoption have light, love with complacency in all their walkings with God; the world is an univerfal stranger unto the frame of children in their Father's houfe.

4. The manner of their obedience is willingnefs. They yield themfelves unto God, as thofe that are alive from the dead, Rom. vi. 13. they yield themfelves, give up themselves willingly, chearfully, freely; with my whole heart, faith David, Rom. xii. 1. They prefent themselves a living facrifice; and a willing facrifice.

5. The rule of their walking with God is the law of liberty, as divefted of all its terrifying, threatning, killing, condemning, curfing power, and rendred in the blood of Jefus, fweet, tender, useful, directing, helpful as a rule of walking in the life they have received, not the way of working for the life they have not. I might give more inftances, these may fuffice to manifeft that liberty of obedience in the family of God, which his fons and daughters have, that the poor convinced Gibeonites are not acquainted withal.

2. The fecond thing which the children of God have by adoption, is title. They have title and right to all the privileges and advantages of the family whereunto they are tranflated; this is the preheminence of the true fons of any family. The ground on which Sarah pleaded the ejection of Ifhmael, was, that he was the fon of the bond woman, Gen. xxi. 10. and fo no genuine child of the family, and therefore could have no right of heirship with Ifaac. The apoftle's arguing is, we are no more

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fervants but fons, and if fons then heirs, Rom. viii. 14, 16. then have we right and title, and being not born hereunto (for by nature we are the children of wrath) we have this right by our adoption.

Now the faints hereby have a double right and title, 1. Proper and direct in refpect of spirituals, 2. Confequential in respect of temporals.

The first also, or the title as adopted fons unto fpirituals is in respect of the object of it, twofold;

1. Unto a prefent place, name, and room in the houfe of God, and all the privileges and adminiftrations thereof.

2. To a future fulness of the great inheritance of glory, of a kingdom purchased for that whole family, whereof they are by Jefus Chrift.

1. They have a title unto and an intereft in the whole administration of the family of God here.

The fupream administration of the houfe of God in the hand of the Lord Chrift, as to the inftitution of ordinances and difpenfation of the Spirit, to enliven and make effectual those ordinances for the end of their inftitution, is the prime notion of this adminiftration. And hereof they are the prime objects: all this is for them; and exercifed towards them; God hath given Jefus Chrift to be the head over all things unto the church which is his body, Eph. i. 22, 23. he hath made him the Head over all thefe fpiritual things, committed the authoritative adminiftration of them all unto him to the ufe and behoof of the church, that is the family of God. It is for the benefit and advantage of the many fons whom he will bring unto glory, that he doth all these things, Heb. ii. 17. fee Eph. iv. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. the aim of the Lord Jefus in establishing gofpel administrations, and adminiftrators, is for the Ff 3

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perfecting of the faints, the work of the ministry, &c. All is for them, all is for the family; in that is the faithfulness of Chrift exercised, he is faithful in all the house of God, Heb. iii. 2. hence the aor poftle tells the Corinthians, F.ii. 22, 23, of all thefe gofpel adminiftrations, and ordinances they are all theirs, and all for them. What benefit foever redoundeth to the world by the things of the gofpel (as much doth every way,) it is engaged for it to the children of this family: this then is the aim and intendment of the Lord Chrift in the inftitution of all gospel ordinances and administrations, that they may be of use for the house and family of God, and all his children and fervants therein.

It is true the word is preached to all the world, to gather in the children of God's purpose, that are scattered up and down in the world, and to leave the reft inexcufable: but the prime end and aim of the Lord Christ thereby, is to gather in those heirs of falvation unto the enjoyment of that feast of fat things which he hath prepared for them in his house.

Again they, and they only have right, and title to gospel administrations, and the privileges of the family of God, as they are held out in his church according to his mind. The church is the house of God, 1 Tim. iii. 15. Heb. iii. 6. herein he keeps and maintains his whole family, ordering them ac cording to his mind and will: now who fhall have any right in the houfe of God, but only his children? we will not allow a right to any, but our own children in our houfes, will God think you, allow any right in his houfe, but to his children? Is it meet to take childrens bread and to caft it unto dogs? We fhall fee that none, but children have a

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ny right or title to the privileges and advantages of the houfe of God, if we confider.

1. The nature of that houfe, it is made up of fuch perfons, as it is impoffible that any but adopted children fhould have right unto a place in it; it is composed of living stones, 1 Pet. ii. 25. a chofen generation, a royal people, an holy nation, a peculiar people, ver. 9. faints and faithful in Chrift Jefus, Eph. 1. 1. faints, and faithful brethren, Col. i. 2. a people that are all righteous, Ifa. lx.. and the whole fabrick of it glorious, Ifa. liv. 11, 12, 13, 14. The way of the houfe is a way of holinefs which the unclean fhall not pass through, chap. xxxv. 8. yea exprefly they are the fons, and daughters of the Lord God almighty, and they only, 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18. all others are excluded, Rev. xii. 27. It is true that oftentimes at unawares other perfons creep in into the great houfe of God; and fo there becomes in it not only veffels of gold and filver, but also of wood and clay, &c. 2 Tim. ii. 20. But they only creep in as Jude fpeaks, ver. 4. they have no right nor title to it.

2. The privileges of the house are fuch, as they will not fuit nor profit any other. To what purpose is it to give food to a dead man? will he grow ftrong by it? will he increase upon it? The things of the family, and houfe of God, are food for living fouls: now children only are alive, all others are dead in trefpaffes and fins. What will outward signs avail, if life and power be away. Look upon what particular you please of the faints enjoyments in the family of God, you shall find them all fuited unto believers: and being bestowed on the world would be a pearl in the fnout of a swine.

It is then only the fons of the family that hav

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