Of Adoption

Angels are called Sons of God, being made after his image, admitted into intimate familiarity with him, and having a kind of authority over inferior creatures, Job xxxviii. 7, and perhaps i. 6. ii. 1. But some take the two last texts to mean professed saints, as Gen. vi. 2. Mat. viii. 12. — In much the same respects, Adam was the Son of God, Luke iii. 38; but some apply that text to Christ, who is the Son of God by natural, necessary, and therefore eternal generation, Psalm

ii. 7. John i. 14. iii. 16. - Men are called sons of God, 1.

Because they are created and preserved by him, Mai. ii. 10. Acts xvii. 25, 28. Heb. xii. 9. 2. Because they represent him

as his deputies in civil government, particularly in that which was typical, Psalm lxxxii. 6. John x. 34 — 36. 3. Because of their peculiar relation to him, as his subjects or church members, Gen. vi. 2. Matth. viii. 12 Exod. iv. 22. Deut. xiv. 1.

xxxii. 10, 11. Rom. ix. 4. - Believers are sons of God in a

very exalted manner, 1. By their spiritual marriage-union with Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, Psalm xlv 10, 11. John i. 12. Exod. xxi. 9. 2 By regeneration, in which they

are spiritually begotten or born in his image, by the renew¬ ing power of his Spirit, John i. 12, 13. iii. 3, 5, 6. James i. 18. 1 Pet. i. 3, 23. ii. 2. 1 John iii. 9. v. 18. 3 By adop¬

tion, in which they who were by nature children of Satan, of disobedience, and of wrath, are, in consequence of the imputation of Jesus’ righteousness to them for their justification, admitted members of his family, by a concurrent and absolute¬ ly gracious act of God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, 1 John iii 1. Jer. iii. 4, 19. 2 Cor. vi. 18. Eph. i. 5. John i. 12. Rom. viii. 16. Gal. iv. 6.

All the elect, and they only, are in their respective times of love thus adopted, Eph. i. 5. Gal. iii. 26. — These under the Old Testament were God’s children, Job xxxiv. 36. Psalm ciii. 13. Isa. lxiii. 16. Jer. iii. 4, 14, 19. xxxi. 20; — by spiritual union to Christ, Hos. ii. 19, 20. Isa liv. 5. Psalm xlv. 9 — 14; — by regeneration, Ezek. xxxvi. 26. xi. 19, 20. Psalm li. 10; — and in respect of adoption and spiritual heir¬ ship, Gal. iv. 1. Psalm xvi. 5, 6. xvii. 15; — and as children they had fellowship with him, Gen. v. 22, 24. vi. 9. xv. 1. xvii. 1. Lam. iii. 24. Psalm lxxiii. 23 — 26, 28. cxliii. 10. Heb. xi. 10. — Their adoption was as perfect as ours under the gospel: — But the Lord used them as children under age. He prescribed to them their natural food, and what they might touch, Lev. xi. Deut. xiv. Col. ii. 21. He much concealed himself from them, Isa. xlv. 15. Matth. xiii. 17. The sacrificial tokens of variance between him and them, were yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily renewed. Canaan was but an obscure pledge of their heavenly inheritance; and, though never to forget it in their prayers, they were sometimes driven from it. - Under the New Testament, Christ, having as¬

sumed our nature, and paid our debt, sets us, his younger brethren, free from the legal ceremonies and the beggarly elements of this world, John viii. 32, 36. Col. ii. 16, 20. He calls them to more spiritual and reasonable service, Rom. xii. 1, 2. 1 Pet. ii. 5. Heb. ix. 10, 11. Mai. i. 11. Mat. xi. 30. Hos. xi. 4. He gives them more knowledge of, and intimacy with himself and his Father in him, Song viii. 1, 2. John i. 18. xiv. 9, 10. xv. 15. Jer. xxxi. 34. 1 John ii. 20, 27. Isa. liv. 13. xlviii. 17. Eph. ii. 18. iii. 12. 1 John i. 37. He allows them greater boldness in their approaches to God, and equal access to him from every part of the world, Heb. x. 19 — 22. iv. 14 — 16. vii. 19. xi. 40. John x. 7, 9. xiv. 6. Rom. v. 1, 2, 3. Eph. ii. 18. iii. 9, 12. Isa. xix. 19. xlv. 22. liv. 5. Psalm xxiv. 1. ii. 8. He bestows his Spirit upon them more abundantly, Rom. viii. 15 — 17. Gal. iv. 4 — 6. Isa. xliv. 3, 5. Joel ii. 28. Acts ii. 1 Cor. xii.; and calls them to more direct and immediate views of their spiritual inheritance, Luke xxii. 29.

Adoption into the family of God includes, I. Advancement to great honour. God, of his mere grace and love, reigning through the righteousness of Jesus Christ, translates us from the family of Satan into his own, in which we have him for our new-covenant Father, Christ, holy angels and saints for our spiritual brethren, 1 John iii. 1. Jer. iii. 19. John xx. 18. Rom. viii. 29. Heb. ii. 11, 12; and are God’s prophets, priests, fnd kings, anointed with the same Spirit as Christ, 1 John ii.

*20, 27. 2 Cor. i. 21, 22. 1 Pet. ii. 9. Rev. i. 5, 6. v. 10. - As

prophets, being enlightened in the knowledge of divine mysteries or even future events, Psalm xxv. 14. lxxiii. 24 — 26, 28. xliii. 5, we, 1. Openly confess Christ and his truths with our mouth, 2 Cor. iv. 13. Rom. x. 10. Matth. x. 32; enter¬ tain our neighbours with holy conference and spiritual instructions, Eph. iv. 29. vi. 4. Phil. ii. 16. Song iv. 11. v. 10 — 16. vii. 9; sing the praises of God, Eph. v. 19, 20. Col. iii. 16, 17. 1 Sam. x. 5. xix. 24, 25. 1 Chron. xxv. 1, 2, 5. 2. Study

an holy, instructive, and exemplary practice, Matth. v. 11. Phil. ii. 16. 1 Pet. ii. 12, 15. iii. 1. 3. Attest the truths of

God by our sufferings, Rev. ii. 10. Luke xiv. 26. Matth. xvi.

25. - As priests, we live in familiar fellowship with God,

and offer up spiritual sacrifices, intercessions, and worship to him, Rom. xii. 1, 2. Col. iii. 5. Heb. xiii. 15, 16. Phil. ii. 17. 2 Tim. iv. 6 Mai. i. 11. Rev. viii. 3, 4. 1 Pet. ii. 5. 1 Cor.

xv. 58. Heb. x. 25. xii. 28. - As kings, we have generous

and noble spirits. Psalm li. 12. Dan. v. 11, 12. Song i. 3. Zech. x. 3. 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18. Phil. iii. 8, 9. Heb. xi. 26, 27; possess royal treasures of God’s word and grace, Psalm cxix. 11, 72. Job xxiii. 12. Jer. xv. 16. James ii. 5; and are venerable before God and men, and dangerous to be injured, Isa. xliii. 4. xlix. 23. lx. 14. Song vi. 4, 9. Rev. iii. 9; and spiritually war with, and conquer sin and Satan, and rule the world and our own spirits, Gal. v. 17, 24. Eph. vi. 10 — 20. Rom. vii. 14 — 25. vi. 10 — 14. viii. 37. xvi. 20. Rev. xii. 11. 1 Cor. vi.

I, 2, 12. 1 John v. 4. Rev. ii. 26, 27. Isa. xlv. 11. Prov. xvi. 32.

II. Adoption includes God’s vouchsafing a right to all the privileges of his family. 1. A new name, Jer. xiv. 9. 2 Cor. vi. 18. Rev. iii. 12. Isa. 1 vi. 6. lxii. 12. 2. A new spirit of

adoption, the Holy Ghost to comfort and seal us up to the day of redemption, Rom. viii. 9, 15. Gal. iv. 5, 6. Eph. i. 13, 14. iv. 30. 2 Cor. i. 21, 22. v. 5. 3. His own fatherly sym¬

pathy, Psalm ciii. 13. Zech. ii. 8. Isa. lxiii. 4, 5, 7, 9, 15. 4. His fatherly protection, Prov. xiv. 26. 2 Chrorj. xvi. 9. Deut. xxxiii. 27 — 29. Isa. xlvi. 4. iv. 5, 6. xxvi. 20. Psalm cxxi. 2 — 8. xii. 1 — 3. Zech. ii. 5, 8. 5. The ministration of

angels to attend, guard, provide for, and direct us, Heb. i. 14. Psalm xx xiv. 7. 6. New-covenant provision of every

thing that can be useful to soul or body, Psalm xxxiv. 8 — 10. Mat. vi. 30 — 33. 1 Pet. v. 7. Phil. iv. 6, 19. Psalm lxxxiv.

II. lxxxv. 12. 7. Eatherly and kind correction, wisely ma¬

naged for our spiritual advantage, Heb. xii. 6 — 11. Prov. iii. 12. Psalm xciv. 12, 13. lxxxiv. 28 — 35. cxix. 67, 71, 75. Isa. xxvii, 9. Mic. vii, 14. Hos. ii. 14. Zech. xiii. 9. Rom. viii, 28.

2 Cor. iv. 17. 8. Unfailing establishment in this adopted

state, and all the happy relations included in it, Lam. iii. 31, 32. Psalm xxxvii. 24, 28. Jer. xxxii. 40. Rom. viii. 35 — 39. 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. 9. Spiritual freedom from the power of the

law as a broken covenant, and from the power of sin, Satan, the world, and death, — attended with a holy pleasure in serving God himself as our Father, John viii. 32, 36. 2 Cor. iii. 17. Hos. xi. 4. Gal. i. 4. iv. 4, 5. Psalm cxvi. 16. cxix. 32, 45, 166. 10. Filial boldness and familiarity with him,

as reconciled in Christ, Heb. x. 19 — 22. iv. 16. Job xxiii. 3. Psalm lxiii. 3 — 8. Song i. — viii. 11. Flis fatherly hearing, accepting, and answering our prayers which are presented in faith, Psalm lxv. 2. 1. 15. xci 15. cxvi. 4 — 8. xxxiv. 4, 6, 15. John xvi. 23, 24. Mat. vii. 7 — 11. Isa. lvii. 9. lxv. 24. 12.

His fatherly instruction and direction in spiritual things, and holy conversation, Isa. xlvii. 17. liv. 13. Psalm lxxiii. 23, 24. xxxii. 8. IIos. xi. 4. xiv. 2. Jer. iii. 19. Psalm xlviii. 14. 2 Thess. iii. 6. Prov. iii. 5, 6. 13. Fatherly comfort under

every adversity, 2 Thess. ii. 16, 17. 2 Cor. i. 3 — 19. Zeph. iii. 17. Jer. xxxi. 13, 14, 25. Isa. li. 7, 12. lxvi. 13, 14. lxv. 18, 19. lvii. 18, 19. 14. A full, free, and irrevocable right to all happiness in time and eternity, being heirs of promises, - — of righteousness, — of the grace of life, — of salvation, — of the world, — of the kingdom, — and heavenly inheritance, — nay, of God himself, Jer. iii. 19. Heb. vi. 17. xi. 7. i. 14. Psalm cxix. 111. 1 Pet. i. 4. iii. 7. Rom. iv. 13. James ii. 5. Rom.

viii. 17. Psalm xvi. 5, 6. lxxiii. 26. Lam. iii. 24. - Or, our

inheritance by adoption includes, 1. Our happy enjoyment of all tempoi’al good things, that is, our enjoying all that this earth can afford, in so far as it is for our real profit, and our tasting of God’s special love in it, 2 Cor. viii. 9. Psalm xxxvii. 16. Prov. xvii. 1; all creatures leading us to God himself as our Creator, Redeemer, and Father, Psalm civ. 24. xxxvi. 7. xcii. 4, 5. viii. 3, 4. cvii. 43. Hos. xiv. 9.

ii. 6, 7, 14; and under his directions, working together for our good, Rom. viii. 28. 2 Cor. iv. 17. xii. 7 — 10. Psalm xci. 11; — and the very earth being preserved and renewed for promoting our happiness, Isa. vi. 13. lxv. 8. Mat. xxiv. 22. 2 Pet.

iii. 10, 13. Isa. lxv. 17. lxvi. 22. 2. Our spiritual kingdom,

Luke xxii. 29. xvii. 20, 21; which includes our superior excellency among men, Psalm xvi. 3. Prov. xii. 26; our victory, triumph, and dominion over sin, Satan, and the world, Rom. vi. 14. xvi. 20. 1 John v, 4. Gal. vi. 14; our rich treasures of gifts and graces, Psalm xiv. 12 — 14. Rev. ii. 9. James ii. 5. Isa. liv. 11, 12; and our inward order, peace, purity, and joy ?n the Holy Ghost, Prov. xvi. 32. Rom. xiv. 17. 3. God

himself, as our ali, in all, Rom. viii, 17. Pslm xvi. 5, 6, m

lxxiii. 26. cxlii. 5. cxix. 57. Lam. iii. 24; our unfailing security against all evil, Psalm xxiii. xli. Isa. xliii. 1, 2. xli. 10, 14 — 16; our source and substance of all possible happiness, Psalm lxxiii. 25, 26. lxxxiv. 11. 1 Cor. xv. 28.

All the elect are chosen from all eternity to be adopted, and their names enrolled in the book of life, as future members of God’s family, Epb. i. 5. Rev. xiii. 8. Mat. xxv. 34. They are actually adopted in the moment of their union to Christ, and their regeneration after his image: — and faith, in so far as an instrumental cause, embraces and consents to God’s adopting act, as intimated in the heart-renewing truth of the gospel, Jer.

iii. 4, 19. John 5. 12, 13. Gal. iii. 26, 27. 2 Pet. i. 4. - It is

manifested by an holy and heavenly conversation, marking their likeness to God, love to him, and to his word, ordinances, people, and interests in the world, Mat. v. 44 — 48. Luke vi. 27 — 36. 1 Pet. i. 13 — 17. 2 Pet. i. 4 — 8. 1 John i, 1 — 5. And it will be publicly manifested in Christ’s acknowledgment of them as his brethren, at the last day, Mat. xxv. 34 — 40, 45.

Reflect. Hast thou, my soul, experienced the double change of thy state? Am I, that was once an enemy of Jesus Christ and his Father, now washed in his blood, and justified in his sight? Am I, that was so long a child of the devil, and an heir of hell, made a Son, an heir of God, and joint heir with Christ, and made light and love in the Lord? — God forbid, that I should dare to preach a free justification, of which my soul never felt the need, never received, never delighted in? — a gracious adoption, in which I have no share? - Perhaps, in no

lawful station do fewer experience these blessed changes than in that of preachers. — If men intrude themselves into, or even approach the sacred office in their pollutions, how often God con¬ signs them over to spiritual death, that all that they read, think, or speak of Jesus Christ, and his eternal salvation, tends to harden their own hearts? How often do preachers neither pray nor talk about divine things, especially if out of their public ministrations, with the delightful feeling or inward warmth of the private Christian! How often, by affecting-like descants upon the doctrines, offers, and influences of the gospel, they, like Judas, but in a more invisible manner, hasten themselves to the depths of hell! But, if I am justified and adopted, why do not I always believe, wonder at, and praise him for hisf love? Hath God, in me, shewn to what amazing length his love and grace can go? And shall not I love him, and live ter him, with all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my mind, and with all my strength? And shall not I count ail things but loss and dung to win him, and be found in him, and’ cheerfully contribute toil, expence, reputation, health, and eveir life, to win souls to him?