opted of God, he has them all for brothers and fifters; and fo there is a special love among them, as betwixt the children of one family, 1 John iii. 14. Nay, they are in the same relation to the faints in heaven, and incorporated with them, Heb. xii. 23. Though they are very far above us, yet we are children of God as well as they, as the little ones are as truly of the family as the fons of perfect age; and as that part of the family that dwells in the lower rooms, as well as those that are advanced to the higher.

This is that glorious number the adopted are received into, with these they are counted. All these have one and the fame Father, God, John xx. 17. the fame elder brother, Chrift; and do all make up one family, whereof the elder brother is the head, whofe head is God.

USE. Sue for this adoption, and for being received into this number; and for this caufe come out from among the world lying in wickedness, and be ye feparate. There is a feaft before us made for the children. It is a fad token for people never to partake of the childrens bread, but ever to ftand at a distance, as ftrangers to the family: and what concern can there be in the fpirits of thefe for the privileges of God's invisible family, that have no concern for the privileges of his vifible family on earth? On the other hand, it is dangerous to intrude among the children, while one is not of the family; to come in among the children of God at the Lord's table, while they are not come out from among the children of Satan.

This adoption is in your offer. Ye that are of the black number this day, may be received into this number fo honourable and glorious. If ye believe thefe things, they cannot but move you to come away, and join yourselves to the household of God.

SECONDLY, They get a right to the privileges of the fons of God. Thefe are great privileges, even agreeable to the dignity of the family they are taken into.

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fhall lay these before you, to move you to feek to par take of this benefit.

1. A new name, Rev. ii. 17. & iii. 12. God's name is put upon them; and what is that, but as it is in the text, their old name is for ever laid afide; they are no more called children of the devil, but the fons and daughters of God. They are called of God fons and daughters, Heb. xii. 5. Let the world call them what names of contempt they will, God will call them by most endearing and honourable names, as his treasure, Exod. xix. 5. his jewels, Mal. iii. 17. See the whole Song of Solomon.

2. The Spirit of adoption, Rom. viii. 15. That is the Spirit of the family of heaven, a noble and gene rous fpirit, a Spirit of love to God and confidence in him as a Father. Hereby they are enabled to call God Father, and that is more worth than a thousand worlds. The reft of the world may call him Lord, the hypocrite Mafter; but the believer may call him Father, at all times, in all the changes of his difpenfa tions; for Abba is a word that, read it backward or forward, is ftill the fame. He difowns others pretences to this, John viii. 41. 44. but he preffes it on and teaches it his own, Jer. iii. 4. Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father?

3. Access to God and communion with him. They may come farther in than others, come forward with holy boldness, when others must stand aback, Eph. ii. 12. God as a Father is familiar with his chil dren, allows them a holy confidence with him, as children to pour their complaints into his bofom, and tell him all their wants. And never did a father take fo much delight in the talking of his child to him, as God in the prayers of his people poured out, by virtue of the Spirit of adoption, Prov. xv. 8. Cant. ii. 14

4. Special immunities and freedoms. King's chil dren have great immunities, Matth. xvii. 26. but God's children the greatest of all. While others are con

demned men, flaves, fervants at beft; the children are free. They are freed from the law as a covenant of works, the yoke wreathed about all others necks. Others must work for their living, and muft die, if they cannot gain life thereby: but their life is given them without it, as children. They are free from the curfe, which is clapt on others, upon every breach of the law, Gal. iii. 10. but their breaches may bring on them a cross, but by no means a curfe, ver. 13. They are free from the burt of every thing in the iffue, Luke x. 19.; while others are liable to be worfted by the best things, they fhall not be fo, Rom. viii. 35. 38. 39. but bettered by the worst of things that befal them, ver. 28.

5. God's fatherly love and pity. The little children, while in this world, are liable to many infirmities, and he diftinguishes their weaknefs from wickedness, and pities them, Pfal. ciii. 13. And the elder brother is touched with a feeling of them, Heb. iv. 15. No bowels are fo tender and lafting as God's towards his children; no mother fo tender of the fruit of her womb as God is of his children, If. xlix. 15. When he corrects them, he does it with a fatherly reluctance, Lam. iii. 33. When he gives them a frown or a rough word, his bowels yearn towards them, and their relentings go near his heart, Jer. xxxi. 20. His anger is foon over, in comparison of the cloud of wrath that abides on others, though they are ready to look on it as a kind of eternity; but his returning mercies are lafting, If. liv. 8. And from this pity many times he fpares them, when otherwife they would heavily fmart, Mal. iii. 17.

6. Protection, Prov. xiv. 26. They are in danger while they are here, from the devil, the world, and the flesh; in danger by temptations to fin, by calamities; but God fets a hedge about them, which neither devils nor their agents can break over, but as he opens a gap by his permiffion for their trial, Jobi. 10. In all cafes they have a Father to run to, both able VOL. II.

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and willing to protect them, Pfal. xc. 1. When they fall into the hand of their enemies, they are mercifully delivered, and never left with them, Pfal. xxxvii. 14. And at length he will fet them beyond all danger, Rev. xxi. 25.

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7. Provifion, 1 Pet. v. 7. He provides for their fouls, Pfal, lxxxiv. 11. And fince he is the God of the whole man, he provides for their bodies too, both food and raiment, If. xxxiii. 16. Matth. vi. 30. 32. Come what will, God's children fhall be provided for; for he that feeds his birds the ravens that cry, will not ftarve his children. Though he will not make provision for their lufts, he will make provision for their neceflities, Pfal. xxxvii. 3.

8. Seafonable and fanctified correction. What is a proper punishment and a fign of wrath on others, is a privilege to them, Heb. xii. 6. It is a fpecial benefit of the covenant of grace, proceeding from God's fatherly love, Pfal. lxxxix. 30. 31. 32. Some fmart more for a whorish look after an idol, than others 'for giving themfelves a full fwing in their evil way; fome more for deadnefs and indifpofition in prayer, than others for neglecting it altogether, c. For a fmall fault in a child whofe education the father has a peculiar concern for, will be more feverely checked than a greater in a stranger.

9. Lastly, An inheritance and portion, according to their Father's quality. They are heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Chrift, Rom. viii. 17. So all is theirs, grace and glory. Their portion will never fail, but tell out through eternity, when the portion of worldly men fhall be at an end, I Pet. i. 4. Their Father gives them of his moveables, as he fees meet; but their inheritance is not moveable, Heb. xii. 28.

THIRDLY, The next thing is to fhew the properties of this adoption.

1. It is a precious and coftly relation. There was a price, a great one, paid to inftate the finner in this

privilege. What the chief captain faid to Paul in another cafe, With a great fum obtained I this freedom, Acts xxii. 28. a child of God may fay concerning himself, though he paid not that fum himself, Gal. iv. 4. 5. The Son of God, Chrift, bought them by his obedience and death. That is the price of our adoption.

2. It is a high and honourable one, John i. 12. As low as we naturally are, adopting grace raifeth us to the highest pitch of honour we are capable of; to be brethren of angels, yea of Chrift, and the children of God. Seemeth it a small thing to you to be fon-in-law to a king? faid David; but how much more to be the fons and daughters of the King of heaven?

3. It is freely beftowed, Eph. i. 5. There is nothing in the adopted naturally, more than in the rest of their natural father's houfe, to move God to pitch on them rather than others, fo that it is free grace merely that makes the difference. Neither birth, nor beauty, nor parts can be here alleged, Ezek. xvi, Neither was it from indigence, as among men, that God adopted any of the children of men, but from his own bountiful nature not to bring any addi tional pleasure or comfort to himfelf, for he needs none; but to make them partakers of his goodness.

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4. Lastly, It is a never-failing relation. Once a child of God, ever fo, 1 John viii. 35. If a child wander from his father's houfe, he will be fought and brought back again; fo the children of God fhall perfevere in the ftate of grace. A fervant of the houfe of heaven may be turned out of doors, and quite leave their Mafter, 2 Pet. ii. 1, yea a natural fon may alfo perifh or be loft. So Adam was turned out, fo the fallen angels never recovered. But God's adopted children can never fall totally away, Pial. Lxxxix. 30-34.

Usa I. of information. Is adoption into God's

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