Bates - BT775 B274 1675

176 topannotivd t it thín 2tttttbut¢5, char. defcenfosinoPharaoh's Daughter , nto fcuetf al n in- nocent and forfaken Infànt from perifhing by the wa- ters, and adopt him to be her Son : but howmuch greater kinduefs was it for God to lave guilty and wretched Man from Eternal Flames, and to take him into his Family? The ambition of the Prodigal role no higher than to be a Servant; what an ineflimable favour is it to make us Children ! When God would exprefs the moll dear and peculiar affection to Solo- 3 Sam. 7. ç. mon, he faith, I will be his Father, andhe(hall be my son: this was the highell honour he could promife 5 and all believers are dignified with it. 'Tis the fame relation that Chrill bath : when he was going to Hea- ven he comforted his Difcipies with thefè words, I of tend to my Father andyour Father, to my God andyour God. There is indeed a diverlity in the foundation of it Chrifl is aSon by Nature, we are by weer Favour ; he is by Generation, we are by Adoption. Briefly, ye- fus Chrifí pathmade to Kings andPriefits unto Godand his Father: Thefe are the higheft Offices upon Earth, and wereattended with themoll confpicuous Honour ; and the Holy Spirit chofe thofe bright Images, to con- vey a clearer notice of theglory to whichour Redeemer path raifed us. Not onlyall the Crowns and Scepters in this perifhing World are infinitely beneath this dignity, but the honour of our innocent fiate was not equal to it. ,S'ec'ondly, The Gofpel is a better Covenant than that which was eflablifht with Man in his Creation: and the excellency of it will appear, by confidering, I. 'Tismore beneficial, in that it admits of Repen- tance and Reconciliation after fin, and accepts ofSince- rity inflead of PerfeLlion. The Apofllemagnifies the e eb, B. s. Office of Chrift, By howmuch he k a Mediator ofa bet- ter

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