V. VI. QueJ1ions,andCafes ofCanfcienceabout4doption. Chap.; If we confider the great things we are heires to, we (hall inherit the earth, Mat. 5.5. be heires ofthe world,Rom. 4.I 3. yea, we (hall inherit eternal life yea, we are co-heires with Chrift, Rom. S. 57. Ifwe confider the great priviledges which Gods adopted children enjoy in this life, which are l I. They have Chrifts fpirit in their hearts, called therefore the fpirit of Ado-. ption, Rom. 8. 15, 16. Gal. 4.6. this drives away all legal terrors, and teflifies to them that they are the adopted fons of God,enables them to pray with bold- nefle, and to call God Father : leads them into all truth, &c.7o1,4 16.13. Ifa. 30.21. 2. By the right of their Adoption in Chrift, both their perlons and works arc accepted with God : fo that they are Gods Favourites, what entertainment fo- ever they have in the world, Eph. a. 6. 3. They havean honourable and everlaffingname : fo that no preferment is like theirs, Ifa. 56. 4) 5. 4. They have Gods Angels to attend them, Heb. I.ult. 5. They may ask whatfoever they will of God, and are fure to have it : yea, he complaines that they will not ask enough , and oft enough, John 16. 23. 6. When theyfall into difireffe, they have fuch intereff in Gods fpecial Pro- vidence, that an haireof their heads fhall not fall to the ground without ir. Betdes, God will makehimfeif marvellous intheir deliverance,when all world- ly meansfail; Ifa. 43.18, 59, 20,21. Ifwe confider the wonderful manner of theircommunionwith Chrifi, and that foure wayes. 1. Hereby we have communion of nature with him by his Incarnation,where- by he became our brother : yea, we havecommunion with him in his divine na- ture, 2 Pet. I.4. z. We have communion of flare with him, which the Scripturecalls a great myftery : for fowe are faid to live withhim, todie with him, to fullerwith him, to be buried withhim : yea, to rife and afcend with him, and to fir with him, eph. 2. 6. only preferving the difference between the head and the members in all this. 3. We have communion of offices with him : For he bath made us Kings, and Prieftswith him, Rev. a . 5, 6. IPer. 2.9. 4. Wehave communion in benefits with him : For God our Father hath bleffed us in him with all fpiritual bleffings inheavenly things, Eph.a.3. Com- munion we have with him in grace in this life, and in glory in the life to come. If weconfider the affurance that we have given usfor the right of Adoption. For, a. We have an A& for it in Gods eternal counfel, Eph. a. 5. we are prede- flinated toAdoption. z. Yea, we have Gods oath for it, that by thefe two immutablethings the heires ofPromife might have abundant confolation,, Heb. 6. 17i1S. 3. Godbath put his Spirit into us as the fcal and earneff of our inheritance, Eph. I.13i14. Que./. What kindeof perfons muff we t'e to attain to this adoption? anfw. 1. VVe muff have a true juflifying faith, ]ohn 1. rz. as we faid be- fore. Wemuff look to thefound mortificationof the flefh, Rim. S. 53. For none can inherit, but fuch as overcome their corruptions, rev. We mull forfake all needleffe fociety, and familiarity with the wicked, and take heedofbeing corruptedwith the fins of the times, 2 Cor. 6. 57, I S. We
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