to ihe E P H E S I A N S. frailty that befel him in his way to Heaven, (wherein yet in another fenfe, he is ~ a Pattern rous, in regard of the meafure of Affi1:':l:.ons w terem he exceeded; J'erm. VC: and therefore we are faid to be conformed to h1m 111 {iiffer:ngs ; yet I fl'eak in ~ refl etl: of what was the confideratton upon wh1ch Gods ordJ1nmg ot Chrill: unfo affiitl:ion and frailties was fir(!founded,and that was, becaufe we had finned and became frail; and fo fora(m11ch M we. pczr.took of fiejh m:d blood, he took 1 , 1 of the r; 1 mr.) But take Ch.nfl as no# m l11s glory , and mvefled wtth all b.is P:iviledges as he is the Son of God, and as perk:l:ly holy, &c. and thus he is our Pattern. ' We are !IOW the Sons of God(faith the Apoflle,) but it appears ot wh.·lt we/bcllt be; but this we k11ow, we jh.1fl 6: [t1ke him] whm he jha!t ~pperJY. I could ampl1fie this unto you in the firfl and fecond Adam's con– formityone to the other, from that place I Cor.• )·49· As we are conformed to the image of the ftr.fl A dam; he wasearlht)i,and. we are earthly; fo we are to be conformed to the image ofthejeco11d .Adam; he IS heczvmt)i, and fo are we to be, And as Chrifl wa. thus [et up by God, as our P tllter?l and Exemplar in our Predeflination : So ' 2 , He was fet up as the Mea11s or Virt11at Caufe throttgh whom, (that is, by vertue of whom) God would adopt us by Union with him. Jefus Chrifl: ( yon know) is himfelf God's Natural Son ; but how/hall we come to be Sons? Thus God puttet!J us into Chrift, he chooleth us to be 111 Chnfl, to be marned to h1m 1 ' and he betrothed us to him from everlafling; (for Jefus Chrifl then betrothed himfelf unto us, when in Eletl:ion he undertook for us with his Father,) and fo we become Sons in Law unto God. So that Jefus Chrifl is the Inflrument or ra– ther virtual caufe by, or through whom God makes us fons. Even as a Woman comes to be a Mans Daughter in Law, by Marrying his Son, or by his Sons, Be– trothing himfelf to her. So are we Sons in Law unto God 1 (as the word [Adop" tio 11 ] plainly fignifieth,) even by a pofitive Law; and this by Marr.iage with his Son which mak<s the Relation nearer and fl:ronger then thofe lund of Adop· tio;s among Men do, when Marriage with a Child i• not added to it. Now, Huwis th1s being Adoplfd througb him to be tmder.flood? Of bei11g 111 adeJons tbrortgh his Merits, or through the mere Retatio11 to hi4Perfim?, I anfwer? Through the Relation Whis perfon, and Chrifl: his being a Son. I am (in this) of Learned Mr. For6's his mind; That Adoption as Primitively it was in Predeftination befiowed upon us, was not founded upon Redemption, or Chrifl:'s Obedience; but on Chrill:'s perfonally being God's natural Son. Our . Juflification indeed IS built upon his Obedience and Sufferings, as verfe 7· hath it; i11 whom we have.Rednt~ption.'eve;' the forgivme(s of J'iTJs [through his Blood,] But our Adoptton IS through h1s bemg the natural Son of God, arrd we his Bre· thren in Relation to his Perfon. To explain this; God ordained us to commu• nion and fel\owfhip with Jefus Chrifl in all things, fo I Cori11thimzs , . g; and fo to l'artakcof all his dignities,a_nd whatever elfe in him we were capable of; at ofall th1ngs m h1m, fo ltkew1fe thmgs even as they are m lum; both in refpetl: oforder; that in that order they are in him; are they alfo intended unto us; and alfo in fuch manner as that wh1ch is bcftowed on us cloth anfwer to what is ia him, and hkewife in refpetl: of caufation, that any thing which we haveanfwering unto what is in him, is flill founded upon that which is in Chrifl: anfwering rhereunto. Now, as this Priviledge , to be the natural Son of God, was firfl: in Chrifl himfelf. and was the foundation of Merit in him. So this grace to be God's Adop• ted Son, is firfl intended and founded upon his being God's natural Son; and rhen after that was intended, what is the fruit of Chrifi's Merit namely Jufiificatiort founded upon his obedience. ' Only let m.e add this caution; That we having indeed loft all our Priviledges, Clmfl: was lam to purchafethem anew. And fo indeed 'tis true, that Adoption and all the refi are the fruits of his Merits, as atl:ually they come to be beflowed, Therefore the Aponle Galat. 4• ). faith, that He redeemedt~s, [ that we nnght r:wve the Adopt1o11 of So1JS,]mark the Phrafe; [that we might [recen. ] 11/.op– tzoll.] Our Sms and Bondage under the Law and Curfe of it'were an Obflacle ~ndimpedimentwhyGodcould notatl:ually befl:ow Adoption; . And fo indeed 1t IS true, that our rece1vmg Adoption depends upon Redemption; yet frill in– tended lt was, and founded upon our Relation to Chrifi's Perfon as he is God's Na• M tural
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