An Expo(ttion of the Epifile ~ tural Son, and we married unto him. And fo, when Sins arc by his Merits done Serm. VI, out of the way, then this comes to take place. And fo jullification is by ]11mus \/"V"'V rightly called Ilia .Adoptzo11is. . . . . . Now then, EleCtion that gave us R.elatton to Chnll, d1d put us mto lum, God chafe us in him. And then came Predellination, and gave us this Priviledge, Is Chrifr my Son ( fays God?) They /hall be my Sons too; they !hall be like him; Is he my Heir? They /hall be Heirs, and Co·heirs with him. And this may help tofolve that Qi,1eflion among Divines, whether Adoption, or Jufiification be the firfi benefit. For (I ~nfwer) that in God's intention of bellowing it from ever– Jailing in Predcllination, Adoption is the firll, as beiog founded upon our meer Relation to the Perfon of Chrill; and this, without tl1e conlideration of Merit. But for the aCtual bellowing it upon us, Pardon of Sius goes firtl. We are Re– deemedfrom under the Law, that we might recrive the .Adoptio~t of Soils; and that God might own us as fuch, fo Joh, I. I>· To as ma11y as 6elteved he gave thu 'Fnvilulgr, that theyJbould be the Som of God. Now, take notice of this difference, to fee your privilcdge yet fu rther, as you are in Chri(l. .Adamwas Created Holy, perfeCtly Holy; and Lukt 5· tilt. we read that he was the So" of God, but no where, that he was the Son ot God by Adoption through Chritl, In the 58. of Job, the Angels are called Mor11i11g Stars and Soils of God; but no where are they called fuch by Adoption through Chri!t. They were Sons indeed, prrgratiam Creatio1zis, becaufe God made them, and in his own likenefs, and fo, by Creation was their Father; but they are not Sons pergratiam Adoptionis, efpecially not in Chriflo, vel per Chri[/11m (as Di– vines fpeak,) they are not Sons by the grace of Adoption, nor Sons in Law of God by being married unto Chri!t. No, this is proper only to Believers. Now . confider the greatnefs of this Priviledge. What fays 'David, Is it a Jntatl thi11g to 6e So11 i11 Law to a Ki11g? You may haply be a King's favorite or Creature(as the term is) he may make you great; but to make you his Son in Law by Mar– riage of his Daughter, this is a further and more Royal Priviledge. The Angels are God's favorites and Creatures; he made them what they are: But we exceed them,we are his Sons,by being put into his SonChri!t,and by a relation to his per• [on. To which ofall the Angels hath itat any times been faid,you are Adopted Sons through Chrirl ? and which of them hath Chrift called Brethren ? I will not fay it is the meaning of that place, He6. 12. 1.2; (I-will but fuggeft it,) To11 are come ( fays the Apoftle,) to the Heavenly 1ert~Jalem, to a11 t1m11mera6/r compa11)' of .A11gels, to thegmerai.A!Jembly midChurch of the Firfl bonzthat are writ– tw i11 HMvm. Why are we called God's Firfl-bortJ, (for the Apofile feems to intend the Church of EleCt men as di(linCt from the Angels, for he nad mentioned them before,) but becaufe that as Jefus Chrift is called God's Firll-born compara– rively unto us, he being God's Natural Son; fo it may be that we are called God's Firfi-born in comparifon of the Angels, in regard that we have a higher privi– ledge of Sonfllip then they have ? For we are Sons through Chri!t. God hath prcdellinated us unto the Adoption of Sons through Chri(l, And fo I come to the rhird thing in the Ttxt. That as we are prede!tinated unto Adoption throttgb C..hri(l, fo alfo for Chri!t. So that Jefus Chritl is likewife the end which God fet up in prede(linating us to this Adoption and Glory, and to perfeCt holinefs. And this is the highe!t honour of the Lord Jefus ChriO:. It is ~]Joint of fome difficulty; and therefore I 1l101l fomewhat the longer infift upon lt. The meaning ofit is this; God having a Natural Son, the fecond perfon in the Trinity, whom he would make vilibly glorious in an Humane Nature, . througl1 an union of it with this Divine Nature, or fecond perfon; which Humane Nature lhould by that union become his Natural Son, Now upon the glorifying this fe– cond perfon did God's Decree primarily pitch, and for his greater glory, ordained us to be Adopted Sons through him, and as Brethren unto him; for, 1l10uld he be alone? No, God will have his Natural Son,to have fellows; and therefore he predetlinateth othersfor him, to be his Companions; Thus Pfat. 45'· 7· they are called;God( faith the Pfalmi!t untoChrift,)hat!> azwi11tedthee abovt thy [ fel– lows] or Peers. As Zach. q. 6. The Man Chri!t Jefus is calledGod's fellow. So in this Pfalm we are calledChrifl's fellows. And therefore God hath predeftinated ~ .
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