310 TheSpirituallSonne /hip. fpeerhof God to Mali' asapart of Isis embaffagetoPbaraoh, Pfraelitanyfon; Exod,4,21. ec¢c.whichverypriuiledgePan1ca11ethby the nameofAdoptive . By it,isno e Rom, .4, other thing meant , but Gods choofing that people out of all nations under heauen,to behispeculiar people:whichalbeit it were an highfauour(theglo. ry whercofdid euea (lazle the des ofall theworld), yet, it was not properly a fpirituallbleffing,buta type&a fhadowof that Adoption which Paulcaíleth 1,02.1.43 the Adoptionoflinnet 1,, which is thatgraceof God, by which heis pleafed to takevs for his children inChrift,and tomake vs heires together with himof eternal! glory:and this is thatwhichSaint lobsfpeaketh of inthisplace:not of the firs kind, for fachwe cannotbe; not ofthe fecond, northird, norfourth; for,fo aremany the felinesofGod,which )hall not be failed. The fecond thing is,what it is,tobe called thefonnes ofGod.It mull not be fo taken as though this, ofbeing the fonsofGod, were a matter of titleone- ly withoutfubftance,aswhen a man bathaword ofrefpeflcall upon him,on- ly for complements fake: but, tobe called theEons ofGod,and tobe theCons ofGod,arehere all one: fo the Scripture fpeakethotherwhere ; Thatholy thing q Luket. ;1, whichfhall beborneofthee,fhall be calledtheformeofGodi.lr (hall be as it is called, and it firal be focalled as itis:andafter,Theuchild/halt be calledtheProphetofeha rVcrfy e Ilighe.le,&c.This thenis the fenfe:Beholdaridfee,and let vs enter into aferiotsmer Thu fonfo of ditation ofthispoint,what infiVite, andvaconceiwableIme theLord bath /hewedvs, the words,. that weeJisosid beehonouredbathwith thefubfiance andwith the titleofhisfosne+and daughters, adopted andchufen uneá himfelfe inChrifi%elm. The general! points Thupossiate which are firft,as lines tobedrowseforth, and then after to befeeout euery be handcicd. one withhis proper lliing,are thefe:Firft,that the flare ofGodsadoption is a glorious eftate.Secondly, that it is aneflate, ofwhich it is poffible for him that is inuefted into it,tobe affuied in hisown foule.Thirdly,thatit is anelate vnaltcrable.Faurthly,that the alone fpring andbeginning ofit is Godsbones My text is the ftocke,branching itfelfe intothefe foure: how the lifeofeach is deriuedthence,andwhatfruit groweth uponeuery one, for the refrelhingof our fpirituall man,I (hall (by Gods affiflance)letyou fee by courfe. 7lter.D.11. How the fire point is groundedupon this Scripture,appearesby the admi. ration, which the Apoftlebreakes out into, wondringat the infiniteneffeof . Gods mercy, who Ihould voihchfafevototheCosa of men Inchaprerogatiue, and prouokingotherto loyne with him therein , as though it werea matter ungular fromallexample; thatwe fhouldbe aduanced to fogreat an honour to be theSennes ofGod. See (faithhe) what an euidenceGodhark gturoofhis. loue, and confiderwe well,whetherany ofour thoughts be able ro compre. bend the hight,and length,and depth,and breadth thereof,thatwee, Caen we, the children ofwrath,theheires ofHell, andfonsofthe diuell,fhouldnowbe filed and entitùled the childrenofGod.Thusthe manneroftheApofiles fpea- king,who is likea man rauifht infpirit,and firucke withaftoni(hment; atthe beholdingofthis fauor,dothiuflifie my firficolleEtion touching the glory and dignityof adoption. Vpon thispoint my meaning is nowa little to infift, not outofany hope Ihaue to fetout at the fula benefit foineftimable(for the tongs* jt Cor. r3.1. ofmen r¢ angel+(cannot reach it)but out ofadelveComwhat to help your con- ceit,and tolet you fee(as GodPaid to Mofes ofhimfelfe) asit were the Back ,E.,43 3=3. parrs + of that,the perfefglory wherof,the dimneffe ofour minds,who(as the s+Cest.g.ta. Apoftle faith)edoefeebatin aglaf/edarkoy, be not able to behold. Forwhich caufeI will firftafireyou , that when I !hall haue laid all that poflibly can (knife touching it,I (hall be asfaire from,She infiniteneffeof the benefitIt felfe,aswhen I began lirflto declare it. xHeb. i,.,. I could ratify colle& even a cloud xofcircumflances for the enlarging the gloryand worth ofthiseftaté; I willreduce all to three heads, left by multi- plyingofpoints,I fhouldconfound your memories.Thefief is theexcellency Of
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