1 372 `TheSpiritual!Sonne -/hip. come the formesofGod?All there thingswell confidered, well maywe won- der at this myfiery,and cry out withourApoflle , Beholdwhat lour the Father bathPoredvs,thatweefhoteldbecalledtheSonnesofGod, When wee regaleali Ito. ties, and examine and viewall examples amen, whichhate fanor to bale and wretched andvnworthy perlons ; we may in theend conclude after Ionic fuchmaner asSalomon dothtouching the vertuous woman,Many Dategh. .x Prou.; r.ty ters haledonefaithfally,but thoufxrmotentef{themall.: fo,many menhawdealt cone. pafomuelyyeahFelineof littledefert,bm tbou(O God)baflfurmounted themall.1 am networthsy to be SaltedthySonae(faid the Prodigal!) make me asone of thy hired fer. yLuh.tf,r9. + aau+ tsl.Tobecome Sonnesthen, wasmore then we couldhaue hopedfor,more thenwe might haue daredor prefumed to delire. Well mightithaue ben for vs to have hadthe bafelf office in Gods houle : but this loue, to beeSonnes, whocanfadomeit? Well may wee admire it, but Cure wecannot exprefleir. I remember the (perch of t *(epbibofbrtb to King Dauid, All my Fathers beufe werebutdeadmtnbefare sus) Lord the King yet diddefl thoufee thy reraaat a nusatu,sy,aj, wagthemthat dideweat thawwine tableo. phis was loue indeed; yet wasnot Mophtbathetbmade aSome. God bath done this forvs, 'which he did for tíTle, aEphes.t: phibo/hetb.. Wewere all deadobeforehim, yet he bath aduanced vs euen tofit bLuk13sy. at tables',hie Kingdoms b, butnow not au guells, but is Sonnes, euen asOliste plants, not to beeremoued. When Dauid fent Mcffengers to Abigail, Na_ bale widow,to treateabouta marriagebetwixthim andher, Asarofe(faith the Text)andbowedherfelfe snherfaceta theearth, andfail, Behold, let thineband s t Sä, sf. at; maidebe a fermata ro wafh thefeet of theferments ofmyLord : as iffhee hadPaid ; what I,kiewife, make me ratherhisdrudge. Thusfpakefhee in humility,compa. ring hereflatewith Deltoids. When the Miniftryof theWordreports tovs, in thename ofGod, the purpofe ofGodto Adopt vs, and to makevs his Some, well may wee call dowse our(clues andfay,Nay,let vsbe honoured fomath asto beattendantsview Godt chtleiren,vnworthy weare to be SonsendSlaughtersour(glues. Thus haueI labouredrocleric this point alfo,that inour adopted ellate,there is nothing tobefees butLone,yea,fuch Lots asChrifl fpeaketh of,greater thew dIoh.if.t; which,noman hatb4. The s,Vft, We doe hencefirflgatheraconfirmat ionofthetitrerpofnts ,whichhauehi- thertobeen fpoken of:for firil,IsAdoption a fruit ofGods Loue, how then can it chufebutbe excellent/Hove can any bate thing driveit felfe from foworthy abeginning? Secondly,isit loue inGod thatbathcalled meout to be hisSong Surely then I mull steeds perceiue irthow is it poffible that I f could be beloued ofGod,and yetnot know it ? Thirdly, is GodsLoue the foundation ofthis e- ffate? Then ir mullneeds br vnchangeable5 for withhim there inno colour of alteration.Sothat we may briefly make this firfivfe ofthisDo&rive, euen to flablifh our feInes byitinall tlofeDoftrines whichwe haue heard out ofthis Text. Adoption,ifit be, (asit is) an efkEi ofGods luise, then it is admirable, then is itperceiueable,then is it alfovnchangeable. Behold (faith SJames) bow aoossi bttltelfie marddletb, :Sofa I, Beholdhowflrongaproofefor threewon' The 2.Yfe. Seçondly,of thisDoltrineI may fay as naiaddidofggsliahs [word, Therese fr Samsr,v, 'metaitr,for thequelling and difcomfiture oftwo grand-t =ones ofgodlines; x.Popery: x.The pride ofmansvnreformed and vuconuertedheart. Touching Popery, all theDoftrine therein touching the concurrenceofmans free-will, with theoffers ofGods grace,concerning workes going beforetoprepare to grace,concerning merits enfuingtoperfitit,and to increafe it,isby this-wholly oherthrowne. For in a matter fowholly expounded of Gods free loue, as is theBateof theadopted,it is vnpoflï blethere fltould ereepe in any thing,iffuing out ofthe nature ofMan,(ashis owre)to be tempered with it.Ifwe fpeake of men already adoptcd,trueitis,thatto themGods lose is either reffrained or improued w,
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