Ver.I7. the 8th Chapter to the R. OMAN S. 175 r. The Dignity inferred, is, that we are Heirs. The Inheritance belonging to Chil- dren jure nafeendi 5 all Children are not neccffarily heirs, but only males, and among them the firít born ; but jure Adoptionis, they that are Adopted, are adopted. to Come In- heritance; fo here if Children, then heirs : be they Sons or Daughters, begotten to God sooner br later, Male are Female ;are all one in Christ, Gal. 3. I a. they are not debarred from the Inheritacce. 2.The amplification of it 5 Or the greatnefs and excellency of this Inheritance, in two ex- preftions, Heirs of God, and joint heirs with Chrift. The fink exprefffon hightens the priviledge in our thoughts, as the party adopting is, fo is the priviledg more or less glorious in our thoughts. Adoption is, in all free, and in force glorious. If a mean man adopt anothers child, 'cis an at of free favour; but if adopted to a great Inheritance, fuppofe many Lord (hips, or to the fucceffion of a Crown, it doth inhaunfe the-benefit. So here, this giveth a right to the everlal},ing goods of the Heavenly Father. Secondly, The other ppreffion,joint heirs with Chrifi. This Heritage giveth us a Communion with the onl`ybegotten, Son of God : what the Son of God by Nature injoyeth, that the Children of God by Adoption injoy alto, fa far as they are capable ; we together with Chrisk injoy God for evermore. He is his God, and Father, and our God and Father ; John 20. 17. he is glorified, and we are glorified together with him. 3. 'Tit applied as acomfort againfi adverfeies and afflictions; if fo be that we flier with him, that we may be alf glorified together. The latter clause we may look upon as pro- pounded, 1. As a conceffion, 2. As acondition, accordingly as we translate the particle ;MP seing that, or if fo be. t. A concejfon ; seeing that we fuf r with him, that we may be glorified together. Tho .we (hall hereafter have Communion with Christ in Glory, yet for the prefent we may have Communion with him in afflictions ;this doth not infringe our priviledg,but confirm it rather, I Pet. 4. 13. Rejoice, in as much as ye are partakers of Cbrifis fuferings; that when his glory pall be revealed ye may be glad with exceeding joy. Thofe that fùfler for Chrift, do alto fuffer with Christ; they are brought into a nearer conformity to him in his (rate of humiliation, that afterwards they may be conformed to him in Glory. 2. In the way of condition. We mull fubmit to the condition of afitiions as neeffary to obtain glory ; for there mutt be ftriving before crowning, 2 Tim. 2. g. If a man firive for mafieries, yet he is not crowned except he firive lawfully; that is, if any man would en- ter into the lifts in any of the Olimpick Games, he mutt observe the rules in running,cut- tíog,"wrettling, &c. He mull fubmit to the laws of the Game, of Exercise : He applieth this similitude, v. 12. If we flier with him, we /hall reign with him ; That is, we mutt Puffer for Chrift, and we taall be rewarded with the participation of his Glory ; fo here, we would all have our priviledges ; but before we injoy the full of them, we mull be conformed to him, fuffer for him, and with him; that in imitation of our head and chief, we may come to glory the fame way that Chrift did, by sufferings, Heb. 2. IO. For it became him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many fans unto glory, to make the captain of their falvation perfect through Hering. But you will fay,All are not called to the afietions of the Gofpel; is this condition indilpenfible? then none but Martyrs are glorified ? Anfwer, 1. All have not Abels Crofs, do not run the hazard of their lives but ufually they will have Isaacs Coot's, Gal. 4.29. He that was born after the flesh, perfecuted him that was born after the fpirit. Meaning thereby thofe cruel mockings add fcoffings which Isaac indured from IJhmael, Gen. 21. the Children of God living upon an unseen God, and an unseen world, fenfual men mock at their interest in God, and labour to flume them from their confidence in promises yet to come. 2. Tho all fur not, yet all muff be prepared, and contented to suer, Math. 16. 24. Then faid Jefs unto his dif iples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himflf, and talle ap, his croft and follow me: God knoweth at what rate our fincerity mutt be tried; yet every one thould make Christ a good Allowance: and our alienation from the world mutt be fo great, and our refignation to God fo full, that nothing we enjoy here, not life its fell, may be an impediment to our fidelity to Chrift. 3. When God feeth it fit, we muff actually fiffer the loss of all things, and obey God at the deareft rates, a Pet 3. 17. If the will of God be fo, that ye (hall filler for well doing ; afirmativa precepta non ligant ad femper; affirmative., precepts do not bind at all times, as negatives do.. We mutt never do any thing againfi the Truth, but we are not always tied to Inhering; but when we come a neceffrty of either fuffering or fin- , ning,
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