Ver. e 7. the 8th Chapter to the R O M AN S. 179 fuch whole fins are expiated, can be heirs ; and yours could not be expiated without the death of the Mediator. Therefore take away this death. and there can be no new ,covenant, no inheritance : this death fatisfied the juftice of God, and merited his fa. you! Again,, we are purchafed : tho it be not laid Heaven is purchafed, Eph. 2. 14. Once more, 'tis laid he gave him[l , Eph. S. 25, 26, 27; all the benefits depend on the Blood of Chrift; and t Thef 5. 9. ro. Far God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtainfalvation by ourLord 7efus Chriú, who died for us, that whether we male er fleep, we Jhould five together with him. The price of this purchafe then is Chrift, is Chrifis death and blood. Chrift having purchafed it,hath left it in Iegacy,John i 7. 24. . Father, I will that thofe thou haft given me,may be where I am: Luke 2 2. 22. This is the new teflament in my blood, which is flied for yon. What are the Lagacies ? Pardon andlife,Matt.26.28,2g.and Chriftliveth for ever to be Executor of his own Teftament. Heb.7: 25. We then Adopted Believers, are deligned heirs of falvation, and eternal Glory, out of meer grace, not out of any merit of ours. 2. It informeth us, That it is a fate way upon the obfervation of the faving teas cf Gods fpirit in ourfelves, to conclude that we are in an elate of grace, even the adopted children ofGod; for fo doth the Apoftle reafon in this place ; They are children of God ;how' is it known ?by the work and witnefs ofthefpirit within us; thence we con - clude, if foils, then heirs 5 the like, Gal. 4. 6. Becaufe ye are foes, he bath Pent forth the fpirit of his fon, crying. Abba father. Whereforethou art no more a fervant,but a fan; and if a foe, ib n an heir of God, through Chrzff. W hich.teacheth us how to come to conclu ion in foul- debates. Have Í a child-like inclination, and fence and confidence that God hath adopted me into his favour, and have the fanaifying of the fpirit upon my heart ? I maybe bold then to entes my daim. 3. It Informeth us,That the priviledges of believers are fo linked together,that where one of thee, is, there are all the refl. Therefore if we injoy one, then we muff coiled and infer that the refit do belong to us alfo; If fons,we muff not rea there,then heirs,beiri'of God,and joint heirs with Chrifl.One link ofthe golden chain,draweth on another; there is a great deal of profit in their colle &ions and inferences ; our minds are ufually taken up with trifles and childifh toys ; Curtly the priviledges ofa Chriftian are not fo much confidered as they fhould be. The benefit of it is this, partly, it keepeth our hearts in-a way of praifing God, and conifant rejoicing in God ; if we did more confider the excellency of otír Inheritatine, r Pet. t. 3, 4. Rleffed be God, who haste begotten us to a lively hope, to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled. Our thoughts are too dead and cold, till we revive the memory of our excellent priviledges by Chrift. Partly, as it keepeth us in a confiant and cheerful adherence to the truth, what ever it colt us ; ívp flight all temporal things, how grievous.or troublefome fo ever they be,Rom. 8. 184-0. I reckon that ILetofferings of the prefect life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that fball be revealed in us. Rom S. 3. We glory in tribulation, as knowing that tribulation worketh patience. Partly, To help us to defpife the pleafures of fin which are but for a feafon, while eternal things are in view, 2 Cor. 4. 18. While we look not to the things which are feen, but to the things which are not feen : for the things which are Peen are temporal : but the things which are not feen,are eternal. And Partly, ro digeft the labours of duty and,obedience, all the pains of the Holy Life, 2 Cor. S. 9. Wherefore we labour, whetter prefect abfent, that we may be accepted of the Lord. What [hall we not do for fuch a Father, that bath provided fuch an inheritance for us, that we may injoy him, and be'aceepted with hits ?Therefore we (hould flock our minds with thefe thoughts. . 4. That we fhould not pellicle our elate, becaufe we are under grievous preffures and aflliaions. For the words are an anticipation of an objeaion, If Sons of God and Heir; of Glory,why are we then fo afiered ?be inverteth theArgument,Tou are fo afflieted,that you may have the inheritance. 'Tis rather an evidence of our right, than an infringe- ment of it, efpecially tf patiently endured for Gods fake, teeing thereby you are con- formed to the Son by nature, Rom. 8. 29. He bath predeßinated us to be conformed to the image of his fon. We have communion wich Chrift and his Sufferings; and if we be like him in his eftate of Humiliation,we (hall b "e like him in his eflate of Exaltation alto. 2. U $ E is Exhortation. t. To bilizve this'ble/eed inheritance which is referved for the children of God. 'Tis á,great happinefs, but let not us therefore fill-pea the truth ofit; for 'tis founded in the infinite mercy of the eternal God, and the everlalling merit of a bleffed Redeemer; And we are prepared and qualified for it by theAlmighty Opera- ¡ion of the conqueridg fpirit ; 'cis an happinefs that lieth in another world, and we cannot, came at it but by death : Bat is therewo life beyond this ? Where then (hall $Z2 the
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