each PERSON dJ1ZnEly. 357: family, he is not adopted. He is not to have the plea of the molt remote poffobility of fuccellion. 3. That there be an authoritative legal tranflation of him, by fome that have, power thereunto, from one family into another. It was not by the law of old, in the power of particular perfons, to adopt when, and whom they would. It was to be done by the authority of the fove- reign power. ç. That the adopted perfon be freed from all the obligations that be upon him unto the family, from whence he is tranflated, other- wife hecan be no way ufeful, or ferviceable unto the family, where- into he is engrafted, he cannot ferve two matters, much lefs two fathers. 5. That byvirtue of his adoption, he be invefted in all the rights, privi- leges, advantages, and title to the whole inheritance of the family into which he is adopted, in as full and ample manner, as if he had been born a fon therein. Now all thefe things and circumftances do concur, and are found in the adoption of believers. a. They are by their own original right of another faipily, than that whereinto they are adopted. They are by nature the children of wrath, Eph. ii. 3. fons of wrath, of that family whofe inheritance is wrath ; cal- led the power of darknefs, Col. i:. 13. For from thence doth God tranflate them into the kingdom of his dear fon. This is the family of the world and of fatan, of which by nature believers area Whatever is to be inherited in that family ; as wrath, curfe, death, hell, they have a tight thereunto, neither can they of themfelves, or by themfelves get free of this family, a ftrong man armed, keeps them in fubjeftion. Their natural &rate is a family condition, attended with all circumftances of a family ; family duties and fervices ; rights and titles ; relations and obfervances. They are of the black family of fin, and fatan. 2. There is another family whereinto they are to be tranflated, and whereunto of themfelves, they have neither right nor title. This is that family in heaven and earth, which is called after the naine of Chrift, Eph, iii. 15. The great family of God, God loath an houfe, and family for his children, of whom, force he maintains on the riches of his grace, and force he entertains with the fulnefs of his glory. This is that houfe whereof the Lord Chrift is the great difpenfer, it having plea- fed the father to gather in one all things in him, both which are in hea- ven, and which are in earth, even in him, Ephef. i. so. Herein live all the funs and daughters of God, fpending largely on the riches of his grace. Unto this family ofthemfelves they have no right, nor title, they are wholly alienated from it, Epb. ii. la. and can lay no claim to any thing in it. God driving fallen Adam out of the garden, and fhutting up all ways of return with a flaming fword, ready to cut him off, if he £hould attempt it ; abundantly declares that he, and all in him, had loft all right of approaching unto God, in any family relation. Cor- rupted, turfed nature is not vetted with the leaft right to any thin of God, therefore they have an authoritative tranflation from one of thefe families to ,another. It is not done in a private underhand way, but in the way of authority, Joh. i. 12. To eta many as receiveth him, he gave power to become the fans of God, power or authority. This invelting them with the power, excellency, and right of the fons of God, is a fotenfical art, and loath a legal proceeditig" in it. It is called the making Xxxx us
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