358 OfCoMM.uNI0N with us meet for the inheritance of the faints in light,' Col. i. 12. A judicial exalting us into memberlhip in that family, where God is the father, Chrift the elder brother, all faints, and angels brethren, and fellow chil- dren, and the inheritance a crown immortal and incorruptible, that fades not away (a). Now this authoritative tranflation ofbelievers from one family into ano- ther, confifteth of thefe two parts. (t.) At effeçtual proclamation and declaration of futh a perlons immu- nity from all obligations to the former family, towhich by nature he was related ; and this declaration bath a threefold objet}. [t.] Angels, it is declared unto them, they are the fons of God. They are the Eons ofGod, and fo of the family whereunto the adopted perfon is to be admitted, and therefore it concerns them to know, who are in- veiled with the rights of that family, that they may difcharge their duty towards them ; unto them then it is declared, that believers are freed from the family of fin, and hell, to become fellow fons, and fervants with them (b). And this is done two ways, r.) Generally by the dolirine of the Gofpei, Eph. iii. ro. Unto the principalities, and powers in heavenly places it made knownby the church, the manifoldwifdom of God. By the church is this wifdommade known to the Angels, either as the doftrine of the Gofpei is delivered unto it, or as it is gathered thereby. And what is this wifdom of God, that is thus made known to principalities and powers ? It is that the gentiles Mouldbe fellow-heirs, and of the faine body with us, u. 6. The myftery ofadopting finners of ,the gentiles, taking them from their llaverÿ in the family of the world, 'that they might have aright of heirlhip, becoming fons in the family of God, is this wifdom thus made known. And how was it primitively made known ? Itwas revealed by the Spirit unto the pro- phets and apofiles, v. 5. 2.) In particular by immediate revelation. When any particular foul is freed from the family of this world, it is revealed to the angels, There is joy in the pretence of the angels of God, that is, among the angels, and by them, Over one fanner that repenteth, Luke xv. ou. Now the an' gels cannot of themfelves abfolutely know the true repentance of a finner in it fell. It is a work wrought in that Cabinet, which none bath a key unto but Jefus Chrift, by him it is revealed to the angels, when the peculiar care, and charge of fuck an one is committed to them. Thefe things have their tranfa&ion before the angels, Luke xii. 8, 9. Chrift owns the naines of his brethren before the angels, Rev. ii. 5. when he gives them admittance into the family where they are, Hob. xii. 22. he declares to them that they are Ions, that theymay difcharge their duty to- wards them, Heb. i. [2.] It is denounced in a judicial way unto fatan, the great mailer of the family whereunto they were in fubje&ion. When the Lord Chrift delivers a foul from under the power of that ftrong armed one, he binds him, ties him from the exercife of that power and dominion, which be- fore he had over hito. And by this means loth he know that filch an one is delivered from his family; and all his future attempts upon him, are incroachings upon the polfefhon, and inheritance of the Lord Chrift. (a) ken. viii, xy. Heb. ü, ,a (b) Jolt. i. a6. xxxviii, 7. Heb. xii. a2,.1, 54. Rev. xxii.,. [3.] Unto
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=