Chapter IX: Part 9

VII. How it is to be attained or increased, and what are the means conducive thereunto. Though faith, in common with all other graces, be wrought in us by the power of God, yet we are far from asserting, that there is no duty incumbent on us, in the performing whereof, we are to hope and wait for the divine blessing, upon which all the success thereof depends. To deny this would give just occasion to charge the doctrine of efficacious grace, as though it led to security, or licentiousness; which many do without ground. Though grace and duty are very distinct, yet they are not inconsistent with each other; the former is God’s work, the latter our act.

As for those duties which are required of us, considered as expecting the divine grace and blessing to attend them; these are, a diligent waiting on God in all his ordinances; looking into the state of our souls, by impartial self-examination; calling to mind our past miscarriages, and what matter of humiliation we have for them in the sight of God, as also, our natural aversion and inability to do what is good; our need of Christ’s righteousness, to take away the guilt we have contracted, and of his strength, to subdue our corruptions, and enable us to plead earnestly with him for these privileges.

As for the unregenerate, they must pray and wait on him, for the first grace, and say, with Ephraim, _Turn thou me, and I shall be turned_, Jer. xxxi. 18. They must be earnest with him, that he would bestow upon them the grace of faith; which is styled, his gift; that he would remove every thing that is, at present, an obstacle, or hindrance to this grace, all the prejudices which corrupt nature has entertained against Christ, and the way of salvation by him; and that he would shine into their souls, to give them the knowledge of his glory in the face of Christ; reveal his arm, and incline them, by the internal working of his power, to receive the grace which is held forth in the gospel. These are duties incumbent on persons who are not called effectually, being destitute of regenerating grace.

But, on the other hand, they who have ground to conclude that they have experienced this grace, though, at present, they apprehend that their faith is weak, and on the decline; they must be found waiting on God, in his own way; and be importunate with him in prayer for the revival of his work, that so they may recover their former experiences; they must bless him for the privileges they once enjoyed, and be humbled for their past backslidings, whereby they have provoked him to withdraw from them, and say with the church, _I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now_, Hos. ii. 7. and, as it says elsewhere, _Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously; so will we render the calves of our lips_, chap. xiv. 2. They must lament the dishonour that they have brought to God; and consider how, by this means, they have grieved the Holy Spirit, wounded their own consciences, and made work for a bitter repentance and humiliation before God. They must be sensible, that it is the same hand which wrought grace in them at first, that must now recover them from their fallen state, and, by exciting the principle of grace implanted, bring them into a lively frame; and when he has done this, they must still depend upon him to maintain this frame of spirit, as considering that as the beginning so the progress of grace, is owing to him who is the author and finisher of faith; who worketh in us that which is pleasing in his sight, and carries on his own work unto perfection.

Footnote 49:

That faith is a holy duty is evident, because it never obtains, except
where the bent, or bias of the mind has been changed by the Holy
Spirit; yet it is like all the other works of man, imperfect, and
might be stronger. That it is necessary in every action is clear, for
whatsoever is not of faith is sin; both because it is the work of an
enemy, and because it cannot be accepted, having no reference to
Christ. Faith is always accompanied by other holy traits of character,
as repentance, love, patience, humility, and the like. The reason of
which is evident; for faith is an act of the renewed man, and all the
other graces must accompany. But it is even less holy than love; “now
abideth faith, hope, charity, (love)—the greatest of these is
charity.” It is incapable of procuring by its righteousness our
justification, because imperfect. If it were the holiness of the duty
of faith, which justifies the man before God, we should read of a
justification by love, patience, humility, or holiness in general. No
such declaration occurs in the scriptures, but the reverse; “for by
the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified,” which is manifestly
spoken not merely of the corporal energy, but of the action taken with
the intention.

If the righteousness of the duty of faith justifies, there could be no
propriety in saying that we are “justified by Christ,” or his
righteousness; there would have been no need of a Saviour, and all the
sacrifices of former days were useless.

If we are to depend upon the righteousness of our believing for our
justification, the believing in Christ will be of no importance,
because Christ is then not our Saviour; in proportion as our hopes are
founded upon our own holiness, they are withdrawn from Christ.—This
will also destroy the righteousness of faith, for if it be useless
there can be no holiness in believing.

If the holiness consist not in the act of believing, but in the
disposition of the believer, and if it is for this, that he is
justified; salvation is then a debt, not grace; we have whereof to
boast; we are justified by the deeds of the law; the offence of the
cross has ceased; and Arians, Socinians, Unitarians, and Deists are
seeking justification also in the same way.

That repentance, and holiness are necessary to _salvation_ is true,
because every man who is justified is also sanctified; and that faith,
considered as a holy duty, is necessary in the same manner, is equally
true; but faith is also useful in our _justification_, and in a
manner, in which, it does not appear, that repentance and holiness can
be.

To say that they are conditions of salvation is to speak ambiguously;
that we cannot be saved without them, is as certain as that we cannot
be justified, without being also sanctified; but to say, that by
performing them a title to happiness is vested in us, is to rob Christ
of his glory, and to put the crown on man’s head. Besides, the
condition of holiness is not accomplished till death, and as the
condition of our justification is not performed till then, we are
never justified in life, which is plainly contrary to the scriptures.

Footnote 50:

_This is what is generally styled, by a diminutive word_, Acceptilatio
gratiosa, _which is an accepting a small part of a debt, instead of
the whole; a sort of composition, in which, though the payment be
inconsiderable, yet the debtor’s discharge is founded thereon, by an
act of favour in the creditor, as though the whole sum had been paid._

Footnote 51:

_These works they speak of as_ Tincta sanguine Christi.

Footnote 52:

“Abraham believed God and it was imputed or counted to him for
righteousness.” This passage of Scripture is found with little
variation also in the Epistle to the Galatians (iii. 6.) and in the
Epistle of James (ii. 23.) and in each of the places it seems to have
been introduced in support of its context from the first book of
Moses. (xv. 6.)

Moses is giving at that place a visionary (as we suppose)
correspondence between Jehovah and Abraham; in which the Lord promises
to the patriarch to be his “shield and exceeding great reward,” and
upon Abraham’s complaining that he was childless, his attention is
directed to the stars, and he is told that it will be equally
impracticable to number his posterity, and then follow the words
“Abraham believed _in_[53] the Lord, and he counted it to him for
righteousness.”

Here it is given as an old-testament proof of that which has been a
little before asserted “that a man is justified by faith without the
deeds of the law,” but because this doctrine would seem to make void
the law, the apostle states this objection, then denies it with
abhorrence, and introduces for his support Abraham’s justification
before God, “if Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to
glory, but not before God; for what saith the scriptures? Abraham
believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”

In the letter to the christians of Galatia he aims to bring them back
from depending on their obedience to the moral and ceremonial laws, to
a reliance upon Christ for salvation, he declares that “by the works
of the law no flesh shall be justified” in the sight of God; and that
christians are “dead to the law,” “seek to be justified by Christ,”
and “live by the faith of the Son of God.” He asserts “if
righteousness come by the law then Christ is dead in vain.” He charges
the Galatians with folly. After having heard, seen, and experienced
the doctrines of the Gospel, its extraordinary and ordinary spiritual
powers, to go back to dead works would argue something like
fascination. And then to show that the Gospel mode of justification by
faith was not peculiar to the Gospel he quotes from the book of
Genesis these words; “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to
him for righteousness.”

The apostle James reprehends such as profess to be believers and yet
are not careful to maintain good works; such professions of faith are
less credible than the fruits of holiness; “show _me_ thy faith
without thy works, and I will show _thee_ my faith by my works.” Faith
without works he pronounces to be dead, not merely inoperative, but
destitute of a living principle. He then introduces Abraham’s example
of offering up Isaac as a proof of his faith; this work being a
manifest effect of his faith in God, justifies, in the sight of all
men, his character as a believer, “and the scripture” he says “was
_fulfilled_ which saith Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto
him for righteousness.” The offering up of Isaac, having taken place
several years after it had been said that “Abraham believed God,” was
an undeniable evidence of the truth, and a fulfilment, of that
scripture.

Abraham’s faith here mentioned has been understood as implying both
the act of believing God’s promises and his yielding to the call of
God by emigrating, &c.[54] which faith, and its fruits, though an
imperfect righteousness, was, it is alleged, by the favour of God
accepted as a justifying righteousness.

But the apostle here contrasts faith with works, and denies a
justification before God to be attainable by our obedience,
consequently his introduction of Abraham’s justification by his good
deeds would have destroyed his own argument.

Others[55] understand Abraham to have been justified on the account of
the mere act of believing: and this has been confined to his faith in
the one promise of a numerous posterity.

That the Lord[56] “in judging Abraham will place on one side of the
account his duties, and on the other his _performances_, and on the
side of his performances he will place _his faith_, and by mere favour
value it equal to a complete performance of his duty, and reward him
as if he were a perfectly righteous person.”

Faith is the mind’s assent to external evidence; faith thus strictly
considered as an act, is man’s act, as much so as any can be, and as
the understanding at least in its application to the evidence must be
accompanied by the consent of the will, here is every thing that is
necessary to constitute a work, and accordingly it is commanded as a
duty, the neglect of which is criminal. If it be thus that faith
justifies the believer in the sight of God, then there is no propriety
in saying we are not justified by works, and if it were possible still
less in adducing the example of Abraham’s justification by that which
was no more than a duty to prove that we cannot be justified by works,
“Christ being the end of the law for righteousness to every one who
believeth.” If man can be so justified boasting is not excluded he has
whereof to glory.

But the design of the apostle was to show that Abraham himself one of
the holiest of men with all his good deeds, and implicit obedience to
divine commands was not justified for his own holiness or godliness,
for that is the opinion he is combating, but by what he calls faith.
When the things which we are required to believe are of a spiritual
nature, the “carnal mind” requires to be freed from its prejudices
before it will “receive them,” and because supernatural aid is
necessary to such minds and all naturally possess them, such “faith”
must unquestionably be “the gift of God” in a sense higher than that
of every other species of faith exercised under the support of Divine
Providence. If faith is a gift of God it merits nothing for us, can
never create an obligation on Divine justice for remuneration, and so
can never be a _justifying_ righteousness.

In his epistle to the Galatians that which he terms a being “justified
by faith” he also denominates a being “justified by faith in Christ”
so that his justifying faith is not merely a belief of the truth of
what God has spoken, but is connected in some manner with Christ, and
that it is not the mere act of believing in Christ which is the ground
of such justification is plain from this, that he expresses the same
thing by the words, “being justified by Christ.” If it is true that we
are justified by faith, and also justified by Christ, it must be meant
in different senses, and to give effect to these words thus
differently connected, it seems necessary to suppose the righteousness
of Christ as the meritorious cause or ground of justification, and
faith the instrumental. “To as many as received him to them gave he
power to become the sons of God, even to as many as believed on his
name,” or at least as the concomitant of it, where all other
requisites exist as well as grace for its production.

It is not the _holiness of his faith_ that is accounted for
righteousness to him: faith is a holy duty but not more so than some
others, and not so much so as love, “now abide faith, hope, love, and
the greatest of these is love;” nor are christians ever said to be
justified by love, joy, peace, patience, or by any other grace, except
by faith. From whence it follows that it is not the holiness of faith
for which the believer is justified, and yet that there is some
property not common to any other grace or duty, which must be
concerned in our justification; and no doubt it is because faith lays
hold on him for whose sake alone we can be justified.

Or faith may be put for its object, as the words fear, hope, joy, and
love are; God is our fear, our hope, &c. “Thy faith hath saved thee,”
it was not her faith, but its object, Christ’s power, that healed her.

The seed which was promised embraced Christ, whose day Abraham saw
afar off; so this faith had the Redeemer for its object. In the
epistle to the Galatians there follow the quotation these words, “as
many as are of faith are the children of Abraham,” these are called
his spiritual seed, and believe in Christ, now if all who believe in
Christ are thereby the children of Abraham, and Abraham their father
or pattern of faith, his faith must have been of the same kind. There
could have been little propriety in giving a faith of any other kind
as a pattern to those who are to believe in Christ that they may be
“justified by his blood.”

Footnote 53:

The quotations of Paul and James follow the lxx. in omitting the _in_.

Footnote 54:

Hammond.

Footnote 55:

Whitby. Macknight.

Footnote 56:

Macknight.

Footnote 57:

_This opinion was propagated soon after the reformation, by Andr.
Osiander, who lived a little before the middle of the sixteenth
century._

Footnote 58:

_This opinion was propagated soon after by Stancarus, in opposition to
Osiander, whom Du Pin reckons amongst the Socinians, or, at least,
that after he had advanced this notion, he denied the doctrine of the
Trinity._ [_See Du Pin’s eccl. hist. sixteenth century, book_ iv.
_chap._ 6.]

Footnote 59:

_This is commonly called_ fiducia, _and as such, distinguished from_
fides, _by which the former is generally expressed._

Footnote 60:

_In this respect_ faith _is contra-distinguished from_ science;
_accordingly we are said to know a thing that is contained in an
axiom, that no one, who has the exercise of his understanding, can
doubt of_, viz. _that the whole is greater than the part; or, that a
thing cannot be, and not be at the same time, &c. And every thing that
is founded on a mathematical demonstration, is included in the word_
science; _to which we may add occular demonstration. Now these things
are not properly the object of faith, or the assent we give to the
truth hereof, is not founded barely upon evidence, in which respect
faith is distinguished from it; for which reason we call it an assent
to a truth, founded on evidence._

Footnote 61:

Truth in the abstract is not the object of faith, but that which is
true. The word of God when represented as the object of faith is not
to be understood of words and letters, nor even of axioms and
propositions, nor is the Divine veracity, though certainly confided
in, the object of faith, or that which is assented unto. The promises
which the old testament-believers had, and reposed in, were not the
objects of faith, but the things which they saw afar off, and which
were the ground of their rejoicing. When we are required to believe
_on_ Jesus Christ, it is not his human, not his Divine nature, not his
person, nor even his mediatorial character which is the object of our
faith; for any of these alone could be no ground of confidence of
salvation, or hope, much less produce joy in the believer. Every thing
essential to our salvation must be considered, as the object of our
faith; the mercy of God, the love of Christ, the purpose and the act
of offering, and accepting the sacrifice to Justice of our sins, and
the warrant to us to fix our hope and trust in this atonement; the
firm conviction of the truth of these things may be denominated faith.

Yet this conviction, or free assent of the understanding is not the
faith, which accompanies salvation; if we can suppose it possible,
that there should not be a corresponding impression made upon the will
and affections. _With the heart man believeth unto salvation._ In this
expression the heart is not put for the intellectual, but moral
powers, and must not be understood as if the will assumed the office,
peculiar to the understanding, of judging of evidence; but only that
the assent of the understanding must be of such a kind, and to such a
degree, as to produce a decisive co-operation of all the powers of the
man, both of soul and body, to be saved in the way, and by the means
discovered.

Such an effort for salvation supposes the bent, or bias of the mind to
be inclined towards God, and his glory. And certain it is, that the
work, or act of believing, depends so much upon the moral state of the
man, that although he may assent to every article of faith, and desire
an interest in the advantages of religion, he never believes with the
heart in the sense above mentioned, until this charge has been wrought
in him. On this account faith may well be denominated the work or gift
of God, for he only, according to the scriptures can effect this
change.

Yet it is not because there is any defect in the evidence of these
important truths; nor because of any natural, that is physical, defect
of the intellectual powers of man, that he does not believe the Divine
revelation; but because his affections are pre-occupied, and his
inclinations directed into another channel, whereby he is unwilling to
apply himself unto these truths, and is prejudiced against the
holiness, which is required, and the self denial that is necessary to
attain the blessings of salvation.

Footnote 62:

Faith, according to the beloved disciple John, and the great St. Paul,
is the _belief of the truth_; the _believing that Jesus is the
Christ_; or a giving _credit to the record that God gave of his Son_.
These definitions are all of the same import, and are all divine.
Being dictated by the Spirit of God, they cannot be contradicted by
any, although some have glossed upon them, till they have brought in a
sense diverse from the inspired writers. This faith, when it is
_real_, as distinguished from that uninfluential assent to the gospel,
which crowds, who hear it, profess to have, is an effect of the
_divine influence in us_; hence it is said to be _of the operation of
God_; and that it is _with the heart_ man believeth unto
righteousness. As the righteousness by which the sinner is justified,
is the sole work of Christ _for him_, so this is the work of the Holy
Ghost _in him_, and no less necessary in its proper place; it being
that, without which a sinner cannot apprehend, receive, and rest upon
Christ for eternal life. By faith, as before observed, he becomes
acquainted with the glories of the character of Jesus, the fulness of
grace in him, and the suitableness and perfection of his
righteousness; in consequence of this faith, he admires the Saviour’s
personal excellencies, flies to him, ventures all upon him, and
rejoices in him. These, to speak plainly, are all so many effects of
faith. The sinner must have a view of the Saviour’s excellency,
_before_ he will admire it. He must be persuaded, that Christ is the
only safe refuge, _before_ he will _fly_ to him. He must know that
there is in Christ sufficient matter of consolation, _before_ he will
_rejoice_ in him. Of all these he is entirely satisfied _by faith_ in
the testimony of God: subsequent to which is his _coming_, or _flying_
to him, _trusting_ in, or _venturing_ all upon him, _rejoicing_ in
him, &c. e. g. Joseph’s brethren heard that there was corn enough in
Egypt; they believed the report: this was faith; upon this they went
down for a supply. Doubtless this was an _effect_ of their faith; for
had they not believed the tidings, they would never have gone. So a
sinner must _believe_ that Christ is a full and complete Saviour,
_before_ he will _run_ or _fly_ to him. Sense of misery, and faith in
his sufficiency, are the main stimulus. Or, I am sick, I hear of an
able physician, I believe him to be so, upon which I apply to him: my
_application_ to him, and my _belief_ of his character, are as
distinct as any two things can be: my _trusting_ my life in his hands,
is an effect of my _believing_ him to be an able physician. This
distinction is obvious in the sacred writings, as well as in the
nature of things. _He that_ cometh _to God, must_ believe _that he
is_. Here is a manifest distinction between _coming_ and _believing_.

I apprehend that the same distinction should be observed, between
_believing_ in Christ, and _receiving_ him. If so, it will follow,
that “to receive Christ in all his offices, as a prophet, a priest,
and a king,” is not properly _faith_, but an _effect_ of it, and
inseparably connected with it. It is certain that a man must believe
that Jesus is the Christ, and that he sustains these offices, before
he can or will receive him in this light. Christ _came unto his own_
(meaning the Jews) _but his own received him not_. This refusing to
_receive_ him was not unbelief, but an effect of it. Hence should you
be asked, why they did not receive him? The answer is ready, _because_
they did not believe him to be the Christ. Nothing is more plain than
that unbelief was the grand _cause_ why they rejected him. On the
other hand, nothing is more evident, than that _receiving_ Christ, is
an effect of _believing_ in him. And should you ask the man who
defines faith, “a receiving Christ in all his offices,” why he thus
receives him? he himself will be obliged to observe this distinction;
for the only just answer he can give you is, “_because I believe_ he
sustains them.”

Thus we see that faith is entirely distinct from the righteousness
which justifies; at the same time it is indispensably necessary,
answering great and good purposes. Under its influence the sinner
_flies_ to Jesus, the hope set before him, and trusts his immortal
interest in his hands, being perfectly satisfied with his adorable
character. Faith is also the medium of peace and consolation. You may
with equal propriety attempt to separate light and heat from the sun,
as peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost, _from the faith of
God’s elect_. The degree of Christian consolation may be greater or
less, according to the strength and influence of faith. At one time
the believer may have an inward peace and tranquility, which is
exceedingly agreeable. At another time he may be favoured with what
St. Paul calls _joy unspeakable and full of glory_. At another, guilt
may rob him of his comfort, and separate between him and his God. Such
are his exercises in the present state of things. But he is far from
making a righteousness of his _frames_, _feelings_, or _experiences_.
The distinction between these he well understands. The _righteousness_
by which he expects to be justified, is the work of Christ alone; the
_faith_ by which he is enabled to receive it, is _of the operation of
God_; the consolations that he enjoys are from this glorious Christ,
in believing, or through faith: all as different as A, B, and C. His
dependence for acceptance with God is neither on his faith nor
experiences, but on Christ _alone_. At the same time he cannot
conceive it possible, for a poor, wretched, undone sinner to be
enabled to believe in Christ for eternal life, and not _rejoice_. A
view of the glories of his person, and the fulness and freeness of his
grace, cannot fail of introducing _strong consolation_.

STILLMAN’S SERMONS.

Footnote 63:

_See Quest._ lxxx.

Footnote 64:

_See page 39, ante._

Footnote 65:

_See Quest._ lxxix.

Footnote 66:

_See Quest._ lxxviii.

Quest. LXXIV.

QUEST. LXXIV. _What is adoption?_

ANSW. Adoption is an act of the free grace of God, in and for his
only Son Jesus Christ; whereby all those that are justified, are
received into the number of his children, have his name put upon
them, the Spirit of his Son given to them, are under his fatherly
care and dispensations, admitted to all the liberties and privileges
of the sons of God, made heirs of all the promises, and fellow-heirs
with Christ in glory.

In speaking to this answer we shall consider,

I. The various senses in which persons are the sons of God; and particularly, how they are so called by adoption.

II. The difference between adoption as used by men, and as it is applied in this answer to God’s taking persons into this relation, as his children; from whence it will appear to be an act of his free grace.

III. We shall consider the reference the sonship of believers has to the superior and more glorious Sonship of Jesus Christ; and how it is said to be for his sake.

IV. The privileges conferred on, or reserved for them, who are the sons of God by adoption.

I. We shall consider the various senses in which persons are called the sons of God.

1. Some are called the sons of God, as they are invested with many honours or prerogatives from God, as a branch of his image: thus magistrates are called the _children of the Most High_, Psal. lxxxii. 6.

2. Others are called God’s children, by an external federal relation, as members of the visible church; in which sense we are to understand that scripture; wherein it is said, _The sons of God saw the daughters of men_, &c. Gen. vi. 2. And when Moses went into Pharaoh, to demand liberty for the Israelites, he was ordered to say, _Israel is my son, even my first-born_, Exod. iv. 22. This privilege, though it be high and honourable, by which the church is distinguished from the world; yet it is not inseparably connected with salvation; for God says, concerning Israel, when revolting, and backsliding from him, _I have nourished and brought up children; and they have rebelled against me_, Isa. i. 2. and many of those who are called the _children of the kingdom shall be cast into utter darkness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth_, Matt. viii. 12.

3. The word is sometimes taken in a more large sense, as applicable to all mankind: thus the prophet says, _Have we not all one father, hath not God created us?_ Mal. ii. 10. And the apostle Paul, when disputing with the Athenians, speaks in their own language, and quotes a saying taken from one of their poets, which he applies to the great God, as _giving to all life and breath, and all things_; upon which account men are called his _off-spring_, Acts xvii. 25. compared with 28.

4. They are called the sons of God, who are endowed with his supernatural image, and admitted to the highest honours and privileges conferred upon creatures: thus the angels are called the _sons of God_, Job xxxviii. 7.

5. Our Lord Jesus Christ is called the Son of God, in a sense not applicable to any other; as his Sonship includes in it his deity, and his having, in his human nature, received a commission from the Father, to engage in the great work of our redemption, as becoming surety for us; which is the foundation of all those saving blessings which we enjoy or hope for.

6. Believers are called the sons of God, by a special adoption; which is farther to be considered, as being the subject-matter of this answer. Adoption is a word taken from the civil law; and it was much in use among the Romans, in the apostles time, in which it was a custom for persons, who had no children of their own, and were possessed of an estate, to prevent its being divided or descending to strangers, to make choice of such who were agreeable to them, and beloved by them, whom they took into this political relation of children; obliging them to take their name upon them, and to pay respect to them, as though they were their natural parents; and engaging to deal with them as though they had been so; and accordingly to give them a right to their estates, as an inheritance. This new relation, founded in a mutual consent, is a bond of affection; and the privilege arising from thence is, that he who is, in this sense, a father, takes care of, and provides for the person whom he adopts, as though he were his son by nature; and therefore Civilians calls it an act of legitimation, imitating nature, or supplying the place of it: and this leads us to consider,

II. The difference between adoption, as used by men, and as it is applied in this answer, to God’s taking persons into this relation, as his children.

1. When men adopt, or take persons into the relation of children, they do it because they are destitute of children of their own to possess their estates; and therefore they fix their love on strangers: but God was under no obligation to do this: for if he designed to manifest his glory to any creatures, the holy angels were subjects capable of receiving the displays thereof; and his own Son, who had all the perfections of the divine nature, was infinitely the object of his delight, and, in all respects, fitted to be as he is styled, _Heir of all things_, Heb. i. 2.

2. When men adopt, they are generally inclined to do it by seeing some excellency or amiableness in the persons whom they fix their love upon. Thus Pharaoh’s daughter took up Moses, and nourished him for her own son, because he was _exceeding fair_, Acts vii. 20, 21. or, it may be, she was moved hereunto, by a natural compassion she had for him, besides the motive of his beauty; as it is said, _The babe wept, and she had compassion on him_, Exod. ii. 6. And Mordecai adopted Esther, or took her for his own daughter; _for she was his uncle’s daughter, and was fair and beautiful_, and an orphan, _having neither father nor mother_, Esther ii. 7. But when God takes any into this relation of children, they have no beauty or comeliness, and might justly have been for ever the objects of his abhorrance. Thus he says concerning the church of Israel, when he first took them into this relation to him, _None eye pitied thee, but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the loathing of thy person: and when I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live_, &c. Ezek. xvi. 5. It might indeed be said concerning man, when admitted to this favour and privilege, that he was miserable; but misery, how much soever it may render the soul an object of pity, it could not, properly speaking, be said to be a motive or inducement from whence the divine compassion took its first rise, as appears from the account we have of the mercy of God, as founded only on his sovereign will or pleasure; as he says, _I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy; and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion_, Rom. ix. 15. and also, from the consideration of man’s being exposed to misery by sin, which rendered him rather an object of vindictive justice than mercy. This therefore cannot be the ground of God’s giving him a right to an inheritance; and consequently adoption is truly said, in this answer, to be an act of the free grace of God.

3. When men adopt, their taking persons into the relation of children, is not necessarily attended with any change of disposition or temper in the persons adopted. A person may be admitted to this privilege, and yet remain the same, in that respect, as he was before: but when God takes his people into the relation of children, he gives them, not only those other privileges which arise from thence, but also that temper and disposition that becomes those who are thus related to him. This leads us to consider,

III. The reference which the sonship of believers has to the superior and more glorious Sonship of Jesus Christ; and how it is said to be for his sake. Here we must suppose that there is a sense in which Christ is said to be the Son of God, as the result of the divine decree, which contains in it an idea very distinct from his being a divine person; for that was not the result of the will of the Father; whereas it is said concerning him, _I will declare the decree; the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee_, Psal. ii. 7. And elsewhere, _he hath, by inheritance, obtained a more excellent name than_ the angels; and this is the consequence of God’s saying to him, _thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee_: and, _I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son_, Heb. i. 4, 5. which plainly refers to Christ as Mediator. Now when we consider this mediatorial Sonship of Christ, if I may so express it, we are far from asserting, that Christ’s Sonship, and that of believers, is of the same kind; for, as much as he exceeds them as Mediator, as to the glory of his person and office, so much is his Sonship superior to theirs. This being premised, we may better understand the reference which the sonship of believers has to Christ’s being the Son of God as Mediator; and therefore let it be farther considered,[67]

1. That it is a prerogative and glory of Christ, as the Son of God, that he has all things which relate to the salvation of his elect, put into his hand; and therefore, whatever the saints enjoy or hope for, which is sometimes called in scripture their inheritance, agreeably to their character, as the children of God by adoption; this is considered as first purchased by Christ, and then put into his hand; in which respect it is styled his inheritance, he being constituted, pursuant to his having accomplished the work of redemption, heir of all things; and as such, has not only a right to his people, but is put in possession of all those spiritual blessings in heavenly places, wherewith they are _blessed in him_, Eph. i. 3.

2. From hence it follows, that the sonship of believers, and their right to that inheritance, which God has reserved for them, depends upon the sonship of Christ, which is infinitely more glorious and excellent. As God’s adopted sons, they have the honour conferred upon them, of being _made kings and priests_ to him, Rev. i. 6. These honours are conferred by Christ; and, in order thereunto, they are first given to him to bestow upon them: thus he says, _I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me_, Luke xxii. 29. Christ is first appointed heir of all things, as Mediator; and then his people, or his children, are considered as _heirs of God_, as the apostle expresses it; _and joint heirs with Christ_, Rom. viii. 17. Not that they have any share in his personal or mediatorial glory; but when they are styled _joint-heirs_ with him, we must consider them as having a right to that inheritance, which he is possessed of in their name as Mediator: and in this sense we are to understand those scriptures that speak of God’s being first the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; and then, to wit, in him our Father; accordingly he says, _I ascend unto my Father, and your Father, and to my God, and your God_, John xx. 17. And elsewhere, God is styled _the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ_, and then _the Father of mercies_, or, our merciful Father, 2 Cor. i. 3. And elsewhere the apostle says, _Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings, in heavenly places, in Christ; having predestinated us unto the adoption of children, by Jesus Christ, to himself_, Eph. i. 3. compared with 5. and inasmuch as he designed to _bring many sons to glory_, as being _made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light_; he first _made the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings_, Heb. ii. 10. compared with Col. i. 12. In this respect our right to the inheritance of children, is founded in the eternal purpose of God, relating hereunto, and the purchase of Christ, as having obtained this inheritance for us.

IV. We are now to consider the privileges conferred on, or reserved for them who are the sons of God by adoption. These are summed up in a very comprehensive expression, which contains an amazing display of divine grace; as it is said, _He that overcometh, shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son_, Rev. xxi. 7. It is a very large grant that God is pleased to make to them; they shall inherit all things. God is not ashamed to be called their God; and in having him, they are said to possess all things, which are eminently and transcendently in him; they have a right to all the blessings which he had designed for, and which have a tendency to make them completely happy: in this sense we are to understand our Saviour’s words in the parable; _Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine_, Luke xv. 31. Nothing greater than this can be desired or enjoyed by creatures, whom the Lord delights to honour. But, that we may be a little more particular in considering the privileges which God confers on, or has reserved for his children, it may be farther observed,

1. That they are all emancipated, or freed from the slavery which they were before under, either to sin or Satan; they who were once the _servants of sin, are_ hereby _made free from sin, and become the servants of righteousness_, or become _servants to God_, Rom. vi. 17, 18, 22. _have their fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life; the Son makes them free_; and therefore _they are free indeed_, John viii. 36. Before this they are described as _serving divers lusts and pleasures_, Tit. iii. 3. and are said to be _of their father the devil_, and to _do his works_, or follow his suggestions, John viii. 44. ensnared, and _taken captive by him at his will_, 2 Tim. ii. 26. and, as the consequence hereof, are in perpetual bondage, arising from a dread of the wrath of God, and that _fear of death_ impressed on their spirits, by him, who is said to have the _power of death_, Heb. ii. 14. this they are delivered from, which cannot but be reckoned a glorious privilege.

2. They have God’s name put upon them, and accordingly are described as _his people called by his name_, 2 Chron. vii. 14. This is an high and honourable character, denoting their relation to him as a peculiar people; and it is what belongs to them alone. Thus the church says, _We are thine; thou never bearest rule over them_, Isa. lxiii. 19. namely, thine adversaries; _they were not called by thy name_. They have also Christ’s name put on them, _of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named_, Eph. iii. 15. which not only signifies that propriety which he has in them as Mediator, but their relation to him as the ransomed of the Lord, his sheep, whom he leads and feeds like a shepherd; and they are also styled his children, _Behold I and the children which God hath given me_, Heb. ii. 13. and indeed, when he is called a surety, or an advocate, or said to execute certain offices as a Saviour or Redeemer; these are all relative terms; and whatever he does therein, is in their name, and for their advantage; as it is said, _of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption_, 1 Cor. i. 31.

3. They are taken into God’s family, and dealt with as members thereof; and accordingly are styled _fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God_, Eph. ii. 19. And as the consequence hereof, they have protection, provision, and communion with him.

(1.) They have safe protection; as the master of a family thinks himself obliged to secure and defend from danger, all that are under his roof, whose house is, as it were, their castle; so Christ is his people’s defence, concerning whom it is said, _A man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest, as rivers of water in a dry place, and as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land_, Isa. xxxii. 2. and, as the consequence hereof, it is added, _My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places_, ver. 18. _They dwell on high; their place of defence is the munition of rocks_, chap. xxxii. 16. He who has subdued their enemies, and will in his own time, bruise them under their feet, will take care that they shall not meet with that disturbance from them, which may hinder their repose or rest in him, or render their state unsafe, so as to endanger their perishing or falling from it.

(2.) They enjoy the plentiful provisions of God’s house, and therefore Christ is called their _shepherd_, Psal. xxiii. 1. not only as leading and defending them, but as providing for them; _He shall feed his flock like a shepherd_, Isa. xl. 11. As all grace is treasured up in him, and there is a fulness thereof, which he has to impart to the heirs of salvation, that is sufficient to supply all their wants; so they shall never have a reason to complain that they are straitened in him; the blessings of his house are not only exhilirating, but satisfying, and such as have a tendency to make them completely happy.

(3.) They are admitted to the greatest intimacy, and have sweet communion with Christ; _the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him_, Psal. xxv. 14. he deals with them as with friends, and in this instance in particular, (as he tells his disciples,) that _all that he has heard of the Father_, John xv. 15. that is, whatever he had a commission to impart for their direction and comfort, he _makes known unto them_, which must needs be reckoned a very great privilege. As the queen of Sheba, when beholding the advantages that they who were in Solomon’s presence enjoyed, could not but with an extasy of admiration, say, _Happy are thy men; happy are thy servants, which stand continually before thee, that hear thy wisdom_, 1 Kings x. 8. much more may they be happy who are admitted into his presence, in whom _are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge_, Col. ii. 3.

(4.) Another privilege which they enjoy, is access to God, as a reconciled Father, through Christ; they have a liberty to _come boldly to the throne of grace, that they obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need_, Heb. iv. 18. Whatever their straits and difficulties are, God holds forth his golden sceptre, invites them to come to him, asks, What is thy petition? and gives them ground to hope that it shall be granted, so far as it may redound to his glory and their good. And, inasmuch as they are often straitened in their spirits, and unprepared to draw nigh to him; they have the promise of the Spirit to assist them herein; upon which account he is called the _Spirit of adoption, whereby they cry Abba Father_, Rom. viii. 15. This privilege is said to be a consequence of their being sons; _Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba Father_, Gal. iv. 6. By this means they have becoming conceptions of the Divine Majesty, a reverential fear of, and a love to him, earnest desires of communion with him, and of being made partakers of what he has to impart. They have a right to plead the promises; and in so doing, are encouraged to hope for the blessings contained therein.

(5.) As God’s children are prone to backslide from him, and so have need of restoring grace, he will recover and humble them, and thereby prevent their total apostacy: this he sometimes does by afflictions, which the apostle calls fatherly chastisements, and reckons them not only consistent with, but evidences of his love: _Whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth; and if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons_, Heb. xii. 6, 8, 11. The apostle does not here speak of afflictions as considered absolutely in themselves, but as proceeding from the love of God, the design whereof is to do them good; and as they are adapted to this present state, in which they are training up for the glorious inheritance reserved for them in heaven, and need some trying dispensations, which may put them in mind of that state of perfect blessedness which is laid up for them: and they are rendered subservient to their present and future advantage, as the afflictions of this present time _bring forth the peaceable fruits of righteousness_ to them; and when they are, in the end, perfectly freed from them, will tend to enhance their joy and praise; which leads us to consider another privilege, which is so great that it crowns all those that they are now possessed of, namely,

(6.) They shall, at last, be brought into God’s immediate presence, and satisfied with his likeness. The apostle calls the perfect blessedness of the saints, when raised from the dead, and so delivered from the bondage of corruption, and made partakers of the glorious liberty of the Sons of God, by way of eminency, _the adoption, to wit, the redemption of their bodies_; which signifies not only the full manifestation of their adoption, but their taking possession of their inheritance, which they are now waiting and hoping for, which is too great for the heart of man to conceive of in this present state; for the apostle says, _Now are we the sons of God; and it doth not appear what we shall be: but we know, that when he shall appear we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is_, 1 John iii. 2. So that all the blessings which we have, either in hand or hope, the blessings of both worlds, which are conferred upon us from our first conversion to our glorification: these are privileges which God bestows on those who are his adopted children.

From what has been said concerning adoption, we may take occasion to observe, how, in some respects it agrees with, or may indeed, be reckoned a branch of justification, and in other respects it includes in it something that is an ingredient in sanctification. We have before observed, in treating on the former of these, _viz._ justification, that when God forgives sin, he confers on his people a right to life, or to all the blessings of the covenant of grace, in which are contained the promises that belong to the life that now is, and that which is to come. These are the privileges which God’s adopted children are made partakers of; and in this respect some divines suppose, that adoption is included in our justification.[68]

And if justification be explained, as has been before observed, as denoting an immanent act in God, whereby the elect are considered, in the covenant between the Father and the Son, as in Christ, their federal head; so they are considered as the adopted children of God, in Christ, and accordingly as they are described as chosen in Christ, unto eternal life, they are said to be _predestinated unto the adoption of children_, Eph. i. 6. which is a privilege to be obtained by Jesus Christ: in this respect all the elect are called Christ’s _seed, that shall serve him_, Psal. xxii. 30. whom he had a special regard to, when he made his soul an offering for sin, and concerning whom he had this promise made to him in the covenant, that passed between the Father and him, _that he should see them, and the pleasure of the Lord_, with respect to their everlasting salvation, _should prosper in his hand_, Isa. liii. 10. Now when Christ is considered as the head of the elect, who are in this sense called his sons, whom he has engaged to bring to glory, faith is the fruit and consequence of adoption; accordingly the apostle says, _Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father_, Gal. iv. 6.

But as justification is a declared act, and is said to be by faith, so adoption agreeing with it, is of the same nature; and accordingly we are said to be the _children of God by faith_, chap. iii. 26. that is, it is by faith that we have a right to claim this relation, together with the privileges which are the result thereof.