'It was revealed by the Spirit unto the prophets and apostles ;' ver. 5.

2dly. In particular, by immediate revelation. When any particular soul is freed from the family of this world, it is revealed to the angels. There is joy in the presence of 'the angels of God (that is, among the angels, and by them) over one sinner that repenteth; Luke xv. 10. Now the angels cannot of themselves absolutely know the true repentance of a sinner in itself. It is a work wrought in that cabinet, which none hath a key unto but Jesus Christ; by him it is revealed to the angels, when the peculiar care and charge of such a one is committed to them. These things have their transaction before the angels; Luke xii. 8, 9. Christ owns the names of his brethren before the angels; Rev. ii. 5. when he gives them admittance into the family where they are, Heb. xii. 22. he declares to them that they are sons, that they may discharge their duty towards them; Heb. i. 14.

[2.] It is denounced in a judicial way unto Satan, the great master of the family whereunto they were in subjection. When the Lord Christ delivers a soul from under the power of that strong armed one, he binds him; ties him from the exercise of that power and dominion which before he had over him. And by this means doth he know that such a one is delivered from his family; and all his future attempts upon him, are encroachings upon the possession and inhe ritance of the Lord Christ.

[3.] Unto the conscience of the person adopted. The Spirit of Christ testifies to the heart and conscience of a believer, that he is freed from all engagements unto the family of Satan, and is become the Son of God, Rom. viii. 14, 15. and enables him to cry, Abba Father;' Gal. iv. 6. Of the particulars of this testification of the Spirit and of its absolving the soul from its old alliance, I shall speak afterward. And herein consists the first thing mentioned.

3. There is an authoritative engrafting of a believer actually into the family of God, and investing him with the whole right of sonship. Now this, as unto us, hath sundry

acts.

(1.) The giving a believer a new name in a white stone, Rev. i. 17. they that are adopted are to take new names;

they change their names they had to their old families, to take the names of the families whereinto they are translated. This new name is, 'a child of God;' that is, the new name given in adoption; and no man knoweth what is in that name, but only he that doth receive it. And this new name is given and written in a white stone; that is the Tessera of our admission into the house of God. It is a stone of judicial acquitment. Our adoption by the Spirit is bottomed on our absolution in the blood of Jesus; and therefore is the new name, in the white stone; privilege grounded on discharge. The white stone quits the claim of the old family; the new name gives entrance to the other.

(2.) An enrolling of his name in the catalogue of the household of God, admitting him thereby into fellowship therein. This is called the writing of the house of Israel,' Ezek. xiii, 9. that is, the roll wherein all the names of the Israel, the family of God are written. God hath a catalogue of his household; Christ knows his sheep by name. When God writeth up the people, he counts that this man was born in Sion; Psal. lxxxvii. 6. This is an extract of the Lamb's book of life.

(3.) Testifying to his conscience, his acceptation with God, enabling him to behave himself as a child; Rom. viii. 15. Gal. iv. 5, 6.

4. The two last things required to adoption are, that the adopted person be freed from all obligations to the family from whence he is translated, and invested with the rights and privileges of that whereunto he is translated. Now, because these two comprise the whole issue of adoption, wherein the saints have communion with Christ, I shall handle them together, referring the concernments of them unto these four heads.

(1.) Liberty. (2.) Title, or right. (3.) Boldness. (4.) Correction. These are the four things in reference to the family of the adopted person, that he doth receive by his adoption, wherein he holds communion with the Lord Jesus.

(1.) Liberty. The Spirit of the Lord, that was upon the Lord Jesus, did anoint him to proclaim liberty to the captive; Isa. lxvii. 1. and where the Spirit of God is (that

is, the Spirit of Christ, given to us by him because we are sons), there is liberty;' 2 Cor. iii. 17. All spiritual liberty is from the Spirit of adoption; whatever else is pretended, is licentiousness. So the apostle argues, Gal. iv. 6, 7. 'he hath sent forth his Spirit into their hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore ye are no more servants,' no more in bondage, but have the liberty of sons. And this liberty respects,

[1] In the first place, the family from whence the adopted person is translated; it is his setting free from all the obligations of that family.

Now in this is sense, the liberty which the saints have by adoption, is either from that which is real, or that which is pretended.

1st. That which is real respects a twofold issue of law and sin. The moral unchangeable law of God, and sin, being in conjunction, meeting with reference to any persons, hath, and hath had a twofold issue.

(1st.) An economical institution of a new law of ordinances, keeping in bondage those to whom it was given; Col. ii. 14.

(2dly.) A natural (if I may so call it), pressing of those persons with its power and efficacy against sin, whereof there are these parts.

[1st.] Its rigour and terror in commanding.

[2dly.] Its impossibility for accomplishment, and so insufficiency for its primitively appointed end.

[3dly.] The issues of its transgression, which are referred unto two heads. 1st. Curse. 2dly. Death. I shall speak very briefly of these, because they are commonly handled, and granted by all.

2dly. That which is pretended, is the power of any whatever over the conscience, when once made free by Christ.

(1st.) Believers are freed from the instituted law of ordinances, which, upon the testimony of the apostles, was a yoke which neither we nor our fathers (in the faith) could bear; Acts xv. 10. wherefore Christ blotted out this handwriting of ordinances that was against them, which was contrary to them, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; Col. ii. 14. and thereupon the apostle, after a long

dispute concerning the liberty that we have from that law, concludes with this instruction; Gal. v. 1. Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free.'

[1st.] The first thing we have liberty from, is its rigour, and terror in commanding; Heb. xii. 18–22. We are not come to the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, to the whirlwind, darkness, and tempest, to the sound of the trumpet, and the voice of words, which they that heard besought that they might hear it no more; but we are come to Mount Sion,' &c. As to that administration of the law wherein it was given out with dread, and terror, and so exacted its obedience with rigour, we are freed from it, we are not called to that estate.

[2dly.] Its impossibility of accomplishment, and so insufficiency for its primitive end by reason of sin, Or we are freed from the law as the instrument of righteousness, since by the impossibility of its fulfilling as to us, it is become insufficient for any such purpose; Rom. viii. 2, 3. Gal. iii. 21-23. There being an impossibility of obtaining life by the law, we are exempted from it as to any such end, and that by the righteousness of Christ; Rom. viii. 3.

[3dly.] From the issue of its transgression,

1st. Curse. There is a solemn curse enwrapping the whole wrath of God, annexed to the law, with reference to the transgression thereof; and from this are we wholly at liberty; Gal. iii. 13. By being made a curse, he hath de

·

livered us from the curse.'

2dly. Death; Heb. ii. 14, 15. and therewith from Satan; Heb. ii. 15. Col. i. 13. and sin; Rom. vi. 14. 1 Pet. i. 18. with the world; Gal. i. 14. with all the attendancies, advantages, and claim of them all; Gal. iv. 3-5. Col. ii. 20. without which we could not live one day.

That which is pretended and claimed by some, wherein indeed and in truth we were never in bondage, but are hereby eminently set free, is the power of binding conscience by any laws and constitutions not from God; Col. ii. 20-22.

[2.] There is a liberty in the family of God, as well as a liberty from the family of Satan; sons are free; their obedience is a free obedience, they have the Spirit of the Lord, and where he is, there is liberty; 2 Cor. iii. 18. as a Spirit of

adoption he is opposed to the spirit of bondage; Rom. viii. 15. Now this liberty of our Father's family, which we have as sons and children, being adopted by Christ through the Spirit, is, a spiritual largeness of heart, whereby the children of God do freely, willingly, genuinely, without fear, terror, bondage, and constraint, go forth unto all holy obedience in Christ.

I say this is our liberty in our Father's family; what we have liberty from, hath been already declared.

There are Gibeonites outwardly attending the family of God, that do the service of his house, as the drudgery of their lives; the principle they yield obedience upon, is a spirit of bondage unto fear; Rom. viii. 15. the rule they do it by, is the law in its dread and rigour, exacting it of them to the utmost, without mercy and mitigation; the end they do it for, is to fly from the wrath to come, to pacify conscience, and seek righteousness as it were by the works of the law. Thus servilely, painfully, fruitlessly, they seek to serve their own conviction all their days.

The saints by adoption have a largeness of heart in all holy obedience; saith David, 'I will walk at liberty, for I seek thy precepts;' Psal. cxix. 4, 5. Isa. lxi. 1. Luke iv. 18: Rom. viii. 2. 21. Gal. iv. 2. v. 1. 13. James i. 25. John viii. 32, 33. 36. Rom. vi. 18. 1 Pet. ii. 16. Now this amplitude, or son-like freedom of the Spirit in obedience, consists in sundry things.

1st. In the principles of all spiritual service, which are life and love. The one respecting the matter of their obedience, giving them power, the other respecting the manner of their obedience, giving them joy and sweetness in it.

(1st.) It is from life, that gives them power as to the matter of obedience; Rom. viii. 3. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, sets them free from the law of sin and death. It frees them, it carries them out to all obedience freely; so that they walk after the Spirit;' ver. 1. that being the principle of their workings; Gal. ii. 20. Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh, is by the faith of the Son of God; the life which I now live in the flesh, that is the obedience which I yield unto God; whilst I am in the flesh, it is from a principle of life, Christ living in me. There is then power for all living unto God,