from Christ in them, the Spirit of life from Christ carrying them out thereto. The fruits of a dead root, are but dead excrescencies; living acts are from a principle of life.

Hence you may see the difference between the liberty that slaves assume, and the liberty which is due to children. [1st.] Slaves take liberty from duty; children have liberty in duty; there is not a greater mistake in the world, than that the liberty of sons in the house of God, consists in this, they can perform duties, or take the freedom to omit them; they can serve in the family of God; that is, they think they may if they will, and they can choose whether they will or no. This is a liberty stolen by slaves, not a liberty given by the Spirit unto şons.

The liberty of sons is in the inward spiritual freedom of their hearts, naturally and kindly going out in all the ways and worship of God. When they find themselves straitened and shut up in them, they wrestle with God for enlargement, and are never contented with the doing of a duty, unless it be done as in Christ, with free, genuine, and enlarged hearts. The liberty that servants have, is from duty; the liberty given to sons, is in duty.

[2dly.] The liberty of slaves or servants is from mistaken, deceiving conclusions; the liberty of sons is from the power of the indwelling Spirit of grace: or, the liberty of servants is from outward dead conclusions; the liberty of sons from an inward, living principle.

(2dly.) Love, as to the manner of their obedience, gives them delight and joy; John xiv. 15. 'If ye love me,' says Christ, keep my commandments.' Love is the bottom of all their duties; hence our Saviour resolves all obedience into the love of God and our neighbour; and Paul, upon the same ground tells us, 'that love is the fulfilling of the law;' 1 Cor. xiii. 10. Where love is in any duty it is complete in Christ. How often doth David, even with admiration express this principle of his walking with God. 'O,' saith he, how I love thy commandments!' This gives saints delight, that the commandments of Christ are not grievous to them. Jacob's hard service was not grievous to him, because of his love to Rachel. No duty of a saint is grievous to him, because of his love to Christ. They do from hence all things with delight and complacency. Hence do

they long for advantages of walking with God, pant after more ability, and this is a great share of their son-like freedom in obedience. It gives them joy in it; 1 John iv. 18. 'There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear.' When their soul is acted to obedience by love, it expels that fear which is the issue of bondage upon the Spirit. Now when there is a concurrence of these two, life and love, there is freedom, liberty, largeness of heart, exceedingly distanced from that strait, and bondaged frame, which many walk in all their days, that know not the adoption of sons.

2dly. The object of their obedience is represented to them as desirable, when to others, as it is terrible. In all their approaches to God, they eye him as a Father; they call him Father; Gal. iv. 6. not in the form of words, but in the spirit of sons. God in Christ is continually before them, not only as one deserving all the honours and obedience which he requires, but also as one exceedingly to be delighted in, as being all-sufficient to satisfy and satiate all the desires of the soul; when others napkin their talents, as having to deal with an austere master, they draw out their strength to the uttermost, as drawing nigh to a gracious rewarder. They go from the principle of life and love, to the bosom of a living and loving Father; they do but return the strength they do receive unto the fountain, unto the

ocean.

3dly. Their motive unto obedience is love; 2 Cor. v. 15. · from an apprehension of love they are effectually carried out by love, to give up themselves unto him who is love. What a freedom is this, what a largeness of spirit is in them, who walk according to this rule! Darkness, fear, bondage, conviction, hopes of righteousness, accompany others in their ways. The sons by the Spirit of adoption have light, love, with complacency in all their walkings with God; the world is a universal stranger unto the frame of children in their Father's house.

4thly. The manner of their obedience is willingness. "They yield themselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead;' Rom. vi. 13. they yield themselves, give up themselves willingly, cheerfully, freely; 'with my whole heart,' saith David; Rom. xii. 1. 'they present themselves a living sacrifice,' and a willing sacrifice.

5thly. The rule of their walking with God is the law of liberty, as divested of all its terrifying, threatening, killing, condemning, cursing power, and rendered in the blood of Jesus, sweet, tender, useful, directing, helpful as a rule of walking in the life they have received, not the way of working for the life they have not. I might give more instances. These may suffice to manifest that liberty of obedience in the family of God which his sons and daughters have, that the poor convinced Gibeonites are not acquainted withal.

[2.] The second thing which the children of God have by adoption, is title. They have title and right to all the privileges and advantages of the family whereinto they are translated. This is the pre-eminence of the true sons of any family. The ground on which Sarah pleaded the ejection of Ishmael was, that he was the son of the bondwoman, Gen. xxi. 10. and so no genuine child of the family, and therefore could have no right of heirship with Isaac. The apostle's arguing is, we are no more servants, but sons; and if sons, then heirs ;' Rom. viii. 14. 16. then have we right and title, and being not born hereunto (for by nature we are the children of wrath), we have this right by our adoption.

Now the saints hereby have a double right and title. 1st. Proper and direct in respect of spirituals. 2dly. Consequential in respect of temporals. 1st. The first also, or the title as adopted sons unto spirituals is in respect of the object of it, twofold.

(1st.) Unto a present place, name, and room in the house of God, and all the privileges and administrations thereof.

(2dly.) To a future fulness of the great inheritance of glory, of a kingdom purchased for that whole family, whereof they are by Jesus Christ.

(1st.) They have a title unto and an interest in the whole administration of the family of God here.

The supreme administration of the house of God in the hand of the Lord Christ, as to the institution of ordinances and dispensation of the Spirit, to enliven and make effectual those ordinances for the end of their institution, is the prime notion of this administration. And hereof they are the prime objects; all this is for them, and exercised towards them;

God hath given Jesus Christ to be the 'head over all things unto the church which is his body;' Eph. i. 22, 23. he hath made him the head over all these spiritual things, committed the authoritative administration of them all unto him to the use and behoof of the church, that is, the family of God. It is for the benefit and advantage of the many sons whom he will bring unto glory, that he doth all these things; Heb. ii. 17. see Eph. iv. 8-12. The aim of the Lord Jesus in establishing gospel administrations, and administrators, is for the perfecting of the saints, the work of the ministry, &c. All is for them, all is for the family; in that is the faithfulness of Christ exercised, he is faithful in all the house of God; Heb. iii. 2. Hence the apostle tells the Corinthians, 1 Cor. iii. 22, 23. of all these gospel administrations and ordinances, they are all theirs, and all for them. What benefit soever redoundeth to the world by the things of the gospel (as much doth every way), it is engaged for it to the children of this family. This then is the aim and intendment of the Lord Christ in the institution of all gospel ordinances and administrations, that they may be of use for the house and family of God, and all his children and servants therein.

It is true, the word is preached to all the world, to gather in the children of God's purpose, that are scattered up and down in the world, and to leave the rest inexcusable; but the prime end and aim of the Lord Christ thereby, is to gather in those heirs of salvation unto the enjoyment of that feast of fat things which he hath prepared for them in his house.

Again, they and they only have right and title to gospel administrations, and the privileges of the family of God, as they are held out in his church according to his mind. The church is the 'house of God;' 1 Tim. iii. 15. Heb. iii. 6. herein he keeps and maintains his whole family, ordering them according to his mind and will. Now, who shall have any right in the house of God, but only his children? We will not allow a right to any but our own children in our houses; will God, think you, allow any right in his house, but to his children? Is it meet to 'take children's bread and to cast it unto dogs?' We shall see that none but children have any right or title to the privileges and advantages of the house of God, if we consider,

[1st.] The nature of that house; it is made up of such persons, as it is impossible that any but adopted children should have right unto a place in it; it is composed of living stones; 1 Pet. ii. 25. a' chosen generation, a royal people, a holy nation, a peculiar people,' ver. 9. saints and faithful in Christ Jesus,' Eph. i. 1. saints, and faithful brethren,' Col. i. 2. a people that are all righteous; Isa. lx. 61. and the whole fabric of it glorious; Isa. liv. 11—14. The way of the house is a way of holiness which the unclean. shall not pass through; chap. xxxv. 8. yea, expressly, they are the sons and daughters of the Lord God Almighty, and they only; 2 Cor. vi. 17. 18. all others are excluded; Rev. xxi. 27. It is true that oftentimes at unawares other persons creep into the great house of God; and so there becomes in it not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, &c. 2 Tim. ii. 20. but they only creep in as Jude speaks, ver. 4. they have no right nor title to it.

[2dly.] The privileges of the house are such, as they will not suit nor profit any other. To what purpose is it to give food to a dead man? Will he grow strong by it? Will he increase upon it? The things of the family and house of God, are food for living souls. Now children only are alive, all others are dead in trespasses and sins. What will outward signs avail, if life and power be away? Look upon what particular you please of the saints enjoyments in the family of God, you shall find them all suited unto believers; and being bestowed on the world would be a pearl in the snout of a swine.

It is then only the sons of the family that have this right; they have fellowship with one another, and that fellowship with the Father and the Son Jesus Christ; they set forth the Lord's death till he come; they are intrusted with all the ordinances of the house, and the administration of them. And who shall deny them the enjoyment of this right, or keep them from what Christ hath purchased for them? And the Lord will in the end give them hearts every where to make use of this title accordingly; and not to wander on the mountains, forgetting their resting-place.

(2dly.) They have a title to the future fulness of the inheritance that is purchased for this whole family by Jesus Christ. So the apostle argues, Rom. viii. 17. If children,