To carry out this purpose, was the WORD made flesh. " He took not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abra- ham."* "Forasmuch as the children were partakers of flesh and blood, he himself like- wise took part of the same."t
Thus a new relationship was established, such as till then, could never have been con- ceived of, as even possible. The tie of creation, though not dissolved, was now to be lost in the closer, dearer tie of kindred. " Both He who sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified, are all
* Heb. ii. 16. t Heb. ii. 14.
10 "'"W p.\l"TTV.
of one ; for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren."* He calls them breth- ren, and they call him brother. Being " made of a woman," he has become partaker of our lowly humanity, so as to be bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh ; and we being " born of God," are made partakers of the Divine nature, becoming " members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones.5' Thus the saints are the nearest kinsmen of the Son of God ; and if of the Son, then of the Father also, as he hath said, " I and my Father are one :" " believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me." It is thus that the family relationship is formed, and God's original design carried out. For thus it is written, " As many as received him, to them gave he power, (or the right) to become the sons of God, even to them that be- lieve on his name : which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."t And again, " Be- hold what manner of love the Father hath be- stowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God."f We are elevated to creation's highest level. We are brought into the inner circle of the Father's love,— nearer his throne, * Heb. ii. II t John i. 12, 13. t 1 John iii. 1.
THE FAMILY. 11
nearer his heart than angels, for we are the body of Christ, and members in particular, — "the fulness of him that filleth all in all."
Out of this new link there springs the family bond between us and the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; "his Father and our Father, his God and our God." And it is espe- cially in this name of family that God delights. He has many names for his redeemed. They are his chosen ones, Ais people, his flock, his heritage. But it is, as his family, that he speaks of them oftenest, and it is, as such, that that he bends over them so fondly, as over his first-born, — the children of his heart, and the desire of his eyes.
But it is needful that we inquire farther con- cerning this family, and learn from God's own account of them, who and what they are. By nature they are children of wrath, even as others. And thus far, there is no original dif- ference between them and the world. But they are the eternally chosen of the Father, " Chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world."* This is their true ancestry, and this is their chiefest glory. " They are predestinated to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to him- * Eph. i. 4.
12 THE FAMILY.
self, according to the good pleasure of his will."* They are quickened together with Christ, from being dead in trespasses and sins, and raised up by the exceeding greatness of God's power, the same mighty power by which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead.t They are saved by grace through faith, and that not of themselves, it is the gift of God.J They are reconciled to God by the death of his Son.§ They are delivered from a present evil world according to the will of God their Father. II They are washed in the blood of Jesus, and justified by faith in his name. They are re- deemed from their vain conversation, not with corruptible things, as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb with- out blemish and without spot : who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for them. TT They are made heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ ; kings and priests unto God, who are to reign with Christ for ever over a redeemed and restored creation. Such is the family. Surely they are high-born. Their ancestry is from eternity. Their descent is
* Eph. i. 5. t Eph. i. 19. t Eph. ii. 8.
§ Rom. v. 10. II Gal. i. 4. IT 1 Pet. i. 9.
THE FAMILY. 13