[2.] Before God's eternal purposes could be executed, and conveniently made|known to the world, redemption by Christ was necessary. There- fore it is said. Gal. iv. 4, 5, that he was ' made of a woman, made xmder the law, that we might receive the adoption of children.' Sin needed to be expiated by the Son of God in our nature, before God would bestow his honour upon us ; Christ was to be our brother, before God could 1)0 our father ; to take a mother upon earth, that we might have a father in heaven ; and to endure the law's curse, before we could be instated in the blessing.
[3.] It is necessary that we should be regenerated and born of God, before it can be applied to us. For this new relation dependeth upon the new birth ; and none are adopted but those that are regenerated, and renewed to the image and likeness of God. Nominal christians are bastards, and not sods ; not illegitimate, but degenerate children. The relative change goeth before the real: John i. 12, 13, 'To as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God ; which are born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.' And the next foundation of this relation is not our being, which we have from God as a creator, but our new being, which we have from him as our father in Christ. As we are men, God is a governor to us, and we are his subjects; as we are new men, God is a father to tis, and we are his children.
[4.] The immediate issue of regeneration is faith : John i. 12, ' To as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of
124 SKRMONS UPON ROMAMS YIII. [SeR. XXIV.
God, even to as iiiaiij' as believe in his name.' Receiving Clirist is an hearty consent to take Christ to the ends for which God ofFeretli him : namely, that he may be our lord and savionr, that we depending upon the merit of his obedience and sacrifice, and assurance of his covenant and promises, may obey his laws, and wait for our final reward.
5. The benefits occurring to us thereby. I shall instance in three: [1] The gift of tlie Spirit, to be our sanctifier, guide, and comforter. This is a gift which he giveth to none but his children, and which he giveth to all his cliildren ; a gift which sniteth with the greatness and love of our Father ; and is absolutely necessary for us as children. God as a creator giveth us our natural endowments ; but as a father in Christ he giveth us his Spirit: Gal. iv. G, 'And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into j^oiir hearts.' If we have this high privilege of adoption, we have also the Spirit of adoption, to reside and dwell in our hearts as our sanctifier, guide, and comforter. As a sanctifier he doth first change our hearts, and transform us into the image of God in Christ : 2 Cor. iii. IS, ' But we all with oi)en face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Loi-d, are changed into his image from glory to glory ; ' And Titus iii. 5, 6, ' Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he hath shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour ; ' and so he maketh us children. But as bees first frame their cells, and then dwell in them ; so he doth dwell in us, tliat he may further sanctify us, restraining us from sin: Rom. viii. 1.3, 'If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die ; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.' And quickening us to holiness: Gal. V. 25, ' If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.' As a guide, leading us into all truth : John xvi. 1.3, ' Wiien the Spirit of truth is come, he shall guide us into all truth.' And regulating all the motions of the spiritual life: Rom. viii. 14, ' As many as are led by the Spirit ; ' especially our prayers : Jude 20, 'Praying in the Holy Ghost ; ' Rom. viii. 26,' ' We know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit maketh intercession for us.' As a comforter, confirming our present interest and future hopes : 2 Cor. v. 5, ' Now he that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God, who also hath given us the earnest of his Spirit.' Indeed, the Spirit is not so necess- arily a comforter aa a sanctifier ; yet a comforter he is ; and if not so explicitly and manifestly, we may blame ourselves. This is God's allowance, and we deprive ourselves of the benefit of it by our own folly. [2 ] Such an allowance of temporal mercies as is convenient for us : Mat, vi. 32, ' For yonr heavenly Fatner knoweth that ye have need of all these things.' A christian hath two things to relieve him against all his distrustful fears and cares, — adoption, and particular providence. He hath a father in heaven, and his father is not ignorant of his con- dition, nor mindless of it ; and therefore though he hath little or nothing in hand, it is enough that his father keepeth the purse for him, whose care extendeth to all things, and all persons, and hath the hearts of men in his own hands, and performeth all things according to his own will. He knoweth their persons, necessities, and temptations ; and if we trust him for our lieavenly inheritance, we may trust him for our