1. The dignity inferred is, lliat we are heirs. The inheritance belonging to children, jure nascendi, all children are not necessarily heirs, but only males, and among them the tirst born ; hut jure adop- fionis, they that are adopted, are adopted to some inheritance. So here, ' if children, then heirs ; ' be they sons or daughters, begotten to God sooner or later, male or female; are all one in Christ: G-al. iii. 18; they are not debarred from the inheritance.
2. The amplification of it, — or the greatness and e.^cellency of this inheritance , — in two expressions, ' Heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ.' The first expression heightens the privilege iu our thoughts ; as the party adopting is, so is the privilege more or less glorious in our thoughts. Adoption is in all free, and in some, glorious. If a mean man adopt another's child, it is an act of free favour ; but if adopted to a great inheritance, suppose many lordships, or to the succession of a crown, it doth enhance the benefit. So here, this giveth a right to the everlasting goods of the heavenly father. Secondly, The other expression, 'joint heirs with Christ.' This heritage giveth us a com- munion with the only begotten Son of God ; what the Son of God by nature enjoyeth, that the children of God by adoption enjoy also, so far as they are capable ; we together with Christ enjoy God for ever- more. He is his God and Father, and our God and Father : John xx. 17; he is glorified, and we are glorified together with him.
3. It is applied as a comfort against adversities and afflictions : ' If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.' The latter clause we may look upon as propounded, 1. As a concession, 2. As a condition, accordingly as we translate the particle elinp seeing that, or if so he.
[1.] A concession; seeing that we suffer with him, that we may be glorified together. Though we shall hereafter have communion with Christ in glory, yet for the present we may have communion with him in afflictions. This doth not infringe our privilege, but confirm it rather : I Pet. iv. 13, ' Rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings ; that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad with exceeding joy. Those that suffer for Christ, do also suffer with Christ ; they are brought into a nearer conformity to him in his state of humili- ation, that afterwards they may be conformed to him in glory.
[2.] In the way of condition. We must submit to the condition of afflictions as necessary to obtain glory ; for there must be striving before crowning : 2 Tim. ii. 5, ' If a man strive for masteries, yet he is not crowned except he strive lawfully ; ' that is, if any man would enter into the lists in any of the Olympic games, he must observe the rules in running, cutting,! wrestling, &c. ; lie must submit to the laws of the game, or exercise. He applieth this similitude, ver. 12, ' If we suffer with him, we shall reign with him ; ' that is, we must suffer for Christ, and we shall be rewarded with the participation of his glory ; so here, we would all have our privileges ; but before we enjoy the full of them, we must be conformed to him, suffer for him, and with him ; that in
' Qu. ' quoiting ' ? — Ed.
132 SERMONS UPON KOMANS Vltl. [SeR. XXV.
imitation of our head and cliiff, we may come to glmy the same way tliat Christ did, by sufferings: Heb. ii. 10. 'For it became him, foi whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto ghny, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering.' But you will say, all are not called to the afflictions of the gospel ; is this condition indispensable ? Then none but martyrs are glorified.
Answer, (1) All have not Abel's cross, do not run the hazard of their lives ; but usually they will have Isaac's cross : Gal. iv. 29, ' He that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit ; ' meaning thereby those cruel mockings and scoffings which Isaac endured from Ishmael, Gen. xxi. The children of God living upon an unseen God, and an unseen world, sensual men mock at their interest in God, and labour to shame them from their confidence in promises yet to come.
(2.) Though all suffer not, yet all must be prepared and contented to suffer : Mat. xvi. 24, ' Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.' God kuoweth at what rate our sincerity must be tried ; yet everyone should make Christ a good allowance.; and our alienation from the world must be so great, and our resignation to God so full, that nothing we enjoy here, not lite itself, may be an impediment to our fidelity to Christ.
(3.) When God seeth it fit, we must actually suffer tlie loss of all things and obey God at the dearest rates: 1 Pet. iii. 17, 'If the will of God be so, that ye shall suffer for well doing ; ' afflrniativa prcecepta non ligant ad semper, affirmative precepts do not bind at all times, as negatives do. We must never do anything against the truth, but we are not always tied to suffering ; but when we come to a necessity of either suffering or sinning, then God manifesteth his will to his people, that they should suffer ; and then if we suffer with him, we shall also be glorified together. No creature could have brouglit us to this necessity, without God ; it is plainly God's will that we should suffer ; aud remember it is his will that we should also reign with him.