[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 after- ward. And herein consists the first thing mentioned.
(2.) There is an authoritative ingrafting of a believer actually into the family of God, and investing him with tlie whole right of sonship. Now this, as unto us, hath sundiy acts: —
[1.] The giving a believer a new name in a white stone, Rev. ii. 1 7. They that are adopted are to take new names; they change their names they had in their old families, to take the names of the families whereinto tliey 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 ad- mission into the house of God. It is a stone of judicial acquitment.
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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 privi- lege 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 ynriteth up the people, he counts that " this man was born in Zion," Ps. Ixxxvii. 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 where- into 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.) T^7^e, or right. (8.) 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 captives, Isa. Ixi. 1 ; and " where the Spirit of the Lord is" (that is, the Spirit of Christ, given to us by him because we are sons), " there is liberty," 2 Cor. iii. 1 7. 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 sense, the liberty which the saints have by adoption is either from that which is 7'eal or that which is pre- tended : —
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, keep- ing in bondage those to whom it was given. Col. ii. 1 4.
(2dly.) A natural (if I may so call it) pressing of those persona
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with its power and efficacy against sin; whereof there are these parts : —
[l.s^.] Its rigour and terror in commanding.
\2dly.^ Its impossibility for accomphsliment, and so insufficiency for its primitively appointed end.
[ScZZ?/.] The issues of its transgi-ession ; which are referred unto two heads: — 1. Curse. 2. Death. I shall speak very briefly of these, because they are commonly handled, and granted })y all.
2dli/. That which is jjretended, 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 hand-writing of ordinances that was against them, which was contrary to them, and took it out of the Avay, naihng it to his cross," Col. ii. 14: and thereupon the apostle, after a long- dispute concerning the liberty that we have from tliat law, conchides with this instruction: Gal. v. 1, " Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free."