\st. The right they have is not as the right that Christ hath; that is, sovereign and supreme, to do what he will with his own ; but theirs is subordinate, and such as that they must be accountable for the use of those things whereunto they have a right and title. The right of Christ is the right of the Lord of the house; the right of the saints is the right of servants.
2dl^. That the whole mimher of the children of God have a right unto the luhole earth, which is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof, in these two regards: —
220 OF COMMUNION WITH THE SON JESUS CHRIST.
(Is^.) He who is the sovereign Lord of it doth preserve it merely for their use, and upon their account; all others whatever being malxB fidei possessores, invading a portion of the Lord's territories, without grant or leave from him.
{2.dly.) In that Christ hath promised to give them the kingdom and dominion of it, in such a way and manner as in his providence he shall dispose; that is, that the government of the earth shall be exercised to their advantage.
Sdly. This right is a spiritual right, which doth not give a civil interest, but only sanctities the right and interest bestowed. God hath providentially disposed of the civil bounds of the inheritance of men, Acts xvii. 26, suffering the men of the world to enjoy a portion here, and that oftentimes very full and plenteous; and that for his children's sake, that those beasts of the forest, which are made to be destroyed, may not break loose upon the whole possession. Hence, —
Hhly. No one particular adopted person hath any right, by virtue thereof, to any portion of earthly things whereunto he hath not right and title upon a civil interest, given him by the providence of God, But,—
5thly. This they have by their adoption ; that, —
(Isi.) Look, what portion soever God is pleased to give them, they have a right unto it, as it is re-invested in Christ, and not as it lies wholly under the curse and vanity that is come upon the creation by sin ; and therefore can never be called unto an account for usurping that which they have no right unto, as shall all the sons of men who violently grasp those things which God hath set at liberty from under their dominion because of sin.
{2dly.) By this their right, they are led unto a sanctified use of what thereby they do enjoy; inasmuch as the things themselves are to them pledges of the Father's love, washed in the blood of Christ, and endearments upon their spirits to live to his praise who gives them all things richly to enjoy.
And this is a second thing we have by our adoption; and hence I dare say of unbelievers, they have no true right unto any thing, of what kind soever, that they do possess.
They have no true, unquestionable right, I say, even unto the temporal things they do possess; it is true they have a civil right in respect of others, but they have not a sanctified right in respect of their own souls. They have a right and title that will hold plea in the courts of men, but not a right that will hold in the court of God, and in their own conscience. It will one day be sad with them, when they shall come to give an account of their enjoyments. They shall not only be reckoned Avithal for the abuse of that they have possessed, that they have not used and laid it out for the glory of him whose it
OF COMMUNION WITH THE SON JESUS CHRIST. 221
is ; but also, that tliey have even laid their hands upon the creatures of God, and kept them from them for whose sakes alone they are preserved from destruction. When the God of glory shall come home to any of them, either in their consciences here, or in the judg-ment that is for to come, and speak with the terror of a revengeful judge, " I have suffered you to enjoy corn, wine, and oil, — a great portion of my creatures ; you have rolled yourselves in wealth and prosperity, when the right heirs of these things lived poor, and low, and mean, at the next doors; — give in now an answer what and how you have used these things. What have you laid out for the service and advancement of the gospel? What have you given unto them for whom nothing was provided ? what contribution have you made for the poor saints? Have you had a ready hand, and willing mind, to lay down all for my sake ?" — when they shall be compelled to answer, as the truth is, " Lord, we had, indeed, a large portion in the world ; but we took it to be our o\vn, and thought we might have done what we would with our own. We have ate the fat, and drank the sweet, and left the rest of our substance for our babes : we have spent somewhat upon our lusts, somewhat upon our friends ; but the truth is, we cannot say that we made friends of this unrighteous mammon, — that we used it to the advancement of the gospel, or for ministering unto thy poor saints: and now, behold, we must die," etc. : — so also, when the Lord shall proceed farther, and question not only the use of these things, but also their title to them, and tell them, " The earth is mine, and the fulness thereof I did, indeed, make an original grant of these things to man ; but that is lost by sin : I have restored it only for my saints. Why have you laid, then, your fingers of prey upon that which was not yours? why have you compelled my creatures to serve you and your lusts, which I had set loose from under your dominion? Give me my flax, my wine, and wool; I will set you naked as in the day of your birth, and revenge upon you yoxir rapine, and unjust possession of that which was not yours:" — I say, at such a time, what will men do?