A LOOKING-GLASS FOR CHRISTIANS; OR, THE COMFORTABLE Doctrine of Adoption. WHEREIN EVERY TRUE Believer may behold his blessed Estate in the kingdom of Grace. By THOMAS GRANGER, Preacher of God's Word, at Butterwike in Holland in Lincolnshire. LONDON, Printed by William Lones. 1620. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE AND Virtuous Lady, the Lady HARRINGTON; Grace and Peace. RIght Honourable, and worthy Lady: As God hath made you three and four times happy in your inward self, so hath he made you thrice happy also in your outward self, as in your State, in your blessed Issue, in your Name; which as the sweet odour of a precious ointment, comforteth those that are near by, and a far off, even the children of God, who receive comfort and strength by the graces of God's spirit in the more principal members, whose pleasant influence giveth vigour and more lively motion to the inferior and weaker. This happiness the Lord still continue, that as both you and all the children of God have received grace for grace, & glory for glory; so you may with them be perfected in glory at that joyful and long expected day of our Lords appearing, and full redemption of the purchased possession. In the mean space, I being a stranger unto you, yet a Minister of the Gospel of jesus Christ, do greatly rejoice to hear that you, and other personages of State and Birth, do walk uprightly in the Truth. And as your Faith, Zeal, and Devotion, most worthy fruits of the Spirit, are a comfort to me & others: so for your comfort also, I send to you A Divine Looking-glass, wherein, I hope well, you shall behold your blessed state, even the beauty and glory of your person in the sight of God, and in the sight of your own soul. To the poor (in spirit) is the rich Gospel offered; from the poor (my self) is this rich treasure sent unto you: in itself rich, but a poor mite as handled and delivered from me, yet such shall it be, as your Honour shall please to accept. Your Honours in all Christian duty to be commanded; THOMAS GRANGER. A LOOKING GLASS for Christians. Ephes. 1. 5. Who hath predestinated us to the adoption of sons by jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. IN the Third verse aforegoing, the Apostle propoundeth the general doctrine of all the spiritual blessings of God the Father towards us in his Son jesus Christ, the matter, foundation, and meritorious cause thereof. From the 4. verse to the end of the 14. verse, he declareth, that general Proposition by an induction, or recital of the specials applied to his purpose here aimed at, which is to reduce them to their former sincerity of faith, and obedience. In the 4. ver. he maketh mention of Election, & sanctification. In this 5. verse, of Adoption. In the 6. verse, of justification. In the 7. verse, of Redemption. In the 8. 9 10. verses, of the Gospel with the effects, and power thereof. In the 11. verse, of glorification. In the 12. 13. verses, of Faith. In the 14. ver. of the testimony of the Spirit, the pledge of our assurance, in sealing the same in, and to our spirits. In this 5. verse he mentioneth the spiritual blessing of Adoption, which he setteth forth by sundry arguments. 1 By the principal efficient cause. [who hath predestinated us. 2 He layeth down the blessing itself. [To the adoption of sons, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in positionem filiorum.) 3 By the means [by jesus Christ. 4 By the end. [to himself, or into himself. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5 By the impulsive cause [according to the good pleasure of his will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) 1 Concerning the first. Predestination is the most high, and hidden cause of all things, both of their ends, and of their means, Decreed in the wisdom of God from Eternity, according to his prescience, and ordered by his providence. In the general signification it is called Destination, in the more special, i. restrained to man, Predestination. Predestination hath two parts, Election, and Reprobation. Of Election there is a twofold end Principal. Inferior. The principal end respecteth the Glory of God. vers. 6. Glorification of Man, verse 11. The inferior ends are the means of salvation, and of God's glory in saving us. They are diverse, and subordinate one to another. The first is effectual vocation, vers. 8. 9 10. The second is justification, vers. 6. 7. The third is Faith, vers. 12. 13. The fourth is Adoption, verse. 5. The fifth is Sanctification, vers. 4. The sixth is the Obsignation of all these blessings in our hearts by the spirit, vers. 14. 2. Concerning Adoption itself. A son of God may be so called by Nature. Grace. 1. By Nature jesus Christ is the only Son of God, begotten of the Father by an incomprehensible and ineffable generation. 2. The sons of God by Grace, taking grace in the largest sense, are so by Creation. Adoption. 1. By Creation, the Angels, job 2. ●. and Adam before his fall, Luke 2. 38. 2. By Adoption, Adam after his fall, & all elected in the second Adam (who are specially called children by Adoption & Grace, being restrained by Divines to the grace of redemption) in whom alone we recover the nature & name of Sonship. And we are called sons by Adoption, because when we were by nature the children of wrath, we have received the right and title of sons from God, by and for Christ, and in him the sons of God, & consequently with him heirs both of this world, and of that which is to come. This affection and action of God is expressed by a term borrowed from the civil Law: For Adoption (as it is in the Institutions) is an act of Law imitating Nature, ordained for their comfort which have no children. If the adopted was a free man, viz. neither under the authority of a father, nor of a master, it was termed adrogation, but if he was under the power and command of another, it was called simple adoption. In old times adoption was in common use, both among jews and Gentiles. In Gen. 48. 5. jacob adopted Ephraim and Manasses, and named his own name upon them. So 2. Sam. 21. 8. Michol the daughter of Saul, and wife of David, is said to bear five children to Adriel the son of Barzillai; But God punished Michol with barrenness, because she derided the zeal of David dancing before the Ark. So Moses was said to be the son of Pharaohs daughter. Moreover, children were adopted to the dead, Deut. 25. 5. For if a man died without children, his brother was, by the Law of Moses, to marry his wife, to raise up seed to his brother, and the firstborn son was named after his father deceased. For the further clearing of this Doctrine, Adoption is consummate, or inchoate. The former is perfect, and it is the state of the Elect in the kingdom of glory. The latter is imperfect, and of it there are two degrees, according to the nonage or full age of the Church. The nonage was the state of it before Christ, when it was under Tutors and Governors, Gal. 4. 1. 2. trained up in Christ, & unto Christ, by the rigour of the Moral Law, and lenity of the Ceremonial Law, this drawing, the other driving. And of that nonage there we e degrees also; for there were some more Ceremonial, others Evangelicall men, as David, Solomon, Ezechias, the Prophets, etc. yet all inferior to john the Baptist, who heard and saw, what they a fare off perceived. So that having a less measure of the Spirit, the Law had more force over them, as the rod and representations have over children, in whom reason is weak. Therefore it was called the spirit of bondage, Rom. 8. 15. The fullness of time, or age of the Church, is after Christ, which hath two degrees also, youth & perfect age: youth is the weakness of the children of Christ, Rom. 4. 1. Gal. 6. 1. which in the truly regenerate groweth more and more to strength and perfection, Heb. 6. 1. Ephes. 3. 16, and 4 13. The perfect age or strength, is the plerophory or fullness of Faith, Hope, Love, even of receiving, possession, assurance. And it is the Christian man's happiness in this world, as the pleasant Land was to Abraham and his posterity before actual possession: yea this spiritual is greater than that earthly, in that he is already come in the flesh, and ascended to prepare a place for us in whom all the promises of God are Yea and Amen. Perfect men are more specially termed spiritual▪ Gal. 6. 1. the other carnal, 1. Cor. 3▪ 3 of the vigour of the old man, and weakness of the new. Through the greater revelation of God's wisdom and love to us in Christ since his ascension & assurance of his love to us, the Holy Ghost is called in special manner, the spirit of adoption, teaching, testifying, in sealing the same more abundantly to us, Rom. 8. 15. But how? not that we are void of all fear; for as God's love is more abundantly revealed, so are his judgements also; as grace ●s more manifest, so is sin also: and as Christ hath set open the gates of heaven, even more abundantly revealed the celestial glory that could be done by the figures of pleasant Canaan, and the material Temple; so hath he more fully manifested the endless torments of the wicked, that despise grace offered, which breedeth greater terror in the Conscience, than the legal threatenings of temporal punishments. A child offending feareth the rod, but a man feareth Imprisonment and Death. Hence it is that Saint john saith, Fear hath painfulness, but perfect love casteth out fear. He that loveth, rejoiceth evermore. He that believeth, yet wanteth feeling, dependeth on Christ by faith, and is Christ's as well as the other, though he know not so sensibly that he is Christ's as the other doth. The perfect man knoweth himself to be heir of the kingdom of glory, as the loving and dutiful son is assured of his father's inheritance. The other also may know that he is Christ's, if he depend on none other, nor other means, and Christ forsaketh none, that do not first forsake him; which forsaking stands rather in affection than action. For Paul saith, Rom. 7. That to will was present with him, though he did that which was evil (unwillingly). And he had comfort and rejoicing, because he did not evil evilly. To explain this a little farther, There are five kinds of fear. 1. Diabolical, jam. 2. 19 2. Natural. It is an affection or passion of the heart, whereby we fear not only death or dissolution, but also dangers and evils, that are destructive of our good estate and welfare. This fear is by natural instinct in all sensible creatures, as well as in man, and in the godly as men, yea in Christ, as he was man, and subject to our infirmities. This fear of itself is not sin, but the corruption, (ataxy & anomy) thereof is sin, as when we do not order it according to the law of God. But Christ in fearing death, did also submit himself to the Decree and Will of his Father, according to the Commandment, Thou shalt love the Lord: by God with all thine heart, etc. So fear was overcome of love, or rightly ordered by love. So the godly fear death, yet humble themselves to death and all crosses, for the love of God extenuateth and casteth out fear. 3. Worldly fear. This is the corruption of natural fear, when as men deny Christ in what measure soever, that they might not lose their goods, worldly esteem, pleasures, preferments, etc. Worldly-minded men are full of this fear, and their fear shall fall on them, Math. 10. 28. and if our hearts condemn us, then is God greater than our hearts, much more to condemn us. Examples of such fears, Iosh. 12. 42. and 11. 48. Howbeit God's children are of infirmity affected with it sometimes, as Nicodemus, joh. 3. 2 And the Disciples, especially Peter. But if we sin and fear, we have an advocate with the Father, jesus Christ the righteous, etc. As for the fear of the wicked, it is without all love, and comfort of hope. 4 Servile fear, (which is void of love, and hope.) It is proper to the wicked. It proceedeth of an evil conscience. Prou. 28. 1. Isa. 57 20. 21. It hath two effects. 1. It restraineth the furious, and curbeth the violent. Act. 24. 25. 2 It works hardness of heart through desperation in some, when it groweth to an height of wicked resolution, all hope through Satan being utterly quenched. 5 Filial, or sonelike fear. It is proper to the regenerate, who by this fear are moved to a void sin, and to live godlily. It ariseth from the knowledge of God, and ourselves, and from the feeling of his acceptation and love of us, wrought in our hearts by the holy Ghost. Hereof Solomon saith, Prou. 1. 7. Psal. 111. 10. job. 28. 28. More plainly, this fear is thus begotten. First, when a man heareth the law, what is there commanded, what forbidden, the Holy Ghost cometh and taketh away the veil of natural blindness, and slumbering, causing him to see his sin, and to feel the wrath of God upon him, even to lay them both to his hard heart, whereupon fear troubleth the conscience, and breaketh the hard heart. Secondly, when a man in this case heareth the Gospel, the Holy Ghost inlightneth the mind to understand & believe, and to apply the promises to himself, whereupon he begins to feel quietness, and peace of conscience, being more and more persuaded that he is beloved of God. Now on this persuasion ariseth the love of God for his love, mercy, and grace in Christ. On this love ariseth a new fear namely, to displease God, so loving and merciful to us. Psal. 130. 4. Of this filial fear there are four degrees, expressed & illustrated by the fear of children towards their Parents, whereof there are four degrees. First, a child loveth his parents, and flies to them as his chief refuge, yet is he held in obedience with threatening, and fear of the rod, this may in special be called servile, Gal. 4. 1. Secondly, partly by reason, partly by the rod. Thirdly, less by the rod, and more by reason. Fourthly, by reason alone without the rod. This is perfection in this state of imperfection. The application, and amplification hereof I leave to the Christian Reader. 3. Concerning the means of Adoption. He that adopteth a servant or bondman, giveth a price for his redemption or ransom, even so hath God redeemed us with a price, 1. Pet. 1. 18. 4. Concerning the end of Adoption. It is that we might be his, not any others, nor yet our own. The servant or bondman adopted, liveth no longer to his former Masters, but to his Adopter, not in servitude, but in freedom, not in slavish, but in sonlike fear, viz. awful reverence and love. Even so we being adopted, live no longer to our former masters, and tyrants to whom we were enthralled, and willingly did homage, thorough the darkness of our minds, and deadness of our benumbed Consciences, Ephes. 4. 17. 18. namely, to the world, the flesh, and the Devil. Every natural man is a bondslave to these tyrants, and senseless of his misery. The best Heathen, the best jew are not better, how glorious soever they be. Among the Heathen Aristides was the most just, Socrates the most virtuous, Aristotle the most learned, Plato the most divine, Lucretia the most chaste, Aeneas the most pious. Among the jews, the Essees and Pharisees were most devout, and among them Paul the most fervent in zeal, unblameable, Philip. 3. the pattern of perfection, as erroneously he judged of himself, being blinded by the god of this world. But afterward he saw that his fervency was but fury. All these I say, even the best Gentiles and jews admired for their virtues, being without Christ, were the children of wrath, Ephes. 2. 1. 2. 5. Concerning the impulsive cause. It is the alone mercy and love of God, 2. Tim. 1. 9 Who hath saved us, and called us according to his purpose, and grace, etc. Ephes. 2. 4. 5. For the more full understanding of this doctrine for our further edification and comfort, two things are to be considered. First, the comparison between civil and spiritual adoption. Secondly, the privileges, whereof we are made partakers thereby. The comparison is of their likeness and unlikeness. First, concerning their likeness. These two adoptions resemble one another in eight particulars. I. The Adopter for the most part wanteth children of his own So God had no sons, but his only Son, jesus Christ, whom he gave to redeem us out of the captivity of sin and Satan, into the glorious liberty and privilege of sons. II. The Adopter out of his own bountifulness and kindness chooseth a son where he pleaseth, being obliged to none: Even so God hath freely out of his own love and good pleasure chosen us. Tit. 3. 4. When the bountifulness & love of God toward man appeared, etc. Deut. 7. 7. 8. God loved not nor choosed Israel because they were more in number (which was in those times a special prerogative and blessing) but because he loved them of his own free mercy. III. The Adopter giveth a price for the redemption and liberty of the Adopted: so hath God given a price for us, 1. Cor. 6. 20. FOUR The party adopted is commonly a servant or bondman: so were we by nature the children of wrath, of unbelief, of this world, of darkness, of the night, etc. V The Adopter offereth himself as a Father, not as a severe Master or Tyrant to his adopted sons: even so God offereth himself, and that in these particulars principally. 1. In providing & caring for his children, Levit. 26. 3. to 14. Math. 6. 30. 31. 32. Therefore the Apostle saith, Cast your care on God, for he eareth for you, Gen. 31. 4 God had care over jacob against churlish Laban, chap. 32. 9 10. God provided for jacob always; and God doth as much for all his children, but what God doth for us, our childishness conceiveth not. 2. In chastisements and corrections, Heb. 12. 7. etc. 3. In trials and temptations to humble them, to prove them, to teach them, that he might do them good at their latter end, Deut. 8. 2. 3. 4. 5. 4. In patience, forbearance, long suffering, Psal. 103. 8. 9 etc. 5. In hearing and granting their prayers, Math. 7. 7. Now God granteth our prayers, when we pray to him rightly. Of right prayer there be three degrees. 1. To pray to God the Father only. This excludeth Atheism and heathenish Idolatry, 2. To pray to God through Christ alone. This excludeth Turkism, judaisme, Popish idolatry. 3. To pray to the Father through the Son from an heart informed and moved by the spirit of God. This excludeth all hypocrisy. The signs of an heart informed and moved by the spirit of God, are these. 1. To pray according to the will of God, 1. joh. 5. 14. 2. To pray with an humble and contrite heart, Psal. 51. 7. This is a special sign; for pride is the root and top of all sin. It was and is the sin of the Devil and our first parents, who desired to shake off the yoke of obedience, and to be equal with God, Gen. 3. 5. 6. The pride of the Devil was the glorifying of himself with these excellencies wherewith the Lord had endowed him, 1. Tim. 3. 6. Pride is directly opposite to God and his glory: it is the main sin, others are the by. Covetousness is the root of all evil, but as the purveyor of pride; every covetous man is proud, and there is none of those sins, as pride of apparel, drunkenness, prodigality, feastings, etc. which the covetous seemeth to hate, but he would commit them if they were as gainful as niggardship, and drudgery is; for what will not the covetous do for money? 3. To pray in Faith, jam. 1. 6. 4. To pray with fervency, jam. 5. 16. 5. To pray for spiritual graces especially and simply, and for other things as subseruant thereto, Math. 6. 33. 6. To aim at God's glory one'y, as the three first petitions of the Lords prayer teach us. He that prayeth thus, shall never be denied any thing, neither in kind measure, nor manner. Thus Christ prayed, and was heard in all things: and thus do all the children of God in some measure pray. If they obtain not, it is because of their weakness, wherein soever it standeth. Howsoever, God accepteth the obedience, and withholdeth no good thing; yea, he giveth that which themselves would only ask, if in this life they were perfect, as Christ was perfect, and as they shall be in the kingdom of glorý. VI The adopted doth offer himself as a son, not as a servant. So do the children of God in loving him in his word and worship, in obeying him, in taking correction at his hands, in suffering themselves to be taught and led by him. Moses in Deutronomy repeating all the benefits of God towards the Israelites, at length concludeth. And now O Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to love the Lord thy God, etc. And josua likewise, chap. 24▪ 14. repeating Gods benefits towards them in like manner, concludeth, Now therefore fear the Lord thy God, etc. VII. By the Civil Law, the Heir is reputed one and the same person with him that made him his heir. In like sort we are so near conjoined with God by Christ, that we are made one and the same with him, as our Saviour prayed, joh. 17. 12. I pray thee O Father, that they all may be one, as thou art in me, and I in thee, so they may be one in us. We are conjoined, or united to Christ by two degrees. 1. We are united to the flesh of Christ; for he is the seed of Adam, therefore flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bones, as the jews were wont to say of themselves▪ which were descended of the same common stock, viz. of the same Father and Mother. 2. We participate of the spirit of Christ (not essentially, but effectually) who worketh in some measure the same properties and qualities in us, which were in Christ, as he was man, which is called our transforming into Christ, and our putting on of Christ. This conjunction Paul expresseth by engraffing, wherein these two degrees of union do evidently appear; for the sience and the stock make one individual thing. For first, their matters are united into one, and closely cemented together, yet are they but contigua, nearly glued together. Therefore this Union is yet separable. 2. They participate of one juice, spirit, and life, and are now continua, continued, being contained under one common form. And this union is now inseparable. Christ himself expresseth this by a comparison drawn from the vine and the branches, john 15. which have one common life and spirit, by which they grow burgeon, and fructify, Yet herein there is a difference; for the sience converteth the juice of the stock into his own nature and property: contrarily, Christ converteth and transformeth us into his nature, that are incorporated into him. S. Paul expresseth this union by Matrimony, wherein these two degrees are manifest. First degree, is the outward bond or ceremony of wedlock, which consisteth of two parts or degrees. 1. A separation of either from all others. 2. A mutual donation or interchange. Second degree, is the inward bond, viz the conjugal affection, or mutual love and sympathy. So the union of Christ with us, is the union of our natures, and the union of his spirit with ours, whereby we are made flesh of his flesh, & bone of his bones spiritually as he is made flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bones corporally. Hence we grow up into him, and bear fruit in him; yet these virtues of the spirit in Christ are pure and perfect, and without measure, but in us they are measurable, and obscured with sundry infirmities, both of our corrupt nature, and personal frailties; even as the light of the Sun is the same, but diversified in sundry stars, and glasses of diverse colours. VIII. The Inheritance is confirmed and finally appropriated to the heir by the death of the testator; so is our inheritance by the death of Christ. This of the likeness of these two adoptions. Now concerning their unlikeness. It stands in four particulars. 1. The Adopter is moved with the consideration of some dignity and desert in the adopted. Contrarily, God found no motive of love at all in us. For we were his enemies. And our loathsomeness in his sight, is set forth under a double allegory, Ezech. 16. where under the parable of a forlorn infant is set down the state of the Israelites in Egypt, and our estates by nature in the state of the Israelites in the bondage of Pharaoh, a type of the Devil. 2. The Adopter giveth gold, or some other earthly thing for a ransom, but God hath given his only son to redeem us. 3. The Adopter cannot give the spirit of a natural son to the adopted: but God hath given unto us the spirit of sons, by whom we call him (abba) Father, even as natural sons do their parents. 4 The Adopted son may love his Adopter only outwardly, for the benefit that he hath received, and reward that he expecteth, yet in heart he may be so alienated, as to wish the death of his Adopter, that he may inherit his house & land, as the Poet speaketh of some unnatural sons. Filius ante diem patrios inquirit in annos. But contrarily, the children of God, are united unto him in the inward affection of heart, though outwardly they fail in many things, yea hyppocrits are oft times outwardly more officious than they, as deceitful servants are often more obsequious than children. Therefore saith David. Psal. 32. 2. Blessed is he, in whose spirit there is no guile. Not with standing his manifold infirmities. The Second thing is the Privileges, whereof we are made partakers by virtue of adoption. I By virtue of Adoption, we are made the brethren of Christ. In this respect he is called our elder brother. Rom. 8. 29. and Math. 28. 10. and 25. 40. Object. Than before the Nativity, death and Resurrection of Christ▪ none were the adopted sons of God, seeing that by the death and merits of Christ, we are reconciled to God, called, justified, adopted. Miserable therefore was the state of all before the incarnation of Christ. Answ. The birth, and sonship of Christ, took the beginning from the everlasting Counsel and Decree of God, whereupon his blood is said to be shed from the beginning of the world. Adam was justified, and adopted by faith in Christ to come, whom God Preached, and promised in Paradise, and was figured by the Sacrifices of the Law, which was interpreted by the Prophets, and fulfilled by Christ himself. To be the brother of Christ is a glorious title & privilege. In an earthly kingdom we think it a great prerogative to be the kinsman of a Prince, and a special privilege to be the King's son. In the spiritual kingdom & Church of Christ, every true believer hath his prerogative and privilege. And if men desire to match with persons of birth & blood, for the advancement of their names and houses; much more should we desire this blessing of Adoption, for the everlasting advancement of our names and states. The bondman or Galleyslave thinketh it a great happiness to be freed, & made the adopted son of a Prince, and brother to the King's son. This privilege have we received, let us take notice of our happiness, and cast off our slavish conditions. II. By virtue of Adoption we are made heirs of the heavenly Kingdom, even coheyres with Christ, Rom. 8. 17. And if it be so great a privilege to be heir apparent to an earthly kingdom, much more greater glory is it to have right to, and in the kingdom of glory. III. By virtue of Adoption we are made Kings, Reuel. 1. 6. of greater might and power than Nabuchadnezzar, that sent out Holofernes, (as the Apocryphar mentioneth) to cut down all, that would not submit themselves under his yoke: greater than Ahashuerus that boasted so of his▪ 127. Provinces: yea than Alexander would have been, if he had obtained that plurality of worlds, whereof Anaxagoras informed him. He hath made us Kings and Priests to God his Father. We are made Kings, not in respect of an earthly Kingdom, seeing that the children of God are oft times the most base and contemptible of an other: but in respect of a spiritual kingdom, to which God hath ginen us title and interest, in, and by Christ, Luke 12. 32. The faithful are made Kings in three respects. 1. Because they are Lords and Conquerors of their enemies, Sin, Satan, the World, Death, Hell. 2. They are partakers of the Kingdom of Christ, and of Salvation; for we have received of Christ grace for grace, and glory for glory. 3. They have Interest, Dominion, and Sovereignty of all things by Christ. But Christ alone is universal King, and absolute Lord. But the faithful are kings as they participate with Christ in his kingdom, & by virtue of this privilege they shallbe judges of men, and Angels. Math. 10. 28. 1. Cor. 6. 2. 3. The Saints shall judge the world, and evil Angels. But how? In that they shall be as it were Assessors, and Assistants with Christ on the bench giving in voice, and consent with him. Objection. The wicked are Lords, and owners of worldly things also, how then belongeth this Privilege to the adopted sons of God? Answ. Adam▪ was the son of God by creation, and heir of all things, but by the fall he lost for himself, and his posterity, the right, and name of heir, and son, so that both he, and we by nature are only usurpers. But Christ by his satisfaction hath purged our sins, reconciled us to God, and recovered the right of sons and inheritance. For he being the true owner and sight heir of all things▪ hath made us that are in him, sons and heirs of all things with him, as the Apostle saith▪ As he hath given Christ so shall he much more give us all things with him. The godly therefore are the true Lords, and owners of all things. First, because their persons only are accepted. Secondly, Because they use them rightly, that is, with a good conscience, namely, to the glory of God. Rom. 4. 13. The promise was made to Abraham that he should be the heir of the world, not by the works of the Law, to wit, as he was a son of the first Adam, but by the righteousness of faith, that is, as he was the son of the second Adam. Quest. How then are the wicked possessors and owners? Answ. In God's providence they have possession of the things of the world, but no right unto them, I mean spiritual right. Therefore in the end of the world they shallbe rooted out, and burnt with fire, but the godly shall remain for ever. Ahraham, and his posterity had right to Canaan, four hundreth years by the promise of God, before they had actual possession. Gen. 13. 14. The reason why they had not present possession in it, is given, The wickedness of the Amorites is not yet full. The usurpers must possess it four hundreth years, and Abraham Isaac, and jacob are to have but a part in the plain of Mamre in Hebron, purchased with their money of the usurpers, and the sons of jacob were strangers in Egypt, having no foot, nor possession in the Earth in civil claim, or right, but by sufferance, and will of their Lord Pharaoh. So David had right to the kingdom of Israel, before present possession, He must tarry for that till Saul be remooved out of the way, and in the mean space suffer persecution, and affliction of the usurper. In Math. 13. The tares must grow together with the wheat, and have place in the Land with the wheat, by the permision of the householder, none can cut them up without the displeasure of the Lord, not that the Lord loveth them, but because he loveth the wheat, amongst which they grow. So the wicked have possession of, but not right to the things of the world, save only in civil respect, and humane Constitution. And the more rich, and great they are, the more hateful are they, and the greater condemnation waiteth for them. IIII The Adopted sons of God have the Angels, as ministering spirits attending on them for their good Heb. 1. 5. are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth for their sakes that all he hears of salvation? Psal. 34. 11. The Angel of the Lord pitcheth round about them that fear him, etc. 2. King. 6. 17. Math. 4. Also 1. King. 19 Elias flying from jezabel is comforted, directed, and fed by an Angel. Also, Gen. 19 The Angels bring Lot out of Sodom, before the fiery deluge. Gen. 32. jacob fearing Esau, saw Angels coming▪ and he acknowledgeth that they were sent to be his protectors, and conductours in his journey, Gen, 24. 7. Abraham sending his servant to take a wife for his son Isaac, is persuaded that the Lord will send his Angel before him. Also▪ Math. 26 53. If Christ's kingdom had been of this world, and that he had not been apppointed of God to suffer for man▪ he should have been rescued by more than twelve Legious of Angels. And our Saviour faith, that children, and simple, silly, helpless men have Angels protecting, and saving them. For their Angel beholdeth the face of God, attending his pleasure in their behalf. Moreover, in the end of this world, the Angels carry the souls of the godly into the kingdom of glory, Luk. 16. Lastly, in the day of judgement, they shall gather all the Elect together, as the householder gathereth wheat into his barn, but burneth the weeds and the chaff, the profane and hypocrites. V All afflictions, troubles, and wants are turned into trials and fatherly corrections▪ inflicted for their good, Rom. 8. 28. All things work together for good, to them that love God, etc. Psal. 89. 32. I will visit their transgressions with the rod, etc. but my loving kindness will I not utterly take from them. As the Israelites were prepared by many temptations and trials in the Wilderness for the land of Canaan, Deut. 8. and as David was prepared by persecutions, and afflictions for the kingdom of Israel, so are the children of God for the Heavenly Canaan; yea, they are chastened of the Lord by sundry ways, and sometimes by bodily death, (as in the wilderness) that they might not be condemned with the World, 1. Cor. 11. 3●. In the sorrows therefore of the children of God, there is matter of rejoicing and in the rejoicing of the wicked, matter of sorrow, fear and despair. FINIS.