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CXX.

haps the apostle alludes here in the text, when he SER M. fays that "CHRIST was decreed to be the Son of "GOD by his refurrection from the dead." To be fure these words, "this day have I begotten thee,' St. Paul exprefly tells us were accomplish'd in the refurrection of CHRIST; as if GOD by raifing him from the dead, had begotten him, and decreed him to be his Son. Acts xiii. 32, 33. "And we de"clare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise .which was made unto the fathers, God hath ful"filled the fame unto their children, in that he hath "raised up JESUS again, as it is also written in the "fecond pfalm, thou art my SoN, this day have I begotten thee."

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He was the Son of God before, as he was conceived by the HOLY GHOST; but this was fecret and invifible, and known only to the mother of our LORD: and therefore GOD thought fit to give a publick and vifible demonftration of it, fo as to put the matter out of all question, he declared him in a powerful manner to be his Son, by giving him a new life after death, by raifing him from the dead; and by this new and eminent teftimony given to him, declared him again to be his Son, and confirmed the title which was given him before upon a true, but more fecret account, of his being conceived by the HOLY GHOST.

And as our SAVIOUR is faid to be the Sox of GOD upon this twofold account, of his conception by the HOLY GHOST, and his refurrection to life by the SPIRIT of GOD: fo the fcripture (which does folicitoufly pursue a resemblance and conformity between CHRIST and chriftians) does likewife upon a twofold account (answerable to our SAVIOUR'S

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CXX.

SER M. birth and refurrection) call true believers and chri ftians, "the children of GoD;" viz. upon account of their regeneration or new birth, by the operation of the SPIRIT of GOD; and upon account of their refurrection to eternal life, by the power of the fame SPIRIT.

Upon account of our regeneration and becoming chriftians by the power and operation of the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD upon our minds, we are faid to be the children of GoD, as being regenerated and born again by the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD. And this is our first adoption. And for this reafon the SPIRIT of GOD conferred upon chriftians at their baptifm, and dwelling and refiding in them afterwards, is called "the SPIRIT of adoption;" Rom, viii. 15. "Ye have received the SPIRIT of adop "tion, whereby you cry abba FATHER ;" and Gal. iv. 5, 6. believers are faid to "receive the adop ❝tion of fons; GOD having fent forth the Spi "RIT of his SON into their hearts, crying abba "FATHER;" that is, all chriftians, for as much as they are regenerated by the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD, and having the SPIRIT of GOD dwelling in them, may with confidence call GOD FATHER, and look upon themselves as his children. So the apoftle tells us, Rom. viii. 14. "That as many as are led

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(or acted) by the SPIRIT of GOD, are the fons "of God."

But though we are faid to be the children of GoD upon account of our regeneration, and the Holy SPIRIT OF GOD dwelling and refiding in chriftians; yet we are eminently fo, upon account of our refurrection to eternal life, by the mighty power of God's SPIRIT. This is our final adoption and the confum

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CXX.

mation of it; and therefore Rom. viii. 21. this is SER M. called "the glorious liberty of the fons of GOD," because by this we are for ever "delivered from the bondage of corruption;" and by way of eminency, "the adoption, viz. the redemption of our "bodies."

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We are indeed "the fons of GOD" before, upon account of the regenerating and fanctifying virtue of the HOLY GHOST; but finally and chiefly upon account of our refurrection by the power of the divine SPIRIT. So St. John tells us, that then we fhall be declared to be "the fons of GOD," after another manner than we are now: John iii. 1. "Behold what manner of love the FATHER hath "bestowed upon us, that we should be called the "fons of GOD." "Now we are the fons of GoD," (that is, our adoption is begun in our regeneration and fanctification)" but it doth not yet appear what "we shall be;" we fhall be much more eminently fo at the refurrection. "We know, that when he "fhall appear, we fhall be like him."

But the most exprefs and remarkable text to this purpose, is, Luke xx. 36. where good men, after the refurrection, are for this reafon faid to be "the "children of GoD," because they are "the chil"dren of the refurrection." "But they who shall "be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and "the refurrection from the dead, neither marry nor "are given in marriage, neither can they die any "more; for they are equal to the angels, and are "the children of GoD, being the children of the "refurrection." For this reafon they are faid to be" the children of GOD," becaufe, they are raifed by him to a new life; and to be made partakers of 0 4

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SER M. that which is promised to them, and reserved for CXX. them. For all that are raised by the power of

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GOD, out of the duft of the earth, are not therefore" the children of GOD;" but only they that have part in the bleffed refurrection to eternal life, and do inherit the kingdom prepared for them." Not those who are raised to a perpetual death, and the refurrection of condemnation." Thefe are not "the children of GOD;" but "the children "of wrath," and "the children of perdition."

But the refurrection of the juft, is the full and final declaration, that we are "the children of GOD;" not only because we are restored to a new life, but becaufe at the refurrection, we are admitted to the full poffeffion of that bleffed inheritance which is purchafed for us, and promifed to us.

And the SPIRIT of GOD which is conferred upon believers in their regeneration, and afterwards dwells and refides in them, is the pledge and earnest of our final adoption, by our refurrection to eternal life; and upon this account, and no other, is faid to be the earnest of our future inheritance, and the feal and confirmation of it. Eph. i, 13. "In whom "alfo, after that ye believed, ye were sealed by the "HOLY SPIRIT of promife, which is the earnest "of our inheritance, until the redemption of the

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purchased poffeffion;" that is, the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD, which chriftians were made partakers of, upon their fincere belief, of the chriftian religion, is the feal and earnest of our refurrection to eternal life; as the apoftle plainly tells us, in that remarkable text; Rom. viii. 11. "If the SPIRIT of "him that raifed up JESUS from the dead dwell in "you, he that raifed up CHRIST from the dead, " fhall

"shall also quicken your mortal bodies, by his S ERM. "SPIRIT that dwelleth in you."

I have been the longer upon this, because it ferves fully to explain to us thofe obfcure phrases, of "the "feal and earnest, and firft-fruits of the SPIRIT," which many have mistaken to import fome particular and spiritual revelation or impreffion upon the minds of good men, affuring them of their falvation. Whereas the apoftle intended no more by them, but that the SPIRIT of GOD which dwells in believers, enabling them "to mortify the deeds "of the flesh, and to bring forth the fruits of the "SPIRIT," is a pledge and earnest to us, of a blessed refurrection to eternal life by the power of the SPIRIT of GOD which now dwells in us, and is the fame SPIRIT which raised up JESUS from the dead. And in this chapter, the SPIRIT of GOD is faid, ver. 16. "to bear witness to our spirits," that is, to affure our minds, "that we are the children of "GOD;" that is, that we are his children now, and confequently heirs of a glorious refurrection to eternal life for fo it follows in the next words, "and "if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint "heirs with CHRIST; if fo be that we fuffer with "him, that we may also be glorified together." And this being glorified together with CHRIST at the refurrection, he calls, ver. 19. "the manifesta"tion of the fons of GOD." Thus you fee how in conformity to the Son of GOD, our elder brother, we are faid to be the fons of GOD, because we are now regenerated, and shall at the last day be raised. up to eternal life, by the power of the SPIRIT of GOD. I proceed to the

CXX.

Second

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