A LOOKING-GLASSE FOR CHRISTIANS OR THE COMFORTABLE Doctrine of Adoption WHEREIN EVERY TRVE BEleeuer may behold his blessed Estate in the kingdome of Grace By THOMAS GRANGER Preacher of Gods Word at Butterwike in Holland in Lincolnshire LONDON Printed by William Lones 1620. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND Vertuous Lady the Lady HARRINGTON Grace and Peace RIght Honourable and worthy Lady As God hath made you three and foure times happy in your inward selfe so hath he made you thrice happy also in your outward selfe as in your State in your blessed Issue in your Name which as the sweete odour of a pretious oyntment comforteth those that are neere by and a far off euen the children of God who receiue comfort and strength by the graces of Gods spirit in the more principall members whose pleasant influence giueth vigour and more liuely motion to the inferiour and weaker This happines the Lord still continue that as both you and all the children of God haue receiued grace for grace glory for glory so you may with them be perfected in glory at that ioyfull and long expected day of our Lords appearing and full redemption of the purchased possession In the meane space I being a stranger vnto you yet a Minister of the Gospell of Iesus Christ doe greatly reioyce to heare that you and other personages of State and Birth doe walke vprightly in the Truth And as your Faith Zeale and Deuotion most worthy fruits of the Spirit are a comfort to me others so for your comfort also I send to you A Diuine Looking-glasse wherein I hope well you shall behold your blessed state euen the beauty and glory of your person in the sight of God and in the sight of your owne soule To the poore in spirit is the rich Gospell offered from the poore my selfe is this rich treasure sent vnto you in it selfe rich but a poore mite as handled and deliuered from mee yet such shall it be as your Honor shall please to accept Your Honors in all Christian duty to be commanded THOMAS GRANGER A LOOKING GLASSE for Christians Ephes 1. 5. Who hath predestinated vs to the adoption of sonnes by Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will IN the Third verse aforegoing the Apostle propoundeth the generall doctrine of all the spirituall blessings of God the Father towards vs in his Sonne Iesus Christ the matter foundation and meritorious cause therof From the 4. verse to the end of the 14. verse he declareth that generall Proposition by an induction or recitall of the specials applied to his purpose here aym'd at which is to reduce them to their former sincerity of faith and obedience In the 4. ver he maketh mention of Electiō sanctification In this 5. verse of Adoption In the 6. verse of Iustification In the 7. verse of Redemption In the 8. 9. 10. verses of the Gospell 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 spirituall blessing of Adoption which he setteth forth by sundry arguments 1 By the principall efficient cause who hath predestinated vs. 2 He layeth downe the blessing it selfe To the adoption of sonnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in positionem filiorum 3 By the meanes by Iesus Christ 4 By the end to himselfe or into himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5 By the impulsiue 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 meanes Decreed in the wisdome of God from Eternity according to his prescience and ordered by his prouidence In the generall signification it is called Destination in the more special i. restrained to man Predestinatiō Predestination hath two parts Election and Reprobation Of Election there is a twofold end Principall Inferiour The principall end respecteth the Glory of God vers 6. Glorification of Man verse 11. The inferiour ends are the meanes of saluation and of Gods glory in sauing vs. They are diuers and subordinate one to another The first is effectuall vocation vers 8. 9. 10. The second is Iustification 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 it selfe A sonne of God may be so called by Nature Grace 1. By Nature Iesus Christ is the onely Sonne of God begotten of the Father by an incomprehensible and ineffable generation 2. The sonnes of God by Grace taking grace in the largest sence are so by Creation Adoption 1. By Creation the Angels Iob 2. ◠and Adam before his fall Luke 2. 38. 2. By Adoption Adam after his fal all elected in the second Adam who are specially called children by Adoption Grace beeing restrained by Diuines to the grace of redemption in whom alone wee recouer the nature name of Sonship And we are called sonnes by Adoption because when wee were by nature the children of wrath wee haue receiued the right and title of sonnes from God by and for Christ and in him the sonnes of God consequently with him heyres both of this world and of that which is to come This affection and action of God is expressed by a terme borrowed from the ciuill Law For Adoption as it is in the Institutions is an act of Law imitating Nature ordeyned for their comfort which haue no children If the adopted was a free man viz. neyther vnder the authority of a father nor of a maister it was termed adrogation but if hee was vnder the power and command of another it was called simple adoption In olde times adoption was in common vse both among Iewes and Gentiles In Gen. 48. 5. Iacob adopted Ephraim and Manasses and named his owne name vpon them So 2. Sam. 21. 8. Michol the daughter of Saul and wife of Dauid is said to beare fiue children to Adriel the sonne of Barzillai But God punished Michol with barrennesse because she derided the zeale of Dauid dancing before the Arke So Moses was said to bee the sonne of Pharaohs daughter Moreouer 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 vp seede to his brother and the first-borne sonne was named after his father deceased For the further cleering of this Doctrine Adoption is consummate or inchoate The former is perfect and it is the state of the Elect in the kingdome of glory The latter is imperfect and of it there are two degrees according to the nonage or full age of
Deutronomy repeating all the benefits of God towards the Israelites at length concludeth And now O Israell what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to loue the Lord thy God c. And Iosua likewise chap. 24 14. repeating Gods benefits towards them in like manner concludeth Now therefore feare the Lord thy God c. VII By the Ciuill Law the Heyre is reputed one and the same person with him that made him his heyre In like sort we are so neere conioyned with God by Christ that we are made one and the same with him as our Sauiour prayed Ioh. 17. 12. I pray thee O Father that they all may be one as thou art in mee and I in thee so they may be one in vs. Wee are conjoyned or vnited to Christ by two degrees 1. We are vnited to the flesh of Christ for he is the seed of Adam therefore flesh of our flesh and bone of our bones as the Iews were wont to say of themselues which were descended of the same common stocke viz. of the same Father and Mother 2. Wee participate of the spirit of Christ not essentially but effectually who worketh in some measure the same properties and qualities in vs which were in Christ as he was man which is called our transforming into Christ and our putting on of Christ This coniunction Paul expresseth by ingraffing wherein these two degrees of vnion doe euidently appeare for the sience and the stocke make one indiuiduall thing For first their matters are vnited into one and closely cemented together yet are they but contigua neerely glued together Therefore this Vnion is yet separable 2. They participate of one iuyce spirit and life and are now continua continued beeing contained vnder one common forme And this vnion is now inseparable Christ himselfe expresseth this by a comparison drawne from the vine and the branches Iohn 15. which haue one common life and spirit by which they grow burgeon and fructifie Yet heerein there is a difference for the sience conuerteth the iuyce of the stocke into his owne nature and property contrarily Christ conuerteth and transformeth vs into his nature that are incorporated into him S. Paul expresseth this vnion 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 eyther from all others 2. A mutuall donation or enterchange Second degree is the inward bond viz the coniugall affection or mutuall loue and sympathy So the vnion of Christ with vs is the vnion of our natures and the vnion 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 wee grow vp into him and beare fruit in him yet these vertues of the spirit in Christ are pure and perfect and without measure but in vs they are measurable and obscured with sundry infirmities both of our corrupt nature and personall frailties euen as the light of the Sunne is the same but diuersified in sundry starres and glasses of diuers colours VIII The Inheritance is confirmed and finally appropriated to the heyre by the death of the testator so is our inheritance by the death of Christ This of the likenesse of these two adoptions Now concerning their vnlikenesse It stands in foure particulars 1. The Adopter is mooued vvith the consideration of some dignity and desert in the adopted Contrarily God found no motiue of loue at all in vs. For vvee were his enemies And our loathsomnes in his sight is set forth vnder a double allegorie Ezech. 16. where vnder the parable of a forlorne infant is set downe the state of the Israelites in Egypt and our estates by nature in the state of the Israelites in the bondage of Pharao a type of the Deuill 2. The Adopter giueth gold or some other earthly thing for a ransome but God hath giuen his onely sonne to redeeme vs. 3. The Adopter cannot giue the spirit of a naturall sonne to the adopted but God hath giuen vnto vs the spirit of sonnes by whom we call him abba Father euen as naturall sonnes doe their parents 4 The Adopted sonne may loue his Adopter onely outwardly for the benefit that he hath receiued 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 vnnaturall sonnes Filius ante diem patrios inquirit in annos But contrarily the children of God are vnited vnto him in the inward affection of heart though outwardly they faile in many things yea hyppocrits are oft times out-wardly more officious than they as deceitfull seruants are often more obsequious than children Therefore saith Dauid Psal 32. 2. Blessed is he in whose spirit there is no guile Not with standing his manifold infirmities The Second thing is the Priviledges whereof we are made partakers by vertue of adoption I By vertue 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. Obiect Than before the Nativitie death and Resurrection of Christ none were the adopted sonnes of God seeing that by the death and merits of Christ wee are reconciled to God called iustified adopted Miserable therefore was the state of all before the incarnation of Christ Answ The birth and sonship of Christ tooke the begining from the everlasting Counsell and Decree of God wherevpon his blood is said to be shed from the begining of the world Adam was iustified 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 himselfe To be the brother of Christ is a glorious title priuiledge In an earthly kingdome we thinke it a great prerogatiue to be the kinsman of a Prince and a speciall priuiledge to be the Kings sonne In the spirituall kingdome Church of Christ euery true beleeuer hath his prerogatiue and priuiledge And if men desire to match with persons of birth bloud for the aduancement of their names and houses much more should we desire this blessing of Adoption for the euerlasting aduancement of our names and states The bondman or Gally-slaue thinketh it a great happinesse to be freed made the adopted sonne of a Prince and brother to the Kings sonne This priuiledge haue wee receiued let vs take notice of our happinesse and cast off our slauish conditions II. By vertue of Adoption wee are made heyres of the heauenly Kingdome euen coheyres with Christ Rom. 8. 17. And if it bee so great a priuiledge to bee heyre apparent to an earthly kingdome much more greater glory is it to haue right to and in the kingdome of glory III. By vertue of
yet is he held in obedience with threatning and feare of the rodde this may in speciall be called seruile Gal. 4. 1. Secondly partly by reason partly by the rod. Thirdly lesse 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 leaue to the Christian Reader 3. Concerning the meanes of Adoption Hee that adopteth a seruant or bondman giueth a price for his redemption or ransome euen so hath God redeemed vs 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 owne The seruant or bondman adopted liueth no longer to his former Masters but to his Adopter not in seruitude but in freedome not in slauish but in son-like feare viz. awfull reuerence and loue Euen so we being adopted liue no longer to our former masters and tyrants to whom we were enthralled and willingly did homage thorow the darkenesse of our mindes and deadness of our benummed Consciences Ephes 4. 17. 18. namely to the world the flesh and the Diuell Euery naturall man is a bondslaue to these tyrants and sencelesse of his misery The best Heathen the best Iew are not better how glorious soeuer they be Among the Heathen Aristides was the most iust Socrates the most vertuous Aristotle the most learned Plato the most diuine Lucretia the most chast Aeneas the most pious Among the Iewes the Essees and Pharisees were most deuout and among them Paul the most feruent in zeale vnblameable Philip. 3. the patterne of perfection as erroneously he iudged of himselfe being blinded by the god of this world But afterward he saw that his feruency was but fury All these I say euen the best Gentiles and Iewes admired for their vertues beeing without Christ were the children of wrath Ephes 2. 1. 2. 5. Concerning the impulsiue cause It is the alone mercy and loue of God 2. Tim. 1. 9. Who hath saued vs and called vs according to his purpose and grace c. Ephes 2. 4. 5. For the more full vnderstanding of this doctrine for our further edification and comfort two things are to be considered First the comparison betweene ciuill and spirituall adoption Secondly the priuiledges whereof we are made partakers thereby The comparison is of their likenesse and vnlikenesse First concerning their likenesse These two adoptions resemble one another in eight particulars I. The Adopter for the most part wanteth children of his owne So God had no sonnes but his onely Sonne Iesus Christ whom he gaue to redeeme vs out of the captiuity of sinne and Satan into the glorious liberty and priuiledge of sonnes II. The Adopter out of his owne bountifulnesse and kindnesse chooseth a sonne where he pleaseth beeing obliged to none Euen so God hath freely out of his owne loue and good pleasure chosen vs. Tit. 3. 4. When the bountifulnesse loue of God toward man appeared c. Deut. 7. 7. 8. God loued not nor chused Israell because they were more in number which was in those times a speciall prerogatiue and blessing but because hee loued them of his owne free mercy III. The Adopter giueth a price for the redemption and liberty of the Adopted so hath God giuen a price for vs 1. Cor. 6. 20. IIII. The party adopted is commonly a seruant or bondman so were wee by nature the children of wrath of vnbeleefe of this world of darkenesse of the night c. V. The Adopter offereth himselfe as a Father not as a seuere Master or Tyrant to his adopted sonnes euen so God offereth himselfe and that in these particulars principally 1. In prouiding caring for his children Leuit. 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 ouer Iacob against churlish Laban chap. 32. 9. 10. God prouided for Iacob alway and God doth as much for all his children but what God doth for vs our childishnesse conceiueth not 2. In chastisements and corrections Heb. 12. 7. c. 3. In trialls and temptations to humble them to proue them to teach them that he might doe them good at their latter end Deut. 8. 2. 3. 4. 5. 4. In patience forbearance long suffering Psal 103. 8. 9. c. 5. In hearing and granting their prayers Math. 7. 7. Now God granteth our prayers when wee pray to him rightly Of right prayer there be three degrees 1. To pray to God the Father onely This excludeth Atheisme and heathenish Idolatry 2. To pray to God through Christ alone This excludeth Turcisme Iudaisme Popish idolatry 3. To pray to the Father through the Sonne from an heart informed and mooued by the spirit of God This excludeth all hypocrisie The signes of an heart informed and mooued by the spirit of God are these 1. To pray according to the will of God 1. Ioh. 5. 14. 2. To pray with an humble and contrite heart Psal 51. 7. This is a speciall signe for pride is the roote and top of all sinne It was and is the sinne of the Deuill and our first parents who desired to shake off the yoke of obedience and to be equall with God Gen. 3. 5. 6. The pride of the Diuell was the glorifying of himselfe with these excellencies wherewith the Lord had indowed him 1. Tim. 3. 6. Pride is directly opposite to God and his glory it is the maine sinne others are the by Couetousnesse is the roote of all euill but as the purueyor of pride euery couetous man is proud and there is none of those sinnes as pride of apparell drunkennesse prodigality feastings c. which the couetous seemeth to hate but hee would commit them if they were as gainfull as niggardship and drudgery is for what will not the couetous doe for money 3. To pray in Faith Iam. 1. 6. 4. To pray with feruency Iam. 5. 16. 5. To pray for spirituall graces especially and simply and for other things as sub-seruant thereto Math. 6. 33. 6. To ayme at Gods glory one'y as the three first petitions of the Lords prayer teach vs. He that prayeth thus shall neuer bee denied any thing neyther in kinde measure nor manner Thus Christ prayed and was heard in all things and thus doe all the children of God in some measure pray If they obtaine not it is because of their weakenesse wherein soeuer it standeth Howsoeuer God accepteth the obedience and with-holdeth no good thing yea hee giueth that which themselues would onely aske 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 himselfe as a sonne not as a seruant So doe the children of God in louing him in his word and worship in obeying him in taking correction at his hands in suffering themselues to be taught and led by him Moses in