(2.) The second thing which the children of God have by
adoption is title. They have title and right to all the
privileges and advantages of the family whereinto they are translated.
This is the pre-eminence of the true sons of any family. The
ground on which Sarah pleaded the ejection of Ishmael was, that he was the
son of the bond woman, Gen. xxi.
10, and so no genuine child of the family; and therefore could
have no right of heirship with Isaac. The apostle’s arguing is, “We are no
more servants, but sons; and if sons, then heirs,” Rom. viii. 14–17, — “then have we
right and title: and being not born hereunto (for by nature we are the
children of wrath), we have this right by our adoption.”