nected with mercy, vindicates their rights, and recompences the fruits of his grace; and his bounty surely supplies all their wants. Nor does the Almighty conceal from his friends the reasons of his conduct, in such matters as in any respect concern them; and he encourages them to open their inmost souls, and to pour out their sorrows and fears, before him: and they can often rejoice that he is acquainted with those things, which they could not mention even to the dearest and most intimate of their earthly friends. But indeed, this privilege of reconciliation to God, and friendship with him, comprises all other blessings and expectations, here and hereafter: though it may be more instructive to speak of them under different heads.

3. The believer is adopted into the family of God, and admitted to all the honour and felicity of his beloved children. "Behold what manner "of love the Father hath bestowed on us, that we "should be called the sons of God!”2 "Ac

cording as he hath chosen us in Christ before "the foundation of the world, that we should "be holy and without blame before him in love;

having predestinated us unto the adoption of "children by Jesus Christ unto himself, accorIding to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace.' 993 He there

'Gen. xviii. 17-19. John xv. 15.

3 Eph. i. 3.-14.

2 1 John iii. 1.

fore thus addresses us by his word, "Come ye out "from among them, and be ye separate-and I will receive you, and ye shall be my sons and my

daughters, saith the Lord almighty.'" This call being accompanied by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit, our minds are influenced to obey it: thus we are brought to repentance, and faith in Christ, our sins are pardoned, and we pass from the family and kingdom of the wicked one, into the household of God, by a gracious adoption.— This term was borrowed from the custom of the ancients, who frequently took the children of other persons, and by a solemn legal process adopted them into their own families, gave them their names, educated them as their own, and left them their estates. Thus regenerati n communicates a divine nature, and makes us the children of God; and adoption recognizes us as such, and admits us to the enjoyment of the privileges belonging to that relation, and so, pardoned rebels become the children and heirs of the almighty and everlasting God, by faith in Jesus Christ.' But what words can express the value of this distinguished privilege! The adoption of the meanest beggar, or the vilest traitor, into the family of the greatest monarch to be the heir of all his dignities, would produce but a trivial alteration in his circumstances: for, vexation, sickness, and death would still await him; and the distance between the mightiest, and the 1 g Cor. vi. 17, 18. * Gal. iii. 26.

most abject of men, or creatures, is as nothing compared with that which subsists between the great Creator and all the works of his hands.'-This adoption is not a mere name; it is a substantial good, an honour, a dignity, and an advantage which eclipses, and, as it were, swallows up, all other benefits, which can be obtained by any creature. "If children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint "heirs with Christ;" and we may be sure that every thing, which can prepare us for our incorruptible and eternal inheritance, and put us in possession of it, will be conferred by the love and bounty of our almighty Friend and Father. But "we know not what we shall be:" "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into "the heart of man, the things which God hath "prepared for them that love him." Lest, however, we should imagine that any possible honour, advantage, or felicity was excepted, when the inheritance of the children of God was mentioned; he hath been pleased to expand our views, and enlarge our expectations, by language taken from all the other most endeared relations of life. The obedient disciples of Christ are his brethren, his sisters, and his mother; yea, their "Maker is their "husband, the Lord of Hosts is his name!"" They who are thus adopted into the family of God receive the Spirit of adoption," instead of

'Is. xl. 13-26

2 Is. liv. 5. Matt. xii. 46-50. Eph. v, 25-27.

the spirit of bondage, and are encouraged to say, 'Abba, Father!" or to address him as their Father, whatever language they speak, or to whatever country they belong. We must not understand this expression merely as denoting a confidence that God is our Father: for, believers are often actuated by the Spirit of adoption, when harassed with doubts whether they be the children of God or not; and many have an overbearing confidence of their adoption, while their actions demonstrate that they belong to another family.' The Spirit of adoption indeed as properly belongs to the believer's temper and character as to his privileges: yet it is necessary here to observe in general, that the Holy Spirit, by producing in us that disposition towards God, which a dutiful Son bears towards a wise and good father, manifests our regeneration and adoption, and "bears witness with "our spirits, that we are the children and heirs of "God:" and while we feel our minds habitually influenced to seek to him in all our difficulties; to revere him, trust, love, and obey him; to seek his glory, and rejoice in the success of the gospel and the prosperity of his people; we have "a witness "in ourselves," that we are born of God, and adopted into his family; even though weakness of faith, misapprehension, or temptation, should create a hesitation in our minds whilst addressing him as our Father. This privilege, therefore, consists

1 John viii. 41-47.

in the liberty of approaching the Lord at all times and for all things; of entrusting all our concerns in his hands, and of considering them all as managed by him, in perfect wisdom, truth, and love, for our present and everlasting good. Indeed the very disposition, produced by the Spirit of adoption, is our privilege, and constitutes the seal, the first-fruits, and the earnest of our felicity.'

4. The christian has the firmest ground of confidence, that all his temporal wants will be supplied, and that every thing which can possibly conduce to his advantage, will be conferred on him by his almighty Friend and Father. We are not indeed authorised to expect, or allowed to desire, great things for ourselves in this world: and it is evident to every reflecting person, that power, wealth and prosperity tend so much to excite the envy or enmity of others, and to inflame the corrupt passions of their possessors, that they add nothing to the real enjoyment of life. He who has the promise and providence of God, as his security, is far more sure never to want any thing really good for him, than they are who possess the greatest wealth: for riches often strangely "make themselves wings, and fly away;" but the unchangeable God, the Possessor of heaven and earth, who has all hearts in his hands, can never be unable to provide for those that trust in him. 1 Rom. viii. 14-17. Gal. iv. 6, 7.

1