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disposes and enables God's children to perform, not only with patience, but exultation.

7. The Holy Spirit makes us joint-heirs with Jesus Christ to all that wealth which God has provided for his children.

An heir is a person who has, by gift, or promise, or covenant, or common law, a title to the possessions of another, from which he may derive present pleasure, and which shall be actually his in future. It is not necessary that the original owner should die, although he commonly does, before the inheritance is transmitted; for he who makes another his heir may covenant to bestow the whole or a part of his possessions at any definite time to come. In this manner are believers heirs to God, and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. To our ELDER BROTHER Jehovah has given all power in heaven and in earth, to be exercised by him, for the glory of the Father, of himself the firstborn Son, and of all the other children of the family.

The goods which Jesus Christ has in trust for his younger brethren, are to be dealt out to them, from time to time, according to their circumstances, and his discretion.

Some of Christ's brethren are babes, and to them is communicated the sincere milk of the word, that they may grow thereby. At a future time they will arrive at the stature of childhood, of young men, of full-grown men; and in each state Christ will give them such a portion of the wealth of God, as they may need, and know how to employ for the promotion of their happiness, in connexion with the divine glory. From the moment of spiritual birth they are heirs of God, and jointheirs with Christ by a gracious covenant; for to all believers coming into the family of the Lord, it is said by the authority of the Supreme, "all things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's." While the child of God continues in this world, the most glorious and valuable, part of his estate is in reversion. He now occupies inferior things; he is but a traveller on a tour for improvement; and the place of his lodging is but an inn. He is bound home, by a circuitous course, like that of Israel in the wilderness, to his Father's mansion in the skies; and, when he quits this mortal scene, shall enter the temple not made with hands, to remain as stable there as the pillars of God's throne.

By our receiving the Spirit of adoption God himself became our God; and his riches, honours, perfections, providence, grace, angels, redeemed friends, and glorified Son, will all conspire to make each heir of heaven perfectly happy. God is yours; and Christ is yours, ye adopted children of God, and they shall continue yours for ever and ever.

If such are the properties of the Spirit of adoption; if he introduces us to the family of God; infuses the disposition of children; communicates parental instruction; is the medium of fatherly discipline; sanctifies temporal blessings and spiritual privileges; enables us to perform the duties which appertain to a state of sonship; and makes us joint-heirs with Jesus Christ to the heavenly inheritance, should we not consider,

II. Some of the evidences which may prove that we have received him?" Ye have received the spirit of adoption." All men who hear the gospel have not received him. How shall believers know that God hath sent the Spirit of his Son to dwell in them, to give them a title to all the pleasures, privileges, and treasures of adoption?

Ye shall know your adoption by the following points of evidence.

1. God acknowledges you to be his children. When Moses was adopted by Pharaoh's daughter she gave him a name, and presented him to the king, as the person whom she had elected heir to all the honours and authority which might be devolved upon herself. In like manner God acknowledges his adopted children, by calling them sons and daughters, and making them known in this relation to all the hosts of heaven. He calls them children of GOD, after himself; and Christians, after his Son Jesus Christ. They shall bear his name and his Son's name, for ever, as a testimony of their adoption. Rev. iii. 12.

But since the Lord does not say, with an audible voice, to any individual, "I have adopted thee;" how can this acknowledgment be known, so as to become evidence of sonship? We answer, that there is a language of signs, as well as of sounds, and it is by the former that God assures his people of their adoption into his family. It is said that Pharaoh put his royal diadem on the head of Moses, when he was a child; which, if he did it seriously, was an intelligible declaration that he accounted him son, and heir to the crown. Some of the oriental nations too, instead of saying, "we adopt thee," cause the child or person adopted, to whom they give a new name, to pass through the inner garment of the father, and wear some of his clothing. Thus Elisha received the mantle of Elijah to denote that he was made heir to the prophetical office; and to Shebna God said, concerning Eliakim, who was to take his place of captain of the temple, "I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle." From this practice of adopting by significant usages, it is probable that the figurative expression of being "clothed with Christ's righteousness," arose; which denotes equally our justification and adoption. We wear Christ's robes to cover our spiritual nakedness, and to show that we are accounted by him nothing less than brethren.

Those, therefore, who are treated by God as children, are, by his fatherly conduct, acknowledged to be his sons and daughters. "God dealeth with you as with sons." If an earthly parent should feed, clothe, instruct, defend, correct, and provide for a little child, you would naturally infer from the conduct of the parent, that the little one was a child, either by birth or adoption. Now God treats his children differently from the course of his dealings with enemies. This prepares the way for me to state,

2. That God frees his children from a spirit of bondage; which liberation is an evidence of their adoption. "Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear," says the verse which contains the words of my text, "but ye have received the Spirit of adoption." These two spirits are opposite; and if a man has not the one he will have the other. Fear of some kind the sinner will have; but it may be filial, or it may be slavish. He who feels like a son cannot, at the same time, feel like a slave; and he who has the spirit of bondage cannot have the Spirit of adoption in operation at the same moment. If, then, you are not under the dominion of such a spirit as makes the service of God a drudgery, you have the Spirit which renders it a delight. If you do not dread God, when you contemplate his character, you love him; and love him you would not, did not the Holy Ghost give you an inheritance among the sons. You, then, who can say in the fear of God, which sons feel for the kindest and best of parents, that your terrific apprehensions of God's wrath have been banished by a calm and firm hope in the mercy of God through Jesus Christ, may also say, God has adopted us into his family, and we know it, because the Spirit of adoption lives within our hearts. By believing the gospel, you become free from the condemning law; and with freedom from this law is commonly experienced deliverance from horrible and tormenting fears of hell. Indeed some of the children of God never felt many heart-rending fears; were never greatly agonized from the dread of damnation; for almost as soon as they began to be sensible of their danger, they began to trust in the Saviour. Some misunderstand the nature of true conversion, when they desire more keen distress from the apprehension of divine indignation. They should no more pray for torment of soul here, than for the damnation of hell hereafter; for the spirit of bondage is not the Spirit of adoption. If you find that filial affections banish fear, happy are you.

3. Believers have evidence of their adoption in their prayers. "Ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." We read also, in Galatians. iv. 6. that "because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." By this same Spirit "we have

boldness and access with confidence," to the mercy-seat. It is the Spirit of God which constrains the elect to cry night and day to God, for such favours as they individually need, and for such blessings as he has promised to bestow on his church. No sinner ever called God HIS FATHER, in sincerity, without faith in God and in Jesus Christ, and no one believes except by the Holy Ghost; so that an unrenewed man cannot be under the influence of that Spirit which teaches sinners to make supplication to the Eternal Father.

Do you find then, my hearers, that you are constrained, habitually, and perseveringly, to approach the God of grace, mercy, and peace, with the temper of children? Do you feel that you need much? Do you intreat God, with parental discretion and love, to give, or withhold? Then you are sons, or daughters, of the Lord Almighty. It was neither human nature nor the devil which taught you to pray to God as children to a father.

Were it not the purpose of the Holy Ghost who resides in your bosoms to keep you under the gracious government of your God, and secure your final salvation, you would never emerge from that occasional gloom, or that more awful stupidity, which has sometimes closed your mouths, and almost produced the mad resolution of never attempting to pray again. You shall pray, however, not because you resolve it, but because the Spirit of adoption will put desires into your hearts, and words into your mouths, and thereby evince that you are not slaves, not condemned rebels, but hoping, believing, and comforted children. The hypocrite may address the throne of grace eloquently before men, but he will not always call upon God. The spirit of humble, penitent, persevering prayer is from God; and this alone is sufficient evidence that we are children whom he designs to answer. At times we have felt, brethren, that our emotions and desires, and even our words in prayer, are not our own. "The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God."

4. We have evidence of our adoption, when, upon self-examination, we find that we are spiritually minded. Before adoption men are carnally minded. They devote their thoughts, affections, words, time, talents, hopes, fears, pursuits, and their whole nature, to the objects of sense, to the pleasures and possessions of this world which lieth in sin. But so soon as the spirit of adoption takes up his residence in them, they mind the things of God, and a better world supremely. They set their

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affections on things above, and live for the life eternal. the world appears insignificant, when compared with peace of conscience, the favour of God, and the felicity of heaven. Now they regard the interests of their immortal souls, and of the Redeemer's kingdom. They would not, however, have become spiritually minded, had not the Lord chosen them, and called them to participate in the privileges of adoption.

5. When we are sensible that afflictions have been sanctified for our spiritual improvement, we have another evidence of adoption. There is no necessary, natural tendency in judgments and distresses to make a wicked man better. Indeed so long as he continues impenitent they render him more insensible and obstinate; but God corrects his children that they may become wiser and better; and the intended good results from the chastisement. The Spirit of adoption enables the children of God to bear rebuke without murmuring, and teaches them in tribulation to reflect upon their own misconduct and the demerit of all sin. If then, you are children of the Most High, the Spirit within you points your eyes to him who meekly endured the contradiction of sinners against himself; and from the example of Christ you learn to suffer. Yes, the Spirit of God may cause you to feel that it is good for you to be afflicted, and you will not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when rebuked by him. If you suffer not so much for your own sins, as for an example to others, and for the sake of Christ, you will even rejoice in the fellowship of his sufferings." Can you say then, my hearers, that your troubles have made you hate sin in yourselves and others more perfectly? Have they constrained you to call upon God more frequently and humbly? Have the corrections of your Father increased your veneration and love for him? Do you feel thankful to God for your disappointments, vexations, and losses? Can you bless him through your tears? Then ye are adopted members of God's family. "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?" Heb. xii. 6, 7.

6. "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." Let no one imagine that this article is to be explained in such a manner as to justify the strongest suggestions of fancy, and the unfounded assurance of the fanatic. The Spirit bears witness with our spirits that we are the children of God, not by an immediate personal revelation of the fact; but by giving us rules of trial, and by bringing our souls to sit in judgment upon themselves, that they may decide concerning their state, according to these rules. For instance, the Holy Ghost teaches us that he who believeth in Jesus is a

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