Second sign of adoption, to love to be in oxu- Father's y)resence. The child who loves his father, is never so well as when ^«» is near his father. Are we cliildren ? ^'e V)ve the presence of God in his ordi- nances. In prayer we speak to God, in the preaching of las word he speaks to us ; and how doth every child of God delight to hear his Father's voice ! Ps. Ixiii. 1, 2., " My soul thirsteth for thee, to see thy power and glory so as I have seen thee iii the sanctuary." Such as disregard ordi- nances, are not God's children, because they care not to be in God's presence: Gen. iv. IG., " Cain went out from the pre- sence of the Lord." Not that he could go out of God's sight, but the meaning is, " Cain went out from the church and per>- ple of God, where tiie Lord gave visible tokens of his presence."
Third sign of adoption, to have the con-
duct of God's Spirit, Rom. viii. 14., " As many as are led by the Spirit of (iod, arc the sojis of God." It is not enough that the child have life, hut it must he led everv step l>y the inn-se : so the ado[)ted child must not only be born of God, but have the manuduction of the Spirit to lead him in a course of holiness, IIos. xi. 3., " I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by llieir arms." As Israel was led by the pillar of fire, so God's children are led by the con- duct of his Spirit : the adopted ones need God's Spirit to lead them, they are apt to go wrong. The fleshly part inclines to sin ; the understanding and conscience are to guide the will, hut the will is imperious and rebels; therefore God's children need the Spirit to check corruption, and lead them in the right way. As wicked men are led by the evil spirit ; the s[»irit of Sa- tan led Herod to incest, Ahab to murder, .Judas to treason : so the good Spirit leads God's children into virtuous actions.
Obj. But enthusiasts pretend to be ted by the Spirit, when it is an ignis fatuus, — a de- lusion.
A. The Spirit's conduct is agreeable to the word ; enthusiasts leave the word, " The word is truth," John xvi. 13.; and, " The Spirit guides into all truth," John xvi. 13. The word's teaching and the Spirit's lead- ing agree together.
Fourth sign, if we are adopted, we have an entire love to all God's children, 1 Pet. 11. 17., "Love the brotherhood." We hear affection to God's children, though they have some infirmities, there are the spots of God's children, Deut. xxxii. 5. But we must love the beautiful face of holiness, though it hath a scar in it. If we are adojded, we love the good we see in God's children, we admire their graces, we pass by their imprudencies; if we cannot love them because they have some failings, how do we think God can love us ? Can we plead exemption ? By these signs we know our adoption.
Qui: ST. What arc the benefits which accrue to God's children ?
Ans. They have great immunities. Kings* children have great privileges and freedoms ; they do not ])ay custom, Mat."xviii. 0. ( Jod's children are j)rivlleged persons, they are
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privqiegcd from the luirt of every tiling, Luke x. 19., " N(»tl)ing sliall by any means hurt you." Hit you it may, not hurt you, Ps. xci. 10., " There sliall no evil befall thee." God saith not. No affliction shall befall his children, but, No evil; tlie hurt and poison of it is taken away. Atiliction to a wicked man hath evil in it, it makes him worse ; it makes him curse and blas- pheme, ReA'. xvi. 9., " Men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God." But no evil befalls a child of God, he is bettered by affliction, Ileb. xii. 10. The furnace makes gold purer. A- gain, no evil befalls the adopted, because no condemnation, Rom. viii. 33., "It is God that justifieth, who is he that con- demneth ?" What a blessed privilege is this to be freed from tlie sting of affliction, and the curse of the law ! To be in such a condition, that nothing can hurt one ! When the dragon hath poisoned the water, the unicorn with his horn doth extract and draw out the poison : so Jesus Christ hath di'awn out the poison of every afflic- tion, that it cannot prejudice the saints.
Second benefit, if we are adopted, then we have an interest in all the promises : the promises are children's bread, " Be- lievers are heirs of the promises," Heb. vi. 17. The promises are sure : God's trutli, which is the brightest })earl in his crown, is laid to pawn in a promise. The pro- mises are suitable like a physic-garden, there is no disease but there is some herb in the physic-garden to cure it. In the
djirk night of desertion, God hath promis- ed to be a sun ; in temptation, to tread down Satan, Rom. xvi. 20. Doth sin pre- vail ? he hath promised to take away its kingly power, Rom. vi. 14. O the hea- venly comforts which are distilled from the limbeck of the promises ! But who hath a right to these ? Believers only are helis of the promise. There is never a pro- mise in the Bible, but a believer may say, this is mine.