Judge ; but now they have " a spirit of adoption given to them, whereby they can call him, Abba, Father." What an unspeak- able honour is this ! If David thought it " no light matter to be called the son-in-law of such a king" as Saul, what is it to be called the sons of the Most High God, the King of kings, and Lord of lords ! — ■ ]
2. They enjoy all the privileges of children —
[What are the privileges which are annexed to that relation among men ? Think of them ; comprehend them all ; and they will fall infinitely short of those which it is your happiness to enjoy, both in this world, and in the world to come.
In this world you have every temporal blessing secured to you, to the utmost extent of your necessities, by the express premise of your heavenly Father. The children of men may say, of their respective possessions, this estate, or that king- dom, is mine: but of the children of God it may be said, " All things are yours." As far as it can conduce to your real happiness, the whole world is yours, yea, all things, whether present or futurek. As for spiritual blessings, there is nothing which the Lord Jesus Christ himself enjoyed when on earth, that is not made over to you also. You may have constant access to your Father's presence ; you may ask of him whatever you will ; you shall have his continual guidance in difficulties, support in trials, and consolation in troubles : every thing shall be ordered and over-ruled for your good; and you shall be carried on through all your destined labours, till you can say, " It is finished." Of none but God's children can this be said; but of them it may be said without one single exception.
You may carry your views yet farther, even to the world to come ; and there also shall your happiness extend. There is reserved for all the Lord's children " an inheritance, which is incorruptible and undefiled, and never-fading." If we are children, then are we heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ. Think then of all that God the Father has in heaven to bestow ; think of all that the Lord Jesus Christ, as your living Head, now enjoys there ; and you will then have some faint idea of the inheritance reserved for you. Amongst men, if an eldest son should inherit all his father's property, the rest of the family would be unprovided for: but in heaven it is not so : every one has all that he could have, though there should be none but himself to possess the inheritance. Even here every man has all the light of the sun, notwithstanding millions of his fellow-creatures enjoy it together with him : and in like manner in heaven, all the glory and felicity of it is the portion of every saint around the throne of God.
k 1 Cor. iii. 21—23.