GOD'S ADOPTED CHILDREN. "Thou art no more a servant, but a son." Gal. 4. 7. There are four things to be gathered from this text: Fourthly, Their expectations. First, God does adopt children from Adam's guilty race. "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto himself;" (Eph. 1. 5.) these "are born not of the will of man, but of God," (1 John 1. 13.) and "Where it was said, ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them ye are the sons of the living God." (Hos. 10. 1.) The Lord says, "When Israel was a child, then I loved him," (Hos. 11. 1.) and Daniel affirms, "all of you are children of the Most High." (Ps. 82. 6.) The Lord says again, "I am a Father unto Israel, and Ephraim is my first born," (Jer. 31. 9.) and of Solomon he promises, "He shall be my son, and I will be his father." (1 Chron. 22. 10.) Christ says, "I will declare thy name unto my brethren," (Heb. 2. 12.) and comforts his disciples with the assurance, "I ascend unto your Father, and my Father;" (John 17. 20.) assuring them, "Whosoever shall do the will of my Father, &c., the same is my brother, and my sister, and my mother." (Matt. 12. 50.) Oh! then, should we not give glory to him, to whom alone the glory of our salvation is due, and say, upon us "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed that we should be called the sons of God!" (1 John 3. 1.) Secondly, The means God employs in this work. "He (God) begat us with the word of truth," (James 1. 18.) and of his own will begat he us by the word of his power." (James 1 18.) These spiritual children "are born not of the will of man but of God." (John 1. 13.) They "are the children of God, b faith in Christ Jesus," (Gal. 1. 26.) and "receiving" Christ "give them power to become the sons of God." (John 1. 12.) Christ "to gather together in one, the children of God that are scattere abroad," (John 18. 52.) and these "sons are brought from far and these "daughters from the end of the earth." (Is. 43. 6.) Thirdly, The character of these adopted children. Rom. 8. 15. Gal. 4. 6. ... Matt. 6. 9. Gal. 4. 6. And his Spirit in their hearts enables them ... They "purify themselves, even as he is pure" They are "followers of God, as dear children" ... Is. 54. 13. 1 John 3. 3. Deut. 32. 5. Is. 54. 13. Eph. 5. 1. Jer. 3. 19. ... ... Jer. 3. 4. Luke 6. 35. Phil. 2. 15. ... Phil. 2. 15. They "shine as lights in the world" These "are children that will not lie" They are peacemakers They pray for their enemies God said, "When Israel was a child, then I The Lord "spares him as a man spareth his Heb. 12. 7. He will not take away his mercy from him" for" They have "even a better name than of sons 1 Chron. 17. 13. Matt. 7. 11. "If sons, then heirs of God, and joint heirs with ... ... These all "wait for the manifestation of the sons THE WHITE STONE AND THE NEW NAME. The following is Archbishop Usher's illustration of Rev. ii. 17. By the "white stone" and the "new name" here promised by Jesus Christ, he means that he will give a secret token of his love to the soul, whereby it shall rest assured of the unspeakable love of God and freedom from condemnation. The Athenians had a custom, when malefactors were accused and arraigned, to have black and white stones by them; and so, according to the sentence pronounced, those who were condemned had a black stone, and those who were acquitted had a white stone, given to them. To this custom the Holy Ghost here alludes. This stone, this seal, shall assure those that receive it of absolute acquittance from condemnation; and so free them from the cause of fear. Again, Christ will give "a new name;" that is, he will write the sentence of absolution in fair letters on the white stone, with a clear evidence. As if he should say, (when Christ hath seen a man overcoming, and how he hath conflicted with temptations, and yet holds out, pressing for the crown to the end of the race,) Christ will come in, and ease him of all his pains and sores, with such a sweet refreshing as is unspeakable. EXTRACTS FROM THE DIARY OF THE REV. J. WARD, A DIVINE OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. The Christian Church was first styled Catholic, in opposition to the Church of the Jews, which was confined to a particular country. Although God did certainly know that Adam had sinned, yet he would not condemn him, till he had a confession from his own mouth, to teach judges that they should walk according to what is proved, not according to what they are conscious unto. There is likewise a parallel place to this purpose, (Gen. 18. 23.) |