Privilege of those
Espoused to Christ.

1. That they may call God Father, and that is of more value than a thousand worlds. The most profane wretch may call him Lord, the hypocrite may call him master ; but Father is a kindly name, which only believers may call him. They may at all times cry unto him, Abba, Father. Abba is the same, read it backward or forward; and in all the changes of dispensation, God is still the espoused soul's Father. Hypocrites will call him so, but God disowns the relation, and says to them,' Ye are of your father the devil, and the deeds of your father ye will do.' But he encourages his people to do it, saying, 'Wilt thou not from this time, cry unto me, my Father, thou art the guide of my youth.'
2. Access to God. They come much nearer to him than others. They may come forward, when others must stand back. ' In Christ they have boldness, and access to God with confidence, by the faith of him.' God allows them a holy boldness and confidence with him as children, to pour their complaints in his bosom, to tell him all their wants ; and never did a father take so much delight in the talking of his children to him, as God doth in hearing his people.
3. Special immunities and freedom. Kings' children have great immunities. They are free of tribute. But God's children have the greatest. They are free from the law as a covenant of works, which is a yoke wreathed about the necks of all others. Free from the curse, which lies hard and fast on all others. Free from all condemnation, thundered out against others every day. ]Nay, from the hurt of every thing. Nothing,' says their husband,' shall by any means hurt you.' Death itself, that kills others, shall not hurt them, Rom. viii. 35--39. ' Who shall separate us from the love of Christ ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword ? (As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.) Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.'
4. Pity, provision, and protection. The severe avenger of sin pities their infirmities, as a father pitieth his children. He that fights against the wicked as an enemy, will protect them. " In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence, and his children shall have a place of refuge Come what will, they shall be provided for. Though the Lord make not provision for their lusts, he will see to provide for their necessities, Matt. vi. 30--32. I Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith ? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat ? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek ;) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.'
5. Seasonable correction. " For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scou rgeth every son whom he receiveth. This is a, benefit of the covenant, Psal. Ixxxix. 30--32. " If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; if they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments ; then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.' Some smart more severely for a lustful look, than others for taking their full swing that way, some, more for deadness in prayer, than others for neglecting it altogether. What is the reason ? A small fault in a child will be checked, when a greater in another will be overlooked.
6. Perseverance. " The servant abideth not in the house for ever, but the son abideth ever. The termday is coming, when God and such as are not espoused shall part, but they that are, never. If a child wander from his father's house, he must be sought, and brought back again. A servant of the house, may be turned out of doors, as Hagar was ; nay, a son of God by nature, may be turned off, as Adam and the fallen angels were ; but they that are Gods children, by being espoused to his Son, can never, Psal. Ixxxix. 30--34.
Lastly, They have a portion according to their Father's duality. ' They are heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ.' So all is theirs. Grace is theirs, glory is theirs. Their portion will tell out through all eternity. Their Father gives them of his moveables as he sees meet, and these may be removed, but their portion is not of these; they shall receive a kingdom which cannot be moved.

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