A scriptural answer to the question, How may I know that I am an adopted child of God

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Preface

In offering this small work to the Christian Public, two principal motives have influenced me : First, To aid real Christians in removing doubts which they are wout to indulge respecting their true character, and filial relation to God — and Second, To benefit myself, so far as its avails may contribute pecuniary aid for my subsistence.

I have not sought for embellishment of style ; but rather for plainness, that (he reader may, with ease, understand the meaning of what he is perusing, as he passes on, without a necessity for turning back, to see the connection of the first with the latter part of a sentence. The task just mentioned, is one to which readers of not a few modern works are subjected, by reason of verbiage, a redundant use of terms, and an artificial involution of sentences. — My wish is, to convey instruction in a plain and simple style, easily understood.

I will close this brief Preface, with expressing a hope, that the reader's desires and expectation, which the title may have excited, will not be disappointed.

Norwich, March 1830.

HOW MAY I KNOW THAT I AM AN ADOPTED CHILD OF GOD!"

This question has been asked by thousands of people who are now living ; and by an immensely greater number who have gone into eternity. With the latter, there no longer remains any doubt. The question, as it regards them, is decided forever. But, with those who yet live, more or less uncertainty remains ; and, if they are indeed children of God, this uncertainty, not only prevents them from enjoying the consolation, which an assurance of their adoption would afford, but, also, causes them much distressing anxiety, lest their hope should finally prove a delusion.

To these, a Rule by which they may obtain a correct answer to this interesting and important question, will appear invaluable. But, to whom is this question of such immense importance ? In truth, to every person living. But who realize it to be so important ? I ask this question, because the greatest part of mankind appear, by their conduct, to take but little interest in it, if any at all. It is true — much too true, that a large proa2 portion of mankind, evidently, feel but very little interested in this enquiry. There are two classes of persons, however, by whom it is realized to be interesting,. in the highest possible degree : these are Sinners, who are specially awakened, and deeply convinced by the Holy Spirit, that they are sinners — condemned to endure the wrath of God in endless duration ; and weak r faint-hearted Christians, who, like the Prodigal, having wandered away from their Father's house, where they have once been admitted, are lost in a wilderness, and are in danger of perishing ; and who, remembering how it was with them, when at home, wish to return again to their Father, but can find no way which will conduct them back to His house. There are many, of both classes, now living. They, and they only, know this question to be thus interesting and important ; and they know it, because they feel it to be so. The knowledge of this fact is not attained by reading, by hearing, nor by speculating, and philosophizing ; but it is learned and realized,. by experimental feeling only.

There are many, now living, and there have been many more, who once ridiculed the fact comprised in this assertion — who have called it enthusiasm, and a delusion of weak and bewildered minds— of minds which had discarded the guidance of Reason and Common. Sense; and thrown the reins loose upon- the neck of an excited Imagination. Many such persons have themselves afterwards been awakened, by the Spirit of

EXPERIMEiNTAL RELIGION. 7

God, to see and experimentally to feel this very truth ; and then, they have been quick to confess their former blindness, and their great sin, in ridiculing the work of the Holy Spirit — to acknowledge the truth to be such as others, whom they once ridiculed, have declared it ; and to cry, with earnest and deep solicitude unto God, for pardon.

But sinners, who have never been awakened in this speeial manner — who have never experienced a spiritual conviction of their own sinful character and condition — who have never felt that they are already tried, and condemned as rebels against God ; and have never realized their imminent danger of perishing in their sins — such sinners know not, in reality, any thing of the importance of this question. And, if they continue unawakened, and without any special conviction, they never will really know its importance, until they learn it in the eternal world. They will then know, because they will feel all its importance. But their knowledge can then do them no good. Then, indeed, there will remain no doubt about the question, as it respects themselves. It will be settled forever* that they are not the adopted children of God. And, oh !' the despair with which this knowledge will then overwhelm them I *

The only time in which this question can be examined by mankind, with any. advantage, is, this present life. In this world, man is a probationer for Heaven, or Hell. Having sinned, even once only, he is condemned ; and is a certain heir of hell. That is his sure allotment, if he continues as he is. But, by the mercy of God, he is, under the Gospel, rendered a probationer for Heaven. Every sinner may go to heaven, if he will ; and whoever does not go there, and be happy forever, will fail, only because he will not go to heaven, but will go to hell. I have said, that every person, who has sinned, (and who has not?) is condemned to hell already — even now; and has been, from the moment in which he committed his first sin. But God offers him a pardon — a free and full pardon, on his complying with certain conditions. He is now, in this life, on his probation, that it may be seen whether he will comply with those conditions, or not. These, God assures him, are the only conditions He will ever propose to him. This life, He tells him, is the only opportunity He will ever give him, for complying with them. If he does not comply with them now, whenever he dies, the sentence of condemnation, which is already passed upon him, for the sins he has committed, tvill immediately be executed, with all its terrors, without any reprieve, or mitigation.

Experience and the Word of God both concur in testifying, that man will not comply with these conditions, unless he is moved and persuaded by a power which he does not naturally possess ; because all the power which he exerts, in his natural state of sin, is directly in opposition to such a compliance. Left to himself, therefore, he will continue to disbelieve that God is in earnest, and will go on in his rebellion. This every sinner does, in fact, while he is left to his own choice. Hence, in order that any sinner should ever become an adopted Child of God, there must, necessarily, be some other influence exerted in him, to make him feel, and therefore believe, that God is really in earnest in what He says — to make him feel that he is a sinner, already condemned — that he is in danger, and, if he dies in his present condition, absolutely certain of perishing in impenitence. The influence, which is so indispensably necessary in order to produce these convictions in the unawakened sinner's mind, is the special influence of the Holy Spirit. It is by means of this special influence, therefore, that any individual of the human race does ever, in this world, come to consider and realize truly, the infinite importance of ascertaining that he is an adopted Child of God. It is necessary that this influence should be exerted, effectually, in this manner, to awaken him to a correct sense of his condition — because he is utterly insensible to it, in his natural state. It is equally necessary that it convince him that such is really his condition, by making h\mfeel it ; because he does not believe that it is such, and never will, in this world, unless he is convinced by experimentally feeling it. This awakening and conviction, are both indispensable prerequisites to his repentance ; and these no man ever did, or ever will produce on his own feelings, by his own reasoning and reflections. He never will cause himself to feel, that he is now a condemned sinner, according to the reality of Ins case, as viewed by God. He never will cause himself to feel y that God is now angry with him; and is continually more and more so every day — because he daily refuses to obey the command which makes it his duty to repent t and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Unless he doesbecome thus convinced, by feeling the truth, he never will either repent, or believe. Consequently, he will die condemned, as he now is, and perish. But the Holy Spirit, by exercising His special influence on any sinner, can produce this realizing conviction in his mind. This He does, whenever He pleases thus to exercise His influence. And then, that sinner, and every other such, will know, in his own experience, that the special influence of the Holy Spirit, operating to convince him of sin, in a sense he never before realized, is not a delusion, but a most solemn reality, of infinite importance to his soul.

Several reasons might be mentioned, why men feel it to be of such immense importance to know that they are the adopted children of God. But they may all be resolved into one or two.

1st. The absolute certainty, which they feel, that their own deliverance from endless suffering, and their enjoyment of endless happiness, after they leave this world, depend on the fact. These future retributions they know are realities, exactly as represented by the declarations of Christ, in the New Testament. They know this, because they feel it to be true. " They have the witness in themselves." I have no fear that this position will be disputed, by any person who has been thoroughly convinced that he is a sinner, by the Spirit of God.

2d. The Christian realizes, that the assurance of his being an adopted child of God, would furnish him with a solid and enduring consolation, in all situations and circumstances of life. This is another reason, why he deems it immensely important. This no one realizes, except he who feels the danger to which he is exposed, whilst he remains under the sentence of condemnation, by the law of God. And, exactly in proportion as lie realizes this, will he prize the consolation to be derived from a certain knowledge that he is an adopted child of God.

It is undoubtedly true, that an adopted child of God may know that he is one. If it were otherwise, every attempt to answer the question, " How, and by what - means, this may be known," would, of course, be vain. It may not be superfluous to say, in this place, that the phrases A Christian, a Saint, and an Adopted Child of God, mean the same character; and that, in this Essay, the terms will be employed as synonymous.

A person cannot know that he is an adopted child of God, unless he is really such. Before I can be assured that I am a Christian, it is indispensable that I should be a Christian. It is impossible that I should find real evidence that I am an adopted child of God, unless I possess that in my character, belonging to that relation. But the enquiry before us, an answer to which is sought by very many, with the greatest solicitude, supposes that a person may be a child of God, and yet, not be sure of the fact. This is, undoubtedly, true, however strange, at first view, it may appear.

There are many persons of adult years, who have enjoyed all the privileges conferred by education ; by the ordinances of the Gospel, and the " outward and ordinary means" of religious instruction — who, nevertheless, know nothing — yea, absolutely nothing, of the importance of this enquiry, as it applies to themselves. It is learned, in all cases, by experience only. Of this experience they are destitute — so much so, that they cannot be made to feel that it is a reality. When others, who have learned from their own experience, declare its truth to them ; although they will not, in any other case, refuse to believe their testimony, in this, they will disbelieve it altogether. Or, if they give them credit for their veracity, they will think they are under the influence of a delusion on this subject. This is a singular fact : yet it is a fact. But it is not for want of credible evidence, that any disbelieve in the reality of religious anxiety and conviction. For this abounds in the bible, and in the declarations of individual witnesses, without number, who have lived in different and distinct countries ; who have lived and died strangers to each other; and who, therefore, could not possibly have concerted to deceive. It cannot be because there is any special reason for disbelieving their testimony, which is peculiar to this case.

A Convicted Sinner always feels more, or less mental distress, until he discovers some ground, on which he builds a hope of deliverance from that evil which he is assured awaits him, while in a state of impenitence. This distress, which is sometimes increased to a great degree of anguish, is entirely mental. It is, it can be known, only by personal experience. It may be illustrated, in this respect, by that distress which is felt for the loss of beloved friends. It is known, only, by a personal experience. It is entirely mental. A person who has never been called to experience it, cannot know any thing of its nature, or reality. Now if I know either of these kinds of distress, by personal experience, I can give to another person as good, and as conclusive, evidence of the one, as of the other. In both cases the evidence is the same in kind. In one case, he will believe my testimony, without hesitation. In the other, he will not believe it at all. He may admit that I really think it is, as I say. He may, very charitably, give me credit for sincerity. But that is the utmost he will allow.

I had observed this fact, in many different instances, and had long noticed its inconsistency ; before I knew how to account for it. It appeared unaccountable that a sensible man would, in one case, give me full credit ; would, without hesitation, believe that the fact was, as I asserted ; when all the proof I could give him, was my own declaration — and, in an other instance, where a different fact was asserted, exactly of the same nature, in all other respects, he would entirely withhold his belief. This was, in my view, very strange indeed. Nor was I able to solve the difficulty till after much investigation. At length I saw, however, that his belief in the Special Conviction of Sin, was not withheld because such conviction was a thing incredible or impossible in its nature — nor for the want of sufficient evidence of its existence : But because he felt that if he had allowed himself to be persuaded that such conviction of sin is a reality, he must also acknowledge and feel his own situation to be most dangerous and alarming. He was sensible that he knew nothing of it, in his own experience ; and, if he should admit it to be a reality — the necessity for his becoming a subject of it himself in order to be saved, the total uncertainty whether he ever would ; and the inevitable consequences that must result, if he did not, and if he did not also become regenerated ; were so dreadful to his apprehension, that he would reject my testimony without any reason whatever, rather than encounter such consequences of admitting it to be a reality. The instances which fully sustain this position, have been very numerous. Many individuals, who, in one part of their lives, have treated " Religious Awakenings, Special Conviction of Sin, and Conversion of the Soul to God, as all idle and visionary delusion ;" who have cast on them a full measure of ridicule and reproach, and have treated them with scoffing and impious levity ; have, afterwards, been awakened themselves, convinced of sin, and made to experience " the Love of God shed abroad in their hearts" — -in such a manner as evinced the Spiritual Regeneration and Conversion of their souls to God. These persons have been the first to confess their own sin, shame, and folly, in refusing to credit the testimony of others, on the subject of experimental religion. Indeed, they have admitted, that they neither did, nor could so wholly disbelieve it, as to prevent a fear of its truth ; which was sufficient, in many instances, to cause them much disquietude. They have blessed God, and they will bless Him forever and ever, for His having graciously awakened them, and made them assuredly to know the truth in their own experience. It is learned in no other way. It can be learned by no other means. Yet it may be learned by any and every sinner, immediately ; and all its blessed consequences may be ensured to him, as his own privilege, if he will give Ms attention, adequately, to the attainment of it.

If a Sinner is convinced that there is such a thing as Conviction of Sin, in a special sense : if he is convinced that there is such a thing as Regeneration, or, in other words, a new Spiritual birth, and that he must be born again, if he would escape eternal misery, and secure eternal happiness beyond the grave, although he knows not these things in his own experience — yet we have the declaration of God, that he can attain to the knowledge of them, if he will adequately seek for it. This testimony, no Christian will discredit. [It is contained in the 2d chapter of Proverbs, from the 1 st verse to the oth, inclusive.] Here " Wisdom," " Knowledge," and "Understanding," mean the whole of the Christian religion ; and the promise, made to those who seek for them, as men seek for " Silver," or " Hid Treasure," is sure. They shall find what they do thus seek for. We all know, that men of the world seek for wealth, in serious earnest — "with all their heart, and soul, and; strength, and mind."

I have said, that a Child of God may certainly knowthat he is such. " We know that we have passed from, death unto life, because we love the brethren." The person who " knows that he has passed from death unto life," also knows, that he is an adopted child of God. For none others " have passed from death unto life." All others, without an exception, are in spiritual death, even until now. " They are dead in sin." And, unless, in this lifc> which is their only time of probation, they are " born again," and thus become " children of God," by His gracious adoption, they will remain in that condition — they will die, and go out of the world, in that condition ; and, in the eternal world, they will experience all those dreadful consequences of dying in sin, which God has revealed in His Word. A man's not having believed that God ever revealed His determinations on this subject — or, his having perverted what God has revealed, and confirmed himself in a belief opposite to the truth, will make it no better for him, when he comes to realize the fact, in his own sufferings. All who die in sin, will realize it, in hopeless despair. Probably the infatuation of careless sinners — that " madness," which Solomon declares " is in their hearts whilst they live," is never more clearly manifested, than in withstanding the abundant testimony which proves -the special influence of the Spirit of God, exerted in awakening the sinner ; in convincing him of sin, and converting his soul unto holiness, and spiritual life ; as this doctrine is maintained by those who are advocates for Revivals of religion. I do not intend to insist on it largely, in this place ; yet I request the reader's attention to it, in a few considerations.

First. These effects are in perfect correspondence with what our Saviour said, should be the work of the Holy Ghost, when He should come into the world, after His ascension to His Father. " When He is come, He shall convince the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment." Such was the effect of the Holy b2.

Spirit's influence, on the day of Pentecost, when Peter preached to the multitude, and more than three thousand were immediately converted. It could not mean the miraculous effects wrought in the Apostles ; for none of those converts partook of these effects until after they had been awakened, and convinced of their sin, in crucifying Christ. They partook of no miraculous powers, till they were pricked in their hearts, and were led, in great anxiety, to enquire of the Apostles, in view of their dreadful guilt, and danger, " What shall we do ?" This pricking in their hearts, which they then felt, for the first time in their lives, was a special conviction of their own sin : A sense of their awful danger, which this caused them to feel, as soon as they realized it, was the immediate cause of their deep solicitude. It was this sense of danger, which made them enquire, with deep anxiety, what they must do to obtain deliverance from it. The conferring of miraculous powers on many of them, was an event which took place subsequently, and was a very different tiling from this conviction of sin. It was not, however, the sin of condemning and crucifying the Son of God, merely, of which the Holy Spirit convinced these men ; nor was this conviction of sin confined to the Jews alone. The same effect was produced among the heathen, in all the countries whither the early preachers of the Gospel went. In all those places, " there was a division among the people," produced by the instrumentality of their preaching. All who believed their testimony, and became converts to Christ, were awakened ; convinced of their own sins ; and converted,., by the special power and influence of the Holy Spirit. The others, who attended, heard the same truths urged on them, by the same preachers, and at the same time — yet nothing of this kind was wrought in them ; and they continued unbelieving, and unconverted. — There was a cause for this difference. What was it ?

Secondly. The testimony of good men, during many centuries, concerning the influences of the Holy Spirit,, in awakening and convicting sinners, concurs with the testimony of the Apostles, in all the essential particulars. This testimony is found, in abundance, in the writings of Ministers, and Civilians, who have lived in different ages ; and in almost all the countries, where the Gospel has been preached. It is the same sort of testimony that is now-given, in the United States, by many thousands of individuals, of every grade of intellectual strength, and cultivation of mind. It is not limited to one denomination of Christians, only ; but is found among all, who attend on the preaching of the same doctrines which the Apostles preached. Thus God vindicates and blesses His own truth, by whomsoever it is preached.

Thirdly. The doctrine is attested now, and has been, in past ages, by numbers of men, who once decried, and denounced it, as heartily as any others ever did.

But they were made to feel it in themselves ; and that, at once, removed all their disbelief, and put to silence all their scoffing, and reproaches. And these are not weak and ignorant men, as the opposers of the truth gratuitously, and not very modestly, assert is the fact, with believers in these special influences, generally. There is, however, but one effectual and certain cure, for this disbelief ; which no external evidence can remove from the minds of men. It is found in their own experience. Let any man/eeZ the effects of a special divine influence, and every doubt about its reality, and all his disbelief, of its being the special influence of the Holy Spirit, will vanish at once. He will then "have the witness in himself:" and it will appear to him to be a witness, whose veracity he has no inclination to dispute. He will then find, that he has a much more important interest to secure, by believing this doctrine, than by denying it. This has been the fact with many, who once opposed, and reproached, and ridiculed the subject, as much as Unitarians, and Universalists, and Infidels do now ; and, who claimed for themselves a superiority of intellect, and learning, as confidently, as if it were really a fact, that, in all these particulars, they were thus superior to other men. — Yet, even the testimony of such converts, will not convince any one of those who oppose themselves. Nor will any other evidence, beside that special operation of the Spirit on their hearts, the reality of which they deiiy. The idea that God, who is angry with sinners? acts as a Sovereign, in bestowing His saving grace on whom He will ; that those, on whom he does not bestow it, will persist in their rebellion, and certainly perish — and, that this will be their own jault, exclusively, excites such bitter opposition in the sinner's heart, that he will resist every proof, which shows it to be a doctrine of the Gospel. This rebellious feeling is much enhanced, by the considerations, that the power of God is infinite — that the sufferings of the outcasts are literally endless — and that all will not be brought by God into a state of salvation. The necessity, and at the same time the uncertainty, of a divine influence upon his heart, when viewed as rendering eternal destruction a possible result of his existence, is a doctrine toa appalling to be contemplated, with the least approbation ; and, whenever it is set before him, he will resist the truth, and, probably, hate the minister who faithfully declares it. Now all these feelings are utterly wrong ; and they are predicated on wrong views, and perverse apprehensions of 'the truth, respecting himself ; respec-. ting others ; and respecting God.

First. Respecting himself. He has no correct conceptions respecting himself, as a sinner in rebellion against God. We feels, as though sin were a small evil x in itself-r^as though he were not very sinful ; and, as though all sin were confined to outward acts of transgression. He persuades himself, therefore, that he has never done any thing very heinous. He is ready to think, he has done rather more good than evil. He feels as though God must bestow his favor — the special influence of his spirit — on' christians, if He does it all, for the sake of their comparative goodness ; and he concludes, that he is, at least, as good as they, and probably better than many, who, according to this scheme, are adopted by God, as his children. Therefore, he concludes that such a rule of acting, makes God a partial being ; and he thinks himself hardly dealt with " if this is true."

Secondly. He has wrong views with respect to others. If it is indeed true, that God does bestow his special grace on others, whereby he makes -them- heirs of salvation, he thinks it must be on account of something good that God sees in them. And he doubts not that he deserves it at the hands of God, as much as they. Therefore, he concludes that they are favored through partiality, while he is unreasonably rejected. He does not realize diat neither he nor they deserve the favor — nor does he reflect that God has offered it to him, and urged him to accept it, all his life, while he has uniformly refused it, and that this is the only reason why he does not enjoy evidence of his adoption, at this moment. He does not realize, that God does him no injustice, in constraining others to partake of that blessing, by making them willing, contrary to their natural inclination, to accept the salvation, which he freely offers to him — and that he only leaves him to pursue the way of his own choice, after giving him countless warnings of the consequences. All his views of Gospel truth, are perverted ; and they will continue so, unless he awakes to atattend to it : to examine it, more seriously than he has hitherto done. And this he never will do, unless the Spirit of God graciously influence him to it.

Thirdly. Sinners have wrong apprehensions on this subject, as it respects God. They do not possess an abiding conviction, within themselves, that God is perpetually present with them, and that he is an attentive witness of all their conduct : — much less, that he is a searcher of their thoughts, and that he will call them to a strict account for every one of them. They have wrong views of the rule by which God judges men. So far as they have any definite idea, on this subject, it is, that he judges of men by their external conduct only. Did such persons derive their views, correctly, from the Bible, they would realize, " that God looketh on the heart," and determins from a knowledge of their hearts, what their characters are,.