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However the Puritans may have varied here, they all agree that the Spirit is
essential in every aspect of adoption and assurance, and that the Spirit`s testimony is
always tied to, and may never contradict, the Word of God.
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They knew that without
Word and Spirit at work, all spiritual experience is counterfeit and can easily degenerate
into a host of errors, such as unbiblical mysticism, excessive emotionalism, introspective
bondage, or barren antinomianism.
The mature child of God, therefore, grows in the consciousness of his adoption
and assurance through Word and Spirit. That growth has some ups and downs, however.
Simon Ford says, Of those that have this assurance and enlargement thereupon, very few
or none keep it at all times alike, and can alike improve it on every occasion. Great
sinnes, and great troubles &c. may many times cloud, and sometimes as to the act, blot
out the evidence of their Adoption. Thus David wanted this Spirit, Psal. 51.11.12. A child
having offended, may scarce dare call Father, whiles that guilt remains uncovered.
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Manton puts it succinctly: The workman that made a thing can best warrant it to
the buyer. First he [the Spirit] sanctifieth, and then he certifieth; sometimes we overlook
our evidences through the darkness and confusion that is in our hearts. He goes on to say
that the Spirit helpeth us not only to see grace, but to judge of the sincerity of grace.
The Spirit helps us conclude with boldness, comfort, and joy from the evidences of our
lives that we are adopted sons or daughters of God. This comfort enables us to pray and
embrace God`s promises with freedom.
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Those divine promises always remain the
primary ground of the assurance of our adoption. The Spirit comforts us with God`s
promises of our adoption, and grants us grace to apply them to ourselves.
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Such believers are advised by the Puritans to hold fast their profession, to grow in
the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, to witness of the Father`s goodness to others,
and to lead lives of service to God and man. In short, as adopted children they should
daily engage in the responsibilities and duties expounded below.
The marks of adoption
The Puritans gave clear marks for us to determine which family we belong to, God`s or
Satan`s. They believed that when self-examination is undertaken biblically, the Holy
Spirit often uses it as a positive transforming power in the lives of God`s children.