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of Adoption & of the Gift of theHoly Spirit
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All those that are justified, God vouchsafed (graciously granted as a privilege), in and for the sake of His only Son Jesus Christ, to make partakers of the grace of adoption, by which they are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children of God, have his name put upon them, receive the spirit of adoption, have access to the throne of grace with boldness, are enabled to cry Abba, Father, are pitied, protected, provided for, and chastened by him as by a Father, yet never cast off, but sealed to the day of redemption, and inherit the promises as heirs of everlasting salvation.
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The God of all comfort, who dwells in heaven and is always present everywhere on earth, graciously granted, to all those that are justified, in and for the sake of His only Son, Jesus Christ, the additional privilege of abiding in His special presence, by sending His Holy Spirit, the Spirit of His Son, as the Spirit of adoption, into each of their hearts, upon their repentance from sin and faith in Christ, whereby they are comforted and encourage in their afflictions, strengthened in their love, hope and faith, assured of their sonship and eternal life, assisted in their prayers, instructed in the word and ways of Christ, given access to and filial communion with God, liberated from spiritual bondage, enabled to mortify sin and please the Lord, united to Christ and each other, and sealed until the day of redemption.
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This personal indwelling of the Holy Spirit is not now manifested by the ability to accomplish miraculous feats, or by hearing heavenly voices, receiving direct revelation, foretelling the future or speaking in tongues, since these special apostolic endowments and signs, bound to the founding of the church, ceased when the apostles finished their special work, but rather is manifested, throughout this age, by the fruits of the Spirit, which are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, and self-control.
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Unlike the regenerating work of the Spirit, which is the root and cause of faith, this gift of the Holy Spirit results from the exercise of saving faith and is conditioned upon it; nevertheless, the Spirit is not received subsequent to conversion as a second blessing , but immediately upon the exercise of saving faith; so that no true believer is devoid of the Spirit of God, nor is this gift of the Spirit to be earnestly sought, patiently tarried for, or carnally peddled by believers.
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Although the Holy Spirit resides irrevocably in the hearts of all true Christians from the moment of their conversion, being received once for all; nevertheless the same Spirit continues to be supplied to them throughout their lives, so that it is the duty of those already indwelt by God's Spirit both to request further supplies and larger measures of the Holy Spirit and to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
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The gift of the Holy Spirit is never completely taken away from true Christians, but He can be so grieved by their rebellions and backslidings that for a season His presence is greatly withdrawn and His influences largely withheld; therefore, it is the duty of all believers neither to grieve nor quench the Holy Spirit.
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All true believer in every era had the Holy Spirit in their hearts and enjoyed the benefits of His special presence with them, but subsequent to the session of Christ and the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost, in the era of God's New Covenant with Israel, the people of God, not merely individually but now also corporately, are the temple of God, the place of His special habitation, their distinguishing trait now being this gift of the Holy Spirit; so that unless a person is indwelt by the Holy Spirit he has neither inheritance among God's people under the New Covenant nor any right to membership in the church of Christ.
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