Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/275

 king (i  Kings  9),  and  in  David  from  "following  the ewes"  (Ps.  lxxvii.  70),  to  be  raised  to  a  throne,  what ought we  to  think  of  the  dignity  of  becoming  the  adoptive sons  of  God? Dust and  ashes  are  associated  to  the sovereign Lord  of  all  things,  and  the  companion  of worms  is  destined  to  become  the  companion  of  angels.

III. Under what  obligations  you  are  to  God  for  having thus  honored  you,  "  raising  the  needy  from  the  earth, and  lifting  up  the  poor  man  out  of  the  dung-hill,  that He  may  place  him  with  princes." (Ps. cxii.  7.)  O exalted  honor! you who  do  not  deserve,  even  to  be  the servant of  God,  are  made  His  adoptive  Son. "Acknowledge, therefore, O  Christian!  your  dignity,"  writes  the eloquent St.  Leo,  "  and  since  you  are  become  a  partaker of  the  divine  nature,  clo  not  by  any  unworthy  behavior Oegenerate  to  your  former  baseness."

I. Many  advantageous  consequences  result  to  manr from the  benefit  of  adoption. It places  us  under  the special protection  of  God,  who  governs,  maintains,  and defends us,  as  an  affectionate  father  does  his  children. Hence royal  David  exclaims,  "As  a  father  hath  compassion on  his  children,  so  hath  the  Lord  compassion  on them  that  fear  Him." (Ps. cii.  13.)  By  the  prophet Isaias he  makes  still  greater  promises  :  "  Can  a  mother forget  her  infant,  so  as  not  to  have  pity  on  the  son  of her  womb?  and  if  she  should  forget,  yet  will  not  I  forget thee." (Is. xlix.  15.)  How  great  is  our  security  when we are  protected  by  such  a  Father! When He  stands with us,  we  need  not  fear  who  stands  against  us.

II. By this  adoption  we  are  made  "  partakers  of  the