Interpreting action.
There is no word or action but may be taken with two hands; either with the right hand of charitable construction, or the sinister interpretation of malice and suspicion. To construe an evil action well, is but a pleasing deceit to myself; but to misconstrue a good thing is a treble wrong — to myself, the action, and the author. Bishop Hall
Assurance of adoption.
A person who was an alien, when taken into the family of a citizen and recognised as a child, receives the assurance of his sonship in the smiles, favour, protection and name of the father. Also in the apparel given him to wear, and in the affection, kindness and union with the members of the family. Even so, he who was once alienated from God, but now adopted, has the assurance of his adoption in the Holy Spirit sent into his heart, in the smiles of God upon him, in the righteousness of Christ which clothes him, in the provision of grace that he enjoys, in the protection of grace, and in the love of the brethren.
Civil and sacred adoption.
Betwixt civil and sacred adoption there is a twofold agreement and disagreement. They agree in that both flow from the pleasure and goodwill of the adoptant, and in that they both confer a right to privileges which we do not have by nature. But they differ in that one is an act initiating nature; the other transcends nature. In this too, the one was found out for the comfort of them that had no children, the other for the comfort of them that had no father. Divine adoption is in Scripture either taken properly for that act of God by which we are made sons, or for the privileges which the adopted receive. We lost our inheritance by the fall of Adam; we receive it by the death of Christ which restores it by a new and better title. G. Flavel
Purifying influence of adversity.
Certain minerals called hydrophanous become transparent when immersed in water, as in the case of one variety of opal. So it is with many a Christian. Till the floods of adversity have poured over him, his character appears marred and clouded by selfishness and other defects. But by God’s blessing, trials clear away the obscurity, and give distinctness and beauty to his piety.