Fourthly, The dignity itself nakedly considered ; it is a greater hon- our than the world can afford to us, a matter to be rather wondered at than told. Admire it we may, express it to the full we cannot. David saith, ' Seemeth it a light thing to be a king's son-in-law ? ' We may with better reason say, Is it uothing to be taken into God's family, and to become sons and daughters to the most high God ? This was the honour and title of Christ himself, solemnly proclaimed from heaven : ' This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased ; ' and we have it in our proportion and measure : ' I ascend to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' Blessed is that soul that is admit- ted into such a relation to God. All relations may blush and hide their faces in comparison of this ; for all the splendid titles which are so greatly affected by men are Out empty shows and shadows in compari- son of this glorious and blessed privilege ; they come short behind it, either in true honour or profit ; therefore it is a higher instance of the love of God than if he had made us monarchs of the world, or if a man could produce his pedigree from an uninterrupted line of kings and princes. Alas J how much better is it to be born of the Spirit than of the froth of the blood ? These things continue with us but to the grave ; but to be children of God will be our honour and interest to all eternity.
Fifthly, It is not a naked and empty title, but giveth us a right to the greatest privileges imaginable ; as our giving empty titles to God without duty on our part is looked upon as a mockage : Mai. i. 6, ' If I be a father, where is mine honour ? if I be a master where is my fear ?' As the soldiers called Christ the king of the Jews, and spat upon him and buffeted him. So on God's part, if he called himself a father, he will perform all the parts of a father to us ; for he hath more abundant love to us than any title or notion can make out or ex- press.
But what benefits depend upon it ? Very many ; they may be referred to two heads — what God will do as a father for the present and for the future.
444 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN TIL [SER. I.
1. With respect to the present state ; and there —
[1.] He will give us the Holy Spirit to be our sanctifier, guide, and comforter. This is a gift which he giveth to none but his children, and he giveth it to all his children. This suiteth with the greatness and love of our Father, and it is a father's gift indeed, and absolutely necessary for such children as we are to God. In ourselves (we said before) there is no intrinsic worth in us, but God puts a more excellent spirit into us. God as a creator gave us our natural endowments; but as a father he giveth us the supernatural grace of the Spirit. The Spirit was given to Christ without measure, that all God's children and the members of his mystical body may receive it from him as the head and fountain of their life : Gal. iv. 6, ' Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.' If we have this high privilege ot adoption, we have also the Spirit of adoption to reside and dwell in our hearts, to be our sanctifier, guide, and comforter. Our sanctifier to change our hearts, and to transform us into the image of God and Christ : 2 Cor. iii. 18, ' But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image ; ' and Titus iii. 5, 'According to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he hath shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.' To guide us in all our ways, and restrain us from sin : Kom. viii. 13, ' If ye live after the flesh ye shall die : but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.' Quickening us to holiness : Ps. cxliii. 10, ' Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God ; thy Spirit is good, lead me into the land of uprightness.' Especi- ally to help us in the great duties of the spiritual life ; as prayer : Jude 20, ' Praying in the Holy Ghost ; ' Kom. viii. 26, ' Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities ; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit maketh intercession for us with groans which cannot be uttered.' That they may address themselves to God as a father, in a familiar manner, with confidence, and yet with a holy reverence becoming both his majesty and his love ; with a humble submission, and yet with a holy vehemency and earnestness, opposite to that careless formality and deadness which is in other men's prayers. Now how great a privilege is this, to have such a help at hand, a com- forter as a witness ! Kom. viii. 16, ' The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirits, that we are the children of God.' As an earnest : 2 Cor. i. 22, ' Who hath also sealed us, and given us the earnest of the Spirit.' Indeed the Spirit is not so necessarily a comforter as a sanc- tifier ; yet a comforter he is, and if not so explicitly and manifestly, we may blame ourselves. This is God's allowance, and we deprive our- selves of the benefit of it by our folly and indiscretion.