Use 1. And indeed the use that I shall make of it is to persuade you to put in for a share in this blessed privilege. To direct you in this, let me tell you —
1. That this new relation dependeth on the new birth, and that none are adopted but those that are regenerated and renewed to the image and likeness of God ; all others, though called christians, are bastards and not sons, that is, not legitimate but degenerate children. The relative change goeth along with the real, or followeth it ; for the real is first, John i. 12, 13, ' But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name : for we were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.'
2. ^Regeneration is God's act ; but repentance and faith, which are the immediate issues of it, are ours, and you must enter by the strait gate if you would enter into God's family, and obtain the privileges of it. We must humbly consent to take Christ upon the ends for which God offereth him, or to be and do what God hath appointed him to be and do for poor sinners : Gal. iii. 26, ' Ye are all made children of God, by faith in Jesus Christ.' That is our first admis-
448 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR. I.
sion, by a consent to the new covenant, depending upon the merit of Christ's sacrifice for the privileges thereof, and binding ourselves by a solemn vow to perform the duties thereof; for he presently speaks of being baptized into Christ, that we may put on Christ.
3. If you would have the privileges of children, you must perform the duties of children ; we catch at privileges, but neglect duty. Now the great duty of children is to love, please, and honour their father : 'If I be a father where is mine honour ? If I be a master where is my fear ? ' 1 Peter i. 17, 'If ye call on the Father, who with- out respect of persons judgeth every man, pass the time of your sojourn- ing here in fear.' There must be a tenderness and a fear to offend our heavenly Father. Our privileges are the strongest engagement to duty that can be : Jer. iii. 5, ' Thou hast said, Thou art my father ; yet thou doest evil yet more and more.' The sons of Kechab are com- mended for keeping so close to the institutes of their family : Jer. xxxv. €, ' But they said, We will drink no wine ; for Jonadab the son of Kechab, our father, commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine, neither ye, nor your sons for ever/ Such a disposition is pleasing to God. So tenderly he loveth the children that are childlike and obed- ient. How humble and obedient was the Lord Christ, though his only- begotten Son !
4. If we would enjoy the privileges of the family, we must submit to the discipline of the family. God will take his own course in bringing up his children ; our fancies and appetites must not prescribe the way, but all must be humbly submitted to his wisdom : Heb. xii. 6-10, ' For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as sons ; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not ? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh, which corrected us, and we gave them reverence : shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live ? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure ; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.' Many times his love of good-will maketh use of the rod. Before conversion it is a means to awaken us, but after conversion we are made amiable in his sight, and objects of his love of complacency ; yet the rod of correction will not wholly be laid aside. In heaven, where there is no danger of sin, there is no use of the rod. Those that are permitted to go on in their sins have not the benefit of paternal correction ; there- fore in the 9th and 10th verses before cited, it is said, ' We had fathers of our flesh, which corrected us, and we gave them reverence ; and shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits ? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure ; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.' Children, when they take it ill to be beaten by others, yet they take it patiently to be beaten for their faults by their parents : they may err for want of wisdom, their chastisements are arbitrary and irregular; but there is more of compassion than passion in God's rod ; his chas- tisements come from purest love, are regulated by perfect wisdom, and tend to and end in our holiness and happiness.