Are ye converted, and become as little children, have ye entered into GOD’s family? Then assure yourselves, that your heavenly father will chasten you now and then; “for what son is there whom the father chastneth not: if ye are without chastisement, of which all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons.” It is recorded of bishop _Latimer_, that in the house where he came to lodge, he overheard the master of the house say, I thank GOD I never had a cross in my life: O said he, then I will not stay here. I believe there is not a child of GOD, when in a good frame, but has prayed for great humility; they have prayed for great faith, they have prayed for great love, they have prayed for all the graces of the Spirit: Do ye know, when ye put up these prayers, that ye did also say, LORD send us great trials: for how is it possible to know ye have great faith, humility and love, unless GOD put you into great trials, that ye may know whether ye have them or not. I mention this, because a great many of the children of GOD (I am sure it has been a temptation to me many times, when I have been under GOD’s smarting rod) when they have great trials, think GOD is giving them over. If therefore ye are GOD’s children; if ye are converted and become as little children; do not expect that GOD will be like a foolish parent; no, he is a jealous GOD, he loves his child too well to spare his rod. How did he correct _Miriam_? How did he correct _Moses_? How hath GOD in all ages corrected his dearest children? Therefore if ye are converted, and become as little children, if GOD hath taken away a child, or your substance, if GOD suffers friends to forsake you, and if you are forsaken as it were both by GOD and man, say, LORD I thank thee! I am a perverse child, or GOD would not strike me so often and so hard. Do not blame your heavenly Father, but blame yourselves; he is a loving GOD, and a tender Father, “he is afflicted in all our afflictions:” therefore when GOD spake to _Moses_, he spake out of the bush; as much as to say, “_Moses_, this bush represents my people; as this bush is burning with fire, so are my children to burn with affliction; but I am in the bush; if the bush burns, I will burn with it, I will be with them in the furnace, I will be with them in the water, and though the water come over them, it shall not overflow them.”
Are ye GOD’s children? Are ye converted and become as little children? Then will ye not long to go home and see your Father? O happy they that have gotten home before you; happy they that are up yonder, happy they who have ascended above this field of conflict. I know not what you may think of it, but since I heard that some, whose hearts GOD was pleased to work upon, are gone to glory, I am sometimes filled with grief, that GOD is not pleased to let me go home too. How can you see so much coldness among GOD’s people? How can ye see GOD’s people like the moon, waxing and waning? Who can but desire to be forever with the LORD? Thanks be to GOD, the time is soon coming; thanks be to GOD, he will come and will not tarry. Do not be impatient, GOD in his own time will fetch you home. And though ye may be brought to short allowance now, though some of you may be narrow in your circumstances, yet do not repine; a GOD, and the gospel of CHRIST, with brown bread, are great riches. In thy Father’s house there is bread enough and to spare; though thou art now tormented, yet by and by thou shalt be comforted; the angels will look upon it as an honour to convey thee to _Abraham_’s bosom, though thou art but a _Lazarus_ here. By the frame of my heart, I am much inclined to speak comfortably to GOD’s people.
But I only mention one thing more, and that is, if ye are converted, and become as little children, then for GOD’s sake take care of doing what children often do; they are too apt to quarrel one with another. O love one another; “he that dwells in love dwells in GOD, and GOD in him.” _Joseph_ knew that his brethren were in danger of falling out, therefore when he left them, says he, “fall not out by the way.” Ye are all children of the same Father, ye are all going to the same place; why should ye differ? The world has enough against us, the devil has enough against us, without our quarelling with each other; O walk in love. If I could preach no more, if I was not able to hold out to the end of my sermon, I would say as _John_ did, when he was grown old and could not preach, “Little children, love one another:” if ye are GOD’s children, then love one another. There is nothing grieves me more, than the differences amongst GOD’s people. O hasten that time, when we shall either go to heaven, or never quarrel any more!