Chapter 20

Containing several uses drawn from the proposition.

Use 1. Reproof. Here is a bill of indictment against those who declare to the world they are not the children of God; all profane persons; these have damnation written upon their forehead.

1. Scoffers at religion; it were blasphemy to call these the children of God; will a true child jeer at his father's picture?

2. Drunkards, who drown reason, and stupefy conscience; these declare their sin at Sodom, they are children indeed, but cursed children (2 Peter 2:14).

Use 2. Exhortation; which consists of two branches.

1. Let us prove ourselves to be the children of God.

2. Let us carry ourselves as the children of God.

1. Let us prove ourselves to be the children of God; there are many false and unscriptural evidences.

1. Says one, the gravest ministers in the country think me to be godly, and can they be mistaken? Are the seers blind?

Answ. Others can but see your outward carriage and deportment; if that be fair, they by the rule of charity judge well of you; but what says God and conscience? Are these your advocates? Are you a saint in God's calendar? It is a poor thing to have an applauding world, and an accusing conscience.

2. Oh but says another, I hope I am a child of God, I love my heavenly Father.

Answ. Why do you love God? Perhaps because God gives you grain and wine; this is a mercenary love, a love to yourself more than to God; you may lead a sheep all the field over with a bottle of hay in your hand; but throw away the hay, now the sheep will follow you no longer: so the squint-eyed hypocrite loves God only for the provisions; when this fails, his affection fails too.

But leaving these vain and false evidences of adoption, let us inquire for a sound evidence; the main evidence of adoption is sanctification: search (O Christian) whether the work of sanctification has passed upon your soul! Is your understanding sanctified to discern the things which are excellent? Is your will sanctified to embrace heavenly objects? Do you love where God loves, and hate where God hates? Are you a consecrated person? This argues the heart of a child; God will never reject those who have his image and superscription upon them.

2. Let us carry ourselves as becomes the children of God; and let us deport ourselves as the children of the most high God.

1. In obedience (1 Peter 1:14). As obedient children. If a stranger bids a child do a thing, he regards him not; but if his father commands, he presently obeys: obey God out of love, obey him readily, obey every command. If he bids you part with your bosom-sin, leave and loathe it (Jeremiah 35:5). I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine, and cups, and I said to them, drink wine; but they said, we will drink no wine; for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father, commanded us, saying, you shall drink no wine, neither you, nor your sons forever. Thus when Satan and your own heart would be tempting you to a sin, and set cups of wine before you, refuse to drink; say, my heavenly Father has commanded me not to drink. Hypocrites will obey God in some things which are consistent either with their credit or profit, but in other things they desire to be excused: like Esau, who obeyed his father in bringing him venison, because probably he liked the sport of hunting, but refused to obey him in a business of greater importance; namely, in the choice of his wife.

2. Let us carry ourselves as God's children in humility (1 Peter 5:5). Be clothed with humility, it is a becoming garment. Let a child of God look his face every morning in the glass of God's word, and see his sinful spots; this will make him walk humbly all the day after; God cannot endure to see his children grow proud; he suffers them to fall into sin, as he did Peter, that their plumes may fall, and they may learn to go on lower ground.

3. Let us walk as the children of God in sobriety (1 Thessalonians 5:8). But let us who are of the day be sober: God's children must not do as others, they must be sober.

1. In their speeches; not rash, not unseemly (Colossians 4:6). Let your speech be seasoned with salt: grace must be the salt which seasons our words, and makes them savory; our words must be solid and weighty, not feathery; God's children must speak the language of Canaan; many pretend to be God's children, but their speech betrays them; their lips do not drop as a honeycomb, but are like the sink, where all the filth of the house is carried out.

2. The children of God must be sober in their opinions; hold nothing but what a sober man would hold; error, as Saint Basil says, is a spiritual intoxication, a kind of frenzy; if Christ were upon the earth again, he might have patients enough; there are abundance of spiritual lunatics among us which need healing.

3. The children of God must be sober in their attire (1 Peter 3:3). Whose adorning, let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, etc. But let it be the hidden man of the heart. God's children must not be conformed to the world (Romans 12:2). It is not for God's children to do as others, taking up every fashion. What is a naked breast, but a glass in which you may see a vain heart? What is spotting of faces, but learning the black art? God may turn these black spots into blue; walk soberly.

4. Let us carry ourselves as the children of God in diligence; we must be diligent in our calling. Religion does not seal warrants to idleness; it was Jerome's advice to his friend, to be always well employed: six days shall you labor; God sets all his children to work, they must not be like the lilies which toil not, neither do they spin; heaven indeed is a place of rest (Revelation 14:13). They rest from their labors; there the saints shall lay aside all their working-tools, and take the harp and viol; but while we are here, we must labor in a calling; God will bless our diligence, not our laziness.

5. Let us carry ourselves as the children of God in magnanimity and heroicness. The saints are high-born, they are of the true blood-royal, born of God, they must do nothing sneakingly or sordidly, they must not fear the faces of men; as that brave-spirited Nehemiah, shall such a man as I flee (Nehemiah 6:11)? So should a child of God say, shall I be afraid to do my duty? Shall I unworthily comply and prostitute myself to the lusts and humors of men? The children of the Most High should do nothing to stain or dishonor their noble birth. A king's son scorns to do anything which is below him.

6. Let us carry ourselves as God's children in sanctity (1 Peter 1:16). Holiness is the crown of beauty, in this let us imitate our heavenly Father; a debauched child is a disgrace to his father; there is nothing that does more cast a reflection on our heavenly Father, than the irregular actions of such as profess themselves his children. What will others say, are these the children of the Most High, is God their Father (Romans 2:24)? The name of God is blasphemed through you Gentiles. Oh let us do nothing unworthy of our heavenly Father.

7. Let us carry ourselves as the children of God in cheerfulness. It was the speech of Jonadab to Amnon, why are you, being the king's son, lean (2 Samuel 13:4)? Why do the children of God walk so pensively? Are they not heirs of heaven? Perhaps they may meet with hard usage in the world, but let them remember they are of the royal seed, and are of the family of God. Suppose a man were in a strange land, and should meet there with unkind usage, yet he rejoices that he is son and heir, and has a great estate in his own country: so should the children of God comfort themselves with this, though they are now in a strange country, yet they have a title to the Jerusalem above; and though sin does at present cling to them (for they still have some relics of their disease) yet shortly they shall get rid of it; at death they shall shake off this viper.

8. And lastly, let us carry ourselves as the children of God in holy longings and expectations. Children are still longing to be at home (2 Corinthians 5:2). We groan earnestly, etc. There is bread enough in our Father's house, how should we long for home! Death carries a child of God to his Father's house; Saint Paul therefore desired to be dissolved; it is comfortable dying, when by faith we can resign up our souls into our Father's hands (Luke 23:46). Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.

Several practical applications drawn from the proposition.

Use 1: Reproof. Here is a charge against those whose lives declare to the world that they are not God's children. All profane persons fall under this — condemnation is written on their forehead.

First, those who mock religion. It would be blasphemy to call these God's children. Would a true child sneer at his father's portrait?

Second, drunkards, who drown their reason and numb their conscience. These openly display their sin like the people of Sodom. They are children indeed — but cursed children (2 Peter 2:14).

Use 2: Exhortation, which has two parts.

First, let us prove to ourselves that we are God's children.

Second, let us live as God's children.

First, let us prove ourselves to be God's children. Many people rely on false and unscriptural evidences.

First false evidence: someone says, "The most respected ministers in the area consider me godly — and can they be wrong? Are those with spiritual sight blind?"

Answer: Others can only observe your outward behavior. If that behavior looks good, they charitably think well of you — but what do God and your own conscience say? Are they on your side? Are you a saint in God's register? It is a poor thing to have the world applauding you while your conscience accuses you.

Second false evidence: someone says, "But I hope I am a child of God — I love my heavenly Father."

Answer: Why do you love God? Perhaps because He gives you grain and wine. That is a mercenary love — love for yourself more than for God. You can lead a sheep anywhere across the field with a bundle of hay in your hand, but throw the hay away and the sheep will follow no further. The hypocrite with his divided heart loves God only for the blessings. When the blessings stop, his affection stops too.

Setting aside these false evidences of adoption, let us look for a solid one. The main evidence of adoption is sanctification. Search your heart, Christian: has the work of sanctification truly taken hold of your soul? Has your understanding been sanctified to recognize what truly matters? Has your will been sanctified to embrace heavenly things? Do you love what God loves and hate what God hates? Are you a consecrated person? This reveals the heart of a true child. God will never reject those who bear His image and mark upon them.

Second, let us live as God's children — conducting ourselves in a way that befits being children of the Most High.

First, in obedience (1 Peter 1:14): "As obedient children." If a stranger tells a child to do something, the child ignores him — but when his father commands, he obeys right away. Obey God out of love. Obey Him readily. Obey every command. If He tells you to give up a sin you hold dear, leave it and loathe it (Jeremiah 35:5): "I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine and cups, and I said to them, 'Drink wine.' But they said, 'We will drink no wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying, \"You shall drink no wine — neither you nor your sons forever.\"'" So when Satan and your own heart tempt you to sin and set cups of wine before you, refuse to drink. Say to yourself: my heavenly Father has commanded me not to drink. Hypocrites will obey God in things that fit their reputation or profit, but beg to be excused from the rest. Like Esau, who obeyed his father in going out to hunt venison — probably because he enjoyed hunting — but refused to obey him in a far more important matter: his choice of wife.

Second, live as God's children in humility (1 Peter 5:5): "Be clothed with humility" — it is a fitting garment. Let a child of God look into the mirror of God's Word each morning and see his own sinful spots. That will keep him walking humbly the rest of the day. God cannot bear to see His children grow proud. He sometimes allows them to fall into sin — as He did with Peter — so that their pride deflates and they learn to walk on lower ground.

Third, walk as God's children in self-control (1 Thessalonians 5:8): "Let us who are of the day be sober." God's children must not live the way others do — they must be sober and disciplined.

First, in their speech — not rash or coarse (Colossians 4:6): "Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt." Grace must be the salt that seasons our words and makes them wholesome. Our words must be solid and thoughtful, not weightless. God's children must speak the language of Canaan. Many claim to be God's children, but their speech betrays them. Their lips do not drop like a honeycomb — they are more like a drain carrying out all the filth of the house.

Second, God's children must be sober in their beliefs. Hold nothing that a clear-minded person could not hold. As Basil says, error is a kind of spiritual intoxication — a form of madness. If Christ were on the earth again, He would have patients in abundance. There are far too many spiritual lunatics among us who need healing.

Third, God's children must be sober in their dress (1 Peter 3:3): "Let your adorning not be external — the braiding of hair and putting on of gold — but let it be the hidden person of the heart." God's children must not be conformed to the world (Romans 12:2). It is not fitting for them to chase every new fashion. What is an immodest dress but a mirror revealing a vain heart? What is painting and adorning the face with artificial marks but learning a kind of dark art? God may one day turn those patches of vanity into marks of a different kind. Walk soberly.

Fourth, live as God's children in diligence. We must be hardworking in our callings. Religion does not give anyone a license for idleness. Jerome's advice to his friend was always to be well employed. "Six days you shall labor." God sets all His children to work — they must not be like the lilies that neither labor nor spin. Heaven, of course, is a place of rest (Revelation 14:13): "They rest from their labors." There the saints will set down all their tools and take up the harp and the lyre. But while we are here on earth, we must labor faithfully in our calling. God will bless our diligence, not our laziness.

Fifth, live as God's children in courage and nobility of spirit. The saints are high-born — they are of the true royal blood, born of God. They must do nothing in a cowardly or shameful way. They must not cower before the faces of men. Like the bold-spirited Nehemiah: "Should such a man as I flee?" (Nehemiah 6:11). So a child of God should say: should I be afraid to do my duty? Should I weakly give in and bend myself to the sinful desires and whims of others? The children of the Most High should do nothing to stain or dishonor their noble birth. A king's son refuses to do anything beneath his dignity.

Sixth, live as God's children in holiness (1 Peter 1:16). Holiness is the crown of beauty — in this, let us imitate our heavenly Father. A corrupt and immoral child brings shame to his father. Nothing reflects worse on our heavenly Father than the disorderly lives of those who claim to be His children. What will others say — are these the children of the Most High? Is God truly their Father (Romans 2:24)? "The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you." Let us do nothing unworthy of our heavenly Father.

Seventh, live as God's children in cheerfulness. Jonadab said to Amnon, "Why are you, being the king's son, so downcast?" (2 Samuel 13:4). Why do God's children walk with such heavy hearts? Are they not heirs of heaven? They may face hardship in this world, but they must remember they are of royal blood and belong to the family of God. Consider a man living in a foreign land, where he is treated poorly. Yet he is glad, because he knows he is a son and heir with a great inheritance waiting in his own country. In the same way, God's children should comfort themselves with this truth: though they are now in a foreign land, they have a title to the Jerusalem above. And though sin still clings to them now — like the lingering traces of a disease — the day is coming when they will be free of it. At death, they will shake off this viper.

Eighth and finally, live as God's children in holy longing and expectation. Children always long to be home (2 Corinthians 5:2): "We groan earnestly." There is more than enough in our Father's house — how we should long to go home! Death carries a child of God to his Father's house. Paul therefore longed to depart. It is a blessed death when, by faith, we can place our souls into our Father's hands (Luke 23:46): "Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit."