_Fifthly_, There is usually some similitude betwixt the father and the
child; it may be the child looks like its father; so those that are born
again, they have a new similitude, they have the image of Jesus Christ
(Gal. iv.), every one that is born of God has something of the features
of heaven upon him. Men love those children that are likest them most
usually; so does God his children; therefore they are called the children
of God. But others do not look like him, therefore they are called
Sodomites. Christ describes children of the devil by their features; the
children of the devil, his works they will do; all works of
unrighteousness, they are the devil’s works. If you are earthly, you
have borne the image of the earthly; if heavenly, you have borne the
image of the heavenly.
_Sixthly_, When a man has a child, he trains him up to his own liking, he
learns the custom of his father’s house; so are those that are born of
God; they have learned the custom of the true church of God, there they
learn to cry, My Father and my God; they are brought up in God’s house,
they learn the method and form of God’s house for regulating their lives
in this world.
_Seventhly_, Children, it is natural for them to depend upon their father
for what they want. If they want a pair of shoes, they go and tell him;
if they want bread, they go and tell him; so should the children of God
do. Do you want spiritual bread? go tell God of it. Do you want
strength of grace? ask it of God. Do you want strength against Satan’s
temptations? go and tell God of it. When the devil tempts you, run home
and tell your heavenly Father; go pour out your complaints to God. This
is natural to children; if any wrong them, they go and tell their father;
so do those that are born of God, when they meet with temptations, go and
tell God of them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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