1. These who are the children of God, it will be their aim and endeavour, to yield universal obedience to all their father's commands; not baulking any, because unpleasant to their nature; or obeying some, and slighting the rest: But as it is their desire to mourn for, hate, and forsake every sin, so it will be their endeavour to obey all the Lord's commands. The Psalmist says, Psalm 66.18, If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. This says that he did not regard iniquity in his heart, but was an obedient son who obeyed all his father's commands.
2. These who are the children of God, they will honour their father: They will greatly reverence him, and fear before him: It will be their great desire to glorify him, and to have him exalted, Mal. 1.6, A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: If then I be a father, where is mine honour?
3. These who are the children of God, will have a high estimation of their elder brother Christ; he will be lovely in their eyes, and altogether desirable to their souls, according to that word, 1 Pet. 2.7, Unto you therefore which believe, he is precious.
4. They put a high estimation upon the state of the reconciliation with God: They count this state of his children, to be among the only blessed and happiest of conditions: As the Psalmist says, Psalm 32.1,2, Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
5. These who are the children of God, subject their spirit unto their father, endeavouring to be for him, and at his disposal; putting a blank in his hand, cheerfully acquiescing to what he carves out to be their lot; and with patience and submission to embrace it, though hard to flesh and blood, without murmuring at his way of dealing with them, or their hearts rising against his sovereignty, or quarreling with his way of procedure with them. James Renwick
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