very much conduce to the furtherance of this endeavour.
This is gathered from this word, Be sober and hope.
Reas. Because the love and immoderate use of the things of this world, doth so burden the soule, and glue it to the earth, that it cannot lift up it selfe to seeke after heavenly things. Vse. This may serve to admonish us, not to addict our minds to any worldly thing, but here to use this world, and not abuse it. 1 Cor. 7.31. Doct. V. The state of adoption, whereby we are made the sonnes of God, should stir us up to the practise of holinesse.
This is gathered from these words: As obedient Children.
Reas. 1. Because Children should beare the image of their Father: Now the image of God consists in holinesse and righteousnesse. 2. Because it is the duty of Children, readily and of their owne accord to apply themselves to the will of their Father. Now the will of God is our sanctification. 1 Thes. 4.3. this is it that is intimated in that title, where the faithfull are called obedient Children. Vse. 1. This may serve to condemne those, that with the wicked Jewes say, they are the Children of Abraham and of God, when notwithstanding, they doe the workes of the Devill, Iohn 8.41, 2.4. 1 Iohn 3.8.10. 2. To exhort us, in all things to make it appeare, that we are the true sonnes of God, by obedience unto his will, and our practise of holinesse: for unlesse we beare the chastisements the Lord, that by them we may be made partakers of his holinesse, hereby we shew that we are bastards, and nor true sonnes. Heb. 12.8.10. Doct. 6. This filiall obedience, and the fashioning of our selves according to the former lusts of our sins, cannot stand together.
This is gathered from the opposition, that is made betwixt these two, verse 14. where the one being affirmed, that we are obedient Children, the other is denyed, that we should not fashion our selves according to our lusts.
Reas. 1. Because they, which by regeneration are made the Children of God, are new creatures, have a new nature and new affections, so that they have wholy renounced their former nature and affections: and for this very cause they are called in the Text, Former lusts, or, which were before.
