ns of God. For ye have not received the spirit of
bondage again to fear,", &c.

Children do commonly resemble their parents, not only in the outward
proportion and feature of their countenances, but also in the disposition
and temper of their spirits, and generally they are inclined to imitate
the customs and carriage of their parents, so that they sometimes may be
accounted the very living images of such persons; and in them men are
thought to outlive themselves. Now, indeed, they that are the sons of God
are known by this character, that they are led by the Spirit of God. And
there is the more necessity and the more reason, too, of this resemblance
of God and imitation of him in his children, because that very divine
birth that they have from heaven consists in the renovation of their
natures and assimilation to the divine nature, and, therefore, they are
possessed with an inward principle that carries them powerfully towards a
conformity with their heavenly Father, and it becometh their great study
and endeavour to observe all the dispositions and carriage of their
heavenly Father, which are so honourable and high, and suitable to
himself, that they at least may breathe and halt(212) after the imitation
of him. Therefore our Lord exhorts us, and taketh a domestic example and
familiar pattern to persuade us the more by, "Be ye perfect, as your
heavenly Father is perfect," Matt. v. 48. And there is one perfection he
especially recommends for our imitation, mercifulness and compassion
towards men, opposed to the violence, fury, and implacableness, to the
oppression, and revenge, and hatred that abounds among men, Luke vi. 36.
And, generally, in all his ways of holiness and purity, of goodness and
mercy, we ought to be followers of him as dear children, who are not only
obliged by the common law of sympathy between parents and children, but,
moreover, engaged by the tender affection that he carrieth to us, Eph. v.
1. Now, because God is high as heaven, and his ways and thoughts and
dispositions are infinitely above us, the pattern seems to be so far out
of sight that it is given over as desperate by many to attempt any
conformity to it. Therefore it hath pleased the Lord to put his own Spirit
within his own children, to be a bosom pattern and example, and it is our
duty to resign ourselves to his leading and direction. The Spirit brings
the copy near hand us, and though we cannot attain, yet we should follow
after.