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These words are a fresh argument to persuade christians to a patient enduring of divine chastisements; the argument is drawn from the less to the greater, thus: "If our earthly parents chastened us only for a few days, and after their own pleasure, and yet we were subject to them, how much more ought we to be subject to God our heavenly Father, who chastens us for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness?"
Note here, 1. Earthly parents do and may chastise the children of their flesh, and they ought to reverence them for so doing, and pay a reverential submission for their parental chastisement.
Note, 2. That the motive of, and rule which parents too often follow in correcting of their children, is their own will and pleasure: They have frequently a greater regard to their own passions, than to their children's advantage, and correct oftener in humour than in reason; erring sometimes in the matter, sometimes in the manner, sometimes in the measure, of their correction.
Note, 3. That great is the difference between divine and parental chastisements.
1. In their author; one is the father of our flesh, the other of our souls and spirits, they are the immediate product of his power, which is a fundamental reason for our patient submission to God, in and under all afflictions.
2. In their end; the one for their own pleasure, the other for his children's profit, to make them partakers of his holiness, by renovation, sanctification, and mortification: The carrying on of these things in us, is that which God designs in all his chastisements.
Learn hence, that we can have no greater pledge and assurance of divine love in afflictions than this, that God by them brings us nearer to himself, and makes us more like himself; if under divine chastisements we find no increase of holiness, they are utterly lost, and we have nothing but the trouble and sorrow of them.
Note lastly, The duty we owe to God, the Father of spirits, and that is, subjection, together with the benefit and advantage of it: By being in subjection to the Father of spirits, we shall live.
Now this subjection unto God, consists in an acquiescence in his right and sovereignty to do what he will with his own, in an acknowledgment of his wisdom and righteousness in all his dealings with us, in a mighty sense of his care and love, and in an entire resignation of ourselves to his holy will in all things.
And behold the advantage and benefit of this subjection to God in our chastisements; we shall live a spiritual life on earth, and an eternal life in heaven. The rebellious son, under the law, that refused subjection to his earthly parent, was stoned to death, Deu_21:18 and died without mercy; but they who yield subjection to God in their chastisements shall live and not die.