be ready to call you Vngrateful the most odious Reproach that can be cast on any One Nay and wicked Men will not sometimes stick to Bribe you also with Promises and Proposals of Profit and Advantages if you will serve 'em in their ill Designs This One would think not so dangerous a Temptation to Sin because more open and not so Insinuating a way as the former but God knows too many do knowingly and wilfully barter away their poor Souls and plainly sell 'em to the Devil contracting to commit this or that Sin as for Instance to take a false Oath to forge Writings to make a Lie in another's behalf upon the Promise or Intimation of some Reward for so doing Thus will wicked Men some by Kindnesses some by Promises Oblige you if they can to serve 'em by your Sins And some on the other hand will be no less Industrious by Discouragements nay Threatnings to hinder you in the discharging your Duty and a good Conscience Religion will sometimes put you upon doing those things that will Prejudice your worldly Interests and stir up the Wrath of those that are Superiour to you And indeed in this Case a Man's worst Enemies shall be those of his own House and when either you must Sin or Suffer none will be so forward to Tempt you to Sin rather than to Suffer as your nearest Relations and Acquaintance And what must Wife and Children and Family do if you should talk of Forsaking all and of following Christ in the Preservation of a good Conscience will be the Argument that the Friend of your own Bosom will strongly urge you withal But the more common Temptation discouraging Men in the Discharge of their Duty especially such as are of a low Rank and Condition in the World are the Frowns and Threats of those that are above ' em Hence a Minister in low Circumstances shall venture hard if he offers to Reprove a Great Man tho' a Great Sinner And you shall scarcely ever know an Officer tho' never so strictly oblig'd thereunto by his Oath present in order to Punishment the Man of Power and Interest in his Parish for his Oaths his Riots and the most outragious Immoralities which he so scandalously commits I. Kindnesses must not corrupt us to Sin And now what shall be done with reference to these manifold Encouragemetns to Sin and Discouragements to Vertue which you shall meet withal from wicked Men Why in the first Place have a special Care you be not Inveigled by the pretended Kindness of any Person be he who or what he will Let not the Obligations of your Friend or Acquaintance cause you to strain Truth when you are call'd to give Testimony in his Cause Take care you be not then wrought upon by any Sence of Kindness to Perjure your selves for him by declaring either more than Truth or by speaking not the whole Truth when it would make against him Consider what Kindness has been done you if you must sin against God and your own Soul to Pleasure your Friend in Return for it It was but a Bait to take you a Snare to Entrap you and a pleasant Poison given to destroy you You ought indeed as an honest Pagan says excellently well to be assistant to him in his honest Endeavours but not in his Knaveries in his Counsels not in his Tricks in appearing as Evidence for him but not in a Cheat and you must bear a Share in the misfortunes of your Friend but not in his Acts of Injustice II. Promises must not bribe us Secondly As to any Promises wherewith wicked Men may so Tempt you as to Hire you to Sin God forbid there should be a Necessity to bid you Reject and Detest them But if there be any need to Fortify any here against such a Temptation the meer Foolishness of the Bargain you will make will sufficiently move you to spurn at them for if it be an unprofitable a very unprofitable Bargain tho' a Man should Gain the whole World and lose his own Soul as it is said Mark 8.36 Oh! What ill Husbandry what Stupidity is it for a Trifle of worldly Wealth or Advantage to barter it away III. Discouragements must not hinder us from discharging our Duty And Thirdly As for those who shall hereafter discourage you from suffering for Righteousness sake when call'd thereunto by laying before you the Ruine you will thereby bring upon your selves and Families why you must consider that in such Case our Saviour tells us that a Man must even Hate Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own Life also or he cannot be his Disciple and that whosoever doth not bear his Cross and come after him shall not be his Disciple Luk. 14.26 27. Nor Fourthly must Threatnings or Frowns fright us from it Nor Lastly must a Souldier of Jesus Christ be frighted out of the way of his Duty or aw'd into any sinful or slavish Compliance by the Threats and Frowns of any Man living Shrink not from the Exercise of Religion and Uprightness because many about you and they perhaps Above or Richer than you are profane and lewd and utterly regardless of any thing that is Good and moreover do Discourage and Affront it For this if you should you will most certainly offend your Great Lord and Master the Lord of Heaven and Earth and who has call'd upon you not to fear a mortal Man no tho' he could Kill the Body but to be afraid of displeasing him rather who is able to destroy both Body and Soul in Hell Yea I say unto you fear him Luk. 12.4 And now Lastly I cannot call to Mind any other Temptations Lastly the evil Customs which have prevailed in the World are a powerful Temptation to Sin usual amongst wicked Men to Tempt others to Sin besides some Evil Customs so rife amongst many That the Heathen Idolatries and those filthy Practices committed in 'em were so universally Complied with by all sorts of Men in the Pagan World was because they were Commended and Established by Publick Custom Many of their wisest Men and Philosophers had other Conceptions of God than to think it was fit to Change the Glory of God into the Similitude of an Ox that eateth Grass and thought also he ought to be Worshipt not by Fooleries and Impurities but with a chast Mind and a clean Heart And yet even those Men submitted to Common Custom and whatever they thought or spoke Privately amongst themselves they acted and spoke in Publick as the rest did And it was to the Prevalency of Custom that the Apostle imputed those Enormities of the Ephesians before their Conversion telling 'em that In time past they walked according to the Course of this World Eph. 2.2 And indeed so great is the Power of Evil Custom that it does still amongst Christians constrain Persons to do many ill Things even contrary to their Natures and Inclinations as well
to God's Holy Will and Commandments as ever we 'll hope to obtain Salvation or to be Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven And that Evangelical or Gospel-Obedience The Nature and Measures of Christian Obedience which now under the Covenant of Grace is the indispensible Condition of Man's Salvation to give it you according as it is most exactly stated by the Learned Author of The Measures of Christian Obedience for it is impossible I do think for any one to do it more exactly therefore I shall give you an Abstract of that whole Work Is a sincere and entire Obedience to all the Laws of the Gospel Sincere it must be by being a true and undissembled Service of God opposite to all Hypocrisy or a false and feigned Pretence of obeying Him when in reality we only serve our own Selves or our own Lusts and Interests Entire it must be by being the Obedience of the whole Man to the whole Will of God and that at all times with this abatement of Rigour That all our unwilling and involuntary Failings which through Ignorance and Frailty we commit shall upon our Prayers to God and Charity to our Neighbour be forgiven us and even our wilful Transgressions when we repent and forsake 'em through the Mediation of Christ and the Grace of the Gospel shall not be imputed to our Condemnation Such is the Obedience which every one of you must carefully pay to the Holy Will and Commandments of God as ever you hope to be Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven But for your better understanding the Nature and Extent of your Christian Obedience I will a little farther unfold each Part of this Description of it And I. Our Obedience must be sincere by being a true and undissembled Service of God opposite to all Hypocrisy or a false and feigned Pretence of obeying Him when in truth we serve our own selves I. Our Obedience to all the Laws of the Gospel must be sincere by being a true and undissembled Service of God opposite to all Hypocrisy or a false and feigned Pretence of obeying Him when in reality we only serve our own selves This is a certain Truth That our Gracious God for the most part hath made such Things the Matter of His Laws and of our Duty as really make for our own Interest Reputation or Profit to perform for so it really is to be Temperate and Chaste and Contented and Humble to be Vpright and Charitable and Peaceable c. But then our Obedience is sincere and done as unto God when we observe His Laws for His sake and because He commands it for otherwise we do not observe God's Will but our own His Commands had no share in what we did because it had been done although He had said nothing And thus sincere must our Obedience be unto God as ever we expect that God should Judge us at the last Day to have obeyed Him I say it must be done as unto God and sincerely from our Hearts to please Him and not only our selves And this is plainly expressed in the very words of the Gospel for it accepts not an heartless Service nor accounts it self obey'd by what was never intended for it The Lord thy God requires of thee to serve him with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul Matth. 22.36 37. And therefore St. Paul does pray that the Philippians may be sincere in their Profession being filled with the Fruits of Righteousness or Good Works to the Praise and Glory of God not themselves Phil. 1.10 11. God does not forbid us all intending our Advantage in the performance of his Commandments God indeed has not forbidden us all intending and designing of our own Advantage in the performance of his Commandments When He requires us to obey Him He doth not forbid us all Love of our Selves and Regard to our own Self-interests For why He does propose to us in Scripture the greatest Rewards possible as Motives to us to perswade us to obey And the Blessed Saints in the Scripture so Eminent for their Service to God are said to have had an Eye at the Recompence of Reward But then our Intention of our own Advantage in God's Service is forbidden and renders our obedient Performances corrupt and insincere when together with our Intention of serving God we either join first another Intention of serving Sin Or secondly when we design some temporal Ends as much or more than we design God's Service First I say That Man's Obedience is insincere But 1st that Man's Obedience is insincere who together with his Intention of serving God joins another Intention of serving Sin who together with his Intentions of serving God joins another Intention of serving Sin as if a Man as our Saviour tells us the Pharisees did make long Prayers and other Professions of Religion to enable him the better and without suspicion to devour Widows Houses as well as serve God Where his obedient Performances slow from such a mixture of Design as this they will in no wise be owned as an obedient but punished as a sinful Service Secondly Again Men's Obedience is insincere When they design some temporal Ends in the Practice of Vertue as much or more than they design God's Service as when a Man is temperate II. When he designs some temporal Ends in the practice of Vertue as much or more than he intends God's Service and will not drink which is his Duty indeed but yet only because he cannot without making himself sick But when in the Performance of any Vertue a Man has a regard as much if not more to his Profit or Ease than to the Commands of God in that case this Obedience is also insincere and will be far from entitling him to be an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven For thus to have as much regard to our worldly Profit or Pleasure in the Performance of any Duty as to please God is a degrading of Him it is a setting up the World for His Rival And to bring other Things in Competition with Him is plainly to Renounce him In respect of our Love to God we must even hate Father and Mother Wife and Children the dearest Interests and Concerns we have in the World He will be served and respected above all for He is jealous of the Pre-eminence of His Service above all Things as an Husband is of his Wife's Love to him above other Men I the Lord saith he am a jealous God Exod. 20.5 And so much for that Sincerity which is required of us as the first Qualification of an acceptable Obedience II. That Evangelical or Gospel-Obedience which now 2dly Evangelical Obedience must be entire viz. under the Covenant of Grace is the indispensible Condition of every Man's Salvation must be an entire Obedience to all the Laws of the Gospel Now this Integrity of our Obedience is such a Perfection and Compleatness of it as excludes all Maimedness and Defects and this
wise Father may be suppos'd to allow his Children beyond Aliens and Strangers For is it natural to such a One more easily to Pardon the Offences of his Child than of his Slave more favourably to over-look his Infirmities more readily to hear his Requests and to instate him in a surer Title to his Possessions than he will do others that have no such Relation to him Why such are the Priviledges our Heavenly Father will allow to us who are his Children by Adoption above others who stand in no such Relation to him He will be Just to all but these are properly Fatherly Kindnesses and he will Indulge 'em to none therefore but those who are his Children But more particularly Particularly First It is worthy our Consideration I. Pardon of all Sins upon hearty Repentance that we shall have this inestimable Priviledge by being his Children above the rest of Mankind namely We shall have all our Sins Pardon'd upon our hearty Repentance of 'em upon Condition we forsake 'em and return to God The unbelieving Jews and Gentiles and all Persons remaining in a State of Nature who have not Embrac'd the Gospel who have not been Baptized nor have Enter'd into Covenant with God have no Assurance from him that their Sins should be ever Pardon'd tho' they should forsake 'em because God never gave any Promise of Pardon to any other but his Children who are in Covenant with him And for want of their having any express Engagements and Promises from God of Mercies from him does the Apostle therefore speak of the State of the Gentiles as exceedingly Uncomfortable Eph. 2.11 12. in these very remarkable Words Remember that ye being in times past Gentiles in the flesh and at that time ye were without Christ being Aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel Strangers from the Covenants and Promises having no hopes of Pardon and without God in the world But we Christians who have Enter'd into Covenant with God and so are his Children have the utmost Assurance possible grounded upon the most gracious and express Promises that upon laying down our Rebellious Arms upon our Renouncing of his and our own most mortal Enemies our Sins and Coming over to him we shall have all our Sins Pardon'd Or rather as the Apostle himself does express it in the following viz. The 13 14 ver But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the Blood of Christ for he is our Peace And indeed that this Pardon and Peace with the Father does more peculiarly belong to us under the Character of his Children who had formerly stray'd afar off from him by our Sins but are now return'd Home to him by Repentance we have Exemplify'd to us in that famous Parable of the Prodigal Son Luk. 15. That Person we there read after a most Lewd and Riotous Life after he had spent and squander'd away all his Substance that his Father gave him yet upon his deep Humiliation for his Vile and Undutiful Behaviour towards his Father and his hearty Desires to return Home and to his Duty and Obedience to him was thereupon admitted to his former Interest in his Father's Affections Yea and receiv'd with more than usual Joy Why the whole Design of that Parable is to shew us how our Heavenly Father will graciously deal with us his Undutiful and Rebellious Children and that after even a very ill Life upon our laying down of our Sins the forsaking the service of our Lusts and Return to him he will graciously Pardon and Forgive us his Children II. By being his Children he will not be so severe as to mark what is done amiss as to sins of Infirmity And Secondly being his Children he will not be severe to mark what is done amiss tho' after our Return to him through the Infirmity of our Flesh we do not altogether live up to the Rule by an Unsinning Obedience provided we watch carefully against the common Infirmities of Humane Nature and do not wilfully Indulge our selves in any of ' em The Rigour of the First Covenant would admit of no less than a Perfect Exact Vnsinning Obedience the never Offending in any one Point In the day thou dost eat thereof thou shalt surely dye Gen. 2.17 But here under the Second our Father deals with us with the Indulgence of a tender Parent who does not throw off his Child and withdraw his Kindness upon the smallest Offences and such as through Ignorance Surprize or the like cannot in this our fall'n and corrupt State be avoided But as a Father pitieth his own Children even so the Lord pitieth them that fear him that is Who do not willingly displease him Psal 103.13 In a word As the Pardon of Sins whether great or small is a Mercy held out to us only in the Covenant of Grace so it is granted us under this very Notion of being Children of God as appears from Mal. 3.17 where the Prophet foretels the Happy State of Christians upon this very Score in these words And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own Son that serveth him And more particularly yet Eph. 1.3.5.7 Forgiveness of Sins is there specify'd as the distinct Priviledge of Adopted Sons in these words God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ having predestinated us unto the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ unto himself according to the good pleasure of his Will in him we have Redemption through his Blood the Forgiveness of Sins according to the Riches of his Grace And Thirdly which is an Appendage to this same Priviledge III. To the Children of God is granted an easier Access by Prayer to the Throne of Grace for Pardon of Sins and other Mercies A Child of God upon the Score of such his Relation is permitted to have an easy Access to the Throne of Grace and is admitted to Address himself in Prayer to God as for whatever other Mercies he stands in need of so for Pardon of Sins when he has Transgrest with a full Assurance of a gracious Answer The Gentiles who serv'd no Gods but what their own Imaginations created did it after a Slavish manner for how could they be sure the Offended Deity was to be Entreated when he had Reveal'd no such thing unto ' em And so did the Jews also who serv'd the True God it was in a Servile manner too for when they had committed an Offence against the Law they were to provide their Sacrifice and bring it to the Priest and he was to Offer it for 'em whilst they stood at a distance But now the Veil of the Sanctuary being broke upon the Death of our High-Priest We have therefore the Liberty to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus by a New and Living way which he hath Consecrated for us through the Veil that is to say his Flesh And
that most divine Sermon upon the Mount to raise all his Disciples and Followers to the highest Pitch and Perfection of Moral Vertue and Goodness He came not to destroy the Law and the Prophets but to fulfil them Matth. 5.27 that is to enlarge and encrease our Duties to God and Man and to our selves to make the Obedience of the Heart as necessary as that of the outward Man to make the very Thoughts of Uncleanness criminal as well as Adultery it self And in a word hence does he require of us his Members that our Light should so shine before Men that they might see our good Works and glorify our Father which is in Heaven ver 16. that is He requires that by the Eminence of all Divine Graces and Vertues shining in our Lives we should be as a Candle set on a Hill to enlighten the benighted and bewildred World straying in the darkness of Ignorance and Errour that they might find their way by the Brightness of our Examples to Heaven and Happiness And by the Savourliness lastly of our good Conversation he requires that we should be as Salt in the World to season the corrupted Manners of Men. Such strong Obligations lie upon us as Members of Christ's Church to be faithful in our Covenant that is to perform all due Obedience unto God Secondly Nor is the Consideration of our being Children of God II. As Children of God less fruitful of good Arguments shewing us those vast Obligations lying upon us faithfully and conscientiously to discharge our Covenant with him There is no relation that is which does speak more of Duty and Duty founded upon better Reasons than that of a Child to his Father A Wife owes some Duty and Observance to her Husband because the Husband is the Head of the Wife a Servant to his Master because from him he has Provision a Subject to his Prince because of Protection But a Child owes his very Life and Being and all that he has is originally derived from his Parent Children are bound to the strictest Obedience to their Parents as oweing to 'em their Being Especially this is so with the Children of God upon a double account both that of Creation and that of Adoption Consider us as the Children of God with respect to Creation and not only our Life and Being but all Things necessary to the support and maintenance of this Being of ours that it falls not back into Annihilation and Nothing is wholly owing to that God whose Off-spring we are according to that of the Apostle Acts 17.28 In him we live and move and have our Being for we are his Off-spring But consider us who are Baptized Christians farther as the Children of God by Adoption and then over and above our Being and all that belongs to it our Well-being also both in this and a better Life is wholly of his Gift For if Children of God as St. Paul does argue Rom. 8.17 then Heirs Heirs with God and joint Heirs with Christ so that if we suffer with him we shall be also glorified together Children of God as owing both Being and Well-being And now if for Life and Being and also for all that Well-being too which we have or hope to enjoy in this or the Life to come we wholly and entirely depend upon God our Father Do we not then owe to him as his Children all the Duty all the Observance and all the Diligence possible in the discharge of such Duty and Observance This the very Light of Nature teaches us but the Scripture does most expresly upon that very score of being his Children require of us A Son honoureth his Father and a Servant his Master says God by his Prophet Mal. 1.6 If I then be a Father where is mine Honour And if I be a Master where is my Fear And upon the same score of our being Children of God does St. Peter most earnestly exhort us to a Renunciation of the World and our filthy Lusts and to a faithful and careful discharge of our Duty to God our Father As Obedient Children says he 1 Epist 1.14 15. not fashioning your selves according to the former Lusts in your Ignorance but as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of Conversation And vers 17. If ye call on the Father that is profess your selves the Sons of your Heavenly Father who without respect of Persons judgeth every Man according to his Works can see Blemishes and will punish Faults as well in his Children as others if you profess your selves the Children of such a Father pass the time of your sojourning here in fear is the Inference the same Apostle makes from this Relation of being the Children of God And indeed except we do give up our selves sincerely and faithfully to obey God and in all Points to discharge our Covenant with him we are in effect not the Children of God however Baptized and so in Profession but in reality are the Children of the Devil and from him must expect our Reward So St. John assures us 1 Epist 3.8 9. He that committeth Sin is of the Devil that is he that committeth any act of known Sin is in that so far from being a Child of God that he is a Child of the Devil of whom and not of God he is an Imitator For whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin for his Seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God That is as the Learned Hammond does Paraphrase upon the same place whosoever is a true Child of God keeps himself strictly from every deliberate Act of Sin and the reason is Because that contrary Principle of Regeneration or Son-ship from which he is said to be born of God if that continue to have any Life or Energy in it is utterly contrary and incompatible with Sin And then does follow that Characteristical distinguishing Mark he does give of a Child of God and a Child of the Devil shewing the grand difference between one and the other In this the Children of God are manifested and the Children of the Devil whosoever doth not Righteousness is not of God ver 10. In a word to conclude this Argument also As it is almost natural and therefore ever expected that Children should imitate the Life and Manners of their Parents and if they prove dissolute and of loose Behaviour it does usually redound to the Parents disgrace as generally supposed to proceed from slackness of Government so should we who are Children of God be Covenant-Breakers prove lawless and dissolute Livers it will extreamly tend to the Dishonour of our Heavenly Father whose Name is then hallowed amongst Men when we his profest Sons and Servants do dutifully and sincerely fulfil our Engagements to Him but on the contrary is then blasphemed when we live ungodly Lives So that this grand Favour and Privilege of being the Sons of God is another most powerful Argument to render us
and strictest sence of the Word that it can be apply'd to a meer Man is a Child of God But then all who are the Children of God either in the sence of Scripture or of your Catechism are not actually thus Regenerate As to the sence of Scripture it is plain as will presently appear that every One who bears the Relation of a Child to God is not Dutiful to his Father But every Child of God is not actually Regenerate either in the sence of Scripture which is in Heaven no more than all Children are to their Natural Parents It is a monstrous Thing indeed that any Child should be Undutiful to so good and gracious a Father but it is too true that too many are so Hear O Heaven and give ear O Earth for I the Lord have spoken I have Nourished and brought up Children and they have rebelled against me Isa 1.2 And as to the meaning of a Child of God here in your Catechism it is also plain Or of your Catechism that it is not only such as are renew'd in the Spirit of their minds and do imitate God that are there to be understood for every One who is Catechized is requir'd to answer that In his Baptism he was made a Child of God whereas many Catechumens are not actually as yet Renew'd and really Converted and by their own Fault many will never be so that a Child of God by spiritual Regeneration and a God-like Imitation expresses rather the Duty of every One what he ought to be than the Notion and Nature of a Priviledge which many may enjoy who in the mean time are not over Dutiful So that a Child of God by spiritual Regeneration or a God-like Imitation is a meaning of the Word as much too narrow to be the sence of it here in your Catechism as a Child by Creation was too wide To proceed then But Fourthly a Child of God as meant in the Catechism is every one who is so by vertue of a Covenant Relation Fourthly There are the Children of God by Vertue of a Covenant Relation and also by Adoption who are neither all the Sons of God by Creation nor yet on the other side such onely as are Renew'd in the Spirit of their Minds and do imitate God But they are all those who have been Baptized into the Covenant of Grace and have been Incorporated into Christ's Church and who do profess the true Religion and themselves the Servants of the True God Thus before the Law Gen. 6.2 the whole House and Posterity of Seth are call'd the Sons of God as on the contrary the Posterity of Cain are call'd the Daughters of Men. This was the Notion of a Child of God before the Law They are there call'd the Sons of God because that in the Family of Seth the Worship of the True God was continued and establish'd from which the Posterity of Cain had Revolted And so likewise under the Law the whole Body of the Children of Israel are call'd the Children of God Deut. 14.1 and that for this reason Vnder the Law as it follows ver 2. because they were a Holy people unto the Lord and the Lord had chosen them to be a peculiar people unto himself above all the Nations that were upon the Earth They were a Holy people unto the Lord not all of 'em by an inward and real Change in their Natures but by a Foederal Holiness and by reason of their separation from the rest of the Idolatrous and wicked World by a Holy Covenant Alas as to their inward Holiness this very Body of Men who were call'd the Children of God are said Deut. 32.5 to have Corrupted themselves and to have not the spot of Children but to be a very froward Generation Children in whom is no Faith ver 20. But their outward Relation to God continued notwithstanding and that whole Body of People being in Covenant with God were styl'd thereupon his Children And under the Gospel likewise Vnder the Gospel all that are Members of the Church and in Covenant with God are styl'd his Children Thus 2 Cor. 6.16 17 18. you will find that with Relation to all those concerning whom God declar'd He would be their God and that they should be his People which are the express Terms of the Covenant betwixt God and all Christians as you will see Heb. 8.10 and with Relation to all those whom he commanded to Come out from among the Gentiles and to be separate and not to touch the unclean thing that is not to Partake in their Idolatry which is the very Description of the Members of Christ's Church I say with Relation to all these he declar'd he would be a Father unto them and that they should be his Sons and Daughters And such are call'd Sons by Adoption concerning whom it is said Also a Child of God as meant in the Catechism is every One who is so by vertue of Adoption Gal. 4.4 5. When the fulness of time was come that God sent forth his Son made of a Woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sons Now this word Adoption is much used in the Epistles of St. Paul to declare that filial Relation towards God which the Members of Christ's Church are taken into and because the right understanding of the Nature and meaning of such Adoption will very much contribute to a right and through Explication of what is meant by a Child of God I will First Shew you the Nature and Meaning of Adoption both amongst the Jews and Gentiles amongst both which different People it was in use Secondly I will then shew you how we Christians especially such of us who are descended from the Gentiles are accordingly Adopted to be the Children of God And as to the First Adoption What Adoption a Thing so well known both amongst Jews and Gentiles was the taking in of a Stranger upon the want or loss of natural Issue into the Relation of a Child and into the Rights and Priviledges of a Son by Nature The use of it amongst the Israelites the Priviledges it gave them As to the use of it amongst the Israelites we find Gen. 30. that Rachel upon the want of Issue by her Husband Jacob did Adopt and take as her own Sons those of her Maid Bilhah ver 5.8 And so likewise did Leah when she saw that she had left Bearing she Adopted and took also as her own Children the Sons of Zilpah And several other the like Instances may be found in Scripture as in Jacob's Adopting Ephraim and Manasseh the Sons of Joseph to be his Sons Gen. 48.5 In all which cases it appears that upon their Adoption or being took into that Relation of Sons to Jacob Rachel and Leah they were instated into equal Priviledges with the true and genuine Issue of those Persons and were accounted amongst the Twelve
Innocence was Enjoyn'd to Dress and keep the Garden or e're he could Freely eat of every Tree thereof Gen. 2.15 16. And since his Fall it is as well the Duty as it is the Curse of all his Posterity that In the sweat of our Brows we must eat of our Bread Gen. 3.19 So that every Child of Adam must now with great Industry and Application Employ himself in order to obtain the Necessaries or Conveniencies of this Life It was indeed from the very Beginning and even in Paradise it self our Duty to be Employ'd but it is now both our Duty and Punishment that we must Employ our selves even to the taking of Pains every Man in his proper Calling And that Calling which every Man is to Employ his Time in must be such as Providence has fitted him with Abilities for It must be such as Providence has fitted him with Abilities for As God hath distributed to every Man as the Lord hath Called every one so let him walk 1 Cor. 7.17 God hath distributed to every Man some proper Gift or other and therefore every Man must Glorify God in some peculiar Calling or other And to whatsoever particular Calling any Man's peculiar Abilities do fit him to that he is to look upon himself And such he is preparatively Called and appointed to by God with due Abilities as preparatively Call'd or Appointed by God and lawful Authority in Church or State is to determine his Call God does not ordinarily himself Point out any Person by an express Designation as he Called Bazaleel and Aholiab by Name to do the Work of the Tabernacle Exod. 31.2 But he distributes his Talents variously to all Persons on some he bestows the Gifts of Honours and Fortunes as to Magistrates and Gentlemen to some the Gifts of Good Parts and Learning as to Scholars of whatsoever Profession and to some Skill in Trade and in Arts as to Dealers and Artificers and to the Inferior and Poorer sort of Men he gives Health and Limbs and whatever fits 'em for Toil and Labour And to some he gives the whole Ten Talents to Trade withal to their Master's Use that is Authority Riches Learning Skill in Business and Strength of Body and Mind and accordingly of all he will require an Account how they have Employ'd their Talents For unto whom much is given of him shall much be required Luk. 12.48 And the unprofitable Servant shall be cast into outer Darkness Matth. 25.30 To whatsoever Calling he is appointed he must employ himself therein to God's Glory and his own and the publick Good Lastly whatever Calling any Person is appointed to by the Divine Providence he must Employ himself therein to the Glory of God and to his own and the Publick Good In the first place to the Glory of God for that is to be the main End of whatever we do 1 Cor. 10.31 and also to his own and his Families Good For he that provides not for his own especially for those of his own House he hath denied the Faith and is worse than an Infidel 1 Tim. 5.8 And also as every Man is a Member of the Body Politick he is bound to employ his Time and Parts and Pains for its Welfare for God requires that As every Man has received the Gift that accordingly they should minister the same one to another as good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God 1 Pet. 4.10 And no Member of Church or State of what Rank or Quality soever he be but must Employ or Interest himself for the Publick Good For God hath so tempered the Body or Humane Societies together that the Members should have the same care one of another and whether one Member suffers he would have all the Members suffer with it as in the Natural Body or one Member be Honoured he would have all the Members rejoice with it 1 Cor. 12.24 25 26. So that it is necessary you see that every Person should betake himself to some Calling or Business And now the Question will be What is to be Renounced with respect to the Callings of this World And First It behoves all Persons utterly to Renounce such Callings and Professions of Men in the World as are directly sinful and wicked I. All Persons must renounce such Callings and Professions as are directly sinful and wicked Such are Bawds Pimps Juglers Conjurers and the like Impious ways of living whereby some Wretches do so notoriously Minister to the Devil's Kingdom and so directly promote the Ruine of Souls that to Name 'em is to Condemn 'em and there need be no more said to render 'em odious to all those who have any the least degrees of vertuous Principles remaining in their Souls I shall only tell you that the Guilt contracted by these is so exceeding Great and a sufficient Repentance for Crimes so very Black so near to impossible that you must so far Renounce 'em as to Detest the very Thoughts of Embarking your selves ever in these or any other Callings whereby Sin is immediately and necessarily serv'd and the Damnation of those Souls for whom Christ Died so directly procur'd Secondly It concerns all Persons to Renounce all such Callings as tend to the Hurt not the Good of the Publick II. Such as tend to the Hurt not the Good of the Publick The Publick Good is the great End of all the divers Callings of Men as you will see 1 Cor. 12. And consequently nothing ought to be took up as a Calling which Impoverishes or Corrupts the Manners of a People And upon this Account therefore I shall not doubt to Arraign and I wish the Magistrate would Universally Condemn the Calling of such who keep Tipling-houses meerly to harbour Vagabonds and loose People and to draw Men into Riot and Excess to the great Impoverishing of many Families and the Creating of scandalous Breaches betwixt Husbands and their Wives An Inn-Keeper whose House is well situated for the Entertainment of the Traveller upon his lawful Occasions is of great use in the Commonwealth And tho' there be more of Temptation in his Calling than most others yet if he takes care to prevent as much as possible all Swearing and Drunkenness within his Doors all Lewdness and Wantonness amongst his Servants and will do all he can to discourage Rioting to unseasonable Hours he will thereby do good Service to God as well as his Country by such his Calling and so Conscientiously manag'd But your mere Ale-house-keeping where the whole Trade is to inveigle Persons into Ill-husbandry to the Expence of their Time and Money and with all the Shifts and Contrivances to detain 'em when they are got in is so great a Pest to this Nation occasions so much Immorality and Licentiousness so much Swearing and Profaness Lewdness and Wantonness such miserable Poverty amongst the lower Rank of House-keepers such Brawls and Contentions betwixt Husbands and Wives and yields so much Harbour and gives so much Encouragement to Thieves
Ancient Writers of the Church we find the Title of Sponsores or Sureties Tertul. de Bap. August Tom. 2. 35. d. 2. given 'em which imports them to be Persons that have given Security to God and the Church about some Matter relating to the Infants they have presented to Baptism As also they are called Fide Jussores which is a Word of the like Importance and signifies a Surety or Bondsman In the latter Ages particularly amongst the Reformed Churches where they are generally in Use and even Junius and Tremellius Calvinist Writers do derive them from Is 8.6 they came to be called Compatres and Commatres which give me leave to translate Joint-fathers and Joint-mothers with respect to their Spiritual Birth and State which seems farther to import that the Security they give to the Church with reference to those Children they present to Baptism is concerning something that belongs to Natural Parents to take care of the Words signifying 'em to be join'd with 'em in the Parental Care And lastly amongst us they are properly enough stiled Godfathers and Godmothers because this Collateral Security given by 'em in behalf of the Infants is given to God and his Church and is a Security given by these Persons styled Godfathers and Godmothers that they will be instrumental to their New Birth as their Parents were to their Natural And let this suffice as to the Importance of the Words all which put together do signifie thus much that Godfathers and Godmothers are a Collateral Security join'd together with the Natural Parents in the behalf of their Children entred into Covenant with God and that this their Security is given to God and his Church that they will be Instruments in begetting them to God II. And now let us enquire into the Nature of their Office II. The Nature of their Office imply'd in these Words They did promise and vow three things in my Name And truly the Nature of their Office seems to me to be no more nor less than this 1. An express Engagement given to Christ and his Church in behalf of those Infants they present to Baptism that so soon as they become capable to be taught they shall be instructed in the Nature of that Covenant which they their Sureties have undertook for them and 2. That they shall be admonish'd and advis'd by them to lead their Lives according to the Obligations laid upon them by that their Covenant And lastly That those Infants shall moreover after sufficient Instruction in their Covenant solemnly take upon themselves the Profession of it before the Chief Minister of Christ's Church the Bishop I say that the Office of Godfathers and Godmothers does seem to me to import no more nor less than a Security given to God and his Church that the baptized Person shall do thus shall be instructed in his Covenant shall be minded to live according to it and shall solemnly declare it that it is his sincere Intentions so to do And First It is not only as a Proxy to speak for the Child in Baptism First that he shall be instructed in his Covenant True it is these Words They did promise and vow three things in my Name do seem to import something more as if the Sureties in Baptism did not only engage for the Instruction of the Party in the Nature of his Covenant but for his actual performance of it too which as it lays a very great and weighty Charge upon Sureties too much it is thought for any one to undertake for another so I am not willing to interpret them in a sense as will be apt to deterr conscientious People from doing so charitable an Office and make others have no Care about it as a Bond they despair of ever discharging I am not therefore inclin'd to expound them in so discouraging a sense if the Expressions will fairly bear milder as I humbly conceive these will For to do a thing in ones name especially in the transacting of Covenants where Privileges and Advantages accrue thereby is to act as a Proxy in the others stead In the acting as such in any Covenant by reason of the Absence or Minority or other Incapacity of the Person mainly concerned it is very usual for the Proxy so to personate the Covenanting Party himself as if he were the Person whom he represents And thus these Words They did promise and vow three things in my Namr shall be understood to mean no more than this that I being uncapable my self by reason of my Infancy to express my Consent to my Part of the Covenant my Godfathers and Godmothers were my Mouth who did it for me Now this I do indeed take to be part of the Sense but not the whole Importance for then there would be no Engagement to any thing on the Godfathers and Godmothers part whereas they are something more than meer Proxies and are really and truly Sureties for something to be done tho' not perhaps that the Person baptized shall actually perform his Covenant yet at least that he shall be instructed in the Nature of it so as to know what he ought to perform But it imports withal a Security given to God and his Church that the Child shall be instructed in his Baptismal Covenant And this taking care of the Child's Instruction is the first part of the Duty of Godfathers and Godmothers For the best way I conceive to understand the meaning of any Author in Words more generally exprest is to consult those Expositions and Explications he makes of his own Sense elsewhere if any such can be met withal And now we have a most excellent Key for the opening of this Engagement of the Godfathers and Godmothers in the behalf of the Child baptized in the Exhortation given them after Baptism and in the Charge to bring the Baptized Person to Confirmation The Words of the Exhortation run thus Forasmuch as this Child hath promised by you that are his Sureties to renounce the Devil and all his Works to believe in God and to serve him Ye must remember that it is your Parts and Duty to see that this Infant be taught so soon as he shall be able to learn what a solemn Vow Promise and Profession he hath here made by you And that he may know these things the better ye shall call upon him to hear Sermons and chiefly ye shall provide that he may learn the Creed the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments in the Vulgar Tongue and all other things which a Christian ought to know and believe to his Soul's Health And that this Child may be vertuosly brought up to lead a Godly and a Christian Life remembring always that Baptism doth represent unto us our Profession which is to follow the Example of our Saviour Christ and to be made like unto him that as he dyed and rose again for us so should we who are Baptized dye to Sin and rise again unto Righteousness continually mortifying all
that the Person admitted into the Society of Christians should at leastwise be Instructed and Admonish'd and be Engag'd solemnly to profess what belongs to him to do as a Member of that Body So far it is requisite Security should be given before he is admitted a Member of Christ's Church if it be not farther necessary it should be given for his living according to the Obligations of the Covenant Indeed so far is it from being unreasonable to require Security that he should be Instructed and Admonish'd what are his Obligations that if we closely consider the Matter it may not seem so unreasonable as some do imagine to exact Security of the Person Baptized even that he shall live up to the Obligations laid upon him in his Covenant We see it daily practic'd This is what Societies whose Honour and Interest is of infinite less consequence do daily require and it is allow'd a reasonable and prudent Caution in all Societies of Men to exact Security from those who are not responsible themselves that they shall Answer the Ends and Interests of that Society whereinto they desire to be admitted before they will take 'em in amongst ' em This is the common practice you know in all Corporations and Companies And even in our Parish concerns no Man shall be admitted into either from whom they apprehend any Danger without giving Security against all Disadvantages that may accrue by his Admission And may not the Church of Christ upon as good Grounds require good Security from Children who cannot Answer nor Engage for themselves and who considering the inbred Corruption of Nature are in danger enough without a great deal of Care of proving very pernicious Members Shall not She I say as well as other Societies whose Interests are infinitely less exact of all that are admitted into her Body that they will never depart from or contemn her Laws nor Act contrary to the Honour and Interest of her and her Lord and Saviour Is not the Church of Christ a Society yea the chief of all Societies Are not her and her great Masters Honour and Interest the most considerable of all others in the World And does it not then infinitely concern her that none of her Members turn Rebels to the Laws of God that they do not become Profane and Wicked Livers the greatest Injury that can be done to God and her self I sure I think it does for there is nothing tends more to the dishonour of her Saviour and of Religion and of her self than that any of her Members should become Profane and Wicked The III Lives of her Children make her a Sport to the vile Atheist a Scorn and Reproach to Turks and Infidels It extreamly hinders the Gospels prevailing upon Infidels abroad and is hugely Offensive to all her Pious Sons at home Blame her not therefore for taking such Prudent Care as to admit none into her Society without having first Security given of their good Behaviour That of Parents not sufficient without Collateral Security And indeed so far is she from deserving Blame therein that we are to reckon her moderate in her Demands when she requires no more than Security that the New Member shall be well Principl'd and Educated and duly Admonish'd Things that may be easily in our Power to take care of Nor is it sufficient Security to the Church that the Parents are bound to take this Care of their Children The Natural Parents it is confess'd are oblig'd both by the Light of Nature and the express Laws of God to bring up their Children in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord But this is not enough in so grand a Concern Parents possibly may not live to Educate their Children and how many of those that do live are wofully careless in the Principling of them with a due Knowledge and Sense of the Goodness of God to them and those great Duties they owe to him What through Earthly-mindedness in some who care for nothing but to Train 'em up in all the Arts and Cunning how to Live and grow Rich in the World and what through the Fondness of others whose fatal Indulgence will not suffer 'em to put their Children much upon any thing ungrateful to 'em as Religion indeed is to Flesh and Blood these things consider'd it is more than requisite that besides the Obligations of the Natural Parent there should be moreover some Collateral Security given by such Persons as are likely to use all convenient Industry upon the Parents neglect which is too usual to provide 'em good Education as far as Reading at least to instil good Principles into 'em by Catechising and to give 'em good Admonitions by way of Reproof or Exhortations as there shall be occasion The requiring of this as reasonable now as in the Primitive Times Nor is the giving such Security for their Religious Education less necessary now than it was in the Primitive Times It is well known that then all Infants had their Sponsors or Sureties that engag'd at the Font for their Christian Education and Faithfulness in their Covenant And that for this amongst other Reasons lest in those Persecuting Times the Parents being took off by their Persecutors their Infants and Children shou'd remain expos'd to the danger of being Train'd up in Paganish Idolatry for want of some Persons particularly Engag'd to take care of ' em The Church true it is is not now so often shak'd with violent Persecutions as in those Days Tho' sometimes it has its cruel Enemies in the very Bowels of it full as furious as ever were the Heathens in their bloody Slaughters and as zealous to ravish from the Orthodox their Children to train 'em up in their wicked Idolatry But however This Charge no unreasonable Imposition at any time being little more than what is requir'd from one Christian to another in common Charity at all times besides this it ought to be consider'd that our Covenant with God is not broke only by Apostatizing back from the Service of the true God to the Worship of the Devil or Evil Spirits but by living in Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts and therefore that equal Care ought to be taken as then that the Child shou'd Renounce the Devil and all his Works and believe in God so now that he shall Obey God's Holy Will and Commandments and walk in the same all the Days of his Life And God and his Church is as much Dishonour'd aâ—d the Soul as much endanger'd by the lewd and vitious Lives of Christians now as by the Apostacy of Christians to Paganism or Idolatry it was then and therefore there is as much reason that the Church should now take all possible Security against the one as then it did against the other sort of scandalous and dangerous Violations of its Covenant especially if it be farther considere'd that Prosperity and Peace being infinitely more apt to corrupt the Lives and Manners of Men than Sufferings are