not have been prevented and for these to be so far exasperated as to begin to hate or more remisly to love them is for a Father to fire the Beacon of his Soul for the Landing of a Cock-boat 'T is that that exposes the Father to his Childs contempt and Gods judgement Mat. 5.22 2. When a Parents anger is too frequent too hot or too long Anger must be us'd as a Medicine only now and then and that only on a just occasion otherwise it loseth its Efficacy or hurts the Patient Again Anger when too hot vehement excessive provokes 'T is True It must be serious there must be some Life and warmth in it the Potion must be warm'd Ira sic dicta quasi hominem faciat ex se ire non esse apud se that it may operate the more vigorously towards the Reformation of offending Children but then when it swells into an excess and transport of passion it provokes Such an excess of Anger like a Ball of Wild-fire is very apt to inflame the Childs breast and to provoke him into a sinful return of wrath and strife Prov. 15.18 Lastly Anger when too long when it lies soaking in the breast is apt to putrifie If the Sun arises and sets on a man in his wrath the Text tells us who is like to be his Bedfellow Eph. 4.26 27. Anger rests in the Bosom of a fool Eccl. 7.9 And well may it provoke a Child thô criminal to see his Fathers Bosom where once he lay to be now become Anger 's Couch and Satans Pillow Thus you see that Irregular Passions in severe Parents are no little Provocations and spurs to Sin and wrath in their disobedient Children They are like those smart Cantharides or Spanish-flies the most speedy and effectual means to raise blisters 2. By an austere look grim sour louring frowning countenance when a man seems to carry revenge daggers death in his Face when a man usually looks on his Child Gen. 4.5 6. as Cain did on his Brother as one highly displeas'd that bears Ill-will and ones him a grudge and will be sure to pay it in due time When the Child observes his Ancestors Crest pourtray'd on his Fathers forehead and instead of smiles can see nothing there but cruel Lions Bears Tigers This must needs highly provoke and 't is not to be wondred at if the Child in a fright and dreadful indignation cries out roaring I do well to be angry even to the Death Better to be kill'd outright than buried alive No grave so dark so dismal as those deep furrows in my frowning constantly frowning Fathers forehead 3. By bitter hasty biting testy disdainful reproachful railing taunting menacing threatning words Words steep'd in the Venom of Asps Oh these pierce deep like the Tails of Scorpions and do highly provoke More particularly 1. Hard Words Soft Words and hard Arguments work powerfully A soft Tongue breaks the bones Prov. 25.15 or one that is stiff and hard Abigail found it true in her address to David when he was in his rough 1 Sam. 25.4 But an hard Tongue hardens the Heart A soft Answer puts away wrath but grievous words stir up anger Prov. 15.1 Ob. But what do you speak of Words which are but Wind Jam. 3.5 Sol. True but this Wind many times kindles a dreadful fire and encreases it when once kindled As Coles to burning Coles and Wood to Fire so is a contentious man to kindle strife 2. Contumacious reproachful disgraceful words These are far remote from fatherly Love and respect Aristotle in his Rhet. tells us that the grand scope drift design of contumely is that a man may rejoyce and triumph in the disgrace of Him whom he reproacheth How barbarous is it then to rejoyce in the disgrace and infamy of a Child of a mans own Bowels This cannot but provoke That 's a thunder-clap in the ears of Testy reproachful Parents Whosoever shall say Thou Fool shall be in danger of Hell fire Mat. 5.22 Reproachful words are no less than sharp darts and keen Swords nay they carry with them no less than stings and poison so that even the wisest and best of men can hardly bear the dine of them Thus Saul to the heighth provokes his Son when he foams at the Mouth and breaks out into that nasty drivel 1 Sam. 20.30 Thou Son of the perverse rebellious Woman and why not in our English dialect Thou Son of a Whore and so lasheth his Son on his Wives back what could have been spoken more sharply to provoke 3. Menacing threatning Words and that it may be for little tripps or slips of youth nay thô there be no resolution to execute what they threaten Suppose it only Brutum Fulmen A Flash without a bolt or Bullet The very Wind and noise is enough to sink the trembling Child into a Swoon If Masters must not threaten Servants much less may Parents threaten Children Eph. 6.9 4. By rigid Actions When Parents utterly unmindful of their parental Relation bowels duty prove tyrants and use or rather abuse their Children as Servants or indeed as Slaves and vassals These should know that the great God never commission'd them to be more than tender Governours not domineering Tyrants or Egyptian Task-masters This Tyranny is exercis'd divers wayes 1. When Parents either deny to or take from their Children those things which either belong to their necessities or their just comforts in that rank and Relation in which their heavenly Father by birth hath plac'd them When they deny them that Education that Provision that Encouragement which is Just and Equal that Food Raiment Portion that becomes the Children of such a Father This is to act beneath an Infidel 1 Tim. 5.8 Nay more even beneath the Bruit beasts who by a natural instinct diligently nourish and cherish their young ones and cannot but provoke Even an Horse when too strait rein'd Favours unequally distributed highly provoke will rise up and fling When the cocker'd Idol thô a younger Brother or Sister and it may be less deserving shall be call'd to the Table Closet bosom and there treated at the heighth of Sweetness whenas the poor neglected discountenanced despised Elder must stand without and either blow his fingers or †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 employ his Hands in some base sordid servile commanded drudgery which would better become a Slave than a Son This this goes near the Heart of an ingenious and observant Child * Even a worm thus trod on would turn again This must needs create in him an enraged jealousie and envy against his Equals or Inferiours and without a vast stock of Love Humility Patience a boiling rancorous disdain and wrath against his Superiours 2. When Parents load their Children with unjust Commands This is to Ape that wretched Saul who commanded Jonathan to surprize his Innocent dearest Friend and Brother David the upright valiant David that had so well deserv'd of the whole Kingdom one
commands must give place to a moral duty because they will not justifie our neglect of that Hence on the Sabbath-day we may and ought to lift our Neighbours Ox out of the pit Luke 14.5 and to perform any other act of necessary charity notwithstanding that positive command to worship God upon that day 6. That which God now requires of you and in doing of which you may most glorifie God and edifie your Neighbour that is undoubtedly your present duty Quest How shall we know this Ans 1. Always look within your Calling for your present duty for there it lies Don't go beyond your line Do your own business 1 Thes 4.11 We have different gifts and different talents according to the Grace that is given unto us Let every one attend to that which God hath fitted him for and called him to Rom. 12.6 7 8. 1 Pet. 4.10 11. The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way Prov. 14.8 God hath appointed to every one his way of living in this World from the Smith that blows the coals Isa 54.16 to the King that sins upon the Throne That cannot be our duty which we are not called to We are not absolute Lords to do what we list No we are under command and must obey I am one in authority says the Centurion I say unto my servant do this and he doth it Luke 7.8 God hath the Supreme Authority over us We ought not to move one step but by his direction Our Calling is twofold 1. General As we are Christians so all Saints are of the same Calling Rom. 1.7 called to be saints We are all equally obliged to the duties of our Christian Calling i. e. to serve and worship God to believe in him to love and fear him c. 2. Particular So we differ in our Callings Some are called to the Magistracy some to the Ministry some are Masters some Servants some called to this some to that Trade or Occupation We are called to Christianity by the preaching of the Gospel of Christ We are called to some outward worldly Calling by God's special appointment in his Law Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work Exod. 20.9 Every man hath his work a full business which he must not neglect He must do all his work They walk disorderly who work not at all 2 Thes 3.11 living in pleasures and wantonness Jam. 5.5 having nothing to do Let all idle voluptuous Gallants consider this who spend their days in mirth and jollity scorn the thought of business they must needs be far from their present duty who are imploy'd in nothing or that which is worse than nothing We are called to this or that Imployment by Providence That we should be of some Calling is from the Word that we are of this or that Calling is from Providence Providence follows the Word and is a fulfilling of that some way or other Much of the duties of our Christian Calling do follow us into our particular Callings as duties of worship must be performed in our Families every day let our particular Calling be what it will So the same Graces must be exercised in our particular Callings which were required in our general Callings The same Graces do follow us into our particular Callings and into all the works of our hands They who do not keep up duties of worship in their Families will be as remiss in all duties of practical holiness in their lives They who are not frequent in prayer are never eminent in holiness And as no acts of worship publick or private do please God that are not performed in Faith and in the fear of God So no common acts of our lives are pleasing to God if not done in Faith and seasoned with that inward exercise of Grace that belongs to all the common actions of a Christian In shewing you your present duty in your particular callings I shall not insist so much upon duties of worship you know 'em That Prayer reading the Scriptures Meditation and discourse of what you hear out of the Word are all duties and you know when they should be performed Morning and Evening and as oft as your necessary occasions will permit Whether you do them I must leave that to God and your own Consciences But the present duty I would fix you in is that of Practical Holiness which is your constant duty every moment of the day I would clear up this to you and shew you what it is and where it lies that if it be the will of God you may be always found in it I say then That your present duty lies in a present exercise of Grace suitable to the present work and business in all its circumstances which you are at any time imploy'd in If you buy or sell it must be in the fear of God if you marry it must be in the Lord. Whether you eat or drink or whatsoever you do you must do it to Gods glory which cannot be if you do not act Grace in every thing you do The true Gospel-holiness of an action lies in that Grace that goes along with it 'T is Grace only that turns an action Heaven ward and God-ward you have no other way to sence your selves from the temptations snares and sins that border upon all the works of your calling but by keeping your selves in a due exercise of Grace being in the fear of God all the day long that is the way to eschew evil and to do good 't is the beginning of wisdom He acts like a Fool who acts without it The fear of God in Scripture is put for all the Graces of the Spirit and in that sense I now press it upon you You see your present duty lies in your present work in the daily business of your particular callings I suppose your callings are lawful that there are no Stage-players Conjurers Diviners Astrologers here Those who are of such callings their duty is to leave them and to betake themselves to some honest Imployment consistent with Grace and then Grace will help you out in it wonderfully I could name some other callings that I would hardly advise a Christian to But whatever lawful Calling you are of whatever Office you bear whatever Relation you stand in as Husbands Wives Parents Children Masters Servants whatever your Trade Occupation or Imployment is there are particular Duties proper to your Callings which cannot be performed but by a suitable exercise of Grace by which you shew the respect you have to God in doing what you do regulating and moderating your selves and all your actions by that rule of the Word You may do the works of your calling and yet not do the duties of your calling if you seek only your selves your own profit pleasure c. this is not to serve God but your selves You must do what you do in Faith as to the Lord and then every thing you do will be an act of worship because it carries in it
't is next to impossible to be too shye of Sin unless when Satan frights us into the omission of some duties for fear of the Sins that inevitably cleave to them In short I would have you understand this Instance to referr to Sins past not future to Sins already committed that there 's no other possible way of undoing what 's done but by Repentance not of Sins not yet committed as if I gave so much as the least encouragement to so much as the least Sin Thus understanding the instance I dare say it over again Serious Godliness will force something of good out of the Evil of Sin These are the Persons that cannot forget the Wormwood and the Gall of their Mortification x Lam. 3.19 20. their Soul hath them still in remembrance and is humbled in them These are the Persons that put a due estimate upon pardoning Mercy and love Christ the more for the more Sins he hath forgiven them As Christ said of Mary Magdalen y Luke 7.47 Her Sins which are many are forgiven for she loved much but to whom little is forgiven the same love little The Blessed Apostle that brands himself for the chief of Sinners z 1 Tim. 1.15 before Conversion dare own it that a 1 Cor. 15.20 he laboured more abundantly than all the Apostles after his Conversion and 't is peculiar to him to coyn words b Rom. 5.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 1 Tim. 1.14 to magnifie the Grace of God in Christ Christians I beseech you let not any one take encouragement hence to Sin but let the worst of Sinners take encouragement hence to repent What thô thou hast been one of the vilest wretches upon earth thou mayest through Grace be one of the highest Saints in Heaven and the sense of what thou hast been may promote it The rising ground of a Dunghill may help to raise thy flight towards Heaven Once more Thô to your own Apprehension you have no Faith at all to believe any one word of all this nor any skill at all to know what to do yet Serious Godliness will make all this good to thee Here you see I take it for granted that one may be seriously godly who in his own present Apprehensions hath no Faith at all nor skill at all for any thing that is Spiritually good many may be in this like Moses their Faces may shine their Grace may shine to others and they themselves not c Exo. 34.29 know it Many that are dear to God live many years in the growing Exercise of Grace and yet dare not own it that they have any at all God bestows the Faith of Assurance upon those of his Children that are not able to bear up without it mistake me not as if it were not every ones duty to seek it and a great Priviledge to have assurance when others of his Children which have a stronger Faith live and 〈◊〉 without it To give you an Instance beyond all instances Our 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ who 't is certain could not want assurance yet died in as great desertion as 't was possible to befall him d Mark 15.25 with Mat. 27.46 When he had hung six hours upon the Cross He cried with a loud Voice My God my God why hast thou forsaken me q. d. This is beyond all my other Torment And when he had cryed again with a loud Voice with a vehement affection and a strong Faith e Verse 50. he lay'd down his Soul But what was that he spake with such vehemency the second time f Luke 23.46 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Father into thy hands I will commend my Spirit I will depose my Soul with thee I will thrust it into thy hands Now that Jesus Christ was under this unexpressible Desertion during the three hours preternatural Darkness 't is more than for the best of Christians to be so during their whole life which doth more than prove what I asserted That a Person of great Grace may be so much in the dark as not to see he hath any But what must he do in this case Can Serious Godliness afford any Relief Christians pray mark it these Persons they are and through Grace cannot but be seriously Godly and their serious Godliness finds 'em work enough and support enough to keep 'em from sinking They daily do what they complain they can't do g Isa 50.10 They do fear the Lord they fear nothing more than sinning against him they do obey the voice of his servants there 's none receive Instructions more Obediently thô they walk in Darkness they 'l never follow a false Fire if they have no light from God they 'l have none from any else They do trust in the name of the Lord they lye at Gods foot let him do what he will with them they do stay upon their God they come up from h Cant. 8.5 the Wilderness of the World leaning upon their beloved Religion is the whole business of their life and comparatively they do nothing else And thô they have not ravishing Comforts they have that Peace that exceeds i Phil. 4.7 all understanding that is meerly humane and that doth guard their hearts and minds through Christ Jesus against all the Stratagems and Fiery Darts of Satan Their State is good their Souls are safe and they can't but be happy in both Worlds And thus I have endeavoured to be so practical in the Doctrinal part that there needs but little to be added for the Application the Lord make that little to be like Chymical Spirits to be more effectual than a greater quantity Rouze up your selves to do your part that it may be so Vse 1 Set your hearts upon Serious Godliness This must be the first Use for you can make no Use at all of this Doctrine till you have made this Use of it Every thing without this is but an abuse of it you do not only wrong the truth but you wrong your selves what ever you say or do about it till you make it your business to experiment the truth of what hath been spoken in its Commendation and this I can assure you never any one repented of his down-right Godliness Therefore live in the practice of those plain Duties without which 't is in vain to pretend to Religion e. g. Daily read some Portion of the Old and New Testament not as your Child reads it for his Lesson but as 〈◊〉 Child reads it for his Profit Be more frequent in Prayer not as those that pass their Prayers by number but as those that pour out their Hearts to God in Holy fervour Let your thoughts be so fill'd with Heavenly Objects that you may in some respect make all things such you think of Discourse of the things of God not in a captious or Vain-glorious manner but as those that feel the Truths they speak of Receive the Sacrament not as a Civil Test but as sealing that Covenant
to God therefore inconsistent with the Love of God These six things the Lord hateth yea seven which his Soul hateth Prov. 6.16 Psal 97.10 Math. 6.24 Therefore ye that love the Lord hate evil These are two Masters which we cannot hate and love both 3. Sin separates from God therefore we cannot keep our selves in the love of Sin and in the love of God Sin makes us depart from God and God to depart from us Therefore Conversion reconciles God to us because it mortifies Sin in us by vertue of Christs Death for us VII He that will keep himself in the Love of God must clear up his Interest and Union to Jesus Christ 1. Because Jesus Christ was sent us as the greatest Instance and the greatest Token of Gods Love in the World 1 Joh. 4.9 2. Because the Lord Jesus purchased the Love of God to us when we were the greatest Enemies to each other Rom. 5.8 10. 3. Because Jesus Christ is the Souls Love Cant. 3.1 4. Because Jesus Christ is all Loves Cant. 5.16 5. Because this was the End of Christs coming into the World to save us from our sins the sole cause of Gods hatred to Sinners Math. 1.21 6. Because the Father loveth whom Christ loveth and he loveth them that love Christ Joh. 16.27 7. Because our Interest in Christ puts a Soul out of all danger Rom. 8.1 Rom. 5.1 Chap. 7.24 25. 8. Because the Lord Jesus makes the Fathers Love to him the measure of his love to us As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you continue in my love Joh. 15.9 i. e. By this ye keep in Gods Love 9. Because the Lord Jesus teacheth us the way how to keep in his Love Joh. 15.10 Consider all this and how cogently they prove this Head of clearing up our Interest and Union unto Christ to keep our selves in the Love of God VIII An eighth way of keeping our selves in the Love of God is by keeping Gods Commandements I do not mean as to a Covenant of Works but upon a Gospel account If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my Love as I have kept my Fathers Commandments and abide in his Love John 15.10 Vers 14. Ye are my Friends if ye do whatsoever I command you O! mind that Again mark this Joh. 14.21 He that hath my Commandments and doth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and we will make our abode with him This Love is the fulfilling of the whole Law and the Gospel too There be many that will complement a Love to God but will do nothing for him The greatness of Abraham's Love to God and of David's Love and of Peter's Love and of Mary's Love of Paul's Love and of the Martyrs Love was in doing and in dying for him And is not the greatness of Gods Love and of Chists Love to us Joh. 15.13 in Doing and Suffering We read of Labour of Love because true Love is Laborious as it was in Jacob's Love for Rachel There is nothing God hates more than pretending to love therefore the Lord hates Hypocrites Not every Mat. 7.21 one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into Heaven but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven As God saith This People Deut. 5.29 have well said in all that they have spoken O that there were such a Heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my Commandments alwayes So I say of Professors and great Pretenders that shew much kindness with their Mouth but their Heart is not right with God O that there were such a Heart in them that they would make Conscience to do the Will of God If the Lord loved the young man that was in a fair way of keeping the Commandments of God and was not perfect and thorow-pac'd how much more will he have a Love for them that have a respect to all the Commandments of God Psal 119.6 IX The way to keep our selves in the Love of God is to walk closely with God in wayes of strict Holiness This is a Commendation and Character upon Record of Gods chiefest Favourites Thus it was with Abraham Gen. 17.1 Thus it was with Enoch Gen. 5.22 Thus it was with Noah Gen. 6.9 Thus it was with Caleb Num. 14.24 And thus David Psal 73. ult Now we shall see how such a one is to God who desires to keep in the Love of God We have known 1 Joh. 4.16 and believed the Love that God hath to us God is Love and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him O sweet dwelling You shall shall find that the Holyest Persons were alwaies the highest Favourites of God Witness those before-mentioned and these following Instances Job 1.1 2 3. How did God bless him and praise him and trie him and reward him for his eminent Holiness Zachary and Elizabeth Luk. 1.6 7. How singularly did they shine in Holiness and in the Favour of God to whom God gave a Son in their old age the Harbinger of Christ Mary the Mother of Christ Luk. 1.28 how was she for her Holiness pronounced 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 highly favoured And Simeon Luk. 2.25 c. and Anna vers 36 37 38. Holiness and Purity brings us to the fight of God which is called Beatifical which is the Souls highest Happiness and ultimate end Math. 5.8 Psal 24.4 Heb. 12.14 and therefore is pronounced Blessed Psal 119.1 2. X. They keep themselves in the Love of God who do not wave or abate their Profession and Practice of Godliness in evil times and do not baulk the wayes of God under severe Providences and sharp Tryals this was eminent in all Christs Worthyes Thus David Psal 44.17 to vers 22. Mind that Place Though they were sore broken and smitten into the Place of Dragons and cover'd as with the shaddow of death yet we have not forgotten thee nor declined from thy way c. Job 13.15 cap. 3.17 18. Thus Job Though he slay me yet I will trust in him Thus Habakkuk Although the Fig-tree shall not blossom the Vine Olive and Field shall fail of their Fruit and not any Flocks or Herds left yet I will rejoyce in the Lord and joy in the God of my Salvation The Lord God is my strength And thus all the Champions of God Let Paul be one Instance more Rom. 8.35 36 37 38 39. Reason Prov. 3.11 12. 1. A Friend loveth at all times and a Brother is born for the day of Adversity Prov. 17.17 2. They know the Lords Chastenings are in Love Heb. 12.6 Rev. 3.19 Psal 119.67 71 72. 3. They know that all the Lords Severities are for good many wayes To drive them to Ordinances and Duties to sweeten them and to teach them to profit by them to know more of the Will of God by them and to give us a better Relish of the
and perfect Love because our Souls find rest in God only St. Bernard makes four degrees of our Love to God 1. When a man loves Himself for himself but herein he can have no rest nor content for it is not to be found in him 2. When he loves God for himself and not for God when he would have God make him happy 3. When he loves God for God himself as judging him most worthy of all love 4. When he loves himself and all things else for God only and is therein satisfied desiring nothing more This is indeed to love God when we love him for himself and our selves and all other things subordinately unto God in him and for him only Our Soul as Noahs Dove hath no rest till it return to this Ark. This Injoyment satisfies Psal 17. ult ye shall be abundantly satisfied Psal 36.8 9. because it is the water of life which being once drunk of quencheth thirst for ever I conclude all with this that considering the Circumstances into which we are cast it is our Duty Wisdom and Priviledge to keep our selves in the Love of God from the transcendent Advantages we have by it above the love and favour of men which is hard to get and yet not worth the pains when gotten yea when gotten it is as hard to keep and yet not worth the keeping yea it is easily lost and better lost than kept Therefore never labour to keep thy self in the Love of Men by which thou mayst lose the love of God but keep your selves in the Love of God and that will keep you safe here and for ever The Lord gives it as a Reason why he would not cast off his People though he threatned them as if he would do it Hos 11.8 9. Because saith he I am God and not Man It is not after the manner of men to be constant in their Love but is like Himself and never breaks off or keeps in his Love Ezek. 16.5 6 7 8. The Lord will be called Husband of his People and is he not the best and dearest in the World Doth he take any People or Soul to Wife for rare Beauty or rich Dowry Alas there is none Did he not find us in our gore-blood and yet loved us when such vers 8. Now whom he loves he cleaves to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 2.24 Ephes 5.31 Thus he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit 1 Cor. 6.16 The word is glued to shew the close Union of divine Love Pray then to God for the Holy Ghost which he hath promised to give to them that ask that he may shed abroad the love of God in your hearts 2 Thess 3.5 Rom. 5.5 for hereby you will keep your selves in the love of God Quest What may gracious Parents best do for the Conversion of those Children whose wickedness is occasion'd by their sinful Severity or Indulgence SERMON VII MAL. IV. 6. He shall turn the hearts of the Fathers to the Children and the hearts of the Children to their Fathers THis intricate Text propos'd to me on which I preacht speaking but indirectly and by consequence only as I then said to the Question propos'd upon mature deliberation I have thought good to adjoin Another which I conceive looks with a more direct aspect on both the parts of our Bipartite Question Viz. EPH. VI. 4. Ye Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath but bring them up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord. AS Malapertness frowardness sauciness self-will stubbornness sullenness disobedience yea contempt and scorning of Parents specially the more indulgent and weak are Vices too common with Children and Youth So on the other side Parents unless modell'd and confirm'd by the Word and Spirit of God are very prone to fall into one of these two extreams either immoderate severity and rigid abuse of the Parental Authority or fond indulgence and sinful neglect of just and discreet discipline Against Both these extreams our Apostle doth here Arm and fortifie gracious Parents by instructing them how equally to hold the Ballance and Discreetly to manage the reins and rudder of their Parental Power and Discipline so as they may not provoke their Children to a just disgust and wrath on the one side nor expose themselves to a base contempt and scorn on the other And this he doth 1. By forbidding a Vice Ye Fathers provoke not your Children to Wrath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad iram ad irae exuberantiam ne provocate ne irritate q. d. Fathers I know your Children are apt to be Vain rash foolish disobedient stubborn able to roil the most sedate Spirit to try the patience of a Job and 't is fit yea necessary that you admonish reprove rebuke chastize them but yet take heed that while though they provoke you to a just displeasure you by an unjust abuse of your just authority in a too strict rigid immoderate severity against them give your offending Children any just occasion of or urgent temptation to any sinful anger or inveterate wrath against you whilst you are correcting for one sin do not provoke them to commit another Whilst you are plucking them out of a gulph do not dash them against a Rock Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath But Observe we here the Apostles prudence Having vers 1 2 3. allotted to Children their share viz. Obedience Children obey your Parents in the Lord and backt it both with divine Precept and Promise the just consequence seems to require that he should have invested the Parents with Command and Government for their Portion but he fairly waves that and as supposing he had sufficiently fixt the Parents Authority by putting their Children under the yoke of Obedience he now consults the childs interest or rather the mutual comfort both of Parent and Child by advising Parents to use the Power that God had given them moderately and tenderly on the one hand he sweetens the Obedience of the Child on the other tempers the Authority of the Parent That the precept of Obedience may not fright the Child nor the Prerogative of Power swell the Parent let them both know The child that he is in subjection and must obey but then 't is his Father who either doth or should love him and the Father that he hath Authority and may command but whom 'T is his Child whom he must govern with that tenderness as not in the least to provoke Thus by forbidding a Vice 2. By enjoining them the contrary Grace or duty But bring them up in the Nurture and admonition of the Lord. Children as they must not be provoked to wrath so they must not be indulged in folly As they must not be discouraged so they may not be cocker'd Our Children naturally are too too like the wild Horse or Asses colt who if they once begin to know their strength and get the bit between their Teeth will first cast their Rider and then run in a full
Carieer to their own Destruction And therefore take heed do not indulge them in their foolish Humours but bring them up c. Having thus fixed our Corner-stones now to our Building In the CASE before us I find two Truths supposed and one question in form but really bipartite proposed 1. The two Truths and those sad ones suppos'd 1. That it hath been is and may be the Lot of gracious Parents to have unconverted wicked Children 2. That this wickedness of these unconverted Children hath been and is too too often occasion'd by their gracious Parents sinful 1. Severity 2. Indulgence 2. The Question or case of Conscience to be resolved which is Bipartite What may gracious Parents best do towards the Conversion of those their Children whose wickedness is occasion'd by their sinful 1. Severity 2. Indulgence I. Of the First Truth 1. The first Truth suppos'd viz. That it hath been is and may be the Lot of gracious Parents to have unconverted wicked Children Let me adde of the Best of Parents to be afflicted with very wicked yea the worst of Children Had not Adam an envious murtherous Cain Gen. 4.8.11 The first branch of the Universal Root wholly rotten Noah a cursed †Gen. 9.22 Cham Abraham a mocking persecuting Ishmael Gen. 22.9 Gal. 4.29 Lot a Moab and Ammon the Sons of Incest and the Fathers of an Idolatrous brood that to the death hated Gods chosen Israel Gen. 19.37 38. Isaac a profane Esau Gen. 25.25 Heb. 12.16 Eli two Sons Hophni and Phineas both Sons of Belial prodigies of Lust and Wickedness 1. Sam. 2.12 to 17. ver 22. David an ambitious Adonijah 1 King 1.5 2.13 an incestuous Amnon 2 Sam. 13.14 a murtherous traiterous rebellious Absolom 2 Sam. 13.28 29. 15.10 Jehosaphat a bloody idolatrous Jehoram 2 Chron. 21.4 6 11 13. Josiah a wicked Jehojachin and another as bad if not worse a wretched false perjur'd Covenant-breaking Zedekiah 2 Chron. 36.5 12 13. Ezek. 17.15 18. But enough of this sigh even to the breaking of your hearts when you think of many very many others in former Ages and in our Own dayes and City that might be added to fill up this Black Catalogue 2. This wickedness of these unconverted Children hath been and is too too often occasion'd yea advanced by the Sinful severity or indulgence of their unwary thô gracious Parents This Head divides it self into TWO Branches viz. Parents Sinful severity and indulgence 1. Sinful severity and of this 1. What it is not 2. What it is 1 What it is not 1. A grave wise holy strict demeanour towards our Children such a carriage as whereby we may procure Glory to God Honour to our selves and so to preserve and keep up that Authority which God hath stampt upon us is not sinful Severity To carry it so and so to keep our distance as to give our Children no occasion to undervalue or despise us 1 Tim. 4.12 * Tit. 2.15 So as that they may see and own the Wisdom of God shining in us that our Children may pay us that reverence and respect that God requires of them 1 King 3.28 This is not to be accounted sinful Severity but behaving our selves worthily in Ephratah Ruth 4.11 2. All just anger or the rising up of the Heart in an holy displeasure against Sin in our Children is not sinful severity Parents may be angry and yet not sin Eph. 4.26 Nay Parents would certainly sin if on just occasion given by their Children they should not be angry but with these proviso's 1. That the cause for which they are angry be good and warrantable Such as we can give a good Account of to God An anger like that of our Saviour who looked round about on his malicious observers with anger being griev'd for the bardness of their hearts Mark 3.5 When our anger is accompanied with grief because God is dishonour'd by our Childrens offending against Truth Piety Justice Humanity because we see them neglect their duty hurt their own or others Souls or Bodies 2. That the Object of this anger be right i. e. when that which we are angry at is not so much the persons of our Children that offend as their offence it self their Sin Fault Disobedience Not so much the Patient as the Disease 3. That the End be right viz. that the fault we are offended at may be amended by our Children and that they for the future may be warned not to offend in the like again 4. That a due decorum may be observed both as to the measure and duration of our Anger When it is neither too hot nor too long When it is a Rational Holy Temperate displeasure a moderate anger when right Reason and Scripture fit in the Box and Guide the Chariot saying as the Lord to the Sea Thus much thus long and no more no longer Thus far no sinful severity 2. Grave counselling and admonishing our Children in and to that which is truly good Eph. 6.4 All serious discountenancing of and severe frowning on them when in an evil way nay sharp reproofs and rebukes Tit. 1.13 Yea being so far a terror to them as to let them know we bear not the stamp of Gods Authority in vain Rom. 13.3 4. Nay farther smart chastising of them proportionable to their Age and offence Prov. 29.15 Provided we express fatherly love and tenderness in all out of a true desire of their Repentance and Reformation All this is not to be lookt upon as sinfull Severity but as the faithful discharge of a necessary parental duty which is by so much the more excellent because it is so much neglected and so hard to be performed in a right manner 2. What Sinful Severity is or wherein it discovers it self Sinful Severity betrayes it self in and by the irregular passions austere looks bitter words and rigid Actions of those Parents who abuse their Parental Power 2. That the wickedness of unconverted Children is oftentimes occasion'd by this Sinful severity of their Parents They are provok'd and that to Sin 1. By irregular Passions specially that of an inordinate and immoderate Anger 1. Rash anger when Parents are soon angry with their Children when they will not give leave to their Judgments to consider before they are angry The wise man tells us Jam. 1.19 Multos absolvemus si prius coeperimus judicare quam irasci Sen. de ira the discretion of a man defers his anger and that it is his Glory to pass over a Transgression Prov. 19.11 But brands rash anger with the mark of folly He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly Prov. 14.17 'T was grave advice to one not to be angry at any time till he had first repeated the Greek Alphahet To be angry without any cause or upon every trivial slight occasion for any thing that is not material in it self or in it's consequent for meer involuntary and casual offences and slips in our Children such as without great care could
such provoking Children 1. Doth your Duty of loving your Children admit of that exception Love them i. e. If they are or while they are free from all fault did not the Lord that enjoyns this Duty know full well that no mortal man is without his Spots Imperfections Failings In vain is that Precept that is limited to a Condition which is impossible to fulfil Jam. 3.2 Tangat memoriam communis fragilitas 2. Look inward and then look upward Are not you naught have not you often and do not you daily hourly provoke your Heavenly Father and yet would you not desire that he should Love you Let your own Prayers and Tears be Witnesses in the Case Had a man laid his ear close to your Closet might he not have heard you Ephraim-like bemoaning your self thus Heavenly Father I am vile I have done Iniquity I have not only toucht upon the verge of Vice but entred the Circle nay my sins are aggravated by Perverseness in ill-doing and by resisting counsel I cannot dare not clear my self by a just defence nor being rightly depriv'd of thy love and favour seek for any other Mediators but thy Christ and free Grace for my relief And therefore give me leave to hope that a Fathers Bowels are as Potent Orators as a Sons Misery and that while my Transgressions Damm up the way to favour fatherly Compassion will not forget to be merciful he that bears the name of a Father cannot forget the tears of a Child Tell me severe Parents is not this a true Echo of some of your most pathetick Prayers But what answer have you expected and your Heavenly Father return'd 3. Possibly while you have been speaking God hath answer'd as he did Jer. 31.20 Is Ephraim my dear Son is he a pleasant Child No no he is naught he is a Prodigal True but yet he is a repenting a returning Prodigal though not a pleasant Son yet a Son a Child and therefore since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still Therefore my Bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord Read consider and often Pray over those pertinent Texts Deut. 32.36 Isa 63.15 16. Hos 11.7 8 9. Luk. 15.19 20. All this is true to a repenting Ephraim but my Child lies stinking in his filth 4. But I pray In what case and posture did your Heavenly Father find you when he first manifested his Love unto you Ezek. 16.6 8. I saw thee polluted in thine own blood and I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood Live ver 8. Behold this time was the time of thy Gods Love God the Father commended his Love towards you in that while you were yet Sinners Christ died for you Rom. 5.8 2. Govern your Children as a Father and so remember 1. That your Parental power is not absolute or despotical but regulated and circumscrib'd within due bounds and limits Parents may not think they may do what they list according to their own Will and Pleasure with their Children Stat pro ratione voluntas is the language of a Tyrant not of a Father And here 1. Beware of secret Pride of inordinate self-exalting of magnifying your Office and overvaluing your selves and of esteeming your selves to be greater than indeed you are and an Eager desire that your Children should so think of you and so treat you 2. Beware of thinking more of the dignity of your place than of your duty you owe to God and your Children in that Station wherein God hath fixt you 3. Beware of being excessively hard and difficult to be pleased and of being too rigid an Exactor of observance and respect from your Child and of slighting undervaluing vilifying of him when he hath done his utmost of discontent and murmuring if you have not all you desire in your Child 4. Beware that you respect not your Child more for the seeming regard he shews to you than for any real worth that is in him All these are dangerous Rocks to which your secret Pride exposes you enough to destroy Pilot and Vessel 3. Be Angry with your Child but be Angry and sin not Eph. 5.26 Be angry but then let it be the Anger of a displeased Father against an offending Child not the Anger of a Bloody enemy against an Irreconcilable Foe be angry as your Heavenly Father is said to be Angry Of this before 4. Exhort admonish reprove rebuke chastize offending Children but then still Remember whose deputy you are whom you represent even your heavenly Father Fury is not in him Judgment is his strange work But he delights in mercy When he is as it were forced to put forth his Anger he then makes use of a Fathers rod not an Executioners Ax Psal 89. from 30. to 35. 2 Sam. 7.14 He will neither break his Childrens bones nor his own Covenant He lashes in Love Heb. 12.6 Rev. 3.19 in measure in pity and compassion In all their Affliction he is afflicted Every stroke on his Childs back recoils on his own Bowels and if the member be gangren'd and there is an absolute necessity to cut it off to save the Life the Soul of his Child then like a Chyrurgeon who is the Father of the Patient He makes use of the Saw not forgetting that he is now cutting off his own flesh and would never do it but for the Child 's good Rom. 8.28 Go you and do likewise 5. In all you do take heed you do not provoke them on the one hand nor discourage them on the other 1. Not provoke them Of this somewhat before Let me adde when Children find themselves contrary to their hopes and it may be their deserts to be hardly and sharply dealt withall and that nothing which they attempt or perform finds acceptance with their morose and rigid Parents specially if of fiercer Spirits in the heat and bitterness of their inraged Souls they are apt to throw off all Reverence to break their bands asunder and to cast away their cords from them Like wild and untamed Colts to kick and winch and harden their necks foreheads hearts against all admonitions and threatnings against all words and blows Their Father hates them say they sink they must and sink they will but not alone if possible they 'l draw their cruel Fathers Heart and Peace into the same gulf with them Oh dreadful Take heed therefore do not provoke Nè animam despondeant 2. Not to discourage dishearten dispirit them Col. 3.21 Fathers provoke not your Children least they be discouraged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is nothing that doth more deject and sink the heart of a poor Child specially if ingenious and of a softer and more meek temper than the severe rigour and roughness of a Father It quite unsouls the poor Child when in the countenance and deportment of his Father to whom of all men in the World he should in reason be dearest he sees nothing but anger and
Correct 'em therefore but in Love Wisdom Measure Season Obj. But I hear the bleatings of fond Parents O forbear good Sir forbear These are hard sayings The Land the City is not able to bear them 'T is nothing but Love that makes us to bear with our Children Alas who could find in their Hearts to beat so sweet a Child Sol. Nothing but Love That 's not so the Holy Ghost gives thee the lye It is not Love but real Hatred Pro. 13.24 22.15 29.15 17. not to Correct offending Children Obj. But they are little and time enough hereafter Sol. Betimes While there is hope Nip them in the bud Prov. 19.18 small hopes afterward if neglected now Obj. I cannot endure to hear him cry Sol. Let not thy Soul spare for his crying 'T is strange to see how the Holy Ghost meets with these fond Parents at every turning Obj. But would you have me cruel to my own Child Sol. No. And therefore Correct him Thou art unmerciful and cruel to thy Child if thou dost not Correct him Pro. 23.13 He will dye and perish if thou Correct him not His Arm is gangreen'd he dies if thou dost not cut it off He is in an Apoplexy cup him lance him scarifie him or he is gone and that for ever Obj. Alas Childrens faults are nothing Sol. What is their Stubornness Pride Lying Disobedience it may be Cursing Swearing nothing These all lead to Hell from whence thy Rod is ordain'd and sanctified by God to deliver him Prov. 23.14 Obj. But this is the way to make my Child hate me yea to make him a Dullard a Sot so that I shall never have any comfort in him Sol. Better that thy Child should hate thee for doing thy Duty than thy God for committing sin yea a comprehensive complicated sin All the sins thy child commits upon thy neglect of Correction are thine own but read and believe Solomon Pro. 29.17 Correct thy Son and he shall give thee rest yea he shall give delight unto thy Soul 3. When ever you Correct be sure you admonish your Child So in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 join'd Thus David saith thy Heavenly Fa-doth He Chasteneth first and then teacheth Psal 94.12 Lay Gods Law and his sin against that Law before him I have known a man that when he Corrected his Child would bring his Bible forth cause his Child to read such a Scripture as spake home to the Case and this hath pierced deeper than the Rod. Not beat with rigor nor yet with silence nor give strokes without words which may possibly cause the Child to see his fault and come to an amendment In publick Justice there goes Eviction of the fact before the Sentence and a word of Admonition before Execution If our Child heedlesly fall into the dirt we do not let him lye and beat him but first help him up settle all rhings well about him after that Correct him but close all with charging him to look better to his feet 4. To Correction and Admonition Add faithful fervent constant supplications Without this all other means are ineffectual 'T is thy Heavenly Father that must do the feat at last 'T is he alone must work effectually in thy poor Child both to will and do Bring him to Bethesda put him in there begg thy God to stir the waters and to make them healing With the woman of Canaan carry thy Child to Christ Mat. 15.22 Remember Job He sent and sanctified his Children Job 1.5 Would'st thou have thy Child a Samuel a Solomon an Austin Be thou an Hannah a Bathsheba a Monica 1 Sam. 1.12 to 19 20. Pro. 31 2. Let thy Child be the Child of thy Prayers Vows Tears and that 's the way to make him a Child of thy Praises Joys and Triumphs with the Father in the Parable Luk. 15.32 5. For a close of all Add a good Example Cause it to appear to thy Childs Conscience that thou hast begun to mend first to repent of thy darling sin of Indulgence That done thou mayst fairly hope that this Load-stone may draw him to Repentance Parents Examples are high Magneticks 2 King 14.3 15.3.34 Obj. Say both Severe and Indulgent Parents These things have we done and that faithfully and yet our Children remain wicked Sol. 1. However none have more cause to expect and with patience to wait for Gods blessing on use of means because your Children are certainly under Gods faithfull Promise Gen. 17.7 Isa 44.3 2. You have delivered your own Souls Ezek. 3.19 3. Your Endeavours graciously accepted Isa 49.4 2 Cor. 8.12 4. Your Prayers shall return into your own bosom Psal 35.13 Quest How may we best cure the Love of being Flatter'd SERMON VIII PROV XXVI v. 28. A Lying Tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it and a flattering Mouth worketh ruine IT was the Psalmist's complaint of that Age he lived in That there was no faithfulness in their mouths that while they flatter'd with their tongue their throat was an open Sepulcher Psal 5.9 10. equally devouring and insatiable In these words we may take up as mournful a complaint of our own Age or in the words of the Psal 12.1 The faithful fail from among the Children of men whilst Lying Tongues first afflict the Innocent and then hate those they afflict which is the Method that opener Enemies do observe and is the subject of the former part of the Verse Among these men Truth and Justice have no place nor bear sway but is it any whit better among pretended Friendships Flattering mouths work Ruine such smooth and Oily tongues do more slily and yet not less surely undo us The former ruine us by others the latter ruine us by our selves and these the more dangerous and cruel because they do destroy under the Covert of abused friendship making that which should be sacred among men a means to effect the most barbarous Tragedies of this the latter part of the Verse speaketh which doth present us with a Picture that in different positions sets forth the counterfeit of the greatest and most amiable beauty the counterfeit of Friendship appears in the face and at first view but if you change your place and view it at nearer distance it presents to your view a secret dangerous and destructive Enemy one that worketh ruine With this I must entertain you who either hear or read me and make it as I suppose Solomon designed it a Preservative against the ruine which Loved and affected flattery draws upon men There are few I think none but have been sometime or other more or less wounded with the sting of this Scorpion I begg you will patiently suffer me to bruise the head on the wound the Sting hath made that you may be heal'd at least the deadlyness of the Venom may be prevented This I am to endeavour while I state this Case How may we best Cure the Love of being flatter'd Solomon in our
or observing the Duties required abiding in the Exercise of Christian and Conjugal Graces wherein they continue to be employ'd Here to speak distinctly we are to look upon the Persons and their Exercises Gagneius Estius 1. The Persons Some following the vulgar would have the word rendred singularly if she continue or remain as conceiting there is nothing Antecedent to agree with a Plural Verb But it is certain that the Original word is in the Plural Number by the full consent of all Copies as Beza notes so that there can indeed be no ground for that conceit The generality therefore render it Plurally according to truth as we do If they continue abide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remain persist or persevere noting the necessity of being constant in holy duties But then of those who render the word thus 1. Some as the Ancients c. * Syriac Aethiopic Hierom c. Estius c. refer it to the children brought forth expounding it of their abiding in the exercise of the following Graces But this doth no way please the most judicious modern Expositors any more than some of the Ancients as not so consonant to the Context wherein we have nothing of children And therefore a Learned Protestant ‖ Chamiâ—r doth justly wonder it could come into the mind of any who understand Greek Be-like they took it to respect the generation of children if they by the Mothers care did continue in the faith c. But these did not well consider that the compound werd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 child-bearing is of the Singular Number Waltheri Harmonia When therefore this Verb Plural hath Two Nouns going before it i. e. the Woman and child-bearing we should look to which of the Two continue may be best accommodated If to the word child-bearing what more uncouth Then the Paraphrase would thus trip The Women shall be sav'd in child-bearing if child-bearing continue in the faith c. Who then that duly weighs the thing would refer the Verb continue unto the Person namely the Woman and not to child-bearing which is her allotted work or Function Besides if it should be expounded of her childrens perseverance in Grace it would follow That a godly Mother who had faithfully done her duty towards her children would endanger her own salvation should her children prove untoward and impenitent Whereas this were contrary to Scripture which doth engage both Parents Fathers as well as if not more than Mothers in the pious Education of their children and doth clear godly Parents having done their own duty from being chargeable with the guilt of their children when they perish through their own personal default k Ezek 18.3 Calvin So that tho too often the wickedness of children may be imputed to the Parents neglect yet certainly the righteous God will accept of the faithful Mothers discharging of her own duty tho her children do wickedly miscarry Wherefore 't is most rational yea necessary to refer it as most do 2. To the woman and not to her children to pious Mothers and not their Off-spring Nor is there sufficient warrant considering it is in contexture with the Womans proper Office of child-bearing to take in both Parents as Chrysostome thinks * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 3. Adv. vitup vit Monastic Enallagen Numeri And however the Verb continue be of the Plural Number that is easily understood by an Hebraism frequent in the New Testament or a Figure very usual in sacred and civil Authors both Greek and Latin suddenly to pass from one Number to another when there is an agreement in the Structure with somewhat understood So here from the Singular to the Plural as before in this very Chapter from the Plural to the Singular speaking of Women ver 9 10. to speak of Woman 1 Tim. 5.4 See 1 Cor. 4.2 Gal 6.1 c. ver 11. and again in this Epistle l from a Widow in the Singular to speak of Widows in the Plural Let them learn to shew piety at home Where in like Construction a Noun Collative singular is joyned to a Verb Plural Woman noting the Sex may be conjoyned with either Number Glassii Gramat Sacra it being a Grammar-Rule That a Verb of the Plural Number is joyned to a Noun of the singular be sure when the Noun is Collective or Indefinite and the reason of the Construction is of it self plain because the Singular Number doth indeed comprehend in it the plurality of the Collective Noun And the reason of the Apostles sudden transition here might be because he had briefly discoursed of the Office of all Christian Women ver 9. But Collectively under the Noun Woman he saith emphatically of Christian Wives if they continue constant noting the whole body of Christian Wives who passing through the pangs of child-bearing as the allotment of God do 2. Exercise the Graces proper to such who mind their eternal welfare by persevering in their Christian walk suitable to their high Calling and holy Profession being qualified and adorned with Faith Charity Holiness and Sobriety those rare Jewels which in the sight of God are of great price And the last of these which some render Modesty or Chastity as a Species of Temperance the Apostle makes necessary to married Women as well as to Virgins * Beza Chamier Tho not as the Papists do ridiculously imagine that Matrimony is a Sacrament and doth confer Grace or that with the Papists we are to restrain the Graces in my Text only to the four Matrimonial Vertues opposite to the four Evils too often incident to a married state ‖ Bellarm. To. 2. de Matrim Sacram. viz. Fidelity in opposition to Adultery Charity to Enmity chiding and brawling Sanctity to Dishonesty or Lasciviousness and Rebellion of the Members Sobriety to Intemperance and Incontinence But I know no warrant we have to speak thus narrowly when 't is most rational to conclude that the Apostle doth respect Faith in Christ for Justification and Salvation and not only the Faith of Matrimony Charity or Love to Christ and his and not only Conjugal Love Holiness which becomes all Christians i. e. sanctification of the whole Inward and Outward Man and not only the peculiar sanctity of the Marriage-bed Sobriety noting that Moderation all who are Christs should be endow'd with m Gal. 5.24 and not only the continency of a Wife So that I shall take these Graces in their Exercises comprehensively as relating to a Christian Conversation in the general and a Marriage-state in special Thus having been took up much longer than I wish'd in obviating the difficulties which some cast in the way to the clearer explanation of the Terms in my Text I shall be straitned in speaking to the Deductions from it as to the present solution of the case propounded by reason I want that dexterity some others might have used I beseech you bear with me a while to touch upon Two or
as by abiding in Christ they are spiritually fruitful r Jo. 15.4 so they may well hope that in bringing forth their natural fruit they shall be evermore kept under Gods benign influence and blessing The promise in my Text is ensur'd upon Gods fidelity to all those good women who are interessed in it But all those who have evidence of their sincerity may be well satisfied as to their interest therein and the continuance in the exercises of the Graces of Faith Charity Holiness and Sobriety doth clearly demonstrate they are persons qualified with sincerity who in and through Christ in whom the promise is yea and amen shall certainly inherit it ſ 2 Cor. 1.20 Heb. 6.12 I may not enlarge having staid over-long already yet would crave a little further leave to make some use of what hath been said Applicat The Application of this last and chief Observation viz. That perseverance in Christian and Conjugal Graces and Duties is the best support to child-bearing women against in and under their Travail may briefly serve to teach care and administer comfort 1. This teacheth an holy care and that to Men as well as to Women We shall find they of either Sex may hence learn instruction 1. It may teach a lesson to Men whether they be in a single or a married state 1. They who are not yet married but are waiting to meet with good Wives of Gods giving they are concern'd to be careful as nigh as they can to choose such as are so qualified as to be interessed in the promise here of preservation and salvation in their child-bearing Plato * Cratyl p. 284. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. derives the Greek word for a Woman from that which signifies fruitful and a beinger forth And he that seeketh such an one to marry with only in the Lord t 1 Cor. 7.39 that things may go well with her in her child-bearing condition should consult well how she is endowed and stored with the Graces I have been discoursing of both for the good of her self and the seed she may have by him 'T is certainly of great importance to make choice of such a Yoke-fellow as may be assuredly entitled to this good and comfortable word that we have here before us for the support of child-bearing Wives in whose sorrows and joys good-natur'd and conscientious Husbands cannot but have their shares 2. They who have Wives already should take special care upon this account to discharge the duties of good Husbands towards their child-bearing Wives with all good fidelity viz. 1. To dwell with them according to knowledg giving honour unto them as the weaker vessels and as being heirs together of the grace of Life that their prayers be not hindred u 1 Pet. 3.7 yea and to labour daily with them both by their Christian Advice and Holy Conversation to engage their fruitful Wives more and more to the constant exercise of these Graces and Duties that their sorrows may be sanctified to them and they may see the salvation of God in their breeding and bearing of children And if the great and holy God should in his wise Government think it best to take them hence from a child-bed they may learn to submit to his disposing will and rest the better satisfied as having good evidence of their Souls eternal welfare 2. To endeavour as much as may be to discharge the parts of good Christian and tender Husbands towards their dearest Yoke-fellows in such a travailing condition laying much to heart those antecedent concomitant and consequent pains a state of pregnancy involves them in which these Husbands themselves in such a kind cannot have experience of That as it becomes them for the sake of their good and godly Wives they may as is sometimes said of some Sympathizing ones in a sort breed with them and for them by putting on as the elect of God bowels of mercies kindness humbleness of mind meekness long-suffering c. w Col. 3.12 and fulfil all the Duties of the Relation they are in readily and timely providing for them not only necessaries but conveniencies as they can for their longing appetites and for the heartning of their dear and suffering Wives apt to be cast down under apprehensions of their approaching sorrows and call in aid of faithful praying Ministers and pious Friends to make requests known unto God for them And if God hears prayers 3. To be heartily thankful to God upon his giving safe deliverance to their gracious Wives from the pains and perils of child-bearing When the kind Husband hath been really apprehensive of the sicknesses pains throws and groans of his dear Wife in her breeding and bearing a child to him by aids from above nothing can be more necessarily incumbent on him than to adore and be thankful to God who hath made a comfortable separation betwixt her and the Fruit of her Womb and that as a return to prayer and hearkning unto her groanings If he who was a Samaritan found himself healed of his Leprosie upon crying unto Christ for mercy tho the other nine likely Jews remained unthankful for the same benefit came and fell down on his face at Jesus his feet giving him thanks and returning to glorifie God with a loud voice x Luke 17.15 16 17 18. as expressive of his heartiest sense of the Divine Favour in the mercy received then certainly the Christian Husband having seen his loving Wife in the exercise of the Graces I have been discoursing of to pass through the peril of child-bearing and admirably preserved therein by Gods power and goodness is greatly oblig'd to return his hearty thanks to God who hath made good his word wherein he caused them to hope in granting so signal a mercy This giving thanks is acceptable unto God and a Duty indispensably incumbent on us * Nullum officium magis quam referenda gratia necessarium Seneca who are charged y Eph. 5.4 20. to give thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Much more for a singular Favour earnestly sought for and granted through difficulty and peril Thus briefly I have touch'd upon the care of married men with reference to their child-bearing Wives in the fore-mentioned Particulars Again this Doctrine teacheth 2. A Lesson of care to Women Consider them as the Men either in a single or a married state 1. If yet in a single or unmarried state and by the fair Providence of God called to the change of their condition They are concern'd to take care they may be furnished with the above-mentioned qualifications to covet earnestly not only the best Gifts but to be found in the more excellent way z 1 Cor. 12.31 This sacred ambition or holy covetousness is lawful to Virgins and may commend them to good Husbands i. e. to covet earnestly those excellent Graces of Faith Holiness Charity and Sobriety that
God does as it were take weak Christians by the hand and communicate his strength to them by which they are enabled to do what is required of them As it follows in this Chapter with respect to Prayer likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lifts with us and against us at the other end of the Burden And so it is in all the Duties of Holiness the Spirit lifts with helps the infirmities of Believers and strengthens them thereunto I can do all things through Christ strengthning of me Philip. 4.13 That he would grant you according to the riches of his Glory to be strengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner man Eph. 3.16 I may allude to that of Elisha 2 Kings 13.16 He said to the King of Israel put thine hand upon the bow and he put his hand upon it and Elisha put his hands upon the Kings hands So we put our hands upon the bow attempt to believe pray mortifie sin and the like and then the Holy Spirit puts His hand upon Ours to confirm and strengthen us in all these Was it not for this we could do nothing Joh. 15.5 was it not for this Leading we could not move one step in the path of Holiness IV. A Fourth thing included in this Leading of the Spirit is his Regency and Gubernation Where he Governs there he Leads So vice versa and his Leading is ever attended with Rule and Authority 'T is like a Generals Leading an Army who Authoritatively disposes and orders all its motions like Moses his leading the People of Israel who had the Rule and Government over them As to Christ they are put together Behold I have given him for a Witness to the People a Leader and Commander to the People Isa 55.4 Such a Leading is this of the Spirit in Gracious Souls He has the Regiment of them He Commands and Orders them in their Course as he pleases they are subject to his Will steer'd by him in their Motions as the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophyl Ship is by the Pilot or the Chariot by him that drives it These are the Things on the Spirits part which do constitute his leading 2. To fill this up there is something on the Creatures part And that is their yielding up of themselves to the Guidance and Conduct of the Spirit Their free willing Bishop Halls Remains p. 147. Hollingsworth of the Spirit p. 65. spontaneous following of him in what he moves and dictates to them Without this 't is not Leading for that imports Motion after something that goes before And that Motion too must be Voluntary or else 't is being Hal'd and Dragg'd not Led This is the Disposition and Carriage of the Sons of God towards the Spirit He excites them to be Holy Heavenly-minded to resist and mortifie Corruption to Pray Hear Gods word perform other Religious Duties yea to take up their Cross in all they readily comply with him As David in that particular Case VVhen thou saidst seek ye my face my heart said thy face Lord will I seek Psal 27.8 He will teach us his ways and we will walk in his paths Isa 2.3 Draw me we will run after thee Cant. 1.4 Here 's the Spirits Leading and the Believers following of him It 's set forth v. 1. by walking after the Spirit it supposes a Principle of Life dead things may be drawn but they cannot properly be said to be led where the Spiritual Life is such do willingly conform to what the Spirit directs them unto But this I shall say no more of in this Explanatory part it being a thing that requires our Practice rather than any large Explication of it Thus I have opened the Nature of the Spirits Leading But it being a point of great Importance and the due stating of it being highly Necessary upon sundry Accounts I will further speak to these Four things about it Four things opened about the Spirits Leading 1. The Matter or Terminus what the Spirit leads unto 2. The Rule by which he leads 3. The Way and Manner wherein he leads 4. The Extent and Measure of it The matter of it 1. The Matter what the Spirit leads unto This is of great Extent but all may be reduc'd to these two things Truth and Holiness Truth is seated in the Vnderstanding and speaks the Spirits Leading of that Faculty Holiness reaches to the Heart within and Conversation without and speaks the Spirits Leading of Both in their utmost Comprehensiveness These he leads and guides unto but not in the least to their Opposites Error and Sin Every Agent is for that which comports and suits with his own Nature and against that which is contrary thereunto Therefore the Spirit being a Spirit of Truth and of Holiness this determines him to lead to these and to these only So his Conduct is stated in Holy Writ John 16.13 When he the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth Eph. 5.9 The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and Truth Psal 23.3 He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his Names sake This Holiness includes in it Holy Affections the Exercise of the several Graces and these the Spirit guides unto 2 Thes 3.5 The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patient waiting for Christ The avoiding and mortifying of sin and this the Spirit guides unto If ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live immediately it follows As many as are led by the Spirit shewing that the Mortification of sin is one special thing which the Spirit leads to Gal. 5.16 walk in the Spirit after his Guidance and ye shall not fulfil the Lust of the flesh why because he always makes this the matter of his Guidance to keep men off from the Lust of the Flesh from all sinful ways and Courses He 's a Good and Holy Spirit in himself and therefore all his Motions tend to what is Good and Holy As Satan he being the Evil Spirit suitably to his Nature does excite and urge to what is Evil Acts 5.3 John 13.2 So e contra the Spirit of God He being the Good Spirit does excite and urge to what is Good and to nothing else How do they blaspheme this Holy Spirit who do wicked things and yet presume to say the Spirit leads them thereunto This must be laid down as a Principle of undoubted verity that the sole and whole tendency of the Spirits Leading is to Purity Obedience Universal Holiness and in no case to sin and wickedness II. The Rule by which he leads The Rule of it And that in short is the Written VVord God guides by the Spirit the Spirit guides by the VVord He is our Guide and the Word is our Rule The Spirit himself as to his own Actings has no External
destroy Natural Liberty Where the Spirit does not find sinners willing by his sweet Methods he makes them willing Psal 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power a day of power yet willing Even the Spirits Drawing is managed with all consistency to the freedom of the will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys he draws but 't is one that he makes willing to follow Hos 2.14 Behold I will allure her ay there 's the Spirits leading This being the constant and avowed Doctrine of the Protestants and †Ductus spiritus non est impulsus violentus quo rapimur inviti ut stipites sed est efficax persuasio quâ ex nolentibus efficimur volentes Par. with many others particularly their Explication of the Spirits leading in the Text how injurious and invidious are the Popish Writers in their traducing and calumniating of them as if they asserted the Spirit in This or any Other Act to work with Compulsion or in a way destructive to mans Essential Liberty 'T is a vile scandal And yet how do Esthius Salmeron Contzen upon the Words charge our Divines with it We perfectly concurr with Blessed St. * Enchirid. Cap. 64. de verbis Apostol Serm. 13. c. 11 12. Austin in that excellent passage of his cited by the Rhemists As many as are led by the Spirit he meaneth not says he that the Children of God are violently compelled against their Wills but that they be sweetly drawn moved or induced to do good But no more of this IV. The Extent of this Leading of the Spirit The Extent of it A threefold account may be given of that 1. In regard of the Subject or person led So it extends to the Whole Man First to the Interior Acts of the Soul in its several Faculties Vnderstanding Will and Affections And then to the Exterior Acts of the Body yea to the whole Conversation For all these are comprehended within and fall under the Spirits Leading For as his Sanctifying Operation extends to all of these the God of Peace sanctify you wholly and I pray God your whole Spirit Soul and Body be preserved blameless unto the coming of Christ 1 Thes 5.23 So does his Guiding Operation also these two being Commensurate and Coextensive This might be made out in Particulars was I not afraid of too much prolixity 2. In regard of the Object or Matter that the Spirit leads unto So it extends to the whole Duty of a Christian to all that he is to Know Believe and Do. Look as the Word in its External Leading guides us in all things that concern Faith and Practice it being a compleat and perfect Rule 2 Tim. 3.16 17. so 't is with the Spirit in his Internal Leading too Joh. 14.26 For Knowledge and Faith the Promise is But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you John 16.13 And again Howbeit when he the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth see 1 John 2.20 27. And so 't is as to Holiness also this Spirit directs those who have him to and in the Practice of Holiness in its full and utmost Extent and Latitude Tit. 2.12 As the Grace of God the Gospel Without teaches us that denying ungodliness and worldly Lusts we should live soberly righteously godly in this present world which is the summe of all Duty towards God towards Men and towards our selves So the Spirit Within teaches guides inclines to all these His Gracious Conduct is not confin'd to does not terminate in this or that particular Duty of Religion no but it extends to every Duty to the whole Obedience of a Christian 3. In regard of the Degree and Measure of it Concerning which 't is clear that this Leading of the Spirit in the Directing Inclining Governing Notions of it is not as to Degree equal in all God's Children All have the Thing in the Necessary and Substantial part of it yet so as that there is a Gradual Difference in their having of it Some having more and some less He being a Free and Arbitrary Agent does proportion this Act of his Grace to different Persons as he pleases And he making Some more ductil to his Leadings than Others accordingly he vouchsafes more of Them to Those than he does to Others But in None does it reach so high as to render them perfect here For although we should grant which I do not that the Spirit should advance his Guidance consider'd in it self and as it comes from Him to such a Degree and Pitch as to lay the Foundation of Perfection in Saints here below yet considering what the Capacity of the Subjects of this Act is here they being Flesh as well as Spirit 't is not imaginable that de Facto and in Eventu they should ever here be perfect upon it Wherefore it must be bounded and limited though not from what the Spirit could do yet from what he is pleased to do in Believers in their present imperfect state He shall guide you into all Truth what so as to make Saints Omniscient or Infallible He guides unto all Holiness what so as to render them sinless and impeccable here on Earth we must by no means carry it thus high It therefore must be qualified thus He shall guide you into all Truth i. e. into the Knowledge of all Necessary and Fundamental Truths And he shall guide you into all Holiness i. e. so far as your present state admits of and so far as is necessary for your future Glory Beyond this Measure we must not extend or heighten the Spirits Leading For the truth is if we take it in this bounded Notion we secure the Thing but if we go higher we totally undermine and nullifie it as all Experience proves And by the way Observe that this Guidance of the Spirit in the General and that Guidance of His in Particular in the Duty of Prayer do much stand upon the same level Insomuch that as the Former the Spirits immediate Guiding of Believers in the Matter and Manner of their Actions does not thereupon render Them or Their Actions perfectly Holy and free from all mixtures of sin So neither does the Latter the Spirits immediate Guidance and Assistance in the Matter and Manner of Prayer render the Prayers of such infallible or of equal Authority with the Scriptures as some Object Because as to Both this Agency of the Spirit is to be limited partly from the Consideration of the present State of the subject in whom it is exerted and partly from the Spirits Aim and End therein 'T is true to obviate a bad Inference that may be drawn from hence the Apostles themselves considered as but Men and as men in the State of Imperfection so they were fallible as we are But as they had in matters of Faith
design'd by God himself to succeed in the Throne of Israel yea and against his solemn Oath sworn unto him to bring him to him that he might be murthered 1 Sam. 20.31 This both griev'd and provok'd Jonathan ver 34. Or with that incestuous bloody Creature Herodias who commands Her Dancing Daughter to ask of Herod more than half His Kingdom viz. John Baptists head Mat. 14.8 3. When Parents meerly to gratifie their Humour Self-will Lusts Passions Fury chastise beat and almost kill their Children with unjust and immoderate lashes stripes punishments 1. Vnjust when the Parent hath no lawful cause or reason so to do What just Plea could that unnatural Saul make for casting his Javelin to smite his Innocent Son Jonathan 1 Sam. 20.33 After he had spit out the Poison of his Heart in his words he fills up the measure of his wickedness in this bloody deed suitable to his murtherous Heart 2. Immoderate when the sharpness of the punishment exceeds the greatness of the Crime Here the Lord the Righteous-Judge takes care by his Supream Authority that those that have authority over others should not according to their own Lusts Will and Pleasure rage and vent their fury and passion on criminals Deut. 25.2 3. Now if Justice oblige us to keep our mind free and compos'd in punishing the greatest Strangers and most hainous Malefactors that we may exactly proportion the penalty to their fault how much more should a Father whose Name breathes nothing but benignity and sweetness observe the same moderation when his business is to chastize the Child of his own Bowels And if not instead of reforming he doth but provoke his Child Thus much concerning Sinful Severity what it is and how far provoking in all which I neither have nor could bring one instance either Father or Mother in the whole Scripture that had the Character of a Godly Person that is charged with the crimson-guilt of a Sinfully severe Parent 3. What may godly Parents best do for the Conversion of those Children whose wickedness is occasion'd by their sinful Severity To this I answer 1. More generally Physician heal thy self To cleanse the polluted stream let 's begin at the puddl'd fountain 1. As much as may be cease your complaints to men of finding so much cause of grief and sorrow in your untoward Children instead of Joy and Comfort That they are pungent thorns instead of refreshing roses stabs instead of staffs Exclaim no more at least not morosely or in passion against thâ— pride Levity vanity frowardness obstinacy debauchery incorrigibleness of your wretched Children especially in the hearing of those Children 'T is too probable they will be apt to lay their own Bastards at their Fathers door and impute all their gross miscarriages to their rigid Fathers harshness contempt and want of Love Had not I been unhappy in so stiff a Father he might have been happy in a more complaisant Son Had my Father treated me with more Bowels 't is possible I should have readily answer'd his tenderness with a melting heart bended knee and sincere obedience 2. Instead of opening your mouths to men go immediately and in sincerity unbosom your whole Souls to God Cast your selves at his foot humbly acknowledge your great defects and failings in the management of that Authority that God the supream Father hath stampt upon you Humble your self deeply before the Lord for all your former Irregular and exorbitant Passions stabbing looks hard speeches morose behaviour partial demeanour dreadful Omens and forejudgeings of the sad fate of your at present disobedient Child Weep I say not not so much but not only for your Child but for your self Had the root been sound as it ought the branch had not been so rotten as it is Had the Father been more a Fig-tree the Son had not been so much a Thistle If the Vine hath the least taint of Sodom no wonder if the Wine hath an ugly tang of Gomorrha Weep I say and pray pray and weep and instead of a Bead drop a Tear at the close of every Petition for the full and free pardon of these thy Relational Sins in and through the Blood of that Son that never offended his and thy Father Begg and Begg earnestly for Grace Strength Wisdom which is first pure then peaceable that thou mayst be kept from the like misdemeanour for the future 3. Act towards your Children in all things as a Father Keep your Relation in your Eye 1. Love your Children as a Father A Man would think this advice were * 1 Thes 4.9 As touching Love ye need not that I write unto you for ye your selves are taught of God to Love Isa 49.15 needless It seems all one as if I should perswade the Sun to shine the Fire to burn nay a man to be a man This Law of Love to Children is written by the Finger drawn by the Pencil stampt and ingraven by the deepest impress of Nature on the Hearts and bowels of all Parents Indeed I have spent more than a few minutes in searching the Scriptures on this account and thô I find many express Texts that oblige us to Love God Christ our Neighbour the Brother-hood our Wives yea our Enemies yet I can light but on one that doth in express Terms command Parents to Love their Children viz. Tit. 2.4 where we find the young Women are to be taught to Love their Children For which the Best reason that I can give for the present is the same that he gave why the Romans among all their Laws had enacted none against the horrid Sin of Parricide viz. Because the Romans either could or would not suppose men to be such Monsters as to be guilty of so black a Crime The Scripture supposes that while we retain the Nature of men or own the Name of Fathers we cannot but love our Children Well then Love your Children but Love them as Fathers Fathers This very single Word contains an Iliad of Arguments Were I at leisure 't were easie to draw out all the Rhetoricans Topicks of Perswasion out of its Bowels Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very Name is as an ointment poured forth it sends forth nothing but the perfume of Lâ—ve meekness tenderness Do but sincerely Love your Children as Fathers and then be sinfully severe if you can Love your Children not so much for their lovely countenance their pleasing Grace and sweetness which how charming soever is but a fading flower a skin-deep vanity but principally as those that are bone of your bone flesh of your flesh to whom you have communicated your blood and very nature And let not this Love be like a dead picture or Idol in your breast without Life or Action but a living active principle a spring that may vigorously and effectually influence all the powers of your Soul for the procuring of all that which is truly good to your poor Children Obj. But how can I possibly love such naughty
spiritual Head and then tho her pains be never so many her throws never so quick and sharp she may be confident that all shall go well with her either in being safely delivered of the Fruit of her Womb as the Lord's reward out of his free love r Psal 127.3 or having her Soul and that of her Seed eternally saved being taken into covenant with the Almighty God Å¿ Gen. 17.1 7. so that in the issue she will at last with all humble adoration yeild that it could not have been possibly better with her than to have been in that condition of subjection and sorrow in breeding bearing and bringing up of children 'T was this Faith for the substance of it which the pious childing Women mentioned in the story of our Saviours Genealogy did exercise a continuance wherein is required of every just Christian Woman that she may live by it in the pains which threaten death For by this Principle she may be the best supported and derive Vertue from her Saviour for the sweetning of the bitterest cup and strength for the staying her up when the anguish of bringing forth her first child is upon her t Jer. 4.31 as Sarah the notable pattern of pious Women in this case did concerning whom it is recorded u Heb. 11.11 By faith Sarah her self receiv'd strength to conceive seed and was delivered of a child when she was past age because she judged him faithful who had promised A staying and living by Faith upon Gods Providence and Promise will revive the drooping spirits of otherwise weak and fearful Women in their good work of child-bearing for the multiplying of the Church with those whom God will save So that tho impending danger to Mother and Child may make even good women to quail when their pangs as so many touches of Gods dâ—â—pleasure against sin are upon them yet by Faith they can fetch relief out of the faithfulness of the Promiser as Sarah did and out of this good word he hath recorded in my Text or that more general by the Prophet David w Psal 55.22 with 1 Pet. 5.7 He will sustain or take care of those that cast their care and burden upon him with the like Hereupon the upright woman tho frail can resign up her self to God being fully perswaded with the Father of the Faithful x Rom. 4.11 That what he hath promised he is also able to perform in his own time and way which is ever the best And one * Mr. Oliver chap. 13. p. 139. now with God speaking largely to this matter in his Present to Teeming Women hath very well observ'd 'T was his will that in their Travail there should ever be while the World stands that most eminent instance of his power Indeed that I may say which made the great Heathen Physician Galen after a deep search into the Causes of a womans bringing forth a child to cry out Oh miracle of Nature Hence in her low estate the pious Wife who lives by Faith above Nature when she spreads her hands and utters her doleful groans before the Almighty concludes It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good y Jer. 4.31 1 Sam. 3.18 2 Sam. 15.26 Luke 22.42 If it seems good unto him then to call for her life and the life of her Babe she can say Lord here am I and the child which thou hast given me as the Prophet speaks upon another account z Isa 8 18. She trusts to that good and great promise a Gen. 3.15 That the seed of the woman shall break the serpents head and therefore comforts her self that the Serpents sting is took away by him that is born of a woman And tho the Birth of her Child may cost her much more sorrow than it doth her Husband yet as Manaoh's Wife she may have a secret intimatiom b Judges 13.3 9 23. from the Angel of the Covenant of and in her safe deliverance one way or other which her Husband knows not of and which will abundantly compensate all her sorrows If she hath been in such a condition before she can say c Rom. 5.4 Psal 63.7 Tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope and so by Faith conclude Because thou hast been mine help therefore will I trust in the shadow of thy wings This saving Faith I might farther shew doth presuppose and imply Repentance and express it self in Meditation and Prayer 1. It doth presuppose and imply Repentance which from a true sense of sin and an apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ doth cause a loathing of our selves for our iniquities d Ezek. 20.43 and 36.31 which is a very proper exercise for a child-bearing woman who is eminently concern'd antecedently to bring forth fruit meet for repentance e Mat. 3.8 that God may receive her and the Fruit of her Womb graciously upon her hearty turning from sin and returning to and trusting in him Child-bearing Women should fruitfully remember the Sentence acknowledg rightly Gods displeasure against sin and humble themselves very particularly before him who doth in mercifulness infinitely surpass all the Kings of Israel that he may shew special favour to them For as a woman newly delivered of her Child is not out of peril whilst that Physicians call the Secundine and the Placenta or part thereof remains so neither if there should be remaining any known sin unrepented of could she upon good grounds expect to be saved from her groanings One of the Ancients * Nazianz. doth set forth Repentance by comparing the Soul to a pair of writing Tables out of which must be wash'd whatsoever is written with sin and instead thereof must be entred the characters of Grace And as this spiritual washing is very necessary for all f Jo. 3.3 5. Tit. 3.5 so be sure it is specially necessary for those women who are apt to be over-curious in the washing of their Linnens for their lying in that the purity of the outward be not preferr'd to that of the inward Man 2. This saving Faith doth usually express it self in those women who are really espoused unto Christ and in whom he dwells by Meditation and Prayer which are also very requisite for the support of child-bearing ones at the approaches of their appointed sorrows 1. Faith doth express it self in Meditation and so by bringing the Soul to contemplate upon God doth as Wax is softned and prepared for the Seal make the heart soft for any sacred characters or Signatures to be imprinted upon it Hereby an Hand-maid of the Lord when she awakes is still with him g Psal 139.18 in heartning Soliloquies The good woman seriously thinking on the Sentence of the Almighty That sorrow should be multiplied in her conception and bringing forth children h Gen. 3.16 reflects upon her self and considers well how her portion of afflictions in a Federal state is allotted to her by
divine disposal and thereupon tasts some sweets in their bitterness and resolves to submit thereunto as her duty and finding her self to have been barren and unfruitful in the knowledg of the Lord Jesus Christ i 2 Pet. 1.8 to bring forth fruit unto holiness which ends in eternal life k Rom. 6.22 Instances of such fruitful Meditation may be seen in Mr. Oliver's Present forecited chap. 5. Further Faith doth exercise it self 2. In Prayer to God that being the Mouth of Faith in God through Christ in whose prevailing Name Christians are concern'd to lift up their hearts unto him for relief in all their straits Those good Wives who own the Religion of the Bible should not with the Heathen in their pains make their Prayers to Lucina or with the Papists to the Virgin Mary or their S. Margaret but unto him alone in whom they believe l Rom. 10.14 and who alone heareth prayers m Psal 65.2 Chrysostome did greatly complain in his time that the tender mind of a Virgin on her Marriage-day should be diverted from minding the things of Christ with immoderate sports and devices of Mirth and from eying of God who alone could effectually give joy to a married couple * L. Viv. de Christian Foem l. 2. p. 148 149. And therefore she should then rather implore his aid as she hath need to do all along in a married state but much more peculiarly and fervently when having conceiv'd and grown big the hour of her child-bed pangs is approaching that her heart is sore pained within her and the terrors of death are fallen upon hâ—r n Psal 55.4 should her precious Faith fervently utter her most necessary and affectionate requests unto him who hath freely given by his Apostle the good word of support in my Text with those of the like import elsewhere and is able to save to the uttermost deliver effectually and keep in perfect peace all that fly to him and stay themselves upon him in that good work he hath appointed them unto Thus of the principal Grace a Divine or Christian Faith There is also 2. A Moral or Conjugal Faith which is more distinctly called fidelity or faithfulness a Grace much strengthned from the former and in a Wife doth more peculiarly respect her Husband as we may particularly gather from our Apostle in this Epistle o 1 Tim. 5.12 compar'd with that which he speaks more generally of it elsewhere p Tit. 2.10 for the adorning of the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things The Wife hath plighted her Troth to her Husband according to the flesh unto whom the Lord hath in the Marriage-Covenant joyn'd her and she is obliged to be constantly faithful in all conjugal duties to him with whom she hath trusted her self and that by Vertue of the Covenant of her God Neither is it enough to be really faithful but also to seem so or be seen as much as may be so to be * Tertull. Not that any Christian woman should be like some of those in the Great Moguls Countrey ‖ Purchas Pilgrim l. 1. p. 225. who to gain the repute of modest loving and faithful Wives will have their own Corps burnt together with their deceased Husbands but she should shew her real fidelity as in an honest and prudent concealment of her Husbands secrets so in avoiding all just suspicion by any familiar converse with others of being false to his Bed and religiously keeping till death the Matrimonial Obligation not deserting her dear yoke-fellow when reduced to straits For so 't is storied of the King of Pontus his Wife that she disguised her self to follow her banish'd Husband saying There she reckon'd was her Kingdom her Riches and Countrey wheresoever she could find her Husband * L. Viv. de Christ Foem l. 2. p. 157 158. The Wife of a certain Count of Castile when the King had detained her Husband in Prison went to visit him whom she perswaded to put on her cloaths and leave her there in his stead Of which Fact the King hearing did much wonder at the fidelity of the Countess and sent her to her Husband wishing he had such Wives for himself and Sons I might produce more Instances but I hasten If Christian Servants should perform the Offices of their Relation as unto the Lord with all good fidelity q Tit. 2.10 Col. 3.22 much more should the Christian Wife who hath solemnly entred into the Covenant of the Lord with her Husband in all faithfulness fill up her Relation towards him with whom she is become one flesh Yet in too many what a defection is there from this Faith Wat a violation of this good fidelity in our degenerate and decrepit Age which unless God give timely repentance of may not only hazard the Temporal but will also the Eternal salvation of many adulterous child-bearers who yet less impudent than some others wipe their mouth it may be and unless their sharp throws face them to confess their falsity would be thought to be most genuine Daughters of the Church when indeed they hasten its ruine in a spurious brood The next Grace required here in my Text is 2. Charity or Love This in a good Wife I take as I did Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that which is Christian and Conjugal respecting Christ and her Husband Be sure every Christian Wife should 1. Love the Lord Jesus Christ considered both personally and mystically She should sincerely love Christ in himself and in his members Her Faith towards him should work by Love r Gal. 5.6 1. It behoves her to give the Primacy of her affection unto Christ himself She is oblig'd above all most entirely and heartily to love the Lord Jesus Christ her spiritual Husband For they come under the Apostolical Benediction who love our Lord Jesus in sincerity or with incorruption Å¿ Eph. 6.24 Our Lord Jesus loves such and is much affected with their doleful condition as with that of his friend Lazarus t John 11.3 11 35. This indeed is a good evidence of a genuine Faith and shews it self to be of a right stamp when there is an holy care to keep all Christs Commandments u John 14.15 Hence Charity is compared by one to an ever-turning spq always providing and labouring for him in whom she resteth Let this be the chief care of the Christian Wife and she may upon good grounds conclude Christ is hers and she is his w Cant. 2.15 and say in all trouble as the good woman when bloody Bonner threatned her in the Popish persecution to take away her Husband and Son Christ is mine Husband and better to me than Ten Sons you cannot strip me of him Now if the good Wife hath Christ present with her in her Travail as they who love him with a prevailing love certainly have in all their affliction she hath All having him who will command deliverance