many t to say no more he knows the way I take * Job 23.10 Prayer and Professors are Strangers Prayer is another thing than many imagine and many times I think I never prayed yet but if ever I prayed it was for this And praised be his holy name he hath heard me and helped me through this intricate work which was the hardest knot to untie that ever I took in hand in my Time I gave up my self to the Conduct of God As I was never for on work by any mans Word Letter or Print or ever had the least hint of this Opinion from man so I never asked any creature any one Question concerning it in all the time I have been upon the search of it This I tell you to this end viz If you think I erre you may blame no man but my self and if you think I am right you may give God and not man the praise ¶ Sir Parent Cautioned here is a Providence which you may not lightly passe over viz This concern of the Sabbath falling on me so soon after our Conference under the Tree which seems to be for your Sake I thought not of it in our First Dialogue I was concerned with it in our Second Dialogue though not being ready for it I did not tell you of it but I am no sooner prepared for this Third Dialogue but you are driven out by Yesterdayes opposition to draw me to it And let me tell you In all this labour I have had you in my eye much desiring your Sound settlement for the Sabbath Here is a voice of God speaking to you which I desire you may hear And I pray consider seriously with your self what account you will give at the Great Day if you will not hear Gods voice so Audible nor see his word so Visible but will bottom your Sabbatical opinion on mans Tradition which hath no ground in Gods word Fath. I am shattered and unsettled like a troubled Sea after a Storm by this New sudden assault of my Old opinion but when there comes a Calm and my mind Quiet I suppose I shall settle upon your foundation so you may freely speak what you have farther to say as if I was already of your mind Min. I counsel you to pray God to settle you on a sure foundation Parent Counselled as day and night I have done and by which means I am at length come to the desired Haven towards which I have been long rowing And though by the way I have had many a fall down into the deep yet I ever rose upon this Text * MAT. XII XL And my Antagonists being Answered upon this even firm sound ground I Stand * MAT. XII XL and from this Opinion I shall Never depart while I Live except Christ comes from Heaven and declares me deceived ¶ Having set the Sabbath upon its own Base or rather shewed you where GOD hath set it Praest at pauca avidè discere quam multa cum taedio devorare Erasmus and on what Foundation he hath Bottomed its Beginning and as I hope settled you upon that Foundation I shall for your profitable practice Drop a few Directions for the Sabbath Day and so dismisse you ¶ 1 Remember the Sabbath day before it comes to Prepare for it 1 Direct Memento and let none of yours remember it to Prophane it If you forget or neglect the Sabbath you lose it and let it fall If the Sabbath falls Sin and Satan too rises to your Ruine REMEMBEâ— is a word of THUNDER Remember the Sabbath is Never to be forgot while the World stands A Popish Opinion Popish writers say There was no Sabbath before Sinai but the Sabbath came in with the First man and must go out with the Last man REMEMBER Prepare Simile If a great man was to come to your House you would make great preparation REMEMBER the Great GOD is to come this day to your Heart Lift up your heads O ye Gates c. and the King of Glory shall come in †Ps 24.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuag The Septuagint Title of this Psalm shews it to be A psalm for a Sabbath ¶ 2 Begin the Sabbath when the Sabbath begins i e at Even 2 Direct End the work of the precèdent day when the day ends i e at Even If you care not when you Begin the Sabbath peradventure God will not care when you End it nor how unprofitably you Spend it ¶ 3 Rise early in the morning 3 Direct Sleep not away the Sabbath so you may sleep away Salvation and the Soul Be not Sleeping when you should be Praying Pray him to give Blessing to the Sabbath who gave Being to the Sabbath Let the body be early Up and the heart early Ope. Before you rise count Christ is calling as to Zacheus viz Make hast and come down UP for to day I must abdie at thy house * Lu. 19.5 ¶ 4 Be not slothfull in duty on the Sabbath day 4 Direct The sluggard is Satans Cushen Simile Come not to a Sermon to be a Seat for Satan to sit on Satan entered Jâ—â—â—s Simile at Supper-time into idle souls at Sermon time The Sabbath is a day of Merchandise for the Soul †Better than of Silver and Gold Idlenesse is Never good nor Ever so had as on Sabbath-dayes Some had rather sweat their browes Six dayes for the Body than their brains One day for the Soul Do your duty on this day or you do nothing and do every duty in Season You cry O the Times we must hear comfortable Doctrine to strengthen our Faith In vain is comfortable Doctrine without conformable Life A Christian weakens his Faith more by a Sin than a Minister can strengthen it by a Sermon ¶ 5 Be spiritual in every duty on the Sabbath day 5 Direct In order to This be spiritual on Other dayes He that is carnal Six dayes is not like to be spiritual One day Be not content with outward expressions and actions without inward affections not with the Body of duty without the Soul of duty not with the Gift without the Grace of duty ¶ 6 Beware of your own Works 6 Direct Do nothing but of necessity viz what you cannot do the day before nor forbear till the day following e g To quench Fire To stop Water †Sea-bank breaches To save the life of Man or Beast To move Malt To gather and save Saffron In such case we break the Sabbath except we break it But do these Spiritually and with Speedy dispatch ¶ 7 Beware of your own Words 7 Direct What may not be Done may not be Said or talked of Talk not of News except necessary This discourse eats as a Canker Simile and hath eat out the Life of Religion long ago We talk much of the Papal Plot as if we were well acquainted with it but this Part of the Plot we are ignorant of viz Satans design to make us talk away our Time till we talk our selves down the Stream Simlie like the Fool whose lips swallow up himself †Eccless 10.12 If men were acquainted with their ignorance of God they would think all their time too little to talk of God ¶ 8 Take heed of your own Thoughts 8 Direct By them many break the Sabbath and few know it What men do Openly or speak Audibly is seen and heard by men but a man may think Ang thing Every thing and all men know Nothing but God knows all The body tongue or hand may be bound up from sin and the heart Bent for it against God Such secret Sabbath breakers are reserved in Store for the day of Wrath. ¶ 9 Be sorry for the sins of Sabbath dayes Sigh and Cry 9 Direct for all the abominations that abound on Sabbath dayes God groans under them if you are at ease while God is pressed God will take no pleasure in your Rest ¶ 10 Be acquainted with the emptinesse of Religion 10 Direct without a due observation of the Sabbath day The 4. command for a Sabbath is called Gustos primae tabulae keeper of the first table the 5 command for honour of Parents is called Custos secundae tabulae keeper of the second table He that keeps not the 4 command is locked out of the First table and is like to do GOD no Service he that keeps not the 5 command is shut out of the Second table and is like to do Man none well but to be Abominable and Disobedient and to Every good work Reprobate * Tit. 1.16 That these Drops may Water Epilogue c make Better LORD put Life to every Line and Letter Fath. That his may be as you do Say I will go hasten home and Pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ERRATA Pag 13 lin 25 for bitternesse read bitternesses Pag 19 lin 22 for Low read Law Pag 37 lin 24 for plentitudinem read plenitudinem Pag 136 lin 17 for full Horrour read full of Horrour
affinity with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To repeat which signifies the Word Cuts and Pierces by Frequent Repition An Edge-Tool is Whet by many Motions and Rubs upon the Whet-Stone and the Stone made Bright thereby So is the Word Sharpened Simile and the Heart Brighten'd and Quickned by Frequent Repition But this requires Discretion i e so to whet as to set an Edge On and not whet it Off again in which work wisdom is profitable to direct †Ecl. 10.10 She openeth her mouth with Wisdom and in her tongue is the Law of Kindnesse * Pro. 31.26 A law hath Force and Power to prevail So words spoken with Wisdome The words of the Wise are as Goads †Ecl. 12.11 they will Prick and as Nails fastened then is a Word well Driven when it Nails the Heart to God Do not Do and Undo as you will if you Overdo Children must not be over-Driven Let my Lord pass over before and I will lead on Softly as the Children be able to endure * Gen. 33.14 Then shall the Lambs feed after their Manner †Isa 5.17 N B. Children well educated have Two Titles in the Bible to teach Parents the Necessity of Frequent Instruction with Discretion 1 Arrows * Psal 127.4 Will a Knotty Crooked Stick be made a Straight Arrow with ease without Work and Art 2 Pollished Stones †Psa 144.12 Will Rough Rocky Cragged Stones become Smooth Pollished Stones sit for a Princes Palace without Pains and Skill in Paring and Hewing No nor some With it neither who after Hewn are Slain as fit for nothing but Slaughter * Ho. 6.5 It s sad when the sword comes to contemn the Rod †Ezrk. 22.13 The Rod is to Convert and Save The Sword to Kill and Damn When the sword does it's Work it contemns the Rod because that did not Do it's Work But Frequent Instructions are Frequently Effectual The waters wear the Stones * Job 14.19 How so If a Flood fall on a Flint at Once it wears it not but it's falling by a Drop at once Does it Gutta cavat lapidem The soft drop hollows the hard Stone i e by falling from the Eaves of an House off the End of a Straw Thus words Frequently falling from Parents Mouths upon Childrens Hearts Smal Acts continued will produce Great Effects Seventh Circum 7. The End to Which Children are Educated viz That Children may be Converted and Saved Soul and Body from Hell to Heaven That Parents may be Satisfied and Comforted in them in Life and Death That God may be Served and Glorified by them And They Glorified with GOD for Evermore So much of the Circumstances of Education Fath. If my Children be willing to hear and learn Instruction how shall I Carry it to them Min. If your Children deserve Praise Pray let them have it i e So much as will encourage them to Be and Do better Not too Much I pray Praise may soon Spoil Caution As the fining pot for Silver and the furnace for Gold so is a man to his Praise †Pro. 27.21 i e so is a mans Praise to Him The fining pot and furnace Try the silver and Gold Simile and discover the Drosse so a mans Praise will Try what mettal he is made of it will discover his drosse i e Pride Vanity Levity A man can neither be too Worthy nor too Wary of Praise Fath. How if All the good Instruction I can give them hath No good Operation upon them Min. If Words will not Work try what Tears will do Go King Edwards way to Work viz K. Edw. the 6th When he could not prevail against Cranmer and Ridley with Arguments he Wept he fell a Crying and then they were overcome Tears are Crying Words Crying Words heard as High as Heaven the Lord hath heard the voice of my Weeping * Psal 6.8 Tears have Piercing Tongues One would think the Tears of a Father should break a Heart of Flint Fath. How if Crying Words will not work on the Hearts of my Children Min. Then try what Dying Words will do when That Day Comes Dying Words Leave Dying Words behind you to work when You are Dead Dying Words may be Living Words by which you may speak when Dead as Abel Did †Heb. 11.4 Gather your Children about you Death-Bed as Jacob did Jacob called unto his Sons and said Gather your selves and hear ye sons of Jacob and hearken to Israel your Father * Gen 49.1 q d Come my Dear Children Hear the words of your Dying Father But Do not defer any one Dayes Duty till your Dying Day A Dying Dayes work is a Great Dayes work of it Self without any work that layes Behind It 's the Greatest Dayes work of All the Dayes of a mans Life Die a little word a great work The Word Die is but Small but the Work Die is Great Besides should you defer your Duty till you come to Die your Children will think you want Sleep and and are Light-Headed your talk being unusual and strange and so will not regard your words Do your Duty Daily while you Live that when you come to Die you may say to your Children as Mr. Bolton said to his when he was Dying viz None of you will Dare to meet me out of Christ in the Judgement Day Now let us come to the Second General Head viz Correction But Do you not See One of your Sons hath given us the Slip. Pray Recall him quickly Fath. HO Sirrah Whither go You Come again quick I charge you Come not near that Coach there You Jackanapes will you Offer it I would fain see that Ay Do I would you Durst Min. OH Good Lord have merey on these Poor Children Parent corrected What words are here from a Father to a Child Sirrah Jackanapes Atat Papae Apage OH Alas Out upon it I would fain see that Do I would you Durst What is the Childs Disobedience desirable to the Father Consequently the Childs Damnation in Hell is desirable Under the Law the disobedient Child was stoned to Death under the Gospel is Damned to Hell Now I come to Direct you to Correct your Children it appears you need Correction your Self Fath. Why does he Anger me then I use to speak so in my Anger I cannot Help it I mean him no Hurt Min. Why does he Anger me I thought I had been Speaking to a Man all this while Because your Son is a Child You will be So too Because He angers You You will anger GOD. I use to speak so OH How do you Accuse your self by this Excuse By this Reply when a man is Accused of a Sin he Accuses himself of a Thousand more to clear One and all that Aggravates that One. If I should ask such a man Friend why do you Swear I am used to it I cannot Help it it 's an old Custom from my Cradle This
of Mercy for the Wicked * Rev. 14.10 It 's a mixture of Mercy and Judgment for the Godly And it is to be feared God will come Down with his Cup and give England a Vomit to make it Spew out its Inhabitants for their Abominations viz This Smoking Sin Drunkenness Adultery Fornication Theft Covetousness Cursing Swearing Lying Whoring Sabbath-breaking Sodomy Buggery Blasphemy Perjury Pride Deceit Malice Envy Hypocrisie Treachery Tyranny Idolatry Popery False Oaths by Baal and Malcham †Jer. 12.16 Zeph. 1.5 Covenant breaking Contempt of God his Word and Wayes Formality without Efficacy in Christianity Against All which I Testifie for GOD He that Heareth let him Hear and he that Forbeareth let him Forbear * Ezek. 3.27 Fath. I perceive you have done with Tabacco Object 14 and I will try if I can bid it Adiev But what do you say of Poor Parents who do not thus consume their Time Yet want time to Educate their Children because Bodily businesse spends it all I have heard T A say All his time is too Little to get a living for his childrens Bodies though he Never spend any of his time about their Souls Min. As to your repeated Plea for the Poor I say Parents Poverty is an Argument for Industry for the Soul and Diligence not for Negligence q d We are poor among Men and so we are like to Live and Die Come let us labour that We and our Poor Children may be Rich toward GOD. Thus Earthly Poverty should provoke Parents to procure Heavenly Riches Christs Precept should Drive them to it Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Promise should Draw them to it these things shall be added †Mat 6.33 Simile As the Seller gives in the Paper when the Parcel is Purchased Let them make Sure of Heaven and trust God for Earth in a way of Duty and Industry Godlinesse hath the promise of This life 1 Tim 4.8 and before the Godly shall want Mercies GOD will work Miracles If this will not Do I would say to T A Thou Wretch who art thou Born and bound to obey God or the Devil Let them who are so full of Bodily businesse that they are necessitated to neglect the Soul A sinfull necssity Consider 1 Is not necessity Voluntary do not I Choose to overcharge my self with businesse am not I carried into it by a Covetous Mind after Much Gain If SO let them expect it to End as the Act of Esops covetous Dog Esop's fable of the Dog who swimming over a River by Moon-shine catched at the Shadow of the meat in his own Mouth and So lost ALL. But 2 If necessity be Providential and a man be Very Poor or unavoidably involved in abundance of businesse let him be Humbled under it and lay it to Heart as a Sad Case and Pray and Implore God about it q d OH Good Lord what a Judgment am I under shall I be under a Necessity to neglect the One thing Necessary A Sad necessity shall I and mine be under a necessity So to Labour for our Bodies as to Lose our Souls LORD Help or Behold we Die we Die Eternally †Nu. 17.12 And who knows how Prevalent prayer may be for Liberty from such a Necessity and Misery Fath. I perceive you slight All Objections against the Education of Children and so I shall adde no more Min. I do so Utterly And shall do so whosoever be the Opposer All Ob rejected viz Parent Professor Preacher Apostle or Angel And do count them All as Dirt not deserving a Word in Answer And I did think to have given No other answer to All yours Nor would I but to clear your Way to this Good Work Fath. Now it seems our discourse is at End Min. No if So it will not end well Fath. Sit you Silent then go on to the end Min. To what end or purpose except what is Past took more Place Fath. Solomon saith He that observeth the Wind shall not Sowe * Ecl. 11.4 Min. Well said Then I will Sowe On. But if you receive not the Seed into good Ground and bring not forth fruit well it will be Worse for you and Yours too Yea Wo to you if counsel be Well given To you and Ill taken By you Fath. I will take it as well as I can Min. Seeing you promise so Fair Advice Civil Secular I will proceed to give you some Advice of a Civil Secular Temporal concern This is implyed In and a part Of Education proposed to be spoken unto as the Subject and Sum of our discourse Fath. Pray do so I much desire to hear that Min. This will have some respect to Spirituals as Spiritual advice hath respect to Temporals For by reason of the Union of Soul and Body Good advice for the Soul respects the Good of the Body and Good advice for the Body respects the Good of the Soul This advice I shall deliver in these 12 Documents First Docu 1. Learning Give your children Learning Let them that Can take Cato's Counsel Instrue praeceptis animum nec discere cesses Nam sine doctrinâ vita est quasi mortis imago With learning store thy mind cease not to learn Without it none can life from death discern ¶ At least learn them to read their Own Language Well Some Persons by their Parents negligence can look on a Bible to No more Purpose then to look on a Blank or a Block A sad case The Bible is a Sealed Book when it layes Open before their Eyes It 's as in an Unknown Tongue in their Own Language It 's translated into English and some English men can No more read it then if it was Still in Hebrew and Greek The Blessed Bible contains a Thousand Letters of Gods good will and mind to Man And though all of Infinite concern yet Some men Never read one of them All while they live They that can be content with This their Sleep is Deep and their Hearts are Dead yea Harder then either Flint Adamant or the nether Milstone Second As soon as children are Capable of it Docu 2. Employment Let them be some way well Employed Idlenesse is the hour of Temptation to Destruction While the little Bird is in action Embleme hopping from Bush to Bush it is Safe but when it sits Still it is soon Shot to Death Idlenesse is a time of Temptation to evil Action And because children are not well Employed they Give and Take much Mischief All persons Poor and Rich are to be well set a Work That the Poor must work I need not tell you But Great Augusstus great Augustus Caesar set his daughters to Spin and Card and ware no Garments but what They made him Rich Rebekah it seems was a Rare Cook †Gen. 27. 9 And her mother Sarah * Gen. 18.6 And Tamar the Kings Daughter †2 Sam. 13.6 They had
Double destruction Body and Soul both at once An evil Counseller As evil as the Devil will speak Death in at the Ear as the DEVIL at first did Evil Counsel is enough to bring the KING of a Nation to Confusion and Destruction I have read of a king A Kings Confession who confessed at his Execution that such Evil Instruments brought him to the Block Evil discourse Infects How oft is Death Blown into Souls by an Infectious Breath Seventh Docu 7. Restraint Take heed of allowing them too much Liberty to wander abroad upon Pleasure Dinah must go Gadding to see the daughters of the Land and she comes home Deslowed †Gen. 34.1 And much more mischief follows Simeon and Levi in their cursed anger Kill their Confederates whom they had Coozened into a Covenant * Ver. 25. And it was a wonder that Damsels walk did not end in the Destruction of Jacob and his House as he feared †Ver. 30. I may say to you as Paul bid the Colossians say to Archippus viz Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord that thou fulfill it * Col. 4.17 Every parent is an Archippus who hath received a Ministry of the Lord in Charge for children Archippus is a Greek word which signifies A governour of horses Children are Wild Colts †Job 11.12 who when grown Head-strong will not regard the crying of the driver * Job 39.7 ¶ Sir you should seriously consider what a Roaring Lyon the Devil is †1 Pet. 5.8 and how diligently he deviseth to Devour your children And that it 's not your Own conversion that will prove their preservation from Temporal or Eternal destruction but Their godly education God hath sworn that Noah Daniel and Job shall deliver neither Son nor Daughter by their Own righteousnesse * Ezek. 14.20 It 's not parents imputative righteousnesse for Justification nor inherent righteousnesse for Sanctification that will Save their children But it 's their righteousnesse in Conversation viz Godly Education by which they must become their Saviours It 's not the Conversion of a Father nor of an Emperour that can secure a poor child from Satan the Devourer And therefore a Child was he who cryed out for joy at the Emperours conversion O! the Emperour is a Christian q d Emperour Now we shall have Halcion dayes a Heaven upon Earth To whom a wiser person thus replyed But the DEVIL is not a Christian yet And so long as he is not Converted nor Confined to the bottomlesse pit Christians must look for No lesse mischief then he can do Them and Theirs too He will go to the End of his Bounds to a Hairs Breadth 〈◊〉 And here let me adde this Caution Caution 〈◊〉 â—hen your children are under Convictions enquire into Satans Temptations For if once the children be come to the Birth it will be on the Devils part a day of Rebuke and Blasphemy †2 Kin. 19.3 Rebuke to Conviction Convertion Faith Hope Prayer q d It 's too Soon thou art too Young or too Good to need such a Change Or it s too Late thou art too Old and too Wicked to be saved Blasphemy by such suggestions from SATAN against GOD CHRIST the Spirit of grace that the foul may think Unpardonable The Sum of all which is 1 to make a soul Secure and Presume on salvation Without conversion or 2 to drive a soul to Despair of salvation With conversion Eight Docu 8. Examination Take an Acount of your childrens Practices Purposes Pretences Even a Child is known by his Doings whether his work be pure and whether it be right * Pto. 20.11 The neglect of this Duty had like to lost David's Life Absalom intends Rebellion and he pretends Religion I pray thee let me go and pay my Vow which I Vowed to the Lord in Hebron †2 Sam. 15.7 And the King said Go in peace * Ver. 9. Poor David Ah pitifull reply David should have Sifted the businesse about q d How now what Vow a Vow to the Lord and defer to pay it for 40 Years †Ver. 7. what fiery Fit is this you are fallen into how comes it to passe you are Now so conscionable who have been So long carelesse Had David been Considerate Absaloms design had been Frusâ—â—â—â—â— But David makes No more to do Go in peace q d Absalom is in a Very good mind I hope he will Now be a Comfort to me A way goes Absalom to make War with his father This turns David's Tune his Harp into mourning * Job 30.31 Behold my Son which came forth of my bowels seeks my Life †2 Sam. 16 11. And besides Absalom's Death and David's Dolorous Grief this causes a Slaughter of Twenty Thousand men That Phrase hath Too much foundation In nomine Domini incipit omne malum Ninth Docu 9. Partiality Take heed of fond Partiality It 's of evil Consequence It sets that Root which bears Gall * Deu. 29.18 And sets children together by the Ears And makes them Murder one another e g Isaac loved Esau but Rebekah loved Jacob †Gen. 29.28 Isaac called Esau HIS son * Ch. 27.1 and Rebekah spake to Jacob HER son †Ver. 6. Esau was Isaacs boy Jacob was Rebekahs boy What is the fruit of this parental partiality even Esau's Partiality and Enmity to his Father Mother and Brother Esau hated Jacob q d He hath All my mothers heart she hath None for Me and I will have as little for Her The dayes of mourning for my father are at hand then will I Slay my brother Jacob * Ver. 41. q d Not while my loving Father lives to grieve him but when he is Dead and my mother under Dolour I will Double it by my brothers Murder She thinks Birth-right and Blessing and All too little for him but he shall not Long enjoy it nor She him At Esau's threat Jacob flees for his Life yet takes not Warning but loves Joseph more than All his children †Gen. 37.3 For which Love his brethren Hate him conspire to Slay him and Sell him into Egypt to his fathers Sorrow And Gods Providence in this will not justifie Jacobs inordinate Affection nor his sons evil Action N B. Children can quarrell Too soon of their own Heads though parents set them not together by the Ears e g. Two Brothers walked abroad in a Star-light night Said A A Sad Story Would I had a Pasture as large as this Element Said B. Would I had as many Oxen as there be Stars Said A Mr Jer Burroughs and Camerarius Where would you feed them all Said B In your Pasture A What whether I will or no B Yes whether you will or no. A What in Spight of me B Yes in Spight of you And thus from Words to Blows till they Sheathed their Swords in each others
a father may be a Motive to duty The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A father comes of the Root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he willed desired of the fathers affection to his children which doth Naturally descend to them with desire after their welfare If not Thus a man deserves not the Name of a father They who have been instruments to bring children into a State of Condemnation and care not to bring them into a State of Salvation are these Parents shall Paul travail in birth till Christ be formed in Christians * Gal. 4.19 and be so concerned as to wish himself accursed from Christ for his Kindred †Rom. 9.3 shall Ministers do their utmost to Save children shall the Devil do his utmost to Damn them and shall their own father that Begat them and their mother that Bare them carry it as if they care not whether they are brought forth for a Saviour or a Murderer and are these Parents Monstrum Horrendum NB. Neglect of duty to a Child to humour an angry Wife had like to cost Moses his Life for the Lord sought to Kill him * Exo. 4.24 Let carelesse parents have a Care God do not kill them Quite And let Parents hear themselves spoken to in these Texts Keep this man if by any means he be missing then thy Life shall be for his Life †I K. 20.39 If he Die in his iniquity his Blood will I require at thy hand * Ezek. 3.18 They that are under Such words abroad without Shelter and do not hear it Thunder are very Dull of hearing Second The childs tears at it's Birth Coroll 2. Childs Tears may he a Motive for parents to Pity and Duty These tears seem to Presage its Sorrow The poor child seems to cry to see into what a Stormy Sea it is Lanched in danger to be Swallowed up Soul and Body at once Or to see upon what a Shore of trouble it's Landed to wander in a wildernesse of Wo among wild beasts of Prey Yea so Cruel are the Devils Creatures that poor children are in danger of their Death before their Birth Cruel cruelty The cruel Claws of these wild Beasts sometimes tare the Young out of the Womb before they are Born * Am. 1.13 and the Old out of the Tomb after they are Buried †Ch. 2.1 Third Coroll 3. Childs Dead state The dead condemned State children are Born in and are in till Born again It is a Dead Life between the first and second Birth One passing by the house of a Sinful Sluggard said Here lies not lives Such a One. A natural life is a kind of a Lifelesse Worthlesse life The old youngman A strange Epitaph An old man converted a little before his Death would have this Epitaph on his Tomb Here lies a very Old Man of 3 years old Barlaam being asked how old he was said 45. Said the other Thou seemest to be 70. Yea said Barlaam if you reckon ever since I was Born but I do not Count the time I spent in Sin Lay this Dead Life to Heart Suppose you had a child condemned to Die yet so as there remains a possibility to procure a Pardon The execution hour is concealed in the Kings own breast It may be the child hath Ten Dayes to live it may be not Two Hours How would you bestir you in Such Case how restlesse Night and Day till your poor childs Pardon is procured except Jehoram-like you were bereav'd of Bowels †2 Chron. 21.19 and had not the least Pity left in you This is your childrens Case if unconverted As after the Sentence a malefactor is a Dead man so before the Second birth a child is a Dead child i e Sentenced and Condemned to be Hanged and Burned and Racked in Hell And peradventure you are driving on designs to procure Portions and not Pardons OH Miserable man to morrow may be thy Son or thy Daughters Damning day And if Once the secret set time be Out the poor child is Haled away into Endlesse Wo. Fourth Your condemned child Coroll 4. Supposed sad sense is also to be supposed under a Sad Sense of it's condemned condition Suppose you should Act as if as Insensible of it as a parent is of a childs Soul condemned state And at your Return in the evening after all the trifling Turns you take in a day your poor child should Quaere with a Sad Countenance Father where have you Been to day Here and There about This and That OH Father what have you not been with the King to day and do not know but I may be Hanged to morrow And as you sit Idleing Sleeping or Smoking in the house GOOD Lord father will you sit Thus and let me be Hanged What a Cutting consideration is This OH how Common is it for children to be in a Soul-condemned condition and will parents who professe to believe it Pipe and Pot and Prate away their time while their children stand on the brink of Everlasting Burnings will they take their Recreation while their children are under Condemnation near that execution and End to perish for Ever the Plague of Pharoh is upon such parents hearts WHAT Faith have such in Gods word what Life is in their faith the faith of DEVILS exceeds a Dead faith * Jam. 2.19 Fath. It is very Sad to consider a child in such Case Min. Very SAD in so saying you say Nothing It 's most Deplorable and Lamentable enough to make a mercifull man wish his head Waters and his eyes a fountain of Tears to weep Day and Night for children so Dismally miserable †Jer. 9.1 And its matter of mourning to think how Few Tears fall into Gods Bottle upon this account Fift Coroll 5. The inhumanity and cruelty of such carelesse parents Cruelty They are said to be more Savage than Sea-Monsters for even They draw out the breast and give such to their Young * Lam. 4.3 but these Men-Monsters are like the Ostriches in the wildernesse with a 7-fold Similitude 1 The Ostrich is between an unclean hatefull Bird and a Beast hath part of Both Ostrich defined but No part of Man as the Meraid hath A sad Character for a father 2 Faith outwardly with feathers †Job 39.13 So is a foul Pharisaical father 3 She is Proud What time she lifteth up her self on High she Scorneth the Horse and his Rider * Ver. 18. 4 She is Foolish because God hath deprived her of wisdom †Ver. 17. In danger she hides her Head and then thinks No body sees Her because She sees no body Man thinks he is Safe because he sees not God Man Cannot see he Will not see and then sayes God Shall not see * Psal 94.7 5 She is forgetfull of the great concern She leaveth her egges in the earth and forgetteth that the foot may Crush them or that the wild
to a Sick person at point of death who Can and Will cure him on Free-cost for which the Sick will Love him when he is Well ¶ 3 The Jews under this Legal Thunder were prone to put themselves under the hot Bolts of it to avoid the Stroke of it to run upon the Flaming Sword for Shelter from Slaughter As many as are of the works of the Law are under the Curse †Gal. 3.10 and yet under it they would run with their daily Dialect viz What shall we do * Act. 2.37 Sirs what must I do to be Saved †Ch. 16.30 So do we under Conviction without special Direction ¶ 4 They that are under a C G by which they are saved without Works are under a holy Covenant of good works N B. In a Covenant between God and man God Requires and man Consents God requires Holinesse of Life man consents to it else no Conversion This holy Covenant the Jews were and we are under God required them to be holy Ye shall be holy for I the Lord your God am holy * Lev. 19.2 they consent All that the Lord hath said will we do and be obedient †Exo. 24.7 i e Christian duties under a C G. This covenant Christians are â—ow under Gods command to the Jews was Be ye holy * Lev. 20.7 it is the same to us Peter pleads the same Precept be ye holy in all manner of conversation because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy †1 Pet. 1.16 N B. The Matter of this covenant was Proposed when the law was Delivered the ten commandments are called the Words of the Covenant * Exo. 34.27 28. but the covenant is not Made till we be Converted till we cordially Consent Adam brought us into a C W and under the Curse of it Jesus Christ brings us into a C G and under the Blessings of it but we must bring our Selves into this Covenant i e it must be our voluntary Act yet Gods Work God putteth this Cry into the hearts of Converts viz Come and let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a Perpetual Covenant †Jer. 50.5 ¶ 5 This holy Life must spring from a holy Heart which God doth not only Require and Command but also Promise to effect in the Elect both Jew and Gentile Take some instances both of Precepts and Promises Circumcise thy heart * Den. 10.16 there is the Precept thy God will circumcise thine heart †Ch. 30.6 here is the Promise Cleanse your hands * Jam. 4.8 there is the Precept I will cleanse you †Ezek. 36.25 here is the Promise Make you a new heart * Ch. 18.31 there is the Precept A new heart also will I give you †Ch. 36.26 here is the Promise ¶ 6 This Covenant the Jews were apt to break and so are we They have broken the everlasting Covenant * Isa 24.5 Heb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the covenant of Eternity everlasting for all ages a covenant of eternity i e Gods decree for a holy conversation is as Ancient as Election he hath chosen us before the foundation of the world that we should be holy †Eph. 1.4 For ever O Lord thy Word is setled in Heaven * Psal 119.89 This word and covenant Christians break by Sin for which God breaks them by Sorrow for though we fail God he will not fail us Some will contrary to God keep it as a C W to be Saved or else cast it quite off and so be Damned ¶ 7 The carnal Jews at length were utterly rejected for their Sins but the spiritual Jews were Saved though in their sins there was in a Sense a continuance †Isa 64.5 I will NO more have mercy upon the house of Israel but I will Vtterly take them away but I will have mercy upon the house of Judah and I will save them by the Lord their God * Ho. 1.6 7. Thus those of Us that are not Christians indeed it will come to passe that God will No more have mercy on such no not so much as a drop of water to cool the Tongue in Hell fire but they that are sincerely Sanctified shall certainly be Saved Thus we are under the Law as the Jews were Fath. How are we Not under the law as the Jews were Q Min. The universal Body of the Jews were by Divine constitution a National Church a Sacred Society under a C G thus was never any Nation but they What one Nation in the Earth is like thy people even like Israel whom God went to redeem for a people to himself †2 Sam. 7.23 ¶ 2 They were under the Primitive Publick immediate ministry of the Law on Mount Sinai thus no other people ever was he sheweth his word unto Jacob his Statutes and judgments to Israel he hath not dealt SO with any Nation * Psal 147.19 20. To them were committed the Oracles of God †Ro. 3.2 to them the Adoption and the Glory and the Covenants the giving of the Law the service of God and the Promises * Ch. 9.4 They were under the immediate ministry of God himself Ye have seen that I have talked with you from Heaven †Exo. 20.22 The Lord talked with you Face to Face in the Mount out of the midst of the Fire * Deu. 5.4 Ask from the One side of Heaven to the Other whether there hath been any such thing †Ch. 4.32 ¶ 3 They were under an Engagement to keep Gods Commandments different from us viz 600000. delivered at once their deliverance from Egyptian bondage was Litteral and Universal their whole Body being about Six hundred thousand men were all brought out * Exo. 12.37 they left not an Hoof behind †Ch. 10.26 But our deliverance from Egyptian bondage is Mystical and Particular and comparatively it is but a smal Part of us Gentiles who are thus Redeemed ¶ 4 The Jews were under the M L as accompanied with the C L. If they sinned against the M L they must to their Ceremonial Sacrifices of sin-offerings And they must pray in or towards the Temple such a Place They must confesse sin over the head of the Scape Goat these were Types of Christ by whom they were to be forgiven By reason of these Ceremonial Shadows elements rudiments tutours and governours fit to teach the Church by in it's Minority the Apostle compares them to Children * Gal. 4.1 3 Col. 2.17 20. q d in their A B C or in their Accidence ¶ 5 The Jews were under the Law as preached Clearly and under the Gospel as preached Darkly The O T was a clear Law and a dark Gospel In the O T the N T was vailed in the N T the O T is revealed And upon this account They are said to be under the Law and We are said to be under the Gospel
alike in Christ none in the Christian N B A mans own personal righteousnesse for Justification is to be rejected and abhorred by Mr A's rule righteousnesse for Sanctification of heart and Holinesse of life is to be abhorred too Desperate Doctrine and not a Dram of grace suffered to be in the Soul What then is an Antinomian better than a Babylonian who is the habitation of Devils and the hold of every foul spirit and a cage of every unclean and hatefull bird †Rev. 18.2 The next time you see Mr A pray give him this short Sentence viz He that hath Justification without Sanctification shall surely have it without Salvation Fath. I told Mr A of his loose life and he said Faith was greater than Holinesse Min. Greater or lesser they are linked together the one is not without the other Faith without works is no more alive than the Body is alive without the Soul * Ja. 2.26 What does Mr A think to be saved by faith without fruit faith with froth and filth faith that makes void the Law weigh such faith and the faith of Devils together and you will soon see which is the lighter That faith which hath not obedience to the Law for its fruit I deny That gospel which is without Law a Lawlesse gospel I disown as another gospel the preacher of which I count accursed though he comes as an Angel from Heaven †Gal. 1.8 Fath. If I plead with Mr A for a holy life he tells me Faith can do that for me which Holinesse cannot do for me Min. And Holinesse can do that for you which Faith cannot do for you e g Suppose you have faith and fall into some sin what shall be your defence from the word of reproof and reproach which is as an arrow shot out * Ps 64.3 Jer. 9.8 will you say I have faith I believe in Christ your faith and you will be abhorred together But if you live holy and be faisely accused you have a Breast-plate of righteousnesse to defend you from these Darts †Eph. 6.14 N B. As faith justifies before God which works cannot do so works justifie before men which Faith cannot do Fath. If Mr A heard you he would count you ignorant of Christ and the Gospel Min. Mr A and Mr B too have their liberty to come and try whether they or I can produce and declare 1 The greatest sense of Sin Gods wrath Hell and Eternity 2 The clearest sight of the emptinesse of Self-righteousness 3 The greatest and sweetest comfort and assurance of Salvation by Christ Or 4 The greatest love to the Lord Jesus to his Person now in Heaven Fath. It seems you have not got Gospel-Notions without Convictions as Mr A hath But some Ministers which are not called Antinomians preach nothing but the Doctrine of Justification by believing I wonder at them Min. That you wonder at such is no wonder for such are Pieces of preachers if I saw a piece of a man in a pulpit I should wonder with you It seems by such that there are hundreds of Texts in the holy Scriptures which stand for Cyphers If a Minister tell men only what God hath done for them and not what they must do for God their neighbour and themselves how does he declare the whole councel of God * Act. 20 27. Is a man born to do nothing but believe what strange trade is this whether such workmen do half their work is a hard Question Such preachers and hearers are like to have their work to do in the grave where it will never be done †Ecl. 9.10 And how much Blood such Ministers will go Off under the guilt of God only knows for their not informing men of the C W which they are under by nature under the Gospel will I doubt not occasion the damnation of Thousands of Souls in this City Fath. They say The grace of God teacheth men to deny ungodlinesse * Tit. 2.12 Min. True it 's therefore a sign their single way of preaching the Gospel is not blessed for the reception of that grace seeing their hearers deny not ungodlinesse Fath. What may be the Reason why such Ministers do not preach the Law Min. 1 A foolish fond affection for the Title of a N T Minister Gospel Minister 1 R. Preacher of Free grace They are afraid of the Title Legal as if the word Law which God hath magnified and made so honourable would dishonour them ¶ 2 A man-pleasing spirit 2 R. loth to displease love of the praise of men more than the praise of God * Joh. 12.43 Men will praise them that please them with fine stories of Gods favour concealing his displeasure instead of shewing them their foul faces in the clear glasse of God's Law They like not to give occasion for this Reflection viz. What have I to do with thee O thou man of God art thou come to call my Sin to remembrance †1 Kin. 17.18 ¶ 9 Ignorance of the necessity of preaching Gospel Duty to the godly 3 R. Such preachers see not the Duty of the gospel as necessary to be preached as the Doctrine of the gospel They fill the Head with gospel Notions but doth Heart and Hand are empty of good Operations Some write whole Volumes of Notions to Blaze abroad their Notion which Occasionally will but treasure up wrath for Writer and Reader if Practice prevent not ALAS Alas the lamentable neglect of Duty and barrennesse of Life is not laid to Heart To inform Christians of their duty to direct excite provoke them to it is no small part of the work of a preacher by the want of which Christians are almost in all evil in the midst of the Congregation * Pro. 5.14 ¶ 4. Ignorance of the necessity of a Law-ministry to awaken sleepy Sinners 4 R. and make them sound Saints by warning them to flee from the curse of the Law to Christ Such gospel Ministers understand not how many of their Hearers are asleep in their Sins under their gospel Sermons with all their Notions and what to be warned with Thunder and Lightning to flee from Hell whither they are hasting with a lie in their right hand †Isa 44.20 Fath. It seems by these Reasons the effects of neglect of preaching the Law are Sad. Min. SAD yes and very sinfull as for instance in each of the ten commandments It s because the First commandment is not preached that there is so much monstrous Idolatry among men Men make gods of Devils of Men of Beasts of Houses of Lands of Friends of Enemies of Themselves of their Bellies * Phil. 3.19 of their Wits of their Works of their Worship †Hab. 1.16 To which I may adde mens denying the very Being of God e g This last Sturbridge Fair Anno 1681 a Cambridge Scholar in discourse said I had it of him that heard it I do not