Rom. 1.17 you must enter personally into Covenant with God repent obey the Gospel your selves or else if thou be a breaker of this Gospel-Law Rom. 2.25 thy Circumcision becomes Vncircumcision i. e. thy Priviledges are made void insignificant So God reckons uncircumcised in Heart with uncircumcised in flesh Jer. 9.26 And saith they are as the Children of the Aethiopians unto him Amo. 9.7 and in the Gospel it is repeated again and again 1 Cor. 7.19 Circumcision is nothing and Uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping the commandments of God Gal. 5.6.6.15 but faith which worketh by love but a new Creature You boast of your pious Parents as the Jews once did and bear up big with being Abrahams seed alas you may be a generation of vipers Mat. 3.7 8 9. as John Baptist tells them and of your Father the Devil as our Lord saith Joh. 8.33 44. except you have the Faith and do the works of Abraham A famous Family will avail nothing without personal piety Without holiness in your hearts and lives you cannot be saved think not that God is bound and you loose the Covenant is mutual reciprocal you cannot expect the Priviledges without performing the Conditions 3. It 's an awful observation and often proves too true that if the Children of God's People turn Apostates they become the worst of men and run deeper into sin and further from God then many yea any others The Sons of good old Eli run into unparalleled wickedness 1 Sam. 2. 13 22. We have many sad instances of Cain Cham Ishmael Esau Ammon Absolom yea Solomon Rehoboam Manasseh and few recovered and with great difficulty The Tribe of Dan Jacobs Son turned Idolaters and scarce ever returned to God therefore are not reckoned amongst the Sealed ones Rom. 7. 5 8. Because they set up Micahs graven Image and it 's observable that Jonathan the Son of Gershom Moses Grandson was Priest to the Tribe of Dan and his Sons after him until the day of the captivity of the land Judg. 18.30 31. But the Heathens observe that though this Jonathan was Moses Natural Grandson by generation yet he is called Grandchild of Manasseh whom he imitated in forgetting God not of Moses as appears by lifing up a letter in the Hebrew to make it no Moses but Manasseh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He had so far degenerated that his Godly Grandfather must not be named with him Jer. 5.28 Thus Israelites are said to overpass the deeds of the wicked i. e. of Heathens Ezek. 16.47 Ezek. 5.6 yea they go beyond Sodom and her Daughters and change Gods judgments more than the Heathen The reason is clear because these sin against more Light Love Helps Means Convictions Godly Examples Good Education and therefore are justly forsaken of God and left to greater abominations Oh tremble lest this be your case 4. The Children of Godly Parents may be cast into Eternal Torments Abraham the Father of the Faithful may have an houling Son in Hell Torment Luk. 16.24 25. Mat. 8.12 The Children of the Kingdom shall be cast out into utter darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth they that would not weep penitently here must weep despairingly hereafter they that scorned rebukes from Parents must have dreadful rebukes from God and Conscience their Education was with Saints their conclusion with Devils There 's many gone to Hell with Baptismal Water on their Face Baptized Magus Act. 8.13 20 23. is like to perish with his money he was in the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity that dragg'd him to Hell Yea the damnation of such Caitiffs will be endorst with more vengeance than others the Worm of Conscience will bite harder being fed with more materials to strengthen her the Flame will be hotter having more fewel the higher men are exalted towards Heaven Mat. 11.23 and reach it not the lower do they fall to Hell and in Hell if they plead their birth-right as he that pleaded he was a Gentleman the Judge told him he should therefore have an higher Gallows or as Lord Sturton that was hanged for Murder in a silken Halter so must these well-bred persons be dealt with Luk. 12.47 the more they know of their Masters Will the more stripes are laid on them the more they glory in their priviledges the more misery in their loss and the higher their hopes the greater their disappointment these are both hypocrites and apostates whose sin and shame is more aggravated and augmented than others Mat. 24.51 Oh what flaming Faggots and scorching Oil will Parents Prayers Tears Councils Admonitions Exhortations be to dissolute young men when they shall see Parents glorified themselves condemned read Prov. 5.11 12 13. CHAP. VIII An Vse of Exhortation or Instruction THere are four sorts of persons concerned in this Text and Doctrine that may be instructed in their respective duties from it Viz. 1. Children of Uncovenanted Parents 2. Children of Covenanted Parents 3. Persons married without Children 4 Persons that have a Posterity An hint and but an hint to all these 1. There are some Children attending on God in Ordinances whose immediate Parents were not in Covenant knew not God you may lay it to heart and lament it as your infelicity but this is no bar to your entertainment with God for how can you tell but some of your remote Ancestours might be godly and if not Grace is free those that come unto him he will in no wise cast off Joh. 6.37 you may and must venture sinners of the Gentiles are grafted into the true Olive Rom. 11.24 Jud. 11.1 2 27 28. even contrary to nature that were Wild by nature so may'st thou be Jâ—phthah was a Bastard thrust out by his Brethren but received by God Be not discouraged though thou be bad Col. 3.11 Gal. 3.28 and Parents bad yet God is no respecter of Persons Barbarian Scythian all 's one in Christ Jesus Grace makes but regards no difference And if the Grace of God hath leapt over others heads to touch your hearts 1. Adore the Soveraign actings of Free-grace give God glory discriminating Grace shall have the Crown set upon its head I was doubly polluted in my Birth from first and immediate Parents Oh that God should dispense with his ancient law Deut. 23.2 that a Bastard should not enter into the Congregation of the Lord yet God hath entertained me amongst his Saints on Earth and gives me hopes of Heaven oh wonder of Grace 2. Be humble all your days and cast down in your own eyes Young professors are apt to be proud but it ill becomes you of all persons to be proud whom God hath lifted from the Dunghill to sit with Princes the Kings Children read and apply 2 Sam. 7.18 19 20. 3. Make up your Parents defect with your own diligence what time was lost in your child-hood and youth now redeem it the more ignorant your Parents
manifested you must rest satisfied in that by which God thinks fit to Glorify himself 11. Yet further say Lord if thou refuse to hear me for this or that particular Child yet I will thank thee for Free Grace expressed to another Child or more of my Children that are-hopefull God forbid that my sorrow for our Child should drown all my Comfort in another or my complaints should silence my gratitude I will praise thee for what I enjoy and hope for more Nature teacheth persons to beg a future by acknowledging a former kindness I Bless the Lord I have a Praying Obeying Child that was born as destitute of Grace as this and I humbly take this as a pledg of more Thou hast Grace enough for all my Children I will not despond but be thankfull such a Child I hope hath embraced the Covenant of God Who am I O Lord God! 2 Sam. 7.18 19 20. and what is my house That thou hast brought me hitherto And this was yet a small thing in thy sight O Lord God but thou hast spoken also of thy Servants house for a great while to come and is this the manner of man O Lord God Thou didst not owe me any thing and yet thou hast given me the best things 'T is true I have a Cain yet I have a Righteous Abel I have a Shem as well as a Cham an Isaac as well as an Ishmael a Jacob as well as an Esau a Solomon as well as an Ammon or Absalon All my Children were born in Sin and God might have suffered all to have dyed in Sin But blessed be Free-Grace that hath pluckt this or that as a brand out of the Fire God hath heard prayers and taken of my Seed to be the Lords he hath not dealt so with all Families I own this as an higher preferment for my Children then if they were the greatest princes on Earth I will be thankful for them yet jealous of them and mix my praises with prayers the heart is very deceitfull I will give God Glory yet not glory in my Children But my jealousie shall not obscure thy Glory of this mercy Ebenezer hitherto God hath helpt I will rejoyce with trembling something God hath done that I may love and praise him and be encouraged to hope for more Much is yet to do that I may still have an Errand to the Throne of Grace thus my Lord keeps me in a waiting depending posture I must have something to evidence that God is my God and an hearer of Prayer I must not have all that I may know I am on Earth and not in Heaven It may be Religion may live in my Family when I am dead and gone And if all my Seed be not happy I hope some may However God hath done my own Soul good and laid a foundation of Grace in my heart and will lay the top Stone in Glory It was a notable speech of that gracious Minister of Christ One Mr. Avery See the life of Mr. Mather p. 131. passing to New-England in a Storm at Sea expecting every wave to bring death he lift up his Eyes to Heaven and Said Lord I cannot challeng of preservation of my life but according to thy Covenant I challeng Heaven Immediatly a wave wasted him to Heaven he his Wife and five Children being then drowned and is this nothing that thou may'st with gratitude and confidence claim a Promise for thy own Salvation If it reach no farther 12. Lastly Lord notwithstanding all the discouragement I have I will Believe Hope and Pray till thou take me off by my own death or the death of my Child As I will follow on to know and love and serve the Lord whatever thou do with me so I am resolved to Pray and Hope and wait whatever thou say to me Lam. 3.26 for I am sure 't is good for a man both to hope and quietly wait for the Salvation of the Lord God is worthy waiting on even upon my Knees I cannot be in a better excercise Say then Oh my dear Lord I am a Sinfull worm have a wicked heart am of polluted lips a sinfull life I deserve not the least crum of Bread or drop of Water I have forfeited my right to all Covenants as well as common Mercys for my self and Seed I have begot a Child in my own Image not thine it is a Child of wrath by nature as well as others but thou in thy love hast made a Covenant with believers and their Seed thou hast brought me into the bond of the Covenant the like mercy I beg for mine my Child must have thine Image as well as mine or it is undone for ever and it is not in my power to convey it but thou canst My dayly errand to the throne of Grace is to beg the blessings of the Covenant of Grace to me and mine I will not go from thy door without an alms thou shalt have a troublesom guest of me till thou grant my request O remember thy word unto thy servant Psal 119.49 upon which thou hast caused me to hope Come Lord let Covenant-Grace enter into the soul of my Child which is part of my self and I will take it as done to my self if I had not the mercy I beg under a promise I durst not ask it but thou hast made thy self a debtor and I will put thy bond in suit by Faith in Prayer Thou canst not deny thine own hand writing Thou art Faithfull and wilst perform it to some and why not to me God loves such importunate beggers and our dear Lord Jesus hath propounded two parables to provoke importunity Luke 11.5 8 9.18.1.8 therefore it is not unmannerly sauciness but holy earnestness and approved impudence wherein God much delights the End thereof is not to move God to alter his purpose but that our own Souls may have the condition of thy Promise thus the Canaanitish or the Syrophenician Woman crys out for her Daughter Have mercy on me O Lord thou Son of David my Daughter is grievously vexed with a Devil Mark 7.24 25. Mat. 15.22 28. She received a first a second a third repulse but She hangs on still and will have no nay and at last obtained her suit with an high Encomium and larg grant O Woman great is thy Faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt go thou and do likewise Obj. Alas Sir but I am faithless had I Faith as that Woman had I might prevail and you say Faith in Gods Covenant is necessary for the parent but I cannot Pray in Faith for my Child and how then should I prevail Ans There is a two-fold faith General and Objective by which you believe God is able and willing to make good his Covenant doth make it good to some and would to thee if thou hadst the condition this is absolutly necessary in all that come to God and this thou hast thou art sure that Christ is able to
Mr. Baxter's Directory An Eminent Divine observes that 1. The Gospel relating matters of fact is an history 2. Declaring terms on which God will be served is a law of Grace 3. Discovering promises of Life conditionally it is Gods Covenant 4. As accepted by Man it is a mutual Covenant betwixt God and Man this Law and Covenant of Grace which was purchased by Christs Death is that legacy he left to the World dispensed by his Ambassadours and effectually conveyed to the Legatees or Heirs of Promise by his grand Executor the Holy Ghost This then is the great security of mans Salvation That God worketh in us Phil. 2.13 1 Pet. 1.5 both to will and to do that we are kept by the mighty power of God through Faith unto Salvation This is the excellency of the Gospel dispensation of the New-Covenant the Old-Covenant laid all the stress on the shoulders of mutable man and therefore it is judged that the Covenant of God made with Adam in innocency was peculiar to him in that estate and went no farther is not at all continued in any force since the Fall for if there had been a law given which could have given life then righteousness had been by the Law Gal. 3.21 but it is by the Gospel-Covenant that we are justified and saved Quest What 's all this to the purpose All this seems to be personal not relating to posterity but you told us of grounds of hope for Children from the Covenant how come Children concerned in this Covenant This leads me to the 4th Thing premised viz. What is there in the Gospel-covenant that is ground of support to Parents on the behalf of their Children I answer in general Parents and Children are legally one party and in civil contracts are usually involved in the same bottom so in the first Covenant Adam being a publick person represented all his Posterity for judgment was by one to condemnation Rom. 5.16 18. yea upon all men we smart for Adam's sin And in the Old Testament-dispensation of the Covenant Gen. 17.7 I will establish my Covenant between Me and Thee and thy Seed after thee in their Generations And afterwards in Moses days when God renewed the Covenant he saith Deut. 29.14 15. Neither with you only do I make this Covenant and this Oath with him that standeth here with us this before the Lord our God and also with him that is not here with us this day i. e. With their Posterity and so the People did understand it Deut. 5.3 The Lord made not i. e. only this Covenant with our Fathers but with us even us who are all of us here alive this day And in the New Testament the Apostle saith Act. 2.39 For the promise is unto you and to your Children this is a faedus ad successores transiens a Covenant that passeth to successors Bargains Leases Legacies may pass to Children yea Children may suffer for their Parents faults Traitors Sons lose their Fathers inheritance Now we must look upon Children under a double capacity 1. Children of Heathens or Jews Turks or Infidels 2. Children of Christian Parents concerning the former we have little to say 'T is the latter we treat of and of these also 1. Some are only by an external profession in Covenant 2. Others are sincerely savingly in Covenant with God we can say little concerning the former we insist chiefly on the latter and of both or all these 1. Some Children dye in Infancy 2. Others live to years of maturity I shall hint a word or two of the former though it be the latter that I principally design 1. For Children dying in Infancy if we had any Scripture discovery concerning the Election of all Infants or that Christ had expiated the guilt of such Infants or that effectual saving Grace doth always attend the Ordinance of Baptism though they be brought under it which yet many are not the question were quickly determined but what God doth with the Souls of such Infants we have not sufficient means to understand and therefore leave them to Gods good pleasure But concerning the Seed of those that truly fear God of one or both the Parents we have ground of hope for their Salvation for 1. They are Holy 1 Cor. 7.14 and though it be faederally or relatively holy yet may be really and so be saved 2. Our Saviour saith Mark 10.14 of such is the Kingdom of God or of Heaven Mat. 19.14 not only such as have the disposition of Children but Infants themselves may be Church-members here and glorify'd hereafter 3. Children of Godly Parents are in Covenant with God Now to Abraham and to his Seed were the promises made Gal. 3.16 natural as well as spiritual it 's true there was a Covenant of peculiarity to give his Seed the land of Canaan and it 's as true the text speaks not of Seeds but one Seed that is Christ but the Scripture affirms that in his Seed Christ yea in thee saith God shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed Gen. 12.3 for so doth the Apostle interpret and apply it Act. 3.25 Ye are the Children of the Prophets and of the Covenant which God hath made with our Fathers 4. David had good hopes that his Child was gone to Heaven 2 Sam. 12.25 I shall go to him but he shall not return to me Obs 1. He doth not only mean into the state of the dead where the child is but into Heaven where I shall find him for his Carcass was but part of him and the least part 2. This hope he had of him though the Child was begot in Adultery 3. Though the Child was struck with death as a punishment of David's sin 4. Though the Child had not yet circumcision the Seal of the Covenant for he died on the seventh day ver 18. and we know that Circumcision was not to be till the eighth day Gen. 17.12 So that it seems the stress is not laid on the Seal but on the Covenant so that we see grounds of hope for the Eternal Salvation of the Infants of believing Parents But how and whence this comes to pass that such Infants become capable of Eternal Salvation that 's a great Question Luther thinks that Infants have actual Faith from Mat. 18.6 Whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me So reason is in Infants tanquam in principio Radice in its principle root habit virtually though not yet actually produced 2. Others say they are saved by some peculiar unknown unspeakable way without Faith but the text saith Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned how far this extends with reference to Infants I know not 3. Others say that Parents Faith is also Childrens according to the Tenour of the Covenant I will be thy God and the God of thy Seed thus Children have faith after a sort So the text saith Rom.
cavils of prophane Spirits and against my own unbelieving fears 2. God never forsakes the Children of Godly Parents till they forsake him poor Children run away from God before he turn them off 1 Chron. 28.9 If thou seek him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever If Solomon or any other Child or Children of a Godly Father put on a Cloak of Religion to please Parents or accomplish a carnal end while they live and cast off Religion and perversly turn their backs on God and embrace wicked ways without true Repentance they have discharged God of his performing promise because they have voluntarily descarded the condition on their part now at ripe age when they are fit to make a choice it 's a voluntary act proceeding from their own wilfulness John 5.40 You will not come unto me and then it becomes a judicial act in God to forsake them because they first forsook him and neither they nor their Parents can find fault with God for withdrawing from them that Grace they abused which he is not bound to give them 3. Parents have no reason to challenge God for non-performance of the terms of the Covenant but themselves for their neglect of duty to their Children this is ordinarily the reason of their Childrens miscarriage even godly Parents are too apt to miss it by over fondness and negligence in their education not admonishing counselling correcting them David had been too indulgent to Adonijah in not crossing him and doubtless his Conscience flew in his Face upon his Ambition this is a plain case good Eli honoured his sons above God 1 Sam. 2.29 by permitting them to dishonour him chusing rather to offend God by connivance at their sin than displease them by severe rebukes effectual restraints and severe punishments for as a Father and as a Magistrate he ought to have curbed them therefore God saith I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth of because his sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not Oh what privy nips do the Consciences of Parents give them when their Children grow up and take not good ways alas I sinned against God and now God leaves them to themselves I have no cause to censure God but condemn my self God is Righteous their sin is a Glass to see my own Lord humble me and convince them oh pardon my iniquity that I may pray believingly for my Seed 4. God may pass by the immediate off-spring of his faithful Children and work upon their more remote posterity Free grace sometimes runs under ground for a season and breaks out at a distance an immediate Son is bad but grace layes hold on a Grandson Jehoshaphat was a good man 2 Chron. 20.32 But Jehoram his Son proved bad 2 Chron. 21.6 Yea Ahaziah his Son walked in the ways of the house of Ahab 2 Chron. 22.3 4. Vzziah did right in the sight of the Lord 2 Chron. 26.4 And Jotham his Son 2 Chron. 27.2 6. But had a bad Son Ahaz 2 Chron. 28.1 2. Yet Electing love broke out again in good Hezekiah 2 Chron. 29.2 But it lay dormant for a considerable time and laid not hold of Manasseh 2 Chron. 33.2 Yea some think his forc'd Repentance was not sincere and saving however the grace of God withdrew from Amon his Son 2 Chron. 33.20 But laid hold on good Josiah his Son 2 Chron. 34.2 You see how grace skips and leaps over the head of one and lays its hand upon another yea sometimes it crosseth hands and as Jacob guided his hands wittingly laying his right hand on Ephraim and his left hand on Manasseh Gen. 48.14 20. setting the younger before the Elder contrary to Josephs desire and design Thus God crosseth our natural affections and expectations blessing such as we least thought of and leaving others that our hearts were most set upon to convince us of the freeness of his grace But thus his Covenant doth stand sure 5. Delays are no denials God hath his time to bring in the Prodigal Sons of pious Parents nullum tempus occurrit Regi the King of Heaven can take what time he pleaseth to work on hearts Saul shall long persecute the Church yet become a chosen vessel it 's worth observing that the Children of many godly Parents sowed their wild Oats in youth even godly Jacob was guilty of many faults stealing the blessing by a lye Several of Jacobs Sons had foul spots Ruben and Judah were guilty of Incest Simeon and Levi of rash Anger Treachery Murder yet all godly Patriarchs Several combining out of envy to sell Joseph Whereby they broke their Father Jacob's honest heart but let not godly Parents make too hasty conclusions He that believes makes not haste It may be God defers to hear because he loves your company and would make you an Errand to the throne of grace your Prayers are yet too cold he thinks fit to quicken importunity the Answer will come double loaden and pay for all your pains and patience give God the glory of his wisdom he knows how to husband your mercies better than you it 's worth observing that those Women in Sacred Writ that waited longest for Children had the best as Sarah Rebecca Rachel Hannah Manoahs Wife and Elizabeth Be not preposterous you may see Gods Salvation before you die 6. If God never shews mercy to your seed you must not so much murmur at his Justice as adore his Soveraignty he is absolute disposer of his own grace such an act of Prerogative may be admired must not be questioned The Apostle Paul having waded as far as Scripture led him into the unfathomable Abyss of God's casting of the Covenanted seed of believing Abraham and adopting the forlorn and forsaken Gentiles stands on the bank of that Ocean and cries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! Ro. 11.33 how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out The immensity and ineffability of these counsels are such depths as he saith in Job 32.13 He giveth not account of any of his matters They are oft unaccountable but never unrighteous Kings have Arcana Imperij misteries of State not fit to be communicated to vulgar capacities And much more the infinit God Deut. 29.29 secret things belong to God It 's presumption to pry into Gods Ark our weak eyes cannot behold this glorious Sun poor sinner down on thy knees and say thus to God Lord I will rather adimire the riches of thy grace to my own Soul than quarrel with thee for not giving my Child grace It is an abstruse and inscrutable depth my humble Ignorance or nescience shall stop at thy pleasure my will shall be melted into thy will if my seed must glory in thy Justice I will acquiesce therein and say though clouds and darkness are round about thee yet righteousness and judgment are
were the more knowledge do you lay in The further they were from God the nearer do you get to him The more disadvantages you have had the more pains must you take for your Souls seeing it 's of absolute necessity 4. If God have laid hold on your Hearts be more laborious for the good of your families you have had sad experience of the want of careful education let not your Children have the like but instruct them pray for them do what you can to bring them into Covenant with God give not them occasion to complain of your neglect also 2. Children of Covenanted Parents God forbid you should act contrary to your Baptismal Covenant-relation or contradict your obligations that Thorns should grow instead of Lillies or stinking Weeds where sweet smelling Flowers have been it 's dreadful that cursing should be heard where Prayers have been put up or idle wanton Songs where Hosanna's have been used to the King of Heaven 1. Review and Renew your Baptismal-covenant you were timely devoted to God in minority confirm it now at age you took press-money to be the Lords Souldiers to fight against Satan World Flesh Beg the Graces and priviledges exhibited and sealed in that ordinance Regeneration Adoption Mortification Union to Christ Tit. 3.5 Rom. 6.1 2. Gal. 3.26 Act. 22.16 Remission of Sin say Lord didst thou promise before I could ask them and now wilt thou not bestow them when I am become an humble suitor for them I here produce thy Charter the deed of gift under thine own hand thou didst in thy infancy confer a right give me now possession of it let me know the Seed was sown by the crop growing up that I may at last reap the blessed Harvest 2. Repent for your breach of Covenant alas I have not walkt up to my vow in Baptism I have failed by omission trangressed by commission my Conscience condemns me God may justly censure me for transgressing his Laws Isa 24.5 changing his Ordinances breaking the everlasting Covenants I have abused his kindness rejected his gracious offers neglected his Worship and God may justly draw up a black bill of indictment against me pass the Sentence upon me and execute it as against an Apostate but Lord heal my back slidings Hos 14.4 love me freely turn away thine anger from me and deal with me according to the tenour of this New Covenant 3. Plead your Fathers Covenant Prayers Practice The Lord our God be with us as he was with our Fathers 1 Kin. 8.57 let him not leave us nor forsake us Psal 22.4 5. our Fathers trusted in thee they trusted and thou didst deliver them they cried unto thee c. blessed be God the God of my Fathers that gave them a believing praying heart and sigsig experiences of answers of Prayer I will build on that Foundation and surely my Lord will not be worse to me than he was to them How strong a plea this hath been accounted see in David 1 Chron. 12.17 Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 20.6 thus may you plead Lord my Godly Father was in many straits and still he made thee his only refuge and thou didst not leave him Oh cut not off this blessed entail from me his Child be as good to me as thou wast to him 4. Walk in the steps of your godly Ancestors plead and practise as they did say as Moses Exod. 15.2 He is my God 1 Kin. 21.3 4. Pro. 27.10 and I will prepare him an habitation my Fathers God and I will exalt him God forbid that I should sell the Inheritance of my Fathers My Fathers Friend I will not forsake by sinning or apostatising he never gave me occasion to withdraw from him Jer. 2.5 What iniquity have my Fathers found in God Shall I disoblige an old Friend to gratifie an inveterate Enemy No God forbid Act. 24.14 I will own love and serve the God of my Fathers for ever the God of my Fathers help me to stick close to my dear Lord in duty 3. This Doctrine concerns persons that are married that yet have no Children to Pray and Care for or incourage themselves about for surviving Posterity and under this head I shall also rank unmarried persons both these may learn these four practical lessons 1. Be sure you lay hold of this Covenant for your own Souls Be concerned for your selves if you have none else to care for yet you have a great charge upon your hands You are either Gods or Devils to your selves aut Deus aut Demon either God or Satan is with us even when alone Yea every man is the worst Devil to himself quisque sibi Satan every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed Jam. 1.14 Your business is therefore to secure your best interest whether you shall have Children or no and the only course is to lay hold on this Gospel-Covenant Isa 56.4 5. For thus saith the Lord unto the Eunuchs that keep my Sabbaths and chuse the thing that please me and take hold of my Covenant Even unto them will I give in my House and within my Walls a place and a name better than of Sons and of Daughters Mark it you both secure your own Souls and your name How much is this better than Absoloms Pillar which became an Eternal shame You consult honour to your selves by embracing Covenant terms practising Covenant-duties improving Covenant-promises and Spirituallizing Covenant-seals believing in Christ the Mediator of the Covenant being sprinkled with the blood of the Covenant that you may enjoy Covenant-priviledges then shall your names be inrolled in the sacred Calendar Isa 4.3 and written among the living in Jerusalem God and good men will esteem and honour you yea your name shall be had in everlasting remembrance Your memory shall be blessed on Earth Prov. 10.7 and your Souls happy in Heaven Oh how much is this better than Sons to bear up your name That 's but a Temporal this a Spiritual mercy that Common to all this peculiar to Saints that uncertain this fixed that Temporary this Eternal Be sure of this and you are happy 2. Be humble and mortified You want Children they are an Earthly blessing Psal 127. Psal 128.3 4. 3 4 5. For Children are the heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the Womb is his reward as arrows are in the hands of a mighty man so are the children of Youth happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them These are not contemptible though temporal mercies you must not throw up the head and say tush I care not I have more ease and draw a light harrow I may take my pleasure and make even with my Estate for I have none to leave it to when I dye This is naughtily spoken God would have you humbled under the want of Children tho' but a temporal mercy Gods Servants have lookt on it as an Affliction You may hereby take occasion to