together for Good to them that love God Such is the admirable power and goodnesse of God that he can bring light out of darkenesse and good out of evill yea he can so over-rule the nature of things that what of themselves would contra-operate he will cause to co-operate and make them serve for much good He can sweeten bitter waters and make waters of Marah become waters of life But lest any soule should be sick about this question 1 Tim â— 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and say Why am I thus These following reasons may minister some satisfaction unto sober minds viz. Reason 1 The first Reason respects sin Sometimes God inflicts them as Castigatory stripes because of sin It is possible whilest they are in the flesh Saints may sin nay it is impossible they should not sin True He that is borne of God doth not commit sin that is 1 Joh. 3.9 as some do unpardonably or as the wicked do continually as one in his proper element he sinneth not wilfully presumptuously impenitently c. yet not so as if he could not Deut. 32.5 or did not sin Gods purest people have their spots Pro. 20.9 Possumus quod jure possumus Jam. 3.2 Solomon bids a challenge to all the world Who can say I am pure from my sin None justly In many things we offend all The greatest selfe-justifiers will prove the greatest selfe-deceivers Take it in the Apostles own words If we marke we Apostles and Saints say that we have no sin 1 Joh. 1.8 we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Euseb Eccl. hist l. 2. Clem. Hypotypos l. 7. James sirnamed for vertue the just reckons himselfe amongst offenders There is a Generation that are pure in their own eyes and yet is not washed from their filthinesse And I guesse none to be blacker in Gods eyes than those that are whitest in their own Nitre Sope and Snow-water will not wash off their blemishes Nay further it is plaine Saints do not only sin simply but transitively even in performing duty and doing good So saith Solomon There is not a just man that doth good Eccl. 7.20 and sinneth not It was once the perverse dispute of some Pelagians Whether by the absolute power of God a just man might not live on earth without sin But what have we to do with the absolute power of God Quid in bâc vitâ uisi Aurora sumus Greg when his pleasure is otherwise we have cause here to be humbled for the imperfection of our perfection being at best like the gray morning not cleare day Though we do some things that are of the light yet we do not want the reliques of darkenesse Sin hath some life in us still on earth our sanctification being not yet absolute which God suffers mainely for three reasons viz. 1. For the exercise of our faith patience and constancy He leaves some enemies against whom we may fight the good fight of faith as the Canaanites were left in the Land to prove the Israelites 2. For our instruction to make us know how deeply we are obliged to Gods mercy and how excellent is that deliverance we have by Christ Hereby we come to know the benefit we have by grace to which we must make our recourse Did we not feele how powerfull sin is to over-rule us we could never have known the vile servitude of sin under which we lay by nature nor the excellent grace of Christ whereby deliverance is procured We find that if the reliques of sin be so turbulent how would it trouble us tyrannize were it in its full vigour 3. For his own greater glory and Sathans greater confusion Like Conquerours that slay not all enemies but reserve some alive Captive for the day of Triumph to be put to death for their greater shame and the Conquerours greater glory Josh 10.23 c. Thus Joshuah dealt with the five Kings that made war against Gibeon So Jesus Christ the Captaine of our Salvation subdues all enemies our sins yet some remaine enclosed within us as in a Cave restrained by his power from their former liberty and when the battle is ended he will utterly spoile them of life This being so men shall smart for sin where ever it is found Saintship is no shelter The best child will deserve it at one time or other and an offending Son shall lick of the whip yea Gods own Son if he undertake for sinners So long as we have in us this bitter root we may expect some bitter fruit Psal 91.30 31 32. If Davids children in Covenant with God breake his Statutes and keep not my Commandements then will he visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes Saints themselves do never receive the full application of freedome from affliction till death Joh. 16.33 Yet these are castigatory not condemnatory They have the Cross but not the Curse Correction Rom. 8.1 but not Condemnation A good and a bad man may lye under a like calamity and yet here is the difference to the one it is a chastening to the other a punishment Sufferings may be alike in the nature and measure of them and yet differ in the acceptation A Merchant and Malefactor both crosse the Sea in one and the same Ship To the one it is the pursuit of his Calling and for gaine to the other exile and banishment Correction stands for a good caution Joh. 5.14 Piscu ictus sapit Sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee The sins of Saints are more dishonourable unto God and cutting to the heart of Christ than others therefore a smarter rod may hang at their girdâ—es Greatnesse of mercy aggravates the greatnesse of sin Amos 3.2 and addes to misery You only have I known of all the Families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities Againe sometimes God dispenseth afflictions as medicinal Pils or Potions to procure the soules health Let no man ascribe to afflictions more than is their due they cannot worke of themselves yet being sanctified of God they have a threefold operation 1. For the prevention of sin They are those thornes with which God hedgeth up our way that we may not find our paths Hos 2.6 Naturally we are like unto beasts desirous to breakeforth into wrong walkes and pastures God will by these prevent our extravagancy and keepe us within compass If they go on they shal prick themselves to the bone Physicians open a veine not only to cure but many times to prevent a disease God knows our disposition how inclinable we are to this or that evill And that we should not fall into these he sends us sicknesse in body sadnesse in soule losses in our goods friends children c. And these by Gods blessing become golden bridles to curbe and restraine us from that which otherwise we should rush upon and commit When the people
goeth Not only to Mount Tabor but Mount Calvary Not only to behold him when he is glorified but to stand by him when he is crucified It is expected we should love Christ with the Crosse as well as Christ with the Crown In matters of Religion we must put on resolution Ver. 16 17 18. God loves fixed Saints Intreat me not to leave thee or to returne from following after thee for whither thou goest I will go and where thou lodgest I will lodge thy people shall be my people and thy God my God No sooner sets she foot in the City of Bethlehem but the report is carried abroad upon the swift wing of fame where all flock about to gaze upon her Ver. 19. with wonderment admiring her great change What a spectacle is this Is this Naomi As it were doubting whether it were she or not Note How strangely is she altered Great afflictions may deface our outward gooddness that men can scarce take cognizance of us We may be such altered Creatures as to become strange to our famiâ—iars Only here is our comfort if we have the marke of election upon our soules which Christ can never forget And never are men miserable till he say Depart from me I know you not From this doubting question of theirs she takes occasion to frame this answer Call me not Naomi call me Marah for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me And thus having brought her home to her City we are come home to our Text. Which we may digest into 1. A Doctrine 2. And Use The Doctrine is not the preaching of the word but the language of the Rod. Heare ye the rod Mic. 6.9 and who hath appointed it The Rod hath a mouth to speake if we have an eare to heare The Use is not only verball but vertuall and Practicall she heares the rod she accepts the punishment the rod is sanctified It is like Jonathans rod there is honey upon the end of it It is like Aarons rod it buds and yeelds fruit even the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse Heb. 12.11 The Doctrine speakes bitter and heavy affliction The Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me The Use speakes humble submission and subjection she is sensible of it she submits to it Call me not Naomi call me Marah The first of these is for our present purpose and the later will be coincident in the discourse Let us first labour to give a little light into the words by way of Explication Call me not Naomi Naim civitas vel nomen oppidi ab amoenitate jueunditate situ Guich Minsh call me Marah Naomi signifieth sweet or pleasant and delectable and sometimes beautifull From this word the Hebrews did oft-times denominate Cities because of their beautifull buildings and sweet and pleasant scituation And Marah signifieth bitterness so we read of the waters of Marah Exo. 15.23 the Israelites could not drinke of the waters because they were bitter therefore the name of the place was called Marah or bitternesse Exod. 15.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amarus tum de sapore tum de odore dicitur The Greeks do use a very Emphaticall word signifying both such things as do disgust the taste and displease the sense of smelling The summe is she submits to Gods hand and desires to be called by a name suitable to her condition The Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me I conceive these to be the words not of one murmuring though the best are apt to expresse impatiency under such a condition but of one sensible of Gods heavy hand and bemoaning her owne estate As if she should have said God hath given me a very bitter pill and disgustfull draught in depriving me of my husband and two Sons and bringing me into to this low posture of poverty for so it follows Ver. 21. I went forth full and the Lord hath brought me home againe empty and thus The Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me Amongst the reft foure things are very bitter viz. Sin every act of sin is a declining of God whose glory is the chiefe marke we ought to levell at Jer. 2.19 and this is an evill thing and bitter Sin is like John's book sweet in the mouth but bitter in the belly As Abner faid of the Sword It will be bitternesse in the later end It is sweet in the committing but stingeth afterward Let a man offer us wormewood so soone as we taste it wespit it out of our mouths Sin is more bitter than wormewood therefore away with it Christians I say no more when once you come to taste the pangs of death you will say ah Sin is bitter The wrathfull displeasure of God O pray you may be preserved from tasting this Cup. Pray it may passe from you A dram a drop of divine wrath is soule-undoing lethall and mortiferous O wo to the damned that must suck the very dregs of Gods displeasure and drinke whole Vials of wrath in the darke and deep Cellar of hell for evermore Death is a bitter thing When Agag was spared by Saul and doubted not to receive good quarter from Samuel he said 1 Sam. 15.32 surely the bitternesse of death is past By tasting sicknesse the brim of this cup ye may guess what bitterness there is in the bottome And lastly grievous afflictions are very bitter Because they do render the life bitter and make the condition grievous Great afflictions may be called Waters of Marah In this sense it is that Naomi speaks And some among us may this day speake something out of the like experience The Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me Now to the Point God Almighty sometimes de ales very bitterly with his beautifull and belovedones Doctr. Every true Saint of God is his Hephsibah and Beaula Vel Chephsibab Isa 62.4 God's delight is in them and he is married to them They are his Naomi's his beautifull pleasant and delectable ones And yet these polished and pleasant peeces may lye under very bitter dispensations God doth not alwaies entertaine his people with Apples and Flagons But sometimes feeds them with bread of affliction and with water of affliction Here is Naomi a pretious woman whose name and disposition both render her pleasant and amiable and yet speakes of bitter dealing from the Lord. Neither is she single or passeth alone in such sufferings for clouds of witnesses keep consort and joint-harmony with her in this water-musick And though it is most true Saints never drinke the cup of pure wrath which is the proper portion of the wicked yet many ingredients of sorrow may be mingled in their cup they may taste much bitterness from God Job a man whom Scripture seems to Canonize for an eminent Saint and patterne of patience ye have heard of the patience of Job yet Jam. 5.11 reads a decree against himself written with gall and wormewood Thou writest bitterthings against me Job
the best Roses have thornes about them there is nothing that offendeth Here all things at best are but bitter-sweets there is no bitternesse at all In Christs presence is the fulnesse of joy Psal 42.2 My soule thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appeare before God For this they groane from their very hearts for the redemption of their body Rom. 8.23 to lay aside their burdens and to be cloathed upon 2 Cor. 5.4 that mortality might be swalâ—owed up of life And cry Apoc. 22. Come Lord Jesus come quickly No woman with child more heartiâ—y deâ—â—reth deâ—iâ—ery from the burden she walkes with nor any Jew ever looked more earnestly for the Jubile than they for that time The world is a barbarous country and heaven a sweet home a pâ—ace of desire The soule grows impatient of delay and can never receive satisfaction till that day arise upon it They are meanes to fit and prepare us for glory 2. Col. 1.12 There is a making of men meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light And the same Apostle tels us Rom. 9.22 23. as there are vessels of wrath fitted or made up to destruction So there are vessels of mercy afore prepared unto glory I know there are two maine things on Gods part to make up this aptitude in man viz. 1. The powerfull operation of his grace whereby he maketh us new creatures 1 Cor. 15.50 2 Cor. 3.5 Joh. 3.3 Vae laudabili vitae hominum si absque misericordiâ discutias cam Aug. 2. The mercifull acceptation of his good will whereby he covereth our infirmities and accepteth of our weake endeavours in Christ as perfect obedience And this holy preparation comes between the Elect and glory which worke afflictions help very much to advance Solomon saith To every thing there is a season a time to weepe and a time to laugh There is Tempus determinatum an appointed time Eccl. 3.4 it is good for us it be Tempus opportunum a fit time When the Sun shineth on one side it casteth a shadow on the other Bitternesse treadeth upon the heeles of sinfull pleasure Nunc tempus flendi est â—a fuâ—â—â—â—â—…dendi Hâ—eron in Lâ—â— 6. â—1 It is a blessed thing to have the time of sorrow here that joy may follow hereafter So our Saviour Blessed are ye that weepe now for ye shall laugh In the Deluge of old the same waters which drowned the wicked of those times bare up the Arke and preserved Noah with his Family Punishments to the wicked are the beginning of hellish torments but afflictions to the godly are helps to heaven They faile upon these bitter waters to that safe harbour Afflictions are Gods tooles with which he hews and squares his living stones and makes them fit to be laid in the heavenly Jerusalem The way to the joyfull Canaan was through the howling wildernesse God is used to bring his people through fire and water before he bring them into his wealthy place Those are darke and straight passages that lead into these spacious mansions of light Iâ—ur per angusta ad angusta The way to heaven is by the gates of hell We must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdome of God Act. 14.22 What shall I say more The Son of God was presented with gall and vinegar before he dranke the wine new in his Fathers Kingdome that is he dyed a most cursed death before he came to live that most blessed life Methinkes this might be as sugar to sweeten afflictions unto us A sick man will drinke bitter potions to procure perfect health A woman endures great paine and sore travell for the joy of a man-child The Husband-man will sow in winter that he may reape in harvest O let us be willing to sow in teares that we may reape in joy Seed-time for the most part is not very joyous there is much cold and raine endured and the Seed at present seemes to be lost But when harvest commeth then comes the joy So the seed of righteousnesse is sown in affliction in this life but great joy shall be at the generall harvest in the life to come Then we shall not know what sorrow meaneth but shall have those joyes which neither eye hath seene 1 Cor. 2.9 nor eare heard neither entred into the heart of man to conceive And now I place this as a conclusion to these reasons that there is abundance of wisdome and mercy shining forth in these dispensations God will not put new wine into old bottles nor tender hard meat to weake stomackes such as are babes in Christ Whilest Christians are weake their trials shall not be strong Isa 27.8 He debates with them in measure proportionated to their strength 1 Cor. 10.13 and will not suffer them to be tempted above what they are able If he purpose heavy afflictions he will stay till they be strong enough to beare them Paul begins his Hieraticks thus Rom. 14.1 Him that is weake in the faith receive you but not to doubtfull disputations And certainly it is not for young Novices in Religion to dispute points like children which delight in Knives that will hurt them much lesse to meddle with jugâ—ing Jesuites that have distinctions at their fingers ends versing themselves in nothing else but controversies I advise such study rather to live well than to dispute Neither indeed are those to be allowed the constant tenour of whose discourse tendeth to little better than to puzle poore soules I read of a Philosopher which but onâ—e boasted that he could hoâ—d Argument and dispute of any Position true or false a whole day And the Lacedemonians banished him considering him as one dangerous among the common people and a fit fellow to disturbe the peace of the State Psal 2.10 Et nunc reges prudentèr agite eruditionem percipite ô judices terrae But haec obitèr Thus in dispensing afflictions God observeth this rule He will not deale too bitterly with babes or lay a mans burden upon a childs shoulder A wise Merchant commits his strongest bottomes to the most dangerous Seas And a Generall puts his best Souldiers upon the hardest service They were of Davids worthies that brake through the Philistines host to fetch the waters of Bethlehem David had many in his Army but they are Champions of approved valour and prowesse that are put upon this designe Even so God will not put it upon weake Christians to bicker with an Army of strong trials and afflictions but such as have obtained experience and strength of grace The Use is twofold Use the first of which is directed to the free and the latter to the afflicted To the free it speaketh two things O ye that as yet have not tasted bitternesse or at most but tasted some crums of gall and drops of vinegar and wormewood Be charitable towards others Wring not out more wormwood into
VVATERS OF MARAH Drawn forth in two Funerall Sermons October 1653. AND Since upon desire Enlarged By Henry Hibbert Minister of the Word and Pastour of Trinity Church in Kingston upon Hull Gen. 42.36 Joseph is not Gen. 43.14 If I be bereaved of my Children I am bereaved Aug. Multò faciliùs est non habita repudiare quà m possessa omittere Greg. Majorem dolorem commovere damina majors London Printed by W. Hunt and are to be sold by Francis Coles in the Old-Bailey and by John Awdley at Hull 1654. To the Christian Reader especially to my tender Flock and true Friends Which are Inhabitants both of the high and low Church Parishes within the strong Town and famous Incorporation of Kingsdom upon Hull Henry Hibbert boweth his knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for for power of grace and perfection inglory Brethren SAge Solomon tels us there is no end of making books Eccl. 12.12 and much reading is wearinesse to the flesh yet this hath been an excesse in all Ages and ceaseth not in ours Non omnes ad docendum idonei utinam omnes ad discendum haâ—iles Ambr. Many though far fitter to learne and to be wished they would do so affecting master ship invade the office of publike preaching And with the Poets boy are almost transported to see themselves in Print It is a scribling Age wherein we live Scribimus indocti doctique The Presses are oppressed and the world so choaked with Papers that a man would almost conceit old Origen Apollinarius or Chrysippus were risen out of their graves As to my own Apology for Printing Mr William Lyme Collector of the Customi whose first-born died October 5. and his second child the tenth 1653. One maine ingredient to it was the Gentlemans importunity who was the sad Father of these two deceased Children being deprived of them both very suddenly and left childlesse I received also the earnest desires of many more competitours who found me though well furnished with quils a bird of no swift wing Remaining a season in suspeace like a man so long in putting on his cloaths that it were time to put them off againe However I would not shew my selfe utterly inexorable Another was Mary my first borne deceased at Settrington in Yorkshire June 25. And Hester my second at Hull Jan. 12. 1652. I being absent at London Miseris suecurrere disco the impression which both Gods word and rod did at that time take upon mine own heart having my selfe been sometimes under the like dispensation and suffering the nipping of such promising hopes as I have experienced the truth of that old observation A signe of no long life when the faculties of the mind are ripe so early But alas who can call back yesterday Adde unto these Gods hand in this kind is very smart and the Doctrine sutable therefore I had also an eye unto publike profit Writing respect being had unto matter and measure is not alwaies vox mortua a dead voice but sometimes vox vivida a lively voice and hath its Energy Nay upon some accounts whereas speaking is but like a burning coale usefull neare at hand Writing is like a shining Lampe which giveth light farre off Let these suffice Reader I have removed Amasa out of the way 2 Sam. 20.12 quitting quaintnesse and flying in a familiar Sphere So that thou needest not to make a stand having a plaine path to tract and nothing that I know in the world to stomble upon If thou be a Parent know that Childrens visitations are also thine Ater Philippo Philip of Macedon losing one of his eyes by an Arrow found by what was written upon the shaft that it was aimed indeed at himselfe In smiting of Children God speakes something to Parents themselves being wounded through their Childrens sides 2 Sam. 12.16 else David had not mourned so solemnly for his sick Child But whoever thou art let this mind thee of mortality Hic vita aut amittitur aut tenetur Cypr. Gen. 31.30 knowing that now life eternall is either lost or gained When Jacob had been a long season with Laban at last his heart was homewards O you who have conversed many yeares in this world it is high time to have some thoughts heavenwards Eccl. 12.1 It were good to remember our Creator in the daies of our youth Seeing the grave sucks in Sucklings Aliorum mors proficiat adnostram salutem If these things be done in a greene tree what shall be done in the dry If death begin at the Cradle it is time for us to thinke of our Coffins Friend Momus Satis est unus satis est nullus with the rest of your Mimicks I guesse your fancy at first sight Laudari à bonis timeo à malis detestor nothing can please you neither will this Yet know if my book merit not a better mans favour it feareth not your frown And it hath thus much more to entertaine you withall Nihil faciliùs est quà m reprehendere viz. That it is more easie to carpe at many than to compose one If these leaves be turned over by the hand of a time-server Eadem probamus eadem reprehendimus hic exit us est omnis judicii in quo lis secundum plures datur I question not but he will like it well whilest it holds in fashion yet will not be so uncivill as to make it blush and change colour when contrary blasts make him face about and change his judgement But I tell the more moderate the daies are grown more scientificall and it is hard to judge of stars of the least magnitude in the presence of the Sun However let not the praise of the more worthy be the disparagement of the meaner Nemo ideo deterior quia alter melior The foot is not the head but yet a member of the body And now a word to you my beloved people that have called me to this place and owned me in the Lord. It is not the least part of my comfort that both you and my selfe notwithstanding some provecations yet have hitherto kept our selves even finger-free from other mens differences 1 The. 4.11 Studying to be quiet and to do our own businesse Eph. 4.3 And endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace I hope we still shall de approving our hearts to God and practises to men to be of the number of them that are peaceable and faithfull in Israel 2 Sam. 20.19 You know my Idiome or property of speech how I am prompted onto succinctnesse being no Ciceronian And that my Talent rendreth me rather a Barnabas than Boanerges Yet Igrant the diversity of the Spirits gifts to tend all to edification 1 Cor. 12. And do like the later from them that are dexterous therein Only I could wish as it was once said of Basil that they who thunder
contrariwise 2 Kin. 4.14 it was a miserable blank in the Shunamites estate that she had no child 2 Kin. 20.3 And this is conceived to be one cause why Hezekiah melted into teares when he received the fatall message Even because he had no heire-male his Son Manasses being yet unborne And Abraham himselfe complaines of a great defect amidst all his fulnesse Gen. 15.2 Lord God what wilt thou give me seeing I go childlesse And therefore there was a provision made in the judiciall Law Deut. 25.5 6. That if a man dyed without issue his brother should raise up seed unto him that so his name might be revived and kept alive in Israel Children are nothing else but Parents multiplied Bena Banah aedificavit est enim totius structura seu aedificatio parentum and do in some sense immortalize and perpetuate them especially Sons which have their name originally from a word which signifieth to build because they beare up the name and are a support to the Family Therefore the Church prayeth Psa 144.12 That our Sons may be as plants grown up in their youth that our daughters may be as corner stones polished after the similitude of a Palace When the Father dyeth the Child riseth up in his roome and so Parents have a kind of resurrection in their Children A fourth Reason may be this Reason 4 Scripture upon some accounts reckoneth up steriâ—ity and barrennesse as a curse And who is not utterâ—y unwilling to bespit in the face with a Curse Doubtlesse that may seeme a strange Petition the Prophet puts up in the peoples behalfe Give them O Lord Amos 9.14 what wilt thou give them Give them a miscarrying wombe and dry breasts Comparing it with the context you shall find so great is Ephraim's sin that the Prophet is almost ashamed to pray for such a people and seemes very doubting what he should pray for yet foreseeing the fearefull plagues that were to fall he supplicates a mitigation That rather than women with child should be ripped up by the enemy or they should bring forth to the slaughter and see as Zed kiah did their Children murdered before their eyes 2 King 25.7 he prayeth to God to make them barren A paralell place is that of David who in his great straight chose to fall into the hand of God 2 Sam. 24. rather than into the hand of men That is a lesser judgement rather than a greater And yet this was a sore one three daies pestilence by which there fell seventy thousand men Even so the Prophet as if he should have said O Lord this do I beg in behalfe of this people thou wilt thus much remit the stroke It is the lesser judgement of the two not to have children at all than after they are borne bred and growne to maturity to have them slaughtered and therefore seeing the decree is gone forth give give in mercy O Lord give this mitigation of barrennesse So that the Petition serves to aggravate the ensuing judgements It is a most miserable case when that which is in it selfe a curse is to be prayed for as a blessing Coniah's curse is thus threatned Write ye this man childlesse Jer. 22.30 I do not conceive Coniah dyed without issue Ver. 28. the contrary being apparent but that he had a curse which was equivalent to being childlesse and therefore very great for so it followeth in the next words A man that shall not prosper in his daies for no man of his seed shall prosper sitting upon the Throne of David and ruling any more in Judah And this must not only be spoken but written Litera scripta manet Write ye this man childlesse as a notable judgement to be left on record to Posterity And this was Michals punishment for vilifying her husbands person Because she conceived contempt against him in her heart she never conceived child in her wombe Therefore saith the Text Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death That is 2 Sam. 6.23 she was punished with perpetuall barrennesse Doubtlesse among the Jewes want of children was a reproach both to man and woman This may be gathered from that of the Psalmist Psa 127.5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them viz. his Family well fraught with hopefull children which are those polished shafts they shall not be ashamed but they shall speake with the enemies in the gate 1 Sam. 1.6 Thus Hannah her Adversary provoked her sore for to make her fret because the Lord had shut up her wombe and she cals her barrennesse her affliction O Lord of hosts Ver. 11. if thou wilt indeed looke on the affliction of thine handmaid c. And Elizabeth being with child after a long time of sterility bespeakes her selfe on this wise Thus hath the Lord dealt with me Luk. 1.25 in the daies wherein he looked on me to take away my reproach among men I would not have any gracious heart stumble at this truth so as to hurt it selfe Good men and women may be destitute both of Children and Nephews And yet this is not so great an affliction to them because God comes in and makes up this want with a far more precious supply A worthy Grectan being mortally wounded by the Spartans a friend told him he much lamented that he dyed without Issue To whom he replied my famous victories are as so many children to renew my memory But here is more for if God have denied any of his the benefit of Children yet he hath given them a name better than of Sons and Daughters Isa 56.6 They are called the children of God Mat. 5.9 They have right and priviledge to become the Sons of God Joh. 1.12 And John speaks it with admiration Behold 1 Joh. 3.1 what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God! He that hath the Spirit of Adoption and is heaven-borne that can call God Father and speake to Christ as his brother and is allied to all the Saints shall find a fulnesse in this spirituall relation A name on earth how honourable soever is perishable But a name written in heaven shall never wither but flourish for ever It is no great matter to him or her that wants Children if they themselves be the adopted ones of God But to a wicked man it must needs be a curse because he hath nothing to make up this vacuum and relieve this want He that at once is both Childlesse and Christlesse too hath reason to weepe for his Children and not be comforted because they are not Reason 5 Last of all to touch the ultimate Period of this Point frequent it is for the first-borne to be the first Dolens profere and to fit highest in Parents esteeme And there is reason with due limitation it should be so Gen. 49.3