Vse 1. g Hab. 2. 4. h Acts 2. 39. Obiect 1. Resp. i 1 Cor. 7. 14. Obiect 2. Resp Vse 2. k Isay 1. 2. A three-fold dutie of Parents towards their children l Ephes 6. 4. A childe of so many praiers and teares cannot be lost as one said concerning Augustine the sonne of Monica Vse 3. Doctr. Good names and titles nothing worth without grace m Gen. 4. 8. n 2 Sam. 18. 33. o Iohn 6. 70. p Iohn 8. 33. Reason Vse Mountaignes Essaies Doctr. Good Parents are ornaments to their posteritie r Pro. 17. 6. ſ Iohn 8. 33. Matth. 3. 9. Reas t Reuel 1. 6. Vse 1. First step to Heauen 42. Vse 2. u Ezek. 18. 10. 13. * Luke 15. x Ouid. Metam lib. 13. Juuenal Sat. 8. Non genus sed genius non gens sed mens Text. Doctr. Rhetorick may lawfully be vsed in the handling of Gods word Vse Doctr. The duties of the second Table God especially respects y Isay 1. 11. z Verse 15. 16. a Verse 17. b Isay 58. 6 7. c Micah 6. 6 7. d Verse 8. e Hos 6. 6. Reas f 1 Ioh. 3. 10. g Iam. 2. 18 26. Vse h Amos 5. 7. and 6. 12. i Iob 31. 14. k Verse 16. Verse 21. l Psal 15. 2 3. Text. Doct. Oppression is a crying sinne m Isay 1. 15. n Cap. 3. 15. o Psal 14. 4. p Amos 8. 4. q Micah 3. 3. r Ier. 22. 13 -20. Reas 1. Saeuis inter se conuenit vrsis Ferae parcunt Aues pascunt Homines saeuiunt Cypr. ser 6. Reas 2. ſ Tit. 2. 11 12. t Isay 11. 6. Reas 3. u Ier. 7. 11. 2. Chron. 36. 14. Inter leges ipsas contra leges delinquitur Cyp. ad Donat. lib. 2. epist 2. * Acts 23. 3. Vse 1. x Psal 83. 2 3. y Vers 12. z Phil. 4. 15. 1 Cor. 9. 11. a Iam. 5. 4. Aelian var. hist lib. 1. cap. 20. Obiect 1. Resp. Possidebant Papistae possident Rapistae Cominaeus lib. 1. cap. 4. Obiect 2. Resp. Obiect 3. b Ezek. 18. 14 19. Resp. Obiect 4. Resp In iure fori non in iure coeli Aug. de vit morib Cler. c Dan. 32. 7. d 1 Mac. 9. 54 55 56. e 2 Mac. 3. 24 25. f 4. 39 41 42. g 5. 15 16. cum 95 -11 h 13. 4 -8 i 15. 30 -34 k Acts 5. 2. l Prou. 20. 25. m Dan. 3. Moneo vt reddatis Deo sua vt Deus restituat vobis vestra Chrys in Matt. 3. Multi in hac vita manducant quod postea apud inferos digerunt Aug. Mr. Crash epist Dedic to Perk. treat of the dutie and dig of Min. u Isay 49. 23. o Neh. 13. 11 12. p Isay 62. 1. q Isay 58. 1. r Prou. 29. 18. ſ Isay 1. 23. t Amos 5. 7 12. 6. 12. u Zeph. 3. 3. * Rom. 10. 20. x Isay 1. 23. y Hos 4. 18. z 1 Sam. 12. 3. a Eccles 7. 15. Pecuntosus damnari non potest Cui vis est ius non metuit ius obruitur vt b Exod. 18. 14. Maior est expensarum sumptus quà m fententiae sructus Aelian lib. 9. cap. 18. c Isay 32. 2. d Isay 33. 15. Pactū non pactū est non pactum pactum est quod illis lubet Plaut c Dan. 6. 16. f Amos 4. 2. g Amos 8. 4 5 6. h Matth 4. Iul. Solin cap. 23. i Isay 59. 7. k Ezek 22. 12. l Exod. 22. 25. Non remittitur peccatum nisi restituatur abtatum Aug. m 2 Chron. 25. 9. Acts and Mon. pag. 233. n Isay 3. 14 15. o Ier. 22. 13. p Micah 2. 1 2. q Hab. 2. 12. Stow in his Summary Glanuil lib. 7. de leg consu Angl. cap. 37. Extra de Vsur cap. Quia in om r Matth. 25. 41. Verse 42. ſ 1 Thess 4. 6. t 2 Cor. 7. 2. Text. Doctr. God heares the cries of the oppressed u Exod. 3. 7. Verse 9. and Cap. 2. 23 24 * Exod. 22. 23. x Iob 34. 28. y Psal 34. 17. z Iam. 5. 4. Reas 1. a Luke 18. 4. Reas 2. b Psal 68. 5. c Gen. 18. 25. Vse 1. d Psal 10. 17. e Lament 3. 27 28 29. f Psal 39. 9. g Psal 109. 4. Acts 7. 60. Luke 23. 34. h Omnis namque iniquitas apud secreta Dei iudicia habet voces suas Greg. Mor. 5. cap. 8. i Aquin. in Iac. 5. 4. k Gen. 4. 10. l Gen. 18. 20. m Hab. 2. 11 12. n Iam. 5. 4. Vse 2. o Psal 12. 5. p Psal 66. 12. q Isai 35. 3. r Luke 21. Bernard Vega. Pontan ſ Matth. 13. 9. t 24. 15. u 2 Tim. 2. 7.
to bee blamed though they sometimes alter their method 13 They serue the greatest Master and are imploied in the greatest worke and shall haue the greatest wages 18 Motiues to fruitfulnesse 138 Motiues to singing 28 Motiues to seeke after Gods glory 33 N A Good Name how to get 125 Good Names profit not without grace 292 They should be a sput to goodnesse ibid. Vnder a holy Name to lead an vnholy life is a kind of sacriledge 293 Negatiue diuinitie not enough 159 No goodnesse comes from Nature 289 O OBedience is to be giuen to all Gods precepts 156 Particulars wherein wee are to shew our Obedience vnto God 284 Omission of good duties damnable 159 Oppression a sinne against Race Grace and Place 301 Oppressors how heretofore punished 314 God heares the grones of the Oppressed 315 P PArents to giue thankes at meat and not their children for them 151 Good Parents may haue lewd children 288 Their duties towards their children 290 Parents are not too rashly to be censured for the loose cariage of children 291 Wicked Parents disgrace their children 294 Papists their positions dissolue all bands of humane fellowship 117 Their practises agreeable to their positions 118 Their bloudy crueltie 255 A fearefull sinne to abuse Gods Patience 220 Gods Patience should teach vs Patience 222 Our Peace so long enioyed a great blessing 262 Our workes are to be brought to Perfection 154 Perseuerance in good needfull 157 Presence of God still to be remembred 54 Gods Proceedings are all iust 180 No Priuiledge will beare vs out if we take libertie to sinne 189 235 Priuiledges of those who loue God 56 Poesie is a commendable Art 23 Professors outward cariage if holy doth much good 80 The lewd life of a Professor doth highly dishonour God 37 Prophesies of the Prophets how kept 1 Before God doth Punish he giueth warning 211 Why God suffers the wicked to runne on without Punishment 268 Why God Punisheth the wicked for doing that worke he emploies them in 226 Purposes made for the most part like our Holiday Eeues 155 Q GOd fell not to Questioning vntill man fell to sinning 190 Gods Questions tend for the most part to conuince the conscience ibid. R THe godly come of noble Race 120 Rage of the wicked limited 250 Diuersitie of Religion dangerous in a kingdome 114 Religion is the strength of our Land 130 Rhetoricke lawfull to be vsed 296 Rich men rarities in heauen 110 Riches to be esteemed in themselues as blessings ibid. Why they are called the Mammon of vnrighteousnesse ibid. Rome her first foundation laid in bloud 255 Whether it be a true Church 98 Rules to be followed in vsing Parables and Allegories 83 S SAfetie of the godly very great 250 To liue in Safety keep in with God 249 Saints allotted by Papists to all countries except England 287 Security of the wicked blockish stupidity 244 Separation not to be made from our Church for some blemishes 96 Senses of God troubled with mans sin 170 Sinne corrupteth all things 165 Euery Sin belcheth forth an euill sauor 171 It is a make-bate 186 It breakes our Couenant with God 241 It depriues vs of Gods protection 240 It weakens a Kingdome 242 It hath both voice feet and wings to hasten iudgement 316 Foure Sinnes in Scripture said to be crying sinnes 317 Sinnes of weaknesse punished much more shall sinnes of wickednesse 235 Things sinfull afford resemblances to admonish of duty 85 Singing Psalmes or other holy songs lawfull 26 Directions how to Sing 29 Few Sing but they take Gods name in vaine by their singing 31 Three kinds of Songs in vse amongst the Iewes 8 Sodome what it was and what it is 169 By our Speeches our loue we beare to God will be discovered 49 Foure Suters that seeke to get the soule 59 No Suter should speed but Christ 60 Superiours must remember they haue a Superiour 285 T DVties of the second Table to be especially regarded 298 Time is to be obserued for doing good 153 Some good duties are at some times vnseasonable 154 Tongue the Interpreter of the mind 49 Toleration of Idolaters vnlawfull 113 The godly though not preserued from Troubles yet preserued in them 252 Why Trades are called Crafts and Mysteries 283 Truth of God with-hold not in vnrighteousnesse 199 V THe Church compared to a Vineyard in diuets respects 73 Verse comprehends much in a little 24 Verse better remembred than prose 5 Vnity ought to be in the Church 100 That Vnity be maintained what must bee auoided 101 The wicked are Vnthinkefull to God 162 Vowes not to be broken 198 Vsurers like the Timber-worme and like the nether Milstone and their Broakers like the vpper 312 They will be Venison in Heauen 313 W WArre a heauy iudgement 263 Waters of the Sanctuary needfull to further our growth in grace 145 Weaknesse of grace should not discourage if there be true grace 161 Wealthinesse and Wickednesse not euer conioind 109 Wicked they shall not euer remaine within the Church 105 Wicked preserue the godly as chaffe doth the Corne. 111 They charge the godly to be the troublers of the State when it is themselues 129 The turne Gods best blessings into poison 165 They cannot please God 171 The haue no peace with him 187 They shall not escape Gods wrath 233 They lie open to all dangers 243 Witches are the Deuils drudges 248 The Deuill cannot doe harme to any to gratifie a Witch 247 Workes testifie though not iustifie 51 The godly abound in good Workes 81 Words of a Christian are of a healing nature 80 Word preached is a Winepresse and doth discouer what is within the heart 131 Word neuer preached in vaine 167 Our Workes should be workes of the Spirit 152 The best Workes of the wicked are offensiue to God 170 World not to bee loued if wee would loue God 55 Worship of God is the glory and strength of our Land 128 FINIS Rom. 10. 15. a Nobilitas sola est atque unica virtus Iuven. b Nec quicquam in te mutavit sertunae amplitudo nisi ut prodesse tantundem posses velles Plin. epist ad Vespas Qui sua metitur pondera ferre potest Martial Calu. in praesat ad hunc lib. a Isai 8. 1. 2. 30. 8. Hab 2. 2. Musâ—ul in Isai b Rom. 10. 20. Hierom. lib. 15. in Isai in sine c Hierom. epist ad Paulinum d Reuel 14. 2. Bulling Praef. in Isac e Cap. 1. 18. Etym. nom Prophet f Cap. 1. Vers 4. g Esay 53. 1. h Cap. 49. 4. i Ier. 20. 9. Text. Vers 1. k Ezek. 33. 32. Obser l Matth. 2. m Luke 5. Argument of the Song Luther The scope is three-fold n 2 Sam. 12. o Vers 5. p Matth. 21. q Vers 40. 41. 43. Diuision Exposition Muscul Moller Calu. Vrsin in loc 1. r Cant. 2. 16. 6. 3. 7. 10. 2. Å¿ Iohn 3. 29. Mizmor Tehillah Shir. t Ephes 5. 19. Coloss 3. 16. u Zamar * Halal
speaketh chose rather to speake barbarously than finely and to vse the barbarous word ossum in his exposition rather than the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though he allow it in the text and so reads it because though it were not so Grammaticall yet it was the more intelligible word and he desired his peoples profit aboue his owne credit holding it better that the learned should reproue him than that the ignorant should not vnderstand him So then let vs preach not as we are able to speake but as our people are able to heare and as they can beare remembring still that we must rather seeke to make our people schollers than to shew our selues schollers vnto our people Now in vsing of Parables Similitudes Allegories c. these rules as I haue else-where shewed are to be followed 1. That they be not farre fetcht but sitting for the matter in hand 2. That they be borrowed from things well knowne and easie to be conceiued 3. That we still haue a care of the maiestie of Scripture auoiding all ridiculous and base stuffe 4. That we vse them rather for instructing of life than for prouing any point of faith 5. That we turne not all into Allegories to the destroying of the letter which was Origens fault 6. That they be quickly dispatched and not too much insisted on Let Hearers learne not to despise their Ministers for their plainnesse but if any themselues for their childishnesse who must be thus lisped to Seeke not so much to haue thy eare tickled as thy vnderstanding enlightned The painfull Bee passeth by Roses and Violets and sits vpon Time so shouldst thou rather chuse to feed on plaine and wholsome doctrine though hot and biting than on the quirkes and flowers of mans inuention In a word learne euermore to iudge that Sermon best though plaine whereby thou vnderstandest most And so much for this first point Now heare a second There is no earthly thing which may not be applied to some speciall vse for our edification in grace Things earthly may put vs in minde of things heauenly things naturall of spirituall What is there in this world that hath any being but may reade to man a Diuinity Lecture From the highest Angell to the lowest worme all teach vs somewhat The Sun Moone Starres are good Schoolemasters When I behold thy Heauens the workes of thy fingers the Moone and the Starres which thou hast ordained What is man say I then that thou art mindfull of him or the sonne of man that thou so viâ—â—test him Thus the Heauens preach the glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy worke So the Fowles of the Heauens The Storke knoweth her appointed times the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow obserue the time of their comming These may teach vs to know the day of our visitation and the iudgement of the Lord. The beasts of the field likewise may instruct vs The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his masters Crib By them may Israel be schooled and learne obedience Yea of the little Ant or Emmet may man be taught prouidence Goe to the Ant thou sluggard consider her wayes and bee wise which hauing no guide ouersoer or ruler prouideth her meat in the Summer gathereth her food in the haruest And as the creatures so may euery action and ordinary occasion bee applied to good purpose The Husbandman breaking vp his ground theacheth vs the necessity of Repentance calleth vpon vs for the breaking vp the faâ—low 〈◊〉 our hearts His casting in his seed and sowing of his field sheweth vs the nature of the wâ—â—d the necessity and vtility of the same The Corne dying and fructifying preacheth to vs that Article of our faith The resurrection of the body The beholding of â—aâ—es and weeds in the field may instruct vs of the state and condition of the Church militant The Merchant searching for pearles and paying dearely for that of price should remember vs of a farre more precious pearle The Gospell of the Kingdome which we should highly rate and sell all to buy Childrens asking for bread or meat at their fathers hands and the Fathers readinesse to giue them what they aske may teach vs our duties towards God and set forth the readinesse of Gods loue to vs. Seruants waiting vpon their Masters and Maids attending vpon their Mistresses should teach vs to wait vpon the Lord our God vntill he haue mercy on vs. Thus Gods wisdome is in this kinde remarkable directing vs by all things that may runne into our senses to raise vs furtherances in spirituall things Yea not only things lawfull but we shall finde likewise that things sinfull and vnlawfull afford resemblances to admonish of dutie The employment of our gifts to the glory of the bestower we haue pressed by resemblance of the Vsurers cursed courses Wisdome to prouide for euerlasting Tabernacles by liberalitie to the poore Saints is taught vs by the vniust policie of the deceitfull Steward Watchfulnesse for the sudden comming of Christ by the vnexpected comming of a theefe to his prey In a word there was nothing which our Sauiour could heare or see or doe but he made spirituall vse of it and tooke occasion thereby to administer heauenly instructions vnto his followers Thus we haue seene this truth proued now let vs heare it further applied This may serue for our Humiliation seeing that by our sinne and apostasie wee are degraded beneath the beasts and become their schollers Our father Adam was made Lord of the creatures and by the knowledge wherewith God endued him he knew the Lord and the creature also At one Court he imposed names to them all according to their kindes as knowing them better in their nature and vertue than they did themselues The knowledge which he had of God led him to this knowledge of the creature and it was not by the creature that hee learned the knowledge of the Creator But by sinne man falling away from God he hath so far degenerated from his owne kinde as that he is now become inferiour vnto them and they as Balaams Asse can teach their master To the schoole of the creature is man now sent and put backe like an idle truant to his A. B. C. to learne the glory goodnesse and prouidence of the Creator by looking vpon it neither are we able to learne so much as the creature can teach vs when we ply our lesson hardest Consider we how farre the creature doth excell man and that not only in naturall faculties as the Ape in tasting the Spider in touching the Lynx in seeing the Boare in hearing the Vulture in smelling c. wherein we come not nigh them nor yet only in naturall gifts and qualities of the body as the Horse in strength the Roe in swiftnesse the Lion in courage c. wherein wee are not able
men would now at length be brought to looke about them and suffer themselues to be so farre preuailed with as to make tryall of these meanes in vprightnesse and sinceritie of heart Consider I beseech thee with thy selfe how exceedingly hitherto thou hast frustrated the Lords hopes and expectations as likewise in what a wofull estate and condition thou hast liued and still liuest in whilst thou art vnder that same curse that heauy curse which is neuer farre from thee Cut it downe why cumbers it the ground Vrge therefore and presse thy soule vnto this fruitfulnesse and in some good measure answer the Lords hopes hereafter and content not thy selfe with shewes and leaues but as a tree of righteousnesse do thou shew forth thy grapes and figs and sweet fruits for that is it which God expects But we are fruitfull members of the Church we heare the word receiue the Sacraments and delight therein we keepe good orders in our families speake against common abuses and reforme euils in our selues and ours what would you more Yet something may be wanting The fig tree had leaues enow and by the flourishing greenesse seemed to promise great store of fruit no wonder then if such faire greene leaues as these cause many a soule to deceiue himselfe and others also when alas all this and more than this may be and is in many who are like to haue the doome that figge-tree had Neuer fruit grow on thee more And therefore before thou boastest see thy fruits haue these properties First looke that the fruit thou boastest of be proper fruit It must be thy owne done by thy selfe not by a Deputie nor Atturney Thus the godly man is compared to a tree that bringeth forth her fruit in due season It must not then be borrowed fruit for so an heart as stonie and barren as Cheapside it selfe may be made a far richer garden than some of those are where those herbes brought thither naturally grew The Papists indeed would faine make vs to beleeue that if our owne lampes be without oile we may goe and borrow of our neighbours to supply our wants For holy men of God say the Rhemists haue done not only that which they ought to doe but more than was required at their hands as for example Iohn Baptist fasted more than he was commanded and Mary liued more strictly than she was required now these superabundant works as a Church treasurie becommeth an aduantage to others who are more defectiue and indeed hang as it were vpon the Popes tally for who giues most But these workes of supererogation are workes of superarrogation our Sauiour hath taught vs this lesson When we haue done all we can we are but vnprofitable seruants And therefore let none build their hope vpon such a sandy foundation as the good workes of others another mans meat cannot nourish me another mans garment cannot warme me another mans eie cannot guide me neither can another mans workes saue me You call vpon your Minister to preach for himselfe vpon your seruants to doe their worke for themselues and vpon your Captaine to leade his company for himselfe and therefore let me call vpon you to doe good duties by your selues and for your selues Let not great men thinke to goe to heauen by their Chaplaines nor Wiues by their Husbands nor Parents by their Children nor seruants by their Masters by whom vsually they are religious here and thinke to be glorious hereafter Let me craue your patience a little in hearing a Storie which though in it selfe it be idle and fained yet may be of good vse to set forth a truth vnfained There was a certaine man saith the Legend which would neuer goe to Church himselfe but euer when he heard the Saints bell ring would say to his wife Goe thou to Church and pray for thee and me one night he dreamt that both he his wife were dead that they knocked together at heauen gate for entrance Peter being the imagined and supposed Porter lets in the wife but keepes out the husband telling him thus She is entered in both for her selfe thee For as she went to Church for thee so she is gone to heauen for thee This is the Fable The Morall is good and instructs euery one to haue a personality of faith and proprietie of fruit that himselfe seruing God himselfe may be blessed of God So willeth the Apostle Haue reioicing in thy selfe alone and not in another It is his owne faith the iust shall liue by and a mans owne workes that he must giue an account of For at the last day the question will not be what hath he done but what hast thou done And therefore let thy grand care be to prouide an Answer to that Question which will put the greatest part of the world to a Nonplus See then that thou preach for thy self if thou haue a calling thereunto pray for thy selfe giue thankes for thy selfe serue God for thy selfe and thus make the Prouerbe good which otherwise is deuillish Euery man for himself God for al. And yet to auoid all scruples I would not so be vnderstood as if we might not ioine with others in holy duties for that we may yea must or that we are not to pray for others or haue others pray for vs for this ought to be only we are not to content our selues with what is done by them vnlesse we ioine in heart and doe the like our selues Neither doe I thinke it a thing vnlawfull but fitting if a Samuel be in presence that he should performe these holy duties be it in any family and blesse the meat be it at any mans table for at such a time the Lord and Master of that house or family how great soeuer should giue way But as for children to giue thankes at their Fathers board except in case before that they are Prophets I thinke it not expedient Sure I am Christ neuer put his Disciples to it though they were men growne vp and of ripe yeares but euer gaue thankes himselfe And therefore the practise of many parents is too too childish who make their children their chaplaines and if they be out of the house grace shall be out of the parlour as if it were vnbeseeming their worthinesse to call vpon God for a blessing vpon what they eat Secondly our fruit it must be kindly fruit For no man gathereth grapes of thornes nor figges of thistles Good ground we know bringeth forth fruit of the same kinde and nature with the seed that it was sowed withall and not tares when wheat was sowne nor cockle when barley was cast into the ground Thus a Christian mans fruit must be such a conuersation as may beseeme the Gospell thy fruits may not be fruits of the flesh which are so rife so ripe yea rotten No nor fruits of ciuill righteousnesse wherewith many content themselues concluding they are trees
nature and not that which he hath aboue nature by the grace of regeneration The graines of wheat which are sowed in the earth though they be neuer so well purged from all their superfluities hauing neither stalke nor cares nor chaffe yet when they spring vp againe bring all these with them because as one of the Fathers saith that purgation of the corne is not made by nature but by the art of man So here in this Which being so let none thinke to be saued by their forefathers faith or goodnesse The iust shall liue by his owne faith saith Habakuk not by the faith of the father no nor of his fathers father How grosly then doe such deceiue themselues that runne into all excesse of riot and thinke to haue mercy shewed vnto them because of the godlinesse of their parents But we reade that the promise of remission of sinnes and the gift of the holy Ghost is made to vs and to our children True yet not to all of them but only to so many of them as the Lord our God shall call for so it followeth in the words immediatly following The vnbeleeuing husband is sanctified by the wife and the vnbeleeuing wife is sanctified by the husband else were your children vncleane but now they are holy Now if they be cleane and holy then are they vnder the election of grace There is a double holinesse First of Regeneration Secondly of the Couenant In regard of the first they are rebellious but in regard of the second they are holy whereby they are receiued into the Church visible and made partakers of the outward priuiledges thereof as of the Word and Sacraments So then though thou be borne of godly parents this will not profit thee to saluation except thou beleeuest and repentest for as the sinne of the father preiudiceth not the beleeuing childe no more doth the righteousnesse of the father saue the vnbeleeuing Secondly let not parents be too much discouraged if it so happen that their seed be vntoward and vngracious seeing as we haue seene it hath beene the condition of the best and faithfullest yea God who is the Father of vs all complaines that he had nourished and brought vp children but they had rebelled against him Grace is no inheritance it cannot be conueied by vs to our children as our land and houses can neither can we leaue it to them as we leaue them a possession to descend by a continued succession from the father to the sonne and so to the sonnes sonne in one race and generation It is Gods free gift and he giueth it where he pleaseth and to whom he pleaseth Only let vs vse the meanes to bring them vnto God for that we are bound to doe and then commit the successe to him with patience There is a threefold dutie that we owe vnto them which we must looke we faithfully discharge First that we haue a care of their education to bring them vp in the information of the Lord as Saint Paul requireth vs. Secondly that by a godly life we giue them good example For it is an euill great enough that we haue deriued sinne vnto them by propagation let them not draw it also from vs by imitation Thirdly that we be earnest in the Lord by praier for them that he would be pleased to giue them a new nature and to take away the corruption of the old which in their first generation we communicated to them which duties if we neglect we shall be guiltie of their blood but if we performe faithfully and conscionably we are free and haue deliuered our soules and may comfort our selues in the testimonie of a good conscience knowing that we only can vse the meanes it is God only that must giue the blessing thereupon Lastly hence let me giue a caution to euery one that they beware of ouer-rash censuring of parents for the loose cariage of their children we haue seene it cleared by a cloud of witnesses that reformed men haue had vnreformed children as circumcised parents begot children which were vncircumcised And though it be true amongst irrationall creatures that they euer bring forth their like Eagles haue Eagles and Doues Doues yet in mans progenie there is often found not so like a proportion as vnlike a disposition To condemne then the parent vpon this ground for that the childe is dissolute is too too rash for in so doing we may condemne the generation of the iust And thus much for this first point now a second followes These people as we see were called by the name of Israel and Iudah good names both and honourable one signifieth a Prince or Preuailer with God and the other signifieth Confession or Praise and yet this people were retchlesse dissolute Hence learne we Good names and titles profit nothing at all if our liues be not conformable to those names and titles that are giuen vs. Caine a good name signifying a possession but what is he the better for it when he is a Murderer So Absolom which made warre against his father had the name and made goodliest shew to be his fathers peace and yet he proued to be his greatest heart smart Iudas his name was good and proclaimed him to be a Professor but what doth that auaile him when by his deeds he shewed himselfe a deuill Thus the Iewes bragged they were Abrahams seed but alas will it profit them when they are the seruants of sinne surely it cannot profit them at all And no wonder for God respecteth truth in the inward parts and not outward titles he regardeth substance more than shadowes This being so let none content themselues with their good names or outward titles of honour that are giuen them but let them vse them as a spurre to stirre them vp to imitate such good men as haue beene before so named and surely this was one reason why this people were thus called by the name of Israel that they might hereby be put in minde of their pedegree and so of their predecessors pietie and consequently to make them ashamed of their owne apostacie who were so far degenerated from those religious men of whom they were descended Neither content thy selfe with that honorable title of a Christian or of a Professor or of a Protestant vnlesse thou makest good those names by a holy and godly life Tell me then thou that art thus called hast thou those gifts and graces which those names import hast thou receiued an ointment from that holy one hath he opened thy eies quickened thy dead heart sanctified thy vncleane affections If it be thus then indeed these names and titles are well befitting thee but if it be otherwise with thee if thou liuest loosely and prophanely thou maist blush so often as thou hearest thy selfe called Christian or Professor or the like for thou art nick-named and miscalled It is as if a Cobler